Our Team

Jess Penkoff is Senior Counsel at Sedreddine & Whoriskey, LLP. Prior to joining SedWho, Jess spent 4 years as in-house counsel to the Center for NYC Neighborhoods, advising on a broad range of legal and programmatic compliance issues for a complex multi-entity organization with a wide breadth of homeowner-facing programs. Jess has spent her career in the public interest, working as a direct representation staff attorney for various NYC non-profits where she practiced eviction defense, estate planning, and disaster relief on behalf of clients with low income.

Jess graduated with her JD from Fordham Law in 2012, where she received Fordham’s Public Interest Award and Legal Writing Award. She has a BA in International Development Studies from UCLA, where she also made the Dean’s List. Jess is admitted to practice law in New York and California.

Rachel Dobkin is an associate at Sedreddine & Whoriskey, LLP.  In her work with SedWho, Rachel leverages her substantial and varied experience serving in a variety of capacities in the nonprofit sector.  Prior to joining the firm, Rachel worked as a Staff Attorney at Legal Aid Chicago, followed by a decade of experience working in fundraising, communications and strategy for nonprofit organizations.   She has also served as an independent consultant advising nonprofit organizations on legal issues and in-house pro bono attorney at Lawyers Alliance for New York.

Rachel graduated magna cum laude from Barnard College with departmental honors in Political Science and earned her JD from the University of Michigan Law School. Rachel is admitted to practice in New York.

Juan J. Martínez-Hill is an associate at Sedreddine & Whoriskey, LLP.  Prior to joining the firm, Juan served as an associate at Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP’s Tax-Exempt Organizations practice group in New York, where he worked on a variety of matters for public charities and private foundations, as well as tax-exempt business and civic leagues and social clubs. Juan also completed consecutive Nonprofit Law Fellowships at the Vera Institute of Justice and the Ford Foundation, where he worked closely with program, operations, and investment staff on a wide range of initiatives and special projects.

Juan graduated from Brown University with degrees in Philosophy and Political Science. He received his J.D. from New York University School of Law where he was a Root-Tilden-Kern Scholar, Mexican American Legal Defense & Education Fund Scholar, and Co-President of the Latinx Law Student Association. Juan currently serves on the Board of Directors of Centro de Los Derechos del Migrante, Inc.  Juan is admitted to practice in New York.