Ropes & Gray Names 20 New Partners in Largest Promotion Round in Firm’s History

Global law firm Ropes & Gray announced today that 20 attorneys have been named partners of the firm, and six attorneys have been named counsel, effective November 1, in the largest round of partner and counsel promotions in the firm’s 153-year history. 

The new partners and counsel of the firm reflect Ropes & Gray’s diversity, global footprint, and dedication to developing and advancing its talent. They are based in nine offices on three continents, including Asia, Europe and North America, and nearly half of the new partners are women, minorities or both. More than half of the new partners also started their legal careers at Ropes & Gray, and one third have worked in more than one office during their careers. The geographic range illustrates the global focus of Ropes & Gray in the 21st century.

“We are fortunate to have such a rich pool that we can tap to help lead the firm into the future,” said firm chair Brad Malt. “The size of our new partner class reflects the confidence we have in these outstanding lawyers. It also makes a statement about our commitment to continued investment in the practices and geographies that are of critical importance to our clients.”

“The promotion of these terrific lawyers to the partnership is a validation of our approach to recruiting and career development,” said managing partner David Chapin. “We recruit the best talent and then provide the training and work opportunities for our associates to develop into world-class Ropes & Gray lawyers.”

“Ropes & Gray has been on a trajectory of steady, profitable growth for more than a decade, and we are committed to continuing that momentum. Our new partners will play a critical role in the future success of the firm,” said chair-elect Julie Jones.

Clients across a variety of key global sectors, including asset management, health care, life sciences and technology, will benefit from the deep industry knowledge and experience of the newly promoted partners and counsel. They represent an array of the firm’s leading international practices, including private equity, securities & public companies, finance, investment management, private investment funds, hedge funds, special situations, health care, IP transactions, IP litigation, benefits, tax, labor & employment, and litigation & enforcement.

Meet Ropes & Gray’s newest partners:

Arthur A. Andersen III (Boston) advises private fund clients in connection with the formation, offering and management of private investment funds. He also represents clients in connection with co-investments, structured secondary transactions, fund restructurings, internal firm structuring, operations and governance, as well as other investment advisory, regulatory, compliance and securities matters.

Melissa Bender (San Francisco & Silicon Valley) advises hedge funds and other private funds, both domestic and offshore, on all aspects of their business, with a focus on fund formation and regulatory compliance and reporting matters. Melissa also has extensive experience representing institutional and other investors (including endowments, funds of funds, private foundations, sovereign wealth funds and family offices) in connection with their investment activities.

Douglas Brayley (Boston) represents employers in complex employment litigation matters, including wage and hour class actions, sexual harassment and workplace discrimination matters, whistleblower actions, disputes concerning restrictive covenants and trade secrets, and arbitrations and lawsuits brought by highly compensated senior executives. In addition, he counsels clients on the full range of day-to-day issues facing employers and provides advice on labor and employment questions that arise in mergers and acquisitions. 

Timothy A. Castelli (Chicago) in the firm’s private equity practice focuses his practice primarily on transactional matters, representing private equity firms, family offices, and public and private companies. He advises on mergers and acquisitions, leveraged buyouts, recapitalizations and other investments, dispositions, restructurings, general corporate governance matters, and management compensation and equity arrangements. His practice spans industries, including health care, life sciences, technology, business services, manufacturing, distribution and financial services.

Martin J. Crisp (New York) in the firm’s litigation & enforcement practice advises an array of private equity and public company clients in transactional and corporate governance litigation, actions under the federal securities laws, and related government investigations. In transactional matters, he has advised both acquirors and targets from negotiations through closing, including on how best to navigate disclosure and governance issues.

Tara M. Fisher (Boston) in the firm’s securities & public companies practice advises public and private companies, private equity funds, and investment banks in securities matters, mergers and acquisitions, public offerings, and corporate governance matters. Her clients include life sciences and consumer-brand companies, as well as companies in other industries.

Saeko Inaba (Tokyo) focuses her practice on advising private equity firms and strategic investors on the structuring and negotiation of mergers and acquisitions, leveraged buyouts, and joint ventures, as well as on an array of corporate matters. Saeko regularly works with clients in transactions in Japan and across Asia.

Danna R. Kivell (New York) advises public and private companies, private equity sponsors, and executives on executive compensation, employee benefits and other compensation-related matters. In her practice, Danna focuses on benefits aspects of mergers and acquisitions and other corporate transactions, as well as ongoing executive compensation and benefits matters, including all aspects of design, compliance and administration of such arrangements.

Jason E. Kolman (Boston) counsels an array of private investment fund clients on the structuring, formation and ongoing operation of their funds, including credit funds, buyout funds, real estate funds and single-investor funds.  He also advises institutional investors in negotiating fund investments, as well as registered investment adviser clients on a range of Advisers Act matters.

