Biography: Corporate Governance

Thomas A Cole is a partner in Sidley's Chicago office. He became a partner of the firm in 1981, a member of the firm's executive committee in 1987 and a member of its management committee in 1988. Since May 1998, he has served as chair of the firm's executive committee, the committee that exercises general authority over the affairs of the firm. While a partner in the firm, Mr Cole was also vice president-law of Northwest Industries, Inc from 1982 through 1985.

Mr Cole has handled dozens of public company mergers and spin-offs including the following, valued at more than US$1 billion: EOP/Blackstone; Clear Channel/THLee and Bain (representing special committee); Exelon/PSEG (terminated); Exelon/NRG (terminated unsolicited merger proposal); Pulte/Centex; Tribune/ESOP-Zell; Corn Products/Bunge (terminated); Nationwide Financial/Nationwide Mutual (represented special committee); Service Master/Clayton Dubilier; CDW/Madison Dearborn; CNL Hotels/Morgan Stanley; Ventana Medical/Roche (began as hostile defence); Sally Beauty/Clayton Dubilier; Tellabs/AFC; Maverick Tube/Tenaris; IMC/Cargill; Williams/Barrett (including the successful defence against Shell); Kimberly-Clark/Scott Paper; Monsanto/DeKalb Genetics; Jefferson Smurfit/Stone Container; Interpublic Group/True North; Wolters Kluwer/CCH; Fred Meyer/QFC; Aon/Alexander & Alexander; IMC Global/Vigoro; Tribune/Renaissance Communications; Northwest Industries/Farley; and Ohio Mattress/Gibbons Green.

Corporate governance assignments have included advising public company boards, standing committees and special litigation, transactions and investigative committees. For the five years ended 1998, he taught the seminar on corporate governance at The University of Chicago Law School.

In 2001, Mr Cole was recognised by Chambers Global, the London-based publication, as one of 26 US lawyers included in its list of the "Global 100 Lawyers" - lawyers who stand out from their colleagues and are recognised internationally. He was designated an M&A "Dealmaker of the Year" for 2007 by The American Lawyer. He was selected to BTI Consulting's "Client Service All-Stars" team for 2008.

Mr Cole serves on the board of The University of Chicago and is chairman of the board of Northwestern Memorial HealthCare. He is former co-chair of Tulane Corporate Law Institute and former chair of Northwestern's Garrett Securities Law Institute. He is a member of the Commercial Club of Chicago and its civic committee, the Chicago 2016 Committee, the Economic Club of Chicago, the Law Club of Chicago, the American Bar Foundation and the American Law Institute. Mr Cole received his JD from the University of Chicago (Order of the Coif) and his AB from The Johns Hopkins University (Phi Beta Kappa). He is admitted in Illinois.

Biography: Mergers and Acquisitions

Thomas A Cole is a partner in Sidley's Chicago office. He became a partner of the firm in 1981, a member of the firm's executive committee in 1987 and a member of its management committee in 1988. Since May 1998, he has served as chair of the firm's executive committee, the committee that exercises general authority over the affairs of the firm. While a partner in the firm, Mr Cole was also vice president-law of Northwest Industries, Inc from 1982 through 1985.

Mr Cole has handled dozens of public company mergers and spin-offs including the following, valued at more than US$1 billion: EOP/Blackstone; Clear Channel/THLee and Bain (representing special committee); Exelon/PSEG (terminated); Exelon/NRG (terminated unsolicited merger proposal); Pulte/Centex; Tribune/ESOP-Zell; Service Master/Clayton Dubilier; CDW/Madison Dearborn; CNL Hotels/Morgan Stanley; Ventana Medical/Roche (began as hostile defence); Sally Beauty/Clayton Dubilier; Tellabs/AFC; Maverick Tube/Tenaris; IMC/Cargill; Williams/Barrett (including the successful defence against Shell); Kimberly-Clark/Scott Paper; Monsanto/DeKalb Genetics; Jefferson Smurfit/Stone Container; Interpublic Group/True North; Wolters Kluwer/CCH; Fred Meyer/QFC; Aon/Alexander & Alexander; IMC Global/Vigoro; Tribune/Renaissance Communications; Northwest Industries/Farley; and Ohio Mattress/Gibbons Green.

Corporate governance assignments have included advising public company boards, standing committees and special litigation, transactions and investigative committees. For the five years ended 1998, he taught the seminar on corporate governance at The University of Chicago Law School.

In 2001, Mr Cole was recognised by Chambers Global, the London-based publication, as one of 26 US lawyers included in its list of the 'Global 100 Lawyers' - lawyers who stand out from their colleagues and are recognised internationally. He was designated an M&A "Dealmaker of the Year" for 2007 by The American Lawyer. He was selected to BTI Consulting's "Client Service All-Stars" team for 2008.

Mr Cole serves on the board of The University of Chicago and is chairman of the board of Northwestern Memorial Hospital. He is former co-chair of Tulane Corporate Law Institute and former chair of Northwestern's Garrett Securities Law Institute. He is a member of the Commercial Club of Chicago and its civic committee, the Economic Club of Chicago, the Law Club of Chicago, the American Bar Foundation, and the American Law Institute. Mr Cole received his JD from the University of Chicago (Order of the Coif) and his AB from The Johns Hopkins University (Phi Beta Kappa).