CHICAGO – Katten Muchin Rosenman LLP is pleased to announce that five of the firm’s practices have been ranked among the best in the nation in the Legal 500 United States 2011 edition. Katten is listed as a recommended law firm in the areas of Alternative/Hedge Fund Formation and Management; Domestic Tax for the Central Region; Mergers, Acquisitions and Buyouts for the Middle Market; Real Estate; and Structured Finance.

Legal 500’s team of experienced researchers speaks with thousands of law firm commercial clients each year. Its law firm recommendations are based largely on feedback from those clients, as well as on opinions solicited from thousands of rival commercial lawyers. In addition, Legal 500 acquires confidential information about the client lists of major firms and the transactions and deals in which they have been involved. Firms are included in the Legal 500 guides based on merit alone; it is not possible for a firm to buy its way into the editorial section of the guide.

Legal 500’s editorial commentary highlighting Katten’s work in its ranked practice areas includes the following:

Alternative/Hedge Fund Formation and Management
Recognizing Katten as “an excellent mid-size hedge fund firm with strong regulatory capabilities,” Legal 500 highlights the firm’s breadth across its investment fund and structured products practices to handle a high volume and variety of representations. The guide notes that six new partner appointments in 2010 demonstrate the firm’s commitment to providing a “high-class, business-oriented service.” Legal 500 also recognized Fred Santo, who heads the Financial Services Practice in New York, and Henry Bregstein, global chair of the Financial Services Practice and the New York office co-managing partner, “whose expertise in domestic and offshore securities and commodities-focused hedge funds is valued by clients.”

Domestic Tax for the Central Region
Legal 500 recognizes Katten’s 16 fee-earner U.S. tax transaction and planning practice that “offers expertise in corporate transactions, banking and finance, real estate, private equity and hedge fund investment.” The publication notes that while the practice is growing in New York due to “generation change and recruitment,” it is still centered in Chicago where it has deep roots in the city’s regional business sector. Recommended lawyers in Chicago include practice chair Saul Rudo, partner Valentina Famparska and of counsel Reid Mandel.

Mergers, Acquisitions and Buyouts for the Middle Market
Legal 500 recommends Katten on the basis of its handling of complex domestic and international transactions for publicly and privately held companies, financial institutions, and private equity and investment funds and their portfolio companies. The publication highlights the work of New York-based Mergers & Acquisitions practice co-chair David Landau and Chicago-based partner Jeffrey Patt, who also co-chairs the firm’s Mergers and Acquisitions Practice. Legal 500 further notes that Mr. Patt has “represented several financial and strategic buyers in transactions that have involved varying forms of consideration and tax structures, and has served as special committee counsel in connection with a number of going-private transactions.”

Real Estate
Led by its Chicago-based chair David Bryant, Katten’s Real Estate and Construction practice is recognized by Legal 500 for its 56-partner national team located in the firm’s Los Angeles, Chicago, Washington, D.C., New York and Charlotte, N.C., offices. Noting that that team was enhanced by recent arrivals, including partners Christina Hassan from Hogan Lovells US LLP and Alvin Katz from Mayer Brown, Legal 500 highlights the team’s numerous 2010 successes including its representation of many high-profile clients on high-value deals.

Structured Finance
In recommending Katten in the area of Structured Finance, Legal 500 points out that Chicago-based partners Kevin Foley and Kenneth Rosenzweig “make the firm clear leaders in the futures space” and offer deep expertise in the exchange-traded and over-the-counter markets.” The publisher further notes that Katten’s New York office was enhanced by the addition of a strong asset-backed team in November 2010 when Chris DiAngelo, four other partners including auto-loan expert Joseph Topolski, and several associates joined Katten from Dewey & LeBoeuf LLP.