eMerge2025 | Events | General Content

Team Members

Corporate

Alex Capelli

Associate | Miami
Alex.Capelli@gtlaw.com | 305.579.0877

Corporate | Mergers & Acquisitions | Latin America Practice

Alex Capelli is a member of the Corporate Practice in Greenberg Traurig's Miami office. He focuses his practice on providing private and public companies, private equity firms, and family offices with advice regarding domestic and international mergers and acquisitions and joint ventures, in addition to corporate governance and other general corporate matters, both in the United States and Latin America. Alex has experience closing deals in a variety of industries, including aerospace, energy, financial services, food and beverage, manufacturing, and technology. Alex uses his background in economics and finance to provide clients practical, business-friendly advice.

Jaret L. Davis

Senior Vice President & Co-Managing Shareholder, Miami Office | Miami
davisj@gtlaw.com | 305.579.0676

Jaret L. Davis is Senior Vice President and the Co-Managing Shareholder of the Miami office of Greenberg Traurig, P.A., an Am Law 20 international law firm, and a member of the firm’s global Executive Committee. He oversees approximately 200 attorneys and 200 business staff based in the firm’s founding office in Miami, Florida USA and focuses his practice on structuring and negotiating domestic and cross-border mergers and acquisitions, capital raising transactions, and large financings.

For over a decade, Jaret has led the efforts of the Miami office and served as one of several leaders guiding efforts of the firm globally to be a dominant player in the technology industry. The vast majority of Jaret’s clients are technology players, ranging from information technology companies, to life sciences/biotech companies, to companies focusing on renewable energy sources. During this time, the Miami office has been a thought leader in representing angel investors, venture capital firms, growth equity funds, and private equity as well as various technology companies along all intervals of the life cycle, from startup to multi-billion dollar publicly traded companies. In connection with these efforts, GT received top-tier rankings for technology law and venture capital law in the 2023 U.S. News – Best Lawyers® “Best Law Firms” report.

He routinely provides representation to publicly traded clients having an aggregate market capitalization of over $75 billion as well as several of Miami’s largest “unicorn” companies.

Jaret’s notable representations in the IT space include:

Lead shareholder of the team that represented GE Healthcare in its acquisition of MIM Software, a global provider of medical imaging analysis and artificial intelligence solutions for the practice of radiation oncology, molecular radiotherapy, diagnostic imaging, and urology at imaging centers, hospitals, specialty clinics, and research organizations worldwide.
Lead shareholder of the team that represented Appgate, Inc. in its reverse capitalization, taking it public, together with a concurrent $75 million capital infusion from Magnetar Capital at a $1 billion valuation.
Lead shareholder representing Medina Capital and co-counsel to Cyxtera Technologies, Inc. in connection with Cyxtera Technologies’ $3.4 billion merger with SPAC Starboard Value Acquisition Corp.
Representation of ISN Software Corp, a SaaS provider of contractor management software, in connection with a $550 million investment by Blackstone Group.
Lead shareholder of the team that represented Medina Capital in its $3 billion joint venture with global private equity fund BC Partners, which consisted of the acquisition of a portfolio of 57 data centers across the globe and suite of cybersecurity and data analytics companies.
Lead shareholder of the 40+ attorney legal team representing Terremark Worldwide, Inc., a Nasdaq-listed provider of IT infrastructure, in connection with its acquisition for $2 billion by Verizon Communications, Inc. At the time of its closing, the Terremark-Verizon transaction ranked as both the largest pairing of a telco and a colocation provider and the largest transaction in the cloud computing space as well as Verizon's largest acquisition since its acquisition of MCI in 2005.

Jaret’s notable representations in the life sciences/health care space include:

Lead shareholder of the team that represented GE Healthcare in its acquisition of MIM Software, a global provider of medical imaging analysis and artificial intelligence solutions for the practice of radiation oncology, molecular radiotherapy, diagnostic imaging, and urology at imaging centers, hospitals, specialty clinics, and research organizations worldwide.
Lead shareholder of the team that represented Exactech, Inc., a Nasdaq-listed producer of orthopedic solutions, in connection with its $737 million acquisition by global private equity fund, TPG Capital.
Representation of Metropolitan Health Networks, Inc., a New York Stock Exchange listed health care provider, in its $850 million sale to Humana, Inc.

Jaret’s notable representations relating to the Greater Miami community include:

Counsel to Kaseya in connection with Kaseya’s acquisition from Miami-Dade County of the naming rights to the Kaseya Center, Home of the Miami Heat, with the acquisition valued at $117 million.
Counsel to the Greater Miami Convention and Visitors Bureau in connection with successfully recruiting and negotiating the terms of the Michelin Guide’s entry into South Florida.
Counsel to the Greater Miami Convention and Visitors Bureau in connection with the search committee formed to select its President and Chief Executive Officer.
Counsel to eMerge Americas Technology Conference in all matters since and including its formation.
Counsel to the Greater Miami Convention and Visitors Bureau in connection with the negotiation of Miami-Dade County’s successful bid for the 2026 World Cup.
Counsel to the investor consortium in Miami which acquired the rights to Level Nightclub in South Beach and renovated and remarketed it to become Mansion Nightclub.

In addition to his practice, Jaret serves in a number of civic capacities which allow him to leverage his professional interests to assist the Miami community. He currently serves as a co-founder and General Counsel of eMerge Americas, a global technology conference focused on the Americas and based out of Miami, attracting over 20,000 attendees from 50 countries and over 4,000 organizations. He also serves as a member of the Board of Directors of the Miami Foundation and the Board of Directors of City National Bank of Florida, the second oldest and largest Florida-based bank in the United States with tangible assets exceeding $25 billion.

For the past four years, he served as Chairman of the Board of Directors of Nicklaus Children’s Hospital, one of the largest health systems in Florida and a thought leader at leveraging digital health solutions. He also recently served as Chair of the Miami-Dade Beacon Council, the Official Economic Development Partnership for Miami-Dade County, in which capacity he led Miami’s efforts in bidding to obtain Amazon’s HQ2 headquarters resulting in Miami being one of the leading finalists in the process.

In 2018, the Daily Business Review, a division of ALM Media, selected Jaret to be the recipient of its 2018 “Attorney of the Year” Award in recognition of his role in facilitating recent significant transactions in both IT and life sciences/health care as well as his corporate and civic leadership within those industries. He has been recognized by a number of other leading industry publications, including Chambers and Partners, Super Lawyers, the M&A Advisor, the National Law Journal, the Daily Business Review, which designated him "Top Dealmaker of the Year" in both 2010 and 2012, and Best Lawyers in America, which selected him for its 2022 “Lawyer of the Year” recognition in the area of Venture Capital Law within Miami.

"He's responsive, collaborative and focused on getting a solution to the problem for us." "He is knowledgeable about the private equity space, particularly in terms of M&A, and really understands his clients' business needs and industries."

—Client comments, Chambers USA.

Rebecca G. DiStefano

Shareholder | Miami
distefanor@gtlaw.com | 305.579.0541

Rebecca G. DiStefano is a member of the firm’s Global Corporate Practice and Global Securities Practice with deep experience in capital formation matters and securities compliance. She counsels clients in a diverse range of corporate securities, corporate governance and regulatory matters at every stage of the corporate life cycle from the emerging growth phase to mature companies evaluating exits.

Ms. DiStefano has wide-ranging experience guiding the executive suite at the intersection of capital formation and securities regulatory matters analyzing a range of finance options to help clients pursue their objectives. Ms. DiStefano’s public and private company clients span a variety of industries including real estate, hospitality, financial services, life sciences, energy, manufacturing, fintech and blockchain technology, and resources. She guides firm clients in financing activities such as early seed, angel and venture capital rounds, community investing, liquidity, bridge and growth capital, and including Regulation D Private Placements, Regulation A Qualifications, Regulation CF Crowdfunding, Registrations, as well as attendant continuing disclosure requirements, periodic reporting and corporate governance matters.

Ms. DiStefano’s clients are often private companies preparing to become public companies or planning for a significant growth phase. She regularly represents clients before the Securities and Exchange Commission and state securities agencies. She has served on the firm’s interdisciplinary Blockchain Task Force since 2017.

Gary Emmanuel ^

Shareholder | Tel Aviv & New York
Gary.Emmanuel@gtlaw.com | +972 (0) 3636.6033

Corporate | Capital Markets | Venture Capital & Emerging Technology | Life Sciences & Medical Technology | Food, Beverage & Agribusiness

Gary Emmanuel has market leading experience in corporate securities matters, representing both domestic and foreign companies in a full range of general corporate and securities matters, with a focus on navigating the process of capital raising, including initial public offerings (IPOs), follow-on offerings, shelf takedowns, private placements in public equities (PIPEs), reverse mergers, and de-SPACs, as well as SEC reporting and compliance, and corporate governance matters. Gary works closely with life science companies and other companies in growth technology verticals, both as company counsel and as underwriter’s counsel. In addition, Gary counsels companies in a wide variety of corporate transactions including licensing, reverse mergers, acquisitions, and joint ventures.

