Blank Rome LLP is pleased to announce the elevation of 14 new partners and five new of counsel, effective January 1, 2026.
“We are thrilled to introduce Blank Rome’s 2026 class of elevations,” said Grant S. Palmer, Blank Rome’s Chair and Managing Partner. “These 19 attorneys exemplify the highest levels of innovative thinking, dedication to client service, collaborative spirit, and leadership that support our high-performance culture and drive our success. Their exceptional talent has not only advanced our firm, but has also made a meaningful difference for our clients, colleagues, and communities. We are excited to see their continued impact and wish them the very best as they embark on this exciting new chapter in their careers.”
ASSOCIATES ELEVATED TO PARTNER
Samar Aryani – Intellectual Property & Technology • Philadelphia
Samar Aryani focuses her practice on intellectual property (“IP”) matters, namely global trademark portfolio management, software and technology licensing, domain disputes, data privacy and protection issues, technology transactions, and other business agreements and transactions. She has also represented clients in IP litigations before federal jurisdictions and the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board.
Alexander H. Berman – Insurance Recovery • Washington, D.C.
Alexander H. Berman represents corporate policyholders in complex insurance disputes and has helped clients recover millions of dollars in insurance proceeds. He counsels clients at all stages, including initial analysis, alternative dispute resolution, and litigation. He represents clients in various industries under a broad range of insurance lines, such as general and professional liability, D&O, trade credit, representations and warranties, food recall, and cyber insurance policies.
Dalila J. Berry – Finance, Restructuring, and Bankruptcy • Philadelphia
Dalila J. Berry advises clients on business and financing matters in accordance with their business needs. Dalila represents borrowers and lenders with all aspects of a commercial transactions, including commercial financing transactions, lending and asset-based financing, working capital and acquisition financing, mezzanine and second-lien financing, middle-market and small business financing, debtor-in-possession financing, ESOP, and real estate lending, and multi-jurisdictional and multi-currency transactions.
Alexandra Clark – White Collar Defense & Investigations • New York
Alexandra (“Ali”) Clark concentrates her practice on government investigations and complex domestic and cross-border litigation and arbitration, particularly in the shipping, logistics, energy, and commodities sectors. Ali has notable experience conducting internal investigations, advising clients in connection with criminal, civil, and regulatory investigations, and counseling clients on compliance policies, programs, and training. Ali also regularly represents clients in domestic and international maritime, commercial, and insurance matters.
Kyle G. Durante – Tax, Benefits, and Private Client • New York
Kyle G. Durante advises high-net-worth individuals and families on trust and estate matters to create tax-efficient wealth transfer strategies through estate, tax, business succession, and asset protection planning. He also counsels clients on cross-border estate planning matters, including foreign trusts and the associated U.S. tax consequences, pre-immigration and expatriation planning, and compliance for individuals with interests in foreign accounts, corporations, and trusts. Kyle also handles estate and trust administration matters within New York and Connecticut courts.
Jonathan W.S. England – Intellectual Property Litigation • Washington, D.C.
Jonathan (“Jon”) W.S. England is an intellectual property attorney focusing on patent litigation across various technical fields. He represents clients in patent disputes before U.S. district courts, the International Trade Commission, and the U.S. Patent and Trademark Organization (“USPTO”), managing all stages of litigation and post-grant proceedings. Jon’s legal practice and client advocacy are enhanced by his experience as an engineer at DuPont and working at the USPTO.
Lauren Medeiros Forster – Corporate, M&A, and Securities • Boston
Lauren Medeiros Forster advises on commercial contracts, mergers and acquisitions, and private equity matters. She represents businesses from startups to global operators across diverse industries, including cannabis, banking, information technology, life sciences, and more. Lauren advises clients on corporate transactions, regulatory compliance matters, and governance issues. With an entrepreneurial background, Lauren brings strategic foresight to negotiations.
Noe S. Hamra – Maritime • New York
Noe S. Hamra focuses on international commercial and insurance litigation and arbitration, with an emphasis on maritime matters. He also focuses on maritime insurance claims and cases for Freight, Demurrage and Defense (“FD&D”) and Protection and Indemnity (“P&I”) Clubs. Noe handles marine casualty and collision cases, insurance coverage disputes, commercial contract disputes, charterparty and cargo damage claims, and enforcement of foreign arbitration awards.
Peter M. Melampy – Corporate, M&A, and Securities • New York
Peter M. Melampy advises public and private companies and private equity sponsors on a wide range of corporate, transactional, and securities matters, including mergers, acquisitions and divestitures; cross-border transactions; public and private securities offerings and other financing transactions; tender offers; SEC reporting, stock exchange listing compliance, and other securities law matters; entity formation and planning; and corporate governance and other general corporate matters.
Anna K. Milunas – Insurance Recovery • Los Angeles
Anna K. Milunas is a skilled litigator with experience in all aspects of civil litigation in various U.S. courts, as well as domestic and London-seated arbitrations. Anna focuses her practice on insurance recovery litigation where she assists policyholders in high-stakes disputes with their insurance companies, maximizes revenue from insurance policies for her clients, and defends clients against various other complex commercial litigation matters.
