Community Backing
40 Under 40: Legal
The leaders our community is championing. Add your backing. Every voice is a signal editors weigh when shaping the published class.
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Most backed
Alex Petrik
Eastern Dental Management · In-House
Daniel North
Polsinelli · Private Practice
Vassi Iliadis
Hogan Lovells Cadwalader · Private Practice
Elise Puma
Anheuser-Busch InBev · In-House
Rishi Satia
Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP · Private Practice
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Showing 98 of 98 nominees
Alex Petrik
General Counsel
Eastern Dental Management
“General Counsel of Eastern Dental Management, where—starting in 2025—he built the in-house legal function from scratch for a private-equity-backed, ~20-location dental services…”
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Daniel North
Shareholder, Real Estate
Polsinelli
“Chicago-based shareholder in Polsinelli's real estate practice who guides developers, investors, landlords and tenants through the full life cycle of commercial real estate proj…”
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Vassi Iliadis
Partner, Disputes (Data, Privacy & Cyber)
Hogan Lovells Cadwalader
“Trusted counsel on global data breaches and class-action cyber litigation, working from Los Angeles.”
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Elise Puma
Global Director of Litigation & Regulation
Anheuser-Busch InBev
“In-house litigation and regulatory leader at AB InBev: as Global Director of Litigation & Regulation she runs the brewer's worldwide litigation, regulatory advisory, and risk-mi…”
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Rishi Satia
Partner, Antitrust & Complex Commercial Litigation
Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP
“Handles antitrust and complex commercial litigation, including DOJ and FTC merger investigations.”
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Benjamin Sadun
Partner, Privacy & Cybersecurity Litigation
Dechert LLP
“Nationally recognized for courtroom advocacy in artificial intelligence, health technology and privacy class actions, and for leading negotiations with the FTC, state attorneys…”
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Smita Rajmohan
Assistant General Counsel for Artificial Intelligence
Intuit
“In-house AI legal leader who moved from Autodesk to Intuit, where she is Assistant General Counsel for Artificial Intelligence, advising on responsible/generative-AI product lau…”
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Ernest Hammond III
Associate General Counsel, AI Product
Meta
“As Associate General Counsel for AI Product at Meta, advises the company's AI research teams on product launches at the frontier of technology and law.”
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Jordan Thompson
Lead Legal Counsel
TikTok
“In-house monetization and corporate counsel at TikTok covering global partnerships, marketing, advertising, events and talent agreements; an NFLPA-certified contract advisor and…”
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Meredith Karp
Partner, Securities & Class Action Litigation
Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP
“Defends public companies and financial institutions in securities and class-action litigation at Simpson Thacher.”
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David Feder
Partner, Issues & Appeals
Jones Day
“A first-in-his-class Harvard Law graduate and former U.S.”
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Anisha Reddy
Head of Americas, Regulatory & International Legal
Roblox
“In-house regulatory and platform-governance leader at Roblox, where she now heads Americas regulatory and international legal work after starting as corporate counsel for global…”
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Brett De Jarnette
Partner, Securities Litigation & Enforcement
Cooley LLP
“Represents public companies and financial firms in securities class actions, derivative suits and SEC investigations.”
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Katelyn Hilferty
Partner, Leader of International Trade & National Security
Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP
“Leads Morgan Lewis's international trade and national security practice, advising global companies on export controls, sanctions and internal investigations.”
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Meegan Brooks
Partner, Litigation & Class Actions
Ballard Spahr LLP
“Defends retailers and e-commerce companies in pricing, privacy and consumer class actions.”
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Jordan Ludwig
Partner, Antitrust & Competition
Crowell & Moring LLP
“Guides companies through complex antitrust litigation and investigations, with wins in high-stakes multidistrict pricing cases.”
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Nitya Kumar Goyal
Partner, Real Estate Finance
Dechert LLP
“Represents banks, insurance companies and institutional lenders in commercial real-estate finance, from mortgage and mezzanine origination to loan syndications and co-lender arr…”
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Do Hee Jeong
Senior Counsel, Product
SeatGeek
“SeatGeek's first product counsel, building the function from the ground up across R&D, payments and government affairs for the live-event platform.”
