Overview
BFKN is proud to announce its recognition as a top-tier law firm once again in the 2025 edition of Chambers USA, the leading legal directory renowned for its rigorous evaluation of U.S. law firms and attorneys. The Chambers USA rankings are based on extensive research, including interviews with clients and peers, and evaluate firms on qualities such as technical expertise, client service, and commercial awareness. Achieving top-tier status in this esteemed guide is a significant honor and reflects the firm's consistent delivery of high-quality legal counsel. BFKN was recognized as a leading law firm in six practice areas, with eleven attorneys receiving individual band or star rankings. Notably, the firm’s Litigation: General Commercial practice group advanced from Band 5 to Band 4, underscoring its continued growth and strong performance.
See below for BFKN’s 2025 Chambers USA practice area recognition in both Illinois and nationwide:
Illinois
- Corporate/M&A & Private Equity – Band 5
- Intellectual Property: Trademark, Copyright & Trade Secrets – Band 2
- Litigation: General Commercial – Band 4
- Real Estate – Band 1
USA – Nationwide
- Financial Services Regulation: Financial Institutions M&A – Band 3
- Transportation: Road (Automotive) – Band 3
For the first time, Chambers USA individually recognized the following attorneys in Illinois:
- Brett Feinberg (Real Estate – Band 4)
Brett has more than 20 years of diverse experience advising clients with respect to sophisticated real estate transactions, including acquisitions, dispositions, leasing, development, financings, and joint ventures. He regularly represents clients in the negotiation and documentation of complex real estate transactions. He has significant experience representing publicly traded real estate investment trusts (REITs), investment advisors, private equity sponsors, commercial lenders, and other institutional investors and developers. One source referred to Brett as “great and super responsive. It's his ability to get to the heart of the matter and come up with a solution that makes him stand out." - Kait E. Kelly (Corporate/M&A – Up & Coming)
Kait has a broad corporate practice, counseling both domestic and international companies on complex business matters, with an emphasis on strategic transactions, mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures, growth and venture capital investments, and strategic business planning and general corporate counseling. She also has extensive experience representing luxury brands, negotiating endorsement deals, licensing arrangements, collaborations, and sponsorships with celebrities, athletes, and other brands. One source referred to Kait as “a fantastic partner. She's attentive, savvy, responsive, incredibly intelligent, and diligent. She makes complex legal topics accessible and easy to understand." - Maile Hitomi Solís (Litigation: General Commercial – Band 4)
Maile has represented clients in all areas of commercial litigation across the country, representing fashion, luxury and cosmetics/beauty brands, as well as automotive manufacturers in contract disputes, data privacy, and the Biometric Information Privacy Act (“BIPA”), copyright and trademark infringement, consumer class actions, and employment and customer discrimination matters. Maile’s “personable and responsive” style puts clients at ease as she navigates their trickiest legal issues, including her role in important victories for Louis Vuitton and Loro Piana in a large antitrust class action alleging impermissible no-poach agreements with retail partners; a victory for Christian Dior, Inc., in a BIPA putative class action on the grounds that the case fell under BIPA’s health care exemption; in the successful resolution of the high-profile lawsuit filed by Cartier/Richemont against Tiffany & Co.; and in a novel emergency termination win in the Eastern District of New York. As one of the co-leaders of BFKN’s Litigation Group, Maile has assembled and leads a team that impresses its clients with its broad depth, abilities, experience and knowledge, its value-add that is “above and beyond other firms,” and its general responsiveness and business-mindedness and ability to guide effective decision-making. - James R. Whitney (Corporate/M&A – Band 4)
While Jim’s primary focus is on mergers and acquisitions, he is often relied upon by his clients, some of whom he has represented for nearly 20 years, to provide advice on more general legal matters that may arise between transactions. Jim has assisted his clients with general corporate and formation matters, negotiation and implementation of partnership and joint venture relationships, securities reporting, public offerings and private placements of debt and equity securities, and general corporate contracting. Jim also serves in a general counsel capacity for a number of his clients and is often the first point of contact regarding any of their legal issues. One source referred to Jim as “extremely knowledgeable, thorough, and just an all-around great attorney."
