Tarter Krinsky & Drogin Elevates Sean Scuderi to Partner in Construction Practice

Tarter Krinsky & Drogin is proud to announce the promotion of Sean Scuderi to Partner in the Construction Practice.

David Pfeffer, Chair of the Construction Practice, notes, “Sean is a talented attorney and valuable member of the Construction group. He has developed a reputation as a go-to attorney in New York City for negotiating and managing neighbor access agreements, which are vital to construction in the city’s dense urban environment. We are confident that he will bring continued success to the practice, and we look forward to his contributions to the growth of the Firm in the years ahead.”

Scuderi represents property owners, developers, contractors, and design professionals, negotiating construction and design agreements, and litigating construction-related disputes. He often acts as general counsel to his clients and is noted for taking a holistic approach to his clients’ business and becoming a valuable member of their professional teams.

In New York City, he provides general construction counsel for the world’s largest Buddhist organization, Soka Gakkai International-USA, and has assisted with its development of new cultural and community centers in Brooklyn and Queens. In addition, he is a legal advisor on the construction of new schools that serve impoverished communities in the city.

As a rising leader within the construction industry, Scuderi speaks and writes about issues and emerging trends, and gives back to the community. He recently provided pro bono support to the matter of Old Post Road Associates, LLC vs. LRC Construction, LLC 177 A.D. 3d 658 (2d Dep’t 2019). This case dealt with an important issue in the lien law that impacted the construction community, and Scuderi successfully obtained a precedent-setting decision for his client. Scuderi is also an active member of the not-for-profit organization Center for Architecture Foundation, and serves on the host committee for the organization’s annual Guess-A-Sketch event, supporting the Center’s K-12 design education programming for schools, youth and families.

About Tarter Krinsky & Drogin LLP
Celebrating 20 years of legal service, Tarter Krinsky & Drogin is a New York-based midsize law firm that focuses on effectively and efficiently representing companies of all sizes. With clients’ business objectives and concerns top of mind, the firm focuses on what matters – understanding what clients need in order to succeed, partnering with them to achieve their goals, offering holistic and practical legal advice, and devising creative resolutions to complex disputes. Purposefully designed to integrate seamlessly with any client’s business team, Tarter Krinsky & Drogin is a vibrant, full-service law firm dedicated to smart thinking and strong client relationships. Learn more at http://www.tarterkrinsky.com.

Akerman Team Prevails in Multimillion Dollar International Litigation

An Akerman litigation team prevailed October 6 in a multimillion dollar international litigation spanning Spain, Latin America, and the United States. A Florida appellate court sided with Akerman client Cell Consumer Electronics Logistics, SA, which had won a summary judgment in a Spanish court over a former joint venture partner in the mobile phone industry. Cell Consumer and its partners had provided cell phone distribution services to Telefonica Internacional, S.A., a telecom company based in Spain. Telefonica had agreed to raise €70 million (about $81 million) for a joint venture, but failed to do so, and then sued Cell Consumer for $35 million in damages. Cell Consumer won on summary judgement in Spain, Court of First Instance in Alcobendas, Kingdom of Spain, but sued again in the Circuit Court of the Eleventh Judicial Circuit in South Florida, where the court enforced Spain’s foreign judgment and barred any new claims under Florida law.

“This is a great victory for our client, Cell Consumer Electronics,” said lead litigator Francisco Rodriguez, of the firm’s Miami office. “The court has made it clear that companies can rely on fair rulings in overseas courts, and do not need to try the same facts in multiple jurisdictions. We are delighted that this matter is finally put to rest.”

Cell Consumer is a wholly owned subsidiary of Celistics Holdings, SA, a mobile phone distributor in Latin America.

On appeal last week in the Florida Third District Court of Appeal, Cell Consumer won again, as the Court affirmed the judgments based on res judicata—literally “a judged matter”— the principle that a cause of action may not be relitigated once it has been judged on the merits.

The lawsuit, which began more than 11 years ago in Spain, has likely met its conclusion with the October 6 decision.

The Akerman litigation team, in addition to Rodriguez, included partners Sandra Millor and Kristen Fiore, paralegal manager Tracy Leal, and paralegal Nancy Perez. The opposing counsel was Greenberg Traurig.

About Akerman

Akerman LLP is a top 100 U.S. law firm recognized among the most forward thinking firms in the industry by Financial Times. Its more than 700 lawyers and business professionals collaborate with the world’s most successful enterprises and entrepreneurs to navigate change, seize opportunities, and help drive innovation and growth.

Texas Bankruptcy Law Firm Forshey Prostok Welcomes New Partner Emily Chou

FORT WORTH, TEXAS – Forshey Prostok LLPis proud to announce the addition of Emily Chou as a partner in the firm’s Fort Worth office.

