Gregory K. Jones was promoted to member of Dykema Gossett PLLC in Los Angeles.

Dykema, a leading national law firm, announced that its Executive Board elected Gregory K. Jones as a Member.

Mr. Jones is a member of the firm's Bankruptcy Practice Group and concentrates his practice on bankruptcy cases and out-of-court restructurings. He represents lenders, creditors' committees, debtors, assignees for the benefit of creditors, purchasers of assets in bankruptcy cases, lessors, and defendants in preference and fraudulent transfer lawsuits.

Mr. Jones is involved in the Financial Lawyers Conference, is a member of the James T. King Bankruptcy American Inn of Court, and served as Director of La Cañada Flintridge Education Foundation. He received both a J.D. and a B.A., magna cum laude, from the University of California, Los Angeles.

Laura Zagar was promoted to office managing partner of Perkins Coie LLP in San Francisco.

Laura Zagar is the Office Managing Partner of the San Francisco office and a Partner in the Environment, Energy & Resources practice.

Daphne Higgs was promoted to office managing partner of Perkins Coie LLP in Palo Alto.

Daphne Higgs is the Office Managing Partner of the Palo Alto office and a Partner in the Technology Transactions & Privacy practice.

Mark Wicker was promoted to office managing partner of Perkins Coie LLP in San Diego.

Mark Wicker is the Office Managing Partner of the San Diego office, a Partner in the Technology Transactions & Privacy practice and Chair of the Biotechnology & Pharmaceutical Industry Group.

Daphne Bishop was promoted to partner of Carothers DiSante & Freudenberger LLP in Los Angeles.

Daphne Bishop, J.D., AWI-CH is chair of CDF's Internal Investigations Practice Group. Bishop has represented companies with California workforces for nearly two decades. Her experience advising and defending small to Fortune 500 companies across many industries against the gamut of employment-related claims offers her a unique advantage in helping companies prevent, uncover, investigate and resolve employee and institutional misconduct. Combining her litigation and counseling experience, Bishop's practice now focuses on providing internal investigation services as a neutral third-party investigator or a strategic advisor. She is a graduate of Yale College and received her law degree from the UCLA Law School. In addition, she received her certificate from the Association of Workplace Investigators in 2018.

Katrina Pagonis was promoted to equity partner of Hooper, Lundy & Bookman in San Francisco.

Pagonis is Co-Chair of the firm's Regulatory Department and a nationally recognized expert on health reform, including price transparency, surprise billing, site neutral payment, and implementation of the Affordable Care Act's market reforms. Pagonis advises clients on the impact of health care reform, as well as emerging health care reform proposals (from repeal-and-replace to single payer) at the state and national levels. She also provides regulatory and strategic advice to health care providers concerning managed care issues more generally, including out-of-network reimbursement, network configuration, reference pricing and cost-sharing limits, managed care contracting, and enrollment assistance activities. In addition, she regularly assists health care providers with a broad range of regulatory and Medicare/Medicaid reimbursement matters and litigation. Pagonis is a former judicial law clerk for the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit and the U.S. District Court for the District of Nevada.

Corey Cabral was promoted to partner of Carothers DiSante & Freudenberger LLP in Sacramento.

Corey Cabral represents local, regional and national employers in all aspects of California labor and employment law and related litigation. His counsel and litigation experience spans the full scope of employment law and workplace claims, ranging from wrongful termination, employment discrimination, sexual harassment and retaliation to wage and hour and traditional labor-management relations matters. Cabral's practice emphasis is on complex and sophisticated wage and hour litigation. He frequently evaluates, develops strategies for and manages complex Private Attorneys General Act (PAGA) and class action lawsuits, including highly technical claims regarding suitable seating, regular rate of pay and overtime calculations, arbitration agreements, interstate commerce and wage statements. Cabral's clients operate in various industries, including retail, trucking, health care and emergency medical services. He is a graduate of San Jose State University and received his J.D. from the University of San Francisco School of Law.

M. Leah Cameron was promoted to partner of Carothers DiSante & Freudenberger LLP in San Francisco.

M. Leah Cameron, a graduate of the University of California, Hastings College of the Law, Cameron is an experienced trial attorney, representing clients in class actions and single-plaintiff cases in state and federal courts, as well as before administrative agencies. She was also a member of the CDF appellate team that secured the seminal California Supreme Court decision in Duran v. U.S. Bank, 59 Cal.4th 1 (2014), which helped shape class certification and trial management principles in overtime exemption cases.

