News + Resources

3 New Orleans attorneys were recognized for their exceptional contributions to the profession in 2024: Andrew M. Albritton - Top 40 Young Lawyers; Gillian Miculek McCarroll - Hon. Michaelle Pitard Wynne Professionalism Award; Sean Sullivan - Top 40 Young Lawyers.

McGlinchey Stafford is pleased to announce that Tarush Anand—a litigation Member in the firm’s Houston office—has been elected to his second consecutive term to the board of directors of the National Retail & Restaurant Defense Association (NRRDA).

McGlinchey Stafford is pleased to announce that Kayleigh Wright has joined the firm as an Associate in the Financial Services Litigation practice group.

McGlinchey Stafford is pleased to announce Kimberly H. Israel (Jacksonville) has been named a Co-Chair of the National Association of Women Lawyers (NAWL)’s Litigation Affinity Group.

Kristi W. Richard has been honored among the nine women on the 2025 Influential Women in Business list by the Baton Rouge Business Report.

Mary Terrell Joseph, attorney in the firm's Baton Rouge office, on being honored by the LSU Paul M. Hebert Law Center as a 2025 Distinguished Alumna in the category of Service to the Profession.

McGlinchey Stafford is pleased to announce that 17 attorneys in the firm’s Baton Rouge and New Orleans offices have been named to the 2025 Louisiana Super Lawyers and Rising Stars lists.

Maritime attorney José Cot (New Orleans) was quoted in a March 25, 2025, article in Law360 titled “Baltimore Bridge Collapse: One Year Later.”

Member Brian Fink (Washington, DC) spoke with Bank Director Magazine for an article on the leadership changes at the CFPB, what rules might be undone, and what banks might expect from the agency.

McGlinchey has been recognized among the 2025 U.S. News Best Companies to Work For: Law Firms. The firm was also was ranked #2 of 27 “large employers” in the inaugural America’s Best Workplaces list in 2025 by Best Companies Group.

Member Jim Sandy (Cleveland) has been recognized among JD Supra’s 2025 Readers Choice Awards, ranking #4 in the top 10 authors in the Class Actions category.

McGlinchey Stafford is pleased to announce the addition of three attorneys, two paralegals, and a legal secretary to its Houston office. Joining the Houston team are Member (Partner) Branch Sheppard and Of Counsels Annarose Harding and Sara Morton. In addition, paralegals Stacy Garza De Leon and Raushan Griffin and legal secretary Haley Sheppard have also joined the firm.

Member Susan Fahey Desmond (New Orleans) spoke with Business.com about systems to monitor employees' on-the-clock activities in an article published February 21, 2025.

Member Courtney Joiner (Baton Rouge) presented "A Black History Program: African Americans and Labor" at the University of Louisiana Monroe.

McGlinchey Stafford is pleased to announce that the sixth edition of “Tilley’s Alabama Equity,” authored by Member Dylan Reeves, has been published by Thomson Reuters. Dylan also edited the fifth edition.

Of Counsel Michael Blumenthal (Cleveland) was interviewed by AP News in an article published on February 15, 2025, “As Trump Administration Reforms the EPA, Cleanups of America’s Most Toxic Sites Are Uncertain.”

Member Adam Maarec joined Jill Malandrino on Nasdaq TradeTalks to discuss the ethical and responsible use of AI and data governance and why operationalization and trust are imperative for adoption.

Member Brian Fink was quoted in a Law360 article outlining the fallout and recommended next steps for financial institutions in light of the Trump administration’s halt in supervision and examination activity.

McGlinchey's Irvine office moved to a fully-renovated 5,300-square-foot space at 2050 Main Street.

McGlinchey is pleased to announce that Associate Mindi Zudekoff has joined the firm’s Financial Services Litigation practice in New York City.

McGlinchey Stafford is pleased to announce that John Murray has joined the firm as an Associate Attorney in the Cleveland office. John represents financial services companies, from mortgage servicing and auto finance companies to bank and non-bank lenders, and others.

