Meet The Team
Mari Bonthuis
Partner, Litigation
Mari Bonthuis is a partner in Sterlington’s dispute resolution practice. A highly skilled litigator, she represents executives and founders in disputes regarding compensation and business breakups. Her practice encompasses a breadth of complex legal matters, from partnership disputes and employment exits to insurance coverage and securities litigation. She advises clients on a variety of contracts, including employment, grant, and separation agreements with non-compete clauses.
An accomplished trial lawyer, Mari is known for her compelling written advocacy, courtroom presence, depositions, and cross-examinations. She has tried cases in federal and state courts across the country – including in New York, California, Florida, and Pennsylvania—and before arbitral panels at JAMS and the AAA.
Prior to joining the firm, she worked for 10 years at Covington & Burling LLP’s New York office after completing a federal clerkship in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. Mari earned her J.D. cum laude from New York University School of Law, where she was a Dean’s Scholar and Robert McKay Scholar, and her B.A. magna cum laude from St. Olaf College.
Other Partners at Sterlington
Courtney Rockett
Partner, LitigationSeasoned litigator in commercial, partnership, private aviation, entertainment and IP disputes. Former partner at Boies Schiller for 18 years, after starting at Cahill Gordon. Recognized by Legal 500 as New York Elite in Commercial Disputes and a Leading Litigator in America by Lawdragon.
Jonathan Sherman
Partner and Vice Chair, Strategic LitigationNationally recognized commercial litigator and First Amendment advocate. Formerly with Boies Schiller Flexner for 24 years. Lead counsel in high-profile securities fraud, defamation, and intellectual property cases. Named one of the 500 Leading Lawyers and Litigators in America by Lawdragon.
Paul Jebely
Partner and Vice Chair, InternationalTop global private aviation attorney for UHNW individuals. Chambers “Private Aviation & Yachts Lawyer of the Year”, “Private Wealth Lawyer of the Year”, and a longstanding Band 1 ranking (HNW – Private Aircraft). Lead counsel on $24 billion in aircraft transactions. Founder and Chair of The Hague Court of Arbitration for Aviation.
Todd McClelland
Partner, Cybersecurity, Data Privacy, AI, and LitigationPartner focusing on cybersecurity, data privacy, and technology law. Formerly Head of Global Privacy & Cybersecurity Practice Group at McDermott, Will & Emery. Recognized by Legal 500 U.S. and Best Lawyers® in America for Privacy and Data Security and named “Lawyer of the Year” in IT Outsourcing Law.
Brian Slater
Partner and Co-Head, Intellectual PropertyLead trial lawyer in high-stakes IP disputes, including Hatch-Waxman patent litigations. Former Chair of Life Sciences at Kramer Levin and served on the management committee of IP boutique, Fitzpatrick Cella (now Venable LLP). Recognized in IAM Patent 1000: The World’s Leading Patent Professionals. LL.M. from the University of Pennsylvania (Thouron Scholar).
Jesse Sherrett
Partner, Litigation and ArbitrationInternational arbitration lawyer with over a decade of experience in complex multinational disputes. Previously a partner at A&O Shearman, and trained at Cleary Gottlieb. Recognized by Lexology (formerly Who’s Who Legal) as Arbitration Future Leader and Arbitration Thought Leader – Global Elite, as well as a Legal 500 Arbitration Rising Star.
Odysseas G. Repousis
Partner, Litigation and ArbitrationLitigation and arbitration lawyer specializing in complex commercial disputes, including shareholder and special situations disputes. Previously at Quinn Emanuel in New York and London. Ph.D. in arbitration and investment law. LL.M. from Harvard Law School.
Callum McNeil
Managing Partner, British Virgin IslandsInsolvency and litigation partner in the British Virgin Islands (BVI), focusing on crypto, commercial litigation, and insolvency matters in the BVI, often with cross-border elements. Ranked in Chambers Global for Dispute Resolution – BVI and Leading Partner for Dispute Resolution: BVI in Legal 500 Caribbean. Former partner at Walkers.
Brent Babcock
Partner, Patent Litigation & PTABNationally recognized PTAB practitioner and patent litigator, handled more than 35 patent interferences and 140 post-grant proceedings before the USPTO. Ranked among top PTAB practitioners by IAM Patent 1000 and named PTAB Practitioner of the Year by Managing Intellectual Property. Previously Chair of PTAB trial practices at Loeb & Loeb and practiced at Womble Bond Dickinson. J.D. and M.B.A. from Georgetown.
Gregory Sephton
Partner and Co-Head, Intellectual PropertyIP and Life Sciences Partner and Co-Head of Sterlington’s IP practice. Extensive experience in high-stakes patent litigation for pharmaceutical and biotech innovators. Former partner at Kramer Levin and at Fitzpatrick Cella (now Venable LLP). Ph.D. in biochemistry from Brandeis University and J.D. from Suffolk University.
Jennifer Czeisler
Partner and Co-Head, Complex LitigationFormer partner with Milberg. Focused on complex and class litigation in the areas of consumer products and services, data privacy and cyber security, antitrust, and advertising. J.D. cum laude from the University of Miami. Master of Social Work. B.A. cum laude from Hofstra University.
Edward W. Ciolko
Partner and Co-Head, Complex LitigationFocuses on ERISA, privacy/cyber security, lending, student lending, antitrust, RESPA, consumer fraud, and FLSA. Former Attorney Advisor at the FTC and former partner at Lynch Carpenter and Kessler Topaz, where he led practice groups at each. J.D. from Georgetown. M.B.A. from Yale School of Management. B.A. from Wesleyan University.