Adam R. Seiden – Corporate, M&A, and Securities • New York
Adam R. Seiden advises private equity sponsors (and their portfolio companies), family-owned and closely held businesses, and other public and privately held companies on all corporate matters, including mergers, acquisitions, and divestitures; private equity transactions at all stages of the private equity life cycle; strategic investments and joint ventures; and private capital raises. Adam has deep experience across various sectors, including aerospace, defense, maritime, government, infrastructure, energy, transportation, manufacturing, industrials, chemicals, distribution, technology, software, and business services.
Elizabeth V. Young– Business Litigation • New York
Elizabeth V. Young’s practice encompasses a broad spectrum of state, federal, and arbitral matters with a particular focus on complex commercial litigation, shareholder and corporate governance disputes, M&A litigation, as well as related governmental and internal investigations. She has represented prominent pharmaceutical, healthcare, telecom, direct-to-consumer sales, financial services, and manufacturing companies. Elizabeth advises corporate clients on complex discovery, including AI and technology assisted reviews. She also represents individuals in connection with employment matters, government investigations, and other financial litigation matters.
Stephen C. Zumbrun – Energy, Environment, and Mass Torts • Philadelphia
Stephen C. Zumbrun is an energy and environmental, health, and safety attorney. He represents clients in complex environmental and energy litigation and in federal and state agency enforcement proceedings. Stephen advises clients on Environmental Protection Agency and state agency environmental permitting and licensing, Occupational Safety and Health Administration regulations, and Department of Transportation and Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration regulations.
OF COUNSEL ELEVATED TO PARTNER
Kerri L. Alessi – Real Estate • New York
Kerri L. Alessi has more than 25 years of experience in transactional real estate, with a primary focus on commercial leasing. She represents landlords and tenants in office and retail leasing transactions both in the New York City metropolitan area and nationwide. Kerri advises clients on complex leasing issues, subleases, brokerage agreements, surrender agreements, telecommunications agreements, access and license agreements, and other transactional real estate matters. Kerri also serves as a member of the Advisory Board for the Advanced Commercial Leasing Institute.
ASSOCIATES ELEVATED TO OF COUNSEL
Thomas P. Cialino – Financial Institutions Litigation and Regulatory Compliance • Philadelphia
Thomas P. Cialino focuses on financial services litigation and regulatory compliance. He represents lenders and financial institutions in class actions and individual disputes arising out of the Truth in Lending Act, Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act, Fair Credit Reporting Act, Telephone Consumer Protection Act, Equal Credit Opportunity Act, Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, and state Unfair or Deceptive Acts or Practices laws. He also advises gaming industry clients on compliance with sports betting and gaming regulations and licensing issues and handles complex litigation matters across multiple jurisdictions.
Michael R. Darbee – Business Litigation • Princeton
Michael R. Darbee concentrates his practice on a wide range of litigation matters, including class action litigation, complex commercial litigation, and construction litigation. During law school, Mike was a board member of the Delaware Journal of Corporate Law and a Wolcott Fellow to former Delaware Supreme Court Chief Justice Myron T. Steele and former Delaware Supreme Court Justice Randy J. Holland. He also served as a judicial extern to United States Magistrate Judge Lois H. Goodman of the United States District Court for the District of New Jersey and as a judicial intern for Judge Paul P. Panepinto of the Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas.
John C. Kessler – Business Litigation • New York
John C. Kessler concentrates his practice on complex business litigation in state and federal courts nationwide and before arbitration panels. His trial and litigation experience includes representing companies and individuals in disputes involving breach of contract, commercial real estate, breach of fiduciary duty, fraud, securities violations, and director and officer liability.
Brian P. O’Neil – Real Estate • Philadelphia
Brian O’Neil concentrates his practice on commercial real estate transactions. He counsels a large range of clients, including private equity firms, developers, landlords, and tenants in connection with the purchase, financing, sale, leasing, and development of commercial real estate properties.
Kathleen J. Udo – Real Estate • New York
Kathleen J. Udo represents lenders, investors, and developers in commercial real estate financings and complex transactions nationwide. With experience across asset classes, she guides clients from term sheet negotiation through closing with a focus on efficiency, clarity, and problem solving. Clients rely on Kathleen for her command of deal mechanics, sharp commercial judgment, and ability to navigate fast-moving, multi-party transactions. She works closely with clients to deliver practical, business-oriented solutions that support their strategic objections in a dynamic real estate market.
About Blank Rome
Blank Rome is an Am Law 100 firm with 16 offices and 800 attorneys and principals who provide comprehensive legal and advocacy services to clients operating in the United States and around the world. Our professionals have built a reputation for their leading knowledge and experience across a spectrum of industries and are recognized for their commitment to pro bono work in their communities. For more information, please visit blankrome.com.