Ms. Chou brings over twenty years of experience in business reorganization, creditors’ rights, and commercial litigation. Her work has included representing official creditors’ committees and post-confirmation liquidation/litigation trustees in Chapter 11 bankruptcy cases all over the United States.

To learn more about Ms. Chou, visit: https://forsheyprostok.com/attorneys/emily-s-chou/

“Emily is an exceptional addition to our expanding team of bankruptcy and restructuring professionals,” said managing partner Jeff Prostok. “She brings extensive experience representing creditors’ committees in large, complicated cases and fills a void our clients need — and that need is only increasing for the foreseeable future.”

Mr. Prostok notes that, with the addition of Ms. Chou, Forshey Prostok now has eight partners who each have more than 20 years of business bankruptcy experience.

“I know of few firms — of any size — with the bankruptcy experience and firepower Forshey Prostok offers,” he said. “Our clients realize our lawyers provide the same skill and sophistication they would find at the most elite firms in the country, but without the expensive overhead or conflicts.”

Ms. Chou, who lives in Fort Worth but has always represented clients nationally, said she was interested in joining Forshey Prostok because it handles the kinds of challenging cases she enjoys.

“I have always been impressed by the quality of Forshey Prostok’s attorneys and their work. Having recently served as a law clerk for the Honorable Edward L. Morris at the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Northern District of Texas, I watched many of Forshey Prostok’s lawyers firsthand and from a different perspective, and I have made the right decision,” she said. “I am looking forward to returning to private practice and collaborating with such a formidable team of lawyers.”

Ms. Chou earned her B.A. in economics from the University of Texas at Austin and her law degree from the University of Texas at Austin School of Law. She speaks fluent Mandarin Chinese.

About Forshey Prostok L.L.P.

Forshey Prostok LLPprovides extensive experience in all areas of bankruptcy law from its offices in Fort Worth, Dallas, and Houston. The firm’s scope of representation includes handling complex business reorganizations, enforcing of creditor’s rights, leading commercial and bankruptcy-related litigation, overseeing creditors’ committees, directing workouts, and closing bankruptcy acquisitions. Forshey Prostok is ranked by the Chambers USA legal guide and received a Tier 1 ranking from Best Law Firms for bankruptcy and creditor/debtor rights. For more information, visit https://forsheyprostok.com/.

Former U.S. Attorney, Department of Homeland Security GC Joe D. Whitley Joins Womble Bond Dickinson

Whitley Served in Four Presidential Administrations and Counsels Clients in White Collar Matters, Regulatory Enforcement and Internal Investigations

Oct. 11, 2021 (ATLANTA) – Prominent white collar and investigations attorney Joe D. Whitley has joined Womble Bond Dickinson as a partner in the Business Litigation practice group. Whitley, who has held high-ranking positions in the U.S. Department of Justice and was the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s first General Counsel, will lead the firm’s White Collar and Investigations team. He is based in Atlanta but will spend a significant amount of time in the Washington, D.C., office.

Whitley’s practice focuses on white collar criminal matters and regulatory enforcement, corporate internal investigations, the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, and U.S. export controls and compliance. He also advises clients on corporate compliance, healthcare fraud, and FDA-related matters.

“I am excited to begin this next chapter of my career with Womble Bond Dickinson,” Whitley said. “For decades, clients have trusted Womble’s counsel on government investigations and regulatory enforcement matters. The firm’s bench strength and transatlantic reach will be tremendous assets for my clients, and I look forward to joining this outstanding team.”

In addition to his years of private practice experience, Whitley has served in several high-level roles with the Departments of Justice and Homeland Security. During the Ronald Reagan and George H.W. Bush administrations, he served as Acting Associate Attorney General, the third-ranking position at Main Justice. He was also appointed by Presidents Reagan and Bush, respectively, to serve as the U.S. Attorney in the Middle and Northern Districts of Georgia.

In 2003, President George W. Bush appointed Whitley as the first General Counsel of the Department of Homeland Security, the department’s highest-ranking legal official. He held that position for two years working for Secretaries Tom Ridge and Michael Chertoff before returning to private practice. During his government service, Whitley served under five U.S. attorneys general and four presidents in several key operational and policy positions, several of which were U.S. Senate-confirmed.

“Joe Whitley is a titan in Atlanta legal circles and is well respected as a leader in representing global companies in government investigations and related enforcement,” said Betty Temple, CEO and Chair of Womble Bond Dickinson (US) LLP. “He is an outstanding addition to our firm and shows our commitment to providing the highest level of service to clients.”

“It isn’t every day that you can add an attorney with Joe’s credentialing, experience, and reputation,” said Business Litigation Practice Group Leader Chris Jones. “Joe will lead Womble’s ongoing effort to strengthen our white collar and investigations practice. His history of high-ranking government service and network of relationships are second to none. And it is always exciting when a lawyer who can practice anywhere chooses to come and practice with us at Womble.”

