CARTER LEDYARD & MILBURN LLP PROMOTES FOUR TO COUNSEL

NEW YORK, January 30, 2008 – Carter Ledyard & Milburn LLP is pleased to announce that Gerald W. Griffin, Susan B. Kalib, Diane B. Melnick and Mark R. Zancolli have been named counsel to the firm, effective January 1. They were previously associates in the firm’s litigation department (Ms. Kalib and Messrs. Griffin and Zancolli) and intellectual property department (Ms. Melnick).

“These four attorneys have continued to make excellent and meaningful contributions to our firm, and we are pleased to elevate them today,” said Judith A. Lockhart, managing partner. “Their promotion strengthens the firm’s ability to offer in-depth services across various practice areas and reflects our continued commitment to our growing clientele.”

Gerald W. Griffin

Mr. Griffin, a member of the firm’s litigation department, has substantial experience litigating securities, employment and general commercial matters.   He has represented foreign and domestic corporations in federal and state courts and in domestic and international arbitrations and mediations. Mr. Griffin enforced a foreign client’s rights to participate in a $500 million sale of a domestic company’s subsidiaries.   He has also represented company executives and brokers in connection with civil and criminal investigations of alleged violations of federal and state securities and tax laws.

Mr. Griffin, age 38, received his B.A. in 1991 from Skidmore College and his J.D. in 1998 from Brooklyn Law School. His most recent Client Advisories were “Supreme Court Validates Use of Broad U.S. Discovery of Aid in Foreign Proceedings” and “U.S. Discovery in Foreign Litigation.” 

Susan B. Kalib

Ms. Kalib practices in Carter Ledyard’s litigation department. Her work includes advice under the Eminent Domain Procedure law, Uniform Land Use Review Procedure, and Urban Development Corporation Act, as well as significant trial work and appeals. She successfully defended multiple public projects against challenges to use eminent domain power, including the projects to build a new New York Times building, rebuild 7 World Trade Center, and develop the Hudson Yards area. She drafted an amicus brief in connection with the United States Supreme Court case, Kelo v. City of New London.; She handles trials to establish the value of property acquired by eminent domain. Ms. Kalib also represented client pro bono in connection with award from Federal September 11, 2001 Victim Compensation Fund.

Ms. Kalib received her B.A in 1995 from Wellesley College (magna cum laude) and her J.D. in 1998 from Cornell Law School. She is affiliated with the Association of the Bar of the City of New York and the American Bar Association.

Diane B. Melnick

Ms. Melnick is a member of the firm’s intellectual property department, focusing on trademark counseling, trademark clearance and prosecution for clients in all industries, including computer software and hardware, pharmaceuticals, personal care products, fashion, food, entertainment, financial, educational, and business services. She has worked on-site with a Fortune 10 client, managing its domestic and international trademark portfolio and advising subsidiaries on adoption and registrability of marks. Ms. Melnick is a former Trademark Examining Attorney at the United States Patent and Trademark Office, where she examined thousands of trademark applications for compliance with trademark statutes and rules. Prior to her career in trademarks, she practiced in the field of federal civil rights litigation, on behalf of police officers accused of misconduct. 

Ms. Melnick received her B.A. in 1987 from the University of Michigan (Honors Program, Political Science ) and her J.D. in 1991 from Emory University School of Law. She co-authored “Trust Fund Taxes in Bankruptcy; Significant Developments in Chapter 7, 11, and 13 Cases”, published in 7 Bankruptcy Developments Journal.

Mark R. Zancolli

Mr. Zancolli is a member of the firm's litigation department. His practice consists of commercial litigation and arbitration spanning a broad range of substantive areas, including business torts, employment, real estate, commercial landlord-tenant, media and First Amendment law, reinsurance, insurance coverage, products liability and construction law. He recently obtained a jury verdict in favor of a trust company in a federal court trial of trade secret, unfair competition, fiduciary duty, tortious interference and contract claims against its former employees and a competing wealth management company. His recent illustrative matters have also included obtaining arbitration awards in favor of a housing development fund company and a reinsurance corporation, representing a bank executive in a defamation and breach of employment contract action against his former employer, and successfully prosecuting numerous eviction proceedings on behalf of commercial landlords.

Mr. Zancolli, age 38, received his B.A. in 1990 from New York University (magna cum laude) and his J.D. in 1998 from Brooklyn Law School (cum laude).

Carter Ledyard & Milburn LLP (www.clm.com), established in 1854, has approximately 104 attorneys and has been headquartered on Wall Street since its founding and has additional offices in midtown Manhattan and Washington, DC. Carter Ledyard's general practice includes corporate, securities, mergers and acquisitions, private equity, litigation, intellectual property, environmental, employment, media and technology, immigration, investment regulation, antitrust, trusts and estates, maritime, ERISA, exempt organizations, real estate, tax and bankruptcy. A significant part of the firm's practice involves representing overseas-based clients and their U.S. affiliates, financial institutions and other financial services providers, governmental entities and media and technology clients.