Boston, MA. Nixon Peabody is pleased to announce its 2024 new partner class. Nearly 80% of the new partners are members of historically underrepresented groups at the partnership level in the legal profession, which aligns with Nixon Peabody’s core values of increasing equity, access, and opportunity in legal profession leadership. In addition, 12 of this year’s 14 new partners are being elevated from counsel, illustrating the integral nature of the firm’s counsel program as a stepping stone to partner.
“Each of the skilled lawyers in our 2024 partner class exemplifies Nixon Peabody’s purpose, and each is a pillar of exceptional client service,” said Stephen D. Zubiago, Nixon Peabody CEO and managing partner. “Collectively, this group is innovative, collaborative, and creative—deeply committed to creating a positive impact in the communities we serve. Congratulations to the members of our 2024 partner class.”
The new partner promotions will take effect February 1, 2024. The class includes attorneys from seven of the firm’s offices and represents a wide range of practice areas, including affordable housing and real estate, community development finance, complex disputes, corporate, global finance, government investigations & white-collar defense, healthcare, privacy & technology, and project finance & public finance.
Nixon Peabody’s 2024 Partner Class
Business & Finance Department
Conrad Adkins, Corporate, Chicago
Conrad uses his previous experience as assistant general counsel for a multinational publicly traded company, as well as his versatility, to advise public and private companies and private equity funds on a broad slate of corporate matters. He has extensive experience in domestic and cross-border corporate transactions, including mergers and acquisitions, securities, international business, corporate restructurings, and general corporate governance and finance matters. Conrad has a substantial background advising on issues related to the securities laws applicable to foreign companies that maintain listings on the NYSE and NASDAQ. He also provides advice on a wide range of commercial and business matters.
Alexandra Busto, Healthcare, Los Angeles
Alex represents clients in healthcare transactions and advises on regulatory and compliance matters that impact healthcare deals and structures. Her clients include multistate health systems and community hospitals, telehealth companies, outpatient clinics, ambulatory surgery centers, medical groups, and other entities affiliated with the healthcare and health information industries. Alex also serves as a leader in reproductive and sexual healthcare, counseling in-vitro fertilization, reproductive services clinics, and other service providers on transactional and regulatory matters. She is a frequent speaker on key considerations in telehealth and reproductive health and serves as the secretary for the Executive Committee of the Healthcare Section of the Los Angeles County Bar Association.
Vincent Cesare, Global Finance, New York City
Vincent counsels institutional banks and other clients acting as agents—primarily custodians and trustees—in a variety of securitizations and related matters. He has deep experience advising clients on transactions across a diverse array of asset classes throughout the lifecycle of securitizations, custodial arrangements, repurchase facilities, and other similar transactions. Outside the firm, Vincent serves on the board of EPIC Players, a New York-based nonprofit theater group that fosters opportunities for neurodiverse talent. He is recognized as an NP DEI Champion for his work with EPIC and contributes pro bono time on immigration and other matters. In addition, Vincent has volunteered as a participant and a fundraiser with boxing charity Haymakers for Hope, which raises funds for cancer research, care, awareness, and survivorship.
Christina Chang, Corporate, Los Angeles
Christina handles global entertainment, sports, and broad-based corporate transactions for clients in the entertainment, sports, technology, fashion, advertising, healthcare, art, and data privacy industries. Leveraging her background in licensing and valuation, she helps clients identify the right strategic partners, creatively structure deals utilizing IP, equity, and services (including tax-effective celebrity joint ventures, sponsorships, endorsements, merchandising, and digital and experiential advertising), and ensures attendant regulatory compliance with the foregoing from conception through distribution and exit. Christina is a member of Sports Law Association and Beverly Hills Bar Association. She was recognized by the Los Angeles Business Journal as a “Leader of Influence - Minority Attorney” in 2023 and has been recognized in Variety’s “Dealmakers Impact Report” since 2022.
Jéna Grady, Healthcare, New York
Jéna focuses her practice on healthcare regulatory matters, including compliance, privacy, fraud, and abuse. She assists investors and startups with their regulatory needs in the dermatology, dental, ophthalmology, and behavioral health spaces. She previously worked at the Arizona Department of Health Services Division of Behavioral Health Services and draws upon that experience to assist providers in navigating complex regulatory and legal issues that arise while delivering behavioral health and integrated care. Through high-profile speaking engagements and media interviews, Jéna has become a thought leader in behavioral health. Within the firm, Jéna is a Pro Bono Champion and chair of the New York City Pro Bono Committee.
Farrah Usmani, Corporate, Nashville
Farrah is a member of Nixon Peabody’s women-led Entertainment practice, where she advises recording artists, songwriters, entertainment executives, and companies in the music industry. She is well-versed in helping artists grow their careers while maintaining control of their intellectual property. Farrah has a particular focus on the in-person music experience, including live events and touring, with substantial experience structuring concert and comedy tour deals. Farrah makes time to serve as a mentor to junior attorneys, offering formal and informal trainings and opportunities for the next generation to develop their skills. In addition to being named a “2023 Top Music Lawyer” by Billboard magazine, she has been recognized by Variety’s “Dealmakers Impact Report” since 2022.
