Faculty Profiles

Samuel J. Arena, Jr. is a partner in the Philadelphia office of Stradley Ronon Stevens & Young, LLP, where he has concentrated his practice on insurance law, fidelity law, and surety law for over 36 years.  A leader in Stradley Ronon’s Insurance Practice Group, and the Chair of the firm’s Fidelity and Surety Practice Group, he represents insurance companies nationally in complex insurance coverage, extra-contractual liability, and fidelity and surety matters.  Mr. Arena is a graduate of Ursinus College, B.A., Magna Cum Laude (1979) and Villanova University School of Law, J.D., Cum Laude (1983).  At Villanova, Mr. Arena was an Associate Editor of the Villanova Law Review and a member of the Order of the Coif.

Mr. Arena is a Fellow of the American College of Coverage Counsel and has been actively involved in the American Bar Association, Tort Trial & Insurance Practice Section (TIPS) and Litigation Section throughout his legal career.  He has held a variety of leadership positions within TIPS, including serving as a member of Section Council (the Section’s governing body), Chair of the Book Publishing Editorial Board, Chair of the Fidelity and Surety Law Committee, and Vice-Chair of the Insurance Coverage Litigation Committee.  Mr. Arena also has served on the TIPS Financial Committee, TortSource Editorial Board, Long Range Planning Committee, Task Force on Strategic Alliances, Task Force on Insurance and Corporate Counsel Involvement, and Task Force on Corporate Governance Institute.  In 2019, he received the American Bar Association’s Martin J. Andrew Award for Lifetime Achievement in Fidelity and Surety Law.

Mr. Arena has been a frequent speaker, panelist, author, and program chair on current insurance coverage law, fidelity law, and surety law topics.  As an Adjunct Professor of Law at Villanova University Charles Widger School of Law, he created and teaches Advanced Insurance Law: Coverage Disputes with Professor Chaim Saiman.

Caleb Arnold currently serves as Immigration Counsel for the Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office. Caleb brings almost two decades of experience as both a lawyer and non-lawyer and has worked as both a public defender and immigration attorney. In their current position, Caleb advocates for fairness and justice at the intersection of the criminal and immigration legal systems by advising the over 300 attorneys at the DA’s office on the immigration consequences of criminal convictions and proposing just alternatives, as well as by serving as a liaison for immigrant victims, and by engaging in training and outreach. Caleb received their B.A. from Mount Holyoke College and their Juris Doctorate from Temple University Beasley School of Law.

Email: aaronavila@mac.com

Environmental Appeals Judge Aaron P. Avila

Judge Avila has substantial litigation and management experience in matters arising under federal pollution control and natural resource statutes. Prior to joining the Environmental Appeals Board, Judge Avila served first as a staff attorney and then as an Assistant Section Chief in the Appellate Section, Environment and Natural Resources Division, U.S. Department of Justice. During his tenure in the Appellate Section, Judge Avila litigated and supervised civil and criminal appellate matters involving major federal environmental and natural resource statutes before the courts of appeals and the Supreme Court on behalf of the United States and its agencies. Judge Avila presented oral argument in more than 30 appeals. Prior to joining the Justice Department, Judge Avila was an associate at Morrison & Foerster LLP in San Francisco, California and before that he served as a judicial law clerk for the Honorable Robert D. Sack of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit.

Judge Avila’s work has garnered him numerous awards and recognitions, including the Assistant Attorney General’s Award for Excellence and EPA's Silver Medal for Superior Service Award.

Judge Avila earned his Juris Doctor degree, magna cum laude, Order of the Coif, from New York University School of Law, and his Bachelor of Arts and Science degree (Political Science and Civil Engineering) from Stanford University. He was admitted in 2000.

Email: dbailey@bakerlaw.com

David Bailey focuses his practice on all aspects of patent law, with a focus on inter partes reviews and post grant proceedings before the Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB), and patent litigation. He has appeared before the PTAB on several occasions and has argued before the Federal Circuit, as well as led several inter partes and ex parte reexamination proceedings. Mr. Bailey has also worked on trial teams representing a number of Fortune 500 technology companies in various technology areas, including the medical device and computer industries. Notably, he was a member of the trial team in Microsoft Corp v. AT&T Corp., decided by the Supreme Court. In addition, his practice includes client counseling, opinion drafting, patent portfolio management, licensing, and acquisition, in which he applies his focused legal knowledge to many technologies, including medical devices, chemical processing, pharmaceuticals, drug delivery compositions, and computer software.  Mr. Bailey received his B.S. from Pennsylvania State University, and his J.D. from Villanova University Law School.

Christopher F. Bagnato is the Founding Partner, Shareholder and Chief Financial Officer of Jensen Bagnato, PC. He has specialized in all aspects and areas of Litigation including Immigration, Criminal, Family and Civil Litigation. His law firm is a general practice law firm that handles all legal matters, up to and including Personal Injury, Workers Comp, Bankruptcy, Medical Malpractice, Civil Rights and Employment Law. 

Bagnato is a Legal Analyst for Telemundo62- NBC10 News providing legal opinions on Live Newscast in Spanish on matters such as child sexting arrests in Chester County and the use of civil depositions as evidence against actor Bill Cosby for sexual assault.  

Bagnato obtained his Bachelor of Science of Education in Spanish Language from West Chester University of Pennsylvania. He earned his Law Degree from Indiana University School of Law, completing his third year visiting at Villanova University Law School. He later went on to obtain an LLM in Trial Advocacy from the Temple University Beasley School of Law. 

Email: Brian.Benjet@dlapiper.com

Brian Benjet is an accomplished business lawyer, litigator and bankruptcy practitioner with nearly 20 years of experience. He currently serves as Partner at DLA Piper.

He focuses on complex business and commercial litigation and government investigations, as well as bankruptcy and restructuring. Brian's litigation representations include healthcare, ERISA, outsourcing contracts and insurance disputes.

Brian assists public and private, US and multinational companies in designing and implementing risk-based compliance programs. These enterprise-wide programs include conducting risk assessments, drafting codes of ethics and related policies, and creating and implementing training programs. He provides advice on governance issues such as disclosing compliance issues to boards of directors, auditors, investors and potential M&A partners; crisis response; and litigation management topics, including issues related to FAS 5 loss contingency reserving.

Brian uses his extensive in-house experience and integrates this advice with other corporate functions, including operational risk, fraud and audit, helping to ensure compliance for the company in a manner that strengthens the business.

Email: ron.brown@skadden.com

Ronald N. Brown, III is counsel in Skadden’s litigation practice. Mr. Brown represents corporations, directors and officers in litigation involving corporate governance matters and the federal securities laws. He has represented clients in hostile takeovers, proxy contests, mergers, tender offers, securities fraud suits, derivative suits, appraisal actions, and other corporate and commercial disputes. His practice also includes advice on the Delaware law of corporations, limited partnerships, and limited liability companies in connection with mergers and other transactions. Mr. Brown received his B.A. from Washington & Lee University, graduating magna cum laude, and he received his J.D. from Villanova University School of Law, summa cum laude and as Associate Editor of the Villanova Law Review.

Email: John.B.Carle@usdoj.gov

John Benson Carle is a U.S. Immigration Judge for the U.S. Department of Justice in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Attorney General Loretta E. Lynch appointed Judge Carle to begin hearing cases in June 2016. Judge Carle earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1990 from the State University of New York at Binghamton and a Juris Doctor in 1993 from the State University of New York at Buffalo Law School. From 2007 to May 2016, Judge Carle served as an assistant chief counsel for the Office of the Chief Counsel, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Department of Homeland Security. From 2000 through 2007, Judge Carle served as an assistant district attorney for the City of Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office. From 1995 through 2000, Judge Carle served as an assistant district attorney for the Erie County District Attorney’s Office, in Buffalo, N.Y. From 1993 through 1995, Judge Carle served as an associate attorney for Magner, Love & Morris PC, in Buffalo, N.Y. In 2013, Judge Carle joined the faculty of the Villanova University School of Law where he serves as an adjunct professor. Judge Carle is a member of the Pennsylvania Bar.

