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Alexander H. Hyder represents domestic and international insurers in complex coverage litigation arising from claims under commercial property and commercial general liability policies. 

Prior to joining Robinson+Cole, Alex was associated with a New York-based law firm where he handled an array of complex litigation matters, including reinsurance litigation and arbitrations, surety claims and litigation, and commercial property claims and coverage litigation in both state and federal courts. Prior to entering private practice, Alex served as a judicial clerk at the Connecticut Appellate Court for the Honorable Alexandra D. DiPentima, Chief Judge of the Appellate Court, and the Honorable Joan K. Alexander, now a Justice of the Connecticut Supreme Court.

Alex graduated from the University of Connecticut School of Law, with honors, where he was Managing Editor of the Connecticut Insurance Law Journal. During law school he interned at the United States Attorney’s Office, District of Connecticut. He also served as a student practitioner in UConn Law’s Criminal Appellate Clinic, where he represented indigent defendants in post-conviction litigation. Alex received the CALI Excellence Award for his service in the clinic, as well as in Criminal Law and Principles of Insurance.

  • University of Connecticut School of Law (Juris Doctor, with honors)
    • CALI Excellence Awards in Criminal Appellate Clinic, Criminal Law, and Principles of Insurance
    • Dean’s Scholar
    • William S. and Aida A. DeMayo Scholarship Recipient
    • Connecticut Insurance Law Journal, Managing Editor
  • University of Maryland (Bachelors)
    • B.A. in History, Law and Society minor
    • Global Semester in Washington, D.C. Fellowship

  • State of Connecticut
  • Commonwealth of Massachusetts
  • State of New York
  • U.S. District Court, District of Massachusetts
  • U.S. District Court, Southern District of New York
  • U.S. District Court, Eastern District of New York
  • U.S. Court of Appeals, 2nd Circuit

New York City Bar Association

News


June 12, 2025

Robinson+Cole Adds Over a Dozen Lawyers in New York, Including New Partner Michael Pass