Minh-Chau Le (San Francisco & Silicon Valley) represents private equity funds, other strategic investors, and public and private companies in mergers and acquisitions, leveraged buyouts, divestitures, general corporate governance matters, and a broad range of strategic transactions.

Ben Morris (Tokyo) works extensively for private equity sponsors and their portfolio companies, asset managers, and other financial institutions in handling complex cross-border and domestic leveraged acquisition finance transactions, including public-to-private transactions, margin loans, property finance, debt buybacks, refinancings and restructurings. Ben is fluent in Japanese, and his experience covers transactions in Europe and across Asia.

Oliver Nip (Hong Kong) focuses his practice on representing various private equity firms and other investment managers in cross-border buyouts, disposals and pre-IPO investments in China and other Asian jurisdictions. He also has experience advising on growth investments, co-investments, joint ventures, and mergers and acquisitions of Hong Kong-listed companies.

Andrew O'Connor (Boston) in the firm’s litigation & enforcement practice has served as counsel for many well-known health care and life sciences companies facing major federal investigations, class actions and False Claims Act litigation. He currently plays a lead role in a multidistrict litigation involving more than 1,000 state and federal cases across the country, and has helped clients navigate high-profile legal matters that require complex legal, business and reputational solutions.

Adrianne Ortega (Boston) in the firm’s health care practice represents academic medical centers, health systems, physician practices, colleges and universities, private equity sponsors, and other health care organizations on a variety of health care transactions, including affiliations, mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures, spinoffs and alignment strategies, practice management arrangements, and public finance transactions. She also provides regulatory and compliance advice to health care organizations.

Regina Sam Penti (Boston & London) in the firm’s IP transactions practice advises major technology and financial services companies in technology-driven transactions, global patent strategy and intellectual property disputes. A dual-qualified U.S. lawyer and Solicitor of England and Wales, Regina also represents clients in European patent oppositions and other multijurisdictional patent proceedings.

Andrew Radsch (Silicon Valley & San Francisco) is a technology trial lawyer focusing on intellectual property litigation across a variety of industries, including computer hardware and software, life sciences, medical devices, and consumer products. His first-chair trial experience includes two weeklong jury trials and a 19-day bench trial. Andrew also advises clients on offensive and defensive patent and licensing strategies.

Matthew Rizzolo (Washington, D.C.) represents clients in all facets of intellectual property litigation, with a particular focus on district court patent disputes and unfair competition proceedings before the U.S. International Trade Commission. He has experience across a wide spectrum of technical fields, including smartphones, video gaming devices, computer software and hardware, telecommunications, semiconductors, wireless networking technology, and internet-related services.

Benjamin Rogers (Boston) provides federal income tax advice regarding complex business transactions, including mergers, acquisitions, spinoffs, public offerings, financings and restructurings. His clients include public and private companies, as well as private investment funds.

Christian Westra (Boston) advises private equity firms and institutional investors in mergers and acquisitions, leveraged buyouts, and other investments. He also advises private equity sponsors and their portfolio companies on add-on acquisitions, dispositions and general corporate governance matters.

Jeremiah Williams (Washington, D.C.) in the firm’s litigation & enforcement practice advises asset management firms, public companies and individuals on securities enforcement and other regulatory issues. He has served as senior counsel in the Division of Enforcement at the Securities and Exchange Commission, where he was a member of the Asset Management Unit, a specialized group investigating potential misconduct involving investment advisers, registered investment companies and private funds.

Meet Ropes & Gray’s newest counsel:

Samuel Brenner (Boston) is a trial and appellate lawyer whose practice focuses on intellectual property litigation. He has represented companies in a variety of technical fields, including telecommunications, electronics, software and hardware, and semiconductors, and has significant experience counseling clients in matters involving litigation and licensing strategy.

Thomas Danielski (Boston) in the firm’s securities & public companies practice represents publicly traded companies as well as private equity funds and their portfolio companies in public offerings, financings and other strategic transactions. In addition, he advises clients on securities law compliance and general corporate matters.

Lindsey Goldstein (New York) focuses on advising U.S. and non-U.S. private investment fund sponsors on a wide range of matters, including the formation and structuring of private investment funds, capital raising, fund regulatory and compliance matters, and portfolio investment activities.

Rachel Phillips (New York) in the firm’s securities & public companies practice represents public companies in connection with mergers and acquisitions, securities offerings, and other strategic transactions. She also counsels investment banks on financial advisory matters and U.S. and international public companies on corporate governance and disclosure matters in the United States.

Jessica Reece (Boston) in the firm’s investment management practice focuses on representing registered investment companies, their independent trustees and investment advisers in regulatory, transactional and compliance matters. She regularly advises with respect to the development, registration and operation of fund products.