Email: andrea.cayley@law.villanova.edu

Andrea Matačić Cayley began her career with the United Nations as a liaison officer to the US Congress.  In 1995, she was hired as one of the first UN staff lawyers in the Office of the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia.  Andrea worked there for 15 years on the prosecution of leadership cases, including the prosecution of Slobodan Milosevic.  She then moved to Cambodia and was involved in the prosecution of crimes committed by the Khmer Rouge at the Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia.  Since returning to the US in 2014, Andrea worked as the Director of the Center for Ethics and the Rule of Law at the University of Pennsylvania Law School.  She also served as the Associate Dean for Legal Education.  More recently, Andrea was a Senior Legal Fellow for the Center for Justice and Accountability and the US Country Coordinator for Civitas Maxima, working on the US domestic prosecutions of crimes committed during the Liberian Civil War.  She works as a Senior Advisor on Rule of Law projects for the McCain Institute and is currently authoring a book on the challenges of prosecuting sexual violence during armed conflict.  Andrea holds a BA in English from Columbia University, an MA in Slavic Studies from the University of Zagreb, a JD from Temple University and a PhD in International law from Leiden University.

Email: carrie@cgclegal.com

Email: mdefusco@philadefender.org

Mary DeFusco, Esq., serves as Director of Training for the Defender Association of Philadelphia.  She is responsible for the initial training of all new attorneys as well as the continuing legal education of experienced public defenders.

Ms. DeFusco has served as the Defender Association's representative on the Oversight Committees of the Philadelphia Treatment Court and the Project Dawn Court.  Ms. DeFusco, along with representatives of the Court and District Attorney's Office, was instrumental in the creation of these internationally renowned courts, which integrate drug treatment and sexual trauma recovery, with the criminal justice system.

Ms. DeFusco is also a Co-founder and President of the Board of Directors of Dawn’s Place, a unique program in Philadelphia, serving the needs of trafficked, pimped, and prostituted women.

Since joining the Defender Association of Philadelphia, Ms. DeFusco served as Deputy Chief of the Municipal Court Unit for eight years, and as a trial attorney for five years.  She received her B.A., cum laude, from the University of Pennsylvania and her J.D. from Temple University School of Law.

Ms. DeFusco teaches trial advocacy at both Temple University School of Law and Villanova University School of Law.  She teaches nationally and locally for the National Institute for Trial Advocacy (NITA). Ms. DeFusco is on the faculty at the National Defender Training Project in Dayton, OH and she also teaches at the Pennsylvania Defender Trial Skills Training Program in Carlisle, PA.

Ms. DeFusco was a past recipient of the Cesare Beccaria Award for contributions to the cause of justice and the advancement of legal education, and the Gideon Award in recognition of dedication to the principles of equal access to the criminal court system, and efforts to improve the quality of indigent defense.

Email: mdillon@mankogold.com

Email: amyzoegd@gmail.com

Amy Gershenfeld Donella is a Senior Attorney with the Federal Capital Habeas Project. Following law school, Donnella worked as a litigator, teacher, in house attorney, and government attorney. She began representing death-sentenced clients as a volunteer in Georgia the early 1980’s.  She continued her capital defense work as a sole practitioner while raising her four children. In 2008, Donnella left private practice to serve as an assistant federal defender for the Federal Community Defender for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, Capital Habeas Unit. Donnella has continued representing death-sentenced prisoners in all stages of their post-conviction litigation in state and federal court, in end-stage litigation and clemency, and in resentencing, ever since. She has argued capital cases before the Third, Fourth, Eighth, and Eleventh Circuit Courts of Appeals with some good results and some spectacular defeats.  In 1997, she co-authored "Racial Attitudes and the Death Penalty," Journal of Applied Social Psychology, 1997, 1468-1487, a subject on which she has continued to lecture. In 1999, she won sentencing relief from the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals in Collier v. Turpin, 177 F.3d 1184 (11th Cir. 1999), and was recognized in 2001 by the Georgia criminal defense bar for her work helping to get the electric chair declared unconstitutional in Georgia. In April, 2015, she won a new trial for a client convicted on the basis of false DNA evidence. In 2017, she obtained a grant of clemency from President Obama for an intellectually-disabled death sentenced client. Donnella received her B.A. in 1976 from the State University of New York at Stony Brook and her J.D. in 1979 from the Harvard Law School.

Anthony Donofriois a former Managing Director at Hamilton Lane Advisors, a NASDAQ- listed company that is one of the world’s leading private markets investment management firms. During his 16-year career with Hamilton Lane, he served as both Head of Legal Transactions and Chief Operating Officer of the company’s Co-Investment program. In his capacity as Head of Legal Transactions, Donofrio led a large team of attorneys in negotiating and executing thousands of private equity and credit investments over the years. As COO of the Co-Investment program, Donofrio had oversight of all operational aspects of Hamilton Lane’s $5 billion co-investment strategy, leading the efforts of various teams in closing over a hundred private investment transactions each year.

Prior to working at Hamilton Lane, Donofrio was in-house legal counsel at BTG International, a technology commercialization firm based in London. Earlier in his career, he spent several years as an associate attorney in the Corporate Department of the law firm of Drinker Biddle & Reath, where his practice focused on mergers & acquisitions, private equity transactions, and general corporate matters. Donofrio is an alumnus of Villanova University, where he graduated, cum laude, with a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration (Finance concentration); he earned a Juris Doctor degree from Northwestern University School of Law. 

Lawrence Farnese, was elected to the Pennsylvania State Senate in 2008 and served three terms representing The First Senatorial District until November 2020. He earned a bachelor’s degree in Political Science from Villanova University and graduated from Temple University’s Beasley School of Law in 1994.  While serving in the Senate,  Farnese was considered a champion for city and state economic development and was seen as one of the State’s most passionate public safety advocates because quality of life is crucial to the long-term success of the neighborhood. Having served in one of the Commonwealth’s most diverse LGBTQ communities, Farnese is a passionate, outspoken supporter of equality and non-discrimination legislation

Farnese served as the Senate Democratic Caucus Secretary from 2014-2020. He also served as the Democratic Chairman of the Judiciary Committee and was a member of the Banking and Insurance, Consumer Protection and Professional Licensure, Rules, and Transportation Committees. He holds a Board position with Casa Farnese, the first affordable senior housing complex in Philadelphia.  Farnese enjoys spending time with family and friends and mentoring his little brother as a volunteer with Big Brothers, Big Sisters, of Southeastern Pennsylvania.

Email: nfrandsen@bakerlaw.com

Nancy Frandsen has been practicing trademark law for over 33 years.  Nancy has guided clients not only through the core areas of trademark and copyright counseling and portfolio management, but also through the more complex areas of the practice, including enforcement before the federal courts and the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board (TTAB). Nancy's in-depth knowledge of her clients' businesses, from individual entrepreneurs to major corporations, has enabled her to support and advance their unique objectives and goals and has led Nancy to be ranked for over ten years by Chambers USA as a "Leading Lawyer" in Intellectual Property Law, where she has been described as a "tough experienced leader" (Chambers USA 2015).  She has also been recognized by World Trademark Review WTR1000 for many years, having been described as “smart, dedicated and passionate,” with “meticulous attention to detail….”  Nancy is co-author of What the General Practitioner Should Know About Trademarks and Copyrights (6th Ed), published by ALI-ABA. Nancy is also the course planner of the Pennsylvania Bar Institute's annual Intellectual Property Law Institute, a two-day seminar on the hottest topics in IP law, which she has planned and co-chaired since its inception in 2007.

Email: lgenovese@kassgen.com

Laura Genovese practice focuses on providing trademark, copyright, trade dress, domain name, and internet advice, including prosecution and enforcement. She develops and oversees implementation of strategic plans for businesses. She also counsels and represents clients in litigation matters before the courts and inter partes proceedings before the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board. She has initiated and defended proceedings before domain name arbitration panels under the Uniform Domain-Name Dispute Resolution Policy (UDRP).

Ms. Genovese has been involved with the Philadelphia Chapter of the Copyright Society of the U.S.A. since its formation in the early 1990's, rising to Chapter Chairman in 1999. She served on the Board of Trustees of the Copyright Society of the U.S.A. from 2002 to 2005.  A graduate of Bryn Mawr College, she received her MA in the History of Art from the University of Pennsylvania in 1986 and graduated cum laude from Villanova University School of Law in 1989.

