Leading Mergers and Acquisitions/ Private Equity Partner Joins Jenner & Block's Chicago Office

CHICAGO, Nov. 26, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Jenner & Block LLP today announced that Mark A. Harris has joined the firm as a partner in the Chicago office.  As one of Chicago's most highly regarded M&A attorneys, Mr. Harris has been at the heart of many major transactions, including Wrapports, LLC's recent acquisition of the Chicago Sun-Times. 

Mr. Harris will join Jenner & Block's Corporate Practice and become Co-Chair of the firm's Private Equity Practice.  He will advise clients on acquisitions, divestitures, spin-offs, LBOs, going-private transactions, reorganizations, proxy contests and other complex transactions, as well as on corporate governance and other general business matters.  

"We are very excited that Mark is joining the firm," said Susan C. Levy, Managing Partner of Jenner & Block.  "Mark is well-known for his work in numerous areas, including private equity transactions.  He will be a tremendous asset to companies engaging in complex legal and financial transactions, and his hiring further demonstrates our commitment to deepening our transactional service offerings."

During his 30-year legal career, Mr. Harris has handled a wide range of corporate, technology, tax and litigation matters for clients of all types and sizes, including:

• Merge Healthcare's acquisitions of AMICAS and Ophthalmic Imaging Systems and various other transactions;
• Munich Re in its acquisition of the Windsor Health Group;
• The management teams of CDW Corporation and Nuveen Investments, Inc. in their going-private transactions led by Madison Dearborn Partners;
• A Special Committee of the Chicago Board of Trade in its acquisition by the Chicago Mercantile Exchange;
• Click Commerce, Inc. in its sale to Illinois Tool Works;
• GameSpy in its sale to IGN Entertainment;
• Applied Systems Inc. in its sale to Vista Equity; and
• Merrick Ventures, Winona Capital, Edgewater Capital, MH Equity, GTCR Golder Rauner and others on various private equity investments or sales. 

He has also done work for many public companies, including Las Vegas Sands, Heritage Crystal-Clean, Covance, DeVry and DaVita, among others.  His earlier transactions involved the acquisitions of Pebble Beach Resorts and RJR Nabisco, as well as a variety of deals for Kohlberg, Kravis & Roberts; Sears, Roebuck and Co.; Harrah's Entertainment; Playtex; and Bally Total Fitness.

Mr. Harris has been recognized by Chambers USA for his mergers and acquisitions work and is ranked as a leading attorney in Illinois for private equity.  He was described by Legal 500 as being "very experienced in advising on deals and the tactics in negotiating the deals," in addition to being named by PLC Which Lawyer? for his "acumen and experience in the area of private equity/venture capital."  He has also been selected as a "Leading Lawyer" by Illinois Leading Lawyers Network. 

"Mark's experience in mergers and acquisitions will enhance our ability to provide exceptional service to public and private companies and is another example of the growth of the firm's transactional footprint," said Joseph P. Gromacki, Chair of Jenner & Block's firmwide Corporate Department and a member of the firm's Governing Committee.  "With his strong experience representing clients of all types and sizes in a wide range of corporate matters, Mark's capabilities fit perfectly with our practice.  Mark's skills significantly augment our bench strength in the private equity space."

"I am excited to be joining a firm with the history and client portfolio that Jenner & Block has, and I look forward to being part of a team that is growing rapidly, both in terms of the volume and the significance of the merger and acquisitions work it is undertaking for its clients," said Mr. Harris.

Mr. Harris was a partner at McDermott Will & Emery and prior to that, was the COO and a Principal, Portfolio Manager of GTCR Golder Rauner, LLC, a leading Chicago private equity firm.  He has also served as a senior executive and the chief legal officer for two VC-backed technology companies – PrairieComm, Inc. and Click Commerce, Inc. – and has been an outside Director of two public companies, including Global Imaging Systems, Inc., a distributor and servicer of computer peripherals and copiers, which was acquired by Xerox in 2007.  Mr. Harris was previously also a partner at Latham & Watkins in Chicago.

About Jenner & Block

Jenner & Block (www.jenner.com) is a national law firm with approximately 450 attorneys and offices in Chicago, Los Angeles, New York and Washington, DC.  Founded in 1914, Jenner & Block is known for its prominent and successful litigation practice and experience handling sophisticated and high-profile corporate transactions.  Firm clients include Fortune 100 companies, large privately held corporations, financial services institutions, emerging companies, venture capital and private equity investors. 

SOURCE Jenner & Block LLP