Bradley Arant Boult Cummings LLP is pleased to announce that Richard A. Sayles, managing partner of the firm’s Dallas office, was recognized by Benchmark Litigation as among the “Top 100 Trial Lawyers in America” in the publication’s 2022 edition.

“Our firm is very proud of Dick’s selection as one of the top trial attorneys in America,” said Bradley’s Chairman of the Board and Managing Partner Jonathan M. Skeeters. “Dick is a trailblazer and has achieved tremendous successes on behalf of clients throughout his storied career.”

Mr. Sayles has more than four decades of experience trying cases in both state and federal courts. His experience includes defending clients in cases involving defense of and claims against corporate directors and officers, securities claims, product liability and patent infringement suits, and high-stakes commercial litigation.

Benchmark Litigation is the only directory to focus exclusively on the U.S. litigation market. The publication’s identification of the leading U.S. trial attorneys is based on extensive interviews with litigators, dispute resolution specialists and their clients as well as analysis of the market’s most important cases and firm developments.

About Bradley
Bradley combines skilled legal counsel with exceptional client service and unwavering integrity to assist a diverse range of corporate and individual clients in achieving their business goals. With offices in Alabama, Florida, Mississippi, North Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, and the District of Columbia, the firm’s nearly 550 lawyers represent regional, national and international clients in various industries, including banking and financial services, construction, energy, healthcare, life sciences, manufacturing, real estate, and technology, among many others.

Thomson Reuters today announced integrations with key Practical Law and 3E features, as well as Microsoft Teams®, on its industry-leading legal workflow platform HighQ. The integrations, along with more than 50 customer-driven enhancements, are part of ongoing improvements to help legal professionals strengthen collaboration, boost productivity and streamline work processes.

“We are continually working with customers to further evolve HighQ as a hub for legal workflows,” said Chris Kitchener, vice president, Product Management for Thomson Reuters HighQ. “Our latest additions combine customer-requested components with strategic upgrades to help legal professionals work more efficiently and productively, and ultimately, deliver improved client satisfaction with our content-driven technology solutions.”

Integrating Practical Law allows users to visualize and customize the Corporate and Litigation Matter Maps within HighQ to better plan and execute legal work. By linking to relevant and up-to-date Practical Law content within each task, this feature helps legal professionals standardize processes, enabling better project planning and management and, in turn, improving service delivery.

Kitchener added, “Allowing HighQ users to create customizable Matter Maps from Practical Law with one click provides the task support that law firms and corporate legal teams need to execute effectively as well as the guidance within those tasks. We’re applying technology to combine the power of Thomson Reuters editorial leadership with our workflow expertise – all to support our customers in strengthening their client service.”

Another strategic integration seamlessly incorporates key client data from 3E into HighQ’s visualization and workflow automation tools. This allows users to provide clients with real-time access to their work-in-progress and current spend, making it easier to monitor activity and stay informed on project status.

In addition, the Microsoft Teams integration allows users to share content from HighQ within Teams private chat or group channels, and upload files from Teams to HighQ. Users also can see the Teams presence of other users and message or call them from within HighQ, fostering better collaboration and communication between colleagues.

Also notable among the HighQ improvements are features that streamline contract management work. HighQ users can now share Contract Express questionnaires with external users, allowing anyone to generate documents in HighQ. Providing public access to questionnaires extends automated document creation to those outside of a user’s organization, further streamlining workflows and approval processes. Additional new features simplify users’ transaction workflows, including the ability to bulk send documents to DocuSign® for signing and a site proxy login for better permission management.

The more than 50 enhancements and key integrations in HighQ 5.6 provide new ways for legal professionals to improve client satisfaction. These upgrades follow the launch of HighQ Contract Analysis, a contract review and analysis tool that uses machine learning and pre-trained models, as well as enhancements to legal project management and contract lifecycle management tools.

Chamberlain Hrdlicka is pleased to announce that Philadelphia-based Shareholder Jennifer Karpchuk was appointed to the Philadelphia Tax Reform Working Group by Mayor Jim Kenney and City Council. In this capacity, Karpchuk will join other business and community stakeholders to build on the efforts of previous tax reform committees by studying and recommending changes to the city’s tax code to support Philadelphia’s equitable and inclusive recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic. Additionally, this group’s is charged with the creation of an action plan for tax reform that will serve as the foundation of the Fiscal 2023 Budget and Five-Year Financial Plan to be released early next year. The full announcement from the Office of the Mayor can be found here.

