Former Federal Prosecutor Joins BakerHostetler’s Powerhouse Privacy and Cybersecurity Litigation Team (Los Angeles)
Raymond Aghaian has joined BakerHostetler’s Los Angeles office as a partner in the firm’s Digital Assets and Data Management Practice Group and a member of the Privacy and Digital Class Action and Litigation team. Aghaian joins BakerHostetler from an AmLaw 100 firm, where he was co-chair of its Cybersecurity, Privacy and Data Governance practice. Before private practice, he served as an assistant United States Attorney, Cyber and Intellectual Property Crimes Section, in the Central District of California. Aghaian litigates complex privacy and cybersecurity matters, defends companies and corporate executives in internal investigations and white-collar defense matters, and serves as lead trial counsel in complex civil litigation and disputes. The addition of Aghaian deepens BakerHostetler’s investigation and litigation capabilities on the West Coast. It also continues the firm’s plan for strategic growth of its entire West Coast presence, from Seattle to Orange County. As a recognized first chair trial lawyer and recipient of The Daily Journal’s California Lawyer Attorney of the Year award, he will be an immediate asset in supporting the ongoing explosive growth of the firm’s DADM Practice Group, which has been named a BTI Cybersecurity Litigation Powerhouse for four years in a row. “The laundry list of legal issues associated with the life cycle of data continues to be high on the list of concerns for the C-suite and boards. Our DADM Practice Group is a globally recognized practice and continues to see explosive growth. Ray’s arrival will further support and strengthen our capabilities. I welcome him to the group,” said Ted Kobus, chair of the DADM Practice Group. Aghaian regularly litigates complex privacy and cybersecurity matters, including defending class actions relating to geolocation data, collection and use of consumer data through Meta Pixel technology, the California Wiretap Act, California’s trap and trace laws, the Children’s Internet Protection Act, the Electronic Communications Privacy Act, and the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act. He has litigated matters connected to hacking schemes, data breach incidents and the use of consumer data. Clients also rely on him for advice on cyberattack and data breach response, future incident prevention, and compliance with cybersecurity regulations. In addition, Aghaian leads the defense of companies and executives in white-collar matters and internal investigations, including bribery, Foreign Corrupt Practices Act violations, False Claims Act issues, Lacey Act breaches, FDA regulation infractions and embezzlement. Aghaian’s focus on privacy, cybersecurity and government investigations gives him unique experience in addressing regulatory enforcement of cybersecurity- and privacy-related concerns by government regulators such as the FTC, state attorneys general and newly formed agencies enforcing privacy laws, such as the California Privacy Protection Agency. Before entering private practice, Aghaian spent seven years as a federal prosecutor with the Cyber and Intellectual Property Crimes Section of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California. He has prosecuted numerous white-collar criminal offenses, including cyber intrusions and distributed denial-of-service attacks. Aghaian rejoins his former colleague Robb Adkins, head of the firm’s San Francisco office, who himself served in several leadership roles with the U.S. Attorney’s Office. Aghaian received his J.D. from the University of California, Hastings College of the Law. “Ray has been on an incredible journey, including immigrating to the United States as a refugee and then putting himself through law school. Through those challenges, he has risen to become a much sought-after counselor and advocate for his clients,” said Eric Sagerman, Los Angeles office managing partner. “We feel tremendously lucky to have Ray join us in Los Angeles. He extends our white collar and litigation capabilities in California. His skill set adds to our firm’s premier capabilities and will pair well with the experience of Los Angeles Partner and Los Angeles and Orange County DADM Practice Group leader Jennifer Mitchell, who earlier joined us from Sony Entertainment, where she served as chief privacy counsel.”
Alston & Bird Adds Pair of Prominent IP Litigation Partners (Los Angeles)
Alston & Bird has bolstered its IP Litigation Group with the addition of partners Edward Poplawski and Olivia Kim in the firm’s Los Angeles office. With extensive intellectual property and complex patent litigation experience, Edward and Olivia have practiced together for over 20 years and bring a breadth of knowledge to the firm’s existing bench of strong IP litigators. Edward focuses his practice on patent litigation, notably district court jury trials and proceedings. He is acknowledged as one of the nation’s leading trial lawyers and has litigated and tried high-profile and bet the company cases involving patent infringement, trade secret misappropriation, trademark and copyright infringement, and antitrust violations. His clients have included Fortune 100 companies, emerging Silicon Valley companies, and multinationals. He has litigated cases involving a range of technologies, including semiconductors, medical devices, data transmission systems, mobile phone systems, and consumer electronics. As a trial lawyer, Olivia has handled matters involving various technologies from pharmaceuticals to computer hardware and software, including biotechnology, clinical testing, medical devices, biometric sensors, internet payment systems, mobile phone systems, network security, and plasma display panels. She has advised clients on all aspects of IP litigation, including claim construction briefing and hearings, inventor and expert depositions and expert reports, the drafting and negotiation of settlement agreements, and substantive and discovery motion practice. Following the recent additions of partners Erik Carlson and Theresa Conduah in Los Angeles and Century City, the arrival of Edward and Olivia deepens Alston & Bird’s West Coast IP litigation presence and the practice’s commitment to serving the IP needs of clients worldwide.
Massumi + Consoli Adds Private Equity and M&A Partner Jonathan Conigliari (Los Angeles)
Massumi + Consoli is pleased to announce that Jonathan Conigliari has joined the firm’s Private Equity and M&A practice as a partner in its Los Angeles office. Jonathan’s experience and industry knowledge will help the firm as it continues to strengthen its Chambers-ranked M&A practice and transactional capabilities. Jonathan will represent private equity firms and their portfolio companies, along with other public and private companies, on a broad range of complex transactions. His arrival will further bolster the firm’s ability to deliver an unmatched client experience to sponsors and other dynamic and acquisitive enterprises. Prior to joining Massumi + Consoli, Jonathan practiced at Simpson Thacher & Bartlett.
Peter Williams to Join Cahill’s New York Office as Partner and Co-Head of Private Credit Practice (New York)
Cahill Gordon & Reindel LLP announced today that Peter Williams will join the firm on July 15 as a partner in New York, where he will serve as Co-Head of our Private Credit practice. Peter joins from KKR Credit where he was a Managing Director on the Credit Strategies team and formerly the U.S. Head of Structuring. As the U.S. Head of Structuring at KKR, Peter focused on structuring private credit transactions and managing documentation and negotiation for KKR Credit’s Private Credit and Strategic Investment Group teams in the U.S. Prior to joining KKR, Peter was an attorney at a leading national law firm where he focused on private credit transactions. “For years, Peter has had a front row seat at one of the world’s largest private credit institutions,” said John Papachristos, Co-Head of Cahill’s Private Credit practice. “That unique commercial perspective is just one of the many reasons Cahill and our clients are incredibly fortunate to have him join our team and accept a leadership role as co-head of the practice. Welcome, Peter, we could not be more excited to have you.” “Understanding and meeting the commercial objectives of our clients is a cornerstone of Cahill’s client-centered approach,” said Adam M. Dworkin, Co-Chair of the firm’s Corporate practice. “Peter will further improve upon that strength. He has sat on every side of a transaction during his remarkable career, where his detail-oriented outlook and creative problem solving are well known and highly regarded.” “Cahill has long been the leveraged loan market leader and the first port of call for clients requiring the most sophisticated transactions in that space,” said Herb Washer, Chair of Cahill’s Executive Committee. “Private credit relies on many of the same deal structures, covenants, and terms. As these two markets continue to converge, our unique position as a market leader in leveraged finance has proven deeply valuable to our private credit clients – and vice versa. Peter’s arrival will immediately add to our ability to address our clients’ needs, no matter their transaction.” On his upcoming arrival, Peter shared, “Cahill is rightly recognized as a market leader in leveraged finance and high yield bonds, due to the firm’s longstanding market share and the quality of its work. At KKR, I have seen first-hand from the client side, the talent of their well-respected private credit practice and cannot wait to build on such a solid foundation with John and the entire team. Cahill is undoubtedly well-positioned to be the counsel of choice for any and all corporate debt transactions: leveraged finance, high yield, and now private credit. In today’s rapidly evolving market, I believe we are among the best placed in the world to help clients navigate these unpredictable waters. I’m excited to be a part of such an impressive team.” Peter received his J.D. from the Ohio State University Moritz College of Law and his B.A. in Economics from Davidson College.
Allen Matkins Adds Powerhouse Real Estate Team Dean Pappas, Jennifer Sung, and Shaunt Kodaverdian (Los Angeles)
Allen Matkins announced today that a leading real estate transactional team is joining the firm across California, further bolstering the firm's joint venture, private equity and finance capabilities. The group includes Partners Dean Pappas, Jennifer Sung, Shaunt Kodaverdian, Senior Counsel Julia Lee, and Associate Brenn Coyle. The group comprises award-winning, transactional focused lawyers whose practices encompass a broad range of real estate and corporate transactions, including joint ventures, complex equity recapitalization and corporate transactions, acquisition and disposition transactions, and financing transactions.
Alston & Bird Bolsters IP Litigation Group with addition of Partner Erik Carlson (Los Angeles)
Alston & Bird has strengthened its IP Litigation Group with the addition of partner Erik Carlson in the firm’s Los Angeles office. Erik litigates patent cases involving technology in the high tech and medical device fields. “We are thrilled to welcome Erik, whose multidisciplinary perspective—informed by his legal and engineering experience—will enhance our leading IP practice,” said Scott Stevens, co-leader of Alston & Bird’s IP Litigation Group. “Erik’s skills and experience will complement our existing team of accomplished, trial-ready attorneys who work on domestic and multinational intellectual property litigation involving emerging and complex technology.” Erik has more than 15 years of experience litigating IP disputes for rights owners and defendants in U.S. district courts, the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, and federal appellate courts. He has handled patent jury trials involving an extensive range of complex technology, including spinal surgery systems and other medical devices, natural language processing and machine learning, telecommunications, cryptography, and cloud computing. Before entering the legal profession, Erik was a systems engineer for Raytheon Space and Airborne Systems, where he led a team developing infrared targeting pods for F/A-18 Hornet fighter jets and developed computer algorithms for optical image stabilization in reconnaissance satellites. “The addition of Erik builds on our momentum and follows Theresa Conduah, who rejoined the firm as an intellectual property partner in the Los Angeles office earlier this year,” said Jeffrey Rosenfeld, partner-in-charge of Alston & Bird’s Los Angeles office. “In addition to strengthening our IP capabilities on the West Coast, Erik’s collegial and collaborative approach to client service fits nicely with our firm’s values.” “I’m excited to join my new colleagues at Alston & Bird, including the talented team in Los Angeles,” said Erik. “I look forward to working closely with them to grow the IP Litigation Group and the firm’s other offerings on the West Coast and well beyond.” Alston & Bird’s team of more than 65 intellectual property litigation lawyers assists clients as both plaintiffs and defendants in patent infringement matters. The team has litigated IP disputes in the federal and state courts of at least 45 states, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, and the International Trade Commission (ITC). These attorneys regularly partner with attorneys from the Patents Group to coordinate post-grant review proceedings before the Patent Trial & Appeal Board (PTAB).
Nixon Peabody adds OSHA attorneys to Labor & Employment practice (Los Angeles)
Nixon Peabody LLP has expanded its Labor & Employment practice with the addition of experienced Occupational Safety & Health (OSHA) attorneys Melissa Peters, who joins as partner, and Eric Compere, who joins as counsel. Melissa and Eric will co-lead Nixon Peabody’s OSHA team. Having both previously served as attorneys for the California Department of Industrial Relations’ Division of Occupational Safety and Health (Cal/OSHA), Melissa and Eric bring extensive experience in advising employers on how federal OSHA and corresponding state plan regulations apply to their workplaces and operations. Melissa joins Nixon Peabody’s San Francisco office and Eric will be based in firm’s Los Angeles office. “Melissa’s and Eric’s vast experience and understanding of how Fed/OSHA, Cal/OSHA and other state programs operate further enhances our full-service offerings and will be a strong asset for our clients,” said Tara Daub, leader of the firm’s Labor & Employment practice. “Workplace health and safety are critical and evolving areas of the law that impact our clients across all industries at federal and state levels. We’re thrilled to have them join our team, and in particular in California as we continue to build our presence across the state.” Melissa’s practice focuses on matters involving occupational safety and health across industry sectors, supporting clients in all aspects of litigation against OSHA, from citation contest to enforcement proceedings. She also provides strategic advice and compliance assistance to employers. This includes guiding clients through auditing, developing, and implementing safety programs and protocols, safety and health compliance, and representing industry stakeholders in all aspects of OSHA rulemaking at the federal level. In Melissa’s prior experience at Cal/OSHA, she represented the Division in administrative appeal hearings and third-party litigation related to occupational fatalities and accidents. Eric focuses his practice on defending clients in OSHA-related administrative proceedings and federal and state court litigation, as well as counseling and advising employers on workplace safety initiatives and policies. Eric brings his extensive experience in complex litigation to successfully litigate OSHA matters through appeal and uses his deep knowledge of workplace safety to negotiate advantageous settlements. Eric has also been active on the policy front, drafting amicus briefs on behalf of industry coalitions on topics of significant impact as well as drafting comments to regulatory federal rulemaking. Eric offers practical solutions and sees workplace safety as a way employers can develop beneficial relationships with regulators and labor. Melissa earned her JD from Fordham University School of Law and her BA from Syracuse University. Eric earned his JD from Loyola Law School and his BA from Williams College.
Fross Zelnick Adds Data Privacy Practice Add Eric Gordon to Leadership Team (Los Angeles)
Fross Zelnick Lehrman & Zissu, P.C. announces the launch of its Data Privacy Group. This new practice will offer clients much-needed counsel on a rapidly evolving area of the law. The practice is led by Fross Zelnick Partner Carole Klinger, who served as Vice President & Chief Counsel of Intellectual Property, Litigation and Privacy at Ascena Retail Group, Inc. and practiced law at both Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP and Kramer Levin Naftalis & Frankel LLP. “Carole brings years of experience managing data privacy programs,” said Tamar Niv Bessinger, partner and Executive Committee member at Fross Zelnick. “As an experienced in-house counsel with a big-firm litigation background, she understands both the stakes and the practicalities of managing day-to-day business operation with the demanding requirements of data privacy compliance.” Senior Data Privacy Counsel Eric Gordon, a new addition to the firm, fills out the team’s leadership with years of experience in the discipline. “Eric has advised clients from a wide range of industries in navigating the complex data privacy landscape,” said Bessinger. “His experience as a litigator and his comprehensive knowledge of data privacy law are essential additions to the practice.” Prior to joining Fross Zelnick, Eric served as a data privacy lawyer at Davis+Gilbert LLP. “We look forward to having our new Data Privacy Group provide practical, up-to-the-minute solutions for our clients in this complex, ever-changing area of the law,” said Bessinger. “The compliance and reputational risks posed by rapidly evolving, overlapping, and conflicting state, and international data privacy laws place unprecedented pressure on business leaders, entrepreneurs, and in-house counsel,” said James D. Weinberger, partner and Executive Committee member at Fross Zelnick. “As advertising and digital strategies become increasingly inseparable, that pressure will become more acute. Our new data privacy team will counsel clients in the legal complexities and nuances of privacy law at the cutting-edge of developing digital ecosystems.”
Greenspoon Marder Launches Environmental Practice Group Led by New Partner Christopher “Smitty” Smith (Los Angeles)
Greenspoon Marder is pleased to announce the launch of its Environmental practice group in the Los Angeles office, to be chaired by new partner Christopher “Smitty” Smith. Alongside this exciting development, we welcome senior counsel Barbara Croutch and associate Azadeh Gowharrizi who have joined as fellow members of the Environmental, Insurance Recovery and Litigation practice groups. Greenspoon Marder’s Environmental practice group handles an increasingly complex and ever-changing patchwork of federal, state, and local environmental laws and regulations. As highly experienced practitioners in environmental law, these attorneys have assisted clients with matters involving environmental litigation, Superfund, Brownfields, California’s Proposition 65, enforcement defense, regulatory and compliance counseling, and greenwashing. “We are delighted to welcome seasoned attorneys Smitty, Barbara, and Azadeh to our firm as we formally launch this Environmental practice. Their collective years of legal acumen will be an asset to our clients seeking services in matters pertaining to complex environmental litigation and regulatory proceedings,” said Michael Marder, co-managing director at Greenspoon Marder. “As part of our ongoing strategy to expand in existing markets like Los Angeles, the arrival of this dynamic trio of Environmental attorneys reflects our resolution to establish new areas and groups that complement our core legal practices,” added Gerald Greenspoon, co-managing director at Greenspoon Marder. “I am excited to join the Greenspoon Marder team and lead this newly launched practice area for the firm. Over the past 15 years, my practice has included handling some of the most complex environmental issues involving federal, state, and local agencies, and I look forward to bringing that experience to Greenspoon Marder. The firm’s entrepreneurial spirit makes this an exciting opportunity, and I am eager to leverage the firm’s national platform to expand my practice and to continue advising existing clients on issues related to environmental law,” said Mr. Smith. Mr. Smith litigates complex legal issues on behalf of clients on issues involving environmental law, insurance recovery and counseling, real estate, and product liability. With extensive experience in both prosecuting and defending claims through trial in federal and state courts, Mr. Smith specializes in resolving complicated environmental matters stemming from industrial operations, real estate development, and closed facilities impacted by contamination. He is the former Chair of the Los Angeles County Bar Association’s Environmental Section and most recently was recognized among Lawdragon’s “2024 Leaders in Environmental Law.” Ms. Croutch has over 34 years of litigation experience. She focuses her practice in the areas of class actions, commercial litigation, complex products liability and toxic torts litigation, insurance recovery disputes, environmental contamination litigation, and personal injury and wrongful death defense. She represents businesses in defense of environmental contamination claims arising from Superfund sites in California and has worked closely with major manufacturers and consumer-facing businesses to resolve claims alleging injuries due to various contamination products. Ms. Gowharrizi has over 18 years of experience in complex litigation and dispute resolution at mid-sized and Am Law 100 firms, prosecuting and defending claims in both state and federal court. In addition to her extensive civil litigation experience, she has advised clients on internal and regulatory investigations. She also has cross-border experience that includes counseling foreign corporate clients on litigation strategies and risks.
Leading Product Liability and Mass Torts Trial Lawyer Kimberly Branscome to Join Paul Weiss (Los Angeles)
Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP announced today that nationally renowned trial lawyer and litigation strategist Kimberly Branscome has joined the firm as a partner in its Litigation Department, resident in Los Angeles. Branscome focuses on complex litigation and trials involving product liability, professional liability, environmental and toxic torts, and securities matters. “Kim is widely regarded as one of the most talented and respected lawyers in product liability and mass torts,” said Paul, Weiss Chairman Brad S. Karp. “Her considerable experience and expertise will be an invaluable asset to the firm and our clients.” “Kim, a top trial lawyer, has delivered exceptional results for her clients in some of the toughest, highest-profile products matters in the country,” said Karen Dunn, co-chair of Paul, Weiss’s Litigation Department. “We’re thrilled to welcome her to the firm.” Branscome, who previously co-led the product liability and mass torts practice at another major firm, represents clients across a wide range of sectors, including the pharmaceutical, consumer products, energy and automotive industries. Among other representations, she is defense liaison and lead trial counsel for GSK in consolidated proceedings in California involving thousands of claimants who allege that an antacid medication has carcinogenic properties and serves as lead defense counsel for 3M in product liability litigation over earplugs sold to the military, which is the largest mass tort in U.S. history. Branscome also served as lead trial counsel in product liability litigation for Johnson & Johnson, securing victories in high-profile jury trials regarding allegations of asbestos contamination in their talcum powder products. She also served as trial counsel for General Motors in litigation related to its vehicles’ ignition switches, securing victories for GM in the second federal bellwether trial and first state bellwether trial. “It is an honor to join Paul, Weiss and its preeminent Litigation Department, which I have long admired,” Branscome said. “I look forward to collaborating with my new partners in helping our clients navigate their most difficult litigation challenges.” Branscome is widely recognized by leading publications and legal directories for her accomplishments and expertise in product liability and mass torts. Branscome earned a B.E., magna cum laude, in Biomedical Engineering & Chemical Engineering from Vanderbilt University, and a J.D. from Harvard Law School, where she was executive editor of Harvard Journal of Law and Public Policy. She served as a law clerk to the Honorable J. L. Edmondson of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit. The world’s leading corporations look to Paul, Weiss to defend them in their highest-stakes product liability and mass torts matters. The firm’s ability to establish a winning, long-term strategy; unique skill at breaking down and presenting complicated material; and vaunted trial prowess make Paul, Weiss the counsel of choice in many of the most important product liability lawsuits.
