Sebastian E. Kaplan joined Meyers Nave as of counsel in Oakland.

Meyers Nave proudly announces that Sebastian Kaplan has joined the firm as Of Counsel in the Construction & Facilities Practice Group and the Trial & Litigation Practice Group. Based in the Oakland office, Sebastian is an important addition to the ongoing expansion of these two statewide Practice Groups.

Sebastian litigates disputes involving construction, commercial transactions and contracts, intellectual property (copyright, trademark, trade secrets), and policyholder-side insurance. He also counsels clients on new product litigation risks, employment mobility issues, and IP portfolio management.

Sebastian represents clients in federal and state courts and has resolved claims through trial, arbitration, and appeal. He has extensive pre-litigation and pre-trial experience, simultaneously balancing high-stakes litigation with cease and desist disputes, subpoena responses, and numerous commercial disputes. Sebastian has managed document collection in several major litigations that involved complex ESI issues, including identification and forensic collection of documents from mobile devices and collaborative databases.

Sebastian is a Board Member of the Bar Association of San Francisco, Chair of the Intellectual Property Section of the Bar Association of San Francisco, Presidential Appointee on the Advisory Commission to the Standing Committee on Public Education of the American Bar Association, and Director and Founding Member of the Jewish Bar Association of San Francisco. Sebastian earned a JD from Stanford Law School and a BA from Wesleyan University.

Christianne F. Kerns was promoted to managing partner of Hahn & Hahn LLP in Pasadena.

Hahn & Hahn LLP announced that Business and Finance Partner Christianne Kerns has been elected the firm's Managing Partner effective March 1, 2020. She succeeds Karl I. Swaidan, who held the post for the past 13 years.
Kerns is the first woman elected to lead Hahn & Hahn, and only the fifth managing partner since the founding Hahn family entrusted the administration of the firm to the broader partnership.
Kerns, who earned her J.D. from the University of Southern California Gould School of Law, advises institutional clients, boards of directors, equity holders, and C-suite executives on commercial transactions and general business matters, such as real estate projects, domestic and cross-border finance transactions, corporate transactions and complex commercial affiliations and agreements. In addition to her law practice, Kerns spends hundreds of hours each year volunteering in the community, providing legal insight and guidance to non-profit organizations.

Matthew S Ingles was promoted to partner of Greenberg Gross LLP in Los Angeles.

Matthew S. Ingles focuses his practice on complex business litigation, arbitration, and appeals, and has significant experience in matters involving breach of contract, fraud, unfair competition, defamation, real estate, class action defense, and intellectual property.

M. Brett Gladstone joined Goldstein, Gellman, Melbostad, Harris & McSparran, LLP as of counsel in San Francisco.

Preeminent land use attorney, M. Brett Gladstone, has joined the San Francisco law firm of Goldstein, Gellman, Melbostad, Harris and McSparran LLP as of early January 2020. Brett represents investors, developers, and government in land-use proceedings and CEQA compliance concerning residential and mixed-use developments throughout the Bay Area. Brett makes regular appearances before Bay Area Planning Commissions, City Councils, Boards of Supervisors and Landmarks Boards. Recently, Governor Newsom appointed Brett to the California Architects Board. A 1980 graduate magna cum laude of Harvard University and a member of the Class of 1983 of Duke University School of Law, and widely recognized for his legal expertise, Brett lectures on a variety of topics, including development entitlements, condominium law, and planned developments. Before joining G3MH, Brett was a partner with the large San Francisco based law firm of Hanson Bridgett LLP.

Some of his recent projects include a new San Francisco Public Library Branch; a supermarket and dwelling units built at the center of Glen Park, San Francisco; advising a large Bay Area hospital system on its obligations under a campus-wide development agreement; entitlements for a 194-unit condominium building in San Francisco's Mission District; approval of a 463-unit residential building in San Francisco's Executive Park; approval of a 200-room waterfront hotel near San Francisco's Ferry Building; conversion of warehouse properties into office and multi-media facilities; representing a Peninsula city in negotiating development agreements on sites involving over 2,000,000 sq. ft. of new construction; converting San Francisco's landmark Armory Building into a cultural arts center; and entitlements for the construction of 55-units of low/moderate income housing in San Francisco's Mission District.

Brett Gladstone was admitted to the practice law in California 1983. He can be reached at (415) 673-5600 ext.238, or via email at BGladstone@g3mh.com.

Edward Lee Seidel was promoted to partner of Cooper, White & Cooper LLP in San Francisco.

SAN FRANCISCO - February 4, 2020 - Cooper, White & Cooper LLP is pleased to announce that Edward L. Seidel was elected a member of the firm effective January 1, 2020. Mr. Seidel works in the firm's San Francisco office.