“I am honored and grateful to have been appointed to this working group along with other business and community leaders in Philadelphia,” said Karpchuk. “We have an opportunity to help our businesses in Philadelphia grow and effectively navigate their recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic and increase jobs within our great city. I am eager to use my knowledge of state and local tax law to identify ways the city can avoid tax pitfalls and move tax reform forward.”

Karpchuk’s practice focuses on all aspects of state and local tax controversy and planning. She is a nationally sought-after speaker and writer on topics related to state and local tax (SALT). Karpchuk is the current chair of the Philadelphia Bar Association’s State and Local Tax Committee. She is a regular contributor to Tax Notes, Bloomberg Tax, Law360, and The Legal Intelligencer on SALT related topics. Additionally, she is a regular contributor to the Legal Intelligencer with a column that aims to help young partners and those aspiring to be shareholders to thrive in both the practice and business of law– addressing tough topics from work/life balance to building a practice to office politics. Karpchuk also co-authors the Pennsylvania Tax Handbook and the Pennsylvania Chapter of the American Bar Association’s Property Tax Deskbook. Karpchuk founded a professional networking and affinity group called Philly Women in SALT, which helps women connect with other women within the SALT community, gain equitable positions in the industry and advance their careers. She earned her undergraduate degree from the University of Delaware and her law degree from Temple University Beasley School of Law.
Members of the Tax Reform Working Group:
• Council President Darrell L. Clarke
• Councilmember Quinones-Sanchez (7th District)
• Councilmember Green (At Large)
• Councilmember Domb (At Large)
• James Engler, Chief of Staff, Mayor Kenney
• Rob Dubow, Finance Director
• Frank Breslin, Chief Collections Officer/Revenue Commissioner
• Michael Rashid, Commerce Director
• Christina Hernandez, First Deputy Chief of Staff (alternate)
• Ryan Boyer, Business Manager, Laborers’ District Council of the Metropolitan Area of Philadelphia and Vicinity
• Kia Buckner, CPA, CGMA, Managing Partner, Horsey, Buckner & Heffler, LLP
• Patrick J. Burns, President and CEO, Metro Philly Management
• Lee Huang, President and Principal, Econsult Solutions
• Susan Jacobson, President, Jacobson Strategic Communications
• Jabari Jones, President, West Philadelphia Corridor Collaborative
• Jennifer W. Karpchuk, Esq., State and Local Tax Practice Co-Chair and Shareholder, Chamberlain Hrdlicka
• Matthew Melinson, Partner, Grant Thornton LLP
• Folasade (Sade) Olanipekun-Lewis, Regional Director, Government and Airport Affairs, American Airlines
• Wayne W. Williams, Assistant Professor, Department of Accounting, Temple University

About Chamberlain Hrdlicka
Chamberlain Hrdlicka is a diversified business law firm with offices in Atlanta, Houston, 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 appellate law, bankruptcy, commercial and probate litigation, construction law, corporate, employee benefits, energy and maritime law, ERISA, estate planning and administration, intellectual property, international and immigration law, labor and employment, privacy and data security, real estate, securities and finance, tax controversy and tax planning.

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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.

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.

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.

Houston, September 22, 2021 – Eleven attorneys with national law firm Chamberlain Hrdlicka have been selected to the 2021 Texas Super Lawyers list. Each year, no more than five percent of the lawyers in the state are selected by the research team at Super Lawyers to receive this honor.

