Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton LLP is pleased to announce that partner Tom Panoff has joined the firm’s Business Trial practice group in Chicago. Panoff joins from Mayer Brown LLP where he was a partner and leader of the firm’s antitrust financial services and insurance industry team and co-leader of the banking and finance litigation group. Panoff is the fifth partner to join in Chicago this year.
Panoff’s national practice focuses on complex commercial and antitrust litigation involving financial services, fintech, alternative investment funds and multinational companies. He also frequently conducts internal investigations for companies and boards of directors. Panoff regularly appears before trial and appellate courts across the country, having led litigation and investigations in over 30 states.
“Tom is a sophisticated trial lawyer with an impressive roster of clients,” said Luca Salvi, chair of Sheppard Mullin. “We have been looking to expand our litigation practice in Chicago, and his skills, experience and reputation in the city among financial institutions make him another key addition to our firm.”
Sascha Henry, co-leader of Sheppard Mullin’s Business Trial practice group, added, “Tom’s reputation in the legal community and among sophisticated financial clients precedes him and will help us strategically expand our litigation practice regionally and nationally.”
Panoff has advised leading financial institutions, fintechs, mortgage lenders and alternative investment funds in some of their most complex and high-profile litigation, including class actions, multidistrict litigation, RICO, conspiracy, fraud, false claims, securitization, bankruptcy and discrimination matters. His antitrust practice includes representation of financial services, private equity, hedge fund, healthcare, chemical, pharmaceutical, steel, automotive and consumer goods companies in claims involving alleged price fixing, market allocation, attempted monopolization and tying.
Panoff earned his B.B.A. from the University of Michigan, his J.D. from Harvard Law School and his LL.M. from Cambridge University. He served as a law clerk to Michigan Supreme Court Justice Robert P. Young, Jr. from 2004-2005. He has served on the Board of Directors for the Chicago Bar Foundation since 2017 and will serve as its President starting in 2025.