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Hello All
The last few months have been packed with activity. We announced our expansion from three to eight, then nine regions. We transitioned 15 colleagues into new leadership roles as Office Managing Principals and Office Litigation Managers. We launched a new training and mentorship program for first-year associates. We won the first-ever IDEAward presented by one of our biggest clients, Verizon.
Welcome new attorneys
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Spotlight on PRO BONO
Read about some of our recent pro bono efforts.
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Check out wonderful personal milestones.
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NEWSLETTER | April 2023
Home
Celebrate
Welcome
Spotlight on Pro Bono
Hello All,
The last few months have been packed with activity. We announced our expansion from three to eight, then nine regions. We transitioned 15 colleagues into new leadership roles as Office Managing Principals and Office Litigation Managers. We launched a new training and mentorship program for first-year associates. We won the first-ever IDEAward presented by one of our biggest clients, Verizon. We held our 2023 Corporate Counsel Conference in Dana Point, California. And last but certainly not least, we celebrated our 65th anniversary as a firm.
I can hardly believe we’re already entering Q2, but I can also hardly believe all that we accomplished in Q1! I hope you feel as energized as I do by these milestones, and I look forward to generating more momentum as we anticipate our new website launch, our incoming class of summer associates and more. Until then, join me in reflecting on some of the activities and achievements that have defined the last several months. Best, Kevin
We made the list of 2022 Most Recommended Law Firms by BTI Consulting Group for demonstrating a culture dedicated to understanding our clients’ needs.
Firm Named Most Recommend Law Firm by BTI
We have received a bronze-level Healthy Workforce Designation for demonstrating a commitment to improving the health and well-being of our people. Recipients are reviewed across core wellness competencies including leadership and culture, program foundations and execution, and whole person health.
Cigna Healthcare Recognizes Jackson Lewis with Healthy Workforce Designation
Our Transactional Services group successfully represented global private equity firm, Warburg Pincus, in its $250M equity investment in Montana Renewables LLC (MRL). This reflects an enterprise value of MRL of $2.25B. More details can be found here. Once fully operational, Montana Renewables, based in Great Falls, Montana, will use waste feedstocks to produce low-emission alternatives that directly replace fossil fuel products. Jackson Lewis worked alongside Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton LLP on this transaction. Rick Vitarelli and I had invaluable assistance from Steve Silvestri, Rob Perry, Dan Doron, Kevin Sibbernsen, David Pixley and Contessa Brundridge. Dana Weisbrod is PCA for Warburg Pincus.
Team Success for Transactional Services Group
Nicky Jatana and Amanda Papac, with assistance from Sandra Chavez, Betty Arnold and Tina Ledesma, obtained an order granting three motions for summary judgment in favor of Ferrellgas, Inc., and an individually named defendant in a lawsuit brought by two former employees. The plaintiffs brought various wage and hour claims and claims of harassment, retaliation, discrimination, and wrongful termination. The court found that Ferrellgas, Inc. acted with legitimate business reasons and that alleged discriminatory comments and temporal proximity were insufficient to withstand summary judgment. After three years of litigation, and with trial within a month, the team successfully secured a complete dismissal of the entire lawsuit.
Los Angeles Office Success
L&E Global, of which we are a founding member, scored a Band 1 ranking in The Elite-Global: Multi-Jurisdictional Employment and Labour by Chambers Global. Recognized for curating its regional footprints into a strong international presence, 2023 marks its sixth appearance on the list.