K&L Gates Deepens Life Sciences, Technology Transactional Experience With California Partner Additions (Los Angeles)
Global law firm K&L Gates LLP welcomes Mattias Luukkonen and Michael Gorback as partners in its Corporate practice. Luukkonen joins the firm’s Orange County office from Reed Smith LLP and Gorback arrives to the firm’s Palo Alto office from Hanson Bridgett LLP in San Francisco. Rick Giovannelli, a leader of K&L Gates’ global Corporate practice, stated: “We are excited to add Mattias and Mike to bolster our strong life sciences and technology industry teams and to continue our growth in these sectors in California.” Luukkonen represents a variety of clients in the life sciences industry on intellectual property and commercial transactions, mergers and acquisitions, venture capital financings, and general corporate matters. His practice includes structuring, drafting, and negotiating complex collaboration and license agreements, as well counseling on activities relating to pre-clinical and clinical research and development. Luukkonen also has extensive experience drafting and negotiating commercial agreements on both the supply and distribution side. In addition to private practice, Luukkonen served as general counsel for a forensic DNA technology company and was the chief legal officer at a privately held biopharma company. Before attending law school, he worked as a molecular biologist and completed post-doctoral training at a leading drug company. “Mattias has significant transactional experience with a strong private practice and in-house background,” said Michael Hedge, managing partner of K&L Gates’ Orange County office. “We are thrilled to have him expand our life sciences capabilities in Southern California and across the firm’s global platform.” Gorback has a traditional Silicon Valley startup corporate practice focused on assisting emerging technology companies across a variety of sectors, from software and medical devices to crypto and e-commerce, from formation to exit. He also represents institutional and angel investors in their early-stage investments within the technology sector. His practice encompasses corporate formation, debt and equity financing transactions, mergers and acquisitions, technology transactions, corporate governance, and securities regulation. “Mike is a proven leader and trusted adviser to his clients,” commented Matt Mangan, managing partner of K&L Gates’ Palo Alto office. “He is a highly experienced and capable emerging growth and venture capital lawyer with deep roots in the Silicon Valley startup ecosystem. We are thrilled to have Mike join our Palo Alto office to complement our strong national and global transactional and securities practices.” Luukkonen and Gorback are the latest California-based lawyers to join K&L Gates since the beginning of 2023, including intellectual property partner Ryan Keech and litigation partner Ronie Schmelz in Los Angeles, and litigation partner Michael Stortz in San Francisco. The arrivals of Luukkonen and Gorback follow several additions to K&L Gates’ global Corporate practice in the past year, including Dallas partner Virginia Peters, Singapore partner Sarah Park, Sydney partner Stuart Broadfoot, Los Angeles partner Naoki Kawada, and Hong Kong partner Paul Haswell. K&L Gates’ Corporate practice is one of the most substantial in the legal industry, with more than 500 lawyers in offices on five continents assisting clients in the structuring, financing, and completion of domestic, international, and cross-border transactions. The group serves as counsel to a broad array of Global 500, Fortune 100, FTSE 100 corporations, privately held and venture-backed companies, partnerships, private equity firms, other investment funds, management groups, and entrepreneurs, helping to earn K&L Gates the distinction of Corporate “Law Firm of the Year” in Best Lawyers’ “Best Law Firms” report two of the last three years.
Nixon Peabody expands Healthcare practice with California transactional and regulatory counsel (Los Angeles)
Nixon Peabody LLP continues to expand its Healthcare practice on the West Coast with the arrival of counsel Patrick Callaghan, who advises clients across the healthcare industry on transactions and regulatory matters. Based in Nixon Peabody’s Los Angeles office, Patrick’s clients include health systems and primary care and specialty practices, such as ophthalmology, fertility, behavioral health, and oncology, post-acute and sub-acute providers, and dental and veterinary organizations. Much of his work advising organizations on mergers and acquisitions involves private equity firms and strategic provider clients. “Patrick’s attention to providing exceptional client service and his experience advising a variety of healthcare clients—ranging from private equity firms and for-profit health systems to academic medical centers and behavioral health providers—will be a strong asset to our California healthcare clients as well as our national Healthcare practice,” said Lindsay Maleson, leader of Nixon Peabody’s Healthcare practice. “We are excited to welcome Patrick to our group and look forward to introducing him to our clients.” Patrick also focuses his practice on providing regulatory guidance to hospitals, health systems, and physician clients on matters that include compliance with the Stark Law and Anti-Kickback Statute (AKS), corporate practice of medicine compliance, licensure and accreditation, and Medicare and Medicaid enrollment. He has advised clients across the US and several international jurisdictions on complex issues, such as compliant physician compensation arrangements and self-disclosure to the Department of Justice (DOJ), the Office of the Inspector General (OIG), and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). Driven by the unprecedented transformations to healthcare organizations’ operations presented by COVID-19 and complex regulatory shifts across California, Nixon Peabody has continued to deepen and expand its dynamic group of transaction and litigation healthcare attorneys on the West Coast. The firm’s rapidly expanding Healthcare team represents clients in some of the largest investigations, litigations, and transactions across the country. Best Law Firms® recently ranked Nixon Peabody’s Healthcare practice as Tier 1 in its national rankings. Chambers USA ranked the firm’s Healthcare practice as “Elite” nationally and in California, with additional statewide recognition in Illinois and New York. “Patrick’s arrival exemplifies our sustained focus on attracting and developing top talent in growing our firm’s California presence,” said Sonia Nayak, managing partner of Nixon Peabody’s Los Angeles office. “His commitment to making a positive impact on his community aligns well with our firm’s culture, and he brings an exceptional reputation for providing personalized counsel that meets clients’ current and future needs.” Patrick earned his J.D. from Northwestern University, cum laude, and B.A. from the University of Notre Dame, cum laude.
Former Assistant US Attorney in the Central District of California Carolyn Small Boosts Jenner & Block’s Investigation, Compliance, and Defense Practice (Los Angeles)
Jenner & Block has expanded its Investigations, Compliance, and Defense Practice in Los Angeles with the addition of Carolyn Small, a former Assistant US Attorney in the Major Frauds Section of the Criminal Division in the Central District of California. Carolyn follows the arrivals of Partners Alex Romain and Jennifer Lee in Los Angeles and San Francisco, respectively. “We are delighted to welcome Carolyn to Jenner & Block’s Investigations, Compliance and Defense team,” said Co-Managing Partners Katya Jestin and Randy Mehrberg. “Our Los Angeles office is experiencing significant growth. Her addition will only bolster our strength in one of our core areas of expertise on the West Coast, allowing us to further expand our capabilities and support our clients.” During her time at the US Attorney’s Office, Carolyn served on the Corporate and Securities Fraud Strike Force and investigated and prosecuted complex financial crimes, including securities fraud, corporate embezzlement, COVID-related fraud, money laundering, and tax evasion. Carolyn was one of the lead prosecutors in the high-profile investigation into Wells Fargo’s sales-practice misconduct. The case resulted in a $3 billion deferred prosecution agreement with the company and a guilty plea by a former bank executive. “Carolyn will help expand our existing white-collar expertise on the West Coast and deepen our nationwide bench of former assistant US attorneys,” said Brandon Fox, Co-Chair of the firm’s Investigations, Compliance, and Defense Practice and Office Managing Partner of Los Angeles and Century City. “She will be a pillar and key component to the continued expansion of our Los Angeles offices. I am thrilled to be working with her once again.” Carolyn is a seasoned trial lawyer and has argued before the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals in a wide range of cases involving fraud and constitutional issues. She has also investigated government procurement and antitrust violations. Carolyn has joined the firm as a special counsel and will be based in our Downtown LA office. She previously clerked for the Honorable Sandra S. Ikuta of the US Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit.
First-chair trial lawyer handles high-stakes patent litigation at Crowell & Moring (Los Angeles)
Jon Gurka joins Crowell & Moring as a partner in the firm’s Intellectual Property Department, bringing nearly three decades of intellectual property law experience, with a focus on complex patent litigation. Gurka’s intellectual property practice spans patent, trademark, trade dress, copyright, trade secret, unfair competition, and breach of contract matters. He handles cases that involve complex technologies, including blockchain, semiconductor processing and manufacturing, computer hardware and software systems, microprocessor control systems, electro-mechanical control systems, complex digital signal processing techniques, computer numerical control machines and systems, telecommunications, medical devices and surgical procedures, and thermodynamic systems and processes. “Jon is an important strategic fit, bringing a rare combination of defensive patent litigation experience, as well as plaintiff-side patent litigation,” said Anne Li, co-chair of the firm’s Patents Practice Group. Over the past several years, Crowell has created one of the largest Intellectual Property practices in the nation, combining with Brinks, Gilson & Lione, adding Sari Depreeuw in Brussels, Jason Stiehl in Chicago, and most recently, a three-person intellectual property team led by IP litigator Paul Keller in New York. Gurka builds on a period of sustained growth at Crowell. Since 2019, the firm has added more than 60 lateral partners to its intellectual property, litigation, regulatory, and transactional departments. “Jon’s arrival is a really exciting expansion of the patent litigation team in our Southern California offices where we have a growing number of technology clients based on the West Coast,” said Deborah E. Arbabi, managing partner of Crowell & Moring’s Orange County office. Gurka has served as a first chair or second chair trial lawyer in numerous jury and bench trials. He helped score a $466 million verdict for Masimo Corporation in a jury trial against Philips Electronics North America Corp. and Philips Medizin Systeme Böblingen GmbH based on infringement of its patents covering pulse oximetry technology. Gurka led the successful defense against Philips’ counterclaims seeking $169 million for alleged infringement of its patents – the jury found no liability and awarded zero damages. “Crowell has built a premier IP practice. A transition to a full-service firm will allow me to expand my practice, fully support clients in complex cases, and further build on my experience,” Gurka said. Before joining Crowell, Gurka was a partner at Knobbe Martens Olson & Bear LLP, where he served as co-chair of its Electrical Engineering/Computer Science/Consumer Electronics Litigation Practice Group and Trade Secret/Employment Mobility Litigation Practice Group. Besides serving on many other firm-management committees, Gurka also served as the chair of recruiting for more than 10 years. Prior to law school, he was a senior information management consultant with Andersen Consulting, now Accenture, working in software application development. For his work on behalf of clients, Gurka has been recognized as a “Patent Star” in Managing Intellectual Property’s IP Star Guide, one of the “World’s Top 1000 Leading Patent Professionals” by Intellectual Asset Magazine, and a “Top 75 Intellectual Property Litigator in California” by Daily Journal. Gurka earned his law degree from the University of Illinois College of Law and his bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from the University of Connecticut.
Pasich LLP Bolsters Los Angeles Office with Addition of Partner Craig Hirsch (Los Angeles)
Pasich LLP welcomes Partner Craig Hirsch to the Westwood office in Los Angeles. Hirsch represents companies and directors and officers in corporate insurance recovery matters and coverage disputes with insurance companies. He has assisted corporate insureds in recovering hundreds of millions of dollars of proceeds for business insurance claims. Hirsch is also a seasoned litigator who has successfully brought and participated in coverage actions against liability insurance companies in various state and federal courts for breach of the duty to defend and indemnify, and “bad faith” claims handling and settlement practices and has obtained numerous multimillion-dollar judgments. “Craig is an incredibly talented and experienced litigator and advocate for insureds,” comments Managing Partner Jeffrey Schulman. “We are thrilled to welcome him. His experience and expertise will be a tremendous asset to our clients and practice.” Hirsch obtained his J.D. from Brooklyn Law School in New York. He is admitted to practice in California, New York and the United States District Court for the Central District of California and Southern and Eastern Districts of New York. Hirsch is consistently recognized by industry awards and rankings, including Best Lawyers, Legal 500 and Super Lawyers, as a top-rated insurance recovery attorney.
Civil Litigator Kevin Crisp Joins Haynes Boone (Orange County)
Haynes and Boone, LLP is pleased to welcome Litigation Partner Kevin Crisp to the firm’s Orange County office. Kevin joins from Troutman Pepper LLP, where he gained nearly a decade of experience in commercial litigation, homeowners’ association disputes, and government investigations. Before that, Kevin was an associate at Irell & Manella LLP for five years. Clients turn to Kevin for counsel on a range of commercial litigation matters, including corporate fiduciary duty, securities, mergers and acquisitions, and bankruptcy matters, as well as all manner of business torts and contract cases. A banker before he was a lawyer, Kevin especially thrives in matters involving finance and accounting issues. Kevin’s achievements include obtaining summary judgment for his clients in several matters, including on behalf of a major online marketing agency against a former executive seeking control of the company, a large financial institution against a third-party beneficiary alleging various claims for tens of millions of dollars in purported investment losses, a leading defense contractor against another contractor seeking indemnity for several millions of dollars in alleged damages, and a major car manufacturer against a former executive suing for $90 million in purported equity. Kevin also obtained important trial wins on behalf of a registered investment advisor against their former employer as well as on behalf of a major real estate marketplace against their former employees. Kevin's significant other representations include defending the former owners and managers of a large master-planned community against a $500 million case alleging breach of fiduciary duty and fraudulent transfer, defending the senior officers of a leading subprime mortgage originator against a $400 million suit alleging breach of fiduciary duty and fraudulent transfer, and defending one of the world's leading semiconductor manufacturers in connection with a $300 million acquisition. Kevin’s addition to Haynes Boone’s growing Orange County office and Southern California presence is an ideal opportunity for both sides, as he bolsters the firm’s litigation practice. "Haynes Boone is a highly respected firm with a strong litigation team,” he said. “The people here are exceptional, and I look forward to contributing to the firm’s continued success in California. With its impressive strength in banking and litigation, Haynes Boone is the perfect fit for my career goals and for my clients."
Leading E-Discovery Litigator Leeanne Mancari Joins Covington (Los Angeles)
Leeanne Mancari, a leading global e-discovery litigator, has joined Covington’s E-Discovery, AI, and Information Governance Practice as a partner, located in the firm’s Los Angeles office. Well-known for handling complex e-discovery issues in a wide range of areas, Leeanne has led the e-discovery component of numerous large and highly leveraged matters involving food and drugs, life sciences, technology, healthcare, insurance, and antitrust, in both individual matters and multidistrict litigations/coordinated proceedings. She has strong expertise in technology assisted review, AI review platforms, and other cutting edge e-discovery technologies. Leeanne provides clients with strategic advice on complex e-discovery issues, including spoliation, discovery motions, and complicated data sources. “E-Discovery and AI are vital components of complex litigation and investigations and over the 20 years since we founded our practice at Covington, the demand for this highly sophisticated practice has grown tremendously,” said Ed Rippey, chair of Covington’s E-Discovery, AI, and Information Governance Practice. “Leeanne’s ability to handle complex e-discovery issues, during active litigation and investigations as well as peacetime advisory and regulatory projects, will be of critical benefit to our clients.” John Hall, chair of Covington’s global litigation practice, added, “As a thought leader on technology assisted review, Leeanne will help us leverage the latest technology and best practices to analyze data for our clients, and to efficiently find the most relevant and persuasive evidence to support their interests.” In addition to her Chambers Global, Chambers USA, and Legal 500 rankings, Leeanne is a leader in The Sedona Conference. Sedona is a highly regarded entity whose mission is to move the law forward in a reasoned and just way through the creation and publication of nonpartisan consensus commentaries and principles and through advanced legal education for the bench and bar. Leeanne earned her J.D. from Fordham University School of Law and her B.A. from George Washington University.
DLA Piper deepens its West Coast Securities Litigation practice with the addition of Richard Zelichov (Los Angeles)
DLA Piper is pleased to announce the arrival of partner Richard Zelichov in Los Angeles, the latest in a series of additions to the firm’s burgeoning West Coast corporate and securities litigation practice. Zelichov advises clients on a wide range of commercial litigation matters, with a strong focus on the technology and life sciences industries. He has extensive experience representing public companies and their directors and officers in securities class-action and derivative litigation in both federal and state courts throughout the US. He also advises on matters before the SEC and with internal investigations. His notable experience includes defending a logistics company and its officers and directors in a securities class action and stockholder derivative cases arising out of allegations that it misstated the strength of its relationship with its most significant supplier and customer; defending a global medical supply company and its officers and directors in securities class action arising from a product recall; and defending a developer of cardiac health equipment and supplies and its officers and directors in securities class action, derivative litigation and SEC investigation arising out of allegations that company promoted its products for "off-label" use. “Few lawyers have Richard’s level of experience and technical ability in the areas of life sciences and technology, which complements our work with clients in the rapidly evolving AI, fintech, regtech, and big data markets, as well as the heavily regulated cell therapy, pharmaceuticals and biologics verticals,” said Ilana Eisenstein, chair of the US Litigation group. “Richard’s arrival comes at a time when the SEC is ramping up its enforcement efforts, leading to opportunistic stockholder class actions and derivative suits,” said Melanie Walker, co-chair of the firm’s Corporate and Securities Litigation practice. “He will no doubt be a strong resource to clients facing securities actions and regulatory scrutiny.” “Richard further expands our corporate and securities litigation strength in California,” said Angela Agrusa, managing partner of the firm’s Los Angeles offices. “His extensive experience defending corporations and individuals in high-stakes shareholder litigation will enhance our capabilities in California, which is home to some of the busiest jurisdictions in the U.S. for securities litigation filings.” Zelichov joins a strong team of corporate and securities litigation attorneys. Late last year, partners John “Jake” Loftus and Christine Ellice joined the firm in Los Angeles, bringing extensive experience in financial services litigation matters involving equities, bonds, mutual funds and countless other investment products, as well as representing underwriters in securities class actions.
Massumi + Consoli Continues Growth Momentum with Addition of M&A Partner (New York)
Massumi + Consoli, a boutique private equity-focused transactional law firm, is pleased to announce that Benjamin Howard has joined the firm’s Private Equity M&A practice as a Partner in its expanding New York office. Benjamin’s addition follows closely on the heels of Jared Bryant’s arrival in New York as the firm continues its strategic effort to bolster its transactional offering for private equity sponsors nationwide. “Massumi + Consoli has been gaining significant momentum in recent years, and the expansion of our Manhattan office is a testament to the firm’s continued growth and success,” said Anthony Consoli, Co-Founder of Massumi + Consoli. “Benjamin is a rising star, and his extensive private equity experience will further enhance the Firm’s reputation as the premier law firm for middle market PE transactions in New York City and beyond.” Benjamin will represent private equity funds and their portfolio companies, public and private companies and other strategic clients in all types of M&A transactions. “New York remains a key market for our clients, and we are committed to expanding our footprint to foster deeper relationships and provide a more locally tailored experience,” added Peter Massumi, the Firm’s other Co-Founder. “By adding talented professionals like Benjamin to our team, we continue to bolster our capabilities to provide comprehensive full-service support for middle market transactions that is not rivaled anywhere else in the marketplace.” “Massumi + Consoli has burst onto the scene and quickly established itself as one of the go-to law firms for middle-market private equity transactions,” said Benjamin. “There is a lot of great energy and excitement coming from the firm right now, and you can tell there is serious passion behind their work. I’m looking forward to working closely with the firm’s exceptional lawyers, who seem truly energized by the work that they’re doing.” Benjamin was previously at Latham & Watkins.