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Brandon Myers
Legal Director, Mobility Product Counsel
Uber Technologies
“Leads product counselling for Uber's Mobility and Marketplace team, advising on new-product launches, platform equity and accessibility, and serves as general counsel and board…”
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Arsalan Nayani
McDonald's
“In-house employment litigation counsel at McDonald's, handling labor and employment disputes for the global restaurant company; a DePaul Law graduate who came in-house from liti…”
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Suchismita Pahi
Lead Counsel, AI
Databricks
“Lead Counsel for AI at Databricks, where she runs the AI compliance program and is the legal lead across its AI products with a team of product counsel, building on four-plus ye…”
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Danielle Logan
Legal Counsel, Music Licensing
Spotify
“Music-licensing counsel at Spotify who negotiates complex licensing agreements with music rights holders and supports the platform's expansion into new business verticals; a Car…”
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Chloe Ghoogassian
Senior Associate General Counsel, Privacy & Product
Doximity
“In-house privacy lead at Doximity: serves as Assistant General Counsel for Privacy & Innovation, building and running the digital-health platform's privacy program and advising…”
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Kieron Frazier
Partner, Gaming & Entertainment/Sports
Fox Rothschild LLP
“Chicago-based partner at Fox Rothschild who advises gaming, sports and entertainment clients on regulatory and transactional matters—sports wagering, iGaming, fantasy and tribal…”
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Ronak Shah
Assistant General Counsel, Privacy & Technology
Molson Coors Beverage Company
“In-house privacy & technology legal leader at Molson Coors: global lead for privacy legal, company legal lead on cybersecurity and cyber incident response, and co-chair of the M…”
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Naïs Mouret
Senior Legal Counsel
EY (Ernst & Young)
“Commercial and technology lawyer who, after in-house privacy work at L'Oréal, now serves as Senior Counsel at EY, advising on commercial law, IT/privacy, compliance, and adverti…”
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Jessica Tracy
General Counsel
Vimeo
“Top in-house lawyer at video platform Vimeo, where she serves as General Counsel & Corporate Secretary, leading the company's legal, securities, and corporate-governance functio…”
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Andrea Bilbija
Chief Compliance Officer
Sprinklr
“Chief Compliance Officer at Sprinklr, the enterprise customer-experience management platform.”
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Beatrice Zdrodowski
General Counsel & Corporate Secretary
Tech Electronics, Inc.
“Top in-house legal leader (General Counsel and Corporate Secretary) at Tech Electronics since 2024, owning contract negotiation and enterprise legal strategy for a life-safety,…”
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Amber Carpenter
Senior Legal Counsel, Brand
Ferrara (Ferrara Candy Company)
“In-house brand counsel at Ferrara covering intellectual property, marketing and advertising, food, and sustainability law; a Loyola University Chicago law graduate and former Re…”
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Eddie Nadel
Head of Legal
Rondo Energy
“Generalist in-house counsel at climate-tech company Rondo Energy, whose industrial heat-battery deployments span the US, Europe and Southeast Asia; a UCLA Law graduate with prio…”
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Ariana Fuller
Partner, Healthcare
King & Spalding LLP
“Los Angeles-based trial lawyer in King & Spalding's Healthcare practice focused on managed-care litigation and consumer class-action defense for hospitals and providers, having…”
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Anderson Chang
Head of Legal
Indigo Agriculture
“In-house corporate counsel at agtech company Indigo Agriculture: as Head of Legal he advises on M&A, equity and debt financings, securities, strategic partnerships, commercial c…”
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Katie Roddy
Partner, Real Estate
Kirkland & Ellis
“Advised Hudson Pacific on its $700M sale of a shuttered Los Angeles mall to UCLA, from Kirkland's real estate practice.”
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Michael H. Waldman
Partner, Banking & Private Credit
Latham & Watkins
“Guided a landmark $2B private credit loan to Dropbox, advising on complex financings from Latham's New York office.”
