Brown Rudnick LLP > Hartford, United States > Firm Profile

Brown Rudnick LLP > The Legal 500 Rankings

Dispute resolution > M&A litigation: plaintiff Tier 3

Brown Rudnick LLP has a small but active M&A and private equity litigation practice that handles cases in federal and state courts across the country, including the Delaware Court of Chancery and in the Southern District of New York. It is also frequently involved in matters concerning representations and warranties insurance in private M&A transactions, which sees it handle proceedings in both domestic and foreign arbitral forums. Dylan Kletter, who works from both New York and Hartford, co-leads the practice with Hartford-based Mark Baldwin. They handle a broad range of matters, among them fraud claims, earnout disputes, and pre- and post-closing litigation. Kletter recently acted for Prospect Medical in a dispute related to its $180m acquisition of a non-profit hospital network in Connecticut.

Finance > Restructuring (including bankruptcy): corporate Tier 3

Brown Rudnick LLP offers a balanced practice specializing in bankruptcy and creditor’s rights, as well as commercial bankruptcy litigation and mass tort bankruptcy litigation. Attorneys regularly represent a range of parties including equity security holders, unsecured creditors and entities with commercial interests in Chapter 11-filing organizations and debtors. Team members, such as New York-based David Molton  handles restructuring litigation and mass tort Chapter 11 cases. Robert Stark  is the chair of the bankruptcy and corporate restructuring department and is recognized for representing committees, while Jeffrey Jonas  leads the bankruptcy litigation practice group and was involved in the Chapter 11 case involving the “Texas two-step” maneuver and the improper discharge of mass tort liabilities. Orange County based Catherine Castaldi  is the practice group leader and concentrates on a range of issues, from bankruptcy to reorganization and commercial litigation. Unless otherwise stated, all lawyers are based in New York.

Dispute resolution > M&A litigation: defense Tier 4

Brown Rudnick LLP, whose team in this area is based predominantly in Hartford, has an active M&A and private equity group that frequently handles high-stakes litigation arising from its clients’ transactions. Active in federal and state courts across the country, including the Delaware Court of Chancery and in the Southern District of New York. lead partners Mark Baldwin and Dylan Kletter are key advisers to private equity firms, large corporations and company founders, notably in the increasingly important area of matters involving representations and warranties insurance (RWI), though equally in earn-out disputes, material adverse change matters and more. Kletter and counsel Anthony Boccamazzo recently assisted SPay Inc in a dispute over its acquisition of substantially all of the assets of internet media company Stack Media, in which plaintiffs allege fraud and misrepresentation.

Intellectual property > Trade secrets (litigation and non-contentious matters) Tier 4

The trade secrets practice at Brown Rudnick LLP has a particular presence on the East Coast, with team leads Ian DiBernardo who is also the firm’s IP litigation chair, Peter Willsey who specializes in trademark, copyright and advertising law and Adam Schoen who co-heads the IP practice group being based in the firm’s New York, Washington DC and Boston hubs respectively. The team has been bolstered recently with the arrival of Merri Moken to the New York office from Paul Hastings LLP in May 2023 and the arrival of Daniel Healy to the Washington DC office from Anderson Kill PC in January 2023. Its workload includes representing its clients in misappropriation and breach of contract disputes with international scope, as well as advising on trade secrets protections and strategies.

Media, technology and telecoms > Media and entertainment: litigation Tier 4

Brown Rudnick LLP combines legal expertise with industry and market knowledge to protect the brands and reputations of its celebrity clientele. The team is trusted to lead highly publicized litigation and can advise on the full range of media law, from contract negotiation through to dispute resolution. Benjamin Chew is an effective counsellor and advocate, capable of handling high-profile defamation lawsuits and assisting corporate clients with business matters. Camille Vasquez is a skillful litigator who notably played a key role in the Depp v Heard case. Stephen Best  assists media clients with corporate issues including governance, securities, internal investigations, and compliance.

Dispute resolution > Corporate investigations and white-collar criminal defense Tier 5

Brown Rudnick LLP houses ‘a diverse team of talented lawyers’ that caters to a broad range of clients such as corporate executives, lawyers, athletes, and politicians. Described as ‘a master tactician in government investigations’, Stephen Best is based in Washington DC. Best offers a comprehensive approach to white-collar matters, including internal investigations, compliance strategies, and corporate defense against regulatory authorities such as the SEC. Practicing in Orange County, Stephen Cook focusses on investigations into FCPA violations, anti-corruption requirements, and acquisition due diligence. Other significant members of the team include Rachel Wolkinson in Washington DC and Angela Papalaskaris in New York. Wolkinson has in-depth experience with securities fraud and investigations into whistleblower allegations, while Papalaskaris is recommended for her capabilities with handling sensitive internal investigations. Steven Tyrrell joined the Washington DC team from Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP in December 2023

Real estate Tier 5

Fielding a ‘second to none’ retail leasing practice, Brown Rudnick LLP’s real estate practice excels in its representation of numerous global fashion and retail brands, including Primark, Wayfair, and Wagamama across the US. The department also has considerable experience assisting on real estate matters relating to the telecommunication and energy space, evidenced by the firm’s advising of AT&T on various zoning and leasing matters across Massachusetts and New England. ‘Recognized expert for retail’, Thomas Phillips, chairs the global real estate leasing group from Boston; alongside retail he is also noted for his expertise across leisure and hospitality. Meanwhile, based between Hartford and New York, Thomas Regan regularly represents investment funds, corporates, and developers on a range of transactions and financings, and is also noted for his leading of the real estate and energy group along with the regulatory and environmental groups. On financing and capital investment, New York’s Kevin Joyce is noted.

Tax > US taxes: non-contentious Tier 7

Brown Rudnick LLP’s tax team in New York is well known for handling the tax aspects of major bankruptcies and restructurings. Practice head Nicole Bouchard has built up a varied practice covering corporate, partnership, real estate, and funds tax planning, as well as restructurings in and out of court. Firm CEO and chairman Vincent Guglielmotti and counsel Barbara Kelly play key roles. Having joined the firm from Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP in September 2023, Kevin Brown brings experience handling executive compensation and employee benefits matters in the context of mergers, financings, and corporate restructurings. Barbara Klepper left the firm in June 2023, while Rodney Bedow  departed in July 2023.

Finance > Fintech

Intellectual property > Patents: licensing

M&A/corporate and commercial > Venture capital and emerging companies