Class Notes

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1960s

Charles Clayman L’69 received the Lifetime Achievement Award by the New York Law Journal. For more than 50 years, Clayman has fought for justice in the courtrooms of New York City and is considered by many to be one of the elder statesmen of criminal defense lawyers. He was one of the very first attorneys to establish a boutique white collar criminal defense law firm directly after leaving a prosecutor’s office, a practice that has now become standard in the criminal defense bar. Clayman is a pioneering attorney and steadfast advocate for justice, who combines his legal acumen with a deep philanthropic commitment and civic engagement, all of which makes him a deserving recipient of the New York Law Journal’s Lifetime Achievement honor.

1970s

In addition to his work in children’s literature, Cooper has ventured into screenwriting. His screenplay To Go, or Not To Go, about a Yeshiva student’s decision to enlist in the fall of 1941, was named a semi-finalist at the Brooklyn International Short Awards. Another screenplay, In Heaven, as it is on Earth?, set during the Ardennes Forest battles of December 1944, achieved semi-finalist status at the Rotterdam Independent Film Festival, Paris International Short Festival, and Brussels World Film Festival, and was a winning finalist at the London International Filmmakers Festival.

Harold G. Becks L’73 joined Signature Resolution’s panel of neutrals, bringing over four decades of diverse experience in civil law and mediation. With a distinctive and holistic perspective, Becks guides parties toward resolution in complex disputes. He began his career with the Los Angeles County Counsel’s office and later founded Harold Becks & Associates, focusing on personal injury, medical malpractice, and police misconduct. Known for his representation of major entities like the County of Los Angeles, Pacific Bell, and General Motors, Becks has tried over 100 civil jury cases in California’s Superior and Federal Courts. His extensive trial experience includes high-stakes cases involving catastrophic injury, wrongful death, and excessive force. In his new role, Becks is dedicated to helping parties confront the realities of litigation and move toward timely, satisfactory resolutions.

The Hon. Aida Waserstein L’73 was awarded the “Judicial Profile in Excellence” by the Delaware Barrister’s Association in October 2024. The celebration honored distinguished members of Delaware’s courts, bar, and community for their work, contributions, and commitment to liberty and justice. A former Delaware Family Court judge for 21 years, Waserstein also worked with the Delaware Community Legal Aid Society in Wilmington, the Education Law Center in Philadelphia, and established her own firm, Waserstein and Dempsey. Now a children’s book author, she continues to make an impact through her commitment to education and advocacy.

Nancy Altman L’74 was reappointed by the House of Representatives to the Social Security Advisory Board for a six-year term, which started in June 2024, and ending June 2030. Altman, who has a 50-year career in Social Security and private pensions, is the President of Social Security Works and Chair of the Strengthen Social Security Coalition. She previously served as assistant to Alan Greenspan on the 1983 bipartisan commission that crafted significant Social Security amendments. Altman, author of several books on Social Security, originally joined the Board in 2017, succeeding former Congresswoman Barbara Kennelly.

Jon Delano L’74 retired from KDKA-TV on December 1, 2024, after 30 years of insightful political TV coverage. Joining KDKA in 1994, he became Money & Politics Editor in 2001, renowned for his depth in covering government, business, and political issues. Over his career, Delano earned national recognition with exclusive interviews, including with Joe Biden, Kamala Harris, Barack and Michelle Obama, Donald Trump, and other major figures, setting records for his access and depth of coverage. His accolades include the Edward R. Murrow Award and multiple Golden Quill and Clarity awards. Beyond reporting, Delano was a cornerstone of KDKA’s public affairs programming, hosting the “Sunday Business Page,” co-hosting “KD/PG Sunday Edition,” and launching Inside PA Politics to engage young activists. Though retired, he may still contribute to KDKA in a limited role.

Donald Klawiter C’72, G’72, L’75 was honored by George Washington University Law School as an “Institution Builder” for his significant contributions to competition law. A partner at Sterlington, Klawiter has over 45 years of expertise in antitrust litigation, investigations, compliance, and counseling, with a focus on international cartel investigations. He has represented corporations and senior executives globally, defending clients across six continents in high-stakes investigations by U.S. and international enforcement agencies. Previously, Klawiter served as an antitrust prosecutor with the U.S. Department of Justice and Chief of the Dallas Office and was a partner at firms including Morgan Lewis, Mayer Brown, and Sheppard Mullin.

Salomon (Sol) Sassoon C’73, G’73, L’76 joined BakerHostetler’s New York office as a partner in the Business Practice Group and Mergers and Acquisitions team. Sassoon brings extensive experience advising private equity firms, venture capital firms, family offices, and other financial investors on complex M&A, investment, fund formation, and corporate finance transactions. He represents both buyers and sellers in mergers and acquisitions across various industries, handling strategic acquisitions, auctions, corporate carveouts, and acquisitions from bankruptcy. Sassoon also advises on joint ventures, financings, securities, and corporate governance.

The Hon. Gordon Goodman C’74, L’77, a Justice on the First Texas Court of Appeals, has authored a new article in the UC Law Business Journal (July 2024) titled “The Ethics of Artificial Intelligence.” In the article, he explores the use of advanced techniques, such as genetic algorithms and neural networks, within modern AI programs and the ethical dilemmas they pose for the legal profession in the 21st century. In April, Gordon delivered a keynote address on the same topic at the UC Law Business Symposium, where he examined AI’s growing influence on the legal landscape.

Howard Langer L’77 was honored with the Miller Family Book Club Award in Memory of Helen Dunn Weinstein and June Keit Miller for his novel The Last Dekrepitzer (Cresheim Press), as part of the 74th National Jewish Book Awards presented by the Jewish Book Council. Langer, managing partner of Langer, Grogan & Diver, specializes in complex commercial litigation, particularly antitrust and consumer law, and has taught at Penn Carey Law as an Adjunct Professor of Law since 2001.

William Heller L’78 joined Genova Burns as “Of Counsel,” effective January 2, 2024, where he will serve as a mediator and alternative dispute resolution counselor, assisting litigating parties in resolving their disputes. Formerly Senior Vice President and General Counsel for the New York Football Giants, Heller brings extensive experience in sports law, covering licensing, sponsorships, labor, and privacy matters. His 32-year private practice career includes partnerships at leading New Jersey firms, specializing in commercial transactions, intellectual property, and high-tech licensing. An experienced trial lawyer, Heller has managed complex cases in employment discrimination, commercial disputes, and IP, including trade secrets and copyright cases.

Vincent McKnight L’78 was appointed Co-Vice Chair of Sanford Heisler Sharp, which will now be known as Sanford Heisler Sharp McKnight. McKnight, who joined the firm in 2014, has held multiple leadership roles, including Co-Chair of the Whistleblower & Qui Tam Practice, Co-Managing Partner of the Washington, D.C., office, and firmwide Co-Ombudsperson. His practice focuses on representing corporate whistleblowers who report government procurement fraud, banking misconduct, securities fraud, and other corporate malfeasance. McKnight also represents executives in high-stakes wrongful discharge and discrimination cases. Before joining Sanford Heisler Sharp, McKnight co-founded McKnight & Kennedy in 2009. He previously served as a partner at Ashcraft & Gerel, an associate at Reed Smith, and began his legal career clerking for Judge William C. Pryor on both the D.C. Court of Appeals and D.C. Superior Court.

Deborah R. Pierce CW’74, L’78 Senior Vice President & General Counsel for Integrity Staffing Solutions, Inc., delivered a presentation titled “The Evolving Workplace and the Surge in Unionization” at the Women Influence, Power in Law Conference in New Orleans. During her career Deborah has held in-house counsel positions with several Fortune 500 Companies and she was Regional Solicitor for the U. S. Department of Labor for Region III. For the last 12 years she has been at Integrity Staffing which is headquartered in Newark, Delaware. Integrity Staffing operates in 24 states and specializes in high volume seasonal staffing for major retailers, online merchandisers, and financial institutions.

1980s

Phyllis E. Bernard L’81 was appointed to succeed the late Jim Waddell as Clallam County Public Utility District (PUD) District 3 commissioner and took her oath of office on May 1 in Carlsborg, Washington. Bernard was selected in April 2024 to complete Waddell’s term, which ran until the November 2024 general election. Following her appointment, Bernard won the November 2024 election to retain the position. She also serves as an at-large commissioner for the Olympic Medical Center, a role she took on in July 2023, and previously served on the board of directors for Southwest Power Pool Inc., a nonprofit regional transmission organization, from 2003 to 2019.

Howard Yaruss L’83 joined SEDA Experts LLC as Managing Director. Yaruss brings a wealth of experience as a real estate expert, specializing in mortgage, financial guaranty, and title insurance matters. Previously, he served as Executive Vice President, General Counsel, and Chief Responsibility Officer at Radian Group Inc., where he managed mortgage and municipal risk and led engagements with regulators. Yaruss also oversaw the development of innovative real estate lien insurance and later served as Managing Director at White Mountains Insurance Group, where he focused on pioneering new approaches to title insurance. Earlier in his career, he was Assistant General Counsel at Capital Re Corporation and worked at Baker McKenzie and Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP.

David Howard L’84 has been appointed General Counsel for Disney Corporate Legal, a newly created role overseeing key functions such as antitrust, compliance, employment, legal operations, litigation, transactions, and mergers and acquisitions. Howard joined Disney in November 2024 and is based in New York City. Previously, he was a partner at Morgan, Lewis & Bockius in Seattle, where he focused on litigation and compliance. Howard spent 12 years at Microsoft, serving as Corporate Vice President and Deputy General Counsel, overseeing litigation, competition law, and compliance. Earlier in his career, he was a partner and practice group leader for White Collar and Securities Litigation at Dechert LLP, and he began his career as an Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania.

Stephen Koval L’84, WG’84 joined Blank Rome LLP as a partner in the Corporate, M&A, and Securities group in the New York office. A seasoned dealmaker with extensive experience in private equity and business transactions, Koval specializes in structuring and negotiating mergers, acquisitions, divestitures, carveouts, and recapitalizations. Previously a partner and co-head of Arnold & Porter’s global private equity practice, he has advised middle-market private equity firms, independent sponsors, sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and hedge funds. His expertise includes public and private offerings of debt and equity securities, fund formation, cross-border transactions, corporate restructuring, and governance counseling for boards of directors. With a focus on sectors such as retail, consumer goods, luxury brands, healthcare, manufacturing, and industrials, Koval will enhance Blank Rome’s Financial Services, Life Sciences, and Retail & Ecommerce industry teams.

Mary Gay Scanlon L’84 won reelection to her fourth term in the U.S. House of Representatives, representing Pennsylvania’s Fifth Congressional District, which includes portions of Philadelphia, Delaware, Montgomery, and Chester counties. First elected in 2018, Scanlon was sworn into office following a special election on November 13, 2018. She serves on the House Committee on Rules and the House Judiciary Committee, where she is the Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on the Constitution and Limited Government. Additionally, she chairs the House Caucuses on Access to Legal Aid, Youth Mentoring, and Foster Youth. Prior to her election, Scanlon was national pro bono counsel at Ballard Spahr, overseeing over 600 lawyers in providing extensive pro bono services, and she also served as an attorney at the Education Law Center.

Phillip Steck L’84 won reelection in New York’s 110th District of the State Assembly. Steck has served as the 110th District Assemblyman since 2013, holding roles as chairman of the Alcohol and Drug Abuse Committee and serving on the Health, Insurance, Judiciary, Labor, and Oversight and Investigation Committees. His professional background includes being a partner at Cooper Erving & Savage, a member of the Albany County Legislature, and an Assistant District Attorney for New York County.

Charles Wright L’84 retired on November 1, 2024, after nearly 30 years at A+E Networks, where he most recently served as Senior Vice President, Legal & Business Affairs, and Associate General Counsel. Wright joined A+E in 1995 as Counsel and progressed to Vice President & Associate General Counsel, a role he held for 26 years before his promotion in 2021. Prior to A+E, he was Counsel at The Columbia House Company from 1992 to 1995.

Steven C. Baker L’86, WG’86 was appointed executive director of Bill and Hillary Clinton National Airport (LIT) in Little Rock, effective August 6, 2024. Baker brings nearly 40 years of experience in airline, real estate, and airport management, including his executive role at the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority, where he oversaw airline affairs, procurement, risk management, and revenue innovation for Reagan National and Dulles International Airports. His career began at United Airlines, followed by a leadership role at American Airlines developing Chicago’s first international terminal. Baker also served as deputy general manager at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta and deputy aviation director at Miami International Airport.

Charles Hehmeyer L’86 was named in the National Trial Lawyers Top 100 List. The National Trial Lawyers Top 100 is an invitation-only organization composed of the premier trial lawyers from each state or region who meet stringent qualifications as civil plaintiff and/or criminal defense trial lawyers. The selection process for this elite group is based on a multi-phase process, which includes peer nominations and third-party research. Being named to the National Trial Lawyers Top 100 list is a significant honor, recognizing the exceptional skills, expertise, and achievements of the attorneys.

Ambassador Stuart E “Stu” Jones L’86 was appointed President and Chief Executive Officer of the Middle East Institute (MEI), effective January 5, 2025. Jones brings extensive experience in Middle Eastern affairs and organizational leadership, having served as U.S. Ambassador to Jordan (2011–2014) and Iraq (2014–2016) during his three-decade career with the US State Department. His tenure included roles as Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Near Eastern Affairs, Deputy Assistant Secretary in the Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs, and Deputy Chief of Mission in Baghdad and Cairo, among other assignments in Turkey, Colombia, and El Salvador. After retiring from the State Department in 2017, Jones joined Bechtel, where he served as Senior Vice President and President for Regions and Corporate Relations, overseeing global and domestic government relations.

