Biography • Corporate Governance

Thomas A Cole is a partner in Sidley's Chicago office. He became a partner of the firm in 1981, a member of the firm's executive committee in 1987 and a member of its management committee in 1988. For 15 years ended in April 2013, he served as chair of the firm's executive committee, the committee that exercises general authority over the affairs of the firm.

Mr Cole has a substantial practice in public company mergers and acquisitions and corporate governance, and maintained that practice throughout his tenure in firm management. He has been involved in dozens of public company mergers and spin-offs that were valued at more than $1 billion. Corporate governance assignments have included advising public company boards, standing committees and special litigation, transactions and investigative committees. For the five years ended 1998 and beginning again in 2013, he has taught the seminar on corporate governance at The University of Chicago Law School.

While a partner in the firm, Mr Cole was also vice president-law of Northwest Industries, Inc from 1982 through 1985. Mr Cole is a trustee of The University of Chicago and is chairman emeritus of the board of trustees of Northwestern Memorial HealthCare. He is a fellow of the American Bar Foundation. He is former co-chair of the Tulane Corporate Law Institute and former chair of Northwestern University's Garrett Corporate and Securities Law Institute. He is a member of the Commercial Club of Chicago and its civic committee, the Economic Club of Chicago, the Law Club of Chicago and the American Law Institute.

Mr Cole received his JD from The University of Chicago (with honours, Order of the Coif) and his AB from Johns Hopkins University (with honours, Phi Beta Kappa).

Biography • Mergers and Acquisitions

Thomas A Cole is a partner in Sidley's Chicago office. He became a partner of the firm in 1981, a member of the firm's executive committee in 1987 and a member of its management committee in 1988. Since May 1998, he has served as chair of the firm's executive committee, which exercises general authority over the affairs of the firm. In April 2012, he announced that he would step down as chair in April 2013, after 15 years in that leadership position. He will continue to practise after that date.

Mr Cole maintains a substantial practice in public company mergers and acquisitions and corporate governance, along with his firm management responsibilities. Corporate governance assignments have included advising public company boards, standing committees and special litigation, transactions, succession and investigative committees. From 1992 to 1998, he taught the seminar on corporate governance at the University of Chicago Law School; he will resume teaching this course in 2013.

While a partner in the firm, Mr Cole was also vice president-law of Northwest Industries, Inc from 1982 to 1985.

Mr Cole is a trustee of the University of Chicago and is chairman emeritus of the board of trustees of Northwestern Memorial HealthCare. He is director for World Sport Chicago and a fellow of the American Bar Foundation. He is former co-chair of the Tulane Corporate Law Institute and former chair of Northwestern University's Garrett Corporate and Securities Law Institute. He is a member of the Commercial Club of Chicago and its civic committee, the Economic Club of Chicago, the Law Club of Chicago and the American Law Institute. Mr Cole received his JD (with honours, Order of the Coif) from the University of Chicago Law School in 1975 and his AB (with honours, Phi Beta Kappa) from the Johns Hopkins University in 1970. He is admitted in Illinois.