Lexis Practice Advisor - Corporate Counsel

Michael Avidon, a partner at Moses & Singer LLP, co-chairs the Banking and Finance Group and the International Trade group. Mike’s practice emphasizes secured and unsecured lending transactions, letter of credit transactions, letter of credit litigation, supply chain finance, and workouts. His clients include money-center banks that often act as administrative agent for a syndicate of lenders, as well as other financial institutions.

Widely recognized for his knowledge of letters of credit and secured transactions, Mike has been listed in The Best Lawyers in America® as well as Law & Politics' New York Super Lawyers®, and was a leading participant in the revision of UCC Article 5 on Letters of Credit and the preparation of the International Standby Practices (ISP98). He is a charter member of the Editorial Advisory Board of Documentary Credit World, and previously of Letter of Credit Update, and was a member of the Council on International Standby Practices. Mike also participated in drafting Rules of Arbitration for the International Center for Letter of Credit Arbitration, Inc., and he served on the American Bar Association/U.S.C.I.B. Task Force, whose 1990 report led to the UCC Article 5 revision.

Mike writes and speaks frequently on finance and letter of credit-related topics, and actively participates in bar associations and trade groups. Additionally, he’s a past Chair of the Subcommittee on Letters of Credit of the New York State Bar Association's Banking Law Committee.

Arnold N. Bressler has more than 35 years of experience in corporate and securities law. Arnie works closely with clients to understand their goals and how the legal services he provides can meet their objectives. He counsels clients on a broad range of corporate and securities matters, including mergers and acquisitions and public and private offerings. Arnie's clients include middle-market public companies and closely-held corporations from a wide range of industries, including technology and publishing. He also represents equipment finance leasing companies, as well as lenders who finance such companies. Before joining Moses & Singer, Arnie was chair of the Business Law practice group at Epstein Becker & Green, P.C., and prior to that was head of the Corporate Department at Milberg LLP for more than 20 years.

In addition to his corporate practice, Arnie co-chairs the firm's Legal Ethics & Law Firm Practice Group and is knowledgeable about the ever-changing laws and regulations in his practice areas. He is an author and lecturer on topics related to U.S. securities and corporate law issues facing lawyers in corporate legal departments and lawyers in private practice.

In his spare time, he is involved in a number of philanthropic organizations and serves on the Board of Trustees of Congregation Rodeph Sholom in New York. He also serves on the Board of Directors of the Association of Reform Zionists of America. For more than a decade, he served as a director and officer of an organization that supports social service programs in Israel. Arnie also served on the Visiting Committee of Case Western Reserve University from 1996 to 2000.

Wai Y. Chan is a partner at Moses & Singer in the firm’s Corporate/Mergers & Acquisition and Securities and Capital Markets practices. Prior to joining the firm, Wai was an associate at Espstein, Becker & Green P.C. in their Business Law Practice.

Wai advises and represents clients on finance transactions, private and public debt and equity offerings, mergers and acquisitions and general corporate matters. Wai has represented borrowers in asset-based financing transactions; a publishing and licensing company in a $48 million private placement of debt and equity securities; a purchaser in the acquisitions of equipment leasing company operating assets for $34 million and $30 million, respectively; and an Internet solutions provider in a $600 million Rule 144A debt financing, a $170 million secondary offering of common stock, and an $80 million private placement of convertible preferred stock.

Wai’s experience also includes assisting secured creditors in the acquisition and Chapter 11 reorganization of a publishing and licensing company, and assisting a security systems integrator in a $10.5 million initial public offering of common stock and a $3.3 million private placement of equity securities.

Scott Coffey guides publicly and privately held entities in a wide range of business transactions. He has extensive experience in commercial lending, the development and financing of energy and infrastructure projects, and mergers and acquisitions.