Based in Tel Aviv, Gary is highly experienced in working with the Israeli business community and assisting Israeli companies with their US corporate matters, with special emphasis on capital markets related transactions.

^ Attorneys in the Tel Aviv office do not practice Israeli law.

Anthony J. Fernandez

Associate | Miami
fernandezaj@gtlaw.com | 305.579.0797

Corporate | Mergers & Acquisitions | Latin America Practice | Venture Capital & Emerging Technology | Private Equity

Anthony J. Fernandez is a member of the Corporate Practice in Greenberg Traurig's Miami office and serves as the Co-Chair of the Miami Associate Committee. He focuses his practice on advising domestic and international clients on legal issues within U.S. and cross-border mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures, private equity transactions, commercial transactions, and general corporate governance matters. He advises clients, on both buy-side and sell-side transactions, across many industries including technology, software, health care, logistics, retail, insurance, financial services, and fintech.

Prior to joining the firm in 2018, Anthony spent over six years in business within the financial technology and financial services industry, working at PayPal and Standard & Poor’s. He has deep international business and market development experience, primarily focused in the United States, Latin America, and the Caribbean.

Anthony utilizes his legal, business and financial background to apply a strategic approach to his clients’ needs.

Raffael Fiumara

Shareholder | Miami
Raffael.Fiumara@gtlaw.com | 305.579.0532

Corporate | Capital Markets

Raffael Fiumara has wide-ranging corporate, securities, finance and regulatory experience across over a decade in both private practice and in-house roles. Raffael focuses his practice on public and private equity and debt capital markets, SEC and stock exchange reporting, corporate governance and compliance obligations, corporate finance, and general corporate matters, as well as alternative capital and other financing transactions. Raffael represents clients across a variety of industries, including FinTech, Technology & Media, Health Care and Biotechnology, Financial Services, Industrials, Energy, and Consumer Retail.

Prior to joining Greenberg Traurig, Raffael served as vice president and senior counsel at Goldman Sachs for the Investment Banking Division, providing legal, policy, reputational, transactional and commercial advice and on all aspects of the Investment Banking business.

Joshua B. Forman

Shareholder | Miami
Josh.Forman@gtlaw.com | 305.579.0500

Corporate | Digital Infrastructure, Data Center and Cloud Computing

Joshua B. Forman is a member of the Corporate Practice in Greenberg Traurig’s Miami office. Joshua’s experience includes commercial, tax, regulatory, and bankruptcy matters, specifically focusing on data center expansion, operations, and transit services, including the purchase and sale of terrestrial and subsea fiber access and interconnection in the United States, Canada, the Caribbean and Latin America.

Joshua has deep in-house experience, having served as senior vice president and general counsel at Netrality Data Centers, where he was responsible for the organization’s legal department and providing strategic corporate and commercial legal advice to the executive leadership team, and providing legal advice on a wide range of domestic telecommunications matters. As general counsel and chief compliance officer at GlobeNet, he served on the executive leadership team and acted as the secretary to the board of directors, providing counsel regarding virtually all aspects of transactions, from assisting with due diligence and deal structuring, negotiating and drafting transaction documents, to overseeing the attainment of U.S. and non-U.S. regulatory approvals. As corporate counsel for mergers and acquisitions at TouchSuite, he structured U.S. and international mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures, and other strategic transactions in the merchant services industry.

Robert L. Grossman ^

Shareholder & Chair, Israel Practice | Miami & Tel Aviv
grossmanb@gtlaw.com | 305.579.0756

Bob Grossman is Chair of the Israel Practice and began practicing securities, M&A and corporate law in the firm's Miami office in 1982. With wide-ranging experience taking companies public, acquiring and selling companies, and as a business advisor, Bob brings a practical business-oriented approach to his clients' problems, focusing on accomplishing his clients' objectives effectively and efficiently. He has represented a diverse collection of public and private companies, including companies in the medical device, pharmaceutical, biotechnology, ag-tech, health care, energy and natural resources, technology and software, and communications industries.

Bob is the Chair of the firm's Israel Practice and is a frequent business visitor to Israel. In addition to representing Israeli companies seeking to do business outside of Israel, the firm's Israel Practice Group provides assistance to Israeli and U.S. companies in all legal aspects as well as through introductions to strategic partners.

^ Attorneys in the Tel Aviv office do not practice Israeli law.

David Huberman ^

Shareholder | Tel Aviv & Chicago
David.Huberman@gtlaw.com | +972 (0) 3.636.6006

David Huberman works closely with Israeli and domestic clients, representing issuers and underwriters on capital raising transactions, including private and public offerings. He regularly represents Israeli companies in their initial public offerings on U.S. stock exchanges and advises on ongoing compliance with U.S. securities laws. David’s clients include pharmaceutical and technology companies currently traded, or on their way to the Nasdaq.

^ Attorneys in the Tel Aviv office do not practice Israeli law.

Yosbel A. Ibarra

Shareholder & Co-Managing Shareholder, Miami Office | Miami & New York
Yosbel.Ibarra@gtlaw.com | 305.579.0706

Corporate | Infrastructure | Mergers & Acquisitions | Latin America Practice

Yosbel represents clients on international corporate transactions, including multinational corporations and prominent Latin American investors on their investments, acquisitions, divestitures, and joint ventures throughout Latin America and the U.S. He also advises Latin American family offices on governance and other corporate matters.

Fluent in Spanish and admitted to practice in both New York and Florida, he has been recognized by leading publications, including Chambers and Partners and The M&A Advisor, for his more than 20 years of experience representing clients on cross-border matters.

He currently serves as Co-Managing Shareholder of Greenberg Traurig’s Miami office and previously served as Co-Chair of the firm’s Latin America Practice.

Stanley G. Jacobs, Jr.

Shareholder | Fort Lauderdale
jacobss@gtlaw.com | 954.768.8242

Stanley "Stash" Jacobs is a private equity, mergers and acquisitions and corporate lawyer who focuses his practice on a broad range of transactional matters. Stash works with private equity funds, private and public company investors and family offices in a range of investments and acquisitions. Stash counsels companies and entrepreneurs in all aspects of transactional work. Stash has experience in a variety of industries including health care and life sciences, business services, consumer products, manufacturing, software, technology investment management and insurance. In the life science industry, Stash represents investors, acquirors, companies and other transaction parties in a variety of transactions and financings.

Barbara A. Jones

Shareholder & Co-Managing Shareholder, Los Angeles Office | Los Angeles
Barbara.Jones@gtlaw.com | 310.586.7773

Barbara A. Jones is Co-Managing Shareholder of the firm’s Los Angeles office and a member of the firm’s Global Corporate practice. Barbara serves as Chair of the firm's interdisciplinary Blockchain & Digital Assets practice. Barbara maintains a diverse corporate and securities law practice across industry groups, emphasizing complex international and domestic transactions, including private and public financings, dual listings, mergers and acquisitions, strategic collaborations and joint ventures, and licensing transactions. She serves as a trusted advisor to public and private company boards of directors on governance matters and complex regulatory reporting and compliance issues. Barbara's clients include financial institutions, private equity and venture capital groups, and public and private companies in emerging technology, life sciences and biotechnology, defense and security, blockchain and digital assets, telecommunications, information technology, energy (traditional and renewable), mining, media, entertainment and sports. Barbara also represents Olympic and professional athletes and sports-related organizations.

Barbara practiced U.S. law in London from 1990 through 1997 with Sullivan & Cromwell, LLP, and headed the international capital markets practice of Kirkland & Ellis LLP from 1999 to 2003 before relocating to Boston. From 1997 to 1999, she served as Vice-President, Assistant General Counsel and Regional Counsel for capital markets with J.P. Morgan Securities Ltd. in Europe, the Middle East and Africa. Since returning to the U.S., she has continued to actively represent public and private companies, private equity groups and investment banks in the European, Scandinavian, African and greater Asian markets, including China.

Barbara is a past chair of the ABA’s Subcommittee on International Securities Matters. She is a frequent speaker at conferences relating to cross-border securities matters, strategic alternatives, and digital asset structures. She serves on the Government of Bermuda’s Global FinTech Advisory Board.

