Anna G. Kudla joined Hart Kienle Pentecost as senior counsel in Santa Ana.

Kudla provides comprehensive guidance in civil litigation. She represents brokers, sellers and buyers, appraisers, contractors, business owners, and professional athletes in contract negotiations, commission disputes, administrative hearings, mediation, litigation, and arbitration. Beyond her role as a trial counsel, she is a certified mediator with the ability to facilitate amicable resolutions for clients when needed. Her practice spans various areas, including business litigation, construction defects, real estate disputes, and complex, multi-party litigation matters. She further extends her expertise to handling defense claims in trial, arbitration, before real estate panels, and addressing DRE accusations. She also provides continuing education in the legal and real estate professions.

Bill VanDeWeghe as mediator in San Diego

As a former CEO and president, public and private board member, startup co-founder and managing director of an investment banking firm, VanDeWeghe has dealt firsthand with the complex issues that business owners, employees, boards, and attorneys face. As a former litigator, he guided clients through the uncertainties, risks and costs of litigation.

Gene F. Williams joined Paduanao & Weintraub LLP as co-office managing partner in Century City.

Williams has defended clients in labor and employment matters and wage and hour class actions for the past 15 years. In addition, he has worked with in-house counsel and people operations departments to head off problems and create systems that comply with federal, state, and local employment rules and regulations. He has routinely represented directors, officers and senior management in complex commercial litigation matters in state and federal court. He has prepared and tried cases and arbitrations to judges, juries, and ALJs, handled hundreds of depositions, and argued countless critical dispositive motions. He has been lead counsel on class certification matters and participated in hundreds of successful class actions and labor and employment mediations and settlements.

Tracy Reichmuth joined Knox Ricksen as counsel in Walnut Creek.

A seasoned litigator with more than 20 years of experience with complex commercial matters, Reichmuth previously handled commercial contract disputes, business torts and consumer class action defense, in addition to healthcare litigation. She has litigated cases involving retail and other commercial real estate, mergers and acquisitions, unfair business practices, antitrust laws, corporate tax issues, commercial construction, intellectual property, and insurance coverage. Reichmuth has also provided pro bono services in immigration and education law.

Theresa Clardy LaFazia was promoted to partner of Venable LLP in Los Angeles.

LaFazia focuses on domestic and international tax planning, international tax compliance and reporting, tax controversy, and litigation for talent, entertainment executives, high-net-worth individuals, and entrepreneurs. A significant portion of her practice is dedicated to helping clients resolve tax controversy and litigation matters with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and the California Franchise Tax Board (FTB). She represents individuals, businesses, and nonprofit organizations in all stages of tax disputes, including audits, administrative appeals, refund actions, collection disputes, and litigation in state and federal courts.

Ryan S. Kasdin was promoted to partner of Venable LLP in Los Angeles.

Kasdin advises tax-exempt organizations on a range of corporate, tax, and governance matters, political activities, regulatory compliance, and commercial transactions. In addition to providing general counsel services, he helps clients navigate the intersecting tax and campaign finance laws applicable to tax-exempt organizations engaging in issue advocacy and political activities. He works with a variety of tax-exempt organizations, including public charities, private foundations, political committees, advocacy organizations, and professional associations. Clients appreciate his accessible, solution-oriented approach to lawyering and his understanding of their individual challenges and goals.

Sharoni S. Finkelstein was promoted to partner of Venable LLP in Los Angeles.

Finkelstein's practice focuses on global brand protection and enforcement, counseling clients on how to secure, protect, and police their trademark rights. She represents clients in federal court, before the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board (TTAB), and in Uniform Domain Name Dispute Resolution (UDRP) proceedings. She manages high-volume enforcement programs, sending cease and desist letters, negotiating complex settlements in trademark infringement matters, and handling infringement matters on social media and other Internet platforms, including through the use of various takedown proceedings.

Amit Rana was promoted to partner of Venable LLP in San Francisco.

Rana has extensive experience successfully defending against consumer class actions, including those brought under unfair competition and false advertising laws. He has been involved in more than 75 threatened or filed consumer class actions. He brings creative legal solutions to accommodate business needs in a variety of industries, including consumer-packaged goods, multi-site franchises, food/restaurant, and computer software.

Robert McGuiness joined Signature Resolution as neutral in San Francisco Bay Area.

As a mediator, McGuiness emphasizes thoughtful resolutions that allow parties to move forward with their lives. He relies on strong engagement with the parties and their counsel and, through the same, seeks an understanding of the dynamics and personalities involved. Maintaining open communication is a cornerstone of his approach. Judge McGuiness' wealth of experience makes him a strong addition to Signature Resolution's panel of neutrals. His unwavering commitment to excellence and his passion for thoughtful mediated results will substantially impact those who mediate with him and continue to establish Signature Resolution's presence in Northern California.

Kelly R. Horwitz was promoted to partner of Benedon & Serlin, LLP in Woodland Hills.

