BCLP Elects 17 New Partners

Following a vote of the partnership, 17 lawyers have been promoted to partner at BCLP, effective January 1, 2026.

Reflecting the breadth and depth of BCLP’s global platform, this year’s class of partners is drawn from nine offices within key markets for BCLP in Europe and across the US, while representing an array of practices across the firm’s three main departments: Corporate & Finance Transactions, Real Estate, and Litigation & Investigations.

“These individuals have made meaningful contributions to our clients and our firm, consistently demonstrating the resourcefulness, collaboration and forward-thinking that define our Client Intelligent approach,” said BCLP CEO Steve Baumer. “Their elevation to partnership is a testament to their talent, dedication and impact.”

The new partners are: 

Jonas Asgodom, Frankfurt
Jonas Asgodom advises clients in the health care and life sciences sectors, with a focus on regulatory, subsidy and public procurement law. He holds a doctorate in European administrative law and an LL.M. from UC Berkeley, and lectures on environmental law. Jonas is known for his scholarly insight and practical approach to complex legal frameworks.

Joe Babitz, St. Louis
Joe Babitz counsels clients in connection with a broad range of financing and corporate transactions. He routinely advises financial institutions, investment banks, private equity sponsors and corporate borrowers on complex finance transactions, including leveraged acquisitions, direct lending transactions, syndicated credit facilities and asset-based loans, both domestically and internationally. He also provides strategic counsel on sports industry matters, such as sponsorship deals, naming rights agreements and media rights transactions. Joe was named a 2025 Up & Coming Lawyer by Missouri Lawyers Media and was part of a team of BCLP attorneys recognized for a 2025 Deal of the Year award by the M&A Advisor.

Justin Benson, Washington, D.C.
Justin Benson practices complex litigation, with a particular focus on representing and defending corporations and individuals who contract with the federal government. He specializes in representing clients in government contracts litigation, False Claims Act investigations and regulatory disputes. He has successfully argued dispositive motions in venues across the country and has contributed to key defense wins in high-profile product liability cases. He is listed in the 2025 edition of Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch.

Will Easley, Kansas City
Will Easley practices in the restructuring, insolvency and commercial litigation groups representing borrowers and lenders in all phases of corporate restructuring and insolvency matters. Will’s experience includes seeking pre-judgment remedies in state and federal court, litigating contested matters to resolution, and exercising remedies before or after judgment. In bankruptcy, Will’s experience ranges from providing advice and representation to creditors and debtors in all phases of the case, including contested matters and adversary proceedings. Will is also active in civil and professional organizations including the Midwest Bankruptcy Institute Advisory Board and the Kansas City Chamber of Commerce Centurions program.

Edward Gardner, London
Edward Gardner has experience in all areas of contentious property matters. He advises on rights of light litigation, infrastructure projects and vacant possession strategies. He also has extensive experience in providing strategic assistance on nationally significant infrastructure projects. Edward has appeared in courts from County Court to the Supreme Court and is recognized by Legal 500 UK and Chambers & Partners.

Katelyn Harrell, Atlanta
Katelyn Harrell’s practice focuses on defending employers, plan sponsors, plan administrators, individual fiduciaries and independent trust companies against fiduciary claims in ESOP cases. She has represented clients in Department of Labor investigations and litigation, as well as class action litigation brought by private plaintiffs. Recently, Katelyn served as second chair in an ESOP class action trial that resulted in a total defense victory.

Georgia Henderson-Cleland, London
Georgia brings significant depth of experience in commercial litigation matters. Her practice spans all elements of commercial and business disputes, with particular focus on civil fraud, contentious insolvency, digital assets and class actions. Admitted to practice in England and Wales and the British Virgin Islands, Georgia acts for a wide variety of clients, including corporates, high-net-worth individuals, insolvency practitioners and government bodies. Georgia is recognized for her technical skills, efficiency and drive, making her a trusted adviser to her clients.

