Meet the Team
Marisa Pagan-Figueroa
AssociateMarisa has worked on First Amendment matters and advised on issues implicating public international law, bringing a public-facing and cross-border perspective to her practice. She has also advised a professional sports league on issues related to its collective bargaining agreement.
Prior to joining Sterlington, Marisa practiced as a commercial litigator at Debevoise & Plimpton, where she handled high-stakes disputes at all stages of litigation. Marisa received her JD from Cornell Law School.
Other Partners at Sterlington
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.
Courtney Rockett
Partner, LitigationSeasoned litigator in commercial, partnership, private aviation, and IP disputes. A partner at Boies Schiller for 18 years, also trained at Cahill and was a partner at Mintz. Named to New York Metro Super Lawyers and listed on Crain’s New York Business: Notable Women in Law.
Paul Jebely
Partner and Vice Chair, InternationalTop global private aviation attorney for UHNW individuals. “Private Aviation & Yachts Lawyer of the Year”, “Private Wealth Lawyer of the Year” and longstanding Band 1 ranking (HNW – Private Aircraft) in Chambers. Lead counsel on $23 billion in aircraft transactions. Founder and Chair of The Hague Court of Arbitration for Aviation.
Todd McClelland
Partner, Cybersecurity, Data Privacy, AI and LitigationPartner in Sterlington’s Cybersecurity, Data Privacy, AI and Litigation practices, focusing on cybersecurity, data privacy and technology law. Formerly Head of Global Privacy & Cybersecurity Practice Group at McDermott, Will & Emery. Recognized by The Legal 500 US and The 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 PropertyIP and Life Sciences Partner and Co-Head of IP practice. Lead 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’s 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 as a future leader in arbitration in both Lexology and Who’s Who Legal.
Robert W. Ray
Partner, LitigationProminent seasoned ex-federal prosecutor, and corporate and white-collar defense litigator. Successor to Ken Starr as head of US 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 US Court of Appeals for 2nd Circuit. Frequent commentator on CNN, Fox News, MSNBC, and other major networks.
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. Former partner at Walkers.
Mari Bonthuis
Partner, LitigationPartner focused on dispute resolution matters representing and advising executives and founders. 10 years’ prior experience at Covington. NYU Law Dean’s Scholar and Robert McKay Scholar.
Brent Babcock
Partner, Patent Litigation & PTAB PracticeNationally 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. JD and MBA 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 LitigationPartner and Co-Head of complex litigation practice. Former partner with Milberg. Focused on complex and class litigation in the areas of consumer products and services, data privacy and cyber security, anti-trust, consumer products and services, and advertising. J.D. cum laude from the University of Miami. Master of Social Work. BA cum laude from Hofstra University.
Edward W. Ciolko
Partner and Co-Head, Complex LitigationPartner and Co-Head of complex litigation group. Focuses on ERISA, privacy/cyber-security, lending, student lending, anti-trust, 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. MBA from Yale School of Management. B.A. from Wesleyan University.
Robin Nunn
Partner, LitigationSeasoned litigator focusing on complex commercial, technology and fiduciary and private client disputes. Previously a partner at Linklaters, Morgan Lewis and Dechert. Former senior in-house roles at American Express, and Capital One. Honoree in The Network Journal’s 25 Influential Black Women in Business and a Minority Corporate Counsel Association Rising Star.
Erika Burk
Partner, LitigationLitigation partner with 20 years of legal experience. Former counsel at Simpson Thacher. JD 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. BA from Middlebury College.
Don Klawiter
Of Counsel, AntitrustOf counsel with 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 ABA Section of Antitrust Law. JD, BA and MA from 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 as a New York Metro Super Lawyer.
Geoffrey Raicht
Of CounselOf counsel in Sterlington’s Bankruptcy and Restructuring practice. Former partner at Sidley, McDermott, Proskauer, and Haynes and Boone. Recognized by The Legal 500 as a leading lawyer. Earned JD from CUNY Law School, and MPA and BA from NYU.
