Alumni | CLASS NOTES

ClassNotes

Janet Hill Gordon, who died in 1990, was named to the Hall of Distinction at Norwich High School for her groundbreaking work as an attorney and lawmaker in New York State. In 1944, she became the first woman to be county attorney for Chenango County. Soon thereafter, she became the first female New York State Assembly member, representing Chenango County in the Assembly until 1958 when she was the first woman elected to the state Senate.

Steven E. North, a trial attorney specializing in medical malpractice, joined Merson Law Firm as of counsel. Previously, he operated a private firm, Steven E. North P.C., which closed in 2021 amid the pandemic. There, he spent 35 years litigating major medical malpractice, legal malpractice, products liability, and severe personal injury cases.

Charles Otey was honored by the Bay Ridge Lawyers Association for his loyalty, longevity, and leadership. He was a member of the organization from 1968 through 2023 and served as president in 1996.

Hon. Peter Weinstein was recently honored by the Broward County Commission, which named a courtroom in the new Broward County courthouse in Florida in his honor. In addition to practicing law, he served for 14 years in the Florida Senate, including a term as majority leader, then 21 years on the circuit court bench, including three terms as chief judge.

Charles-Eric Gordon has been elevated to life member of the World Association of Detectives. He is the principal of Charles-Eric Gordon Investigative Counsel, based in Plainview, N.Y.

Andrew Upton was honored by the Hebrew Institute of Riverdale—The Bayit (HIR) as a longtime member whose dedication to blood donation spans nearly six decades. Though officially retired for three years, Upton still provides pro bono legal work as an expert witness in employment cases.

Daniel Katz has joined Kaufman Dolowich as partner in the firm’s construction law practice, bringing extensive expertise in construction litigation, contract negotiation, and commercial disputes.

Lisa Printz Roday has published her memoir Fingerprintz: One Woman’s Journey Through Loss, Love, and Very Little Babies (Green Heart Press, 2024). Roday, a former matrimonial attorney who went on to create the March of Dimes NICU Family Support Program in Central Virginia, writes of the challenges, losses, and hard choices women face as they juggle work, relationships, and motherhood.

On a Roll at Sullivan & Cromwell

Lawrence Elbaum ’05, a nationally recognized expert in shareholder activism and corporate governance, joined Sullivan & Cromwell as a partner in its New York office. Elbaum is ranked by Chambers USA and The Legal 500 as a top lawyer for Corporate/M&A: Takeover Defense, and as a “Leading Partner” in Shareholder Activism – Advice to Boards. He specializes in helping companies navigate hostile takeovers, proxy fights, and activist campaigns.

Alexa Kranzley ’08, a partner in the restructuring group at Sullivan & Cromwell, has been named a Dealmaker of the Year by The American Lawyer for her exceptional leadership in the FTX bankruptcy case.

Leandros A. Vrionedes was named in The National Herald’s special edition, “The Verdict: Hellenic Lawyers Who Lead,” which is dedicated to honoring leading Greek-Americans in the legal field. His firm, The Law Office of Leandros A. Vrionides, has over 30 years of experience in representing plaintiffs for personal injuries in New York State.

Carolyn M. Glynn joined Tarter Krinsky & Drogin as a partner in the firm’s trusts and estates practice in New York, bringing extensive experience in estate planning and wealth preservation solutions for high-net-worth families and business owners.

Ivan Alter, a New York family law attorney, was recently a guest on The Respectful Divorce podcast, discussing the no-court collaborative divorce process.

Steven Cramer has joined Kaufman Dolowich as partner in the firm’s construction law practice, bringing extensive expertise in construction litigation, contract negotiation, and commercial disputes.

Richard Fogarty was named head of disputes and investigations for the Americas at S-RM Intelligence and Risk Limited, a global investigations and cybersecurity consulting firm.

Rachael Nass was named a partner at Davis, Saperstein & Salomon, where she has successfully litigated complex personal injury cases, including scaffold failures and wrongful death actions. She joined the firm as of counsel in 2004.

