Alumni News and Moves – Fall 2020

Our alumni have forged diverse career paths and taken on interesting new adventures and personal challenges. They are thought leaders, advisers, mentors, advocates, business executives, elected and appointed officials, and trusted professionals.

We are proud of the contributions our alumni continue to make to the legal and business communities, grateful for the time they spent with the firm and honored that so many have stayed in touch with the firm and with each other.

Here are recent News and Moves from our alumni community over the past few months (Office/Practice Group/Year joined firm).

• Rebecca Kraut (Philadelphia/Corporate/2015) was promoted to associate general counsel at Ascensus in November 2020.
• Daniel Dorfman (Florham Park/Products Liability/2016) joined SK Life Science, Inc. in November 2020. 
  
• Melissa Grim (Chicago/Employee Benefits and Executive Compensation/2010) joined Honigman LLP as a partner in November 2020.
• Shane O’Connell (Florham Park/Product Liability/2016) joined Bristol Myers Squibb as counsel in the Oncology Development and Commercialization department in November 2020.
• Jessica Norman (Philadelphia/Real Estate/2011), executive vice president, general counsel and secretary for Independence Realty Trust (IRT), was featured in Vanguard law magazine’s fall edition. The article highlights Jessica’s efforts to support the company’s growth and her profound impact on IRT's environmental, societal and governance practices as well as her ability to tackle any challenge that comes her way.
• Chris Liwski (Florham Park/Product Liability/2009) was promoted to global head of litigation and NA legal services for the Consumer Healthcare division at Sanofi in November 2020.
• William Sanders (Florham Park/Litigation/1986) joined Baron Samson LLP as counsel in October 2020.
• Fred Glass (Indianapolis/Insurance/1994) joined Taft Law as a partner on October 20, 2020. His practice focuses on general business law as well as issues involving sports/media/entertainment, higher education, employment and government matters. The former Indiana University athletic director discussed his tenure and retirement from the position he held since 2009 in the Indiana Daily Student.
• Abam Mambo (Minneapolis/Labor & Employment/2007) joined Microsoft as legal director of its Asia unit in September 2020.
• Susan Schleck Kleiner (Princeton/Litigation/1998) and Erin Drew (Princeton/Litigation/2002) joined Santomassimo Davis LLP in October 2020.
• Bridget Kevin-Myers (Chicago/Health Care/2006) joined OBERD as general counsel in October 2020.
• Jerrica Mathis (Washington, D.C./Government and Regulatory Affairs/2014) joined Cardinal Health as federal government relations director in October 2020.
• Jonathan Grossberg (Philadelphia/Corporate/2014) joined McGraw Hill as an independent contractor in October 2020.
• Lee Petro (Washington, D.C./Government and Regulatory Affairs/2011) received the 2020 "Pay It Forward Award" from The Catholic University of America, Columbus School of Law's Law and Technology Institute Alumni Association. Lee is currently special counsel at Pilsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP.
• Simon Walsh (London/Business Litigation/2001) was promoted to partner at his firm, SA Law LLP in St Albans, United Kingdom, in October 2020.
• Mark L. Shope (Indianapolis/Business Litigation/2012) recently joined the National Chiao Tung University School of Law in Hsinchu, Taiwan, as an assistant professor of law. Mark’s research areas include artificial intelligence, blockchain, and other legal technologies, as well as design thinking and online learning. Mark is committed to improving the way people learn, collaborate and communicate through various technologies. He teaches International Business Transactions, English Legal Writing, AI and Law, Innovative Technology & Legal Practice, and Introduction to U.S. Law. He also coaches the school’s VIS Moot Court team.
• Alan Anderson (Minneapolis/Business Litigation/1983) co-authored the book "The Investor-State Dispute Settlement System: Reform, Replace or Status Quo." The book provides insights into critical topics regarding possible investor-State dispute settlement system reforms, their feasibility and alternatives, and will be available in the coming weeks.

