Overview

Neil has extensive experience advising both financial institutions and companies across other industries on mergers and acquisitions and contract negotiations, as well as advising financial institutions on public and private securities offerings and general corporate matters. Neil is personable, meticulous, and a strategic thinker, and is committed to his clients’ success.

Neil focuses his practice on mergers and acquisitions and contract negotiations. Neil also handles capital raising transactions, securities, and general corporate matters. His extensive experience across these areas includes the representation of numerous public financial institutions, private regional and community banks, as well as privately held companies in other industries.

Prior to joining BFKN, Neil was an associate in the Chicago office of a large national law firm, dealing primarily with mergers and acquisitions and private equity transactions, as well as assisting clients with general corporate matters.

Before pursuing a legal career, Neil was a senior analyst in the Dallas office of a national consulting firm, providing economic and financial consulting to law firms.

Neil is involved in firm life at BFKN and is a member of both the DEI and Recruiting Committees.

Credentials

Admissions

  • State of Illinois

Education

  • University of Michigan Law School, J.D., 2016
  • Michigan State University, B.A., high honors, 2009

Experience

M&A Transactions

  • Represented Marine Bank in the signing of a definitive merger agreement for its sale to Morton Community Bank.
  • Represented LincolnWay Community Bank, a wholly-owned subsidiary of LWCBancorp, Inc., in its sale of substantially all of its assets and liabilities to CoVantage Credit Union.
  • Represented NorthSide Community Bank, a wholly-owned subsidiary of AliKat Investments, Inc., in the signing of a definitive asset purchase agreement for its sale of substantially all of its assets and liabilities to Credit Union 1, the official banking partner of Notre Dame Athletics.
  • Represented Bank First Corp. in its all-stock acquisition of Tomah Bancshares, Inc. at approx. $32.6 million.
  • Represented SBC, Incorporated, the parent company for Countryside Bank, in its sale to Wintrust Financial Corporation (Nasdaq: WTFC), in a cash and stock merger transaction.
  • Represented First Busey Corporation (Nasdaq: BUSE), in its definitive agreement to acquire Investors’ Security Trust Company.
  • Represented H.F. Gehant Bancorp, Inc. in its definitive merger agreement with Tri-County Financial Group, Inc. (OTCQX: TYFG), in which Tri-County acquired its subsidiary H.F. Gehant Banking Co.
  • Represented First Defiance Financial Corp. in its acquisition of United Community Financial Corp. at approx. $474.8 million.
  • Represented First Busey Corporation (Nasdaq: BUSE), in its acquisition of The Banc Ed Corp.
  • Represented Level One Bancorp, Inc. (Nasdaq: LEVL) in its sale to First Merchants Corporation (Nasdaq: FRME).
  • Represented Bankmanagers Corp. and its wholly owned subsidiary, Park Bank, in its sale to First Midwest Bancorp, Inc. (Nasdaq: FMBI) valued at approx. $193.8 million.
  • Represented QCR Holdings, Inc. (Nasdaq: QCRH) in the divestiture of its wholly-owned subsidiary, Rockford Bank and Trust Company, to Illinois Bank & Trust, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Heartland Financial USA, Inc. (Nasdaq: HTLF).
  • Represented subsidiaries of Midland States Bancorp, Inc. (Nasdaq: MSBI) in divestures and acquisitions relating to their mortgage and trust lines of business. These asset sale and acquisition transactions were all cash transactions, with certain of them including earnout components.

Capital Raising Transactions

  • Represent many financial institutions with respect to public offerings and private placements of common stock, subordinated debentures, and convertible subordinated debentures.

Securities Regulation & Compliance for Publicly-Traded Bank Holding Companies

  • Represent multiple publicly-traded bank holding companies in structuring transactions, conducting due diligence, drafting disclosure documents, coordinating the filing of documents with the SEC, preparing applications to national exchanges, and provide counseling to ensure compliance with all applicable federal and state securities laws.

Newsroom

News

Publications

Recognitions

  • Mergers & Acquisitions Law, Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch (2024)
  • Summer Intern, Fraud Section, Department of Justice: Criminal Division (May-July 2014)
  • Contributing Editor, Michigan Telecommunications and Technology Law Review
  • Student Attorney, Michigan Law School Human Trafficking Clinic
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