Duane Morris announced Richard A. Silfen rejoined the firm as a partner in its corporate practice group. Silfen is returning to Duane Morris from having served as executive VP, general counsel and secretary of American Realty Capital Properties, a commercial real estate investment trust based in Phoenix.

Silfen was a partner at Duane Morris from 2007 to 2014 and he served as head of the corporate practice group’s Capital Markets sub-practice group. While at Duane Morris, he led teams that represented clients, such an American Energy Partners affiliate in its approximately $1.7 billion private equity and debt capital raise, Lehigh Gas Partners in its $120 million IPO and American Realty Capital Properties in two multibillion dollar merger transactions. Before coming to Duane Morris in 2007, Silfen served as president and chief financial officer of Cangen Biotechnologies, a biotechnology company with offices in Tokyo and Seoul. Earlier in his career, Silfen was a staff attorney at the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, division of corporation finance, in Washington, DC.

Silfen has more than 25 years of experience in corporate and securities law, focusing on merger and acquisition transactions and securities offerings, as well as venture capital and private equity transactions. He has counseled boards of directors on corporate governance and transactional matters and advised on public reporting, internal audit functions and other matters. Silfen has represented clients in the biotechnology, pharmaceutical, medical devices and high-technology industries on matters pertaining to technology development and implementation plans, strategic partnerships, collaborations and joint ventures. Additionally, he has extensive experience counseling real estate investment trusts (REITs) in business and financial matters.

“It was a difficult decision to leave Duane Morris in 2014 so I’m excited to have the opportunity to return to the firm,” Silfen said. “I believe my experience as a general counsel will bring added value to our corporate clients.”

“Richard was a tremendous asset during his original tenure at Duane Morris,” said Duane Morris chairman and CEO John Soroko. “We’re excited to welcome him back, and we know that his return will certainly enhance our corporate and securities law practices.”

“Richard is a skilled and accomplished lawyer, and his return will further strengthen our expanding corporate practice group,” said Brian Kerwin, chairman of Duane Morris’ corporate practice group. “We’re thrilled to welcome him back to the firm. His return will increase the depth and breadth of our client service capability.”