Aaron R. Katz ^

Senior Associate | Tel Aviv & Chicago
Aaron.Katz@gtlaw.com | +972 (0) 3.636.6032

Corporate | Mergers & Acquisitions | Private Equity | Venture Capital & Emerging Technology

Aaron R. Katz represents companies and private equity firms in connection with various corporate transactions as well as general corporate counseling and governance. He focuses his practice on representing strategic and financial buyers and sellers in transactions, including mergers, stock and asset acquisitions, divestitures and financings involving companies across a variety of industries based throughout the world. Aaron’s global experience is emphasized by having worked with clients from around the globe, including Israel, the U.S., Asia and Europe. Moreover, he has broad experience in working both in Israeli and American environments, having spent more than two years at the GT Chicago office prior to his move to the GT Tel Aviv office in 2014.

^ Attorneys in the Tel Aviv office do not practice Israeli law.

Emily Ladd-Kravitz

Shareholder | Boston
Emily.LaddKravitz@gtlaw.com | 617.310.6078

Corporate | Venture Capital & Emerging Technology | Mergers & Acquisitions | Life Sciences & Medical Technology

Emily Ladd-Kravitz is co-chair of the firm’s Venture Capital & Emerging Technology Group and focuses her practice on complex corporate transactions and representation of private companies in all stages of their life cycle. She represents venture capital funds, private equity firms, other institutional investors and companies in connection with a wide variety of corporate and transactional matters, including mergers and acquisitions, private placements, minority investments, venture capital financings and corporate governance matters. She also advises start-up and growth-stage companies in all industries, including technology, edtech, medical device, clean energy, sustainable solutions and life sciences.

John D. Owens, III

Shareholder | Miami
owensjohn@gtlaw.com | 305.579.0526

John D. Owens, III focuses his practice on four key areas: (1) representing investors that finance and/or acquire growth stage and emerging companies, including venture capital firms, family offices, private equity firms and other corporate investors, (2) assisting entrepreneurs, early stage businesses, and emerging businesses in assessing, strategically planning, and managing their overall legal needs as they progress through critical periods of growth and challenge, (3) representing hedge funds, family offices, and other alternative investment funds in their direct capital market transactions with public companies, and (4) providing general counsel regarding compliance with federal securities laws.

John also provides guidance and transactional support to entrepreneurs, executive management and boards of privately held and public companies in relation to corporate governance practices, including public disclosure requirements, as well as conducting securities offerings and raising capital, national exchange uplistings, and negotiating and documenting corporate and commercial transactions. His experience includes seed and venture capital financings, mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures, divestitures, public offerings, and transactional work in various industries, including FinTech, medical technology, media, international shipping and parcel delivery, e-sports, e-commerce, financial services, health care, manufacturing, retail, agriculture, beverages, opportunity zones, hospitality, sports, music, reality television, and entertainment. John also advises on cross-border transactions, including assisting foreign companies investing in ventures and conducting business in the U.S., and representing domestic clients planning to engage in business abroad, particularly in emerging markets in Africa, Asia and Latin America.

He enjoys building long standing relationships with investors and companies beginning at their earliest stages and assisting them through the development process.

Luis Cortés Panameño

Shareholder | Mexico City
cortesl@gtlaw.com | +52 55.5029.0000

Corporate | Latin America Practice | Mergers & Acquisitions | Data Privacy & Cybersecurity

Luis Cortés focuses his practice on commercial, corporate, compliance and financial law. Luis represents both domestic and international clients in cross-border transactions, project finance, mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures, and cross border financing.

Further, Luis advises clients on a broad range of transactions, including domestic and international mergers and acquisitions, divestitures, joint ventures and day-to-day legal matters on a wide range of industries, with particular emphasis on retail, pharmaceutical and medical devices, food and beverage, telecommunications, automotive, technology, health care, manufacturing and hospitality.

Luis has experience in the soft landing of companies in Mexico and in Latin America, including nearshoring.

On the Compliance front, Luis is Co-Chair of the Practice for the Mexico City office and he has counseled diverse companies in connection with corporate investigations, including investigations related to compliance and regulatory matters.

Arturo Pérez-Estrada

Shareholder | Mexico City
perezart@gtlaw.com | +52 55.5029.0047

Corporate | Mergers & Acquisitions | Venture Capital & Emerging Technology | Latin America Practice | Fintech

Arturo Pérez-Estrada focuses his practice on corporate law, mergers and acquisitions, private equity investments, venture capital, and financial regulation (fintech).

As part of his corporate M&A practice, Arturo has represented national and international clients in cross-border mergers and acquisitions, SPAC deals, corporate restructurings, divestitures, and joint venture agreements in different sectors, including consumer goods and retail, financial services, pharmaceutical, technology, manufacturing, and mining.

Arturo provides legal advice to fintech clients on regulatory and transactional matters, including e-wallet platforms, crowdfunding entities, online lending platforms, digital payment companies, cryptocurrency, data privacy, and consumer protection. Arturo also advises startup companies and venture capital funds in Mexico and Latin America.

Kristy "Kitt" Ritter

Of Counsel | Miami
Kitt.Ritter@gtlaw.com | 305.579.0516

Corporate | Finance | Equine Industry Group

Kitt Ritter is an associate in the Corporate Practice in the Miami office. Kitt focuses her practice on corporate finance and related matters, representing private equity sponsors, public and private borrowers, administrative agents, and lenders in connection with syndicated and bilateral loan financings, including senior secured financings, first lien and second lien financings, unsecured financings, asset-backed financings, acquisition financings, and bridge financings across a broad array of industries.

Marvin S. Rosen

Shareholder | New York & Miami
rosenm@gtlaw.com | 212.801.9340

Corporate

Marvin S. Rosen has more than 30 years of experience in the area of corporate and securities law. He advises private equity firms, hedge funds, activist and distressed investors on special strategies. He has had experience in being a member of various boards of directors of public companies.

Rocío Olea Salgado

Shareholder | Mexico City
olear@gtlaw.com | +52 55.5029.0041

Corporate | Antitrust Litigation & Competition Regulation | Latin America Practice | Venture Capital & Emerging Technology

Rocío Olea Salgado focuses her practice on business and competition law, including compliance and transactional issues in the technology, e-commerce, product manufacturing, pharmaceutical, and other industries. She is experienced advising on the implementation of comprehensive compliance programs from a digital technology, data privacy and consumer protection standpoint, as well as economic and competition issues, including the review and notification of mergers, concentrations, and investigations of alleged antitrust activities before Mexico’s Antitrust Agency (Comisión Federal de Competencia Económica).

Rocío represents foreign and Mexican entities on a broad range of corporate and business-related matters, including mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures, corporate restructurings, and compliance policies. She advises Mexican and international companies from different sectors on all stages of the business life cycle, including implementing startup and growth-stage processes, and handling administrative procedures before government agencies.

Ephraim Schmeidler ^

Of Counsel | Tel Aviv & New York
Ephraim.Schmeidler@gtlaw.com | +972 (0) 3.636.6018

Corporate | Private Equity | Venture Capital & Emerging Technology

Ephraim Schmeidler focuses his practice on corporate and securities law, with an emphasis on mergers and acquisitions, venture capital and securities offerings. Ephraim has experience in working with clients in Israel, the U.S., Europe and Asia, and has represented both foreign and domestic entities, including Israeli VC’s, startups and companies with stock traded in U.S. stock exchanges, U.S., European, Chinese and Indian VC’s and private equity funds.

In the Tel Aviv Office, leveraging his legal and language skills, Ephraim is active in the unique Chinese-Israeli business eco-system representing with Chinese and other East Asian investors and companies with an interest in working with Israeli entities and Israeli companies doing business in China and other East Asian countries.

^ Attorneys in the Tel Aviv office do not practice Israeli law.

Mark S. Selinger ^

Shareholder | New York & Tel Aviv & Long Island
Mark.Selinger@gtlaw.com | 212.801.9221

Mark Selinger represents public and private U.S., Israeli and other international technology and life sciences companies in public offering, private placement, and merger and acquisition (M&A) transactions. His experience includes handling complex cross-border transactions, including several “going-private” transactions involving Nasdaq-listed Israeli companies, and multiple SPAC IPO and cross-border deSPAC transactions. Mark also advises on disclosure and compliance issues arising under U.S. securities laws, including NYSE and NASDAQ regulations.

Mark has deep experience representing family offices and family office-backed investment funds in all aspects of their business. He also has vast experience representing companies in the blockchain industry, including the first SEC-registered initial coin offering, and also represents companies in the renewable energy space. Mark spends several months every year in Israel.

^ Attorneys in the Tel Aviv office do not practice Israeli law.

Joey T. Shabot ^

Shareholder | Tel Aviv & New York
Joey.Shabot@gtlaw.com | +972 (0) 3.636.6005

Mergers & Acquisitions | Private Equity | Venture Capital & Emerging Technology | Capital Markets | Food, Beverage & Agribusiness

Joey T. Shabot is the Managing Shareholder of the Tel-Aviv office and focuses his practice on corporate transactions, including mergers and acquisitions, investments, securities law and financing. His experience includes advising on complex matters involving companies across a variety of industries throughout the world, including the United States, Israel, Asia, Europe, MENA Region and Latin America.

