Kristine Rinella Argentine
Chair of the Commercial Class Action Defense Practice Group
Kristine is a partner in the Litigation Department in the Chicago office of Seyfarth Shaw LLP. She is Chair of the national Commercial Class Action Defense Practice Group. She focuses her practice on complex commercial disputes, including those which involve trade secrets, breach of contract, unfair competition, and business torts, as well as franchisor/franchisee disputes. In addition, Kristine has defended several consumer class actions filed in both state and federal courts around the country related to consumer fraud.
Esther Slater McDonald
Esther is a partner in the Commercial Litigation Practice Group of Seyfarth Shaw LLP. She represents clients in complex litigation matters and has extensive experience in litigating dispositive motions and appeals, with special emphasis on complex procedural matters. Esther’s practice includes litigation on business torts, contractual disputes, and insurance coverage issues. Her insurance practice focuses on bad faith and general liability. Esther has represented clients before the United States Supreme Court, the federal appeals and district courts, and various state and local courts.
Aaron Belzer
Co-Editor of Seyfarth’s Consumer Class Defense Blog
Aaron is co-editor of the blog and a partner in the firm’s Litigation Department and a member of the Commercial Litigation Practice Group. His practice focuses on counseling and defending public and private companies in general and complex commercial disputes in both state and federal courts. Aaron handles individual and class-action lawsuits spanning a wide range of substantive legal areas, including cases involving claims for breach of contract, business torts, securities and healthcare fraud, false advertising, unfair competition and deceptive businesses practices, products liability, breach of fiduciary duties, and violations of various federal and state statutes and regulations.
Paul J. Yovanic, Jr.
Co-Editor of Seyfarth’s Consumer Class Defense Blog
Paul is an associate in the Commercial Litigation Department of Seyfarth Shaw’s Chicago office. His practice includes a variety of complex commercial litigation disputes, including those which involve restrictive covenants, non-compete and solicitation agreements, trade secrets, contract disputes, creditor rights, fraudulent transfer litigation, and business torts. Paul is also a member of the White Collar, Internal Investigations, and False Claims Team. Paul represents and counsels clients through all phases and forms of litigation, including pre-litigation resolution, alternative dispute resolution, emergency injunctions, jury trials, and appeals.
Renee B. Appel
Renee is an associate in the Litigation Department of Seyfarth Shaw LLP’s Washington, D.C. office. Clients seeking an attorney who offers tailored counseling on Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) and Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) compliance, risk management, and representation in financial fraud litigation and arbitration turn to Renee for guidance. Additionally, clients engaged in complex civil litigation in Washington D.C., Maryland, and Virginia go to Renee for creative strategies and solutions. Clients and colleagues alike enjoy working with Renee because of the passion and high energy she invests into each matter.
Connor Bateman is an associate in the Commercial Litigation Department of Seyfarth Shaw LLP’s Atlanta office. He represents businesses in the credit reporting and background screening industries in a wide range of complex commercial litigation matters, including those related to the Fair Credit Reporting Act and consumer protection statutes. With extensive experience in various areas, such as consumer privacy, cybersecurity, and trade secrets, Connor is skilled at identifying and addressing issues that arise during litigation. He has successfully defended clients at both the trial and appellate levels, achieving numerous dismissals and favorable verdicts. Connor values collaboration with his colleagues at Seyfarth, sharing a commitment to client service and innovative litigation strategies.
Matthew is an associate in the Commercial Litigation Department of Seyfarth Shaw LLP’s New York office. He represents companies, directors, and officers in complex securities litigations, government investigations, and commercial disputes in both federal and state courts. Before joining Seyfarth, Matt was a litigation associate at an international law firm in New York. He has a strong academic background, having served as submissions editor for the Harvard Negotiation Law Review and earning a BA in History and Political Science from the University of Pennsylvania, where he graduated summa cum laude.
Alexandra V. Drury
Alexandra is an associate in the San Francisco office of Seyfarth Shaw LLP. Alexandra has experience advising clients on a variety of litigation matters, including contracts, financial services, securities, and intellectual property disputes. Her representation involves managing all phases of a dispute, including pre-litigation consulting, discovery, settlement, and trial.
