Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP
Jeffrey W Cohen
was promoted to partner of Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP in Los Angeles.
Practicing in the renewable energy sector, Cohen represents clients in the disposition, acquisition, development and financing of large-scale infrastructure and energy projects.
Kimberly D Rowe
was promoted to partner of Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP in Los Angeles.
Beginning her legal career in the corporate department of a prominent law firm in New York, Rowe now represents private equity funds as well as public and private companies in a variety of strategic transactions.
Jackson Lewis PC
John P Schaedel
joined Jackson Lewis PC as attorney in Los Angeles.
Schaedel has litigated cases related to wage and hour violations, discrimination, retaliation, harassment and wrongful termination.
Address
725 South Figueroa Street Suite 2500
Los Angeles, 90017
Buchalter
Anne Marie Ellis
was promoted to shareholder of Buchalter in Irvine.
Ellis practices in product liability defense, personal injury and commercial litigation, premises liability, regulatory compliance and client counseling. She is a member of the Product Liability Advisory Council and is on the task force for the Sports and Fitness Industry Association.
Katharine H Falace
was promoted to shareholder of Buchalter in St. Helena.
Regularly litigating cases in business, real estate and land use on behalf of wineries and vineyard managers, Falace is the former president of the Napa County Women Lawyers and sits on the board of directors for Connolly Ranch.
Brian T Harvey
was promoted to shareholder of Buchalter in Los Angeles.
Working in the firm’s insolvency and financial law group, Harvey represents financial institutions, creditor committees, debtors, lessors, lessees, trade creditors and investors in bankruptcy proceedings.
Jeffrey M Judd
was promoted to shareholder of Buchalter in San Francisco.
Judd’s practice focuses on corporate ownership and governance, commercial and finance issues, trade secrets and real estate. He specializes in complex litigation involving science and technology.
David E Mark
was promoted to shareholder of Buchalter in Los Angeles.
Focusing on complex commercial, creditors’ rights, real estate and intellectual property litigation, Mark’s specialties include the cannabis, apparel, entertainment and alternative lenders industries.
Michael J Muse-Fisher
was promoted to shareholder of Buchalter in Sacramento.
Muse-Fisher represents regional and national lenders, banks, financial institutions and real estate investment trusts, as well as public and private companies in state and federal administrative cases.
Roger L Scott
was promoted to shareholder of Buchalter in Irvine.
Specializing in labor and employment, Scott practices in trade secret theft, patent disputes, business litigation and class action defense.
Nikole K Zoumberakis
was promoted to shareholder of Buchalter in Los Angeles.
Zoumberakis practices in industries including employee benefits, executive compensation, startups, early stage companies and private equity, focusing on fund formation and investment adviser representation.
Withers
Jonathan N Garbutt
joined Withers as special counsel in San Francisco.
Previously a tax attorney in Canada, Garbutt has represented international individuals, families, family offices, financial institutions and trust companies.
Address
505 Sansome Street 2nd Floor
San Francisco, 94111
Kilpatrick Townsend & Stockton LLP
April E Isaacson
was promoted to managing partner of Kilpatrick Townsend & Stockton LLP in San Francisco.
With a legal career beginning in the U.S. military before crossing over into civilian law, April A. Isaacson has been a mainstay at Kilpatrick Townsend & Stockton LLP since the firm's earliest days and will now serve as managing partner in San Francisco.
Isaacson was an associate at the firm's predecessor, Townsend Townsend & Crew, starting in 2002 before making partner in 2004. Before that she had worked as a Navy JAG officer from 1995 to 1999 litigating complex criminal jury trial proceedings.
In this position, Isaacson said in an interview, she received leadership training that was "really outstanding,
as well as world class training in terms of the legal training." When she decided to go into private practice, she was able to put that training to use in a civilian setting.
"It's definitely a transition from doing the criminal trial work to doing the civil litigation," Isaacson said. "But it was great for me to have the trial experience that I'd gotten when I was in the Navy and be able to translate that into the courtroom in a civil proceedings context."
After departing from Kilpatrick's predecessor in 2007, Isaacson rejoined the firm in its revamped form last year. She ... has since been an integral part of our San Francisco office," Roger D. Wylie, managing partner in Seattle, said in a news release. "April will do an outstanding job leading our second largest office."
Winston & Strawn LLP
Josh N Birenbaum
was promoted to partner of Winston & Strawn LLP in Los Angeles.
