Vasti S. Montiel joined Cotchett, Pitre & McCarthy, LLP as associate in Burlingame.

Montiel's practice focuses on consumer protection class actions, commercial litigation, and securities.

Jad Terrell Davis was promoted to office managing partner of Shook, Hardy & Bacon LLP in Orange County.

Davis successfully represents clients ranging from family-owned businesses to multinational corporations across diverse industries in environmental disputes. He has been with Shook since 2019. Shook has three offices in California including Los Angeles, San Francisco and Orange County, which opened in 2003. Orange County attorneys and professional staff work with community groups including Women Helping Women, Families Forward, Project Self, Orange County Coalition for Diversity in the Law and the Public Law Center Federal Pro Se Clinic-Southern Division.

Ulrick T. Matsunaga was promoted to associate of Crosbie Gliner Schiffman Southard & Swanson LLP (CGS3) in San Diego.

Matsunaga is part of CGS3's entity formation and tax practice group and concentrates his practice on commercial real estate and tax law. Providing transactional support to enable varied business objectives, Matsunaga partners with clients to achieve creative, ethical, and balanced solutions to complex business challenges.

Dmitriy Kopelevich was promoted to member of Dykema Gossett PLLC. in Los Angeles.

Kopelevich has significant experience with automotive product liability cases involving airbags, seat belts, seats, structure, advance safety systems, vehicle data recording, data privacy, driver distraction, and "lack of" safety systems matters. He also serves as a member of the national discovery counsel team for a global automobile manufacturer. His practice also includes focus on advanced automotive safety technologies and he serves as a member of the firm-wide Electric and Autonomous Vehicles (E/AV) and Advanced Mobility team.

Zagros S. Bassirian was promoted to partner of Procopio, Cory, Hargreaves & Savitch LLP in San Diego.

Bassirian's practice primarily focuses on corporate and commercial litigation and representing plaintiffs in serious injury and wrongful death matters. He represents clients in complex and high stakes business disputes in both state and federal court.

Steven Casselberry was promoted to partner of Procopio, Cory, Hargreaves & Savitch LLP in Orange County.

Casselberry represents clients in the financial services, real estate and title insurance industries. His financial services clients include community and regional banks, as well as mortgage bankers, brokers, lenders and investors. His legal services include mitigation, litigation, bankruptcy, foreclosure, and loan and fraud investigation matters as well as business venture formations, problem loan workouts and acquisition of loans in bulk. With his deal-making and litigation experience, creditors often recruit him to resolve complex disputes and recover millions from debtors.

Shai Larkin was promoted to partner of Procopio, Cory, Hargreaves & Savitch LLP in San Diego.

Larkin represents companies from formation through exit, servicing them throughout their lifecycle, including initial organizational matters, and seed and subsequent debt and equity financings. With emerging growth and later-stage companies, Shai handles corporate governance matters, employment agreements and executive compensation packages, services agreements and strategic partnership agreements and other commercial agreements.

John C. Miles was promoted to partner of Procopio, Cory, Hargreaves & Savitch LLP in San Diego.

Miles serves clients through domestic business and tax planning. He assists in the development of business transactions including general matters; financing structures; mergers and acquisitions and strategic joint ventures with significant experience working in the healthcare field. He has extensive experience planning tax-free reorganizations, advising on the choice of entity, and on the effectiveness of S corporation elections. He previously was a licensed stock broker at a financial firm in Point Loma.

Sarah L. Taylor was promoted to partner of Procopio, Cory, Hargreaves & Savitch LLP in San Diego.

Taylor's practice focuses exclusively on family law matters, including all divorce proceeding issues, legal separation, parentage matters, child custody and visitation, move-away/relocation cases, grandparent visitation, child and spousal support, restraining orders, contempt actions, characterization issues, reimbursements, and post-judgment modifications. She represents parties in cases ranging from simple dissolutions to complex divorce cases. She works closely with each client to determine the best avenue to follow, with a primary focus on achieving an outcome that is fair and reasonable for the client. She has extensive experience representing clients in mediation as well as litigation proceedings.

Eleno Núñez Gonzalez joined Hoge Fenton Jones & Appel as associate in San Jose.

