Parisa Farokhi Weiss was promoted to shareholder of Seltzer Caplan McMahon Vitek in San Diego.

Weiss' practice includes estate planning and probate and trust administration, and representing clients in trust, estate and fiduciary litigation.

Michael Brian Garfinkel joined DLA Piper LLP as partner in Los Angeles.

Garfinkel represents motion picture studios, television networks, production companies and talent agencies in a wide variety of matters, including disputes involving profit participations, commis-sions and trade secrets. He also counsels and litigates on behalf of media, advertising, commercial production and hospitality clients concerning copyright, trademark and right of publicity matters, as well as libel, slander and related First Amendment issues.

Miles Michael Cooley joined DLA Piper LLP as partner in Los Angeles.

Cooley is a member of the firm’s media, sports and entertainment practice. He focuses his practice on litigation for major corporations, high-net-worth individuals, entrepreneurs and thought innovators in the sports, entertainment and media industries.

Christopher Joseph Rizza was promoted to partner of Elkins Kalt Weintraub Reuben Gartside LLP in Los Angeles.

Rizza focuses his practice on real estate transactions, including retail, office, industrial and telecommunications leasing transactions, acquisitions and dispositions transactions, development and construction matters, and real estate finance transactions.

Joel Jay Berman joined Elkins Kalt Weintraub Reuben Gartside LLP as partner in Los Angeles.

Berman is a member of the firm's corporate practice and assists clients in preparing for, implementing and completing sales and other capital events, such as equity capital raises and debt borrowings. He also conducts and supervises commercial litigation in the state and bankruptcy courts.

Robert Mark Steinberg joined Elkins Kalt Weintraub Reuben Gartside LLP as partner in Los Angeles.

Steinberg is a member of the firm's corporate practice. He handles mergers and acquisitions, equity/debt financings and private placements, restructurings, as well as general outside counsel to early stage and established middle-market companies. Steinberg also has experience in securities law, including assisting publicly-traded companies and their executives on SEC compliance, corporate governance, securities offerings, and compensation and incentive plans.

Sarah Kroll-Rosenbaum was promoted to partner of Constangy, Brooks, Smith & Prophete LLP in Century City.

Kroll-Rosenbaum's practice focuses on complex employment litigation in the federal courts, particularly class actions and Private Attorneys General Act matters.

Daniel Adam Rozansky joined Stubbs Alderton & Markiles LLP as partner in Sherman Oaks & Santa Monica.

Rozansky concentrates his practice on entertainment, privacy, First Amendment and complex business and real estate disputes.

Joseph Von Meier joined Crosbie Gilner Schiffman Southard & Swanson LLP as senior counsel in San Diego.

Meier focuses his practice on student housing, multifamily, luxury residential and retail.

Eoin Henry Gubbins joined Crosbie Gilner Schiffman Southard & Swanson LLP as partner in Los Angeles.

Gubbins focuses his practice on negotiating and documenting complex purchase and sale agreements, leases covering all asset types and advising clients on day-to-day real estate management issues and strategies.

David Abel Alvarado joined Crosbie Gilner Schiffman Southard & Swanson LLP as partner in Los Angeles.

Alvarado focuses his practice on purchase and sale, debt and equity financing, development, construction and leasing transactions. He advises clients regarding day-to-day operational matters and property management issues.

Kimberly Maria Talley was promoted to equity partner of Constangy, Brooks, Smith & Prophete LLP in Century City.

Talley specializes in management-side labor and employment law. She regularly represents employers in single-plaintiff, multi-plaintiff, representative and class-action lawsuits, in both state and federal court, including claims for discrimination, retaliation, harassment, wage and hour, and other statutory and common law claims arising from the employment relationship.

Bianca Marie Lansdown was promoted to counsel of Baker & McKenzie LLP in San Francisco.

Lansdown advises multinational companies in the design, implementation and ongoing compliance of global executive and employee incentive programs, handling matters related to securities law compliance, tax obligations, data privacy, exchange controls and labor law compliance. She advises companies on U.S. and international tax considerations and related recharge arrangements.

Steven Dwight Di Saia joined Buchalter APC as shareholder in Los Angeles.

Di Saia is a member of the firm's litigation and products liability practice groups. He focuses his practice on the defense of mass and catastrophic injury claims, mass and complex tort litigation, and products liability litigation.

Khoa D. Do joined Morrison & Foerster LLP as partner in Palo Alto.

Do is a member of the firm's corporate practice and mergers & acquisitions group. He has represented leading technology companies in Silicon Valley, and has significant experience advising businesses across a broad range of industries.

Chitra M. Kalyanaraman joined Maynard Cooper & Gale in San Francisco.

Kalyanaraman is a member of the firm's intellectual property practice group. She joins the firm from the D.C. office of Fitzpatrick, Cella, Harper & Scinto, where she prosecuted patents in the computer, electrical and mechanical arts over a wide range of technical areas.
"Chitra is an extremely personable attorney, she's very easy to talk to," said Sasha G. Rao, chair of the firm's intellectual property practice.
According to Rao, Kalyanaraman is "able to communicate with engineers very easily."
"She has a degree in computer science from Carnegie Mellon, which is one of the best schools in the country to study computer science," Rao explained. "For clients in the Bay Area ... she has a very unique skill set in that area."
In a news release, Kalyanaraman said she is looking forward to working with the firm's innovative clients in the Bay Area.