Alexandra Hildyard, London
Alexandra Hildyard specializes in complex, high-stakes, competition litigation and class actions with particular experience in cartel damages actions and abuse of dominance claims. She has experience of acting for both claimants and defendants and has represented clients across a range of sectors in claims before the High Court, Competition Appeal Tribunal and Court of Appeal. Beyond litigation, Al has strong investigations and advisory experience, including advising in relation to regulatory issues and subsidy control matters.

Ofir Klein, St. Louis
Ofir Klein advises public and private companies on securities law and corporate governance. He represents issuers and underwriters in a broad range of capital markets transactions and regularly counsels domestic and foreign public companies on SEC and stock exchange reporting and disclosure requirements. Ofir also serves as a trusted adviser to venture capital funds and high-growth companies, guiding them through complex corporate and financing matters from formation through funding and liquidity events.

Mark Lenihan, St. Louis
Mark Lenihan is a litigator with experience in complex business disputes, antitrust matters and investigations. He represents clients in state and federal courts across the country, as well as arbitration, with a focus on breach of contract, breach of fiduciary duty and fraud claims. He has also represented clients with investigations before the Department of Justice, Securities and Exchange Commission and Federal Trade Commission. Mark previously practiced in Chicago and Nashville, and is active in professional and civic leadership.

Geoff Pipoly, Chicago
Geoff Pipoly is a trial and appellate litigator with experience at every stage of the litigation process. He serves as preservation counsel in complex trials and has drafted winning briefs for Fortune 50 companies and landmark constitutional cases. Geoff clerked for the Sixth Circuit and is a published legal scholar. Alongside his active practice, Geoff devotes significant time to pro bono matters.

Kathryn Scott, St. Louis
Kathryn Scott focuses her practice on labor and employment law and school law. She advises clients on internal investigations, disability accommodations and Human Resources best practices, and represents employers in disputes involving alleged discrimination, harassment and retaliation. Missouri Lawyers Media awarded Kathryn its Up & Coming Lawyer Award in 2025. She has also been recognized as a Super Lawyers Rising Star for Missouri and Kansas from 2023 to 2025, and was selected as a Leadership Council on Legal Diversity Pathfinder in 2024.

Meredith Silliman, Charlotte
Meredith Silliman has a broad-based practice in employee benefits and executive compensation, regularly advising private, public and nonprofit groups on plan design and compliance considerations. Listed in Best Lawyers in America, Meredith often plays a pivotal role in the employee benefits and executive compensation aspects of mergers and acquisitions.

Taylor Thornburgh, Denver
Taylor Thornburgh is an experienced real estate attorney who advises institutional and entrepreneurial clients on all aspects of real estate transactions. A strategic partner on complex deals across diverse asset classes, Taylor represents buyers and sellers in acquisitions and dispositions of multifamily, retail, industrial, office, raw land and mixed-use properties. She regularly handles both portfolio and single-asset transactions, managing all stages of the deal process from structuring and negotiation through diligence and closing. She also maintains a robust commercial leasing practice, representing landlords and tenants in retail, industrial and office leasing.

Brian Underwood, Atlanta
Brian Underwood is a litigator who often assists internet and media clients navigate a variety of legal disputes involving content and speech, including defamation, torts claims that implicate First Amendment protections, and Section 230 defense work. In addition, Brian has a general commercial litigation practice assisting media and non-media clients in matters ranging from complex contractual disputes to trade secrets claims. He was named in Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch for 2025 and 2026.

Nick West, St. Louis
Nick West advises clients on strategic transactional and corporate matters, including mergers and acquisitions for both buy-side and sell-side clients, capital financings and joint ventures. Nick serves as lead deal counsel closing transactions for private equity investors, startups, middle-market privately held companies and publicly traded companies in a wide range of industries including energy, agribusiness, manufacturing and health care. Nick also acts as outside counsel to mid-sized companies on corporate governance, compliance, contractual and general business matters.

Jay Wheeler, Kansas City
Jay Wheeler’s practice focuses on asset-based lending, real estate finance, and loan enforcement and workout. He has experience representing both lenders and borrowers. Jay previously served as a bank examiner for the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City and holds both a J.D. and M.B.A. He is active in the Kansas City Metropolitan Bar Association.