Rosemary G. Reilly

Sidley represented Sensei Biotherapeutics, Inc. (Nasdaq: SNSE), a clinical-stage biotechnology company focused on the discovery and development of next-generation therapeutics for cancer patients, in its acquisition of Faeth Therapeutics Inc., a clinical-stage biotechnology company developing multi-node therapies targeting tumor metabolism and signaling. Concurrent with the acquisition, Sidley also represented Sensei in its definitive agreement for the sale of Series B non-voting convertible preferred stock in a private placement expected to result in gross proceeds of approximately US$200 million. The Sidley team was led by Asher Rubin (Technology and Life Sciences Transactions), John Butler (M&A), Istvan Hajdu (Capital Markets), and Nikita Ponomarev (M&A), and included Michael Rohr, Emily Chazen, Xi Zhao, and law clerk Christine Seo (M&A); Nick DeAngelis, Sonia Gupta Barros, Kendell Lee, and Eric Carlson (Capital Markets); Adriana Tibbitts, Collin Marshall, and Kayla Nguyen (Technology and Life Sciences Transactions); Gregory Marrs, Christian Pilhofer, Ryan McLeod, and Madeline Clasen (Employee Benefits and Executive Compensation); Christian Brause and Tyler Combest (Tax); Eric Hoffman (Labor, Employment and Immigration); and IP Transactions Specialist Raza Siddiqui.

Feb 18

1 min

A Massachusetts federal judge on Monday agreed to postpone the trial in a cyberstalking lawsuit against eBay and several former executives at the request of defense attorney Abbe David Lowell, who had cited his ongoing work for several high-profile clients, including New York Attorney General Letitia James in the Trump administration's criminal prosecution. During a hearing, U.S. District Judge Patti B. Saris reluctantly yielded to Lowell's schedule by moving the trial from Jan. 5 to March 2, when Lowell will defend eBay CEO Devin Wenig against civil claims by bloggers Ina and David Steiner. Lowell is also representing James in her mortgage fraud case, as well as two other matters — Federal Reserve Board Gov. Lisa Cook's challenge to the Trump administration's effort to remove her, and an obstruction charge against Service Employees International Union California President David Huerta over his arrest at a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement protest. Lowell apologized to the sizable number of lawyers representing other parties in the case, then indirectly blamed the Trump administration and U.S. Department of Justice for taking actions that resulted in his busy schedule. As Lowell began describing upcoming motions in the James case, a U.S. Supreme Court hearing and a likely trial in the Huerta case, the judge interrupted, telling him that while she appreciates the national significance of Lowell's other matters, she's also contending with a four-plus-year-old lawsuit with multiple parties, a trial likely to take a month, a court calendar that is filling up and a jury pool administrator who needs six weeks advance notice. "We planned around this trial," Judge Saris said. The Steiners, in a response to Lowell's request for a continuance, called it "nothing more than a last-ditch tactic to delay judgment against" Wenig "as long as possible," and that the willingness of counsel for eBay to go along with the postponement "is no surprise," as it allows them to put off their inevitable liability. The couple also said that Lowell was aware of the trial date in their suit when he entered his appearances in the other cases. The Steiners run a blog called EcommerceBytes from their home in the Boston suburb of Natick. After publishing a story critical of Wenig's leadership and spending decisions in 2019, they say they suffered a relentless campaign of harassment by eBay employees. The couple said they received disturbing mailings including live insects, a bloody pig face mask, a funeral wreath and other unsolicited items, while neighbors were sent pornographic materials with David Steiner's name on the envelope, and someone posted an online ad inviting strangers to the couple's home. When the Steiners sought help from the police, eBay employees attempted to thwart the investigation, the couple said. Seven eBay employees have pled guilty to criminal charges, and the company itself paid a $3 million criminal penalty and entered a deferred prosecution agreement last year. The Steiners also pursued civil claims against the online retailer, as well as Wenig, Communications Director Steven Wymer, Vice President of Global Operations Wendy Jones, several lower-level employees and a company that provided security for eBay. After a motion for summary judgment ruling in August and several settlements, the surviving claims against eBay, Wenig, Wymer and Jones were set to go to trial just after the new year. The judge's decision Monday pushes jury selection to March 2. "Mr. Lowell, no more cases, all right?" Judge Saris told Lowell. The judge made several pitches to let veteran Boston defense attorney Martin G. Weinberg, who is part of Wenig's legal team, take over Lowell's role on the case, at one point quipping, "I know you're really important, but Marty Weinberg is one of the best lawyers in Boston, so Mr. Wenig would be well-represented." Lowell said Wenig has never met Weinberg, and if forced to proceed with the January date, would seek to hire new counsel instead. Weinberg demurred later in the hearing, telling Judge Saris that while he appreciates the judge's kind words, his role in the case is somewhat limited. Judge Saris was not deterred. "Mr. Weinberg, to the extent there are individual things you could get involved with, I'd encourage you to do so," Judge Saris told the attorney, saying she does not want another delay in the case. "I can't keep doing this." The Steiners and Steiner Associates LLC/eCommerceBytes are represented by Andrew G. Finkelstein, Brian D. Acard, Kenneth B. Fromson and Lawrence D. Lissauer of Finkelstein & Partners LLP, Marc A. Diller of Diller Law LLP, Christopher R. Murphy of Scalli Murphy Law PC, Todd S. Garber, Erin Kelley and Bradley Silverman of Finkelstein Blankinship Frei-Pearson & Garber LLP, and Max Finkelstein of Jacoby & Meyers LLP. EBay is represented by Jack W. Pirozzolo, Kathryn L. Alessi, Scott T. Nonaka, David A. Goldenberg, Daniel J. Feith, Lucas Croslow and Emily A. Rose of Sidley Austin LLP. Wenig is represented by Martin G. Weinberg of Martin G. Weinberg PC, and Abbe David Lowell and Kelly A. Librera of Winston & Strawn LLP. Wymer is represented by Caz Hashemi, Morris J. Foderman, Nick Guenther, Staci E. Cox, Melissa Mills, Kevin G. Heiner, Trevor Templeton and Michelle Dang of Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati PC, and Lon F. Povich of Anderson & Kreiger LLP. Jones is represented by Andrew J. O'Connor, Brien T. O'Connor, Casey Stewart, Christopher Durham, Sarah E. Walters, William L. Roberts and Jesse R. Coulon of Ropes & Gray LLP. The case is Steiner et al. v. eBay Inc. et al., case number 1:21-cv-11181, in the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts.

