May 5, 2025 – Seyfarth Shaw LLP has appointed Giovanna (“Gina”) Ferrari as chair of the firm’s Litigation Department and Andrew Lucano as the next Corporate Department chair.
“Gina and Andrew are outstanding leaders whose appointments reflect Seyfarth’s commitment to deepening client service, strengthening collaboration, and advancing our strategic growth,” said Lorie Almon, chair and managing partner of Seyfarth. “As we continue to expand the breadth and depth of the firm’s capabilities, our Corporate and Litigation practices play a vital role in delivering innovative, business-focused solutions. Gina and Andrew have consistently demonstrated exceptional leadership and a deep commitment to the firm’s success. Their appointments are met with widespread enthusiasm and support from their partners.”
Ferrari, based in San Francisco, succeeds James McGrath, who served six years as the leader of the Litigation practice, strategically expanding the department in London, Dallas, Seattle, and Charlotte. McGrath also oversaw the expansion of the Government Contracts group and the launch of the cross-departmental International Dispute Resolution Group.
“Seyfarth has been entrusted by many of the largest companies and organizations to defend them in high-stakes litigation, including class and collective actions, bet-the-company cases, and other high-value, high-profile matters,” said Ferrari. “I am deeply honored to have the opportunity to lead our impressive team of litigators across the firm. Together, we’ll continue to strengthen Seyfarth’s reputation as a go-to firm for complex litigation and demonstrate our commitment to delivering outstanding results for our clients.”
Lucano follows Steven Meier, who spent seven years in the head role of the Corporate department overseeing new targeted growth areas, including real estate investment funds, and the establishment of the Corporate department in Seattle and San Francisco. Meier also created a successful national staffing model and helped recruit a series of outstanding lateral partners who have quickly become key firm leaders.
“Seyfarth is dedicated to strategically expanding the breadth and depth of our transactional offerings with the infusion of outstanding legal talent, as we have been doing,” said Lucano. “I am very excited to lead our efforts to take our Corporate Department to the next level by fostering innovative approaches and driving high performance and continuing to provide exceptional service to enable our clients to achieve their goals.”
Both McGrath and Meier will continue to serve Seyfarth in firmwide leadership positions in addition to their longstanding roles as top-tier legal practitioners.
Ferrari, who joined Seyfarth as an associate in 2007, co-chairs the firm’s Impact & Sustainability practice group and has held key leadership roles within the firm, including on the Litigation Department Leadership Team, Intake Committee, and the Lawyer Development Committee. She previously served as co-lead of the San Francisco Litigation Department, where she helped drive strategic growth and foster cross-office collaboration.
Ferrari will continue her active litigation practice as the go-to trial counsel for many firm clients facing high-stakes fraud and contract disputes. She also advises on Impact & Sustainability strategies, helping organizations navigate evolving regulatory and reputational risks.
Her practice spans commercial and business litigation across industries, with deep experience in the financial services, government contracting, and retail/hospitality sectors. She defends companies in matters involving breach of contract, fraud and misrepresentation, securities fraud, director and officer liability, business torts, and consumer protection claims under California law.
Ferrari earned her JD from the University of San Francisco Law School and her BA from UCLA, along with certification from Berkeley Law.
Lucano, based in New York, will continue to serve as co-chair of Seyfarth’s vibrant M&A Practice Group. He joined Seyfarth in 2008 and has been a member of the National Corporate Department Leadership team, lead of the New York Corporate Department and a member of the firm’s Lawyer Development Committee.
In addition to his new role as department chair, Lucano will continue his active transactional practice where he offers clients extensive experience on all sides of a deal. He has built a highly regarded reputation for closing transactions effectively and efficiently and for expertly guiding clients through difficult negotiations and complex transaction processes. On the buy side, he collaborates with strategic companies as well as financial buyers (including private equity firms and family offices) to invest in the future of their businesses. He is the editor of Seyfarth’s annual Middle Market M&A SurveyBook, which has been published for the last 10 years.
Lucano is also a trusted adviser to many of his clients regarding general corporate and other matters, including corporate governance and the day-to-day operation of their business.
He received his JD from St. John’s University School of Law and his BS from the State University of New York at Albany.
Seyfarth’s Corporate Department has more than 100 lawyers across the firm’s offices in the US and internationally. The firm’s Corporate attorneys are experienced in every phase of the business lifecycle, and represent clients with respect to negotiating commercial contracts, joint ventures and mergers and acquisitions. They provide counsel to privately and publicly held companies, including private equity portfolio companies, family owned and entrepreneurial driven enterprises.
Seyfarth’s Litigation Department, with more than 160 attorneys, supports clients across a wide range of industries in every facet of dispute resolution and risk management, both in the US and internationally. Seyfarth has earned a formidable reputation for handling complex litigation matters—from pre-dispute strategy through trial and appeal in federal and state courts – as well as providing practical, business-focused counseling to enable clients to navigate and mitigate legal risks.
About Seyfarth: With more than 900 lawyers across 18 offices, Seyfarth Shaw LLP provides top-tier advisory, litigation, and transactional legal services to clients worldwide.
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