Class Notes

Check back each month for updates on your friends and former classmates. Expand the tabs below to catch up on the latest alumni news including class notes and In Memoriam tributes.

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Class Note Submissions

March 2024

Class Notes

Eric M. Levine, JD '22

Tonkon Torp LLP is excited to welcome attorney Eric Levine to its Litigation Department. Levine is experienced in appeals and complex civil litigation. He joins the firm from the Office of the Attorney General for the District of Columbia, where he was a Charles F.C. Ruff Fellow in the Office of the Solicitor General.

Greg A. Brower, JD '02

Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck announced that Greg Brower is returning to the firm as a shareholder in the Litigation Department. His compliance work at Wynn and previous roles as a federal prosecutor, Capitol Hill insider and elected policymaker give him a rare combination of experience that allows him to provide insights from a legal, regulatory, and policy perspective.

Brandon H. Pace, JD '00

Brandon Pace has been appointed by the Gemological Institute of America as the Institute's general counsel. He brings a wealth of expertise in corporate governance, regulatory compliance and strategic counsel to his new role at GIA, where he will oversee all legal matters including intellectual property and trademark protection, litigation, data privacy, risk assessment and mitigation, and contracting.

Sharon B. Berlin, JD '91

Sharon N. Berlin joins Keane & Beane, P.C. as a Principal Member representing private and public sector management in labor and employment law matters. Ms. Berlin also serves as general counsel to school districts, private schools and other educational entities.

Hunter Goolsby, JD '00

Hunter Goolsby, a former director of data science, strategy and analytics at Troutman Pepper, announced that he has started his own consulting firm called Legal DnA Strategies LLC.

Gail Freidberg Rottenstrich, JD '87

Gail Freidberg Rottenstrich, the co-founder and CRO of ZAGO Manufacturing, has been made ROI Influencers Women in Buisness: 2024 list. In addition to running ZAGO, a sustainable manufacturer making sustainable sealing fasteners for a sustainable world, Gail is liaison to her hometown of Fair Lawn's Green Team and Shade Tree Advisory Committees. She is a member of the Borough Council in Fair Lawn, New Jersey, where she resides, and is a board member of Fair Lawn Main Street, Inc.

Philip B. Zipin, JD '82

Philip Ziplin has been given the Lawyer of the Year Award by the Metropolitan Washington Employment Lawyers Association. The award is bestowed annually to an employment lawyer whose work reflects the highest level of professionalism, commitment to employee rights, and unusual achievement.

Celine Dorsainvil, JD '21

Barclay Damon has announced that associate Celine Dorsainvil has joined the firm's Data Security & Technology and Trademarks, Copyrights & Licensing Practice Areas in their New York City office.

Gina M. Steffens, JD '03

Gina Steffens has joined NNN REIT, Inc. as Executive Vice President and General Counsel. 

Brooke P. Clark, JD '98

Brooke Poole Clark has been appointed General Counsel of the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, effective October 2023. In this role, Clark oversees the Office of the General Counsel and directs matters of law and legal policy; provides legal opinions, advice, and assistance to the agency; and represents and protects the interests of the NRC in legal matters.

In Memoriam

Olga D. Murray, JD '54

GW Law Alumna Olga Murray has passed away. Her life was spent dedicated to ending the practice of indentured servitude in Nepal. She is survived by her two sons, two grandsons, and four great-grandchildren.

Laurence Levitan, JD '58

Former Maryland State Senator Laurence Levitan sadly passed away in March 2024. A DC native, Senator Levitan was a devoted public servant to the region he called home for his entire life.

February 2024

Class Notes

Jonathan S. Satinsky, JD '08

Jonathan Satinsky was promoted recently to General Counsel, Catalyst Technologies and Platinum Group Metal Services, at Johnson Matthey. Jonathan assumed this role after serving as Group Head, Ethics & Compliance, for the previous 2.5 years. Johnson Matthey is a global company focused on the energy transition with over 200 years of clever science.

Donna M. Byrne, JD '96

Donna Byrne, whose practice specializes in FERC-related matters, has decided to join Toutman Pepper after spending the last four years as a partner at Steptoe. Donna is excited to work with a team that shares her passion for excellence in client services.

Eric W. Leonard, JD '97

Eric Leonard is Cosen O'Connor's newest shareholder, joining the firm after working as a Wiley Rein partner for over 25 years. He'll help co-lead the firm's government contracts practice alongside Jeff Vogel.

James T. Asali, JD '96

Chamberlain Hrdlicka is pleased to announce the addition of James T. Asali to its Philadelphia office. Asali joins as senior counsel in the Corporate, Securities & Finance practice group, serving as general or special legal advisor to public and privately-held companies, as well as partnerships, strategic alliances and joint ventures.

Daniel A. Lebersfeld, JD '04

Stevens & Lee Public Affairs has announced that long-time government leader Christine Shipley has joined the New Jersey public affairs team as a managing director. She has more than 25 years of strategic advisory experience in New Jersey state government, most with the New Jersey Senate Republicans.

Kristen W. Broz, JD '11

Kristen Broz has been selected to join the Leadership Council on Legal Diversity's Class of Fellows. The LCLD is comprised of over 400 corporate chief legal officers and law firm managing partners who are committed to creating a truly diverse U.S. legal profession.

Debora M. Jones, JD '05

Debora Jones has been named as the new Chief Operating Officer at ProSearch, a leading provider of comprehensive discovery and compliance solutions.

Paul N. Alp, JD '95

Paul Alp has joined the law firm of Adams and Reese; he serves as one of the co-leaders of the new Adams and Reese Aviation and Aerospace Team. Paul practices in the firm's DC office.

Capt. Milton L. Smith, JD '76

Milton Smith has joined Greenberg Traurig, LLP as Chair of the Space and Satellite Industry Group, where his more than 40 years of experience as a leading lawyer will be a driving force supporting the firm's robust aerospace and defense capabilities in the space domain.

Thomas Yeh, JD '12

Thomas Yeh been promoted to partner at Latham & Watkins LLP in Los Angeles, effective March 1. A member of the Intellectual Property Litigation Practice and Litigation & Trial Department. He represents clients in patent and trade secret litigation in federal and state courts, as well as in cross-border investigations before the US International Trade Commission. 

In Memoriam

James A. Williamson, JD '74

James Arthur Williamson, Jr. passed on at home with his wife and daughter by his side on February 11. Jim was a kind and good man. He loved God, he loved his family and friends, and he loved his church and country.

January 2024

Class Notes

Nicholas Cerulli, JD '17

Nicholas Cerulli has been elected to the partnership at Finnegan, Henderson, Farabow, Garrett & Dunner, LLP. Nicholas has a diverse patent law practice that includes client counseling, prosecution, litigation before U.S. district courts, and post-grant proceedings at the Patent Trial and Appeals Board.

Yieyie Yang, JD '14

Yieyie Yang has been elected to the partnership at Finnegan, Henderson, Farabow, Garrett, & Dunner, LLP. Yieyie handles complex patent litigation before U.S. district courts, inter partes review (IPR) proceedings, client counseling, due diligence, and prosecution in the chemical, pharmaceutical, and biotechnological fields.

Richard A. Loube, JD '15

Richard Loube has been elected as Principal at Miles & Stockbridge. He focuses on both equity and debt transactions, including mortgage and mezzanine finance for commercial, mixed-use and multifamily residential projects. He also advises clients on various aspects of commercial real estate and finance related to real estate development

Chris Gloria, JD '14

Chris Gloria has been elected partner at Morrison Foerster. He is a member of the Transactions Department and the Patent Strategy and Prosecution Group, based in Washington, D.C., where his practice concentrates on U.S. and international patent prosecution, IP due diligence, and IP litigation support, including patent infringement and validity determinations.

Evan R. Minsberg, JD '12

Evan Minsberg has been elected partner at Morrison Foerster. He is a member of the Transactions Department and the Financial Services Group and co-chairs the firm's Digital and Interactive Media industry group. A recognized Fintech advisor with over a decade of industry experience, Minsberg provides practical regulatory counsel and transactional support for a wide variety of payments, credit, and other financial technology business models.

James M. Brower, JD '10

James Brower has been elected partner at Morrison Foerster. He is a member of the Litigation Department and the National Security Group, based in Washington, D.C. Brower has worked across a variety of departments within the U.S. federal government and has extensive experience advising and representing clients in matters relating to the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) and other national security-related matters.

Leela K. Baggett, JD '15

Powers Pyles Sutter and Verville PC is proud to announce attorney Leela Baggett as its newest principal, effective January 1, 2024. In her role as principal, Ms. Baggett will continue to provide legal counsel to healthcare providers and practitioners on a wide range of regulatory, litigation, and legislative matters.

Adam R. Diamond, JD '14

Adam Diamond has been promoted to member at Clark Hill.

Sheuti Bhutani Arora, LLM '08

Shruthi Bhutani Arora has been promoted to partner at BakerHostetler. She takes a comprehensive approach in advising clients on privacy matters, including compliance with U.S. and global privacy laws and regulations such as the California Consumer Privacy Act, as amended from time to time, and the General Data Protection Regulation. She also helps clients prepare and negotiate complex technology contracts.

Christopher M. Gallo, JD '14

Christopher Gallo has been promoted to director at Stern Kessler. He is a member of Sterne Kessler's Biotechnology & Chemical Practice Group with a practice focused on patent counseling and post-grant proceedings in the life sciences, biotechnology, and biopharmaceutical spaces.

Richard A. Crudo, JD '12

Richard Crudo has been made a director at Stern Kessler. He is a member of Sterne Kessler's Electronics Practice Group. Recognized as "One to Watch" by Best Lawyers, Richard has more than a decade of experience litigating patent cases.

Andrew R. Kopsidas, JD '99

Blank Rome's Washington, D.C. office has added Andrew Kopsidas as an IP partner. His background in aeropsace and international trade pactices make him a valuable addition to the firm.

Neha Dhindsa, JD '16

Neha Dhindsa has been promoted to Counsel at Venable. She focuses primarily on international trade and customs, and maritime and transportation issues, including import and export controls, regulatory compliance, and international arbitration.

Cristina I. Vessels, JD '15

Cristina Vessels has been promoted to Counsel at Venable. She focuses her practice on matters related to nonprofit organizations.

Scott Gilmore, JD '12

Scott Gilmore has been promoted to Partner at Hausfeld. He handles complex and cross-border cases in U.S. and international courts. He represents and advises clients in matters spanning human rights, climate change, and artificial intelligence as well as intellectual property, competition, and privacy in digital markets.

Reed Ryan, JD '12

Reed Ryan, executive director of the Utah Asphalt Pavement Association and immediate past chair of the State Asphalt Pavement Associations, Inc. is taking the helm of the Asphalt Pavement Alliance.

Trent Bowen, JD '09

Trent Bowen has been selected to serve as Counsel for the Naval Undersea Warfare Center in Keyport, Washington.

Victoria M. Manfredonia, JD '20

Hahn Loeser & Parks LLP is pleased to announce the addition of Victoria M. Manfredonia, who joined the San Diego office as an associate in the Firm’s Litigation Practice Area. Manfredonia focuses on business litigation, including privacy and data sharing issues, business torts, and contract and shareholder disputes, amongst others.

Cynthia Beyea, JD '03

Cynthia Beya has been made Partner at Dechert. Ms. Beyea brings over two decades of experience to Dechert. She specializes in advising mutual funds, closed-end funds, exchange-traded funds, business development companies, investment company boards of directors, and investment advisers.

Jeny Maier, JD '05

Axinn, Veltrop & Harkrider LLP announced today that antitrust partner and GWU Law School alum, Jeny Maier, has been named the firm’s next managing partner, effective January 1, 2024. Jeny, who leads clients through antitrust agency review of their multibillion-dollar M&A deals, succeeds Matt Becker, who will continue to practice in the firm’s intellectual property group, following his six-year term.

David Williams, JD '08

David Williams has been selected as the chair of the investment management practice group at Faegre Drinker. Williams represents and counsels clients in the investment management industry, with particular focus on counseling investment advisers and investment company boards on registered investment company fund formation, regulatory requirements and corporate governance. He also serves on the diversity, equity & inclusion committee and is a member of the Chicago hiring committee.

Jack Hobaugh, LLM '12

Jack Hobaugh, shareholder at Brownstein, has been appointed to the IAPP KnoweldgeNet Denver Chapter Chair. In his role, Hobaugh will help the IAPP build the privacy profession in Denver through valuable educational and networking opportunities.

Kristi L.R. Sawert, JD '04

Kristi L.R. Sawert, Ph.D., joined the post-grant practice of premier intellectual property firm Fish & Richardson as a principal. Dr. Sawert will focus her experience on representing life sciences clients, particularly in biotechnology and pharmaceuticals.

Carla Castello, JD '14

Carla (Voigt) Castello, JD ‘14, was promoted to shareholder at Babst, Calland, Clements & Zomnir, P.C. She practices in the firm’s litigation, emerging technologies, and employment and labor practice groups in Pittsburgh.

Stuart Kupinsky, JD '92

Stuart Kupinsky has been appointed as Executive Vice President and Chief Legal Officer at Mercury Systems, Inc. He will be responsible for the company’s legal strategy, including M&A, intellectual property, and enterprise contracts.

Arsenio Rodrigues, JD '09

Arsenio Rodrigues is now a shareholder at Stern & Eisenberg. He is Stern & Eisenberg’s New York Managing Attorney, overseeing all facets of the New York office’s day-to-day operations including creditors’ rights, foreclosures, REO evictions, CEMAs and all other areas related to the creditors’ interest.

Meredith M. Ralls, JD '11

Meredith M. Ralls has been promoted to Senior Assistant Commonwealth's Attorney at the Office of the Commonwealth's Attorney for Fairfax County, Virginia. Meredith focuses on prosecuting child exploitation crimes and crimes committed by juveniles, and will now assist in supervising prosecutors in Virginia's largest jurisdiction.

Regina A. DeMeo, JD '98

Regina DeMeo is pleased to share that has joined Markham Law in Bethesda, MD as a principal. She was also recognized recently as a top family law attorney in both Super Lawyers and Bethesda Magazine.

Hillman T. Frazier, JD '74

On January 1, 2024 Hillman Frazier was sworn in as the most senior member of the Mississippi Senate. He was employed by the Mississippi House of Representatives in 1975 before being elected to a seat in the Mississippi House of Representatives in 1979. He served for thirteen years in the Mississippi House of Representatives before being elected to the Mississippi Senate in 1993. He was re-elected to serve another four year term on November 7, 2023. He will celebrate fifty years of legislative service in 2025.

In Memoriam

Jack W. Hanson, JD '68

Jack Weston Hanson passed away peacefully at home on Jan. 13, 2024, three weeks after his family had gathered to celebrate his 80th birthday.

Justice Paul L. Rudman, JD '60

Paul Rudman recently passed away on January 4th, 2024.

Arthur A. Lemann, III, LLM '68

Arthur "Buddy" A. Lemann, III passed away on December 30, 2023 at the age of 81. He is survived by his wife of 59 years, Roberta Lemann, and his four children.

December 2023

Class Notes

Derrick Rowe, JD '14

Derrick Rowe, Patents and Innovations, is being promoted to Partner at Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati. Based in Washington, D.C., Dr. Rowe focuses his practice on patent prosecution and counseling designed to help clients protect their intellectual property rights both domestically and internationally. His clients include companies in the life sciences, biotechnology, molecular biology, pharmaceutical, diagnostic, and medical device fields. Dr. Rowe received his J.D. from The George Washington University Law School and his Ph.D. from the University of South Florida.

Griffin Foster, JD '15

Griffin Foster has been made a partner at Faegre Drinker.

Donald English Jr., JD '00

Donald English Jr. of national employment law firm Jackson Lewis P.C. has been named a recipient of the 2024 Lexology Client Choice Award for excellent client care and service. Donny is the firm’s Baltimore office managing principal. He also serves as co-leader of the firm’s Trials and Appeals group and on the firm’s Board of Directors. He has more than 20 years of experience litigating employment matters and assisting major corporations with internal investigations and the development and establishment of employment policies, procedures, and training programs.

Elan Daniels, JD '04

Elan Daniels has been promoted to counsel at Kramer Levin. He advises on corporate restructuring and bankruptcy matters, including representing creditor committees, major secured and unsecured creditors, bondholders, and other stakeholders in both in- and out-of-court restructurings of distressed businesses and in municipal insolvencies.

Antonio J. Rivera, JD '14

Antonio J. Rivera has been promoted to partner at ArentFox Schiff. He has experience with international trade laws and global supply chain strategies is honed through years of advising clients across all sectors, including automotive, manufacturing, healthcare, and food and beverage, and as a former US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) attorney in Washington.

Brian J. Stevens, JD '14

Brian J. Stevens has been promoted to partner at ArentFox Schiff. His work focuses on patents, primarily in patent preparation and prosecution, particularly within the realms of telecommunications, computer software, automotive, and medical devices.

Jasjit S. Vidwan, JD '14

Jasjit S. Vidwan has been promoted to partner at ArentFox Schiff. He concentrates his practice on patent litigation, prosecution, and counseling.

Shazmah Hakim, JD '98

Shazmah Hakim has been appointed Chief Legal Officer at Remington Hospitality. She brings over two decades of experience and a background steeped in hospitality to the organization.

Dennis LeVine, JD '83

Dennis LeVine has joined Brock & Scott as the Managing partner in their auto bankruptcy, replevin, and impound group.

Matt Kirsch, JD '12

Matt Kirsch has been made a partner at Arnold & Porter. He is a member of the Real Estate practice, resident in the Washington, D.C. office.

Jocelyn Weisner, JD '12

Jocelyn Weisner has been promoted to counsel at Arnold & Porter. She is a member of the Product Liability Litigation practice, resident in the Washington, D.C. office.

Eric J. Chang, JD '15

Eric J. Chang has joined the Department of Justice as an Assistant United States Attorney in the Eastern District of California.

November 2023

Class Notes

Sam Knowles, JD '13

Sam Knowles is taking over as co-head of DLA Piper's Government Contracts practice Group. He has been with the firm for more than a decade, and will lead the group alongside Dawn Stern.

