Lathrop GPM Further Expands Business Transactions Group with Six Additions and Launch of New Practice
The summer’s strategic growth also sees Real Estate & Development becoming part of the broader Business Transactions Group.
MINNEAPOLIS (September 20, 2023) — Lathrop GPM’s Business Transactions Practice Group has undergone significant growth in the past two months with the addition of six attorneys, the launch of a Closely Held Business Institute, and an internal reorganization to create further synergies in key practice areas.
The six new attorney additions include counsel Ian Furman in Dallas, counsel Kathy Shaw in Chicago, counsel Jane Trueper in Kansas City, associate Aristotle Butler in St. Louis, associate Jacob Heck in Minneapolis, and associate Sean Whalen in Denver. Their practices span a breadth of sector-specific capabilities, from employee benefits and executive compensation to real estate, corporate boards, and all types of domestic and international transactions. More information on each attorney is available below.
"These diverse additions will help us meet evolving client needs while further solidifying the strength of the practice group at large," said Mark Williamson, chair of Lathrop GPM’s Business Transactions Practice Group. "We’re confident that the group is well-positioned for success as the capital markets continue to provide challenges and opportunities for clients of all sizes."
In a cross-practice effort led by Business Transactions, Lathrop GPM also has launched the Closely Held Business Institute. The Institute builds upon the firm’s long history with clients in this space and further enables the firm to support the varied needs of these organizations, by offering closely and family held business owners and executives’ content and networking opportunities focused on maximizing the health and sustainability of their businesses.
"The firm has long been known for the excellent service and genuine care that we provide our legacy family-owned business and family office clients each and every day," said Lindsey Day, co-chair of the Closely Held Business Institute. "The launch of this group cements an existing area of strength for the firm and will greatly benefit both new and existing clients."
More than 30 percent of the firm's top clients are closely held businesses or individuals that own closely held businesses. More than 70 Lathrop GPM attorneys across seven offices provide a diverse range of legal services to their closely held business clients including: fund formation, financing, growth, and tax planning; business succession and estate planning; business ownership disputes; mergers and acquisitions; compliance; labor and employment; intellectual property; and real estate transactions.
Additionally, the firm brought its Real Estate & Development group under the Business Transactions umbrella to take advantage of natural synergies between real estate and corporate transactional work. The Business Transactions group now consists of five key disciplines: Corporate, Finance, Energy, Real Estate, and Tax and Employee Benefits.
"We’re thrilled to announce these exciting changes to expand our support for our clients and facilitate the collaboration that has proven so integral to our success," said Cameron Garrison, managing partner of Lathrop GPM. "Over the past few years, corporate transactions have continued to be an area of great opportunity, and we’ve strategically invested in this practice and key markets to meet that need. This summer’s moves are just one more example of our ongoing commitment to providing the highest level of service to our clients."
About the new lawyers
Ian Furman leverages over 12 years of experience advising clients on domestic and international transactions, including mergers and acquisitions and joint ventures. He focuses on energy industry transactions, particularly liquefied natural gas projects and upstream, midstream, and downstream oil and gas transactions, including joint operating agreements, farmout agreements, unitizations, and pipeline acquisitions and divestitures. Furman joined the firm’s Dallas office as counsel.
Kathy Shaw brings more than 20 years of legal experience providing counsel to clients on employee benefits and executive compensation matters. Shaw negotiates and drafts human resources provisions in corporate transactions and advises executives as they negotiate compensation as part of employment and separation agreements. Shaw joined the firm’s Chicago office as counsel.
Jane Trueper brings a decade of business transactions experience involving aspects of the operation of Delaware alternative entities, including advising on their formation, governance, reorganization, contract interpretation, fiduciary duties, and dissolution. Trueper’s experience in the alternative entity group also includes representing fund sponsors in formation, operation, and governance of private investment funds, and rendering third-party legal opinions in connection therewith. Trueper joined the firm’s Kansas City office as counsel.
Aristotle Butler focuses his practice on advising clients on various corporate laws, including voting requirements, consents, board processes, amending/restating organizational documents, distributions, entity conversions, recapitalizations, and reorganization. Butler joined the firm’s St. Louis office as an associate.
Jacob Heck focuses his practice on supporting clients with an array of corporate matters including merger and acquisition transactions. Heck joined the firm’s Minneapolis office as an associate.
Sean Whalen focuses his practice in the energy sector, working primarily on the preparation of acquisition and drilling and division order title opinions. Whalen has experience researching, analyzing and interpreting documents affecting the title of mineral interest to assist clients with the acquisition, divestiture and development of property. Whalen joined the firm’s Denver office as an associate.