Joe Graham

The Daily Business Review and Law.com editorial staff, with the help of distinguished members of the Florida legal community, are pleased to announce the shortlist for the 2026 Florida Legal Awards. All honorees will be recognized, and winners of finalist categories announced, at the awards ceremony to be held on April 29 at the JW Marriott Marquis in Miami. We hope to see you there. For tickets and sponsorships, please contact Andre Sutton at andre.sutton@alm.com for more information. While many awards recognize the contributions legal professionals or organizations have made over the past year, our Lifetime Achievement award celebrates the long-term impact that Florida lawyers have made. Congratulations to everyone on the shortlist, and we look forward to celebrating you in April. Lifetime Achievement Winners David Bianchi, Stewart Tilghman Fox Bianchi & Cain Michael A. Haggard, The Haggard Law Firm Joseph Serota, Weiss Serota Helfman Cole + Bierman William R. Scherer, Conrad & Scherer Trial Lawyers Attorney of the Year Finalists Jeffrey Bass, Bass Law Kimberly L. Wald, The Haggard Law Firm John Yanchunis, Morgan & Morgan Best Mentors Finalists Lori Adelson, Approved Dispute Resolution Arturo Arca and Christian Rodriguez, Trembly Law Firm Jeffrey Hearne, Legal Services of Greater Miami Pedro E. Hernandez, Hinshaw & Culbertson Marck K. Joseph, The Joseph Firm Kate Lashley, Sidley Austin Allen P. Pegg, Hogan Lovells Martha Rabbitt, Shutts & Bowen Miranda L. Soto, Buchanan Ingersoll and Rooney Construction Trailblazer Finalists Bilzin Sumberg Baena Price & Axelrod Trent Cotney, Adams & Reese Timothy D. Woodward, Shutts & Bowen Cross-Border Disputes Finalists King & Spalding Squire Patton Boggs White & Case Dealmakers of the Year Finalists Matthew Arenson and Eduardo M. Leal, Kirkland & Ellis Francisco Cerezo, DLA Piper David J. Cohen, Weil, Gotshal & Manges Esteban J. Elias, Leech Tishman Joshua B. Forman, Greenberg Traurig Jackson Hwu, Dentons Ira N. Rosner, Holland & Knight Distinguished Leaders Winners Andres Fernandez, Holland & Knight Brian L. Hayden, Jackson Lewis Harry Burnett, King & Spalding Joseph J. Lazzarotti, Jackson Lewis Alison Tanchyk, Morgan Lewis Rick Martin, Winston & Strawn Robin Bresky, Schwartz Sladkus Reich Greenberg Atlas Todd J. Michaels, The Haggard Law Firm In-House Counsel of the Year Finalists Lynn Carrillo, FIFA Gerald Del Amo, Broward Health Nefertari Rigsby, Kaplan North America Evian White De Leon, MIAMI Association of REALTORS Innovators Finalists Kaley Dreyer, Farah and Farah Carl Fornaris, Winston & Strawn Kevin Henderson and Eric Pacifici, SMB Law Group Marlon Hill, Weiss Serota Helfman Cole + Bierman Michael Platner, Lewis Brisbois Stuart Ratzan, Ratzan Weissman & Boldt Charles B. Jimerson, Jimerson Birr Law Firm of the Year Finalists Gastesi Lopez Mestre & Cobiella King & Spalding Morgan & Morgan Litigation Departments of the Year, Construction Finalists Cole, Scott & Kissane Duane Morris Litigation Departments of the Year, General Litigation Finalists Boies Schiller Flexner Greenberg Traurig Holland & Knight King & Spalding Levine Kellogg Lehman Schneider + Grossman Weil, Gotshal & Manges Morgan & Morgan (Personal Injury Department) Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan Ratzan, Weismann & Boldt Litigation Departments of the Year, Insurance Finalists Carlton Fields Hunton Andrews Kurth Litigation Departments of the Year, Products liability/Mass Torts Finalists King & Spalding Robbins Geller Rudman & Dowd Managing Partner of the Year (Large and Midsize Firm) Finalists Abbye Alexander, Kaufman Dolowich Beatriz Azcuy, Sidley Austin Dean Cannon, GrayRobinson Albert Dotson, Jr., Bilzin Sumberg Manuel Garcia-Linares, Day Pitney William Lewis, Morgan & Morgan Rick Martin, Winston & Strawn Olga Vieira and Sam Williamson, Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan Managing Partner of the Year (Small Firm) Finalists Raul Gastesi, Gastesi Lopez Mestre & Cobiella Patricia M. Hernandez, Avila Law John N. Lambros, Brinkley Morgan Eric Pacifici, SMB Law Group Spencer Payne, Moore Payne Law Maritime Attorney of the Year Winner Elisha Sullivan, Chartwell Law Most Promising Newcomer Finalists Caitlin Calvo, Winston & Strawn Mischaël Cetoute, Holland & Knight Evan Gilbert, Winston & Strawn Briana Harris, Kluger, Kaplan, Silverman, Katzen & Levine Emma G. Refuveille, Shutts & Bowen On the Rise Winners (Large & Midsize Firms) Valeria Angelucci, Becker Sara A. Brubaker, Akerman Laura Ferguson, Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan Alina M. Fernandez Portela, Hogan Lovells Giovanni Giarratana, Bradley Audrey Goldman, Robinson+Cole Elle Hayes, McDermott Will & Schulte Daniel McQuade, Kirkland & Ellis Axel Miranda, Sidley Austin Isel Perez, Jones Day Mark Pinkert, Holtzman Vogel Tom Schulte, Hunton Andrews Kurth Andrew Ingalls, Day Pitney Matthew R. Maranges, Jones Walker Brian Vaca, Hughes Hubbard & Reed Chanae L. Wood, Weiss Serota Helfman Cole + Bierman James R. Williams Jr., Gunster On the Rise Winners (Small Firms) Melissa Bryan, HAWM Law Marcelo Diaz-Cortes, Levine Kellogg Lehman Schneider + Grossman Zachary Gorwitz, Podhurst Orseck Nicole Kruegel, Rafferty Domnick Cunningham & Yaffa Russell Monilla, Cruz Law Firm Daryl L. Saylor, LashGoldberg Jordan Shaw, Shaw Lewenz David Tarras, Tarras Defense Pro Bono Attorney of the Year Finalists Melanie Kalmanson, Quarles & Brady Ross Linzer, King & Spalding Real Estate Attorney of the Year Finalists Katherine Amador, Berger Singerman Daniel Kaskel, Sachs Sax Caplan Real Estate Firm of the Year Finalists Berger Singerman Bilzin Sumberg Foley Lardner Greenberg Traurig Government Law Group Perez Mayoral Talent Management Winner, Firm The Joseph Firm Talent Management Finalists, Individual Ravin Sahadeo, Morgan & Morgan Andrea DeField, Hunton Andrews Kurth Unsung Heroes Winners Juan Bauta, Simmons Hanly Conroy Carmen Manrara Cartaya, Continental Sharon Caserta, Morgan & Morgan Adam Finkel, The Haggard Law Firm Garrett S. Kamen, Fisher Phillips James Moon, Meland Budwick Elizabeth Somerstein, Greenspoon Marder We hope to see you at the awards ceremony on April 29 at the JW Marriott Marquis in Miami. For tickets and sponsorships, please contact Andre Sutton at andre.sutton@alm.com for more information.