Dawn Stern, JD '05

Dawn Stern is taking over as co-head of DLA Piper's Government Contracts practice Group. She has been with the firm for more than a decade, and will lead the group alongside Sam Knowles.

Lauren A. Cyriac, JD '23

Lauren A. Cyriac is now an associate in the Corporate Practice Group in the New Orleans office at Jones Walker. Lauren advises clients on a broad range of corporate law, governance, transactional, and related matters.

Kimberly Bullock Gatling, JD '99

Kimberly Bullock Gatling (1999), Partner and Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer at Fox Rothschild, has been elected Chairwoman of the North Carolina A&T Board of Trustees.

Brandy R. McMillion, JD '06

Brandy R. McMillion's appointment to serve as the Federal Prosecutor for the U.S. District Court in the Eastern District of Michigan was confirmed by the U.S. Senate by a vote of 53-42.

Ingrid Hackett, JD '99

Ingrid Hackett has been appointed as Chief Legal Officer at Curriculum Associates. Hackett brings extensive leadership experience from over two decades as a corporate attorney focused on high-growth companies, including MediaMath, Quantum Spatial, Home Depot, Coca-Cola, and Proctor & Gamble.

Melissa L. Farrar, JD '13

Melissa L. Farrar has been promoted to Partner at Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher, LLP. She represents and advises multinational corporations in internal and government investigations on a wide range of issues, including compliance with the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act and other anti-corruption laws, anti-money laundering, export controls and fraud.

Lisa M. Percopo, JD '07

Lisa M. Percopo has been promoted to Partner at Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher, LLP. She focuses her practice on securities litigation, with an emphasis in securities class actions and shareholder derivative actions.

James O. Springer, JD '14

James O. Springer has been promoted to Partner at Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher, LLP. He advises public and private companies, private equity firms, boards of directors, and special committees in connection with a variety of complex transactional matters.

Jeffrey MacHarg, JD '02

Jeffrey MacHarg was selected to the "Managing Partners to Watch Power List" by North Carolina Lawyers Weekly.

Michael J. Foley, JD '16

Michael J. Foley has joined Holy Cross Hospital and Trinity Health as Assistant Counsel.

October 2023

Class Notes

David Jury, JD '95

David Jury was elected as a Fellow of the College of Labor and Employment Lawyers in its Class of 2023. He has practiced since 1996 in the United Steelworkers International Union Legal Department in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and has served as the union's General Counsel since October 2017. He is a board member of the Peggy Browning Fund, a nonprofit organization that provides fellowships to assist law students in pursuing careers in the union-side labor law and workers' rights field.

Amanda K. Brown, JD '06

Amanda K. Brown Joins Seward & Kissel's Maritime and Transportation Group New York--October 12, 2023--Seward & Kissel LLP announced today that Amanda K. Brown has joined the firm's New York office as special counsel in the Maritime and Transportation Group. Brown began her career at Seward & Kissel, where she was an associate from 2006 to 2014.

Brooke P. Clark, JD '98

Brooke Clark has been appointed General Counsel of the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, effective October 2023. In this role, Clark oversees the Office of the General Counsel and directs matters of law and legal policy; provides legal opinions, advice, and assistance to the agency; and represents and protects the interests of the NRC in legal matters.

September 2023

Class Notes

Joerg Moddelmog, LLM '93

Joerg Moddelmog, LLM '93 Joerg Moddelmog has been awarded the Sustained Outstanding Civilian Award at a JAG Corps Judge Advocate Legal Services award ceremony. The award recognizes Mr. Moddelmog's 27 years of experience with JAG, and his contributions in solving a decade long German taxation issue concerning US Forces stationed in Germany.

August 2023

Class Notes

Michael Heim, JD '87

GWU Law graduate Michael Heim of Houston's Heim, Payne & Chorush, LLP, has been named the Houston Patent Litigation Attorney of the Year in the 2024 edition of The Best Lawyers in America.

July 2023

Class Notes

Racquel A. Muindi, JD '16

Racquel A. Muindi, an Associate at Ballard Spahr LLP in Los Angeles, has received this year's Associates Advisory Board Pro Bono Attorney Award from the Legal Aid Foundation of Los Angeles (LAFLA) in recognition of her service to clients in need. Ms. Muindi has been a member of the AAB since 2021 and has volunteered since 2020 with LAFLA's expungement clinics, which help individuals clear their criminal records and overcome barriers to employment, housing, and education.

Utibe Ikpe, JD '09

Meland Budwick partner, Utibe I. Ikpe, is a recipient of the National Bar Association's (NBA) 2023 "40 Under 40 Nation's Best Advocates" award. The award recognizes the top 40 attorneys in the nation, under the age of 40, who demonstrate high achievements in the legal profession, including in advocacy, innovation, vision, leadership and community involvement.

June 2023

Class Notes

Jennifer Barbour Butler, JD '98

Jennifer Barbour Butler's new book titled "How To Succeed In College and Beyond: A Truly Practical Guide" is available on Amazon, BookBaby, and Barnes & Noble. Jennifer said the book is an off-shoot from a non-profit she created in 2008 to give back to her community via high school students. She decided to write a book covering the same subject matter that she lectures to students. Her insightful book offers more than just tips for academic success; it also delves into the enriching experiences and personal growth opportunities that college provides. From embracing diversity and wisdom to fostering courage and convictions, her guide will help readers navigate college with a clean conscience and a strong sense of self.

Andrew Dahlinghaus, JD '00

Skillz, the leading mobile games platform that connects players and developers through fun and fair competition, announced that Andrew Dahlinghaus will be joining the executive team as General Counsel. In his role, Dahlinghaus will oversee all legal and regulatory matters at Skillz.

Ryan Foley, JD '08

Ryan Foley, a former Novartis senior corporate counsel, has joined Gibson Dunn as of counsel in their antitrust and competition practice.

May 2023

Class Notes

Mollie Simons, JD '12

Mollie Simons has been appointed by Gavin Newsom to be Legal Advisor for the California Public Employment Relations Board. Simons has been a Partner at Leonard Carder LLP since 2021 and was an Associate there from 2015 to 2021. She has been a Pro Bono Attorney for the Centro Legal de La Raza Asylum Project since 2018. Simons was an Associate at Reich, Adell & Cvitan from 2013 to 2015. She was a Legal Fellow at FairVote from 2012 to 2013. Simons was a Purchasing Analyst and Quality Assurance Representative for Stryker Endoscopy from 2007 to 2009.

Robert Johns, JD '94

Robert Johns has been announced as the new executive director of Legal Aid of the Bluegrass (LABG). Johns will lead the program that provides free civil legal help to low-income and vulnerable Kentuckians in 33 northern, central, and northeastern Kentucky counties. Johns served as an AmeriCorps attorney until 1996 when he became a staff attorney at Southeastern Ohio Legal Services (SEOLS) in Steubenville, Ohio. In 1999, he became Managing Attorney at SEOLS and served in that position for 15 years. Johns has been the Executive Director of AppalReD Legal Aid for the past 8 years in Eastern Kentucky.

Eric Stocking, JD '20

Eric Stocking has joined the Chambliss law firm in Chattanooga in its estate planning and business practice areas.

Thomas Janczewski, JD '05

Hansen Reynolds LLC has announced that Thomas Janczewski has joined them as a partner in the Milwaukee office. Tom concentrates his practice on corporate transactional work and litigation matters. Prior to joining Hansen Reynolds, Tom worked as an in-house lawyer for an international fitness brand assisting with global supply chain, municipal contract, real estate and privacy issues. Before that, Tom spent over a dozen years at a national law firm, focusing his practice on commercial litigation and matters related to federal state and municipal contracts.

Jonathan Cornfield, JD '18

McGlinchey Stafford is pleased to announce that litigator Jonathan “Jon” Cornfield has joined McGlinchey as an associate in the firm’s Washington, D.C. office. Jon represents financial services institutions in litigation, commercial disputes, complex torts, and class actions at the state, federal, and appellate levels. Before joining McGlinchey, Jon represented a federal regulatory agency as outside counsel on claims involving broker-dealer and investment advisor requests for expungement of information from their registration records.

David Joy, JD '92

Regulatory law firm Keller & Heckman LLP announced that partner David Joy, who previously spent over two decades at the firm, has returned to its Washington, D.C., office after 15 years with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Joy rejoined Keller & Heckman at the start of May after leaving the FDA Center for Drug Evaluation and Research's Office of Regulatory Policy. He first joined the firm as a member of its scientific team in 1987.

Christopher Lutz, JD '12

Christopher Lutz has left HMB, where he was Legal Counsel partner, to join Jones Walker in its Washington, D.C., office after advising clients on wide-ranging state and local tax issues. He has helped businesses of all sizes, from Fortune 500 companies to startups, navigate tax disputes and develop tax strategies.

Anna Gomez, JD '92

President Biden has nominated Anna Gomez to the Federal Communications Commission. She has previously served in key roles at the National Telecommunications and Information Administration, including as acting chief.

Crystal Tully, JD '15

Crystal Tully has joined Wiley Rein LLP as a special counsel. In her previous role as general counsel for investigations and nominations with the Senate's Armed Services Committee, Tully helped draft the National Defense Authorization Act, helped pass several landmark bills like the CHIPS and Science Act, and the Secure and Trusted Communications Networks Act, among other legislation.

Megan Yung, JD '15

Megan Yung has been appointed as Chief Strategy Officer and General Counsel at Eterna Thereapeutics, a life science company committed to realizing the potential of mRNA cell engineering to provide patients with transformational new medicines. Megan joins Eterna from SQZ Biotechnologies, where she served as Deputy General Counsel and Vice President, Head of Intellectual Property, and helped oversee matters of intellectual property, regulatory compliance, public company reporting, business development activities and negotiations, and government affairs.

Adam Pearlman, JD '93

The UCLA Alumni Association has selected Adam Pearlman and the firm he founded, Lexpat Global Services, as an honoree for its 2023 Bruin Business 100 list. This initiative celebrates the hard work, talent and innovation of exceptional UCLA alumni business owners, founders and visionaries. Adam earned his undergraduate degree at UCLA. Lexpat offers premier legal and consulting services to public and private sector clients, specializing in law and policy related to international peace and security, and how they impact overseas business operations.

In Memoriam

Edward Tupling, JD '66

Edward "Bill" Tupling passed away at the age of 84. While attending law school, Bill served with honor as an officer with the United States Capitol Police. Bill's dedication and commitment to his profession were evident through his lifelong membership in the Washington, DC Bar Association, where he actively served as an attorney until the late 1980s. Afterward, he transitioned into the field of consulting, utilizing his expertise in various projects. Notably, Bill played a crucial role as Vice President in the conceptualization and redevelopment of the landmark Diplomat Resort and Country Club in Hollywood, Florida.

April 2023

Class Notes

Shelly Ewald, JD '90

Shelly Ewald, a partner at Watt Tieder has been elected to serve as President of the American College of Construction Lawyers (“ACCL”) and will have the honor of presiding over the 35th anniversary of the College. Founded in 1989, the ACCL is an invited association of construction law practitioners, professors, and judges whose mission is to improve the practice and understanding of construction law through its professional meetings, educational programs, and publications which serve to bring together outstanding construction law and industry experts and to promote the positive role of lawyers.

Walter Davis, JD '02

Walter Davis has joined Blank Rome LLP as a partner in its Washington, DC office. Davis joins their IP group and will continue his practice focuses on patent, trade secret, and other intellectual property litigation. Davis previously was a partner for eight years at Davidson, Berquist, Jackson & Gowdey, LLP.

Michael B. Eisenberg, JD '01

Michael B. Eisenberg has joined Stevens & Lee as a shareholder in their Intellectual Property group. Eisenberg was previously a partner at Steptoe & Johnson.

Nicholas C. Stewart, JD '10

Nicholas C. Stewart has joined Duane Morris LLP as a partner in the firm’s Corporate Practice Group in its Baltimore office. Prior to joining Duane Morris, Stewart was a partner at Saul Ewing LLP.

James W. Cobb, JD '05

Caplan Cobb, a firm co-founded by James Cobb, has been honored by the Southern Center for Human Rights (SCHR), receiving their 2023 Luminary Award. With this Award, they pay tribute to Caplan Cobb's extraordinary contributions to justice and fairness. They uplift the firm's work on State of Georgia v. Federal Defender, which enjoined the State from executing Virgil Presnell and others, and the amazing victory on behalf of incarcerated people and their loved ones through their settlement in a nationwide consumer class action against prison telephone company Global Tel*Link (GTL). They stood alongside SCHR and the Georgia Advocacy Office as co-counsel in their South Fulton Jail suit, brought on behalf of women with serious mental illness who were being held in solitary confinement over 23 hours a day, which won material improvements to the lives of women at the jail.

M. Andrew Holtman, JD '01

M. Andrew Holtman has joined Foley & Lardner's intellectual property litigation practice as a partner and will continue his practice focused on litigating patent disputes before the Patent Trial and Appeal Board.

Ethan Lucarelli, JD '09

Ethan Lucarelli will become the Federal Communications Commission's first chief of the Office of International Affairs. Lucarelli joined the agency in 2020 after working as director of Inmarsat's regulatory and public policy strategy.

David R. Eastlake, JD '07

David Eastlake has rejoined Greenberg Traurig as a shareholder in their international restructuring and bankruptcy practice, the firm said in a statement. Eastlake represents debtors, secured lenders, official and ad hoc committees, significant creditors and distressed asset purchasers in complex Chapter 11 reorganizations, Chapter 7 liquidations, out-of-court restructurings and commercial and bankruptcy-related litigation matters.

Catherine Jungmin Kim, JD '18

Catherine Jungmin Kim has been brought on as a new prosecutor in the Queen's District Attorney's office.

In Memoriam

Murray Stein, JD '49

Murray Stein passed away on April 12 at the age of 91. Murray received several awards in International Law as Extradition Attorney of distinction for forty years in the United States Justice Department. As the attorney of record in the extradition of Nazi war criminals, he returned Klaus Barbie, Artukovic, Hermine Braunsteiner, Ivan Demjanjuk among others working with Simon Weisenthal and the Klarsfelds, Serge and Beate. Murray argued cases before the U.S. Supreme Court, and his colleagues called him Mr. Extradition

Vale P. Myles, LLB '60

Vale Myles passed away on March 15 at the age of 92. After GW Law, he worked for many years as a patent attorney for General Electric in various cities, including New York City NY, Schenectady NY, Pittsfield MA, and later for Brookhaven National Lab on Long Island.

March 2023

Class Notes

Brianna Pickhardt, JD '21

Brianna Pickhardt has joined Tydings & Rosenberg as an associate in its litigation, bankruptcy/creditors’ rights, and business departments.

Nicole R. Lares, JD '14

Nicole Lares has been promoted to special counsel, Asset Management, in Fried Frank's DC office.

Eric Sidler, JD '11

Eric Sidler has earned recognition with the World Trademark Review® (WTR) in its recently released WTR 1000: The World’s Leading Trademark Professionals for 2023.

Sheldon Klein, JD '80

Sheldon Klein has earned recognition with the World Trademark Review® (WTR) in its recently released WTR 1000: The World’s Leading Trademark Professionals for 2023.

Michael D. Schwartz, JD '93

Michael D. Schwartz, founding partner of The Michael Schwartz Firm, has released a book on Trial advocacy, titled Trial and the Art of Sailing: A Guidebook for New (and Not So New) Attorneys to Navigate Trial Advocacy, and Life.

Henry Van Dyck, JD '04

Henry Van Dyck has been named co-chair of Faegre Drinker's White Collar Defense & Investigations team. Van Dyck is a former federal prosecutor and experienced trial attorney who represents corporate clients and individuals in complex criminal, regulatory, administrative and congressional investigations.

Amy Fiterman, JD '98

Amy Fiterman has been named Faegre Drinker's product liability and mass torts practice group leader. Fiterman serves clients as trial, national, regional or local counsel in actions most often involving mass torts and multidistrict litigation for a variety of products, with a focus on the pharmaceutical and medical device industries.

Jack Sperber, JD '92

Jack Sperber became leader of Faegre Drinker's construction and real estate litigation group’s eminent domain and real estate litigation team. Sperber represents private owners in eminent domain proceedings and related real estate litigation across the U.S. and has been involved in numerous condemnation trials, evidentiary hearings and appellate arguments.

David Williams, JD '08

David Williams has been appointed deputy practice group leader of Faegre Drinker's investment management practice under practice group leader Joshua Deringer. Williams represents and counsels clients in the investment management industry, with a particular focus on counseling investment advisers on registered investment company fund formation, regulatory requirements and corporate governance.

Sasan Mehrara, JD '97

Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP has promoted Sasan Mehrara to lead its real estate practice. Sasan, who specializes in counseling private equity funds, real estate funds and publicly traded companies on their real estate transactions, will lead the real estate group at Simpson Thacher, where he has practiced since 2000.

A. Valerie Mirko, JD '05

A. Valerie Mirko joins Armstrong Teasdale as a partner and will work alongside Armstrong Teasdale's other securities regulation and litigation practice leader in leading the firm's U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission enforcement-focused practice.

Elizabeth R. Park, JD '00

Elizabeth R. Park has been promoted to partner at Latham & Watkins' DC office in their Connectivity, Privacy & Information Practice and Litigation & Trial Department. She represents communications, information technology, and media companies in both transactional and regulatory matters and helps clients navigate the procedures of the US Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and other government agencies.

Doris Johnson Hines, JD '91

Doris Johnson Hines has been named an Administrative Law Judge (ALJ) at the USITC. Johnson Hines will manage an active litigation docket, preside over evidentiary hearings, and make initial determinations in Section 337 investigations, most of which involve allegations of patent and trademark infringement. Johnson Hines has extensive experience in IP litigation in both the public and private sectors leading teams in U.S. district courts, the USITC, and before arbitration panels. She argued over a dozen appeals at the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit and was regularly involved in license negotiations, especially with respect to standard essential patents.

