Corporate

Liam J. Duffy practices in the areas of Divorce, Support, Child Custody, Equitable Distribution, Protection from Abuse, Civil Litigation, Business Law and Landlord-Tenant Law. He is admitted to practice in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. Liam is a member of the Pennsylvania Bar Association, Montgomery County Bar Association, and Bucks County Bar Association. For 2017, 2018, and 2019, Liam was awarded the SuperLawyers Rising Star Designation, which is reserved for 2.5% of eligible attorneys in Pennsylvania. He was also awarded the 2019 Top 10 under 40 Award. Liam prides himself on being a pragmatic and compassionate attorney but also one who will aggressively protect his client's interests and litigate more complex cases. Liam volunteers as an MCAP pro bono attorney for children in Montgomery County and as a pro bono attorney for the Women's Center of Montgomery County. Liam has acted as a Divorce and Financial Planning subject matter expert for the American College in Bryn Mawr. Prior to becoming an attorney, Liam focused his education and career on business and corporate finance. He attended the University of Delaware for his Bachelor’s degree, Saint Joseph’s University for his Master’s degree in Finance, and Rutgers for his law degree, where he graduated in the top 10% of his class. After business school, Liam worked for six years in corporate finance and earned various financial designations. Despite having a promising and lucrative career in finance, he decided to pursue a career in law where he could help people and spend time in the courtroom. In his free time, Liam enjoys coaching his children’s sports teams, exercising at a local gym, and spending time with his family.

Our law firm is a full-service Estate Planning and Elder Law Planning practice specializing in probate, elder law and estate planning, litigation reverse mortgage foreclosure defense, as well as Medicaid Planning and Medicaid Asset Protection. The Law Firm of Christine Thea Rubinstein and Associates has primarily built its reputation through word-of-mouth referrals from clients and trusted recommendations from colleagues in the legal profession. We are grateful to our clients and fellow lawyers for their confidence in our firm, which has allowed us to establish ourselves as one of New York's successful law firms. We have earned a trusted reputation for zealously protecting our clients’ interests. In fact, a significant portion of our business comes from referrals from satisfied clients and colleagues, which is a strong testament to our dedication and success in meeting our clients’ needs. We understand that navigating the legal system can be intimidating, and our goal is to guide you through this process, equipping you to make informed decisions. You can feel confident knowing you have a skilled team of experienced attorneys on your side. The Law Partner: Christine Thea Rubinstein, Esq., has an extensive background in various legal areas, including litigation, estate and elder law, real estate, corporate law, and complex commercial litigation. Christine has been appointed by the legislators of Suffolk County to serve on the Senior Citizens Advisory Committee. She has elevated estate planning and elder law by merging financial, real estate, and legal strategies into a unified plan for all the clients of the firm. Additionally, Christine has acted as lead counsel for an international commercial mortgage hedge fund, HPC GMBH, helping the fund grow from its initial startup through due diligence, asset acquisition, foreclosure, and the buying and selling of commercial mortgages. Under her guidance, HPC GMBH has expanded into a $200 billion fund.. Christine Thea Rubinstein was the host and Attorney of the radio talk show Estate Law Exposé on WOR 710 AM and iHeart radio. Joe Bartlett was the co-host. You can listen online and hear all of our past episodes at Apple Podcast at https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/estate-law-expose/id1253586741 This is the right law firm for you. We have earned a trusted reputation for zealously protecting our clients’ interests. In fact, most of our business comes through referrals from satisfied clients and colleagues — a strong testament to our dedication and success in meeting our clients’ needs. We understand that the legal system can be intimidating. Our goal is to navigate that maze with you, equipping you to make the right decisions. Rest assured you can feel confident knowing that you have the right legal team of experienced attorneys on your side. The Law Partners: Christine Thea Rubinstein Esq. has an extensive background in a wide range of legal areas including Litigation, Estate & Elder Law, Real Estate, Corporate Law and Complex Commercial Litigation matters. Christine has been appointed by the legislators of Suffolk County to hold a seat on the “Senior Citizens Advisory Committee”. Christine has taken Estate Planning and Elder Law to a new level by merging financial, real estate and legal strategies into one unified plan for all of the clients of the firm. Christine has also been the lead counsel for an international commercial mortgage hedge fund called HPC GMBH. Christine had helped the hedge fund from initial startup all the way through the process of due-diligence asset acquisition, foreclosure, purchasing, and the selling of commercial mortgages. Christine had helped HPC GMBH grow into a 200 Billion Dollar fund. Christine Thea Rubinstein was the host and Attorney of the radio talk show Estate Law Exposé on WOR 710 AM and iHeart radio. Joe Bartlett was the co-host. You can listen online at either iHeart Radio at https://www.iheart.com/podcast/139-estate-law-expose-27989833/ or by Apple Podcast at https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/estate-law-expose/id1253586741 Chris W. Zeh is an experienced criminal defense attorney with a wide range of focus in the following areas; Foreclosure Defense and Foreclosure Litigation, Loan Modifications, Chapter 7 Bankruptcy, Chapter 13 Bankruptcy, Bankruptcy Litigation, Probate, Probate Litigation, Estate Planning, Wills & Trusts and Medicaid Planning and Medicaid Litigation. Mr. Zeh is dedicated and passionate in his service to clients. This is the right law firm for you.