The Chamberlain Hrdlicka attorneys selected for the 2020 Thomson Reuters’ list of Super Lawyers are:
• Brett T. Berly, Estate Planning & Probate Law
• David N. Calvillo, Business Litigation
• Ryan O. Cantrell – Estate & Trust Litigation
• Larry A. Campagna, Tax
• C. Larry Carbo III, Employment Litigation: Defense
• Diana Perez Gomez, Employment & Labor
• F. Daniel Knight, Transportation/Maritime Law
• Steven J. Knight – Appellate Law
• Charles J. “Chad” Muller, Tax
• Julie Offerman, Employment & Labor
• Juan F. Vasquez Jr., Tax

This June, Chamberlain Hrdlicka attorneys were also named to the 2021 Texas Rising Star list by Super Lawyers Magazine, including Jarrod B. Martin, Kathryn “Kelly” Shields and Justin E. VandenBout in Houston as well as F. Matthew “Matt” Flores and Jaime Vasquez in San Antonio. Part of the national Super Lawyers rating service, Texas Rising Stars recognizes the best attorneys age 40 or younger, or who have been practicing for 10 years or less. Each year, no more than 2.5 percent of the lawyers in the state receive this honor.

Super Lawyers, a Thomson Reuters business, is a rating service of outstanding lawyers from more than 70 practice areas who have attained a high degree of peer recognition and professional achievement. The annual selections are made using a patented multiphase process that includes a statewide survey of lawyers, an independent research evaluation of candidates and peer reviews by practice area. The result is a credible, comprehensive and diverse listing of exceptional attorneys.

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.

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.

Bradley Arant Boult Cummings LLP is pleased to announce that Charles A. “Chuck” Stewart III, a partner in the firm’s Montgomery office, has been inducted as a Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers. The induction ceremony was held at the Annual Meeting of the College in Chicago.

“Chuck is a respected practitioner with an impressive legal career and is deserving of this honor recognizing his contributions to the practice of law and his high level of professionalism,” said Bradley Chairman of the Board and Managing Partner Jonathan Skeeters.

Mr. Stewart has more than 35 years of experience with complex trials involving business disputes, product liability, intellectual property, construction, employment, and catastrophic personal injuries in multiple states. He has defended several class actions to defense verdicts, including matters involving antitrust claims, racial steering in the sale of real estate, and group health insurance. Mr. Stewart has also represented clients faced with government investigations and qui tam matters. He regularly defends clients faced with bet-the-company multidistrict litigation.

Founded in 1950, the American College of Trial Lawyers is one of the premier legal associations in North America and is dedicated to improving the standards of trial practice, professionalism, ethics, and the administration of justice. Fellowship is extended by invitation only and after an extensive process to determine that the individual has mastered the art of advocacy and achieved the highest standards of ethical conduct. Inductees must have a minimum of fifteen years of trial experience for consideration.

About Bradley
Bradley combines skilled legal counsel with exceptional client service and unwavering integrity to assist a diverse range of corporate and individual clients in achieving their business goals. With offices in Alabama, Florida, Mississippi, North Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, and the District of Columbia, the firm’s nearly 550 lawyers represent regional, national and international clients in various industries, including banking and financial services, construction, energy, healthcare, life sciences, manufacturing, real estate, and technology, among many others.

“Biglaw has a talent problem. It’s not that more recent law school graduates aren’t capable of doing the work that the industry demands of them, it’s that they are unwilling or at least, less willing to put themselves through the ringer of Biglaw for the benefits that Biglaw is currently willing to give them,” reports Kathryn Rubino in Above The Law.

“Earlier this year, Major, Lindsey & Africa and Above the Law reported on a survey that detailed what priorities are most important for millennial lawyers, and money is only top for ~17 percent of respondents. And ~29 percent said they would trade compensation for more time off, plus ~ 25 percent said a they’d swap money for a more flexible.”

Read the article.

“Dallas-based Ryan has hired John Smith as senior vice president, chief legal officer and general counsel, the global business tax services and software provider announced in a news release. John brings an impressive background and knowledge base that we are certain will be an integral part of Ryan’s,” reports The Business Journals in their blog.

“Ryan Global President and Chief Operating Officer Ginny B. Kissling said in the release. This hiring is important, now more than ever, as we focus on our continued global expansion and reimagine how our Legal department can bring greater value and collaboration to service delivery, technology, and our clients. Previously, Smith spent.”

Read the article.

“A federal court in Chicago granted preliminary approval of a $92 million class action settlement on behalf of users of the TikTok app, and its predecessor application Musical.ly, over claims the social media company wrongfully collected users’ biometric information and private data, according to Fegan,” reports Business Wire in their blog.

“The social media company then allegedly disclosed users’ private data and information to third parties violating the Illinois Biometric Information Privacy Act (BIPA), the federal Video Privacy Protection Act, and other consumer and privacy protection laws. Biometric identifiers are physiological traits such as fingerprints, facial patterns, or voice.”