Joey has particular experience representing global companies who are investing in Israel for the first time, as well as repeat players active in the region. Joey also advises many Israeli companies on expanding their U.S. growth and corporate development strategies. Joey maintains a vast network of Israeli law firm colleagues specializing in numerous areas, with whom he often collaborates in serving his and their clients’ diverse legal needs.

Joey also dedicates himself to pro bono work in which he has represented United Hatzalah, an international first response organization, the global WIZO organization, and other global charities.

^ Attorneys in the Tel Aviv office do not practice Israeli law.

Daniella Genet Silberstein

Shareholder & Co-Chair, Corporate Practice | Miami
Daniella.Silberstein@gtlaw.com | 305.579.0592

Daniella Silberstein counsels a broad range of private equity sponsors, other private companies, and public companies on mergers and acquisitions, as well as on general corporate matters. Daniella focuses her practice on U.S. and cross-border mergers, acquisitions, divestitures, carve-out transactions, recapitalizations, joint ventures, and spin-offs. She also regularly represents clients in corporate governance matters, and has defended clients against hostile takeovers and proxy contests.

Daniella advises clients across industries such as health care, biotechnology, professional services, aviation, aerospace, and retail, and routinely works on both the buy-side and sell-side of transactions. She also counsels start-up and emerging companies in connection with formation matters and capital raise transactions.

In addition to practicing law, Daniella has taught a class on negotiating M&A transactions as an adjunct professor at Tulane Law School. She also co-chairs the GT Miami Women’s Initiative.

Devora Snyder-Shefer ^

Senior Associate | Tel Aviv & Chicago
Devora.Snyder@gtlaw.com | +972 (0) 3.363.6013

Devora Snyder-Shefer focuses her practice on providing companies across industry sectors with customized legal counsel that speaks to each company’s unique needs and interests.

In particular, Devora utilizes her many years of experience supporting clients on a variety of transactional and regulatory matters and leverages the wide-ranging GT platform to provide A-to-Z support for her clients' capital markets, technology, commercial, corporate, and financial-focused needs.

Within this framework, Devora counsels both emerging and established companies across the globe, offering clients practical and efficient legal counsel, while striving to manage costs and risks via business-friendly strategies. Devora advises clients on technology and commercial contracts, U.S. corporate formation and company build-out, securities laws and governance matters, financial transactions, mergers and acquisitions, as well as data privacy and protection and cybersecurity.

In addition, Devora is a regional liaison to the GT Women's Initiative from the EU/EMEA Region, and is dedicated to providing pro bono legal counsel to underrepresented groups in Israel and around the world.

^ Attorneys in the Tel Aviv office do not practice Israeli law.

Michael Soumas ^

Associate | Tel Aviv
Michael.Soumas@gtlaw.com | +972 (0) 3.636 6036

Corporate | Capital Markets | Venture Capital & Emerging Technology | Life Sciences & Medical Technology

Michael Soumas focuses his practice on corporate securities matters, including private and public offerings and ongoing compliance with the U.S. securities laws. He draws on his deep industry experience as an in-house counsel at a global investment bank to also advise clients on equity derivatives, margin loans and structured finance, with special emphasis on working with Israeli tech companies with capital markets-focused needs.

Michael advises clients on a wide variety of securities laws and governance matters, including drafting and reviewing annual, periodic and current reports and proxy statements, compliance with SEC/stock exchange rules and board meeting minutes, as well as with respect to day-to-day operational matters, including contract review, covenant compliance and investor communications. Michael works with many Israeli tech companies in a myriad of areas including life sciences, food-tech, pharma and others.

^ Attorneys in the Tel Aviv office do not practice Israeli law.

Geiza Vargas-Vargas

Shareholder | Miami
vargasvargasg@gtlaw.com | 305.579.0627

Corporate | Latin America Practice

Geiza Vargas-Vargas focuses her practice on mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures and capital raises for clients in the United States and Latin America. She has closed transactions in a wide variety of sectors, including digital infrastructure, renewable energy, technology, and industrials. She has advised investment funds and strategic investors in aerospace, telecommunications and Section 363 acquisitions and has represented clean technology companies, including in the electric vehicle charging space, and their investors and lenders in various financings, recaps and buyouts. She also advises her clients on general corporate matters.

Jose R. Vento

Associate | Miami
Jose.Vento@gtlaw.com | 305.579.0574

Corporate | Patent Prosecution | Intellectual Property Litigation | Innovation & Artificial Intelligence | Franchise & Distribution

Jose R. Vento is a member of Greenberg Traurig’s Corporate Practice focusing on mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures, and commercial contracts. Jose advises clients in a wide variety of sectors including aviation, renewable energy, and technology. With a deep background in intellectual property including patents, trademarks, and copyrights, Jose is able to provide comprehensive counsel for clients in the technology industry. He also advises his clients on general corporate and international franchising, licensing, and distribution matters.

Prior to becoming an attorney Jose was an engineer in the aviation industry. First, as a manufacturing engineer at a large airframe manufacturer and then, as an avionics engineer for a large international operator. At Greenberg Traurig, Jose has represented clients in the Aviation industry with general operations matters as well as in the Mergers and Acquisitions space.

Chase Wathen

Associate | Tampa
Chase.Wathen@gtlaw.com | 305.579.0656

Corporate

Chase Wathen is a member of the Corporate Practice in Greenberg Traurig’s Tampa office. He focuses his practice on providing private and public companies with advice regarding domestic and international mergers and acquisitions, in addition to corporate governance and other corporate matters. Chase has experience in various industries, including aerospace, retail, and logistics.

Alexander Zachariah

Shareholder | Fort Lauderdale
zachariaha@gtlaw.com | 954.768.5221

Corporate | Insurance Mergers & Acquisitions | Private Equity | Insurance Regulatory & Transactions

Alexander Zachariah is a transactional attorney with experience in mergers and acquisitions, buyouts, recapitalizations, private equity and venture capital transactions, corporate governance and compliance, as well as other general corporate law matters. Alexander is an attorney-at-law and certified public accountant. Alexander’s specific industry experience includes insurance, health care, property management, software and technology.

Data Privacy & Cybersecurity

Darren J. Abernethy

Shareholder | San Francisco
abernethyd@gtlaw.com | 415.655.1261

Darren J. Abernethy is an ad tech, data privacy and cybersecurity attorney with more than fifteen years of experience, including in Am Law private practice in Washington, D.C. and as Senior Counsel at a leading privacy technology vendor. He advises clients on matters related to digital advertising, privacy and data protection law compliance, data breach management, privacy and data security considerations in M&A, artificial intelligence and FTC best practices.

Darren's areas of focus include website and mobile application compliance, the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) and other U.S. federal and state privacy laws, the European Union General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR)/ePrivacy, and technology agreements.

Darren is a member of the International Association of Privacy Professionals (IAPP)’s Publications Advisory Board and is recognized by the IAPP and American Bar Association as a Privacy Law Specialist. He holds IAPP certifications in all 7 areas (Asia, Canada, Europe, Privacy Management, Technology, U.S. Government, and U.S. Private Sector).

Dr. Viola Bensinger

Partner/Shareholder | Berlin
viola.bensinger@gtlaw.com | +49 30.700.171.150

Viola Bensinger is Global Co-Chair of the firm's Intellectual Property & Technology Practice Group and also chairs the Technology Practice as well as the Litigation Practice in Germany. She advises clients from the technology, media, health care and other industries.

Within the technology sector, Viola advises international internet, technology and healthcare companies in the areas of digitisation projects, IT outsourcing, cloud computing, e-commerce, electronic payment, data protection, software licensing as well as digital media.

She has wide-ranging experience in advising media and entertainment clients such as distributors, producers, broadcasters, digital platforms, publishers and their contracting partners on licensing and distribution, as well as the legal set-up of digital platforms. Viola also advises clients on regulatory issues, especially with regard to broadcasting law and data protection law.

In her litigation practice, Viola represents clients at courts or arbitration panels in contract disputes, copyright and other litigation. For many years, Viola has also gained broad experience in the areas of insolvency and restructuring relating to IP assets and licensing agreements and has advised numerous clients in large-scale insolvency proceedings relating to their German business partners.

Prior to joining the firm, Viola was a partner at Olswang in Germany and spent more than 10 years working for Linklaters in London and Berlin.

Kevin M. Scott

Shareholder | Chicago
Kevin.Scott@gtlaw.com | 312.456.1040

Data Privacy & Cybersecurity | Digital Infrastructure, Data Center and Cloud Computing

Kevin Scott counsels small and large entities, including merchants, medical providers, financial institutions, and educational institutions on the identification, evaluation, and management of first- and third-party data privacy and cybersecurity risks. Kevin advises on data privacy, cybersecurity breach response, and payment card industry standards and investigations. He has handled hundreds of breaches, often reducing public and regulatory scrutiny and protecting clients’ reputations. Kevin’s practice also includes advising clients on compliance with state, federal, and international laws and regulations.

