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1990s Class Notes

1990

Kent Clayton is chairman of the business practices group of Berger Kahn, a California-based midsize law firm with offices in Los Angeles, San Francisco, San Diego, and Irvine. Kent practices securities law, technology and intellectual property law, and mergers and acquisitions law. He lives in Irvine with his wife, Junko, and his daughter, Sara (15). Kent still plays bass guitar from time to time around the Orange County area.

John Edgar joined Ober|Kaler’s estates and trusts group. He currently chairs the estate and trust law section of the Maryland State Bar Association, and is a fellow of the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel. He also serves on the Baltimore Estate Planning Council.

Sean Gertner spent “an interesting year” starting a new firm—now up to three partners and three associates. The bulk of his work involves representing municipal governments, elder law, zoning and land use, and commercial litigation and transactions.

HansenBrian Hansen has been elected partner in the Boise, Idaho, office of Holland & Hart. Hansen has experience in a broad range of business and commercial matters, including mergers and acquisitions, securities, licensing and technology, and real estate. He previously served as senior vice president and general counsel of MPC Corporation.

Ronald J. Tenpas joined Morgan, Lewis & Bockius as a partner in the firm’s litigation practice in Washington, D.C. Tenpas focuses his practice on environmental litigation and counseling. Prior to joining Morgan Lewis, Tenpas was the Assistant Attorney General for the Environment and Natural Resources Division at the U.S. Department of Justice.

Tom Repke is a partner in the Washington, D.C. office of McDermott Will & Emery in the firm’s corporate department. His wife, Karla Palmer, is also a partner in McDermott’s trial department. Tom and Karla are busy with their four children, Hannah (13), Jack (11), Graham (4), and Mackie (2).

1991

Jeffrey P. Singdahlsen has been named associate general counsel for legal policy in the Securities and Exchange Commission’s Office of the General Counsel. He rejoins the agency staff after serving in a variety of positions in the Department of Justice, most recently in the appellate section of the criminal division.

Mike Lincoln has been crowned the “go-to guy” for venture deals and mergers and acquisitions in the Washington Business Journal’s listing of top Washington lawyers in corporate finance. After founding Cooley Godward Kronish’s East Coast office in 1999, Lincoln has been involved in a “significant share” of the venture capital deals in the Washington area. In addition to VC deals, Lincoln focuses on public and private offerings, M&A, and representing technology and emerging growth companies. Lincoln was also named a Super Power in Washingtonian magazine, as well as one of the top dealmakers by Legal Times.

1992

Maxwell Taylor Kennedy has written a new book entitled Danger’s Hour: The Story of the USS Bunker Hill and the Kamikaze Pilot Who Crippled Her. The book recounts the devastating attack on the U.S. ship that occurred on May 11, 1945, just days after the Japanese surrendered. Kennedy is a maritime historian and currently serves as associate scholar of the John Carter Brown Library at Brown University. He lives in Los Angeles, Calif., with his wife and children.  (See In Print)

KinneyClifford F. Kinney, Jr., has recently rejoined Spilman Thomas & Battle as counsel in the Charleston, W.Va., office, where his primary areas of practice are general litigation, class actions, mass torts, toxic torts, construction litigation, and alternative dispute resolution. 

MathasTed Mathas has been named chairman of the board of directors of New York Life Insurance Company, effective June1. Mathas has served as New York Life’s president since July 2007 and CEO since July 2008. He will retain both titles when he assumes the chairman’s role in June. He and his wife, Keryn, live in Armonk, N.Y., with their three children.

For the past five years, Robert A. Matthews, Jr., has maintained his patent law practice from his home “thanks to the wonders of modern technology.” Seeking to pursue more of a patent law consulting practice than one of a traditional patent litigator, in May 2007, he joined several former colleagues of Finnegan Henderson to form Latimer, Mayberry and Matthews IP Law. In his new firm, Matthews provides legal consulting services to law firms and/or corporate counsel on all facets of U.S. patent law and patent litigation. His seven-volume patent law treatise, the Annotated Patent Digest, will soon enter its fourth year of publication, and has been steadily gaining popularity among patent practitioners and district court judges. His second patent law book, the Patent Jury Instruction Handbook, was published in October by Thomson-West. Matthews enjoys a quiet life away from big firm practice and urban sprawl in the hills of Forest, Va., with his wife and two daughters. (See In Print)

Kim Reisler writes, “So, Thelen (what started for me as Reid & Priest in summer of ’91) dissolved December 1, after approximately 80 years. Along with my group of other utility finance lawyers, I moved to Morgan, Lewis & Bockius to join the business and finance department. MLB has been incredibly welcoming, which is awfully kind in the face of the broader economic times!”

