2024 CONFERENCE SPEAKER LINEUP COMING SOON!
In the meantime, please view the 2023 Conference Speakers below for reference and stay tuned!
If you are interested in becoming a speaker, please submit your request to conference producer Will Etchison at [email protected].
(Speakers are listed alphabetically by last name)
If you are interested in becoming a speaker, please submit your request to conference producer Will Etchison at [email protected].
(Speakers are listed alphabetically by last name)
2023 CONFERENCE SPEAKERS
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Ann Barron-DiCamillo
Global Head of Cyber Operations Citi |
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Ann is an experienced information security executive with over 20 years of extensive experience in both public and private sectors in cyber operations and in the delivery of information security services. She is the executive responsible for all cyber operations at Citi, including assessment, 24/7 monitoring and detection, intelligence and incident response and recovery. She oversees all Vulnerability Assessments, Red Teams/Pen Testing and Cloud Security Operations programs, the Cyber Security Fusion Centers including cyber exercises and intelligence, and the Security Operations Centers inclusive of Threat Detection Hunt & Incident Response teams.
Before joining Citi, Ann was Vice President at American Express, where she oversaw cyber intelligence, incident response, global cybersecurity operations and information security monitoring. Ann spent the first 20 years of her career in DC in public sector and related roles. She was the Director of the United States Computer Emergency Readiness Team (US-CERT) at the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), where she headed efforts to improve the nation’s cybersecurity posture, coordinate cyber information sharing and proactively manage cyber risks. Her responsibilities included overseeing the 24/7 operations center, analyzing and reducing cyber threats and vulnerabilities, disseminating cyber-threat warning information and supporting incident-response activities with government and critical industry partners. Prior to DHS, Ann held leadership positions with the Departments of Defense and Commerce.
Ann is also Chairperson of the Board for the Financial Services Information Sharing and Analysis Center (FS-ISAC).
Before joining Citi, Ann was Vice President at American Express, where she oversaw cyber intelligence, incident response, global cybersecurity operations and information security monitoring. Ann spent the first 20 years of her career in DC in public sector and related roles. She was the Director of the United States Computer Emergency Readiness Team (US-CERT) at the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), where she headed efforts to improve the nation’s cybersecurity posture, coordinate cyber information sharing and proactively manage cyber risks. Her responsibilities included overseeing the 24/7 operations center, analyzing and reducing cyber threats and vulnerabilities, disseminating cyber-threat warning information and supporting incident-response activities with government and critical industry partners. Prior to DHS, Ann held leadership positions with the Departments of Defense and Commerce.
Ann is also Chairperson of the Board for the Financial Services Information Sharing and Analysis Center (FS-ISAC).
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Matthew L. Berman
Partner Valli Kane & Vagnini LLP |
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Mr. Berman has been practicing law for nearly twenty (20) years. During that time, he has represented individual plaintiffs and class/collective action members throughout the United States.
Matthew’s practice concentrates on representing plaintiffs in employment and housing law matters in Federal and State courts, before administrative agencies, and in mediation/arbitration.
Prior to joining Valli Kane & Vagnini LLP, where he is a partner, Matthew worked at a Madison Avenue trial boutique and also for one of the nation’s preeminent plaintiff’s class action firms, where he has helped clients recover hundreds of millions of dollars.
View full bio here
Matthew’s practice concentrates on representing plaintiffs in employment and housing law matters in Federal and State courts, before administrative agencies, and in mediation/arbitration.
Prior to joining Valli Kane & Vagnini LLP, where he is a partner, Matthew worked at a Madison Avenue trial boutique and also for one of the nation’s preeminent plaintiff’s class action firms, where he has helped clients recover hundreds of millions of dollars.
View full bio here
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Michael J. "Jack" Bisceglia
Associate Hunton Andrews Kurth LLP |
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Jack focuses his practice on complex commercial, product liability and mass tort litigation.
Jack has experience representing clients in the energy, aviation, automobile, telecommunications, manufacturing, pharmaceutical, food and beverage and financial services industries in federal and state court. He has represented both plaintiffs and defendants in litigation and arbitration matters involving fraudulent transfer, breach of fiduciary duty, RICO, antitrust, breach of contract, bankruptcy, tort, environmental and securities issues.
Jack also has an active pro bono practice, which includes advocating for visa applicants seeking immigration status.
Prior to joining Hunton Andrews Kurth LLP, Jack practiced in the New York office of another Am Law 100 firm.
Jack has experience representing clients in the energy, aviation, automobile, telecommunications, manufacturing, pharmaceutical, food and beverage and financial services industries in federal and state court. He has represented both plaintiffs and defendants in litigation and arbitration matters involving fraudulent transfer, breach of fiduciary duty, RICO, antitrust, breach of contract, bankruptcy, tort, environmental and securities issues.
Jack also has an active pro bono practice, which includes advocating for visa applicants seeking immigration status.
Prior to joining Hunton Andrews Kurth LLP, Jack practiced in the New York office of another Am Law 100 firm.
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Hon. Melanie L. Cyganowski (Ret.)
Partner Otterbourg P.C. |
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Melanie L. Cyganowski joined Otterbourg P.C. as a partner in 2008, after serving a full 14-year term as a Bankruptcy Judge in the Eastern District of New York. From November 29, 2005 through the end of her term, she was the Court’s Chief Judge. Graduating magna cum laude from the School of Law at the State University of New York at Buffalo, Melanie then served as a law clerk to the late Hon. Charles L. Brieant, former Chief Judge in the Southern District of New York. Following her clerkship, Melanie was a litigator at Sullivan & Cromwell, and Milbank, Tweed, Hadley & McCloy.
Melanie presently chairs Otterbourg’s Bankruptcy practice. She is co-counsel to the Official Committees of Claimants in LTL 1 and LTL 2, Aearo Technologies (3M), Ad Hoc Committee of consenting governmental parties in Purdue Pharma, and counsel to the Ad Hoc Committee of States with Acthar-related claims in Mallinckrodt. She has been been appointed as Receiver in SEC v. StraightPath Management, SEC v. Platinum Partners, and in ÂCP Investment Group, LP. Her other fiduciary appointments include (a) Chief Restructuring Officer and Temporary Operator of Brooklyn’s Interfaith Medical Center, a 287 bed acute care teaching hospital with ambulatory and out-patients clinics in the surrounding Bed-Stuy neighborhood, and (b) Patient Care Ombudsman in Randolph Health, Promise Healthcare, 21st Century Oncology and California Proton. She has also represented Official Committees of Unsecured Creditors in bankruptcy cases, including L&L Wings, Quirky and Escada. In addition, Melanie has represented the FDIC as Receiver in various bankruptcy cases; has served as the Auditor of Capital One in connection with a consent judgment in a national matter; and is an arbitrator/mediator in numerous disputes, including Drivetrain, Madoff, Lehman, Century 21, Quebecor and Metaldyne.
