Alexandra E. Garchie joined Gordon Rees Scully Mansukhani LLP as a partner in Los Angeles.

Garchie advises clients on a wide range of legal issues throughout all stages of litigation as well as in alternative dispute resolution methods. Alexandra focuses her practice on commercial liability. She has represented businesses in healthcare, transportation, property management, and hospitality all over California.

Reed Harasimowicz was promoted to partner of Ropes & Gray LLP in San Francisco.

Harasimowicz's practice focuses primarily in the firm's private equity group and has experience representing private equity funds, other strategic investors, and private companies in mergers and acquisitions, leveraged buyouts, and other strategic transactions. Harasimowicz also advises private equity firms and their portfolio companies on general corporate governance matters.

Colleen B. Meyer was promoted to partner of Ropes & Gray LLP in San Francisco.

Meyer advises U.S. and global asset managers on a range of matters, including regulatory and compliance matters. For more than 15 years, she has advised clients across the asset management spectrum, from private equity and venture capital firms to hedge funds and other leading asset management companies.

Charlene Azema was elected co-chair of trademark and brand protection group of the Irvine office of Knobbe Martens. Her tenure was effective Oct. 22, 2025.

Azema counsels clients in domestic and international trademark and copyright portfolio management, including enforcement, and developing IP procurement and expansion strategies. She also advises clients on brand marketing and advertising, domain names, and social media matters. Azema works with clients across an array of industries, including fashion and apparel, food and beverage, ad tech, medical devices, and technology.

Greg Phillips was elected co-chair of trademark and brand protection group of the Irvine office of Knobbe Martens.

Phillips advises clients on trademark and copyright matters worldwide, including clearance, registration, enforcement, and licensing. His work extends across a number of industries, including automotive, medical devices, pharmaceuticals, personnel placement and consulting services, fashion and apparel, and others.

Jonie Ing Kondracki joined Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati as a partner in San Francisco.

Kondracki represents companies through all stages of growth, from private companies to established public companies, as well as investment banks and investors. Jonie has advised clients on a wide range of transactions, including initial public offerings, follow-on and secondary offerings, private placements, tender offers, direct listings, and debt offerings, with significant experience in the technology and life sciences industries. She also counsels clients on corporate governance, reporting obligations, and other compliance matters.

Michael Murphy joined JAMS as a neutral in San Francisco. The move was Oct. 13, 2025.

Murphy brings more than 40 years of experience representing clients in straightforward to complex, high-value matters across the U.S., Europe, London, Bermuda/Offshore and Asia-Pacific insurance markets.

Stuart M. Rice joined JAMS as a neutral in Los Angeles. The move was Oct. 22, 2025.

From 2005 to 2025, Judge Rice served on the Los Angeles County Superior Court, including on its Complex Civil Litigation Panel from 2022 to 2025. Earlier in his judicial career, he served as a court commissioner and an as-needed juvenile referee for the Superior Court. Before his appointment to the bench, he built a distinguished private practice as a senior partner at Rice & Rothenberg, where he handled civil, tort and probate litigation, as well as juvenile defense matters.

Based in the Los Angeles Resolution Center, Judge Rice will serve as a mediator, arbitrator, court-appointed neutral (special master/referee), neutral evaluator and allocator, handling business and commercial, employment, professional liability, construction, insurance, real property, class action, entertainment and sports matters, among several others. He is available to conduct sessions in person, as well as virtually, for clients across the country and internationally.

Danny Wan joined Donahue Fitzgerald as a of counsel in Bay Area.

Wan has dedicated his career to the economic development of communities, particularly of Oakland and the East Bay region. Most recently, he served as the general counsel and then executive director of the Port of Oakland, overseeing a portfolio including the maritime port facilities, the Oakland San Francisco Bay Airport and over 875 acres of waterfront properties.

Amy E. Proctor joined Sullivan & Cromwell LLP as a partner in Los Angeles.

Proctor advises clients on intellectual property issues and handles patent infringement disputes across a wide range of technologies. She leverages both scientific and legal acumen to defend clients against patent infringement claims and has particular expertise in proving patent damages, including by carefully apportioning complex technology to a patented invention's footprint.