In addition to his data privacy and cybersecurity experience, Kevin served as a judicial law clerk for the Chief Judge of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces. He also participated in the investigation and prosecution of financial fraud in the handling of government contracts for the Special Inspector General for Iraq Reconstruction in coordination with the Department of Justice. After serving in the U.S. Marine Corps for 27 years, Kevin retired as a colonel.

Jena M. Valdetero

Shareholder & Co-Chair, U.S. Data Privacy and Cybersecurity Practice | Chicago
Jena.Valdetero@gtlaw.com | 312.456.1025

Data Privacy & Cybersecurity | Retail | Class Action Litigation

Jena M. Valdetero serves as Co-Chair of the firm’s U.S. Data Privacy and Cybersecurity Practice where she advises clients on complex data privacy and security issues. She has led more than 1,000 data breach investigations. A litigator by background, Jena defends companies against privacy and data breach litigation, with an emphasis on class action lawsuits. She has designed and conducted dozens of data breach tabletop exercises to empower clients to respond effectively to a data security incident. She also counsels companies on data privacy and security compliance programs and advises on privacy and cyber risks associated with mergers and acquisitions, venture capital, and securities. Jena also advises a diverse array of clients on compliance with existing and emerging privacy laws, including the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA), the Gramm Leach Bliley Act (GLBA), and the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). She is a certified privacy professional through the International Association of Privacy Professionals (CIPP/US), for which she is a former KnowledgeNet Co-Chair.

David A. Zetoony

Shareholder & Co-Chair, U.S. Data Privacy and Cybersecurity Practice | Denver
David.Zetoony@gtlaw.com | 303.685.7425

Data Privacy & Cybersecurity | Food, Beverage & Agribusiness | Retail | Class Action Litigation | Innovation & Artificial Intelligence

David Zetoony, Co-Chair of the firm's U.S. Data Privacy and Cybersecurity Practice, focuses on helping businesses navigate data privacy and cyber security laws from a practical standpoint. David has helped hundreds of companies establish and maintain ongoing privacy and security programs, and has defended corporate privacy and security practices in investigations initiated by the Federal Trade Commission, and other data privacy and security regulatory agencies around the world, as well as in class action litigation.

David receives regular recognitions from clients and peers for his knowledge and experience in the fields of data privacy and security. The National Law Journal named him a “Cybersecurity and Data Privacy Trailblazer,” JD Supra recognized him four times as one of the most widely read names when it comes to data privacy, cyber security, or the collection and use of data, and Lexology identified him fourteen times as the top “legal influencer” in the area of technology, media, and telecommunications in the United States, the European Union, and in the context of cross-border transfers of information. He is the author of the American Bar Association's primary publication on the European General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and the American Bar Association's Desk Reference Companion to the California Privacy Rights Act (CPRA).

Financial Regulatory/FinTech

Janiell "Alexa" Gonzalez

Associate | Miami
Janiell.Gonzalez@gtlaw.com | 305.579.0509

Corporate | Financial Regulatory & Compliance

Janiell A. Gonzalez focuses her practice on helping bank and non-bank financial institutions navigate the federal and state regulatory environment governing payments, lending, and consumer financial services. She represents and advises industry leaders in the development and implementation of emerging payment products, including Internet- and mobile-based payment products and services. Janiell regularly assists clients with federal money services business registrations, nationwide state money transmitter and lending licensing applications, and ongoing licensing compliance issues. Janiell helps clients design Bank Secrecy Act (BSA)/Anti-Money Laundering (AML)/Office of Foreign Asset Control (OFAC) compliance policies and procedures, conducting independent risk assessments, and providing company-wide training on these topics.

Janiell also serves as the Deputy General Counsel for the Hispanic National Bar Association’s charitable arm, HNBA VIA, where she provides advice on a broad range of legal issues affecting the organization.

Lisa M. Lanham

Shareholder | New York & Miami
Lisa.Lanham@gtlaw.com | 617.310.6078

Corporate | Financial Regulatory & Compliance | Blockchain & Digital Assets

Lisa M. Lanham focuses her practice on state licensing and regulatory compliance obligations for a wide array of consumer financial services companies. Her role encompasses work with a diverse range of clients, including residential and commercial mortgage brokers, lenders, servicers, loan fulfilment providers, student, consumer, and solar loan lenders and servicers, marketplace lenders, and entities offering retail installment contracts for consumer goods. Moreover, she advises investors engaged in secondary market activities. Lisa also extends her support to emerging fintech firms, helping them to comply with necessary state licensing requirements and develop products in these realms while keeping regulatory demands in check.

A large part of Lisa’s role involves working closely with regulators such as the New York State Department of Financial Services to facilitate her clients’ pursuit of necessary business licenses and approvals. This not only includes completing audits and examinations but also covering intricate disclosure issues and reporting changes of ownership, executive management, and qualifying individuals. In addition to these tasks, Lisa was involved in the development of the Nationwide Multistate Licensing System & Registry (NMLS) 2.0 system. She handles virtually all aspects of the NMLS, including submissions and amendments of company application forms and electronic surety bonds.

Her contributions extend to representation and regulatory counsel in areas such as structured finance, securitization, secondary market transactions, licensing matters in mergers and acquisitions transactions, regulatory agency coordination for large-scale multistate transactions, and various financial service operations. In addressing state licensing matters, Lisa has contributed to notable projects such as assisting international crypto exchanges enter into the U.S. market by setting up compliant subsidiaries.

Lisa’s work also includes the reporting of material licensing changes, providing technical reviews, analyzing proposed business models in the context of regulatory compliance issues, assisting with the development of policies and procedures for regulatory compliance concerns, negotiating findings before examination report finalization, and managing international licensing issues amidst dynamic regulatory environment.

Marina Olman-Pal

Shareholder | Miami
Marina.Olman@gtlaw.com | 305.579.0779

Marina Olman-Pal is a Co-Chair of the firm’s Financial Regulatory & Compliance Practice. She advises foreign and U.S. financial institutions on a broad range of regulatory matters including licensing, acquisitions, divestitures, compliance with Bank Secrecy Act (BSA)/anti-money laundering (AML) laws and regulations, and compliance with Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) sanctions programs. Marina counsels a wide range of companies in the financial services sector including, domestic and foreign banks, gaming companies, money services businesses including money transmitters, cryptocurrency businesses, Fintech companies and digital payment companies. Throughout her career, Marina has represented clients before U.S. regulators such as the Federal Reserve, OCC, FDIC, FinCEN, OFAC, the Florida Office of Financial Regulation and other state supervisory authorities. Marina also regularly develops anti-money laundering programs for a wide range of financial services businesses and non-financial services businesses including, U.S. and foreign companies active in industries such as real estate, hospitality, automotive and artificial intelligence, among many others.

Fund Formation

Cynthia A. Marian

Shareholder | Miami & New York & New Jersey
cynthia.marian@gtlaw.com | 305.579.0523

Cynthia A. Marian advises private equity fund sponsors, hedge fund managers, large and complex asset managers, and many smaller and start-up alternative investment advisers on the suite of corporate, tax, regulatory compliance, and operational matters germane to their investment management businesses, including a wide variety of issues arising from the activities of the private investment funds and accounts that they manage, invest in, or both. Cynthia focuses on the structuring, formation, offering of interests in, and ongoing operations of, private funds and other special purpose and alternative investment vehicles globally. She also represents institutional investors making investments in private funds, including in the negotiation of seed deals, side letters, and co-investments.

Cynthia has a broad corporate background, having represented clients on an array of fund formation, transactional, regulatory compliance, and tax matters over the course of her career, including those arising in the contexts of: minority and growth equity investments, co-investments, joint ventures, public and private mergers and acquisitions, divestitures, private equity fund secondary transactions, SEC and NFA examinations, and general corporate governance and organizational matters. Frequently invited to speak at investment management industry conferences and symposia, Cynthia is sought after for her commercial approach and her experience with a range of issues that present themselves during the life cycle of a private fund manager.

Before returning to private practice, Cynthia held successive in-house General Counsel and Chief Compliance Officer positions with private equity and hedge fund managers. Her responsibilities included establishing new fund vehicles, managed accounts, and bespoke investment products; negotiating side letters and seed transaction documents with strategic investors; advising on marketing materials and placement agent relationships; counseling on management company-level business and human resources matters; creating and implementing compliance policies and procedures; and managing SEC, CFTC, and NFA registrations and examinations as well as day-to-day operational compliance with regulations imposed by domestic and international regulators. Cynthia also previously counseled several investment management firms, the founders thereof, and other entrepreneurs, as an “outsourced general counsel” and senior compliance advisor. She has co-taught an undergraduate seminar on hedge fund management and has been a guest lecturer on investment management regulations and compliance at multiple New York-area law schools.

