Roberta Kaplan Adds Pair of Lawyers From Ex-Firm for New Rival

Manhattan litigator Roberta Kaplan is bolstering her new litigation boutique, Kaplan Martin, by bringing on former colleagues from her previous firm.

Christopher Le Coney and D. Brandon Trice have joined as partners, the firm said Thursday. The pair jumped from Hecker Fink, where they worked on complex litigation in counsel roles.

Roberta Kaplan announced June 26 that she was leaving the firm—previously Kaplan Hecker & Fink—reportedly after butting heads with its other leaders over her treatment of colleagues. Her exit made waves in the New York legal community, where Kaplan has long been revered.

“I am thrilled to welcome these super talented professionals, all of whom I had the privilege to work alongside at our former firm,” Kaplan said in a statement announcing the hires.

The new additions come weeks after the launch of Kaplan Martin. Roberta Kaplan said her clients have chosen to continue their relationship with her at the new firm.

Kaplan is known for her work on high-profile cases, including winning an $83 million defamation suit for New York advice columnist E. Jean Carroll against ex-President Donald Trump. She also scored a landmark Supreme Court victory for same-sex couples in 2013 and successfully took on the organizers of the “Unite the Right” rally in Charlottesville, Virginia.

She faced criticism in 2021 after a public investigation revealed Kaplan’s role in helping New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo fight off sexual harassment allegations.

Kaplan launched the new firm in June with a trio of partners—Tim Martin, Steven M. Cohen, and Mitra Hormozi—that also have ties to Cuomo.

The addition of Le Coney and Trice, both Yale Law School graduates, will bolster Kaplan Martin’s commercial litigation, internal investigations, and strategic advisory services work, the firm said.

“The founding partners of Kaplan Martin saw a unique opportunity to create a bespoke boutique firm, and I am incredibly excited to join this group of longtime mentors and distinguished lawyers in guiding our clients through their most challenging legal matters,” said Le Coney.