Barnes & Thornburg Welcomes New Attorneys and Legal Professionals

Barnes & Thornburg LLP has added new aviation, construction, corporate, intellectual property, labor and employment, litigation and real estate attorneys and legal professionals to its Chicago, Columbus, Dallas, Detroit Metro, Indianapolis and Los Angeles offices.  

Mario Arango, a staff attorney in the Indianapolis office, is passionate about helping clients understand the law and how to best protect their intellectual property endeavors – whatever they may be. He represents and advises clients in the entertainment and technology industries on issues including, but not limited to, IP, cybersecurity, privacy, and right of publicity.

Taking a client-centric approach, Mario has experience helping world-class musicians, composers, authors, directors, and documentarians, as well as large public entities, in securing and protecting trademarks, acquiring, registering and enforcing necessary copyrights, as well as structuring, negotiating, reviewing, and drafting licenses and agreements.

He earned his J.D. from Indiana University Maurer School of Law in 2015 and his B.A. in music performance and education from Indiana University in 2012.

As a paralegal in the Dallas office, Rebecca Arredondo brings more than 15 years of experience serving as a corporate and transactional paralegal in-house and in large law firms to her attorneys and clients. With a critical eye for detail, organization and prioritization, she is an asset in helping clients’ achieve their business goals.

Rebecca assists attorneys and has experience supporting C-suite level leadership with a variety of needs connected to business entity transactions – due diligence, closing checklists, closing binders and e-room setup and maintenance.

She earned her A.A.S. in paralegal studies from El Centro College and her B.A. in government and politics from the University of Texas at Dallas.

Mary Comazzi, of counsel in the Detroit Metro office, learned precisely what direction she wanted for her career by taking the right steps on the right course at the right time, and she strives to do the same for her clients. Mary’s general commercial and aviation clients appreciate her honesty, practicality and responsiveness in assessing their issues and helping address problems they are facing, in the air or on the ground.

Mary helps clients craft, negotiate and document mergers, acquisitions, reorganizations, joint ventures, and other complex commercial transactions.

She earned her J.D. from Ava Maria School of Law in 2007, an M.S. in agricultural economics from the University of Missouri in 2004, and a B.S. in agricultural economics and a B.S. in agribusiness management from the University of Missouri-Columbia in 2002.

As an associate in the Los Angeles office, Caroline Dickey focuses her practice on defending employers in litigation and in agency proceedings. She is proactive and highly organized. Caroline anticipates her clients’ needs and helps them work toward outcomes that meet their goals.

Caroline represents employers in a range of actions involving harassment, retaliation, discrimination, wrongful termination, and wage and hour claims, including class actions. Beyond litigation and agency representation, Caroline counsels senior management on day-to-day human resources and employee relations issues.

She earned her J.D. from Duke University School of Law in 2014 and her B.A. in psychology from University of Georgia in 2011.

With 18 years of paralegal experience, Cynthia Dodson of the Columbus office brings her knowledge and attention to detail, particularly in the area of real estate law, to helping manage real estate transaction matters.

Cindy’s primary focus is on the review of titles and surveys for commercial transactions and those involving Low-Income Housing Tax Credits and New Market Tax Credits. She examines documents affecting the title and survey for additional burdens that may affect the properties in question. She maintains direct contact with title companies and surveyors to resolve title and survey issues. Cindy also has experience working on the financing of commercial real estate transactions.

Kelly Koss, an associate in the Chicago office, focuses her practice in domestic and international construction and commercial litigation and arbitration. She is respected by clients for her counsel regarding litigation avoidance techniques and her willingness to work collaboratively to seek early resolution to disputes. When litigation is unavoidable, Kelly is prepared to advocate zealously for her clients to achieve desired results.

Kelly represents owners, developers, contractors and design professionals in disputes related to construction projects, including construction and design defect claims; professional liability claims; delay, disruption and acceleration claims; extra work claims; and mechanic lien claims.

She earned her J.D. from Chicago-Kent College of Law in 2015, her Master of Urban Design and her Master of Urban Planning from the University of Michigan in 2008, and her B.A. in art with a minor in psychology from Kalamazoo College in 2004.

An associate in the Indianapolis office, Dominic Yobbi understands how critical it is to protect ideas and the individuals who create them. Combining his knowledge of engineering and passion for intellectual property law, Dominic assists clients with a range of IP needs, particularly in the preparation and prosecution of patent applications.

With an analytical and meticulous nature, Dominic prepares patent applications, responds to office actions and notices, evaluates and recommends prosecution and portfolio strategies, and advises and instructs foreign associates.

He earned his J.D. from the University of Pittsburgh School of Law in 2016, and his B.S. in aerospace engineering from Case Western Reserve University in 2011.

With more than 600 attorneys and other legal professionals, Barnes & Thornburg is one of the largest law firms in the country. The firm serves clients worldwide from offices in Atlanta, California, Chicago, Delaware, Indiana, Michigan, Minneapolis, Ohio, Raleigh, Salt Lake City, Texas and Washington, D.C. For more information, visit us online at www.btlaw.com or on Twitter @BTLawNews.