Godfrey & Kahn: American Banker ranks Godfrey & Kahn third in the nation of top lead legal advisers

For more information, contact:

Emily Friedrich

414-287-9485

efriedrich@gklaw.com

MILWAUKEE (Feb. 28, 2011) − Godfrey & Kahn is pleased to announce that American Banker has ranked the firm third in the nation of Top Lead Legal Advisers in its annual Mergers & Acquisitions ranking. In addition, Godfrey & Kahn was the highest ranked firm in the Midwest. Firms listed in the ranking, which is based on transaction value, served as primary legal advisers in domestic bank and thrift merger deals announced in 2010. This is the second time in recent years that Godfrey & Kahn has received this ranking.

“We are extremely proud and honored to achieve this ranking,” said Thomas Homberg, shareholder and team leader of the Banking & Financial Institutions Practice Group. “It really speaks to the depth and breadth of our practice.”

Godfrey & Kahn’s Banking & Financial Institutions Practice Group represents clients of all types and sizes, from Wisconsin’s largest banking organization to many small, privately held community banks.

“Godfrey & Kahn has helped our organization navigate successfully through the complex business, legal and regulatory issues in numerous bank acquisitions for more than 20 years,” said Randall Erickson, Senior Vice President, General Counsel and Chief Administrative Officer of Marshall & Ilsley Corporation.

“When it came time to sell our community bank, we chose to work with Godfrey & Kahn. It was clear they understood community banking, not just from a legal standpoint, but from an operational standpoint as well,” said Carl Neis, former president of Woodhouse & Bartley Bank in Bloomington, Wisconsin. “In what could have been a stressful time, their counsel was invaluable and I would recommend them to anyone.”

The Banking & Financial Institutions Practice Group represents a substantial number of the publicly registered, SEC-reporting bank holding companies located in Wisconsin. Consisting of nine attorneys, the group focuses exclusively on transactional, corporate and regulatory issues affecting the financial services. Clients include more than 130 financial institutions located in and outside of Wisconsin. Godfrey & Kahn is also legal counsel to the Community Bankers of Wisconsin, a trade group representing more than 200 independent Wisconsin community banks.

With more than 180 lawyers, Godfrey & Kahn is one of Wisconsin’s leading business law firms. Founded in 1957, Godfrey & Kahn maintains offices in Milwaukee, Madison, Appleton, Green Bay and Waukesha, Wisconsin; and Washington, DC. For more information, please visit the firm’s web site at http://www.gklaw.com.