Rimon’s attorneys are an all-star team with decades of experience in law, business, finance, science, and academia. We have been honored internationally for our consistent excellence. Our team is supported by the Rimon Global Alliance*. If you are interested in joining our team, click here.
Search the Rimon Team
Clear
Management Team
 | Michael Moradzadeh Founding Partner and CEO Corporate and Business Transactions, International, Technology Menlo Park, San Francisco | Michael Moradzadeh Management Team EDUCATIONColumbia University School of Law, J.D. with Honors (Harlan Fiske Stone scholar); Editor, Columbia Journal of European Law; Assistant Editor, Columbia Journal of International AffairsUniversity of California, Berkeley B.A. Phi Beta Kappa, with Departmental and General Honors; graduated in three yearsUniversitat Ben Gurion Ba-Negev PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE
Menlo Park, San Francisco Corporate and Business Transactions, International, Technology English Farsi michael moradzadeh michael moradzadeh is a founding partner and the ceo of rimon. he is in charge of strategic partnerships and recruiting for the firm.mr. moradzadeh has presented on innovations in law firm management and business models at harvard law school, stanford law school, uc berkeley law school, and uc hastings college of the law. mr. moradzadeh has also presented to the board of directors of global law firms to help them innovate their own structures.mr. moradzadeh’s innovations with rimon have received awards from the financial times and the american bar association journal and have appeared in a wide array of international publications, including the economist, the atlantic, the wall street journal, harvard business review, the american lawyer magazine, the national law journal, american bar association magazine, the national post, bloomberg, law & more, legal management magazine, the san francisco and los angeles daily journals, the san francisco business times, the silicon valley business journal, american lawyer’s law technology news, law 360, and elawyering. mr. moradzadeh was recognized by the american bar association journal as a top innovator in the law and awarded the legal rebel distinction. he was awarded law firm ceo of the year 2021 at the global ceo excellence awards by ceo monthly.mr. moradzadeh’s practice focuses on technology company representation and international transactions. he represents both companies and investors in investment rounds and stock sales. he has worked on deals ranging from small angel investments to representing a private equity firm in a $6 billion acquisition. he is also heavily involved in secondary markets of private stock, representing sellers of restricted stock in facebook, twitter, zynga, solarcity, dropbox, bloom energy, gilt groupe, etsy and other pre-ipo companies. internationally, mr. moradzadeh represented bain capital and morgan stanley in their international investment funds and has worked with foreign counsel in 130 jurisdictions on several international securities deals. he also worked on an ipo of a technology company, 10-k and 10-q filings of several publicly traded companies, and serves as a corporate officer of two non-profit robotics corporations.prior to rimon, mr. moradzadeh practiced corporate law at ropes & gray, llp in san francisco. mr. moradzadeh also worked at the united states attorney’s office in san francisco. before law school, mr. moradzadeh worked for several high-tech companies in the silicon valley including napster and check point software, as well as silicon valley law firms capstone law group and wilson sonsini goodrich & rosati. mr. moradzadeh also co-founded ez web mall in 1997.mr. moradzadeh lives in san mateo, california with his wife and three children.publicationsdisrupting the law firm model: a collection of published materials on why the traditional law firm must changerimon was designed for teamwork from anywhere education columbia university school of law, j.d. with honors (harlan fiske stone scholar); editor, columbia journal of european law; assistant editor, columbia journal of international affairs university of california, berkeley b.a. phi beta kappa, with departmental and general honors; graduated in three years universitat ben gurion ba-negev previous experience ropes & gray, llp us attorney's office in san francisco ez web mall (co-founder and ceo) napster checkpoint software columbia universityschool of law, j.d. with honors (harlan fiske stone scholar); editor, columbia journal of european law; assistant editor, columbia journal of international affairsuniversity of california, berkeleyb.a. phi beta kappa, with departmental and general honors; graduated in three yearsuniversitat ben gurion ba-negev ropes & gray, llpus attorney’s office in san franciscoez web mall (co-founder and ceo)napstercheckpoint software corporate and business transactions international israel securities and capital markets technology english farsi founding partner and ceo management team district of columbia state of california menlo park san francisco | |
 | Yaacov P. Silberman Founding Partner and COO Corporate and Business Transactions, Technology Philadelphia | Yaacov P. Silberman Management Team EDUCATIONYeshiva University B.A. (English), summa cum laude, Yeshiva University; Alpha Psi Omega, Phi Beta KappaUniversity of Pennsylvania Law School, J.D., cum laude; Senior Editor, Journal of Labor and Employment LawPREVIOUS EXPERIENCE
Philadelphia Corporate and Business Transactions, Technology English yaacov p. silberman yaacov silberman is a founding partner, chief operating officer, and general counsel of rimon, focusing on the internal operations and infrastructure of the firm, as well as legal ethics and compliance matters. mr. silberman’s innovations with rimon have appeared in a wide array of publications, including the economist, the american lawyer, amlaw’s law technology news, bloomberg, the california daily journal, the san francisco business times, elawyering and the national post. he has been characterized as top innovator in the legal profession by the american bar association for his role in developing rimon’s alternative business model. yaacov has presented on innovations in law firm management and technology at harvard law school, stanford law school, uc berkeley law school, and uc hastings college of the law.mr. silberman’s practice currently focuses on legal ethics and compliance, as well as securities law representation for founders and executives of some of the most notable technology companies in the world, including facebook, twitter, slack, spacex, dropbox, zume, square, jawbone, zynga, bloom energy, gilt groupe and solar city, among others.prior to rimon, mr. silberman was an attorney with the private equity and debt finance practice group of ropes & gray, llp. he also clerked for judge a. jay cristol of the united states bankruptcy court for the southern district of florida. before law school, mr. silberman was the assistant director of web content for thelaw.com, one of the earliest legal resource websites on the internet.speaking engagementsnov. 1, 2018, firm general counsel summit, tech and innovationsep. 28, 2016, west coast law firm leadership forum, needle in the haystack: how to control costs and uncover profitabilityjuly 13, 2015, legaltech west coast (alm), ethics and best practices for adoption of cloud storageapr. 30, 2015, stanford center for legal informatics (codex), innovating from within law firms: technology serving law firms in delivering value to clientsfeb. 23, 2015, university of california, hastings, principles of technology adoptionfeb. 13, 2014, stanford law school, innovating the law firm modeloct. 29, 2013, harvard law school, convergence: growing dissatisfaction with big law and the rise of alternativesapr. 16, 2013, university of california, berkeley, effective business ethicsjan. 31, 2013, university of california, hastings, managing technology in law firmsoct. 11, 2012, legal marketing association, technologies for elawyeringaug. 16, 2011, san francisco bar association, evaluating vendors of cloud computing servicesaug. 10, 2011, palo alto bar association, legal ethics of cloud computing for lawyersoct. 23, 2010, bar association of san francisco, strategies for launching and running a small law firmspring & summer 2010, small business administration in san francisco, small business legal seriesspring 2010, jhtc, silicon valley, paradigm shifts in the practice of law education yeshiva university b.a. (english), summa cum laude, yeshiva university; alpha psi omega, phi beta kappa university of pennsylvania law school, j.d., cum laude; senior editor, journal of labor and employment law previous experience ropes & gray, llp united states bankruptcy court for the southern district of florida thelaw.com yeshiva universityb.a. (english), summa cum laude, yeshiva university; alpha psi omega, phi beta kappauniversity of pennsylvanialaw school, j.d., cum laude; senior editor, journal of labor and employment law ropes & gray, llpunited states bankruptcy court for the southern district of floridathelaw.com china corporate and business transactions securities and capital markets technology english founding partner and coo management team state of pennsylvania philadelphia |
Partners
 | Steven M. Aaron Partner White Collar and Government Investigations, Litigation Kansas City | Steven M. Aaron Partner EDUCATIONUniversity of Missouri–Kansas City School of Law (J.D.)University of Missouri (BGS)PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE
Kansas City White Collar and Government Investigations, Litigation steven m. aaron steven aaron is a partner in rimon’s litigation practice. a leading white collar and government investigations defense lawyer with over 28 years of experience, mr. aaron has tried more than 45 civil and criminal jury trials in state and federal courts, defending clients in criminal prosecutions, government investigations and enforcement actions, as well as representing clients as both plaintiffs and defendants in general and complex commercial litigation.mr. aaron is one of a very select few lawyers honored by bti consulting as a ‘‘client service all-star,’’ based solely on interviews with more than 300 corporate counsel and leading legal decision-makers. this ranking illustrates his commitment and dedication to strategically solving problems for his clients.mr. aaron’s practice covers a widely diverse subject matter including litigation under the foreign corrupt practices act (fcpa), the false claims act (fca), the real estate settlement procedures act (respa) and the occupational safety and health act (osha). his practice is also focused on consumer issues and unfair trade practices, including the telephone consumer protection act (tcpa), mortgage fraud and business torts.mr aaron has represented both individuals and companies across a wide range of industries including health care, financial services, construction and retail, in criminal and regulatory investigations and proceedings conducted by federal agencies and/or their state and local counterparts. these agencies include the following:office of inspector general (oig), us department of health and human servicesus drug enforcement administration (dea)us department of justice (doj)us federal bureau of investigation (fbi)us federal election commission (fec)us federal trade commission (ftc)us internal revenue service (irs)us securities and exchange commission (sec) education university of missouri–kansas city school of law (j.d.) university of missouri (bgs) previous experience dentons us llp (partner) husch blackwell llp (partner) jackson county, missouri prosecuting attorney’s office university of missouri–kansas city school of law(j.d.)university of missouri(bgs) dentons us llp (partner)husch blackwell llp (partner)jackson county, missouri prosecuting attorney’s office awards and recognition recognized in the ‘‘criminal defense: white collar’’ category, the best lawyers in america, 2011-2022 recognized as a ‘‘client service all-star,’’ bti consulting group, 2017 selected ‘‘best of the bar,’’ kansas city business journal, 2017 ranked ‘‘best of the bar in litigation,’’ kansas city business journal, 2013-2015 martindale-hubbell: rated av preeminent (the highest level) professional associations american bar association kansas city metropolitan bar association maricopa county (arizona) bar association steve palermo endowment for spinal cord injury research commercial litigation litigation white collar and government investigations partner state of arizona state of kansas state of missouri u.s. district court for the district of arizona u.s. district court for the district of kansas u.s. district court for the western district of missouri kansas city | |
 | Joseph Abkin Partner Corporate and Business Transactions, Real Estate Transactions, Mergers and Acquisitions, Corporate Governance Santa Barbara | Joseph Abkin Partner EDUCATIONUniversity of California, Davis (J.D.)California State University (B.A.)PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE
Santa Barbara Corporate and Business Transactions, Real Estate Transactions, Mergers and Acquisitions, Corporate Governance joseph abkin joseph abkin is a corporate partner in rimon’s santa barbara office. mr. abkin has decades of experience providing corporate and transactional advice to clients.mr. abkin advises clients on transactions, including mergers and acquisitions, financings and all kinds of real estate deals. understanding that no two clients are the same, he helps each client identify the most appropriate transactional structure to help them achieve their business goals. he also provides compliance and corporate governance advice.mr. abkin’s corporate practice also involves counseling. he advises clients in relation to organizational structure, tax and employee-incentive arrangements, and has served as outside general counsel to a number of clients across various industries. mr. abkin negotiates on behalf of his clients and has represented parties in connection with disputes, resolutions and buy out arrangements, among owners.from an international perspective, mr. abkin has represented clients in relation to the domestic and international sale of goods, organizations, strategic alliances, and also has represented international trade associations.prior to joining rimon, he was a founding partner at fell, marking, abkin, montgomery, granet & raney. prior to joining that firm, he was a partner at schramm, raddue & seed, also a santa barbara law firm. mr. abkin is a volunteer for the special olympics. education university of california, davis (j.d.) california state university (b.a.) previous experience fell, marking, abkin, montgomery, granet & raney (founding partner) schramm, raddue & seed (partner) university of california, davis(j.d.)california state university(b.a.) fell, marking, abkin, montgomery, granet & raney (founding partner)schramm, raddue & seed (partner) corporate and business transactions corporate governance mergers and acquisitions real estate transactions regulatory, compliance & corporate governance partner district of columbia state of california santa barbara | |
 | Benjamin Aguilera Partner Mergers and Acquisitions, Corporate and Business Transactions, International Transactions, Latin America Phoenix | Benjamin Aguilera Partner EDUCATIONTexas Tech University School of Law J.D.The University of Texas at El Paso M.S., AccountingUniversidad Tecnológica de México B.A., Finance, AccountingPREVIOUS EXPERIENCE
Phoenix Mergers and Acquisitions, Corporate and Business Transactions, International Transactions, Latin America English Spanish benjamin aguilera benjamin aguilera is an accomplished transactional attorney who primarily focuses on corporate, mergers and acquisitions and international transactions in the united states. mr. aguilera also advises on mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures, venture capital, and real estate transactions in mexico, central and south america, spain, portugal. his client base includes investment advisors, large corporations, emerging companies, real estate developers, cross-border manufacturers, and hotels and resorts.mr. aguilera is a cross-border specialist, representing clients in transactions and matters regulated by the usmca and other treaties and conventions between the u.s., mexico, and other countries. his expertise includes:mergers and acquisitions, including both stock and asset purchase transactionsgeneral representation in corporate matters and business operations of us companies (from conception to exit)general representation of us companies in corporate matters and business operations in latin america (from conception to exit)formation of entities in mexico and latin americajoint ventures and other strategic alliancesalternative dispute resolution for cross-border transactionscompliance with laws, rules, and regulations affecting cross-border investments and operations (e.g., foreign corrupt practices act, 1961 hague convention, panamerican convention on powers of attorney, u.s.-mexico-canada agreement, north american free trade agreement, etc.)cross-border financing of commercial and residential real estate projects in mexicoacquisition and development of commercial and residential real estate in mexicocommercial lease agreements for industrial space in mexicoset up of manufacturing operations and prosecution of special licenses and authorizations under special import-export programs in mexico (e.g., immex – maquiladora program)due diligence for the acquisition of credit portfolios and other asset-backed portfolios in mexicomanufacturing agreements, services agreements, bailment agreements, and shelter agreements between u.s. corporations and mexican contractorsinternational sale of goods agreements between u.s. and foreign corporationsconsulting agreements, employment agreements, and confidentiality agreementsdistribution and licensing agreementsincorporation and formation of corporations, limited liability companies, and limited partnershipsmr. aguilera was born and raised in mexico. he graduated from college and practiced public accounting in mexico before he was admitted to practice law in the state of arizona. mr. aguilera is also admitted to practice law in the state of new york, and is a licensed c.p.a. in mexico. his achievements in the legal field have been widely recognized, including by the american bar association, best lawyers in america and superlawyers. education texas tech university school of law j.d. the university of texas at el paso m.s., accounting universidad tecnológica de méxico b.a., finance, accounting previous experience greenberg traurig, shareholder aguilera international cousel, llp, managing partner squire patton boggs, llp, senior associate snell & wilmer, llp, associate texas tech university school of lawj.d.the university of texas at el pasom.s., accountinguniversidad tecnológica de méxicob.a., finance, accounting greenberg traurig, shareholderaguilera international cousel, llp, managing partnersquire patton boggs, llp, senior associatesnell & wilmer, llp, associate professional associations u.s mexico bar association, board member, 2020-present american bar association, member, 1993-present state bar of arizona, member, 1993-present business law section, chair-elect executive council, 2017-2019 international law section, chair executive council, 2012-2014 securities regulation section, chair executive council 2002-2003 arizona-mexico commission finance, business and legal committee, co-chair, 2001-present greater phoenix chamber of commerce, board member, 2001-2008 executive committee, member, 2004-2008 audit & governance committee, chair, 2005-2008 nominating committee, chair, 2007-2008 international committee, chair, 2002-2004 border trade alliance, board member, 2001-2004 teen addiction anonymous, chairman of the board, 2013-2018 awards and recognition the fellows of the american bar foundation, 2016-present best lawyers in america, 2006, 2011-2014, 2018-2022 international trade and finance, 2006, 2011-2014, 2018-2022 mergers and acquisitions law, 2022 corporate law, 2022 first tier, best law firms in america, international trade and finance, 2011-2014 southwest super lawyers, arizona, international, 2012-2013 arizona’s finest lawyers, 2011 martindale hubbell, rated av preeminent® 4.9 out of 5.0 corporate and business transactions emerging companies and venture capital international transactions latin america mergers and acquisitions real estate transactions regulatory, compliance & corporate governance securities and capital markets english spanish partner state of arizona state of new york phoenix | |
 | Kenneth B. Anderson Partner Sports, Entertainment, and Recreation New York | Kenneth B. Anderson Partner EDUCATIONRutgers University–Newark J.D., Research Editor, Rutgers Computer & Technology Law JournalRutgers University–Newark B.A., cum laude, George H. Cook Scholar in electronic music compositionPREVIOUS EXPERIENCE
New York Sports, Entertainment, and Recreation kenneth b. anderson ken anderson is a partner in rimon’s sports, entertainment and recreation team in new york.mr. anderson concentrates on the representation of premier talent and entrepreneurs in the music, entertainment, internet and new media industries.he handles business and legal affairs and supervises litigation on behalf of recording and touring artists, composers, producers, music publishers, progressive record companies, film distribution companies, television networks, and internet entrepreneurs. as a deal maker, he concentrates on helping to build and maximize client careers, from negotiation of the first agreements for gifted new talent, to negotiation of agreements and restructuring of business relationships for some of the world’s greatest recording artists and songwriters.his litigation experience includes high-profile and precedent-setting cases involving recording artists, record labels, composers, publishers, managers, artists’ rights and accounting practices, as well as leading cases on copyright and freedom of artistic expression. ken also frequently resolves potentially explosive music industry disputes on a confidential basis.he has renegotiated agreements and restructured business relationships for some of the world’s most innovative and successful recording artists and songwriters including beastie boys, dixie chicks, ben folds, stephin merritt, mindless self indulgence, phish and will smith. he represents the estates of “mama” cass elliot and warren zevon, and has counseled to the national music publishers’ association in their online anti-piracy program.awards and recognitiontop rated entertainment & sports attorney in new york, ny, super lawyers (thomson reuters corporation), 2008-presenttop 50 attorneys of note in the music biz, super lawyers (thomson reuters corporation), 2014new star, lawdragon (lawdragon inc), 2006associated news, events & media mentionsnpr broadcast participation; “inspiration or appropriation? behind music copyright lawsuits” september 5, 2015“beastie boys win copyright fight against monster energy” amlaw litigation daily, june 6, 2014speaking engagementspanelist, “legal eagles,” new music seminar, new york, new york, june 23, 2015. from the blurred lines case to taylor swift copyrighting her lyrics, the panel discussed hot topics, their impact on the music industry and the importance of artists being vigilant in their own careers.speaker, “the crystal ball: divining the future of music law,” south by southwest conference, austin convention center, march 16, 2013speaker, “evaluating the new business models: benefit or b.s.?”, south by southwest conference, march 19, 2010speaker, 17th annual cutting edge music business conference new trends and hot topics in music, copyright, and music for film publishing, record industry developments, legislative developments, international update, and copyright update new orleans, august 27 – 29, 2009speaker, “copyright in jazz (and other improvisatory arts)” the copyright society of the u.s.a. 2007 mid-winter meeting, new orleans, louisiana, january 26, 2007speaker, artist management in 2007 and beyond, new york, new york, january 10-11, 2007speaker, the future of music and video, november 16, 2005speaker, indie night school, september 28, 2005 education rutgers university–newark j.d., research editor, rutgers computer & technology law journal rutgers university–newark b.a., cum laude, george h. cook scholar in electronic music composition previous experience loeb & loeb, llc (equity partner) berger & steingut (partner) lobell & lobell (partner) rutgers university–newarkj.d., research editor, rutgers computer & technology law journalrutgers university–newarkb.a., cum laude, george h. cook scholar in electronic music composition loeb & loeb, llc (equity partner)berger & steingut (partner)lobell & lobell (partner) intellectual property litigation sports, entertainment, and recreation technology partner state of new jersey state of new york new york | |
 | Patricia Annino Partner Trusts and Estates, Tax Boston | Patricia Annino Partner EDUCATIONBoston University L.L.M., TaxationSuffolk University J.D.Smith College A.B.PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE
Boston Trusts and Estates, Tax patricia annino patricia m. annino is a partner in rimon’s trust and estates group. a nationally recognized authority on estate planning and taxation, ms. annino has more than 30 years of experience serving the diverse needs of families, individuals, and owners of closely-held businesses.ms. annino joins from prince lobel, where she served as chair of the firm’s estate planning and probate group. ms. annino’s practice includes all aspects of private client work, including estate planning; will and trust planning; incapacity planning; prenuptial and postnuptial agreements; estate litigation; advising executors, trustees and beneficiaries and administration of estates and trusts.ms. annino particularly focuses on planning for family business owners, including coordinating their estate planning, corporate and succession needs. in addition, she represents non-profit entities and private family foundations. ms. annino testifies as an expert witness in high-stakes divorce cases where trusts and other inherited assets are at risk. her testimony has been favorably reviewed by the massachusetts probate courts.a leading voice on estate planning matters, ms. annino has been quoted extensively in a wide variety of local and national publications including the wall street journal, barron’s dallas morning news, chicago tribune, marketwatch, investors.com, and women’s business journal. she has acted as the estate planning consultant to the independent investment research provider, morningstar, and has been interviewed on bloomberg television.a frequent public speaker, ms. annino has presented nationally to high-level donors and trustees of hospitals, museums, and other nonprofits, as well as private banking clients, owners of closely-held businesses, and alumni organizations. she has spoken to various groups about her book, women and money: a practical guide to estate planning, and was interviewed by family business wiki newsletter in may 2013. patricia also writes a monthly column for cpa insider, a newsletter sent to more than 160,000 cpas and other wealth managers and advisors.selected experienceworked with two generations in a family business to design and implement a succession plan that incorporated tax planning, business planning and estate planning.worked with two generations in a real estate development family business to create and reorganize entities for the opportunity to obtain 6166 estate tax installment payment plan, including the succession of ownership and management of related entities.decanted numerous irrevocable trusts to expand business powers, reduce administrative costs and retain family control.provided expert testimony in probate court in several divorce cases on the exclusion of trust assets from the marital estate.acts as counsel to private foundations on issues such as in-depth review and analysis of self-dealing rules (compensation and related party), establishing title holding company for liability purposes a general governance issues including family-controlled corporate documents and bylaws and agreements establishing donor intent.negotiating prenuptial and postnuptial agreements for family business owners including issues pertaining to phantom income and alimony calculations.acts as general counsel to nonprofit charitable entities on donor issues such as self-dealing, international philanthropy, and donations of complex assets such as interests in closely-held businesses, limited partnerships, and artwork.awards and recognitionchambers and partners usa, private wealth law – massachusetts, 2021ultra-high net worth private wealth law, chambers and partners, 2019-presenteuromoney’s women in business law expert guide, euromoney magazine, 2012-presenttop 50 women massachusetts lawyer, super lawyers (thomson reuters corporation), 2009-2012, 2017-20av® preeminent™ peer review rated fellow (estate planning, probate law), martindale hubbell, 1995- presentffi gen advanced certificate in family business advising (family firm institute), 2020expert in the field of trusts and estates, legal media group’s expert guides, 2010-presentlisted in the best lawyers in america® (bl rankings llc), new england’s best lawyers, and boston’s best lawyers in the field of trusts and estates, 2008-presentmassachusetts super lawyer in estate planning & probate, super lawyers (thomson reuters corporation), 2004-present:top women in law, massachusetts lawyers weekly (new media investment group, dolan media company), 2013best in wealth management usa, euromoney magazine, 2012outstanding alumni achievement award, suffolk university law school, 2009“estate planner of the year”, boston estate planning council, 2007distinguished alumnae award, newton country day school of the sacred heart, 1989publicationsauthor, “from vixens to victorious: the rise of women’s power, competition, and ambition in family business leadership,” ffi practitioner, november 27, 2019podcast, “the role of women in legacy and estate planning”, ffi practitioner, may 19, 20212019 – author, “probate law and practice with forms,” 3d (vols. 21-22, massachusetts practice series)2019 – author, “planning for longer lives should be a family project”, barron’s, april 30, 20191998- present author, volumes 23 and 24 of massachusetts practice series, estate planning in massachusetts (with forms), thomsen reuters publishing company2016- present, author volumes 21 and 22 of massachusetts practice series, probate administration in massachusetts, thomsen reuters publishing company2018. podcast: wealth of wisdom podcast – episode 9. “how can you prepare for longevity and mental incapacity among family members?“2014 it’s more than money: protect your legacyfebruary 2011- present: regular contributor to cpa insider, a monthly e-newsletter published by the american institute of cpas. patricia writes regularly on topics such as estate planning, investment planning, real estate, eldercare, and more.a regular contributor to mcle publications, including the “federal gift tax” chapter in a practical guide to estate planning in massachusetts and the chapter “literature, art, music and computer programs” in drafting wills and trusts in massachusetts.“educating the client in estate planning,” a chapter in the 2009 thomson reuters publication new strategies for estate planning: leading lawyers on working with clients, updating traditional strategies, and responding to recent legal and economic developments (inside the minds).patricia published her updated edition of women and money: a practical guide to estate planning. this latest edition incorporates the changes to the current laws and provides a wealth of additional information to both educate and empower the reader, april, 2011cracking the $$ code: what successful men know and you don’t (yet), 2009women in family business: what keeps you up at night?, 2009women & money, a practical guide to estate planning, 2004 education boston university l.l.m., taxation suffolk university j.d. smith college a.b. previous experience prince lobel tye llp (partner) boston universityl.l.m., taxationsuffolk universityj.d.smith collegea.b. prince lobel tye llp (partner) [vc_row][vc_column][vc_separator color="custom" accent_color="#cccccc"][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text] recent articles september 2020: "understanding the complexities of mental incapacity when advising family business owners" - ffi practictioner april 2019: "planning for longer lives should be a family project"- barron's magazine november 2018: "longevity in the family business context: implications for leadership and succession" – tharawat magazine. june 2018: "planning ahead for longer lifespans" – barron's - penta january 2018: "the increasing importance of focusing on both sides of competence for family-owned enterprises" – ffi practitioner january 2018: "ticking time bombs in investment portfolios you might be unaware of" – ffi practitioner [/vc_column_text][vc_tta_accordion active_section=""][vc_tta_section title="view more articles" tab_id="1623011732990-4df7be81-cb87"][vc_column_text] august 2016: “why you should review the funding of your clients’ irrevocable trusts” – cpa insider april 2016: “key questions to ask the family business owner who plans to sell” – cpa insider march 2016: “3 steps clients with kids in college need to take” – cpa insider march 2016: “what to do when a client wants to give an llc or limited partnership unit to charity” – cpa insider february 2016: “don’t let our clients miss out on the ird deduction” – cpa insider october 2015: “don’t let clients overlook these key estate planning issues” – cpa insider september 2015: “charitable bailouts can save your c corporation clients big on taxes” – cpa insider july 2015: “avoid these errors on the federal gift tax return” – cpa insider june 2015: “clients divorcing? be sure to handle these estate planning details” – cpa insider june 2015: “avoid these common mistakes when preparing a federal estate tax return” – cpa insider april 2015: “ensure that your client’s trusts don’t endanger their corporations’ s status” – cpa insider march 2015: “why focus on estate planning?” – cpa insider february 2015: “help your clients choose the right beneficiaries” – cpa insider december 2014: “how cpas can help clients address the no. 1 planning obstacle” – cpa insider october 2014: “boilerplate trust clauses” – journal of accountancy october 2014: “estate planning for the 99%” – cpa insider september 2014: “common post-atra estate planning mistakes” – cpa insider july 2014: “the importance of boilerplate trust clauses: sterling, the clippers, and incapacity” – cpa insider june 2014: “challenges to advising clients in late-life marriages” – cpa insider march 2014: “portability vs. credit shelter trust: which should your clients use?” – cpa insider february 2014: “strategies to strengthen the accountant/attorney team” – cpa insider january 2014: “planning at the intersection of income and estate taxes” – cpa insider december 2013: “understanding the pitfalls and risks of irrevocable trusts” – cpa insider november 2013: “decanting trusts” – sumnews, the magazine of the massachusetts society of cpas september/october 2013: “what to consider when you’re asked to serve as a trustee” – cpa insider august 2013: “cpas as trusted advisors: helping clients through disruptive life events” – cpa insider july 2013: “modern reproductive options are creating interesting new wrinkles in the estate planning process” – cpa insider june 2013: “family business succession planning for the “lost generation” – cpa insider may 2013: “pros and cons of guardianships for parents of impaired adults” – cpa insider april 2013: “estate planning trends you need to know about” – cpa insider march 2013: “for-profit philanthropy: has its time come?” – wealth management insider february 2013: “what do you mean irrevocable? i want to amend that trust” – wealth management insider january 2013: “but mom and dad promised me their entire estate … or at least their home” – wealth management insider december 2012: year-end reasons to give to charity: charitable milestones offer inspiration – wealth management insider november 2012: “understanding the systems perspective when running a family business” – wealth management insider november 2012: “estate planning for an unpredictable future” – wealth management insider october 2012:”four trends in estate planning” – wealth management insider september 2012: “now is the time to make tax-free gifts” – client alert august 2012: “why it pays to consider a congruency audit” – wealth management insider july 2012: “four common estate planning mistakes and how to avoid them” – women in medicine bulletin july 2012: “long-term care insurance regardless of your client’s net worth” – wealth management insider june 2012: “you are challenging my will – but i’m not dead yet!” – wealth management insider may 2012: “understanding the basics behind organ and tissue donations” – wealth management insider april 2012: “estate planning for valuable art” – wealth management insider march 2012: “gifting ownership of a vacation house: a gift or a curse? – wealth management insider february 2012: “does your client have a beneficiary with a substance abuse problem?” – wealth management insider january 2012: “is your estate planning in better shape than stieg larsson’s? nine new year’s resolutions you and your clients can’t do without” – wealth management insider [/vc_column_text][/vc_tta_section][/vc_tta_accordion][vc_separator color="custom" accent_color="#cccccc"][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text] speaking engagements march 30, 2021 "gift and estate planning webinar", museum of fine arts boston dec 10, 2020 "how to attack & defend trusts in a divorce" the 60 minute lawyer, mcle oct 28, 2020 "20/20 vision: blind spots and bright spots in the field of family enterprise." ffi global conference, speaker sep 15, 2019 "2019 estate, gift, benefits and retirement planning update (2 parts)." nti 2019 conference, speaker may 23, 2019 "the power of collaboration among professionals to best serve clients." foundation for accounting education estate planning conference, speaker nov. 13, 2019 "planning issues and challenges to bridge the generational divide." new york life. speaker oct. 24, 2019 "pow: navigating the impact of women competing for leadership in family enterprises." speaker may 14, 2019 "2019 legacy planning summit: strategies for professionals." speaker may 8, 2019 "20th annual new england estate planning conference" speaker april 17, 2019 "psychological hurdles of family business succession." new york life. speaker april 3, 2019 "women’s philanthropy for women’s health: a conversation about the increasing role women play in strategic philanthropy.” speaker [/vc_column_text][vc_tta_accordion active_section=""][vc_tta_section title="view more speaking engagements" tab_id="1623011742397-c0552b88-02e8"][vc_column_text] feb 28, 2019 "estate planning: major developments and traps for the unwary", 50 points of law, webinar jan 17, 2019 "bridging the tricky relationship between planned giving professionals and donor advisors including cpas and attorneys", charitable gift planners of houston, houston tx nov 1, 2018 "women as leaders in philanthropy", university of rochester conference, rochester ny oct 25, 2018 "forecast of three future trends for family-owned enterprises", family firm institute, london may 24, 2018 "estate planning conference", foundation for accounting education, new york ny may 4, 2018 "the power of the woman donor: a practical discussion", planned giving group of new england, boston ma april 19, 2018 "get informed about tax reform", dana farber cancer institute, wellesley ma march 20, 2018 "planning considerations for your arts and collectibles", wealth management seminar, boston ma march 21, 2018 "women and money: a practical guide to estate planning", philanthropic planning group of greater new york november 9, 2017 “family business planning in a seven generation world: the prince charles syndrome”, family firm institute (ffi) regional conference, boston ma november 6, 2017 “women & money: a practical guide to estate planning”, sandwich women’s club, sandwich ma october 28, 2017 “power surge: enterprising families and their high impact philanthropy”, family firm institute (ffi) annual research and education symposium, chicago, il october 26, 2017 “family owned businesses in trusts: an in-depth look at some of the electric tensions”, family firm institute (ffi) annual conference chicago il may 3, 2017 “women & money: a practical guide to estate planning”, north texas community foundation, ft. worth, texas may 3, 2017 “estate planning in a seven generation world”, north texas community foundation, ft.worth, texas february 21, 2017 “women & money: a practical guide to estate planning”. nylife women's market seattle, washington march 21, 2017 “the nuts and bolts of estate planning” dana farber cancer institute, boston ma march 22, 2017 “estate planning for the art collector: museum of fine arts boston, ma april 19, 2017 ‘estate planning for the second marriage” national webinar, new york life insurance company april 28, 2017 “viva la difference- women-owned family businesses” pdfb chicago ilinois may 3, 2017, “women & money: a practical guide to estate planning”, north texas community foundation, ft. worth texas may 3, 2017, “estate planning in a seven generation world”, north texas community foundation, ft.worth, texas may 25, 2017 “so how do we plan given the massive changes in the estate planning landscape?” new york state society of cpas annual conference, new york, new york june 21, 2017 “estate planning in a seven generation world” 4th annual american institute on federal taxation (university of alabama, birmingham, alabama) october 26, 2017 “family owned businesses in trusts: an in-depth look at some of the electric tensions”, family firm institute (ffi) annual conference chicago il october 28, 2017 “power surge: enterprising families and their high impact philanthropy”, family firm institute (ffi) annual research and education symposium, chicago, il november 6, 2017 “women & money: a practical guide to estate planning”, sandwich women’s club, sandwich ma. november 9, 2017 “family business planning in a seven generation world: the prince charles syndrome”, family firm institute (ffi) regional conference, boston ma. february 25, 2016 “women & money: a practical guide to estate planning”, greenville south carolina march 16, 2016 “best planning ideas for 2016 and beyond”, louisville kentucky estate planning council march 30, 2016 “estate planning for the art collector”, mfa boston ma april 28, 2016 “best planning ideas for 2016 and beyond” and “charitable planning for the closely held business owner”, houston planned giving council, houston texas may 4, 2016 “it’s more than money: protect your legacy”, hebrew senior life boston ma may 16, 2016 “best planning ideas for 2016 and beyond” and “charitable planning for the closely held business owners” birmingham estate planning council, birmingham alabama may 26, 2016 “current trends in life insurance and estate planning”, new york state society of cpa annual conference new york, new york october 27, 2016 “competence is the new estate planning challenge” family firm institute (ffi) annual conference, miami florida november 3, 2016 “to gift or not to gift: that is the question”- institute for private wealth forum, san francisco california november 8, 2016 “understanding the power of the women’s market in philanthropy”, planned giving association of new england (pgnee), boston massachusetts november 15, 2016 “estate planning for the art collector” museum of fine arts, boston ma december 15, 2015 “it’s more than money: protect your legacy”, connect for life, massachusetts october 2015: “the elasticity of the family business owner” family first institute’s 28th annual global conference. may 2015: best planning ideas for 2015, new york state society of cpas estate planning conference new york new york april 2015: “women, wealth, and longevity” harvard t.h. chan school of public health, new york new york november 2014: “the 10 best tax planning ideas for 2014” – speaker and panelist at the american institute of cpas annual estate planning conference october 2014: “estate planning for the art collector: at the museum of fine arts, boston wealth management seminars october 2014: “family enterprise: complexities, constituencies and constellations” – speaker at the family firm institute’s 2014 global conference october 2014: “working today, planning for tomorrow” – speaker to faculty and staff at dana-farber cancer institute september 2014: “women and philanthropy: the bottom line for planned giving” – speaker at bny mellon 2014 client conference september 2014: featured speaker at new hampshire estate planning council dinner meeting june 2014: keynote speaker at suffolk university frost society luncheon may 2014: “conversations in philanthropy” – speaker and panelist may 2014: “smart women, smart money” – speaker to faculty and staff at dana-farber cancer institute may 2014: “new trends in estate planning” at new york state society of cpas annual estate planning conference april 2014: “strategic phases of philanthropy” at u.s. trust private wealth management event april 2014: “gift options for complex assets” at state street global advisors 2014 annual gift planning conference march 2014: “working today, planning for tomorrow” – speaker to faculty and staff at dana-farber cancer institute february 2014: “women and money” at italian home for children january 2014: “the strategic phases of philanthropy: a conversation about giving across generations” – speaker and co-host at u.s. trust event november 2013: “understanding the estate planning needs of families and owners of closely held companies” – featured speaker at partnership of philanthropic planning of rhode island november 2013: speaker and panelist at 2013 aicpa sophisticated tax planning conference october 2013: full day presentation to museum of fine arts members and donors october 2013: “family secrets and ghosts: becoming a beacon of hope in the fog”: family firm institute 2013 conference september 2013: featured speaker at citi private bank’s women’s series september 2013: “women and money”: presentation to donors at boston children’s hospital september 2013: “women and money” at hebrew senior life august 2013: “practical tips and strategies to attain congruent planning”: purposeful planning institute 2013 rendezvous july 2013: “a conversation about women & money with patricia m. annino and derek sanderson” june 2013: “estate administration in massachusetts” at boston tax institute may 2013: “understanding the changing tax laws to maximize your family and charitable goals” – presentation to mass general hospital physicians and donors may 2013: “wine, women & wealth”: presentation to graduates of greater boston catholic schools for girls may 2013: “continuity governance – succession planning for the family”: american families business conference 2013 march 2013: “planning for art and collectibles”: museum of fine arts wealth management seminar january 2013: “understanding philanthropy in a changing time”: presenter at new england baptist hospital trustee retreat december 2012: “the ethics behind estate planning”: webinar for west legal education center november 2012: “a woman’s world: thoughtful year-end planning”: panelist at brown advisory program september 2012: the friday forum: “engaging the philanthropic community” september 2012: business family governance training: faculty member at business families foundation training program september 2012: “she makes change”: three-part online conference presented by women’s philanthropy institute september 2012: “the legal aspects of organ and tissue donation”: webinar for west legal education center june 2012: guest speaker at winchester hospital advisory council: “women & money: a practical guide to estate planning” may 2012: featured speaker at dana-farber cancer institute program: “women & money: a practical guide to estate planning” may 2012: featured speaker at union club’s “women of distinction” series april 2012: moderator at the americas families in business conference: “risk management for business-owning families” april 2012: speaker at state street global advisors 2012 annual gift planning conference march 2012: featured presenter at museum of fine arts wealth management seminar march 2012: moderator at prince lobel seminar, “hidden employment traps for the business owner” march 2012: guest speaker at winchester hospital’s winton club business meeting january 2012: webinar: “estate planning for the non-traditional family” [/vc_column_text][/vc_tta_section][/vc_tta_accordion][vc_separator color="custom" accent_color="#cccccc"][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text] memberships & affiliations american bar association american college of trust & estate lawyers (fellow) purposeful planning institute boston estate planning council family firm institute, inc. (ffi) fellow suffolk university school of law, dean’s cabinet former business families foundation (bff) board of directors former new england baptist hospital’s philanthropy committee former indiana university lilly school of philanthropy women’s philanthropy institute advisor board former president of the suffolk law school alumni association former president of the alumni president’s council of independent secondary schools former president of newton country day school of the sacred heart alumnae association [/vc_column_text][vc_separator color="custom" accent_color="#cccccc"][/vc_column][/vc_row] corporate governance estate and gift tax regulatory, compliance & corporate governance tax trusts and estates partner state of massachusetts boston | |
 | Timothy Balts Partner Intellectual Property Charlotte | Timothy Balts Partner EDUCATIONSyracuse University College of Law J.D.Oregon State University B.S.PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE
Charlotte Intellectual Property timothy balts tim balts counsels clients to procure, protect, license and enforce intellectual property rights with a specific emphasis on technologies relating to chemical, polymer, coatings, packaging films and structures, composite structures including carbon fibers and prepregs, pharmaceutical compounds, nonwoven articles, and various mechanical and electrical devices including medical devices.mr. balts received his j.d., magna cum laude, from syracuse university in 2002 where he served as computer editor for the syracuse law review and authored the article “substantial utility, technology transfer and research utility: it’s time for a change.” 52 syracuse law review 105 (2002). he received his b.s. in chemistry, cum laude, from oregon state university in 1999. prior to his legal career, tim was employed as an environmental scientist with ch2m hill.selected experiencecounsel to a wide variety of clients in drafting and prosecuting patent applications for numerous technologies, including, chemical-related technologies such as polymer science and related technologies, nonwoven technologies, polymer and fiber extrusion, pharmaceutical and innovative drug technologies, medical device technologies, dental technologies, films and packaging technologies and systems, composites, and carbon fiber technologies and related composite structures.counsel to a world technology and manufacturing leader that specializes in films and packaging structures for both food and non-food packaging applications.counsel to a world leader in technologies relating to carbon fibers, carbon fiber composites and processes relating to the production and manufacture of carbon fibers in utility patent matters.counsel to a leading regional hospital network in connection with intellectual property matters that include protection of intellectual property, licensing, legal opinions, trademarks and utility patent matters.counsel to various universities in connection to new drug compositions and medical devices in utility patent and licensing matters.counsel to the world’s largest combined manufacturer of commercial jetliners and military aircraft in utility patent matters.counsel to a world leader in technologies relating to polymer and fiber extrusion including textile and nonwoven-related technologies and processes relating to the production and manufacture of textile and nonwoven products in utility patent matters. education syracuse university college of law j.d. oregon state university b.s. previous experience alston & bird llp (partner) syracuse university college of lawj.d.oregon state universityb.s. alston & bird llp (partner) [vc_row][vc_column][vc_separator color="custom" accent_color="#cccccc" css=".vc_custom_1623012895771{margin-top: 2em !important;margin-bottom: 1em !important;}"][vc_column_text] professional associations state bar of north carolina american intellectual property law association justinian honorary law society order of the coif [/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row] intellectual property patent counseling and prosecution partner state of north carolina united states patent and trademark office (uspto) charlotte | |
 | Bernays T. (Buz) Barclay Partner Corporate and Business Transactions, Energy Transactions Albany, New York | Bernays T. (Buz) Barclay Partner EDUCATIONUniversity of Chicago J.D.Michigan State University M.B.A.University of Michigan B.A.PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE
Albany, New York Corporate and Business Transactions, Energy Transactions bernays t. (buz) barclay buz barclay focuses on business transactions primarily in the electric power industry and in infrastructure projects and provides business counsel to a broad array of emerging companies and ventures, primarily in the energy space. his multi-disciplinary practice includes start-up business counseling and financing, joint ventures, mergers and corporate and asset acquisitions, project development, project restructuring, project finance, private equity and venture capital investing. he has guided energy companies through initial public offerings in the us and guided us energy companies through ipos in canada. mr. barclay has experience with fossil fuel technologies, energy efficiency, and metering products and services; compressed air, pumped hydro and other energy storage technologies and projects; wind, solar, biomass and other renewable resources; biofuels; coal-to-liquids; fuel cells; waste-to-energy; district heating and cooling systems; combined (clean) heat and power and distributed generation, and independent transmission projects.although his primary focus is in the domestic u.s. market, where he has appeared before the federal energy regulatory commission and the energy regulatory agencies of more than 30 states, as a project finance banker and as an attorney he has advised developers, lenders and investors from canada, china, korea, pakistan, siberia, romania, mexico, chile and the dominican republic regarding project structuring, project development, and project financing, and he has worked on international project development on site in canada, puerto rico, saudi arabia, and trinidad.mr. barclay has also provided corporate, commercial, and finance counsel to emerging companies and investors in sustainable energy and environmental businesses, including cloud-based home energy managed systems, distributed thermal energy storage for air conditioners, smart meter technologies for energy efficiency and demand-side management, microgrid applications, sustainable cargo transportation products, carbon nanotech r&d, compressed air energy storage companies and projects, marine wave power developers, and many others. education university of chicago j.d. michigan state university m.b.a. university of michigan b.a. previous experience dickstein shapiro llp (partner) torys llp (partner) king & spalding llp (partner) porter & travers llp (partner) marathon capital llc (managing director) citibank, n.a. (vice president, project finance) university of chicagoj.d.michigan state universitym.b.a.university of michiganb.a. dickstein shapiro llp (partner)torys llp (partner)king & spalding llp (partner)porter & travers llp (partner)marathon capital llc (managing director)citibank, n.a. (vice president, project finance) [vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text] mr. barclay has been a partner in the law firms of dickstein shapiro llp, torys llp, king & spalding llp, and porter and travers llp, and began his legal career as one of the founders of the project finance practice of chadbourne & parke llp. from 1988 to 1992, he was a vice president and senior project finance banker at citibank n.a in new york city, where he was responsible for originating, structuring, underwriting, and syndicating large non-recourse financings for power and infrastructure projects, and he has been a managing director of marathon capital, llc, an investment banking firm specializing in providing m&a and financial advisory services to clients in the global renewable energy and power infrastructure industries. mr. barclay has founded and chaired major conferences of the competitive power industry for twenty-five years, currently including the annual infocast projects & money conference. for a decade he hosted the energy and environmental funders forum for the new york state center for economic environmental partnership, while serving as a director of the new york state environmental industries association. mr. barclay has served as a director of several start-up companies in the energy field, including endur, inc., ice energy, inc., ethermetrics llc, and e3 greentech enterprises, inc. he was a member of the board of directors of maxim power usa, inc., a merchant power producer with five gas-fired generating stations in new england and montana, and he is currently a co-founder and director of powerphase, llc, an international manufacturer of highly efficient turbochargers for large gas turbines. mr. barclay also served as an officer in the united states army. selected experience formation and funding of a development joint venture for a $2 billion pumped storage hydroelectric and transmission project in southern california. formation and funding of a development joint venture for a $1 billion closed-loop pumped storage hydroelectric project in nevada. negotiating and closing a $30 mm ‘a’ round from strategic investors, for an emerging manufacturing company selling patented products into global markets, and considering inversion options. general outside counsel services to a boutique investment bank that is perennially the leading renewable energy m&a advisor in the u.s. general outside counsel services to an early stage registered broker-dealer using a proprietary unique and patented big data online platform to facilitate project financing for otherwise under-banked mid-market renewable energy projects globally. general outside counsel services including commercial agreements and joint venture structuring for the first woman-owned renewable energy and carbon trading company in the united states. general outside counsel services for a renewable energy development/ownership joint venture of three experienced and successful project developers and financiers. structuring and registration of a yieldco ipo for an otc-listed developer/owner/operator of industrial cogeneration facilities, including negotiation and drafting ancillary operations and governance agreements among the development subsidiary llc and the publicly-held parent/sponsor. representation of the leading clean heat & power developer, owner and operator in the united states on its successful initial public offering on the new york stock exchange. representation of an income trust holding a u.s. company with 30 landfill gas facilities across the eastern united states in regards to its successful initial public offering on the toronto stock exchange. representation of an income trust holding four bottoming cycle gas-fired cogeneration projects in northern indiana in relation to its successful initial public offering on the toronto stock exchange. advising on the going-private sale of an nyse-listed clean heat & power developer/owner/operator to the u.s. subsidiary of a french transnational conglomerate. advising the canadian tsx-listed owner of u.s power generating facilities in its sale to a u.s. independent power producer in a going-private sale transaction. structuring a unique debt-based venture capital fund to finance and own inside-the-fence cogeneration facilities in commercial buildings, including all commercial arrangements to actuate the underlying business transactions supporting the debt. the formation of a joint venture aimed at private investment in inside-the-meter renewable energy projects for schools, and structuring its net metering agreements with developers and utilities. negotiating and drafting joint technology and joint product development agreements for a startup carbon nanotech manufacturing company. negotiating leases with leading drillers, for a family-owned corporation, to provide for the exploitation of natural gas reserves in pennsylvania through hydrofracturing (fracking) while preserving the essential historical and recreational significance of the property for future generations. dissolution of a 50/50 joint venture of a private individual and the subsidiary of a large public utility holding company with patented compressed air energy and power augmentation storage technologies. developing a combination desalination, energy beet-to-ethanol, cogeneration and digester facility in california’s central valley. commercial and legal structuring of a large underground compressed air energy storage project at a unique geological formation in the midwest united states. the sale of 50 mw of distributed thermal energy storage systems for commercial air conditioning to the southern california public power authority, a group of customer-owned electric utilities including the los angeles department of water and power. acquiring four gas-fired power projects in four states, including one cogeneration facility from three different sellers, including one regulated electric utility, for a calgary-based independent power owner/operator. acquiring two 50 mw gas-fired industrial cogeneration facilities in california for a canadian income fund. awards and recognition best lawyers new york, best lawyers (bl rankings llc), 2012-current. av preeminent ethical standards and legal ability, martindale-hubbell (internet brands), 1997-current. publications quoted, "investor watch: bernhard capital targets us municipal utilities" inframation news (may 2020) author, "blockchain’s value propositions and business development opportunities" blockchain world congress (september 2016) author, “changing everything again: applying blockchain technology to the power industry” power finance & risk (september 2016) co-author, “the bitter pill of competition within large law firms” law 360 (november 2015) co-author, “post-stimulus legislation for the renewable energy industry,” the green economy (june 2010) co-author, opinion: the recovery act and the green economy one year later,” the green economy (april 2010) author, “a new purpa for green schools?,” electric light & power (march/april 2009) co-author, “limiting foreign investment—the impact of finsa on the u.s. utility and power sector,” energybiz magazine (january 2007) co-author, “pragmatic environmental diligence needed to stay competitive in acquisition race,” natural gas & electricity (april 2007) co-author, “cross-border liquidity for u.s. issuers,” canadian legal lexpert directory 2007 (april 2006) speaking engagements january 14, 2020 "the infocast projects & money summit" chair [/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row] corporate and business transactions emerging companies and venture capital energy transactions international partner new york southern bankruptcy court state of new york u.s. district court for the northern district of new york u.s. district court for the southern district of new york albany new york | |
 | Jill H. Berliner Partner Sports, Entertainment, and Recreation, Trademark and Copyright Los Angeles | Jill H. Berliner Partner EDUCATIONUniversity of Southern California J.D. - 1984; Law Review, Member and Editor; Order of the Coif, 1982University of California, Santa Cruz B.A.; Honors Program - 1979 Major: HistoryPREVIOUS EXPERIENCE
Los Angeles Sports, Entertainment, and Recreation, Trademark and Copyright English Spanish jill h. berliner from “baby bands” to multi-platinum and grammy award-winning artists, record and publishing companies, professional athletes, authors, and oscar-winning filmmakers, ms. berliner has represented artists, songwriters, managers, producers, production companies, athletes, authors, film producers, directors, actors, writers, telecommunications companies, and related businesses originating from throughout the u.s., in the uk and europe, canada, australia, and latin america for over 30 years.all matters related to record companies, such as:recording contractspressing and distribution dealslicensingcatalog acquisitionsproducer dealsall matters related to music publishing, such as:publishing administrationco-publishing agreementssub-publishing agreementspublic performance company affiliationscopyright renewals and terminationscatalog acquisitionsall matters related to general sports and entertainment business, such as:touringmanagement contractsagency agreementsjoint venture, company, partnership and llc formationfilm funding and licensingband agreementssideman employment agreementssponsorships, endorsementsactors engagementsall matters related to film music, such as:composer agreementssoundtrack distribution dealsmusic supervisor dealshonorariatop music lawyers, billboard (mrc), 2018-presenttop 5% music law and sports, entertainment, and recreation, legal leaders in the law west coast (alm), july 2017-18.preeminent av, martindale hubbell (internet brands), 2000-presentcalifornia super lawyer, super lawyers (thompson reuters corporation), 2009-presentpower lawyers: hollywood’s top music business attorneys, the hollywood reporter (valence media), 2015-2018best lawyers in america®, entertainment law – motion pictures and television, entertainment law – music, 2022speaking engagements and mentionsfeatured on billboard magazine’s article “how to make the best merch licensing deal”, september 2020variety article “the merits of ditching the office for an ‘un-traditional’ law firm”, april 2018featured on billboard magazine’s article “women in music 2016: power of attorneys”, december 2016the pitfalls of dealing with teen idols, association of independent music publishers, october 2010right of publicity, mcle presentation, june 2009co-publishing agreements: you want a piece of me?, association of independent music publishers, september 2007the way the real world works a music business primer, mcle presentation, june 2005wireless products, mcle presentation, may 2005association 2004 institute on entertainment law and business, usc law school, september 2004 education university of southern california j.d. - 1984; law review, member and editor; order of the coif, 1982 university of california, santa cruz b.a.; honors program - 1979 major: history previous experience king, holmes, paterno & berliner (name partner) mitchell silberberg & knupp. llp. (partner) university of southern californiaj.d. – 1984; law review, member and editor; order of the coif, 1982university of california, santa cruzb.a.; honors program – 1979 major: history king, holmes, paterno & berliner (name partner)mitchell silberberg & knupp. llp. (partner) corporate and business transactions international latin america sports, entertainment, and recreation trademark and copyright english spanish partner district of columbia state of california state of new york u.s. court of appeals for the ninth circuit u.s. district court for the central district of california los angeles | |
