The firm concentrates in corporate and finance law, technology law, commercial litigation and real estate law, with several practice areas within each field of concentration. Our team of experienced attorneys provides counsel regarding general corporate matters, commercial litigation, finance, securities, licensing, intellectual property protection, mergers and acquisitions, international transactions, regulatory matters, entity formation and capital structure, employment and real estate.

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BARTLY J. LOETHEN
J.D. / B.S. / B.A. Accounting

Bart is a founding Partner of the firm and has a background that has enabled him to develop expertise in a variety of disciplines.  Bart has an emphasis on corporate law, specializing in information technology companies.  His experience includes work with privately-held and public companies, mergers and acquisitions, private placement investments, financial transactions and licensing matters, as well as general corporate matters. Bart has significant experience with software providers, real estate settlement companies (mortgage, title and mortgage due diligence), hedge funds, real estate developers and  service companies.  Bart also does significant work in the emerging alternative public offering sector, working with several companies that have become public through reverse mergers and other alternative means.

Prior to the practice of law, Bart was a Revenue Agent with the Internal Revenue Service.

Bart holds a B.S./B.A. in Accounting from the University of Missouri (1986), took and passed the CPA exam and received his J.D. from the University of Illinois College of Law (1994). Bart is a member of the Illinois and Chicago Bar Associations.

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ARTHUR E. MERTES
J.D./M.B.A./B.S.M.E.

Art Mertes is a founding Partner of the law firm and practices in the areas of corporate/commercial law, corporate finance, technology law and securities law. His experience includes work with privately-held middle market and emerging growth companies, public companies, financial institutions, family-owned businesses, investors and entrepreneurs in matters involving business and capital structure, private equity and venture capital, commercial finance, licensing and intellectual property protection, mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures, distribution and supply, incentive compensation structures, corporate governance and other general corporate, shareholder and contract matters. He has negotiated and closed numerous transactions opposite public companies.

Prior to founding the firm, Art held positions as an associate attorney in the corporate law practices of both Altheimer & Gray, formerly a well-known large Chicago-based firm, and another medium sized general business law firm in Chicago. He also participated as an associate attorney in the summer program of one of Chicago's former and oldest intellectual property firms, Hill, Steadman & Simpson. Prior to his law career, Art gained Fortune 500 sales and distribution experience as a Technical Salesperson for Ingersoll-Rand Company. Art received his J.D., magna cum laude, from the University of Illinois College of Law, and a Master of Business Administration, with highest honors for academic achievement, from the University of Illinois College of Commerce, each awarded in 1994, and holds a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Illinois College of Engineering awarded in 1988. He is a member of the Chicago Bar Association, the Midwest Entrepreneurs Forum, the Entrepreneur's Round Table affiliated with the University of Chicago GSB, and Prairie Angels, a group of local angel investors.

Art has served as a Review Panel Volunteer for the Illinois Coalition; lectured at the Lake Forest Graduate School of Management on the topic of capital formation; lectured for the University of Illinois Executive MBA program on topics of intellectual property, licensing and joint ventures; and been included in various panels on topics related to venture and angel financing. Art holds an Illinois Real Estate Broker license and engages in real estate development activities. He also serves on charitable and fraternal boards associated with education.

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JOSEPH L. KISH
J.D. / B.G.S. Economics, Political Science

Joe joined Synergy Law Group in 2006 as a Partner and heads the firm's Litigation Group. He has extensive trial and appellate experience in federal and state courts, as well as alternative dispute resolution experience involving mediation and arbitration. His areas of expertise include complex commercial and financial litigation, class actions, restrictive covenant litigation, intellectual  property litigation, including trademark, copyright, and trade secrets, and employment litigation. Joe has also counseled clients on various aspects of risk and liability management, including the management of complex discovery involving millions of pages of documentary evidence and electronic discovery of even greater proportions.

Joe is licensed to practice in Illinois and California, as well as the United States Courts of Appeals for the Seventh and Ninth Circuits, the United States District Court for the Northern District Court of Illinois, including its Trial Bar, the Central District of Illinois, the Northern, Central, Eastern and Southern Districts of California and the District of Colorado. He is a member of the American, Illinois, Chicago and Federal Bar Associations.

Joe is a faculty member for the National Institute for Trial Advocacy, where he teaches trial advocacy and deposition skills in Illinois and California. Joe has also taught numerous continuing education courses in various areas of litigation. He has written and lectured extensively on various aspects of internet liability and litigation. Joe is the General Editor for Business and Commercial Litigation 2007 published by the Illinois Institute of Legal Education (IICLE) and has authored chapters on libel and slander for the attorney practice book entitled California Causes of Action.

Joe received his Juris Doctorate degree from DePaul University College of Law in 1988 where he was a member of the DePaul Law Review and president of the Moot Court Society. He received his B.G.S. in Economics and Political Science from the University of Michigan in 1983 where he was an Associate Editor of the Michigan Journal of Political Science.

