Paul H. Tzur, former deputy chief of the Narcotics and Money Laundering Section at the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Illinois, has joined Blank Rome LLP’s Chicago office as a partner in the White Collar Defense & Investigations group.

The firm said Tzur has more than four years of corporate litigation experience in the private sector and nearly nine years as a prosecutor with the U.S. Attorney’s Office—including more than two in the office’s Securities & Commodities Section—and will focus his practice on high-stakes white collar defense and complex commercial litigation matters.

During his tenure at the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Tzur worked on cases such United States v. Gary Winemaster, Craig Davis and James Needham; United States v. Matthew Brunstrum; United States of America v. Chunlai Yang; and United States of America v. Carol Delgado and Brent Houck, among others.

Tzur earned his J.D., cum laude, from the Northwestern University Pritzker School of Law and his B.S. in Engineering, cum laude, from the Duke University Pratt School of Engineering. Following law school, Paul clerked for the Honorable Steven M. Colloton at the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit and then worked as a litigation attorney at Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP.

Saxe Doernberger & Vita, P.C. announced that Bethany L. Barrese has been elevated to partner, effective Jan. 1, 2020.

The firm said in a release that Barrese’s practice focuses on complex policyholder coverage issues. She has experience with coverage disputes arising from construction projects and frequently negotiates construction defect and additional insured claims on behalf of owners, architects, construction managers and general contractors.

Neal Gerber Eisenberg has promoted Tanvi B. Patel, previously an associate of the firm’s Intellectual Property group, to partnership, effective Jan. 1, 2020.

A registered patent attorney, Patel has experience in intellectual property law, including patent and trademark litigation, patent prosecution, and client counseling in non-infringement and patent enforcement. As an associate at NGE, Patel served on several trial teams that successfully navigated patent disputes, including winning a jury finding of willful patent infringement in one case and defending against preliminary injunctions in another. Prior to practicing law, Patel worked in the Electric Power Generation group at Caterpillar, Inc.

Patel serves on the Ms. JD board of directors, an organization that supports women in the legal profession and contributes to an ongoing conversation about gender concerns in the field of law.

Patel received her law degree cum laude from DePaul University College of Law and her undergraduate degree in electrical engineering from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

Perkins Coie announced that it has appointed four partners to manage its San Francisco, Palo Alto, San Diego and Portland offices.

The appointments were effective Jan. 1 and include:

In San Francisco, Laura Zagar becomes office managing partner, succeeding Barbara Schussman. Zagar joined Perkins Coie in 2014 as a partner in the Environment, Energy & Resources practice.

In Palo Alto, Daphne Higgs becomes office managing partner, succeeding Lowell Ness. Higgs, who joined the firm in 2008 as an associate and became a partner in 2014, is a member of the Technology Transactions & Privacy practice.

In San Diego, Mark Wicker becomes office managing partner, succeeding Matthew Bernstein. Wicker joined Perkins Coie in 2016 as a partner in the Technology Transactions & Privacy practice.

In Portland, Christopher Rich becomes office managing partner, succeeding Sarah Crooks. Rich, who joined the firm in 2006 as of counsel and became a partner in 2009, is a member of the Environment, Energy & Resources practice.

Craig R. Culbertson has joined Blank Rome LLP as a partner in the Corporate, M&A, and Securities group and as a member of both the Energy and Financial Services industry teams in the Chicago office.

In a release, the firm said Culbertson represents private and public companies, banks, funds, boards of directors, and special committees in a variety of corporate and finance transactional and other matters, including corporate governance, international projects, mergers and acquisitions, and complex commercial arrangements. His clients include Fortune 100 companies in a wide range of industries, including oil logistics and trading, aerospace, food and beverage, banking and finance, and steel manufacturing. He also represents domestic and international mid-stream oil and gas companies and funds, including oil refineries, terminals, pipelines, and gathering systems, among others. His practice in this area involves acquisitions, joint ventures, pre-export financings, minority investments, and complex commercial arrangements, the firm said.

