London, UK – October 7, 2021 – Apperio, a provider of legal spend analytics and matter tracking, today announced it has been named as a Representative Vendor in a new report titled, “Market Guide for Corporate Legal Spend Management and E-Billing*,” which was published on October 4, 2021, by Gartner, Inc. which delivers actionable, objective insight to executives and their teams.

“The corporate legal spend management and e-billing market is an established one. However, shifting customer expectations, new flexible delivery models, functional consolidation and innovation opportunities for new entrants suggest it will remain diverse and fast-changing,” wrote Gartner analysts Chris Audet, Jim Murphy, Nikos Drakos, and Zack Hutto in the report. “Further, the clear value proposition makes it ideal as an initial foothold from which vendors can offer related legal technology products and services.”

The report makes several recommendations to corporate in-house legal teams including the following:

1) “Align investments with business goals by meeting with legal stakeholders to prioritize desired outcomes and end-user requirements.”

2) “Accompany spend management and e-billing initiatives with a change management program to ensure new capabilities for decision support and stakeholder collaboration are used effectively.”

3) “Foster collaborative rather than adversarial relationships with outside counsel by sharing objectives, identifying mutual benefits and sharing performance information.” [1]

“We are pleased to be recognized as a Representative Vendor and believe this report helps articulate the critical role legal technology has in bringing transparency and predictably to legal costs,” said Apperio Founder and CEO Nicholas d’Adhemar. “At the same time, we interpret that the report highlights that legal spend technology should help build a collaborative relationship with outside counsel rather than adversarial one.”

Having worked as a lawyer in both a law firm and as in-house counsel, Mr. d’Adhemar spotted a business opportunity several years ago when employed as an investment manager working for a private equity firm. The investment team was highly reliant on outside counsel to close deals but was frequently surprised by invoices that exceeded estimates.

He knew, based on his experience, that the law firms were not merely running up the bill, but rather both sides lost track of the work. The investment team was relying on invoices to manage legal spend, which means they were never aware the legal team was over budget until they received an invoice.

Apperio helps in-house teams see spend ahead of the invoice because it plugs directly into the practice management systems at law firms. This way the clients can see the status of WIP and accruals in real-time as it happens. Clients can see when a matter is headed over budget and proactively manage costs rather than reacting to a higher-than-expected invoice.

Law firms are also finding this level of ultra-transparency is proving to be a competitive advantage. It’s facilitating contemporaneous time-entry amongst their billing attorneys which improves data hygiene. In turn, those firms find they can produce more accurate invoices with less time and effort. As a result of transparency, a surprise invoice becomes a rare exception and, in turn, the law firm is paid faster and more likely to be paid in full.

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* Gartner, Market Guide for Corporate Legal Spend Management and E-Billing, Chris Audet, Jim Murphy, Nikos Drakos, and Zack Hutto, 04 October 2021 (report available to Gartner subscribers). GARTNER is a registered trademark and service mark of Gartner, Inc. and/or its affiliates in the U.S. and internationally and is used herein with permission.

Disclaimer: Gartner does not endorse any vendor, product or service depicted in its research publications, and does not advise technology users to select only those vendors with the highest ratings or other designation. Gartner research publications consist of the opinions of Gartner’s research organization and should not be construed as statements of fact. Gartner disclaims all warranties, express or implied, with respect to this research, including any warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose.

About Apperio
Apperio is a legal spend analytics and matter tracking platform which effectively transforms how corporate legal departments function, bringing clarity, control and confidence to their operations. The platform provides complete real-time certainty on legal spend, aggregating data from all connected law firms and providing consistent, up-to-date information on all work-in-progress (WIP) and billed legal matters. Apperio visually represents for legal teams, finance and other corporate departments exactly what has and will be spent on legal fees, accurately measuring the performance of its external law firms. Quick to install, cloud-based Apperio requires no on-site IT team. Currently, the platform is used daily by more than 50 in-house legal teams including Epiris, EQT, Network Rail, Royal London, Monzo and Farfetch.
Apperio is based in London, England. For more information, please visit Apperio.com or follow Apperio on LinkedIn or Twitter.