Former SEC Enforcement Attorney and Assistant U.S. Attorney, Joins Venable’s Investigations and White Collar Defense Practice (Los Angeles)
Venable LLP is pleased to announce that Adrienne Gurley has joined the firm as a partner in the Investigations and White Collar Defense Practice in the Los Angeles office. Warren Hamel, chair of the firm’s Investigations and White Collar Defense Practice, said, “Adrienne brings a wealth of knowledge and experience with how government agencies operate, which is crucial to our clients who are faced with investigations by the SEC, DOJ, FTC, and other federal and state agencies.” Ms. Gurley most recently served as senior counsel for a large financial institution, where she was the head of litigation for the private bank. She focused on conducting internal investigations and advising the enterprise on fraud, regulatory, ethics, compliance, Bank Secrecy Act/Anti-Money Laundering, Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), data and privacy governance, and global employee relations matters. Prior to this, she was senior counsel at the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), where she investigated and prosecuted federal securities law violations, including market manipulation, EB-5 visa program fraud, cryptocurrency, financial fraud, cybersecurity and data breach, offering fraud, Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, and insider trading. She was an assistant U.S. Attorney with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia, where she represented the United States in briefing 12 cases and presenting four appellate oral arguments in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit and District of Columbia Court of Appeals. In addition, she served as lead prosecutor in 57 criminal trials, including 15 felony jury trials, in the District of Columbia Superior Court. Earlier in her career, Ms. Gurley was an associate with an international law firm, where she represented pharmaceutical companies and technology companies in complex false labeling, unfair competition, and patent infringement cases. “We continue to grow our Los Angeles office through the strategic acquisition of new talent. Adrienne, who brings a unique and coveted set of skills, will add value to our existing client base and attract new potential clients,” said Daniel P. Hoffer, a co-chair of the Commercial Litigation California Practice Group and a co-partner-in-charge of the Los Angeles office. Commenting on her move to Venable, Ms. Gurley said, “I am excited about the opportunity to join Venable and look forward to supporting the firm’s current work in the investigations and white collar defense space, as well as expanding our reach in the LA market.” Ms. Gurley received her J.D. from Howard University School of Law, her M.A. from John Jay College of Criminal Justice, and her B.A. from Columbia University. She also earned a certificate in Securities and Financial Law from Georgetown University Law Center.
Latham & Watkins Expands Real Estate Practice (Los Angeles)
Latham & Watkins LLP is pleased to announce that Matthew Friedrich has joined the firm’s Los Angeles office as a partner in the Real Estate Practice and member of the Corporate Department. Friedrich represents private equity investors, operators, and developers on a range of complex commercial real estate transactions and financings. “Matt is a welcome addition to Latham, our Los Angeles office, and the West Coast region,” said Larry Seymour, Office Managing Partner in Los Angeles. “Matt’s knowledge of the market locally as well as his robust experience across all types of real estate transactions nationally adds valuable capabilities that will help us continue to meet growing demand in the area.” Friedrich advises on ground-up construction, programmatic and single-asset joint ventures, and acquisitions, sales, and financings across asset classes and geographies. “As we continue to expand globally and in key markets such as Los Angeles, we are thrilled to add Matt to our team to serve our local client base and our national clients on both West Coast and national transactions,” said Michelle Kelban, Global Co-Chair of Latham’s Real Estate Practice. “His experience with complex real estate transactions integrates seamlessly with Latham’s offerings and our extensive REITs Industry Group, and his presence on the West Coast further strengthens our position as a premier full-service real estate practice.” “As a former Latham associate, rejoining the firm as a partner is like coming home,” said Friedrich. “In addition to being attracted to the collegial culture, Latham’s integrated global platform spanning the spectrum of transactional practices is a great complement to my practice. I look forward to building upon the strong foundation that already exists, while serving clients on a range of complex and cutting-edge real estate deals.” Friedrich’s addition follows the announcement that Carsten Loll will join the Real Estate Practice next month, splitting his time between Latham’s Frankfurt and Munich offices, and bolstering the firm’s private equity real estate capabilities and growth in Europe. Also, earlier this year,David Freedman joined the firm’s New York office, adding depth to the firm’s capabilities in commercial real estate lending transactions and structured financing transactions. Friedrich received his JD, magna cum laude, from Loyola Marymount University and his BA from the University of California, Los Angeles. He joins Latham from Winston & Strawn in Los Angeles.
Cooley Expands Los Angeles Footprint to Downtown with Launch of 2nd L.A. Office, Lead by Newly Acquired O’Melveny Capital Markets Chair (Los Angeles)
Cooley announces a second location in the greater Los Angeles area, expanding the firm’s presence from Santa Monica to downtown LA. As the firm celebrates the 10th anniversary of its Santa Monica office, the downtown expansion is a testament to the firm’s commitment to the LA area and reflective of Cooley’s accomplishments since its 2012 launch in the region. Partner John-Paul Motley, who joined Cooley in March 2022, will serve as the new office’s partner in charge. “Our new downtown LA presence is key to our continued growth in the greater Los Angeles area,” Motley said. “Being downtown will enable us to continue to build out Cooley’s full-service capabilities in LA with prestigious legal talent, including adding to our bench of leading litigation and business lawyers. I look forward to playing a leading role in driving the firm’s growing presence in Los Angeles.” Adding to Cooley’s strengths in advising many of LA’s most disruptive companies, the expansion will provide current and future clients in the area with more of the firm’s elite litigation and corporate services, including securities litigation, white collar, restructuring, regulatory, capital markets, public company advisory, and mergers & acquisitions. “Over the last 10 years, Cooley’s Santa Monica office has been very successful in supporting many of the fastest-growing public and private companies in the region, and has grown to more than 75 attorneys since its launch in 2012,” Tom Hopkins, partner in charge of Cooley’s Santa Monica office, said. “Now was the right time to add a downtown office as we continue our growth in the LA market and look to further meet the needs of our clients that are located throughout Southern California.” Downtown LA is Cooley’s 18th location worldwide and will open in a temporary space in the Wells Fargo Center at 355 S. Grand Ave., with plans to secure a permanent space in the future.
Cooley Strengthens Public Companies Practice With Notable O’Melveny Hire (Los Angeles)
John-Paul Motley has joined Cooley as a Los Angeles-based partner in the firm’s public companies practice group. Arriving from O’Melveny & Myers, where he was chair of the firm’s capital markets practice and formerly served as a member of its policy committee and as managing partner of its Los Angeles office, Motley advises on corporate board governance, securities law compliance, and sophisticated equity and debt transactions. “JP’s experience will be instrumental in supporting the day-to-day needs of our Southern California-based clients in all stages of their life cycle,” said Chadwick Mills, who co-chairs Cooley’s public companies practice group alongside Jason Kent. “He will play a key role as we continue to guide market-leading, late-stage private companies through public offerings and beyond. We’re excited to welcome him to the team as we further strengthen our national public companies practice.” Motley advises boards of public and private companies on corporate governance matters, as well as securities law compliance and disclosure issues. He represents issuers in IPOs, follow-on and secondary offerings, and high-yield, convertible and investment-grade debt issuances. Motley’s clients span the financial services, retail, entertainment, engineering and construction, automotive, recreational vehicle, airline, and technology industries. “Cooley’s leading public companies group provides an incredible platform to scale my practice, and I’m excited to help grow and strengthen a core part of the firm’s business during a period of exceptional momentum,” Motley said. “I look forward to working with the firm’s booming client base and helping drive Cooley’s growing presence in Los Angeles.” As Cooley approaches the 10th anniversary of the founding of its initial Los Angeles office in Santa Monica, the firm plans to open a second Los Angeles office, which will be located downtown. This expansion is a testament to the firm’s commitment to Los Angeles and reflective of Cooley’s accomplishments since launching in the city in 2012. Motley will be based in the new downtown office and serve as its partner in charge. Motley’s addition to Cooley’s public companies practice follows on the heels of the arrivals of Jean Park, Brad Goldberg, Sarah Sellers, Rupa Briggs, and Nicolas Dumont, all of whom joined the firm in New York over the past year. As the #1 firm for taking companies public since 2014, Cooley counsels public companies in high-stakes, complex business and litigation matters across the globe, and advises seasoned and newly public companies of all sizes on securities and corporate matters. Cooley represents 1,500+ public companies, and serves as principal corporate governance and securities counsel for 240+ public companies in all aspects of regulatory compliance, including securities disclosures and compliance with government and stock exchange requirements. Working with the elite leaders of the new economy and an exceptionally large base of unicorns, Cooley is a trusted partner to public companies, their boards and committees. The firm leverages its market-leading experience to address each client’s legal needs efficiently and comprehensively during every stage of a business’s growth and expansion, and its preeminent public companies practice coordinates seamlessly with lawyers from its securities, M&A, compensation and litigation groups to help public companies succeed in their business endeavors. Cooley recently launched its Public Company Innovation Hub, a dynamic, cross-practice resource giving US-listed public companies the information they need to successfully navigate securities laws and increasing regulation.
SEC Regional Trial Counsel Amy Jane Longo Joins Ropes & Gray’s Litigation & Enforcement Team as Partner (Los Angeles)
Global law firm Ropes & Gray announced today that Amy Jane Longo has joined the firm’s 400-lawyer litigation & enforcement practice as a partner. Amy will be based in Ropes & Gray’s new Los Angeles office. With extensive first-chair experience prosecuting and defending large-scale litigation matters, Amy brings a deep understanding of the complex issues financial institutions and large companies face with class actions and related government and internal investigations. Amy is a veteran of the SEC’s Los Angeles Regional Office, where she most recently served as the head of the Office’s trial unit. She has extensive trial experience, and in her nearly nine years at the SEC, worked closely with Enforcement Division leadership across matters involving offering fraud, financial reporting and disclosures, accounting fraud, investment funds, cryptocurrency, insider trading, market manipulation, securities registration, auditors, broker dealers, and investment advisers/companies. Amy spent 15 years of her career at another global law firm in Los Angeles, eight of those as a partner, and also as a member of its executive committee. During her tenure, she successfully litigated a variety of commercial actions in state and federal trial and appellate courts, focusing on securities class actions, derivative suits, ERISA, and financial services litigation, among others. “Amy’s arrival is a home run for our new LA office. Asset managers, investors and companies already know Ropes & Gray as the firm of choice for complex litigation and enforcement situations,” said Julie Jones, chair, Ropes & Gray. “Amy strengthens that position.” “Amy’s versatility across critical areas of SEC enforcement, civil securities litigation and other commercial litigation will immediately strengthen our award-winning team of litigators around the world,” said managing partner David Djaha. “Her experience will also greatly contribute to Ropes & Gray’s growing asset management civil litigation practice.” “Amy is someone we know well. She is highly regarded across the country as a skilled trial lawyer and as an SEC practitioner,” said Gregg Weiner, co-chair of the firm’s litigation & enforcement practice. “Her experience handling complex commercial litigation and in serving in a senior SEC role will be invaluable to our clients as we build our litigation and enforcement team in California and across the world.” “Ropes & Gray’s robust bench of nearly 400 litigators is known for handling the most complex, high-risk matters across industries for clients from investors and funds, to healthcare, pharmaceutical and technology giants,” said Amy. “I am excited to help lead the firm’s SEC enforcement and securities litigation practice on the West Coast.” Ropes & Gray continues to strategically build its Los Angeles bench. The team includes private equity partners Howard Glazer, Brandon Howald and Bianca Levin-Soler, capital solutions and private credit partner Jennifer Harris, health care partner Torrey McClary, two health care counsel, Ranee Adipat and Leslie Thornton, and litigation & enforcement partner Rocky Tsai, in San Francisco and Los Angeles. The firm intends to further build its Los Angeles team through internal relocations and strategic lateral hires in Southern California.
Stradling Welcomes Former Gores Small Capitalization Partners General Counsel (Los Angeles)
Stradling Yocca Carlson & Rauth, a Professional Corporation, announced today the addition of Thomas A. Waldman as a shareholder in the firm’s Santa Monica office and a member of the firm’s Corporate practice group. Prior to joining Stradling, Waldman was Managing Director, Legal at The Gores Group, LLC, a Los Angeles based private equity firm. He acted as general counsel to the Gores Small Capitalization Partners fund and several of its portfolio companies. "Tom has been living and breathing private equity M&A and portfolio company work every day in the middle market and lower middle market for Gores for more than a decade. He is an inspired addition to an already solid squad of M&A and corporate professionals in the Santa Monica office and will further enhance our ability to serve the middle market and lower middle market PE community,” said Dayan Rosen, Managing Shareholder of the Santa Monica office. At Stradling, Waldman will focus primarily on private equity transactions. In over 20 years representing Gores and other private equity firms, he has advised on platform and add-on investments, portfolio company legal matters, and exit transactions. He also has experience in public-to-private buyouts, structured equity investments, distressed investments, and fund formation. “Stradling’s lawyers have impressive capabilities, and have secured excellent results for clients, in general middle market M&A and private equity,” said Waldman. “I am confident my experience at Gores, as a law firm client and part of a team investing partners’ capital, and my time as outside counsel, will be an asset to our corporate and private equity clients.” Waldman earned his J.D. from the University of California, Los Angeles, and a B.A. from Harvard University. He serves on the Board of Directors of Kelsey National Corporation.
Leading Structured Finance Lawyer Joins Akin Gump (Los Angeles)
Akin Gump announced today that Deborah Festa has joined the firm as a partner in its corporate practice, resident in Los Angeles. Ms. Festa joins the firm from Milbank, where she led that firm’s West Coast securitization and investment management practices. Ms. Festa has an international practice, with extensive experience representing institutional investment managers and global investment firms in collateralized loan obligation (CLO) issuances and other complex finance transactions. She represents issuers, collateral managers and other market participants in securitizations, warehouse financing arrangements and follow-on refinancing and “reset” transactions in the U.S. and in Europe. In addition to advising clients on those transactions, Ms. Festa also advises clients in the direct lending and portfolio finance markets, including representing investment fund sponsors in obtaining financing for direct lending platforms and in deploying that financing to corporate borrowers in specialty finance and structured finance transactions. “Deb’s practice sits at the nexus of two core strengths of our firm—investment management and private credit,” said Akin Gump chairperson Kim Koopersmith. “Her deep experience with structured finance transactions, and particularly her CLO experience, will be tremendously beneficial to our clients. I am very pleased to welcome Deb to the firm.” Added Dan Fisher, head of Akin Gump’s integrated special situations practice, “Deb’s exceptional skill set and market reputation in the CLO space, coupled with her broader experience in specialty finance offerings, will make her a wonderful asset to our clients and an excellent resource throughout the firm. Her practice complements our top-tier investment management, direct lending and financial restructuring practices. I’m thrilled to welcome her to the team.” Commenting on her move to the firm, Ms. Festa stated, “Akin Gump is an ideal fit for my practice. The firm is renowned for its private credit work, both in the United States and through its team in London, and has extensive relationships across the investment management world globally. I am excited for this opportunity to broaden the firm’s offerings and put my skills, background and experience to work on behalf of the firm’s clients.” Ms. Festa received her J.D. from the University of California, Berkeley, School of Law, and her B.A. from the University of California, Los Angeles. Ms. Festa’s appointment follows the recent announcement that partner Clare Cottle, who advises on the finance aspects of cross-border and domestic financial restructurings, special situations funding and complex direct loans, will be joining the firm’s London office.
Former Senior SEC Lawyer John Berry Joins Munger, Tolles & Olson (Los Angeles)
Munger, Tolles & Olson announced on Sept. 10, 2019 the addition of John W. Berry, a former U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission senior official, as a partner in its Los Angeles office. Mr. Berry, who served as associate regional director for the agency’s Los Angeles office, will join the firm on Sept. 16, 2019. “John is a veteran litigator with extraordinary experience overseeing government enforcement and civil litigation matters during his tenure as an associate regional director for the SEC,” firm chair and senior litigator Brad D. Brian said. “He is an accomplished attorney in both the public and private sectors, and adds significant depth to our government enforcement capabilities. On top of that, John is committed to our firm’s values of mentorship for rising attorneys at the firm and leadership in the community.” Mr. Berry will join the firm’s Securities and White Collar and Investigations litigation groups, representing Fortune 500 companies and other clients across a broad range of industries. Appointed to his most recent role at the SEC by former SEC Chair Mary Jo White, Mr. Berry was responsible for overseeing all aspects of the Los Angeles office’s enforcement investigations and litigation. This included more than 100 investigations that led to the filing of more than 40 litigated or settled cases over a two-year period, including matters involving insider trading, financial and account fraud, offering and ICO fraud, investment advisor and broker fraud, and other non-fraud violations. “It was a privilege to co-head the enforcement group in the SEC’s Los Angeles Regional Office, and I look forward to this next chapter of my career,” Mr. Berry said. “Munger, Tolles & Olson has earned a reputation for representing clients in their most high-stakes litigation and I’m honored to be joining an immensely talented group of attorneys.” Mr. Berry joined the SEC in 2011 as regional trial counsel of the agency’s enforcement division in Los Angeles, where he was responsible for managing a team of senior trial counsel and overseeing all lawsuits filed by the SEC following investigations by the office. Throughout his tenure at the SEC, he oversaw the court filings of almost 140 investigations. Prior to joining the SEC, Mr. Berry worked as a partner in the New York office of Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld, LLP, where he successfully litigated civil actions in state and federal trial and appellate courts and served as a member of the firm’s hiring and pro bono committees. During his career at the SEC and in private practice, he has argued over 40 dispositive motions and appeals in federal and state courts. Mr. Berry earned his J.D. and M.B.A. degrees together in 1998 from the University of Virginia. He earned his B.S. in mechanical engineering from Duke University, graduating cum laude in 1992.
Sheppard Mullin Strengthens Finance Practice with New Partner (Los Angeles)
Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton LLP is pleased to announce that Stacey L. Rosenberg has joined the firm’s Los Angeles office as a partner in the Finance & Bankruptcy practice group. Rosenberg was most recently a partner at Hogan Lovells. She is the 15th partner to join Sheppard Mullin in the last year. “Our finance practice is as busy as it’s ever been,” said Sheppard Mullin vice chairman Jon Newby. “Our broad capabilities across all areas of finance, including loan origination, workout and insolvency, have been of significant value to our clients during these unprecedented times. Having a seasoned finance partner like Stacey join us is great for us and great for our clients.” Commenting on the addition of Rosenberg, Brent Horstman, Finance & Bankruptcy practice group leader, said, “Stacey is an outstanding addition to our group. Her extensive debt finance work and her in-depth experience in the entertainment industry are ideal fits for us. Her practice also concentrates on alternative lenders, an area of increasing strength for our Finance & Bankruptcy group.” A highly experienced debt finance lawyer, Rosenberg represents lenders, borrowers, and equity sponsors in a broad variety of loan transactions. She advises direct lenders in the middle market in connection with term loans and second lien facilities across a wide range of industries. She also counsels clients in transactions ranging from ordinary course corporate credits to bet-the-company deals and lifeline loans. She received her B.S. from the University of California Berkeley and her J.D. from the University of California Los Angeles School of Law.