In 2014, Melanie was inducted as a Fellow into the American College of Bankruptcy. An author of numerous articles, she sits on the Editorial Advisory Board of the Norton Journal of Bankruptcy Practice & Law. Melanie is also a Fellow of the American and New York State Bar Foundations, and a retired adjunct professor of law at St. John’s University School of Law
Melanie presently chairs Otterbourg’s Bankruptcy practice. She is co-counsel to the Official Committees of Claimants in LTL 1 and LTL 2, Aearo Technologies (3M), Ad Hoc Committee of consenting governmental parties in Purdue Pharma, and counsel to the Ad Hoc Committee of States with Acthar-related claims in Mallinckrodt. She has been been appointed as Receiver in SEC v. StraightPath Management, SEC v. Platinum Partners, and in ÂCP Investment Group, LP. Her other fiduciary appointments include (a) Chief Restructuring Officer and Temporary Operator of Brooklyn’s Interfaith Medical Center, a 287 bed acute care teaching hospital with ambulatory and out-patients clinics in the surrounding Bed-Stuy neighborhood, and (b) Patient Care Ombudsman in Randolph Health, Promise Healthcare, 21st Century Oncology and California Proton. She has also represented Official Committees of Unsecured Creditors in bankruptcy cases, including L&L Wings, Quirky and Escada. In addition, Melanie has represented the FDIC as Receiver in various bankruptcy cases; has served as the Auditor of Capital One in connection with a consent judgment in a national matter; and is an arbitrator/mediator in numerous disputes, including Drivetrain, Madoff, Lehman, Century 21, Quebecor and Metaldyne.
In 2014, Melanie was inducted as a Fellow into the American College of Bankruptcy. An author of numerous articles, she sits on the Editorial Advisory Board of the Norton Journal of Bankruptcy Practice & Law. Melanie is also a Fellow of the American and New York State Bar Foundations, and a retired adjunct professor of law at St. John’s University School of Law
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Michael P. Canty
Partner Labaton Sucharow LLP |
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Michael P. Canty is a Partner in the New York office of Labaton Sucharow LLP, where he serves on the Firm’s Executive Committee and as its General Counsel. In addition, he leads one of the Firm’s Securities Litigation Teams and serves as head of the Firm’s Consumer Cybersecurity and Data Privacy Group.
Highly regarded as one of the countries elite litigators, Michael has been recognized by The Legal 500 and Benchmark Litigation as a “litigation star.” In addition, he has been named a Plaintiffs’ Trailblazer and a NY Trailblazer by The National Law Journal and the New York Law Journal, respectively, for his impact on the practice and business of law, as well as one of the “500 Leading Plaintiff Financial Lawyers in America” and one of the country’s “Leading Plaintiff Consumer Lawyers” by Lawdragon.
Michael is a frequent commentator on legal issues and has been featured in The Washington Post, Law360, and The National Law Journal, among others and has appeared on CBS and NPR.
Highly regarded as one of the countries elite litigators, Michael has been recognized by The Legal 500 and Benchmark Litigation as a “litigation star.” In addition, he has been named a Plaintiffs’ Trailblazer and a NY Trailblazer by The National Law Journal and the New York Law Journal, respectively, for his impact on the practice and business of law, as well as one of the “500 Leading Plaintiff Financial Lawyers in America” and one of the country’s “Leading Plaintiff Consumer Lawyers” by Lawdragon.
Michael is a frequent commentator on legal issues and has been featured in The Washington Post, Law360, and The National Law Journal, among others and has appeared on CBS and NPR.
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Mark A. DiCello
Founding Partner DiCello Levitt |
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After 20 years of jury trials and serving in lead roles in some of the largest personal injury cases in Ohio and around the country, Mark DiCello co-founded DiCello Levitt to create a first-of-its kind firm that brought together top talent in the most important areas of complex litigation.
Beginning his career as an Assistant County Prosecutor, Mark honed his trial skills, streamlining and simplifying issues being presented to juries. After representing the state in criminal matters, Mark wanted to turn his attention to ensuring that victims were represented in others ways: via the private civil justice system.
Mark’s clients range from individuals suffering catastrophic personal injuries to groups of plaintiffs harmed by medical devices, pharmaceutical products, chemicals, automobiles, and more. He has led headline-grabbing mass tort and product liability cases and co-led massive multidistrict litigations. As a result of his efforts, Mark has been recognized by a number of different organizations, including being ranked as a Super Lawyer and receiving both the Crisis Management Trailblazer and Elite Boutique Trailblazer awards from The National Law Journal. Lawdragon has also recognized Mark as one of the 500 Leading Plaintiff Consumer Lawyers, and Benchmark Litigation recognizes Mark as a “Litigation Star” in Product Liability and Personal Injury. Mark is also rated an “AV” Preeminent Attorney by Martindale-Hubbell, and a member of The Summit Council, a national group of noted trial lawyers across the United States with several multi-million-dollar jury verdicts.
Understanding that technology often evolves at a faster pace than the law, Mark frequently teaches other lawyers about how to best use new tools in discovery to counter some of the most sophisticated arguments presented by “big tech” defendants. For example, Mark is a frequent lecturer on using trial science to reach jurors, modeling damages for large-scale litigation, and leveraging technology to develop discovery in some of the most difficult, scorched-earth litigation. By developing cutting-edge techniques to represent those individuals hurt by large corporations, Mark is able to present their stories after a vigorous focus-group and mock-trial process, in coordination with DiCello Levitt’s Trial Advocacy Center.
Mark presently represents thousands of individual service members and their families who were injured at the U.S. Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, by exposure to drinking water contaminated with industrial solvents, benzene, and other chemicals. Leading the charge to hold the government accountable for his clients’ catastrophic injuries and losses, Mark employs his decades of experience in leading mass torts and complex litigation to achieve justice for those willing to make the ultimate sacrifice.
Mark continues to lead with vision and, together with co-founder Adam Levitt, has built a diverse and fearless team of lawyers focused on some of the most important litigation of our time.
Beginning his career as an Assistant County Prosecutor, Mark honed his trial skills, streamlining and simplifying issues being presented to juries. After representing the state in criminal matters, Mark wanted to turn his attention to ensuring that victims were represented in others ways: via the private civil justice system.
Mark’s clients range from individuals suffering catastrophic personal injuries to groups of plaintiffs harmed by medical devices, pharmaceutical products, chemicals, automobiles, and more. He has led headline-grabbing mass tort and product liability cases and co-led massive multidistrict litigations. As a result of his efforts, Mark has been recognized by a number of different organizations, including being ranked as a Super Lawyer and receiving both the Crisis Management Trailblazer and Elite Boutique Trailblazer awards from The National Law Journal. Lawdragon has also recognized Mark as one of the 500 Leading Plaintiff Consumer Lawyers, and Benchmark Litigation recognizes Mark as a “Litigation Star” in Product Liability and Personal Injury. Mark is also rated an “AV” Preeminent Attorney by Martindale-Hubbell, and a member of The Summit Council, a national group of noted trial lawyers across the United States with several multi-million-dollar jury verdicts.
Understanding that technology often evolves at a faster pace than the law, Mark frequently teaches other lawyers about how to best use new tools in discovery to counter some of the most sophisticated arguments presented by “big tech” defendants. For example, Mark is a frequent lecturer on using trial science to reach jurors, modeling damages for large-scale litigation, and leveraging technology to develop discovery in some of the most difficult, scorched-earth litigation. By developing cutting-edge techniques to represent those individuals hurt by large corporations, Mark is able to present their stories after a vigorous focus-group and mock-trial process, in coordination with DiCello Levitt’s Trial Advocacy Center.
Mark presently represents thousands of individual service members and their families who were injured at the U.S. Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, by exposure to drinking water contaminated with industrial solvents, benzene, and other chemicals. Leading the charge to hold the government accountable for his clients’ catastrophic injuries and losses, Mark employs his decades of experience in leading mass torts and complex litigation to achieve justice for those willing to make the ultimate sacrifice.
Mark continues to lead with vision and, together with co-founder Adam Levitt, has built a diverse and fearless team of lawyers focused on some of the most important litigation of our time.
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Christopher Ege
Partner and Co-Managing Partner of the Austin office Gordon Rees Scully Mansukhani, LLP |
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Christopher Ege is Co-Managing Partner of the Austin office. He is a member of the Environmental/Toxic Tort, Product & General Liability, Commercial Litigation and Employment Law practice Groups.
