Blank Rome announced five new leadership appointments, effective January 1, 2024:

• Regina Stango Kelbon, Business Department Co-Chair
• Matthew "Matt" J. Comisky, Philadelphia Office Co-Chair
• William “Will” J. Dorsey, Vice Practice Group Leader, Corporate Litigation group
• Andrew “Andy” T. Hambelton, Co-Practice Group Leader, General Litigation group
• Lauren E. O’Donnell, Co-Practice Group Leader, General Litigation group

“We are thrilled that Regina, Matt, Will, Andy, and Lauren have assumed their new leadership roles at Blank Rome,” said Grant S. Palmer, Blank Rome’s Chair and Managing Partner.

“The five partners are terrific role models, continuously seeking opportunities for growth, providing outstanding client service, mentoring junior lawyers, reinforcing our firm’s culture of collaboration, advancing the law in their respective areas of practice, and giving back to our communities. They will bring great enthusiasm to their new positions and further contribute to the success of Blank Rome.”  

Regina Stango Kelbon joins partners Gary R. Goldenberg and Joseph T. Gulant as co-chair of Blank Rome’s Business Department, overseeing more than 300 attorneys across the firm’s 15 offices. She is a partner in the in the firm’s Finance, Restructuring, and Bankruptcy group and served as co-chair of the group from 2011-2018. Having spent her entire career at Blank Rome, Regina has served in many firm leadership positions. In addition to her role as co-chair of the Business Department, she also serves as a member of the partner board and distribution and executive committees and is the immediate past co-chair of the Philadelphia office. Regina also plays a significant role in shaping the firm’s culture by providing avenues for mentorship and actively participating in the firm’s affinity group BR Women and related initiatives, including the Women’s Leadership Summit, Women’s Business Development Academy, and Women’s Forum Bootcamp Series.
 
In her practice, Regina is a highly regarded bankruptcy and restructuring attorney, recognized by Chambers as a “Star Individual” for her competency, innovative thinking, and client advocacy. She is active in the bankruptcy community, serving on several committees of leading industry organizations. For example, Regina is a Fellow of the prestigious American College of Bankruptcy where she serves as the National Chair of the Education Committee for all Circuits, is co-chair of the American Bar Association’s Business Bankruptcy Subcommittee on Corporate Governance, and is a member of the Philadelphia/Wilmington Chapter of the Turnaround Management Association where she is a past chair and current member of the Networking Organization of Women.

Matt Comisky will co-chair the Philadelphia office with current co-chair, partner Alan L. Zeiger. Matt, a partner in the firm’s Real Estate group, has deep roots at Blank Rome, having started as an associate at the firm nearly three decades ago. Additionally, Matt’s father, the late Marvin Comisky, was one of the founding partners of Blank Rome, revered for his decades of leadership and instrumental role in building the firm’s strong and inclusive culture.

Matt has extensive experience in all facets of complex real estate transactions and is a member of the American College of Real Estate Lawyers, a Fellow of the American College of Mortgage Attorneys, and ranked as a leading real estate attorney by Chambers. In addition to this leadership role, Matt also serves as co-chair of the firm’s Well-being Committee. Matt and Alan will focus on the continued strategic growth of the Philadelphia office and foster the firm’s high-performance and collaborative culture.   

Will Dorsey joins co-chairs Ana Tagvoryan and Joseph T. Gulant in leading the Corporate Litigation group. At Blank Rome, Will is a founding member of the Chicago office, helps lead the firm’s banking litigation practice, and serves as a mentor to several associates and junior partners. In his practice, Will is a nationally recognized trial lawyer who has tried more than 75 cases to judgment in a career spanning more than two decades. Clients across the country turn to Will for high-stakes commercial finance, real estate, mergers and acquisitions, and executive compensation and non-compete disputes. Crain’s Chicago Business recognized Will in 2022 as a Notable Gen X Leader in Accounting, Consulting, and Law for his contributions to the Chicago legal profession, the firm’s banking and real estate litigation teams, and the community.

Andy Hambelton and Lauren O’Donnell join Dominique L. Casimir, Michael A. Iannucci, and Christopher “Chris” J. Petersen as co-practice group leaders of the General Litigation group. Andy and Lauren both joined Blank Rome in 2010 as litigation associates and were elevated to partners in 2019.
 
Andy concentrates his practice on complex commercial litigation in state and federal courts nationwide and before arbitration panels. He also routinely advises clients on litigation avoidance strategies. Andy supports the firm’s commitment to pro bono and has represented pro bono clients in matters related to natural disasters, civil rights, and domestic relations. He has also served as a mentor during the annual Center for Urban Business Entrepreneurship at Brooklyn Law School Innovators Invitational, a legal tech startup competition for New York City-area law students.

Throughout her tenure at the firm, Lauren has stepped into several leadership positions and currently serves on the firm’s recruiting and retention committee and previously served as co-chair of the summer associate program in 2015. As a litigator, Lauren regularly counsels clients in white collar criminal defense matters, internal investigations, and healthcare fraud and abuse. She also regularly handles products liability cases, defending companies in federal and state litigation. Lauren also dedicates time to pro bono service, most notably having represented a client at his resentencing and ultimately securing his release, after he had been initially sentenced as a juvenile to life in prison without the possibility of parole, as well as having secured the dismissal and release of a client on double jeopardy grounds after she was charged with murdering her abusive boyfriend in self defense and the trial court improperly declared a mistrial.