Overview
(November 19, 2024 Washington, DC) — Steptoe LLP is pleased to announce its largest ever partner promotions class, consisting of 14 lawyers, including 5 promotions from the summer associate class of 2015, effective January 1, 2025. Elected to the firm’s partnership are Evan Abrams, Chloe Baldwin, Karen Bruni, Caitlin Conroy, Joe Dages, Robert Kappers, Galen Kast, and Judy Wang. Promoted to of counsel are Melanie Ayerh, Tyler Doh, Matt Friedman, and Joe Sanderson. In addition, the firm has elevated two partners from income to equity status.
The group represents a cross section of offices and practices, working at the intersection of business, policy, and the courts. Promoted lawyers come from practices including Chemicals and Life Sciences, Commercial Litigation, Energy, Intellectual Property, International Disputes, International Trade and Regulatory Compliance, Investigations and White-Collar Defense, and Telecommunications.
In congratulating the promoted lawyers, Steptoe Chair Gwen Renigar commented: "It is an honor and a privilege to promote such a distinguished and talented group, and I join all Steptoe colleagues in applauding their outstanding individual and group achievements. We are immensely appreciative of their dedication to the firm and our clients, and look forward to their continued growth and success. I’m delighted that five of our newly promoted partners were part of the same summer associate class of 2015, who have committed themselves to our clients for the entirety of their careers and will continue to shape the future of our firm for years to come."
New Partners beginning January 1, 2025
Evan Abrams (Washington, International Trade and Regulatory Compliance) works with financial institutions, multinational corporations, and individuals on a variety of international regulatory and compliance matters. He regularly advises clients on international regulatory regimes such as anti-money laundering (AML), economic sanctions, export controls, foreign anti-corruption, the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS), and the Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency (DCSA). Among other sectors, his practice focuses on emerging technology, including AI, blockchain, and advanced semiconductors.
Chloe Baldwin (Washington, International Disputes) focuses on international disputes and public international law, and in particular the resolution of international investment disputes. She currently advises sovereign and non-sovereign clients in international investment proceedings, binational proceedings, and matters arising under the World Trade Organization (WTO). Chloe has represented sovereign states, state-owned entities, and private investors in numerous investment treaty arbitrations conducted under the International Center for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID), United Nations Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL), and International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) rules. Prior to joining Steptoe, Chloe worked for the Australian government.
Karen Bruni (Washington, Energy) focuses her energy practice on the regulation of electric and natural gas utilities by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC). She has successfully worked on complex regulatory, enforcement, and compliance matters related to transmission and interconnection issues, tariff compliance, mergers and asset acquisitions, cost-of-service ratemaking, rate design, and cost allocation. Additionally, she has counseled electric utilities before federal courts in appeals of FERC orders and litigations related to enforcement and antitrust matters. Before joining Steptoe, Karen served as a legal fellow for the US Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources and worked on energy market and policy issues in both for-profit and nonprofit settings.
Caitlin Conroy (Washington, Government Contracts) represents clients in matters arising from contracting with the government or the receipt of federal funds. In particular, Caitlin provides representation to clients in bid protests, contract disputes, internal and external investigations, suspension and debarment proceedings, and False Claims Act litigation. Caitlin also assists clients in navigating complex compliance issues that arise from contracting with the government or from the receipt of federal funds, including domestic preference laws, Service Contract Labor standards, cybersecurity requirements, small business regulations, and mandatory disclosures. She also works with clients in a variety of industries, including technology, aerospace and defense, federally funded healthcare, construction, and engineering. Prior to joining Steptoe, Caitlin clerked at the U.S. Court of Federal Claims for the Hon. Mary Ellen Coster Williams.
Joe Dages (Washington, Chemicals and Life Sciences) helps companies regulated by the FDA, FTC, EPA, and USDA to bring new products to market and defends those companies when their products are scrutinized. His practice focuses on the legal issues that arise with food-contact, food, cosmetic, OTC drug, pesticide, and other chemical products. He also focuses on emerging legal issues in the arena of sustainability and in matters at the intersection of policy and law, where he often leads advocacy efforts for trade associations and industry coalitions.
