Stephen J. Dragich concentrates his practice in corporate, securities and business law.

He has broad experience representing publicly and privately owned corporations, with an emphasis on mergers and acquisitions, public and private financing, and other complex contractual arrangements. He also has experience with internal investigations and provided general counseling of corporate management.

This includes several high-profile corporate transactions involving international, national, and regional clients. For instance, Mr. Dragich has led Schiff Hardin teams representing Emaar, a Dubai-based developer and one of the world's largest real estate companies, in closing its first U.S. acquisition; and Laidlaw, a Canadian-based transportation company in its purchases of ambulance, school bus, and passenger bus companies. He also represented World's Finest Chocolate, a Chicago-based candy company, in the purchase of a leading business in a segment of the industry.

Mr. Dragich also has represented entrepreneurs and emerging businesses in their day-to-day business concerns, including:

• The formation of corporations, partnerships, limited liability companies and similar entities
• Joint venture transactions
• Relationships among shareholders
• Directors and officers
• Corporate restructuring in connection with estate planning
• Raising capital
• The purchase and sale of companies
• Corporate planning for going public

He represents clients in the following industries:

• Transportation
• Telecommunications
• Printing
• Publishing
• Food
• Health Care

Mr. Dragich is a director of Bell Flavors and Fragrances, Inc.

Mr. Dragich's work in mergers and acquisitions has earned him recognition from The Legal 500 U.S.

Experience

• Emaar, in the 2006 closing its first U.S. acquisition — WL Homes (doing business as John Laing Homes), the second largest privately-held homebuilder in the U.S. — for $1.05 billion.
• Laidlaw, Inc. (now First Student, Inc.) in its $1.2 billion tender offer for American Medical Response, Inc., and its $400 million tender offer for Dallas-based EmCare Holdings' companies engaged in the emergency medical transportation business.
• Laidlaw, Inc. (now First Student, Inc.) in its acquisition by cash-out merger of Indianapolis-based Mayflower Group, Inc., the second largest provider (behind Laidlaw) of school bus transportation services in North America, in a transaction valued at $250 million.
• Laidlaw, Inc. (now First Student, Inc.) in its acquisition of Greyhound Lines, Inc., the largest provider of inter-city bus transportation services in North America, in a transaction valued at $700 million.
• World's Finest Chocolate in its 2006 acquisition of the Queen Anne candy brand and cordial cherry production assets from Gray and Co. The Queen Anne brand was originally founded in Chicago in 1921 and moved to Hammond, Ind., in 1924. World's Finest Chocolate is now the leading brand of chocolate-covered cordial cherries and one of the top-five boxed chocolate brands sold during the holidays, with more than $30 million in sales annually. The purchase includes a long-term cherry supply agreement with Gray & Co., the world's leading maker of maraschino cherries, ensuring our client will have a low-cost, reliable, long-term source of maraschino cherries.

Awards and Honors

Leading Lawyer — Corporate and Securities; Closely and Privately Held Business Law; Mergers and Acquisitions Law, Illinois Leading Lawyers Network

The Legal 500 U.S. — Mergers and Acquisitions

Martindale-Hubbell — A/V Rated