KD Press Release: Kaufman Dolowich Expands NYC and NJ Practices; Gino Zonghetti Named Managing Partner of New Jersey Office
(May 22, 2013, Hackensack, NJ) — Kaufman Dolowich & Voluck, LLP (KD), a leading national law firm, today announced attorneys and staff of Kenny & Zonghetti LLC, a diverse litigation and corporate firm with offices in New York City and New Jersey, will join KD. Gino Zonghetti, a veteran admiralty, employment practices liability and professional liability attorney, and former assistant district attorney in the Manhattan District Attorney’s office, will join as an equity partner and serve as managing partner of the firm’s New Jersey office.
Also joining KD will be James Kenny, founding partner of Kenny & Zonghetti, as of counsel; and Kevin J. O’Donnell, Kenneth B. Danielsen, Christie K. Tomm and John D. Blomquist as associates. O’Donnell, Danielsen and Tomm were associates at K&Z while Blomquist was special counsel. Many of the attorneys will work in both KD’s New Jersey and New York City offices as client work dictates.
Gino Zonghetti
Kenny & Zonghetti has history as a nearly 30-year old civil litigation and corporate firm with strong insurance, professional liability, and labor and employment practices, providing excellent synergy with KD’s core strengths. In addition, the new attorney hires are internationally known for their preeminent admiralty and maritime law practice, providing an opportunity for KD to further expand into this area.
“In looking for an opportunity to strengthen our core practice areas and diversify into new ones, this team was a perfect fit,” said Michael A. Kaufman, co-managing partner, KD. “We are also looking forward to benefitting from Gino’s management experience in New Jersey as well as part of the firmwide leadership team at KD.”
Zonghetti specializes in the defense and counseling of clients in admiralty and maritime law matters, as well as general liability matters, including personal injury defense, employment practices liability, directors’ and officers’ liability and miscellaneous professional liability actions including claims against architects, engineers, accountants, mortgage bankers, realtors, teachers, health care providers and others. Zonghetti previously served as an Assistant District Attorney in the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office, working in both the Appellate and Trial bureaus, and he began his civil litigation practice with the Mudge Rose firm. He received his B.A. from Franklin & Marshall College and his J.D. from Catholic University Law School. He is admitted to practice in New Jersey, New York, Massachusetts and the District of Columbia.
“There is great synergy between practice areas, and KD offers enormous depth of talent in such key practice areas as insurance, employment and professional liability and maritime as well as private client litigation,” said Zonghetti. “I look forward to the opportunity to help grow the New Jersey office and leverage KD’s national platform to benefit our existing clients.”
“I have known Gino since we were law school classmates and even then was impressed with his drive and energy,” said Kevin M. Mattessich, managing partner of KD’s New York office. “I encouraged Gino to join KD because I believed that the culture and talents of the people were a great fit. We look forward to working with the new team.”
Mr. Kenny, the founding partner of Kenny & Zonghetti, is a seasoned trial and appellate attorney whose practice focuses on civil litigation in the areas of product liability, admiralty and maritime law, aviation law, commercial litigation, securities litigation and employment law. He received his B.A. from St. Peter’s College and his J.D. from Fordham University School of Law. He is admitted to practice in New Jersey and New York.
Mr. O’Donnell’s practice includes maritime law, commercial litigation, products liability, civil rights litigation, premises liability, construction defects, general negligence and employment liability. He earned a B.S. in marine engineering from the Massachusetts Maritime Academy and graduated magna cum laude from Quinnipiac University School of Law. He is admitted to practice in New Jersey and New York.
Mr. Danielsen focuses his practice on general and appellate litigation, maritime law, professional and employment liability, construction accidents, products liability, general liability and corporate representation of small companies. He earned his undergraduate degree from New York University and his J.D. from Western New England University School of Law. He is admitted to practice in New York.
Ms. Tomm focuses her practice on maritime law, general liability, professional liability, labor and employment, and products liability. She earned her B.A. from Swarthmore College and her J.D. from St. John’s University School of Law. She is admitted to practice in New Jersey and New York.
Mr. Blomquist had a distinguished career as a U.S. Army Officer with the 101st Airborne Division and as a New Jersey Deputy Attorney General with the Division of Criminal Justice before becoming a general counsel and business executive at a national real estate company. He graduated cum laude from Boston College and earned his J.D. from Fordham University School of Law. He is also a graduate of the Wharton School’s Corporate Governance Program at the University of Pennsylvania and the United States Army Judge Advocate General’s (“JAG”) School. He is admitted to practice in New Jersey and New York.