Lisa Bova-Hiatt, who was appointed as CEO of New York City Housing Authority in July 2023, was featured in PoliticsNY’s 2025 Power Players in Real Estate.

Hon. Christopher Chin was promoted to Acting Supreme Court Justice, Civil Term, in New York County.

George Silfen joined Alston & Bird’s investment funds group as a partner in the New York office. He brings more than 25 years of experience as trusted counsel to investment companies, advisers, and broker-dealers, guiding his clients through the complex landscape of investment products and services.

Hon. Sharen Hudson was officially inducted as justice of the Supreme Court of the State of New York. The lifelong Brooklyn resident was elected as a Civil Court judge of Kings County in 2011 and became an acting justice of the Supreme Court in 2017.

Hon. Karen Lin is the first woman of East Asian heritage elected to the bench in Queens County as Justice. She was elected to the New York City Civil Court in 2022, and then to the Supreme Court of the State of New York in 2023. In March 2025, she was honored to receive the Law School’s Asian Pacific American Law Students Association (APALSA) Alumni Award for Public Service.

Angela A. Turiano was in January 2025 named chair of the litigation department at Scarinci Hollenbeck, which she first joined in March 2024, and where as a partner she has primarily focused on securities, regulatory, and employment litigation. She previously served as Assistant District Attorney in Kings County.

Dyan Finguerra-DuCharme was featured in Hamilton alumni magazine, where she discussed her career as a partner at the Manhattan firm Pryor Cashman specializing in intellectual property law. This year, Forbes ranked her as one of the nation’s Top 200 Lawyers.

Jennifer Cattier has been promoted to partner at Cornell Capital, a U.S.-based private investment firm. Based in New York, Cattier brings 25 years of experience in alternative investments and will continue overseeing operations and spearheading transformative infrastructure initiatives as the firm grows its leadership team.

Patrick Quill was named as an honoree of the 2024 Irish Legal 100, which honors distinguished legal U.S. professionals of Irish heritage. Quill is a partner in the asset securitization department at Chapman and Cutler in New York and focuses on structured finance and derivative products.

Robin Spigel has rejoined Willkie Farr & Gallagher as a partner in its New York office within the firm’s global restructuring practice, bringing more than 25 years of bankruptcy and restructuring experience.

Ian Linker has joined Barclay Damon as a partner in the firm’s insurance coverage and regulation and its torts and products liability defense practice areas. His primary office location is New York City. He brings more than two decades of experience.

Linda Lo Cascio, who has served as principal law clerk to Hon. Rosemarie Montalbano in Kings County Surrogate’s Court since 2023, was honored by the Catholic Lawyers Guild of Kings County for her outstanding service within the legal community. The focus of Lo Cascio’s work as a solo practitioner, court appointee, and court employee has been guardianship matters, a topic that she separately spoke about during a Continuing Legal Education (CLE) seminar hosted by the Bay Ridge Lawyers Association.

Tara Bradley, who advises companies ranging from multinational companies to innovative startups in commercial transactions, has joined McGuireWoods as a partner in Charlotte, N.C. She brings more than 25 years of in-house and large law firm experience negotiating agreements with a focus on digital media, intellectual property, entertainment, social media, and advertising matters.

Eric Winstrom was appointed by Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer to the Michigan Community Corrections Board, which advises the director of the Michigan Department of Corrections and is responsible for approving various components of community corrections programs. Winstrom has served as chief of the Grand Rapids Police Department since 2022

Evan Kelson joined Holland & Knight as a partner in its New York office. He brings more than 20 years of experience and a wealth of knowledge in finance, structured finance, private credit, receivables sale financings and trade finance, and was previously a partner at Mayer Brown.

Joseph Lynch was named as an honoree of the 2024 Irish Legal 100, which honors distinguished legal U.S. professionals of Irish heritage. Lynch is a partner at Nixon Peabody in the firm’s New York City office, and he represents for-profit and not-for-profit developers of multifamily housing.

John Pak, a transactional attorney specializing in acquisitions, dispositions, and leasing who serves as the real estate chair at Pardalis & Nohavicka, provided legal updates for the 2024 Real Estate Law & Market Recap that was published in Property Shark. The piece looked back at the key events of the New York City real estate industry last year, from the City of Yes approval and introduction of Transfer on Death Deeds (TODD) to the challenging housing market.