Nicole Legrottaglie was promoted to partner of Carothers DiSante & Freudenberger LLP in Sacramento.

Nicole Legrottaglie aggressively defends her clients in a broad range of labor and employment claims, including class actions and single-plaintiff claims of discrimination, retaliation, harassment, wrongful termination and wage and hour litigation. In addition, Legrottaglie has significant experience in traditional labor law where she has effectively represented management in union disputes and successfully handled unfair labor practice charges and other administrative matters and hearings. A strong believer in educating her clients so they avoid litigation in the first place, she regularly provides preventative counseling to employers of all sizes. She is a graduate of Manhattan College and received her J.D. from the University of the Pacific, McGeorge School of Law.

Denisha McKenzie was promoted to senior counsel of Carothers DiSante & Freudenberger LLP in Irvine.

Denisha McKenzie has been elevated to Senior Counsel. McKenzie defends employers in all areas of labor and employment law in state and federal court, as well as before various administrative agencies, including the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), National Labor Relations Board (NLRB), Department of Fair Employment and Housing (DFEH) and the Division of Labor Standards Enforcement (DLSE). McKenzie's practice has a special emphasis on vigorously defending alleged claims of discrimination, harassment, retaliation and wrongful termination. A significant portion of her practice also is dedicated to defending wage and hour single-plaintiff, class action and PAGA lawsuits. She is a graduate of Tufts University and received her J.D. from the University of California, Irvine School of Law.

Ernie A. Ocampo was promoted to partner of Reed Smith LLP in Century City.

Ernie's practice focuses on transactional law, with an emphasis on entertainment and real estate development. Ernie has advised clients on an array of corporate matters, including equity and debt financings, formation and corporate governance, mergers and acquisitions, and day-to-day legal matters. Ernie's real estate development practice focuses on acquisitions, joint ventures and development of renewable energy facilities and commercial properties. He also advises clients in various stages of development - from start-ups to mature companies - in a broad range of transactions, with an emphasis in the entertainment, real estate and renewable energy industries.

Ernie is active in the Filipino-American community. He is a long-serving member of the Board of Governors for the Philippine American Bar Association and the Board of Directors of Los Angeles-Makati Sister City. He serves as pro bono outside counsel for Search to Involve Pilipino Americans, the oldest Filipino-American community service organization in Los Angeles. He also currently serves on the Scholarship Committee of the USC Asian Pacific Alumni Association, and co-hosts an annual welcome reception for first-year students who come to USC from the Philippines.

Jennifer R. Fearnow was promoted to partner of Reed Smith LLP in San Francisco.

Jennifer is an experienced commercial litigator. She counsels clients in resolving complex disputes in all phases of litigation in federal and state trial and appellate courts and alternative dispute resolution forums. Her practice focuses on complex commercial litigation, business disputes, and employment litigation.

Jennifer received her J.D. from the University of California, Hastings College of the Law, 2006, where she was a Recipient of the Witkin Award for Academic Excellence: Negotiation and Mediation Practice. Jennifer serves Pro Bono on the Leadership Council for the Bar Association of San Francisco's Justice & Diversity Center.

LiLing Poh was promoted to partner of Reed Smith LLP in Silicon Valley / San Francisco.

LiLing’s practice focuses on debt and equity financing transactions, mergers and acquisitions, and general corporate counseling. In her emerging companies practice, she provides exit strategy planning while looking after the full spectrum of a client's legal needs. She represents first-time and experienced investors as well as early-stage companies.

She has closed deals involving parties in the U.S., Asia, Europe, and Australia, and represented clients across the health care, technology, life sciences, and food and beverage industries.

LiLing currently serves as corporate secretary for ChIPs, a nonprofit organization that advances and connects women in technology, law and policy. She has spoken on emerging companies issues, including as a panelist for the American Bar Association. Recently recognized by The Legal 500 USA as a 2018 and 2019 Next Generation Lawyer for Venture Capital and Emerging Companies.

LiLing studies at The George Washington University Law School, 2008, and Syracuse University College of Law, where she received her J.D. in 2007.

Anthony S. Newman was promoted to partner of Reed Smith LLP in Los Angeles.

