Practice Areas
Education
- Northwestern University School of Law, J.D., 1975
- Northwestern University, B.A., 1972
Bar & Court Admissions
- State of Illinois
John E. Freechack
FAX: (312) 984-3150
John is Chairman of the firm's financial institutions group.
In addition to heading the firm’s banking practice, John has advised hundreds of financial institutions on strategic, corporate governance and other matters for over 25 years. His extensive experience includes the representation of numerous public companies, as well as regional and community banks. John spends considerable time counseling institutions with respect to mergers and acquisitions, regulatory enforcement, and securities and corporate law matters.
John has been teaching banking law and regulation at Northwestern University School of Law since 2001. He previously taught bank holding company law at Chicago Kent College of Law's graduate program in financial services law and has been a visiting lecturer at other law schools. He is a well-known speaker at national conferences involving the financial institutions area, addressing bank trade associations, regulators and industry groups across the country (link: Full List of Speaking Engagements). He is one of only three recipients of the Illinois Bankers Association’s Distinguished Bank Counsel Award.
He is the Co-Editor of the two-volume handbook, Advising Illinois Financial Institutions. A long time member of the American Bar Association Business Law Section’s Banking Law Committee, he is the founder and also served as Chairman of its Community Bank Matters Subcommittee.
Professional Activities And Honors
- Northwestern University School of Law, Adjunct Professor/Banking Law, since 2001
- Recipient of IBA’s Distinguished Bank Counsel Award
- Chairman, ABA Business Law Section’s Community Banking Subcommittee
- Graduate financial services program IIT/Chicago Kent College of Law, Adjunct Professor
- American Bar Association Banking Law Committee, since 1981
- Co-Editor of the two volume Advising Illinois Financial Institutions (2006)
- Selected for inclusion in Leading Lawyers Network
- Selected for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America
Representative Matters
- Financial Institutions
The Financial Institutions Group has grown to 30 lawyers representing over 250 banks across the country. The group prides itself in providing to banks the same efficient, experienced and responsive service that its banking clients provide to their customers. As a result, we are a national leader in bank M&A deals the past 5 years. We also have one of the largest groups of regulatory attorneys in the country serving regional and community banks in regulatory enforcement, workout, restructuring and compliance matters.
- Mergers and Acquisitions
Lead counsel on acquisitions and sales of financial institutions totaling more than $1.5 billion in consideration. Counsel to successful buyer of failed bank, and ongoing representation of potential buyers in the FDIC bidding process.
Events & Speaking Engagements
- "Where Are the Banks Going?" TMA Distressed Investing Conference, Las Vegas, NV, January 27-29, 2010
- "What Bank Boards and CEOs Need to Know in 2010," Acquire or Be Acquired Conference, Scottsdale, AZ, January, 2010
- America's Bank Board Symposium, Austin, TX, September 13, 2009 - Corporate Governance Workshop
- Bank Recovery Strategies Webinar Series
- Presenter, Illinois Bankers' Association Annual Convention, Las Vegas, NV, June 26, 2009
- “Insight on Oversight,” Bank Director Magazine's 2009 Bank Audit Committee Conference, Chicago, IL, June 2009
- Bank Recovery Strategies Webinar Series, May 19, June 16, July 29, September 8 and October 20, 2009 - various topics
- Presenter, Strategic Options for the Community Financial Institution, Oak Brook, IL, May 27, 2009
- Presenter, Bank CEO Network, San Antonio, TX, 2008
- Full List of Speaking Engagements