Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP announced yesterday that it has elected seven attorneys as members of the Firm effective January 1, 2011. The new partners are: Elizabeth A. Cooper, Jonathan Karen, Noah M. Leibowitz and Erik Quarfordt. Ms. Cooper, Mr. Karen, Mr. Leibowitz and Mr. Quarfordt are based in the Firm’s New York office.
ELIZABETH A. COOPER is a member of the Firm’s corporate department. Her practice focuses on mergers and acquisitions. She represents public and private companies, as well as private equity firms, in a wide range of corporate matters, with a particular emphasis on financial institution transactions. She received her J.D. from Columbia Law School in 2001, where she was a James Kent Scholar, and her A.B., cum laude, in 1997 from Harvard University. Ms. Cooper joined Simpson Thacher in 2001.
JONATHAN KAREN is a member of the Firm’s corporate department, focusing on private investment funds. Mr. Karen’s practice focuses on organizing and advising a wide range of buyout funds, mezzanine, distressed and other debt funds, real estate funds, venture and growth capital funds and other kinds of private equity funds, as well as hedge funds and other kinds of funds for alternative asset categories. He received his J.D. from New York University School of Law in 2001, where he edited the Annual Survey of American Law from 1999-2000. He received his B.A. from Duke University, cum laude, in 1998. Mr. Karen joined Simpson Thacher in 2001.
NOAH M. LEIBOWITZ is a member of the Firm’s intellectual property group and litigation department. He concentrates on representing clients in complex patent litigation, licensing disputes and in matters involving scientific, medical and technical expertise. Mr. Leibowitz has litigated patent cases in courts across the country and has experience in all aspects of such cases, including discovery, Markman hearings, dispositive motion practice, pre-trial, trial and appeal to the Federal Circuit. He received his A.B., magna cum laude, in Biology and Psychology from Columbia University in 1996 and his J.D. from Columbia Law School (James Kent Scholar, Harlan Fiske Stone Scholar) in 1999. Mr. Leibowitz was a Senior Counsel at the Firm prior to his election as partner. He joined Simpson Thacher in 2001.
ERIK QUARFORDT is a member of the Firm’s real estate department. His practice focuses primarily on representing private equity firms in commercial real estate acquisitions and dispositions, joint ventures and financings. He received his J.D. from University of Texas School of Law in 2000, where he graduated with honors and was a member of the Texas Law Review. He received his B.A. from Rice University, cum laude, in 1997. Mr. Quarfordt joined Simpson Thacher in 2000.