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2010
Ulrich Klockenbrink LL.M. was promoted to partner at Latham & Watkins. Klockenbrink practices finance law with the restructuring and special situations practice. He navigates clients through complex restructuring, distressed mergers and acquisitions, and enforcement situations, both in and out of court.
Kendra Kocovsky was elected a partner at Latham & Watkins in New York. A member of the banking practice in the finance department, she represents private equity sponsors and borrowers in a variety of financing transactions, including term and revolving credit facilities, asset-based credit facilities and mezzanine financings. Kocovsky also has experience representing sponsors in mid-cap and large-cap leveraged buyouts.
Andrea Liburdi is an adjunct professor at the Sandra Day O'Connor College of Law at Arizona State University. She designed the curriculum for and teaches Corporate Counsel Law, which introduces law students to practicing as in-house counsel.
Benjamin Milam was elevated to partner at Bradley Arant Boult Cummings. Milam practices with the banking and financial services practice group in Charlotte, N.C. He focuses his practice in the areas of policyholder insurance coverage, commercial auto liability, title remediation and financial services litigation.
Kristen P. Poole was promoted to partner with Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher in the New York office. Poole's practice focuses on mergers and acquisitions and private equity. She represents both public and private companies, as well as financial sponsors, in connection with mergers, acquisitions, divestitures, minority investments, restructurings and other complex corporate transactions.
Latif Zaman was promoted to equity partner of Hudson Cook. Based in Hanover, Md., Zaman works closely with financial services providers at various stages of growth to develop, maintain and expand nationwide consumer and commercial credit and funding. Zaman is a member of the Alternative Finance Bar Association and the American Bar Association's Business Law Section, formerly serving as a young lawyer liaison with the Consumer Financial Services Committee. Zaman is a contributing editor for the Business Law Section's digital publication, Business Law Today.
2011
Jeffrey Chang joined Fox Rothschild in Princeton, N.J., as a partner in the real estate department. Chang guides clients' projects through the land use approval process and provides strategic advice on a broad range of commercial and residential purchase, sale, leasing and financing transactions.
Timothy A. Cook was elevated to partner at WilmerHale in Boston. Cook's practice focuses on pharmaceutical and life sciences patent litigation. He has represented innovator companies in trials under the Hatch-Waxman Act, disputes under the Biologics Prices Competition and Innovation Act, appellate proceedings before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, and inter partes review proceedings before the Patent Trial and Appeal Board. Cook also maintains a general intellectual property and commercial litigation practice, and has represented and advised companies in copyright, trade secret and licensing disputes.
Earlier this year, Devin DeBacker returned to the Department of Justice as chief of the Foreign Investment Review Section in the National Security Division. He leads DOJ's work to protect national security in foreign investments and transactions, telecommunications, the information and communications technology and services global supply chain, and related aspects of cybersecurity, data privacy and supply chain security. Previously, DeBacker was deputy assistant attorney general in DOJ's Office of Legal Counsel, associate counsel and special assistant to the president in the White House Counsel’s Office, and a litigation partner at Kirkland & Ellis. He lives with his wife, Rachel, and their five children in Maryland.
Charles C. Harris was elected partner with McGuireWoods' health care transactions team in Richmond, Va. Harris advises private equity investors in the health care sector, physician practice management companies, and owners of medical practices and ambulatory surgery centers across the United States with respect to a wide range of merger and acquisition activity, joint ventures and regulatory matters.
Bankruptcy and restructuring attorney Tamara K. Mann was promoted to special counsel with Morris, Nichols, Arsht & Tunnell in Wilmington, Del. She represents international, national and regional clients, including debtors, official and ad hoc committees, asset purchasers, debtor-in-possession lenders, secured and unsecured creditors, petitioning creditors in involuntary bankruptcy filings and other parties in interest.
