As we all know, an organization cannot exist without members! Please encourage attorneys in our practice area to join the ACIC, and do what you can to make our new members feel welcome, in particular by keeping an eye out for our new members at the Spring and Fall conferences. We will periodically update this page to reflect new members as they are added.
This month, in addition to asking for a brief bio, we also asked our new members to answer the question, “Why did you join the ACIC, and how do you hope it will enhance your practice?”
B. Seth Bryant – Managing Partner, Bryant Rabbino LLP
B. Seth Bryant is the Managing Partner of Bryant Rabbino LLP. Seth represents a wide range of clients, including large corporations and financial institutions, governmental entities and public benefit corporations, investment funds and early stage companies in a range of transactional matters. Seth has extensive experience in offerings of equity and debt securities, including institutional private placements and municipal offerings, venture capital, convertible notes and warrants among other securities. Seth began his career as an Associate in the New York office of Debevoise & Plimpton LLP. He was also a Senior Associate in the New York office of Morrison & Foerster LLP. Prior to founding Bryant Rabbino LLP, he served as Of Counsel in the New York office of DLA Piper. Seth earned a J.D. in 1995 from New York University School of Law where he was a Root-Tilden Snow Scholar. He earned B.A. degrees in 1992 from New York University College of Arts and Sciences where he double majored in Philosophy and in Political Science. Seth is a member of the New York City Bar Association, the Metropolitan Black Bar Association and the National Bar Association. Seth serves as a member of the Board of Trustees of Neighborhood Defender Services of Harlem.
Why did you join the ACIC, and how do you hope it will enhance your practice?
I joined ACIC in order to stay abreast of the issues and legal developments faced by insurance companies as investors. I had been exposed to ACIC early in my career and was impressed by the depth of the dialogue related to finance and investment transactions. Later in my career, at the suggestion of a contact at a major insurance company, I began to attend events and again found engaging dialogue and helpful materials on a range of finance and investment legal matters.
I believe that ACIC will enhance my practice by giving me access to cutting edge resources. By joining the college, I hope to share thoughts and practice tips with a strong network of finance lawyers. I believe that the information and fellowship will sharpen my skills as a finance lawyer.
Melody R. Cross – Associate, Schiff Hardin LLP
Melody R. Cross is an Associate in the Finance Group of Schiff Hardin LLP in Chicago. She joined Schiff in 2007 after graduating from Vanderbilt University Law School. She represents institutional investors, amongst others, in a variety of financing matters including private placements, senior secured and unsecured financings and mezzanine financings.
Why did you join the ACIC, and how do you hope it will enhance your practice?
I have been attending the ACIC meetings since I first started in the Finance Group at Schiff. The topics have been helpful in my development as an attorney, but I also love being able to get out of the office and connect faces with email addresses. I am excited to join the ranks and hope to become more involved in the organization.
Andrew Fletcher – Senior Vice President and General Counsel, AIG Commercial Asset Finance
Andrew Fletcher is Senior Vice President and General Counsel with AIG Commercial Asset Finance headquartered in Dallas, Texas. Andy was on the team that started that company for AIG in 2004. Previously, Andy was General Counsel for Transamerica Equipment Finance. Since 2010, AIGCAF has transitioned from originating primarily middle market loans and leases for its own portfolio to originating large primarily investment grade loans as investments for the AIG insurance companies through the AIG Investments Private Placements Group.
Why did you join the ACIC, and how do you hope it will enhance your practice?
I joined the ACIC to learn more about the relevant and developing issues in corporate finance and to meet other colleagues who support institutional investors. Most of my professional life has been spent with unregulated ‘loans’ that, in our minds, were not ‘securities.’ The regulated insurance and investment advisory world, not-to-mention the onslaught of new legislation and rules, created a big learning (or more accurately, a big panic) opportunity for me. The ACIC resources have been a welcome relief. I look forward to becoming more involved.
Sheilah Gibson – Senior Legal Counsel & Director, Conning, Inc.
Sheilah Gibson is Senior Legal Counsel & Director for Conning, Inc. which is located in Hartford, CT. Sheilah provides legal support for Conning in the areas of investments and finance, private placements, software and general corporate matters. Prior to joining Conning last year, Sheilah spent the last few years working as a corporate attorney and prior to that time, she spent over ten years working at law firms where she represented financial institutions and insurance companies in a variety of lending and private placement matters.
Why did you join the ACIC, and how do you hope it will enhance your practice?
Among other things, Conning serves as an investment adviser to insurance companies. I joined ACIC because I am the sole legal support for private placements at my company. By becoming a member of ACIC, I am alerted to changes in the market so I can provide up to date legal advice for the portfolio managers and help protect the interests of our clients.
Jason Hellwig—Partner, Winston & Strawn LLP
Jason Hellwig is a partner at Winston & Strawn LLP with which he has been associated for the past 14 years. Jason works in the New York office and has represented both purchasers and issuers in a wide variety of project finance, sports finance and structured finance private placement transactions and also maintains an active secured lending practice.
Why did you join the ACIC, and how do you hope it will enhance your practice?
I decided to join the ACIC as it serves as the central clearinghouse for information regarding the private placement market and its participants and affords me the opportunity to learn about market developments and more easily identify structural concerns relevant to my clients.
Ron Horner – Vice President and Assistant General Counsel, AIG
Ron Horner is a Vice President and Assistant General Counsel with AIG, where he has been working for the past 7 years. Ron works in the Dallas office, supporting the commercial asset finance and private placement groups. Prior to joining AIG, Ron was a Vice President and Associate General Counsel with Citigroup, and a partner with law firms in Phoenix and Dallas.
Why did you join the ACIC, and how do you hope it will enhance your practice?
I joined the ACIC to expand relationships with other lawyers practicing in the investments area, and to continue to learn about developments impacting my practice.
Julia Singh—Senior Associate, Chapman and Cutler LLP
Julia Singh is a senior associate in the Corporate Finance Department of Chapman and Cutler LLP. The primary focus of Julia’s practice is the representation of institutional investors in connection with the private placement of corporate securities. Julia has been practicing law at Chapman and Cutler since her graduation from the University of Minnesota Law School in 2004.
Why did you join the ACIC, and how do you hope it will enhance your practice?
The main reasons that I joined the ACIC are to stay current on industry developments and topical practice issues and to network with other industry professionals. I hope my membership in the ACIC will not only enhance my knowledge and perspective on relevant industry issues, but will also add value to my practice through access to the resources and expertise that membership offers and the development of personal relationships with fellow practitioners in the private placement industry.
