Katie Townsend joined Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP as a partner. The move was Feb. 3, 2025.

Townsend has rejoined the firm's Litigation and Media, Entertainment, and Technology Practice Groups as a partner in the Los Angeles and Washington, D.C. offices. Her practice will focus on representing clients on a wide range of First Amendment, media, and technology-focused litigation and advisory matters. She began her legal career in Gibson Dunn's Los Angeles office as a summer associate in 2006 and served as an associate from 2007-2014.

Michael Strauss joined Judicate West as a neutral in Los Angeles. The move was Feb. 6, 2025.

Strauss has more than 18 years of experience in labor and employment law, representing individuals and companies in wage-and-hour class actions and matters involving harassment, discrimination, retaliation and wrongful termination. Across his career, Strauss has successfully brokered numerous eight-figure settlements, represented parties in hundreds of arbitrations, argued repeatedly in state and federal courts of appeal, and received countless plaintiff and defense verdicts.

Daniel G. Nevarez joined Goldberg Segalla as a counsel in San Francisco.

Nevarez is a certified authority on workers' compensation who focuses his practice on counseling and defending employers, insurers, and third-party administrators before the California Workers' Compensation Board and other venues. He collaborates with his clients to provide case analysis and recommendations and proactively identifies exposure and risk in a timely manner. He handles every stage of the claims process from referral through closure, including research and fact investigation, witness and expert depositions, hearings, trials and appeals.

Andrew Winetroub was promoted to partner of Nixon Peabody LLP in San Francisco, CA. The promotion is effective Feb. 1, 2025.

Winetroub represents clients--ranging from iconic global brands to emerging startups--in complex intellectual property, trade secret, and high-end business litigation. With deep industry knowledge related to the data privacy space, he has also been at the forefront of defending clients in significant data breach class-action cases. He has been recognized at Nixon Peabody as a pro bono champion, which has involved work with Ukrainian families and others seeking asylum in the United States.

Amanda Graham Brazinski Graham Brazinski was promoted to partner of Atheria Law in San Francisco.

Graham Brazinski is a member of Atheria Law's Technology, Media & Privacy Practice. She represents insurers in claims involving cyber and privacy issues, including data and security breaches, cyber extortion, regulatory investigations, media liability, and consumer class action lawsuits. She also has significant experience litigating insurance coverage cases in jurisdictions across the United States involving various types of insurance, including commercial general liability, errors & omissions, and directors and officers policies. Graham Brazinski graduated magna cum laude from the University of Miami School of Law and from the University of Pennsylvania.

John C. Lansing joined Hahn & Hahn LLP as a counsel in Pasadena.

Lansing represents clients in the areas of trust and estates and elder law. His practice encompasses trusts and wills, trust administration, conservatorships, probates, and special needs planning. With a deep commitment to serving seniors, their families, and individuals planning for the future, John counsels his clients through the complexities of aging and caregiving and empowers them in making critical decisions.

Lansing became an elder law attorney in large part due to his experience caring for his mother, who was afflicted with a neurodegenerative disease in early middle age. His compassion for the aging community extends beyond his practice to his charitable work in the community, in particular Meals on Wheels and the Pasadena Senior Center.

Matthew Miller joined Hanson Bridgett LLP as a partner in San Francisco. The move was Feb. 4, 2025.

Miller joined Hanson Bridgett's Corporate & Risk Management Section. A seasoned trial attorney with over 30 years of experience, Miller brings unparalleled expertise in complex business litigation, trade secret protection, and emerging areas like cryptocurrency and blockchain disputes.

Before joining Hanson Bridgett, Miller held leadership roles at major firms, including DLA Piper and Squire Patton Boggs, where he served as chair of litigation in Northern California. Throughout his career, Miller has successfully handled high-stakes litigation across a broad spectrum of industries, securing significant wins for clients in cryptocurrency and blockchain matters, and those dealing with unfair competition and misappropriation of intellectual property. His practice also includes a diverse array of employment, product liability, real estate, and construction litigation.

