New Directions in Class Action Litigation - Part II

The Honorable Ursula Ungaro-Benages is a United States District Judge, Southern District of Florida. Before her confirmation in 1994, Judge Ungaro-Benages was a circuit judge for the Eleventh Judicial Circuit in and for Dade County, Florida. Judge Ungaro-Benages engaged in the private practice of law from 1975 to 1987, mainly in the area of complex commercial litigation, particularly securities fraud, shareholder and partnership disputes, and sophisticated real estate litigation. She holds a B.A. in English Literature from the University of Miami, and a J.D. from the University of Florida.

Jay Shapiro has almost 40 years experience as a litigator. A prosecutor for two decades who focused on white collar crimes, Jay now represents clients in complex civil litigation and investigations, including corporate internal investigations, and criminal and regulatory enforcement. He also represents insurance companies in their affirmative efforts to combat insurance fraud. Jay has represented broker-dealers and financial professionals in FINRA arbitrations and has represented financial services businesses in connection with government inquiries.

Jay began his legal career in the Bronx County District Attorney's Office as a prosecutor for eight years and later spent 12 years with the King's County District Attorney's Office, becoming the Deputy District Attorney in charge of the Rackets Division, before going into private practice.

As a prosecutor, Jay was one of the first participants in the federal Electronic Crimes Task Force, which launched some of the earliest investigations into cybercrimes. He now advises clients on the investigation of data breaches, computer trespass and best policies concerning employee utilization of personal electronic devices for business purposes.

Jay has tried more than 35 cases in state and federal courts in New York and has also appeared before courts in California, Florida, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Washington. He has represented clients in relation to investigations conducted by federal and state authorities, including the Department of Justice, the Securities and Exchange Commission, the Internal Revenue Service, state prosecutors and numerous city and state regulatory agencies. In addition, Jay has represented insurance companies in coverage disputes in numerous state and federal courts and has also represented attorneys, law firms and insurance professionals in professional liability actions.

He has been recognized for his involvement in combating insurance fraud by the insurance industry and regulators, the Motion Picture Association of America and the Recording Industry of America for his anti-counterfeiting efforts, and the New York City Police and Fire Departments for his work with those agencies.

Jay has written and co-authored numerous publications, including treatises on trial practice and search and seizure. A frequent lecturer, he was an Adjunct Professor of Law at New York Law School (1989 to 2004) and served as a Faculty Member of the New York Prosecutors Training Institute, the New York City Police Department’s Criminal Investigators’ Course and the New York City Fire Marshal’s Training Program.

Jay is a member of the Executive Committee of the Criminal Justice Section of the New York State Bar Association and co-chair of the Committee on Expungement.

Tucker Ronzetti is a partner at Kozyak Tropin & Throckmorton, P.A., Miami. He specializes in civil and commercial litigation. Mr. Ronzetti graduated with a B.A. in economics from Duke University in 1987 and graduated magna cum laude from the University of Miami School of Law in 1992, where he was editor in chief of the University of Miami Law Review and was inducted into the Order of the Coif. Following graduation, Mr. Ronzetti served as a law clerk to the Honorable Edward B. Davis, United States District Judge, Southern District of Florida. Mr. Ronzetti also has served as an assistant county attorney for Miami-Dade County, as a commercial litigator with the Miami firm of Valdes-Fauli, Cobb, Bischoff, Kriss & Mandler, and as an instructor at the University of Miami School of Law.

Adam M. Moskowitz is a partner at Kozyak Tropin & Throckmorton, P.A., Miami. He graduated from Syracuse University, where he was President of the Debate Team. He graduated from the University of Miami School of Law, where he was the Managing Editor and Assistant Articles and Comments Editor of the University if Miami Law Review. Mr. Moskowitz has served as the Chairperson on numerous NASD arbitration panels and has considerable experience in securities arbitration and class action litigation.

Edith M. Kallas is a Managing Partner at Milberg Weiss Bershad Hynes & Levach LLP, New York. Ms. Kallas concentrates her practice in the areas of healthcare and securities litigation. She is the co-author of "Gender Bias and the Treatment of Women As Advocates." Ms. Kallas graduated from the Julliard School with a B.M. in Music Performance and from the Fashion Institute of Technology with an A.A.S., summa cum laude. She received her J.D. from Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law, where she was a member of the Moot Court Board.

Janet L. Humphreys is of counsel at Kozyak Tropin & Throckmorton, P.A., Miami. As a civil litigation, Ms. Humphreys' areas of experience include securities fraud, intellectual property, First Amendment, and employment matters. She has taught commercial litigation seminars and served as a faculty for the National Institute of Trial Advocacy's Bankruptcy Advocacy Program. Ms. Humphreys also was Associate General Consel for Knight-Ridder Inc. She received her B.A., with highest honors, from the University of Alabama at Huntsville. Ms. Humphreys attended law school at the University of Alabama, where she graduated first in her class and served as associate editor for the University of Alabama Law Review. After law school, she clerked for U.S. District Court Judge Sam C. Pointer, Jr., Chief Judge of the Northern District of Alabama.

Joseph P. Guglielmo is a partner at Milberg Weiss Berhad Hynes & Levach LLP, New York. Mr. Guglielmo is co-author of "Class Actions in the Healthcare Context" and of "An Overview of Class Action Litigation in the Managed Care Context." He graduated cum laude from the Catholic University if America with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science. Mr. Guglielmo received his J.D. and a Certificate of Public Policy from the Columbus School of Law at the Catholic University of America.

Hilarie Bass is a shareholder at Greenberg Traurig, P.A., Miami, and Chair of the firm's National Litigation Practice Group. Her areas of experience include class-action defense, complex commercial litigation, receiverships, securities fraud defense, and banking litigation. She is president of the Florida Bar Foundation. As an adjunct professor, Ms. Bass has taught litigation courses at the University of Miami School of Law, and she serves as a trustee of the University of Miami. Ms. Bass received her J.D., summa cum laude, from the University of Miami School of Law, where she was editor of the Law Review.