Corporate

Scott Cole is a Partner in the Atlanta office and works with several of the firm’s practice groups. A native of Atlanta, Georgia, Mr. Cole has a civil engineering degree from Vanderbilt University and a law degree from Mercer University’s Walter F. George School of Law. Mr. Cole is a senior member of the Transactional Practice Group. He focuses his energy on the sale of medical offices, including dental offices, to larger groups. In connection with this, he has worked with many of the larger national and regional DSOs. He represents clients, including technology, communications and energy companies, on a variety of matters ranging from entity selection, organizational structuring, transaction structuring, and working with clients through day-to-day and extraordinary business transactions. Mr. Cole works with corporate clients to identify strategic goals and assists them through initial planning, negotiations, and project completion. Mr. Cole worked as outside counsel to a suburban Atlanta county, local water authority, and currently serves as city attorney for Mansfield, GA. In those capacities, he drafted and reviewed various contracts, including GDOT and multi-million dollar construction contracts; drafted various ordinances and resolutions; and advised local officials on land acquisition, policy, and other matters.

Thomas E. Greene III, founder of Liberty Street Law, blends a background that includes estate planning law, financial planning and asset protection to provide top-tier legal representation to clients at a competitive price point. Tom has held high-level positions during his career, including senior vice president at Lehman Brothers and Goldman Sachs; portfolio manager at Morgan Stanley; and legal counsel at Paine Webber. He has lectured on asset protection topics for the National Business Institute, and is a member of the American Bar Association's Asset Protection Planning Committee. He is the author of "A Family Asset Protection Plan." As a lawyer, he has provided estate planning and corporate counsel services for numerous clients nationwide. He has been named a Top 10% National Lawyer of Distinction, and he is a certified asset protection planner. Tom formed Liberty Street as a financial firm in 1980. He later formed Liberty Street Law to serve estate planning and corporate clients. His diverse career developed after he received a bachelor's degree from the University of Georgia, a law degree from Emory University Law School and studied finance at the New York University School of Business.

Alan Hamilton focuses his law practice on significant personal injury cases, wrongful death, and business torts. Alan has helped numerous clients obtain seven- and eight-figure verdicts and settlements during his career. He has represented individuals and appeared before courts in twelve different states. Prior to co-founding Shiver Hamilton, Alan practiced with a nationally recognized trial firm and served as a federal judicial law clerk. Since its founding in 2011, Shiver Hamilton has obtained a series of outstanding jury verdicts, many of them far exceeding the insurance company’s best offer. Alan decided early on to dedicate his career to representing injured victims of negligence and corporate wrongdoing, turning down multiple job offers from corporate defense law firms to pursue a law practice representing plaintiffs.

Dr. Kasraie is a founding member of Kasraie & Fodor, LLC. He has well over 30 years of legal and executive business experience in several industries, including banking, finance, energy, real estate, manufacturing, recycling, IT, and pharmaceuticals. He has resolved legal, financial, corporate, and political issues in the UAE, U.K., France, Germany, Switzerland, Finland, Netherlands, Italy, Russia, Romania, Turkey, Poland, Republic of Georgia, Egypt, Morocco, Kuwait, India, Pakistan, Peoples' Republic of China, Taiwan, Canada, etc. He holds several degrees, including J.D. and Ph.D. in engineering. In the late nineties, Dr. Kasraie co-founded the law firm of Marchman & Kasraie, LLC. The firm was active in corporate and security law, international law, and family law. He was a managing member of the law firm. In 2012, he co-founded the law firm of Kasraie & Fodor, LLC with similar activities. In addition, Dr. Kasraie has been the Financial and Economic Advisor to City Governments in the People's Republic of China (PRC) since 1998.

