Lippes Mathias LLP today announced that partners John J. Koeppel, Ian A. Shavitz, and Christopher A. Walker have been elected to the firm’s executive committee, effective January 1, 2026. The elections come as part of a strategic plan to expand the committee from five to seven members, mirroring the firm’s overall growth and adding representation from new practice areas and offices across its national footprint. 

The executive committee works closely with Kevin J. Cross, the firm’s managing partner and committee chairman, to provide strategic, informed, and practical guidance on the firm’s overall direction. The committee focuses on high-level governance and long-term positioning rather than day-to-day operations. With these leadership changes, the committee now includes Kevin J. Cross, Ian A. Shavitz, John J. Koeppel, Christopher A. Walker, Brian J. Bocketti, Jennifer C. Persico, and Paul F. Wells 

These changes coincide with the transition of longtime executive committee member Dennis C. Vacco, who rolled off the committee effective January 1. Vacco remains active in his full-time legal practice and continues to lead the firm’s government & corporate investigations practice team. 

“John, Ian, and Chris are highly regarded leaders within our firm who bring sophisticated insights to our executive committee as well as perspectives from new geographies across our footprint,” Kevin J. Cross, Lippes Mathias’ managing partner and chairman, said. “I look forward to working with them as we continue to refine our firm’s direction and strategy. We are also incredibly grateful to Dennis Vacco, whose unrivaled experience and wisdom played an instrumental role in shaping and maintaining our identity and goals throughout his years of service to this committee.” 

About John J. Koeppel 

John J. Koeppel is a partner and the team leader of the firm’s private equity and independent sponsor practice teams. He is a corporate lawyer who has successfully structured, negotiated, and closed over 250 transactions in the past 25-plus years, which typically involve mergers and acquisitions, fund formations and investments, and various private equity transactions (including co-investments, venture financings, and cross-border deals). He also works with clients on reviewing and structuring their Qualified Opportunity Zone and Qualified Small Business Stock investments. 

Koeppel acts as counsel to a number of leading funds, independent sponsors, middle-market companies, institutional investors, family offices, and high-net-worth investors focused on buy-out, growth, venture, real estate, intellectual property, energy, debt, fund-of-funds, co-investments, secondaries, and other strategies. He also often acts as U.S. counsel to non-U.S. clients on their U.S. acquisition and private investment transactions. He also serves as a director for several private equity-backed companies. On the M&A and private equity transactions side, Koeppel has advised on deals from $5 million to $250 million-plus in a wide range of industries, including manufacturing, technology, consumer goods, food, distribution, business services, cleantech, and medical and health care. 

About Ian A. Shavitz 

Ian A. Shavitz is the team leader of the firm’s environment and energy practice team and is based in the Washington, D.C. office. He has more than 20 years of experience counseling and advocating for clients on environmental and land use issues associated with developing large-scale infrastructure, energy, and commercial projects; securing federal, state, and local governmental permits and approvals; advising sellers, purchasers, lenders, and investors on environmental issues associated with corporate, real estate, and energy transactions; and advocating for favorable policy decisions and legislation before Congress. Shavitz’s clients have included corporations, municipalities, developers, investors, state and local governments, private equity funds, and Indian tribes. 

While Shavitz’s practice is national in scope, he has particular expertise advising clients on projects, transactions, and legal issues in New York State, where he has practiced for his entire career, and on federal issues in Washington, D.C. Prior to joining Lippes Mathias, Shavitz practiced law at Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP in Washington, D.C., in the environmental and public law and policy practice groups. 

About Christopher A. Walker 

Christopher A. Walker is a partner based in the firm's Jacksonville office. He advises investors, financial institutions, developers, builders, contractors, condominiums and civic associations, and others in the development, negotiation, and financing of complex real estate transactions, including multifamily housing, affordable housing, commercial and industrial properties, and senior housing, including working on necessary debt structures, public finance components, and economic development matters. 

He works extensively with for-profit and non-profit developers in connection with substantial affordable housing portfolio sales and acquisitions, low-income housing tax credits, construction, joint ventures, HAP contracts, HUD financing, institutional financing, bonds, fair housing, and other financial programs to promote affordable housing, stability, and security of individuals and families. He regularly advises management companies in connection with real estate ventures, including compliance and insurance-related matters. Walker also assists clients with all aspects of investment, including raising capital, stock, and asset acquisitions, private placements, joint ventures, and public financing. Working with private investors, family offices, hedge funds, real estate investment trusts, and other parties, his broad spectrum of transactional experience provides clients with sound transaction structuring and execution. 

Walker regularly represents financial institutions nationally and in Canada on both real estate secured and asset secured lending transactions and has extensive experience in SBA-related matters. Given his in-depth knowledge of real estate and finance matters, Walker also works with lenders and borrowers in connection with recapitalization or restructuring of loans and credit facilities. He has successfully closed billions of dollars in real estate, stock, and other acquisitions and financing matters for his clients across multiple states. 

About Lippes Mathias LLP 

Lippes Mathias is a full-service law firm with 230 attorneys serving clients regionally, nationally, and internationally. With offices in Buffalo, Clarence, Albany, Long Island, New York, Rochester, Syracuse, and Saratoga Springs, N.Y.; Greater Toronto Area; Chicago, Ill.; Jacksonville, Tampa Bay, and West Palm Beach, Fla.; Cleveland, Ohio; San Antonio, Texas; Oklahoma City, Okla.; and Washington, D.C., the firm represents publicly and privately owned companies, private equity and venture capital firms, independent sponsors, family offices, real estate developers, financial institutions, municipalities, governmental entities, and individuals. 

Ranked No. 204 on The National Law Journal’s NLJ 500 list of the largest law firms in the United States by attorney headcount, Lippes Mathias is proud to be recognized year after year by The Best Lawyers in America®, U.S. News – Best Lawyers®, Super Lawyers, and Chambers USA. For more information, visit www.lippes.com.