Office Litigation Managers
Office Managing Principals
Jason Gavejian Berkeley Heights
Jim Shea Hartford
Patty Pryor (Cincinnati and Dayton)
Donny English (Baltimore)
Stephanie Lewis (Charlotte)
Jessica Liss (Kansas City)
Ben Sharkey (Tampa)
Emily Gelhaus (Cincinnati and Dayton)
Veronica Hunter (Houston)
Kathleen Lucchesi (Charlotte)
Dale Kuykendall (Sacramento)
Ryan Martin (Louisville)
Kathy McGinley (Baltimore)
Sarah Herlihy (Boston)
Office Managing Principal
Doug Klein New York City
Ana Shields Long Island
Charles Wilson (Houston)
Ellison McCoy Greenville
Dana Weisbrod New York City
Brett Anders Berkeley Heights
Allison Dearington Hartford
Jeffrey Brecher Long Island
Chase Samples Greenville
Gina Janeiro Minneapolis
Lynlee Wells Palmer Birmingham
Amanda Simpson Orlando
Pat Peters Cleveland
Joshua Scott Portsmouth
Gregory Alvarez Berkeley Heights
Tanya Bovée Hartford
Regional Coordinators
We’ve been recognized in the International Employment Lawyer’s IEL Elites guide as a leading U.S. labor and employment law team that offers innovative and high-value advice to employers and demonstrates a depth of experience across a broad spectrum of advisory, disputes and transactional work.
International Employment Lawyer Names Us an IEL Elite Firm
Verizon has recognized us with their inaugural IDEAward for demonstrating excellence in promoting diversity, equity and inclusion. The award spotlights our programs and best practices to advance DEI and belonging within our firm and the wider legal profession.
Verizon Selects Jackson Lewis as First IDEAward Honoree
L&E Global Maintains Elite Ranking in Chambers Global
Get to Know Samantha Hoffman
Samantha Hoffman, firm managing principal and regional coordinator of our California offices, shared her Jackson Lewis story with the firm in a Q&A style program for Women’s History month. Samantha’s testimonial included personal anecdotes, life lessons and career advice for both new and seasoned leaders. Watch the recording on JLink.
Why do you think it’s important for the firm to participate in the Mansfield Certification?
Julia Argentieri: It demonstrates our commitment to professional growth for diverse attorneys and building relationships with companies who care about that commitment. Keerthi Sugumaran: The program provides opportunities for diverse attorneys to gain experience pitching in front of clients and potential clients. Likewise, it provides clients an opportunity to learn about new practice areas, as the participants work to cross-sell different services.
Courtroom Insight Now Available Firm-wide
The Legal Research & Knowledge Management team has launched Courtroom Insight, a software that enables us to aggregate and centralize internal feedback related to adverse counsel, arbitrators, mediators, experts and judges, and make it available firmwide. The team has also upgraded our Lexis platform to Lexis+, which features superior legal research, practical guidance, analytics and breaking legal news. Contact the team to learn more.
Professional Development Rolls Out First-Year Associate Training Program
Our Professional Development team has launched Learning Through Work, a nine-month, experiential learning opportunity for first-year associates to increase their exposure to specialized practice areas through observation, client-billable and pro bono legal service opportunities. Learn more.
What advice would you give to future Mansfield participants?
JA: Lots of prep about the companies and be prepared to cross-sell all of our unique sub-areas in detail. KS: Although some pitches may just be for practice, there is still real opportunity. Indeed, we went into an Uber pitch thinking that it would not result in any additional business as it was a current client and the working attorneys had recently conducted a pitch. However, for Mansfield certification purposes, Uber was also looking to leverage the diverse talent of its legal partners and the pitch immediately resulted in new business.
Embracing Our Whole Team at Work: Adding Pronouns and Updating Personal Information
In April, the firm, spearheaded by our DEI Team, announced the option to include pronouns, parenthetical name and pronunciation to your email signature (and eventually other internal systems and external outlets), as well as an opportunity to self-identify. This effort reinforces the firm’s commitment to fostering an inclusive workplace and gives colleagues an opportunity to demonstrate their allyship and support. If you have questions or would like to add your pronouns or self-identification designations, please visit the DEI page for instructions.
Referral Policy
The firm appreciates when you refer a candidate, as some of our best hires come from our current employees. Please take a moment to review the Jackson Lewis Referral Program. ALL REFERRALS must be submitted through Workday in order to be eligible for the monetary award. Additionally, referrals must be submitted prior to a candidate’s application.