As a trial lawyer for more than 20 years, Mr. Ege has extensive experience defending companies in high risk litigation in Texas and throughout the United States, including business litigation, product liability, toxic exposure cases and employer liability claims. His clients range from several large Fortune 500 companies to individuals and small business owners. He has also served as a resource on tort reform issues for Senate and House Committees in the Texas Legislature.
Mr. Ege serves as national trial counsel and national coordinating counsel to several corporations in environmental and toxic tort litigation. He develops and implements national litigation strategies and manages trial settings, expert witnesses, trial preparation, and local counsel across the country. He also has extensive experience in the innovative use of alternative billing arrangements and budgeting in complex litigation.
Mr. Ege has represented some of the same clients for nearly two decades. Clients value that he is not only a fearless advocate in litigation, but a steady and trusted counselor. He knows that success in litigation starts with understanding a client’s business, goals, and financial parameters.
Mr. Ege received his J.D. from South Texas College of Law in Houston in 2000 and his BBA in Finance and Accounting from the McCombs School of Business at the University of Texas at Austin in 1997.
As a trial lawyer for more than 20 years, Mr. Ege has extensive experience defending companies in high risk litigation in Texas and throughout the United States, including business litigation, product liability, toxic exposure cases and employer liability claims. His clients range from several large Fortune 500 companies to individuals and small business owners. He has also served as a resource on tort reform issues for Senate and House Committees in the Texas Legislature.
Mr. Ege serves as national trial counsel and national coordinating counsel to several corporations in environmental and toxic tort litigation. He develops and implements national litigation strategies and manages trial settings, expert witnesses, trial preparation, and local counsel across the country. He also has extensive experience in the innovative use of alternative billing arrangements and budgeting in complex litigation.
Mr. Ege has represented some of the same clients for nearly two decades. Clients value that he is not only a fearless advocate in litigation, but a steady and trusted counselor. He knows that success in litigation starts with understanding a client’s business, goals, and financial parameters.
Mr. Ege received his J.D. from South Texas College of Law in Houston in 2000 and his BBA in Finance and Accounting from the McCombs School of Business at the University of Texas at Austin in 1997.
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Owen Ellsworth
Conference Chair Managing Director Global Market Manager Law Firm Group Citi Global Wealth at Work |
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Owen is a Managing Director and Global Market Manager for the New York Metro Region of Citi Global Wealth at Work's Law Firm Group. In this capacity, he manages a team of bankers and associate bankers that deliver advisory and tailored strategies for law firm clients including mortgage, lending, banking and a full range of wealth management and investment services.
Owen has over 22 years of diversified experience in financial services. Most recently, Owen served as Managing Director of Business Development for Citi Private Bank’s Law Firm Group where he was the Head of the Escrow Business Development Team. Prior to joining Citi, he was an Executive Director and Head of the North America Escrow Product in the Corporate and Investment Bank at J.P. Morgan and previously, he was the Asia Pacific Escrow Product Head based in Hong Kong where he concentrated on the strategic growth and build out of the escrow product in Hong Kong, Singapore, China, Australia, and Vietnam.
Owen holds a Bachelor of Science from Cornell University and his FINRA Series 7 and 66 licenses .
Owen has over 22 years of diversified experience in financial services. Most recently, Owen served as Managing Director of Business Development for Citi Private Bank’s Law Firm Group where he was the Head of the Escrow Business Development Team. Prior to joining Citi, he was an Executive Director and Head of the North America Escrow Product in the Corporate and Investment Bank at J.P. Morgan and previously, he was the Asia Pacific Escrow Product Head based in Hong Kong where he concentrated on the strategic growth and build out of the escrow product in Hong Kong, Singapore, China, Australia, and Vietnam.
Owen holds a Bachelor of Science from Cornell University and his FINRA Series 7 and 66 licenses .
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Mark Eveland
CEO Verus LLC |
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Mark is a seasoned executive with over two decades of experience developing and leading strong teams. A visionary, change leader, creative problem solver, and early adopter of technological solutions. He is an expert in building effective settlement and claims management programs for mass torts, class actions, and insurance runoffs.
Mark began his career with a large consulting firm, assisting clients involved in asbestos, breast implant, and other large-scale product liability cases. Before founding Verus in 2003, he served as operations manager of the largest asbestos claims facility in the country, and went on from there to launch a firm that specialized in third party administration of securities fraud class actions. Throughout his career, Mark has had the pleasure of providing research, discovery, analytics, and settlement administration support to many of the best litigators in the country working to resolve issues with wide-ranging societal effects. Taking a lesson from the strong mentors he has encountered over the years, he and his partners built Verus by hiring intelligent, creative people with a shared commitment to doing impactful work.
When he is not at work, you can usually find him reading in his favorite chair, tending his garden, puttering around his workshop, walking the woods looking for birds and wildflowers, or fishing the streams near his home.
Mark began his career with a large consulting firm, assisting clients involved in asbestos, breast implant, and other large-scale product liability cases. Before founding Verus in 2003, he served as operations manager of the largest asbestos claims facility in the country, and went on from there to launch a firm that specialized in third party administration of securities fraud class actions. Throughout his career, Mark has had the pleasure of providing research, discovery, analytics, and settlement administration support to many of the best litigators in the country working to resolve issues with wide-ranging societal effects. Taking a lesson from the strong mentors he has encountered over the years, he and his partners built Verus by hiring intelligent, creative people with a shared commitment to doing impactful work.
When he is not at work, you can usually find him reading in his favorite chair, tending his garden, puttering around his workshop, walking the woods looking for birds and wildflowers, or fishing the streams near his home.
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Bridie Farrell
Senior Advisor of Relationship Development Milestone |
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As Senior Advisor of Relationship Development, Bridie Farrell’s personal experience as a survivor and plaintiff complement her training as a financial professional and economist. She creates connections and builds relationships with plaintiffs, firms, and partner organizations that are centered around accessibility, transparency, and achieving favorable outcomes for the people involved every step of the way. Bridie works with firms to improve the ways they interface with clients and the survivor community, and utilizes her professional expertise and personal experience to remove uncertainty and restore respect for victims as they navigate through the legal system and beyond.
Bridie is a longtime advocate on behalf of survivors of abuse, assault, and exploitation and a distinguished speaker about issues related to abuse. After working with a coalition of partners to pass the Child Victims Act and Adult Survivors Act in New York, she has helped pass similar legislation to extend statutes of limitations for victims to come forward across the country. Bridie attended Adirondack Community College and graduated from Cornell University with a Bachelor of Science in Policy Analysis & Management.
When she isn’t on the road with Milestone, you can find Bridie running around the block (just a quick 8 miles!) with her dog, Lexington, and working on the nonprofit she started, America Loves Kids.
Bridie is a longtime advocate on behalf of survivors of abuse, assault, and exploitation and a distinguished speaker about issues related to abuse. After working with a coalition of partners to pass the Child Victims Act and Adult Survivors Act in New York, she has helped pass similar legislation to extend statutes of limitations for victims to come forward across the country. Bridie attended Adirondack Community College and graduated from Cornell University with a Bachelor of Science in Policy Analysis & Management.
When she isn’t on the road with Milestone, you can find Bridie running around the block (just a quick 8 miles!) with her dog, Lexington, and working on the nonprofit she started, America Loves Kids.