Gonzalez's practice includes litigating complex employment law matters and focuses on providing advice and counsel to employers regarding California's Labor Code, Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA), and various regulations. He has expertise in handling all phases of discovery, law, and motion and bringing or defending claims arising from the FEHA or Labor Code, including the Private Attorneys General Act (PAGA).

Jacklin Rad joined Fisher & Phillips LLP as partner in Los Angeles.

Rad advises employers across the state of California on the rapidly changing workplace laws, including pay transparency and regular rate calculations. She also provides guidance on workplace investigations. She also formerly served in the California Labor Commissioner's Office as Senior Deputy Labor Commissioner, where she oversaw deputies' casework across six district offices and helped the Labor Commissioner develop agency positions on policy and enforcement.

Remington Lenton-Young joined Hoge Fenton Jones & Appel as shareholder in San Jose.

Lenton-Young's practice focuses on complex commercial civil litigation, including patent, trademark, trade secrets, licensing, class action, antitrust, and unfair competition. He has successfully represented international and U.S. clients in both state, federal, and appellate courts.

Heather L. Boshears joined Hoge Fenton Jones & Appel as shareholder in San Jose.

Boshears' practice is focused on estate planning and trust administration. Heather guides clients through the development of basic and complex estate plans presenting decisions in an understandable format and providing counsel in the decision-making process. She explains the various income and transfers taxes at play, including estate, income, and real property taxes. She considers her clients’ values and circumstances and suggests strategies to help them achieve their goals.

Zane A. Bryant was promoted to partner of Higgs Fletcher & Mack LLP in San Diego.

Bryant is an immigration attorney representing clients with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, the Department of State and the Department of Labor. Bryant's practice focuses on employment-based solutions for immigration needs, encompassing PERM labor certifications, adjustment status and naturalization applications, consular processing, and nonimmigrant petitions. He is also a part of the firm's newly launched Gig Economy practice group. Bryant also works on several immigration cases pro bono, representing those seeking asylum or other temporary protected status and DACA applicants.

Kyle W. Nageotte was promoted to partner of Higgs Fletcher & Mack LLP in San Diego.

Nageotte is an employment law and business litigator, representing employers in a broad range of employment law matters, including claims involving class actions, discrimination, wage and hour disputes, retaliation, wrongful termination, trade secrets, and the California Private Attorneys General Act (PAGA). Nageotte is a past chair of the California Young Lawyers Association (CYLA). He also serves on the Board of Directors for the Downtown San Diego Partnership.

Jacob T. Spaid was promoted to partner of Higgs Fletcher & Mack LLP in San Diego.

Spaid's practice focuses primarily on business and tort litigation. He has successfully represented clients at all stages of litigation, including through trial and at the California Court of Appeal and the Federal Court of Appeals for the 9th, 2nd, and 5th Circuits. Spaid is active in the San Diego legal community and mentors students at San Diego State University and California Western School of Law.

Katy Spillers joined Locke Lord LLP as equity partner in Los Angeles.

Spillers handles a broad range of corporate matters for emerging growth and middle-market companies, including mergers and acquisitions, financings and joint ventures. She represents clients in a wide variety of industries, but she has vast knowledge and experience advising branded consumer products, technology/new media and entertainment companies with a focus on representing CEOs and founders.

Christiane Sinclair joined Hinshaw & Culbertson as senior counsel in San Francisco.

Sinclair handles insurance coverage matters, bad faith litigation, and commercial litigation related to construction and toxic tort claims. She also advises insurers on compliance with regulations related to claims handling practices, fraud investigations, roadside assistance programs, and training requirements.

H. Gregory Nelch joined Hinshaw & Culbertson as senior counsel in San Francisco.

Nelch has a proven record of success representing corporations, individuals, and government entities in personal injury, product liability, and professional negligence disputes in court trials, arbitrations, and mediations. He has significant experience in personal injury cases, including fatal injuries and severe disabilities.

Marcus N. McElhenney joined Hinshaw & Culbertson as senior counsel in San Francisco.

McElhenney has nearly a decade of experience as a trial attorney representing individuals, businesses, and international corporations in personal injury, product liability, construction defect, premises liability, and real estate cases. McElhenney also has experience in complex toxic tort lawsuits and class-action matters. He handles a broad range of legal disputes related to business and also advises on regulatory compliance matters.

Rebecca D. Martino joined Hinshaw & Culbertson as partner in San Francisco.

