Drinker Biddle Names 10 New Partners Nationwide

Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP has elected 10 new partners of the firm. The partners reside in seven different offices and span across nine of the firm’s practices.

“These individuals have demonstrated an impressive commitment to our clients and the firm,” said Drinker Biddle Chairman and CEO Andrew C. Kassner. “We are pleased to welcome them to partnership and look forward to their continued efforts to provide our clients with unparalleled service.”

Brief biographies of the new partners follow:

Christopher B. Berendt is a member of the Environment & Energy Practice Group and is based in the firm’s Washington D.C. office. He concentrates his regulatory and transactional practice in the design and operations of the energy and environmental markets. From project development and finance of advanced distribution level assets to commodity transactions and market structure proceedings, he serves purchasers, developers, hosts, investors, and suppliers.

Lawrence J. Del Rossi is a member of the Labor & Employment Practice Group and is based out of the firm’s Florham Park, N.J. office. He works on a full spectrum of labor and employment matters, with a focus on employment litigation in state and federal courts.

Marita S. Erbeck is a member of the Corporate Restructuring Practice Group and resides in the Florham Park office. Her practice focuses on corporate reorganizations, out-of-court restructurings and business litigation, and she has represented debtors, trustees, committees and secured and unsecured creditors in complex Chapter 11 cases.

Ryan S. Fife is a member of the Litigation Practice Group and is based out of the firm’s Los Angeles office.  He has extensive experience with litigation involving allegations of breach of contract, trade secret misappropriation, defamation, copyright infringement and securities fraud. Ryan represents clients in a variety of industries including the entertainment, real estate, and fashion industries.

Andrew C. Raby is a member of the Investment Management Practice Group and resides in the Chicago office. His practice focuses primarily on representing and advising investment advisers and sponsors of alternative investment funds.

Rachel Ryan is a member of the Health Care Practice Group and is based in the firm’s Albany office. She counsels health care systems, hospitals, physicians and physician practices on regulatory, compliance and transactional matters, including the development and implementation of hospital-physician alignment strategies. 

Eirik Tellefsen is a member of the Corporate & Securities Practice Group and is based in Philadelphia. Eirik’s practice focuses primarily on banking and other finance transactions, in which he counsels lenders and borrowers in assorted financing arrangements and drafts and negotiates loan documents. His practice also includes mergers, acquisitions and divestitures.

Katherine Villanueva is a member of the Insurance Practice Group and resides in the Philadelphia office. She represents clients in commercial litigation, insurance disputes, and class actions. Katherine has handled all aspects of civil litigation, ranging from pre-suit counseling, to discovery and dispositive motion practice, to trial advocacy and post-trial proceedings. 

Justin J. Watkins is a member of the Corporate & Securities Practice Group and is based in Philadelphia. He focuses his practice on mergers and acquisitions, corporate venture investments, venture capital and private equity investments, divestitures, joint ventures and other strategic transactions, and general business counseling.

Geoffrey Zelley is a member of the Intellectual Property Practice Group and resides in the Wilmington office. He represents clients in a variety of areas including counseling and opinions, as well as patent prosecution and patent litigation in the chemical and pharmaceutical areas.