Daniel Brunton joined Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck as a shareholder in San Diego. The move was March 31, 2026.

Brunton focuses his practice on environmental law, with an emphasis on helping developers obtain entitlements for large or controversial projects and defending those entitlements in court. Brunton has extensive experience with California's environmental-review law and the California Environmental Quality Act ("CEQA"). He frequently collaborates with developers to ensure their CEQA documents are ready for litigation and has successfully defended many CEQA lawsuits challenging the environmental review of projects. Brunton also has broad expertise in other statutes related to development, including the National Environmental Policy Act ("NEPA"), the Clean Water Act, the Subdivision Map Act, the Coastal Act, the Endangered Species Act and local zoning and land-use laws. He has also developed expertise in tribal consultations under section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act and under California law. His entitlement practice primarily focuses on large-scale infrastructure projects, including renewable energy projects, stadiums, rail and highway projects, and transmission lines.

Gregory S. Cordrey joined Stradling Yocca Carlson & Rauth LLP as a partner in Newport Beach.

Cordrey represents both patent owners and accused infringers in federal court litigation and before the Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB). His dual-sided experience gives clients an edge when formulating strategies for a client's specific dispute. Cordrey regularly litigates in the most active patent venues in the country, including the federal district courts and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit.

Kira L. Klatchko joins JAMS as a neutral in Century City. The move was March 25, 2026.

Judge Klatchko served nine years on the Superior Court of California, Riverside County. For seven years, she presided over an unlimited civil department and handled matters from filing through resolution across areas including business, real estate, land use, construction, contract, employment, personal injury, professional negligence, civil rights, insurance, trust, government and complex litigation. For two years, she served in an independent family law department, handling dissolution, custody and support matters.

She is based in the Century City Resolution Center and will serve as an arbitrator, mediator, special master/referee and neutral evaluator in appellate, business and commercial, real estate, employment, construction, civil rights, government, professional liability and family law matters.

Margaret G. Maraschino joined Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP as a partner in Los Angeles.

Maraschino advises employers on labor and employment matters. She represents companies in wage-and-hour class and collective actions, discrimination claims, and other workplace disputes in federal and state courts in California and nationwide. Her work includes litigation, trials, and appeals.

She also counsels employers on compliance and risk management, including issues arising in mergers and other corporate transitions. In addition, she advises the home offices and charitable foundations of celebrities and ultra-high-net-worth individuals on employment matters involving personal staff and philanthropic operations.

Kirsten C. Jackson joined Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP as a partner in Los Angeles.

Jackson represents policyholders in high-stakes insurance coverage disputes, seeking to maximize recovery under their insurance programs. She guides clients, including public entities, healthcare systems, manufacturers and other sophisticated organizations through business interruption, cyber, D&O, professional liability and property claims, helping them navigate contentious disputes, secure substantial awards and settlements, and mitigate operational risk.

Ellie Heisler joined Manatt, Phelps & Phillips, LLP as a partner in Los Angeles.

Heisler has 18 years of experience advising individuals and companies worldwide on brand building, licensing and intellectual property strategy, particularly in food, fashion and beauty. She works across every dimension of the creator economy--representing creators, influencers, celebrities, athletes, brands, tech companies, founders, as well as various platforms and agencies that support them. Her focus is helping these clients grow, protect and diversify their businesses.

Amina Larsen joined Higgs Fletcher & Mack LLP as an associate in San Diego.

Larsen's experience includes managing litigation related to general liability and construction defect claims. She has represented insurers, developers, contractors, and others in high-stakes defense matters, working with them through all phases of litigation. Earlier in her career, Larsen served as a compliance extern for The Ohio State University Office of Institutional Equity, where she conducted comprehensive benchmarking data and analyzed equity-related compliance issues within the university. She also worked as an extern for the Columbus Bar Association, where she conducted research and assisted with discovery, exhibit preparation, and other elements of ongoing legal matters.

Judge Joel R. Wohlfeil joined Judicate West as a neutral in San Diego. The move was March 16, 2026.

Judge Wohlfeil has over four decades of combined legal experience, most recently serving nearly 19 years on the San Diego County Superior Court bench and conducting hundreds of settlement conferences. He spent three years in the court's Family Law Division before spending the remainder of his judicial tenure presiding over thousands of civil matters, including employment, real estate, insurance, business disputes, and personal injury and related torts.