Scott has served as borrower's and lender's counsel in a variety of US and cross- border loan transactions. Additionally, Scott has handled private equity investments, joint ventures, strategic alliances, leveraged buyouts, bridge financings, private mergers and acquisitions, workouts and restructurings.

In the energy sector, Scott has represented borrowers and sponsors in financing the development, construction, acquisition and operation of renewable energy projects including wind-powered, solar, geothermal and wood-burning generating facilities, as well as simple- and combined-cycle natural gas-fired and oil-fired electric energy generating facilities.

Scott has been named an up-and-coming lawyer by South Florida Legal Guide each year since 2008. Since 2009 he has been selected for inclusion in Florida Super Lawyers-Rising Stars. He was also listed in Who's Who Legal: Florida 2008 for his project finance practice.

Martin S. Cooper is of counsel in the corporate department of Olshan Frome Wolosky LLP , and focuses his practice on securities, financings, mergers and acquisitions, and corporate representation. He has experience with a wide variety of transactions, including venture capital investments, securities offerings, secured and unsecured corporate financings and corporate acquisitions and divestitures. Martin's practice includes representation of investors and issuers in connection with venture capital transactions, shareholder and other equity holder agreements, private placements and public offerings of equity and debt securities, and secured and unsecured loan transactions. He also has experience advising not-for-profit entities in connection with governance, financial and other corporate issues.

Martin has served as counsel to the following:

• Several New York-based private equity and hedge fund managers with respect to the organization and initial placement of interests in their funds.
• Several New York-based venture capital funds in multiple rounds of financing for start-up and development stage companies in various industries and locations.
• A publicly-held company with respect to ongoing securities law compliance, including periodic Securities Exchange Act filings and Sarbanes-Oxley compliance.
• Executives in connection with ongoing employment and equity arrangements in an acquiring company.
• A bank client in connection with factoring business, including negotiation and preparation of contracts for the conduct and disposition of the business.
• A publicly held company with respect to its issuance of high-yield debt, including negotiation with placement agent and its counsel, preparation of offering materials, and registration with and response to comments of the Securities and Exchange Commission.
• Borrowers in out-of-state real estate and mezzanine loan transactions with respect to the application of New York law and the rendering of opinions in connection therewith.

Martin earned his J.D. from Harvard Law School and his A.B., cum laude, from Brown University.

Jeffrey M. Davis is a partner at Moses & Singer in the firm’s Corporate/Mergers and Acquisitions practice and is co-chair of the Hotel and Hospitality practice. Jeff represents large hotels and leisure companies as well as private investors, using his particular knowledge of the hotel and hospitality industry to assist hotel owners, developers and operators in the negotiation of management, technical services and trademark licensing agreements.

In addition to the hotel and hospitality industry, Jeff has broad experience representing advertising and public relations firms. With his extensive knowledge of mergers, acquisitions, divestitures, financing and general corporate law, he works with clients in the advertising industry to help them avoid potential risks.

Clients from diverse industries such as healthcare, media, consumer products, telecommunications, manufacturing, retail, and financial services seek Jeff’s counsel in negotiating financing transactions such as equity, venture capital, and public and private debt, the creation of new business entities, and contractual relationships. He also advises clients on matters involving general corporate and securities law, drawing on his substantial experience with mergers and acquisitions, employment and compensation arrangements, licensing agreements and the formation and operation of partnerships and limited liability companies.

Craig Etem is a shareholder in the business law department of Lionel Sawyer & Collins. His practice emphasis is on corporate and business organization law and real estate transactions. He advises local and national companies, both privately and publicly held, on all aspects of Nevada business organization law including mergers and acquisitions, fiduciary duty issues and corporate governance. Craig also works extensively on real estate acquisition and financing transactions as well as loan modifications and related matters.

