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2000s Class Notes
2000 
Amy Ashton Shaw is an associate in the Cincinnati, Ohio, office of Griffin Fletcher & Herndon, a real estate boutique firm. Her practice focuses on commercial real estate, construction, development, and business entity formation.
Erica Bachmann and Andrew Cerminara were married on April 18 in Pizzo Calabro (VV), Italy. In attendance at the wedding were matron of honor Elizabeth Kinsaul Dugas ’01, Jason Dugas ’01, Ryan Farney, Steven Geiszler ’01, and Kathleen Evey Walters ’99. After their Italian wedding and a honeymoon in Greece and Turkey, the newlyweds held a U.S. reception on May 30 in Dallas, where they reside. Attending the Dallas reception were Toni Thomas Bacon, Steven Geiszler ’01, Cortland Kelly Grynwald ’99, Jason Metcalf, Michael Moore, Karen Randolph Rogers ’99, and Kathleen Evey Walters ’99.
Ryan Clinton has been named a rising star for 2009 in Texas Monthly magazine. He is in the Dallas office of Hankinson Levinger.
David F. Gieg moved from Atlanta, Ga., to Charleston, S.C., in May 2008. He is at Parker Poe Adams & Bernstein in the business law group with a focus on resort, hospitality, and planned developments. He has two daughters, Kate (4) and Lindsey (2 ½ ).
Robert D. Probasco has been named a rising star for 2009 by Texas Monthly magazine. He is a partner in the Dallas office of Thompson & Knight, where he focuses his practice on IRS audits and appeals and tax litigation.
2001
David Bell and his wife, Elizabeth, are pleased to announce the birth of their son, Andrew Joseph (“AJ”) Bell on February 14. Two-year-old Charlotte is excited to be a big sister. David was recently promoted to counsel at Crowell & Moring in Washington, D.C., where he’s a litigator in the international dispute resolution and E-discovery & information management groups.
Stephanie Golden and Eric Menell proudly welcomed a son, Jake Golden Menell, in July of 2008.
Andrew H. Lippstone has joined Saul Ewing in the firm’s Wilmington, Del., office, where he focuses on land use and real estate, as well as transactional work and litigation relating to Delaware corporate law.
David Stuckey has recently been made a senior consultant for expatriate placement at Hudson Legal in emerging Europe, with regional responsibility across Central and Eastern Europe. He has been asked to spearhead the company’s expansion into Latin America.
2002
Daniel Brozost has been named partner at Raines Law Group in the firm’s Beverly Hills, Calif., office, where he focuses his practice on commercial real estate, finance and corporate matters.
Earlier this year, Padraic Fennelly left his position as a litigation partner in the Washington, D.C., office of Kirkland & Ellis to accept a position as counsel for global law affairs at the Boeing Company. Padraic and his wife, Robin, live in Arlington, Va., with their two children, Caitlin (10) and Ryan (8).
Adam Green recently co-founded the Progressive Change Campaign Committee (see Boldprogressives.org) to help progressive Congressional candidates run effective campaigns and win. The PCCC has been featured in The New York Times, Politico, MSNBC, ABC, and the Huffington Post. The organization has been praised by elected members of Congress, including Charlottesville’s U.S. Representative, Tom Perriello.
Eric Magnell and his wife, Stephanie ’03, welcomed Clara Christina Nicole (5lbs., 13 oz.) and Elise Sophia Theresa (6lbs., 7oz.) on February 15. All are doing fine — and are looking forward to more sleep in the coming months.
Najwa Nabti Russo sends news that Paulus Russo was born August 13, weighing in at 3.2 kilograms. Baby, mom, and dad are doing well and thank everyone for all their good wishes and prayers.
Michael L. Whitlock just celebrated his first wedding anniversary to Monica V.M. Arcé-Whitlock. Michael, a federal prosecutor with the United States Department of Justice, and Monica live in Arlington, Va.
