PFS LAW - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- Founder
- Partner
- Founder of the Firm
Alan Patzik is a founder of the firm and a partner in the firm's Business and Finance Practice Groups. Alan has extensive experience in merger and acquisition work, commercial finance, federal and state securities matters for private companies, and other general business matters, including a significant amount of work representing clients in the formation of joint ventures with institutional capital partners.
Alan's clients seek out and value his pragmatic and thoughtful advice, having referred to him over the years as "the shortest distance between two points," the "best business lawyer they have ever encountered" and their "consigliore." When asked to define his individual practice, Alan explains that he has a traditional transactional practice delivered in a non-traditional way, adopting a structure and approach that optimizes the results for his clients.
In 1991, Alan faced a choice: to continue with the status quo or strike out on his own. If you know Alan, then you know the choice was clear. Never one to settle for the way things have been done before, Alan wanted to build a law firm that focused not just on what can be done, but what should be done for each client in each situation. It's with this outlook that Alan serves as "general counsel" to a broad array of closely-held businesses and entrepreneurs and has developed into one of the premier business attorneys in the Chicago market. Alan is particularly proud of his role as both counselor and attorney to his clients and values his role as a trusted advisor and team member, distinguishing himself from typical service providers who answer questions, render an invoice and move on to the next matter.
In discussing the Firm, Alan's eyes light up. As a Founder of the Firm, Alan takes great pride in what he and his colleagues have achieved. "We have built a firm that is focused on serving the needs of mid-market companies and their principals, and in doing so we have staffed our firm and structured our service offerings to meet the unique demands of this client base." Our clients expect and deserve thoughtful, creative and pragmatic advice, delivered in a cost effective and efficient manner, and we work every day to make sure that we deliver a product that exceeds the expectation of the clients we serve. We achieve this goal by recruiting and retaining an intellectually gifted group of attorneys and placing them in an environment where teamwork, client satisfaction and quality of work product is paramount. Our passion for this approach is seen daily in the quality of the work product produced, the results achieved for our clients, and the loyalty exhibited by our client base.
Alan is involved in various charitable activities, including serving as a member of the Board of Directors of the Children's Brittle Bone Foundation. Alan has deep ties to the University of Illinois having previously served on the Dean's Business Counsel for its College of Business. Alan also serves as a member of the board of advisors of a number of business enterprises.
Alan was born in Chicago, Illinois, and currently resides in Northbrook, Illinois with his patient and understanding wife, Marla, of over 35 years and his yellow lab, Naava. He and Marla have four children, Benji and his wife Emily, Zach and his wife Rachel, and one grandchild, Stella. Alan is a graduate of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (B.S., Accounting, with highest honors, 1981, Bronze Tablet, James Scholar) and Northwestern University (J.D., 1984). Mr. Patzik was admitted to the Illinois State Bar and the Bar of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois in 1984. Alan is also a registered Certified Public Accountant in Illinois and is a member of the Chicago, Illinois State and American Bar Associations.
Alec Losh is an associate in the firm's Employment and Litigation Practice Groups. Alec counsels businesses on a wide range of employment matters, including hiring practices, employment agreements, employee separations, employee handbooks and policies, wage and hour issues, accommodations, restrictive covenants, employee discipline, and employment discrimination matters under various federal, state and local laws. Alec is also an experienced litigator, representing clients in state and federal courts and before administrative agencies in harassment, discrimination and wage and hour claims, as well as restrictive covenant disputes, contract disputes, commercial torts, fraud and misrepresentation claims, real estate disputes, commercial lease disputes, breach of fiduciary duty claims, and shareholder and minority shareholder rights.
What Alec enjoys most about being a litigator is that it requires critical thinking and creativity every step of the way. He truly enjoys working with clients to find solutions to their problems, big or small, and takes satisfaction in knowing that he has helped a client in some way. In short, he loves acting as a zealous advocate.
Alec is a graduate of George Washington University (B.A. 2008) and the University of Wisconsin Law School (J.D. 2016), where he received the Deans Academic Achievement Award and an award for the highest grade in his Constitutional Law II course. While in law school, Mr. Losh was a Managing Editor of the Wisconsin Law Review and a member of the school's Mock Trial team. Mr. Losh also served as a legal extern for the U.S. Department of Labor, as a judicial intern for Justice Anne Walsh Bradley of the Wisconsin Supreme Court, and spent a year with the Wisconsin Innocence Project working to exonerate wrongfully convicted individuals. He is admitted to the Illinois State Bar (2016), U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois (2016), and the Wisconsin State Bar (2017).