Mr. Seidel devotes his practice to general litigation, contract disputes, real estate and construction matters and environmental law, and has successfully represented clients in state and federal courts as well as in binding arbitrations. Mr. Seidel's practice also includes professional liability, employment law and products liability matters.

Mr. Seidel is a graduate of Miami University in 1995, where he received a Bachelors of Arts degree in Psychology and a Bachelors of Arts degree in Political Science. He received his J.D. in 1998 from Tulane Law School, where he graduated cum laude. At Tulane, Mr. Seidel served as the President of the Public Interest Law Foundation.

Mr. Seidel is a member of the State Bar of California, the Bar Association of San Francisco, the American Bar Association and is admitted to practice before the United States District Court for the Northern and Eastern Districts of California and before the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals.

John Harrison was promoted to partner of Orrick in San Francisco.

John Harrison is a tech companies advisor, based in San Francisco. He counsels high growth technology companies and venture capital firms on corporate and securities law matters, debt and equity financings, mergers and acquisitions, international cross-border transactions, IPOs and strategic matters. John has represented companies such as Stripe, UpKeep, Coda, Second Spectrum, Dave, Wrike, Concord, Solugen and Sqreen, among others, and funds such as Coatue and Crosslink Capital. He earned his J.D., cum laude, from Georgetown and his B.S. from Salisbury University.

Daniel Lopez was promoted to partner of Orrick in San Francisco.

Daniel Lopez is an M&A and private equity practitioner, based in San Francisco. He advises private equity funds and their portfolio companies, as well as private and public companies in the tech, life sciences and energy sectors on strategic transactions, including debt and equity investments, acquisitions and dispositions. Daniel also counsels boards, investors and other key stakeholders on fiduciary duty, securities law and corporate governance matters. He earned his J.D., magna cum laude, from UC Hastings and his B.S. from Cornell.

Betsy Lee was promoted to partner of Orrick in San Francisco.

Betsy Lee is an intellectual property litigator, based in San Francisco. She focuses her practice on trademark and copyright law. Betsy counsels clients on the selection and clearance of brands, the strategic management and prosecution of global trademark portfolios, and trademark licensing and assignment issues, as well as enforcement and dispute resolution. Her clients span a variety of industries, including technology, financial services and life sciences. Betsy serves as co-chair of Orrick’s Asian Attorney Affinity Group. She earned her J.D. from Stanford and her B.A., summa cum laude, from Yale.

Jennifer Lee was promoted to partner of Orrick in San Francisco.

Jennifer Lee is a litigator, based in San Francisco. She litigates high-stakes commercial disputes, primarily for clients in the finance sector. Jennifer also litigates consumer class actions, corporate contractual disputes, securities lawsuits, and litigation related to residential mortgage-backed securities and mortgage servicing. A leader of Orrick’s diversity and inclusion initiatives, she is active in the California Minority Counsel Program, as well as the Leadership Council on Legal Diversity. Jennifer earned her J.D., cum laude, from George Washington University and her B.S., cum laude, from UC Berkeley.

Robert Uriarte was promoted to partner of Orrick in Silicon Valley.

Robert Uriarte is an intellectual property litigator, based in Silicon Valley. He focuses his practice on software, internet law and cybersecurity matters. Rob litigates groundbreaking cases in the copyright, computer trespass and digital crimes domains, and counsels clients on IP protection and digital rights management strategies. He co-chairs Orrick's Silicon Valley Diversity Committee and facilitates the firm’s Latinx Attorney Affinity Group. Committed to equal access to justice, Rob serves on the Board of Directors of the Legal Aid Society of San Mateo County. Prior to Orrick, Rob served as a law clerk to U.S. District Judge Oliver W. Wanger in the Eastern District of California. He earned his J.D., cum laude, from the University of San Diego and his B.A. from Occidental College.

Jason Yu was promoted to partner of Orrick in Silicon Valley.

Jason Yu is a litigator, based in Silicon Valley. He draws on his electrical engineering background to advise clients on complex patent litigation matters and inter partes proceedings before the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. Jason counsels technology companies on such matters in a variety of areas, including semiconductor manufacturing, graphics processors, information technology, circuit design and satellite communications. He has also helped clients secure victories in trade secret misappropriation and employee mobility matters. Jason sits on the board of directors of nonprofit Community Cycles of California. He earned his J.D. from USC Gould and his electrical engineering degree from Arizona State.

Louise Gibbons was promoted to partner of Orrick in San Francisco.