Peter L. Tsirigotis

Shareholder | Northern Virginia & New York
tsirigotisp@gtlaw.com | 703.749.1311

Investment Management | Private Funds | Corporate | Institutional Investors

Peter L. Tsirigotis advises financial institutions, asset managers, investment advisers, and institutional investors, helping them to develop and maintain financial products while navigating the regulatory landscape. Peter has served in several senior-level legal, compliance, operations, and risk roles in the financial services industry, including as regulator, inside counsel, outside counsel, chief compliance officer, and chief operating officer. His clients include a wide variety of funds, investment advisers, business development companies (BDCs), real estate investment trusts (REITs), and banks.

Peter has deep private sector experience, having served as vice president at a large, private financial services firm, where he led the investment management funds risk, operations, and governance group. In that position, he oversaw operations, governance, and regulatory risk issues regarding registered and unregistered proprietary funds, including hedge funds, private equity funds, UCITS, mutual funds, and real estate funds. He also coordinated the development and structuring of all new fund products. Peter additionally served as the chief legal officer for the U.S. Trust Company’s Excelsior Funds mutual fund complex, closed-end funds, and business development companies, and was responsible for formation and oversight of all private investment funds.

Intellectual Property & Technology

Tzy‑Ying (Sandy) Chiu

Of Counsel | New York
Sandy.Chiu@gtlaw.com | 212.801.6488

Intellectual Property & Technology | Corporate | Trademark & Brand Management | Copyright Registration & Licensing

Tzy-Ying (Sandy) Chiu focuses her practice on technology and intellectual property transactions and strategy. Sandy supports large-scale transactions, including mergers, acquisitions, spin-outs, and licenses, and handles intellectual property risk-management for many public and private companies. She has experience in the licensing and transfer of trademarks, patents, software, know-how, copyrights, and other technology. In addition to technology oriented matters, she also advises clients on open source software issues, copyright protection, brand development as well as trademark use, registration, prosecution, clearance, and enforcement.

John E. Cummerford

Shareholder | Phoenix
cummerfordj@gtlaw.com | 602.445.8377

Intellectual Property & Technology | Technology, Media & Telecommunications | IT & Business Process Outsourcing | IP Technology Licensing & Transactions | Video Games & Esports

John E. Cummerford focuses his practice on the legal and business needs of established and emerging companies, with an emphasis on software, intellectual property, Internet, hardware and related businesses. He advises a wide range of clients in regard to technology-related transactions, including software licensing, product development, eCommerce, co-marketing, OEM and other arrangements. He has broad experience in complex licensing, manufacturing, distribution, development, due diligence and intellectual property audit transactions.

Prior to joining the firm, John was a principal in his previous firm and also managed that firm's information technology transfer practice. John also served as Vice President & General Counsel of Kaleida Labs and as Vice President & General Counsel of Candle Corporation, a large mainframe software company. He began his career as corporate counsel for IBM, responsible for handling licensing, development and marketing matters for the IBM personal computer and outsourcing lines of business.

David M. Greenberg

Shareholder | New York
greenbergdm@gtlaw.com | 212.801.6545

David M. Greenberg is a shareholder in Greenberg Traurig’s New York office. A leader in the field of technology and intellectual property transactions and strategy, David has been recognized as an “IP Star” in Managing IP Magazine's World IP Handbook and Survey (2017-2018).

David focuses on a broad range of intellectual property and technology issues in high-stakes transactions, including mergers, acquisitions, spin-outs, joint ventures, strategic collaborations, and licenses. David has wide-ranging experience in the licensing and transfer of patents, trademarks, trade secrets, know-how, content, data, software, and other technology, working with clients across a broad number of industries including financial services, banking, pharmaceuticals and medical devices, biotechnology, consumer products, luxury goods, fashion, health care, energy, software and digital advertising. David regularly counsels clients on privacy and data security issues, IP or data-related investigations, commercialization or monetization of “big data,” and e-commerce transactions, leveraging many years of experience in the field to provide practical and business-oriented advice.

Alexander J. Kim

Shareholder | Minneapolis
Alexander.Kim@gtlaw.com | 612.259.9735

Alex Kim protects companies’ innovations and secrets by developing strategic company policies and programs. He also protects companies’ inventions by acquiring patents and the associated monopoly rights for the companies.

Alex has wide-ranging experience in prosecuting patent applications in front of the United States Patent and Trademark Office. Alex knows how to strategize domestic and international intellectual property rights so that the companies can be positioned to reach their business goals.

Alex has a background in physics, chemistry, biophysics, computational biology, and physiology. He has deep knowledge across a broad range of technologies and industries, including space vehicles, robots, optics and lenses, blockchain, construction, automotive, heavy industrial machines, chemicals, biomedical devices, diagnostic methods, displays, e-commerce, HVAC systems and controls, network systems, communication systems, energy storages, and alternative energies.

Bobby Rosenbloum

Shareholder & Chair, Global Entertainment & Media Practice | Atlanta
rosenbloumb@gtlaw.com | 678.553.2250

Entertainment & Media | Intellectual Property & Technology | Copyright Registration & Licensing | Video Games & Esports

Widely considered one of the primary architects of the modern digital music business, Bobby Rosenbloum, Chairman of Greenberg Traurig’s Global Entertainment & Media Practice, has overseen and advised on deals that have generated billions of dollars in value for the global music industry. In the last three decades, the ways in which music is produced, delivered, and consumed have evolved quickly and dramatically. Bobby is at the forefront of this trend and has developed a cutting edge legal practice at the intersection of music and technology, counselling more than 250 businesses, including Fortune 500 companies (many in the Fortune 100) and prominent start-ups on their global digital media strategies. Few, if any, music industry executives have guided such an expansive array of companies revolutionizing the music industry. In his role as leader of our group of more than 75 entertainment and media attorneys at Greenberg Traurig, Bobby oversees an experienced, international, multidisciplinary team that provides clients with dedicated legal counsel needed to thrive in today’s multidisciplinary, multimedia entertainment marketplace. In his own practice, he focuses on the negotiation of complex content agreements with record companies, music publishers, performing rights organizations, movie studios, and TV networks, while also providing strategic counsel to leading players in the digital entertainment industry. Bobby’s clients include companies in the streaming media, fitness, social media, branded-product, metaverse, NFT, and gaming spaces, among many others.

Mark Ruberto, Ph.D. ˘

Patent Agent | Tel Aviv
Mark.Ruberto@gtlaw.com | +972 (0) 3.636.6029

Intellectual Property & Technology | Patents and Innovation Strategies | Venture Capital & Emerging Technology | Innovation & Artificial Intelligence

Mark Ruberto is an experienced U.S. Patent Agent with 20 years of industrial experience. He drafts and prosecutes patents, conducts patentability assessment, and performs IP due diligence. Mark’s main practice is currently in the area of AI and Big Data patents for Fintech and Medical Device software applications concentrating on Patent Eligibility issues. Mark also handles patents in the areas of microelectronics, packaging, integrated circuit design, radio-frequency (RF) and millimeter-wave design, communications, optoelectronics, wireless, networking, medical devices, bioelectronics, computer systems, petrophysics, cryptography, and security systems.

˘ Not admitted to the practice of law. Attorneys in the Tel Aviv office do not practice Israeli law.

Barry J. Schindler

Shareholder | New Jersey & New York
Barry.Schindler@gtlaw.com | 973.360.7944

Barry J. Schindler is Co-Chair of Greenberg Traurig’s Global Patents and Innovation Strategies Group — a group of over 150 attorneys and agents, who are registered with the USPTO, and handling over 5,000 domestic and foreign applications (filing over 1,600 patent applications/year). Barry has over 30 years of legal experience in all aspects of patent prosecution and IP protection — representing numerous major companies and start-ups regarding patents and trade secrets and managing their worldwide patent portfolio in such relevant technical areas of AI and machine learning, AgriTech, FoodTech, Fintech, cloud computing, chemical, pharmaceutical, material science and medical devices. Barry has obtained hundreds of U.S. patents for his clients, and has worked with foreign counsel in China, France, Germany, Japan, Saudi Arabia, South Korea, Russia, and the United Kingdom, among others, to obtain foreign patents for firm clients.

Barry has wide-ranging experience with the USPTO including providing guidance regarding such topic as AI and inventorship, AI and obviousness to Examiners on numerous technical areas.