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Rachel Geman
Partner Lieff, Cabraser, Heimann & Bernstein, LLP |
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Rachel Geman is a partner in the New York office of Lieff, Cabraser, Heimann & Bernstein, LLP and the chair of the firm’s whistleblower practice group. She is active in NELA and the ABA’s Labor & Employment Law Section, having served as the employee-side chair for both the EEO (former) and workplace safety (current) committees. Rachel has litigated a number of large gender pay discrimination cases, and has also served as a lead class counsel in consumer, privacy, and pharmaceutical products class actions.
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Neil Kornswiet
Chief Executive Officer Optium Capital LLC |
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Neil Kornswiet is a recognized expert in litigation claims finance, real estate finance, and corporate law matters. He is currently the Chief Executive Officer of Optium Capital LLC, an investment firm that specializes in the purchase of litigation receivables in large class action lawsuits. Optium is one of the largest purchasers of litigation receivables in the United States and Europe with offices in Newport Beach, San Francisco, St. Louis and Madrid.
Prior to founding Optium, Neil was a Managing Director of UBS Investment Bank with responsibility for mortgage loan origination and servicing in North America. Prior to joining UBS, Neil was the Chief Executive Officer and President of four nationwide mortgage lending companies. Two of the companies were publicly traded companies and two of the companies were funded with private placements. He was also the Chief Executive Officer of a large real estate investment trust.
Before his entry into the lending industry, Neil was a partner and member of the management committee in the national law firm of McKenna, Conner and Cuneo specializing in corporate finance, securitization, regulatory compliance, and operational matters for some of the largest financial institutions and investment banks in the United States and Europe. Prior to joining McKenna, Neil was an attorney with Cravath, Swaine & Moore in New York specializing in corporate finance, securitization, and general corporate matters. He received his B.S.B.A. from The Ohio State University and his J.D. from Georgetown University Law Center.
Neil is involved in many charitable and civic endeavors including Orangewood Children’s Home, Children’s Hospital of Orange County, Make-a-Wish Foundation, the Arthritis Foundation, and the Sage Hill School, among others. He is married and has three children and six grandchildren.
Prior to founding Optium, Neil was a Managing Director of UBS Investment Bank with responsibility for mortgage loan origination and servicing in North America. Prior to joining UBS, Neil was the Chief Executive Officer and President of four nationwide mortgage lending companies. Two of the companies were publicly traded companies and two of the companies were funded with private placements. He was also the Chief Executive Officer of a large real estate investment trust.
Before his entry into the lending industry, Neil was a partner and member of the management committee in the national law firm of McKenna, Conner and Cuneo specializing in corporate finance, securitization, regulatory compliance, and operational matters for some of the largest financial institutions and investment banks in the United States and Europe. Prior to joining McKenna, Neil was an attorney with Cravath, Swaine & Moore in New York specializing in corporate finance, securitization, and general corporate matters. He received his B.S.B.A. from The Ohio State University and his J.D. from Georgetown University Law Center.
Neil is involved in many charitable and civic endeavors including Orangewood Children’s Home, Children’s Hospital of Orange County, Make-a-Wish Foundation, the Arthritis Foundation, and the Sage Hill School, among others. He is married and has three children and six grandchildren.
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Elizabeth Lane
Director and Global Head of Client Service Citi Law Firm Group |
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Elizabeth is a Director and the Head of Client Service for the Law Firm Group (LFG) since 2019. In her role, she manages multiple teams of Client Service Officers across the country who support the LFG business , is focused on ensuring her team delivers the best experience to our clients and drives strategic initiatives to provide products and solutions to the law firms and their partners. She joined the Citi Private Bank in 1999 as a Client Service Officer and has held a number of management roles in LFG Service since 2005. She has been with Citi for over 25 years. Elizabeth has a BS from Saint Joseph’s University and is FINRA Series 7, 6 and 63 licensed.
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Brian Ledger
Partner and Co-Chair of the Environmental Practice Group Gordon Rees Scully Mansukhani, LLP |
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Brian M. Ledger has been a leader in Environmental and Toxic Tort Law for 29 years. Following receipt of a B.S. degree, magna cum laude, in Environmental Science, Mr. Ledger completed a Master’s degree program in Environmental and Occupational Health Science at UCLA, where he received highest honors in Toxicology and in Epidemiology. Before attending law school, Mr. Ledger worked as an environmental consultant for Clayton Environmental and for OSHA as an industrial hygiene compliance officer.
Mr. Ledger serves as lead counsel in complex, multi-party environmental litigation under CERCLA, Clean Water Act/RCRA, and common law nuisance/trespass concerning contaminated soil, and surface and groundwater. His cases have included some of the most complex sites in California and several other states, and involved PFAS, Metals, benzene, PCBs, petroleum hydrocarbons, chlorinated solvents, pesticides/fungicides, and dozens of other hazardous substances.
Mr. Ledger also serves as national counsel for several companies in toxic tort matters. He employs his academic background in toxicology, epidemiology, risk assessment and industrial hygiene on behalf of his clients and works regularly with top national experts in these fields. Mr. Ledger has tried multiple complex environmental and toxic tort cases to verdict with very favorable results. Mr. Ledger’s trial experience also includes several administrative trials before environmental regulatory agencies. He is admitted to practice in seven states, including California.
Mr. Ledger co-chairs the firm's Environmental practice group.
Mr. Ledger serves as lead counsel in complex, multi-party environmental litigation under CERCLA, Clean Water Act/RCRA, and common law nuisance/trespass concerning contaminated soil, and surface and groundwater. His cases have included some of the most complex sites in California and several other states, and involved PFAS, Metals, benzene, PCBs, petroleum hydrocarbons, chlorinated solvents, pesticides/fungicides, and dozens of other hazardous substances.
Mr. Ledger also serves as national counsel for several companies in toxic tort matters. He employs his academic background in toxicology, epidemiology, risk assessment and industrial hygiene on behalf of his clients and works regularly with top national experts in these fields. Mr. Ledger has tried multiple complex environmental and toxic tort cases to verdict with very favorable results. Mr. Ledger’s trial experience also includes several administrative trials before environmental regulatory agencies. He is admitted to practice in seven states, including California.
Mr. Ledger co-chairs the firm's Environmental practice group.
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Adam Levitt
Founding Partner DiCello Levitt |
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Adam Levitt has scored important wins leading dozens of significant litigations on behalf of individuals, businesses, and public clients and has built a firm that reflects his resolve for justice in all its dimensions.
One of the nation’s leading advocates for plaintiffs in complex multidistrict, commercial, public client, and class action litigations, Adam has delivered nearly $20 billion in recoveries to clients in biotechnology, financial services, insurance coverage, consumer protection, automotive defects, agricultural products, antitrust, and securities disputes.
Adam‘s reputation for innovatively taking on tough cases has led to his appointment by State Attorneys General in the largest ongoing environmental PFAS water contamination cases of our time, and the historic litigation arising from Volkswagen’s emissions scandal, where, as a court-appointed member of a leadership group characterized as a “class action dream team,” he helped to secure a $16 billion settlement that benefitted car buyers across the United States.
Adam has also served as co-lead counsel in three of the largest biotechnology class actions in history. He secured $1.1 billion in settlements resulting from contamination of the U.S. rice supply with genetically modified seeds; helped to obtain a $550 million settlement on behalf of landowners and landscapers in a class action involving tree and other foliage death and harm caused by an herbicide; and recovered $110 million for farmers who sustained market losses on corn crops from contamination of the U.S. corn supply with genetically modified corn.
In addition to securing significant financial relief for his clients, Adam’s work has changed how biotechnology class action cases are litigated in the U.S. He co-created a game-changing economic model to measure crop contamination damages that set the modern industry standard.
