Porzio Bromberg Hires Chicago-Based Attorney to Launch New Tech Practice

Porzio, Bromberg & Newman is launching a new technology practice, bringing on Jill Williamson, previously the managing attorney of the Seattle office of Eastern Washington-based Gravis Law, to spearhead the firm’s dive into blockchain and cryptocurrency work.

According to Vito Gagliardi, the firm’s managing principal, the move was done to further the its three-year strategic plan, which identified technology-based practices as a key growth area.

“Given the way the world is changing and the way companies do business, [we thought] it would be useful to add someone who was a crypto and blockchain expert,” Gagliardi said. “We’ve seen it come up and we don’t want to miss out on opportunities. … Whether it’s counseling clients who may use [blockchain technology] or litigating about transactions that went awry or conducting a transaction using that technology, you need to be able to understand it.”

Williamson has served at Gravis Law for more than five years, starting out as a senior attorney before becoming the Seattle managing attorney and head of the firm’s compliance and regulatory practice. With Gravis, Williamson’s role has been remote, something she expects will continue at Porzio Bromberg.

“Most of my clients are not local to me,” she said, noting that she typically operates out of Chicago. “Most of my clients are frankly indifferent to where I’m located, and many if not all of my clients have remote workforces. … While I’m comfortable working remotely, it’s still no substitute for face-to-face interaction.”

According to Gagliardi, Williamson will be spending a fair amount of time in New Jersey as she gets acclimated to her new firm on an in-person basis, although he also highlighted the firm’s comfort with remote and flexible working arrangements as assets in a competitive labor market.

“She will be doing much of her work remotely, but she is committed to, during the early part of her tenure, getting to know the partners, cross-selling services, and spending a lot of time in New Jersey. We’re not concerned about that,” he said. “The world has changed in the past few years. … In this day and age, if you’re not open to some kind of remote work arrangement, you’re going to lose out on talent.

“Whatever preferences an individual lawyer has on however they work, if you’re going to be successful, you have to look at the marketplace,” he concluded.

Regardless of where, geographically, she works, Williamson will have plenty of work on her plate from existing clients as well as the firm’s preexisting clients.

“In general, the markets have been good since the start of the year. That drives capital to the space and there’s more new projects and investment in existing projects,” Williamson said. “Even in the Web3 space, AI is booming and other emerging technologies, all of that is growing.

“There’s a real need for high-quality legal services in spaces with really complex legal problems that are looking at alternatives to Big Law,” she continued. “Not every company can afford Big  Law … and Big Law doesn’t want to represent every company. Small companies can present issues with conflicts and other issues … to get quality services in these complex areas, there’s a real gap there.”

Gravis Law did not immediately respond to a request for comment.