Job Title Category: Partner

  • James H. Cundiff

    James H. Cundiff

    People

    James H. Cundiff

    Partner
    Areas of focus

    James H. Cundiff advises clients on family wealth and business planning, federal estate, gift and generation-skipping tax planning, and estate and trust administration. James represents entrepreneurs, corporate executives, and other business leaders and wealthy individuals on estate and tax planning matters.

    Counseling closely held businesses and family members, James is actively engaged in the structuring of family businesses as well as business control and succession planning, multi-generational wealth transfer planning, and estate plan design and implementation. James works with several single-family offices on the creation and administration of private investment pools and private trust companies. As a certified public accountant, James bridges the gaps between financial, tax and legal issues. James frequently writes and speaks on a variety of tax and estate planning subjects.

    Results
    Recognitions
    • Best Lawyers in America, Trusts and Estates, 2023–2027
    • Leading Lawyers Network, 2009–Present
    Capabilities and industries
    Regional markets
    Community
    • American College of Trust and Estate Counsel (“ACTEC”), Fellow
    • American Association of Attorney-Certified Public Accountants
    • American Bar Association
    • Chicago Bar Association
    Credentials
    Education
    • Southern Illinois University School of Law, JD /MAcc
    • Southern Illinois University, BS, magna cum laude
    Admissions
    • Colorado
    • Illinois
    • Wyoming
  • Eleanor West

    Eleanor West

    People

    Eleanor West

    Partner

    London – 22 Bishopsgate

    Areas of focus

    Eleanor (Ellie) West centres her practice on private equity transactions and mergers and acquisitions.  Ellie works across a wide range of sectors, and has particular expertise in the health care and life sciences industries.

    Ellie regularly advises domestic and international private equity sponsors on transactional matters (including leveraged buy-outs, growth capital investments, add-on acquisitions and the implementation of management incentive plans).  She also advises a range of multi-national corporations on cross-border acquisitions, disposals and restructuring transactions.

    Results
    • Advised Great Point Partners on the sale of Softbox Systems, a global provider of temperature controlled packaging (TCP) systems and solutions to the pharmaceutical, life sciences and cold chain logistics industries to CSafe Global, a portfolio company of Frazier Healthcare Partners and Thomas H Lee Partners
    • Advised PharmaLex Group and Auctus Capital on the acquisition of Phlexglobal, a leading technology and services organization for clinical and regulatory compliance solutions, from Vitruvian Partners
    • Advised WEP Clinical and its founder shareholders in relation to an investment made by The Jordan Company in the WEP Clinical group, a market leader in the design and execution of expanded access and named patient programs

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    Recognitions
    • The Best Lawyers in the United Kingdom, Private Equity Law, 2023-2025
    • Legal 500 UK, Recommended, 2022-2026
    Capabilities and industries
    Regional markets
    Community
    Credentials
    Education
    • BPP Law School, LPC
    • King''s College London, LLB
    Admissions
    • England and Wales
    Languages
    • English
  • James Ross

    James Ross

    People

    James Ross

    Partner

    London – 22 Bishopsgate

    Areas of focus

    James Ross advises clients on a broad range of international and domestic corporate/commercial tax issues, including corporate restructuring, transfer pricing and thin capitalisation, double tax treaty issues, corporate and structured finance projects, mergers and acquisitions, and management buyouts. He counsels US groups in the structuring of UK and European inbound investments, including in relation to redomiciliations and providing advice on technical issues in the context of revenue investigations and statutory audits. He is particularly adept at advising on intellectual property holding structures.

