Choate Elevates Six to Principal

Six Choate attorneys – John Chambers, Kevin Finnerty, Dr. Xiaodong Li, Mike Shinall, Sean Small, and Shaina Wamsley London – have been elected principal at the Firm, effective May 1, 2021.

As principal in the Tax Group, John Chambers will continue to bring his deep technical knowledge of tax issues to represent private equity funds, corporations, and technology companies in domestic and cross-border mergers and acquisitions, financing transactions, and restructurings. He will also help clients navigate the tax aspects of their transactions in order to achieve their business objectives, including post-acquisition integration, operational structuring, and structuring of private equity, venture capital and other investment vehicles.

As principal in the Insurance & Reinsurance and Complex Trial & Appellate Groups, Kevin Finnerty will continue to represent global insurers and reinsurers in significant coverage disputes and help financial services companies, biotech companies, and other industry-leading companies resolve complex commercial litigation successfully and efficiently.

As principal in the Intellectual Property and Life Sciences Groups, Dr. Xiaodong Li will continue to represent pharmaceutical and biotech companies in IP strategy and prosecution and assist technology and investor clients in due diligence and transactions. With a strong interest in the Chinese IP system and the biotech industry, he will also maintain close relationships with the Chinese IP and biotech communities. Xiaodong has a PhD in chemistry, and conducted his postdoctoral research in molecular biology.

As principal in the Intellectual Property and Life Sciences Groups, Michael Shinall will continue to represent pharmaceutical and biotech companies in patent portfolio management, post-grant proceedings, and licensing/transactional agreements and counsel clients on lifecycle management of their critical programs. He will also advise clients on contentious matters in the U.S. (including inter partes review and post-grant review proceedings), as well as extensions of those proceedings outside the U.S., such as third party observations in Europe. Michael has an MA in organic chemistry.

As principal in the Private Equity Group, Sean Small will continue to represent private equity funds and their portfolio companies in a wide range of transactional matters, including mergers and acquisitions, equity investments, capital raising, and dispositions. He will also advise institutional investors and management teams in negotiating and structuring leveraged buyouts and recapitalizations. Additionally, Sean will provide counsel on general corporate matters and governance issues for public and private companies.

As principal in the Finance & Restructuring Group, Shaina Wamsley London will continue to represent banks and other financial institutions that provide companies with access to liquidity for working capital needs, consummating acquisitions, refinancing existing debt, making dividends to equity holders, and restructuring their balance sheets. She will also counsel clients on how to structure complicated financings and debt & equity restructurings, including for first lien and second lien financings, unitranche financings, first-in, last-out financings, unsecured financings, and debtor-in-possession financings.