Melinda Rudolph C’78, L’86 joined Troutman Pepper as a partner in the Health Sciences Transactional Practice Group. A highly regarded life sciences attorney with over 30 years of experience, Rudolph focuses on the commercial and operational challenges of life sciences companies, including licensing, development, and product marketing. She advises on manufacturing and distribution, university licensing, R&D collaborations, and clinical studies. Returning to the firm where she began her career, Rudolph has extensive experience in both private practice and as in-house counsel, including serving as general counsel for a publicly traded biotech company and handling multinational transactions.

Laurence “Larry” Smith L’86 joined Day Pitney LLP as a Corporate Partner in the New Jersey office. Smith’s broad transactional practice spans mergers and acquisitions, private equity, venture capital, syndicated and middle-market loans, asset recovery, and real estate joint ventures. He has notable expertise representing automobile dealers in acquisitions, financing, real estate transactions, franchise issues, and litigation. Leveraging his experience as outside general counsel, Smith also advises lenders and investors on distressed debt purchases, often as a strategy to acquire the issuing company, and represents clients in bankruptcy matters.

Bill Gabovitch L’87 was honored as a member of the inaugural class of “In-House Icons” by Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly, adding to his 2017 award as a “Leader in the Law” from the same organization. Gabovitch currently serves as U.S. general counsel for Primark. He recently completed a term as co-chair of the Boston Bar Association DEI Steering Committee, serves as co-chair of the national group JOIN for Justice, which teaches community organizing, and sits on the board of The Stone House, a domestic violence organization in Boston. Bill and his wife Lauren recently became grandparents for the first time with the birth of the future Olympic star, male model and U.S. president, Benjamin Seiden.

The Hon. Richard L. Gabriel L’87 was selected to receive the 2024 American Inns of Court “Professionalism Award” for the Tenth Circuit. Currently serving as a justice on the Colorado Supreme Court, Gabriel was appointed to this role in 2015 after serving on the Colorado Court of Appeals. Prior to his judicial appointments, he practiced in both New York and Denver, focusing on commercial, intellectual property, probate, and products liability litigation and served as city prosecutor for Lafayette, Colorado. Judge Gabriel also chairs Our Courts, a bilingual civics education program primarily aimed at adults to enhance public understanding of state and federal court systems.

Sophie L’Helias LLM’87 was named Vice President of Planning and Ideas at MEDEF, France’s largest employer federation. An experienced non-executive director across Europe, North America, and Africa, L’Helias has a background as Managing Director of a New York investment fund and as an M&A lawyer in New York and Paris. She has received numerous honors, including the ICGN Lifetime Achievement Award (2019) and the Women in Asset Management ESG Award (2019). Previously, L’Helias founded LeaderXXchange in 2015, an advisory firm integrating ESG and sustainability into leadership, governance, and investment strategies.

Vincent P. Browne L’88 joined Gibbons P.C. as a Director in the Employment & Labor Law Group. Browne brings extensive experience in employment law compliance, dispute resolution, and corporate investigations, with a focus on the financial services industry. He previously served as Chief Legal Officer, Employment and Labor, at Prudential Insurance Company of America, overseeing employment law functions across the company and its affiliates. Before that, Browne led the Employment Law practice for UBS Wealth Management Americas Division as Senior Deputy General Counsel and Managing Director. His career also includes experience as a partner in private practice, representing employers in employment-related matters.

Michele Berman Golkow L’88 joined the Jewish Federation of Southern New Jersey (JFSNJ) as the Director of the Combinator Program. This incubator and accelerator initiative aims to support the Federation and its agencies in developing new programs, services, and initiatives for the community. Golkow joined JFSNJ in November 2023 after a career in employee benefits law, including time at Ballard Spahr in Philadelphia. A dedicated community leader, she is a vice president of the Cherry Hill Township Council and has held leadership roles as president of Temple Beth Sholom and Jewish Family and Children’s Services of Southern New Jersey, where she remains on the Advisory Council.

John Patrick Groarke L’88 received the Distinguished Presidential Rank Award for his work as one of America’s most senior diplomats and the Joint Civilian Service Commendation Medal from the Office of the Joint Chiefs of Staff for his work with the Department of Defense. A member of the U.S. Senior Foreign Service with the Rank of Career Minister, John is responsible for leading a staff of almost 1,000 foreign service officers and other professionals from 22 U.S. government agencies in Southern Africa. Previously, John was Mission Director for the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) in Pakistan. He has also served as Mission Director for USAID in Haiti, Morocco, Egypt, and Iraq, and held other diplomatic positions in Afghanistan, Senegal, and Bangladesh.

Christopher Rayl L’88 joined Cozen O’Connor’s Public and Project Finance practice as a member, based in the Pittsburgh office. With over 30 years of experience, Rayl focuses on financing and refinancing for government, nonprofit, and private entities, particularly in sectors like healthcare and higher education. He represents hospital groups, universities, and other nonprofits as bond counsel, underwriter’s counsel, or lender’s counsel on significant transactions. Formerly with Eckert Seamans, Rayl has been recognized annually in The Best Lawyers in America since 2013. A seasoned public finance attorney, Rayl is an active member of the National Association of Bond Lawyers and the Pennsylvania Association of Bond Lawyers.

Jill R. Whitelaw L’88 joined the Managed Funds Association (MFA) as Vice President and Senior Counsel, Regulatory Affairs. With her extensive experience in the alternative asset management industry, Whitelaw will enhance MFA’s regulatory advocacy efforts in the United States and globally. Most recently, she served as Executive Director at Morgan Stanley Investment Management, where she managed a range of legal and regulatory matters. Previously, she held senior legal roles at Lincoln National Life, New York Life, Merrill Lynch, Gartmore Global Investments (Nationwide Insurance), PNC Bank, and Ballard Spahr.

Timothy Davis C’85, G’86, L’89 was named Managing Partner of White and Williams LLP, effective January 1, 2024. A seasoned real estate finance attorney, Davis has over 25 years of experience representing investment funds, insurance companies, and banks in transactions including mortgage and mezzanine loans, preferred equity investments, and loan restructurings. He has held several leadership roles at the firm, including Chair of the Business Department, Co-Chair of the Real Estate and Finance Practice, and Chair of the Strategic Planning Committee, and now supports the firm’s 200 attorneys across ten offices while continuing to serve his clients.

Eric Friedman L’89 retired at the end of 2024 after a distinguished 35-year tenure at Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP. He is stepping into advisory roles with legal tech companies Litera and Ironclad. As Skadden’s Chair and Executive Partner from 2009 to 2024, Friedman guided the firm through a period of significant growth and innovation, earning recognition as one of the most influential law firm leaders by The National Law Journal and helping Skadden secure accolades such as Financial Times’ most innovative law firm in North America. Throughout his tenure, Friedman advised on landmark transactions for major clients like Citigroup, Nasdaq, and Deutsche Bank AG.

Patricia Menéndez Cambó L’89 was appointed General Counsel at I Squared Capital. With over 30 years of experience, Patricia is a trusted advisor for global companies and private equity funds, specializing in corporate governance and corporate transactions with a focus on banking and fintech, technology, telecommunications, and media. She joins I Squared from SoftBank Group, where she served as Managing Partner and Deputy General Counsel, as well as a Board Member and General Counsel for the SoftBank Latin America Fund and SB Opportunity Fund, and was on the Board and Investment Committee of SBLA. Previously, she was Vice Chair at Greenberg Traurig, where she held numerous leadership roles, and she also served as Subdirector General and General Counsel for several subsidiaries at Telefonica S.A.

William B. Petersen L’89 was appointed Executive Vice President and Chief Legal Officer (CLO) at Syniverse. In this role, Petersen leads Syniverse’s global legal team, focusing on compliance, contract negotiation and execution, risk management, and corporate governance. Previously, Petersen served as General Counsel, Corporate Secretary, and later Chief Operating Officer at the Philadelphia Museum of Art. Before that, he spent nearly two decades at Verizon and Verizon Wireless, where he held various strategic and legal positions, ultimately serving as Senior Vice President and Deputy General Counsel for Litigation and General Counsel of Verizon Wireless.

1990s

Randall Humm L’91, WG’92 has completed 30 years of service with the U.S. Department of Justice in Washington, D.C., and 35 years of federal service overall. While at DOJ he has participated in numerous nationally significant litigated matters and internal investigations. His other federal service includes positions with the Peace Corps in Africa, the Federal Courts, the State Department, and the U.S. military’s Rule of Law Field Force in Afghanistan. Randall is married to Nancy Green WG’91, whom he met while pursuing an MBA at the Wharton School. They have been married 32 years, have two grown children, and reside in Arlington, Virginia.

The Hon. Michael R. Wilner L’91 joined JAMS as an arbitrator, mediator, neutral evaluator, discovery referee, and special master in the Los Angeles and Century City Resolution Centers, following 13 years as a U.S. Magistrate Judge in the Central District of California. Known for his expertise in complex intellectual property and patent cases, Judge Wilner handled numerous settlement conferences, discovery motions, and trials on the bench, leading the Central District in jury and bench trials by consent. With 30 years of federal service, he brings extensive experience in litigation, having worked as a trial attorney, appellate lawyer, and investigator.

Lourdes Fuentes L’92 was honored by the American Bar Association as a “2024 Women of Legal Tech Honoree.” As the Founder and CEO of Karta Legal, a legal operations and practice management consultancy, Lourdes brings over 25 years of experience as a law firm partner, CEO, and legal tech entrepreneur. Through Karta Legal, she addresses the challenges law firms and legal departments face in technology innovation. Her integrated approach to legal tech guides clients through transformative changes, creating custom tech ecosystems that streamline workflows, enhance productivity, and foster innovation across the legal service delivery process.

Peter Jones L’92 has been named the 2025 “Lawyer of the Year” by Best Lawyers in America for Labor Law– Management, an honor awarded to only one lawyer per practice area in each city. Jones, previously recognized with this title in 2022, is an attorney at Bond, Schoeneck & King, PLLC, where he counsels and represents employers in employment litigation, wage and hour proceedings, union organizing campaigns, unfair labor practice proceedings, collective bargaining negotiations, labor arbitrations, strikes and picketing situations, and discrimination claims. He also advises municipalities in labor matters, including proceedings before PERB and compulsory interest arbitration under New York’s Taylor Law.

Andrew J. Merken L’92 has joined Polsinelli’s Boston office as a shareholder, bringing extensive experience in venture capital, corporate, M&A, and securities law. He advises clients across the business lifecycle, from startups through growth and exit stages, with a strong focus on the life sciences sector, including biotech, medical devices, and digital health. His addition supports Polsinelli’s growing Venture Capital & Emerging Growth Companies Practice and Life Sciences Team. Previously co-chair of the Life Sciences and Securities & Capital Markets practices at a Boston firm, Merken also represents venture capital funds, angel investors, and investment banks in public offerings, private placements, and M&A transactions, serving clients in diverse industries such as energy, consulting, real estate, and professional services.

Cynthia Randall L’93, Deputy General Counsel for Litigation at Microsoft, was appointed as a Council Member for the International Chamber of Commerce Institute of World Business Law. Randall, named the International Institute for Conflict Prevention and Resolution (CPR) Partner of the Year for 2023, is recognized for her outstanding contributions to dispute prevention and resolution. At Microsoft, she leads a team managing class actions, commercial litigation, regulatory investigations, and international arbitrations, while also serving on the company’s Pro Bono Steering Committee. With 28 years of complex litigation experience at companies like Verizon and Cigna, as well as law firms such as Dechert LLP and Saul Ewing LLP, Randall is also active on various committees, including Lawyers for Civil Justice’s Class Action Committee and the U.S. Chamber Litigation Center’s Liability Reform Committee.

The Hon. Dana Gershengorn L’94 was appointed Chief Justice of the Massachusetts Juvenile Court for a five-year term, effective June 29, 2024. Judge Gershengorn, who has served in the Juvenile Court since 2009, succeeded Chief Justice Amy L. Nechtem upon her retirement. Prior to her appointment, Gershengorn was active member of several committees, including the Supreme Judicial Court Advisory Committee on Massachusetts Evidence Law, and co-chaired the Trial Court’s Innovation Grant Committee. Gershengorn began her legal career as an assistant district attorney in Middlesex County, focusing on child abuse cases. She later held roles in the Massachusetts Attorney General’s Environmental Protection Division, served as a trial attorney in the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, and returned to Massachusetts as an Assistant U.S. Attorney, where she was deputy chief of the Major Crimes Unit, overseeing federal child exploitation prosecutions.

Antony Klapper L’94 was promoted to General Counsel of Volkswagen Group of America, where he will oversee all legal matters for the U.S. operations of the German automaker. In this role, Klapper leads the legal team and manage functions across corporate, intellectual property, product liability, regulatory affairs, privacy, cybersecurity, sales, and marketing. With Volkswagen for seven years, Klapper previously served as Deputy General Counsel for Product Liability and Regulatory Affairs, focusing on defending the company’s interests and supporting new technology initiatives. Before joining Volkswagen, Klapper was Managing Director of a trial consulting company and spent over 20 years as a litigator for major auto manufacturers at two global law firms.

Anthony Picione L’95 has been appointed Acting Warren County Prosecutor. Since 2020, Picione has served as Deputy Director of the Office of Public Integrity and Accountability (OPIA) within the New Jersey Division of Criminal Justice. An Assistant Attorney General with the Division since 1999, he previously held roles as Deputy Chief and Chief of the Corruption and Government Fraud Bureau for over a decade. Picione specializes in white-collar crime, focusing on public corruption and misuse of public funds, and has prosecuted numerous high-profile cases in these areas.