Culbertson serves on numerous boards and advisory panels for legal associations, foundations, schools, and professional member clubs. He earned his J.D., summa cum laude, from Loyola University Chicago and his B.A., cum laude, from Davidson College.

Alan Kravitz and Dustin Smith have been promoted to the partnership of Hughes Hubbard & Reed effective Jan. 1 . The firm also elevated Amina Hassan and Tamara Kraljic to counsel.

Kravitz is a member of Hughes Hubbard’s Tax department, and Smith is a member the Corporate Reorganization and Bankruptcy group; both are based in New York.

Hassan is a litigator and a member of the Employment and Unfair Competition group, also in Hughes Hubbard’s New York office. Kraljic is a member of the Anti-Corruption and Internal Investigations group and resides in the firm’s Washington, D.C. office.

New Partners

Kravitz focuses his practice on the tax aspects of domestic and international mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures and structured finance. He has deep experience in aviation finance and equipment finance transactions, and has provided tax advice to underwriters, issuers, lenders and other involved parties. He regularly assists companies and funds with tax matters relating to structuring and implementing the acquisition and disposition of subsidiaries and portfolio companies, both domestic and multinational, and bank financings, debt restructurings and capital markets offerings, with a particular focus on the media and technology, telecommunications and transport and logistics sectors.

He graduated from Columbia University with a B.A. in physics, and received his J.D., also from Columbia, where he was a James Kent Scholar and Harlan Fiske Stone Scholar.

Smith represents companies restructuring their financial affairs both in and out of court, as well as representing secured and general creditors in Chapter 7 and Chapter 11 bankruptcies, out-of-court workouts, and adversary and collateral proceedings. He has assisted with the recovery of customer and proprietary assets and resolved various disputes on behalf of the trustee in the Lehman Brothers Inc. and MF Global Inc. bankruptcies, including the investigation of the events leading to the failure of these entities, resolution of thousands of individual claims, litigation regarding various financial instruments and transactions, and the monetization and distribution of billions of assets.

He is a cum laude graduate of Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service, where he became proficient in German and studied for a year in the Middle East, and a graduate of Cornell Law School, where he was a Managing Editor of the Cornell Journal of Law and Public Policy. He is Secretary of the New York City Bar Association’s Bankruptcy and Corporate Reorganization Committee.

New Counsel

Hassan represents U.S. and foreign clients in a wide range of litigation matters. Her practice focuses on complex litigation and investigations, and on employment matters. She has successfully represented clients in, among others, employment litigation, securities litigation, auditor defense and bankruptcy and SIPA litigation. She has experience litigating class actions, handling cross-border matters and representing clients before regulatory and administrative agencies.

Born and raised in Lahore, Pakistan, Hassan attended Lahore University of Management Sciences on a merit scholarship, and graduated top of her class with a B.S. in Computer and Social Sciences. Hassan came to the U.S. to attend Columbia Law School, where she received her JD.

Kraljic advises clients on a range of anti-corruption and dispute resolution matters. Her practice focuses on managing global compliance risk assessments and internal investigations as well as advising on resolution efforts with enforcement agencies, including the U.S. Department of Justice and the French Anti-Corruption Agency. Kraljic also counsels clients on designing compliance programs and conducting transactional compliance diligence. Kraljic has experience in international commercial and investment arbitration and has successfully represented clients before U.S. state courts and international institutions such as the World Bank Group.

Kraljic is a graduate of University of Pennsylvania Law School, where she completed her LL.M. Prior, Kraljic studied at Sciences Po Paris and graduated cum laude from the University of Paris II, Panthéon-Assas. She earned her B.A. in mathematics and philosophy from King’s College London, where she graduated summa cum laude.

Andrea Kotrosits has joined Bradley Arant Boult Cummings LLP’s Washington, D.C., office as an associate in the Litigation Practice Group and as a member of the Policyholder Insurance Coverage team.