Arent Fox Adds Fashion & Retail Partner (Los Angeles)
Arent Fox is pleased to announce the expansion of its Fashion & Retail practice with the addition of Partner James Williams in Los Angeles. James is a nationally-recognized advisor in the Textile, Apparel, and Luxury Goods industry with two decades of experience as a corporate lawyer, strategic advisor, and global fashion CEO. He focuses on M&A, corporate finance, formation, and governance for consumer brands and private equity. James joins the firm from TRAUB, one of the world’s pre-eminent fashion/retail-focused management consulting firms where he served as Managing Director and was responsible for leading the US West Coast consulting practice. James has extensive experience in managing financial and strategic crises for brands ranging from startups to global household names. He routinely acts as personal strategic counsel to CEOs, fund managers, and LPs. “James is one of the country’s top business advisors in the fashion and retail space. His two decades of experience shaping executive decision-making and driving strategic directions as a corporate law partner, general counsel, and CEO will be a great asset to our clients.” – Anthony V. Lupo, Fashion & Retail Practice Leader
Gibson Dunn Adds Partner to M&A Practice (Orange County)
Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP has announced that David C. Lee will join the firm as a partner in the Orange County office. Lee, formerly with Latham & Watkins, will continue his mergers and acquisitions, capital markets and venture capital practice at Gibson Dunn. “David is a terrific addition to the firm,” said Ken Doran, Chairman and Managing Partner of Gibson Dunn. “David’s M&A, venture, capital markets and cross-border practice will strengthen our corporate practice in Southern California. His experience in the life sciences, health care, pharmaceutical, biotechnology, cleantech, digital media and energy sectors will add to our depth.” “We’re thrilled to have David join us,” said Michael Flynn, Partner in Charge of the Orange County office. “David is very well regarded in the local legal community. He also has strong relationships in the Chinese and Chinese-American business communities. His extensive experience across an array of sectors, ranging from healthcare to cleantech to energy, will make him a valuable addition to our corporate department.” “I am looking forward to beginning the next chapter of my career at Gibson Dunn,” Lee said. “I have long admired the firm and am eager to join a team of attorneys known for delivering exceptional results and service.” David C. Lee has a broad corporate practice, with a particular focus on domestic and cross-border M&A. He also has significant experience with capital markets, private equity, emerging companies, and venture capital, including debt offerings, initial public offerings and follow-on offerings, private placements, recapitalizations, take-private transactions and venture capital and private equity investments in public companies. He regularly advises companies in the healthcare, pharmaceutical, biotechnology, cleantech, digital media and energy sectors. Prior to joining the firm, he practiced with Latham & Watkins since 2004. He has also previously served as Certified Public Accountant in the audit and valuations department of Price Waterhouse and as Controller and Vice President of Finance of a subsidiary of a Fortune 500 energy company. Lee graduated magna cum laude in 2004 from Northwestern University’s Pritzker School of Law where he received the Raoul Berger Prize and was Order of the Coif. He also earned his MBA with distinction from Northwestern’s Kellogg School of Management in 2004.
Milbank Acquires Highly Regarded Intellectual Property Team of Litigators (Los Angeles)
Milbank has acquired a premier team of nationally recognized IP Litigation team from Irell & Manella. The group, led by David Gindler & Gary Frischling, includes partners Lauren Drake & John Lu. Each incoming litigator has experience representing clients from life sciences and technology. Gindler will head Milbank’s intellectual property litigation and licensing group. He became Irell & Manella’s managing partner in January, replacing Ellisen Turner, who had the job for a year. Gindler’s past clients include MTV Networks, Paramount Pictures, Aon Corporations and Columbia University. He was a principal trial attorney representing the City of Hope National Medical Center when it won $302 million in compensatory damages in a lawsuit over Genentech’s failure to pay royalties on technology that helped to create the biotechnology industry. That award was upheld on appeal. Frischling focuses on complex intellectual property disputes, including patent, copyright and trademarks. Drake has represented clients in the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries. Lu represented clients in matters involving patent infringement, biosimilars, ANDA litigation and licensing disputes.
Kirkland Ellis Hires New Partner for Real Estate Practice (Los Angeles)
Kirkland & Ellis has brought on Robert Keane Jr., a former vice chair of Paul Hastings’ real estate practice, to bolster its real estate ranks in Los Angeles. Keane, who practiced at Paul Hastings for 22 years, has made the move to Kirkland in its downtown Los Angeles office as a partner in the real estate practice group. “I had been at Paul Hastings for my entire career. It’s a great firm, and I have many close friends and colleagues there,” Keane said. “But Kirkland offered me a unique opportunity on an incredible platform for private equity real estate work. The chance to work across that platform and enhance the business even further is very appealing.” Keane said he is excited to work with his new Kirkland colleagues, including partner Kevin Ehrhart, whom he has known for many years, and Albert Stemp, who joined the firm in June from Proskauer Rose, to enhance the firm’s real estate practice. Keane concentrates his practice primarily on the representation of private equity firms, opportunity funds and other clients in complex real estate-related transactions. According to Keane, over the past two decades, the real estate industry in Los Angeles has become more global. “In 2019, a major real estate asset in Los Angeles is more likely to be owned and/or financed by a sovereign wealth fund, foreign investor or global bank than by a local investor or developer,” he said. “So, the real estate business has had to learn to compete on a global scale and the attorneys who are active in this market have had to adapt as well.” Jeffrey Hammes, chairman of Kirkland’s global management executive committee, said in a statement that Keane is a leader in the private equity real estate space. “Kirkland is committed to growing our transactional offerings on the West Coast, and Bob’s extensive experience advising on market-leading private equity real estate transactions will be invaluable to our clients in Los Angeles and beyond,” Hammes said.
Winston & Strawn Fortifies Their Real Estate Practice with New Partner (Los Angeles)
Winston & Strawn LLP has announced that Edward (Ed) Prokop has joined the firm’s Real Estate Practice as a partner in the Los Angeles office. Ed joins Winston from Sidley Austin LLP. Ed’s practice includes various types of complex real estate transactions, including financings, net lease deals, acquisitions, and dispositions. “Continued expansion on the West Coast is important to our overall practice diversification and geographic balance in the U.S.,” said Winston Chairman Tom Fitzgerald. “Ed’s addition is strategically aligned with our goals to augment our transactional capabilities and add depth to our national real estate practice.” Ed has significant experience in certain specialized areas, including large portfolio sale-leaseback transactions and residential mortgage loan platforms. “Ed is a talented attorney who practices at the intersection of real estate, finance, and private equity,” said Corey Tessler, chair of Winston’s Real Estate Practice. “His client base and practice are a natural fit for our platform.” During his 23-year career, he has represented a wide variety of clients, including real estate funds, opportunity funds, investment banks, and retail companies. “We continue to identify talent that complements our offerings in Los Angeles and nationally,” said Eva Davis, managing partner of Winston’s Los Angeles office and co-chair of the firm’s Private Equity Practice. “Ed’s focus on real estate funds and transactions will enhance our growing private equity practice and further diversify our deal flow and deal mix, which makes him a great addition to the firm.” “I am excited to begin the next chapter of my career at Winston & Strawn,” said Ed. “This is an ideal platform for my clients and I look forward to helping the firm further build out its real estate presence on the West Coast.” Ed graduated magna cum laude from Vanderbilt University and earned his J.D. from Northwestern University School of Law. He currently serves on the Board of Managers of the Stuart M. Ketchum Downtown YMCA in Los Angeles.
Cox, Castle & Nicholson LLP Welcomes Land Use Veteran (Orange County)
Cox, Castle & Nicholson LLP, a preeminent full-service law firm focused on real estate in the United States, today announced that Sean Matsler has joined the firm as its newest land use partner. Matsler brings 15 years of experience securing entitlements for myriad real estate clients to bolster the firm’s robust land use practice, a group that earned the 2018 National Tier 1 Law Firm of the Year for Land Use and Zoning Law in the 2018 U.S. News & World Report and Best Lawyers “Best Law Firms” rankings. “For 50 years, Cox Castle’s land use practice has been an invaluable resource to the Southern California – and Western United States – real estate communities, and the firm’s dynamic group has navigated nearly every kind of development project in existence,” said Mario Camara, senior partner on Cox, Castle & Nicholson’s management committee. “Sean’s extensive experience in this area will continue to strengthen the firm’s trusted counsel to clients and we look forward to having him play an integral role across the entire spectrum of land use law.” Matsler’s practice focuses on securing entitlements for residential, commercial, industrial and institutional real estate development projects. He advises clients on some of the country’s most challenging real estate regulations such as the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), California Coastal Act and local planning and zoning regulations. Recent and ongoing projects under Matsler’s strategic legal guidance include four large residential and mixed-use projects in Newport Beach; the revitalization of Dana Point Harbor; an 80-unit residential project in Yorba Linda; a 250-unit infill multifamily development in Santa Ana; a 100-unit senior housing project in North Tustin and a 3 million-square-foot industrial, retail and office complex in Eastvale. “Cox, Castle & Nicholson’s stellar reputation and specialization in real estate was an enormous draw for me when deciding to join the firm,” said Matsler. “It is a privilege to be part of such a knowledgeable team that is committed to serving their clients with excellence through all facets of real estate.” Prior to Cox, Castle & Nicholson, Matsler was a land use partner for distinguished global law firms. He was recognized with Public Counsel’s 2013 Pro Bono of the Year Award, was named a Southern California “Rising Star” by Super Lawyers the same year and earned the American Civil Liberties Union of Southern California’s 2009 Religious Liberty Award. Matsler earned his juris doctor from University of Southern California and his bachelor’s degrees in history and political science from University of California, Berkeley. An active member of industry and community organizations, Matsler serves on the boards of Urban Land Institute (ULI) Orange County/Inland Empire, Building Industry Association of Orange County and OC Marathon Foundation. A Newport Beach resident, Matsler is based in the firm’s Orange County office.
Pepper Hamilton Expands Corporate and Securities Practice Group With Lateral Additions (Orange County)
Pepper Hamilton announced today that David B. Allen and Derek D. Dundas have joined the firm as partners in the Corporate and Securities Practice Group, resident in the Orange County office. Mr. Allen, previously a partner with K&L Gates, focuses primarily on capital markets, mergers and acquisitions, and general corporate and securities matters. Mr. Dundas, formerly a partner at Rutan & Tucker, focuses his practice on traditional corporate counseling and mergers and acquisitions work in the emerging-growth business and venture capital areas. Both Allen and Dundas have counseled public and private companies in a variety of industries, and have represented issuers, private equity firms and investment banks in public and private debt and equity offerings. Allen and Dundas previously practiced together at Latham & Watkins and are enthusiastic about reuniting at Pepper Hamilton. Together, they strengthen the corporate capabilities in Pepper Hamilton’s Southern California offices, while bolstering its firmwide corporate and securities practice. “David and Derek bring tremendous transactional experience to the firm,” said Sharon Klein, the partner-in-charge of Pepper’s Orange County office. “Their history of practicing together and their understanding of the local market make them ideal additions to our team. Adding corporate capabilities to our Southern California offices is a strategic priority for the firm, and we are thrilled to welcome Derek and David.” Allen and Dundas will join the more than 90 lawyers in Pepper Hamilton’s Corporate and Securities Practice Group, which advises a broad spectrum of clients. “We are delighted to be joining a group of attorneys who value exceptional service to their clients, while finding innovative and effective solutions for today’s climate,” said Mr. Allen. Mr. Dundas added, “We are eager to contribute to the firm’s impressive national corporate and securities practice and strengthen its presence in Southern California.” Mr. Allen received a B.A. in psychology from Yale University and a J.D. from Yale Law School. Mr. Dundas received a B.A. in economics from the University of California at Los Angeles and a J.D. from Georgetown University Law Center.
King & Spalding Adds Healthcare Partner Travis Jackson (Los Angeles)
King & Spalding has recruited healthcare expert Travis Jackson as a partner in its Los Angeles office. Jackson represents clients—including health systems and hospitals—on transactional issues in the healthcare sector, including commercial, M&A, tax, executive compensation, corporate governance and financial matters. He joins the firm from Polsinelli, where he was a principal. “Travis’s experience in providing sophisticated transactional advice to healthcare clients makes him an important strategic recruit for our practice,” said Jay Harris, who co-leads King & Spalding’s Life Sciences and Healthcare Area of Focus. “His portfolio of advising hospitals and healthcare providers on identifying and implementing solutions to their transactional, non-profit tax and 340B programs further enhances our offering to clients.” Jackson graduated with a B.A., summa cum laude, from Northwestern Oklahoma State University and a J.D., summa cum laude, from the University of Notre Dame. He also serves as the vice chair for Tax and Finance of the American Health Lawyers Association. Jackson is the third lateral partner this year to join the firm’s Los Angeles office. In April, the office added business and IP litigation partners Joseph Akrotirianakis and Aaron Craig, previously partners at Atkinson, Andelson, Loya, Ruud & Romo. Also in California, in 2015, Stephen Goff, Marcia Augsburger, John Barnes and Leslie Murphy, four highly regarded lawyers in California focused on litigation and transactions in the healthcare industry, joined the firm from DLA Piper. “Los Angeles is a critical component of King & Spalding’s growth, both for California and nationwide,” said Peter A. Strotz, lead partner of the Los Angeles office. “Our clients increasingly require effective and innovative legal solutions in areas such as healthcare and IP. The recruitment of leading lawyers in Los Angeles, such as Travis and others, enables us to provide our clients with the high levels of expertise they need.”
Experienced Trial Lawyers Kent B. Goss and Valerie M. Goo Join Crowell & Moring’s Litigation Group (Los Angeles)
Crowell & Moring LLP is pleased to announce the arrival of partners Kent B. Goss and Valerie M. Goo to the firm’s Litigation Group. Goss and Goo are recognized trial lawyers who have a distinguished record in representing clients in commercial litigation and intellectual property matters, including eight- and nine-figure disputes. Their arrival expands on the litigation capabilities of Crowell & Moring’s nationally recognized group to serve clients in California and across the United States. Both lawyers join the firm from Orrick. Goss most recently served as head of Orrick’s Litigation Group in its Los Angeles office. With 30 years of experience, Goss has established a national practice that focuses on trademark, copyright, and trade secret disputes. His commercial litigation practice includes the prosecution and defense of contract, real property, and shareholder disputes; fiduciary duty claims; terminations of distributors and sales representatives; and acting as outside counsel in government investigations. Goo offers more than 20 years of experience. She has significant trial and arbitration experience in intellectual property and commercial litigation matters. Her practice includes handling trademark, trade secret, and copyright cases, as well as complex commercial litigation, unfair competition, false advertising, and class action disputes. Both lawyers have developed a strong reputation in IP litigation, including trademark infringement, copyright infringement, patent infringement, defamation, licensing, misappropriation of trade secrets, and right of publicity claims. Their arrival adds to the firm’s California litigation and trial capabilities in representing plaintiffs and defendants in the courtroom. “Kent and Valerie are highly respected trial lawyers and are a tremendous addition to the firm,” said Angela Styles, chair of Crowell & Moring. “They have successfully tried dozens of cases to verdict and their combined experience, including on soft IP matters, will further strengthen our litigation capabilities on the West Coast.” “Kent and Valerie add significant weight to our litigation bench in California,” said Jennifer Romano, co-chair of the firm’s Litigation Group. “They will strengthen the Group’s capabilities to defend companies against unfair competition claims and consumer class actions. Kent and Valerie also will counsel clients navigating the false advertising law under the Lanham Act, the California Consumer Legal Remedies Act, and the Defend Trade Secrets Act, among others.” Goss’ clients have included Fortune 100 and 500 companies, equity funds, consumer electronics companies, professional athletes, actors, entertainment companies, toy companies, clothing companies and department stores, start-up companies, technology-based companies, manufacturing concerns, and homeowners’ associations. Goss represented NFL star Tom Brady for violations of his right of publicity resulting in multiple settlements before an answer was filed. He also represented Royce Gracie, one of the most renowned fighters in Mixed Martial Arts, in a dispute between fight promoters. “We are excited to join Crowell & Moring’s Litigation Group and to be a part of the firm’s emerging presence in California,” Goss said. “The firm has exceptional lawyers and offers a great platform for our clients.” Goss received his J.D. from the University of California, Hastings College of the Law, and his B.S., cum laude, from Occidental College. Goo earned her J.D. and her B.S. from the University of California, Los Angeles. In addition to her law practice, Goo serves as Treasurer of the Association of Business Trial Lawyers for the Los Angeles Chapter. Goss and Goo have been recognized by the World Trademark Review in its 1000 Leading Trademark Professionals list since its inception in 2013. In the managed healthcare and insurance fields, Mr. Struve has litigated numerous fraud and other class actions in addition to individual unfair business practices suits, bad faith actions and rescission litigations. Mr. Struve has performed these services for Dignity Health, Kindred Healthcare, Sun Healthcare Group Inc., HealthSouth, Blue Shield of California, Tenet Healthcare Corporation, Assurant Health, Community Dental Services, The Boeing Company and others.
Hogan Lovells Enhances West Coast Finance Practice with the Addition of Stacey Rosenberg (Los Angeles)
Hogan Lovells US LLP announced today that Stacey Rosenberg will join the firm’s Finance practice as a partner in its Los Angeles office. Rosenberg has spent the past 20 years working in Los Angeles, representing lenders, borrowers and equity sponsors in a wide variety of debt finance transactions. Her debt finance practice across industry sectors spans from senior secured credit facilities, first and second lien transactions, leveraged buy-outs and recapitalizations, secured bond transactions and workouts. In the media and entertainment industry, Rosenberg represents lenders and borrowers in connection with credit facilities, slate financings, film securitizations and joint ventures, including acting as counsel for a leading global co-producer and co-financier of major Hollywood films and films released in the Greater China market. Rosenberg also counsels lenders in manufacturing, retail, health care services, technology and real estate on matters including senior secured facilities, second-lien revolving and term-loan facilities, acquisition financings, and DIP and exit financings. “Stacey’s arrival brings additional opportunities to represent lenders and borrowers in major West Coast finance transactions,” said Richard Schaberg, head of the Hogan Lovells’ U.S. Financial Institutions practice. “Stacey is a well-known practitioner and has a strong reputation in Los Angeles, and she will be able to help the firm integrate its global finance offerings with the clients on the West Coast.” “Stacey enhances our strong cross-border entertainment and our growing finance practices based in Southern California,” said Barry Dastin, Managing Partner of Hogan Lovells’ Los Angeles office. “She will augment our capabilities to provide strategic West Coast counsel to lenders, as well as borrowers, in key industry sectors and support the debt finance needs of our corporate and M&A practice group.” Before joining Hogan Lovells, Rosenberg was a finance partner in the Los Angeles office of Latham & Watkins LLP which she joined from the finance group at Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP. She earned her J.D. from UCLA School of Law and her B.S. in Business Administration (with emphasis in Finance) from the University of California, Berkeley.
Kirkland Launches West Coast Real Estate Practice with Hire of Kevin Ehrhart (Los Angeles)
Kirkland & Ellis LLP is pleased to announce that Kevin M. Ehrhart has joined the Firm’s Los Angeles office as a partner in the Real Estate Practice Group. “Kevin is a dynamic lawyer who has built an impressive national reputation representing sophisticated clients on complex real estate transactions,” said Jeffrey C. Hammes, Chairman of Kirkland’s Global Management Executive Committee. “He has the experience and drive to extend our in-demand real estate group to the West Coast and shares our enthusiasm for building the finest global real estate transactions practice.” Mr. Ehrhart represents private equity funds and investment advisors, publicly traded REITs, privately held real estate companies and international investors in all aspects of real estate related transactions. His practice focuses on capital investment directed to real estate and real estate operating companies, financings within all segments of the capital stack, joint ventures, and property and operating company acquisitions. He has been recognized by The Legal 500 U.S. and Chambers USA each year since 2006. He was recognized by the Daily Journal as one of California’s “Top 30 Real Estate Attorneys” and was honored by the Los Angeles Bar Association’s Real Estate Section as its “Young Lawyer of the Year” in 2006. In 2010, Mr. Ehrhart was recognized as one of the country’s “Top 40 Real Estate Professionals” by Real Estate Forum. Mr. Ehrhart earned a law degree from the University of Southern California, Gould School of Law and a bachelor’s degree from Georgetown University’s Walsh School of Foreign Service. “Our clients’ interests have become more global and demand for real estate transaction experience has grown. We have invested to meet that demand by adding outstanding lawyers in key jurisdictions, including London and now the West Coast,” said Kirkland real estate partner Daniel Perlman. “We are thrilled to welcome Kevin to the team and are excited about the expert counsel he can bring to our clients.” Other recent additions to the Firm’s real estate practice include debt finance lawyer Jonny Birks, who joined Kirkland’s London office last month from Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer and focuses on UK and pan-European real estate finance transactions, and former Managing Director and Funds Counsel at Macquarie Infrastructure and Real Assets (MIRA) Thomas Laverty, who joined the Firm’s London investment funds group last year. Mr. Ehrhart joins Kirkland from the Los Angeles office of Latham & Watkins LLP, where he was a partner. The members of the Real Estate Practice Group at Kirkland & Ellis pursue an interdisciplinary approach to sophisticated real estate transactions to offer clients flexible and creative solutions to difficult problems across a broad range of transactions in the commercial real estate industry. Law360 has recognized Kirkland’s group as a “Real Estate Practice Group of the Year.” About Kirkland & Ellis Kirkland & Ellis is a 1,900-attorney law firm representing global clients in real estate, private equity, M&A and other complex corporate transactions, litigation and dispute resolution/arbitration, restructuring, and intellectual property matters. The Firm has offices in Los Angeles, Beijing, Chicago, Hong Kong, Houston, London, Munich, New York, Palo Alto, San Francisco, Shanghai and Washington, D.C.