Ferguson ’12 Named Solicitor General of Virginia
Andrew Ferguson ’12 was named solicitor general of Virginia, representing the state in major cases, including before the U.S. Supreme Court and the Supreme Court of Virginia. Jason Miyares announced the appointment Dec. 8 as attorney general-elect.
"Andrew is a public servant, cares deeply about the United States Constitution, and will be a key asset to both my administration and Virginians," Miyares said in a statement. "I am proud to have him on our team."
Ferguson served as chief counsel to U.S. Sen. Mitch McConnell from 2019-21. In that role, he was McConnell's judicial confirmation strategist, including on the confirmation of U.S. Supreme Court Justice Amy Coney Barrett.
"Andrew Ferguson is a brilliant and dedicated lawyer with a passion for public service," McConnell said in a statement. "Virginians will have an all-star Solicitor General to defend their rights and fight for the rule of law."
Ferguson also served as senior special counsel to then-Judiciary Committee Chairman Sen. Chuck Grassley during the confirmation of Justice Brett Kavanaugh, and as chief counsel for nominations and the Constitution to then-Judiciary Committee Chairman Sen. Lindsey Graham. He previously worked in Washington, D.C., as an appellate litigator at Bancroft, and practiced antitrust and competition law at Covington & Burling.
Ferguson clerked for Justice Clarence Thomas and Judge Karen LeCraft Henderson of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit. As a law student, he interned for Judge Norman K. Moon í62 of the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Virginia.
At UVA Law, Ferguson, of Harrisonburg, Virginia, was part of the Supreme Court Litigation Clinic and was articles editor for the Virginia Law Review, as well as a research assistant for Professors A. E. Dick Howard ' 61 and Saikrishna Prakash. He also earned his bachelor's degree from UVA.
"I am excited for this opportunity to serve my beloved home state, protect Virginians' constitutional rights, and defend the rule of law in the Commonwealth," Ferguson said in a statement.
—Mike Fox
2012
Lucas E. Beirne received a 2021 Special Achievement Award from the Federal Reserve Board, where he is a senior counsel in the Legal Division.
Ross E. Coe was elected of counsel with Blank Rome. Based in Washington, D.C., Coe's practice assists clients across the real estate spectrum to maximize their value and mitigate risk in purchase, sale and leasing transactions involving retail, industrial, office and multifamily assets.
Intellectual property litigator Megan E. Dellinger was invited to become a partner of Morris, Nichols, Arsht & Tunnell in Wilmington, Del. She represents clients in a variety of technological fields, particularly pharmaceuticals and chemicals. Her experience also includes inter partes review proceedings. Prior to attending law school, Dellinger worked as a research and development chemist for a specialty chemical manufacturer, developing new synthetic products and optimizing existing manufacturing processes.
Jason Zachary Goldstein was promoted to partner in the New York office of Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher. He is a member of the business restructuring and reorganization practice group. Goldstein represents companies, secured lender groups, sponsors and other parties-in-interest in a wide range of in-and-out-of-court restructuring transactions, including Chapter 11 cases.
Allison Huebert joined Quinn Emanuel's Austin, Texas, office. Huebert, who practices complex commercial litigation and arbitration, splits her time between Chicago and Austin.
was promoted to partner at Faegre Drinker in Minneapolis. Merritt represents clients in advertising, trademark and other intellectual property disputes throughout the country.
Caitlin Poe was elected partner with Williams Mullen in Raleigh, N.C. Poe represents defendants in criminal and civil cases involving securities regulation, intellectual property, consumer protection, environmental compliance, health care fraud and financial fraud. She also represents business entities and individuals in connection with government and internal investigations, and manages complex civil litigation matters.
Zachary L. Rowen was promoted to counsel at Latham & Watkins in New York. A member of the securities litigation and professional liability practice in the litigation and trial department, he focuses on mergers and acquisitions-related litigation, securities litigation, other complex commercial litigation and corporate governance matters. He represents financial institutions, corporations, boards of directors and individuals in high-profile matters.