Myla Reizen L’95 rejoined Jones Walker LLP as a partner in the Corporate Practice Group and a member of the Healthcare Industry Team, based in the Miami office. With a focus on healthcare regulatory matters, Reizen brings extensive experience in government and internal investigations, complex regulatory issues, and compliance programs. Her practice includes representing clients from various sectors of the healthcare industry in investigations and proceedings before state and federal agencies, including the Department of Justice. She advises on traditional and emerging issues such as medical necessity, physician arrangements, the False Claims Act, Anti-Kickback Statute, Stark Law, health equity, rural healthcare, telehealth, and drug diversion strategies.

Horace Anderson W’91, L’96, Dean of the Elisabeth Haub School of Law at Pace University, was recently honored with the Vernon E. Jordan, Jr. Award for Civil Rights at Westchester County’s 2024 Trailblazers Awards Ceremony. This award recognizes individuals who have made significant contributions to African American history and culture within Westchester County and beyond. Appointed in December 2019 as the ninth dean of Haub Law, Anderson was celebrated for his professional achievements and dedication to community service, exemplified by initiatives like the Access to Justice project, civic education for youth, and expanded legal services through the Law School’s centers and clinics. The Trailblazers ceremony, held as part of Westchester County’s Black History Month celebration, took place at SUNY Westchester Community College’s Gateway Center.

Mark B. Elefante L’96 was named Managing Partner of Hemenway & Barnes LLP. Elefante, who joined the firm in 1999 and became a partner in 2006, previously chaired the Business Law and Real Estate Group and served on the Management Committee. As Managing Partner, he will continue his fiduciary and real estate practices, where he serves as a private fiduciary for family trusts and advises on real estate and business law. Recognized on the Massachusetts Super Lawyers and Best Lawyers in America lists, Elefante has also contributed to MCLE’s publications on commercial and residential real estate. He is a board member of Fenway High School and the Boch Center.

Peter Bober L’97 was appointed by the White House to the Board of Visitors of the U.S. Coast Guard Academy, effective June 2024. Formerly the Mayor of Hollywood, Florida, Bober was the city’s first Hispanic (Cuban) and youngest mayor, overseeing a workforce of nearly 1,500 employees and managing a budget of over half a billion dollars. In his 16 years of public service, Bober focused on fiscal policy, public safety, education, and infrastructure. He has also served on the Federal Fort Lauderdale Courthouse Committee, the Broward County Tourism Development Council, and as Chairman of both the Broward County Workforce Development Board and Hollywood Community Redevelopment Agency. A practicing attorney with nearly 27 years of experience, Bober litigates federal employment claims and is a certified civil court mediator.

Esther Lander L’97 has joined Orrick Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP as a partner in its Washington, D.C., office, in their employment practice. A prominent employment litigator, Lander focuses on complex discrimination claims and high-stakes government investigations. Previously with Akin and having served as Principal Deputy Chief of the Employment Litigation Section in the DOJ’s Civil Rights Division, she brings extensive experience representing major tech companies and Fortune 500 firms in systemic discrimination cases involving the EEOC, DOJ, Department of Labor, and OFCCP. At DOJ, Lander directed a national civil rights litigation program, leading systemic discrimination enforcement actions and investigations. She now advises corporate clients on compliance with EEOC and OFCCP regulations, pay equity, and DEI initiatives.

Leslie E. Levin L’97 joined Hinman, Howard & Kattell as a partner in the White Plains office. Levin is a member of the Wills, Trusts, & Estates, Elder Law & Guardianships, and Not-for-Profit Corporations & Foundations practice groups. She focuses on estate planning, probate, trust administration, tax planning, Medicaid planning, and elder law, helping clients with tax-efficient wealth preservation and family business continuity. Additionally, Levin supports litigators with strategy and expertise in trusts and estates litigation and assists with real estate and partnership transfers, as well as establishing and dissolving not-for-profit organizations.

Priscilla J. “Sally” Mattison L’97, Of Counsel to Bernard M. Resnick, Esq., P.C., gave a presentation entitled “Protect Your Music: Copyright Law & the Impact of AI on Intellectual Property” at Lebanon Valley College’s 2024 VALE Media Industries Conference.

Jessica Sklute L’97 has joined Manatt, Phelps & Phillips, LLP as a partner in the New York office, bringing extensive experience in consumer financial services law to the firm’s regulatory team. Specializing in payments systems, Sklute advises banks, fintechs, and other financial institutions on compliance, regulatory diligence, money transmission laws, and strategic transactions. She assists clients with new product development, joint marketing, sponsorships, and outsourcing arrangements. Sklute also has substantial experience working with federal and state regulators on compliance and banking applications for acquisitions, divestitures, and business expansions, bolstering Manatt’s capabilities in serving national banks, state banks, and industrial loan companies.

Joseph Glatt L’98 has joined Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP as a partner in the Corporate Department in New York. Previously, Glatt was partner and general counsel for Apollo Global Management’s credit arm, where he focused on balance sheet investing, strategy, product innovation, capital formation, and various debt and equity investments. With over a decade at Apollo, Glatt also served as Chief Legal Officer and director for multiple investment platforms, advising on corporate governance, regulatory issues, and strategic matters. He began his career in mergers and acquisitions at two major law firms.

Aliza Karetnick L’98 joined Morgan Lewis as a partner in its Litigation practice in Philadelphia, enhancing the firm’s capabilities in trial, business disputes, and crisis management. Formerly with Ballard Spahr, where she led the commercial litigation and dispute resolution group, Karetnick brings extensive experience representing clients in complex commercial, class action, and government enforcement litigation. She advises companies in the personal care, cosmetics, flavor, and food industries on governance, compliance, and claim substantiation, representing a range of clients from large brands to emerging companies.

Dennis Kerbel L’98 joined Akerman LLP’s national Real Estate Practice Group as Chair of its Florida Land Use and Entitlements Practice, bringing over 21 years of experience from the Miami-Dade County Attorney’s Office, where he served as Chief of the Zoning, Land Use, and Environment Section since 2015. A seasoned litigator with trial and appellate experience in federal and state courts, Kerbel handles cases involving comprehensive plan challenges, zoning appeals, enforcement actions, and inverse condemnation and federal civil rights claims. At Miami-Dade County, he advised on planning, zoning, environmental, historic preservation, and code enforcement matters, drafted major legislation, and represented the County in state and federal courts.

Mark Ferraro C’94, L’99 was appointed Chief Operating Officer at River North Communications and CEO of RN Labs, advancing the company’s strategic growth in communications and technology. As COO, Ferraro will manage daily operations and drive strategic initiatives, leveraging his extensive background in operational leadership and business development. At RN Labs, he will lead in developing innovative, tech-driven marketing solutions. Ferraro brings a strong foundation in fintech and legal technology from his recent role as Head of Technology Vendor Management at a Wall Street firm and his previous work at JP Morgan, where he led pioneering projects in natural language processing and AI.

Brandon Moore L’99 was promoted to the additional role of President at Gaming and Leisure Properties, Inc. (GLPI), while retaining his position as Chief Operating Officer. Moore, who joined GLPI near its inception in 2014 as Senior Vice President and General Counsel, has been instrumental in the company’s growth. Previously, he served as Vice President and Senior Corporate Counsel at Penn National Gaming (now PENN Entertainment), overseeing transactional, regulatory, and general legal matters. Before that, he was Of Counsel at Ballard Spahr LLP, advising clients on a wide range of legal, compliance, and regulatory issues.

Simon Nagel L’99 joined Fisher Phillips as Of Counsel in Philadelphia, expanding the firm’s eDiscovery and Digital Workplace team. Nagel brings extensive experience in managing eDiscovery for employment-related litigation, providing companies with practical legal guidance and customized, defensible workflows. Prior to this, he served at an AmLaw 50 firm in Washington, D.C., where he led eDiscovery efforts in high-stakes litigation and government investigations. His background includes roles at two other AmLaw 100 firms, where he advised on eDiscovery requirements, managed cross-functional teams, and implemented best practices.

Jordana “Jordy” H. Feldman C’97, L’00 joined JAMS as a member of its panel, bringing extensive expertise in the design and administration of high-profile victim compensation programs and as a seasoned alternative dispute resolution (ADR) practitioner. Feldman recently served as the independent administrator of the Epstein Victims’ Compensation Program, overseeing claims, conducting confidential hearings, and distributing nearly $125 million to eligible victims. She was also deputy special master for the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund, where she handled eligibility and compensation for thousands of claims. Based in the New York Resolution Center, Feldman will serve as a special master, neutral evaluator, and mediator for cases in areas including class action, personal injury, commercial disputes, and insurance. Earlier in her career, she was counsel in the Complex ADR group at Dickstein Shapiro, where she advised on complex settlements and mass claims resolution programs.

2000s

David Leibowitz C’93, L’00 was confirmed as a judge for the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida on February 27, 2024, following his nomination on November 1, 2023. Before joining the court, Leibowitz served as corporate counsel for Braman Management Association in Miami, where he held roles as secretary and general counsel. His career includes clerking for Associate Justice Robert Flanders of the Rhode Island Supreme Court serving as an assistant district attorney in Middlesex County, Massachusetts and as an assistant U.S. attorney in the Southern District of New York.

Clint Narver L’00 joined McGuireWoods as a partner in the firm’s Government Investigations & White Collar Litigation Department in Washington, D.C. Narver brings extensive experience in FDA regulatory compliance and enforcement, drawing on his roles as a federal prosecutor at the U.S. Department of Justice and associate chief counsel at the FDA. Most recently, he served as an assistant director of the DOJ’s Consumer Protection Branch, where he managed federal Food, Drug & Cosmetic Act enforcement. His prior experience includes handling FDA-related corporate criminal investigations and advising on healthcare fraud, abuse control, and FDA criminal investigations.

Lauren Ormsbee (née McMillen) L’00 has joined Labaton Keller Sucharow LLP’s New York office as a Litigation Team Leader in the Securities Litigation Practice Group. Ormsbee will focus on prosecuting complex securities fraud cases on behalf of institutional investors worldwide, taking an active role in managing significant securities matters. Previously a Partner at Bernstein Litowitz Berger & Grossmann LLP, she was involved in major trial actions and also served as an Associate at Paul Weiss Rifkind Wharton & Garrison LLP. Ormsbee began her career as a Law Clerk to the Hon. Colleen McMahon, former Chief Judge of the Southern District of New York, and currently serves as Co-Chair of the NYC Bar Association’s Securities Litigation Committee.

Katherine Page L’00 has been promoted to Counsel at Latham & Watkins in Los Angeles. A member of the Banking Practice and Finance Department, she represents banks and private credit funds as lenders in leveraged finance and private capital transactions, focusing on mergers, acquisitions, and capital structure refinancings.

Elizabeth “Liz” Ray L’00 has joined Saxton & Stump as senior counsel in the firm’s Investigations and Criminal Defense Group, based in its Philadelphia office. A former assistant United States attorney for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, Ray brings extensive experience in civil and criminal forfeiture, money laundering cases, and complex appeals before the Third Circuit Court. Prior to her government role, she spent 15 years in private practice focused on healthcare litigation and intellectual property law, where she advised pharmaceutical companies on regulatory compliance and defended them in national product liability, consumer fraud, and securities fraud cases.

Julia Hesse L’01, GG’01 has joined Holland & Knight as a partner in its Healthcare Regulatory & Enforcement Practice in Boston. Formerly a partner and co-chair of the healthcare group at Choate, Hall & Stewart, Hesse brings extensive experience advising physicians, clinicians, and healthcare investors on the formation and growth of management companies across various specialties, including dental practices, women’s health, fertility, and dermatology. She has particular expertise in representing fertility providers in complex regulatory and transactional matters and guiding investors through structural and regulatory issues in the dental sector.

Jamilah Jefferson L’01 was appointed as a judge in the Alameda County Superior Court in California. Jefferson has served as Supervising Deputy City Attorney in the Oakland City Attorney’s Office since 2019, holding various roles there since 2012, including Senior Deputy City Attorney and Deputy City Attorney. Previously, she was a Research Attorney at the Alameda County Superior Court from 2006 to 2012, an Associate at Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld and Orrick Herrington & Sutcliffe, and a Law Clerk for the Hon. Andre M. Davis at the U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit.

Jennifer MacNaughton L’01, CGS’04 was named Divisional Deputy City Solicitor in the Appeals Unit at the Law Department for the City of Philadelphia. Jennifer joined the City’s Law Department in 2017 as a Senior Attorney and brings significant expertise in appellate and complex litigation. Before her work with the City, she practiced antitrust and commercial litigation at Berger & Montague, PC.

Josh Sterling L’01 joined Milbank LLP in July 2024 as a partner in Washington, D.C., where is enhancing the firm’s Litigation & Arbitration, Derivatives, and White Collar Defense & Investigations practices. A former senior official at the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), Sterling brings extensive experience in regulatory and enforcement matters, focusing on derivatives, financial market infrastructure, and cryptocurrency. He regularly assists major derivatives exchanges, fintech enterprises, and market participants with regulatory approvals and strategic business initiatives, as well as representing clients in investigations by the CFTC, SEC, and National Futures Association. As Director of the CFTC’s Market Participants Division from 2019 to 2021, he oversaw over 3,300 registered entities, led examination and rulemaking efforts, and executed impactful enforcement actions, earning the CFTC Chairman’s Award for Excellence in Management.

