Thompson & Knight LLP is pleased to announce Partner Mitchell G. Mandell has joined the Firm’s New York office in the Trial Practice Group.

“With more than 30 years of experience, Mitch is a seasoned litigator and counselor,” said Greg W. Curry, the Firm’s Trial Practice Leader. “His breadth of expertise and dedication to client service will benefit our clients in New York and globally.”

Mr. Mandell focuses his practice on handling commercial litigation matters and corporate transactions in many substantive areas of law for a diverse group of clients. He specializes in the resolution of global commercial disputes, involving both foreign and domestic businesses, and often serves as general counsel for companies in a number of industries.

In addition, Mandell counsels clients on bankruptcy litigation, creditor’s rights, corporate reorganization issues, and the insolvency law aspects of corporate transactions. Also, he represents myriad companies and high net-worth individuals throughout Latin America, helping Latin American clients address legal matters in the United States and vice versa.

Consistently recognized for his skills, Mandell was selected for inclusion in New York Super Lawyers® by Thomson Reuters (2013-2015). He is actively involved in legal and civic organizations, including the American Arbitration Association, Commercial Panel of Arbitrators; the American Bar Association; and the New York State Bar Association. He serves on the Board of Directors for Project A.L.S. and for Harrison Little League.

Prior to joining Thompson & Knight, Mandell was a Partner at White and Williams LLP in New York.

International law firm Greenberg Traurig, LLP continues to grow its Tax Practice with the addition of Glenn Newman as shareholder in the New York City office. Newman previously served as president of the New York City Tax Commission. More >>

Global law firm White & Case LLP today announced the arrival of Arlene Hahn as a partner in the Firm’s Global Intellectual Property Practice. Hahn will work closely with the Firm’s Global Mergers & Acquisitions Practice and will advise clients on intellectual property and technology transactional matters. More >>

The global law firm Jones Day has announced that Martin Schmelkin has joined as a partner in the Firm’s Labor & Employment Practice, and will be based in its New York Office. Mr. Schmelkin arrives with more than 15 years of experience from Goldman Sachs, where he was a Managing Director, Associate General Counsel with Goldman Sachs’ Employment Law Group. More >>

Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP is pleased to announce that Eric Sloan has joined the New York office as a partner. Previously a principal at Deloitte Tax LLP, Sloan will continue to provide tax planning advice with an emphasis on federal income taxation, partnership taxation, and the taxation of private equity firms and funds in their mergers and acquisitions. More >>

For the second time this year, Arent Fox LLP is pleased to announce the expansion of its internationally recognized Intellectual Property practice in New York with the addition of two marquee partners. Linda Shudy Lecomte and Michelle Mancino Marsh have joined the firm from the New York office of intellectual property boutique Kenyon & Kenyon LLP, where Ms. Marsh was chair of the Fashion, Apparel and Footwear practice and Ms. Lecomte was co-chair of the Video Game Law group. Already in 2015, Arent Fox has added four intellectual property partners in New York and a total of 17 lawyers and professionals to its firmwide Intellectual Property practice. More >>

DLA Piper announced today that Kerry Johnson has joined the firm’s Finance and Real Estate Capital Markets practices as a partner in New York. More >>

Thompson & Knight LLP welcomes Partner Michael H. Peskowitz, Counsels Julia Geykhman and Lauren A. Scarantino, and Associates Michael M. Denci and Helen T. Quigley to the Firm’s New York office in the Real Estate and Banking Practice Group.

“Extensive expertise and dedication to client service are among two of the many assets this group of lawyers brings to the Firm,” said William M. O’Connor, the Firm’s New York Office Leader. “Their addition further strengthens our noted Real Estate practice in a variety of areas, including the area of commercial mortgage backed securities origination and restructuring.”

Mr. Peskowitz focuses his practice on commercial real estate finance, representing borrowers and lenders in the full range of debt and equity investment related to the development, ownership, and management of real estate projects. He has over 20 years of experience representing CMBS lenders and investors in the structuring and origination of commercial mortgage loans and mezzanine loans secured by all types of real estate assets. His practice also includes the purchase and sale of mortgage and mezzanine loans, A/B notes, and participation interests, in addition to restructuring these various debt instruments.

While the group has recently focused primarily on commercial real estate finance transactions, representing investment and commercial banks, insurance companies, and other financial institutions in the structuring and origination of commercial real estate loans, both Ms. Scarantino and Ms. Geykhman have a broad range of experience in all aspects of commercial real estate transactions.

The attorneys join Thompson & Knight from Venable LLP in New York.

B&L Management Company, a Willkie client, announced that it sold 24 mid-rise rental apartment buildings, consisting of 997 residential and commercial units located in the Chelsea and Upper East Side of Manhattan, to a joint venture lead by Blackstone Real Estate Partners VIII and Fairstead Capital for a total purchase price of $690 million. This transaction represents one of the largest individual residential asset sales in New York in the past decade and one of the largest sales of an elevator-building residential portfolio in Manhattan history. More >>

Squire Patton Boggs is pleased to announce that Norman N. Kinel has joined as partner in the firm’s Restructuring & Insolvency Practice, based in New York. Mr. Kinel joins from Lowenstein Sandler. More >>