Fall 2026 Class Notes
Alumni who have made career moves or earned accolades in the past several months include (L to R): Deborah Riegel ’93, Steven Sladkus ’94, Dyan Finguerra-DuCharme ’96, Mark Jackson ’11, and Nutan Vani Sewdath Dossa ’14.
Class Notes
1955
Larry Silverstein and his wife, Klara, celebrated 70 years of marriage in July. Silverstein is the founder and chairman of Silverstein Properties—and the real estate visionary who rebuilt the World Trade Center. He was honored as Brooklyn Law School’s 2026 Alumnus of the Year.
1967
Harvey Besunder, a partner at Egan & Golden, was honored for his decades of service to the legal profession and the Suffolk County Bar Association (SCBA) this spring at a dedication ceremony for the association’s headquarters which has been named the Harvey B. Besunder Bar Center in his honor. A former SCBA president, Besunder played a pivotal role in making the center a reality. After the association purchased the property in 1985, he persuaded the board to build its own headquarters rather than sell the land. The Bar Center opened in 1993 and has since provided a home for legal education, professional networking, and community.
1975
Leonard Grunstein was recognized by Marquis Who's Who for a distinguished career marked by leadership, innovation, and expertise in law, banking, and real estate finance. Most recently, from 2013 to 2019, Grunstein was a managing member of both Hanlen Real Estate Development & Funding and Hanlen Healthcare Development & Funding. He continues to serve as chairman of the board at Beit Midrash of Teaneck, a role he has held since 2018.
1983
Frank Aquila, chair of the Board of Trustees and a senior M&A partner at Sullivan & Cromwell, was named to Forbes’ America’s Top Lawyers 2026 list, recognizing leading dealmakers, litigators, advisers, and strategists across the legal profession. He also wrote a piece titled "Using AI in the Boardroom" for the Reuters publication Practical Law. "With AI usage likely to continue expanding in the future, many companies are focused on enhancing and clarifying directors’ oversight of the company’s AI strategy, including related risks and opportunities," he wrote.
1987
David Barse, a Board of Trustees Emeritus with extensive experience serving on the boards of public and private companies, was appointed to the board of directors of KinderCare Learning Companies. Barse is the founder and chief investment officer of DMB Holdings Limited and the founder of XOUT Capital. He previously served as CEO of Third Avenue Management for 25 years, leading the global value investment firm.
1990
Marc Agnifilo, a partner at Agnifilo Intrater, was named to Forbes’ America’s Top Lawyers 2026 list, recognizing leading dealmakers, litigators, advisers, and strategists across the legal profession. His firm specializes in complex and sensitive criminal matters.
1991
Andrew Finkelstein, as president of the New York State Trial Lawyers Association, took a leading role in bringing members to the organization's annual Law Day Gala, a sold-out event that celebrated a shared commitment to safeguarding our civil justice system and ensuring it remains accessible, transparent, and equitable for everyone. He is managing partner of Finkelstein & Partners.
1993
Rhonda J. Panken, a matrimonial and family law attorney practicing in New York and New Jersey, was named one of Essex County's Top Lawyers for 2026.
Deborah Riegel, a Brooklyn Law School adjunct professor and member of the BLS Board of Trustees, was recently quoted in a HousingWire article about the rising costs facing affordable housing properties, from insurance and utilities to taxes and water charges, and the growing challenge of balancing those expenses with rental income.
1994
Lisa Bova-Hiatt was named to City & State New York’s 2026 Trailblazers in Real Estate list. As the CEO of the New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA), she oversees a massive public housing system that provides affordable housing to more than half a million New Yorkers.
Steven Sladkus, a founding and real estate and litigation partner at Schwartz Sladkus Reich Greenberg Atlas, was honored as one of the 2026 Lawdragon 500 Leading Real Estate Lawyers. His practice focuses on real estate litigation, with particular emphasis on representing cooperative and condominium boards throughout New York City.
1995
Benjamin Stone was appointed director of Washington state litigation at Lawyers for Justice. In his new role, Stone will lead the firm's Washington litigation practice from the Seattle office, strengthening its presence in the Pacific Northwest while continuing to advocate for employees and consumers.