Martino has represented individuals, insurers, and companies of all sizes in state and federal court cases involving bad faith, insurance coverage, catastrophic injury, and real estate matters. Her practice focuses primarily on bad faith litigation, real estate matters, and complex insurance coverage, including litigation, preparation of coverage opinions, advising insurance companies on fraud investigations, and policy drafting. She has also successfully handled appeals in bad-faith litigation and insurance coverage cases. Martino's experience, negotiation skills, and pragmatic approach enable her to effectively resolve cases for clients.

R. Wardell Loveland joined Hinshaw & Culbertson as partner in San Francisco.

Loveland represents clients in a broad spectrum of litigation, appellate, and insurance services matters, including administrative proceedings. In class action and multi-district (MDL) matters, He primarily represents insurers in the defense of lawsuits arising out of claims handling and business practices. He has successfully defended judgment matters ranging from contested auto body labor rates, computer-based claims evaluation tools, total loss valuation, policy interpretation, premium setting, and claims and business processes.

Min K. Kang joined Hinshaw & Culbertson as partner in Los Angeles.

Kang is an experienced legal analyst, advisor, and litigator adept in various areas, including business litigation, insurance, appellate, class action, contract, transportation, trucking, aviation, cannabis, e-commerce, and privacy matters. She also has particular experience in complex coverage disputes and toxic tort litigation. In addition, Kang handles regulatory and administrative law issues. She is also a Certified Information Privacy Professional (CIPP/US). She represents a broad range of clients, from large-scale national corporations to small local businesses to private individuals. With her considerable experience, she delivers positive results by developing legal solutions that span multiple jurisdictions and deliverables while managing risks and ensuring compliance.

Jessica L. Garland was promoted to partner of Newmeyer & Dillion in Newport Beach.

Garland's practice consists of both compliance advice and litigation work on behalf of employers. She serves clients representing a wide range of industries, including medical, manufacturing, agricultural, hospitality, fitness, beauty, financial, real estate, and construction.

Paul Tobin joined Haynes & Boone LLP as partner in Orange County.

Tobin represents companies of all sizes, from those in the earliest stages of development to large global entities. He provides advice through the entire company life cycle, from initial organization and corporate governance to capital raising, the development of contracts to meet company needs, and through to later stage extraordinary transactions such as joint ventures, partnerships, and mergers and acquisitions with the client as both the buyer and the seller. He has had a long career in global business in both in-house and outside counsel roles and has represented companies in North America, Europe, Asia, and Oceania.

Tereza L. Callender joined Law Offices of James Crosby as associate in San Diego.

Callender graduated from the University of San Diego School of Law in May of 2023. She spent four years working as a paralegal, supporting attorneys in corporate immigration and insurance defense litigation prior to beginning law school. During law school, she was involved in the National Lawyers Guild and the Women's Law Caucus.

David Seidel was promoted to partner of Joseph Saveri Law Firm, LLP in San Francisco.

Seidel's practice focuses on litigating antitrust and consumer protection class actions. He was previously an associate at a large corporate law firm where he received significant litigation experience and invaluable mentorship in a broad-based practice.

While with the firm, Seidel has worked on many of its most prominent cases. On the Varsity All Star and Scholastic Cheer Market Price-Fixing Litigation, he has been a key player in developing strategy and briefing, including numerous motions regarding discovery, class certification, and summary judgment, which are pending Court determination. He has likewise been directly involved in motion strategy and briefing in Medical Center Employee No-Poach Litigation. The firm also recently filed a high-profile suit on behalf of gamers who would be adversely affected by reduced competition in the video game industry as a consequence of Microsoft's acquisition of Activision Blizzard, Inc. Seidel has been instrumental in the case's development and strategy, including briefing and arguing before the Court against Microsoft's motion to dismiss and on plaintiffs' motion for preliminary injunction.

Seidel is also deeply committed to providing pro bono legal representation on compelling cases to those who cannot afford it. Through his pro bono work, he has represented Guatemalan and Cuban refugees fleeing violence and persecution in their claims for asylum, and represented veterans in seeking entitlement to benefits and discharge status upgrades.

Thuy T. Nguyen was promoted to partner of Reed Smith LLP in San Francisco.