Focusing on mergers and acquisitions, private equity transactions, leveraged buyouts and joint ventures, Birenbaum works with public and private companies, private equity funds and financial institutions.
Jason S Campbell
was promoted to partner of Winston & Strawn LLP in Los Angeles.
Campbell deals in employment litigation, advising employers on matters of wage and hours compliance, leaves of absence, termination, investigations and trade secrets and representing them in class action and single-plaintiff litigation.
Laura M Franco
was promoted to partner of Winston & Strawn LLP in San Francisco and Silicon Valley.
A member of Winston & Strawn’s video game, gaming and esports group, Franco specializes in intellectual property litigation involving brand protection and enforcement.
Hao Huang
was promoted to partner of Winston & Strawn LLP in Los Angeles.
Huang practices in the areas of renewable energy and infrastructure throughout the U.S., and has advised in the development, acquisition and financing of wind and solar.
Shawn R Obi
was promoted to partner of Winston & Strawn LLP in Los Angeles.
Practicing in consumer protection, class action, securities, financial services and advertising, Obi represents clients in the food, beverage and consumer product industries.
Aaron C O’Dell
was promoted to partner of Winston & Strawn LLP in Los Angeles.
Experienced in securities and complex, commercial and business litigation, O’Dell has seen cases through to verdict across the U.S.
Jeffrey L Steinfeld
was promoted to partner of Winston & Strawn LLP in Los Angeles.
Steinfeld has defended criminal, civil insider and securities fraud actions, and specializes in white collar defense, SEC enforcement actions and class action defense.
Jacko Law Group PC
Anya Griffith
joined Jacko Law Group PC as of counsel in San Diego.
Beginning her career at the Office of Chief Counsel at the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, Griffith has specialized in investment company registration, commercial contracts and stock purchase agreements, among other fields.
Address
1350 Columbia St Unit 300
San Diego, 92101
Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP
Jason E Mohr
was promoted to counsel of Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP in Los Angeles.
After graduating magna cum laude from University of Michigan Law School, Mohr joined the California bar in 2020. His practice focuses on real estate law.
Karen J Reyes
was promoted to counsel of Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP in Palo Alto.
Reyes works in corporate litigation and joined the California bar in 2012.
Meta
Susan R Epstein
joined Meta as associate general counsel, technology in Menlo Park.
Epstein is experienced in education law, and has lectured at Stanford University and University of Chicago Law School.
Address
1 Hacker Way
Menlo Park, 94025
Polsinelli LLP
Rebecca B Hoyes
joined Polsinelli LLP as shareholder in San Francisco.
Hoyes' litigation background includes extensive work representing hospitals and medical staff in peer review investigations, corrective action, hearings and appeals.
Address
Three Embarcadero Center, Suite 2400
San Francisco, 94111
Hoge Fenton Jones & Appel
Jeffrey J Crosswhite
joined Hoge Fenton Jones & Appel as attorney in Pleasanton.
Crosswhite's litigation background includes work in small and mid-sized business, high net worth families, real estate developers and public agencies. He has also
served in clerkships for judges in California and Oregon as well as city and county attorneys in Los Angeles, Portland and Marin County.
Address
6801 Koll Center Parkway, Suite 210
Pleasanton, 94566-7047
Crosbie Gliner Schiffman Southard & Swanson LLP
Lee A Kaplan
joined Crosbie Gliner Schiffman Southard & Swanson LLP as associate attorney in Los Angeles.
Kaplan was an in-house attorney with the California Association of Realtors, started a land use practice at Harding Larmore Kutcher & Kozal LLP and advised municipalities
with Richards Watson & Gershon. He also practices environmental law.
Address
10940 Wilshire Boulevard Suite 2200
Los Angeles, 90024
Stoel Rives LLP
Matthew D Segal
joined Stoel Rives LLP as partner in Sacramento.
Formerly the chief of the Special Prosecutions Unit in the Eastern District, Rives worked in the U.S. Attorney's Office for 17 years. He now focuses his practice on internal investigations, white-collar crime and antitrust litigation.
Address
500 Capitol Mall, Suite 1600
Sacramento, 95814
Crosbie Gliner Schiffman Southard & Swanson LLP (CGS3)
Lee Kaplan
joined Crosbie Gliner Schiffman Southard & Swanson LLP (CGS3) as associate attorney in Los Angeles.
