Laurelly Dale was promoted to partner of MG+M in San Francisco

Dale, a seasoned litigator with more than 18 years of experience, has developed a defense practice with a concentration on representing insurers and insured entities at a national level in matters arising under the Child Victims' Act (CVA) and related abuse litigation. Her practice is dedicated to advising and defending organizations facing complex, high-exposure claims stemming from historical allegations of abuse.

Charles W. Jenkins was promoted to partner of MG+M in Los Angeles

Jenkins focuses his practice on asbestos litigation, general liability, product liability, construction defects and contract litigation. Jenkins has defended manufacturers and suppliers in cases involving asbestos, silica, benzene, formaldehyde, mold and other chemical substances. He represents manufacturers in product liability lawsuits involving commercial machinery, equipment and retail products. Jenkins' practice also involves negotiating the sales of various types of businesses.

Rachel H. Leonard was promoted to partner of MG+M in Walnut Creek

Leonard has considerable experience in all aspects of civil litigation, from claim inception through trial, defending parties in personal injury, premises liability, and various other general liability matters. She formerly served as a prosecutor for the Contra Costa County District Attorney's Office, where she tried numerous criminal jury trials to verdict. In addition to her trial experience, Leonard has extensive experience in law and motion practice, including targeted and successful motions for summary judgment, written discovery, depositions, discovery, oral argument, settlement conferences, mediations, and arbitrations. This significant litigation experience enables Leonard to efficiently identify the strengths and weaknesses of each case and realistically evaluate damages. Her considerable trial experience enables her to recognize which cases are appropriate for trial and which should be resolved.

Ryan L. Rystad was promoted to partner of MG+M in Irvine

Rystad has found success litigating a variety of complex legal matters. He has represented a wide variety of clients, including individuals and local business owners, as well as multinational corporations. His clients consistently rely on him to accurately gauge and limit any potential exposure and to proactively maximize their potential for success. He has experience with multi-party litigation and has achieved positive results for his clients inside and outside the courtroom through informal negotiations and mediation.

Aaron T. Winn joined Greenberg Traurig, LLP as a partner in San Diego.

Winn has defended clients in putative class action claims and complex litigation matters involving unfair business practices, unfair competition, privacy claims, false advertising, violations of various state and federal regulatory statutes, and virtually every type of employment-related claim. He has also successfully preserved clients' wins and overturned adverse decisions in federal and state appellate courts across the nation.

Jamie Sprague was promoted to partner of Cox, Castle & Nicholson in Orange County. The promotion is effective Jan. 1, 2026.

Sprague represents clients in complex commercial disputes, including contract claims, business torts, labor and employment matters, landlord-tenant and land use disputes, and multi-plaintiff mass torts involving nuisance, trespass, negligence, and environmental claims. She represents developers, investors, owners, and operators across industries including healthcare and life sciences, renewable energy, and construction.

Sprague has experience at all levels of federal and state civil litigation and in administrative proceedings. Her work includes drafting briefs and motions, managing complex discovery, working with expert witnesses, and taking and defending depositions. Her track record includes successfully arguing before the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals to uphold a jury verdict, first-chairing multimillion-dollar disputes, and leading teams through trials, arbitrations, and appeals.

Ben Bourke was promoted to counsel of Womble Bond Dickinson in San Francisco. The promotion is effective Jan. 1, 2026.

Bourke is a registered patent attorney who primarily represents life sciences patent holders in Abbreviated New Drug Application (ANDA) and related patent litigation. He is regularly called upon to draft pleadings, discovery requests, infringement and invalidity contentions, and expert reports, as well as assist with depositions, direct and cross-examinations, among other litigation duties.

Bridget S. McCabe was promoted to managing partner of the BakerHostetler office in Los Angeles

McCabe is a member of the firm's Energy Industry team and Cartel and Government Antitrust Investigations Task Force. She is a highly experienced litigator who focuses her practice on complex commercial disputes and antitrust litigation in federal courts nationwide. She has successfully defended energy and heavy equipment manufacturing clients in high-stakes disputes, and she currently leads the defense of several clients in pending putative antitrust class actions.

Laura M. López was promoted to counsel of Munger, Tolles & Olson LLP in Los Angeles.