“Environmentalists are terrified. Not that polar bears will soon go the way of the dodo or that melting ice caps will submerge Iceland in the near future. No, the green lobby is very, very concerned that the energy shortage sweeping the globe might cause public officials to think twice before chucking fossil fuels,” reports Liz Peek in The Hill.

“That’s the gist of a recent Financial Times FT editorial that cautions, Net zero goals cannot fall victim to energy crisis. Just because electricity prices are soaring, gasoline is in short supply, coal costs more than ever, China is suffering rolling blackouts and Vladimir Putin has the EU begging for more natural gas, the FT hopes officials.”

Read the article.

“Bitfarms Ltd. A global Bitcoin mining company, signed engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contracts and commenced construction of a production facility in Argentina. As previously announced in April 2021, the new facility is expected to add up to 210 megawatts MW of infrastructure capacity,” reports Yahoo finance in their blog.

“Our new high-production facility in Argentina, which is expected to accommodate over 55,000 miners upon completion, will greatly expand our capacity and global footprint. Combined with the expansion in Quebec, Canada and our planned build-out in Paraguay, we are positioned to achieve our corporate target of 8 exahash per second.”

Read the article.

“Two of Tellurian’s top executives have signed new deals to stay on with the Houston liquefied natural gas company. Tellurian’s Executive Chairman Charif Souki has agreed to stay onboard for the next three years, according to a document filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission,” reports Marcy de Luna in Houston Chronicle.

“Souki’s employment agreement will automatically renew for an additional 12 months and each year thereafter unless he or the company terminates it. Souki will make a base annual salary of $1,200,000, subject to annual review by the board of directors, according to the document. In addition, Souki’s annual cash bonus will range.”

Read the article.

“If you’re working in-house and dealing with bet-the-company litigation, you want the very best litigators in the world to be on your side. You want a firm with litigators so strong that opponents gasp in fear at the very mention of its name. You want a firm that is known internationally for going for,” reports Staci Zaretsky in their Above The Law.

“But how can you ensure that you’ve picked the right firm? BTI Consulting Group just made it a little easier with the release of its annual ranking of the firms most likely to trigger dread in opposing counsel, as determined by a poll of in-house counsel. After reviewing all responses, BTI named the Fearsome Foursome, the most-feared litigation.”

Read the article.

“A contract bust in baseball is fundamentally different than those in other major sports. On the one hand, there’s no salary cap, so a bad contract or two won’t necessarily cripple a team’s ability to compete in the coming years. On the other, all of these contracts are fully guaranteed, meaning that unlike,” reports Joel Anderson in Yahoo Finance.

“MLB stars are getting paid out for the rest of their deal whether they’re even remotely capable of playing at a major-league level or not. So, if the New York Giants realizes half a year into a seven-year deal that their big free agent has lost a step, they can jettison him and his contract. But, if the San Francisco Giants find themselves in a similar.”

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“Aura, a leading provider of all-in-one digital security solutions for consumers, today announced Damien Atkins has joined the company as chief legal officer & general counsel. Atkins joins Aura from Wilmer Hale, where he served as senior counsel. At Aura, he will be responsible for the company’s legal and,” reports PR Newswire in their blog.

“Atkins, an award winning business and seasoned legal executive, brings experience in mergers and acquisitions, corporate governance, securities regulation, ethics and compliance, government investigations and privacy matters. He has an extensive background in advising on diverse and complicated issues, complex legal and policy matters.”

Read the article.

“A San Francisco jury ruled that Tesla TSLA -1% must pay $137 million in a workplace racism case in which a Black man alleged that he endured racist abuse while working at Tesla’s Fremont California plant. Owen Diaz alleged that he suffered racist remarks and abuse causing him sleepless nights, weight loss,” reports Robert W. Wood in Forbes.

“The jury awarded him $6.9M in compensatory emotional distress damages, and a whopping $130M in punitive damages. The verdict may be appealed, but even if it stands up, taxes will slash the award because of how the IRS taxes legal settlements and judgments. Many plaintiffs win or settle a lawsuit only to be surprised that they have.”

