Kelley Drye Announces New Partners and Special Counsel

Firm elects nine new partners, promotes seven to special counsel

NEW YORK, June 28, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Kelley Drye & Warren LLP is pleased to announce the election of nine new partners. Jennifer Barks, Maria Biaggi, Courtney Kleshinski, Jennifer McCadney, Joshua Morey, Lana Rowenko, Valerie Sheaffer, Genna Steinberg, and Patricia Werner begin their tenure as partners effective July 1, 2023. In addition, the firm has promoted Matthew Chakmakian, Phillip Crain, Vincent Ferraro, Elizabeth Krasnow, Kelli Ortega, Lauren Shah, and Robert Ward to special counsel.

"These attorneys have demonstrated a commitment to excellence in their work on behalf of our clients, and display the values unique to Kelley Drye" said Dana Rosenfeld, firm managing partner. "For several years the firm has pursued a strategy of organic growth, supporting and retaining high-performing attorneys, to ensure that the firm and our clients have the benefit of their talents for years to come. This partnership class, the largest in the firm's history, demonstrates Kelley Drye's commitment to elevating talent from within our ranks and showcases the diversity of lawyers across the firm. Personally, it is immensely gratifying to see the number of women who have earned a place in the partnership, as we continue to increase representation of women at the highest levels of the profession." 

The newly elected partners span Kelley Drye offices and key practice areas including Corporate, Environmental, Government Relations and Public Policy, International Trade, Labor and Employment, and Litigation.

Kelley Drye's newest partners are:

Jennifer Barks (Environmental): Jennifer focuses her practice on environmental, energy, and commercial litigation in state and federal courts throughout the country. She represents states, sovereigns, and private companies in complex environmental and civil litigation, pursuing contamination-related and natural resource damage claims under Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA), products liability, and other tort theories. Jennifer is a member of the California and Texas Bars.

Maria Biaggi (Labor and Employment): Maria's practice covers all aspects of labor and employment law, including workplace litigation, dispute resolution, and counseling. Her broad scope of experience makes her an ideal strategist and business partner for companies of all sizes. Maria also works with HR professionals, in-house counsel, and senior executives to provide strategic and practical advice on HR law, discrimination law, restrictive covenants, and reductions-in-force. Maria is a member of the New York Bar.

Courtney Kleshinski (Corporate): Courtney's practice includes structuring and negotiating strategic investments, joint ventures, co-investment vehicles, and advising investment managers. She works with publicly traded, privately-held, and family-owned businesses across a range of industries. Courtney is a member of the Illinois Bar.

Jennifer McCadney (Government Relations and Public Policy): Jennifer utilizes a mix of law and policy to help clients identify, advance, and defend their interests in the legal, political, and regulatory arenas. As both a lawyer and government relations and policy strategist, Jennifer's approach to problem-solving emphasizes strategic advice and a keen understanding of legislative and regulatory processes. She has worked with companies in a variety of industries including food, agricultural commodities, footwear, apparel, metals, and manufacturing. Jennifer is a member of the New York and Washington, D.C. Bars.

Joshua Morey (International Trade): Joshua specializes in representing domestic industries and trade associations in antidumping and countervailing duty proceedings. He also has significant experience counseling clients on evolving trade and supply chain policy and customs compliance matters. Joshua regularly draws on his experience as a judicial law clerk for the Honorable Claire R. Kelly at the U.S. Court of International Trade. He applies the acquired knowledge and skills on his clients' behalf on a daily basis. Joshua is a member of the New York and Washington, D.C. Bars.

Lana Rowenko (Environmental): Lana focuses on environmental litigation, as well as commercial litigation. Lana's environmental practice includes representing states and sovereigns in complex environmental litigation arising from contamination of natural resources. Her work includes representing multiple states and sovereign territories in litigation arising from contamination from industrial and other uses of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) as well as litigation arising from PFAS contamination related to use of aqueous film-forming foam. Lana is a member of the New York and Texas Bars.

Valerie Sheaffer (Environmental/Real Estate): Valerie Sheaffer advises clients on environmental, employee safety and health liabilities and risks in complex commercial transactions, including securitized and non-securitized financings, mergers, acquisitions, divestitures and bankruptcies. Valerie's experience includes conducting all aspects of due diligence, negotiating and drafting contract provisions, advising on regulatory compliance and permitting requirements, managing outside engineering firms on the assessment of liabilities and risks, and working with insurance brokers to obtain specialty environmental insurance coverage. Valerie also advises on environmental claims under specialty pollution insurance products. Valerie is a member of the Connecticut, New Jersey, and New York Bars.

Genna Steinberg (Litigation): Genna's practice focuses on complex commercial litigation, including trademark, trade secret, employment, advertising, real estate, and breach of contract disputes. Genna has extensive experience practicing in federal and state courts, as well before arbitration tribunals. She frequently represents clients in healthcare, technology, manufacturing, real estate, and retail industries. Genna has managed all stages of complex civil litigation matters, including pre-suit investigation, dispositive motion practice, discovery, trials, appeals, and settlement negotiations. Genna is a member of the New York and Washington, D.C. Bars.

Patricia Werner (Intellectual Property): Patricia's practice focuses on intellectual property protection, and enforcement for numerous global brands in industries spanning software and computer-related technologies, financial services, retail, consumer brands, entertainment and fashion. Clients turn to Patricia to prepare and negotiate license agreements, coexistence agreements and related intellectual property agreements. She has been recognized for her work by US Legal 500 and World Trademark Review. Patricia is a member of the New York Bar.

Founded in 1836, Kelley Drye & Warren LLP is home to skilled practitioners in the areas of litigation, trade, regulatory, government relations, real estate, corporate, and more. A powerhouse firm with the heart of a boutique, the firm's attorneys provide legal counsel carefully connected to their client's business strategies. Among the firm's recent awards: Named to the BTI "Client Service A-Team"; the 2023 edition of Chambers USA recognized 22 attorneys as leaders in their practice and recommended the firm in ten practice areas, six of which achieved national ranking; US Legal 500 recognized 55 attorneys and 12 practice groups to its annual list for 2023; and Kelley Drye was named one of "America's Best Law Firms" by U.S. News & World Report Best Law Firms, with a "Tier 1" national ranking in Advertising, Communications, Environmental Law, Environmental Litigation, and Real Estate.

SOURCE Kelley Drye & Warren LLP