Hodgson Russ Announces Five Newly Elected Partners: Four Additional Attorneys Promoted to Senior Associate

Hodgson Russ announces five attorneys have been elected to the law firm’s partnership, effective January 1, 2014. All five new partners are resident in the firm’s Buffalo office. They are:

Joseph N. Endres, a member of the State & Local Tax Practice Group, counsels clients on a wide range of state and local taxation issues and represents taxpayers in disputes with the New York State Department of Taxation and Finance and the New York City Department of Finance. Mr. Endres also advises clients with respect to various federal and state tax incentive based programs such as the federal renewable energy investment and production tax credits, and New York State's Empire Zone Program (now the Excelsior Program), Brownfield Tax Credit Program, and Historical Building Rehabilitation Tax Credit Program.

Julia M. Hilliker, a member of the firm’s Torts, Insurance, and Products Liability Practice Group, focuses her practice on trial work and complex litigation. For example, she recently secured summary judgment on behalf of a Fortune 1000 company after it was sued by numerous local residents alleging that toxic exposure to the company's operations caused personal injury and property damage claims. She also frequently handles appeals and recently successfully argued an issue of first impression to New York's highest court, the Court of Appeals. In addition, Ms. Hilliker advises international clients on product liability and insurance issues for manufacturers and distributors wishing to enter the U.S. market.

Elizabeth A. Holden, a member of the firm’s Real Estate & Finance Practice Group, concentrates her practice on complex commercial real estate development projects and in real estate aspects of renewable energy projects. Her experience includes commercial leasing, purchase and sale transactions, large-scale property review due diligence projects, industrial development agency projects and financing, and municipal and school district property transactions. She has advised regional and national companies with their business and real estate needs on a wide range of projects. Ms. Holden has performed considerable work on large-scale wind, solar, and biofuel energy projects.

Cynthia Giganti Ludwig, a member of the firm’s Business Litigation Practice Group, focuses her practice on business litigation with a particular emphasis on intellectual property litigation. She has worked on cases for prominent local and national corporations involving patent, trade secret, and trademark disputes, and has particular knowledge and experience in assessing damages claims within the intellectual property context. Ms. Ludwig is also experienced in employment litigation and general business disputes.

Kyle C. Reeb, a member of the firm’s Torts, Insurance & Products Liability Practice Group, concentrates his practice in a wide range of commercial and complex civil matters, including products liability defense, general liability defense, breach of contract, and employment litigation. Mr. Reeb also counsels publicly traded and privately held companies on legal issues and regulatory matters relating to compliance with government contracting standards under Federal Acquisition Regulations and Defense Federal Acquisition Regulations. His recent experience includes, among numerous other matters, successfully representing as lead trial counsel a large trucking company in the defense of negligence and labor law claims arising from its work in overseeing New York State’s largest tire abatement project. He also assisted in the prosecution and settlement of wrongful death claims brought by Flight 3407 families against major airline carriers in multi-district federal court litigation.

In addition, four attorneys have been promoted to senior associate. All four are resident in the Buffalo office. They are:

Marissa A. Coheley, Business Litigation Practice Group
Reetuparna (Reena) Dutta, Business Litigation Practice Group
Ryan M. Murphy, Employee Benefits Practice Group
Elizabeth Pascal, State & Local Tax Practice Group