Kimberly M. Copp

Kimberly M. Copp

Partner Chicago
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Summary

Kim focuses her practice principally in the areas of general corporate and securities law matters, including corporate and public finance. She serves as chair of Taft’s Debt and Structured Financings group.

Kim also serves as co-chair of the Gaming group. She has extensive experience representing cities and states (including regulatory bodies) on casino gaming matters including drafting legislation and related regulations, negotiating host community agreements between local governmental units and casino developers, conducting competitive selection processes for casino opportunities, and negotiating and providing counsel on casino development projects. She further represents casino companies on mergers and acquisitions, financings and licensing and regulatory matters. Kim also represents investment companies, private equity funds and other lenders to casino projects on financing structures for casino projects and licensing and regulatory matters.

Kim is often a guest speaker on various casino gaming topics. She also is a regular guest lecturer at the Manfred Steinfeld School of Hospitality and Tourism Management at Roosevelt University where she discusses various aspects of gaming law.

Kim also represents small and mid-cap corporate clients on securities law and corporate governance matters, public and private offerings of debt and equity, listing securities for trading on national securities exchanges and regulatory investigations. Kim also serves as counsel to banks and financial institutions in connection with commercial middle-market loan and other financing transactions including multi-borrower, Eurodollar currency and syndicated transactions.

Additionally, Kim represents issuers, borrowers, banks and underwriters in offerings of tax-exempt and taxable bonds. From June 2005 to August 2007, Kim served as outside general counsel to the Illinois Finance Authority (IFA). Kim continues to provide legal services to the IFA from time to time on various matters.

Kim received a B.B.S. in Finance from Miami University in Oxford, Ohio and earned a J.D., magna cum laude, from The John Marshall Law School in Chicago. During law school, she was a staff editor of The John Marshall Law Review and a member of the Order of John Marshall Honorary Scholarship Society. Kim was the recipient of the Graduate School Scholarship Award for the Highest Overall Class Rank in Law School Studies.

Kim was named to the list of Illinois Rising Stars (recognizing the state’s top young lawyers) for 2008, 2009, 2010 and 2011.

Awards

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Education

  • The John Marshall Law School (1997)
  • Miami University-Oxford, B.B.S., Finance (1993)

Admissions

  • State - Illinois

Notable Matters

Gaming

  • Represented the New York State Gaming Facility Location Board in conducting its competitive selection process for the issuance of up to four gaming facility licenses in Upstate New York.
  • Represents the City of Springfield, Massachusetts in negotiating a host community agreement for an anticipated $800 million casino project.
  • Represents the City of Taunton, Massachusetts in negotiating an intergovernmental agreement with the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe for an anticipated $500 million project.
  • Represented the Town of Milford, Massachusetts in assessing impacts of a potential $1 billion casino development and negotiating a host community agreement.
  • Represented a multi-jurisdictional casino company in the sale of its casino complex in Colorado.
  • Represents the City of Detroit in connection with its three casinos. Most recently represented the City in connection with successful restructuring of one casino in bankruptcy.
  • From time to time, advises the City of Chicago on casino matters including drafting legislation for a city-owned casino.
  • Represented a large institutional investor in connection with reorganizing the capital structure of an entity owning casinos in multiple jurisdictions in Canada.
  • Advised two states in drafting casino enabling legislation and on related matters.
  • Represents multi-jurisdiction casino operators in the purchase and sale of certain casino assets.

Banking and Finance and Securities/Corporate

  • Represents commercial banks such as BMO Harris Bank, FirstMerit Bank, JP Morgan Chase, and Wintrust Financial Corporation in connection with commercial middle-market loan and other financing transactions.
  • Represented a NYSE-listed real estate company in a going private transaction.
  • Advised a corporate borrower on an asset-backed lending transaction led by SunTrust.
  • Assisted an e-tailer with its $132 million initial public offering of common stock and listing on the NASDAQ Global Market.
  • Assists Board of Director members (including Audit Committee members) of various NYSE, AMEX and NASDAQ publicly-traded companies in connection with corporate governance and securities matters, the establishment of internal controls and procedures, conducting internal investigations related to various matters reported to the Boards (or Audit Committees) and other corporate matters.

Public Finance

  • Represents borrowers, underwriters, banks and/or issuers in bond issues by the City of Chicago, City of Chicago Board of Education, City of Detroit, State of Illinois, Illinois Housing Development Authority, Illinois Finance Authority, and various municipalities.

News

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Professional Affiliations

  • American Bar Association Member
  • Chicago Bar Association Member
  • Leading Lawyers Network Member
  • Women in Public Finance Member

Community Involvement

  • EasterSeals of Chicago & Rockford Director
  • The Hope Institute Learning Academy Director
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