Overview
(November 28, 2023 Washington, DC) — Steptoe & Johnson LLP is pleased to announce a promotions class consisting of 11 lawyers effective January 1, 2024. Elected to the firm’s partnership are Jack Hayes, Reem Sadik, and Chris Suarez. Promoted to of counsel are Conor Brady, Byron Maniatis, Meghan Newcomer, and Bo Yue. In addition, the firm has elevated four partners from income to equity status.
The group represents a cross section of offices and practices, including Energy, Tax, Intellectual Property, Transportation, International Trade and Regulatory Compliance, Investigations and White-Collar Defense, Insurance, and Commercial Litigation.
In congratulating the promoted lawyers, Steptoe Chair Gwen Renigar commented: "We are proud to be promoting a diverse class, celebrating their individual and collective achievements, and continuing to grow the firm. We are honored by our colleagues’ contributions to the firm and our clients, and look forward to their continued success."
New Partners from January 1, 2024
Jack Hayes (Washington, International Trade and Regulatory Compliance) provides advice to clients regarding US economic sanctions, anti-money laundering, counter-terrorist financing, export controls, anti-boycott, and anti-corruption laws and regulations. In particular, Jack provides representation to clients regarding internal investigations, submissions of voluntary disclosure reports, responses to and defense of subpoenas and other requests for information from US government authorities, and independent risk assessments, as well as US and international arbitration matters regarding the scope of US international trade and regulatory compliance laws. His practice includes advising on know-your-customer procedures and due diligence best practices, developing contractual and other safeguards, and analyzing international trade controls, sanctions prohibitions, and financial compliance risks associated with investments, acquisitions, divestments, transfers, joint ventures or teaming arrangements, and other transactional matters.
Reem Sadik (Washington, Investigations and White-Collar Defense) focuses her practice on white-collar criminal litigation, government investigations, corporate internal investigations, and compliance counseling. She has deep experience in both private practice and in government service. She works with senior executives and Fortune 100 companies, and her clients span across a broad array of industries including healthcare, financial services, manufacturing, media, and technology. Reem has experience in matters involving: life sciences criminal investigations; Congressional investigations; the False Claims Act; the Anti-Kickback Statute; financial crimes, and whistleblower cases. Her experience also includes fact development, witness preparation, motions practice, and document management issues. Reem also serves as co-Chair of the Women’s White Collar Defense Association’s Young Professionals Committee.
Chris Suarez (Washington, Intellectual Property) focuses his practice on high-tech patent, copyright, and trade secret trials and appeals before every level of the US court system, including federal district courts, US courts of appeals, the US Supreme Court, the US Patent Trial and Appeal Board, and other administrative tribunals. Chris's experience spans all phases of litigation, including overseeing fact discovery; taking and defending fact and expert depositions; arguing dispositive motions, claim construction, and appeals; and conducting witness examinations at trial. In addition to his litigation practice, Chris also advises clients on patent licensing, IP protection policies, and issues at the intersection of IP, Artificial Intelligence, and the Internet of Things.
New Counsel from January 1, 2024
Conor Brady (Washington, Insurance) has a diverse litigation practice that focuses primarily on insurance coverage disputes and other complex commercial cases. He represents major insurers and other corporate clients in a wide range of complex litigation in federal and state courts around the country, as well as in arbitration proceedings. Conor also has experience counseling and defending companies and individuals in enforcement proceedings and white-collar criminal matters. In addition, Conor is actively involved in Steptoe's pro bono program, through which he has represented individuals in a variety of civil and criminal matters, including the successful representation of a former death row inmate.
Byron Maniatis (Brussels, International Trade and Regulatory Compliance) focuses on several areas of EU and international trade law, including trade defense, economic sanctions and export controls, customs law, ESG driven trade barriers, free trade agreements (FTAs), and WTO dispute settlement. He frequently assists clients on matters before the European Commission, EU Member State authorities, as well as the Court of Justice of the European Union. Byron has assisted clients in several anti-dumping, anti-subsidy, and safeguard investigations across the world, including in some of the most high-profile EU cases. He regularly advises clients regarding compliance with economic sanctions, export controls, customs law, as well as supply chain due diligence.
Meghan Newcomer (New York, Commercial Litigation) focuses her practice on complex civil litigation, white-collar criminal defense, and government and internal investigations. Meghan has litigated complex commercial disputes on behalf of companies across a variety of industries in both state and federal court and in arbitration proceedings. Her practice encompasses all phases of litigation, from managing broad discovery to drafting dispositive motions and appellate briefs. On the criminal defense side, Meghan has substantial trial experience defending individuals in white-collar criminal matters. Meghan also represents clients in high-stakes investigations by the US Department of Justice, the SEC and the New York State Attorney General's Office.
Bo Yue (Washington, Investigations and White-Collar Defense) advises on investigations, enforcement, and compliance issues arising under the US export controls and economic sanctions and other legal and regulatory regimes. In the area of US export controls and economic sanctions, Bo has experience advising clients on jurisdictional assessment, compliance, licensing, disclosures, and enforcement actions. Bo draws from his more than 15 years of combined experience in the US, China, and Japan. He has defended clients against charges and allegations involving sanctions/export control violations, fraud, corruption, trade secrets, and antitrust violations.
About Steptoe
In more than 110 years of practice, Steptoe has earned an international reputation for vigorous representation of clients before governmental agencies, successful advocacy in litigation and arbitration, and creative and practical advice in structuring business transactions. Steptoe has more than 500 lawyers and other professional staff across offices in Beijing, Brussels, Chicago, Hong Kong, London, Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco, and Washington. For more information, visit www.steptoe.com.
The diversity of the firm is a critical factor in its success. The firm’s Chair is a woman; the majority of the firm’s elected executive committee is female; the majority of Steptoe's nine offices are managed by women; and the majority of Steptoe’s practice groups have women as leaders. The firm's six-person professional business services leadership is equally diverse, with two women of color, and other leaders who openly identify as LGBTQ+.