Craig is an author of Lionel Sawyer & Collins's publication Doing Business in Nevada and also contributes business law articles to local business publications. Prior to attending law school, Craig worked in the real estate management and development industry for thirteen years. His extensive background in business combined with his legal training allows Craig unique insight and knowledge as he represents the firm's clients in business transactions. Craig is listed in The Best Lawyers in America for Real Estate Law and Corporate Law, and in Chambers USA for Corporate/Commercial Law. He has an AV rating in the Martindale-Hubbell directory.

Craig earned his J.D., magna cum laude, from Georgetown University Law Center and his B.S. in Business from California State University, Long Beach.

In his spare time, Craig is an active member of the business community. He is involved in both the Reno/Sparks Chamber of Commerce and the Economic Development Authority of Western Nevada (EDAWN). Additionally, he gives back to the community through his involvement in public education, including donations and assistance to a local "at-risk" elementary school and serving as a tutor to English as a Second Language students at a local middle and high school. Craig is an active member of Parent Leaders for Education, a grassroots group devoted to improving the quality of public education in Nevada.

Stephen I. Glover is a partner at Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher in Washington, D.C. He has extensive experience representing public and private companies in complex mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures and other transaction matters.

Stephen has been ranked one of the top five corporate transactions attorneys in Washington, D.C. for the past seven years (2005 - 2011) by Chambers USA America's Leading Business Lawyers. He is listed in the 2012 edition of The Best Lawyers in America® in the categories of corporate law, mergers and acquisitions law, and securities and capital markets law. In August 2009 he was named as a finalist for the top Washington Corporate M&A lawyer by The Washington Business Journal. He was also a finalist in 2007 and 2005, and won the award in 2004. In 2006, Stephen was identified among Ten of the D.C. Area's Top Deal-Making Attorneys' by Legal Times.

Stephen's clients include large public corporations, emerging growth companies and middle market companies in a wide range of industries. He also advises private equity firms, individual investors and others.

Stephen is a member of the DC Bar Board of Governors, as well as a former co-chair of the Steering Committee for the D.C. Bar's Corporation, Finance and Securities Law Section. Mr. Glover has also served as an Adjunct Professor at the Georgetown University Law Center.

Stephen earned his J.D., cum laude, from Harvard Law School, where he was Managing Editor of the Harvard Law Review. He received his B.A., summa cum laude, from Amherst College.

Cindy Hangartner advises clients on taxation issues in the areas of business and corporate law, tax and estate planning. She also advises clients on telecommunication issues.

Prior to joining the Weld, Riley firm, Cindy provided detailed tax analysis and guidance to individuals and Fortune 500 companies. In that time, Cindy provided advice on federal, state and local tax laws for a major tax advisory authority, telecommunications entities and multiple Fortune 500 companies. While working for two international companies, Cindy maintained and managed each company's compliance with regulations and industry standards.

Cindy earned her J.D. from the University of Wisconsin, Madison, her M.A. in Taxation from the University of Denver, and her B.A. in Economics from the University of Wisconsin, Madison. Cindy is a member of the Eau Claire County Bar Association and the Wisconsin Bar Association. She is also admitted to practice in Illinois, Colorado and Iowa.

In her free time, Cindy enjoys snowshoeing, golfing, football and has an interest in local history and genealogy.

Howard R. Herman has been practicing corporate, mergers and acquisitions and general commercial and transactional law for more than 30 years. He has been a partner with Moses & Singer since 1986 and is a chair of the firm’s Corporate/Mergers and Acquisitions and International Trade practices. His broad-based practice, with private and public companies and institutional and non-institutional clients in a wide range of industries, includes mergers and acquisitions; mezzanine, venture capital and senior debt financings; restructurings and reorganizations both in and outside of bankruptcy; project finance; and public and private debt and equity offerings. He also represents funds sponsors and managers in connection with hedge funds, private equity funds and other private investment funds.

Advising clients in all stages of their life cycle, from formation, through growth and capital-raising and through exit and succession planning, Howard works with his clients on large transactions such as financings and acquisitions, but also on employment and compensation arrangements, governance issues, strategic partnerships , joint ventures, trade matters and other commercial issues.