For nearly three decades, Maurice has represented corporate and individual clients in numerous high profile, sophisticated intellectual property matters relating to business transactions and commercial litigation. He works with clients to develop intellectual property strategies, including strategies for the procurement, licensing and enforcement of copyrights, trademarks, and patents. Maurice also advises clients on a wide range of issues relating to internet law and social media, including issues concerning rights of privacy, rights of publicity and defamation. Maurice is also an experienced and well-known trial lawyer. He has served as lead trial and appellate counsel in high-stakes patent and intellectual property litigation involving companies in a wide array of industries, from pharmaceutical and biotechnology to media and entertainment. Maurice routinely handles trademark and copyright matters for clients in the fashion, music, media, entertainment, computer and software industries. Although he focuses his practice in the area of intellectual property, Maurice has also served as trial counsel in complex securities, RICO, lender liability, antitrust cases, and he has extensive experience representing corporate executives and other individuals in white collar criminal defense matters, often relating to intellectual property. Maurice also has frequently been called upon to advise clients regarding the risks and benefits of proposed mergers, acquisitions and other transactions, particularly as such transactions involve transfers and licensing of intellectual property rights. Maurice is also recognized as an expert on disputes relating to the attorney-client privilege and work product immunity, and he has been counsel of record in landmark decisions in this area. More recently, Maurice has advised domestic and international clients concerning how to successfully and efficiently address the challenges and burdens imposed by electronic discovery and social media, including the use of social media postings as evidence in complex litigation. Maurice has published frequently in the areas of intellectual property, patent law, media and internet law, and the attorney-client privilege. Maurice has long been a proponent for using alternative dispute resolution mechanisms for efficient resolution of complex business disputes, at both the trial and appellate levels. Further, given the economic realities and costs of conducting complex intellectual property and commercial litigation, Maurice encourages his clients from the earliest stages of litigation to attempt to aggressively pursue settlement. By the same token, Maurice has long advocated aggressive use of the pre-trial discovery process to improve his clients’ likelihood of success at trial, and in recent years he has focused extensively on how to use emerging technologies to make the pre-trial discovery process more efficient and cost-effective. Maurice has appeared in the United States District Courts for the Southern and Eastern Districts of New York, the District of New Jersey, the District of Colorado and the Northern District of California, and he has argued appeals in the United States Courts of Appeals for the Federal, Second and Fifth Circuits, as well as State Courts in New York. Prior to joining Barton LLP, Maurice was a shareholder with Budd Larner and practiced at Clifford Chance and Sullivan and Cromwell.