Seasoned corporate attorney Michael B. Pass has joined Robinson+Cole as a partner in the firm’s Business Transactions group. Pass is one of thirteen lawyers who have joined the New York office of Robinson+Cole in 2025. Pass will be advising private funds, established companies, and startups on complex commercial transactions, with an emphasis on mergers and acquisitions, business and fund formations and structurings, and debt and equity financings. He will also provide outside general counsel services and advise on the leveraging of technology, web3, and digital assets. “Michael’s arrival is a pivotal moment for our New York office, as he will be instrumental to the continued expansion of our robust Business Transactions group in this key market,” said Rhonda J. Tobin, Managing Partner at Robinson+Cole. “His substantial experience in the private fund and cryptocurrency/blockchain space, coupled with his impressive entrepreneurial acumen, significantly deepens our M&A capabilities. This strategic addition underscores our commitment to growth and providing comprehensive solutions to our clients throughout the country.” “Joining the Business Transactions group at Robinson+Cole presents an exciting opportunity to play a key role in the ongoing growth and development of their New York corporate and M&A practice,” said Pass. “I look forward to exploring the significant synergies between my practice and the wide breadth of services R+C delivers to clients.” In addition to Pass, Evan M. Lazerowitz, Haipeng “Alex” Liang and Kristin E. Niver have joined as counsel, along with associates Arielle Cummings, Nicole Gresati Fernandez, Margaret A. Goggins, Alexander H. Hyder, Renée Kuperman, Shuqi Mao, Wendell E. Ramsey, Christian M. Velez-Vargas, and Chenyi Wang. These talented lawyers each joined since the beginning of the year and strengthened several of our strategic practice areas, including bankruptcy, capital markets, finance, real estate, managed care litigation and insurance coverage counselling and litigation. Shana A. Gillis also joined the New York office this year as the firm’s Director of Marketing. Evan Lazerowitz is counsel in the firm’s Bankruptcy + Reorganizations group. For more than 10 years he has focused on Chapter 11 bankruptcy cases, with a particular emphasis on the technology, mass tort, life sciences, healthcare, and retail sectors. His practice has included representations of creditors’ committees, debtors, distressed asset purchasers, landlords, individual creditors, and secured lenders in Chapter 11 cases. Prior to joining Robinson+Cole, Lazerowitz was an associate at a boutique New York City Am Law 50 bankruptcy firm, where he represented debtors in Chapter 11 reorganizations. Alex Liang is counsel in Robinson+Cole’s Capital Markets + Securities group where he brings 12 years of experience representing issuers and underwriters in registered and unregistered equity and debt offerings, including IPOs, follow-on offerings, as well as convertible and high-yield bond offerings. Liang has also represented China-based and non-China-based clients on cross-border transactions across the finance, energy, manufacturing, and technology industries. Kristin Niver is counsel in the firm’s Real Estate + Development group with a focus on affordable housing and other impact finance and community development-related transactions. Niver brings an extensive background in Low-Income Housing Tax Credits and New Markets Tax Credit transactions and has represented market-leading banks, as well as premier low-income housing tax credit syndicators. Arielle Cummings is an associate in the Managed Care + ERISA Litigation group who practices in the areas of general civil and commercial litigation. She represents clients in health, managed care, life, accidental death, and disability, insurance disputes, assisting in the defense of claims related to coverage issues under individual policies and group welfare benefit plan, and challenges under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) as well as other state and federal laws. Before joining Robinson+Cole, Cummings was a special assistant attorney general in the Medicaid Fraud Control Unit of the Office of the New York State Attorney General. Nicole Gresati Fernandez is an associate in Robinson+Cole’s Business Transactions group focusing her practice on advising issuers and international finance institutions in debt and equity financing transactions throughout Latin America and globally. Prior to joining Robinson+Cole, Fernandez represented major national and international companies as both borrowers and lenders in multimillion-dollar secured and unsecured credit agreements and worked with the World Bank’s International Finance Corporation. Margaret Goggins is an associate in the Bankruptcy + Reorganizations group where her practice focuses on corporate restructuring. Before joining Robinson+Cole, Goggins served two years as a judicial clerk for the Honorable Julie A. Manning in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Connecticut. She also served as an attorney for the Internal Revenue Service’s Office of Chief Counsel as part of the IRS Honors Program. Alexander Hyder is an associate in the Insurance + Reinsurance group representing domestic and international insurers in complex coverage litigation arising from claims under commercial property and commercial general liability policies. Prior to joining Robinson+Cole, Hyder was associated with a New York-based law firm where he handled an array of complex litigation matters, including reinsurance litigation and arbitrations, surety claims and litigation, and commercial property claims and coverage litigation in both state and federal courts. Prior to entering private practice, Hyder served as a judicial clerk at the Connecticut Appellate Court for the Honorable Alexandra D. DiPentima, Chief Judge of the Appellate Court, and the Honorable Joan K. Alexander, now a Justice of the Connecticut Supreme Court. Renée Kuperman is an associate in the Bankruptcy + Reorganizations group focusing her practice on representing and advising creditors involved in bankruptcy litigation and corporate restructuring matters. Prior to joining Robinson+Cole, Kuperman served as a law clerk for the Honorable Cecelia G. Morris of the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York and the Honorable Elizabeth S. Stong of the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Eastern District of New York. In those capacities, Renée gained significant experience researching and analyzing complex substantive and procedural issues, including those presented in high-profile cases such as the Bernard L. Madoff Investment Securities SIPA litigation and the long-running Johns-Manville Chapter 11 bankruptcy. Shuqi Mao is an associate in the Capital Markets + Securities group where her practice focuses on corporate finance, corporate governance, and securities law. She advises domestic and foreign issuers, underwriters and/or investors on private and public capital markets transactions. In addition, she also counsels U.S. public companies concerning regulatory compliance, periodic reporting obligations, and other general corporate matters. Wendell Ramsey is an associate in the Real Estate + Development group focusing in the areas of commercial real estate transactions and affordable housing finance. He represents parties acquiring and disposing of real estate as well as both borrowers and lenders in multiple types of financings, including affordable housing matters. Wendell’s affordable housing finance experience includes matters involving state and federal tax credits, bond financing (particularly with the New York State Housing Finance Agency and the New York City Housing Development Corporation), and agency and private financings and refinancings. Christian Velez-Vargas is an associate on the Financial Lines team advising and representing domestic and international insurers in coverage disputes arising under a variety of insurance lines, including directors and officers liability, professional liability, and commercial general liability. Chenyi Wang is an associate in the Capital Markets + Securities group whose practice focuses on capital markets, securities law, and corporate transactions. Chenyi routinely advises domestic and international issuers, underwriters, and investors on initial public offerings, follow-on offerings, private placements, and regulatory compliance matters. In addition, she also brings extensive experience on public offerings and listings on the U.S. exchanges and the Hong Kong Stock Exchange.

