With 27 years of experience, Zach Holden serves as of counsel at Fontg Hansen. Previously, Zach spent 5 years in private practice followed by over 22 years at Seaboard Corporation, a Fortune 500 company. At Seaboard, he held prominent roles such as enterprise-wide Chief Compliance Officer, after 12 years as Vice President and General Counsel of the Seaboard Overseas and Trading Group, the largest division of Seaboard Corporation, with over 6 billion dollars in revenue and 15,000 employees across 45 countries. Zach’s responsibilities included mergers & acquisitions, commercial transactions, corporate governance, compliance, litigation management, employment law, ethics, and more. Throughout his career, he has demonstrated strong communication skills and adeptness in handling diverse internal and external legal matters.
In his early legal career, Zach worked as a Senior Corporate Associate at Polsinelli’s Kansas City Office from 2000 to 2001. During this time, he honed his skills in drafting and negotiating transactional and corporate documentation. Zach started his legal career in Morrison & Hecker’s Kansas City Office working in a variety of groups, including employment law, M&A, securities and corporate law.
Zach obtained his Juris Doctorate Degree from the University of Missouri-Kansas City, School of Law in 1997. During his time there, he distinguished himself as a member of the UMKC Law Review editorial board and graduated near the top of his class. Prior to his legal studies, Holden earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Missouri in 1991, majoring in Psychology with a related area in Political Science.
In Zach’s substantial portfolio of representative matters, strategic acumen and extensive experience negotiating transactions shine through. Zach is quick to understand diverse markets and complex transactions because of his experience with both. His ability to navigate sensitive compliance issues, such as managing responses to DOJ investigations and engaging with media outlets to mitigate negative publicity, underscores his commitment to protecting his clients’ interests with discretion and professionalism. His track record of success in facilitating transactions spanning continents underscores his reputation as a trusted advisor in the global business landscape.
professional experience
Fontg & Hansen LLC, 2024 – Present
Seaboard Corporation 2001-2024
Polsinelli 2000-2001
Morrison & Hecker 1997-2000
education
University of Missouri-Kansas City
Juris Doctor, 1997
University of Missouri
B.A. – Psychology, 1991
bar admissions & professional affiliations
Admitted, State Bar of Missouri
Admitted, State Bar of Kansas
Member, Kansas City Metropolitan Bar Association