Riker Danzig is pleased to announce that it has elected four new partners and appointed three new counsel, effective January 1, 2022.
Two of the newly-elected partners, Rebecca A. Borgese and Hunt S. Ricker, are in the Firm’s Securities Litigation, Arbitration, Regulation and Investigations Group, which was named Litigation Department of the Year for a Specialty Practice Area by the New Jersey Law Journal in 2020.
Ryan M. Magee was elected partner in the Firm’s White Collar Criminal Defense, Cannabis Law, and Cybersecurity Groups. Ryan is a former Bergen County Assistant Prosecutor, where he orchestrated financial crime and cybercrime investigations in the Special Prosecutions Unit.
Wendi Opper Uzar was elected partner in the Firm’s Intellectual Property Group. Wendi is a registered patent attorney.
The Firm also promoted three associates to counsel from the Firm’s Insurance, Commercial Litigation, and Environmental Practices, recognizing their strong contributions to these core practices of the Firm.
Riker Danzig’s newly-elected partners are:
Rebecca A. Borgese is a partner in Riker Danzig’s Securities Litigation, Arbitration, Regulation and Investigations Group. Her broad yet specialized practice focuses on arbitration, litigation, mediation and regulatory compliance arising out of the financial services industry. She represents broker-dealers, investment advisors, and registered representatives in the defense of sales practice disputes involving federal and state securities laws and regulations. Rebecca also regularly counsels clients on the resolution of pre-litigation investment-related disputes and internal investigations. In addition, Rebecca represents financial institutions in connection with examinations, subpoenas, and investigations by the United States Securities and Exchange Commission, the Department of Justice, and the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA).
Before joining Riker Danzig, Rebecca worked in the Securities Practice Group for a large New York law firm and as Assistant General Counsel for UBS Financial Services Inc. She received her J.D., cum laude, from the Georgetown University Law Center in 2011. Rebecca graduated from New York University in 2006 with a Bachelor of Arts in Politics.
Ryan M. Magee is a partner in Riker Danzig’s White Collar Criminal Defense and Investigations Group, Cannabis Law Group, and Cybersecurity & Data Privacy Group. A former prosecutor and seasoned trial attorney, Ryan represents individuals and corporations charged with or under investigation for federal and state crimes, as well as regulatory and licensing enforcement actions. In his cannabis law practice, Ryan provides advice on regulatory and compliance requirements for lawful cannabis businesses and counsels businesses through the medical and adult-use cannabis license application process. He also provides guidance with respect to federal anti-drug, anti-money laundering and banking laws. Ryan also advises clients on cybersecurity risk planning and breach response and acts as liaison between privacy breach victims and law enforcement agencies.
Before joining Riker Danzig, Ryan served as an Assistant Prosecutor in the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office in the Special Prosecutions Unit, where he orchestrated financial crime and cybercrime investigations, acted as liaison to the N.J. Attorney General’s Anti-Money Laundering Task Force, and trained at the National Computer Forensics Institute under the U.S. Secret Service and Department of Homeland Security. Ryan has been included on the “250 Cannabis Law Experts” list published in the Databird Research Journal, recognizing individuals “shaping this fast-growing space.” Ryan received his J.D. degree from Seton Hall University School of Law in 2010, where he was a member of the Seton Hall Circuit Review. He received his B.A. from Hofstra University Honors College in 2007.
Hunt S. Ricker is a partner in the Firm’s Securities Litigation, Arbitration, Regulation and Investigations Group. He has extensive experience representing broker-dealers and their employees in a multifaceted range of matters unique to the securities industry. Hunt routinely litigates before the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) throughout the country and in both the state and federal courts in New Jersey and New York. His practice is focused on representing financial institutions and their employees in a variety of employment disputes and intra-industry claims, including raiding, anti-competition, misappropriation of trade secrets and confidential information, as well as enforcement of non-compete and non-solicitation covenants. Hunt has recovered millions of dollars for broker-dealers in employment-related matters primarily arising from breaches of employment agreements. He also has substantial experience in defending financial institutions against sales practice claims alleging violations of SEC/FINRA Rules and in connection with investigations opened by federal and state regulatory authorities.