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    Results
    • Advised US-based multinationals on restructuring their British and European groups, and on the implementation of corporate redomiciliations and UK holding company structures
    • Advised European-based multinationals on the establishment of functions and activities in the UK
    • Advised multinational groups on structuring for optimising the management and holding of intellectual property

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    Recognitions
    • Chambers UK 2021 and 2022, ranked within Tax and described as “a great lawyer who is responsive and knowledgeable.“
    • The Legal 500 UK 2012 to 2022, recommended in Corporate and Commercial: Corporate Tax
    • World Tax and World Transfer Pricing 2013 to 2020
    Capabilities and industries
    Regional markets
    Community
    • Bloomberg BNA Tax Treaties Analysis, editorial board
    Credentials
    Education
    • University of Law, LPC
    • University of Law, CPE, BA
    • Jesus College University of Oxford
    Admissions
    • England and Wales
  • Michael P. Chu

    People

    Michael P. Chu

    Partner
    Areas of focus

    Michael P. Chu focuses his practice on all aspects of patent law, including complex litigation, opinions and prosecution. He serves as the Local IP Litigation Practice Group Leader in McDermott’s Chicago office. Mike is also the head of the Firm’s Racial & Ethnic Diversity Committee.

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    Results
    • Representing hospital and researchers relating to immunotherapeutic treatments and medical devices (Immunomedics, Inc. v. Roger Williams Medical Center et al., Civ. Action No. 2:15-cv-04526 (D.N.J. 2015-present))
    • Obtained an award of attorney fees and dismissal in client’s favor in patent infringement lawsuit relating to papermaking processes (Nalco Co. v. Solenis LLC, Civ. Action No. 1:15-cv-008913 (N.D. Ill. 2015-2017))
    • Represented defendant in lawsuit brought by supplier and obtained stay in favor of international arbitration (Key Tronic Corporation v. SMART Technologies ULC Civ. Action No. 2:16-cv-00028-TOR (E.D. Wa. 2016-2017))
    • Sought a temporary restraining order against an importation port to prevent loss of trademarked goods from China; the case successfully settled in the client’s favor (WesPac International, LLC v. Apex Maritime, Inc., Civ. Action No. 1:14-CV-01579 (N.D. Ill.))
    • Represented complainant Eastman Kodak Company in the pending ITC investigation relating to infringement of Kodak patents for digital imaging technology; the case successfully settled (Certain Electric Devices for Capturing and Transmitting Images, ITC No. 337-TA-831 (2011-2013))

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    Recognitions
    • IAM Patent 1000 – The World’s Leading Patent Practitioners, 2021-2024
    • Chambers USA, Intellectual Property, 2021-2026; Band 2, 2024-2026
    • Best Lawyers in America, Litigation – Intellectual Property (2016-2023, 2025-2027), Trademark Law (2023-2027), Litigation – Patent, Patent Law, 2026-2027
    • Legal 500 USA, Recommended Lawyer, 2022 and 2024-2025
    • Crain’s Chicago Business, Notable Leaders in Community Development, 2022

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    Capabilities and industries
    Regional markets
    Community
    • American Bar Association
    • National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA), president, 2003
    • NAPABA Law Foundation, president, 2009 to 2012
    • Asian Americans Advancing Justice – Chicago, board chair, 2011 to present
    • Chicago Committee on Minorities in Large Law Firms, board chair, 2016

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    Credentials
    Education
    • William & Mary Law School, JD
    • University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, BS, Mechanical Engineering
    Admissions
    • Illinois
    Courts/Agencies
    • US Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit
    • US District Court for the Northern District of Illinois
    • US Patent and Trademark Office
    • Supreme Court of Illinois
    Languages
    • English
    • Chinese (Mandarin)
  • Elizabeth C. Lu

    Elizabeth C. Lu

    People

    Elizabeth Chao

    Partner
    Areas of focus

    Elizabeth advises multinational corporations on US federal and international tax matters.

    Elizabeth helps businesses navigate the US tax implications of their global operations and transactions. She advises businesses on loss and other attribute planning, subpart F and net CFC tested income, foreign tax credits, foreign-derived deduction eligible income (FDDEI), the base erosion and anti-abuse tax (BEAT), the corporate alternative minimum tax (CAMT), and other key provisions of the Code.