Nguyen is a member of the firm's Real Estate Group. With a focus on complex commercial real estate transactions, she represents institutional developers, owners, lenders, buyers, and sellers in transactions involving acquisition, disposition, leasing, and secured finance throughout California and the United States. Nguyen specializes in representing real estate investment trusts and other institutional clients in acquisitions and sale-leaseback transactions of net lease properties, often involving major multistate portfolios of properties and under extremely aggressive timelines. She advises clients in all stages of a transaction, from the structuring of the deal, to the management of diligence, to the negotiation of key documents, including purchase and sale agreements and long-term lease agreements. She also has experience in transactions involving the acquisition and development of renewable energy facilities, including wind, solar, and battery storage projects.

Cory Birkhauser was promoted to partner of Stuart Kane LLP in Newport Beach, CA.

Birkhauser has experience in the acquisition and disposition of real estate, finance, joint venture agreements and fund formation, with an emphasis on taxation matters. His experience also includes structuring and drafting of complex commercial agreements, strategic alliance, and technology license agreements, as well as counseling on corporate transactions, including seed stage, venture capital, venture debt and private equity financings, mergers and acquisitions, and general corporate governance matters.

Mikaela Whitman joined McGuireWoods as partner in Los Angeles (Century City) and New York.

Whitman represents policyholders in disputes with insurance carriers and advises in-house counsel on mitigating risk and maximizing value from corporate insurance assets. She mediates and litigates insurance disputes across a range of commercial policies and has recovered hundreds of millions of dollars for corporate policyholders. That includes cases involving D&O claims, errors-omissions, sexual misconduct, business interruption losses, product recalls, media liability and other areas.

Douglas L. Ropel was promoted to shareholder of Littler Mendelson P.C. in Sacramento.

Ropel advises and represents employers in a broad range of labor and employment matters arising under both state and federal laws, concentrating his practice in the areas of Discrimination and harassment, litigation and trials, and whistleblowing and retaliation. Ropel served as an Explosives Ordnance Disposal Technician in the U.S. Air Force both active duty and continues to serve as a reservist.

Laura E. Devane was promoted to shareholder of Littler Mendelson P.C. in Fresno.

Devane advises and represents employers in a broad range of employment matters. Laura devotes a substantial amount of her practice to drafting arbitration agreements and works closely with clients to roll out employee agreements and policies. She regularly appears in California federal and state courts, as well as before the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, the Department of Fair Employment and Housing, the Division of Labor Standards Enforcement, and the Workers' Compensation Appeals Board.

Michael Adams was promoted to managing partner of Rutan & Tucker LLP in Irvine.

Adams is a trial attorney with more than 25 years of experience trying cases to jury verdict. He has particular expertise in unfair competition litigation, including trademark infringement, false advertising, trade secret misappropriation, antitrust, patent infringement, and copyright infringement. He is also highly experienced in a wide array of business disputes involving fraud, partnership disputes, breach of fiduciary duty, and breach of contract. He is especially experienced in class action defense of consumer protection statutes. Michael has successfully tried dozens of cases to jury verdicts involving diverse matters such as intellectual property infringement, wrongful death, bank robbery, breach of contract, and fraud.

Stephen J. Squillario was promoted to partner of Holthouse Carlin & Van Trigt LLP in Los Angeles.

Squillario brings over 15 years of experience as a trial lawyer to his role as general counsel and partner at HCVT. Squillario's background includes providing counsel and representation to law firms and public accounting firms on such matters as professional liability, risk management, ethics, engagement agreements, contracts, billing issues, and intra-partnership disputes. Squillario also has extensive experience representing businesses of all sizes in California state and federal courts.

Steve Barbieri was promoted to partner of Rutan & Tucker LLP in Palo Alto.

Barbieri focuses his practice on commercial and construction litigation. Prior to joining Rutan & Tucker, he worked for nearly seven years at the San Francisco City Attorney's Office as a trial attorney, in which he advised governmental clients and tried multiple matters related to the California dependency system.

Golsa Honarfar was promoted to partner of Rutan & Tucker LLP in Irvine.

Honarfar handles a variety of business and civil litigation matters. She has worked on numerous cases involving class actions, business contracts, partnership disputes, real estate matters, judgment debtor examinations, unlawful detainers, probate matters, business and intentional torts, and intellectual property matters.