1996
Angelo Bonvino, global head of the corporate department at Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison, was named to Forbes’ America’s Top Lawyers 2026 list, recognizing leading dealmakers, litigators, advisers, and strategists across the legal profession. He is a nationally recognized mergers and acquisitions attorney who focuses on private equity investments.
Dyan Finguerra-DuCharme, a partner and co-chair of the intellectual property group at Pryor Cashman, was named to Forbes 2026 list of America's Top Women Lawyers and to Forbes’ America’s Top Lawyers 2026 list. She is recognized as one of the nation's leading trademark and copyright litigators, with 30 years of expertise in areas including trademark, trade dress, false advertising, and copyright cases, which have made her a strategic partner for brands in cosmetics, luxury goods, e-commerce, financial services, and beyond.
Jeffrey T. Scott, a Board of Trustees member and a partner and co-head of Sullivan & Cromwell’s securities litigation practice, was part of the Sullivan & Cromwell team that secured the dismissal of a novel putative securities fraud class action against Barclays. The case, Merritt v. Barclays PLC, is notable as the first decision in the United States to reject an attempt to litigate English-law securities claims in a U.S. court as a class action—a ruling with important implications for English issuers of securities. Matthew Porpora ’05 was also on the team.
1998
Andrea Irslinger Orlando has been promoted to bureau chief of the orange zone at Brooklyn District Attorney's Office. After rejoining the D.A.'s office in 2018, she served as grand jury deputy bureau chief in the blue zone and felony deputy bureau chief in the red zone.
Louis Lombardi was featured on the NYPD Through the Looking Glass Podcast discussing a court case that involves the City of New York's new health care plan for city employees and retirees. He is providing pro bono representation to a group of New York Police Department retirees who no longer reside within the New York City region. At the heart of the case is whether the new plan provides actual health care coverage, and the question of what constitutes health care insurance.
1999
Eloisa Spirito was appointed senior trust officer II at Advocacy Trust. With more than 20 years of experience in the legal and fiduciary fields, Spirito will help expand Advocacy Trust’s support for clients, families, and professional partners across the Northeast.
2000
Tracy Peterson, a principal at Braverman Greenspun in New York, was honored as one of the 2026 Lawdragon 500 Leading Real Estate Lawyers. She primarily represents the interests of cooperative boards of directors and condominium boards of managers, as well as the interests of individual owners.
2001
William Lang, a partner at Winston Taylor in New York, was honored as one of the 2026 Lawdragon 500 Leading Real Estate Lawyers. He represents clients in the real estate industry in connection with acquisitions and dispositions of properties in all asset classes, commercial leasing of both office and retail from both the landlord and tenant sides, and real estate financing representing both lenders and borrowers.
John McGuinness recently launched Thirdpath, a next-generation private markets solutions platform, focused on creating bespoke strategies for institutional and ultra-high-net-worth investors. McGuinness co-founded Thirdpath with his long-time colleague, Brey Jones.
Jon C. Popin, a partner in Nutter’s real estate department and a member of the firm’s development, land use and permitting practice group, was honored as one of the 2026 Lawdragon 500 Leading Real Estate Lawyers. Based in New York, he concentrates his practice in land use law.
2003
Sherry Sandler joined Greenberg Traurig as a shareholder and co-chair of the firm’s Long Island Corporate Practice and firmwide Investment Management Group. She brings nearly 25 years of experience in investment management, securities regulation, corporate transactions, and financial services, including more than a decade in senior legal and compliance roles at the New York Stock Exchange and other financial services firms.
2004
Christine Murphy, a partner in Goodwin's real estate group, was named to the New York Real Estate Journal’s 2026 Women in Commercial Real Estate Spotlight and was also recognized on the 2026 Lawdragon 500 Leading Real Estate Lawyers list, a global guide honoring 500 leading lawyers in the field. She focuses on commercial real estate finance, representing real estate funds, banks, institutional lenders, private equity investors, and other investors across a wide range of commercial real estate transactions.
2005
Jordan Bromley, a partner at Manatt Phelps & Phillips, was named to Forbes’ America’s Top Lawyers 2026 list, recognizing leading dealmakers, litigators, advisers, and strategists across the legal profession.
