Tara R. Burd was promoted to shareholder of Klinedinst PC in San Diego.

Burd is a Certified Specialist in Estate Planning, Trust & Probate Law by The State Bar of California Board of Legal Specialization. She brings extensive probate and trust litigation experience, with a specific emphasis on complex trust litigation, probate avoidance estate planning, probate administration, and professional liability defense. She regularly practices in both civil court and probate court, and is familiar with the procedures and processes of each.

Jonathan C. Cahill was promoted to shareholder of Klinedinst PC in Sacramento.

Cahill is a business litigation attorney whose practice focuses primarily on complex lender liability, bankruptcy issues, and mortgage banking cases. He has defended clients against lender liability litigation, including alleged violations of FCRA, FDCPA, RFDCPA, RESPA, TILA, UCL, and HBOR, and has represented a variety of clients, including title insurance companies and lenders in title disputes and litigation involving loan transactions. Additionally, he has experience in AAA and JAMS arbitrations, settlement conferences, and mediations.

Amy P. Chambers was promoted to shareholder of Klinedinst PC in San Diego.

Chambers has extensive experience representing businesses, employers, insurers, and individuals in California state and federal trial and appellate courts. Her practice focuses on professional liability defense, especially in the area of legal malpractice, as well as business litigation, product liability, and contract disputes.

Neeru Jindal was promoted to shareholder of Klinedinst PC in Los Angeles.

Jindal is an experienced complex commercial and corporate litigation attorney skilled in state and federal pretrial and trial advocacy. Her practice includes a wide range of litigation matters, including consumer-facing disputes, finance, business disputes, arbitration and alternative dispute resolution, and class action litigation. She has in-depth experience with consumer protection statutes and privacy-related laws and regulations at the state and federal level.

Phillip E. Stephan was promoted to shareholder of Klinedinst PC in San Diego.

Stephan's practice focuses on professional liability, complex business litigation, class actions, antitrust, and unfair competition. He also represents startup and established companies, providing counsel regarding corporate governance, capital acquisition, contract drafting, strategic management, litigation, risk management, and intellectual property.

Irean Z. Swan was promoted to shareholder of Klinedinst PC in San Diego.

Swan's practice focuses on complex litigation, with a focus in intellectual property, business, and professional liability matters. She has significant federal and state litigation experience and success with trial, pre-trial, and post-trial motions including demurrers, motions to strike, motions to dismiss, motions for summary judgment, and in limine motions.

Sidra Zaheer was promoted to shareholder of Klinedinst PC in San Diego.

Zaheer has extensive experience advising clients on complex electronic discovery issues, information governance, and data management and regularly advises clients on eDiscovery best practices and strategies at all stages of litigation, including the preservation of data, defensible collection of data, negotiation of ESI protocols, negotiation of search terms, optimizing document review workflows and production obligations under State and Federal Law. She also counsels clients on information governance matters, such as developing and implementing policies and procedures to manage their electronically stored information effectively and defensibly.

Ivy A. Wang joined Greenberg Traurig, LLP as shareholder in Los Angeles.

Wang has deep experience in white-collar criminal and regulatory defense. She represents individuals and corporations in connection with all phases of investigations by federal and state enforcement authorities, from initial government contact through the end of trial proceedings. She also conducts internal investigations on behalf of corporations and governmental organizations. In addition, Wang litigates commercial disputes ranging from trade secrets and unfair business practices to contract disagreements in both state and federal court.

Duncan T. Justice joined Barnes & Thornburg LLP as associate in Los Angeles.

Justice focuses his practice on litigation in the areas of product liability, mass torts and toxic torts. He has successfully defended a range of clients from small-business owners to national corporations in complex matters involving environmental contamination, toxic torts and personal injury.

Lizbeth E. Lopez joined Everett Dorey LLP as associate in Irvine.

Lopez is a graduate of Loyola Law School, Los Angeles. During law school, Lopez was on the Entertainment Law Review as one of three senior production editors. Additionally, she was part of the Hispanic National Bar Association Moot Court and Event Coordinator for the Intellectual Property and Cybersecurity Law Society. She obtained her undergraduate degree from Chapman University with a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology and Spanish Language.