    Elizabeth counsel clients on global supply chain restructurings, post-acquisition integrations, internal reorganizations, debt financings, and intellectual property migrations. She also has experience with tax treaties, tax audits and controversies, and the tax aspects of acquisitions and dispositions.

    Results
    • Advised a client with respect to a $2 billion outbound transfer of intangible property
    • Advised a client on entering into a $4.3 billion strategic partnership with an outside investor

     

    Recognitions
    • Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch in America, Tax Law, 2024–2027
    • Rising Star, Tax – Euromoney Expert Guide, 2021
    Capabilities and industries
    Regional markets
    Community
    Credentials
    Education
    • Yale Law School, JD
    • University of Chicago, BA
    Admissions
    • Illinois
  • Jeff Cassidy

    Jeff Cassidy

    People

    Jeff Cassidy

    Partner
    Areas of focus

    Jeff Cassidy focuses his practice on general corporate matters and transactions.

    While in law school, Jeff was associate editor for the University of Illinois Law Review, volunteered with the University of Illinois Community Preservation Clinic and the Marshall County Public Defender’s Office, and was a judicial extern for the Honorable James E. Shadid, chief judge of the US District Court for the Central District of Illinois.

    Results
    Recognitions
    Capabilities and industries
    Regional markets
    Community
    Credentials
    Education
    • University of Illinois Chicago School of Law, JD, cum laude
    • University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, BS, with honors
    Admissions
    • Illinois
  • Daniel R. Campbell

    Daniel R. Campbell

    People

    Daniel Campbell

    Partner
    Areas of focus

    Tries commercial litigation matters in state and federal courts, including private capital litigation, collective and class actions, and products liability actions

    Handles aviation disputes, including fixed-wing and rotorcraft, mass disaster, and accident matters

    Defends clients in alcohol and beverage industry disputes and trust and estate litigation

    Advises clients on bet the company litigation including in high exposure class actions, deal disputes, and wrongful death matters.

    Daniel R. Campbell is a trial lawyer with significant experience trying cases in state and federal courts. He focuses his trial practice on a variety of commercial litigation matters, including private capital litigation, collective and class actions, products liability and aviation actions, alcohol and beverage industry disputes, and trust and estate litigation matters. Daniel is the co-lead of the firm’s class-action litigation practice and chair of the Associates Committee.

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    “Dan is an outstanding commercial litigator and counselor. He is quick to understand the client’s business and proactive in addressing client needs.”

    Ranked in

    Ranked in

    Chambers USA

    Ranked in

    Ranked in

    The Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch in America

    Results
    • Obtained complete acquittal after a criminal jury trial in the first-ever criminal no poach trial in the 130+ year history of the Sherman Act on behalf of former senior executive of DaVita, Inc.
    • Co-chaired, and prevailed in, an evidentiary hearing on a motion for preliminary injunction in a trade secrets case alleging theft of software and source code trade secrets where plaintiff alleged more than $120 million in damages –; cross examined plaintiff CEO and directed key expert witness at hearing in obtaining favorable result
    • Won a case at Illinois Supreme Court after successfully arguing that a self-represent relator in a False Claims Act case could not recover attorneys’ fees for work performed by the relator-law firm’s own attorneys. This case represented a matter of first impression in Illinois and is now the law of the state
    • First-chaired a three-day emergency arbitration related to termination for cause of private equity fund member
    • Co-chaired, and prevailed in, a five-day jury trial in a police brutality case under Section 1983

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    Recognitions
    • Chambers USA, 2026
    • Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch in America, Commercial Litigation (2023-2026), Product Liability Litigation – Defendants (2023-2026), Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions – Defendants, 2026
    • Legal 500 US, Recommended Lawyer, 2025
    • McDermott Will & Schulte Partner Pro Bono Award, 2025
    • Crain’s Chicago Business, 40 Under 40, 2023