Howard was named a BTI Client Service MVP, an elite group of 24 attorneys from 22 major firms nominated exclusively by clients for consistently delivering excellence in client service, year after year.

Howard is also honored with a listing in Law & Politics’ New York Super Lawyers and is rated AV Preeminent by Martindale-Hubbell.

Margaret “Peggy” Hosking is a partner in Best Best & Krieger LLP with the Business Planning & Transactions group at the firm’s Riverside office. Her practice focuses on all aspects of business representation from start-up and formation through exit or succession planning with an emphasis on mergers and acquisitions, and commercial real estate transactions. 

Thomas D. Kearns is a partner in the real estate department of Olshan Frome Wolosky LLP. He has significant experience in both real estate and corporate law. Thomas specializes in representing owners, operators and developers in the acquisition, development, leasing and financing of office, residential and retail properties. He has extensive experience with joint venture, LLC, tenant-in-common and other agreements between co-venturers and with sophisticated condominium or other joint ownership arrangements of real estate. He is also an expert on the impact of federal and state securities laws on real estate.

Thomas has been repeatedly named in the New York Super Lawyers list and is an Associate Partner of the Partnership for New York City.

Thomas earned his J.D. from Fordham University School of Law, M.B.A. from Fordham University, and B.A. from Fordham University.

Thomas has served as an instructor with the Continuing Legal Education program at Fordham Law School, teaching courses on Limited Liability Companies and Residential Real Estate, and with the Stephen Newman Real Estate Institute of Baruch College, teaching a course on Real Estate Investment Trusts. He has served in various leadership roles with the Real Property Section of the American Bar Association and most recently was a Book Editor for the Real Property Section. Additionally Mr. Kearns co-authored a LexisNexis® commentary entitled "Drafting General Releases After Centro: How to Preclude or Preserve Future Claims of Fraud and Breach of Fiduciary Duty." The article addresses a recent New York Court of Appeals decision overruling the First Department's ruling in Blue Chip Emerald LLC and highlighting New York's enforcement of general releases between fiduciaries.

Devika Kewalramani is a partner and co-chair of Moses & Singer's Legal Ethics & Law Firm Practice, advising law firms, lawyers and legal departments on ethical, legal and business aspects of law practice.  Devika’s practice focuses on the laws that regulate lawyers.  She counsels on a variety of issues relating to legal ethics, professional discipline and law firm disputes.  Devika conducts ethics audits for law firms and develops risk management compliance manuals for firms.

Devika is an author of Lexis Practice Advisor’s Corporate Counsel module: Ethics for In-House Counsel (2012).  She is a co-editor and contributor of three chapters to "The New York Rules of Professional Conduct," Oxford University Press and New York County Lawyers' Association (2010 and 2011), including "Rule 1.7 - Conflicts of Interest: Current Clients," "Rule 1.8 - Current Clients: Specific Conflicts of Interest Rules," and "Rule 1.9 - Duties to Former Clients."

Devika has published numerous articles on cutting edge ethics-related topics ranging from virtual law offices to elder law practice in New York Law Journal, New York State Bar Association Journal, The Practical Lawyer, Forbes.com and Thomson Reuters News & Insight.

Devika has lectured widely on professional ethics matters.  She speaks to corporate legal departments, law firms, bar associations and other professional organizations on conflicts of interest, engagement letters, unauthorized practice of law, attorney advertising, e-discovery, cloud computing,  social media and cyber liability.  The editor of New York State Bar Association Journal recognized Devika as author of one of the best articles of 2010:  "Up Close and Professional with New York's Engagement Letter Rules" (September 2010).  She is a faculty member of the Practising Law Institute and of Lawline.com.

Mark S. Klein focuses his practice on New York State and New York City tax matters and splits his time between the Buffalo and New York City offices of Hodgson Russ. He has 30 years of professional experience in the fields of federal, multistate, state, and local taxation.

