Gretchen Anne Trofa

Gretchen is a practical, efficient, solutions-oriented corporate attorney with more than 30 years of wide-ranging experience serving as outside counsel to a number of corporate and real estate clients.

Gretchen concentrates her practice on mergers, acquisitions, and other business combinations in a wide variety of industries, including fashion, cosmetics, food and beverage, and biotech. This focus has given her extensive experience in structuring transactions, negotiating contracts, and developing agreements addressing the many transition issues that arise upon investment in a business, including real estate, tax, employee benefits and other matters.

Gretchen’s experience also includes the formation and implementation of real estate joint ventures and blind pool funds, real estate lending, and fundraising activities.

Gretchen also often serves as outside general counsel for her clients bringing practical advice to the day-to-day business and legal issues. As a result she advises on a broad range of matters and then works with her Tax, IP, and Compensation colleagues to address each issue accordingly.

Gretchen is a passionate advocate for animals. She has been a member of the Women's Board for the Chicago Zoological Society for over 15 years and was previously the Treasurer and Chair of the Conservation Committee.

Admissions

• State of Illinois

Education

• Northwestern University Pritzker School of Law, J.D., cum laude, Order of the Coif, 1988
• Duke University, A.B., cum laude, 1985

• Member, Women's Board of the Chicago Zoological Society (2005-Present)
• Treasurer, Women's Board of the Chicago Zoological Society (2012-2014)
• Chair, Conservation Committee of the Women's Board of the Chicago Zoological Society (2008-2010)