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About Womble Bond Dickinson
Womble Bond Dickinson is a transatlantic law firm with more than 1,100 lawyers based in 26 U.K. and U.S. office locations serving clients across every business sector. The firm provides core legal services including: Commercial, Corporate, Employment, Pensions, Dispute Resolution, Litigation, Finance, Banking, Restructuring, Insolvency, I.P., Technology and Data, Private Wealth, Projects, Construction and Infrastructure, Real Estate and Regulatory Law.

“Womble Bond Dickinson,” the “law firm” or the “firm” refers to the network of member firms of Womble Bond Dickinson (International) Limited, consisting of Womble Bond Dickinson (U.K.) LLP and Womble Bond Dickinson (U.S.) LLP. Each of Womble Bond Dickinson (U.K.) LLP and Womble Bond Dickinson (U.S.) LLP is a separate legal entity operating as an independent law firm. Womble Bond Dickinson (International) Limited does not practice law. Please see www.womblebonddickinson.com/us/legal-notice for further details.

Hanzo Webinar – Three Things You Need To Know About Slack’s New Legal Hold

Placing defensible legal holds on Slack data has always required collecting the data to an external repository to preserve it while maintaining information governance policies, until now. Slack has added the ability to create and manage legal holds so that data can be preserved in place. This new capability provides corporate ediscovery pros and Slack administrators with new tools and new options for their data management and ediscovery workflows.

In this educational webinar, experts from IBM, Uber, Slack, and Hanzo will discuss:

common ediscovery challenges when dealing with collaboration tools like Slack
how Slack Legal Hold enables preserve-in-place and why this capability is so important, and
explore best practices for managing retention and responding to discovery obligations.
Attendees will get insights into preservation strategies including when you would choose to rely on in-place preservation versus collecting-to-preserve, and will learn about the benefits of early case assessment, phased discovery, and more.

Meet The Speakers
– Jessica Abud, Manager Corporate Litigation, IBM
– Will Anderson, eDiscovery Analyst, Uber
– Max Baez, Product Manager, Slack
– Brad Harris, VP of Product, Hanzo (Moderator)

Stinson’s Commitment to Equity & Inclusion Recognized with 2021 Mansfield 4.0 Certification Plus

Stinson joins 117 law firms in promoting diversity and equality

Stinson LLP proudly announces its certification under the Mansfield 4.0 Rule, the fourth round of certification under the Mansfield Rule, which focuses on diversity in leadership and helps create systemic change to foster long-term inclusion and equity in our workplaces. The certification recognizes firms that not only consider candidate pools made up of at least 30% women, lawyers of color, LGBTQ+ lawyers, and lawyers with disabilities but have also achieved at least 30% representation in a substantial number of their leadership roles and committees.
“Stinson’s longstanding commitment to diversity and inclusion strives to provide a positive and safe environment where each attorney and employee’s talent is fully used and honored,” said Ann Jenrette-Thomas, Stinson’s Chief Diversity & Inclusion Officer. “Attaining Mansfield’s 4.0 certification is another actionable step toward a more diverse profession. It takes everyone working together to advance diversity, equity, and inclusion. There is still much work to be done, but I am proud of the progress we have made.”
Named after Arabella Mansfield, the first woman admitted to practice law in the U.S. 151 years ago, the Mansfield Rule was one of the winning ideas from the 2016 Women in Law Hackathon competitions hosted by the Diversity Lab, in collaboration with Bloomberg Law and Stanford Law School.
“We recognize the hard work and dedication that you and others in your firm invested in this impressive result,” wrote Natalia Marulanda, Mansfield Rule Director for the Diversity Lab, in a letter to the firm. “We greatly appreciate your efforts and demonstrated commitment to moving the needle on diversity and inclusion.”
The Diversity Lab works with firms to measure outcomes annually. It uses this data to adjust the Mansfield Rule program and ensure that it is adapted as needed to meet its goal continuously.
About The Lab
Diversity Lab is an incubator for innovative ideas and solutions that boost diversity and inclusion in law. Experimental ideas are created through our Hackathons and piloted in collaboration with more than 150 top law firms and legal departments across the country. We leverage data, behavioral science, design thinking, and technology to further develop and test the ideas, measure the results, and share the lessons learned. Click here to learn more about some of our pilot initiatives: www.diversitylab.com.

About Stinson LLP
Stinson LLP collaborates with clients ranging from individuals and privately held enterprises to national companies and international public corporations. Our accomplished attorneys leverage deep knowledge and experience to deliver practical guidance, helping clients minimize risks and realize opportunities. We take pride in our collaborative approach, our lasting relationships, and our unique perspectives. Connect with us at one of our 12 offices nationwide and stinson.com.