Alec grew up in Chicago and Wheaton, in the Western suburbs of Chicago. When he isn't serving his clients with dedication, he can be found exploring Chicago and its many food offerings, reading everything he can about current events, at the gym, and playing with his golden retriever, Addison. He likes to live by the following Winston Churchill saying: "I am easily satisfied with the very best."
Andy Lau is a partner in the firm's Estate Planning, Social Impact & Innovation, and Tax Practice Groups. Andy's practice concentrates principally on estate and wealth planning. He counsels business owners, wealthy families and closely-held businesses in business and succession planning and structuring, advanced estate and asset protection planning, tax planning, contracts, and real estate.
Andy also advises and counsels executors, trustees and beneficiaries on all aspects of estate and trust administration, including probate, tax, distribution of assets and other administration matters. He also provides advice to clients with disabled family members and counsels on areas of special needs planning.
Andy earned a Bachelor of Business Administration (B.B.A) in Finance and International Business with high honors from Loyola University Chicago and attained his Juris Doctor (J.D.) from the Chicago-Kent College of Law.
Andy has been recognized by his peers in the legal community as he was named a 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018,2019 and 2020 Rising Star by Illinois Super Lawyers magazine.
Andy is fluent in Cantonese Chinese.
Anthony Ochs is a partner in the firm's Real Estate practice group. Anthony has broad experience handling a variety of real estate transactions, including representing commercial real estate developers, REITs, Fortune 500 companies, private equity firms, private lenders and national banks in all aspects of commercial real estate acquisitions, dispositions, development, financing, leasing and related transactions nationwide.
As part of his practice, Anthony frequently drafts and negotiates purchase and sale agreements on behalf of both buyers and sellers, loan documents on behalf of both lenders and borrowers, and leases on behalf of both landlords and tenants. Anthony also routinely assists clients in reviewing the real estate aspects of corporate mergers and acquisition transactions and, in addition to real estate matters, Anthony also represents corporate clients in reviewing various contracts and agreements along with providing counsel on general corporate strategy and structuring.
Anthony has always been close to real estate matters throughout his career, and has run across a multitude of issues in connection with acquiring and owning commercial property. Anthony routinely represents clients in acquiring, selling, leasing and financing office, retail, restaurant, industrial and multi-family properties. Even before he joined his first law firm, however, Anthony worked in the Art Institute of Chicago's real estate and facilities management department where he assisted the Art Institute's in-house counsel, architects and property managers with finalizing construction contracts and service agreements. Anthony also has handled property tax appeals, zoning requests, and represented developers before local municipalities requesting tax and TIF incentives. If a client has an issue, Anthony will always be in a position to give strategy on the best way to resolve such issue.
Anthony also has a handful of corporate clients who he assists with general corporate and contract matters in industries like healthcare, consulting, bar and restaurant, and private financing. He has been referred to by satisfied clients as an attorney who is thorough and will always make himself available to explain the risks that a business transaction would entail.
After over 8 years of practicing law, including working at a large Chicago-based law firm, Anthony has learned that he enjoys being close to a transaction and significantly involved in achieving the client's goals, and he takes pride in managing deals from initial contact signing through closing. Anthony wants to be the first person a client calls when an issue arises, whether it be a legal-centric concern or a specific business issue.
Anthony received his Juris Doctorate from the John Marshall Law School in 2011, where he was a member of the Law Review Editorial Board. Anthony is in good standing with the Illinois State Bar and is a member of the Illinois and Chicago Bar Administrations. Anthony lives in Deerfield, Illinois with his wife and infant twin boys, and has limited free time between work and family. That said, Anthony does enjoy playing guitar, gardening and watching the Chicago Bulls, Chicago White Sox and Kansas Jayhawks when he has the time.
Bianca Velazquez is a paralegal in the firm's Real Estate practice group.
Bianca Velazquez is a paralegal in the firm's Real Estate practice group.
Bruna Beilfuss is a paralegal for the firm's Business practice group.
Chad Buttell is a partner in the firm's Business Law, Tax, and Social Impact & Innovation Practice Groups. Chad joined PFS in 1998, after several years at another firm where his practice included business, real estate, estate planning, and tax law. After obtaining a Masters in Law (LL.M) in taxation, he decided to focus his practice on business law. He was drawn to PFS where he found the opportunity to do challenging legal work in a dynamic environment. The breadth of Chad's experience is unique in today's law firm environment where lawyers are often siloed in narrow practice areas, and it has helped to make him a well-rounded, more effective business lawyer.
