The Litigation Outlook

Nefertiti J. Alexander’s practice focuses on complex commercial and civil litigation and white-collar defense and government investigations. She represents plaintiffs and defendants in high-stakes disputes involving business tort, breach of contract, antitrust, securities fraud, and other matters in federal and state courts and arbitration.

Nefertiti is a frequent speaker on diversity and inclusion in law firms, serving as a panelist for “The Power of Sponsorship” discussion at the Ms. JD Law Student Leadership Academy 2020 program, the Thomson Reuters and Ms. JD. “How Women of Color Can Gain Visibility through Volunteer Leadership” podcast, and moderating the “Navigating the Path to Partnership” webinar, as part of Teale & Co.’s Women in Law Series.

Nefertiti was a 2021 Leadership Council on Legal Diversity Fellow, a program that identifies high-potential diverse attorneys for leadership positions in the legal profession and offers participants training on developing leadership and relationship-building skills. She was awarded a 2021 40 Under 40 - Nation's Best Advocates Award by the National Bar Association (NBA) and named a 2021 Woman Worth Watching by Diversity Journal. She was also named a Rising Star in the areas of Litigation and White-Collar by Legal Media Group: Expert Guides, recognized by Best Lawyers on its 2021 Ones to Watch list and by The National Black Lawyers on its 2019 Top 40 Under 40 in New York State list.

William J. Kelleher, III is Senior Vice President, Deputy General Counsel and Assistant Corporate Secretary at People’s United Bank, N.A. and People’s United Financial, Inc. (NASDAQ), a diversified financial services company with $63 billion in assets offering commercial and retail banking, wealth management and trust services through about 400 retail locations in six states: New York, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine.

Before joining People’s in 2013, he was a Partner at Robinson & Cole, LLP, and an Associate at Wiggin & Dana, LLP and Murray & McCann. Previously, he served as a Law Clerk for the Honorable Dorothy T. Eisenberg, U.S. Bankruptcy Judge (ret.) of the Eastern District of New York.

Bill earned his B.A. from Fairfield University and his J.D. from St. John’s University School of Law.

His work for People’s United involves legal advice and oversight of the full range of legal matters impacting the bank, its bank holding company and the bank’s subsidiaries including all of their litigation and investigations, financial regulatory, SEC reporting and disclosures, M&A, corporate governance, compliance, employment counseling and litigation, commercial lending and working with outside counsel. He is admitted in New York and Connecticut, the United States District Courts for the Southern and Eastern Districts of New York and the District of Connecticut, and is a member of the Association of Corporate Counsel. He is also member of the Banking Law Committee of the Association of the Bar of the City of New York and is active in other professional and volunteer organizations.

Jessica Mastrogiovanni is currently General Counsel of Brooks Brothers. Previously, she served as General Counsel of Saraca Media Group, Assistant General Counsel at New York & Company and has held the titles of Executive Vice President, Chief Legal Officer, and Chief Compliance Officer at Premier Education Group.

Jessica has experience providing comprehensive legal advice and counsel on a wide range of matters, including: corporate governance, corporate finance, labor and employment, investigations, commercial, technology, and celebrity licensing contracts, international supply chain agreements, e-commerce, insurance and risk management, privacy compliance, marketing, intellectual property, complex commercial litigation and class actions, SEC regulations and filings, and real estate.

During her career, Jessica has served as a member of executive leadership teams and a trusted advisor and confidant and to board of directors and C-level executives. She is an effective leader of highly regarded legal departments.