Hogan Lovells hires financial regulatory partner Eoin O’Connor to head Dublin office

Dublin, 7 October 2021 – Global law firm Hogan Lovells is pleased to announce the hire of financial regulatory lawyer Eoin O’Connor as a partner to its Global Regulatory practice and as Dublin Office Managing Partner.

Eoin, who will work closely with antitrust and competition partner Christopher Hutton to build the firm’s presence in Dublin, joins from leading firm Walkers where he served as Head of Regulatory for Ireland.

He advises on compliance with industry guidance, legislation and codes issued by the Central Bank of Ireland, prudential requirements, Irish authorisation and licensing issues, asset disposal projects by Irish and international clients, ongoing compliance with conduct of business, consumer protection and other requirements, anti-money laundering, data protection, financial institution M&A and the regulation of securitisation activities.

His experience includes acting for a wide range of domestic and international financial institutions, including commercial banks, investment banks and asset managers, electronic money and payment institutions, funds, fund promoters and services providers and international law firms.

Eoin trained and practised as a solicitor in Arthur Cox and went on to build a successful financial regulatory practice at Walkers, where he advised key clients on the expansion of the Irish financial services sector following the Brexit vote.

“The regulatory and economic landscape is rapidly evolving and increasingly complex. Eoin’s wealth of experience will help clients with operations in Ireland and elsewhere approach it not as an obstacle, but as a source of opportunity,” said Alice Valder Curran, Head of the firm’s Global Regulatory & IPMT practice. “I’m delighted to welcome Eoin to our preeminent UK and global regulatory team.”

Sharon Lewis, Financial Institutions and Insurance Sector Group Head, commented: “Eoin’s move to Hogan Lovells creates new opportunities for us with clients in key sectors such as financial institutions, for a number of which Ireland is their European home. These clients increasingly require EU regulatory advice as we transition towards a new post-Brexit environment. I am delighted to welcome Eoin to the team and look forward to working with him as he grows our financial services regulatory capabilities from Dublin.”

Eoin’s hire follows the firm’s launch of a Dublin office in March this year, and broadens the firm’s practice offering to clients in key sectors.

Clayton Bailey Named Benchmark Litigation Star

DALLAS – Texas trial and appellate lawyer Clayton Bailey, co-founder of Bailey Brauer PLLC, is recognized as a Litigation Star in the 2022 edition of Benchmark Litigation.

Mr. Bailey has been selected to the respected national guide of top law firms and litigators every year since 2015 for his commercial litigation work.

“Clayton is a problem-solver and is highly regarded by his clients and peers for his ability to find solutions when conflict seems intractable,” said Bailey Brauer co-founder Alex Brauer. “His expertise with commercial disputes makes him a formidable litigator, and it has been exciting to watch him in the courtroom winning for clients. Congratulations to Clayton on this well-deserved honor.”

Mr. Bailey’s trial and appellate practice focuses on complex tort and other commercial cases in federal and state courts, representing clients in cases involving contract disputes, business torts, RICO, employment law, trade secrets, deceptive trade practices, fraud, breach of fiduciary duty, antitrust, unfair business practices and the Packers and Stockyards Act.

Litigation Stars is the latest honor for Mr. Bailey, whose work has also earned recognition from The Best Lawyers in America, Texas Super Lawyers, Lawdragon 500 Leading Plaintiff Financial Lawyers, BTI Consulting Group, Texas Lawyer magazine, and the National Law Journal.

Benchmark Litigation’s rankings are the result of annual independent research that involves extensive interviews with private practice lawyers and in-house counsel. Litigation Stars are lawyers who are recommended by peers and clients based on their professional reputations and work as trial lawyers.

For more information on Benchmark’s methodology or to view the full list of 2022 honorees, visit www.benchmarklitigation.com.

About Bailey Brauer PLLC
Bailey Brauer PLLC is nationally recognized for its trial and appellate work and provides battle-tested, sophisticated courtroom experience in high-stakes litigation matters. Led by veteran trial and appellate lawyers Clayton Bailey and Alex Brauer, the firm focuses on complex commercial litigation, agribusiness, appeals, and class actions. Learn more about the firm at: http://baileybrauer.com/.

Turner Padget Shareholder William “Ed” Lawson Admitted To American College Of Trial Lawyers

MYRTLE BEACH, S.C.,– Turner Padget is pleased to announce that Shareholder William “Ed” Lawson has become a Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers, one of the premier legal associations in North America.

The induction ceremony at which Lawson became a Fellow took place recently before an audience of approximately 687 (including both in-person and virtual attendees) during the recent Annual Meeting of the College in Chicago, Illinois.

Founded in 1950, the College is composed of the best of the trial bar from the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico. Fellowship in the College is extended by invitation only and only after careful investigation, to those experienced trial lawyers of diverse backgrounds, who have mastered the art of advocacy and whose professional careers have been marked by the highest standards of ethical conduct, professionalism, civility and collegiality. Lawyers must have a minimum of fifteen years trial experience before they can be considered for Fellowship.