PFS is built to serve mid-market businesses and their owners, and that is the core of Chad's practice. On a day-to-day basis, he counsels clients on all types of issues-legal structure, governance, owner agreements, capital raising and finance, employment and compensation-related matters, and commercial contracts. You name it. Whatever the issue, Chad has developed a reputation for anticipating client needs, giving practical advice, finding creative solutions, and adding significant value for his clients.
A substantial part of Chad's practice is representing companies and entrepreneurs in a wide array of business transactions. He regularly represents buyers and sellers in mergers and acquisitions. He also represents funds, as well as their sponsors and investors, in connection with fund formations and investments, portfolio company acquisitions and dispositions, and securities law and other regulatory issues. Further, he represents early stage growth companies and founders in a variety of transactions from formation to financing (including private capital raises) to exit transactions.
Chad also has significant experience advising clients regarding federal tax matters in transactions, including in the areas of mergers, acquisitions and reorganizations, partnerships and joint ventures, executive compensation, and business succession planning. Chad is an adjunct professor in the Graduate Program (LL.M.) in Taxation at Chicago-Kent College of Law where he teaches Partnership Taxation I, one of the program's required courses. He has also served as the Chair of the Chicago Bar Association's Federal Taxation Committee and the Partnership and Passthrough Entities Subcommittee. He is a fellow of the American College of Tax Counsel.
Finally, Chad is particularly excited to lead the firm's Social Impact & Innovation practice, providing full-service support for nonprofits and social enterprises at all stages of growth and development, from start-up to scale. Chad regularly advises social impact clients regarding entity selection and formation, including tax-exempt, nonprofit, and for-profit organizations. He also works closely with colleagues across practice groups to advise social impact clients regarding day-to-day operations and transactional matters (including joint ventures and partnerships) to help them build effective operations and grow to scale successfully.
What Chad enjoys most about his practice is learning about different businesses, industries, and sectors, and helping clients who devote their time, efforts, and capital to bring products and services to market and solve today's problems. Chad counts himself lucky to have great clients; it is very rewarding to work with smart people to help them achieve success. And he is equally fortunate to have very talented and committed colleagues to work with every day.
Finally, and not to be overlooked, the practice of law has prevented Chad from spending too much time at places like Bass Pro Shop and Cabela's and on the golf course. Chad grew up in St. Charles, Illinois, and now resides in Wheaton, in the western suburbs of Chicago. Chad most enjoys spending time with his wife and three daughters, whether traveling, trying new restaurants, going to movies or the theatre. He is an avid reader and a music junkie with broad tastes, including blues, jazz, rock, indie, country, and roots music. He attempts to play guitar and piano-which is a lot of fun but very humbling. Chad also enjoys outdoor activities and sports. He fishes whenever he possibly can and enjoys golf, biking, and walks with the two family dogs.
Charles E. Dobrusin is a partner in the firm's Estate Planning group. Charley has extensive experience in: creation and administration of complex trust systems, having served as a trustee and as counsel to beneficiaries; resolution of family disputes involving trust litigation and arbitration; private trust company formation administration; design and implementation of values-based, tax efficient trust and estate plans; advising family office principles and staff members and collaborating with their other professional advisors; counseling executors, trustees, and beneficiaries on post death administration matters; and creation and representation of charitable entities.
Charley has practiced trust and estate law for more than forty years, first as a partner of two Chicago law firms and most recently, since 2006, as founder and president of Charles E. Dobrusin & Associates Ltd., a trust and estate boutique. Charley graduated from Boston Latin School (1970), Brandeis University (B. A. magna cum laude 1974) and New York University School of Law (1979). He was admitted to the Illinois bar in 1979. He was ordained as a Rabbi by the Jewish Theological Seminary of America in 1980.
Currently, Charley participates in the following philanthropic activities: the Professional Advisory Committee and the Philanthropic Funds Committee of the Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Chicago; the Planned Giving Committee of the Chicago Chapter of the American Technion Society; and the Board of Directors of the Bernard Heerey Family Foundation. He is also a member of the Chicago and American Bar Association; the Chicago Estate Planning Counsel; the Chicago Board of Rabbis and the Rabbinical Assembly.
Christian Laden is a partner in the firm's Real Estate Practice Group.
David J. Schwartz is a partner in the firm's Business and Finance Practice Groups. As a member of the firm's Corporate Group, Dave represents businesses in a variety of business and commercial matters, including mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures, business start-ups and financing transactions. In addition, as part of the firm's Corporate Group, he serves as "outside" general counsel to several start-up and middle market businesses, advising them on a variety of legal and business matters.
