Marc David Peters joined Turner Boyd LLP as partner in Redwood City.

Peters represents clients in technology and intellectual property litigation. He is based in Redwood City.

Kirstin Ault joined California Appellate Law Group LLP as counsel in Los Angeles.

Ault served in the Department of Justice for 20 years as an assistant U.S. attorney. Her practice is focused on high-end criminal appeals, appeals related to civil litigation and consulting on pre-trial, trial, and post-trial criminal litigation and sentencing. She is based in Los Angeles.

Lindsay Tabaian was promoted to partner of Allen Matkins in Los Angeles.

Tabaian advises clients on land use and environmental law. She is based in Los Angeles.

Helen Christakos joined Fenwick & West LLP as counsel in Mountain View.

After four years with Alston & Bird, Christakos joined Fenwick & West's privacy and cybersecurity practice group as counsel in Mountain View on June 29.

She provides counsel for clients developing products and services that utilize data to ensure compliance with the law. She does work related to large M&A transactions that have privacy and data security components. Advising clients in preparing privacy and cybersecurity policies as well as data breaches is another area of focus.

Her clients range from small startups to large, established public companies within the technology and
life sciences sector.

"I really enjoyed my time at Alston & Bird. It's been a wonderful experience for me and I think it'll be sort of a great chapter as I look back upon my career," she said.

Fenwick's focus on tech and life sciences clients attracted her to the firm, she said.

"Fenwick also has a really unique privacy practice and they've built an integrated team of both lawyers and professionals who have a lot of industry experience and we work together to provide a comprehensive solution for clients and I think that's really unique in the industry. And that's something that really attracted me to Fenwick," she added.

She said hopes to continue to build out her practice on Fenwick's platform.

Christakos is an adjunct professor at Santa Clara University School of Law, where she teaches a cybersecurity law class she designed.

"The technology is often 10 steps ahead of the law and the law hasn't really anticipated where the technology is going to go. So bridging that gap between what the technology companies are doing and where the law is at is fascinating," she said. "It's brain food and I love working on problems like that."

Tim C Hsu was promoted to partner of Allen Matkins in Los Angeles.

Hsu represents clients in disputes involving creditors' rights, environmental litigation and general commercial and appellate matters. He is based in Los Angeles.

Johnathan L Lorenzen was promoted to partner of Allen Matkins in San Diego.

Lorenzen represents buyers and sellers in the negotiation of purchase and sale agreements, development of properties, receivership matters and ongoing maintenance and management of projects. He is based in San Diego.

Brian Michel was promoted to partner of Allen Matkins in Century City.

Michel focuses on real estate transactional matters. He represents both landlords and tenants. He is based in Century City.

Britney Willhite was promoted to partner of Allen Matkins in Orange County.

Willhite focuses on commercial real estate transactions. She is based in Irvine.

Aviva J. Gilbert was promoted to co-chair of white collar defense and internal corporate investigations group of Farella Braun + Martel in San Francisco.

Gilbert is a senior associate. She represents individuals and businesses in federal and state civil enforcement, investigation and criminal justice matters. She is based in San Francisco.

Janice W. Reicher was promoted to co-chair of white collar defense and internal corporate investigations group of Farella Braun + Martel in San Francisco.

Reicher is a senior associate. She focuses her practice on white collar defense and complex business litigation. She is based in San Francisco.

David Strong joined Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati as partner in Palo Alto.

Strong joined the firm's tax and tax equity practice group as partner in Palo Alto. He joined the firm on June 22 from Morrison & Foerster.

Strong's transactional tax practice focuses on mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures, private equity and venture capital investments and restructurings and distressed situations.

His clients include both public and private companies ranging from very large, international businesses in industries including media and entertainment, healthcare, manufacturing and industrial services, technology and life sciences.

Prior to the move, he served as co-chair of Morrison & Foerster's tax department and federal tax practice for six years. He was managing partner of Morrison & Foerster's Denver office and was a member of its board of directors.

"I have the highest regard for the firm. It was a wonderful experience for me and I think a great chapter in my career," said Strong of Morrison & Foerster. Wilson Sonsini's needs matched his skill set and he was attracted to the firm's entrepreneurial culture as well as its client base, Strong said. "I think my historical leadership experience was attractive to [Wilson Sonsini] in relation to its tax practice, really helping to along with other senior members of the group to really grow and expand the practice," said Strong.

Strong added he felt the timing was right for the move and that both he and the firm viewed the move as "a strategic long term play."

As partner, Strong hopes to continue to build out his practice in the technology and life sciences sector in addition to helping the firm's tax practice continue to grow and expand.

What makes his practice unique, Strong said, is the value he puts on client service.

"I really, really value client service. I think that's why I've had such not only success, but I think enjoyment in my career," he said. "I really truly embrace adding value to a transactional situation, -- whether it's a merger or an acquisition or a joint venture -- really helping entrepreneurs and business decision makers bring an idea to life and to do that in a tax efficient manner."

James Pearl joined Paul Hastings LLP as partner in Century City.

Pearl joins the firm's entertainment and media litigation practice. He is based in Century City.

John C. Redding joined Alston & Bird LLP as partner in Los Angeles.

Redding joined Alston & Bird as partner in the Los Angeles office.

He joined the firm's financial services and products group and consumer financial services team from Buckley LLP, where he practiced for the last 10 years.

"I was not looking to make a move necessarily, but after speaking with a number of people at the firm including Richard Hays, who is a very dynamic and strategic thinker, it all just really seemed like it would be a great fit," said Redding. "It's a larger firm that doesn't feel as big as it actually is and that's attractive."

Alston & Bird's targeted approach to growth in California and the ability to help grow the practice attracted him to the firm, Redding said.

"It was also important, more generally, to me that the firm represents many of the auto finance and consumer finance clients that I work with in a variety of areas including things like structured finance, litigation and others," he said. "So it was really just a natural fit and allows me to help clients to broaden relationships and it allows me to do more for the clients with whom I work." Redding specializes in consumer finance particularly in auto finance, which he led at Buckley before he started at Alston& Bird June 15. He also advises on matters related to unsecured consumer finance.

He has experience handling regulatory, compliance and enforcement matters involving the U.S. Department of Justice, the Federal Trade Commission and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. He has represented banks, auto finance companies, private equity firms, investors, loan services, as well as debt purchasers and collectors.

"Much of my practice revolves around defending government enforcement actions and investigations."

Prior to joining Buckley, he worked as general counsel and deputy general counsel at consumer finance companies including Encore Capital Group and and Midland Credit Management Inc.

Erika J. Scott was promoted to managing partner of Winer, Burritt & Scott, LLP in Oakland.

With Scott's promotion the firm changes its name. She focuses on harassment, discrimination, retaliation, wrongful termination, sexual assault and civil rights violations. She is based in Oakland.