Mark R. Osherow is a Florida Bar Board Certified Specialist in Business Litigation with over 30 years of experience. He has practiced for most of those years in both state and federal courts throughout Florida. With significant trial and alternative dispute resolution experience, Osherow has taken countless depositions and served as first-chair in numerous trials, arbitrations and mediations. He serves as a legal advisor for his clients as they assess their business risks across a large segment of industry and service providers. Lawyer.com Member Questionnaire How did you build a successful practice? Throughout my early career, I was involved in class action litigation, complex litigation for major clients and product liability cases. I was fortunate to be involved in complex cases and, through that experience, to develop expertise in a variety of areas,” he says. Osherow learned early on that success as a litigator requires a very high level of commitment and tenacity. After 2006, my practice focused almost exclusively on business litigation and related areas such as real estate, construction and employment litigation. Osherow believes in leading by example, a philosophy he developed and has carried out through his over 30 years of practice. Osherow says he works to be a good listener. That skill, combined with his experience as a board-certified business litigator, allows him to respond quickly and effectively to client needs in diverse areas of the law. He believes in The Florida Bar board certification process. He says he is proud of his certification as a board-certified business litigation specialist, and frequently encourages his colleagues to apply. “I believe in team effort and in leading in a way that makes other people want to perform for you as a team. My philosophy has come down to this – the way I define a problem is whether somebody is going to remember in a day, a week, a month, six months, a year or five years from now. If they are not going to remember it in the long term, it is really not a problem; it is just a bump in the road. And 99.9 percent of things fall into that category, although at that moment they may seem like major issues. We work in a high pressure, stressful profession and it’s important that people know someone has his or her back,” he says. “I’d say the biggest challenge is getting a case to the point that the client fully realizes how cases are resolved. It is basically strategy. Most cases can ultimately be resolved. Finding those solutions that get the participants to a point where they are ready to resolve the case is for me one of the most interesting aspects of practicing law,” Osherow says. He helps clients to see that sometimes they are motivated more by hostility, anger, frustration or something else that interferes with their ability to focus on the practical business aspects of their situation. One of his primary goals is to motivate those clients to see their situation from a practical perspective rather than an emotional perspective, to see the situation as it really is – a purely business transaction. “Sometimes clients don’t think as rationally as they believe they are and sometimes when they think rationally they don’t necessarily weigh all the different aspects of the case. It is very important to help clients see the various motivations and causes that are influencing them to make a decision. Once we have done that analysis and we have gone through all of the specifics, then they can decide whether or not litigation is called for,” he says. Osherow sometimes faces a client who initially only wants to litigate, someone who doesn’t want or doesn’t realize that one of the key aspects of a case is an attorney’s ability to resolve or at least attempt to resolve the case before the client gets involved in expensive, time-consuming and often emotionally-draining litigation. He says it is crucial for a lawyer to help a client assess his or her willingness to take a case through the litigation process and trial. The client must also feel comfortable that their law firm is providing advice that is in their best interests, whether they go the distance through trial or seek alternative dispute resolution. “I always want our clients to understand the costs and risks of the decisions they’re making. For me, that is critical. I’m always advising clients about the next step, about what they need to know, what we should be doing, and advising them constantly on pre-litigation, litigation, settlement and trial issues,” he says. Osherow says that whether cases are rewarding or difficult, an attorney has to have an even keel as a litigator. He upholds a philosophy of trust when it comes to his clients’ interests. “My father taught me to never give up and my first boss taught me how to think like a lawyer, to be precise, and to be articulate in my writing. From those mentors and others, I have come to believe strongly in creating an environment where people can do their best.” What should clients look for in a lawyer? Do not rely on what is on a lawyer’s website alone. Speak to the lawyer and make sure your questions are fully answered and there is no run around or diversion in providing direct answers. That does not mean that every question is subject to an easy answer however. Make sure the lawyer has the competence to proceed with your case or its defense. Many inexperienced lawyers claim to be experts in matters that are really outside of their experience level or abilities. Many lawyers do not have the extensive training and experience to handle complex litigation but represent to the public that they have this experience. But they can be cost effective by charging lower rates. Sometimes you get what you pay for so be careful in selecting a lawyer who can at a minimum learn the issues and competently address your situation. Look for a lawyer who will represent you or your company vigorously and professionally and will take the time to learn all the critical issues involved in your particular matter. Check for prior cases handled by the lawyer and the actual experience the lawyer has in similar or related types of cases, recognizing that each case may well present distinct issues. Find out when the lawyer was admitted to the Bar and if they are Board Certified as a specialist in their particular area of practice, which can also help select a lawyer with the competency to handle a matter within their specialty. How important is local knowledge to the success of your cases? It is important to know the lawyers on the other side and the court rules and the reputations and differences in the way judges handle cases before them. This helps provide each client with valuable insight on how the case may progress in court. Where a case is in arbitration, where possible, it is critical to know the reputation of the arbitrators who may be chosen to hear the case.