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Neil Barlow
Partner, Co-Head of US Private Equity
Clifford Chance
“Co-heads Clifford Chance's US private equity practice, advising on KKR and Carlyle's $10.1B student-loan portfolio acquisition and the sale of Alter Domus.”
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Nikolaus Caro
Partner, Sponsor Finance
Davis Polk
“Advises Sycamore Partners on its take-private of Walgreens Boots Alliance, working at the center of Davis Polk's sponsor finance practice.”
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Briana Ashiotes
Associate General Counsel, Energy & Regulatory
Budderfly
“In-house energy and regulatory counsel at Budderfly, an energy-efficiency-as-a-service company: serves as Associate General Counsel for Energy & Regulatory, handling the company…”
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Samuel Katz
Founding Partner
Athlaw LLP
“Founded his own firm straight out of law school and built it into a plaintiff-side practice representing NFL players in disability-benefits and concussion-settlement claims agai…”
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Samuel Levander
Partner, Fintech
Cleary Gottlieb
“Takes key defense roles in landmark securities-enforcement suits over digital assets, and was elevated to the Cleary Gottlieb partnership in 2025.”
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Sara Clark
Partner, Government Enforcement & White Collar Defense
Quinn Emanuel
“Secured a mid-trial dismissal of manslaughter charges against Alec Baldwin in the Rust case, as trial counsel in New Mexico.”
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Thomas Prommer
Partner, Debt Finance & Complex Securitizations
Kirkland & Ellis
“Served as lead counsel on a $7.5B facility co-led by Blackstone and Magnetar for CoreWeave, one of the largest private credit financings on record.”
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Kate Wellman
Member, Financial Regulatory Advice & Response
Moore & Van Allen
“Guided a systemically important bank through its Libor loan transitions, advising financial institutions on regulatory response.”
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Timothy Chen Saulsbury
Partner, Patent & IP Litigation
Morrison Foerster
“Litigates high-stakes patent and intellectual property disputes from Morrison Foerster's San Francisco office.”
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Wesley Sze
Partner, Class Action
Gibson Dunn
“Defends major companies against complex, high-exposure class actions from Gibson Dunn's Palo Alto office.”
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Alexander Passo
Partner, Commercial Litigation
Latimer LeVay Fyock
“Brings a depth to commercial litigation that shapes both his advice and his path to resolution.”
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Andrew Mason
Associate Attorney
Smith LaCien
“A founding member of Smith LaCien who tries personal injury and product liability cases with the poise of a far more seasoned trial lawyer.”
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Oscar Rodrigo Gonzalez
Senior Legal Manager & Compliance Officer, Mexico
Komatsu
“Mining/industrial in-house leader who, after heading Legal & Compliance for Sandvik Mining and Rock Solutions across Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean, now leads the Leg…”
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Ryan Brooks
Senior Vice President & General Counsel
Construction Partners, Inc.
“Top lawyer for NASDAQ-listed Construction Partners, Inc., promoted from SVP, Legal to Senior Vice President & General Counsel in May 2025; advises the infrastructure/civil const…”
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Jason Zarrow
Partner, Appellate
O'Melveny & Myers LLP
“Los Angeles-based partner in O'Melveny's Supreme Court & Appellate Litigation practice who builds and executes strategy for bet-the-company litigation at trial and on appeal, wi…”
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David Lefebvre
Special Counsel, Media & Technology Transactions
Covington & Burling LLP
“Served as key counsel on the Disney/Reliance joint venture in India, advising on media and technology transactions.”
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Alicia Zhang
Partner, Corporate & Capital Markets
Covington & Burling LLP
“Elevated to Covington partner in October 2024, she executes capital-raising transactions and strategic M&A, representing underwriters and issuers in IPOs, follow-on equity and d…”
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Christopher K.L. Young
Partner, Class Action & Antitrust
Joseph Saveri Law Firm
“Helped secure a $375M class-action settlement for MMA fighters against the UFC, litigating antitrust and class actions from San Francisco.”