• Mimi Wang (Philadelphia/Investment Management/2002) joined the board of directors of Clarifi – Lifelong Financial Literacy in September 2020. Mimi is currently associate general counsel at Macquarie Investment Management. She has been with the company since 2007.
• Tim Rank (Minneapolis/Business Litigation/1994) and Andrew C. Porter (Chicago/Litigation/2016) were elected to the American College of Trial Lawyers (ACTL) in September 2020 and October 2020, respectively. ACTL is recognized as the preeminent organization of trial lawyers in North America, dedicated to maintaining and improving the standards of trial practice, professionalism, ethics and the administration of justice. Tim is currently an Assistant United States attorney and deputy criminal chief overseeing the National Security and Cybercrime Section of the United States Attorney's Office for the District of Minnesota. Andrew is a partner at Salvatore Prescott Porter & Porter PLLC.
• Michelle Scharfenberg (Philadelphia/Litigation/1999) joined Avanos Medical as senior vice president and chief ethics and compliance officer in September 2020.
• Sandra Moser (Philadelphia/Litigation/2003) joined Morgan Lewis as a partner in September 2020.
• Art Scheller (Chicago/Product Liability/1995) joined Dietrich VanderWaal, S.C as a partner in September 2020.
• John Gaidoo (Indianapolis/Labor and Employment/2007) was promoted to vice president and deputy general counsel of the Employment and Labor Relations division at Cummins in September 2020.
• Tarik Brooks (Philadelphia/Corporate/2014) joined Royer Cooper Cohen Braunfeld LLC as an associate in September 2020.
• Stephen Kubiatowski (Washington, D.C./Business Litigation/2015), senior vice president and deputy general counsel of Litigation and Government Investigations at Kindred Healthcare, was nominated in September 2020 by President Trump to serve as a judge on the United States Court of Federal Claims.
• Brent Whitlock (Chicago/Intellectual Property/2009) started his own firm in September 2020.
• Annika Steffen (Chicago/Labor and Employment/2007) joined Morning Consult as senior associate counsel of the Labor and Employment division in September 2020.
• Paul Vaaler (Minneapolis/General Litigation/1988) returned to teaching at the University of Minnesota Law School and Carlson School of Management after living for eight months in South Africa as a Fulbright Scholar studying regional migration and financial remittance trends. Paul’s work in South Africa is featured in the article “Why Migrant Remittances Really Matter” appearing in the fall 2020 edition of the University of Minnesota’s law magazine.
• Kristin Gemski (Florham Park/Litigation/2002) was promoted to vice president and chief counsel of the Financial Wellness division at Prudential in August 2020.
• Chris Cotterill (Indianapolis/Government & Regulatory Affairs/2012) is currently the chief operating officer at Goelzer Investment Management. He previously served as the COO of the Indiana Economic Development Corporation and chief of staff to the mayor of the City of Indianapolis.
• Michael Phillips (Philadelphia/Investment Management/2000) joined Alumni Ventures Group as general counsel in August 2020.
• Nancy Laethem Stern (Chicago/Corporate/1996) was named the chief executive officer of Allston Trading in August 2020.
• Camillie Landron (Washington, D.C./Government and Regulatory Affairs/2010) joined Jenner & Block as special counsel in August 2020.
• Blair Shaw (Philadelphia/Corporate/2003) joined Otsuka Pharmaceutical Companies as senior director for Vendor/Third Party Compliance in July 2020.
• Sean Kennedy (Florham Park/Product Liability/2015) was promoted to senior counsel of WW Commercialization and Global Medical Capabilities at Bristol Myers Squibb in July 2020.
• Laura Scotellaro Rusche (Chicago/2001) started a new position as founder and managing member at Ascend Legal Recruiters, LLC in July 2020.
• Ale Lara (Chicago/Labor and Employment/2012) joined ADM as associate general counsel of the Employment division in July 2020.
• Holly Lance (Washington, D.C./Intellectual Property/2010) joined the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) as an attorney-advisor in July 2020.
• Mike Helmer (Florham Park/Corporate/1988) joined Squire Patton Boggs as a partner in July 2020.
• Amy Walker (Washington, D.C./Government and Regulatory Affairs/2010) was promoted to director of Infectious Diseases Policy at Biotechnology Innovation Organization in July 2020.
• Mina Frost (Chicago/Health Care/2002) started her own company, Decode X Consulting, in July 2020. Decode X partners with health care businesses to navigate complex legal, ethical and compliance issues to minimize risks and maximize opportunities.
• Emily Gottlieb (Chicago/Corporate Restructuring/2000) joined AW Properties Global as senior vice president of Bankruptcy and Restructuring and managing director of Business Development in July 2020.
• Greg Brown (Chicago/Employee Benefits and Executive Compensation/2000) joined Polsinelli as a shareholder in July 2020.
• Jessica Ryou (Chicago/Intellectual Property/2014) was promoted to senior counsel at Dolby Laboratories in July 2020.
• Matt Harris (Minneapolis/Business Litigation/2014) was promoted to lead assistant general counsel at Xcel Energy in July 2020.
• Joshua Kaplowitz (Washington, D.C./Litigation/2007) joined GE Renewable Energy as senior counsel of the US Offshore Wind unit in July 2020.
