Manhattan’s Selendy Gay Elsberg is set to grow its roster of lawyers by about 25% this year, thanks largely to a group of graduates joining the litigation boutique in the fall.
The firm expects “the majority” of the 26 law school students who spent last summer there to return full-time as first-year associates later this year, according to Maria Ginzburg, its managing partner. Selendy has grown to more than 60 lawyers in the five years since it was launched by focusing on junior associates.
Selendy said Thursday it hired Temidayo Aganga-Williams, who served as senior investigative counsel for the House Select Committee on the January 6th attack. Aganga-Williams, who joins the firm as a partner later this month, previously was a federal prosecutor in Brooklyn.
A group of 10 Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan lawyers, led by Faith Gay and Philippe Selendy, launched the firm in February 2018 after decamping from the litigation powerhouse. The firm handles a wide range of litigation, on both the plaintiff and defense sides, along with white collar investigations.
Economic uncertainty is likely to create business opportunities for Selendy, even as some major law firms trim their workforce and others explore tie-ups, Ginzburg said in an interview.
“When the economy is stressed, it stresses the conduct of Corporate America,” she said. “We’re addressing that from different angles.”
The firm added 12 first-year associates last year. It’s also selectively adding to its partner ranks.
“When we started, we hired a lot of younger associates and gave them experience early and pushed them to exceed expectations,” Ginzburg said. “We’ve focused on helping juniors get on their feet and argues cases, get in front of clients, and start developing business.”
The rapid growth comes as the lease on Selendy’s midtown Manhattan headquarters is up for renewal next year.
“We’re definitely thinking a lot about office space,” Ginzburg said.
Selendy lawyers are leading several lawsuits against cryptocurrency exchanges and token issuers. That includes a class action against
The firm has also been active in bankruptcy and adjacent litigation. Selendy lawyers represented a group of Sandy Hook school shooting victims’ families suing bankrupt gun manufacturer Remington Outdoor Co. Inc. and a group lenders going after food services company
Ginzburg touted the firm’s commitment to diversity and inclusion on the recruiting trail. Women make up nearly half of Selendy’s equity partners and LGBTQ lawyers account for about a quarter of its total roster, according to the firm.
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