We are pleased to announce the growth of our Wilmington office with the addition of Sally J. Daugherty as senior counsel in the Commercial Litigation, Construction, and Labor & Employment Groups, Stephen A. Venzie as senior counsel in the Construction Group, and Brionna L. Denby as an associate in the Government Law & Regulatory Affairs, Internal Investigations, Title IX, and Scientific Misconduct Groups.
Managing Partner George Pallas commented, “It is a pleasure to welcome Sally, Stephen, and Brionna to our firm. Sally’s business litigation experience spans three decades with businesses throughout the region. Stephen is a highly accomplished litigator and trusted advisor to construction businesses in the area, and Brionna has significant experience with complex investigations and disputes in both the government and in the private sector. Each attorney brings a strategic approach to our clients’ needs, in both the short-term and long-term.”
Cheryl Santaniello, Managing Partner of the Wilmington office, said, “I am delighted that Sally, Stephen, and Brionna have joined Cohen Seglias as we continue to grow this office. Their combined skills and experience allow us to further diversify the capabilities of our Wilmington office while also enhancing the core strengths of our firm.”
Their arrival at the firm is noted in Delaware Business Now, International Comparative Legal Guides and the Delaware Law Weekly.
About Sally J. Daugherty
Sally, a seasoned litigator, represents small and medium-sized businesses in a variety of industries in business disputes, employment and labor matters, finance and securitization, and business best practices. She brings more than three decades of experience representing businesses throughout the Mid-Atlantic region, and her clients come from a wide range of industries, including construction, manufacturing, real estate and development, hospitality, and technology.
In addition, Sally has significant experience handling complex cases from inception through trials and appeals in state and federal courts in Delaware, Pennsylvania, New York, and New Jersey. She earned her J.D., cum laude, from Penn State Dickinson Law, and her B.S. from Elizabethtown College, and is licensed to practice in Delaware, Pennsylvania, New York, and New Jersey. Prior to joining Cohen Seglias, Sally was the managing attorney for the Delaware office of Salmon, Ricchezza, Singer & Turchi, LLP.
About Stephen A. Venzie
As an experienced construction litigator, Steve counsels public and private owners, engineers, general contractors, construction managers, subcontractors, suppliers, and sureties through all stages of public, private, and federal projects. He represents clients on projects such as commercial and retail buildings, casinos, libraries, schools and universities, student housing, restaurants, condominiums, courthouses, airports, rail lines, hospitals, roads, sewers, wastewater treatment plants, fire stations, process piping plants, and military-owned facilities.
Further, Steve assists clients through the various disputes that can occur on a construction project. When a dispute is not resolved during the course of the project, he represents clients in the prosecution and defense of claims in all phases of post-completion litigation in both federal and state court.
In addition to his construction litigation practice, Steve counsels clients through ancillary commercial disputes and issues such as shareholder redemption and operating agreement disputes, non-compete clauses, employee wage disputes, Internal Revenue Service (IRS) levies, and corporate formation and dissolution.
Prior to joining Cohen Seglias, Steve served as the managing attorney for Venzie, Phillips & Warshawer’s Delaware office and its New Jersey practice. He earned his J.D. from Villanova University School of Law and his B.S. from the University of Wisconsin, and is licensed to practice in Delaware, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey.
About Brionna L. Denby
Brionna counsels corporations, educational institutions, non-profit groups, and other entities that are faced with allegations of wrongdoing. Before joining Cohen Seglias, Brionna served as a Deputy Attorney General for the Delaware Department of Justice in the Civil Division, Defensive Litigation Unit, and in the Office of Civil Rights and Public Trust. As a Deputy Attorney General, she handled complex, long term investigations into government corruption, financial fraud, voter fraud, and campaign finance violations from the initial allegation through resolution.
Brionna also served as a trust compliance officer for a large financial services company where she managed legal and regulatory compliance of various trust business lines, operations, and sales groups. She earned her J.D. from Hofstra University School of Law and her B.A. from Spelman College, and is licensed to practice in Delaware, Pennsylvania, and New York.
A native of Wilmington, Brionna is active in the community and serves in various leadership roles, including as a trustee for the Delaware Historical Society and Vice President of the Delaware Barristers Association.