In a release, the firm said Kotrosits focuses her practice on policyholder insurance coverage matters. Prior to joining Bradley, she practiced at Weisbrod Matteis & Copley PLLC. During law school, she worked with in-house counsel at a financial services company and later as a law clerk at a firm handling mostly employment discrimination and False Claims Act matters.

Kotrosits received her J.D. (cum laude) from George Mason University School of Law. She also holds a Master of Public Policy from The George Washington University and a Bachelor of Arts (cum laude) from Lafayette College.

Mark R. Ustin of Farrell Fritz has been elected president of St. Catherine’s Center for Children’s board of directors.

St. Catherine’s offers services and programs to about 1,000 children and 500 families in the Capital Region annually. Their programs address issues of homelessness, child abuse and neglect, family instability, and special education.

Ustin, an Albany, NY, resident, is a partner and head of the firm’s New York State Regulatory & Government Relations practice group. He earned his J.D. at St. John’s University School of Law and his B.A. at Fordham University.

Bradley Arant Boult Cummings LLP announced that 17 attorneys have joined the firm as associates across the firm’s offices in Birmingham; Charlotte, N.C.; Dallas; Huntsville, Ala; and Nashville, Tenn.

The firm’s new associates in each Bradley office are as follows:

Birmingham

Cortlin Bond is a member of the Litigation Practice Group. She received her J.D. (cum laude) from the University of Alabama School of Law, where she served as production editor of the Alabama Law Review. She received her Bachelor of Arts (magna cum laude) from the University of Alabama.

Mary Nobles Hancock is a member of the Corporate and Securities Practice Group. She received her J.D. (magna cum laude) from Washington and Lee University School of Law, where she served as executive editor of the Washington and Lee Law Review. During law school, she served as a judicial extern for Judge Elizabeth K. Dillon of the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Virginia. She received her Bachelor of Science from Vanderbilt University.

Kelsie M. Overton is a member of the Litigation Practice Group. She received her J.D. (magna cum laude) from Washington University School of Law, where she served as a senior editor of the Washington University Law Review. She was a Dean’s Fellow and graduated with a certificate in Public Interest Law. While in law school, she was a member of the women’s law caucus and served on the public service advisory board. She received her Bachelor of Arts (magna cum laude) from Birmingham-Southern College.

Corbin C. Potter is a member of the Construction and Litigation practice groups. He received his J.D. (magna cum laude) from the Cumberland School of Law at Samford University, where he served as student materials editor and junior editor for the Cumberland Law Review. He was a Judge Abraham Caruthers Fellow at law school. He received his Bachelor of Science in Business Administration (magna cum laude) from Auburn University.

Connor J. Rose is a member of the Construction Practice Group. He received his J.D. (cum laude) from the University of Georgia School of Law, where he served as articles editor for the Georgia Journal of International and Comparative Law. During law school, he mediated more than 50 cases to agreement as a registered mediator with the state of Georgia. He served as a judicial intern for Judge Karon O. Bowdre of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Alabama. He received his Bachelor of Science from Gettysburg College.

Daniel C. Tankersley is a member of the Real Estate Practice Group. He received his J.D. from the University of Mississippi School of Law, where he served as staff editor for the Federal Courts Law Review and associate cases editor for the Mississippi Law Journal. He received his Bachelor of Music (summa cum laude) from Samford University.

Charlotte, N.C.

Samuel M. Dearstyne is a member of the Litigation Practice Group. He received his J.D. from the University of North Carolina School of Law, where he was a Dean’s Fellow and Honors Writing Scholar and served as managing editor of the North Carolina Law Review. He interned for Judge Robert J. Conrad, Jr. of the U.S. District Court for the Western District of North Carolina. He received his Bachelor of Arts (summa cum laude) from North Carolina State University.

Anna-Bryce Flowe is a member of the Construction Practice Group. She received her J.D. (cum laude) from Wake Forest University School of Law, where she was senior notes and comments editor for the Wake Forest Journal of Business and Intellectual Property. She served as a law clerk for the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Western District of North Carolina. During law school, she interned for Judge J. Michelle Childs of the U.S. District Court for the District of South Carolina and Judge Mark Davis of the North Carolina Court of Appeals. She received her Bachelor of Science from New York University.

