Mayer Brown announced that James John Antonopoulos has joined the firm’s global Banking & Finance practice and Structured Finance group as a partner in Chicago. Antonopoulos joins from Kirkland & Ellis.

“Jim is a recognized leader in the securitization space with extensive experience advising a wide range of clients on private and public issuances of asset-backed securities,” said Stuart Litwin, a co-leader of Mayer Brown’s Structured Finance group. “His strong practice further increases our core capabilities, and we look forward to integrating Jim into our expanding team.”

Antonopoulos has broad experience with prime and subprime automobile and truck loans and leases, equipment loans, dealer floorplan loans, credit card receivables and billboard revenue. He represents sponsors, issuers, underwriters and servicers in public and private issuances of asset-backed securities, asset-backed commercial paper conduit transactions, whole loan sales and lending transactions.

“Over the years, I have worked opposite a number of Mayer Brown partners and have always been struck by their breadth of experience and collaborative approach,” said Antonopoulos. “In addition to its existing issuer-side representations, Mayer Brown’s underwriter and initial purchaser representations allow me to expand my current practice. I’m eager to get started with the team and leverage my industry knowledge to boost the group’s powerful platform.”

“Jim is an experienced, commercially minded lawyer with a strong profile in the market— he is a terrific addition to our firm,” added Rebecca Eisner, partner-in-charge of Mayer Brown’s Chicago office.

Antonopoulos’ hire marks another significant step in the firm’s ongoing expansion of its global Banking & Finance practice, which has most recently added top-tier talent in New York and Singapore. Antonopoulos earned his JD, magna cum laude, from the University of Illinois College of Law and his BS from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.