Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP has promoted the following attorneys to Senior Counsel and Counsel, effective January 1, 2017.
The new Senior Counsel are:
Brian E. Minyard (Houston) - Brian concentrates his practice on the representation of capital providers and borrowers in structuring, negotiating and documenting structured finance transactions, with an emphasis on energy and oil and gas credit facilities. He has broad experience in a range of financing transactions, including syndicated bank loans and the private placement of debt securities in the oil and gas exploration and production, midstream and oilfield services sectors. Brian received his J.D. from The University of Texas School of Law in 2003 and his B.S., cum laude, from Texas A&M University in 2000.
Jennifer L. Nadborny (New York) - Jennifer is a member of the Firm’s Public Company Advisory Practice, where she advises companies on all aspects of their compliance with the U.S. securities laws and the listing requirements of the major U.S. exchanges. Her practice particularly focuses on compliance and reporting under Section 16 and Section 13(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and Rule 144 of the Securities Act of 1933, relating to a wide variety of transactions and other corporate matters, including those involving initial public offerings, transactions by officers and directors, equity compensation reporting and registered and unregistered sales by significant shareholders. Jennifer received her J.D. from the University of Virginia Law School in 2004, where she was a member of the Order of the Coif. She received her B.A., with distinction, from Cornell University in 2001.
The new Counsel are:
Nicholas Baker (New York) - Nicholas advises banks, funds and strategic acquirors in restructuring and bankruptcy matters. He has represented clients in some of the largest Chapter 11 proceedings and out-of-court restructurings. Nicholas received his J.D. from the University of Pennsylvania Law School in 2007 and his B.A., with Honors, from McGill University in 2002.
Yafit Cohn (New York) - Yafit is a member of the Firm’s Public Company Advisory Practice, where she advises public companies on issues pertaining to securities law and corporate governance, in addition to frequently speaking and writing on these topics. She regularly assists corporate management and boards of directors on a wide range of matters, including SEC reporting and disclosure requirements, shareholder proposals, the impact of proxy advisory firms and responses to formal and informal SEC inquiries. Yafit received her J.D. in 2004 from Columbia Law School, where she was a Harlan Fiske Stone Scholar. She received her B.A., summa cum laude, from Columbia College in 2001.
Wim De Vlieger (London) - Wim is a member of the Firm’s corporate practice. He counsels clients across Europe on transactions including acquisitions and consortia arrangements, high yield debt financings, IPOs and divestitures. Wim received his LL.M. from the University of Pennsylvania Law School in 2007, his M.S. from HEC Paris in 2003 and his Master of Law, cum laude, from the University of Leuven, Belgium in 2002.
Marjory Ding (Hong Kong) - Marjory’s practice focuses on capital markets matters. She has varied experience advising clients on their public and private offerings of debt and equity securities, as well as on corporate governance and other issues. Marjory received her CPE and LPC from College of Law (UK) in 2003 and 2004, LL.M. from the University of Pennsylvania Law School in 2002 and her B.A. from Peking University, School of Law in 2001.
Yi Gao (Hong Kong) - Yi is a member of the Firm’s corporate practice, where he concentrates on capital markets transactions. His practice includes advising clients on SEC-registered offerings, Rule 144A/Regulation S offerings and listings in New York and Hong Kong for China-based companies from various industries. In 2005, Yi received his J.D., magna cum laude, from the University of Michigan Law School, where he was elected to the Order of the Coif. He received his Master of Law degree and Bachelor of Law degree from the University of International Business and Economics in Beijing in 2002 and 1999, respectively.
Gena R. Hatcher (New York) - Gena advises high net worth individuals and families on the preservation, transfer and management of wealth and personal and charitable legacies. Her practice includes crafting estate planning structures involving private fund interests and publicly traded stock of corporate insiders, administering the trusts and estates of iconic American families, and addressing the complexities of administering charitable trusts and private foundations. Gena received her J.D. from New York University School of Law in 2003 and her B.A., cum laude, from Amherst College in 2000.
Jason A. Hwang (Houston) - Jason is a member of the Firm’s banking and credit practice. Often focusing on the energy sector, he advises lenders and borrowers in banking and credit transactions, including acquisition financings, fund-level financings and other commercial lending transactions. Jason received his J.D. in 2003 from New York University School of Law. He received his A.B., magna cum laude, from Harvard University in 2000.
Catherine M. Kidd (New York) - Catherine is a member of the Firm’s private funds practice. She advises clients on the establishment and operation of private investment funds across multiple asset classes. Catherine also counsels sponsors with respect to separate accounts and internal economic arrangements. Catherine received her J.D. from Columbia Law School in 2007, where she was a Harlan Fiske Scholar. She received her B.A. in 2000 from Yale University.
Julia Kohen (New York) - Julia is a member of the Firm’s fund finance group, focusing her practice on representing financial sponsors in connection with debt financings for their private equity, real estate, infrastructure, debt and other funds. She has extensive experience negotiating subscription credit facilities and other complicated fund financings relating to investment activities. She received her J.D. from Duke University School of Law in 2007. In 2003, she received her B.A., cum laude, and M.A. from the University of Delaware.
Noritaka Kumamoto (Tokyo) - Noritaka is a member of the Firm’s mergers and acquisitions practice and litigation practice. He regularly represents major U.S. and Japanese corporations and financial institutions on merger and acquisition transactions. He also represents various Japanese companies on government investigations and litigations. Noritaka received his LL.M. in Taxation from New York University School of Law in 2007. In 2001 he received his LL.M. from Columbia Law School and in 1992 he received his B.A. from Waseda University School of Law.
David Lee (Hong Kong) - David’s practice is focused on capital markets. He advises on various securities offerings and provides securities law compliance services for a number of issuer clients. He received his J.D. from Columbia Law School in 2005 and his B.A. from New York University in 2000.
Shari Ness (New York) - Shari is a member of Firm’s Public Company Advisory Practice. She advises mature and newly public companies across a range of industries on all aspects of their compliance with the U.S. securities laws and the listing requirements of the major U.S. exchanges, as well as various other corporate law matters. She received her J.D. from Columbia Law School in 1997 and her B.A., cum laude, from Columbia College in 1994.
Rafael Vasquez (New York) - Rafael concentrates his practice on capital markets and investment management. He regularly provides ongoing advice to registered investment companies and registered investment advisors/asset managers on general matters, in addition to advising on various corporate transactions, including initial public offerings, private offerings of debt and equity securities, tender offers, as well as mergers and acquisitions. He received his J.D. from New York University School of Law in 2006 and his B.A. from Yale University in 2003.
Yang Wang (Beijing) - Yang is a member of the Firm’s corporate practice, representing private equity funds and corporate clients. His varied practice includes assisting clients on mergers and acquisitions, private equity transactions, corporate finance transactions and other general corporate matters. Yang received his J.D., magna cum laude, from the University of Michigan Law School in 2008, where he was a Clarence Darrow Scholar and Article Editor of Michigan Law Review. He received three degrees from the University of Maryland: his M.A. in Applied Mathematics in 2005, his B.S., magna cum laude, in Mathematics and Computer Science in 2001 and in 2000 he received his B.A., summa cum laude, in Economics.