Class Notes - J.D. - 1990s
Class of 1991
Richard C. Conley
I teach more and more; I like it and find 17-22-year-old perspectives refreshing. I made a momentous decision last year, and after discussions with my family, friends, and partner, decided to go ahead and become a dad.
Celina Gerbic
Since our last reunion, my husband Joe & I added yet another East Coast city to our list - this time we moved from NY to DC (who knows, maybe Miami will be next!) While I was in NY, I worked for our illustrious law school for 2 years, focusing on alumni relations. Now I've added the hardest job I've had - raising our 3 year old son, Tristan - but it's worth it! I continue to stay in touch with many classmates and this year got together with Kim Sawyer and Eddirland Christel in Boston for Kim's birthday, Rob Walton, Jonathan Rosen and Limor Schafman in Washington, and I am going to see Anuradha Hebbar Mehrotra's new baby in Chicago right before Reunion weekend. I look forward to seeing everyone at Reunion. 9/19/06
Debra Grossbaum
My husband of 18 years, David and I live in Dover with our 4 children Rachel (14), Jake (12) and twins Talia (9) and Sophie (9). 9/19/06
Foren L. Korr
In 1994, I co-founded (with my best friend from undergrad) Katzman & Korr. With offices in Miami, Fort Lauderdale, and Boynton Beach, we primarily represent community associations in South Florida. Our firm has grown dramatically to the point that I rarely “practice’ law anymore. Rather my time is mainly spent running operations and acting as mentor to the associates. I couldn’t be happier. On a personal note, I have been married for almost ten years to the most incredible woman. I am amazed, and profoundly fortunate, that she has put up with me this long. We have two beautiful kids (one of each) and are loving life in the Sunshine State – in between hurricanes, that is.
Lawrence Pliskin
Larry Pliskin is Director of Compliance and In-House Counsel for American Health Holding, Inc. After law school, I moved to Chicago and joined a small general practice law firm. I returned home to Columbus, Ohio in 1994, and joined Bricker & Eckler as a health care associate. I left Bricker & Eckler in 1998 and joined Express-Med, Inc. as Corporate Counsel and Compliance Officer. After Express-Med was acquired in 2002 by MP TotalCare/CCS Medical, I left for my current position. My wife, Heather, and I have a son, Emmett Miles Pliskin, who was born October 24, 2005. We live in Bexley, Ohio. Heather is a speech language pathologist with the Columbus Speech and Hearing Center. 9/19/06
Michele (Miller) Silver
My husband, Steve, and I welcomed our second child, Daniel Max, on October 1, 2004. He joins big brother, Michael, who is 20 months old. Steve and I reside in Glen Rock, N.J.
Donna (Ruberman) Shahrabani
After over three years at Winstron & Strawn in New York, almost 6 years at a small New York firm, and a year staying at home with my first child, I joined Buckalew Frizzell & Crevina in Glen Rock, NJ in 2001 and was made partner in 2006. I practice community association law, real estate and litigation. I live in Livingston, NJ with my husband, Dave, and my two children, Ellie (8) and Carson (4).
Deb Autor
I've been a food and drug lawyer since graduation. I started in private practice doing FDA-related counseling for drug and device companies. After a few years of that, I went to the U.S. Department of Justice where I worked for seven years litigating FDA-related cases. I defended FDA, and prosecuted civil and criminal cases when FDA's laws were violated. I now work at FDA, in the Office of Compliance of the Center for Drugs. My Office is responsible for national oversight of a whole range of drug-related compliance -- manufacturing, clinical trial data integrity, human subject protection, pharmacy compounding, drug labeling, OTC drugs, unapproved drugs, etc., etc. I started as Associate Director in 2002 and became Director in 2006. It's a very challenging and interesting mix of law, policy, and management. I am very proud of my diverse and talented staff of 180 doctors, lawyers, pharmacists, scientists, IT folks, and others. I've been married since '99 to a lawyer (! Bill Burton) who works at the Federal Trade Commission. We have two kids, Joshua (age 4) and Alexander (almost 2). We're just moving into a new house, so I can't make it up to the reunion. But, I hope everyone is doing well.
Mathieu Berman
Married to Robin, daughters Julia Rose and Caroline Sage.