Stephanie Adler-Paindiris and Stephanie Satterfield received the 2023 Law360 Distinguished Legal Writing Award from the Burton Awards for their article, “Judge Jackson’s Employment Rulings Embody Pragmatism.” Stephanie Adler-Paindiris was also recognized as a Distinguished Leader as part of ALM’s Florida Legal Awards for demonstrating strong business performance and valuable leadership in 2022.
New Additions
Aiden (Ryan Chapoteau)
Lila and Noah (Andy Oxman)
New Partnerships
Charles DiNunzio and Jordan Thatcher
Engagements
HR Assistance via Workday
Workday has expanded our resources and tools, as well as enhanced several processes, including for year-end performance evaluations. Recently, HR launched the Help app in Workday, which has several features, including a collection of FAQs and the ability to submit questions while logged into Workday! Learn how to use the Help app. Stay tuned for more features!
Resources to Support Identity-Based Trauma
In January the Diversity, Equity & Inclusion team hosted a webinar to provide resources, tools and mechanisms to help cope with identity-based trauma following impactful events. Access the recording as well as firm-sponsored resources to support a healthy workplace.
Introducing Unmind: A New Tool for Mental Health and Wellness
All employees now have access to Unmind, an app that provides confidential access to tools, training and exercises to support your well-being. Rooted in neuroscience, cognitive behavioral therapy, mindfulness and positive psychology, Unmind can help improve sleep, master distraction, dissolve tension and more. Learn how to set up your account.
Firm-wide Subscription to The Wall Street Journal Now Available
All employees now have access to a free Wall Street Journal subscription, accessible via single sign-on while logged into the JL Network. Learn how to activate your subscription.
In Memoriam
Robert Alpert, a trusted colleague on our Marketing & Business Development team in New York City, passed away unexpectedly in February. Rob served as a marketing coordinator and was a steadfast presence on the team for nearly 20 years. He will be greatly missed.
Nicolás (Catalina Cadavid)
Quinn Eaton was named a 2022 Pro Bono Leader by the ABA Standing Committee on Pro Bono and Public Service for his work with the virtual pro bono advice clinic, ABA Free Legal Answers.
Mia Farber was recognized on the Los Angeles Business Journal’s 2022 Leaders of Influence: Labor & Employment Attorneys list. The list is comprised of attorneys who have demonstrated a significant impact made on the legal profession and on the Los Angeles community.
Laura Mitchell, Amy Peck and Joe Lazzarotti were named to JD Supra’s 2023 Reader’s Choice Awards, which highlights thought leaders for achieving the highest visibility and engagement among JD Supra readers for their particular fields.
Otieno Ombok was recognized in The National Law Review’s 2022 “Go-To Thought Leadership Awards” for the legal insights he authored over the past year.
Nita Parikh was featured in the Los Angeles Business Journal’s 2023 Leaders of Influence: Minority Attorneys list. This award honors minority attorneys considered to be particularly impactful on the legal scene while serving as trusted advisors in the Los Angeles region.
Chris Repole was named to the National LGBTQ+ Bar Association's 2023 40 Under 40 class for his practice and demonstrated commitment to LGBTQ+ equality.
John Sander was named a thought Leader in Who's Who Legal's Thought Leaders: USA 2023 list in the Labor Employment & Benefits category.
James Shea has been named a “Champion of Youth” honoree by Our Piece of the Pie for his dedication and support of OPP’s mission to create opportunities of growth for disadvantaged communities in Connecticut.
Amy Verhulst has been elected Secretary of the Legal Marketing Association's (LMA) International Board of Directors. This is her second term on the LMA Board—previously, she served as Chair and Board Liaison to the LMA Regional Leaders’ Committee.
Christopher Valentino was featured in the Long Island Business News’s 2023 Business Influencers – Law list. The list highlights prominent industry leaders who demonstrate exceptional commitment to their craft within the Long Island business community.
Peter Woo has been appointed as Board Chairperson and President of the Asian American Insurance Network, where he will help further the organization’s mission to offer professional development and growth opportunities to Asian-Pacific Islander professionals in the insurance and business industries. Peter is also the organization’s co-founder.