Ann Jernow
Of Counsel, LitigationOf Counsel in litigation practice. Previously worked as an associate at Quinn Emanuel and as a partner at Manatt, Phelps & Phillips. JD from NYU School of Law (Staff Editor – Environmental Law Journal). AB from Duke University.
Alyssa Pronley
CounselCounsel in litigation practice with a focus on commercial and intellectual property disputes. Previously at Baker Botts. JD from NYU and BA (hons) from Loyola University Chicago.
Laura Ghitti
CounselCounsel focusing on dispute resolution, international arbitration, commercial arbitration, and investment arbitration. Recognized by Lexology as Arbitration Future Leader and 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. BA in Econ from The Honors College, Stony Brook University (magna cum laude with Dean’s List honors). JD from St. John’s University School of Law (Executive Notes and Comments Editor for the American Bankruptcy Institute Law Review).
Arturo Peña
CounselCounsel focused on commercial and corporate litigation. Former associate at Gibson Dunn and Nelson Mullins. JD 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). BS 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 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.
Jarrett Field
AssociateLitigator with experience in complex commercial disputes, regulatory enforcement, white collar defense, and internal investigations. Former associate at Linklaters.
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. JD and PhD 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. LLM from University of Law, London.
Jennifer Sosa
AssociateAssociate focusing on complex litigation. Previously at Milberg. BS (cum laude) in Chemical Engineering from Northeastern University and JD 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. JD from University of Chicago 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.
Dexter X. Heeter
AssociateAssociate in Finance practice, with a focus on asset trading and asset finance. Previously with Clifford Chance in its NY office. J.D. from Columbia Law School. B.A. magna cum laude in Political Science and History from Clark University (Phi Alpha Theta and Pi Sigma Alpha Honor Society member).
Lauren Cotilletta
AssociateAssociate focusing on private funds and corporate and ECVC matters. Previously at Schulte and Perkins Coie. JD from UChicago and BA (hons) from NYU.
Cordelia Ochis
AssociateAssociate focusing on individual and family wealth planning. Previously at Morgan Lewis. JD from Penn Carey Law School.
Cody Witmer
AssociateAssociate focusing on individual and family wealth planning. Previously at Morgan Lewis. JD (hons) from Drexel Kline School of Law.
Melissa Bressler
AssociateAssociate focusing on individual and family wealth planning. Previously at Morgan Lewis. JD from Northwestern Law.
Cole Davis
AssociateAssociate focusing on corporate transactions. Strong background in M&A, private equity, securities law, ECVC and intellectual property transactions. Previously at Baker Botts and Wilson Elser. JD from SMU Dedman School of Law, summa cum laude and salutatorian.
Kelvin Yang
AssociateAssociate focused on aviation law, and corporate and securities law matters. Previously an associate at Sullivan & Cromwell. JD from Stanford Law School; MA from Stanford University.
Jing Zhang
AssociateAssociate focused on corporate transactional work. Previously at Clifford Chance. LLM with honors from Stanford Law.
Armando Guio Espanol
AssociateAssociate focusing on data protection, technology and AI-assisted work. Former fellow affiliate at Harvard’s Berkman Klein Center. LLM with Honors from Harvard Law. MA from Oxford.
Camilo López Campagnoli
AssociateAssociate focusing on transactional and contract matters. Former senior associate at a mid-sized law firm. LLM in Economic Law and Global Governance Studies from Sciences Po in France. Law degree from Rosario University.
Juan Diego Jiménez
AssociateAssociate in corporate practice. LLM from University of Pennsylvania. Wharton Business and Law Certificate. Worked at E&Y’s Corporate Practice, KPMG’s Legal Counsel Dept., and a mid-sized law firm.
Stefania Olmos
AssociateAssociate in Corporate practice. Previously led the International Affairs team at the Colombian Ministry of Interior. Former associate at Baker McKenzie. LLM from the University of Pennsylvania.
María Cristina Coffey
AssociateAssociate in Corporate practice. 13+ years of experience at mid-sized law firms. Master’s degree in business law from the University of San Andrés.
Rebeca Silveira
AssociateAssociate focusing on corporate and executive compensation matters. LLM from Duke University School of Law.