Riker Danzig Scherer Hyland & Perretti LLP is pleased to announce that counsel William D. Brick and associates Caroline Brizzolara, Mark E. Hall, Jennifer Lazor, Curtis M. Plaza, John R. Vales and Daniel W. Zappo have been elected partners with the firm and associate Scott E. Reynolds has been elected counsel with the firm.
William D. Brick, of New York, practices in Riker Danzig’s New York office, concentrating in tax and estate planning matters. He is particularly experienced in complex estate planning for both foreign and domestic clients, and has represented individuals and trust companies in numerous contested trust and estate proceedings. Mr. Brick earned his J.D. from the College of William and Mary in 1996 and his B.A. from Trinity College in 1991. In addition to his law degree, he has earned an LL.M. in taxation from New York University School of Law. Mr. Brick is admitted to practice in New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania.
Caroline Brizzolara, of Verona, concentrates her practice in reinsurance litigation and arbitration involving complex contractual disputes among insurance companies, reinsurers and retrocessionaires. She also has extensive experience in matters involving insurance insolvency and receivership, finite risk reinsurance, insurance coverage and complex commercial disputes. Ms. Brizzolara is a member of ARIAS-U.S., and is a graduate of the 2002-2003 John J. Gibbons Inn of Court. She earned her J.D., with honors, from Rutgers University School of Law – Newark, Order of the Coif, in 1999 and her B.A., with high honors, from Douglass College in 1979. She also holds a masters degree in Fine Arts from Montclair State University. Ms. Brizzolara is admitted to practice in New Jersey.
Mark E. Hall's practice focuses on all aspects of bankruptcy, restructuring, creditors’ rights, bankruptcy litigation and related commercial litigation, including the representation of debtors, creditors' committees, financial institutions, secured lenders, unsecured creditors and other parties in interest in complex Chapter 11 bankruptcy/reorganization cases. Prior to joining the firm, Mr. Hall, of Maplewood, served as a Judicial Law Clerk and a Judicial Intern to the Honorable Novalyn L. Winfield, U.S. Bankruptcy Judge for the District of New Jersey. Mr. Hall earned his J.D. from Rutgers University School of Law-Newark in 1999, where he was Editor-in-Chief of the Rutgers Computer & Technology Law Journal, and his B.A., cum laude, from Rutgers College in 1996. He is admitted to practice in New Jersey, New York, and before the U.S. District Courts for the Southern, Northern and Eastern Districts of New York.
Jennifer Lazor, of Hoboken, practices exclusively in family law. She has extensive experience in divorce mediation, and is a qualified family law mediator pursuant to R. 1:40. Ms. Lazor is a member of the New Jersey Supreme Court Family Practice Committee. She also sits as an early settlement panelist in Morris and Essex Counties. Prior to joining the firm, she clerked for the Honorable Edward J. Ryan, Superior Court of New Jersey, Chancery Division, Family Part, Middlesex County. Ms. Lazor earned her J.D. from Rutgers University School of Law-Newark in 1998 and her B.A., with honors, from Lafayette College in 1994. She is admitted to practice in New Jersey.
Curtis M. Plaza, of Maplewood, has considerable experience representing clients on complex corporate lending issues. He works closely with a number of national banking institutions in the corporate trust, indenture trustee, and asset-backed financing areas. Mr. Plaza also represents secured lenders in default situations, including pre-bankruptcy and bankruptcy workouts. He has significant experience in defending creditors in preference avoidance cases. Mr. Plaza earned his J.D. from Fordham University School of Law in 1999 and his B.A., cum laude, from the University of Notre Dame in 1995. He is admitted to practice in New Jersey, New York, and before the Southern and Eastern Districts of New York.
John R. Vales' litigation practice focuses on insurance, reinsurance, professional liability and other complex commercial disputes. Prior to joining the firm, Mr. Vales, of Morris Plains, served for four years as a Captain in the U.S. Army Judge Advocate General’s Corps at Fort Drum, New York. He is currently a member of ARIAS-U.S. and the John C. Lifland American Inn of Court. Mr. Vales earned his J.D. from Notre Dame Law School in 1997 and his B.A. from the University of Notre Dame in 1994. He is admitted to practice in New Jersey, New York, and before the U.S. District Courts for the Southern and Eastern Districts of New York.
Daniel W. Zappo, of Scotch Plains, has considerable experience in employment and commercial litigation in federal and state courts, before various agencies, and before the American Arbitration Association. He also practices litigation avoidance by regularly counseling employers of all sizes regarding employment law matters, including creating and administering employee handbooks and policies, employee discipline and discharge, and applying the federal and state employment statutes such as medical and family leave. Mr. Zappo advises both employers and high-level executives and employees regarding preparing and negotiating employment and separation agreements. He is a former Law Clerk for the Honorable Donald S. Coburn for the New Jersey Appellate Division. He earned his J.D., cum laude, from Rutgers University School of Law-Newark in 1998, where he was an Articles Editor for the Rutgers Law Review, and his B.A., magna cum laude, from Rutgers University in 1994. Mr. Zappo is admitted to practice in New Jersey, New York and before the Third Circuit Court of Appeals.
Scott E. Reynolds, of Scotch Plains, practices in Riker Danzig's Litigation Group. His practice focuses on all aspects of complex business, financial and insurance litigation, including commercial foreclosure and lending litigation, loan workouts, asset recovery, private equity fund litigation, insurance coverage and defense, contract disputes and commercial eviction. Mr. Reynolds also devotes a portion of his practice to providing counsel to New Jersey private schools for children with special needs. He served as Judicial Clerk to the Honorable Gerald C. Escala, Superior Court of New Jersey, Bergen County, Chancery Division, 1999-2000. Mr. Reynolds earned his J.D. from Rutgers University School of Law-Newark in 1999, where he was Managing Editor of the Rutgers Law Record, and his B.A. from the University of Delaware in 1996. He is admitted to practice in New Jersey and New York.