Email: gary.glazer@courts.phila.gov

Gary S. Glazer was elected to the Court of Common Pleas in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in November, 1991. He has served as a trial judge in the Criminal and Civil Divisions, hearing a wide variety of matters in both jury and non-jury settings. He has presided over capital and non-capital homicides, serious criminal offenses, medical/legal malpractice cases, class actions, administrative appeals, real estate cases, tax cases and general civil litigation. Judge Glazer is currently Supervising Judge in the Commerce Court in the Court of Common Pleas overseeing complex commercial litigation. In December, 2011, he was appointed by the Pennsylvania Supreme Court as the Administrative Judge of the Philadelphia Traffic Court. He was placed in charge of a multiyear effort to reform a court which was beset by institutional corruption on a massive scale and which was ultimately reorganized into an efficient, modern and honest institution now known as the Traffic Division of the Philadelphia Municipal Court. Prior to the bench, Judge Glazer served as an Assistant United States Attorney in Philadelphia for over ten years. He served as chief of the Fraud Section, where he supervised and prosecuted complex fraud and judicial corruption matters. Judge Glazer also engaged in the private practice of law in Philadelphia and Chicago.

In 2005, Judge Glazer was the recipient of a Fulbright Senior Specialist Grant to lecture(in French) at the Ecole Nationale de la Magistrature in Paris, France concerning the American judicial process and has also lectured in Russia, the Czech Republic, the United Kingdom and Belarus. He is an adjunct instructor in Trial Practice at Villanova University Law School.

Judge Glazer is a graduate of Ohio State University (cum laude and with distinction) (1972) where he was elected to Phi Beta Kappa and received his law degree from Case Western Reserve University (1975).

Email: richard.goldberg@lewisbrisbois.com

Richard Goldberg is a Partner in the law firm of Lewis Brisbois Bisgaard and Smith in the Cybersecurity and Data Privacy practice, helping victims of cybercrime prepare for and respond to data breaches.  Prior to his move to the private sector, he served as an Assistant United States Attorney for over 27 years in the United States Attorney’s Office in Philadelphia.  During his time in that office, he served as Chief of Trials, supervising all criminal trials, and, in separate appointments,   Chief of the Economic Crime Section, the Narcotics Section, and the Major Crimes Section (violent crimes and terrorism).  During this time, as Crisis Management Coordinator, he served as chief law enforcement attorney for the Republican National Convention, the Papal visit, and the Democratic National Convention when they occurred in Philadelphia.

He also served for over twenty years as one of the Department of Justice’s specially trained Computer Hacking and Intellectual Property Section prosecutors.  He was the recipient of a Fulbright grant to the City University of Hong Kong and a Wasserstein Fellowship from Harvard Law School.  He has received two Director’s Awards from the Department of Justice, the Chief Postal Inspector’s Award, and several citations from the Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Director of the United States Secret Service, and other agencies.

He taught courses on Advanced White Collar Crime, Identity Theft, Trade Secrets, Advanced Evidence, National Security Event Preparation, Crisis Management, Protest Preparation and Response, and both Basic and Advanced Criminal Advocacy for the Department of Justice at the national prosecutor’s school in South Carolina and in various locations around the country.

Before joining the federal government, he worked in the Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office as Deputy District Attorney in charge of the Investigations Division, Chief of the Motions Unit, and as an Assistant District Attorney in the Trial and Law Divisions.  He is a graduate of Brown University and Georgetown University Law Center.

Email: john.goodchild@morganlewis.com

John C. Goodchild III's litigation practice focuses on restructuring and distressed situations. He represents fiduciaries, professionals, and trustees in actions relating to breach of duty, especially in matters concerning insolvency and with regard to defaults in securitizations. He represents sponsors and plans in connection with employee benefits matters relating to distressed situations. He counsels and represents financial institutions with regard to consumer-facing practices relating to default and collections. He represents secured and unsecured creditors in bankruptcy litigation. 

John is co-founder and lead coordinator of the Morgan Lewis Trial Academy, an intensive weeklong trial training program for the firm’s most senior associates. He serves as the Chair of the firm's Fiduciary Review Committee. As an adjunct faculty member of the Villanova University School of Law, he teaches a course on "Computer Applications in Litigation."

Email: deborah.grosskurtz@law.villanova.edu

Deborah R. Gross recently joined Pennsylvanians for Modern Courts as its President and CEO, a legal nonprofit dedicated to ensuring a Pennsylvania judicial system which is impartial, fair and accessible to all. PMC is a staunch advocate for judicial reforms that promote the rule of law and an inclusive, qualified and independent judiciary.  Previously, for over 35 years Debbie was a litigator focusing on complex commercial litigation and plaintiffs’ consumer, antitrust and securities litigation practicing in federal and state courts across the country.  She achieved many successful resolutions of class and derivative actions. She retired from private practice on a high note – receiving a favorable decision for her clients and the class in Jaroslawicz v. M&T Bank Corp., 962 F.3d 701 (3d Cir. 2020), a recent Third Circuit decision vacating the lower court’s dismissal of a claim under Section 14(a) od the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, and holding that the complaint had adequately plead that the Item 105 risk factors were deficient. Debbie was the Chancellor of the Philadelphia Bar Association and was the President of the Board of Trustees of the Philadelphia Bar Foundation.  She is also on the Law School Board of the Drexel University Thomas R. Kline School of Law.  She received her J.D. from Boston University School of Law and a B.S. in Economics from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. Her husband is an attorney with his own firm focusing on real estate and corporate transactions.  She has three adult children and a golden doodle.

Email: chris.harvey@hbbllc.com

Christopher M. Harvey is the managing member in the law firm of Harvey Ballard & Bornstein, LLC, where he heads up the estate planning and tax practice areas. In addition, he is the Of Counsel to the law firm of Harvey, Casterline & Vallini, LLP located in Columbia, SC. Mr. Harvey focuses in the legal transactions surrounding estate and tax planning. He frequently lectures around the country on these topics for accountants and attorneys earning Continuing Professional and Legal Education credit. He earned his B.S. in Accounting from the University of Delaware, cum laude, and received his J.D. and Master of Laws in Taxation from the Villanova University School of Law, magna cum laude. He is also a Certified Public Accountant.

Diane Apa Hauser, Esquire is a Partner with the law firm of Paisner Litvin LLP, a Bala Cynwyd, Pennsylvania based firm which focuses exclusively on labor law, employment law, and employee benefit matters. Ms. Hauser’s practice includes a wide breadth of labor and employment law matters, including collective bargaining negotiations, labor arbitrations, unfair labor practice proceedings, EEO agency proceedings, FMLA, Title VII, ADA and wage and hour issues.

Ms. Hauser has served as chief negotiator in multiple collective bargaining negotiations. She has represented clients in both the public and private sector in numerous labor arbitrations, and has participated in administrative proceedings before the National Labor Relations Board, the Department of Labor, the EEOC, and various state agencies. She has counseled companies on compliance issues, including sexual harassment investigations, discipline and terminations, wage and hour issues and non-compete matters. Ms. Hauser regularly drafts employment agreements and policy manuals, and has conducted training sessions for management and hourly employees. She has served as a trustee on a several multi-employer pension and health Taft-Hartley Funds.

Before joining Paisner Litvin, Ms. Hauser was Director of Labor Relations and Employment Counsel for Acme Markets, Inc., a corporation with a retail and distribution workforce of more than 15,000 employees. Ms. Hauser also served as General Counsel and Vice President of Human Resources for sn.com, a start-up technology company. She also was an attorney in the labor and employment groups of the Philadelphia law firms of Klett Rooney Lieber & Schorling and Pepper Hamilton.

Ms. Hauser is a magna cum laude graduate of Villanova School of Law, where she was an associate editor of the Villanova Law Review. She holds a bachelors degree from the University of Virginia. Ms. Hauser is a member of the Pennsylvania and New Jersey bars.
 

Email: MHomyk@BlankRome.com

Matthew Homyk concentrates his practice in intellectual property matters (e.g., trademark, copyright, patent, IP litigation) and related business issues confronting companies and individuals in many industries, including fashion, e-commerce, social networking, insurance, musical instruments, and telecommunications.

Mr. Homyk was recognized on the Philadelphia Business Journal’s “40 Under 40” list in 2016, and has been listed in World Trademark Review 1000—The World’s Leading Trademark Professionals from 2017–2019 and IAM Strategy 300—The World’s Leading IP Strategists from 2017–2018. Mr. Homyk is also a member of the Law Firm Committee of the International Trademark Association (“INTA”).

