Seward & Kissel Highly Ranked by The Legal 500 U.S. 2025 – 12 Practices and 7 Lawyers Ranked

July 21, 2025

The Legal 500 U.S. 2025 features a number of Seward & Kissel attorneys and practices ranked amongst the nation’s elite. The Firm is proud to have 12 practices and 7 attorneys recognized. Details regarding the practices and attorneys ranked are outlined below. For more details, please visit Seward & Kissel’s profile on The Legal 500 site.

Recognized Practices:

M&A/Corporate and Commercial – M&A: Middle-Market

Satisfied clients of Seward & Kissel LLP commend it as a ‘solutions-oriented practice that does everything possible to get the deal done’. The firm’s robust funds practice is reflected in its M&A work, with the team particularly active on behalf of private equity clients on buy- and sell-side transactions. Other sectors of focus include shipping, where it stands out for its ability to link up with its premier maritime and TMT offerings. The New York-based business transactions group is led jointly by Craig Sklar and seasoned corporate finance specialist James Abbott, both of whom represent a range of public and private companies, investment funds, business owners, and financial institutions on middle-market M&A deals. The team also benefits from the senior experience of Nick Katsanos, who is noted for M&A involving the TMT, broker-dealer, veterinary, and shipping industries, and Gerhard Anderson, who has a focus on financial services-related transactions. Danielle Lemberg is recommended for her growing activity in both strategic and private equity deals.

Hall of Fame: James Abbott

Leading Lawyers: Nick Katsanos

Next Generation Partner: Danielle Lemberg

Practice head(s): Craig Sklar, James Abbott

Other key lawyers: Nick Katsanos, Gary Anderson, Danielle Lemberg, Jim Cofer

Transport: Shipping – Finance

The maritime finance team at Seward & Kissel LLP harnesses ‘first class understanding’ of the shipping sector to advise a stellar roster of public maritime companies and financial institutions in their full range of corporate and transactional activities. The team regularly advises clients in loan transactions, financial and operating leases, securitization and other global financing transactions. The New York-based practice is jointly spearheaded by ’leaders in the field’: Keith Billotti advises in complex maritime transactions; Edward S Horton focuses upon corporate securities law, representing domestic and international issuers and underwriters in connection to various securities transactions.

Leading Lawyers: Keith Billotti

Practice head(s): Keith Billotti, Edward Horton

Transport: Shipping – Litigation and Regulation

The maritime litigation practice at Seward & Kissel LLP harnesses a strong bench of corporate and commercial litigators, equipped with excellent industry and market specific knowledge in the sector. The team represents major public and private shipping clients in disputes arising from financing transactions, shipping securities and governance matters, alongside traditional maritime disputes. A notable area of expertise in US economic sanctions sees the firm conducting internal investigations and providing international trade sanctions advice to a range of domestic and international entities. From New York, Bruce G Paulsen co-heads the team, specialising in complex commercial and maritime disputes, as well as handling piracy issues before US government agencies. Co-head Brian Maloney leverages extensive experience in sanctions-related matters and managing regulatory investigations. Counsel Laura Miller focuses on maritime litigation, with a particular expertise in environmental laws and regulations.

Hall of Fame: Bruce Paulsen

Next Generation Partner: Brian Maloney

Practice head(s): Bruce Paulsen, Russell Johnston

Other key lawyers: Laura Miller

Investment Fund Formation And Management – Alternative/Hedge Funds

Seward & Kissel LLPs team is based in New York, and provides clients with a holistic approach to their fund formation needs, often collaborating with departments such as tax and litigation to assist clients with their legal and regulatory needs. The team is jointly led by Patricia Poglinco and Kevin Neubauer who both advise a large number of funds in this space. Steven Nadel is well regarded for his work with top global hedge funds while Christopher Riccardi collaborates with sponsors and managers of hedge funds, commodity pools, and hybrid funds.

Hall of Fame: Steven Nadel

Practice heads: Pat Poglinco, Kevin Neubauer

Other key lawyers: Steven Nadel, Christopher Riccardi

Investment Fund Formation And Management – Mutual/ Registered/ Exchange-Traded Funds

Lauded for its ability to ‘facilitate smooth funds registration and provide timely counsel to avoid on-going compliance pitfalls’, Seward & Kissel LLP hosts team members who have held senior positions at regulatory agencies and strong relationships with the SEC. This expertise covers regulatory advice relating to SEC rules and developments as well as reorganizations and fund acquisitions, as well as being strong in fund structuring. One preeminent practitioner in the regulatory space is Robert Kurucza in Washington DC, who excels in in federal banking and securities laws and leads the group alongside. Patricia Poglinco in New York and Paul Miller in Washington DC. Lauren Clise in Washington DC is a key name.