Chambers USA also individually recognized the following attorneys in Illinois as well as nationwide, many of whom have been named for several years:
Illinois
- William J. Barrett (Bankruptcy/Restructuring – Band 4)
Bill is the senior member of BFKN’s Bankruptcy & Creditor Rights Group. In recent years, Bill has focused his practice on representing secured debt holders and landlords in Chapter 11 cases and other insolvency proceedings. Bill has litigated a broad variety of cases in the bankruptcy courts, including stay relief, adequate protection, cash collateral, plan confirmation, and DIP financing motions brought by or involving secured creditors. This is Bill's 13th year being recognized by Chambers USA, with one source describing him as being "the full package." - Suzanne Bessette-Smith (Real Estate – Band 3)
Suzanne concentrates her practice on commercial real estate and related corporate, securities, and business planning matters. She has significant experience in the representation of publicly traded real estate investment trusts (REITs) and the formation of joint ventures that combine developers and other real estate professionals with institutional financial partners. Her practice also focuses on the acquisition, disposition, and financing of industrial, office, and multi-family properties, as well as franchised hotels, and the acquisition, disposition, and financing of long-term ground-leased properties. This is Suzanne's 23rd year being recognized by Chambers USA, with one source describing her as "very good and providing great representation." - Dennis A. Ferrazzano (Real Estate – Senior Statesperson)
Dennis is a senior partner and a founder of BFKN. He concentrates his practice on commercial real estate and business planning matters. Dennis is the primary North American real estate counsel for Bernard Arnault, Groupe Arnault, LVMH, and the LVMH brands in the Americas. This is Dennis' 23rd year being recognized by Chambers USA, with one source describing him as "a legend in Chicago real estate." - Howard J. Kirschbaum (Real Estate – Senior Statesperson)
Howard is one of the founders of BFKN and served as managing partner of the firm for 25 years. He concentrates his practice on commercial real estate and related corporate, securities, and business planning matters. Howard has extensive experience in the acquisition, development, leasing, and disposition of office buildings, shopping centers and other retail locations, multi-family housing, industrial buildings, and mixed-use facilities; real estate financings; restructurings and foreclosures; and the formation of joint ventures between institutional partners and developers. This is Howard's 23rd year being recognized by Chambers USA, with one source describing him as "a dean of the Chicago real estate world.” - Nathan Q. Rugg (Bankruptcy/Restructuring – Band 5)
Nate has extensive experience in all aspects of business reorganizations, workouts, and bankruptcies, inside and outside of court restructurings. This includes the representation of creditors, suppliers, equipment lessors, lenders, landlords, OEMs, and asset purchasers in small to large, complex Chapter 11 cases. Nate also counsels parties in business restructuring and liquidation situations outside of bankruptcy, such as assignment for the benefit of creditors, receivership, workout, and forbearance situations. He represents suppliers to bankrupt and other distressed entities, including counseling on and prosecuting 503(b)(9) claims, advising on post-petition credit, and defending preference claims and avoidance actions. He also works with transactional lawyers on distressed deal structures and provides legal opinions that support secured financings. This is Nate's 3rd year being recognized by Chambers USA, with one source describing him as having "a superior understanding of the law and using it to carefully craft strategies for your needs. He takes the time needed to make you feel like a partner instead of a client." - Scott J. Slavick (Intellectual Property: Trademark, Copyright & Trade Secrets – Band 3)
Scott’s practice focuses primarily on U.S. and international trademark prosecution, beginning with policing, managing, and protecting the expansive trademark portfolios of BFKN’s clients. Scott oversees complex worldwide search projects, answers complicated clearance questions for new product launches, and provides cost-effective analysis and strategy for discreetly resolving trademark disputes, many of which are high profile and at risk of becoming public. Scott’s vast U.S. and international trademark prosecution experience allows him to help clients manage, grow, and protect their IP portfolios. From clearing a new mark in multiple jurisdictions, registering it with the relevant trademark offices, policing it against infringers, and defending a client’s use from threat of attack to resolving potential conflicts before they reach litigation, Scott deftly tackles any trademark-related issue. This is Scott's 5th year being recognized by Chambers USA, with one source describing him as "wonderful to work with. He is very knowledgeable, responsive, and comprehensive in his legal support."
USA – Nationwide
- Sarah M. Bernstein (Transportation: Road (Automotive) – Band 3)
Sarah is a co-chair of BFKN’s Motor Vehicle Group and leads the group’s transactional practice. With over a decade of experience in the industry, she helps motor vehicle manufacturers manage the sale and distribution of their products, including through counseling on franchise and dealer network matters, commercial relationships, and regulatory concerns, as well as brand launches in the U.S. market. This is Sarah's 2nd year being recognized by Chambers USA, with one source describing her as “extremely knowledgeable and knowing her business inside and out, combining that with a patient and client-oriented demeanor. Sarah is an outstanding attorney and represents us in all transactions with a high level of sophistication, ingenuity, and knowledge."
To view BFKN's 2025 Chambers USA results or visit the firm profile, visit: https://chambers.com/law-firm/barack-ferrazzano-kirschbaum-nagelberg-llp-usa-5:66923
About Chambers USA
Chambers USA is the world’s leading legal data and analytics provider, highlighting the top lawyers and law firms across the USA for over two decades so that buyers of legal services are equipped to make the best choice when it matters. Chambers’ best-in-class research teams of over 200 exceptional individuals assess lawyers and law firms across the USA, conducting thousands of one-on-one interviews per year with in-house counsel and third-party experts. By providing independent and impartial intelligence and market insight, Chambers supports and enables decision-makers, from general counsel at global blue-chip firms to local businesses, to secure the talent that's right for them while saving time and mitigating risk. To learn more about the Chambers USA methodology, click here.