Before his appointment to the bench in 2007, Judge Wohlfeil was in private practice for 25 years, and he obtained multiple seven- and eight-figure jury verdicts. He was a principal at Boudreau, Albert & Wohlfeil for the 16 years preceding his bench appointment. His firm participated in the largest pro bono undertaking in the history of the American legal system, representing the families of four people who died in the Sept. 11 attacks before a special master in New York.

Judge Wohlfeil is or has been a member of the American Board of Trial Advocates, the California Judges Association, American Judges Association, the National Institute of Trial Advocacy and the Louis M. Welsh American Inn of Court. He is also a member of the Consumer Attorneys of San Diego, which named him "Judge of the Year" in 2013 and awarded him five outstanding trial lawyer distinctions across his 25 years in private practice.

Duane Morris LLP welcomes Michael Y. Lateef as a partner in San Francisco.

Lateef's practice focuses on corporate financings, venture capital, tax, and mergers and acquisitions. He works closely with startup and private and public companies on issues related to equity and financings, tax matters, the structuring of executive compensation (including
stock arrangements), strategic ventures, acquisitions and management buyouts. Lateef counsels clients in all phases of business development, including capital formation, operation, acquisition and restructuring. His practice includes material transactions representing a variety of companies in the technology industry (both software and service-based companies), health and senior care, and civil construction. Lateef has represented a variety of foreign corporations based in China, India and Europe in establishing U.S.-based operations through formation, joint ventures and acquisitions. He was previously a partner at Hanson Bridgett LLP.

Ruba Qashu joined Dickinson Wright as a member in San Diego.

Qashu focuses her practice on capital markets and securities. She advises public companies, boards of directors, broker-dealers, and institutional investors on capital formation, securities regulation, and complex capital markets transactions. Qashu helps companies access the public markets, raise capital, and navigate the disclosure, governance, and regulatory issues that arise throughout the public company lifecycle. She also advises on registered offerings, ATM programs, PIPE transactions, rights offerings, and Regulation A offerings, guiding companies through the structuring, regulatory considerations, and execution of financing transactions while helping preserve market credibility and investor confidence.

Joseph Halloum joined Baker Botts as a partner in Palo Alto. The move was March 10, 2026.

Halloum is West Coast M&A chair at Baker Botts, representing public companies and private equity sponsors in complex domestic and cross-border transactions. A prominent dealmaker in the technology and life sciences sectors, he handles M&A, take-privates, carve-outs and strategic investments involving industries such as AI, semiconductors and medtech.

He also advises boards on shareholder activism and unsolicited takeover matters, including disclosed engagements for TriNet, Del Frisco's, Yahoo!, Autodesk and Tessera Technologies. Halloum teaches M&A at both Berkeley Law and Stanford Law School and co-founded The GC Roundtable. He also established the Halloum Business and Negotiation Competitions for students at Berkeley Law and the Haas School of Business.

Natalie Sinzig joined Arnold & Porter as a counsel in San Francisco. The move was March 9, 2026.

Sinzig is an accomplished IP litigator with more than a decade of experience handling high-stakes patent, trade secret and copyright disputes across a range of technologies, including AI and machine learning, medical devices, semiconductors, batteries, wireless networks and solar panels. She represents clients in state and federal courts as well as before the Patent Trial and Appeal Board, guiding matters from pre-suit investigations through trial and post-trial proceedings.

Before joining Arnold & Porter, Sinzig was a partner in the IP litigation group at a top-ranked Am Law 100 firm, where she led key aspects of motion practice, expert strategy, witness preparation and trial execution in complex technology disputes. She also writes on IP and cybersecurity issues affecting technology companies.

Sinzig earned her J.D. from UC Berkeley School of Law, where she received a Law & Technology Certificate, and her B.A., magna cum laude, from UC Berkeley.

Jenica Maldonado joined Hanson Bridgett LLP as a partner in San Francisco. The move was Mar. 9, 2026.

Maldonado is an experienced labor and employment attorney who advises public and private sector clients on sensitive, high-stakes workplace and governance issues. Known as a strategic partner to her clients, she helps them navigate not only complex legal challenges but also the practical, political and business considerations that often accompany employment disputes and organizational decisions.