Michael Blumenthal has been named Chair of the Environmental Law Committee of the ABA’s Business Law Section. David Waxman has been selected as Chair of the Environmental Committee of the ABA’s Real Property, Trust and Estate Law Section's Land Use and Environmental Group.

Six attorneys from three practice groups and five offices have been named Members of the firm, and three attorneys have been named Of Counsel, effective January 1, 2025.

Regulatory changes as administrations ping-pong between Republicans and Democrats are not unusual, as Biden "did a backtrack" of several Trump-era regulations, and Trump did the same with Obama-era regulations in his first term.

McGlinchey’s Managing Member, Michael Ferachi, was interviewed by LAW360 on January 1, 2025, in “What's Keeping Law Firm Leaders Up At Night In 2025.”

McGlinchey Stafford is pleased to announce the addition of two experienced Associates to the firm’s Financial Services Litigation practice group in the mid-south: Bailee Curtis in Birmingham and Taylor D. Weatherspoon in Jackson.

McGlinchey Stafford is proud to announce the appointment of Will Wojcik as the Office Managing Member of its Nashville office.

McGlinchey Stafford is pleased to announce the hire of four Associates who previously clerked with the firm.

Member Jim Sandy was quoted in a Law.com Corporate Counsel article on President-elect Donald Trump's potential radical changes to bank regulation, including the possible shuttering of the FDIC and the CFPB.

McGlinchey is pleased to announce that New Orleans Office Managing Attorney Magdalen Blessey Bickford has been recognized among the most influential leaders in greater New Orleans in the third edition of the New Orleans 500.

Of Counsel Michael Blumenthal (Cleveland) was interviewed by Manufacturing Dive in an article published on December 12, 2024, "PFAS in Manufacturing: Auditing Your Supply Chain for Forever Chemicals."

McGlinchey Stafford is pleased to announce that Kimberly “Kim” Held Israel has been honored by Florida Trend as a member of the 2024 Legal Elite NOTABLE – Women Leaders in Law in recognition of her dedication to and positive impact on the legal community.

McGlinchey Stafford is pleased to announce that Mark Edelman, chair of the national Financial Institutions Compliance team, has been named vice chair of the American Bar Association (ABA)’s Consumer Financial Services Committee.

McGlinchey's FinTech practice and of two Members, Aaron Kouhoupt and Robert Savoie, are ranked in the 2025 Chambers FinTech guide. Aaron and Robert are two of only 31 attorneys ranked nationwide in their category.

McGlinchey Stafford is pleased to announce that Adam Maarec has joined the firm as Member in its national Financial Institutions Compliance team located in its Washington, DC office.

Of Counsel Michael Blumenthal’s (Cleveland) alert on the EPA’s approval of Glufosinate-P was quoted by EHS Daily Advisor in an article published December 4, 2024, "EPA Registers Glufosinate-P as New Herbicide Active Ingredient."

Thomas S. Van has joined the Financial Services Litigation team in the firm’s Irvine office as Of Counsel. With more than 20 years of representing financial services companies, Thomas focuses his practice on litigation, title insurance matters, and regulatory compliance.

Member and Uplift Co-Chair Kristi W. Richard was interviewed by Law.com for an article on cultivating diverse leadership in law firms, a long-term effort that requires investing in employees from the beginning of their employment — which, for many midsize firms, may be easier said than done.

McGlinchey Stafford is pleased to announce that six attorneys across McGlinchey’s Birmingham, Jackson, and Nashville offices have been recognized on the 2024 Mid-South Super Lawyers and Rising Stars Lists.

Member José Cot was interviewed by Ship Technology in an article published on November 12, 2024.

McGlinchey is proud to be featured in the Secured Finance Network's (SFNet) third annual "Best Places to Work" list, published in the September/October 2024 issue of The Secured Lender magazine.

me attorney José Cot (New Orleans) was quoted in an October 31, 2024, article in Yahoo Finance titled "Baltimore Bridge Crash $102m Payout Explained."

