Sheppard announced today that Sean Hilson and Kathryn R. Strong have joined the firm as partners in Chicago, further strengthening its transactional capabilities across finance and corporate matters. Hilson joins the Finance and Bankruptcy practice from Winston Taylor while Strong joins the Corporate practice from Baker McKenzie, reflecting the firm’s strategic expansion in a key market.
Their arrivals build on Sheppard's successful growth in Chicago, where the firm now counts 80 lawyers. In the last 18 months, Sheppard has added 24 lateral lawyers to the office, including Hilson and Strong. Much of that growth has centered on the transactional side, with lawyers who support private equity deals and lead complex M&A work, including partners Alexander Schwartz, Christopher Buch and Balazs Danko.
Hilson's practice focuses on all aspects of debt financing in transactional matters, including secured and unsecured credit facilities related to leveraged acquisitions, recapitalizations and debtor-in-possession financings. He represents private equity sponsors, corporate borrowers and financial institutions on syndicated credit facilities, asset-based lending, refinancings and reorganizations across the technology, consumer, healthcare and industrial sectors.
Strong represents public and private companies, private equity sponsors and portfolio companies in M&A transactions, including acquisitions, divestitures, joint ventures and other complex corporate matters in the healthcare, healthcare services, consumer products, food and beverage, business services, technology-enabled services and industrial sectors. She serves as lead deal counsel and manages transactions end-to-end, from structuring and negotiation through execution, coordinating across teams to close complex deals. She also advises clients on corporate governance, strategic business matters and other general corporate issues.
"We are thrilled to welcome Sean and Kathryn to the firm," said Luca Salvi, chair of Sheppard. "Sean brings even more depth to our finance capabilities, with particular strength in the leveraged finance and private equity work our clients rely on. Kathryn brings exceptional experience navigating high-value deals across diverse industries. Both will be important contributors as we continue to grow our transactional capabilities in this market."
"Sean’s experience representing private equity sponsors, borrowers and lenders across sophisticated financing transactions aligns with the needs of our clients across Chicago and nationally," said Ken Fox, co-leader of Sheppard's Finance and Bankruptcy practice." As deal activity continues to evolve, his insights and market experience will further strengthen our ability to guide clients through strategic opportunities."
"Kathryn brings a level of transactional experience that serves clients well across some of their most consequential deals," said John Tishler, co-leader of Sheppard's Corporate practice. "Companies and their shareholders are navigating more complex transactions than ever, from strategic acquisitions to growth investments and carefully timed exits, and they need counsel who can move with them at every turn. Kathryn brings that judgment and that pace."
"Sheppard is well known for its depth and excellence in private equity and private capital, I’m excited to join Sheppard and a platform that keeps building in areas of real client demand," said Hilson. "The firm's collaborative culture and destination transactional practices create a compelling opportunity to support clients on sophisticated financing matters."
"Sheppard's client-centered approach and global reach are a great fit for how I partner with clients on their most important transactions," said Strong. "I look forward to working with my new colleagues in Chicago and across the firm."
Hilson earned his B.A. from Trinity College and his J.D., magna cum laude, from Notre Dame Law School. Strong earned her B.A., cum laude, from Northwestern University and her J.D. from Northwestern University Pritzker School of Law.
About Sheppard’s Finance and Bankruptcy Practice
Sheppard’s Finance and Bankruptcy practice has been a key element of the firm's practice since its founding almost 100 years ago. Our lawyers represent a broad spectrum of Fortune 500 companies, midsized companies, financial institutions, hedge funds, private equity funds and private lenders. As part of a large, broad-based commercial law firm, we are able to draw on all of the resources necessary to help businesses expand and also to solve the multidisciplinary problems presented by business insolvencies. Our team has the resources to respond seamlessly to the needs of our clients whatever size team is required.
About Sheppard’s Corporate Practice
Sheppard’s Corporate practice delivers strategic, partner-led counsel on complex transactions and corporate matters for clients across industries and jurisdictions. With more than 230 corporate lawyers, the team advises on mergers and acquisitions, private equity investments, joint ventures, corporate restructurings, public offerings and corporate governance, bringing deep transactional experience and commercial judgment to matters ranging from early-stage growth to multibillion-dollar exits. Corporate lawyers collaborate seamlessly with colleagues in tax, employment, intellectual property, privacy, real estate, environmental and litigation to provide coordinated, efficient support through a single, experienced deal team.