 | Herbert Burgunder III Partner Real Estate Baltimore | Herbert Burgunder III Partner EDUCATIONUniversity of Baltimore School of Law J.D.Cornell University B.A.PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE
Baltimore Real Estate herbert burgunder iii herbert burgunder’s primary areas of practice are real estate (including commercial, residential, and real estate litigation), land use and zoning (variances, conditional uses, grandfathered uses, non-conforming uses, special exceptions, zoning appeals, and change in use), business law, contracts, and landlord/tenant issues. throughout his years of practice, mr. burgunder has developed a keen eye for direct communication and smooth transactions. his clients can count on him to keep their best interests in mind. simple documents and straightforward language are his hallmarks. a real estate purchase might be accomplished with a two-page contract. a zoning memorandum of law will speak directly to the issues before the board or zoning commissioner.prior to entering private practice, mr. burgunder regulated charitable organizations for the state of maryland and promoted business development in maryland in the former department of business and economic development.in addition to practicing, mr. burgunder taught at the university of maryland law school as an adjunct faculty member in the legal analysis, writing, and research program. these courses focused on legal writing for trial and appeals.mr. burgunder is a 1994 graduate of the university of baltimore law school and a 1991 graduate of cornell university with a bachelor of arts degree in government.publicationsauthor, residential real estate transactions, chapter 6 – pre-closing problems and practice manual for the maryland lawyerauthor, effective legal writing, maryland bar journal, volume xxxii, november/december 1999author, effective legal writing: preserving the power of “shall,” the advocate, volume 16, number 2, winter 2001speaking engagementsresidential real estate transactions, maryland state bar association, 2019zoning and sign regulations, real estate discussion group, 2019creative financing techniques, investors united school of real estate, 2019awards and recognitiontop rated real estate attorney in baltimore, maryland super lawyers (thomas reuters), 2019-2021professional affiliationsthe bar association of baltimore citymaryland state bar associationamerican bar associationthe district of columbia bar association education university of baltimore school of law j.d. cornell university b.a. previous experience pk law (partner) university of baltimore school of lawj.d.cornell universityb.a. pk law (partner) commercial litigation corporate and business transactions litigation real estate real estate litigation real estate transactions partner state of maryland supreme court of the united states u.s. court of federal claims u.s. district court for the district of columbia u.s. district court for the district of maryland baltimore | |
 | Lisa Weinstein Burns Partner Trusts and Estates, Tax Boston | Lisa Weinstein Burns Partner EDUCATIONGeorgetown University L.L.M. in Taxation, with distinctionAmerican University J.D., cum Laude; Note and Comment Editor, American University Law ReviewUniversity of North Carolina at Chapel Hill B.A.PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE
Boston Trusts and Estates, Tax lisa weinstein burns lisa weinstein burns is a partner in rimon’s private client group. for over 20 years, ms. burns has concentrated her practice in the areas of tax planning, multi-generational wealth transfers, business succession planning, estate planning and estate administration.ms. burns approaches estate planning as a holistic process. estate planning is one of the most important investments a person can make. ms. burns seeks to protect a family’s well-being by preserving the wealth that has taken a lifetime or more to acquire through creation of a plan to promote family harmony and minimize taxes to the extent feasible. she listens to clients’ needs and coordinates with their advisors to customize documents and overall planning strategies to meet those needs.her work with clients includes drafting a variety of estate planning documents including wills, revocable trusts, irrevocable insurance and generation-skipping trusts, qualified personal residence trusts, charitable trusts, durable powers of attorney and healthcare proxies. ms. burns also assists executors and fiduciaries with estate and trust administration matters.ms. burns has achieved an av preeminent rating in martindale hubbell from her peers, which is the highest possible rating for both ethical standards and legal ability. ms. burns has been elected as a fellow to the american college of trust and estate counsel (actec), which recognizes attorneys who have established outstanding reputations among their peers in terms of skill, experience, and high standards of professional and ethical conduct in the practice of trusts and estates law. ms. burns has been recognized by boston magazine and law politics magazine as a “super lawyer rising star” in the area of trusts and estates.in the april 2008 issue of women’s business boston, ms. burns was named one of the top 10 lawyers by readers. ms. burns is a lecturer for massachusetts continuing legal education (mcle) and has published several articles on various legal topics. ms. burns has served as a member of the nominating committee for shir tikvah synagogue in winchester, massachusetts, and as a member of the winchester hospital foundation advisory council.a few examples of ms. burns’ work are as follows:designed a transfer strategy utilizing grantor retained annuity trusts (grats) to move appreciation from targeted assets from parent to trust for children while minimizing transfer taxes and enabling parent to retain an interest in the principal asset.executed sale of multi-million dollar family-owned business to future generations via grantor dynasty trust without incurring capital gains tax and minimizing gift and estate taxes for the grantor. the dynasty trust, which is fully generation-skipping tax exempt, will protect and preserve the family business stock from estate tax and creditor claims in future generations, as well as help maintain consistent and orderly management of the company.developed strategy to pass $5 million family vacation home to the next generation in trust over a term of years by establishing multiple long-term qualified personal residence trusts (qprts) to minimize use of federal gift tax exemption.publications“plan now for the inevitable: what business owners need to know about estate planning” interview published in cbs boston – small business pulse. september 20, 2016tax law client strategies: leading lawyers on understanding and allocating risks, assessing settlements and negotiations, and developing deal strategies, published by aspatore books as part of its “inside the minds” series, 2007gifting the house to save the home: qualified personal residence trusts, the washington lawyer, nov./dec. 1997the golden egg? variable universal life insurance, the washington lawyer, nov./dec. 1996just say no thanks, the legal times, may 20, 1996, (an article regarding disclaimers)charitable remainder trusts, a win-win tax planning technique, the washington lawyer, nov./dec. 1995additionally, ms. burns was awarded the national first place prize in the american society of composers, authors and publications (ascap) nathan burkan competition, for her published law review comment entitled ancient works, modern dilemmas: the dead sea scrolls copyright case.professional affiliationsboston bar associationmassachusetts bar associationboston estate planning council~ board of directors (2011-2014)~ past chair, networking committee (2015-2016)~ past vice chair, gala committee (2014-2015)~ past senior chair (2013-2014)~ past chair, programs committee (2012-2013)~ past chair, round table committee (2011-2012)~ past chair, women’s initiative committee (2008-2011)boston probate and estate planning forum~ co-programs director (2016-2018)~ secretary (2009-2012)~ steering committeethe greater boston fiduciary law american inn of court~ memberuniversity of massachusetts club~ founding member~ member of the board of governors~ scholarship fund committee education georgetown university l.l.m. in taxation, with distinction american university j.d., cum laude; note and comment editor, american university law review university of north carolina at chapel hill b.a. previous experience ruberto, israel & weiner, p.c. (shareholder and co-chair of trusts & estates group) rackemann, sawyer & brewster, p.c. (director) georgetown universityl.l.m. in taxation, with distinctionamerican universityj.d., cum laude; note and comment editor, american university law reviewuniversity of north carolina at chapel hillb.a. ruberto, israel & weiner, p.c. (shareholder and co-chair of trusts & estates group)rackemann, sawyer & brewster, p.c. (director) estate and gift tax tax trusts and estates partner state of massachusetts state of new hampshire boston | |
 | Sean Byrne Partner Fund Formation, Regulatory, Compliance & Corporate Governance San Francisco | Sean Byrne Partner EDUCATIONGeorgetown University Law Center J.D.University of California, Berkeley B.A.PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE
San Francisco Fund Formation, Regulatory, Compliance & Corporate Governance sean byrne sean byrne focuses his practice on private funds. he advises on all aspects of the formation of venture capital, real estate, and other private investment funds, including issues involving partnerships, limited liability companies, tax, the regulation of investment advisers, and public disclosure laws.mr. byrne represents first-time fund sponsors, experienced fund managers, and institutional investors such as sovereign wealth funds and government pension plans. his practice covers u.s., non-u.s., and cross-border fund structures and clients. he has counseled tax-exempt organizations sponsoring and managing for-profit investment vehicles.mr. byrne provides advice and counseling on issues including the following:market fund termswhat can and can’t be said in marketing presentationsregulation d, regulation s, and other offering exemptions under the securities act of 1933exemptions from registration under the investment company act of 1940 and the investment advisers act of 1940life as a registered investment adviser, including preparing form adv and drafting, updating, and using compliance manualsagreements between team members, admission of new team members, and business divorcescorporate venture capital programs education georgetown university law center j.d. university of california, berkeley b.a. previous experience morrison & foerster (of counsel) georgetown university law centerj.d.university of california, berkeleyb.a. morrison & foerster (of counsel) [vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text] awards and recognition iflr1000 rising star for investment funds 2020 nyu grunin prize for law and social entrepreneurship (finalist) [/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row] banking and financial services corporate and business transactions emerging companies and venture capital environmental, social and governance fund formation international investment advisers and other asset managers private investment funds real estate regulatory, compliance & corporate governance securities and capital markets partner state of california san francisco | |
 | Fred Chang Partner Private Investment Funds, China, Banking and Financial Services Seattle, Shenzhen* | Fred Chang Partner EDUCATIONColumbia Law School J.D.Harvard University A.B.PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE
Seattle, Shenzhen* Private Investment Funds, China, Banking and Financial Services English Mandarin fred chang fred chang’s practice covers cross-border m&a, as well as financing – secured and unsecured – and investments over the full range of the capital structure of a company. he has represented companies in various industries, banks, insurance companies, private equity funds, and hedge funds, principally in their buy-side transactions.he has handled cross-border transactions, including leveraged buyouts, mergers of public companies, street sales and other privately negotiated acquisitions, strategic and cornerstone investments, joint ventures, project finance, trade finance, leveraged lease financing, licensing, securitization and other structured financings, and derivatives. these transactions involved many states in the us, canada, china, hong kong, singapore, korea, japan, indonesia, india, thailand, malaysia, taiwan, brunei, australia, england, ireland, luxembourg, the netherlands, france, germany, sweden, russia, hungary, spain, and switzerland.mr. chang has also handled investigative, compliance, and contentious matters involving corporate governance, internal controls, transfer pricing, derivatives and market manipulation in china, hong kong, singapore, philippines, thailand, and korea. he has spent nearly ten years – also serving as general counsel and head of compliance for deutsche bank in asia – working for investment banks and isda.outside of his practice, mr. chang is an avid ultra-marathon runner. he is also a cellist and was a member of the harvard-radcliffe orchestra 1978-1980. education columbia law school j.d. harvard university a.b. previous experience morgan lewis and various other law firms in beijing (partner) fenxun partners (co-founder) deutsche bank asia (general counsel, head of compliance) goldman sachs asia (executive director) columbia law schoolj.d.harvard universitya.b. morgan lewis and various other law firms in beijing (partner)fenxun partners (co-founder)deutsche bank asia (general counsel, head of compliance)goldman sachs asia (executive director) publications china chapter for “the mergers & acquisitions review” (2013 and 2014 editions, law business research) china chapter for “banking regulation” (2013 and 2014 editions, sweet & maxwell) “legal foundations of corporate financial transactions”, 2008, china science and technology press “the acquisition playbook”, international financial law review, may 2014 “the amc experiment”, international financial law review, march 2014 “the mountains are high and the emperor is far away (analysing corporate scandals)”, international financial law review, october 2013 “target ecosystems”, international financial law review, july/august 2013 “the twin towers bubble”, international financial law review, may 2013 “deconstructing the audit controversy”, international financial law review, february 2013 “reliable data and china’s financial reforms”, international financial law review, november 2005 “making a strategic investment in a chinese bank work”, international financial law review, july 2005 speaking engagements speaker, “disputes and misunderstandings in chinese acquirors’ overseas m&a transactions”, peking university law school, december 2014 speaker, “banging the close (mcdonnell et al v shell, bp, morgan stanley et al)”, peking university law school, may 6, 2014 speaker, “corporate strategy in an era of globalization”, harvard-china forum, april 18, 2014 speaker, “disputes over liabilities arising from acquisitions overseas by chinese companies”, china international economic and trade arbitration commission, august 2011 speaker, “approval and process issues for chinese listcos making overseas acquisitions”, ubs securities, january 18, 2011 speaker, “otc derivatives: problems and disputes”, bank indonesia, august 24, 2010 speaker, “certain legal problems with otc derivatives trades”, sinochem, june 18, 2010 speaker, “sec v goldman sachs (abacus 2007 ac1 $2 billion synthetic cdo)”, peking university law school, april 2010 speaker, “dodd-frank: relevance for chinese exchanges and central counterparties”, china financial futures exchange, march 25, 2011 speaker, “presentation on otc derivatives”, bank indonesia, december 12, 2007 awards and recognition leading lawyer, iflr1000 (euromoney institutional investor plc), 2019 band 1 banking/finance, chambers and partners asia, 2007-2010, 2012 corporate/strategic acquisition of the year, m&a advisor, 2013 memberships and affiliations chairman of legal/regulatory committee and member of standing committee, isda north asia 1995-1998 foreign arbitrator on shenzhen court of international arbitration banking and financial services china derivatives energy transactions international international trade and customs law leveraged finance mergers and acquisitions private investment funds russia, the baltics, and the cis english mandarin partner state of new york state of washington seattle shenzhen* | |
 | Jungwoo Chang Partner Corporate and Business Transactions, Mergers and Acquisitions, Securities and Capital Markets Seoul | Jungwoo Chang Partner Seoul Corporate and Business Transactions, Mergers and Acquisitions, Securities and Capital Markets English Korean jungwoo chang professional experiencejungwoo chang represents companies at all stages of their lifecycle, from startups to public companies with a focus on internet and technology companies. he has substantial experience representing both buyers and sellers in m&a transactions, as well as issuers and investors in private company financings. mr. chang also regularly advises his clients on general corporate governance and regulatory issues which arise from business transactions.mr. chang has a deep understanding of corporate matters and culture through his unique experience of working at a conglomerate, unicorn, and advising on the buy-side of deals in asia.prior to joining rimon, mr. chang’s experience includes co-founding south korean firm, accelsior partners, and serving as general counsel to a tech unicorn company which acquired more than 100 entities in asia. in his general counsel role, mr. chang oversaw all of the m&a, corporate and regulatory work for the company in korea, singapore, thailand, vietnam, taiwan, and the united states.mr. chang also has experience as corporate counsel for one of the largest pan-asia private equity/venture capital firms (with over krw 5 trillion assets under management) in korea, and lg international, a commodity trading and mining company of the lg group. while working at lg international, he was seconded to an indonesian mining company located in borneo.mr. chang is an early-stage investor and a general partner of angel funds registered with ministry of smes and start-ups in korea. he also served as a non-commissioned officer in the republic of korea army, and received the certificate of appreciation from donald rumsfeld, the then united states secretary of defense. sungkyunkwan law schoolj.d.seoul national universitybs (mechanical and aerospace engineering) accelsior partners (managing partner & co-founder)yellomobile inc. (general counsel)stic investment inc.lg international corp. awards and recognition in-house lawyer of the year, asian legal business korea law awards, 2016 - finalist memberships korean bar association korea international trade association (international trade specialist) corporate and business transactions emerging companies and venture capital fund formation mergers and acquisitions regulatory, compliance & corporate governance securities and capital markets english korean partner korea seoul | |
 | James C. Chapman Partner Emerging Companies and Venture Capital, Mergers and Acquisitions, China Menlo Park | James C. Chapman Partner EDUCATIONThe Catholic University of America B.A. International Relations; B.A. SpanishSanta Clara University J.D.Santa Clara University M.B.A.PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE
Menlo Park Emerging Companies and Venture Capital, Mergers and Acquisitions, China English Mandarin Spanish james c. chapman mr. chapman focuses his practice on securities law, venture capital, mergers and acquisitions, and international business transactions. he counsels publicly traded and privately held clients on public offerings, private placements, debt financings, venture capital transactions, mergers and acquisitions, and related transactions. mr. chapman also represents venture capital firms, angels, and private equity groups in their investments. with 30 years of experience in corporate and securities law, he has represented clients in over 300 mergers, acquisitions, and financing transactions.mr. chapman has counseled clients ranging from media to pharmaceutical companies on numerous china-united states transactions. his international transactions work includes assisting chinese companies in both investing and raising capital in the united states. mr. chapman also assists u.s. firms in investing and operating in china and has been involved in negotiating resolutions to some of the most high-profile disputes involving us companies operating in china. education the catholic university of america b.a. international relations; b.a. spanish santa clara university j.d. santa clara university m.b.a. previous experience morgan, lewis & bockius llp (partner) foley ventures llc (manager) foley & lardner, llp (partner) the catholic university of americab.a. international relations; b.a. spanishsanta clara universityj.d.santa clara universitym.b.a. morgan, lewis & bockius llp (partner)foley ventures llc (manager)foley & lardner llp (partner) awards and recognition us clean tech attorney of the year, acq global (metropolis international group ltd), 2018 us-china investment attorney of the year, acq global (metropolis international group ltd), 2018 most outstanding us securities lawyer, acquisition international (ai global media ltd.), 2018 china investment attorney of the year, worldwide financial advisor (productive media), 2016-2017 best m&a attorney, california, ai global media (ai global media ltd), 2016 china investment attorney of the year, corporate live wire, 2016 china investment attorney of the year, finance monthly (universal media ltd.), 2014-2016 best for public offerings and private placements, corporate live wire, 2015 china investment attorney of the year in california, global law experts, 2015 china investment attorney of the year – california, corporate intl magazine (jrs corporate limited), 2015 top rated securities & corporate finance attorney, super lawyers (thomson reuters corporation), 2004–2008, 2012-13 top 25 clean tech lawyers in california, daily journal, 2011 top 500 mergers & acquisitions, the legal 500 rankings (legalease ltd), 2010 silicon valley’s top attorneys, san jose magazine, 2003–2007 publications trade secret protection in china: a perspective from china and hong kong, publication description association of corporate counsel. jan. 2013 corporate law insights: top corporate lawyers share what they know best, chapter - "mergers & acquisitions-what every ceo should know", publication description execusense. oct. 2012 joint ventures in china: what every ceo should know, publication description vc experts. sep 2012 8 trends in venture capital, publication description law360. june 4, 2012 cleantech patents and investments: what to expect in 2012, publication description law360. feb. 29, 2012 company for sale: five common mistakes to avoid, publication description daily journal. nov. 10, 2011 mergers and acquisitions in china: part two - anatomy of a deal in the middle kingdom, publication description corporate finance review. nov. 2011 clean technology innovation in china, publication description top capital magazine. oct. 2011 a brave new world: technology transfer to china, publication description the licensing law journal. sep. 2011 mergers and acquisitions in china: anatomy of a deal--part 1, publication description corporate finance review. sep. 2011 "jiao pengyou"-a guide for successful business relationships in china, publication description american management association. mar. 5, 2011 mergers and acquisitions in china; trends and challenges in the middle kingdom, publication description westlaw business currents. feb. 17, 2011 mergers & acquisitions in china: current trends, and challenges in the middle kingdom, publication description the association for corporate growth. jan. 15, 2011 m&a in china: ten strategies for successful cross-border transactions, publication description asian counsel. sep. 1, 2008 in the eye of a hurricane - duties of directors in a turbulent environment, publication description software developers forum. aug. 15, 2008 the road to china: ten key lessons for doing business in china, publication description the licensing law journal. aug. 1, 2008 china ipo's: an era of transition, publication description asia counsel. may 15, 2008 trends in mergers & acquisitions, publication description band of angels newsletter. mar. 15, 2008 trends in ipo's, publication description corporate counselor. sep. 15, 2007 tumultuous times: trends in venture capital, publication description daily journal. china corporate and business transactions emerging companies and venture capital fund formation international life sciences mergers and acquisitions securities and capital markets technology english mandarin spanish partner state of california menlo park | |
 | Guy Charette Partner Corporate and Business Transactions, Securities and Capital Markets, Mergers and Acquisitions Montreal | Guy Charette Partner Montreal Corporate and Business Transactions, Securities and Capital Markets, Mergers and Acquisitions English French guy charette guy charette is a transaction-oriented corporate finance lawyer in rimon’s montreal office. he has over thirty years of experience advising on securities, corporate finance, and mergers and acquisitions. mr. charette develops innovative financial structures designed to match the needs of both issuers and institutional investors and has acted for underwriters on various types of securities offerings. he has advised on corporate finance matters in relation to major projects in africa, europe, and south america. his experience covers a broad spectrum of industries including natural resources, life sciences, and technology.mr. charette believes that value added is what can distinguish you from other attorneys and that value-added comes from gaining an intimate knowledge of the client’s industry and providing superior service on a timely basis throughout the transaction process.mr. charette has served on many boards of directors and has lectured law students on corporate and project finance. he is a member of the canadian bar association. university of ottawa (civil law) dunton rainville (lawyer) corporate and business transactions energy transactions mergers and acquisitions securities and capital markets english french partner bar of quebec montreal | |
 | Peng Chen Partner China, Intellectual Property San Diego (Sorrento Valley), Shenzhen* | Peng Chen Partner EDUCATIONColumbia Law School J.D., 1997Johns Hopkins University Ph.D., 1993Beijing Normal University B.S., 1986PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE
San Diego (Sorrento Valley), Shenzhen* China, Intellectual Property English Mandarin peng chen peng chen leads his biotechnology, pharmaceutical, and diagnostics clients through the technical and legal challenges involved in developing and protecting their critical ip assets. dr. chen’s practice focuses on patent prosecution and counseling and he also is experienced in the areas of patent litigation, inter parties review, reexamination, interference, opposition, and licensing. dr. chen has been ranked in the fields of biotechnology law, patent law and patent litigation 2009-2018 by best lawyer in america. in 2018, dr. chen was selected as “lawyer of the year” in patent law in san diego by best lawyer. dr. chen also was ranked as a regional expert on china intellectual property 2011-2015 by chambers global.prior to joining rimon pc, dr. chen worked at morrison & foerster llp since 2000, including being a partner at morrison & foerster llp since 2005.for numerous clients, dr. chen manages entire patent portfolios, advising the clients on maximizing their patent positions and designing patent strategies. on behalf of one client, he obtained u.s. patent protection for its novel diagnostic test and advised the client in designing around a third party’s patents. when the third party threatened to sue the client, he worked with several morrison & foerster patent litigators in obtaining summary judgments of non-infringement twice from the district court, and eventually won the appeal from the federal circuit. (general atomics diazyme labs. div. v. axis-shield asa, 277 fed. appx. 1001, 2008 u.s. app. lexis 10235 (fed. cir. 2008)).in another case, dr. chen worked with a team of litigation attorneys, successfully reversing a summary judgment of infringement and eventually obtaining a jury verdict of non-infringement for the client in the district court. after the case was remanded to the district court, he filed reexamination request of the claims asserted by the patentee to the uspto. the board of patent appeals and interferences (board) in the uspto invalidated the claims and the federal circuit affirmed the board’s decision. (in re swanson, 540 f.3d 1368; 2008 u.s. app. lexis 18928 (fed. cir. 2008)).while earning his b.s., dr. chen was on the dean’s list. after receiving his ph.d., dr. chen conducted his post-doctoral fellowship at yale university school of medicine. he was also a harlan fiske stone scholar while in law school.selected experienceabbott laboratories v. syntron bioresearch.successfully reversed a summary judgment of infringement of a biotechnology patent for a client and eventually obtained a jury verdict of non-infringement for syntron bioresearch in a patent suit brought by abbott laboratories alleging that syntron’s test kits infringed two of abbott’s lateral flow immunoassay patents. before morrison & foerster was retained, the court had granted summary judgment of infringement in favor of abbott. we successfully persuaded the court to reconsider its ruling and to allow syntron to proceed to trial. after a three-week trial, the jury returned a verdict of non-infringement on both patents asserted by abbott. on appeal, the federal circuit affirmed all issues, except the construction of a single claim term. following appeal, the case was settled on the terms syntron had originally proposed.abbott’s glucose sensor patents.abbott sued dexcom using seven patents in anticipation of fda approval of dexcom’s short term embedded glucose sensor. abbott threatened to seek preliminary injunction when dexcom was getting ready to launch its products. we used reexamination as part of the strategy to defeat the anticipated preliminary injunction motion from abbott. we requested reexamination of all seven abbott patents. the u.s. pto granted reexamination of all seven abbott patents. the court stayed the litigation pending the resolution of the reexamination. as for abbott, it backed down on seeking a preliminary injunction when dexcom launched its glucose sensor in 2006.zyon’s urine cup collection patents.zyon sued acon for infringement of u.s. patent nos. 6,805,837 (‘837 patent) and 6,805,838 (‘838 patent). we requested reexamination of the ‘837 and ‘838 patents on a double patenting issue. the u.s. pto invalidated zyon’s patents based on the double patenting issue. education columbia law school j.d., 1997 johns hopkins university ph.d., 1993 beijing normal university b.s., 1986 previous experience morrison & foerster llp (partner) columbia law schoolj.d., 1997johns hopkins universityph.d., 1993beijing normal universityb.s., 1986 morrison & foerster llp (partner) [vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text] speaking engagements april 9, 2017 workshop: from bench to business, patent strategy for life science startups, 1st socal taiwanese biotechnology symposium, san diego, ca november 16, 2016 morrison & foerster symposium 2016: recent developments in intellectual property law, tokyo, japan september 26, 2015 the advanced lateral flow course, dcn diagnostics and qiagen, 10/12/2016, 11th sabpa pacific forum, san diego, ca november 6, 2014 doing business in china: new developments in intellectual property law, 21st century china program, san diego, ca september 15, 2014 advanced lateral flow course, san diego, ca [/vc_column_text][vc_tta_accordion active_section=""][vc_tta_section title="additional speaking engagements" tab_id="1623017793957-d2fe77ba-dea4"][vc_column_text] november 5, 2013 engagement with china: issues for small & medium enterprises, san diego, ca october 5, 2013 implications of myriad on ip protection for personalized medicine and protecting ip in us and china, 9th annual sabpa pacific forum, san diego, ca april 23, 2013 “spotlight on chinese life sciences and biotech, the international market - what chinese companies should know now, focus on intellectual property issues and outbound investment,” morrison & foerster co-hosted conference, beijing, china april 9, 2013 “international conference on investment, merger & acquisition and intellectual property deployment & transaction in biotech/pharma industry,” morrison & foerster conference, taipei, taiwan march 28, 2013 “leveraging china to build a global biotech business,” chinabio® executive san francisco workshop, san diego, ca november 3, 2012 “america invents act – challenges and opportunities,” sabpa medical device and diagnostics forum ii: advances in diagnostics for improved patient care, la jolla, ca october 4, 2012 “roadmap to a successful legal career,” san diego chinese attorneys association, the pan asian lawyers of san diego, and the filipino american lawyers of san diego event, san diego, ca may 24, 2011 “understanding china’s changing ip landscape,” u.s. china-pharma conference, philadelphia, pa march 19, 2011 “new trends in drug development: companion diagnostics,” sabpa science & technology forum, la jolla, ca november 3, 2010 “drugs - novel vs generics,” chinabio suzhou investor forum, suzhou, china october 5, 2010 “patent procurement and litigation in china,” calasia, san diego, ca january 13, 2010 “leveraging china to build a global biotech business,” chinabio® executive san francisco workshop, san francisco, ca april 10, 2009 “building a global biotech business in china,” chinabio® executive workshop, shanghai, china november 7, 2009 sabpa 5th annual pacific forum, san diego, ca [/vc_column_text][/vc_tta_section][/vc_tta_accordion][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text] publications september 2008: “federal circuit gives big nod to the patent office,” morrison & foerster client alert march 2006: “patent law strategies for protecting your intellectual property,” trends in bio [/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text] awards and recognition intellectual property and litigation, best lawyers (bl rankings llc), 2019-2022 [/vc_column_text][vc_separator css=".vc_custom_1623017852651{margin-top: 2em !important;margin-bottom: 1em !important;}"][/vc_column][/vc_row] china intellectual property intellectual property litigation intellectual property transactions and due diligence international international transactions life sciences litigation patent counseling and prosecution english mandarin partner state of california state of new york u.s. court of appeals for the federal circuit u.s. district court for the southern district of california united states patent and trademark office (uspto) san diego (sorrento valley) shenzhen* | |
 | Alan Chen Partner Litigation, Intellectual Property Litigation Los Angeles, Menlo Park, San Diego (Bankers Hill) | Alan Chen Partner EDUCATIONSouthwestern Law School J.D.University of California, San Diego B.A.Oxford University Study AbroadPREVIOUS EXPERIENCE
Los Angeles, Menlo Park, San Diego (Bankers Hill) Litigation, Intellectual Property Litigation English Hakka Mandarin alan chen alan chen’s practice focuses primarily on intellectual property and international commercial litigation. he also litigates and counsels clients in relation to corporate transactions, e-commerce, privacy, franchise, regulatory compliance, and international trade. mr. chen represents both domestic and foreign clients in the technology, medical devices, broadcasting, publishing, entertainment, fashion, consumer goods, import/export, and insurance industries.before entering the legal field, mr. chen served as executive director of cause and vision 21, grassroots community organizations that conducted education and lobbied federal and state legislatures on policy issues involving multilingual government services, voting rights, and minority issues in california.currently, mr. chen also teaches an llm course, “comparatively international intellectual property law,” at southwestern law school as an adjunct professor.selected experienceon behalf of a technology company and manufacturer in the desktop stationery industry, obtained jury verdict of willful infringement in a patent trial against a nationwide distributor of stationery products.successfully defended an importer of automotive paint gun products on infringement claims relating to design patents and trade dress.successfully defended a group of domestic and international remanufacturers against infringement claims relating to toner cartridge patents and related itc actions.on behalf of a software application service provider, successfully defended and countersued a competitor for copyright infringement relating to software codes, including recovery of our attorney’s fees.multiple litigations successfully defending online retailers against a leading global software company for copyright and trademark infringement claims involving sales of computer operation systems, server and enterprise database management software.successfully defended a leading global retailer in multiple trademark litigations.on behalf of a chinese manufacturer of storage products for one of the largest retailers in the united states, obtained a $4.3 million jury verdict against the plaintiff in an international commercial dispute involving claims for breach of contract.on behalf of a large real estate developer, obtained favorable judgment in 5-day bench trial in a commercial dispute relating to management and operation of real estate projects.served as designated technology counsel for the parent corporation of a multi-billion dollar bank to oversee forensic extraction and preservation of 200 terabytes of data from a legacy computer system on a litigation involving one of the largest u.s. bank failures.on behalf of an international manufacturer of patient monitoring devices, successfully negotiated a settlement for alleged infringement of a family of patents based on licensing and cross-marketing of complementary products.on behalf of numerous clients, negotiated favorable settlement terms on patent infringement claims based upon early discovery on damage issues.served as a global apparel retailer’s e-commerce and regulatory compliance counsel for the u.s. territory; reported directly to the global general counsel and u.s. operations managers on u.s. laws and regulations.significant experience working with china- and taiwan-based companies on (1) litigation matters involving indemnity, commercial disputes, product liability, jurisdiction, service of process and patent claims involving territorial limitations and conflicting registrations, and (2) transactional matters on licensing, technology transfer, e-commerce, international collections, supplier agreements, and ip enforcement.awards and recognitionintellectual property litigation, southern california super lawyers (thomson reuters), 2014-presentrising stars, southern california super lawyers® (thomson reuters), 2009-11,2013professional associationspresident, chinese club of san marino (2018)board member and current president, taiwanese american lawyers association (2005-present)board member and general counsel, chinese chamber of commerce, los angeles, (2019 – present)advisory council member, asian pacific american legal center (2005-2013)web editor, american bar association, first amendment & media litigation committee (2007–2010)member, national asian pacific american bar associationpanels & speaking engagementsadjunct professor, comparative international intellectual property law, southwestern law schoolpanelist, audit response and opinion letters, opinions committee, zuber lawler & del duca llp, january 24, 2019.panelist, ip protection, 2019 taiwanese american lawyers association annual law day, 2019.panelist, planning and managing cross-border litigation,” national association of women and minority-owned law firms, february 13, 2017.moderator, planning and managing cross-border litigation, 2017 namwolf business meeting, february 18, 2017.panelist, managing your intellectual property, taiwanese american lawyers association law seminar, july, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2011, 2017.panelist, national and international patent law: u.s., europe, china and beyond, panelist, 3rd annual patent disputes for corporate counsel forum, daily journal and thomson reuters,may 20, 2015.panelist, u.s.-china cross‑border business: safeguarding your investments, american bar association, shanghai bar association and los angeles county bar association, may 2, 2014.panelist, enforcing intellectual property rights abroad-ip meets the pacific rim: cross border branding in an era of multi-platform licensing, privacy and trade secrets, aba section of international law and los angeles county bar association, september 20, 2011.presenter, common challenges for chinese companies doing business in the united states, chinese economic council, august 21, 2010.presenter, harnessing the power of social media networking, fashion group international, may 28, 2009. education southwestern law school j.d. university of california, san diego b.a. oxford university study abroad previous experience fox rothschild llp (partner) zuber lawler & del duca llp (partner) sedgwick, detert, moran & arnold llp southwestern law schoolj.d.university of california, san diegob.a.oxford universitystudy abroad fox rothschild llp (partner)zuber lawler & del duca llp (partner)sedgwick, detert, moran & arnold llp china commercial litigation corporate and business transactions corporate governance intellectual property intellectual property litigation intellectual property transactions and due diligence international international trade and customs law litigation patent counseling and prosecution regulatory, compliance & corporate governance sports, entertainment, and recreation technology technology licensing trademark and copyright english hakka mandarin partner u.s. court of appeals for the ninth circuit u.s. district court for the central district of california u.s. district court for the eastern district of california u.s. district court for the northern district of california u.s. district court for the southern district of california los angeles menlo park san diego (bankers hill) | |
 | Jacquelyn H. Choi Partner Bankruptcy and Creditors’ Rights Los Angeles | Jacquelyn H. Choi Partner EDUCATIONUniversity of Southern California J.D.California State University, Northridge B.A.PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE
Los Angeles Bankruptcy and Creditors’ Rights English Korean jacquelyn h. choi jacquelyn h. choi counsels secured and unsecured creditors involving all facets of corporate bankruptcy. ms. choi has significant experience advising trade creditors, municipalities, lenders, real estate funds, commercial landlords, and corporate franchisors concerning their creditor rights in bankruptcy. she also has extensive bankruptcy litigation and appellate experience.ms. choi has a robust practice representing california municipalities involving bankruptcy matters throughout the country. her clients have included, amongst others, the state of california, and the counties of los angeles, santa clara, santa barbara, sonoma, san bernardino, merced, contra costa and alameda. ms. choi routinely lectures on behalf of california counties concerning a broad range of bankruptcy topics including bankruptcy taxation matters.prior to joining rimon, ms. choi practiced at dla piper during the 2008 global financial crisis, where she represented chapter 11 debtors, individual creditors and creditors’ committees concerning bankruptcy, restructuring and out-of-court workouts across all industries, including the retail, hospitality, and real estate space.selected experiencerepresentation of the county of los angeles and the county of alameda in the seminal case of in re palmdale hills property, llc wherein the 18% redemption penalties under state law were successfully characterized as “interest” under the bankruptcy code.representation of the people of the state of california and the county of los angeles in the matter of in re barton wayne fishback involving the enforcement of governmental police and regulatory powers surrounding the debtor’s illegal waste dump operations.representation of the county of los angeles in the matter of in re verity health system of california, inc. as a proposed overbidder involving the 363-asset sale related to the proposed acquisition of the debtor’s hospital.representation of the county of san bernardino in the matter of in re halo sports bar and grill, inc. involving in rem relief from the automatic stay to foreclose on a retroactive basis.representation of the county of sonoma in the matter of in re palm drive healthcare district involving the post-confirmation dissolution and transfer of assets and liabilities.representation of the county of merced in the matter of in re carson valley, llc concerning the substantial recovery of taxes, penalties and interest from the 363 sale of debtor’s contaminated property.representation of the county of santa barbara in the matter of in re carpinteria partners limited partnership involving chapter 11 conversion and in rem relief from stay.representation of the county of contra costa in the matter of in re rockenbaugh involving serial bankruptcy filings and in rem relief from stay.representation of the county of santa clara in the matter of in re pg&e corporation involving counseling and advice in connection with plan confirmation issues.representation of the county of san diego in the matter of in re a-1 express delivery service, inc. involving dismissal of a suit for alleged preferential and fraudulent transfers prior to responsive deadline.representation of numerous california counties successfully defending allegations concerning violations of the automatic stay and requests for punitive damages surrounding issuance of tax sale notices during bankruptcy proceedings.representation of domino’s pizza involving various franchisee bankruptcies and issues surrounding debtors’ proposed assumption of franchise agreements, plan exclusivity, substantive consolidation and plan confirmation disputes.representation of swift financial corporation (acquired by paypal holdings, inc.) in the matter of in re randazzo involving grant of summary judgment under non-dischargeability complaint arising from bankruptcy fraud and award of attorney’s fees and costs against debtor.representation of the official committee of unsecured creditors of in re ahava of california, llc involving opposition to secured creditor’s venue transfer request from california to new york.representation of the appointed chapter 7 trustee of in re flashcom, inc. prosecuting 125+ preferential transfer suits resulting in successful recovery of over $1.25 million on behalf of estate.representation of various real estate investment funds of wells real estate funds, inc. as commercial lessors involving fdic’s receivership of indymac bank, f.s.b. and subsequent bankruptcy proceeding.represented real estate investment trust archstone properties involving residential tenant bankruptcies.publicationsauthor of “a franchisor’s guide to surviving franchisee bankruptcies”, american bankruptcy institute journal (2010)author of “should bankruptcy courts abstain from determining tax liabilities based on federalism and comity”, american bankruptcy institute journal (2021)speaking engagements“emerging trends involving advanced bankruptcy topics” (california association of county treasurers and tax collectors’ education conference; july 2021)“understanding the complex world of bankruptcy taxation” (california association of county treasurers and tax collectors’ education conference; october 2020)“bankruptcy law primer amid the pandemic” (county of santa barbara; september 2020)“bankruptcy 101: back to the basics” (california association of county treasurers and tax collectors; august 2020)“nothing is certain but property taxes” (county of santa clara; feb. 2020)“demystifying the world of bankruptcy” (california association of county treasurers and tax collectors area iv meeting; nov. 2019)“bankruptcy – maneuvering through the process and avoiding lawsuits” (annual conference of california association of county treasurers and tax collectors, nov. 2017)“bankruptcy basics” (merced county; july 2017). education university of southern california j.d. california state university, northridge b.a. previous experience raines feldman llp (partner) dla piper llp squire sanders & dempsey llp, now squire patton boggs the honorable ernest m. robles, united states bankruptcy judge, c.d. cal. university of southern californiaj.d.california state university, northridgeb.a. raines feldman llp (partner)dla piper llpsquire sanders & dempsey llp, now squire patton boggsthe honorable ernest m. robles, united states bankruptcy judge, c.d. cal. bankruptcy and creditors’ rights english korean partner district of columbia state of california state of new york u.s. court of appeals for the ninth circuit u.s. district court for the central district of california u.s. district court for the eastern district of california u.s. district court for the eastern district of new york u.s. district court for the northern district of california u.s. district court for the northern district of new york u.s. district court for the southern district of california u.s. district court for the southern district of new york u.s. district court for the western district of new york los angeles | |
 | David Choi Partner Cannabis Law, Litigation Los Angeles, San Francisco | David Choi Partner EDUCATIONLoyola Law School, Los Angeles LL.M. (Taxation) with distinctionLoyola Law School, Los Angeles J.D.University of California, Los Angeles B.A.PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE
Los Angeles, San Francisco Cannabis Law, Litigation English Korean david choi david y. choi, a partner in the los angeles and san francisco offices, is a versatile counsel who offers a wealth of experience in outside general counsel, litigation, and trial services to clients throughout california. mr. choi draws from broad experience in litigation and transactions across an array of industries including cannabis, real estate, construction, apparel, technology and other sectors.mr. choi devotes a substantial portion of his practice to serving clients in the cannabis industry. he represents investors and businesses operating along and aside the distribution chain including cultivators, manufacturers, distributors, and retailers of cannabis and cannabis goods, and ancillary businesses such as suppliers of commercial hydroponics equipment.as a litigator, mr. choi is known for his aggressive advocacy. he determines the objectives of his clients and identifies effective solutions to achieve those goals. mr. choi has represented clients in a myriad of disputes involving real estate, securities and investments, partnership disputes, intellectual property and other business related transactions. education loyola law school, los angeles ll.m. (taxation) with distinction loyola law school, los angeles j.d. university of california, los angeles b.a. previous experience goldberg segalla (partner and chair of cannabis and hemp law practice) loyola law school, los angelesll.m. (taxation) with distinctionloyola law school, los angelesj.d.university of california, los angelesb.a. goldberg segalla (partner and chair of cannabis and hemp law practice) [vc_row css=".vc_custom_1623019364101{margin-top: 2em !important;}"][vc_column][vc_separator color="custom" accent_color="#cccccc"][vc_column_text] publications presentations “the buck stops here: liability and non-lawyers” (co-presenter), professional liability seminar, new york, ny, december 6, 2019 “sex, drugs, and real estate” (co-presenter), korean american real estate brokers association, los angeles, ca, april 3, 2019 “construction law 101: tools to manage risk in employment, contracts, insurance, bonds, and more” (co-presenter), chinese american construction professionals, alhambra, ca, february 20, 2019 publications quoted, “‘attention needed for renting marijuana businesses'” korean real estate association seminar, korea daily, april 4, 2019 podcasts contributor, “usda issues interim final rules for domestic hemp production,” timely notice, january 21, 2020 contributor, “e-cigarette and cannabis industries: protect the public and yourself from vape-related illnesses,” timely notice, november 5, 2019 [/vc_column_text][vc_separator color="custom" accent_color="#cccccc"][vc_column_text] professional associations claims and litigation management alliance (clm) - cannabis committee state bar of california [/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row] cannabis law commercial litigation litigation english korean partner state of california u.s. district court for the central district of california u.s. district court for the northern district of california los angeles san francisco | |
 | Robert (Bob) Cocchia Partner Employment Law, Employee Benefits and Executive Compensation, Litigation San Diego (Bankers Hill) | Robert (Bob) Cocchia Partner EDUCATIONUniversity of San Diego School of Law J.D.Babson College B.S., summa cum laudePREVIOUS EXPERIENCE
San Diego (Bankers Hill) Employment Law, Employee Benefits and Executive Compensation, Litigation robert (bob) cocchia robert (bob) cocchia concentrates his practice on employment litigation and employment counseling, consumer class actions, and complex business/commercial disputes.mr. cocchia has over 25 years of experience successfully representing businesses in a wide range of employment disputes including employee misclassification, wage and hour claims, breach of employment contracts, theft of trade secrets, employee non-compete agreements, discrimination, whistleblower retaliation, disability and harassment claims.mr. cocchia was trial counsel for the defendant in goldman v. radioshack corporation, a class action case in federal court in pennsylvania involving alleged wage and hour violations under the fair labor standards act. the case resulted in a complete defense verdict after a three-week jury trial. bob was also lead trial counsel for defendant in huston v. battelle memorial institute, a discrimination and whistle-blower retaliation case that was tried in federal court in california resulting in the jury awarding no damages to plaintiff.while mr. cocchia has developed substantial experience guiding clients through california’s complex employment laws, both in litigation and counseling, he has also defended employment claims for clients under both federal and state law in throughout the country, and before government agencies (eeoc, dfeh).in addition to litigation, mr. cocchia advises clients throughout the employment process including employee onboarding, determining exempt or non-exemption classification, drafting employment agreements, confidentiality and proprietary rights agreements, separation and release agreements, employment policies and handbooks; advising on employee leaves of absence and requests for accommodation; and conducting internal investigations.mr. cocchia has also successfully defended numerous manufacturers, retailers and service providers in consumer class actions involving claims brought under california business & professions code sections 17200 and 17500 for unfair competition (ucl), false advertising (fal) and deceptive pricing, and civil code section 1750, the consumers legal remedies act (clra).prior to joining rimon, he was general counsel of a software development company and coordinated the company’s intellectual property strategy, contract formation, and licensing agreements.selected experienceobtained a defense verdict as trial counsel for a government contractor accused of whistleblower retaliation after a two-week jury trial.obtained an early dismissal for a national retailer in a consumer class action alleging deceptive pricing, false advertising and unfair competition under california business & professions code section 17200 and 17500 and california civil code section 1750 (clra).obtained for a chemicals manufacturer an early dismissal of claims of unfair/unlawful competition under california business & professions code section 17200, brought by a competitor regarding sales to the state of california.represented a large retailer in multiple nationwide and state class actions, and in multiple individual actions alleging wage and hour violations.represented a wireless telecommunications provider in numerous consumer class actions involving claims of false advertising and unfair competition under california business & professions code section 17200, and improper collection of federal exercise taxes and sales taxes.successfully defended a government contractor providing training to the military against claims that that the contractor violated the uniform trade secrets act.obtained a summary judgment on behalf of the defendant in a complex breach of contract and fraud case, in which the plaintiff sought in excess of us$500 million in damages.represented a thoroughbred horse owner in claims against an agent for fraud and breach of contract in relation to the purchase of horses in excess of us$45 million.represented a government contractor in litigation involving breach of contract, and tortious interference with contract claims with a subcontractor.obtained the dismissal of a shareholder derivative class action on behalf of a special litigation committee.represented a partner in the unwinding of an accounting partnership and the subsequent sale of the business.conducted an internal investigation for a company accused of fraud and securities violations.publicationsco-author, “california dreaming, california nightmare – 3 takeaways from california’s controversial independent contractor bill becoming law,” dentons client alert and international law office (ilo), september 23, 2019co-author, “tectonic shift – key takeaways as california legislature passes controversial independent contractor bill,” dentons client alert, september 12, 2019“california allows employment class action waivers; but the paga threat persists,” dentons client alert, june 26, 2014the 2014 mckenna long & aldridge california litigation guide, april 17, 2014“finra to conduct cybersecurity ‘sweeps,'” dentons client alert, march 17, 2014“arbitration clauses: avoiding class actions after the concepcion decision,” the 2013 mckenna long & aldridge california litigation guide, january 2013“successful strategies for today’s employment law attorneys,” inside the minds series – strategies for employment litigation 2012awards and recognitiontop-rated business litigation attorney, super lawyers (thomson reuters), 2016-2020professional associationsamerican bar associationlos angeles county bar associationsan diego county bar association education university of san diego school of law j.d. babson college b.s., summa cum laude previous experience dentons (partner) university of san diego school of lawj.d.babson collegeb.s., summa cum laude dentons (partner) commercial litigation competition and consumer law employment law, employee benefits and executive compensation litigation technology partner state of california u.s. district court for the central district of california u.s. district court for the northern district of california san diego (bankers hill) | |
 | Steven Colby Partner Intellectual Property, Patent Counseling and Prosecution, Technology Lake Tahoe, Menlo Park | Steven Colby Partner EDUCATIONSanta Clara University J.D.Indiana University Ph.D.Oberlin College B.A. Mathematics & ChemistryPREVIOUS EXPERIENCE
Lake Tahoe, Menlo Park Intellectual Property, Patent Counseling and Prosecution, Technology steven colby in addition to being a patent attorney, dr. steven colby has been an experienced cto and ceo. he applies his experience to the development of patent portfolios for startup companies.dr. colby received his ph.d. from indiana university, bloomington, where he focused on the development and design of scientific instruments. he has over 40 published scientific papers and abstracts and holds several patents. prior to becoming a patent attorney, dr. colby was director of product development for a scientific instrument company. his professional background extends to software and hardware development, website development, mobile apps, manufacturing management, medical devices, electronics, sensors, security, measurement devices, control systems, lasers, mass spectrometry, chromatography, and bioanalysis.dr. colby’s patent prosecution practice covers broad areas of technology, excluding pharma. education santa clara university j.d. indiana university ph.d. oberlin college b.a. mathematics & chemistry previous experience royse law, (director of ip strategies) peters verny, llp (senior partner) carr & ferrell, llp mynette technologies, inc. (ceo) hyperkey, inc. (ceo) scientific instrument services, inc. (cto) santa clara universityj.d.indiana universityph.d.oberlin collegeb.a. mathematics & chemistry royse law, (director of ip strategies)peters verny, llp (senior partner)carr & ferrell, llpmynette technologies, inc. (ceo)hyperkey, inc. (ceo)scientific instrument services, inc. (cto) cannabis law intellectual property patent counseling and prosecution technology partner state of california supreme court of the united states u.s. court of appeals for the ninth circuit u.s. district court for the northern district of california united states patent and trademark office (uspto) lake tahoe menlo park | |
 | Saverio (Sam) Coppola Partner Sports, Entertainment, and Recreation, Tax Montreal | Saverio (Sam) Coppola Partner EducationMcGill University BA - Political Science (Hons).University of Ottawa LL-L - MBAPrevious Experience
Montreal Sports, Entertainment, and Recreation, Tax English French Italian saverio (sam) coppola saverio (sam) coppola is a partner in rimon’s montreal office who focuses his practice on entertainment, media and commercial tax law. mr. coppola represents financiers, film, television, gaming, technology and web clients in entertainment law, tax and corporate law related issues. he also has significant experience in worldwide tax credits and structuring co-productions and ventures with canadian, u.s., european and asian companies.mr. coppola is a recognized thought leader in entertainment law. notably, he co-created the podcast, “show me the money – film financing”. he has taught and lectured at various educational institutions and conferences worldwide. a legal innovator, he maximises the use of current technologies and operates a “paperless” practice.professional associationsquébec bar associationcanadian bar associationacademy of canadian cinema and televisionawards and recognitionmr. coppola’s achievements include:lawyer of the year in entertainment law in quebec, best lawyersthe best lawyers in canada (entertainment law) list – 2011-2020martindale-hubbell bv® distinguished™ 4.4 out of 5 peer review ratingleading lawyer, canadian legal lexpert directory (consistently recommended – entertainment law) education mcgill university ba - political science (hons). university of ottawa ll-l - mba previous experience gascon & associates llp borden ladner gervais llp coudert brothers mcgill universityba – political science (hons).university of ottawall-l – mba gascon & associates llpborden ladner gervais llpcoudert brothers publications speaking engagements and conferences “show me the money – film financing”, 2020-2021 - ongoing podcast, youtube, spotify, itunes. techtainment—convergence entre la technologie et le droit du divertissement, grands rendez-vous de la formation, barreau du québec, montréal & québec, 2020 & 2021 international financing review, afm, los angeles. estate and tax planning, investors group seminars. website entanglements;multimedia website analysis, centre juridique des avocats du québec. trusts: estate planning & protection, private conferences (montréal). civil code reform, canadian institute of chartered accountants (cica). co-producing with china, banff-tv world festival, moderator. personal residence trusts, the gazette (montréal). estate freezes and reversals, c.i.c.a., accountants workshop. analyse financière et fiscale de la loi 146, conference (rcgt). réforme du code civil (loi 20 et 146), conference, colloque a.p.f.f. film financing film workshop, ccce, albany, ny. "maximizing alternative revenue streams in the multi-platform universe", conference prime time, ottawa, panellist. film financing conferences; star contracts “financing independent films”. gap financing films, zga media conferences—women in media, montreal world film festival, moderator and panellist. internet content regulations; coudert brothers studio presentations, los angeles. co-productions canada at cannes, cannes film festival. mpa copyright & moral rights survey, mpaa, los angeles, california. canadian film and multimedia tax credits, mediaxchange masterclass seminar, hamburg, germany. articles "achieving the paper-less office, as part of the leg@llt3.0 conference, montreal, quebec. safe income: a misnomer, author, c.a. magazine. vivre en condo, author, actif magazine. international film tax incentives, blg publication, author. jobs act holds incentives for producing films in the u.s., tax notes international, co-author. producing with pacific rim: china, japan, south korea; crédits d’impôts cinématographiques canadiens et québécoises, les affaires, author. corporate and business transactions sports, entertainment, and recreation tax english french italian partner bar of quebec montreal | |
 | Rodrigo Castillo Cottin Partner Trusts and Estates, Tax, Latin America Bogota | Rodrigo Castillo Cottin Partner EDUCATIONUniversidad Externado de Colombia Specialization TaxLeiden University Advanced Master International Tax LawUniversity of Central Venezuela Masters International Private LawHague Academy Universidad Monteavila PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE
