NYSBA Announces New Section Chairs

By Brandon Vogel

June 1, 2020

NYSBA Announces New Section Chairs

6.1.2020

By Brandon Vogel

Fourteen new section chairs took office on June 1.

Business Law Section

Anthony Q. Fletcher of New York City is the new chair of the Business Law Section.

Fletcher is a solo practitioner. He concentrates his practice in corporate and commercial law. Prior to starting his own firm, Fletcher was an associate professor of law at New York Law School where he taught courses in Securities Regulation, Mergers & Acquisitions, Corporations, and Partnerships & LLCs.

A 23–year member of NYSBA, Fletcher most recently served as vice-chair of the Business Law Section. He has been chair of the section’s Diversity Committee since 2011. He previously co-chaired the State Bar’s Law Practice Management Committee.

Fletcher graduated from Columbia University and earned his law degree from Harvard Law School.

Commercial and Federal Litigation Section
Jonathan Fellows of Syracuse is the new chair of the Commercial and Federal Litigation Section.

Fellows is a member of Bond, Schoeneck and King. He has a diverse litigation practice including commercial disputes, complex products liability, employment litigation, white collar criminal defense, civil rights, media law and insurance.

A 32-year member of NYSBA, Fellows most recently served as chair-elect of the Commercial and Federal Litigation Section. He is a member of the section’s Committee on the Commercial Division.

Fellows graduated from Hamilton College, cum laude, and earned his law degree from Cornell Law School, magna cum laude.

Dispute Resolution Section

Laura Kaster of Princeton, N.J. is the new chair of the Dispute Resolution Section.

Kaster is a full-time neutral. She previously was chief litigation counsel at AT&T and a partner in Jenner & Block in Chicago, Illinois.

A 14-year member of NYSBA, Kaster most recently served as chair-elect of the Dispute Resolution Section. She is co-editor in chief of the New York Dispute Resolution Lawyer.

Kaster graduated from Tufts University and earned her law degree from Boston University School of Law.

Elder Law and Special Needs Section
Matthew Nolfo of New York City is the new chair of the Elder Law and Special Needs Section.

Nolfo is the principal of Matthew J. Nolfo & Associates.  He concentrates his practice in estate planning and elder law.

A 28-year member of NYSBA, Nolfo most recently served as chair-elect of the Elder Law and Special Needs Law Section. He was co-chair of the section’s Committee on Legislation.

Nolfo graduated from Fordham University and earned his law degree from Fordham University School of Law.

Environmental and Energy Law Section

Nicholas Ward-Willis of White Plains is the new chair of the Environmental and Energy Law Section.

Ward-Willis is a member of Keane and Beane. He represents businesses, developers, individuals, property managers and public bodies in a variety of land use, real estate and environmental issues, ranging from commercial and real estate transactions to state and federal environmental litigation.

A 26-year member of NYSBA, Ward-Willis most recently served as vice-chair of the Environmental and Energy Law Section. He also is a member of the Local and State Government Law and Real Property Law Sections.

Ward-Willis graduated from the University of Albany and earned his law degree from Pace University School of Law, cum laude.

Food, Drug and Cosmetic Law Section

Larissa Bergin of Washington, DC is the new chair of the Food, Drug and Cosmetic Law Section.

Bergin is a partner at Jones Day. Her practice addresses the antitrust concerns arising from mergers and acquisitions matters, joint ventures, federal investigations, and commercial practices.

A 12-year member of NYSBA, Bergin most recently served as secretary of the Food, Drug and Cosmetic Law Section. She also is a member of the Antitrust Law Section and the Membership Committee.

Bergin graduated from Boston University, magna cum laude, and earned her law degree from Catholic University of America School of Law, magna cum laude.

General Practice Section

Domenick Napoletano of Brooklyn is the new chair of the General Practice Section.

Napoletano is a solo practitioner focusing on complex commercial litigation and appellate work while maintaining a general practice.

Among his NYSBA activities, Napoletano is treasurer of the State Bar and co-chair of NYSBA’s Emergency Task Force for Solo and Small Firm Practitioners as well as the Committee on Civil Practice Law and Rules. He is a member of NYSBA’s Restarting the Economy Work Group and the COVID-19 Recovery Task Force working group on landlord-tenant disputes. He has served on many NYSBA committees including Finance, Leadership Development, Bar Leaders of New York State, Animals in the Law, the President’s Committee on Access to Justice, Task Force on the Evaluation of Candidates for Election to Judicial Office and the Task Force on Mass Shootings and Assault Weapons.

