Patterson Belknap Announces Five New Counsel

Patterson Belknap Webb & Tyler LLP announced that, effective January 1, 2016, Muhammad U. Faridi, Jonathan H. Hatch, Jenny L. Longman, Peter A. Nelson, and Janine Shissler will become counsel to the Firm.

Muhammad U. Faridi practices in the firm’s litigation department. His practice focuses on complex commercial litigation, including disputes related to structured finance transactions, breach of fiduciary duty, and fraud. He has handled a wide variety of litigation matters at various stages for large financial institutions, such as financial guarantors and hedge funds. He has also advised clients with interests in distressed businesses, and his clients have recouped billions of dollars through litigation and out-of-court settlements. From 2007 to 2008, Mr. Faridi served as a Law Clerk to the Hon. Jack B. Weinstein of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York. He received his J.D. from City University of New York School of Law, where he served as an Editor of the New York City Law Review. He received his B.A. from John Jay College of Criminal Justice, summa cum laude.

Jonathan H. Hatch practices in the firm’s litigation department. His practice focuses on complex commercial actions, antitrust litigation, and white collar defense and investigations. Mr. Hatch has handled a wide variety of matters, including representing multiple financial guaranty insurers in connection with fraud and contract claims related to residential mortgage-backed securities transactions, a major pharmaceutical corporation in actions pursued by multiple state attorneys general related to prescription drug pricing, and corporations in connection with investigations by the U.S. Attorney’s office and multiple federal and state agencies. These representations have included all phases of litigation, from pre-litigation counseling and investigations through trial and appeal. He received his J.D. from New York University School of Law, cum laude, where he served as Notes Editor of the New York University Law Review. He received his A.B. from Harvard University, cum laude.

Jenny L. Longman practices in the firm’s tax department, where she has advised clients on numerous matters, including corporate and partnership tax issues, corporate reorganizations, business acquisitions and dispositions, cross border payment issues, international business restructurings, foreign and domestic trust income tax matters, state and local tax planning issues, tax controversy matters, and IRS programs for taxpayers with undisclosed foreign assets. She routinely advises wealthy individuals on complex cross border transaction and planning issues, including rules related to the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act. She received her LL.M. from New York University School of Law. She also received her J.D. from New York University School of Law, where she served as the Articles and Notes Editor of the Journal of International Law & Politics. Ms. Longman received her B.A. from Columbia College, Columbia University, magna cum laude, where she was elected to the Phi Beta Kappa Society.

Peter A. Nelson practices in the firm’s litigation department. His practice focuses on complex commercial, intellectual property, and false advertising litigation, including disputes related to structured finance, pharmaceuticals, medical devices and biotechnology products, consumer products, and media and communications firms. He has handled a wide variety of litigations and dispute resolutions at all stages, including pre-litigation counseling, discovery, dispositive motion practice, arbitration, trial, and appeals. Prior to joining the firm, Mr. Nelson served as a Law Clerk to the Hon. Robert W. Sweet of the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York, and worked for an American international law firm. He received his J.D. from New York University School of Law, where he served as Executive Editor of the Environmental Law Journal. He received his B.A. from Columbia College, Columbia University.

Janine Shissler practices in the firm’s tax-exempt organizations department. Ms. Shissler advises public charities, private foundations and other 501(c) organizations on all aspects of the formation and operation of exempt organizations. Her practice includes a special focus on program-related and mission-related investing, structuring joint ventures with for-profit companies, and helping charities navigate innovative financing strategies for charitable impact investments. Before joining the firm, Ms. Shissler advised for-profit companies and investors on the tax consequences of their domestic and cross-border transactions. She received her J.D. from Yale Law School, her M.A. in Anthropology from University of Pennsylvania, and her B.S. in Biology from Yale University, summa cum laude, where she was elected to the Phi Beta Kappa Society.