Maria Doucettperry, LLM '12

Maria Doucettperry has joined Sound Transit as Chief Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Officer. Doucettperry comes to Sound Transit after serving most recently as director of Equal Opportunity & Title IX at the University of Nevada, Reno. In this role she oversaw compliance with federal and state mandates related to equal opportunity, nondiscrimination and gender equity. Previously, during her 20-year career as a military attorney, Doucettperry was involved in pursuing justice in criminal and civil cases, addressing complaints of discrimination, helping to resolve disability cases and facilitating the Army’s environmental compliance and environmental justice initiatives in the Pacific region.

Georgios "George" Leris, JD '09

Georgios "George" Leris joins Wilkinson, Barker & Knauer LLP as a partner and will focus his work on advising telecommunications and other clients on complex communications regulatory issues, the firm said. His most recent role was at the FCC, where he worked for the agency's Wireless Telecommunications Bureau as associate division chief for the Competition and Infrastructure Policy Division.

Joshua I. Rudawitz, JD '12

Joshua I. Rudawitz, an IP associate at Greenberg Traurig's Boston office, was selected to participate in the Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce’s 2023 Boston Future Leaders (BFL) program. The BFL class of 2023 consists of 80 up-and-coming leaders, selected to guide Boston into an innovative future.

Fara Damelin, JD '94

President Joe Biden announced his intent to nominate Fara Damelin to serve as Inspector General of the Federal Communications Commission. Fara serves as Chief of Staff for the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Office of Inspector General (OIG), a nationwide organization with over 500 oversight professionals dedicated to protecting HUD’s programs and beneficiaries from fraud, waste, and abuse. She leads a cross functional team in executing the Inspector General’s (IG) priorities and strategic initiatives, developing OIG-wide oversight products, and implementing diversity, employee engagement, and professional development programs.

Brian Johnson, JD '10

Axinn Veltrop & Harkrider LLP has added Brian Johnson as partner in the firm's intellectual property group in Washington, D.C., who will continue his practice focused on patent work with a number of technologies, the firm has announced Brian joins the firm after almost five years with Steptoe & Johnson, and works with technological intellectual property like cellular communications technology, consumer electronics like gaming systems and processors.

Alexander T. Marriott, JD '14

Alexander Marriott has joined the aviation practice of Baker Donelson in their Washington DC office as of counsel.

In Memoriam

Howard Silverstein, JD '65

Howard Silverstein passed away on March 3. While attending Northeastern University, he joined the U.S. Army ROTC and commissioned as an officer upon graduation. After completing his active-duty requirement, Howie went to work at the U.S. Patent Office in Washington D.C. as a Patent Examiner. It was during that period that he attended law school at night. After graduation and passing the bar exam, Howie worked at the U.S. Department of Interior as a Patent Attorney. Later, he went to work for the U.S. Department of Agriculture rising to the position of Chief Patent Attorney, where he served out the remainder of his professional career.

Daniel J. Dykstra Jr., LLM '77

Daniel J. Dykstra Jr. passed away on January 4 at the age of 75. Upon graduation, he served as an Army Judge Advocate General ("JAG") Captain where he worked as a Claims JAG for the U.S. Army Claims Service, Fort Meade, Maryland and then for the Claims and Medical Care Recovery Judge Advocate, 9th Infantry Division, Fort Lewis, Washington. He began his distinguished career with the Corps in the Norfolk District in 1978, transferring to the South Pacific Division in 1987. In 2004, he began his career in the San Francisco District where he served as Deputy District Counsel and served in Afghanistan for Operation Enduring Freedom in 2010, 2011, and 2012.

February 2023

Class Notes

Matthew D. Zapadka, JD '14

Matthew Zapadka has been named partner at Arnall Golden Gregory in their IP practice and a member of the Litigation & Dispute Resolution practice. Matt counsels clients on the protection and enforcement of their intellectual property assets, with a focus on patent litigation. In this role, he advises on various intellectual property disputes in federal district court and state court, as well as trials at the USPTO Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB).

Eric Mogel, JD '14

Eric Mogel has been promoted to counsel at Hunton Andrews Kurth. Eric focuses his practice on structured finance, with an emphasis on mortgage securitization and resecuritization transactions. Eric represents issuers, underwriters, lenders and mortgage servicers in structured finance transactions and has experience in regulation of investment funds and general corporate transactions.

Joshua M. Henderson, JD '96

Joshua M. Henderson, who spent the last three years at Norton Rose, brings his employment expertise to Jackson Lewis PC. He primarily handles workplace safety and Occupational Safety and Health Administration issues, as well as labor relations matters including National Labor Relations Board litigation, collective bargaining, arbitrations and union elections.

Shireen Y. Wetmore, JD '11

Shireen Y. Wetmore is joining Duane Morris LLP as a partner in its San Francisco office. Shireen, who spent the past nine years at Seyfarth Shaw LLP, has joined the Duane Morris employment, labor, benefits and immigration practice group. Her practice focuses on employment litigation, including both class actions and single-plaintiff cases and arbitrations.

Seth R. Price, JD '82

Seth R. Price was named among The Best in 2023 Georgia Super Lawyers, Rising Stars. Price is a construction lawyer at Chamberlain Hrdlicka who guides clients through the resolution of complex contract disputes in state and federal courts and through arbitration.

Vicki (Morris) Tankle, JD '14

Vicki (Morris) Tankle has been promoted to partner at Reed Smith LLP in the firm’s Philadelphia office. Vicki is a member of the Life Sciences & Health Industry Group, practicing in the area of health care regulatory law. Her practice focuses on the intersection of health care and technology, supporting health industry clients in advancing digital health innovation and counseling clients on compliance with Medicare and Medicaid standards, provider licensing requirements, fraud and abuse laws, HIPAA and other health information privacy frameworks, and interoperability and information blocking regulations.

Chris Kiple, JD ' 12

Life Science Partner is pleased to announce the recruitment of SOLIUS' new Chief Executive Officer, Chris Kiple, JD. As the new CEO, Kiple will recruit and lead a team to commercialize SOLIUS' proprietary UVB light therapy technology for treatment of patients with low levels of Vitamin D including a newly developed at-home therapy device.

In Memoriam

George A. Koutras, LLB '60

George Anest Koutras, a retired Federal Administrative Law Judge, passed away at the age of 91. He earned a Bachelor’s Degree in History from George Washington University in 1954, where he was a member of the Air Force ROTC and among eight of the first graduates commissioned from that program as Second Lieutenants in the U.S. Air Force. Upon completion of three years active Air Force duty as a Captain, George attended GW Law. He was subsequently admitted to practice law before the Federal Courts in Washington, DC and the United States Supreme Court.

Aubin Barthold, JD '73

Aubin Barthold passed away on February 28 at the age of 77. Upon admission to the California State Bar, in 1973, he joined a prominent law firm in San Francisco. He spent the next three decades engaged in high-stakes commercial litigation on behalf of clients that included Lloyd's of London and the Bechtel Corporation. He returned home to Seattle in 2003, where he continued his law practice, started a new career in real estate, and then retired.

Gerald H. Lessuk, JD '51

Gerald H. (“Gerry”) Lessuk passed away on February 24 at the age of 96. Gerry was drafted into the United States Army and served in the Pacific theatre in the U.S. Army Infantry and in the Adjutant Generals’ Department. After separation from the Armed Forces, he enrolled in George Washington University in Washington, D.C., receiving an Associate of Arts degree in 1948. He subsequently enrolled in the George Washington University Law School, receiving his Juris Doctor degree in 1951. Gerry practiced law for several years in New York City, specializing in Labor and Employment. Later he relocated to the Chicago suburbs and worked at Brunswick, serving as Director of Corporate Labor-Management relations and Collective Bargaining activities, retiring in 1995. For several years after his retirement from Brunswick, Gerry continued to practice his profession, serving as a private consultant in Labor-Management Relations.

Gerald Richard Walsh II, JD '66

Gerald Walsh passed away on February 20 at the age of 85. After graduation from the University of Scranton, he was admitted into Navy Officer Candidate School and spent three years in active duty on the U.S.S. Northampton. Following his service, Jerry enrolled in George Washington University Law School and graduated in 1966. While in law school, he served as a Special Agent in the Office of Naval Intelligence. He also served on the President's Commission on Crime in Washington, DC from 1965-1966. He was an Assistant Commonwealth's Attorney Arlington County from 1967-1969. He was appointed by the Governor of Virginia to serve as a Substitute Judge in General District Court from 1973-1982. Jerry maintained a successful law practice in Fairfax for nearly 50 years. He loved to mentor young lawyers and watch their careers prosper.

January 2023

Class Notes

Sarah Fehm Stewart, JD '12

Sarah Fehm Stewart has been named partner at Duane Morris LLP. Fehm Stewart focuses her practice on complex commercial and business litigation, white-collar criminal defense, securities litigation and arbitration, and internal investigations. Stewart represents a variety of institutional and individual clients and provides advice on a wide array of corporate compliance and regulatory laws, including anti-money laundering rules and the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act. She has significant trial experience in both state and federal court and has argued dispositive motions before numerous courts throughout New York and New Jersey.

Gutman Skrande, JD '11

Gutman Skrande has been named partner at Duane Morris LLP. Skrande is a Miami native who focuses his practice in probate, trust and guardianship administration and litigation across South Florida with a focus in Miami-Dade, Broward, Palm Beach, Collier and Monroe counties. He represents a diverse group of corporate and individual clients, including fiduciaries, banks and trust companies, beneficiaries, creditors, children and surviving spouses.

Howard Waltzman, JD '97

Howard Waltzman has been promoted to co-leader of Mayer Brown LLP's public policy, regulatory, and government affairs practice. Waltzman works on communications and technology law issues, and joined the firm in 2007. Prior to jumping to Mayer Brown, he worked as chief telecommunications and internet counsel for the House Energy and Commerce Committee.

Analia Gonzalez, LLM '04

Analia Gonzalez has been promoted to partner at BakerHostetler. Gonzalez serves as the leader of BakerHostetler’s Latin America Arbitration and Litigation team. Her practice focuses on investment and commercial arbitrations, with a considerable amount of work on investment and trade matters in Latin America, as well as issues pertaining to the environment, natural resources, public health, energy, infrastructure, and trade and customs compliance.

Brennan Moss JD '04

Brennan Moss has been named the managing attorney of Armstrong Teasdale's office in Salt Lake City. Moss, who is one of the two partners who opened the Salt Lake City office in April 2020, was officially made office managing attorney at the start of January. According to the firm, Walsh will continue with his corporate practice, with plans to transition into other leadership roles.

Stacy Schaefer, JD '94

Stacy Schaefer has been brought on as the Executive Director for the Resilience Authority of Charles County. Schaefer will be responsible for overseeing the creation and implementation of resilience-related programs and projects; advancing climate resilience and sustainability education; and creating a network of coordinating partners, including board members; the Charles County Executive Leadership Team; county, state, and federal agencies; academic institutions; stakeholders; and interested citizens.

Mary Moore, JD '12

Mary P. Moore has been elected member (partner) of Bond, Schoeneck & King. Mary enjoys working with regional business owners, leaders, and entrepreneurs to accomplish their business goals. She advises her clients on various matters, including business structure and corporate governance, mergers and acquisitions, and business succession.

John M. Nading, LLM '08

John M. Nading has been named shareholder at Buchanan Ingersoll's DC office.

David M. Kramer, JD '08

David M. Kramer has been named shareholder at Buchanan Ingersoll's DC office.

Heather Davis, JD '05

Heather Davis has been appointed Chief Executive Officer of Portland Timbers & Thorns LLC. Davis will oversee all business and operational aspects of the Portland Timbers, Portland Thorns FC and Providence Park. One of five women in Major League Soccer to currently oversee club business operations as president or CEO, Davis becomes the first woman in club history to hold that position and is one of the highest-ranking female sports executives in Oregon sports history.

David Rothenstein, JD '93

Ciena, a networking systems, services and software company, has appointed David Rothenstein as Senior Vice President and Chief Strategy Officer. Rothenstein has served as Ciena’s senior vice president, general counsel and corporate secretary since November 2008, and as acting chief strategy officer since March 2022.

Mark D. Shaffer, JD '01

Mark D. Shaffer has been named shareholder to Greenberg Traurig's Financial Regulatory & Compliance Practice in New York. He joins from Bank of New York Mellon (BNYM) where he served as chief compliance officer of BNY Trust Company of Canada and BNY Mellon (Toronto Branch), and as a director in Asset Servicing, Digital, and Issuer Services (Corporate Trust and Depository Receipts) Compliance.

Paul Piccigallo, JD '13

Paul Piccigallo has been named shareholder at Littler's New York office. Paul represents employers in various areas of labor and employment law. His principal focus is the defense of class and collective action lawsuits under federal and state wage and hour laws, including both white collar misclassification actions and actions brought on behalf of hourly employees seeking to recover unpaid minimum, regular, and overtime wages.

Michael Canavan, JD '13

Michael Canavan has joined Greenberg Traurig as counsel in their Environmental practice. Prior to Greenberg Traurig, Michael was a principal at Post & Schell, P.C., where he was integral to growing their environmental practice.

Leigh F. Prince, JD '02

Leigh F. Prince has joined Fox Rothschild LLP as a Partner in the Real Estate Department. Prince helps clients with complex land development projects through all matters related to the zoning entitlement process, from early planning and due diligence through agency entitlement, and when necessary, litigation.

Brian Dutton, JD '95

Quarles & Brady LLP has added Brian Duttom as senior counsel to its intellectual property practice group. Brian will counsel domestic and international clients on patent prosecution matters,

Todd G. Betor, JD '09

Todd G. Betor is rejoining Eversheds in its New York office as partner in its tax group. Betor's practice focuses on transaction advice along with tax planning and accounting. He has assisted clients in navigating the state and local tax landscape, specifically the tax implications of marketplace nexus and operating as a remote seller.

Jennifer Barron, JD '95

Jennifer Barron, an experienced civil attorney with specialized appellate experience, has been appointed an Illinois Circuit Judge for the state’s Eighteenth Judicial Circuit covering DuPage County.

Garrett Bishop, JD ' 13

Garrett Bishop has been appointed partner at Foley & Lardner LLP in the firm’s Transactions Practice Group. He regularly represents public and private companies and practices general corporate law with an emphasis on assisting clients with matters involving the SEC and public stock exchanges.

In Memoriam

Michael Yablonski, JD '97

Michael Yablonski passed away on January 1, 2023 at the age of 68. After graduating from GW Law with the Order of the Coif in 1987, Michael practiced law with several Pittsburgh firms, specializing in construction law and business litigation. While practicing law, Michael never forgot his roots in journalism. He served for many years as an editor of the American Bar Association publication.

Aaron Levine, JD '68

Aaron Levine passed away on January 3, 2023, at the age of 88. Prior to law school, Mr. Levine was in the US Army deployed in Japan. After GW Law, Mr. Levine founded his own law practice, Aaron M. Levine and Associates. He relished his career as a plaintiff’s lawyer in the area of products liability, primarily focused on women’s health. He represented victims of defective medical devices, including most notably the Dalkon Shield and DES. Along with his work in law, Mr. Levine was an art collector and him and his wife's significant collection of Marcel Duchamp’s works has been gifted to the Hirschhorn Museum.

William Wildhack, Jr., JD '63

William Wildhack passed away on January 9 at the age of 87. After GW Law, William worked at the IRS before becoming an Associate at Morris, Pearce, Gardner & Beitel. In 1969 Bill joined B.F. Saul Companies as vice president and corporate counsel. While with the Saul Companies, he helped create the B.F. Saul Real Estate Invest Trust (REIT). He was particularly proud of his lead role shepherding "BFS" through the arduous process of being listed on the New York Stock Exchange. He later led the team in creating Chevy Chase Savings and Loan which later became Chevy Chase Bank FSB, and was later acquired by Capitol One.

Petersen Jaegerman, JD '81

Petersen Jaegerman has passed away at the age of 71. Petersen had a 20-year career in IP law as Senior Vice President, Legal and Business Affairs with Peer Music of New York City. In 2011 he shifted focus and pursued licensure as a psychoanalyst from the National Psychological Association for Psychoanalysis (NPAP) and maintained a private therapeutic practice thereafter.

December 2022

Class Notes

Laura Sheldon, JD '14

Laura Sheldon was promoted to partner in Bracewell's infrastructure development practice. She concentrates on US and cross-border transactions in the energy and infrastructure sectors, including the sale and purchase of renewable assets, as well as the development and infrastructure stages of energy projects.

Theresa Bowman, JD ' 11

Theresa Bowman has been promoted to partner at Mitchell Silberberg & Knupp LLP's DC office. Theresa practices in both the litigation and IP groups. Bowman has experience navigating all aspects of complex litigation against both foreign sovereign and private multi-national entities in a wide variety of subject areas. Bowman has been published in the Global Arbitration Review, the National Law Review, the International Society of Law’s International Legal Materials and the World Financial Review.

Alexis Cohen, JD '12

Alexis Cohen has been promoted to partner in WilmerHale's IP group. Alexis Cohen advises clients on complex IP matters, with a focus on patent litigation, post-grant proceedings, patent prosecution, counseling and due diligence for corporate transactions.

Emilee Schipske, JD '22

Emilee Schipske has been welcomed as an associate at Faegre Drinker's DC office, practicing in their Product Liability & Mass Torts group.

Ya Wang, LLM '11

Ya Wang has been welcomed as an associate at Faegre Drinker's Philadelphia office, practicing in their Investment Management group.

Christopher C. Johns, JD '14

Christopher Johns has been elected as partner at Finnegan's Washington DC office. Christopher's diverse patent practice includes patent application drafting, international patent prosecution, and strategic portfolio development as well as district court litigation, Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB) trials, and appeals to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit. A co-author of Patent Subject Matter Eligibility: A Global Guide, Chris’ 15-year career in the patent field touches on nearly all aspects of patent prosecution and litigation.

Melanie Taylor, JD '14

Melanie Taylor has been promoted to shareholder at Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck's Denver office. Melanie practices in the firm's Real Estate Department, and advises prominent institutional real estate investors and developers as well as small businesses and nonprofit organizations in a broad range of large and complex real estate transactions in Colorado, New York and nationally.

