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Joseph D. Zizzo

Principal

Joseph D. Zizzo photo

Overview

Joseph D. Zizzo is a Principal in the firm's Commercial Finance Group. He represents financial institutions in structuring, negotiating, documenting and closing lending transactions.

Joe regularly represents agents and lenders in syndicated and single lender senior cash-flow and asset-based secured loan transactions for acquisition financing, working capital financing, refinancings and recapitalizations, split collateral secured loan transactions, unitranche financing transactions, debtor-in-possession financings, and workouts and restructuring. Joe is also experienced in representing junior capital providers in second lien, unsecured mezzanine and unitranche transactions.

Joe's international lending experience includes transactions involving the laws of Australia, Canada, Ireland, Luxembourg, Germany, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom. He has extensive experience representing agents and lenders in recurring-revenue based financing transactions to software and other technology businesses.

In 2021 Joe was chosen as a "40 Under 40 Award" recipient by The Secured Finance Network, which recognizes "the best and brightest rising stars in secured finance." In addition, Illinois Leading Lawyers has recognized him as an Emerging Lawyer in Banking & Financial Institutions Law every year since 2021.

Experience

  • Represented senior administrative agent in providing $100 million cash flow credit facility to U.S. borrower with Canadian and Australian subsidiary guarantors.
  • Represented administrative agent in providing $100 million recurring revenue based credit facility to a software and technology borrower.
  • Represented second lien lender providing $30 million of closing date and delayed draw second lien notes.
  • Represented administrative agent and term lender in providing a $145 million aggregate term credit facility in connection with a separate split-lien asset-based credit facility provided by another creditor to affiliated U.S. and Canadian borrowers.
  • Represented administrative agent in providing $425 million asset-based credit facility to affiliated U.S. and Canadian borrowers with split lien and second lien notes.

Credentials

Education

  • Stanford Law School, J.D., 2007

    – Order of the Coif

    – Highest GPA in Law School Class

  • University of Notre Dame, B.A. and B.S., 2004

    summa cum laude

    – Honors Program

Admissions

  • Illinois

Professional Activities

  • American Bar Association, Business Law Section
  • Secured Finance Network; served as instructor for a 3-day loan documentation workshop