Gov. Gavin Newsom
Alexandre Makler
joined Gov. Gavin Newsom as member of the california water commission in Berkeley.
Makler is senior vice president of the west region of Calpine Corporation.
He is based in Berkeley.
Barry N. Steinhart
joined Gov. Gavin Newsom as deputy director of legislation at the california department of motor vehicles in Plumas Lake.
Steinhart was previously assistant executive director at the California Energy Commission.
He is based in Plumas Lake.
Stradling Yocca Carlson & Rauth PC
Brent A. Reinke
as shareholder
Reinke is a shareholder who specializes in advising emerging growth companies in corporate transactions such as mergers and acquisitions, private equity and venture capital and strategic alliance and licensing. He joined from Musick, Peeler & Garrett LLP.
He is based in Westlake Village.
Ryan Azlein
as shareholder
Azlein is an emerging companies shareholder who is relocating from the firm's Century City office. He focuses on advising emerging technology and high growth companies from startup to exit.
He is based in Westlake Village and Santa Barbara.
Address
2945 Townsgate Road Suite 200
Westlake Village, 91361 USA
T:
(805) 730-6830
Office of the U.S. Secretary of Energy
Karen Skelton
joined Office of the U.S. Secretary of Energy as senior advisor in Washington D.C..
Skelton is the CEO and founder of policy and political consulting firm Skelton Strategies. She is a former director of strategic partnerships at the Global Climate Action Summit under Gov. Jerry Brown.
She is based in Washington D.C.
McDermott Will & Emery LLP
Doug H. Carsten
joined McDermott Will & Emery LLP as partner in Orange County.
Carsten specializes in complex patent litigation related to technology, pharmaceuticals, biologics, software and medical devices.
He is based in Orange County.
Address
18565 Jamboree Road Suite 250
Irvine, 92612-2565 USA
T:
(194) 962-0611
F:
(194) 966-6983
Hanusz Law PC
John Hanusz
as founding partner
in Los Angeles
Veteran criminal defense attorney John Hanusz has launched his own firm following a two-decade career that has included the Georgia Resource Center, the Central District's Office of the Federal Public Defender and the last four years in private practice in Los Angeles.
"The last couple of years, after spending my career in public service, have demystified the business side of the law for me," said Hanusz. "So much so that I was ready to take the leap. It was a no brainer." Most recently of counsel at Mark Beck Law PC, Hanusz focuses on a mix of investigations and defense.
"A lot of what I do is advising health care providers, doctors, physicians and labs in civil investigations, whether it's Medicare, Medicaid or the Department of Health Care Services -- state and federal civil matters. But, there's often a criminal component to it and so I help those clients to navigate, along with their civil counsel, those matters," he added.
In the past, he has also defended individuals who have been accused of tax, wire and mail fraud; professors and students in university misconduct investigations; and clients who have been accused of export violations, conspiracy, money laundering and violating environmental regulations.
He is also a Criminal Justice Act panel member and represents individuals who cannot financially retain counsel in criminal prosecutions.
Hanusz spent 11 years as a federal public defender and began his career as a staff attorney at the Georgia Appellate Practice & Educational Resource Center. He was with the nonprofit for five years representing convicts on death row.
"I come from a family of lawyers, so it's not that it was expected of me, but it was always an option," said Hanusz. "My family discussed political issues around the dinner table when I was growing up and law seemed like a very natural way for me to try to affect social change."
He looks forward to having the flexibility to add to his pro bono practice.
"I want to be able to continue to help the people that I've worked with my entire career," he said.
Address
800 Wilshire Boulevard Suite 1050
Los Angeles, 90017 USA
T:
(213) 204-4200
Keystone Law Group, P.C.
Cliff Melnick
joined Keystone Law Group, P.C. as of counsel in Los Angeles.
Melnick specializes in trust, estate and conservatorship litigation.
He is based in Los Angeles.
James Kirby Andrade
joined Keystone Law Group, P.C. as senior associate in Los Angeles.
Andrade focuses on trust administration matters.
He is based in Los Angeles.