Her practice includes advice and counseling, labor negotiations, workplace investigations, litigation, arbitration and training. She has extensive experience handling matters involving discrimination, harassment, retaliation, disability accommodations, leaves of absence, whistleblower claims, due process and First Amendment issues, as well as labor law matters affecting unionized and nonunion workforces. She also frequently advises public safety agencies on issues specific to sworn personnel.

In addition to her labor and employment practice, Maldonado advises public agencies on government law matters, including California's open meeting and public records laws, political conflicts of interest and ethics compliance. She also serves as general counsel to special districts and nonprofit organizations, providing day-to-day guidance on governance, risk management and regulatory compliance.

Judge James Mangione joined Judicate West as a neutral in San Diego. The move was March 4, 2026.

Judge Mangione spent more than a decade on the San Diego County Superior Court bench, serving in both the family and civil courts and presiding over matters including personal injury, employment, family law and business litigation. Before his appointment to the bench in 2015, Mangione spent 34 years representing both plaintiffs and defendants in civil litigation. He began his career as a partner at Mitchell & Mangione in 1981, where he practiced for 13 years. He then handled insurance matters at Luna Brownwood & Rice for five years. Following a three-year period leading his own private practice, the Law Offices of James A. Mangione, he joined Wingert Grebing Brubaker & Walshok LLP as a partner, a position he held until his appointment to the bench.

Judge Mangione has been a member of the San Diego Chapter of the American Board of Trial Advocates (ABOTA) since 1998, serving as president of the chapter's board of directors in 2018. He has been a fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers since 2015.

Zach Howe joined Manatt, Phelps & Phillips LLP as a partner in San Diego.

Howe's practice focuses on appellate litigation. During his career, Zach has presented oral argument over 50 times in various appeals courts, including the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, the Supreme Court of Ohio and intermediate appellate courts in Ohio and Texas. His experience includes handling a wide variety of civil and criminal appellate matters. Beyond appeals, Howe is a seasoned trial attorney with 11 jury trials to his name and years of experience as a former federal prosecutor. Drawing on that experience, Howe also supports clients in white collar and high-stakes civil litigation matters, government and internal investigations, and corporate compliance counseling.

Jakarra (J.J.) Jones joined Dechert LLP as a partner in San Francisco.

Jones focuses her practice on cybersecurity law, incident response, crisis management, enterprise risk management, regulatory compliance and governance, advising complex global organizations on their most critical security, privacy and data challenges. Jones draws on two decades of integrated experience spanning senior in-house leadership at major technology companies, defense of federal agencies in civil litigation matters, and white-collar criminal defense and complex commercial litigation in private practice. As assistant general counsel for cybersecurity regulatory strategy, compliance and operations at Microsoft, Jones advised the Global CISO and senior security leadership on legal risk management, incident and data breach response, cybersecurity regulatory compliance across global jurisdictions, government and industry partnerships and cybersecurity policy - helping to safeguard the company and its customers against sophisticated cyber threats.

Loren K. Higgins was named executive partner of Holland & Knight in San Francisco.

Higgins was named executive partner of its San Francisco office. She will oversee the day-to-day management of the office while continuing to manage her practice, which focuses on representing financial institutions in all aspects of real estate secured financing transactions. She succeeds Tamsen Plume, who served as executive partner of the Firm's San Francisco office for 10 years and will become the deputy practice group leader for the Firm's West Coast Land Use and Environment Group. Higgins' practice primarily focuses on the financing of specialty real estate assets, including medical office buildings, senior housing and skilled nursing facilities, hospitals, life science facilities and other healthcare assets, wineries and vineyards, orchards, timberlands, renewable energy projects, self-storage facilities and sports arenas. She also has extensive experience representing clients in the purchase and sale of self-storage facilities as well as land for development.

Gina Marek joined Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP as a partner in Silicon Valley. The move was March 11, 2026.

Marek brings decades of experience structuring complex deals for high-growth companies across life sciences, fintech, healthcare, and enterprise software. She focuses on corporate partnering, technology licensing, strategic alliances, and IP-driven M&A -- counseling venture capital investors and public companies on IP, privacy, and data protection. At Orrick, she collaborates with the firm's venture capital, M&A, and emerging company teams. She previously co-chaired the Strategic Transactions and Licensing Group at her prior firm.

Terrence R. Allen joined Dorsey & Whitney LLP as a partner in Costa Mesa.

