A rare hybrid of elite transactional lawyer and tenacious litigator, Danae Richie brings the precision of multibillion-dollar dealmaking and the pragmatism of the courtroom to every matter she handles.
Danae Richie is a Partner at Grand Park Law Group, A.P.C., where she founded and leads the firm's Chicago office. Her practice reflects an uncommon duality: deep experience structuring complex corporate transactions at the highest levels of Big Law, paired with a hands-on litigation practice that delivers results for employees, tenants, and businesses alike. This combination allows her to approach every engagement with both strategic foresight and practical advocacy, advising clients not only on how to win, but on how to build durable outcomes.
Before joining Grand Park Law Group, Ms. Richie served as an associate at Ropes & Gray LLP, one of the world's premier law firms, where she represented private equity sponsors, portfolio companies, and public and private businesses in mergers and acquisitions, private equity transactions, and other complex corporate matters. Her deal sheet spans the full spectrum of transaction complexity—from middle-market acquisitions to multibillion-dollar global transactions—including leveraged buyouts, strategic add-on acquisitions, divestitures, carve-outs, and minority investments across the healthcare, life sciences, technology, business services, and enterprise software sectors.
Drawing on her transactional foundation, Ms. Richie regularly advised portfolio companies on the operational and employment-related dimensions of deal activity, including the drafting and negotiation of executive employment agreements, offer letters, severance arrangements, equity incentive plans, and corporate governance documents. This experience affords her a sophisticated understanding of how employment decisions intersect with business strategy, risk management, and long-term enterprise value—an insight that distinguishes her counsel from attorneys who approach employment matters in isolation.
Ms. Richie's litigation practice further sets her apart as a versatile and formidable advocate. She regularly represents clients in employment disputes and general civil litigation, including wrongful termination, workplace discrimination and retaliation claims, tenant-landlord disputes, and business tort actions. Her litigation toolkit encompasses drafting complaints and responsive pleadings, dispositive-motion practice, discovery motion work, propounding and responding to written discovery, and advising clients on liability exposure, case valuation, and pre-trial strategy.
Ms. Richie is admitted to practice in the State of Illinois and is fluent in Spanish, enabling her to serve a broader client base and communicate effectively in cross-border transactional contexts.
Credentials
Education
J.D.Northeastern University School of LawFellow, Program on Human Rights and the Global Economy; President, Black Law Students Association
B.A. Psychology, Minor in Business AdministrationUniversity of Massachusetts LowellDivision I Student-Athlete
Advised private equity sponsors and their portfolio companies on complex mergers and acquisitions across the healthcare, life sciences, technology, business services, and enterprise software sectors, spanning middle-market transactions to multibillion-dollar global deals.
Counseled sponsors and portfolio companies on strategic add-on acquisitions designed to accelerate growth, expand geographic footprint, and enhance operational capabilities, including post-closing integration planning and governance restructuring.
Advised clients on the acquisition and disposition of technology and SaaS businesses operating in regulated, compliance-driven environments, with transaction values exceeding hundreds of millions of dollars.
Represented clients in acquisitions structured through mergers of newly formed entities, navigating intricate deal mechanics, financing arrangements, and organizational governance requirements.