Cory Stott was promoted to supervisory responsibilities as a chief prosecutor in the appellate division of the Harris County District Attorney's Office. He has represented the state of Texas at every level, at trial and on appeal, and has served as lead counsel in more than 100 criminal and civil appeals. Harris County is one of the largest district attorney's offices in the country, headquartered in Houston.
Zack Torres-Fowler was elected to partner of Troutman Pepper's construction practice. Based in Philadelphia and New York City, Torres-Fowler concentrates his practice on construction-related disputes and specializes in complex domestic and international arbitration proceedings.
2013
Paige Anderson was promoted to partner with Vinson & Elkins in Richmond, Va. Anderson's practice focuses on the federal income tax aspects of business transactions, particularly in the real estate industry. She advises real estate investment trusts, private equity sponsors and investors on a variety of tax matters, including the formation of public and private REITs, tax planning associated with equity and mortgage REITs, qualified opportunity zones, capital markets transactions and initial public offerings, mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures, reorganizations, financings and tax aspects of foreign investment in U.S. real estate.
Benjamin Heriaud was elevated to partner with Simpson Thacher & Bartlett. Heriaud has a capital markets practice in New York City.
Ana María Ibarra Olguín LL.M. S.J.D. ’18 took part in the VII International Conference on Constitutional Law in Mexico City in September. Ibarra Olguín spoke on proof of discrimination. UVA Law professor Frederick Schauer was a keynote speaker on "Statistical Discrimination" and professor Deborah Hellman was a panelist on the "Philosophical Foundations of Discrimination Law." Ibarra Olguín is director of the Centro de Estudios Constitucionales of the Suprema Courte de Justicia de la Nación in Mexico.
Jason S. McManis was named a partner at Houston litigation boutique AZA (Ahmad, Zavitsanos, Anaipakos, Alavi & Mensing) in December. McManis has extensive experience handling high-stakes patent, trade secret, employment and business disputes across the oil and gas, health care, commercial and residential real estate, automotive and aviation industries. He also represents plaintiffs and defendants in catastrophic personal injury and wrongful death cases.
Jennifer A. Migliori was promoted to partnership with Duane Morris in Miami. Migliori's practices focuses on domestic and international taxation and business transaction planning. She assists multi-jurisdictional clients with tax-minimization strategies and has experience developing and implementing tax-efficient investment structures. She has developed a focus on the various international information sharing arrangements and regularly advises clients and their advisers on issues arising under tax treaties, the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act, exchange of information agreements and the Common Reporting Standard. In addition, she frequently assists clients with expatriation and pre-immigration tax planning and tax controversy matters, including audit representation and voluntary disclosures.
Cassie Myatt was named general counsel at Lakefield Veterinary Group — a family-owned veterinary hospital acquisition company with clinic locations in nine states and headquartered in Seattle. Myatt manages the company's ongoing acquisition endeavors and provides counsel to company leadership regarding human resources, real estate, general corporate and compliance matters. She was previously associate general counsel.
Ryan Woessner was promoted to partner with Faegre Drinker in Minneapolis. Woessner counsels clients on corporate matters, focusing on capital markets transactions, securities regulation, mergers and acquisitions, and emerging companies.
2014
Andrea Canfield was elevated to the partnership of Stoel Rives, based in Anchorage, Alaska. She has an extensive mergers and acquisitions practice and is experienced in a wide range of industries. Canfield represents clients with diverse ownership structures, including Alaska Native corporations, large public institutions, middle market companies, as well as privately held and emerging businesses. Canfield was selected as one of America's Leading Lawyers for Business (Alaska) by Chambers USA (Corporate/M&A), Associates to Watch, 2020-21, and is a member of the National Black Lawyers Top 40 Under 40. She is a member of the University of Alaska Anchorage's Legal Studies Program Advisory Committee, a member and former president of the Anchorage Association of Women Lawyers, and serves on the board of Abused Women's Aid in Crisis, the largest domestic violence safe shelter in Alaska.
