News

Anthony Koufodontes is a rising 3L student at Seton Hall University School of Law, where has served as treasurer of the Criminal Law Society from 2022-23. He obtained his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in accounting from Hofstra University.

Growing up watching Law & Order led Anthony to take law and legal classes throughout high school and his undergraduate career. During the COVID-19 Pandemic, he felt it was the perfect time to pivot and fulfill a dream of attending law school.

For Anthony, the best part about Walsh is the people, “Everyone so far has been extremely helpful and always willing to explain assignments to ensure I fully grasp something before diving in.”

Anthony is looking forward to his final year of law school, and a future practicing law and engaging in the world he has studied for so long. His interests include antitrust, environmental law, and white-collar and securities litigation.

Natalie Lucciola is a rising 3L student at Seton Hall University School of Law, where she is a Comments Editor for the 48^th Volume of Seton Hall’s Legislative Journal. She received a dual degree in economics and communication, with a specialization in public relations from Villanova University, as well as a business minor through the Villanova Summer Business Institute.

As the youngest of four siblings, Natalie wanted to pave her own path and decided to become the first person in her family to pursue law. “When I was in college, I took a Business Law course toward my business minor and really enjoyed the critical thinking and logical reasoning that came with the course,” she explained, “that, coupled with my eagerness to work in a field where I could help others, made it clear that pursuing a career in law was the right path for me.”

Natalie says her favorite part about working at Walsh is the variety of work opportunities and the people. “I knew from the day I interviewed that the culture at Walsh was different. I have had the unique opportunity to work closely with and learn from both partners and associates.” Natalie continued, “For every case I have been assigned to, the associates and partners take the time to properly inform me on the ins and outs of the cases and explain existing case law so that I can effectively complete my assignments. They offer tips to help me improve my research skills while also giving feedback to help me refine my writing skills.”

This year, Natalie is looking forward to being a student attorney for Seton Hall’s FINRA Investor Advocacy Clinic. After graduation, she is looking forward to working directly with clients in various areas of law, as she has been able to do at Walsh.

Walsh’s summer program is coordinated by partners Mariel L. Belanger and Caitlin P. Cascino. As to the success of this summer’s program, Mariel commented, “It was a pleasure to welcome Anthony and Natalie into the Walsh family for the summer. Both were provided with direct exposure to the legal process through attendance at hearings, oral arguments, and depositions and an opportunity to gain tangible legal experience working with partners and associates on a variety of projects across various practice areas. They approached the work with enthusiasm and intellectual curiosity, and we expect they will both find great success in the legal profession in their future careers.”

NEWARK, NJ, February 28, 2023 – Walsh Pizzi O’Reilly Falanga LLP Partner Joseph Linares will be a panelist at the Hispanic National Bar Association (HNBA) 2023 Corporate Counsel Conference, which will take place in Phoenix, Arizona in mid-March. Joseph serves as programming chair for the distinguished event, and Walsh Partner Hector D. Ruiz will be in attendance as well.

Joseph will be alongside Clara Jimenez, Senior Counsel of Johnson & Johnson, Brianna Hinojosa-Smith, Chief Legal Officer of Yum! Brands, and Jorge Gonzalez, Senior Counsel of AbbVie, Inc. for a panel titled, “EQ in IP—Building In-House/Outside Counsel Relationship in IP.”

The panel will look to discuss tips for managing and building a successful long-term relationship between in-house and outside IP counsel. The topics will include tips on frequency and tone of work-product communications, setting goals and expectations, and engaging one another for feedback. Panelists will also share their perspectives on the IQ and EQ skills they seek from their counterparts, whether related to IP litigation, transactions, or other related work.

“I am looking forward to presenting alongside in-house counsel from such established companies,” said Joseph. “It’s important to know the law, but equally important to know your client’s business and what its IP means to it. I will be addressing both ends in Phoenix this month.”

The Hispanic National Bar Association (HNBA) is a national membership association that represents the interests of over 67,000+ Hispanic attorneys, judges, law professors, legal assistants, law students, and legal professionals in the United States and its territories. The Corporate Counsel Conference provides unique opportunities for outside counsel to meet representatives from numerous Fortune 500 Companies. The CCC2023 will offer three days of learning and connecting as part of a robust and forward-looking program on cutting edge topics led by leading practitioners and leaders from across the country, and one-of a kind networking opportunities.