David Sarnoff joined Signature Resolution as a neutral in Burlingame.

Sarnoff brings nearly two decades of litigation and dispute resolution experience to his work, helping parties find clarity, closure, and lasting solutions to complex conflicts. Known for his meticulous preparation, calm presence, and approachable style, he guides attorneys and their clients through challenging negotiations with both analytical precision and human understanding. His mediation practice focuses on business and commercial contracts, employment, civil rights, and personal injury matters.​ ​In 2018, he founded Sarnoff Mediations, devoting his practice exclusively to mediation, recognizing that true resolution often brings clients greater peace and closure than litigation victories.

Julia Arruda was promoted to partner of Fenwick and West in Santa Monica. The promotion is effective Jan. 1, 2026.

Arruda advises technology clients on intellectual property matters in corporate transactions and commercial agreements. She represents companies at all stages of growth across industries such as fintech, artificial intelligence, blockchain, and gaming. Arruda has extensive experience in strategic transactions involving intellectual property, including mergers and acquisitions, divestitures, and complex collaboration and licensing agreements.

Christopher Crawford was promoted to partner of Fenwick and West in Santa Monica. The promotion is effective Jan. 1, 2026.

Crawford counsels technology companies and their founders through all stages of the startup life cycle, with a focus on complex and evolving blockchain-related legal matters. He regularly advises clients on matters involving corporate governance, venture financings, mergers and acquisitions, initial public offerings, and other public capital markets transactions, helping them navigate the enhanced complexity of these transactions in the blockchain space.

Tom Osborn joined Knox Ricksen LLP as an associate. The move was Oct. 21, 2025.

Osborn has several years' experience trying corporate litigation and insurance defense matters in the areas of civil rights, constitutional and employment law. He has managed litigation from intake through resolution and handled all aspects of the litigation process. Osborn earned his J.D. (2020) and his B.A., summa cum laude, (2018) from the University of Missouri-Kansas City. He served on the UMKC Law Review and received the law school's "Pro Bono Honors" award. Before his legal career, Osborn spent 20 years in the hospitality industry, as well as a short time as a paralegal.

Michael A. Vann joined Elkins Kalt Weintraub Reuben Gartside LLP as a partner in Los Angeles. The move was Sep. 29, 2025.

Vann's clients range from entrepreneurs and high-net-worth individuals to a broad spectrum of national, regional and local real estate development companies, private equity funds and other investment platforms. His work includes the acquisition, disposition, financing, leasing, and development of commerical properties across all real estate asset classes, including hospitality, industrial, multi-family, office and retail. Vann also provides strategic advice to companies in connection with the formation, development and expansion of hotel brands.

Julia Ramos joined Dordick Law Corporation as an associate in Riverside.

Ramos began her career representing clients in both misdemeanor and felony criminal defense proceedings, gaining hands-on courtroom experience and developing a deep understanding of the challenges individuals face in the justice system. This early exposure to criminal law honed her litigation skills and fueled her passion for standing up for people in difficult circumstances.

Linda Gach Ray joined Annaguey McCann LLP as of counsel in Los Angeles.

Gach Ray brings a depth of prior experience in bankruptcy litigation, commercial litigation, constructive termination, defamation, and real estate disputes to her insightful and patient handling of fiduciary work in trusts, estates, and probate litigation. Her current practice focus includes trust and estate disputes, contested conservatorship matters, and will contests, but her background of experience is far broader.

Rob Bruce Owens joined Annaguey McCann LLP as of counsel in Los Angeles.

Owens has become a leading presence in California state and federal courts after more than 47 years of practice. His representation of corporations, businesses and individuals includes disputes involving real estate, shareholder claims, fraud, fiduciary obligations, trusts, estates and probate. Known for his practical resolutions and old-school collegiality throughout the litigation process, Owens uses his trial strength to position clients for favorable outcomes, whether through mediation, a negotiated settlement, a bench trial or jury trial. Owens is often brought into protracted disputes to try cases where earlier attempts at resolution have failed. His skill and efficiency in narrowing the argument to the relevant essentials have resulted in numerous successful bench and jury verdicts.

