Anne LaWer joined Littler Mendelson as shareholder in Littler/San Jose.

LaWer counsels employers on matters related to the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA), the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), and the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. Her practice also includes advising on Internal Revenue Service and Department of Labor compliance programs, healthcare privacy and security, executive compensation matters, and employee benefits issues in mergers and acquisitions.

Brian Adair Sutherland was promoted to partner of Reed Smith LLP in San Francisco.

Reed Smith LLP announced Brian Adair Sutherland has been promoted to partner in San Francisco. Sutherland, an attorney in the firm's appellate group, briefs and argues appeals and class action matters in federal and state courts.

Bryan Lakeith Hawkins was promoted to partner of Stoel Rives LLP in Sacramento.

Stoel Rives LLP announced Bryan Lakeith Hawkins has been promoted to partner in Sacramento. Hawkins represents employers in employment-related litigation in court and before administrative agencies such as the Department of Fair Employment and Housing and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. His practice also involves counseling employers on employment-related issues, including handbooks and policies. Hawkins also provides counseling on labor issues, such as advising employers on how to effectively respond to union organizing campaigns, negotiate collective bargaining agreements, and manage the employer/union relationship.

James Mark Neudecker was promoted to partner of Reed Smith LLP in San Francisco.

Reed Smith LLP announced James Mark Neudecker has been promoted to partner in San Francisco. Neudecker is a member of the firm's complex litigation group. His practice focuses on commercial litigation and arbitrations for companies in a variety of business sectors, including financial services, transportation, pharmaceutical and medical device manufacturing, hospitality, and most recently, the on-demand gig economy.

Dommond Edward Lonnie was promoted to director of automotive industry group of Dykema Gossett LLP in Los Angeles.

Dykema Gossett LLP announced Dommond Edward Lonnie was appointed director of the firm's automotive industry group. Based in the firm's Los Angeles office, Dommond represents domestic and foreign automobile/mobility manufacturers in product liability, class action, toxic tort, and commercial litigation matters.

Michael Lange Lawhead joined Baker & Hostetler LLP as partner in Costa Mesa.

Baker & Hostetler LLP announced Michael Lange Lawhead has joined as a corporate partner in Costa Mesa. Lawhead represents public companies in equity and debt securities transactions, as well as mergers and acquisitions, and corporate governance and compliance. Lawhead has a particular focus on healthcare and life sciences. He also represents privately held companies in offerings of preferred equity and venture capital funds as investors in such transactions

Jared Brooks Grauer was promoted to partner of Gunderson Dettmer Stough Villeneuve Franklin & Hachigian LLP in Silicon Valley.

Gunderson Dettmer Stough Villeneuve Franklin & Hachigian LLP announced Jared Brooks Grauer has been promoted to partner in Silicon Valley. Grauer represents technology companies in all phases of their life cycle. His practice focuses on strategic advisory, corporate governance, securities law compliance, venture capital financings, mergers and acquisitions and other transactions. He also regularly advises many venture capital firms in their investments.

Eric Richard Bardwell was promoted to partner of Jeffer Mangels Butler & Mitchell LLP in Irvine.

Jeffer Mangels Butler & Mitchell LLP announced Eric Richard Bardwell has been promoted to partner in Irvine. Bardwell's practice focuses on all aspects of wealth transfer planning, including estate planning and charitable planning. He also provides tax strategies to business owners in the sale of their businesses, and in succession planning.

Caroline Powell Donelan was promoted to partner of Blank Rome LLP in Los Angeles.

Blank Rome LLP announced Caroline Powell Donelan has been promoted to partner in Los Angeles. Donelan counsels and defends domestic and foreign corporations in all areas of employment law compliance and litigation, including wage and hour class actions, wrongful termination, discrimination, harassment, trade secret disputes, data protection, and alleged fiduciary breaches.

Maxwell Vaughn Pritt was promoted to partner of Boies Schiller Flexner LLP in Oakland.

Boies Schiller Flexner LLP announced Maxwell Vaughn Pritt has been promoted to partner in Oakland. Pritt represents plaintiffs and defendants in federal and state court in matters including antitrust, unfair competition, class action, contract, securities, civil rights, and other disputes.

Ashley Lynn Shively was promoted to partner of Reed Smith LLP in San Francisco.

Reed Smith LLP announced Ashley Lynn Shively has been promoted to partner in San Francisco. Shively is a member of the firm's financial industry group. She represents financial institutions and businesses in consumer class and individual actions, including fair lending, privacy, credit reporting, debt collection, false advertising, and unfair business practices.

Erik Christopher Olson was promoted to partner of Farella Braun & Martel LLP in San Francisco.

Farella Braun & Martel LLP announced Erik Christopher Olson has been promoted to partner in San Francisco. Olson litigates patent, copyright, trade secret, trademark, trade dress, and right of publicity infringement actions, as well as disputes over licensing royalties and ownership of intellectual property.

Mark David Sayre was promoted to equity partner of Foley & Mansfield PLLP in Los Angeles.

Foley & Mansfield PLLP announced Mark David Sayre has been named equity partner. Sayre focuses his practice on product liability and toxic/mass tort litigation.

Michael Heath was promoted to partner of Gunderson Dettmer Stough Villeneuve Franklin & Hachigian LLP in Los Angeles.

