Events

In celebration of Black History Month, Blank Rome held a special program focusing on the unique challenges and accomplishments of black women in America titled “Black Women Making History.”

The event was held at the firm's Philadelphia office and featured a networking reception, Q&A discussion and cocktail reception.

Blank Rome associate Melanie S. Carter moderated the panel, which included Gladys M. Brown, chairwoman of the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission; Tianna K. Kalogerakis, president of the Barristers Association of Philadelphia Inc.; Denise Smyler, general counsel of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania; and Sharmain Matlock-Turner, president and CEO of the Urban Affairs Coalition.

Honored

Griesing Law announced that Julie Negovan, who is of counsel in Griesing Law's commercial litigation practice group, was admitted to the Bar in Florida.

Additionally, Negovan holds a real estate license in Florida, adding to her list of Bar admissions including Pennsylvania, New York and New Jersey.

Negovan represents contractors, developers and owners in all facets of construction litigation, including defects, disaster recovery, insurance coverage, personal injury defense, title disputes, zoning, environmental issues, creditors' rights, mechanics liens and shareholder and partnership disputes.

She defended many medical institutions and their members in civil suits, including malpractice, partnership disputes and disputes concerning ERISA and compensation issues.

Additions

Nicholas M. Insua, a litigator who focuses his practice on insurance recovery litigation and counseling, rejoined Anderson Kill as a shareholder in the firm's Newark, New Jersey, office.

In his insurance recovery practice, Insua represents policyholder clients in catastrophic first-party property damage and business interruption claims, environmental and asbestos claims, and D&O and E&O claims. He handled claims under employment practices liability, inland marine and fidelity and crime policies. He also worked on reinsurance arbitrations.

In Insua's commercial litigation practice, he represented former business partners in disputes involving RICO and Lanham Act claims; a dispute between former corporate affiliates involving the interpretation of the former subsidiary's distribution agreement; and disputes involving contractual and creditor rights.

He represented numerous clients on insurance and commercial litigation matters in both state and federal appellate courts.

Active in pro bono practice, Insua represented clients seeking asylum and other forms of relief from deportation.

After Superstorm Sandy, he worked with Volunteer Lawyers for Justice and other organizations to bring insurance coverage support to those in need, working on nearly a dozen pro bono insurance coverage matters related to Sandy.

He handled impact pro bono litigation including teaming with the ACLU of New Jersey to overturn city ordinances that criminalized seeking food or monetary assistance. As a result of that litigation, the ordinances were eliminated, and a donation was made to a local organization supplying meals and other services to the homeless.

Insua is currently the chair of the pro bono committee of the New Jersey State Bar Association. Insua is co-author of Business Income Insurance Disputes, a treatise on business interruption and time-element insurance issues.

He was an adjunct professor at Seton Hall University School of Law, where he taught commercial law survey, and a guest lecturer on environmental insurance law at Rutgers Law School—Camden.

Announcements

Lee A. Schwartz, managing partner of the SchwartzJordan Law Group, announced that the firm's partner, Lisa J. Jordan, returned to public service and left the firm.

The new firm name will be Schwartz Law Firm. It will continue at the same address and telephone number.

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