Perkins Coie announced today that Steve Ducommun joins the firm as Partner and Anne Pansard joins as Associate in the Business practice in the Chicago office. They join the firm from K&L Gates.

Ducommun concentrates his practice in corporate and securities law with an emphasis on mergers and acquisitions, strategic alliances, commercial contracting and financings. He regularly represents companies in a number of industries, including health care, biotechnology, food and procurement, cleantech, pharmaceutical, medical devices, agribusiness, metals and information technology.

“We are thrilled to have Steve and Anne join us,” said Chris Wilson, Chicago Office Managing Partner. “They are outstanding lawyers and their unique practice and counseling skills will further support and expand the services that we provide to our clients in Chicago and nationwide.”

Ducommun counsels clients on formation issues, research and development arrangements and with respect to numerous commercial matters, including technology commercialization, licensing, manufacturing and distribution. A major focus of his practice is the acquisition and sale of companies, frequently representing companies that are serial acquirers. In addition, he has particular experience in representing companies entering into joint ventures with health care providers, such as physicians, in diverse areas including physical therapy, oncology and ambulatory surgery, including the structuring and compliance aspects of such arrangements.

Pansard focuses her practice on transactions in the food, pharmaceutical and medical device industries.

Ducommun earned his J.D., cum laude, from Cornell Law School where he served on the Board of Editors for the Cornell Law Review, and his B.S., summa cum laude, from Drake University. He is a member of the American Bar Association, Biotechnology Industry Organization (BIO), French American Chamber of Commerce and PROPEL. Since 2005 he has served on the Board of Directors for the Illinois Biotechnology Industry Organization (iBIO), and since 2004 has been a judge for the New Venture Challenge at The University of Chicago Booth School of Business.

Pansard earned her J.D., cum laude, from Loyola University Chicago School of Law, her LL.B. from King’s College London and her Maîtrise en Droit Français et Anglais from the University of Paris I – Panthéon-Sorbonne. She is a member of the French American Chamber of Commerce.