Bogota Trusts and Estates, Tax, Latin America English Spanish rodrigo castillo cottin mr. castillo cottin opened our legal practice in colombia, rimon’s first latin american office, to focus on trusts & estates and tax law. he advises multijurisdictional enterprises, financial institutions, and high-net-worth individuals and families on wealth management matters, international tax law, planning, and compliance, inheritance and estate planning, exchange of information, and amnesty programs.selected experiencemr. castillo cottin advises more than 165 high-net-worth clients on the full range of tax and wealth management-related matters. he is a chambers-ranked attorney, a leader in international tax law and planning, and nationally recognized for his advice on multijurisdictional reorganizations. his chambers & partners profile quotes a source praising mr. castillo cottin’s work: “rodrigo’s main strength is that, as well as his deep understanding of the legal framework, he takes the time to analyze in detail each of the concerns or doubts that the client has. he has the patience to discuss, explain and review all the doubts — this make[s] us, as clients, feel completely sure of the quality of any advice.”mr. castillo cottin regularly contributes to industry publications and takes part in seminars and trainings on tax and wealth management-related topics.awards and recognitionchambers & partners private wealth band 2most highly regarded capital markets lawyer, who’s who legal (law business research ltd), 2020tax law and trusts and estates – best lawyers in colombia® – 2020, 2021publicationsauthor, “exchange of information: where are we heading to?,” baker & mckenzie private banking newsletter, wealth management, september 2015author, “update on colombian tax rules affecting wealth management,” baker & mckenzie private banking newsletter, wealth management, march 2015 education universidad externado de colombia specialization tax leiden university advanced master international tax law university of central venezuela masters international private law hague academy universidad monteavila previous experience baker & mckenzie (partner) universidad externado de colombiaspecialization taxleiden universityadvanced master international tax lawuniversity of central venezuelamasters international private lawhague academyuniversidad monteavila baker & mckenzie (partner) estate and gift tax international international tax latin america tax trusts and estates english spanish partner colombia venezuela bogota | |
 | Jennifer Dasari Partner Emerging Companies and Venture Capital, Corporate and Business Transactions Minneapolis | Jennifer Dasari Partner EDUCATIONGeorgetown University J.D.University of Minnesota B.A. (Summa Cum Laude, Phi Beta Kappa)PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE
Minneapolis Emerging Companies and Venture Capital, Corporate and Business Transactions jennifer dasari in her extensive experience practicing corporate and business law, ms. dasari has represented clients in a wide range of securities law, private equity financing, mergers and acquisitions, entrepreneurial start-up matters, and commercial transactions.ms. dasari has been instrumental in assisting her clients on a wide spectrum of issues from small transactional matters to large corporate negotiations. specifically, in the mergers and acquisitions arena. ms. dasari has worked on stock purchase, asset purchase, and merger transactions across multiple industries, including technology, financial services, healthcare, and energy. she has represented private equity funds in their formations and investment deals, and she also represented companies that were seeking angel and venture capital financing. for start up and emerging clients, she provides outside general counsel services and guides them through their various growth stages and exit events.prior to joining rimon, ms. dasari served as an attorney in the corporate and entrepreneurial services practice groups at gray plant mooty, the longest-standing law firm in minneapolis. from there, she moved to renaissance law group where she worked closely with start-up and emerging growth companies.publicationsco-author, regulation a plus, lexis practice advisor®. april 2017co-author, recognizing social entrepreneurship: minnesota embraces the public benefit corporation, bench & bar of minnesota, volume 71 (no 8). september 2014 education georgetown university j.d. university of minnesota b.a. (summa cum laude, phi beta kappa) previous experience renaissance law group (partner) gray plant mooty georgetown universityj.d.university of minnesotab.a. (summa cum laude, phi beta kappa) renaissance law group (partner)gray plant mooty banking and financial services corporate and business transactions emerging companies and venture capital mergers and acquisitions securities and capital markets technology partner state of minnesota minneapolis | |
 | Stephanie De Giovanni Partner Corporate and Business Transactions, Litigation, Europe, Regulatory, Compliance & Corporate Governance Paris | Stephanie De Giovanni Partner EDUCATIONUniversité Paris Sud (Paris XI) DESS / Master 2 in Business Law in partnership with HECThe Washington College of Law - American University, Washington DC LLM in International Business LawParis X Bi-Deug and DEJA in Common Law Studies and French Business LawVersailles School of The Bar Certificate to practice law as a French Attorney (CAPA)PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE
Paris Corporate and Business Transactions, Litigation, Europe, Regulatory, Compliance & Corporate Governance English French Spanish stephanie de giovanni stephanie de giovanni is an accomplished international and litigation attorney with over 20 years of experience practicing commercial law and complex commercial litigation. ms. de giovanni has a background in international distribution law and spent her early career focused on commercial agency and the setting-up of distribution networks. for the duration of her legal career, she has dealt with termination issues and the disputes arising therefrom.over time, ms. de giovanni’s practice gradually evolved towards product liability and compliance and she now specializes in the following areas:international litigation, arbitration, and settlement negotiations with a strong focus on termination of contracts and relationships.distribution law, international contracts, and product liability.compliance, including anti-corruption, export rules, international sanctions, regulatory constraints and ethical sourcing.ms. de giovanni has deep experience advising clients on compliance issues, including anti-corruption, sapin ii law programs, regulatory issues, international sanctions as well as environmental, social, and governance (esg) issues. she works with clients to assist them in developing effective and ethical compliance processes for their organizations. ms. de giovanni represents clients in a range of industries, including manufacturing, food, life sciences, automotive, aeronautics ,finance, technology and luxury goods. she advises boards of directors on their compliance challenges and conducts workshops to train clients on compliance issues including anticorruption sapin ii law.ms. de giovanni is a recognized trainer with the training institute francis lefebvre formation where she offers training on compliance issues and international contracts.she advises clients daily in the following areas:set-up or restructuring of cross-border distribution networks, subcontracting, agency and supply relationships.international contracts and cross-border litigation including international private law aspects (conflicts of laws and jurisdictions).sudden or abusive termination of business relationships both as an advisor and litigator.complex commercial litigation and settlement negotiations.compliance policies, including anti-corruption audits, risk mapping, ethical charters, due diligence, and providing assistance in french anticorruption agency investigations.prevention mechanisms to avoid improper corporate practices.financial sanctions and embargos, including international trade restrictions.product liability matters, including regulatory issues, judicial or amicable expertise proceedings, recall or withdrawal situations, and settlement negotiations.ms. de giovanni has been ranked by legal 500 in the healthcare and life sciences categories consistently since 2017. education université paris sud (paris xi) dess / master 2 in business law in partnership with hec the washington college of law - american university, washington dc llm in international business law paris x bi-deug and deja in common law studies and french business law versailles school of the bar certificate to practice law as a french attorney (capa) previous experience simon associés (partner, head of compliance) cms francis lefebre avocats (counsel) université paris sud (paris xi)dess / master 2 in business law in partnership with hecthe washington college of law – american university, washington dcllm in international business lawparis xbi-deug and deja in common law studies and french business lawversailles school of the barcertificate to practice law as a french attorney (capa) simon associés (partner, head of compliance)cms francis lefebre avocats (counsel) [vc_row][vc_column][vc_separator color="custom" accent_color="#cccccc" css=".vc_custom_1623020525066{margin-top: 2em !important;}"][vc_column_text] publications author of the french chapter of the international encyclopedia of agency and distribution agreements (ieada) published by the international bar association. co-author of the french chapter of the cms guide to arbitration, fourth edition author of numerous articles and speakers at events on anti-bribery, including two forums on anti-corruption held in 2013 and 2016 with the oecd anti-corruption department. speaker at a conference on the extraterritorial reach of compliance laws and the cloud act held at simon associés in 2019. co-author and editor of the compliance newsletter of simon associés in 2020 [/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row] corporate and business transactions environmental, social and governance europe international trade and customs law litigation regulatory, compliance & corporate governance white collar and government investigations english french spanish partner paris state of new york paris | |
 | Judy Deng Partner China, Corporate and Business Transactions, Emerging Companies and Venture Capital, Technology Menlo Park | Judy Deng Partner EDUCATIONUniversity of California, Berkeley LL.M.Fudan University LL.M.Fudan University LL.B.PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE
Menlo Park China, Corporate and Business Transactions, Emerging Companies and Venture Capital, Technology English Mandarin judy deng judy deng practices corporate and securities law, with an emphasis on the representation of international social networking, entertainment, digital media, software and medical technology companies. ms. deng has extensive experience counseling private companies with international operations in various stages of growth and advising institutional investors in complex cross-border transactions involved with such companies. ms. deng counsels clients in cross-border restructurings and reorganizations, financing, mergers and acquisitions, executive and employee incentive programs, and strategic intellectual property transactions. judy’s clients include world-leading interactive entertainment and digital media companies.prior to joining rimon, ms. deng was a partner of the san francisco offices of an amlaw 100 law firm.speaking engagementsselectusa investment seminar at bio international conventionassociation for corporate growth san franciscobay area young tax attorneysassociation of chinese entrepreneurs of u.c. berkeleyawards and recognitionexternal counsel of the year, asia-mena counsel (in-house community), 2013winner of “turnaround deals of the year” $25 million to $100 million category, m&a advisor, 2017professional associationscalifornia state bar associationnew york state bar association education university of california, berkeley ll.m. fudan university ll.m. fudan university ll.b. previous experience davis wright tremaine llp, san francisco office (partner) reed smith llp, palo alto office (counsel) university of california, berkeleyll.m.fudan universityll.m.fudan universityll.b. davis wright tremaine llp, san francisco office (partner)reed smith llp, palo alto office (counsel) china corporate and business transactions emerging companies and venture capital employment law, employee benefits and executive compensation international international trade and customs law international transactions mergers and acquisitions technology english mandarin partner state of california state of new york menlo park | |
 | David Devernoe Partner Intellectual Property San Diego (North County) | David Devernoe Partner EDUCATIONCase Western Reserve University J.D. Case Western Reserve Law Review- Publisher, Associate Editor, Note of the Year, American Agricultural Law AssociationUnion College B.S.PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE
San Diego (North County) Intellectual Property david devernoe leveraging two decades of intellectual property (ip) counseling experience as both in-house and outside counsel, mr. devernoe brings a chief-ip counsel-type comprehensive and personalized perspective to his law practice. his business-centered mindset fosters the smooth flow of commerce rather than being an impediment thereto, while at the same time accounting for and minimizing risks and rapidly executing on strategic ip opportunities. responsive, transparent, personable, inquisitive, and team-oriented are terms that aptly describe mr. devernoe’s seasoned approach. intellectual property comprises a business tool/asset, whether it is a patent, trademark, copyright, trade secret, license, or other bundle of ip-related contractual rights, and mr. devernoe is an expert at securing and protecting such rights as well as evaluating and maximizing their value for his clients.the core of mr. devernoe’s trusted-advisor approach drives from an intense knowledge of the underlying business models of his clients and the various technologies that drive them. mr. devernoe has a wealth of experience securing, leveraging, and asserting ip rights for consumer product destined for retail shelves, technologies or products subject to intense fda review, or niche industries that helps other businesses work.specifically, mr. devernoe brings extensive experience advising clients ranging in size from start-ups to multi-national organizations in a variety of technical arenas including medical diagnostics, digital health, additive manufacture and 3-d printing, medical devices, ar/vr software and devices, near-eye displays and imaging/optical technologies, smart garments, compression garments, health and beauty, food prep and catering, athletic equipment, nutraceuticals, machine learning software and devices, nucleic acid sequencing, bioinformatics and data translation, antibody products and targets, immunology-focused technologies, cart-t targets and therapy, consumer devices and services, and information technology.the core legal work of mr. devernoe’s practice includes: patent prosecution, trademark prosecution, ip licensing/assignment, post-grant patent challenges, trademark oppositions, ip due diligence/opinions and product clearance, litigation (patent, copyright, trademark, trade secret, business), technology-business deal identification and brokering.selected experienceex parte jaronczyk, jr. (reexamination of u.s. patent no. 5,598,138; control nos. 90/013,722, 90/013,078) – counsel for patent owner fusilamp, llc in two separate reexamination proceedings before the u.s. patent and trademark office. patent claims upheld in unamended form in both proceedings.fusilamp, llc v. littelfuse, inc., case no. 13-20-1200-2324 (american arbitration association) – co-counsel for fusilamp, llc in patent infringement and validity arbitration proceeding.the reynolds and reynolds company v. bpi custom printing, inc., case no. 2:16-cv-06726-tjh (c.d. cal.) – counsel for bpi custom printing in copyright infringement action brought by reynolds.julius zorn, inc. v. medi manufacturing, inc., case no. 3:15-cv-2734 (s.d. cal.) – counsel for patent owner medi® manufacturing, inc. in patent infringement case involving compression garments.ex parte cabilly (reexamination of u.s. patent no. 6,331,415 (“cabilly ii”)) – counsel for patent co-owner genentech, inc. in a reexamination proceeding in the u.s. patent and trademark office related to recombinant antibody heavy and light chain expression. patent claims upheld in unamended form.cabilly v. boss (interference no. 105,531) – counsel for genentech, inc. in an interference proceeding in the u.s. patent and trademark office. uspto board of appeals and interferences awarded genentech’s “cabilly” patent application (no. 08/422,187), which related to methods for making antibodies, priority over the “boss” patent application (no. 08/450,727).u.s. counsel for genentech, inc. and biogen idec inc. in the prosecution and opposition defense of european patent no. 1176981 (8 opponents), related to methods of treating autoimmune disease, before european patent office examination and opposition divisions.the rockefeller university and chiron corporation v. centocor, inc. and abbott laboratories, civ. no. 2-04cv-168 (tjw) (e.d. tex.)– counsel for defendant centocor in patent infringement case involving chimeric antibody technology brought against centocor; claims against centocor settled in 2005.publications“substantial equivalence: a valid international sanitary and phytosanitary risk assessment objective for genetically modified foods” 51 case w. res. l. rev. 257 (2000).“assessing risk in funding innovation companies: intellectual property checklist,” private equity quarterly (summer 2016). education case western reserve university j.d. case western reserve law review- publisher, associate editor, note of the year, american agricultural law association union college b.s. previous experience troutman sanders (partner) hologic, inc. (senior patent counsel) sidley austin llp case western reserve universityj.d. case western reserve law review- publisher, associate editor, note of the year, american agricultural law associationunion collegeb.s. troutman sanders (partner)hologic, inc. (senior patent counsel)sidley austin llp corporate and business transactions emerging companies and venture capital intellectual property intellectual property litigation intellectual property transactions and due diligence life sciences litigation patent counseling and prosecution technology technology licensing partner district of columbia state of california united states patent and trademark office (uspto) san diego (north county) | |
 | Mark Diamond Partner Banking and Financial Services, Fund Formation, Private Investment Funds, Securities and Capital Markets San Francisco | Mark Diamond Partner EDUCATIONUniversity of Michigan B.G.S.University of Southern California J.D.PRIOR IN-HOUSE POSITIONS
PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE
San Francisco Banking and Financial Services, Fund Formation, Private Investment Funds, Securities and Capital Markets mark diamond mr. diamond has been practicing corporate and securities law for over 30 years. his practice focuses on two areas: private investment funds and broker-dealer regulatory and compliance issues. after 10 years in private practice with coudert brothers, an international law firm (and predecessor firms), where he specialized in corporate finance and merger and acquisition transactions, mr. diamond became in-house counsel and compliance officer for major wall street firms, including lehman brothers, deutsche bank, wasserstein perella, and robertson stephens. while at lehman brothers and deutsche bank, mr. diamond spent five years in hong kong as legal counsel for asian matters and, at deutsche bank, as a member of the equity derivatives structuring group. at wasserstein perella, mr. diamond was director of compliance and legal counsel for the equity and high yield sales and trading businesses. at robertson stephens, mr. diamond was in charge of legal matters for the institutional and retail sales and trading and asset management businesses and participated in creating several hedge fund products.mr. diamond then spent two years as general counsel for a hedge fund management company with approximately $800 million in assets under management. while there, he structured and helped launch a number of hedge funds, including japanese and european funds, and managed complex employment issues. mr. diamond was then engaged by the san francisco law firm of howard rice nemerovski canady falk & rabkin to develop compliance policies and procedures for the firm’s investment adviser-client base. from 2004 to 2012, mr. diamond conducted an independent consulting practice (diamond consulting), which provided legal and compliance services to investment advisers, broker-dealers, and other financial services companies.mr. diamond is admitted in california and new york and passed the series 7 (general securities representative) and series 24 (general securities principal) examinations. mr. diamond graduated from the university of michigan with a bachelor’s degree in general studies. he then attended the university of southern california law school where he earned his juris doctor.awards and recognitionprivate investment funds lawyer of the year in california, corporate intl magazine global award, 2022private investment funds lawyer of the year in california, global law experts, 2019-present.private investment funds lawyer of the year in california, corporate intl (jrs corporate limited), 2019-present.publicationsdelaware law updates, rimonlaw.com, march 15, 2019registered investment adviser compliance update, rimonlaw.com, march 15, 2019 education university of michigan b.g.s. university of southern california j.d. prior in-house positions cannell capital llc - (general counsel) robertson stephens - (associate general counsel) wasserstein perella - (deputy general counsel) deutsche bank - (director, senior legal counsel, head of compliance north asia) lehman brothers - (senior vice president, legal department) previous experience coudert brothers university of michiganb.g.s.university of southern californiaj.d. cannell capital llc – (general counsel)robertson stephens – (associate general counsel)wasserstein perella – (deputy general counsel)deutsche bank – (director, senior legal counsel, head of compliance north asia)lehman brothers – (senior vice president, legal department)coudert brothers banking and financial services broker dealers corporate and business transactions fund formation international investment advisers and other asset managers private investment funds securities and capital markets partner state of california state of new york san francisco | |
 | George Dingeldein Partner Real Estate Portland | George Dingeldein Partner EDUCATIONLewis and Clark Law School J.D., cum laudeUniversity of California, Davis B.S.PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE
Portland Real Estate george dingeldein george dingeldein’s practice is focused on transactions within the real estate and construction industries. he represents clients in business, commercial and real estate transactions, as well as in general development, construction and real estate law matters. through his extensive knowledge of the real estate and construction industries, he guides his clients through the decision-making process within a real estate transaction, providing them with efficient and tailored services. mr. dingeldein is also an accomplished corporate attorney, meaning he understands real estate transactions from all angles.mr. dingeldein represents real estate owners, developers, sponsors, investors, and operators across the full spectrum of real estate matters including acquisitions, development, leasing, financing, construction, joint ventures, and operational matters. his experience includes advising on:lease agreements in connection with office, retail, industrial, and mixed-use projectssale-leaseback transactionspublic-private partnerships & disposition and development agreementsreal estate development and constructionreal estate finance including acquisition & development, construction, and permanent financingpurchase and sale transactionsjoint venture agreementsprivate offerings including lp & llc equity interests and convertible debtentity formationcorporate governance education lewis and clark law school j.d., cum laude university of california, davis b.s. previous experience landye bennett blumstein llp (partner) lewis and clark law schoolj.d., cum laudeuniversity of california, davisb.s. landye bennett blumstein llp (partner) real estate real estate transactions partner state of oregon portland | |
 | Benjamin Douglas Partner Private Investment Funds, Fund Formation, Securities and Capital Markets San Francisco | Benjamin Douglas Partner EDUCATIONUniversity of California, Berkeley J.D., Boalt Hall School of Law / M.P.P., Goldman School of Public Policy; Member, California Law ReviewUniversity of California, Berkeley B.A. (History)PRIOR IN-HOUSE POSITIONS
San Francisco Private Investment Funds, Fund Formation, Securities and Capital Markets benjamin douglas ben douglas counsels businesses in all areas of asset management, including private investment advisers and wealth managers, hedge, real estate, and venture funds, fintech start-ups, mutual fund managers, and firms with hybrid businesses (such as private fund advisers that also sub-advise mutual funds). he handles matters ranging from fund formation, regulatory compliance and service provider relationships, to complex sales and acquisitions of asset management businesses.mr. douglas began his legal career at shartsis friese llp, where he practiced in that firm’s hedge fund group. in that capacity, he represented the management team at robertson stephens investment management in their spin-off of rs investments. after several years at charles schwab investment management, focusing on u.s. mutual funds and retail funds in europe and asia, mr. douglas became the general counsel of rs investments (now a franchise of victory capital management). at rs, he oversaw all legal aspects of the firm’s $20 billion business, including its mutual funds, institutional accounts and private funds. mr. douglas managed the sale of a majority stake in rs investments to guardian life insurance, as well as rs’s acquisition of smaller firms and hiring of portfolio teams. he has also been in-house counsel at forward management and dodge & cox.selected experienceoversaw all legal and compliance matters for an investment adviser managing over $21 billion in assets in various channels (mutual funds, institutional accounts, domestic and offshore private funds) and strategies (long and long/short equities, fixed income, and international).counselling clients on all aspects of investment management regulation, including under the investment company act of 1940, the investment advisers act of 1940, the securities act of 1933, the securities exchange act of 1934, sarbanes-oxley, erisa and the usa patriot act.creating and maintaining policies and procedures for investment adviser compliance, codes of ethics, “pay-to-play” rules, disclosure, and general risk oversight.drafting governing and offering documents for mutual funds, domestic and offshore hedge funds, real estate funds, and japanese and european retail funds.maintaining required filings for investment advisers, including forms adv, pf and 13f, schedules 13d and 13g, and required disclosures to erisa advisory clients.served as primary legal and administrative point of contact for a mutual fund family’s board of trustees. managed annual 15(c) contract renewal process.managing legal relationships with key vendors and client-facing service providers.resolved enforcement investigations by sec and state regulators. obtained favorable modifications of subsequent sec enforcement order.led legal team for investment management firm’s strategic sale and acquisitions. tasks included due diligence and the negotiation and drafting of asset purchase and employment agreements, governing documents, regulatory and shareholder approvals.representing numerous asset managers in venture investments.managing clients’ general business matters, including human resources, executive compensation and equity ownership, intellectual property, litigation, insurance coverage, and office leases. education university of california, berkeley j.d., boalt hall school of law / m.p.p., goldman school of public policy; member, california law review university of california, berkeley b.a. (history) prior in-house positions rs investments (general counsel) charles schwab investment management (vice president and senior counsel) forward management (senior counsel) university of california, berkeleyj.d., boalt hall school of law / m.p.p., goldman school of public policy; member, california law reviewuniversity of california, berkeleyb.a. (history) rs investments (general counsel)charles schwab investment management (vice president and senior counsel)forward management (senior counsel) banking and financial services corporate and business transactions environmental, social and governance europe fintech, cryptocurrencies, and blockchain fund formation investment advisers and other asset managers litigation finance private investment funds registered investment companies securities and capital markets partner state of california san francisco | |
 | Jennifer Gillon Duffy Partner Employment Law, Employee Benefits and Executive Compensation, Family Law, Litigation Santa Barbara | Jennifer Gillon Duffy Partner EDUCATIONUniversity of San Francisco (J.D.)University of California, Los Angeles Bachelor of Arts (B.A.), Political Science and GovernmentPREVIOUS EXPERIENCE
Santa Barbara Employment Law, Employee Benefits and Executive Compensation, Family Law, Litigation jennifer gillon duffy jennifer gillon duffy’s civil litigation practice encompasses employment law, family law, and general civil litigation matters.ms. duffy advises business owners, human resource professionals, and employees throughout the world, with a primary focus in california. she assists clients in becoming and remaining compliant with the vast, interrelated and evolving labor laws governing businesses today. when the need arises, she assists employers in defending against employee claims of non-compliance in all areas of employment law. she also counsels employees in claims of unpaid compensation and wrongful termination.ms. duffy is a certified family law specialist by the board of legal specialization of the state bar of california. in her comprehensive family law practice, ms. duffy prepares pre-nuptial agreements; counsels spouses before filing for divorce or legal separation and unmarried parents before filing parentage actions; addresses issues of child custody and child support, and assesses spousal support (alimony), both during the divorce process and post-divorce; addresses property characterization, valuation, and division; and handles the procedural and emotional issues of restraining orders. ms. duffy also has an extensive background in substance abuse issues.ms. duffy serves on several boards and is passionate about volunteering in the community. she was named dream foundation’s volunteer of the year in 2018 for her work with its flower empower program, which involves creating bouquets for people in hospice and retirement homes, and has received the president of the united states volunteer service award yearly since 2018.professional associationssanta barbara chapter of the national charity league, board memberthe storyteller children’s center, board membersanta barbara county bar association, board member and officerwomen’s economic ventures’ league of extraordinary women, memberprovisors, group leader of the santa barbara 3 national networking group.provisors, member of the santa barbara-1 chapter.the w source, member of the santa barbara chapterawards and recognitionpacific coast business times, “top 50 women in business” in the tri-counties (santa barbara, ventura, and san luis obispo counties), 2017-2019pacific coast business times, “who’s who in professional services,” 2016-2020university of san francisco, editor-in-chief of the law reviewjudicial extern to the california supreme court, the honorable associate justice joyce luther kennard education university of san francisco (j.d.) university of california, los angeles bachelor of arts (b.a.), political science and government previous experience fell, marking, abkin, montgomery, granet & raney (partner) university of san francisco(j.d.)university of california, los angelesbachelor of arts (b.a.), political science and government fell, marking, abkin, montgomery, granet & raney (partner) employment law, employee benefits and executive compensation family law litigation partner state of california santa barbara | |
 | Steven P. Eichel Partner Corporate and Business Transactions, Tax, Europe Boston | Steven P. Eichel Partner EDUCATIONBoston University School of Law LL.M.Columbia Law School J.D., Editor, Columbia Journal of Law and Social ProblemsUniversity of Tennessee B.A., summa cum laude, Phi Beta Kappa, Chancellor’s Citation for Academic Achievement and ExcellencePREVIOUS EXPERIENCE
Boston Corporate and Business Transactions, Tax, Europe English French Spanish steven p. eichel steve eichel is a highly versatile business and tax attorney who represents clients in multiple capacities—as general outside counsel, as lead transactional counsel or as special tax counsel. drawing on more than 30 years of experience, mr. eichel guides both publicly traded and privately held companies in structuring and implementing domestic and cross-border mergers and acquisitions, complex joint venture formations, international equity and debt financing, and executive compensation and equity incentive plans. he focuses particularly on companies based in france, the united kingdom and other parts of europe looking to access markets in the united states, as well as u.s. companies working on global expansions.when tax issues arise in these transactions, mr. eichel provides practical options designed to ensure that tax considerations are balanced appropriately with other business objectives without losing sight of the “big picture.” while tax laws have only become increasingly complex over time, mr. eichel is known for his ability to explain otherwise impenetrable tax concepts in “plain english” so that his clients can make well-informed tax-sensitive decisions with confidence. mr. eichel has extensive expertise in the use of limited liability companies and the drafting of limited liability company agreements. he also assists clients with their day-to-day operational and business matters, including drafting, review and negotiation of commercial contracts, employment and consulting agreements, restricted stock agreements and stock option plans, as well as intercompany services and intellectual property licensing agreements to address transfer pricing issues.a fluent french speaker and frequent traveler to france, mr. eichel represents french companies and entrepreneurs in their initial entry into and development and expansion in the united states. as a result, he has developed deep connections with law and accounting firms in france and other european countries where his clients are doing business, enabling him to provide a balanced approach that takes into account both u.s. and non-u.s. legal and tax considerations. in support of this niche, he is an active member of the new england chapter of the french-american chamber of commerce, serving as its vice president and on its board of directors. he is also a member of new england’s people & culture consortium, a group of professionals in human resources-related fields who meet regularly to share best practices and discuss emerging trends in workforce management. education boston university school of law ll.m. columbia law school j.d., editor, columbia journal of law and social problems university of tennessee b.a., summa cum laude, phi beta kappa, chancellor’s citation for academic achievement and excellence previous experience saul, ewing, arnstein & lehr llp (partner) boston university school of lawll.m.columbia law schoolj.d., editor, columbia journal of law and social problemsuniversity of tennesseeb.a., summa cum laude, phi beta kappa, chancellor’s citation for academic achievement and excellence saul, ewing, arnstein & lehr llp (partner) awards and recognition america’s leading lawyers in tax, chambers usa, 2013-2018 tax law, best lawyers (bl rankings llc), 2008 to present massachusetts super lawyers (thomson reuters corp), 2004 to present legal 500 (legal lease ltd), u.s., 2015 & 2017 corporate and business transactions emerging companies and venture capital europe international tax mergers and acquisitions tax english french spanish partner state of massachusetts state of new york boston | |
 | Herman Enayati Partner Banking and Financial Services, FinTech, Cryptocurrencies, and Blockchain, Real Estate Los Angeles | Herman Enayati Partner EDUCATIONUniversity of California, Los Angeles B.A.University of Southern California - Gould School of Law J.D.PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE
Los Angeles Banking and Financial Services, FinTech, Cryptocurrencies, and Blockchain, Real Estate English Farsi herman enayati herman enayati is an accomplished real estate finance attorney working to help owners, investors and operators buy, sell and finance commercial real estate projects. he leverages his extensive experience representing institutional lenders and capital partners to help clients navigate sophisticated real estate transactions.mr. enayati’s practice primarily focuses on two key areas:acquisition and financingmr. enayati represents real estate private equity firms, developers, funds, and family offices in the acquisition and financing of retail, office, hospitality, mixed-use and multifamily assets on a national basis. mr. enayati specializes in ground-up developments and value-add projects, working closely with clients to optimize deal structure and terms. he regularly represents clients on the following matters:real estate syndications and fund formationsjoint venture agreements“co-gp” agreements and partnershipsborrower-side representation in commercial real estate loans, including construction loans, mezzanine financing, agency loans, and cmbs debtnegotiation of purchase and sale agreements and related due diligence mattersacquisition of distressed properties and non-performing loansexternal general counsel:mr. enayati has broad real estate experience across acquisitions, leasing, operations, debt and equity financing, and distressed assets, enabling him to efficiently and effectively represent fund managers and real estate private equity firms across a wide range of transactions without the need to involve additional attorneys. this makes him an ideal candidate to serve as external general counsel for real estate funds and managers that have regular legal needs but do not have internal counsel.mr. enayati has also served as outside counsel for various fintech and cryptocurrency-related start-ups. he has an in-depth understanding of emerging trends and his experience in the crypto space allows him to provide practical and actionable advice to new ventures and established companies alike.publicationsreal estate tokenization – an overview for issuers, rimonlaw.com, june 4, 2021 education university of california, los angeles b.a. university of southern california - gould school of law j.d. previous experience akerman llp (partner) polsinelli pc (shareholder) gibson dunn & crutcher llp (associate) usc gould school of law (lecturer in law) university of california, los angelesb.a.university of southern california – gould school of lawj.d. akerman llp (partner)polsinelli pc (shareholder)gibson dunn & crutcher llp (associate)usc gould school of law (lecturer in law) banking and financial services cannabis law fintech, cryptocurrencies, and blockchain investment advisers and other asset managers private investment funds real estate real estate transactions english farsi partner state of california los angeles | |
 | Richard Ernest Partner Leveraged Finance, Private Investment Funds, Emerging Companies and Venture Capital, Middle East, Banking and Financial Services Dubai, London | Richard Ernest Partner EDUCATIONCollege of Law - Chancery Lane Legal Practice CourseUniversity of South Wales C.P.E.University of Exeter B.A.PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE
Dubai, London Leveraged Finance, Private Investment Funds, Emerging Companies and Venture Capital, Middle East, Banking and Financial Services English German Italian Russian Spanish richard ernest richard ernest is an english law-qualified solicitor whose practice focuses on banking and finance, principally advising borrowers/investors (but also lenders) on all aspects of finance transactions. this includes the financing of domestic and cross-border acquisitions and general corporate lending. in addition to corporate finance, he is experienced in islamic and conventional leveraged and structured finance, project and eca-backed finance, acquisition finance, real estate finance, and restructurings and workouts.mr. ernest is ranked by chambers global 2019 as a leading lawyer for the united arab emirates: banking & finance. the publication quotes clients as praising his technical proficiency and “good client manner”. in addition, mr. ernest is recommended by legal 500 emea 2017 for uae: banking & finance and also ranked by iflr1000 2019 as ‘highly regarded’ for uae: banking.prior to joining rimon, mr. ernest was a partner at gibson dunn and also a partner at clifford chance, working in the london, moscow and frankfurt offices from 1997. he relocated to abu dhabi in january 2008 to help establish that office.he speaks english, german, spanish, italian and russian.selected experienceadvising the provider of smart city infrastructure to dubai on a unique ppp basisadvising a uae start-up business on all aspects of early-stage financing and developmentacting for the borrower of a usd1bn contractor financing for a landmark project in qataracting for a pe portfolio company on a complex, multi-jurisdictional reorganizationacting for a listed regional company on its sharia-compliant financingsacting for the sponsor on the first islamically-financed syndicated leveraged recap in the uaeacting for the equity investors on a usd1bn restructuring and new investment into a regional infrastructure/utility companyacting for the sponsors on an aed4bn syndicated islamic and conventional co-financing for the development of the midfield terminal in abu dhabiacting for a major uae-based, global healthcare provider on their debut syndicated financing (in parallel with its london ipo)acting for a major industrial entity owned by one of the largest family groups in the uae on their debut european and us-structured tlb financing (the first tlb deal undertaken by a uae entity)acting for various regional private equity houses on acquisition financing as well as gp-level fund-raisingacting for a uk plc with headquarters in the uae on all financing mattersacting for one of the largest regional banks on a usd900m syndicated credit facilityacting for a regional gre investment vehicle on real estate and other financings (including on the potential debt financing of the acquisition of a european financial institution)acting for a major regional bank on the financing for the acquisition of a minority interest in a malaysian financial institutionacting for the arrangers on the first leveraged buy-out of a regional insurance company with a listed subsidiaryacting for the lenders on a highly structured syndicated margin loan for a regional investoracting for the creditors on the restructuring of various project and other financings (including industrial and satellite projects)publicationsarticle – march 23, 2017 | alternative capital come calling in the region education college of law - chancery lane legal practice course university of south wales c.p.e. university of exeter b.a. previous experience gibson dunn & crutcher llp (partner, dubai) clifford chance llp (partner, abu dhabi, frankfurt, london, moscow) college of law – chancery lanelegal practice courseuniversity of south walesc.p.e.university of exeterb.a. gibson dunn & crutcher llp (partner, dubai)clifford chance llp (partner, abu dhabi, frankfurt, london, moscow) africa banking and financial services bankruptcy and creditors’ rights corporate and business transactions emerging companies and venture capital europe international leveraged finance litigation finance mergers and acquisitions middle east private investment funds real estate real estate transactions russia, the baltics, and the cis united kingdom english german italian russian spanish partner england and wales dubai london | |
 | Geoffrey D. Fasel Partner Corporate and Business Transactions, Emerging Companies and Venture Capital, Real Estate Kansas City | Geoffrey D. Fasel Partner EDUCATIONUniversity of Virginia J.D., Virginia Journal of Environmental Law, Senior Articles EditorBowdoin College B.S., magna cum laudePREVIOUS EXPERIENCE
Kansas City Corporate and Business Transactions, Emerging Companies and Venture Capital, Real Estate geoffrey d. fasel geoffrey fasel is a finance attorney and trusted advisor to dynamic sponsors, managers, investors, and business leaders, leveraging his experience and relationships in the investment, development, and business communities to understand and help achieve his clients’ specific nuanced goals. his practice is primarily focused on structuring the assemblage of capital and debt; strategic real estate and corporate transactions; and venture capital and private equity funds and projects.mr. fasel assists clients with negotiating and structuring joint ventures. he advises on purchase and sale transactions, acquisitions and dispositions of all kinds, as well as venture and private equity entity formation.in addition, mr. fasel works with emerging companies, particularly in the technology sector. he represents these clients at all stages of their venture’s life cycle — beginning with technology creation and protection, through formation and capital attraction, key third-party relationships, growth, maturity, and strategic exits. mr. fasel is recognized as an industry leader in the emerging company market in the midwest.over the course of his career, mr. fasel has represented clients ranging from start-ups to mature companies in a range of different industries, giving him a broad corporate background. he serves as outside general counsel for several prominent clients, where he advises on corporate, governance, and transactional matters, including joint ventures, restructurings, and licensing matters.awards & recognitionmissouri & kansas super lawyers rising stars (thomson reuters corporation), 2009-2013greater kansas city chamber of commerce centurions program, class of 2011greater kansas city chamber of commerce big five, translational medicine initiativeother activitieswhether with his clients or not, mr. fasel enjoys travel and adventure with his wife and children, including music, mountain biking, and skiing. education university of virginia j.d., virginia journal of environmental law, senior articles editor bowdoin college b.s., magna cum laude previous experience polsinelli (shareholder) university of virginiaj.d., virginia journal of environmental law, senior articles editorbowdoin collegeb.s., magna cum laude polsinelli (shareholder) corporate and business transactions corporate governance emerging companies and venture capital real estate real estate transactions regulatory, compliance & corporate governance technology partner state of kansas state of missouri kansas city | |
 | Thomas Fawell Partner Fine Art and Cultural Property, Real Estate, Private Investment Funds, FinTech, Cryptocurrencies, and Blockchain Houston | Thomas Fawell Partner EDUCATIONIIT/Chicago-Kent College of Law J.D.North Central College, Naperville, Illinois B.A. in Political Science (Cum Laude)PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE
Houston Fine Art and Cultural Property, Real Estate, Private Investment Funds, FinTech, Cryptocurrencies, and Blockchain thomas fawell thomas fawell is a partner in rimôn’s houston office where he brings a high level of experience and a practical approach to problem solving in transactional real estate, real estate development, and capital formation. in addition, as part of a family legacy, he advises collectors and institutions in fine art acquisitions, dispositions, insurance, and finance.his real estate experience is comprehensive, including the representation of financial institutions, municipalities, real estate funds, banks, and developers. mr. fawell has particular experience in real estate acquisition, horizontal and vertical development, construction, leasing and disposition, sophisticated ground-lease structures, submerged land lease harbor structures, as well as joint venture and preferred equity transactions, including transactions involving office buildings, retail developments, industrial facilities, and hotels.his breadth and background in real estate is extensive and also includes prior experience in zoning, real estate tax appeals, mechanic’s lien execution, and defense, as well as three jury verdicts in significant condemnation awards.in the intersection of capital formation and real estate, mr. fawell has developed a practice in (i) securing asset funding of offshore income property; (ii) advising in-bound foreign capital for u.s. investments through the cayman islands and other tax neutral venues; and (iii) the design and implementation of anti-money laundering / ofac & fatca compliance procedures.as a second natural convergence of his capital-focused practice and his heritage as the son of a renowned commercial artist, mr. fawell advises collectors and institutions in the strategic acquisition, disposition, insuring, and financing of high value art.before joining rimôn, mr. fawell served as partner and member of the management committee at katten muchin.selected experiencejiffy lube – site expansion and asset disposition: managed and coordinated midwest acquisition/expansion of independent and corporate acquired units for jiffy lube as well as disposition of redundant sites. also, managed resolution of territorial disputes in overlapping acquired franchises. this was jiffy lubes largest and fastest expansion and made the company the leader in its category. mr. fawell reported directly to the ceo.waste management – world headquarters site acquisition and development: formulated expansion versus relocation evaluation and implementation for waste management world headquarters. earned legal services contract award directly from ceo for facility expansion. coordinated acquisition, entitlement and zoning approvals and coordinated all legal management of architectural and engineering design and construction contracts for headquarters relocation and expansion.submerged land and upland 30-year marina lease – the jockey club, miami fl: combined state of florida governmental submerged-land leasehold with upland private property interests as a 30-year private-capital lease. this was effected with a parallel resolution of hard money mortgage covenants on uplands. transaction was a matter of first impression with both the submerged land section of the florida dept. environmental protection and with the hard money lender. this prevented foreclosure by the hard money lender for the owner.royce renaissance – wetland litigation & resolution with dept. of justice: orchestrated resolution of multiple egregious wetland violations in chicago with pending charges from the criminal division of the u.s. department of justice in two commonly owned, mixed-use office, retail and multi-family golf communities. the successful resolution was achieved by the payment of significant fines and the avoidance of incarceration of the developer client. both projects went forward and were completed within epa parameters and doj oversight.sale of indonesian toll road: mr. fawell was engaged to negotiate the acquisition of a toll road in indonesia where the bidding client had defaulted on the closing when its financing failed. mr. fawell successfully negotiated an extension of time to close and was able to secure a commitment from a global infrastructure investor for the $200m acquisition.general counsel and direct investor / development: as general counsel and direct investor, mr. fawell managed a 22-story residential ground-up development in miami, and 2 core asset retail centers in chicago. in this capacity, he directed all complex title resolutions, survey and plat issues, right of way vacation, utility easements, wetlands relocation and environmental remediation strategies, capital formation and third-party a&e and general contractor agreements. also, he negotiated all bank debt terms and documentation and managed verification of draw statements with lenders and chicago title.financial services and capital formation: assembled $115m in a private equity acquisition of a credit card processing operation, and its equipment lease subsidiary. in this acquisition, mr. fawell structured and negotiated the multi-level private equity shareholder preferences & capital structure, management and investor rights, and the terms of the corporate governance structure. he also resolved critical firrea issues with the occ.art sales and finance: mr. fawell has advised in the sale or financing of numerous works of art from jackson pollock, mario correño, egon schiele, jean-michel basquiat, josé clemente orozco, paul gauguin and of course, his own father.publicationsthe most significant change to aml rules since the usa patriot act, rimonlaw.com, january 4, 2021 education iit/chicago-kent college of law j.d. north central college, naperville, illinois b.a. in political science (cum laude) previous experience katten muchin (partner and member of the management committee) iit/chicago-kent college of lawj.d.north central college, naperville, illinoisb.a. in political science (cum laude) katten muchin (partner and member of the management committee) banking and financial services corporate and business transactions data privacy and cybersecurity europe fine art and cultural property fintech, cryptocurrencies, and blockchain international investment advisers and other asset managers private investment funds real estate partner state of illinois state of texas u.s. court of appeals for the seventh circuit u.s. district court for the eastern district of texas u.s. district court for the northern district of illinois u.s. district courts for eastern districts of texas houston | |
 | Melinda Fellner Partner Tax New Jersey (Bedminster), New York | Melinda Fellner Partner EDUCATIONNew York University LL.M., TaxationBenjamin N. Cardozo School of Law J.D.Cornell University B.A.New Jersey (Bedminster), New York Tax English melinda fellner fellner melinda fellner focuses her practice on tax matters including federal, state and international tax.ms. fellner’s experience includes business structuring, acquisitions and reorganizations, and joint ventures and partnerships in both the domestic and offshore world. this experience includes negotiating and drafting operating agreements and drafting organizational and transactional documents for corporate transactions. she has cultivated specific expertise in the international arena, including guiding affected clients through the irs streamlined offshore programs and the irs offshore voluntary disclosure program and assisting with other offshore income issues. additionally, melinda routinely represents clients in federal and state tax controversies.ms. fellner also represents a variety of tax-exempt organizations including the bedminster township parent teacher organization. she has written opinion articles for the new jersey law journal and is a former adjunct instructor at rutgers-newark on fundamentals of federal income tax. she has been a panelist on hot tips in taxation, the premier new jersey icle seminar on tax updates, as well as a lecturer for strafford legal education and other webinars in the us and abroad, and she has appeared several times on the cable channel itv.selected experiencesuccessfully reopened federal partnership audit years after statute of limitations closed ultimately securing reversal of $1.2 million assessment at partnership level.served as tax counsel to a france based manufacturer in connection with an acquisition of a china-based manufacturerstructured acquisition of a $20m us-domiciled company with operations in hong kong in connection with a restructuring and reorganization in hong kongserved as tax counsel in connection with acquisition of us gaming company by a german corporationsuccessfully negotiated nj division of taxation case involving critical statutory interpretation of nj sales tax statutenegotiated zero penalty imposition in potential $2m offshore voluntary disclosure penalty case.articlesthe new jersey angel investor tax credit act – the “angel act” a valuable benefit to those investing in new jerseyhas the irs found its mojo, just like austin powers? a commentary on the trilogy of irs offshore voluntary disclosure programsirs announces 2012 offshore disclosure program (“2012 ovdp”)new jersey madoff victims receive state income tax refundtechnology taxation: taxing the “cloud” on the horizonimportant update: 2011 irs offshore voluntary disclosure initiative2011 offshore voluntary disclosure initiative announced by irs and new jerseyrecent new jersey tax court decision opens the door to potential transfer tax savings on real property transfersnew relief from our old friend “amt”: individual tax planningforum empowers women attorneys on the riseblogsbusiness without borderstaxpayers: fincen form 114 (electronic fbar) due date modified along with other due datesnj division of taxation issues bulletin regarding nexus for corporation business taxindia and u.s. sign fatca agreement to combat offshore tax evasiontaxpayers take note of the june 30, 2015 deadline for the fincen 114, report of foreign bank and financial accounts (“fbar”)nothing’s stopping indian firms from starting fatca registrationlehigh valley legal blogtaxpayers: fincen form 114 (electronic fbar) due date modified along with other due datespublications“irs voluntary disclosure practice – internal revenue manual updated recently”, december 10, 2020“covid-19 tax news: fbar filing”, april 9, 2020“the cares act”, march 30, 2020“irs guidance on virtual currency transactions”, january 22, 2020“observations on the tax issues for the cannabis world after the harborside case”, march 26, 2019“what’s new with tax aspects of virtual currency in 2018?”, march 14, 2018“primer on the irs partnership audit rules and how to approach them for your partnership”, november 2, 2017“client alert: u.s. treasury reguation changes could impact foreign owned single member llcs”, may 23, 2017“client alert: fincen 114 (the “fbar”): new filing date of april 15 each year”, february 1, 2017“is this the end of valuation discounts in family wealth transfers?”, september 29, 2016“has the irs found its mojo, just like austin powers? a commentary on the trilogy of irs offshore voluntary disclosure programs,” new york law school journal of taxation and regulation of financial institutions, july/august 2013quoted, “nris in us: don’t panic; seek right advice about foreign account reporting,” the economic times, april 11, 2012“irs announces 2012 offshore disclosure program (“2012 ovdp”),” tax law alert, march 2012“new jersey madoff victims receive state income tax refund,” tax law alert, november 2011“technology taxation: taxing the ‘cloud’ on the horizon,” bloomberg law report– technology law, vol. 3, no. 17, august 22, 2011“important update: 2011 irs offshore voluntary disclosure initiative,” tax law alert, august 2011“2011 offshore voluntary disclosure initiative announced by irs and new jersey,” tax law alert, april 2011“recent new jersey tax court decision opens the door to potential transfer tax savings on real property transfers,” tax law alert, july 2010“new relief from our old friend “amt”: individual tax planning,” tax law alert, july 2008“a hole in n.j.’s efforts to lure business,” new jersey law journal, august 15, 2005videosmelinda fellner discusses irs offshore voluntary disclosure on itv. watch videoawards and recognitionav preeminent for ethical standards and legal ability, martindale-hubbell (internet brands), 2016 education new york university ll.m., taxation benjamin n. cardozo school of law j.d. cornell university b.a. new york universityll.m., taxationbenjamin n. cardozo school of lawj.d.cornell universityb.a. cannabis law corporate and business transactions fintech, cryptocurrencies, and blockchain international tax english partner new jersey (bedminster) new york | |
 | Joseph Ferrucci Partner Trusts and Estates, Tax Menlo Park, San Francisco | Joseph Ferrucci Partner EDUCATIONGolden Gate University LL.M., TaxationUniversity of California, Hastings College of the Law J.D., West-Northwest Journal of Environmental Law and Policy (2004-2006), Albert G. Evans Scholarship Award (2006)University of California, Berkeley M.C.P.Yale University B.A., cum laudePREVIOUS EXPERIENCE
Menlo Park, San Francisco Trusts and Estates, Tax joseph ferrucci joe ferrucci is a hands-on trusts and estates attorney with more than a decade of experience. he regularly assists his clients with estate planning related not only to ordinary wills and revocable living trusts, but also sophisticated estate planning strategies with respect to gift tax, estate tax and the generation-skipping transfer tax. he has experience establishing and administering irrevocable gift trusts, irrevocable life insurance trusts, qualified personal residence trusts, and charitable trusts. he also advises clients on real property matters and prop 13 property tax planning.mr. ferrucci also has extensive experiencing handling estate and trust administration matters following the incapacity or death of a loved one. he has represented clients in probate matters before the courts in san francisco, marin, alameda, contra costa, san mateo, and santa clara counties.selected experiencecollaboration with uk counsel to develop a bi-national estate plan for uk citizens living as permanent residents in california, successfully reducing their exposure to both us estate tax and uk inheritance tax.establishing irrevocable “crummey” trusts, for clients who wished to use their gift tax annual exclusion and lifetime exemption to start transferring assets to their teenage children.working with newlyweds and their family law attorneys to develop an estate plan consistent with the terms of their pre-marital agreement, which reflects and preserves the separate and community property character of their respective income and assets.development of an estate plan and property co-ownership agreement for registered domestic partners, which took into account their gift tax exposure resulting from non-recognition of their relationship at the federal level.representation of private professional fiduciaries on multiple estate and trust administration matters throughout the san francisco bay area.successfully completing a probate matter in alameda county involving interests in a family partnership and ranchland in solano county, which was complicated by disputing partners and the need to replace the estate administrator mid-way through the proceedings due to illness.successful representation of a creditor claim in probate for a client based on a prior child support order, following the death of her co-parent.professional associationsbar association of san franciscoalameda county bar associationsan mateo county bar associationnational lgbt bar associationeast bay trusts and estates lawyers (ebtel)aids legal referral panel (alrp)bay area lawyers for individual freedom (balif)open door legalcalifornia advocates for nursing home reform (canhr) education golden gate university ll.m., taxation university of california, hastings college of the law j.d., west-northwest journal of environmental law and policy (2004-2006), albert g. evans scholarship award (2006) university of california, berkeley m.c.p. yale university b.a., cum laude previous experience anderson yazdi hwang minton + horn llp (of counsel) joseph ferrucci, attorney at law p.c. (principal and owner) the beck law group (attorney) luce forward hamilton & scripps llp (attorney) steefel levitt & weiss (attorney) golden gate universityll.m., taxationuniversity of california, hastings college of the lawj.d., west-northwest journal of environmental law and policy (2004-2006), albert g. evans scholarship award (2006)university of california, berkeleym.c.p.yale universityb.a., cum laude anderson yazdi hwang minton + horn llp (of counsel)joseph ferrucci, attorney at law p.c. (principal and owner)the beck law group (attorney)luce forward hamilton & scripps llp (attorney)steefel levitt & weiss (attorney) estate and gift tax international tax tax trusts and estates partner state of california menlo park san francisco | |
 | Richmond (Rick) Flowers Partner Real Estate St. Petersburg | Richmond (Rick) Flowers Partner EDUCATIONStetson University College of Law J.D., cum laude, Assistant Editor of the Stetson Law ReviewUniversity of Florida B.S. B.A. with honorsPREVIOUS EXPERIENCE
St. Petersburg Real Estate richmond (rick) flowers rick flowers’ practice focuses on the real estate industry, where he represents clients in both transactional work and litigations. mr. flowers documents, negotiates, and closes complex commercial real estate transactions, real estate loans, residential and commercial leases, easements, licenses, real estate workouts, and asset-based loans. he is experienced in drafting contracts for the acquisition, disposition and development of real estate for national and local developers, and for developers acquiring and disposing of large, anchor-based shopping centers. in addition, mr. flowers documents asset-based loans secured by ship mortgages and vessels with the united states coast guard, and negotiates and documents cmbs loans utilized to finance the acquisition of large, anchor-based shopping centers.litigation experience dovetails closely with his transactional work, with an emphasis on real property litigation, mortgage foreclosures, and real property loan workouts. he represents manufactured home communities in complex change-of-use litigation, landlord/tenant disputes and regulatory matters governed under chapter 723, florida statutes. mr. flowers also litigates software license disputes, franchise disputes, loan disputes, title insurance disputes and claims, and creditors’ rights matters.selected experiencemr. flowers has represented clients in the following acquisitions or dispositions, which included negotiating cmbs loan documents for financing in connection with all acquisitions:ranch lake plaza in bradenton, florida ($11.6mm);the market on cherry road shopping center in rock hills, sc ($13mm);the kissimmee west shopping center in kissimmee, florida ($19.4mm);the trinity village shopping center in pasco county, florida ($18.3mm);northwoods center in pasco county, florida ($24mm);tower place shopping center in charlotte, nc ($21mm);university place shopping center in huntsville, al ($27mm);colonnades shopping center in glen allen, va (23.9mm); andterrace oaks shopping center in tampa, fl ($8.5mm). education stetson university college of law j.d., cum laude, assistant editor of the stetson law review university of florida b.s. b.a. with honors previous experience adams and reese, llp (partner) state judicial intern for the honorable douglas w. baird, civil circuit judge, sixth judicial circuit, clearwater courthouse federal judicial intern for the honorable elizabeth a. kovachevich, chief judge, united states district court, middle district of florida stetson university college of lawj.d., cum laude, assistant editor of the stetson law reviewuniversity of floridab.s. b.a. with honors adams and reese, llp (partner)state judicial intern for the honorable douglas w. baird, civil circuit judge, sixth judicial circuit, clearwater courthousefederal judicial intern for the honorable elizabeth a. kovachevich, chief judge, united states district court, middle district of florida [vc_row][vc_column][vc_separator color="custom" accent_color="#cccccc" css=".vc_custom_1623023091651{margin-top: 2em !important;}"][vc_column_text] publications falss real estate litigation manual for legal support specialists, february 2016, peppertree press, llc awards and recognition adams and reese hugs volunteer of the year – 2019 boss of the year”, st. petersburg association of legal support specialists 2007 halo crew, inc.’s “wings” award for charitable contribution leadership st. pete, class of 2012 professional associations st. petersburg police athletic league, board of director (2016-19) member, clutch hitters of tampa bay american bar association florida bar association florida real property and probate section of the florida bar international council of shopping centers, member russell foundation, board of director st. petersburg bar association leadership st. petersburg, class of 2011-2012 keswick christian school, volunteer tampa bay spca, board of director other activities mr. flowers contributes a significant amount of his time to charitable causes and volunteer work. in addition to his volunteer work in his community, he enjoys scuba diving, spearfishing, flag football, softball, and florida gators’ football and basketball.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row] bankruptcy and creditors’ rights real estate real estate litigation real estate transactions partner state of florida u.s. district court for the middle district of florida u.s. district court for the northern district of florida u.s. district court for the southern district of florida st. petersburg | |