Nov 17

4 min

Auction site eBay and several former executives on Wednesday reported settling a lawsuit brought by a Massachusetts couple who say they were subjected to a campaign of stalking and harassment after publishing articles critical of the company's leadership on their blog. The terms of the settlement, reached just days before what had been expected to be a six-week trial in federal court was set to get underway, were not disclosed. David and Ina Steiner, who publish EcommerceBytes from their suburban Boston home, found themselves on the receiving end of a series of gruesome mailings — including insects, a bloody pig mask, and a funeral wreath — and were stalked by eBay employees in 2019. The couple had reported on spending by then-CEO Devin Wenig and alleged he and other executives directed a campaign of retaliation aimed at shutting down their site. The Steiners sued over the episode in 2021, saying they suffered significant emotional distress as well as damage to their business. They are still publishing the blog, which last week reported on the retail and auction site's test of an artificial intelligence tool. An attorney for Wenig, Martin Weinberg, told Law360 on Wednesday the parties had reached an agreement in principle to resolve the case. The agreement is expected to be finalized within 60 days. Along with eBay and Wenig, the Steiners' lawsuit named communications director Steven Wymer and vice president Wendy Jones. Counsel for the other defendants and eBay did not immediately respond to requests for comment. A spokesperson for eBay directed a reporter to an order entering a provisional dismissal of the case. Several lower-level employees who had also been named in the suit were dismissed as defendants on Wednesday, according to the case docket. Federal prosecutors also brought criminal charges against seven lower-level employees — who have since pled guilty to their roles in the harassment and received varying sentences — and charged eBay as a corporate defendant. The company entered a deferred prosecution agreement with the government in 2024 that led to a $3 million penalty. Last week, the executives, in a motion, sought to prevent the Steiners from citing that agreement in support of their case. The Steiners and Steiner Associates LLC/eCommerceBytes are represented by Andrew G. Finkelstein, Brian D. Acard, Kenneth B. Fromson, and Lawrence D. Lissauer of Finkelstein & Partners LLP, Marc A. Diller of Diller Law LLP, Christopher R. Murphy of Foster Scalli & Murphy Law PC, Todd S. Garber and Erin Kelley of Finkelstein Blankinship Frei-Pearson & Garber LLP, and Max Finkelstein of Jacoby & Meyers LLP. EBay is represented by Jack W. Pirozzolo, Kathryn L. Alessi, Scott T. Nonaka, Daniel J. Feith, and Emily A. Rose of Sidley Austin LLP. Wenig is represented by Martin G. Weinberg of Martin G. Weinberg PC, Abbe David Lowell of Lowell & Associates PLLC, and Kelly A. Librera of Winston & Strawn LLP. Wymer is represented by Caz Hashemi, Melissa Mills, and Trevor Templeton of Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati PC and Lon F. Povich of Anderson & Kreiger LLP. Jones is represented by Andrew J. O'Connor, Casey Stewart, Christopher Durham, Sarah E. Walters, and William L. Roberts of Ropes & Gray LLP. The case is Steiner et al. v. eBay Inc. et al., case number 1:21-cv-11181, in the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts.