Address
11300 West Olympic Boulevard, Suite 910
Los Angeles, 90064 United States
T:
(310) 444-9060
F:
(310) 444-9092
Davis Wright Tremaine
Michelle Quijano
joined Davis Wright Tremaine as of counsel in Los Angeles.
Quijano was vice president of legal affairs at NBC and specializes in production issues including talent, acquisition and rights agreements, intellectual and trademark matters.
She is based in Los Angeles.
Address
865 South Figueroa Street Suite 2400
Los Angeles, 90017-2566 USA
T:
(213) 633-6800
F:
(213) 633-6899
Dykema Gossett PLLC
James S Azadian
was promoted to member, colead of appellate and complex motion practice of Dykema Gossett PLLC in Los Angeles.
Azadian specializes his appellate practice on business and constitutional issues.
He is based in Los Angeles and Washington, D.C.
DLA Piper LLP
Jackie K. Park
was promoted to member of the management team of DLA Piper LLP in Los Angeles.
Park is co-U. S. managing partner and is the former co-chair of the real estate practice and comanaging partner of the L.A. office.
She is based in Los Angeles.
Mark D. Fowler
was promoted to member of the management team of DLA Piper LLP in Palo Alto.
Fowler is the global co-chair and U.S. chair of the intellectual property and technology practice. As a member of the management team he will focus on recruiting and growing client relationships.
He is based in Palo Alto.
Sang Kim
was promoted to member of the management team of DLA Piper LLP in Palo Alto and San Francisco.
Kim is the global co-chair and U.S. chair of the tax practice. He will focus on
business development between the firm’s U.S. and Asia operations.
He is based in Palo Alto and San Francisco.
Freeman Freeman & Smiley LLP
Thomas R. Sestanovich
joined Freeman Freeman & Smiley LLP as partner in Los Angeles.
Sestanovich specializes in sales, acquisitions, securitized financing and negotiating and documenting leases for office, retail and industrial properties nationwide.
He is based in Los Angeles.
Alan M. Bergman
joined Freeman Freeman & Smiley LLP as of counsel in Los Angeles.
Bergman specializes in real estate matters related to commercial, industrial and multi-residential properties.
He is based in Los Angeles.
Christine Ciarlo
joined Freeman Freeman & Smiley LLP as associate in Los Angeles.
Ciarlo focuses on various types of real estate transactions including acquisitions, dispositions, land development, asset management and business expansion.
She is based in Los Angeles.
Address
1888 Century Park E, Ste 1500
Los Angeles, 90067-1719 USA
T:
(310) 255-6100
F:
(310) 255-6200
Isaacs Friedberg LLP
William Wargo
joined Isaacs Friedberg LLP as of counsel in Los Angeles.
Wargo specializes in complex commercial disputes including contract actions, antitrust investigation and litigation, consumer and employment discrimination class actions and products liability actions.
He is based in Los Angeles.
Janine Cohen
joined Isaacs Friedberg LLP as of counsel in Los Angeles.
Cohen focuses on complex litigation including intracompany and contract disputes, financial management, employment defense, trade secrets, racketeering defense and trust related cases.
She is based in Los Angeles.
Address
555 S Flower St, Ste 4250
Los Angeles, 90071-2444 USA
T:
(213) 929-5550
Isaacs Friedberg LLP
Paul Murtagh
was promoted to partner of Isaacs Friedberg LLP in Los Angeles.
Murtagh specializes in complex commercial litigation including class actions, competitive business disputes, government litigation and insurance coverage disputes.
He is based in Los Angeles.
Baker McKenzie LLP
Ethan Kroll
joined Baker McKenzie LLP as partner in Los Angeles.
Kroll focuses his international tax practice on tax planning, intellectual property migrations, business transformation, transfer pricing and mergers and acquisitions tax.
He is based in Los Angeles.
Address
10250 Constellation Blvd, Ste 1850
Los Angeles, 90067-6278 USA
T:
(310) 616-5374
American College of Trial Lawyers
Jeffrey M. Fisher
joined American College of Trial Lawyers as fellow in San Francisco.