Jeffrey T. Myers, a real estate partner in the Los Angeles office of Blank Rome, was honored as one of the 2026 Lawdragon 500 Leading Real Estate Lawyers. His practice focuses on hospitality transactions involving hotels, resorts, restaurants, and mixed-use hospitality assets worldwide.
Wesley O'Brien, a real estate partner at Fried Frank in New York, was honored as one of the 2026 Lawdragon 500 Leading Real Estate Lawyers. He advises on zoning, land use, and environmental review for transformative development projects in New York City.
Matthew Porpora, a deputy managing partner of Sullivan & Cromwell's litigation group and a member of the firm's criminal defense and investigations group, was part of the Sullivan & Cromwell team that secured the dismissal of a novel putative securities fraud class action against Barclays. The case, Merritt v. Barclays PLC, is notable as the first decision in the United States to reject an attempt to litigate English-law securities claims in a U.S. court as a class action. Jeffrey Scott '96 was also on the team.
2006
Marcus Friedman was named partner and head of legal at Two Sigma Private Investments. He serves as a senior member of the investment team and is responsible for legal oversight of Two Sigma’s private equity and diversifying private investment strategies.
Brett J. Gottlieb, a partner in Herrick's real estate department, was honored as one of the 2026 Lawdragon 500 Leading Real Estate Lawyers. He represents real estate owners, lessees, and developers in the application process for New York City’s real property tax incentives.
Daniel Wiig, attorney and host of the New York County Lawyers Association (NYCLA) podcast "Amicus Curiae," announced that the podcast is now part of the Attorney at Work Podcast Network, a national platform for law practice tips and industry news. Amicus Curiae has hosted legal industry leaders from Cyrus Vance to Alan Dershowitz, and included judges, legal journalists, politicians, and legal industry critics as guests. The podcast will continue its presence at NYCLA but will also be available on Attorney at Work and the Legal Broadcasting Co. Wiig is also associate general counsel for the City University of New York and was featured in an amNY profile.
2007
Colleen Kilfoyle joined Obra Capital as chief compliance officer, bringing nearly two decades of experience in directing compliance, legal, and regulatory functions to her role on the senior management team.
2009
Robert B. Koonin was named to Crain’s New York Business’ 2026 Notable Leaders in Accounting, Consulting & Law list. He helps lead Polsinelli’s New York real estate practice, advising major banks, investors, owners, and developers on complex real estate and finance matters. His work also spans professional sports, hospitality, and entertainment, including stadium development, sports team investments, and high-profile real estate ventures.
2010
Nicholas Enrich published a memoir, Into the Wood Chipper, that gives a firsthand account of his experience as a former USAID administrator in global health who became a whistleblower amid the agency’s dismantling. It received a positive review in the New York Times, and Enrich was interviewed on National Public Radio (NPR).
Lauren Numeroff joined Oppenheimer Investigations Group to help lead the expansion of its neutral investigations practice on the East Coast. Drawing on her expertise in federal civil rights investigations, she conducts independent workplace and educational investigations, mediations, climate assessments, and customized training for higher education institutions, businesses, and public entities.
2011
Shannon Bahnsen, an associate in the real estate department at Westerman Ball Ederer Miller Zucker & Sharfstein, was recognized by Marquis Who's Who for excellence in real estate law. Bahnsen focuses on commercial leasing, representing landlords and tenants in complex retail, office, and industrial transactions across New York and the United States.
Mark Jackson joined Brooklyn Law School as an adjunct professor, teaching Real Estate Practice and bringing his extensive experience as a partner at Carter Ledyard & Milburn to the classroom. His latest analysis of New York’s new data center moratorium is a great example of the real-world legal issues that he will discuss with students.
2012
Nikolaus Caro was named to Bloomberg Law's 2026 They've Got Next: The 40 Under 40 list. As a partner in the banking and finance practice at Davis Polk & Wardwell, he advises clients on some of the nation's most complex transactions.
Jessi Kleinman and Jonathan Byer, both members of the Class of 2012, welcomed their son, Jordan Blake Byer, on Sept. 1, 2026. Big brother, Jake, is thrilled with the new addition to their growing family. The couple lives in the suburbs of New York City, where Kleinman is an associate at Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison, and Byer is a partner at Katten Muchin Rosenman.