Feb 25

3 min

Boston – Sidley Austin LLP is pleased to announce that Rosemary Reilly has joined as a partner in the Emerging Companies and Venture Capital (ECVC) practice in Sidley’s office in Boston. She joins from WilmerHale, where she spent 18 years as a partner in the corporate practice. Sidley also recently welcomed counsels Rebecca Nauta and Riley O’Brien and associate Emily Ivers to its Boston ECVC practice. Ms. Reilly brings over two decades of experience advising life sciences and technology companies on corporate and securities matters. She provides counsel for clients ranging from startups and emerging companies to mature public companies, investment banks, and venture capital firms. Drawing on her experience as in-house counsel, Ms. Reilly has a unique understanding of the legal and business challenges faced by her clients. She has built a destination life-cycle practice for life sciences and technology innovators, advising on venture capital and strategic financings, private and public securities offerings, mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures, strategic alliances, corporate governance, and SEC compliance. “Rosemary and her team’s arrival further strengthens our well-established network in Boston, builds on our momentum, and accelerates our efforts to globally scale our ECVC and broader Corporate practice,” said Yvette Ostolaza, Chair of Sidley’s Management Committee. “She’s reuniting with longtime WilmerHale colleagues Jason Kropp and Craig Hilts, who joined our ECVC practice in Sidley’s office in Boston earlier this year, and teaming up with new partners Michael Rohr and Mat Eapen.” “Rosemary’s strong relationships in the life sciences community, combined with the reach of Sidley’s global platform and integrated practices, align closely with our strategic growth priorities,” said Sharon Flanagan, a member of the firm’s Management Committee and Executive Committee, and leader of the firm’s Global Life Sciences practice. “Her prior in-house experience in Northern California brings a practical, business-minded perspective to the complex legal and operational challenges our clients face.” The firm’s preeminent global M&A and Private Equity practice has more than 500 lawyers who are engaged in the full spectrum of public and private mergers and acquisitions, as well as emerging growth and private equity transactions across a variety of industries, including life sciences, technology, media and telecoms, financial services and insurance, energy, sports and entertainment, real estate, consumer products, transportation and logistics, infrastructure, manufacturing, metals and mining. The nationally recognized strength of Sidley’s Emerging Companies and Venture Capital practice, coupled with a market leading regulatory practice and international offices, provides clients with sophisticated guidance and counseling on complex business and legal issues at all stages of growth. Sidley represents clients in emerging growth centers worldwide, including Northern California, New York, Los Angeles, San Diego, Miami, Texas, London, Asia, and Boston. Sidley is an elite global law firm. With approximately 2,300 lawyers and nearly 160 years of experience, we have established a reputation for deploying innovative legal strategies to achieve powerful results for our clients in complex transactional, restructuring, crisis management, investigation, regulatory, and litigation matters. Our perspective and reach are truly global, supported by 21 offices strategically situated in key commercial, regulatory, and financial centers across the world. Our lawyers and business professionals, fluent in more than 75 languages, possess the cultural awareness and cross-border legal acumen needed to bring clarity to a dynamic business landscape. Matt Messinger, Director, Public Relations, +1 312 456 4009 (Global) Attorney Advertising—Sidley Austin LLP is a global law firm. Our addresses and contact information can be found at www.sidley.com/en/locations/offices. Sidley and Sidley Austin refer to Sidley Austin LLP and affiliated partnerships as explained at www.sidley.com/disclaimer. Boston – Sidley Austin LLP is pleased to announce that Rosemary Reilly has joined as a partner in the Emerging Companies and Venture Capital (ECVC) practice in Sidley’s office in Boston. She joins from WilmerHale, where she spent 18 years as a partner in the corporate practice. Sidley also recently welcomed counsels Rebecca Nauta and Riley O’Brien and associate Emily Ivers to its Boston ECVC practice. Ms. Reilly brings over two decades of experience advising life sciences and technology companies on corporate and securities matters. She provides counsel for clients ranging from startups and emerging companies to mature public companies, investment banks, and venture capital firms. Drawing on her experience as in-house counsel, Ms. Reilly has a unique understanding of the legal and business challenges faced by her clients. She has built a destination life-cycle practice for life sciences and technology innovators, advising on venture capital and strategic financings, private and public securities offerings, mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures, strategic alliances, corporate governance, and SEC compliance. “Rosemary and her team’s arrival further strengthens our well-established network in Boston, builds on our momentum, and accelerates our efforts to globally scale our ECVC and broader Corporate practice,” said Yvette Ostolaza, Chair of Sidley’s Management Committee. “She’s reuniting with longtime WilmerHale colleagues Jason Kropp and Craig Hilts, who joined our ECVC practice in Sidley’s office in Boston earlier this year, and teaming up with new partners Michael Rohr and Mat Eapen.” “Rosemary’s strong relationships in the life sciences community, combined with the reach of Sidley’s global platform and integrated practices, align closely with our strategic growth priorities,” said Sharon Flanagan, a member of the firm’s Management Committee and Executive Committee, and leader of the firm’s Global Life Sciences practice. “Her prior in-house experience in Northern California brings a practical, business-minded perspective to the complex legal and operational challenges our clients face.” The firm’s preeminent global M&A and Private Equity practice has more than 500 lawyers who are engaged in the full spectrum of public and private mergers and acquisitions, as well as emerging growth and private equity transactions across a variety of industries, including life sciences, technology, media and telecoms, financial services and insurance, energy, sports and entertainment, real estate, consumer products, transportation and logistics, infrastructure, manufacturing, metals and mining. The nationally recognized strength of Sidley’s Emerging Companies and Venture Capital practice, coupled with a market leading regulatory practice and international offices, provides clients with sophisticated guidance and counseling on complex business and legal issues at all stages of growth. Sidley represents clients in emerging growth centers worldwide, including Northern California, New York, Los Angeles, San Diego, Miami, Texas, London, Asia, and Boston. Sidley is an elite global law firm. With approximately 2,300 lawyers and nearly 160 years of experience, we have established a reputation for deploying innovative legal strategies to achieve powerful results for our clients in complex transactional, restructuring, crisis management, investigation, regulatory, and litigation matters. Our perspective and reach are truly global, supported by 21 offices strategically situated in key commercial, regulatory, and financial centers across the world. Our lawyers and business professionals, fluent in more than 75 languages, possess the cultural awareness and cross-border legal acumen needed to bring clarity to a dynamic business landscape. Matt Messinger, Director, Public Relations, +1 312 456 4009 (Global) Attorney Advertising—Sidley Austin LLP is a global law firm. Our addresses and contact information can be found at www.sidley.com/en/locations/offices. Sidley and Sidley Austin refer to Sidley Austin LLP and affiliated partnerships as explained at www.sidley.com/disclaimer.

