Chad Buttell is a partner in the firm’s Business Law, Tax, and Social Impact & Innovation Practice Groups. Chad joined PFS in 1998, after several years at another firm where his practice included business, real estate, estate planning, and tax law. After obtaining a Masters in Law (LL.M) in taxation, he decided to focus his practice on business law. He was drawn to PFS where he found the opportunity to do challenging legal work in a dynamic environment. The breadth of Chad’s experience is unique in today’s law firm environment where lawyers are often siloed in narrow practice areas, and it has helped to make him a well-rounded, more effective business lawyer.
PFS is built to serve mid-market businesses and their owners, and that is the core of Chad’s practice. On a day-to-day basis, he counsels clients on all types of issues—legal structure, governance, owner agreements, capital raising and finance, employment and compensation-related matters, and commercial contracts. You name it. Whatever the issue, Chad has developed a reputation for anticipating client needs, giving practical advice, finding creative solutions, and adding significant value for his clients.
A substantial part of Chad’s practice is representing companies and entrepreneurs in a wide array of business transactions. He regularly represents buyers and sellers in mergers and acquisitions. He also represents funds, as well as their sponsors and investors, in connection with fund formations and investments, portfolio company acquisitions and dispositions, and securities law and other regulatory issues. Further, he represents early stage growth companies and founders in a variety of transactions from formation to financing (including private capital raises) to exit transactions.
Chad also has significant experience advising clients regarding federal tax matters in transactions, including in the areas of mergers, acquisitions and reorganizations, partnerships and joint ventures, executive compensation, and business succession planning. Chad is an adjunct professor in the Graduate Program (LL.M.) in Taxation at Chicago-Kent College of Law where he teaches Partnership Taxation I, one of the program’s required courses. He has also served as the Chair of the Chicago Bar Association’s Federal Taxation Committee and the Partnership and Passthrough Entities Subcommittee. He is a fellow of the American College of Tax Counsel.
Finally, Chad is particularly excited to lead the firm’s Social Impact & Innovation practice, providing full-service support for nonprofits and social enterprises at all stages of growth and development, from start-up to scale. Chad regularly advises social impact clients regarding entity selection and formation, including tax-exempt, nonprofit, and for-profit organizations. He also works closely with colleagues across practice groups to advise social impact clients regarding day-to-day operations and transactional matters (including joint ventures and partnerships) to help them build effective operations and grow to scale successfully.
What Chad enjoys most about his practice is learning about different businesses, industries, and sectors, and helping clients who devote their time, efforts, and capital to bring products and services to market and solve today’s problems. Chad counts himself lucky to have great clients; it is very rewarding to work with smart people to help them achieve success. And he is equally fortunate to have very talented and committed colleagues to work with every day.
Finally, and not to be overlooked, the practice of law has prevented Chad from spending too much time at places like Bass Pro Shop and Cabela’s and on the golf course. Chad grew up in St. Charles, Illinois, and now resides in Wheaton, in the western suburbs of Chicago. Chad most enjoys spending time with his wife and three daughters, whether traveling, trying new restaurants, going to movies or the theatre. He is an avid reader and a music junkie with broad tastes, including blues, jazz, rock, indie, country, and roots music. He attempts to play guitar and piano—which is a lot of fun but very humbling. Chad also enjoys outdoor activities and sports. He fishes whenever he possibly can and enjoys golf, biking, and walks with the two family dogs.