Sarah Sparer, a partner in the construction practice group at Thompson Hine in New York, was honored as one of the 2026 Lawdragon 500 Leading Real Estate Lawyers. She represents a wide array of construction industry clients, including property owners, real estate developers, commercial lessees, design builders, construction managers, design professionals, and contractors in transactional, corporate governance, risk management, and litigation matters.
2013
Wendy LaManque, a partner in Pryor Cashman's labor and employment group, was featured in Law.com's How I Made Partner series.
Benjamin Stark was promoted to partner at Hirschen Singer & Epstein, where he practices zoning and land use law.
2014
Greg Sarafan joined Warshaw Burstein as counsel in the litigation and real estate groups, bringing more than a decade of experience litigating real estate matters throughout New York's courts. He has focused his practice on landlord-tenant litigation for the past several years.
Nutan Vani Sewdath Dossa was the alumni speaker at Brooklyn Law School's 125th Convocation ceremony. A cofounder of The Dossa Foundation, a nonprofit that empowers under-resourced middle school students through mentorship, career exposure, and leadership development, she is also an adjunct professor at the University of Miami School of Law.
Leanne Welds, a partner in Simpson Thacher & Bartlett's real estate practice was honored as one of the 2026 Lawdragon 500 Leading Real Estate Lawyers. She represents private equity firms, portfolio companies, and other real estate investment and financing clients on a broad range of high-value and complex commercial real estate transactions across a variety of asset classes.
2015
Andrew Kummer joined King & Spalding as a partner in the firm’s finance and restructuring practice. He advises clients on complex structured finance and derivatives transactions, including asset-based lending, securitizations, and capital markets matters.
2016
Anthony M. Beneduce has launched Beneduce Law, a New York City personal injury and trial law firm representing individuals and families affected by catastrophic injury and wrongful death. Before entering private practice, Beneduce served as an assistant district attorney in Bronx County. The firm handles construction accidents, motor vehicle and premises liability accidents, catastrophic injuries, and wrongful death matters throughout New York.
Benjamin Levites was promoted to partner at Coughlin Betke, where he defends individuals and corporations in civil litigation of all types, including products liability, premises liability, personal injury, commercial, insurance, and employment matters.
2017
Katherine Zhang, the director of admissions at Brooklyn Law School, was featured in the Brooklyn Eagle for her work helping aspiring law students understand the admissions process. She spoke with participants in the Izetta Johnson Internship Empowerment Program, sharing insights on law school admissions, personal statements, and the many opportunities available at BLS.
2018
Jaime Fried, a commercial litigator with a track record spanning complex business disputes and real estate matters, has joined Brithem as counsel. Previously she practiced in the litigation department at Debevoise & Plimpton for seven years.
2020
Zachary Turquand recently joined Norris McLaughlin as an associate in the firm’s litigation practice group in New York, focusing his practice on commercial litigation. He represents clients in a wide range of disputes, including breach of contract, copyright infringement, defamation, and state and federal employment matters.
2021
Shayna Koczur was sworn in as an assistant prosecutor with the Morris County (N.J.) Prosecutor's Office.
Claudia Mumic, who received her LL.M. from Brooklyn Law School, joined LexisNexis as a legal engineer on the large law knowledge management and innovation team. As part of her new role, Mumic will work closely with large law firm stakeholders to design, build, and implement custom AI-powered workflows through the Lexis+ with Protégé platform.
2022
Connor McRory joined Blank Rome as an associate in the firm’s corporate, M&A, and securities group in Philadelphia. In his new role, McRory advises public and private companies and institutional investors on mergers and acquisitions, capital markets transactions, corporate governance, and securities law. He is admitted to practice in Pennsylvania and New York.
2024
James P. DiLeo joined Blank Rome as an associate in the firm's real estate group in New York. He focuses his practice on commercial real estate and corporate transactions, with particular emphasis on complex commercial leasing.
2025
Sehee Kim joined Barclay Damon as an associate in the firm’s public finance practice area following her admission to the New York State Bar. Based in the firm’s Albany office, Kim assists with a wide range of public finance matters, drawing on her experience as a former Barclay Damon summer associate and legal associate at a not-for-profit trade association for financial market professionals.