Overview
(February 1, 2022, New York) – Steptoe & Johnson LLP is pleased to announce that trial lawyer Elyse D. Echtman will be joining the firm’s Commercial Litigation group as a partner based in the New York office.
Echtman is a Chambers-ranked accomplished trial advocate with decades of experience litigating complex commercial disputes, telecommunications, and product liability matters. She has built a reputation for targeted, innovative litigation strategies and effective team leadership. Echtman's practice focuses not only on representing companies in active litigation, but also on counseling clients on effective and efficient ways to favorably resolve disputes.
Prior to joining Steptoe, Echtman served as the leader of Orrick’s Complex Litigation and Dispute Resolution practice. Her notable representations include DISH Network in one of the highest stakes telemarketing trials in the nation, brought by the FTC and four states, and Johnson & Johnson in California Proposition 65 litigation related to J&J's talcum products. In 2021, Chambers USA recognized Echtman as a Leading Lawyer in New York general commercial litigation.
"I have gotten to know Elyse and can see why she has a long-established and dedicated client following and endorsement," said Steptoe Chair Gwen Renigar. "She is an accomplished trial lawyer and a keen strategic thinker, and we’re thrilled to welcome her to our New York office and firm."
"Transitions are never easy," said Echtman, "but with Steptoe, the stars were aligned, including a valued common client and a history of strong collaboration between our teams. I'm also proud to be joining a firm with a woman at the helm and so many highly-respected women in leadership roles. I’m thrilled to join this impressive team."
"We learned about Elyse’s superb litigation qualities the best way – by working side by side on behalf of our great common client DISH," said Pantelis Michalopoulos, leader of Steptoe's Internet, Telecom and Media group. "We can't wait to do so as partners."
"We could not be more excited to have a first-chair trial lawyer of Elyse's nationally-recognized talents join our diverse commercial litigation team," said Jennifer Quinn-Barabanov, co-leader of Steptoe's Commercial Litigation group. "Elyse's practice aligns perfectly with Steptoe’s strengths in representing highly regulated companies in their most challenging, bet-the-company disputes."
Steptoe’s Commercial Litigation group handles virtually every kind of complex business dispute in courts and arbitrations throughout the United States and abroad. The firm has represented clients in almost every imaginable industry, with emphasis in energy, manufacturing, telecommunication, retail and consumer articles, financial services, and natural resources. Steptoe litigators are particularly well-suited to handle complex, cross-border disputes that require a multidisciplinary approach to dispute resolution.
"Steptoe's commercial litigation team is well-known for its broad scope and depth of experience. I look forward to sharing my own perspectives with such a talented group of legal professionals to develop creative and effective litigation strategies for the firm’s diverse clients," said Echtman.
Echtman received her J.D. from New York University School of Law and her bachelor’s degree with distinction in all subjects from Cornell 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.
The diversity of the firm is a critical factor in its success. The firm’s Chair is a woman; the majority of Steptoe's nine offices are managed by women; the majority of Steptoe’s practice groups have women as leaders; and the firm’s twelve-person elected compensation committee is headed by a woman and includes five women as members. The firm's eight-person professional business services leadership is equally diverse, with half the c-suite made up of women, including three women of color, and other leaders who openly identify as LGBTQ+.