1993

FreitagMark E. Freitag has been made partner in the Atlanta office of Locke Lord Bissell & Liddell, where he focuses his practice on life settlements, premium finance, insurance, private debt, corporate finance, and other transactional matters.

George Kliavkoff has been named executive vice president and deputy group head of Hearst Entertainment & Syndication. Kliavkoff is charged with leading the digital expansion of Hearst Entertainment & Syndication, the operating group responsible for Hearst’s interests in cable television networks, including ESPN, Lifetime, A&E, and the History Channel; television production and distribution; newspaper syndication; and merchandise licensing. Kliavkoff was most recently chief digital officer at NBC Universal, where he was part of the team responsible for the success of Hulu.com, NBCU’s online video joint venture with News Corp., playing a key role in its conception and design. Prior to joining NBC in August 2006, Kliavkoff served as executive vice president, business, Major League Baseball Advanced Media, Major League Baseball’s interactive media and Internet company.

Bob Yates III continues to practice law with LeClairRyan and is managing partner of the firm’s Charlottesville office. He was selected for inclusion in Best Lawyers in America 2009 for personal injury litigation. Bob’s son, Harry, is now a freshman at the University of South Carolina, and his daughter, Emily, is in the ninth grade.

1994 Reunion Year

SlaytonFran Cannon Slayton’s debut novel, When the Whistle Blows, is coming out with Penguin’s Philomel Books imprint on June 11. It’s a coming of age novel about a boy growing up in a 1940’s train town and his adventures every Halloween from the ages of 12 to 18 as he discovers more and more about his crotchety old dad, who is a member of a secret society. The book was inspired by stories Fran’s father told her as a kid about his childhood adventures growing up in Rowlesburg, W.Va., in the 1940s.

Fran hopes to see lots of old friends as she heads across the country on a book tour in June and July. Please stop by and say hi if you’re in one of these areas: Charlottesville, Va., June 13; Alexandria, Va., June 20; Lynchburg, Va., June 27; Charleston, W.Va., June 29; Columbus, Ohio, June 30; Cincinnati, Oh./Ft. Thomas, Ky., July 1, Indianapolis, Ind., July 2, Chicago, Ill., July 8.

For tour details, or to contact Fran, see her website at www.FranCannonSlayton.com or via Fran@francannonslayton.com. (See In Print)

Bret Gifford is a staff attorney for the Supreme Court of New Hampshire. He lives in Manchester with his wife, Doreen, and their daughter, Maeve (7).

KleinM. Christine Klein has been promoted to counsel in the Richmond office of Hunton & Williams. She is a member of the global competition practice group, where she focuses on antitrust matters, franchising and distribution disputes, business torts, intellectual property, general civil litigation, and appellate advocacy.

Kevin A. Maxim left Troutman Sanders in December and opened the Maxim Law Firm in Atlanta on New Year’s Day. The firm serves the litigation and other legal needs of businesses throughout Georgia, Alabama, and the Southeast. Kevin’s wife, Adrienne (née McCullough), and children, Hampton (8) and Sophia (5), are excited about this new family business. The Maxims are often in Norfolk visiting family and would enjoy catching up with classmates there or in Atlanta.

John F. Phelps LL.M. is currently chief executive officer/executive director of the state bar of Arizona. He recently served as chief of staff of the U.S. General Services Administration in Washington, D.C.

Mary Porter is the founder and president of the Curiosity Zone, a hands-on science center for young children in Ashburn, Va. Her company coproduced and recorded “Swamp Stomp Boogie: Science You Can Sing To,” recently featured in USA Today as a recommended album for children. A former associate with Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher, Porter uncovered her own entrepreneurial skills while working at the Answer Network, a technology startup in Seattle, Wa., in the 1990s. She was quoted in an article in the December issue of the National Law Journal entitled “Is the Versatility of a Law Degree Just a Myth?” in which she affirms that her experience as an antitrust lawyer gave her the self-assurance to start up her own company. “Once you’re a lawyer,” she said, “you can’t be intimidated in business. It helps you see around corners.”