Marc A. McClain was promoted to partner of Rutan & Tucker LLP in Irvine.

McClain focuses on patent preparation, application and prosecution, intellectual property, and post-grant proceedings including inter partes review and post grant review. He has handled matters in various technological fields including augmented reality, video streaming, online learning, computer memory structures, and 3D model processing.

Morgan A. McCombe was promoted to partner of Rutan & Tucker LLP in Irvine.

McCombe is a corporate attorney who works on mergers and acquisitions and general corporate legal matters. His practice is centered on middle market transactions ranging between $5 million and $500 million, and he has experience representing buyers and sellers.

Matthew F. Murray was promoted to partner of Rutan & Tucker LLP in Palo Alto.

Murray focuses on construction transactions, claims management, and litigation. As member of Rutan & Tucker's Chambers Band 2 construction law practice group, he routinely represents owner-developers, prime contractors, and subcontractors on both public infrastructure and private projects, including commercial and affordable housing, mixed-use, and industrial developments.

Alex Swanson was promoted to partner of Rutan & Tucker LLP in Irvine.

Swanson represents clients in a range of civil litigation including environmental litigation and life sciences, including mass toxic tort litigation, Proposition 65 defense, and CERCLA cost recovery actions. His practice also covers contract disputes, business torts, and patent litigation involving pharmaceuticals and medical devices.

Yakov P. Wiegmann was promoted to partner of Wilson Elser in San Francisco.

Wiegmann has applied equal parts diligence, passion and careful reasoning to guide his clients through toxic tort litigation involving asbestos, pesticides, benzene and other chemicals, as well as product liability matters involving aircraft components, heavy equipment, child car seats, electronics, glass bottles and tools. He has represented companies and individuals in matters such as catastrophic personal injuries, business disputes, aviation accidents, consumer fraud claims and trust litigation. He has experience in every aspect of complex litigation from discovery to trial and appeal, as well as in settlement negotiations, arbitration and mediation.

Madonna Herman was promoted to partner of Wilson Elser in San Francisco.

Herman defends California employers against claims in a variety of employment law litigation matters, including class actions, discrimination and harassment, wrongful termination, wage and hour disputes, and retaliation. She also defends licensed California professionals in civil lawsuits and administrative claims, including real estate brokers, appraisers, lawyers, insurance agents, accountants, engineers, architects, contractors and subcontractors.

Sean M. Monks was promoted to partner of Wilson Elser in San Diego.

Monks is a veteran trial lawyer recognized for success in all stages of litigation. He handles complex commercial matters such as state and federal derivative actions, misappropriation of trade secrets, unfair competition, breach of contract, breach of fiduciary duty, and related business torts. He also defends corporations and their officers and directors before the Securities and Exchange Commission and the U.S. Department of Justice, and in shareholder litigation. He represents clients in trade secret and non-compete litigation, consumer class actions, and other disputes among business partners.

Daniel S. Hurwitz was promoted to partner of Wilson Elser in Los Angeles.

Hurwitz is an experienced litigator in such diverse areas as product liability, environmental, administrative law, trademark and copyright infringement, mass torts, e-commerce, premises liability and business litigation. He has represented multinational clients and litigated cases throughout California and in various high-risk jurisdictions throughout the country, including Illinois, Texas, Kentucky, Alabama and New York.

Valeria Granata was promoted to partner of Wilson Elser in Los Angeles.

Granata represents established businesses and individuals in state, federal, and appellate courts. Her practice focuses on the defense of claims related to general liability, business litigation, real estate litigation, and cyber-security matters. She has achieved certification in the firm’s rigorous National Mock Trial Program, through which our most successful trial lawyers impart their knowledge to those destined to join their ranks.

Vatche Zetjian was promoted to partner of Jeffer Mangels Butler & Mitchell LLP in Los Angeles.

Zetjuan's practice focuses on complex trusts and estates litigation matters, including claims for breach of fiduciary duty, surcharge actions, trustee removal actions, will and trust contests, creditor's claims, conservatorship and guardianship proceedings, and elder abuse matters. He has represented fiduciaries, individuals, and charities in litigating these matters.

Nathan M. Shaw was promoted to partner of Jeffer Mangels Butler & Mitchell LLP in Los Angeles.

