Accomplished General Counsel and leader of other staff and line operations. Broad experience in electronic and print publishing, licensing, real estate leasing, and entertainment. Expertise in intellectual property, outsourcing, M&A, internet commerce, litigation management, employment law, SEC and anti-trust compliance. |
CAREER SUMMARY
Accomplished General Counsel and leader of other staff and line operations. Broad experience in the industries of electronic and print publishing, especially health care publishing, licensing, real estate leasing, construction, entertainment, and cable and satellite television distribution. Proven record of success working under diverse management styles. Particular subject matter expertise in intellectual property law, outsourcing, internet commerce, SEC and anti-trust compliance, management of complex litigation, acquisitions and divestitures, and employment law.
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
SANDHILL CONSULTING GROUP LLC. Brooklyn Park MN 2009-Present
Management consulting firm focusing on middle market companies with a need to refocus business models, restructure, acquire new business or position company for sale.
Senior Consultant
Assignments range from short term review of legal profile of client or target companies to longer term evaluation and positioning of client’s legal situation in respect to competitors and potential claimants
WOLTERS KLUWER UNITED STATES INC. Riverwoods, IL 1998-2008
Wolters Kluwer U.S. is a leader in business and tax publishing through its CCH Incorporated and Aspen Publishing subsidiaries, and medical publishing through Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, Ovid Technologies, and related imprints.
Vice President and General Counsel
Responsible for significant corporate and operating legal matters of this $2 billion U.S. subsidiary of Dutch parent, Wolters Kluwer nv, including negotiation and documentation of key publishing arrangements, service and licensing agreements, multi-subsidiary supply contracts, litigation management, and legal direction of merger and acquisition activity. Chief legal support for corporate real estate issues. Led business team and delivered entire legal support for business practice outsourcing of Human Resources benefits function.
• Led 2007 reviews of various medical journal policies to update publishing practices to meet current developments.
• Negotiated and led in-house legal documentation of $270 million nationwide information technology outsourcing contract; provided key governance advice in 24 month effort culminating in preservation and renegotiation of this arrangement.
• Assisted in negotiation of and contracted acquisitions/divestitures of stock and assets producing over $10 million in annual sales.
• Successfully directed multi-party defense of $75 million breach of contract litigation stretching over seven years.
• Provided frequent domestic Sarbanes-Oxley advice for parent company compliance with Dutch law equivalent
GOLDEN BOOKS FAMILY ENTERTAINMENT, INC. Racine, WI 1993-1998
GBFE was a $600 million international producer of children's and family-oriented entertainment and also manufactured and sold paper party goods. This Company’s flagship product, Little Golden Books, is known world wide as an icon of the publishing industry and its lead board game, Pictionary, became both an electronic brand and a network television game show.
Vice President and General Counsel
Exercised control over all legal matters, and maintained direct responsibility on major commercial transactions responsible for much of the company’s revenue stream. Provided chief legal support for the Company’s real estate matters. Ultimately directed Human Resources function and exercised final decision making on all intellectual property licenses.
* Assisted in negotiation and led in house documentation of $104 million sale of game and puzzle division that allowed Company to avoid potential bankruptcy filing.
* Led business negotiation and prepared multiple character licensing arrangements with licensors such as Disney and Mattel guaranteeing payments of hundreds of millions of dollars.
* Directed legal compliance for claim-free downsizing operations involving 1,000 employees.
* Guided company’s successful civil litigation preserving trade dress of Little Golden Books.
* Led negotiation team for warranty compliance issues on one-of-a-kind binding machine responsible for annual U.S. production of over 100,000 Little Golden Books.
PRIOR PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
PLAYBOY ENTERPRISES, INC. Chicago, Illinois
Vice President, Secretary and Associate General Counsel
Chief business and legal lead regarding all real estate and construction management matters. Professionalized SEC compliance procedures, and reviewed or prepared all public corporate communications for this NYSE company. Responsible for all legal matters and negotiations in the cable television and home video distribution and production businesses.
Vice President, Secretary and Associate General Counsel, continued;
* Negotiated, and contracted sales of hotel, real estate and night club properties totaling $70 million throughout the United States, Caribbean and Europe.
* Selected sites, then negotiated leases, architectural agreements and construction contracts, and managed on-time and on-budget construction for office relocations totaling 200,000 square feet and $18 million in leasehold improvements.
* Directed Company compliance with SEC Consent Decree concerning disclosure of Chairman’s annual personal benefits of nearly $1 million and executive compensation.
* Provided legal and business affairs direction for company’s start-up operations in satellite and cable television and home video businesses including eight figure transponder lease, and continued to direct these matters as annual revenues grew to $50 million.
JOHN MORRELL & CO. Chicago, Illinois
Senior Attorney
Became familiar with food safety, labor union, and environmental compliance matters for this meat packer, then a subsidiary of United Brands. Directed legal affairs concerning transportation of food products.
DEVOE SHADUR AND KRUPP, Chicago, Illinois
Associate Attorney
Provided legal support for client commercial ventures including the assumption of chief outside counsel responsibility concerning new construction of Atlantic City casino.
HOPKINS AND SUTTER, Chicago, Illinois
Associate Attorney
Gained experience in providing, and appreciation for, quality work product for client projects in corporate and litigation areas.
EDUCATION
J.D. (cum laude) Northwestern University School of Law, Chicago, IL
B.A. (summa cum laude) University of Illinois-Chicago, Chicago, IL |
