This is the property of the Daily Journal Corporation and fully protected by copyright. It is made available only to Daily Journal subscribers for personal or collaborative purposes and may not be distributed, reproduced, modified, stored or transferred without written permission. Please click "Reprint" to order presentation-ready copies to distribute to clients or use in commercial marketing materials or for permission to post on a website. and copyright (showing year of publication) at the bottom.
Subscribe to the Daily Journal for access to Daily Appellate Reports, Verdicts, Judicial Profiles and more...

Shegerian & Associates opened an office in the Larchmont Village neighborhood of Los Angeles.

Published: Mar. 25, 2025 | Announced: Mar. 25, 2025


Details

Shegerian & Associates has 50 attorneys in 6 offices including Larchmont, Brentwood, San Diego, Riverside and San Francisco . Among the law firm’s key practice areas are Employment, Personal Injury, and Sexual Assault. The firm’s website is https://shegerianlaw.com/

Address

320 N. Larchmont Blvd. , Los Angeles CA 90004 US
T: (310) 860-0770


Tressler LLP opened a Walnut Creek office with seven new attorneys.

Published: Mar. 25, 2025 | Announced: Mar. 26, 2025


Joseph J. Minioza joined the firm as Bay Area managing partner.


Minioza, who is known as "J.J.", joined the firm as managing partner of Tressler's Bay Area office. He brings over 27 years of experience and exceptional client service to the firm. Minioza's practice focuses on general liability, personal injury, habitability, employment, D&O, E&O and HOA cases. He has tried 40 trials to verdict in every county in the San Francisco Bay Area with a 98% success rate. Minioza's trials have included real estate, products liability, habitability, personal injury, employment, breach of contract and construction defect cases.

Christopher J. Hogan joined as a partner.


Hogan is a strategic and accomplished attorney with over 27 years of experience delivering solid settlement and trial results for both corporate and individual clients. Hogan is an adept researcher with a proven record of navigating highly nuanced and complex cases to achieve favorable results. He has demonstrated success in a wide variety of business disputes, insurance matters, real estate matters, employment/discrimination and general liability cases.

Greg A. Mase joined as counsel.


Mase is a member of the firm's Litigation Practice Group. He brings 31 years of experience to the firm. His practice focuses primarily on preparing, opposing and arguing dispositive motions in high-stakes cases while maintaining a winning record. Mase has also briefed and argued many appeals in the California Courts of Appeal and the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.

Rena G. Sera joined as counsel.


Sera is a member of the firm's Litigation Practice Group. Her practice includes defending premises liability and habitability matters as well as employment discrimination, medical malpractice, construction defect and other general liability matters. Sera has extensive experience handling cases through trial preparation. She has experience with percipient and expert depositions, court appearances, pre-trial motions, propounding and responding to discovery, budgeting, client reporting and creating litigation plans. Prior to becoming an attorney, Sera worked as a certified paralegal for five years.

Jason S. Ketchum joined as an associate.


Ketchum has experience in insurance defense, personal injury, landlord-tenant disputes, employment law, products liability and professional liability. Most recently, Ketchum has been involved in the defense of several cases involving habitability defects, slip and falls, dog bites and motor vehicle accidents. He has extensive legal research and writing experience, having worked as an extern and clerk in several state and federal courts in Ohio and California, including the criminal division of the San Francisco Superior Court. Ketchum has drafted judicial orders involving petitions for writs of habeas corpus, pretrial motions to dismiss, motions for a new trial and more.

Leila Morshed Mohseni joined as an associate.


Morshed Mohseni focuses her practice on general liability litigation and providing creative, cost-effective results for her clients.

Astrid Chim Villagran joined as an associate.


Chim Villagran focuses her practice on premises liability and habitability law, as well as employment discrimination, medical malpractice, construction defects and other general liability issues. Before she became an attorney, she built a strong background in finance and technology, spending four years specializing in fraud analysis and investigations. Chim Villagran's diverse experience allows her to bring a unique combination of financial insight and legal skill to her practice.

Details

Tressler LLP has 99 attorneys in 10 offices including Los Angeles, Orange County, San Diego, San Francisco. Among the law firm's key practice areas are Litigation, Insurance Law, Employment Law, Appellate, Transportation Law. The firm’s website is www.tresslerllp.com

Address

1255 Treat Blvd Suite 300 , Walnut Creek California 94597 United States
T: (925) 332-0440
F: (925) 332-2150


Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP

Published: Mar. 25, 2025 | Announced: Mar. 24, 2025


Laura D. Smolowe joined Akin as a partner in Los Angeles. The move was Mar. 24, 2025.


Smolowe's practice focuses on complex commercial litigation, with a special concentration in trade secret and employee mobility and other labor and employment issues. She leads trial teams on both the plaintiff and defense sides in litigation before federal and state courts and arbitration panels and represents clients across a range of industries including technology, entertainment, fashion, retail, finance and pharmaceuticals. Smolowe has been based in California for her entire career, but her practice is nationwide.

The addition of Smolowe further bolsters the firm's capabilities in California, particularly in representing corporate and funds clients in high-stakes litigation, the firm said.

Details

Akin has 900 attorneys in 17 offices including Los Angeles, San Francisco, Irvine. Among the law firm’s key practice areas are corporate, media, entertainment & sports, labor & employment, international trade, investment management, litigation, M&A and white collar defense & government investigations. The firm’s website is www.akingump.com

Address

1999 Avenue of the Stars Suite 600 , Los Angeles CA 90067 United States


Venable LLP

Published: Mar. 25, 2025 | Announced: Mar. 25, 2025


Pan C. Lee joined Venable LLP as a counsel in San Francisco. The move was Mar. 25, 2025.