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.

Faisal Moghul is widely regarded as one of Virginia’s leading business attorneys, recognized for his extensive background in business formation and structuring, high-stakes litigation involving direct and derivative lawsuits, asset and stock sales, valuation and buyout disputes, and strategic asset protection. In 2023 and 2024, he was named one of America’s Top 100 Civil Defense Litigators and recognized as Virginia’s “Go-To” Business Lawyer. He has made the Super Lawyers Rising Stars shortlist every year since 2016, and in 2023, Virginia Lawyer Magazine acknowledged him as one of the Commonwealth's foremost educators in business and real estate law. His impact in the courtroom includes leading a litigation team in 2024 to secure a landmark $565,000 judgment after a four-day jury trial in Fairfax County Circuit Court. A trusted resource for high-net-worth individuals, startups, emerging corporations, LLCs, and partnerships, Mr. Moghul routinely handles complex business and real estate matters. In 2023, he served as speaker and moderator at the Virginia CLE’s Annual Small Business Law Institute, presenting on critical LLC operating agreement provisions, and in 2024, he returned to discuss charging orders and asset protection strategies. As a member of the American Bar Association’s Committee on LLCs and Unincorporated Associations, his in-depth knowledge of LLCs, S-Corps, C-Corps, and limited partnerships enables him to craft sophisticated agreements that safeguard clients’ interests. Having overseen more than 100 high-value transactions across technology, real estate, government contracting, and retail, he has managed multimillion-dollar buyouts and redemptions for both majority and minority stakeholders. Mr. Moghul is also known for significant successes in business and real estate litigation, including derivative lawsuits and claims involving breach of fiduciary duty, fraud, and defamation. His work in real estate litigation encompasses construction defects, easement and boundary line disputes, real estate agent and broker representation, and purchase and sale contract disputes. In 2023, he co-presented a CLE seminar on real estate broker liability in Virginia, underscoring his role as a leading voice on real estate agent and broker defense. His extensive writings include a 2021 publication with the American Law Institute, “Caveat Emptor vs. Seller Disclosure in Residential Real Property Conveyances,” which offers forward-looking insights into purchase and sale laws. This comprehensive command of case law and regulations has resulted in multiple settlements and verdicts exceeding one million dollars. Fox & Moghul offers personalized service for business law, commercial litigation, real estate transactions, and estate planning. Call 703-652-5506 or complete our contact form to get in touch with our attorneys today.

Daniel was born and raised in Marietta, Georgia. He graduated from the University of Texas at El Paso with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science. He earned his Juris Doctorate from the University of Texas, and he holds a Master of Healthcare Administration from Seton Hall University and a Master of Business Administration, with a concentration in International Business, from the University of Texas at El Paso. Daniel holds a double certification in Healthcare Compliance and as a Compliance and Ethics Professional. Daniel manages the Law Office of Daniel R. Crumby, LLC, where he focuses on complex litigation and business law including white-collar defense; defense of corporate, and individual clients in state and federal courts around the country; medical malpractice; nursing home and elder abuse; healthcare compliance and investigations; personal injury, and criminal law. Prior to starting his practice, Daniel worked at a mid-sized law firm in Atlanta, and he specialized in criminal and civil healthcare-related white-collar cases, medical malpractice, healthcare compliance, internal investigations, and defending insurance companies and their insurers in complex cases, including lawsuits filed against skilled nursing facilities and assisted living facilities. Immediately prior to working at a civil defense firm, Daniel defended the United States and its agencies in federal and state courts, and he served as a federal prosecutor in the Southern District of Georgia and the Western District of Texas. As a federal prosecutor, Daniel directed and prosecuted numerous cases including healthcare fraud, bank fraud, procurement fraud, mortgage fraud, wire fraud, theft of government funds, drugs and alien smuggling, child exploitation, human and sex trafficking, and other criminal violations. In 2014, Daniel received a Commendation from the Federal Bureau of Investigation Director, James B. Comey. Daniel previously served in the United States Army as military police and as a Judge Advocate General (“JAG”) officer in a variety of assignments before resigning his commission as a Captain. The Army twice awarded Daniel the Meritorious Service Medal, Army Commendation Medals, Army Achievement Medals, and the Fort Bliss Ambassador Award, among others, for his military service. Daniel is a member of the State Bar of Georgia, State Bar of Texas, the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit, and the United States District Courts for the Northern District of Georgia and the Western District of Texas.