Litigation
Jenny Holmes, Privacy & Technology, Rochester
Jenny serves as deputy leader of the Privacy & Technology practice and the Cybersecurity & Privacy practice team, and she has helped position Nixon Peabody at the forefront of privacy and cybersecurity law. As a Certified Information Privacy Professional, Jenny advises clients on the ever-changing legal landscape of data privacy and cybersecurity law, focusing her practice on privacy compliance, data breach response, and M&A transactional analysis. She develops and implements system-wide privacy and security plans and creates response plans that address the mandates of the EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA), and the NY SHIELD Act, among others. In addition to her client work, Jenny co-anchors the Nixon Peabody video series A Little Privacy, Please!®
Nathan Warecki, Complex Disputes, Manchester
Nate represents businesses, academic institutions, and individuals in complex state and federal litigation. As a member of Nixon Peabody’s Class Actions and Aggregate Litigation and Non-Compete & Trade Secrets teams, Nate advises clients in a variety of industries, with a focus on class actions and mass torts, restrictive covenants, and commercial disputes. He has a particular focus in the franchise industry, having represented franchisors in litigation and arbitration throughout the United States, and also on immigration law, having led or participated in a number of high-profile habeas corpus and civil rights lawsuits. Outside of his practice, Nate is an active pro bono contributor working on behalf of clients across a broad range of immigration matters.
Brian Whittaker, Complex Disputes, Washington, DC
With a practice concentrated on antitrust investigations and litigation, Brian represents clients involved in a wide range of complex commercial and business disputes, from pre-litigation dispute resolution through trials and appeals. Brian works with clients in a variety of industries in connection with their disputes before federal trial courts and courts of appeal. He also works with individuals and companies across sectors seeking to comply with antitrust laws and investigations involving transactions and other activities subject to federal and state government review. Brian is a pro bono leader in the Washington, DC, office, spearheading many pro bono litigation efforts, with an emphasis on constitutional and civil rights claims.
Rachel Winkler, Government Investigations & White-Collar Defense, Washington, DC
As a member of the firm’s Cross-Border Risks team, Rachel leverages her prior policy roles at the US Department of Homeland Security to lead high-stakes matters involving immigration, national security, government enforcement, and criminal investigations. Her practice focuses on immigration benefits and visas, removal defense, and international criminal investigations. Rachel provides legal advice to startup, entertainment, influencer, fashion, sports, music, and creative-arts industry clients on immigration sponsorship, visa eligibility, and I-9 compliance. She also helps individuals with white-collar convictions defend their immigration status and stay in the United States. Outside the firm, Rachel is a founding member of the Military Spouse J.D. Network, which helps support military spouses in the legal field.
Project Finance, Infrastructure, and Real Estate
Ruben Ravago, Affordable Housing & Real Estate, New York City
Ruben focuses his practice on representing a range of clients in the real estate financing and development space, including developers, property owners, investors, nonprofits, and government agencies. He also represents lenders. providing financing for development projects and stabilized properties in various asset classes throughout the United States, and owners and operators of seniors housing, assisted living, and memory care facilities. With extensive experience in cooperative and condominium practice, he also assists developers establishing or investing in projects and is well-positioned to provide strategic structuring advice and negotiate sophisticated joint venture arrangements and other investment vehicles. Ruben also works with nonprofits to create leasehold condominiums, enabling them to get the benefit of an exemption from real estate taxes and dedicate more resources to their missions.
Sumeet Sharma, Community Development Finance, Washington, DC
Sumeet has over 20 years of experience working with a wide range of clients to devise financing structures for affordable housing tax credit and other community development projects. He represents investors, syndicators, developers, lenders, and nonprofit organizations on tax, real estate, finance, and regulatory issues affecting affordable housing, community development, historic preservation, renewable energy, commercial real estate, and general business transactions. Sumeet’s client work often involves federal and state low-income housing tax credits (LIHTC) and new markets tax credits (NMTC). Outside the office, Sumeet coaches a local high school debate team and helps advance diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives in schools by serving as a Montgomery County, Maryland, PTA coordinator.
Dana Stanton, Affordable Housing & Real Estate, Albany
Dana co-leads Nixon Peabody’s Environmental team and represents clients across industries in environmental regulatory, enforcement, and transactional matters. Dana also counsels developers and lenders in brownfield redevelopment, advising on federal and state programs to obtain liability relief. Her education and experience in chemical engineering allow her to evaluate a project from all sides and anticipate and address issues and challenges before they arise. In addition, Dana leads the firm’s cross-functional, cross-practice Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) Working Group.