Akin Gump Adds Experienced Class Action Litigator Neal R. Marder (Los Angeles)
Akin Gump today announced that Neal R. Marder has joined the firm in Los Angeles as a partner, adding significant depth to its West Coast litigation team. Mr. Marder, whose practice focuses on class and mass actions, bet-the-company litigation, and complex business and commercial litigation, comes to Akin Gump from Winston & Strawn, where he helped launch that firm’s Los Angeles office and chaired its national consumer class actions practice. Mr. Marder has a lengthy track record of successful trial work representing corporate directors and officers as well as public and private companies in matters involving complex business disputes and consumer torts, securities fraud, white collar, Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO), intellectual property, antitrust, unfair competition and breach of fiduciary duty claims. Trying cases at both the federal and state court level, he has also conducted internal investigations for clients being investigated by the Department of Justice and the Securities and Exchange Commission. Beyond his extensive work in California with clients from San Diego to Los Angeles to the Bay Area, Mr. Marder also maintains an extensive cross-border practice representing and litigating against foreign companies, auditors and individuals in securities fraud, shareholder derivative and other litigation. “Neal not only enhances the services we offer to our clients in California and across the country, but also adds to the growing cross-border work we do on behalf of those with business dealings in Asia,” said Akin Gump chairperson Kim Koopersmith. “His experience and proven ability to deliver great results will augment our strong West Coast litigation team, and I am delighted to welcome him to Akin Gump.” Added Stephen M. Baldini, head of Akin Gump’s litigation practice: “We are tapping Neal for his extensive experience as a highly successful trial lawyer and consumer class action litigator and because we believe he will help grow and solidify our litigation practice on the West Coast. His practice adds significantly to our current strengths, and that, coupled with his excellent track record and leadership skills, will help us continue to enhance our global litigation practice.” Among Mr. Marder’s recent trial wins was a 2015 case in which he obtained a unanimous $42.5 million jury verdict, including $30 million in punitive damages, on behalf of a California-based distributor of home comfort products in a federal lawsuit against a Chinese manufacturer of air conditioners and household appliances. After a nearly three-week trial, the jury found the defendants intentionally interfered with the plaintiff’s contractual relations and prospective economic advantage. The win led the “Top Plaintiff Cases” section of Daily Journal’s “Verdicts & Settlements” report, ranked 45 on the “Top 100 Verdicts of 2015” and was listed as the top verdict in Business Law in The Recorder’s California’s “Million Dollar Verdicts.” Also last year, Mr. Marder defeated a motion for class certification in a high-profile RICO and consumer fraud action against a company engaged in the online sale of nutritional supplements, as well as several of the company’s current and former officers and directors. The plaintiffs alleged primarily that the defendant was a pyramid scheme and made false and misleading statements about its products. Mr. Marder defeated class certification, avoiding a trial with alleged potential damages exceeding $150 million, and plaintiffs ultimately agreed to stipulate to voluntarily dismiss the case, with prejudice, in its entirety. “Akin Gump’s litigation team is one of the strongest in the country, with a global platform to match, and I am very excited to be a part of it,” said Mr. Marder. “Along with its cross-border practice, which complements exceedingly well the work I do on behalf of international clients, I knew this was an opportunity not to be missed. I look forward to working with my many new colleagues across the firm and helping Akin Gump grow its West Coast litigation practice.” Mr. Marder is a frequent writer and presenter on an array of issues germane to his practice. He also serves as a board member of Bet Tzedek, a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing free, comprehensive legal services for low-income individuals and families in Los Angeles. Mr. Marder received his J.D., cum laude, from Loyola Law School, Los Angeles, where he was elected to Order of the Coif, and his B.S., cum laude, from the University of California, Los Angeles.
Real Estate Finance Partner Thomas J. Masenga Joins Sheppard Mullin (Los Angeles)
Thomas J. Masenga has joined the Los Angeles office of Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton LLP as a partner in the firm’s Real Estate, Land Use & Environmental practice group. Masenga joins from Seyfarth Shaw. Masenga has more than 35 years of experience representing pension funds and their separate account advisors, commingled funds, banks, life insurance companies, private equity funds, REITs and other institutional real estate investors and lenders. His finance and capital markets practice has included advising on portfolio, syndicated and mezzanine loan originations, restructurings and foreclosures, the acquisition and disposition of performing and non-performing loan portfolios, revolving credit facilities, and repurchase agreements for real estate mortgage loans. Masenga has been recognized as a leading lawyer in the area of real estate law by Chambers USA and Legal 500. He is recognized nationally for his expertise in structuring and closing complex real estate transactions for institutional clients and is a frequent lecturer on real estate investment and financing. “Tom is one of the best known real estate lawyers in Los Angeles. He has a successful practice representing a variety of pension funds and other real estate investment firms on financing and capital markets transactions,” said Jon W. Newby, vice chairman of Sheppard Mullin. “I am excited to join Sheppard Mullin and am impressed with the firm’s robust real estate practice, which includes construction, environmental and land use expertise. I was especially attracted to the firm’s full-service platform and significant footprint in Los Angeles and throughout the state, which are key to growing my practice further,” Masenga commented. “Tom is a top-notch real estate practitioner and an excellent addition to our formidable practice group. In particular, his skills are synergistic with our capabilities and he will further bolster our real estate industry presence in Los Angeles and beyond,” commented S. Keith Garner, co-chair of Sheppard Mullin’s Real Estate, Land Use & Environmental practice group. Mr. Masenga received a J.D., cum laude, from Loyola Law School, Los Angeles in 1977 and a B.A., magna cum laude, from University of Notre Dame in 1974.
Gibson Dunn Picks Up New Corporate Partner Terrence R. Allen (Orange County)
Gibson Dunn & Crutcher LLP has snagged a well-rounded partner who focuses on mergers and acquisitions and securities offerings to reinforce its corporate practice. Terrence R. Allen has joined the firm’s Orange County office from O’Melveny & Myers LLP. He has handled a variety of corporate transactions, including public and private mergers, stock purchases, asset sales and leveraged recapitalizations. “I am looking forward to contributing to the growth and success of Gibson Dunn’s Orange County office and to leveraging the world class resources of the firm for the benefit of clients,” Allen said. Allen’s clients include United Food Group, Memorex International and Hanson PLC. He has represented issuers and underwriters in initial public offerings and secondary equity offerings. He has also handled private placements and venture capital deals for issuers and managed purchases of equity, start-up and other private companies for investors. He also brings experience advising public companies on corporate governance and disclosure matters. “Terry has built a strong transactional practice in the Southern California market, and his addition will add depth to our corporate practice nationally,” said Ken Doran, managing partner at Gibson Dunn. Prior to joining O’Melveny & Myers, Allen practiced with Cadwalader Wickersham & Taft. He received his law degree in 1993 and bachelor’s degrees in business administration and journalism in 1989 from the University of Southern California. “His experience, particularly in the middle market sector, will complement our corporate practice locally and in California,” said Jeff Thomas, the partner heading up the Orange County office. In January, former California Assistant U.S. Attorney Douglas Fuchs joined Gibson Dunn as of counsel in its business crimes and investigations practice area Fuchs came to Gibson Dunn from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California, where he served as the deputy chief of the major frauds section. One of the biggest cases he worked on was the investigation and successful prosecution of former Homestore.com executives. Fuchs was just one of many former federal prosecutors on Gibson Dunn’s roster of securities attorneys. The firm has also welcomed Debra Wong Yang, the former Los Angeles U.S. Attorney, and Maurice Suh, another former prosecutor. Gibson Dunn’s corporate attorneys focus on advising clients on various types of corporate and commercial transactions. The firm’s corporate lawyers collaborate with lawyers in other practice areas in order to help clients complete their transactions. The firm has lawyers that specialize in the areas of tax, executive compensation and labor, antitrust, litigation, environmental law, intellectual property, real estate and bankruptcy. Gibson Dunn represents corporations and other businesses on general corporate matters, such as corporation formation and restructuring, negotiating and documenting general commercial contracts, joint venture formation, employee benefits and executive compensation, stock options, SEC and Sarbanes-Oxley matters, and advising boards of directors and special committees.
McDermott Brings on Paul Hastings Healthcare Chair James F. Owens (Los Angeles)
McDermott Will & Emery announced this week it hired James F. Owens, former chair of Paul Hastings’s healthcare practice, as a partner in Los Angeles. Owens provides transactional and regulatory advice to a variety of healthcare businesses, including health systems, community hospitals, clinics, health plans and focuses on compliance with state and federal healthcare fraud and abuse laws. “Jim is someone who we’ve known literally for decades, and someone who we’ve had the opportunity to work across from on a number of different transactions and always held him in the highest regard,” said Eric B. Gordon, partner-in-charge of McDermott’s Los Angeles office. “He’s someone who we had long hoped we could bring to our team.” McDermott’s health law practice group is made up of attorneys in Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, Miami, Munich, New York, Rome, Silicon Valley and Washington, D.C. “I’m delighted to join McDermott Will & Emery, which I consider to be in a class by itself in the area of health law,” Owens said in the firm’s Tuesday announcement. “I’m particularly excited to offer my clients access to the McDermott health platform in such key areas as fraud and abuse counseling, drug pricing/340B work, research and privacy, and white-collar defense.” Reacting to news of Owens’ departure, a representative for Paul Hastings said the firm “wish[es] him the very best for the future.” Owens received his bachelor’s degree from Emory University in 1983 and his law degree from Stetson University College of Law in 1986.
Leading Southern California Trial Lawyer Glenn Dassoff Joins Orrick (Orange County)
Orrick announced today that leading trial lawyer Glenn Dassoff has joined the firm as a partner in its Commercial Litigation Practice Group. Glenn will be resident in Orrick’s Orange County office. Glenn is one of Southern California’s most accomplished litigators. He has first-chaired more than 50 trials and has delivered high-stakes wins for blue-chip clients in the technology, financial services, real estate, construction and education sectors. Versatile in the courtroom, he has prevailed in cases involving a wide range of claims, from patent and trademark infringement to breach of contract, unfair competition and trade secrets misappropriation, and has successfully defended shareholder class actions and derivative suits. “Glenn is a phenomenal addition to our first-chair trial bench,” said LA-based Bill Molinski, who heads Orrick’s Commercial Litigation Practice Group. “We are delighted to add one of the best recognized trial lawyers in the SoCal market to our growing team.” “I have long admired Orrick’s trial culture and record, and am excited to join my new colleagues,” Glenn said. “Orrick offers a distinctive combination of litigation excellence, a global platform and a strong presence in Southern California — with trial lawyers like Marshall Grossman and IP litigators like Mark Wine.” Glenn graduated from the University of Southern California and obtained his J.D. from the University of California Berkeley School Of Law. He serves on the board of the Public Law Center, Orange County’s only pro bono law firm. Glenn joins Orrick from Paul Hastings, where he was a partner since 1992.
Executive Compensation Partner Barbara Mirza Joins Cooley (Los Angeles)
Barbara Mirza has nearly two decades of experience as an executive compensation and benefits expert. She has worked with clients ranging from startups to multinationals across multiple industries, and she has extensive experience advising both public and private companies. She has particularly deep experience in handling the compensation and benefits aspects of corporate transactions. These have ranged in size from less than $25 million to more than $7 billion and have included stock sales, asset sales, mergers, joint ventures and spin-offs. Barbara’s work on transactions has involved pre-transaction strategic analysis; due diligence; negotiation and drafting of transaction agreements; preparation of related post-deal employment, retention and equity incentive arrangements; analysis of “golden parachute” issues and calculations; presentations to boards of directors and compensation committees; preparation of employee communications and required shareholder and SEC disclosures; and assistance with post-closing arrangements. Barbara also advises senior executives and boards of directors with respect to sophisticated, multidisciplinary executive compensation and benefits issues outside the context of transactions, including strategies for the drafting of annual proxies and other public disclosures; analysis of issues relating to the policies of Institutional Shareholder Services and other proxy advisory firms; and the drafting of ongoing executive compensation arrangements, including severance agreements, employment agreements and equity and non-equity incentive plans. She has particular experience with respect to the impact of the Internal Revenue Code (including Sections 162(m), 280G and 409A) and United States securities laws on executive compensation programs and employee benefits arrangements. Barbara has written extensively in the areas of executive compensation, say-on-pay trends and compensation-related litigation preparedness. Prior to joining Cooley, she practiced for more than a decade at Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom in its New York and Los Angeles offices. She also spent several years as a senior executive compensation and benefits advisor in the Los Angeles office of Ernst & Young. She served as co-editor-in-chief of the University of Toronto Faculty of Law Review.
Kilpatrick Townsend Expands White Collar Defense and Cybersecurity Practice with Raymond Aghaian (Los Angeles)
Kilpatrick Townsend & Stockton announced today the addition of Raymond Aghaian to the firm’s Los Angeles office. Mr. Aghaian will be a Partner in the firm’s Complex Business Litigation Team. “We are delighted to welcome Ray to the firm,” Jim Gilliland, Chair of Kilpatrick Townsend’s Litigation Department, said. “His significant experience and background in white collar defense and cybersecurity bolsters our litigation practice on the West Coast — a top priority for the firm. Our clients will benefit greatly from Ray’s expertise and his addition adds depth to our already strong team.” Mr. Aghaian served as an Assistant United States Attorney with the Department of Justice in the Central District of California where he was a member of the Cyber & Intellectual Property Crimes Section. As an experienced trial lawyer, he helped lead the Department’s efforts to investigate and prosecute an array of white collar crimes including: bribery, copyright and trademark infringement, healthcare fraud, theft of trade secrets, cyber intrusions, mail, wire, and bank fraud, money laundering, tax evasion, and mortgage fraud. “Kilpatrick Townsend’s commitment to growth in California and the opportunity to expand Kilpatrick Townsend’s white-collar defense and cybersecurity practice on the west coast is the ideal platform for my practice,” says Ray Aghaian. “For many years, I have known and been impressed by many Kilpatrick Townsend attorneys, especially its litigators. This is a tremendous opportunity and I look forward to being a resource to the firm and our clients.” “Cybersecurity and white-collar defense are growing concerns for many of our clients,” said Larry McFarland, Los Angeles Office Managing Partner. “Ray’s wealth of knowledge and dynamic practice will broaden and further strengthen the team’s expertise. He is an excellent addition to the firm and the Los Angeles office.” Mr. Aghaian joins the firm from McKenna Long & Aldridge where he served as the co-leader of their cybersecurity practice. His experience in cybersecurity has been recognized in the media by The Wall Street Journal and the Washington Post. Mr. Aghaian earned his J.D. from the University of California, Hastings College of the Law. He received his B.A. from University of California, Santa Barbara. Mr. Aghaian is recognized by Southern California Super Lawyer in White Collar Criminal Defense and Legal 500 in Trade Secret Litigation. While at the Department of Justice in the Central District of California, Mr. Aghaian was nominated for the prestigious Attorney General’s Award, the highest award in the Department of Justice.
Corporate Partner Adam T. Ettinger Joins Sheppard Mullin (Century City)
Adam T. Ettinger has joined Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton LLP as a partner in the firm’s Corporate practice group, based in the firm’s Century City office. Ettinger joins from Strategic Counsel Corp. where he was managing partner. Ettinger’s practice focuses on venture financing, technology development, channel relationships, licensing, privacy, online advertising, and eCommerce. He has represented networking technology, digital currencies, social gaming, internet advertising, and mobile apps clients, including BitGo, DeviceScape, Lucrative Gaming (fgl), Magma Design, Network Solutions Inc. (NSI), Orchestria (acquired by CA), S3 (acquired by HTC), Self Aware Games (acquired by Big Fish), Social Concepts, and Undertone Networks. Ettinger has represented investors in investments as diverse as Hootsuite, Houzz, Lucrative Gaming (fgl), The Social+Capital Partnership, and SpaceX. Previous clients also included AMD and Intel. In addition to private practice, Ettinger headed the legal team at SmartAge, a start-up that raised 47 million dollars from Accel Partners, Softbank Capital, Ron Conway, Roger McNamee, Michael Dell and Vint Cerf. Before law school, while with the Center for International and Strategic Affairs (CISA), he architected and coded the first system to track nuclear proliferation using non-classified information. He also developed and integrated complex computer systems as a systems engineer with AT&T. “We are very excited to have Adam on board. His transactional practice centers on emerging growth companies, including those in the FinTech and digital currency space. Adam adds to our already considerable capabilities to service Silicon Beach-based companies and investors. He also adds depth to our tech transactions team,” said Jon W. Newby, vice chairman of Sheppard Mullin. “I am delighted to join Sheppard Mullin. The strength of the corporate and technology practices, coupled with the firm’s California footprint, provide me with a robust platform to continue to grow my practice. I was also impressed by the firm’s entrepreneurial spirit and long-standing dominance in the Los Angeles market,” Ettinger commented. “There are very few prominent firms that are dedicated to both the Silicon Valley and Los Angeles, and that represent technology companies and investors as diverse as Snapchat, Samsung Ventures and Alibaba.” Ettinger received a J.D., cum laude, from Boston University School of Law in 1994 and a B.A. from University of California, Los Angeles in 1989.
Sheppard Mullin Adds Corporate Partner Michael G. McKinnon (Orange County)
Michael G. McKinnon has joined Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton LLP as a partner in the firm’s Corporate practice group, based in the firm’s Orange County office. McKinnon joins from Greenberg Traurig. McKinnon focuses his practice on corporate and securities law, with an emphasis on mergers and acquisition and joint ventures in the health care and life sciences industries. He has assisted clients in acquiring or investing in medical device companies, home infusion providers, diagnostic imaging providers, medical groups, physician practices, surgery centers, PPO networks, diabetic supply businesses, clinical trial companies and urgent care centers. McKinnon also serves as outside general counsel for a variety of health care and life sciences companies, including medical device firms and large health systems. In addition to private practice, McKinnon has also served as in-house counsel for Apria Healthcare and InSight Health Services Corp., with primary responsibility for the companies’ acquisitions, joint ventures and securities matters. “We are very pleased to welcome Mike to our Orange County office. His corporate transactional practice mix, which includes a healthcare and life sciences industry focus, is both complementary and supplementary to our existing capabilities,” said Jon W. Newby, vice chairman of Sheppard Mullin. “I am thrilled to join Sheppard Mullin. The strength and breadth of the corporate and healthcare practices, coupled with the firm’s California presence, were very attractive to me. I was also impressed by the firm’s collegial culture and thriving Orange County office,” McKinnon commented. McKinnon received a J.D., cum laude, from Pepperdine University School of Law in 1994 and a B.S. from Cornell University in 1990.
