Kasowitz Announces Partner and Special Counsel Promotions

Kasowitz Benson Torres is delighted to announce that Melissa A. Barahona, Victor J. Brienza, John W. Downing, Heather S. Kim, Joshua N. Paul, Christine M. Rodriguez, Nicholas A. Rendino, Andrew L. Schwartz, and J. Michael Wilson have been promoted to partner and Jordan D. Beltz and Jonathan L. Shapiro have been promoted to special counsel. 

Partners

• Melissa A. Barahona:  Ms. Barahona’s practice focuses on employment litigation and complex commercial litigation.  She represents employers and prominent senior executives in employment litigation matters, including defense of claims of discrimination, harassment/hostile work environment, and retaliation; and disputes involving the enforcement of employment contracts and restrictive covenants.  She also represents clients in a variety of commercial litigation matters.

• Victor J. Brienza:  Mr. Brienza’s practice focuses on complex commercial litigation, including antitrust and securities matters, as well as U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, U.S. Department of Justice, and other government enforcement matters. 

• John W. Downing:  Mr. Downing’s practice focuses on intellectual property and patent litigation.  His cases involve a wide variety of technologies including software, satellite communications, wireless networking, electronic circuits, interactive gaming systems, and medical devices. 

• Heather S. Kim:  Ms. Kim’s practice focuses on patent infringement litigation involving a wide range of technologies, including the internet, computer software, cellular phone technology, and medical devices.

• Joshua N. Paul:  Mr. Paul’s practice focuses on complex commercial litigation and white collar regulatory and law enforcement defense.  He has experience representing hedge funds, private equity funds, insurers, public and private companies, and individuals in a wide range of disputes and investigations. 

• Christine M. Rodriguez:  Ms. Rodriguez’s practice focuses on complex commercial litigation, with experience representing parties in matters involving breach of contract, fraud, business torts, failed implementations of enterprise resource planning (ERP) business software, and commercial real estate.

• Nicholas A. Rendino:  Mr. Rendino’s practice focuses on complex commercial litigation, with experience in white collar, antitrust, real estate, and software litigation. He regularly provides investigations-related guidance, strategic counsel and crisis management assistance on issues at the intersection of government, law, and public policy. 

• Andrew L. Schwartz:  Mr. Schwartz’s practice focuses on complex commercial and securities litigation, representing institutional investors and corporations across a wide range of industries, including finance, real estate, pharmaceuticals, cryptocurrency, and other emerging technologies.  

• J. Michael Wilson:  Mr. Wilson’s practice focuses on complex commercial litigation, including breach of contract, corporate transactions, business torts, trademark, antitrust, anti-cybersquatting, trade secret, covenant not to compete, employment discrimination, and products liability, as well as appellate matters. 

Special Counsel

• Jordan D. Beltz:  Mr. Beltz’s practice focuses on complex commercial litigation.  He represents both plaintiffs and defendants in a wide range of disputes involving antitrust, breach of contract, commercial real estate, products liability, and structured finance.
• Jonathan L. Shapiro:  Mr. Shapiro’s practice focuses on employment litigation.  He represents employers and senior executives in matters involving discrimination, harassment/hostile work environment, retaliation, wrongful termination, whistleblowing, enforcement of employment contracts and non-competition/non-solicitation covenants, and federal and state wage and hour laws.