Thirteen Attorneys Join Robinson Bradshaw

Robinson Bradshaw is pleased to welcome 13 attorneys, reflecting the firm’s commitment to strategic growth. This talented group, including six new associates, will strengthen the firm’s capabilities in many areas, including corporate finance, intellectual property, litigation, mergers and acquisitions, and private funds and investments.

Bret M. Buckler is a corporate attorney focusing on intellectual property matters. His experience includes technology and commercial transactions, patent and trademark licensing, software-as-a-service agreements and other general service agreements. Buckler counsels clients on IP and technology issues arising in corporate transactions, and he also prepares and prosecutes patent applications with a focus on artificial intelligence, machine-learning and blockchain technologies.

Before joining Robinson Bradshaw, Buckler was an attorney at Moore & Van Allen in Charlotte. He received his law degree from the University of North Carolina School of Law and his bachelor’s degree cum laude from the University of Alabama.

Emily K. Cooke is a transactional attorney focusing on corporate lending and debt financing. Her experience includes representing banks and private credit lenders in structuring, documenting and administering senior credit facilities in connection with acquisition financings, leveraged buyouts and working capital financings.

Prior to joining Robinson Bradshaw, Cooke was an attorney at McGuireWoods in Charlotte. She holds a law degree with honors from the University of North Carolina School of Law and a bachelor’s degree cum laude from Davidson College.

Edward B. Ferguson is a litigator with experience in complex commercial disputes, appellate litigation, and administrative law and regulatory challenges. He has represented clients in state and federal courts throughout the country, and he advises clients through all stages of litigation, including fact investigation, discovery, motions practice, trial preparation and appeals.

Ferguson previously practiced at Gibson Dunn in Washington, D.C., and he clerked for Judge Trevor McFadden of the U.S. District Court in the District of Columbia and for Judge Andrew Oldham of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit. Ferguson earned his law degree from Stanford Law School and his bachelor’s degree magna cum laude with honors from Whitman College.

Emerald A. Gearing is a corporate finance attorney with experience representing public and private company borrowers and lenders in complex finance transactions, including acquisition financings, fund financings, debtor-in-possession financings, and secured and unsecured senior credit facilities.

Before joining Robinson Bradshaw, Gearing was an attorney with Jones Day in New York City. She received her law degree cum laude from Brooklyn Law School and her bachelor’s degree from Columbia University.

R. Michael Hozik practices in the areas of investment management, fund formation and general corporate law. Hozik represents corporate clients and fund sponsors in private and public offerings, fund governance and acquisitions, and also advises clients on U.S. securities law, commercial contracts and transactional matters.

Hozik previously served as assistant general counsel and senior vice president at a global alternative asset manager. Before that, he was an attorney in the private equity funds group at Fried Frank. He is also a veteran of the U.S. Air Force. Hozik earned a law degree from Georgetown University Law Center and a bachelor’s degree from the Virginia Military Institute. He is a CFA charterholder.

Alexander N. Krause represents public and private companies across many industries in complex mergers and acquisitions, including acquisitions and dispositions of portfolio investments by private equity funds. He has represented issuers and underwriters in public and private offerings of debt and equity securities and advised companies on a range of corporate governance and SEC compliance matters.

Krause previously practiced at Alston & Bird in Atlanta. He received his law degree with high honors from the University of North Carolina School of Law and his bachelor’s degree from the University of Georgia.

MacKenzie V. Thurman is a corporate attorney whose practice focuses on a range of transactional matters, including mergers and acquisitions, spinoffs, private equity investments, securities filings and general corporate law. She represents publicly traded companies, privately held companies, and private equity funds and their portfolio companies in acquisitions, dispositions and other business transactions.

Prior to joining Robinson Bradshaw, Thurman was an attorney at Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz in New York City. She earned her law degree from Columbia Law School and her bachelor’s degree from the University of Notre Dame.

Marin Bennerotte earned her law degree summa cum laude from Wake Forest University School of Law where she was a member of Order of the Coif and Order of the Barristers, as well as an online editor of the Wake Forest Law Review. Bennerotte received her bachelor’s degree summa cum laude in economics with minors in Spanish and art history from the University of St. Thomas, Minnesota.

Aidan M. Kelley earned his law degree with high honors from the University of North Carolina School of Law where he was a member of Order of the Coif and executive articles editor of the North Carolina Law Review. Kelley received his bachelor’s degree with distinction in American studies from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Prior to attending law school, he worked for international education and study abroad organizations, and he clerked for Judge William L. Osteen Jr. of the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of North Carolina before joining Robinson Bradshaw.

Surya Korrapati earned his law degree and a Master of Laws in law and entrepreneurship summa cum laude from Duke University School of Law where he was a member of Order of the Coif. Korrapati received his bachelor’s degree cum laude from Duke University with a double major in economics and computer science and a minor in Latin.

Sammy Sawyer earned his law degree from Duke University School of Law and served as lead editor of the Alaska Law Review. Sawyer received his bachelor’s degree summa cum laude in English and economics from the University of Alabama’s Honors College where he was a member of Phi Beta Kappa and the Blount Scholars Program.

Mia Thillet earned her law degree with honors from the University of North Carolina School of Law where she was a forum editor of the North Carolina Law Review and a Chancellors Scholar. Thillet received her bachelor’s degree summa cum laude in psychology with a minor in social work from North Carolina State University.

Reese Torstrick earned her law degree from the University of Virginia School of Law where she was online editor of the Virginia Law Review and a member of Order of the Coif. Torstrick received her bachelor’s degree in economics with a minor in history from Duke University.

Bennerotte, Buckler, Cooke, Ferguson, Gearing, Hozik, Thillet, Thurman and Torstrick work in the firm’s Charlotte office. Kelley, Korrapati, Krause and Sawyer work from the firm’s Research Triangle office.