Read the article.

“Perrigo has agreed to a proposed settlement in a US court case with two Florida pension funds that accused the pharmaceutical firm of concealing a $1.64bn Revenue tax bill from shareholders. Last week, the two pension funds – The City of Boca Raton General Employees’ Pension Plan and the Palm Bay,” reports Sean Pollock in Independent.ie.

“Asked a court in New York to approve a $31.9m settlement with Perrigo. Court documents said the funds consulting with experts alleged the maximum provable damages in the class action could be $142m. The proposed settlement of the class action followed two and a half years of what the pension funds called intensive litigation. The funds.”

Read the article.

“Los Angeles-based midsize law firm Michelman & Robinson announced Tuesday a new associate salary scale starting at $230,000, outpacing Big Law’s latest pay rate for first years. The salary bumps taking effect in 2022 will award salary by “level” rather than class year at Michelman & Robinson,” reports Chinekwu Osakwe in their Reuters.

“The starting point of the new scale at 70-plus-lawyer Michelman & Robinson sits $25,000 higher than the current prevailing first-year salary at many of the nation’s largest law firms. Firm co-founder Sanford Michelman said the new salary scale was developed by a task force, but was subject to his final approval. The response by the associates.”

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“Qualcomm Incorporated today announced that Ann Chaplin has been appointed general counsel & corporate secretary, reporting directly to Cristiano Amon, president and chief executive officer of Qualcomm Incorporated, effective November 1. Don Rosenberg, general counsel and corporate secretary,” reports PR Newswire in their blog.

“We are excited to welcome Ann to Qualcomm at a time when we see demand for our technologies across virtually every industry and we are positioning the company to execute on one of the largest growth opportunities in our history, said Cristiano Amon, president and chief executive officer, Qualcomm Incorporated. Ann’s broad.”

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“Cable cowboy John Malone, other former members of GCI Liberty Inc.’s board, and a group of investors secured the approval of a Delaware judge for a $110 million settlement resolving a challenge to the telecom holding company’s merger with an affiliate, Liberty Broadband Corp. Vice Chancellor Sam,” reports Mike Leonard in Bloomberg Law.

“Glasscock III signed off Wednesday on the deal, ending litigation in Delaware’s Chancery Court over the combination between the two Malone affiliates, each of which holds a large stake in operating subsidiary Charter Communications Inc. The agreement calls for the payment to be made either by the post-merger entity or the board.”

Read the article.

“After 11 years, multiple lawsuits, public rallies and contentious debates, firefighter Gerald Alston’s case has come to a close after Brookline Town Meeting approved an $11 million settlement Tuesday. The agreement, covering the town and the individual defendants named in the federal lawsuit requires,” reports Abby Patkin in Wicked Local.

“Alston to resign from his post and not seek or accept future employment with the town. The TAB has reached out to Alston’s attorney for comment. Much of Tuesday’s debate focused on the $11 million price tag, with some arguing the amount was too high and should be lowered an act that would have voided the settlement agreement the Select.”

Read the article.

Recently, the American Arbitration Association (AAA) has reappointed David Calvillo, shareholder in the Houston and San Antonio offices of Chamberlain Hrdlicka, for another three-year term on its Roster of Arbitrators and Mediators.

The AAA-ICDR Roster of Arbitrators and Mediators is composed of distinguished former judges and leaders in the legal and business communities with industry-specific knowledge and expertise. Arbitrators and mediators are not employees or contractors of the AAA-ICDR, which maintains an arms-length relationship with its panelists. AAA-ICDR staff members, arbitrators, and mediators are held to strict principles of integrity (fairness and impartiality), conflict management, service, and diversity and inclusion.

Calvillo is an accomplished board-certified civil trial lawyer, certified public accountant, and certified valuation analyst, and brings a variety of skill sets to his practice. He has successfully tried, litigated, and arbitrated matters in diverse practice areas, including breach of contract, federal tax, property tax, business separation, business torts, construction, shareholder rights, professional negligence, personal injury and wrongful death, employment, debt collection, and intellectual property matters.

