Patrick A. Brennan

Much Shelist attorney Patrick Brennan combines excellent legal counsel and outstanding negotiating skills to craft successful strategies for his clients.

Nicholas Chulos, Executive Vice President, General Counsel, and Corporate Secretary for Chicago-based First Midwest Bancorp, was Brennan’s first mentor when the pair were attorneys at Krieg DeVault. According to Chulos, even as a young lawyer, Brennan impressed partners with his ability to resolve clients’ matters efficiently with minimal oversight.

Jennifer Nichols, Vice President and General Counsel for Harsch Investment Properties, who until recently served as Deputy General Counsel with Northbrook’s Banner Real Estate Group, said that Brennan assisted Banner in closing more than $160 million of real estate transactions while juggling tight deadlines and working through complicated issues.

“He is an excellent practitioner,” Nichols said. “He provides excellent client service and goes above and beyond what is expected. Pat certainly ranks among the best attorneys of his tenure that I have worked with.”

According to Sean O’Malley, Executive Vice President for Legacy Communities, LLC, Brennan has represented Legacy in acquiring over $350 million of manufactured-home communities in two years. “Our deals have involved complex, and sometimes contentious, issues that many lawyers would have identified as insurmountable,” O’Malley observed. “However, Pat is a problem-solver and dealmaker. He works to craft solutions that are integral to the success of our business.”

For example, Pat recently helped Legacy work through a complex transaction, involving multiple adverse parties, by devising a creative structure that accounted for conflicting interests and enabled Legacy to acquire a large, highly sought-after asset.

Another strength? Brennan works exceedingly well with opposing counsel.

“He zealously represents his clients while still giving a great deal of respect to all members on the other side of the table,” Nichols said. “He stays calm under pressure and, as a result, creates wins and gains for his clients.”

Howard Goldman, partner with Honigman in Michigan, represented the seller of real estate to Brennan’s client. According to Goldman, “His negotiating skills are outstanding. Pat seemed to do the right things to keep me calm and to get the most out of me in negotiations.”

Matthew Dolan, associate with New York City-based law firm Cassin & Cassin, has worked “across the table” from Brennan on several commercial mortgage loan transactions, where Dolan represented the lender and Brennan represented the developer group.

Dolan and Brennan recently worked on a transaction that required complex and unorthodox parcel-development and construction provisions in the loan documents. It took several rounds of negotiations, but the parties were able to reach an agreement that accommodated the business goals of Brennan’s client.

“Pat has the ability to identify common grounds among disagreement, and then works purposefully to get everyone there in a way that advances his client’s goals while keeping those of his counterparts intact,” Dolan said. “He approaches seemingly insurmountable obstacles to transactions with creativity, foresight, and optimism.”

Even with his busy law practice, Brennan prioritizes devoting time to his family and community. He coaches his son’s basketball and baseball teams, judges high school debate competitions, and practices yoga with his daughters, whose flexibility and strength keeps him on – and sometimes off – his toes. Over the past year, Brennan has been inspired by his middle daughter as she recovered from an extended illness.

Brennan and his wife teach CCD at their church, and he volunteers to prepare meals at the Ronald McDonald House connected with Lurie Children’s Hospital. Brennan and his family support the Franciscan Alliance Foundation and Make-A-Wish Foundation and have served meals to homeless people through the PADS program.