Rachel M. LaBruyere is a member of the Litigation Practice Group. She received her J.D. from the University of North Carolina School of Law. During law school, she worked for the ACLU of North Carolina, the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission’s trial and appellate practices. Prior to law school, she did digital strategy work for organizations and campaigns in Washington, D.C. She received her Master of Arts from American University and her Bachelor of Arts from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Dallas

David C. Miller is a member of the Litigation Practice Group. He received his J.D. from the University of Iowa College of Law, where he served as the senior articles editor for the Iowa Law Review and worked in the law school’s clinical law program. He clerked for Judge Ed Kinkeade of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas, Dallas Division. He attended the Baylor Law School Academy of the Advocate in St. Andrews, Scotland, and received his Bachelor of Arts from Baylor University.

Huntsville, Ala.

Collin Keller is a member of the Corporate and Securities Practice Group. He received his J.D. (magna cum laude) from the University of Alabama School of Law, where he served as managing editor of the Alabama Law Review and as a senator for the Student Bar Association. He received his Bachelor of Arts (summa cum laude) from Auburn University.

Hunter Pearce is a member of the Litigation Practice Group. He received his J.D. from the University of Alabama School of Law, where he served as editor-in-chief of the Alabama Law Review. He clerked with the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Alabama, serving Chief Judge W. Keith Watkins and Senior Judges Myron H. Thompson and W. Harold Albritton III. He received his Bachelor of Arts from Auburn University. As an undergraduate, he served as a legislative intern for former U.S. Sen. Jeff Sessions.

Nashville, Tenn.

Bethany Breeze Davenport is a member of the Tax and Bankruptcy practice groups. She received her J.D. from the University of Kentucky College of Law, where she served as editor-in-chief of the Kentucky Law Journal. She received her Bachelor of Arts from Transylvania University.

Madison Crooks Haynes is a member of the Economic Development Practice Group. She received her J.D. from Vanderbilt University Law School, where she was senior publication editor for the Vanderbilt Journal of Entertainment and Technology Law. She received her Bachelor of Business Administration (magna cum laude) from Belmont University.

Daniel L. Lawrence is a member of the Litigation Practice Group. He received his J.D. from Vanderbilt University Law School, where he served was a member of the Vanderbilt Journal of Transnational Law. He received his Bachelor of Science (magna cum laude) from Tulane University.

Sarah Staples is a member of the Healthcare Practice Group. She received her J.D. from Vanderbilt University Law School. During law school, she served as president of the Black Law Students Association and as a member of the Council for Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion. Prior to law school, she worked in consulting, specializing in community relations. She received her Bachelor of Arts from Vanderbilt University.

Richard W.F. Swor is a member of the Litigation Practice Group. He received his J.D. (summa cum laude) from Belmont University College of Law, where he served as the executive events editor of the Belmont Law Review. While in law school, he interned for Judge Joseph A. Woodruff in Tennessee’s 21st Judicial District. He also holds a Bachelor of Business Administration and Bachelor of Science, both from Belmont University.

Eversheds Sutherland announced the election of six new U.S. partners effective January 1, 2020.

The following attorneys have been elected partner:

From the Corporate and Financial Services Practice Group: Kristin Burns, New York; Rob Ellis, Atlanta; Matthew Hazlett, Washington DC.

From the Litigation Practice Group: Frank Nolan, New York; Matthew Rawlinson, Houston.

From the Tax Practice Group: Caroline Setliffe, Washington DC.

Farrell Fritz announced the promotions of Robert M. Harper and Franklin C. McRoberts to partner and Jennifer Gebbie and Jacklyn A. Zitelli to counsel in the firm’s Uniondale office, effective Jan. 1, 2020.

