70 West Madison Street, Suite 1500, Chicago, Illinois 60602

Stephen L. Golan

Partner

Direct: 312.696.2031

slgolan@gct.law

OVERVIEW

Stephen Golan co-founded Golan Christie Taglia in 1993. He served as the firm’s Managing Partner from its inception until June 2021 when he turned the reins over to the next generation in order to return to servicing clients full-time.

As a practicing lawyer, Stephen’s career has been spent working with closely held businesses and their owners. He is both an MBA and a CPA, and has been involved in family businesses for decades. As such, he understands the numbers and the issues faced by family businesses and has counseled many of his clients for more than 40 years.

Stephen’s legal career is dedicated to the areas of corporate and real estate law where his experiences include structuring new entities, negotiating and drafting the various agreements required to successfully operate a business, dealing with structural changes as the business expands and contracts, negotiating the ultimate sale of the enterprise and advising owners of the next steps, and the purchase/sale and development of real estate.

He is an authority at dealing with the dynamics of operating closely held businesses, which often go beyond day-to-day legal issues. 

Stephen’s goal is to provide creative solutions to address both the legal needs and owners desires while striving to maintain a positive and beneficial working relationship with all parties. With that said, he is fully experienced and prepared to litigate when necessary to achieve desired goals.

Stephen’s background managing GCT combined with his personal involvement in a number of clients and non-clients businesses, affords him a unique and deeply qualified approach to representation.

Stephen believes that providing legal advice does not occur in a vacuum. Providing the best legal advice requires knowing the clients – understanding their financial situation, business needs and personal objectives.

Prior to forming GCT, Stephen was a Partner at Seyfarth Shaw Fairweather & Geraldsonn where he began his legal career in 1978.

EDUCATION

  • Northwestern University, J.D., 1978
  • Northwestern University, M.B.A., 1978
  • Certified Public Accountant, 1976
  • Claremont Men’s College, B.A. 1974

COURT ADMISSIONS

  • U.S. Court of Appeals (7th Circuit)
  • U.S. District Court, Northern District of Illinois

BAR ADMISSIONS

  • Illinois, 1978

PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS

  • American Bar Association
  • Illinois State Bar Association
  • American Institute of Certified Public Accountants
  • Advisory Board of Leading Lawyers

HONORS & AWARDS

Martindale-Hubbell AV Preeminent/Distinguished

COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT

  • McGraw Wildlife Foundation, Member – Board of Directors

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