Thomas Sullivan L’01, GR’03 was appointed managing partner of Shook, Hardy & Bacon’s Boston office in January 2024. His litigation practice focuses on high-profile commercial and tort litigation, including class actions, particularly in the life sciences and healthcare sectors. Sullivan joined Shook in 2018 after a decade as a partner at a large international law firm in Philadelphia and will now split his time between Boston and Philadelphia.

Emily M. Thall L’01 has joined Brown Rudnick as chief marketing and business development officer (CMBDO), based in the firm’s New York office. Thall will oversee the firm’s business development, marketing, public relations, and communications efforts. With 20 years of experience in legal marketing, she previously served as CMBDO at Kasowitz Benson Torres for nearly a decade and held senior roles at other prominent firms, including Debevoise & Plimpton. A former corporate lawyer with experience at Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer in London and New York, Thall also maintains an active pro bono practice focused on immigration matters.

Jennifer Zepralka L’01 joined Mayer Brown as a partner in its Public Companies & Corporate Governance practice. Formerly Chief of the Office of Small Business Policy at the SEC’s Division of Corporation Finance, Zepralka brings deep regulatory experience, including key roles in implementing the Dodd-Frank and JOBS Acts. At the SEC, she oversaw capital-raising exemptions and played a central role in rulemaking, such as the pay versus performance disclosure rules and amendments to the SPAC framework. In private practice, Zepralka has advised public and private companies on capital raising, disclosure, and governance issues.

Christine Docherty L’02 was appointed vice president and deputy general counsel at the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas, effective September 2024. In her role, Docherty manages the Dallas Fed’s legal department, provide regulatory counsel, and oversees compliance while setting the strategic direction for the department. She joins from Goodwin Procter, where she handled regulatory and transactional matters for U.S. and international financial institutions. Docherty’s previous roles include partner at Nutter McClennen & Fish, attorney-advisor in the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of General Counsel, where she supported pandemic economic recovery programs, and associate general counsel at the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston.

Meredith Mackey L’02 joined Weil’s Banking & Finance practice as a partner from Fried Frank, where she advised institutional lenders, direct lenders, and underwriters on a range of bank finance and securities transactions, with a particular focus on leveraged loans, high-yield debt, acquisition financings, and restructurings. Previously a Vice President in the Loan Negotiations Group at Goldman Sachs, Mackey brings significant experience in direct lending markets, including second lien, mezzanine, and subordinated financings, with clients spanning industries such as healthcare, technology, natural resources, and industrials. Recognized by Chambers USA and Legal 500, Mackey was named to Crain’s New York Business’s list of “100 Notable Women” in 2021.

Akita Adkins L’03 joined Steptoe LLP as of counsel in its growing SEC Enforcement practice in Washington, DC, following a 14-year tenure with the Securities and Exchange Commission’s Division of Enforcement. During her time at the SEC, Adkins led numerous investigations involving public companies, accounting firms, and investment advisers. As a long-serving member of the FCPA unit, she handled high-profile cases involving multi-national corporations, collaborating closely with the Department of Justice and foreign regulators. Prior to the SEC, Adkins spent seven years at international law firms, representing clients in complex SEC investigations.

Adam Burk L’03 was appointed Global Treasurer and Head of Corporate Development at American International Group, Inc. (AIG). Reporting to Sabra Purtill, AIG’s Executive Vice President and CFO, Burk will manage global treasury functions, including capital management, banking relations, and liquidity management, in addition to his responsibilities with the Corporate Development and Strategy team. Since June 2021, Burk has served as AIG’s Head of Corporate Development, Strategy, and Mergers & Acquisitions, holding previous leadership roles as CFO of Global Operations and in capital strategy. Burk joined AIG in 2013 from investment banking and previously practiced corporate law at Latham & Watkins.

Joshua S. Cohen C’01, L’03 joined Norton Rose Fulbright’s Chicago office as a partner. He advises on the formation, structuring, and maintenance of a range of private funds, including hedge funds, private equity, credit funds, and hybrid vehicles. He also provides strategic counsel to asset management firms on seed capital transactions, minority and majority investments, acquisitions, and dispositions. Previously, Cohen served as Managing Director and General Counsel at Highbridge Capital Management and as Global Head of Alternatives Legal for JPMorgan Asset and Wealth Management. He was most recently a partner at Kirkland & Ellis and Sidley Austin.

Richard “Rick” Maletsky L’03 joined Hilco Global as Executive Vice President and General Counsel in January 2024. In this role, Maletsky serves as the company’s chief legal advisor, overseeing all legal functions across corporate, commercial, and regulatory areas as a key member of Hilco Global’s executive management team. He brings extensive experience from his previous roles as EVP and General Counsel at Newmark Group, Inc., and as VP and Assistant General Counsel at Cantor Fitzgerald. Rick lives in Highland Park, IL, with his wife, Heidi Sachs L’03, a partner at Sullivan Wolf Kailus, and their three children, David, Max, and Hannah.

Marie L. Mathews L’03 was appointed managing member of Chiesa Shahinian & Giantomasi (CSG Law). As managing member, Mathews will lead the firm’s 200 attorneys and 150 professionals across its Roseland headquarters and growing Manhattan office. Previously, she held roles as Practice Group Leader of the Litigation Group and Deputy General Counsel, while representing clients in complex commercial litigation. Mathews also serves as president of the Greater Newark Holiday Fund, which has contributed over $12 million to support families in New Jersey.

Jodi Rosensaft L’03 has joined Alliant Insurance Services as Managing Director, Advisory Leader­-Representation & Warranties Insurance for Alliant Specialty in the Mergers & Acquisitions (M&A) vertical. Based in New York, Rosensaft will provide global clients with strategies to manage risk in M&A transactions, focusing on representation and warranties (R&W) insurance. With over 20 years of experience, she previously served as Transactional Risk Chief Strategy Officer for North America at an international brokerage firm and practiced as an M&A and corporate attorney with a major New York law firm.

Nicole Isaac L’04 was appointed by former President Biden in May 2024 to serve as a Commissioner on the President’s Commission on White House Fellowships. The White House Fellows program, founded in 1964, is one of America’s most prestigious leadership and public service initiatives, offering exceptional individuals first-hand experience working at the highest levels of the federal government. Fellows, selected on a non-partisan basis, typically serve as full-time, paid advisors to senior White House staff, Cabinet Secretaries, and other top-ranking officials.

Darren LaVerne L’04 joined Gibson Dunn’s Litigation Practice Group as a partner in the firm’s New York office. A member of the Trials, White Collar Defense and Investigations, Securities Enforcement, Litigation, and Appellate and Constitutional Law practices, Darren brings extensive experience as a former federal prosecutor. From 2010 to 2016, he served in the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York, where he led successful prosecutions in cases involving wire fraud, bank fraud, tax fraud, bribery, money laundering, racketeering, and environmental crimes. He also represented the government in appellate cases before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit.

Jennifer Leonard L’04 has been honored as a “2024 Women of Legal Tech Honoree” by the American Bar Association. As the Founder of Creative Lawyers, Jen supports law firms, corporate legal departments, and courts in modernizing their practices. She collaborates with leaders to foster innovative cultures and develop adaptive strategies in a rapidly evolving legal landscape. Her work includes leading design thinking workshops, facilitating innovation challenges, delivering keynote speeches, offering strategic guidance, creating Generative AI educational content, and designing events that help lawyers reflect on and advance their careers.

Jennifer B. Zourigui L’04 joined Tarter Krinsky & Drogin LLP as a partner in the firm’s Litigation and Labor & Employment practices. An experienced commercial litigator, Zourigui handles complex litigation in both federal and state courts, as well as in arbitration and mediation. She represents clients in business disputes, employment issues, real estate litigation, and creditors’ rights matters in bankruptcy court, including preferential payment claims and proceedings related to the rejection of executory contracts and leases. Additionally, Zourigui advises clients on employment matters, such as drafting employment agreements, conducting internal investigations, and enforcing non-compete and non-solicitation agreements.

Javier Alvarez L’05 has been ranked in the 2024 edition of Chambers & Partners USA, an annual listing of the leading law firms and attorneys in the world. This is the fifth consecutive year that Alvarez has been recognized by Chambers USA for Banking & Finance and he made his debut in the category of Corporate/M&A & Private Equity for Florida: South.

Benjamin H. Field L’05 was appointed County Solicitor for Montgomery County, effective April 15, 2024. He brings seven years of experience as Chief Deputy City Solicitor for Philadelphia’s Affirmative and Special Litigation Unit, along with prior roles at local law firms. Field is skilled in impact litigation, constitutional and commercial disputes, class actions, election law, and alternative dispute resolution, with experience leading high-profile cases such as opioid litigation and collaborating on local government priorities.

John S. Ghose L’05 joined Baker Donelson as special counsel in the firm’s Atlanta office. Ghose represents corporate and individual clients before regulatory agencies, including the DOJ, SEC, and state attorneys general. An experienced trial attorney, he has first-chaired eight federal jury trials and second-chaired three, with successful appellate defenses. Ghose specializes in emerging technologies like cryptocurrency, blockchain, and AI, and has presented on these topics globally. He also advises on data security incidents, including ransomware and network intrusions, and assists with privacy compliance across various laws, including the CCPA, HIPAA, GDPR, and others.

Ejim Achi C’02, L’06 has been promoted to Co-Chair of Greenberg Traurig LLP’s Global Corporate Practice, while continuing in his roles as Co-Chair of the Private Equity Practice, Co-Managing Shareholder of the New York office, and Co-Chair of the New York Corporate Practice. Achi, who also serves on the firm’s Executive Committee, represents private equity sponsors in buyouts, mergers, acquisitions, divestitures, joint ventures, and restructurings across various sectors, with a focus on technology, healthcare, business services, consumer goods, industrials, hospitality, and infrastructure.

Tomasz Kulawik LLM’06, L’08 joined Vedder Price as a Shareholder in the firm’s Washington, D.C., office. With over 15 years of experience, Kulawik will bolster the firm’s Finance & Transactions practice group on the East Coast, focusing on leveraged finance, acquisition financings, asset-based lending, and refinancings. He also brings expertise in investment-grade finance and restructuring, both in and out of court. Prior to joining Vedder Price, Kulawik was a partner at Shearman & Sterling LLP.

Gabrielle Levin C’02, L’06 joined Mayer Brown’s New York office as a partner and co-leader of the firm’s Employment Litigation & Counseling practice. A seasoned trial lawyer with nearly two decades of experience, Levin defends corporate clients in a range of employment and complex commercial litigation matters, including whistleblower protection, discrimination and retaliation claims, executive compensation disputes, and wage and hour class actions. She has first-chaired federal jury trials and led employer defenses in arbitrations. Levin joins Mayer Brown from Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher.

Kyle Mach L’06 joined the Federal Trade Commission as a Deputy Director of the Bureau of Competition. Formerly a partner at Munger, Tolles & Olson (MTO), Mach brings extensive experience in antitrust litigation, including high-profile matters and jury trials. At MTO, he notably played a key role in Steves & Sons v. JELD-WEN, achieving the first-ever divestiture remedy for a private plaintiff under Section 7 of the Clayton Act. Additionally, he advised on major transactions such as Intel’s $9 billion sale of its NAND flash memory business to SK Hynix. Before MTO, Mach was with Cravath, Swaine & Moore LLP and served as a law clerk to Judge Ronald M. Gould on the Ninth Circuit. In his new role at the FTC, he joins the leadership team overseeing 375 attorneys and professionals dedicated to enforcing the nation’s antitrust laws.

Shane Milam L’06 was promoted to partner at Paul Weiss in the Tax Department. Shane advises a diverse range of private investment funds, including private equity, hedge, hybrid, distressed, credit, co-investment, and secondary funds, on U.S. tax matters related to fund formation, acquisitions, dispositions, restructurings, and GP-led secondary transactions. He also has significant cross-border experience, counseling private funds and public and private companies on cross-border mergers, acquisitions, spin-offs, financings, and derivatives transactions.

Katherine Minarik C’98, L’06 was appointed Chief Legal Officer at Uniswap Labs, overseeing the company’s legal and policy initiatives. Minarik joined Uniswap in June 2024 after serving as Vice President and Deputy General Counsel at Coinbase, where she managed global litigation, investigations, IP, and employment legal matters. She has led high-profile litigation strategies, including cases argued before the U.S. Supreme Court. Prior to Coinbase, Minarik held roles as General Counsel Americas for Dyson, Chief Administrative Officer and Global General Counsel at Cleverbridge, and was a partner at Bartlit Beck. She also has experience as a McKinsey consultant and clerked for the the Hon. Diane P. Wood on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit.

Steve Park L’06, co-leader of Ballard Spahr’s national Infrastructure practice, was honored by City & State PA as a 2024 Building and Infrastructure Trailblazer, recognized as “one of the most influential Pennsylvanians in the key sectors of building and infrastructure.” His selection highlights his role in groundbreaking infrastructure transactions, including serving as counsel to the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation for its Major Bridge P3 Project and advising Amtrak on the redevelopment of 30th Street Station in Philadelphia.

Craig Phillips L’06 joined King & Spalding as a partner in its Corporate practice group, based in the New York office. A tax lawyer with extensive experience, Phillips advises private funds and corporations on complex M&A transactions, including joint ventures, acquisitions, dispositions, and debt workouts. He has a strong focus on renewable energy, handling tax-equity financing for wind and solar projects and working on investments in renewable natural gas and carbon capture. Phillips also assists private equity and infrastructure firms with strategic investments, fund structures, and carry plans. He previously worked at PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC), where he advised on energy and infrastructure transactions and provided tax guidance across industries.