New Locke Lord Partner John J. Harris Broadens Energy Practice; Adds Strength (Los Angeles)
John J. Harris, who has more than 30 years of extensive experience representing clients in all aspects of oil and gas, environmental and energy law – including the wide range of operational problems faced by producers doing business in California and other states – has joined Locke Lord as a Partner in the Firm’s Los Angeles office. Harris is a member of the Firm’s nationally recognized Energy Practice Group. Prior to joining Locke Lord, he was a partner at Dentons and a part of its Energy sector team. Harris has worked with producers, land and mineral owners, financial institutions and public agencies on oil and gas, energy and environmental matters. He also has significant experience representing oil and gas, industrial and local government clients in environmental litigation, transactional and regulatory matters. “John’s vast knowledge and experience in the energy sector, particularly in dealing with complex energy and environmental legal issues in California, will broaden and enhance the type of counsel we can provide our clients on a daily basis,” said Bill Swanstrom, Co-Chair of the Firmwide Energy Practice. “John is a valuable addition to our strong California-based team and, as a true oil and gas lawyer, is an asset to our team and our clients.” In California, Locke Lord lawyers serve as lead counsel for the siting of major power projects throughout the state, as well as facility development and operation. The Firm regularly represents clients before numerous California regulatory agencies, including the California Energy Commission, the California Independent System Operator and the California Air Resources Board. The Firm also represents clients before federal agencies affecting or regulating energy and environmental activities in California. Harris has frequently represented clients in day-to-day legal issues that face energy producers in California, from obtaining permits for oil and gas exploration and production operations and facilities, to resolving issues with environmental regulators. He also advises clients and interacts with legislators and regulators regarding matters affecting the energy industry in California. His most recent matters include: Successful defense of operator in action by landowners to compel the abandonment of storage tanks and environmental remediation. Obtained preliminary injunction against landowner enjoining interference with operator’s access to wells; Representation of buyers and sellers in transactions for transfer and financing of oil and gas producing properties, coal seam gas properties, pipelines, oil and gas lease negotiations, operating agreements, and production purchase and sales agreements, as well as agreements with governmental agencies; Preparation of title opinions relating to oil and gas property acquisitions and sales, and enforceability opinions for the financing of oil and gas acquisitions; and Representation of mineral owners and major oil companies in negotiations for oil and gas leases and seismic and exploration agreements. Harris earned his law degree from the University of California, Hastings College of the Law. He is a member of the State Bar of California, as well as a member of both its Environmental Law Section and its Natural Resources Subsection of Real Property Section. He is also a member of the Rocky Mountain Mineral Law Foundation.
International Arbitration Partner David Huebner, Obama’s Ambassador to New Zealand, joins Arnold & Porter (Los Angeles)
Ambassador (Ret.) David Huebner joins Arnold & Porter in Los Angeles following 25 years of arbitration and intellectual property practice. He has handled more than 120 arbitrations in the United States and three dozen jurisdictions around the world as neutral or advocate, and has particular expertise in the technology (including semiconductors, hardware, software, haptics, materials, AI, internet, and gaming), life sciences (including pharma, biotech, clinical trials, medical devices, and healthcare), telecom, and entertainment sectors, as well as in energy, infrastructure, construction, and investment disputes. Most recently, Ambassador Huebner served as the American Ambassador to New Zealand and Samoa, chairman & CEO of Coudert Brothers LLP, founding chief representative of an AmLaw 100 law firm in Shanghai, and special policy assistant to a member of the National Diet of Japan in Tokyo. In 2016, President Obama appointed him as one of the four American designees to the panel of arbitrators of the International Centre for the Settlement of Investment Disputes. He is a graduate of Princeton University (summa cum laude) and Yale Law School. Ambassador Huebner is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators, Distinguished Fellow of the Auckland University of Technology’s Faculty of Business and Law, member of the ICC Commission on Arbitration and ADR, and life member of the Council on Foreign Relations. He chaired the California Law Revision Commission as an appointee of both Governors Davis and Schwarzenegger. He has taught law and policy, intellectual property, and dispute resolution at universities in China, Germany, New Zealand, and the U.S.
Milbank Adds Tax Partner Michael Duff, with Strong Focus on Structuring Renewable Energy and Project Finance Deals (Los Angeles)
Mr. Duff, who has helped structure more than $30 billion in renewable energy transactions, strengthens Milbank’s West Coast energy and infrastructure financing platforms. Milbank, Tweed, Hadley & McCloy LLP announced a prominent new member of its leading project finance and renewable energy team with the addition of Tax partner Michael O’Hara Duff, who joins the firm’s Los Angeles office. With a practice focused on federal taxation issues, Mr. Duff advises on complex partnerships and other corporate structures used to acquire a wide array of renewable energy assets, including solar, wind, geothermal and photovoltaic energy sources. He has counseled clients on the tax aspects of more than $30 billion in renewable energy transactions, including acquisitions using leveraged lease structures and like-kind exchanges. Mr. Duff also regularly serves as tax counsel to financial institutions and other large investors in infrastructure project finance matters. He joins Milbank from the Los Angeles office of Sidley Austin, where he was a partner in their tax, energy and project finance and infrastructure practices. “Our renewable energy and project finance teams handle a steady stream of large transactions in which complex tax considerations play a central role,” said Milbank Chair Scott Edelman. “Michael Duff brings extensive experience advising on a variety of tax-related structures used in energy and infrastructure financings, acquisitions, asset sales and other deals. His strength across the renewables sector will be a benefit to our many stakeholder clients engaged in big-ticket green energy transactions.” Mr. Duff’s recent transactional matters include:
- $2.4 billion investment in partnership acquiring a portfolio of wind energy facilities;
- $1 billion purchase and lease of three geothermal facilities;
- $531 million upfront and $116 million contingent investment to purchase a portfolio of wind farms;
- $380 million acquisition of a wind farm, using $170 million of third-party debt;
- $308 million acquisition and leaseback of a solar thermal plant;
- $100 million investment in partnership to purchase a utility-scale solar plant in Puerto Rico.
- Financing transactions for portfolios of rooftop photovoltaic systems in several states.
Environmental Partner Pete Nyquist Joins Greenberg Glusker (Los Angeles)
Greenberg Glusker today announced that Pete Nyquist has joined the Firm as a partner in its Environmental Group. “Pete is one of California’s most highly regarded environmental lawyers and has expertise in a broad range of environmental issues,” said David E. Cranston, partner at Greenberg Glusker and chair of the Firm’s Environmental Group. “Pete will be a tremendous addition to our team. We are thrilled to have him.” Whether in the courtroom or the board room, Greenberg Glusker’s Environ mental Group provides cost-effective solutions to the challenges arising from environmental contamination, environmental regulation and other environmental concerns. Chambers USA 2014 ranked Greenberg Glusker once again as a Leading Law Firm in Environmental Law. Nyquist represents clients in matters involving state and federal Superfund as well as investigation, remedial or corrective action requirements at contaminated sites, including enforcement proceedings. He interfaces with federal and state regulatory agencies and has appeared in numerous administrative proceedings, appeals and subsequent writ actions. Nyquist’s broad litigation experience extends to federal and state courts, including successfully resolving numerous cost recovery, toxic tort and citizen suits. “Greenberg Glusker has built a tremendous reputation in Los Angeles and the Firm’s environmental law practice has emerged as one of the best in the State and this region,” said Nyquist. “I’m excited to join Dave and his team as we continue to serve our clients and accelerate our growth.” Nyquist earned his law degree from U.C. Davis Law School and his undergraduate degree from U.C.L.A. He is 2014-15 Chair of the Los Angeles County Bar Association’s Environmental Section. Nyquist is listed in Chambers USA and The Best Lawyers in America as among the top environmental practitioners in California, and he is “AV” rated by Martindale-Hubbell. Nyquist comes to Greenberg Glusker from Alston & Bird LLP, where he was a partner in the Los Angeles office.
Litigator David P. Schack Joins Barnes & Thornburg (Los Angeles)
Barnes & Thornburg LLP announced today that David P. Schack has joined the firm’s Litigation Department as a partner in the Los Angeles office. Previously, Schack was a partner at K&L Gates. Schack focuses his practice on two primary areas: insurance coverage litigation and counseling for policyholders and commercial litigation with an emphasis on real estate-related matters. In the insurance coverage area, he has helped business and individual policyholders resolve insurance coverage disputes throughout the U.S. through negotiation and litigation and has recovered millions of dollars on behalf of clients. These complex disputes involve many types of insurance policies, including commercial general liability, directors and officers, errors and omissions, employment practices liability, first-party property, fidelity/crime, motion picture/ television liability, professional liability, aviation, tour/event interruption and cyber risks. In addition, Schack’s commercial litigation experience includes the representation of commercial property owners, developers, commercial landlords and tenants as well as other complex business litigation. “David is a leading California insurance coverage lawyer for policyholders,” said Bill McErlean, chair of Barnes & Thornburg’s Litigation Department. “With David’s arrival, the firm continues to grow its national Policyholder Insurance Recovery and Counseling Group and enhances the firm’s commercial litigation footprint in Los Angeles and nationally. He has an impressive track record inside and outside the courtroom and will be a tremendous asset to our clients facing complex disputes.” Schack is the latest litigator to join the firm’s Los Angeles office in the past year, having also added appellate attorney Rachel Lerman in April 2014. David Allen, managing partner of Barnes & Thornburg’s Los Angeles office said, “David is a talented practitioner who brings an impressive trial and counseling skill set to our growing team in Los Angeles.” Since 2006, Schack has been selected each year for inclusion in the Southern California Super Lawyers by Los Angeles Magazine. He is a regular speaker on complex insurance issues. Schack is involved in various civic and professional organizations, including the Litigation Section and Insurance Coverage and Corporate Counsel Subsections of the American Bar Association, the Association of Business Trial Lawyers and the ProVisors Beverly Hills III. Schack has been admitted to the Bar of California, Bar of Idaho, United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, United States District Court for the Central District of California, United States District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan and United States District Court for the Northern District of California. He earned his B.A. from Stanford University and his J.D. from University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA) School of Law.
McDermott Nabs O’Melveny Real Estate Pro Lynn Anne Shapiro (Los Angeles)
McDermott Will & Emery LLP has pulled in from O’Melveny & Myers LLP a real estate transactional expert, who works closely with health and energy clients, to expand its corporate advisory practice in Los Angeles, the firm said Tuesday. Lynn Anne Shapiro joined the firm as a partner, and she will continue to center her practice on handling complex real estate deals, including in the health, energy and hospitality industries. Many of McDermott’s clients, including Asian and other international investors, are actively expanding their West Coast real estate operations, according to David Goldman, head of the firm’s international corporate advisory group. “Having another seasoned real estate lawyer on the team in Los Angeles will be enormously helpful,” he said in a statement. “Lynn’s broad-based knowledge and experience will help the firm better serve our clients’ real estate needs across multiple industries and jurisdictions.” Practicing in real estate law for nearly two decades, Shapiro has assisted Fortune 500 companies as lead counsel for acquisition, disposition, development, leasing and debt and equity transactions. In addition to working with renewable energy and health care facilities, she has handled matters involving residential and mixed-use developments, public-private partnerships and commercial, high-tech and heavy industrial assets. McDermott’s real estate group provides counsel on all aspects of the acquisition and development of real estate and collaborates with lawyers in the firm’s corporate, tax, labor and employment, intellectual property, government strategies and environmental practices.
Leading Accessibility Litigator Gregory F. Hurley Joins Sheppard Mullin (Orange County)
Gregory F. Hurley has joined Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton LLP in the firm’s Orange County office as a partner in the firm’s Business Trial practice group. Hurley joins from Greenberg Traurig, where he helped open its Orange County office. Hurley co-chaired that firm’s ADA, Accessibility, Building & Life Safety Codes practice and managed its Orange County Litigation group for the last 10 years. “Greg is one of the top attorneys in the country specializing in accessibility law and we are excited to welcome him to the firm. His extensive experience in ADA and Fair Housing Act matters bolsters our capabilities and allows us to better service client needs. We also share several clients with Greg from key industry sectors, including hospitality, retail, sports and entertainment, and real estate,” said Guy N. Halgren, chairman of Sheppard Mullin. “As a nationally recognized attorney on discrimination and access law, Greg brings an extraordinary amount of knowledge and expertise to clients who face accessibility-related issues and matters. His decades of experience, which include trying state and national class actions, are invaluable to clients whether he is counseling them or representing them in court,” commented John Yacovelle, co-chair of Sheppard Mullin’s Business Trial practice group. “I am thrilled to join Sheppard Mullin and look forward to working with my new partners in Orange County and firmwide. I was particularly attracted to the firm’s entrepreneurial spirit and the partnership’s transparency. Also impressive is Sheppard Mullin’s significant footprint as a market leader throughout California,” Hurley stated. Hurley is a member of the Attorney Settlement Officer Panel for the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California, having first been continuously appointed to the Panel every year since 2003. He holds a masters certificate from the National Institute of Trial Advocacy, and has tried many national class actions alleging discrimination and violations of the Fair Housing Act and the Americans With Disabilities Act, including advising the following clients on these claims. Hurley’s trial experience includes the following matters: representing California in the largest class action certified against the State, involving more than 10 Million claimants against 4000 miles of Caltrans pedestrian routes and 90 Park & Ride facilities; defending a class action brought by the ACLU against the entire Los Angeles Superior Court System; a national action brought by the United States Department of Justice against AMC Theaters; a national class action against 80 golf courses owned and operated by Marriott. He is currently defending statewide class actions against Starbucks, In-N-Out Burgers, Auto Club of Southern California, Ralphs Grocery Stores; Adir / La Curacao Store; Sport Chalet; Regency Theaters; and The Irvine Company. Last year, he successfully de-certified a damage class action against more than 200 Taco Bell stores. Hurley’s experience includes substantial appellate work, where, against numerous amici and the US DOJ, he argued and won landmark Ninth Circuit cases: Lonberg v. Sanborn Theaters; Oliver v Ralphs Grocery Store; and Lonberg v. City of Riverside. He authored United States Supreme Court briefs and Ninth Circuit Appellate briefs for the National Association of Theater Owners, The California and National Restaurant Associations, the California and National League of Cities, and more than 200 California cities. Hurley is the author of the Wiley Law Publications text, Defending Disabled Access Claims, a comprehensive survey of state and federal laws relating to the rights of individuals with disabilities. He sat on the committee advising the California State Legislature on revisions to California’s discrimination laws and drafting of the new SB 1186 statute. Hurley received his J.D. from University of Colorado Law School in 1986 and A.B. from University of California at Berkeley in 1981.
Pillsbury Adds Air Quality Partner Michael McDonough (Los Angeles)
Pillsbury announced that Michael McDonough has joined the firm as a partner in the Los Angeles office. McDonough comes to Pillsbury from Bingham McCutchen, where he was a partner in the firm’s environmental law practice. As an air quality lawyer, McDonough has practiced before both the South Coast Air Quality Management District and the EPA in regulatory and enforcement matters. Specifically, he represents clients in environmental compliance, transactional due diligence, internal audits and pre-enforcement reviews – primarily in the traditional areas of air quality and recently in the growing area of climate change regulation. “Mike brings significant depth to our air quality practice in California and further adds to our capabilities in Southern California where we are focused on growth,” said James Rishwain, Jr., Pillsbury’s Chair. “We expect Mike to step in immediately to help us on existing matters and continue to grow our client base in the region, particularly among the energy and chemical industries.” Mark Farley, head of Pillsbury’s Environment, Land Use & Natural Resources Practice, said McDonough comes to Pillsbury at a time of “unprecedented” regulatory scrutiny of all industries. “Mike has the experience, enthusiasm and talent we need to even better serve our clients as they confront a rapidly changing environmental and safety landscape,” Farley said. “I am excited to join Pillsbury, which has long had a marquee environment, land use and natural resources practice,” McDonough said. “I am also very impressed with the many people I have met here and look forward to working with them and others here at Pillsbury.” McDonough earned his law degree, magna cum laude, from Pepperdine University School of Law in 1997 and his undergraduate degree in Public Policy and Psychology from Stanford University in 1993. He began his legal career in 1998 and became a partner at Bingham McCutchen in 2009. McDonough is an active member of the American Bar Association and the Los Angeles County Bar Association.
Wilson Sonsini Expands Patent Litigation Practice with Edward Poplawski and Team (Los Angeles)
Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati, the premier provider of legal services to technology, life sciences, and growth enterprises worldwide, today announced that it has significantly expanded its patent litigation practice by hiring a team of IP litigators in Los Angeles and Palo Alto headed by nationally recognized trial lawyer Edward Poplawski. The five partners all join the firm from Sidley Austin; the majority will be based in the firm’s new Los Angeles office, which will open in early April. “We are very pleased and proud to welcome Ed and his fellow partners to the firm,” said Chairman Larry Sonsini. “They are attorneys of outstanding caliber and will mesh extremely well with our existing top-tier IP practice, which is a field of critical importance to our clients. In addition, we are excited about establishing an office in Los Angeles, a move that the firm has been considering for quite some time, as it will allow us to better serve local clients and offers many opportunities for growth.” “Ed and his team bring a wealth of specialized expertise and accomplishments to the firm, including a record of success in a number of high-profile, bet-the-company IP cases,” said Doug Clark, co-managing partner. “Their extensive trial experience, deep knowledge of many technology and life sciences industry sectors, and familiarity with all aspects of IP litigation and counseling make them invaluable assets for the firm and our clients.” “You cannot be in the technology industry and not be aware of WSGR’s immense presence in the field,” said Ed Poplawski. “We were highly impressed by the firm and its IP practice and are confident that it will be an exceptionally strong platform for us. We look forward to working closely with our new colleagues and further building one of the nation’s foremost patent litigation practices.” Prior to joining Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati, Poplawski was a member of Sidley’s Executive Committee and head of its West Coast IP practice, as well as a global co-chair of that firm’s IP litigation practice. A renowned first-chair trial lawyer, Poplawski received the prestigious California Lawyer Attorneys of the Year (CLAY) Award for his trial work, notably winning a $184.1 million jury award for Cornell University. He has successfully litigated a wide spectrum of technology and life sciences patent cases for marquee clients such as Atmel, Deutsche Bank, eBay/PayPal, First Data, Genentech, Hewlett-Packard, IGT, Intuit, LSI, McAfee, and Samsung. Poplawski earned his J.D. from the Villanova University School of Law in 1983, and holds a master’s degree and a bachelor of science degree in mechanical engineering from Drexel University. In addition to Poplawski, the new partners include: Vera Elson, who has substantial trial experience in federal district courts across the country and before the ITC relating to matters such as patents, trade secrets, and copyright claims. She also regularly provides strategic IP counseling for technology clients. Prior to joining Sidley, Elson was a partner at McDermott Will & Emery and, earlier, at Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati. Before practicing law, she worked as an electrical engineer at Hughes Aircraft’s Advanced Circuit Technology Labs. Elson received her J.D. from USC’s Gould School of Law in 1991, an M.S. in engineering from UCLA in 1985, and a B.S. in cybernetics from UCLA in 1982. A former partner in Sidley’s Silicon Valley office, she will be based in WSGR’s Palo Alto office. Paul Tripodi II, whose practice focuses on complex patent litigation and trade secret misappropriation spanning a broad range of technologies, including smartphones, wireless navigation, pharmaceuticals, medical devices, integrated circuits, data transmission, and video games. He has been involved in both bench and jury trials, as well as proceedings before international tribunals and the International Trade Commission. Tripodi received his J.D. from the University of California, Los Angeles, School of Law in 1992, an M.S. in chemical physics from the California Institute of Technology in 1989, and a B.S. in chemistry from Pennsylvania State University in 1987. Olivia Kim, who specializes in complex patent infringement litigation in areas such as biometric sensors, biotechnology, computer processor architecture, graphical user interfaces, Internet payment systems, mobile phones, network security, pharmaceuticals, and plasma display panels. Experienced in all stages of litigation, Kim has participated in a significant number of jury and bench trials. Before becoming an attorney, she was a researcher at UCLA’s immunology and physiology labs. Fluent in Korean, Kim received a J.D. from the University of Southern California Gould School of Law in 2003 and a B.S. in biochemistry from UCLA in 1998. Sandra Fujiyama, who focuses her practice on IP litigation for clients in industries ranging from biotechnology to electronics, with a particular emphasis on patent litigation. An experienced trial lawyer, she also has expertise in general IP counseling, prosecuting patent and trademark applications, performing trademark registerability analyses, and conducting IP due diligence. She earned her J.D. from the UCLA School of Law in 1998 and a B.S. in biochemistry from UCLA in 1995. The new Los Angeles office will be the firm’s 14th location. The city is a natural fit for the firm, with a thriving and entrepreneurial business community, a diverse range of technology and life sciences companies, an extensive network of venture capital and institutional investors, and substantial global reach.
