Ashwini Jayaratnam and Gabriel Saade Join Michael Burke as Co-Chairs of DarrowEverett's Business Litigation & Alternative Dispute Resolution Practice Group, Reflecting Extraordinary Growth Across Strategic Markets
NEW YORK, July 23, 2026 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- DarrowEverett LLP today announced the appointment of Ashwini Jayaratnam and Gabriel Saade as Co-Chairs of the firm's Business Litigation & Alternative Dispute Resolution Practice Group, joining existing Chair Michael Burke in leading one of DarrowEverett's key practice groups. The expanded leadership team is based across the firm's Boston, New York, and Miami offices, positioning the firm for additional growth across its national platform.
As the needs of the firm's commercial real estate, corporate, finance, and M&A clients have grown, so too has the need to protect their business and personal interests within litigation matters. The appointments reflect both the department's expanding scope and the firm's commitment to maintaining hands-on, practitioner-driven leadership at every level.
"Michael has done an outstanding job leading the department, and the strength of that leadership is reflected in the exceptional talent and team that continues to emerge under his direction," said Jon Restivo, Managing Partner of DarrowEverett. "This appointment recognizes not only Ashwini's and Gabriel's outstanding legal abilities, but also the judgment, initiative, and influence they have consistently demonstrated across the firm. Time and again, they have stepped forward when leadership was needed, delivered exceptional results for clients, and championed initiatives that have strengthened both the department and the firm."
The changes follow the firm's additions of the South Florida-based Saade Law Firm and the Tampa-based Saxon|Gilmore team—transactions taking place since April 2025.
Michael P. Burke, Partner | Co-Chair, Litigation Department
Michael Burke brings over a decade of trial and arbitration experience to his role. Based in Boston, his practice focuses on matters involving partnership contractual disputes, complex financial fraud, intellectual property, securities and consumer class actions, trade secret misappropriation, and governmental and internal investigations. He advises clients at all stages of disputes, from pre-litigation investigations through trial and appeal, with a focus on resolving matters in an efficient and economical manner. He has built a nationally recognized practice in internet privacy litigation — handling more than 60 matters in 2025 alone involving claims under the Electronic Communications Privacy Act (ECPA), the California Invasion of Privacy Act (CIPA), and other state privacy statutes.
Ashwini Jayaratnam, Partner | Co-Chair, Litigation Department
Ashwini Jayaratnam brings more than a decade of litigation experience to her new role, operating from DarrowEverett's New York office. Her practice is centered on complex commercial disputes, with particular depth in representing owners of private, closely held entities in matters involving fiduciary breach, restrictive covenants, freeze-out mergers, and shareholder buyouts. Jayaratnam has secured favorable judgments and settlements in cases involving contractual restrictions on share transfers, judicial dissolution, and access to books and records. She has also grown the firm's practice defending business executives in Attorney General and class action lawsuits alleging violations of consumer protection statutes and civil RICO claims.
Gabriel S. Saade, Partner | Co-Chair, Litigation Department
Gabriel Saade joins the leadership team from the firm's Miami office, where he also serves as Chair of the Intellectual Property & Technology Practice Group. His litigation practice encompasses complex business and real estate disputes — including partnership, shareholder, and joint venture matters, corporate dissolution, fraud, and professional liability — while his corporate practice serves clients across the construction and hospitality industries. Saade serves as outside general counsel to more than 100 businesses throughout the United States and is a registered intermediary with the United States Soccer Federation. He is admitted to practice in twelve jurisdictions, including Florida, New York, Massachusetts, and Washington, D.C.
ABOUT DARROWEVERETT LLP
DarrowEverett LLP is a full-service law firm providing comprehensive legal counsel to businesses and individuals across a broad spectrum of needs. The firm's core strengths span corporate law, commercial real estate, finance, complex commercial and business litigation, public housing and community development, and private client services including estate planning and family law. With offices in New York, NY; Boston, MA; Miami, FL; Boca Raton, FL; Tampa, FL; Providence, RI; and Charlotte, NC, DarrowEverett supports a wide-ranging portfolio of domestic and international clients — from publicly traded companies to privately held enterprises. Learn more at darroweverett.com.
Media Contact
Chad Gottlieb, DarrowEverett LLP, 1 (561) 288-2600, [email protected], https://darroweverett.com/
SOURCE DarrowEverett LLP
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