Boston, MA. Nixon Peabody is pleased to announce the firm has promoted 13 attorneys to counsel, representing all three of the firm’s legal departments.
“Each of these attorneys has made significant contributions to our firm and to their local communities,” said Andrew Glincher, Nixon Peabody CEO and managing partner. “Their hard work and outstanding client service exemplify our firm’s values, and we are fortunate to have this talented group.”
Business & Finance Department
Jason Chimon, Health Care, Long Island
Jason represents both health care and general corporate clients in a variety of corporate transactions, including mergers and acquisitions, private equity, venture capital, and joint ventures, as well as technology-based startups in the formation and organization of their businesses and capital financings. He also supports the technology transfer and research operations of clients in negotiating various research and clinical trial agreements. Outside of the office, Jason participates in outreach work with local startups, including providing “office hours” for entrepreneurs and emerging companies at external incubator locations.
Jennifer Cormano, Health Care, Los Angeles
Jennifer provides counsel to a variety of organizations in the health care industry, including nonprofits, on matters related to hospital/physician alignment strategies, corporate governance and formation matters, joint ventures, mergers, acquisitions, and other strategic transactions. A yoga instructor outside the office, Jennifer helps other lawyers employ mindfulness, meditation, and yoga to manage stress. In addition to publishing multiple articles on the topic, she presents her “Mindful Practice of Law” MCLE several times a year to a variety of organizations across the country. Jennifer is an active member of the Women in Health Administration of Southern California’s events committee.
Claire Rowland, Corporate, San Francisco
As a member of the firm’s Employee Benefits and Executive Compensation team, counsels a variety of large and small private and publicly traded employers, state and local governmental entities, higher education institutions, professional employer organizations, and nonprofits. She has authored numerous nationally published articles and regularly speaks at industry events. As a credentialed member of the American Society of Pension Professionals and Actuaries (ASPPA), Claire is a staunch advocate for employer-sponsored retirement plans, regularly volunteering to lobby Congress regarding federal tax law, proposed legislation, and retirement plan policy. In the community, Claire is secretary of the board of the ASPPA Benefits Council of the Great Northwest, serves as vice chair of the IRS Subcommittee for the ASPPA Government Affairs Committee, and is a member of the University of Denver Sturm College of Law Alumni Council.
April Schweitzer, Health Care, Chicago
April focuses her practice on corporate and regulatory issues affecting hospitals, health systems, and federally qualified health centers, as well as clinical integration networks and accountable care organizations. With a background in public health, April is a fierce advocate for securing quality health care for those in need. She provides pro bono services to numerous start-up nonprofit organizations and, in collaboration with Legal Aid Chicago, to patients of Erie Family Health Centers. April also serves on the board of directors for Pillars Community Health.
Litigation Department
Lauren Arnold, Intellectual Property, Washington, DC
Lauren provides counsel related to intellectual property strategy, protection, and enforcement, with a focus on trademarks and branding strategy. Leveraging her previous experience as in-house corporate and intellectual property counsel at an international casino gaming company, Lauren brings a unique perspective on brand strategy and enforcement to her practice. She guides clients through the selection and clearance of new brands and counsels them on the best practices for protecting both growing and longstanding brands. Lauren conducts seminars and educational sessions on the basics of IP law and strategy, and she regularly assists pro bono clients on trademark matters.
Brian Donnelly, Complex Commercial Disputes, Washington, DC
Brian represents clients in commercial disputes, administrative litigation, and investigations involving the FTC, FCC, HUD, DOJ, and state attorneys general. He also provides antitrust compliance counseling to companies and trade organizations. As a former Marine Corps officer and Iraq War veteran, Brian regularly provides pro bono representation to military veterans and veteran-serving organizations. In addition, Brian is active in The Barristers, an organization of DC trial lawyers and judges.