Adam C. Witt joined Stoel Rives LLP as partner in San Diego.

Witt's practice focuses on real estate transactions and on drafting and negotiating construction contracts. He is skilled in drafting and negotiating a wide range of agreements and, if needed, resolving construction and business disputes. He also has experience guiding clients on business formation, operation, governance, and commercial transactions. He works with real estate developers, general contractors, subcontractors, and large and small business owners, investors, and lenders, among others.

Kenneth R. Whiting Jr. joined Stoel Rives LLP as of counsel in San Francisco.

Whiting brings 40 years of experience representing owners and developers in the acquisition, development, financing, leasing, and sale of commercial and industrial properties., and both borrowers and lenders in secured lending transactions. He has significant experience in the real estate aspects of project finance, transactions involving railroad property, the leasing and subleasing of properties of all types, and the development and financing of sports and entertainment facilities. He has worked in-house as the principal real estate lawyer for Southern Pacific (now Union Pacific) Railroad and as real estate counsel to Kenetech Windpower, Inc. He maintains an active pro bono practice advising several Bay Area nonprofit corporations and their grantees on real estate and business matters.

Edward Ulloa joined Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP as partner in Los Angeles.

Ulloa defends clients in high-risk mass tort and product liability litigation across the United States, including asbestos, talc, e-cigarette and chemical exposure, flammable fabric, and automotive product liability actions. He has served as first-chair trial counsel in 50-plus jury trials in more than a dozen states.

William H. Gorrod joined Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP as partner in San Francisco.

Gorrod focuses his practice on providing practical and commercial solutions to challenging state and local tax (SALT) needs across the United States. Working with large corporate clients and partnership entities across several industries, he handles SALT planning, compliance, and corporate transactions.

Andreas L. Booher was promoted to shareholder of Kronick Moskovitz Tiedemann & Girard in Sacramento.

Booher represents public sector clients with a focus on municipal governance, environmental law, water, land use issues, and joint powers authority formation and governance. He provides advice and counsel to public agencies on a broad range of issues, including advising environmental regulatory compliance, Brown Act, Public Records Act, and Political Reform Act compliance, and code enforcement, including issues related to cannabis and land use entitlement. He assists municipalities and special districts in negotiating, drafting, and reviewing agreements and developing ordinances and regulations and has experience acting in the capacity of general counsel to special district boards during public meetings.

Ian B. Sangster was promoted to shareholder of Kronick Moskovitz Tiedemann & Girard in Sacramento.

Sangster has a diverse litigation background, having represented both public and private sector clients in a wide variety of issues, including wage and hour actions, employee discrimination, harassment and whistleblower claims, real estate disputes, and construction matters. He also has experience prosecuting and defending actions before administrative agencies, including the Public Employment Relations Board and the Department of Industrial Relations.

Mark E. Bale was promoted to partner of Schwartz Semerdjian Cauley Schena & Bush LLP in San Diego.

Bale litigates civil matters with an emphasis on business, commercial, real estate, construction, and lender/creditor issues. He regularly handles complex, multi-million-dollar business and commercial matters in state, federal, and bankruptcy courts throughout California. He also advises clients in a variety of real estate matters, business purchase and sale transactions, and business entity formations and regularly drafts and negotiates a variety of complex legal documents and contracts.

Kristen M. Bush was promoted to named partner of Schwartz Semerdjian Cauley Schena & Bush LLP in San Diego.

Bush was elevated to named partner. She specializes in commercial litigation, representing individuals and businesses in contract disputes, professional liability, insurance coverage, construction defects, and other business torts. As an experienced litigator representing both plaintiffs and defendants, Bush focuses on efficient and effective resolution of legal disputes to achieve clients’ goals.

John A. Schena was promoted to named partner of Schwartz Semerdjian Cauley Schena & Bush LLP in San Diego.

Schena is a litigator focusing on business disputes, with an emphasis on fiduciary duty, contracts, commercial torts, trade secrets, trademarks, and copyright matters. He has successfully prosecuted and defended actions to final judgment on behalf of both public and private entities, as well as individuals. While the goal is often to achieve resolution prior to litigation, Schena has extensive experience in state and federal court and in alternative dispute resolution.