Rob Harper, a Garden City, NY, resident, is an estate litigation attorney. He earned his J.D. from Hofstra University School of Law and his B.S. from Boston College Carroll School of Management.

Frank McRoberts, an Old Westbury, NY, resident, is a commercial litigation attorney. He earned his J.D. from Seton Hall University School of Law and his B.A. from Colgate University.

Jennifer Gebbie, a Wantagh, NY, resident, is a real estate attorney. She earned her J.D. from Hofstra University School of Law and her B.S. from The Pennsylvania State University.

Jacklyn Zitelli, a Jericho, NY, resident, is a real estate attorney. She earned her J.D. from St. John’s University School of Law and her B.A. from Syracuse University.

A new international alliance of law firms and lawyers called the Concilium Global Compliance, Investigations & Defense Network officially launched today, offering cross-border representation in matters involving corporate compliance, internal investigations and government enforcement defense, according to an announcement by Foley.

The Concilium Network can help multinational businesses find counsel qualified to provide representation across national boundaries, Foley said in a release.

Concilium Network currently counts 15 international law firms as members and intends to expand to other jurisdictions, subject to its firm-vetting process. The firms currently part of the Concilium Network include:

• Advokatfirmaet Selmer (Norway)
• Blake, Cassels & Graydon (Canada)
• Creel Garcia-Cuéllar Aiza y Enriquez (Mexico)
• FieldFisher (UK)
• FeldensMadruga (Brazil)
• Foley & Lardner (U.S.A.)
• J. Chan, Yip, So & Partners (China)
• Kammeradvokaten / Poul Schmith (Denmark)
• Navacelle Law (France)
• Panag & Babu (India)
• Posse Herrera Ruiz (Colombia)
• Preda Del Puerto & Asociados (Paraguay)
• Raczkowski Paruch (Poland)
• Schellenberg Wittmer (Switzerland)
• SvS Rechtsanwälte (Germany)

Venable LLP announced that Craig A. Gilley has joined the firm as a partner in Washington, DC, where he will lead the firm’s communications practice.

In a release, the firm said Gilley works with regulated communications entities, as well as information technology, education technology, investment, and private equity companies.

Gilley has experience counseling on a range of legal, regulatory, operational, and transactional issues affecting cable operators, broadband providers, internet service providers, video programmers, satellite providers, and wireless/wireline telecommunications providers. He also provides transactional, operational, compliance, and strategic advice to information and educational technology firms

Gilley received his J.D. from Georgetown University Law Center, and his B.A. in History from Brown University.

J. David Pugh, a partner in Bradley Arant Boult Cummings LLP’s Birmingham office, has been elected to serve as the Southeast Region chair on the executive committee of the Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC), beginning Jan. 1, 2020.

ABC is a national construction industry trade association representing more than 21,000 members. ABC and its 69 chapters help members develop people, win work and deliver work safely, ethically and profitably for the betterment of the communities in which ABC and its members work. ABC’s membership represents all specialties within the U.S. construction industry.

In a release, the firm said Pugh, a member of Bradley’s Construction Practice Group, has represented owners, general contractors, subcontractors, engineers, architects, insurers, and sureties throughout the United States. He has advised clients at every stage of a construction project and has participated in trials, hearings, appellate arguments, mediations, and arbitrations in Alabama, Georgia, Florida, Maryland, Mississippi, New Jersey, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, and Mexico, among other locations. He also has argued before the U.S. Supreme Court and has experience with both private and government construction projects.

Bradley was named the nation’s “Law Firm of the Year” for Construction Law in the 2020 and 2018 editions of U.S. News – Best Lawyers “Best Law Firms.” The award is particularly significant since only one law firm in the United States per legal practice area receives this recognition each year, the firm said.

Sidley Austin LLP announced the names of its newly elected partners, listed below by office and area of practice. These individuals will formally become partners in the firm effective January 1, 2020.