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    Capabilities and industries
    Regional markets
    Community
    • McDermott Will & Schulte, Class-Action Litigation Practice Group, co-lead
    • McDermott Will & Schulte, Private Capital Litigation Group, co-lead
    • McDermott Will & Schulte, Associates Committee, chair
    • McDermott Will & Schulte, Technology Committee, member
    • Legal Aid Chicago, Board of Directors, member; Governance Committee, co-chair
    Credentials
    Education
    • University of Illinois College of Law, JD, magna cum laude
    • University of Missouri, BA, summa cum laude
    Admissions
    • Illinois
    • Missouri
    Courts/Agencies
    • US Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit
    • US Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit
    • US District Court for the Central District of Illinois
    • US District Court for the Northern District of Illinois (Trial Bar)
    • US District Court for the Southern District of Illinois
    • US District Court for the Western District of Wisconsin
    • US District Court for the District of Colorado
    • US District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri
    Languages
    • English
  • John M. Callahan

    John M. Callahan

    People

    John M. Callahan

    Partner
    Areas of focus

    Advises public companies, private equity firms, nonprofit health systems, academic institutions, and governmental entities on health sector M&A  

    Manages transactions involving hospitals, behavioral health companies, physician practice management platforms, laboratories, pharmacies, and other health care companies 

    Structures joint ventures between taxable and tax-exempt entities and complex transactions in changing regulatory and commercial landscapes  

    Counsels clients on international health M&A transactions 

    John Callahan advises clients on health sector mergers and acquisitions. Public companies, private equity firms, nonprofit health systems, academic institutions, and governmental entities have trusted John to assist them in executing their most critical transactions. His unique focus on corporate and healthcare law drives an efficient and client-oriented approach to executing transactions.

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    “John is the most brilliant healthcare transactional attorney I have ever worked with. He is unique in that he can do both private equity and nonprofit hospital deals.” 

    Chambers USA

    Ranked Band 1 in Healthcare

    Ranked Band 1 in Healthcare

    Chambers USA

    Recognized in Healthcare Law

    Recognized in Healthcare Law

    The Best Lawyers in America

    Results
    Recognitions
    • Chambers USA, Band 1 in Healthcare, 2012-2026
    • BTI, M&A Client Service All-Stars, 2021
    • Best Lawyers in America, Healthcare Law, 2014-2027

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    Capabilities and industries
    Regional markets
    Community
    Credentials
    Education
    • University of San Diego, JD
    • University of Notre Dame, BA
    Admissions
    • Illinois
    Languages
    • English
  • Edward G. Zacharias

    Edward G. Zacharias

    People

    Edward G. Zacharias

    Partner
    Areas of focus

    Guides development and launch of digital health products and AI-enabled products and services

    Structures data use, disclosure, and commercialization strategies for health technology clients

    Leads full scale ransomware and other cybersecurity incident remediation and response for private and public companies

    Manages government investigations related to privacy, cybersecurity, and consumer protection issues

    Advises on HIPAA, HITECH, and health information privacy compliance

    Counsels on website and mobile app tracking technologies and wiretapping risk

    Edward (Ed) Zacharias serves as managing partner of the firm’s Boston office and co-heads the Digital Health Practice Group, where he guides clients through the regulatory, privacy, and cybersecurity complexities that define health technology innovation.

    Ed provides strategic counsel from conception through launch of AI-enabled and digital health products, structuring sophisticated data frameworks that help clients execute critical business objectives while avoiding legal pitfalls. He has deep experience advising website and mobile application tracking technologies and their regulatory and litigation risks, including under wiretapping statutes.

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    “Ed is possibly one of the best data privacy attorneys.”