Andrew is a partner in the Litigation Department in the Seattle office of Seyfarth Shaw LLP. A tenacious advocate, he has a proven track record of crafting creative and efficient litigation strategies that align with his clients’ objectives. Andrew handles complex commercial and investment disputes, achieving favorable outcomes in areas such as securities, real estate, and consumer class actions. He believes that successful litigation requires a combination of strategic insight and effective communication, working closely with clients to tailor his approach to their needs. Additionally, Andrew collaborates with attorneys across the firm and enjoys mentoring junior team members to empower their success.
Bessie Fakhri
Bessie is a counsel in the Chicago office of Seyfarth Shaw LLP. Bessie’s practice includes complex commercial litigation disputes, including those which involve business torts, non-compete and non-solicitation agreements, trade secrets, requests for injunctive relief, unfair competition, and product liability.
Giovanna A. Ferrari
Gina is a partner in the Litigation Department of Seyfarth Shaw LLP. Gina is experienced in state and federal class action defense, Multi-District Litigation, business and commercial contract disputes, consumer class actions (including those involving credit cards, debit cards, gift cards and loyalty programs), financial services and securities litigation, construction litigation and arbitration, NASD/FINRA arbitrations, and insurance litigation. Gina is an active member of the Litigation Group Class Action, Securities and Financial Services, and FINRA Arbitration Committees.
Seth is a counsel in the Commercial Litigation Department of Seyfarth Shaw LLP. An experienced civil litigator, he collaborates with major companies, government agencies, and municipalities to tackle complex commercial litigation and appeals across various sectors, including biotech, pharmaceuticals, and construction. In addition to his litigation work, Seth advises clients on governance issues and corporate policies, helping them avoid potential disputes. He also maintains an active pro bono practice, advocating for causes such as prisoners’ rights and representing Native American children. Before his legal career, Seth served in the U.S. Army and worked in the film industry.
Emily C. Kesler
Emily is an associate in the Commercial Litigation group of Seyfarth Shaw LLP. Emily’s practice includes a variety of complex commercial litigation disputes, including those which involve business torts, noncompete and nonsolicitation agreements, trade secrets, requests for injunctive relief, unfair competition, product liability, and alleged violations of state and federal consumer protection statutes.
Emily works with clients to take the necessary steps to protect that information, both by setting up necessary safeguards to ensure trade secret classification and by assisting our clients to implement enforceable restrictive covenants to provide a remedy for our clients if its confidential information and/or trade secrets are threatened by its current and/or former employees.
Claire is a counsel in the Litigation Department of Seyfarth Shaw LLP. She leverages her creative skills and analytical approach to resolve her clients’ litigation matters effectively. Understanding the complexities and costs associated with litigation, Claire provides candid guidance to help organizations navigate the process and achieve favorable results. With over a decade of experience in products liability, commercial, and general litigation, she offers practical insights tailored to each client’s unique needs. Claire’s diverse background enables her to deliver strategies that minimize expense and stress while maximizing outcomes for her clients.
Jake is an associate in the Litigation Department of Seyfarth Shaw LLP. He works diligently to assist attorneys in navigating commercial litigation challenges, serving as a reliable resource throughout the process. Jake collaborates with his team to address both potential and ongoing legal roadblocks, leveraging his diverse experience to provide valuable insights. His background includes externing for Judge Virginia Kendall in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, where he drafted rulings and observed complex cases. Additionally, Jake has served as a guardian ad litem and was the lead articles editor for the Loyola University Chicago Law Journal, further enhancing his understanding of the legal landscape.
Kevin J. Mahoney
Kevin is a partner in Seyfarth Shaw LLP’s Chicago office. Kevin’s practice focuses on complex commercial litigation, including cases involving restrictive covenants, misappropriation of trade secrets and intellectual property, unfair competition, contract disputes, and business torts. He has represented clients at each phase of litigation, including alternative dispute resolution, emergency injunctions, jury and bench trials, and appeals in multiple jurisdictions in the US.