NEWARK, NJ, February 15, 2023 – Walsh Pizzi O’Reilly Falanga LLP Partner Peter Pizzi will be speaking at the International Association of Defense Counsel (IADC)’s 2023 Professional Liability Roundtable, which will take place in New York, New York in mid-May.

Peter will be speaking alongside Jamie Palumbo of Corvus Insurance, Timothy F. Sullivan of Sullivan Insurance Consultants, and an FBI Agent from New York, NY. “When the Lawyer/Law Firm Becomes the Cyber Risk,” will speak about some of the most pressing cyber threats that law firms are facing today and those on the horizon that they will face in the near future.

“Each year, the Professional Liability Roundtable benefits the industry with focused presentations offered in a collegial gathering,” Peter said. “I am honored to be included as a panelist this coming May.”

The IADC has been serving a distinguished membership of corporate and insurance defense attorneys and insurance executives since 1920. Sponsored by the IADC Professional Liability Committee, Medical Defense and Health Law Committee, and Insurance and Reinsurance Committee, the Professional Liability Roundtable creates a forum for in-house counsel, outside counsel, and insurance claims representatives to learn together and discuss new developments in the professional liability arena.

NEWARK, NJ, January 19, 2023 – Walsh Pizzi O’Reilly Falanga LLP Partner Peter Pizzi will be speaking at the International Association of Defense Counsel (IADC)’s 2023 Midyear Meeting, which will take place in Austin, Texas in mid-February.

Peter will moderate a panel on “False Claims Act 2023 – Already a Litigation Minefield but Now with a Cyber Security Overlay,” which will address the recent U.S. Department of Justice Civil Cyber Fraud Initiative (CCFI).  The panel includes a current Department of Justice official, a pharmaceutical in-house counsel/compliance specialist, and a top FCA trial lawyer. The panel will look to explain current trends in FCA litigation and the CCFI itself, highlight recent settlements and decisions of importance involving the false or inadequate cyber compliance by government contractors, and provide practical strategies companies can employ to avoid being the target of these suits.

“I am delighted to have the opportunity to address this important DOJ initiative aimed at enhancing industry data security practices,” Peter commented.

The IADC has been serving a distinguished membership of corporate and insurance defense attorneys and insurance executives since 1920. The Midyear Meeting is an annual event that allows these professionals to connect and collaborate with one another.

NEWARK, NJ, December 21, 2022 – Walsh Pizzi O’Reilly Falanga LLP has announced Joseph Linares as the newest Partner, effective January 1, 2023.

“It’s an honor and privilege to share this well-deserved career milestone. Joe is an outstanding lawyer and individual,” said Liza M. Walsh, managing partner. “We are fortunate to have his talent, dedication, and unwavering loyalty to our clients. We are so proud of him and look forward to what we know will be a distinguished career.”

Joseph has experience from practice areas that range from intellectual property and trade secret litigation, financial services and risk management, class action defense and insurance defense.

Meet Walsh’s Newest Partner

Joseph L. Linares concentrates his practice on commercial litigation, including intellectual property, employment, construction and torts as well corporate/business law and transactional work. Joe also provides counsel to non-profits, small businesses, and start-up ventures. Joseph has also served two secondments as corporate counsel. Prior to joining the firm, Joseph spent three years at a mid-sized regional law firm. He attended Villanova University for his bachelor’s, Seton Hall University for his MBA, and earned his J.D., cum laude, from Rutgers University School of Law, where he served as the Student Bar Association Vice President.

About Walsh.

Based in Newark, New Jersey, with additional offices located in New York City and Philadelphia, Walsh lawyers strive to provide what matters most to clients with a team of seasoned attorneys bringing together over 150 years of combined experience in a law firm poised to deliver high-quality legal services with the personal attention and responsiveness more common to smaller organizations. As a majority women-owned business, Walsh is focused on building a diverse law firm of the highest caliber with an esteemed team of professionals dedicated to resolving multifaceted legal issues for our clients efficiently and effectively.

