Blank Rome Announces 2020 Promotions: 12 Partners, 5 Of Counsel
Blank Rome LLP is pleased to announce that 10 associates and two of counsel have been elected partner, and five associates have been elevated to of counsel, effective January 1, 2020. The newly elected partners are Rither Alabre, Bridget Mayer Briggs, Kyle P. Brinkman, Ryan J. Casson, Charles A. Fitzpatrick IV, Matthew A. Homyk, Christopher A. Manion, Josef W. Mintz, Morgan Fraser Mouchette, Jeffrey M. Rosenfeld, Lauren B. Wilgus, and Inna Zaltsman. The new of counsel are Michael J. Barry, John S. Kiely, Jonathan R. King, Frank L. Tamulonis III, and Evan Jason Zucker.
“We congratulate this outstanding group of talented attorneys on their new roles at Blank Rome,” said Grant S. Palmer, Managing Partner and CEO. “Our Firm’s elevation decisions are a long-term investment in the future of Blank Rome, and we are confident that this impressive group of attorneys will continue to promote our culture of teamwork and collaboration while providing exceptional service to our clients.”
ASSOCIATES ELECTED PARTNER
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Rither Alabre Rither, a former prosecutor and federal law clerk, concentrates his practice on white collar defense and complex corporate litigation matters, handling high-profile cases throughout the country. He represents public and private companies and high-level executives in prosecutions and grand jury investigations involving securities fraud, antitrust, public corruption, government contracts, the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, tax, money laundering, and bank fraud; corporate internal investigations; and Securities and Exchange Commission and other federal regulatory proceedings. He has extensive appellate experience and has briefed and argued more than 50 appeals in federal and state courts. Rither is also committed to pro bono work. |
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Bridget Mayer Briggs Bridget concentrates her practice on corporate, white collar, and class action defense litigation, notably counseling clients on Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act matters, Bank Secrecy Act compliance, the False Claims Act, the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, collateralized debt obligations, government contracts, civil and criminal forfeiture, breach of contract, fraud, and business torts. She also has significant experience working on e-discovery matters. Bridget serves on the board of directors for the Homeless Advocacy Project and is an active member of Blank Rome’s Recruiting Committee. |
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Kyle P. Brinkman Kyle represents corporate policyholders or their directors and officers in complex insurance coverage matters, from risk and coverage analysis to advocacy, dispute resolution, litigation, and appeals. He counsels on defense and indemnity coverage relating to asbestos, mass tort, and environmental liabilities; advertising injury liabilities; and government investigation, shareholder derivative, and other liabilities across industries. Additionally, he advises on insurance issues in corporate bankruptcies and first-party coverage for high-value accidental and theft losses. Kyle also is actively engaged and committed to pro bono service to individual clients and nonprofit organizations. |
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Ryan J. Casson Ryan represents high-net-worth clients in all aspects of matrimonial and family law, including divorce; child custody; equitable distribution; child and spousal support; and matrimonial agreements (prenuptial, postnuptial, and separation agreements). He has participated in extensive financial and custody trials in the New York State Supreme Court and Family Court, and has assisted in securing positive outcomes for clients through settlement and litigation. He has also successfully prepared and defended appeals in the First and Second Departments. Ryan maintains a strong pro bono practice, having represented pro bono clients in numerous domestic relations matters. |
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Charles A. Fitzpatrick IV Charles focuses his practice on a wide range of commercial and corporate litigation matters, including business and contract disputes; class actions; zoning and land use disputes; products liability defense; toxic tort litigation; and requests for information under the Pennsylvania Right-to-Know Law. He represents businesses, government bodies, and individuals in federal and state courts, arbitrations, before administrative agencies, and in mediations. Active in Pennsylvania politics and his Philadelphia community, Charles serves on the board of trustees for the Hope Partnership for Education and is also dedicated to Blank Rome’s pro bono program. |
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Matthew A. Homyk Matthew handles all aspects of trademark and copyright counseling, registration, and litigation. He also deals with issues including intellectual property license agreements, due diligence in mergers and acquisitions, domain name disputes, and related business matters confronting companies and individuals in many industries, including telecommunications, fashion, retail, e-commerce, social networking, beverages, insurance, and musical instruments. Matthew has been highly ranked and recognized by leading IP surveys and listings, and serves as an adjunct professor of Trademark Law at Villanova University School of Law. |
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Christopher A. Manion Chris concentrates his practice on commercial finance, with a focus on secured lending transactions. His experience stretches across a wide range of domestic and cross-border transactions, including acquisition finance, asset-based loans, cash-flow loans, and warehouse credit facilities. He also advises his clients on distressed loan workouts, Article 9 sales, and debtor-in-possession loans. Chris’ clients include national banks, commercial finance companies, mezzanine lenders, and other institutional lenders, along with hedge funds and private equity firms. He has also represented auto loan issuers in securitizations and other structured finance transactions. |
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Morgan Fraser Mouchette Morgan represents clients in all aspects of matrimonial and family law, including divorce; child custody; property distribution; spousal support; prenuptial agreements; postnuptial agreements; cohabitation agreements; and international child abduction. She also settles complicated custody and high-net-worth financial matters, and has experience litigating matters in New York Family and Supreme Courts as well as federal courts. In addition to her involvement with various associations and organizations, Morgan serves as co-chair of BR United, the Firm’s attorneys of color affinity group, and is a member of the New York office’s Hiring & Recruiting Committee. |
