Gregory K Jones was promoted to member of Dykema in Los Angeles.

Jones concentrates his practice on bankruptcy cases and out-of-court restructurings. He represents lenders, creditors' committees, debtors, assignees for the benefit of creditors, purchasers of assets in bankruptcy cases, lessors, and defendants in preference and fraudulent transfer lawsuits. Jones is involved in the Financial Lawyers Conference, is a member of the James T. King Bankruptcy American Inn of Court, and served as Director of La Cañada Flintridge Education Foundation.

Richard S. Deitchman was promoted to shareholder of Somach Simmons & Dunn in Sacramento.

Somach Simmons & Dunn is pleased to announce the promotion of Rich Deitchman to shareholder, effective January 1, 2020. Licensed in both Oregon and California, Rich focuses his practice on water rights and natural resources litigation. With a master's degree in hydrology, Rich works effectively with experts, such as environmental engineers and agricultural economists, to pinpoint scientific and economic factors that affect water cases. His experience spans water rights issues that impact Oregon, California, Texas, and New Mexico, including the ongoing Klamath Basin Adjudication in Oregon and the pending Texas v. New Mexico & Colorado litigation in the United States Supreme Court. Based in the firm's Sacramento office, Rich earned his J.D. from Lewis & Clark Law School.

Andrew M. Hitchings was promoted to managing shareholder of Somach Simmons & Dunn in Sacramento.

Somach Simmons & Dunn is pleased to name Andy Hitchings as the firm’s managing shareholder, effective January 1, 2020. He succeeds Theresa "Tess" Dunham in the role. With nearly three decades of working on California’s most complex water rights, water supply, and water quality issues, Andy also has developed substantial experience in state and federal court litigation, public agency law, CEQA/NEPA, and the Endangered Species Act. He has played an integral role in the renewal, implementation, and defense of Sacramento River Settlement Contracts. Andy has also focused on confirming water rights for recycled water projects and negotiating and implementing water transfer agreements. One of Andy’s key career achievements was briefing and arguing a case before the United States Supreme Court in 2001 and obtaining a unanimous ruling in his client’s favor. He serves on the Legal Affairs Committee for the Association of California Water Agencies.

Corey Cabral was promoted to partner of Carothers DiSante & Freudenberger LLP in Sacramento.

Corey Cabral represents local, regional and national employers in all aspects of California labor and employment law and related litigation. His counsel and litigation experience spans the full scope of employment law and workplace claims, ranging from wrongful termination, employment discrimination, sexual harassment and retaliation to wage and hour and traditional labor-management relations matters. Cabral's practice emphasis is on complex and sophisticated wage and hour litigation. He frequently evaluates, develops strategies for and manages complex Private Attorneys General Act (PAGA) and class action lawsuits, including highly technical claims regarding suitable seating, regular rate of pay and overtime calculations, arbitration agreements, interstate commerce and wage statements. Cabral's clients operate in various industries, including retail, trucking, health care and emergency medical services. He is a graduate of San Jose State University and received his J.D. from the University of San Francisco School of Law.

Michael Hellbusch was promoted to partner of Rutan & Tucker LLP in Costa Mesa.

Mr. Hellbusch excels in several areas of law including cyber law, data security and privacy issues. He has a broad range of experience both as a transactional lawyer and as a litigator. He is co-chair of the Orange County Chapter of the International Association of Privacy Professionals (IAPP). He is certified in U.S. privacy law (CIPP/US) and privacy management (CIPM) from the IAPP. He is also a Certified Information Privacy Professional--Europe (CIPP-E) and Certified Information Privacy Management (CIPM). He is a graduate of University of San Diego School of the Law and University of San Diego.

Peter Hering was promoted to partner of Rutan & Tucker LLP in Costa Mesa.

Mr. Hering advises employers of all sizes on how to navigate the intricacies of California’s employment laws, in particular its complex wage and hour requirements. He divides his time between counseling employers on strategies for proactively assessing and minimizing litigation risk and representing employers facing a broad array of employment claims. He is a graduate of University of California, Los Angeles, where he was a managing editor with the UCLA Law Review, and Biola University, summa cum laude, member of the Order of Peter and Paul.

Justine Kastan was promoted to partner of Rutan & Tucker LLP in Palo Alto.