Allen's experience spans public and private mergers, asset acquisitions and dispositions (including "carve-out" transactions), joint ventures, and venture capital investments. He also specializes in leveraged recapitalizations and corporate reorganizations. Terry has represented entrepreneurs and executives in negotiating and implementing employment, retention, and incentive agreements. Additionally, he advises clients on corporate governance and disclosure issues. Allen has managed transactions across nearly all major industries, including cross-border acquisitions, dispositions, joint ventures, public company transactions, and the purchase and sale of over 100 privately held businesses, many of which are family-owned companies with significant regional and national operations.

Andrew Hagopian joined Dorsey & Whitney LLP as a partner in Costa Mesa.

Before joining the firm, Hagopian served as the chief legal officer at Xponential Fitness, a NYSE-listed health and wellness franchise holding company with nearly 3,000 locations in the U.S. and abroad, spanning over 25 countries. In this position, he offered strategic legal and business guidance to executive leadership. He has also held roles as general counsel and other legal leadership at both public and private growth companies, including a biotech and manufacturing startup and a private sports betting entertainment firm. This experience provides him with a practical understanding of how business priorities, operational factors, and legal risks converge in dynamic environments.

Megan Gess joined Dorsey & Whitney LLP as a partner in Costa Mesa.

Gess has extensive experience guiding clients through sophisticated M&A, private equity, and commercial transactions. Her experience spans retail and consumer products, real estate, technology, healthcare, financial services, and life sciences, giving her a broad perspective on the business and regulatory considerations that shape corporate decision-making. Clients appreciate Megan’s thoughtful approach, her genuine interest in their business goals, and her talent for crafting solutions that move deals forward. She takes the time to understand the context behind each transaction and works closely with clients to develop creative, practical strategies for complex challenges.

Anne Marie Ellis was promoted to office managing partner of Buchalter in Orange County. The promotion is effective March 2, 2026.

In addition to her new role, Ellis serves as the firm's California chair of the Products Liability Practice Group and chair of the Chemical Law & Proposition 65 Industry Group.

Whether defending claims as trial counsel, managing risks associated with allegations of catastrophic injuries and wrongful death, or establishing strategies to prevent and defend California's Proposition 65 claims, Ellis has a reputation for practicality and efficiency in complex, high exposure investigations, litigation, trials and regulatory matters.

Amanda K. Monroe tapped to lead Michelman & Robinson's Labor & Employment Department.

Monroe, based in Los Angeles, represents employers in workplace disputes and helps businesses reduce litigation risk, defending management in matters such as wage-and-hour claims, class actions, PAGA cases, and allegations of discrimination, harassment, and retaliation. She also handles administrative proceedings before agencies including the California Labor Commissioner, EEOC, Department of Labor and OSHA, while advising companies on employment compliance, workplace investigations, hiring and terminations, WARN Act layoffs, wage audits and workforce reductions.

As practice leader, Monroewill oversee the structure, staffing, and professional development of her team, which requires both strategic vision and daily leadership.

Hyura Choi joined Johnson & Johnson LLP as a senior counsel in Beverly Hills. The move was Feb. 23, 2026.

Choi is a seasoned attorney with deep experience in civil litigation and appellate practice, securing meaningful wins for clients ranging from high‑net‑worth individuals and start-ups to hedge funds and public companies. She most recently served as senior in-house counsel at a global REIT, where she led strategy on high‑stakes disputes, managed complex portfolios of outside counsel, and advised senior leadership on emerging regulatory and legislative developments while building cross‑functional compliance frameworks

David A. Rawi was promoted to partner of Lagerlof LLP in Encino.

Rawi's specialized expertise is in healthcare, where his practice encompasses both clinical providers and the business infrastructure involved in the delivery of modern healthcare. He advises individual licensed providers, medical groups, healthcare facilities, Management Services Organizations, and other medical related businesses navigating complex regulatory and operational environments. His healthcare practice includes reimbursement disputes and payor-provider negotiations, ownership and partnership disputes, compliance actions, service and employment contract negotiations, medical staff credentialing matters, and business restructuring.

Daniel V. Kohls joined Signature Resolution as a neutral in San Francisco. The move was March 2, 2026.

Kohls' practice at Signature Resolution focuses on business and commercial litigation, professional liability, legal malpractice, and insurance claims litigation. Known for his steady presence, candor and his empathy, Kohls is particularly skilled at translating dense legal positions into realistic pathways for all parties aiming to find resolution. His style as a neutral is characterized by thorough preparation and his commitment to helping individuals, especially those who may have felt overlooked during litigation, feel genuinely seen and understood in mediation.

