Meister Seelig, Lowenstein, Sullivan & Cromwell Expand Practices With New Hires

Meister Seelig & Schuster PLLC has acquired the boutique firm Avelino Law to grow its financial services division. The deal brings Avelino Law's founder, A. Jude Avelino, and managing partner Stacey Valentine into the larger New York-based practice. The acquisition adds the entire Avelino team to the firm's staff.

The firms stated that the Avelino group brings decades of experience in trusts and estates. Their work covers estate planning, wealth transfer, probate litigation, and tax matters. Mark J. Seelig, chairperson of Meister Seelig & Schuster, said the addition helps the firm serve clients with complex personal and financial lives. He noted that Avelino and Valentine bring a personalized approach to protecting wealth and passing it to the next generation.

Avelino holds a J.D. from Brooklyn Law School and an LL.M. in Taxation from Georgetown University Law Center. His background includes corporate transactions and litigation. He said the move allows the team to build on their existing approach with a larger platform of legal resources. His goal, he said, remains to be a trusted advisor who understands what matters to his clients.

Stacey Valentine advises on fiduciary responsibilities, estate disputes, and closely held family businesses. She earned her J.D. from Washington and Lee University School of Law and her undergraduate degree from Colgate University. Valentine emphasized that estate planning requires both technical knowledge and clear communication. She said the firm sees an opportunity to maintain personal client connections while using a wider range of capabilities.

Lowenstein Sandler LLP has named Boris Liberman and Marc S. Kurzweil as co-chairs of its Fund Finance practice. The group is part of the firm's Debt Finance department. It works with the firm's investment management, private equity, and tax teams to align financing structures with fund documents and capital strategy. The firm aims to boost services for clients focused on fund-level financing.

Liberman is based in New York and previously led the Derivatives and Structured Products practice at Lowenstein. He advised investment managers on trading strategy and counterparty risk. He said that working with investment management lawyers allows the firm to view the whole capital structure. He noted that this perspective is important as managers move into non-traditional financing structures.

Lowell A. Citron, chair of Lowenstein's Debt Finance group, said the new leadership combines credit discipline with investment management expertise. Liberman received his J.D. from the New York Law School in 2005 and is admitted to the New York and Connecticut bars.

Sullivan & Cromwell has hired Ryan Shores as a partner and co-head of its Antitrust Group in Washington, D.C. Shores previously served as Associate Deputy Attorney General and Senior Advisor for Technology Industries at the U.S. Department of Justice. In that role, he oversaw antitrust reviews of major online platforms. He brings experience in high-stakes litigation, merger reviews, and government investigations.

Sullivan & Cromwell Co-Chairs Robert Giuffra and Scott Miller said Shores is a leading antitrust trial lawyer. They stated that his government perspective will strengthen the firm's ability to handle complex antitrust challenges. Shores earned his J.D. from the University of Virginia School of Law and his B.A. from Huntingdon College. He clerked for the late Chief Justice William H. Rehnquist.

Shores said he is thrilled to join Sullivan & Cromwell and help build on its history in antitrust matters. The firm's integrated approach and global platform, he said, make it an ideal place to continue his practice.