Prior to joining Blank Rome, Mr. Homyk interned for the General Counsel of The Barnes Foundation, an educational institution dedicated to appreciation of the fine arts and horticulture. He received his B.S.F.S. from Georgetown University, and his J.D. from Villanova University Law School (cum laude).

Email: rosalindtkaplan@yahoo.com

Rosalind T. Kaplan is a plaintiff’s attorney and was formerly a shareholder in the firm of Litvin, Blumberg, Matusow and Young, P.A. and later was a member of the firm of Jarve, Kaplan & Granato, LLC. She practices in both Pennsylvania and New Jersey, in the areas of complex personal injury law, including medical malpractice, construction site accidents, premises liability and products liability.

Ms. Kaplan earned her B.A., cum laude, from Brooklyn College; her M.A. (English) degree from the University of Maryland and J.D. degree from Temple University School of Law, where she was an editor of the Temple Law Review.  From 1977 to 1978, she was law clerk to the Honorable J. Sydney Hoffman, Superior Court of Pennsylvania.

Since 1993, Ms. Kaplan has been adjunct faculty at Villanova Law School where she teaches civil pretrial practice. She has also taught trial advocacy at Temple Law School and the Academy of Advocacy. She regularly teaches at Temple Law School’s LLM in Trial Advocacy Program and for the National Institute of Trial Advocacy (NITA).  Ms. Kaplan  served for many years  on the Board of Governors of the Pennsylvania Association of Justice, where she chaired the Education and Amicus Curiae Committees and currently is on the Editorial Board of The Verdict. She teaches at various Continuing Legal Education programs, writes amicus curiae briefs, serves in the Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas Judge Pro Tem program. and is involved in several pro bono matters

Email: akline@saul.com

Amy Kline is currently a partner at Saul Ewing LLP, representing reinsurers and cedents in litigation and arbitration. She specializes in the areas of commercial litigation, higher education, and insurance. In conjunction with the members of the firm’s Insurance Practice, Ms. Kline publishes the Reinsurance Redux, a monthly ‘redux’ on developments in the law of reinsurance and arbitration.

Through her involvement as a member of ARIAS-US (Arias Law Committee), Ms. Kline has spoken as a panelist and participated in mock arbitrations for Arbitrator Training Workshops. She received her B.A. from Boston Univeristy, cum laude, with distinction, and her J.D. from Villanova University School of Law.

Email: SEKoffs@duanemorris.com

Steven E. Koffs is a partner at Duane Morris LLP where he concentrates his practice on intellectual property, with emphasis on patent prosecution, opinions (patent invalidity and non-infringement, right to use) trademarks, copyright and trade secret protection. Mr. Koffs has authored hundreds of patents and patent applications in various technical areas, and he has performed detailed analysis of patent validity, infringement and enforceability issues for litigations and has counseled clients and drafted opinions in litigation and pre-litigation scenarios. He is a board member of the Benjamin Franklin Inn of the American Inns of Court, the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers, and the Philadelphia Intellectual Property Law Association. He received his B.S. from the University of Pennsylvania, his graduate degree from Drexel University, and his law degree from Rutgers University School of Law.

Email: dale.larrimore@gmail.com

Dale Larrimore is senior partner of Larrimore & Farnish, LLP, focusing his practice areas on personal injury or disability claims, motor vehicle insurance and premises liability claims, negligence, wrongful death litigation, and workplace injury. He was admitted to U.S. Supreme Court in 1981.

Mr. Larrimore has an AV Preeminent rating with Martindale-Hubbell, a rating by attorneys and judges at the highest level of professional excellence for legal knowledge, communication skills and ethical standards. He is the author of Pennsylvania Rules of the Road, volume 13 of West’s Pennsylvania Practice Series and is a frequent lecturer in CLE programs on automobile law and civil practice and procedure. His other publications include Problems and Solutions Regarding Local Rules of Civil Procedure in the Courts of Common Pleas of Pennsylvania [26 Widener L.J. 25 (2017)]. He was an adjunct professor at Temple Law School from 1998 to 2014 where he taught Pennsylvania Civil Procedure. He has been teaching the same topic at Villanova Law School since 2010.

Mr. Larrimore serves on the Board of Governors of the Pennsylvania Association for Justice and received the George Douglas Amicus Curiae Award in 2003 and the For Justice Service Award in 2015 from that organization of trial attorneys. He also serves on the Editorial Board of The Verdict, a publication of the Philadelphia Trial Lawyers Association. He is actively involved with the Philadelphia Volunteers for the Indigent Program and is a member of the Hamilton Circle of the Philadelphia Bar Foundation.

Mr. Larrimore received his B.A. from Swarthmore College and J.D. from Villanova University School of Law. From 1976 until 2015 he was the Pennsylvania director and regional vice president of BARBRI, helping over 75,000 applicants pass the Pennsylvania or New Jersey bar examinations. He is an active member of the Villanova Law J. Willard O’Brien American Inn of Court and is currently serving as President of the Inn.

Email: tsiwen.law@law.villanova.edu

Tsiwen M. Law is a graduate of  the University of California, Berkeley where he helped to establish an Ethnic Studies Department. Mr. Law is one of the original instructors of Asian American Studies at Cal, and has taught APA Studies at Michigan, Penn, and Temple for over fifteen years. He was a labor activist and organizer for the Amalgamated Clothing and Textile Workers Union Local 42 and the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers, Automotive lodges 1305 and 606. Before attending graduate school, he was a factory worker, journeyman welder, and diesel tractor mechanic. He was graduated from the University of Michigan with a Master of Public Health with a specialization in occupational epidemiology and industrial hygiene. He has worked at OSHA as a health scientist, at the Philadelphia Dept. of Public Health as an industrial hygienist, and served on the PA Dept. of Environmental Protection working group on environmental justice. After graduating from the University of Pennsylvania Law School, he helped to found the Asian Pacific American Bar  Assn of PA and the National Asian Pacific American Bar Association. He was the first APA to receive the Fidelity Award from the Philadelphia Bar Assn and the second to receive the  A. Leon Higginbotham Award from the Pennsylvania Bar Association for his work on Act 172, The Pa Court Interpreters Act signed by Governor Ed Rendell in 2006. He is a recipient of the 2001 NAPABA Trailblazer Award and the AABA-DV Conscience of the Bar award for his work addressing the Golden Venture  refugees. He was active in the Committee to stop the baseball stadium from being constructed in Philadelphia Chinatown. During his tenure as chairman of the Mayor’s Commission on Asian American Affairs, he put forward a program for Asian multilingual services in the City of Philadelphia. He currently practices real estate law at Law & Associates, LLC in Philadelphia, PA.          

Rachel Lee practiced criminal law in the Criminal Defense Division of The Legal Aid Society in Manhattan and the Bronx. Prior to that, she was at a small boutique firm that specializes in white collar criminal crime in Manhattan. She currently practices intellectual property law in West Chester, Pennsylvania. She received her B.A. from Harvard College and her J.D. from Harvard Law School.

Email: jlesovitz@citrincooperman.com

Joseph Lesovitz is is a partner in the Valuation and Forensic Services Group at Citrin Cooperman. He has 15 years of experience and specializes in calculating damages in complex commercial litigation and in providing financial consulting and forensic accounting services to attorneys, public and private corporations, insurance companies, and governmental agencies. He has served as a damages expert witness in federal and state courts. He has provided consulting and dispute services for cases involving complex commercial damages, lost profits analysis, intellectual property infringements, business valuations, economic damage calculations, and fraud investigations. Professor Lesovitz earned a B.S. in Accounting from Villanova University and an M.B.A. in Accounting from Saint Joseph’s University.

Email: stephen.liedtka@villanova.edu

Professor Liedtka is an Associate Professor of Accounting at Villanova University. He previously taught at DeSales University and Lehigh University.  Professor Liedtka received his B.S. and M.S. from University of Virginia, and his Ph.D. from University of Maryland’s Robert H. Smith School of Business.

Email: bryant.lim@viropharma.com

Mr. Lim is the Senior Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary for Idera Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ: IDRA), a biotechnology company focused on rare diseases including those in oncology, a position he has held since 2018.    

