With deepest sorrow, Wiley Rein & Fielding regrets to report that our partner, Karen Kincaid, was one of the 64 people aboard American Airlines Flight 77 that crashed into the Pentagon on Tuesday September 11, 2001.  As quoted in the Washington Post by R. Michael Senkowski, a partner and head of the firm’s telecommunications practice, “Karen was one of our up-and-coming stars.”  She was a “great lawyer and one of the nicest, kindest human beings you can run across – we’re all very much in grief.”

Our prayers and thoughts go out to Karen’s family as well as to the families of all who died or were injured in the tragic events that took place yesterday in Washington, DC, New York and Pennsylvania.

Karen joined the firm in 1993 and was a member of the firm’s communications practice.  Prior to joining WRF, Karen served as a Senior Attorney-Advisor for the Private Radio Bureau, at the Federal Communications Commission from 1989 to 1993.  Karen was a former law clerk to the Honorable J. Smith Hensley, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit (1987-1989) and the Honorable Leo Oxenberger, Chief Judge, Iowa Court of Appeals (1986-1987).  She received her B.A. from Central College and her J.D. from Drake University.  Karen is survived by her husband, Peter Batacan, and several siblings.

Donations in memory of Karen should be sent to the Washington Animal Rescue League, 71 Oglethorpe Street, NW, Washington, DC, 20001, Attention: Mr. Rosenfeld.  Inquiries and condolences can be directed to Richard E. Wiley at rwiley@wrf.com or Donna Corini at dcorini@wrf.com or by calling 202.719.4917.