Janisse Bruno is an Associate with the Firm’s Real Estate Practice Group at the New York office, where she focuses on real estate finance matters. Her background consists primarily of residential and commercial real estate, as well as insurance defense, arbitration, and business licensing.

Janisse previously worked as an Associate in another law firm, where she handled residential purchase and sale transactions, due diligence, title review, commercial leases, refinancing, asset purchase agreements, corporate formation, and everything else in between. Janisse employed her Spanish language fluency to assist many Spanish-speaking clients with their legal matters.

Janisse obtained her JD from the George Washington University Law School. During law school, Janisse completed internships at GlaxoSmithKline and the Office of Financial Research at the United States Department of the Treasury. She also served as a 1L Mentor and researched fashion industry sustainability. For her undergraduate degree, she attended the University of Connecticut.

Janisse is a Member of the New York Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts. Aside from her law practice, she enjoys photography and reading recreationally with her book club.

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Sophia Villani is an Associate in the Firm’s New York office, where she works on health care and life sciences matters.

Sophia was previously a Non-Equity Partner at a public entity firm, where she specialized in coverage and monitoring counsel to insurance and reinsurance underwriters with a focus on healthcare business, including hospital, physician, allied health, and long-term care programs. In addition, she drafted and negotiated insurance policy provisions, service level agreements, settlement agreements, and fee-sharing agreements.

As a healthcare coverage and risk assessor, Sophia supports clients throughout the U.S. during the pre-underwriting phase. Her experience includes managing large and diverse healthcare programs with high exposure liabilities and complex coverage issues.

An Indiana University graduate, Sophia received a B.A. in Psychology. During her studies, Sophia spent a semester studying abroad at Accademia Italiana in Florence, Italy. Sophia went on to receive her J.D. from St. John’s University School of Law, where she served as Managing Editor for the Commercial Division Online Law Report. In addition, Sophia was a Staff Member for the N.Y. Litigator Journal.

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Emily J. Viret is an associate in the firm’s Real Estate, Finance, and Land Use Group, where she represents clients, including lenders, buyers, and sellers, with a variety of real estate transactions.

Emily served as a summer associate with Norris McLaughlin, working on legal issues regarding condominium and cooperative law and assisting with real estate closings. She also drafted materials dealing with the New York Emergency Rental Assistance Program and a Rent Demands and Notices of Petition.

A graduate of New York Law School, Emily received her B.S. from James Madison University. During law school, she served as a judicial extern for the Honorable Ralph J. Porzio in the Richmond County Supreme Court in New York. Emily has also worked for the Courtroom Advocates Project in New York, working to help victims of domestic violence obtain orders of protection from family court.

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Michael Coppa is an associate in the Firm’s Real Estate, Finance, and Land Use group where he represents lenders, buyers, and sellers with a variety of real estate transactions.

Michael focuses his practice on handling complex title matters, land use and zoning, bankruptcy and restructuring, and litigating landlord and tenant disputes in court. He also regularly counsels cooperative boards, shareholder and condominium boards on potential and ongoing litigation, refinances, and general corporate matters. Michael assists clients in commercial transactions including mortgage financing and acquisition and performs due diligence including the review of tenant estoppels, title commitments, policies, and surveys.

Prior to joining Norris McLaughlin, Michael was an associate at New York-based firm focused on real estate, co-op, and condo law.

Michael is a graduate of New York Law School and received his B.A. from Rutgers University.

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Alexander Sokolof is an associate in the firm’s litigation group, where he represents a variety of businesses in complex litigation matters. Alexander has handled litigation matters involving logistics liability, adverse possession, eminent domain, breach of contract, and unjust enrichment, as well as assignment of benefits matters encountered by healthcare providers. Aside from drafting legal documents, he regularly conducts legal research, negotiates settlements, and handles all discovery matters, including requests, responses, and motions for production.

Before joining Norris McLaughlin, Alexander was an associate attorney at a commercial litigation law firm where he represented financial services companies and private equity funds in matters involving securities fraud, contract disputes, contract infringement, and shareholder derivatives.

Alexander earned his Juris Doctor, cum laude, from the Elisabeth Haub School of Law at Pace University with a focus on corporate law and financial compliance. As managing editor of the Pace International Law Review, he organized the 2019 human rights symposium titled “Revisiting Human Rights: The Universal Declaration at 70.” Alexander earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from the State University of New York at Binghamton.

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Amanda Tersigni is an associate in the firm’s litigation group where she represents corporate entities in connection with commercial litigation and bankruptcy matters.

Amanda regularly works with clients in and out of court, conducting legal research and drafting various pleadings including complaints for adversary proceedings and objecting to dischargeability of debts. She has additional experience representing contractors in multi-million-dollar construction claims against the City of New York and has also represented lenders in commercial foreclosure actions.

Prior to joining Norris McLaughlin, Amanda was a bankruptcy and creditors’ rights associate at a Northeast law firm and represented clients in chapters 7, 11 and 13 bankruptcy claims.

Amanda earned her J.D. from St. John’s University School of Law where she served as an executive research editor for the American Bankruptcy Institute Law Review and was an executive board member of the Dispute Resolution Society. She received her B.A. from the College at Old Westbury, State University of New York.

Amanda is involved in organizations including the New York Institute of Credit as a Member of the Future Leader Committee, and the Construction Financial Association as the Chair for the Young Professionals Committee.