Bradley Seltzer, JD '78

Bradley Seltzer has been promoted to partner at Holland & Knight in their Tax and Energy Practices. Mr. Seltzer has experience testifying at public hearings on behalf of clients regarding proposed regulations that affect the utility industry, such as interest synchronization, consolidated tax adjustments, the normalization consequences of dispositions or deregulation, and nuclear decommissioning issues. He also counsels on tax saving strategies and manages complex tax refund claims, audits, appeals and litigation.

Michael Rhoads, JD '09

Michael Rhodes has been appointed to be a California Circuit Court Judge. Between 2016 and 2018 Rhoads served as a staff attorney for the state's highest court. Prior to that he was a deputy attorney general at the California AG’s Office from 2015 to 2016, and from 2010 to 2012. He started out of school as a graduate law clerk at the San Diego County District Attorney's Office from 2009 to 2010.

Alessandra C. Whipple, JD '15

Alessandra Whipple has been promoted to partner at CDF Labor Law LLP. Alessandra advises and defends clients in the full-range of matters involving California labor and employment law, including disputes involving wrongful termination, harassment, discrimination and retaliation, defamation, breach of contract, unfair competition, trade secrets, and whistleblower claims.

Jay Balfour, LLM '07

Jay Balfour will serve Connections Health Solutions, the leading innovator in instant access health crisis care, as Senior Vice President and General Counsel and oversee all legal matters. Balfour has nearly two decades of legal experience and joins Connections after 10 years as Senior Associate General Counsel at Parkland Hospital in Dallas, Texas.

Nicolas Sabet, JD '18

Nicolas Sabet has chosen to move his practice as a Private Equity M&A and Venture Capital attorney back to Greenberg Traurig, LLP from Cooley LLP.

Mark Weinstein, JD '72

Mark Weinstein recently retired from his faculty position at California Western School of Law in San Diego, CA. He taught Civil Procedure, Negotiation and supervised students in the school's Clinical Externship Program during his 30 year career at this school. Prior to his position at California Western, Weinstein was a member of the Clinical Faculty at Washington University's Law School in St. Louis and the University of Pennsylvania's Law School in Philadelphia.

Jason Stone, JD '06

Jason Stone was sworn in as a Superior Court Judge in Riverside County, California on January 3, 2003. This followed his election to the position in a county-wide race, where he garnered nearly 64% of the over 320,000 votes cast. Prior to his swearing in, Judge Stone worked in the Riverside County District Attorney's Office for 16 years, where he specialized in prosecuting Sexual Assault, Child Abuse, and Human Trafficking cases.

Sandeep Nandivada, JD '13

Sandeep Nandivada has been named partner at Morrison Foerster's Litigation Department and the Government Contracts + Public Procurement Group, based in Washington, D.C. His civil litigation practice focuses on bid protests before the U.S. Government Accountability Office, Court of Federal Claims, and the Small Business Administration Office of Hearings and Appeals, as well as contract claims and subcontract disputes.

Caitlin M. Jones, JD '13

Caitlin M. Jones (Clarke) has been promoted to Shareholder/Partner at Pettit Kohn Ingrassia Lutz & Dolin in San Diego. She is an experienced trial and litigation attorney who focuses her practice on professional liability and complex business and commercial litigation. Ms. Jones joined Pettit Kohn in 2018 and has handled a broad range of lawsuits representing individuals, attorneys, law firms, and business clients in state and federal courts.

Zachary A. Higbee, JD '13

Zachary Higbee has been named partner in Alston Bird's Intellectual Property group in their Charlotte, North Carolina office.

Tracy Snow, JD '11

Tracy Snow has been named partner in Lowenstein Sandler's Trusts and Estates group. Tracy focuses her practice on estate planning, estate administration, and related tax matters. She structures estate plans to minimize tax liability of high-net-worth clients and drafts instruments to implement complex planning strategies, including wills, revocable "living" trusts, insurance trusts, dynasty trusts, GRATs, and charitable split-interest trusts.

Faith L. Charles, JD '86

Faith L. Charles has been appointed as CNS Pharmaceuticals' Chair of its Board of Directors. Ms. Charles has been a corporate transactions and securities partner at the law firm of Thompson Hine, LLP, since 2010. She currently leads Thompson Hine's Life Sciences practice and co-heads the securities practice, advising public and emerging biotech and pharmaceutical companies in the U.S. and internationally. Ms. Charles negotiates complex private and public financing transactions, mergers and acquisitions, licensing transactions and strategic collaborations.

Jared M. Hartzman, JD '15

Jared Hartzman has been named principal at Fish and Richardson's Washington DC office. Jared has broad patent litigation experience representing both plaintiffs and defendants in complex patent litigation across a range of technical areas, including the electronics, telecommunications, and automotive industries. Jared also dedicates time to pro bono matters, including asylum, immigration, and LGBTQ cases.

April Park, JD '15

April Park has been named principal at Fish and Richardson's Washington DC office. April assists her clients with all aspects of patent infringement matters before the U.S. District Courts and at the U.S. International Trade Commission.

Thomas R. Stanton, JD '88

Thomas R. Stanton has joined Manning Gross & Massenburg LLP as a partner in their Wilmington, DE office. Stanton goes to MG+M with more than 30+ years of experience in the world of corporate legal departments, most recently as assistant general counsel at Sodexo, where he worked from 2010-2022. Before that, Stanton served for two decades as senior counsel at Mariott International.

Reggie Babin, JD '13

Reggie Babin joined Akin Gump as senior counsel in Washington, DC. Reginald Babin joins the firm's public law and policy practice. He spent nearly six years as chief counsel for Senator Chuck Schumer, having spent his career on Capitol Hill, serving as associate counsel for the Senate's Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs' Subcommittee on Financial and Contracting Oversight.

Phil Bauer, JD '97

Phil Bauer has been promoted to Senior Vice President, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary at the Mosaic Company. Bauer will lead a global legal team responsible for closely collaborating with Mosaic's Board of Directors, Senior Leadership Team, business units and other functions to offer practical approaches to challenges and opportunities.

Lisa Peller London, JD '89

Lisa London is re-joining Finnegan as Of Counsel at the firm's Washington DC office. Her practice will focus on trademark portfolio management; domestic and foreign trademark clearance, prosecution, maintenance, and enforcement; trademark licensing; advertising; copyright registration and enforcement; and domain name disputes.

Tod Cohen, JD '92

Tod Cohen has been hired as a partner at Steptoe and Johnson LLP's San Francisco office. Prior to Steptoe, Cohen worked at O'Melveny & Meyers LLP. Before joining O'Melveny, Cohen worked as deputy general counsel and vice president for Twitter. There, he oversaw matters related to global legal policy, data protection, human rights and more, according to Steptoe & Johnson. His in-house experience also includes serving as general counsel at ticket broker StubHub Inc. and as deputy general counsel at eBay Inc.

Aaron Herreras Szot, JD '15

Aaron Herreras Szot has been promoted to partner with Kalijarvi, Chuzi, Newman & Fitch. P.C. in Washington, D.C. She helps clients who are facing a wide range of employment discrimination and disciplinary matters navigate all phases of litigation in federal court and before administrative bodies.

Kristina Gill, JD '00

Kristina Gill has been named partner at Duane Morris LLP. Gill focuses her practice on issues related to federal and state higher education law from both a policy and regulatory compliance perspective. Her experience includes issues surrounding compliance with the federal regulatory process, particularly as related to Title IV student financial aid programs. Gill also advises schools regarding consumer protection, disclosure regulations and trends, and a variety of other legal and regulatory issues impacting educational institutions, including marketing and advertising practices and third-party servicer relationships.

In Memoriam

Kenneth Jesse Tuggle, JD '68

Kenneth J. Tuggle passed away on December 23, 2022 at the age of 83. After law school, Ken returned to his home state of Kentucky, where he served as clerk for Judge Henry Brooks in the U.S. Court of Appeals in Louisville. He later served as an Assistant United States Attorney and then joined the firm of Brown, Todd, and Heyburn (now Frost, Brown, and Todd), where he became a partner. Ken was a highly successful attorney and litigator, and was recognized by Best Lawyers for many years. In the mid-1980s, Ken was a co-founder and president of the Pacific Century Institute, a nonprofit organization dedicated to fostering education, policy dialogue, and research to improve international relations.

Kent Larsen, LLB '63

Kent Larsen passed away December 12, 2022, at the age of 84. After graduation Kent joined the law firm of O'Melveny & Myers in Los Angeles, CA. Kent returned home to Utah in 1968 and relocated to Salt Lake City, Utah and joined the law firm of Van Cott, Bagley, Cornwall, & McCarthy. In 1977, Kent helped form the law firm Rooker, Larsen, Kimball & Parr (now Parr, Brown, Gee & Loveless) and practiced primarily there until his retirement in 2020.

Lory Kuykendall, JD '02

Lory Marie Kuykendall passed away on December 24th, 2022 at the age of 45. Lory was a Fulbright scholar and teaching assistant in Göttingen, Germany. She interned in the White House, served in the US State Department, worked at a law firm and served as a Legal Consultant and Content Provider. She climbed the ranks at various companies, from Staff Attorney to Senior Corporate Counsel to Vice President and Assistant General Counsel. Lory was a gifted lawyer, respected by her colleagues and friends.

November 2022

Class Notes

David W. Leibovitch, JD '14

David W. Leibovitch has been brought on as IP Counsel at Robinson & Cole's new Washington DC office.

John G. Loughnane, JD '90

John G. Loughnane has joined White & Williams LLP's Boston office as a partner. John will practice in the firm's corporate and securities group and the financial restructuring and bankruptcy group.

Patricia Lee, JD '02

Patricia Lee has been appointed to a vacant seat on the Nevada state Supreme Court. Lee is an attorney and partner at Hutchison and Steffen who was born in South Korea, and is the first Black woman and first Asian-American to serve on the state’s highest court.

Eve Lieberman, JD '11

Eve Lieberman has been appointed to be the executive director of the Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade, leading the office responsible for advancing Colorado’s economy by supporting local and regional business development. Lieberman has served as the Governor Jared Polis’ chief policy advisor and legislative counsel since 2019, previously working as his chief of staff when he served in Congress.

David Dewhirst, JD '14

David Dewhirst has been appointed chief deputy attorney general of Idaho. Dewhirst previously served as solicitor general for the state of Montana, a newly created position he was appointed to in January of 2021 by Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen.  He has also clerked for 9th Circuit Court of Appeals Judge Lawrence VanDyke, after serving as a senior counsel to the U.S. Secretary of Commerce.

Srividhya Ragavan, DJS '08

Srividhya Ragavan has been appointed as Vice-Chancellor of the newly launched India International University of Legal Education & Research (IIULER) at Goa. He formerly served as Professor of Law and Director of India Programs at Texas A&M University School of Law.

Chris McAndrew, JD '16

Dr. Chris McAndrew has been elected as a partner at Wilson Sonsini. Based in Boston, Dr. McAndrew advises early-stage life sciences companies on IP issues and helps clients develop and build a meaningful IP portfolio from inception through their exits. He specializes in representing companies within the complex life science biologics space, including antibodies and cell therapies.

Michael T. Maroni, JD '19

Global law firm Greenberg Traurig, LLP added Michael T. Maroni to its Boston Corporate Practice as an associate. Maroni focuses his practice on public and private mergers and acquisitions, including joint ventures, minority investments, and other transactions. He advises on venture financings and assists clients in general corporate matters. Maroni spent a decade in Washington, D.C., as a government affairs professional for trade associations and public companies in the technology and health care industries.

Erika Dworkin, JD '88

Erika Dworkin has been published in a book titled The Energy Medicine Solution: Mind Blowing Results for Living an Extraordinary Life. Her chapter is titled 'Midlife and Menopause-Mapping Your Path to Empowerment,' where she shares the 5 Essential Steps to Map Your Transformation Journey and provides valuable guidance around how to support yourself nutritionally.

Nicole Josko, JD '12

Nicole Josko has been promoted to Counsel at Faegre Drinker in their Government & Regulatory Affairs group.

Alexa Miller, JD '11

Alexa Miller has been promoted to Partner at Faegre Drinker in their Labor and Employment group.

Emily C. Friedman, JD '22

Emily C. Friedman has been admitted to the Delaware Bar, and now joins the Corporate & Commercial Litigation group at Morris, Nichols, Arsht & Tunnell LLP.

Anne Grae Martin, JD '22

Anne Grae Martin has been admitted to the Delaware Bar, and now joins the Trusts & Estates group at Morris, Nichols, Arsht & Tunnell LLP.

Charles C. Calloway, Jr., JD '12

Charles C. Calloway, Jr. has joined the American College of Investment Counsel (ACIC) Board of Trustees. ACIC is the leading industry association for US institutional investment financing lawyers. Charles practices law with Chapman and Cutler LLP. As a partner in the Corporate Finance Department and Sports Finance Group, Charles' focuses on representing financial institutions and other strategic investors in domestic and cross-border private placements, project finance deals, and M&A transactions. In 2021, Charles was selected by Crain's Chicago Business as a Notable Nonprofit Board Leader in recognition of his service on nonprofit boards of Spark Program, Inc. and the Chicago Humanities Festival.

Kyle G. Hepner, JD '08

Kyle G. Hepner has been brought on as IP Counsel at Robinson & Cole's new Washington DC office.

Evan Monod, JD '21

Evan Monod joined Brown, Goldstein & Levy as the Disability Rights Fellow in September 2022. He is a disability rights advocate with a passion for justice for the vulnerable members of his community. Prior to joining the firm, Monod worked as the Law Fellow at the American Constitution Society, where he assisted the Policy and Programs department in writing and editing policy briefs and publications, creating panels and events, and hosting episodes of their podcast.

Patrick Reidy, JD '13

Patrick Reidy has been promoted to partner in Arnold Porter's Intellectual Property practice group in Chicago.

Sonia Tabriz, JD '13

Sonia Tabriz has been promoted to partner in Arnold Porter's Government Contracts and National Security practice group in DC.

Tal Machnes, JD '12

Tal Machnes has been promoted to counsel in Arnold Porter's White Collar practice group in New York.

Anthony Raglani, JD '14

Anthony Raglani has been promoted to counsel in Arnold Porter's Financial Services practice group in DC.

In Memoriam

Clarence T. Kipps, Jr., JD '53

Clarence Kipps passed away on November 2 at the age of 93. After GW Law, Clarence spent over 50 years building and leading the Government Contracts practice at Miller & Chevalier and representing some of the country's largest defense contractors.

Frederic Lewis Conway, JD '72

Frederic "Rick" Lewis Conway III, passed away at the age of 75 on December 12. As an attorney, he spent more than 30 years working as the Special Assistant to the General Counsel of The Department of Veteran's Affairs. Rick was The Lead Counsel for The Veteran's Administration helping Veteran's through the "Agent Orange" crisis.

October 2022

Class Notes

Heidi S. Wicker, JD '03

Heidi Wicker has joined Stinson LLP as a partner in its Washington DC office. Heidi spent nearly two decades with Schwartz & Ballen LLP, a boutique banking and financial services law firm, before joining Stinson earlier this month. At Stinson, she will work in the banking and financial services practice as a fintech and payments partner.

Audrey N. Carroll, JD '21 

Audrey Carroll has joined Stinson LLP as an associate in their Washington DC office. Audrey previously was an associate at Schwartz & Ballen LLP prior to joining Stinson. Audrey focuses her practice on guiding clients on complex matters involving financial services, payment systems and virtual currency.

Dr. J. Derek Mason, JD '96

Derek Mason has joined Tucker Ellis as a partner in the IP department. Dr. Mason advises national and international clients across the full spectrum of chemical and related technologies, including medical and biotech diagnostic devices, polymers, nanotechnology, textiles, petrochemicals, and pharmaceuticals. His practice encompasses patent preparation and prosecution, licensing, IP issues in corporate transactions, client counseling, and opinions on IP issues.

Paul Zeineddin, JD '99

Paul Zeineddin has joined Blank Rome as a partner and co-chair of the IP Litigation group in the Washington DC office. Paul is a trial attorney with over 20 years of experience, and focuses his practice on patent litigation as well as the interplay between intellectual property and antitrust issues. Paul has handled more than 60 patent infringement disputes before U.S. District Courts and the U.S. International Trade Commission (“ITC”). Paul’s clients are active in the telecommunications, consumer electronic, and software industries. He also previously served as senior IP counsel at Samsung Electronics.

Dennis LeVine, JD '83

Dennis LeVine recently joined the Tampa office of Brock & Scott as a managing partner in the firm's Auto Bankruptcy Replevin Creditors Rights Team.

Luca DiFronzo, JD '22

Luca DiFronzo has been named as one of the New York City Law Department's Assistant Corporate Counsel in their Special Federal Litigation Department.

Mallory Broberg, JD '22

Mallory Broberg has been hired as an associate at Ain & Bank, P.C. While in law school, she interned at Ain & Bank and participated in the Domestic Violence Clinic where she worked with the team at Child Justice Inc. located in Maryland. She also volunteered with the Legal Aid Society of the District of Columbia.

Joshua Auxier, JD '00

Joshua Auxier, a partner at FLB Law, PLLC, has been named to Connecticut Super Lawyers in the area of Professional Liability.

Matthew Kulkin, JD '05

Matthew Kulkin has started as partner in WilmerHale's securities and financial services group. Kulkin has represented a variety of clients, including financial services, corporate institutions, and blockchain and cryptocurrency companies.

Denise M. Hunter, JD '11

Denise M. Hunter was appointed as an Immigration Judge to begin hearing cases in October 2022. Most recently, she was the LGBTQ+ Program Legal Director at California Rural Legal Assistance. Inc., in Modesto, California, and served on the Board of AsylumWorks in Washington, D.C.

Christopher Chaisson, JD '01

Christopher Chaisson has joined Whiteford Taylor & Preston LLP from Tayman Lane Chaverri LLP, a business law boutique based in D.C. Chaisson's experience in his nearly 12-year career with the CIA will help expand the firm's international practice, and his practice additionally includes advising clients on government contract matters, international compliance and other issues.

Matthew Shapiro, JD '12

Matthew Shapiro is now counsel at Ropes & Gray. Matthew is an IP trial lawyer with experience litigating patent disputes in federal courts, at the International Trade Commission, and before the Patent Trial and Appeal Board. Matthew leverages his background in computer science and engineering to represent clients across a broad range of technologies.