Christopher Cole
I am still working hard in D.C. for Manatt, primarily in the advertising and advertising litigation areas. I have had great fun traveling all over litigating cases involving talking lizards, light beer taste, vacuums that don't lose suction, diapers that don't leak, worm poop, download speed, and other matters of comparable human interest. Had you asked me 15 years ago in Professor Byse's Contracts class what I would be doing today, I would never have imagined it!
Edward P. Gonzales
In February 2007 I moved from Massachusetts to Omaha, Nebraska to join the Corporate Finance department of Kutak Rock LLP in the beautiful heartland of America. In July my wife, Dana, and my 8 year old daughter, Geordi, joined me in Omaha after the school year wrapped up. Dana is thrilled to be back in her hometown and we're excited to finally be living near family.
Jill (Beck) Gould
Steven Gould and I married the week after graduation and went to live for a year in Puerto Rico. We now live in Maryland with our two children, Michael (11) and Shira (8). Steve is a founding partner at the commercial litigation boutique, Brown & Gould,LLP, and you can reach him at sgould@brownandgould.com. I am a headhunter for law firm partners. My company is National Partner Search, LLC, and I can be reached at jgould@nationalpartnersearch.com. We would love to hear from our classmates! 9/2/06
Julia Huston
I am still enjoying practicing intellectual property law at Bromberg & Sunstein, where I have been a partner since 2000. I am halfway through my term as President of the Women's Bar Association of Massachusetts, which has been great. I think everyone should be a bar president at least once! I am also very active in the Boston Bar Association (on the Council), Greater Boston Legal Services (Vice-President), and the International Trademark Association (Subcommittee Chair). When not at my desk, I can be found in South Natick with my husband Don and our two whippets. (10/07)
Scott Kursman
Galit and I have been living in New York City for the past 12 years. We have two boys, Matthew (8) and Jason (5). After starting out at the SEC in Washington, I was an Equity trading lawyer at Prudential Securities and a lawyer/lobbyist for the Securities Industry Association. For the past two years, I've been the Chief Counsel for Global Compliance at Lehman Brothers.
Rebeca C. Martinez
I have just celebrated one year of marriage to David Martinez, Jr. and have moved permanently to San Antonio, TX after 13 years of private practice. Looking forward to announcing the birth of our first child! 9/19/06
Hilary (Henkind) Plattus
I just celebrated my tenth anniversary of working at Mound Cotton in New York City. I've been busy working on several Hurricane Katrina insurance coverage litigations and have been traveling to New Orleans once or twice a month for the past year. Although traveling is tough, I'm certainly enjoying the great food in NOLA!
We have three children: Hayden (4) and twins, Hudson and Noah (2). Now that the twins are walking and talking, things are much easier on the homefront, but it was a bit crazy the first two years trying to balance work and family!
Class of 1993
Lincoln Bandlow
In 2007, a partner and I left our prior firm and formed Spillane Shaeffer Aronoff Bandlow in Century City, California. We practice exclusively litigation with an emphasis on entertainment, intellectual property and media litigation.
I'm now in my 12th year of teaching media law at USC and still actively involved with the Los Angeles Copyright Society, of which I was President in 2005-2006.
My son Dean is almost 7 and my daughter Valentina just turned 3. Life is good. (10/07)
William Ortner
William Ortner recently joined Barclays Capital, the investment banking division of Barclays PLC, located in New York as Managing Director, Equity Products. William's primary responsibility will be to lead Barclays' origination activities for the Americas in equity-linked financing and corporate equity derivatives. William joined Barclays after 10 years at Citigroup. (9/07)
Class of 1994
Robert Anania
I decided in 1997 to rejoin the family business started by my grandfather in 1918. It is amazing how often legal training comes in handy even in the business world. I was married in October of 2001 to my wife, Catherine. Somehow I convinced her to move away from her native New York City to the beautiful but cold Finger Lakes region. In March she gave birth to our second child, Nicholas. We also have a daughter, Elizabeth, who was born in November of 2002.
Kelly Bates
I formed Bates Consulting in 2000. We marked our fifth year anniversary in May. Bates Consulting builds healthy, high-functioning, and multi-cultural organizations through diversity and organizational development consulting and training. I was the chief lobbyist responsible for the passage of a Massachusetts law that requires employers to create policies and encourage training to prevent sexual harassment. Visit Bates Consulting or email me. In addition, my husband, Paul Facklam, Esq., and I will soon be celebrating the birth of our first child and son in December.