Gregory A. Markel
Based in the New York office of Seyfarth Shaw LLP, Greg is a partner. Greg is a nationally-known trial lawyer with extensive experience in securities litigation, corporate governance litigation, mergers and acquisition litigation, directors and officers defense, antitrust litigation, and other complex commercial litigation, particularly in bet-your-company cases. He is chair of the New York Litigation group, co-chair of the firm’s National Commercial and Securities Litigation practice, co-chair of the Securities and Fiduciary Duty Litigation group, and a member of the National Litigation Leadership Team.
Robyn E. Marsh
Robyn is a partner in the Chicago office of Seyfarth Shaw LLP. Robyn’s practice focuses on complex commercial litigation, including cases involving restrictive covenants, misappropriation of trade secrets and intellectual property, unfair competition, contract disputes, and business-related torts. She represents a wide range of clients, including medical device manufacturers, automotive manufacturers, commercial and consumer product manufacturers, insurance companies, and a variety of private business owners.
Robert B. Milligan
Robert is a partner in the Los Angeles offices of Seyfarth Shaw LLP. His practice encompasses a wide variety of commercial litigation and employment matters, including general business disputes, unfair competition, trade secret misappropriation and other intellectual property theft, real estate litigation, insurance bad faith, invasion of privacy, products liability, wrongful termination, discrimination and harassment claims, wage and hour disputes, ADA and OSHA compliance, whistleblower cases, bankruptcy and other business torts. Robert has represented clients in state and federal courts in complex commercial litigation and employment litigation. His experience includes trials, binding arbitrations and administrative hearings, mediations, and appellate proceedings. He has handled numerous class action matters, including false advertising, TCPA, FCRA, Penal Code 632 and 632.7 claims.
Daphne is a partner in the New York offices of Seyfarth Shaw LLP. She specializes in financial services litigation, white collar defense, and complex commercial litigation, advising on significant matters for over a decade. Daphne has extensive experience representing public companies and their officers in federal and state courts, as well as in regulatory investigations. She defends clients against shareholder class actions, M&A litigation challenges, and breach of contract disputes, while also advising on corporate governance issues. Recognized by The Legal 500 and Benchmark Litigation for her expertise, Daphne is also committed to pro bono work and serves on the Board of New York Lawyers for the Public Interest.
Joseph J. Orzano
Joe is a partner in the Boston office of Seyfarth Shaw LLP. Joe’s practice focuses on complex business and commercial litigation, defense of consumer fraud/unfair competition claims, product liability/complex tort litigation, and contract disputes. He has experience defending individual and multi-plaintiff lawsuits, including state and national class actions and multi-district litigation. Joe has represented clients in a variety of industries, including food & beverage, supplement, financial services, aviation, pharmaceutical, technology, construction, and insurance.
Christopher F. Robertson
Chris is a partner in the Boston office of Seyfarth Shaw LLP. His clients include banks and broker-dealers, investment advisors, public and private companies, and their officers and directors. He has handled government investigations, securities class action litigation, merger litigation, regulatory proceedings, arbitrations, and federal and state administrative matters. Chris has handled cases and investigations across all industries, working with clients on the investigative, regulatory, employment, and litigation aspects of whistleblower claims. As a former senior counsel in the Division of Enforcement at the Securities and Exchange Commission, Chris has unique experience investigating and litigating cases with the government, followed by years of experience defending those investigations and cases.
Dallin R. Wilson
Dallin is an associate in the Litigation Department of the firm. Dallin has experience working with nearly every litigation practice group at Seyfarth, including trade secrets and noncompete litigation, securities and financial litigation, franchise and distribution litigation, and real estate litigation. His work in diverse matters with different levels of responsibilities has provided him with many opportunities early in his career to develop valuable skills and experience to handle matters both large and small.
Catherine (Kate) is a partner in the Securities & Fiduciary Duty Litigation Department of the firm. She focuses her practice on complex commercial litigation, securities and derivative litigation, M&A litigation, and internal and government investigations. With experience representing public and private companies, as well as directors and officers, Kate has handled state and federal class action securities actions and various regulatory investigations. Notable cases include representing a former officer of a global insurance company in multiple securities class actions and advising a special committee in a securities class action related to a proposed going-private transaction. Recognized for her excellence, Kate has been acknowledged by Chambers for Securities Litigation and was named to Crain’s “40 Under 40” list in 2014.