Paul J. Proulx has joined Pryor Cashman’s New York office as a partner in the real estate group and land use and zoning practice. Proulx joined from Carter Ledyard & Milburn, where he advised major developers on sophisticated land use and real estate transactions.

Sherry J. Sandler has joined Meltzer, Lippe, Goldstein & Breitstone as partner. Previously, she held senior roles at leading financial organizations, including the New York Stock Exchange, where she served as senior director and associate general counsel.

Grace C. Bonilla, now president and CEO of United Way of New York City, was appointed to serve as a member of New York City’s Charter Revision Commission (CRC) by Mayor Eric Adams. The CRC will review the city’s charter with a focus on improving government transparency and addressing New York’s ongoing housing crisis.

James M. Cretella joined Blank Rome as partner in the firm’s finance, restructuring & bankruptcy group in New York, where he represents institutional and specialty lenders, banks, and commercial finance and factoring companies in a variety of asset-based lending, specialty finance, and corporate transactions. Cretella joined from Otterbourg, where he served as chair of the firm’s banking and finance department.

Sharing Wisdom at Commencement

Errol Louis ’05, who is the NY1 political anchor and host of “Inside City Hall,” was the keynote speaker at Queens College’s commencement on May 29, where he also received the presidential medal from Queens College President Frank H. Wu. Louis was also the subject of a feature article in City & State New York, which described him as “the face of New York political journalism.” He recently became the host of “The Big Deal,” a national politics show that airs on both NY1 and its sister stations across the country and has been a political analyst on CNN for the past 16 years. This spring, Louis was the emcee when the Judicial Friends Association (JFA) celebrated its 43rd anniversary with the Rivers, Toney & Watson Dinner, a gala and fundraising event in Manhattan that honored the achievements of the judiciary and legal community while supporting JFA’s mission of advancing diversity in the legal profession.

Nicole S. De Bare has been promoted to partner at Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer in the firm’s real estate practice. Based in New York, and with nearly 20 years in the field, De Bare advises top developers, investors, lenders, and nonprofits on complex real estate transactions, with a focus on condominiums and cooperatives.

Hon. Rachel Freier, a New York Supreme Court justice known for her historic achievement as the first Hasidic woman elected to public office in the United States, was featured as part of the 2025 Staenberg Speaker Series in St. Louis. The series is part of the networking division of Ignite, launched in 2023 as a learning opportunity for young Jewish professionals and graduate students, ages 22 to 35.

Seth Liebenstein was named partner at Michelman & Robinson as part of its ongoing expansion in New York. Liebenstein, who is part of the corporate, M&A, and securities and real estate practices, brings a background as a former commercial real estate broker and a business-minded approach to his legal practice.

Hon. Julia Cervantes has been appointed by California Governor Gavin Newsom to serve as a judge in the San Francisco County Superior Court, filling the vacancy created by the retirement of Judge Richard B. Ulmer. She has served as managing attorney at the San Francisco District Attorney’s Office since 2023 and was the district attorney representative at the San Francisco Innocence Commission from 2022 to 2023.

Michael Lynch announced his partnership with John G. Korman, to form Korman Lynch Attorneys at Law. The two, who have worked together closely for nearly 20 years, will focus their practice on handling serious personal injury cases, including construction accidents, automobile accidents, wrongful death, general negligence, medical malpractice, 9/11 Victim’s Compensation Fund, and worker’s compensation claims.

Ben Schiffman, whose role as senior vice president and chief counsel for Crum & Forster’s surplus & specialty lines division merges the rigorous demands of the law with a deep understanding of the insurance industry, was featured in Vanguard, a digital publication that showcases the incredible diversity of modern in-house counsel.

Ben Stockman, based in Venable’s New York office as partner, has been named co-leader of the firm’s sports law team. With a strong background in labor and employment law, Stockman advises clients on issues such as executive compensation, restrictive covenants, and NCAA-related matters. A former Division I lacrosse player, he brings a competitive edge and practical insight into the world of collegiate and professional athletics to Venable, which he joined in 2014.