In addition to his legal accomplishments, Miller is a fifth-generation San Franciscan and is deeply committed to the community. He serves as chair of the Risk Committee for the San Francisco Zoological Society, is the immediate past chair of the Board of Directors at the Pomeroy Recreation & Rehabilitation Center, and remains active with the Bay Area Council's Homelessness Housing Committee.

Miller graduated from Georgetown University Law Center and UCLA.

Sherry Haus joined Buchalter as a shareholder in Sacramento. The move was Jan. 31, 2025.

Haus joined Buchalter's White Collar Practice group. She previously worked with several Fortune 500 companies and financial institutions in investigations by the Department of Justice (DOJ), Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), and other regulatory agencies. She is well-versed in handling government investigations and has counseled clients in matters such as anti-money laundering requirements and internal investigations.

Olga Berson joined Thompson Coburn LLP as a partner in Los Angeles. The move was Feb. 3, 2025.

Berson joined Thompson Coburn's Intellectual Property practice group. She has more than two decades of experience advising clients in the life sciences industry. Berson's practice focuses on IP due diligence in the context of mergers, acquisitions, collaborations, divestitures, recapitalizations, and bankruptcies. She also advises clients on patent validity and freedom-to-operate, licensing opportunities, product launch strategies, and financial and operational risks associated with patent disputes and potential litigation. With extensive experience in patent portfolio and landscape analyses, IP licensing and technology agreements, and litigation risk mitigation in complex transactions, Berson provides strategic guidance tailored to the evolving needs of life sciences clients.

Berson represents a diverse client base, from multinational corporations to emerging startups and venture capital firms, across a broad range of technical fields, including biopharmaceuticals, drug delivery platforms, medical devices, analytical methods and equipment, skincare and cosmetics, foods and nutraceuticals, and commodity and specialty chemicals and materials. In addition to her transactional work, she is highly experienced in Hatch-Waxman, BPCIA, biologics patent litigation, and U.S. Patent and Trademark Office proceedings.

Berson obtained a Ph.D. in environmental science and chemistry from the California Institute of Technology (Caltech) and a J.D. from Loyola Law School.

Karl H. Berger was promoted to partner of Burke, Williams & Sorensen, LLP in Los Angeles. The promotion is effective Jan. 1, 2025.

Berger's 30 years of practicing law are exclusively devoted to representing public agencies. He is city attorney for Bellflower and Monterey Park; general counsel for the Carpinteria Sanitary District, and counsel for the Conejo Parks and Recreation District. Additionally, Berger is the assistant city attorney for Simi Valley; assistant city attorney for Santa Clarita, and senior assistant city attorney for Simi Valley.

Ellen A Pansky joined Nemecek & Cole, A Professional Corporation as a counsel in Encino. The move was Jan. 31, 2025.

Pansky will chair the firm's Legal Ethics and Attorney Regulation Division. With her distinguished career and extensive experience in legal ethics, professional responsibility, and compliance matters, she is uniquely qualified to lead and expand this critical area of the firm's practice. In her new role, she will guide and counsel clients throughout California on complex ethical issues. Her leadership will play a pivotal role in reinforcing Nemecek & Cole's commitment to providing integrity and professionalism and assisting its clients on an ongoing basis when ethical issues arise.

Karen Ephraim was promoted to partner of Elkins Kalt Weintraub Reuben Gartside LLP in Los Angeles. The promotion is effective Jan. 1, 2025.

Ephraim brings her experience as a former journalist covering the entertainment, media, and biotechnology industries to her commercial litigation practice, counseling clients on matters involving breach of contract, securities, copyright infringement and more.

Kasra Kokabi was promoted to partner of Elkins Kalt Weintraub Reuben Gartside LLP in Los Angeles. The promotion is effective Jan. 1, 2025.

Kokabi counsels public and private companies and investors in a range of corporate and finance transactions and governance matters. He has deep experience guiding clients through complex mergers and acquisitions, asset purchases and dispositions, and both commercial and venture capital financing.

Brigitte L. Alanis was promoted to partner of King, Holmes, Paterno & Soriano LLP in Los Angeles.