Labor & Employment Partner Jason A. Weiss Joins Sheppard Mullin (Orange County)
Jason A. Weiss has joined Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton LLP as a partner in the firm’s Labor and Employment practice group, based in the firm’s Orange County office. Weiss joins from Allen Matkins in Orange County. “Jason is a highly-regarded employment law specialist and litigator, whose background and expertise is an excellent fit with us. We continue to grow cornerstone practice groups like Labor and Employment and expand our capabilities to better serve clients. Jason is a terrific attorney and we welcome him to the firm,” said Guy N. Halgren, chairman of Sheppard Mullin. “I am excited to join Sheppard Mullin. I am impressed with the firm’s top-notch employment practice, as well as the strength and breadth of the firm’s other practice areas. Sheppard Mullin’s successful expansion and entrepreneurial culture have also been very attractive to me,” Weiss commented. “We are extremely enthusiastic about Jason joining us in Orange County and in the practice group. He adds additional strength to our robust group. We look forward to working with him and growing the practice further,” said Greg S. Labate, co-chair of Sheppard Mullin’s Labor and Employment practice group. Weiss specializes in representing employers, from multinational corporations to start-ups, on a wide variety of employment and labor relations matters, ranging from wrongful termination and unfair competition lawsuits to preventive counseling and advice. His employment litigation experience includes handling cases at the trial and appellate levels of both state and federal courts and in arbitration. Weiss also represents management in: wage/hour matters before the U.S. Department of Labor and the California Labor Commissioner, discrimination claims filed with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and the California Department of Fair Employment and Housing, Sarbanes-Oxley Act whistleblower claims, unemployment insurance claims, and Section 132a discrimination petitions filed with the Workers’ Compensation Appeals Board. Weiss’ preventive counseling practice includes the drafting and implementation of employee handbooks, workplace policies and employment contracts. He has also guided employers through reduction-in-force programs, including compliance with state and federal laws such as the Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act (“WARN”). Weiss regularly conducts in-house training seminars and workshops for clients, and provides day-to-day counseling and advice. Weiss received his J.D. from the University of Southern California, Gould School of Law and a B.A. from the University of Vermont.
Employment Partner Catherine Conway Joins Gibson Dunn (Los Angeles)
Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP is pleased to announce that employment partner Catherine Conway has joined the firm’s Los Angeles office. Previously at Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld, Conway will continue to focus on employment law, particularly wage and hour class actions. “We are delighted to welcome Cathy to the firm,” said Ken Doran, Chairman and Managing Partner of Gibson Dunn. “With her considerable trial experience, Cathy will bring additional capacity to Gibson Dunn’s thriving employment practice, which was recognized this year as Employment Practice of the Year by The American Lawyer.” “Cathy is highly regarded in the legal community,” said Chris Dusseault, Co-Partner in Charge of the Los Angeles office. “A seasoned trial lawyer, she will enhance our ability to handle large cases, especially wage and hour class actions, nationally and in California.” “I am looking forward to working with my new colleagues,” said Conway. “Joining Gibson Dunn, which has one of the top employment practices in the country combined with the unparalleled quality and breadth of its broad litigation platform, was an opportunity that I couldn’t pass up.” Conway focuses her law practice on complex employment class actions, especially wage and hour litigation. She also has extensive experience in other employment law issues, including discrimination, sexual harassment, wrongful discharge, unfair competition, trade secrets and unfair business practice litigation. She advises employers in a broad range of industries, including retail, Internet, manufacturing, banking and financial institutions, hospitality and the oil industry. Her clients have included Starbucks, ConocoPhillips, Ernst & Young and Michaels Stores. Conway was a partner at Akin Gump since 2000, and before that she practiced with Manatt, Phelps & Phillips. She has been recognized as a leading employment lawyer by Chambers USA: America’s Leading Lawyers for Business in 2009-2011, named one of the “Top 10 Employment Defense Lawyers” in California by the Daily Journal in 2009-2011 and received a California Lawyer of the Year award from California Lawyer magazine in the employment law category in 2010. She graduated from Indiana University School of Law in 1978.
Crowell & Moring Adds Anti-Trust Partner John S. Gibson (Orange County)
The law firm of Crowell & Moring LLP has announced that John S. Gibson has joined the Antitrust Group of the firm as a partner. Gibson left Winston & Strawn LLP in Los Angeles, where he worked with three other partners in the Global Steering Committee for their Antitrust Practice. Gibson will work in the Crowell & Moring office in Orange County. Gibson was hired not long after the addition of Steven D. Allison, who is also working in the Orange County office. The new additions to the firm were part of the firm’s expansion across the country in their litigation and trial departments. “Through his many successes in trial and appellate work, John has earned a reputation within the California tech community as a ‘go-to’ lawyer for resolving complex commercial and antitrust disputes. John bolsters our litigation and appellate team nationwide. His notable experience is a tremendous asset to our clients, and in particular complements the relationships our West Coast offices have with Orange County and Silicon Valley companies,” said Daniel A. Sasse, Antitrust Group partner in a press release. Sasse is in charge of the law firm’s office in Orange County. Gibson worked for more than 20 years on civil litigation cases including class action cases, antitrust cases and unfair-competition engagement cases. He has been the lawyer for Fortune 500 companies and start-up companies in the industries of medical devices, the internet, software, manufacturing and financial services. Gibson has worked on post-trial and appellate cases. One of the cases involved him helping to eliminate 95 percent of the highest antitrust jury verdict in the country by taking over the case once the trial was complete. “Crowell & Moring has a premier antitrust practice with a deep bench, nationally and internationally, and I am excited about becoming a part of this entrepreneurial team. The firm continues to expand its practice at the intersection of intellectual property and antitrust law, the new frontier for high-technology clients. The firm offers clients a wealth of knowledge, experience, and championship teamwork. These factors, combined with the firm’s growing presence in California, create a strong platform to represent clients fiercely and intelligently in their most important legal matters,” said Gibson in the press release. Gibson also sits on the Executive Committee and Board of Directors for the Constitutional Rights Foundation. One of the biggest victories for Gibson was when he acquired a federal court order that required a school district to allow the service dog for a student with autism in the school. This was the first court order of its kind in the country. Gibson acquired his J.D. from the University of Michigan Law School. He has his A.B. from Harvard College.
Crowell & Moring Adds Prominent Commercial Litigation Partner Steven D. Allison (Orange County)
Crowell & Moring LLP is pleased to announce that Steven D. Allison has joined the firm’s Orange County office as a partner, where he will be a member of the Litigation Group. Allison is a proven litigator and trial lawyer with more than 17 years of experience in general commercial matters, as well as key substantive areas such as insurance, health care, intellectual property, and class action defense. He joins from Dorsey & Whitney LLP in Orange County, where he headed the firm’s California Trial department. Allison’s litigation experience includes representing major corporations and prominent individuals on insurance coverage, health care, class action, and intellectual property matters, as well as in complex business litigation. He has extensive experience in representing insurers in insurance coverage matters, especially those seeking coverage for mass tort and environmental claims under historic insurance coverage programs. Allison also represents health care insurers on a wide range of matters, including coverage matters, bad faith suits, and claims under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA). The move comes as part of Crowell & Moring’s ongoing and significant expansion of the firm’s litigation and trial prowess in California. In January, the firm’s San Francisco office gained intellectual property litigator Mark T. Jansen as part of a four-attorney team to bolster work for generic pharmaceutical companies, and in 2011 the same office added a seven-lawyer health care litigation team led by William A. Helvestine. Also in 2011, the firm’s Los Angeles office gained former Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Central District of California Christopher K. Lui. “Steve’s move is a key part of our plan to build one of the best trial practices in California, and he’s an incredible asset to our clients, as well as his existing clients. He has extensive first-chair litigation experience, having successfully handled numerous trials, arbitrations, and appeals. Consistent with Crowell & Moring’s tradition, he also brings remarkable firm and civic leadership experience,” said Daniel A. Sasse, Antitrust Group partner who heads the firm’s Orange County office. In addition to Allison’s insurance coverage practice, he also defends clients in class actions, with special emphasis on defending n ationwide consumer class actions asserting false advertising, unfair competition, and related claims. He also represents clients in trademark, copyright, trade secret, right of publicity, and First Amendment cases, often in the entertainment and technology areas. “I have worked across the table from Crowell & Moring attorneys for several years and seen first-hand that their client work is driven by a commitment to excellence and innovation. The firm has renowned litigation capabilities, and I look forward to being a part of that growing practice and being part of their highly respected insurance and health care teams,” said Allison. In addition to private practice, Allison is a committed civic volunteer in his community, serving on the Board of Directors of the Orange County United Way since 2006. For the past four years, he has chaired the United Way’s Community Investment Cabinet, and is a member of the United Way’s Alexis de Tocqueville Society and Bench & Bar Society. He also has served in various roles at the Public Law Center. Allison holds a J.D., magna cum laude and Order of the Coif, from Georgetown University Law Center, and a B.A., magna cum laude, from Messiah College. While at Georgetown, he was a Notes Editor on The Georgetown Law Journal.
Tax Partner Jack Gilbertson Joins Deloitte (Los Angeles)
Litigation Partner Mathew S. Rosengart Joins Greenberg Traurig (Los Angeles)
Mathew S. Rosengart is a shareholder in the Litigation Practice with a focus on commercial, media and entertainment, and white-collar defense litigation. Mathew is a former federal prosecutor, with substantial civil and criminal trial experience. A former law clerk to Justice David H. Souter on the Supreme Court of New Hampshire, he also served as a Supervisory Assistant United States Attorney and Justice Department Trial Attorney, where he prosecuted a broad array of cases ranging from violent crimes to public corruption. Mathew has served as lead counsel in more than a dozen trials and conducted numerous complex federal grand jury investigations, including several of national and international significance, such as the investigation and prosecution of a United States Cabinet Officer and a central figure in the “China-Gate” federal campaign contribution/espionage cases. He further prosecuted a public corruption case commenced at the request of former Attorney General Janet Reno, in which he conducted examinations of several high-ranking government officials, including senior members of the United States Senate, the Justice Department, and The White House. Among other honors, Mathew has been recognized as one of the nation’s top entertainment litigators by both The Hollywood Reporter (in its “Power Lawyer Report,” listing the industry’s Top-100 attorneys) and Variety (in its “Legal Impact Report,” listing the industry’s Top-50 “game changing” attorneys). Mathew has represented a number of well-known and high-profile entertainment and other clients in matters ranging from defamation to breach of contract and related matters, including several Academy-Award-nominated and winning writers, directors, and actors, as well as several noted production companies. He has, for example, obtained the complete, pre-trial dismissal of $100 million of claims against the Touring Company of a major Broadway show; favorably resolved an invasion of privacy and right of publicity lawsuit against an internationally-renowned photographer; represented a noted producer in an internal investigation; obtained the complete, pre-trial dismissal of a breach of contract case brought against an Academy-Award nominated director/producer; obtained the dismissal (in the middle of trial) of an $8 million dollar breach of contract case against an Academy Award-winning writer/director; and favorably resolved a motion picture “cutting rights” dispute on behalf of an Academy Award-winning actor/director. Additionally, Mathew has represented global financial institutions in various matters, including arbitrations before the NASD and AAA; handled complex FCA cases; conducted complex internal investigations on behalf of Fortune 500 companies; and advised and represented members of senior management in FBI and SEC investigations. He obtained the complete dismissal of a $25 million securities fraud case brought against a major global bank by a large group of investors (after a multi-week trial), served as lead counsel in trials and arbitrations on behalf of an international asset management company, and represented a prominent hedge fund manager in a case involving allegations of fraud and breach of fiduciary duty (which was dismissed).
Kelley Drye Expands to West Coast: Addition of White O’Connor Forms Foundation of New Los Angeles Office
Kelley Drye & Warren LLP, which represents U.S. and international clients across a wide spectrum of legal specialties, is expanding its national presence by merging with White O’Connor Fink & Brenner LLP, a highly respected Los Angeles litigation firm best known for its success in complex business and entertainment industry litigation. White O’Connor’s attorneys strengthen Kelley Drye’s expertise in several key practice areas, including First Amendment, antitrust, and intellectual property. The new office, which will open as “Kelley Drye / White O’Connor,” provides all Kelley Drye clients with the resources of some of the best-known trial attorneys on the West Coast. In addition, White O’Connor clients now benefit from the added geographic reach and support that Kelley Drye provides. White O’Connor lawyers have successfully defended and prosecuted cases involving entertainment, First Amendment, insurance, media-related torts, real estate, copyright, trademark, antitrust, class actions and other complicated commercial disputes. “From shared clients to a common culture to complementary legal expertise, this expansion promises to be seamless and will benefit all of our clients,” said John M. Callagy, partner and Chair of Kelley Drye. Andrew White, name partner of White O’Connor, expressed his pleasure at joining the 175-year-old firm. “Kelley Drye is extraordinarily well regarded by clients around the country, and we look forward to using our expertise in the West Coast market and our decades of experience in the entertainment community to expand Kelley Drye’s offerings.”
Litigation Star Jan Dodd Joins Norton Rose (Los Angeles)
Jan Dodd joined the Los Angeles office as a partner in February 2011. Prior to that, she was a partner with a prominent Los Angeles firm, where she spent a decade as a lawyer. Before moving to California, Jan was a partner in a firm in St. Louis, Missouri. Jan has successfully tried lawsuits throughout the country in both state and federal courts including New York, Illinois, Missouri, Kansas, Arizona and California. Her trial experience includes product liability and mass tort cases, as well as suits involving premises liability for violent crimes. In addition, Jan has successfully argued appeals in the Seventh and Eighth Circuit Courts of Appeals as well as the state appellate courts of California, Missouri and Illinois. In 1998, Jan was appointed Special State’s Attorney General of Missouri in claims against tobacco companies. Before entering private practice, Jan served as a judicial clerk to the Honorable Edward D. Robertson, Jr., former Chief Judge of the Missouri Supreme Court. Jan was recognized as one of the country’s top litigators under age 45 in American Lawyer’s January 2007 feature, “Litigation’s Rising Stars,” and is cited in Chambers USA “as a talented trial lawyer” in the area of product liability by Chambers and Partners. In 2006, Lawdragon selected Jan as one of the top 500 leading litigators in America. Lawdragon, a rating company for lawyers and judges, reported, “PPA, Rezulin, breast implants: She’s a star products liability defense lawyer.” Jan was honored in 2004 as one of California’s “Top 20 Lawyers Under 40” by LexisNexis Martindale-Hubbell. She was also recognized as one of California’s leading practitioners in the product liability defense field and is cited in the Who’sWhoLegal: California 2009 publication. In 2005, the National Law Journal selected Ms. Dodd’s trial verdict in In re PPA as one of the top 10 defense verdicts in the country. The case, concerning over-the-counter cold medicine was also selected by the California Daily Journal as one of the top 10 verdicts in California.
Vince Farhat Joins the White-Collar Defense Team at Holland & Knight (Los Angeles)
Holland & Knight is pleased to announce that Vince Farhat has joined the firm’s Los Angeles office as a partner in the firm’s White Collar Defense group. Farhat will lead the firm’s West Coast offices’ white collar practice. “We are delighted to have Vince bring his in-depth knowledge and expertise in white collar crimes to our clients on the West Coast,” said Matthew Vafidis, head of Holland & Knight’s West Coast Litigation group. “The addition of Vince further strengthens Holland & Knight’s extensive litigation capabilities on the West Coast.” For the last eight years, Farhat has been an Assistant U.S. Attorney in the Central District of California, Los Angeles; most recently as the Criminal Health Care Fraud Coordinator in that office’s Major Frauds Section. John Hogan, chair of Holland & Knight’s National Litigation Section and co-chair of the firm’s national White Collar Criminal Defense Team added, “Vince brings tremendous talent and experience to the firm’s White Collar Defense Team. We could not be more pleased that he has joined our group. He brings almost a decade worth of government experience; five of those years investigating and prosecuting white collar crimes. He is an outstanding addition to the firm and its White Collar Defense Team.” “I’m thrilled to be joining Holland & Knight’s diverse team of professionals,” said Farhat. “I’m looking forward to using my experience and expertise to create a footprint in L.A. and along the West Coast in white collar crime.” Farhat has served as an adjunct professor at Loyola Law School for more than six years in Health Care Law and Civil Procedure. From 1998 to 1999, he served as a Law Clerk to the Honorable Edward Rafeedie, U.S. District Court Judge for the Central District of California. He received his undergraduate degree from American University, a master in business administration from Pepperdine University and his J.D. from Loyola Law School (Los Angeles) in 1996.
IP Litigation Partner Andrea Weiss Jeffries Joins WilmerHale (Los Angeles)
WilmerHale is pleased to announce that Andrea Weiss Jeffries has joined its Los Angeles office as a partner in the Intellectual Property Litigation Group. Ms. Jeffries—named in 2010 as one of the “100 Top Women Litigators” in California by the Daily Journal—brings deep experience handling complex patent litigation matters and adds to the growth and momentum of the firm’s LA office. Ms. Jeffries was most recently a partner at Munger, Tolles & Olson LLP in LA, where she helped create and lead the firm’s Patent Litigation Practice Group. She joined Munger, Tolles in 1995 and became a partner in 2002. Ms. Jeffries has represented clients in a range of cases involving diverse technologies, including computer memory, multi-threaded software, database technology, pharmaceutical formulations, medical devices and wireless communications. Ms. Jeffries has litigated patent cases in various jurisdictions across the country and has tried to verdict two significant patent infringement cases—one in the Northern District of California and one in the District of Delaware. She also has extensive experience representing clients in Markman hearings and numerous other pre- and post-trial proceedings. “We are delighted to have Andrea join our IP litigation practice,” said William F. Lee, co-managing partner of WilmerHale. “Her patent litigation experience in a range of industries, combined with her particular expertise in the life sciences industry, strengthens the litigation and trial capabilities we offer our clients in Southern California and beyond.” “Andrea’s outstanding reputation in the legal community and her entrepreneurial drive will be of tremendous value as we continue to build our Los Angeles office,” added Randall R. Lee, partner-in-charge of WilmerHale’s LA office. WilmerHale’s IP Litigation Group includes leading patent, copyright and trademark litigation teams backed by the academic and industry experience of more than 160 lawyers and technology specialists with scientific or technical degrees. It has been recognized as one of the best IP litigation practices in the nation, named by The American Lawyer as the “Intellectual Property Litigation Group of the Year” in 2008, and, most recently, by Law360 as a 2010 “IP Group of the Year.” WilmerHale’s LA office consists of 18 lawyers, including six partners, who focus on several practice areas that are core strengths of the firm—intellectual property litigation; SEC enforcement defense; government investigations and white-collar defense; antitrust litigation; and other complex litigation and trial matters. “WilmerHale’s reputation as a top-tier firm in IP litigation and its commitment to the growth of that practice in California made this a tremendous opportunity,” said Jeffries. “I’m excited to join the WilmerHale team and to have the opportunity to contribute to the growth and success of the firm’s Los Angeles office.” Ms. Jeffries received her BA in chemistry, magna cum laude, from Duke University, and her JD from Stanford Law School, where she was a member of the Stanford Law Review and co-chairperson of Women of Stanford Law. Following law school, she served as a law clerk to the Honorable Harry L. Hupp of the United States District Court for the Central District of California. Ms. Jeffries is a member of the Los Angeles County and Federal Circuit Bar Associations.