Membership in the College cannot exceed one percent of the total lawyer population of any state or province. There are currently approximately 5,800 members in the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico, including active Fellows, Emeritus Fellows, Judicial Fellows (those who ascended to the bench after their induction) and Honorary Fellows. The College maintains and seeks to improve the standards of trial practice, professionalism, ethics, and the administration of justice through education and public statements on independence of the judiciary, trial by jury, respect for the rule of law, access to justice, and fair and just representation of all parties to legal proceedings. The College is thus able to speak with a balanced voice on important issues affecting the legal profession and the administration of justice.

Lawson has practiced law for nearly forty years. His litigation practice focuses on defending auto injury claims, premises liability claims and commercial claims. Lawson represents corporations, businesses and individuals in construction and insurance related matters. In 1996, he was certified by the South Carolina Supreme Court as a mediator and has mediated well over a thousand cases. Lawson earned his undergraduate degree from East Tennessee State University and his law degree from University of South Carolina School of Law.

Turner Padget exceeds expectations by taking your interests, your business and our relationships personally. Our depth of knowledge, technical strength and diverse experience makes us sharp, talented business thinkers able to see our clients’ needs holistically and get to the core of the problem quickly. As one of South Carolina’s largest law firms, Turner Padget has expanded into neighboring states with offices located in Augusta, Charleston, Columbia, Florence, Greenville and Myrtle Beach, along with strategic alliances in Florida and North Carolina. http://www.turnerpadget.com/

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Steptoe Expands International Trade and Regulatory Compliance Practice in Brussels with Four-Lawyer Team

(October 7, 2021, Brussels) — Steptoe & Johnson LLP is pleased to announce the arrival of a four-lawyer international trade team in the firm’s Brussels office, led by Renato Antonini and Eva Monard, who join the firm as partners. The team is rounded out by Byron Maniatis and Elli Zachari, who join as associates. Together, the team will expand Steptoe’s top-ranked International Trade and Regulatory Compliance Group, with its cross-border capabilities in the US, UK, EU and Asia, and work closely with Brussels colleagues David O’Sullivan and Yongqing Bao.

Antonini brings more than 20 years of experience in WTO and EU trade law, during which time he has handled many of the largest trade defense investigations in the EU, representing governments and large corporations in the steel, chemical, energy and financial services industries. He also has extensive experience in EU and Italian customs and export control laws.

Monard has assisted clients in more than 80 anti-dumping, anti-subsidy, and safeguard investigations in various jurisdictions, and obtained various annulments of trade measures before EU Courts. Her practice focuses on EU trade and customs law, WTO disputes, trade remedies such as anti-dumping and anti-subsidy investigations, EU sanctions and trade controls, and EU internal market law.

Both Antonini and Monard are recognized in the 2021 editions of Chambers Global and The Legal 500 EMEA. In Chambers Global, clients describe Antonini as “very knowledgeable in the combined areas of export, tax and government investigations” and “one of the hardest-working attorneys I have worked with.” Monard is recognized as an “Up and Coming” lawyer who is hailed for her dedication to clients. In The Legal 500 EMEA, Antonini is recognized as a leading individual in customs, trade and WTO law, and Monard is singled out as the sole “rising star” in the same category.

Steptoe Chair Phil West commented: “Renato and Eva are well-regarded in the international trade arena and in the Brussels market. Bringing them on board will strengthen our trade capabilities at a time when issues involving international trade and the supply chain are at the top of the agenda for our clients around the globe, and when the EU is at the leading edge of climate change regulation.”

Brussels office managing partner Ruxandra Cana added: “This is an exciting time for our Brussels office as we continue to expand the EU trade and regulatory capabilities we offer to international clients investing in the EU. Renato and Eva joining is consistent with our strategic objective, to be able to offer EU law expertise to our clients in those areas in which the EU rules have most impact on business – and trade is an obvious part of that.”

Antonini remarked: “Steptoe is a premiere firm for international trade, with a great reputation and experience. Not only does the firm have long-established trade practices in both the United States and Brussels, but the firm’s decade-long presence in China provides our practice with additional opportunities for growth.”

Monard added: “This is a great move for our team. The firm’s Brussels office has a stellar reputation for trade and EU regulatory practices, and Steptoe’s broad international trade practice provides us with a deep bench of lawyers in the US, UK and Asia to expand our reach.”

Steptoe has one of the largest and most experienced International Trade and Regulatory Compliance practices of any major international law firm, counting more than 50 lawyers dedicated to these matters in the United States, Europe and Asia. The team expanded its presence in Europe with the arrivals of former EU ambassador to the United States David O’Sullivan in Brussels, and a former senior counsel at Canada’s Trade Law Bureau, Christophe Bondy in London. Steptoe’s international trade and regulatory compliance practices are consistently top-ranked by Chambers and have received numerous accolades. Named six times to Law360’s list of International Trade Firms of the Year, Steptoe has also been awarded the China Business Law award in international trade for eight consecutive years.