Eliana Kaimowitz L’07 has been appointed Director of the Office of Equity at the California Department of Social Services, where she has been Branch Chief of the Immigration Integration Branch since 2019 and was a Bureau Chief and Legal Fellow from 2018 to 2019.

Floriane Lavaud LLM’07 joined Withers as a Senior Equity Partner in its New York office, strengthening the firm’s Arbitration Practice. Previously with Debevoise & Plimpton, Lavaud brings nearly 20 years of experience in international arbitration, public international law, and cross-border litigation, with a particular focus on the Middle East. She has represented sovereign states, state-owned entities, and multinational corporations in high-profile cases across various jurisdictions, including appearances before the International Court of Justice. Lavaud also advises sovereign wealth funds, private equity, and hedge funds on Middle East investments.

Issa K. Moe L’07 rejoined Moss & Barnett, bringing extensive experience from his recent role as General Counsel for ACA International, a trade association for the accounts receivable management industry. Moe focuses on litigation, compliance, risk management, and general business matters. He advises clients on compliance with consumer financial laws and regulations, including the FDCPA, FCRA, and TCPA, and represents them in class action litigation and regulatory actions. Moe’s in-house experience as General Counsel and Chief Compliance Officer has equipped him with expertise in building compliance management systems, handling audits and examinations, and managing diverse corporate legal matters. He also has significant experience in bankruptcy matters, including preference and fraudulent transfer actions.

Sanampreet “Sanam” Pangali L’07 was promoted to Chief Legal Officer and Head of People at ACELYRIN, Inc., where she previously served as Senior Vice President, Corporate Legal. Since joining ACELYRIN in 2022, she has advanced from Vice President to Senior Vice President. Prior to ACELYRIN, Pangali was General Counsel, Vice President, and Corporate Secretary at Snapdocs, Inc., a tech company in the mortgage lending sector, and Senior Director & Associate General Counsel at Principia Biopharma Inc., where she led up to its acquisition by Sanofi. She has also held key legal roles at Sunrun Inc. and TerraForm Power/SunEdison Inc., focusing on M&A, project finance, and corporate governance. Pangali began her career as a Senior Associate at Morrison & Foerster LLP, specializing in capital markets, venture capital, M&A, and corporate governance.

Justin O. Reliford L’07 is co-leading Scott+Scott’s new Wilmington office as a partner in the firm’s Corporate Governance and Shareholders Rights practice group. A seasoned attorney admitted to the Pennsylvania, New York, and New Jersey Bars, Reliford focuses on corporate governance and M&A litigation, achieving nearly a billion dollars in recoveries for stockholders and corporations in cases before the Court of Chancery and other courts nationwide. Known for his dedication to strong corporate governance and fair markets, Reliford’s background in labor and employment litigation provides valuable insight into corporate dynamics, which he utilizes to secure significant litigation outcomes and effective business solutions.

Yan Yuan L’07 joined Sterlington PLLC as a partner, specializing in corporate practice with a focus on mergers and acquisitions, private capital, joint ventures, and investments. With extensive experience leading complex cross-border transactions across various sectors, Yan has worked in the United States, China, Southeast Asia, Europe, and the Americas, providing broad services to PRC-background clients, including ultra-high-net-worth individuals. As Head of the China Transactions Desk at Sterlington, he brings a deep understanding of global corporate dealings. Prior to joining Sterlington, Yan was a partner at Ashurst, leading private capital and cross-border practices, and counsel at Clifford Chance, advising on intricate M&A and investment activities.

Raghav Bajaj ENG’05, L’08 joined Latham & Watkins LLP as a partner in the Intellectual Property Litigation Practice and Litigation & Trial Department in the firm’s Austin office. Bajaj is an experienced patent litigator with a focus on contested Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB) proceedings before the US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), including inter partes reviews (IPRs) and post-grant reviews. He serves as lead counsel for both petitioners and patent owners across various industries, such as computer hardware, software, networking, e-commerce, and mobile applications, and handles appeals before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit.

Gregory Farrell L’08 was made counsel at Hughes Hubbard & Reed, effective January 1, 2025. Gregory, who joined the firm’s Litigation practice group in 2008, focuses on complex commercial and bankruptcy litigation. His notable representations include Republic Airways Holdings Inc. in its Chapter 11 reorganization and the trustee in the Securities Investor Protection Act liquidations of Lehman Brothers Inc. and MF Global Inc., two of the largest bankruptcies in U.S. history. Based in the firm’s New York office, Gregory also maintains a robust pro bono practice, representing clients in voting rights, prisoners’ rights, and immigration cases.

Gregory Gewirtz L’08 has joined Linklaters as a partner in its M&A practice. Formerly counsel at Shearman & Sterling, Gewirtz brings 15 years of experience advising on public and private M&A, including carve-outs, divestitures, reorganizations, minority investments, joint ventures, and financial advisory assignments.

Tomasz Kulawik LLM’06, L’08 has joined Vedder Price as a Shareholder in the firm’s Washington, D.C., office. With over 15 years of experience, Kulawik will bolster the firm’s Finance & Transactions practice group on the East Coast, focusing on leveraged finance, acquisition financings, asset-based lending, and refinancings. He also brings expertise in investment-grade finance and restructuring, both in and out of court. Prior to joining Vedder Price, Kulawik was a partner at Shearman & Sterling LLP.

Philip Mariani L’08 was appointed to the Michigan Court of Appeals, Third District, by Governor Gretchen Whitmer, with a term beginning March 15, 2024, and ending January 1, 2025. Mariani has served as deputy legal counsel in the Governor’s office since 2019. Previously, he practiced appellate law at Mark Granzotto, P.C., clerked for Michigan Supreme Court Justice Bridget M. McCormack, and taught judicial writing and ethics at Wayne State University Law School. He also has experience with Hangley Aronchick Segal Pudlin & Schiller and held federal clerkships with judges including U.S. Court of Appeals Judge Anthony J. Scirica.

Rajanpreet “Rajan” Singh L’08 has rejoined Womble Bond Dickinson’s Corporate & Securities group in Tysons, Virginia. Singh brings extensive experience from both Am Law 100 firms and in-house counsel roles at publicly traded global companies. His practice focuses on mergers, acquisitions, joint ventures, and domestic and international transactions, particularly within the government contracting, technology, and financial services sectors. Prior to his recent in-house roles, Singh was an associate at Womble from 2014 to 2020.

Laura Bagarella L’09 has joined Orrick’s Compensation & Benefits group as a partner. She advises on cash and equity-based incentive arrangements, executive employment and separation agreements, and compensation and benefits aspects of mergers, acquisitions, and corporate transactions, particularly for private equity firms and their portfolio companies. Bagarella comes to Orrick from Cleary Gottlieb, following recent strategic East Coast hires by the firm in corporate, employment litigation, and IP litigation.

Noam Besdin L’09 was elevated to Partner at Stein Adler Dabah & Zelkowitz LLP, effective January 1, 2025. Known for his ability to navigate complex and high-stakes commercial disputes, Noam has secured significant victories in state and federal courts, at both the trial and appellate levels, and before arbitral tribunals nationwide. His practice focuses on complex commercial litigation, with a particular emphasis on real estate and employment issues. Noam represents a diverse clientele, including investment firms, hedge funds, real estate entities, startups, and financial executives, in cases involving breach of contract, fiduciary duties, trade secrets, and professional malpractice. In addition to his commercial work, Noam leads Stein Adler’s Pro Bono Practice. Before joining Stein Adler in 2021, Noam practiced at Amini LLC, a New York litigation boutique, and at Sidley Austin LLP, focusing on bankruptcy litigation.

The Hon. Laura Paley L’09 has begun her new role as Judge of the Family Court at the New York State Unified Court System as of December 2024. Previously, she served as a Court Attorney Referee in Kings County Family Court, presiding over matters related to custody, visitation, family offenses, and guardianship. From 2015 to 2022, Paley was a Court Attorney for the Hon. Jacqueline B. Deane, specializing in child abuse and neglect cases. Prior to that, she was a Staff Attorney at The Legal Aid Society, representing children in child abuse, neglect, custody, and related proceedings.

2010s

Justin Chen L’10 of the Houston trial law firm Alavi Anaipakos has earned selection in the 2025 edition of The Best Lawyers in America based on his work in high-stakes intellectual property lawsuits.

Andrew Egan L’10 has been named to the 2024 New Jersey Super Lawyers and Rising Stars list. An experienced trial attorney with Bressler Amery & Ross, Andy focuses on high-stakes probate, trust, and guardianship litigation, representing beneficiaries, fiduciaries, and handling complex disputes involving wills, trusts, and financial abuse of vulnerable individuals.

Nima Mohebbi L’10 joined Sidley Austin LLP as a partner in the Commercial Litigation & Disputes practice in Greater Los Angeles. Previously a partner at Latham & Watkins, Mohebbi is a recognized trial lawyer specializing in high-stakes litigation, with expertise in large-scale disputes involving billions of dollars, particularly in entertainment, sports, media, and technology. His practice focuses on the intersection of entertainment content and technology, covering areas like gaming, blockchain, digital assets, and AI. In 2023, he was honored in California’s Daily Journal’s 40 Under 40 list for his impactful work in litigation and legal technology.

Anita Sue “Nicky” Rooz L’10 has joined international law firm Withers as a partner, heading its newly established family law practice in New York. Nicky, who brings extensive experience from her previous roles at Salzano Ettinger Lampert & Wilson LLP and Blank Rome LLP, advises on all aspects of family law, including cohabitation, prenuptial and postnuptial agreements, divorce, complex financial issues, child and spousal support, custody disputes, and domestic violence restraining orders. In addition to her litigation practice, Nicky provides mediation services and is certified to the 18b Panel for the Manhattan Family and Supreme Court, as well as to serve as an Attorney for the Child (AFC) in both private and pro bono matters.

Joshua Saidlower L’10 joined Loeb & Loeb’s New York office as a partner in the Capital Markets & Corporate department. Saidlower brings extensive experience in domestic and international matters, including tax counseling, mergers, acquisitions, and strategic transactions. He advises private equity firms, strategic investors, portfolio companies, lenders, and other businesses on corporate matters such as acquisitions, dispositions, credit facilities, co-investments, and general operations. Saidlower joins Loeb & Loeb from Morrison Cohen.

Meena Sharma L’10 was appointed Director of the Office of Investment Security (CFIUS) Policy & International Relations at the U.S. Department of the Treasury, joining the Senior Executive Service (SES). Formerly serving as Acting Director, Sharma now leads policy development, regulatory implementation, and international engagement for CFIUS operations, including broader national security programs under Executive Order 14105. Before her Treasury role, Sharma was at Covington & Burling LLP, where she advised on cross-border trade, investment, and national security matters, including CFIUS reviews, export controls, and economic sanctions compliance.

Jonathan Swisher L’10 was promoted to Counsel at Arnold & Porter, effective January 1, 2025. Based in the firm’s San Francisco office, Swisher is a member of the Intellectual Property & Technology practice. An experienced IP litigator, he has represented leading technology clients in patent infringement and complex disputes, achieving successful outcomes in U.S. federal courts and before the U.S. International Trade Commission. Swisher’s work spans industries such as biotechnology, pharmaceuticals, medical diagnostics, biofuels, DNA-related technologies, software, hardware, and data security. His practice also covers copyrights, trade secrets, IP licensing, economic damages, and inter partes review proceedings before the Patent Trial and Appeal Board.

Yuni Yan Sobel L’10 was promoted to partner at Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP. A member of the Mergers & Acquisitions Group in the Corporate Department, Sobel focuses on competition issues in U.S. and cross-border mergers, acquisitions, and joint ventures. She counsels clients through the Hart-Scott-Rodino Act and global merger control review processes, offering strategic guidance on complex regulatory matters.

Allison Bonelli L’11 was elected to partnership at Levine Lee LLP, effective January 1, 2024. Bonelli is a skilled trial lawyer known for handling complex litigation, including high-value commercial disputes and white-collar securities enforcement defense. She has represented corporations and individuals in a variety of high-profile criminal and civil cases.

Matthew Connors L’11 was elected to partner at Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP, effective January 1, 2025. Connors is a partner in the firm’s Securities Litigation practice group, focusing on securities, M&A, derivative, fiduciary duty, and other complex corporate matters in federal and state courts nationwide. He also advises boards of directors, board committees, and senior management on corporate governance, business, and regulatory issues, as well as proxy contests and governmental, regulatory, and internal investigations.

Katherine “Kate” Driscoll L’11 was named a partner at Morrison & Foerster. Kate is a member of the Litigation Department and the Securities Litigation, Enforcement, and White-Collar Defense Group, based in Washington, D.C. She focuses her practice on investigations, enforcement actions, and compliance, with an emphasis on pharmaceutical and life sciences clients, related to healthcare fraud, the False Claims Act, and the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act.

Leeza Garber L’11 and Gail Gottehrer L’92 co-authored an op-ed for Law.com, “Securing The Bounty: Bug Bounties Take Center Stage In Uber CISO’s Criminal Appeal,” which explores the legal and ethical considerations of artificial intelligence in the workplace. Their piece addresses how AI is reshaping employment practices and raises important questions about privacy, discrimination, and accountability in AI-driven decision-making. They also discuss potential regulatory responses to ensure fairness and transparency in AI’s role within hiring, monitoring, and evaluating employees.

Natalie Georges L’11 was elevated to partner at Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP. Georges is an experienced commercial litigator specializing in class action matters and complex business disputes, including claims of fraud, unfair trade practices, and contractual breaches. She defends clients in consumer class actions related to consumer protection laws, false advertising, product liability, and warranty claims in courts nationwide. Her clients include prominent companies in the healthcare, pharmaceutical, technology, telecommunications, financial services, and manufacturing sectors.

