DLA Piper announces new office and regional leadership

DLA Piper is pleased to announce changes to its office leadership in Atlanta, Boston, New York, Northern Virginia, Philadelphia, San Francisco, San Juan, Seattle and Short Hills, as well as a change to its regional leadership in Northern California.

Gerry Williams has been named office managing partner in Atlanta. Williams also serves as chair of the firm’s Georgia Corporate and Securities practice and vice chair of the Southeast Private Equity group. He represents private equity and corporate buyers and sellers in mergers and acquisitions, securities and general corporate matters.

Bryan Connolly, co-head of DLA Piper’s Boston Real Estate practice, has been named office managing partner in Boston. Connolly represents owners and developers in acquisitions and dispositions, financings, joint ventures, land use and zoning matters, among others.

Cara Edwards, who previously served as deputy managing partner of the New York office, is now co-managing partner, joining Richard Hans. Edwards also serves as co-chair of the firm’s Leadership Alliance for Women (LAW) and is a partner in the Litigation practice, where she represents and advises global pharmaceutical, medical device and consumer goods clients in product liability and commercial litigation matters.

Antonio Calabrese, head of the Northern Virginia Real Estate practice, is now managing partner of the Northern Virginia office, located in Reston. He focuses his practice on land use, zoning and complex development projects, representing major corporate users, developers and national, regional and local operators.

Fahd Riaz has been named managing partner in Philadelphia. Riaz serves as head of the Corporate practice in Philadelphia, where he focuses on counseling matters and finance transactions, mergers and acquisitions, partnering, licensing and commercial transactions. He also handles life science transactions and represents emerging growth companies in a range of industries.

Jeff Tsai, co-chair of DLA Piper’s State Attorneys General practice, is now managing partner of the San Francisco office. Tsai represents companies in complex civil and criminal enforcement matters brought by state and federal regulators and those facing investigative scrutiny by individual and multistate attorneys general.

Miriam Figueroa is now deputy managing partner of the San Juan office, joining managing partner Nikos Buxeda. A partner in the firm’s Corporate practice, Figueroa has extensive experience advising clients on infrastructure projects, public finance, public-private partnerships and administrative law, as well as government and private clients on energy-related matters.

Alison Maxwell, who previously served as deputy managing partner of the Seattle office, is now managing partner. Maxwell is also a co-chair of LAW and a partner in the Tax practice, where she concentrates on international matters with a focus on operational structuring, cross-border mergers and acquisitions, and post-acquisition integration.

Emilio Ragosa has been named managing partner of the firm’s Short Hills office. Ragosa is a partner in the Corporate practice, where he counsels clients on securities offerings, mergers and acquisitions, and venture capital transactions, as well as seed financings, venture financings and private placements to public offerings.

Finally, in Northern California, Dean Fealk, who previously served as office managing partner in San Francisco and leads the firm’s Global Equity practice, joins Victoria Lee as regional co-managing partner. Fealk advises multinational companies on legal, strategic and public policy issues related to expanding and doing business internationally, serves civic organizations in leadership capacities and has advised governments and politicians around the world on public policy issues.

“As we enter the new year with a renewed focus on our strategic vision and shared commitment to our clients, people and communities, we’re excited to announce these changes to our office leadership,” said Jackie Park, DLA Piper’s co-US managing partner.

“We look forward to working with this innovative group of leaders to continue delivering exceptional service and providing business-oriented solutions,” said Richard Chesley, co-US managing partner.