As a member of the firm's Securities Group, Dave represents family offices, hedge fund managers, private equity sponsors and other investment advisers on a variety of matters, including fund formation, the preparation of offering materials and investment management agreements. He also advises the firm's advisory clients on state and federal laws and regulations applicable to funds and fund managers. In addition, as part of the firm's Securities Group, he counsels the firm's business clients in connection with private security offerings.
In regards to his life outside of work, Dave contributes to a number of charitable organizations. Most notably, he serves on the Board of Directors of Beds Plus, an organization that provides shelter, food, professional counseling and job training for homeless individuals and families, and those at risk of homelessness. Dave also serves as a member of the La Grange Plan Commission. He most enjoys spending time with his wife and three children, attending soccer, baseball, basketball and football games, theatrical productions and dance competitions, and simply relaxing by the pool. As time permits, one can also find Dave playing drums with his band at various venues in the western suburbs.
Eileen M. Beer is a paralegal in the firm's Business practice group.
Elizabeth L. Archerd is an associate in the firm's Litigation Practice Group. Liz has assisted in partnership disputes, employment litigation, landlord-tenant disputes, and commercial class actions, among other areas.
Erica C. Reich is an associate in the firm's Business Practice Group.
Erica joined PFS after spending several years at an international law firm in New York. In that role, Erica represented corporate clients and private equity funds in a variety of capital markets transactions and mergers and acquisitions, and advised clients on corporate governance matters. This experience gave her exposure to highly sophisticated transactions and legal issues early in her career. Born in Michigan, Erica returned to the Midwest where she was attracted to PFS for its thoughtful, solutions-oriented approach in serving its clients and commitment to social impact work.
Erica is a graduate of the University of Michigan and Columbia Law School, where she graduated as a Harlan Stone Scholar and received the Park School Certificate for Achievement in Foreign and Comparative Law.
Outside of work, Erica enjoys spending time with her husband traveling, exploring new restaurants and cooking.
Erin Altman is an associate in the firm's Litigation Practice Group. Erin has represented clients in state and federal court in commercial matters involving breach of contract, civil Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO), construction disputes, commercial torts, and employment disputes.
Erin was drawn to litigation because it centers on advocacy and is innately competitive. She prides herself on advocacy that is based on a clear understanding of not only her clients' issues, but their goals and expectations. For Erin, the most rewarding aspect of litigation is aligning clients' interests with creative legal strategies to achieve the best possible outcome for her clients.
Erin became interested in law while working in finance in Chicago during what has now been termed the Great Recession. She was fascinated with the law's ability to adjust, or in extreme cases, transform how industries operate to address unprecedented challenges. Erin later decided to follow her interest in law, attending, and graduating from Washington University School of Law, where she earned a CALI award for the highest grade in Topics in Investment Banking and served as a staff editor for Washington University Global Studies Law Review.
Erin began her legal career in commercial litigation at a large law firm in Minneapolis, before returning to Chicago a few years ago. Prior to joining PFS, Erin worked at a boutique law firm in Chicago, specializing in complex construction and commercial litigation matters.
Outside of work, Erin loves getting in a good workout, going to stand-up comedy shows, and trying out new restaurants in Chicago.
Gary Walt is a partner in the firm's Business and Finance Practice Groups. Gary has represented more than hundreds of middle market businesses, sophisticated entrepreneurs, family businesses and banks and financial institutions in mergers, acquisitions, reorganizations and lending transactions for over 30 years.
Gary joined the Firm in 1992 after spending 10 years at a much larger Chicago-based law firm. When asked why he elected to leave the relative comfort of a firm with over 100 lawyers to one where Gary was originally the fifth attorney and first lateral partner, Gary said "My practice routinely requires that I give practical, business-based advice to clients. Prior to joining the Firm, I had little or no practical experience running a business yet I was counseling them on business matters daily. The opportunity to witness and participate in the growth and expansion of the Firm, and assist in several aspects of Firm management, adds a dimension to my practice and experience that I could not achieve in a larger organization. I try to use that experience when providing guidance and advice to all of the Firm's clients." Now, when Gary counsels clients he does so with first-hand knowledge and experience of running a business.
Gary has an extensive range of experience in advising entrepreneurs, middle market businesses, private equity funds and businesses in regards to raising capital (both private equity capital and debt), growth (through acquisitions, mergers, strategic alliances, joint ventures, and licensing), operations (buy-sell agreements, employment and other agreements) and wealth transfer (sales, redemptions, new management, partnerships, new generation transfers). Gary also has a deep understanding and experience in advising both banks, as lenders, and clients, as borrowers, in complex lending transactions (both secured and unsecured). As a result, Gary has developed considerable expertise in matters involving the Uniform Commercial Code particularly in the areas of sales and secured finance. Gary integrates his extensive legal skills and experiences with common sense and practical business judgment and insights.