WinstonRichard Winston joined the Miami office of K&L Gates as a partner in the firm’s international tax and corporate practices. Winston joins K&L Gates from Hughes Hubbard & Reed.

Carole Yeatts Timberlake and her husband, Brent, welcomed Sarah Grace on September 29. She joins brother Sam (2).

1995

Janice Johnston recently won her second Emmy Award. After nine years at Good Morning America she joined the team at 20/20 and is looking forward to the opportunities and creative growth that lie ahead.

In October, Attorney General Michael B. Mukasey and Deputy Attorney General Mark R. Filip presented John T. Kavanaugh, Jr., with the Attorney General’s Award for Exceptional Service, the Department of Justice’s highest award. Kavanaugh was honored for his work as a member of the team that investigated and prosecuted Jose Padilla, Adham Hassoun, and Kifah Jayyousi for supporting Al Qaeda and other terrorist organizations. The highly complex prosecution lasted five years.

Fourd Kemper has become vice president and general counsel of Luna Innovations, a public technology company headquartered in Roanoke, Va. He remains of counsel with Woods Rogers. Kemper has two daughters, ages six and eight.

Kraig James Powell was elected to the Utah House of Representatives in November. He began his service in January.

Randall T. Shepard LL.M. has been appointed to the Civil Rules Advisory Committee by Supreme Court Chief Justice John G. Roberts.

Joel and Gayle Trotter welcomed their sixth child, James Edward Trotter, into their family in August.

1996

After a spending a little over a year as the senior legal officer at the Global Fund to Fight Aids, Tuberculosis and Malaria, Issa Matta has re-joined the World Health Organization in Geneva, Switzerland, as the senior legal officer in the Office of the Legal Counsel, working primarily on public health partnerships and governance as well as commercial and contractual matters. Matta resides in Divonne les Bains, France, with his wife and three children.

Viva Moffat, assistant professor of law at the University of Denver’s Sturm College of Law, was featured in the Denver Business Journal in an article about the fast-growing sector of intellectual property law. Moffat teaches classes on IP and contracts.

Kevin Mottley is proud to announce the opening of his new litigation firm, The Mottley Law Firm, located in the Richmond, Va., area. (See www.mottleylawfirm.com)

Jessica Pardi and her husband, Bobby Lanier, welcomed their first daughter, Elle Pardi Lanier, in February. The family resides in Atlanta, Ga., where Jessica is a partner at Morris, Manning & Martin.

Eric Perkins has been appointed to serve as chair of the national Tennis Rules and Regulations Committee for the United States Tennis Association (USTA), the national governing body for the sport of tennis, with over 725,000 members. He is a partner with Hirschler Fleischer in Richmond, Va., where he specializes in franchising, tax-exempt organizations, Regulation D private placements, and sports and entertainment law. Perkins resides in Richmond with his wife, Chrissie, and daughters, Alexandra (5) and Madison (5 months).

Scott Surovell was elected chairman of the Fairfax County Democratic Committee in January and was named a 2008 Virginia “Rising Star” by Virginia Super Lawyers magazine for the second year in a row. He continues to practice civil, commercial, and criminal litigation in Fairfax, Va., with Robert Surovell ’69, David M. Levy ’70, David J. Fudala ’79, J. Chapman Petersen ’94, and Brian F. Chandler ’01. He lives in Mt. Vernon, Va., with his wife, Erinn Madden, and his four children.

1997

ByrdBrian W. Byrd has been included in Best Lawyers in America 2009 for real estate law. He has also been named one of Business North Carolina magazine’s Legal Elite in 2009 in real estate. He is in the Greensboro office of Smith Moore Leatherwood.

Laura Deddish Burton has been included in Best Lawyers in America 2009 for immigration law. She is in the Greensboro, N.C., office of Smith Moore Leatherwood.

Emily Giffin recently published her fourth novel, Love the One You’re With, which debuted at number two on the New York Times bestseller list. Film rights to her first two novels were recently acquired by actress Hilary Swank. Giffin lives in Atlanta with her husband and three children. She is at work on her fifth novel. Visit her at www.emilygiffin.com.

