Honors and Awards
Honor

William Dorsey, Kenneth Ottaviano, and Daniel Saeedi Named Notable Leaders in Accounting, Consulting & Law by Crain’s Chicago Business

Crain's Chicago Business

Blank Rome LLP is pleased to announce that partners William J. Dorsey, Kenneth J. Ottaviano, and Daniel R. Saeedi have been named Notable Leaders in Accounting, Consulting & Law 2024 by Crain's Chicago Business.

According to Crain’s Chicago Business, the professionals recognized are leaders within their firms and respective industries, such as healthcare, technology, manufacturing, finance, and real estate. The honorees are making their mark by managing offices, representing public and private companies, handling multibillion-dollar matters, working with nonprofits, and more.

To view Crain’s Chicago Business' list of Notable Leaders in Accounting, Consulting & Law 2024, please click here


The Blank Rome honoree profiles, as published in Crain's Chicago Business, are copied in full below. 

dorsey

William J. Dorsey
Partner, Blank Rome

Scope of work: A founding partner of Blank Rome's Chicago office, William Dorsey is co-chair of the corporate litigation practice group, leading nearly 100 litigators across 16 offices.

Biggest professional win: Among his trial victories in recent years: the return of a $100 million real estate portfolio that had been misappropriated by a family member; a total defense verdict for a bank on a $48 million lender liability claim, myriad commercial real estate foreclosures and collection actions; and a $6 million judgment for a former real estate executive.

Other contributions: Dorsey authored chapters for the Illinois Institute of Continuing Legal Education and has taught Practicing Law Institute seminars. He leads community initiatives at Christ Church Winnetka.


ottaviano

Kenneth J. Ottaviano
Partner, Blank Rome

Scope of work: Kenneth Ottaviano chairs Blank Rome’s Chicago office, growing the office from four attorneys to a team of 20, plus professional staff.

Biggest professional win: Ottaviano, who handles financial institutions' insolvency and restructuring needs, has counseled an investment firm in a $565 million bankruptcy of a health care operator; a national financial institution in foreclosure proceedings on a Brooklyn mixed-use office building; and a major U.S. bank in the foreclosure and subsequent Chapter 11 bankruptcy of a Texas outlet mall with over 50 name-brand stores, reaching a settlement through mediation.

Other contributions: Ottaviano is on the Lake Forest College board and has participated in events including Chicago Volunteer Legal Services Foundation’s Race Judicata and Ascend Justice’s Celebration of Courage.


saeedi

Daniel R. Saeedi
Partner, Blank Rome

Scope of work: Daniel Saeedi leads Blank Rome’s national Biometric Privacy Team, managing a team of attorneys around the country experienced in biometric privacy law.

Biggest professional win: As amicus counsel for Illinois’ nine major health care providers, he developed the strategy leading to a unanimous Illinois Supreme Court ruling exempting medical providers from significant liability under Illinois’ Biometric Information Privacy Act for using employees’ biometric data for health care purposes.

Other contributions: Saeedi has been involved in the Illinois State Bar Association’s Standing Committee on Artificial Intelligence & the Practice of Law and has been an adjunct coach for the Vis International Commercial Arbitration Moot competition for the University of Illinois Chicago School of Law.