Jones Day Expands Banking & Finance Practice

CHICAGO, May 29 – The global law firm Jones Day announced today that Loren Weil and Matt O'Meara have joined the Chicago Office as partners in the Firm's global Banking & Finance Practice. Both of them arrive from the Chicago office of Winston & Strawn LLP where they were partners in that firm's banking practice. They are the third and fourth new partners to join in Chicago in the last three months, and will be part of the more than 200 Jones Day lawyers around the world serving financial institutions.

"Loren and Matt have been practicing in Chicago for virtually their entire careers and both have sterling reputations among bankers and commercial finance professionals in town," said Dan Reidy, Partner-in-Charge of Jones Day's Chicago Office. "Their arrival is not only a continuation of our expansion efforts in Chicago, but also demonstrates the attraction of our model serving clients all over the globe as one firm worldwide."

"Loren and Matt are outstanding finance lawyers and provide us with even greater capabilities to serve our clients in the most innovative transactions all over the world," said Bob Graves, Jones Day's Chicago based co-chair of the Firm's Banking & Finance Practice. "Their arrival adds top-shelf talent to our team in Chicago and to our global practice. We are continuing to build our reputation as one of the world's leading banking and finance practices, and Loren's and Matt's arrival represents another important step in the growth and development of our practice."

Mr. Weil concentrates his practice on corporate finance transactions. With more than 25 years of experience representing banks and commercial lenders in loan transactions, workouts, and other complex financial transactions, he has represented numerous financial institutions in secured and unsecured loan transactions in connection with sponsored acquisitions and other leveraged buyouts, recapitalizations, and senior debt facilities established for large corporate and middle market borrowers. These matters, ranging from asset-based loans to multibillion dollar investment-grade syndicated credit facilities, have involved borrowers in a wide spectrum of industries and have included cross-border transactions with entities in many jurisdictions. Mr. Weil also has represented numerous business entities acting as borrowers, including financial sponsors and large and middle market companies, in negotiating and closing their credit facilities. He earned his A.B., magna cum laude, and J.D. from Duke University.

Mr. O'Meara concentrates his practice on corporate finance transactions with a particular focus on large and middle-market leveraged buyout transactions. He also has extensive experience representing asset managers, banks, financial institutions, funds and issuers on a variety of financing structures including cash flow, asset based, and mezzanine finance transactions. He earned his B.A. and J.D., cum laude, from Loyola University Chicago and was the Executive Editor of the Loyola Law Journal.

Jones Day is a global law firm practicing in the major centers of business and finance throughout the world. Ranked among the world's best and most integrated law firms, and perennially ranked among the best in client service, Jones Day acts as principal outside counsel to, or provides significant legal representation for, approximately half of the Fortune 500, Fortune Global 500, and FT Global 500. Since opening in 1987, the Chicago Office of Jones Day has grown to more than 170 lawyers. Drawing upon the capabilities, knowledge, and experience of lawyers in a broad array of practices, Jones Day's Chicago attorneys provide a full range of legal services not only to local businesses but to companies around the world.