Kimberly Bullock Gatling, JD '99

Kimberly Bullock Gatling, a partner at  Fox Rothschild, was named a Southern Trailblazer by The American Lawyer. Serving as the Chief Diversity & Inclusion Officer, Gatling works to develop programs and policies that increase and promote a diverse workforce and inclusive environment both within the firm and the greater legal community.

Keith E. Cassidy, JD '05

Keith Cassidy has been appointed Deputy Director of the Division of Examinations at the US Securities and Exchange Commission. In addition to serving as Deputy Director, Mr. Cassidy is the National Associate Director of the Division’s Technology Controls Program (TCP) with responsibility for examinations of Regulation SCI entities and for overseeing the SEC’s CyberWatch program and the Cybersecurity Program Office. Mr. Cassidy is also a Major in the United States Marine Corps Reserve where he is the oncoming Executive Officer of 4th Reconnaissance Battalion.

John Peloquin, JD '22

John Peloquin is a new Associate at Banner Witcoff's DC office. John concentrates on the preparation and prosecution of patent applications across a variety of technologies, specializing in electrical devices, digital communications and computer software.

Christa Sanchez, JD '09

Christa Sanchez is now counsel at Ropes & Gray. Christa advises companies, investors, fund sponsors, and executives on executive compensation and employee benefits matters. Christa focuses her practice on equity-based and other incentive arrangements, deferred compensation plans, severance plans, and the associated tax and securities laws implications, particularly regarding mergers and acquisitions.

Michael Chase, JD '04

Michael Chase has joined Davis Wright Tremaine LLP as an of counsel with the firm's national energy industry team. Chase worked as an attorney adviser in FERC's Office of the General Counsel for almost seven and a half years, where he helped review requests filed by regulated utilities, and served as lead attorney with oversight over electricity standards proposed by the North American Energy Standards Board.

Aishah Tamir Ahmed, LLM '00

Aishah Tamir Ahmed has set up an NGO by the Name of Insaaniyat (humanity) Society for mentally unwell prisoners in jails and rural areas in Pakistan. Insaaniyat Society is a non-partisian and non-governmental collaboration with the aim to promote, raise awareness, and provide assistance to people and institutions in connection with mental health issues of all types, kinds and severity

Kara Ward, JD '08

Kara Ward has joined Falcon Capital Advisors as General Counsel and Managing Director. Falcon Capital Advisors is a leading business advisory firm providing strategic advice, technical expertise and engagement execution to financial institutions and government agencies

Amish Shah, JD '99

Amish Shah is now a tax partner at Holland & Knight. Shah previously was at Eversheds Sutherland for 23 years as a tax partner and member of their executive committee.

Donald E. English, Jr., JD '00

Donald "Donny" E. English, Jr. of national employment law firm Jackson Lewis P.C., has been featured in The Daily Record as one of Maryland's power players on its 2022 Business & Employment Law Power List. Donny focuses his practice on employment litigation and serves as Jackson Lewis' Baltimore office managing principal, co-leader of the firm's Trials and Appeals group and is a member of the firm's Board of Directors.

In Memoriam

The Honorable Marybeth Peters, JD '71

Marybeth Peters passed away on September 29 at the age of 83. Marybeth served as Register of Copyrights from 1994 through the end of 2010. She guided the Copyright Office through one of the most eventful times in its history, from the early days of the commercial Internet to a time when piracy ran rampant on it.  

Michael I. Mark, JD '77, LLM '88

Lt. Col Michael Mark passed away on September 27, 2022 at the age of 70. Michael dedicated over 40 years of his life to government service. His passion for aviation began as a child and, upon acquiring his law degree at GW Law, he soon took a commission with the U.S. Air Force as a Judge Advocate. With 22 years of service, Lt. Colonel Mark retired, he was proud to have been instrumental in the procurement and production of many Air Force aircraft. Michael was able to extend his passion for and knowledge of the Aerospace Industry into his second 20-year career as a contract specialist for NASA at Langley Center, VA. There, he served as an attorney-advisor and team lead with NASA OGC. With his deep knowledge of procurement law, he displayed a high level of integrity, taught by example and mentored many.

John Cole, Jr., LLB '56

John Cole was a US Air Force veteran, after serving from 1948-1949, he attended GW Law. Following Law School, he worked for the Federal Communications Commission as a staff attorney, where he remained for a year, then joined a private law firm, Smith & Pepper. He practiced media/telecommunications law in Washington for 50 years, principally with the firm of Cole, Raywid & Braverman, of which he was the founding partner in 1966. Jack's specialty was in the growing, fast-evolving field of cable television law and regulation, where he was often referred to as the "Dean of the Cable Bar".

Stephen Darley, JD '67

Stephen Darley passed away at the age of 82. Stephen served in the US Army after Law school, and then operated a real estate and development company which specialized in affordable housing. Stephen was a published author, and his most recent book was titled "Miles Goodyear: The Adventures of the Only Connecticut Mountain Man in the Rocky Mountain West," which focused on mountain men who were in the west in the first half of the nineteenth century."

Janet Brenner, JD '78

Janet Brenner passed away on September 1 at the age of 95. A long-time resident of the Washington, DC area, Janet appreciated the art and music opportunities available to her. She served as a docent at both the National Gallery of Art and the Corcoran Gallery, and was a member of the Board of Trustees of the Phillips Collection.

September 2022

Class Notes

Scott Ehrlich, JD '94

Scott Ehrlich is Head of Mergers & Acquisitions at the Los Angeles firm Sklar Kirsh. He also recently became an Adjunct Professor of Law, teaching Business Planning: Financing the Start-Up Business & Venture Capital Financing at Loyola Law School in Los Angeles.

Elizabeth A. Price, JD '86

Elizabeth A. Price was honored on Sept. 15 at ADL Southeast's Jurisprudence Luncheon. She received the ADL's Tuttle Jurisprudence Award. The Elbert P. Tuttle Award recognizes individuals in the legal community who best exemplify Judge Tuttle and ADL’s steadfast mission to secure justice and fair treatment for all people.

Ronald Deutsch, JD '82, LLM '85

Ronald Deutsch co-edited and authored the 5th edition of Gordon on Maryland Foreclosures published by the Maryland State Bar Association. The text includes an abundance of advice on fundamental procedures, techniques, and practical strategies. The entire field of professionals engaged in Maryland foreclosures, from judges, attorneys, lenders, credit grantors, servicers, and auditors, will benefit from the breadth and depth of this publication.

Mary Kuntz, JD '08

Mary Kuntz, a partner with Kalijarvi, Chuzi, Newman & Fitch, P.C. in Washington, DC. has been recognized in Best Lawyers in America® 2023 in the area of Employment Law.

Peter Rome, JD '84

Peter Rome, a partner at Tucker Ellis LLP has been recognized in The Best Lawyers in America® 2023 in the area of Leveraged Buyouts and Private Equity Law.

Sarah Malik, JD '07

Sarah Malik has been appointed as a Magistrate for the Circuit Court for Montgomery County MD in 2022.

Joshua Auxier, JD '00

Joshua Auxier, a partner at FLB Law, PLLC, was named to Best Lawyers in America in the area of Personal Injury Litigation - Defendants.

Jeff Firestone, JD '96

Jeff Firestone has been hired as the Chief Legal Officer of RXO, a tech-enabled truck brokerage platform that XPO Logistics plans to launch in the fourth quarter of 2022. Firestone most recently served as UPS's deputy general counsel for regulatory compliance and risk. Prior to that role, he was the senior vice president for business unit finance.

Kyle B. Morse, JD '15

Kyle Morse has been named Counsel at BakerHostetler. Morse was a senior managing associate and had been with Dentons in New York for more than four years before he joined BakerHostetler.

Saima Ahmed, JD '00

Saima Ahmed is joining the Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association as Executive Vice President and General Counsel. Previously, Ahmed spent seven years in New York at the stock exchange, most recently as senior director of NYSE regulation and head of the Market Watch and Corporate Action groups.

Michael Brooks, JD '00

The Center for Auto Safety named Michael Brooks its new Executive Director. Brooks most recently was acting executive director of the consumer advocacy group. Brooks joined the Center for Auto Safety as a staff attorney in 2000 and worked since 2017 as the organization’s Chief Counsel and COO.

Robert Baxter, JD '15

Chief of Operational Law at U.S. Special Operations Command Europe (SOCEUR) Lt. Robert Baxter hosted a Professional Military Education (PME) at Region Legal Service Office Europe, Africa, Central (RLSO EURAFCENT). Baxter provided a brief on “NATO, Special Operation Forces (SOF), and the Joint Perspective,” to an audience of RLSO, Defense Service Office North (DSO North), independent staff judge advocates, and summer interns. Baxter’s brief provided participants with an overview of NATO structure and authorities from the perspective of a U.S. European Command (USEUCOM) Component Operational Headquarters.

Bertrand "Lance" Lanciault, JD '96

Lance Lanciault has joined Snap Inc as their Chief Compliance Officer. Previously, Lanciault was the Senior Vice President and Head of Compliance and Risk at Peloton. Before Peloton, Lanciault worked for nearly seven years at Walmart, most recently leading the ethics and compliance teams for Walmart's U.S. e-commerce business and technology unit. Before that he spent six years as chief legal officer at StubHub, and over a year as associate general counsel at General Electric Co.

Ken Puhala, JD '88

Ken Puhala has been elected Chairman of Schnader Harrison Segal & Lewis, LLP. Ken has been a partner at the firm since 2003.

Rob Parr, JD '12

Rob Parr has joined Wilson Sonsini as Partner in their Boston office. Prior to rejoining the firm, Parr was a partner at Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe. Before that, he worked in Wilson Sonsini’s technology transactions department. He joined the firm’s Washington, D.C., office as an associate in 2015 before relocating to the Boston office in 2019 and becoming Of Counsel in May 2021.

Benjamin R. Hanan, JD '96

Benjamin R. Hanan, a partner at Shumaker, Loop & Kendrick, LLP has been recognized in Best Lawyers in America® 2023 in the area of Mergers and Acquisitions Law.

Gregory C. Yadley, JD '75

Gregory C. Yadley, a partner at Shumaker, Loop & Kendrick, LLP has been recognized in Best Lawyers in America® 2023 as Lawyer of the Year in the areas of Banking and Finance Law, Corporate Compliance Law, Corporate Law, Leveraged Buyouts and Private Equity Law, Mergers and Acquisitions Law, Securities/ Capital Markets Law, and Securities Regulation.

Christopher Norman, LLM '21

Christopher Norman has been brought on as an Associate at the Dallas office of Wood, Smith, Henning & Berman. He most recently worked as a contract attorney, where he gained experience in securities violations and pharmaceutical class-action tort litigation.

In Memoriam

John R. Hill, Jr, JD '78

John R. Hill, Jr passed away on August 19 at the age of 85. After two combat tours in Vietnam and serving 20 years in the Corps of Engineers, he retired from the Army and began a career in law. He was a trial attorney in the Environmental and Natural Resources division of the Department of Justice before moving to private practice. For the remainder of his career, he practiced water law in Gunnison, Colorado and it became his second home.

David Siehl, JD '75

David Siehl passed away at the age of 76. David served honorably in the United States Navy, 1968 - 1972, attended Officers Candidate School in Newport, RI, and was commissioned as an officer earning the rank of Lieutenant. He served his nation on the USS Bainbridge during the Vietnam War as a Naval Intelligence Officer. After he graduated from GW Law, he continued service to his country through employment with the US Railway Association, federal law clerkships, and for 34 years as a staff attorney with the FCC.

Andrew William Palmer, JD '22

Andrew Palmer passed away on August 26 at the age of 27. During his time at GW Law he served on the Law Review and worked full time as an intellectual property student associate with Finnegan, Henderson, Farabow, Garrett & Dunner, LLP. Andrew passed the patent bar exam and sat for the Washington, DC Bar exam in July, 2022. There is little question that Andrew was embarking on a promising career as an intellectual property attorney.

Paul N. Kokulis, LLB '50

Paul Kokulis passed away on August 16 at the age of 98. Paul worked on the Manhattan Project in Philadelphia, PA, before taking a job with the patent law firm Cushman Darby and Cushman in Washington, DC. He graduated from George Washington University Law School in 1950. For the next 61 years, Paul practiced patent law in Washington, DC with an emphasis on patent interferences, particularly in the chemical and biochemical areas. He retired in 2011 but continued consulting on patent matters into his 90s.

Richard Lione, LLB '59

Richard Lione passed away on August 31 at the age of 91. Following military service in The Air Force, he began his career as a Patent and Trademark attorney. He joined Chicago Law firm Brinks, Gilson & Lione in 1961, and became a named partner in 1983. He spent his career in Chicago with his firm, retiring to Charleston in 2015.

Mark Himelstein, JD '67

Mark Himelstein passed away on Monday September 12th, one week shy of his 83rd birthday. Prior to his GW Law experience, Mark served as a reserve in the Marines from 1959-1965 and then the Peace Corp in Ethiopia, 1962-1964. Mark found the legal profession satisfying and excelled at being a "country lawyer," albeit he ended up making oral arguments at the Supreme Court (Smith v. Regents of University of California). Out of Law school he moved to San Francisco, California in 1969 and formed a law firm with his three partners Penrod, Sims and Savinar.

August 2022

Class Notes

Melanie Taylor, JD '14

Melanie Taylor, of counsel in Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck's Denver office, has joined Make-A-Wish Colorado’s Wishmakers Council, a group of professionals who support the organization’s mission of creating life-changing wishes for children with critical illnesses by raising financial support and awareness.

Alexis M. Sáinz, JD '07

Alexis Sáinz joins Hogan Lovells as partner and global co-leader of the Space and Satellite practice and a member of the Infrastructure, Energy, Resources & Projects practice

Robert Shriver III, JD '97

Rob Shriver has been nominated by President Biden for Deputy Director of the Office of Personnel Management. He is currently the Associate Director for Employee Services at the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM). In this role, he leads OPM’s government-wide workforce policy team. Shriver previously served at OPM during the Obama-Biden Administration as Deputy General Counsel for Policy, leading development and implementation of a number of government-wide initiatives.

Amy Fairchild Haer, JD '08

Amy Fairchild Haer was sworn in as an Immigration Judge in Atlanta.

Gail G. Holtzman JD '84

Taylor English Duma LLP announced that labor and employment partner Gail Golman Holtzman, who's been at the firm since October, has joined the firm's general counsel offshoot. Holtzman brings nearly 40 years of labor and employment experience to the general counsel team, which includes a stint working in house with a Tampa-based arts organization and a period leading the American Bar Association's labor and employment law section. She is based out of the firm's Orlando, Florida, office.

Brian O'Dwyer LLM '76

Brian O'Dwyer has been named to serve on the Commission on Presidential Scholars by President Biden. O'Dwyer is a founder of the Emerald Isle Immigration Center dedicated to providing assistance to all immigrants. His work in promoting peace in Ireland was acknowledged when he was named Grand Marshall of the New York Saint Patrick’s Day Parade.

Jonathan Werther JD '94

Jon Werther has been appointed by Simulmedia to Lead Operations and Business Development. Most recently, Mr. Werther served as Executive Vice President, Strategic Partnerships & New Business Development for the Professional Fighters League (PFL), where he led international expansion efforts and new business initiatives for the rapidly growing sports league.

Lucy Zhao JD '08

Lucy Zhao has published an article titled "The risks and rewards of growing GAF Energy" about GAF's growth as an organization, and all the benefits and challenges that have gone along with it.

Richard Slivka JD '69

Richard "Dick" Slivka has retired as General Counsel to the Denver Broncos after 22 years. Slivka's career began as an attorney for the U.S. Department of Justice Tax Division in Washington D.C., where he spent five years (1969-73) before working as a lawyer with the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Colorado from 1974-76. He practiced private law in Denver beginning in 1976 with specialties involving corporate/business law, commercial litigation and arbitration, white collar criminal law, complex civil law and tax litigation before joining the Brocos' legal team.

H. Eugene Oliver, III, JD '08

H. Eugene Oliver, III, a Partner at Evans Oliver, PLC in Harrisonburg, VA, was elected to serve on the Board of Directors of the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers (NACDL) at the Association’s annual meeting. He is a Board Member and Past President of the Virginia Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers (VACDL), and has served as Chair of its Judicial Nominations, Indigent Representation, and Executive Committees along with being an active member of its Legislative Committee.

Jonathan Bond JD '08

Jonathan Bond joined Gibson Dunn's appellate and constitutional law practice after five years in the Office of the Solicitor General. He previously worked for Gibson Dunn from 2010 to 2017 and earlier clerked for Justice Antonin Scalia.  During his time at the Office of the Solicitor General, Bond argued 10 cases before the Supreme Court, involving constitutional disputes arising from administrative law, debt collection, criminal law, immigration and Medicare reimbursement.

Rachel Adams Ladeau, JD '13

Rachel Adams Ladeau was recognized as one of 2023's Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch in Labor and Employment Law

Michael Heim, JD '86

Houston attorney Michael Heim of Heim, Payne & Chorush has earned selection in the 2023 edition of The Best Lawyers in America based on his expertise in intellectual property disputes and patent lawsuits.

Chandos Culleen, JD '16

Chandos Culleen has joined the National Council of Urban Indian Health (NCUIH) as its Director of Federal Relations.  NCUIH is the national non-profit organization devoted to the support and development of quality, accessible, and culturally-competent health and public health services for American Indians and Alaska Natives living in urban settings.  Outside of NCUIH, Mr. Culleen continues to serve as a Judge Advocate in the United States Army Reserve.

Alan Mygatt-Tauber, JD '04

In September 2022, the University Press of Kansas will be publishing Alan's first book, Medellin v. Texas: International Justice, Federalism, and the Execution of Jose Medellin as part of its Landmark Cases series.

Mike Chick, JD '05

Mike Chick was appointed by the Virginia legislature as judge of the Juvenile & Domestic Relations District Court for Arlington County and the City of Falls Church, Virginia.

