Partners Honored Among Chicago's Notable Minority Lawyers

Chicago partners Zulf Bokhari, Roderick Branch, and Nabil Sabki have been named to the 2018 Chicago’s Notable Minority Lawyers list by Crain’s Chicago Business. The award program honors lawyers who are leading the legal profession in Illinois and beyond, and who, through their practices and pro bono work, are advancing the causes of justice and equality.

Bokhari, a member of the firm’s Banking Practice, advises many of the world’s largest banks and financial institutions on the structuring and syndication of senior credit facilities, including acquisition, recapitalization, bridge, working capital and other domestic, cross-border and multicurrency financings. As highlighted in a profile by Crain’s, he recently represented a major US bank in a $30+ billion underwritten bridge loan facility for a global pharmaceutical company, which is the largest bridge facility that has been raised in Asia to-date. He also recently advised two major US banks in connection with a $30+ billion bridge credit facility for a multinational mass media and entertainment conglomerate in connection with one of the most high profile acquisitions of the year.

Branch, a member of the firm’s Latin America and Capital Markets Practices, is a leading cross-border capital markets lawyer focused on Latin America. As highlighted in a profile by Crain’s, he has advised on some of the largest and most innovative deals in Mexico, including the Vista Oil & Gas IPO, which introduced a new asset class to Latin America as the region’s first SPAC, as well as Promecap Acquisition Company’s IPO – the first SPAC to focus exclusively on Mexico. Branch also represented IEnova, Mexico’s largest private-sector energy company, on its $598 million IPO, the first by an energy company on the Mexican Stock Exchange; its $1.6 billion follow-on equity offering, the largest equity sale in Latin America in 2016; and, most recently, its $840 million inaugural bond offering. He also advised Mexico-based Fermaca in a hybrid, first-of-its-kind refinancing that included the first Mexican project bonds to be listed in Singapore.

Sabki, a member of the firm’s Investment Funds Practice, leads Latham’s Advisers Act and Investment Company Act work firmwide. He has extensive experience working with private equity fund managers in connection with various regulatory and compliance matters, including navigating SEC exams and inquiries. As highlighted in a profile by Crain’s, he has advised on more than 75 SEC examinations since the adoption of Dodd-Frank and has been involved in numerous SEC inquiries. He has also registered more than 50 private equity fund managers with the SEC as investment advisers. Additionally, Sabki advises on investment adviser M&A transactions, status issues involving the Investment Company Act, and works with Latham’s fund formation lawyers advising private equity clients on regulatory and compliance issues.