Holland & Knight Announces New Partners

MIAMI, Dec. 29 -- Holland & Knight issued the following news release:

Steven Sonberg, managing partner of Holland & Knight, announced that 12 attorneys in the firm have been elected to partnership effective January 1, 2012. Ten associates and two senior counsel, in various offices throughout the firm, were elevated. They are:

Atlanta

Associate elevated to partnership:

John M. Hamrick, a member of the firm's Litigation Section, has experience in a diverse range of complex commercial litigation, professional negligence defense and product liability litigation. He received his B.A. degree from Samford University and his J.D. degree from Georgia State University College of Law.

Senior Counsel elevated to partnership:

Cynthia G. Burnside, a member of the firm's Litigation Section, concentrates her practice in the areas of complex commercial litigation, including employment litigation and appellate representation. She received her B.A. degree from Smith College, her MBA from Tulane University'sA.B. Freeman School of Business, and her J.D. degree from Tulane Law School.

Chicago

Associate elevated to partnership:

James P. Chivilo, a member of the firm's Litigation Section, concentrates his practice in construction law, insurance law, mechanic lien law and general commercial litigation. He received his B.S. degree from Benedictine University and his J.D. degree from the John Marshall Law School in Chicago.

Jacksonville

Associate elevated to partnership:

Ricardo A. Bedoya, a member of the firm's Litigation Section, focuses on commercial litigation and has prosecuted and defended a wide variety of business and tort claims. He received his B.S. degree from University of Florida, his M.P.H. degree from Boston University School of Public Health, and his J.D. degree from Vanderbilt University School of Law.

Lakeland, Fla.

Associate elevated to partnership:

Michael L. Wiener, a member of the firm's Business Law Section, practices in the area of public finance, concentrating on public debt offerings and bank placements for local governments and conduit borrowers, including manufacturers and not-for-profit borrowers in Florida. He received his B.S. degree from Binghamton University and his J.D. degree from Florida State University College of Law.

Los Angeles

Associate elevated to partnership:

Shelley G. Hurwitz, a member of the firm's Litigation Section, has extensive experience defending product manufacturers against individual and class action claims for personal injuries and property damage. Hurwitz also has represented defendants in numerous asbestos and toxic mold cases, and claims under California's Proposition 65. She received her B.A. degree from the University of California in San Diego and her J.D. degree from UCLA School of Law.

Senior Counsel elevated to partnership:

Karl J. Lott, a member of the firm's Real Estate Section, specializes in the areas of real estate transactional matters and real estate finance, with a focus on all aspects of commercial real estate transactions. He received his B.A. degree from the College of William & Mary, his M.A. from Columbia University, and his J.D. degree from UCLA School of Law.

Miami

Associates elevated to partnership:

Joaquin J. Alemany, a member of the firm's Litigation Section, focuses primarily in the areas of complex civil litigation matters, creditors' rights and bankruptcy. Alemany is also a Certified Public Accountant. He received his B.A. and M.S. degrees from Florida International University and his J.D. degree from University of Miami School of Law.

Brian A. Briz, a member of the firm's Litigation Section, focuses primarily in the areas of international, cross-border and commercial litigation and arbitration. He received his B.B.A. degree from University of Miami and his J.D. degree from Georgetown University Law Center.

Israel J. Encinosa, a member of the firm's Litigation Section, focuses primarily on complex civil litigation matters, with a particular emphasis on international, cross-border, investor dispute and antitrust litigation. He received his B.A. degree from Boston College and his J.D. degree from the University of Chicago Law School.

Michael E. Hantman, a member of the firm's Litigation Section, focuses primarily on white collar criminal defense, internal corporate investigations and complex civil litigation. Hantman is a former Assistant Attorney General for the State of Florida. He received his B.A. degree from New College of Florida and his J.D. degree from University of Miami School of Law.

New York

Associate elevated to partnership:

Howard Sokol, a member of the firm's Litigation Section, practices in the Labor, Employment and Benefits Group, representing management in a broad range of labor relations and employment law matters. He received his B.A. and M.B.A degrees from Binghamton University (State University of New York) and his J.D. degree from St. John's University School of Law.

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