 | Jeffrey A. Fromm Partner Corporate and Business Transactions, Emerging Companies and Venture Capital, Mergers and Acquisitions New York | Jeffrey A. Fromm Partner EDUCATIONColumbia University Graduate School of Business M.B.A., 1998New York University School of Law J.D., 1987State University of New York at Albany B.A., Psychology and Philosophy, 1984PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE
New York Corporate and Business Transactions, Emerging Companies and Venture Capital, Mergers and Acquisitions English jeffrey a. fromm jeffrey a. fromm has a broad range of legal and business experience – over 30 years as a firm lawyer, general counsel, operating executive, equity investor, entrepreneur and board member. with that background as well as an nyu j.d. and columbia m.b.a., jeff offers a rare blend of business and strategic experience to his clients.jeff represents privately held companies at all stages, often collaborating with the executive team as “outside general counsel”. his companies practice includes equity financings, mergers & acquisitions, joint ventures, strategic licensing transactions, executive employment and compensation arrangements, and corporate governance matters.jeff’s clients include corporations, limited liability companies (llcs), and limited partnerships (lps). also, jeff is an early proponent of delaware public benefit corporations and “certified b corps”. in addition, due to the strong relationships that jeff builds with cxo-level executives, he is frequently asked to represent those executives in their own employment, compensation and equity arrangements.as part of his broad corporate and transactional practice, jeff has substantial experience in four particular areas:education technology companiesglobal and cross-border transactionsisraeli technology companiesbenefit corporations (“b corps”)for the last decade, jeff has also served as outside general counsel of university of the people, the world’s first non-profit, tuition-free, accredited, online, american university. education columbia university graduate school of business m.b.a., 1998 new york university school of law j.d., 1987 state university of new york at albany b.a., psychology and philosophy, 1984 previous experience vlp law group llp (partner) dorsey & whitney llp (partner & co-head of ny corporate group) o'sullivan graev & karabell columbia university graduate school of businessm.b.a., 1998new york university school of lawj.d., 1987state university of new york at albanyb.a., psychology and philosophy, 1984 vlp law group llp (partner)dorsey & whitney llp (partner & co-head of ny corporate group)o’sullivan graev & karabell [vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text] publications a legal update entitled “the new york non-profit revitalization act of 2013 – practical implications for new york not-for-profit corporations”. an article in the experts’ guide to the k-12 school market, published by the software & information industry association, entitled “managing intellectual property rights as a strategic asset”. a chapter entitled “education leader as educational entrepreneur: managing the educational mission within and across the economic sectors”, for the handbook on educational leadership and management, published by pearson education. an article in upgrade magazine, published by the software and information industry association, entitled “revolution and evolution: assessing the market for educational technologies”. an article in the journal of private equity, published by institutional investor, entitled “investment opportunities in education: making a profit while making a difference”. an article in the venture capital journal, published by thomson financial, entitled “education industry offers world of investment opportunity”. two articles in the education industry report, then published by the education industry group (acquired by eduventures). the 2007 survey of education private equity (small sample). the 2004 knowledgequest survey of education private equity (small sample). the 1999 venture economics/knowledgequest ventures survey of education venture capital. the 1998 education week/knowledgequest ventures survey of education venture capital. [/vc_column_text][vc_separator color="custom" accent_color="#cccccc"][vc_column_text] speaking engagements venture capital 2021: nuts and bolts, “key issues in follow-on financial rounds”, pli, april 8, 2021 “benefit corporations 101: legal considerations for companies, investors and lenders involved in this ‘impact investing’ trend”, pli one-hour briefing, march 20, 2014. “strategic licensing for education technology companies” (panel leader), siia education division nyc program, new york, new york, july 17, 2013. “global opportunities: nuts and bolts for doing business overseas”, siia’s ed tech industry summit, the palace hotel, san francisco, california, may 7, 2012. “the changing venture world: how does it affect israeli startups?” (moderator), youngstartupventures’ the us/israel venture summit, digital sandbox, new york, new york, march 30, 2011. “global partnerships”, siia’s ed tech industry summit: going mobile and global, the palace hotel, san francisco, california, may 24, 2010. “moving to web-based delivery: financial, business and legal implications”, siia’s ed tech industry summit: building toward the vision of k-20, the palace hotel, san francisco, california, may 5, 2009. workshop leader, “doing the deal: negotiating and closing a venture capital financing”, siia’s ed tech business forum, the princeton club, new york, new york, november 28, 2006. workshop leader, “structuring and negotiating venture capital investments: from the company’s and entrepreneur’s perspective”, siia’s ed tech business forum, the princeton club, new york, new york, november 29, 2005. industry partner and co-chair, iir’s seventh annual education industry investment forum, omni colonnade hotel, coral gables, florida, march 7-9, 2005. conference advisor and session moderator, “building, financing and exiting successful businesses”, siia’s ed tech business forum, the yale club, new york, new york, november 30, 2004. conference advisor and session moderator, “building the new education business”, siia’s ed tech industry summit, the palace hotel, san francisco, california, may 16-18, 2004. industry partner and co-chair, iir’s sixth annual education industry investment forum, eden roc hotel, miami, florida, march 23-25, 2004. [/vc_column_text][vc_separator color="custom" accent_color="#cccccc"][vc_tta_accordion active_section=""][vc_tta_section title="view more speaking engagements" tab_id="1623023614501-fe6a1234-9067"][vc_column_text] industry partner and co-chair, iir’s fifth annual education industry investment forum, inter-continental hotel, dallas, texas, march 24-27, 2003. industry partner and session moderator, siia’s 2003 education venture forum, the princeton/columbia club of new york, new york, february 25, 2003. “reporting on the marketplace”, reed midem’s world education market, lisboa congress centre, lisbon, portugal, may 21-24, 2002. industry partner and co-chair, iir’s fourth annual education industry investment forum: capital, consolidation and corporate adaptation, the wigwam resort, phoenix, arizona, march 13-15, 2002. “capital markets impact – financial and industry analyst views” (moderator), siia’s 2002 education venture forum, the princeton/columbia club of new york, new york, february 14, 2002. “vcs, angels & others: priming the pump in a dry market” (moderator), eschoolnews’ business to education technology summit, renaissance parc 55 hotel, san francisco, california, july 31, 2001. “rebuilding your valuation”, eschoolnews’ business to education technology summit. renaissance parc 55 hotel, san francisco, california, july 30, 2001. “financing options for education entrepreneurs” and “long-term strategies for education entrepreneurs” (moderator), aepp’s edventures 2001, university of southern california, los angeles, california, july 26-28, 2001. “the economics of the emerging digital education community”, reed exhibitions’ education technology summit, teachers college, columbia university, new york, new york, may 31, 2001. “reporting on the marketplace”, reed midem’s world education market, vancouver exhibition and convention centre, vancouver, canada, may 21-24, 2001. co-chair, iir’s schools and tools: the third annual education industry investment forum, pointe hilton squaw peak, phoenix, arizona, march 11-14, 2001. “financial markets impact your business” (moderator), siia’s 2001 education venture forum, the metropolitan hotel, new york, new york, february 6, 2001. “content aggregators: what is behind the hyper-growth of e-learning communities?” (moderator), fulcrum’s third annual education technology finance & investment institute, the ritz carlton pentagon city, arlington, virginia, may 8-9, 2000. roundtable discussion: “how have overall market conditions affected companies’ prospects for raising capital?”, ednet 2000: the educational technology and telecommunications conference, hotel inter-continental, dallas, texas, september 10-13, 2000. industry roundtable: “where education meets business”, iir’s 2nd annual education industry investment forum, hyatt hotel, fort lauderdale, florida, march 13-15, 2000. discussion group: “internet business models”, iir’s 2nd annual education industry investment forum, hyatt hotel, fort lauderdale, florida, march 13-15, 2000. “what’s hot and what’s not in the next era of vc investing”, iir’s private equity roundup 2000, the loews ventana resort, tucson, arizona, january 30-february 2, 2000. “venture capital in education”, fulcrum’s fourth annual education industry finance and investment institute, swissotel, boston, massachusetts, september 16-17, 1999. “flow of capital into the education industry”, aepp’s edventures 1999, monona terrace convention center, madison, wisconsin, july 29-31, 1999. “what is the investment community looking for?”, fulcrum’s second annual education technology finance and investment institute, sheraton city centre hotel, washington, dc, may 6-7, 1999. “the financing of an education company”, fulcrum’s education industry investment forum, indian river plantation marriott resort, stewart, florida, february 22-24, 1999. “investment opportunities in the education industry”, iir’s private equity roundup 1999, the ritz-carlton, phoenix, arizona, january 30-february 3, 1999. “education venture capital”, fulcrum’s third annual education industry finance and investment institute, hyatt regency mccormick place, chicago, illinois, september 24-25, 1998. [/vc_column_text][/vc_tta_section][/vc_tta_accordion][/vc_column][/vc_row] corporate and business transactions corporate governance education, universities, and endowments emerging companies and venture capital international international transactions israel mergers and acquisitions private investment funds regulatory, compliance & corporate governance securities and capital markets technology technology licensing english partner state of new york new york | |
 | Dror Futter Partner Emerging Companies and Venture Capital, Corporate and Business Transactions | Dror Futter Partner EDUCATIONColumbia Law School J.D.Princeton University A.B., Political Economy, magna cum laudePREVIOUS EXPERIENCE
Emerging Companies and Venture Capital, Corporate and Business Transactions English Hebrew dror futter dror futter focuses his practice on startup companies and their investors, and has worked with a wide range of technology companies. his fifteen years’ experience as in-house counsel includes positions with vidyo, inc., a venture-backed videoconferencing company, and new venture partners, a venture fund focused on corporate spinouts. prior to that, mr. futter was counsel to the cio of lucent technologies, as well as supporting parts of its sourcing organization.mr. futter’s practice has three main focus areas:external general counselas a former general counsel and the sole attorney at a venture that went from 80 to 300 employees during his tenure, mr. futter has a deep understanding of the challenges faced by fast-growing companies and the type of business-focused legal counsel they require. in addition, his background allows him to counsel clients on a broad range of subjects without the need to involve other subject-matter experts. as a result, he is exceptionally well suited to serve as an external general counsel for growing companies with sophisticated legal needs that do not have internal counsel.venture finance/corporatemr. futter has represented companies and venture funds in numerous equity and debt financing rounds, from early “friends and family” and seed rounds to later-stage mezzanine financings, and has been on both sides of the table in these transactions. on the corporate side, he routinely handles corporate formations, employee equity plans and mergers and acquisitions. mr. futter has also been involved in over 40 corporate spinouts and understands the unique concerns of corporate venture investors.transactional it & ipmr. futter represents clients in a broad range of transactions, including: software licenses, saas agreements, outsourcing agreements, development agreements, website terms and conditions, patent licenses, direct and indirect channel distribution agreements, services agreements, manufacturing agreements, and other supply chain agreements.prior to joining rimon, mr. futter was a partner at the mccarter & english law firm where he was part of the corporate department and venture capital practice group.mr. futter serves on the legal advisory board of the angel capital association and previously served on the model forms drafting group of the national venture capital association and. he is an entrepreneur in residence at the stevens venture center of the stevens institute of technology and a mentor at princeton university’s keller center, and sosv’s dlab accelerator. mr. futter is a 1986 magna cum laude graduate of princeton university and a 1989 graduate of columbia university school of law. he also earned an executive mba in 1999 from the american electronics association executive institute of stanford university.publicationscovid-19 impact and response“an entrepreneurs guide to surviving covid 19,” crowdfund insider, 2020“webinar: legal watch – 10 things smb’s should be doing now,” 2020“what venture boards need to do now,” 2020“5 mistakes startups cannot afford now,” 2020“how commercial contracts deal with force majeure events,” roi-nj, 2020“a first timers guide to down rounds,” crowdfund insider, 2020“retroactive pay-to-play coming to a venture theater near you,” crowdfund insider, 2020“easing the transition to remote work from the experience of my virtual law firm,” 2020venture & technology“venture capital and the art of the deal: more of the same,” crowdfund insider, 2021“b2b smb’s – are contracts standing in the way of closing your deals“, 2021“beware of employee equity, the credit cards of the venture community,” 2019“safes 2.0: ycombinator updates the form,” crowdfund insider, 2018“nvca updates its series a model legal documents,” legalbytes, 2018“confronting down rounds,” v.c experts, september 2016“how to bubble-proof your venture,” v.c. experts, may 2016“enterprise sales agreements for startups,” work-bench, october 2015co-author, “intellectual property due diligence,” new jersey lawyer, may/june 1994co-author, “top 10 list of intellectual property pitfalls,” new jersey lawyer, february 28, 1994co-author, “dilution doctrine: powerful yet unclear,” legal times, october 26, 1992speaking engagementswebinar: top 10 things your startup attorney should tell you, kettle, december 2021; view full presentationwebinar: corporate venture capital: structuring concerns for investors and startups, strafford, october 26, 2021webinar: getting it right- start-up employee hiring, employing, and terminating, 2020speaker: open fintech forum, structuring consortia to leverage blockchain for the enterprise, 2019co-chair: blockchain 2.0: 2019 legal & regulatory developments, 2019speaker, inside the vc industry’s view of university spinouts: critical insights for ttos, 2019speaker, princeton entrepreneurship council’s startup workshop: legal considerations for startups, 2019speaker, top 10 things you should tell your startup client, 2019speaker, rimon’s dror futter speaking at pli; “understanding financial products 2019″, 2019speaker, cfa institute, blockchain panel, 2019 education columbia law school j.d. princeton university a.b., political economy, magna cum laude previous experience mccarter& english (partner) sorinrand (partner) vidyo inc. (general counsel) new venture partners, llc (general counsel) columbia law schoolj.d.princeton universitya.b., political economy, magna cum laude mccarter& english (partner)sorinrand (partner)vidyo inc. (general counsel)new venture partners, llc (general counsel) [vc_row][vc_column][vc_tta_accordion active_section=""][vc_tta_section title="view more speaking engagements" tab_id="1623023716255-3f8b6e5c-7923"][vc_column_text] speaker, pli seminar, fintech 2018, “blockchain and cryptocurrencies 101” panelist, “security token panel,” alchemist money summit tel aviv, 2018 organizer & speaker, pli webinar “attorney ethics - counseling clients undertaking an ico,” 2018 moderator, "tigertalks in the city: bitcoin, blockchains, icos and more," princeton entrepreneurship council and bendheim center for finance, 2018 speaker, "good, bad and evil about icos and how to do it right?" dc digital asset investment forum 2018 speaker, ucedc, “negotiating sales contracts,” 2018 speaker, “not all term sheets are created equal,” techxel venture expert series, 2018 speaker, “investment term sheets,” princeton keller center, 2018 speaker, "venture nights panel discussion," prime tech partners, 2018 speaker, pli seminar, "understanding financial products 2019." topic cryptocurrency and financial products. co-chair, pli seminar, “blockchain 2.0: 2018 legal & regulatory developments co-chair, pli webinar “blockchain, cryptocurrencies and smart contracts – what lawyers need to know,” 2017 speaker, “dividing founders’ equity and understanding venture compensation,” stevens institute of technology, 2017 panelist, aba webinar - “how companies work with start-up suppliers and vendors,” 2017 speaker, “contract excellence,” techxel stamford expert series, 2017 panelist, “entrepreneurs –are they wired differently?” princeton university reunions alumni-faculty panel, 2016 panelist, “divvying up the pie - early stage start-up valuation and distributing equity,” princeton university – office of technology licensing, 2016 panelist, “5 ways successful businesses handle legal challenges,” jbiz expo, 2016 speaker, “critical terms in sales agreements,” cambridge innovation center, 2015 speaker, ncma boston chapter, “international commercial agreements,” 2015 organizer & speaker, pli webinar - “before series a - convertible note and series seed funding for startups,” 2014 panelist, new york enterprise tech meetup - “sourcing to the enterprise,” 2013 speaker, princeton startup collective - “top 10 things your startup attorney should tell you,” 2013 panelist, nyu law school - “non-practicing entities in ip,” 2013 panelist, association of corporate counsel annual meeting - “when the software police come knocking,” 2007 panelist, pli seminar – “structuring, negotiating and implementing strategic alliances,” 2005 november 5, 2013 engagement with china: issues for small & medium enterprises, san diego, ca october 5, 2013 implications of myriad on ip protection for personalized medicine and protecting ip in us and china, 9th annual sabpa pacific forum, san diego, ca co-chair, pli seminar, venture capital law, 2001-2010, 2017-2018, panelist – 2011-2016 [/vc_column_text][/vc_tta_section][/vc_tta_accordion][vc_column_text] memberships & affiliations model forms drafting group of the national venture capital association legal advisory board of the angel capital association entrepreneur in residence at the stevens venture center of the stevens institute of technology mentor, keller center for innovation, princeton university [/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row] english hebrew partner state of new jersey state of new york | |
 | Ray Garcia Partner Sports, Entertainment, and Recreation, Corporate and Business Transactions New York | Ray Garcia Partner EDUCATIONSt. John’s University School of Law J.D.Fordham University B.A.PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE
New York Sports, Entertainment, and Recreation, Corporate and Business Transactions English ray garcia ray garcia joined rimon as a partner in november 2018. he brings with him a diverse portfolio of entertainment business experience with a focus on the music industry. for the last 20 years, he’s lived and worked in the united states and latin america, representing clients such as developing artists and superstars, major record companies and independent labels, music publishers, management companies, investment enterprises, entertainment company employees and executives, and others.mergers and acquisitions and other investment opportunities are a major part of mr. garcia’s practice. his knowledge of the landscape and players help bring the right people and companies together. while serving as the svp of business & legal affairs at roadrunner records, he oversaw the sale of roadrunner, first, to island def jam/universal music group, and then five years later to atlantic records/warner music group, as well as the sale of roadrunner’s sister company publisher, and the formation of a joint venture, with bmg music publishing. since leaving atlantic records, mr. garcia has represented various companies in multi-million dollar catalog sales and stock purchases.mr. garcia handled the in-house business affairs for high-profile artists such as rush, slipknot, nickelback, halestorm, dream theater, gojira, david guetta, icona pop, wu-tang clan, garbage, nsync, alexandre pires/so pra contrariar, mecano, nicole and gondwana. he served for seven years on the legal committee for the american association of independent music (“a2im”), helping advise and shape policy for a2im from its inception in 2005 to 2012. mr. garcia currently represents a roster of artists, which includes baby bands and established artists, as well as several leading independent record companies.awardsdistinguished alumni award, st. john’s university school of law, 2009speaking engagementsspeaker, “the 411 on 360’s: the 360 deal deconstructed and its applicability to the independent music sector,” east and west coast a2im members-only events, may and june, 2008.recognitionsbmg acquires ny indie the end recordsthe island def jam music group inks joint venture with roadrunnerwarner music to buy roadrunnerwarner music group fully acquires roadrunner records education st. john’s university school of law j.d. fordham university b.a. previous experience bcm entertainment group - president atlantic recording corporation (senior vice president of business & legal affairs) roadrunner records (senior vice president of business & legal affairs) bmg chile (managing director of marketing and business affairs) st. john’s university school of lawj.d.fordham universityb.a. bcm entertainment group – presidentatlantic recording corporation (senior vice president of business & legal affairs)roadrunner records (senior vice president of business & legal affairs)bmg chile (managing director of marketing and business affairs) corporate and business transactions europe international latin america mergers and acquisitions sports, entertainment, and recreation english partner state of new york new york | |
 | Stephen Díaz Gavin Partner International, Litigation, White Collar and Government Investigations Washington, D.C. | Stephen Díaz Gavin Partner EDUCATIONWesleyan University B.A., cum laudeJohns Hopkins University M.A. international relations and economicsThe Catholic University of America, Columbus School of Law J.D.PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE
Washington, D.C. International, Litigation, White Collar and Government Investigations English French Italian Spanish stephen díaz gavin stephen díaz gavin is a partner in rimon’s washington, d.c. office. mr. díaz gavin combines legal acumen and litigation experience with public policy advocacy skills to help a diverse range of clients, both international and domestic, in dealing with legal and policy issues facing them in the united states and overseas.mr. díaz gavin specializes in international litigation and arbitration, including sovereign representation. in addition, for more than 30 years, he has represented companies and individuals in matters before the federal communications commission. over the years, he has also advised foreign governments and foreign government entities on issues involving various aspects of relations with the united states.in addition to work for his international clients, stephen also advises domestic clients in the energy, communications, and technology fields on various legislative issues. he also has led teams on administrative and civil litigation matters, including appellate cases, for clients in varied fields.in the communications sector, mr. díaz gavin has advised clients on fcc regulatory matters, including administrative litigation, license application and enforcement matters, as well as state regulatory proceedings. in addition, he has served on several occasions as an expert witness on fcc practice and procedure.mr. díaz gavin has also advised foreign sovereigns on investigation of spending and wrongdoing by officials.representative matterslead counsel for transportable antenna operators in challenge before the u.s. court of appeals for the d.c. circuit of federal communications commission decision to repurpose c-band satellite spectrum for use by 5-g wireless carriers. pssi global services, l.l.c. v. federal communications commission, 983 f.3d 1 (d.c. cir. 2020).successfully briefed and argued appeal before the u.s. court of appeals for the d.c. circuit on behalf of crow creek sioux and omaha tribe of nebraska , in which the court vacated and remanded the decision of the federal communications commission that had eliminated tens of thousands of proposed wireless antenna sites from review for impact under national historic preservation act and the national environmental policy act. united keetoowah band of cherokee indians v. f.c.c., 933 f.3d 728 (d.c. cir. 2019).settlement of major litigation brought against republic of croatia by leading investment bank regarding debts of socialist federal republic of yugoslavia (2015).co-leader of legal team defending claims brought against the republic of croatia before the international centre for the settlement of investment disputes by mol hungarian oil and gas plc (2013-14).working on behalf of the republic of croatia before appellate chamber of the international criminal tribunal for former yugoslavia (“icty”) in prosecutor v. ante gotovina, case no. it-06-90-a (november 12, 2012), advised the government on the case and was lead counsel for the government before the appellate chamber in the case, which resulted in reversal of the trial chamber and successful outcome for croatia (2011-12).obtained removal of foreign national from office of foreign asset control specially designated national list when ofac failed to remove him 14 months after legal basis for being on list expired. gotovina v. u.s. dep’t of treasury, case 1:14-cv-00016-esh (d.d.c. 2014).represented bloomberg l.p. before the federal communications commission in connection with claims of competitive harms arising out of merger of comcast with nbc universal. comcast corp., general electric co., and nbc universal inc. for consent to assign licenses and transfer control of licenses, 26 fcc rcd 4238 (2011) and subsequent complaint when comcast failed to grant relief. bloomberg l.p. v. comcast cable communications llc, 27 fcc rcd 4891 (mb 2012), clarified, 27 fcc rcd 9488 (mb 2012), aff’d in pertinent part 28 fcc rcd 14346 (2013).coordinated team representing banco dominicano del progreso, s.a. and its shareholders in cases in florida and the dominican republic to recover assets stolen by its former president. banco dominicano del progreso v. pedro castillo (11th judicial circuit in and for miami-dade county), aff’d sub nom. 6-f corporation v. bdp international finance corp., 29 so.3d 352 (2010) (fla. ct. of app. 2010), including successful defense of forum non-conveniens claim.birch broadcasting, inc. v. capitol broadcasting corp., 13 a.3d 224 (n.h. 2010): successfully argued that trial court correctly held that where contract is ambiguous, trial court can consider extrinsic evidence to show parties’ intent.pliva, d.d. v. baxter international, inc., 2004 wl 20391 (n.d. ill.): developed and led strategy on behalf of major central european firm that resulted in 2004 in successful defense against u.s. jurisdiction challenge on grounds of forum non-conveniens by the u.s. defendant.served as de facto lead negotiator for catholic humanitarian organization in negotiations with the government of cubadeveloped and implemented strategy that permitted the settlement of years’ old litigation in central america and the u.s.negotiated on behalf of u.s. telemetry corp. a complicated settlement of litigation involving two u.s. bankruptcy courts, u.s. department of justice, the fcc and private parties.led team that developed and carried out strategy for successful suspension by congress of import tariff on behalf of major utility company holding company operating the largest nuclear power plant in the u.s.damsky v. f.c.c., 199 f.3d 527 (d.c. cir. 2000): successful defense of challenge to agency decision approving settlement of lengthy administrative litigation.developed strategy and led team that successfully lobbied for amendment of communications act that permitted settlement of numerous cases long held up at the fcc.the matters described above are examples of the experience that stephen has gained during and/or prior to his tenure with the firm.membershipschairman, board of trustees, richard dulin foundation for goodwill industries (2019-present; member, 2000-present)law360 telecommunications editorial advisory boardfederal communications bar associationformer member, national advisory committee, republicans abroadformer member of the board of directors, holy family hospital of bethlehem foundation (2007-2013)member, camera dei conti (board of auditors), sovereign military hospitaller order of st. john of jerusalem of rhodes and of malta (order of malta) (2009-2014)former member of the board of directors, san miguel middle school, washington, d.c. (2007-2012)former member (2007-2009), board of directors, project share food network, washington, d.c. awardsformer chairman and member of the board of directors, the catholic youth organization of washington, d.c. (1997-2003)delegate for an international election observer mission for the republic of bulgaria parliamentary election (1997).recognitionrecognition of service award from the catholic youth organization/office of youth ministry, archdiocese of washington, in recognition of two terms as chairman of the board of directors (2003).publications“regulatory ping pong: when congress ignores its legislative role in net neutrality policies shifting leadership at the fcc causes uncertainty”, august 2021, insight, stephen diaz gavin“update on eu election results suggest tougher regulatory climate for us firms doing business in europe,” rimonlaw.com, july 5, 2019“at&t’s multibillion dollar purchase of time warner might fail for not involving fcc”, mondaq, commercial law. (january 23, 2018). author: stephen diaz gavin“first joint consultations will go far in determining effectiveness of privacy shield,” thompson reuters cyberspace lawyer, vol. 22, issue 9 at 4 (oct. 2017). co-author: stephen díaz gavin.“fcc opens radio and television broadcasting to foreign entities”, january 26, 2017, lexology. co-author: stephen diaz gavin“telecommunications survey, new faces, same old problems,” legal times (october 1997). co-author: stephen díaz gavin.“legislative outlook, still working the telecom line,” legal times (february 1997). co-author: stephen díaz gavin.speaking engagements“intelligent transportation issues,” technology committee, annual meeting of the international bridge, tunnel and turnpike association (april 2000). keynote speaker: stephen díaz gavin. publications education wesleyan university b.a., cum laude johns hopkins university m.a. international relations and economics the catholic university of america, columbus school of law j.d. previous experience patton boggs llp (partner) crowell & moring llp (partner) wesleyan universityb.a., cum laudejohns hopkins universitym.a. international relations and economicsthe catholic university of america, columbus school of lawj.d. patton boggs llp (partner)crowell & moring llp (partner) commercial litigation europe international international trade and customs law latin america litigation telecommunications white collar and government investigations english french italian spanish partner district of columbia supreme court of the united states u.s. court of appeals for the district of columbia u.s. court of appeals for the first circuit u.s. court of appeals for the ninth circuit u.s. court of appeals for the second circuit u.s. court of appeals for the third circuit u.s. district court for the district of columbia washington d.c. | |
 | Bernd Geier Partner Regulatory, Compliance & Corporate Governance, FinTech, Cryptocurrencies, and Blockchain, Private Investment Funds, Environmental, Social and Governance Frankfurt | Bernd Geier Partner Frankfurt Regulatory, Compliance & Corporate Governance, FinTech, Cryptocurrencies, and Blockchain, Private Investment Funds, Environmental, Social and Governance English German bernd geier bernd geier is a partner focused on finance, regulatory law, and funds. his practice covers the entire spectrum of regulatory issues (compliance), with a focus on the financial sector, including fintech. he advises clients on financial market regulation, transaction structuring and optimisation, outsourcing law, as well as on new technologies (cryptocurrencies) and sustainability requirements (esg).bernd geier is professor of business law, banking and capital markets law as well as regulation at srh university heidelberg and lecturer in banking supervisory law at the university of speyer. he is a member of the advisory board of the journal “recht der finanzinstrumente”, a member of the jury of the science award of the federal association of alternative investments (bai), and a member of the bai expert committee on fund / market regulation.selected experiencerepresentation of fondsdepot bank on strategic partnership with elinvarrepresentation of dxc technology in relation to the acquisition of axa bank in germanyrepresentation of german savings bank association (dsgv) on the sale of hsh nordbank agrepresentation of paydirekt, the private and cooperative banks, on the setting up and introduction of a new payment service, (“paydirekt”)representation of eurex clearing ag on the development and implementation of its individual clearing model (icm ccd)professional associationsmember of advisory board, journal “recht der finanzinstrumente” verlag recht und wirtschaft, 2021member of jury, science award bundesverband alternative investments (bai), 2020member of the bai expert committee on fund/market regulation, 2019awards & recognitionbest lawyers, banking & finance law, august 2021legal 500, august 2021. recognized as providing “excellent advice, very good industry knowledge and very fast processing times.”speaking engagementswm-webinar: distributed ledger technology (mica, dora, ewpg, pilotregime, crowdfunding-vo) schöne neue dlt welt?, märz 2021wm-webinar: esg – die neue nachhaltigkeit (disclosure-vo, taxonomie-vo, bilanz-rili, mifid, etc.), februar 2021wm-webinar: kapitalmarktrecht aktuell brexit und die folgen, januar 2021bai-webinar, digitales asset management, oktober 2020wm-webinar, distributed ledger technology, oktober 2020wm-webinar, nachhaltigkeitsbezogene offenlegungspflichten, oktober 2020bai-webinar, covid 19: vertragsgestaltung – risiken – auswirkungen, mai 2020wm-webinar: covid 19 – auswirkungen auf die vertragsgestaltung und bilanzielle aspekte, mai 2020bai-webinar, corona-virus, contingency planning: notfallpläne, risk monitoring und kundenschutz, märz 2020vab-seminar, main features and practical implications of marisk, februar 2020wm-seminar, der neue emittentenleitfaden, februar 2020radio regenbogen (baden-württemberg), blockchain und kryptowährungen (interview), februar 2020frankfurt school of finance & management, gastvortrag in vorlesung „restructuring & strategic management control“, oktober 2019wm-seminar, die neuen referenzzinssätze in der praktischen umsetzung, september 2019wm-seminar, die neuen referenzzinssätze, april 2019frankfurt school of finance & management, gastvortrag in vorlesung „business ethics“, märz 2019wm-seminar, haftungsrisiko benchmark-verordnung, november 2018icma/bmf, 9th annual capital markets conference, panelist, oktober 2018frankfurt school of finance & management, gastvortrag in vorlesung „restructuring & strategic management control“, september 2018wm-seminar, bankenaufsichtsrecht, september 2018vab-seminar, compliance im wertpapiergeschäft, juni 2018rdf-seminar, rechtliche und steuerrechtliche aspekte von mifid ii, oktober 2017wm-seminar, mifid ii / mar / emir (zürich), juni 2017wm-seminar, neue entwicklungen in der derivateregulierung, märz 2017vab, foreign banks in germany – new challenges and new chances, oktober 2016wm-seminar, das neue europäische marktmissbrauchsregime, oktober 2016wm-seminar, neue entwicklungen in der derivateregulierung: bilaterale besicherung – regulatorische entwicklungen – collateral management, september 2016academy of european law (era) – the regulation of derivatives in the eu, september 2016isf, german securities finance summit v, september 2016deutsche börse, stocks & standards, marktmissbrauchsverordnung, juni 2016bvi-seminar, compliance tag, juni 2016turkish capital markets association-seminar (istanbul), märz 2016wm-seminar, clearing, handel, sicherheiten, reporting – neue pflichten im derivatehandel, märz 2016vab-seminar, wphg-compliance 2016: das finanzmarktnovellierungsgesetz, dezember 2015dai-seminar, die umsetzung der finanzmarktrichtlinie mifid ii/mifir in deutschland, november 20154th ecn crowdfunding convention (paris), oktober 2015academy of european law (era), mifid ii: latest development for practice, oktober 2015wm-seminar, finmag / finig / fidleg / finfrag mit blick auf europa mifid ii / mifir / emir (zürich), september 2015isf, german securities finance summit iv, september 2015academy of european law (era), summer course on eu regulation and supervision of financial markets, juni 2015wm-seminar, mifid ii / mifir, Überblick auswirkungen auf geschäftsmodelle und marktinfrastruktur, märz 2015wm-seminar, die neue welt der bankenrettung, februar 2015wm-seminar, clearingpflicht, segregation, sicherheiten, januar 2015vab: compliance im wertpapierhandel, dezember 2014bvi: mifid ii – thema marktinfrastruktur, september 2014wm-seminar: mifid-reform: neue regeln für finanzinstrumente, finanzdienstleistungen und marktinfrastruktur, juli 2014institute of law and finance: gastvortrag in ll.m.-vorlesung „derivatives (part 3 – regulatory framework)“, juni 2014wm-seminar: mifid-reform: neue regeln für finanzinstrumente, finanzdienstleistungen und marktinfrastruktur, mai 2014wm-seminar: neue marktinfrastruktur für derivate, märz 2014dai-seminar: herausforderungen für den kapitalmarkt, februar 2014bai-seminar: schnittstelle emir / kagb – auswirkungen auf die fondswirtschaft, dezember 2013wm-seminar: update emir – neue dokumentationsstandards – neue clearingmodelle, november 2013handelsblatt-tagung “banken im umbruch” – expertenrunde: emir – impact of market infrastructure regulation on european banks, september 2013handelsblatt jahrestagung: kapitalanlagestrategien für versicherungen und andere institutionelle investoren, münchen, juni 2013wm-seminar: neue entwicklungen bei der bankenrestrukturierung, juni 2013tsi-seminar: strukturierte finanzierungen und verbriefungen, mai 2013wm-seminar: grundlegende Änderungen der rahmenbedingungen für otc-derivate (emir, mifid ii/mifir, crd iv/crr), märz 2013wm-seminar: neue vorgaben für otc-derivate, november 2012baader investment conference, münchen, september 2012the european compliance conference, lissabon, märz 2012wm-seminar: marktinfrastruktur im wandel, märz 2012books§§ 200 – 204 kagb in: emde/dornseifer/dreibus/hölscher (hrsg.), kagb, 2. auflage 2019 (zusammen mit anh-vu tran u.a.)vor § 104 (grundlagen des kapitalmarktrechts) sowie § 104 (finanzkommissionsgeschäft) in: schimansky/bunte/lwowski (hrsg.), bankrechtshandbuch, band 2, 5. auflage 2017 (zusammen mit oliver seiler)verwahrungsgeschäfte, insb. depotschäft in: derleder/knops/bamberger (hrsg.), deutsches und europäisches bank- und kapitalmarktrecht, band 1, 3. auflage 2017§ 46 kwg in: reischauer/kleinhans (hrsg.), kommentar zum kwg loseblattsammlungder einheitliche aufsichtsmechanismus in: jahn/schmitt/geier (hrsg.), handbuch bankensanierung und -abwicklung (mitherausgeber)Überblick abwicklung unter besonderer berücksichtigung der abwicklung nicht systemrelevanter institute in: jahn/schmitt/geier (hrsg.), handbuch bankensanierung und -abwicklung (mitherausgeber)gestaltungsfreiheit und gestaltungsgrenzen der mitgliedschaftlichen treupflicht des aktionärs peter lang verlag, europäische hochschulschriften, 2007, zugleich dissertationjournal articlesesg: regelwerke im zusammenspiel (zusammen mit katharina hombach), zeitschrift für bank- und kapitalmarktrecht (bkr) 2021, 6 ff.digitalisierung: einführung elektronischer wertpapiere, recht der finanzinstrumente (rdf) 2020, 258 ff.forward-deal in der projektentwicklung – eine investmentrechtliche analyse (zusammen mit boris strauch), recht der finanzinstrumente (rdf) 2020, 92 ff.euro-clearing – welche wirkungen hat der brexit auf das clearing mit ccp im uk?, recht der finanzinstrumente (rdf) 2018, s. 269 ff.finanzanlysen in mifid ii und mar (zusammen mit katharina hombach und harm schütt), recht der finanzinstrumente (rdf) 2017, 108 ff.der schwierige weg der finanzmarktnovellierung, die bank 2015, s. 50 f.product governance (zusammen mit laura druckenbrodt), journal of international banking law and regulation (jiblr) 2015, s. 241 ff.identity crisis (zusammen mit stephan funck), international financial law review (iflr) 2015, juni, s. 38 ff.product governance: mifid ii, priip, kleinanlegerschutzgesetz – quo vadis? (zusammen mit laura druckenbrodt), recht der finanzinstrumente (rdf) 2015, s. 21 ff.bank capital report 2014, german country report (zusammen mit dirk eisel), international financial law review (iflr), sonderheft, s. 14 ff.neues altes instrument für vertragsreuige juristische personen des öffentlichen rechts? eine untersuchung der anwendbarkeit der ultra-vires lehre im lichte der jüngsten swap-geschäfte (zusammen mit christian schmitt), wm 2014, s. 1902 ff.german bank recovery and resolution regime – current framework and expected changes (zusammen mit laura druckenbrodt), journal of international banking law and regulation (jiblr) 2014, s. 705 ff.emir – new regulatory requirements for the use of derivatives in structured finance transactions (zusammen mit stefan henkelmann), journal of international banking law and regulation (jiblr) 2014, s. 191 ff.otc-derivate-regulierung aus sicht der buy- und sell-side (emir und mifid ii/mifir) (zusammen mit daniel mirtschink), corporate finance biz 2013, s. 201 ff.new legal framework in germany for algorithmic and high frequency trading (zusammen mit christian schmitt), journal of international banking law and regulation (jiblr) 2013, s. 244 ff.mifid-reform – der neue anwendungsbereich der mifid ii und mifir (zusammen mit christian schmitt,) wm 2013, s. 915 ff.emir – auswirkungen auf verbriefungstransaktionen (zusammen mit stefan henkelmann), risikomanager 2013, heft 19, s. 11 ff.hfg-e: neue vorgaben für den algorithmischen und den hochfrequenzhandel (zusammen mit christian schmitt), recht der finanzinstrumente (rdf) 2013, s. 13 ff.ablauf der krise eines kreditinstituts unter berücksichtigung des restrukturierungs- und zweiten finanzmarktstabilisierungsgesetzes sowie des entwurfs eines crd iv-umsetzungsgesetzes und der crisis management directive (cmd) – eine analyse und prognose (zusammen mit christian schmitt), zeitschrift für bank- und kapitalmarktrecht (bkr) sonderheft november 2012, s. 1 ff.mifid-reform – Änderungen bei der ausführung von kundenaufträgen (zusammen mit christian schmitt), recht der finanzinstrumente (rdf) 2012, s. 299 ff.Überarbeitung der finanzmarktrichtlinie – auswirkungen auf den vertrieb von finanzinstrumenten, insbesondere bzgl. der beratung (zusammen mit christian schmitt), europäisches wirtschafts- und steuerrecht (ews) 2012, s. 264 ff.der anwendungsbereich des moratoriums nach inkrafttreten des restrukturierungsgesetzes (zusammen mit christian schmitt und janis petrowski), zeitschrift für bank- und kapitalmarktrecht (bkr) 2011, s. 497 ff.neuregelungen der vorgaben für die kapitalanlage von versicherungen, zeitschrift für bankrecht und bankwirtschaft (zbb) 2011, s. 45 ff.das moratorium über die depotbank, zeitschrift für bank- und kapitalmarktrecht (bkr) 2010, s. 144 ff. (zitiert in bgh, urteil vom 12.03.2013, az. xi zr 227/12)die regelungen des depotvertrags im moratorium – vorschläge zur vertragsgestaltung, zeitschrift für bankrecht und bankwirtschaft (zbb) 2010, s. 289 ff. (zitiert in bgh, urteil vom 12.03.2013, az. xi zr 227/12)new german licensing requirements for funds marketed in germany journal of international banking law and regulation (jiblr) 2009, s. 336 ff.die anpassung von gesellschaftsverträgen an sich nachträglich verändernde realstrukturen – ein beitrag zur anwendbarkeit und Überlagerung des schuldrechts durch das gesellschaftsrecht, zeitschrift für das gesamte schuldrecht (zgs) 2008, s. 8 ff.comparison of the electronic securities settlement systems for the secondary securities markets in germany and england journal of international banking law and regulation (jiblr) 2008, s. 97 ff.trades, bona fide acquisitions and priority rules in the electronic securities settlement systems for the secondary securities markets in germany and england, journal of corporate law studies (jcls) 2008, s. 225 ff.konnexität im polizeirecht, bayerische verwaltungsblätter (bayvbl) 2004, s. 389 ff.publicationsnachhaltigkeit: endspurt in etappen, börsenzeitung vom 3. märz 2021aufträge bestmöglich ausführen, €uro vom 17. februar 2021a guide to eu sustainable finance reforms for asset managers (zusammen mit matthew baker und chris ormond), institutional asset manager vom 18. januar 2021eine brückentechnologie als sackgasse?, börsenzeitung vom 17. oktober 2020die ambivalenz der short-seller (zusammen mit thorsten sellhorn), wirtschaftswoche vom 3. oktober 2020lehren aus dem fall wirecard, €uro am sonntag vom 28.8.-3.9.20 (zusammen mit thorsten sellhorn)was die aufgabe der bafin wirklich ist, börsenzeitung vom 1. august 2020pandemiegesetzgebung trifft privatautonomie, börsenzeitung vom 18. april 2020selecting the optimum regulatory regime for blockchain (zusammen mit ben saul und daniel csefalvay), global risk regulator vom 10. februar 2020neue regulierung für finanzanlagenvermittler, börsenzeitung vom 1. februar 2020regulierung für kryptowährungen geht voran, börsenzeitung vom 24. august 2019the right measures – minimising business disruption from bmr, lexology, mai 2019brexit-wirbel in der finanzmarktregulierung (zusammen mit michael magotsch), börsenzeitung vom 9. märz 2019brexit – wie geht es rechtlich weiter? (zusammen mit christoph schärtl), süddeutsche zeitung, rechtsguide 2019, s. 15benchmark-regulierung rückt in den fokus (zusammen mit berthold kusserow), börsenzeitung vom 19. juli 2018brexit and the eu27 – germany and financial passporting (zusammen mit katja michel und jörg karenfort), lexis nexis psl vom 3. november 2016product governance-vorschriften mit spielraum (zusammen mit katja michel), platow brief vom 1. juni 2016die unmögliche umsetzung der marktmissbrauchsverordnung (zusammen mit carsten hahn), börsenzeitung vom 12. april 2016wachsende unsicherheit und steigende kosten interview, rules & regulation vom 22. märz 2016rezension, teuber/schröder, mifid ii/mifir, wm 2016, s. 100rezension, a practitioner’s guide to mifid ii, 2. auflage 2015, journal of international banking law and regulation (jiblr), 2015, vol. 30 (10), s. 578 ff.german draft act: contractual recognition of resolution authorities’ powers and changes to insolvency waterfall (zusammen mit laura druckenbrodt), legal and regulatory risk note, ausgabe mai/juni 2015, s. 33 ff.insurers as investors in cocos: solvency ii (zusammen mit stephan funck), regcap analytics, 6. juni 2015bundesregierung plant erleichterung der bankenabwicklung, börsenzeitung vom 30. mai 2015insurers as investors in cocos: the german investment ordinance (zusammen mit stephan funck), regcap analytics, 13 mai 2015neues bollwerk gegen marktmissbrauch (zusammen mit dorit schroeren), börsenzeitung vom 28. märz 2015noch abschließender erklärungsbedarf beim single supervisory mechanism, börsenzeitung special (verlagsbeilage) vom 27. november 2014brrd, srm, ring-fencing of risks – amendments to the german bank recovery and resolution regime (zusammen mit laura druckenbrodt), legal and regulatory risk note, ausgabe september/oktober 2014, s.16 ff.(schöne) neue welt der bankenrettung, börsenzeitung vom 23. august 2014what are the risks and benefits of cocos? (zusammen mit jens moericke), interview, lexis nexis vom 19. mai 2014die mifid-reform – eine evolution und revolution (zusammen mit frank herring), börsenzeitung vom 10. mai 2014neue vorgaben an die banken-governance (zusammen mit laura druckenbrodt), börsenzeitung vom 8. märz 2014marktzutritt: als ob wolfgang schäuble ein geschenk machen wollte, interview, finews.ch vom 18. november 2013neugestaltung des bankenaufsichtsrechts – crd-iv umsetzungsgesetz vom bundestag beschlossen, handelsblatt, rechtsblog vom 4. juni 2013high frequency trading act enters into force in germany, interview, lexis nexis lnb news vom 23. mai 2013gesetz zum hochfrequenzhandel verabschiedet, handelsblatt, rechtsblog vom 25. märz 2013emir-ausführungsgesetz vom bundestag beschlossen handelsblatt, rechtsblog vom 19. dezember 2012neue instrumente zur bankenrettung werfen ihre schatten voraus interview, börsenzeitung vom 17. november 2012umbruch im otc-derivatemarkt schneller als vermutet, börsenzeitung vom 8. september 2012regulierung des otc-derivatemarktes, handelsblatt rechtsblog vom 30. juli 2012mehr sicherheit und transparenz für derivatemärkte (zusammen mit oliver dreher und patrick scholl), börsenzeitung vom 1. dezember 2010griff über die grenze: verbraucher können in deutschland gegen unternehmen im eu-ausland klagen (zusammen mit henning twelmeier), c’t 16/2003, s. 184 ff.*attorney is a member of separate entity, rimon falkenfort, and not rimon p.c. university of cambridgell.m., lawbpp universityqltt, lawuniversity of colognedr., lawuniversity of bayreuthwritschaftsjurist, business administration bryan cave leighton paisner llp, partner, financial regulation & fundsdentons europe llp (partner) banking and financial services corporate and business transactions environmental, social and governance europe fintech, cryptocurrencies, and blockchain fund formation investment advisers and other asset managers private investment funds regulatory, compliance & corporate governance tax english german partner england and wales germany* frankfurt | |
 | Theodore (Ted) Ghorra Partner Securities and Capital Markets, Regulatory, Compliance & Corporate Governance New York | Theodore (Ted) Ghorra Partner EDUCATIONBrooklyn Law School J.D., Lisle Merit Scholar, 1968 Merit Scholar, Dean's List, Articles Editor of Law ReviewSt. Johns University B.A., Dean's ListPREVIOUS EXPERIENCE
New York Securities and Capital Markets, Regulatory, Compliance & Corporate Governance English theodore ghorra ted represents public companies, private companies, and banks in connection with securities law and general corporate matters. he has closed hundreds of corporate and capital markets transactions, representing issuers across a wide variety of industries, including life sciences, energy and renewables, consumer products, technology, medical device, last-mile service and logistics, cbd health and wellness, and others, and has represented boutique investment banks through bulge brackets as underwriter or placement agent.he has represented nasdaq-, otc-, and cse-listed companies in their public offerings, private placements, contracts and agreements and sec filings, as well as having served as their outside general counsel.in addition to his securities work, ted’s company clients trust him to staff and oversee a broad variety of matters related to intellectual property, licensing, litigation and white-collar, realty, trust and estate, and other issues. his clients know that he will stay involved while always maintaining an efficient, responsive, and cost-conscious approach to any matter entrusted to him.in addition, ted has provided pro bono services representing clients in healthcare, catholic school education, the holocaust project, and the arts.representative matters education brooklyn law school j.d., lisle merit scholar, 1968 merit scholar, dean's list, articles editor of law review st. johns university b.a., dean's list previous experience nixon peabody (partner) brooklyn law schoolj.d., lisle merit scholar, 1968 merit scholar, dean’s list, articles editor of law reviewst. johns universityb.a., dean’s list nixon peabody (partner) corporate and business transactions corporate governance mergers and acquisitions regulatory, compliance & corporate governance securities and capital markets english partner state of new york new york | |
 | Angela Gonzales Partner Real Estate, Latin America San Diego (Bankers Hill) | Angela Gonzales Partner EDUCATIONUniversity of San Diego J.D.University of California, Los Angeles B.A.Universidad Carlos III de Madrid Study AbroadPREVIOUS EXPERIENCE
San Diego (Bankers Hill) Real Estate, Latin America English Spanish angela gonzales angela gonzales represents clients in a full range of corporate transactional and commercial real estate matters, and has significant experience in transactions involving foreign investment, international secured lending, and cross-border corporate structuring and operations.in her real estate practice, ms. gonzales has been involved in all aspects of real estate acquisition, disposition, and leasing. ms. gonzales advocates on behalf of her clients which include developers, investors, high net worth individuals, and family offices with interests in commercial properties, hospitality and tourist developments, as well as private luxury residences. ms. gonzales frequently negotiates commercial office and retail leases on behalf of start-ups and corporate clients. ms. gonzales also has extensive experience representing american clients who are buying, selling and developing real estate in latin america.ms. gonzales has further experience representing nonprofit organizations, assisting them in formation, obtaining tax-exempt status, and ongoing management and operations issues. ms. gonzales previously served as a board member and general counsel to mana de san diego, a non-profit organization dedicated to empowering latinas through education, leadership development, community service and advocacy.representative transactionscounseled the hotel and residential community at el banco, nayarit, mexico. responsible for negotiation of service agreements; counsel to homeowner association.represented private buyer in purchase of over 1,000 hectares in jalisco, mexico for $128 million using mexican trust (fideicomiso).represented paladin realty partners in the formation of a joint venture for the development of residential and commercial real estate in mexico city.represented paladin realty partners in joint venture and eventual sale of an operating hotel, resort and golf-course in mazatlan, sinaloa, mexico.represented paladin realty partners as lender in a series of capital loans totaling over $30 million secured by pledges over ownership interests in various mexican corporate entities.documented the dissolution of joint venture for development of real estate in mexico, with client retaining ownership of residential real estate projects in tijuana and rosarito, mexico.counseled various individuals and family offices in the purchase of luxury real estate in los cabos, puerto vallarta and other resort destinations in mexico.represented family office in the purchase of portfolios of various real estate assets, including multi-family and shopping centers, in a series of 1031 tax deferred exchanges in various states including california, arizona, ohio and utah.counseled individual tic owner of selling interest in various california investment properties.represented sponsor/promoter in private placement and eventual acquisition of multi family properties in texas.represented california charter school operator in purchase and financing of permanent school site.represented various non-resident aliens in structuring holding entities and purchase of us real estate assets. education university of san diego j.d. university of california, los angeles b.a. universidad carlos iii de madrid study abroad previous experience cross border law group, p.c. (partner) university of san diegoj.d.university of california, los angelesb.a.universidad carlos iii de madridstudy abroad cross border law group, p.c. (partner) corporate and business transactions international international transactions latin america mergers and acquisitions real estate english spanish partner state of california san diego (bankers hill) | |
 | Michael Goulborn Partner Litigation, Trusts and Estates, Regulatory, Compliance & Corporate Governance London | Michael Goulborn Partner London Litigation, Trusts and Estates, Regulatory, Compliance & Corporate Governance michael goulborn michael goulborn is a commercial litigator in rimon’s london office. he represents clients in a wide range of commercial, corporate, and trusts disputes, as well as regulatory investigations, and advises on risk-related issues. his litigation experience includes advising on cross-border disputes, including enforcement of foreign judgments, fraud and asset tracing, shareholder actions, funds and financial services disputes, and professional negligence claims.in addition to his litigation practice, mr. goulborn provides wealth management, trust and corporate solutions to private clients, high-net worth individuals, and family offices. he supervises complex trust and company structures in relation to both contentious and non-contentious trust matters and regulatory investigations. he provides regulatory advice to trustees and fiduciaries with a particular emphasis on aml, cft, and investigations.mr. goulborn has experience in large multinational firms as well as boutique law firms in the united kingdom and with leading offshore firms in the channel islands. he has been recognized by citywealth leaders list for his contentious trust and trustee work.selected experiencemr. goulborn’s notable cases include the following:alhamrani v alhamrani, in re internine trusts. case involved breach of trust and was the longest running proceeding in jersey legal history, settling after 101 days in trial.w trust and x trust (2014) jrc 112. case concerned an application to set aside establishment of trust.re the dunlop settlement (2013) jrc 029, which concerned an application by a trustee to settle various claims against trust.re the lochmore trust (2010) jrc 068, which concerned an application to set aside trust for mistake.estate of turquand young (2013) jrc 235, which involved acting for the executor seeking a declaration as to the interpretation of a will relating to a multi-million pound estate.professional associationslaw society of jerseylaw society of england and walesassociation of contentious trust and probate specialistschancery bar association (overseas member) university of cambridge(ba) (ma) law carey olsen (counsel)bois bois (partner)ogier (advocate, litigation)k&l gates (solicitor)reed smith (articles) commercial litigation litigation regulatory, compliance & corporate governance trusts and estates united kingdom partner england and wales london | |
 | Craig Granet Partner Litigation, Real Estate Santa Barbara | Craig Granet Partner EDUCATIONHarvard University (J.D.), cum laudeStanford University (B.A.), Distinction and Departmental Honors.PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE
Santa Barbara Litigation, Real Estate English craig granet professional experiencecraig granet’s practice is focused on complex civil litigation, primarily in the following two areas: real property litigation, including lease disputes, title disputes, easement, view and other property disputes, land use development challenges, mechanic’s lien claims, and eminent domain; and business and commercial litigation, including breach of contract claims, unsecured and secured promissory note disputes, and partnership disputes.prior to joining rimon, for 40 years, he was a partner at the santa barbara law firm of fell, marking, abkin, montgomery, granet & raney, llp. he has previously served as a master of the william l. gordon inn of court, and is active in the santa barbara community, having served on the boards of directors of the santa barbara county bar association and the barristers’ club of santa barbara. mr. granet is currently serving on the board of the santa barbara bucket brigade.awards and recognitionmartindale-hubbell av rated attorneyselected representationsrepresentation of a major oil pipeline company in a criminal proceeding and numerous civil lawsuits arising out of an oil spill.successful representation of a local hospital in defending against a mandate proceeding to stop construction of workforce housing for the hospital’s staff.representation of a major developer in successfully defending against challenges to both the city of santa barbara’s and the california coastal commission’s approval of a major development project, both in the superior court and the court of appeal.representation of two individuals in successfully defending against alter ego claims in a month-long trial, which also resulted in a court of appeal decision establishing that prevailing alter ego defendants are entitled to recover attorneys’ fees based on the contract with the corporation.representation of homeowners at a trial, where they prevailed in defeating a boundary line claim which would have significantly impacted the use and enjoyment of their property. education harvard university (j.d.), cum laude stanford university (b.a.), distinction and departmental honors. previous experience fell, marking, abkin, montgomery, granet & raney (partner) harvard university(j.d.), cum laudestanford university(b.a.), distinction and departmental honors. fell, marking, abkin, montgomery, granet & raney (partner) commercial litigation litigation real estate real estate litigation english partner state of california u.s. district court for the central district of california u.s. district court for the northern district of california santa barbara | |
 | David I. Greenbaum Partner Intellectual Property, Trademark and Copyright Miami, New York | David I. Greenbaum Partner EDUCATIONBenjamin N. Cardozo School of Law J.D.Lehigh University B.S.M.E.PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE
ADMISSIONS