Meyoshia Bethea, Janean Dunn, Cassandra Horton, Desireé Langley, Tenechia Lockhart, Asha Lopez, Ikedi Onyemaobim, Javas Smith, Trisana Spence, Darran St.Ange, Tyla Swinton and Brittney Willis for being named to The National Black Lawyers 40 Under 40 list.
Michael Thomas was featured in the Los Angeles Times’ 2022 Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Accessibility magazine as a DEIA Visionary. The magazine highlights prominent thought leaders in the California business community who prioritize diversity, equity and inclusion policies within their respective sectors.
Crystal Turenne and Kristie Chizmadia both gained an Inclusive Leadership certificate from the Professional Development Consortium following a two-day virtual conference program that provided tools to cultivate diversity, equity and inclusion within a legal organization.
Felice Ekelman co-authored “Thrive with a Hybrid Workplace: Step-by-Step Guidance from the Experts,” a book focused on the future of work, and how to minimize risk and maximize growth.
Marty Payson, who was one of the firm's first attorneys, passed away in February. Marty was a founder of our labor program and was as committed to his clients as he was the mentorship of his own colleagues. He will be remembered fondly.
Welcome New Attorneys
Please join us in welcoming our new colleagues.
Principals
Of Counsel
John Burgess (Tampa)
Christopher Cavaliere (Tampa)
Jonathan Harris (Nashville)
Jodi Cohen (Miami)
Jay Dade (Kansas City)
Christopher Dawood (Sacramento)
Margaret Ryan (Minneapolis)
Lisa Settles (Baltimore)
Kyle Vuchak (Cleveland)
Associates
• John Adams (Nashville) • Christopher Agbolie (Houston) • Brianna Andrade (Los Angeles) • Orlando Arellano (Los Angeles) • Melanie Baker (Jacksonville) • Manda Brefo (DC Region) • Jesse Daley (Cincinnati) • Karuna Dave (Philadelphia) • Shikha Dutta (Monmouth County) • Benjamin Eversole (San Francisco) • Hannah Garlough (Chicago) • Daniel Galvan (San Diego) • Kau Guannu (Minneapolis) • Linn Hill (Albuquerque) • Olivia Hines (New York City) • Alex Hotard (New Orleans) • Alexandra Hunstein (St. Louis) • Fotini Karamboulis (Berkeley Heights)
• Cali Kerr (Atlanta) • Lena Kim (Berkeley Heights) • Jacob Kinder (Cleveland) • Matthew Kreiser (DC Region) • Roy Lyford-Pike (DC Region) • Jimmy Macias (Silicon Valley) • Dylan Marques (Sacramento) • Jared Medrano (Houston) • Peter Montine (Seattle) • Scott Nenni (Los Angeles) • Julia Olivier (San Francisco) • Lauren Presser (San Diego) • Sarah Raoof (Orange County) • Matthew Rocco (Berkeley Heights) • Melanie Ross (New York City) • Nicholas Santucci (Denver) • Catherine Schlabowske (Chicago) • Benjamin Selbo (Phoenix)
• Xiaolu Sheng (Raleigh) • Erica Shikunov (Philadelphia) • Marcia Caridad Laurido Soto (San Juan) • Annabel Stanley (New York City) • Elana Taub (Baltimore) • Florence Thompson (Charlotte) • Ryan Tucker (New Orleans) • Ryan Weiss (Miami) • Chelsea Whelan (San Francisco) • Jordan Wysocki (Orange County) • Lisa Xu (San Diego)
Eric Clark (Cincinnati)
Joshua Henderson (San Francisco)
Wilson Stoker (Austin)
Coming Soon
Chief Legal Performance Officer
In 2022 we completed just under 8,000 hours of pro bono work to support and advocate for veterans, refugees, asylum seekers and more.
