Kelley Drye & Warren LLP Announces New Partners

NEW YORK, July 1, 2015 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Kelley Drye & Warren LLP has elected seven new partners and promoted 10 to special counsel, effective July 1, 2015. 

Lew Rose, firm managing partner said, "Congratulations to all our new partners and special counsel.  We are thrilled to have such talented attorneys strengthen our partnership as Kelley Drye grows from within.  This group has demonstrated innovative ideas, excellent client service, and skills that make us confident that they will lead the firm, and our clients, into the future." 

The new partners, and their practice groups, are:

• Jason R. Adams, Bankruptcy and Restructuring
  Mr. Adams focuses on creditors' rights, debt restructuring, distressed M&A, and bankruptcy litigation, and includes substantial experience in the financial services, retail, technology and energy industries.  In 2015, Mr. Adams was named a Rising Star by Law360 in the area of bankruptcy law, one of the few attorneys in his field to earn this distinction.  Mr. Adams frequently represents unsecured creditors' committees, individual creditors, indenture trustees, and liquidating trusts in all aspects of the bankruptcy process, including the negotiation of debtor-in-possession financing and distressed asset sales. Mr. Adams also represents individual creditors in bankruptcy in connection with the enforcement, termination or restructuring of client supply agreements, leases, and other contractual relationships with debtor entities. He is a member of the New York State Bar. 

• Deron L. Green, Real Estate 
  Mr. Green focuses his practice in the areas of commercial real estate finance and commercial mortgage securitization.  Mr. Green has extensive experience representing investment banks, commercial banks, insurance companies, institutional lenders, private equity investors, and loan servicers in a variety of real estate finance transactions, including permanent and bridge loan origination; mezzanine and other subordinate debt financings; construction loans; loan participations, syndications and other co-lender arrangements; and workouts and restructurings. He also represents lenders and investors in a variety of multifamily housing transactions (market rate and tax credit transactions), including the acquisition and securitization of affordable multifamily mortgage loans. Mr. Green also represents lenders participating in the Department of Defense's housing privatization program.  He is a member of the New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania State Bars. 

• Joshua Guyan, Communications
  Mr. Guyan focuses on general telecommunications matters. Mr. Guyan's experience includes wireline, wireless, Voice over IP (VoIP), satellite, international and experimental compliance advice and licensing, universal service, advocacy at the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), comprehensive telecommunications due diligence reviews, analyzing technical and regulatory compliance for wireline and wireless carriers, and analyzing new voice and data services for compliance with FCC and State regulations.  He is a member of the District of Columbia and Virginia Bars.

• Michael S. Kosmas, Real Estate
  Mr. Kosmas represents some of the most sophisticated players in the hospitality industry in a wide variety of corporate transactions including acquisitions and dispositions, developments and financings of hotels and resorts around the world. With nearly two decades of industry experience, Mr. Kosmas has particular experience in drafting and negotiating complex franchise and management contracts between hotel owners and operators.    While a significant portion of his practice involves hospitality-related real estate, Mr. Kosmas also has extensive experience with other classifications of real estate, including office buildings, retail, multi-family projects, medical facilities, power generation facilities and mixed-use development projects.  He is a member of the District of Columbia and Maryland State Bars. 

• Dustin J.  Painter, Government Relations and Public Policy
  Mr. Painter advances his clients' public policy priorities through a comprehensive mix of public policy advocacy and strategic and compliance counseling.  Mr. Painter is a seasoned policy advocate, representing his clients' interests before the U.S. Congress and Federal agencies.  Mr. Painter provides policy analysis to clients across a wide range of industries and offers strategic advice on navigating Congress and the Executive Branch.  Mr. Painter specializes in crafting legislative and regulatory strategies, which typically include substantive legal analyses relevant to policymaking objectives as well as the drafting of legislation, committee report language and witness statements.  He provides political law compliance advice to corporations, political committees, and trade associations, which includes compliance with the Federal Election Campaign Act and implementing regulations and the patchwork of state statutes and regulations governing policy advocacy and political activities at the state and local level.  He is a member of the District of Columbia Bar. 

• Damon Suden, Litigation  
  Mr. Suden has a diverse practice with extensive trial experience over the last 12 years in both state and federal courts.  He has also handled domestic and international arbitrations.  Mr. Suden is adept at litigating complex commercial disputes, including class actions, corporate fraud and other tort claims, unfair competition, theft of trade secrets, bankruptcy litigation, false advertising litigation, and employment related matters.  Mr. Suden has handled matters for companies in a variety of industries including banking and finance, design and fashion, insurance, healthcare, nonprofit, and telecommunications.  Mr. Suden has successfully defended employers in numerous cases involving allegations of employment discrimination and whistleblower retaliation.  Mr. Suden is an active member of the National LGBT Bar Association and is the head of Kelley Drye's LGBT Network's New York chapter.  He is a member of the New York State Bar. 

• Laura van der Meer, Government Relations and Public Policy
  Ms. van der Meer has over twenty years' experience in international trade advocacy and regulatory compliance, with significant experience in the pharmaceutical, agricultural biotechnology, chemicals and animals sectors.  Currently based in Brussels, Belgium, Ms. van der Meer has been a resident in Europe since 1999.  She has lived and worked in the United States, Belgium, the Netherlands, Hungary, and Switzerland. Ms. van der Meer alerts clients of developments and assists them to better understand complex international and European policy and legislative processes to protect and advance business interests.  She is a member of the District of Columbia and Pennsylvania State Bars and the Brussels Bar B List.

In addition to the seven new partners, Audrey Jing Faber, Dana P. Kane, Clifford Katz, Sung W. Kim, Jennifer L. Norkus, Raqiyyah R. Pippins, Aaron D. Rosenfeld, Gilbert R. Saydah, Denise Smith and Kristi L. Wolff were promoted to special counsel. 

Kelley Drye & Warren LLP is an international law firm founded in 1836 with more than 300 lawyers and other professionals practicing in New York, NY; Washington, DC; Los Angeles, CA; Chicago, IL; Stamford, CT; Parsippany, NJ, Naples, FL; and Brussels, Belgium, additionally offering a full scope of legal service through our affiliate relationship with the Mumbai-based independent law firm, Fortitude Law Associates.

SOURCE Kelley Drye & Warren LLP