NEW YORK – Feb. 26, 2016 – Global law firm Greenberg Traurig, LLP continues to grow its New York City office with the additions of shareholders Robert S. Frenchman and Laurence A. Levy and associates Kedar S. Bhatia and Kate E. Olivieri. They join from Bracewell, following former New York City Mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani and Marc L. Mukasey’s recent arrival from that firm. Frenchman, Bhatia, and Olivieri join the Litigation Practice, and Levy joins the Government Law & Policy Practice.
Frenchman represents broker-dealers, investment advisers, and other financial services clients in white collar matters, and in enforcement proceedings before the Securities and Exchange Commission, the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, and other financial services industry regulators. His representations have involved, among other things, allocations in initial public offerings, insider trading, specialist trading, NASDAQ market-making, RMBS trading, short selling, securities lending, margin, gifts and gratuities, and research. Frenchman earned his J.D. from Tulane University Law School, where he was a member of the Tulane Law Review, and his B.A. from Bowdoin College.
“Greenberg Traurig continues to focus on hiring quality attorneys in strategic areas of practice to meet the needs of our clients. Our strengths in elite practices increasingly set us apart and make new and interesting opportunities possible. Some of the newest opportunities are amazing indeed. One of these is the ability to attract attorneys like Bob Frenchman, Larry Levy, Kedar Bhatia, and Kate Olivieri to the firm,” said Richard A. Rosenbaum, Executive Chairman of Greenberg Traurig. “Bringing these talented attorneys on board, particularly on the heels of Rudy Giuliani, perfectly rounds out this team, and further complements the firm’s capabilities. As we enter our 50th year of serving clients and providing an opportunity for lawyers and staff to live their dreams, Greenberg Traurig’s strategy continues to focus on delivering the highest level legal services by renowned practitioners who have chosen to work within our culture of collaboration and empowerment on a global scale to the benefit of clients throughout the firm’s 38 offices in the U.S., Europe, Asia, Latin America, and the Middle East.”
Levy focuses his practice on political law and campaign finance in both national and state matters. He also advises clients on regulatory matters before federal and state agencies, internal investigations, white collar defense, organization and operation of non-profit entities, cyber security, litigation, and ethics. Levy also worked in city government serving as deputy counsel to then New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani, from 1997 through the end of Giuliani’s term in 2001. Levy earned his J.D. from St. John's University School of Law and his B.A. from the State University of New York at Stony Brook.
Bhatia represents clients in civil litigation, white collar defense proceedings, government inquiries, and internal investigations. Bhatia earned his J.D., with honors, from Emory University Law School and his B.B.A. from the University of Texas McCombs School of Business.
Olivieri focuses her practice on white collar defense and commercial litigation matters. She represents clients at both the trial and appellate level. Olivieri earned her J.D., summa cum laude, from Brooklyn Law School, where she was a member of the Brooklyn Law Review. She earned her B.A. from Villanova University.
“I am looking forward to working with the firm’s talented Securities Litigation practitioners and utilizing Greenberg Traurig’s global platform to further benefit our clients across the full spectrum of the financial services sector,” Frenchman said.
“I am excited to rejoin my longtime colleagues, former Mayor Rudy Giuliani and Marc Mukasey, at Greenberg Traurig,” said Levy. “The firm’s Government Law & Policy Practice in New York, and nationwide, has a reputation for providing top-notch representation to their clients, and I am delighted to join the team. Their work ethic, integrity, and ability to find common ground will be great assets for my clients.”
Prior to joining Greenberg Traurig, Frenchman was a partner, Levy was counsel, and Bhatia and Olivieri were associates, at Bracewell.
Greenberg Traurig, which is among the 20 largest law firms in the world by revenue and realized record revenues in 2015, opened two offices this past year, in Berlin and Tokyo. In 2012 the firm opened offices in Tel Aviv and Warsaw and in 2011 in Mexico City. The firm also experienced unprecedented growth in several key areas of practice and markets, particularly in New York City where it has seen significant expansion of its private equity and M&A practices, among others. The firm’s renowned and award-winning Latin American and Iberian Practice brings together attorneys with wide-ranging experience representing U.S. and international clients who do business in Latin America. In addition to its global office footprint, the firm has a long-standing strategic alliance with the independent law firm Studio Santa Maria in Milan and Rome as part of its commitment to meet the evolving needs of our clients.