Mar 3

4 min

Paul, Weiss represented funds managed by Madison Dearborn Partners, LLC (MDP) as sponsors and debtor-in-possession (DIP) lenders in the prearranged chapter 11 cases of Benefytt Technologies, Inc. Benefytt is a health insurance technology company that markets and sells Medicare and private health insurance products, agent technology systems and insurance policy administration platforms. Benefytt commenced chapter 11 cases in the Southern District of Texas on May 23 to implement a comprehensive restructuring of its $606 million in debt. Under the prearranged plan, Benefytt will be split into two companies: one that owns Benefytt's existing contracts and related revenue streams, and an operations company. Under the restructuring support plan, MDP and other co-investors provided approximately $64 million, including a $35 million DIP facility, in financing to fund the new operations company. Upon emergence, our clients and the other co-investors will credit bid certain outstanding claims and own 92.5% of the new operations company’s equity. Term lenders will own the other company. The Paul, Weiss team was led by corporate partner Ian Hazlett and restructuring counsel Joe Graham, and includes corporate partners Adam Givertz and Sung Pak; restructuring partner Paul Basta; litigation partners Gregory Laufer and William Clareman; tax partners Scott Sontag and Patrick Karsnitz; and intellectual property partner Jonathan Ashtor and counsel Elana Bensoul.

Sep 11

1 min

Kirkland & Ellis LLP is pleased to announce that 97 attorneys were promoted to partner effective Oct. 1, 2017. The names, practice groups and office locations of the attorneys follow. Kirkland & Ellis is a law firm with more than 2,000 attorneys representing global clients in private equity, M&A and other complex corporate transactions, litigation and dispute resolution/arbitration, restructuring, and intellectual property matters. The Firm has 13 offices around the world: Beijing, Boston, Chicago, Hong Kong, Houston, London, Los Angeles, Munich, New York, Palo Alto, San Francisco, Shanghai and Washington, D.C. Chicago Name Practice Area Jennifer Avery-Emani M&A/Private Equity Aaron M. Berlin Debt Finance Robert Britton Restructuring Ralph N. Dado, III Government, Regulatory and Internal Investigations Litigation Christopher R. Elder M&A/Private Equity Seth Fishman Investment Funds Karen E. Flanagan M&A/Private Equity Maggie D. Flores M&A/Private Equity/Capital Markets Emily E. Geier Restructuring Anna F. Geml M&A/Private Equity Joe Graham Restructuring Sam S. Hong Technology & IP Transactions Amanda A. Jacobowski Litigation Howard M. Kaplan Litigation Emma E. Lange-Novak M&A/Private Equity Margaret Gillespie Cahoon Linkous Real Estate Paul Mysliwiec Investment Funds Stacy Pepper Litigation Gregory F. Pesce Restructuring Anne Salomon Litigation Anthony V. Sexton Tax Daniel I. Siegfried Litigation David H. Stults Investment Funds W. Benjamin Winger Restructuring Alyse Wu Intellectual Property Litigation Hong Kong Name Practice Area David Couper Debt Finance Hao-Chin (Frank) Jeng Litigation Daniel Margulies Restructuring Paul Quinn Litigation Robert Sandes Restructuring Yue Zhang Investment Funds Houston Name Practice Area Michael P. Fisherman Capital Markets Cyril V. Jones M&A/Private Equity Samuel C. Peca M&A/Private Equity Michael Rigdon Capital Markets Nicolas W. Thompson Government, Regulatory and Internal Investigations Litigation London Name Practice Area Andrew Butel Government, Regulatory and Internal Investigations Litigation Mark Ingram Tax Philipp Kurek Litigation Jeremy Leggate Investment Funds Frazer Money Tax Jon Newman Arbitration Aranpreet Randhawa Investment Funds James Simpson Capital Markets Adam Skinner Financial Services Regulatory Mark Thompson M&A/Private Equity Jacob Traff M&A/Private Equity Rebecca Villarreal M&A/Private Equity Christopher Wall Debt Finance Los Angeles Name Practice Area Benjamin Herbert Intellectual Property Litigation Bryan T. Ikegami M&A/Private Equity Michael A. Onufer Litigation James Rapore Litigation Kristin Rose Litigation New York Name Practice Area Juliet Anderson Investment Funds George N. Bauer Government, Regulatory and Internal Investigations Litigation Shanti Sadtler Conway Intellectual Property Litigation Christopher DeCoro Intellectual Property Litigation Rachel Gray Debt Finance Anthony R. Grossi Restructuring Patrick Jacobs M&A/Private Equity Ming Lim Capital Markets Renata Lombardi Malavazzi M&A/Private Equity Sean Malone Investment Funds Mary Mazzello Intellectual Property Litigation Marsha Mogilevich Capital Markets Mira Atanassova Mulvaney Intellectual Property Litigation Vishal Phalgoo M&A/Private Equity Cristine Pirro Restructuring Jaclyn L. Rabin Investment Funds Alan M. Rabinowitz Intellectual Property Litigation Elizabeth L. Richards Investment Funds Drue A. Santora Derivatives Peter Seligson Capital Markets Clément Smadja M&A/Private Equity Leslie Theophile Investment Funds Jessica M. Woolf Debt Finance Lina Zhou Investment Funds Palo Alto Name Practice Area Anjna R. Mehta M&A/Private Equity San Francisco Name Practice Area James W. Beach M&A/Private Equity James Beard Intellectual Property Litigation Kristen L. Derhaag Debt Finance Sarah Forney Intellectual Property Litigation Aditi Iyer Debt Finance Ashley E. Littlefield Litigation Sarah Schaedler Technology & IP Transactions Jane Wu Debt Finance Washington, D.C. Name Practice Area Devin Allan DeBacker Litigation Jonathan Jones Intellectual Property Litigation William Kimmitt Litigation Edmund G. LaCour Jr. Appellate Litigation Beth Mueller Government, Regulatory and Internal Investigations Litigation Sanjay José Mullick International Trade Bryan M. O'Keefe Labor & Employment Andrew Pruitt Litigation Michael Schulman Labor & Employment Megan M. Wold Appellate Litigation NOTE:  In general, the admission date will be October 1, 2017, or such later date when any necessary regulatory requirements have been satisfied.

