Robert J. Graves (Bob)
Partner

Practice Leader
Banking & Finance

Contact

(T) +1.312.269.4356
(F) +1.312.782.8585

Education

  • University of Illinois (J.D. magna cum laude 1984; Order of the Coif; Editor-in-Chief, Law Review); University of Erlangen, Germany (Fulbright Scholar, 1980-1981); Illinois Wesleyan University (B.A. cum laude 1980)

Bar Admissions

  • Illinois and New York

Clerkships

  • Law Clerk to Judge Thomas Gibbs Gee, United States Court of Appeals, Fifth Circuit (1984-1985)

Bob Graves represents lenders and borrowers in a wide variety of commercial financial transactions and has structured, negotiated, and documented scores of senior debt financing arrangements of all types, including secured and unsecured single bank and syndicated credit agreements, multicurrency financing facilities, and acquisition financings. A significant portion of his practice focuses on workouts and restructurings of troubled credits, with particular emphasis on debtor-in-possession and exit financings. He co-chairs Jones Day's Banking & Finance Practice.

Most recently, Bob has been engaged in representing various market participants with respect to a variety of issues that have arisen from the credit crisis and resulting financial regulatory reform. He regularly advises clients on a broad spectrum of financing and financial regulatory issues and Uniform Commercial Code matters.

Companies for which Bob has worked on substantial matters include Bank of America, Bunge North America, Kaiser Aluminum, KeyBank, Macy's, and Wells Fargo Bank.

Bob has written a number of articles and spoken at numerous professional conferences and seminars on commercial financing topics. He is a member of the ABA (Business Law Section); The Chicago Bar Association, where he has served as chair of the Commercial Finance Committee; and the Economic Club of Chicago. He is active in community and charitable affairs.


Honors & Distinctions

  • Chambers USA: America's Leading Lawyers for Business — banking & finance (2009-2011)

    Illinois Super Lawyers (2007-2011)

    The Best Lawyers in America (2011)

Languages

German
Robert Graves Bob