Briana J. Bramer was promoted to of counsel of Ropers Majeski in Los Angeles.

Bramer specializes in complex civil litigation and premises and product liability.
She is based in Los Angeles.

Marie E. Sobieski was promoted to of counsel of Ropers Majeski in San Jose.

Sobieski focuses on intellectual property with a focus on general, patent and trademark litigation.
She is based in San Jose.

Pascale Gagnon was promoted to partner of Ropers Majeski in Los Angeles.

Gagnon advises clients in professional liability matters, as well as business and commercial litigation.
She is based in Los Angeles.

Chantel E. Lafrades was promoted to of counsel of Ropers Majeski in San Francisco.

Lafrades specializes in litigation with a focus on personal injury, premises liability, construction and property disputes.
She is based in San Francisco.

Becky S. James joined Dykema Gossett PLLC as member in Austin, TX and Los Angeles, CA.

James specializes in white collar criminal defense, civil and criminal appeals.
She is based in Los Angeles and Austin, Texas.

Bonnie J. Bennett joined Berger Kahn ALC in Berger Kahn.

Wildfire litigator Bonnie J. Bennett joined Berger Kahn in Irvine as senior counsel. A graduate of Chapman University Fowler School of Law, she specializes in litigating subrogation claims on behalf of insurance companies.
She has handled claims related to the North Bay and Camp Fires against Pacific Gas and Electric Co., as well as the Thomas, Rye and Woolsey Fires against Southern California Edison Co. She worked alongside
Berger Kahn's managing partner Craig Simon in claims involving the Woolsey and Thomas Fires. "Bonnie is a perfect fit for our subrogation practice, which is why I personally recruited her," Simon said in a prepared statement.
Bennett joined the firm April 12 from Tyson & Mendes LLP in Los Angeles, where she had practiced since January.
According to Bennett, her past experience working with Simon and the firm were what attracted her to the opportunity, as well as the opportunity to return to Orange County.
"I have a tremendous amount of respect for him and the entire group," Bennett said. "Knowing how hard they work and how successful they are was part of the attraction."
Bennett formerly specialized in high stakes litigation, defending general contractors, developers and insurers and said subrogation was something she "somewhat fell into." "Getting an opportunity to switch from defense work to plaintiffs' work was an interesting opportunity and I really took to it and have enjoyed doing it ever since," she said. "Getting to the root cause of the different fires is always an interesting process."
Bennett previously practiced at Stutman Law, Hall Griffin LLP, Koeller, Nebeker, Carlson & Haluck and Baker & Baker APC.

Sean Monroe joined Paul Hastings LLP as partner in Century City.

Monroe specializes in mergers and acquisitions and corporate transactions in the entertainment and media industries.
He is based in Century City.

Ulysses Hui joined Davis Wright Tremaine LLP as partner in Silicon Valley.

Hui specializes in commercial technology transactions.
He is based in Silicon Valley.

Tanganica J Turner joined Musick, Peeler & Garrett LLP as associate in Los Angeles.

Turner specializes in labor and employment litigation.
She is based in Los Angeles.

Gabrielle E. Higgins joined Desmarais LLP as partner in San Francisco.

Desmarais LLP expanded its Bay Area intellectual property capabilities with the addition of partner Gabrielle E. Higgins. She is the firm's first lateral partner hire in its San Francisco office, which opened in 2019.
"In some ways for me it's like coming full circle and coming home," said Higgins. "I started at Fish & Neave in New York, an IP litigation boutique that had a 250-year history representing companies such as the Wright Brothers and General Electric."
She added, she was attracted to returning to a firm of intellectual property trial lawyers who work together and have similar practices, as well as the opportunity to help build out the firm's Bay Area presence.
Including her time at Fish & Neave before its merger with Ropes & Gray in 2007, she was with that firm for 30 years.
During her time at Fish & Neave, she spent some time working with John Desmarais, founder of Desmarais LLP, and was one of nine attorneys that helped the firm establish its first West Coast office in the Bay Area.
With over three decades of patent litigation experience, Higgins has represented leading technology companies such as Apple, Google and Samsung before the board's Patent Trial and Appeal Board as well as federal court.
She is a member of the board's Bar Association, currently serving on the programming committee, and nonprofit ChIPs, which focuses on advancing and connecting women in technology, law and policy. She also is dedicated to mentoring the next generation and partners with her clients and friends to host
breakfasts and lunches for young women just beginning their intellectual property careers.

Michael Rome was promoted to partner of Buckley LLP in Los Angeles.

Rome focuses on complex commercial disputes, consumer class actions and government enforcement matters.
He is based in Los Angeles.

Mark Chen was promoted to special counsel of Covington & Burling LLP in Los Angeles.

Chen is a litigator and specializes in intellectual property and complex commercial disputes.
He is based in Los Angeles.

Bobby Lutzker was promoted to special counsel of Covington & Burling LLP in San Francisco.

Lutzker specializes in drafting and negotiating licenses, collaboration, supply, distribution and other commercial agreements for life sciences and technology companies.
He is based in San Francisco.