Irene Inkyu Yang was promoted to partner of Sidley Austin LLP in San Francisco.

Sidley Austin LLP announced Irene Inkyu Yang has been elected partner in San Francisco, effective Jan. 1. Yang is a member of the firm's intellectual property litigation practice and represents clients in patent cases across a broad range of industries and technologies, including computer networking and telecommunications, Internet software and e-commerce, video conferencing, operating systems, semiconductors, peritoneal dialysis, large volume infusion pumps, vehicle and asset tracking, biometric fingerprint sensors, needleless intravenous connectors, architectural lighting fixtures and electronic educational toys.

Michael S. Didiuk joined Perkins Coie LLP in San Francisco.

Perkins Coie LLP announced Michael S. Didiuk has joined its investment management practice as a partner in San Francisco. During his time at the U.S. Securities & Exchange Commission, Didiuk headed examinations of registered investment advisers to cryptoasset funds, hedge funds, private equity funds, registered investment companies and family offices. He also counseled on issues under the Investment Company Act of 1940 and the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, and coordinated across divisions on digital currency and marketplace lender matters.

Jennifer Audrey DePalma joined King & Spalding LLP as counsel in Silicon Valley.

King & Spalding LLP announced Jennifer Audrey DePalma has joined its corporate practice as counsel in Silicon Valley. DePalma counsels private and public companies, as well as venture capital and private equity investors, on matters of mergers and acquisitions, financings, initial public offerings and corporate governance. Her practice focuses on the representation of companies developing technologies and intellectual property, particularly in the life sciences, biotech, healthcare and financial technology sectors and on the blockchain.

Adam Shaun Bloom was promoted to partner of Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati in Palo Alto.

Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati announced Adam Shaun Bloom has been elected as partner in Palo Alto, effective Feb. 1. Bloom advises clients on general business and corporate law matters. He works with public and private technology companies, as well as investment banks, venture capital firms, and private equity firms. Bloom also handles complex transactions and deals involving novel structures.

Robert Dewey Purcell joined California Secure Choice as board member in Sacramento.

Gov. Jerry Brown announced Robert Dewey Purcell has been appointed to the California Secure Choice Retirement Savings investment board. Purcell was a director in the Public Employee Department at the Laborers' International Union of North America from 1997 to 2012, a political organizer for the California Democratic Party from 1988 to 1989 and a political director at Neighbor-to-Neighbor from 1986 to 1988.

Brandon Michael Jacob Gantus was promoted to partner of Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati in Palo Alto.

Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati announced Brandon Michael Jacob Gantus has been elected partner in San Francisco, effective Feb. 1. Gantus represents companies in compensation and employee benefits matters, with a particular emphasis on mergers and acquisitions and capital markets transactions. He advises clients on the design, drafting, and administration of equity-based compensation programs; employment, consulting, retention, severance, change in control, and deferred compensation arrangements; and the associated tax, accounting, ERISA, and securities law implications.

Michelle Rubalcava joined Nielsen Merksamer Parrinello Gross & Leoni LLP as senior counsel in Sacramento.

Nielsen Merksamer Parrinello Gross & Leoni LLP announced Michelle Rubalcava has joined as senior counsel in Sacramento. Rubalacava has spent 20 years working in and around state politics and as a health care attorney and legislative advocate. At the firm, she will work on a variety of issues, including health care, environmental regulation, financial services, local government administration and services and the initiative and referendum process.

Ellen R.Z. Rosen joined The Jewish Community Foundation of Los Angeles as general counsel in Los Angeles.

The Jewish Community Foundation of Los Angeles announced Ellen R.Z. Rosen has joined as general counsel. Rosen will work on supporting The Foundation's endowment funds and help to grow endowments and other charitable giving funds. Rosen succeeds Susan C. Mattisinko, who held the position since 2012.

Bradley Muchard Libuit was promoted to partner of Cooley LLP in San Francisco.

Cooley LLP announced Bradley Muchard Libuit has been elected partner in San Francisco, effective Jan. 1. Libuit practices corporate and securities law. He represents companies at all stages of their life cycle, from startups to large public companies, as well as venture capital firms and other institutional investors.

Daniel Jedediah Knauss was promoted to partner of Cooley LLP in Palo Alto.

Cooley LLP announced Daniel Jedediah Knauss has been elected partner in Palo Alto, effective Jan. 1. Knauss' litigation practice focuses on intellectual property, with an emphasis on life sciences. He litigates patent infringement and contract disputes concerning a variety of technologies, including cancer medicines, antiviral therapeutics, biofuels, agriculture and medical devices.

Matthew Todd Wiltermuth was promoted to partner of Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati in Palo Alto.

Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati announced Matthew Todd Wiltermuth has been elected partner in Palo Alto, effective Feb. 1. Wiltermuth advises clients in strategic commercial and intellectual property transactions, including collaboration and partnering arrangements, technology licensing and acquisitions, mergers and acquisitions, research and development agreements, and manufacturing, supply, and distribution arrangements, primarily in the pharmaceutical, biotechnology, medical device, and life sciences industries.

