Barack Ferrazzano

What Barack Ferrazzano does

Barack Ferrazzano Kirschbaum & Nagelberg LLP (BFKN) is a Chicago-headquartered law firm founded in 1984, operating as a limited liability partnership with offices in Chicago and Minnesota. The firm delivers legal services across five practice areas — Corporate & Securities, Compensation & Benefits, Intellectual Property, Tax & Business Planning, and Litigation — and two dedicated industry groups, Financial Institutions and Luxury. Its client base spans publicly traded corporations, financial institutions (banks and bank holding companies), luxury and fashion brands, automotive manufacturers, and private equity sponsors. The firm has been ranked #1 nationwide as an M&A legal advisor for banks by Bloomberg data, and recognized for 15+ consecutive years in Chambers USA across multiple practices.

The firm operates a partner-led staffing model in which senior attorneys directly handle complex matters, supported by an in-house technology capability through its wholly-owned subsidiary BF Discovery LLC, an eDiscovery platform serving litigation clients. GTM is relationship-driven: business development proceeds through partner referrals, industry reputation, and thought leadership in publications and events, with the firm targeting enterprise clients such as LVMH (Louis Vuitton, Christian Dior, Moët Hennessy), Lamborghini, Sephora, HBT Financial, First Midwest Bancorp, and L Catterton. The firm has been recognized by Best Lawyers (73 attorneys in 2026), Benchmark Litigation, Chambers USA, and the World Trademark Review 1000.

Revenue is generated exclusively through professional services fees under engagement-letter arrangements (hourly, fixed-fee, or contingency depending on matter type). The firm does not publicly disclose revenue. As a private LLP owned and controlled by its partners, it operates without external institutional backing or public capital markets exposure. Structural positioning emphasizes lean, expert-driven teams that compete with larger Am Law firms on cost-to-seniority efficiency, particularly in financial institutions M&A and luxury brand IP work.

Name

Barack Ferrazzano

Legal name

Barack Ferrazzano Kirschbaum & Nagelberg LLP

Website

https://bfkn.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1984

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Barack Ferrazzano Kirschbaum & Nagelberg LLP is a Chicago-based, partner-led law firm serving financial institutions, luxury and fashion brands, and automotive manufacturers across corporate, litigation, IP, and tax practices, with affiliated eDiscovery subsidiary BF Discovery LLC.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Legal Services

NAICS

Offices of Lawyers (541110), Offices of Lawyers (54111)

SIC

Services-Legal Services (8111)

akta.pro primary industry

Mergers & Acquisitions (M&A) & Securities Law (BPAHAAAI)

akta.pro secondary industry

Litigation Support & Expert Witness Services (BPAHALAG)

Keywords

• Legal advisory services
• Mergers acquisitions law
• Intellectual property law
• Commercial litigation services
• Executive compensation law

Headquarters

HQ city

Chicago

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Legal Services Fees: The firm generates revenue through legal fees for representing clients in transactions, litigation, and other legal matters. Fee structures likely include hourly rates for litigation and transaction work, with some matters possibly on fixed-fee arrangements.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Barack Ferrazzano Kirschbaum & Nagelberg LLP is a Chicago-based law firm delivering legal counsel across corporate transactions, securities, M&A, commercial litigation, intellectual property, executive compensation and benefits, tax planning, and specialized industry practices. The firm serves financial institutions, luxury brands, motor vehicle manufacturers, and public companies. It also operates BF Discovery LLC, an affiliated eDiscovery service supporting litigation matters.

Product overview

Barack Ferrazzano Kirschbaum & Nagelberg LLP is a law firm offering legal services across multiple practice areas rather than a technology product company. The firm's service portfolio includes BF Discovery (an affiliated eDiscovery platform for litigation support), along with practice areas covering Corporate & Securities, Compensation & Benefits, Intellectual Property, Tax & Business Planning, Litigation, and industry groups focused on Luxury and Financial Institutions. The firm does not operate as a software platform but provides legal counsel to clients in complex business matters.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Corporate & Securities Legal Services

Quantifiable outcome

• Ranked #1 nationwide M&A legal advisor for banks (Bloomberg data)
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers13 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• CNB Bank Shares, Inc.minorOthers · 3 March 2026Barack Ferrazzano represented CNB Bank Shares in its sale to HBT Financial, Inc. The merger was valued at approximately $170.2 million and involved stock and cash transactions, creating a combined entity with $6.9 billion in assets operating 84 branches.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Others

• Mayer Brown LLP: Major Chicago-based global law firm with deep financial services, litigation, and corporate practices. Overlaps on bank M&A, securities, and complex commercial matters at a larger scale.

Regional players

• Faegre Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP: Mid-sized law firm with strong financial services and corporate practices and a notable Minneapolis presence. Comparable to BFKN on bank M&A and corporate advisory with overlapping Midwest footprint.

Direct peers

• Jenner & Block LLP: Chicago-based firm recognized for high-stakes litigation, corporate transactions, and IP work. Overlaps with BFKN on luxury brand and complex commercial matters, and is a direct lateral hiring competitor.
• Seyfarth Shaw LLP: Chicago-founded mid-to-large law firm with employment, litigation, and corporate practices. Overlaps with BFKN on commercial litigation and corporate advisory for similar client profiles.
• McDermott Will & Emery LLP: Chicago-headquartered firm with significant corporate, healthcare, and litigation practices. Competes for similar mid-market enterprise clients and corporate transactional work.
• Katten Muchin Rosenman LLP: Chicago-headquartered mid-sized law firm with overlapping financial institutions, corporate/M&A, and IP practices serving similar enterprise clients. Direct competitor for bank M&A advisory and luxury brand work.
• Winston & Strawn LLP: Chicago-headquartered firm with strong litigation, corporate/M&A, and IP practices. Direct competitor for complex commercial litigation and financial institution matters.
• Schiff Hardin LLP: Chicago-based mid-sized law firm with comparable financial services, corporate, litigation, and IP practices. Competes for similar bank and corporate clients in the Midwest.

Broad incumbents

• Sidley Austin LLP: One of the largest global law firms, headquartered in Chicago. Competes with BFKN for sophisticated M&A, financial institution, and IP matters, but operates a much broader global platform.
• Latham & Watkins LLP: Global Am Law 5 firm with significant Chicago presence, regularly competing for the largest M&A and litigation matters from financial institutions and luxury brand clients.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/barackferrazzano
• Xx.com/BFKNLaw

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Barack Ferrazzano