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Samuele Riva is an associate in the Firm’s business law practice group, where he works on a broad range of business transactions and performs various services for start-up companies.

Samuele has experience handling domestic and international mergers and acquisitions, including due diligence review, negotiations, drafting of purchase documents, and disclosure schedules. He regularly provides counsel to both large and small businesses on capital raising and corporate governance, including business formations, shareholders and operating agreements, corporate resolutions, share vesting and equity awards, among others. Samuele also worked on commercial contracts across multiple industries, including non-disclosure agreements, licensing and distribution agreements, and consulting and professional services agreements.

Prior to joining Norris McLaughlin, Samuele was an associate at a New York-based firm.

Samuele is a summa cum laude graduate of the Touro College Jacob D. Fuchsberg Law Center where he earned his J.D. and a cum laude graduate of Fordham University School of Law where he received his LL.M. in Banking, Corporate, and Finance Law. He also received his B.S. from Farmingdale State College. While attending law school, Samuele served as a judicial extern for the Honorable Joseph F. Bianco in the U.S. District Court of the Eastern District of New York.

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Lauren E. Lewis is an associate in the firm’s Real Estate, Finance, and Land Use Practice Group and handles disputes arising out of real estate and housing related matters.

Lauren regularly represents landlords and tenants in all aspects of real estate litigation, including commercial and residential disputes involving single family homes, co-operative buildings, rent-stabilized and rent-controlled buildings, lofts, and interim multiple dwellings. She regularly handles matters in New York Supreme and Civil courts, navigating all phases of litigation including research, motion practice, negotiations, client communications, pre-trial discovery, and settlement. Lauren has experience with the rent stabilization code, tenant right and landlord obligations and has represented landlords and tenants in summary nonpayment, licensee, nuisance, and non-primary residence holdover proceedings.

Prior to joining Norris McLaughlin, Lauren acquired more than a decade of civil litigation experience as an associate at boutique real estate firms.

Lauren earned her J.D. from the Tulane University Law School and received her B.S. from the University of Florida.

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Michael J. Willner is a Member in the firm’s Real Estate, Finance, and Land Use Practice Group where his practice is focused on condominium and cooperative law, commercial and residential real estate transactions, and related litigation.

Michael regularly represents condominium and cooperative boards, individual unit owners, shareholders, purchasers and sellers, and landlords and tenants, providing them with general counsel services and litigating complex real estate disputes. He has experience reviewing statutory and common law relating to varied issues including COVID-19 restrictions on use of facilities, unit-owner access to books and records, obligations to maintain, repair and replace common elements, and related landlord/tenant issues. Michael drafts license and construction agreements, real estate contracts, indemnification agreements, and is familiar with a myriad of transactional issues including sales and purchases, refinances, and lease agreements.

Michaels collaborates with his clients to help them achieve their goals. His understanding of landlord-tenant law, zoning issues, mechanic’s liens, foreclosure actions, contract disputes, construction claims, and other management issues give him knowledge to take a comprehensive approach in representing each client.

Prior to joining Norris McLaughlin, Michael managed a practice of more than 35 condominium and co-ops in New York and New Jersey. He has substantial experience appearing before New York Appellate, Supreme and Civil Courts, as well as at mediation, arbitration, and ECB hearings.

Michael is a graduate of the Syracuse University School of Law and received his undergraduate degree from Binghamton University, the State University of New York.

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Bartley J. Breinin concentrates his practice in business law and has served as both outside and in-house counsel for large and small companies, professional and financial services organizations, and private equity and venture capital firms. He has extensive experience in mergers and acquisitions and has advised on hundreds of domestic and international deals, including acquisitions, divestitures, joint ventures, strategic alliances and reorganizations.

Bart is proficient in a variety of corporate and commercial practice areas, and serves clients across industries including investment banking, accounting, management and technology consulting, private equity and retail.

Working as an in-house legal advisor as well as in private practice has given Bart a unique perspective, allowing him to take a hands-on approach to transactions, maintain a flexible negotiation style, and focus on creative solutions. He is experienced in structuring deals; drafting and negotiating non-disclosure agreements, term sheets, and letters of intent; coordinating due diligence as well as tax, employment, and other areas requiring specialized legal advice; addressing regulatory requirements; negotiating, drafting and reviewing definitive agreements; and working closely with integration teams to prepare for closing and post-closing transition.

Additionally, Bart has broad legal experience, enabling him to provide strategic counsel to clients on issues including entity structuring and formation, securities and financing transactions, executive and employment matters, governance and policy, regulatory issues, licensing, outsourcing, data protection, procurement, and other complex commercial matters. Clients rely on Bart for his experience and practical approach.

Bart has guest lectured at New York University School of Law on best practices in M&A, providing both in-house and outside counsel perspective on successful transactional counseling; and at several symposia sponsored by the New York City Bar Association and the New York Technology Alliance.

Bart served as a Managing Director/Office of the General Counsel at PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP for 16 years, where he advised on more than 50 U.S. and international M&A transactions, investment banking matters for the firm’s broker-dealer, finance, complex procurements, cross-border privacy, governance, partnership, and general corporate matters. Bart’s in-house experience has allowed him to act as a virtual inside counsel for various clients of his legal practice.

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