Read the article.

“The city of San Francisco gave final approval Tuesday to an $8 million settlement for a man who claims he spent 20 years in prison for a murder he did not commit after a police officer framed him with false evidence. Maurice Caldwell was released from prison on March 28, 2010, a few,” reports Nicholas Iovino in Court House News Service.

“Before San Francisco County Superior Court Judge Charles Haines overturned his conviction in December 2010 based on a finding that his trial lawyer had been ineffective. On Tuesday, the San Francisco Board of Supervisors unanimously gave a second and final vote of approval to the $8 million deal first announced in April after nine.”

Read the article.

DALLAS – Five partners with Family Law firm Orsinger, Nelson, Downing & Anderson have earned recognition among the Top 100 attorneys in Texas in the Super Lawyers guide for 2021. A total of 13 lawyers with the firm made this year’s listing of leading attorneys in the state.

No more than 5 percent of the more than 100,000 attorneys practicing in Texas are chosen by Super Lawyers, the Thomson Reuters-owned peer-review guide. The Top 100 represent the most elite practitioners.

Name partners Keith Nelson, Scott Downing, Jeff Anderson, were selected for the Top 100 attorneys in the state and also made the Top 100 list for the Dallas-Fort Worth area as did partners Brad LaMorgese and Lon Loveless. San Antonio-based name partner Richard Orsinger was recognized among the Top 50 attorneys in Central/West Texas along with partner Amber Liddell Alwais.

Rounding out the list of honorees in Family Law are partners William Reppeto, Paula Bennett, Paul Hewett, Holly Rampy Baird, R. Porter Corrigan and Of Counsel James Loveless.

“We always appreciate when our peers in the legal world recognize our hard work and expertise in Family Law,” said Mr. Downing. “But we take the most pride in finding workable solutions for our clients.”

The 2021 guide is based on independent research, surveys, peer nominations and evaluations by leading lawyers in the same practice areas. The complete 2021 listing will be published in October in Texas Monthly and the Texas edition of Super Lawyers magazine. It can be found online at http://www.superlawyers.com.

Nationally recognized for more Top 100 Super Lawyers in Texas than any other law firm in 2017-2020, Orsinger, Nelson, Downing & Anderson, LLP, has a significant track record of handling complex family law matters, including divorce, child custody and international custody disputes, property division and appellate issues. All firm partners have been recognized by Super Lawyers.

With offices in Dallas, Frisco, Fort Worth and San Antonio, Orsinger, Nelson, Downing & Anderson, LLP, is one of Texas’ largest Family Law firms. Each partner is Board Certified in Family Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization, as well as a member of the Texas Academy of Family Law Specialists. To learn more, visit https://www.ondafamilylaw.com/.

Greensfelder, Hemker & Gale, P.C. is pleased to announce that Kurt J.H. Mueller has joined the firm as counsel in its Business Services practice group, based in Greensfelder’s Chicago office.

With more than 25 years of corporate law experience, Mueller provides a distinct perspective through his advising of private equity and venture capital funds, businesses of all sizes from start-ups to large multinational companies, hedge funds and individual investors.

Mueller’s practice focuses on mergers and acquisitions, venture capital and private equity investments, fund formations and sophisticated joint venture transactions. His experience also includes corporate governance, credit facilities, employment agreements, leases, intellectual property agreements and all manner of other agreements documenting business transactions.

Before joining Greensfelder, Mueller practiced as a partner and senior counsel at several prominent national firms. He has also worked as in-house counsel for a large bank’s private equity and strategic investing business, where he advised investment professionals on portfolio company acquisitions and dispositions, including applicable banking regulatory matters. He earned his J.D., cum laude, from Boston University and his B.B.A. in Accounting and Finance from the University of Wisconsin.

Kevin P. Allen, Daniel B. McLane and Michael P. Pest have joined as partners, and Thomas E. Sanchez as special counsel, in Duane Morris LLP’s Pittsburgh office as part of the firm’s Trial Practice Group.

Allen has also been appointed co-managing partner of the firm’s Pittsburgh office. The attorneys join the firm from Eckert Seamans Cherin & Mellott, LLC.