Oct 3

3 min

Paul, Weiss is advising certain CWT noteholders in the company’s recapitalization plan. CWT, a business-to-business-for-employees travel management platform, entered into an agreement with financial stakeholders representing over 90% of its outstanding debt. Under the terms of the agreement the recapitalization plan is expected to reduce CWT’s total debt by $900 million and provide $350 million of equity capital and substantial long-term liquidity. CWT expects to begin soliciting formal approval of the plan from its existing financial stakeholders in the next few weeks and to finalize implementation of the plan later this year. The Paul, Weiss team includes, among others, restructuring partners Brian Bolin, Brian Hermann and John Weber, and counsel Joe Graham; tax partner Brian Krause; corporate partners Jeffrey Marell and David Huntington, and counsel John Godfrey and David Curtiss; litigation partner William Clareman; executive compensation partner Lawrence Witdorchic; and antitrust counsel Marta Kelly.

Sep 15

1 min

Paul, Weiss represented an ad hoc investor group of first lien lenders in the successful completion of Avaya Holdings Corp.’s prepackaged chapter 11 restructuring. Avaya, a global leader in communication and collaboration solutions, emerged from bankruptcy with total debt trimmed by more than 75% and approximately $650 million in liquidity. Under a plan confirmed by the U.S. Bankruptcy Court in the Southern District of Texas, two ad hoc lender groups converted the $500 million new-money DIP term loan they provided to fund the chapter 11 cases into an exit term loan and Avaya’s asset-based lender syndicate agreed to roll their $128 million asset-based lending DIP facility into an exit facility on similar terms. Additionally, certain members of the investor group provided $150 million of additional new-money financing through a fully backstopped debt rights offering that was funded at exit as part of Avaya’s exit term loan facility. The Paul, Weiss team included, among others, restructuring partners Brian Hermann, Brian Bolin and Andrew Rosenberg, and counsel Joe Graham and Douglas Keeton; corporate partners David Huntington and Jeffrey Marell, and counsel Lyudmila Bondarenko and Keerthika Subramanian; executive compensation partner Rebecca Coccaro; tax partner David Mayo; and antitrust counsel Yuni Sobel and Marta Kelly.

May 1

1 min