HoltKevin Holt returns to Gentry Locke Rakes & Moore as partner in the Roanoke, Va., office after having served as general counsel of a publicly traded technology company. He will handle commercial litigation, including contract disputes, trademark infringements, product liability, and construction matters. His litigation experience spans several practice groups: commercial litigation, construction, and employment.

Jeffery Hubbard was re-elected in November for an additional term on city council for the City of Bedford, Va.

Coke Morgan Stewart has been named counsel in the Washington, D.C., office of Kaye Scholer. She is a trial and appellate lawyer with a focus on complex intellectual property disputes.

Steven R. Pacelli has been appointed to the newly created position of chief administrative officer of DexCom in San Diego, Calif. He will oversee administrative functions with the company, including corporate development, managed care, finance, legal, human resources, intellectual property, and investor relations. DexCom is a medical device company focused on the design, development, and commercialization of continuous glucose monitoring systems.

Mika and John Slaughter welcomed triplets on February 18. The trio is healthy and their names are John IV, Maya, and Emma.

Wendy Yoviene joined Ober|Kaler’s Washington, D.C., office in the commercial litigation and government relations practice.

1998

Donald Bowman is U.S. operations manager with LEMO, a Swiss electronics company. He relocated to Sonoma County, Calif., from Fairfax, Va., in 2007.

Jeffrey Cimbalo, founder of the Cimbalo Firm headquartered in Richmond, has opened a new office in Brussels, Belgium, near the Palais de Justice, and will travel there as needed in the coming months.

Jonathan C. Hamilton is a partner with White & Case. After working in the firm’s New York and Mexico City offices, he has been based in Washington, D.C., since 2003. His practice focuses on international dispute resolution with a particular focus on Latin America. His practice group is ranked at the top of its field nationally and globally. Most recently, he led the representation of the Republic of Peru in a US $150 million investment dispute at the World Bank. The case was a complete victory for Peru. He continues to serve on the board of advisors of the Virginia Journal of International Law.

Robert E. McGlarry is senior vice president, programming and business affairs for Major League Baseball Network. He is responsible for all program acquisitions as well as business and legal affairs. On January 1, MLB Network launched in approximately 50 million homes, the largest cable television launch in history.

Gregory J. Phillips has been elected partner in the Cleveland, Ohio, office of Ulmer & Berne. He focuses his practice on complex commercial litigation, including commercial contract disputes, business torts, product liability defense, antitrust, trade secret and non-compete litigation, and appeals.

Kevin Thomas Pigott has been elected partner in the Washington, D.C., office of Womble Carlyle Sandridge & Rice, where he practices in the area of commercial real estate transactions. In September, an article he co-authored critiquing Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson’s $700 billion bailout plan was published in National Review Online.

Mary Quagliano Blunt has been elected probate judge of Dorchester County, South Carolina. She will serve a four-year term.

1999 Reunion Year

ChandlerStephanie L. Chandler has been recognized as a San Antonio “Rising Star” for 2008 in Scene in S.A. Monthly. She is a partner in the business transactions, intellectual property, energy, financial services, corporate & securities, telecommunications, life sciences and medical technology, Internet/e-commerce, and technology practice areas of Jackson Walker.

John S. “Jay” Darden serves as an assistant chief in the fraud section, criminal division of the U.S. Department of Justice. For his work prosecuting health care fraud cases in Miami, he recently received the U.S. Attorney General’s Award for Distinguished Service, the second highest award given out by the Department. Jay and Elise Bryant Darden ’95 live in Alexandria, Va., with their two children, Harper (7) and Corbet (4).

The Federal Election Committee has elected Matthew S. Petersen vice chairman for 2009. Petersen was nominated to serve as a commissioner by President George W. Bush and was unanimously confirmed by the U.S. Senate.

Michael C. Rakower, who opened his solo law office in New York in 2005, has expanded his firm. Rakower’s civil practice focuses on commercial litigation and civil rights actions in federal and state courts. His white-collar criminal defense practice focuses on the representation of individuals facing state and federal investigations.

RankinMark P. Rankin has been elected shareholder with Carlton Fields in the Tampa, Fla., office. He is a member of the firm’s white collar crime and government investigations practice group.

Andrew M. Weiner has been elected partner in Dickstein Shapiro’s insurance coverage practice in the Washington, D.C., office. He primarily represents corporate policyholders in insurance coverage disputes and is a national co-leader of Dickstein Shapiro’s insurance coverage initiatives. 


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