“With a robust market for trial activity, we’re excited to welcome this talented team of litigators to the firm. We are always looking for marquee talent and Kevin, Dan, Mike and Tom certainly represent that strategic goal,” said Matthew A. Taylor, Chairman and CEO of Duane Morris. “Our firm is well-known for the ability to deliver results for our clients, and this group’s contributions to Duane Morris will be a growth accelerator for our Pittsburgh office.”

“Kevin, Dan, Mike and Tom offer us an exciting opportunity to expand our Pittsburgh office and do so with a group of highly skilled lawyers dedicated to serving the firm’s clients” said Sharon L. Caffrey, co-chair of Duane Morris’ Trial Practice Group. “That group will hit the ground running and add value to our Pittsburgh office and the firm as a whole from day one,” added Wayne A. Mack, co-chair of Duane Morris’ Trial Practice Group.

“Our organization will be enhanced by this team of marquee talent; their reputations in the Pittsburgh legal community as top-notch litigators precede them,” said Kenneth M. Argentieri, co-managing partner of Duane Morris’ Pittsburgh office. “I also look forward to working with Kevin to continue to grow and enhance our office.”

“We look forward to joining with our Duane Morris colleagues in Pittsburgh and throughout the firm to serve existing clients, and to demonstrate focus, dedication, and the depth and breadth of Duane Morris’ capabilities to new clients in western Pennsylvania and beyond,” said Allen. “We’re ready to get to work. We want like-minded lawyers in Pittsburgh to join us in the weeks and months to come.”

Kevin P. Allen concentrates his trial practice on commercial litigation with an emphasis on contract disputes, business torts and the defense of class actions and consumer protection actions. A member of the Academy of Trial Lawyers of Allegheny County, Allen’s first-chair experience includes state and federal jury and nonjury trials, injunction proceedings and binding arbitrations. Allen also has argued appellate cases before the Third Circuit, the Federal Circuit, and Pennsylvania’s Supreme, Superior and Commonwealth Courts. Allen also serves in an outside general counsel capacity for clients from diverse industries when legal questions intersect with clients’ business issues. He is the author of the treatise “The Attorney-Client Privilege and Work-Product Doctrine in Pennsylvania,” now in its sixth edition, and he has served as a court-appointed special discovery master to address privilege and work-product issues.

Allen is a graduate of the University of Pittsburgh School of Law (J.D., 1995) and Yale University (B.A., 1992).

Daniel B. McLane serves as lead trial counsel in commercial litigation in state and federal trial and appellate courts and before the American Arbitration Association. Recently, McLane was lead counsel, teaming with Sanchez, before the Pennsylvania Supreme Court in a landmark decision declaring that a “no-hire”/”no-poach” contract provision constituted an unreasonable restraint in Pennsylvania. McLane represents corporations in complex litigation including closely held shareholder disputes and custodian proceedings. He also represents oil and gas exploration companies in litigation throughout Pennsylvania.

McLane is a graduate of Syracuse University College of Law (J.D., cum laude, 1995) and Roanoke College (B.A., 1992).

Michael P. Pest represents clients from diverse industries in complex commercial litigation. Pest’s litigation practice includes matters involving contracts, business torts, trade secrets, real estate transactions and closely held shareholder disputes. He also defends clients in the financial and energy sectors against claims arising under federal and state consumer protection laws. Prior to entering private practice, Pest clerked for the Honorable Dan R. Pellegrini, former president judge of the Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvania.

Pest is a graduate of the University of Pittsburgh School of Law (J.D., 2011) and Northwestern University (B.A., 2006).

Thomas E. Sanchez represents corporate clients from various industries in complex commercial litigation. He has experience handling complex single-plaintiff and class actions from inception through trial and appeal, including in cases involving contract disputes, business torts, product liability, patent infringement, unfair competition, business dissolution matters, noncompete and nonsolicitation agreements, and oil and gas energy litigation. In addition to his trial court appearances, Sanchez also has had lead responsibility for appellate briefing before the Third Circuit and Pennsylvania’s Supreme and Superior Courts. Previously, he clerked for the Honorable Yvette Kane of the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania. While in law school, he worked as an intern for the Honorable Joseph N. Laplante of the U.S. District Court for the District of New Hampshire.

