Cole Schotz Announces Five New Members and New Special Counsel

Cole Schotz P.C. is pleased to announce that five attorneys have been elevated to members in the firm’s Florida, New Jersey, and New York offices. The new members are Matthew Barish, Drew Barone, Brandon Fierro, Patrick Parrish and Jeffery Sauer. Additionally, Andreas Milliaressis has been named as Special Counsel.

Matthew Barish is a member in the firm’s Litigation, Real Estate and Construction Departments. A commercial litigator by trade, Matthew also advises businesses in navigating complex legal issues and mitigating corporate and regulatory liability. Matthew regularly represents national lending institutions, real estate management companies, property owners and real-estate developers in a variety of matters, including commercial foreclosures and loan workouts, commercial real estate litigation, guaranty actions and promissory note defaults. Matthew also represents construction companies, corporate shareholders and various other businesses and individuals in complex commercial contract disputes, construction delay and performance disputes, lender liability actions, shareholder disputes and minority oppression actions, as well as condominium and governance disputes. He earned his J.D. from Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law.

Drew Barone is a member in the firm’s Real Estate and Construction Departments. Drew focuses his practice on complex commercial real estate transactions and has closed over $3 billion of transactions nationwide. Drew represents lenders and borrowers in real estate finance transactions, including construction and development financing, as well as commercial real estate lending and borrowing across the full spectrum of real estate asset classes.  He also represents developers, owners, operators, private equity and hedge funds, and investors in all phases of commercial real estate acquisition and disposition transactions from contract negotiation through closing. Drew earned his J.D. from Seton Hall University of Law.

Brandon Fierro is a member in the firm’s Litigation Department. Brandon represents clients in high-profile litigations and challenging commercial disputes, including creditors’ rights, securities, asset recovery, and business fraud matters.  Brandon has extensive experience managing and resolving matters for investor clients, including institutional and high net worth individuals and business owners.  Brandon is adept at managing all aspects of litigation, including generating case strategy, prosecuting and defending dispositive motions, managing sensitive discovery issues, preparing clients for trial, and trying cases.  Brandon is also a member of the Firm’s Innovation Committee and has lectured and written on best practices for deploying AI in litigation.  Brandon earned a J.D., magna cum laude, from Seton Hall University of Law, clerked for the Honorable Stanley R. Chesler, USDJ, and before his career in law traveled the country producing live television for World Wrestling Entertainment.

Patrick Parrish is a member in the firm’s Real Estate Department. He advises clients on complex commercial real estate matters throughout the United States, with a particular focus on retail and office leasing, acquisitions and dispositions, as well as joint ventures, financings and development transactions. Patrick has represented institutional investors and developers, family-owned real estate enterprises, hotel operators and joint venture entities, and is valued by clients for his practical judgment, responsiveness and ability to move transactions forward. He earned his Juris Doctor, cum laude, from Seton Hall University School of Law and has been recognized by Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch for Real Estate Law.

Jeffery Sauer is a member in the firm’s Litigation and Bankruptcy & Corporate Restructuring Departments. Jeff is a commercial litigator with extensive experience handling a wide range of complex commercial and business litigation matters, including contract disputes, business torts, and high-stakes, “bet-the-company” cases.  Jeff has also represented fiduciaries and beneficiaries in contested trust and estate proceedings.  In addition, Jeff has represented debtors, trustees, and creditors in bankruptcy adversary proceedings, including matters involving fraudulent and preferential transfers, and has worked with creditors’ committees and litigation trusts in investigating, evaluating, and prosecuting estate and post-confirmation claims.  Prior to joining Cole Schotz, Jeff served as a law clerk in the Superior Court of New Jersey, Chancery Division, Bergen County, to the Hon. Edward A. Jerejian, P.J. Ch. Jeff earned his J.D., cum laude, from the University of Miami School of Law, where he was a member of the University of Miami Law Review.

Andreas Milliaressis is Special Counsel in the firm’s Bankruptcy & Corporate Restructuring Department. Andreas concentrates his practice on commercial bankruptcy reorganizations, liquidations and related litigation representing a diverse client base in all aspects of restructuring. His experience includes guiding debtors, creditors and court appointed trustees through complex chapter 11 proceedings and representing court appointed provisional liquidators in chapter 15 proceedings. He earned his J.D. from Rutgers Law School – Camden.