Crosbie Gliner Schiffman Southard & Swanson LLP (CGS3), a rapidly growing commercial real estate law firm, has announced the addition of Lee Kaplan as an associate attorney. Prior to joining CGS3, Kaplan advised municipalities and other public entities with Los Angeles-based Richards, Watson & Gershon and established a land use practice at Harding Larmore Kutcher & Kozal in Santa Monica. He also has in-house experience working as a staff attorney for the California Association of Realtors, a statewide trade association for real estate professionals. In addition to his extensive general real estate and land use experience, he has broad expertise in environmental law. He is particularly adroit at conducting due diligence and shepherding development projects of all sizes through complex entitlement processes throughout Southern California. Kaplan holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in politics from New York University and earned his J.D., from the UCLA School of Law.
Details
CGS3 is a new generation commercial real estate law firm with practice areas covering the full commercial real estate life cycle, including finance, acquisition/disposition, entity formation, tax, development, land use, leasing, distressed asset workouts and dispute resolution. Earning a reputation as one of California's leading commercial real estate law firms, CGS3 has recruited some of the state's top real estate attorneys from both large corporate firms and senior in-house positions. CGS3 is located at 12750 High Bluff Drive, Suite 250, San Diego, California 92130 and 10940 Wilshire Boulevard, Suite 2200, Los Angeles, California 90024. For more information, visit http://www.cgs3.com.
Address
10940 Wilshire Boulevard, Suite 2200
Los Angeles, 90024 United States
T:
(424) 320-9276
F:
(424) 273-1067
FitzGerald & Mulé LLP
Jana Balik FitzGerald
joined FitzGerald & Mulé LLP as senior associate in Indian Wells.
Ms. FitzGerald's practice experience has included litigation and all aspects of labor and employment law. She has worked on the defense of class actions, representative actions, and individual plaintiff lawsuits involving federal and California anti-discrimination and equal pay laws; California wage-and-hour laws; the Labor Code Private Attorneys General Act (PAGA), and others. She has provided advice and counseling to numerous clients, and has conducted workplace training.
Details
FitzGerald & Mulé LLP is a preeminent labor and employment law practice based in Indian Wells, California that represents employers and individuals in all aspects of labor and employment law, including discrimination, sexual harassment, wage and hour issues, wrongful termination, NLRB matters, and contract disputes. The firm's partners and associates assist employers in developing policies and practices to help them comply with the numerous labor and employment laws that affect their businesses. In addition, the firm has extensive experience in conducting confidential independent investigations.
Address
74-770 Highway 111, Suite 205
Indian Wells, 92210 USA
T:
(760) 325-5055
Dechert LLP
Benjamin M Sadun
was promoted to partner of Dechert LLP in Los Angeles.
Sadun handles product liability and mass tort disputes, securities and antitrust litigation.
Akerman LLP
Rachel McRoskey
was promoted to special counsel of Akerman LLP in Miami.
Rachel McRoskey has been promoted to Special Counsel in Akerman's national Real Estate Practice Group. She has experience representing investors, owners, lenders, and developers in a range of local and national transactions, including shopping center development, acquisitions and dispositions, and public and private sector financing.
Details
Akerman LLP is a top 100 U.S. law firm recognized among the most forward-thinking firms in the industry by Financial Times. Its more than 700 lawyers and business professionals collaborate with the world's most successful enterprises and entrepreneurs to navigate change, seize opportunities, and help drive innovation and growth.
Sidley Austin LLP
Stephe B Ballas
joined Sidley Austin LLP as partner in Century City.
After a 19-year legal career encompassing in and out of house counsel, attorney Stephen B. Ballas has joined Sidley Austin LLP
as a partner in Century City. Ballas had been a partner at DLA Piper since 2019.
Ballas' ties to Sidley Austin LLP run deep, dating back to his time at the New York offices of Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP. It was there that he met Sidley partner Dan Clivner, who at the time worked at Simpson's Los Angeles offices.
"Dan is one of the people I liked working with at Simpson, and one of the lessons you learn as you go through your career is that you keep the relationships you build and develop them, because those are people whose paths you'll cross later," Ballas said. "So Dan was one of the first people I reached out to when I was looking
for jobs out in L.A."
Clivner said, "I'm a little older than Stephen, and I served as a trusted adviser to him during his career, both internally when we worked at the same firm and then when he relocated to L.A."