Mark McNamara, JD '80

Mark McNamara, an attorney at Barclay Damon was named one of Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch in America 2023 for Eminent Domain and Condemnation Law

Joshua B. Horvitz, JD '04

Joshua Horvitz joined Armstrong Teasdale's Philadelphia office as partner.  He handles a variety of real estate transactions in his work, including representing parties in commercial deals and private parties in buying and selling residential homes and investment properties.

William Wetmore, JD '08

William Wetmore returns to Akin Gump as a partner after spending eight months at Indaba Capital Management. Wetmore specializes in advising activist hedge funds and private equity funds on securities law, contract drafting and mergers and acquisitions.

Mark F. Mashack, JD '16

Mark F. Mashack has joined Blank Rome as associate in their DC office. Mark focuses his practice on patent diligence and procurement to assist clients in navigating complex legal issues and optimizing patent portfolios. He applies significant experience to high-profile mergers and acquisitions in counseling clients on freedom-to-operate (“FTO”), patent strength, and contract issues.

Chris Jeffries, JD '05

The recently released 2023 edition of the legal ranking guide The Best Lawyers in America has named Chris Jeffries a "Best Lawyer" in the area of Commercial Litigation. Chris is a principal in the litigation firm Kramon & Graham in Baltimore, Maryland.

In Memoriam

Richard G. Amato JD '67, LLM '69

Richard Amato passed away on June 19. Richard worked 43 years at the DC Attorney General's Office, and after his retirement continued to serve the community as Vice Chairman of the Real Property Tax Appeals Commission.

Louise Edelman Sagalyn LLB '52

Louise Edelman Sagalyn passed away August 13 at the age of 95. Louise was a lawyer and consultant on public policy issues for private industry and the Federal government where she focused her work on children at risk. She also was an innovative business entrepreneur, co-founding a small chain of antique and gift stores called Country Living where she pioneered combining a store with a restaurant. She served as Chairman and CEO of Walk, Inc. which later became the Walkways Center, promoting the joy and health benefits of walking, as well as serving as the vice president of Security Planning Corporation, a consulting firm that advised the government and private companies on crime prevention and security.

Sebastian K.D. Graber, JD '77

Sebastian Graber passed away on August 4 at the age of 70. Graber won the 1983 case against the Supreme Court, United States v. Grace. Graber's wider reputation was largely built around pro bono work with the Virginia chapter of the ACLU and defending activists from groups such as the Plowshares movement against nuclear arms.

Theodore Fishman JD '71

Theodore Fishman passed away on August 2 at the age of 76. Theodore began his career as a judicial law clerk in Mercer County and spent the balance of his legal career (38 years) with the State of NJ Office of the Public Defender. He began as an Assistant Deputy Public Defender in 1972 but soon was promoted to First Assistant and then Deputy in charge of the Mercer County Regional Office. Fishman was a member of the Stockton Guard Society at GW Law.

July 2022

Class Notes

Adrien Pickard, JD '03

Adrien Pickard, a Construction Litigation Attorney at Shapiro, Lifschitz & Schram, has been named a “Pro Bono Service Honor Roll” member by the Virginia Access to Justice Commission.

Lisa Henneberry, JD '92

Lisa Henneberry has joined Crowell & Moring as a partner in their energy practice. Henneberry has particular experience with liquified natural gas projects worldwide, including serving as the lead project counsel for the first LNG terminal in Mexico.

Ethan Lucarelli, JD '09

Ethan Lucarelli has been named legal advisor for wireless and international issues for the chairwoman of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). 

Jonathan Bench, JD '12

Jonathan Bench has been named one of Super Lawyer's Washington Rising Stars for 2022. Jonathan is an attorney with Harris Bricken, and regularly counsels business owners on international business transactions, particularly foreign direct investment.

Robert D. Pratt, JD '09

Robert Pratt has joined Fox Rothschild LLP in Washington, DC as Counsel in the Federal Government Contracts & Procurement Practice. Pratt serves as a trusted adviser on matters involving government contracts, construction and related litigation and insurance recovery.

Blythe E. Lovinger, JD '95

Blythe Lovinger has joined Kelley Drye & Warren LLP as partner in their Labor and Employment group. With over 25 years of experience handling employment matters before federal and state courts, administrative agencies, and arbitration panels, Blythe defends employers and senior executives against claims of discrimination, harassment, and retaliation.

Hussein Akhavannik, JD '07

Hussein Akhavannik has joined Blank Rome's Intellectual Property & Technology practice group as a partner in the Washington, D.C., office. Hussein will focus on patent prosecution and portfolio management with an emphasis on bringing a global perspective to clients’ technology assets. Prior to joining Blank Rome, Hussein was a partner and co-leader of the Life Sciences team at BakerHostetler LLP.

In Memoriam

Grant Madden JD '12

Grant Madden passed away on June 28 at the age of 39. Grant began his career while still attending GW Law, working at a law firm in Washington, D.C. during the summer between his second and third years of law school. He continued this employment throughout his third year, and joined the firm following graduation. Grant was admitted to the Maryland Bar in 2012. He then entered government service, first at the Social Security Administration in the disability appeals division, and ultimately at the U.S. Department of Justice, Federal Bureau of Prisons as Assistant General Counsel, Employment Law Branch.

Phillip Robinson, JD '86

Phillip Robinson passed away on July 6 at the age of 75. After graduating from GW Law, Phillip practiced law at the law firms Patton Boggs, Bell Boyd & Lloyd, and Ludwig & Robinson. During this time, for over 20 years, he taught international law classes at George Washington University.  

William Granberry, JD '53, LLM '54

William Granberry passed away on June 24 at the age of 95. At GW Law, Bill was the SBA President, and graduated top of his class. After his graduation, Bill practiced law for several years in Alabama before co-founding the American Mortgage Insurance Company, the second oldest private mortgage company in the US.

Carol Park-Conroy, JD '75

Carol Park-Conroy passed away on July. Carol served as a trial judge on the Armed Services Board of Contract Appeals for 22 years, where she adjudicated complex disputes involving the Defense Department and government contractors. Following her retirement from the Board in 2013, she worked as a mediator, arbitrator, and neutral case evaluator. She was among the nation's leading advocates for alternative dispute resolution. She chaired the Public Contract Law Section of the American Bar Association and co-chaired its Alternative Disputes Resolution Committee.

W. Lynn Hossner, JD '65

Lynn Hossner passed away on July 20. After graduating from GW Law, he passed both the Idaho and District of Columbia bar. Lynn was a dedicated, brilliant attorney who was known for providing counsel and mediation to many clients throughout Idaho. He served as prosecuting attorney for 15 years, and was still practicing law and real estate development up until the time of his death.

June 2022

Class Notes

LieAnn Van-Tull, LLM '18

LieAnn Van-Tull was sworn in as the President-Elect of the Washington Bar Association (WBA) in June. Van-Tull is an associate with the Food and Drug Packaging and Tobacco and E-Vapor practice groups at Keller and Heckman LLP.

Carly E. Nixon, JD '17

Carly E. Nixon has joined Fox Rothschild LLP in Philadelphia, PA as an Associate in the Privacy & Data Security Department.  Carly advises clients on a range of privacy and data security matters, including preventing and responding to data breaches.

Kate Geyer, JD '19 

Kate Gyer was featured on season 2, episode 1 of Kilpatrick Townsend's podcast "Sidebars." Kate is a patent litigation associate in Seattle and spoke about her journey to becoming the patent litigator and fierce advocate she is today.

Jason N. Silberberg, JD '09

Jason N. Silberberg has been promoted to partner at Frier Levitt in Pine Brook. Silberberg has experience in health-care and life sciences litigation and regulatory matters. He joined Frier Levitt as an associate in 2014 and before that was a New Jersey deputy attorney general in the New Jersey Attorney General’s Office’s Banking and Insurance Section.

Mónica Bernstein, JD '06

Mónica Bernstein has been promoted to Executive Vice President & General Counsel at Crestline Hotels & Resorts, LLC. Mónica joined Crestline in 2019 and assumed responsibility for all legal issues arising with respect to hotel operations, hotel development, corporate governance, and asset management.

Vipal Patel, JD '91

Vipal Patel has joined the global Litigation Practice at Squire Patton Boggs as partner. Vipal has built an incredible 20 year career at the Department of Justice, prosecuting a diverse range of complex civil, criminal and appellate cases.

Sheryl Winarick, JD '98

Sheryl Winarick has joined Grossman Young as an Of Counsel attorney. For more than 20 years, she has creatively helped individuals, families, businesses and organizations maximize their potential in the United States. She represents and advises clients on a wide range of immigration matters, including employment and family-based cases, consular processing, J1 waivers and naturalization.

Joshua Weiss, JD '11

Joshua Weiss was appointed to the Denver Bar Association’s Board of Trustees. Weiss is a shareholder in the litigation department at Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck.

Leslie Sowers, JD '06

Leslie Sowers has joined Husch Blackwell as a partner in Washington, DC. Sowers is focused on financial and other related law specialties, and spent more than a decade with her previous firm, Weiner Brodsky Kider PC.

Gregory H. Meyers, JD '01

Gregory H. Meyers has been appointed to the District Court of the Fifth Circuit. He is currently employed with Meyers & Meyers, LLC. Meyers has been associated with De Costa Hempey Meyers LLC as a partner and Of Counsel since 2014 and was a partner at Hempey & Meyers LLP from 2007 to 2014.

Daniel Goldfried, JD '94

Daniel Goldfried has been named deputy chief legal officer at Vesttoo, a fintech platform for insurance-linked investments. Goldfried has over 25 years of legal and regulatory compliance experience in the financial services industry. Besides his work at the SEC, he has held senior legal positions at Bank of America Merrill Lynch, including senior vice president for regulatory law, and most recently was the general counsel of Chatham Asset Management.

Keaghan Ames, JD '16

Keaghan Ames joined the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) as Counselor & Senior Policy Advisor from the Institute of International Bankers (IIB), where he served as the Director of Federal Government Affairs. While at the IIB, Keaghan represented the U.S. operations of internationally headquartered financial institutions on capital markets, prudential, and tax policy matters before Congress and U.S. federal prudential and market regulators, as well as the New York Department of Financial Services.

Elizabeth Mastrogiacomo, JD '12

Elizabeth Mastrogiacomo joined the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) as Senior Counsel to the CFTC Commissioner. Mastrogiacomo previously spent six years in the derivatives group at Skadden Arps Slate Meagher & Flom LLP.

Donald E. English Jr., JD '00

Donald “Donny” E. English, Jr. has been elevated to office managing principal in Jackson Lewis P.C's Baltimore office. Donny advises and represents employers in a broad range of employment law matters, including those involving discrimination and harassment, wage and hour, wrongful termination, restrictive covenants and retaliation claims.

David Marcinkus, JD '07

David Marcinkus has joined Kirkland & Ellis LLP has a partner. Marcinkus works with business development companies on understanding regulatory issues dealing with co investment and affiliated transaction issues, the firms said. For nearly a decade, Marcinkus served as branch chief of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission's division of investment management, in the agency's chief counsel's office, according to his LinkedIn profile.

Ashley E. Eiler, JD '11

Ashley E. Eiler joined Wiley Rein as an Of Counsel attorney. Eiler works mostly in the professional liability space, representing insurers, advising them in coverage disputes with their insurers and handling strategies for when they face exposure claims. She also serves as litigation counsel, representing insurers in coverage and bad-faith suits and insured parties such as lawyers, accountants and engineers who face liability claims.

Stephen Comstock, JD '91

Stephen Comstock has been named Vice President and Senior Counselor for Policy, Economics and Regulatory Affairs at the American Petroleum Institute (API). Comstock has over 30 years in the industry and has been with API for over 18 years in a number of roles. Prior to API, Comstock was a tax attorney with ExxonMobil in their tax department and provided planning advice for various projects in their upstream, downstream and chemical operations.

Richard Hughes, JD '15

Richard H. Hughes IV has joined Epstein Becker Green as a Member of the Firm in the Health Care & Life Sciences practice in Washington, DC. Richard leverages his background as a health insurance lawyer and health care policy executive to assist pharmaceutical, biotech, and health care provider entities in navigating a broad range of legal, regulatory, and policy issues. Richard has been instrumental in expanding access to vaccines and preventive services that improve public health outcomes. Richard returns to the firm after serving as Managing Director and Vaccines & Preventative Services Leader at Avalere Health, a health care advisory services firm, and then as Vice President of Public Policy at Moderna.

Eric Harris, LLM '04

Eric Harris has been named Director of Government Relations and Public Affairs for Tetra Pak U.S. and Canada. Harris is a seasoned policy and sustainability leader with deep expertise in recycling, having held previous positions at the Recycling Partnership and the Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries, Inc.

James Gelfand JD '11

James Gelfand has been promoted from EVP to President at the ERISA Industry Committee. Gelfand will be responsible for leading ERIC’s public policy and legal advocacy work, as well as its membership, strategic partnerships and public affairs activities. He will work with the CEO to manage all aspects of the association.

Heather Pinckney, JD '00

Heather Pinckney, a veteran D.C. defense attorney and former member of the office has been named The District’s Public Defender Service's new Director. Pinckney, who for eight years was trial lawyer in the office, handled various felony cases, including homicides, sexual assaults, and gun and drug possession offenses. In 2008, Pinckney left the office and started her own firm, Pinckney & Harden, where she represented defendants in both D.C. Superior Court and U.S. District Court. In assuming her new role, Pinckney will also step down as executive director of the national Black Public Defender Association, a position to which she was recently named.

Divani R. Nadaraja, JD '07 

Divani R.  Nadaraja has joined Feldesman Tucker Leifer Fidell LLP (FTLF) as a partner in the firm's Family Law Group. Divani will advise clients on a myriad of matters including, but not limited to, contested child custody and visitation, complex divorce and equitable distribution, child and spousal support, and protective orders.

Sam Maizel, JD '85

Sam Maizel, a partner in the Los Angeles office of Dentons US LLP, was recognized as one of Los Angele's "Top 100 Lawyers for 2022" by the Los Angeles Business Journal and was given the "2022 Outstanding Nonprofit Lawyer Award" for distinguished service as outside counsel to nonprofit organizations by the American Bar Association's Nonprofit Committee.

Michael Heim, JD '87

Mike Heim has earned repeat recognition by Chambers USA as one of the top intellectual property lawyers in the nation.  Mike is a partner at Houston-based intellectual property litigation boutique Heim, Payne & Chorush.

B. Kevin Burke, Jr., JD '99

B. Kevin Burke Jr. has been certified by the Ontario Legal Society as a Foreign Legal Consultant. This designation allows Mr. Burke to meet with his Canadian clients in Ontario and represent them in all areas of U.S. law.  As a shareholder in Buffalo-based Gross Shuman P.C. Mr. Burke has a wide range of cross border clients. He represents them in a variety of matters including employment cases, business formations, intellectual property issues and commercial real estate transactions.

Cody Wamsley, LLM '11

Cody Wamsley has joined Coinbase Global, Inc. as Associate General Counsel.  His primary areas of practice are information security and privacy.

Debora Jones, JD '05

Debora Jones was named Chief Operating Officer at Exterro. A seasoned executive with nearly 20 years of operational experience and a proven track record of growing revenue and improving margins, Jones has created engaging workplace cultures and built lasting relationships with clients and partners. Prior to Exterro, Jones spent 13 years at Lighthouse Global, a leader in technology-enabled e-discovery, compliance, and information governance services, where she led various functions including client and technical operations, client onboarding, and go to market strategies.

Christopher Jeffries, JD '05

Christopher Jeffries, a principal at Kramon & Graham, has been elected President of the Maryland Defense Counsel. A trial lawyer, Chris represents businesses in litigation matters, including breaches of contract and business defamation. He defends individuals and businesses in personal injury actions, particularly claims against property owners and has significant trial experience representing police officers for alleged civil rights violations. Chris is a recipient of the Daily Record's Leadership in Law and VIP awards and was selected for the inaugural Hot List by Lawyers of Color LLC. He is listed in the legal guide The Best Lawyers in America.

In Memoriam

Philip Fischer, LLB '59

Philip Fischer passed away on May 23, 2022 at the age of 86. Fischer was a Michigan lawyer, entrepreneur and investor. Mr. Fischer spent years owning businesses across the state, including department stores, his family said. He also was president of the Philip B. Fischer Co. Inc., a real-estate and financial-consulting firm based in Birmingham.

Leonard Blum, JD '67

Leonard Blum passed away on January 24, 2022 at the age of 78.

William H. Shreve, JD '90

William "Bill" Harold Shreve passed away at the age of 58 on May 9, 2022. Bill spent his entire legal career with Knobbe, Martens intellectual property law firm in Orange County, CA, where he served on many committees. He joined the firm as a Summer Associate in 1988, as a full-time Associate after graduating in 1990, and became a Partner in the firm in 1995.

C. Sherfy Jones, LLB '61

C. Sherfy Jones passed away on May 2, 2022, 4 days before his 91st birthday. Before Law School, he was Second Lieutenant in the United States Air Force. Sherfy was committed to professional education and community service. He earned his CLU and ChFC designations from the American College of Financial Services. He served as President of the DC chapter of The Society of Financial Service professionals during which he made the effort to meet personally with each of the more than three hundred chapter members.

Robert Pass, JD '69

Robert Nathan Pass passed away on June 16, 2022 at the age of 78. After graduating from GW Law, Robert worked as a trial attorney for the Federal Power Commission (now the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission). He then left to pursue tennis, and in 1973 opened the 4Star Tennis Academy at the Four Seasons Tennis Club in Merrifield, VA. Under Bob's leadership the program grew, training thousands of USTA ranked boys and girls. The Pass Academy, renamed in his honor, will continue to live on by teaching the philosophies of tennis, and the dedication, passion, sportsmanship and humility that was Bob Pass.

May 2022

Class Notes

Lindsey Martinez, JD '10
Lindsey E. Martínez has been appointed to serve as a Judge in the Orange County Superior Court. Martínez has served as a Senior Attorney at the Fourth District Court of Appeal, Division Three since 2016. She was an Associate at Snell & Wilmer LLP from 2010 to 2016. Martínez earned a Juris Doctor degree from George Washington University Law School. She fills the vacancy created by the retirement of Judge Gregory W. Jones. Martínez is a Democrat.

