About Peter
Peter J. Barack: Leading Corporate & Securities Attorney in Chicago
Peter J. Barack is a distinguished and highly experienced corporate attorney with a proven track record of success in mergers and acquisitions, strategic business planning, and financial transactions. As a founding partner of Barack Ferrazzano, Peter brings his personal business acumen and deep industry knowledge to his practice, consistently acting as a trusted business advisor and go-to legal counsel for his clients – particularly those navigating complex international transactions.
Known for his strategic thinking and ability to ‘get deals done,’ Peter specializes in corporate and securities law, with a significant emphasis on mergers and acquisitions and providing crucial financial planning support. He regularly represents a diverse portfolio of clients, including numerous large public companies – many of which are global organizations – across a spectrum of industries, including luxury goods, retail, snow sports, and business travel services. His expertise extends to advising on matters of corporate governance, securities regulations, and overall business strategy.
Peter’s client roster includes some of the world’s most recognized brands. He has advised a leading global luxury goods company, boasting over 75 renowned brands, demonstrating his ability to handle complex transactions involving significant assets and global operations. Furthermore, he played a key role in a $3.2 billion acquisition where a French public company secured a 62.5 percent interest in a prominent international retailer. His representation of a major French public company involved the merger of its business travel services subsidiary with an American business travel company, resulting in the creation of an international powerhouse with annual turnover exceeding $8 billion. He also advised the controlling family in the merger of their publicly held sporting goods company into a large privately held sporting goods company, culminating in the company’s successful listing on the NASDAQ national market system. Finally, Peter’s work included a $350 million tender offer and merger into a private equity fund for a public company.
Peter's extensive experience representing foreign companies in the U.S. is rooted in his formative years as a Marshall Scholar at Oxford University. This background provides him with a unique understanding of international business practices and a sophisticated perspective on cross-border transactions. His professional career began with a distinguished tenure as an Assistant Professor of Business Administration at Harvard Business School and an Associate Professor of Law at Northwestern University Pritzker School of Law. He continues to maintain his academic affiliations, serving as an Adjunct Professor of Corporate Law and the holder of the Edward Avery Harriman Lectureship at Northwestern University Pritzker School of Law, where he delivers the esteemed Harriman Lectures on Business Planning, Corporate Finance, and Securities Regulation. He is also an Adjunct Professor in Finance at Northwestern’s Kellogg School of Management, teaching Mergers and Acquisitions, and he frequently instructs Mergers and Acquisitions within various mid-career Executive Programs at the Kellogg School of Management, further cementing his expertise in this critical area.
Peter’s commitment to the legal community extends beyond his practice and academic roles. He is the author of numerous articles on corporate and securities matters, a sought-after speaker on relevant corporate law subjects, and an active member of various corporate law committees, ensuring he remains at the forefront of industry developments.
Practice Areas: Corporate Law, Mergers & Acquisitions Law, Securities Law, Financial Planning
Awards: Recognized in Best Attorney USA since 2015
Education: Juris Doctor (J.D.), Northwestern University Pritzker School of Law; Bachelor of Arts (B.A.), Oxford University (Marshall Scholar)
Bar Admissions: State of Illinois
Affiliations: Northwestern University Pritzker School of Law (Adjunct Professor); Kellogg School of Management (Adjunct Professor – Mergers & Acquisitions); Edward Avery Harriman Lectureship