Christopher Malikschmitt L’11 joined Dorf Nelson & Zauderer as the firm’s Chief Operating Officer (COO) in Rye, New York to manage DNZ’s daily operations and drive growth and innovation initiatives. With a diverse background in the public, private, prosecutorial, and governmental sectors, and having served as an assistant to the Chief of Staff for then-Senator Biden, Malikschmitt brings robust expertise in business strategy and execution. Previously, he co-founded Dressel/Malikschmitt LLP, where he specialized in providing legal services to small and mid-sized businesses, refining his skills in litigation, business development, and operational leadership. He is excited to be back in the New York metro area with his wife and three little boys.

David Marley L’11 joined Clifford Chance’s New York City office as counsel in the U.S. Insurance practice, enhancing the firm’s transactional and regulatory capabilities in the insurance sector. Marley specializes in property and casualty transactions, including loss portfolio transfers, adverse development covers, and other reinsurance structures. His experience spans advising onshore and offshore insurers, reinsurers, private equity sponsors, and emerging companies in the insurance and insurtech industries.

Alisa Waxman L’11 joined Davis Polk as a partner in the Investment Management practice in New York. Waxman advises sponsors of private investment funds, co-investment funds, separately managed accounts, and complex secondary transactions across various sectors, including buyout, growth, venture, energy, infrastructure, and credit opportunities. Recognized as a top private equity fund formation lawyer by Chambers USA, clients commend her as “smart, business savvy” and “a fantastic lawyer.”

Robin Weiss C’07, L’11 was elevated to Member status at Clark Hill, effective January 1, 2025. Her practice focuses on commercial and toxic tort litigation, professional liability matters, and representation of court-appointed receivers and monitors in fiduciary litigation and federal enforcement actions. Robin has significant experience in all stages of litigation, from pre-suit investigation through trial and has authored appellate briefs and presented oral arguments before the Pennsylvania Superior Court, the Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit, and the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania. She is known for addressing complex litigation issues and crafting creative legal arguments for her clients.

Eric Wexler L’11 was promoted to partner at Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP, focusing on mergers and acquisitions, portfolio investments, fund structuring, and reorganizations for investment funds, family offices, and corporate clients. His practice covers public and private M&A, joint ventures, private equity deals, fund restructurings, IPOs, and transactions involving complex partnership structures. Known for his expertise in tax structuring and corporate law matters, Eric works across diverse sectors, including emerging technologies and life sciences. Before joining Akin Gump, he practiced at another prominent international firm in New York.

Gary R. Clarke C’05, L’12 joined Polsinelli as a shareholder in the Philadelphia office and a member of the Real Estate Practice Group. Clarke brings substantial experience in commercial real estate development and transactions, focusing on site acquisition, land use, permitting, construction, and leasing matters. His work spans acquisitions, dispositions, and leases for diverse uses. Additionally, he assists clients with zoning and land use approvals. Before joining Polsinelli, Clarke served as in-house counsel for a retail startup and a private equity-backed national retail landlord, overseeing extensive real estate portfolios and handling various legal aspects, including leases and land use issues. A former U.S. Navy surface warfare officer, he participated in numerous joint and multinational operations during two wartime deployments.

Audra A. Cohen C’09, L’12 joined Fried Frank Harris Shriver & Jacobson LLP as a partner in its Asset Management Practice, based in New York. Previously a partner at Goodwin and, before that, at Simpson Thacher & Bartlett, Cohen brings extensive experience advising major sponsors on fund formation, fundraising, and compliance for closed- and open-end real estate, private equity, and infrastructure funds. She also advises on regulatory compliance, fund-related aspects of real estate and M&A transactions, continuation funds, liquidity events, and internal governance arrangements.

Denisse Córdova Montes L’12 joined the University of Central Florida as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Legal Studies, College of Community Innovation and Education. An award-winning human rights advocate and educator, her work focuses on human rights approaches to food system inequities, the local and state implementation of human rights, and the influence of social movements on shaping human rights norms and discourse. From 2019 to 2024, she served as Lecturer-in-Law and Acting Associate Director of the Human Rights Clinic at the University of Miami School of Law, where she taught and supervised students in impactful human rights litigation and advocacy. Córdova Montes previously worked at FIAN International in Germany and held roles addressing public health and human rights at UNAIDS in Geneva, among other advocacy and legal positions.

Jean Yin Crews L’12 was promoted to partner at Venable LLP, effective January 1, 2025. Based in Washington, D.C., Crews focuses her practice on commercial real estate finance, acquisitions, dispositions, development, and leasing. She has extensive experience drafting and reviewing contracts, including leasing and loan documents, with particular expertise in General Services Administration (GSA) leases. Jean is known for her ability to guide complex transactions from start to finish, leveraging her attention to detail, practicality, and in-depth knowledge of the real estate industry. She has represented a wide range of clients, including commercial developers, institutional lenders, landlords, tenants, and property owners across office, retail, multi-family, industrial, and mixed-use properties.

Christopher DePizzo L’12 joined Blank Rome LLP as a partner in the Corporate, M&A, and Securities group in New York. DePizzo has extensive experience representing businesses and investors in private equity (PE) transactions, mergers and acquisitions (M&A), and other corporate matters across the U.S. and internationally. He advises private equity firms, portfolio companies, and public and private companies on a range of transactions, including platform and add-on acquisitions, leveraged buyouts, carve-outs, strategic mergers, minority and emerging company investments, dispositions, and joint ventures. He also counsels clients on commercial, corporate, and governance matters, representing a variety of companies from start-ups to global market leaders.

David Dorey L’12 joined Liff, Walsh & Simmons as a partner, where he will lead the Labor & Employment Practice Group and contribute to the Litigation Practice Group. With over a decade of experience in complex labor, employment, and litigation matters, Dorey has held high-profile roles, including Counsel to the Solicitor of the U.S. Department of Labor. He has represented both employers and employees in a wide range of cases, and previously served as senior litigation counsel at a public interest law firm. His career includes experience at a leading international law firm in Washington, D.C., and he is well-versed in federal and state court litigation, class action suits, and administrative law.

Rodney Hill L’12 joined Kirkland & Ellis as a partner in their Tax Practice Group. Rodney focuses on the tax aspects of transactions, particularly investment fund formation and mergers and acquisitions involving fund sponsors. His experience spans structuring and forming private equity funds, hedge funds, funds-of-funds, and separate accounts across alternative asset classes, including buyout, growth, venture, infrastructure, renewable energy, credit, and real estate. He also advises fund clients on acquiring interests in alternative asset managers and other corporate transactions.

Kazuo Kasai LLM’12 joined Greenberg Traurig’s Tokyo office as a Local Partner. Kasai’s practice focuses on real estate transactions, asset finance, renewable energy projects, and investment funds, as well as non-performing loans and disputes for clients such as equity investors and financial institutions. Before joining Greenberg Traurig, he worked at White & Case and served as in-house counsel for a leading Japanese IT service provider.

Ari B. Lustig G’11, G’12, L’12 was named a Shareholder at Polsinelli, effective November 2024, focusing on capital markets and commercial lending. Lustig advises on a range of corporate and transactional matters, particularly involving Delaware entities, including LLCs, partnerships, corporations, and business trusts. His work spans structured finance, secured transactions, M&A, and he is a member of the firm’s opinion committee, delivering third-party legal opinions on non-consolidation, UCC matters, and Delaware corporate structures. Lustig previously served as Counsel at Polsinelli since 2022 and held associate roles at Shapiro Law Group and Greenberg Traurig, LLP.

Brandon McCoy L’12, WG’12 joined Willkie Farr & Gallagher as a partner in the Corporate & Financial Services Department and Private Equity practice group in the firm’s Dallas office, leaving his previous role at Haynes Boone. McCoy leads complex business transactions across various industries, focusing on mergers, acquisitions, private equity investments, and joint ventures. In addition to his legal expertise, McCoy is a certified public accountant.

Katherine Moran Meeks L’12 was named General Counsel of Fox News Media, effective August 19, 2024. Before joining Fox News Media, Meeks was a partner at Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher in Washington, D.C., where she practiced in the Litigation, Appellate and Constitutional Law, and Labor and Employment groups, representing journalists and media companies in libel and other speech-based tort cases. She has presented oral arguments in the U.S. Courts of Appeals for the Seventh, Ninth, and Eleventh Circuits, as well as federal district courts. Previously, Meeks was an associate in the Media and First Amendment practice group at Williams & Connolly and clerked for Justice Anthony M. Kennedy of the U.S. Supreme Court and Chief Judge Alex Kozinski of the Ninth Circuit.

Demitrios “Jimmy” Moustakis L’12 was promoted to Counsel at Skadden. Moustakis brings extensive experience in structured finance, advising on a range of receivables financings, including credit card, equipment lease, auto loan, consumer loan, trade, and other assets. His expertise also encompasses collateralized loan obligations, investment fund financings, whole business securitizations, and securitizations of solar assets. Additionally, he advises on traditional corporate finance transactions, including commercial paper programs, factoring, supply chain financings, back-leverage facilities, and other lending transactions.

Leen Al-Alami L’13 was promoted to partner at Duane Morris LLP. Al-Alami advises private equity and corporate clients on domestic and cross-border transactions, including mergers and acquisitions, divestitures, joint ventures, and corporate governance. Her clients span industries such as technology, gaming, chemicals, healthcare, and life sciences. Fluent in French, Al-Alami also assists French and French-Canadian clients with U.S. corporate law and transactions. Before her legal career, she held strategic communications roles in Jordan and Dubai, advising on policy and crisis response strategies for the government.

Rahman Connelly L’13 was named a partner at Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP, specializing in bankruptcy, restructuring, and litigation. He represents ad hoc bondholder groups, unsecured creditor committees, Chapter 11 debtors, and foreign representatives in complex bankruptcy cases across the country. Connelly was recently recognized by the American Bankruptcy Institute’s prestigious “40 Under 40” list, which honors top insolvency professionals under 40.

The Hon. Bonnie W. David L’13 was confirmed by the Delaware Senate as the next Vice Chancellor of the Court of Chancery. Sworn in on January 7, 2025, Vice Chancellor David previously served as a Magistrate in Chancery since January 2023. Before joining the court, she was Counsel in the litigation department of Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP, where she spent over eight years litigating cases before the Court of Chancery, with a focus on deal litigation, corporate statutory proceedings, and contract disputes. She also advised corporations and boards on governance and transactional matters under Delaware corporate law.

Solomon Eskinazi L’13, WG’13 joined Kain Capital LLC as General Counsel. In this role, Eskinazi will oversee the firm’s legal functions, offering strategic advice on transactions, fund activity, litigation, and regulatory compliance. His connection with Kain Capital began in 2020, when he served as General Counsel and EVP of Strategy and Corporate Development for Excelsior Medical, leading its merger with Rendr, a Kain portfolio company. Previously, Eskinazi was an attorney with Kirkland & Ellis and Cooley, where he managed M&A transactions for private equity clients and advised early-stage healthcare and tech companies. He began his career in finance and consulting with Goldman Sachs and Bain.

Samuel D. Harrison L’13 joined Saxton & Stump as Senior Counsel, bringing significant litigation experience from his previous role at Troutman Pepper. Based in the firm’s Philadelphia office, Harrison will work with the Commercial Litigation, Higher Education, and Title IX groups, focusing on antitrust, class action, and higher education litigation. A skilled litigator, Harrison has achieved wins in antitrust cases at both the trial and appellate levels and has defended financial and technology firms in RICO, consumer protection, and data protection cases. He also advises businesses on compliance and competition issues, including managing distributor disputes and developing pricing policies.

Benjamin Jacobs L’13 joined Pierson Ferdinand LLP (“PierFerd”) as a partner in the Employment, Labor, and Benefits practice, based in Philadelphia. Formerly a partner at Morgan Lewis & Bockius LLP, Jacobs brings extensive experience litigating high-stakes employment cases and advising clients on complex workplace matters. He has successfully represented employers in discrimination, harassment, wage and hour, breach-of-contract, and whistleblower claims, and has secured key injunctive relief in cases involving noncompete, non-solicit, and trade secrets. Jacobs also conducts internal investigations and advises on compliance with employment and contractor laws, serving clients in industries such as food, pharmaceuticals, finance, insurance, and technology.

Jennifer Jacoby L’13 joined Invariant as Senior Director, Financial Services Policy Counsel. With extensive experience in legal, policy, and regulatory matters, Jacoby develops advocacy strategies to assist clients in engaging with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), prudential regulators, Congress, and the Administration. She works to bridge gaps between lawmakers and regulators, helping to mitigate risks and address business challenges. Prior to joining Invariant, Jacoby was managing director of federal government affairs and associate general counsel at the Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association (SIFMA), overseeing key capital markets issues. Her previous roles include Vice President of Government Affairs at In Our Own Voice: National Black Women’s Reproductive Justice Agenda and Senior Federal Policy Counsel at the Center for Reproductive Rights. She began her career at WilmerHale, advising financial institutions on regulatory compliance and enforcement actions.

Henry Jin L’13, an energy and infrastructure attorney specializing in renewable energy transactions, has rejoined Hunton Andrews Kurth LLP as a partner in Washington, D.C., where he began his legal career. Jin advises financial institutions, development banks, and project developers on the development, construction, financing, acquisition, and sale of energy and infrastructure assets, particularly renewable technologies. He handles early-stage development, negotiates key transaction contracts, and structures complex commercial deals utilizing various tax credit financing options. Jin’s previous roles include senior counsel at EDF Renewables Distributed Solutions and partner at an international law firm.