Gunderson Dettmer Stough Villeneuve Franklin & Hachigian LLP announced Michael Heath has been promoted to partner in Los Angeles. Heath represents emerging growth companies, technology incubators and venture funds with a focus on venture financing, debt financing, mergers and acquisitions, token investments and corporate governance matters.

Paul James Beard II was promoted to partner of Alston & Bird in Los Angeles.

Alston & Bird announced Paul James Beard, II has been promoted to partner in Los Angeles. Beard is a member of the firm's environment, land use & natural resources group. He represents agricultural interests, developers, and industry associations in permitting and litigation issues arising from the Endangered Species Act, Clean Water Act, California Environmental Quality Act, and California Coastal Act, among other statutes.

Shareef Swamy Farag was promoted to partner of Baker Hostetler in Los Angeles.

Baker Hostetler announced Shareef Swamy Farag has been promoted to partner in Los Angeles. Farag, a member of the firm's employment group, represents employers in addressing employment law issues. He focuses his practice on wage and hour class action litigation, discrimination and harassment litigation, and traditional labor arbitration. He has first- and second-chair experience in trial and arbitration.

Kirsten Diane Wolff was promoted to partner of Sideman & Bancroft LLP in San Francisco.

Sideman & Bancroft LLP announced Kirsten Diane Wolff has been promoted to partner in San Francisco. Her practice focuses on estate planning, estate and trust administration, estate and gift taxation, charitable gift planning and probate for individual clients. She also representing trustees and other fiduciaries on issues relating to California state income taxation of trusts. Additionally, Wolff assists clients with philanthropic planning and advises on ongoing tax and administration issues.

Jeffrey Harlan Reeves joined Umberg Zipser LLP as partner in Irvine.

Umberg Zipser LLP announced Jeffrey Harlan Reeves has joined as partner in Irvine. Reeves is a trial lawyer whose practice focuses on litigating complex business disputes in the trial and appellate courts, as well alternative dispute resolution settings. He represents companies from the sports, nutrition, apparel, life sciences, entertainment and other industries in business and tort cases, including handling high-profile endorsement contract disputes, trade secret misappropriation cases, and data breach class actions.

Jerry Alan Behnke was promoted to partner of Larson O'Brien LLP in Los Angeles.

Jerry Behnke is an experienced trial lawyer and former Assistant United States Attorney (AUSA) and Deputy District Attorney. He litigates white collar criminal and complex commercial matters for Larson O'Brien LLP. He has investigated, prosecuted, and defended a wide array of criminal matters, including public corruption, wire fraud, healthcare fraud, financial services fraud, and tax violations. Mr. Behnke graduated cum laude from Loyola Law School, Los Angeles where he was a member of the law review.

Melissa A. Meister was promoted to counsel of Larson O'Brien LLP in Los Angeles.

Melissa A. Meister is an experienced trial lawyer. She handles white collar defense and complex commercial matters at Larson O’Brien LLP, including civil and criminal False Claims Act litigation, internal investigations, public corruption, and fraud disputes. Ms. Meister previously served as a trial attorney in the False Claims Section of the Civil Division of the Department of Justice and as an Assistant United States Attorney in the Southern District of California. Ms. Meister clerked for the Honorable William C. Canby of the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. She graduated summa cum laude from The University of Arizona College of Law where she was a member of the Order of the Coif and law review.

Richard (R.C.) Harlan was promoted to counsel of Larson O'Brien LLP in Los Angeles.

Harlan has extensive experience handling complex commercial disputes in state and federal courts and arbitration, representing both plaintiffs and defendants. He represents clients in several industries, including manufacturing, entertainment, pharmaceuticals and healthcare. Mr. Harlan also has experience litigating wrongful death claims and mass tort litigation. Mr. Harlan clerked for the Honorable Boyce F. Martin, Jr. of the United States Court of Appeal for the Sixth Circuit and is a cum laude graduate of Boston University School of Law and Claremont McKenna College.

David Andrew Revelt was promoted to partner of Alston & Bird LLP in Los Angeles.

Alston & Bird LLP announced David Andrew Revelt has been promoted to partner in Los Angeles. Revelt is a member of the firm's corporate transactions & securities group, representing public and private businesses and commercial clients across several industries in a variety of complex real estate and corporate transactions, including acquisitions, dispositions, debt and equity financings, leasing, licensing, and joint venture arrangements.

Logan Mitchell Elliott was promoted to counsel of Venable LLP in Los Angeles.

Venable LLP announced Logan Mitchell Elliott has been promoted to counsel in Los Angeles. Elliott is a trial and appellate litigator who has represented companies and individuals in a variety of business litigation matters.

Jessica Leah Sharron was promoted to partner of Alston & Bird LLP in Los Angeles.

Alston & Bird LLP announced Jessica Leah Sharron has been promoted to partner in Los Angeles. Sharron is a member of the firm's construction & government contracts group. She represents large and small government contractors across a variety of industries on compliance with federal, state, and local procurement rules and regulations and in adversarial proceedings such as pre- and post-award bid protests and False Claims Act litigation. Additionally, she represents owners, developers, and contractors in public and commercial construction projects through all phases of construction contracts.

Amanda Dorothy Hairston was promoted to partner of Farella Braun & Martel LLP in San Francisco.

Farella Braun & Martel LLP announced Amanda Dorothy Hairston has been promoted to partner in San Francisco. Hairston represents corporate policyholders in insurance coverage disputes. Her clients include companies in the technology, healthcare, retail, and financial services industries.