Firm News

Wiggin and Dana is pleased to announce the elevation of R.J. Kornhaas and Erin Nicholls to partner effective January 1, 2023. 

“Our newly elevated partners exemplify the excellent talent at Wiggin and I am thrilled to welcome them to the partnership,” said Tim Diemand, Wiggin and Dana’s Managing Partner. “We are delighted to recognize their experience and dedication to important areas for the firm, their commitment to client service, and all of the contributions they have made to Wiggin’s vibrant culture.” 

Nicholls, a member of the firm’s Private Client Services Department, advises individuals, family offices, and closely held businesses on issues related to taxation, business succession planning, wealth preservation, and charitable giving. Her clients also include tax-exempt entities—which she counsels throughout all phases of their formation, administration and governance—as well as corporate institutions, which she works with on trust administration and fiduciary compliance.

Kornhaas, a member of the firm’s Corporate Department, advises clients on transactions including mergers and acquisitions, venture capital and debt financing, commercial agreements, and governance matters. As a member of wiggin(x), a Wiggin and Dana division designed to meet the needs of emerging and high growth companies, investors and founders, Kornhaas’ clients include early-stage companies, as well as family offices and high-net worth individuals in connection with venture capital investments.

In addition to Kornhaas and Nicholls’ elevations, during 2022, Wiggin and Dana continued its strategic growth by welcoming four new lateral partners:

• Jolie Apicella, former Assistant United States Attorney and Healthcare Fraud Chief in the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Eastern District of New York, joined the firm’s New York office in October as a partner in its Litigation, Health Care and White Collar Departments. Apicella focuses on health care enforcement and compliance, as well as white collar defense.
• Peter Lahny, a financing lawyer, also joined the firm’s New York office in October. Lahny focuses on secured lending, including international commodities lending, asset-based finance, acquisition finance, accounts receivable finance, as well as financial restructuring.
• Jack Sousa, a corporate and transactional lawyer and wiggin(x) member, joined the firm in March. His broad-based corporate and commercial practice focuses on venture capital, private financing, and emerging growth companies, as well as mergers and acquisitions.
• Pierre Yanney, chair of Wiggin and Dana’s Patent Prosecution Group, joined the New York office in January with over 25 years of patent law experience and high-level technical experience as an engineer.