Anthony is a member of the firm's Global Commercial Disputes Group. His practice focuses on complex business and commercial litigation, with an emphasis on insurance coverage litigation, consumer class actions, health care litigation, oil and gas litigation, and general business disputes. Anthony has experience handling all aspects of civil trial work in state and federal court, as well as in various alternative dispute resolution forums (both domestic and international).

Anthony is a graduate of Duke University School of Law, where he received his J.D., magna cum laude, in 2004.

Christopher O. Rivas

Christopher has substantial experience representing commercial entities in both litigation and transactional contexts. Christopher represents secured and unsecured creditors, financial institutions and banks in complex bankruptcy cases and appeals. Christopher regularly represents entities in transactions involving the purchase and sale of commercial entities in numerous sectors, including entities engaged in manufacturing, shipping, transportation, and energy. Christopher also represents entities in post-acquisition litigation relating to such transactions.

Christopher also has experience in both in-court and out-of-court restructurings and workouts, including Article 9 sales transactions, receiverships, and assignments for the benefit of creditors. He has represented creditors, creditors’ committees, bankruptcy trustees and debtors.

Christopher is admitted to the bar of the State of California, the United States District Courts for each of the Districts of California, and the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. He is a 2005 graduate of the Loyola Law School and earned his B.A. from the University of California at Los Angeles in 2001.

Gregory K Jones was promoted to member of Dykema in Los Angeles.

Jones concentrates his practice on bankruptcy cases and out-of-court restructurings. He represents lenders, creditors' committees, debtors, assignees for the benefit of creditors, purchasers of assets in bankruptcy cases, lessors, and defendants in preference and fraudulent transfer lawsuits. Jones is involved in the Financial Lawyers Conference, is a member of the James T. King Bankruptcy American Inn of Court, and served as Director of La Cañada Flintridge Education Foundation.

Scott E. Oross as partner in San Diego

Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton LLP
welcomes Scott E. Oross as partner
from Paul Hastings LLP
Oross joined the firm's corporate practice group as well as the life sciences and U.S. Food and Drug
Administration industry team.
Sheppard Mullin offered a different opportunity for him to serve the community in San Diego, Oross
said.
"Just like the other law firms that I've been at, Sheppard is a full global service law firm. But their presence
in San Diego is much larger and broader," He said. "It offers me greater opportunities to be active in
the community and to better serve my clients by having that broader practice offering."
The move from Paul Hastings to Sheppard Mullin won't drastically change Oross' responsibilities. He
said he will continue to work toward being the "go-to" person in his practice area in San Diego and help
companies in the life sciences realize their goals.
"The creative spark is such a cool thing," said Oross. "Being able to help people by guiding them
through something that they might be less familiar with, such as how to structure an entity or how to
attract investors, is nice to be apart of, and we all benefit from their success."
For the majority of his career, Oross has focused on emerging companies and the life sciences.
Life sciences has a strong presence in San Diego, which in combination with his interest in emerging
companies, helped him choose his practice area, Oross said.
When he's not guiding emerging companies through the legal landscape, Oross let's his five-year-old
golden retriever take the reins and drag him and his wife down the streets of San Diego. Oross is also an
avid traveler who recently took a trip to Germany and Austria with his wife.
Oross received his law degree from Vanderbilt Law School in 2001.

Richard S. Deitchman was promoted to shareholder of Somach Simmons & Dunn in Sacramento.

Somach Simmons & Dunn is pleased to announce the promotion of Rich Deitchman to shareholder, effective January 1, 2020. Licensed in both Oregon and California, Rich focuses his practice on water rights and natural resources litigation. With a master's degree in hydrology, Rich works effectively with experts, such as environmental engineers and agricultural economists, to pinpoint scientific and economic factors that affect water cases. His experience spans water rights issues that impact Oregon, California, Texas, and New Mexico, including the ongoing Klamath Basin Adjudication in Oregon and the pending Texas v. New Mexico & Colorado litigation in the United States Supreme Court. Based in the firm's Sacramento office, Rich earned his J.D. from Lewis & Clark Law School.

Andrew M. Hitchings was promoted to managing shareholder of Somach Simmons & Dunn in Sacramento.

