Overview

Dennis is an innovative and creative thinker who helps clients find the best path to their desired goals. He has more than 35 years of experience over hundreds of transactions in the strategy, structure, and successful execution of mergers and acquisitions and other capital transactions.

Dennis regularly advises clients on the mergers and acquisitions of financial institutions, the raising of additional capital through public and private offerings of equity and debt instruments, and other strategic activities and initiatives. He has a wide array of experience in structuring corporate and financial transactions. Dennis also provides counsel to boards of directors on issues of corporate governance and regulatory compliance and enforcement matters.

Earlier in his career, he represented federal bank regulatory agencies in the receivership of over 75 savings and loan associations. This has provided him with valuable practical experience in the representation of troubled banks and also healthy organizations bidding for failed institutions. Dennis has also represented the organizers of over 100 de novo banks across the country, including those forming banks in Illinois, Iowa, Wisconsin, New Mexico, Arizona, Indiana, and New York.

Dennis is a frequent speaker at schools and seminars for bankers on issues of financial institutions law, and he served for several years as an adjunct professor of banking law at Northwestern University Pritzker School of Law.

Credentials

Admissions

  • State of Illinois

Education

  • University of Michigan Law School, J.D., cum laude, Order of the Coif, 1982
  • University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, B.S. (Agriculture), with highest distinction, 1978

Experience

Dennis has been a leader in the Financial Institutions Group, serving as a trusted counselor to over 300 financial institutions, and as a mentor to the more than 30 attorneys practicing in this area. The wide variety of transactions with which he has been involved provides a valuable roadmap for clients considering strategic moves.

M&A Transactions

  • Represented USAmeriBancorp, Inc. (OTC Pink: USAB), in its merger with Valley National Bancorp (NYSE: VLY).
  • Represented Midland States Bancorp, Inc. (Nasdaq: MSBI) in its acquisition of Alpine Bancorporation, Inc.
  • Represented Midland States Bancorp, Inc. (Nasdaq: MSBI) in its acquisition of Centrue Financial Corporation (Nasdaq: CFCB).
  • Represented Anchor Bancorp, Inc. in its sale to Old National Bancorp (Nasdaq: ONB).
  • Represented CNB Bank Shares, Inc. in its acquisition of Jacksonville Bancorp, Inc. (Nasdaq: JXSB).
  • Represented Dieterich Bank of Effingham, Illinois, in its acquisition of five Illinois branches of First Bank, St. Louis, Missouri. 
  • Represented First American Bank in its acquisition of Miami-based Continental National Bank, the first Cuban-American owned bank in the U.S.
  • Represented PGB Holdings, Inc. in its sale to RBB Bancorp valued at approx. $32.5 million.
  • Represented STC Bancshares Corp. in its sale to Wintrust Financial Corporation (Nasdaq: WTFC).  

Capital Raising Transactions

  • Represented Midland States Bancorp, Inc. (Nasdaq: MSBI) in its $80.1 million initial public offering of common stock.
  • Represented numerous financial institutions in private offerings of debt securities to enhance current capital positions. Successfully structured acquisitions of troubled banks through use of preferred and convertible instruments, including buyer price protections.

Formation of De Novo Banks

  • Counsel to over 100 state and national de novo banks and bank holding companies across the country.

Newsroom

News

Publications

Recognitions

  • Best Lawyer, The Best Lawyers in America® (2017-2025)
    • Banking and Finance Law
  • Leading Lawyer, Leading Lawyers Network (2011-2025)
  • Illinois Super Lawyers (2005)
  • bl_wendte2025

Organizations

  • Northwestern University Pritzker School of Law, Adjunct Professor of Banking Law (2001-2013)
  • Phi Delta Phi
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