Zelle LLP
Founded in 1983, Zelle employs nearly 100 attorneys in nine domestic offices and one in London.
Laura Brown//September 29, 2025//

The firm was founded in 2015 by three lawyers, two of whom are women: Jan Conlin and Katie Crosby Lehmann. Michael Ciresi was the third founder, and today they are joined by partner Kathleen Flynn Peterson
Ciresi Conlin has swelled to 22 attorneys over the last decade. It specializes in business litigation, mass tort and medical malpractice cases. The firm has been involved in high profile cases including a $7 billion tobacco settlement and a $375 million settlement in a REIT management dispute.
“It’s the curiosity and learning process that is most rewarding for me,” says Crosby Lehmann. “It’s figuring out the root of the client’s problem and finding the best way to solve that problem with respect to the law, to people, and to everyone’s rights in the future.”
The firm has a robust trusts and estates litigation practice as well. “Baby boomers are retiring, and there’s an enormous transfer of wealth. The law will need to evolve during this time. It’s both interesting and challenging to be part of it,” Ciresi said.
Founded in 1983, Zelle employs nearly 100 attorneys in nine domestic offices and one in London.
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