In addition to his securities practice, Hunt routinely handles complex business and commercial disputes, and he also devotes a portion of his practice to securities regulation and litigation relating to cryptocurrencies, digital assets, and blockchain technology. Hunt earned his J.D. from New York Law School in 2010, and his B.A. from the College of Charleston in 2006.
Wendi Opper Uzar is a partner in Riker Danzig’s Intellectual Property Group. Wendi, who is registered to practice before the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office, focuses on obtaining, protecting and enforcing the intellectual property rights of her clients, which includes patents, trademarks and copyrights. She has extensive experience in prosecution, licensing and litigation concerning patents, trademarks, copyrights and trade secrets. Wendi has handled numerous litigations before the federal courts and Opposition and Cancellation proceedings before the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board. She also represents clients when transferring intellectual property rights through the sale of a business, merger or license agreement and the associated due diligence and opinion work. She provides opinions relating to patentability, infringement, freedom to operate and trademark clearance to clients in industries including software, consumer goods, electronics, entertainment, fashion, luxury goods, furniture, merchandising, beauty, mobile applications, jewelry, fabric design, and more.
Wendi received her J.D. degree from Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law in 2005 with a concentration in Intellectual Property Law, where she was Patent Chair of the Intellectual Property Society. She received her B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from Washington University in Saint Louis in 2002.
Appointed to Counsel are:
Jeffrey A. Beer, Jr. is Counsel in the Firm's Insurance and Reinsurance Group. Jeff represents clients in a variety of different insurance-related areas, including insurance coverage, reinsurance, and insurance defense, as well as commercial litigation. He appears regularly before trial and appellate courts. In one recent case of first impression before the New Jersey Supreme Court, Beer played a key role on the team that successfully argued that Consumer Fraud Act claims are not subsumed by the Products Liability Act.
Best Lawyers has included Jeff on its “Ones to Watch” list in the field of Insurance Law for 2021 and 2022. He was included on the Super Lawyers “Rising Star” list by Thomson Reuters in the area of Insurance Coverage for 2021. Jeff received his law degree, cum laude, from Fordham University School of Law in 2014, where he served as a member of the Fordham University Urban Law Journal, Fordham Dispute Resolution Society, and Fordham Moot Court International Law Team, for which he was a Jessup Competition Regional Best advocate. He graduated in 2010 with a B.A. in Communication from Rutgers University.
Michael Crowley is Counsel in Riker Danzig’s Commercial Litigation Group, with a focus on title insurance, real estate, and banking litigation. He provides counsel to clients in a variety of commercial disputes, including title disputes and coverage investigations, mortgage fraud and forgery actions, and other business litigations. Mike is an editor and regular contributor to the Firm’s title insurance, real estate, and banking blog, and frequently speaks on Title Nerds, Riker Danzig’s title insurance podcast.
He received his law degree, cum laude, from Notre Dame Law School. During law school, Mike interned at the Notre Dame Legal Aid Clinic, where he acted as lead counsel for indigent clients in the South Bend area. Mike received his undergraduate degree from the University of Notre Dame in 2005. Before attending law school, he worked for New York Life Investment Management in New York.
Matthew A. Karmel is Counsel in Riker Danzig’s Environmental Law Practice. Matt is passionate about sustainability and the environment, and has been recognized by Best Lawyers on its “Ones to Watch” list in the field of Environmental Law and by the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection as a “Rising Star” in the recycling industry. His practice focuses on traditional environmental counseling, transactions, and litigation, as well as sustainability, waste management, and renewable energy. Matt also is a founding member of the New Jersey Composting Council, an industry group promoting food waste reduction through composting and organics recycling, and currently serves on its Board of Directors and as the chair of its Advocacy and Market Development Committee. He is a frequent author and speaker on environmental law and sustainability-related topics. Matt also is a fervent champion of environmental pro bono and volunteering.
He earned his law degree, magna cum laude, from Fordham University School of Law in 2013, and his B.A., magna cum laude, in Mathematics and Economics from Rutgers University in 2009.
