Vedder is pleased to announce that seven attorneys have been promoted to Shareholder in the firm.
Daniel Cunix, Kevin Etzel, Allison Czerniak, James Warczak, Adam Goldman, Michael Leifman and Michael Basili have all been promoted to Shareholder effective April 1, 2026.
Daniel Cunix, elevated to Shareholder from Associate and a member of the Global Transportation Finance team in the Chicago office advises operating lessors, private equity firms, hedge funds, commercial banks and investment banks in the aviation and transportation sectors on a broad range of leasing, sales and financing transactions, including cross-border operating and finance leases, portfolio acquisitions and divestitures, and complex structured capital markets transactions such as securitizations, warehouse financings, and EETCs. He is experienced representing parties on all sides of transportation finance transactions and works with clients to structure deals that optimize capital, manage risk, and support strategic growth.
Cunix earned his J.D. degree from University of Illinois College of Law, cum laude and his B.A. from the University of Wisconsin.
Kevin Etzel, elevated to Shareholder from Associate and a member of the Litigation group in the New York office, represents financial institutions, credit unions, and private lenders in complex commercial disputes and bankruptcy matters.
He advises clients on bankruptcy proceedings, commercial foreclosures, collections, loan workouts and contested litigation, delivering strategic guidance that aligns legal solutions with business objectives. He also handles all stages of litigation in a wide range of creditor-side matters, including actions for breach of contract, lender liability and related commercial disputes.
Etzel earned his J.D. degree from Touro College Jacob D. Fuchsberg Law Center, cum laude, and his B.A. from Hofstra University.
Allison Czerniak, elevated from Associate to Shareholder and a member of the Labor and Employment group in the Chicago office, focuses on employment litigation and matters involving noncompete agreements and other restrictive covenants, trade secrets and proprietary information. She also advises employers and corporate clients on the full range of workforce issues, taking a business-focused, practical approach to employment compliance and counseling.
Czerniak earned her J.D. degree from University of St Thomas School of Law summa cum laude and her B.A. from the University of Minnesota.
James Warczak, elevated from Associate to Shareholder and member of the Finance &Transactions practice group in the Los Angeles office, advises private equity funds and other sophisticated buyers on a wide range of transactions, including acquisitions of public and private targets, divestitures, joint ventures, co-investments and recapitalization transactions. Additionally, he advises venture-backed and founder-owned businesses in minority investments and the sale of company transactions.
Warczak earned his J.D. degree from the University of Virginia and his undergraduate degree from the University of Michigan.
Adam Goldman, elevated from Associate to Shareholder and a member of the firm’s Investment Services group in the Chicago office, focuses his practice on legal and compliance matters for investment advisers and unregistered investment vehicles, including private equity, private credit, venture capital, real asset, hedge, continuation, and special situation funds, as well as separately managed accounts. He advises clients on structuring, launching, and operating investment vehicles, ensuring that legal, regulatory, and compliance frameworks align with business and investor objectives.
Goldman earned his J.D. degree from Loyola University Chicago School of Law magna cum laude and his B.S. from Indiana University.
Michael Leifman, elevated from Associate to Shareholder and a member of the firm’s Bankruptcy & Financial Restructuring, Creditors’ Rights and Real Estate practice groups, focuses on representing companies in all aspects of insolvency proceedings, commercial foreclosures, contract disputes, asset sales and acquisitions, and out-of-court workouts. Michael represents clients across all stages of litigation, including pre-suit resolution efforts, court proceedings, mediation, arbitration, and post-judgment enforcement efforts, with particular depth in bankruptcy, real estate and SBA lending program matters.
Leifman earned his J.D. degree from DePaul University College of Law and his B.S. from Indiana University.
Michael Basili, elevated from Associate to Shareholder and a member of the firm’s Tax and Estate Planning group in the Chicago office, focuses his practice on sophisticated estate planning and wealth transfer strategies for high-net-worth individuals, families and business owners. He also helps clients structure and implement plans designed to maximize and preserve wealth for future generations.
Basili earned his J.D. degree from the University of Illinois College of Law, cum laude, and his B.S. from the University of Illinois.