Gary serves on the Firm's Legal Opinions Committee and Chairs the Firm's Accounts Receivable Committee. Gary also is consulted regularly on matters involving conflicts and ethical matters.
Gary greatly values his long-standing relationship with Firm clients and ability to get to know the Firm Client's and their business needs. By knowing a client's business and the personalities of those with whom Gary interacts, Gary is confident that the Firm is able to tailor the legal services he and the Firm provide to maximize results and the overall experience provided by Gary and the Firm.
Gary has an undergraduate degree from the University of Michigan (1979) and J.D. from The Cornell Law School (1982).
Gina S. Murillo is a partner in the firm's Real Estate Practice Group.
Job Titles:
- Certified Public Accountant
- Chief Financial Officer
- Controller and Law Firm Administrator
James W. Dauer is the Controller and Law Firm Administrator at the firm. James has primary oversight over the Accounting and Finance department, which includes Client Billing, Collections, Cash Disbursements, Payroll, and Treasury. Additionally, James manages the firm's charitable foundation, coordinates the annual workers' compensation audit, engages the firm's outside auditors in the completion of the annual tax returns, leads the health insurance open enrollment process, and is the administrator for the firm's 401(k) retirement plan.
James's approach to work is one of meticulous attention to detail and careful adherence to deadlines. He feels challenged by the scope and breadth of his responsibilities, and genuinely enjoys the daily interactions he has amongst the PFS staff.
Prior to joining PFS, James ran a successful consulting practice for five years, focusing on the healthcare and digital media sectors. He also has a wealth of experience in the legal services arena, having spent the ten years before that as the Manager of Treasury & Financial Planning at Dentons US LLP.
James is a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) and earned both his undergraduate (B.S. in Accounting) and graduate degrees (MBA in Finance) at the Illinois Institute of Technology here in Chicago.
Jeffrey A. Pine is a partner in the firm's Intellectual Property Practice Group. Jeff's practice focuses on all aspects of intellectual property law, including patent, trade secret, trademark and copyright, litigation, prosecution, counseling, licensing and opinion work.
Jeffrey H. Frank is a founder of and now Of Counsel to the firm. Jeff has a wide range of legal expertise, but focuses on practice in the areas of federal and state taxation, corporate, partnership, Limited Liability Company, securities and real estate law.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Finance Committee
- Partner
- Member of the Chicago Bar Association
Joel G. Shapiro is a partner in the firm's Corporate, Finance and Tax Practice Groups. Joel represents clients in a variety of businesses and industries in tax, corporate and securities matters. In particular, he regularly advises clients on the federal income tax aspects of complex business transactions, including mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures, partnerships and start-up ventures.
Joel also has considerable experience with real estate investment trusts (REITs), having represented issuers, underwriters and investors on several public and private offerings. He also frequently represents clients (both entrepreneurs and investors) in the restaurant business.
Joel is an active member of the Chicago Bar Association and has served as Chair of the Partnership and Passthrough Entities Subcommittee, as well as the Executive Committee of the Federal Taxation Committee. He is also a member of the Tax Section of the American Bar Association. In addition, Joel served on the editorial board of the Journal of Partnership Taxation and has been a frequent contributor to such publications over the years.
Joel is a graduate of Miami University of Ohio (B.S., 1982) and the University of Illinois College of Law (J.D., magna cum laude, 1985). He was admitted to the Illinois State Bar in 1985. He is also a registered Certified Public Accountant in Illinois.
John Morse is a partner and chairs the firm's Real Estate Practice Group.
Jonathan Goodman has been a partner in the firm's Litigation Practice Group. Jonathan has more than two decades of experience litigating complex commercial cases for his clients in state and federal courts throughout the United States, including in bench and jury trials, appeals and in private commercial arbitrations. He has been regularly called upon to handle a variety of matters such as breach of commercial contracts; business disputes involving misappropriation of trade secrets, trademark infringement and other violations of intellectual property rights; disputes involving the enforcement or removal of non-competition provisions and other restrictive covenants; litigation among partners, shareholders and members; claims alleging legal and accounting malpractice; real estate-related claims concerning construction disputes, commercial foreclosure or commercial lease disputes; and product and premises liability claims. Jonathan assists his clients in all aspects of the litigation process, from devising business strategies to minimize litigation exposure, to aggressive representation once litigation has come to fruition-and ultimately, obtaining positive results for the client, whether in the courtroom or at the negotiation table.