López has built a robust practice focused on complex civil litigation for clients across a wide range of industries, with a particular emphasis on technology and innovation-driven companies. She has significant experience developing and executing large-scale e-discovery strategies and brings rigor, efficiency and sound judgment to discovery management and production in high-stakes matters.

Kathryn E. McHenry joined Arnold & Porter Kaye Scholer LLP as a counsel in Los Angeles.

McHenry's practice encompasses all aspects of real property planning and development, including multifamily developments, secured financing, and real estate acquisitions and dispositions (both individual properties and significant portfolio acquisitions, 1031 exchanges, and ownership by tenancies-in-common). She has particular experience in complex leasing matters, including retail (national chains and "big box" tenants), medical and standard office buildings, and industrial projects.

Mary Christine Brady was promoted to partner of Rutan & Tucker LLP in Irvine. The promotion is effective Jan. 1, 2026.

Brady is in the firm's Litigation and Trial section handling class action defense, consumer protection matters, business and intentional torts, business contract cases. Some of her cases involve cybersecurity and data privacy issues, construction defect and delay claims, and probate matters.

Talya Goldfinger was promoted to partner of Rutan & Tucker LLP in Irvine. The promotion is effective Jan. 1, 2026.

Goldfinger works in the firm's Litigation and Trial section. With a practice focused on intellectual property and entertainment matters, her clients have included some of the world's largest record companies and music publishing companies, movie and television studios and multinational technology corporations. Equally representing plaintiffs and defendants, she has experience representing clients in copyright, trademark, patents, false advertising, unfair competition, consumer class actions and general business disputes.

Corey D. Scott was promoted to partner of Rutan & Tucker LLP in Irvine. The promotion is effective Jan. 1, 2026.

Scott is in the firm’s Corporate practice and represents clients in all aspects of secured and unsecured debt facilities including banks, private credit funds, other institutional lenders, and corporations in corporate finance transactions, including venture debt, asset-based and cash-flow credit facilities, mezzanine and subordinated debt transactions and warehouse facilities.

Scott Laes was promoted to partner of Cox, Castle & Nicholson in Los Angeles. The promotion is effective Jan. 1, 2026.

Laes focuses on construction disputes, including defect and delay litigation, as well as related business, commercial, real estate, partnership, landlord-tenant, and insurance coverage matters in state and federal courts. He has extensive experience drafting and arguing briefs and motions, taking and defending depositions, and participating in arbitrations, judicial reference proceedings, and bench and jury trials.

Recently, Laes represented a developer in a complex multiparty construction action, prosecuting claims for defect, delay, and breach of contract while defending against a general contractor's breach of contract and indemnity claims. He has also assisted clients in the aftermath of the January 2025 Southern California wildfires.

Steven J. French was promoted to counsel of Womble Bond Dickinson in Los Angeles. The promotion is effective Jan. 1, 2026.

French's practice focuses on patent prosecution. He has long been a close and trusted adviser to his clients regarding patent matters and handles all stages of patent prosecution, including helping his clients to identify patentable inventions, drafting applications, negotiating with patent examiners, and managing international patent portfolios.

Melissa K. Zonne was promoted to partner of Boies Schiller Flexner LLP in Los Angeles

Zonne's diverse practice focuses on business litigation, including partnership, contract, and corporate asset disputes, and a variety of real estate matters including commercial lease and ownership disputes, construction defect and construction contract litigation, and rent reset arbitration. She represents owners, developers, landlords and commercial tenants.

Joshua B. Bevitz joined Donahue Fitzgerald as a partner in Oakland

Bevitz focuses on real estate, construction, insurance coverage and business disputes and litigation. He has experience litigating cases in both state and federal courts, resolving cases through alternative dispute resolution, and enforcing judgments. A member of the Contra Costa County Bar Association, Bevitz earned his J.D. from the University of California, College of the Law, San Francisco, where he was Executive Editor for the Hastings Law Journal. He earned his B.A. and B.S. from Washington University.

Michael S. Ward joined Donahue Fitzgerald as a partner in Oakland

Ward is an employment law attorney with over three decades of experience supporting for-profit and nonprofit employers across California. His practice is uniquely positioned at the intersection of legal compliance, organizational leadership, and workforce strategy, making him a trusted resource for executives, in-house counsel, and HR professionals.