Allison Michelle Melendez joined KENT | PINCIN as a counsel in Redondo Beach. The move was Sep. 22, 2025.

Melendez's practice areas include personal injury cases such as auto accidents, slip and falls, wrongful death, dog bites, and rideshare accidents, as well as fire cases, sexual assault, mass actions, and public utility disasters. She also handles employment matters, including discrimination, sexual harassment, retaliation, disability discrimination, and wrongful termination. She is fluent in Spanish.

Michael D. Campion joined Musick Peeler & Garrett LLP as an associate in Los Angeles. The move was Oct. 6, 2025.

Campion has extensive experience defending public and not-for-profit entities in wage-and-hour class actions, wrongful termination claims, whistleblower suits, and federal civil rights matters. He also has experience advising and representing public entity clients in mandamus proceedings, including allegations of wrongful termination, public finance disputes, commercial cannabis licensing, and proceedings concerning compliance with statutes such as the California Environmental Quality Act, the California Public Records Act and the Brown Act. He also counsels school districts, public officials, and members of the judiciary in subpoena compliance related to criminal proceedings.

Angel M. Bermudez joined JAMS as a neutral in Riverside. The move was Oct. 14, 2025.

Judge Bermudez served more than 18 years on the Riverside County Superior Court, spending the majority of his tenure presiding over complex civil matters. His docket included cases involving product liability, catastrophic personal injury, business and contract disputes, professional negligence, and real property issues. He also spent time in the family law division, where he handled dissolution, custody, and financial disputes.

Before his judicial appointment, Judge Bermudez spent 16 years as a senior deputy district attorney in Riverside County, focusing primarily on white-collar criminal prosecutions.

Now based at the Inland Empire Resolution Center, Judge Bermudez serves as a mediator, arbitrator, court-appointed neutral (special master/referee), and neutral evaluator. He handles a wide range of matters, including personal injury, automotive, animal, business and commercial, employment, family, financial, and professional liability disputes.

Christina E Batshoun was promoted to partner of Kelly, Trotter & Franzen in Long Beach. The promotion is effective Oct. 1, 2025.

Batshoun began at the firm as an associate in 2020 with years of experience in medical malpractice and tax law. At Kelly, Trotter & Franzen, she has expanded her practice to include elder law and general liability. As an associate attorney at Kelly, Trotter & Franzen, she worked on complex matters representing physicians, nurses, hospitals, skilled nursing facilities, and residential care facilities for the elderly. Her zeal and work ethic is commendable and in direct correlation to the successful outcomes she obtained in her cases. As a partner, she will add her vast experience to an already deep bench of experienced trial lawyers eager to represent clients in all aspects of litigation, including trial.

Jim Jensen joined Orrick as a partner in Silicon Valley.

Jensen counsels venture capital funds, private equity funds, angel investment funds, accelerators/incubators, SPVs, funds-of-funds, and other private investment funds on the formation, operation, and regulatory obligations of their funds, as well as on capital deployment, including investments. He also represents institutional investors in their investments in investment funds.

Lielle Arad founds Arad Law in Thousand Oaks.

Arad's practice centers on strategic and creative advocacy in matters involving unfair competition, false advertising, and business torts. Recognized for her innovative approach that blends technology with compelling, narrative-driven trial work, Arad continues to expand the firm's statewide presence while representing entrepreneurs, businesses, and individuals in complex civil and intellectual property disputes.

Retired judge Christine A. Carringer joined Judicate West as a neutral in Solano County.

First appointed to the Solano County Superior Court bench by Gov. Jerry Brown in 2013, Judge Carringer presided over complex civil litigation, including two years as supervising judge of the Civil Division. Prior to her civil assignment, she presided over family law cases for six years, including two years as supervising judge of the Family Law Division. Collectively, she has handled employment, family law insurance, medical malpractice and personal injury matters. Judge Carringer also served two terms as a member of the court's Appellate Division. During the first 26 years of her legal career, Judge Carringer litigated in private practice, with a focus on insurance matters. She also gained more than six years of mediation experience through the Solano County Superior Court's ADR Program and spent four years as field counsel for an insurance company.

Christopher A. Stecher joined Frost Brown Todd as a partner in San Francisco.

