Hall of Fame

The lawyers at the very top of the profession, widely known and respected by peers and clients for their longstanding involvement in market-leading work.

Chris DiAngelo

Chris DiAngelo

Hall of fameKatten

Chris DiAngelo offers clients a comprehensive understanding of wholesale finance, the critical process through which banks and finance companies fund their lending activities. His intimate knowledge of the industry's business, legal and policymaking arenas have allowed him to execute some of its most innovative deals. For large banks, finance companies and government entities, Chris offers decades of experience in structured finance and securitizations, particularly in the area of mortgage financing. From banks to finance companies to government entities, institutions have turned to Chris to solve complex funding puzzles and manage the risk of holding financial assets. Chris's depth of knowledge and experience enable him to quickly assess a client's financing goals and advise on the best options. Clients also benefit from his deep contacts throughout the industry and in the government. He acts as a lead counsel to the Structured Finance Association, chairman of its political action committee and co-chair of its legal counsel committee. He also serves as outside counsel to a Washington, DC, lobbying firm focused on the financial services industry. The legal and industry knowledge that Chris brings to the table has allowed him to complete landmark financing deals. For an agency lender, he assisted with a $922 million credit risk transfer transaction that marked an evolution in financing techniques. The first credit risk transfer transaction using the structure of a real estate mortgage investment conduit, it opened the US residential mortgage credit market to an increased number of sources of private capital. Chris's policy knowledge includes a detailed familiarity with the impact of the Dodd-Frank Act on structured finance. He is also deeply informed about housing and mortgage policy reform and its impact on Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. Before entering private practice, he served on the staff of the New York State Housing Finance Agency.

Mike Gambro

Hall of fameCadwalader, Wickersham & Taft LLP

Michael Mazzuchi

Hall of fameCleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton

Michael A. Mazzuchi is a partner based in the Washington, D.C. office. Mr. Mazzuchi’s practice focuses on corporate and securities matters, particularly domestic and international structured finance and derivatives matters. He has extensive experience for banking, insurance and private equity clients in asset-based lending, asset securitisations, CLO transactions, collateralised fund obligations, repurchase agreement and total return swap financings, structured debt securities, epackagings and credit derivative transactions.  He also advises on Dodd-Frank related provisions such as the Volcker Rule, swap and security-based swap regulation, ABS risk retention and related rules.

Rising stars

Rising stars with regular involvement in their team's key work, and recognition from peers or clients as being ones to watch.

Next Generation Partners

Junior partners with significant recognition from clients and peers in the market and key roles on multiple matters.

Leading lawyers

The strongest partners in their field, leading on market-leading deals and endorsed by peers and clients alike.

Jamie Kocis

Kramer Levin Naftalis & Frankel LLP

Jamie Kocis advises securitization participants in both warehouse securitization facilities and term securitizations across all esoteric asset classes. She serves as deal counsel in market-leading transactions involving new and emerging asset classes, including in the solar asset and commercial PACE (property assessed clean energy) space.

Craig Stein

Schulte Roth & Zabel LLP

Craig Stein is co-head of the Structured Finance & Derivatives Group. His practice focuses on structured finance and asset-backed transactions and swaps and other derivative products, including prime brokerage and customer trading agreements. He represents issuers, underwriters, collateral managers and portfolio purchasers in public and private structured financings, including collateralized loan obligations (CLOs). Craig has been recognized in this area by the prestigious legal directory Chambers USA: America’s Leading Lawyers for Business, which noted that satisfied clients praised him for his “very broad knowledge of the markets” and for being “incredibly responsive and helpful in thinking through issues” and “very thoughtful about the market.” Chambers also stated: “He is known for his work in derivative products, representing issuers, underwriters and portfolio purchasers in CLOs. Peers find his work in structured products and derivatives impressive.” The Legal 500 US has noted that Craig is “recognized for his thought leadership on regulatory issues affecting both the securitization and derivatives markets.” Craig is a member of the American Bar Association, the New York City Bar Association, the New York State Bar Association, the Loan Syndications and Trading Association, the International Swaps and Derivatives Association and the Structured Finance Association. He is a much sought-after speaker for structured finance and hedge fund industry conferences and webinars and the author of numerous articles on advanced financial products. He is the author of “U.S. CLOs: Past and Present” in The Journal of Structured Finance. Craig also co-authored “CLOs and LIBOR Transition” for The International Comparative Legal Guide to: Securitisation 2020 and “CLOs in the Current Regulatory Environment” for The International Comparative Legal Guide to: Securitisation 2019. 

Boris Ziser

Schulte Roth & Zabel LLP

Boris Ziser is co-head of the Structured Finance & Derivatives Group and a member of the firm’s Executive Committee. With over 25 years of experience across diverse asset classes, Boris focuses on asset-backed securitizations, warehouse facilities, secured financings, commercial paper conduits and specialty finance. His practice encompasses a variety of asset classes, including life settlements, equipment leases, structured settlements, lottery receivables, timeshare loans, litigation funding, merchant cash advances and cell towers, in addition to other esoteric asset classes such as intellectual property, various insurance-related cash flows and other cash flow producing assets. He also represents investors, lenders, hedge funds, private equity funds and finance companies in acquisitions and dispositions of portfolios of assets and financings secured by those portfolios. Recognized as a leading lawyer in the industry, Boris is ranked in Chambers USA, Chambers Global and The Legal 500 US for his work in structured finance. He serves as outside general counsel to the Institutional Longevity Markets Association (ILMA) and is a member of the Structured Finance Committee of the New York City Bar Association, the New York State Bar Association and the Esoteric Assets Committee and Risk Retention Task Force of the Structured Finance Industry Group. A frequent speaker at securitization industry conferences, Boris has conducted various securitization, litigation funding and life settlement seminars in the United States and abroad. Most recently, Boris was interviewed for the article “Attorneys Must Tread Carefully in Litigation Funding’s Next Stage,” published in Law360 and the articles “SRZ’s Leading Litigation Finance Practice: Holistic Expertise for a Booming Asset Class” and “Life Settlements and Longevity Swaps: Opportunities for Investors, Individuals, Insurers and Pension Funds,” both published in The Hedge Fund Journal. His speaking engagements have included “Flash Briefings on Alternative & Emerging Asset Classes — Structured Settlements” at SFIG and IMN Vegas 2018 and “Insurance Dedicated Funds and Related Strategies” and “Credit and Specialty Finance,” both at SRZ’s 28th Annual Private Investment Funds Seminar.