NEWARK, N.J., November 8, 2022 — Walsh Pizzi O’Reilly Falanga LLP has been ranked in the 2023 U.S. News & World Report and Best Lawyers® “Best Law Firms” list regionally in 8 practice areas. Firms included in this list are recognized for professional excellence with persistently impressive ratings from clients and peers.

Walsh Pizzi O’Reilly Falanga LLP received the following rankings in the 2023 U.S. News – Best Lawyers® “Best Law Firms”:

Regional Tier 1, New Jersey

• • Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law
  • Commercial Litigation

Regional Tier 2, New Jersey

• • Employment Law – Management
  • Litigation – ERISA
  • Litigation – Labor & Employment
  • Litigation – Patent

Regional Tier 3, New Jersey

• • Bet-the-Company Litigation
  • Labor Law – Management

Recognition by Best Lawyers® is based entirely on peer review, a consensus opinion of leading lawyers about the professional abilities of their colleagues within the same geographical area and legal practice area. The Best Lawyers in America® was first published in 1983 and publishes top legal talent in more than 70 countries around the world.

U.S. News & World Report is the global leader in quality rankings that empower people to make better, more informed decisions about important issues affecting their lives. More than 40 million people visit USNews.com each month for research and guidance.

NEWARK, N.J., November 2, 2022 – Walsh Pizzi O’Reilly Falanga LLP welcomes Lauren R. Malakoff to the firm! Lauren will be focusing her practice on labor and employment, as well as business and commercial litigation.

Prior to joining the firm, Lauren served as Judicial Law Clerk to the Honorable Anne M. Patterson, Associate Justice, Supreme Court of New Jersey, as well as Judicial Law Clerk to the Honorable Madeline Cox Arleo, U.S. District Judge, United States District Court for the District of New Jersey. Lauren was also a summer associate for Walsh in 2019.

Lauren received her J.D., cum laude, from Seton Hall University School of Law and earned her bachelor’s degree, cum laude, in Criminal Justice, with minors in Business, Marketing, Communications, and Psychology from Villanova University in 2015.

NEWARK, N.J., October 20, 2022 – Walsh Partner Peter Pizzi will be presenting at the Central Illinois CPCU Society Chapter’s 61st Annual Insurance All Industry Day in Normal, IL in November.

This premier Central Illinois CPCU Chapter event showcases industry leaders discussing a variety of issues that may impact the insurance industry. Peter’s presentation, titled “Ephemeral Messaging, Deepfakes and Digital Forensics,” will explore the future of information technology and factors that could lead to potential industry changes.

“My colleague Ignatius Grande from Berkeley Research and I are looking forward to speaking at this industry forum,” Peter said. “The event will be beneficial for insurance executives looking to keep informed of important judicial, legislative, and administrative responses to the latest advances in information technology.”

NEWARK, N.J., October 3, 2022 – Three Walsh partners attended the National Association of Minority and Women Owned Law Firms (NAMWOLF) Annual Meeting in Chicago, Illinois.

As partners in a majority women-owned law firm, Walsh attorneys Mariel L. Belanger, Christine I. Gannon, and Katelyn O’Reilly were honored to attend the three-day conference known for providing unique opportunities to connect corporate counsel from major companies and public entities committed to diversity and inclusion with minority and women owned law firms. NAMWOLF also supports top notch continuing legal education, and the Annual Meeting gives several opportunities to meet and develop relationships with other NAMWOLF Law Firm Members to expand the legal networks among law firms that are equally committed to diversity and inclusion in the legal profession.

During the conference, Mariel served as a panelist for a CLE session titled, “The Law in Real Life: Practical Pointers from E-Discovery Law and Technology,” where she and fellow panelists discussed emerging legal trends and practice pointers in the E-Discovery space. Mariel delved into thorny spoilation issues and recent opinions concerning how courts assess requests for sanctions for the spoliation of electronically stored information.

“The NAMWOLF Annual Meeting was a wonderful event that provided an opportunity to meet face to face and network with other lawyers, legal vendors and corporate counsel dedicated to achieving excellent legal outcomes by driving diversity in the legal profession,” shared Mariel. “I truly enjoyed the opportunity to speak on e-discovery, a subject that consumes so much of our time as lawyers and sharing the stage with some other exceptional panelists who provided great insight into this ever-evolving area of the law.”