Holland & Knight Announces 18 New Partners
MIAMI – December 18, 2012 – Steven Sonberg, managing partner of Holland & Knight, announced 18 attorneys in the firm have been elected to partnership effective January 1, 2013. Thirteen associates and five senior counsel from various offices throughout the firm have been elevated. They are:
Boston
Associate elevated to partnership:
Jeff Bernarducci, a member of the firm's Litigation Section, concentrates his practice within the construction, energy and commercial real estate industries. He received his B.S. degree from Villanova University in 1995 and his J.D. degree from Suffolk University Law School in 2003.
Associate elevated to partnership:
Benjamin McGovern, a member of the firm's Litigation Section, practices in the area of complex commercial litigation. He received his B.A. degree from Duke University in 2001 and his J.D. degree from Boston College Law School in 2004.
Associate elevated to partnership:
Jonathan Sirois is a member of the firm's Business Law Section, practicing in the areas of business and tax law with a primary focus in equity financing for affordable housing projects eligible for federal low-income housing tax credits, state and local tax credits, and federal and state historic rehabilitation tax credits. He received his B.S. degree from Northeastern University in 1999 and his J.D. degree from University of Connecticut School of Law in 2004.
Associate elevated to partnership:
Jennifer Whalen, a member of the firm's Business Law Section, concentrates her practice in the areas of business and tax law with a primary focus in equity financing for affordable housing projects eligible for federal and state low-income housing tax credits and federal and state historic rehabilitation tax credits. She received her B.A. degree from The University of Vermont in 1995 and her J.D. degree from Columbia Law School in 2003.
Jacksonville
Senior Counsel elevated to partnership:
Crystal Adkins is the firm’s Associate General Counsel. Her current practice is focused on law firm administration, risk management, and professional responsibility, all on behalf of Holland & Knight. She received her B.A. degree from University of North Florida in 1991 and her J.D. degree from University of Florida Levin College of Law in 1994.
Associate elevated to partnership:
Jeremy Ches, a member of the firm's Litigation Section, focuses on complex commercial litigation. He has experience in a wide range of commercial and contractual disputes, business torts, consumer and commercial banking disputes, non-competition agreements and other business disputes. He received his B.S. degree from Fordham University in 1998 and his J.D. degree from Wake Forest University School of Law in 2001.
Senior Counsel elevated to partnership:
Christina Schwing, a member of the firm's Litigation Section, focuses in the areas of complex commercial litigation, product liability, class action defense, and construction-related disputes. She received her B.A. degree from University of North Florida in 2001 and her J.D. degree from University of Florida Levin College of Law in 2004.
Los Angeles
Associate elevated to partnership:
Kristina Starr Azlin, a member of the firm's Litigation Section, has extensive federal and state litigation experience and has represented clients in a wide array of complex civil matters, including class action defense, contract disputes, intellectual property infringement, compliance and False Claims Act litigation, business fraud and product liability actions. She received her double B.A. degree in economics and political science from The California State University, Bakersfield, in 2000 and her J.D. degree from UCLA School of Law in 2004.
Miami
Associate elevated to partnership:
Tracy Slavens, a member of the firm's Real Estate Section, practices in the area of land use and zoning law and represents developers and other property owners before local governments, county boards and state agencies in obtaining development approvals for projects throughout the South Florida region. She received her B.S.B.A. degree from University of Florida in 2000 and her J.D. degree from Emory University School of Law in 2003.
New York
Senior Counsel elevated to partnership:
Rita Dattola, a member of the firm's Real Estate Section, is experienced in a broad range of commercial and residential real estate development, including financing, hotel acquisition and sales, office leasing, real estate management and office park developments. She received her B.A. degree from Wesleyan University in 1973 and her J.D. degree from Boston University School of Law in 1976.
Associate elevated to partnership:
Phillip Durham is a member of the firm's Structured Finance Group within the Business Law Section. His practice focuses on domestic and cross-border asset-based financing, leasing, and sales and acquisitions, with particular emphasis on aviation and equipment finance in Latin America and Asia. He received his B.A. degree from Creighton University in 2001 and his J.D. degree from University of Iowa College of Law in 2004.
Northern Virginia
Associate elevated to partnership:
Lauren Jenkins, a member of the firm's Business Law Section, focuses her practice on tax and estate planning, as well as trust and estate administration. She received her B.A. degree from University of Massachusetts in Boston in 2001, her J.D. degree from Emory University School of Law in 2004, and her LL.M. in Taxation from Georgetown University Law Center in 2012.
Orlando
Associate elevated to partnership:
Min Cho, a member of the firm's Litigation Section, practices in the areas of complex civil litigation and white collar criminal defense. He received his B.S. degree from University of Florida in 2001 and his J.D. degree from Florida State University College of Law in 2004.
Tampa
Associate elevated to partnership:
Paul McDermott, a member of the firm's Litigation Section, practices in the area of complex commercial litigation. His experience includes litigating actions involving contract disputes, securities (including derivative actions and SEC investigations), business torts, fraud, consumer and commercial banking disputes, non-competition agreements, insurance brokerage disputes, real estate, adversary bankruptcy proceedings, and other substantive commercial disputes. He received his B.A. and B.S. degrees from the University of Florida in 2001 and his J.D. degree from the University of Florida Levin College of Law in 2004.
Washington, D.C.
Senior Counsel elevated to partnership:
John Irving, a member of the firm's Litigation Section, is a former federal prosecutor with significant trial and investigative experience who represents companies and individuals in internal investigations and white collar defense matters focusing on the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, environmental crimes, the False Claims Act, and congressional investigations. He received his B.A. degree from Fordham University in 1993 and his J.D. degree from The American University's Washington College of Law in 1996.
Senior Counsel elevated to partnership:
Bill LeBeau is a member of the firm's Government Section and focuses on federal regulatory issues relating to media content and distribution. He has in-depth experience representing broadcast and cable television, radio and on-line programmers and distributors before the Federal Communications Commission in a wide variety of top-level policy matters. He received his B.S. degree from the University of Virginia in 1992 and his J.D. degree from Harvard Law School in 1995.
Associate elevated to partnership:
Colleen Leonard, a member of the firm's Real Estate Section, has extensive experience representing landlords and tenants in the commercial leasing and development of shopping centers and outparcels, restaurants, high-rise office buildings, mixed-use projects, raw land and industrial/warehouse facilities. She received her B.A. degree from Haverford College in 1998 and her J.D. degree from Catholic University of America, Columbus School of Law in 2003.
West Palm Beach
Associate elevated to partnership:
Matthew Zimmerman, a member of the firm's Litigation Section, concentrates in commercial litigation, specifically contract disputes, business torts and protection of intellectual property. He also has experience in injunction matters, including the protection of trade secrets and enforcement of non-competes. Mr. Zimmerman has practiced in West Palm Beach since 2005. He received his B.A. degree from University of Florida in 2001 and his J.D. degree from University of Florida Levin College of Law in 2004.