Based in the firm’s Palo Alto office, Ms. Kastan works with developers and contractors on matters involving construction law, infrastructure development, and public-private partnerships. In addition to her day-to-day construction law practice drafting contracts at all project phases, managing change order work and claims, and litigating, Justine has also represented builders in connection with complex and trailblazing P3s such as the Long Beach Civic Center, UC Merced 2020 Campus, and Los Angeles Convention Center projects. Justine’s prior work experience includes externships at both the U.S. Attorney’s Office and the Federal District Court for the Eastern District of California. She is a graduate of the University of California, Davis, School of Law and Harvard University, cum laude.

Allison Lemoine-Bui was promoted to partner of Rutan & Tucker LLP in Costa Mesa.

Ms. LeMoine-Bui specializes in affordable housing and economic development. She regularly advises public entities and developers regarding affordable housing transactions and real property transactional matters, and has negotiated and drafted numerous agreements, including affordable housing agreements, ground leases, statutory development agreements, purchase and sale and economic development agreements, and various other general municipal contracts. She is also Deputy City Attorney for Irvine and La Quinta. She is a graduate of Chapman University School of Law, Valedictorian; magna cum laude; Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies, and University of California, Los Angeles.

Christina V. McSparron was promoted to partner of Rutan & Tucker LLP in Costa Mesa.

Ms. McSparron works closely with individual and corporate clients across the country, at all stages in the life cycle of the business. In her practice, she regularly acts as general outside counsel and advises on diverse matters such as entity structuring, corporate governance, mergers, acquisitions, debt and equity financing, licensing and general business operations. She regularly advises entrepreneurs and executives in the automotive, technology, restaurant, food and beverage, manufacturing and retail industries. She is a graduate of the University of California, Los Angeles and University of Minnesota Law School, where she was an editor of the Minnesota Law Review.

Kelly Siobhan Laffey was promoted to senior counsel of Stubbs Alderton & Markiles, LLP in Sherman Oaks.

Kelly Siobhan Laffey is senior counsel of the firm and the Director of Business Affairs at the Preccelerator.

Kelly's practice focuses on advising emerging growth and middle market companies in the technology, digital, internet, interactive media (i.e., AR and VR), and entertainment industries. Kelly counsels clients on issues related to corporate governance and formation, venture capital and other financings, joint ventures, employee compensation, complex stockholder and operating agreements, securities law regulation and other general corporate matters. Kelly also advises investors and funds in connection with venture capital and other financings.

Kelly also counsels clients in connection with mergers and acquisitions matters, including asset and equity acquisitions and dispositions, cross-border transactions, spin-off transactions, secured lending transactions, financing restructurings and corporate reorganizations.

Drawing on her diverse work experience in the entertainment arena, including time spent with talent agencies, and music and television production companies, Kelly also assists on matters related to licensing, marketing, and exploitation of intellectual property rights.

Daphne Bishop was promoted to partner of Carothers DiSante & Freudenberger LLP in Los Angeles.

Daphne Bishop, J.D., AWI-CH is chair of CDF's Internal Investigations Practice Group. Bishop has represented companies with California workforces for nearly two decades. Her experience advising and defending small to Fortune 500 companies across many industries against the gamut of employment-related claims offers her a unique advantage in helping companies prevent, uncover, investigate and resolve employee and institutional misconduct. Combining her litigation and counseling experience, Bishop's practice now focuses on providing internal investigation services as a neutral third-party investigator or a strategic advisor. She is a graduate of Yale College and received her law degree from the UCLA Law School. In addition, she received her certificate from the Association of Workplace Investigators in 2018.

Gregory R. Smith joined Lowenstein & Weatherwax LLP as of counsel in Los Angeles.

Smith practiced at Irell & Manella LLP for five decades, where he founded the firm's appellate group. He has appeared in front of the U.S. Supreme Court, the California Supreme Court, the Delaware Supreme Court, the Nevada Supreme Court, and various courts of appeal, including the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals and California Courts of Appeal.
"Joining the firm not only enables me to practice law with friends and former colleagues but also to help build the firm's growing appellate practice. That has been my specialty for many years, and I have always enjoyed its intellectual challenge," Smith said.
As of counsel, Smith said he hopes to bring skills he has developed over the years "to assist younger lawyers in the development of those skills, and in this way to bring an important benefit to the firm's clients."
Smith is a member of the California Academy of Appellate Lawyers and was previously Chair of the California State Bar Committee on Appellate Courts.
Smith received his law degree from Harvard Law School, where he served on the Harvard Law Review and graduated magna cum laude. He completed his bachelor's degree at Claremont Men's College, where he was summa cum laude, and his master's degree at the London School of Economics.
Smith is also an active member in several charitable organizations and is a founder and President of Westwood Kehilla Synagogue.
"This is a wonderful opportunity for me to do something that I love so much with an extraordinary group of lawyers amongst whom I count many friends," Smith said. "What more could I ask for?"