Miami, New York Intellectual Property, Trademark and Copyright david i. greenbaum david is an experienced intellectual property attorney who provides strategic counsel to clients on trademark and design matters across a wide range of industries, including fashion, cosmetics, entertainment, beverage and pharmaceutical. he handles risk evaluation for trademark use and registration, prosecution, policing, enforcement and worldwide portfolio management, as well as disputes before the trademark trial and appeal board and other tribunals. additionally, david resolves intellectual property disputes in federal court and before the international trade commission. he is also a registered patent attorney, assisting clients with the procurement and enforcement of patent rights.david is a trained mechanical engineer, who understands and is interested in, complex scientific concepts—a strong foundation for his patent practice. he’s highly experienced in the area of soft-ip, with a focus on trademarks and designs. he thinks like a lawyer and an engineer and is well-versed in the language of business, all of which helps him to serve his clients exceptionally well.david’s practice is also transactional in nature. he negotiates and drafts various intellectual property agreements, including licenses and co-existence agreements, as well as conducts due diligence on ip portfolios in connection with mergers and acquisitions.representative mattersrepresented an internationally famous automobile brand in its trademark enforcement strategy in the united states.managed an international policing program for a client’s well-known clothing brand, including advice on initiating opposition and cancellation actions.handled extensive trademark clearance and prosecution for the infant care division of a large multinational pharmaceutical company.managed design patent portfolios involving footwear and wristwatches.guided companies in the area of intellectual property in mergers and acquisitions and the purchase of intellectual property portfolios.protected the intellectual property interests of a world-renowned music group through policing and enforcement strategies.drafted and successfully prosecuted numerous utility patent applications in the mechanical and electromechanical arts and wrote legal opinions on the validity and possible infringement of patents in these fields.speaking engagementspanelist, “counseling your entertainment client on protecting its trademarks/brands here and abroad,” 9th annual entertainment & sports law society symposium of the american bar association, miami, april 6, 2018panelist, “trends in the use of technology by law firms,” israel legal tech conference, tel aviv, june 20, 2017panelist, “branding and trademark law issues in 2017,” 8th annual entertainment & sports law society symposium of the american bar association, miami, march 31, 2017moderator and host, “us trademark case law review,” international trademark association sponsored roundtable, miami, january 18, 2017speaker, “intellectual property for the dental industry,” california dental expo, los angeles, january 22, 2016moderator, “multiple reasons for filing a trademark opposition other than to stop registration in the u.s. and around the world,” international trademark association annual meeting, san diego, may 4, 2015speaker, “nontraditional trademarks, designs, and other ip exotics,” dupont/widener university school of law intellectual property continuing legal education seminar, delaware, september 30, 2014speaker, “nontraditional trademarks: scent, shape, sound and more,” scentworld 2014, new york, june 13, 2014publications“the hague agreement in the us” housemarques issue 42, june 2014“the international comparative legal guide to: trade marks 2013” usa chapter, 2013“no registration, no problem” world trademark review, issue 40, december/january 2013“taking a liberal approach” world trademark review, issue 32, august/september 2011“beware the robots – moving away from formulaic registration processes” world trademark review, april/may 2011“assessing a trademark’s strengths and risks of use” license, vol. 9 no. 10, november 2006honors & awardsleading trademark professional, world trademark review (law business research), 2015-2021intellectual property law rising stars, super lawyers (thomson reuters corporation), 2013membershipsamerican intellectual property law association (aipla)marquesinternational trademark association (inta)board of directorspalma vista at ponte verde homeowners association, inc. education benjamin n. cardozo school of law j.d. lehigh university b.s.m.e. previous experience fox rothschild llp (partner) edwards wildman palmer llp (now locke lord llp) (partner) fross zelnick lehrman & zissu pc admissions state of new york state of new jersey state of florida u.s. patent & trademark office u.s. supreme court u.s. district court for the district of new jersey u.s. district court for the southern district of new york u.s. district court for the eastern district of new york u.s. district court for the western district of new york u.s. district court for the southern district of florida benjamin n. cardozo school of lawj.d.lehigh universityb.s.m.e. fox rothschild llp (partner)edwards wildman palmer llp (now locke lord llp) (partner)fross zelnick lehrman & zissu pc intellectual property intellectual property litigation intellectual property transactions and due diligence international patent counseling and prosecution sports, entertainment, and recreation trademark and copyright partner state of florida state of new jersey state of new york supreme court of the united states u.s. district court for the district of new jersey u.s. district court for the eastern district of new york u.s. district court for the southern district of new york u.s. district court for the western district of new york u.s. patent and trademark office (uspto) united states district court for the southern district of florida miami new york | |
 | Gabriel Gregg Partner Litigation Menlo Park, San Francisco | Gabriel Gregg Partner EDUCATIONUniversity of California - Santa Barbara B.A., Dramatic ArtUCLA School of Law J.D., Managing Editor, UCLA Law ReviewPREVIOUS EXPERIENCE
Menlo Park, San Francisco Litigation English gabriel gregg gabriel gregg is a partner in rimon’s litigation group in the silicon valley and san francisco offices. he practices commercial and civil litigation in a variety of areas including intellectual property, securities, unfair competition and class action defense, employment, white-collar matters, insurance litigation and coverage analysis, and general business litigation. he has litigated cases in trial and appellate courts in both the state and federal systems, as well as agency proceedings.gabriel was the 2019 president of the santa clara county bar association and remains very active in the silicon valley bar.gabriel began his professional career with the global law firm latham & watkins where he practiced for nine years in its san francisco and los angeles offices. after graduating from ucla school of law, and before latham & watkins, gabriel clerked for the hon. edward j. schwartz, district judge (and former chief judge) of the united states district court for the southern district of california. gabriel joined rimon in early 2017 after practicing for a decade at other silicon valley boutique litigation law firms.gabriel is very active on boards and committees of professional organizations. besides serving as 2019 elected sccba president, gabriel is on its executive committee and board of trustees and formerly served as treasurer. he has been a member of the sccba fair election practices commission, is past chair of the sccba business law/litigation section, and serves on the executive committee of the sccba high tech section. he regularly presents at mcle/bar events, including most recently “nuts and bolts of business litigation,” “the u.s. patent landscape: an appraisal and practice guide,” and “non-disclosure agreements: basic functions, standard components, alternatives, and potential pitfalls.”representative matterslead counsel for world-famous rock-band in high-profile federal copyright and partnership dispute.lead counsel for executive plaintiff in shareholder derivative, fraud and partition action, including 9-day trial resulting in complete victory and award of significant damages, punitive damages, and partition grant.lead counsel defending leading electronic payment processing company in employment litigation/arbitration.lead counsel representing medical device company in federal trademark, false advertising, and unfair competition actions.lead counsel in high-profile federal court action prosecuting shareholder derivative and direct claims against delaware ad-tech company and its directors.lead counsel in various other actions representing (prosecution and defense) shareholders, officers and/or directors in direct and shareholder derivative claims involving california and delaware corporations.lead counsel in federal court action defending silicon valley start-up in fraud/securities action alleging breach of convertible notes.counsel for various prominent musicians in copyright and trademark disputes.lead counsel defending software/hardware service provider in high-profile federal court copyright/ false advertising action brought by major u.s. oem, including pursuit of antitrust counterclaims.counsel in action against public agency for lease non-payment following dissolution.defended company and individuals in federal court accused of rico violations arising out of employee terminationdefended companies and individuals in federal court accused of securities fraud and rico violations arising out of distressed property investment transactions.defended senior silicon valley executive in trade-secret misappropriation action brought following new employment with competitor.lead counsel defending trial attorney against malicious prosecution action by prevailing on anti-slapp motion, and successfully defended order of dismissal on appeal to sixth district court of appeal and on petition for review to california supreme court: miller v. flemate, 2015 cal.app. unpub. lexis 3718.defended major supermarket chain in complex federal court consumer rights class action.lead counsel on various patent infringement litigation/licensing efforts on behalf of inventors, including prosecution of federal court infringement actions and coordination of related pto post-grant review actions.represented founders of north bay company in dispute with partner, including vacating no-notice tro and engineering buy-out settlement, and successfully litigation follow-up actions alleging rescission of buy-out agreement based on economic duress.prosecuted $16.5 million subrogation action in northern district of california against major liability insurer for failure to defend insured in action involving defective microprocessor chips, prevailing on $9 million of claim on cross-summary judgment.successfully appealed remaining portion of subrogation action to ninth circuit court of appeals winning unanimous reversal of district court and additional $7.5 million award: federal ins. co. v. st. paul fire & marine ins. co., 2010 wl 4025590 (9th cir. (cal.)).represented clients in other successful ninth circuit appeals with no appellate losses to date: 2007 wl 2228632 (9th cir. (cal.)); 2008 wl 686855 (9th cir. (cal.)).represented arthur andersen in civil and government actions arising out of collapse of enron, including deposing key enron executives and board members, managing multi-attorney discovery team, analyzing complex accounting transactions, and developing factual and legal defenses with witnesses and experts.represented deloitte & touche in international professional negligence action.conducted solo trial of $3 million action before workers compensation appeals board arising out of fatal refinery fire, and drafted successful related civil appeal: moylan v. tosco operating co., 2005 wl 2651170 (cal.app. 1 dist.).represented title company in complex title/escrow respa and ucl action in federal and state court, including defeat of class action and successful appeal of summary judgment to ninth circuit: lane v. residential funding corporation et al., 323 f.3d 739 (9th cir., 2003).litigated numerous intellectual property cases involving copyright, trademark, gray-market and cybersquatting issues for companies including 3m, aol, platinum technology and the dga.represented various senior executives in federal white-collar civil and criminal investigations, including insider trading.significant pro bono work includes representing solo minors in asylum applications, drafting treatment standards for minors in ins custody, and drafting successful amicus brief in the inter-american court of human rights abrogating trinidad law on flogging with a cat-o-nine-tails.affiliations2019 president (elected), treasurer (elected), member of executive committee/board of trustees and finance committee, santa clara county bar associationpast member of sccba fair elections commissionexecutive committee member, high tech section, santa clara county bar associationpast chair of business law/litigation section, santa clara county bar associationmember, santa clara county bar associationmember, state bar of california education university of california - santa barbara b.a., dramatic art ucla school of law j.d., managing editor, ucla law review previous experience robinson & wood, inc. newton remmel latham & watkins university of california – santa barbarab.a., dramatic artucla school of lawj.d., managing editor, ucla law review robinson & wood, inc.newton remmellatham & watkins commercial litigation competition and consumer law corporate governance employment law, employee benefits and executive compensation fintech, cryptocurrencies, and blockchain intellectual property intellectual property litigation litigation regulatory, compliance & corporate governance securities and capital markets technology licensing trademark and copyright english partner state of california u.s. court of appeals for the ninth circuit u.s. district court for the central district of california u.s. district court for the eastern district of california u.s. district court for the northern district of california u.s. district court for the southern district of california menlo park san francisco | |
 | Paul Gupta Partner Commercial Litigation, Data Privacy and Cybersecurity, Intellectual Property Litigation, Technology | Paul Gupta Partner Commercial Litigation, Data Privacy and Cybersecurity, Intellectual Property Litigation, Technology paul r. gupta paul gupta has been described by chambers usa as a “strong strategist” and a “great negotiator”, “renowned for his work in the technology arena”, who “litigates cases involving hi-tech electronic, software and internet-related patents” and is “an expert in cybersecurity.”mr. gupta is or has been lead counsel in litigations and arbitrations in california, delaware, florida, illinois, kansas, massachusetts, new jersey, new york, ohio, tennessee, texas and virginia, as well as the court of federal claims. he has also handled appeals in the federal and other circuits. he has also served as an arbitrator in several cases, and is included in the aaa’s roster of arbitrators. he brings decades of experience in handling both affirmative and defensive claims. he has extensive experience with presenting evidence (through witnesses, documents and demonstratives) as well as in cross-examining witnesses and experts. he also has extensive experience with privilege issues, including attorney-client, work product and common interest privileges.his notable matters include litigations, arbitrations and mediations for intellectual property matters, including patent, copyright, trademark and trade secret cases, as well as commercial matters. he represents clients in tech-focused cases involving cybersecurity, lot, computer hardware and software, internet, computer service contracts and outsourcing (including performance criteria, compatibility, sows and indemnities), cloud computing, and smart contracts. he also represents clients in disputes arising from m&a deals and joint ventures, including resolving ip ownership issues and earn-out payments, as well as antitrust issues. his extensive experience with cybersecurity matters includes data breach liability and mitigation, as well as responsibilities and liability of corporate officers and boards. mr. gupta’s clients include industry leaders in computer software and hardware, cybersecurity, ecommerce, it, financial services, telecommunications and medical devices. he also handles the ip, liability and contractual issues for alternative energy and cleantech clients (including electric vehicles, biofuels and solar) and energy management. he also has experience with aviation technology, including drones.mr. gupta regularly lectures at leading programs. he lectures often on ip litigation, including on pli panels with judges. for the last six years he has been the chair of thomson reuters’ annual webinar on “cybersecurity and privacy best practices,” and is planning the seventh annual webinar. he has lectured on “smart cars, smart cities, smart people: hope or hype” at the rsa conference (on a three-person panel with two former generals), and at the commonwealth club in san francisco (one of nation’s best-known forums for thought leaders). his presentations cover technology, national security and ethics issues. he frequently lectures on technology and commercial issues at other leading industry conferences, including the stanford ecommerce best practices conference.further information can be found in his listings in super lawyers and who’s who in the world.speaking engagements1st-7th annual cybersecurity and privacy best practices update, chair (thomson reuters, 2014-2019, 2022).smart cities, smart cars, smart people: hope or hype?, chair (rsa conference; commonwealth club, 2019).16th annual stanford law school e-commerce best practices conference. “smart contracts & third party relationships–best practices and common pitfalls.” (2019)data breach responses: proven strategies for legal and technical teams (cle, 2017).patent litigation 2016 patent remedies: the aftermath of recent federal circuit decisions (pli, 2016).parallel patent office proceedings, including iprs (pli, 2015).electronic discovery: what corporate and outside counsel need to know (pli, 2014).building & investing in green technology companies (pli, 2010).resolving technology and media disputes before trial, co-chair (pli, 2008).publications“cybersecurity: what every board should know and do,”(thomson reuters fintech law report 2018).“supreme court significantly changes rules for aftermarket sales,” patent trademark & copyright journal (bna)/bloomberg law (2017).“united states adopts a more flexible approach to obtaining attorneys’ fees in patent cases: octane fitness llc v. icon health & fitness inc and highmark inc v. allcare health management system inc,” european intellectual property review (2014). harvard law school, j.d.yale university, b.a. reed smith llp (partner)orrick, herrington & sutcliffe (partner)mayer brown (partner and practice leader) commercial litigation data privacy and cybersecurity intellectual property litigation technology partner state of massachusetts state of new york u.s. court of appeals for the federal circuit u.s. court of appeals for the first circuit u.s. court of appeals for the second circuit u.s. district court for the district of massachusetts u.s. district court for the eastern district of new york u.s. district court for the southern district of new york | |
 | Brian Hafter Partner Litigation Menlo Park, San Francisco | Brian Hafter Partner EDUCATIONUniversity of California, Berkeley B.A., Political Science, 1991.American University Washington College of Law, J.D., 1994, cum laudePREVIOUS EXPERIENCE
Menlo Park, San Francisco Litigation English brian hafter mr. hafter has been a commercial litigator in the san francisco bay area for over 25 years. he focuses his practice on complex business litigation matters. his diverse experience includes prosecuting and defending the litigation and arbitration of contract, employment, corporate governance, securities, intellectual property, and real estate disputes.mr. hafter has represented a variety of clients in complex business litigation matters. among these clients are technology companies, corporate executives, entrepreneurs, leading financial institutions and wall street brokerage firms, educational institutions, real estate developers, and other businesses and individuals.representative mattersemployment: successfully defended leading e-commerce company in arbitration of “whistleblower” claims of former employeescontract: obtained multi-million dollar arbitration award in favor of aerospace manufacturer in connection with the sale of a businesscorporate executive: represented founder of company in securities and employment dispute with new investoreducational institutions: successfully defended university in multi-million dollar contractual arbitration relating to the rental of a campus venuesecurities arbitration: represented leading securities brokerage firms and investors in numerous arbitrations of multi-million dollar customer complaintspartnership dispute: defended a joint venture partner in litigation relating to the distribution of video rights to a well-known television seriespatent: successfully defended pipe and sewer restoration company in arbitration of patent false marking claimstrade secrets: represented a national brokerage firm in a seven-week trade secrets trial concerning the alleged misappropriation of wireless technologyreal estate: successfully represented leading technology company in complex lease dispute with the property ownerinternational law: defended $500 million family trust in probate litigation concerning claims of alleged common-law spouse located overseaspublications“claim jumpers,” daily journal, january 24, 2007“big guns – involving senior lawyers in cases from the outset leads to better results and is more cost-efficient,” daily journal extra, may 17, 2004“defendant can utilize motion for an undertaking to enforce award of costs,” daily journal, november 18, 2002speaking engagementspanelist, “whistleblower law: views from the inside,” continuing education of the bar, 2015panelist, “taking and defending depositions,” practising law institute, 2009, 2010 and 2011honors & awardscommunity recognition award recipient, city of san bruno, 2021top-rated business litigation attorney in san francisco, ca, super lawyers (thompson reuters corporation), 2011top 100 settlements in california, topverdict.com, 2016professional membershipsbar association of san franciscovolunteer arbitrator, attorney fee disputes program, bar association of san franciscoyouth soccer coach and refereevolunteer college admissions counselor education university of california, berkeley b.a., political science, 1991. american university washington college of law, j.d., 1994, cum laude previous experience leclairryan (partner) liner grode (partner) steefel, levitt & weiss (partner) university of california, berkeleyb.a., political science, 1991.american universitywashington college of law, j.d., 1994, cum laude leclairryan (partner)liner grode (partner)steefel, levitt & weiss (partner) banking and financial services commercial litigation employment law, employee benefits and executive compensation intellectual property litigation litigation technology english partner state of california u.s. district court for the central district of california u.s. district court for the eastern district of california u.s. district court for the northern district of california u.s. district court for the southern district of california u.s. district court of appeals for the ninth circuit menlo park san francisco | |
 | Dirk Walter Hamann Partner Corporate and Business Transactions, Litigation, Europe Berlin | Dirk Walter Hamann Partner EDUCATIONUniversity of Mainz (Law). Top 2% of graduatesUniversity of Münster Top 3% of graduatesPREVIOUS EXPERIENCE
Berlin Corporate and Business Transactions, Litigation, Europe English dirk walter hamann dr. dirk hamann is one of the most distinctive and experienced lawyers in germany. dr. hamann advises clients across many legal practice areas including corporate, real estate and litigation, making him a “one-stop-shop” for many clients. he represents clients both domestically and internationally in a range of different industries including energy, media and telecommunications, manufacturing, health care, real estate and government/defense. he assists emerging companies in their formation – both in germany and across borders.dr. hamann also advises companies in relation to sustainability, social impact investment and climate change issues. he is a co-shareholder of an esg group of companies, united sustainability group in berlin, where he contributes to the development of sustainable real assets investment funds and to strategies on how accounting laws and regulations will have to be modified to support and benefit those companies who transition into more sustainable operations.prior to rimon, dr. hamann was a partner and head of energy & natural resources at freshfields bruckhaus deringer llp, and at herbert smith freehills llp. education university of mainz (law). top 2% of graduates university of münster top 3% of graduates previous experience herbert smith freehills llp (partner) freshfields bruckhaus deringer llp (partner) university of mainz(law). top 2% of graduatesuniversity of münstertop 3% of graduates herbert smith freehills llp (partner)freshfields bruckhaus deringer llp (partner) professional honors & awards harry westermann award - university of münster, 1992 africa commercial litigation corporate and business transactions corporate governance energy transactions environmental, social and governance europe fintech, cryptocurrencies, and blockchain international international transactions litigation mergers and acquisitions private investment funds real estate technology english partner germany berlin | |
 | John J. Hanley Partner Banking and Financial Services, Leveraged Finance, Litigation Finance, Securities and Capital Markets New York | John J. Hanley Partner EDUCATIONFordham University J.D., Dean's ListCity University of New York-John Jay College of Criminal Justice B.A., Summa Cum LaudePREVIOUS EXPERIENCE
New York Banking and Financial Services, Leveraged Finance, Litigation Finance, Securities and Capital Markets English john j. hanley john j. hanley focuses his practice on litigation finance, first and second lien financings; private placements of debt and equity securities; and the purchase and sale of loans, securities, trade claims, and other illiquid assets. his clients include litigation funders, claimants, business development companies, specialty lenders, investment banks, hedge funds, actively managed clos, special purpose vehicles, and other financial institutions.john structures, negotiates and drafts litigation funding agreements, term and revolving credit facilities, commitment letters, consents, waivers, assignments, “big boy” letters, proceeds letters, and a range of agreements, including guarantee, intercreditor, subscription, purchase and sale, participation and confidentiality agreements.his pro bono work includes working with the civil legal advice and resource office to advise low-income new yorkers on consumer debt issues under the auspices of the new york state courts access to justice program and fordham law school’s feerick center for social justice.from 2012 to 2015, john has been selected to the irish legal 100 by the irish voice.representative matterswells fargo bank, national association in connection with the auction/offer to buy all of the outstanding senior secured loans ($230 million) issued by the great atlantic & pacific tea company, inc. (a&p).cm finance (nasdaq: cmfn) in connection with a second lien loan for a buyout of an oil and gas equipment leasing company.highbridge principal strategies, llc in connection with the $195 million first lien credit facility for touchtunes interactive networks, inc.fortis capital management llc in connection with the purchase of all of the issued and outstanding common stock of parity energy, inc.sandler o’neill + partners, l.p. in connection with the private placement of $100 million of debt securities and $100 million of equity of a broker/dealer and $50 million of equity of a regional bank.represented a hedge fund in connection with the purchase and sale of in excess of $1 billion aggregate notional amount of bankruptcy claims (lehman).represented a top tier bank, based in europe, in connection with the sale of a $175 million portfolio of non-performing brazilian pre-export loans.advised the berkshire bank in connection with volcker rule compliance.represented various hedge funds, trading desks, and special purpose vehicles in connection with par and near par loans, distressed debt, trade claims and related transactions with a market value of in excess of $3 billion.j.p. morgan securities inc. as the underwriter for the initial public offering of seattle genetics, inc.represented the underwriter in connection with the public offering by pepsico inc. of $300 million of debt securities.represented the administrative agent and lead arrangers in connection with a $1.1 billion credit facility for kinder morgan energy partners, l.p.j.p. morgan securities inc. as initial purchaser in connection with the offering of $200 million of senior notes by constellation brands, inc.represented the initial purchasers in connection with the offering of $1.75 billion notes and $1.25 billion of debentures by devon financing corporation, u.l.c.general electric company in connection with a corporate restructuring to create a holding company for canadian assets.deutsche bank securities inc. as initial purchaser in connection with the offering of $250 million of senior notes by vertis, inc.represented the administrative agent and lead arrangers in connection with a $325 million credit facility for express scripts, inc.publications push for disclosure grows as litigation financing becomes more commonplace, quoted, claims journal, september 7, 2021privilege doctrines in litigation funding, rimonlaw.com, august 13, 2021sax v. fast track investments – legal finance regulation, consumer lending interest rate regulation, rimonlaw.com, july 27, 2021“true sales” in litigation funding agreements, rimonlaw.com, february 4, 2021litigation finance waterfalls, rimonlaw.com, december 29, 2020litigation finance 101, rimonlaw.com, december 18, 2020ninth circuit questions whether litigation funding advances made against a portfolio of cases runs afoul of new york usury laws, rimonlaw.com, june 18, 2020claims traders beware: another bankruptcy court determines that disallowance under bankruptcy code section 502(d) follows the claim, rimonlaw.com, april 30, 2020litigation finance – a modest proposal, rimonlaw.com, january 23, 2020limited liability company considerations for conducting business: a top five list, rimonlaw.com, june 4, 2019visa & mastercard interchange fees merchant class action update, rimonlaw.com, april 24, 2019speaking engagementsoct 27, 2013 “covenant lite, convergence and consequences: observations on leveraged loans and high yield bonds”, lsta 17th annual conference education fordham university j.d., dean's list city university of new york-john jay college of criminal justice b.a., summa cum laude previous experience buchanan ingersoll & rooney (shareholder) carter ledyard cahill gordon & reindel fordham universityj.d., dean’s listcity university of new york-john jay college of criminal justiceb.a., summa cum laude buchanan ingersoll & rooney (shareholder)carter ledyardcahill gordon & reindel banking and financial services bankruptcy and creditors’ rights corporate and business transactions corporate governance employment law, employee benefits and executive compensation investment advisers and other asset managers leveraged finance litigation finance mergers and acquisitions regulatory, compliance & corporate governance securities and capital markets technology licensing english partner state of new york supreme court of the united states new york | |
 | Robert Hayden Partner Intellectual Property Menlo Park | Robert Hayden Partner EDUCATIONSanta Clara University J.D.University of Washington M.S. Materials Science and EngineeringUniversity of California, Berkeley B.S. Material Science and EngineeringPREVIOUS EXPERIENCE
Menlo Park Intellectual Property English robert hayden robert hayden is a patent and trademark attorney specializing in medical devices, materials and processes, particularly as they relate to semiconductors, leds, and disk drives, cleantech, robotics, agtech, and consumer devices. he regularly prepares and prosecutes patent applications for established corporations and start-ups, advises on portfolio development, and prepares opinion letters. mr. hayden also advises on, and assists with, trademark procurement. he holds a b.s. and an m.s., both in materials science and engineering, and gained work experience in start-ups in biomaterials and disk drives before earning a law degree from santa clara university. mr. hayden has been a practicing patent attorney since 2000.publicationseffects of surface treatment on the surface chemistry of niti alloy for biomedical applications education santa clara university j.d. university of washington m.s. materials science and engineering university of california, berkeley b.s. material science and engineering previous experience royse law santa clara universityj.d.university of washingtonm.s. materials science and engineeringuniversity of california, berkeleyb.s. material science and engineering royse law intellectual property intellectual property transactions and due diligence patent counseling and prosecution technology telecommunications english partner state of california supreme court of california united states patent and trademark office (uspto) menlo park | |
 | Michael David Hellman Partner Litigation, Trusts and Estates Santa Barbara | Michael David Hellman Partner EDUCATIONUniversity of California, Los Angeles (B.A. in Economics-Business)University of California, Hastings College of the Law J.D.PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE
Santa Barbara Litigation, Trusts and Estates English michael david hellman michael hellman is an accomplished litigator with over 30 years experience. specifically, mr. hellman focuses his practice exclusively on litigation, with an emphasis on disputes concerning trusts and estates. his expertise includes representing trustees and trust beneficiaries in connection with most types of claims including breach of fiduciary duty, breach of contract, financial elder abuse, negligence, conspiracy, rescission or reformation of a settlement agreement, undue influence, fraud, mistake, breach of trust and accounting disputes.in addition, mr. hellman’s practice includes most areas of civil and business litigation, where he represents a variety of individuals and companies in complex disputes.awards and recognitionmartindale-hubbell av rated attorneyreceived multiple commendations from the santa barbara superior court for outstanding pro bono service as a volunteer settlement masterselected experiencerepresentation of a national institutional trustee against claims by a beneficiary for elder abuse and breach of fiduciary duty, with the beneficiary seeking more than $13 million in compensatory damages, plus punitive damages and attorney’s fees. client prevailed at trial and on appeal.representation of an individual trust beneficiary in multiple disputes with other trust beneficiaries and the trustee. settled the dispute with the trustee a few days before trial, with significant financial benefits to the client. the disputes with the other beneficiaries proceeded to trial, with the client prevailing at trial and on appeal. client was awarded her attorney’s fees and costs incurred both at trial and on appeal.representation of petitioner seeking to admit to probate the will of a decedent, over the objections of decedent’s surviving family members. client prevailed at trial and on appeal.representation of three trust beneficiaries against a fourth beneficiary/trustee to enforce rights under a trust. clients prevailed at trial and were awarded attorney’s fees.representation of a national institutional trustee against claims by a beneficiary for breach of fiduciary duty (and thirteen other causes of action) for actions concerning the management of a charitable remainder unitrust. client prevailed at trial and was awarded $500,000 in attorney’s fees.representation of a veterinarian as both a plaintiff and cross-defendant in disputes with his former partners, including issues concerning the enforceability of a covenant not to compete. client prevailed at arbitration on both the complaint and cross-complaint, and was awarded his costs and attorneys’ fees. education university of california, los angeles (b.a. in economics-business) university of california, hastings college of the law j.d. previous experience fell, marking, abkin, montgomery, granet & raney (partner) university of california, los angeles(b.a. in economics-business)university of california, hastings college of the lawj.d. fell, marking, abkin, montgomery, granet & raney (partner) commercial litigation litigation trusts and estates english partner state of california u.s. court of appeals for the ninth circuit u.s. district court for the central district of california santa barbara | |
 | Katie Hyman Partner Litigation, Europe, Data Privacy and Cybersecurity London, Washington, D.C. | Katie Hyman Partner EDUCATIONGeorgetown University Law Center LL.M.BPP Law School GDL, LPCUniversity of Leeds B.A.PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE
ADMISSIONS
London, Washington, D.C. Litigation, Europe, Data Privacy and Cybersecurity English katie hyman katie hyman is widely experienced in international dispute resolution, including multijurisdictional, offshore, and investor-state matters. in addition, she is a data protection, privacy and cybersecurity specialist. she is dual-qualified as an english solicitor and new york attorney and is admitted as a special legal consultant in the district of columbia.katie represents a variety of clients, including in the energy and telecoms industries, in high-value, complex international commercial arbitration proceedings under the major arbitral rules all over the world, as well as in investor-state arbitrations. she is also a member of victoria associates, an elite international arbitration practice group comprised of international arbitration specialists from around the globe, which enhances her practice and ability to serve clients with transnational disputes. katie is a fellow of the chartered institute of arbitrators and is a cedr accredited commercial mediator. she accepts arbitrator and mediator appointments in addition to her practice as counsel.she advises clients in relation to commercial disputes in the english high court and, in conjunction with local counsel, in offshore jurisdictions, including the caribbean and india.katie is a certified information privacy professional (cipp/e and cipp/us) and a certified information privacy manager (cipm). she assists multinational clients, with a particular focus on the needs of start-ups, with the design and development of privacy-sensitive policies for the collection and use of personal data, with an increasing emphasis on the privacy aspects of machine learning, artificial intelligence and ethical data use. she works with her clients to design, develop and implement compliance programs to meet the requirements of the gdpr, ccpa and other privacy legislation and frameworks, and to prepare for the evolution of cybersecurity and privacy laws. education georgetown university law center ll.m. bpp law school gdl, lpc university of leeds b.a. previous experience akin gump strauss hauer & feld llp clifford chance llp admissions england & wales - solicitor state of new york district of columbia - special legal consultant georgetown university law centerll.m.bpp law schoolgdl, lpcuniversity of leedsb.a. akin gump strauss hauer & feld llpclifford chance llp publications potential treaty claims against the united kingdom, whatever the result of the general election recent ect claims - impact for energy investors and governments what implementation of the iran nuclear deal means for non-u.s. companies yawp – embracing diversity and young talents to build the new generation of arbitration practitioners,” young arbitration review, 27 (2017) speaking engagements panelist, ninth annual damages in international arbitration conference, juris conferences, online, 2021 panelist, women in dispute resolution: navigating the new normal, adapting career strategies, and building resilience after covid-19, dla piper, young arbitral women, online, 2020 moderator, the art of advocacy: tips, tricks, and war stories, icdr, arbitral women and equal representation in arbitration, new york, 2019 panelist, diversity in international arbitration: perspectives on today’s changing landscape and careers in international arbitration, cpr adr, new york, 2018 panelist, skills that make a difference: what it takes to be effective counsel in international arbitration, new york, 2016 other activities katie led an international team of lawyers on a research project for the us holocaust museum and memorial. she created teaching materials for judges, lawyers, and police on human trafficking in africa with lawyers without borders. she successfully obtained asylum in the us for an iranian professor on grounds of racial, religious, and political persecution. katie was a clinic teacher at a university of maryland program with akin gump on social security disability benefits law from 2016-17. africa commercial litigation data privacy and cybersecurity europe fintech, cryptocurrencies, and blockchain international international trade and customs law israel latin america litigation litigation finance middle east russia, the baltics, and the cis technology united kingdom english partner london washington d.c. | |
 | Alejandro Ibarra Partner Competition and Consumer Law, Intellectual Property, Latin America Bogota | Alejandro Ibarra Partner Bogota Competition and Consumer Law, Intellectual Property, Latin America English Spanish alejandro ibarra alejandro ibarra focuses on competition law, foreign trade law, consumer protection, data privacy foreign trade zones, customs and intellectual property. he advises domestic and international private clients, as well as government bodies such as the office of the delegated superintendent for energy and fuel gas. pontificia universidad javerianalawyer, competition lawuniversidad del rosarioforeign tradegeorge washington universityll.m. candidate, business and finance law ibarra abogados (partner) competition and consumer law intellectual property latin america english spanish partner colombia bogota | |
 | Gabriel Ibarra Pardo Partner Competition and Consumer Law, Intellectual Property, International Trade and Customs Law, Latin America, Litigation Bogota | Gabriel Ibarra Pardo Partner Bogota Competition and Consumer Law, Intellectual Property, International Trade and Customs Law, Latin America, Litigation English Spanish gabriel ibarra pardo gabriel ibarra pardo has over 30 years of professional experience advising national and multinational companies from various sectors on issues related to competition law, foreign trade, and customs. he has advised organizations such as the inter-american development bank (idb), the cartagena agreement board, and state entities including the ministry of agriculture and the national university of colombia. he is a member of the panel established by the dispute settlement body of the wto in the european union v. russia case concerning anti-dumping measures on certain cold-rolled flat steel products from russia (ds521).mr. ibarra pardo has advised and represented the interests of important companies in investigations carried out by the colombian competition authority (superintendency of industry and commerce – sic) for restrictive practice and in judicial processes of competition in industries including sugar, cement, airport services, retail, concessions, telecommunications, banking, insurance, gas and automotive. he has represented the colombian sugar and palm growing sectors in various litigations relating to the application of the competition law of the can (decision 608). he represents companies in trade agreement negotiations and in disputes and litigation related to the andean community, laia, and the wto. he has represented colombia in the nation’s most important anti-dumping, safeguard, and countervailing duty applications.mr. ibarra pardo is a regular columnist for newspaper, la república, and is an arbitrator of the arbitration and conciliation center of the chamber of commerce of bogota. he chaired the defense of competition board of the vi business forum of the americas during the ftaa (free trade areas of the americas) negotiations and is a former president of the colombian association of competition law. he is also a former member of the commission for the reform of the regime of benefits for collaboration in infringements of free competition, created by the sic to include modifications to the regime of benefits for collaboration (2014-2015) and participated as a non-governmental advisor of colombia before the international competition network (icn) from 2013-2016 and 2018-2019. he was a professor of international economic law and competition and business law at the pontificia universidad javeriana.awards and recognitionthe legal 500 (2012-2020) – international trade and customsthe legal 500 (2012-2020) – competition and antitrustchambers & partners (2016-2022) – international trade/wtochambers & partners (2016-2022) – competition/antitrust – foreign tradeleaders league (2019 – 2020) – competition and distribution – antitrust control and mergersbest lawyers (2019-2020) – litigation – competition – foreign trade university of exeter, englandll.m. (international business legal studies)pontificia universidad javerianalawyer ibarra abogadas (partner) competition and consumer law intellectual property international trade and customs law latin america litigation english spanish partner colombia bogota | |
 | Ryan Jackson Partner Corporate and Business Transactions, Leveraged Finance, Banking and Financial Services New York | Ryan Jackson Partner EDUCATIONCornell Law School J.D.Yale University M.A.Princeton University A.B.PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE
New York Corporate and Business Transactions, Leveraged Finance, Banking and Financial Services English ryan jackson ryan jackson focuses his practice on commercial finance, debt and equity restructurings and general commercial law. mr. jackson advises private funds, investment and commercial banks and other financial institutions in connection with a broad range of debt and equity investments in private companies, including senior secured, first and second lien, unsecured, subordinated, and acquisition financing transactions as well as joint venture and preferred equity transactions. mr. jackson also frequently represents lenders in connection with complex intercreditor negotiations, exercising remedies, and workouts.mr. jackson has deep knowledge and experience advising lenders and franchisee operating companies involved in a wide range of franchise finance transactions. education cornell law school j.d. yale university m.a. princeton university a.b. previous experience chapman and cutler llp cornell law schoolj.d.yale universitym.a.princeton universitya.b. chapman and cutler llp banking and financial services bankruptcy and creditors’ rights corporate and business transactions leveraged finance mergers and acquisitions english partner state of new york new york | |
 | Michael Joyce Partner Corporate and Business Transactions, Energy Transactions, International, Mergers and Acquisitions | Michael Joyce Partner Corporate and Business Transactions, Energy Transactions, International, Mergers and Acquisitions michael joyce michael joyce advises global corporations and institutional investors on their investments, divestitures and projects across a range of business sectors including the oil and gas, lng, mining, power, renewables, petrochemicals, technology and infrastructure sectors. mr. joyce also has extensive experience in the indo pacific region, particularly advising clients from japan, korea and australia on complex cross border acquisitions joint ventures, infrastructure projects, technology projects and licensing, construction contracts, energy transactions, general corporate and commercial transactions, international commodities transactions and finance and restructuring transactions. he has provided those clients with strategic advice on deals in australasia, europe, the middle east, india, central asia and north and south america and maintains extensive corporate and legal contacts throughout the indo-pacific.in addition to being in private practice for over 25 years, mr. joyce served as general counsel for the australian operations of major japanese trading house itochu corporation. sydney law school, university of sydney – bachelor of laws (llb) and master of laws (llm) akin gump strauss hauer & feld llp (partner)norton rose fullbright (partner)itochu australia ltd (general counsel)allens linklaters (lawyer) publications "energy in asean: developments in the wind energy market in vietnam”, ag speaking energy blog, june 2020 “energy in asean: solar energy in vietnam”, ag speaking energy blog, june 2020 “energy in asean: renewable energy in vietnam”, ag speaking energy blog, may 2020 “the emerging hydrogen economy: update”, ag speaking energy blog, april 2020 “the coming decommissioning wave in southeast asia: what to expect and the relevance of experiences in the north sea and u.s. gulf of mexico”, ag speaking energy blog, april 2020 “covid-19 across asia: your essential toolkit in the rapidly-changing commercial and legal risk landscape” akin gump alert, march 2020 “practical guide to asian lng price review: part 2”, akin gump energy alert, march 2020 “practical guide to asian lng price review: part 1”, akin gump energy alert, february 2020. “coronavirus/covid-19 and ‘force majeure’ under long-term asian lng contracts”, akin gump energy alert, february 2020 “the emerging hydrogen economy”, ag speaking energy blog, december 2019 “european commission takes aim at qatar’s lng contracts,” natural gas world, july 9, 2018. “revisiting lng resale restrictions – implications of recent eu decisions”, ag speaking energy blog, july 2018. “understanding of the impact of the macondo incident – an australia perspective”, journal of the japanese institute of international business law vol. 45, no. 4, 2017. “everything you need to know about the australian domestic gas security mechanism—what does this mean for australian lng exporters and corporations importing from them?”, ag speaking energy blog, june 2017. “the japan fair trade commission has said no to lng resale restrictions—what does this mean for japanese and non-japanese lng importers?”, ag speaking energy blog, july 2017. “changes in the foreign investment regime and its effect on investments into the energy and resources sector” ampla yearbook 2016. speaking opportunities “the outlook for global lng - mitigating risk today to capitalize on opportunities in a post-coronavirus world”, ag webinar, 21 may 2020 “energy, construction and pe international webinar”, ag webinar, 5 may 2020 “u.s. energy industry webinar”, ag webinar, 21 april 2020 awards & recognition legal 500 asia-pacific, energy: foreign firms, 2019 and 2020 legal 500 asia-pacific, projects and energy: foreign firms, 2018, 2019 and 2020 chambers global, energy & natural resources: international 2019, 2020 and 2021 chambers asia, singapore, energy & natural resources: international foreign expertise in japan 2019, 2020 and 2021 chambers asia, japan, projects & energy: expertise based abroad 2019, 2020 and 2021 best lawyers, energy law, singapore 2019 and 2020 acritas stars – independently rated lawyer – 2020 corporate and business transactions energy transactions international mergers and acquisitions partner new south wales, australia | |
 | Nicole Kalajian Partner Investment Advisers and Other Asset Managers, Regulatory, Compliance & Corporate Governance, Securities and Capital Markets, Fund Formation Chicago | Nicole Kalajian Partner Chicago Investment Advisers and Other Asset Managers, Regulatory, Compliance & Corporate Governance, Securities and Capital Markets, Fund Formation nicole kalajian nicole kalajian is a chicago-based attorney who focuses her practice on investment management. ms. kalajian represents securities and commodities professionals in a variety of regulatory, compliance and corporate matters. she has extensive experience advising private fund clients, including hedge funds, commodity pools, private equity funds, cryptocurrency funds, venture capital funds, real estate funds, fund of funds and socially responsible investment vehicles.ms. kalajian provides legal, regulatory, and compliance guidance to registered and exempt investment advisers, commodity pool operators (cpos), commodity trading advisors (ctas), proprietary trading firms, robo-advisers, and family offices. she drafts offering documents, compliance manuals, business contracts, investment agreements, and advertising materials. ms. kalajian also provides legal and structuring guidance concerning master-feeder structures, domestic and foreign funds, international offerings, separately managed accounts, and robo-adviser platforms.ms. kalajian also represents institutional investors in analyzing investment opportunities into various types of private fund and other investment vehicles, as well as in negotiating side letters. she further assists investment management clients with industry comment letters and requests for no action relief, as well as with regulatory examinations and investigations.selected experience:representation of international investment adviser with registration of its billion-dollar private equity fund real estate/hospitality investment complex with the u.s. securities and exchange commission (sec), restructuring of management, preparation of compliance materials and preparation of relevant fund offering materials.representation of various international and u.s. investment advisers with sec and u.s. commodity futures trading commission (cftc) registration and preparation of compliance materials to comply with u.s. laws and regulations.representation of various private equity, hedge fund, venture capital, commodity pool, real estate and alternative asset vehicle launches, registrations, regulatory, compliance, and new product initiatives.representation of clients on cryptocurrency regulations and initiatives, including representation of a cryptocurrency association and various cryptocurrency funds.representation of multi-billion dollar family office in various ongoing regulatory and investment considerations, as well as other family office clients.representation of a major organization in connection with a response to an sec request for industry comment.evaluating cpo and cta status of various financial services clients, including the identification of available exemptions, and assist with cftc and national futures association (nfa) registration and compliance.assisting investment management clients with registration and compliance of robo-adivsers platforms.representation of investment firms in relation to due diligence issues connected with acquisitions and sales.representation of institutional investors in analyzing investment opportunities into various types of private fund and other investment vehicles, as well as in negotiating side letters.assisting investment management clients with industry comment letters and requests for no action relief.assisting investment management clients with sec, cftc and nfa examinations and investigations. chicago kent school of lawll.m. in financial services lawchicago kent school of lawj.d.depaul universityb.s., honors finance and honors economics stradley ronon (attorney)henderson & lyman (attorney) environmental, social and governance fintech, cryptocurrencies, and blockchain fund formation investment advisers and other asset managers regulatory, compliance & corporate governance securities and capital markets partner state of illinois chicago | |
 | Marc Kaufman Partner Intellectual Property, FinTech, Cryptocurrencies, and Blockchain Washington, D.C. | Marc Kaufman Partner EDUCATIONCatholic University School of Law J.D.Boston University M.S., Mechanical EngineeringPREVIOUS EXPERIENCE
Washington, D.C. Intellectual Property, FinTech, Cryptocurrencies, and Blockchain English marc kaufman marc kaufman concentrates his practice in the area of patent strategy, in particular, advising clients in protecting, managing and leveraging their intellectual property assets. he has also represented clients in defending against patent assertions in district courts and through post-grant administrative proceedings in the u.s. patent office. mr. kaufman has created structured procedures to secure and enforce intellectual property rights in a market-focused manner. marc’s practice focuses on computer software including the areas of fintech, database technology, content distribution, and computer security. over the last several years, marc has actively monitored and analyzed the emerging patent landscape related to blockchain technology and cryptocurrency. marc is a co-founder of the blockchain ip council and is a member of the impact of technology expert group of the european union intellectual property office’s observatory on infringements of intellectual property rights.enhancing a reputation as a leading voice in the area of intellectual property matters, mr. kaufman has spoken around the world, including at the world trade organization, the united states patent trademark office, and the european union intellectual property office. he has also authored many articles and been quoted in notable publications such as the new york times, the boston globe, forbes, newsweek, and the patent trademark & copyright journal. mr. kaufman has been named to the iam 350 top patent strategists every year since its inception.prior to joining rimon, mr. kaufman was a partner at reed smith. mr. kaufman received his j.d. from the catholic university of america school of law. he received his b.s. from boston university.publicationsa blockchain innovators guide to ip strategy, protecting innovation, and avoiding infringement (chamber of digital commerce) december 2018patent office institutes post-prosecution patent program, co-author(s): gerard m. donovan, 18 july 2016federal circuit’s enfish is an important 101 decision, co-author(s): gerard m. donovan, amardeep (sonny) grewal, 18 may 2016beyond bitcoin: blockchain, co-author(s): ranajoy basu, paul bond, edward j. estrada, anthony j. ford, jacqui hatfield, tyree p. jones, jr., mark s. melodia, j. andrew moss, cynthia o’donoghue, carolyn h. rosenberg, evan thorn, stephen i. winter, 11 may 2016new patent office memo to examiners raises the bar for § 101 rejections, co-author(s): gerard m. donovan, 9 may 2016supreme court: should appeal give deference to lower courts on claim construction? co-author(s): robert r. riddle, 17 october 2014the u.s. patent minefield network interference: a legal guide to the commercial risks and rewards of the social media phenomenon (3rd edition), 22 april 2014effective patent monetization strategy ip monetization 2012: maximize the value of your ip assets, 9 may 2012speaking engagementsspeaker, “blockchain 2.0: 2021 legal & regulatory developments”, pli, october 2021panelist, “global trade and blockchain forum”, world trade organization, december 10, 2019unchain convention- managing the patent threat in blockchain eco-systems, berlin, june 12, 2019london blockchain week- the emerging patent landscape related to blockchain technology, london, february 11, 2019dc blockchain summit- blockchain technology: the emerging patent risk, washington, dc, may 10, 2018questel seminar – is the blockchain still open source? radisson blu portman hotel, london,1 december 2016is the blockchain still open source? the emerging patent landscape surrounding distributed ledger technology, cle / cpd, webinar, 28 june 2016blockchain and digital currency: the emerging patent landscape, webinar, 8 march 2016best practices in patent monetization, “from the nation’s capitol: a big year for changes in patentability”, san francisco, ca, seminar / webinar, 26-27 march 2015calculating & proving patent damages: strategic issues for proving and refuting damages claims, 18-19 september 2014“patent valuation: lessons from recent transactions in the patent monetization marketplace”, twelve & k hotel, washington, d.c., seminarlaw seminars international presents: best practices in patent monetization, university club of san francisco, san francisco, ca, 6-7 march 20142013 ana ad law & public policy conference, four seasons hotel, washington, d.c., 19-20 march 2013ip monetization 2012: maximize the value of your ip assets, “implementing a successful ip monetization program”, pli new york center, new york, ny, 9 may 2012law seminars international presents: best practices in patent monetization, san francisco, ca, cle / cpd, 6 february 2012patent monetization cookbook: a structured approach to monetizing patents, 2012building & enforcing intellectual property value, ip value 2012law seminars international presents: best practices in patent monetization – strategies for getting value from patents in the corporate world, san francisco, ca, 21 february 2011efficient execution of an ip strategy iam magazine, 6 february 2006honors & awardsfintech sector ip lawyer of the year in washington d.c., global law experts, 2019-presentfintech sector ip attorney of the year – washington d.c., corporate intl magazine (jrs corporate limited), 2019iam 250, intellectual asset management’s (law business research), 2010-11iam 300, intellectual asset management’s (law business research), 2012-16client service all-star, bti consulting group, inc., 2016professional affiliationsmr. kaufman currently serves as pro bono counsel of the center for transformative teaching & learning.notable quotes“then came the hedge funds: patent death squad causes a ruckus” bloomberg, 4 june 2015 education catholic university school of law j.d. boston university m.s., mechanical engineering previous experience reed smith (equity partner and co-leader of fintech team) nixon peabody (partner, patents practice group leader) catholic university school of lawj.d.boston universitym.s., mechanical engineering reed smith (equity partner and co-leader of fintech team)nixon peabody (partner, patents practice group leader) china europe fintech, cryptocurrencies, and blockchain intellectual property intellectual property transactions and due diligence patent counseling and prosecution english partner district of columbia u.s. court of appeals for the district of columbia circuit u.s. court of appeals for the federal circuit united states patent and trademark office (uspto) washington d.c. | |
 | Justin Keller Partner Cannabis Law Los Angeles, San Diego (Sorrento Valley) | Justin Keller Partner EDUCATIONLoyola Marymount University J.D.University of California - Santa Barbara B.A.PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE
Los Angeles, San Diego (Sorrento Valley) Cannabis Law English justin keller justin keller is a partner in the rimon’s los angeles office, whose practice primarily focuses on transactional cannabis law. mr. keller helps his cannabis industry clients, who span from farmers to tech start-ups, from industry advocates and legacy operators to publicly-traded cannabis companies, with regulatory compliance, corporate formation, administration, and governance, commercial and supply chain transactions, mergers and acquisitions, investments and fundraising, as well as guidance and counsel on a wide variety of legal and business issues that arise in the nascent cannabis industry.mr. keller received his law degree from loyola law school, los angeles, in 2008, where he was a member of the st. thomas more law honor society. he received his bachelor of arts in political science from the university of california, santa barbara in 2005, where he was a member of the national society of collegiate scholars. mr. keller got his start in the legal profession in the los angeles superior court, clerking for the honorable kathryne anne stoltz. he then joined the transactional music law powerhouse carroll, guido & groffman, llp as a law clerk, a position he held throughout law school. in 2008, mr. keller became of member of the california state bar. shortly thereafter, mr. keller joined the law offices of william hochberg, pc, a boutique transactional entertainment firm as an associate. eventually, justin became of counsel for that firm, a position he held until the firm was dissolved in 2015. in 2011, mr. keller joined kirtland & packard llp as a civil litigation associate, primarily representing plaintiffs in consumer class actions and complex litigation. from 2016 until 2019, mr. keller was a partner at frontera law group, a firm that exclusively handled transactional cannabis matters.mr. keller joined rimon in 2019, and at rimon, mr. keller utilizes his broad experience to advise his clients in strategic and regulatory matters, prepare and draft complex legal documents and agreements and tirelessly negotiate and advocate on his clients’ behalf.speaking engagements & publicationscannabis compliance summit 2017, july 19, 2017, los angeles, canational association of cannabis businesses: legal symposium, january 22, 2018, washington d.c.long beach barrister’s cannabis event: april 26, 2018, long beach, californiaarticle: emerald magazine nov 2018 issue: hemp and cbd– legal or not? 11/2018 education loyola marymount university j.d. university of california - santa barbara b.a. previous experience frontera law group (partner) kirtland & packard llp loyola marymount universityj.d.university of california – santa barbarab.a. frontera law group (partner)kirtland & packard llp cannabis law corporate and business transactions corporate governance mergers and acquisitions regulatory, compliance & corporate governance english partner state of california u.s. district court for the central district of california los angeles san diego (sorrento valley) | |
 | Karineh Khachatourian Partner Intellectual Property Litigation Palo Alto | Karineh Khachatourian Partner EDUCATIONThe George Washington University J.D.New York University B.A., Magna Cum Laude, Phi Beta KappaPREVIOUS EXPERIENCE
Palo Alto Intellectual Property Litigation English karineh khachatourian karineh khachatourian is a first chair ip litigator and strategist. ms. khachatourian previously founded duane morris’ silicon valley office where she served as managing partner and is a past member of the firm’s governing partners board. she currently serves as administrative partner of the palo alto office.ms. khachatourian’s practice focuses on a wide range of technologies including enterprise and consumer products utilizing computer software and hardware, with an emphasis on data security, encryption technology, internet content delivery and load balancing, network communication technologies, consumer electronics and computer peripherals, and video gaming technology. she represents clients in the semiconductor, information technology, social media, video gaming, and enterprise cloud computing spaces. in short, through her experience and vast network, ms. khachatourian solves her clients’ ip problems.ms. khachatourian’s domestic and international litigation and counseling experience includes utility and design patent infringement, licensing and other ip contract disputes such as inventorship and ownership issues; trade secret misappropriation, particularly with competitors and departing employees; and trademark infringement disputes, obtaining and defeating preliminary injunctions in the united states and germany and inter partes review proceedings at the united states patent and trademark office. ms. khachatourian has had recent success invalidating patents as “abstract” and ineligible for patent protection under the supreme court’s landmark decision alice corp. v. cls bank international, 134 s. ct. 2347 (2014). ms. khachatourian routinely represents clients in domestic and international mediation and arbitration proceedings as well as state and federal courts across the country including california, utah, texas, and delaware. ms. khachatourian has also appeared before the federal circuit and the sixth district court of appeal in california. ms. khachatourian is also a rpx panel counsel member.ms. khachatourian is deeply involved with silicon valley networking organizations. she serves on the executive committee and board and is general counsel for watermark, a group for executive women; a partner with leading women in technology as well as with chips, an organization that advances women in ip law; and the co-founder of salonnieres, a social organization for women professionals. ms. khachatourian was recognized as one of silicon valley business journal’s 2013 women of influence, and was selected by the recorder as one of its 2013 women leaders in tech law. ms. khachatourian received the duane morris 2016 cheryl bryson leadership award in recognition of her significant contributions to women in the profession, including issues of the advancement of women lawyers.honors & awardsleadership award, duane morris cheryl bryson (duane morris llp), 2016women leaders in technology law, the recorder (alm media properties, llc), 2013women of influence, silicon valley business journal’s (american city business journals), 2013women who have made their mark award, watermark, 2012speaking engagementsspeaker, “protecting software post-alice,” 20th annual california bar ip institute, november 12, 2015presenter, watermark women who have made their mark ceremony, november 2012“is in-house counsel practice changing for the better?” ip counsel café, april 2012“how to select outside counsel,” ip counsel café, november 2011“trade secrets in a post-bilski world,” 15th annual intellectual property law institute, november 2009“utilizing forensic computer experts to protect trade secrets,” american conference institute’s national forum on employment trade secret litigation, may 27-28, 2009“the end of the billable hour friend or foe,” ip counsel café, april 1-2, 2009“the special challenges of trade secrets in adr,” aba section of dispute resolution spring conference, pacific currents: sound perspectives on adr, april 3-5, 2008“women in ip law milestones, challenges and solutions,” the annual ip counsel forum, march 25-26, 2008“electronic discovery issues & practices,” california minority counsel program (cmcp) new heights for diversity, october 5-6, 2005publicationsquoted in “two former patent trial board judges join covington & burling,” san francisco daily journal, march 31, 2017co-author, “practical implications for california companies under the new federal trade secret law that gives businesses new means to protect their rights,” duane morris alert, may 13, 2016author, “dtsa will close gap in law well known to silicon valley,” los angeles daily journal, april 28, 2016author, “federal trade secrets protection: dtsa will close gap in law well known to silicon valley,” daily journal, april 28, 2016quoted in “duane morris tries different spin on summer externship,” the recorder, july 10, 2015co-author, “california court of appeal ruling provides further guidance for dealing with trade secret claims brought in bad faith,” duane morris alert, may 1, 2015co-author, “california federal court dismisses trade secret and other tort claims,” duane morris alert, april 22, 2015co-author, “high court must clarify trade secrets act supersession,” los angeles daily journal, april 13, 2015 (republished by the san francisco daily journal)quoted in “new silicon valley patent office to be located in san jose,” san jose mercury news, november 19, 2013featured in “q&a with duane morris’ karineh khachatourian,” law360, june 13, 2013 education the george washington university j.d. new york university b.a., magna cum laude, phi beta kappa previous experience duane morris llp (managing partner/silicon valley) k&l gates (partner) the george washington universityj.d.new york universityb.a., magna cum laude, phi beta kappa duane morris llp (managing partner/silicon valley)k&l gates (partner) intellectual property intellectual property litigation litigation english partner state of california state of texas u.s. court of appeals for the federal circuit u.s. district court for the central district of california u.s. district court for the eastern district of california u.s. district court for the northern district of california u.s. district court for the southern district of california palo alto | |