Fisher is a partner at Farella Braun + Martel LLP and cochairs the litigation department.
He is based in San Francisco.
K & L Gates LLP
Daniel W. Fox
was promoted to partner of K & L Gates LLP in San Francisco.
Fox focuses on commercial disputes, product liability defense and environmental litigation.
He is based in San Francisco.
Saman Rejali
was promoted to partner of K & L Gates LLP in Los Angeles.
Rejali specializes in litigation related to labor and employment and commercial disputes.
She is based in Los Angeles.
Higgs Fletcher & Mack LLP
Francisco A. Loayza-Romero
joined Higgs Fletcher & Mack LLP as associate in san diego.
Loayza-Romero specializes in business litigation, construction law and labor and employment.
He is based in San Diego.
Address
401 West A Street, Suite 2600
San Diego, 92101 USA
T:
(619) 236-1551
Loeb & Loeb LLP
Sarina Saluja
joined Loeb & Loeb LLP as partner in Los Angeles.
Saluja specializes in employment and labor related litigation such as discrimination claims, harassment, retaliation, wage and hour violations, wrongful termination, workplace privacy, data security, unfair competition, trade secret theft and corporate espionage.
She is based in Los Angeles.
Address
10100 Santa Monica Blvd, Ste 2200
Los Angeles, 90067-4120 USA
T:
(310) 282-2216
F:
(310) 919-3908
Rimon PC
Joseph Abkin
joined Rimon PC as partner in Santa Barbara.
Abkin specializes in corporate transactions including mergers and acquisitions, financing and real estate transactions.
He is based in Santa Barbara.
Jennifer Gillon Duffy
joined Rimon PC as partner in Santa Barbara.
Gillon Duffy specializes in litigation with a focus on employment and family law.
She is based in Santa Barbara.
Craig Granet
joined Rimon PC as partner in Santa Barbara.
Granet is a civil litigator with a focus on real estate, business and commercial litigation.
He is based in Santa Barbara.
Address
200 E Carrillo St Ste 201
Santa Barbara, 93101-2144 USA
T:
(805) 695-4080
Norton Rose Fulbright U.S. LLP
Brian A. Sun
joined Norton Rose Fulbright U.S. LLP as partner in Los Angeles.
Sun specializes in complex business litigation, white collar criminal defense and investigation matters.
He is based in Los Angeles.
Address
555 S Flower St 41 Fl
Los Angeles, 90071 USA
T:
(213) 892-9200
F:
(213) 892-9494
Coblentz Patch Duffy & Bass LLP
Frank Petrilli
joined Coblentz Patch Duffy & Bass LLP as partner in San Francisco.
Petrilli specializes in entitlement strategy, land use and land use litigation, as well as compliance with the California Environmental Quality Act.
He is based in San Francisco.
Address
1 Montgomery St, Ste 3000
San Francisco, 94104-5500 USA
T:
(415) 268-0503
Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati
Brent Snyder
joined Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati as partner in San Francisco.
Snyder focuses on antitrust and competition. He previously was CEO of the Hong Kong Competition Commission, Hong Kong's competition enforcement agency, from 2017 to 2020 and is a former deputy assistant attorney general for criminal enforcement at the U.S. Department of Justice.
He is based in San Francisco.
Address
1 Market Plz, Fl 33
San Francisco, 94105-1117 USA
T:
(415) 947-2113
Mintz, Levin, Cohn, Ferris, Glovsky and Popeo PC
Lara D. Compton
joined Mintz, Levin, Cohn, Ferris, Glovsky and Popeo PC as member in Los Angeles.
Compton specializes in health care regulatory compliance, privacy and security, and physician relationship matters such as contract negotiations.
She is based in Los Angeles.
Address
2029 Century Park E, Ste 3100
Los Angeles, 90067-3044 USA
T:
(424) 259-4019
Olivares Law APC
Alicia Olivares
as founding partner
in Manhattan Beach
Olivares represents employees in wrongful termination, discrimination, retaliation, harassment, pregnancy discrimination and violations of leave laws.
