SRZ Announces the Election of New Partner and the Promotion of Associates to Special Counsel

We are pleased to announce the election of Taleah E. Jennings as partner. The firm also announces the promotion of Laura Angel-Lalanne, Rami Kidouchim, Brian T. Kohn, Neil Robson and Cathy A. Weist to special counsel.

Taleah Jennings, Laura Angel-Lalanne, Rami Kidouchim and Brian Kohn are located in the firm’s New York office. Neil Robson and Cathy Weist are resident in the firm’s London office.

"All of these lawyers have distinguished themselves through their contributions to our clients and the firm," said Alan Waldenberg, chair of the firm’s executive committee and chair of the tax group. "They are an important part of the firm’s future and we are very proud to recognize their achievements."

PARTNER

Taleah E. Jennings, a partner in the litigation group, focuses her practice on complex commercial litigation of all types and securities litigation and enforcement matters, as well as employment-related disputes. Her clients are primarily financial services entities, such as investment managers, private equity firms, interdealer brokerage firms and commercial real estate firms. Taleah has litigated cases in various state and federal courts, as well as regulatory and arbitration forums, from the commencement of claims through trials and appeals. She received her J.D. from Rutgers-Newark Law School and her B.S. from the University of Maryland.

SPECIAL COUNSEL

Laura Angel-Lalanne, a special counsel in the individual client services group, practices in the areas of estate planning and administration, trusts, family law, and the creation, administration and taxation of charitable organizations. Laura received her J.D. from Harvard Law School and her B.A. from the University of Michigan.

Rami Kidouchim, a special counsel in the finance group, represents both creditors and debtors (including hedge funds, private equity funds, fund of funds, commercial finance companies and investment banks) in a wide range of domestic and cross-border commercial and corporate finance transactions. Rami also has experience in structuring and negotiating complex secured and unsecured financing transactions, including asset-based and cash-flow financings, acquisition and leveraged financings, private placements and public offerings of debt securities, debtor-in-possession financings, second lien and subordinate debt financings, restructurings and workouts. Rami received his J.D., cum laude, from Brooklyn Law School and his B.S., cum laude, from Yeshiva University.

Brian T. Kohn, a special counsel in the litigation group, practices in the areas of complex commercial, securities, accountants’ liability, mergers and acquisitions, and bankruptcy and creditors’ rights litigation. Brian also regularly represents clients in connection with SEC and other regulatory inquiries and investigations. In his pro bono practice, Brian has frequently worked with the Innocence Project, a non-profit legal clinic focused on exonerating wrongly convicted individuals. Brian is a cum laude graduate of the Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law and he received his B.A. from Ithaca College. Prior to law school, Brian spent five years as a reporter at several New York newspapers.

Neil Robson, a special counsel in the investment management group, focuses on counseling hedge and private equity funds on operational, regulatory and compliance matters regarding FSA and E.U. authorization and compliance, cross-border issues in the financial services sector, market abuse, anti-money laundering and regulatory capital requirements, formations and buyouts of financial services groups and structuring and marketing of investment funds. Neil graduated from BPP Law School and earned an M.A. and B.A. from University College London, as well as a diploma from Birkbeck College at the University of London.

Cathy A. Weist, a special counsel in the investment management group, focuses her practice on advising European and U.S. investment managers of hedge funds, private equity funds, hybrid funds and fund of funds in all aspects of their business. She also provides advice to clients on general securities law and regulatory matters impacting investment funds and their managers, such as compliance with SEC rules and the marketing of funds in various jurisdictions. She received her J.D. from the New York University School of Law and her B.S. from the University of Utah.