Kristina D. Lawson was promoted to managing partner of Hanson Bridgett LLP in San Francisco.

Lawson, who is a former mayor of Walnut Creek, was re-elected by the board to serve a second 3-year term as managing partner of the firm. Lawson is the firm's first female managing partner and has helped usher in a new era of growth, innovation, and overall success. Her re-election is a clear validation of the forward-thinking values and inclusive strategies that have helped the firm evolve and succeed.

Curtis Vandermolen joined Kronick Moskovitz Tiedemann & Girard as associate in Sacramento.

Vandermolen focuses his practice on federal Indian law with an emphasis on Indigenous environmental matters and the sovereignty of Indigenous nations. He facilitates collaboration between Indigenous nations and federal, state, and local governments on culturally appropriate and legally compliant actions at the intersection of Indigenous and environmental issues.

Margaret J.C. Salisbury joined Kronick Moskovitz Tiedemann & Girard as associate in Sacramento.

Salisbury represents both public and private sector clients in general and commercial litigation matters, including debt collection actions, breach of contract, fraud, and real property disputes. In addition, she provides advice and counsel to private entities on general business matters and bankruptcy-related matters.

Edward Grutzmacher joined Kronick Moskovitz Tiedemann & Girard as senior counsel in Sacramento.

Grutzmacher specializes in guiding public entities and private clients through all stages of land use entitlements, from the initial application to final administrative actions. His practice also includes planning and zoning, annexations, affordable housing, and compliance with environmental laws. He brings extensive litigation experience regarding the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), the State Planning and Zoning Law, the Coastal Act, the Subdivision Map Act, the Cortese-Knox-Hertzberg Act, and the Mitigation Fee Act. He has a robust background in general municipal law and has successfully litigated cases involving elections law, transparency laws like the Public Records Act, and homelessness regulation.

Bailey J. Mezan joined Higgs Fletcher & Mack LLP as associate in San Diego.

Mezan earned her law degree from the University of San Diego School of Law in May of 2023. She subsequently gained valuable experience in civil litigation, primarily in employment cases. While in law school, in addition to holding several clerkships at prominent law firms, Mezan served as a judicial extern for U.S. Magistrate Judge Jill Burkhardt of the Southern District of California. She also held a law clerk position with the San Diego office of Disability Rights California in the Civil Rights Practice Group.

Kimberly Branscome joined Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP as partner in Los Angeles.

Branscome, the former Los Angeles office managing partner at Dechert, focuses on complex litigation and trials involving product liability, professional liability, environmental and toxic torts, and securities matters. She has secured several high-profile product liability trial victories on behalf of leading multinational corporations across a broad range of sectors, including the pharmaceutical, consumer products, energy, and automotive industries.

Anna G. Kudla joined Hart Kienle Pentecost as senior counsel in Santa Ana.

Kudla provides comprehensive guidance in civil litigation. She represents brokers, sellers and buyers, appraisers, contractors, business owners, and professional athletes in contract negotiations, commission disputes, administrative hearings, mediation, litigation, and arbitration. Beyond her role as a trial counsel, she is a certified mediator with the ability to facilitate amicable resolutions for clients when needed. Her practice spans various areas, including business litigation, construction defects, real estate disputes, and complex, multi-party litigation matters. She further extends her expertise to handling defense claims in trial, arbitration, before real estate panels, and addressing DRE accusations. She also provides continuing education in the legal and real estate professions.

Samuel A. Moniz was promoted to partner of Brown Rudnick LLP in Orange County.

Moniz is a civil litigator with a robust trial practice and experience managing complex, high-stakes litigation matters from inception through trial. He represents a range of clients, including global companies and high-profile individuals but also small businesses and private individuals. His practice involves a wide variety of matters, including all manner of contract disputes, fraud, business torts, unfair competition, malpractice, breach of fiduciary duty, fraudulent transfer, partnership disputes, and defamation.

Benjamin G. Kassis was promoted to partner of Eisner LLP in Los Angeles.

