Drinker Biddle Elects Eight New Partners

PHILADELPHIA, PA  (February 16, 2005) – The law firm of Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP is pleased to announce that Donald A. Beshada, Dorothy E. Bolinsky, Amy E. Carroll, Romney L. Grippo, Stephen R. Harris, Andrew B. Joseph, Jon R. Mooney and Michael P. Pompeo have been elected partners of the firm.

“The election of new partners is perhaps the most important responsibility for any law firm,” said James M. Sweet, Chairman of Drinker Biddle. “New partners are our collective future and, with new partners as strong as these, our future looks bright indeed.”

Stephen R. Harris is a member of Drinker Biddle’s Insurance Practice Group, resident in the Philadelphia office. He joined the firm after more than twenty years combined with Pepper, Hamilton & Scheetz and Stradley Ronon Stevens and Young, LLP. His practice is focused on insurance coverage, including structured settlement litigation, and commercial litigation. He has represented corporate clients, including insurers, banks and railroads, in commercial litigation disputes, such as construction claims, tortious interference, breach of contract, UCC and technology issues. He has tried cases in federal and state courts, the Pennsylvania Board of Claims and numerous arbitration panels. He received his undergraduate degree from Occidental College and his law degree from the University of Southern California Law School.

Jon R. Mooney is a member of Drinker Biddle’s Corporate and Securities Practice Group and Information Technology Group, resident in the Philadelphia office. His practice is focused on representing buyers and targets in acquisitions and dispositions, as well as representing issuers in public and private securities offerings.  In addition, a substantial part of Mr. Mooney’s practice involves complex technology transactions, including technology licensing, development and implementation agreements, joint ventures, and outsourcing transactions.  Mr. Mooney graduated magna cum laude from the Scholar’s Program of the Pennsylvania State University. He received a law degree from the University of Virginia School of Law.

Donald A. Beshada is a member of Drinker Biddle’s Labor and Employment Practice Group, resident in the Florham Park, NJ office. His practice focuses on the representation of management in all areas of labor and employment law. He has extensive experience in defending employers in employment discrimination, wrongful discharge, harassment and retaliation actions in state and federal court. Mr. Beshada received his undergraduate degree, magna cum laude, from the University of Scranton. He received a law degree from Rutgers University School of Law – Camden.

Romney L. Grippo is a member of Drinker Biddle’s Corporate and Securities Practice Group, resident in the Florham Park, NJ office. Her practice is primarily focused on representing buyers and sellers in merger and acquisition transactions, representing parties to a wide variety of commercial transactions and providing general corporate counseling. Ms. Grippo has represented both publicly held and private companies in a broad range of businesses. Ms. Grippo received an undergraduate degree in Political Science from Marymount Manhattan College. She received a law degree from Rutgers School of Law – Camden and an LL.M. in Taxation from Villanova University School of Law.

Andrew B. Joseph is a member of Drinker Biddle’s Litigation Department, resident in the Florham Park, NJ office. He is an experienced trial attorney who has tried multiple cases to verdict in both New Jersey and New York. He has also represented numerous corporations, officers, employees and individuals in civil and criminal matters and in investigations before federal and state agencies and grand juries. Mr. Joseph is also a member of the firm’s Telecommunications Litigation Practice Group and the White Collar and Corporate Investigations Practice Group. He received his undergraduate degree from Colgate University, and he received a law degree from St. John’s University School of Law. He is admitted to practice in New York and New Jersey, and the United States District Court for the Southern and Eastern Districts of New York and the District of New Jersey.

Michael P. Pompeo is a member of Drinker Biddle’s Finance and Restructuring Practice Group, resident in the Florham Park, NJ office. His practice is dedicated primarily to debtor/creditors’ rights, financial transactions and restructurings, and bankruptcy matters, where he represents trustees, creditors’ and bondholders’ committees and secured and unsecured creditors. Mr. Pompeo received his undergraduate degree from Fairfield University, and an M.B.A. in Finance from Seton Hall University. He received a law degree from Seton Hall University School of Law. He is admitted to practice in New York and New Jersey, and the United States District Court for the Southern and Eastern Districts of New York and the District of New Jersey.

Dorothy E. Bolinsky is a member of Drinker Biddle’s Real Estate Group, resident in the Princeton, NJ office. Her practice includes complex commercial and residential real estate transactions and guiding development projects through the land use planning process. In addition, Ms. Bolinksy is experienced in business operations, particularly with regard to restaurants. She has counseled clients with respect to transferring liquor licenses and has appeared before liquor licensing boards throughout New Jersey. Ms. Bolinsky received her  undergraduate degree, magna cum laude, in Hotel Restaurant and Institutional Management from The Pennsylvania State University in May 1991. She received her law degree with high honors from Rutgers University Law School – Camden.

Amy E. Carroll is a member of Drinker Biddle’s Intellectual Property Practice Group, resident in the Washington, D.C. office.  Her practice focuses on assisting clients with the selection, protection and management of domestic and international brands and brand portfolios, and conducting intellectual property due diligence and risk assessment in connection with corporate transactions.  Ms. Carroll also regularly advises clients on trademark, unfair competition, domain name, copyright, advertising and e-commerce issues, including trademark and copyright licenses, website privacy policies and work-for-hire arrangements.  Her technology-related transactional experience includes drafting, reviewing and negotiating software license, escrow and maintenance agreements, website development agreements and agreements for web-based applications.  Ms. Carroll received her undergraduate degree from the University of California at San Diego and her law degree from The American University, Washington College of Law.