Christian R. Jajeh joined Donahue Fitzgerald as a counsel in Walnut Creek

Jajeh focuses his practice on estate planning, trust and probate administration, and related tax matters. He works closely with individuals and families to develop comprehensive estate plans and guides fiduciaries and beneficiaries through both contested and uncontested trust and estate administrations.

Ani N. Keledjian joined Donahue Fitzgerald as a counsel in Oakland

Keledjian has eight years of experience in California real estate law where she focuses on residential and commercial transactions. She has experience representing landlords and tenants, sellers and buyers in both residential and commercial transactions. Keledjian also has prior experience in general civil litigation, business, and trust litigation where she successfully prosecuted a breach of contract and fraud action and obtained a favorable judgement for her client. She is a member of the Contra Costa County Bar Association and the Robert G. McGrath American Inn of Court.

Stacy R. Goldscher joined Hinshaw & Culbertson LLP as a partner in Los Angeles

Goldscher represents insurance carriers, corporations, and individuals in litigation, including claims resolution and trial. Her practice centers on evaluating the existence and extent of insurance coverage for first- and third-party claims, conducting examinations under oath, and defending against bad faith claims. She also represents clients in general liability matters involving wrongful death, catastrophic injury, and mass tort claims, and has achieved favorable outcomes in these complex cases.

H. Whei Hsueh was promoted to counsel of Hogan Lovells in San Francisco

Hsueh represents a number of clients at the forefront of the technology industry in various intellectual property (IP) matters, including complex technology-focused commercial transactions, IP licensing, and patent counselling. Hsueh's law firm experience also includes five years of patent prosecution experience as a former patent agent at Hogan Lovells and another prominent firm in San Francisco.

Edward McNeilly was promoted to counsel of Hogan Lovells in Los Angeles.

McNeilly has represented clients in a range of areas in both the United Kingdom and the United States, including bankruptcy proceedings, out-of-court restructurings, and finance deals. He draws upon his experience of practicing in the United Kingdom and in the United States to help debtors and creditors resolve their most complex stateside and international issues. Clients recognize McNeilly's tenacity and ability to develop practical solutions to their most complex matters.

Leanne Yu was promoted to counsel of Womble Bond Dickinson in San Francisco. The promotion is effective Jan. 1, 2026.

Yu focuses her practice on complex civil litigation, including defending banks and companies in individual and class actions brought under the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA), Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA), Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA), Truth in Lending Act (TILA), and related state laws.

Valerie R. Chrissakis was promoted to partner of Wesierski & Zurek, LLP in Lake Forest. The promotion is effective Jan. 1, 2026.

Prior to joining Wesierski & Zurek in March 2025, Chrissakis served as a judge of the Kings County Superior Court, where she was appointed in December 2017 and remained until her retirement in February 2025.

During her tenure, she held leadership roles as assistant presiding judge and as presiding judge of the court's Family Law Division, and presided over a wide range of civil and criminal calendars.

Chrissakis also served as an appointed member of the California Judges Association Civil Law & Procedure Committee and the California Judicial Council's Unlawful Detainer, Small Claims, and Civil Advisory Committee.

Before her judicial appointment, she was a staff attorney with the Kings County Superior Court and served as a temporary judge from 2009 to 2017. Earlier in her career, she practiced civil litigation as an associate in Visalia and San Mateo from 1997 to 2006.

Layne M. Bukovskis was promoted to partner of Wesierski & Zurek, LLP in Lake Forest. The promotion is effective Jan. 1, 2026.

Bukovskis has been a member of the firm since September 2021 and brings decades of litigation experience across a broad range of practice areas, including medical and dental malpractice defense, construction defect litigation, and representation of amusement park clients in both civil litigation and administrative proceedings.

His current practice focuses on general civil liability matters, including personal injury, habitability, lemon law, premises liability, insurance defense, and related litigation. He represents clients at all stages of litigation and has experience in trials, administrative hearings, and appellate practice.

Bukovskis began his career in medical and dental malpractice defense and has since represented a diverse clientele ranging from large institutional clients to small businesses and individuals. He is admitted to practice before all California state courts and the U.S. District Courts for the Southern and Central Districts of California.

