New arrivals advance firm’s transactional and healthcare capabilities in key US markets
Chicago, IL, Feb. 02, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Global law firm Norton Rose Fulbright today announced a powerful expansion of its business practice with the addition of an impressive group of corporate, private equity, healthcare, finance and tax lawyers who further enhance the firm’s robust transactional capabilities. Andrew Smolik and Michael Flood join Norton Rose Fulbright’s St. Louis office, as Seth Aigner, Virginia Duong and Gordon Klein arrive in Chicago.
This accomplished team brings experience aligning with the firm’s strategic growth priorities, including private equity, leveraged finance, corporate and healthcare transactions. Their arrival also complements the firm’s ongoing expansion in the Midwest as well as its integrated US-Canada offering—reinforcing Norton Rose Fulbright’s ability to deliver seamless counsel on complex, cross border matters across all major business hubs in North America.
“This group checks all the boxes for what we are growing in the corporate space, particularly when it comes to our North American private equity and healthcare practices,” said Jeff Cody, Norton Rose Fulbright’s Global and US Managing Partner. “Our clients will appreciate the team’s track record advising on a wide range of healthcare transactions and their in-depth knowledge of the sector’s fast-changing regulatory landscape.”
The new partners build upon several key areas where the firm has seen rising demand, including corporate and private equity-led healthcare transactions, leveraged finance and sophisticated transactional tax structuring. Their arrival underscores the firm’s commitment to serving private equity and corporate dealmakers to the highest level in an increasingly competitive deal environment.
“Our clients rely on us for highly skilled advisors who can guide them through increasingly complex transactions in this everchanging deal landscape,” said Sheldon Nussbaum, Norton Rose Fulbright’s US Head of Business Practice. “This group’s experience aligns with the uptick in M&A activity we expect in 2026, including specifically in cross-border matters, and helps our ability to support clients in moving quickly on exciting opportunities.”
Norton Rose Fulbright’s business practice delivers end to end counsel across corporate life cycles, from formation and financing to complex cross border deals. The team possesses impressive multidisciplinary depth and keen industry understanding that allows these lawyers to provide critical support on a wide range of matters, including those related to capital markets, corporate finance and governance, M&A, private equity and tax.
In the healthcare space, the firm has more than 400 lawyers who take an industry-centered, business-minded approach to helping clients thrive in a fast-moving sector. Norton Rose Fulbright was the first global law firm to establish a dedicated healthcare practice more than 35 years ago, and today the team advises many of the most influential organizations in the industry—from major hospital systems and academic medical centers to physician groups, long‑term care providers, pharmacies, distributors, insurers and life sciences entities.
“Joining Norton Rose Fulbright gives our team access to a global platform, deeper resources and a truly full service offering to serve clients more swiftly and seamlessly than ever before,” said Andrew Smolik. “The firm’s robust Canadian offering is a significant strength, as we advise on complex cross border deals between these two countries with regularity.”
This group joins as part of the firm’s strategic initiative to add to its core transactional capabilities and expand its presence in key markets. Over the past year, Norton Rose Fulbright has added several high‑impact partners who highlight the firm’s strong growth trajectory and its commitment to building a market‑leading transactional platform.
In Dallas, Chip Gage and Jon Riley brought deep middle‑market and leveraged finance experience. Adam Arnett joined as US Co‑Head of Private Equity and Kyle Gann enhanced the firm’s insurance transactions capabilities in Chicago. The firm also widened its tax bench with the additions of Jeff Korenblatt in Washington, DC and Bobby Phillpott in Houston, where Thomas Verity joined the firm’s energy-focused M&A team.
About the new partners
Andrew Smolik (St. Louis) advises public and private clients on acquisitions, divestitures and ongoing outside general counsel representation. Earlier in his career, Andrew served as General Counsel to the Missouri Department of Economic Development and also as Senior Associate for Missouri Technology Corporation. Licensed in Missouri, Andrew earned his law degree from the University of Missouri-Columbia School of Law, an MBA from Washington University-St. Louis Olin Business School and a bachelor’s degree from Truman State University.
Michael Flood (St. Louis) advises healthcare providers, investors and other stakeholders on regulatory and transactional matters. This includes structuring, assessing and executing healthcare M&A and financing transactions in compliance with federal and state regulations, change of ownership requirements and fraud and abuse laws. He is licensed in Missouri, Illinois and the District of Columbia. Mike earned his law degree from Saint Louis University School of Law and his bachelor’s degree from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
Seth Aigner (Chicago) provides counsel to senior secured lenders and borrowers in connection with leveraged buy-out transactions, recapitalizations, restructurings and workouts of distressed credits as well as in connection with asset-based facilities and other traditional business loans. He also represents junior lenders and borrowers on a range of commercial loan transactions. Seth is licensed in Illinois. He earned his law degree from Boston College School of Law and his bachelor’s degree from Wittenberg University.
Virginia Duong (Chicago) advises on a broad range of transactional tax matters, including mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures and restructurings. She regularly assists clients with negotiating, documenting, facilitating and consummating transactions involving corporate and flow-through entities. She is licensed in Illinois, Missouri and Colorado. Virginia earned both her LLM in taxation and her law degree from the University of Denver and her bachelor’s degree from the University of Tulsa.
Gordon Klein (Chicago) advises public and private clients on mergers and acquisitions, private equity investments and other corporate matters. He represents institutional investors, portfolio companies and strategic clients in structuring and negotiating complex transactions, including acquisitions, divestitures and leveraged buyouts. Licensed in Illinois, the District of Columbia and Colorado, Gordon earned his law degree from Chicago-Kent College of Law at the Illinois Institute of Technology and his bachelor’s degree from Florida State University.
Norton Rose Fulbright
Norton Rose Fulbright provides a full scope of legal services to the world’s preeminent corporations and financial institutions. The global law firm has more than 3,000 lawyers advising clients across more than 50 locations worldwide, including Houston, New York, London, Toronto, Mexico City, Hong Kong and Sydney, covering the United States, Europe, Canada, Latin America, Asia, Australia, Africa and the Middle East. With its global business principles of quality, unity and integrity, Norton Rose Fulbright is recognized for its client service in key industries, including financial institutions; energy, infrastructure and resources; technology; transport; life sciences and healthcare; and consumer markets. For more information, visit nortonrosefulbright.com.
CONTACT: Dan McKenna Norton Rose Fulbright dan.mckenna@nortonrosefulbright.com