Jul 8

5 min

Sidley Austin has hired three investment funds partners from Clifford Chance in New York, continuing its aggressive hiring strategy. The firm is bringing in partners Cliff Cone, Michael Sabin and Dan Drabkin into its investment funds group as it continues to build out the practice in the city. At Clifford Chance, Cone and Sabin were co-heads of the firm’s U.S. funds and investment management practice. Cone spent nearly 13 years at Clifford Chance, according to his LinkedIn profile, and Sabin joined the firm in 2017. A recent Law.com analysis found that Clifford Chance reported £385 million in Americas revenue in 2025, up from £332 million the previous year, making the region its third-largest after Europe and Asia-Pacific. Brian Fahrney, chair of Sidley’s executive committee, said the hires bring experience in the funds space and relationships with investment funds and asset managers. The additions come as Sidley has made a series of hires to strengthen its investment funds capabilities. Recent arrivals include Shane Goudey in Palo Alto, who leads the venture funds practice; John Muno in Chicago, who leads the private equity funds practice; Mathew Eapen in Boston, who focuses on venture capital, growth equity, and technology- and healthcare-focused funds; and Ed Gander, Stephen Fox and Peter Boulle in London, who advise global fund managers across private equity, infrastructure, real estate, credit and secondaries funds. For Clifford Chance, the firm added Sheelka Arora-Cox in New York from Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman as a partner in its energy and infrastructure finance team, supporting its renewables and project finance practice as well as private equity partner Andrea Gede-Lange from Fried Frank in September 2025. In January 2026 the firm added partner Alexandra Diehl, along with her 14 strong team who are joining the firm’s Frankfurt office from White & Case. A Clifford Chance spokesperson said: "We thank Michael, Cliff and Dan for their contributions to the firm and wish them well for the future."

Jan 20

1 min