Lee has nearly 15 years of experience handling intellectual property matters for global technology companies in a variety of technology fields, including wireless communications, video streaming, semiconductor fabrication, mobile applications, and 3D rendering. He has managed litigation strategy in district court patent cases, 337 investigations at the International Trade Commission, and inter partes review (IPR) and post-grant review (PGR) proceedings before the Patent Trial and Appeal Board, as well as appeals to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit.

Prior to his work as an IP attorney, Lee worked as an engineer in the research and development arm of a global security and aerospace company, designing missile defense and satellite systems and researching high-power GaN amplifiers, thermophotovoltaics, and nanoparticle applications.

Lee graduated from UC Berkeley School of Law and has an M.S. in electrical engineering from Stanford University, and a B.S. in electrical engineering from UC Davis.

Don Wang joined Venable LLP as an associate in San Francisco.


Wang is a member of the firm's Intellectual Property Litigation -Technology Group. He graduated from University of Washington School of Law and has a M.Eng. in electrical engineering from the University of Toronto.

Details

Venable LLP has 900 attorneys in 14 offices including Los Angeles and San Francisco. Among the law firm’s key practice areas are Intellectual Property, Advertising, Marketing, and Digital Media. The firm’s website is venable.com


Panish | Shea | Ravipudi LLP

Published: Mar. 21, 2025 | Announced: Mar. 21, 2025


Jesse M Creed was promoted to partner of Panish | Shea | Ravipudi LLP in Los Angeles. The promotion was effective Jan. 1, 2025.


Creed focuses his practice on complex personal injury, wrongful death, sexual abuse, and product liability cases. Since joining in 2018, he has secured billions in recoveries, including a proposed $4.04 billion settlement in the Maui Fires litigation, where he also won a Hawai'i Supreme Court appeal eliminating $2.3 billion in insurance claims that would have reduced victims' recoveries. His other notable achievements include securing a $1.8 billion settlement in the Southern California Gas Leak Cases, where his persistence led to $6 million in sanctions against defendants, and playing a key role in a $380 million settlement for survivors of Lawrence Nassar's abuse. When USA Gymnastics filed for bankruptcy, Creed uniquely fought to lift the automatic stay of litigation against the Olympic Committee, allowing his clients' case to proceed to trial.

Details

Panish | Shea | Ravipudi LLP has 42 attorneys in 4 offices including 2. Among the law firm's key practice areas are Plaintiffs Catastrophic Injury, Wrongful Death, Products Liability, Sex Abuse, Mass Torts. The firm’s website is https://www.panish.law/


Manning & Kass, Ellrod, Ramirez, Trester LLP

Published: Mar. 21, 2025 | Announced: Mar. 17, 2025


Sean Dowsing was elected managing partner of the Costa Mesa office of Manning & Kass, Ellrod, Ramirez, Trester LLP. Their tenure is effective Mar. 17, 2025.


Dowsing spearheads the firm's Construction Law and Subrogation and Recovery practice areas, leveraging over a decade of experience in both litigation and transactional matters to deliver exceptional results for clients. His leadership marks an exciting new chapter of growth and opportunity for the Orange County office. As Manning Kass celebrates this transition, the firm is excited to build on its strong foundation, continue driving innovative legal strategies, set new standards for excellence, and reach even greater heights under Dowsing's guidance.

Details

Manning & Kass, Ellrod, Ramirez, Trester LLP has 140 attorneys in 7 offices including Los Angeles, San Diego, Orange County, and San Francisco.. Among the law firm’s key practice areas are Complex Litigation, Governmental Entity Liability, Construction Law, Insurance Coverage, and Real Estate.. The firm’s website is www.manningkass.com


Littler

Published: Mar. 21, 2025 | Announced: Mar. 20, 2025


Gerardo Hernandez was appointed office managing shareholder of Littler's Fresno.


A seasoned labor and employment attorney, Hernandez brings extensive experience defending business owners in both state and federal matters, including advising on union decertification proceedings with the National Labor Relations Board and the California Agricultural Labor Relations Board. His expertise extends to Occupational Safety and Health Administration citation appeals, unlawful labor practice charges, and serving as lead counsel on numerous collective actions, including class actions, Private Attorneys General Act matters, and Fair Labor Standards Act claims.

Hernandez succeeds Ryan L. Eddings, who is stepping down as office managing partner to focus on his practice and broader responsibilities within the firm.

Details

Littler has 1900 attorneys in 100 offices including Fresno; Irvine; Los Angeles; Sacramento; San Diego; San Francisco; San Jose; Santa Maria; Walnut Creek. Among the law firm’s key practice areas are Employment and labor law. The firm’s website is https://www.littler.com/


McDermott Will & Emery

Published: Mar. 21, 2025 | Announced: Mar. 18, 2025


Douglas Carsten joined McDermott Will & Emery as a partner in San Diego.


Carsten focuses his practice on complex patent litigation disputes. He counsels clients in various technology areas, including pharmaceuticals, biologics, medical devices, diagnostic products, retail products, and computer software. Carsten has substantial first-chair trial experience that includes litigating high-profile and billion-dollar patent cases.

