Vedder Price

Joseph H. Kye

Shareholder

Joseph H. Kye is a Shareholder at Vedder Price. Mr. Kye has previously served as the Vice Chairperson of the Finance and Transaction Group (Merger and Acquisitions).

Mr. Kye practices in the areas of mergers and acquisitions, private equity, venture capital, corporate, securities and business law.  He focuses on middle-market, public and private company transactions and financings.  His experience includes structuring, negotiating, documenting and closing all forms of mergers and acquisitions, private equity and venture capital financings, public and private debt and equity offerings, structured financings, joint ventures, international financings and transactions, private equity fund formations, and other corporate and business transactions.  He has represented all categories of transactional parties, including sellers, acquirers, management teams, issuers, underwriters, venture capital and private equity funds, family offices and public, private and distressed companies.  Mr. Kye serves as the outside general counsel to various closely held corporations. 

He has advised companies on a variety of acquisition, financing, and general business and legal issues, including matters involving real estate, securities laws, health care, intellectual property, employee contracts and compensation arrangements, bankruptcy and technology licensing. 

Mr. Kye speaks on corporate and M&A matters, including presentations at The Entrepreneurship Institute’s Presidents’ Symposium and the American Bar Association’s Annual Meeting. Mr. Kye regularly teaches continuing legal education classes in such areas as mergers and acquisitions, private equity and venture capital. 

Mr. Kye has previously served on the firm’s hiring committee and as the Co-Chair of the firm’s summer Associate Program and is presently on the diversity and shareholder compensation committees.  

Legal 500 United States has recognized Mr. Kye in the Mergers, Acquisitions and Buyouts—M&A: Middle-Market (Sub-$500M) and the Mergers & Acquisitions/Corporate and Commercial—M&A: Middle-Market (sub-$500M) categories. He has also been selected by his peers as a Leading Lawyer in Mergers & Acquisitions from 2013 to 2024.

Mr. Kye serves on the board of directors of two Chicago-based nonprofit organizations, Urban Gateways and CASL. Urban Gateways provides art and literature education to underprivileged children (Mr. Kye is the immediate past board chairman).  CASL provides social services and support to Asian immigrant families, and Mr. Kye serves on the executive committee.

Joseph H. Kye

Shareholder

Education

  • University of Chicago Law School, J.D., 1997
  • Northwestern University, B.A., 1992

Joseph H. Kye

Shareholder

Bar Admissions

  • Illinois, 1997

Affiliations

  • Chairman of the Board of Directors, Urban Gateways
  • Member, Board of Directors, Chinese American Service League
  • Member, Economic Club of Chicago
  • Member, Illinois State Bar Association
  • Member, Korean American Bar Association
  • Member, Northwestern University Leadership Circle

Joseph H. Kye

Shareholder

Joseph H. Kye

Shareholder