Adam’s groundbreaking work on behalf of plaintiffs has been recognized locally and nationally in prestigious ranking directories, including Chambers USA, where he received a Band 1 ranking for Mainly Plaintiffs Litigation in Illinois. Chambers USA also ranked Adam in Illinois for General Commercial Litigation and nationwide for Product Liability Litigation, where the editors describe him as the “go-to plaintiffs’ attorney in the class actions space.” In 2021 and 2022, Benchmark Litigation awarded Adam National Litigation Star: Securities and Litigation Star in Illinois. According to The National Law Journal, Adam is a “pioneer” in technology litigation, and Crain’s Chicago Business named him a 2021 Notable Gen X Leader in Accounting, Consulting, and Law.
An elected member of the American Law Institute and the Economic Club of Chicago, Adam considers the formation of DiCello Levitt in 2017 to be a pivotal moment in his decades-long legal career. With a shared vision, foundation of trust, and commitment to holding large companies accountable for injuries caused by their products and practices, he and his partners intend to maintain their industry-wide influence and successful track record for years to come.
One of the nation’s leading advocates for plaintiffs in complex multidistrict, commercial, public client, and class action litigations, Adam has delivered nearly $20 billion in recoveries to clients in biotechnology, financial services, insurance coverage, consumer protection, automotive defects, agricultural products, antitrust, and securities disputes.
Adam‘s reputation for innovatively taking on tough cases has led to his appointment by State Attorneys General in the largest ongoing environmental PFAS water contamination cases of our time, and the historic litigation arising from Volkswagen’s emissions scandal, where, as a court-appointed member of a leadership group characterized as a “class action dream team,” he helped to secure a $16 billion settlement that benefitted car buyers across the United States.
Adam has also served as co-lead counsel in three of the largest biotechnology class actions in history. He secured $1.1 billion in settlements resulting from contamination of the U.S. rice supply with genetically modified seeds; helped to obtain a $550 million settlement on behalf of landowners and landscapers in a class action involving tree and other foliage death and harm caused by an herbicide; and recovered $110 million for farmers who sustained market losses on corn crops from contamination of the U.S. corn supply with genetically modified corn.
In addition to securing significant financial relief for his clients, Adam’s work has changed how biotechnology class action cases are litigated in the U.S. He co-created a game-changing economic model to measure crop contamination damages that set the modern industry standard.
Adam’s groundbreaking work on behalf of plaintiffs has been recognized locally and nationally in prestigious ranking directories, including Chambers USA, where he received a Band 1 ranking for Mainly Plaintiffs Litigation in Illinois. Chambers USA also ranked Adam in Illinois for General Commercial Litigation and nationwide for Product Liability Litigation, where the editors describe him as the “go-to plaintiffs’ attorney in the class actions space.” In 2021 and 2022, Benchmark Litigation awarded Adam National Litigation Star: Securities and Litigation Star in Illinois. According to The National Law Journal, Adam is a “pioneer” in technology litigation, and Crain’s Chicago Business named him a 2021 Notable Gen X Leader in Accounting, Consulting, and Law.
An elected member of the American Law Institute and the Economic Club of Chicago, Adam considers the formation of DiCello Levitt in 2017 to be a pivotal moment in his decades-long legal career. With a shared vision, foundation of trust, and commitment to holding large companies accountable for injuries caused by their products and practices, he and his partners intend to maintain their industry-wide influence and successful track record for years to come.
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Michael A. London
Founding Partner Douglas & London |
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Michael A. London is one of the founding partners of the law firm Douglas & London, P.C., located in downtown New York City. Mr. London obtained his Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Miami in Coral Gables, Florida, and his Juris Doctor degree from Brooklyn Law School in Brooklyn, New York. Mr. London is admitted and licensed to practice law in the States of New York and New Jersey, as well as in the United States District Courts for the Eastern District, Southern District, and Western District of New York, as well as the District of New Jersey.
Since obtaining his law degree, he has devoted his entire career to representing consumers and injury victims, primarily in mass tort settings. His practice area in the law has always focused on and continues to focus on, products liability and complex litigation with an emphasis on pharmaceutical and medical device litigation.
Mr. London has been privileged and honored to have been appointed to, and have served, as lead or liaison counsel in some of the largest national mass tort and complex litigations in recent years. His formal lead and liaison counsel roles have been in the following matters with the following results:
It is important to highlight, that in the eight litigations in which Mr. London served as co-lead or liaison counsel, each was resolved efficiently through settlements. And in these eight national mass tort or class litigations where Mr. London held these leadership appointments, the resolutions were accomplished in an impressive span of 18 to 47 months from when MDL centralization occurred until an announcement of settlement parameters. Also, Mr. London served as the primary negotiator for plaintiffs in six of the nine cases above and his efforts have yielded over $4 billion worth of settlements since 2005.
Mr. London’s current leadership positions in complex litigation include the following:
Not only has he held the court-appointed positions identified above but he has also been involved in other complex litigations in various committee roles, including serving on discovery committees, expert committees, law and briefing committees, and class action committees. Mr. London has represented hundreds of women exposed in utero to the drug Diethylstibestrol (“DES”) in litigation formerly pending before the Honorable Jack B. Weinstein. He also represented and continues to represent people and families who were victims of other toxic and mass torts for which formal Plaintiffs’ Steering Committees were not established, including representing hundreds of individuals who were injured as a result of the September 11, 2001 bombings of the World Trade Center in the World Trade Center Disaster Site Litigation, representing individuals who suffered from glenohumeral chondrolysis in In re: Ambulatory Pain Pump-Chondrolysis Products Liability Litigation where he firm colleague Rebecca Newman secured some of the earliest and largest settlements in the country, representing children and families who were victims of the Chorionic Villi Sampling (‘CVS’) device/procedure, and others.
Mr. London served as trial counsel in multiple tobacco trials, including the first successful verdict against the tobacco industry in the state of New York, where he and law firm partner, Gary Douglas, secured a $20 million-plus verdict for the widow of a former smoker. And before that, Mr. London served as co-trial counsel in the first two tobacco cases to be tried in the State of New York, both in the year 2000. Mr. London was co-trial counsel in the very first Norplant products liability trial in the State of New York. Mr. London has assisted in non-court room activity and with jury selection in various other trial teams over the years.
Mr. London is an active member in the following legal associations: Board of Directors and Executive Committee Member of New York State Trial Lawyers Association (NYSTLA); Board of Governors and Sustaining Member American Association of Justice (AAJ); Member of Public Justice (America’s Public Interest law firm); and Member the Tobacco Trial Lawyers Association (TTLA). He serves on the President’s Advisory Council at Brooklyn Law School. He has been asked and invited to lecture to attorneys on many types of cases that he has handled, as well as on specific topics such as preemption, virtually all aspects of mass tort litigations and specific mass tort cases, medical malpractice and jury selection in various types of cases. He has appeared on CNN, MSNBC, NBC, ABC, in the New York Times, in New York Magazine, Forbes, as well as in many other local New York and regional papers and other publications across the country. Additionally, he has written numerous articles for publication in legal journals on such topics of vaccine use, the Learned Intermediary Doctrine, jury selection in products liability cases, mercury exposure, youth smoking, and light cigarettes litigation, generally and has been asked to lecture and speak over 50 times throughout the country on various aspect of mass torts and complex litigation. In addition, Mr. London is the attorney in charge of Douglas & London’s New Jersey Practice. Further, Mr. London also serves as the firm’s general counsel.
Since obtaining his law degree, he has devoted his entire career to representing consumers and injury victims, primarily in mass tort settings. His practice area in the law has always focused on and continues to focus on, products liability and complex litigation with an emphasis on pharmaceutical and medical device litigation.