Sanchez is a graduate of the University of New Hampshire Franklin Pierce School of Law (J.D., magna cum laude, 2011), where he was chief articles editor of the University of New Hampshire Law Review and a Daniel Webster Scholar Honors Program student. He is also a graduate of Allegheny College (B.A., magna cum laude, 2007).

About Duane Morris
Duane Morris LLP provides innovative solutions to today’s multifaceted legal and business challenges through the collegial and collaborative culture of its more than 800 attorneys in offices across the United States and internationally. The firm represents a broad array of clients, spanning all major practices and industries. Duane Morris has been recognized by BTI Consulting as both a client service leader and a highly recommended law firm.

Chamberlain Hrdlicka is pleased to welcome Senior Counsel John Coughlin to the firm’s Atlanta office. He will join the Real Estate Practice adding to their strong real estate background advising clients on many different aspects of commercial real estate transactions from land acquisition to leasing, construction, financing and disposition. Coughlin is the latest addition to Chamberlain’s Atlanta office, which has been experiencing rapid expansion in 2021, adding eight additional lawyers to its headcount since January.

“We are thrilled to add John to our roster of real estate attorneys in Atlanta,” said Stephanie Friese, managing co-shareholder of the firm’s Atlanta office and chair of the Real Estate Practice. “His depth of experience is an asset to our flourishing Real Estate Practice and will enhance our ability to serve our clients.”

Coughlin is an accomplished zoning and land use attorney. Prior to joining Chamberlain Hrdlicka, he was a managing partner at New York-based firm Ré, Nielsen & Coughlin, concentrating on sophisticated land use, zoning and related litigation matters on Long Island. He has experience advising and assisting a diverse client base, including national and local businesses and individuals on entitlements, zoning and permitting, as well as environmental review, for commercial development projects. Coughlin handles leasing matters for landlords and tenants and commercial real estate transactions for buyers and sellers. He has also represented clients in real estate litigation matters. Additionally, Coughlin has assisted clients in obtaining hundreds of approvals, permits and other entitlements.

Coughlin earned his undergraduate degree from the University of Notre Dame and his law degree from William and Mary School of Law.

CHICAGO (September 29, 2021) – Neal Gerber Eisenberg (NGE) is pleased to announce the return of Elaine Taussig as partner in the Corporate & Securities practice group. She was previously a partner at the firm until her departure in 2009.

Taussig counsels executives, boards of directors, and investors on corporate and commercial transactions, financings, mergers and acquisitions, public and private securities compliance and offerings and strategic relationships and joint ventures. She also regularly advises her clients on complex commercial contracting and corporate governance matters.

“Elaine brings a unique perspective to the firm with her time spent as both in-house and outside counsel,” said Bobby Gerber, Managing Partner of NGE. “Her ability to evaluate opportunities and provide counsel from both perspectives will greatly benefit our clients as they look to achieve their goals in a dynamic business environment.”

Taussig previously served as general counsel for several companies including a print and digital media holding company and, most recently, for a health care data technology company. As general counsel, Taussig advised company leaders and board directors on a wide range of issues, including strategic transactions and initiatives, financings, data privacy, regulatory compliance and corporate, securities and contractual matters.

“With her experience in various industries and past experience at the firm, Elaine is making an immediate impact both internally at NGE and externally with our clients,” said John Koenigsknecht, chair of the firm’s Corporate & Securities practice group. “I’m thrilled to have her back.”

Taussig received her J.D. from Northwestern University and her B.A. from Barnard College of Columbia University, cum laude.

About NGE
Neal Gerber Eisenberg is a leading law firm dedicated to handling sophisticated matters for entrepreneurs, public companies, and private businesses and their owners. More than one-third of the lawyers at Neal Gerber Eisenberg were recognized in 2021 in Best Lawyers, and the firm represents scores of the Fortune 100 and many of the best known private companies. The firm also acts as the trusted advisers to nonprofits, startups, growth companies and entrepreneurs. The firm has built over thirty years of trusted partnerships with clients that span the globe, and we meet each unique client need with the same personalized service and collaboration that provide the most practical solutions for every matter.

Contacts
John Albrighton
Marketing and Business Development Director
p: (312) 269-8065
e: jalbrighton@nge.com

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