As an experienced professional neutral, Calvillo actively serves as an arbitrator in commercial, construction, employment, international, and health law disputes with the American Arbitration Association, the American Health Lawyer’s Association, and in court-appointed and party-selected disputes. As a mediator, he has conducted thousands of mediations and has earned the recognition of his peers as a Distinguished Credentialed Mediator. Fluent in Spanish, he is one of the few truly bilingual mediators and bilingual arbitrators available throughout the State of Texas. His multidisciplinary expertise has earned him the attention of his colleagues and Texas courts, who have tapped him to serve as a Special Discovery Master and Receiver in scores of complex litigation matters.

Deeply involved in the legal community, David serves on the Board of Directors of the State Bar of Texas and the Board of Directors of the Hispanic Bar Association of Houston. He is an Elected Member of the American Law Institute the Immediate Past President of the St. Thomas More Society of Houston. He has previously served the legal profession as an Exam Commissioner for the Civil Trial Specialization Committee of the Texas Board of Legal Specialization, as a member of the Council of the ADR Section and Council of the Hispanic Issues Section of the State Bar of Texas. He also previously served as the Chair of the region’s State Bar of Texas Grievance Committee.

Calvillo received a bachelor’s degree in accounting from The University of Texas – Pan American and a law degree from the University of Texas School of Law and an executive LLM degree in Tax from Georgetown University Law Center. A native of the Rio Grande Valley in deep South Texas, David Calvillo is also proudly bicultural and bilingual.

About Chamberlain Hrdlicka
Chamberlain Hrdlicka is a diversified business law firm with offices in Houston, Atlanta, Philadelphia and San Antonio. The firm represents both public and private companies, as well as individuals and family-owned businesses across the nation. The firm offers counsel in civil appeals; bankruptcy, restructuring, & creditor rights; commercial litigation; condemnation and eminent domain law; construction & real estate law; corporate, securities and finance; employee benefits & executive compensation; energy and maritime law; ERISA; estate & income tax planning & estate administration; exempt organizations; federal white collar criminal defense; immigration & international law; insurance law; intellectual property; labor & employment; paycheck protection program audits & investigations; privacy & data security; probate & fiduciary litigation; state & local tax; tax controversy; tax planning & business transactions; and technology & IP transactions. For more information, visit: www.chamberlainlaw.com.

Perkins Coie is pleased to announce that Chicago-based Partner Caryn Trombino has been appointed to serve as the chair of the firm’s national White Collar & Investigations practice.

Caryn is a veteran white-collar defense and investigations attorney who has managed high-stakes legal cases for corporate board members and senior Wall Street executives, as well as major institutional and international investigations for diverse clients. She is the first woman attorney to lead the national practice’s more than 80 attorneys who represent Fortune 500 companies and individual executives in criminal and civil enforcement actions brought by the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, among other federal and state enforcement agencies, as well as international authorities.

“I’m honored to be named chair of Perkins Coie’s growing White Collar & Investigations practice, and I’m thankful for the support and trust of the firm’s leadership as well as my colleagues and clients,” said Caryn Trombino. “This has been a year of substantial growth in our bench of white collar and investigations litigators, rounding out our national profile in the New York and Washington, D.C., markets with the addition of 14 lateral hires and complementing a broader team that spans the country. I would also like to thank former chair, Markus Funk, for his leadership and steadfast dedication to the practice.”

Perkins Coie’s White Collar & Investigations practice is crisis-tested and valued by clients for its commitment to smart, strategic counseling and advocacy in investigations, compliance, and litigation. Practice attorneys have led several of the nation’s largest independent investigations in higher education, including sexual abuse, bias, and institutional integrity, and have also served in independent monitor roles as appointed by the DOJ, SEC, and World Bank.

Perkins Coie is a leading international law firm that is known for providing high value, strategic solutions and extraordinary client service on matters vital to our clients’ success. With more than 1,200 lawyers in offices across the United States and Asia, we provide a full array of corporate, commercial litigation, intellectual property, and regulatory legal advice to a broad range of clients, including many of the world’s most innovative companies and industry leaders as well as public and not-for-profit organizations.