 | James Killmond Partner Fund Formation, Emerging Companies and Venture Capital Menlo Park | James Killmond Partner EDUCATIONColumbia Law School J.D.University of Chicago M.B.A.Dartmouth College A.B.PRIOR IN-HOUSE POSITIONS
PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE
Menlo Park Fund Formation, Emerging Companies and Venture Capital English james killmond james’ practice includes structuring fund sponsor entities, preparing investment fund offering documents, negotiating partnership and side letter agreements with investors, organizing investment transaction vehicles, and documenting investment subscription processes. james regularly advises clients on related investment company act and investment advisers act regulatory matters.in addition to his experience over the past ten years in silicon valley, his background includes serving as vice president and associate general counsel in the legal department of trust company of the west (tcw), an asset management firm based in los angeles. following law school, james was a law clerk to the honorable samuel a. alito, jr., of the u.s. court of appeals for the third circuit.representative matters• growth fund sponsored by a consumer and brand technology accelerator for investments in its companies. capital commitments to-date exceed $10 million, initial closing 2020.• early-stage/seed-stage technology fund. capital commitments to-date exceed $7 million, initial closing 2020.• university alumni-adjacent seed/early-stage fund to invest in startups formed by affiliated alumni. $2.5 million in capital commitments, closed 2020.• seed-stage fund focused on enterprise startups. capital commitments exceed $15 million, closed 2020.• technology opportunity fund. $100 million in capital commitments, closed 2020.• growth-stage venture capital fund. $200 million in capital commitments (at the cap), closed 2019.• growth fund sponsored by a technology accelerator for investments in its companies. capital commitments to-date exceed $50 million, initial closing 2019.• technology buyout fund. capital commitments to-date exceed $40 million, initial closing 2019. education columbia law school j.d. university of chicago m.b.a. dartmouth college a.b. prior in-house positions trust company of the west - associate general counsel previous experience fenwick & west (counsel) wilson sonsini (counsel) cravath, swaine & moore (associate) columbia law schoolj.d.university of chicagom.b.a.dartmouth collegea.b. trust company of the west – associate general counselfenwick & west (counsel)wilson sonsini (counsel)cravath, swaine & moore (associate) banking and financial services corporate and business transactions emerging companies and venture capital fund formation international investment advisers and other asset managers private investment funds real estate securities and capital markets english partner state of california state of new york menlo park | |
 | Susan F. Klein Partner Tax, International Transactions Chicago | Susan F. Klein Partner EDUCATIONHarvard University J.D. cum laudeCornell University B.S.FACULTY POSITIONS
PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE
Chicago Tax, International Transactions French Hebrew susan f. klein susan klein focuses her practice on tax matters relating to private international transactions, including mergers, acquisitions and dispositions of businesses, entity formations, venture capital, financial services taxation, tax controversies, and counseling with respect to complex real estate transactions. she has extensive experience advising individuals and companies with respect to their investments and business operations in canada, western europe, and israel.susan also represents foreign nationals and corporations in connection with u.s. investments, licensing operations, acquisitions, joint venture participations, and estate planning, and individuals and businesses in connection with foreign investments and operations. she represents multinational groups (including foreign financial institutions) in connection with compliance with their obligations under the foreign account tax compliance act (fatca), counsels domestic and international businesses on transfer pricing issues, and participates in structuring of and tax planning with respect to the operations of offshore hedge funds.among her other engagements, susan has advised in regard to a significant number of workouts on behalf of a us$4 bn real estate advisory group in new york, including complex tax planning related to the restructuring of secured debt, has served as tax advisor for the private syndication of university housing, hotels and office buildings across canada, colombia, and chile, and the restructuring of a u.s. group, parented by a canadian corporation and, separately, a multinational group, parented by an eu based company.susan has written and lectured extensively on matters pertaining to taxation and international private transactions. she is a past author of a bi-monthly leading practitioner commentary for tax management international journal. she has presented papers before the american bar association, the canadian tax foundation, the international bar association, the international fiscal association, the new york university tax institute, the american institute of certified public accountants, the george washington university/irs institute on international taxation, and the practicing law institute.in addition to private practice, susan has held full-time faculty positions at emory university school of law and boston university school of law, where she taught taxation and international law.publicationsstrafford publications, cle webinar, co-speaker, “tax issues with foreign investment fund lending,” march 18, 2015leading edge alliance, speaker, “recent developments in international tax: the apple tax saga,” 2013aba u.s. latin america tax planning strategies conference, moderator, government panel, 2012aicpa international business, accounting, auditing and tax conference, speaker, “tax savings through the use of an offshore manufacturing and headquarters company: a case study,” 2010bna tax management international journal, vol. 36, no. 8, 382-384, author, “de-risked distributors: implications of the u.s. and oecd model treaties and commentaries and the oecd report on the attribution of profits to pes,” 2007bna tax management international journal, vol. 36, no. 5, 226-228, author, “new gra regulations – a giant step forward,” 2007bna tax management international journal, vol. 36, no. 4, 177-178, author, “nonresident aliens as eligible s corporation shareholders,” 2007bna tax management international journal, vol. 36, no. 2, 92-94, author, “substantial business activities: old wine in a new vessel?” 2007gwu and irs 20th annual institute on current issues in international taxation, speaker “current issues in the taxation of investment funds,” 2007bna tax management international journal, vol. 35, 631, author, “purging election for section 1297(e) pfics–more than one bite at the apple,” 2006bna tax management international journal, vol. 35, no. 10, 522-523, author, “master-feeder funds: domestic or foreign master?” 2006bna tax management international journal, vol. 35, no. 8, 409-411, author, “notice 2006-46: cross-border distributions and reorganizations of u.s. real property interests,” 2006gwu and irs 15th annual institute on current issues in international taxation, speaker, “attribution of activities and services: implications for trade or business sourcing and allocation of profits,” 200247th tax conference, canadian tax foundation, speaker, “u.s. estates, gift, and generationskipping transfer tax issues for canadians,” 1995awards & recognitiontaxation, leading lawyers (law bulletin media), 2018the international who’s who of corporate tax lawyers, 2012-2014, 2016-17women in tax leaders, euromoney’s international tax review (euromoney institutional investor), 2016-2020professional memberships & activitiesamerican bar foundation, fellowinternational fiscal association, u.s.a. branch, council; former member of executive committee; former vice president-secretaryinternational section of the american bar association, former member; taxation committee, former chairman and vice-chairman; canadian law committee, former chairmannew york state bar association, tax committee, international section, former vice chairmanassociated news, events & publicationssusan klein discusses the implications of tax legislative proposals and administrative developments for global m&a activity with international tax review (february 28, 2017)susan klein discusses the key provisions of the newly issued us model income tax convention with international tax review (march 9, 2016)susan klein discusses tax reform and transactional trends with international tax review (february 27, 2015) education harvard university j.d. cum laude cornell university b.s. faculty positions emory university school of law boston university school of law previous experience winston & strawn (partner) polsinelli (partner) harvard universityj.d. cum laudecornell universityb.s. winston & strawn, partnerpolsinelli, partnerfull time faculty positionsemory universityboston university school of law banking and financial services europe international international tax international transactions israel latin america mergers and acquisitions private investment funds real estate registered investment companies tax technology french hebrew partner state of illinois state of new york chicago | |
 | Jason Klein Partner Cannabis Law Washington, D.C. | Jason Klein Partner EDUCATIONIndiana University J.D. cum laude, M.P.A., B.A.PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE
Washington, D.C. Cannabis Law English jason klein jason klein is a business attorney with a long track record of representing cannabis businesses, both marijuana and hemp, in tightly regulated markets. as one of the first lawyers on the east coast to build a practice dedicated to the cannabis industry, mr. klein has a long track record of successfully navigating his clients through challenging regulatory and business operating environments amid uncertainty in new marketplaces. he has represented all types of cannabis business clients, from small and large, including direct and ancillary marijuana companies, hemp growers and supply chain operators, investors, registered providers, and many others, in a variety of states primarily east of the mississippi river. this involves serving as outside general counsel and advising more than 100 marijuana and hemp businesses, including some of the most recognizable brands in the industry, in every stage of the business life-cycle – from formation through license acquisition, to corporate disputes, transactions and exits. mr. klein’s greatest passion is structuring and negotiating all aspects of buy- and sell-side m&a deals, including maneuvering through complicated and novel regulatory issues in ways that bring buyers and sellers together to complete their most important transactions.mr. klein took on his first cannabis client in 2011, and since 2016 his practice has been exclusively dedicated to this industry. he is a founding board member of the national cannabis bar association and a frequent speaker at local and national events on cannabis business matters. since 2017 he has hosted a monthly webinar series, the cannabusiness key, a thought-leader speaker series which highlights leaders in cannabis to explore a wide range of topics relevant to industry insiders and newcomers alike. recent topics include “smart expansion: how to build a scalable mso” with joe caltabiano formerly of cresco, “how to identify smart money for your cannabis business” with steve ham of altmore capital, and “implementing the 2018 farm bill – a 2020 update” with eric steenstra of vote hemp. he is regularly published, quoted, and profiled in publications such as the baltimore sun, washington lawyer, and the cannabis business executive, among others.mr. klein is admitted in the district of columbia, maryland, and michigan. he graduated from indiana university – bloomington with a bachelor’s degree in physics with a minor in mathematics. he then returned to indiana university – bloomington to earn his juris doctor from the maurer school of law and masters of public administration from the school of public and environmental affairs (spea). he lives in washington, dc with his wife and three children. he especially enjoys traveling, having visited all 50 states and 70+ countries around the world, including many in africa, south america, and europe.speaking engagementspra global featured speaker – entering new global cannabis markets – october 10, 2020dc bar – fireside chat on real estate and the cannabis industry – march 18, 2020 (rescheduled)maryland state bar association – young lawyer section – november 14, 2019insurance roundtable of baltimore 2018 addison f. fowler annual seminar – presenter: an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, october 12, 2018the business of medical cannabis in towson – moderator, “medicinal marijuana”, july 26 2018maryland association of counties conference – maco summer conference, the green rush panel, august 2017cannabis law institute – speaker and moderator: “the eastern tiger: how emerging markets are taking shape east of the mississippi”, july 2017state bar of michigan conference, “marihuana, what every lawyer must know”, michigan, october 2016cannabis business understanding and development summit, “doing good while doing well with your cannabis business”, washington d.c., august 2016capital cannashow, “cannabis business basics 101”, washington d.c. february 2016fall regional cannabis business summit, “developments in the law: maryland and the district of columbia”, new york, ny 2015national cannabis business summit, “east coast opportunities”, denver, co 2012 and 2013publicationsget on the ban wagon local cannabis opt outs (co-authored), the new jersey lawyer, october 2018green line rule 1.2(d) and the ethical considerations in advising cannabis clients in maryland (co-authored), the maryland bar journal, volume l, number 6, november/december 2017 education indiana university j.d. cum laude, m.p.a., b.a. previous experience offit kurman (principal and chair- cannabis law group) indiana universityj.d. cum laude, m.p.a., b.a. offit kurman (principal and chair- cannabis law group) cannabis law corporate and business transactions corporate governance mergers and acquisitions regulatory, compliance & corporate governance english partner district of columbia state of maryland state of michigan washington d.c. | |
 | Debbie A. Klis Partner Securities and Capital Markets, Fund Formation, Regulatory, Compliance & Corporate Governance San Francisco, Washington, D.C. | Debbie A. Klis Partner EDUCATIONGeorgetown University L.LM., TaxationGolden Gate University J.D., Dean's List, Law Review, Vice President of the Public Interest Law FoundationSanta Clara University B.S., Dean's ListPREVIOUS EXPERIENCE
San Francisco, Washington, D.C. Securities and Capital Markets, Fund Formation, Regulatory, Compliance & Corporate Governance English debbie a. klis debbie klis brings substantial investment fund, securities and capital markets experience with a particular emphasis on private equity and advising investment firms and equity sponsors on all aspects of their business including the formation, marketing and management of investment products, the launching of new business lines, and strategic investments and transactions, as well as the related operational, legal and regulatory issues.debbie works with sponsors on spac (special purposes acquisition company) ipos and related transactions in multiple capacities since 2008, including de-spac-ing transactions, exits to spacs, formation of sponsor entities, sponsor entity private offerings and structuring investments into third-party sponsors. debbie’s extensive securities experience includes securities offerings, sec reporting, and nasdaq & nyse listings and compliance. she also has experience with financial products, crowdfunding, domestic and international joint ventures, global equity offerings, where she represents placement agents, issuers, broker-dealers, public and private companies, investment banks, financial institutions, private funds, and investment advisers.debbie’s investment fund experience includes private equity funds, venture capital funds, complex partnership reorganizations, domestic and offshore hedge funds, real estate investment funds, qualified opportunity funds and large master-feeder structures. debbie also represents private funds, investment advisers and other clients in connection with impact investing including establishing esg investment policies. in addition to debbie’s traditional legal work, she represents the african women council, inc., a u.s.-based firm that facilitates investment into the democratic republic of the congo, on a pro bono, basis since 2011. education georgetown university l.lm., taxation golden gate university j.d., dean's list, law review, vice president of the public interest law foundation santa clara university b.s., dean's list previous experience polsinelli (shareholder) ballard spahr llp deloitte tax greenberg traurig, llp georgetown universityl.lm., taxationgolden gate universityj.d., dean’s list, law review, vice president of the public interest law foundationsanta clara universityb.s., dean’s list polsinelli (shareholder)ballard spahr llpdeloitte taxgreenberg traurig, llp publications sec chairman gensler reveals main components of his agenda: 10b5 plans, spacs and deps, rimon im report, sep. 14, 2021 chinese companies listed on us exchanges must disclose potential risk associated with potential government interference according to an sec official, rimon im report, jul. 27, 2021 alert to broker-dealers and hedge funds: sec charges broker-dealer with naked short-selling violations, rimon im report, may 28, 2021 latest news on esg regulations and investing, rimon im report, may 11, 2021 sec statement on accounting for warrants in spac ipos is causing some hands to wring, rimon im report, apr. 15, 2021 irs guidance provides flexibility for disaster-related extension of oz working capital safe harbor, rimon im report, apr. 13, 2021 new york’s legislative solution for libor adopted, rimon im report, apr. 8, 2021 sec announces enforcement task force focused on climate and esg issues, rimon im report, mar. 10, 2021 new ibor fallbacks take effect for derivatives, rimon im report, mar. 1, 2021 bi-partisan legislation introduced to extend oz investment period to 2028, rimon im report, feb. 21, 2021 taxation of carried interests is reignited by recent congressional bill, rimon im report, feb. 17, 2021 irs notice extends several opportunity zone investment deadlines, rimon im report, jan. 20, 2021 2020 in the rear-view mirror: key takeaways applicable to private investment funds and private offerings, rimon im report, jan. 8, 2021 eb-5 regional center program extended through june 30, 2021, rimon im report, dec. 22, 2020 sec charges public company for misleading covid-19 disclosures, rimon im report, dec. 5, 2020 welcome news in financial circles: libor termination extended briefly, rimon im report, dec. 2, 2020 let the fundraising begin: sec harmonizes private offering regime, family wealth report, nov. 13, 2020 emerging esg compliance obligations for private funds, law 360, oct. 19, 2020 libor transition developments: fallback supplement and protocol to be released october 23, 2020, rimon im report, oct. 14, 2020 september 30, 2020’s libor hardwired transition date has arrived, rimon im report, sept 30, 2020 sec expands pool of eligible private offering participants, rimon im report, sept 16, 2020 new esg-related regulatory obligations for private funds, rimonlaw.com, sept. 23, 2020 uscis issues clarifying guidance for redeployment of eb-5 capital, rimonlaw.com, july 30, 2020 increase in sophistication of ransomware attacks on sec registrants, rimon im report, july 21, 2020 arrc releases fallback language for the libor transition, rimon im report, july 2, 2020 welcome news for venture capital, opportunity zone and other private equity funds: federal agencies ease volcker rule restrictions, rimon im report, june 26, 2020 the investor advisory committee urges sec to take global lead in requiring esg disclosures, rimon im report, june 20, 2020 real estate private equity investments: types of structures, lexis nexis, june 15, 2020 irs provides several items of relief benefiting qualified opportunity funds and their investors, rimon insight, june 5, 2020 sec rule proposal governing good faith determinations of fair value, rimon im report, may 16, 2020 cybersecurity considerations in the time of covid-19, co-author, covid-19 blog, march 19, 2020 sec proposes modernizing adviser advertising and cash solicitation rules, author, polsinelli funds digest, february 2020 cftc codifies relief for family offices, commodity pool operators and trading advisors, co-author, polsinelli funds digest, february 2020 eb-5 in 2020: managing the ‘ stun gun’ that just hit the investment program, quoted, bisnow, january 22, 2020 rounds doubles down on eb-5: new bill would reform and prolong program, quoted, rapid city journal, november 11, 2019 let’s keep a good thing going: congress urged to save the eb-5 program, author, new york real estate journal, august 20, 2019 omb completes regulatory review of eb-5 immigrant investor program modernization rules: final reform measures may be published imminently, author, the national law review, july 1, 2019 source of cheap real-estate financing is getting more expensive, quoted, wall street journal, june 4, 2019 get in the zone: a primer o n forming qualified opportunity funds, author, oz magazine, volume 1, issue 1, may 2019 u.s. securities law and due diligence can protect foreign investors, author, eb5 investors magazine, january 8, 2019 eb-5 immigrant petitions are at lowest levels in at least five years, quoted, the real deal, november 1, 2018 advisors offer deep dive into their real-asset investing strategies, quoted, institutional allocator, august 21, 2018 fund formation checklist for a private equity fund, author, lexisnexis, may 5, 2017 real estate financing from the crowd, author, aba probate and property journal, vol. 30, no. 6, real property, trust estate law section of the american bar association, november/december 2017 speaking engagements 2020 virtual uglobal immigration expo, panelist, investing during a pandemic, hong kong, april 16, 2020 opportunity zones: investing in startups, speaker, oc4 venture studio, costa mesa, california, december 11, 2019 visiting the land of oz: how opportunity zone incentives benefit commercial real estate, speaker, crew network annual convention, orlando, fl, september 26, 2019 the land of oz: how family offices can work in opportunity zones, moderator, 2nd annual family office connect, harvard club, new york, ny, may 22, 2019 coasis coalition opportunity zones superconference, dallas, texas, panelist: structures and funding of qualified opportunity zone funds panel, venture investing qualified opportunity fund panel and opportunity zone business panel on formation, positioning and maintaining, april 3-4, 2019 opportunity zone expo, los angeles jw marriott, california, speaker on two panels, january 25, 2019 2018 beijing eb-5 & global programs expo, speaker, may 8, 2018, beijing, china 2018 global asset & investment opportunities forum, panel moderator, the china investor, may 11, 2018, beijing, china 2017: year of the reit, moderator, the china investor's 2017 beijing global private equity opportunities forum; beijing, china, may 19-20, 2017 will the eb-5 regional center program end?, speaker, eb5projects.com; washington, d.c., april 21, 2017 eb-5 financing as an alternative source of capital for housing, speaker, u.s. department of housing and urban development; washington, d.c., february 1, 2017 trends in real estate finance: pace, tifs, and crowdfunding, speaker, 2016 advanced real property institute, maryland state bar; columbia, md, september 27, 2016 speaker, 2016 new york eb-5 & investment immigration convention; new york, ny, july 18, 2016 traditional and new financing opportunities for affordable housing, panelist, best of the west in affordable housing development and financing conference; san francisco, ca, march 18, 2016 awards top 15 corporate attorneys, eb5 investors magazine, 2021 top 15 corporate attorneys, eb5 investors magazine, 2018 top 15 corporate attorneys, eb5 investors magazine, 2016 community service award, beth sholom 68th annual honoree celebration, 2015 maryland's top 100 women, the daily record’s (gannett co., inc.), 2013 affiliations global member, 100 women in finance member, american bar association broker-dealer subcommittee and investment adviser subcommittee member, wind – women in derivatives africa banking and financial services broker dealers china corporate and business transactions corporate governance derivatives emerging companies and venture capital environmental, social and governance fund formation international international transactions investment advisers and other asset managers israel mergers and acquisitions private investment funds regulatory, compliance & corporate governance securities and capital markets tax english partner district of columbia state of california u.s. court of appeals for the ninth circuit u.s. district court for the northern district of california san francisco washington d.c. | |
 | Lukian Kobzeff Partner Cannabis Law Los Angeles | Lukian Kobzeff Partner EDUCATIONPepperdine University School of Law J.D.Linfield College B.S.PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE
Los Angeles Cannabis Law English lukian kobzeff lukian kobzeff is a partner in the rimon’s los angeles office, whose practice primarily focuses on transactional cannabis law. mr. kobzeff concentrates on advising, assisting, and guiding operators, entrepreneurs, and investors in the burgeoning (and highly regulated) cannabis industry. he provides guidance to clients seeking to navigate the rigorous and complex process of acquiring cannabis operational licenses from local cities and counties, in order to complete the arduous state licensing process. he provides regulatory guidance for licensed clients, assisting with packaging and labeling requirements, intellectual property usage and licensing, management companies, track-and-trace requirements, limited access rules, security and recordkeeping requirements, along with insight and explanation of the multiple sets of regulations and guidance issued by the three state governing bureaus.mr. kobzeff also has experience in company and corporate formation, as well as entity structuring within the confines of the cannabis regulations. this experience also extends to asset and stock purchase transactions with respect to cannabis-specific and cannabis ancillary clients looking to expand, diversify, or divest their cannabis portfolio. he has strong working knowledge in drafting and reviewing supply chain agreements, intellectual property licensing agreements, white label agreements, tolling agreements, and management agreements. mr. kobzeff often provides cannabis regulatory guidance to companies (and their m&a and securities attorneys) as the companies seek to engage in mergers and acquisitions, take the company public, or do series financing. he prides himself on crafting nuanced and creative solutions to enable clients to expand and grow within the highly regulated boundaries of the industry.collaborative by nature, mr. kobzeff is passionate about helping clients through early stages of growth in california’s expanding cannabis industry, as well as easing traditional business veterans into the unique and colorful cannabis industry. mr. kobzeff’s clients include legacy operators, vertically integrated mid-size companies, publicly traded companies, small investors, cannabis-specific funds, well-known industry brands, and cannabis-ancillary companies.prior to joining rimon, mr. kobzeff was at one of california’s first boutique cannabis transactional law firms. education pepperdine university school of law j.d. linfield college b.s. previous experience frontera law group (partner) pepperdine law review (managing editor) pepperdine university school of lawj.d.linfield collegeb.s. frontera law group (partner)pepperdine law review (managing editor) cannabis law corporate and business transactions corporate governance mergers and acquisitions regulatory, compliance & corporate governance english partner state of california state of nevada u.s. district court for the district of nevada los angeles | |
 | Roy P. Kozupsky Partner Trusts and Estates Boston, New York | Roy P. Kozupsky Partner EDUCATIONUniversity of the District of Columbia David A. Clarke School of Law J.D.University of Colorado B.A.PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE
Boston, New York Trusts and Estates English roy p. kozupsky roy p. kozupsky is a partner in rimon’s new york city and boston offices. since being admitted to practice in 1985, mr. kozupsky has worked exclusively in the field of private client services and trusts & estates. his expertise encompasses legacy planning/private wealth planning for large american families, their family enterprises and their philanthropic organizations, including:intergenerational wealth transfer planning for families, family philanthropic organizations and initiatives and business ownersorganizational and governance planning for families and family officesextensive philanthropic planning with family private foundationsestate, trust and fiduciary litigation and conflict resolution workin roy’s own words: “over the past decade my practice has gravitated to more multi-disciplinary work and closely focused upon the field of family legacy planning for family enterprises – i.e., those families whose wealth is closely tied to and aligned with their family businesses and philanthropic initiatives. these are legacy families who seek to perpetuate their business enterprise(s), their philanthropic initiatives and missions and most importantly their family values into future generations. this area of my practice includes extensive collaboration with non-lawyer professionals who specialize in family business and charitable planning, and is tailored to comprehensive long-range plans. i am reminded that these families are reaching out to me, not only for my broad multi-disciplinary experience in working with significant families, but also because of my understanding that their most important and cherished asset is their family.”in addition to providing the foregoing services, roy also works closely with the firm’s litigation group members in california and florida in handling fiduciary and trust litigation, as well as other litigation matters impacting his clients.how did roy become a trusted family advisorpublicationsquoted. forbes: how a modern family can cut out conflict and create a legacy. october 12, 2017quoted. wealth management magazine: creating a “safe zone” with family philanthropy. may 31, 2016co-author. wealth management magazine: inside-out succession. rethinking estate planning for family businesses. august 27, 2015educational videoswhat is a legacy familyunderstanding the value of purpose and mission in legacy planningthe added value of multidisciplinary teamswhy legacy families permit me to helpmemberships/affiliationsfamily firm institutenew york state bar association/trusts & estates law sectioninstructor at pepperdine university graziadio school of business and management education university of the district of columbia david a. clarke school of law j.d. university of colorado b.a. previous experience moses & singer, llp. (partner) smith grambell russell (partner) roy. p. kozupsky & associates, llp university of the district of columbia david a. clarke school of lawj.d.university of coloradob.a. moses & singer, llp. (partner)smith grambell russell (partner)roy. p. kozupsky & associates, llp trusts and estates english partner state of new york boston new york | |
 | Greg Krafka Partner Life Sciences, Mergers and Acquisitions, Securities and Capital Markets Houston | Greg Krafka Partner EDUCATIONHarvard Law School J.D., Senior Editor, Harvard Journal of Law and Public PolicyGordon-Conwell Theological Seminary M.A., magna cum laudeUniversity of Nebraska - Lincoln B.S., Chancellor's ScholarPREVIOUS EXPERIENCE
Houston Life Sciences, Mergers and Acquisitions, Securities and Capital Markets English Mandarin greg krafka greg krafka is a corporate and securities attorney who advises companies in mergers and acquisitions, securities offerings, joint ventures, commercial agreements and corporate governance, and he serves as general outside counsel for several of his clients. many of his clients are startup companies or their investors, and he works with startups in their formation, funding, growth and exit. greg has represented clients in a wide range of industries, including technology, energy, manufacturing, pharmaceuticals, education, and real estate, among others. within the energy space, he has particular experience in the midstream oil and gas industry, and his articles covering legal issues in this area have been published in midstream business, law360 and oil & gas investor.greg has considerable experience representing clients in cross-border transactions, investments and other matters. he is proficient in mandarin chinese and previously worked as an associate in the beijing office of new york-based skadden, arps, slate, meagher & flom llp for over four years.greg is a trusted advisor to his clients and is personally committed to their success. in his legal practice as in life, he strives to live by the golden rule, and the highest compliment he receives is when clients refer their friends and colleagues to him for their legal needs.greg earned his j.d. degree from harvard law school, an m.a. degree in theology from gordon-conwell theological seminary, a b.s. degree in economics from the university of nebraska-lincoln, and was previously a fulbright scholar in hong kong. he’s currently working on an m.b.a. degree through the university of nebraska-lincoln’s part-time/online program.representative mattersmergers and acquisitions / joint venturesnyse-listed waste management company – $1.94 billion sale of its waste to energy division to a private equity fundprivate equity fund – sale of shallow water offshore oil wells to another private equity fund for $30 million plus an overriding royalty interest in the wells of up to another $30 millionnyse-listed midstream oil and gas company – exchange of assets valued at more than $50 million for assets and cash of another midstream oil and gas companynyse-listed midstream oil and gas company – purchase of gathering system and other midstream oil and gas assets in the barnett shalenyse-listed midstream pipeline company – sale of a pipeline system in the scoop to an nyse-listed companynasdaq-listed construction and infrastructure company – acquisition of oil and gas pipelines by a newly-created joint venture companypublicly-listed norwegian company – acquisition of a texas-based company providing exploration services to off-shore oil and gas companiesprivately held propane distribution company – acquisition of substantially all of the assets of another company’s propane distribution division for $23 million plus earnoutprivately held u.s. distribution company – sale of substantially all of the assets of a texas-based midstream oil and gas parts distribution companynyse-listed chemical industry company – proposed acquisition of a division of a taipei stock exchange-listed companyprivately held u.s. distribution company – acquisition of substantially all of the assets of a china manufacturing subsidiary of a nasdaq-listed companyfortune global 500 company – $20 million acquisition of an emerging technology companyprivately held technology services company for the legal sector – sale of substantially all assets to an nyse-listed companynyse-listed company – joint venture with a private equity fund to commercialize certain technology of nyse-listed companyprivate equity fund – $7.4 billion acquisition of an 80.1% interest in a u.s. automobile manufacturing company and its related financial services businessowners of cheesecake and specialty dessert manufacturing company –sale of company to a private equity fundprivate equity fund – $185 million acquisition of seven television stations from a television media companyprivately held healthcare product company – strategic partnership with a healthcare product distributor, concerning exclusive distributorship granted with respect to certain products of healthcare product companyprivate equity funds – bids to acquire companies in various industries, including healthcare, insurance and aircraft manufacturingprivate securities mattersstart-up propane distribution company –private capital raise of $14 million, consisting of issuance of partnership common units and convertible promissory noteselling shareholder – $7 million rollover investment into private equity fund affiliate of buyer in a sale of companystart-up technology-focused e&p services provider – $1 million investment by angel investorprivate equity fund – bid to provide over $1 billion of equity funding for a lng export terminalventure capital fund – $62.5 million investment in a pharmaceuticals companyangel investor – convertible note investment in a medical technology companyinsurance industry company – private placement of $15 million in debt securitiesprivate equity fund – $200 million investment in a china-based automobile rental companychina-based internet data center services provider – $30 million investment by a consortium of venture capital investorspublic securities offeringsunderwriters – $371 million follow-on offering of common units of a nyse-listed mlp natural gas pipeline companyunderwriters – $1.5 billion public offering of debentures of a nyse-listed railroad companynyse-listed china-based social networking company – $855 million initial public offering of american depositary shares (adss) and listing on nyse and $110 million concurrent private placementnasdaq-listed china-based internet search company – $1.5 billion public offering of senior notesnyse-listed china-based online video company – public offering of adss used as consideration in a $1.1 billion acquisition and take-private transaction of a nasdaq-listed companynyse-listed china-based internet company – public offering of adss used as consideration in a $600 million acquisition and schedule 13e3 take-private of a nasdaq-listed companychina-based mining company – $239 million rule 144a/regulation s private placement of equity securities, in connection with ipo and listing of securities on hong kong stock exchangevarious initial purchasers, including bank of america merrill lynch, citigroup, standard chartered and ubs – rule 144a / regulation s private placements of equity securities for various china-based companies totaling over $1 billion, in connection with such companies’ ipos and listings of securities on hong kong stock exchangepublicationskey trends in midstream oil and gas deals: parts 1 and 2, law360, 2018due diligence: the importance of checking the key provisions of gas gathering and processing agreements when acquiring midstream assets, midstream business, 2017acquiring midstream assets and gas agreements: part 2, law 360, 2017acquiring misdtream assets and gas agreements: part 1, law 360, 2017midstream acquisitions, midstream business, 2016us fortunes in china, oil and gas investor, 2015how are texas oil gas cos. faring in china?, law 360, 2015cfius report reveals rise of chinese investments in us cos., law360, 2015professional & community involvementstate bar of texasnew york state bar associationstate bar of californiaamerican bar associationtexas bar foundation (fellow)institute for energy law (iel) – advisory board memberinternational law section of houston bar association – treasurer (2016-17), council (2015-16)houston bar association – juvenile consequences partnership committee (2015-17)china committee of american bar associationgreater houston partnership – foreign direct investment subcommittee (2015-20; vice chairman 2016-17)urban enrichment institute – board of directors, governance committee (2018-present)center for houston’s future business/civic leadership forum (class of spring 2017)houston chinese churchawardstexas rising star, super lawyers (thomson reuters corporation), 2016-17houston’s top lawyers, h texas (pencidesign), 2014-16presentation topicsmidstream m&a dead point studytop issues to consider in cross-border m&a education harvard law school j.d., senior editor, harvard journal of law and public policy gordon-conwell theological seminary m.a., magna cum laude university of nebraska - lincoln b.s., chancellor's scholar previous experience winstead pc (shareholder) skadden, arps, slate, meagher & flom llp harvard law schoolj.d., senior editor, harvard journal of law and public policygordon-conwell theological seminarym.a., magna cum laudeuniversity of nebraska – lincolnb.s., chancellor’s scholar winstead pc (shareholder)skadden, arps, slate, meagher & flom llp china corporate and business transactions corporate governance energy transactions life sciences mergers and acquisitions regulatory, compliance & corporate governance securities and capital markets technology english mandarin partner state of new york state of texas houston | |
 | Stephan Krampe Partner Tax, Real Estate Transactions, Mergers and Acquisitions Frankfurt | Stephan Krampe Partner Frankfurt Tax, Real Estate Transactions, Mergers and Acquisitions English German stephan krampe stephan krampe advises institutional investors and family offices on the tax and legal structuring of complex corporate transactions, including the conception and implementation of fund structures, alternative investments, and structured financing. he has a particular focus on the real estate sector.mr. krampe is a certified tax consultant (steuerberater), has an ll.m. in international tax law from new york university, and has been included in the 2021 and 2022 editions of the best lawyers in germany list of handelsblatt for his expertise in tax law.selected experiencerepresentation of real estate investment manager aew on a closed-end investment partnership on the acquisition of an innovative office property complex in new eastside, munich.representation of manufacturer terex corporation on the sale of its mobile crane business, demag mobile cranes.representation of mount street mortgage servicing limited on its acquisition of eaa portfolio advisers gmbh (now called mount street portfolio advisers).representation of the german asset manager colcap, on the acquisition of a capri by fraser hotel.representation of bank11 in regards to several securitizations of car loans with a total issue volume of 1.7 billion.representation of an institutional investor in regards to the conclusion of a mezzanine financing for the high-rise icon t1 in frankfurt’s city center.representation of an institutional investor on a joint venture to acquire a portfolio of more than 30 logistics properties in several countries.representation of london-based aegila capital management on its joint venture to acquire the rellinghaus in essen for more than eur 140 million from union investment.representation of dubai-based real estate developer select investment limited in relation to the forward sale of a hotel project in frankfurt.awards & recognitionbest lawyers in germany, 2021-2022legal500, germany, 2019-2020mr. krampe was described by legal500 as an attorney who “works very quickly and thoroughly while also understanding business relationships very well,” (germany, 2019 legal 500).publicationsbundesverfassungsgericht kippt grundsteuer [federal constitutional court overturns property tax], der steuerberater, 5/2018Überschusserzielungsabsicht bei der kapitalanlage unter der abgeltungsteuer [on certain aspects of the flat tax regime] (together with martin haisch), dstr 2011, 2178kapitalertragsteuer bei verbriefungstransaktionen im lichte des bfh-urteils v. 22. juni 2010 – i r 78/09 [on withholding tax on securitizations in light of federal tax court ruling], (together with florian lechner), fr 2011, 607einzelfragen zur abgeltungsteuer – teil i [certain aspects of the flat tax regime], (together with martin haisch), fr 2010, 311steuerliche aspekte der verbriefung von körperschaftssteuerguthaben [on tax aspects of securitization of corporate tax credits], (together with marcus helios), corporate finance, 2/2010*attorney is a member of separate entity, rimon falkenfort, and not rimon p.c. new york universityll.m. international taxation bryan cave leighton paisner llp (partner) corporate and business transactions mergers and acquisitions real estate transactions tax english german partner germany* frankfurt | |
 | Patrick Kuehl, Jr Partner Intellectual Property Kansas City | Patrick Kuehl, Jr Partner EDUCATIONUniversity of Notre Dame Law School J.D.University of Iowa B.S. Chemical EngineeringPREVIOUS EXPERIENCE
Kansas City Intellectual Property English patrick kuehl, jr patrick kuehl, a registered patent attorney and litigator, advises clients when they are accused of infringement or when theft or misuses of intellectual property threaten their enterprise’s hard-earned advantages. corporations and individuals trust his advice in the prosecution and defense of trademark, copyright, patent and trade secret matters. he represents clients in inter partes reviews before the patent trial and appeal board, and in trademark cancellation and opposition proceedings before the u.s. patent and trademark office.patrick counsels companies in the areas of internet domain name disputes and software litigation. in his business litigation practice, he represents clients in state and federal courts in the areas of breach of contract, false advertising, unfair competition, business disparagement, defamation, right of publicity and fraud.representative mattersdefended multiple patent cases for one of the world’s leading antivirus companieswon decision by a federal jury for layne christensen company in protection of patent for chemical technology that removes arsenic from watersuccessfully defended advertising company vertis inc. in right of publicity lawsuit filed by michael jordan, who sought more than $10 million in damages over a vertis-produced advertising tribute to jordanwon multi-million arbitration for wireco world group inc. from san francisco-based computer company for breach of contract and professional negligence in the installation of a specialized software systemrepresented national baking company hostess brands inc. in trademark cancellation actions before the u.s. patent and trademark officerepresented huhtamaki inc. in trade secret case over production of chinet® paper plateswon a jury decision for company owned by former navy seal team six members in trade secret dispute involving the design and production of tactical airboatssuccessfully handled numerous domain name disputes under the uniform domain name dispute resolution policysuccessfully defended one of the world’s largest manufacturers of agricultural and construction equipment from patent infringement claimsdefended california company in patent case involving global positioning system (gps) device for use in the planting and harvesting of agricultural cropsprosecuted patent infringement case for herzog railroad services inc. involving ballast distribution in rail carsrepresented diamantina christensen trading, boyles bros diamantina and christensen chile in patent infringement case related to core drill bits. obtained dismissal for all three defendantsawardsintellectual property, missouri & kansas super lawyers (thomson reuters corporation), 2009, 2013, 2015-2018up and coming lawyer, missouri lawyers weekly (missouri lawyers media), 2008 education university of notre dame law school j.d. university of iowa b.s. chemical engineering previous experience husch blackwell (partner) university of notre dame law schoolj.d.university of iowab.s. chemical engineering husch blackwell (partner) commercial litigation intellectual property intellectual property litigation litigation patent counseling and prosecution technology trademark and copyright english partner state of kansas state of missouri u.s. court of appeals for the eighth circuit u.s. court of appeals for the federal circuit u.s. district court for the central district of illinois u.s. district court for the district of kansas u.s. district court for the district of nebraska u.s. district court for the eastern district of wisconsin u.s. district court for the western district of missouri united states patent and trademark office (uspto) united states tax court kansas city | |
 | Dmitry Kunitsa Partner Real Estate, Russia, the Baltics, and the CIS Moscow, New York | Dmitry Kunitsa Partner EDUCATIONUniversity of Alabama M.C.L.Kazan State University J.D.PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE
Moscow, New York Real Estate, Russia, the Baltics, and the CIS English Russian dmitry kunitsa dmitry kunitsa has almost 30 years of experience advising clients on doing business in russia and other countries of eastern europe. mr. kunitsa’s practice is focused on assisting foreign legal entities and individuals with their investments in this region and helping russian companies and nationals to do business in other countries, including in europe, the united states, the middle east and in south east asia. mr. kunitsa has a broad network across russia to call on to provide local counsel, to the extent it is needed.on inbound investments, mr. kunitsa specializes in real estate, mergers & acquisitions, corporate, civil law matters and compliance. his flagship projects include the acquisition and reconstruction of landmark properties in moscow and st. petersburg, greenfield and brownfield development of industrial facilities in russian regions, servicing the coverage of olympic games and soccer world cup, acquisitions and dispositions of large retail chains, and pioneer franchise arrangements. on the outbound front, mr. kunitsa focuses on assisting his private clients with structuring their investments in assets and ongoing businesses and forming joint ventures and partnerships, particularly in relation to real estate, gaming and entertainment, blockchain and cryptocurrency-based projects. notably, mr. kunitsa has successfully argued cases decided by constitutional court of russia and supreme court of russia and advised a number of nhl teams on signing contracts with russian hockey players. education university of alabama m.c.l. kazan state university j.d. previous experience morgan lewis (partner) dewey & leboeuf (partner) squire sanders (partner) university of alabamam.c.l.kazan state universityj.d. morgan lewis (partner)dewey & leboeuf (partner)squire sanders (partner) [vc_row][vc_column][vc_tta_accordion active_section="" collapsible_all="true" title="other notable representations"][vc_tta_section title="other notable representations" tab_id="1623029664187-c04f84ca-a5ab"][vc_column_text] representation of a client in obtaining a favorable ruling of the constitutional court of russia on highly controversial matter of use of own properties by religious organizations that are not zoned for religious activities for holding worship services and other religious activities. advising a large international religious organization on numerous acquisitions, dispositions, development and construction projects in russia, on zoning rules and regulations, and on its relations with governmental agencies. representing professional poker player on various aspects of privately held matches in the us and eu. advising nhl teams on russian labor law aspects related to signing of players. [/vc_column_text][/vc_tta_section][/vc_tta_accordion][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text] publications co-author, challenging the land use and development rules: legal grounds and court practice, 1/30/2018 author, russian court terminates lease agreement using “adhesion” doctrine, 2/19/2015 author, amendments to russian urban development code: clarifications on tort liability, 5/1/2013 author, amendments to russian civil code related to immovable property, 1/31/2013 [/vc_column_text][vc_separator color="custom" accent_color="#cccccc" css=".vc_custom_1623029580635{margin-top: 2em !important;}"][vc_column_text] awards and recognition best lawyers in russia, best lawyers (bl rankings llc), 2020 europe's leading lawyers for business, chambers & partners, 2017 which lawyers?, plc (ford sinclair limited), 2009 europe, middle east & africa, the legal 500 (legalease ltd), 2017 [/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row] europe international mergers and acquisitions real estate russia, the baltics, and the cis sports, entertainment, and recreation english russian partner russia state of new york moscow new york | |
 | Suzanne L’Hernault Partner Leveraged Finance, Banking and Financial Services New Jersey (Bedminster), New York | Suzanne L’Hernault Partner EDUCATIONFordham University J.D.S.U.N.Y at Stony Brook B.A.PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE
New Jersey (Bedminster), New York Leveraged Finance, Banking and Financial Services English suzanne l’hernault suzanne l’hernault represents lenders and borrowers in a wide range of secured and unsecured financing transactions. focusing her practice in leveraged buyout financing, asset-based lending, working capital financing, project funding, and workouts, suzanne has extensive experience drafting and negotiating credit agreements, letters of credit, inter-creditor agreements, subordination agreements, and security documents.suzanne also has extensive experience in dealing with liquidity facilities, working capital lines of credit, term loans, and debt restructuring agreements. suzanne also advises administrative agents in syndicated credit facilities.representative mattersrepresented a major money-center bank in an $800 million unsecured credit facility to a national accounting firm consisting of a $500 million five-year revolving credit, swing line and letter of credit facility and a $300 million, five year term loan facility.represented a new york bank in a $225 million senior unsecured credit facility to a major manufacturer and distributor of irrigation equipment and power transmission towers, comprised of (i) a senior unsecured revolving credit facility in an amount up to $150 million, with a $10 million sublimit for swing line loans, a $50 million sublimit for standby and trade letters of credit and a $50 million sublimit for loans in euros and (ii) a $75 million senior unsecured five-year term loan facility.represented a european bank in providing $180 million in senior secured working capital financing to an aluminum manufacturer and refiner. representation included several restructurings of this facility in response to adverse conditions in the aluminum industry and problems particular to this borrower.represented a major national bank in a $178.5 million senior unsecured credit facility comprised of (i) a $59.58 million three-year revolving credit facility with a $15 million sublimit for trade letters of credit, a $6.5 million sublimit for standby letters of credit, and a $7 million sublimit for swing line loans and (ii) a $118.9 million 364-day revolving credit facility.represented a new york bank in a $120 million senior secured credit facility to a major manufacturer and distributor of costumes, comprised of (i) a $105 million senior secured revolving credit facility with a $20 million sublimit for trade letters of credit, a $2.5 million sublimit for standby letters of credit, and a $7 million sublimit for swing line loans and (ii) a $15 million senior secured four-year term loan facility.represented a new york bank as letter of credit issuer and lender, in a $110 million secured revolving credit, term loan, letter of credit and bankers’ acceptance facility comprised of a (i) $60 million term a facility, (ii) $30 million term b facility and (iii) a $20 million revolving credit facility with a $10 million sublimit for standby and trade letters of credit.represented a public company in the negotiation of a secured credit facility providing for a term loan of $110 million and a revolving credit commitment of $30 million, with a letter of credit sublimit of $8 million for working capital and general corporate purposes.represented two european banks in issuing standby letters of credit in an aggregate stated amount of $50 million to support the obligations of the account party under a settlement implementation agreement.represented a national bank in a $22.2 million secured working capital, equipment financing and acquisition facility comprised of (i) a $16 million revolving credit facility with a $1 million sublimit for standby letters of credit, (ii) $1.2 million convertible revolving credit facility and (iii) $5 million term loan.represented a venture capital acquisition vehicle in the negotiation of a senior secured credit facility providing for a $17 million term loan and an $8 million revolving credit facility and a subordinated credit facility providing for the issuance of $8 million in senior subordinated notes, the proceeds of which financings were used to finance the acquisition of an equipment manufacturer.represented a new york bank in its credit relationship with two families of private equity funds, including multiple contemporaneous credit facilities, letters of credit in support of unit investment trusts and uncommitted lines of credit.represented a uk bank in complex bankruptcy proceedings in separate states of a parent and former subsidiary involving the bankrupt parent’s conversion to equity of the bank’s security at the bankrupt subsidiary level. worked with the bank in developing a litigation strategy and supervision and assistance of litigation counsel in obtaining the rescission of the conversion at the parent level resulting in restoration of the bank’s secured position and giving it the leverage to compel the subsidiary to settle with the bank. prepared and negotiated a settlement agreement, negotiated with the unsecured creditors to attempt to gain their acceptance, persuaded the subsidiary to push through the settlement over the objection of the unsecured creditors and ultimately recovered for the bank payment in full of its secured claim and partial payment of an unsecured claim which would otherwise have proven worthless.represented a european bank, as agent, lender and letter of credit issuer, in the secured financing of a project to construct and operate a plant for the manufacture of wallboard products. the facility included a term loan, a standby loan, a construction loan and a standby letter of credit facility. drafted and negotiated all financing and security documents, assisting the bank in determining an appropriate capital structure and review of equipment purchase contracts, construction contracts and employment agreements. after the manufacturer went into bankruptcy due to a decline in the construction industry, also advised the agent in bankruptcy, assisted in developing a strategy to locate potential purchasers for the assets, negotiating the terms for sale of the assets (comprising real estate, equipment, inventory and intellectual property) to a fortune 500 corporation, preparing and negotiating the asset and equipment sale agreements and all related contract assignments and bills of sale and closing the transaction.represented a european bank in the purchase by its new york branch of the entire u.s. loan portfolio of another european bank. the portfolio consisted of syndicated loans, single-bank loans and participations.memberships/affiliationsmember, american bar association education fordham university j.d. s.u.n.y at stony brook b.a. previous experience greenberg traurig llp (partner) gibbons pc lowenstein sandler (senior counsel) fordham universityj.d.s.u.n.y at stony brookb.a. greenberg traurig llp (partner)gibbons pclowenstein sandler (senior counsel) banking and financial services bankruptcy and creditors’ rights leveraged finance english partner state of new jersey state of new york new jersey (bedminster) new york | |
 | Emma R. Larson Partner Equipment Leasing and Finance, Banking and Financial Services Seattle | Emma R. Larson Partner EDUCATIONUniversity of Miami J.D. School of Law, magna cum laudeLund University, Sweden M.S. Environmental Management and PolicySwarthmore College B.A. Political SciencePREVIOUS EXPERIENCE
Seattle Equipment Leasing and Finance, Banking and Financial Services English Swedish emma r. larson professional experienceemma larson’s practice focuses on secured financings and other corporate and structured finance transactions from the seattle office of rimon.ms. larson represents a broad range of clients seeking to close complex, cross-border transactions.she is well-versed in the challenges presented by large-scale aviation, satellite and equipment deals and brings extensive transaction experience to export credit agencies, financial institutions, aircraft and helicopter leasing companies, airlines, investors and major corporations both in the united states and around the world.her practice includes leveraged finance and operating leases, portfolio acquisitions and finance transactions, corporate support for restructuring and bankruptcy matters, asset-backed securities transactions, syndicated loans, private placements and securitizations. in addition, she supports major international corporations in general corporate work with a cross-border context.representative transactionsrepresentation of wings capital partners on the 2016 acquisition and finance of nine commercial jet aircraft subject to operating leases and registered in several different jurisdictions and on their initial $200 million secured loan facility with wells fargo bank, na to fund the acquisition of a portfolio of mid-life narrow body aircraft.the huntington national bank, as administrative agent, in connection with a $1 billion revolving loan facility secured by helicopters and related leases in multiple jurisdictions and certain other assets for the milestone aviation group limited, financed by a syndicate of 16 lenders;deutsche bank ag, london branch, as agent, in connection with a series of debt facilities for the milestone aviation group limited totaling $400 million, including a multiple drawing term loan facility secured by helicopters and related leases and certain other assets, including a 7 lender syndicated term facility, generally regarded as the first syndicated portfolio financing for a helicopter leasing company;td securities (usa) llc, j.p. morgan securities llc and deutsche bank securities, respectively, as initial purchasers in connection with the issuance of secured notes in the capital markets guaranteed by us ex-im bank, including “prefunded” note offerings in reliance on section 3(a)(2) of the securities act with the proceeds used to finance the purchase of either boeing aircraft or sikorsky helicopters by lessors or airlines;the toronto dominion bank and other lenders in connection with ex-im bank guaranteed loan facilities for the purchase of boeing aircraft;icbc financial leasing, aeromexico, cit aerospace international and miat mongolian airlines as borrowers, in connection with ex-im bank guaranteed loan facilities for the purchase of boeing aircraft; the miat deal was selected as eca backed financing deal of the year by trade finance magazine;votorantim cimentos north america, inc., in the acquisition of 100 percent of the equity of prestige/ab ready mix, llc and prestige gunite inc, two florida-based cement companies, together with their affiliated entities for us$225million and subsequent support for the consolidation and corporate reorganization;wci communities, inc. and 126 of its subsidiaries, leading developers of luxury homes and condominium towers, in connection with their restructuring of approximately us$2 billion in debt through a chapter 11 plan of reorganization;hsbc, liberty global and other equity investors in the $1.2 billion financing of o3b network’s ka-band satellite network (november 2010), which was named the africa telecoms deal of the year by project finance international and the eca-backed financing deal of the year by trade finance magazine;bnp paribas and syndicate lenders for a us$586 million credit facility to globalstar, inc., a leading provider of mobile satellite voice and data services, with credit support from coface, the french export credit agency;banco nacional de desenvolvimento econômico e social in providing separate export credit facilities for the purchase of embraer aircraft by flight options llc and taca international airlines, s.a.awardschina deal of the year, trade finance magazine (euromoney institutional investor plc), 2014export credit agency backed financing deal of the year, trade finance magazine (euromoney institutional investor plc), 2013export credit agency backed financing deal of the year, trade finance magazine (euromoney institutional investor plc), 2010deal of the year, airfinance journal, 2009 education university of miami j.d. school of law, magna cum laude lund university, sweden m.s. environmental management and policy swarthmore college b.a. political science previous experience white & case llp university of miamij.d. school of law, magna cum laudelund university, swedenm.s. environmental management and policyswarthmore collegeb.a. political science white & case llp banking and financial services corporate and business transactions environmental, social and governance equipment leasing and finance europe international leveraged finance english swedish partner district of columbia state of florida state of new york state of washington seattle | |