2003
In December Melissa B. Arbus will receive a 2009 Women to Watch award from Jewish Women International, a leading organization committed to empowering women and encouraging leadership. She currently serves as an assistant to the Solicitor General representing the United States before the Supreme Court. She previously worked at Latham & Watkins in the firm’s Washington, D.C., office, as an associate in the appellate practice group.
Andy Beshear and his wife, Britainy, welcomed their first child, William Bradley Beshear, who was born on June 15. William (7 lbs, 1 oz.) is quite healthy. Thus far, William enjoys eating, eating, and eating, and has quickly and effectively altered his parents’ daytime and nighttime schedules. Andy is currently practicing at Stites & Harbison in Louisville, Ky.
Stephanie Magnell and her husband, Eric ’02, welcomed Clara Christina Nicole (5lbs., 13 oz.) and Elise Sophia Theresa (6lbs., 7oz.) on February 15. All are doing fine — and are looking forward to more sleep in the coming months.
Yoshikazu Noma LL.M. and Ritsuko Noma LL.M. ’06, welcomed their first son, Keitarou, on June 2. They thank their LL.M. ’03 and ’06 friends for the warm congratulations and lovely baby gifts. The family lives in Tokyo, where Yoshikazu is working as a partner at TMI Associates, specializing in asset finance, project finance, financial regulations, corporate finance, and international business.
Karin Ottens Prangley recently joined the law firm of Krasnow Saunders Cornblath in Chicago. Her practice continues to focus on wills, trusts, and estates.
On April 5 Stacey Rose Harris and Daniel Harris were married at the Sixth and I Historic Synagogue in Washington, D.C. Stacey practices commercial and civil litigation at DiMuroGinsberg in Alexandria, Va. Daniel is a family physician, and completed his residency at Georgetown University in June. Lori Hildebrand, Rebecca Brown, Alison Keith, Whitney Smith Pellegrino, Alexander Tuneski, and Heather Faltin ’04 attended the festivities.
Craig D. Story has joined the J.P. Morgan Private Bank in New York. He advises attorneys on managing their assets, with emphasis on investments, capital needs, and trusts and estates. Previously, Craig was an investment banker in the M&A group at Citigroup in New York. He also practiced law in the New York and London offices of Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom.
2004
Catherine Caouette has returned to the employment and labor division of Paul, Hastings, Janofsky & Walker in San Diego following maternity leave after the birth of son, Kieran.
Justin Dobbie and his wife, Mary Chris Dobbie, welcomed the arrival of their son, Jack, on August 24, 2008. Justin is an attorney in the Division of Corporation Finance of the Securities and Exchange Commission, and Mary Chris is an Assistant U.S. Attorney in the District of Columbia.
Geoff Grindeland has been named a rising star by Washington Law & Politics magazine for 2009. He is in the Seattle office of Mills Meyers Swartling, where he focuses his practice on civil litigation, including civil rights, insurance coverage, business disputes, and aviation law.
John Newby and his wife, Reba, welcomed Jillian Grace Newby into the world on February 9. Jillian weighed 7 lbs., 9 oz., and measured 19.5 inches. John is an associate at Arnold & Porter in Washington, D.C.
John A. Sensing has joined Potter Anderson & Corroon as an associate. He is in the litigation group in the firm’s Wilmington, Del., office, where he focuses his practice on corporate and commercial litigation. He was previously an associate at Morris, Nichols, Arsht & Tunnell.
Sean S. Suder was recently certified as a LEED™ (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) accredited professional in new construction by the Green Building Certification Institute. Certification enables him to advise real estate clients on the regulations and requirements involved in green building, helping them to navigate the complex LEED™ certification process. He is an attorney in the real estate group in the Cincinnati, Ohio, office of Keating Muething & Klekamp, where he is a founding member of the firm’s Green Team.
Jeremy Sylestine was married on February 23, 2008, to Molly Ann Jorgensen in Austin, Tex. Alba-Justina Secrist and Steven Gieseler were both in attendance. Jeremy has been with the Travis County District Attorney’s office for over two years, and is currently assigned to the family justice division, which handles prosecution of felony-level child abuse and domestic violence cases.