Kassis' practice focuses on business disputes in federal court, state court, and the various ADR tribunals (including JAMS, AAA, and IFTA). He is a skilled commercial and intellectual property litigator with substantial experience pursuing and defending claims across a variety of industries - most notably Real Estate, Sports, and Media/Entertainment - primarily involving business torts, contract performance, disputes arising in partnerships and joint ventures, and intellectual property rights.

Katherine Renee Pierucci was promoted to partner of Eisner LLP in Los Angeles.

Pierucci's practice focuses on representing clients in disputes in federal district and bankruptcy court, arbitration, and state court. Her primary focuses include disputes concerning complex commercial litigation, real estate, entertainment, breach of contract, business torts, and securities issues.

Julie M. Capell was promoted to partner in charge of Davis Wright Tremaine LLP in Los Angeles and Culver City.

Capell, a partner in the Employment Services group, has been appointed as PIC for both the Los Angeles and Culver City offices, succeeding Camilo Echavarria. She takes over as PIC of the Culver City office, now in its second year, demonstrating DWT's commitment to the growth and success of the firm in the region. She is also a tenacious litigator and trial attorney. She has defended employers in all facets of employment litigation, including wrongful termination, harassment, discrimination, retaliation, and wage and hour class and representative actions. She is an accomplished trainer and presenter and regularly provides client training on harassment prevention, wage and hour compliance, and other employment laws.

Theresa Conduah joined Alston & Bird as partner in Los Angeles.

Conduah focuses her practice on trademark and copyright portfolio management, licensing, and enforcement strategies, and IP litigation. She has experience in the technology, consumer products, entertainment, and sports industries. She counsels clients in developing and scaling global IP portfolios, design patents, global brand protection, and anti-counterfeit programs. She has prosecuted of dozens of Uniform Domain Name Dispute Resolution Policy cases before the National Arbitration Forum and the World Intellectual Property Organization.

Christopher Heck joined Ervin Cohen & Jessup LLP as partner in Los Angeles.

Heck focuses his practice on complex commercial litigation, insurance recovery, corporate governance/fiduciary liability disputes, and trust and estate litigation. His clients have run the gamut from a large Wall Street bank, to energy and alternative energy companies, to garment industry manufacturers, importers and distributors, to smaller concerns in the real estate, entertainment and new media industries.

Eric Levinrad joined Ervin Cohen & Jessup LLP as partner in Los Angeles.

Levinrad focuses his practice on complex business litigation, real estate litigation, probate litigation, and intellectual property litigation, including trademark, copyright, and trade secret cases, and has extensive trial and appellate experience.

Dane W. Schrader was promoted to partner of Manning Gross + Massenburg LLP in Los Angeles.

Schrader's practice focuses on general liability, employment litigation, toxic tort litigation, professional liability, and construction litigation. He has experience defending architects, engineers, employers, and property owners through all phases of litigation and trial. He has successfully advocated for his clients through dispositive motions and favorable settlements in single-party litigation to multi-party, complex liability matters.

Sean C. McGah was promoted to partner of Manning Gross + Massenburg LLP in Irvine.

McGah dedicates his practice to multiple-party complex litigation, with a primary focus on asbestos and talc litigation. He has extensive experience defending premises owners, contractors, product manufacturers, and product suppliers. He is a successful litigator who is adept at handling cases from initial discovery through trial and has achieved favorable results for his clients through summary judgment motions, appellate work, and negotiations for numerous dismissals.

Kelley T. Mahoney was promoted to partner of Manning Gross + Massenburg LLP in San Francisco.

Mahoney concentrates her practice on general liability, product liability, toxic tort, and premises liability cases. She has represented a broad range of clients in state and federal court, including manufacturers, distributors, contractors, premise owners, and various businesses. She is involved in all aspects of litigation, including investigation, discovery and depositions, pleading preparation, trial preparation, trial, and settlement. She has drafted, opposed and successfully argued numerous motions, including motions for summary judgment and summary adjudication, motions to compel, and motions for protective orders, among other motions. She also has extensive trial experience in multi-million-dollar actions and has tried cases to verdict as second chair co-counsel.

Ryan J. Egan was promoted to partner of Hart Kienle Pentecost in Santa Ana.

