Baker & McKenzie Elects 10 New Partners in North America

Chicago, IL – January 11, 2010 – Baker & McKenzie announced today the election of 10 new Partners in North America, bringing the total number of Partners in the region to 341. The elections were effective as of January 1, 2010.

"Today more than ever, our clients demand that we consistently provide value-adding pragmatic solutions, as well as world-class service," said North American Managing Partner Peter Engstrom. "Our new partners have been elected not only for their market-leading substantive skill sets, but also for their demonstrated ability to meet clients' rising expectations for superb advice, responsively delivered."

The newly elected Partners are:

• John Basinger is a Partner in the New York office and a member of the Litigation Practice Group. Mr. Basinger has experience across a broad range of international and domestic litigation and arbitration matters, including trials, appeals and writ proceedings in state and federal courts. He received his JD, cum laude, from Harvard Law School and his BA, summa cum laude, from the University of Oklahoma. Mr. Basinger is licensed to practice law in New York, California, Texas and Washington, DC. He joined the Firm in 2006.

• Erik Christenson is a Partner in the San Francisco / Palo Alto office and a member of the Tax Practice Group. Mr. Christenson has more than nine years of experience representing multinational corporations - both US and foreign-based - in business taxation matters. He received his JD, cum laude, from Hastings College of the Law and his BA, cum laude, with Honors, from Dartmouth College. Mr. Christenson joined the Firm in 2005.

• Arlan Gates is a Partner in the Toronto office and a member of the International Commercial Practice Group. Mr. Gates’ practice focuses on antitrust and competition; advertising and marketing; food, drug and other consumer product regulation; and technology and communications law. He received his JD from the University of Toronto, his MPhil from the University of Cambridge, and his BA (Hon.) from the University of Winnipeg. He joined the Firm in 1999.

• Edward Harrison is a Partner in the Chicago office and a member of the Corporate & Securities Practice Group. Mr. Harrison's practice involves domestic and cross-border mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures, reorganizations and venture capital, as well as general corporate and commercial counseling of business corporations and other business entities. He earned his JD from the Howard University School of Law and his BA from Hampden - Sydney College. He joined the Firm as a Summer Associate in 2000 and as an Associate in 2001.

• Salim Rahim is a Partner in the Washington, DC office and a member of the Tax Practice Group. Mr. Rahim has been involved in projects involving transfer pricing of tangible products, intellectual property and services, global restructurings, effective tax rate minimization, tax treaties and tax controversy matters. His practice principally involves assisting companies with planning and defending transfer pricing strategies, negotiating Advance Pricing Agreements and advising on global transfer pricing documentation requirements. He received his JD from George Washington University and his BA from the Edinboro University of Pennsylvania. Mr. Rahim joined the Firm in 1995.

• Todd Schroeder is a Partner in the Dallas office and a member of the Tax Practice Group. Mr. Schroeder's practice runs the gamut of tax work, with a particular emphasis on domestic and international structuring and tax planning for corporations, partnerships, limited liability companies and other pass-through entities. He received his JD, summa cum laude, from the University of Alabama School of Law and his BS, summa cum laude, from Auburn University. Mr. Schroeder joined the Firm in 2004.

• W. Michael Snider is a Partner in the Houston office and a member of the Tax Practice Group. He represents a wide variety of multinational clients, ranging from oil and gas companies to high-tech firms. He has a broad range of experience in all areas of federal income tax law, with an emphasis on international tax planning and corporate, partnership and natural resources taxation. Mr. Snider received his JD from the University of Colorado Law School, his LLM in Taxation from the New York University School of Law and his BS from the University of Georgia. He joined the Firm in 2006.

• Jerome Tomas is a Partner in the Chicago office and a member of the Litigation Practice Group. He has advised clients in negotiating and defending alleged violations of the federal and state securities laws, in alleged violations of SRO regulations, and on compliance with the federal securities laws, the Commodities Exchange Act, SRO rules and regulations and federal criminal laws. Prior to joining Baker & McKenzie, Mr. Tomas was a Senior Attorney in the SEC’s Division of Enforcement. He received his JD, cum laude, from Loyola University in Chicago and his BA from Michigan State University. He joined the Firm in 2005.

• Peter Tomczak is a Partner in the Chicago office and a member of the Litigation Practice Group. Mr. Tomczak focuses his practice on the resolution of disputes involving corporate fiduciaries and business torts. Prior to joining the Firm, Mr. Tomczak clerked for The Honorable Vice Chancellor John W. Noble of the Delaware Court of Chancery. He received his JD, magna cum laude, Order of the Coif, from the University of Michigan Law School, where he was awarded the Daniel H. Grady Prize for achieving the highest grade point average in his graduating class, having also done so in each of his three years of legal studies, and his BS, with highest honors, from the University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana. Mr. Tomczak was a Summer Associate in the Firm in 2001 and joined as an Associate in 2003.

• Brian Whisler is a Partner in the Washington, DC office and a member of the Litigation Practice Group. He is experienced in handling a broad range of civil and criminal matters, including Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, money laundering, healthcare, securities and procurement fraud. Prior to joining Baker & McKenzie, Mr. Whisler served as the Criminal Chief Assistant United States Attorney in Richmond, Virginia, Eastern District of Virginia. He received his JD from the George Mason University School of Law and his BA from Grove City College. Mr. Whisler joined the Firm in 2008.