GEOFFREY R. MORGAN
Partner

Geoff is a highly experienced corporate lawyer and founding partner of CROKE FAIRCHILD DUARTE & BERES.

He was formerly a partner at Schiff Hardin in Chicago and later at Michael Best, one of Milwaukee’s oldest and largest law firms, where he served as Chair of the firm’s Securities Group and later as Chair of the entire Business Group. He has served as de facto or “fractional” General Counsel for companies, a role that allows companies to have the benefit of an experienced lawyer without the expense of a full-time employee.

Geoff has acted as lead securities and corporate counsel for several public and private companies in public and private offerings of equity and debt.  He has served as borrower’s and lender’s counsel for debt financings and syndicated loan participations.  He has served as lead issuer’s counsel and underwriters’ counsel for many public offerings of both equity and debt and been lead counsel in many M&A transactions for public and private companies.  He has also led public company change-of-control transactions and has represented companies and boards of directors in proxy contests. Geoff has also represented boards of directors and special committees of boards of directors of public companies in internal investigations of corporate wrongdoing and in SEC and Nasdaq investigations into corporate misconduct.  He has worked closely with forensic accountants in investigations of corporate misconduct and has acted as co-counsel representing executives in both criminal and regulatory proceedings against executives.

Geoff has been named one of “The Best Lawyers in America,” since 2007 in the area of corporate governance and compliance & corporate law.  In that regard, he frequently counsels both public and private companies in best practices for corporate governance.

Geoff is the only lawyer serving as a member of the Small Business Advisory Committee of the Financial Accounting Standards Board. Geoff is also a member of The Economic Club of Chicago.