Prior to joining Idera, he served as Vice President, Assistant General Counsel – U.S. at Incyte Corporation, a biotechnology company with approved products for a rare type of cancer and several investigational compounds being evaluated for a variety of oncologic conditions.  In this role, he had responsibilities for overseeing the company’s U.S. legal function, and matters relating to U.S. public policy.  He also served as the Company’s Global Chief Compliance Officer, where he had global responsibility overseeing the company’s compliance department and quality assurance.  Prior to joining Incyte, he served as Associate General Counsel at ViroPharma Incorporated, which was acquired by Shire, plc in 2014.  While at ViroPharma, he provided legal advice on global regulatory and compliance issues across a broad range of issues relating to regulatory, clinical trials, product promotion, patient privacy, global anti-corruption/anti-bribery and drug safety.

Prior to joining ViroPharma, Mr. Lim was Assistant Counsel at Merck & Co., Inc. where he focused his practice on FDA and other regulatory matters relating to the promotion, sales and marketing.  Prior to joining Merck, he was an attorney with Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP in Philadelphia.  Mr. Lim began his legal career serving as a law clerk to the Honorable Edmund V. Ludwig of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania.

Mr. Lim is a 1996 graduate of the Villanova University Charles Widger School of Law, where he served as the editor-in-chief of the Villanova Law Review.  Mr. Lim graduated from the University of Rochester in 1992 with a B.A. in history.  Mr. Lim currently serves on the Board of Directors at Life Sciences of Pennsylvania. 

Email: jeanine.linehan@law.villanova.edu

Jeanine Linehan has served as a dedicated public servant enforcing the laws the United States and her respective communities for the past twenty-six years. Since 2002, Jeanine has served as a federal prosecutor. Prior to that Jeanine was an Assistant District Counsel for the Immigration & Naturalization Service, and an Assistant District Attorney in Delaware County, Pennsylvania.

Following the terrorist attacks of 2001, the National Security and Counterterrorism Unit of the United States Attorney’s Office for Eastern District of Virginia. There, she prosecuted individuals for material support to terrorist acts, national security violations, and foreign atrocities. In addition to specializing in cases involving national security and foreign human rights abuses, Jeanine also prosecuted violent gang members of MS-13.

In 2011, Jeanine returned home to Philadelphia, where she was born and raised, to join the United States Attorney’s Office in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. For the last nine years, Jeanine has successfully prosecuted high-profile kidnappings, home invasions, and arson cases as a member of the Violent Crime Unit. As the Chief, Jeanine manages fifteen attorneys and handles a full caseload. In her leadership role, Jeanine has contributed to doubling the number of cases prosecuted by the Violent Crime Unit, including increasing the number of state cases adopted from the City of Philadelphia. Jeanine also proposed a Hobbs Act Robbery deterrent initiative as part of the Department of Justice’s Project Safe Neighborhoods program. This focused enforcement involves advertising to intending criminals and law-abiding citizens that robberies of commercial establishments will be prosecuted federally. This deterrent initiative has been well received by the Department of Justice officials in Washington, all law enforcement, and community partners throughout the United States.

Throughout her career, federal, state, and local enforcement and non-profit agencies have recognized Jeanine’s tireless work successfully prosecuting a wide range of crimes and zealously advocating for victims. In September, Jeanine will receive the Department of Justice’s prestigious Director’s Award.

email: klolli01@villanova.edu

Kent Lolis recently retired from his role as Vice President and Chief Diversity Officer for the Law School Admissions Council (LSAC). At LSAC he led key DEI initiatives, including the development of the Pre-Law Undergraduate Scholars (PLUS) Program, and the expansion of pre-law programs available for underrepresented minority students at HBCUs, the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities, AANAPISI and Tribal Colleges and Universities. Prior to his work at LSAC, Kent was the Associate Dean for Law Career Services and an Associate Professor of Law at Ohio Northern University College of Law, as well as Assistant Dean for Administration and University Staff Grievance Officer at University of Louisville School of Law.

Over his career he has held a number of board and committee positions with a variety of legal organizations, including a current membership role on the ABA Council for Racial and Ethnic Diversity in the Educational Pipeline. Kent holds a JD and an MS in Management from Northwestern University, as well as a BA in Political Science from Brown University. 

Christopher Lynett is an associate with the law firm Armstrong Teasdale where he litigates cases ranging from complex commercial matters to white collar criminal defense. He earned his BA in Political Science from the College of the Holy Cross and his JD, summa cum laude, from Suffolk University Law School. After law school, he clerked for the Hon. Malachy E. Mannion (District Court Judge) and the Hon. Thomas I. Vanaskie (U.S. Court of Appeals for the 3rd Circuit). Upon completing his clerkships, Lynett spent five years as an Assistant District Attorney in both the trial and appellate units of the Philadelphia District Attorneys office. He was likewise tapped for a leadership role when he was named assistant chief of the Municipal Court Unit in 2019-2020. 

Email: priscilla.mattison@law.villanova.edu       

Priscilla J. (“Sally”) Mattison is Of Counsel to the Bala Cynwyd, Pennsylvania-based firm Bernard M. Resnick, Esq., P.C.  She reviews, drafts and negotiates contracts, solicits deals, evaluates potential claims, and provides legal advice regarding contract law and intellectual property matters to U.S. and international entertainment industry clients.  Her clients have included recording artists, songwriters, record producers, record labels, music publishers, managers, booking agencies, music services companies, promoters, recording studios, documentary filmmakers, screenwriters, and film and television production companies.

Ms. Mattison has written or co-written articles published in The Pennsylvania Lawyer, the Journal of the International Alliance for Women in Music, and numerous books from the International Association of Entertainment Lawyers.  She has served as a speaker, moderator, or judge at entertainment industry and legal events around the country and in France. 

Ms. Mattison was selected to the 2020 Pennsylvania Super Lawyers list by Super Lawyers/Thomson Reuters and was named a Super Lawyers “Rising Star” in 2005, 2006 and 2007.  She was designated a Main Line Today Top Lawyer in 2014, 2015, 2016, 2018 and 2019, and was chosen as one of twenty “2019 Women on the Move” by Main Line Today magazine. 

A graduate of Yale University and the University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School, Ms. Mattison was also the recipient of a Fulbright Scholarship to study Communications at the Technical University of Berlin and earned a Certificate in Producing from the American Film Institute in Los Angeles.  

Email: kathryn.mazacourtney@law.villanova.edu

Kathryn Maza Courtney currently works at Saxton & Stump, where she represents hospitals and healthcare professionals in medical malpractice cases, and she advises hospitals, healthcare professionals, and corporations on litigation and risk mitigation issues, as well as event investigations and policy review. Previously, she worked at Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP, where she represented corporations and their directors and officers in acquisition-related litigation and other corporate and commercial disputes, as well as advising clients on transactional and corporate governance matters. She served as a law clerk to the Honorable Kent A. Jordan, of the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit, and to the Honorable Eduardo C. Robreno, of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. Mrs. Maza Courtney received her bachelor's degree, magna cum laude, from Bryn Mawr College and her J.D., magna cum laude, from Villanova Law.

Tiffani McDonough (she/her) is the Director, Senior Counsel, Employment & Litigation for Louis Vuitton where she manages all domestic and international employment matters and general litigation in the Americas region. In this role, she serves as a Director in the Legal Department and provides employment and compliance counseling to Louis Vuitton Americas' operations, including all corporate offices, workshops and retail locations throughout the United States, Canada, Mexico, Central America, the Caribbean, and South America. Additionally, she serves as the Senior Employment Counsel for Berluti LLC. She also oversees the Louis Vuitton Legal Externship Program. She received the 2019 Rising Star in Luxury Law Award from the New York Luxury Law Summit.  She has authored numerous articles, book chapters and educational materials in the area of labor and employment law and regularly lectures on employment law issues. Most recently, she was a contributing author to The Business and Law of Fashion and Retail (Carolina Academic Press, 2020).

Prior to joining Louis Vuitton, she practiced in the area of labor and employment law at Obermayer Rebmann Maxwell & Hippel LLP, Cozen O’Connor, and Littler Mendelson, P.C. While at Obermayer, she created HRLegalist, an online resource on the latest developments and trends in labor and employment law as well as analysis and commentary regarding best practices for employers. In 2014, she was named as a Pennsylvania “Lawyer on the Fast Track” by the Legal Intelligencer, an award recognizing the top 36 lawyers under 40 years old in Pennsylvania. She was named to the 2012 and 2014 Pennsylvania Rising Stars as listed in Philadelphia and Pennsylvania Super Lawyers magazines. She received her B.S. in Biology and B.A. in Psychology from Villanova University and her J.D. from Villanova University School of Law, where she was an Associate Editor of the Villanova Law Review.