Practice heads: Paul Miller

Other key lawyers: Lauren Clise, Robert M. Kurucza, Patricia A. Poglinco

Dispute Resolution – Corporate Investigations And White-Collar Criminal Defense – advise to individuals

Seward & Kissel LLP‘s New York-based practice specializes in government enforcement and internal investigations, boasting an experience in federal criminal and regulatory matters, including acting as federal monitors and representing clients facing investigations across various agencies. The practice is co-headed by Michael Watling, specializing in regulatory matters, financial crime compliance, and due diligence for M&A, and Jaimie Nawaday, who focuses on government investigations and enforcement actions, including financial fraud and FCPA violations. Watling specializes in regulatory matters, financial crime compliance, and due diligence for M&A transactions. Other key lawyers in the team include Michael Considine, a former federal prosecutor with experience in government investigations and compliance matters, and Philip Moustakis, with expertise in SEC enforcement and investigations.

Practice head(s): Jaimie Nawaday

Other key lawyers: Philip Moustakis

Dispute Resolution – Corporate Investigations And White-Collar Criminal Defense – advice to corporates

Practice head(s): Jaimie Nawaday

Other key lawyers: Philip Moustakis

Dispute Resolution – Securities Litigation: Defense

Drawing upon strong institutional financial services knowledge, as well as being able to leverage the expertise of many lawyers with significant prior governmental regulatory experience, the New York-focused team at Seward & Kissel LLP provides ‘smart, strategic and responsive’ advice to public companies, banks, and investment managers subject to regulatory scrutiny and in the context of private securities litigation. Jack Yoskowitz is a key member of the team, both on securities regulatory matters and private litigation, as well as in relation to shareholder derivative actions in the Delaware Chancery Court. Philip Moustakis has significant regulatory insight having previously served as senior counsel at the SECs enforcement division (including within its asset management division), and is consequently well-positioned to represent funds, in particular, with regard to securities-related investigations/enforcements.

Practice head(s): Russell Johnston; Michael Watling

Other key lawyers: Jack Yoskowitz, Philip Moustakis, Jaimie Nawaday, Michael Watling, Laura Miller, Bruce Paulsen

Investment Fund Formation And Management – Private Equity Funds (Including Venture Capital)

Seward & Kissel LLP in New York has a core strength in the launch of closed-end private credit funds, but is equally able to assist throughout the fund lifecycle. The group is praised for its ‘responsiveness and willingness & ability to engage with novel and complex vehicle structures sets their private funds practice apart from competing groups.’ Patricia Poglinco and Kevin Neubauer leads the team, the latter of whose varied workload spans private equity funds, private credit funds, venture capital funds and hedge funds, benefitting from the wider firm’s ’overlap among the hedge fund and PE practice groups.’ Daniel Bresler is another key support to clients, particularly investment firms of all sizes. Joseph Morrissey is a key contact for regulatory matters.

Practice Heads: Patricia Poglinco, Kevin Neubauer

Other key lawyers: Daniel Bresler, Kevin Neubauer, Nicholas Miller, Joseph Morrissey

Finance: Restructuring (Including Bankruptcy): Corporate

Seward & Kissel LLP has a longstanding presence in restructurings and bankruptcies. The largely creditor-side practice has an established record in representing creditors’ committees and indenture trustees in bankruptcies; the team represented Matthew Dundon, in his capacity as the trustee for the Endo GUC Trust, as part of the Chapter 11 plan of reorganization for Endo International and its affiliated debtors. The team often works alongside the firm’s eminent corporate trust practice in major bankruptcies. It is also noted for debtor-in-possession (DIP) loans and acting for plan administrators, and has seen further growth in representing independent directors of special committees. John Ashmead heads the corporate restructuring and bankruptcy group, having specialised in the area for well over two decades. Robert Gayda is the key partner for representing creditors’ committees. Both are based in New York.

Practice Head: John Ashmead

Other Key Lawyers: Robert J Gayda

Dispute Resolution – Financial Services Litigation

Seward & Kissel LLP has a deep bench of expert litigators to aid clients in various securities disputes including individual and class actions, derivative claims and qui tam actions. Russell Johnston and Bruce Paulsen lead the team from New York. Paulsen has specialized expertise in financial and securities litigation and is supported by Jack Yoskowitz in representing financial services clients in securities regulatory matters and private litigation. Jaimie Nawaday is also a notable individual in the enforcement field.

Practice Head: Russell Johnston; Michael Watling

Other Key Lawyers: Jack Yoskowitz, Jaimie Nawaday

Corporate and M&A – New York City Elite

Recognized Lawyers:
- Jim Abbott
- Nick Katsanos
- Craig Sklar

Seward & Kissel Highly Ranked by The Legal 500 U.S. 2025 – 12 Practices and 7 Lawyers Ranked

Related Attorneys

James E. Abbott

Nick Katsanos

Craig A. Sklar

Danielle Lemberg

Gerhard Anderson

Brian P. Maloney

Bruce G. Paulsen

Keith J. Billotti

Edward S. Horton

Jaimie L. Nawaday

Philip Moustakis

Steven B. Nadel

Patricia A. Poglinco

Robert B. Van Grover

Christopher C. Riccardi

Joseph M. Morrissey

Daniel Bresler

Kevin Neubauer

Lauren A. Clise

Paul M. Miller

Jack Yoskowitz

Michael Watling

Russell Johnston

Laura E. Miller

John R. Ashmead

Robert J. Gayda

Robert M. Kurucza

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