Steve Benedetto's legal career began with the promise and expectations of someone who had done "all the right things" educationally. He went to a prestigious private university, double-majoring in Political Science and English while building his resume with internships in government. He graduated cum laude from the Sandra Day O'Connor College of Law at Arizona State University, serving as a staff writer on the Law Journal and a member of the Moot Court honor society. He secured a competitive judicial clerkship with an Arizona Supreme Court Justice. And, as judicial clerks do, he received a litany of opportunities to work for prestigious national law firms at the expiration of that one-year term. For five years, Steve followed the obvious path carved out for him. He worked at three of the largest corporate law firms in Arizona, learning the ins and outs of litigation from senior lawyers who were charged with defending large companies in 7, 8, and 9-figure lawsuits. He defended railroads from debilitating injury claims brought by injured employees; healthcare companies from medical malpractice actions brought by injured patients; white-collar executives against fraud and embezzlement allegations; and multinational corporations against just about every type of wrongdoing one can imagine. In little time, he developed trust in the partners he worked for as a top-notch writer and legal analyst who could win difficult arguments. And he was paid very well for what he did. But the money wasn't enough. In 2009, Steve left corporate practice to create a new kind of law firm. One that would represent real people against the powerful interests whose playbook he'd spent a half-decade learning. So he spent the next five years representing people against criminal charges, and prosecuting civil claims on behalf of people injured by others’ recklessness. Though he had more passion than business acumen, he worked tirelessly to help build a five lawyer, seven-figure law firm from scratch.​ By 2014, though, it became clear that something was missing. The news cycle was being dominated by police officers shooting civilians. Social media birthed hashtags that spurred movements. Everyone was talking about police violence. But few lawyers were actually doing anything about it, including his own law partners. After a series of difficult conversations, Steve decided to start fresh: He left the law firm he had founded to construct an entirely new practice -- one that would be focused on representing people at ground zero of the new civil rights struggle. Over the past 6 years, The People's Law Firm has provided substantial legal muscle to the movements for systemic change. The Firm has fought for accountability on behalf of countless survivors of police violence, and has stood in solidarity with the movements to reform our unjust and inequitable systems, with specific focus on the Movement for Black Lives. We continue to do so today.

Keen Ellsworth is practicing lawyer in the state of Nevada.

Colleen Van Egmond is an accomplished lawyer that has extensive legal experience in business planning, business litigation, estate planning, estate litigation, probates, employment law, agriculture law, along with accident and injuries. She has worked for such law firms as Thayer Harvey Gregerson Hedberg & Jackson along with Curtis & Arata prior to becoming the managing partner with Arata Swingle Van Egmond & Goodwin. In addition to her legal experience, she is currently active in different associations such as Association of Defense Council, Stanislaus County Bar Association and the Children's Crisis Center. Colleen Van Egmond graduated from the McGeorge School of Law with an honors in taxation and was admitted to the California State Bar in 2005. In addition to her legal degree, Ms. Van Egmond has a B.S. in Managerial Economics and a A.S. in Agriculture Business.

Frank R. Fasel specializes in catastrophic injury cases including individual personal injury cases involving pedestrian related accidents, premises liability, business tort / civil fraud cases. Recently, In October 2013, Mr. Fasel obtained a million dollar settlement for a pedestrian struck in Long Beach by a vehicle. Mr. Fasel received his Juris Doctor from California Western School of Law. He was highly involved in the Student Bar Association and was the school’s sports director. While attending law school he worked pro bono for the Multiple Conflicts Office in downtown San Diego, a division of the Public Defender’s Office. While working for the Multiple Conflicts Office, he assisted staff attorneys in defending clients charged with serious criminal offenses, including felony murder. He is recognized as a top trial attorney with extensive trial and appellant experience. Not only is Mr. Fasel an attorney who works tirelessly and professionally for his clients, but he is dedicated, caring, and empathetic to the clients he represents. His compassion and dedication for individuals who have been injured has been evidenced by and through his professional success. Mr. Fasel is a proud member of the Orange County Bar Association and enjoys traveling, golfing and mountain biking.

T. J. Jesky began his corporate career working for a Fortune 500 company that was acquired by a Fortune 50 Company. He spent 23-years working for the International Fortune 50 Company. As Division Manager, his responsibilities included commercialization of pharmaceutical products, negotiating and writing contracts with suppliers and customers, working with government agencies. He was one of the spokes in the wheel in changing State and Federal laws for the benefit of the pharmaceutical industry. Mr. Jesky spent 20-years as a business consultant whose responsibilities included designing capital structures, negotiating contracts/business opportunities, assisting companies in going public, completing due diligence for a wide variety of businesses. He was involved in mergers and acquisitions with approximately 100 companies. For the past few years, his law practice, includes, but not limited to: business, corporate, securities law, mergers and acquisitions, litigation, medical malpractice lawsuits. He is fluent in the Spanish language.