Dechert Elects 11 New Partners to the Firm

Global specialist law firm Dechert LLP announced today that 11 lawyers have been newly elected as partners effective January 1, 2015.

“We congratulate and welcome our new partners,” said Daniel O’Donnell, the firm’s Chief Executive Officer. “They are a talented group whose innovative ideas, client focus and strong work ethic will only strengthen the partnership.”

The newly elected partners are:

William J. Bielefeld (Financial Services – Washington)
Bielefeld advises registered funds (including open-end funds and closed-end funds) and business development companies, their investment advisers and their boards of directors/trustees on a wide range of matters relating to the development and launch of new funds, fund reorganizations, mergers and acquisitions, and regulatory and compliance matters relating to existing funds, fund governance issues and SEC examinations.

Caroline Black (Litigation – London)
Black is a criminal defense and investigations lawyer who regularly advises clients on cross-border regulatory and internal investigations. She is experienced in advising clients on interacting with the UK Serious Fraud Office, HMRC and the police, including dealing with raids on corporate or personal premises. She also advises companies and individuals facing criminal or regulatory action (including during interviews under caution) and any subsequent prosecution proceedings. Building on her experience of investigating and defending companies and individuals, she frequently advises corporations on how to design and implement effective anti-corruption compliance measures, and M&A due diligence matters.

Jean-Louis Frognet (Financial Services – Luxembourg)
Frognet has more than 10 years of experience in advising international clients on corporate structurings, mergers and acquisitions, and corporate finance transactions, including the formation, management, financing and liquidation of companies, joint ventures and investment vehicles. He also focuses on specific financial services matters such as securitization transactions, and advice to financial professionals, as well as public offerings and listing of bonds and shares (including of investments funds) on the Luxembourg Stock Exchange.

Justin J. Gdula (Finance and Real Estate – Philadelphia)
Gdula advises investment banks, life insurance companies, commercial banks, institutional investors and loan servicers in a variety of commercial real estate finance matters, with particular emphasis on origination, acquisition, mortgage loan syndication and disposition, mezzanine financing, loan sale and purchase, post-closing modification, work-out and foreclosure transactions.

Matthew B. Ginsburg (Finance and Real Estate – Philadelphia)
Ginsburg focuses his practice on commercial real estate finance and investment with concentrations in the origination, acquisition, syndication and disposition of mortgage loans, mezzanine financings and subordinate debt and joint venture and preferred equity investments. In addition, he has experience in post-closing modifications, restructurings and workouts of complex distressed-debt structures.

Andrew Harrow (Corporate – London)
Harrow advises on a wide range of UK and cross-border transactions including joint ventures, mergers and acquisitions (both public and private), reorganizations, privatizations, IPOs and fundraisings for listed and private companies internationally as well as general corporate matters. He has a particular interest in transactions in the life sciences, technology, crowdfunding and insurance sectors.

Patrick Lyons (Corporate – London)
Lyons represents issuers, underwriters and other transaction participants in all types of equity and debt capital markets offerings, as well as on liability management exercises, restructurings and mergers and acquisitions. In particular, he has significant experience working in emerging markets and with debut issuers.

Matthew L. Mazur (Litigation – New York)
Mazur focuses his practice on white collar criminal, regulatory and complex commercial litigation matters. He also advises clients in connection with internal investigations. His experience includes defending individuals and companies under investigation by federal and state prosecutors, the SEC, the CFTC, and the U.S. Congress, and in related private litigation.

Andrew P. Pontano (Finance and Real Estate – New York)
Pontano focuses his practice on asset-backed financing and securitization. He advises clients regarding public and private securities offerings and other complex finance transactions involving a wide range of asset classes, including auto loans and leases, credit card, equipment lease and trade receivables, residential mortgage loans and mortgage servicing rights. He also has significant experience with derivative instruments, including interest rate and currency hedges.

Sean Solis (Finance and Real Estate – New York)
Solis advises financial institutions, real estate funds, hedge funds, underwriters, issuers, institutional investors, asset managers and sponsors in structured finance transactions and other complex financings, often in a cross-border context, as well as in connection with derivatives and distressed loan trades. He has experience in a wide variety of structured credit and structured products transactions (including collateralized debt obligations and collateralized loan obligations), credit facilities, leveraged loan facilities, asset finance, tax structured transactions, restructurings and acquisition finance.

Ari Zak (Tax – New York)
Zak focuses his practice on financial services tax matters, with a particular emphasis on registered funds and alternative investment funds. He has significant experience working on matters relating to mutual funds, closed-end funds, exchange-traded funds, business development companies and variable insurance funds. He has also worked extensively on matters relating to hedge funds, other alternative investment products and derivatives.

About Dechert

Dechert is a global specialist law firm focused on sectors with the greatest complexities and highest regulatory demands. We deliver practical commercial insight and judgment to our clients' most important matters. Nothing stands in the way of giving clients the best of the firm's entrepreneurial energy and seamless collaboration in a way that is distinctively Dechert.