Harter Secrest & Emery elects three new partners

Lauren R Mendolera, Jodi A Reynolds, and Michael Roche elected to the firm’s partnership

Rochester, New York— January 2, 2024— Harter Secrest & Emery, a full-service business law firm with offices throughout New York, is pleased to announce that Lauren R Mendolera from the firm’s Litigation and Insurance practice, Jodi A Reynolds from the firm’s Intellectual Property practice, and Michael Roche from the firm’s Corporate practice have been elected partners in the firm.

“I could not be happier for Lauren, Jodi, and Mike, and I am equally happy for Harter Secrest & Emery, given all that they bring to our partnership,” said Craig S Wittlin, Harter Secrest & Emery managing partner. “They each embody Harter Secrest & Emery’s commitment to providing exceptional legal counsel and service and bring tremendous strength to our market-leading practices.”

Mendolera’s zealous advocacy and experience in insurance-coverage practice and antitrust matters has led to excellent results for her clients at a national level. She has developed a uniquely robust perspective through her time clerking for a federal judge, working in both state and federal government positions, and representing some of the nation’s largest insurers and sophisticated insureds in complex coverage issues. Mendolera is recognized in Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch in America for Insurance Law and was selected for the Upstate New York Super Lawyers Rising Stars list in 2021. She earned a BA, summa cum laude, from the University at Albany and a JD, cum laude, from New York University School of Law.

Reynolds is an intellectual property and patent attorney with over 15 years of experience helping her clients attain, protect, and monetize patents, trademarks, and copyrights. She regularly counsels clients through the patent prosecution process, as well as drafts patentability, non-infringement, and invalidity opinions. Reynolds also advises clients on media and technology transactional matters including drafting and negotiating agreements related to software licensing, software development, intellectual property ownership, joint development, joint ventures, and other intellectual property-related arrangements. She serves as a leader for a local troop for the Girl Scouts of Western New York and is a Boy Scouts of America Merit Badge Counselor. Reynolds received a BS degree in Biochemistry from the University of Rochester before earning a JD, cum laude, from the University at Buffalo Law School. 

Roche represents clients in regulated industries such as military manufacturers, food manufacturers, technology, cannabis, alcohol beverage producers and retailers, and other organizations on matters relating to government compliance, including the export of products, product labeling standards, and state and federal alcohol licensing requirements. His alcohol beverage industry experience includes representing breweries, wineries, cideries, and distilleries on contract production, distribution, and licensing agreements. He also advises clients on commercial contracts, including data processing agreements, where he handles everything from drafting and reviewing, to negotiating and overseeing the signatory process. Roche is recognized in The Best Lawyers in America® for Corporate Law. He graduated from American University with a BA and a BS, earned an MBA from Cornell University, and a JD from Cornell University School of Law. 

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