Nicolas Jansen Calamita
In 2005, I left the Office of the Legal Adviser at the State Department to come to Oxford for a year as a visiting fellow at Mansfield College. My partner, Nancy, and I liked it so much that we've ended up staying. While the focus of my research is international law, especially dispute settlement, I also teach English constitutional law and torts. It's been a very strange path from BU. In 2006, we had our first child, Johannes. He threatens to crawl by the day. 4/25/07
Nicole Lawrence Ezer
Long update--after moving to Texas in 1999, I've been prcticing Immigration Law in the private sector. I focus on primarily business immigration, primarily for large oil and gas and multi-national companies. I am Board Certified in Immigration and Nationality Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization. Voted as a “Rising Star” in the area of Immigration and Nationality Law in 2004 and 2005 by by colleagues, I have been a member of the faculty of the State Bar of Texas Immigration Law Institute in 2004, 2005, 2006 and and 2007. My most recent article, “ The Intersection of Immigration Law and Family Law,” was published in the ABA Family Law Quarterly in Fall 2006. I was an adjunct professor at the University of Houston Law Center in Fall 2006. Joined Sutherland Asbill & Brennan LLP as Counsel in 2006. Love my practice area and actually do love Texas! Desperately seeking contact informaton for Kelly McEnenaey!
Class of 1995
Class of 1996
Gregory T. Casamento
I have been with Lord, Bissell & Brook in the firm's New York Office for three years and was just elected partner. I am looking forward to our ten year reunion and catching up with my classmates. Feel free to email me at gcasamento@lordbissell.com. 8/14/06
Paul R. Cohen
I have been elected shareholder in the law firm of Baldi & Jenei, P.C. in New Hope, Pa., effective Jan. 1, 2006. This year I obtained a Certificate in Estate Planning from the Temple University School of Law and was named a Rising Star by the Pennsylvania Super Lawyers.
William J. Connolly
After nine years in private practice (all in Boston), I was hired as State Street's first in-house litigator. My wife Sarah and I have two children, Kate and Will.
Michael Erdman
I am a partner at Teeple Leonard & Erdman in Chicago, and concentrate my practice in antitrust, online liability (check out onlineliabilityblog.com) and general commercial litigation. My wife Rachel and I live in Deerfield, Illinois along with our two young children. Rachel works as a full-time mom and part-time physical therapist at a nearby hospital. I would really enjoy hearing from other alum - mherdman@teeplelaw.com (10/07)
Dana Zartner Falstrom
After graduating from BUSL, I practiced immigration law for four years, moving to San Francisco in 1997. In 2001, I left the practice of law for academics. I am currently an adjunct professor at USF law school in San Francisco where I teach comparative law and European Union law. I am also working on my Ph.D. in international relations at the University of California, Davis. I hope (fingers crossed) to finish my dissertation in March. I have been married to my husband, Carl Falstrom, for six years. Carl is also an immigration lawyer here in San Francisco. 9/19/06
Elizabeth A. Frohlich
Joe Salama (also BUSL '96) and I were married in 2001. We are both litigators in San Francisco, and we live in Marin County, just north of San Francisco. I am a securities litigator with Morgan, Lewis & Bockius. Joe is a maritime litigator with Birnberg & Associates. Our son Mark Ames Salama was born December 10, 2005.
9/22/06
Lisa Gomez
Lisa Gomez and Eric Rogers ('98) welcomed their first child, Robert Nicholas, on Aug., 2004. Lisa, Eric, and Bobby live in Mystic, Conn., with their Cairn Terrier, Cooper.
Mario Greco
I left the active practice of law in 2002 to start my own real estate brokerage and development company. My company was acquired by a large Chicago real estate firm in 2003. Since than, I moved to Rubloff where I lead The Mario Greco Group - a team of eight agents who concentrate on traditional buyer and seller representation in Chicago, as well as finding land and buildings for residential conversion or reuse in Chicago. I ended 2004 in the top 10 for sales volume of all Chicago realtors, and it looks like 2005 will find me in the top five.