Details

McDermott Will & Emery has 1400 attorneys in 24 offices including Los Angeles, Orange County, San Diego, San Francisco, Silicon Valley. Among the law firm’s key practice areas are Health & Life Sciences, Corporate & Transactions, Intellectual Property, Regulatory, Litigation. The firm’s website is www.mwe.com

Address

12636 High Bluff Drive, Suite 325 , San Diego CA 92130 USA
T: (619) 467-1801
F: (858) 720-7800


Miller Barondess, LLP

Published: Mar. 21, 2025 | Announced: Mar. 18, 2025


Tro Iskedjian joined Miller Barondess, LLP as an associate in Los Angeles.


Iskedjian is a litigator who specializes in complex business and real estate disputes.

Details

Miller Barondess, LLP has 50 attorneys in Los Angeles. Among the law firm’s key practice areas are Litigation, Appellate, Entertainment, Labor & Employment, and Real Estate. The firm’s website is www.millerbarondess.com

Address

2121 Avenue of the Stars 26th Floor , Los Angeles California 90067 United States
T: (310) 552-4400
F: (310) 552-8400


Munck Wilson Mandala, LLP

Published: Mar. 21, 2025 | Announced: Jan. 1, 2025


Kate LaQuay was elected managing partner of the Los Angeles office of Munck Wilson Mandala, LLP. Their tenure is effective Jan. 1, 2025.


LaQuay will also be a member of the executive committee and represent her office and attorneys among the firm's leaders. LaQuay is a key member of MWM's employment and labor and employment litigation groups. She represents clients in defense of wrongful termination, discrimination, harassment, wage/hour disputes, whistleblower claims, and various other employment law-related matters, bringing broad experience in business litigation and regulatory matters and resolving employment disputes on behalf of employers.

Details

Munck Wilson Mandala, LLP has 86 attorneys in 8 offices including Los Angeles. Among the law firm’s key practice areas are Employment & Labor, IP, Litigation, Commercial Real Estate, and Entertainment. The firm’s website is https://www.munckwilson.com/


Duane Morris LLP

Published: Mar. 14, 2025 | Announced: Mar. 10, 2025


Gregory J. Newmark joined Duane Morris LLP as a partner in Los Angeles.


Newmark represents public and private entity clients in litigation and compliance matters regarding water quality, water rights, water rates, environmental contamination, inverse condemnation and brownfields. Newmark has extensive litigation experience, including complex multiparty disputes. He represents clients in a broad array of environmental and land use matters, often serving as counsel in administrative permitting and enforcement proceedings before the California State Water Resources Control Board and the California Regional Water Quality Control Board. Newmark litigates administrative appeals and civil actions on behalf of waste discharge and National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System permittees. He has handled numerous cases involving groundwater contamination issues. Previously, Newmark served as a deputy attorney general for the California Department of Justice. In that role, he represented natural resources agencies (e.g., the State Water Resources Control Board, the Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, the Department of Water Resources and the Department of Fish and Wildlife) in trial court and appellate litigation regarding air and water pollution, inverse condemnation, CEQA, exotic species and endangered species and fire suppression cost recovery.

Viviana L. Heger joined Duane Morris LLP as a counsel in Los Angeles.


Heger has deep experience in a wide variety of complex environmental compliance matters, including more than two decades of involvement in environmental permitting for industrial and infrastructure projects, emissions trading programs, and counseling energy, manufacturing, recreation, food and beverage and municipal clients. This equips her to strategically and comprehensively tackle the numerous challenges clients face complying in California with federal, state and local laws regulating air quality, greenhouse gas emissions, water quality, hazardous waste and materials management and disposal, chemicals regulations, and remediation and right-to-know requirements, including California's Safe Drinking Water and Toxic Enforcement Act (Proposition 65). Heger's experience also includes compliance counseling and complex litigation, administrative petitions and appeals, defense in enforcement, procurement of permits and abandonment and closure of hazardous material structures. She advises and defends clients in crisis or emergency situations involving accidents, spills, releases or other scenarios such as safely closing or abandoning pipelines and underground storage tanks. Heger counsels clients on health, safety and emergency management plans, as well as litigating claims of property damage, toxic torts and environmental citizen suits. She also assists in conducting compliance audits and due diligence associated with mergers, acquisitions and financing.

Details

Duane Morris LLP has 900 attorneys in 30 offices including Los Angeles, San Diego, San Francisco and Silicon Valley. Among the law firm’s key practice areas are Employment, Labor, Benefits & Immigration, Corporate, Business Reorganization and Financial Restructuring, Health Law, and Intellectual Property. The firm’s website is https://www.duanemorris.com

Address

865 S Figueroa St # 3100 , Los Angeles CA 90017-5450 United States
T: (213) 689-7413


Gilson Daub

Published: Mar. 14, 2025 | Announced: Mar. 12, 2025


Jesse Salazar was promoted to California managing partner of Gilson Daub for California. The promotion is effective Mar. 5, 2025.


Salazar will oversee all legal operations for the firm across the state. Based in Los Angeles, Salazar is one of Gilson Daub's longest-tenured employees, having been with the firm for over 11 years. Starting as an associate, he has grown alongside Gilson Daub, demonstrating exceptional leadership and unwavering commitment to its success. In his new role, he will manage operations, client relationships, and personnel strategy across all California offices.

Lauren Livingston was promoted to partner of Gilson Daub in Orange County. The promotion is effective May 3, 2025.


