K&L Gates Names 34 New Partners Across Global Platform

Pittsburgh - The partners of global law firm K&L Gates LLP have voted to elect the following lawyers as new partners of the firm, effective March 1, 2018.

Dr. Martin Berg and Dr. Michael Thomas Melber were named partners in the firm’s Berlin office. Berg advises investors, fund managers, and other finance market participants on the legal, regulatory, and tax aspects of investment management. Melber assists German and international companies across various industries in resolving large-scale commercial disputes before state courts and international tribunals.

In Boston, Kenneth Holston and Christopher Valente were named partners. Holston counsels investment clients on a variety of regulatory, compliance, and corporate matters, including fund formation, trading operations, and legislative and industry developments. Valente represents clients in complex civil litigation and international arbitration in the areas of commercial and construction disputes, financial services, and insurance coverage.

Francesco Carloni is a new partner in Brussels. Also spending some of his time working out of the firm’s Milan office, he focuses his practice on antitrust, competition, and trade regulation including merger control, abuse of dominant position, and restrictive practices and agreements.

Amanda Darling and Andrew Lloyd have been named partners in Charleston. Darling concentrates her practice on asset and project finance with an emphasis on aircraft and shipping, while Lloyd counsels corporations and private equity and venture capital firms on mergers and acquisitions, divestitures, and other negotiated transactions, as well as general corporate and securities law matters.

In Charlotte, Justin Carpenter and Christopher Walker have been named partners. Carpenter focuses his practice on commercial lending, corporate finance, private equity, and mezzanine financing. Walker advises on environmental and regulatory matters, including environmental remediation, enforcement defense, chemical regulation, environmental permitting, and solid and hazardous waste issues.

Aaron Morrow is a new IP procurement and portfolio management partner in the Chicago office, providing IP counseling, due diligence research, patent prosecutions, and analysis for portfolio acquisitions, as well as opinion work including patentability, validity, non-infringement, and freedom-to-operate opinions.

Jennifer Klein Ayers and Joshua Skora were named partners in the firm’s Dallas office. Ayers defends clients on complex intellectual property matters, including outsourcing, patent infringement, trademark, domain name, and trade secret disputes. Skora focuses his health care practice on complex corporate and regulatory issues, including fraud and abuse; regulatory due diligence for transactions, compliance, and reimbursement; Medicare/Medicaid enrollment; overpayment audits and appeals; and investigations by federal and state governmental agencies.

In Dubai, Monique O’Donoghue has been named partner. O’Donoghue focuses on government enforcement matters, internal investigations, and litigation and dispute resolution.

Catherine Adam, Martin King, and Jennifer Marsh are new partners in K&L Gates’ London office. Adam advises e-commerce retailers, fashion brands, and traditional retailers on business and consumer matters, such as supply chain management and third-party logistics. King counsels clients in various industries including sports, pharmaceuticals, natural resources, technology, and manufacturing on a variety of commercial dispute and international arbitration matters, while Marsh concentrates her practice on all aspects of EU and UK competition law and commercial agreements.

Christien Corns is a new litigation partner in the Melbourne office, where he has experience acting in insurance, professional indemnity, and large estate litigation, as well as advising clients on defamation, contempt, and related media issues.

In Milan, Stefano Bardella has been named partner. Bardella concentrates his practice on commercial litigation and arbitration, with a specific focus on the construction, real estate, and financial sectors.

Dr. Martina Ortner and Dr. Philipp Riedl are both new partners in Munich. Ortner advises German and international clients on M&A transactions, as well as corporate law and restructurings. Riedl focuses his investment management practice on regulated investments, the issuing, distribution, and marketing of financial instruments, and derivatives and repurchase agreements.

Jonathan Barron was named a partner in the New York office. He concentrates on various corporate and securities law matters, including mergers and acquisitions, financing transactions, commercial contracts, and advising public companies on securities law compliance, securities offerings, and corporate governance.

In Pittsburgh, Caitlin Beer and Joseph Valenti were named partners. Beer advises on the various aspects of commercial real estate, including leasing, acquisitions and dispositions, development, and finance. Valenti focuses his investigations, enforcement, and white collar practice on regulatory compliance, internal investigations, and litigation.

Elizabeth Crouse, Scott McJannet, and John Wilson were all named partners in Seattle. Crouse advises on federal, state, and international tax considerations pertinent to mergers and acquisitions, corporate divestitures, internal reorganizations, and cross-border transactions. McJannet focuses his practice on public finance and municipal law, including bond and underwriter’s counsel matters. Wilson concentrates his technology transactions and sports law practice on drafting and negotiating commercial agreements for a wide range of clients. 

Christopher Tan, Mark Tan, and Nick Williams are new partners in Singapore. Christopher Tan’s practice includes corporate and commercial law, banking, and finance matters, as well as employment law. Mark Tan advises on corporate and commercial law, with a focus on mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures, equity capital markets, corporate finance, and restructurings. Williams concentrates his practice on international commercial dispute resolution and arbitration, internal corporate investigations, and corporate restructuring and workouts. 

In Sydney, Gordon McCann has been named a partner. McCann primarily concentrates on private treaty mergers and acquisitions, divestments, and investments.

Yuki Okada and Nobuki Wada have both been named partners in Tokyo. Okada advises on a wide range of Japan corporate, commercial, and regulatory matters for international companies doing business in Japan, while Wada advises on employment matters, internal investigations, and disputes and handles litigation in Japanese courts.

In Washington, D.C., Jennifer Crowder and Marguerite Laurent were named partners. Crowder’s practice is focused on FinTech, electronic and emerging payments, financial services, and regulatory compliance. Laurent advises registered investment companies, their independent board members, registered investment advisers, and broker dealers on a broad range of regulatory and compliance matters.