Jonathan's clients include a range of public and privately held mid-size entities, medical practices, partnerships and individuals servicing a wide-variety of industries. Despite their diversity, Jonathan's clients have one thing in common: they view Jonathan as more than just their trusted litigator, but as their trusted business counselor. Jonathan has gained this position of trust by strictly adhering to a straightforward set of guiding principles: understand your client's business and its litigation (or, as appropriate, litigation avoidance) goals; be accessible; communicate with your clients early, often, meaningfully and frankly; conduct investigations that are both thorough and commensurate with the goals at hand; have a robust knowledge of the law; do not be afraid to ask questions; and, finally, aggressively advocate for your client.
Jordan Finfer is a partner in the firm's Litigation Practice Group. Jordan has extensive experience advising entrepreneurs, owners, investors and executives at privately held companies in a myriad of matters, including commercial disputes, employment matters and corporate governance.
Serving as outside general counsel for his corporate clients, Jordan utilizes over a decade of experience to achieve no nonsense solutions by pragmatic and efficient means.
Jordan's litigation experience includes: copyright violations, claims arising from violation of the Illinois Trade Secrets Act and Defend Trade Secrets Act; partnership disputes, shareholder disputes, restrictive covenant matters, real estate litigation including claims arising from fraud, breach of contract, breach of fiduciary duty and condominium association disputes, director, officer and employee fraud and breach of fiduciary duty claims, probate disputes, including fraudulent transfer, undue influence, lack of capacity matters, trust disputes, employment disputes, mechanics liens foreclosures, collective bargaining agreement disputes, and commercial mortgage foreclosures.
Jordan has successfully tried cases to verdict and has arbitrated a number of matters before the American Arbitration and various other self-regulatory agencies.
Jordan Herzog is a partner in the firm's Intellectual Property Practice Group. Jordan represents clients in a wide variety of patent, trademark, copyright and other intellectual property law matters, including U.S. and international patent protection; U.S. and international trademark clearance and registration; technology analysis and licensing; intellectual property-related aspects of mergers and acquisitions; and federal patent, trademark, and copyright litigation.
It became apparent from an early age that Jordan was destined to work with technology. While in grammar school, he demonstrated early skills with a soldering iron, commandeering his parent's kitchen table to build a shortwave radio and a home stereo system, with only the occasional burning of his fingers and singing of his eyebrows.
A delayed growth spurt kept Jordan slightly under five feet tall through much of high school, so varsity sports, and dating girls, really weren't viable options. Instead, he continued working with technology, building his own personal computer in the days before they were available for purchase, and teaching himself computer programming.
After studying computer science and electronics design at the University of Illinois, Jordan embarked on his first career, in engineering. He was previously an electronics designer and software developer, working in both the defense and civilian industries. As a research engineer with Lockheed Space Systems, Jordan developed electronics circuitry and software for both space-based satellites and ground-based systems. As a senior engineer and later an independent consultant to Bell and Howell, he designed and developed digital imaging electronics and software for high-speed postal automation systems. After law school and practicing at both a "boutique" intellectual property law firm and one of the largest "BigLaw" firms in the country, Jordan finally found his ideal niche at PFS.
Jordan is a graduate of the William Green Grammar School in Chicago's West Roger's Park neighborhood, where he received a gold star for attendance; the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (B.S., Computer Science, 1983); and DePaul University College of Law (J.D., with honors; Order of the Coif; Dean's Scholar; Recipient of four American Jurisprudence Awards, 1993).
Jordan is admitted to the Illinois State Bar, as well as the Bars of the U.S. District Courts for the Districts of Northern Illinois, Colorado, Western Wisconsin and Western Michigan. He is registered to practice before the United States Patent and Trademark Office and the Canadian Intellectual Property Office.
Jordan's interest in technology eventually led him to discover flying, his passion outside of PFS. He is a licensed pilot, with ratings to fly airplanes, helicopters, gliders and drones. Jordan is the proud owner of "Alpha Bravo", a high performance glider, which he flies whenever he can as an active member of a soaring club in the Chicago area. Jordan is also a "gentleman farmer", and enjoys caring for a growing herd of llamas on his hobby farm in Central Illinois.
Justin M. Prince is an associate in the firm's Estate Planning and Social Impact & Innovation Practice Groups. Justin is experienced in designing estate plans for individuals and families that clearly capture their intent, minimize taxes, and reduce liability exposure. Justin also represents clients in post-mortem matters, including administering a trust, settling an estate in probate court, and preparing estate tax returns.
Justin understands that the estate planning process can be overwhelming and that clients may feel uncomfortable with discussing personal and financial details. He strives to put his clients at ease, listens to their dreams for a legacy, and guides them towards constructing a tailored plan.