As the firm's longest-serving attorney after Salazar, Livingston has been a dedicated member of the team since 2014. Most recently serving as assistant managing attorney for the OC office, Livingston is known for her passion around improving the workers' compensation system in California and her consistent delivery of efficient results while minimizing client exposure. As partner, she will continue to build strong client relationships and strategically lead Gilson Daub's teams to achieve the best results.

Mitchell Kim was promoted to assistant managing attorney of Gilson Daub for the Los Angeles office. The promotion is effective May 3, 2025.

Leslie Leath was promoted to assistant managing attorney of Gilson Daub for the Orange County office. The promotion is effective May 3, 2025.

Details

Gilson Daub has 70 attorneys in 20 offices including San Clemente. Among the law firm's key practice areas are Workers' Compensation, Insurance Defense, Risk Management. The firm’s website is https://gilsondaub.com


Thompson Hine LLP

Published: Mar. 11, 2025 | Announced: Mar. 11, 2025


R. Michael (Mike) Viayra Jr. joined Thompson Hine LLP as a partner in Los Angeles. The move was Mar. 11, 2025.


Viayra brings almost 30 years of engineering and legal experience to assist clients with litigation and transactional matters. He represents construction and energy companies in contract and real property negotiations and disputes in California state courts, federal courts and venues (including the CBCA and ASBCA), and alternative dispute resolution forums (for example, AAA and JAMS).

Viayra received his J.D. from UCLA School of Law and his B.S. from the United States Naval Academy. Before law school, he completed the U.S. Navy Nuclear Propulsion Program (Nuclear Power School and Prototype) and served in the engineering department aboard a ballistic missile submarine as part of the officer team responsible for the operation and maintenance of the nuclear reactor and all related mechanical, electrical, and chemical systems.

Details

Thompson Hine LLP has 400 attorneys in 9 offices including Los Angeles. Among the law firm’s key practice areas are Construction, Government Contracts, and Labor & Employment. The firm’s website is thompsonhine.com


McGuireWoods LLP

Published: Mar. 11, 2025 | Announced: Mar. 11, 2025


Timothy M. Rusche joined McGuireWoods LLP as a partner in Los Angeles. The move was Mar. 11, 2025.


Rusche advises employers on wage-hour litigation and workplace compliance. He defends against wage-hour class and collective actions, as well as claims of harassment, wrongful termination, discrimination, retaliation, and contract breaches. He also provides guidance on workforce restructuring, audits, contracts, policies, noncompete agreements, employee handbooks, misconduct investigations, and other compliance matters.

Details

McGuireWoods LLP has 1100 attorneys in 21 offices including Century City, downtown Los Angeles, San Francisco. Among the law firm’s key practice areas are Corporate and Securities, Litigation, Labor and Employment. The firm’s website is mcguirewoods.com


Boies Schiller Flexner LLP

Published: Mar. 11, 2025 | Announced: Mar. 11, 2025


Margaux Poueymirou joined Boies Schiller Flexner LLP as a partner in San Francisco.


Poueymirou is an experienced litigator who has represented both plaintiffs and defendants in complex disputes involving antitrust, intellectual property and AI issues. She has worked extensively on cases regarding the use of copyrighted works to train generative AI models, including the pioneering cases Kadrey v. Meta Platforms, Tremblay v. OpenAI and Doe v. GitHub. Poueymirou also has extensive experience in antitrust litigation, primarily representing opt-out plaintiffs in complex matters involving anticompetitive and fraudulent practices in the healthcare and pharmaceutical sectors.

Details

Boies Schiller Flexner LLP has 169 attorneys in 13 offices including Los Angeles and San Francisco. Among the law firm’s key practice areas are Complex Commercial Litigation, Antitrust and Competition, Securities. The firm’s website is bsfllp.com


Gibbs Mura, A Law Group (formerly Gibbs Law Group LLP)

Published: Mar. 11, 2025 | Announced: Mar. 11, 2025




Details

Gibbs Mura, A Law Group has 39 attorneys in 2 offices including Oakland. Among the law firm’s key practice areas are Employment; whistleblower; securities fraud; personal injury; consumer protection; antitrust. The firm’s website is https://www.classlawgroup.com/


Womble Bond Dickinson (US) LLP

Published: Mar. 11, 2025 | Announced: Feb. 12, 2025


Matthew D. Pearson joined Womble Bond Dickinson (US) LLP as a partner in Irvine. The move was Feb. 12, 2025.


Pearson litigates a wide range of class actions nationwide, representing clients across media, automotive, healthcare, financial services, retail, and technology industries. His practice has a strong focus on privacy litigation, handling complex cases under California's Invasion of Privacy Act (CIPA), Unfair Competition Law, Consumer Legal Remedies Act, Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA), Confidentiality of Medical Information Act (CMIA), and similar statutes across the U.S.

Pearson earned his J.D. from the University of California Davis School of Law and his B.A., magna cum laude, from Chapman University.

Details

Womble Bond Dickinson (US) LLP has 1300 attorneys in 29 offices including Irvine, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Silicon Valley. Among the law firm’s key practice areas are Artificial Intelligence, Privacy and Cybersecurity, White Collar Defense and Criminal Investigations, Business Litigation, Energy and Natural Resources. The firm’s website is https://www.womblebonddickinson.com/us


Venable LLP

Published: Mar. 11, 2025 | Announced: Mar. 11, 2025


Jeannine Yoo Sano joined Venable LLP as a partner in San Francisco. The move was Mar. 11, 2025.