She is based in Manhattan Beach.
Address
1500 ROSECRANS AVE SUITE 500
MANHATTAN BEACH, 90266 USA
T:
(310) 706-4061
Gov. Gavin Newsom
Ryan G. Seeley
joined Gov. Gavin Newsom as general counsel and deputy director at the department of housing and community development in Sacramento.
Seeley has been general counsel and deputy director since 2017. He joined the department in 2010 and was previously its assistant chief counsel and attorney.
He is based in Sacramento.
Shaleen M. Schmutzer- Smith
joined Gov. Gavin Newsom as deputy general counsel at the department of housing and community development in Sacramento.
Schmutzer-Smith has been deputy general counsel since 2017 and has been with the department since 2007.
She is based in Sacramento.
Dave A. Rand
joined Gov. Gavin Newsom as member of the california housing partnership corporation in Agoura Hills.
Rand has been a member of the corporation since 2019 and is a partner at Armbruster Goldsmith & Delvac LLP.
He is based in Agoura Hills.
Johanna K. Hartwig
joined Gov. Gavin Newsom as member of the commission on teacher credentialing in San Francisco.
Hartwig has been on the commission since 2018 and is principal at Hartwig Career Strategies. She is the former assistant dean for career planning and legal community engagement at the University of San Francisco School of Law.
She is based in San Francisco.
Rebecca Ruan-O'Shaughnessy
joined Gov. Gavin Newsom as member of the homeless coordinating and financing council in Walnut Creek.
Ruan-O'Shaughnessy is the vice chancellor of educational services and support in the California Community Colleges Chancellor's Office.
She is based in Walnut Creek.
Rafael C. Sweet
joined Gov. Gavin Newsom as member of the board of chiropractic examiners in Los Angeles.
Sweet is a sole practitioner and previously was a senior trial attorney at The Dominguez Firm.
He is based in Los Angeles.
Squire Patton Boggs
Alan L. Friel
joined Squire Patton Boggs as partner and deputy chair of the global data privacy and cybersecurity practice in Los Angeles.
The former head of the U.S. consumer privacy practice at Baker & Hostetler LLP, Alan L. Friel, joined Squire Patton Boggs' Los Angeles office on March 1. He will serve as the deputy chair of the global data privacy and cybersecurity practice.
Friel was with BakerHostetler for seven years and was also co-chair of the retail, restaurant and e-commerce industry initiative and leader of the California digital assets and data management team.
"BakerHostetler is a great firm and I really enjoyed being there," said Friel. "But this was an opportunity for a greater leadership role and also it's a global firm. Baker is domestic only and my practice is becoming more and more global."
"Squire is in 20 of the most important global markets," he added. "To have a whole team of privacy lawyers in Europe and in Asia Pacific is going to be a real positive for me."
Friel has 30 years of experience in digital media, intellectual property, data privacy and consumer protection law. He focuses on data commercialization and protection, helping clients to monetize and safeguard their data using various methods including contracts and trade secret protections. His clients include producers, distributors, advertisers, ad technology companies and online services, as well as brands, game publishers and app developers.
Recognized as a thought leader in his field, Friel is also an adjunct professor at Loyola Marymount School of Law and the Graduate School of TV, Film and Digital Media at UCLA.
Friel's favorite aspect of his work is helping clients achieve their business goals in regard to collecting, using and transferring data.
He added, "The regulation of personal information is getting more complex. Every day is really a game changer. Just about every jurisdiction is passing laws to provide greater transparency and choice to consumers."
"This is a practice in an industry that is under attack by consumer rights advocates," he explained, "and helping publishers, advertisers and ad technology companies adjust their business practices in light of the changing laws is a lot of fun. I wake up every day and there's something new that I have to wrap my head around and help clients grapple with."
Address
555 South Flower Street, 31st Floor
Los Angeles, 90071 USA
T:
(213) 624-2500
F:
(213) 623-4581
Feldman Browne APC
Lee Feldman
as founding partner
in Pacific Palisades
Feldman specializes in plaintiff employment litigation.
