Cathy Fleming Named New York Office Managing Partner

Hodgson Russ LLP announces Cathy Fleming will serve as the managing partner for the law firm’s New York City office, effective January 1, 2012.    Ms. Fleming, who is widely known for her leadership on public issues and the law assumes this position from John Catterson, who has served as the firm’s New York office managing partner since 2005. Ms. Fleming joined Hodgson Russ in 2009.   Gary M. Schober, president and CEO of Hodgson Russ, said, “Our clients in the metro-New York area and firm-wide will benefit from Cathy’s significant leadership skills, her energy and innovation, and her client-first philosophy. In addition to being an excellent lawyer and a noted advocate for women, Cathy brings a wide range of skills and vision to the position. We are delighted that she is willing to accept this level of responsibility after having joined our firm as a lateral only a short time ago. We look forward to having her as the newest member of our management team.”   Ms. Fleming said, “I am honored to have the opportunity to serve the firm, the exceptional attorneys and staff who are based New York or who travel here, and the general firm client base in this role. I look forward to continuing our firm’s philosophy of providing optimal value on every level to our clients as well as implementing a targeted approach to smart expansion for the firm in the New York area, which will be a centerpiece of the next few years.”   Ms. Fleming focuses her legal practice on complex civil litigation and white-collar criminal cases. She has extensive experience in commercial, securities, employment, antitrust, and tax law and in international extraditions. Ms. Fleming has tried more than 50 cases to verdict, most of which have been in federal courts, including in New York, New Jersey, Florida, Texas, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Illinois, and California. She regularly leads internal integrity audits and investigations for corporations and public bodies. She also provides counsel to corporate management and committees and has represented members of special committees in defense against shareholder complaints in federal and state tender offer litigation.   She regularly represents, as well, companies and their executives in investigations, including criminal investigations, SEC enforcement proceedings, class-action lawsuits, and other civil cases. She regularly represents major brokerage houses in arbitrations, often in cases involving millions of dollars. She has significant experience in representing public accounting companies.   From 2006 to 2007, Ms. Fleming served as president of the National Association of Women Lawyers (NAWL), the oldest women's bar association in the United States, and was a member of the executive board of NAWL from 2004 to 2010. She is also a founding director of the NAWL Foundation and continues to serve on its board. As a result of the reputation and experience she gained in her work for NAWL, Ms. Fleming has been asked to counsel corporations and law firms on implementing and enriching diversity initiatives. Ms. Fleming also serves as a trustee of the Historical Society for the United States District Court for the District of New Jersey.   About Mr. Catterson, Mr. Schober said, “John’s skill and experience have contributed to the growth of our New York City practice. We have been very fortunate to have had his leadership as New York office managing partner, and we all look forward to John’s continued representation of his valued clients.”   Mr. Catterson has more than 25 years of experience in all aspects of planning and administration of estates and has provided extensive services to individual and institutional fiduciaries. He also has broad experience in the formation and regulation of various types of nonprofit institutions and has served as counsel to a number of foundations, both public and private, as well as other charitable organizations.