Matthew Sapowith was promoted to partner of Macias Gini & O'Connell LLP in San Jose.

Sapowith has experience in corporate and international tax matters and provides expertise in merger and acquisition transaction advisory to lead engagement for his firm's technology sector clients. He is a certified public accountant who also practices in matters relating to international and multi-state taxation, structuring for acquisitions or dispositions and IP strategy or global supply chain planning.

Brian D. Huben was promoted to office managing partner of Ballard Spahr LLP in Los Angeles.

Huben represents commercial landlords and shopping center owners, managers and developers in commercial litigation in state and federal courts. He also provides counsel to landlords, creditors and shopping center owners regarding matters of evictions, breach of lease issues, public access and compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act.

Scott S. Humphreys was promoted to partner of Ballard Spahr LLP in Los Angeles.

Humphreys defends the media in defamation, privacy and related First Amendment litigation as well as defending Fortune 500 corporations on matters ranging from intellectual property enforcement to product liability, mass tort and complex business and commercial real estate disputes.

Siobhan M. O'Donnell was promoted to partner of Ballard Spahr LLP in Los Angeles.

O’Donnell focuses her practice on commercial real estate finance. She represents investment banks, commercial banks, specialty finance companies and institutional lenders as well as real estate developers and owners in a variety of real estate financing transactions.

Jerry L. Kay joined Sklar Kirsh LLP as of counsel in Los Angeles.

Kay's practice focuses on business and real estate property transactions and litigation. He handles commercial and residential transactions that include acquisitions, dispositions, development, leasing, zoning, formation of ownership entities and lending, among other financing structures.

Reuben A. Ginsburg joined Michelman & Robinson LLP as of counsel in Los Angeles.

Ginsburg is a litigator with a focus on appeals. He has drafted opinions in civil appeals and writ proceedings and has extensive experience with the appellate process and judicial decision making.

D. James Pak joined Quinn Emanuel Uruhart & Sullivan LLP as partner in Los Angeles.

Pak is an experienced litigator and trial lawyer who has worked in jury trials and U.S. International Trade Commission proceedings. Some of his work includes representing automotive clients in matters of Standard Essential Patents and FRAND obligations related to 4G/5G/V2X technologies.

Eric S. Casher was promoted to principal, chair of Meyers Nave in Oakland.

Casher has been assisting public entities, businesses and non-profit organizations with legal and regulatory matters throughout California for more than 10 years. His comprehensive experience includes public law, ethics, conflicts of interest, workplace investigations, construction litigation and all aspects of public contract procurement including competitive bidding, prevailing wage and public-private partnerships.

Richard C. Blake joined Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati PC as partner in Palo Alto.

Blake practices corporate and securities law with a focus on public company representation, corporate governance and public offerings. He has represented public and private clients across a broad range of industries, as well as investment banking and venture capital firms.

Christopher P. Lyon joined Dinsmore & Shohl LLP as partner in San Diego.

Lyon specializes in the defense of insurance companies in personal injury cases. He has predominantly worked as house counsel for a major Fortune 100 company over the past 10 years.

Patricia L. Peden joined Burke Williams & Sorensen LLP as partner in San Francisco, Oakland.

Peden's practice focuses on litigating patent infringement cases, trade secret litigation and other commercial litigation. Her patent infringement experience includes cases involving cellular telephony, recombinant human erythropoietin, LED technology, Wi-Fi, chipsets, and software.

Charles C. Yang joined Burke Williams & Sorensen LLP as partner in San Francisco, Oakland.

Yang’s practice includes patent prosecution, counseling and dispute resolution. He is a registered patent attorney and has developed and managed patent portfolios for clients in optics, semiconductor, medical devices, construction, telecommunication and consumer products industries.

John Yang joined Burke Williams & Sorensen LLP as partner in San Francisco, Oakland.

Yang focuses his practice on intellectual property law, including patents, trademarks, copyrights, trade dress and trade secrets. He also has experience with chemical, optical, electrical and semiconductor devices.

Meghan Canty Murphey joined Burke Williams & Sorensen LLP as partner in Santa Ana.

Canty Murphey’s practice involves insolvency law, business and intellectual property litigation. She has experience representing financial institutions, creditors, buyers, sellers and landlords in connection with collateral foreclosures, evictions, loan workouts and loan documentations.

Paul E. McGowan joined Burke Williams & Sorensen LLP as of counsel in Santa Ana.

McGowan’s practice encompasses all aspects of intellectual property law, including infringement and enforcement activities for global companies in patent, trademark and copyright litigation

Matthew D. Murphey joined Burke Williams & Sorensen LLP as partner in Santa Ana.

Murphey is a trial attorney experienced in representing financial institutions and major corporations in jury and bench trials involving guaranty, surety and all types of litigation such as workouts, foreclosures, bankruptcy, purchase and sale disputes.

Robert W. Dickerson Jr. joined Burke Williams & Sorensen LLP as partner in Los Angeles.

Dickerson handles intellectual property matters involving trademarks and trade names, copyrights and patents. He has handled disputes over violation of licensing agreements, theft of trade secrets, false advertising and intellectual property claims in related areas.

Emily O. Roberts was promoted to partner of Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP in Menlo Park.

Roberts advises companies on corporate and securities matters that include public company reporting and compliance, mergers and acquisitions, corporate finance transactions and corporate governance. Her experience includes acquisitions of public and private companies, carve-outs, joint ventures and minority investments.

Young J. Kim joined TroyGould PC as member in Los Angeles.

Kim focuses his practice on mergers, stick and asset acquisitions, corporate finance, initial public offerings, venture capital and private equity investments, cross-border transactions and software or other intellectual property transactions.

