Connell Foley launches new practice with 5 FBT Gibbons attorneys

The basics:

• Connell Foley adds five partners from FBT Gibbons to form new corporate restructuring, bankruptcy practice
• New practice co-chaired by Robert Malone, Brett Theisen
• Connell Foley opens Delaware office, led by Katharina Earle
• Move follows merger of Gibbons PC and Frost Brown Todd LLC earlier in 2026

Connell Foley LP is launching a new corporate restructuring and bankruptcy practice with the addition of five partners from FBT Gibbons LLP.

The Roseland-based law firm welcomed Robert Malone, Brett Theisen, Katharina Earle, Dale Barney and Mark Conlan to the newly formed group.

With more than a century of combined experience, the five partners “bring technical depth with a practical, business-oriented perspective shaped by work at the highest levels of the market,” Connell Foley said in a Feb. 17 press release.

The practice is co-chaired by Malone and Theisen, according to Connell Foley. At their former firm, Malone was chair of the financial restructuring and creditors’ rights practice while Theisen was the group’s vice chair.

New location

As part of the launch, Connell Foley also opened an office in Wilmington, Del., to enhance the new practice’s ability to advise and litigate in courts where many of the country’s most consequential corporate matters are decided.

Led by Earle, the office will provide clients direct access to U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware, the U.S. District Court for the District of Delaware and the Delaware Court of Chancery, the firm said.

Besides adding “significant expertise” to the firm, Connell Foley Managing Partner Timothy Corriston said the move aligns with its “collaborative, results-driven culture and helps set the stage for what’s next – for both the firm, and for our clients.”

“Bob, Brett and Katharina are recognized leaders, along with Dale and Mark. Their collective experience and proven record of success, along with a presence in Delaware, will deliver immediate value to our clients as well as support the continued strategic growth of the firm,” he stated.

Their departure comes a little over a month after Newark-headquartered Gibbons PC finalized its merger with national law firm Frost Brown Todd LLC. After officially uniting Jan. 1, the firms create a mid-market legal powerhouse with roughly 800 attorneys across 25 offices nationwide: FBT Gibbons LLP.

The next chapter

Founded in 1938, Connell Foley is a full-service law firm. The company boasts more than 140 lawyers across multiple offices throughout the Mid-Atlantic region. Its strengths include litigation, corporate, real estate and land use, and sophisticated tax & estate planning. In addition to its Roseland headquarters, Connell Foley has offices in Jersey City, Newark, New York City and Philadelphia.

Within the past year, the firm has seen well-known real estate and commercial transactions attorney Philip McGovern Jr. exit for a position as managing partner of Newark boutique Tannenbaum Keale LLP. Ten of his former colleagues from Connell Foley recently followed him.

Connell Foley says its latest additions continue a period that has included key hires and strategic expansion:

• In August 2025, acclaimed criminal defense attorney Brian Neary joined the firm and helped establish its Bergen County office
• Former Gibbons PC Managing Director Pat Dunican arrived at Connell Foley last month to further strengthen its corporate practice
• Connell Foley also recently hired Abbey True Harris as a partner in its regulatory affairs and compliance group. Her background includes serving as chief counsel of the New Jersey Senate Majority Office and chief legal officer and senior vice president of external affairs at Reciprocal Management Corp.

From the co-chairs

Theisen said, “I’m proud to join a firm with a national presence in commercial litigation and, now, bankruptcy. I share its commitment to continued growth and innovation, and I look forward to building new relationships while continuing to deliver exceptional service to our clients. We’re going to hit the ground running.”

Malone added, “I’m excited to join Connell Foley at a pivotal moment in the firm’s growth story, particularly as bankruptcy and restructuring matters continue to rise nationwide. Our focus is on delivering lasting results for clients while helping shape the practice’s strategic growth for the future.”