Sonnenschein Adds Three More Lawyers in Kansas City
March 23, 2005
(KANSAS CITY, Mo., March 23, 2005)--Sonnenschein Nath & Rosenthal LLP today announced the addition of three more lawyers in its Kansas City office. Yabo Lin has joined the law firm as a partner in its corporate and securities practice group and Karl Zobrist will join on April 1 as a partner in the energy, telecommunications, and litigation and regulatory practice groups. Donna Wilson has joined the firm in its real estate and public finance and government law practice groups.
“Yabo, Karl and Donna are stellar examples of the law office we are building in Kansas City,” said James. A. Heeter, managing partner. “Each is a top-notch lawyer with an outstanding record of leadership and service to the community. We are delighted to have them on the Sonnenschein team.”
Lin concentrates his corporate practice on commercial transactions, venture capital transactions involving technology start-ups, mergers and acquisitions, securities and international law, particularly with respect to the Asia-Pacific region. As such, he will play a key role in the development of the firm’s burgeoning China practice. He is the second top Kansas City corporate attorney to move to Sonnenschein this year; Morris K. Withers joined from Bryan Cave LLP in February.
Lin received a J.D. degree from Washington University School of Law, where he was articles editor of the Washington University Journal of Law & Policy. He also earned two LL.M degrees, one from the University of the Pacific and the other from Zhongshan (Sun Yet-sen) University in Guangzhou (Canton), China. His B.A. degree is from Fudan University in Shanghai, China. He joins Sonnenschein from Blackwell Sanders Peper Martin LLP, where he was co-chair of the international practice group.
Zobrist, who also formerly practiced at Blackwell Sanders, represents energy, telecommunications and insurance companies in various regulatory proceedings, before legislative bodies, and in complex and class-action litigation. He is a former chairman of the Missouri Public Service Commission and of the Missouri Energy Policy Taskforce. Currently, he is the president of the Kansas City Board of Police Commissioners.
Zobrist earned a J.D. degree, with distinction, from the University of Iowa, where he was the notes and comment editor of the Iowa Law Review. He received a B.A. degree, magna cum laude, Phi Beta Kappa, from Augustana College.
Wilson represents developers and land owners in governmental proceedings with respect to zoning, land use and land development matters. She is the second highly regarded Kansas City real estate attorney to join Sonnenschein since the beginning of the year, the other being Mark S. Bryant, who joined the firm as a partner last month. Both were formerly with Polsinelli Shalton Welte Suelthaus PC.
A leader in civic and community organizations, Wilson is a commissioner of the Landmarks Commission of Kansas City and a board member of the Urban League of Greater Kansas City and the Legal Aid of Western Missouri. She received a J.D. degree from Howard University School of Law, where she was symposium editor for the Howard Law Journal. Her B.S. degree also is from Howard University.
Sonnenschein, with more than 700 attorneys and other professionals in nine U.S. cities and a global reach, serves the legal needs of many of the world’s largest and best-known businesses, nonprofits and individuals. For more information, visit www.sonnenschein.com.
Media Contact:
Linda Butler
Sonnenschein Nath & Rosenthal LLP
(312) 876-3453
LButler@sonnenschein.com