My wife, Julie, and I share our home with two Bernese Mountain Dogs and a long-haired Dachshund. Needless to say, I don't miss the law very much.
Katherine Ho
Katherine Ho works at Stanford University as Associate Director of the Office of Sponsored Research where she oversees research contracts and grants, and accounting. She and her husband live in Redwood Shores, CA with their two-year-old daughter.
Steve Krause
I have a very busy solo practice in Silicon Valley, where I specialize in commercial transactions, intellectual property, and licensing. For that side of my life, I can be reached at steve@krauselegal.com. Just as important, I have also become an award-winning singer/songwriter, and am currently working on material for my second CD. You can listen to the first CD and keep up-to-date with my tour schedule with a visit to www.stevekrausemusic.com. Life in the San Francisco Bay Area is wonderful. The redwoods say "Hi". 8/18/06
Adam Lesnick
Adam Lesnick is a member of the Real Estate group in New York. His practice includes a wide variety of real estate, real estate-related joint ventures and other business transactions. He has significant experience in all aspects of the acquisition, financing, development and disposition of various real estate assets, including office buildings, shopping malls, industrial facilities, multi-family residential properties and vacant land. He has also represented sponsors in real estate fund formation and investors in real estate funds in the preparation and negotiation of fund formation and investment documents. He received his B.A. from the University of Maryland in 1992, an M.B.A. from Boston University Graduate School of Management in 1996 and his J.D. from Boston University School of Law in 1996. Mr. Lesnick, joined the firm in 1998 and resides in Jericho, NY. (9/07)
Laurie Moroff
I left the Brooklyn District Attorney's Office in 2003, and took a position closer to home at the Suffolk County District Attorney's Office. My husband and I welcomed our second child, a son, Aidan, in June of 2006. Our first child, Ava, starts kindergarten this September. Still prosecuting sexual assault and child abuse cases. Still absolutely loving being a prosecutor.
(9/07)
Nina M. Sas
I have been working at the Attorney General's Office for more than 3 years, after having spent more than 6 years at the Queens County DA's Office. I work in the Criminal Prosecutions Bureau, where I prosecute auto insurance fraud cases and insurance brokerage industry anti-trust cases. I have been happily married for 4 years to Ira Dorfman, a fellow prosecutor from the DA's Office. I would love to hear from my classmates! 9/22/06
Ashley Stanley
After graduating from BU Law, my husband, Pete Johnson, and I moved to Atlanta, where I joined Altman, Kritzer & Levick, L.P., which later reformed as Hartman, Simons, Spielman & Wood, LLP. I practice commercial real estate law at HSSW, and I became partner at the end of 2003. I am extremely happy to be practicing in Atlanta (although we are still rabid Sox and Pats fans)! Pete was a Captain with the Air Force JAG for our first five years down here, and is now the Chief of Public Integrity for the Fulton County District Attorney's Office.
We live in Atlanta with our dog, Jopie, and two cats, Stinky and Elsie.
Class of 1997
Cece Gassner
In the last decade, I've accomplished so many fun things - in my professional life I've worked (and still do) in big firms, had my own practice, worked as a Deputy Attorney General ... and in my personal life, I finished several marathons, half-Ironmans, and tried my first Ironman race this year. East Coast, West Coast, Mountain States ... what I've learned most is that (among other things) law is just so interesting and keeps the synapses firing. More than that, I've greatly enjoyed the melding of my passions with service to my community on the Boards of non-profits, helping for-profits, and creating my own businesses. I am really looking forward to seeing everyone at the reunion, and if you are ever west of Kansas, please give me a call! (10/07)
Joshua Goldstein
Three years ago, I decided to hang out my shingle in Beacon Hill and have been gainfully self (un)employed ever since. My practice is devoted exclusively to immigration, especially litigation and deportation defense. I also provide criminal defense for immigrants, which is always a big hit at cocktail parties. Anyway, if anyone decided to stick around Boston, shoot me an email at josh@jgoldlaw.com
Adam Michael
I am married to BUSL classmate Kathleen Heberle and we live in Rochester, NY with our three children, Henry (5), Lucy (3) and James (1).
