Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton, the US-based international law firm, has elected four new partners and four new counsels, effective 1 January 2010. Also, firm has appointed Lev Dassin as partner in the New York office.

The appointment of Mr Dassin, former acting US attorney for the Southern District of New York and eight newly elected members of the team brings firm’s total worldwide partners to 199 and counsel to 50, the firm said in a statement.

Amongst newly appointed partners are New York-based Michael Albano advises on compensation and benefit matters, including plan design and securities law disclosure, benefit aspects of mergers and acquisitions, employment law and related matters, and ERISA fiduciary issues.

New York-based Victor Hou focuses on litigation, including government enforcement work, white-collar criminal defence, securities litigation and general commercial litigation. 

Matthew Salerno specialises corporate and financial transactions, particularly public and private mergers and acquisitions, private equity investments, and contests for corporate control. 

Richard Sultman advises on corporate taxation, with emphasis on mergers and acquisitions, corporate finance, capital markets and financial products. 

Amongst newly elected counsels are:

Carlo de Vito Piscicelli focuses on international acquisition, leveraged finance and restructuring matters and advises on high yield bonds and all types of loan facilities and related derivatives transactions. 

Daniel Ilan specialises on all aspects of intellectual property law with a particular emphasis on intellectual property and technology transactions. 

London-based David Toube focuses on United Kingdom and European regulatory securities law, European financial sanctions and anti-money laundering law, within both the United Kingdom and the European Union

Paris-based Roland Ziadé focuses on international litigation and arbitration. The new partners and counsels are admitted to practice in the United States, United Kingdom, Italy, France, Lebanon and Israel.

In other recent hires, earlier this year the firm elected Claudia Annacker and Meredith Kotler.