Six firm attorneys recognized in this year’s legal guide for expertise in intellectual property, personal injury litigation

LONGVIEW, Texas – Ward, Smith & Hill founder Johnny Ward has earned a spot among the Top 100 attorneys in Dallas-Fort Worth in the Texas Super lawyers 2021 guide, an honor he has received since 2003.

The guide honors six firm attorneys in this year’s listing. Name partner Wesley Hill, Of Counsel T. John Ward, and partners Chad Everingham and Claire Abernathy Henry earned recognition for their expertise in intellectual property litigation, with name partner Bruce Smith earning selection for his work with plaintiffs involved in personal injury disputes.

Every year the prestigious listing highlights top-rated attorneys after a thorough research and vetting process that involves peer nominations and extensive editorial research. Thomson Reuters publishes the annual list in the October editions of Texas Monthly and Super Lawyers magazines. The full list is available at http://www.superlawyers.com.

Ward, Smith & Hill attorneys have received many accolades for intellectual property and patent litigation expertise, including recognition in The Best Lawyers in America and the global legal guide IAM Patent 1000 – The World’s Leading Patent Professionals.

Longview, Texas-based Ward, Smith & Hill, PLLC, has tried more than 350 cases to verdict, earning a national reputation in high-stakes claims involving complex commercial litigation, intellectual property law, oil and gas matters, bad faith insurance claims, and serious personal injury claims. The firm frequently assists lawyers nationwide in complex cases before Texas juries. To learn more about the firm, visit http://www.wsfirm.com.

Sidley Austin LLP is pleased to announce that Anthony Grossi has joined the firm’s Global Restructuring group in the New York and Washington D.C. offices. Previously, Mr. Grossi was a partner in the Restructuring Practice Group at Kirkland & Ellis LLP.

Mr. Grossi primarily advises distressed companies in Chapter 11 reorganizations and out-of-court restructurings. His experience includes representing debtors and significant creditor groups in large and complex Chapter 11 cases. Prior to his most recent position, he served as the bankruptcy counsel for several years to the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on the Judiciary.

“Anthony has represented debtors in some of the most complicated and high-profile Chapter 11 cases in recent years,” said Jennifer Hagle, a member of Sidley’s Executive Committee and Global Restructuring group. “That extensive experience will immediately contribute to the growth of our company-side restructuring practice and along with his creditor experience, significantly increase our bench strength in the global restructuring market.”

The Global Restructuring group has over 50 full-time lawyers in North America, Europe, and Asia representing key constituents in the restructuring of large and mid-size companies.

The addition of Mr. Grossi follows the firm’s recent addition of partner Tom Califano to the Global Restructuring group in New York and Dallas.

Leadership from Dallas-based FBFK law firm today announced that the firm will be opening an Austin office and bringing on board well-known Intellectual Property (IP) attorney Kirby Cronin of Cronin PLLC to lead market efforts and bolster FBFK’s strong IP practice. Also joining FBFK from Cronin PLLC are long-standing IP attorneys Allison Copeland and Jill Cronin.
“We’ve been looking for the right Austin-based partner to expand our already strong IP and technology practice and found that partner in Kirby,” said FBFK CEO and Founder Kyle Ferguson. “He’s the whole package – well-respected, entrepreneurial, and committed to relationships and service, which is evident in his strong relationships with corporate leaders and the attorney team he brings with him.”
Cronin, a 25-year attorney with expertise in intellectual property transactions, litigation, and counseling as well as extensive experience representing financial institutions’ technology-related matters, will join FBFK as a shareholder. He brings with him long-term IP clients Whataburger, Frost Bank, C.H. Guenther & Son, and many others.
He also maintains an active trademark practice and has expertise with a variety of copyright, trade secret, domain name, social media, and other intellectual property needs. Cronin also has significant legal experience in a variety of other areas, such as commercial litigation, commercial and business transactions, and employment matters.
“Coupling Cronin PLLC’s highly successful intellectual property and technology transaction specialties with FBFK’s full-service capabilities will allow us to ensure that our clients continue to receive the highest quality representation possible and with lawyers that they trust as much as their own in-house team,” said Cronin. “I look forward to growing FBFK’s IP practice and enhancing the services provided to my existing clients.”
Cronin’s legal background includes both private law firm and in-house counsel experience, most notably serving as in-house counsel for Computer Sciences Corporation. He also has led – and routinely leads – in negotiations opposite Fortune 100 U.S. companies, such as ExxonMobil, AT&T, Dell, HP, Hewlett Packard Enterprises, J.P. Morgan Chase, IBM, Capital One, Microsoft and Dow Chemical.
Cronin has both bachelor’s and juris doctorate degrees from the University of Texas and continues to teach Transactional Drafting within the University of Texas School of Law.
Austin IP Attorney Team
Also joining Cronin as part of the new FBFK Austin team are fellow IP attorneys Allison Copeland and Jill Cronin. They will collaborate with FBFK’s existing IP team in Dallas and Houston.