Shaalu Mehra joined Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLC as partner in Palo Alto.

Mehra leads a technology-focused practice in corporate and venture finance such as technology collaborations, technology regulation and intellectual property transactions. He also advises companies on public policy, corporate and venture capital, technology infrastructure, crisis management and trade and competition issues.

Kerry Smith joined Eisner LLP as partner in Beverly Hills.

Smith extensively deals with cases in television and film production and represents companies producing a wide variety of programming including the producers of the Primetime Emmys and the Tony Awards as well as writers, directors and on-air talent.

Kate T. Spelman joined Jenner & Block LLP as partner in Los Angeles.

Spelman has experience with the food and beverage industry including food labeling. She also focuses her practice on fraud, breach of contract, employment, personal injury and intellectual property claims arising out of the food industry.

Masahisa Mitsunaga was promoted to shareholder of Buchalter Nemer PC in Los Angeles.

Mitsunaga has participated in media-related mergers and acquisitions and debt and equity finance transactions. He also advises clients on the development of intellectual property and supports a variety of Japanese companies in conducting or expanding businesses in the U.S.

Mercedes O. Martin was promoted to shareholder of Buchalter Nemer PC in Los Angeles.

Martin specializes in real estate transactions, with an emphasis on secured lending and tax credit finance.

Albert W. Stemp joined Kirkland & Ellis LLP as partner in Los Angeles.

Stemp's practice focuses on real estate transactions and has represented clients in joint ventures, preferred equity deals, acquisitions, dispositions and various types of financings and real estate-related mergers and acquisitions.

Ian S. Landsberg joined Sklar Kirsh LLP as partner in Los Angeles.

Landsberg focuses his practice in complex business and real estate litigation. He specializes in bankruptcy which includes secured transactions, reorganizations, insolvency, bankruptcy litigation, workouts and creditors' rights. He has represented business owners, landlords, secured and unsecured creditors, financial institutions and developers of retail shopping centers, office buildings, industrial complexes and high-end luxury homes.

Lisa K. Skaist joined Sklar Kirsh LLP as senior counsel in Los Angeles.

Skaist practices real estate litigation that includes handling unlawful detainers, lease disputes, prescriptive easement rights, breach of purchase and sale agreements and construction defect claims. She has defended and prosecuted claims including partnership, fraud and complex contract disputes.

Matthew P. Seeberger joined Sklar Kirsh LLP as senior counsel in Los Angeles.

Seeberger primarily focuses his practice on leasing all types of commercial real estate. He focuses on office and retail products from small offices to entire office buildings.

Shirin Forootan joined Workplace Justice Advocates PLC as partner in Irvine.

Forootan has experience with labor and employment matters such as equal pay, sexual harassment, discrimination, retaliation, wage disputes and updates in employment law.

Michael E. Zeliger joined Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP as partner in Palo Alto.

Zeliger is a patent litigator and serves as lead counsel to technology companies in a variety of complex IP issues. He has experience in home security and automation, consumer products, vibration control systems, robotics, laboratory instrumentation and manufacturing.

Lawrence J. Lines joined Crowell & Moring LLP as senior counsel in Irvine.

Lines' practice focuses on representing corporate clients in antitrust recovery matters and advising large manufacturers and Fortune 500 legal departments on strategies to strengthen their affirmative recovery programs. He provides counsel on matters involving dealer and franchise relationships as well as all aspects of putative class action matters involving consumer products.

Kathy H. Gao was promoted to partner of Morgan Lewis & Bockius LLP in Los Angeles.

Gao represents corporate clients in complex wage and hour class, collective and representative actions as well as in sexual harassment, workplace discrimination and wrongful termination matters. She also provides guidance in high-profile complex litigation on ways to minimize risk from potential employment issues, compliance with laws and regulations and implementation of policies.

Miranda L. O'Connell was promoted to partner of Morgan Lewis & Bockius LLP in San Francisco.

O’Connell counsels clients regarding the investment in and secondary sale of interests in private investment funds. Private equity funds, co-investment funds, venture funds, captive funds and separate accounts are some of the entities she has worked with as well as other customized private finance options.

Lise T. Lipowsky was promoted to partner of Morgan Lewis & Bockius LLP in Los Angeles.

Lipowsky’s practice focuses on corporate matters for public and private company clients. She represents purchasers and sellers, including private equity clients, in mergers and acquisitions

Albert N. Lung was promoted to partner of Morgan Lewis & Bockius LLP in Palo Alto.

Lung advises companies on capital market transactions, corporate governance, public and private offerings as well as compliance with U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission’s regulations, disclosure requirements and securities laws. Some of his clients include publicly-listed companies and investment banking firms in emerging technology, biotechnology, software and life sciences.

Dr. Christina A. MacDougall was promoted to partner of Morgan Lewis & Bockius LLP in San Francisco.

MacDougall’s intellectual property practice relates to her background in life sciences, chemistry and healthcare. She advises clients on patent counseling, global prosecution, opinions and due diligence in the life sciences and related technology fields. MacDougall drafts patent applications and analyzes patent landscapes regarding competitive diligence and freedom to operate.

Kathryn T. McGuigan was promoted to partner of Morgan Lewis & Bockius LLP in Los Angeles.

McGuigan’s focuses on employment law counsel and litigation defense for companies. Her litigation experience includes wage and hour class and collective actions as well as single-plaintiff wrongful termination and discrimination claims. She also advises clients on human resources management.

F. Jackson Stoddard was promoted to partner of Morgan Lewis & Bockius LLP in San Francisco.

Stoddard advises clients on energy regulatory matters and proceedings in matters involving the California Independent System Operator.