Winston P. Hsiao was promoted to counsel of Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP in Los Angeles.

Hsiao practices complex civil litigation in state and federal court, representing defendants in lawsuits such as class action securities litigation, shareholder derivative actions, tortious interference claims, contract disputes and fraud claims.

Allison M. Hunter was promoted to counsel of Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP in Palo Alto.

Hunter focuses on clients in public and private debt and equity financings, including initial public offerings and follow-on and secondary offerings. She also advises on mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures, SEC maters and other corporate transactions.

David A. Niemeyer was promoted to counsel of Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP in Los Angeles.

Niemeyer has represented clients in domestic and cross-border transactions, including mergers, acquisitions, dispositions, auctions and joint ventures. He regularly advises clients on corporate governance and other general corporate matters.

Noelle M. Natoli joined Clark Hill PLC as member in Los Angeles.

Natoli's principal areas of practice are transportation and elder abuse, with extensive experience from pre-litigation investigation and emergency response to post-trial law and motion in both areas. Some of Natoli's clients include long-term care facilities, nursing homes, adult family homes, doctors, nurses, independent contractors, trucking companies and more.

Brian M. McDaniel joined Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati as partner in Palo Alto.

Brian McDaniel focuses on corporate and securities law, specializing in the formation and operation of venture capital and other private investment funds. His practice is oriented around finding commercial solutions across multiple areas of law, including partnership, tax and regulatory.

Matthew J. Meyer joined Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati as chief client corporate development advisor in San Francisco.

Meyer will lead the firm's life science business advisory practice. He is an experienced executive who has held diverse roles of increasing responsibility across a wide range of private and public biopharmaceutical, medical technology and precision medicine companies in the U.S. and Europe.

Dr. Nicole Ballew Chang joined Umberg Zipser LLP as patent agent in Irvine.

Ballew Chang's practice revolves around patent prosecution in biotechnology, life sciences and chemical arts. She has experience in molecular and cellular biology that provides her with insight into intellectual property challenges, so she can provide her clients with strategic solutions. Ballew Chang also provides support for due diligence and licensing matters.

Vikki L. Vander Woude joined Umberg Zipser LLP as partner in Irvine.

Vander Woude focuses her practice on commercial litigation, litigation consulting and neutral services. She assists smaller and mid-sized businesses as an “outside in-house” counsel with management and oversight of litigation, legal expenses, discovery, proactive risk management and alternative dispute resolution.

Erin E. Schneider was promoted to director of The Securities and Exchange Commission in San Francisco.

Schneider has investigated or supervised dozens of enforcement matters involving a variety of securities law violations. In her new role, Schneider will lead more than 125 enforcement attorneys, accountants, investigators and compliance examiners to handle investigation and prosecution of enforcement actions as well as compliance inspections with registrants across the region.

A. Jeanne Grove joined Kaufman Dolowich & Voluck LLP as partner in Sonoma.

Grove's focuses on real estate and business litigation including Homeowners Association and co-ownership issues, purchase and sale disputes and nondisclosure claims as well as development and construction matters. She has experience advising clients such as homeowner associations, real estate brokers or agents, developers, lenders, property owners and business owners.

Ashley E. Klein joined Kaufman Dolowich & Voluck LLP as partner in San Francisco.

Klein is experienced with residential and commercial real estate litigation, including landlord-tenants matters, property management, purchase and sale and co-ownership disputes. She represents clients in matters involving breach of contract, quiet title actions, unlawful detainer, fraud and misrepresentation and professional negligence, among other matters.

Daniel J. Kanter joined Fisher Phillips LLP as of counsel in San Diego.

Kanter represents employers in employment litigation matters, such as wrongful termination, discrimination, harassment, retaliation, misclassification and wage and hour violations. He also handles traditional labor matters including collective bargaining, arbitrations and unfair practice charges.

Karen Michail Shah joined FisherBroyles LLP as partner in Los Angeles.

Michail Shah's practice involves representing commercial lenders and institutional investors in multifamily affordable housing and mixed-use developments. She advises clients on originating and structuring construction and permanent loans and equity investments involving low income housing tax credits, tax-exempt bonds and taxable bonds, among other entities.

David P. Simonds joined Hogan Lovells US LLP as partner in Los Angeles.

Simonds represents debtors, official and informal creditors' committees, secured and unsecured creditors, asset purchasers and other parties involved in out-of-court restructurings, cross-border insolvencies and transactions.

Jennifer A. Neill joined California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation as assistant secretary for legal affairs and chief counsel in Sacramento.

Neill focuses on constitutional, correctional and appellate legal matters. She has experience as an attorney general for the California Department of Justice, Office of the Attorney General and in the Correctional Writs and Appeals Section.

Patrick J. Wingfield was promoted to shareholder of Murphy Pearson Bradley & Feeney PC in San Francisco.

Wingfield's primary practice is business, corporate, employment and real estate law with an emphasis in the hospitality industry. His litigation practice includes business-related disputes, sexual harassment, discrimination, retaliation claims, violations of wage and hour laws, trademark infringement, real estate disputes and food mislabeling disputes.

Peter L. Weber was promoted to shareholder of Murphy Pearson Bradley & Feeney PC in San Francisco.

Weber maintains an active practice in employment law, real estate and homeowner association matters and personal injury defense. His clients include lawyers, directors and officers, insurance brokers, design professionals and small businesses.

Eric J. Beste joined Barnes & Thornburg LLP as partner in San Diego.