Mark writes and lectures extensively on tax topics and teaches courses on state taxation and tax practice and procedure for the University at Buffalo School of Management Tax Certificate Program. His articles have appeared in The CPA Journal, the Journal of Multistate Taxation and Incentives, and in other publications devoted to multistate tax issues. Mr. Klein's most recent article, "Handling a Tax Audit: 3 Traps for the Unwary," was published in an October 2011 issue of Tax Stringer, a publication of the New York State Society of Certified Public Accountants.

Mark has also written numerous books and treatises on the subject of multistate taxation. He is the general editor of LexisNexis® Tax Practice Insights: New York, 2010 edition, and the editor of New York Tax Highlights.

Mark earned his J.D., magna cum laude, from the University at Buffalo Law School, State University of New York, and B.S., summa cum laude, from the State University of New York College at Buffalo.

James M. Lawniczak is a partner at Calfee, Halter & Griswold LLP in Cleveland, Ohio. He concentrates his practice on corporate bankruptcy, creditors' rights, and commercial business and finance matters. His experience includes bankruptcy plans and related disclosure statements, cash collateral and financing orders, asset sales, executory contracts and unexpired leases, and bankruptcy litigation and appeals.

Jim has successfully managed complex bankruptcies and reorganizations for private and public companies in the steel, manufacturing and retail industries. His work includes serving as debtors' counsel in the successful reorganization of the Wheeling-Pittsburgh Steel Corporation. Jim also facilitated the 363 sale of Republic Storage Systems Company and Concord Steel Inc., where his guidance enabled them to sell their business while preserving critical assets and jobs.

Jim is a frequent author and lecturer in his field. He is a contributing author to the 16th edition of Collier on Bankruptcy, the leading national treatise on bankruptcy law. He authors the bankruptcy chapters of Lexis's Asset Based Financing and Business Organizations with Tax Planning treatises. Jim is a featured online contributor to the "LexisNexis^® Expert Commentaries" series, providing insight on significant, high-profile bankruptcy cases, and he has been a featured panelist in Financier Worldwide. He has been listed in multiple editions of Chambers USA as a Leading Lawyer for bankruptcy and restructuring and recognized as one of the Best Lawyers in America.

Jim earned his J.D., magna cum laude, from the University of Michigan Law School and his B.A., magna cum laude, from the University of Michigan.

In his spare time Jim is a legal advisor to Shaw High School's mock trial team and is involved in the Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Association 3Rs program. Rights, Responsibilities, Realities is an award-winning educational program for high school students.

Stella Lellos is a partner in Moses & Singer’s Corporate/Mergers and Acquisitions department, where her practice is concentrated on mergers and acquisitions, corporate finance transactions and general corporate representation of U.S.-based and international companies.

With extensive experience in all aspects of complex corporate transactions, Stella has handled numerous acquisitions and dispositions of privately owned businesses in a variety of industries, many involving cross-border issues. Additionally, she has represented debtors and acquirers in distressed merger and acquisition transactions, including Section 363 asset sales as well as out-of-court transactions, and regularly advises clients on structuring and implementing domestic and international joint ventures, trademark and software licensing, executive compensation issues and corporate governance matters.

Andrew Loewinger is a partner at Nixon Peabody LLP, Washington, DC, concentrating his practice on domestic and international franchising, as well as corporate, intellectual property, regulatory, and transactional issues. He is a key member of the international franchising practice, which represents world leaders in franchising and retail distribution. He has handled several hundred inbound and outbound franchise transactions and joint ventures in more than 85 countries.

He is the co-author and co-editor of International Franchise Sales Laws, published by the American Bar Association on franchise sales laws around the world. He is a frequent contributor to franchise publications and a frequent speaker at franchise programs held by the American Bar Association’s Forum Committee on Franchising, the International Bar Association International Franchising Committee, and the International Franchise Association.

