NEW YORK – The international law firm of Chadbourne & Parke LLP announced today that David Gallai, Jennifer Handz, Dennis Hopkins and Scott Naidech have been named LLP partners in the Firm.
"These four new partners exemplify the high quality of attorneys across Chadbourne's practices," said Managing Partner Charles K. O'Neill. "They have impressed clients and colleagues with their outstanding legal skills and dedication to client service. I have followed their careers closely and congratulate each of them on this major achievement."
David Gallai, Age 34, New York Office, Employment and Employee Benefits. Mr. Gallai practices in the areas of employment counseling, executive compensation, and employee benefits. He advises management on issues such as compliance with anti-discrimination, employee-leave, and related statutes, reductions in force, workplace policies and procedures, employee discipline and discharge, and wages and hours issues. He also advises clients on a broad range of executive compensation and employee benefit matters, including non-qualified deferred compensation arrangements. He was a Chadbourne summer associate in 1998 and has been a Chadbourne associate since 1999. Mr. Gallai received a B.A., cum laude, from the University of Pennsylvania in 1996 and a J.D., cum laude, from the Georgetown University Law Center in 1999.
Jennifer Handz, Age 45, London Office, Russia and the CIS. Ms. Handz is a banking and finance specialist with a broad range of experience in project finance, secured and unsecured lending (including acquisition financing), equity financing and restructuring focusing on Russia and the CIS, as well as central and eastern Europe. She has represented lenders and borrowers on transactions in the property, telecommunications, oil and gas, municipal infrastructure, steel and manufacturing sectors. Ms. Handz had been an MNP partner in Chadbourne & Parke (a multinational partnership) in London. Prior to joining the Firm in 2006, she had been a senior counsel with the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development in London. Ms. Handz received both an LL.B. and a B.Juris. from the University of Western Australia in 1985.
Dennis Hopkins, Age 41, New York Office, Intellectual Property. Mr. Hopkins focuses his practice on all aspects of intellectual property, with an emphasis on patent, copyright and trade secret litigation. He has significant experience in all phases of IP litigation, including mediations, trials and appeals. In addition, Mr. Hopkins' practice includes counseling clients on issues relating to litigation strategies and intellectual property management. His IP experience also includes drafting and negotiating agreements and licenses, preparing written opinions, and providing general IP counseling to clients, including counseling on patent, copyright, trade secret and trademark matters. Prior to joining Chadbourne, Mr. Hopkins was an associate with Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP in New York. He received a B.S. in nuclear physics/engineering from the United States Military Academy at West Point in 1988 and a J.D. from Rutgers University School of Law in 1998.
Scott Naidech, Age 35, New York Office, Corporate. Mr. Naidech represents a broad array of private fund sponsors in the structuring, establishment and operation of their funds. He has formed buyout, growth capital, real estate and venture capital funds ranging in size from $100 million to over $16 billion of committed capital, including both geography-focused and industry-focused funds. In addition to private funds, Mr. Naidech advises clients on a number of other complex business transactions, including leveraged buyouts, recapitalizations, acquisitions and divestitures, as well as general corporate matters. Prior to joining Chadbourne as counsel, he practiced with Kirkland & Ellis LLP and Linklaters LLP, where he worked extensively with a number of prominent fund sponsors. Mr. Naidech received a B.A. from Emory University in 1994, a J.D. from Temple University's Beasley School of Law in 1997 and an LL.M. from the Georgetown University Law Center in 1999.