Beste handles white-collar matters that involve securities fraud, corporate malfeasance, domestic and foreign corruption, government contracting offenses, health care fraud and financial institution crimes.

Charles G. La Bella joined Barnes & Thornburg LLP as of counsel in San Diego.

La Bella focuses on white collar defense, complex business litigation and internal corporate investigations. He has also worked on cases involving enforcement and privacy work.

Ken Krug joined FisherBroyles LLP as partner in Los Angeles.

Krug centers his practice around debt and equity financing of multifamily housing. He specializes in residential rental housing with governmental subsidies and limitations on the income earned and rentals payable by residents. Krug has represented clients in the preparation and negotiation of loan documents, tax exempt and taxable bond transactions and partnership.

John C. Opgenorth joined FisherBroyles LLP as partner in Los Angeles.

Opgenorth represents banks and other institutional lenders and investors in real estate transactions. He focuses on the origination and structuring of loans and equity investments in multifamily housing developments financed with low income housing tax credits and tax-exempt bonds.

Christina A. Morkner Brown joined California Environmental Protection Agency as deputy secretary for law enforcement and general counsel in Sacramento.

Morkner Brown advises state agencies in cases involving state-owned and managed lands and environmental resource regulations. She focuses on land use issues and the California Environmental Quality Act.

Wynter L. Deagle was promoted to managing partner of Troutman Sanders LLP in San Diego.

Deagle's practice covers a multitude of business disputes including commercial litigation, corporate governance, fiduciary duties, class actions, internal investigations and First Amendment claims. She also advises companies to manage risks associated with their privacy, cybersecurity and information management practices.

Zeeshan A. Ahmedani was promoted to partner of Morrison & Foerster LLP in Los Angeles.

Ahmedani works to maintain an international practice focused on the organization and establishment of private investment funds in both onshore and offshore jurisdictions. This includes private equity funds, real estate funds, venture capital funds, hedge funds, distressed debt funds and hybrid funds.

David R. Callaway joined Goodwin Procter LLP as partner in Redwood City.

Callway, the former chief of the criminal division and head of the white collar unit at the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Northern District of California, advises clients on a wide range of white collar cases, complex cross-border commercial litigation and internal investigations. He has handled federal, state and military criminal cases related to economic crime and securities fraud, national security, public corruption, cybercrime, trade secret, OFAC and export enforcement and money laundering.

Kevin R. Ghassomian joined Venable LLP as partner in Los Angeles.

Ghassomian's focuses on the personal legal needs of business owners, corporate executives, high-net-worth individuals and their families. He handles all aspects of domestic and international estate planning and specializes in tax minimization, asset protection, business succession and philanthropy.

Paul L. Tetzloff was promoted to managing partner of Newmeyer & Dillion LLP in Newport Beach.

Tetzloff has experience representing national and international corporations and individuals in a wide variety of matters involving high stakes litigation, risk management, contracts, investigations and government relations. He serves a variety of industries such as real estate, hospitality, commercial construction, insurance, health care, technology, financial services and homebuilding.

Andrew B. Serwin joined DLA Piper as partner in San Diego.

Serwin advises Fortune 500 and emerging companies on matters relating privacy, security, crisis management and national security. He focuses on international compliance, health privacy, mobile, behavioral advertising, the Electronic Communications Privacy Act and wiretap issues, electronic marketing, social media and Federal Trade Commission requirement compliance.

Liseanne R. Kelly joined Littler Mendelson PC as shareholder in San Diego.

Kelly has extensive experience with multi-state compliance issues and assists clients in navigating state and local employment laws. Her practice also includes an emphasis on multi-state incentive compensation plan design and advising national employers on paid time off policies, leave administration and disability accommodation and wage and hour issues.

Jennifer L. Cornell was promoted to partner of Carothers DiSante & Freudenberger LLP in San Francisco.

Cornell focuses her practice on employment-related litigation and general business matters such as wage and hour class actions or pay equity lawsuits. She has a special emphasis in defending companies in complex class action matters in both the technology and retail sectors.

Julie R. Gerchik was promoted to partner of Glaser Weil Fink Howard Avchen & Shaprio LLP in Los Angeles.

Gerchik deals with various types of complex commercial matters while specializing in arbitration, business, class action, entertainment and general complex commercial matters. She has experience assisting clients such as international financial institutions, private equity firms, hedge funds and financial advisory firms.

Gabriel R. Ravel joined California Health and Human Services Agency as general counsel in Sacramento.

Ravel, in his new role, will advise the director and chief deputy director on general legal matters, coordinate legal counsel and act as a liaison to other stakeholder groups and the governor's office. He has an understanding of health care reform and federal and state health insurance regulation.

Paul W. Pitts was promoted to office managing partner of Reed Smith LLP in San Francisco.

Pitts focuses his practice on advising health care providers and life science companies on a wide range of business transactions and regulatory compliance matters. He often provides clients with guidance on fraud and abuse laws, payment and coverage rules, privacy and security laws, payment and coverage rules, privacy and security laws and participation in Medicare and Medicaid programs.

Anthony A. DiMonte joined Clark Hill PLC as member in Los Angeles.

DiMonte focuses on mergers and acquisitions, complex business transactions, regulatory compliance and general business matters. He has experience counseling businesses and individuals in sales and acquisitions, commercial transactions, corporate governance and compliance matters. DiMonte has also advised clients on vendor contracts, licensing agreements, real property, executive employment agreements and loss mitigation issues.