Horwitz has argued more than 60 cases to the California appellate courts, Bankruptcy Appellate Panel, appellate division of the Los Angeles County Superior Court, Central District of California, and 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. Horwitz is counsel in a case pending before the California Supreme Court that is awaiting oral argument. She is a certified appellate law specialist (California Board of Legal Specialization) and represents clients in a range of appeals, including bankruptcy, trusts and estates, employment, contracts, and real estate.

Lisa D. Angelo was promoted to senior partner of Murchison & Cumming, LLP in Los Angeles and Irvine.

Angelo specializes in the defense of a variety of matters, including professional liability, directors and offices, and complex general liability cases. Over the course of the past 15 years with M&C, Angelo has successfully represented her retail, non-profit business, and professional clients, securing multiple defense trial verdicts and dispositive motion outcomes. She is a Martindale Hubbell AV-Preeminent rated attorney and a member of several esteemed legal organizations where she speaks on various topics, including mentoring, malpractice, and navigating settlement demands.

Greg LeSaint was promoted to partner of Farella Braun + Martel LLP in San Francisco.

LeSaint advises operating companies, private funds, family offices, lenders, entrepreneurs, investors, key employees, and multi-generational businesses in complex transactions, corporate governance matters, and succession planning. He represents acquirers and targets in domestic and cross-border mergers and acquisitions; advises private equity investors and real estate developers on investment vehicle formation, securities offerings, recapitalizations, and exits; advises founders and entrepreneurs on critical company issues; advises secured borrowers and lenders; advises key employees and service providers; and serves as outside general counsel to emerging and mature companies, including family-owned and closely held businesses. LeSaint works across multiple industries, including technology and software, wine, real estate, apparel, and professional services.

Cynthia Castillo was promoted to partner of Farella Braun + Martel LLP in San Francisco.

Castillo handles high-stakes, complex civil cases with a focus on contractual disputes and consumer class actions, particularly the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA) class actions. Her clients have included private equity firms, cannabis companies, large technology companies, startups, nonprofits, and individuals. The breadth of her litigation experience allows her to quickly spot risks and develop creative solutions for her clients.

Rebecca Harlow was promoted to partner of Orrick in San Francisco.

Harlow's practice includes all aspects of class action and other civil litigation in areas including privacy and data security breach litigation and arbitration and insurance litigation. She has represented multiple companies in class action litigation involving claims by consumers, employees, and institutions relating to security, privacy, and other issues. She also advises clients facing insurance coverage disputes and arbitration of contractual disputes. She has defended litigation arising out of data breaches involving claims by consumers and financial institutions and class actions bringing wiretapping and other claims against companies relating to the use of online technologies and tools like cookies, pixels, and session replay software.

Will Melehani was promoted to partner of Orrick in San Francisco.

Melehani brings a fresh approach to IP litigation. He draws upon his broad knowledge of Federal Circuit cases to ensure his strategy will withstand appeal, and when his cases are challenged he plays a key role in writing and arguing the appellate briefs. Whether handling patent, trademark, or trade secrets matters, his creative methodology gives his clients a unique advantage.

Victor Hanna was promoted to partner of Orrick in San Francisco.

Hanna is well-versed in both debt and equity financing structures, including bilateral and syndicated facilities, asset- and cash-flow-based facilities, mezzanine, back-leverage, bridge and construction loans, as well as cash equity and tax equity financings.

Rachael Robinson joined Cohen Williams LLP as associate in Los Angeles.

Robinson focuses on criminal proceedings and appeals, particularly in before the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeal and the California Courts of Appeal. She has also served as the lead motions attorney in numerous federal criminal jury trials.

Yusuf Saei joined Cohen Williams LLP as associate in Los Angeles.

Saei handles all stages of complex criminal and civil proceedings in state and federal courts nationwide, from pre-trial through appeal. He has particular expertise in critical motion practice, supported by his background as a federal clerk for Judge Jacqueline Nguyen of the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals and Judge Jesus G. Bernal of the Central District of California. Previously, Yusuf was an associate at King & Spalding LLP.

Roya S. Ladan was promoted to partner of Cohen Williams LLP in Los Angeles.

Ladan represents individuals and entities in all stages of litigation, from investigations to trials, arbitrations, and appeals. As an employment litigation specialist, Ladan advises and defends employment actions, including wage and hour disputes, misclassification, employment discrimination, retaliation, sexual harassment, and whistleblower actions. She also provides guidance to clients dealing with complex criminal and civil matters with an emphasis on cases that lie at the intersection of employment and criminal law.

Sophia Mancall-Bitel joined Mayer Brown as partner in Los Angeles.

Mancall-Bitel has represented leading internet and technology companies in cutting-edge consumer class actions. She has been at the forefront of the current wave of website pixel litigation and related internet data privacy cases. She is particularly skilled in helping technology companies navigate these complex lawsuits through a recent trend of adverse judicial decisions. She also maintains a robust pro bono practice.

Monica Chinchilla joined Tyz Law Group as law clerk in San Francisco.

Chinchilla is expected to graduate from the University of San Francisco School of Law in May. Chinchilla brings a diverse set of professional experiences to Tyz Law, both during law school and prior. While in law school, she has spent time at a tech company, a law firm, with the USF School of Law's Intellectual Property Clinic, at the City Attorney of San Francisco, and as an intern for Judge Beverly Wood of the Marin County Superior Court.