McGlinchey is pleased to announce three national practice group rankings and 49 metropolitan practice area rankings in Best Law Firms® for 2025.

McGlinchey Stafford is pleased to announce that Matthew Gordon, Associate in the firm’s New York City office, has been named to the Super Lawyers 2024 New York Metro Rising Stars List.

Of Counsel Michael Blumenthal (Cleveland) was interviewed by 3E for an article published on November 1, 2024, "Ohio v EPA and the Future of the ‘Good Neighbor’ Rule."

Zina Gabsi has joined McGlinchey's Tampa office as Of Counsel with the Financial Services Litigation group. Zina is the fifth attorney affiliated with the Tampa office and the first hire since the official office opening in early September.

McGlinchey’s Managing Member, Michael Ferachi, was interviewed by LAW.com on October 18, 2024 in "As Midsize Firms Seek Scale to Compete, Should They Choose Mergers or Grow With What They Have?"

McGlinchey Stafford announces the addition of Jennifer D. Cruz to the firm’s Baton Rouge office as an Associate in the firm’s Financial Services Litigation group.

Member Joe Apatov (Fort Lauderdale) was quoted in a Law360 article, "High Court's TCPA Grant Set To Broaden Loper Bright's Blow."

To ensure safety for all, McGlinchey’s physical offices in Tampa, Fort Lauderdale, and Jacksonville will be closed on Wednesday, October 9, and Thursday, October 10.

McGlinchey is proud to announce that Member (Partner) Francis "Rasch" H. Brown, III has been named to Lawdragon’s 2025 list of 500 Leading Litigators in America in the areas of commercial liability, products liability, and torts.

McGlinchey Stafford is pleased to announce that New Orleans Office Managing Attorney Magdalen Blessey Bickford has been honored with the 2024 “Women of the Year” Award from New Orleans CityBusiness, in recognition of her business success and dedication to the community.

McGlinchey is pleased to announce its recognition as “Top Law Firm” by the PBC Conference 2024, a leading event that brings together the cannabis banking ecosystem with a focus on payments, banking, and compliance. This honor underscores the firm’s ability to integrate its deep experience in financial services with its growing leadership in the cannabis industry.

For the second time, McGlinchey has achieved Midsize Mansfield Certification, reaffirming the firm’s commitment to diversity in leadership and inclusive hiring practices.

For the second year in a row, McGlinchey's Baton Rouge and New Orleans offices have been named among the “Best Places to Work." This is the fourth consecutive year the New Orleans office has earned this title and the second for the Baton Rouge office.

McGlinchey's Managing Member, Michael Ferachi, was interviewed by Bloomberg Law in an article "Merging Law Firms Face Challenge of Creating New Identity," published on October 1, 2024.

McGlinchey Stafford is pleased to announce that Benjamin P. Lajoie and Marisa Roman, attorneys in the firm’s Boston office, have been recognized on the Super Lawyers 2024 Massachusetts Rising Stars list.

The Greater Baton Rouge Business Report covered McGlinchey's planned move to the Rivermark Centre in an article "McGlinchey Stafford Relocating its Baton Rouge Operations to this Downtown Spot," published September 19, 2024.

McGlinchey's planned move to a new office space in Baton Rouge was outlined by The Advocate in "See Which Baton Rouge Law Firm Is Moving into a New Downtown Office" on September 18, 2024.

After 30 years in One American Place, McGlinchey has signed a lease to move its Baton Rouge office into II Rivermark Centre in June 2025.

Member Jason Bichsel (Cleveland) was interviewed by Auto Finance News on September 12, 2024, in "Challenges FTC’s ‘Payment Packing’ Complaint."

Member Chase Stoecker (Tampa) was quoted by Bloomberg in "THC Product Variety Muddles Drug Compliance Path for Employers" on September 10, 2024.

Member Aaron Kouhoupt (Cleveland) was interviewed by American Banker on September 10, 2024, in "How Payment Firms Are Responding to CFPB Pressure."