Napoletano also served on NYSBA’s Executive Committee as vice president from the Second Judicial Dis-trict, and the House of Delegates representing the Brooklyn Bar Association. He is a past president of the Brooklyn Bar Association, the Columbian Lawyers Association of Brooklyn, the Confederation of Columbian Lawyers of the State of New York and the Catholic Lawyers Guild of Kings County.

Napoletano graduated from Brooklyn College and earned his law degree from Hofstra University School of Law.

Health Law Section

Karen Gallinari of White Plains is the new chair of the Health Law Section.

Gallinari is an adjunct professor at Pace University’s Elizabeth Haub School of Law.  She has over 20 years’ experience in healthcare law, risk management, compliance, litigation, medical research and bioethics.

A 24-year member of NYSBA, Gallinari most recently served as chair-elect of the Health Law Section. She previously chaired the section’s Membership Committee. She was a member of the section’s Biotechnology/Medical Research; In-House Counsel; and Public Health Committees.

Gallinari graduated from New York University and earned her law degree from New York Law School.

Intellectual Property Law Section

Michael Oropallo of Syracuse is the new chair of the Intellectual Property Law Section.

A first-chair trial lawyer with 30 years of wide-ranging complex civil trial experience, Oropallo is Barclay Damon’s Branding, Trademarks & Copyrights Practice Area co-chair and co-team leader of the outdoor and wildlife team. He regularly represents clients in complex intellectual property disputes throughout the United States and in negotiating agreements, licensing, monetization, and IP due diligence in mergers and acquisitions.

A 31-year member of NYSBA, Oropallo most recently served as vice-chair of the Intellectual Property Law Section. He also is a member of the Dispute Resolution Section’s Executive Committee.

Oropallo graduated from State University of New York at Oswego and earned his law degree from Ohio Northern University College of Law, cum laude.

International Section

Jay Himes of New York City is the new chair of the International Section.

Himes is a partner of Labaton Sucharow and co-chair of the firm’s Antitrust and Competition Litigation Practice.

An 18-year member of NYSBA, Himes most recently served as chair-elect of the International Section. He previously chaired the Antitrust Law Section and received its William T. Lifland Service Award for Distinguished Service. He is a representative to NYSBA’s sections caucus, and co-chairs the antitrust committees of both NYSBA’s Commercial and Federal Litigation and International Sections.

Himes graduated from University of Wisconsin-Madison and earned his law degree from the University of Wisconsin Law School.

Judicial Section

Hon. Barbara Kapnick is the new presiding member of the Judicial Section.

Justice Kapnick is an associate judge of the Appellate Division, First Department. She was elected to the Civil Court in 1991, appointed an Acting Supreme Court Justice in April 1994, and was elected to the Supreme Court, New York County in 2001. She was assigned to the Commercial Division in 2008.

A 16-year member of NYSBA, Kapnick most recently served as assistant presiding member of the Judicial Section. She also is a member of the Commercial and Federal Litigation Section.

Kapnick graduated from Barnard College, cum laude, and earned her law degree from Boston University School of Law.

Labor and Employment Law Section
Christopher D’Angelo is the new chair of the Labor and Employment Law Section.

D’Angelo is the associate general counsel of the Consolidated Edison Group. He heads its Labor, Employment, Benefits and Workers Compensation Group,

A 35-year member of NYSBA, D’Angelo most recently served as chair-elect of the Labor and Employment Law Section.

D’Angelo graduated from Villanova University and earned his law degree from Fordham University School of Law.

Real Property Law Section

Ira S. Goldenberg of White Plains is the new chair of the Real Property Law Section.

Goldenberg is a partner at Goldenberg & Selker. He represents boards of condominiums, homeowners associations and cooperatives, as well as developers, unit owners, sellers and purchasers.

A 36-year member of NYSBA, Goldenberg previously chaired the Section Delegates Caucus. He was a member of the State Bar’s Executive Committee. He was co-chair of the the Real Property Law Section’s Condominiums and Cooperatives Committee, as well as its Attorney Escrow and Electronic Communications & Meetings task forces.

Goldenberg graduated magna cum laude from Brandeis University and earned his law degree with honors from George Washington University Law Center.

Young Lawyers Section

Michael DiFalco of New York City is the new chair of the Young Lawyers Section.

DiFalco is a partner of Aiello & DiFalco. He concentrates his practice in family law and mediation.

A nine-year member of NYSBA, DiFalco most recently served as chair-elect of the Young Lawyers Section. He also is a member of the Family Law Section.

DiFalco earned his law degree from St. John’s University School of Law.

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