Kiel Bowen is a partner in Mayer Brown’s fund finance practice and spends an inordinate amount of time using AI to turn fund finance concepts into bad dad-joke cartoons—many of which end up finding their way into The Brown Pages. Widely believed to be channeling his midlife-crisis energy into themed firm events, Kiel is best known around the firm for Mayer Brown’s Fright Night, Craps Night, and the FFA Miami Beer Garden—an event that, for reasons still debated, involves lederhosen.

Outside of work, Kiel and his wife, Niki, take regular trips to Asheville and Napa—generally planned around good food and better wine. Their two daughters keep them busy, while a miniature schnauzer remains unconvinced that anyone else is in charge. Kiel has an outsized enthusiasm for Halloween, enjoys rolling the dice, and is well known for being unable to read his calendar.

Profile on Mayer Brown

Todd Bundrant is a partner in the fund finance group of Mayer Brown’s Chicago office. Todd originally joined Mayer Brown in 1999 and began working on fund finance transactions prior to the GFC (when certain loans to private equity funds were referred to as “capital call receivable” financings). Since then he has worked on fund finance transactions of all shapes and sizes, including subscription-backed credit facilities, NAV lines, hybrid facilities, portfolio financings, management company lines and partner loan programs. Todd grew up in South Bend, Indiana before attending Vanderbilt University and then returning to Indiana University for law school. Outside of work he enjoys spending time with his family skiing, golfing or boating (with boating being the most fun now that he’s unable to keep up with his kids).

Profile on Mayer Brown

Mark Dempsey is a partner in the fund finance practice of Mayer Brown’s Chicago office and has been with the firm since 2005. A proud double Illini, he earned both his undergraduate and law degrees from the University of Illinois. Mark is an enthusiastic and often disappointed Bears and Illini fan. When he’s not at home with his wife, six kids, and two dogs, Mark enjoys the relative peace and quiet of the office, where he spends his time working with clients and catching up with colleagues—most often with a Diet Coke in hand and not far from Todd Bundrant.

Profile on Mayer Brown

Ann Richardson Knox is the office practice leader of the New York Banking & Finance practice and is the Global Head of Mayer Brown’s Fund Finance team. Ann previously served on the firm’s Partnership Board. Ann has spent over 25 years structuring complex financings to US and global private funds, sponsors and portfolio companies and has represented both financial institutions and funds. Ann’s vast experience encompasses financings at every level of the capital stack and every phase of a fund’s existence.

Profile on Mayer Brown

Cassandra Best is a partner in the fund finance group of Mayer Brown’s New York office. Cassandra lateraled into Mayer Brown in 2022 after practicing fund finance for several years with another firm in New York and after spending the first 6 years of her legal career practicing corporate/M&A in various roles. Originally from Salt Lake City, Utah, Cassandra attended University of Wisconsin Law School where she met her husband, Sampson, and now serves on the UW Law School’s Board of Visitors, an alumni advisory committee. Outside of the office, Cassandra enjoys spending time with family and friends, good food and drinks, traveling to warm weather locations, and generally keeping abreast of the zeitgeist and all things pop culture.

Profile on Mayer Brown

Daniel Blackburn is a partner in Mayer Brown’s Fund Finance group and has been with the firm since 2015. Daniel is a double graduate of Wake Forest University where he earned both his undergraduate and master’s degrees, and attend Tulane University Law School in New Orleans – the latter where he developed an obsession for Cajun food and sazeracs. When not advising financial institutions and private equity funds across the full spectrum of fund finance matters, he can be found in his garage tinkering with a classic car, indulging in his expensive 3D-printing hobby, or enjoying the outdoors with his pet duck, Blue.

Profile on Mayer Brown

Clients active in the financial markets served from London, Sydney, Hong Kong and Singapore turn to Doos Choi for representation across a variety of sectors, including healthcare, financial services, real estate, oil & gas, retail, IT, consumer services, automotive, mining, gaming, renewables and insurance.

Profile on Mayer Brown

Chris Ellis is a partner in the fund finance group of Mayer Brown’s Charlotte office. Chris joined Mayer Brown in 2015 and has been based in Charlotte since law school, advising lenders across a broad range of fund finance matters. Originally from Asheville, Chris earned both his undergraduate and law degrees from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. A lifelong North Carolinian, he is a proud Tar Heel, an enthusiastic sports fan (go Heels!) and a below-average golfer. Outside the office, Chris and his wife, Caitlin, stay busy keeping up with their two sons, Henry and Charlie.

