Joseph B. Buonanno

Throughout a bank and law firm career spanning more than three decades, Joe has guided financial institutions, utilities and other companies in a wide range of industries, helping them manage change, adapt to market developments and achieve strategic objectives.

Joe’s work has involved trillions of dollars in financial assets and has included strategic planning, corporate governance, enterprise structuring, mergers, acquisitions, divestitures, securities, capital markets, finance, securitization, insurance, risk management, commodities, derivatives, commercial transactions, housing, real estate, regulatory affairs, litigation and insolvency. As a result of that work, Joe has helped clients to serve their customers and grow their businesses while maximizing profitability, mitigating losses, allocating capital and managing other resources.

Clients trust Joe because of his knowledge, integrity, humility and commitment to excellence. He enthusiastically and energetically develops creative and entrepreneurial solutions to complex challenges and then lights the way forward with astute, analytical and action-oriented guidance.

Joe also is easy to work with because he manages by consensus and promotes teamwork and cooperation. In matters both contentious and conciliatory, he builds relationships with diverse constituents through respect for others, transparent communication and an inclusive leadership style. His demonstrable gravitas, sophistication, perspective, judgment, restraint, pragmatism, and unique combination of legal and business acumen are valued by clients.

Joe heads the firm's derivatives group and is a member of its opinion committee and its Uniform Commercial Code committee.

Relevant Experience

• Debt Transactions: Managed an extensive array of borrowings totaling in the trillions of dollars (and the equivalent amounts of other currencies), including secured and unsecured credit facilities, leveraged leases and project financings as well as CP, MTNs, bonds and other capital markets transactions.
• Equity Securities: Represented issuers, underwriters and others in the negotiation of public and private, common and preferred stock offerings and convertible note sales as well as share repurchase programs, forward share distributions, stock options and other equity capital transactions.
• Governance and Strategy: Advised on tender offers, mergers, acquisitions, divestitures, joint ventures and other strategic alliances and on obtaining the related debt and equity financing and all board and other approvals.