June 12, 2025

Robinson+Cole Adds Over a Dozen Lawyers in New York, Including New Partner Michael Pass

Seasoned corporate attorney Michael B. Pass has joined Robinson+Cole as a partner in the firm’s Business Transactions group. Pass is one of thirteen lawyers who have joined the New York office of Robinson+Cole in 2025. Pass will be advising private funds, established companies, and startups on complex commercial transactions, with an emphasis on mergers and acquisitions, business and fund formations and structurings, and debt and equity financings. He will also provide outside general counsel services and advise on the leveraging of technology, web3, and digital assets. “Michael’s arrival is a pivotal moment for our New York office, as he will be instrumental to the continued expansion of our robust Business Transactions group in this key market,” said Rhonda J. Tobin, Managing Partner at Robinson+Cole. “His substantial experience in the private fund and cryptocurrency/blockchain space, coupled with his impressive entrepreneurial acumen, significantly deepens our M&A capabilities. This strategic addition underscores our commitment to growth and providing comprehensive solutions to our clients throughout the country.” “Joining the Business Transactions group at Robinson+Cole presents an exciting opportunity to play a key role in the ongoing growth and development of their New York corporate and M&A practice,” said Pass. “I look forward to exploring the significant synergies between my practice and the wide breadth of services R+C delivers to clients.” In addition to Pass, Evan M. Lazerowitz, Haipeng “Alex” Liang and Kristin E. Niver have joined as counsel, along with associates Arielle Cummings, Nicole Gresati Fernandez, Margaret A. Goggins, Alexander H. Hyder, Renée Kuperman, Shuqi Mao, Wendell E. Ramsey, Christian M. Velez-Vargas, and Chenyi Wang. These talented lawyers each joined since the beginning of the year and strengthened several of our strategic practice areas, including bankruptcy, capital markets, finance, real estate, managed care litigation and insurance coverage counselling and litigation. Shana A. Gillis also joined the New York office this year as the firm’s Director of Marketing. Evan Lazerowitz is counsel in the firm’s Bankruptcy + Reorganizations group. For more than 10 years he has focused on Chapter 11 bankruptcy cases, with a particular emphasis on the technology, mass tort, life sciences, healthcare, and retail sectors. His practice has included representations of creditors’ committees, debtors, distressed asset purchasers, landlords, individual creditors, and secured lenders in Chapter 11 cases. Prior to joining Robinson+Cole, Lazerowitz was an associate at a boutique New York City Am Law 50 bankruptcy firm, where he represented debtors in Chapter 11 reorganizations. Alex Liang is counsel in Robinson+Cole’s Capital Markets + Securities group where he brings 12 years of experience representing issuers and underwriters in registered and unregistered equity and debt offerings, including IPOs, follow-on offerings, as well as convertible and high-yield bond offerings. Liang has also represented China-based and non-China-based clients on cross-border transactions across the finance, energy, manufacturing, and technology industries. Kristin Niver is counsel in the firm’s Real Estate + Development group with a focus on affordable housing and other impact finance and community development-related transactions. Niver brings an extensive background in Low-Income Housing Tax Credits and New Markets Tax Credit transactions and has represented market-leading banks, as well as premier low-income housing tax credit syndicators. Arielle Cummings is an associate in the Managed Care + ERISA Litigation group who practices in the areas of general civil and commercial litigation. She represents clients in health, managed care, life, accidental death, and disability, insurance disputes, assisting in the defense of claims related to coverage issues under individual policies and group welfare benefit plan, and challenges under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) as well as other state and federal laws. Before joining Robinson+Cole, Cummings was a special assistant attorney general in the Medicaid Fraud Control Unit of the Office of the New York State Attorney General. Nicole Gresati