He is based in Pacific Palisades.
Gina Browne
as founding partner
in Pacific Palisades
Browne specializes in employment litigation involving discrimination, harassment, retaliation, wrongful termination in violation of public policy, as well as violations of the medical, disability and pregnancy leave and accommodation laws.
She is based in Pacific Palisades.
Address
15200 Sunset Boulevard Suite 217
Pacific Palisades, 90272 USA
T:
(310) 984-1415
Isaacs Friedberg LLP
Paul Murtagh
was promoted to partner of Isaacs Friedberg LLP in Los Angeles.
Murtagh is a civil litigator and specializes in investor and real estate fraud, corporate governance, health care, unfair competition, environmental, entertainment, insurance coverage, breach of contract and class actions.
He is based in Los Angeles.
Isaacs Friedberg LLP
Janine Cohen
joined Isaacs Friedberg LLP as of counsel in Los Angeles.
Cohen focuses on complex civil litigation in matters including intracompany disputes, RICO, fraud, financial management, employment, trade secret, trademark and commercial real estate, as well as probate and trust-related litigation and personal injury and professional malpractice defense.
She is based in Los Angeles.
William Wargo
joined Isaacs Friedberg LLP as of counsel in Los Angeles.
Wargo specializes in complex commercial disputes including contract actions, antitrust investigations and litigation, consumer unfair competition and employment discrimination class actions, products liability litigation, and securities and data privacy matters.
He is based in Los Angeles.
Address
555 S Flower St Ste 4250
Los Angeles, 90071-2444 USA
T:
(213) 929-5550
F:
(213) 955-5794
Haynes and Boone LLP
Andrew B. Cohn
was promoted to counsel of Haynes and Boone LLP in Costa Mesa.
Cohn focuses on patent prosecution and analysis.
He is based in Costa Mesa.
Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton LLP
Daniel Belzer
was promoted to partner of Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton LLP in Century City.
Belzer specializes in corporate and securities law with an emphasis on mergers and acquisitions and capital-raising transactions.
He is based in Century City.
Vinay Bhupathy
was promoted to partner of Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton LLP in Century City.
Bhupathy advises health care clients in mergers and acquisitions, strategic transactions, value-based care, reimbursement and regulatory compliance, health information technology contracting, product development, operations and data security and privacy.
He is based in Century City.
Kira T. Conlon
was promoted to partner of Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton LLP in Los Angeles.
Conlon helps secure land use and zoning entitlements for clients, including for residential, mixed-use, commercial, industrial and educational institution projects throughout the state.
She is based in Los Angeles.
Matthew J. Goldman
was promoted to partner of Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton LLP in Century City.
Goldman specializes in health care law with a focus on regulatory and transactional matters.
He is based in Century City.
Hayley S. Grunvald
was promoted to partner of Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton LLP in San Diego.
Grunvald specializes in labor and employment law with an emphasis on litigation defense.
She is based in San Diego.
Kristin P. Housh
was promoted to partner of Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton LLP in San Diego.
Housh specializes in business litigation including high stakes contractual disputes and equity ownership, partnership and shareholder disputes.
She is based in San Diego.
Patricia M. Jeng
was promoted to partner of Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton LLP in San Francisco.
Jeng specializes in labor and employment litigation. She also represents clients before administrative agencies.
She is based in San Francisco.
Joy Nemirow
was promoted to partner of Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton LLP in Palo Alto.
Nemirow focuses on patent preparation, prosecution and strategy. She represents clients in the pharmaceutical, biotechnology and chemical fields.
She is based in Palo Alto.
Chris Ponder
was promoted to partner of Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton LLP in Palo Alto.
Ponder focuses on complex intellectual property disputes related to patents, trade secrets and unfair competition in the digital streaming, enterprise software, gaming, medical device, semiconductor and telecommunications industries.
He is based in Palo Alto.
Thomas R. Proctor
was promoted to partner of Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton LLP in San Diego.
Proctor specializes in representing insurance companies in bad faith litigation.
He is based in San Diego.