David Michaels joined Spertus, Landes & Umhofer LLP as partner in Los Angeles.

David Michaels joined Spertus, Landes & Umhofer as a partner in Los Angeles from his solo practice.
"Matt Umhofer has been a good friend and mentor of mine since I started my career at Skadden," said Michaels in an interview. "I got staffed on a case with him and worked with him quite a bit when I was there - really enjoyed the experience - and he and I stayed in very close contact. He had mentioned over the last couple years a couple times in conversation that there was a potential seat for me at the firm if I was interested. That conversation started to become more serious in the last few months before I joined ... and I basically started talking to all the partners and was just incredibly impressed."
Michaels said he was also impressed by the caliber of attorneys and the firm's culture. How the attorneys felt about practicing there really attracted him to the opportunity, he said.
As a commercial litigator, Michaels specializes in corporate, securities and general business litigation. His clients are primarily middle market and emerging companies.
Prior to his two years in solo practice, he was a co-founder and principal of Kilometer Partners LLP for almost seven years. He joined Spertus, Landes & Umhofer earlier this month. Michaels has practiced at Boies, Schiller & Flexner LLP and at Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP in Los Angeles.
He also was a clerk to 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals Judge Kim McLane Wardlaw and Vice Chancellor John W. Noble of the Delaware Court of Chancery.
Since joining the firm, Michaels has been focusing on transitioning his clients to the firm and building relationships with his new colleagues. He looks forward to growing his practice on the firm's platform and helping the firm grow.
"I like the sort of romantic or old school idea of being someone's attorney, someone's protector, so to speak," he added. "I sort of romanticize that a little bit when a client puts their faith in you in an area in which they're often really stressed, don't know that much about and depend on you to steer them through sometimes what is the hardest circumstance they have ever dealt with. That's my favorite part about my practice."

Rasheed McWilliams joined Davis Wright Tremaine LLP as partner in Los Angeles.

McWilliams specializes in intellectual property infringement litigation and defense of California Consumer Privacy Act and Telephone Consumer Protection Act cases.
He is based in Los Angeles.

Philip Sheng was promoted to counsel of Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP in Menlo Park.

Sheng focuses on intellectual property litigation. He advises clients in life sciences and pharmaceuticals, telecommunications, semiconductor integrated circuits and smartphone and tablet displays.
He is based in Menlo Park.

Ruby Kazi joined Benesch, Friedlander, Coplan & Aronoff LLP as of counsel in San Francisco.

Kazi is a member of the firm's litigation practice group and specializes in commercial litigation.
She is based in San Francisco.

Christine B. Redfield joined Hopkins & Carley as of counsel in Palo Alto.

Hopkins & Carley announced the expansion of its intellectual property group in Palo Alto with the addition of Christine B. Redfield as of counsel on Dec. 8.
She rejoined the firm from Redfield IP Professional Corp., having previously practiced at the firm as an associate.
"I began my trademark practice at Hopkins & Carley and was there for seven years," said Redfield. "I'm excited to be rejoining the firm to help build out the intellectual property group with a robust international trademark practice."
"I am thrilled to be joining an exceptional team of trademark attorneys and paralegals, who are utilizing advanced technology platforms, research and analytics and tools that are transforming the practice," she added. "Hopkins & Carley's deep bench of talent with strong IP litigation, privacy, licensing and corporate practices was a draw for me. I was also impressed by the firm's commitment to diversity and inclusion. Lawyers from diverse backgrounds are essential to growing an international trademark practice."
Redfield advises clients in the development of their trademark rights, expansion of their portfolios and protection of their brands globally.
"I represent a range of companies from unicorns with billion-dollar valuations to entrepreneurs, who are developing their first brand," she said.
She has represented clients in the gaming, technology, construction, biotech, food and beverage, medical device, cosmetics, financial technology and apparel industries.
"Chris' unique skills and commitment to client service perfectly complement those of our growing IP team," said Chiara Portner, co-chair of the firm's intellectual property group. "With her robust trademark practice and the development of our data privacy and e-commerce practice, our IP group now offers a broad array of branding and marketing services to our clients on a unified platform."
Redfield has also practiced at K&L Gates LLP and Fenwick & West LLP.

