News / Resources

CLEVELAND – January 7, 2013 – BakerHostetler announced today that 18 lawyers associated with the firm have been elected to the Partnership. The new partners are in eight of the firm’s 11 offices and represent clients in the practice areas of Business, Employment and Labor, and Litigation.

New partners in the firm’s Cleveland office:

• Gilbert P. Brosky is a member of the Employment and Labor Group and concentrates his practice on class action, labor, wage and hour, and employment litigation. He earned his law degree from the University of Michigan Law School in 2005 and his bachelor’s degree from Tiffin University in 2001.
• David A. Carney is a member of the Litigation Group and concentrates his practice on complex litigation matters, with a particular focus on class action defense and appellate litigation. He earned his law degree from Case Western Reserve University School of Law, magna cum laude, in 2005, where he was a member of the Order of the Coif and Law Review. Carney earned his bachelor’s degree from the College of Wooster in 1999.
• Ruth E. Hartman is a member of the firm’s Litigation Group and focuses her practice in the area of complex commercial law. She earned a law degree in 2004 from the University of Michigan Law School, a master’s degree in 1999 from the University of Michigan and a bachelor’s degree from the University of Wisconsin, where she was elected to Phi Beta Kappa.
• Kathleen S. O'Connor is a member of the Business Group and concentrates her practice on the areas of mergers and acquisitions, securities law and other corporate matters. She earned her law degree from The Ohio State University Michael E. Moritz College of Law, summa cum laude, in 2005, where she was a member of the Order of the Coif. She earned her bachelor’s degree from Miami University, summa cum laude, in 2001.

New partners in the firm’s Columbus office:

• Rand L. McClellan is a member of the Litigation Group and focuses his practice on commercial law, creditors’ rights and consumer protection, as well as contract issues and business torts. He earned his law degree in 2005 from The Ohio State University Michael E. Moritz College of Law, where he was associate editor for the Ohio State Journal on Dispute Resolution in 2004. McClellan earned his bachelor’s degree, cum laude, from Colgate University in 1997.
• Matthew L. Roberts is a member of the Employment and Labor Group and concentrates his practice on employment counseling, litigation and traditional labor matters. He earned his law degree from Washington and Lee University School of Law, cum laude, in 2005 and his bachelor’s degree in 2001 from Roanoke College, summa cum laude, where he was salutatorian.
• Todd D. Yaross is a member of the Business Group and concentrates his practice in the corporate and real estate areas with an emphasis on commercial real estate transactions, mergers and acquisitions, private equity, joint ventures and strategic investments. He earned his law degree from Northwestern University School of Law in 2004, as well as an M.B.A. in 2011 and a bachelor’s degree in 2000 from The Ohio State University.

New partner in the firm’s Costa Mesa office:

• Lauren A. Deeb is a member of the Litigation Group and handles business litigation cases, including both internal and government investigations, securities class actions, wage and hour class action claims, wrongful termination cases, ERISA cases, legal malpractice and general contract disputes. She earned her law degree in 2004 from Georgetown University Law Center, magna cum laude, where she was a member of the Order of the Coif. Deeb earned her bachelor’s degree from the University of California, Santa Barbara, in 2000.

New partner in the firm’s Denver office:

• A. Jeremy Atencio is a member of the Business Group and manages a variety of business matters, including advising on complex mergers and acquisitions, investment fund formation, registration and compliance, asset sales, corporate governance, credit facilities, private issuances and e-commerce. He earned his law degree from the Sturm College of Law at the University of Denver in 2004 and his bachelor’s degree from Williams College in 1996.

New partner in the firm’s Houston office:

• Matthew R. Raley is a member of the Litigation Group and represents corporate clients in product liability, toxic tort and personal injury cases. He earned his law degree from The University of Texas School of Law in 2005 and his bachelor’s degree from Washington and Lee University in 2001.

New partners in the firm’s New York office:

• Dennis O. Cohen is a member of the Litigation Group and practices white collar investigations and complex commercial litigations in both federal and state courts. He earned his law degree from New York University School of Law in 2003 and his bachelor’s degree from the University of Rochester, cum laude, in 1997.
• Sammi Malek is a member of the Litigation Group and focuses her practice in the areas of white collar criminal defense, internal corporate investigations and compliance, and complex civil litigation. She earned her law degree from New York University School of Law in 2002 and her bachelor’s degree from New York University, magna cum laude, in 1999.
• Geoffrey A. North is a member of the Litigation Group and concentrates his practice on complex commercial litigation, representing a broad range of businesses and individuals in complex business and contract disputes, bankruptcy litigation and white collar criminal matters. North earned his law degree from Rutgers University School of Law – Newark in 2002 and his bachelor’s degree from Tufts University in 1998.
• Geraldine E. Ponto is a member of the Business Group and focuses her practice in corporate reorganization law, creditor/debtor relations law, troubled loan workout law and insolvency law. She earned her law degree from Seton Hall University School of Law in 1981 and her bachelor’s degree, cum laude, from Kean University in 1976.

New partners in the firm’s Orlando office:

• Gregory D. Lee practices in the Business Group, primarily representing clients in land use, real estate development, government relations and local government law. He earned his law degree from Stetson University College of Law, cum laude, in 1999, an M.B.A. from Stetson University, with honors, in 1996, and his bachelor’s degree from the University of Florida in 1994.
• Jessica Parker Malchow is a member of the Business Group and is a Florida Bar Certified Real Estate Attorney. She counsels clients in matters related to property acquisitions and sales, leasing, finance, permitting, operation, management, development and redevelopment, zoning, and land use planning and approvals for a wide range of property types, including commercial, retail, industrial, residential and mixed-use projects. Malchow earned her law degree from the University of Florida Levin College of Law, with honors, in 2003, and her bachelor’s degree from The Florida State University, magna cum laude, in 1999.
• Michael S. Vitale is a member of the Litigation Group and focuses his practice on business torts, contract law, appeals, real estate and land use litigation, complex litigation, construction disputes, intellectual property litigation and federal civil tort defense. He earned his law degree from Vanderbilt University Law School in 2005 and his bachelor’s degree in 2002 from The Florida State University, summa cum laude, where he was elected to Phi Beta Kappa.

New partner in the firm’s Washington, D.C., office:

• Paul M. Levine is a member of the Litigation Group and handles a wide variety of litigation matters, with an emphasis on international arbitration and litigation, government contracts and commercial litigation. He has also litigated complex tax matters, tort cases, and environmental actions. Prior to working at BakerHostetler, Levine worked at the Civil Division of the Department of Justice and clerked in the Northern District of Illinois. He earned his law degree in 2003 from The George Washington University Law School, with highest honors, where he was a member of the Order of the Coif and an articles editor for The George Washington University Law Review. Levine earned his bachelor’s degree from The Ohio State University, cum laude, in 2000 with a distinction in research.

###

About BakerHostetler
BakerHostetler is among the nation's 100 largest law firms with more than 800 attorneys coast to coast, delivering the highest quality legal counsel on the most complex and critical issues facing clients today. The firm has offices in Chicago, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Columbus, Costa Mesa, Denver, Houston, Los Angeles, New York, Orlando and Washington, D.C. Its five primary practice groups are Business, Employment, Intellectual Property, Litigation and Tax. For more information, visit www.bakerlaw.com

Contact:

, Director of Public Relations & Communications (216.861.6616) or , Media Relations Manager (202.861.1601)