Yuka Kamio (née Takahashi) LLM’13 was promoted to partner at Anderson Mori & Tomotsune. Kamio specializes in labor and employment law, providing legal services to both Japanese and international clients, including representation in disputes, harassment investigations, and compliance advice. She has significant experience advising foreign clients on Japanese labor laws and also handles general corporate matters, assisting non-Japanese companies with business establishment, restructuring, and liquidation in Japan, with guidance on corporate and labor law considerations.

Greer Longer C’07, L’13 was named a partner at Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP. Longer focuses on mergers and acquisitions, advising middle-market private equity firms and financial sponsors on control investments, liquidity events, joint ventures, and equityholder arrangements. She also counsels private equity portfolio companies on add-on transactions, management incentives, and general corporate matters. Her clients include private and public companies in industries such as specialty manufacturing, consumer brands, food products, healthcare, and telecom.

Kaori Sugimoto LLM’13 was named a partner at Nagashima Ohno & Tsunematsu. Sugimoto’s practice centers on international construction and infrastructure projects, including ODA and PPP initiatives, and international dispute resolution, particularly arbitration. She has extensive experience negotiating and drafting contracts for projects involving Japanese companies in regions such as Southeast Asia, the Middle East, and Europe. Skilled in resolving construction-related disputes through arbitration, Sugimoto frequently serves as legal counsel in these cases. She is also a member of the Engineering Advancement Association of Japan (ENAA) and the Engineering and Consulting Firms Association (ECFA).

Ryan Blicher C’08, L’14 joined Freshfields as a partner in the Private Capital and M&A groups, based in New York. Blicher advises leading global private equity firms and their portfolio companies on complex U.S. and cross-border M&A transactions, including leveraged buy-outs, take-private acquisitions, strategic joint ventures, carve-outs, and divestitures. He also counsels large-cap public companies and their boards on M&A transactions, activism defense, corporate governance, and crisis management. His practice spans various industries, including technology, healthcare, consumer goods, industrials, energy, and real estate.

Sean Brownridge L’14 was promoted to partner at Schulte Roth & Zabel, effective January 1, 2024. Brownridge advises investors on shareholder activism, corporate governance, M&A, and securities law, focusing on investment execution, shareholder engagement, proxy contests, and contested M&A transactions. He also counsels public company boards and management teams on activism preparedness and defense strategies.

Justin Cohen L’14 was promoted to counsel at Hughes Hubbard & Reed, effective January 1, 2024. Cohen, who joined the firm’s Tax and Employee Benefits practice group in 2014, focuses on the tax aspects of domestic and international mergers, acquisitions, spin-offs, aviation and equipment finance, corporate finance, securities offerings, and restructurings. He also has expertise in cross-border investment structuring and private equity and hedge fund formation.

Luke Eldridge L’14 joined Davis Polk as a partner in the Investment Management practice in New York. Eldridge advises sponsors of private investment funds, co-investment vehicles, and separately managed accounts across various sectors, including debt, energy, growth capital, emerging markets, and venture capital funds. Recognized by Legal 500 US, clients praise him as “a superb transactional lawyer” with “excellent insights into the private funds and venture capital spaces.”

Daniel Janovitz L’14 was promoted to partner at Holland & Knight. Based in the Fort Lauderdale office, Janovitz is a member of the firm’s Business Section and focuses his practice on taxation, advising both domestic and international clients. While at the the Law School at Penn, he earned pro bono hours through the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance Program, helping the public with tax assistance.

Elizabeth Kuschel L’14 was appointed as the full-time Regional Counsel for Wage and Hour at the U.S. Department of Labor, where she supervises Wage and Hour litigation across Virginia, West Virginia, Maryland, and Administrative Courts. Kuschel first joined the Department of Labor in 2021 as a trial attorney, advancing to Senior Trial Attorney and then Acting Wage and Hour Counsel before her promotion to Regional Counsel. Prior to her government role, she was an associate at Stradley Ronon and Conrad O’Brian, representing clients in complex civil litigation, including commercial disputes, products liability, defamation, wage and hour claims, and professional malpractice cases.

Kelly Kuschel L’14 was promoted to partner at Morgan Lewis in the Corporate & Business Transactions group, effective October 1, 2024. Based in Philadelphia, Kuschel focuses on real estate asset disposition, acquisition, leasing, and financing. He represents real estate investment trusts (REITs) and private equity funds in multi-property portfolio transactions, as well as energy, life sciences, and healthcare companies in multistate acquisitions and real estate financings. Known for managing complex, large-scale deals, Kuschel collaborates with teams across multiple practice areas.

Devon MacLaughlin L’14 was promoted to Counsel at Latham & Watkins in the Los Angeles office. A member of the Capital Markets Practice and Corporate Department, she advises issuers and financial institutions on public and private financing transactions, including IPOs, follow-on and public equity offerings, investment-grade and high-yield debt offerings, exchange and tender offers, and acquisition financings. Devon also provides counsel on corporate governance, Exchange Act reporting obligations, and stock exchange requirements. She joined Latham as an associate in 2018, following her role as an associate at Clifford Chance US LLP.

Nicholas Olson L’14 was promoted to Counsel at Skadden and has since joined Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP as a partner in the Corporate Department’s Asset Management M&A Group. Olson advises leading asset management firms on mergers, acquisitions, and strategic transactions, and regularly counsels both investors and firms on GP stakes and other minority investments. He brings significant expertise in structuring compensation, retention, and equity ownership arrangements, especially in connection with strategic transactions and succession planning for asset management and financial services firms.

Jeremy Pettit L’14 was named a partner at Sidley Austin LLP, effective January 1, 2024. Pettit, who specializes in Energy and Infrastructure, focuses on mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures, and private equity investments in the energy sector. His clients include private equity funds, portfolio companies, and public and private companies. Pettit advises on transactions across the energy industry, including acquisitions, divestitures, and investments in the upstream, midstream, renewables, low-carbon, and energy services sectors.

Prerna Soni L’14 was promoted to partner at Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher, effective January 1, 2025. Based in the firm’s San Francisco office, Soni is a member of the Real Estate Group, where she handles a wide range of commercial real estate transactions. Her practice includes representing private equity funds, REITs, developers, and other real estate investors in acquisitions, dispositions, joint ventures, preferred equity transactions, financings, and development matters. She also advises institutional lenders on mortgage and mezzanine financings, loan sales, securitizations, and intercreditor agreements. Soni has extensive experience in loan workouts, foreclosures, receiverships, and loan restructurings, working across various asset classes nationwide.

Nickolas Bogdanovich L’15 joined Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP as a partner in the Mergers & Acquisitions practice within the Corporate Department in New York. Bogdanovich advises clients on a broad array of corporate transactions, including mergers and acquisitions, private equity investments, and corporate governance matters, often with a cross-border focus. He brings extensive experience representing public and private companies and private equity firms across various sectors, including technology, media, telecommunications, healthcare, consumer, and industrial.

Lev Breydo L’15, WG’15 joined the faculty of William & Mary Law School as an Assistant Professor for the 2024-2025 academic year. Previously a Visiting Assistant Professor at Villanova University’s Charles Widger School of Law, Breydo is a multidisciplinary scholar whose research explores the effects of technological innovation on business organizations, market infrastructure, and financial instruments. He employs empirical methods to examine issues at the intersection of law, finance, and technology. At William & Mary, Breydo will teach Business Associations in the fall and Contracts in the spring. He brings practical experience from his prior work at leading law firms and a financial technology company and serves as an advisor to startups in FinTech, CleanTech, and LegalTech.

Katherine Varrati Cohodes L’15 joined Fox Rothschild’s Chicago office as counsel in the Labor & Employment Department. Cohodes advises clients across various industries, including nonprofits and educational institutions, on labor and employment issues. Her experience spans risk mitigation, internal investigations, labor relations, employee engagement strategies, collective bargaining negotiations, and grievance management. Previously, she served as in-house labor and employment counsel for a multinational machinery and construction equipment company, Dyson, and a multistate cannabis operation, giving her a practical perspective on diverse workplace challenges.

George Donnelly C’10, GED’12, L’15 joined Feldman Shepherd Wohlgelernter Tanner Weinstock Dodig LLP. Donnelly represents clients in cases involving catastrophic personal injury, civil rights, consumer class actions, whistleblower claims, and qui tam lawsuits under the False Claims Act. Known for his advocacy in public service, he previously served as Chief of Staff for Pennsylvania State Senator Nikil Saval. Donnelly’s background also includes his work as an attorney at the Public Interest Law Center, where he used consumer protection laws in tenant rights cases, and a clerkship with the Honorable Stewart Dalzell of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. He was recently appointed to the overlapping Boards of Directors of Community Legal Services and Philadelphia Legal Assistance, furthering his commitment to legal advocacy and public service.

Harold “H.T.” Flanagan L’15 joined Kirkland & Ellis as a partner in the Debt Finance Group. Flanagan advises private credit funds, alternative lenders, and other investors on private credit financings and customized capital solutions, including direct originations, secondary market opportunities, complex intercreditor issues, and structured capital investments. He also counsels private equity firms and their portfolio companies on borrower-side leveraged finance transactions, such as acquisition financings, liability management, debtor-in-possession financings, and hybrid capital instruments. Previously a partner at Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer, Flanagan will primarily work out of Kirkland’s Dallas office, with additional time spent in New York.

Matthew R. Gerber W’12, L’15, G’15, was elected partner at Saul Ewing LLP, effective January 1, 2025. Based in Wilmington, Gerber is a member of the firm’s Transactional Department, where he assists commercial clients with real estate transactions, including acquisitions, dispositions, purchase and sales agreements, leases, mortgages, and financings. He also advises on the real estate aspects of mergers and acquisitions. Additionally, Gerber handles corporate structuring and governance matters, including forming and advising corporations, LLCs, partnerships, and non-profits, drafting governing documents, and addressing issues related to formations, dissolutions, and reorganizations.

Jessica Jones L’15, G’15 was elected partner at Saul Ewing, effective January 1, 2024. An experienced litigator, Jones defends employers and managers in labor and employment cases involving harassment, retaliation, wrongful termination, discrimination, and wage and hour violations. She represents Fortune 500 and mid-size companies across industries such as retail, hospitality, telecommunications, and banking, as well as higher education institutions and government entities, in state and federal courts and arbitration. Jones also handles cases before agencies like the California Department of Labor, California Civil Rights Department, and U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.

Jacob Lefkowitz L’15 was promoted to Counsel at Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP and Affiliates. Lefkowitz represents plaintiffs and defendants in a wide range of litigation and arbitration matters, including breach of contract, fraud, breach of fiduciary duty, and conspiracy. He also has experience in securities and bankruptcy litigation.

Greg Manas L’15 was promoted to counsel at Venable LLP, effective January 1. Manas practices general intellectual property law with a focus on pharmaceutical and chemical patent litigation. During law school, he served as an articles editor for the University of Pennsylvania Law Review and won the national Giles Southerland Rich Moot Court Competition in patent appellate advocacy.

Daniel Ramos L’15 was promoted to partner at Holland & Knight, effective January 1. Based in the firm’s Miami office, Ramos is part of the Business section, where he focuses on mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures, and general corporate matters. He represents financial and strategic buyers, sellers, and others in complex domestic and cross-border transactions across various industries. Ramos also has significant experience in complex lending transactions, including financings secured by fine art.

Adetola Adeleye LLM’16 was appointed Managing Director of First Ally Trustees Limited, where she oversees the company’s growth and market positioning while delivering tailored trust solutions to its diverse clientele. Adeleye previously served as the Group’s Head of Legal Services and Company Secretary and has been recognized for her corporate governance expertise, including receiving the ESQ Nigerian Rising Star Award in 2022. Prior to joining First Ally, she was the Compliance Officer at United Capital and spent over six years at Jackson Etti & Edu, gaining extensive experience in mergers and acquisitions, private equity, corporate restructurings, corporate governance, and company secretarial practice.

Matthew G. Aiken L’16 was promoted to Senior Associate Counsel in the Office of the White House Counsel (WHCO), Executive Office of the President as of July 2024. Aiken previously served as Associate Counsel in the Executive Office of the President from January 2023. Prior to joining WHCO, he was a litigation associate at Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher in Washington, D.C. Following law school, Aiken clerked for the Honorable Carol E. Jackson of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri and the Honorable Gregg Jeffrey Costa of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit.

Kevin Dermody L’16 joined Gaming & Leisure Properties, Inc. as Deputy General Counsel. He is a corporate attorney with extensive experience in M&A, real estate, and business operations, having advised clients from emerging growth businesses to Fortune 10 companies. Previously, he served as Vice President of Legal & Business Operations and Corporate Counsel for M&A and Securities at PENN Entertainment, Inc.

Blaine R. Feinauer L’16 was promoted to partner at Saul Ewing LLP. A member of the firm’s Litigation Department, Feinauer focuses on representing clients in complex commercial business disputes. During law school, he interned for the Honorable Cathy Bissoon of the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania and was a summer associate with Saul Ewing.

Julie A. Girard L’16 was elected to Phelps Dunbar LLP’s newest counsel class, one of the firm’s largest to date. Based in Tampa, Girard steers employers through all stages of litigation as businesses and talent flock to Florida’s growing commercial centers. Industry leaders rely on her mediation and trial experience to defend against discrimination, retaliation, family and medical leave and wage-and-hour claims. She also helps employers avoid future issues on the front end by preparing and reviewing employment contracts, severance agreements, and employee handbooks and policies.