Deena R. Merlen is a Partner at the firm. She serves clients at both our New York and Stamford offices and heads the Connecticut practice. Her practice areas include intellectual property, employment and labor law, media and entertainment, general business law, commercial transactions and dispute resolution. In her employment practice, Ms. Merlen is a trusted “go to” problem solver and counsel to individuals, established name brand companies and startups alike. She has extensive experience representing clients in matters including general counseling, discrimination actions, mediations and dispute resolution, investigations by federal or state agencies, as well as wage and hour claims and other labor law matters. She also advises on and regularly negotiates employment and separation agreements, independent contractor arrangements and other services-related arrangements. Ms. Merlen also counsels clients on employment and business matters in response to a crisis or other unexpected business impact, such as the COVID-19 pandemic and resulting business closures, including continuity plans, employee furloughs, reductions in force and other critical measures. In her intellectual property practice, Ms. Merlen helps her clients with the development, acquisition and protection of their valuable brands and other vital intellectual property assets. She manages and grows trademark portfolios in the U.S. and internationally; negotiates licensing, assignment, distribution and branding agreements; prosecutes trademark and copyright registrations; enforces intellectual property rights; and provides strategic counsel to safeguard brand platforms and expand the value of her clients’ intellectual property assets. Ms. Merlen’s media practice encompasses the development and protection of creative works in the fields of music, film, television, theatre, publishing, literary arts, performing arts, design and technology. She ran her own business in the entertainment industry for over a decade and brings that business experience and acumen to her legal practice. In addition, Ms. Merlen provides general business counsel and represents clients in company and transactional matters such as partnerships, joint ventures, licensing arrangements, the purchase or sale of businesses, and a wide range of other corporate matters, including company formation, capitalization and governance, compliance and contracts. Representative clients include technology companies, schools and other academic institutions, personal care and beauty companies, fashion and design companies, media, arts and entertainment companies, wholesalers, retailers and more. Prior to her work with RPJ, Ms. Merlen served as Law Clerk to The Honorable Roger J. Miner of the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit, after which she joined Debevoise & Plimpton, where she practiced for over five years in the areas of corporate law and intellectual property. Ms. Merlen is admitted to practice in Connecticut and New York.

Russell has over 38 years of multi-state legal experience with both a local and national client base. He currently serves as outside General Counsel for several clients who own large Commercial Real Estate shopping centers both locally and nationally. Primary practice areas include financial institution and bank regulatory and compliance, representation of national creditors within general creditor’s rights enforcement, complex multi-state litigation, general commercial defense, Insurance Law corporate law, small business startups and general representation, and personal injury.

Ron is partner in the firm based in the Butler office. He represents both public and private clients in general litigation, personal injury, real estate litigation, and business and corporate litigation. Ron is a former prosecutor having tried well over one hundred serious criminal cases to verdict including capital murder, rape, burglary and drug related offenses. Ron has also represented clients to verdict in many civil matters including construction litigation, personal injury, and real estate litigation cases. Ron earned his B.A., summa cum laude, in English from the University of Pittsburgh and earned his J.D. from the University Of Pittsburgh School Of Law. During law school, Ron clerked for the Honorable Carol Los Mansmann of the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit and for Ila Jeanne Sensenich of the United States District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania. After law school, Ron clerked for the Honorable Charles R. Alexander of the Court of Common Pleas of Clarion County, Pennsylvania. Ron has also served in various capacities in the court system including as an Assistant District Attorney for Clarion County, a special master in domestic relations cases, and as an Arbitrator in both Butler and Clarion Counties. Ron is a member of the Butler County Bar Association, the Allegheny County Bar Association, the Pennsylvania Bar Association, the Pennsylvania Trial Lawyers Association, the Western Pennsylvania Trial Lawyers Association, and the American Trial Lawyers Association. He is admitted to practice in all Pennsylvania state courts, the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania, and the U. S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit. Ron has personally handled cases in all Pennsylvania Courts, including the Pennsylvania Supreme Court and the Third Circuit Court of Appeals. In addition to practicing law, Ron is an avid bicyclist and has served in numerous capacities over the years for public and private organizations. He also served on the boards of various charitable and civic organizations, including serving on the Board of Directors of the Zelienople Rotary Club. He is also a recipient of the Pennsylvania Game Commission Sport Ethics Award.

Representation of parties in civil litigation in Philadelphia and surrounding counties and Federal District Court for the Eastern District of Pa. and before the American Arbitration Association; litigation of contract disputes including actions in the Supreme Court of New York, Manhattan and Montgomery County, Md. (admitted pro hac vice); construction arbitration; employment contract arbitration; class action consumer litigation; private mediation of contract disputes. Representation of plaintiffs in legal malpractice and accountant malpractice actions; expert witness in legal malpractice actions. All aspects of real estate practice including agreements of sale, mortgage financing, condominiums; cooperatives; leasing; sale-leasebacks; partnerships; limited liability companies; land development; land planning; easements; secured transactions; title insurance issues; cemetery law; served as Chairman of Abington Township (PA) Planning Commission. General corporate practice, including acquisitions and mergers; employment agreements; corporate documentation.