Syracuse University College of Law has added James L. Kelly L’99, Partner and Chair, New York Private Equity at DLA Piper, and Sandeep (Sandy) Qusba L’94, Partner and Head of the Restructuring Practice at Simpson Thatcher & Bartlett LLP, to its Board of Advisors. Kelly and Qusba will strengthen the College’s Board with their extensive legal and leadership experiences.
“James and Sandy are highly accomplished attorneys who bring to our Board deep knowledge of the legal industry and an understanding of the skills that new attorneys need to achieve their goals,” says Dean Craig M. Boise. “I look forward to working with them. Their insights into the profession will help steer our academic programs in support of our mission.”
“On behalf of the Board, I want to welcome James and Sandy,” says College of Law Board of Advisors Chair Melanie Gray L’81. “As lawyers and leaders at two of the world’s largest and most respected law firms, James and Sandy are shining examples of the heights that Orange lawyers reach and serve as inspiration for our students.”
James Kelly focuses his practice on representing private equity funds in all aspects of their investment activities. He is recognized by The Legal 500 US in Private Equity Buyouts and has been recognized for numerous consecutive years by Chambers in New York M&A. Kelly graduated from Syracuse University College of Law magna cum laude where he was Lead Articles Editor for Syracuse Law Review and received the Order of the Coif. He received his B.A. from the University of Washington.
Sandeep (Sandy) Qusba focuses on restructurings, bankruptcies, acquisition of distressed companies, and bank financings. He has represented private equity sponsors, special committees of boards and portfolio companies, agent banks, steering committees, and official and ad hoc committees and creditors in some of the largest Chapter 11 proceedings and out-of-court restructurings in recent years across a wide range of sectors, among them media, real estate, healthcare, energy, automotive, manufacturing, and telecommunications.
Qusba was recently named an “Outstanding Restructuring Lawyer” by Turnarounds & Workouts and has also been inducted as a Fellow of the American College of Bankruptcy.
Qusba received his J.D. cum laude from Syracuse University College of Law and his B.A. from Tufts University. He served as a law clerk for Chief Judge Stephen D. Gerling in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court of the Northern District of New York.