Steptoe Broadens California Corporate Presence - Susan A. Wolf Joins as Partner

For more information, contact Jamie Moss, newsPRos, 201-493-1027

(September 11, 2007, Century City, CA) – Steptoe & Johnson, LLP, a leading international law firm, today announced the addition of Susan A. Wolf as the newest partner in its corporate practice.  She will be resident in the firm’s Century City office, effective immediately.

"During a period of rapid growth it is essential for law firms to identify and recruit the top legal talent," said Roger Warin, Chairman of Steptoe & Johnson. "Susan will be instrumental in the expansion of our corporate practice in Southern California and firmwide."

Ms. Wolf joins Steptoe from Ervin Cohen & Jessup LLP, Beverly Hills, where she was a partner. Prior to that, she was a partner at Loeb & Loeb LLP. She received her J.D. in 1981 from the University of Michigan Law School and her Bachelor’s Degree from the University of Michigan in 1978.

"Steptoe is building a premiere corporate practice in Southern California that leverages its tremendous brand and scope of services to a very broad, regional client base that ranges from start-ups to middle market companies to large publicly traded firms. I look forward to being a part of the team of talented lawyers in Century City engaged in this exciting process," said Ms. Wolf.

Ms. Wolf’s clients include high net worth individuals, entrepreneurs and closely-held family businesses, for which she often serves as outside general counsel. Her broad corporate practice spans finance, mergers and acquisitions, secured and unsecured corporate and commercial lending, structuring and administration of limited liability companies, limited and general partnerships, and corporations. 

Applying her business knowledge across a wide range of industries, Ms. Wolf provides full business counseling service, including on such issues as ownership structure, startup and expansion financing, key operational and management tactics, liquidity and capital events, and exit strategies and asset dispositions. In collaboration with existing high level talent firmwide at Steptoe in such areas as tax, pensions, IP, securities, litigation, anti-trust and employment, she will now be able to provide an even broader range of business and legal counsel to address all of the ongoing needs of clients. 

Ms. Wolf’s recent representations have been diverse including representing a manufacturer in a consolidated roll-up of licensees and franchisees, the sale of its majority interest to a private equity fund, and the subsequent sale to a public company; day-to-day representation of a manufacturer in matters related to working capital, employment, licensing, distribution, supply chain management, trademarks, and a bank-financed leveraged recapitalization with the ultimate  sale of the company to a private equity fund; and representing owners and executives of significant mortgage lenders on acquisitions and dispositions of equity, executive compensation arrangements, owners’ agreements and related transactions.

Her work includes representations in topical matters of national prominence, including representing the CEO of a sub-prime mortgage lender which is currently in bankruptcy; and acting as counsel for co-owner of a significant music and real-estate enterprise in a multi-faceted dispute involving publishing rights, and film finance and production.

“Susan brings a substantial wealth of experience across a broad transactional practice, along with a very loyal client base,” said Mark Neubauer, a partner in the Century City office. “She is a well recognized attorney in the marketplace which will help us leverage our national brand and platform to expand our West Coast practice.”

Since launching its Century City office in July 2006, Steptoe has grown its presence there to 24 attorneys.

About Steptoe & Johnson LLP 
With more than 450 attorneys, Steptoe & Johnson LLP provides counsel and representation in a wide range of legal fields. In more than 60 years of practice, the firm has gained a national and international reputation for vigorous representation of clients before governmental agencies, successful advocacy in litigation and arbitration, and creative and practical advice in guiding business transactions. The firm has offices in Washington, New York, Chicago, Phoenix, Los Angeles, Century City, London and Brussels.