The New York Law Journal names eight NYU Law alumni to 2013 Rising Stars list

Eight NYU Law alumni have been selected as 2013 Rising Stars by the New York Law Journal. The eight are part of a group of 44 lawyers ages 40 and under who have “established a record of accomplishments and demonstrated that they are top contributors to the practice of law and their communities,” according to the publication. A panel of judges that included Mark C. Zauderer ’71, a partner at Flemming Zulack Williamson Zauderer, reviewed more than 200 nominations of attorneys.

The 2013 Rising Stars list includes:
  • Catherine M. Amirfar ’00, partner at Debevoise & Plimpton. A litigator based in New York, Amirfar focuses on international commercial and treaty arbitration, and international and complex commercial litigation. Amirfar was a Root-Tilden-Snow scholar.
  • Erica E. Berthou LL.M.’03, partner at Debevoise & Plimpton. A member of the firm’s private equity and investment management groups, Berthou focuses on advising sponsors of open- and closed-ended private investment funds, including buyout, growth capital, real estate, infrastructure, debt and hybrid funds.
  • Beau Buffier (LL.M. '03), partner at Shearman & Sterling. Co-head of the firm's global antitrust group, Buffier focuses on defending mergers and acquisitions before the Federal Trade Commission, Department of Justice, and foreign competition authorities.
  • Keisha-Ann G. N. Gray ’98, senior counsel at Proskauer Rose. An attorney in the law firm’s labor and employment law department and co-head of the employment litigation and arbitration group, Gray focuses on employment discrimination work, including litigating sexual harassment, age, gender and disability discrimination, retaliation, and wrongful termination claims.
  • Blossom Kan ’98, assistant general counsel at MetLife. Kan focuses on disputes relating to the sale, suitability, or performance of life insurance products, annuities and investments. She previously worked as a litigation counsel at Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld and as a litigation associate at Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe. Kan has co-authored two novels: China Dolls (2007) and Young, Restless and Broke (2010).
  • Amanda H. Nussbaum LL.M. ’03, partner at Proskauer Rose. A member of the firm’s tax department and private investment funds group, Nussbaum concentrates on planning for and structuring of domestic and international private investment funds, including venture capital, buyout, real estate and hedge funds.
  • Michael J. Pastor ’02, senior counsel at the NYC Law Department. Pastor represents the City's agencies and officials in state and federal appellate courts, including in cases involving challenges to local laws or rules. He joined the department in May 2006 after three years as a litigation associate at the New York office of Morrison & Foerster.
  • Damian S. Schaible ’01, partner at Davis Polk & Wardwell. A member of the firm’s insolvency and restructuring group, Schaible has worked on a wide range of corporate restructurings and bankruptcies, representing debtors, creditors, agent banks, lenders, asset purchasers and other strategic parties. He also serves as chair of the New York City Bar Association’s Committee on Bankruptcy and Corporate Reorganization.

Posted on May 14, 2013