Shaw counsels clients on a wide range of business transactions, including mergers and acquisitions, intellectual property licensing, and commercial agreements. He is one of the firm’s leading technology attorneys, with expertise in the legal issues surrounding artificial intelligence, digital assets, and data privacy/security. His industry experience is diverse and includes software, hardware, consumer goods, media, entertainment, healthcare, and defense.

Caleb A. Gilbert was promoted to partner of Jeffer Mangels Butler & Mitchell LLP in Los Angeles.

Gilbert's practice includes all areas of real estate and involves the complex issues associated with hotels, resorts, multi-family, single-family, and commercial buildings. Caleb advises clients with both a practical business and legal focus, representing individuals, investors, developers, lenders, private equity firms, REITs, and family offices in all aspects of real estate and hotel investment and development. He represents high net-worth individuals in residential real estate matters. He represents owners – including hospitality clients – in the purchase and sale, development, construction, financing, leasing, and sale-leaseback of properties. Caleb advises hospitality clients on franchising and on their operations and management agreements.

Taylor N. Burras was promoted to partner of Jeffer Mangels Butler & Mitchell LLP in San Francisco.

Burras' practice focuses on representing management in all facets of labor and employment law, including discrimination, harassment, retaliation, wrongful termination, management/union relations, and wage and hour violations. She is skilled in all areas of the litigation process and represents employers in class action, collective action, and representative action, including PAGA litigation and single-plaintiff cases. She is also experienced with investigations and evidentiary hearings with administrative agencies, including the Division of Labor Standards Enforcement (DLSE), the Department of Fair Employment Housing (DFEH), the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB), the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), and the Employment Development Department (EDD).

Sierra Vierra was promoted to principal of Jackson Lewis P.C. in Sacramento.

Vierra represents management in civil litigation and administrative proceedings involving employment law matters, including discrimination, harassment, retaliation, wrongful termination, workplace health and safety matters, and wage and hour issues. She litigates in federal and state courts, including class and representative actions, and represents employers in administrative proceedings, including appeals of Cal/OSHA and NV/OSHA citations. She also provides preventive advice and counsel on best practices and assists management with Cal/OSHA compliance and investigations.

Kaitlyn L. Lavaroni was promoted to principal of Jackson Lewis P.C. in Sacramento.

Lavaroni has advised and represented employers in numerous aspects of employment law, including discipline and termination, discrimination, retaliation, sexual harassment, recruitment and hiring, due process, compliance, preventive practice, and wage-and-hour issues. She also conducts audits of policies and programs, revises employee handbooks, conducts workplace investigations, and performs education and training seminars.

Shane R. Larsen was promoted to principal of Jackson Lewis P.C. in Sacramento.

Larsen's litigation practice includes retaliation, discrimination, hostile work environment, wrongful termination, unfair competition, and commercial litigation. His counseling practice includes advising clients regarding employment policies and practices on federal and state wage and hour laws, severance agreements, leaves of absence, and employment classifications.

Benjamin J. Schnayerson was promoted to principal of Jackson Lewis P.C. in San Francisco.

Schnayerson's practice focuses on defending employers faced with federal and state claims of retaliation, harassment, and discrimination, as well as whistleblower claims. He also has ample experience in defending employers against wage-and-hour class actions and California PAGA actions.

Paul J. Cohen was promoted to principal of Jackson Lewis P.C. in Los Angeles.

Cohen's practice focuses on representing employers in all types of employment-related litigation in state and federal courts and in arbitration. He has broad experience litigating single plaintiff and class action cases involving wage and hour, discrimination, harassment, retaliation, wrongful termination, and related claims.

Angela Quiles Nevarez was promoted to principal of Jackson Lewis P.C. in Los Angeles.

Nevarez's practice focuses on employment law and the challenges related to a wide range of employment issues. She regularly leads the defense in lawsuits and administrative proceedings brought against companies and managers involving a variety of claims, including discrimination, harassment, wrongful termination, and retaliation.

Erika J. Gasaway was promoted to shareholder of Hopkins & Carley in San Jose.

Gasaway represents and advises professional fiduciaries, trustees, beneficiaries, high-net-worth individuals, families, and their businesses on a range of complex litigation matters, including undue influence, fiduciary duties, elder abuse, quiet title, easements, and partitions. Gasaway is a recognized author and speaker within the industry. She is an involved member of the California Lawyers Association's Trusts and Estate Section, Silicon Valley Bar Association, San Mateo County Bar Association, and the Rotary Club of San Jose.