He earned his juris doctorate from the University of San Diego School of Law in 1992 and a Bachelor of Science in biological sciences from the University of California, Irvine in 1988, and was admitted to the California Bar in November 1992.

Abraham S. Odabachian was promoted to partner of Wesierski & Zurek, LLP in Lake Forest. The promotion is effective Jan. 1, 2026.

Odabachian's practice spans a broad range of matters, including premises liability, public entity defense, business litigation, anti-SLAPP, lemon law, and personal injury. He has developed particular experience handling cases involving retail operations, grocery stores, truck accidents, and other complex premises liability matters.

He represents clients at all stages of litigation and has served as co-lead and second chair in bench and jury trials. Odabachian has achieved favorable results for clients, including summary judgment victories in complex cases, and is known for his strategic approach to litigation and negotiation.

Odabachian earned his juris doctorate from Pepperdine Law School in 2016, after graduating summa cum laude from California State University, Northridge with a Bachelor of Arts in philosophy and comparative religions. During law school, he clerked with the Los Angeles City Attorney's Office in the Employment Litigation Division. He was admitted to the California State Bar in 2016 and began his career at a boutique litigation firm before joining Wesierski & Zurek.

Matthew Sharp Menzie joined LightGabler LLP as a senior attorney in LightGabler LLP. The move was Dec. 1, 2025.

Menzie, former senior in-house employment law counsel at Forever 21, has experience advising and counseling businesses on human resources and employment law matters, and handling related litigation.

Marcus Reeslund was promoted to shareholder of Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck in Los Angeles.

Reeslund is a member of the firm's Intellectual Property Department and centers his practice on strategic patent portfolio management and due diligence. He has built and managed patent portfolios for companies ranging from early-stage startups to Fortune 500 corporations.

Jason Chu was promoted to counsel of Womble Bond Dickinson in Silicon Valley. The promotion is effective Jan. 1, 2026.

Chu focuses his practice in all aspects of IP matters including licensing, litigation support, and corporate due diligence for a broad range of industries, such as software, social networking, mobile applications, digital entertainment, hardware, life sciences, and biosimilars.

Manning Kass welcomes Erin Rathswohl as a partner in Riverside

Rathswohl is a member of Manning Kass' Governmental Entity Liability team. She is an attorney specializing in the defense of public entities. Rathswohl represents public entity clients in both federal and state court matters. Her expertise spans sensitive child welfare cases--including wrongful removal and injury/death in custody--as well as employment litigation involving discrimination, harassment, and retaliation.

Manning Kass welcomes Christopher P. Romero as a partner in Riverside

Romero is a member of Manning Kass' Governmental Entity Liability team. His practice is focused on representing private businesses and public entities in civil litigation. His public entity work primarily focuses on municipal employment discrimination, harassment, and retaliation cases; law enforcement excessive force, search and seizure, and jail cases; child protective services wrongful removal and failure to protect cases; dangerous condition of public property cases; and traffic collision cases.

Manning Kass welcomes Julian Lee as a partner in Riverside

Lee is a member of Manning Kass' Governmental Entity Liability team. His practice has been primarily focused on defense of public entities, private businesses, and immigration. His public entity work has been focused on the defense of child protective services removal and protection, traffic collisions, and search and seizure.

Manning Kass welcomes Martin A. Mettias as an associate in Riverside

Mettias is a member of Manning Kass' Governmental Entity Liability team. He focuses on Public Entity Defense, Insurance Defense, and Professional Liability. Prior to joining Manning Kass, Mettias worked at a prominent civil defense firm, handling cases involving wrongful death, premises liability, contract disputes, and various negligence matters.

Manning Kass welcomes Fiona Chen as an associate in Riverside

Chen is a member of Manning Kass' Governmental Entity Liability team. Prior to joining Manning Kass, Chen practiced in a range of litigation matters, including general civil litigation, personal injury, wage and hour disputes, and foster care abuse claims.

Manning Kass welcomes Sergio Hernandez as an associate in Riverside

Hernandez is a member of Manning Kass' Governmental Entity Liability team. He is an experienced attorney who began practicing law in 2021 after earning his juris doctorate from Loyola University Chicago School of Law. He started his career in California with Inland Counties Legal Services, where he joined the Housing Practice Group as an attorney and was later promoted to Lead Attorney. During his tenure, he successfully handled over 30 bench trials, vigorously defending tenants' rights.

