Chicago Partners Named to Crain’s Notable Minorities in Law List

Crain’s Chicago Business has named partners Zulf Bokhari, Roderick Branch, and Robert Fernandez to its 2019 Notable Minorities in Accounting, Consulting, and Law list. The honorees are recognized for having risen to the top of their professional field, promoting diversity and inclusion at their firms, mentoring junior lawyers, and giving back to their communities. 

Bokhari, a member of Latham’s Banking Practice, represents leading commercial and investment banks in the syndicated loan markets. As highlighted in a profile published by Crain’s, Bokhari’s practice has a special emphasis on cross-border financings for working capital, acquisitions, and other strategic purposes. He represents lead banks across the credit spectrum (from unsecured investment grade to secured leveraged high yield), transaction size (middle market to large cap to jumbo investment grade), and product type (asset-based loans and cash flow loans). Throughout the past year he has represented major US banks in a number of multibillion-dollar term loan and revolving credit facilities for deals across a breadth of industries. Bokhari is a member of the Advisory Board of the Kellogg Institute for International Studies at the University of Notre Dame.

Branch, a member of Latham’s Capital Markets and Latin America Practices, advises on capital markets transactions and securities regulation, with a focus on securities offerings by non-US issuers, particularly in Latin America. As highlighted in a profile published by Crain’s, Branch recently advised Promecap Acquisition Company (PAC), a Mexican SPAC, in its US$300 million global IPO. As a result of the IPO, PAC became the first-ever Mexico-focused SPAC to list on the Mexican Stock Exchange and the second SPAC in history to conduct an IPO in Latin America. He also advised Fermaca Pipeline El Encino in a first-of-its-kind hybrid US$815 million refinancing of its 420-kilometer gas pipeline that is a key part of Mexico’s energy infrastructure. Branch is the Chicago office leader of Latham’s Hispanic/Latin American Lawyers Group. He also leads the firm’s International Visiting Associate Program.

Fernandez, a member of Latham’s Real Estate Practice, advises institutional lenders and investors in sophisticated commercial real estate financings and transactions, as well as landlords and tenants in commercial leasing matters throughout the US. As highlighted in a profile published by Crain’s, throughout the past year Fernandez advised several institutional investors on joint ventures in connection with luxury high-rise and large mixed use developments; a global hedge fund in connection with a Class A+ office tower headquarters lease in Manhattan; and a premier real estate investment and hospitality management company on the acquisition and financing of a major hotel and casino in Las Vegas. Fernandez is a member of Latham’s Hispanic/Latin American Lawyers Group.