Bear Lawyers

Brya Keilson is a Partner of Morris James LLP, Vice Chair of the Firm's Bankruptcy and Restructuring group. She counsels clients on commercial bankruptcy, restructuring, and insolvency matters. She represents Chapter 11 debtors, insurers in all facets of bankruptcy-related issues, creditors' committees, liquidating trustees, trade creditors, and financial institutions, purchasers of assets, and both plaintiffs and defendants in numerous avoidance actions, including preference and fraudulent transfer actions. Outside of bankruptcy, Brya represents receivers and assignees in assignments for the benefit of creditors. She represents corporate clients in asset purchase deals and banks in front-end lending and workouts. Brya has experience in...

Joseph Leonard is an eDiscovery attorney in the Corporate and Commercial Litigation Group at Morris James. His practice involves partnering with in-house legal, IT, records management teams, and outside technology vendors, to provide start-to-finish litigation management. He is a seasoned attorney with extensive experience representing clients in matters related to internal investigations, data breach, electronic discovery and document retention. Joseph’s practice also includes managing large scale and complex document review projects. Practice areas: eDiscovery Corporate and Fiduciary Litigation jleonard@morrisjames.com 302.888.6872

Mike Dingerdissen is uniquely qualified to represent clients in the areas of tax, estate planning, trust administration, and strategic business planning. As part of the Tax, Estates and Business Practice, he assists businesses and individuals with various matters, including strategic business & succession planning, tax planning & controversies, stock & asset acquisitions, including private equity transactions, wealth transfer & estate planning. Mike has gained a wide range of experience throughout his career, including most recently serving as Vice President and Senior Trust Officer at The Goldman Sachs Trust Company, where he focused on managing and administering trusts, estates, and other...

Mr. Ferry was born in Philadelphia, PA and is a founding director of the firm. Mr. Ferry has regularly been named as one of the top 100 lawyers in Delaware in Delaware Today Magazine, most recently featured in their “Top Lawyers” issue in November 2021. He has also been recognized as a “Delaware Super Lawyer” in the area of Estate and Trust Litigation in the Pennsylvania Super Lawyers Magazine, and served as the President of the Delaware State Bar Association from July 2018 through June 2019.

Ross Karsnitz chairs the workers' compensation practice and assists clients with a wide variety of civil litigation including personal injury, workers' compensation, business, and real estate matters in the Georgetown Office. Ross was raised in Sussex County Delaware, and is a second-generation attorney with both his mother and father practicing in Delaware. Following his clerkship with the now President Judge of the Superior Court, Ross practiced criminal defense for the Office of Defense Services, rising through the ranks in Family Court, the Court of Common Pleas and Superior Court in Kent County and New Castle County. By the end of his...

Samuel Bashman is a member of the Corporate and Commercial Litigation Group at Morris James LLP. He focuses his practice on corporate and complex commercial litigation for business entities formed under Delaware law. During law school, Samuel completed an externship at the Civil Division of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York, where he assisted in the investigation and litigation of civil cases in Manhattan's federal courthouse. Practice areas: • Business Torts • Contract Litigation • Corporate and Fiduciary Litigation • LLC, LP, Partnership Litigation sbashman@morrisjames.com 302.888.6890

Jim McMackin chairs Morris James Employment Law and Education practice. He provides comprehensive legal representation to Delaware’s school districts, numerous municipalities, and private employers. Jim routinely functions as primary counsel in state and federal court and arbitrations concerning wage and hour claims, constitutional claims, discrimination claims, labor grievances, alleged unfair labor practice actions, and employment contract disputes. His clients frequently consult with him for advice and counseling, policy drafting, and compliance audits and reviews. The depth of Jim’s legal experience distinguishes him and gives his clients a unique advantage. Jim’s peers recognize him as a leader in the field of employment...

Doug Candeub has long and broad experience working to achieve effective outcomes for his clients in matters pertaining to bankruptcy, insolvency, and creditors’ rights. As a litigator, Doug represents business clients in both state and federal court, at the trial and appellate level, while as a business lawyer, he provides advice and representation to clients on business issues and disputes. Doug has represented a wide range of creditors as well as corporate and individual debtors, creditors' committees, purchasers of debtor assets, and chapter 7 trustees. Creditor representations have included prepetition lenders, trade creditors, landlords, homeowner associations, tort plaintiffs, construction...