Alanis advises recording artists, songwriters, managers, digital creators, and influencers throughout their entertainment careers. She handles transactions in recorded music, live performance, catalog sales, digital media, branding, and endorsements. Alanis has also represented actors, writers, directors, and content creators in the Entertainment and Digital Media worlds.

Harold C. Papineau was promoted to partner of King, Holmes, Paterno & Soriano LLP in Los Angeles.

Papineau's practice covers a wide range of transactional entertainment, media and intellectual property matters. In addition to his work on traditional music industry deals, Papineau has extensive experience in selling music catalogs and is at the forefront of the firm's US copyright termination practice.

Johanna N. Canlas was promoted to partner of Burke, Williams & Sorensen, LLP in San Diego.

Canlas provides superior advisory skills and subject matter expertise to public entities and non-profits. She serves as city attorney for the coastal cities of Coronado and Solana Beach. She is general counsel to SBCS Corporation, a community-based nonprofit organization providing a comprehensive range of services for children, youth, and families in San Diego County. Canlas served as general counsel to Solana Energy Alliance, the first Community Choice Energy Program in the San Diego region prior to its merger with Clean Energy Alliance (CEA). Since 2022, she has been general counsel to CEA.

Andrew S. Wong joined ArentFox Schiff as a partner in Los Angeles. The move was Jan. 27, 2025.

Wong focuses his practice on general commercial litigation, breach of contract, cross-border litigation and arbitration, product liability, business tort, trade secrets, unfair trade practice, and employment discrimination matters. A significant part of his practice entails advising overseas clients in Asia on business strategy issues and litigation risk analysis.

Aaron Sobaski joined Buchalter as a shareholder in Orange County. The move was Jan. 23, 2025.

Sobaski's broad real estate transactional practice spans both public and private entities, with a focus on complex public-private partnerships, industrial and agricultural properties, mixed-use developments, and large-scale logistics and distribution facilities. He brings extensive experience in the purchase, sale, leasing, and development of real estate assets. He has worked on projects involving student housing, affordable housing, mobile home parks, military base redevelopment, and commercial and residential developments. His expertise also includes drafting CC&Rs, Reciprocal Easement Agreements, and other shared use agreements for mixed-use projects, as well as extensive experience with on-airport leasing and development projects throughout the United States.

Tammy Chang was promoted to partner of Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP in Los Angeles.

Chang represents institutional investors at all stages and with diverse strategies for their private fund investments. She works with several of the world's most significant public pension funds, secondaries fund managers, and Fortune 500 companies across all aspects of their investment programs, including structuring and negotiating commingled fund investments, separate accounts, and dedicated managed account platforms. With extensive experience in private equity secondaries, Chang represents both buy-side and sell-side investors in secondaries transactions of all sizes. She also led two separate transactions that set records for the largest private equity secondary sales. Chang has spent her entire career at Pillsbury, advancing from summer associate to partner.

Derek M. Mayor was promoted to partner of Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP in Los Angeles and Sacramento.

Mayor works with clients in a wide variety of industries litigating complex commercial issues, corporate investigations, white collar defense and employment disputes. Mayor also litigates individual plaintiff and consumer class actions alleging breach of contract, unfair competition, product liability and more. Additionally, he is a member of the firm’s Wine, Beer & Spirits team, advising on matters pertaining to licensing, industry trade practices, franchise disputes and litigating licensing disputes.

Alex Brizolis joined Glaser Weil Fink Howard Jordan & Shapiro LLP as a partner in San Diego.

Brizolis brings a track record of success in high-stakes cases involving fraud, breach of contract, business interference, partnership disputes and corporate control matters, among other areas. His litigation practice spans state and federal courts and arbitration tribunals across a variety of industries, where he has achieved significant victories, including emergency arbitrations obtaining injunctive relief and damages, an eight-figure settlement in fraud and False Claims Act litigation, and prevailing in complex matters, including trials and arbitrations, involving real estate, partnership disputes and business divorce, unfair lending practices and trade secret claims.