 | Olivia Lê Horovitz Partner Mergers and Acquisitions, International Transactions, Emerging Companies and Venture Capital, Environmental, Social and Governance, Cannabis Law Paris | Olivia Lê Horovitz Partner EDUCATIONUniversity of Paris, Pantheon-Sorbonne Master’s DegreeUniversity of Paris, Pantheon-Sorbonne DESS (post-diploma), International LawUniversity of Paris, Pantheon-Sorbonne DESS (post-diploma), Foreign Trade LawUniversity of the Pacific, McGeorge School of Law LL.M. Transactional Business PracticeUniversity of Paris, Pantheon-Sorbonne DEA (post-graduate degree), Environmental LawPREVIOUS EXPERIENCE
Paris Mergers and Acquisitions, International Transactions, Emerging Companies and Venture Capital, Environmental, Social and Governance, Cannabis Law English French olivia lê horovitz ms. olivia lê horovitz has extensive experience practicing corporate law. her practice is primarily focused on cross-border mergers and acquisitions as well as private equity transactions. she represents clients in a variety of complex multijurisdictional acquisition transactions, including acquisition or sale of businesses, distressed companies, restructurings, divestitures, spin offs, recapitalizations, joint ventures and complex commercial contracts. ms. lê horovitz regularly advises us, european, israeli and chinese companies wishing to invest in europe in the context of private and public acquisitions as well as french companies looking to expand internationally. she also advises french and foreign investment funds and strategic investors in their financing and acquisition activities as well as private and public companies at all stages of their development.on the counseling side, ms. lê horovitz advises clients on a full range of domestic and international sensitive corporate governance and responsibility issues, including environmental social governance (esg). she also helps companies navigate european and french regulations in the growing industry of cannabis and cbd.she has a thorough knowledge of the technology, media and telecom (tmt) sector and also represents companies in the life science, renewable energy, industrial and aeronautical sectors.publicationsbspce, a very attractive incentive tool for start-ups, now available to foreign companies to retain their employees in france, rimonlaw.com, august 30, 2021 education university of paris, pantheon-sorbonne master’s degree university of paris, pantheon-sorbonne dess (post-diploma), international law university of paris, pantheon-sorbonne dess (post-diploma), foreign trade law university of the pacific, mcgeorge school of law ll.m. transactional business practice university of paris, pantheon-sorbonne dea (post-graduate degree), environmental law previous experience simon associés (partner) k&l gates (founding partner) kahn & associés (partner) landwell & associés (associate) kpmg fidal peat international (associate) university of paris, pantheon-sorbonnemaster’s degreeuniversity of paris, pantheon-sorbonnedess (post-diploma), international lawuniversity of paris, pantheon-sorbonnedess (post-diploma), foreign trade lawuniversity of the pacific, mcgeorge school of lawll.m. transactional business practiceuniversity of paris, pantheon-sorbonnedea (post-graduate degree), environmental law simon associés (partner)k&l gates (founding partner)kahn & associés (partner)landwell & associés (associate)kpmg fidal peat international (associate) bankruptcy and creditors’ rights cannabis law china commercial litigation corporate and business transactions emerging companies and venture capital energy transactions environmental, social and governance europe fintech, cryptocurrencies, and blockchain international international transactions israel life sciences mergers and acquisitions private investment funds regulatory, compliance & corporate governance securities and capital markets technology english french partner paris paris | |
 | Mark S. Lee Partner Intellectual Property Litigation Los Angeles | Mark S. Lee Partner EDUCATIONUniversity of Illinois J.D. and B.A.PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE
Los Angeles Intellectual Property Litigation English mark s. lee working at the intersection of intellectual property and entertainment, mark lee advises celebrities and celebrity estates, studios, and high-tech companies in copyright, trademark, and right of publicity matters. he has litigated or counseled regarding copyrights, trademarks, rights of publicity, and/or related rights of musicians elvis presley, frank sinatra, barbara streisand, brian wilson, neil young, steve perry, miles davis, jackson browne, and john lee hooker; authors john steinbeck, harper lee, raymond chandler, william saroyan, louis l’amour, helen fielding, and philip k. dick; actors robin williams, sylvester stallone, groucho marx, and doris day; athletes jim brown, kareem abdul-jabbar, and tiger woods: fictional characters betty boop, barney, rocky, zorro, dennis the menace, and emily the strange; and photographers richard avedon and jim marshall.mark’s litigation record spans federal district and appeals courts across the country, as well as the u.s. supreme court and the supreme court of california. he has successfully tried five copyright, trademark or unfair competition actions to juries and argued more than 18 appeals. his clients have been granted seizure orders, preliminary injunctions and/or asset freezes against computer software or luxury goods pirates, internet service providers, computer bulletin board operators, cellular phone or trunking radio cloners, and others.clients sometimes seek mark’s assistance abroad. he has participated in civil and criminal proceedings in canada, the united kingdom, finland, switzerland, liechtenstein, austria and the united states to remove pirated materials from the internet, and to stop an internal computer software fraud ring. in sweden and the people’s republic of china, he successfully arbitrated international ip disputes.at the vanguard of developments in ip law, mark co-authored the 1999 amendments to—and negotiated language changes in the 2007 amendments to—california’s posthumous right of publicity statute. he also participated in drafting california’s anti-cybersquatting statute and the right of publicity statutes of ohio and pennsylvania.in addition to his work on state statutes, mark has authored or co-authored two books and numerous articles on entertainment and ip law.representative matterswalkowicz v. american girl brands, llc, 2021 wl 510729 (w.d. wis. feb. 11, 2021) (dismissed right of publicity claim because the “american girl” doll at issue did not take plaintiff’s “name and likeness” under wisconsin right of publicity law.) doc’s dream, llc v. dolores press, inc., 959 f.3d 357 (9th cir. 2020) (resolving an issue of first impression, the ninth circuit court of appeals reverses the district court’s denial of legal fees in a declaratory relief action that disputed the copyright ownership of works created by dr. gene scott.) nirvana, l.l.c. v. marc jacobs international, llc et al., 2019 wl 7817082 (c.d.cal. november 8, 2019) (defeated motion to dismiss complaint alleging copyright and trademark infringement in a dispute over a “smiley face” logo used by the band “nirvana.”) stephen perry v. brown, 2019 wl 578797, 791 fed. appx 643 (9th cir. november 6, 2019) (affirmed temporary restraining order to prevent the unauthorized distribution of “demo” recordings that featured the vocal performances of steve perry in copyright, trademark, and right of publicity action.) ticketmaster, l.l.c. v. prestige entertainment west, inc., (c.d.cal. 2018) (defeated motion to dismiss copyright infringement, dmca, cfaa and related claims brought by company that used “bots” to cut in front of human purchasers of tickets on the ticketmaster website). marino v. usher, et al., 2016 wl 7156558, 673 fed.appx. 125 (3d cir. december 8, 2016) (affirmed summary judgment in favor of usher and others on copyright infringement claims based on use of copyrighted works with co–authors’ permission.) cummings v. soul train holdings llc, et al., –67f. supp. 2d 599, (s.d.n.y. 2014) (grants motion to dismiss right of publicity, lanham act and other claims based on release of “best of soul train” dvd box set that included musician’s background musical performances, on choice of law, copyright preemption, and first amendment grounds). jim brown v. electronic arts, inc., 724 f.3d 1235 (9th cir. 2013) (discusses lanham act and related claims based on use of avatar of football great jim brown in video game). education university of illinois j.d. and b.a. previous experience manatt, phelps & phillips, llp (partner) adjunct professor, entertainment law and copyright, trademark, and related rights, usc gould school of law author, entertainment and intellectual property law (thomson reuters 2018) university of illinoisj.d. and b.a. manatt, phelps & phillips, llp (partner)adjunct professor, entertainment law and copyright, trademark, and related rights, usc gould school of lawauthor, entertainment and intellectual property law (thomson reuters 2018) [vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text] honors & awards the best lawyers in america, best lawyers (bl rankings llc), 2010-2022 top intellectual property attorneys, the los angeles daily journal (daily journal corporation), 2014-2015 top intellectual property attorneys in los angeles, los angeles business journal, 2012 top 10 copyright lawyers in california, the los angeles daily journal (daily journal corporation), 2008 outstanding lawyer of the year, j. reuben clark law society, 2003 speaking engagements panelist, “right of publicity: how to gaslight a media attorney,” media law and resource center, january 18, 2018 speaker, “political candidates’ use of copyrighted music without permission,” american intellectual property law association (“aipla”) annual meeting, may 18, 2017 panelist, “right of publicity litigation: the past, present and future,” beverly hills bar association, october 8, 2015 panelist, “the social justice case for paying college athletes for their intellectual property rights,” defense research institute annual meeting, october 24, 2014. panelist, “the avenues of sports law: breaking into the industry,” sports law societies of usc, ucla and loyola law schools, march 2012. panelist, “celebrities and brands: image and publicity rights,” inta annual meeting, august 17, 2011. [/vc_column_text][vc_tta_accordion active_section=""][vc_tta_section title="view more speaking engagements" tab_id="1623030333389-a6c5d682-0df6"][vc_column_text] panelist, “right of publicity law,” inta/asipi conference, march 21 22, 2011. featured speaker, “protecting the celebrity: right of publicity and beyond,” cle international film, tv & new media law conference, january 28, 2011. moderator, “use of the athlete’s image in video games,” santa clara law school sports law symposium, september 17, 2010. panelist, “right of publicity in sports,” aba annual convention, august 7, 2010. lecturer, “right of publicity law,” cle international conference on film and television law, december 2008, january 2010. panelist, “current trends in online games and virtual worlds,” law seminars international conference on gamer technology law, march 2009. lecturer, “trademark law in the entertainment industry,” ali-aba entertainment, arts and sports law program, january 1997-2009. panelist, “copyright fair use,” university of san francisco law school fair use symposium, november 2008. panelist, “movies, music & dead celebrities,” aipla annual meeting, october 2006. panelist, recent copyright legislation, “copyright after mgm v. grokster,” glasser legalworks seminar, july 14, 2005. lecturer, “right of publicity law,” j. reuben clark law society, may 2004. panelist, “copyright law,” american intellectual property law association annual meeting, january 2004. lecturer, “right of publicity law,” n.y. state bar entertainment/arts and sports law section retreat, spring 2003. panelist, “internet issues in the entertainment industry,” aba section of business law spring meeting, 2003. panelist, “right of publicity and the first amendment,” california state bar intellectual property law section spring meeting, 2003. lecturer, “right of publicity law,” federalist society seminar on intellectual property and free speech, 2001. panelist, “right of publicity law,” bar of san francisco cle program, 1999. [/vc_column_text][/vc_tta_section][/vc_tta_accordion][vc_column_text] media interviews “copyright conundrum: anatomy of a circuit split,” law 360, january 9, 2018 “who gets credit when a meme becomes a movie” motherboard vice, may 24, 2017, https://motherboard.vice.com/en_us/article/9k979e/who-gets-credit-when-a-meme-becomes-a-movie. “when it comes to ‘fake news,’ free speech cuts both ways, the san francisco chronicle, february 17, 2017, https://www.sfchronicle.com/business/article/when-it-comes-to-fake-news-free-speech-10939162.php. “eff challenges anti-circumvention features of u.s. dmca,” e-commerce law & policy,august 5, 2016, http://www.e-comlaw.com/e-commerce-law-and-policy/article_template.asp?contents=yes&from=eclp&id=2515. “must you be ‘unreasonable’? justices set to mull copyright fees,” law 360, april 22, 2016, https://www.law360.com/articles/787704/must-you-be-unreasonable-justices-to-mull-copyright-fees. [/vc_column_text][vc_tta_accordion active_section=""][vc_tta_section title="view more media interviews" tab_id="1623030371738-b9e83f2c-2832"][vc_column_text] “justices set to clean up atty’s fees in copyright cases,” law 360, january 20, 2016, https://www.law360.com/articles/748309/justices-set-to-clean-up-attys-fees-in-copyright-cases. “2nd cir. dodges big split on copyright registration,” law 360, august 4, 2015, https://www.law360.com/articles/687070/2nd-circ-dodges-big-split-on-copyright-registrations. “battle over ray charles songs next frontier for termination rights,” los angeles daily journal, february 11, 2015 “high stakes smokey robinson case nears settlement,” los angeles daily journal, january 26, 2015 “supreme court rulings mark shift in patent, copyright law,” and “high stakes smokey robinson case nears settlement,” los angeles daily journal, december 26, 2014. “supreme court declines to review superman case,” los angeles daily journal, october 7, 2014. “will circuit let football greats sit out the big game?” the recorder, july 6, 2012. npr morning edition, “john steinbeck,” june 15, 2006. “steinbeck heirs should get rights to his book, federal judge rules,” los angeles times, june 13, 2006. “star power: celebrity rights,” the boston globe, june 4, 2006. “steinbeck heirs entangled in epic family lawsuit,” the new york times, august 2, 2004. “steinbeck heirs sue widow’s estate,” los angeles times, july 16, 2004. “john steinbeck’s son sees conspiracy to cheat blood heirs,” san francisco chronicle, july 16, 2004. “l.a. jury rules frank sinatra trademark infringed,” yahoo! news. “law review article guides missouri high court in ruling,” daily journal extra, p. 6, september 22, 2003. “tiger woods and the jireh case,” outside the lines, espn, july 14, 2002. “michael eisner testifies before congress regarding internet piracy,” cnbc capitol report, february 28, 2002. “movie star loses case on first amendment rights,” corporate legal times, september 2001. “ruling strikes blow to rights of celebrities,” los angeles daily journal, july 9, 2001. “actor dustin hoffman loses damages award on appeal,” san francisco chronicle, july 7, 2001. “use of altered celebrity photo ok, court says,” los angeles times, july 7, 2001. “famous retain wealth of images,” san francisco chronicle, may 1, 2001. “this case is going to the dogs,” the recorder, may 22, 2000. “this legal dog fight is no joke,” los angeles times, may 2, 2000. “age of the internet: domain names for celebrities,” cnn digital jam, october 27, 1999. “heirs hail bill protecting use of celebrity images,” the business press, september 6, 1999. “interview on california’s amended posthumous right of publicity statute,” cpcc 89.3 fm, august 31, 1999. “running with the rat pack,” los angeles times, august 18, 1999. “star signs: with faces worth millions celebrities are seeking new ways to protect their turf,” aba journal, june 1999. “the battle over tiger woods,” abc world news saturday, february 20, 1999. “court rules against use of ‘elvis’ moniker,” daily variety, may 11, 1998. “woods wins lawsuit against franklin mint,” milwaukee general sentinel, april 16, 1998. “why, soitenly!: firm sees market in three stooges,” los angeles times, december 19, 1996. “vigilant copyright holders patrol the internet,” the wall street journal, december 13, 1995. “hunka cyber-love: elvis estate guards rights on web page,” the commercial appeal (memphis), july 9, 1995. “elvis presley enterprises successful in cd-rom lawsuit,” business wire, april 7, 1995. “heartbreak hotel in the internet-elvis board game,” chicago tribune, november 27, 1994. [/vc_column_text][/vc_tta_section][/vc_tta_accordion][vc_separator color="custom" accent_color="#cccccc" css=".vc_custom_1623030418682{margin-top: 2em !important;}"][vc_column_text] publications “the past through tomorrow: how would proposed amendments to dmca change the online economy?," los angeles daily journal, june 3, 2020. author, entertainment and intellectual property law (thomson/reuters/westlaw 2006-2019). coauthor, expert witnesses: intellectual property cases (thomson/west 2013). author, “the music modernization act,” usc entertainment law spotlight (issue 3 2019). author, the european union’s new copyright directive (daily journal march 2019). author, “american society for testing materials v. public.resource.org, inc.,” leading internet case law, march-april 2017. author, “the debate in the u.s. as to whether to reform the dmca,” e-commerce law and policy, july 2016. “9th to review google’s ‘innocence,’” los angeles daily journal, december 1, 2014. “superheirs ask high court for justice,” los angeles daily journal, august 1, 2014. [/vc_column_text][vc_tta_accordion active_section=""][vc_tta_section title="view more publications" tab_id="1623030448133-c6dca996-4395"][vc_column_text] “other people’s personas,” los angeles lawyer, may 2014. “be like mike, but don’t speak for mike,” los angeles daily journal, march 14, 2014. “the shape of things to come,” los angeles daily journal, january 28, 2014. “a ‘like’ly story: facebook advertising and the rights of publicity,” abtl report, vol. 13, no. 3, winter 2011. coauthor, “ninth circuit widens split on copyright registration issue,” los angeles daily journal, may 28, 2010. “the 9th circuit’s doublespeak,” los angeles daily journal, december 2, 2008. coauthor, “a u.s. window on the tomato garden,” (privacy in china), china ip (sept/oct 2008). “groove is in the game? kirby v. sega america, inc.,” e-commerce law reporter, january 2007; republished in intellectual property counselor, april 2007. “who writes the songs? a look at music authorship,” entertainment, arts and sports law journal, vol. 16, no. 3, nysba fall/winter 2005. “the dastar legacy,” entertainment and sports lawyer, vol. 23, no. 2, aba summer 2005. “virtual superstars? the promise and peril to real actors,” screen actor, vol. 45, no. 3, june 2004. “even better than the real thing: virtual superstars and the right of publicity in cyberspace,” ciperati, a cyberspace and ip newsletter, vol. 1, no. 2, aba june 2004. “agents of chaos: judicial confusion in defining the right of publicity-free speech interface,” loyola entertainment law review, vol. 23, no. 3, 2003. “clean cuts,” los angeles lawyer, vol. 26, no. 3, may 2003. “mattel adds to confusion on first amendment defense issue,” los angeles daily journal, february 7, 2003. coauthor, “documentaries, docudramas, and dramatic license: crossing the legal minefield,” southwestern journal of law and trade in the americas, vol. 8, no. 1, 2002. “the copyrightability of domain names and urls,” journal of internet law, vol. 5, no. 2, august 2001; republished in computer law reporter, vol. 34, no. 4, december 2001. “digital debate–friend or foe?” cyberesq. magazine, fall 2000. “legal links–deep linking on the internet,” verdicts and settlements, june 23, 2000. “speaking freely – right of publicity and the first amendment,” verdicts and settlements, october 8, 1999. coauthor, “strength of character: intellectual property protection for fictional characters,” los angeles lawyer, vol. 20, no. 2, april 1997. “japan’s approach to copyright protection for computer software,” loyola of los angeles international and comparative law review, vol. 16, no. 3, june 1994. “prejudgment asset freezes against software pirates,” the computer lawyer, vol. 9, no. 10, october 1992. [/vc_column_text][/vc_tta_section][/vc_tta_accordion][/vc_column][/vc_row] competition and consumer law intellectual property intellectual property litigation international litigation english partner supreme court of the united states u.s. court of appeals for the eighth circuit u.s. court of appeals for the fifth circuit u.s. court of appeals for the ninth circuit u.s. court of appeals for the second circuit u.s. court of appeals for the sixth circuit u.s. court of appeals for the tenth circuit u.s. court of appeals for the third circuit u.s. district court for the central district of california u.s. district court for the eastern district of california u.s. district court for the northern district of california u.s. district court for the southern district of california los angeles | |
 | David Lee Partner Emerging Companies and Venture Capital Menlo Park | David Lee Partner EDUCATIONStanford Law School J.D., Stanford Law ReviewUniversity of California, Berkeley B.A. summa cum laudePREVIOUS EXPERIENCE
Menlo Park Emerging Companies and Venture Capital English david lee david’s practice focuses on the representation of high-growth, venture-backed emerging companies, and the investors who fund and support such companies. he has over twenty years of experience handling corporate formation issues, venture capital financings, mergers and acquisitions, public offerings, cross-border transactions, public company securities law, technology licensing transactions and employment and executive compensation matters.mr. lee’s practice involves a broad network of entrepreneurs, angel investors, and venture capital firms that are active in developing emerging companies. in addition to leveraging this network for his clients, he has acted as an outside general counsel for many of his company clients. david also has significant experience with cross border transactions involving companies and investors in asia. his cross border work has included the initial public offering on nasdaq for sina, one of the leading internet and media companies in china, and the recent sale of a start-up to baidu, the leading internet search company in china.mr. lee’s company clients have been backed by, among others, accel, blue run ventures, dcm, dfj, founder’s fund, gobi partners, gsr, hummer winblad, kleiner perkins, lightspeed, matrix, northern light, norwest, oak investment partners, redpoint, sequoia, sierra ventures, and usvp. over his career, david has handled hundreds of venture financings for his clients, as well as a significant number of major m&a deals and complex licensing transactions. education stanford law school j.d., stanford law review university of california, berkeley b.a. summa cum laude previous experience vlp law group (partner) gunderson dettmer (partner) orrick (partner) venture law group (partner) stanford law schoolj.d., stanford law reviewuniversity of california, berkeleyb.a. summa cum laude vlp law group (partner)gunderson dettmer (partner)orrick (partner)venture law group (partner) publications vc scrutiny increases with stock market volatility, vlp speaks blog, february 2016 vlp expands silicon valley corporate practice with addition of david c. lee (apr 1, 2014) other activities mr. lee is a legal mentor for start-ups at draper’s hero city and mentors entrepreneurs at the sutardja center at uc berkeley’s school of engineering. china corporate and business transactions corporate governance emerging companies and venture capital international international transactions mergers and acquisitions private investment funds securities and capital markets technology technology licensing english partner state of california menlo park | |
 | Zheng Liu Partner China, Intellectual Property Litigation, Litigation Menlo Park, Shenzhen* | Zheng Liu Partner EDUCATIONUniversity of California, Berkeley J.D., Technology Law CertificateThe Ohio State University M.S., Molecular BiologyUniversity of Science and Technology of China Undergraduate Studies, Physics/Cell BiologyPREVIOUS EXPERIENCE
Menlo Park, Shenzhen* China, Intellectual Property Litigation, Litigation English Mandarin zheng liu zheng liu is a partner in the intellectual property and commercial litigation groups. she regularly represents and advises chinese and taiwanese technology companies on a wide range of legal issues relevant to doing business outside china, particularly in intellectual property, technology law, commercial disputes, and international trade. with a background in both biology and physics, she works with companies in a variety of industries, including telecommunications, drones, internet, fintech, and life sciences. some of the chinese and taiwanese companies she has represented are acer, alipay, bgi genomics, cambricon, dji, everest medicine, foxconn, foxit, kunshan guoli, innolight, nanya, oppo, tencent, ubtech, xiaomi, and xmotors.zheng has been the lead member for many intellectual property and commercial litigation cases and has argued important issues such as claim construction and examined witnesses in federal courts. she focuses on patent, trade secret, copyright and trademark litigation, and also has substantial experience in contract, employment, and consumer class action cases.zheng is the past president and current board member of chinese american lawyers of the bay area (caloba), an organization dedicated to helping chinese-speaking lawyers and law students in their career development, and the general chinese american community in understanding their rights and responsibilities in the u.s. she regularly speaks and writes on issues relating to intellectual property, litigation, technology law, and international trade.before joining rimon, she worked at the international firm orrick, herrington & sutcliffe llp where she established and led orrick’s drone & uav practice.representative experienceamberstone biosciences (zjl). zheng represents early-stage biotech and pharmaceutical companies in connection with contract negotiations.xmotors,ai. zheng represents this leading self-driving vehicle company in federal court litigation and in various other issues related to doing business in the u.s.everest medicine. zheng represents this emerging pharmaceutical company in various intellectual property issues.bgi genomics. zheng represents this well-known chinese biotechnology company in various intellectual property issues in the u.s.alipay us. zheng represents this leading payment company in various issues related to doing business in the u.s.cambricon. zheng represents this leading ai chip unicorn in intellectual property and licensing issues.xiaomi. zheng represents this leading consumer electronics company in various issues related to doing business outside china.dji (dajiang innovations). zheng represented this leading drone company in a wide variety of legal matters, including patent and trademark portfolio management and dispute resolution, technology licensing, data privacy counseling, product liability counseling, employment counseling, and consumer class action litigation.logitech, inc. zheng represented this leading consumer electronics company against many patent-holding companies. some cases have been favorably settled and some are still pending. zheng also worked with logitech on various ip due diligence and counseling matters.varian medical systems, inc. zheng defended this leading radiation therapy equipment company in a few patent infringement suits brought by non-practicing entities. she also worked with varian on various licensing and other litigation matters.vigour pak and vigour plastic. zheng represented these taiwanese companies in a contract dispute against their former u.s. distributor, which claimed exclusive distribution rights based on an alleged oral contract.zhongshan golden dragon amusement equipment co. zheng represented this chinese company in a patent-infringement action filed by a competitor in florida and achieved favorable settlement.oppo digital, inc. zheng successfully defended this chinese-owned silicon valley company, which produces the highest-rated disc players, in a patent infringement action filed by patent holding company blue spike in texas.or-cal, inc. zheng defended this chemical and agricultural product company against tki.microsemi corp. and d-link systems inc. zheng defended these companies against chrimar systems inc. in a patent infringement case at the eastern district of michigan. this case was favorably settled.acer inc., nanya corp. and powerchip corp. zheng defended these three taiwanese companies against tessera inc. at u.s. international trade commission in a §337 action. an unusual and significant win for these companies was achieved.aopen america inc. and aopen inc. zheng defended this taiwanese company in a $30 million contract damages suit. this case was favorably settled.amgen, inc. zheng worked on various legal issues related to the famous cabilly patents in the antibody space.qualcomm inc. zheng worked on multiple wireless communication patent infringement lawsuits.speaking/eventstop legal risks for suas manufacturers and service providers, small unmanned systems business exposition, san francisco, may 4, 2017top legal risks for robotics companies, shenzhen robotics association & shenzhen international arbitration court, february 2017how the landmark new civil trade secret law affects you, menlo park, december 6, 2016trademarks, u.s. clearance, protection & enforcement strategies, shenzhen, november 2, 2016networking 101 for chinese lawyers, menlo park, october 4, 2016trade secrets, unavoidable risks for chinese companies doing business internationally, shanghai, april 26, 2016legal issues for chinese investments in the u.s., angels global, palo alto, december 6, 2015patent workshop, chinese american biopharmaceutical association, foster city, december 4, 2015ioe panel, svc wireless annual conference, november 21, 2015trade secrets issues: ignore them at your peril, menlo park, september 22, 2015discovery in complex u.s. litigation and document management, shenzhen, july 15, 2015trade secrets, eea and export control, menlo park, april 14, 2015data privacy and security in the age of mobile internet, beijing, march 18, 2015essential document management for compliance and litigation, shenzhen, march 6, 2015risks and remedies in cross-border technology transfer, university of science & technology of china school of management, hefei, anhui, october 13, 2014data privacy in the age of mobile internet, mobile payment security conference, beijing, june 2014what chinese american professionals must know about trade secrets and export control cases: lessons from civil lawsuits and criminal prosecutions, menlo park, ca, may 2014u.s. litigation risks to chinese companies, zhuhai software park, march 2014u.s. litigation risks to chinese companies, zhongshan overseas investment enterprise association, march 2014how do companies in the greater china region fare in the u.s. patent system? menlo park, ca, march 2014u.s. litigation risks to chinese companies, fuzhou software park, fuzhou, november 7, 2013u.s. litigation risks to chinese companies, suzhou industrial park, october 29, 2013u.s. litigation risks to chinese companies, chengdu, china, october 14, 2012trade secrets litigation and its impact on chinese companies, intellectual property institute, china eastern university of law & politics, shanghai, october 10, 20122012 u.s. patent law update, successful women in ip annual meeting, menlo park, ca, september 12, 2012why are chinese engineers, scientists and professionals convicted?, menlo park, ca, july 14, 2012biosimilars: science, business, ip and regulatory issues, caco pharmaceutical & bioscience society, foster city, ca, may 20, 2011ip issues for biopharmaceutical professionals, cabs science workshop on nucleic acid based therapies, menlo park, ca, april 10, 2010document management strategies and e-discovery cost containment, san jose biocenter, october 29, 2008u.s.-china cross border intellectual property issues, shanghai jiatong university venture group, february 19, 2008u.s.-china cross border intellectual property issues, orrick, herrington & sutcliffe llp, november 13, 2007new development in u.s. patent law and its effect on chinese companies’ ip strategy, shanghai bio forum, july 5, 2007awards and recognitionlegal co-chair, 36th anniversary dinner, asian law alliance, 2013prosser prize for biotech and chemical patent law, uc berkeley school of law (uc regents), 2003winner nineteenth annual graduate research symposium, the ohio state university, 1994publicationsco-author, “federal circuit: itc does not have jurisdiction over electronic transmissions of digital data”, managing intellectual property, december 2015co-author, “five questions you should ask yourself about the section 337 complaint that was just filed against you”, managing intellectual property, september 2015co-author, “treading carefully in discovery”, managing intellectual property, june 2015co-author, “judgment as the beginning for the enforcement of an itc exclusion order”, managing intellectual property, december 2013co-author, “the increasingly lenient itc domestic industry”, managing intellectual property, march 2013co-author, “biosimilar legislation and its impact on ip protection”, trends in biopharmaceutical industry, vol.5, issue 4, 2009co-author, “litigation in the land of the foreign devil: section 337 investigations at the u.s. international trade commission”, caijing magazine, september 14, 2009co-author, “u.s. international trade commission §337 investigation procedure summary”, chinese lawyer, 2008ray-yuan chuang, paul weaver, zheng liu and tien-hsien chang, “requirement of the dead-box protein ded1p for messenger rna translation”, science, vol. 275, 1468-1471, 1997zheng liu, clayton c. huntley, bishnu p. de, tapas das, amyia k. banerjee, and michael j. oglesbee, “phosphorylation of canine distemper virus p protein by protein kinase c-zeta and casein kinase ii”, virology, vol. 232, 198-206, 1997tien-hsien chang, lori j. latus, zheng liu, and john m. abbott, “genetic interactions of conserved regions in the dead-box protein prp28p”, nucleic acids research, vol. 25, no. 24, 5033-5040, 1997michael j. oglesbee, zheng liu, hai kenney, and charles brooks, “the highly inducible member of the 70 kda family of heat shock proteins increases canine distemper virus polymerase activity”, journal of general virology, vol. 77, no. 9, 2125-2135, 1996 education university of california, berkeley j.d., technology law certificate the ohio state university m.s., molecular biology university of science and technology of china undergraduate studies, physics/cell biology previous experience orrick, herrington & sutcliffe llp university of california, berkeleyj.d., technology law certificatethe ohio state universitym.s., molecular biologyuniversity of science and technology of chinaundergraduate studies, physics/cell biology orrick, herrington & sutcliffe llp china commercial litigation data privacy and cybersecurity intellectual property intellectual property litigation intellectual property transactions and due diligence international international trade and customs law life sciences litigation technology trademark and copyright english mandarin partner state of california u.s. court of appeals for the federal circuit u.s. district court for the central district of california u.s. district court for the northern district of california u.s. district court for the southern district of california united states patent and trademark office (uspto) menlo park shenzhen* | |
 | Zhun Lu, Ph.D. Partner Intellectual Property, Corporate and Business Transactions Delaware, Shenzhen* | Zhun Lu, Ph.D. Partner EDUCATIONQuinnipiac University School of Law J.D., Cum LaudeAuburn University Ph.D., Molecular BiologyHuazhong Agricultural University M.S. and B.S., MicrobiologyPREVIOUS EXPERIENCE
Delaware, Shenzhen* Intellectual Property, Corporate and Business Transactions English Mandarin zhun lu, ph.d. zhun lu is a seasoned intellectual property attorney with 20 years of expertise advising clients on patent prosecution, counseling, opinions, due diligence, transactions and litigation primarily in the biotechnology, biomedical, pharmaceutical, chemical, telecommunications, electronics and semiconductor fields. mr. lu also serves as outside general counsel to clients, advising them on corporate matters such as ip management and other business operation issues in the u.s. with a cross-border focused practice, mr. lu regularly works with asian pacific companies entering the u.s., as well as the u.s. and other international companies operating and doing business in the greater china marketplace.mr. lu is a recognized thought leader in intellectual property, having frequently presented at conferences and to private audiences, including law firms, universities and corporations. mr. lu is currently co-chair of the far east committee of the american intellectual property law association (aipla). he is also the former co-chair of the china committee at aipla.prior to legal practice, mr. lu was a research scientist at the yale school of medicine, providing him with a deep understanding of his biomedical industry clients. mr. lu interned for 1 year for the honorable peter dorsey, former chief judge of the federal district court for the district of connecticut, giving him invaluable insight into the anatomy of litigation and advocacy which he uses in his career. education quinnipiac university school of law j.d., cum laude auburn university ph.d., molecular biology huazhong agricultural university m.s. and b.s., microbiology previous experience faeger drinker biddle & reath llp (partner) drinker biddle & reath llp (partner) quinnipiac university school of lawj.d., cum laudeauburn universityph.d., molecular biologyhuazhong agricultural universitym.s. and b.s., microbiology faeger drinker biddle & reath llp (partner)drinker biddle & reath llp (partner) speaking engagements “intellectual property issues in business transactions”, practicing law institute, 2016-2020 china corporate and business transactions intellectual property intellectual property litigation intellectual property transactions and due diligence life sciences patent counseling and prosecution technology licensing english mandarin partner district of columbia state of delaware state of new jersey supreme court of the united states u.s. court of appeals for the third circuit u.s. district court for the district of delaware u.s. district court for the eastern district of michigan u.s. district court for the northern district of california u.s. patent and trademark office (uspto) delaware shenzhen* | |
 | Ana Lucia Parra Vera Partner Competition and Consumer Law, Data Privacy and Cybersecurity, Latin America, Litigation Bogota | Ana Lucia Parra Vera Partner Bogota Competition and Consumer Law, Data Privacy and Cybersecurity, Latin America, Litigation English Spanish ana lucia parra vera ana lucia parra vera is a partner in rimon’s bogota office who focuses her practice primarily on competition law, consumer protection, data privacy litigation, and administrative law. ms. parra vera has extensive experience in processes and procedures of a constitutional and contentious administrative nature. she spent over five years with the colombian judicial branch, specifically in the constitutional court and in the council of state, where she was responsible for the projection of orders and sentences within several judicial processes. ms. parra vera represents national and international companies in judicial and administrative proceedings before the superintendence of industry and commerce, the colombian customs authority (dian), superior district courts, administrative courts, and the council of state. ms. parra vera also advises clients on issues relating to competition law, customs law, consumer protection, and foreign trade.ms. parra vera has been recognized for her legal achievements by chambers, latin america. in addition to chambers, she has been recognized by legal 500. universidad autónoma de bucaramangalawyerpontificia uniiversidad javerianamasters in economic law ibarra abogados (partner)the council of statethe constitutional court competition and consumer law data privacy and cybersecurity latin america litigation english spanish partner colombia bogota | |
 | Michael Magotsch Partner Employment Law, Employee Benefits and Executive Compensation, Mergers and Acquisitions, Regulatory, Compliance & Corporate Governance Frankfurt | Michael Magotsch Partner Frankfurt Employment Law, Employee Benefits and Executive Compensation, Mergers and Acquisitions, Regulatory, Compliance & Corporate Governance English German michael magotsch michael magotsch has over 30 years of experience advising global companies in all aspects of german labor and employment law. his practice focuses on labor and employment issues in relation to national and cross-border restructurings, acquisitions, redundancies, and outsourcing measures. mr. magotsch advises c-level executives in transition or exit scenarios as well as supervisory boards in sensitive disputes with c-level executives.mr. magotsch has been recognized by chambers global, legal 500 and best lawyers in germany in labor & employment law for over a decade. prior to joining rimon, mr. magotsch was head of the eu employment practice and country managing partner for coudert brothers. he founded dla piper’s frankfurt office and was office managing partner until 2009.mr. magotsch currently lectures business and social law at srh university heidelberg germany.selected experiencemr. magotsch’s experience includes advising on employment law related issues in relation to the following:representation of food packaging solutions company, viskase companies inc., on employment-related issues arising from complex restructuring measures, including mass dismissals and collective bargaining negotiations with ibgce.representation of european institute of innovation and technology (eit) health, in relation to the set up of new management structures in the eu and germany.representation of mas malaysian on the complete shutdown of all its german and most of its european union hubs.representation of manufacturer benteler group in complex disputes with individual work council representatives and metalworkers union, ig metall.providing ongoing labor & employment advice to the german headquarters of tech company, seg samsung.representation of telecommunications provider, at&t, on its restructuring negotiations in germany, and in relation to its high-level pension litigation in germany.representation of automotive technology company, lear corporation, on all individual and collective labor & employment issues. also advised lear corporation on employment issues arising from its acquisition of recaro seats.representation of aerospace company, honeywell aerospace on its collective employment and restructuring matters.representation of fashion retailer, arcadia group, on establishing its business in germany and then subsequently, assisting the group with closing its operations, which involved closing 62 outlet stores.representation of treuhand. germany privatization agency, on the privatization of the gdr chemical industry, including the sale of leuna/minol to french oil company, elf acquitane.publicationsspeaking opportunities:finance-tv, tv channel of finance, one of the leading magazines on the financial markets: interview on relaxation of employment termination rules in large banks in germany (brexit-steuerbegleitg), march 2019personalwirtschaft: annual fra-airport roundtable on employment law, 2005 until 2016 panel memberdla/ herzog, fox & neeman breakfast seminar on eu employment laws, tel aviv september 2015various annual iba conferences 2001 – 2016 panel memberbooks:key aspects of german employment and labour law, 2nd edition 2018, springer verlag, with jens kirchner / pascal krempemployment, trends and developments in germany, chambers global practice guides 2018, chambers and partners, with martin lüderitz / jens petersemployment & labour law, international series, 6th edition 2015, thomson reuters, german chapter with sascha morgenrothemployment & labour law, european lawyer reference, 5th edition 2014, thomson reuters, german chapter, with sascha morgenrothemployment & labour law, european lawyer reference, 4th edition 2012, thomson reuters, german chapter with sascha morgenrothemployment & labour law, european lawyer reference, 3rd edition 2010, thomson reuters, german chapterkey aspects of german employment and labour law, 2010, springer verlag, with jens kirchner / pascal krempjournal articles:be aware: cancellation of direct insurance for pension schemes (damage claims on vested rights) der betrieb, 12 march 2019 (db 1296983)bag federal labor court ruling on so-called substitute holidays, der betrieb, 12 november 2018 (db 1285940)dsgvo: am ball bleiben (on the eu gdpr data protection), adp personalmanager october 2018 (with dominik weiss)die angst vor bußgeldern geht um (on gdpr compliance risks in germany) personalwirtschaft october 2018 (with dominik weiss)bag federal labor court ruling on making it easier to end employment (lies don`t travel far – or do they?), der betrieb, 11 september 2018 (db 1279669)bag federal labor court ruling on business transfers in germany (increased risks for transferors in tupe situations), der betrieb, 17 july 2018 (db 1275659)das recht, unerreichbar zu sein (on the right to disconnect) personalwirtschaft october 2017 (with martin lüderitz)der hr manager als compliance officer der zukunft (on compliance issues), interview in personalwirtschaft october 2016deutsche mitbestimmung im ausland? (german co-determination on board level) personalwirtschaft october 2015nicht gegen geltendes recht verstoßen (on strict compliance structures), personalwirtschaft october 2014 (with sascha morgenroth)other publications:psssst! geheimnisschutz (on business secrets and non-competes) interview with daniel schönwitz in impulse, april 2019brexit and the fate of german dismissal protection, labor law magazine (faz fachverlag) 25 march 2019brexit-wirbel in der finanzmarktregulierung (on german brexit laws with bernd geier), börsenzeitung, 9 march 2019whistleblower sind in deutschland bereits gut geschützt (on protection of whistleblowers in germany), wirtschaftswoche, 20 november 2018videoüberwachung der mitarbeiter – wie viel big brother ist erlaubt? (on staff videa surveillance), wirtschaftswoche, 12 september 2018hat jeder das recht auf abschalten? (on the right to disconnect), wirtschaftswoche, 18 december 2017german employee representation on board level – territorial restrictions apply, jd supra and lexology, 12 may 2017step by step: restructuring business operations (with kathrin schlote), labor law magazine (faz fachverlag), 23 may 2016vorsicht bei massenentlassungen (be aware with mass dismissals), faz recht und steuern, 12 may 2015regress für kartellbußen (companies claim antitrust fines from their officers), faz wirtschaft, 03 march 2015gefährliche dienstreisen (dangerous business trips abroad), with jens kirchner, faz wirtschaft, 10 may 2006fusionen hängen von der integration der mitarbeiter ab (successful m&a transactions require staff integration), handelsblatt, 15 december 2008unser arbeitsrecht überrumpelt viele amerikaner (us executives underestimate german labor laws) faz im gespräch with michael magotsch, omp of dla piper in frankfurt, 15 march 2008serving germany, europe and the world, the metropolitan corporate counsel, interview with michael magotsch, cmp and head of cb`s eu employment practice, november 2004für unternehmen wird die frühverrentung teurer (old age part time schemes and early retirement are becoming more difficult), with jens kirchner), faz wirtschaft, 05 may 2004nur einmal geld bei betriebsschließung (severance to be set off with nachteilsausgleichen), faz nachgefragt, 08 december 2001*attorney is a member of separate entity, rimon falkenfort, and not rimon p.c. harvard business schoolhbs/dla harvard leadership programgeorgetown university law centermasters of laws (ll.m.)university of virginia charlottesville school of lawleiden columbia summer schoollawludwig-maximilians-universität münchenlaw mmac arbeitsrechtcoaching (founder)lehrbeauftragter (srh hochschule heidelberg)dla piper (partner)coudert brothers (partner, cmp)shearman & sterling llp (associate)wilmer, cutler and pickering (associate) employment law, employee benefits and executive compensation mergers and acquisitions regulatory, compliance & corporate governance english german partner germany* frankfurt | |
 | Patrick Maschio Partner Bankruptcy and Creditors’ Rights New York | Patrick Maschio Partner EDUCATIONFordham University J.D.Columbia University B.A.PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE
New York Bankruptcy and Creditors’ Rights English patrick maschio patrick regularly represents broker-dealers and hedge funds on legal issues related to the purchase and sale of loans and private securities of distressed and bankrupt companies with a focus on handling transactional matters related to the transfer of bank debt, private notes, trade claims, restrictive securities, interests in litigation trusts and other illiquid financial assets, both domestically and in europe. patrick brings a depth of transactional experience to every matter having spent significant time representing sell-side, buy-side and brokers-dealers on thousands of transfers. patrick also advises clients on general corporate and compliance issues and is a member of the loan syndications and trading association (lsta).representative experienceduring the past several years, mr. maschio has advised hedge funds & trading desks as well as smaller claims trading shops in connection with bank loans, general unsecured and admin priority claims of the following distressed and performing borrowers, issuers and obligors: lehman brothers, toys “r” us, pacific drilling, seadrill, westinghouse, ra holdings (arcapita), concordia, iheart, mf global, bernard l. madoff investment securities, nortel, drillships, alpha natural resources, among many others.mr. maschio has developed an extensive network within the legal community which provides exposure to actively traded matters as well as enabling him to assist in the sale of legacy positions.publicationsclaims traders beware: another bankruptcy court determines that disallowance under bankruptcy code section 502(d) follows the claim, rimonlaw.com, april 30, 2020libor fallbacks- alternative reference rates, rimonlaw.com, may 20, 2019visa & mastercard interchange fees merchant class action update, rimonlaw.com, april 24, 2019 education fordham university j.d. columbia university b.a. previous experience farrell fritz p.c. nixon peabody llp kramer levin naftalis & frankel llp fordham universityj.d.columbia universityb.a. farrell fritz p.c.nixon peabody llpkramer levin naftalis & frankel llp bankruptcy and creditors’ rights broker dealers investment advisers and other asset managers private investment funds english partner state of new york u.s. district court for the southern district of new york new york | |
 | Sam Miller Partner International Transactions, Mergers and Acquisitions, Fine Art and Cultural Property, FinTech, Cryptocurrencies, and Blockchain London, Los Angeles | Sam Miller Partner EDUCATIONUniversity of Nottingham, England LL.M. - International Commercial Law, cum laudeUniversity of the Witwatersrand, South Africa LL.BUniversity of the Witwatersrand, South Africa BComPREVIOUS EXPERIENCE
London, Los Angeles International Transactions, Mergers and Acquisitions, Fine Art and Cultural Property, FinTech, Cryptocurrencies, and Blockchain English sam miller sam advises clients on corporate acquisitions and disposals, corporate finance, corporate and partnership structuring and shareholder, operating and buy-sell arrangements, general corporate matters, fine art and cultural property, supply, distribution, and consignment and inventory management arrangements, and other commercial transactions.he has extensive experience in the metals and transportation industries as well as with technology start-ups, particularly token-driven blockchain businesses, and also advises clients active in the fine art markets.sam is licensed in california, england and wales, and south africa, with specific expertise in all three jurisdictions. he is adept in helping his clients navigate the intricacies of cross-border business and inward investment. sam has advised clients in a range of countries, including england, spain, france, turkey, lithuania, latvia, united arab emirates, israel, south africa, hong kong, south korea, and the united states.sam also works with art advisors, artists and other fine art market participants in the promotion, sale, consignment, and exhibition of works of art.sam’s extensive history advising metals businesses includes his tenure as lead in-house counsel to kloeckner metals corporation (previously macsteel service centers usa, inc), the third largest metals service center in north america, where he was responsible for the north american legal department.sam advises tech start-ups, closely counseling on shareholder and ‘advisor’ equity arrangements, corporation and limited liability company formations, shareholder, operating and buy-sell agreements, among other matters. sam is involved in the southern california start-up ecosystem, working with ‘silicon beach’ startups, with particular emphasis on token-driven and asset-based blockchain businesses.in the ground transportation sector, sam has advised on asset acquisitions and corporate-group structuring, dealing with complex earn-out and structuring requirements in highly regulated environments, including the ground-passenger transportation and taxi industries in california.in addition to his experience as lead in-house counsel to kloeckner metals corporation, sam was a member of the corporate finance groups at arent fox, llp (where he was co-head of the blockchain group) and, before that, dykema gossett, pllc. before that, he practiced as a mergers and acquisitions solicitor in the ‘silver-circle’ city of london law firm, berwin leighton paisner, llp (now bryan cave leighton paisner).,sam has lectured in law at ucla school of law.sam is a member of the california state bar, the law society of england & wales and the legal practice council (south africa). education university of nottingham, england ll.m. - international commercial law, cum laude university of the witwatersrand, south africa ll.b university of the witwatersrand, south africa bcom previous experience arent fox, llp dykema gossett, pllc kloeckner metals corporation macsteel service centers usa, inc. berwin leighton paisner, llp (london) fluxman, rabinowitz-raphaely weiner (johannesburg) university of nottingham, englandll.m. – international commercial law, cum laudeuniversity of the witwatersrand, south africall.buniversity of the witwatersrand, south africabcom arent fox, llpdykema gossett, pllckloeckner metals corporationmacsteel service centers usa, inc.berwin leighton paisner, llp (london)fluxman, rabinowitz-raphaely weiner (johannesburg) publications "how intellectual property rights can complicate nft market", law360, august 17, 2021 "art blockchain, digital art, the art world and the value of non fungible tokens (nfts): the devil truly is in the detail", lexology, july 22, 2021 "nft’s and art blockchain: what exactly are we buying and buying in to? that is the question…", lexology, july, 2021 "developing issues in nft law - what are nfts, how do they benefit artists and collectors and what legal issues can we expect?", american bar association panel, may 7, 2021 "nft’s and digital art blockchain: is blockchain’s digital token new frontier its brightest?" medium, february 2021 "the fine art of auction house consignments: art aml, sanctions compliance and the fine art owner’s conundrum" medium, december 2020 "fine art consignment in the time of covid-19: how safe is your art?" medium, march 2020 when artists skyrocket: the fine art sale versus consignment conundrum, rimonlaw.com, march 24, 2020 "blockchain utility tokens: throwing the baby out with the (securities regulation) bathwater," wall street lawyer, september 2019 "facebook’s libra, cryptocurrency and the token taxonomy act: much needed blockchain innovation reform or fear of the giants?," medium, july 24, 2019 the end of fine art experts? a few lessons learned from the recent agnes martin litigation, rimonlaw.com, july 18, 2019 warhol, prince and a case of vanity perhaps not-so-fair: even fine art colossuses need inspiration, medium, july 10, 2019 fincen, tokens and money transmission: a redux, medium, june 3, 2019 "blockchain and money transmission: a new horizon for token-driven startups?," medium, april 9, 2019 "is there any utility left in utility tokens? the sec speaks," medium, april 8, 2019 establishing a business presence in the united states: a new look following the tax cuts and jobs act, stonehage fleming, insights, july 12, 2018 innovation vs regulation: sec focuses on cryptocurrencies and token businesses, arent fox los angeles office, march 20, 2018 “the three c’s: cybersecurity, cryptocurrency & cannabis program,” arent fox los angeles office, september 27, 2018 “supply agreements: a contractual approach to supplier risk management.” supply & demand chain executive, june 26, 2015 “series llc's: a risk management tool to consider,” california ceo, april 2015 “five big questions on innovation,” bpi network, august 2014 “preparing for the in-house to law firm transition,” acc docket, july/august 2014 awards and recognition sam has been recognized in southern california super lawyers® as a rising star in securities and corporate finance in 2016. other affiliations sam founded the brenda lucille miller ucla south african education fund in conjunction with ucla’s center for world health (now ucla’s global health education and research program). this fund brings south african neurologists to train with ucla as clinical observers in an intensive program geared to improving treatment for movement and neurological disorders in south africa. sam is a long-time fine art collector, and founded the blockchain asset-based fine art platform the fine art ledger. *rimon p.c. is not regulated by the solicitors regulation authority (sra) africa banking and financial services corporate and business transactions emerging companies and venture capital europe fine art and cultural property fintech, cryptocurrencies, and blockchain international international trade and customs law international transactions mergers and acquisitions russia, the baltics, and the cis united kingdom english partner england and wales state of california london los angeles | |
 | Mark H. Mirkin Partner Emerging Companies and Venture Capital, Life Sciences, Technology Research Triangle, North Carolina | Mark H. Mirkin Partner EDUCATIONDuke University J.D., 1984Duke University B.A., cum laude, 1981PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE
Research Triangle, North Carolina Emerging Companies and Venture Capital, Life Sciences, Technology English mark h. mirkin mark mirkin focuses his practice on strategic corporate and securities counseling to emerging and high-growth companies, especially in the context of seed, early stage and venture capital financings, mergers and acquisitions, divestitures and ipos. he has applied his voluminous knowledge of the startup landscape to help his clients in early stage financing transactions, particularly in private placements and public offerings of equity, debt and convertible securities. in this capacity, he has extensive experience advising companies in the life sciences, information technology, and clean technology industries in all aspects of corporate and securities law.mr. mirkin has represented numerous biotech and medtech startups in launching their drug discoveries and medical devices, helping to navigate them through the fda clinical trial process for new drug approval and to surmount the regulatory hurdles for medical devices. many such companies have been spin-outs from universities’ and research institutions’ laboratories, benefiting along with infotech startups from mr. mirkin’s extensive experience in the technology transfer process.prior to joining rimon, mr. mirkin worked as a partner at hicks, motto & ehrlich in palm beach gardens, florida. he has been a frequent speaker to university audiences of engineering, computer science and medical students on topics of corporate and securities law, especially venture financing for technology startups. he was honored to chair the inaugural southeast venture conference.mr. mirkin received his j.d. from duke law school and his b.a. in economics cum laude from duke university.representative mattersrepresented several group medical practices in acquisitions, both on buy and sell side, both to public and private buyersrepresented an offshore medical device company with commencement of u.s. clinical trials for fda clearancerepresented a leading distributor of dietary supplements in a $75 million dollar securities offeringrepresented a medical device university spin-out in its acquisition by a private equity firmrepresented an international combination medical device and laboratory services company in a venture capital financingrepresented an esoteric beverages company in an angel financing in europerepresented a nutritional supplements company in a strategic reorganization followed by a private equity financingrepresented the compensation committee of the board of directors of a publicly-traded company selling a line of assets to a fortune 50 acquirer education duke university j.d., 1984 duke university b.a., cum laude, 1981 previous experience hicks, motto & ehrlich (partner) duke universityj.d., 1984duke universityb.a., cum laude, 1981 hicks, motto & ehrlich (partner) corporate and business transactions emerging companies and venture capital intellectual property life sciences securities and capital markets technology technology licensing english partner state of florida state of north carolina research triangle north carolina | |
 | David Mittelman Partner Securities and Capital Markets, Regulatory, Compliance & Corporate Governance Menlo Park, San Francisco | David Mittelman Partner EDUCATIONNew York University School of Law LL.M., TaxationSuffolk University Law School J.D., magna cum laude, Suffolk University Law ReviewBoston College B.A.PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE
Menlo Park, San Francisco Securities and Capital Markets, Regulatory, Compliance & Corporate Governance English david mittelman david mittelman is a seasoned counselor to companies, funds, directors, officers, and investors on securities transactions, corporate governance, and legal planning. his twenty years of experience includes capital market offerings, mergers and acquisitions, internal investigations, and regulatory compliance. he also provides advice on general corporate law including tax matters, commercial contracts, technology licensing, and data privacy. his clients include startups, technology companies, reits, financial institutions, etfs, venture funds, hedge funds, and investment advisors.david previously worked in the division of corporation finance of the securities & exchange commission. while at the sec, he served as legal branch chief overseeing reviews of ipos, 10-ks, and various other sec filings made by domestic and foreign registrants. prior to becoming legal branch chief, he served in the office of mergers & acquisitions reviewing submissions and answering interpretive questions regarding tender offers, proxy contests, going private transactions, and beneficial ownership reporting.representative mattersadvised variable annuity subsidiaries in connection with multi-billion dollar spin-off by public insurance companycounseled founders on corporate governance and sale of equity ownership in investment advisoradvised foreign commodities etf structure on u.s. securities law compliancecounseled newly public company on 10b5-1 plans and private sales by insiders and venture fundsadvised public company on finra investigation of third party trading activity in advance of public offeringcounseled public company on remedial action for director short-swing profit disgorgement education new york university school of law ll.m., taxation suffolk university law school j.d., magna cum laude, suffolk university law review boston college b.a. previous experience reed smith (partner) securities exchange commission (legal branch chief) new york university school of lawll.m., taxationsuffolk university law schoolj.d., magna cum laude, suffolk university law reviewboston collegeb.a. reed smith (partner)securities exchange commission (legal branch chief) representative transactions $4 billion stock buyback and accelerated share repurchases by nyse-listed company $2 billion merger between two publicly-listed financial technology companies $950 million initial public offering by biopharma company onto the nasdaq $600 million registered debt exchange offer by nasdaq-listed biopharma company $550 million business combination among three publicly-traded financial institutions $280 million underwritten secondary offering of nasdaq-listed technology company stock $140 million follow-on offering by nasdaq-listed regional bank $125 million equity offering by unlisted company into proprietary rule 144a market $125 million equity offering by consumer products portfolio company onto the nasdaq $100 million initial public offering by medical technology company onto the nyse $75 million at-the-market equity offering by nyse-listed health care reit publications beneficial ownership reporting, lexis practice advisor shareholder proposals, bna corporate practice series portfolio no.83-2nd wake up and smell the e-proxy coffee: changes ahead for online solicitations, deallawyers testing-the-waters: regulation a's model for soliciting investor interest, suffolk u.l. rev. speaking engagements disclosure documents and trends, practising law institute sarbanes-oxley updates for compliance executives, execsense u.s. and global securities compliance update, national association of stock plan professionals preparation of annual disclosure documents, practising law institute legal and practical issues in managing 10b5-1 plans, society of corporate secretaries & governance professionals annual conference the revised rules for resale of restricted securities, compliance week private offering reform: how proposed sec rules could alter the capital markets, deal flow media sarbanes-oxley act: language and concepts, american bar association fall meeting professional honors & awards corporate finance rising star, law360 (portfolio media inc.), 2010 client service all-star, bti (bti consulting group), 2009 capital markets award, sec, 2002 banking and financial services corporate and business transactions corporate governance employment law, employee benefits and executive compensation environmental, social and governance investment advisers and other asset managers private investment funds registered investment companies regulatory, compliance & corporate governance securities and capital markets technology technology licensing telecommunications english partner state of california state of new york menlo park san francisco | |