Barry has been listed as an IP Star by Managing IP Magazine’s World IP Handbook and Survey, listed in IAM Global Leaders Guide, listed in Chambers USA Guide, and listed in IAM magazine’s IAM Patent 1000 for Patent Prosecution. Barry received his B.S. in Chemical Engineering (Process Control) from Cornell University. Prior to law school, Barry practiced for over eight years for major Fortune 100 companies. He received his J.D. from the University of Houston Law Center and is admitted to practice in New York and New Jersey, and before the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. Barry regularly teaches patent strategy at Universities, the USPTO and incubators. Barry regularly writes on key patent topics and is frequently quoted. Barry’s passion is supporting Family Promise of Morris County – dedicated to ending the crisis of homeless families.

Adam Snukal ^

Shareholder | Tel Aviv & New York
Adam.Snukal@gtlaw.com | +972 (0) 050.916.3657

Adam Snukal’s practice is primarily focused around the centrality of technology across many verticals and industries, with an emphasis on health care, FinTech, privacy, cyber-security, Ad-Tech, entertainment, IT/cloud infrastructure, outsourcing and Aerospace/ New Space. Mr. Snukal also regularly counsels clients on their global privacy and data security compliance obligations, such as GDPR, HIPAA, CCPA, PCI, and more. Mr. Snukal’s clients range from large multi-nationals to emerging growth companies.

Mr. Snukal is both a frequent speaker and author of numerous articles on topics related to technology, advertising, media and the law.

^ Attorneys in the Tel Aviv office do not practice Israeli law.

Alan N. Sutin

Shareholder & Chair, Technology, Media & Telecommunications Practice & Senior Chair, Global Intellectual Property & Technology Practice | Miami & New York
Alan.Sutin@gtlaw.com | 305.579.0638

Alan N. Sutin is Chair of the firm's Technology, Media & Telecommunications Practice and Senior Chair of the Global Intellectual Property & Technology Practice. Alan is an experienced business lawyer principally focused on commercial transactions driven by intellectual property and technology issues. He advises clients in connection with transactions involving the development, acquisition, disposition and commercial exploitation of intellectual property.

Alan represents a wide variety of companies and investors in connection with strategic alliance agreements, commercial joint ventures and licensing matters that are driven by the commercial exploitation of valuable intellectual property rights. He has represented numerous A-List celebrities in connection with the use of their intellectual property assets to expand into non-entertainment business ventures. Alan also has represented brand owners in a number of stadium and arena naming rights transactions with NFL and NBA teams and assisted major real estate developers in specialized transactions that involve the use of intellectual property assets to enhance the value of structures and developments.

In addition, Alan has significant experience in Internet and electronic commerce issues, represents clients in major software and SaaS service implementations, as well as IT and business process outsourcing arrangements, privacy and cybersecurity matters, and the implementation and use of artificial technology tools.

Alan was involved in many of the major policy issues surrounding the commercial development of the Internet, has advised foreign governments and multinational corporations in connection with these issues, and is a frequent speaker at major industry conferences and events around the world.

Manuel R. Valcarcel IV

Shareholder | Miami
Manny.Valcarcel@gtlaw.com | 305.579.0812

Manuel R. Valcarcel IV, a registered patent attorney, focuses his practice on intellectual property and technology transactional, licensing, and prosecution matters. He is experienced in technology development, licensing, strategic alliance and acquisition transactions and general corporate representation of intellectual property-driven businesses. Mr. Valcarcel reviews inventions for patentability and infringement, reviews trademarks for registrability and usage, and prosecutes patent and trademark applications. He also handles intellectual property worldwide portfolio management for many public and private companies.

John Patrick Ward

Shareholder | Silicon Valley & San Francisco
wardj@gtlaw.com | 650.289.7842

Intellectual Property & Technology | Intellectual Property Litigation | Patent Prosecution | Innovation & Artificial Intelligence

John has over thirty years of experience as a patent strategist, counselor and litigator. He focuses his practice primarily on developing patent portfolios, with an emphasis in the field of AI. He has managed and assisted in developing the patent portfolios for some of the most innovative companies in the software, telecommunications and computer industries. These include Intel, Google, Apple, Yahoo, AT&T, Visa, Micron Technologies, Deem, Xobni, LookOut, Magellan Navigation, Oracle, Alcatel, Cadence and Looksmart.

Roy P. Zachariah

Shareholder | West Palm Beach
Roy.Zachariah@gtlaw.com | 516.650.7931

Intellectual Property & Technology

Roy P. Zachariah, a registered patent lawyer with a deep background in electrical and computer engineering, is a shareholder in the firm’s Intellectual Property Practice and advises clients of all sizes on patent, trademark, and trade secret law, including prosecution, licensing, analyses, due diligence, and litigation. Roy develops and implements strategies for constructing and managing patent and trademark portfolios, prosecutes patent and trademark applications, and assesses infringement risk and patent invalidity for his clients. Roy also negotiates and drafts intellectual property agreements, including acquisition and sale agreements, intellectual property licenses, and assignments, and also conducts IP due diligence on IP portfolios for various types of corporate transactions.

Roy’s practice includes developing and implementing patent strategies for building patent portfolios, prosecuting patents, and counseling in a number of technology areas, including: computer science, computer engineering, telecommunications, artificial intelligence and machine learning systems, electronic hardware systems and devices, medical and health care systems and devices, mechanical systems and devices, content delivery systems, cybersecurity systems, blockchain and cryptocurrency technologies, big data, business methods, and a variety of other technology areas.

Prior to entering private practice, Roy gained experience as a software engineer/programmer and business analyst for a major entertainment and sports company and performed prior art searches in the technology and licensing department of a large university.

Intellectual Property Litigation

Ian C. Ballon

Shareholder & Co-Chair, Global Intellectual Property & Technology Practice Group | Silicon Valley & Los Angeles & Washington, D.C.
Ballon@gtlaw.com | 650.289.7881

Ian Ballon is an intellectual property and internet litigator who is the Co-Chair of Greenberg Traurig LLP’s Global Intellectual Property & Technology Practice Group. He represents clients in copyright, DMCA, trademark, trade secret, right of publicity, privacy, security, software, database and Internet- and mobile-related disputes and in the defense of data privacy, cybersecurity breach, adtech and behavioral advertising, TCPA and other Internet-related class action suits. Please click here to view a list of some of his recent cases.

Mr. Ballon, who splits his time between the firm's Silicon Valley, L.A., and D.C. offices, is the author of the five-volume legal treatise, E-Commerce and Internet Law: Treatise With Forms 2d Edition (West 2008 & 2022 Cum. Supp., www.ianballon.net) and the earlier first edition, which has been cited in state and federal court opinions. In addition, he serves as the Executive Director of Stanford University Law School’s Center for the Digital Economy. He also chairs PLI's annual Advanced Defending Data Privacy, Cybersecurity Breach and TCPA Class Action Litigation conference. Mr. Ballon previously served as an advisor to ALI’s Intellectual Property: Principles Governing Jurisdiction, Choice of Law, and Judgments in Transactional Disputes (ALI Principles of the Law 2007) and was a member of the consultative group for the Data Privacy Principles of Law project (ALI Principles of the Law Data Privacy, 2020).

Mr. Ballon was named the Lawyer of the Year for Information Technology Law in the 2022, 2021, 2020, 2019, 2018, 2016, and 2013 editions of Best Lawyers in America and was recognized as the 2012 New Media Lawyer of the Year by the Century City Bar Association. In 2022, 2021, 2020, 2019, and 2018 he was recognized as one of the Top 1,000 trademark attorneys in the world for his litigation practice by World Trademark Review. In addition, in 2019 he was named one of the top 20 Cybersecurity lawyers in California and in 2018 one of the Top Cybersecurity/Artificial Intelligence lawyers in California by the Los Angeles and San Francisco Daily Journal. He received the “Trailblazer” Award, Intellectual Property, 2017 from The National Law Journal and he has been recognized as a “Groundbreaker” in The Recorder’s 2017 Litigation Departments of the Year Awards for winning a series of TCPA cases. In addition, he was the recipient of the California State Bar Intellectual Property Law section's Vanguard Award for significant contributions to the development of intellectual property law. He is listed in Legal 500 U.S., The Best Lawyers in America (in the areas of information technology and intellectual property) and Chambers and Partners USA Guide in the areas of privacy and data security and information technology.

He has been recognized as one of the Top 75 intellectual property litigators in California by the Los Angeles and San Francisco Daily Journal in every year that the list has been published (2009 through 2022). He was also listed in Variety’s “Legal Impact Report: 50 Game-Changing Attorneys” (2012), was recognized as one of the Top 100 lawyers in California by the Los Angeles and San Francisco Daily Journal L.A., as one of the Top 100 lawyers in Los Angeles by the Los Angeles Business Journal and has appeared on both the Northern California and Southern California Super Lawyers lists.

Mr. Ballon is admitted to practice in state and federal courts in California, the District of Columbia, and Maryland, federal court in Colorado, and before the U.S. Supreme Court and multiple U.S. Circuit Courts of Appeal.