Antonini, who speaks Italian and English, received his law degree cum laude from the Universita La Sapienza (Italy) and his LL.M from Edinburgh School of Law (UK). He is licensed to practice in Belgium and Italy.

Monard earned her law degree magna cum laude from Catholic University of Leuven, Belgium. She is licensed to practice in Belgium, and speaks Dutch, English, and French.

Byron Maniatis earned an LL.M. in international economic law and policy from the University of Barcelona and an LL.M. in international and European law from the Free University of Brussels. He is licensed to practice in Belgium, and speaks Dutch, English, French, and Greek.

Elli Zachari earned her LL.B at the University of Warwick and her LL.M at the Maastrict University cum laude. She interned at the Legal Affairs Division of the WTO, and speaks English and Greek.

About Steptoe

In more than 100 years of practice, Steptoe has earned an international reputation for vigorous representation of clients before governmental agencies, successful advocacy in litigation and arbitration, and creative and practical advice in structuring business transactions. Steptoe has more than 500 lawyers and other professional staff across offices in Beijing, Brussels, Chicago, Hong Kong, London, Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco, and Washington. For more information, visit www.steptoe.com.

Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner Partner Lee Marshall Joins International Association of Defense Counsel

The International Association of Defense Counsel (IADC) has announced that Lee Marshall, a partner and Global Department Leader – Litigation & Investigations at Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner in San Francisco, California, has accepted an invitation to join the IADC, the preeminent invitation-only global legal organization for attorneys who represent corporate and insurance interests.

“IADC has been enhancing the skills and camaraderie of its members for 100 years and I am
looking forward to leveraging my experience and knowledge as a member to continue promoting the mission of this prestigious organization and the legal profession,” Mr. Marshall said. “Being part of the IADC is a true honor.”

Formerly leader of the Commercial Litigation Group and Appellate Team at Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner, Mr. Marshall focuses his practice on commercial disputes, class actions and mass torts, intellectual property (IP) with an emphasis in complex technology cases, and appellate litigation. He is licensed to practice in California and Missouri.

In his IP practice, Mr. Marshall has served as lead counsel in patent cases and successfully resolved patent, trademark and copyright cases in the most active districts, including the Northern District of Illinois, Central and Northern Districts of California, Eastern District of Texas, District of Delaware, and Western District of Wisconsin. In his class actions practice, Mr. Marshall has defended several cases with potential exposure into the nine and ten figures. He also has defeated multiple class certification motions in cases involving tens of thousands of putative class members and billions of dollars of exposure.

Mr. Marshall has won appeals in state and federal appellate courts from coast to coast, including the U.S. Supreme Court. He has personally argued dozens of appeals before the Third, Seventh, Eighth, Ninth, Eleventh and Federal Circuits, as well as intermediate and supreme appellate courts in California, Kansas, Illinois, Missouri, Nebraska, and Wisconsin. Among other victories, he acted as lead appellate counsel for Residential Funding Corporation, a division of Ally Financial, in reversing a $92 million punitive damage jury verdict on appeal. In addition, he recently assisted a large agricultural company with post-trial motions in two cases alleging that a popular herbicide caused cancer and was successful in eliminating more than $2.2 billion in damages.

At Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner, Mr. Marshall is one of two Chief Allies for the firm’s LGBTQ affinity group.

Mr. Marshall received his J.D. from Washington University School of Law and his Bachelor of Arts (magna cum laude) from Washington University. He also holds a Master of Science from the Scripps Research Institute.

About the International Association of Defense Counsel
The IADC is the preeminent invitation-only global legal organization for attorneys who represent corporate and insurance interests. Founded in 1920, the IADC has members who hail from six continents, 51 countries and territories, and all 50 U.S. states. The core purposes of the IADC are to enhance the development of skills, promote professionalism, and facilitate camaraderie among its members and their clients, as well as the broader civil justice community. For more information, visit www.iadclaw.org.

Quarles & Brady Welcomes New Class of Partners

Quarles & Brady LLP, a national multidisciplinary law firm, today announced 11 attorneys have been elected partners, effective October 1.

“A relentless focus on helping our clients achieve their business goals and a commitment to fostering a collegial, collaborative culture are critical to our long-term success,” said Mike Aldana, the firm’s managing partner. “Each of the new partners are exceptionally gifted attorneys who have consistently demonstrated their attention to these principles. We look forward to even greater contributions from them in the years ahead.”

