Taft Stettinius & Hollister LLP announces that Paul T. Jenson will succeed Anthony R. Licata as Taft Chicago’s Partner-in-Charge, effective Jan. 1, 2018. Jenson will work closely with Cezar “Cid” M. Froelich, who serves as Chairman of the Taft Chicago office. 

Several years ago, Taft instituted an extensive succession planning and leadership vetting process throughout the firm. As part of that process, Jenson was selected with input from Taft Chicago partners and approval from Taft’s executive committee.

“Paul is part of the next generation of Taft leadership in the Chicago market. I worked extremely well with Tony, and he has provided a great platform for our continued growth. Paul will be a strong asset in attracting lateral attorneys because he easily relates to the type of attorneys that we are recruiting. Taft’s Chicago office has earned the reputation as an attractive firm for lateral attorneys looking to make the move to a firm that better fits their career goals and their clients’ needs,” Froelich said.   

Since 2014 when Shefsky & Froelich merged with Taft, the Taft Chicago office has increased its number of attorneys by more than 40%. Today, Taft Chicago has 100 attorneys with plans to add 25 to 50 attorneys in the near term. Since the merger, the office has also expanded into new practice areas, such as pharmaceutical and life sciences litigation, antitrust and higher education – to name a few. Existing practice areas have also expanded to keep pace with increasing client needs. 

“It’s an exciting time to be at Taft, especially in the Chicago office. I’m thrilled to have the opportunity to help lead a growing, talented and dedicated group in achieving both our goals and those of our clients. This has always been a special place to be, and I believe our future will be even brighter. I can’t wait to get started,” Jenson said.  

Licata has served in the Partner-in-Charge role since 1997. In 2016, Licata was asked to serve as Chair of Taft’s firm-wide Administration Committee with responsibility for Taft’s 10 offices across six states. In this role, Licata oversees all significant new administrative initiatives and ensures appropriate processes are in place. He will continue his active law practice in real estate, construction, food and beverage, family office services, and technology.  

“Paul is the right person at the right time. After serving as the firm-wide chair of the Administration Committee, I drew the conclusion that it was time for the responsibilities of Chicago’s Partner-in-Charge to be fulfilled by an up-and-coming leader of the firm. I look forward to continued collaboration with Cid and Paul as chair of the Administration Committee,” Licata said.

Jenson will continue in his current Taft firm-wide leadership roles: co-chair of the associate advancement and recruiting committee; co-chair of the gaming practice group; and a member of the partner compensation committee. 

Areas of concentration for Jenson include gaming, general corporate and securities matters, and estate planning. He counsels local, national and international casino owners, operators, suppliers, lenders and institutional investors in all aspects of gaming regulatory law. His work in drafting various gaming statutes, administrative rules and policies provides additional opportunities for his clients in many jurisdictions. His gaming practice also focuses on licensing, mergers and acquisitions, financing arrangements, litigation and administrative hearings. In his corporate and securities practice, Jenson assists businesses with: acquisitions and dispositions; general corporate governance; public and private offerings of debt and equity; registration of securities for trading on national securities exchanges; and SEC and other regulatory investigations. Jenson began his legal career in estate planning. He has administered estates and trusts valued at more than $100 million and is knowledgeable on a variety of estate tax reduction techniques, tax compliance and reporting.