Alex Threadgold earned a spot on Billboard’s 2025 Top Music Lawyers list. A partner at Fox Rothschild, he was named as part of a team that handled a $500 million debt financing for HarbourView Equity Partners that was backed by its music royalties’ catalog and was “among the music industry’s biggest deals of the past year,” Billboard said.

David Shamshovich has joined Belkin Burden Goldman’s new tax exemptions and zoning incentives department. Shamshovich will serve as partner and co-head of the department, bringing extensive experience advising on New York’s complex real estate tax incentive and zoning programs. He joined from Seiden & Schein.

Elliot Turner, who is a co-founder and managing partner, CIO, at RGA Investment Advisors has also been cohosting the “This Week in Intelligent Investing” podcast. Turner focuses on discovering and analyzing long-term, high-quality investment opportunities and strategic portfolio management.

Stephanie Birnbaum Kelly was named chief securities and governance counsel, corporate secretary of Becton, Dickinson and Co.

Britt Burner, partner at Burner Prudenti Law, co-led a recent Continuing Legal Education program for the Columbian Lawyers of Brooklyn held at Gargiulo’s in Coney Island, N.Y.

Arielle Frost joined the international law firm Withers as commercial real estate partner in its New York office. Frost was previously with Rosenberg & Estis, where she was a partner and led the firm’s real estate joint ventures team.

Tracy Gardner was named global head of music business development at TikTok, promoted from her previous role as global head of label licensing. She has been a high-profile executive at the ByteDance-owned platform since 2019, moving there from Warner Music Group, where she held a key global role.

Jennifer Barash was promoted to senior counsel at Schwartz Sladkus Reich Greenberg Atlas, where she focuses on representing clients in the sale, acquisition, financing, leasing, and development of commercial, residential, and mixed-use properties.

Michael Coravos joined Jones Day in its Boston office as of counsel in the tax practice. Coravos had previously served in the Internal Revenue Service’s Office of Chief Counsel for nearly 15 years, most recently as a special trial attorney in the strategic litigation division.

Claire Gibson has joined Day Pitney as counsel in the firm’s intellectual property and technology practice group in New York. With over 15 years of experience, Gibson specializes in trademark portfolio management, enforcement, copyright and domain issues, and IP-related transactions. She also chairs the New York State Bar Association, Intellectual Property Section, Trademark Law Committee, and serves as a board member of the National Conference of Women’s Bar Associations, and the New York City Bar’s Trademarks & Unfair Competition Committee.

Andrew “Andy” T. Hambelton was elevated to vice chair, business litigation practice group at Blank Rome, where he is a partner.

Moya O’Connor made partner at Kahana Feld’s New York City office. In addition to serving as a trial attorney focusing on the defense of premises, construction, labor law, and transportation liability, O’Connor manages a team of junior associates.

Cynthia L. Katz was named to Billboard’s 2025 Top Music Lawyers list for her outstanding work as a partner in Fox Rothschild’s entertainment and sports law department. She was named as part of a team that handled a $500 million debt financing for HarbourView Equity Partners that was backed by its music royalties’ catalog and was “among the music industry’s biggest deals of the past year,” Billboard said.

Alexander Kerzhner has been named a member of the newly formed tax practice group at Forchelli Deegan Terrana. Kerzhner, who is also a certified public accountant, will work alongside seasoned tax attorneys to provide tax advisory and controversy services as part of the firm’s expanded legal offerings.

Christine M. Rodriguez was named partner at litigation and dispute-resolution boutique firm Slarskey. Rodriguez, who joined from Kasowitz Benson Torres, brings her enterprise resource planning software litigation experience to Slarskey while enhancing its broader commercial litigation capabilities.

Scott Schuster was elected as a member of the Berkshire South Regional Community Center in Great Barrington, Mass. A full-time south county resident since 2020, he is senior manager of financial technology partnerships for American Express, where he has worked in various corporate strategy and partnership roles since 2017.