Kristopher Kokotaylo was promoted to principal of Meyers Nave in Oakland.

Meyers Nave proudly announces the elevation of Kristopher Kokotaylo to Principal, effective January 1, 2020.

Kokotaylo joined Meyers Nave in 2013 as a member of the Municipal & Special District Law Practice Group. He provides advice and guidance on the complete range of challenges that municipalities, counties, special districts and public agencies face as they implement their missions and mandates. He currently serves as City Attorney for the City of Union City, Assistant City Attorney for the City of San Leandro, Interim City Attorney for the City of Newark, General Counsel for the West Contra Costa Transportation Advisory Committee, and District Counsel for the Stege Sanitary District. Kris focuses his practice on land use, real estate, construction, constitutional law, code enforcement, the Public Records Act, and the Brown Act. He provides advice on governance and daily operations issues as well as public policy development and long-term planning matters. Kris serves on the Board of Directors for Spectrum Community Services, a nonprofit that assists low-income and disadvantaged individuals, families and seniors in their efforts to live independently. Kris is a member of the Asian American Bar Association of the Greater Bay Area and the Filipino Bar Association of Northern California.

Jenny L. Riggs was promoted to principal of Meyers Nave in Los Angeles.

Meyers Nave proudly announces the elevation of Jenny Riggs to Principal, effective January 1, 2020.

Riggs joined Meyers Nave in 2013 as a member of the Trial and Litigation Practice Group. She has extensive state and federal court litigation experience on behalf of municipalities, counties, special districts, businesses and non-profit organizations. Jenny’s expertise includes single- and multi-plaintiff cases involving constitutional law, government corruption, land use, zoning, catastrophic disasters, eminent domain and inverse condemnation, coastal issues, environmental claims, Public Records Act and Brown Act compliance, Americans with Disabilities Act, employment law, and civil rights claims for violations of substantive and procedural due process. In addition to her skills in the courtroom examining witnesses and arguing motions, and her expert aptitude for taking and defending depositions, Jenny leads the development and management of Meyers Nave’s systems and protocols for discovery plans in complex matters and document intensive litigation. Jenny handles pre-trial litigation (including dispositive motions), pre-trial discovery, various stages of motion practice, and trial. Her complex litigation experience also includes multi-district cases and civil litigations that are intertwined with criminal actions. Jenny is a member of California Women Lawyers and the Women Lawyers Association of Los Angeles.

Shiraz Tangri was promoted to principal of Meyers Nave in Los Angeles.

Meyers Nave proudly announces the elevation of Shiraz Tangri to Principal, effective January 1, 2020.

Shiraz Tangri joined Meyers Nave in 2013 as a member of the Land Use and Environmental Law Practice Group. He focuses his practice on real estate development, infrastructure, and transportation projects. His experience includes all aspects of land use entitlements, litigation and compliance for public and private clients who are project developers, owners and/or operators. Shiraz fills a specialized niche within land use law, advising clients on major infrastructure, transportation, and urban in-fill projects, including housing, cultural and educational institutions, and transit-oriented development. He is well-versed in the myriad of issues that project development clients face regarding land use law, such as compliance with the Brown Act and other public meeting laws, green building, adaptive re-use, air quality and permitting, renewable energy, sustainable development and transportation planning. Shiraz’s areas of expertise cover the California Environmental Quality Act, the National Environmental Policy Act, and complex multi-party and multi-site litigation involving environmental claims, public-private partnerships, water rights, contaminated properties, toxic torts, and products liability issues. Shiraz is a member of the California Minority Counsel Program and the Mentor Program of the South Asian Bar Association of Southern California.

Ali Abugheida was promoted to counsel of Buckley LLP in Los Angeles.

Abugheida represents corporate and individual clients in complex civil litigation and government enforcement matters. His work includes cases involving allegations of mortgage fraud, the Truth in Lending Act, property-assessed clean energy (PACE) financing, the Telephone Consumer Protection Act, and unfair and deceptive trade-practice statutes. He received his J.D. from the University of Southern California in 2012, and his B.A. from the University of California, San Diego in 2009 (cum laude).

Sherry-Maria Safchuk was promoted to counsel of Buckley LLP in Los Angeles.

