Omar Farah to Join Chaffetz Lindsey LLP

January 2010 – The Chaffetz Lindsey team continues to grow. After launching in May 2009 with nine people, our full-time team is now comprised of five partners, four associates, and five administrators and paralegals. New associate Omar Farah starts work with the firm on February 1.

Omar Farah was a litigation associate with Clifford Chance since October 2007. He has represented clients in litigation, investigation and arbitration matters. Prior to commencing his legal career, Omar worked as an Assistant Vice President at UBS | Paine Webber Inc. Omar is conversant in Arabic and has lived and studied throughout the Middle East and Africa. He graduated from Georgetown University Law Center in 2007 and from Columbia University in June 1999.

Omar joins current associates Karen Baswell, Andreas Frischknecht, and Yasmine Lahlou.

December 2009 – Since launching in May 2009, Chaffetz Lindsey LLP has made support of two great non-profits – CAMBA and International Senior Lawyers Project – a firm wide mission.

CAMBA – a Brooklyn-based community services organization that helps 35,000 individuals and families in need every year — is completing its 2009 fundraising drive on December 31, 2009. The highlight of the drive was the November 16, 2009 Celebration to Benefit New York’s Kids, a large reception held at the Waldorf Astoria. Youth I.N.C. sponsored the Celebration. Supporters of CAMBA, Youth I.N.C., and 17 other youth-serving non-profits all participated.

The Chaffetz Lindsey network supported the drive with combined contributions of more than $27,000. Chaffetz Lindsey was a Gold Donor. Doar Litigation Consulting, UGL Equis, and Winter Reporting all participated as Silver Donors. See the Chaffetz Lindsey Celebration ad here and the Doar ad here. (Check back to see the UGL Equis and Winter Reporting ads.) In addition, Clifford Chance was a Supporting Donor and Yorkson Legal a Patron.

Many thanks to all who contributed.

For more information on CAMBA visit its website, or contact Chaffetz Lindsey partner and CAMBA board member, Charlie Scibetta.

May 2009 – Chaffetz Lindsey LLP is pleased to announce that Andreas Frischknecht and Karen Baswell have joined the firm as associates.

Andreas Frischknecht joins Chaffetz Lindsey after 3 years with the international law firm Clifford Chance and a further three years with another large, New York-based law firm. Andy graduated magna cum laude from the University of Berne, Switzerland Faculty of Law in 1998. After passing the Bar exam in Berne, Switzerland in 2001, he obtained his LL.M. degree from New York University Law School in 2002. Andy is admitted to practice in New York. He is equally fluent in English and German and has dual Swiss-American citizenship.

Karen Baswell, also a former Clifford Chance associate, graduated summa cum laude from Hofstra University School of Law in 2007. She was an Articles Editor for Hofstra Law Review Volume 35, and was published in Hofstra Law Review in Summer, 2007. (Note, Time for a Change: Why the FDA Should Require Greater Disclosure of Differences of Opinion on the Safety and Efficacy of Approved Drugs, 35 Hofstra Law Rev. 1799 (2007)). Prior to law school, Karen graduated cum laude from the University of Richmond with both Bachelor of Science and Bachelor of Arts degrees. She is admitted to practice in New York and New Jersey.

Contact Andy at 212 257 6965 or andreas.frischknecht@chaffetzlindsey.com and Karen at 212 257 6967 or karen.baswell@chaffetzlindsey.com.

NEW YORK (May 5, 2009) — Chaffetz Lindsey LLP opened for business today in New York. The firm will specialize in international arbitration, reinsurance, and commercial litigation. The five founding partners, Peter Chaffetz, David Lindsey, Charlie Scibetta, James Hosking and Cecilia Moss previously practiced together for nine years in the New York Office of Clifford Chance.

“This is a response to how current market conditions have affected our cl ients,” said Chaffetz. “Clients have a greater need than ever for commercially-oriented lawyers who can provide first-tier service from a lower-cost, flexible platform.”

Both Chaffetz and Lindsey individually and their practices have been highly rated by Chambers and other legal directories. At Clifford Chance, Chaffetz led the firm-wide litigation practice and was a member of the firm’s global management committee from 2004-08. Lindsey has led Clifford Chance’s Americas arbitration practice since 2000.

Read the full press release here.