Justin is a graduate of George Washington University (B.A. 2012) and Chicago-Kent College of Law (J.D. 2016). While in law school, Justin was named to the Dean's Honor List nearly ever semester, and served as a legal extern for the Honorable Ronald A. Guzman of the U.S. District Court, Northern District of Illinois. He is admitted to both the Wisconsin State Bar (2016) and the Illinois State Bar (2017).
When Justin is not serving his clients, he enjoys spending time with his family, and cycling.
Lindsey A. Weltman is a partner in the firm's Business Practice Group. Lindsey focuses on M&A and other complex business transactions, representing buyers, sellers, private equity funds and investors, as well as advising clients on private securities transactions. Lindsey also counsels corporate clients on various legal and business matters and frequently drafts a variety of commercial contracts for clients' everyday legal needs.
Recently, Lindsey has represented:
a cybersecurity company in the sale of its business to a private equity backed strategic buyer.
a real estate company in structuring the private placement of securities.
a leading nationwide distributor of aluminum wire and cable products in the sale of its business to a private equity fund.
a company in its spinoff and resulting sale of its IoT division.
Lindsey joined PFS after spending a couple years at another law firm in Chicago, where her practice included business law, real estate, and estate planning. This experience gave her a broad view of legal issues and the ability to independently counsel clients and take on responsibility early in her career. Clients appreciate Lindsey's guidance and follow-through. Lindsey loves learning about her clients' business operations, and interned as in-house counsel during law school, which gave her a perspective of how businesses function internally.
Lindsey employs not only legal professionalism, but also empathy and candor to drive the best possible result for her clients. She values the teamwork employed at PFS used to achieve the clients' goals or solve their problems, and she is thankful for her intelligent, motivated, down to earth co-workers. This seamless collaboration and cooperation across various practice areas helps to timely and successfully close each deal.
Lindsey enjoys doing pro bono work in the community and volunteers at the Center for Disability and Elder Law, an organization which provides pro bono legal services to the elderly or those who have permanent disabilities. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her friends and family, working out and practicing yoga, traveling and spending time outdoors.
Lindsey is a graduate of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (B.A. 2012) and the University of Illinois College of Law at Urbana-Champaign (J.D. 2015) where she graduated magna cum laude.
Marc Z. Samotny is a partner in the firm's Business, Finance and Tax Law (including Estate Planning) Practice Groups. For more than 40 years, Marc has counseled privately held businesses and investors on a wide range of matters including mergers and acquisitions, sales, financing, contract work and other commercial matters. He also counsels privately held businesses on succession planning. Marc works extensively with the owners, CEOs and senior management teams of clients in industries such as distribution, manufacturing, financing (including commercial lenders) software development and other technology, commercial real estate, insurance brokerage and sports franchises - both nationally and internationally.
Marc has over the past couple of years represented a diverse group of equity investors located throughout the United States. One of those investors recently commented that Marc is just "a businessman who happens to have a law degree." That comment best describes Marc's approach to the practice of law. He is ready, willing and able to help a client in all aspects of his or her business. Marc has many twenty and thirty year relationships with clients and other professional advisors.
Marc was born and raised on the north side of Chicago and has lived in the Chicago area his entire life. He attended Southern Illinois University where he undergraduated in accounting and the John Marshall Law School. Marc is also a Certified Public Accountant. He is admitted to the Illinois State Bar, the Bar for the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois and the U.S. Tax Court. Marc is a member of the American, Illinois and Chicago Bar Associations.
Marc is a past chairman and current board member (25 years) of The Cancer Wellness Center (Northbrook, Illinois). He is also a member of the board of directors of the Harold Eisenberg Cancer Research Foundation. Marc previously was a board member of the Northbrook Hockey League and the Northern Illinois Hockey League.
Marc serves on the board of directors of a number of his clients. He actively participates with management of those companies on a monthly or quarterly basis by attending and participating in board meetings. One of Marc's favorite stories about the practice of law concerns an individual client and that client's label manufacturing and distribution business. Marc helped this client purchase the label business in 1981. He became a member of the board of directors and trusted advisor immediately. Marc helped the client in all aspects of the business, including obtaining bank financing, the purchase and sale of three separate plants over the years, hiring of plant managers and retaining accounting firms. In 1994 Marc helped the client sell the business to a private equity firm and again, in 2006 helped the client reacquire the business (using senior and mezzanine debt without use of the client's personal funds). Marc helped the client again sell the business to another private equity firm in 2011. As Marc says "it is a great run and a great story."