Seasoned legal and compliance veteran Amy L. Castell has joined McGlinchey as Of Counsel in the firm’s Financial Institutions Compliance practice group, resident in Dallas. Amy most recently served as General Counsel and Chief Compliance Officer for a large auto finance company.

McGlinchey Stafford is pleased to announce the opening of its office in Tampa. This will be McGlinchey’s 18th national office and third in Florida.

Member Kelly Lipinski (Cleveland) was interviewed by Auto Finance News on August 30, 2024, in "Lenders Scramble to Comply With ‘Flubbed’ NH Law Rollout."

McGlinchey Stafford is pleased to announce the New Orleans office’s participation in the New Orleans Chapter of the Association for Women Attorneys (NOAWA)’s 13th Annual Food from the Bar Campaign, held July 8–21, 2024, benefiting Second Harvest Food Bank.

Omomah I. Abebe has joined McGlinchey as an Associate in the firm’s Irvine office. With a focus on consumer financial services, real estate, and commercial litigation, she counsels clients on constitutional and statutory claims, consumer claims, and business disputes.

McGlinchey Stafford is pleased to announce that the New Orleans office has been recognized among the 2024 Empowering Women honorees by New Orleans CityBusiness. This prestigious honor celebrates the firm’s ongoing commitment to fostering an inclusive environment where women can thrive professionally and personally. McGlinchey’s Boston office received analogous recognition earlier this summer.

Member Jason Bichsel (Cleveland) was interviewed by Auto Finance News on August 23, 2024, in “FTC Cracks Down on Dealers Engaged in ‘Payment Packing.’"

McGlinchey Stafford is pleased to announce that Member Angie Christina and Of Counsel Sean P. Sullivan have been recognized in New Orleans CityBusiness' Leadership in Law Class of 2024.

McGlinchey is 50! In honor of our anniversary this year, attorneys across our footprint and practices are reflecting on where we’ve been, where we are, and where we’re going.

McGlinchey Stafford is proud to announce that 74 of its attorneys have been recognized in the 2025 edition of The Best Lawyers in America® and Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch in America.

With the most recent addition of Matt Manning, the executive Policy Committee now comprises a majority of “next generation” Gen X and Millennial leaders. As of August, 70% of the Policy Committee and 88% of Office Managing Attorneys are Gen X and Millennial leaders.

Of Counsel, David Waxman (Cleveland) was interviewed by WCPO 9 on August 2, 2024, about Ohio dispensaries selling recreational marijuana.

Litigator Hannah Kunc has joined the firm as an associate in its Cleveland office. Hannah practices financial services and commercial litigation in the mortgage, auto finance, consumer protection, and data privacy contexts at the state and federal level. Her clients include mortgage and loan servicers, banks, auto and manufactured housing lenders, and real estate entities.

McGlinchey Stafford is pleased to announce our recognition by the Equipment Leasing and Finance Association (ELFA) for 20 years of membership in the organization.

This article was published on Law360 on July 31, 2024, and is reprinted with permission. Mid-Law firm leader Michael Ferachi is grateful to have gone to law school in the 1980s, decades before social media could complicate legal career prospects for him and his friends. “We used to laugh that if we had social media whenMore

McGlinchey Stafford is pleased to announce that Heidi Urness and Daniel Shortt, attorneys in the firm’s Seattle office, have been named to the Super Lawyers 2024 Washington Rising Stars List.

McGlinchey Stafford is pleased to announce that the firm has been named to the “Empowering Women” list for its efforts to elevate women attorneys by Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly.

Of Counsel Michael Blumenthal (Cleveland) was interviewed by 3E in an article published on July 23, 2024, about the overturning of the Chevron Doctrine and its potential impacts. Michael discusses long-term impacts, the increase of judicial scrutiny, legal and regulatory challenges, and impacts on the rulemaking and legislative process, and what the future may hold.