Alexandra Hamilton L’16 was promoted to partner at Hunton Andrews Kurth in Washington, D.C., specializing in environmental law. Hamilton’s practice covers regulatory, permitting, compliance, enforcement, litigation, and transactional due diligence across various environmental media. She advises clients on rulemaking, federal permitting, regulatory compliance, and enforcement related to water and waste management, site cleanup, and ESG matters.

Deidre Kalenderian L’16 joined Paul Hastings LLP as a partner in the firm’s Chicago office, specializing in executive compensation. Kalenderian advises companies, private equity firms, and portfolio companies on a wide range of employment, executive compensation, ERISA litigation, and employee benefit issues related to corporate transactions, including mergers, acquisitions, IPOs, and restructurings. Her practice includes negotiating executive employment, retention, severance agreements, and change-in-control agreements, as well as addressing equity compensation, tax, securities, and corporate governance aspects of compensation arrangements. She was previously with Kirkland & Ellis LLP.

Janice Kong C’11, L’16 was promoted to partner at Mayer Brown effective January 1, 2025, in the Banking & Finance practice group. Kong represents borrowers, issuers, lenders, and underwriters in securitization and structured finance transactions, with a focus on the fintech space. She has extensive experience in the issuance and sale of asset-backed securities, including publicly registered, 144A/Reg S, and privately placed transactions, involving assets such as consumer and small business fintech receivables, solar loans, auto loans, auto leases, and other consumer receivables.

Casey Kraning L’16 was named a partner at Fish & Richardson, effective January 2024. With a PhD in biomedical engineering and a background in cellular and molecular medicine research, Kraning brings strong scientific expertise to her litigation work in the life sciences, pharmaceutical, and biotech sectors. She helps clients protect innovations across industries including pharmaceuticals, agriculture, and oil and gas. Known for her strategic approach, Kraning combines trial experience with skill in explaining complex scientific concepts.

Danielle McCall L’16 was elected to the partnership at Latham & Watkins in the Washington, D.C., office. As a member of the White Collar Defense & Investigations Practice and Litigation & Trial Department, she focuses on white collar criminal defense, government and internal investigations, and complex commercial litigation. Her work often involves cases related to the False Claims Act, Anti-Kickback Statute, Stark Law, and federal anti-discrimination laws. Before joining Latham, Danielle clerked for the Hon. C. Darnell Jones II of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania.

Elizabeth McClain L’16 was promoted to partner at Mayer Brown effective January 1, 2025. McClain advises asset managers and institutional investors on a wide variety of matters including the structuring, marketing, compliance, and ongoing management of domestic and offshore commingled private investment funds, funds of one, joint ventures, club deals, and similar arrangements. In particular, she has significant experience with credit funds and other vehicles structured to engage in lending, financing and securitization transactions. McClain regularly collaborates with Banking & Finance team members to assist clients in developing innovative solutions for using third-party capital in such transactions.

David Nows L’16 joined Duquesne University’s Thomas R. Kline School of Law as an Assistant Professor of Law, Director of the JD/MBA Program, and Director of the Business Essentials Micro-Credential Program. Previously, he served as an assistant professor of entrepreneurship at Central Michigan University’s College of Business Administration. His research focuses on the financing transactions that support early-stage entrepreneurial ventures, with a particular recent emphasis on equity crowdfunding.

Stephen Pedersen L’16 joined McDermott Will & Emery as Counsel. Pedersen specializes in acquisition and debt financing transactions, representing private equity sponsors, portfolio companies, and public and private corporations. He advises on structuring, negotiating, and documenting a variety of complex and routine domestic and international debt financing matters for corporate borrowers, investors, and purchasers.

Rachel Rosenberg L’16 joined McAndrews, Mehalick, Connolly, Hulse & Ryan P.C. (MLO), a boutique firm specializing in special education, estate planning, and disability law. In her role, Rosenberg focuses on special education law, leveraging her extensive experience working with children, families, and underserved individuals. Previously at Dechert, she handled product liability, mass torts, and complex commercial litigation, while dedicating significant pro bono efforts to supporting students with IEPs and advocating for children in the welfare system.

Matt Struble L’16 was promoted to Counsel at Vinson & Elkins effective January 1, 2025, in the Restructuring & Reorganization group in Dallas. Struble’s practice encompasses all aspects of restructuring and reorganization, including representing debtors, lenders, creditors, and other stakeholders in Chapter 11 and out-of-court restructurings. His experience includes bankruptcy litigation, Chapter 11 reorganization proceedings, distressed asset acquisitions and divestitures, and corporate workout and restructuring transactions.

Jieun Tak L’16 was promoted to partner at Baker McKenzie, effective January 1, 2025, in the firm’s North American Transactional Group in New York. Tak advises clients on cross-border acquisitions and divestitures, corporate reorganizations and integrations, and other strategic transactions. She began her legal career as a summer associate at Baker McKenzie and, prior to law school, served as the Assistant to the Chilean Ambassador to the United States.

Elizabeth Webb Bucilla L’16 was promoted to partner at Klehr Harrison Harvey Branzburg LLP, effective January 1, 2025. A member of the Corporate and Securities Department, Bucilla focuses on middle-market M&A transactions at both regional and national levels, representing private equity firms, start-ups, and family-owned businesses on the buy-side and sell-side. She also provides general corporate counseling, specializing in Pennsylvania and Delaware entities, and is a member of the firm’s Education practice group.

Alicia Zhang L’16, was promoted to partner in Covington & Burling LLP’s New York office, where she began her career as a Corporate Associate in 2016. Zhang specializes in capital-raising transactions and strategic M&A, representing underwriters and issuers in IPOs, follow-on equity and debt offerings, and private placements. She also provides guidance on public company reporting, corporate governance, and securities law issues.

Seferina Berch L’17 was promoted to Counsel at WilmerHale. Berch’s practice focuses on securities investigations and enforcement actions led by the SEC, FINRA, DOJ, and other state and federal regulators. She represents financial institutions, investment advisors, public companies, and senior officers in these investigations, handling e-discovery, conducting witness interviews, and preparing presentations for internal and government reviews. Additionally, Berch maintains an active pro bono practice, working with organizations like Human Rights First, Her Justice, and the Transgender Legal Defense and Education Fund (TLDEF) on impactful nationwide litigation.

Tyler Cook L’17 was promoted to partner at Smith Anderson, where he is a member of the firm’s Corporate and Transactional team. Since joining the firm in 2020 from Cravath, Swaine & Moore LLP, Cook has advised clients on public and private mergers and acquisitions, securities offerings, corporate governance, board advisory, and SEC reporting, disclosure, and compliance matters.

Amarilice Young L’17 started a new role as Associate General Counsel at Bain Capital Life Sciences as of January 2025. Before joining Bain Capital, Young spent nearly four years at Goodwin, where she served as a Partner and Life Sciences Associate, advising clients on corporate and transactional matters within the life sciences sector.

Adam Neuman LPS’17, L’18 was appointed by Governor Wes Moore as a member of the Maryland Port Commission, where he will help shape policies to strengthen the Helen Delich Bentley Port of Baltimore’s competitive standing in the global maritime industry. Neuman is currently the chief of staff and special advisor to the president of the Baltimore Ravens, where he oversees strategic, operational, financial, and legal functions under the team president. Previously, Neuman served as the chief of staff, strategy, and operations for the Big Ten Conference and as deputy general counsel.

Albert Pak C’11, W’11, L’18 was named Clinical Assistant Professor of Law at the University of Michigan Law School, where he teaches in the Community Enterprise Clinic. Pak leverages his experience as an attorney, nonprofit executive, and entrepreneur to mentor students in providing transactional legal services to community-based organizations and small businesses. After law school, Pak was awarded a Skadden Fellowship to support Detroit nonprofits, small businesses, and entrepreneurs at Michigan Community Resources. He later joined Bodman PLC, where he served in the Exempt Organizations and Impact Investing group, counseling tax-exempt organizations on legal, operational, and financial issues. While at Bodman, Pak also held leadership roles in the firm’s pro bono and DEI committees.

Robert Thrasher L’18, WG’18 joined Womble Bond Dickinson as an associate, focusing on general corporate transactions. His practice includes structuring, negotiating, and drafting documents for domestic and international mergers and acquisitions, divestitures, joint ventures, and corporate governance matters. Thrasher advises both private and public companies on buy- and sell-side M&A deals, capital raises, investment fund formation, and other commercial transactions.

Eleanor Aldous L’19 was recognized in the 2024 Lawdragon 500 X–The Next Generation, which honors the nation’s top young lawyers as “future leaders of the law.” Aldous, known for her work in plaintiff personal injury and medical malpractice, has achieved high-value settlements for cases involving catastrophic injuries, medical malpractice, products liability, and sexual assault. She has also been named to The National Trial Lawyers Top 40 Under 40, which recognizes outstanding trial lawyers with superior trial results and leadership under age 40.

Caylyn Zanutto (née Perry) L’19 joined BlackRock as Vice President of Digital Assets and ETF Legal Counsel, based in San Francisco. Zanutto brings significant experience in finance and blockchain to her role at BlackRock, where she advises on digital asset initiatives and exchange-traded funds. Prior to joining BlackRock, Zanutto served as Policy Advisor to the Financial Stability Oversight Council at the U.S. Department of the Treasury, where she focused on financial stability and regulatory matters. Before that, she was a Blockchain and FinTech Associate at Perkins Coie LLP, following roles as a Finance Associate at O’Melveny & Myers LLP and Hogan Lovells.

2020s

Grace Greene Simmons L’20 joined McGuireWoods in Washington, D.C., where she represents clients in investigations, litigation, and appellate matters. Before joining the firm, Simmons gained extensive experience clerking at all levels of the federal judiciary, including a recent clerkship with Chief Justice John Roberts, as well as prior clerkships with Judge Stephanos Bibas of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit and the late Judge Gene E.K. Pratter of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania.

Tyler Burrell LPS’20, L’21 was sworn in as the Burlington County Commissioner in January 2025. A lifelong native of South Jersey, Tyler served eight years on the Delran Council, including four as the Council’s president. In that role, he was one of the youngest-elected officials and Council Presidents in the State of New Jersey. He also served as a member of the Delran Recreational Advisory Council for 15 years and as a member of Burlington County’s unified school board for the Burlington County Institute of Technology and Special Services School District. He currently works as an Associate Attorney and Chief Operating Officer in the Marlton office of McOmber, McOmber and Luber, focusing on employment law.

Alyssa Cannizzaro L’21 was recognized in the 2025 edition of Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch for her work in family law. She is an associate at Cohen Clair Lans Greifer & Simpson, a boutique firm that specializes in matrimonial and family law in New York.

Dhea G. Pramesti LLM’21 was promoted to Counsel at UMBRA – Strategic Legal Solutions. Pramesti is the co-head of the firm’s Merger & Acquisition Focus Group, focusing on M&A, corporate restructuring, and project financing, particularly on the equity side. With over a decade of experience, she has been involved in some of the largest and most complex national and cross-border transactions, particularly in the power, energy, and technology, media, and telecommunication (TMT) sectors.

Jeffrey Turben, L’21 joined Brook-field Asset Management as an Associate in Investments and Legal, where he supports the growth of Brookfield’s private credit and insurance strategies, with a particular interest in renewable energy, infrastructure, and life sciences. Before this role, he was an associate in Global Leverage Finance at Milbank LLP and an associate at Dechert LLP.

Kristen Ierardi C’18, L’22, an associate at Latham & Watkins LLP in New York, was recently engaged to Alexander Altieri L’21, a corporate associate in the Mergers & Acquisitions Group at Debevoise & Plimpton. Ierardi advises public companies on corporate governance, public reporting, and securities matters, while Altieri focuses on mergers and acquisitions.

Michael Lomtevas L’22, GFA’22 joined Linklaters as an associate in the New York Mergers and Acquisitions team. Lomtevas advises clients on public and private M&A transactions, including corporate restructuring, asset sales, carve-outs, divestitures, joint ventures, minority investments, and corporate governance. His experience encompasses both complex transaction structuring and general corporate governance matters.

Olivia Rosenzweig Ardebili L’23 joined Caplin & Drysdale as an associate in Caplin & Drysdale’s Bankruptcy and Complex Litigation practice groups. Ardebili’s practice focuses on advising individuals, corporations, and nonprofits on an array of intricate litigation and bankruptcy matters. Prior to joining the firm, Ardebili practiced litigation at an international law firm in Washington, D.C. While at the Law School, she served on the Willem C. Vis International Arbitration Moot Court team and was an Articles Editor of the Journal of International Law. In addition, Ardebili served as the president of both the Penn Carey Law International Arbitration Association and the Jewish Law Students Association.

Eyal Lurie-Pardes LLM’23 joined the Administrative Conference of the United States as an Attorney Advisor. Before joining ACUS, he was a Visiting Fellow at the Middle East Institute in Washington, D.C., supported by the Penn Carey Law LLM Postgraduate Public Interest Fellowship. His experience in Israel includes work with the Association for Civil Rights in Israel, the Zulat Institute for Equality and Human Rights, and service as a Parliamentary Advisor in the Knesset.

Maria Veronica M. Manalo LLM’23 was named “Young Lawyer of the Year” at the 2024 Asian Legal Business (ALB) Philippine Law Awards, presented by ALB and Thomson Reuters. Manalo serves as Vice President Legal Counsel at HSBC and teaches business law at multiple universities, including the University of Asia and the Pacific, the Cesar E.A. Virata School of Business at the University of the Philippines, and Rizal Memorial Colleges, Inc. – School of Law. She views this recognition as a milestone and a testament to the power of perseverance, passion, and diversity in the legal profession.