M&A Practitioner Ronan P. O'Brien Joins Seyfarth Shaw in Boston

Boston, MA (October 9, 2006) - - Seyfarth Shaw LLP, one of America’s leading full service law firms, announced that Ronan P. O’Brien has joined the firm as a Corporate and Finance partner in its Boston office. O’Brien was formerly with Kirkpatrick & Lockhart Nicholson Graham LLP, and has brought Timothy R. Bowers, also formerly of that firm, over to Seyfarth Shaw as a new associate. The two will continue to collaborate on new transactional business.

O’Brien specializes in mergers and acquisitions for strategic and private equity clients across many industries including information technology, content licensing, manufacturing, consumer food products and media properties.  In addition to M&A, he advises enterprises on business formation, strategic alliances, joint ventures and outsourcing transactions. His client base includes emerging businesses and entrepreneurs, as well as established companies.

O’Brien is the third partner to join Seyfarth Shaw’s thriving Corporate and Finance practice in the past two months, adding a nuanced technology perspective to the advice the group provides to clients on sophisticated transactional matters. Bowers also concentrates his practice on M&A and counsels companies on general corporate and securities law matters.

“Ronan and Tim’s substantive experience in M&A and other complex transactions makes them a valuable asset to our expanding practice group,” stated Allan J. Reich, chair of the firm’s Corporate and Finance Practice. “Ronan’s deep industry knowledge in the areas of hardware, software and information technology will serve our clients in the IT sector very well.”

Seyfarth Shaw's corporate and finance attorneys possess the broad, in-depth experience necessary to serve a diverse client base, ranging from start-up ventures to middle market companies to large multinational corporations.  The practice is focused in areas such as mergers and acquisitions, securities,  investment management, corporate counseling, commercial transactions, financing, international business and tax planning.

“I am pleased to welcome Ronan and Tim to our close-knit Boston team,” said Lisa J. Damon, managing partner of Seyfarth’s Boston office.  “Ronan is highly regarded for his skill at implementing and negotiating multi-layered M&A deals. Tim’s solid foundation in M&A and securities transactions will complement the support the firm provides its numerous corporate clients.” 

Earlier in his career, O’Brien was Corporate Counsel and Director of Legal Affairs for a publicly traded technology company. He received his B.A. and J.D. from Boston University, where he completed a six-year combined degree program. O’Brien has served on the board of directors of Angel Flight America, Inc. -- the largest volunteer pilot organization in the U.S., which provides air transportation to medical centers for patients and their families -- and volunteers for the Big Brothers Big Sisters of America and Boston’s Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts. Bowers received his B.A. from the University of Notre Dame and his J.D. from Villanova University School of Law, where he served as an editor of the Villanova Law Review.

"Joining Seyfarth Shaw was a strategic choice for Tim and me,” said O’Brien. “The firm’s expanding Corporate & Finance practice and collaborative culture will enable us to continue our professional growth and contribute to the firm’s focus on client service.”

Seyfarth Shaw has over 650 attorneys located in nine offices throughout the United States including Chicago, New York, Boston, Washington D.C., Atlanta, Houston, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Sacramento as well as Brussels, Belgium.  Seyfarth Shaw provides a broad range of legal services in the areas of  business transactions, labor and employment, employee benefits and litigation.  The firm’s practice reflects virtually every industry and segment of the country’s business community. Clients include over 200 of the Fortune 500 companies, financial institutions, newspapers and other media, hotels, health care organizations, airlines and railroads. The firm also represents a number of federal, state, and local governmental and educational entities.  For more information, please visit www.seyfarth.com

###