Ronika Carter joined the Women's Tennis Association as corporate counsel in 2021. Founded by Billie Jean King, the WTA consists of more than 1,650 players representing 85 nations and is the principal organizing body of women's professional tennis. The WTA Tour is comprised of over 50 events and four Grand Slams, spanning six continents and nearly 30 countries and regions, with a global audience of over 700 million.
Michael Chao was elevated to partner with Simpson Thacher & Bartlett. Chao practices mergers and acquisitions law in New York City.
Ken Hoover was named principal with Fish & Richardson in Austin, Texas. Hoover's practice focuses on U.S. and foreign patent prosecution and post-grant proceedings in the fields of software, business methods, speech recognition, networking, semiconductor technologies, wireless communications, medical devices and heat transfer technologies.
Cody S. Rogers joined Stinson in Washington, D.C., as a partner in the tax credit finance practice group. Rogers' practice focuses on community development finance and New Markets Tax Credit transactions.
Jhaveri ’15, Shah ’09, Silverstein ’13 Receive Shaping Justice Awards
<p>Sejal Jhaveri ’15, Nitin Shah ’09 and Thomas Silverstein ’13</p>
Sejal Jhaveri ’15, Nitin Shah ’09 and Thomas Silverstein ’13 were honored for their public service work at the Law School’s sixth annual Shaping Justice conference Feb. 4.
Shah received the Shaping Justice Award for Extraordinary Achievement. He is general counsel of the U.S. General Services Administration.
As GSA’s chief legal officer, Shah oversees all legal matters arising before the 12,000-employee agency and manages a nationwide office of 170 attorneys and staff. In September, President Joe Biden appointed Shah to the Council of the Administrative Conference of the United States. At ACUS, he serves on the governing board of the federal agency charged with recommending improvements to administrative processes.
Prior to his current government service, Shah was legal director for the Biden administration transition team, where he was responsible for legal review of proposed executive actions and appointments for the incoming administration.
Jhaveri and Silverstein received Shaping Justice Rising Star Awards. Jhaveri is a trial attorney in the Voting Section of the Civil Rights Division of the U.S. Department of Justice, and Silverstein is associate director of the Fair Housing and Community Development Project at the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law.
In the Voting Section, Jhaveri investigates and litigates violations of suffrage statutes such as the Voting Rights Act of 1965, the Help America Vote Act and the National Voter Registration Act.
Prior to joining the Voting Section in August, Jhaveri was a trial attorney in the Immigrant and Employee Rights Section of the Civil Rights Division. While working at IER, she investigated and litigated cases where employers discriminated against individuals based on their citizenship status or national origin in violation of the Immigration and Nationality Act. She joined the Department of Justice through the Attorney General’s Honors Program.
At the Lawyers’ Committee, Silverstein oversees the project’s impact litigation docket, using the Fair Housing Act to foster the development of inclusive communities, expand access to opportunity and fight displacement. He also provides technical assistance to states, local governments and public housing authorities seeking to comply with the duty to affirmatively further fair housing.
Prior to serving as associate director, Silverstein was counsel in the Fair Housing and Community Development Project. He began his legal career as the Lawyers’ Committee’s 2013-14 George N. Lindsay Civil Rights Legal Fellow.
—Mike Fox
2016
Cooper J. Overcash joined Woods Aitken in its Denver office. Overcash is a member of the transactional group and focuses his practice on business transactions, real estate and financial services. He represents clients in a range of industries, including construction, manufacturing, real estate, banking and telecommunications.
2019
Wade C. Foster joined Stoel Rivesí Environment, Land Use and Natural Resources group in Boise, Idaho. Foster previously served as a law clerk to U.S. District Court Judge B. Lynn Winmill of Idaho and, prior to law school, worked for a national fertilizer industry trade association.