Sano has over 30 years of experience handling patent and trade secret trials and appeals in technology fields such as mobile communications, video processing, graphics, operating systems, memory, power management, medical devices, and semiconductor manufacturing. She is a member of the Women Lawyers of the Eastern District of Texas Advisory Committee and has previously served as chair of the Patent Litigation and ITC Practice Committees of the ABA Section of Intellectual Property.

Eric Krause joined Venable LLP as a partner in San Francisco. The move was Mar. 11, 2025.


Krause leads patent and trade secret cases concerning technology ranging from semiconductor fabrication and design to IoT and cloud computing. He is a former electrical and computer engineer with extensive experience in BIOS, systems management, and network architecture,

Details

Venable LLP has 800 attorneys in 13 offices including Los Angeles and San Francisco. Among the law firm’s key practice areas are Intellectual Property and Government Affairs and Public Policy. The firm’s website is venable.com


Sullivan & Cromwell LLP

Published: Mar. 11, 2025 | Announced: Mar. 11, 2025


Kyle Mach joined Sullivan & Cromwell LLP as a partner in Palo Alto. The move was Apr. 1, 2025.


At the FTC, Mach's leadership team supervised more than 400 lawyers, and he personally oversaw three of the four sections of the Bureau of Competition that evaluate mergers and acquisitions. Mach and his teams reviewed transactions representing billions of dollars in value, successfully litigated several merger challenges, and negotiated a number of important consent decrees. He also has substantial experience in private practice, for example, securing merger clearances for Intel's $9 billion sale of its solid-state drive and wafer businesses to SK Hynix.

Details

Sullivan & Cromwell LLP has 840 attorneys in 13 offices including Los Angeles and Palo Alto. Among the law firm’s key practice areas are Mergers and Acquisitions; Capital Markets; Litigation and Dispute Resolution. The firm’s website is sullcrom.com


Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP

Published: Mar. 10, 2025 | Announced: Mar. 10, 2025


Michael Diz joined Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP as a partner in Silicon Valley. The move was Mar. 10, 2025.


Diz advises private equity firms, public and private companies, and special committees on mergers and acquisitions, equity investments, spinoffs and other transactions. He also counsels companies and boards on corporate governance and fiduciary duty matters. His experience spans industries including technology, media and telecommunications, industrials and consumer products.

Details

Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP has 1100 attorneys in 10 offices including Redwood City. Among the law firm’s key practice areas are M&A, restructuring and litigation. The firm’s website is davispolk.com


Knox Ricksen LLP

Published: Mar. 7, 2025 | Announced: Mar. 3, 2025


Sandy Y. Liu joined Knox Ricksen LLP as a counsel in Walnut Creek. The move was Mar. 3, 2025.


Liu has over two decades of litigation experience, and she has litigated and tried numerous matters involving construction defects, products liability, and personal injury. Since 2020, she has worked in-house for insurance carriers, evaluating, preparing for, and leading personal injury trials across Northern California.

Details

Knox Ricksen LLP has 17 attorneys in 3 offices including Walnut Creek, Los Angeles. Among the law firm’s key practice areas are civil litigation, healthcare fraud. The firm’s website is https://www.knoxricksen.com/


Littler

Published: Mar. 7, 2025 | Announced: Mar. 7, 2025


Courtney O. Chambers was promoted to shareholder of Littler in San Francisco. The promotion is effective Jan. 1, 2025.


Chambers handles a diverse range of labor and employment matters with a primary focus on labor relations and defending clients in complex litigation. She represents clients in complex wage and hour class action and PAGA lawsuits, as well as in actions brought under Title VII and California's Fair Employment and Housing Act, including claims for harassment, discrimination, retaliation and wrongful termination. Chambers has represented clients in a variety of different matters in state and federal court, as well as numerous administrative agencies. She has successfully defeated class certification, won motions to dismiss, negotiated favorable settlements and handled numerous appeals.

She assists in collective bargaining negotiations and unfair labor practice charges before the National Labor Relations Board and California's Public Employment Relations Board. Chambers also has specific experience dealing with litigation matters in the context of a union-represented workforce.

In addition to her litigation and labor experience, Chambers regularly advises clients on employment issues, including developing and maintaining workplace policies, employee discipline and performance issues, disability accommodation, and various wage and hour issues. She works closely with company leaders, human resources and operations partners, and in-house legal departments from employers of all sizes. Chambers earned her J.D. from Brooklyn Law School and her B.S. from Cornell University.

Christina G. Cordoza was promoted to shareholder of Littler in Walnut Creek. The promotion is effective Jan. 1, 2025.


Cordoza is a trusted legal adviser to business owners, in-house counsel, and human resources professionals on a broad range of HR and compliance workplace concerns, including leave and accommodation, discrimination, harassment, retaliation, terminations, and wage and hour issues.

As a former in-house employment lawyer and general counsel at a number of different companies, involving a broad range of industries such as biotech, healthcare, retail, technology and food manufacturing, Cordoza has the ability to leverage her experience to advise clients on employment-related risk while balancing business realities in an ever-changing legal landscape. Her background also includes designing contingent worker programs, international law and agency claims of all types. Cordoza earned her J.D. from the University of California College of the Law, San Francisco and two undergraduate degrees (economics and history) from UC Berkeley.

