John E. Freechack

John is the founder and co-chair of the Firm's Financial Institutions Group and has advised hundreds of financial institutions on strategic, corporate governance and other matters for over 30 years. His extensive experience includes the representation of numerous public companies, as well as regional and community banks. John spends considerable time counseling institutions and their boards with respect to mergers and acquisitions, bank regulatory issues, corporate governance and securities law matters.

• Adjunct Professor of banking law at a number of law schools for the past 25 years, including at Northwestern University Pritzker School of Law since 2001.
• A well-known speaker at national conferences involving the financial institutions area, addressing bank trade associations, regulators and industry groups across the country.
• One of only three recipients of the Illinois Bankers Association’s Distinguished Bank Counsel Award.
• Founder and past Chairman of the Community Bank Subcommittee of the American Bar Association Business Law Section’s Banking Law Committee.

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 continual national leader in bank M&A deals the past 20 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.

• S&P Global Market Intelligence rankings has listed our Firm as one of the top firms in the nation in number of announced bank and thrift merger and acquisition transactions during the past 10 years. For the last decade, our Firm ranked #1 in the Midwest. In total, we have represented buyers and sellers of financial institutions in more than 300 mergers and acquisitions.

Activities & Honors

• Selected, Illinois Financial Services Regulation, Chambers USA (2022)
• Adjunct Professor, Banking Law, Northwestern University Pritzker School of Law (2001-Present)
• Selected, The Best Lawyers in America© (2007-2023)
  •  Banking and Finance Law
  •  Financial Services Regulation Law
• Selected, Illinois Super Lawyers (2009-2013, 2017-2023)
• Selected, Leading Lawyers Network (2006-2023)
• Ranked, Top Rated Lawyer in Banking & Finance Law, American Lawyer Media and Martindale-Hubbell™ 
• Recipient, IBA’s Distinguished Bank Counsel Award
• Adjunct Professor, Graduate Financial Services Program, IIT/Chicago Kent College of Law
• Co-Editor, Advising Illinois Financial Institutions, Two-Volume Handbook (2006)