We are pleased to announce attorneys from McGlinchey’s Financial Services Litigations team authored several chapters in the latest edition of the Florida Bar Association (FBA)’s Business Litigation in Florida. This resource for business practitioners and litigators in Florida discusses complex commercial issues and provides trial ideas and forms.

Former federal prosecutor Shanlon Wu (Washington, DC) testified during a hearing held by the Select Subcommittee on the Weaponization of the Federal Government.

Managing Member of the Irvine office, Michelle M. McCliman, was interviewed by Law360 Pulse in an article published July 12, 2024.

Dylan Reeves, who practiced with McGlinchey from 2015-2022 as an Associate and Member, has returned, resident in Nashville. Dylan primarily practices business litigation, consumer financial services litigation, and appellate law.

McGlinchey Stafford is pleased to announce that Amy Monett, Applications Trainer resident in the firm's Baton Rouge office, has been elected to the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee (DEIC) of the International Legal Technology Association (ILTA).

McGlinchey was named among many AmLaw 100 and 200 firms among Vault’s 2025 rankings for Diversity in Law Firms, based on input from the firm’s Associates. McGlinchey also ranked in two categories in The American Lawyer’s 2024 Diversity Scorecards: Women in Law and the LGBTQ+ Scorecard.

McGlinchey Stafford is pleased to announce that two attorneys in the firm’s Fort Lauderdale office have been named to the 2024 Super Lawyers Florida Rising Stars list.

McGlinchey proudly announces that R. Marshall Grodner, a member in our Baton Rouge office, has been appointed to the Bank Counsel Committee of the Louisiana Bankers Association (LBA). This prestigious appointment highlights Marshall's extensive knowledge and dedication to the legal field, particularly in banking and finance law.

Associate and Chair of McGlinchey PRIDE Andrew Albritton was quoted in a Law360 Pulse story about how attorneys are commemorating Pride month.

McGlinchey Stafford is proud to announce the appointment of Michelle M. McCliman as the Office Managing Member of its Irvine, California office. Michelle has almost 30 years of litigation experience in firms of all sizes, including managing a firm in private practice. With this addition ten of McGlinchey’s 17 offices are now led by women.

Of Counsel Melissa Losch was interviewed by LAW360's Employment Authority on June 26, 2024, for an article about the impacts of the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act (PWFA).

McGlinchey is pleased to announce that Douglas Charnas, a Member in our Washington, DC office, and Michael Blumenthal, Of Counsel in our Cleveland office, have been honored by the 2024 JD Supra Readers' Choice Awards.

McGlinchey Stafford is pleased to announce the addition of two attorneys to the firm’s Enterprise Litigation and Investigations practice in Houston: Alvin Houston, Of Counsel, and Patrick Wall, Associate. Alvin and Patrick round out the four new attorneys that have joined McGlinchey’s Houston office in 2024.

McGlinchey is pleased to announce that Rudy J. Cerone has been included in Lawdragon’s 2024 list of 500 Leading U.S. Bankruptcy and Restructuring Lawyers.

McGlinchey Stafford is pleased to announce that Members Mark S. Edelman (Cleveland), Kelly Lipinski (Cleveland), Robert W. Savoie (Cleveland), and Jeffrey R. Seewald (Irvine) have been named as Thomson Reuters Stand-out Lawyers for 2024. Stand-out lawyers are recognized for their ability to improve client satisfaction, increase client advocacy, grow share of wallet, strengthen their firm’s brand, enhance people engagement, and increase profits per partner.

McGlinchey is pleased to announce that Juleana Piper has been honored with the Association of Legal Administrators (ALA) NextGen Leader Award.

Of Counsel Melissa Losch was interviewed by Employee Benefit News on June 18, 2024, for an article about the impacts of the Pregnant Workers Family Leave Act (PWFA).

McGlinchey is pleased to announce that Heidi Urness, co-chair of McGlinchey's Cannabis Industry Group, has been honored with the prestigious 2024 Green Market Report Women in Cannabis Award for Legal.