Kutak Rock has elected 19 new partners from its attorney ranks in 10 of the firm’s 19 offices—Denver, Fayetteville, Kansas City, Little Rock, Los Angeles, Omaha, Rogers, Spokane, Springfield and Tallahassee. The promotions became effective on January 1, 2025.
“On behalf of the entire firm, I am thrilled to congratulate our newest partners on this well-deserved achievement,” said John Petr, Chair of Kutak Rock. “Their demonstrated dedication, expertise and unwavering commitment to our clients and values reflect our proud 60-year history of providing professional, responsive, solution-oriented service. We look forward to the extraordinary contributions our newest partners will make to Kutak Rock and its clients as, together, we shape the next chapter of our success.”
The attorneys elected to the partnership are:
Thomas P. Bruder (Los Angeles) focuses his practice on public finance, representing issuers, underwriters, direct placement banks and borrowers on tax-exempt and taxable financings, including complex real estate financing transactions, for the benefit of state and local government, colleges and universities, private schools, charter schools, and other nonprofit organizations. He also has extensive experience working on financings for the benefit of water, wastewater and renewable energy facilities.
Jeffrey W. Coffey (Springfield) specializes in complex defense and litigation cases for major insurance carriers and healthcare clients. With a focus on insurance defense, coverage issues, bad faith litigation, medical malpractice and construction defense, Jeff provides clients with effective legal strategies tailored to mitigate risk and achieve positive outcomes.
Kalli N. Davis (Omaha) specializes in technology transactions and intellectual property protection with a majority of her practice focused on the preparation and negotiation of complex agreements for the sale or procurement of intellectual property assets, including software, hardware, data, and cloud services and associated professional services agreements. Additionally, she counsels clients in connection with issues related to generative AI, data privacy, and other complex issues related to technology transactions. She also has experience in trademark clearance, counseling clients on trademark protection issues, and trademark prosecution and enforcement. Kalli’s clients include Fortune 100 clients in the retail, financial services, and technology services industries.
Michael S. Degan (Omaha) is a first chair trial lawyer with extensive experience handling complex commercial litigation, corporate governance, product liability, financial services and insurance-related disputes for clients in a wide range of industries. He also represents renewable energy developers, data centers and industrial energy customers on energy related matters.
Jere L. Earlywine (Tallahassee) focuses his practice primarily on special taxing districts and related foreclosure and bankruptcy litigation. In this arena, he represents a variety of clients, including both developer- and resident-controlled districts, as well as bondholders who have interests in such districts.
Andrew W. Elsberry (Kansas City) represents private companies, private equity funds and venture capitalists in a variety of complex business transactions, including acquisitions, dispositions, debt and equity financings, reorganizations, recapitalizations, and joint ventures. Andrew also regularly advises clients on a range of corporate governance and other general corporate matters.
Elizabeth J. Field (Denver) is a skilled commercial litigator with significant experience in real estate and eminent domain matters. She guides clients through all stages of litigation, including pre-litigation disputes, discovery, trial and appeals. A central focus of Elizabeth’s practice is eminent domain litigation, where she applies a practical and business-minded solution in representing both landowners and condemning authorities through complex condemnation issues.
Nathan R. Finch (Rogers) Nathan’s transactional practice focuses on real estate and commercial transactions, including acquisitions, dispositions, and development; corporate mergers and acquisitions; and regulatory compliance, including environmental and business immigration matters. He has represented large and small businesses in billions of dollars’ worth of real estate acquisitions, leases, easements, developments, and other real estate matters, including renewable energy and data center development projects, and conservation easements. He regularly advises clients on a variety of issues concerning heavily regulated entities.
Mattea Fosbender (Omaha) concentrates her practice in complex civil litigation, which includes representing her clients in the areas of product liability, toxic tort, medical malpractice, personal injury, contract disputes, and various other tort-related actions. Mattea further acts as national coordinating counsel for a Fortune 100 diversified, manufacturing company in relation to the filing of asbestos claims across the country. In such role, Mattea’s work entails the development of detailed exposure and risk assessments, the review and interpretation of historical corporate documentation, working closely with corporate witnesses/representatives and defense counsel, and ensuring the consistency of defense positions and themes on a national scale.