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Jeffrey M. Rosenfeld Jeffrey concentrates his practice on business tax law, counseling public and private corporations, partnerships, and individuals on domestic and international tax matters; state and local tax planning; tax-efficient structuring of domestic and international mergers, acquisitions, divestitures, reorganizations, spin-offs, redemptions, and liquidation; the formation, operation, and acquisition of Subchapter S corporations, partnerships, and limited liability companies; federal, state, and local criminal and civil tax controversies; and issuances of equity-based compensation. He also counsels corporate clients and individuals regarding undeclared foreign assets and with making voluntary disclosures to the Internal Revenue Service. |
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Inna Zaltsman Inna concentrates her practice on corporate and business law, including mergers, acquisitions, and divestitures; private equity and venture capital funding transactions; public and private securities offerings and other financings; general corporate, partnership, and limited liability company matters; joint ventures and strategic alliances; business formation and planning; corporate governance matters; and a variety of general business matters. Additionally, she advises clients with respect to day-to-day legal and strategic matters. Inna also volunteers as a pro bono consultant with Compass, a nonprofit organization that provides pro bono consulting services to local nonprofits. |
OF COUNSEL ELECTED PARTNER
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Josef W. Mintz Joe focuses his practice on all aspects of business bankruptcy and related litigation, including international insolvency matters, fraud and financial crimes, out-of-court workouts and restructurings, asset sales, and commercial financing matters. He has notable experience representing both secured and unsecured creditors and committees in complex chapter 11 cases. Joe is involved in various professional organizations and associations, and serves as a barrister of the Delaware Bankruptcy Inns of Court. He maintains an active pro bono practice and volunteers for Compass Philadelphia, a provider of pro bono consulting services benefitting the Greater Philadelphia community. |
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Lauren B. Wilgus Lauren focuses her practice on international and maritime litigation, alternative dispute resolution, and business matters, notably involving domestic and foreign corporate interests as well as disputes concerning international and domestic commercial contracts, marine insurance coverage, and charterparties. She counsels on claims involving the Carriage of Goods by Sea Act, maritime attachment and vessel arrest actions, marine casualty investigations, recognition and enforcement of foreign arbitration awards and judgments, and commercial negotiations and dispute resolutions. Lauren is an active member of Blank Rome’s Maritime Emergency Response Team and leading maritime organizations and associations. |
ASSOCIATES ELEVATED TO OF COUNSEL
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Michael J. Barry Michael provides compliance counsel to national banks on a variety of issues, including safety and soundness issues with the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency and compliance with the Dodd-Frank Act and the regulations promulgated by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. Additionally, he counsels bank and non-bank financial entities on state and federal licensing and registration, mortgage secondary market issues, and FinTech and digital currency compliance. Michael is also engaged in pro bono service, recently working on a clemency project for federal prisoners and an immigration project for refugees. |
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John S. Kiely John concentrates his practice in the areas of trust and estate planning, administration, and litigation, including the preparation of wills and various types of trusts; decanting trusts; estate planning components of prenuptial and divorce agreements; advice to fiduciaries and beneficiaries of estates and trusts; estate and gift tax planning strategies; and the preparation of estate and gift tax returns. John is also actively involved in pro bono work, providing counsel to non-U.S. citizens facing deportation, federal inmates, and low-income artists, and serves on the boards of charities. |
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Jonathan R. King Jonathan is a patent prosecution attorney who advises global companies and research universities on protecting their innovations. In focusing his practice almost exclusively on the ever-shifting law of software patentability, he is able to serve as a key resource to software innovators looking to protect their inventions both in the United States and abroad. With a technical background in electrical engineering, Jonathan previously served as a patent examiner where he examined patent applications for display technologies, touch screen computers, and graphical user interfaces. |
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Frank L. Tamulonis III Frank focuses his practice on environmental and energy litigation, transactional, and regulatory matters as well as public utility matters, regularly advising on compliance with environmental laws and assisting clients navigate complex cases before state and federal courts, the Public Utility Commission, and the Environmental Hearing Board. He also advises on environmental requirements for pipeline and other infrastructure projects, assists with complex site remediation and toxic tort claims, and conducts environmental and safety audits. Frank is also dedicated to pro bono service and is a member of various environmental organizations. |
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Evan Jason Zucker Evan concentrates his practice on corporate reorganizations and related complex litigation in national and cross-border matters. He frequently represents foreign representatives in chapter 15 proceedings, creditors’ committees, secured creditors, indenture trustees, executory contract parties, and other key parties in interest. He routinely publishes and speaks on bankruptcy topics, including the model laws promulgated by the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law’s Working Group V as well as the causes of retail insolvencies around the world. Evan is a member of various bankruptcy associations and serves as an adjunct professor at St. John’s University School of Law. |