Eric J. Schwartzman joined Baker McKenzie as partner in San Francisco.

Schwartzman guides private equity sponsors, their portfolio companies, and public and private companies on mergers and acquisitions, dispositions, recapitalizations, take-privates, carve-outs, restructurings, and joint ventures. His practice spans a range of industries, including technology and its many subsectors, telecom, media and entertainment, financial services, healthcare, consumer goods, retail, energy, manufacturing, and industrials.

Christine A. Renken was promoted to partner of Simmons Hanly Conroy LLP in Los Angeles.

Renken focuses her practice on helping victims of mesothelioma and other asbestos-related diseases. She works with a team of attorneys who give clients a voice against individuals and corporations who knew or should have known about the hazards of asbestos.

Noah A. Katsell joined Barnes & Thornburg LLP as partner in San Diego.

Katsell focuses his practice on representing public and private companies, boards of directors and their committees, and individual directors and officers in sophisticated securities and complex commercial litigation, class actions, trade secret claims, internal investigations, and government enforcement actions.

Frank Busch joined Coblentz Patch Duffy & Bass LLP as partner in San Francisco.

Busch is an experienced litigator who has represented parties of every size in complex trial and appellate matters. He has experience with all phases of discovery, motion practice, mediation, arbitration, trial, and appeal, including leading successful trial teams and winning oral arguments before the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.

Justin Ehrlich joined Miller Barondess, LLP as partner in Los Angeles.

Ehrlich has significant experience representing both plaintiffs and defendants, having obtained multiple seven- and eight-figure verdicts, arbitration awards, and settlements. He specializes in complex business disputes, professional liability, insurance bad faith, employment, among other areas. His clients have included entrepreneurs, top Los Angeles lawyers, private equity firms, Rock and Roll Hall of Fame member musicians, and technology companies.

Brandon Rainey was promoted to partner of Duane Morris LLP in Palo Alto.

Rainey is a litigator who handles high-stakes disputes for large domestic and international corporate clients in the technology, financial services, infrastructure and manufacturing industries. His practice currently focuses on defending employers in cases involving all types of employment-related claims, including discrimination, harassment, retaliation, defamation, breach of contract and misappropriation of trade secrets. Rainey also has deep experience representing corporations in complex commercial disputes involving contract, tort, product liability, intellectual property and regulatory disputes.

Ryan C. Smith was promoted to partner of Duane Morris LLP in San Diego.

Smith has extensive experience in intellectual property due diligence and U.S. and international patent prosecution in the areas of biotechnology and chemical arts. In addition, Smith has experience in matters directed to noninfringement, invalidity and freedom-to-operate analyses, as well as intellectual property due diligence associated with mergers/acquisitions, public offerings and private equity investments.

Gretchen Tomanek Shaffer was promoted to partner of Duane Morris LLP in San Diego.

Shaffer focuses her practice on a wide variety of estate planning matters, primarily in the context of the estate, gift, and generation-skipping transfer tax, revocable and irrevocable trust planning, estate, and trust administration, life insurance planning, charitable planning, and intra-family transactions.

Karen L. Alexander was promoted to partner of Duane Morris LLP in San Diego.

Alexander focuses on white-collar criminal defense and business litigation. She has tried more than 20 cases to verdict, including numerous jury and bench trials in federal court and multiweek arbitrations.

Julian Gurule joined O'Melveny & Myers LLP as partner in Los Angeles.

Gurule has guided clients for 16 years through the full range of distressed and bankruptcy matters -- from in-court and out-of-court restructurings to bankruptcy and distressed financings, M&A, and litigation. His practice spans an array of industries that align with O'Melveny's strengths, including entertainment, hospitality, health care, energy, and manufacturing. He also has extensive experience in the financial services, corporate finance, and private equity sectors.

Abigail O'Brient joined Covington & Burling LLP as partner in Los Angeles.

O'Brient's wide-ranging restructuring and creditor rights litigation practice focuses on the representation of secured and unsecured creditors in insolvency cases and other proceedings nationwide. She routinely represents parties in litigation related to insolvency and distressed debt in state and federal court, as well as purchasers and sellers of distressed assets and fiduciaries in bankruptcy cases and other insolvency matters.

Gordon C. Young joined Frost Brown Todd LLP as partner in San Francisco.

Gordon has three decades of experience trying and arbitrating cases for Fortune 500 companies, banks, trustees, individuals, and investment advisors. These cases include securities, trusts & estates, probate, employment, unfair competition, trade secrets, and personal injury cases in court and arbitration.

Eric Kennedy was promoted to office managing shareholder of Buchalter in Orange County.

Kennedy handles real estate disputes involving owners, developers, landlords, and commercial tenants. He also regularly represents clients in disputes involving corporate financing, governance, and operations. He has significant experience defending consumer class actions and handling disputes involving contracts, unfair competition, and fiduciary relationships. Kennedy represents clients in a variety of industries, including technology, retail, apparel, social media, consumer products, and automotive.