Erika Burk
Partner, LitigationLitigation partner with 20 years of legal experience. Former counsel at Simpson Thacher. J.D. from Brooklyn Law School (editor-in-chief of Brooklyn Law Review, Moot Court Honor Society Member, and Richardson Merit Scholar). Master of Arts in PoliSci. from Columbia University. B.A. from Middlebury College.
Don Klawiter
Of Counsel, AntitrustOf counsel with a 45-year career in antitrust law. Former partner at Morgan Lewis, Mayer Brown, and Sheppard Mullin. Former antitrust prosecutor with the U.S. Dept. of Justice and Chief of the Dallas Office. Former Chair of the ABA Section of Antitrust Law. J.D., B.A., and M.A. from the University of Pennsylvania.
Richard Reice
Partner, Employment and LitigationEmployment litigation partner, focused on civil litigation and labor and employment law. Seasoned litigator, mediator, and arbitrator, he is a thought leader in algorithm bias and employment discrimination, and gender discrimination. Former partner at Greenberg Traurig, Seyfarth Shaw, and former head of HR at Frontier Telephone. Recognized in New York Metro Super Lawyers®.
Robert W. Ray
Partner, LitigationProminent former federal prosecutor and seasoned white-collar litigator. Successor to Ken Starr as head of the U.S. Office of Independent Counsel, including for the Whitewater investigation. Represented clients in more than 30 federal jury trials. Spoken before Congress on constitutional questions. Clerked on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 2nd Circuit. Frequent commentator on CNN, Fox News, MSNBC, and other major networks.
Geoffrey Raicht
Of CounselOf counsel in Sterlington’s Bankruptcy and Restructuring practice. Former partner at Sidley, McDermott, Proskauer, and Haynes and Boone. Recognized by Legal 500 as a leading lawyer. Earned J.D. from CUNY Law School, and MPA and B.A. from NYU.
Ann Jernow
Of Counsel, LitigationPreviously an associate at Quinn Emanuel and a partner at Manatt. J.D. from NYU School of Law (Staff Editor – Environmental Law Journal). B.A. from Duke University.
Alyssa Pronley
CounselCounsel in Litigation practice with a focus on commercial and intellectual property disputes. Previously at Baker Botts. J.D. from NYU and B.A. (hons) from Loyola University Chicago.
Laura Ghitti
CounselCounsel focusing on dispute resolution, international arbitration, commercial arbitration, and investment arbitration. Recognized by Lexology as an Arbitration Future Leader and an Arbitration Thought Leader – Global Elite, as well as a Legal 500 Arbitration Rising Star.
Eric Small
CounselCounsel focusing on commercial litigation matters. Formerly worked at mid-sized law firms in their commercial litigation practices. B.A. in Econ from The Honors College, Stony Brook University (magna cum laude with Dean’s List honors). J.D. from St. John’s University School of Law (Executive Notes and Comments Editor for the American Bankruptcy Institute Law Review).
Arturo Peña
CounselCommercial and corporate litigation counsel. Former associate at Gibson Dunn and Nelson Mullins. J.D. from UCLA School of Law (Order of the Coif honor society, senior editor for UCLA Law Review, Co-Editor-in-Chief of Journal of International Law and Foreign Affairs). B.S. summa cum laude in Legal Studies from St. John’s University (highest cumulative index in the Legal Studies Program).
Christopher Weber
AssociateAssociate in Litigation practice focusing on patent litigation, including under Hatch-Waxman. Former associate at Finnegan and at Green Griffith. J.D. from Washington University School of Law and Ph.D. from the University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine.
Patrick McDonough
AssociateAssociate in Litigation practice, focusing on executives, boards, and companies in complex commercial and securities litigation. Former associate at Mintz and LeClairRyan. Recognised in Best Lawyers in America: One to Watch.
Julian Jiggetts
AssociateAssociate focusing on complex commercial disputes, investigations, and high‑stakes regulatory matters. Formerly at Quinn Emanuel. J.D. from Harvard and B.A. (hons) from Brown.
Jarrett Field
AssociateLitigator with experience in complex commercial disputes, regulatory enforcement, white collar defense, and internal investigations. Former associate at Linklaters.
Allyesha Hall
AssociateAssociate focusing on financial restructuring, commercial complex disputes, and consumer protection. Previously at Dechert. J.D. from Cornell.
Nemanja Krstic
AssociateAssociate focusing on complex patent litigation under Hatch-Waxman. Former associate at two Chicago litigation boutiques. B.S. in biochemistry and molecular biology from Benedictine University and J.D. from Loyola University Chicago School of Law.
Yang Wang
AssociateAssociate focusing on patent litigation, patent prosecution, and IP-transactional matters. Previously at Cooley. J.D. and Ph.D. in Cellular and Molecular Biology from the University of Alberta.
Hugo Costa Liziario
AssociateAssociate in the BVI practice, focused on commercial litigation and contentious insolvency. Former associate at Holman Fenwick Willan. LL.M. from University of Law, London.
Jennifer Sosa
AssociateAssociate focusing on complex litigation. Previously at Milberg. B.S. (cum laude) in Chemical Engineering from Northeastern University and J.D. from Temple University Beasley School of Law.
Lane Clarke
AssociateLitigator with experience in complex disputes and cross-border enforcement. Former prosecutor in the DOJ’s FCPA Unit. J.D. from University of Chicago Law School.
Marisa Pagan-Figueroa
AssociateAssociate focusing on complex commercial litigation. Previously at Debevoise & Plimpton. J.D. from Cornell Law School.
Shiva Khansari
ParalegalParalegal in Litigation practice with more than 15 years of experience. Previously at Jenner & Block.
Hope VanEtten
ParalegalParalegal with +20 years of experience. Previously at Balch & Bingham and Maron Marvel.