Fernandez is an associate in Robinson+Cole’s Business Transactions group focusing her practice on advising issuers and international finance institutions in debt and equity financing transactions throughout Latin America and globally. Prior to joining Robinson+Cole, Fernandez represented major national and international companies as both borrowers and lenders in multimillion-dollar secured and unsecured credit agreements and worked with the World Bank’s International Finance Corporation. Margaret Goggins is an associate in the Bankruptcy + Reorganizations group where her practice focuses on corporate restructuring. Before joining Robinson+Cole, Goggins served two years as a judicial clerk for the Honorable Julie A. Manning in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Connecticut. She also served as an attorney for the Internal Revenue Service’s Office of Chief Counsel as part of the IRS Honors Program. Alexander Hyder is an associate in the Insurance + Reinsurance group representing domestic and international insurers in complex coverage litigation arising from claims under commercial property and commercial general liability policies. Prior to joining Robinson+Cole, Hyder was associated with a New York-based law firm where he handled an array of complex litigation matters, including reinsurance litigation and arbitrations, surety claims and litigation, and commercial property claims and coverage litigation in both state and federal courts. Prior to entering private practice, Hyder served as a judicial clerk at the Connecticut Appellate Court for the Honorable Alexandra D. DiPentima, Chief Judge of the Appellate Court, and the Honorable Joan K. Alexander, now a Justice of the Connecticut Supreme Court. Renée Kuperman is an associate in the Bankruptcy + Reorganizations group focusing her practice on representing and advising creditors involved in bankruptcy litigation and corporate restructuring matters. Prior to joining Robinson+Cole, Kuperman served as a law clerk for the Honorable Cecelia G. Morris of the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York and the Honorable Elizabeth S. Stong of the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Eastern District of New York. In those capacities, Renée gained significant experience researching and analyzing complex substantive and procedural issues, including those presented in high-profile cases such as the Bernard L. Madoff Investment Securities SIPA litigation and the long-running Johns-Manville Chapter 11 bankruptcy. Shuqi Mao is an associate in the Capital Markets + Securities group where her practice focuses on corporate finance, corporate governance, and securities law. She advises domestic and foreign issuers, underwriters and/or investors on private and public capital markets transactions. In addition, she also counsels U.S. public companies concerning regulatory compliance, periodic reporting obligations, and other general corporate matters. Wendell Ramsey is an associate in the Real Estate + Development group focusing in the areas of commercial real estate transactions and affordable housing finance. He represents parties acquiring and disposing of real estate as well as both borrowers and lenders in multiple types of financings, including affordable housing matters. Wendell’s affordable housing finance experience includes matters involving state and federal tax credits, bond financing (particularly with the New York State Housing Finance Agency and the New York City Housing Development Corporation), and agency and private financings and refinancings. Christian Velez-Vargas is an associate on the Financial Lines team advising and representing domestic and international insurers in coverage disputes arising under a variety of insurance lines, including directors and officers liability, professional liability, and commercial general liability. Chenyi Wang is an associate in the Capital Markets + Securities group whose practice focuses on capital markets, securities law, and corporate transactions. Chenyi routinely advises domestic and international issuers, underwriters, and investors on initial public offerings, follow-on offerings, private placements, and regulatory compliance matters. In addition, she also brings extensive experience on public offerings and listings on the U.S. exchanges and the Hong Kong Stock Exchange.