The new partners are:

James J. Aquilina, an Intellectual Property attorney in the firm’s Washington, D.C., office. He has extensive experience in all aspects of U.S. intellectual property law, counseling clients in the areas of utility and design patent, trademark, copyright, and trade secret law, with emphases on rights procurement, portfolio development and management, rights enforcement, and licensing. Aquilina is widely recognized in the field of U.S. design law, and serves as editor-in-chief of the firm’s “Protecting the Product” design rights blog. He received his B.S. from Rutgers University and his J.D. from the University of Pennsylvania.

Angeline Babel, a Madison-based member of the Intellectual Property team. Babel represents a broad range of clients in all aspects of patent law in the life sciences, pharmaceutical and biotechnology fields, including patent prosecution, strategic management of patent portfolios, freedom-to-operate opinions, and due diligence and landscape analysis. She is familiar with preparing and prosecuting both United States and foreign patent applications. Babel received her B.S. from Northwestern University, a Ph.D. in cancer biology from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and a J.D. from Chicago Kent College of Law.

Adam Falkof, a member of the Real Estate team in Chicago. His focus is on commercial real estate matters, particularly commercial leasing, acquisitions and dispositions, and zoning and entitlements transactions. He has represented landlords and tenants in connection with different asset classes across the country, including general office, medical office, warehouse and industrial leases. Falkof also has substantial experience with Chicago’s startup community, having represented a number of Chicago’s leading early-stage startups. He received a B.A. from George Washington University and a J.D. from the University of Iowa.

David Groose, a Public Finance attorney in the Milwaukee office. He serves as bond counsel, disclosure counsel, underwriter’s counsel and special tax counsel representing a full range of governmental issuers and financial institutions. He has an emphasis on Wisconsin school districts, providing counsel on their statutory and campaign finance compliance in connection with political referenda and bond counsel on their long-term capital and short-term cash flow financings. Groose has worked on more than 500 bond and note issues totaling over $8 billion. He received his B.B.A. and J.D. from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Jacqueline Johnson, an Estate, Trust & Wealth Preservation attorney based in Naples, Fla. Johnson focuses on estate planning, tax planning, and estate and trust administration for high-net-worth individuals and families. Her experience includes the consultation and implementation of wealth preservation and tax efficient estate planning techniques and advising and guiding clients and professional fiduciaries through the probate process and the administration of trusts. Johnson holds a B.S. from the University of Iowa, J.D. from American University and LL.M. from New York University.

Nicholas Meza, a Phoenix-based member of the Health Law group. He provides regulatory and transactional counsel to healthcare businesses, specializing in advising entities in the drug and device distribution chain, including pharmacies, hubs, distributors, and manufacturers. Meza also advises hospitals, physician groups, integrated behavioral health practices and technology companies in the healthcare space. Meza earned a B.S. and a master’s in public health from the University of Arizona, and a J.D. from Arizona State University. Before attending law school, he worked at a local community health center supporting multiple cancer prevention programs.

Michael Piery, an Intellectual Property attorney in the Milwaukee office. With a focus on patent litigation, Piery has litigated cases in federal district courts, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit and before the Patent Trial and Appeal Board. His litigation experience includes conducting pre-suit due diligence investigations; developing case strategies and managing discovery; taking and defending depositions; drafting pleadings, motions, and pre-trial briefings; arguing evidentiary motions, claim construction, and dispositive motions; and drafting appeal briefs. He received his B.S. from the University of Notre Dame and his J.D. from The George Washington University.

Patrick Taylor, an attorney in the Business Law group in Milwaukee. He focuses his practice on representing private equity, middle market and publicly held companies in acquisitions and divestitures, drafting complex commercial agreements and counseling privately held businesses. His experience includes assisting clients with both acquisitions and divestitures of companies and divisions, drafting and negotiating supply agreements in various industries and advising clients on a variety of entity formation and governance matters. Taylor holds a B.S. from Brigham Young University and an MBA and J.D. from the College of William and Mary.

Rachel Taylor, a Milwaukee-based Business Law attorney. Taylor advises clients on a broad range of transactional matters, offering practical and business savvy legal advice to ensure that each transaction is completed in a successful and efficient manner. Her experience includes representing both buyers and sellers, strategic and financial, in stock and asset acquisitions, mergers and divestiture transactions; advising businesses in general corporate and commercial matters, including business planning and governance; and reviewing, drafting and negotiating complex commercial arrangements. She earned a B.B.A. from Emory University and J.D. from Marquette University.

Nneka Umeh, a Labor & Employment attorney in the Chicago office. She practices immigration law, leveraging her in-house experience to provide practical and business savvy advice to clients. She has analyzed global immigration processes to draft in-house policies and processes that incorporate the changing immigration landscape; consulted with C-suite executives on complex, emergency matters to provide timely internal solutions; and guided the vendor selection process in-house while managing and monitoring vendor service levels with a collaborative approach. Umeh received a B.S. from Yale University and J.D. from the University of Texas.