Louise Gibbons is a member of our Energy & Infrastructure team, based in San Francisco. She advises clients on debt and tax equity financings, equity investments, acquisitions, sales and joint venture arrangements involving energy and infrastructure projects and companies, with a focus in the renewables space. Louise has been recognized by Euromoney as a Rising Star in 2018 and 2019. She earned her J.D. from UC Berkeley and her B.A., magna cum laude, from Brown.

Florence M. Jao was promoted to partner of Shartsis Friese LLP in San Francisco.

Florence Jao represents individual and family clients in the areas of estate planning, estate and trust administration, estate and gift taxation, charitable gift planning, and probate. She also counsels new non-profit organizations with incorporating and obtaining federal and state tax exemptions, and advise existing public charities and private foundations regarding ongoing tax and administration issues. Jao received her J.D., cum laude, from Georgetown University Law Center in 2003, and her B.A., magna cum laude, from Amherst College in 2000.

Danielle T. Zaragoza was promoted to partner of Shartsis Friese LLP in San Francisco.

Danielle Zaragoza represents individual and family clients in the areas of estate planning, estate and trust administration, estate and gift taxation, charitable gift planning, and probate. She also counsels new non-profit organizations with incorporating and obtaining federal and state tax exemptions, and advise existing public charities and private foundations regarding ongoing tax and administration issues. Zaragoza received her J.D., Order of the Coif, from the University of California, Davis in 2003 where she was Editor of the UC Davis Law Review, and her B.A., cum laude, from the University of California, San Diego in 1998.

Jennifer W. Chang was promoted to senior partner of Hecht Solberg Robinson Goldberg & Bagley LLP in Hecht Solberg Robinson Goldberg & Bagley LLP (HechtSolberg), San Diego.

Ms. Chang's practice focuses on:

Representing commercial developers and home builders in real estate acquisitions and dispositions, entity formation, and financing.

Representing landlords and tenants in a variety of leasing transactions, including office, industrial, and retail leases, and covering all property types, including single-tenant, multi-tenant, and mixed-use projects.

Drafting and negotiating easement agreements for commercial developments.

Advising clients regarding complex title-related issues.

Business entity structuring, formation, and advising.

Nonprofit organizations

Márcia H.Y. Loeffelholz was promoted to senior partner of Hecht Solberg Robinson Goldberg & Bagley LLP in San Diego.

Márcia Loeffelholz specializes in real estate and business transaction matters, with a focus on acquisitions and dispositions, financing transactions, commercial leasing, entity formation and corporate governance and purchase and sale of business entities and assets. She assists clients, including real estate developers, landlords, tenants’ retail businesses, corporations and entrepreneurs, with real estate and general business needs.

Talon J. Powers was promoted to partner of Hecht Solberg Robinson Goldberg & Bagley LLP in San Diego.

Talon Powers' practice focuses on business litigation and risk management, with emphasis on construction, land use and environmental appeals, purchases and sales, commercial leases, real estate brokerage, and insurance issues. He is a director on the board of Rebuilding Together San Diego, a local nonprofit focused on rehabilitating homes and facilities for San Diego residents in need, and was honored as one of the 2019 “San Diego Rising Stars” by Super Lawyers.

Andrew D. Thorpe joined Mintz, Levin, Cohn, Ferris, Glovsky and Popeo PC as member in San Francisco.

Thorpe joins Mintz' corporate group and brings his practice, which focuses on securities regulation, public offerings, mergers and acquisitions and corporate governance matters. At Mintz, Thorpe said he intends to be a part of expanding the firm's capital markets capabilities on the west coast.
One of the reasons for joining Mintz was his interest in the intersection between the life sciences and capital markets, he said.
"Their life sciences platform is excellent, and all of their capabilities in IP licensing, healthcare, regulatory and FDA provides a lot of tools to work with and compete in the Bay area for life sciences clients that a lot of firms in the area don't have," said Thorpe.
While many venture-backed technology firms stay in the private sector for several years before going public, the life sciences and the healthcare sector use the public capital markets to a higher degree, according to Thorpe, who spent time working in the Division of Corporation Finance of the Securities and Exchange Commission.
"I think with my background, coming from the SEC and working on capital markets transactions at my prior firms, combined with Mintz' capabilities in both capital markets and in life sciences and health care, really create a powerful arsenal to be able to compete and grow the practice in the Bay area," he said.
Thorpe, who holds an MBA from Thunderbird School of Global Management, has always had an affinity for corporate finance.
"I've always enjoyed working with companies and helping them at their most crucial points in their life cycles. From navigating very complex processes to go public to establish well-functioning finance and accounting and good corporate governance. I find it extremely gratifying to help companies when the stakes are high," Thorpe said.
Thorpe is based in Mintz' San Francisco office and received his law degree from Washington University.
Thorpe's move was brokered by Larry Watanabe, a partner at the California legal placement firm Watanabe LLC.