He has also been elected to membership in the American Law Institute and holds the CIPP/US certification from the International Association of Privacy Professionals (IAPP).

Joshua R. Brown

Shareholder | Orlando
Joshua.Brown@gtlaw.com | 407.254.2609

Josh helps businesses protect their intellectual property (including trademarks, copyrights, patents, trade secrets) and navigate disputes with other companies related to such assets.

Board Certified in Intellectual Property Law by the Florida Bar, Josh litigates intellectual property disputes before various federal courts and administrative bodies. He has handled patent infringement cases in the Middle District of Florida, the Eastern District of Texas, and other districts. He has filed petitions for Inter Partes Review before the Patent Trial and Appeal Board. He has represented clients in trademark cases before the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board, the Middle District of Florida, the Southern District of Florida, the Central District of California, and other districts. He has also advised clients on legal issues related to artificial intelligence, blockchain, cloud computing, data retention, trade secrets, non-compete agreements, publicity rights, software development, DMCA takedown notices, and other intellectual property and technology issues. A patent attorney, Josh also drafts and prosecutes patent applications in the fields of computer software, networking, and mobile technologies and prosecutes trademark applications on behalf of his clients. Josh counsels clients and other attorneys on issues related to the preservation and discovery of electronically stored information. Josh has particular interest in Legal Ethics and has given numerous presentations on ethical issues posed by emerging technologies including cloud computing, Blockchain, and Gen AI. Josh has significant experience working with and opposing expert witnesses at deposition and trial.

Before attending law school, Josh was a software developer with BBN Technologies in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and a technology consultant to the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority.

Jessica Johnson Fishfeld

Shareholder | Miami
Jessica.Fishfeld@gtlaw.com | 305.579.0527

Litigation | Class Action Litigation | Mergers & Acquisitions Disputes

Jessica Fishfeld is a commercial litigator who represents companies in complex, high-stakes business disputes, such as contract-related issues, partnership and shareholder disputes, fraud, unfair business practices, and other conflicts that arise between commercial competitors and business partners. Additionally, Jessica routinely defends large companies in consumer class actions in venues around the country, including in cases involving product defects and advertising issues, among others. A singer and performer herself, Jessica particularly enjoys representing and supporting creative individuals and entrepreneurs of all types. She advises clients in the tech and entertainment industries on matters relating to the protection and appropriate use of intellectual property, and litigates disputes over patent, copyright, and trademark infringement, false advertising, and misappropriation of confidential and proprietary information. In addition to her experience trying jury trials and examining witnesses in non-jury proceedings, Jessica also regularly authors complex motions and briefs at every stage of litigation.

Jessica is able to handle a broad range of matters by taking the time to gain a deep understanding of each client’s specific objectives and priorities, and craft creative and cost-effective strategies best suited for the particular situation. She has a strategic, problem-solving mentality and is known for her ability to adapt to the circumstances presented in order to further her clients’ key interests.

Finally, Jessica devotes a significant amount of time to pro bono efforts. She is most proud of her substantial involvement in obtaining a life-saving judgment overturning a prisoner’s improper death sentence in Alabama. During the Covid-19 pandemic, she assisted a small, family-owned catering business to address indebtedness to suppliers. Most recently, Jessica was called upon by a federal court in South Florida to take over a pro se litigant’s case on an emergency basis, and tried the case to a jury just four days later, reducing her client’s liability by 87%.

Real Estate

Steve Bassin

Shareholder | Miami
bassins@gtlaw.com | 305.579.0876

Real Estate | Real Estate Finance | Equine Industry Group | Institutional Investors

Steve Bassin has substantial experience in a broad range of commercial real estate transactions in the United States and abroad. His experience spans various asset classes, including, hotels, condominiums, multi-family, retail, entertainment, office and other commercial properties. Steve frequently represents developers throughout the entire lifecycle of their projects, starting with the acquisition, through pre-development, construction, leasing, financings, joint ventures and the ultimate disposition or other capital events.

Tax

Daniel Castro-Rodriguez

Associate | Miami
Daniel.Castro@gtlaw.com | 305.579.0878

Tax

Daniel Castro-Rodriguez is an associate in the Tax Practice of Greenberg Traurig's Miami office. He focuses his practice on tax law with an emphasis on international and cross-border tax issues.

Daniel works with clients on income, gift and estate tax planning, expatriation and pre-immigration issues, inbound structures for non-U.S. clients investing or operating in the U.S., outbound structures for U.S. clients investing or operating abroad, and real estate structures for U.S. and non-U.S. investors.

Before arriving in the U.S., Daniel was a tax attorney in Venezuela. While in the U.S., he earned an International LL.M. and worked as a foreign law clerk in Miami focusing on international tax matters before obtaining his J.D./LL.M. in Taxation.

Video Games & Esports

David I. Schulman

Shareholder & Co-Chair, Video Games and Esports Practice Group | Atlanta
schulmand@gtlaw.com | 678.553.2655

David I. Schulman is Co-Chair of the Video Games and Esports Practice Group and a senior attorney in the firm’s Technology, Media & Telecommunications Practice. David’s practice encompasses a wide array of corporate legal services, and includes representation of publicly and privately held businesses, entrepreneurs, venture capitalists and lenders in all aspects of their commercial transactions.

David has wide-ranging experience in structuring and negotiating complex technology, eCommerce and telecommunications transactions, outsourcing transactions, mergers and acquisitions, venture capital financings, private equity investments, strategic alliances, and joint ventures. David also advises clients on general business law matters, including entity formation, corporate governance, capitalization issues, equity compensation strategies, employment matters, and customer and vendor contracts.

P. William Stark

Shareholder | Dallas
Bill.Stark@gtlaw.com | 214.665.3735

P. William (Bill) Stark is a leader of the Video Games and Esports Group and a Litigation shareholder. Bill advises clients in the esports and video gaming industry with respect to digital content development, distribution, regulation, entertainment, and consumption. He assists and counsels clients regarding esports regulation, training, anti-corruption, compliance, and litigation issues. Bill assists clients in understanding and navigating the complex and rapidly evolving esports legal and regulatory landscape to proactively navigate the opportunities and challenges that arise on a daily basis.

Bill also advises clients regarding commercial and complex disputes. He is experienced trying cases in court and in a wide variety of arbitrations, including international commercial disputes, partnership disputes, real estate litigation, securities litigation, energy litigation, construction contracts, commercial arbitrations, labor and employment disputes and intellectual property. He represents individuals and businesses as both plaintiffs and defendants in state and federal courts, as well as in national and international bodies, such as the American Arbitration Association, the ICC Court of Arbitration, and the London Court of International Arbitration.

Steven V. Walkowiak

Shareholder & Co-Chair, Video Games and Esports Group | Dallas
walkowiaks@gtlaw.com | 214.665.3683

Video Games & Esports | Litigation | eDiscovery & eRetention | Sports Law

Steven V. Walkowiak is a Co-Chair of the Video Games and Esports Group and a Litigation shareholder. Steve advises clients in the esports and video gaming space, both with respect to regulatory matters and privacy issues raised in this emerging and evolving market. He is involved in esports regulation and advises clients regarding video game disciplinary decisions, league training, employment, and anti-corruption policies. He has served as a consultant and esports legal advisor, working with parties throughout sports, media, and entertainment to navigate the complex and evolving esports legal landscape in issues as diverse as antitrust and employment, through media content licensing and intellectual property. He is also a member of both the Esports Bar Association and Video Game Bar Association.

Steve additionally represents a wide range of businesses and individuals from trial through appeal. He focuses on complex commercial litigation, product liability, and consumer fraud litigation representing clients in both state and federal court, and before FINRA arbitration panels. Steve has defended numerous medical device and industrial product claims as well as defended against class certification on behalf of numerous products. Steve has advised on various oil and gas matters. This includes the acquisition and development of a major, urban gas pipeline through Dallas/Ft. Worth, including the acquisition through eminent domain and condemnation proceedings land necessary to complete the development project. In addition, Steve routinely assists in defending antitrust and complex business litigation disputes, and has deep experience with respect to franchise terminations, franchise litigation, and securing emergency relief for franchisors. He has sought and obtained emergency orders on behalf of franchisors in both state and federal courts in order to protect the franchisor’s brand, and secure smooth reacquisition of products and premises.

Furthermore, Steve advises clients on critical issues pertaining to attorney-client privilege, with an emphasis on cross border privacy and privilege ramifications in the litigation and compliance spheres. He has been involved in international Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) internal investigations on behalf of clients, and developed compliance and privacy strategies for clients facing unique compliance and regulatory challenges. Steve advises clients with respect to eDiscovery and eRetention policies, and counsels clients relating to best practices with respect to electronic document retention and security, and electronic discovery.