Michael J. Charlillo

November 29, 2023 – Ulmer & Berne LLP is pleased to announce the promotions of four attorneys. Michael J. Charlillo and Abbie R. Pappas have been promoted to Partner, and Mary C. Hofmann and Tu-Anh (Amanda) Vo have been promoted to Associate.

“We are thrilled to have Michael and Abbie join the firm’s partnership, and to advance Mary and Amanda in their careers as well” said Scott P. Kadish, Ulmer’s Managing Partner. “Each of these talented, hardworking attorneys represents the very best of Ulmer, consistently demonstrating our values and prioritizing client service in their work every day.”

Cleveland-based Charlillo is an experienced litigator in Ulmer’s Financial Services & Securities Litigation Group where he represents broker-dealers and registered representatives in arbitrations before the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) involving customer claims of fraud, unsuitability, churning, excessive mark-ups, mismarked trades, failure to supervise, and violations of state and federal securities laws. He is consistently recognized for his talent and commitment to providing clients with outstanding legal counsel, and has been named each year to the Ohio Super Lawyers Rising Stars list since 2020. Charlillo is also a dedicated community advocate, serving on the Board of Directors for Empower Sports and frequently volunteering with Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Association and the Legal Aid Society of Cleveland.

Pappas, also based in Cleveland, is a member of the firm’s Private Wealth Services Practice Group. She is an experienced estate planning, estate administration, and taxation attorney who works closely with clients to develop and analyze estate plans appropriate to their needs and objectives. She is also experienced with Halachic estate planning and works with clients to develop comprehensive estate plans that conform to Jewish religious laws. As a recognized leader in her field, Pappas frequently lectures on the topic of charitable tax planning and has served as pro bono counsel for several nonprofit organizations. She currently serves on the board of the Fuchs Mizrachi School and the Jewish Federation of Cleveland. In recognition of her talent, she was named to the Ohio Super Lawyers Rising Stars List in 2022 and 2023, named to The Best Lawyers in America: Ones to Watch, Tax Law; Trusts and Estates in 2023 and 2024, and was the recipient of the Jewish Federation of Cleveland’s Amb. Milton A. and Roslyn Z. Wolf Young Campaigner of the Year Award in 2021.

Hofmann is a real estate and environmental law attorney based in the firm’s Cincinnati office. With a background in environmental engineering, she focuses her practice on a broad range of environmental matters including regulatory counseling, due diligence, and enforcement defense. Her environmental practice encompasses the Clean Air Act, Clean Water Act, RCRA, CERCLA, TSCA, and other environmental laws and regulations. She also assists clients on a variety of real estate and construction matters such as drafting transactional documents, conducting research, and preparing comprehensive memoranda.

Vo is an immigration attorney based in Ulmer’s Cleveland office. She focuses her practice on various types of immigration matters and represents clients at all stages of removal defense, nonimmigrant and immigrant visa processing, and naturalization. She is also experienced in civil litigation and criminal defense.