News
Womble Bond Dickinson (US) LLP announced that nine of its lawyers have become partners in the firm. The lawyers, all of whom served previously in associate or of counsel roles at Womble Bond Dickinson, are: Shari Bacsardi, Artin Betpera, John Branson, Vivian Coates, Hunter Edwards, Sonny Haynes, Dana Lang, Diana Quarry and Chip Sturm.
“Having top talent is critical to achieve our goal of providing the best possible service to clients. While we have received significant attention for recruiting outstanding laterals, our commitment to top talent also includes developing great lawyers and providing opportunities for professional growth,” said Betty Temple, Chair of Womble Bond Dickinson (US) LLP. “These nine lawyers have proven their value to our clients, and we welcome them as Womble Bond Dickinson partners.”
Shari Bacsardi (Baltimore) has broad-based experience documenting and negotiating personal property commercial finance transactions. She represents lenders and lessors in all aspects of equipment finance transactions with an emphasis on transportation assets including aircraft (corporate and commercial), rail equipment, locomotives and railcars, vessels (barges and tankers), and specialty assets.
Artin Betpera (Orange County, Calif.) is a trial lawyer with a national practice principally representing financial services companies in high stakes litigation in federal and state courts, involving both class and individual claims. He has developed a particular focus on Telephone Consumer Protection Act litigation, but has significant experience in traditional commercial litigation, and regularly appears on behalf of some of the country’s most significant banks and financial institutions. He also manages and supervises a litigation team serving the firm’s clients across the state of California.
John Branson (Charlotte, NC) represents clients in cross-border disputes across a range of industries. He acts in complex, high value matters with a focus on commercial and investment arbitrations. Branson has experience with commercial claims, such as breach of contract and business torts and has represented foreign sovereigns in international investment disputes. Branson’s experience includes advising clients and appearing as counsel in arbitrations under most of the leading institutions (ICSID, PCA, SIAC, SCIA, LCIA, ICDR) as well as ad hoc arbitrations under UNCITRAL Rules. In addition to international arbitration, Branson regularly defends and prosecutes claims before federal and state courts.
Vivian Coates (Winston-Salem, NC) guides clients in all areas of executive and director compensation and related corporate governance matters, including the design and implementation of equity and cash incentive plans and employment, severance, change-in-control and other compensation-related arrangements, as well as securities and mergers and acquisitions transactions. She advises public companies, emerging and late stage private companies, and private equity firms regarding securities and tax laws that impact executive compensation.
Hunter Edwards ’ (Charlotte, NC) practice spans a range of commercial real estate sectors, including multifamily developments, mixed-use development projects, industrial and office park developments, condominiums, complex commercial leasing transactions, and energy projects. He is a past chair of the North Carolina Real Estate Lawyers Association of North Carolina.
Sonny Haynes (Winston-Salem, NC) has a broad range of litigation experience from complaint to verdict and on appeal. Her litigation practice includes defense of ERISA benefit and fiduciary liability, life, and disability claims, as well as defending insurance companies in actions alleging fraud, bad faith, and unfair and deceptive trade practices. She is well versed in product liability and mass tort litigation, including asbestos litigation. In addition, Haynes is frequently called upon to litigate the most difficult and complex civil rights and governmental tort liability cases.
Dana Lang (Charleston, SC) advises clients on almost every aspect of the construction process. She is an experienced litigator in state and federal court, where she regularly defends contractors, architects, developers, sureties and construction product manufacturers on a host of issues arising from public and private construction projects, including residential and commercial builds.
Diana Quarry (Charlotte, NC) is a commercial real estate lawyer who serves lenders, developers, landlords and tenants across the US. She has helped clients buy, sell and lease office, retail, multi-family, commercial and warehouse projects. She represents borrowers and lenders in syndicated and non-syndicated financings including agreements, term loans and construction loans secured by hotels, multi-use, multi-family, office, retail and other commercial projects.
Chip Sturm (Baltimore) represents lessors and lenders in structuring, negotiating and documenting a wide variety of equipment finance, public finance and commercial lending transactions, including tax-motivated, TRAC, synthetic and finance leases, secured financings and tax-exempt leases, loans and general obligation and revenue bonds. He also counsels clients regarding the acquisition and sale of transactions and portfolios, and assists them with developing standard commercial and tax-exempt loan, lease and syndication documentation.
These promotions became effective Jan. 1, 2019.