Kathryn Walter recently joined Goldberg Kohn in the litigation, intellectual property, and labor & employment practice groups in the Chicago office, where she focuses primarily on general commercial contract and tort litigation. She served as clerk to Judge Humphrey Lefkow of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois and to Judge Richard D. Cudahy of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit.
Dara Zelnick Kesselheim and her husband, Dr. Jared Adam Kesselheim, were overjoyed to welcome their first child into the world on July 22. Zachary Morton was born at 9:52 p.m., weighing 9 lbs., 7 oz. and measuring 20.5 inches. “The whole family is doing great,” writes Dara. She is an associate in the Boston, Mass., office of Choate Hall & Stewart, where she focuses her practice in the area of government enforcement and compliance.
2005
Andrew Crapol passed away on March 13 from cancer. He was an associate for Debevoise & Plimpton, first in Washington, D.C., and more recently in New York City, where he resided. Andy’s family includes his wife, Allison Simmons Crapol, parents Edward Crapol and Jeanne Zeidler, sister Heidi Crapol and brother-in-law Milam Walters, sister Jennifer Sedbrook and brother-in-law John Sedbrook, brother Paul Crapol, and sister-in-law Kimberly Simmons.
In recognition of the many friendships Andy made as a member of the soccer community and his love of “the beautiful game,” a scholarship has been established in his name at the College of William and Mary Foundation. (www.AndyCrapol.com)
Meredith Crowell is an associate attorney in the Tallahassee, Fla., office of Williams, Gautier, Gwynn, DeLoach & Sorenson. She is in the firm’s corporate compliance group, where she focuses her practice on providing regulatory and legal compliance assistance to financial institutions.
Last year Kristin Johnson Aldred married Booth Aldred, a medical student from her hometown of Dallas, Tex. They live in Houston, where Kristin is a trial associate at Baker Botts. She was recently named a rising star by Texas Monthly magazine.
2006
On August 26 Jessica Blaemire and her husband, Peter Thaxter, had their first baby, Brynna Campbell Thaxter. She was 7lbs, 13oz., and the whole family is doing well. “We are still in Chicago,” Jessica notes, “and are loving it.”
On May 9, 2009, Diego Blanco Carrillo LL.M. married Alejandra Bartlett, and they are now happily living in Mexico City. Diego joined Ritch Mueller, S.C., last year as an associate and has been participating in M&A and restructuring deals.
Soohye Cho LL.M. started her career as a researcher at the Korean Constitutional Court on July 16, after the completion of her J.S.D. degree at University of Illinois in May.
Xun (Sean) Liu LL.M. and Dan Jin were married on May 17 in Beijing, China. Xun is a senior associate in the Beijing office of Fangda Partners, a leading Chinese law firm. He is also the marketing director of the firm. Xun’s wife, Dan, is a TV producer in Beijing. The couple first met not long after Xun returned to Beijing from UVA.
Tiffany Marshall Graves will serve as president of the Mississippi Women Lawyers Association (MWLA) for 2009-10. MWLA is a statewide organization founded to enhance the image of lawyers in Mississippi, promote fellowship among the members of the legal community, and advance women in the legal profession. In addition to her leadership position with MWLA, Graves will also serve on the executive committee of the Jackson Young Lawyers Association, an organization that strives to strengthen the bonds between attorneys in the Jackson metropolitan area by emphasizing community, education, and service. Graves is in the Jackson office of Watson & Eager, where she practices in the areas of labor and employment and tort and general litigation.
Ritsuko Noma LL.M. and Yoshikazu Noma LL.M. ’03 welcomed their first son, Keitarou, on June 2. They thank their LL.M. ‘03 and ’06 friends for the warm congratulations and lovely baby gifts. The family lives in Tokyo, where Yoshikazu is working as a partner at TMI Associates, specializing in asset finance, project finance, financial regulations, corporate finance, and international business.