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Robert Gianchetti
Special Counsel, Commercial Litigation & Sports
Covington & Burling LLP
“New York-based complex commercial litigator in Covington's nationally ranked Sports practice, representing sports, media and entertainment clients in disputes spanning media-rig…”
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Amanda Tuninetti
Special Counsel, International Arbitration & Disputes
Covington & Burling LLP
“Washington, D.C.-based lawyer who counsels companies and sovereign states in complex international disputes, including commercial and investor-state arbitrations and public inte…”
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Susan Barrett
General Counsel & Chief Compliance Officer
Monte Nido & Affiliates
“As Monte Nido & Affiliates' first-ever in-house General Counsel and Chief Compliance Officer, she owns all legal and compliance matters for the eating-disorder treatment provide…”
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Daniel Williams
Partner, M&A and Private Equity
Latham & Watkins
“Steered SRS's $18.25B acquisition by Home Depot and Cogentrix's $3B sale, advising sponsors on their largest transactions.”
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David Kennedy
Partner, Finance & Private Credit
Davis Polk
“Advised on one of the largest private credit deals ever completed in the US, working at the centre of Davis Polk's finance practice.”
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Diem Huong Ho
International Associate
Foley Hoag
“Represents sovereign states before the International Court of Justice, including in Gambia v.”
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Eva Mak
Partner, Private Equity
Freshfields
“Led a $16.5B take-private of Citrix Systems, advising private equity sponsors from Freshfields' Silicon Valley office.”
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Jennifer Lee
Partner, Financial & Securities Litigation
Orrick
“Defeated claims tied to a $2B loan sale and represented Credit Suisse at trial, litigating financial and securities disputes from San Francisco.”
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Austin Weaver
General Counsel
Association of Pickleball Players (APP)
“Sole in-house general counsel for the Association of Pickleball Players, the legal backbone of a fast-scaling pro sports tour, after earlier in-house and private-practice sports…”
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Mark Kelley
Partner, Litigation
MoloLamken
“Takes on high-stakes commercial disputes in a boutique environment at MoloLamken.”
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Stephen Payne
Partner, IP Litigation
Irell & Manella
“A standout intellectual property litigator with high-value patent-infringement verdicts.”
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Stephanie Spies
Partner, Litigation
Susman Godfrey
“Secures key courtroom victories in landmark, complex financial and commercial actions at Susman Godfrey.”
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Sarah Neuman
Partner, Litigation
Wilkinson Stekloff
“A battle-tested trial lawyer in bellwether product-liability trials.”
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Romain Dambre
Partner, M&A & Private Equity
A&O Shearman
“A cross-border specialist shaping major global private equity deals.”
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Rachel O'Brien
Partner, Fund Formation
Ropes & Gray
“Forms private investment funds for asset managers at Ropes & Gray, from the firm's Washington DC office.”
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Peter Borock
Shareholder, Co-Chair of New York Real Estate
Greenberg Traurig
“Co-chairs Greenberg Traurig's New York real estate practice, working on major real estate restructuring and bankruptcy.”
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Nawa Lodin
Associate, Regulatory
Wilson Sonsini
“Advises digital health and life sciences companies on regulatory and corporate matters at Wilson Sonsini, one of the youngest honorees in her class.”
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Michael Montalbano
Partner, Government Contracts
Blank Rome
“Advises defense and aerospace contractors on multi-billion-dollar federal procurement, one of the youngest honorees in his class.”
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Michael Landman
Partner, White Collar & Investigations
Bird Marella
“Manages highly sensitive criminal investigations and regulatory crises from Los Angeles.”
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Michael Kelso
Partner, Litigation
Susman Godfrey
“Wins high-exposure, trial-ready commercial litigation at Susman Godfrey in Houston.”
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Taylor Owings
Partner, Antitrust and Competition
Wilson Sonsini
“Provides strategic counsel on tech-sector merger reviews and antitrust investigations from Wilson Sonsini's New York office.”