Ballas moved to Los Angeles in 2011, where he joined real estate firm CBRE as senior counsel. By 2013, he had risen to the rank of senior vice president and deputy general counsel.
"I oversaw M&A and SEC reporting and public company governance," Ballas said. "So not totally dissimilar from the things I hope to do at Sidley."
In 2016, Ballas moved on to communications firm Global Eagle Entertainment, where he served as executive vice president, general counsel, and corporate secretary. In these capacities, Ballas continued to work in mergers and acquisitions and SEC reporting while also overseeing compliance functions and employment litigation.
"That was true general counsel, a little bit of everything," Ballas recalled.
Ballas' various positions helped him find a true passion for legal work, which he initially pursued in his father's footsteps.
"When I actually went to law school and then had my first job at Simpson, I realized I actually like the negotiation aspects of it, I like the attention to detail aspects of it, and I'm kind of drawn to the power of language," Ballas said. "I recognize legal contracts are so dry and not the most exciting thing in the world, but there's a lot packed in them."
Clivner believes that the addition of Ballas to Sidley will only strengthen the firm's practice as part of an ongoing effort to bring in fresh new talent.
"What we've done at Sidley over the last decade in Los Angeles is really very special, and it's because people like Stephen have joined us to make it so special," Clivner said. "It's been a lot of recruiting and a lot of lateral movement -- we expect more to come -- and that's really elevated us in the market nationwide."
Address
1999 Avenue of the Stars, 17th Floor
Century City, 90067
Gov. Gavin Newsom
L. Carmen Ramirez
joined Gov. Gavin Newsom as member of the central valley regional water quality control board in Sacramento.
Ramirez previously practiced law with the Law Offices of Kelsey and Ramirez and the Law Offices of Fagalde, Albertoni and Flores LLP.
Address
1303 10th Street, Suite 1173
Sacramento, 95814
JAMS
Charles Margines
joined JAMS as arbitrator in Irvine.
Margines was presiding judge of the Orange County Superior Court for three years after serving as assistant presiding judge for two. He spent 23 years as a judge.
Address
5 Park Plaza Suite 400
Irvine, 92614
King & Spalding LLP
Kyle Gotchy
was promoted to partner of King & Spalding LLP in Sacramento.
Practicing in the fields of regulation, operational issues, revenue cycles, transactions, investigation and enforcement proceedings, Gotchy works with hospitals, health systems and medical groups.
Benjamin T Jones
was promoted to partner of King & Spalding LLP in San Francisco.
Jones litigates matters in arbitration and international disputes relating to energy, construction, technology and finance.
Jamie A Lang
was promoted to partner of King & Spalding LLP in Los Angeles.
Lang represents clients in internal investigations as well as criminal and regulatory enforcement, with a focus on white-collar litigation.
Suzanne E Nero
was promoted to partner of King & Spalding LLP in San Francisco.
Having represented Fortune 500 companies in commercial disputes at the state and federal level, Nero practices in complex commercial litigation related to antitrust and class actions.
Jonathan H Shin
was promoted to counsel of King & Spalding LLP in Los Angeles.
Shin litigates within the health care industry, overseeing disputes in trial and arbitration and responding to government investigations.
Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP
Mimi C Cheng
was promoted to partner of Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP in Los Angeles.
A University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School graduate, Cheng specializes in corporate litigation, investment-backed financing, fund finance, banking and credit.
Frederick W P De Albuquerque
was promoted to partner of Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP in Palo Alto.
A corporate attorney focusing on mergers and acquisitions, De Albuquerque earned his law degree with honors from University of Chicago Law School.
Mark W Myott
was promoted to partner of Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP in Palo Alto.
Formerly of Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP, Mylott practices in corporate mergers and acquisitions.
Weil Gotshal & Manges LLP
Nicholas A Doloresco
was promoted to partner of Weil Gotshal & Manges LLP in Silicon Valley.
After participating in numerous high value transactions at Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP, private equity attorney Nicholas A. Doloresco has been elected to partner at the firm's Silicon Valley office.
Doloresco's connection to Weil goes back to his days at New York University, when he took a bankruptcy seminar with the firm's attorneys Harvey R. Miller and Michael F. Walsh. During this time he said he came to think of the firm as a "bankruptcy and restructuring powerhouse." When it came time to find his first legal job, he looked toward its Bay Area offices.