Patricio Pablo Pantin LL.M. has joined Fortunati & Associates law firm in Buenos Aires. His practice focuses on debt restructuring and complex litigation.
Juan Pinzon LL.M. is the attorney in charge of securities and derivatives for Citigroup in Colombia. He is also due to finish an MBA at INALDE, the Management and Business School of Universidad de la Sabana in Colombia in June 2010.
On May 24, Tom Reece married Jessica Chilson ’08 at Grace Episcopal Church in Charlottesville. Jonathan Light, Will Igoe, Michael Bailey, Steve O’Connor, Nick Margida, and Will Mason served as groomsmen. Also in attendance were: Chris Kavanaugh, Jasmine Yoon, Mike Buchwald, Dan Reing, JoAnn Koob, Steph Johnson, Gabe Meyer, Brooke Nelson Bailey, and Molly Crall Light; Seth and Lisa (Perrygo) Ragosta ’08, John Myers ’08, Justin Lowery ’08, Jesse Crew ’08, Laura Fairneny ’08, and Lauren Rogoff ’08; Sarah Copeland ’09 and Michelle Bryant ’09.
Lars Rueve LL.M. received the Dr. iur. degree from the University of Munich, Germany, for his dissertation on conflict of laws and employees inventions. Virginia Law Professor Emeritus Graham Lilly supervised his research paper on a related subject in 2006. Lars is now a third-year associate with Sullivan & Cromwell in the firm's Frankfurt office.
Ignacio Salvarredi LL.M. has joined Philip Morris International as counsel in its South America subsidiary based in Buenos Aires, Argentina. His practice focuses on contracts, finance and corporate law.
John Sherman married Mary Hobson Williams on April 18 in Richmond, Va.
Olivier Winants LL.M has moved from Spain back to Belgium, after living a year and a half in Valencia. There he taught languages and did volunteer work for the Campaign Section of Amnistía Internacional Valencia and the NGO “La Casa Grande,” for which he worked on immigration issues and human rights awareness education. In October he will begin a six-month internship at the European Commission Privacy and Data Protection subunit in Brussels.
2007
Melany Grout is director of the Conflict Risk Network, a program that is part of the Genocide Intervention Network, headquartered in Washington, D.C. She oversees a network of financial service providers and institutional investors that have come together to work toward responsible foreign investment in areas affected by genocide and mass atrocities.
2008
Ericka Alonso married Kevin Clouther in June in Harwich Port, Mass. Kevin teaches writing at Stony Brook University. Matthew Brady officiated the ceremony, and Briggs Wright, Sarah Hughes, and Brian Leung were members of the wedding party.
On May 24, Jessica Chilson married Tom Reece ’06 at Grace Episcopal Church in Charlottesville. Jonathan Light ’06, Will Igoe ’06, Michael Bailey ’06, Steve O’Connor ’06, Nick Margida ’06, and Will Mason served as groomsmen. Also in attendance were: Chris Kavanaugh ’06, Jasmine Yoon ’06, Mike Buchwald ’06, Dan Reing ’06, JoAnn Koob ’06, Steph Johnson’06, Gabe Meyer ’06, Brooke Nelson Bailey ’06, and Molly Crall Light ’06; Seth and Lisa (Perrygo) Ragosta, John Myers, Justin Lowery, Jesse Crew, Laura Fairneny, and Lauren Rogoff; Sarah Copeland ’09 and Michelle Bryant ’09.
Lauren King finished second in figure and third in fitness at her first figure/fitness competition, the 2009 National Physique Committee Washington State Championships on July 18. She qualified in both categories for the national bodybuilding, figure and bikini championships to be held in Hollywood/Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. in November. She is an associate in the Seattle, Ore., office of K & L Gates.
2009
Matthew D. Stachel has joined Potter Anderson & Corroon in the firm’s Wilmington, Del., office.