The new Sidley partners are as follows:

Chicago
Alexis A. Cooper, Private Equity
Joseph R. Dosch, White Collar: Government Litigation and Investigations
Erin Felchner, Real Estate
Bryan C. Mulder, IP Litigation
Scott Pollock, Tax
Kendra L. Stead, Commercial Litigation and Disputes

Dallas
Ryan M. Scofield, M&A

Houston
Daniel F. Allison, Energy
Tommer Yoked, Energy

Hong Kong
Linh Lieu, China Corporate and Finance
Oliver Zhong, Capital Markets

London
Alastair Hopwood, Commercial Litigation and Disputes
Michelle Tong, Private Equity

New York
Christina Prusak Chianese, Commercial Litigation and Disputes
Blake C. Fillion, Investment Funds
Patrick Michel, Investment Funds

San Francisco
Stephen Abreu, Technology and IP Transactions
Sally M. Wagner Partin, M&A

Tokyo
Tomoki Ishiara, M&A

Washington, D.C.
Thomas A. Broughan III, IP Litigation
Barbara Broussard, Global Arbitration, Trade and Advocacy
Benjamin B. Correa, Food, Drug and Medical Device Compliance and Enforcement
Ellen Crisham Pellegrini, White Collar: Government Litigation and Investigations
Craig Francis Dukin, White Collar: Government Litigation and Investigations
Kyle J. Fiet, Commercial Litigation and Disputes
Kate Heinzelman, Privacy and Cybersecurity
Katie Klaben, Securities Enforcement and Regulatory
Tobias S. Loss-Eaton, Supreme Court and Appellate
Christopher J. Polito, Energy
Peter Whitfield, Environmental

Arent Fox LLP announced the election of seven new partners and three new counsel, effective January 1, 2020.

The new partners include Sarah H. Cohn, M. Douglas Flahaut, Kirsten A. Hart, Katie Heilman, Eva J. Pulliam, Asra Syed, and James M. Westerlind.

The new counsel promotions include Ismael Bautista, Jr., Jeff Leung, and Lee A. Pepper.

Harrity & Harrity, LLP, a patent preparation and prosecution law firm, announced the addition of four patent attorneys and two law clerks to its legal team.

The new hires include Joseph Lentivech, a former Administrative Patent Judge with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) and Marine Corps veteran, who the firm announced last week returned as counsel.

Patrick Hansen, based in Raleigh, specializes in the preparation and prosecution of patent applications in electrical, computer, and mechanical technologies. Hansen has represented petitioners and patent owners in post-grant proceedings before the Patent Trial and Appeal Board. He utilizes his comprehensive understanding of the industry and extensive legal experience to build high quality patent portfolios.

Joseph Lentivech, based in Mobile, Ala., specializes in the preparation and prosecution of patent applications in electrical and computer technologies, including telecommunications and computer hardware and software systems. Lentivech returns to the firm, where he was a patent attorney for four years, after working as an Administrative Patent Judge at the USPTO, where he decided appeals from adverse examiner decisions in patent applications directed to electrical and computer-related technologies and business methods.

McCord Rayburn, based in Charlotte, has significant experience in all aspects of patent preparation and prosecution for U.S. and international applications, including leading teams of patent attorneys to efficiently obtain high-value patent protection. Rayburn brings extensive technical knowledge and international legal experience, including the coordination of inbound U.S. national stage patent application filings for foreign corporations with global patent portfolios.

Bret Tingey, based in Raleigh, focuses his practice on patent preparation and prosecution for inventors in mechanical and electrical technology fields. He began his legal career with a specialty in IP litigation and wrote memos and briefs, including those for submission to the United States Supreme Court. He primarily focuses on patent preparation and prosecution, applying his litigation experience to every patent that he drafts or prosecutes.

Sora Ko, based in the Washington, D.C., metro area, is a law clerk specializing in patent preparation and prosecution before the USPTO. She has experience in different aspects of patent prosecution, including assisting with the preparation and prosecution of patent applications related to computer software, telecommunications, networking devices, and mechanical devices. Ko previously served as Editor-in-Chief of The University of Richmond Law Review and worked as a summer associate at Harrity & Harrity before joining the firm full-time.