Erika M. Barbara joined Jackson Lewis P.C. as a principal in Sacramento.

Barbara has litigated all manner of employment cases, from single plaintiff harassment, discrimination and wrongful termination cases to wage and hour class actions and PAGA claims. Her litigation experience guides her work when she is advising clients on workplace issues, conducting handbook reviews, and delivering training programs.

Gillian H. Clow was promoted to partner of Alston & Bird LLP in Los Angeles.

Clow focuses her practice on complex litigation, including consumer class actions. She has experience in various industries, including life insurance, food and beverage, technology and retail, and cases involving claims of breach of contract, negligence, breach of fiduciary duty, RICO, fraud, unfair competition, and violations of Business & Professions Code Section 17200 and other tort claims. Clow has been engaged by online retailers to represent them in class actions and arbitrations alleging data and privacy violations. She also defends companies facing California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA), California Invasion of Privacy Act (CIPA), Video Privacy Protection Act (VPPA), and other privacy-related claims.

Daniel Dubin was promoted to partner of Alston & Bird LLP in Los Angeles.

Dubin focuses his practice on cutting-edge, nationwide matters in unclaimed property and consumer protection. Dubin is a cross-practice litigator with significant experience representing clients in pre-litigation disputes during unclaimed property audits and voluntary disclosure agreement programs, as well as high-stakes cases against both public and private entities in state and federal courts. Dubin has litigated individual and class action cases spanning several topics including unclaimed property, unfair competition, deceptive practices, false advertising, and whistleblower claims.

Kaitlin (Katie) H. Owen was promoted to partner of Alston & Bird LLP in Los Angeles.

Owen handles complex commercial and employment disputes with a focus on class and representative actions. Owen also represents businesses in wrongful termination and fair employment matters, including sexual harassment, discrimination, and retaliation. She approaches cases practically and uses efficient and common-sense strategies to keep litigation in check.

Jamie N. Furst was promoted to partner of Alston & Bird LLP in Los Angeles.

Furst focuses her practice on representing owners, large general contractors, and developers in negotiating contracts and during all stages of construction claims litigation. She has extensive experience representing clients in disputes over delays, extra work, defective work, changed conditions, and contract terminations. Furst also provides counseling to government contractors on a wide variety of public contracting matters involving federal, state, and local procurement rules and regulations, and in adversary proceedings, including pre- and post-award bid protests.

Steven D. Moore joined Vinson & Elkins LLP as a partner in San Francisco.

Moore concentrates his practice on intellectual property and complex commercial litigation. He represents both companies and intellectual property owners in patent, trade secret, and related claims across various industries. He has extensive jury trial experience, including successful jury trials in the Northern District of California, District of Delaware, and the Eastern and Western Districts of Texas. As lead trial counsel, he secured a defense verdict in a patent infringement case in the Western District of Texas. Additionally, as lead trial counsel in multiple patent infringement cases in the Eastern District of Texas, he has won approximately $101 million in jury verdicts for the patent owner.

Harold Jones joined Ogletree Deakins as a shareholder in San Francisco. The move was Jan. 5, 2026.

For more than 20 years, Jones has advised employers on complex legal challenges, representing management across a wide range of industries, including financial services, hospitality, healthcare, biotechnology, staffing, manufacturing, retail, transportation, and technology. He defends employers of all sizes in civil actions before California state and federal courts, as well as state and federal administrative agencies.

Jones also maintains a robust advice-and-counsel practice, guiding employers through day-to-day California employment law issues. His work includes advising on background checks, leaves of absence, the interactive process, reasonable accommodations, wage and hour compliance, discipline and terminations, employee handbooks, and severance negotiations. He also conducts workplace investigations, drawing on a decade of experience as an Oakland police officer to design and lead thorough internal inquiries.

Hannah Jiam was promoted to partner of Morrison & Foerster LLP in San Francisco.

Jiam's practice focuses on the intersection of technology and law, and she brings extensive experience counseling clients and litigating patent, copyright, trademark, and administrative law matters involving a broad range of technologies, including software, medical devices, and pharmaceutical drugs.

Camila A. Tapernoux was promoted to partner of Morrison & Foerster LLP in San Francisco.