Andrew is recognized as one of the top franchise lawyers in the United States and internationally in Who’s Who Legal 2010 and the International Who’s Who of Franchise Lawyers 2011 and 2012. He has been recognized for the fifth consecutive year for exceptional standing in the national legal community in Chambers USA: America’s Leading Lawyers for Business 2012 for franchise work. For the past seven years, he also has been recognized as a “Legal Eagle” by Franchise Times, an honor accorded the top franchise lawyers in the United States based on peer and client nominations. Additionally, Andrew has been selected for the seventh consecutive year for inclusion in 2013 edition of The Best Lawyers in America®, a national listing based on a rigorous peer-review survey.

With over 900 attorneys and 56 offices throughout the U.S. and globally, Littler Mendelson is the world’s largest labor and employment firm exclusively devoted to representing management. As the only U.S. member of the Ius Laboris global alliance, Littler has extensive resources to address the needs of multi-national clients, from navigating international employment laws and labor relations issues to applying corporate policies worldwide. Established in 1942, the firm has litigated, mediated and negotiated some of the most influential employment law cases and labor contracts on record.

Paul McGrady is a partner with Winston & Strawn, Chicago, serving as chair of Winston’s Trademark, Domain Names and Brand Enforcement practice. He focuses his practice in trademarks, domain names and social media, working with clients in the adoption, prosecution, licensing and enforcement of trademarks in the United States and throughout the world.

Paul represents large-brand owners, including new generic Top Level Domain (gTLD) applicants in their domain name and Internet matters. His experience includes domain name disputes, domain name transactions, the creation of new top level domain names, CAN-SPAM disputes, Computer Fraud & Abuse Act disputes, online copyright and brand identity disputes and transactions and counseling related to intellectual property aspects of social/mobile media. He has successfully handled more than 300 proceedings under the Uniform Domain Dispute Resolution Procedure (UDRP), multiple litigations brought under the Anti-Cybersquatting Consumer Protection Act (ACPA), and successful actions under foreign domain name dispute policies.

Paul has taught Advanced Trademarks and Cyberlaw at DePaul Law School. In 2008, he was selected by IP Law & Business as one of the “Top 50 Under 45” most influential intellectual property attorneys in the United States. In 2011, he was recognized in the World Trademark Review’s “WTR 1000” as a world leading trademark individual for contentious and non-contentious work. Additionally, he is the author of McGrady on Domain Names, the three-volume definitive treatise on domain name law, published by LexisNexis and now in its twelfth release, and McGrady on Social Media, published by LexisNexis in 2011.

Ivan Mitev is a tax associate at Boies, Schiller & Flexner LLP in New York City. Ivan focuses his practice on the domestic and international aspects of private equity and hedge fund taxation and the formation, recapitalization, merger, sale, and liquidation of partnerships and LLCs. Ivan has worked on a range of transactions from small acquisitions of several million dollars to large partnership reorganizations of over a half billion dollars, spanning from Canada to Eastern Europe and Latin America.

Ivan has authored several notable tax works, including one of the few books that are exclusively devoted to the taxation of the investment fund industry, "The Private Equity and Venture Capital Tax Manual", published by the ABA in 2011. In addition, Mr. Mitev co-authored, along with his colleague Matt Kaden, the tax book "Drafting Partnership and LLC Agreements: Tax Boilerplate, Allocation, and Liquidation Provisions," published by Matthew Bender. Mr. Mitev has also authored, or co-authored with Michael Kosnitzky or Matt Kaden, other articles, presentations and podcasts available on Mr. Mitev's website profile on Boies, Schiller & Flexner LLP's website.

Ivan is also the founder of fund-taxation.com, one of the few leading blogs dedicated to the taxation of the investment fund industry.