Stecher focuses his practice on securities, employment, and general business litigation. He has extensive experience defending brokerage firms and financial advisors in cases involving customer complaints and has represented clients in securities arbitration forums, such as the NASD, the NYSE, and the PCX (now combined into one forum, FINRA). He represents employers in all aspects of employment litigation in federal and state trial and appellate courts, as well as in arbitration and before state agencies.

Lukas Chacho joined Musick Peeler & Garrett LLP as an associate in Los Angeles.

Chacho practice includes eData and information governance matters, with experience spanning civil, criminal, and regulatory proceedings. He represents clients in discovery, privilege, and information governance disputes, including the legal implications of artificial intelligence and emerging technologies.

Prior to entering private practice, he was a strategist at Northrop Grumman, where he focused on competitive intelligence and enterprise strategy.

Chacho graduated cum laude from Marist College with a B.S. in International Business Administration, earning a presidential scholarship and dean's List honors. He holds C.I.P.-I and C.I.P.-II (Master's) certifications from the Fuld-Gilad-Herring Academy of Competitive Intelligence, where he received the analytical competition award. Chacho graduated from the University of Virginia School of Law, where he was a dean's scholar and served on the Virginia Journal of Law & Technology.

William J. Goines joined Signature Resolution as a neutral in Silicon Valley. The move was Oct. 14, 2025.

William J. Goines is one of Silicon Valley's most respected trial lawyers and leaders, bringing nearly 50 years of legal experience, including two decades as co-managing shareholder of Greenberg Traurig's Silicon Valley office, to his mediation and arbitration practice. Recognized for his exceptional trial skills and steady leadership, Goines has successfully resolved high-stakes commercial, real estate, and employment disputes, including securing a $31 million Ponzi scheme verdict and helping pioneer one of California's first Zoom trials. His approach to dispute resolution blends technical expertise, patience, and empathy.

Jacquelyn N. Crawley joined Miller Barondess, LLP as a counsel in Los Angeles. The move was Sep. 22, 2025.

Crawley is a litigator with experience representing clients in state and federal courts in diverse matters, including antitrust, breach of contract, class action, unfair competition, privacy, and other complex commercial litigation.

Joshua R. Engel joined Musick Peeler & Garrett LLP as a partner in Los Angeles. The move was Oct. 6, 2025.

Engel is an experienced litigator representing companies and organizations in complex business and commercial litigation. Engel's diverse practice spans professional liability defense, commercial litigation, employment law, corporate transactions, insurance defense, and insurance coverage matters. Engel is known for guiding clients through every stage of litigation and achieving efficient, practical outcomes in matters with significant financial and reputational exposure. He has extensive experience counseling clients on case strategy, supervising legal teams, and partnering with businesses to navigate disputes effectively and protect their long-term interests.

Alexander D. Wall joined Musick Peeler & Garrett LLP as a partner in San Diego. The move was Oct. 6, 2025.

Wall is an experienced litigator and trial attorney with over a decade of experience representing clients in complex corporate and commercial litigation, including corporate fiduciary, fraud, and securities matters and banking and real estate litigation. Mr. Wall advises financial institutions, developers, contractors, and businesses across industries in high-stakes matters in both state and federal courts. Wall has represented high-profile clients in corporate and regulatory matters, including serving as counsel to court-appointed receivers in FTC and CFPB enforcement actions and defending senior executives in cross-border fiduciary litigation. He also has significant experience advising property developers, contractors, and property managers in construction and commercial disputes.

Retired justice Judith Ashmann-Gerst joined Signature Resolution as a neutral in Los Angeles. The move was Oct. 7, 2025.

Retired justice Judith Ashmann-Gerst spent nearly 25 years on the 2nd District Court of Appeal, Division Two. She authored influential opinions spanning a broad range of matters and previously presided over some of the most complex cases in the Los Angeles County Superior Court. Known for her fairness, thorough preparation, and collaborative style, Judge Ashmann-Gerst also served in key leadership roles in judicial education, ethics, and courtroom technology. In her new role, she looks forward to focusing on the meaningful, collaborative work of listening and problem-solving to help parties reach resolution.