Tiffany Ngeo
I have been working at a subsidiary of American International Group, Inc. (AIG) for close to five years. Recently, I was asked to be on the cover of the 2006 AIG Annual Report, which is distributed worldwide to shareholders. To take a look at my picture, you can go to the AIG website http://www.ezonlinedocuments.com/aig/2007/annual/HTML2/default.htm. Prior to AIG, I practiced civil litigation and was a regular in the courts of New York City. On a personal note, I am very proud of my boyfriend, who will be attending my ten year reunion with me and recently got promoted to Lieutenant in the New York City Fire Department. Congratulations! (10/07)
Traci Meakem Richmond (Vanek)
My personal news is that I was divorced shortly after leaving law school, and I married my wonderful high school sweetheart, Brian Richmond, in 2004. We have two children, Tommy, 2, and Madelyn, 5 months. On the professional side, I left litigation and moved into asset management and financial and estate planning. I now work with my mother, my husband, and our team in The Meakem Group of Wachovia Securities.
I am so sorry that I will be unable to come to our ten-year reunion because I am involved in a friend's wedding in Canada. I'll be thinking of my Class of '97 friends - have a great time! (9/07)
KImberly Altschul Straker
My husband Dave and I just had a baby girl named Chloe Amanda Straker. She is now 2 months old. I'm currently on maternity leave, but I will be going back to work in January as in-house employment counsel for Citigroup. (10/07)
Alison Fee Crane
Alison Fee Crane was elected to the partnership at Bledsoe, Cathcart, Diestel and Pedersen, LLP. 7/12/06
Alice (McMath) McCune
My husband, Shawn R. McCune, and I happily announce the birth of our son, Patrick Bond McCune, who was born Halloween night right after trick-or-treating! Patrick was 7 lbs., 15 oz. and 20 1/2 inches. He joins big brother, Matheson, who is 2 and 1/2.
Dan Rhein
I currently work for the Port Authority of N.Y. and N.J. I felt it necessary to remain at my position after 9/11. I am married and have two boys: Colin (2) and Dylan (10 mo.), and one on the way.
Kenneth E. Rubinstein
After several years of practicing in Boston, I moved to New Hampshire in 2002. Since then I have been working with a 30-lawyer New Hampshire-based firm, splitting my time between their Manchester and Boston offices. I was promoted from associate to officer in 2003 and am now the head of our firm's Debtor/Creditor practice. Things are going well in the non-legal area as well, as my wife and I had our first child, Alex, this past January.
Raisha Vaidya
I recently resigned from Bingham McCutchen to start my own law practice concentrating on Corporate, M&A and Financing. My Web site is vaidyalaw.com
Stephen D. Wilson
I was recently elected a Partner in the law firm of Preti, Flaherty, Beliveau & Pachios, LLP (www.preti.com), effective January 1, 2007. We are a growing regional firm with offices in Maine (Portland and Augusta), Massachusetts (Boston), and New Hampshire (Concord). I practice Litigation and Intellectual Property Law in our Portland office, and am admitted in ME and MA.
I serve on Preti's Hiring Committee, and am always on the lookout for qualified lateral candidates, so please feel free to give me a shout if you or anyone you know is interested in learning about potential opportunities with our firm.
Please also feel free to contact me if you ever need local counsel in ME, MA, or NH. I likewise try to channel referral work to other BUSL alumni, and would love to add folks to my referral database.
Before entering private practice, I served a Judicial Clerkship with the Maine Supreme Judicial Court.
I live near the ocean in Portland with my wife and our two children. Definitely look me up if you are ever in the area.
Class of 1999
Travis A. Corder
After six years as a litigator at Brown Rudnick in Boston, I joined the litigation department of Manatt Phelps in Los Angeles in 2005. One of my first moves was to recruit Andrew Eliseev (BUSL 1999) to Manatt, since I needed a tennis partner and someone to eat lunch with. Reportedly, Andrew is enjoying his new job.
Rachel DeGregory
In January of 2007, I left the East Coast for the warmer shores of
California. I am currently a Director of Industry Relations with Lexis
Nexis where I focus on the ways in which Lexis can improve service
to our litigatiors - either through better content, further
development or targeting relevant acquisitions. (9/07)
Douglas Marrano
Named 2007 "Rising Star" by Massachusetts Super Lawyers magazine. 4/25/07