Richard J. Firfer concentrates his practice in the areas of corporate, securities and transactional matters, including extensive work in the area of financial institution mergers, acquisitions, divestitures and regulation. He has also had considerable experience in counseling start-up companies, particularly those that are information technology related, in regard to attracting investment capital.

Mr. Firfer has served clients for more than 36 years in areas ranging from corporate and securities law to tax planning and sports and entertainment law. In addition, Mr. Firfer also has represented equipment lessors and lessees with respect to both true leases and finance leases, and has advised large financial institutions in regard to interest-rate swaps and similar contracts.

Prior to joining Schwartz Cooper in 1986, Mr. Firfer worked at, and was a Partner in, other Chicago area law firms. He also served as Law Clerk to Judge Thomas R. McMillen of the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, Eastern Division. For a number of years, Mr. Firfer was co-author of Chapter 22A, "Professional Corporations," of the J.K. Lasser Income Tax Techniques treatise.  He is also a regular contributor to Sports Collectors Digest, a weekly magazine serving the sports memorabilia marketplace, and has been a Screen Actors Guild member since 1991.

Mr. Firfer is AV® Peer Review Rated by Martindale-Hubbell.* 

*CV, BV and AV are registered certification marks of Reed Elsevier Properties Inc., used in accordance with the Martindale-Hubbell certification procedures, standards and policies.

Bar Admissions & Memberships

• Illinois
• United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois
• Seventh Circuit U. S. Court of Appeals
• United States Tax Court

Education

• J.D. - Northwestern University, 1971 (cum laude); Order of the Coif
• B.A. - Northwestern University, 1964