Rita Molesworth > Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP > New York, United States > Lawyer Profile

Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP advises on derivatives in the physical commodities markets, including energy, environmental commodities, metals and agricultural products, with demonstrable experience in listed and over-the-counter derivatives. The ‘deeply knowledgeable’ team acts for lenders, marketers, producers and commercial users of derivatives across a range of structured transactions, enforcement defense matters and regulatory issues. In the firm’s Washington DC office, senior counsel Paul Pantano represents clients in investigations and regulatory mandates before the CFTC, self-regulatory organizations and the FERC, and Neal Kumar focuses on derivatives regulatory matters. Based in New York, Thomas French leads the practice and Rita Molesworth advises on work concerning the Dodd Frank Act, while John Thomas handles physical commodity and commodity derivatives trading mandates. Counsel Margo Bailey, who operates from the Washington DC office, is another key contact in the team.

Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP fields a longstanding hedge fund practice and continues to diversify in alternative fund types. Its broad offering has notable strength in the insurance and reinsurance space, being the counsel of choice for major players in those fields, and in 2022 had an increased involvement in the credit fund formation space. Based at the firm’s office in New York, key contacts at the practice include Joseph Cunningham, who represents blue chip clients in every day fund management and hybrid fund strategies; Deborah Tuchman, the name to note for commodities and distribution platforms; Rita Molesworth, a founding member of the practice group and expert in commodities and regulatory issues; Mark Vandehaar, another reliable advisor for well-established leading funds; and Barry Barbash, whose practice spans alternative and registered funds.