NEWARK – McCarter & English, LLP has named six new partners, all of whom had been associates at the firm. The new partners hail from three of the firm’s nine offices and include two Intellectual Property/Information Technology attorneys and one each from the firm’s Business Litigation; Corporate, Securities and Business Transactions; Product Liability; and Insurance Coverage practice groups.
“New partners always embody our past and represent our future: they become a link in the unbroken chain of excellence and client service that began 171 years ago,” said Michael P. Kelly, chairman of the firm. “Our new partners reflect the continuing health and vitality of the firm even at a time of unprecedented change in the legal landscape. These partners possess the skill, commitment to the firm and our clients, and ambition that will assure the continued success of our common enterprise.”
“Adam, Mary, Veronica, Keith, Matthew and Makenzie are all A-plus attorneys who are A-plus people,” Kelly added. “We are very blessed to have them on our team and I look forward to many happy years with them in our firm’s partnership.”
The newly promoted partners and their practice groups and resident offices are:
Adam Budesheim, Insurance Coverage, Newark. Adam Budesheim represents policyholders in insurance coverage litigation seeking coverage for liabilities related to asbestos, environmental, bodily injury, and property damage claims, as well as clients seeking coverage under professional liability and directors and officers insurance policies. Adam also represents brokers in various types of legal malpractice claims. He has significant experience in insurance allocation issues for long-tail liabilities, including asbestos, silica, and environmental claims. Adam’s allocation experience includes both the legal complexities as well as the implementation and practical application of allocation models. As part of his representation of policyholders Adam has experience at all levels of litigation, from pre-suit work and the initiation of litigation through trial and appeal. In addition to litigation work, Adam advises clients on the scope of their coverage for various policies and specific claims. Adam also devotes significant time to pro bono representation, and has represented numerous pro bono clients seeking insurance coverage for damage suffered in Superstorm Sandy in 2012 and volunteered at numerous free legal clinics to assist victims of Superstorm Sandy.
Mary Gabriel, Business Litigation, Newark. Mary Gabriel is a partner in the Business Litigation group and practices in the federal and state courts of New York and New Jersey as well as dispute resolution venues. She focuses on commercial and securities litigation, representing clients in complex contractual disputes, breach of fiduciary duty, professional negligence, securities fraud, RICO, antitrust, and shareholder oppression actions. Mary advises corporate and individual clients in business transactions, providing practical risk assessments and insight drawn from her years of litigation experience, both in private practice and as an Assistant County Counsel for Union County, New Jersey. Prior to joining McCarter, Mary clerked for the Honorable Vincent LeBlon, Superior Court of New Jersey, Law Division. She is a director and officer of several New Jersey-based nonprofit organizations.
Veronica Montagna, Corporate, Securities, and Business Transactions, Newark. Veronica Montagna counsels public and private companies and their directors and executives on their compliance and reporting obligations under federal and state securities laws, as well as best practices and emerging trends in corporate governance and general corporate matters. Veronica advises buyers and sellers in mergers and acquisitions and in the disposition of business assets, as well as lenders and borrowers in secured and unsecured loan transactions. She represents venture capital companies and private equity funds in both debt and equity investments in portfolio companies. Veronica is active in the firm’s Women’s Initiative and participates in the firm’s pro bono program. She has been named an Empire State Counsel Honoree in recognition of her pro bono service.
Keith Toms, Intellectual Property/Information Technology, Boston. Keith Toms is a skilled intellectual property attorney with extensive experience helping companies get the most out of their IP by transforming their ideas, creativity, and reputation into a sustainable and protectable business advantage. Keith is an IP litigator with extensive experience enforcing patents, trademarks, and copyrights, both in the federal courts and before administrative bodies, such as the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board. Keith litigates patents covering numerous technologies, including pharmaceuticals, medical devices, computer programs, and sporting equipment. He has also enforced copyrights against national retail chains, defended a musical artist from a charge of copyright infringement, and overseen the international policing of important brands. In addition, Keith counsels clients on optimal strategies for securing and enforcing their trademark portfolios, both in the United States and internationally. He has advised clients on trademark selection and clearance issues in the fields of pharmaceuticals, consumer products, alcoholic beverages, and business consulting, among others. Keith also counsels clients on reviving abandoned, legacy brands.
Matthew Van Eman, Intellectual Property/Information Technology, Boston. Matthew Van Eman works on a range of patent matters, with a focus on patent prosecution, strategic advisory work, and due diligence assessments for major acquisitions, particularly in relation to medical devices and biomedical engineering. Matthew drafts and prosecutes patents in a variety of technology areas. He manages large patent portfolios, helping to strengthen IP positions related to existing product lines, develop new IP for pipeline products, and strengthen the overall value of patent estates. He works with large, multinational and midsized corporations with developed IP positions, as well as with smaller companies or those seeking to develop their IP portfolios or manage IP-related risks. Matthew has handled dozens of patent clearance and due diligence matters in preparation for product launches and major product acquisitions or deals. In addition, Matthew has experience with complex prosecution matters including inter partes reexaminations, inter partes review, and appeals to the Patent Trial and Appeal Board.
Makenzie Windfelder, Product Liability, Wilmington. Makenzie Windfelder is a product liability litigator focusing on pharmaceutical and medical device products as well as patent litigation and antitrust disputes. Makenzie defends major pharmaceutical companies in state and federal product liability, antitrust and patent litigations, preparing witnesses, interviewing and advising company employees, and liaising with regional and national defense counsel on a variety of issues. Makenzie is skilled in large-scale discovery management. She has negotiated numerous protocols governing the production of electronically stored information, and has coordinated substantial electronic, hard copy document, and database productions, including management of review and production of technically complex structured data sets. Makenzie has considerable experience in the electronic discovery arena and serves on McCarter’s E-Discovery Committee and is a member of the Sedona Conference Working Group on Electronic Document Retention and Production. Makenzie is well-versed in document preservation obligations as well as defensible coordination, management, and implementation of international document and database discovery; the drafting of protocols to effectively oversee discovery; EU privacy considerations; back-up tape restoration; and management of multiple, simultaneous, complex document reviews.