Mr. London has been privileged and honored to have been appointed to, and have served, as lead or liaison counsel in some of the largest national mass tort and complex litigations in recent years. His formal lead and liaison counsel roles have been in the following matters with the following results:
- Vice-Chair of Plaintiffs’ Steering Committee, In re: Zyprexa Products Liability Litigation, MDL-1596, before the Honorable Jack B. Weinstein in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York (status: resolved, $700 million settlement of approximately 8,000 claims).
- Co-Lead Counsel of Plaintiffs, Steering Committee, In re: Yasmin and Yaz (Drospirenone) Marketing Sales Practices and Products Liability Litigation, MDL-2100, before the Honorable David R. Herndon in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Illinois (status: resolved with the defendants paying over $2 billion for all claims).
- Co-Lead Counsel and Liaison Counsel for Plaintiffs, Steering Committee, In re: Bayer Corp. Combination Aspirin Products Marketing and Sales Practice Litigation, MDL-2023, before the Honorable Brian M. Cogan in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York (status: resolved, $15 million class settlement).
- Co-Lead Counsel of Plaintiffs, Steering Committee, In re: Pradaxa (Dabigatran Etexilate) Products Liability Litigation, daMDL-2385, before the Honorable David R. Herndon in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Illinois (status: resolved, $650 million settlement of approximately 4,000 claims).
- Liaison Counsel and Plaintiffs, Executive Committee Member, In re: Ortho Evra Products Liability Litigation, MDL-1742, before the late Honorable David S. Katz in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Ohio (status: resolved, individual confidential settlements of approximately 3,000 claims in federal and state courts).
- Chairperson of the Plaintiffs Executive Committee, In re: Testosterone Replacement Therapy Products Liability Litigation, MDL 2545, pending in the United States District Court, Northern District of Illinois (status: all six of the manufacturing defendants have resolved the approximately 7,000 claims in the MDL).
- Co-Liaison Counsel for all Plaintiffs, In re: Levaquin Litigation, centralized and consolidated litigation before the late Honorable Carol E. Higbee in the Superior Court of New Jersey, Atlantic County (status: resolved, individual confidential settlements of hundreds of claims in federal and state courts).
- Co-Lead Counsel of Plaintiffs, Steering Committee, In re: E.I. du Pont de Nemours and Company C-8 Personal Injury Litigation, MDL-2433, before the Honorable Edmund A. Sargus, Jr., pending in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Ohio (status: resolved, $671 million settlement of approximately 3,600 claims).
- Co-Lead Counsel of Plaintiffs, Steering Committee, In re: Invokana (Canagliflozin) Products Liability Litigation, MDL-2750, before the Honorable Brian Martinotti in the United States District Court for the District of New Jersey, (status: resolutions pending via individual confidential settlements of approximately 2,000 claims).
It is important to highlight, that in the eight litigations in which Mr. London served as co-lead or liaison counsel, each was resolved efficiently through settlements. And in these eight national mass tort or class litigations where Mr. London held these leadership appointments, the resolutions were accomplished in an impressive span of 18 to 47 months from when MDL centralization occurred until an announcement of settlement parameters. Also, Mr. London served as the primary negotiator for plaintiffs in six of the nine cases above and his efforts have yielded over $4 billion worth of settlements since 2005.
Mr. London’s current leadership positions in complex litigation include the following:
- Co-Lead Counsel of Plaintiffs, Executive Committee, In re: Aqueous Film-Forming Foam Products Liability Litigation, MDL-2873, before the Honorable Richard M. Gergel in the United States District Court for the District of South Carolina (status: pending).
- Chair, Plaintiffs’ Executive Committee, In re: Davol, Inc./CR Bard Inc., Polypropylene Hernia Mesh Products Liability Litigation, MDL-2846, before the Honorable Chief Judge Edmund Sargus in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Ohio (status: pending)
Not only has he held the court-appointed positions identified above but he has also been involved in other complex litigations in various committee roles, including serving on discovery committees, expert committees, law and briefing committees, and class action committees. Mr. London has represented hundreds of women exposed in utero to the drug Diethylstibestrol (“DES”) in litigation formerly pending before the Honorable Jack B. Weinstein. He also represented and continues to represent people and families who were victims of other toxic and mass torts for which formal Plaintiffs’ Steering Committees were not established, including representing hundreds of individuals who were injured as a result of the September 11, 2001 bombings of the World Trade Center in the World Trade Center Disaster Site Litigation, representing individuals who suffered from glenohumeral chondrolysis in In re: Ambulatory Pain Pump-Chondrolysis Products Liability Litigation where he firm colleague Rebecca Newman secured some of the earliest and largest settlements in the country, representing children and families who were victims of the Chorionic Villi Sampling (‘CVS’) device/procedure, and others.
Mr. London served as trial counsel in multiple tobacco trials, including the first successful verdict against the tobacco industry in the state of New York, where he and law firm partner, Gary Douglas, secured a $20 million-plus verdict for the widow of a former smoker. And before that, Mr. London served as co-trial counsel in the first two tobacco cases to be tried in the State of New York, both in the year 2000. Mr. London was co-trial counsel in the very first Norplant products liability trial in the State of New York. Mr. London has assisted in non-court room activity and with jury selection in various other trial teams over the years.
Mr. London is an active member in the following legal associations: Board of Directors and Executive Committee Member of New York State Trial Lawyers Association (NYSTLA); Board of Governors and Sustaining Member American Association of Justice (AAJ); Member of Public Justice (America’s Public Interest law firm); and Member the Tobacco Trial Lawyers Association (TTLA). He serves on the President’s Advisory Council at Brooklyn Law School. He has been asked and invited to lecture to attorneys on many types of cases that he has handled, as well as on specific topics such as preemption, virtually all aspects of mass tort litigations and specific mass tort cases, medical malpractice and jury selection in various types of cases. He has appeared on CNN, MSNBC, NBC, ABC, in the New York Times, in New York Magazine, Forbes, as well as in many other local New York and regional papers and other publications across the country. Additionally, he has written numerous articles for publication in legal journals on such topics of vaccine use, the Learned Intermediary Doctrine, jury selection in products liability cases, mercury exposure, youth smoking, and light cigarettes litigation, generally and has been asked to lecture and speak over 50 times throughout the country on various aspect of mass torts and complex litigation. In addition, Mr. London is the attorney in charge of Douglas & London’s New Jersey Practice. Further, Mr. London also serves as the firm’s general counsel.
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Gerald L. Maatman, Jr.
Partner Duane Morris LLP |
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Gerald "Jerry" Maatman, Jr. is a Chambers-recognized class action defense litigator, a six-time Law360 Employment Law MVP, nine-time recipient of BTI Consulting Group's distinguished Client Service All-Star, and a 2021 Legal 500 Hall of Fame inductee. Mr. Maatman is a Partner at Duane Morris LLP, where he chairs the firm's Class Action Group. He has written and lectured widely on all aspects of labor and employment law. Among his various cases, Mr. Maatman successfully defended the largest EEOC pattern or practice lawsuit ever prosecuted in the history of the Commission, the largest age discrimination collective action ever brought in Illinois, the first sexual harassment class action brought by a State Attorney General in the United States, and the largest wage & hour class/collective action brought in New York. A graduate of Washington & Lee University and the Northwestern University School of Law, where is he adjunct professor, Jerry is based out of Duane Morris’ Chicago and New York offices.
