A.J. Borrelli has been appointed co-chair of Riker Danzig, the Morristown-based firm announced Thursday.
Borrelli, who succeeds Brian O’Donnell, will serve alongside current co-chair Kelly Strange Crawford.
The firm also announced that Joseph Schwartz has joined the executive committee.
Borrelli, who also serves as chair of Riker Danzig’s Securities Litigation, Arbitration, Regulation and Investigations Practice, one of the Firm’s most significant practice areas, said he is eager to start the new role.
“The thing that first drew me to the Firm is the same thing that has continued on and drives my commitment to the Firm – our culture,” he said. “Our culture fosters collegiality, thrives on teamwork, breeds creativity, and leads to innovation, all of which has created an inspiring and dynamic workplace.
“I am honored and excited to play a bigger role in building on this terrific foundation, which includes our move to the prestigious Giralda Farms in Madison this summer. I look forward to continuing to work with our Executive Committee, our Managing Partner Mike O’Mullan, and all of our attorneys and staff in serving our clients’ needs and goals with the highest quality legal services.”
Crawford applauded the announcement.
“A.J. is an extremely accomplished lawyer who leads a sophisticated, multi-faceted securities practice, and he is deeply committed to upholding our values and core principles of excellent legal advocacy, dedication to our clients, and Riker’s collaborative culture,” she said. “He has already been a critical part of the firm’s leadership and overall growth for some time as a key member of our Executive Committee, and I look forward to working with him in this enhanced role.”
Borrelli joined Riker Danzig in 2000 after working as a summer associate at the Firm. He was named a “New Leader of the Bar” by the New Jersey Law Journal in 2012, a “New Jersey Trailblazer” by the New Jersey Law Journal in 2020, and is ranked in Band One for Securities Litigation by Chambers USA in its 2024 list. He earned his law degree from Fordham University School of Law in 2000, and his B.A. from Boston College in 1997.
O’Donnell will continue to serve as a member of the firm’s executive committee, which is Riker’s primary strategic and governing body, and as Chair of the firm’s highly regarded Insurance & Reinsurance practice, in which he manages complex commercial matters, including high-stakes reinsurance and insurance coverage disputes and class action products liability lawsuits.
Schwartz, who joined the firm in 1994, is chair of the firm’s nationally recognized Bankruptcy & Corporate Restructuring Practice. Schwartz is the immediate past President and current Chairman of the New Jersey Turnaround Management Association. He is also a subchapter V trustee in New
Jersey bankruptcy cases. Among other things, he serves on the Corporate Advisory Council for Homeless Solutions, which provides shelter and services to Morris County residents in need.
Riker also announced it has expanded the roles of current leaders in some of its key administrative areas:
- Former Acting Director of Information Technology Mohamed Brahim has been named Director of Information Technology;
- Former Director of Practice Development Richelle J. Delavan has been named Chief Marketing Officer;
- Former Chief Human Resources Officer Alison Feldman Walsh has been named Chief Operating Officer.
