Overview
(January 2, 2020, Washington, DC) — Steptoe & Johnson LLP is pleased to announce a promotions class consisting of 11 lawyers, including four women partners. Elected to the firm's partnership are Alexandra Baj, Matthew Bathon, Beth Call, Brian Johnson, John Kavanagh, Jamie Lucia, and Jessica Rothschild. Elected as of counsel is Rachel Peck. In addition, the firm has elevated three partners from non-equity to equity status.
In congratulating the promoted lawyers, Steptoe Chair Phil West commented, "This is an unusually large class, reflecting the strength of our firm, our deep and rich talent base, our growing practices, our expanding offices, and our good fortune in being able to promote so many fine lawyers. Congratulations to an extraordinary group of lawyers. We are a better firm because you are here."
New Partners
Alexandra Baj (Washington) focuses her practice on export controls, economic sanctions, and anti-corruption investigations and compliance, international trade, and security clearance issues. She has represented clients in the defense, aerospace, software, metals, lumber, nuclear, capital equipment, telecommunications, medical, and food processing industries. Baj has experience advising on export controls under the Export Administration Regulations (with a specialization in encryption export controls) and the International Traffic in Arms Regulations, US sanctions regulations administered by the Office of Foreign Assets Control (particularly in the area of Russia / Ukraine-related sanctions), and, in the anti-corruption area, on the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act. She also counsels clients on trade issues arising out of the US antidumping, countervailing duty, and safeguards statutes. Baj earned her J.D., with honors, from the University of Chicago and her B.A., magna cum laude, from Kenyon College.
Matthew Bathon (Washington) focuses his practice on litigating Section 337 investigations before the International Trade Commission (ITC) and intellectual property disputes in district courts. He has handled matters across a variety of technologies including LED, semiconductor lasers and laser drivers, infotainment systems, digital televisions, video game systems, computer graphics, communications protocols, telecommunications technology, software design, and digital video compression. Bathon served as a senior investigative attorney in the ITC's Office of Unfair Import Investigations, where he represented the federal government in investigations regarding electrical, computer, and mechanical patents in various technologies. For the past three years, Bathon has been recognized by The Legal 500 US as a "Next Generation Lawyer." Bathon earned his J.D. from Vanderbilt University and his B.S. in electrical engineering, summa cum laude, from the University of Evansville.
Elizabeth A. Schallop Call (Washington) has more than 20 years of experience counselling clients with employment matters. She defends employers in administrative complaints filed with the Department of Labor, Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, Office of Federal Contract Compliance and state agencies, and individual and class-based employment law and employment tort claims before federal and state courts. Call advises management personnel on compliance with federal, state and local employment laws and counsels multinational employers on cross-border regulatory compliance. Call also has extensive experience with the investigation and resolution of discrimination, harassment, retaliation, whistleblower, wage and hour and related claims. Call earned her J.D., magna cum laude, from the University of California Hastings College of Law where she was elected to the Order of the Coif. She received her B.S., summa cum laude, from Boston University.
Brian Johnson (Washington) represents clients in patent litigation before the International Trade Commission (ITC) and district courts. He works with clients and technologies across a variety of industries including high-technology and consumer electronics, such as cellular phones, memory modules, gaming systems, processors, and acoustomagnetic security tags. Johnson's trial work includes litigation covering intellectual property infringement as well as allegations related to fair, reasonable and nondiscriminatory (FRAND) patent license terms. He has appeared in dozens of ITC investigations and is able to assist clients with litigation strategy, including the interplay of multijurisdictional disputes and advocacy with US Customs. Previously, Johnson served as a patent examiner at the US Patent and Trademark Office. Johnson earned his J.D. from George Washington University and his B.S. from the University of Wisconsin.
John Kavanagh (Washington) focuses on complex litigation including antitrust, securities matters, government investigations, and criminal defense matters, as well as insurance disputes. He has litigated numerous cases involving antitrust, contracts, fraud, unfair trade practices, RICO, and trade secret matters pending in courts and arbitral panels. Kavanagh litigates class actions involving antitrust and securities matters, and represents companies in Federal Trade Commission and state attorney general investigations regarding antitrust conspiracies and unfair trade practices. He also represents individuals in Securities and Exchange Commission investigations and white-collar criminal defense matters involving antitrust conspiracies and securities fraud. Kavanagh earned his J.D. from Boston College, where he served as executive editor of the Boston College International and Comparative Law Review. He received his M.A.L.D. from Tufts University and his B.A., cum laude, from George Washington University.
Jamie Lucia (San Francisco) represents her clients in all phases of high-stakes intellectual property litigation. She is particularly well-versed in pharmaceutical patent litigation, including infringement disputes under the Hatch-Waxman Act. Lucia has extensive experience representing clients in patent disputes before district courts and before the US Patent Trial and Appeal Board, addressing matters involving biotechnology, pharmaceuticals, medical devices, consumer electronics, and business methods. Before launching her legal career, Lucia undertook graduate coursework in chemical physics and optics, and was a research chemist at a pharmaceutical company in San Diego. Lucia earned her J.D. from George Washington University and her B.A., cum laude, from the University of San Diego.
Jessica Rothschild (Washington) handles a variety of complex commercial litigation matters. Her work includes appellate, trade secret, insurance coverage, legal malpractice, and securities arbitration cases. Rothschild is experienced in legal and factual development, motions practice, document management, and trial. She has taken on significant roles at trial that resulted in successful outcomes for the clients. Rothschild is also active in Steptoe’s pro bono program. She has researched and co-briefed two successful appeals to the US Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit. The first was a civil rights case involving a pretrial detainee who was beaten by prison guards, and the second was an immigration matter. Rothschild earned her J.D. from Stanford, where she served as notes committee editor and member editor of the Stanford Law Review. She received her B.A., cum laude, from Amherst College.
New Of Counsel
Rachel Peck (Washington) focuses her practice on white-collar criminal defense and internal investigations for individuals and corporations. Specifically, Peck advises clients regarding all aspects of Department of Justice criminal investigations and prosecutions, including matters related to public corruption, fraud, bid-rigging, price-fixing, and bribery. Peck also represents clients, including blockchain and cryptocurrency companies, in SEC enforcement matters. She has extensive experience conducting large-scale investigations for companies. For the past two years, Super Lawyers has named Peck a "Rising Star" in Criminal Defense: White Collar. Peck earned her J.D., with high honors, from George Washington University where she was elected to the Order of the Coif and served as a member of The Public Contracts Law Journal. She received her B.A., magna cum laude, from Tufts University.
About Steptoe
In more than 100 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.