• Andrew Weissman (Chicago/Corporate Restructuring/2004) joined Schoenberg Finkel Newman & Rosenberg as a partner in July 2020.
• Daniel Werly (Chicago/Litigation/2009) joined the Tennessee Titans as general counsel in June 2020.
• Christine Carsen (Chicago/Intellectual Property/2000) launched her own law firm, Carsen Law PLLC, in June 2020.
• V. Amanda Witts (Florham Park/Product Liability/2011) joined Eckert Seams in June 2020.
• Connie Berg (Chicago/Intellectual Property/2001) joined the Van Andel Institute as associate general counsel in June 2020. The Van Andel Institute is a nonprofit organization committed to improving the health and enhancing the lives of current and future generations through cutting-edge biomedical research and innovative educational offerings.
• Tonya Evans (Philadelphia/Private Client/1999) joined Penn State Dickinson Law for the 2020-21 academic year as a visiting professor to continue to expand her work in blockchain and cryptocurrency, data, technology, entertainment and social justice. Tonya is teaching Administrative Law; Blockchain, Cryptocurrency, and the Law; Entertainment Law; and Information Privacy Law. She also owns the Advantage Evans™ Academy and hosts the Tech Intersect Podcast, a weekly podcast highlighting new and notable authorities at the intersections of law, business and technology. Prior to joining Dickinson Law, she served as associate dean of Academic Affairs and professor of law at the University of New Hampshire’s School of Law, where she created and directed the school’s Blockchain, Cryptocurrency & Law online professional certificate program and developed its instructor pool and curriculum.
• Troy Calkins retired as executive vice president, chief legal and administrative officer at Workiva on May 31, 2020.
• Kendra Allaband (Chicago/Labor and Employment/2004) joined the Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago as vice president and deputy general counsel in May 2020.
• Donna Thiel (Washington, D.C./Health Care/1987) joined DLA Piper as a partner in May 2020.
• Lauren Drake (Washington, D.C./Corporate/1994) was named by Lawdragon as a global 100 leader in legal strategy and consulting. Lauren is a partner at Macrae, a trans-Atlantic legal recruiting boutique.
• Gordon Weber (Minneapolis/Corporate/1998) was named senior vice president, general counsel and secretary of SurModics in May 2020.
• Though he had to cancel two trips to Avaira, California, due to the pandemic, John Francis, Jr. (Florham Park/Litigation/1965) is keeping busy taking remote courses at the Brooklyn Institute for G. Research on Thucydides and the Peloponnesian War.
• Retired partner Norm Tabler, Jr. (Indianapolis/Health Care/2013) is keeping busy as he sits on the editorial advisory boards of two ABA publications. He authors a monthly column for one of them, along with a monthly column for the Indiana State Bar’s monthly magazine. Norm also writes and records a monthly humor podcast for American Health Lawyers.
• Charlie T. Richardson (Indianapolis & Washington, D.C./Insurance/1972) retired at the end of 2017 and moved back to downtown Indianapolis after 20 years in Washington, D.C. Since then, he’s worked on a few civic projects including the 65/70 Rethink Coalition, as a board member for Indianapolis-Marion County Building Authority (the entity that runs all the Indianapolis public buildings) and the Hamilton-Lugar School and library renovation projects at Indiana University. Charlie is happy to be back in Indiana with former colleagues, friends and family including two kids and seven grandkids.
• Jim Long (Florham Park/Product Liability/2011) opened his own firm, Long Law Firm, PLLC, in February 2020. The Long Law Firm is a boutique firm located in Syracuse, New York, focusing on cybersecurity legal compliance and data breach response, civil litigation and business law on behalf of startups and entrepreneurs.
• Alan Di Sciullo (Florham Park/Litigation/1977) is enjoying retirement from legal practice but still teaches as a professor at New York University in the Schack master's degree program in real estate. Alan chairs a committee on Alternative Dispute Resolution in the American Bar Association's Senior Lawyers Division, and he will be moderating and participating in several upcoming webinars. Alan will also be a panelist and moderator for several segments of the Practicing Law Institute's Negotiating Commercial Leases CLE program in February 2021. Alan remains active as a fellow in the American College of Real Estate Lawyers. In his spare time, he is enjoying playing more golf than ever before and spending time with his daughters and granddaughter.
• Richard Forschler (Minneapolis/Government & Regulatory Affairs/1989) joined Rapp Strategies, Inc. (RSI) as senior counsel. RSI is a public relations/public affairs firm headquartered in Minneapolis. He has been helping their clients with strategy, communications and messaging on public policy issues.
• Although Kennard Weaver (South Bend/Corporate/1993) retired as a partner from Baker & Daniels in 2006, he has continued to keep busy and follow legal developments as a spectator! Kennard is in his 48th year as a rotarian and continues to serve as trustee of Northwestern Michigan College in Traverse City, Michigan. He is currently in his second six-year term of office. He’s also keeping busy with lots of community service.