"I had the opportunity to talk to Weil partners Kyle C. Krpata and Craig Adas, and it was clear early on that Weil was the best place for me - a well-respected firm that has cultivated strong practices and great client relationships on the West Coast and beyond," Doloresco said in an interview.
Doloresco has advised client companies in transactional matters including mergers, acquisitions, equity investments and divestitures. He notably helped represent Applied Materials in a proposed $29 billion merger with Tokyo Electron Ltd., as well as Facebook in its $16 billion acquisition of WhatsApp.
"Many large, 'bet the company' deals take on a life of their own," Doloresco said. "They can be all-consuming and the amount of effort that goes into them on every level - associates, paralegals, partners and staff working across multiple offices and practice groups - is pretty amazing."
Krpata praised Doloresco's "excellence in every aspect of the job" in a prepared statement. "He has a broad skill set that enables him to handle all of the types of transactions we do in the Silicon Valley office -- from growth equity to traditional private equity, to public and private mergers and acquisitions,"
Krpata said. "He is a key member of our team and his election to partner is a significant part of our growth strategy."
Doloresco said he is gratified for the opportunity to handle a range of matters.
"It is exciting to work on large deals that make headlines, but my colleagues and I take tremendous pride in every matter we handle," he said. "Personally, I have had the good fortune of working with some great clients who are truly excited about how a deal is going to transform their company. They are really grateful for our help, and I'm very proud of those outcomes."
Gov. Gavin Newsom
Alice B Reynolds
was promoted to president of the california public utilities commission of Gov. Gavin Newsom in Sacramento.
Reynolds worked as an attorney for various firms before becoming a California deputy attorney general in 2002. From there she became a deputy secretary and general counsel for the California Environmental Protection Agency before going on to advise Governors Jerry Brown and Newsom on energy matters.
Blank Rome LLP
Bradley E Wolf
joined Blank Rome LLP as of counsel in Los Angeles.
Wolf specializes in commercial law and transactional litigation on secured and unsecured debt financing. He has worked in many industries, including manufacturing, casino gaming and agricultural business.
Address
2029 Century Park East 6th Floor
Los Angeles, 90067
Loeb & Loeb LLP
Jessica S Isokawa
joined Loeb & Loeb LLP as partner in San Francisco.
Isokawa represents clients in consumer products, retail and health care. Her practice focuses on complex mergers and acquisitions, private equity and other corporate transactions.
Address
Two Embarcadero Center Suite 2320
San Francisco, 94111
Polsinelli LLP
Kristian J F Bornemann
joined Polsinelli LLP as principal in San Francisco.
Representing investment and commercial banks, life insurance companies, investment managers and mortgage bankers, Bornemann specializes in real estate financing transactions.
Address
Three Embarcadero Center, Suite 2400
San Francisco, 94111
Barnes & Thornburg LLP
Warren J Biro
was promoted to partner of Barnes & Thornburg LLP in Los Angeles.
Biro represents lenders to technology and life science companies while also coordinating support from venture capital and private equity.
Jonathan J Boustani
was promoted to partner of Barnes & Thornburg LLP in Los Angeles.
Boustani has experience in complex commercial litigation in matters including creditor’s rights and insurance.
Garrett Scott Llewellyn
was promoted to partner of Barnes & Thornburg LLP in Los Angeles.
Llewellyn deals with complex commercial litigation and class action defense. He has overseen disputes ranging from breach of contract and fiduciary duty to unfair competition and consumer fraud.
Noushan Noureddini
was promoted to partner of Barnes & Thornburg LLP in Los Angeles.
A defense attorney dealing with product liability and commercial litigation claims, Noureddini represents manufacturers, distributors and sellers of medical devices, pharmaceuticals and consumer products.
Goodwin Procter LLP
Beni Surpin
joined Goodwin Procter LLP as partner in Los Angeles.
Working in the life sciences practice, Surpin will continue his specialization in complex technology, intellectual property and commercial transactions for U.S. and international companies. His areas of skill include collaborations and licenses between companies, research and development agreements and joint ventures.
Address
601 South Figueroa Street Suite 4100
Los Angeles, 90017
Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton LLP
Heather S Nyong'o
as partner
Nyong'o specializes in antitrust litigation, and was notably a part of the legal team that won acquittal for Citigroup's former head of European spot foreign exchange trading, Rohan Ramchandani.
Address
1841 Page Mill Rd.
Palo Alto, 94304