Liam J. O'Connor was promoted to shareholder of Hopkins & Carley in San Jose.

O'Connor's practice focuses on creditor-side litigation, loan workouts, forbearance/loan modification agreements, loan sale agreements, real property, and mixed collateral foreclosures; Commercial Code Article 9 enforcement; real estate litigation, pre-judgment enforcement remedies such as writs of attachment and appointment of a receiver; and creditor-side bankruptcy. He has also developed extensive experience enforcing multi-million dollar judgments against individuals, corporations, and limited liability companies.

Jeffrey M. Ratinoff was promoted to shareholder of Hopkins & Carley in San Jose.

Ratinoff has extensive experience protecting and defending clients' intellectual property rights in trade secret misappropriation, trademark infringement, unfair competition, anti-piracy, false advertising, trade libel, and copyright infringement matters.

T. Jack Morse, Jr. was promoted to senior attorney of Oppenheimer Investigations Group LLP in San Francisco and Los Angeles.

Morse conducts investigations for private and public organizations, including law enforcement agencies, his area of specialty and one in which he provides additional police consulting and oversight services. Morse's expertise has been leveraged to educate on timely issues and investigate best practices. Prior to private practice, he spent several years in the U.S. Department of Justice Civil Rights Division's Special Litigation Section, where he monitored and investigated law enforcement agencies, correctional facilities, and other state institutions. He also spent time working at Orange County's Inspector General's office, where he focused on identifying and addressing high-risk potential liability issues.

Matthew T. Arvizu was promoted to partner of Solomon Ward Seidenwurm & Smith, LLP in San Diego.

Arvizu focuses his practice on a wide variety of matters, including advising clients on trust and estate litigation, contract disputes, construction matters, real estate disputes, and business disputes. He has significant experience litigating in both state and federal courts and is licensed to practice law in California and Delaware.

Owen M. Praskievicz was promoted to partner of Solomon Ward Seidenwurm & Smith, LLP in San Diego.

Praskievicz represents clients in complex litigation involving commercial contracts, real estate, intellectual property, product label claims and other business torts. He has significant experience litigating in both state and federal courts and has argued before the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals and California Courts of Appeal.

Alexandra Preece Barlow was promoted to partner of Morrison Foerster LLP in San Diego.

Barlow is a member of the Litigation Department and the Class Actions and Mass Torts Group. She litigates complex product liability matters involving medical devices, pharmaceuticals, consumer products, automobiles, and artificial intelligence, with significant experience managing challenging mass tort and class action cases from inception through trial.

MoFo named 27 lawyers throughout its offices globally, 10 in California.

Krista deBoer was promoted to partner of Morrison Foerster LLP in San Diego.

DeBoer is an environmental attorney in the Litigation Department and the Class Actions and Mass Torts Group. She represents clients in environmental and toxic tort litigation and consumer class actions involving hazardous materials exposures and claims of health or environmental benefits and has broad experience in CERCLA and HSAA litigation and cost recovery. DeBoer also defends clients in regulatory enforcement actions and advises on compliance issues regarding hazardous materials management, California Title 20 energy efficiency regulation, California Air Resources Board regulations, and climate disclosure laws. She regularly works with companies to assess and mitigate risk related to green marketing and climate-related claims.

MoFo named 27 lawyers throughout its offices globally, 10 in California.

Benjamin T.R. Fox was promoted to partner of Morrison Foerster LLP in San Francisco.

Fox is a member of the Transactions Department and the Mergers + Acquisitions Group. His practice focuses on representing startup to late-stage private companies and venture capital and private equity investors, as well as family offices, private foundations, and public charities in early-stage and late-stage financings, mergers, acquisitions, asset purchases and sales, joint ventures, and hybrid or “tandem” structuring arrangements between nonprofit and for-profit entities. Fox has extensive experience working with investors and companies in the climate technology and infrastructure and sustainability space. He regularly advises clients on creative legal structures with respect to aggregating and deploying capital to maximize impact and returns.

MoFo named 27 lawyers throughout its offices globally, 10 in California.