Linda M. Burrow joined JAMS as a neutral in Century City. The move was March 4, 2026.

Burrow most recently served as vice president and global head of litigation at Netflix from 2021 to 2025, following her role as director of litigation from 2018 to 2021. At Netflix, she was responsible for advising senior executives and developing dispute resolution strategies. She previously worked at Boies Schiller Flexner LLP and spent more than a decade at Caldwell, Leslie & Proctor, PC. She began her legal career at Munger, Tolles & Olson LLP after clerking on the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California. Based in the Century City Resolution Center, Burrow will serve as a mediator, arbitrator, court-appointed neutral (special master/referee) and neutral evaluator, handling business and commercial, employment, entertainment, intellectual property, and international and cross-border matters.

Nalani L. Crisologo was promoted to partner of Shook Hardy & Bacon in Los Angeles.

Crisologo focuses her practice on product liability matters of all types, including warranty, product injury, product defect and marketing class actions, and appeals. She also manages defense efforts in parallel class action opt out cases. Crisologo specializes in developing and advancing creative arguments to limit class action and opt out litigation exposure. For example, she crafted and argued a novel motion to limit class action tolling in parallel class action opt out cases. She has also pioneered arguments to allow automakers to enforce arbitration clauses contained in California automotive sales contracts.

Karyn L. Ihara was promoted to partner of Shook Hardy & Bacon in Los Angeles.

Ihara's practice has consisted primarily of defending automotive companies in consumer actions in federal and state courts, as well as arbitration. She has won a jury trial, a bench trial and two arbitration hearings. Her experience includes providing strategic advice to clients, defending complex discovery matters, as well as significant motion work. As part of her practice, she has regularly attended court hearings, conducts and defends depositions, attends vehicle inspections, participates in mediations and settlement conferences and negotiates settlements.

Jimmy Y. Park was promoted to partner of Shook Hardy & Bacon in Los Angeles.

Park represents business clients in commercial litigation matters. His experience includes representing major Global 500 companies in product liability and consumer warranty litigation. He has represented some of the world's best-known automotive manufacturers and distributors, and has experience representing his clients in multidistrict litigation and coordinated proceedings in California and nationwide. Park's experience includes a secondment with a major automotive distributor managing product liability cases.

Shane B. Kolding was promoted to partner of Shook Hardy & Bacon in San Francisco.

Kolding focuses his practice on product liability litigation. He has experience in all aspects of civil litigation, in both federal and state court. He served one year after law school as a legal research attorney at the San Francisco Superior Court, where he conducted research and ex parte hearings for judges.

Melina Manetti was promoted to partner of Shook Hardy & Bacon in San Francisco.

Manetti focuses her practice on defending companies in class actions and product liability litigation. She represents manufacturers of a wide variety of products, including automotives, medical devices, personal care products, consumer goods and chemicals. Manetti also represents clients facing complex commercial litigation issues and high-stakes business disputes in financial services, insurance, commercial real estate and other industries. In addition, Manetti has partnered with clients to defend against labeling and advertising claims and claims under California's Safe Drinking Water and Toxic Enforcement Act (Prop 65). Her experience spans all stages of litigation, from initial filing, through discovery and motion practice, to trial and appeal.

Tara Narayanan joined Hanson Bridgett LLP as a partner in San Francisco.

Narayanan provides comprehensive legal counsel to clients throughout the lifecycle of a wide array of projects, from large-scale and boutique residential condominiums to mixed-use planned communities, high-rise mixed-use developments, industrial and commercial parks, senior living residences and facilities, affordable housing, and cohousing.

Susan L. Daly joined Hanson Bridgett LLP as a partner in San Diego.

Daly is committed to guiding clients through the complexities of residential and commercial real estate projects. Her experience includes a wide range of subdivided land developments throughout California, such as condominiums, planned communities, standard subdivisions, mixed-use developments, high-rise buildings, and commercial condominiums. She has in-depth knowledge of residential master-planned communities, development projects, condominium communities, resort developments, golf course neighborhoods, and custom home ventures. Additionally, she expertly handles the process of obtaining public reports from the California Department of Real Estate and acquiring approvals from city and county planning agencies.