William A. Cosmopulos was promoted to shareholder of Littler in San Francisco. The promotion is effective Jan. 1, 2025.


As a management-side employment attorney, Cosmopulos represents and advises company leaders, human resources and operations partners, and in-house legal departments on a broad range of employment and labor law matters. He assists employers of all sizes, ranging from start-ups to global corporations, to deter and defend employment-related lawsuits, while helping companies both prevent problems before they begin, and solving issues as quickly as possible.

Cosmopulos’ experience includes consulting on, investigating and defending issues of employment contracts, overtime, misclassification, commission pay, and wage and hour matters. Cosmopulos counsels companies on anti-harassment and anti-discrimination policies, in addition to anti-retaliation techniques, and diversity and inclusion efforts. He has represented clients in both state and federal courts, as well as before various administrative agencies, including the National Labor Relations Board, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, California Civil Rights Department, among others. Cosmopulos earned his J.D., magna cum laude, from the University of California College of the Law, San Francisco and his B.A. from Georgetown University.

Nathaniel H. Jenkins was promoted to shareholder of Littler in Sacramento. The promotion is effective Jan. 1, 2025.


Jenkins has focused his entire legal career on the representation of management in labor and employment law matters. He regularly handles the litigation of complex wage and hour class actions and representative actions arising under the California Labor Code and the California Private Attorneys General Act. Jenkins routinely provides advice and counsel to employers regarding compliance with the California Labor Code, particularly with respect to the intricate requirements for employers with nonexempt employees earning incentive-based compensation. Additionally, he advises and represents employers over claims of whistleblowing, retaliation, discrimination and harassment.

Jenkins works with large multinational corporations, as well as small, emerging and midsize businesses, in a variety of industries including, banking/finance, manufacturing, real estate, retail and technology. He builds meaningful relationships with his clients based on trust and reliability by prioritizing clear, responsive communication and developing a deep understanding of the unique needs of clients’ businesses and their workforce. Prior to joining Littler, Jenkins worked as an in-house attorney for the California Labor and Workforce Development Agency’s Employment Training Panel, the state’s premier program that provides California employers with funds to train their workers and ensure that California businesses remain competitive. Jenkins earned his J.D., cum laude, from California Western School of Law and his B.A., from UC Santa Cruz.

Michael W. Nelson was promoted to shareholder of Littler in Walnut Creek. The promotion is effective Jan. 1, 2025.


Nelson represents and advises employers in a broad range of employment matters, including class actions, wage and hour claims, alternative dispute resolution, whistleblower retaliation, among others. He has successfully defended employers in trial, arbitration and administrative actions, and has extensive experience defending employers in statewide wage and hour class actions and representative actions brought under the California Labor Code and Private Attorneys General Act.

Nelson represents employers of all sizes ranging from small businesses to Fortune 500 companies, and spanning many industries including transportation, technology, retail, healthcare, construction and staffing agencies. In Nelson’s practice, he has negotiated and settled lawsuits ranging from single plaintiff litigation to class actions involving over 16,000 putative class members. Nelson earned his J.D. from UC Davis and his B.A. from Columbia University.

Joy C Rosenquist was promoted to shareholder of Littler in Sacramento. The promotion is effective Jan. 1, 2025.


Rosenquist serves as a California liaison for Littler’s Workplace Policy Institute® and focuses on California state legislative and regulatory developments in employment and labor law, as well as municipal ordinances and regulation of the workplace. She assists the employer community in understanding the impact California legislation before it becomes law. With Rosenquist’s unique background in governmental affairs and regulatory practice, having previously worked for the State of California for over a decade, she is skilled at representing public entities on all facets of statutory and municipal compliance and related litigation and ordinances.

Rosenquist has a varied skillset including her focus on the hospitality industry, with experience in the newly formed Fast Food Council, and the Fair workweek laws. She recently testified before the Assembly Judiciary Committee in opposition to a bill creating joint employer liability between franchisees and franchisors. Rosenquist also regularly counsels clients on nationwide pay transparency, having recently published an in-depth guide on LexisNexis. She frequently conducts webinars on new California legislation and local ordinances, pay transparency and California pay data filing, as well as advancements in the state’s regulation of artificial intelligence. Rosenquist earned her J.D., with honors, from the University of the Pacific McGeorge School of Law and her B.A., with honors, from UC Davis.

Lee Sheldon was promoted to shareholder of Littler in San Francisco.


Sheldon is a civil litigation attorney, with a primary focus on employment law. He defends employers in a wide range of labor and employment disputes including wage and hour, harassment and discrimination claims, as well as disciplinary matters and retaliation and wrongful terminations. Sheldon’s clients include employers of all sizes, from small businesses to Fortune 500 companies. He has trial experience in both state and federal courts and also handles cases in front of administrative agencies including the California Labor Commissioner’s Office, the Department of Fair Employment and Housing and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. Additionally, he regularly counsels clients on a wide range of employment matters, including leaves of absences, medical accommodations, discipline and terminations. Sheldon earned his J.D., with Distinction, from the University of the Pacific McGeorge School of Law and his B.A. from UC Irvine.

Susan T. Ye was promoted to shareholder of Littler in San Jose. The promotion is effective Jan. 1, 2025.