Somach Simmons & Dunn is pleased to name Andy Hitchings as the firm’s managing shareholder, effective January 1, 2020. He succeeds Theresa "Tess" Dunham in the role. With nearly three decades of working on California’s most complex water rights, water supply, and water quality issues, Andy also has developed substantial experience in state and federal court litigation, public agency law, CEQA/NEPA, and the Endangered Species Act. He has played an integral role in the renewal, implementation, and defense of Sacramento River Settlement Contracts. Andy has also focused on confirming water rights for recycled water projects and negotiating and implementing water transfer agreements. One of Andy’s key career achievements was briefing and arguing a case before the United States Supreme Court in 2001 and obtaining a unanimous ruling in his client’s favor. He serves on the Legal Affairs Committee for the Association of California Water Agencies.

Ryan Baron was promoted to partner of Best Best & Krieger LLP in Irvine.

Ryan Baron provides strategic counsel to clients throughout California and the U.S. on utilities regulation, administrative law, environmental law and public agency governance matters. He is a member of the firm's Environmental Law & Natural Resources practice group, based in Irvine.

Gregory R. Smith joined Lowenstein & Weatherwax LLP as of counsel in Los Angeles.

Smith practiced at Irell & Manella LLP for five decades, where he founded the firm's appellate group. He has appeared in front of the U.S. Supreme Court, the California Supreme Court, the Delaware Supreme Court, the Nevada Supreme Court, and various courts of appeal, including the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals and California Courts of Appeal.
"Joining the firm not only enables me to practice law with friends and former colleagues but also to help build the firm's growing appellate practice. That has been my specialty for many years, and I have always enjoyed its intellectual challenge," Smith said.
As of counsel, Smith said he hopes to bring skills he has developed over the years "to assist younger lawyers in the development of those skills, and in this way to bring an important benefit to the firm's clients."
Smith is a member of the California Academy of Appellate Lawyers and was previously Chair of the California State Bar Committee on Appellate Courts.
Smith received his law degree from Harvard Law School, where he served on the Harvard Law Review and graduated magna cum laude. He completed his bachelor's degree at Claremont Men's College, where he was summa cum laude, and his master's degree at the London School of Economics.
Smith is also an active member in several charitable organizations and is a founder and President of Westwood Kehilla Synagogue.
"This is a wonderful opportunity for me to do something that I love so much with an extraordinary group of lawyers amongst whom I count many friends," Smith said. "What more could I ask for?"

Kristopher Kokotaylo was promoted to principal of Meyers Nave in Oakland.

Meyers Nave proudly announces the elevation of Kristopher Kokotaylo to Principal, effective January 1, 2020.

Kokotaylo joined Meyers Nave in 2013 as a member of the Municipal & Special District Law Practice Group. He provides advice and guidance on the complete range of challenges that municipalities, counties, special districts and public agencies face as they implement their missions and mandates. He currently serves as City Attorney for the City of Union City, Assistant City Attorney for the City of San Leandro, Interim City Attorney for the City of Newark, General Counsel for the West Contra Costa Transportation Advisory Committee, and District Counsel for the Stege Sanitary District. Kris focuses his practice on land use, real estate, construction, constitutional law, code enforcement, the Public Records Act, and the Brown Act. He provides advice on governance and daily operations issues as well as public policy development and long-term planning matters. Kris serves on the Board of Directors for Spectrum Community Services, a nonprofit that assists low-income and disadvantaged individuals, families and seniors in their efforts to live independently. Kris is a member of the Asian American Bar Association of the Greater Bay Area and the Filipino Bar Association of Northern California.

Jenny L. Riggs was promoted to principal of Meyers Nave in Los Angeles.

Meyers Nave proudly announces the elevation of Jenny Riggs to Principal, effective January 1, 2020.

Riggs joined Meyers Nave in 2013 as a member of the Trial and Litigation Practice Group. She has extensive state and federal court litigation experience on behalf of municipalities, counties, special districts, businesses and non-profit organizations. Jenny’s expertise includes single- and multi-plaintiff cases involving constitutional law, government corruption, land use, zoning, catastrophic disasters, eminent domain and inverse condemnation, coastal issues, environmental claims, Public Records Act and Brown Act compliance, Americans with Disabilities Act, employment law, and civil rights claims for violations of substantive and procedural due process. In addition to her skills in the courtroom examining witnesses and arguing motions, and her expert aptitude for taking and defending depositions, Jenny leads the development and management of Meyers Nave’s systems and protocols for discovery plans in complex matters and document intensive litigation. Jenny handles pre-trial litigation (including dispositive motions), pre-trial discovery, various stages of motion practice, and trial. Her complex litigation experience also includes multi-district cases and civil litigations that are intertwined with criminal actions. Jenny is a member of California Women Lawyers and the Women Lawyers Association of Los Angeles.