Lisa M. Casa, a partner in Forchelli Deegan Terrana’s employment and labor practice group, was appointed chair of the Nassau County Bar Association’s Labor and Employment Law Committee. She will serve a two-year term.

Noah Doyle, a veteran financial advisor with extensive experience in wealth management and leadership, recently co-founded SoundRidge Private Wealth alongside Charles Princiotto. The Manhattan-based advisory firm, which manages approximately $380 million in client assets, was formed after their team—formerly known as Battery Park Financial Partners—was recognized on the 2025 Forbes Best-in-State Wealth Management Teams list. Doyle, who serves as CEO of the new firm, is also active in the nonprofit sector as secretary and founder of the North Fork TV Festival.

Jason Hart was named executive vice president of Premier Design + Build Group to help lead and accelerate its growth on the East Coast, overseeing business operations in the region. Hart’s experience includes leading operations across a range of national construction companies and architectural and engineering consulting firms.

Guy Lometti was promoted to director, assistant general counsel at Acadia Realty Trust, a fully integrated equity Real Estate Investment Trust (REIT) focused on the ownership, acquisition, development and management of retail properties located primarily in high-barrier-to-entry, supply-constrained, densely populated areas in the United States.

Steven M. Zimmerman has resumed his role as principal of the Los Angeles office of Jackson Lewis after serving as director of labor relations at the Walt Disney Co. He focuses on traditional labor law, including representing clients in the hotel, entertainment, media, distribution and warehousing industries before the National Labor Relations Board and in state and federal courts.

Caryn Schreiber was named as a managing attorney at the Urban Justice Center, Safety Net Project, in New York City in July. Previously she was an assistant professor and director of the Civil Legal Services Clinic at the University of Wyoming College and served as a visiting assistant professor at Rutgers Law School.

Dina Weinstein was promoted to partner at Pryor Cashman, where she is a member of the immigration group. Weinstein represents companies of all sizes—ranging from large multinational conglomerates to emerging and start-up companies—helping them obtain visas and permanent residency for highly skilled employees.

Evelyn D’Angelo has joined Fox Rothschild’s New York office as counsel in the real estate department. She advises condominium and cooperative boards, as well as homeowners’ associations, and brings additional experience in development, construction, and commercial leasing. D’Angelo is also an adjunct professor at Brooklyn Law School, teaching Law of Condominiums, Cooperatives and Homeowners’ Associations.

Gregory H. Jaske joined Olshan Frome Wolosky as a partner in the firm’s real estate law practice in April, bringing 12 years of legal experience providing sophisticated and comprehensive counsel to real estate developers, owners, family offices and other institutional investors across a broad range of real estate transactions in New York City and nationally. Jaske was recognized as “One to Watch” in The Best Lawyers in America for Real Estate Law in 2025 and was named a New York Metro Super Lawyers “Rising Star” from 2017 to 2024.

Gabriel Park was named by the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of New York (EDNY) John J. Durham to serve as the deputy director of the Transnational Criminal Organizations (TCOs) Strike Force, which focuses on investigating, prosecuting and dismantling cartels and transnational crime organizations and their senior leadership. Park is a U.S. Assistant Attorney in EDNY who joined the office in 2022 after serving in the US. Air Force Judge Advocate General’s Corps.

Benjamin Argyle was promoted to partner at Venable in its New York office, where he is in the commercial litigation practice working with clients in a variety of industries, including financial services, hospitality, food and agriculture, healthcare, government contractors, insurance, nonprofit, government, and construction.

Becky (Hyun Jeong) Baek was promoted to partner at Farrell Fritz. Based out of the New York City office, Baek focuses her practice on complex commercial disputes in areas including member and shareholder disputes, contract disputes, business and real property valuation, and general business torts.

Matthew Gases was recently elected to partnership at BakerHostetler, where he counsels a diverse range of clients, including public and private companies, private equity firms and their portfolio companies on a wide array of corporate matters, including mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures and commercial contracts across a variety of industries.

Lauren Reichardt, a partner at Cooley, was featured in Law.com’s “How I Made It” series in which she described her path to being promoted to partner. Reichardt works in business restructuring and has been with the firm for nearly nine years.

