The full-service law firm of Gallagher & Kennedy has announced that Erik C. Smith, Daniel Z. Kolomitz, Matthew S. O’Connor, and Kenneth N. Ralston have joined as Associates.
We are pleased to welcome Eric, Danny, Matt and Ken to the firm. Each brings a different set of skills, adding depth to a number of our practice areas.
Dean Short, Managing Partner at Gallagher & Kennedy
As a certified public accountant and attorney, native Arizonan Erik Smith will contribute to the firm’s highly regarded tax practice. Erik has significant experience in all areas of federal taxation, including tax planning and analysis, civil tax controversy, and tax compliance. Prior to joining Gallagher & Kennedy, Erik was a Manager in the Washington National Tax Office of Deloitte Tax, LLP, specializing in real estate transactions. He also is well versed in providing tax planning and strategy for various types of domestic and multinational businesses across a wide range of industries and high net worth individuals. Erik is an alumnus of The University of Arizona, James E. Rogers College of Law.
Daniel Kolomitz will focus his practice in commercial litigation. While in law school at Arizona State University, he interned for a summer at Gallagher & Kennedy where he acquainted himself with all aspects of the firm's practice, including: researching and drafting demand letters as well as memoranda concerning antitrust litigation, personal injury, civil rights violations and copyright infringement; participating in client counseling meetings; and attending depositions and federal and state court hearings. Daniel was also a summer extern at the Arizona Supreme Court Staff Attorney's Office where he analyzed petitions for review and reviewed rule change petitions.
Matthew O’Connor will join the business law and transactions practice group. He also served as an intern at Gallagher & Kennedy while attending Arizona State University’s Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law, undertaking many tasks at the firm including: drafting motions for summary judgment involving breach of contract; participating in client counseling meetings, mediation settlements, and on-site witness interviews; and attending depositions as well as federal and state court hearings. In addition, he was a legal extern for The Honorable John C. Gemmill, Arizona Court of Appeals, Division One. Prior to law school, Matt was an investment banking analyst at Piper Jaffray, where he was part of a team that priced the largest transaction in the firm’s history.
Kenneth Ralston will join the environmental law and commercial litigation practices at the firm. Ken graduated from Arizona State University’s Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law, scoring third in the state on the bar exam. During his second-year of law school, he interned for a summer at Gallagher & Kennedy where he gained experience with all aspects of the firm's practice including: personal injury, civil rights violations and copyright infringement; and participating in mediation settlements and attending federal and state court hearings. He also was a judicial extern for The Honorable Kathleen M. O'Malley, United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, where he drafted bench memos and opinions, researched legal issues and wrote memoranda. Additionally, Ken gained valuable legal experience as a judicial extern for The Honorable John J. Tuchi, United States District Court for the District of Arizona, a research assistant for Professor Betsy Grey, and an extern in the Tech Transfer Department at TGen.