Buffalo, N.Y. – Phillips Lytle LLP announced that it has appointed Jillian M. Dunbar to become its new Rochester Office Leader. Ms. Dunbar, a partner with the firm, succeeds Kevin J. Mulvehill, who has led the Rochester office since 2020. Mr. Mulvehill will continue to lead Phillips Lytle’s Labor and Employment Law Team and will take on additional responsibilities following his recent appointment to the firm’s Governing Committee.
As Rochester Office Leader, Ms. Dunbar will steer the firm’s local operations and advance its enduring commitment to deliver exceptional legal services for clients across the Greater Rochester region. Additionally, she will spearhead Phillips Lytle’s regional expansion efforts through ongoing engagement with the area’s business community and the attraction and development of top local talent. Concurrently, she will advise Phillips Lytle’s Managing Partner and Governing Committee on opportunities to grow regionally by recruiting boutique law firms and specialty practices to join the firm.
“I am truly honored to step into the role of Rochester Office Leader at Phillips Lytle. The firm has a rich history of excellence, and I am excited to contribute to its growth and success,” said Ms. Dunbar. “My sincere gratitude goes to the firm’s leadership for entrusting me with this responsibility and to Kevin Mulvehill for his leadership and guidance as I get started. Phillips Lytle is determined to build on the foundation we’ve laid in Rochester through exceptional multidisciplinary service to clients, an accelerated pace of innovation and a renewed commitment to growing our outstanding regional team.”
Ms. Dunbar’s dedication to community building is evident within the City of Rochester and the firm. She’s played a key role in fostering a culture of collaboration and engagement through various initiatives, including organizing dress-down days in support of Greater Rochester YMCA programs and creating opportunities for team members to come together to support American Cancer Society’s Making Strides Against Breast Cancer walk. She also organized a recurring book club within the Rochester office dedicated to choosing books by women, people of color and other diverse authors.
In addition to her contributions within the firm, Dunbar has been instrumental in spearheading initiatives that positively impact the Greater Rochester community, such as organizing a diaper drive to support the Crisis Nursery of Greater Rochester Center for Youth program and coordinating a peanut butter and jelly “factory” to benefit the Open Door Mission.
Ms. Dunbar concentrates her practice in facilitating diverse and complex commercial lending transactions, with a specialized focus on affordable housing and community development deals, middle-market lending, and transactions involving federal and state low-income housing tax credits, historic tax credits and brownfield tax credits.
Previously recognized among the region’s “Up & Coming Attorneys” by The Daily Record and named to Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch in America®, Ms. Dunbar is an active member of the Rochester community. She serves on the board of directors at the YWCA of Rochester & Monroe County as well as the Cheers for Children Planning Committee for Bivona Child Advocacy Center.
“As we continue to chart the course for Phillips Lytle’s growth in the coming months, we are delighted to have Jillian Dunbar as the new Rochester Office Leader,” said Phillips Lytle Managing Partner Douglas W. Dimitroff. “At Phillips Lytle, we have embarked on a strategic pathway for continued growth as we shape a future defined by strategic hiring, an inclusive workforce, legal industry innovation and ongoing expansion through acquisitions of boutique firms and practice teams. Jillian’s leadership and dynamic skillset will help fuel our broader strategy in Rochester and far beyond.”
Learn more at phillipslytle.com/rochester.
Phillips Lytle LLP is a preeminent law firm that is recognized nationally for its legal excellence. With offices across New York State and in Chicago, IL; Washington, D.C.; and Canada, our attorneys serve a multinational client base, including Fortune 1000 companies, global and regional financial institutions, not-for-profit organizations, middle-market companies, startups, entrepreneurs and individuals on important matters affecting their businesses and personal wealth. For more information, visit phillipslytle.com.
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