Cynde Hirschtick Munzer is a partner in the Business Organizations and Transactions Group of Arnstein & Lehr. She has more than 20 years of experience representing businesses in a broad range of sophisticated business matters, including asset and stock acquisitions and dispositions, mergers, joint development agreements, license agreements, real estate leases and other real estate matters, distributorship agreements, employment contracts, independent contractor agreements, and non-compete and confidentiality agreements. She handles matters for clients ranging from large publicly-held corporations to middle market businesses and emerging and start-up corporations. In addition, she has represented some of Chicago’s leading financial institutions in the negotiation and preparation of loan documentation for asset-based financing transactions. She recently served as the lead attorney in a $230 million loan syndication involving six major Chicago banks.
Professional Activities and Achievements
Ms. Munzer is the President and a member of the Board of Directors of the Chicago Chapter of the American Technion Society, which supports Technion Institute of Chicago. She is the first woman to serve as President of the Chicago Chapter. Technion is one of the world’s leading science and technology universities and commands a global reputation for its pioneering work in nanotechnology, computer science, biotechnology, water-resource management, aerospace and medicine. As part of her work with Technion, she is building alliances with major Chicago area businesses so that they may benefit from Technion’s pioneering work. Ms. Munzer is also a member of the Executive Leadership team of the American Heart Association’s “Go Red for Women Leadership” initiative.
Ms. Munzer is the recipient of the prestigious Woman of Achievement Award by the Anti-Defamation League for her outstanding achievements in the legal profession and her leadership efforts and accomplishments in the business and charitable communities. She is also a former member of the Board of Directors of the National Association of Women Business Owners (Chicago chapter). Prior to joining Arnstein & Lehr, Ms. Munzer served as a judicial law clerk to the Honorable Robert Chapman Buckley, Justice of the Illinois Appellate Court. Before practicing law, she worked as a broadcast journalist.
Recent Publications and Lectures
Ms. Munzer has presented seminars on topics of interest to emerging businesses, such as succession planning, stock option and phantom stock agreements, employment agreements, confidentiality and non-compete provisions and leasing matters. She is the co-author of the chapter entitled “Equipment Leasing,” appearing in the Secured Transactions textbook published by the Illinois Institute for Continuing Legal Education. She has also published an article dealing with shareholder “buy-sell” agreements.
Education
University of Illinois (B.S)
Chicago-Kent College of Law (J.D. with high honors)
Bar admissions
State of Illinois
U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois