Global Group Named to Partnership at BCLP

International law firm BCLP has elected 24 new lawyers to partnership, effective January 1, 2025. This brings the total number of partners to 466. The new class represents a diverse group of professionals, with women making up 46% (11/24) of the cohort, spanning 10 cities and numerous strategic sectors, including Corporate Transactions, Finance, Intellectual Property, and Real Estate.

With these appointments, the firm continues to reinforce its commitment to fostering talent and enhancing its service offerings across key practices and regions.

“At BCLP, we’re dedicated to cultivating an environment where talent thrives and innovative thinking flourishes,” said CEO Steve Baumer. “These lawyers embody our culture of collaboration and client-focused approach. Their collective insight and dedication are instrumental in supporting our clients’ evolving needs.”

The new partners are:

Peter Bay, St. Louis – Class Actions & Mass Torts

Peter is a litigator with a national practice focusing on product liability, mass tort, and consumer fraud litigation. He has represented clients in state and federal courts across the country, including coordinated mass tort and multi-district litigation. Peter has provided effective representation at all stages of litigation and is skilled in legal strategy, motion practice, and appellate practice. Prior to joining BCLP, Peter served as a law clerk to the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Missouri.

Jake Crabtree, St. Louis – Finance Transactions

Jake practices across a wide range of financing and real estate transactions with particular specialization in the following areas: (i) advising public and private companies (including private equity sponsors) in connection with credit facilities and note offerings, (ii) advising buyers and sellers on the financing aspects of corporate mergers and acquisitions, (iii) advising issuers or borrowers in structured finance transactions such as receivables securitizations and mortgage loan repo transactions, (iv) the representation of lenders in connection with leveraged acquisition and other credit facilities, and (v) the representation of buyers in connection with real property acquisitions throughout the United States.  This practice has allowed Jake to develop broad and deep knowledge that, combined with his practical approach to navigating legal issues, enables him to add value and assist BCLP’s clients in closing their most important deals.

Lindsay Cross, Atlanta – Corporate Transactions

Lindsay brings a wealth of in-house experience to her role in corporate transactions, specializing in securities law, mergers and acquisitions, and corporate governance. She has guided public and private companies through public offerings, private placements, and federal securities compliance. Previously, Lindsay served as General Counsel for a private software company and Corporate Counsel at a public corporation, where she advised on contractual, corporate governance, and HR matters for senior management and board members. Her background also includes supporting NATO’s Special Operations Headquarters in Belgium, which has equipped her with unique insights into strategic and operational legal matters.

Ethan Fitzpatrick, New York – Intellectual Property & Technology Disputes

Ethan specializes in patent law with an emphasis on the areas of biotechnology, pharmaceuticals, chemistry, and medical devices. He frequently advises clients on innovative technologies, such as antibody therapeutics, small molecule and macromolecule drugs, drug formulations, peptide engineering, and stem cell therapies, providing comprehensive guidance on securing and enforcing patents. Ethan’s practice also includes inter partes review and reexamination proceedings in the USPTO, as well as patent litigation in district courts. Prior to attending law school, Ethan earned a bachelor’s in biochemistry and a doctorate in cellular and molecular biology.

Thomas Haller, London – Commercial Construction

With a focus on commercial, residential, and mixed-use development, Thomas is experienced in advising across a wide range of development-related matters including drafting and negotiating building contracts, consultant appointments, settlement agreements, bonds, guarantees, and other ancillary documents. Known for his precision and practical approach, he supports clients throughout complex development projects, ensuring they navigate legal frameworks effectively. Thomas’s commitment to his clients has established him as a trusted advisor, enabling him to mitigate risks and optimize project outcomes in the construction industry.

Emilee Hargis, St. Louis – Antitrust, Competition & Trade

Emilee guides clients through the intricate landscape of antitrust compliance, giving practical, thoughtful advice that encompasses both a firm grasp of established antitrust precedents but also the latest developments in Washington. Emilee’s antitrust practice includes advising clients on both the risk of potential transactions and other business decisions as well as defending clients facing government investigations. With her antitrust mastery and economics background, Emilee is a skilled antitrust litigator, collaborating with economic experts to build compelling cases for class action defense, opt-out litigation, and antitrust disputes accompanying business negotiations.

Jarret Hitchings, Charlotte – Finance Transactions

Jarret’s in-depth knowledge regarding restructuring, insolvency, and distressed asset litigation has earned him a reputation as a go-to advisor for clients in bankruptcy and liquidation proceedings across the U.S. and internationally. Jarret appears in key business courts, including the U.S. Bankruptcy Courts for Delaware and the Delaware Court of Chancery, where he handles complex financial disputes. Before joining BCLP, he was a partner in another international firm, contributing significant experience in business litigation, cross-border restructuring, and corporate governance advice. His work spans diverse sectors, where he is valued for his strategic insights and practical problem-solving.

Sam Hofmeier, Kansas City – Class Actions & Mass Torts

Focusing on product liability, mass tort, and class action defense, Sam represents clients in state and federal courts across the country. He is highly skilled in litigation strategy, motion practice, and appellate advocacy, providing clients with robust representation throughout all phases of litigation. Sam previously clerked for a judge on the U.S. Court of Appeals, an experience that has shaped his analytical approach and honed his skills in trial preparation and appeals.

Sarah Holdmeyer, Kansas City – Employment & Labor

Sarah advises employers on a broad spectrum of labor and employment issues, from policy drafting and compliance to complex employment litigation. Her clients include businesses in industries such as financial services, healthcare, and education, which she supports in managing Title VII, ADA, ADEA, FMLA, and other employment claims. Additionally, Sarah is well-versed in non-compete enforcement and trade secret protection, successfully securing injunctions and temporary restraining orders when necessary. She has successfully represented clients in motion practice, depositions, mediation, settlement negotiations, and trial proceedings. She is also active in pro bono work, serving with the Missouri Volunteer Attorney Project.

Thea Hromadka, St. Louis – Commercial Real Estate

Thea focuses her practice on real estate acquisitions and dispositions, as well as advising clients on matters such as easements, landlord-tenant issues, and neighbor disputes.  She also supports corporate mergers and acquisitions and represents clients in joint venture transactions. Before her legal career, Thea worked as an architect, providing her with a unique perspective on the intersection of design and law. This background enables her to anticipate client needs and deliver comprehensive legal solutions to real estate-related challenges.

Peter Hur, New York – Commercial Real Estate

Peter focuses his practice on commercial real estate transactions, representing clients in joint ventures, acquisitions, dispositions, financings, and leasing across multifamily, office, retail, industrial, hospitality, and mixed-use assets. Earlier in his career, Peter worked on general corporate and private equity transactions, including mergers and acquisitions and venture capital investments. With extensive experience in real estate and corporate transactions involving both debt and equity, he brings well-rounded, multifaceted, and client-intelligent insights and perspectives to his work. His legal background is complemented by his time spent interning at two top law firms in South Korea, where he gained insight into the international legal landscape early on.

Matthew Johnson, Denver – Corporate Transactions

Matthew advises technology and life sciences companies on a wide array of corporate transactions, including venture capital investments, mergers and acquisitions, public offerings, and corporate governance matters. Previously serving as Senior Counsel at Monsanto, he often acted as lead counsel for venture capital initiatives, handling sizeable M&A transactions. Mathew’s Silicon Valley experience, coupled with his in-house role at Monsanto, equips him to guide clients through complex corporate and governance issues. His practice is only further enriched by his academic work with Nobel laureate Dr. Richard Thaler and legal scholars Cass Sunstein and Richard Posner.

Merrit Jones, San Francisco – Class Actions & Mass Torts

Merrit is a seasoned commercial litigator who represents clients in a wide range of legal matters, from consumer protection and privacy to intellectual property and ADA compliance. As the editor of BCLP’s Retail Law blog, she frequently provides thought leadership on issues related to regulatory compliance and consumer product safety. Merrit’s clients include national retailers and manufacturers, whom she advises on regulatory issues and complex litigation, including Proposition 65 and ADA Title III claims. Her experience as a former journalist enriches her approach to legal advocacy, allowing her to anticipate public and media perspectives on high-profile cases.

Alexandra Kirby, London – Business & Commercial Disputes

Alexandra, an Australian Solicitor, is an experienced general commercial litigator specializing in a variety of high-stakes, complex, corporate, and commercial disputes, with a particular focus on contentious public law disputes and commercial litigation arising from insolvency situations. Known for her tenacity, she has acted in both significant commercial disputes and regulatory inquiries in the UK. As a Senior Associate, Alexandra established herself as a leading figure in BCLP’s public procurement practice, representing clients in urgent, high-value cases. Her ability to handle complex litigation makes her a trusted advocate in the UK’s competitive legal landscape.

Michel Koutsomanis, Paris – Commercial Real Estate

Michel focuses his practice on cross-border real estate transactions, with a particular emphasis on managing pan-European portfolio acquisitions and disposals. His work encompasses various asset classes, including logistics, office, retail, data centers and, historical monuments— with experience spanning structuring deals, forming partnerships, and managing development and construction contracts. His work with French and international clients brings a global perspective to BCLP’s Paris office, where he helps clients navigate the intricacies of international real estate projects.

Goli Mahdavi, San Francisco – Technology, Commercial & Government Affairs

Goli is at the forefront of technology law, advising clients on artificial intelligence, data privacy, and cybersecurity issues. As co-lead of BCLP’s AI Service Line, she is a trusted advisor on compliance and risk management related to AI and data governance. Goli’s extensive experience includes regulatory compliance with GDPR, CCPA, and emerging privacy laws, as well as strategic advising on data retention and privacy by design. As a certified AI Governance Professional, she guides clients through the rapidly evolving technical and legal landscape of AI development and deployment.

Tim O’Connell, St. Louis – Finance Transactions

Tim’s diverse background includes public service as Chief of Staff to the Mayor of St. Louis and legal counsel to the Board of Aldermen. Now focusing on finance transactions, he advises on redevelopment agreements, tax incentives, and complex litigation. His experience in both public and private sectors gives him a unique perspective, enabling him to provide strategic legal solutions for high-stakes transactions. Prior to his legal career, Tim worked as a journalist for ten years— first at the St. Louis Post-Dispatch and later at The Washington Post— contributing to his ability to effectively communicate and advocate for his clients.

Thomas Pearman, London – Commercial Real Estate

Thomas brings a breadth of experience in commercial property law, advising clients on asset management, property acquisition, and disposal transactions. He represents sellers, purchasers, lenders, and tenants across various asset classes, including office and industrial properties. Thomas’ work also includes development finance projects, where he supports clients in navigating the financial aspects of complex real estate deals. Recognized for his attention to detail, his multi-faceted approach to complex matters makes him a valued advisor in the real estate market.

Katherine Pope, London – Employment & Labor

Katherine is a trusted advisor to businesses on all aspects of employment law, with a focus on the financial services sector. She regularly handles grievance disputes and whistleblowing cases, offering clients practical solutions tailored to their specific needs, often involving a regulatory angle. Katherine’s experience includes negotiating complex exit arrangements and handling high-value cases in the Employment Tribunal. Her time spent on secondments at Royal Mail and with a major financial institution has further enhanced her ability to address complex HR and employment matters.

Diana Rosia, Atlanta – Corporate Transactions

Diana focuses her practice on mergers, acquisitions, venture capital financing, and corporate governance. Representing a wide range of clients, from start-ups to publicly traded companies, she advises on transactions such as strategic investments, stock purchases, and asset sales. Often advising on compliance matters with federal securities laws and governance matters, her experience in corporate finance brings a strategic edge to her work, enabling her to support clients in achieving their business goals.

Jennifer Varley, London – Arbitration, Real Estate & Construction Disputes

Jennifer specializes in construction and engineering disputes, representing clients in complex and high-stakes litigation, adjudication and international arbitration. Her experience includes resolving disputes in infrastructure, energy and commercial and residential real estate sectors. Her practice encompasses acting upon claims relating to defects, delays, completion, project termination, payment issues and PFI disputes and handback. Jennifer has significant knowledge in all matters relating to domestic and international building safety across a diverse range of real estate. Jennifer is also experienced in alternative dispute resolution and provides clients with pragmatic and strategic advice to facilitate early commercial resolution of disputes, including during the delivery of major construction, energy, and infrastructure projects.

Adam Vukovic, San Francisco – Business & Commercial Disputes

Adam’s practice focuses on commercial disputes and consumer litigation. On the commercial side, Adam represents clients in a range of complex matters, including M&A disputes, corporate governance disputes, indemnity and advancement claims, breaches of representations and warranties, pre-closing disputes, and lending disputes. Beyond traditional business disputes, Adam also provides strategic counsel on a variety of legal challenges, including premises and product liability claims, ensuring that he protects and advances his client’s interests in all aspects of their operations. On the consumer side, Adam represents financial service companies and digital currency exchanges in consumer litigation filed in court and binding arbitration which often involve claims under the Electronic Fund Transfer Act and California’s Unfair Competition Law, among others. An experienced courtroom litigator, Adam has successfully tried matters in court and arbitration forums, across a variety of jurisdictions, including many of the domestic state and federal courts and even territorial venues. His comprehensive legal acumen and dedication to client success make him a valuable asset to the firm and its clients.

Kristin Webb, Irvine – Financial Services Disputes & Investigations

Kristin focuses her practice on litigation involving financial institutions, aviation companies, and service industries, handling complex business and employment disputes. With a wealth of knowledge across all facets of litigation, she has successfully advised and defended clients in a variety of matters— including complex case analysis, large document discovery, motion practice, depositions, mediation, settlement negotiations and trial proceedings. Kristin was second chair in a federal trial pending before the Honorable Judge R. Gary Klausner, United States District Court, Central District of California, which involved a complex contract dispute between two Aerospace manufacturing companies.

Benjamin Wheeler, London – Technology, Commercial & Government Affairs

Ben is a specialist technology and commercial lawyer, whose practice focuses on digital transformation, digital infrastructure, outsourcing, business technology, emerging technologies, and complex corporate divestments and carve-out projects. Ben works with clients across a variety of industries and sectors, with a particular focus on financial services, real estate (data centres and digital infrastructure), transport and healthcare. As a valued advisor, Ben develops a deep understanding of the client’s business and strategic objectives driving transactions in order to lead and deliver projects effectively and efficiently.