M. Alejandra Vargas was promoted to firm partnership at Duane Morris. She concentrates her practice in immigration law, representing companies across a wide range of industries, including finance, fintech, consumer goods, technology, and artificial intelligence.

Jessica Apter was promoted to partner at Levy Ratner, where she practices labor, employment, and bankruptcy law on behalf of working people, unions, and employee benefit and pension funds.

Josh Nulman was promoted to lead the investment banking vertical as the general manager of investment banking at Ontra, a legal tech company providing a suite of products and services to the private markets and investment banking services.

Benjamin Vitcov was named partner at Morrison Cohen, where he advises both companies and individuals in connection with all facets of executive compensation and employee benefits matters.

Tejan Arora, who opened Long Island’s Street to Table restaurant in Merrick, N.Y., in 2019, has expanded into Suffolk County with a new casual restaurant in Huntington Station. Since the initial launch, the restaurant has evolved to feature a rotating selection of street food inspired by flavors from around the world.

Courtney O. Chambers, who is based in the San Francisco office of LIttler, has been elevated to shareholder status at the firm. She focuses on labor relations and complex employment litigation, and brings extensive experience in both state and federal courts, as well as before administrative agencies.

Nicholas Palazzolo was promoted to equity member at Otterbourg, where he is in the banking and finance practice, representing banks, commercial finance companies and other institutional lenders in connection with the structuring and documentation of loan transactions.

Vincent Passarelli was promoted to member at Cozen O’Connor, where he focuses his practice on various aspects of commercial litigation disputes and insurance coverage, representing commercial general liability and property insurers.

Alexander Yarm was promoted to counsel at Morrison Cohen, where he is in the business litigation practice and specializes in complex commercial litigation, with an emphasis on real estate disputes.

James Gromann has joined Rubin and Rudman in Boston as an associate in the real estate practice group. He brings over six years of experience in commercial real estate, focusing on property acquisition, sales, financing, development, and leasing.

Eleanor M. L. Shotton, has been included in Marquis Who’s Who. She is an associate attorney at Pesetsky & Bookman in New York City and has developed specialized expertise in liquor licensing for bars, restaurants, hotels, and similar entities.

Brenda J. Slochowsky has joined Belkin Burden Goldman as an associate and part of a five-attorney team forming the firm’s new tax exemptions and zoning incentives department. She joined from Seiden & Schein, bringing extensive experience advising on New York’s complex real estate tax incentive and zoning programs.

Briana Stackpole joined Murphy Schiller & Wilkes as counsel in its Newark, N.J.-based transactional practice group, where she will represent institutional clients in a variety of transactional, leasing, and financing matters in New Jersey and New York and throughout the country.

Trevor Casson has been promoted to senior director of business and legal affairs at Universal Music Group, where he handles contract negotiations, licensing agreements, and legal compliance for Universal’s artists and labels. He was previously director of business and legal affairs, having joined the company in 2022.

Caitlyn Garcia, a staff attorney of the nonprofit Pregnancy Justice, which focuses on defending the rights of pregnant individuals, was interviewed in the Good Men Project blog about a lawsuit the organization filed against Vermont’s Department for Children and Families.

Robert C. Shea joined Goldberg Segalla’s civil litigation and trial practice group in Garden City, N.Y., where he represents publicly held corporations, parent, and subsidiary organizations in a range of general liability, tort, and insurance defense matters. Shea previously served as deputy county attorney in the Nassau County Attorney’s Office.

Mike Vilensky, a reporter for Bloomberg Law, interviewed Vice Dean and Stanley A. August Professor of Law William Araiza about the defamation retrial between Sarah Palin and the New York Times, a case dating back to 2017.

Star Kashman, a cofounder of Cyber Law Firm who specializes in cybersecurity, privacy, and social media, spoke with the Good Men Project blog about how antisemitism is spread more easily online through conspiracism, misinformation, disinformation, and bad data.

Katarina Thallner has joined Offit Kurman’s New York City office as an attorney in the estates and trusts practice group.

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