The new practice is being led by practice chairman, Richard F. Ross. The team includes partners Meghan Cocci, Mark Daliere and Michael Kosmas; counsels Nina Eldred and Bruce Martin; and associates David Heidenreich, Alan Kierman, William McLaughlin and Scott Stein. While Kosmas, Eldred and McLaughlin are joining Sonnenschein's Washington, DC office, the rest are staying in Phoenix in a newly leased office at 2415 E. Camelback Rd.
From Sonnenschein's side, the team's hospitality experience and background was particularly appealing, which is why the company had approached Ross and his colleagues to come on board. "Rick and his team will add tremendous value through their specialized business focus and established relationships," Jana Cohen Blackman, chairwoman of Sonnenschein's national real estate group, says in a prepared statement.
From the group's perspective, Sonnenschein provides ideal support and resources to serve clients. According to Ross, his team will be busy integrating its own culture with that of Sonnenschein, but he expects it to be a seamless transition. "Our goal is to provide a breadth of resources and all practice groups with Sonnenschein and to fulfill the needs of our clients," Ross tells GlobeSt.com. "Sonnenschein's culture fits with what our clients' needs are as well as the firm's structure."
Although the practice has 10 experts so far, Ross predicts that it will be expanded. "We represent many of the major operators and owners and developers in this industry," he adds. "This is a pretty significant move in that we can better service these major players." The team's former firm didn't return telephone calls seeking comment about the exit.
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