Egan's practice focuses on real estate and land use matters. He has successfully litigated dozens of court trials respecting possessory rights and regularly handles land use matters in bankruptcy court. He regularly handles landlord-tenant disputes and discrimination claims on behalf of landowners.

John J. Atallah was promoted to partner of Foley & Lardner LLP in Los Angeles.

Atallah has extensive experience litigating claims and counseling clients regarding compliance under the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA), California's Investigative Consumer Reporting Agencies Act (ICRAA) and Consumer Credit Reporting Agencies Act (CCRAA), the Restore Online Shoppers' Confidence Act (ROSCA), California's Automatic Renewal Law (ARL), and other federal and state unfair trade practice, consumer protection, and product labeling laws. He regularly handles complex commercial and class action litigation matters on behalf of consumer reporting agencies, insurance brokers, manufacturers and distributors of commercial and consumer products, online retailers, financial institutions, and local government agencies, among other clients. He is a member of the firm's Consumer Law, Finance & Class Action Group.

Bill VanDeWeghe as mediator in San Diego

As a former CEO and president, public and private board member, startup co-founder and managing director of an investment banking firm, VanDeWeghe has dealt firsthand with the complex issues that business owners, employees, boards, and attorneys face. As a former litigator, he guided clients through the uncertainties, risks and costs of litigation.

Gene F. Williams joined Paduanao & Weintraub LLP as co-office managing partner in Century City.

Williams has defended clients in labor and employment matters and wage and hour class actions for the past 15 years. In addition, he has worked with in-house counsel and people operations departments to head off problems and create systems that comply with federal, state, and local employment rules and regulations. He has routinely represented directors, officers and senior management in complex commercial litigation matters in state and federal court. He has prepared and tried cases and arbitrations to judges, juries, and ALJs, handled hundreds of depositions, and argued countless critical dispositive motions. He has been lead counsel on class certification matters and participated in hundreds of successful class actions and labor and employment mediations and settlements.

Tracy Reichmuth joined Knox Ricksen as counsel in Walnut Creek.

A seasoned litigator with more than 20 years of experience with complex commercial matters, Reichmuth previously handled commercial contract disputes, business torts and consumer class action defense, in addition to healthcare litigation. She has litigated cases involving retail and other commercial real estate, mergers and acquisitions, unfair business practices, antitrust laws, corporate tax issues, commercial construction, intellectual property, and insurance coverage. Reichmuth has also provided pro bono services in immigration and education law.

Lisa D. Angelo was promoted to senior partner of Murchison & Cumming, LLP in Los Angeles and Irvine.

Angelo specializes in the defense of a variety of matters, including professional liability, directors and offices, and complex general liability cases. Over the course of the past 15 years with M&C, Angelo has successfully represented her retail, non-profit business, and professional clients, securing multiple defense trial verdicts and dispositive motion outcomes. She is a Martindale Hubbell AV-Preeminent rated attorney and a member of several esteemed legal organizations where she speaks on various topics, including mentoring, malpractice, and navigating settlement demands.

Kelly R. Horwitz was promoted to partner of Benedon & Serlin, LLP in Woodland Hills.

Horwitz has argued more than 60 cases to the California appellate courts, Bankruptcy Appellate Panel, appellate division of the Los Angeles County Superior Court, Central District of California, and 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. Horwitz is counsel in a case pending before the California Supreme Court that is awaiting oral argument. She is a certified appellate law specialist (California Board of Legal Specialization) and represents clients in a range of appeals, including bankruptcy, trusts and estates, employment, contracts, and real estate.

Robert McGuiness joined Signature Resolution as neutral in San Francisco Bay Area.

As a mediator, McGuiness emphasizes thoughtful resolutions that allow parties to move forward with their lives. He relies on strong engagement with the parties and their counsel and, through the same, seeks an understanding of the dynamics and personalities involved. Maintaining open communication is a cornerstone of his approach. Judge McGuiness' wealth of experience makes him a strong addition to Signature Resolution's panel of neutrals. His unwavering commitment to excellence and his passion for thoughtful mediated results will substantially impact those who mediate with him and continue to establish Signature Resolution's presence in Northern California.