Philadelphia -- February 1, 2008 -- WolfBlock is pleased to announce that seven of its attorneys have been elected as partners of the firm effective February 1, 2008. Newly elected partners Jennifer Biderman, Jennifer Blum Feldman, Elizabeth Grzywacz, Aliza Karetnick and Joshua Weinberger are resident in the firm's Philadelphia office; Christian Beltz is resident in the firm's New York office; and Mayeti Gametchu is resident in the firm's Boston office.
Beltz is a member of WolfBlock's Real Estate and Real Estate Structured Finance Practice Groups. He focuses his practice on the acquisition, disposition, financing and refinancing of commercial and residential real estate, with particular emphasis on credit tenant lease, conduit, sale-leaseback, multistate, multiproperty and mezzanine financings. Beltz has represented commercial banks, investment banks and other financial institutions in connection with real estate financing, as well as the acquisition of whole loans, mezzanine and participation interests. Additionally, he has represented both landlords and tenants in connection with the negotiation of commercial real estate leases. Beltz received his J.D. from Fordham University School of Law in 1994 and his B.S. from Fordham University in 1991. He is admitted to practice in New York and Connecticut.
Biderman is a member of WolfBlock's Business Litigation Practice Group. She represents clients ranging from individuals to large public companies in a variety of litigation including residential real estate and construction, mortgage lending and securitizations, commercial real estate, intellectual property, class actions, consumer fraud and contract and business matters. She received her J.D. from Temple University School of Law in 1999 and her A.B. from Lafayette College in 1996. Biderman is admitted to practice in both Pennsylvania and New Jersey as well as in the U.S. District Courts, Eastern District of Pennsylvania and the District of New Jersey.
Feldman is a member of WolfBlock’s Employment Services Practice Group. She focuses her practice on preventive counseling and compliance. Feldman also advises employers regarding compliance with federal and state employment laws, drafts employer policies and agreements, audits employment practices, advises corporate attorneys regarding employee issues arising out of client acquisitions and sales, assists clients to satisfy affirmative action obligations, investigates employee harassment, discrimination and retaliation claims, represents clients in administrative proceedings before the EEOC, DOL and similar state agencies and provides training to in-house counsel, managers and other employees. Feldman has significant experience as a litigator, defending local, regional and national employers in both single-plaintiff and class-action lawsuits. Feldman received her J.D. from Harvard Law School in 1998 and her B.A. from Cornell University in 1995. She is admitted to practice in Pennsylvania and New Jersey.
Gametchu is a member of WolfBlock's Business Litigation Practice Group. She provides representation to clients in the high-technology, financial services, communications, retail and manufacturing industries in business and intellectual property disputes. She also represents institutions and high net worth individuals in connection with disputes involving closely held corporations, trusts and estate matters and related fiduciary duties. She received her J.D. from Harvard Law School in 2000 and her B.A. from Williams College in 1997. Gametchu is admitted to practice in Massachusetts.
Grzywacz is a member of WolfBlock's Financial Services Practice Group. She focuses her practice on the representation of financial institutions in all aspects of commercial lending, including asset-based financing, second-lien financing, mezzanine financing, real estate acquisition, development and construction financing, health care financing, general secured financing, lease financing, tax-free financing and loan workouts. Grzywacz also represents businesses in financing transactions with lenders. She received her J.D. from Temple University School of Law in 1997 and her B.A. from the University of Scranton in 1993. Grzywacz is admitted to practice in Pennsylvania and New Jersey.
Karetnick is a member of WolfBlock's Business Litigation Practice Group. She represents private and public companies in complex commercial litigation including trademark, contract, employment and securities class-actions as well as general business disputes. She also has extensive experience with governmental and regulatory investigations. Representative clients include a closely held national weight-loss company, a publicly traded mortgage company and a national bank. Karetnick previously served as a Shestack Public Interest Fellow and divided her case loads between general litigation at WolfBlock and civil rights litigation at the Public Interest Law Center of Philadelphia. She received her J.D. from the University of Pennsylvania in 1998 and her B.A. from Bates College in 1993. She is admitted to practice in Pennsylvania and New Jersey.
Weinberger is a member of WolfBlock's Tax Practice Group. He concentrates his practice in the area of federal income tax planning for all types of commercial transactions with a focus on real estate transactions, including partnership matters and like-kind exchanges, as well addressing the concerns of private and public REITs, pension funds and other tax-exempt organizations. Weinberger received his J.D. from the University of Pennsylvania Law School in 1999 and his B.A. from Yeshiva University in 1995. Weinberger is admitted to practice in Pennsylvania.