Email: cmeehan@morganlewis.com

Coleen M. Meehan is a partner and trial lawyer in Morgan Lewis's Litigation Practice, resident in the Philadelphia office. Ms. Meehan’s practice encompasses a variety of commercial and civil litigation, with particular emphasis on handling complex commercial litigation and business tort matters. In addition to her litigation practice, Ms. Meehan counsels clients in intellectual property matters, including false advertising, trademarks, trade secrets, licensing, and unfair competition. Ms. Meehan runs the Philadelphia office’s pro bono program with the Montgomery County District Attorney’s office, and she also serves as a volunteer attorney for the Support Center for Child Advocates, representing abused and neglected children. She received her B.S. from Villanova University and her J.D. from Villanova University School of Law.

Michelle Michelson is an Assistant District Attorney in the Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office. She prosecutes felony cases and post-conviction matters in the Court of Common Pleas. She specializes in prosecuting cases of sexual assault and human trafficking. 

Michelson earned her BA in Psychology and Criminal Justice from Temple University, and her JD from Villanova University School of Law. In law school, she competed on the Moot Court Board where she was a finalist and best brief recipient. In her free time, she enjoys being outside with her horses and dog. 

Email: mmomjian@momjiananderer.com

A graduate of Columbia College and the Columbia University School of Law, Mr. Momjian is co-founder of Momjian Anderer, LLC, a family law practice based in Philadelphia. His statewide practice encompasses all aspects of family law litigation and appellate advocacy. Listed in The Best Lawyers of America and Who's Who in America, Mr. Momjian is co-author (with his late father, Albert Momjian) of Pennsylvania Family Law Annotated, published by Thomson/Reuters and currently in its twelfth edition. He writes and lectures frequently about trends in domestic relations, with a special emphasis on biotechnology's impact on family law. Mr. Momjian has published numerous articles on specialized aspects of family law, some of which have appeared in The National Law Journal, The American Journal of Family Law, American Law Reports, and Divorce Litigation. His articles on family law have been cited in numerous law reviews and journals, including The Yale Law Journal, The Virginia Journal of Social Policy, Law & Psychology Review, and Law and Inequality. Mr. Momjian is the recipient of many awards and honors for public service. Regularly listed in Pennsylvania Super Lawyers, he has appeared as a guest on Larry King Live and The Today Show. An Adjunct Professor of Psychiatry at the Drexel University College of Medicine, Mr. Momjian has lectured on family law and professional ethics at the University of Pennsylvania, Temple, Villanova, and Widener Law Schools, as well as HIV-AIDS and the law at Rutgers-Camden Law School. In a landmark 2006 case, he successfully defended the constitutionality of the Grandparent Visitation Act before the Pennsylvania Supreme Court.  Mr. Momjian is a current member of the Domestic Relations Advisory Committee of the Commonwealth’s Joint State Government Commission.

Email:  travis.nelson@hklaw.com

Travis P. Nelson is a partner in the Philadelphia Office of Holland & Knight, LLP, where focuses his practice on serving financial institutions, and other companies, and their directors and officers, in regulatory compliance (including consumer and non-consumer regulation), bank and bank holding company corporate governance issues, bank mergers and acquisitions, federal and state enforcement actions, internal investigations, and defense of financial services class action litigation. In addition, Mr. Nelson is Co-Chair of the Firm’s Anti-Money Laundering and Trade Sanctions Group.  Mr. Nelson is formerly with the Enforcement Division of the Office of Comptroller of the Currency, the bureau of the U.S. Treasury Department that regulates federally-chartered banks. He is a frequent writer and speaker on bank regulation, and serves as editor-in-chief of the Reed Smith Financial Services Regulatory Blog, editor-in-chief of the ABA’s Banking Law Committee Journal, and vice-chair of the Banking Law Section of the New Jersey State Bar Association.  Mr. Nelson received his B.S. in Economics from Villanova University’s School of Business, and his J.D. from The Catholic University of America.

Email: vincent.nicastro@villanova.edu

Vince Nicastro is the Deputy Commissioner and Chief Operating Officer of the Big East Conference. He previously served as the Associate Director of the Moorad Center, lending his knowledge of athletics and experience at Villanova to the education and improvement of the Center.  Nicastro also served as Director of Athletics at Villanova from 2000 to 2015.

As the Director of Athletics, Nicastro was responsible for leading a Villanova Athletics Department that demonstrated a strong commitment to excellence both in competition and in the classroom.  Villanova won 30 conference championships during his tenure, including 15 Big East titles alone in the 2013-14 and 2014-15 academic years.  At the national level the Wildcats won national championships in women’s cross country (2009, 2010) and football (2009) while also crowning 10 individual national champions.

Achievement in the classroom also remained a priority under Nicastro’s leadership. During his time as AD, Villanova student-athletes consistently earned composite GPAs above 3.1, while earning national recognition for graduation and NCAA academic progress rates.  During the 2013-14 academic year Jessica Wamala from women’s basketball became the third student-athlete in Villanova history to be named a Rhodes Scholar.

Nicastro was also active both inside and outside the University, serving on many key committees. He was a member of the Villanova University President’s Cabinet and the University’s Administrative Budget Committee.  Nicastro was also a member of the NCAA Division I Committee on Academic Performance and currently serves on the NCAA Division I Committee on Infractions. He has served as the chair of the Big East Conference Finance Committee, the Big East Conference Athletic Directors Executive Committee and the Big East Conference Championships and Competition Committee.

A 1987 graduate of Bloomsburg University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration/Accounting,  Nicastro earned his MBA from St. Joseph’s University in 1994. Nicastro and his wife Liz reside in Drexel Hill, Pa., with their twin sons, Jake and Casey.

John J. O'Malley is a shareholder at Volpe and Koenig, P.C. and chairs its Trademark/Copyright Practice Group. He focuses his practice on advising clients on strategies for building brands and developing and protecting U.S. and international trademark portfolios.  He also counsels clients on a wide range of IP matters, including IP litigation, privacy and data security, IP due diligence for banks, investment companies, venture capital and private equity investors; negotiating intellectual property agreements, and counseling start-up and emerging companies in cost effective strategies to protect key IP assets. Mr. O’Malley received his B.A. in Political Science, cum laude, from The George Washington University and he received his J.D. from Villanova University School of Law.  

Email: momara@stradley.com

Mike O’Mara is a trial lawyer who focuses his practice on corporate disputes, business torts, securities fraud and other complex commercial matters. He chairs Stradley Ronon’s 65-attorney litigation department and also serves on the firm's board of directors. He has experience practice in commercial litigation, including merger and acquisition disputes; shareholder, partnership and derivative claims; class actions; ERISA claims; insurance; and commercial real estate disputes. He also serves as counsel to a number of nonprofit organizations, including religious, educational and health care organizations. Mr. O’Mara has been recognized by The Legal Intelligencer as one of Pennsylvania’s “Lawyers on the Fast Track”, and he was named by Chambers USA: America’s Leading Lawyers for Business as a recognized practitioner on the 2014 Litigation: General Commercial list. He received his B.S. from James Madison University, magna cum laude, and his J.D. from Pennsylvania State University Dickinson School of Law, cum laude.

Email: steven.patton@phila.gov

Steven Patton is an Assistant District Attorney in the trial division of the Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office.  He prosecutes a range of misdemeanor and felony cases in Philadelphia Municipal Court and the Court of Common Pleas.  He earned his B.A., magna cum laude, in Political Science and Psychology from La Salle University and his J.D. from Villanova University School of Law.  In law school, he competed on both the Moot Court Board and National Trial Team, where he was a two-time national finalist in the American Bar Association Labor Law Trial Competition.  He is the recipient of the 2015 International Academy of Trial Lawyers’ Advocacy Award and the 2015 James Manderio Award for Trial Advocacy from the Philadelphia Trial Lawyers’ Association.