Mike Bedell is an associate in the firm's Real Estate Practice Group. He has substantial experience representing all kinds of clients, including retail landlords, industrial manufacturers, hotel owners and office tenants, on all sides of a variety of commercial real estate transactions, including acquisitions, dispositions, financings, leases and developments. He has also assisted colleagues in many corporate transactions, including stock and asset sales and purchases and other corporate matters.
Morgan D'Arcy is an associate in the firm's Business and Healthcare Practice Groups. Within these groups, Morgan counsels clients and works on a wide array of matters, including mergers and acquisitions, entity formation, complex contractual drafting and negotiations, preparation of private placement offering documents, and various healthcare compliance issues with a particular focus on Stark Law and the Anti-Kickback Statute.
Morgan enjoys working with clients situated in a broad range of industries and businesses, however, he generally focuses his practice in the healthcare and life sciences fields. Clients that Morgan works with include physician groups, hospitals, medical equipment manufacturers, private equity funds, information technology companies, and other businesses. Morgan believes that working with a diverse group of clients offers him the exposure and ability to work effectively with clients across all industries and for any type of business.
Morgan joined PFS after starting his legal career at another Chicago law firm. In his capacity at his previous firm, Morgan worked closely with healthcare entities, physicians, and various medical practice groups. Morgan's experiences offered him a broad overview of legal issues centered at the intersection of healthcare and business. It was through these experiences that Morgan cemented his interest in working with physicians and those involved in the healthcare industry more generally. Morgan was attracted to PFS because of the firm's sophisticated clients and complex transactional work the firm does for healthcare and life sciences companies.
In his time outside of work, Morgan enjoys volunteering in the local community and serving as a youth tutor at Chicago Lights, a local after school academic and personal growth program for students in under-resourced neighborhoods. In his free time, Morgan also enjoys exploring Chicago restaurants, playing sports and spending time with his friends and family.
Morgan is a graduate of Indiana University Maurer School of Law (J.D. 2018) and Elon University (B.A. 2014) where he graduated cum laude. Morgan spent a semester studying at Bucerius Law School in Hamburg, Germany and is an international travel enthusiast as well.
Neal T. Goldstein is a partner in the firm's Business Practice Group, where he heads up the firm's healthcare practice. Prior to becoming a lawyer, Neal worked for two years as a Certified Public Accountant in the audit department of a Chicago accounting firm.
In his corporate practice, Neal represents companies doing business in health care, manufacturing, distribution and real estate. For those companies, Neal provides counsel on mergers and acquisitions, succession planning, ownership structuring, and general corporate law and business matters.
As a healthcare practitioner, Neal's niche is representing physician groups as their corporate and transactional counsel. In his career, Neal has handled over 100 transactions involving physician practice mergers, acquisitions, dispositions and formations. He is recognized nationally as a go-to lawyer for physician related matters. This is due in no small part to Neal's expertise on healthcare fraud and abuse laws. How Neal developed that expertise is a story that speaks to Neal's approach to lawyering: break down the complex, and be thorough. Here is that story.
In the early 2000s, the government began enacting regulations under the Federal Physician Self-Referral Law, also known as the Stark Law. The published Stark rules were lengthy and complicated, covering the equivalent of over 500 pages. Neal studied those rules the way he studied for the CPA and law school exams - he outlined the content. Neal invested hundreds of hours over many months on this project. As the outline began taking shape, Neal realized that it read like a lesson plan for a law school course. This gave him an idea. Wanting to give back to the profession, Neal offered to teach a course on Stark at his alma mater, Loyola Law School of Chicago. It did not take Loyola long to accept the offer.
Neal taught his Stark course at Loyola Law's Beazley Institute for Health Care Law and Policy for 9 years. At the time, Neal's class was the only course, among law schools in the Midwest, devoted strictly to Stark. In the last few years of teaching the class, Neal expanded the course to cover the Anti-Kickback Statute and the False Claims Laws. The knowledge and insights Neal gained from developing and teaching his course has proven to be invaluable for his clients.
Neal strives to make a difference in the community. He has served on the Boards of numerous non-profit organizations, including Mt. Sinai Hospital, the Anti-Defamation League, and Jewish Child and Family Services.
Neal has been recognized by Nightingale's Healthcare News as one of the country's "Outstanding Physician Practice Lawyers." He has spoken and written on a variety issues relating to health law and the business of healthcare
Having grown up on the north side of Chicago, Neal is and forever will be a die-hard Cubs fan. He and his loving and patient wife Nancy have 4 children (who are also Cubs fans) and are the doting owners of two Goldendoodles.