Benesch Names Eleven New Partners for 2025

Benesch is pleased to announce the promotion of 11 attorneys to the firm’s partnership effective Jan. 1, 2025. The newly named partners include Ermias Abebe, Joseph Blalock, Christopher DeGrande, John Gentile, Max Guggenheim, Brian Mielcusny, Samuel Ruggio, Gaetano Savelli, George Stowe, Lauren Tortorella and Joel Varner.

“We deeply appreciate the hard work, dedication and exceptional leadership each of these attorneys have shown throughout their careers with the firm,” said Managing Partner Gregg Eisenberg. “Their contributions have been instrumental to Benesch’s growth and embody our commitment to client service. We are proud to welcome them to the partnership and look forward to supporting their continued success as integral leaders of our firm.”

Ermias Abebe | Corporate | Chicago

Ermias advises private equity sponsors and their portfolio companies, as well as both publicly and privately held companies, on complex transactions. These include mergers and acquisitions, divestitures, carve-outs, leveraged buyouts and other strategic endeavors.

Joseph Blalock | Labor & Employment | Columbus

Joe’s practice focuses almost exclusively on employer and management side labor and employment matters. His experience in this area of the law is wide-ranging and includes litigation in the wage and hour, wrongful termination, restrictive covenant and work-place injury contexts.

Christopher DeGrande | Healthcare | Chicago

Chris’ practice focuses on healthcare law, particularly transactional, regulatory and corporate matters, including state and federal licensing, Anti-Kickback and Stark issues, corporate practice of medicine prohibitions, transactional and contractual structuring and drafting, and transactional diligence review.

John Gentile | Litigation | Wilmington

John focuses his practice on complex corporate restructuring matters and commercial litigation in state and federal courts throughout the country. He has represented debtors, official creditor committees, creditors, lenders, and parties to adversary litigation in chapter 11 and chapter 7 bankruptcy proceedings, both in Delaware and other jurisdictions.

Max Guggenheim | Real Estate | Chicago

Max serves as lead counsel to landlords and tenants nationwide for negotiation of office, retail, medical and industrial leases. His practice focuses on advising major office and shopping center owners and operators in lease negotiations with national tenants, as well as counsel to international companies in office leasing throughout the U.S. and Canada, with prior representation including the world’s largest consulting firm and a prominent infrastructure and design corporation.

Brian Mielcusny | Corporate | Cleveland

Brian counsels clients with respect to a variety of corporate and securities matters, including mergers/acquisitions and leveraged buyouts, fund formation and investment management, and reporting and corporate governance.

Samuel Ruggio | Intellectual Property | Chicago

Samuel focuses his practice on complex patent litigation primarily in the pharmaceutical, chemical and biotechnology fields. He has worked on a wide variety of patent and intellectual property related cases in numerous venues across the United States. From District Courts to the Patent Trial and Appeal Board, to the Federal Circuit––Sam has experience throughout.

Gaetano Savelli | Commercial Finance | Cleveland

Gaetano’s practice focuses on representing banks, other financial institutions, and borrowers in secured and unsecured lending transactions; structuring, documenting and negotiating various types of loan transactions, including asset-based transactions, health care transactions, subordinated debt placements, letters of credit and bond financings, syndications, venture capital transactions and other leveraged buyout transactions; loan sales, loan maintenance and modifications, loan restructurings and loan workouts.

George Stowe | Corporate | Chicago

George focuses his practice on private equity transactions and business mergers, acquisitions and sales. Representing sophisticated middle-market private equity funds, independent sponsors and their portfolio companies, George has led numerous private equity transactions. He is experienced across several industrial sectors, including manufacturing, franchise businesses, healthcare, food and beverage, business services, consumer products and industrial services.

Lauren Tortorella | Litigation | Chicago

Lauren concentrates her practice on complex commercial litigation matters in federal and state courts across the country. She is a skilled litigator representing clients in a wide range of disputes, including defamation, products liability, breach of contract, fraud, employment contract litigation and Hatch-Waxman litigation. She has experience drafting a wide variety of briefs and motions, including discovery motions, motions to dismiss, motions for summary judgment and pre-trial motions.

Joel Varner | Corporate | Cleveland

Joel advises private equity sponsors and their portfolio companies and publicly and privately held companies on complex transactions, including mergers and acquisitions, divestitures, leveraged buyouts and other strategic transactions. Joel also counsels clients on a broad range of general corporate matters, including governance and executive compensation.