Ye’s practice focuses on representing and advising employers and managers in a broad range of employment law actions in state and federal court as well as before administrative agencies. As an experienced litigator, she routinely defends companies of varying sizes against high-stakes matters, including those involving claims of wrongful termination, harassment, discrimination, retaliation, as well as wage and hour class actions, and PAGA representative actions. Ye has been involved in all phases of legal disputes, including pre-litigation, pleadings, taking and defending depositions, mediation and settlement negotiations, trials, among others. She has also drafted and argued numerous prevailing motions and makes regular court appearances.

In addition to her litigation work, Ye has experience providing advice and counsel to employers concerning day-to-day employment issues, including hiring and screening practices, separation agreements, and development and review of company policies to identify risk and ensure compliance. Ye earned her J.D. from UC Davis School of Law and her B.A., cum laude, with Distinction, from UC Berkeley.

Details

Littler has 1900 attorneys in 10 offices including Fresno, Irvine, Century City, Los Angeles, Sacramento, San Diego, San Francisco, San Jose, Santa Maria, Walnut Creek. Among the law firm’s key practice areas are Labor and employment. The firm’s website is www.littler.com


Nossaman

Published: Mar. 7, 2025 | Announced: Mar. 5, 2025


Kevin Day joined Nossaman as a partner in Irvine. The move was Mar. 5, 2025.


Day focuses his practice on helping public entities, transportation agencies, publicly regulated utilities and private business owners resolve eminent domain and complex business disputes throughout California. He has worked on a variety of public projects, including roadway realignments, subterranean pipelines, electrical facilities, public transportation facilities, school campus acquisitions and the infrastructure and property rights necessary for the development, production and transmission of renewable energies throughout the state. Day has deep experience in all phases of public projects and heavily litigated eminent domain actions, including pre-project planning and acquisition, early project implementation and all aspects of eminent domain and inverse condemnation trial work. Day recently guided a water district through the lengthy extraction process from a joint powers authority allowing the development of a landmark water purification system to benefit its customers. In addition, Day has tried and arbitrated numerous complex business litigation matters throughout California.

Day is a member of the Orange County Bar Association - Business Section and the International Right of Way Association - Chapter 67. He holds a J.D. from the University of San Diego Law School and a B.A. from the University of San Diego.

Details

Nossaman has 140 attorneys in 11 offices including Los Angeles, Orange County, San Francisco, Sacramento . Among the law firm’s key practice areas are Infrastructure; Eminent Domain & Inverse Condemnation; Environment & Land Use; Pensions, Benefits & Investments; Water . The firm’s website is www.nossaman.com

Address

18101 Von Karman Avenue , Irvine CA 92612 USA


Gunderson Dettmer

Published: Mar. 7, 2025 | Announced: Mar. 7, 2025


Adrian M. Rich joined Gunderson Dettmer as a partner in Northern California (Redwood City). The move was Mar. 5, 2025.


Adrian Rich has joined Gunderson Dettmer as a new Life Sciences Partner based in the Northern California offices.

Rich's guidance spans from inception to exit, providing knowledgeable counsel as clients undertake financial and strategic investments, licensing, strategic partnerships, acquisitions and public offerings, and routine corporate matters. His education in biomedical engineering and economics, coupled with his lifelong passion for computers and programming, inform all aspects of his practice.

Details

Gunderson Dettmer has 0 attorneys in 12 offices including Los Angeles, Silicon Valley, San Francisco, San Diego. Among the law firm’s key practice areas are Life Sciences; Mergers & Acquisitions; Public Companies/Public Offerings; Seed, Venture and Growth Financings; AI & Machine Learning. The firm’s website is https://www.gunder.com/

Address

550 Allerton St. , Redwood City CA 94063 United States
T: (650) 321-2400


Sidley Austin LLP

Published: Mar. 4, 2025 | Announced: Mar. 3, 2025


Jason S. Mills joined Sidley Austin LLP as a partner in Los Angeles. The move was Mar. 3, 2025.


Mills is a U.S. Marine Corps veteran and top trial lawyer. His trial experience extends to both Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) proceedings and high-level employment litigation. On the OSHA front, Mills represents employers in the defense of federal and state citations including workplace incident response and whistleblower claims. He also litigates every aspect of employment-related claims at every employee level, from front-line worker to company executive. Mills has tried before juries a multitude of high-stakes complicated employment claims alleging wrongful termination and discrimination. His track record of success extends to state and federal jury trials, bench trials, arbitral forums, and administrative proceedings. Mills also defends employers against wage and hour putative class actions.

Details

Sidley Austin LLP has 2300 attorneys in 21 offices including San Francisco, Palo Alto, Century City, Los Angeles and San Diego. Among the law firm’s key practice areas are complex transactional, restructuring, investigation, regulatory, and litigation matters. The firm’s website is https://www.sidley.com/en/us/


Davis Wright Tremaine LLP

Published: Mar. 4, 2025 | Announced: Mar. 4, 2025


Shab Puri joined Davis Wright Tremaine LLP as a partner in San Francisco. The move was Mar. 4, 2025.


Over two decades of practice, Puri has counseled energy and technology clients on a wide range of high-value agreements that have helped drive the development of critical infrastructure projects, navigate supply chains, and create workable operation, maintenance, and service arrangements. He partners with energy industry clients in both the conventional and renewable generation sectors, focusing on solar, battery storage, biomass, wind and hydrogen projects, and has significant experience representing parties that include project developers, equipment suppliers, contractors, investors, and others.