    Chambers USA

    Ranked in

    Ranked in

    Thomson Reuters, 2026

    Ranked in

    Ranked in

    Chambers USA, 2025

    Ranked in

    Ranked in

    Legal 500 US, 2025

    Results
    • Represented a multinational technology platform on multi-jurisdiction AI, privacy, and wiretapping analysis for a product launch
    • Advised a national retail chain on structural and healthcare compliance issues tied to in-store clinics and pharmacies
    • Advised a Fortune 20 company on a HIPAA compliance program and data-use strategy for its entry into healthcare services
    • Led ransomware response for a health system with more than 500 clinical sites, coordinating legal, compliance, forensics, media, regulatory, and ransom-negotiation work
    • Handled numerous OCR HIPAA investigations, including matters resolved with no adverse findings and favorable settlements
    • Represented a public technology company in investigating and responding to an international cyberattack
    • Advised a large electronic health record company on data use and disclosure issues for a personal health record offering
    Recognitions
    • Thomson Reuters, Stand-out Lawyer, 2023-2026
    • Chambers USA, Healthcare, Band 2, 2018-2026
    • Legal 500 US, Leading Lawyer in Media, Technology and Telecoms: Cyber Law, 2021 and 2024-2025
    • The Best Lawyers in America, Healthcare Law, (2022-2025 and 2027), Privacy and Data Security Law, 2027
    • Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly, Top 20 Managing Partner, 2024 and 2025
    • Burton Awards, Law360 Distinguished Legal Writing Award, 2023
    • BTI, Client Service All-Stars, 2022
    • Acritas Stars, independently rated lawyers, 2020
    Capabilities and industries
    Regional markets
    Community
    • Boston Bar Association, council member
    • McDermott Will & Schulte Digital Health Group, co-head
    Credentials
    Education
    • Boston University School of Law, JD
    • Case Western Reserve University, MA, Bioethics
    • Coleman College, AS, Computer Applications and Networks
    • Boston College, BA
    Admissions
    • Massachusetts
    Languages
    • English
  • Kate Williams

    Kate Williams

    People

    Kate Catherine Williams

    Partner
    Areas of focus

    Kate Williams focuses her practice on commercial real estate transactional matters, with a particular focus on the renewable energy and healthcare industries. With nearly 20 years of legal experience, she represents renewable energy developers, lenders, tax equity sponsors, and offtakers; healthcare private equity sponsors; physician practices; hospitals; and capital providers, among other investors.

    Kate advises clients in all aspects of commercial real estate transactions, including the acquisition, disposition, and financing of commercial real property interests. She has extensive experience with drafting and negotiating complex solar, wind, data center, battery storage, medical office, laboratory, and hospital ground lease agreements. She assists clients with obtaining favorable solutions to challenging surface and mineral estate matters concerning the construction, development, operation, and financing of renewable energy projects.

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    Results
    • Represented Chestnut Carbon, a nature-based carbon project developer, on the real estate aspects of a non-recourse project finance facility of up to $210 million
    • Represented Hannon Armstrong Capital LLC in a $30 million term loan financing for a renewable natural gas facility located in Jessup, Maryland
    • Represented American Electric Power in the real estate aspects of purchase negotiations in connection with the acquisition of several solar project companies
    • Represented Irradiant Partners, LP, an investment manager focused on liquid credit and renewable private equity and credit, in the offering of a maximum aggregate principal loan amount of $100 million to an innovator in the renewable energy space because of its use of anaerobic digestion
    • Represented a private-equity-backed healthcare system operator in a $1.25 billion transaction, which involved the acquisition of real estate interests in nine acute care hospitals and numerous ancillary-owned and leased properties under a complex tax-driven master lease and mortgage loan structure

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    Recognitions
    Capabilities and industries
    Regional markets
    Community
    • Dover MA Planning Board, elected official
    • American Bar Association, Ground Leasing Committee chair and editor of the Real Property, Trust and Estate Law Section’s e-report
    • Women of Renewable Industries and Sustainable Energy, member
    • Boston Bar Association, member
    • Dover MA Public Schools Parent Teacher Organization, volunteer
    Credentials
    Education
    • University of Illinois Chicago School of Law, LLM
    • University of Illinois Chicago School of Law, JD, with distinction
    • DePaul University, BA
    Admissions
    • Massachusetts
    • Illinois
    Courts/Agencies
    • US District Court for the Northern District of Illinois
    • Supreme Court of Illinois
    • Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court
    Languages
    • English