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Lee Rovinescu
Partner, International Arbitration
Freshfields
“Represents global corporations and state actors in multi-jurisdictional arbitrations.”
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Lauren Dreyer
Partner, Intellectual Property
Baker Botts
“Brings technical and legal acumen to protecting client innovations in high-stakes intellectual property disputes.”
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Krista Hanvey
Partner, Employee Benefits & Executive Compensation
Gibson Dunn
“Guides Fortune 500 clients through intricate executive-compensation and benefits structures.”
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Kelsey Breck Baumberger
Partner, Debt Finance
Kirkland & Ellis LLP
“Structures banking and finance deals at Kirkland & Ellis, and believes success is incremental: move a deal, learn, or teach every day.”
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Kate Cahoy
Partner, Antitrust & Privacy
Covington & Burling LLP
“Works at the high-stakes intersection of antitrust and complex privacy frameworks from Covington's Palo Alto office.”
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Julie Goldemberg
Partner, Intellectual Property
Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP
“Delivers intellectual property representation for leading technology and life-sciences companies.”
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Jin-Kyu Baek
Partner, M&A
Cravath
“A leading force at Cravath advising on high-profile, complex corporate acquisitions.”
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Jacob Croke
Partner, Litigation
Sullivan & Cromwell
“Delivers pivotal outcomes in multi-faceted, complex court battles at Sullivan & Cromwell.”
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Greg Dubinsky
Partner, Litigation
Holwell Shuster & Goldberg
“Tackles front-page commercial and constitutional litigation.”
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Angela Libby
Partner, Bankruptcy & Restructuring
Davis Polk
“Quarterbacks some of the largest and most complex corporate restructurings at Davis Polk.”
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David Kalimuthu
Partner, Healthcare Litigation
Hall Prangle LLC
“Defends healthcare providers in Cook County medical malpractice and birth trauma trials, praised for balancing advocacy with professionalism.”
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Julia Mazur
Associate
Katten
“Litigates trademark and intellectual property disputes at Katten, with a talent for cutting through complexity toward efficient resolutions.”
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Kate Nuehring Su
Partner, Patent Prosecution & Design Patents
Marshall Gerstein
“Builds intellectual property portfolio strategy that clients call a game changer.”
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Nicholas Laird
Partner, Litigation & IP
Barack Ferrazzano
“Described by peers as an extremely strategic litigation partner.”
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Sarah Raisch
Partner, Personal Injury & Sexual Abuse
Romanucci & Blandin
“Leads Romanucci & Blandin's sexual abuse practice and secures life-changing outcomes in personal injury and civil rights cases.”
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Amanda Pickens Nitto
Partner, Litigation
Robinson Bradshaw
“Delivers key defense victories for major corporate defendants, regionally and nationally.”
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Andrew Silton
Partner, Environmental & Appellate
Beveridge & Diamond
“A leading environmental advocate in critical regulatory appeals.”
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Ericka Aiken
Partner, White Collar & Investigations
WilmerHale
“Clerked for the late Judge Damon Keith and carries his charge that helping even one person is worth the fight, now handling white collar defense and investigations.”
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Ben Goodchild
Partner, M&A
Paul Weiss
“Handles marquee multi-billion-dollar domestic and international M&A at Paul Weiss.”
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Benjamin Graham
Partner, International Arbitration
Williams & Connolly
“Represents sovereign states and global entities in the world's largest arbitral forums.”
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Bradley Justus
Partner, Antitrust
Axinn
“Defines success as winning major antitrust cases while elevating those around him.”
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Bradley Oppenheimer
Partner, Litigation
Kellogg Hansen
“An elite appellate and trial advocate in complex federal commercial disputes.”
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Britt Lovejoy
Partner, Intellectual Property
Latham & Watkins
“Defends technology leaders in multi-million-dollar patent and trade-secret litigation.”
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Elizabeth Yahl
Partner, Banking & Finance
Cahill Gordon & Reindel
“Structures leveraged loans and high-yield debt for top-tier investment banks.”
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