Pictured left to right: Farwa Tahir, Brian Laine, Michael Antzoulis, Brian M. Smith, Samantha T. Baccaro, Cyan Perry, David M. Stewart and Joseph Wahba.
Riker Danzig LLP is pleased to welcome eight fall associates to the Firm. The fall associates are Michael Antzoulis, Samantha T. Baccaro, Brian Laine, Cyan Perry, Brian M. Smith, David M. Stewart, Farwa Tahir and Joseph Wahba.
“We are pleased to welcome a record high group of fall associates. Each of our 2023 associates brings strong educational achievements and great enthusiasm for the law,” said Edwin F. Chociey, Jr., Hiring Partner for Riker Danzig. “We are confident that their contributions and perspectives will greatly benefit our clients and will enrich the life of our Firm.”
Three of the new class started their careers at Riker Danzig as Summer Associates. Following law school, three served judicial clerkships in the New Jersey Supreme Court or Appellate Division. Hailing from four area law schools, Seton Hall University School of Law, Rutgers Law School – Newark, Rutgers Law School – Camden, and Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law, the eight new attorneys will work in the Firm’s Bankruptcy, Commercial Litigation, Environmental, Governmental Affairs, Healthcare, Insurance, Products Liability, and White Collar Criminal Defense areas.
Michael Antzoulis is an associate in the Firm’s Environmental Group. He received his J.D. from Seton Hall University School of Law in 2023. Michael was a member of the Philip C. Jessup International Moot Court while at Seton Hall, and also received the Excellence in Criminal Law award. He received his B.A., summa cum laude, in Mathematics with a Minor in Music from Rutgers University in 2019. While at Rutgers, Michael was a member of Phi Betta Kappa.
Michael started his career with Riker Danzig as a 2022 Summer Associate and returned to the Firm as a Law Clerk in 2023.
Samantha T. Baccaro is an associate in Riker Danzig’s Commercial Litigation and Healthcare Law Groups. Samantha received her J.D. with a concentration in Health Law from Seton Hall University School of Law in 2022. While at law school, she was an Associate Editor and a Comments Editor of the Seton Hall Legislative Journal. Samantha graduated from James Madison University with a B.A., cum laude, in Psychology, with a concentration in Pre-Law in 2018.
Following law school, Samantha served as a Judicial Clerk to the Honorable Catherine I. Enright, J.A.D., New Jersey Superior Court.
Samantha is licensed to practice in New Jersey.
Brian Laine is an associate in the Firm’s Bankruptcy & Corporate Restructuring Group. He received his J.D. from Rutgers Law School in 2021. While in law school, Brian was a member of the Honorable James Hunter III Moot Court and a Staff Editor and Executive Editor of the Rutgers University Law Review. He received his B.A. in Political Science from Rutgers University in 2017.
Following law school, Brian served as a Judicial Clerk to the Honorable Richard S. Hoffman, P.J.A.D., New Jersey Superior Court, Appellate Division. Before joining Riker Danzig, he was a Judicial Clerk to the Honorable Vincent F. Papalia, U.S. Bankruptcy Court, District of New Jersey.
Brian is licensed to practice in New Jersey.
Cyan Perry is an associate in the Firm’s Insurance and Reinsurance Group. Cyan received his J.D. from Rutgers Law School in 2022, where he was Executive Editor of the Rutgers University Law Review. He received his undergraduate degree, magna cum laude, from Rutgers University in 2013.
Following law school, Cyan served as a Law Clerk to the Honorable Mary Gibbons Whipple, New Jersey Superior Court, Appellate Division.
Cyan was a Riker Danzig Summer Associate in 2021, and is licensed to practice in New Jersey.
Brian M. Smith is an associate in Riker Danzig’s Insurance and Reinsurance Group. He received his J.D. from Seton Hall University School of Law in 2022. While at Seton Hall, Brian was a member of the Ronald J. Riccio and Eugene Gressman Moot Courts, as well as an Associate Editor of the Seton Hall Law Legislative Journal. He received his B.S. in Business and Technology from Stevens Institute of Technology in 2010.
Following law school, Brian served as a Law Clerk to the Honorable Rachelle L. Harz, Superior Court of New Jersey, Civil Division and Multicounty Litigation.
Brian is licensed to practice in New Jersey.
David M. Stewart is an associate in the Firm’s Governmental Affairs and White Collar Criminal Defense and Investigations Groups. David received his J.D., magna cum laude and Order of the Coif, in 2022 from Seton Hall University School of Law, where he was a Senior Articles Editor of the Seton Hall Legislative Journal. He received his undergraduate degree from Pennsylvania State University in 2019, where he was included on the Dean’s List.
Following law school, David served as a Law Clerk to the Honorable Lee A. Solomon, Supreme Court of New Jersey.
David is licensed to practice in New Jersey.
Farwa Tahir is an associate in Riker Danzig’s Products Liability, Toxic Tort and Mass Tort Group. Farwa received her J.D. degree from Rutgers Law School in 2023, where she was included on the Dean’s List. While at Rutgers Law School, she was a Staff Editor of the Rutgers University Law Review. Farwa received her undergraduate degree in Sociology from the University of Florida in 2017, where she also was on the Dean’s List.
Farwa started her career at Riker Danzig as a 2022 summer associate in the Firm’s Minority Student Program, spending half the summer with Riker Danzig and the other half with Crum & Forster.
Joseph Wahba is an associate in Riker Danzig’s Bankruptcy & Corporate Restructuring Group. He received his J.D. in 2023 from the Benjamin N. Cardoza School of Law, where he was a Staff Editor of the Cardoza Law Review. Joseph received his undergraduate degree from Beth Midrash Gadol Ateret Torah in 2020.