Danielle Pierre, is a Senior Associate in the Washington, DC office of FordHarrison LLP, where she focuses her practice on the representation of management clients in labor and employment law issues. This includes representing clients in matters in state and federal court in matters including claims of discrimination, harassment, retaliation, wrongful termination, whistleblower retaliation, workers compensation retaliation, and other employment contract disputes. She also provides counsel and advice to clients, through drafting various policies, and defending Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) and state employment practice agency charges. 

Pierre is a graduate of Drexel University, BS and Villanova University School of Law, JD. At Villanova, she was an Associate Editor of the Villanova Environmental Law Journal. Pierre served as an FSA Law Clerk in the United States Attorneys’ Office and as a Law Clerk to the Honorable Greta Gooden Brown in the Appellate Division of the Superior Court of New Jersey.

Email: BMResnick@gmail.com

Bernard M. Resnick, Esq. is an entertainment attorney practicing in Philadelphia, PA, USA.  He has worked in the entertainment industry for thirty years.  He has been rated “AV Preeminent” by Martindale/Hubbell; he has been named a “Pennsylvania Superlawyer” by Philadelphia Magazine/Law & Politics Magazine for 12 consecutive years; and he has been named one of Main Line Today's Top Lawyers for 2014 and 2015.  His law firm, Bernard M. Resnick, Esq., P.C., has earned over 100 gold, platinum, multi-platinum, Billboard #1, MTV, Eurovision and/or BDS Certified Spin awards for deals negotiated and drafted on behalf of the firm’s clients, representing sales of over 130,000,000 records.

His firm’s clientele ranges across many styles and genres of talent, encompassing recording artists, songwriters, record producers, agents, managers, filmmakers, financiers, internet website designers and operators, professional athletes, etc.  Clients of the firm vary from “baby bands” and neophyte filmmakers to gold and platinum-selling recording artists, producers and songwriters, Grammy award winners, members of the Rock n’ Roll Hall of Fame, record labels, international entertainment businesses, and publicly-traded companies.  The firm regularly places client music in television programs, movies, and video games.

Email: shea.rhodes@law.villanova.edu

Shea M. Rhodes, Esq. has dedicated her career to combating gender-based violence. As Co-Founder and Director of the Institute to Address Commercial Sexual Exploitation (CSE Institute) at Villanova Law, Ms. Rhodes works with and for victims and survivors of commercial sexual exploitation. She is the statewide expert on Pennsylvania laws related to sex trafficking. Ms. Rhodes is a member of several anti-trafficking initiatives, including Philadelphia’s Anti-Trafficking Coalition, the Pennsylvania Anti-Human Trafficking Advocacy Work Group, and Shared Hope International’s JuST Response Council. She also sits on the Executive Committees for World Without Exploitation and Dawn’s Place. Her dedication resulted in Legal Intelligencer naming her a 2019 “Power Player.” Ms. Rhodes conducts trainings and presentations locally, nationally, and internationally. Her written materials can be found on the CSE Institute website. She is a graduate of Villanova Law and the University of Kansas.

William G. Roark '06, is a Principal of Hamburg, Rubin, Mullin, Maxwell & Lupin and chair of the firm’s medical marijuana practice. He represents individuals and businesses in the medical marijuana industry by helping them comply with Pennsylvania’s Medical Marijuana Act. Because he has remained on the forefront of the legislative development and implementation of the Act, Roark has been asked to plan and present at various educational seminars teaching other professionals about this new law.  He currently serves as co-chair of the Pennsylvania Bar Association’s Medical Marijuana and Hemp Law Committee.  Professor Roark’s practice also includes environmental litigation and catastrophic injury cases. His clients have included individuals suffering from traumatic brain injuries, medical malpractice, and exposure to dangerous chemicals.  

A graduate of Bucknell University (BA Economics, cum laude, 2003), Roark received his law degree with honors in 2006 from Villanova University Charles Widger School of Law where he served as a member of the Villanova Moot Court Board Executive Committee. 

Email: jrodgers@dilworthlaw.com

James J. Rodgers is a Partner at Dilworth Paxson LLP in Philadelphia and Chair of the Firm’s Antitrust Practice Group. He litigates complex commercial cases, including trial and appeals in such areas as antitrust, intellectual property, insurance coverage, and securities, including class actions and bankruptcy matters. He has represented Fortune 500 companies, private companies, public entities, and individuals in a wide range of disputes including merger litigation. He has advised on antitrust aspects of M&A transactions and pre-merger notification filings. Mr. Rodgers has tried cases throughout the United States in federal and state courts. He is a former chair of the Antitrust Committee of the Philadelphia Bar Association. Mr. Rodgers is also former chair of his law firm’s ethic committee.

Mr. Rodgers received his BA in Political Science from Fordham University in 1972 and his JD cum laude from the University of Michigan Law School in 1975.

Mr. Rodgers is extensively involved in alumni activities for his undergraduate alma mater, rsity. He has acted as President of the Delaware Valley Chapter of the Fordham Alumni, and he served as a Vice President of the Fordham College Alumni Association. Mr. Rodgers is a founding member of the Executive Board of the Fordham Rowing Association, the alumni support group for men’s and women’s rowing programs at Fordham. Mr. Rodgers previously served as President of the Board of the Philadelphia Children’s Foundation, dedicated to helping young people, primarily students in the Philadelphia School District, to realize their potential by providing books, computers and other services and programs to enrich their educational experience. He is a member of Crescent Boat Club, and represents the club as a delegate to the Board of the Schuylkill Navy of Philadelphia.
 

Email: lee.rosengard@gmail.com

Lee Rosengard spent his 41-year legal career at Philadelphia-based Stradley, Ronon, Stevens & Young, LLP, retiring as a litigation partner in December 2017.  He has decades of experience trying and settling cases, both as a litigator and as an ADR provider.  He was an early proponent of ADR, and in the mid-1990’s established Stradley’s groundbreaking Alternative Dispute Resolution Practice Group, which he chaired.  He was formerly chair of Stradley’s Litigation Department and was the firm’s General Counsel for more than 20 years.  He is a member of the CPR Institute Panel of Distinguished Neutrals and the American Arbitration Association Commercial Panel.  He chaired the Philadelphia Bar Association’s Alternative Dispute Resolution Committee in 2006.

In 2018, Mr. Rosengard founded Rosengard ADR, www.rosengard-adr.com, where he provides Alternative Dispute Resolution services as a mediator, arbitrator and early neutral evaluator.

Mr. Rosengard received his A.B. from Dartmouth College, summa cum laude, where he was elected to Phi Beta Kappa.  He earned his J.D. from The University of Pennsylvania Law School, where he is also a lecturer, teaching Introduction to US Law and Legal Methods in the Master-in-Law program.

Mr. Rosengard was named a Pennsylvania Super Lawyer® consecutively from 2004 to his Stradley retirement.  For over 20, years he was Museum Counsel for Please Touch Museum®, the Children’s Museum of Philadelphia.  He is a former Trustee of Congregation Rodeph Shalom and for 21 years was a faculty member in its Religious School.  He is an Eagle Scout.

Stewart Ryan,  is an experienced trial lawyer who has litigated dozens of cases to verdict. He is an associate at Laffey, Bucci & Kent where he represents survivors of sexual assault and other crimes in the civil justice system. Prior to joining Laffey, Bucci & Kent, Ryan served as Assistant Chief of the Trials Division in the Montgomery County District Attorney’s Office. During his time in Montgomery County, he specialized in prosecuting crimes of sexual violence perpetrated against adults and children, as well as cases of physical child abuse, child exploitation, domestic violence and elder abuse.

As a prosecutor, Ryan handled a number of high-profile cases including Commonwealth v. William H. Cosby Jr. Ryan has been a frequent speaker, panelist, presenter and author, on issues surrounding the rights of crime survivors in the criminal and civil justice systems. He has appeared or been quoted in both national and local media including Good Morning America, ABC national news coverage of high-profile criminal trials and investigations, The Washington Post, The New York Times, The Los Angeles Times, The Associated Press, The Philadelphia Inquirer, The Legal Intelligencer and others. 

Ryan is a graduate of Franklin & Marshall (BA 2009) and he received his law degree from Widener University School of Law (2012).

