Chairman: Elliott I Portnoy
- Number of partners: 345
- Number of other lawyers: 303
- Website: www.sonnenschein.com
THE FIRM: Sonnenschein serves the legal needs of many of the world’s most admired businesses,non-profits and individuals with offices across the United States and in Europe and a global reach throughout the Americas,Asia and the Middle East.
MAIN AREAS OF PRACTICE:
Antitrust & Competition:Counsels and litigates on antitrust,distribution, licensing, franchise and dealer law, marketing, franchisee relations and supplier arrangements.
Capital Markets: Represents banking and financial institutions active in financing, purchase and securitization of financial assets.
Corporate: Advises on M&A, joint ventures, strategic alliances, technology investment, licensing, securities offerings and compliance, private equity transactions, commercial financing, corporate control, takeover defense and governance.
Corporate Reorganization & Bankruptcy: Represents official unsecured creditors, equity committees, Chapter 11 debtors/debtors-in-possession, insurers, indenture trustees, asset acquirers and secured creditors.
Employee Benefits & Executive Compensation: Negotiates executive agreements, advises on change-in-control compensation strategies and equity plans.Counsels on developing and managing tax-qualified retirement, deferred compensation and welfare plans, HIPAA; class action defense of ERISA fiduciary and benefit claims.
Energy/Environmental: Counsels on avoiding/minimizing liability. Litigates government, private-party suits; negotiates alternative agreements.Develops plans for managing liability, facilitating new projects,product development, structuring and supporting management programs, energy policy and legislation.Advises on climate change matters.
Fund Services: Provides legal services to the alternative investment industry, particularly hedge funds and asset management firms, from fund formation, operational and transactional matters, to political intelligence advisory services, regulatory audits and enforcement proceedings.
Healthcare: Extensive experience in healthcare law, including joint ventures, M&A, ehealth, managed care transactions, healthcare financing and Medicare/Medicaid reimbursement.
Hotels & Resorts - Global Practice: Engaged in development, financing, management, licensing, ownership and operation of hotel/resort properties.Counsels clients with regard to hotels, resorts, spas, golf courses, hotels with residential components, condo-hotels and fractional ownership.
Indian Law & Tribal Representation: Advises tribal governments, tribal organizations and tribal-affiliated businesses in connection with their governance, economic development and planning.
Internet & Data Protection:Advises on safeguarding information. Investigates and seeks redress for computer-based misconduct, including IP piracy, unsolicited commercial email,proprietary information theft; provides immediate legal response to unlawful internet- based conduct.Advises on federal and state regulation,procurement and outsourcing of telecom/IT services. General Counsel to cable and TV companies. Insurance: Handles high-risk and complex matters for financial and insurance industry clients, staffed with seasoned litigators and former insurance regulators.
Insurance Regulatory: Counsels in crisis management and complex commercial litigation. Provides legal solutions, including in major class actions, constitutional cases, coverage disputes, and employment, regulatory and compliance matters.
Intellectual Property & Technology: Counsels, litigates on development, use and protection of IP. Expertise in patent litigation, electronics, computers, telecommunications, aerospace,mechanical design, engineering arts, chemistry, pharmaceutical science and biotech.Advises on patent and trademark rights, applications and protections.
Labor & Employment: Counsels on compliance issues, including training and internal investigations. Representation in single-employee litigation, arbitrations, administrative investigations, class actions and corporate transactions.
Life Sciences: Advises organizations and individuals whose principal business involves the funding,development,production,management, regulation and advancement of technology and processes in the life sciences arena.
Litigation: Services encompass class-action defense, insurance,white-collar crime, product liability, IP, technology, real estate, construction,media, entertainment, financial transactions, securities, antitrust, franchising, distribution and government contracts.
Outsourcing: Offers extensive experience representing service providers and customers in the structuring,documentation, evaluation and negotiation of complex domestic, crossborder, and global business processes, information services, information technology and telecommunications outsourcing arrangements.
Public Law & Policy Strategies: Advises US and international clients on regulatory, transactional and legislative initiatives.Assists in direct advocacy, budget, appropriations, grassroots communications, marketing, crisis management, coalition and partnership development, and international government relations.
Real Estate: Advises in complex multi-state purchases, dispositions, constructions, financing, equity investment, commercial and multi-family development, leasing and affordable housing.
Taxation: Structures and advises on corporate acquisitions and dispositions involving US and non-US entities, financing techniques, US and non-US planning for USMNCs, partnerships, other joint ventures, real estate and foreign transactions. Extensive experience with exempt organizations and tax litigation controversies.
Trusts & Estates: Counsels wealthy individuals on tax, estate planning and related litigation. Administers estates, trusts and fiduciary accountings.
Venture Capital: Represents emerging growth, Fortune 500 clients. Counsels management and boards. Robust relationships with investment banks and VC firms on the West and East Coasts.
OFFICES
ILLINOIS
ChicagoTel: 312 876 8000 Fax: 312 876 7934
MISSOURI
Kansas City Tel: 816 460 2400 Fax: 816 531 7545
St Louis Tel: 314 241 1800 Fax: 314 259 5959
CALIFORNIA
Los Angeles Tel: 213 623 9300 Fax: 213 623 9924
San Francisco Tel: 415 882 5000 Fax: 415 882 0300
Silicon Valley Tel: 650 798 0300 Fax: 650 798 0310
Walnut Creek Tel: 925 949 2697 Fax: 925 949 2610
NEW YORK
New York Tel: 212 768 6700 Fax: 212 768 6800
ARIZONA
Phoenix Tel: 602 508 3900 Fax: 602 508 3914
NEW JERSEY
Short Hills Tel: 973 912 7100 Fax: 973 912 7199
DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
Washington Tel: 202 408 6400 Fax: 202 408 6399
TEXAS
Dallas Tel: 214 259 0900 Fax: 214 259 0910
INTERNATIONAL OFFICES
The firm also has offices in Brussels, Belgium and Zurich, Switzerland.