Robert Kappers (Chicago, Intellectual Property) represents pharmaceutical and medical device companies in complex patent litigation matters from inception through trial. He has second-chaired jury trials and successfully argued before district courts, the Patent Trial and Appeal Board, and the Federal Circuit. Most recently, he secured $4 million and $40 million jury verdicts for automotive and web-design clients.
Galen Kast (Washington, Investigations and White-Collar Defense) defends companies and individuals in high-stakes government enforcement matters, internal investigations, and civil litigation. He also advises clients on corporate compliance and governance, has designed and led large-scale corporate compliance reviews, and has served as the independent compliance consultant for prominent financial institutions in connection with the retention of employee electronic communications. He has experience advising clients across various industries including finance and securities, blockchain and cryptocurrency, healthcare, automotive and transportation, energy, foods, dietary supplements, pharmaceuticals and medical devices, and startups and technology. Galen regularly represents clients in matters before the US Department of Justice (DOJ), state attorneys general, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), and other government agencies. Galen was one of the lead associates on the trial team for Dr. Michael Lynch which obtained an acquittal on 16 counts this summer.
Judy Wang (Los Angeles, International Trade) represents companies across various industries on all aspects of antidumping (AD) and countervailing duty (CVD) proceedings before the US Department of Commerce (DOC), the US International Trade Commission (ITC), and US courts. Judy also counsels clients on trade issues arising out of bilateral and multilateral relationships with various US trading partners to the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade and the World Trade Organization (WTO), and customs matters with US Customs and Border Protection. Judy’s international regulatory practice focuses on compliance issues related to export controls, sanctions, anti-corruption, and CFIUS.
New Counsel from January 1, 2025
Melanie Ayerh (Los Angeles, Consumer Litigation) focuses her practice on consumer and class action litigation. Melanie has experience defending corporate entities in consumer fraud, advertising, violations of consumer protection statutes, and mass tort matters. She has extensive experience in all phases of litigation, from inception through discovery and trial.
Tyler Doh (New York, Intellectual Property) focuses on patent litigation before US district courts, along with inter partes reviews (IPRs), opinions of counsel, and due diligence. He represents clients across a wide range of technologies, including small molecule pharmaceuticals (Hatch-Waxman), biotherapeutics (biologics), and medical devices. Tyler is an experienced Hatch-Waxman litigator who has served as counsel in numerous litigations, including those relating to oral dosage forms, transdermal patches, parenteral dosage forms, and inhalation products.
Matt Friedman (Washington, Telecom and Technology) advises telecommunications and technology companies on a variety of regulatory, policy, transactional, and litigation matters before the Federal Communications Commission, Department of Justice, Congress, and the courts. His clients include satellite operators, broadcast and cable networks, "over-the-top" streaming providers, leading Internet platforms, wireless and wireline carriers, and broadband internet providers. He focuses his practice on regulatory rulemakings and adjudications, FCC and NOAA license applications and amendments, appellate and trial court litigation, working with foreign counsel across the globe to advise on international regulatory requirements, and developing regulatory compliance programs in response to new laws and regulations. Matt is also actively involved in Steptoe’s pro bono program, including serving on the firm’s Pro Bono committee.
Joseph M. Sanderson (New York, Commercial Litigation) concentrates on complex litigation and enforcement matters, often with hundreds of millions or billions of dollars at stake, representing both plaintiffs and defendants in trial and appellate courts nationwide and before arbitration tribunals. His practice includes complex financial fraud, investor, and restructuring litigation, as well as a wide variety of other high-stakes disputes across industries including tech, real estate, pharmaceuticals, and finance. He also maintains an extensive pro bono practice and serves on the Firm’s Pro Bono Committee.
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, Houston, London, Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco, and Washington. For more information, visit www.steptoe.com.