Email:  lisa.sabatino@law.villanova.edu

Lisa Sabatino is an experienced attorney, knowledgeable in legal research and legal writing as well as civil and commercial litigation, westlaw, and arbitration. Previously, she was an attorney at Ahmad & Zaffarese, LLC from 2011-2012 and Of Counsel at Rawle & Henderson from 2008-2011. Prior to this, she was an associate at Pelino & Lentz from 2000-2008. Ms. Sabatino also worked as a Law Clerk in both the U.S. District Court and Chester County Court of Common Pleas. She received her B.A. in English and Business Administration from Penn State University and her J.D. from Villanova University School of Law.

Email: wcjseelig@gmail.com

Judge Todd B. Seelig has served as a Workers Compensation Judge for the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania in the Philadelphia District since 1996. He is the current co-editor of the treatise, Barbieri, Pennsylvania Workers Compensation, and he currently serves on the editorial board of The Brief for TIPS. Judge Seelig has been active in the Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, and American Bar Associations and has served in leadership positions for all. He served as president of the Pennsylvania Workers’ Compensation Judges Professional Association from 2003-2007, and he is a former co-chair of the Philadelphia Bar Association Workers’ Compensation Section. Judge Seelig is a frequent lecturer and guest speaker for CLE and bar association activities. He received his J.D. from Villanova University School of Law.

Email: rseiger@constangy.com

Robert Seiger is a Partner at Constangy, Brooks, Smith & Prophete LLP. His practice surrounds the representation of employers in all aspects of immigration law and compliance. This includes representing employers in matters ranging from assisting employers with their visa and Permanent Resident needs for employees to developing a comprehensive immigration law compliance strategy. Additionally, Mr. Seiger has significant work experience assisting clients in the sports industry. He serves as an immigration counsel to several NHL franchises and additionally represents clients in professional football, baseball soccer and golf. He is a current member of the American Immigration Lawyers Association, where he is editor of publications, and he was listed as a “Rising Star” by Law and Politics Magazine 2005-2007. He received his B.A. from the University of Pennsylvania and his J.D. from Villanova University School of Law.

Email

Zach Torres-Fowler is a senior associate with Troutman Pepper Hamilton Sanders LLP in Philadelphia and New York.  His practice focuses on complex international and domestic arbitrations, particularly those involving construction, engineering, and infrastructure projects.  Zach has represented clients in connection with disputes located around the world and has experience with a wide variety of international and U.S. domestic arbitral rules.  In addition, Zach is a regular author and speaker in the field of international arbitration and has been published in multiple academic and professional journals.  He received his JD from the University of Virginia School of Law and BA from the University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill. 

Email: svancelaw@comcast.net

Sheilah D. Vance, Esq.,  President and CEO of Vance Education Law Solutions, and Chief of Staff and Deputy to the President at Cheyney University, has an extensive background in education law at the K-12 and higher education level.  While maintaining a private law practice, Vance served as President and General Counsel of the Institute for Educational Equity and Opportunity, a research, education and training organization that focuses on K-12 public school finance issues, located in Washington, DC and Philadelphia, PA.  Vance has published and presented extensively in the areas of public and legal education.  She has also worked as Special Assistant to the Pennsylvania Secretary of Education, Project Manager for the American Cities Foundation Best Practices in Urban Education Project, Hearing Officer for the Pennsylvania Department of Education, and Editor of Higher Education Publications for the National Education Association.  Vance has a J.D. from the Georgetown University Law Center and a B.A. in Communications from Howard University.  Vance was employed at Villanova University School of Law (VLS) from 1998 – 2006, as a Visiting Legal Writing Instructor for two years before becoming Director and then Assistant Dean for Academic Support.   She has taught the Education Law Seminar at VLS since 2000.  In 2006, Vance received the Woman of Distinction Award from the Barristers Association of Philadelphia, the local affiliate of the National Bar Association, for “exemplary service to the community through the practice of law” and “impressive personal accomplishments as an African American attorney.”  She is a member of numerous civic and professional organizations, including the Board of Directors of Teach for America, Greater Philadelphia Region.

Anthony Volpe, is the cofounding partner of Volpe and Koenig, P. C., where he has more than four decades of IP experience. Volpe analyzes the client's business and objectives to craft strategies for achieving the client's goals, domestically and internationally, in patent, trademark, and copyright prosecution, enforcement and monetization. He engages in all aspects of IP procurement, due diligence and clearances including non-compete/non-disclosure agreements, employment agreements, joint development agreements, joint defense agreement, unfair competition, trade secrets, infringement opinions and licensing.  

Volpe earned his JD from the University of Toledo College of Law and his undergraduate engineering degree from the Philadelphia College of Textiles and Science (now Jefferson University). He is admitted to the U.S. Supreme Court; The Supreme Court of Pennsylvania; the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania; The United States Patent and Trademark Office; and multiple circuit courts of appeal.

Seth Weber, Esquire has been a practicing attorney in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania for approximately 41 years.  After receiving his B.S. Degree in Criminal Justice from Rutgers University, Weber attended Temple Law School in Philadelphia and received his Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree.  He then began his public service legal career in the Bucks County Public Defender Office, and then as an Assistant District Attorney in the Bucks County District Attorney’s Office.  Weber then was appointed as an Assistant United States Attorney in Philadelphia for 26 years, having earned the position of Supervisor of the Allentown Satellite Office for the 10 year period before leaving that office. During his federal career, Weber investigated and prosecuted cases working with the FBI, DEA, EPA, IRS, ATF and other federal agencies.  In his career as a trial attorney, he has personally tried over 150 jury trials as lead attorney, all of which involved State or Federal criminal offenses in a variety of cases including drug conspiracies, drug gangs, environmental crime, varieties of white collar crime, such as public corruption, RICO, mail fraud, wire fraud, government fraud, etc., in addition to violent crimes including gun crimes and armed bank robberies.

From November 2011 through November 2016, Weber volunteered his time through the Bucks County Legal Aid Office, as a volunteer (pro bono) attorney to represent victims of domestic abuse and violence.  He appeared in court each Wednesday to handle cases of Protection From Abuse.  In recognition of his pro bono efforts, Weber received both the Pennsylvania Bar Association and the Bucks County Bar Association Pro Bono Awards for 2014.

Weber is currently an Adjunct Professor at DeSales University where he has taught in the Criminal Justice Department since 2013.  He has taught in the graduate Master’s in Criminal Justice Program having taught courses in “Issues in Criminal Law” and “Ethics in Criminal Justice.”  He also teaches in the DeSales undergraduate Criminal Justice Program having taught courses in the “Criminal Justice Senior Seminar,” “Drugs and Crime,” “White Collar Crime,” “Environmental Policy and Law," “Constitutional Law,” “Ethics in Criminal Justice,” and “Law in America.”

Since 2018, Weber has been an Adjunct Professor at Villanova University teaching an undergraduate course each Spring Term in “Environmental Law.”

Email: ayanna_williams@fd.org

Ayanna Williams is an Assistant Federal Defender in the Capital Habeas Unit of the Federal Community Defender Office for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, where she represents death-sentenced clients in post-conviction proceedings. As a member of the CHU’s intern committee, she is responsible for the hiring and supervision of legal interns for the fall, spring, and summer. Before joining the Capital Habeas Unit, she was an Associate in the Litigation Department of Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP in New York. She received her B.A. from Harvard University, cum laude, and her J.D. from New York University School of Law.

Benjamin M. Willis is a contributing editor for Tax Notes Federal and Tax Notes International. He has worked in PwC’s national mergers and acquisitions and international tax services groups, designing and implementing inbound and outbound cross-border transactions for multinational firms, and as an attorney-adviser in the Treasury Office of Tax Policy. He also worked as a senior technical adviser in the IRS Office of Chief Counsel, as a senior corporate tax counsel for the Senate Finance Committee, and as leader of the corporate tax group in BDO’s national office. He writes the column Willis Weighs In. He received his JD from New England Law Boston and his LLM from Boston University School of Law and specializes in corporate taxation.  

Email: Ayouman@youmancaputo.com

Youman earned his bachelor’s degree from the University of Wisconsin. He serves as a Board Member of the Public Interest Civil Litigation Fund, which provides funds for indigent litigants in civil cases pending in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. Youman is a member of the Philadelphia Bar Association, the Pennsylvania Association for Justice, the Philadelphia Trial Lawyers Association and the American Association for Justice. In July 2010, he was appointed by the Pennsylvania Supreme Court to the Civil Procedural Rules Committee, which assists the high court in the preparation, revision and administration of the rules of civil procedure for the Common Pleas courts statewide.