Erica Lord, JD '02 
Erica Lord was recently named Chief Fiduciary Officer of BNY Wealth management. In this new role she will oversee all fiduciary administration for all trust and estate services, which includes leading a national team of fiduciary professionals. Erica joins BNY Mellon Wealth Management with 20+ years of experience serving high-net-worth individuals and families. Most recently, Erica served as Chief Fiduciary Officer of Northern Trust's Global Family & Private Investment Offices segment and The Northern Trust Company of Delaware, where she was responsible for the oversight of complex fiduciary relationships and delivery of fiduciary services. Erica is a Fellow of the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel.

Melissa Milchman, JD '14
Melissa Milchman is the recipient of the 2022 Tony Gobar Outstanding Juvenile Justice Specialist Award from the Coalition of Juvenile Justice (CJJ). Melissa is the Juvenile Justice Specialist for the District of Columbia in the Office of Victims Services and Justice Grants (OVSJG). In that capacity, she works closely with District agencies and community-based organizations addressing juvenile justice and juvenile delinquency prevention. With this award, CJJ recognizes a Juvenile Justice Specialist who has exemplified excellence in service to others; has been dedicated and committed to improving the juvenile justice system; and has demonstrated compassion and concern for youth and advocates.

In Memoriam

Mary Jean Bastian, JD '56
Mary Jean Bastian passed away on April 23, 2022. Mary Jean worked as a secretary while earning a Bachelor of Arts and a law degree from the George Washington University. It was at GW Law where she met the love of her life, James Bastian. The two married in 1955 and graduated law school together the following year. She worked for decades for the United States Labor Department in the Solicitor's Office and the Wage and Hour Division, focusing her work on child labor law. She took a break from full-time work to raise four children and then later returned to work at Southern Air Transport after the family moved to Coral Gables in 1984. Mary Jean and Jim loved to travel, visiting far-away places like Papua New Guinea, Egypt, Nairobi, most of Europe, and much of Asia. Mary Jean was also very involved in her community and public service as an active member of her church and a board member of the Humane Society of Greater Miami, the Jackson Memorial Foundation, and the Red Cross of Greater Miami and the Keys.

April 2022

Class Notes

Michael D. Barolsky, JD '08
Michael D. Barolsky was recently promoted to Senior Vice President, Head of Regulatory Administration for U.S. Bank Global Fund Services.

Paul Vitrano, JD '95 
Paul Vitrano co-founded Waev Inc., an electric vehicle manufacturer, which acquired the GEM and Taylor-Dunn businesses. Vitrano serves as the company's SVP and Chief Legal & Policy Officer.

Linda Rosenzweig, JD ‘77
Linda has joined the Wagner Law Group to continue her Employment Law and Employee Benefits Law practice. Additionally, Linda has been giving back to her community. In 2020 she was elected as Chair of the Board of Directors of the Olney Theatre Center and as the President of the American Jewish Committee's Washington Region in 2021.

Scott Bluni, JD '98
Scott Bluni has joined Goodwin Practor after spending more than eight years leading Kacvinsky Daisak Bluni PLLC, which he co-founded. Bluni's work specializes in patent-related matters and focuses on the firm's medical technology clients.

Noam Fischman, JD '99
Noam Fischman has joined Akerman as a partner after spending nine years as a Polsinello shareholder, where he worked as the chairman of the firm's mergers and acquisitions litigation group. His expertise in M&A litigation and false claims act defense for healthcare clients will be an invaluable addition to Akerman's legal team.

Eashaa Parek, JD '19, GWNY '17
Eashaa Parek has just joined O'Melvny. She will be moving from Cooley and will continue focusing on Capital Markets and the corporate legal space.

Calmann Clements, JD '13
Calmann Clements has been promoted to Counsel at Haynes and Boone. Calmann practices before the Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB) on post-grant proceedings, including inter partes review and ex parte reexamination. His practice also involves patent drafting and prosecution to assist clients with building patent portfolios in various technical fields.

Andi Mudryk, JD '89
Andi Mudryk, GW Law alumna from the class of 1989, has been appointed to Sacramento County Superior Cout. She is the first transgender person appointed to the California bench, but she is also the second openly transgender person to serve as a judge. Mudryk is a trailblazer and has previously served in positions advocating for disability rights.

Thomas Ingalls, JD '14
Thomas Ingalls was promoted to partner at Cozen O'Connor. His practice focuses on complex litigation matters and investigations, including white-collar criminal defense, cartel defense, civil antitrust litigation, premerger review, and internal investigations. 

Marcos Ronquillo, JD '79
Marcos Ronquillo has been named Leading Hispanic Business Arbitration and Litigation Attorney of the Year by Acquisition International Magazine. Mr. Ronquillo has had a notable 43-year legal career and has earned a reputation as one of Texas's most accomplished trial attorneys. In addition to his legal work, Mr. Ronquillo has served on the boards of JPMorgan Chase, the Dallas Museum of Art, the United States/Mexico Bi-National Chamber of Commerce, The Smithsonian National Latino Center Advisory Board, The Smithsonian National Campaign Steering Committee, and The Institute of Latino Studies Advisory Council at the University of Notre Dame.

David Barr, JD '83
Stroock & Stroock & Lavan LLP has hired David Barr after his 26 years at Arnold & Porter and legacy firm Kaye Scholer LLP. In this new role, Mr. Barr will have the ability to develop the firm's intellectual property practice. 

Ericke Cage, JD '09
Ericke Cage has been promoted from interim president to official president of West Virginia State University. Since the start of Mr. Cage's leadership at West Virginia State University, he has focused on institutional stabilization and operational optimization, renewal of the “state spirit,” the advancement of academic programs, and the growth of a broad range of internal and external relationships to support WVSU’s forward momentum and growth.

Professor Elizabeth A. Gray, JD '10, M.H.A. ’15
George Washington University student-athletes have selected Milken Institute School of Public Health Professor Elizabeth Gray as their choice for university professor of the year.

Professor Bobby R. Burchfield, JD '79
Bobby R. Burchfield, GW Law Alumnus and Endower of the First Amendment Chair at George Washington Law School, recently gave an interview with Fire where he explained the importance of this chair and what motivated his generosity to give back to GW Law. 

Bonnie Chong, JD '02
Anthony & Sylvan Pools announced that Bonnie Chong has been elected to its Board of Directors and named as President and Chief Executive Officer. Ms. Chong joined the company in January 2018 as General Counsel with over 15 years of experience advising global and national companies in various industries. She graduated from GW Law in 2002.

Makan Delrahim, JD '96
Makan Delrahim has recently joined Latham & Watkins in its antitrust and trial department in Washington, DC Delrahim joined from his position as chairperson at the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development's Working Party. He has also previously worked as a one-time top antitrust attorney in former President Donald Trump's U.S. Department of Justice.

Morgan Bodenarain, JD '21
Morgan Bodenarain is joining the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) as a Legal Advisor, where she will focus on digital equity issues. She most recently worked in the office of Congressman G. K. Butterfield, where she managed his Communications and Technology policy portfolio. 

Susan Yoon Parker, JD '09
Susan Yoon Parker has joined the Latham & Watkins LLP's Boston office as a partner in the Private Equity Finance and Banking Practices and a member of the Finance Department. Parker represents private equity sponsors, investment funds, and operating companies on various leveraged buyout and alternative investment and financing transactions, including both syndicated and private capital credit facilities.

Alesha Dominique, JD '08
Alesha Dominique has joined Stroock & Stroock & Lavan LLP as a partner. She will focus her practice on patent, trademark, false advertising, and unfair competition disputes in federal courts. She will also regularly counsel clients on trademark clearance, prosecution and enforcement matters, and practice before the TTAB.

Christopher Jeffries, JD '05
Christopher Jeffries has been named by Kramon & Graham to its 2022 listing of Leaders in Law. He and other awardees were honored at a reception held at the BWI Hilton in Baltimore on April 7, 2022. The Leaders in Law award honors a select group of Maryland legal professionals whose dedication to their occupation and communities deserves special recognition. The award pays tribute to how legal professionals are serving businesses, clients, and individuals across Maryland and building a stronger community. Winners were selected by an outside panel of legal and business leaders.

Jay Jackson, LLM '17
Jay Jackson will have his book, Decent Discourse, published on May 25th. The book offers a hopeful, helpful, and historical way to push back against the war-like language and echo chambers that dominate today’s political discourse – and not a minute too soon. Families and friendships are being torn apart. More Americans than ever feel violence is justified to advance their political goals. And the media is turbocharging this toxic, hyperpartisan culture of indecent political rhetoric.

James Whittle, Ph.D., JD '16
James Whittle has been named Of Counsel at Mintz. Mr. Whittle previously practiced as an Associate at Cooley. James is an experienced patent attorney and accomplished research scientist who advises life sciences companies on patent prosecution matters. He has significant experience helping gene therapy, cell therapy, and genomics companies build and acquire patent portfolios. Dr. Whittle holds a Ph.D. in Biology from MIT and a JD from GW law.

Margaret Rosenfeld, JD '97
 Margaret Rosenfeld, a blockchain, cryptocurrency strategy, and regulatory thought leader, has joined Gryphon Digital Mining. Inc.'s board of directors as an independent director. Since March 2022, Margaret has served as the Chief Strategy and Legal Officer of Deltec International Group, a leading financial services and insurance group focused on innovation and positive disruption.

Zhanqi Xu, JD '22, GWNY '22
Zhanqi Xu, GWNY '22, a 3L graduating next month, has accepted an offer as an Associate in the Capital Markets Group in the New York office of Freshfields starting in September.

Jennifer Benda, JD '05
Jennifer Benda has joined Holland & Hart LLP as a partner. Much of her practice revolves around Section 280E of the federal tax code, a clause that forbids business deductions for entities trafficking in Schedule I substances and one that has been a costly nuisance for cannabis companies trying to lower their tax liabilities.

E. Bradley Gould, JD '96
E. Bradley Gould was named Fox Rothschild’s New York Office Managing Partner. Brad is a Partner in the Intellectual Property Department and represents businesses of all sizes, creative teams, and inventors on patent issues and overall intellectual property strategy. From virtual reality to aerospace to medical devices, he guides clients to secure new patents, manage their existing IP portfolio, and monetize their assets. He also assists clients in navigating the minefield of their competitors’ patents, both offensively and defensively.

Judah Lifschitz, JD '77
Judah Lifschitz from Shapiro, Lifschitz & Schram was named among the 2022 Super Lawyers for Washington, DC.

In Memoriam

Julian Mitchell Brown, JD ‘55
With great sadness, we announce the passing away of Mr. Julian Mitchell Brown, class of 1955.

Joseph Norman Beecroft, JD '69
Joseph Norman Beecroft passed away peacefully on April 19, 2022, surrounded by his family. Joe worked as an attorney for many years. He found greater fulfillment in real estate development with his brother Bob, in which they were very successful. He was a master communicator and had an astounding ability to connect with others.

Lucy Ann Hapeman Dodge, JD '49
Lucy Ann Hapeman Dodge passed away in the home where she was born on November 4, 2021, at the age of 96. She went to George Washington University Law School and passed the bar in 1950. While in law school, she met her husband, Austin P. Dodge, whom she married in 1949, and also in the house where she was born. A wife, mother, grandmother, great grandmother, lawyer, and a blessing to all who knew her. She will be missed.

Alfred Leavit, JD '64
With sorrow, we announce that Alfred Leavit, JD '64, passed away on January 18th, 2022. After his honorable service in the Army as a Major in the Signal Corps, Al moved to DC and earned his law degree from GW Law. After his graduation in 1964, he spent his career working within the Patent Office's Chemical Examination Division.

Percy H. Russell Jr, JD '68
Percy H. Russell Jr, known as Terry to family and friends, passed away on February 15th, 2022. After completing his service in the Navy, Terry enrolled in Law School at GW Law School. He spent over a decade working in the White House under three presidents before joining Save the Children as its Director of US programs and then serving as General Director of the Dartmouth College Fund.

David Owen Williams, JD '67, LLM '83
With great sadness, we announce the passing away of David Owen Williams. He began his career in the federal government at the Department of Agriculture before moving to the Department of Labor in 1962. While working, he attended George Washington University Law School at night and earned his JD in 1967. He was a member of both the Maryland Bar and the Washington D.C. Bar Associations. While working earned a master's LLM in Labor Law at George Washington University in 1983. Mr. Williams loved his career and accomplished much in the Department of Labor's Employment and Training Administration, as shown by his many awards, including the Phillip Arnow, the highest award for career employees, and the Presidential Rank Award of Meritorious Executive.

Thomas Smith, JD '56
It is with great sadness that we announce the death of Thomas Smith. Described as a quiet, steady, devoted public servant, former Glenview Village Board President Thomas E. Smith passed away in March in Palm Springs, California. Smith was an engineering officer in the U.S. Navy and received his Juris doctor's degree in 1956 from the George Washington University Law School in Washington, DC. He was on the board of editors of the University Law Review. He was a lawyer in Chicago from 1956 to 2008. He is survived by his wife, sons Brian and David, a daughter, Debbie, and many grandchildren and great-grandchildren, to whom we send our deepest condolences.

March 2022

Class Notes

Nicolas Sabet, GWNY '17, JD ‘18
Nicolas Sabet, a GWNY alumnus from the class of 2017, is moving his practice to Cooley LLP in Washington from Greenberg Traurig.

Jackson Mann, GWNY '19, JD '20
Jackson Mann is moving to Skadden from Kramer Levin, both in New York. Jackson is taking his skills as a top M&A lawyer to one of the elite powerhouse firms in the field.

Steve Weber, JD ‘87
Steve Weber joins Peckar & Abramson, PC, as a partner after working at Weber GC LLP for the past six and a half years. In this role, Weber will be representing national and international construction contractors on infrastructure projects, including additional airport work, power projects, and underground tunneling construction.

Joshua T. Guyan, JD ‘04
Joshua Guyan has joined the firm Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough LLP as a Partner. Josh Guyan advises providers of wireline, wireless, Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP), and satellite services on domestic and international experimental compliance and licensing and Universal Service Fund (USF) requirements.

Karen VanRiper, JD ‘90
Karen VanRiper has retired from the practice of law after spending the past many years working as a prosecutor and raising children. She is loving life in San Diego, CA, climbing mountains with her husband.

Brooke Poole Clark, JD '98
Brooke Poole Clark, JD '98, has been designated the Secretary of the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission. Clark will provide executive management services to support the Commission and implement Commission decisions in her new position.

Camden Navarro Massingill, JD ‘13
Camden Navarro Massingill Named Shareholder of Wyche, P.A. Massingill focuses her practice on employment-related matters, including counseling and assisting clients on day-to-day employment and human-resource-related issues and defending employers in workplace-related litigation.

Christina Sarchio, JD ‘95
Christina Sarchio has been named one of the 2022 LawDragon 500 Leading Lawyers in America. Christina, a former prosecutor, has received national recognition for her legal skills and business acumen. Ms. Sarchio concentrates her practice on complex civil litigation, class actions, business torts, and white-collar criminal defense matters. She is a partner at Dechert, LLP in the Washington DC Metro Area. As well, she is the Hispanic National Bar Association's VP-External Affairs.

Jason Roberts, JD ‘95
Jason Roberts has joined Fisher Phillips as an of-counsel member of the firm's employee defection and trade secrets group. Roberts' practice specializes in preventive workplace counseling and managing employment litigation matters that involve employee discipline and termination, protection of confidential information, restrictive covenants, discrimination, and harassment.

Christine Kirchner, JD '19
Christine Kirchner has joined the Law Office of Samuel C. Moore, PLLC in Alexandria, Virginia, as an Associate Attorney in the civil litigation and business representation practice groups.

Robert Baron, JD '92
Robert Paron, Partner at Ballard, Spahr, Andrews & Ingersoll, LLP, has been shortlisted for Managing IP’s 2022 Litigator of the Year award for Pennsylvania. The Managing IP Awards recognize the firms, individuals, and companies “behind the most innovative and challenging IP work of the past year and those driving the international IP market.

Tara Hosseini, JD '20
Tara Hosseini has joined Fox Rothschild LLP in Washington, DC as an Associate in the Construction Department. Tara represents owners, contractors, subcontractors, and developers in a broad range of construction law and commercial litigation matters.

Katayun Jaffari, JD '95
Kathy Jaffari, chair of Cozen O'Connor’s Corporate Governance & Securities, has been selected to receive the Business Law Section of the Philadelphia Bar Association’s Dennis H. Replansky Memorial Award. Dennis Replansky was a former Business Law Section Chair. The section established the award in recognition of his career as a lawyer as well as his contributions to legal, civic, and other charitable causes.

Alexander R. Green, JD '12
Alexander Green has joined the McGlinchey Stafford’s Financial Services Litigation group as Of Counsel in the Washington, D.C. office. Alexander advises and defends banks, loan servicers, automobile lenders, and other financial service providers in matters involving a myriad of laws and regulations.

Paul S. Weidlich, JD '92
Paul Weidlich has joined Miller & Martin as a member of the Intellectual Property Practice Group. With a focus on complex issues relating to intellectual property, Mr. Weidlich’s practice includes patents and trademarks portfolio development, preparation, and prosecution. He works with clients in several industries, such as construction equipment, plants, and control systems for asphalt road building, aggregate processing and concrete production, food manufacturing, medical devices, software development, financial services, textile manufacturing, and flooring name a few.

Kirk Ogrosky, JD '95
Former U.S. Department of Justice deputy chief, Kirk Ogrosky, has joined Goodwin Procter, LLP as a Partner. Ogrosky will advise clients on criminal, civil and corporate litigation, health care fraud, False Claims Act and Anti-Kickback Statute issues, and Foreign Corrupt Practices Act litigation.

Dominick P. DiSabatino, JD '12
Dominick P. DiSabatino has joined Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton LLP as Partner DiSabatino focuses on complex FDA and healthcare regulatory, compliance, and legal matters in the life sciences industry. Drawing from in-house secondments with clients of various growth stages, DiSabatino offers clients a deep knowledge of advertising and promotion of FDA-regulated products, organizational OIG compliance programs, labeling review and approval strategies, managed markets, and payer interactions and privacy/data security concerns.