Ivan is featured on Lexis Tax Center under Contributor Spotlight along with the tax practice groups of McDermott Will & Emery and Sutherland and Pepper Hamilton LLP. He participates in several committees, such as the FATCA committee of the Wall Street Tax association, and often contributes to discussions on the ABA's tax listserv, which is considered one of the preeminent places on the internet for practitioners to exchange thoughts on topical tax issues.

Ivan graduated law school in his home country of Bulgaria. After emigrating to the U.S., he earned his J.D. and Tax LL.M from the University of Miami School of Law.

He is fluent in several languages including Bulgarian, Russian and Spanish.

Timothy Murray is a partner with Murray, Hogue & Lannis in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He is currently updating numerous chapters in Lexis' landmark formbook series, Rabkin & Johnson Current Legal Forms, including the chapters on sales, patent license agreements, franchising, joint ventures, assignments, and many others, and is also one of Lexis' authors of Emerging Issues Analysis.

Additionally, Timothy and Dr. John E. Murray, Jr., co-author the biannual supplements to the landmark contract law treatise Corbin on Contracts, and they collaborated on Contract Law for the 21st Century Lawyer: Critical Analysis and Practical Application (PBI Press), the book for contract law practitioners.

Timothy has represented numerous businesses and individuals in various contract transactional matters and disputes, including General Motors Corporation, Bayer Corporation, Georgia-Pacific Corporation, Alcoa, Nissan North America, companies of the Marmon Group, Mazda Motors of America, General Reinsurance, Lanxess Corporation, TWA, Kawasaki Motors, Nova Chemicals, Renda Broadcasting and Electrolux. Timothy also has been course planner for numerous contract law seminars as well as a presenter at contract law seminars for the Pennsylvania Bar Institute.

Andrew Oliver is a partner at Moses & Singer in the firm’s Corporate/Mergers and Acquisitions and Private Funds practice groups. He advises corporate clients in structuring and negotiating a wide-range of transactions that includes mergers and acquisitions, asset dispositions, joint ventures and private placements of debt and equity securities.

Andrew also represents start-ups and established companies in various industries, including advertising, media and communications, financial and professional services and healthcare, and advises clients in the technology/software, entertainment, manufacturing and retail industries as well as not-for-profit entities.

He has substantial knowledge in matters involving venture capital investments, start-up company formation and financing, executive employment and severance arrangements, commercial contracts, corporate governance and general commercial matters. For investment fund sponsors, Andrew frequently advises on the formation and operation of domestic and offshore private equity and hedge funds. Additionally, he represents private fund investors and has significant experience negotiating secondary sales of private equity fund interests.

Patrick Simpson is a senior partner in the corporate finance group of Perkins Coie LLP, an international law firm. He has over 40 years of experience and has represented public and private companies in mergers and acquisitions, corporate governance and financing transactions. He is a former chair of the Oregon Securities Law Section and a member of a task force reviewing and rewriting the Oregon Securities Law. He is a frequent speaker on corporate governance and securities law matters.

Patrick represents issuers and investors in a variety of private company investments, including seed and venture capital financings. He represents companies in public offerings of debt and equity. He has advised boards of public companies and committees with regard to corporate governance matters, including the conduct of an internal investigation by a special committee of a board of directors, representation of a special committee of a board of directors regarding interested director transactions, and representation of a committee of independent directors with regard to compliance with restrictions on doing business in certain foreign countries.

Patrick represents public and private companies in merger and acquisition transactions, representation of a private health care consulting company in a sale to a publicly held consulting firm, and representation of a public company in the sale of control to a private equity firm.

Patrick has recently represented a land and mineral owner in negotiation of a joint venture to build the first underground coal gassification project in the United States and has represented the majority equity investor in connection with the development of a 103MW wind generating facility.

Patrick earned his J.D. from the University of California, Berkeley School of Law, and his A.B. in Economics from the University of California at Berkeley.

