C O N T R I B U T O R S Michael P. Nowlan is a member and Immigration Practice Group co-leader with Clark Hill PLC in Detroit. He is a 1992 graduate of Eastern Michigan University and a 1996 graduate of the University of Detroit Mercy School of Law. He is currently a member of the AILA Future Practice of Immigration Law Committee. He has served as a member of the Business Committee (2015–2016 as well as from 2009–2011); the chair of the AILA Business Committee (2011–2015); vice chair of the AILA Nebraska Service Center Liaison Committee (2010–2011); member of the AILA Customs and Border Protection Liaison Committee (2009–2010); and was the Michigan AILA Chapter Chair (2007–2009). He has lectured extensively on immigration matters and published several articles for AILA and Matthew Bender (LEXIS). Brenda Pontiff is the founder and managing principal of Partner Track Academy. She leverages her 25 years of experience in sales and sales support leadership within professional services to coach senior associates, practice group leaders, and managing partners through strategic business development objectives. She is often sought after to support firm-wide growth initiatives by helping attorneys build client loyalty and innovate service solutions. Michelle V. Rafter is a Portland, Oregon freelance writer covering work trends, technology, and the economy for national business and consumer publications. Mark S. Rattner heads the financial institutions practice at Riker Danzig Scherer Hyland & Perretti LLP of Morristown, New Jersey. Mr. Rattner represents commercial lenders in all manners of lending transactions, including acquisition, permanent and construction mortgage loans, workingcapital loans, and asset-based transactions. He also has significant experience in restructuring troubled loans and financings.
METHODOLOGY
1 NOMINATION Lawyers can be nominated by anyone but themselves.
Violeta Saranciuc specializes in international and domestic arbitration and litigation. She has gained extensive experience in complex international arbitration disputes under the major arbitration rules across a wide range of industry sectors and variety of projects, such as construction and engineering of civil works and infrastructure, designbuild and supply of industrial installations, and turn-key plants, key components, and materials, including FIDIC-based projects, large-scale privatization matters, and other disputes in relation to share sales, real estate sector, etc. Cliff Stanford, partner and chair of Alston & Bird’s bank regulatory group, counsels U.S. and foreign banks as well as non-bank financial services companies on regulatory matters affecting the banking, financial services, and payments industries. He previously served a 15 year tenure at the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta. Dr. Cosmin Vasile is a managing partner of Zamfirescu Racoti & Partners. He serves as counsel in a wide range of significant national and international disputes, including arbitrations conducted under the rules of the ICC, LCIA, CAM, SCC, VIAC, UNCITRAL, ICSID, and CICA. In the international arbitration arena, Mr. Vasile concentrates his practice in the resolution of complex, high-exposure construction disputes, but also of other commercial contracts’ related disputes, in areas such as energy and privatization. Starting in 2011, he has been acting as arbitrator in complex arbitration cases held under the auspices of the Bucharest Court of International Commercial Arbitration.
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2 PEER REVIEW Current listed lawyers provide feedback on the nominee’s work.
ANALYSIS OF FEEDBACK Results are calculated and feedback is reviewed.
4 ELIGIBILITY CHECK Nominees are confirmed to be in good standing with their local bar associations.
5 RESULTS RELEASED Firms are informed of results and the list is published.
Questions? Comments? For additional copies, more information on Best Lawyers, or to subscribe to your regional edition of Best Lawyers magazine, please email To nominate an attorney for the next edition, please visit our info@bestlawyers.com website at BestLawyers.com. or call 718.509.6095.
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BUSINESS EDITION | WINTER 2016
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