Freeborn & Peters LLP is pleased to announce that Anthony J. Zeoli, a Partner in the Corporate Practice Group, has received the Innovator of the Year Award from the Small Business Advocacy Council (SBAC) of Chicago. Mr. Zeoli was honored for his work with the SBAC on a bill he drafted to allow for an intrastate crowdfunding exemption in Illinois, which was unanimously passed by the state legislature.
The Illinois Intrastate Crowdfunding Bill (HB 3429) became law in July 2015 with Gov. Bruce Rauner’s signature. The law allows Illinois companies to solicit crowdfunded “investments” from any state residents.
Mr. Zeoli was honored at the SBAC’s 5th Annual Advocacy Dinner & Awards Ceremony April 21 at the Fairmont Chicago Millenium Park hotel. Established in 2010, the SBAC is a non-partisan, member-driven organization that promotes the success of small business through political advocacy, support services and educational programs. The organization represents more than 1,000 businesses in the Chicagoland area.
“We congratulate Tony on this prestigious recognition from the Small Business Advocacy Council for his achievements involving the crowdfunding bill,” said Cynthia A. Bergmann, Chair of the Firm's Executive Committee and Co-Leader of the Corporate Practice Group. “Tony’s leadership in the crowdfunding industry is a great inspiration and a great asset to our firm and to the clients we serve.”
Mr. Zeoli concentrates his practice in the areas of banking and commercial finance, securities, real estate and general corporate law. He also is an industry leader in the area of crowdfunding, particularly concerning real estate crowdfunding, peer-to-peer (P2P) lending and Regulation A+ offerings. In addition, Mr. Zeoli is the author of the Crowdfunding Legal Hub Blog.
Mr. Zeoli’s commercial finance practice includes the representation of borrowers and lenders in secured and unsecured lending transactions, corporate reorganizations and restructuring, syndicated commercial financing transactions, and loan workouts. His securities and general corporate practice includes initial and subsequent private debt and equity offerings, mergers and acquisitions, company formation and governance, and general contract drafting and negotiation. Mr. Zeoli also has particular specialization in the negotiation and documentation of real estate transactions involving the acquisition, sale, construction, development, leasing and/or financing of real estate, and he has represented parties on both sides of such transactions.