Carolina Guiral and Marko Maglich represented a prominent opera conductor at his citizenship interview before the New York Field Office in October 2022. We convinced the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) officer that the applicant had the requisite continuous residence and physical presence in the U.S. despite his extensive travel outside of the country. His naturalization was approved. Carolina and Marko, along with Otieno Ombok and Marissa Prianti, also filed an asylum application for a man who is employed by Pfizer through its Afghan Refugee program, and who faces life-threatening danger from the Taliban in Afghanistan due to his affiliation and support of the U.S. government. We prepared his evidentiary packet in support of the application, prepared him for his asylum interview and represented him and his family during the interview. His application is currently pending. Marissa also partnered with Sean Hanagan to represent a citizen of St. Lucia whose U.S. visa had been revoked due to implications caused by the COVID-19 border closures in 2020. We filed a mandamus petition in the Southern District of New York, with the client’s son as the Plaintiff, to compel the State Department to reinstate the visa as it violated a number of regulations in the process of revoking the visa. The mandamus is pending before the Southern District—we expect that the assigned AUSA will reach out in an effort to resolve the issue without litigation. More than 30 colleagues in our Berkeley Heights, White Plains, Hartford and Philadelphia offices provided pro bono services to nonprofits across Connecticut, New Jersey and New York through the Pro Bono Partnership, which in 2022 completed more than 2,200 legal matters for 1,000 nonprofit clients. Michael Neifach assisted a Wounded Warrior veteran whose wife is an Iraqi national. Michael represented the family in obtaining the Iraqi woman’s conditional green card, removal of the conditions, and application for naturalization. She has now been scheduled for her naturalization interview, a significant milestone in this client’s journey. Michael also assisted with a family reunification effort to help the couple’s two minor sons—both living in Iraq—to obtain immigration visas. The sons were able to reunite with their parents in the U.S. and both have since joined the Marines. Michael also works closely with Refugee Community Connections and Solutions in Hometown Connections to support Afghans who are trying to leave Afghanistan or enter the U.S. In 2022 Meredith Stewart took on three asylum cases and two permanent resident filings for Afghans. Both permanent resident filings were approved, and all three asylum cases are pending following their interviews with the USCIS. The firm was recognized as a 2022 Pro Bono Leader by the ABA for our participation in Free Legal Answers, a virtual pro bono advice clinic. Quinn Eaton was also recognized as an individual Pro Bono Leader for responding to more than 120 questions on the platform. This year we expect our relationship with Free Legal Answers to grow as our first-year associates engage with the clinic as part of their Learning Through Work training curriculum.
Read on to learn about some of our recent matters, and reach out to Robyn Aversa to get involved in pro bono work.
Robyn Aversa
Colleagues in Pittsburgh graduated from the Allegheny County Bar Association’s inaugural Ally Initiative cohort.
The Indianapolis office continued its tradition of volunteering with Wheeler Mission, a social services organization serving Central Indiana. Our team helped prepare and serve lunches at its local men's shelter. The office was also named a best place to work in 2023 by the Indiana Chamber of Commerce. This is the office’s third appearance on the list.
St. Louis held its annual Chili Cook-Off on February 23, i.e., National Chili Day.
Our San Diego office held a March Madness event with the Association of Corporate Counsel – San Diego. They broadcasted the games and hosted a beer and wine tasting from local producers.
Houston donned cowboy boots and hats and dined on Texas barbecue in celebration of Go Texan Day—the unofficial kick off of the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo.
Our Philadelphia office held a Workplace Law Symposium covering a SCOTUS update, DEI and compliance trends, and employee benefits.
Chicago held its holiday party at the legendary Buddy Guy’s Legends blues club!
As part of February Heart Healthy month, the Chicago office hosted a program featuring Principal Monica Khetarpal's mother, Hersh Khetarpal. Hersh, who is a meditation instructor, lead the office through meditative techniques to mitigate stress during the workday and prepare the body and mind for a restorative night's sleep.
Los Angeles participated in the Adopt-A-Family Program over the holiday season to provide for children and families of Skid Row and downtown LA.
The Raleigh office hosted its annual “Breakfast with Ted” during the holiday season, featuring waffles, eggs, bacon and ugly sweaters.
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The New Orleans office partnered with other local firms to raise more than $20,000 for the city’s Adopt a Cop program, which distributes meals to first responders who work to keep the city safe during Mardi Gras.
