Our Team
Robin L. Barton
As Editor-in-Chief, Robin oversees all editorial content , cultivates relationships with industry experts and writes on a range of legal and compliance issues for hedge fund managers. She writes articles of various types based on research and extensive interviews of industry experts, such as law and accounting firm partners; hedge fund manager leaders, including GCs, CCOs, COOs, CFOs and others; prime broker and administrator executives; and institutional investor decision-makers.
Robin has more than 15 years of editorial and reporting experience, writing about compliance issues in a variety of industries and legal contexts. She also worked for eight years as an Assistant District Attorney in the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office.
Robin has a law degree from New York University School of Law, where she served as a teaching assistant for a legal research and writing course, and graduated summa cum laude in three years from Purdue University with a BA in political science and a minor in English.
Robin can be reached at robin.barton@iongroup.com.
Jill Abitbol
As Managing Editor, Jill leads the Law Report Group products, which include the Hedge Fund Law Report, Private Equity Law Report, Cybersecurity Law Report and Anti-Corruption Report. As Editor-in-Chief of the Cybersecurity Law Report, Jill manages editorial content, cultivates relationships with experts and writes on a range of cybersecurity and data privacy topics, with a focus on operational guidance for privacy and security leaders as well as legal and regulatory developments. She also leads webinars and speaks at privacy and security conferences.
Jill was previously an editor at Thomson Reuters and spent the majority of her legal career as a litigator at Dentons, where she gained significant experience in both state and federal courts on a wide array of matters, including intellectual property and contracts. She was also Of Counsel at The Lustigman Firm where her practice focused on advertising law, including regulatory work and litigating false advertising and unfair competition claims.
Jill graduated summa cum laude from Touro Law School, where she was a Law Review editor, and has a B.S. in public relations from The University of Florida.
For editorial questions or suggestions, you can reach Jill at jill.abitbol@iongroup.com.
Rorie A. Norton
Rorie is an Editor for the Hedge Fund Law Report who uses his legal background and experience in the private funds industry to help private fund managers mitigate their operational risks and navigate an evolving compliance landscape. He began his legal career as an associate at Ropes & Gray representing private equity funds, both on the debt financing and equity sides, in portfolio company acquisitions. Prior to joining the HFLR, Rorie was an associate attorney at Kleinberg, Kaplan, Wolff & Cohen where he advised hedge fund managers on structuring, launching, offering and administering fund vehicles.
Rorie received his bachelor’s degree with a double major in political science and international studies from the University of Richmond, and his J.D. from the Fordham University School of Law. He graduated magna cum laude from each institution.
Rorie can be reached at rorie.norton@iongroup.com.
Vincent D. Pitaro
Vincent has been a Legal Analyst for the Hedge Fund Law Report since early 2009. He covers legal and regulatory developments, compliance issues, enforcement proceedings and private litigation.
Vincent attended Georgetown University, where he majored in economics, and Harvard Law School. After law school, he gained experience in venture capital, private equity, mergers and acquisitions, secured lending and trade regulation at the firm of Reboul, MacMurray, Hewitt, Maynard & Kristol, which later merged with Ropes & Gray. He also has significant independent private practice experience, concentrating in the areas of real estate; general business counseling; estate planning; and trust and estate administration.
Vincent can be reached at vincent.pitaro@iongroup.com.
Michael Washburn
Michael is a senior reporter for the Hedge Fund Law Report. He writes about regulatory issues, rulemaking and enforcement actions, providing practical takeaways for compliance professionals to help them tailor and maintain robust, up-to-date compliance programs. Prior to joining the Law Report Group, Michael was a senior reporter at The American Lawyer and The Epoch Times; Americas editor for Euromoney’s IFLR1000; and a managing editor for a cryptocurrency news website. He is also the editor of The Torch, the quarterly publication of the International Association of Torch Clubs.
Michael studied history, literature, philosophy and languages at Grinnell College and the University of Wisconsin. His writing has appeared in the National Review; Brooklyn Rail; Book and Film Globe; the Media Globe; the Irish Echo; PopMatters; and dozens of other publications in the U.S. and abroad.
Michael can be reached at michael.washburn@iongroup.com.
Emily Zampardi
As Content Manager of the Law Report Group, Emily copy edits and proofreads all the content in the Cybersecurity Law Report, the Anti-Corruption Report, the Hedge Fund Law Report and the Private Equity Law Report.
Emily has a background in publishing and marketing, as well as experience editing a variety of legal content. Prior to joining the Law Report Group, she managed several publications for a state REALTORS® association. She has also previously worked as a marketing director and paralegal.
