Musical Chairs

Musical Chairs: Morgan Lewis Expands Banking Practice in Boston

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Wait, there are people out there who want banking lawyers? Really? This is excellent news!
Morgan Lewis & Bockius announced today that it has acquired eleven people: five partners and six associates, from Bingham McCutchen’s Boston office. But the real shocker is that all of the lawyers are from Bingham’s Banking and Leveraged Finance Group:

Morgan Lewis today announced the addition of five partners and six associates from Bingham McCutchen’s Banking and Leveraged Finance Group–including a former co-chair of the practice–to its Business and Finance Practice, resident in the firm’s Boston office. Partners Robert A.J. Barry, Jonathan K. Bernstein, Sula R. Fiszman, Matthew F. Furlong, and Sandra J. Vrejan, will focus their practice on corporate finance, as well as restructuring. Their experience across a broad range of industries–including retail, manufacturing, food and beverage, energy, media, communications and sports–add to the depth of knowledge Morgan Lewis offers clients as they face today’s rapidly changing economic conditions. In addition, their arrival significantly increases the firm’s presence in Boston.

Isn’t it great to live in a world where law firms need corporate finance lawyers?

“Particularly in light of the difficult credit markets faced by both our lender and borrower clients, there is an ever-increasing need for us to be able to provide additional top-flight financing expertise across a multitude of industries” said Firm Chair Francis M. Milone. “This expansion reflects our continued commitment to providing clients with the kind of counsel they need to execute credit transactions in any business environment.”

It seems right to focus on “any” business environment, considering that the politicians seem to be making it up as they go along.
A statement from Bingham and the the Morgan Lewis press release after the jump.


Bingham was gracious to its departing colleagues:

We wish the lawyers well. Just as many laterals join Bingham because they believe it will offer them a new opportunity, sometimes they may leave for similar personal reasons. As we have noted throughout the past year, we are living in very dynamic times, and through it all, Bingham is stronger than ever, and the finance and banking practice in our Boston office and firmwide will continue to prosper and play an important role for our local, national and international clients.

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Considering Bingham McCutchen just lost six banking associates, maybe the firm will be … hiring corporate associates? Dare to dream people.
Read the Morgan Lewis press statement below.
MORGAN LEWIS — PRESS RELEASE — NEW HIRES
BOSTON, MA, June 17, 2009: Morgan Lewis today announced the addition of five partners and six associates from Bingham McCutchen’s Banking and Leveraged Finance Group–including a former co-chair of the practice–to its Business and Finance Practice, resident in the firm’s Boston office. Partners Robert A.J. Barry, Jonathan K. Bernstein, Sula R. Fiszman, Matthew F. Furlong, and Sandra J. Vrejan, will focus their practice on corporate finance, as well as restructuring. Their experience across a broad range of industries–including retail, manufacturing, food and beverage, energy, media, communications and sports–add to the depth of knowledge Morgan Lewis offers clients as they face today’s rapidly changing economic conditions. In addition, their arrival significantly increases the firm’s presence in Boston.
“Particularly in light of the difficult credit markets faced by both our lender and borrower clients, there is an ever-increasing need for us to be able to provide additional top-flight financing expertise across a multitude of industries” said Firm Chair Francis M. Milone. “This expansion reflects our continued commitment to providing clients with the kind of counsel they need to execute credit transactions in any business environment.”
“Our newest partners bring deep and broad experience in sophisticated and complex domestic and international financing transactions,” added David W. Pollak, Leader of the firm’s Business & Finance Practice. “They add more depth to the lending and restructuring resources in which our firm is already strong, and give our clients additional first-rate lawyers on whom to rely.”
Drawn by the depth and breadth of the firm’s capabilities in a number of areas, they join a Business and Finance team that spans the United States, Europe, and Asia, with nearly 400 transactional lawyers who focus on a wide variety of areas, including finance, bankruptcy and restructuring, mergers and acquisitions, private equity, and capital markets.
The new partners are:
Robert A. J. Barry: Mr. Barry focuses his practice on the structuring and restructuring of domestic and international financing transactions. He counsels clients in identifying and mitigating risks and regularly advises agents of lending syndicates in connection with the origination and workouts of various financing deals and transactions. Mr. Barry has a unique relationship with his lending clients in that he does both the origination and the workout/restructuring work, whereas lending clients usually move a troubled loan away from the origination lawyer. He received his J.D. from Villanova University School of Law in 1987 and his B.A. from Haverford College in 1983.
Jonathan K. Bernstein: Mr. Bernstein’s practice focuses on general corporate finance, including debt financings, structured financings, workouts, and bankruptcies across numerous industries, including energy, transportation, media, sports and numerous national and regional restaurant chains . His many clients include a number of Fortune 500 companies. He also represents a number of funds that have engaged in distressed deal transactions, as well as senior, second lien, mezzanine and debtor-in-possession financings. Mr. Bernstein has significant background in representing clients in all aspects of professional sports enterprises, including the financing of sports teams, stadiums and arenas. He received his J.D., cum laude, from the University of Pennsylvania Law School in 1987 and his B.A., summa cum laude, from Brandeis University in 1984.
Sula R. Fiszman: Ms. Fiszman represents financial institutions, private equity funds, and other companies in complex senior secured finance transactions, subordinated and second lien lending transactions, structured finance, workouts, and bankruptcies. Her clients cross many industries including media and communications; restaurants, food and beverage; oil and gas exploration, refining and distribution; retail service station operations; convenience store chains; and manufacturing. Ms. Fiszman also handles cross-border transactions relating to the South African equivalent of ESOP/minority ownership transactions here. She received her J.D., cum laude, from Harvard Law School in 1984; her M.A. from the University of Chicago in 1981; and her B.A., with highest honors, from the University of Chicago in 1979, where she graduated Phi Beta Kappa.
Matthew F. Furlong: Mr. Furlong represents leading financial institutions and borrowers in a broad range of finance and business matters, including domestic and international debt, mezzanine and equity financings, debt restructurings, asset-based credit facilities, second lien credit facilities, acquisition finance and retail finance, and multinational credit facilities. The main focus of Mr. Furlong’s practice has been front-end and restructuring transactions in the retail, restaurant, financial services, and manufacturing industries. He also handles finance work for numerous sports teams. Mr. Furlong received his J.D., magna cum laude, from Boston College Law School in 1994 and his B.A., cum laude, from the University of Chicago in 1989.
Sandra J. Vrejan: Ms. Vrejanfocuses her practice on a broad range of domestic and international commercial finance, secured transactions, and financial restructurings. She represents lenders and borrowers in a variety of secured, unsecured, and syndicated transactions, and has represented creditors and debtors in workouts and restructurings. Ms. Vrejan serves a diverse client base, including lending and financial institutions, investment funds, borrowers, emerging growth, and public and private companies across a range of industries. She received her J.D. from Hofstra University School of Law in 1995 and her B.A. from Boston University in 1990. Following law school, she clerked for Judge James B. Haines, Jr. of the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Maine. Ms. Vrejan, who is fluent in French, Spanish, and English, also has been cited by President Bill Clinton for her pro bono accomplishments in political asylum cases.

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