Christopher is an attorney in the Bankruptcy and Restructuring group at Morris James LLP. He focuses his practice on commercial contract disputes, business restructuring, and insolvency issues. Prior to joining Morris James, Christopher was a judicial law clerk to The Honorable Brenda A. Sexton of the Circuit Court of Maryland. He received his Juris Doctorate Degree from Widener University Delaware Law School in 2022. During law school, Christopher was a judicial extern to The Honorable Vivian L. Medinilla and a Summer Associate for Allen and Associates. He also was a member of the Delaware Journal of Corporate Law, the Moot Court,...

Brian Ellis is a Partner in our Rehoboth Beach and Georgetown offices. His practice focuses on providing legal guidance and advice to individuals and businesses in a variety of areas, concentrating on business, transactional and real estate law. Business and Transactional Practice Includes: • Family business formation and planning • Preparation and negotiation of various commercial agreements • Business restructuring and reorganization • Mergers and acquisitions • Joint ventures and strategic partnerships • Legal guidance as to new business formation • Business finance • Legal advice as to Delaware business law • Delivery of Delaware Opinion Letters, as to Delaware corporations and other entities Real Estate Practice Includes: • Residential and commercial real estate settlements • 1031 like-kind exchanges • Preparation and negotiation of leases, purchase...

Tyler Maron is a member of the firm’s Legislative and Regulatory group. His practice focuses on land use, healthcare and energy matters, but extends to all regulated industries. He also assists with transactional matters that follow a successful approval process. Tyler is a lifelong Delawarean and uses his understanding of state government when clients seek changes in Delaware laws, favorable regulatory treatment, and approvals. Tyler served as an intern to both Senator Chris Coons and Governor John Carney, working directly with the Governor’s Policy Advisor. Tyler also served as a law clerk for the Honorable Vivian Medinilla and worked at the Delaware...

Michelle Bounds is a business law attorney based in Sussex County, Delaware. She represents a diverse group of businesses and private clients in commercial transactions, education law, employment law, litigation, real estate law, and land use/zoning matters. Michelle was a Judicial Law Clerk to The Honorable Kenneth S. Clark, Jr and The Honorable Rosemary Betts Beauregard for the Delaware Court of Common Pleas in Georgetown, Delaware. Practice areas: • Business Torts • Commercial Transactions • Contract Litigation • Education Law • Employment Law • Land Use • Private Clients • Real Estate mbounds@morrisjames.com T 302.752.3344

Tyler O'Connell represents companies, members of management, and investors in business disputes before the Delaware courts. Tyler also counsels directors, officers, and managers of Delaware business entities in connection with transactions that involve litigation risk. Tyler has represented parties in the Delaware Court of Chancery in disputes over the ownership, control, and management of Delaware business entities, including corporations, partnerships, and limited liability companies. His clients include significant investors as well as directors, officers, general partners, and other members of management. Tyler frequently litigates claims for breach of fiduciary duties and breach of limited partnership agreements and limited liability company agreements,...

Lewis Lazarus focuses his practice on corporate governance and commercial matters in the Delaware Court of Chancery. He has been lead counsel in trials arising out of mergers and acquisitions, including cases involving the entire fairness standard of review, appraisal, books and records actions, actions to compel annual meetings, and actions to determine who rightfully are the managers of a Delaware entity. As a result of his knowledge and familiarity with these and related cases, Lewis often advises special committees and boards in conflict-of-interest transactions. He has counseled boards, companies, or special committees in conflict-of-interest transactions totaling over $7 billion...

Albert Carroll is a partner of Morris James LLP and serves as Vice Chair of the Firm's Corporate and Commercial Litigation group. Albert focuses his practice on litigation involving corporations and alternative entities formed under Delaware law. He litigates fiduciary duty claims, contract disputes, M&A challenges, and summary proceedings under Delaware's business statutes in the Delaware Court of Chancery and the Delaware Supreme Court. Albert also represents clients in contract or business tort litigation in Delaware federal court, the Delaware Superior Court, and arbitrations under Delaware law. Another component of Albert's practice includes advising boards of directors, special committees, managers, or...