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KRISTEN A. STREETER
J.D. / B.S. Finance

Kristen is a Partner with the firm and practices corporate law, working with clients on business law issues. Her experience includes representing both privately-held and public companies, where she has worked on public and private offerings of securities and compliance with SEC regulations, mergers and acquisitions and general corporate matters. She has also worked with several high-tech companies where she assisted in drafting licensure and development agreements. Prior to law firm employment, Kristen worked as a Brand Protection Officer for the Sydney Olympic Organizing Committee for the Olympic Games in their intellectual property legal division, where she reviewed and enforced terms of sponsorship agreements.

Kristen holds a B.S. in Finance from the University of Illinois (1997) and received her J.D. from Saint Louis University School of Law (2000). Kristen has had articles published in the Saint Louis University Law Journal and the Company and Securities Law Journal, a leading Australian corporate journal. Kristen is a member of the American, Illinois, Missouri and Chicago Bar Associations.

Kristen is licensed to practice law in Missouri and Illinois

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GREGORY T. MIZEN
J.D. / B.S. Accounting

Greg is an attorney of the firm and practices corporate and technology law, corporate finance and securities law, mergers and acquisitions, and tax and estate planning. Greg has worked with numerous businesses in the Internet and information technology area, and has gained experience assisting clients involved in areas such as Internet-based educational Web sites and software, network management hardware/ software systems, consumer entertainment software, Internet service and e-commerce solutions, computer testing and monitoring equipment, telecommunications, venture capital funding, and media. Greg's background has also involved significant experience with taxation and estate planning. Prior to law school, Greg worked as a financial analyst for Ryder System, Inc.

Greg holds a B.S. in Accountancy from the University of Illinois (1989) and was licensed as an Illinois CPA and then earned his J.D. from the University of Illinois College of Law (1994).Greg is a member of the American, Illinois and Chicago Bar Associations.

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TRISHA COLE
J.D. / B.A. International Studies

Trisha joined Synergy Law Group as an associate in 2006 and practices in the areas of complex commercial and financial litigation, restrictive covenant litigation, intellectual property litigation, including trademark, copyright and trade secrets and employment litigation. She also practices in the areas of commercial law and corporate law, including securities compliance and regulatory filings. Trisha received her J.D. from Chicago-Kent College of Law in 2006 where she was a member of the Chicago-Kent Moot Court Honor Society. She received her B.A. degree in International Studies in 2003 from Wichita State University. Trisha is licensed to practice law in Illinois and the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois. Trisha is a member of the Chicago Bar Association.

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CAROL S. McMAHAN
J.D., University of Utah

Carol practices in the areas of corporate law, commercial transactions and security law. Carol has served as counsel to corporate and financial institution issuers in private placements, exempt and registered offerings and has participated in the organization of de novo banks. She has broad experience with clients, both public and private, in a wide variety of industries including bank holding companies, industrial manufacturers, distribution companies and software developers in commercial and contract matters, commercial litigation, corporate governance, shareholder matters and entity formation. Carol has also qualified and represented 501(c)(3) charitable foundations and organizations and has practiced in the areas of estate and trust litigation and administration.

Carol holds a J.D. from the University of Utah S. J. Quinney College of Law (1985) and is a member of the Chicago Bar Association. Carol is licensed to practice in Illinois and the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois.

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DANIEL J. PETERS
J.D. / B.A. Political Science

Dan Peters joined Synergy Law Group as an associate in 2006 and practices in the area of commercial litigation including trademark infringement, domain name disputes, intellectual property, contract disputes and e-commerce. Dan received his J.D. from Chicago-Kent College of Law in 2000 where he was a finalist in the Charles Evans Hughes Moot Court Competition. He received his B.A. degree in Political Science from Michigan State University in 1993. Prior to entering the legal profession, Dan was the Marketing Manager for a marketing and public relations firm in New York. Dan is licensed to practice law in Illinois and the United States Court for the Northern District of Illinois and is a member of the Chicago Bar Association.

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CARRIE PYKOSZ
J.D. / B.A. Political Science

Carrie is an associate at the firm and practices corporate law. Prior to joining Synergy Law Group as an associate, she practiced general corporate law and commercial litigation at another boutique Chicago firm. She was awarded her J.D. from Loyola University Chicago School of Law in May 2005, where she earned multiple CALI awards (highest course grade), was a member of the Dean's List, and competed as a member of the Negotiation Team and Mediation Team. She holds a B.A. in Political Science (with honors) and a minor in Business from Indiana University (2002). Prior to practicing law, Carrie worked at Business Industry Political Action Committee (BIPAC) in Washington, D.C. and for a Member of Parliament in London, England.

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JEREMY WAITZMAN
J.D. / B.A. History/ B.A. Economics

Jeremy Waitzman joined the firm as an associate in September 2003 and practices in the areas of corporate, technology and real estate law. His experience includes work with privately-held companies, mergers and acquisitions, private placement investments, financing transactions, software licensing as well as other general corporate matters. Prior to becoming an associate, he had previously been employed with the firm as a Law Clerk since September 2001. Jeremy holds a B.A. in both Economics (magna cum laude) and History from Washington University in St. Louis (1999), and was awarded his J.D. from Chicago-Kent College of Law in May 2003. Jeremy is a member of the American, Illinois and Chicago Bar Associations.