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Mohsin Meghji
Managing Partner M3 Partners |
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Mohsin (Mo) Meghji is an internationally recognized turnaround professional with an exemplary track record of accomplishment across a wide range of industries. His 25-plus year career has focused primarily on reviving companies experiencing financial, operational or strategic transitions to maximize value. He has accomplished this through management and/or advisory roles in partnership with some of the world’s leading corporations, investment firms and financial institutions. Mo has also served as a director on many corporate and not-for-profit boards and serves on the board of the Nassau County Interim Finance Authority. Earlier in his career, Mo served as EVP & Head of Strategy at Springleaf Holdings and prior to that he co-founded advisory firm Loughlin Meghji + Company. Earlier in his career, Mo was with Arthur Andersen & Co. where he became a Partner. Mo is a graduate of the Schulich School of Business.
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Edward E. Neiger, Esq.
Co-Managing Partner Ask LLP |
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Edward Neiger’s practice focuses on representing individual victims of mass torts in bankruptcies. He is a passionate advocate for those affected by the opioid crisis. Mr. Neiger is on the board of 2EndTheSitgma and he works to help those suffering from addiction, especially those incarcerated, get the help they deserve. At the same time, he fights to hold those responsible for the opioid crisis, especially governments and elected officials, accountable. He represented victims in The Weinstein Company, PG&E, Mallinckrodt, Boy Scouts and Purdue, among others.
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Graham Newman
Partner Chappell, Chappell & Newman |
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Graham Newman is a partner in the newly-minted law firm of Chappell, Chappell & Newman. Graham’s work focuses on complex litigation including products liability and class actions. Presently, he is litigating a Section 5 class action regarding the unlawful sale of an ERC-20 token on the Ethereum blockchain whose market capitalization is approximately $10 billion.
Graham’s trial court victories have included a $14.5 million insurance bad faith verdict, an $8 million class action judgment, and a $4.75 million products liability verdict. Recently, he also served as one of the leading attorneys in Parler v. SCANA Corporation, et al., a derivative and securities class action that resulted in a $63 million settlement.
Graham has briefed numerous appeals before the South Carolina Supreme Court and Court of Appeals, the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals, and United States Supreme Court. He has also argued four cases before the South Carolina Court of Appeals and two cases before the South Carolina Supreme Court. Notable appellate court victories include the following: Bovain v. Canal Insurance Company, 383 S.C. 100, 678 S.E.2d 422 (S.C. 2009); Ward v. Dixie Nat. Life Ins. Co., 595 F.3d 164 (4th Cir. 2010); Stevens & Wilkinson of S.C., Inc. v. City of Columbia, 409 S.C. 563, 762 S.E.2d 693 (2014); Kirven v. Cent. States Health & Life Co., of Omaha, 409 S.C. 30, 760 S.E.2d 794 (2014); and State v. Samuel, 411 S.C. 602, 769 S.E.2d 662 (2015).
In addition to practicing law, Graham teaches an undergraduate legal course through the University of South Carolina Honors College and serves on several boards and committees dedicated to the improvement of the judicial system. Graham is married to Jenny Honeycutt Newman, who is also an attorney. The couple have a twelve year-old son, a ten year-old Portuguese Water Dog, and a five year-old King Charles Cavalier Spaniel. The Newman family enjoys spending time on Lake Murray and attending as many South Carolina Gamecock sporting events as possible.
Graham’s trial court victories have included a $14.5 million insurance bad faith verdict, an $8 million class action judgment, and a $4.75 million products liability verdict. Recently, he also served as one of the leading attorneys in Parler v. SCANA Corporation, et al., a derivative and securities class action that resulted in a $63 million settlement.
Graham has briefed numerous appeals before the South Carolina Supreme Court and Court of Appeals, the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals, and United States Supreme Court. He has also argued four cases before the South Carolina Court of Appeals and two cases before the South Carolina Supreme Court. Notable appellate court victories include the following: Bovain v. Canal Insurance Company, 383 S.C. 100, 678 S.E.2d 422 (S.C. 2009); Ward v. Dixie Nat. Life Ins. Co., 595 F.3d 164 (4th Cir. 2010); Stevens & Wilkinson of S.C., Inc. v. City of Columbia, 409 S.C. 563, 762 S.E.2d 693 (2014); Kirven v. Cent. States Health & Life Co., of Omaha, 409 S.C. 30, 760 S.E.2d 794 (2014); and State v. Samuel, 411 S.C. 602, 769 S.E.2d 662 (2015).
In addition to practicing law, Graham teaches an undergraduate legal course through the University of South Carolina Honors College and serves on several boards and committees dedicated to the improvement of the judicial system. Graham is married to Jenny Honeycutt Newman, who is also an attorney. The couple have a twelve year-old son, a ten year-old Portuguese Water Dog, and a five year-old King Charles Cavalier Spaniel. The Newman family enjoys spending time on Lake Murray and attending as many South Carolina Gamecock sporting events as possible.
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Paul T. Nyffeler, PhD
Senior Attorney Hunton Andrews Kurth LLP |
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Paul counsels clients on the impact of environmental law and policy, applying his in‐depth knowledge as a PhD chemist to legal issues.
Paul is an environmental law practitioner with more than 15 years of experience providing clients with regulatory counseling, compliance advice, and first‐chair environmental and tort litigation counsel at both the trial and appellate levels.
Paul maintains an interdisciplinary practice focused on chemical regulation and compliance, hazardous waste laws, and water quality, groundwater, and drinking water. He is knowledgeable of the underlying technical frameworks used by state and federal agencies in the development and implementation of environmental laws and regulations, including the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA), Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA), Clean Air Act (CAA), Clean Water Act (CWA), and Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA), among others.
As a PhD chemist, Paul has a deep scientific understanding of the chemicals subject to regulations and compliance programs, with robust experience in unregulated contaminants, new chemicals, existing chemicals (including Per‐ and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS)), hazardous air pollutants, and biotechnology. Working with the Office of Drinking Water in the Virginia Department of Health, Paul served on the Health & Toxicology and Policy & Regulations Subgroups of the Virginia PFAS Workgroup in a program to investigate state drinking water primary maximum contaminant levels for PFOA and PFOS. He has also actively researched and developed technology related to PFAS removal in wastewater and PFAS synthesis in the context of manufactured materials.
With additional experience in multiparty CERCLA litigation, Paul also advises clients in defense of liability related to site contamination by hazardous substances, including riparian PCB contamination. He provides counsel on evolving legal issues and potential liability exposure associated with the management and disposal of emerging contaminants that are the subject of increasing state and federal regulatory actions under cleanup laws.
Paul is a thought leader on chemical regulation, regularly speaking at industry conferences to provide insight on unregulated contaminants and chemical regulatory and legislative updates.
Paul is an environmental law practitioner with more than 15 years of experience providing clients with regulatory counseling, compliance advice, and first‐chair environmental and tort litigation counsel at both the trial and appellate levels.
Paul maintains an interdisciplinary practice focused on chemical regulation and compliance, hazardous waste laws, and water quality, groundwater, and drinking water. He is knowledgeable of the underlying technical frameworks used by state and federal agencies in the development and implementation of environmental laws and regulations, including the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA), Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA), Clean Air Act (CAA), Clean Water Act (CWA), and Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA), among others.
As a PhD chemist, Paul has a deep scientific understanding of the chemicals subject to regulations and compliance programs, with robust experience in unregulated contaminants, new chemicals, existing chemicals (including Per‐ and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS)), hazardous air pollutants, and biotechnology. Working with the Office of Drinking Water in the Virginia Department of Health, Paul served on the Health & Toxicology and Policy & Regulations Subgroups of the Virginia PFAS Workgroup in a program to investigate state drinking water primary maximum contaminant levels for PFOA and PFOS. He has also actively researched and developed technology related to PFAS removal in wastewater and PFAS synthesis in the context of manufactured materials.