Navneeta Rekhi joined Latham & Watkins LLP as partner in San Francisco.

Rekhi joined Latham & Watkins LLP's mergers and acquisitions and private equity practices in San Francisco Dec. 1. Rekhi joined the firm from Kirkland & Ellis, where she practiced for just under 9 years.
"It was an opportunity to partner with a top tier platform and help [Latham] grow their presence in the Bay Area," Rekhi said of the move. "They are already doing great work, and I think this is an opportunity to kind of bring my strengths to bear in a place where there's already an incredible platform available."
The firm's breadth, depth, international platform and the ability to further her practice was what drew her to the opportunity at Latham, she said.
Rekhi describes her focus as a broad private equity practice.
The bulk of her work involves the representation of private equity funds and private companies in matters such as mergers and acquisitions, leveraged buyouts, distressed acquisitions, minority investments and in-court and out-of-court restructuring.
Notable work she has done in the past includes the representation of Oaktree Capital Management in its acquisition of apparel company Quiksilver as well as the representation of Quiksilver in its acquisition of Billabong.
"My favorite part is collaborating with clients and often parties on the other side to kind of obtain an outcome that both sides are pleased with," she added. "I just genuinely really enjoy the process of deal making and, especially in private equity, being creative to come up with the right solutions to hard problems."
Outside of her practice, Rekhi is involved in various outreach programs and initiatives through her alma maters and has been involved in educational programs focused on low-income youth in the U.S. and abroad.
Prior to Kirkland & Ellis, Rekhi was a corporate associate at Proskauer Rose LLP. She earned her J.D. from Northwestern California University School of Law.

Scott J Street joined Musick, Peeler & Garrett LLP as partner in Los Angeles.

Street represents plaintiffs and defendants in business litigation.
He is based in Los Angeles.

Chet A. Cramin joined Musick, Peeler & Garrett LLP as partner in Orange County.

Cramin specializes in real estate and business transactional law.
He is based in Orange County.

Nancy J.W. Brown joined Musick, Peeler & Garrett LLP as partner in Los Angeles.

Brown represents insurers in coverage disputes and insurance related litigation.
She is based in Los Angeles.

Eddie A. Jauregui joined Holland & Knight LLP as partner in Los Angeles.

Holland & Knight has expanded its white collar defense and investigations practice in Los Angeles with the addition of Eddie A. Jauregui as a partner, the firm announced Nov. 23. Jauregui is a former prosecutor and most recently served as deputy chief in the U.S. attorney's office in the Central District of California.
"I had a phenomenal experience in the U.S. attorney's office," said Jauregui. "I got to work with some really incredible people there and it was the greatest privilege."
Jauregui had been with the U.S. attorney's office for six years when the opportunity to join Holland & Knight arose.
"What Holland & Knight was looking to do was expand their white collar presence on the West Coast," he explained. "So it really just provided a great opportunity for somebody like me, who was seeking to develop a white collar practice here and also do some of the work that I did before I was in the government, which was white collar criminal defense and internal and corporate investigations."
Additionally, the firm's commitment to diversity also made the opportunity stand out, Jauregui said.
During his time at the U.S. attorney's office, Jauregui was involved in several high profile cases including the prosecution and conviction of former Los Angeles County sheriff Leroy Baca and undersheriff Paul Tanaka for obstruction of justice.
Most recently Jauregui was deputy chief of the general crimes section, where he helped to train and supervise new prosecutors on cases related to violent and organized crime, drug and gun trafficking, bank and wire fraud, threats against federal officers and identity theft.
"I'm looking forward to working with the many talented former AUSAs at Holland & Knight and supporting our clients' white collar and internal investigation needs on the West Coast," he added. "The firm also has an expansive footprint in Latin America. They're doing some exciting work there including in the investigation space, so I'm hoping to not just develop a white collar criminal defense and investigations practice on the West Coast, but also potentially in Latin America."