Cozen O’Connor and Chicago-based Meckler Bulger Tilson (MBT) are pleased to announce that, effective June 1, 2015, 58 attorneys formerly of MBT have joined Cozen O’Connor. The MBT lawyers bring significant litigation strength in labor and employment, complex insurance coverage, commercial litigation, and white collar defense and government investigations augmenting Cozen O’Connor’s existing practices in those areas. The group from MBT also brings the country’s preeminent legal fee solutions business serving the financial services industry and corporate legal departments.

The completion of this transaction also strengthens Cozen O’Connor’s depth and breadth in Chicago and the Midwest with 60 attorneys now in Chicago, and an existing 12 attorneys in its Minneapolis office. The combination also establishes a presence for Cozen O’Connor in San Francisco with the addition of 15 attorneys from MBT. The new Bay Area office grows the firm’s California presence, which includes offices in San Diego and Los Angeles. More >>

Honigman Miller Schwartz and Cohn LLP has announced it is joining with litigation firm, Schopf & Weiss LLP, establishing a Chicago presence as part of a strategic growth plan aimed at better serving clients and expanding its national reach. As part of the expansion, the firm also announced the addition of two partners to the Chicago office as the first step in rounding out the new location’s practice areas. Corporate partner René Ghadimi will join Honigman from Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP, while Paul Hastings LLP attorney Gregory A. Morris will come on board as a partner in its Intellectual Property Department. More >>

Perkins Coie represented client Strategic Hotels & Resorts, Inc. (NYSE:BEE), a real estate investment trust (REIT) which owns and provides value enhancing asset management of high-end hotels and resorts in the United States and Europe, in a $750 million unsecured term loan and revolving credit facility with an accordion feature allowing for additional borrowing capacity up to $250 million. The new facility replaced a prior credit facility secured by an equity pledge in direct and indirect subsidiaries that own, lease or operate five luxury and upper-upscale full service hotels included the REIT’s portfolio. The unsecured facility is supported by a pool of unencumbered assets that will initially consist of nine of the company’s hotels: the Fairmont Chicago, Fairmont Scottsdale Princess, Four Seasons Austin, Four Seasons Jackson Hole, Four Seasons Scottsdale Resort at Troon North, Four Seasons Silicon Valley, Marriott Lincolnshire, Ritz-Carlton Laguna Niguel and Westin St. Francis. More >>

The national law firm of Quarles & Brady LLP today announced that Jon M. Spanbauer has joined the firm’s Chicago office as a partner in its Intellectual Property Practice Group.

Spanbauer’s practice focuses primarily on complex patent litigation. He has litigated significant patent disputes throughout the United States in a wide range of technologies, with a particular emphasis on pharmaceuticals (Hatch-Waxman litigation), medical devices, and biologics. More >>

Roetzel & Andress LPA announced today that 11 attorneys from the firm of Kamensky Rubinstein Hochman & Delott LLP (KRHD) have joined Roetzel in a major expansion of the firm’s Chicago office and of its health care law practice. In addition to a top-tier health care compliance and regulatory practice, the former KRHD attorneys bring to Roetzel broad-based corporate, retirement plan consulting, estate, probate and wealth planning, employment law, and commercial litigation capabilities.

“Our focus continues to be on planned growth and thoughtful and strategic moves to add services that benefit our clients and strengthen our offerings,” Roetzel Chairman and CEO Jeffrey Casto said. More >>

Reed Smith LLP today announced the addition of William “Bill” Cook as a partner in the Intellectual Property, Information & Innovation Group in Chicago.

Cook was formerly a partner in the Chicago office of McGuire Woods, where he served as Deputy Chair of that firm’s Data Privacy & Security team. More >>

Hinshaw & Culbertson LLP announced today the arrival of eight attorneys from Meckler Bulger Tilson Marick & Pearson LLP (MBT). The seven MBT partners joining include MBT founder Michael M. Marick and Scott M. Seaman who are both recognized leaders in the insurance industry, as well as John E. DeLascio, Karen M. Dixon, Rebecca R. Haller, James H. Kallianis Jr. and Jason R. Schulze. Timothy H. Wright, formerly an associate at MBT, will join Hinshaw as a partner. The team will be based in the firm’s Chicago office and their nationwide practice will complement the firm’s legal services across the United States and in London. More >>

Ropes & Gray LLP announced today that Paul H. Dykstra and Paulita A. Pike have joined as partners in the firm’s investment management practice in Chicago.

Mr. Dykstra and Ms. Pike represent mutual funds and fund boards in a broad range of matters, including corporate governance, reorganizations, compliance issues, and internal and SEC investigations. More >>

Vedder Price is pleased to announce that it advised Air Canada in connection with the offer and sale of more than $1 billion of the airline’s 2015-1 enhanced equipment trust certificates (EETCs). Air Canada expects to use the proceeds to finance nine new Boeing 787-8 and 787-9 aircraft. More >>