Marcus Orazio Colabianchi was promoted to partner of Duane Morris LLP in San Francisco.

Colabianchi practices in the areas of bankruptcy and creditors' rights and real estate law. His bankruptcy and creditors' rights practice includes representing secured and unsecured creditors, financial institutions, business debtors, Chapter 7 and Chapter 11 trustees, committees, leasing companies, and receivers in corporate bankruptcy cases and litigation. His real estate practice includes representation of commercial developers, owners, landlords, tenants, lenders and borrowers in all aspects of disputes concerning commercial properties.

Justin Jeremy Fields was promoted to partner of Duane Morris LLP in San Francisco.

Fields represents individuals and businesses in commercial litigation, with a focus on professional liability, legal malpractice, intellectual property, real estate and construction-related disputes. Fields has represented clients in complex commercial litigation disputes in both state and federal courts.

Wendi Jill Berkowitz joined Messing Adam & Jasmine LLP as senior counsel in San Francisco.

Berkowitz focuses her practice on complex and high-stakes litigation.

Joanna Fuller was promoted to principal of Fish & Richardson PC in Redwood City.

Fuller represents pharmaceutical and high-tech clients in patent litigation nationwide in cases encompassing a wide range of technology.

Graham Christenson Mills was promoted to partner of Newmeyer & Dillon LLP in Walnut Creek.

Mills concentrates in the areas of complex insurance law with an emphasis on insurance recovery, construction litigation, real estate litigation, and business litigation.

Frank H. Busch was promoted to partner of Kerr & Wagstaffe LLP in San Francisco.

Busch's practice focuses on complex trial and appellate litigation. He represents companies, with state and local governments, in disputes including intellectual property, contracts, unfair competition, and trade secret issues in California state court and federal courts across the country.

Michael Portnov was promoted to principal of Fish & Richardson PC in Redwood City.

Portnov focuses his practice on client counseling and preparing and prosecuting patent applications directed to computer-related technologies.

Robert Kum joined Duane Morris LLP as partner in Los Angeles.

Kum focuses his practice on complex litigation matters concerning catastrophic injuries and business disputes in various state and federal courts throughout the United States. He has handled dispute resolution, including arbitration and mediation, and has served as a mediator for the Los Angeles County Superior Court.

Michael Louis Fox joined Duane Morris LLP as partner in San Francisco.

Fox represents energy companies, chemical and equipment manufacturers, construction companies and public entities in toxic tort, environmental release, general liability and serious personal injury matters.

Annie Lau was promoted to partner of Fisher & Phillips LLP in San Francisco.

Lau defends employers in all aspects of labor and employment law, with an emphasis in single-plaintiff discrimination and harassment litigation claims. She represents construction firms and manufacturing and retail companies in wage and hour, disability and leave management matters, and layoff claims related to the Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act. Lau counsels employers on preventive strategies and compliance matters and assists in developing employee handbooks, policies and procedures.

Rachel Elena Blucher was promoted to senior counsel of Hanson Bridgett LLP in Sacramento.

Blucher advises clients on regulatory compliance, federal and state fraud and abuse laws, licensure, Medicare and Medi-Cal reimbursement and certification, HIPAA compliance, corporate governance, contract drafting and business structuring.

Colin P. Calvert was promoted to partner of Fisher & Phillips LLP in Irvine.

Calvert's practice covers all areas of labor and employment law, with a focus on claims of discrimination and harassment under the California Fair Employment and Housing Act, as well as class action wage and hour lawsuits. In addition to his litigation practice, he provides counseling to clients on various issues, including labor relations and workplace safety issues.

Shannon Marie Nessier was promoted to senior counsel of Hanson Bridgett LLP in San Francisco.

Nessier focuses her practice on the defense of product manufacturers, suppliers, retailers and premise owners in personal injury and defective product/premise litigation, as well as toxic tort matters. She also provides advice and litigation defense on matters involving product and food labeling claims, Organic labeling issues under COPA, and Proposition 65 claims.

Christopher Dale Beatty was promoted to partner of Miller Barondess LLP in Los Angeles.

Beatty focuses his practice on finance and entertainment litigation. He has also handled antitrust, bankruptcy, trusts and estates, family disputes, employment, intellectual property and other complex business matters.

Jeffrey David Dintzer joined Alston & Bird LLP as partner in Los Angeles.

Alston & Bird LLP announced Jeffrey David Dintzer has joined as partner in Los Angeles. Dintzer focuses on administrative proceedings and traditional civil litigation involving the environment, land use entitlements, and oil and gas. In particular, his experience representing oil and gas producers translates into insights and practical advice valued by clients dealing with agency oversight and in civil disputes.

Christopher M. Ahearn was promoted to partner of Fisher & Phillips LLP in Irvine.

Ahearn defends employers in all areas of employment law, focusing on complex class action and multi-party lawsuits and harassment and discrimination claims in courts and in arbitration. He counsels clients on wage and hour matters, discipline and termination, and employment policies and procedures. Ahearn also represents employers in claims brought under the California Private Attorneys General Act.