John Newcomer practices in the areas of real estate and commercial litigation. His experience in these dual fields provides his clients with a rare perspective in dealing with complex real estate and business matters. Understanding the dynamics of litigation, and how it impacts his clients’ business strategies, gives John the ability to draft transactional documents with an eye towards avoiding problems before they arise. John chairs Morris James' Real Estate Group. In his real estate practice, he represents landowners and developers in the acquisition, improvement and financing of properties in Delaware, including hotels, medical and assisted living facilities, apartments, shopping centers...

Rob Gibbs focuses his practice on business formation, commercial transactions, commercial lending, commercial and residential real estate transactions, and related civil litigation. Rob is actively involved in alternative dispute resolution (ADR) since completing the Delaware Superior Court Mediation Training in 2007. He serves as an arbitrator, mediator and neutral assessor both informally and under the ADR Programs of the Delaware Courts. Practice areas: • Business Transactions, Strategic Planning and Counseling • Commercial Transactions • Structured Finance Transactions • Real Estate • Land Use • Private Clients • Small Businesses and Start-Ups • Alternative Dispute Resolution • Energy Industry rgibbs@morrisjames.com 302.856.0016

Jim Gallagher maintains a comprehensive business and tax practice that includes the preparation of wills, trusts, and other estate planning documents. In his business practice, Jim counsels and advises clients on business formation and management, including the drafting of operating agreements and stockholder agreements. He is experienced in the preparation, review, and negotiation of documents for the purchase and sale of assets or stock or other equity interests, as well as commercial and employment-related contracts. Through the representation of physicians and physician groups, Jim has also developed a thorough understanding of federal and state healthcare regulatory compliance issues, which accentuates...

Jeff Waxman represents debtors, official committees of unsecured creditors, official committees of equity holders, secured creditors, plan administrators, liquidating trustees, purchasers of assets, and a wide variety of creditor constituencies and interested parties in Chapter 11 cases. Jeff also represents Chapter 7 trustees, and plaintiffs, and defendants in bankruptcy-related preference and fraudulent transfer litigation. Prior to entering private practice, Jeff served as a law clerk to The Honorable Mary F. Walrath, U.S. Bankruptcy Court, District of Delaware, and to The Honorable Michael J. Kaplan, U.S. Bankruptcy Court, Western District of New York. Jeff co-chairs Morris James’ Small Businesses and Start-Ups Group which...

Kimberly Hoffman uses her 20+ years of experience to serve as lead counsel in real estate, healthcare and government relations matters. She has assisted clients with strategic planning, legislation, documentation, and formal proceedings before courts, federal, state, and local agencies, including Congress. She is the only Delaware attorney recognized as a Top Lawyer by Delaware Today in the areas of both Zoning and Healthcare law. Kimberly represents a diverse group of businesses and high-net-worth individuals, including publicly traded companies, physician groups, health care IT providers, developers and construction companies, schools, telecommunications carriers, banks, churches, and investors. She project manages multifaceted legal...

Nick Caggiano, Jr. is a member of Morris James' Business Transactions, Strategic Planning and Counseling Practice, a group that handles transactions for a wide range of clients, small and large. In his practice, Nick helps clients to utilize Delaware corporations, limited liability companies, statutory trusts and other alternative entities in a variety of situations, from small business start-ups to complex commercial transactions. He can assist clients with forming and dissolving entities, structuring transactions, drafting and negotiating contracts, and providing Delaware legal opinions to support their closings. Nick also has significant experience and can advise clients negotiating energy industry and other industrial...

Lewis C. Ledyard, III is a member of Morris James’ Business Transactions, Strategic Planning and Counseling Practice, a group that has been involved in over $100 Billion in financings for a wide range of clients. Lew focuses primarily on the organization and operation of statutory and common law trusts, limited liability companies, and other Delaware business entities in commercial and business transactions, used predominantly in commercial aviation and infrastructure finance. His practice also includes acting as Delaware counsel to banks, trustees, financial institutions, and other parties in domestic and cross-border transactions such as leveraged leases and asset-backed securitizations. Experience: • Representing financial institutions acting...