Rose S. Lee was promoted to partner of Morrison Foerster LLP in Los Angeles.

Lee is a member of the Litigation Department and the IP Litigation Group. Her practice focuses on patent, copyright, and trade secret matters. Lee has litigated a wide range of high-technology cases for U.S.- and non-U.S.-based clients in U.S. federal courts and before the ITC. A registered patent attorney, Lee also represents clients in adversarial proceedings before the Patent Trial and Appeal Board.

MoFo named 27 lawyers throughout its offices globally, 10 in California.

Christopher C. McKinnon was promoted to partner of Morrison Foerster LLP in Palo Alto.

McKinnon is a member of the Transactions Department and the Emerging Companies + Venture Capital Group. He represents startups, venture capital investors, and private equity firms in corporate finance matters, including startup counseling, investments, M&A, and investment fund transactions. Prior to rejoining MoFo, McKinnon was associate general counsel and legal director at a leading global investment firm, where he oversaw a broad range of U.S. and cross-border transactions.

MoFo named 27 lawyers throughout its offices globally, 10 in California.

Andrew L. Perito was promoted to partner of Morrison Foerster LLP in San Francisco.

Perito is a member of the Litigation Department and the IP Litigation Group. Perito is an experienced trial lawyer, with a focus on representing clients in patent litigation spanning a variety of technical areas and in related Patent Office proceedings and before the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC). Perito has also represented clients in intellectual property disputes involving trade secret, trademark, copyright, and employee mobility issues, including internal investigations, arbitration, and litigation.

MoFo named 27 lawyers throughout its offices globally, 10 in California.

Meghan McLean Poon was promoted to partner of Morrison Foerster LLP in Palo Alto.

Poon is a member of the Transactions Department and the Patent Strategy + Prosecution Group. As co-head of the firm’s Biotech practice group and member of the firm’s Life Science Steering Committee, she counsels clients on patent preparation and prosecution, portfolio strategy, and IP due diligence in the areas of biotechnology and biologics. She has significant experience in diverse technologies, including antibodies, cell therapies, gene therapies, diagnostics, and gene-edited plants. Dr. Poon has extensive experience addressing complex obviousness-double patenting and subject matter eligibility issues impacting her clients’ patent portfolios and has filed numerous Patent Term Extension applications for her clients’ FDA-approved products.

MoFo named 27 lawyers throughout its offices globally, 10 in California.

Monica A. Rodriguez was promoted to partner of Morrison Foerster LLP in Los Angeles.

Rodriguez is a member of the Litigation Department and the Employment + Labor Group. She advises and defends clients across a variety of industries, including retail, restaurant, software and technology, healthcare, higher education, hospitality, and transportation and logistics. Rodriguez is a trusted advisor and regularly counsels clients in all facets of the employment relationship. She also has extensive experience representing clients in class and representative action lawsuits alleging wage-and-hour violations in state and federal court. Rodriguez also defends and advises clients on labor relations issues.

MoFo named 27 lawyers throughout its offices globally, 10 in California.

Shiri V. Shenhav was promoted to partner of Morrison Foerster LLP in Palo Alto.

Shenhav is a member of the Transactions Department and the Mergers + Acquisitions Group. Shenhav maintains a corporate transactional practice focusing on mergers and acquisitions and equity investments in the technology industry for public and private companies. She regularly assists strategic buyers and private equity funds and their portfolio companies in a variety of domestic and cross-border transactions, including deal structuring and mechanics, stock and asset purchases, mergers, divestitures, and spin-offs. Shenhav also regularly represents companies with respect to their equity investments, joint ventures, and other strategic transactions, as well as general corporate counseling.

MoFo named 27 lawyers throughout its offices globally, 10 in California.

Cooper J. Spinelli was promoted to partner of Morrison Foerster LLP in San Francisco.

Spinelli is a member of the Litigation Department and Employment + Labor Groupo. His practice focuses on trade secrets and restrictive covenants, employee mobility and executive disputes, whistleblower claims, and general business litigation. Spinelli has represented clients in both affirmative and defensive trade secret misappropriation and employee mobility cases, including cases involving related IP issues. In addition, Spinelli has represented companies in highly sensitive matters involving involuntary and negotiated departures of chief executive and other senior officers.

MoFo named 27 lawyers throughout its offices globally, 10 in California.