Shannon Renee Delahaye was promoted to partner of Wilson Sonsini Goodrich Rosati in Palo Alto.

Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati announced Shannon Renee Delahave has been elected partner in Palo Alto, effective Feb. 1. Delahaye works with companies and underwriters in connection with initial public offerings and other capital markets transactions. She also advises public companies on SEC compliance, disclosure, and corporate governance matters, and complex securities law issues.

Joshua Blank joined UC Irvine School of Law as professor of law in Irvine.

UC Irvine School of Law announced Joshua Blank has joined as a professor of law. He joins UCI Law from New York University School of Law where, besides being a professor of tax law, Blank is vice dean for technology-enhanced education, and faculty director of the school's Graduate Tax Program.

Jeffrey Chen joined Bartko Zankel Bunzel & Miller as principal attorney in Bartko Zankel Bunzel & Miller.

Jeffrey Chen is an intellectual property litigator who focuses his practice on high-stakes patent infringement disputes.

Angela Lucille Dunning was promoted to partner of Cooley LLP in Palo Alto.

Cooley LLP announced Angela Lucille Dunning has been elected partner in Palo Alto, effective Jan. 1. Dunning's litigation practice spans a wide array of matters in federal and state court, including complex commercial disputes, trademark, copyright, trade secrets and unfair competition cases.

John Paul Oleksiuk was promoted to partner of Cooley LLP in Santa Monica.

Cooley LLP announced John Paul "JP" Oleksiuk has been elected partner in Los Angeles, effective Jan. 1. Oleksiuk's practice focuses on litigation, prosecution and counseling in the fields of trademark and copyright law. He litigates trademark and copyright disputes in federal courts, trademark matters before the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board and UDRP domain name arbitration proceedings.

Susan Marie Krumplitsch was promoted to partner of Cooley LLP in Palo Alto.

Cooley LLP announced Susan Marie Krumplitsch has been elected partner in Palo Alto, effective Jan. 1. Krumplitsch's litigation practice focuses on intellectual property disputes and strategic counseling for life sciences companies with an emphasis on patent litigation. She represents innovative biotechnology, pharmaceutical and medical device companies in trial, appellate and post-grant review proceedings at the US Patent and Trademark Office - including inter partes review proceedings.

Megan Arthur Schilling was promoted to partner of Cooley LLP in San Diego.

Cooley LLP announced Megan Arthur Schilling has been elected partner in San Diego, effective Jan. 1. Schilling focuses on compensation and benefits for public and private companies. She counsels companies on designing, implementing and disclosing employment, incentive, change-in-control and severance arrangements. Schilling also provides strategic advice to boards of directors and management teams on these matters, as well as new developments and evolving best practices in executive compensation, corporate governance and shareholder engagement.

Jennifer Diane Knapp was promoted to partner of Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati in Palo Alto.

Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati announced Jennifer Diane Knapp has been elected partner in Palo Alto, effective Feb. 1. Knapp represents public and private life sciences and technology companies, as well as venture capital and other institutional investors. She focuses on representing companies throughout their entire life cycle from formation to exit, and in all manner of strategic and complex transactions, including corporate formation and structuring, venture capital financings, corporate governance, spin-ins and spin-outs, mergers and acquisitions, public offerings, public company disclosure requirements, and SEC compliance matters. She also advises investors in venture capital financings and other strategic investments and transactions.

John Patrick McGaraghan was promoted to partner of Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati in Palo Alto.

Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati announced John Patrick McGaraghan has been elected partner in Palo Alto, effective Feb. 1. McGaraghan focuses on intellectual property counseling and licensing, and the drafting and negotiation of strategic commercial contracts. He also assists companies with mergers, acquisitions, divestitures, and financing transactions. Additionally, McGaraghan works with public and private companies in the hardware, semiconductor, software, Internet, media, social networking, and advertising industries.

Eric A. Kauffman was promoted to partner of Cooley LLP in San Diego.

Cooley LLP announced Eric A. Kauffman has been elected partner in San Diego, effective Jan. 1. Kauffman's practice encompasses both employment litigation and counseling. He provides strategic support to leading technology and life sciences companies, and their private equity and venture capital sponsors, on a wide variety of employment law matters.

Ruchun Ji was promoted to partner of Sidley Austin LLP in Palo Alto.

Sidley Austin LLP announced Ruchun Ji has been elected partner in Palo Alto, effective Jan. 1. Ji practices in the firm's emerging companies and venture capital practice. His work focuses on general corporate and business law, including China-related mergers and acquisitions, private equity/venture capital financings, joint ventures and public securities offerings. He also advises multinational and startup companies in a number of sectors including biopharmaceutical, wireless media, internet and manufacturing.