Safchuk represents clients in regulatory and compliance matters and provides support for complex litigation and government investigations involving the mortgage, consumer, and commercial lending industries. She also assists clients on privacy issues, including those related to the California Consumer Privacy Act. She received her J.D. from George Washington University in 2008, and her B.A. from the University of Southern California in 2005.

Leslie Meredith was promoted to counsel of Buckley LLP in Washington, DC.

Meredith represents corporate and individual clients in complex civil litigation and government investigations. She has experience representing clients before the Department of Justice, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, state attorneys general, and in federal and state courts around the country. She received her J.D. from American University (cum laude) in 2011, and her B.A. from Washington College (magna cum laude) in 2006.

Laurie H. Selkowitz was promoted to partner of Wargo French LLP in Los Angeles.

Selkowitz practices in the areas of general corporate and securities, mergers and acquisitions, technology law and intellectual property and trade secrets. Her elevation will be effective on Jan. 1.

Jeffrey N. Williams was promoted to partner of Wargo French LLP in Los Angeles.

Williams practices in the areas of appellate litigation, intellectual property and trade secrets, financial services litigation, class and collective action litigation and employment litigation. His promotion will be effective on Jan. 1.

Janice Rice was promoted to deputy practice group leader of Squire Patton Boggs LLP in San Francisco.

Rice is the new leader of the firm's intellectual property & technology practice group, including the life and health sciences patent team, in San Francisco and Palo Alto.
The Squire Patton Boggs partner has in-depth experience with the pharmaceutical industry, which allows her to advise clients on intellectual property-related issues, product life cycle management and handling inventions overseas.

Sahil Ramesh Shah joined Wolf, Rifkin, Shapiro, Schulman & Rabkin LLP as associate in Los Angeles.

Shah's practice focuses on real estate transactions including leasing of industrial, retail and office properties as well as the purchase and sale of residential and commercial properties. He also advises clients on environmental regulatory matters including the remediation of property with environmental contamination and compliance with California's Proposition 65.

Michael R. Weiss was promoted to office managing partner of Akerman LLP in Los Angeles.

Weiss will guide Akerman's growth and recruitment efforts in Los Angeles, while further strengthening the firm's relationship with civic and business leaders in the region. Weiss, an experienced commercial litigator, will also continue his role as leader of the Los Angeles litigation practice group, representing clients through complex real estate litigation, commercial and business disputes and insurance and insurance insolvency matters.

Peter S. Selvin joined Ervin Cohen & Jessup LLP as partner in Beverly Hills.

Selvin has experience handling commercial litigation, insurance coverage and international litigation. He often represents insurers and national corporations in civil disputes in commercial and business settings.

Pooja S. Nair joined Ervin Cohen & Jessup LLP as partner in Beverly Hills.

Nair is a business litigator with a focus on the food and beverage sector. She advises food and beverage clients, startups and other businesses on a range of issues such as employment, trade secrets, partnership disputes, contract negotiations, intellectual property, licensing and franchise disputes.

Steven T. Anapoell joined Carlton Fields PA as of counsel in Los Angeles.

Anapoell's practice focuses on private equity, fund formation, private securities offerings, mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures and real estate syndications. He has served clients in a variety of industries including technology and software, entertainment, renewable energy, oil and gas, sporting goods, life settlements and medical devices.

Rob P. Neale joined Clark Hill PLC as senior counsel in San Francisco.

Neale advises clients on all aspects of corporate immigration law, regulation, policy and compliance, including nonimmigrant work visas, permanent residence, naturalization, family-based matters and corporate restructuring.

Philip J. Smith joined Fisher & Phillips LLP as of counsel in San Francisco.

Smith's practice focuses on employment litigation involving single and class action claims for discrimination, harassment, retaliation, wage and hour matters and unfair competition. Risk assessment, litigation avoidance, policy development and compliance, employment contracts and personnel management actions are some of the matters Smith counsels on.

Meng Xi was promoted to partner of Susman Godfrey LLP in Los Angeles.

Xi focuses her practice on a variety of high-stakes commercial litigation matters in federal and state courts across the country, particularly patent infringement and business contract disputes. Her elevation will be effective on Jan. 1.

Krysta Kauble Pachman was promoted to partner of Susman Godfrey LLP in Los Angeles.

Kauble Pachman represents plaintiffs and defendants in high-stakes commercial litigation, including class actions, patent cases, copyright matters and other disputes. Her promotion is effective Jan. 1.