Overview
For nearly a decade, Fritzi has advised financial institutions on mergers and acquisitions, contract negotiations, public and private securities offerings, and bank regulatory issues. Fritzi is diligent, collaborative, personable, and resourceful. She enjoys the challenge of decoding complex concepts for clients.
Fritzi is a partner in BFKN’s Financial Institutions Group. Her practice bridges a broad spectrum of corporate and regulatory services, and she has represented financial institutions in the sale and acquisition of businesses, lending arrangements, and capital raising transactions. She routinely advises clients regarding compliance with federal and state securities laws and reporting requirements under the Securities Exchange Act. She also frequently leads the review and negotiation of business contracts, including a wide range of vendor agreements, core processing relationships, and Fintech partnerships.
Fritzi is a frequent speaker to trade associations and professionals in the areas of compliance and vendor management.
Credentials
Admissions
- State of Illinois
Education
- University of Michigan Law School, J.D., cum laude, 2013
- Boston College, B.A., cum laude, 2008
Experience
Vendor Agreements
- Represent clients in connection with the review and negotiation of vendor contracts, including core processing agreements and other technology-driven relationships.
Commercial Contracting
- Prepare treasury management agreements, payment processing agreements, terms of service and terms of use, wire agreements, ACH agreements, DDA and other account agreements, compliance policies and procedures, business plans, regulatory correspondence, breach notices, and related documents for community bank clients.
Capital Raising Transactions
- Represents many financial institutions with respect to public offerings and private placements of common stock, subordinated debentures, and convertible subordinated debentures.
M&A Transactions
- Represented First Busey Corporation (Nasdaq: BUSE), in its acquisition of The Banc Ed Corp.
- Represented First Busey Corporation (Nasdaq: BUSE) in its acquisition of First Community Financial Partners, Inc. (Nasdaq: FCFP).
- Represented First Busey Corporation (Nasdaq: BUSE) in its acquisition of Mid Illinois Bancorp Inc.
- Represented First BancTrust Corporation (OTCQX: FIRT) in its acquisition by First Mid-Illinois Bancshares, Inc. (Nasdaq: FMBH).
- Represented Bankmanagers Corp. and its wholly owned subsidiary, Park Bank, in its sale to First Midwest Bancorp, Inc. (Nasdaq: FMBI) valued at approx. $193.8 million.
- Represented QCR Holdings, Inc. (Nasdaq: QCRH) in its acquisition of Guaranty Federal Bancshares, Inc. at approx. $167.4 million.
- Represented ATBancorp in its sale to MidWestOne Financial Group, Inc. (Nasdaq: MOFG).
- Represented QCR Holdings, Inc. (Nasdaq: QCRH) in the divestiture of its wholly-owned subsidiary, Rockford Bank and Trust Company, to Illinois Bank & Trust, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Heartland Financial USA, Inc. (Nasdaq: HTLF).
- Represented QCR Holdings, Inc. (Nasdaq: QCRH) in its acquisition of Springfield Bancshares, Inc.
Securities Regulation & Compliance for Publicly-Traded Bank Holding Companies
- Represents multiple publicly-traded bank holding companies in structuring transactions, conducting due diligence, drafting disclosure documents, coordinating the filing of documents with the SEC, preparing applications to national exchanges, and provides counseling to ensure compliance with all applicable federal and state securities laws.
Newsroom
News
Speaking Engagements
Publications
- The Keys to Banking Law: A Handbook for Lawyers, Second Edition
Recognitions
- One to Watch, Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch (2021-2025)
- Corporate Law; Securities Regulation
- Judicial Intern, Hon. James Shadid, U.S. District Court - Central District of Illinois
Organizations
- Member, Board of Directors, Project Onward (Chicago Arts Not-For-Profit Corporation)
- Former Member, Board of Directors, Lyric Young Professionals, Lyric Opera of Chicago
- Volunteer, Gilda’s Club Chicago