Jason Kunze, Intellectual Property, Chicago
Jason focuses on complex IP disputes and transactions relating to software technologies. He works with a variety of businesses to aggressively resolve IP matters, and has litigated copyright infringement, trade secret misappropriation, patent infringement, trademark infringement, breach of contract, and related claims. Leveraging his industry experience as a former software engineer, Jason helps clients with software disputes, copyright protection, IP licensing, open-source software compliance, acquisition due diligence, and customized IP training for development teams. Jason is the firm’s Chicago lead for the Esports and Gaming team, where he combines his interest in video games with his passion for IP matters.
Tracey Scarpello, Complex Commercial Disputes, Buffalo
Tracey is an experienced litigator who represents clients in a broad range of industries, including aviation, food and beverage, pharmaceuticals and medical devices, manufacturing, and health care. With a background in science and medicine, she regularly provides strategic advice to clients regarding safety and regulatory compliance, including claims relating to false labeling of products. Outside of the office, Tracey serves on the board of the Women’s Leadership Council of the United Way of Buffalo & Erie County. She is also a member of the Women’s Foodservice Forum, as well as DRI’s Drug & Medical Device Committee.
Brad Taub, Intellectual Property, Chicago
Brad provides multi-layered IP protection to large companies and startups by strategically building comprehensive global IP portfolios to monetize and also protect products and methods using utility patents, design patents, and trademarks. He also handles patent litigation, licensing, and general counseling on IP matters. His practice covers a wide variety of technologies, ranging from medical devices, wearable technology, and smart electronics to gemstones, and railway systems, among several others. Through his pro bono work, Brad has helped a client obtain patent protection on several inventions designed to help people in wheelchairs.
Brian Whittaker, Complex Commercial Disputes, Washington, DC
Experienced in federal, appellate, and state courts and appearing before a variety of regulatory agencies, Brian represents clients in a wide range of high-profile cases related to antitrust matters, complex commercial and business disputes, and constitutional law and civil rights. He has represented clients in a variety of disputes involving torts, complex contracts, partnerships, trusts, and real estate transactions, among others. Brian is dedicated to pro bono service, representing a variety of pro bono clients with constitutional and civil rights claims. In recognition of a pro bono case Brian worked on for nearly ten years, Nixon Peabody received the Pro Bono Publico Award from LatinoJustice PRLDEF in late 2019.
Project Finance, Infrastructure & Real Estate Department
Amber Munday, Affordable Housing & Real Estate, Chicago
Amber works with clients to navigate the risks of buying, selling, leasing, and managing office, retail, and multifamily assets throughout the United States. Outside the office, Amber is active in the Chicago real estate community. She participates in the Commercial Real Estate Executive Women of Chicago organization, which brings together women executives in the industry for networking, business development, and educational programming. She also regularly volunteers at Dress for Success, an international nonprofit providing professional attire and programming to at-risk women in order to help them achieve economic independence.
Ian O’Banion, Affordable Housing & Real Estate, San Francisco
A licensed architect and member of the American Institute of Architects, Ian handles all aspects of commercial real estate development, leasing, and finance. He represents developers, investors, lenders, and property owners in a variety of commercial transactions involving real estate and general corporate matters, including entity formations, real estate loans, and asset acquisitions. He also advises companies regarding corporate governance, financing, and general business services. In addition to his practice, Ian is the firm’s liaison for the Justice and Diversity Center’s Community Organization Representation Project, which focuses on pro bono opportunities in the Bay Area.
Richard Shore, Affordable Housing & Real Estate, New York City
Richard is a former assistant attorney general in the enforcement section of the New York State Attorney General’s Office’s Real Estate Finance Bureau, where he led complex investigations and enforcement proceedings. Representing multinational corporations, developers, corporate boards, owners, and tenants, Richard’s practice encompasses complex commercial disputes and regulatory compliance with a focus on real estate and cooperative and condominium laws and government investigations. He has been an active member of Habitat for Humanity’s Young Professionals Group, the New York City Bar Association Housing and Urban Development Committee, and the New York State Bar Association Real Property Law Cooperative and Condominium section.