Elizabeth Wamboldt, a member of the Intellectual Property team in Milwaukee. Wamboldt focuses her practice on IT transactions, commercial contracting, e-commerce, IP counseling and data privacy. As an experienced transactional attorney in both the commercial and technology space, she assists clients with software licensing, cloud and SaaS agreements, the Internet of Things, services agreements, website terms and policies, mobile applications, supply chain agreements and a range of other contracts. She also provides counseling on data privacy matters. Wamboldt holds a B.A. and J.D. from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

About Quarles & Brady LLP

Quarles & Brady, founded in 1892, is a full-service AmLaw 200 firm with approximately 475 attorneys offering an array of legal services to clients ranging from individuals to small entrepreneurial businesses to Fortune 100 companies. The firm has practices focused in health care and life sciences, business law, labor and employment, real estate, intellectual property, data privacy and security, and complex litigation. Its 10 U.S. offices are in Chicago, Indianapolis, Madison, Milwaukee, Minneapolis, Naples, Phoenix, Tampa, Tucson and Washington, D.C. Additional information can be found at quarles.com, as well as on Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube and Facebook.

Steptoe Adds UK and EU Chemicals & Environmental Lawyer Simon Tilling to Brussels and London Offices

(October 6, 2021, Brussels and London) — Steptoe & Johnson is pleased to announce the arrival of Simon Tilling as a partner in the firm’s Chemicals and Life Sciences group. Tilling will build upon the robust EU chemicals regulatory capabilities based in the firm’s Brussels office, and will help expand the group’s footprint to the United Kingdom as the UK diverges from the EU regulatory regime post-Brexit.

Tilling, who holds joint honors degrees in chemistry and law, advises clients on UK and EU environmental law, chemicals regulation and product standards, with a wealth of experience covering regulatory compliance and supply chain diligence, investigations, enforcement and criminal defense, regulatory appeals, tribunal hearings, and environmental civil claims (in coordination with the firm’s EU team). He has advised on regulations such as REACH and biocides, the control of chemicals in the environment, and the life-cycle of products and wastes within the circular economy. Tilling has handled a number of “first-of-a-kind” cases, such as acting in the first appeal under the Greenhouse Gas Emissions Trading Scheme Regulations in Northern Ireland, the first enforcement undertaking in Wales for pollution, the first special site for land contamination in Scotland, and the first PFAS litigation in England.

Tilling received top-tier rankings in the 2022 edition of The Legal 500 UK and the 2021 Chambers UK, where clients described him as “extremely talented,” “commercially sound and pragmatic” and “very effective at resolving cases.”

Steptoe Chair Phil West commented: “As the UK has returned to being an independent market following Brexit, clients will be looking for lawyers with deep experience to help navigate and advise them on the new UK regulatory environment. As a UK lawyer with many years of experience in EU chemicals and products regulations, Simon is particularly well-placed to help clients in both the chemicals industry and the environmental world as they engage with UK regulators and institutions, and before the UK courts, tribunals and appeal bodies. He will be a strong addition to the preeminent Chemicals and Life Sciences practice we have in place in the EU and the US.”

Brussels managing partner Ruxandra Cana added: “Simon is an extremely talented lawyer who is considered a rising star of the chemicals regulation bar. We are delighted to welcome him to our EU regulatory team, and the further expansion of our ability to assist our clients with business interests in the EU and the UK.”

Steptoe is widely recognized as one of the nation’s premier chemicals and life sciences regulatory and litigation defense practices. The team includes more than 30 lawyers, scientists and advisors in the United States, European Union and China. Tilling will be adding to Steptoe’s EU-regulatory capabilities based in Brussels, which has established a strong brand and reputation as a destination shop for advice, approval and litigation work with respect to EU-wide regulatory programs in the chemicals, biocides and pesticides, sustainability, food contact, food safety and life sciences fields.

Tilling remarked: “Steptoe has the leading practice in EU chemicals and products regulation in Brussels, and I have long admired its work. Now that the UK has its own chemicals regime and is setting its own direction, I am excited to join forces to provide clients with unrivalled services across the continent of Europe, and to have an opportunity to work with the firm’s stellar roster of chemicals regulation lawyers in the world’s main regulatory centers.”

Tilling served as vice chair and company secretary of the UK Environmental Law Association and is active in the UK’s Chemical Industries Association. He also writes a column for the ENDS Report.

Tilling received joint honors degrees in chemistry and law from the University of Bristol, and earned his diploma in legal practice from the University of the West of England.

About Steptoe
In more than 100 years of practice, Steptoe has earned an international reputation for vigorous representation of clients before governmental agencies, successful advocacy in litigation and arbitration, and creative and practical advice in structuring business transactions. Steptoe has more than 500 lawyers and other professional staff across offices in Beijing, Brussels, Chicago, Hong Kong, London, Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco, and Washington. For more information, visit www.steptoe.com.