In his spare time Patrick serves on the Stand for Children advisory board, the board of trustees for Columbia Funds and as a senior fellow with the American Leadership Forum. He has been a board member of the Pacific Crest Outward Bound School and the Pacific Northwest College of Art.

Dean R. Swagert, Jr.,a partner at Moses & Singer, is a co-chair of the Corporate/Mergers and Acquisitions practice group. He focuses on mergers and acquisitions, corporate finance, joint ventures, strategic alliances and general corporate counseling, and has significant experience and expertise representing clients in the media, marketing, advertising, entertainment and information technology industries. Dean is also active in structuring and negotiating executive employment and severance arrangements.

Prior to joining Moses & Singer, Dean was a managing director of a private investment and financial advisory firm. He has represented fund sponsors in the formation of venture capital, private equity and hedge funds, and assists the funds and their portfolio companies in follow-on acquisitions and investments. Dean also frequently helps start-up, early stage and emerging growth companies in their formation, financing, strategic initiatives and general business counseling needs.

Julie Treppa advises clients on the qualifications for federal and state tax incentives, including the New Markets Tax Credit. Her practice includes structuring investments, forming venture capital funds, buyout funds and other investment partnerships; international, federal, state and local taxation with respect to mergers and acquisitions; joint ventures; venture capital investments; executive compensation; and sales and use taxation.

Julie is an experienced tax litigator successfully representing clients in federal and state tax controversies in U.S. Tax Court, U.S. District Court, and various California courts. Prior to the practice of law, Ms. Treppa worked as a tax auditor for the Internal Revenue Service in the Exam Division.

Julie earned her J.D., magna cum laude, from the University of San Francisco School of Law, her M.A. in Taxation from Golden Gate University School of Tax and her B.A. in Economics and Political Science from the University of California, Davis.

Julie's representative cases include Ceridian Corp. v. Franchise Tax Board, 85 Cal. App. 4th 875 (2000), and Santa Fe Aggregates, Inc. v. State Board of Equalization, San Francisco County Superior Court No. 993-824.

Nicholas Unkovic is co-chair of Squire Sanders' mergers and acquisitions practice, a managing partner of its Northern California offices and a former member of its management committee. He advises domestic and multinational life sciences, technology and financial enterprises on corporate law, and he has experience in strategic alliances, mergers and acquisitions, and emerging company representation. A significant portion of his work involves international transactions, especially on behalf of clients based in Asia and Europe.

Nick also has substantial securities law experience, including public and private offerings of equity and debt securities, both in the United States and internationally. He managed numerous public company acquisitions including a tender offer for a NYSE-listed company and a contested bank acquisition. Nick advises on corporate governance and 1934 Act disclosure issues, and he has served as chair of a public company's audit committee.

Nick earned his J.D. from the University of Michigan, graduating with honors. He earned his A.B., magna cum laude, from Harvard University.

Nick has regularly been named in The Best Lawyers in America and as one of Silicon Valley's top corporate lawyers in San Jose Magazine. Law & Politics magazine has included him among its Northern California Super Lawyers each year since 2005.

Margaret J. Walrath is an associate with Squire Sanders and focuses her practice on general corporate, securities, and mergers and acquisitions representations. Margaret's securities experience includes drafting registration statements and prospectuses and coordinating responses to SEC comments.

Margaret also guides clients through private placement transactions and related documentation, including purchase agreements, warrants, certificates of designations and registration rights agreements.

Margaret's M&A experience includes drafting and negotiating acquisition agreements, financing documents, employment agreements and opinions.

Margaret earned her J.D. from Georgetown University and her B.A., cum laude, from Claremont McKenna College.

Andrew W. Wright, an associate in the Buffalo office of Hodgson Russ LLP, focuses his practice on state and local tax matters. In particular, Andrew assists in disputes with the New York State Department of Taxation and Finance and the New York City Department of Finance. He also handles sales tax, corporate franchise tax, personal income tax and residency audits.