Allison Copeland
Copeland, a veteran intellectual property attorney with more than 20 years of experience in private law firms and as in-house corporate counsel, focuses on intellectual property transactions and counseling, including software licensing, open-source compliance, joint marketing, reseller and OEM agreements, and other intellectual property needs. Copeland received her bachelor’s and juris doctorate degrees from the University of Texas.

Jill Cronin
Cronin, who is also a tenured commercial litigation and insurance coverage law attorney, brings a wide range of IP experience to FBFK – from trademark prosecution, clearance, and enforcement matters to social media issues and matters involving contests and promotions. She also touts extensive experience with insurance coverage law and assists clients with crisis response and insurance coverage reviews. Cronin has served on the governing council of the Insurance Law Section of the State Bar of Texas and as a Co-Chair of both the Ethics and Advertising Injury/Intellectual Property Subcommittees of the ABA Insurance Coverage Litigation Section. She received her bachelor’s degree from the University of Texas and juris doctorate degree (with honors) from the University of Houston Law Center.

FBFK’s current intellectual property and technology practice is comprised of 14 attorneys in Dallas, Houston and Silicon Valley with deep expertise in patent infringement, copyright infringement, trademark infringement and unfair competition, technology contract disputes, domain name disputes, e-commerce disputes and license disputes. With the new additions, the team will now total 17 attorneys.

“We’re thrilled to increase our existing IP bench strength with Kirby, Allison and Jill and to bring our expertise to Austin,” added Ferguson.

The FBFK Austin office will be located at: 4301 Westbank Drive, Building B, Ste. 270, Austin, TX 78746.
Phone: 512.703.1400.

Blank Rome LLP is pleased to announce that Sonia Kaur Bain has joined the firm’s New York office as a partner in the Real Estate practice group, which continues to strategically expand its team and enhance its capabilities across key U.S. markets and sectors. Sonia is well-known in the real estate industry and represents developers, retail companies, hotel groups, landlords and tenants, and family offices in New York and across the country in the acquisition and development of numerous types of commercial real estate assets. Prior to joining Blank Rome, Sonia was a real estate partner at Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner.

“Sonia’s well-established practice and decades of experience in the real estate market will be invaluable to our firm as we continue to strategically grow our real estate service offerings to meet increasing market demands,” said Grant S. Palmer, Blank Rome’s Managing Partner and CEO. “Sonia is a versatile and well-respected practitioner, recognized for her holistic approach to client service. We are excited to welcome her to the firm.”

Sonia’s transactional commercial real estate work includes counseling clients on acquisitions, dispositions, development, ground and spaces leases, and financing and leasing across commercial real estate assets, including mixed-use, residential, retail, hotel, and industrial properties. Additionally, she advises her clients on strategically determining where real estate investment opportunities may fit into their overarching business models.

“The real estate and hospitality sectors have faced numerous, complex challenges amid the pandemic,” said Samantha Wallack, Partner and Co-Chair of the Real Estate practice group. “Sonia will play an integral role in helping our clients to bounce back from these difficulties and navigate any hurdles that lie ahead. We are thrilled to welcome her to our growing team in New York, which recently welcomed our new partner Christy L. Reuter, another leader in the global hospitality sector.”