Austin S. Graves (Spokane) primarily practices in the areas of real estate, corporate, and lending law. His real estate practice includes sales and acquisitions, leasing, management and operations through either drafting, negotiating or reviewing purchase and sale agreements, and leases on behalf of clients in all industries. In his corporate practice, Austin advises clients throughout the corporate life-cycle, from entity formation and general corporate governance to capital raising events. Austin’s lending practice focuses primarily on commercial real estate lending, representing institutional lenders in financing transactions, including construction, term and bridge loans.
Paige Hall (Omaha) is an experienced civil litigator, representing clients in complex and high-stakes cases involving personal injury, general liability, professional liability, products liability, transportation, retail and restaurant industry defense, government entity defense, consumer finance litigation, and commercial disputes. Paige has extensive experience with motion practice, trials, mediations and appeals in both state and federal court.
Timothy J. Harper (Little Rock) primarily practices in the areas of mergers and acquisitions, corporate and business law, and corporate finance and securities. A large portion of his practice is devoted to corporate transactions such as business acquisitions and sales, mergers, joint ventures, corporate reorganizations, and private offerings of securities.
Ryan S. Hinderliter (Kansas City) is a registered patent attorney and focuses his practice on intellectual property law, with an emphasis on patent and trademark prosecution. Ryan assists and advises clients of all sizes in identifying intellectual property protection opportunities, protecting their intellectual property rights, addressing concerns and maintaining their intellectual property portfolios in furtherance of their business goals.
Paul D. Link (Springfield) specializes in litigation for major insurance carriers and corporate clients in both state and federal courts. Additionally, he represents numerous cities in Southwest Missouri handling their day-to-day legal needs and prosecuting their ordinance violations.
Stephanie L. Pierce (Kansas City) is an insurance regulatory attorney focusing on providing counsel to insurance-regulated entities on a wide array of issues. Specifically, her practice includes assisting clients with addressing market conduct issues, the formation, licensure, and redomestication of insurance companies and other regulated entities, as well as general corporate and compliance matters.
Aren A. Sharifi (Denver) focuses his practice on corporate matters, including M&A and commercial real estate. With respect to his corporate practice, he guides clients through opportunities and obstacles their company may face, including entity formation, corporate governance, contract review, and mergers and acquisitions. For his real estate practice, Aren represents clients in leasing, licensing, acquiring, and selling retail, office, and industrial properties.
Ariel M. Sparrow (Springfield) focuses her practice on corporate and real estate transactions. She has represented purchasers and sellers in merger and acquisition transactions in manufacturing, healthcare, technology, and other industries. Ariel is experienced in working on complex transactions involving multiple escrows, contingencies and regulatory approvals.
Caleb S. Sugg (Fayetteville) focuses his practice on commercial, healthcare and general civil disputes in state and federal trial and appellate courts across Arkansas and Florida. He has experience in a wide range of business litigation concerning contracts, construction, employment, and mortgage and lien foreclosure. Caleb also has experience as litigation counsel to Florida special tax districts in disputes involving special district governance, land development, Florida sunshine law, and the enforcement, levy, and collection of assessments.
Christopher G. Varallo (Spokane) focuses his practice on banking, general business, real estate, and intellectual property law. He represents a wide range of clients, including real estate developers, manufacturers, and agricultural growers and producers. Additionally, he advises public facilities districts and electrical cooperatives, including his role as counsel for Columbia Rural Electrical Association in Walla Walla, WA, and the Spokane Public Facilities District.
About Kutak Rock LLP
With a footprint spanning 19 offices in 14 states and the District of Columbia, Kutak Rock’s 550+ attorneys work seamlessly to provide clients excellent, responsive legal services. The firm’s multidisciplinary practice comprises more than 25 areas of focus and dozens of discrete specialties.