Blank Rome Announces 2024 Elevations: 12 Partners, 3 Of Counsel
Blank Rome LLP is pleased to announce the elevation of 12 new partners and three new of counsel, effective January 1, 2024.
“We are excited to announce our firm’s 2024 elevated class,” said Grant S. Palmer, Blank Rome’s Chair and Managing Partner. “These 15 attorneys have demonstrated exceptional talent, collaboration, and teamwork in serving and supporting our clients, communities, and colleagues, and we look forward to celebrating their ongoing contributions to our firm’s success.
ASSOCIATES ELECTED PARTNER
Josh L. Broderson – Real Estate • Philadelphia
Josh concentrates his practice on commercial and residential real estate and business matters. He counsels clients on all phases of real estate, including acquisitions and dispositions, lending, leasing, joint ventures, and land use and development.
Robyn N. Burrows – Government Contracts • Washington, D.C.
Robyn represents clients on a range of government contracts matters. She has experience preparing and negotiating complex claims and has litigated disputes before the boards of contract appeals and state and federal courts. Robyn focuses on emerging supply chain and cybersecurity issues and frequently counsels clients on Section 889 compliance. She has also developed particular experience with Department of Energy contracts, including managing contractor responses to audits, prime/subcontractor disputes, cost allowability issues, whistleblower complaints, and civil investigative demands. Robyn has experience navigating clients through False Claims Act investigations and regularly assists clients in high value bid protests before the Government Accountability Office and U.S. Court of Federal Claims.
Rachel L. Cohn – Corporate Litigation • New York
Rachel concentrates her practice on complex corporate and commercial litigation matters. She has a broad range of experience representing clients in commercial disputes including breach of contract, business torts, partner and shareholder disputes, real estate, antitrust, commodities, class action, trusts and estates, and employment matters across a variety of industries. Rachel has represented businesses and individuals in state and federal courts, arbitrations, and mediations. She has experience taking cases to trial and negotiating complex settlements.
Erica R. Graves – Commercial Litigation • Los Angeles
Erica focuses her practice on defending advertising injury and consumer fraud actions, as well as advising clients about regulatory compliance prior to litigation. She represents clients across a diverse array of industries, including cosmetics, food and beverage, supplements, and all manner of consumer products. To help her clients head off litigation and government enforcement actions, Erica regularly advises companies about compliance with new and ongoing regulations relating to advertising, labeling, pricing, Proposition 65, environmental claims, and other consumer practices. She has represented large and small companies in an array of complex matters, including contract and partnership disputes, consumer fraud litigation, intellectual property disputes, Lanham Act claims, environmental enforcement actions, and False Claims Act litigation.
John W. Masland – Finance, Restructuring, and Bankruptcy • Los Angeles
John concentrates his practice on financial services and commercial lending. He represents banks, financial institutions, equity sponsors, and borrowers in connection with a wide range of transactions, including asset-based and cash-flow debt financing. John’s experience includes unitranche and syndicated facilities, cross-border transactions, and acquisition financings.
Robyn L. Michaelson – Insurance Recovery • New York
Robyn litigates on behalf of corporate policyholders to preserve and maximize the value of their insurance assets, and has helped clients obtain millions of dollars in insurance recoveries. She assists policyholders from preemptive analysis of coverage for potential risks through dispute resolution, litigation, and appeals. Robyn’s clients have included chemical and other manufacturers, religious organizations, food and beverage companies, and individual directors and officers.
Ernestine J. Mings – Matrimonial & Family Law • New York
Ernestine concentrates her practice in matrimonial and family law. She regularly advises clients regarding prenuptial and postnuptial agreements, divorce, child custody, and child support matters. She has experience litigating cases in New York Supreme, Family, and Appellate Courts. Ernestine also represents clients in matters involving allegations of child abuse or neglect, domestic violence, and orders of protection. Ernestine has been a featured lecturer on matrimonial and family law topics and is actively involved in several bar associations, including the New York Women’s Bar Association and the Metropolitan Black Bar Association.
Michael S. Swoyer – Corporate, M&A, and Securities • Philadelphia
Michael concentrates his practice on general corporate and business law matters. He represents clients in a wide range of corporate and commercial transactions, including mergers, acquisitions, divestitures, reorganizations, strategic investments, joint ventures, business formations, conversions, domestications, and dissolutions. As a Delaware-barred attorney, Michael also regularly advises clients on issues related to the day-to-day operations and governance of Delaware corporations, limited liability companies, and partnerships.
Alix L. Udelson – Labor and Employment • Houston
Alix often helps employer clients navigate multistate issues and developments affecting the employment relationship. For example, she advises clients on wage and hour issues, fair hiring practices, wage transparency / pay equity, leaves of absence, accommodations, earned sick and safe time, restrictive covenants, and workplace reductions. She also routinely devises and reviews employment guidelines, policies, and agreements. Alix defends employers in state and federal court litigation and arbitration proceedings, and before administrative agencies, in a wide range of employment law claims.
Jillian R. Zvolensky – Finance, Restructuring, and Bankruptcy • Philadelphia
Jillian concentrates her practice on finance, business restructuring, and bankruptcy matters across a wide range of industries. She has significant transaction experience in acquisition and leveraged buyout financing, asset-based financing, cash flow financing, secured transactions, restructurings, reorganizations, and workouts.
OF COUNSEL ELECTED PARTNER
Alan R. Feigenbaum – Matrimonial & Family Law • New York
Alan is an experienced matrimonial and family law attorney. He assists a diverse range of professionals and their spouses, including business owners, lawyers, investors, and entertainers, with their family law matters, with a notable focus on evaluating the optimal strategies to manage and resolve complex financial and custody disputes. Alan is well versed in managing agreements (separation, prenuptial, and postnuptial) to create a framework for his clients’ futures, and approaches dispute resolution with an eye toward facilitating cooperation and reducing conflict, making every effort to settle cases out of court.
Dana S. Merkel – Maritime • Washington, D.C.
Dana focuses her practice on domestic and international marine transportation and environmental issues for clients worldwide. Major areas of practice include compliance counseling, coastwise trade, offshore construction, crew citizenship issues, including U.S. visa and entry, vessel construction and flagging, and international trade and sanctions issues. She also handles defense of enforcement actions, internal investigations, and incident and pollution response.
ASSOCIATES ELEVATED TO OF COUNSEL
Andrew I. Herman – Labor and Employment • Philadelphia
Andrew concentrates his practice on labor and employment litigation and counseling. He represents employers in a range of labor and employment matters, including: labor relations including collective bargaining negotiations, representation cases, unfair labor practice proceedings, picketing, and related injunction litigation; litigation, injunction proceedings, and disputes involving non-competition, non-solicitation, and confidentiality agreements and misappropriation of trade secrets; employment litigation and administrative agency proceedings involving claims of discrimination, harassment, leave law violations, retaliation, and violations of wage and hour laws; counseling regarding employment policies, practices, and agreements; and strategic advice in connection with corporate transactions.
David M. Jacobson – Commercial Litigation • Pittsburgh
David is a versatile corporate litigator who represents clients across the finance, real estate, energy, technology, and construction sectors. His practice primarily focuses on complex commercial disputes and government investigations.
Jessica A. McElroy – Financial Institutions Litigation and Regulatory Compliance • Los Angeles
Jessica handles a wide range of consumer financial services litigation matters, including disputes arising under the Truth in Lending Act, Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act, Fair Credit Reporting Act, and Fair Debt Collection Practices Act; state law Unfair or Deceptive Acts or Practices and Rosenthal Fair Debt Collection Practices Act claims; and a variety of common law claims.