Shiraz Tangri was promoted to principal of Meyers Nave in Los Angeles.

Meyers Nave proudly announces the elevation of Shiraz Tangri to Principal, effective January 1, 2020.

Shiraz Tangri joined Meyers Nave in 2013 as a member of the Land Use and Environmental Law Practice Group. He focuses his practice on real estate development, infrastructure, and transportation projects. His experience includes all aspects of land use entitlements, litigation and compliance for public and private clients who are project developers, owners and/or operators. Shiraz fills a specialized niche within land use law, advising clients on major infrastructure, transportation, and urban in-fill projects, including housing, cultural and educational institutions, and transit-oriented development. He is well-versed in the myriad of issues that project development clients face regarding land use law, such as compliance with the Brown Act and other public meeting laws, green building, adaptive re-use, air quality and permitting, renewable energy, sustainable development and transportation planning. Shiraz’s areas of expertise cover the California Environmental Quality Act, the National Environmental Policy Act, and complex multi-party and multi-site litigation involving environmental claims, public-private partnerships, water rights, contaminated properties, toxic torts, and products liability issues. Shiraz is a member of the California Minority Counsel Program and the Mentor Program of the South Asian Bar Association of Southern California.

Ali Abugheida was promoted to counsel of Buckley LLP in Los Angeles.

Abugheida represents corporate and individual clients in complex civil litigation and government enforcement matters. His work includes cases involving allegations of mortgage fraud, the Truth in Lending Act, property-assessed clean energy (PACE) financing, the Telephone Consumer Protection Act, and unfair and deceptive trade-practice statutes. He received his J.D. from the University of Southern California in 2012, and his B.A. from the University of California, San Diego in 2009 (cum laude).

Sherry-Maria Safchuk was promoted to counsel of Buckley LLP in Los Angeles.

Safchuk represents clients in regulatory and compliance matters and provides support for complex litigation and government investigations involving the mortgage, consumer, and commercial lending industries. She also assists clients on privacy issues, including those related to the California Consumer Privacy Act. She received her J.D. from George Washington University in 2008, and her B.A. from the University of Southern California in 2005.

Leslie Meredith was promoted to counsel of Buckley LLP in Washington, DC.

Meredith represents corporate and individual clients in complex civil litigation and government investigations. She has experience representing clients before the Department of Justice, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, state attorneys general, and in federal and state courts around the country. She received her J.D. from American University (cum laude) in 2011, and her B.A. from Washington College (magna cum laude) in 2006.

Laurie H. Selkowitz was promoted to partner of Wargo French LLP in Los Angeles.

Selkowitz practices in the areas of general corporate and securities, mergers and acquisitions, technology law and intellectual property and trade secrets. Her elevation will be effective on Jan. 1.

Jeffrey N. Williams was promoted to partner of Wargo French LLP in Los Angeles.

Williams practices in the areas of appellate litigation, intellectual property and trade secrets, financial services litigation, class and collective action litigation and employment litigation. His promotion will be effective on Jan. 1.

Janice Rice was promoted to deputy practice group leader of Squire Patton Boggs LLP in San Francisco.

Rice is the new leader of the firm's intellectual property & technology practice group, including the life and health sciences patent team, in San Francisco and Palo Alto.
The Squire Patton Boggs partner has in-depth experience with the pharmaceutical industry, which allows her to advise clients on intellectual property-related issues, product life cycle management and handling inventions overseas.

Michael R. Weiss was promoted to office managing partner of Akerman LLP in Los Angeles.

Weiss will guide Akerman's growth and recruitment efforts in Los Angeles, while further strengthening the firm's relationship with civic and business leaders in the region. Weiss, an experienced commercial litigator, will also continue his role as leader of the Los Angeles litigation practice group, representing clients through complex real estate litigation, commercial and business disputes and insurance and insurance insolvency matters.