Details

Davis Wright Tremaine LLP has 600 attorneys in 11 offices including Culver City, Los Angeles, San Francisco. Among the law firm’s key practice areas are Energy, health care and media and entertainment. The firm’s website is https://www.dwt.com/


Jones Day

Published: Mar. 4, 2025 | Announced: Mar. 4, 2025


Edward Reines to join Jones Day as a partner in Silicon Valley.


Reines has extensive experience in competitor vs. competitor disputes. His notable achievements include winning a $45 million verdict in a Lanham Act false advertising lawsuit regarding diagnostic tests for organ transplant rejection, a $24 million verdict in a case related to prenatal genetic testing methods, and a complete summary judgment in a sprawling multi-district patent litigation. He is recognized as a top litigator and thought leader in the patent field.

Reines is expected to make the move next month.

Derek Walter to join Jones Day as a partner in San Francisco.


Walter's practice focuses on technologies in the biological and chemical disciplines. He secured a $24 million verdict regarding prenatal genetic testing methods and a $27 million jury verdict in a case related to microfluidic droplet technology. Walter has also had many successes before the Patent Trial & Appeal Board for both patent owners and petitioners. Recently, he led the teams that invalidated patents in areas related to CRISPR technology and single cell genomics.

Walter is expected to make the move next month.

Details

Jones Day has 2500 attorneys in 40 offices including Irvine, Los Angeles, San Diego, San Francisco, Silicon Valley. Among the law firm’s key practice areas are Mergers & Acquisitions, Health Care & Life Sciences, Intellectual Property. The firm’s website is Jonesday.com


Nolan Heimann LLP

Published: Feb. 28, 2025 | Announced: Jan. 27, 2025


Douglas Mirell joined Nolan Heimann LLP as a partner in Los Angeles. The move was Jan. 27, 2025.


Mirell has decades of legal expertise in media, entertainment, and civil rights. A seasoned litigator, Mirell has secured major victories in defamation, artificial intelligence, and digital rights cases, including contributions to California's deepfake laws and representation of SAG-AFTRA. His extensive experience spans high-profile litigation--such as the Hulk Hogan privacy case and a landmark retraction from The Atlantic--as well as entertainment clearance work for major film and television productions. A dedicated advocate for civil liberties, Mirell has played a key role in shaping legislation on digital media protections and publicity rights. With a deep understanding of the media industry's complexities, he remains committed to finding ethical, strategic solutions for his clients.

Details

Nolan Heimann LLP has 18 attorneys in Encino. Among the law firm’s key practice areas are Entertainment, Licensing, Intellectual Property, Defamation, First Amendment. The firm’s website is www.nolanheimann.com

Address

16000 Ventura Blvd., Suite 12000 , Encino CA 91436
T: (818) 574-5710


JAMS

Published: Feb. 28, 2025 | Announced: Feb. 26, 2025


Matthew Larrabee joined JAMS as a neutral in San Francisco. The move was Feb. 26, 2025.


Larrabee's experience includes almost 30 years in private practice at Heller Ehrman, where he served as firm chair, and 15 years with Dechert, where he served as the global chair of litigation practice and deputy firmwide chair for strategic growth. He has served as lead trial counsel for market leaders in a range of industries, representing both defendants and plaintiffs in eight- and nine-figure disputes in financial services and asset management litigation, securities and corporate governance disputes, mergers and acquisitions disputes, and professional liability, antitrust and other complex commercial litigation.

Larrabee will serve as an arbitrator and mediator, handling business and commercial, antitrust, agribusiness and food law, and securities matters.

Details

JAMS has 450 neutrals in 29 offices including Los Angeles, Sacramento, Silicon Valley, Walnut Creek, San Francisco, Santa Rosa, Century City, San Diego, Irvine and Riverside. The firm’s website is www.jamsadr.com

Address

Two Embarcadero Center, Suite 1500 , San Francisco CA 94111 USA


Kaufman Dolowich LLP

Published: Feb. 28, 2025 | Announced: Feb. 19, 2025


Christine Starkie was promoted to partner of Kaufman Dolowich LLP in San Francisco. The promotion is effective Jan. 1, 2025.


Starkie practices labor and employment law, commercial litigation, professional liability defense, general liability defense, and mass tort litigation. Her clients include employers, startups, tech companies, attorneys and financial securities brokers. Within the past year, she has been actively involved in mediation proceedings, mostly involving large cases including class actions, all resulting in favorable settlements. At the firm, she spearheaded the creation of monthly new attorney training meetings, and is involved in a number of volunteer activities.

Nationally, Kaufman Dolowich promoted six attorneys to the firm's partnership and eight attorneys as of counsel.

Katherine Alphonso was promoted to counsel of Kaufman Dolowich LLP in Oakland. The promotion is effective Jan. 1, 2025.


Alphonso practices labor and employment law and defends clients in business litigation matters. Alphonso defends employers in a variety of matters such as complex wage and hour claims (typically class and representative actions), misclassification claims, discrimination and harassment claims, as well as retaliation and wrongful termination claims. She also counsels clients in matters related to data privacy and cybersecurity. Alphonso is a member of the professional association Women in Security and Privacy.

Kaufman Dolowich promoted six attorneys to the firm's partnership and eight attorneys as of counsel.

Details

Kaufman Dolowich LLP has 212 attorneys in 18 offices including Los Angeles, Oakland, San Francisco, Torrance. Among the law firm’s key practice areas are Labor and employment, directors and officers liability, professional liability, commercial litigation, insurance coverage and litigation. The firm’s website is www.kaufmandolowich.com