The Week at Ropes & Gray

This week, Ropes & Gray attorneys secured two litigation victories for clients, received recognition for exceptional private equity work and contributed insight to an industry guidebook on corporate social responsibility. The firm also welcomed a new business restructuring partner as well as a new director of diversity and inclusion. Here’s a summary of the week’s highlights:

• The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit dismissed a shareholder lawsuit against the Sequoia Fund, affirming that the Fund did not violate industry concentration policy when health care stocks grew to comprise more than 25 percent of the Fund’s assets. A Ropes & Gray litigation team represented Sequoia Fund in the case.
• A Ropes & Gray tax litigation team secured a victory on behalf of Veolia Energy Boston in the Supreme Judicial Court of Massachusetts, which ruled that the city of Boston unlawfully charged Veolia $1.96 million in personal property taxes. The court argued that the company’s system of underground steam pipes, initially taxed by the city, is considered machinery and, as such, is exempt from taxation.
• Ropes & Gray’s 350-lawyer New York office continues to grow with the addition of Cristine Pirro Schwarzman as a business restructuring partner. Cristine, a leading bankruptcy practitioner, represents debtors in out-of-court restructurings, chapter 11 cases and distressed acquisitions.
• Kia Scipio joined Ropes & Gray as the firm’s new director of diversity and inclusion (D&I). Kia most recently led the D&I team at Fish & Richardson and has led attorney and professional development programs at two other top-100 firms. She has almost 20 years of experience in D&I, training and development, and recruiting.
• Strategic transactions partner Michael Littenberg authored a chapter in the recently published guidebook by the American Bar Association, The Lawyer’s Corporate Social Responsibility Deskbook: Practical Guidance for Corporate Counsel and Law Firms. The chapter, “Reporting and Disclosure,” discusses, among other things, corporate social responsibility disclosure drivers as well as the growing body of U.S. and foreign mandatory and voluntary disclosure instruments, frameworks, standards, guidance and regulations.
• Private equity transactions partner Garrett Charon was named “Best in Private Equity (Including Venture Capital)” at Euromoney Legal Media Group’s 2019 “Americas Rising Stars Awards.” Garrett is recognized for representing private equity sponsors and other investment management firms in a wide range of transactions, including leveraged buyouts, going-private deals, mergers and acquisitions, strategic investments, and dispositions.
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