The Firm: This leading East Coast firm has been growing its presence in California and is active in midmarket and private equity work. It has an impressive track record in entertainment and sports financing. The team represented JPMorgan Chase, Citibank and Bank of America as co-lead arrangers for a $450 million secured credit facility used to acquire the Chicago Cubs.

Sources Say: "A good firm making significant headway in the market - they represent their clients very well without being overly aggressive."

Key Individuals: Steven Weise is an expert on the UCC and advises on complicated regulatory matters. One client reports: "He is a very personable attorney who can take something complex and break it down into something we can easily understand." Commentators describe Neil Cummings as "an extremely responsive and creative practitioner - he can always come up with solutions to the problems we face." He is head of the Los Angeles finance group and represents banks, funds and borrowers.