New York Real Estate Journal

Catillza, Novak, and Wittlin of Harter Secrest & Emery ranked in Chambers USA 2013 Client's Guide

June 10, 2013 - Brokerage
Chambers International, one of the worldwide leaders in law firm and attorney rankings, released its Chambers USA 2013 Client's Guide and Harter Secrest & Emery (HSE) was once again recognized with rankings in its immigration and corporate/mergers & acquisitions practices. HSE attorneys who were singled out for recognition included Margaret Catillaz, an immigration partner who heads the firm's employment unit; partner Frank Novak, head of HSE's immigration practice; and Craig Wittlin, a mergers & acquisitions partner in the firm. Chambers rankings are based on extensive research with clients and legal practitioners, identifying "the world's leading lawyers and law firms - those which perform best according to the criteria most valued by clients." HSE's immigration practice was ranked as one of the Leaders in Immigration Law in New York State. In its ranking description, Chambers reported that HSE's "clients continue to be impressed by the business immigration services provided by this Rochester-based firm." Recent successes include the achievement of a landmark decision in the Second Circuit Court of Appeals in relation to foreign professionals obtaining licenses." Catillaz has been ranked by Chambers as a leading Immigration attorney since 2005, and was also recently recognized by Chambers Global as a leader nationwide. Chambers indicates that she is "recommended for her sound advice on the transfer of foreign nationals for work or studies, employer compliance, and the immigration consequences of corporate transactions," and clients say Ms. Catillaz "has an ability to distill information in a very user-friendly wasy." Immigration partner Frank Novak is cited for his "not able experience in the representation of clients in the healthcare, education and biotechnology industries," and is called "fantastic" and "very responsive" by clients. In the Corporate/Mergers & Acquisitions (M&A) category, where HSE competes with many of the nation's leading New York City-based corporate firms, Craig S. Wittlin was ranked as a "Notable Practitioner" and is the only Upstate New York Corporate/ M&A lawyer to be listed in Chambers. In its listing, Chambers said of Mr. Wittlin that he is "is well respected among sources," noting that he recently advised a client "on an $875 million senior notes exchange." HSE managing partner Michael R. McEvoy acknowledges that "we are gratified by the firm's recognition in Chambers because these rankings are ba sed on extensive client feedback, and satisfying our clients is our top priority. We're pleased to stand alongside some of the largest firms in the country as leaders in these fields, and are very pleased that our Immigration and Corporate/M&A Prac tices have achieved this recognition."