Joel F. Brown

Joel Brown is a Principal in the firm’s Commercial Finance Group. He represents banks and non-bank finance companies engaged principally in middle market lending operations. He has extensive experience in structuring, documenting and negotiating both cash-flow and asset-based financing, as well as broad exposure to senior, mezzanine and hybrid lending products.

Mr. Brown handles mergers and acquisition financings, recapitalization financings, refinancings, and other complex financial arrangements requiring institutional debt. He has been engaged to "trouble spot" deal structures and documentation, particularly in co-lend arrangements, as well as to lead multi-bank/multi-borrower facilities. He is experienced in handling inter-creditor and subordination arrangements and agreements, loan workouts, loan restructurings, and ongoing file maintenance, including routine amendments, waivers and consents. Additionally, he represents lenders in international, multi-jurisdictional and multicurrency facilities.

Every year since 2005, Mr. Brown has been individually ranked in Chambers USA for his work in Banking & Finance Law. Since 2010, he has also been recognized annually by Best Lawyers in America in Banking & Finance Law, and holds the AV Preeminent® peer review rating from Martindale-Hubbell, its highest rating for ethics and legal ability.

Mr. Brown joined Goldberg Kohn in February 1994. He serves as a member of the firm's Diversity and Opinion committees.

He has both written and lectured on a wide variety of finance-related legal topics, including Revised Article 9 of the Uniform Commercial Code. His published articles include:

• "Security Interests and Article 9 of the Uniform Commercial Code," the Banking and Finance module of the "Lexis Practice Advisor®," 2014.
• “Perfection and Priority of Security Interests In Goods Held By Third-Party Bailees,” The Banking Law Journal, February 2002 Edition.
• "Capital Call Agreements As Credit Enhancements," co-authored with Goldberg Kohn attorney Randall L. Klein, The Secured Lender, July/August 2002 issue.
• "Intercreditor Negotiations and the Term B Lender: A Framework for Analysis," co-author, The Secured Lender, July/August 2004 issue.
• “Deconstructing DACA: An Analysis of the Model Deposit Account Control Agreement,” Commercial Lending Review, September/October 2006 issue. 

Mr. Brown received his J.D. in 1992 from New York University School of Law, and B.A. in Government, Phi Beta Kappa, in 1989 from Wesleyan University. He is admitted to practice in Illinois and before the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois.

Outside the practice of law, he serves as a board member for both Camp Ramah in Wisconsin and the Forward magazine.