Overview
BFKN is pleased to announce six attorneys, Nicholas M. Brenckman, Michael Educate, Alice Lin, Michael J. B. Pitt, Carrie Sear Rummans, and Ryan V. Smith, have been promoted to partner.
"We are pleased to welcome our newly elected attorneys to BFKN’s partnership. These excellent attorneys, who represent a wide range of the firm’s core practice areas, demonstrate BFKN’s continuing commitment to mentoring and promoting talented individuals who provide the highest quality advice, work, and service to our clients. " - Howard J. Kirschbaum, Managing Partner
Congratulations to:
Nicholas M. Brenckman
Financial Institutions | Corporate & Securities
T. 612.200.8626 | nick.brenckman@bfkn.com
Nick Brenckman focuses his practice on capital raising transactions, mergers and acquisitions, securities, corporate governance, and a variety of other corporate and transactional matters. He has a wide array of experience in structuring corporate and financial transactions, most notably representing companies in merger transactions and representing issuers and underwriters in public and private offerings of debt and equity securities, including initial public offerings. Nick also advises public companies on reporting obligations and represents corporate clients in connection with the review and negotiation of various types of business contracts, including Fintech agreements. Nick earned his J.D. at Northwestern University Pritzker School of Law.
Michael Educate
Litigation | Bankruptcy & Creditor Rights | Fashion, Luxury & Retail | Antitrust & Commercial Competition | Motor Vehicle
T. 312.629.7487 | michael.educate@bfkn.com
Mike Educate engages in all aspects of commercial litigation across the country in federal and state court, arbitrations, and mediations, where he regularly represents his clients in complex commercial disputes involving corporate finance, valuation, trade secret misappropriation, breach of contract claims, commercial real estate, and bankruptcy claims. Whether he’s representing a multinational manufacturer, a middle-market lender, or a small privately held company, Mike counsels his clients to achieve their goals through tailor-made strategies while always remaining prepared to try cases to verdict. Mike earned his J.D. at the University of Chicago Law School.
Alice Lin
Tax & Business Planning | Real Estate
T. 312.629.7314 | alice.lin@bfkn.com
Alice Lin’s practice focuses on a broad range of federal and international tax issues. She advises publicly traded and private companies including real estate investment trusts (“REITs”) on business formations, initial public offerings, mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures, loan agreements, and public and private debt/equity offerings. In addition, she represents individual and corporate clients in structuring business and tax solutions to meet their personalized needs. Alice also practices in the firm’s commercial Real Estate Group. Alice earned her J.D. at Northwestern University Pritzker School of Law.
Michael J. B. Pitt
Litigation
T. 312.629.7396 | michael.pitt@bfkn.com
Michael Pitt is an experienced litigator and a trusted advisor to the firm’s clients. Michael has handled a wide variety of litigation matters, including those involving commercial contracts, business torts, federal and state statutory claims, and consumer class claims. In addition to his litigation practice, Michael counsels clients on a broad range of legal issues, including business disputes and negotiations, consumer statutes, and regulatory matters. Michael earned his J.D. at University of Michigan Law School.
Carrie Sear Rummans
Litigation | Insurance Coverage | Motor Vehicle
T. 312.629.7485 | carrie.sear@bfkn.com
Carrie Rummans is a litigator who represents a diverse group of businesses, from manufacturers and distributors to publicly traded and privately held corporations to financial institutions, in state and federal court in business torts, product liability, health care disputes, corporate governance matters, trade secret and unfair competition claims, insurance recovery, and employment litigation. Her recent client victories include an over $100 million dollar case, where she served as second chair in defending a multinational OEM in an alleged dealer franchise violation that resulted in a dismissal of all claims and a multi-million dollar summary judgment win for an insured in a duty to defend case against an insurer. Carrie earned her J.D. at University of Iowa College of Law.
Ryan V. Smith
Real Estate
T. 312.629.7321 | ryan.smith@bfkn.com
Ryan Smith represents and advises private and institutional investors, owners and developers in a broad range of commercial real estate transactions, with an emphasis on property acquisitions and dispositions, leasing, development and land use matters, joint ventures, and REIT-related transactions. His practice places particular emphasis on the acquisition, development and disposition of office, industrial and multi-family assets, build-to-suit projects and leasing of commercial and industrial projects. He also has significant experience representing institutional lenders with respect to secured financing and credit tenant lease financing. Ryan earned his J.D. at the University of Chicago Law School.
About BFKN
BFKN was founded in 1984, with the vision to create a new model that departed from the standard BigLaw approach and, instead, focused on delivering efficient, team-oriented services of the highest quality. The high levels of internal flexibility and extraordinary talent within our organization allow us to craft unusually practical and economical solutions to match client challenges and needs. This business-oriented approach has led many clients to engage BFKN to handle complex, time-sensitive, and high-stakes matters. Over the past two years, 50% of attorneys promoted to partner identify in one or more EEOC-defined diverse groups.