“I am excited to join the firm and its growing Real Estate group,” said Sonia. “Blank Rome’s continued investment in the burgeoning New York real estate market provides a tremendous amount of opportunity to continue to evolve my practice and service my clients’ needs while also building strong cross-marketing relationships across all of the firm’s practices.”

In addition to her practice, Sonia currently serves as the president of New York Women Executives in Real Estate (WX), where she has been a board member and officer for five years. WX is an invite-only membership of women in commercial real estate whose mission is to support and enhance the profile and success of women in the industry, dovetailing into Sonia’s passion for mentoring women—particularly those entering their careers in law and the real estate industry at large.

Sonia is also an accomplished industry thought leader, often invited to participate as a speaker, moderator, and panelist at real estate industry events. She has been celebrated among the top women in real estate by business publications and legal directories in New York and beyond, including Best Lawyers in America, Crain’s New York Business, and Bisnow. Sonia earned her J.D. from New York Law School and her B.A. from Stony Brook University.

About Blank Rome

Blank Rome is an Am Law 100 firm with 13 offices and more than 600 attorneys and principals who provide comprehensive legal and advocacy services to clients operating in the United States and around the world. Our professionals have built a reputation for their leading knowledge and experience across a spectrum of industries and are recognized for their commitment to pro bono work in their communities. Since our inception in 1946, Blank Rome’s culture has been dedicated to providing top-level service to all of our clients and has been rooted in the strength of our diversity and inclusion initiatives. For more information, please visit blankrome.com.

WASHINGTON, D.C. – October 4, 2021 – Brown Rudnick LLP announced the addition of Barbara Klepper as a Partner in the Tax Practice Group, within the Corporate and Capital Markets Department, adding to the deep bench of lawyers with experience handling highly complex transactions.

Klepper joins from McAfee & Taft where she was a shareholder in the Employee Benefits and Executive Compensation group. Her practice encompasses all aspects of executive compensation, employee benefits planning, and related tax matters. She counsels clients navigating such issues related to mergers and acquisitions and regularly advises on post-closing benefits structuring, Section 409A and 280G issues, deferred compensation plans, severance and executive employment contracts.

“Barbara’s strong track record dealing with nuanced executive compensation and benefits matters complements our team, and our clients will benefit greatly from her insight” said Vince Guglielmotti, Managing Director of the Corporate and Capital Markets Department. “Her experience counseling public and private clients in transactions across a broad range of industries further enhances the service we offer. We’re thrilled to welcome Barbara to the firm.”

Klepper has experience representing clients of all types and sizes. She has worked across a variety of industries, including energy, food, healthcare, private equity, and technology, and represents both owners and entities in negotiating terms of complex transactions. She also assists charitable organizations and private foundations in handling regulatory requirements necessary to maintain tax-exempt status. She has represented clients before the U.S. Department of Labor and the IRS on benefits and tax matters.

“Barbara will be a tremendous asset to our robust Tax Practice and will further propel Brown Rudnick in servicing our clients in an ever-changing business and regulatory environment,” said Nicole Bouchard, Practice Group Leader of the Tax Practice Group.

Brown Rudnick’s Tax Practice Group consists of committed lawyers who deeply understand the industries they serve and their market realities. The team views complex tax issues as key opportunities to position clients for success. Klepper will join a deep roster of experienced professionals with diverse backgrounds.

About Brown Rudnick LLP

Brown Rudnick combines ingenuity with experience to achieve great outcomes for our clients. We deliver partner-driven services, with a focus on collaboration in the client’s best interest. Brown Rudnick is an international law firm, serving clients around the globe. With more than 250 lawyers and government relations professionals, the Firm has offices in key financial centers across the United States and Europe. We are recognized for our market-leading practices covering several targeted industries, including bankruptcy and corporate restructuring, life sciences, technology, litigation and arbitration, white-collar defense and government investigations, civil fraud, special situations, corporate finance, strategic capital, distressed debt, intellectual property, real estate, M&A, and cross-border deals and disputes.