Profile on Mayer Brown

McKay Harline is a fund finance partner in Mayer Brown’s Chicago office and a proud Mayer Brown “lifer.” Before law school, McKay studied piano performance at Brigham Young University and later earned his J.D. from Northwestern University School of Law. He still plays the piano and violin when not negotiating credit agreements, and is an enthusiastic lover of 80s music (of course he is referring to music from the 1880s). He and his husband, Brendan, have a beautiful daughter, Eleanor (known as Nellie), who is, by all credible accounts, exceptionally brilliant, sneaky, cuddly, and friendly. McKay also enjoys reading and writing, running and strength training, building LEGO sets with Brendan, and spending time outdoors. A Colorado native, McKay deeply misses skiing and maintains—perhaps a bit too unapologetically to other Midwesterners—that there are no real mountains near Chicago. A lover of trees, McKay thinks “The Overstory” by Richard Powers should be on everyone’s must-read list.

Profile on Mayer Brown

Andy Hogan is a partner in Mayer Brown’s New York office, helping financial institutions, investment funds and fund borrowers in a variety of financing transactions. Andy received his bachelor’s degree from Brandeis University and law degree from Georgetown University. Originally from San Diego, Andy has traded in palm trees for east coast blizzards and has become a decent skier for a west coast kid. He loves trail-running with his pup Syl, who he named after a character in his favorite book series, the Stormlight Archive. Andy and his wife, Brenna, enjoy weekends hiking and visiting their favorite coffee shops (two maple lattes, please!).

Profile on Mayer Brown

John Paul Igoe grew up on Long Island as the youngest of six sons, which meant learning early how to compete, negotiate, and survive chaos. He headed south to UNC–Chapel Hill for college, where he wrestled and confirmed that sleep is optional and perseverance is not.

After graduating St. John’s University Law School, John Paul started his career in New York, then eventually made his way back to North Carolina. He’s married to Erika and is the father of three boys, including a set of twins, which means life is loud, schedules are theoretical, and free time is a myth. He’s generally even-keeled, hard to rattle, and unfazed by most things—skills honed by growing up in a big family and reinforced daily at home and the office.

Profile on Mayer Brown

Mike Kwasigroch is a partner in Mayer Brown’s Chicago office, where he serves on the firm’s recruiting committee. Mike joined Mayer Brown directly out of law school in 2017, and now focuses his practice on representing both lenders and borrowers in a wide array of fund finance products. Originally from the Chicago burbs, Mike earned his undergraduate degree from Indiana University and law degree from Loyola University Chicago. Outside the office and when Mike and his wife aren’t chasing their toddler around the city, he enjoys playing golf, skiing and fly fishing out west.

Profile on Mayer Brown

Will Leister is a partner in Mayer Brown’s Charlotte office, where he serves on the office’s recruiting and hiring committees. Will lateraled into Mayer Brown in 2021 after practicing for several years with another firm in Charlotte. Originally from Columbus, Ohio, Will moved to North Carolina for law school and never looked back. He earned both his undergraduate and law school degrees from Duke University and is an avid and unapologetic Duke sports fan. Outside the office, Will and his wife, Hannah, are busy trying to keep the peace among their three kids and the family pets – an Australian shepherd puppy and a geriatric cat. Will also enjoys golfing, fishing, bird watching, and just about any excuse to be outdoors.

Profile on Mayer Brown

Jon Rosaluk is a partner in Mayer Brown’s Chicago office and a member of the firm’s Fund Finance practice. He joined Mayer Brown in 2015 after several years of practice at another Chicago firm, including a one-year stint in Sydney, Australia. A Colorado native, Jon moved to Chicago for law school after a brief and unremarkable career as a stockbroker, an experience that convinced him the law was a better fit. He earned his undergraduate degree from the University of Colorado Boulder (go Buffs!) and believes the Chicago skyline is the urban equivalent of the Rocky Mountains. Outside the office, Jon and his wife, Oksana, devote much of their time to supporting the budding soccer careers of their three children and eagerly anticipate the family’s annual summer beach vacation. When not reading The Brown Pages, Jon enjoys non-fiction and historical fiction, counting Erik Larson and Malcolm Gladwell among his favorite authors. He is also an avid listener of Gladwell’s Revisionist History podcast.

Profile on Mayer Brown

Laura Watson is a partner in Mayer Brown’s fund finance group, advising lenders and borrowers on a wide range of fund finance transactions. Originally from Minnesota, Laura earned her undergraduate degree from the University of St. Thomas and her J.D. from the University of Chicago Law School, where she served as a Law Review board member and co-head of the women’s mentoring program. She began her practice with Mayer Brown in Chicago in 2015 and relocated to Northern California in 2021. When she’s not working, Laura is either losing herself in the pages of a great novel or embracing mountain life—hitting trails and logging miles with her exceptionally smart and playful Bernedoodle, chasing fresh air and beautiful views, and taking full advantage of everything the outdoors has to offer year-round.

Profile on Mayer Brown