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[ about ChakaStrategy]

Experienced Lawyer Turned Trusted Business Advisor

With over three decades of experience spanning corporate, government, and private practice, Chaka Patterson is a distinguished attorney and business strategist. His diverse career includes leadership roles in Fortune 100 and Fortune 1000 companies, public service, and private practice, making him uniquely qualified to guide legal professionals through their own career transformations.

Years of Experience and a Track Record of Success

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Background & Credentials

Education

  • The University of Chicago (M.B.A.)
  • Harvard University (J.D.)
  • Amherst College (B.A.)

Corporate Leadership

Chaka has served as Senior Vice President, General Counsel, and Corporate Secretary for Adtalem Global Education, where he led a team of 30 in managing business development, mergers and acquisitions, corporate governance, investor relations, risk and compliance, and litigation. He managed all corporate affairs for the Board of Directors, including planning board meetings and presenting to the Board each quarter. Chaka has also served as Vice President, Treasury & Investor Relations for Exelon Corporation, where he Managed Exelon’s Treasury Function, including $1 billion of daily cash, $4 billion in bond offerings, and relationships with the investment and commercial banks, credit rating agencies, and investors. Served as the liaison between the company and Wall Street, including equity and debt investors. Prepared senior management for the quarterly earnings calls. Communicated company strategy to the investment community.

Private Practice Expertise

As a partner at Alston & Bird, Jenner & Block, and Jones Day, Chaka represented clients in complex commercial transactions, corporate governance, and business litigation. His experience includes handling multi-billion-dollar acquisitions, advising boards on sensitive corporate governance issues, and representing Fortune 500 companies in high-profile litigation and compliance matters. His proven ability to navigate critical legal and business challenges makes him a sought-after advisor for boards of directors, C-suite executives, and corporate legal teams.

Key Accomplishments

  • At Adtalem, overhauled the Legal department, transforming it into a top-quality, ethical, and compliance-minded business. Hired a team of 30, implemented new processes, and established a culture of accountability to turn around the underperforming department. Increased department’s engagement and enablement scores from 45% to 94%. Drove a significant increase in client net promoter score (NPS) from -30 to +47, positioning the team for recognition in the top 25% of law departments in the country. Revised all corporate governance policies, including Code of Conduct, Governance Principles, and Insider Trading Policy; prepared all SEC filings. Presented significant legal and regulatory matters to the Board quarterly.
  • Participated in numerous M&A transactions, handling due diligence and negotiations as well as legal advisory. Led the divestiture of $1B DeVry University division; divestiture of $100M Carrington division; $120M acquisition of On-Course Learning; and divestiture of $500M Adtalem Brazil division. Oversaw the $1.5B acquisition of Walden University, which included the issuance of $800M in bonds and $850M term loan B to finance the transaction. 
  • At Exelon, managed an $8 billion credit facility. Invested $1 billion in daily cash. Managed $10 billion worth of bond issuances; refinanced $1 billion of existing bonds and significantly reduced interest expense. Led hostile takeover attempt of a competitor. Created a program for analyzing institutional investors, which increased sell-side buy recommendations and expanded ownership among the top 10 investors. Chaired Risk Management Committee. Served as ex officio member of the Risk Oversight Committee of the Board.
  • As an AmLaw 50 Partner, regularly advises C-Suite and Boards of Directors on M&A, corporate governance, proxy issues, and crisis management.
  • Has tried 25 jury and bench trials and argued 15 appeals in federal and state court, including the 7th Circuit and Illinois Supreme Court.

Professional Involvement and Recognition

  • Member, Law Council – University of Chicago Law School
  • Member, DEI Initiative – University of Chicago Booth School of Business
  • Member, Board of Directors, Leadership Institute for Women of Color Attorneys
  • Honored by the Harvard Law Society of Illinois as a Role Model of the Year
  • Honored by the Illinois Black Chamber of Commerce for leadership in diversity in business
  • Honored by the National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners, received Diversity in Action Award
  • Honored as one of the top 40 lawyers under 40 in Illinois by the Illinois Law Bulletin