 | Lisa-Marie Monsanto Partner Leveraged Finance, Environmental, Social and Governance, Banking and Financial Services, Equipment Leasing and Finance Washington, D.C. | Lisa-Marie Monsanto Partner EDUCATIONColumbia University School of Law, JDRutgers University–Newark MBAMcGill University BA, EconomicsPREVIOUS EXPERIENCE
Washington, D.C. Leveraged Finance, Environmental, Social and Governance, Banking and Financial Services, Equipment Leasing and Finance English lisa-marie monsanto lisa-marie monsanto focuses her practice on representing project sponsors, private equity funds, issuers and other parties in the structuring, negotiation and documentation of a broad range of financing transactions and equity investments with commercial and bilateral/multilateral development finance institutions. she is experienced in project finance, secured and unsecured single bank, club and syndicated credit facilities, first lien/second lien financing, mezzanine financing, export finance and equipment finance. lisa-marie focuses on financings in emerging markets, including latin america and the caribbean, southeast asia and africa. she also has a background in a wide range of specialized capital markets products.lisa-marie also provides general corporate and licensing counseling to small and medium size companies that are expanding in the u.s. and emerging markets. she serves as general counsel for two of her clients in the life sciences and manufacturing sectors.representative transactionsrepresented a jordanian private equity fund in connection with opic financing for one of their renewable energy portfolio companies.represented a life sciences company in connection with distribution agreements for its product in six southeast asian countries.represented a project sponsor in connection with the development of an ammonia-urea plant in nigeria.represented a latin american private equity fund in connection with an investment in an energy conglomerate in latin america and the caribbean.represented a utility pole manufacturer in connection with various corporate and commercial finance matters.represented an aircraft manufacturer in connection with various manufacturer financing transactions.represented an insurance company in connection with an opic financing of the philippine power distribution system.represented a trucking company in connection with a leverage buyout.represented an insurance company in connection with the purchase of u.s. ex-im guaranteed loans issued to various foreign airlines.represented technology start-ups on commercial finance and venture capital investments.represented commercial bank in connection with a large debt offering.represented a commercial bank on various trustee matters.represented a german bank on a complex securitization.represented a hedge fund on the purchase and sale of various real estate assets.represented a leading technology company in connection with a large commercial bank financingrepresented a housing agency on a large loan securitization.represented a philippine alternative energy producer on the sale of certain assets.membershipsamerican bar association, international law and business law sectionwomen’s foreign policy groupwomen’s world bankingspeaking engagements & presentationsspeaker | securing multilateral institutions and government funds | caribbean renewable energy finance conference | montego bay, jamaica (may 2–3, 2011)panelist | beyond the brics: what do alternative emerging markets offer investors? | emerging markets summit 2011: bric and beyond | new york, new york (january 19, 2011)speaker | a view from the top: a report card on women’s leadership | new economy, new reality: developing tools for empowerment and opportunity | new york, new york (june 5, 2009)recognitionnation’s best, lawyers of color, 201930 leaders changing the way the world looks at women, national council for research on women (international center for research on women), 2012fellow, leadership council on legal diversity, 2012 education columbia university school of law, jd rutgers university–newark mba mcgill university ba, economics previous experience katten (partner) columbia universityschool of law, jdrutgers university–newarkmbamcgill universityba, economics katten (partner) africa banking and financial services bankruptcy and creditors’ rights corporate and business transactions energy transactions environmental, social and governance equipment leasing and finance international international transactions latin america leveraged finance securities and capital markets technology english partner district of columbia state of new york washington d.c. | |
 | Keith Munson Partner Litigation, White Collar and Government Investigations Greenville | Keith Munson Partner EDUCATIONUniversity of Virginia JD, LawClemson University BA, Political Science, Norris Medal RecipientPREVIOUS EXPERIENCE
Greenville Litigation, White Collar and Government Investigations English keith munson keith munson is a partner in the firm’s litigation practice. as a trial attorney for more than 30 years, mr. munson has experience in complex litigation, including: product/mass tort defense, business litigation, class action litigation, intellectual property, and directors and officers (d&o) liability/fraud. he has litigated cases involving medical devices, pharmaceuticals, construction/advanced materials (including military and aviation), consumer appliances, and flammability issues. mr. munson also litigates d&o cases involving public and private corporations and counsels corporations and agencies on navigating board governance and compliance issues.mr. munson serves on multiple boards and is a member of the national association of corporate directors, which brings a corporate perspective to his practice. prior to his time in private practice, mr. munson served as a military and federal prosecutor for the united states army 24th infantry division (mechanized). he served as an operational law officer throughout desert storm, where he earned the meritorious service and kuwait liberation medals. mr. munson was recognized by best lawyers in america® 2022.professional associationsboard of directors, south carolina trial defense attorney’s association (scdtaa)south carolina lottery commission (2013-present)member/spokesperson for governor mark sanford’s eight member transition team (2002-2003)member of the south carolina gubernatorial inaugural committee (2007)board member/sc research universities centers of economic excellence (2008-2013)board of directors of the south carolina public service authority (santee cooper), (2003-2005)board of directors of the upstate alliance, (10 county economic development organization), (2005-2015)diversity leadership academy graduate (furman university’s riley institute)selected experiencelead trial counsel in obtaining defense judgment for dublin based fortunes global 500 medical device and technology company in the first human bone allograft recall case to go to trial.jurisdictional litigation counsel for fortunes 500 commercial real estate services and investment firm doing business with 90 of the fortune 100 companies around the world.lead trial counsel in establishing class iii medical device federal preemption in south carolina for subsidiary of swiss fortunes global 500 company.lead litigation counsel for uk fortunes 500 pharmaceutical company in reversing federal court order denying dismissal and transfer to the english high court in multimillion dollar drug production dispute.lead trial/appellate counsel in obtaining and preserving defense verdict for fortune 500 rail company against claim brought under 45 u.s.c. § 51, et. seq.expert consultant to the us attorney’s office to assist in investigation and preparation of white collar criminal prosecutions for securities fraud and related offenses related to the failed insurance company. education university of virginia jd, law clemson university ba, political science, norris medal recipient previous experience womble bond dickinson (us) llp (partner) mcguire woods (attorney) us army jag corp, 24th infantry division (mechanized) ft. stewart & desert storm (captain) university of virginiajd, lawclemson universityba, political science, norris medal recipient womble bond dickinson (us) llp (partner)mcguire woods (attorney)us army jag corp, 24th infantry division (mechanized) ft. stewart & desert storm (captain) commercial litigation litigation white collar and government investigations english partner state of florida state of pennsylvania state of south carolina supreme court of the united states u.s. court of appeals for the armed forces u.s. court of appeals for the federal circuit u.s. district court for the middle district of florida u.s. district court for the northern district of florida u.s. district court for the southern district of florida us district court for the district of south carolina greenville | |
 | John Murray, J.D.; Ph.D. Partner Intellectual Property, Intellectual Property Litigation, Life Sciences, Patent Counseling and Prosecution Washington, D.C. | John Murray, J.D.; Ph.D. Partner Washington, D.C. Intellectual Property, Intellectual Property Litigation, Life Sciences, Patent Counseling and Prosecution john murray dr. john murray has extensive experience in complex life sciences patent litigation, prosecution and opinion work, as well as due diligence. he conducts prosecution both domestically and internationally for a wide range of clients, including start-ups and academic clients, as well as larger corporations. dr. murray has substantial experience in life sciences, in areas including biotechnology, chemistry/organic chemistry, medical devices, molecular biology, and pharmaceuticals, as well as software.dr. murray represents clients in patent infringement litigation, hatch-waxman and itc 337 litigation. he has particular experience in motion practice, claim construction, discovery work and oral argument. in addition to life sciences litigation, dr. murray has handled litigation involving software, mechanical devices, commercial packaging and contractual disputes related to ip ownership.dr. murray conducts inter partes review, including oral argument before the uspto patent trial and appeal board, as well as appeals to the federal circuit.selected experiencegenetic technologies, ltd. v. histogenetics, llc (d. del.): representation of a diagnostics innovator in patent infringement litigation to secure dismissal on summary judgment of patent infringement claims by a patent troll.hypoxico inc. v colorado altitude et al. (s.d.n.y): representation of an oxygen tent manufacturer in obtaining a million-dollar damage award in a patent infringement litigation jury trial.representation of major distiller in landmark international trade commission (itc) case which established failure by a patent troll to meet the domestic industry requirements.astrazeneca ab et al. v. ivax corporation et al. (d.n.j.): representation of a generic brand in an action against a brand name in anda (abbreviated new drug applications) litigation. secured settlement before trial.awards and recognitionnew york rising star in intellectual property litigation, super lawyersmemberships and professional associationsnew york intellectual property law associationnew york academy of sciencespublicationscoronavirus drug shows global hurdles to patent protection, co-author, law360, february 2020gene therapy policies can strike an ethical balance, co-author, law360, may 2019new uspto guidance may help diagnostics patents, co-author, law360, april 2019new proposed rules regarding government rights in federally funded research: bayh-dole act, co-author, the national law review, february 21, 2017federal circuit clarifies the steps in biosimilars dance, co-author, the national law review, july 24, 2015presumption of validity triumphs over a good-faith belief of invalidity, co-author, the national law review, may 28, 2015post exclusivity issues for biologics, co-author, the national law review, january 3, 2015 fordham university 2006j.d.columbia universitypost-doctoral fellowmt. sinai school of medicinepost-doctoral fellowuniversity of leicesterph.d., molecular geneticsuniversity of edinburgthb.s., biological sciences (genetics) morris, manning & martin, llp (of counsel)andrews kurth llp (of counsel) intellectual property intellectual property litigation life sciences patent counseling and prosecution partner district of columbia state of new york u.s. district court for the northern district of new york u.s. district court for the southern district of new york u.s. patent and trademark office (uspto) washington d.c. | |
 | John R. Mussman Partner Banking and Financial Services, Corporate and Business Transactions Chicago | John R. Mussman Partner EDUCATIONUniversity of Michigan Doctor of Law (J.D.), cum laudeKalamazoo College B.A., cum laudePREVIOUS EXPERIENCE
Chicago Banking and Financial Services, Corporate and Business Transactions English john r. mussman john mussman is a leading banking and financial services lawyer.mr. mussman represents banks, mortgage lenders, and other financial services providers, focusing on banking and commercial and consumer credit law. he also represents bank affiliates and non-bank players in the commercial and consumer credit space.his work includes managing regulatory projects for banks, mortgage companies, finance companies and credit card banks, assisting in the development of electronic banking and other financial products, and representing domestic and foreign financial institutions in complying with federal and state regulatory and licensing requirements. he also drafts and negotiates credit card and merchant agreements with banks and card companies for hotels and other nonbank clients.prior to law school, mr. mussman worked for three years as a research assistant and legislative assistant in the washington office of united states senator edward zorinsky (d. nebraska).mr. mussman received his j.d. (cum laude) from the university of michigan law school and his b.a. (cum laude) from kalamazoo college. he is recognized by best lawyers in america® in banking and finance law.publicationssax v. fast track investments – legal finance regulation, consumer lending interest rate regulation, rimonlaw.com, july 27, 2021bostock v. clayton county and its expansion of sexual discrimination to include discrimination against persons for sexual orientation and gender identity, rimonlaw.com, july 14, 2021occ and fdic propose cra modernization regulations, rimonlaw.com, january 21, 2020seventh circuit rejects class action for tila violation right of rescission. financial institutions newsletter, october 2008investment in indian country: how investments in tribal infrastructure and other tribal projects may qualify for community reinvestment act credit, september 2007preemption of state mortgage banking regulations for operating subsidiaries of national banks. financial institutions newsletter, july 2007illinois governor suspends predatory lending pilot program. financial institutions newsletter, february 2007fdic issues supervisory policy on predatory lending. financial institutions newsletter, february 2007speaking engagementsmarch 10, 2021. “community reinvestment act modernization — three agencies diverged in a yellow wood: a study in divergence, convergence, and the battle of the charts.” chicago bar association’s financial institutions committee.may 30, 2019. cfpb actions in fair lending, annual consumer financial services conferenceapril 10, 2019. chicago bar financial institutions committeedecember 12, 2018. privacy development; new statutory and regulatory requirements for banks and other financial institutions. the chicago bar association financial institutions committee.november 14, 2018. fair lending: enforcement, audits, and new frontiers. the chicago bar association financial institutions committee.october 30, 2018. eager for regulatory reform: an update on the economic growth act implementation. illinois bankers, fall compliance conference.october 10, 2018. case studies for professional responsibility: inclusion and diversity. the chicago bar association financial institutions committee.april 26, 2018. ten questions: case studies for professional responsibility. the chicago bar association, financial institutions committee.november 8, 2017. cast a long shadow: the continued impact of the “robust causality” requirement in inclusive communities and the “concrete injury” analysis in spokeo. a discussion of the recent case law addressing doctrines developed by the united states supreme court in 2015 and 2016. the chicago bar association financial institutions committee.august 3, 2017. where there is smoke, there are mirrors: misdirection and the application of sleight of hand principals to the pursuit of shiny objects in politics. the rotary club of the chicago financial district.february 10, 2016. recent developments in fair lending. the chicago bar association, financial institutions committee.october 14, 2010. “house of cards: the credit card act/where are we and where are we going?.” national association of federal credit unions regulatory compliance. education university of michigan doctor of law (j.d.), cum laude kalamazoo college b.a., cum laude previous experience reed smith llp holland & knight (partner) dla piper rudnick gray cary (partner) university of michigandoctor of law (j.d.), cum laudekalamazoo collegeb.a., cum laude reed smith llpholland & knight (partner)dla piper rudnick gray cary (partner) banking and financial services corporate and business transactions english partner state of illinois u.s. district court for the northern district of illinois chicago | |
 | Brent Nelson Partner Trusts and Estates, Tax Phoenix, Tucson | Brent Nelson Partner EDUCATIONGeorgetown University LL.M., Taxation, with distinction, 2010 Certificate in Estate PlanningTexas Tech University School of Law J.D., magna cum laude, 2009 Regent's Scholarship Texas Tech Administrative Law JournalNorthern Arizona University B.S., Political Science, magna cum laude, 2005 Regent's ScholarshipPREVIOUS EXPERIENCE
Phoenix, Tucson Trusts and Estates, Tax English Russian Ukrainian brent nelson a select group of u.s. and international individuals, families and financial institutions work with brent nelson on their complex tax, estate planning, and family business matters. collectively, mr. nelson’s clients live, invest, or have family on every inhabitable continent in the world.with significant experience representing high-net-worth individuals and families, mr. nelson is sensitive to the unique challenges and opportunities these clients face. he creates family organizations with an eye on multi-generational continuity. mr. nelson helps his clients understand, improve, and protect family structures that include trusts, business entities, private investments, charitable giving, and family governance. he is accustomed to working with high profile clients and understands that privacy and confidentiality are absolutely essential.brent is an established and respected thought leader in his field. he hosts the popular wealth and law podcast, co-edits the arizona estate planning and probate handbook (thomson reuters), drafts relevant legislation, and frequently speaks and writes on estate and tax developments. he has been elected to or served as:fellow, the american college of trust and estate counsel (actec)chair of the probate and trust section of the state bar of arizonatrust and estate practitioner in the society of trust and estate practitionersdirector of his local affiliate of the national association of estate planners & councilspublications“revocable trusts for changing times,” property & probate, (september/october 2021)“transfer tax planning in 2021,” presenter, state bar of arizona (may 2021)“reading the tea leaves: the future of the trust and estate practice,” panelist, southern arizona estate planning council (march 2021)“trusts for changing times,” presenter, state bar of arizona (march 2021)“modern trust planning,” co-chair, state bar of arizona (december 2020)“flps are not death,” presenter, state bar of arizona (october 2020)“two special trusts to ‘stretch’ iras”, rimonlaw.com (june 2020)“cares act part 2,” presenter, entrepreneurial cpas network (may 2020)“how do i get some of that cares act money?,” presenter, entrepreneurial cpas network (april 2020)“covid-19 has changed charitable trust planning,” rimonlaw.com (march 2020)“ira trust beneficiaries after the secure act,” rimonlaw.com (january 2020)“stack business and charitable deductions for maximum savings,” co-author, wealth management (october 21, 2019)“pass-through and charitable deductions explained,” co-author, wealth management (september 27, 2019)“life insurance in business succession,” co-presenter, snell & wilmer seminar (august 29, 2019)“five things you forgot (or don’t know) about international estate planning,” presenter, state bar of arizona’s probate and trust law section (august 28, 2019)“wills and trusts 101,” presenter, national business institute seminar (june 18, 2019)“family wealth: reexamining family limited partnerships,” co-presenter, snell & wilmer seminar (may 29, 2019)“family wealth & estate planning: estate planning basics,” co-presenter, snell & wilmer webinar (may 8, 2019)“it is now easier to transition business to the next generation,” co-author, phoenix business journal (may 3, 2019)“the pass-through income deduction for charitable remainder trusts,” co-author, snell & wilmer legal alert (march 27, 2019)“retirement account freebies: taking penalty-free withdrawals,” author, probate and property magazine (march 2019) education georgetown university ll.m., taxation, with distinction, 2010 certificate in estate planning texas tech university school of law j.d., magna cum laude, 2009 regent's scholarship texas tech administrative law journal northern arizona university b.s., political science, magna cum laude, 2005 regent's scholarship previous experience snell & wilmer l.l.p. (partner) gabroy, rollman & bosse, p.c. georgetown universityll.m., taxation, with distinction, 2010 certificate in estate planningtexas tech university school of lawj.d., magna cum laude, 2009 regent’s scholarship texas tech administrative law journalnorthern arizona universityb.s., political science, magna cum laude, 2005 regent’s scholarship snell & wilmer l.l.p. (partner)gabroy, rollman & bosse, p.c. community involvement southern arizona soccer coalition, inc. (tucson adult soccer league), director (2014-present) steven m. gootter foundation, committee member (2010-2018), board member (2018-present) southern arizona legal aid volunteer lawyers program, volunteer (2011-present) arizona community foundation of yuma, board of advisors (2018-present) professional recognition & awards 40 under 40, tuscon.com (arizona daily star), 2019 trusts and estates, best lawyers (bl rankings llc), 2020-2022 snell & wilmer coach award, snell & wilmer l.l.p., 2019 professional memberships & activities society of trust and estate practitioners, tep state bar of arizona, probate and trust section-chair, tax law section american bar association, section of real property, trust and estate law, section of taxation pima county bar association young tax professionals, director and founder southern arizona estate planning council, director tucson tax study group corporate and business transactions corporate governance estate and gift tax europe international international tax latin america regulatory, compliance & corporate governance tax trusts and estates english russian ukrainian partner arizona supreme court state of arizona state of colorado united states tax court phoenix tucson | |
 | Sonia Oliveri Partner Immigration Law Miami | Sonia Oliveri Partner EducationNova Southeastern University, Shepard Broad College of Law J.D., cum laude, Dean's ListRoma Tre University J.D., summa cum laudePrevious Experience
Miami Immigration Law English Farsi French Italian Portuguese Spanish sonia oliveri sonia oliveri’s practice focuses on business immigration, eb-5, and on commercial clients’ immigration and international business needs. a native of italy, ms. oliveri is fluent in six languages: english, farsi, italian, french, portugese and spanish.ms. oliveri is a highly accomplished immigration attorney. she assists corporate clients, foreign corporations and investors with complex corporate transactions and immigration matters, with an emphasis on the eb-5 program, e-1/e-2 treaty trader and investor programs, h-1b visa matters, and l-1 intracompany transferee visa applications. ms. oliveri counsels foreign national clients on obtaining green cards through either individual direct, pooled investments, or regional center eb-5 investments, nationwide. she serves clients seeking solutions to complex immigration and business issues. she also works with employers and human resources departments on i-9 compliance as well as h-1b and lca compliance. she regularly counsels businesses on immigration-related regulatory compliance issues including employment-eligibility verification issues, e-verify and i-9 audits, internal audits and reviews.ms. oliveri represents clients with domestic and international interests concerning international/cross-border transactions and international estate matters. clientele from all over the world — specifically europe, latin america, the middle east and india — rely on her cultural experience and global international background and perspective for matters that require cultural sensitivity. she leverages her international business abilities and interpersonal skills in complex international matters, corporate and immigration-related. ms. oliveri presents creative solutions and identifies issues before they become problematic, while delivering the highest levels of customer attention and care.the combination of her international business and multilingual background allows ms. oliveri to bring unique expertise to the eb-5 arena. her thorough understanding of the broad issues associated with business migration to the u.s. permits her to recognize and communicate to clients many of the complex issues of the u.s. business immigration processes outside of the traditional application filings with uscis.ms. oliveri has also served clients worldwide including treaty investors (e-2), and traders (e-1), immigrant investors, regional centers, multi-national managers and corporations, small businesses, artists, entertainers, athletes, students, trainees, professionals, managers, executives, employers, and individuals seeking solutions to complex immigration and business issues.ms. oliveri has developed strong professional relationships in her field. she provides advice on the complexities of immigration matters to the clients of numerous u.s. investment groups, regional centers, and developers. additionally, ms. oliveri advises these groups on eb-5 program compliance, including developing new projects that qualify for eb-5 investments, preparing amendment filings, and applying for exemplar petitions. ms. oliveri works with securities lawyers, economists, business plan writers and other professionals on the preparation and filing of regional center designations and regional center amendment applications. from the beginning of her career, ms. oliveri has been responsible for filing hundreds of eb-5 petitions. she also advises individuals, businesses and regional centers on eb-5 compliance issues and complex u.s. immigration and nationality matters.prior to joining the firm, ms. oliveri was a partner with kelley kronenberg, where she created and led the firm’s eb-5 and immigration practice groups. prior to that, ms. oliveri was an attorney for a major immigration investment law firm. there, she gained experience in business immigration, advising high-net-worth foreign nationals and companies on business agreements, business and investor visas, commercial lease agreements, contract negotiations, corporate formation, employment, employment-based applications and global immigration. education nova southeastern university, shepard broad college of law j.d., cum laude, dean's list roma tre university j.d., summa cum laude previous experience kelley kronenberg (partner) nova southeastern university, shepard broad college of lawj.d., cum laude, dean’s listroma tre universityj.d., summa cum laude kelley kronenberg (partner) professional associations organization of women in international trade (owit), board of directors american immigration lawyers association (aila), member south florida aila, member business & investment committee latin american and caribbean aila, member national italian american bar association (niaba), member comites, italian consular committee for italians abroad, member italy american chamber of commerce southeast (iacc), member awards and recognition chambers and partners usa, immigration - florida, 2021 top 25 immigration attorneys, eb-5 investor magazine, 2019 top 5 rising stars, eb-5 investor magazine, 2018 eb-5 verified by eb-5 investor magazine publications immigration alert: international entrepreneur parole, rimonlaw.com, july 13, 2021 trump’s immigration proclamation has some key exemptions, miami herald, may 2020 connecting with cultures: attorney fluent in 6 languages thrives in immigration practice, daily business review, april 2020 connecting with cultures: attorney fluent in 6 languages thrives in immigration practice, daily business review, april 2020 how will this new immigration change impact south florida real estate? miami herald, november 2019 kelley kronenberg partner sonia oliveri honored as top 5 rising star by eb5 investors magazine, broward county bar association blog, april 2, 2019 kelley kronenberg partner sonia oliveri honored as top 5 rising star by eb5 investors magazine, legal learning series, march 6, 2019 kelley kronenberg partner sonia oliveri honored as top 5 rising star by eb5 investors magazine, sun-sentinel, february 18, 2019 kelley kronenberg partner sonia oliveri honored as top 5 rising star by eb5 investors magazine, citybizlist, february 18, 2019 kelley kronenberg partner sonia oliveri honored as top 5 rising star, attorney at law magazine, february 18, 2019 kelley kronenberg partner sonia oliveri appointed to american immigration lawyers association’s business and investment committee in south florida, legal learning series, august 28, 2018 kelley kronenberg partner sonia oliveri appointed to american immigration lawyers association’s business and investment committee in south florida, sun-sentinel, august 22, 2018 kelley kronenberg partner sonia oliveri appointed to aila’s business and investment committee, citybizlist, august 22, 2018 kelley kronenberg partner sonia oliveri appointed to business and investment committee, attorney at law magazine, august 21, 2018 speaking engagements changes to the eb-5 investor program and the e-2 treaty investor visa, nsu cle new immigration challenges, nova southeastern university shepard broad college of law, june 2019 h-1b to eb-5 seminar miami, ilw.com, april 2019 business immigration, e-2 treaty investor visa & eb-5 investor program, nsu cle new considerations in immigration practice, nova southeastern university shepard broad college of law, february 2019 practical aspects of preparing and filing eb-5 immigrant visa petitions, business and investment committee, aila south florida, january 2019 eb-5 investor program seminar & roundtable, nicastro group, milan, may 2018 other credentials eb-5 attorney – immigrant investment petitions immigration law english farsi french italian portuguese spanish partner district of columbia state of florida u.s. district court for the southern district of florida miami | |
 | Chris Orozco-Wallraff Partner Equipment Leasing and Finance Los Angeles | Chris Orozco-Wallraff Partner Loyola Law School, Los AngelesJ.D.University of Southern CaliforniaB.A. Los Angeles Equipment Leasing and Finance English Portuguese Russian Spanish chris orozco-wallraff chris focuses his practice on equipment leasing and finance in the aviation industry. a true specialist in the aviation industry, he has represented lessors in the leasing, sale, and consignment of aircraft and aircraft engines all over the world.chris has previous experience in aircraft leasing and finance at holland & knight, as well as experience as in-house counsel at international lease finance corporation (now aercap), a major lessor of commercial jet aircraft. loyola law school, los angeles j.d. university of southern california b.a. loyola law school, los angeles(j.d.)university of southern california(b.a.) equipment leasing and finance english portuguese russian spanish partner district of columbia state of california los angeles | |
 | Oliver Otto Partner Bankruptcy and Creditors’ Rights, Europe | Oliver Otto Partner Bankruptcy and Creditors’ Rights, Europe English German oliver otto oliver otto is a partner in rimon’s frankfurt office. he focuses on restructuring, bankruptcies, as well as banking and finance in the finance, technology, energy, and manufacturing sectors.mr. otto advises clients on insolvency risk on financial restructuring measures, non-performing investments, exit solutions, portfolio solutions, and debt trading. he represents creditors in insolvency proceedings as well as debtors in their crisis and debtor-in-possession proceedings, and provides counsel to corporates and directors in near-insolvency scenarios and advises on fraudulent insolvencies.selected experiencerepresentation of mail order company, otto group, in relation to the sale of its quality assurance and product safety service provider.representation of precision mechanical engineering company, heidelberger druckmaschinen ag, on financial restructuring measures to increase its profitability.representation of a u.s. fund on the repayment of a corporate financing made to a german medical laboratory.representation of a lessor for truck trailers active in the european market on the insolvency remote structuring of a multinational abs structure.representation of an operator of nursing homes active in the european market in relation to the insolvency proceedings of a german nursing home operator and in the takeover of its business out of insolvency.representation of a german mortgage bank on the sale of its gbp 15 million interest in a syndicated loan to a foreign borrower (performing loan, sell side).representation of finnish sovereign wealth fund, finnish fund for industrial cooperation ltd, in relation to the debtor-in-possession proceedings of german solar solutions provider, mobisol gmbh.representation of manufacturer guala closures group, on the acquisition of the german closure manufacturing operations of the insolvent closurelogic gmbh, out of debtor-in-possession proceedings.representation of swedish mortgage bank on the sale of part of its npl portfolio with a volume of eur 175 million (sell side).representation of hospital and senior living group, katharina kasper viasalus, in its debtor-in-possession proceedings.representation of several airlines and a merchant acquirer in relation to the insolvency proceedings of air berlin plc & co. luftverkehrs kg.representation of insurance company, baloise group, on the transfer of a loan portfolio held by the german branch of basler leben ag to frankfurter leben group.publicationscash pooling in insolvency scenarios; handbook deutsche kreditmarkt standards, october 2021commenting on judgement of olg karlsruhe ‘funding of closed property funds’ (‘aufklärungspflicht; finanzierung von geschlossenen immobilienfonds’), wub/november 2011, s. 639membershipsgerman bar association (dav)dav sub-group insolvency & restructuringassociation on white-collar criminal law*attorney is a member of separate entity, rimon falkenfort, and not rimon p.c. johann wolfgang goethe-university frankfurt am mainfirst state exam in lawoberlandesgericht frankfurt am mainsecond state exam in law dla piper (lawyer)salans (lawyer)linklaters (lawyer) bankruptcy and creditors’ rights europe english german partner germany* | |
 | Matthew D. Pace Partner Sports, Entertainment, and Recreation, FinTech, Cryptocurrencies, and Blockchain New York | Matthew D. Pace Partner EDUCATIONEmory University JDTrinity College BAPREVIOUS EXPERIENCE
New York Sports, Entertainment, and Recreation, FinTech, Cryptocurrencies, and Blockchain English matthew d. pace matthew pace represents clients in a broad range of sports and entertainment matters, including property acquisitions and sales, sponsorships, licensing and promotional agreements, joint venture activities, digital rights and other media and general business issues.his clients include personalities, sports leagues and teams, sponsors and properties, technology companies, investors, licensees and licensors and marketing and promotions agencies.his clients include sports leagues and teams, sponsors and properties, sports technology companies, investors, licensees and licensors and sports marketing and promotions agencies. among the noteworthy representations include the representation of: sport 10 ip, limited, the company that owns and licenses the intellectual property rights of global icon pele, alliance baseball, the owners of the omaha storm chasers (aaa kansas city royals) and the richmond flying squirrels (aa san francisco giants), north east sports consultants, the ny cosmos soccer club in connection with its re-launch and subsequent sale, the ultimate fighting championship, sports technologies in connection with the sale of fannation.com to sports illustrated, and slipstream sports in connection with its ownership of the cannondale garmin professional cycling team. mr. pace has also represented private equity investors in connection with their investments in sports.mr. pace previously held senior-level business positions, including serving as executive director of major league lacrosse, executive vice president of business development and general counsel for gm eventworks, an interpublic group company that was responsible for managing sports and entertainment alliances for general motors corp.mr. pace received his j.d. from the emory university school of law and his b.a. from trinity college-hartford.awards & recognitionunited states recommended attorney, the legal 500 (legalease ltd), 2015publications“starting a career in sports & the law,” new york city bar association committee on sports law; february 26, 2014“should some advantages be allowable? the argument surrounding the permissibility of performance enhancement,” 18th annual fordham sports law symposium, fordham university; february 14, 2014“going global: the impact of exportation and expansion of american sports around the world,” 16th annual fordham sports law symposium, fordham university; march 30, 2012“the role of sponsorship and advertising in the business of sport” ny state bar association (nysba) “in the arena” 2012.“clash of sports celebrities’ publicity rights in computer and fantasy sports games,” new york state bar association’s entertainment, arts and sports law section; february 23, 2011“twenty-first century labor concerns in sports and entertainment,” seton hall university law school’s annual sports and entertainment law symposium; february 15, 2011“pay-per-view and subscription models in the entertainment and sports industries,” american bar association; october 8, 2010“new media round table discussion,” punch media group; march 3, 2010“challenges in going mobile,” the international association of entertainment lawyers; february 24, 2010“the impact of social networking on the sports world,” new york state bar association’s entertainment, arts and sports law section; november 17, 2009“understanding the value of your digital rights,” sports media & technology 2007 conference; november 13, 2007other experienceco-chair of the sports section of the entertainment, arts and sports law (easl) section of the new york state bar association.executive director of major league lacrosseexecutive vice president of business development and general counsel for gm eventworks, a company responsible for managing the sports and entertainment alliances for general motorsplayer agent and a business development and partnership consultant to national retailers and marketing companies education emory university jd trinity college ba previous experience arent fox, (partner) herrick, feinstein llp duval & stachenfeld llp, (partner) milbank, tweed, hadley & mccloy llp major league lacrosse, executive director general motors eventworks, executive vice president and general counsel emory universityjdtrinity collegeba arent fox, (partner)herrick, feinstein llpduval & stachenfeld llp, (partner)milbank, tweed, hadley & mccloy llpmajor league lacrosse, executive directorgeneral motors eventworks, executive vice president and general counsel banking and financial services corporate and business transactions fintech, cryptocurrencies, and blockchain mergers and acquisitions securities and capital markets sports, entertainment, and recreation english partner state of new york new york | |
 | Jill Haley Penwarden Partner Sports, Entertainment, and Recreation, Litigation Lake Tahoe, San Francisco | Jill Haley Penwarden Partner EDUCATIONUniversity of California, Berkeley Boalt Hall School of Law , J.D.University of California, San Diego B.A.PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE
ADMISSIONS
Lake Tahoe, San Francisco Sports, Entertainment, and Recreation, Litigation jill haley penwarden jill haley penwarden, a partner in rimon’s litigation group, has two decades of experience representing and defending sports and recreation providers in high-stakes litigation. she has represented clients including ski areas, golf course operators, mountain bike parks, and cruise ship operators in california and federal trial and appellate courts, as well as in arbitration and mediation. ms. penwarden also serves her clients as an advisor on risk management and insurance matters. she has completed a 40-hour mediation training, works as a private mediator, and acts as a volunteer mediator in the nevada county courts.ms. penwarden is an author and industry expert on risk management and litigation related-topics as they relate to the sports and recreation field, and is a regular speaker at sports and recreation industry conferences throughout the country. she has been profiled in skiing magazine and ms. jd’s attorneys across america, and quoted in publications including the los angeles times and espn.com on issues involving recreational risk.representative matters include:obtained summary judgment for a ski area client in wrongful death case where a snowboarder slipped, fell, and suffered fatal injuries while hiking to expert terrain near the ski area boundary. briefed the issues to the ninth circuit court of appeal and preserved summary judgment on appeal.obtained defense jury verdict for a ski area client against a claim by a snowboarder that it was legally responsible for his spinal cord injury. briefed the issues to the california third district court of appeal and preserved defense verdict. verdict for client was named one of california’s “top 10 defense verdicts of 2006” by the los angeles daily journal.obtained summary judgment in recreational injury cases for sports and recreation clients on the basis of assumption of risk in a variety of contexts, including skiing, snowboarding, and mountain biking injuries. claimed injuries at issue included traumatic brain injury, spinal cord injury, and post-traumatic stress disorder.drafted successful appellate briefs in state and federal courts of appeal to preserve trial court judgments for clients.drafted three amicus curiae briefs to the california supreme court regarding primary assumption of risk, an issue crucially important to recreational providers.represented recreational providers in litigation, resolution, and implementation of remediation plans in connection with americans with disabilities act claims.drafted athlete sponsorship agreements.represented a cruise ship line in employment litigation brought by on-board performers.represented an online retailer in defense and coordination of multi-district internet privacy litigation.represented major securities firm in fraudulent conveyance trial and securities arbitration arising from margin trading by foreign investor.represented compressed gas manufacturer regarding plant destroyed by ammonium nitrate explosion at neighboring fertilizer plant.memberships & associationsassociation of ski defense attorneysjudge pro tem, nevada county superior courtmediator, conflict resolution center of nevada countytahoe-truckee bar association, past presidentsierra expeditionary learning school, former founding board member and corporate secretaryadventure risk challenge, advisory committee memberpublicationsinsurance coverage and the coronavirus, rimonlaw.com, march 31, 2020 education university of california, berkeley boalt hall school of law , j.d. university of california, san diego b.a. previous experience duane morris (partner) hancock, rothert & bunshoft (partner) perkins coie walsh, donovan, lindh & keech admissions state of california u.s. court of appeals for the 9th circuit u.s. district courts for the northern, eastern, central, and southern districts of california university of california, berkeleyboalt hall school of law , j.d.university of california, san diegob.a. duane morris (partner)hancock, rothert & bunshoft (partner)perkins coiewalsh, donovan, lindh & keech commercial litigation litigation sports, entertainment, and recreation partner state of california u.s. court of appeals for the ninth circuit u.s. district court for the northern district of california lake tahoe san francisco | |
 | Geoffrey Perusse Partner Fund Formation, Private Investment Funds, Real Estate San Francisco | Geoffrey Perusse Partner EDUCATIONWashington & Lee University J.D., Cum LaudeColgate University B.A., International RelationsPREVIOUS EXPERIENCE
San Francisco Fund Formation, Private Investment Funds, Real Estate English geoffrey perusse geoffrey perusse counsels businesses in connection with private capital raising, private fund formation, investment activities, securities regulation and compliance matters.geoff represents sponsors and managers of private funds across asset classes, including real estate, private equity, debt, venture capital and hedge funds, with respect to the structuring, formation and operation of the funds, including regulatory and compliance matters arising under the investment advisers act of 1940, the securities act of 1933, and the investment company act of 1940.geoff advises investors, private funds, sponsors and companies on the acquisition and disposition of investments and assets in a variety of industries, including in the real estate, technology, and media and entertainment industries.geoff also works with select entrepreneurs and technology companies based in san francisco and silicon valley. he has substantial experience with raising capital through convertible debt offerings, common and preferred stock offerings, mergers and acquisitions, stock option matters, and advising the board of directors.geoff started his career in the menlo park, california office of davis polk & wardwell llp and spent over a decade at allen matkins leck gamble mallory & natisis llp in their san francisco office. most recently he was a partner at vlp law group llp.outside of the office he enjoys exploring and skiing the sierra nevada mountains with his wife and two dogs, and surfing the cold waves of northern california.representative mattersinvestment management/fund formation mattersrepresented sponsor in connection with the formation of a $50mm real estate private equity fund focused on multifamily apartments.represented sponsor in connection with the formation of a $100mm real estate private equity fund focused on multifamily and mixed-use properties located in san francisco using master-feeder structure to facilitate offshore investors.represent nyse listed company in connection with spin-out of an internally managed venture capital fund.represent managing member of a hedge fund in connection with restructuring and dispute with other managing member.ongoing representation of a number of registered investment advisers on investment adviser act compliance matters with over $10 bln in aggregate aum.publicationsdigital asset risk alert, rimon im report, march 12, 2021sec investment adviser risk alert, rimon im report, december 3, 2020public companies oppose sec’s proposed changes to section 13(f) disclosures, rimon im report, september 23, 2020sec adopts amendments to the “accredited investor” definition, rimon im report, august 26, 2020real estate private equity adviser settles with sec over misallocation of expenses, rimon im report, august 25, 2020delaware law updates, rimonlaw.com, march 15, 2019registered investment adviser compliance update, rimonlaw.com, march 15, 2019 education washington & lee university j.d., cum laude colgate university b.a., international relations previous experience vlp law group (partner) allen matkins leck gamble mallory & natisis llp (senior counsel) davis polk & wardwell llp washington & lee universityj.d., cum laudecolgate universityb.a., international relations vlp law group (partner)allen matkins leck gamble mallory & natisis llp (senior counsel)davis polk & wardwell llp banking and financial services corporate and business transactions emerging companies and venture capital fund formation investment advisers and other asset managers mergers and acquisitions private investment funds real estate securities and capital markets sports, entertainment, and recreation technology english partner state of california san francisco | |
 | Matthew Poppe Partner Intellectual Property Litigation, Litigation Menlo Park, San Francisco | Matthew Poppe Partner EDUCATIONUniversity of Chicago J.D., with high honorsStanford University B.A. in International Relations & Economics, with distinctionPREVIOUS EXPERIENCE
Menlo Park, San Francisco Intellectual Property Litigation, Litigation English French matthew poppe matt poppe is a partner in the intellectual property and commercial litigation groups. his litigation experience spans a wide range of patent, other intellectual property, and commercial cases. key recent clients include redfin, matterport, varian medical systems, emc (now part of dell), ebay, baidu, and soundgarden. he has also represented a variety of asia-based clients in u.s. litigation involving intellectual property and business disputes.in patent litigation, matt focuses on technologies related to computer networks, data storage, software, medical devices, and semiconductors. in other ip cases, matt has substantial experience with trade secret, copyright, and trademark litigation. outside of ip, matt has handled breach of contract, fraud, consumer class action, and many other types of commercial claims. matt has also briefed and argued appeals, including to the federal circuit.matt belongs to the intellectual property owners association, the sedona conference, and the itc trial lawyers association, and he regularly speaks and writes on issues related to intellectual property law and litigation.in 2016, matt served as president of the santa clara county bar association. he has spent more than a decade on the board of directors of the silicon valley campaign for legal services, which conducts fundraising and coordinates events related to legal aid. he contributes pro bono time each year to clients in domestic violence, landlord/tenant, immigration, and/or consumer disputes.matt has been listed as a northern california super lawyer since 2012 and has been recognized by best lawyers in america from 2020-2022. he was also named a bti client service all-star in 2017.prior to joining rimon, matt was a partner at orrick, herrington & sutcliffe llp in its ip litigation grouprepresentative matterspatentredfin corporation. matt represents redfin in a patent case related to computer technology for generating 3d models of physical spaces for real estate listings. the case is pending in the western district of texas.emc corporation. matt has represented emc in patent cases related to data storage technology, including a case against competitor pure storage that went to trial before judge andrews in the district of delaware. varian medical systems. matt has represented varian in patent cases related to imaging systems for radiation therapy.brocade communications systems. matt has represented brocade and its subsidiary, foundry networks, in multi-patent suits against nortel, alcatel, and enterasys related to computer networking technologies.nanya technology corp. matt represented nanya in itc and district court proceedings commenced by elpida memory, inc. the matter settled after a full hearing on the merits. the six patents-in-suit related to dram technology. nikko materials usa. matt represented nikko and its subsidiary, jja, in a patent case related to copper foil laminate technology used in manufacturing multilayer printed circuit boards. nikko/jja won a jury verdict of willful infringement on their patent while the patent counterclaims were dismissed on summary judgment.trade secretintel corp. matt defended intel against claims that it misappropriated trade secrets allegedly contained in commercial software intel had purchased from a third party. the trial court dismissed silvaco’s claims on summary judgment and the decision was affirmed on appeal. silvaco data systems v. intel corp., 184 cal. app. 4th 210 (2010).applied materials. matt represented applied in connection with united states v. mcdowell, a criminal case in which the defendants were convicted of crimes relating to misappropriation of applied’s trade secrets related to semiconductor manufacturing equipment.matrix pharmaceuticals. matt represented matrix in a trade secret action filed by collagen corp., which alleged misappropriation of a process for manufacturing collagen for pharmaceutical purposes.copyright/trademarksoundgarden. matt represents soundgarden and the individual band members in a copyright case against the former lead singer’s widow related to rights in an unreleased soundgarden album.varian medical systems. matt represented varian in a copyright case filed by an artist claiming infringement of her copyrights in drawings licensed by varian for use in its marketing activities.vigour pak and vigour plastic. matt represented taiwanese manufacturers of paper and plastic restaurant products in a trademark case filed by their former u.s. distributor named lollicup.acxiom corp. matt was a member of the team that filed a trademark case on behalf of acxiom against axiom, inc., resulting in a judgment for acxiom and a permanent injunction against axiom after a trial in the district of delaware.commercial/contractlibo cosmetics. matt is defending chinese/taiwanese cosmetics packaging manufacturers against claims brought by a former u.s. sales representative claiming millions of dollars in underpaid commissions on his sales to revlon. flextronics. matt represented flextronics in an arbitration and related state court action in which each side charged the other with breaches of a design services agreement related to the development of medical monitoring technology.vigour pak and vigour plastic. matt represented these taiwanese companies in a contract dispute against their former u.s. distributor, lollicup, which claimed exclusive distribution rights based on an alleged oral contract.shih-ming hsieh. matt handled two related cases involving a dispute between family members and business partners related to the operation of a golf course. matt inherited the cases after adverse judgments had been entered against his clients. matt obtained appellate reversals in each case, with one resulting in a published decision. ho v. hsieh, 181 cal. app. 4th 337 (2010). matt continued as lead counsel during bench trials on remand.outrigger systems, inc. matt represented outrigger and its founders against ion beam applications, inc. in a case involving disputed ownership of software that outrigger had developed.pacific bell wireless. matt represented pbw (later called cingular wireless, and now at&t) in a license dispute arising out of a defective billing system provided by lhs. pbw defeated lhs’s claims at an arbitration hearing and obtained a multimillion-dollar award on its counterclaim.false advertisingacer, inc. matt represented acer in a class action false advertising case filed in the southern district of florida relating to notebook computers. the case was brought to a speedy, satisfactory conclusion.pacific bell wireless. matt successfully defended pbw against two consumer class actions, once via demurrer and once by successfully opposing certification of the class. each favorable ruling was upheld on appeal.publications“piracy pays (the ip owner),” the licensing journal (nov./dec. 2016) (co-author).“president’s message” monthly column for the santa clara county bar association, daily journal (2016). periodic contributions, orrick norcal ip blog (2016-2017) and orrick trade secrets watch blog (2013-2017). “judge v. jury on claim construction,” the recorder, july 12, 2013 (co-author)“courts fumble with broader ‘obviousness’ test,” daily journal, june 26, 2013 (co-author).“new employees and the risks posed by the assignor estoppel doctrine,” mealey’s litigation report: patents, vol. 13, issue #23, may 2006. “guarding trade secrets,” employment law yearbook, pli press, 2001 and 2002 eds. (co-author).“defining the scope of the equal protection clause with respect to welfare waiting periods,” 61 university of chicago law review, 291, 1994.speaking engagementspatent trolls in the video game industry, berkeley center of law and technology, september 11, 2014.“fraud issues relating to intellectual property, licensing and brand protection,” fei-silicon valley chapter, knowledge synergized 2014, june 20, 2014. “incorporating the trade secrets of another into a patent application,” ipo trade secrets committee, june 3, 2014.“from trolls to the target breach: evolving tactics used by plaintiffs’ attorneys in video game patent litigation and data privacy suits,” entertainment software association, march 12, 2014. “intellectual property: 2013 year in review, patent law,” sacramento county bar association, january 31, 2014.“the america invents act one year later – baby’s growing up fast,” santa clara county bar association, september 5, 2012. “picking your poison: forum-shopping in patent litigation,” santa clara county bar association, march 25, 2010.“patent opinions and advice of counsel after seagate,” santa clara county bar association, may 7, 2008. “nuts and bolts of depositions,” santa clara county bar association, november 8, 2007.“recent supreme court & federal circuit decisions regarding patent litigation,” santa clara county bar association, february 28, 2007. “nortel networks v. foundry networks: a case study,” boalt center for law and technology, january 11, 2005.“litigation under business & professions code section 17200 after proposition 64,” december 2, 2004.“the expert’s role in summary judgment,” law seminars international, conference on effective financial expert testimony, november 5, 2004.awards and recognitionbest lawyers (bl rankings llc), 2020-2021bti client service all-star, the bti consulting group, inc, 2017northern california, super lawyers (thomson reuters corporation), 2012-currentpatent litigation, the legal 500 u.s. (legalease ltd), 2009university of chicago law review, staff member, 1992-93order of the coifmemberships and affiliationsstate bar of californiaintellectual property owners association, litigation committee the sedona conferencesanta clara county bar association education university of chicago j.d., with high honors stanford university b.a. in international relations & economics, with distinction previous experience orrick, herrington & sutcliffe llp. (partner) university of chicagoj.d., with high honorsstanford universityb.a. in international relations & economics, with distinction orrick, herrington & sutcliffe llp. (partner) china commercial litigation intellectual property intellectual property litigation litigation trademark and copyright english french partner u.s. court of appeals for the federal circuit u.s. court of appeals for the ninth circuit u.s. district court for the central district of california u.s. district court for the eastern district of california u.s. district court for the eastern district of texas u.s. district court for the northern district of california u.s. district court for the southern district of california menlo park san francisco | |
 | Robin Powers Partner Banking and Financial Services, Private Investment Funds, Securities and Capital Markets, FinTech, Cryptocurrencies, and Blockchain New York | Robin Powers Partner EDUCATIONFordham University J.D.,Member, Journal for Intellectual PropertyNew York University M.B.A.Queens College, CUNY B.A., cum laudePREVIOUS EXPERIENCE
New York Banking and Financial Services, Private Investment Funds, Securities and Capital Markets, FinTech, Cryptocurrencies, and Blockchain English robin powers robin powers advises buy-side and other market participants on a broad range of trading and derivatives documentation and transactions, with a focus on cleared and uncleared derivatives and cross border regulation. she counsels clients with respect to regulatory issues including dodd frank and emir compliance, clearing and swap execution facility relationships and uncleared swap margin related issues.ms. powers has extensive experience negotiating and documenting international swaps and derivatives association (isda) master agreements, master repurchase agreements, collateral and other credit support documents, prime brokerage agreements, futures and options trading and clearing, and securities lending agreements. she assists clients in their various transactional activities including documentation of structured transactions, credit default swaps, equity derivative transactions, interest rate swaps, weather swaps, asset swaps, total return swaps and currency transactions. she has also developed master confirmations for various derivative products.ms. powers focuses on the regulatory aspect of structuring and organizing domestic and offshore investment funds including the design, structure and operation of investment portfolios. she also provides ongoing advice to investment advisory clients relating to their investment products and services and trading issues. ms. powers assists both investment fund and investment advisory clients in the negotiation and documentation of agreements with service providers including administrators, data and electronic trading service providers, auditors, and prime brokers.representative experiencems. power’s extensive representative experience includes:negotiating documentation for cleared and uncleared derivatives products, u.k. and n.y. governed master securities loan agreements, overseas lending agreements, prime brokerage arrangements, give-up arrangements, custody and control agreements, and master netting arrangements on behalf of hedge funds, private equity funds, asset managers, universities and endowments, family offices and high net worth individuals, insurance companies, and pension funds.assisting buy side clients in complying with regulations relating to derivatives, including dodd-frank and emir.advising end users on practices to minimize counterparty, operational, and documentation risk.structuring, negotiating and documenting total return swap (trs) facilities.updating templates for documentation of derivatives transactions for updated definitions and regulations.negotiating waivers and amendments to trading agreements and transactions on behalf of buy-side clients.representing buy-side clients in a wide range of disputes involving collateral valuation, isda events of default and early terminations, secondary loan trading, notations and fund liquidations.publications“family office”? what’s in a name: the implosion heard around the (financial markets) world, rimon im report, april 7, 2021isda ibor fallbacks supplement and protocol: what you need to know, rimonlaw.com, november 19, 2020author, monoline insurers: confusion and chaos in the credit default swap market, derivatives: financial products report (vol. 9, no. 7), mar. 2008.co-author, hedge fund roundtable, financier worldwide, jan. 2007.speaking engagementschair, speaker, program on central clearing – central clearing of interest rate swaps, hedge fund roundtable, june 15, 2010.chair, program on central clearing – questions and answers from the buy-side perspective, hedge fund roundtable, apr. 15, 2010.panelist, otc derivatives, american bar association derivatives & futures law committee winter meeting, jan. 29, 2010.speaker, program on market initiatives and pending derivatives regulation, hedge fund roundtable sept. 29, 2009.speaker, webinar on pending tax initiatives and their impact on investment funds, july 28, 2009.speaker, “pending investment adviser regulation,” hedge fund roundtable, june 11, 2009.speaker, hedge fund roundtable on collateral and liquidity – lessons from “black september,” apr. 2, 2009.panelist, new york city bar association cle program on credit derivatives & bankruptcy law: what the securities, finance & bankruptcy practitioner needs to know about these new products, mar. 10, 2009.panelist, otc credit risk in the post-bear stearns world, feb. 3, 2009.speaker, webinar on examining strategies and best practices for managing counterparty risk, aug.12, 2008.panelist, new york city bar association panel on credit derivatives and bankruptcy law, may 12, 2008.speaker, “differences in use and applicability between the 1992 and 2002 isda® master agreements,” american conference institute, 5th annual conference on negotiating and tailoring isda® master agreements and confirmations, mar. 31, 2008.speaker, “documenting credit derivative confirmations,” american conference institute derivatives boot camp, nov. 5-6, 2007.speaker, “credit default swaps and succession,” barclays global gaming, hospitality and leisure credit conference, sept. 6-7, 2007.speaker, “equity derivatives transactions,” american conference institute derivatives boot camp, mar. 7-8, 2007.blog posts by robin powersclick here to read blog posts by robin powers education fordham university j.d.,member, journal for intellectual property new york university m.b.a. queens college, cuny b.a., cum laude previous experience sutherland asbill & brennan tannenbaum helpern syracuse and hirschtritt cadwalader, wickersham & taft llp salomon brothers (management consultant) anderson consulting (consultant) fordham universityj.d.,member, journal for intellectual propertynew york universitym.b.a.queens college, cunyb.a., cum laude sutherland asbill & brennantannenbaum helpern syracuse and hirschtrittcadwalader, wickersham & taft llpsalomon brothers (management consultant)anderson consulting (consultant) banking and financial services corporate and business transactions derivatives education, universities, and endowments europe fintech, cryptocurrencies, and blockchain investment advisers and other asset managers private investment funds securities and capital markets technology english partner state of new york new york | |
 | Letao Qin Partner Intellectual Property, China, Trademark and Copyright New York, Research Triangle, North Carolina, Shenzhen* |