Nicolas A. Florio, GWNY' 22, JD '24
Nicolas Florio, GWNY '22, a wonderful student in the current GWNY class, has accepted a Summer Associate position with Ruskin Moscou Faltischek, a preeminent business law firm in Long Island, minutes from where Nicolas grew up. Nicolas will work primarily in the firm's corporate department

In Memoriam

Rosalyn Bell, JD '51
It is with great sadness that we announce that Rosalyn Bell, class of 1951, has passed away. She was a judge in the Maryland Court of Special Appeals and an expert in family law and divorce. She worked diligently to stamp out gender discrimination within the legal system by promoting women as legal professionals and by working to ease the bias that she perceived the courts practiced against female litigants.

Wilma Ellenbogan, JD '46
It is with great sadness that we announce that Wilma Ellenbogan, class of 1946, has passed away. Wilma worked for 20 years for the State of New York Department of Labor as a statistician and labor analyst. She became one of the first occupants of the Department’s new offices in the just-opened World Trade Center when they relocated there. Wilma lived a happy life with her children and her grandchildren. She passed away at the age of 100.

The Honorable Bruce Mencher, JD '60
It is with great sadness we announce that Judge Bruce S. Mencher, who served on the D.C. Superior Court for four decades and who was well known in the legal community for his passion for both law and music, passed away on February 17 at age 86. Judge Mencher was the creator of the D.C. Superior Court’s Annual Adoption Day. He was a lifetime advocate for children in Washington, D.C. He strived to aid and celebrate children across the district by finding deserving families and homes for hundreds of children.

February 2022

Class Notes

Jesse C. Flowers JD ’21
Jesse C. Flowers has been admitted to the Delaware bar and practices at Morris, Nichols, Arsht & Tunnell LLP in Corporate Counseling.

Janet E. Lord JD ‘95
Janet E. Lord has co-authored the book Untapped Power: Leveraging Diversity and Inclusion for Conflict and Development. The book details how diversity and inclusion are actually essential to ending global conflict and promoting social and economic well-being worldwide. Janet E. Lord is a senior research fellow at the Harvard Law School Project on Disability and served as legal counsel during the drafting of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. Her chapter addresses the rights of persons with disabilities and the need for disability-inclusive approaches to development. 

Jonathan M. Weyand JD ’21
Jonathan M. Weyand has been admitted to the Delaware bar and practices at Morris, Nichols, Arsht & Tunnell LLP in the firm’s Bankruptcy & Restructuring group.

S. Christopher Cundra IV JD ’20
S. Christopher Cundra IV  has been admitted to the Delaware bar and practices at Morris, Nichols, Arsht & Tunnell LLP in the firm’s Bankruptcy & Restructuring group.

Heather Benton JD ’11
Heather was recently appointed to the State Bar of California Oversight Committee for Lawyers Assistance Program (LAP). LAP is crucial to ensuring that attorneys with competency issues receive the assistance they need to overcome obstacles to a successful practice. The LAP manages both disciplinary and voluntary competency programs.

Heather Smith-Carra JD ’17
Heather was recently elected as a shareholder for Banner Witcoff. Heather works with clients worldwide to manage, protect, and enforce their trademark, copyright, and trade dress rights.

Douglas D. Noreen JD ’10
Douglas was named managing partner of Howard, Stallings, From, Atkins, Angell, and Davis. Howard Stallings is a mid-sized firm based in Raleigh, NC, with other offices in New Bern and Morehead City, NC.

Jonathan McCracken JD ’16
President Biden appointed Jonathan McCracken to serve in a critical regional leadership role at the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). McCracken now serves as the USDA State Director of Rural Development in Ohio. Jonathan serves as a Senior Advisor to US Senator Sherrod Brown (D-OH). For the past 15 years, he has held various legislative positions related to agriculture, rural development, food, nutrition, energy, and environmental policy. 

Dara Lindenbaum JD ’11
President Biden has nominated Dara Lindenbaum to the Federal Election Commission. Lindenbaum is an election law and corporate compliance attorney. Lindenbaum would replace Steven T. Walther, the FEC’s vice-chair.

Tracy Rezvani JD ’96
Tracy Rezvani has been named administrator for the consumer protection office within the department of community resources and services. Rezvani previously served as investigative programs administrator for the Montgomery County Office of Consumer Protection, where she managed investigations, outreach, advocacy, licensing, and other special programs.

Joseph Helmsen JD ’02
Joseph Helmsen joined DLA Piper as a partner in the intellectual property and technology practice. He will address intellectual property issues in transactions, including mergers and acquisitions. He will also negotiate licenses, transfer agreements, and assignments. 

Ben Gray JD ’11
Benjamin has been appointed global general counsel at Paxos Trust Co., the first cryptocurrency company to receive a New York banking license. Gray will be responsible for the leadership and global expansion of the company’s international compliance and legal departments. 

Monica Monroe JD ’98
Monica E. Monroe has been named Harvard Law School’s new assistant dean for community engagement, equity, and belonging, beginning Feb. 22. She has most recently served as the inaugural associate dean for equity and inclusion at the University of Pennsylvania Carey School of Law.

Alice M. Shanahan JD ’01
Alice has been named Partner at Duanne Morris. She has extensive experience representing and counseling clients in highly complex environmental matters. She handles all aspects of environmental law, including policy, enforcement, regulatory compliance, settlements with regulatory entities, the pursuit of potentially responsible parties, permits, audits, remediation, transactions, property transfers, Superfund matters, environmental risk assessments, and management of environmental liabilities.

Joshua Zimmerman JD ’07
Joshua joined MacQueen & Gottlieb as an Associate in December 2021. Zimmerman is an accomplished attorney with broad experience, including complex commercial litigation, products liability, advice to organizational clients in highly regulated industries, and contract negotiation and drafting.

Nicole Y. Drew LLM ’17
Nicole has recently joined Trister, Ross, Schadler & Gold, PLLC as an Associate. Nicole is an experienced Labor & Employment Attorney with additional experience in litigation, IT, government contracts, and intellectual property. 

Vincent Shier, Ph.D., JD ’05
Vincent has recently been named Partner at Haynes & Boone, LLP. Vincent K. Shier, Ph.D., is a partner in the Intellectual Property Practice Group in Haynes Boone’s Washington, DC office. Drawing from his cross-discipline education, Vince’s practice focuses on representing clients in the biotechnology, life sciences, pharmaceutical fields, and many chemical disciplines.

M. Chris Fabricant JD ’97
As the Joseph Flom Special Counsel and Director of Strategic Ligation, Chris Fabricant leads the Innocence Project’s Strategic Litigation Department. The latter attorneys develop and execute national litigation and public policy strategies to address the leading causes of wrongful conviction, including eyewitness misidentification, the misapplication of forensic sciences, and false confessions. 

Lisa Gurwitch, JD ’82
Lisa Gurwitch, who has served as president and chief executive officer of Delivering Good since January 2015, is stepping down to join the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee, or JDC, as chief advancement officer.

Derrick Lam, JD ’10
Mr. Lam, one of the firm’s Shareholders, has been named the new co-chair of Littler’s Career Advocacy Program (CAP), joining Office Managing Shareholder Ted Schroeder (Pittsburgh). CAP is one of the firm’s essential inclusion, equity, and diversity sponsorship programs 

Caroline D. Bar, JD ’03
Caroline D. Bar has joined Post & Schell as a principal in the firm’s professional liability department and medical malpractice defense practice group in Philadelphia. She returned to the firm where she started her private practice career to get back to the defense side of the law.

Blake Dietrich JD ’13
Blake has been named Partner at Jackson Walker LLP. Blake’s practice focuses on Intellectual Property law, including helping clients secure patent, trademark, and copyright protection while enforcing and defending those rights through litigation. The course serves clients in various technologies and industry sectors, including computer hardware and software, IT & telecommunications, printing press operation, electrochemical processes, industrial machinery, and automotive technology.

Alex Kwan-Ho Chung JD ‘12
Alex Kwan-Ho Chung joined Perkins Coie on Feb. 14 as a partner in the firm’s intellectual property practice, where he will use his experience helping  American, Japanese, Korean, and European companies prepare and prosecute patent applications manage, enforce and defend their strategic patent portfolios. Chung also has experience handling patent infringement litigation in Hatch Waxman cases. He has litigated patent matters in district court, the Patent Trial and Appeal Board, and the US International Trade Commission. 

Jason Roberts JD ’06
Jason Roberts has joined Fisher Philips as an employment attorney in Philadelphia. At Fisher Phillips, Jason joins a growing Employee Defection and Trade Secrets practice and adds depth to the firm’s national Education and Financial Services teams. He will continue to defend clients against all forms of employment claims and counsel employers on preventing workplace disputes.

Steven Weber JD ’87
Steve has joined been named Partner at Peckar & Abramson, P.C. Steve focuses his practice on the representation of domestic and international contractors in a wide range of construction litigation and government contract matters. He has represented domestic and international construction contractors on power projects, high-rise projects, and significant infrastructure projects.

Caroline D. Pham JD ’87
President Biden has nominated Caroline to serve as a commissioner of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission. Currently, Caroline is Head of Market Structure for Strategic Initiatives in Citi Institutional Clients Group Business Development. She works closely with the innovation, investment, and business development teams to refine ICG’s strategy and execution priorities, focusing on the rapidly changing regulatory landscape, market and client environment, and product evolution.

Kiri Lee Sharon JD ’12
Kiri was recently named Partner at Foley & Lardner LLP. She is a member of the firm’s Mechanical & Electromechanical Technologies and Electronics Practices and its Patent Office Trials Group. Kiri counsels clients on intellectual property matters, including utility and design prosecution, infringement and validity assessments, due diligence investigations, patent enforcement and licensing, product clearance, and litigation.

In Memoriam

Nan Heald JD ‘80
Nan Heald passed away in January of 2022. Nan spent decades working to provide critical legal services to the poor in Maine and address systemic barriers to justice and was the longtime director of Pine Tree Legal Assistance, the state’s oldest and largest legal aid provider. She was named a “champion of change” by the White House in 2011 and received the Grassroots Advocacy Award from the ABA in 2015.

Robert Ashley JD ’49
It is with great sadness that we received the news of Robert Ashley’s passing in January of 2022. 

Patricia Learman JD ’51
Patricia (Pat) Learman JD '51 passed away on February 19, 2022. Pat attended Chevy Chase Junior College and West Virginia University before earning her law degree at GW Law, where she met her husband, John F. Learman JD '51. Pat was a member of the Michigan Bar Association and practiced law for many years in Saginaw, MI. A trailblazer for women lawyers, she recounted how early in her career she was told she was practicing a "man's profession" and that if she trained in stenography, she could be helpful to a "real lawyer." In addition to her law practice, she served on several corporate and non-profit boards. Pat is survived by her husband, children, and grandchildren, including fellow GW Law graduate Christina Krysinski JD '17.

Cecil Thomas Lakes, JSD ’62, LLM ’60
It is with great sadness that we received the news of Cecil Thomas Lakes’ passing in March of 2021. 

James C. Humes, LLB ’62, BA ’59
It is with great sadness that we received the news of James C. Humes’ passing in August of 2020.

Norma Bannasch Larsen, LLB ’62
It is with great sadness that we received the news of Norma Bannasch Larsen’s passing in December of 2006.

Byron Deon Criddle, JD ’62
It is with great sadness that we received the news of Byron Deon Criddle’s passing in January of 2020.

January 2022

Class Notes

Kyle Zhu JD '17
Kyle Zhu received the Cornerstone Award from the Lawyers Alliance for New York. This award is given to outstanding business and transactional lawyers who have provided superior pro bono legal services to nonprofits improving the quality of life for low-income New Yorkers.

Brianna Silverstein JD ‘09
Brianna Silverstein has recently been promoted to Counsel at Faegre Drinker.

Brittany M. Pemberton '13
Brittany Pemberton was promoted to partner at Bracewell LLP.

Ronald A. Krasnow JD '90
T-knife Therapeutics, Inc., a biopharmaceutical company dedicated to developing novel therapeutics to fight cancer, today announced the appointment of Ronald Krasnow to General Counsel. Mr. Krasnow was most recently the Chief Operating Officer of Arch Oncology, a company dedicated to antibody therapies for cancer treatment. Previously, he was General Counsel, Secretary, and Chief Compliance Officer at Menlo Therapeutics. Prior to Menlo, he served as Senior Vice President, General Counsel, and Secretary of Relypsa, Inc.

Sunni Dawn LeBeouf JD '03
Former New Orleans City Attorney Sunni LeBeouf has joined Ochsner Health as public affairs assistant vice president. LeBeouf will help Ochsner develop community initiatives to advance Healthy State by 2030, a plan to lift Louisiana off the bottom of national health rankings by eliminating barriers to healthcare, better understanding disparities, and bringing more resources into underserved communities. 

Philipp W. Havenstein JD ‘10
Philipp Havenstein was recently appointed to Operations Counsel on US SEC Chair Gary Gensler's executive staff. Previous to this role, Philipp served as the Senior Legal Advisor to the US SEC from 2014 to July of 2021.

Monise Alexis Brown JD '04
Magistrate Monise Alexis Brown has been appointed to the Charles County Circuit Court of Maryland.

Aruna Chandra JD '96
Aruna Chandra has been appointed to Executive Vice President and General Counsel at FlexGen Power Systems, Inc.

Randi Kochman JD '95
Randi (Weller) Kochman has recently been promoted to Co-Shareholder at Cole Schotz PC.

Steven J. Forbes JD '89
Steven Forbes recently joined Freeman Mathis as a partner out of their Cleveland, Ohio office.

Matthew Engler JD '12
Matthew Engler was recently named Berman, Sobin, and Gross LLP partner.

Craig Schuenemann JD '08
Attorney Craig Schuenemann was sworn in as the 22nd judge to serve Colorado's Saguache County since the county was formed in 1866. Schuenemann is an alum of the US Naval Academy and was deployed overseas as a helicopter pilot several times. He clerked for the Honorable Charles Weller in Nevada's Second Judicial District, and then Scheunemann entered private practice working for several law firms along Colorado's Front Range.

Thomas Kinney JD '12
Thomas Kinney has been promoted to partner at the national litigation firm Troutman Pepper. Thomas focuses his practice on Insurance and Reinsurance.

John M. White JD '87
John White has joined Harness IP as a patent attorney. White has taught more than 70% of active patent attorneys in the US, working as Chairman, author, and editor of the Practising Law Institute. 

Jon Zucker JD '03
John Zucker was named President of CASPR Group, an environmental health technology company.

Callyson Grove JD '12
Callyson Grove was promoted to partner at Wilson Elser's DC office, focusing on medical malpractice, legal malpractice, employment, and product liability claims. 

Katherine Halliday JD '08
Katherine Halliday has been appointed special counsel at Cooley LLP. 

Joshua Kotin JD '09
Joshua Kotin is now a partner at Cooley LLP, representing banks, lenders, and fintech companies before federal and state agencies, including the US Department of Justice, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, and the Federal Trade Commission.

Brooke Clark JD '98
Ms.Clark was recently named the new Secretariat Director, a Senior Executive Position at the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, a great and distinguished honor.

Aaron Parnas JD ‘20
Aaron Parnas joined Bell Rosquete Reyes Esteban, PLLC as an Associate.

Trevor Salter JD ‘10
Trevor R. Salter was promoted to partner at Morrison & Foerster. Salter is a member of the Finance Department and part of the Financial Services Group.

Andrew Turnbull JD '09
Andrew R. Turnbull was promoted to partner at Morrison & Foerster. Turnbull is a member of the Litigation Department and part of the Employment + Labor Group.

John Lewis JD '90
John Lewis, Jr. is now leading Shook, Hardy & Bacon's Houston office. Lewis joined Shook as a business litigation partner in 2019.

In Memoriam

Vincent Travaglini, JD '50
We were informed this month that Mr. Travaligni, 99, a former deputy assistant secretary of commerce and longtime Alexandria resident died Sept. 18, 2019, at Brookdale Senior Living in Potomac, Maryland. Born February 1, 1920, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, he grew up there before coming to Washington after his US Army Service in Europe during World War II. Mr. Travaglini saw combat action in Northern France, the Rhineland, and Central Europe. As a truck officer in France and Germany, he received the bronze star for meritorious service and held the rank of the first lieutenant upon his discharge. Following his move to this area, he earned a law degree from George Washington University. Also trained as an economist specializing in international standards, commercial arbitration, restrictive business practices, and taxation, he joined the Commerce Department where he became director of the Office of International Finance and Investment.

Richard Eggers JD '76
Richard Eggers passed away on January 8. Richard was the Chair of Manhattan Community Board Six and advocated for city capital projects, senior services, and transportation upgrades in NYC. Richard was also committed to the Eleanor Roosevelt Democratic Club for two decades.

Larry Forgy LL.B. '65
Lawrence Forgy passed away on January 13. Larry was a prominent Kentucky Republican and a three-time candidate for governor. Forgy was a lifelong Republican who found himself at odds with his party from time to time. He started his political career in his late 20s as the budget director for Republican Gov. Louie Nunn.

James Lee JD '60
James B. Lee passed away on December 26, 2021. James graduated from West Point with honors in 1952, was commissioned Second Lieutenant, and served in the Korean War. After which, he attended GW Law. He received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Utah State Bar and was a founding member of the Utah Legal Services, serving as Chairman of the Board in 1978.

Thomas Merritt Adams LLM '66
Thomas Merritt Adams passed away on December 9, 2021. Tom served as a judge advocate in the Air Force in Salina, Kansas, and while there, he received the Air Force Commendation Medal for particular service. Tom's civilian career began at the Securities and Exchange Commission, where he served as a staff lawyer and assistant to one of the commissioners. Later in his career, Tom entered private practice focusing on securities and business law.

Edward Willett JD '57
Edward Willett passed away on December 7, 2021. He served in the United States Federal Government attorney-adviser beginning in 1958. In 1970, Edward joined the US House of Representatives Judiciary Committee, where he first served as an Assistant Law Revision Counsel. In 1975, House Speaker Carl Albert appointed Edward as the first US Law Revision Counsel.