Abigail Troy based in the Washington, D.C., metro area, joins Harrity as a law clerk specializing in the preparation and prosecution of patent applications with a focus on computer hardware and software, telecommunications, computer networking, business methods, and consumer products. She is a former Primary Patent Examiner at the USPTO, where she worked for nearly a decade examining patent applications directed to mechanical devices, including jewelry and fasteners. Troy also worked as a training assistant in the Patent Training Academy and as a technology center trainer in TC 3600.

Chris Camillone and Rachel Mathisen have joined Weisbart Springer Hayes LLP as associates in the firm’s Austin office.

In a release, the firm said Camillone has experience in a range of commercial litigation and family law matters, including trials and arbitrations involving breach of contract claims, securities-related claims and other financial disputes, and child custody.

He received his law degree from The University of Texas School of Law, where he served for two years as an editor for the Texas Review of Entertainment & Sports Law. While earning his undergraduate degree from The University of Texas, he was team captain of the Longhorn Tennis Team and was an NCAA All-American & NCAA Championship Doubles Finalist.

Prior to joining the firm, Camillone was an associate at Austin-based Duggins Wren Mann & Romero LLP.

Mathisen advises clients in all aspects of employment and trade secret law and has represented companies in commercial litigation disputes involving claims of discrimination, harassment, retaliation, breach of restrictive covenants, and related issues in state and federal courts.

She earned her law degree from The University of Texas School of Law, where she served as Chief Notes Editor of The Review of Litigation. During law school she served as clerk for the Travis County District Attorney’s Office in Texas and the Boulder County District Attorney’s Office in Colorado and was a judicial intern for the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas in San Antonio. She received her undergraduate degree from Trinity University.

Prior to joining the firm, she was an associate at Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati PC in Austin, and Bell Nunnally & Martin LLP in Dallas.

Farrell Fritz announced that Elizabeth E. Vail has joined the board of East Hampton based i-tri. Richard Quatrano has joined the board of Flushing Town Hall.

Vail practices land use, municipal and environmental law in the firm’s Water Mill office. She also serves as counsel to the Village of Sag Harbor’s Zoning Board of Appeals and to the Village’s Historic Preservation and Architectural Review Board. She earned her B.S from Dickinson College and her J.D from St. John’s University School of Law.

I-tri (itrigirls.org) is dedicated to transforming young girls’ lives and empowering them by building their self confidence through training for youth distance triathlons. Founded in 2010, the original pilot program consisted of eight teenage girls at a local school in East Hampton, New York. I-tri has grown to serve over 700 girls from ten school districts. Liz hopes to provide guidance to help grow this organization as they prepare for continuous, and eventually national, expansion.

Quatrano, who practices corporate law, earned his B.A. from Columbia University and his J.D. from Brooklyn Law School. He said he looks to help Flushing Town Hall (flushingtownhall.org) further achieve their mission of presenting multi-disciplinary global arts that engage and educate the global communities of Queens and New York City.

Steven Wiederhorn

Insurance defense law firm Goetz Schenker Blee & Wiederhorn LLP announced that it has changed its name, adding Steven J. Wiederhorn as a named senior partner alongside founding partners Marisa Goetz, Robert C. Schenker, and David I. Blee.

In a release, the firm provides legal advice and representation to insurance companies and self-insured corporations across the United States.

The firm said Wiederhorn, co-managing partner of the firm’s New Jersey office, has more than 25 years of litigation experience. He is responsible for the account management of several leading insurance carriers across the United States and defends some of the firm’s more complex cases in the areas of general negligence, product liability, consumer fraud, catastrophic fires, construction defects, civil rights litigation, employment law and representation of public entities. Wiederhorn also has experience in the area of premises liability, with work conducted on behalf of statewide commercial and residential properties and regional recreational facilities.

Wiederhorn received his J.D. from Washington University School of Law in St. Louis and his Bachelor of Arts from Duke University.