With additional experience in multiparty CERCLA litigation, Paul also advises clients in defense of liability related to site contamination by hazardous substances, including riparian PCB contamination. He provides counsel on evolving legal issues and potential liability exposure associated with the management and disposal of emerging contaminants that are the subject of increasing state and federal regulatory actions under cleanup laws.
Paul is a thought leader on chemical regulation, regularly speaking at industry conferences to provide insight on unregulated contaminants and chemical regulatory and legislative updates.
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Gina Passarella
Editor-in-Chief Global Legal Brands (The American Lawyer, Corporate Counsel, The National Law Journal, Law.com International, Legaltech News, China Law & Practice) |
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Gina Passarella is editor-in-chief of global legal brands at ALM, overseeing the editorial strategy and product development for The American Lawyer, Law.com International, Law.com Pro, Corporate Counsel, Legaltech News, The National Law Journal and China Law & Practice. An Emmy award-winning journalist, she has covered the legal industry for nearly two decades, focusing on the business of law, client relationships, innovation in the legal industry, and mental health and well-being.
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Mary Pope
Head of Treasury Management Advisory Citi Global Wealth |
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Mary Pope is a Director at Citi Private Bank and Head of Advisory in the Banking & Treasury Management group. Mary advises and consults clients on best practices and innovations in treasury management. Prior to this role, Mary was a Sales Specialist supporting law firm clients with solutions to help streamline their banking and treasury operations. Mary has 15 years of experience in the banking industry. Prior to joining Citi, Mary was a Treasury Management Officer at J.P. Morgan, where she was responsible for developing and managing treasury relationships within the Technology and Life Science group. Prior to J.P. Morgan, Mary spent nearly ten years with the Royal Bank of Scotland, where she focused on international cash management, foreign exchange, liquidity and credit needs for large, multinational corporate clients.
Mary has a Master of Business Administration degree from the Kellogg School of Management and a Master of Science degree from the London School of Economics. She earned her Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Montana.
Mary is a Certified Treasury Professional and a member of the Association for Financial Professionals.
Mary has a Master of Business Administration degree from the Kellogg School of Management and a Master of Science degree from the London School of Economics. She earned her Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Montana.
Mary is a Certified Treasury Professional and a member of the Association for Financial Professionals.
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Jennifer A. Riley
Partner Duane Morris LLP |
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Jennifer Riley, vice chair of Duane Morris’ Class Action Group, has defended companies faced with significant complex litigation matters for more than two decades. Working on the forefront of the developing law in an ever-changing arena, Ms. Riley has represented clients facing bet-the-company cases in a wide range of complex civil litigation matters in federal and state courts across the country, and has served as trial counsel in federal court bench trials, jury trials and arbitration proceedings. In addition to her commercial litigation experience at some of the nation’s biggest law firms, Ms. Riley was in-house counsel for a Fortune 100 pharmaceutical and medical device company Ms. Riley is a graduate of University of California, Berkeley School of Law and Vanderbilt University, Jennifer is based out of Duane Morris’ Chicago office.
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Robert J. Stark
Partner Brown Rudnick |
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Robert Stark is the chair of the Firm’s Bankruptcy & Corporate Restructuring Practice Group. Robert focuses his practice on complex corporate restructuring, including in-court Chapter 11 cases and out-of-court workouts. He represents debtors/borrowers, secured and unsecured creditors, official creditor/equity committees, and other key parties-in-interest in insolvency matters of size and significance. A small sample of his case matters include: SunEdison (special litigation counsel to the debtor); Atlantis Resort and Casinos (secured lenders); Millennium Labs (secured lenders); Pier 1 Imports (secured lenders); Forest Oil/Sabine Oil & Gas (unsecured bondholders); McDermott International (unsecured bondholders); BlockFi (Official Creditors Committee); Chesapeake Energy (Official Creditors Committee); LTL Management (Official Tort Claims Committee); Revlon (Official Creditors Committee); and Washington Prime Group (Official Equity Committee).
Robert’s practice has been the subject of various media stories, including a 2021 profile published by LevFin Insights, wherein he was described as having a “hard-nosed, no-nonsense reputation, tempered with a penchant for deal making,” which has “made him a go-to lifeline in complex chapter 11 cases for a wide range of parties.” In 2022, 2020, 2019, 2018 and 2011, Robert was one of 12 attorneys nationwide named to the annual list of “Outstanding Restructuring Lawyers” published by The Beard Group’s Turnarounds & Workouts. Robert has also published extensively on insolvency and restructuring matters, including several books and widely-cited law review articles. He is frequently invited to speak and guest lecture student classes at leading law and business schools throughout the country.
Robert’s practice has been the subject of various media stories, including a 2021 profile published by LevFin Insights, wherein he was described as having a “hard-nosed, no-nonsense reputation, tempered with a penchant for deal making,” which has “made him a go-to lifeline in complex chapter 11 cases for a wide range of parties.” In 2022, 2020, 2019, 2018 and 2011, Robert was one of 12 attorneys nationwide named to the annual list of “Outstanding Restructuring Lawyers” published by The Beard Group’s Turnarounds & Workouts. Robert has also published extensively on insolvency and restructuring matters, including several books and widely-cited law review articles. He is frequently invited to speak and guest lecture student classes at leading law and business schools throughout the country.
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Michael B. Steinbach
Head of Personal Banking and Wealth Management Fraud Prevention Managing Director Citi |
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Michael Steinbach joined Citi in February 2017 as the Director of Cyber Financial Crimes Cards responsible for developing an intelligence led approach to combating significant cyber-enabled fraud. In April 2018, he assumed his current role as the Head of Personal Banking and Wealth Management Fraud Prevention. In this capacity, Michael has end to end accountability to prevent, detect, and mitigate fraud across all Consumer Bank lines of business and regions worldwide. Michael leads a dynamic organization focused on a transformative digital first strategy that delivers industry leading fraud performance while ensuring his team provides value to the customer through automation, digitization and frictionless experiences.
Before joining Citi, Michael was the Executive Assistant Director of the National Security Branch of the FBI where he provided strategic leadership for the FBI’s national security program to include all investigative and intelligence efforts involving counterterrorism, counterespionage, and the threat from weapons of mass destruction.
Michael began his 22 year career in the FBI investigating violent crimes and went on to hold numerous leadership positions to include Deputy On-scene Commander of FBI operations in Afghanistan; Legal Attaché to Tel Aviv, Israel; Deputy Director for Law Enforcement Services at the CIA's Counterterrorism Center; Special Agent in Charge of the Jacksonville and Miami Field Offices; and Assistant Director of the Counterterrorism Division.
Michael earned a degree in aerospace engineering from the US Naval Academy in 1988, after which he served as a naval aviator in the US Navy. He also holds a Homeland Security Leaders Certificate from the Naval Postgraduate School.
Before joining Citi, Michael was the Executive Assistant Director of the National Security Branch of the FBI where he provided strategic leadership for the FBI’s national security program to include all investigative and intelligence efforts involving counterterrorism, counterespionage, and the threat from weapons of mass destruction.
Michael began his 22 year career in the FBI investigating violent crimes and went on to hold numerous leadership positions to include Deputy On-scene Commander of FBI operations in Afghanistan; Legal Attaché to Tel Aviv, Israel; Deputy Director for Law Enforcement Services at the CIA's Counterterrorism Center; Special Agent in Charge of the Jacksonville and Miami Field Offices; and Assistant Director of the Counterterrorism Division.
Michael earned a degree in aerospace engineering from the US Naval Academy in 1988, after which he served as a naval aviator in the US Navy. He also holds a Homeland Security Leaders Certificate from the Naval Postgraduate School.