Tapernoux's practice focuses on complex litigation, with an emphasis on class actions and commercial matters. She has extensive experience representing technology firms, consumer products companies, and healthcare providers in class action cases and complex commercial disputes, including unfair competition, false advertising, privacy, and product liability matters. She has also represented clients in numerous intellectual property matters, including patent, copyright, and trade secret litigation. She has experience in all stages of the litigation process, including pleadings, motion practice, electronic discovery, preliminary injunctions, depositions, summary judgment motions, oral argument, and trial.

Yuan Xia was promoted to partner of Morrison & Foerster LLP in Palo Alto.

Xia's practice focuses on the transactional aspects of executive compensation matters in the context of domestic and cross-border mergers, acquisitions, divestitures, private equity investments, public offerings, and restructurings. Xia also provides ongoing executive compensation advice to emerging companies and venture capital backed clients as well as publicly traded companies on a wide range of day-to-day compensation, equity, and governance matters

Sumaiya Sharmeen was promoted to partner of Morrison & Foerster LLP in Palo Alto.

Sharmeen's practice focuses on high-stakes patent and trade secret disputes in the life sciences and biotechnology sectors. She has significant experience representing leading innovators in matters involving biologics, antibody-drug conjugates, gene therapy, and bio-manufacturing technologies. Sharmeen has litigated across multiple forums, including federal district courts, the Patent Trial and Appeal Board, and arbitration tribunals. She also advises clients on patent portfolio development, pre-suit investigations, and strategic IP counseling.

Zachary Timm was promoted to partner of K&L Gates in Los Angeles. The promotion is effective Jan. 1, 2026.

Timm focuses his practice on intellectual property litigation, labor and employment related litigation, business litigation, and class action defense. He has represented public and private companies in litigation involving claims for trade secrets misappropriation, tortious interference, employment discrimination, wrongful termination, wage and hour violations, breach of contract, false advertising, unfair competition, and fraud.

Neil A. Eddington was promoted to partner of K&L Gates in Los Angeles. The promotion is effective Jan. 1, 2026.

Eddington handles a wide range of employment-related cases; he is most often called upon to leverage his experience in litigating and advising on wage and hour issues. Eddington oversees single plaintiff and collective actions (class action and PAGA claims) alleging wage and hour violations, including regular rate of pay, overtime, and meal and rest break issues, among others.

Jason Rabbitt-Tomita joined Shartsis Friese LLP as a partner in San Francisco

Rabbitt-Tomita is a seasoned dealmaker who leverages extensive technology and cross-border experience to help clients see around corners and achieve excellent outcomes in M&A and other corporate transactions. In a career spanning more than 20 years, he has advised some of the world's most prominent companies in high-stakes acquisitions, divestitures, joint ventures, and other corporate matters. Rabbitt-Tomita has advised on transactions having an aggregate deal value of $100 billion.

Dana Silva was promoted to partner of Saul Ewing LLP in Los Angeles. The promotion is effective Jan. 1, 2026.

Silva handles business litigation and general civil suits. She has experience with breach of contract, fiduciary duty, trade secret disputes, fraudulent conveyance, unfair competition and shareholder disputes. She litigates trademark infringement claims in federal court. She also has experience with employment issues including wage and hour, and PAGA.

Lauren E. Saint was promoted to partner of Murtaugh in Irvine. The promotion is effective Jan. 1, 2026.

Saint has built a sophisticated litigation practice spanning trust and estate disputes, as well as business, real estate, and construction matters. With more than a decade of experience, she has secured seven-figure settlements, achieved winning trial results, and successfully defended matters on appeal. Lauren is known for her strategic judgment, strong advocacy, and steady leadership in complex and sensitive cases.

Jon Feldon was promoted to partner of Murtaugh in Irvine. The promotion is effective Jan. 1, 2026.

Feldon focuses his practice on trust, probate, and conservatorship litigation, representing individuals and families in high-stakes and emotionally complex disputes throughout Southern California. His background includes significant experience as a public defender, where he developed deep expertise in mental health law and advocacy for vulnerable populations, followed by private practice at Holland & Knight and Murtaugh Law. He is widely respected for his trial advocacy, thoughtful problem-solving, and client-centered approach.