Litigation Partners Robert E. Gooding, Jr. and Scott B. Garner Join Morgan Lewis (Orange County)
Morgan Lewis today announced that Robert E. Gooding, Jr. and Scott B. Garner—two litigators who handle complex commercial, securities and white-collar defense matters—will join the firm as partners in its litigation practice, resident in Irvine. Both focus on complex business litigation and will be joined by four associates who previously worked with them at another AmLaw 100 firm, where Mr. Gooding was co-chair of the Securities Litigation, White Collar and Government Enforcement practice. “Bob and Scott will help us build our complex litigation presence on the West Coast-particularly in Southern California-and add depth to our commercial, securities, and white-collar capabilities nationwide,” noted Jami McKeon, leader of the Litigation Practice at Morgan Lewis. “We are excited to welcome them to the team.” Mr. Gooding has experience in all phases of trial and appellate practice in state and federal courts and in arbitration proceedings in California and throughout the United States. He has defended corporations, officers, and directors in securities class actions and derivative litigation; represented corporations and individuals in regulatory and enforcement proceedings before the Securities and Exchange Commission and other regulatory agencies; represented special board committees and audit committees in internal investigations; represented clients in defense of professional liability cases against lawyers and accountants; and represented clients in antitrust and trade practices litigation. Mr. Garner’s practice has a particular emphasis in the area of professional liability. He also has experience in all phases of trial and appellate practice, as well as in arbitration and mediation-including in the areas of patent law, securities litigation, hospital and healthcare law, and toxic tort. Mr. Garner’s recent experience includes representing a number of large and mid-size law firms, as well as individual attorneys in cases around the country involving claims of legal malpractice, fraud, and ethical violations arising from both their litigation and transaction practices. The associates joining them at Morgan Lewis are Jennifer Bagosy, Shawn Kennedy, Jared Kirkwood and Todd Smith.
K&L Gates Continues Growth with Corporate Partner David B. Allen (Orange County)
The Orange County office of global law firm K&L Gates LLP welcomes David B. Allen as a partner in the firm’s corporate practice. He joins K&L Gates from Latham & Watkins LLP. With a focus on capital markets, mergers and acquisitions, and general corporate matters, Allen counsels public and private companies, investment banks, and other financial institutions in a wide range of transactions, including acquisitions and dispositions, public offerings, and private placements of debt and equity. He is particularly noted for his work in the life sciences, gaming, and hospitality industries and for his experience with Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs). “We are excited about David’s arrival and the continued growth of our office,” commented David J. Perry, Administrative Partner of K&L Gates’ Orange County office. “He brings a wealth of experience that complements K&L Gates’ existing corporate practice extremely well and further raises our public company and capital markets profile in Southern California and across the United States.” K&L Gates Chairman and Global Managing Partner Peter J. Kalis stated: “With David’s arrival, K&L Gates’ Orange County and firmwide corporate practices take another step forward.”
IP Litigation Partner Richard de Bodo Joins Hogan Lovells (Los Angeles)
Richard de Bodo is lead trial counsel in high-stakes, cutting-edge patent and trade secret cases for many of the world’s leading pharmaceutical, life sciences, and technology companies. Rich has an outstanding track record litigating and trying Hatch-Waxman cases and cases relating to biologic drugs, biosimilars, biotechnology, and medical devices. He has won significant victories in federal and state courts, arbitrations, the International Trade Commission (ITC), the US Patent Office, and other forums for companies seeking to protect US and international markets for their products or seeking to launch new products and overcome barriers to entry. Rich has experience counseling companies seeking to launch biosimilars in the US under the Biologics Price Competition and Innovation Act (BPCIA) and representing them in litigation, negotiations, and US Patent Office proceedings. Rich has consistently been rated as one of the best intellectual property and life sciences lawyers in the U.S. According to Chambers USA, “Clients are impressed by [Rich’s] brilliant mind and unmatched strategic skills.” Chambers quotes one of Rich’s clients that, “When the stakes are high, [Rich] is the only person I’d go to. [He] gets the job done in a measured and calm manner.” Another client stated: “[Rich] is the person you need when you’re faced with highly complicated IP legal matters that involve many variables.” Rich is a thought leader in the intellectual property and life sciences fields, and regularly lectures and provides commentary on developments in the law. Rich has taught trial advocacy and litigation strategy at the National Institute of Trial Advocacy, the Hastings College of Advocacy, and numerous continuing education programs. Before practicing law, Rich served as a judicial clerk in the US Court of Appeals and the US District Court.
Perkins Coie Adds Insurance Coverage Partners Les Brown & Tom McMahon (Los Angeles)
Perkins Coie announced that six attorneys and one paralegal have joined the firm’s Insurance Coverage practice, solidifying Perkins position as having one of the premier national and international practices enforcing policyholders’ rights to coverage under all types of commercial insurance policy products. The group includes partners Les Brown and Tom McMahon in Los Angeles, partner Robert Jacobs and of counsel Dennis James in Washington, D.C., and associates Fiona Chaney and James Bernald in Los Angeles. “This is a talented group of attorneys that we are pleased to have join the firm,” said Perkins Coie Managing Partner Bob Giles. “We have had excellent policyholder only insurance coverage practice for a number of years. This group of highly respected lawyers will help us expand the insurance coverage services that we can offer clients nationally and internationally.” New partner Les Brown added, “We are excited to be joining Perkins Coie’s highly-regarded policyholder insurance recovery practice. Our combined experience makes Perkins a national and international leader in this field.” “Adding this team of attorneys to our firm brings even greater depth to the services we can provide our clients,” said Tim Burns, chair of the firm’s insurance coverage group. The addition of these attorneys from Howrey complements Perkins Coie’s efforts to expand its national practices through strategic acquisitions and lateral hires.
Former Assistant U.S. Attorney and Chief of the Major Frauds Section, Douglas A. Axel, Joins Sidley Austin (Los Angeles)
Sidley Austin LLP announced today that Douglas A. Axel, former Assistant United States Attorney in the Central District of California and Chief of the office’s Major Frauds Section, has joined Sidley as a partner, resident in the Los Angeles office. “Handling high-stakes matters for significant clients is a mainstay of our litigation and white collar practices and we think Doug will be a tremendous addition.” As Chief of the Major Frauds Section since October 2007, Axel was responsible for all federal white-collar crime prosecutions in Los Angeles, Ventura and Santa Barbara Counties involving public corruption, corporate fraud, investor fraud, mortgage fraud, procurement fraud, health care and other government program fraud and tax fraud. He coordinated criminal white-collar enforcement activities among the region’s investigative agencies including the FBI, Postal Inspection Service, United States Secret Service, all federal Inspectors General, all Defense Department criminal investigative services (DCIS, NCIS, Army CID), Internal Revenue Service, Securities and Exchange Commission, Federal Trade Commission and others. Since joining the U.S. Attorney’s Office in 2001, Axel personally prosecuted dozens of white-collar cases involving charges of securities fraud, insider trading, investor fraud, bank fraud, government fraud and obstruction of justice. Among the cases Axel handled was United States v. Milberg Weiss Bershad & Schulman LLP. He also was the lead prosecutor in a number of jury trials and argued cases before the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. Prior to serving as Chief of the section, Axel served as a Deputy Chief for two years. “Doug is a talented and well-known prosecutor with significant experience in some of the most important cases and investigations in California involving financial and securities crimes,” said Anne E. Rea, the member of Sidley’s Management Committee responsible for its West Coast offices. “Doug is an outstanding addition to Sidley’s white collar, SEC enforcement and litigation teams, and we are delighted that he is joining us.” “Sidley has all of the attributes I was seeking in a law firm: a deep bench of talented lawyers, a culture of excellence, sound management and an outstanding client base,” said Axel. “I am thrilled to be joining the Sidley team.” “Doug is joining a group of exceptional trial lawyers in the Los Angeles office, including Kim Dunne, who was the Chief of the Public Corruption and Government Fraud Section of the U.S. Attorney’s Office prior to joining us, ” said Michael C. Kelley, managing partner of the Los Angeles office and a member of the firm’s Executive Committee. He added, “Handling high-stakes matters for significant clients is a mainstay of our litigation and white collar practices and we think Doug will be a tremendous addition.” Axel received his J.D. from the University of California Hastings College of Law, where he was first in his class, graduating summa cum laude and Order of the Coif, and served as Senior Articles Editor of the Hastings Law Journal. He received his B.S. from the University of California, Los Angeles. Axel clerked for the Honorable Melvyn Brunetti of the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit and the Honorable David V. Kenyon of the United States District Court, Central District of California. Axel was awarded a 2009 Attorney General’s Award for Fraud Prevention.
Corporate Partner Michael Hedge Joins K&L Gates (Orange County)
Michael Hedge is a partner in the firm’s Orange County office. His practice focuses on securities, mergers and acquisitions, corporate finance, venture capital, corporate governance and commercial transactions. Mr. Hedge has extensive experience in representing public companies in securities offerings, mergers and acquisitions and stock exchange compliance matters. Mr. Hedge also regularly works with private equity funds in acquisition transactions and fund formation. Mr. Hedge has substantial experience in the medical device, pharmaceutical and technology industries.
Leading Los Angeles Real Estate Partner Pamela L. Westhoff Joins Sheppard Mullin (Los Angeles)
Pamela L. Westhoff has joined the Los Angeles office of Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton LLP as a partner in the firm’s Real Estate, Land Use and Environmental practice group. Westhoff joins Sheppard Mullin from DLA Piper in Los Angeles. Westhoff has a broad-based and versatile transactional real estate practice, with an emphasis in acquisitions, dispositions, commercial leasing, and technology issues affecting real estate. She also has extensive experience in all types of real estate lending transactions, including workouts, restructures, and joint ventures. Westhoff also represents owners and providers in connection with telecommunication issues affecting commercial and retail properties, as well as university campuses. She has developed experience in the representation of radio and television broadcasters in real estate-related matters, including broadcast and communications tower licensing. “Pam’s addition to the firm is a great step toward achieving our strategic goal of continuing to grow our Los Angeles office and the firm as a whole, by adding marquee partners and groups. We are thrilled to have her join us,” said Guy Halgren, chairman of the firm. Commented Westhoff, “Sheppard Mullin offers an excellent platform to continue to grow my practice, coupled with a firmwide collegial culture. I am impressed by the firm’s premier California real estate group, which is supported by firm management as a key practice and has a dominant presence throughout the state.” “Pam is one of the leading real estate attorneys in Los Angeles. Her significant transactional experience is an excellent addition to our top-notch Real Estate, Land Use and Environmental practice group, both complementing our existing capabilities and expanding our breadth,” said Domenic Drago, chair of the firm’s Real Estate, Land Use and Environmental practice group. Westhoff received a J.D., Order of the Coif, from University of Southern California Law Center in 1986, an M.B.A., with highest honors, from the University of Southern California Graduate School of Business in 1986 and a B.B.A., summa cum laude, from Loyola Marymount University in 1982. She is a member of the American College of Real Estate Lawyers.
Anti-Trust and IP Partner Robert G. Badal Joins Wilmer Cutler (Los Angeles)
Robert G. Badal is partner in the firm’s Litigation/Controversy and Regulatory and Government Affairs Departments. Mr. Badal’s practice focused on the intersection of the antitrust and intellectual property laws. He represented clients in a variety of litigation matters involving allegations of illegal tying arrangements, price fixing, price discrimination, predatory pricing, anti-competitive mergers and acquisitions and monopolization and attempted monopolization under both state and federal statutes. Additionally, Mr. Badal counseled clients on antitrust compliance and risk avoidance, with a particular focus on licensing and standard setting issues arising from the enforcement of intellectual property rights in the technology sectors. He was involved in antitrust and copyright/patent/antitrust litigations involving, among others, companies who manufacture or distribute computer chips, peripheral equipment, applications software, proprietary OS software, computer clearinghouse services, computerized point-of-sale equipment and chemical additives. Each of these matters involved the antitrust implications raised by enforcement of intellectual property rights.
IP Partners Steven M. Hanle and Jennifer A. Trusso Join Sheppard Mullin (Orange County)
Steven M. Hanle and Jennifer A. Trusso have joined the Orange County office of Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton LLP as partners in the firm’s Intellectual Property practice group. Hanle and Trusso were previously partners at Stradling Yocca Carlson & Rauth in Orange County. “With Steve and Jennifer joining us, we continue to expand key practice groups and expand capabilities to better serve client needs. Their patent litigation knowledge and expertise will enhance our IP practice, particularly in the life sciences sector,” said Guy Halgren, chairman of the firm. Hanle’s and Trusso’s practices emphasize patent litigation in a wide range of technologies, focusing on pharmaceuticals and medical devices, and also including computer software and hardware, manufacturing technologies, optics, automotive, communications and lighting. They were recently part of the team that prevailed at trial and on appeal for Amphastar Pharmaceuticals in a major patent case brought under the Hatch-Waxman Act. Hanle and Trusso have also had success winning patent cases on summary judgment and at the Federal Circuit. They also have significant trial court and appellate experience in other intellectual property and complex business litigation. “Jennifer and I were attracted to the firm’s dedication to continue building its IP group and we look forward to growing the firm’s patent litigation practice,” said Hanle, who is the current President of the Federal Bar Association in Orange County. “We are thrilled to be joining a top-notch, national firm that also has an outstanding reputation in Orange County. The firm’s multi-disciplinary IP depth and its regulatory practice in Washington, D.C. will serve our clients well.” “We are excited to have Steve and Jennifer join our IP group and the Orange County office,” commented Carlo Van den Bosch, co-chair of the firm’s Intellectual Property practice group. “They bring strong individual and collective backgrounds with more than twenty-five years of combined litigation experience, including trial expertise on cutting-edge patent matters.” Hanle received a J.D. from Loyola Law School in 1993 and a B.S. from University of California at Los Angeles in 1986. Trusso received a J.D., cum laude, from Loyola Law School 1998 and a B.A. from San Diego State University in 1995.
Gibson Dunn Taps Jones Day Partner Jai Pathak for Singapore Office
Jai Pathak already is paying dividends for Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher. The corporate partner joined the firm in February from the Los Angeles office of Jones Day, where he led the M&A practice in California. Now Pathak is back to drumming up cross-border transactional work as he heads up Gibson Dunn’s new ten-lawyer Singapore office. “[Pathak] had been working in California with a focus on Southeast Asia and India, so while we talked about the possibility of a Singapore office at some point, it wasn’t a condition for him coming over,” says Gibson Dunn managing partner Kenneth Doran by phone from Paris. Reached by phone in Singapore, where Gibson Dunn’s office has been operating out of a temporary space for ten days, Pathak says he was intrigued by the firm’s interest in expanding in Asia. “I spent 24 great years at Jones Day but it was time to move on,” says Pathak, who launched his former firm’s Singapore office in 2001 and managed it for two years. The Singapore office is Gibson Dunn’s first foray into Asia since shuttering a small Hong Kong office ten years ago. Doran says the locations offers proximity and more immediate access to markets throughout China and India, which Gibson Dunn has an interest in. Current restrictions on practicing locally in India and Singapore–which might lift in the coming months–were not a factor in this decision, Doran and Pathak say, since the firm is interested primarily in cross-border transactional work. Educated in India, the U.S., and the U.K., Pathak’s international experience made him a likely candidate for this posting. “[Pathak]’s well-known in [the Singapore] market and he’s extraordinarily well connected in India,” Doran says. The son of Raghunandan Swarup Pathak, a former chief justice of the Supreme Court of India who passed away last year, Pathak headed Jones Day’s India practice and is admitted to practice law in the country. Pathak demurs when asked if his name carries any extra weight on the subcontinent–“My father had his name and I have mine,” he says–but he acknowledges that India and the developing markets in ASEAN countries like Indonesia, Malaysia, Cambodia, and Laos hold special interest for Gibson Dunn clients like alternative fuel company Synthetic Genomics and auto parts manufacturer Intermet Corporation. Joining Pathak in Singapore and giving the office an international flavor are several of his former Jones Day colleagues, including Egyptian-born Emad Khalil, the former cohead of Jones Day’s global projects practice, U.K.-born projects finance partner Saptak Santra, and U.S.-born projects finance partner John Viverito. (They’re all multilingual: Khalil speaks Arabic, Saptak is fluent in Bengali and Hindi, and Viverito speaks Thai.) “From Singapore, we think we can credibly cover all of Southeast Asia and India,” Doran says. “And we’ll continue to talk to our clients about other markets.”
The SEC’s Randall Lee Joins WilmerHale (Los Angeles)
When corporate executives and boards find themselves in murky regulatory waters, WilmerHale often gets the first call. The firm’s vaunted securities practice, led by for SEC enforcement chief Bill McLucas, just got more vaunted with the addition of Randall Lee, the SEC’s former regional director in L.A. And with the hire, WilmerHale is going Hollywood. Lee will be hanging up the firm’s first shingle in L.A. and it’s second in California, having established a Palo Alto outpost in 2005. The firm’s securities practice has handled some big time securities matters, including boardroom internal investigations at WorldCom and, more recently, UnitedHealth. Lee (Yale, Boalt Hall), 46 years old, oversaw numerous high-profile enforcement matters, including the one against Gemstar and its founder Henry Yuen, which was the subject of this page-one WSJ story. Prior to joining the SEC, Lee was an AUSA in LA from 1994 to 2001. Prior to that he was an associate at Munger Tolles. He clerked for Judge James Buckley on the D.C. Circuit. (Law Blog Trivia:Buckley, who retired from the bench in 2000, is the older brother of famed conservative pundit William F. Buckley.) Lee is no relation to either Bill Lee, the WilmerHale’s co-chairman based in Boston, or Bill “Spaceman” Lee, the legendary Red Sox pitcher who was also based in Boston.
Finance Partner Lewis G. Feldman and Team to Open Goodwin Procter’s Los Angeles Office
Lewis G. Feldman founded Goodwin Procter LLP’s California presence and its offices in San Francisco, Los Angeles, San Diego and Silicon Valley in California beginning in 2006. He is a partner in Goodwin Procter’s Business Law Department and a member of the Real Estate, REITs & Real Estate Capital Markets Group. He serves as Chair of Goodwin Procter’s Los Angeles office. Mr. Feldman has advised clients on more than $75 billion in debt financings and equity raises for market-rate and affordable apartments, master-planned residential communities, industrial and manufacturing facilities, urban entertainment centers, primary, secondary and university educational facilities, retail malls, hospitals, mixed-use projects, destination resorts and hotels, brownfield remediation, green building, mitigation banks, transportation projects and all forms of public infrastructure. Mr. Feldman has been recognized by the Los Angeles Daily Journal as one of the “Top 100 Lawyers in California” (2013). Lew consistently ranks among America’s leading real estate attorneys in Chambers USA: America’s Leading Lawyers for Business (2000-2013) and in US News & World Report/Best Lawyers in America (1999-2013-Tier1), which cites, “There is no more responsive, client-oriented lawyer than Lew Feldman” and “[t]here is not a real estate development deal I would do without seeking Lew’s advice.” He is also recognized in The Legal 500 US and as one of Lawdragon’s “500 Leading Lawyers in America.” Martindale-Hubbell recognizes Mr. Feldman as an AV-Preeminent® attorney, its highest available rating for legal acumen and ethical conduct.
Litigation Partner Shalem Massey Joins Bryan Cave (Orange County)
Shalem Massey has a broad range of experience in civil litigation. For more than 25 years, Mr. Massey’s practice has involved representing clients in jury and non-jury trials in complex commercial litigation. Mr. Massey’s litigation experience involves matters throughout the United States, Canada, Asia, South America, Central America, and Europe. He has litigated numerous international and domestic matters with winning results involving product liability, corporate compliance, class actions, insurance coverage, and complex business litigation. In cooperation with his law partners, Mr. Massey has advised lessors of aircraft and airports on leasing, repossession, and environmental matters. Additionally, he has represented and guided many clients during the course of numerous OSHA, Federal Aviation Administration, and National Transportation Safety Board investigations. Mr. Massey has also been appointed by several corporations to guide them in litigation preparedness and product integrity functions. Mr. Massey is also a member of the firm’s Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) Team. He provides advice for guidance relevant to drone manufacturers and operators. For example, he counsels commercial grade drone manufacturers concerning products liability and issues related to data acquisition platforms.
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