May 1, 2018—Barclay Damon announces partner Melissa M. Zambri has been elected managing director of the firm's Albany office, effective today. In this role, she also will join Barclay Damon's Management Committee, the firm's governing body. In addition to Albany, Zambri will oversee the firm's Boston and Washington DC offices.
Due to her new responsibilities, Zambri will step down as the longtime leader of the firm's Health Care Practice Group, which oversees the Health Care & Human Services and Health Care Controversies Practice Areas. She will remain co-chair of the firm's Health Care & Human Services Practice Area along with partner Susan A. Benz.
The role Zambri assumes as Albany office managing director had been held by M. Cornelia (Connie) Cahill, who was elected to the firm's new position of deputy managing partner in 2017. Cahill began serving in her new role January 1, 2018. As deputy managing partner, she works closely with John P. Langan, the firm's managing partner, to guide the firm and ensure its continued success.
"I am honored to accept this position," Zambri said, "and humbled to follow in Connie's footsteps. She has been a mentor to me as well as a great friend, and I couldn't have asked for a better teacher. I hope to carry on her legacy in ably leading the talented and hard-working attorneys and staff of our Albany, Boston, and Washington offices and helping to lead the firm as a whole."
"Melissa is a role model to our attorneys and staff in so many ways," Cahill said, "from her outstanding representation of clients, which include many of the state's significant health care and human services providers, to her dedication to her family and the community."
Cahill continued, "In fact, Melissa's passionate engagement in the Albany community makes us especially optimistic about continuing to develop our already-strong local role through exciting initiatives like our award-winning pro bono program, our diversity mentor program with Albany Law School, and our innovative Diversity 1L Summer Associate Program, which has been successful in other firm locations and is kicking off in Albany this year."
The Diversity 1L Summer Associate Program offers paid summer-associate positions to first-year law students from historically underrepresented groups within the legal profession. The firm is partnering with Albany Law School of Union University to fill the new position.
Cahill said, "As Melissa's partner and friend for many years, watching her legal practice soar has been gratifying, and watching her take on ever greater and more challenging leadership roles has been even more exciting. Melissa is a natural leader in a firm that has a long history of dedication to the support and promotion of its women attorneys and staff. I look forward to seeing where Melissa, working closely with our other Barclay Damon leaders, helps guide the firm in the future."
"I speak for our entire Barclay Damon family," Langan said, "in extending deep thanks to Connie for her service as the Albany office managing director and in welcoming Melissa to her new leadership position."
Zambri and Cahill are both active in the Barclay Damon's Women Forum, an affinity group that encourages, mentors, and champions women attorneys to enhance and promote their professional and personal success. The Women's Forum, which Cahill co-chairs along with Carol G. Snider, hosts internal activities and events for women clients and friends of the firm in Albany and across New York State.
Additional prominent women attorneys in the Albany office include, among others, Linda J. Clark, Health Care Controversies Practice Area chair; Maureen O. Helmer, Regulatory Practice Area co-chair and former chair of the New York State Public Service Commission, who will receive a 2018 Change Maker Award from Rockefeller College's Center for Women in Government and Civil Society on May 22; Yvonne E. Hennessey, Environmental Practice Area co-chair and Lobbying & Election Law Compliance Practice Area chair; and Oksana M. Ludd, a partner with extensive experience in commercial real estate and commercial lending and other finance transactions.
Zambri earned a JD cum laude from Albany Law School of Union University, an MBA from Union College, and a BS summa cum laude from Siena College. She is an adjunct professor at Albany Law School, teaching health care compliance, and Clarkson University, teaching legal aspects of health care.
Barclay Damon LLP, listed as a "Top 250 Firm" by The National Law Journal, is a full-service law firm with offices throughout the major cities of New York State and in Toronto, Boston, Washington DC, and Newark. At 275 lawyers, Barclay Damon is the largest law firm in the Northeastern United States that is not centered in a major market. Barclay Damon provides comprehensive legal and business counsel to a diverse client base in 33 practice areas.