Judge Geoffrey Goodman joined Judicate West as a neutral in Sacramento.

Goodman brings over 40 years of legal experience. He served 15+ years on the Sacramento County Superior Court, primarily handling complex civil and criminal trials, and recently served two years as supervising civil settlement judge. His career began in the LA County DA's office, where he established the hardcore gang unit, before joining the California Attorney General's Office as a deputy AG and founding member of the Major Fraud Unit. He rose to senior assistant AG, managing statewide operations, and later led white-collar criminal prosecutions as chief for the U.S. Attorney's Office in California's Eastern District. Before his appointment to the bench, he spent a decade in private practice focusing on civil litigation and white-collar defense.

Algeria R. Ford was promoted to partner of Burke, Williams & Sorensen, LLP in Riverside.

Ford is a member of Burke's Public Law, Employment Law & Litigation, and Education Law practice groups. He serves as city attorney for Simi Valley, assistant city attorney for Cathedral City, and assistant city attorney for Rialto. Ford also serves as general counsel for the Banning Library District and general counsel for Simi Valley/Waterworks District No. 8.

Alexander Schwartz joined Sheppard Mullin in Century City and Chicago. The move was Jan. 28, 2025.

Schwartz advises companies, private equity firms, venture capital firms, and investment banks on going public transactions and routinely advises newly and seasoned public companies and private equity firms on strategic transactions, debt, equity, convertible, preferred, and hybrid securities offerings, and corporate governance matters. Additionally, Schwartz brings significant experience navigating complex mergers and acquisitions, recapitalizations, liability management exercises and restructurings. Throughout his career, Schwartz has practiced in various industries, including aerospace and defense, government services, software, telecommunications, artificial intelligence, open source and digital identity, healthcare, life sciences, retail, food and beverage, semiconductors, and financial services.

Varun Behl joined Hueston Hennigan LLP as a counsel in Los Angeles. The move was Jan. 21, 2025.

Behl spent the last four years as an assistant U.S. attorney in the Criminal Division at the U.S. Attorney's Office, where he conducted many criminal jury trials, ranging from wire fraud to murder and assault under Violent Crimes in Aid of Racketeering charges (VICAR), to firearms and drug trafficking. His trials included securing across-the-board convictions in a four-defendant wire fraud case involving the theft of more than $1.1 million in unemployment benefits.

Heriberto Alvarez Jr. was promoted to partner of Seyfarth Shaw LLP in Los Angeles. The promotion is effective Jan. 21, 2025.

Alvarez represents employers of all sizes and in a wide range of industries in federal and state courts across the full gamut of employment issues. He represents employers in wage and hour class actions, claims of discrimination, harassment, and wrongful termination, and restrictive covenants and trade secrets disputes.

Shiva F. Emrani was promoted to partner of Seyfarth Shaw LLP in Los Angeles.

Emrani focuses her practice exclusively on employment law. Shiva has extensive experience litigating and mediating employment discrimination, retaliation, harassment, whistle-blower, wrongful termination, and other labor and employment matters in both state and federal court, as well as in binding arbitration.

Alyssa Rutherford was promoted to partner of Seyfarth Shaw LLP.

Rutherford's practice involves representing institutional investors, real estate investment trusts, investment funds, and other companies in commercial real estate transactions.

Yoon-Woo Nam was promoted to partner of Seyfarth Shaw LLP in Sacramento.

Nam collaborates with clients throughout all phases of the employment lifecycle to identify and address challenges related to external and internal employment law. Clients seek Yoon's expertise to recognize, respond to, and adapt to the challenges posed by the rapid and continuous changes in employment law in California and nationwide.

Patricia D. Benke joined ADR Services Inc. as a neutral in San Diego. The move was Jan. 24, 2025.

Justice Benke authored many opinions on complex legal issues during her 35-year tenure on the Court of Appeal. Her thoughtful and comprehensive legal analysis earned her a reputation for excellence in decision-making and a profound impact on California jurisprudence. Prior to her appellate court service, she spent four years as a Superior Court Judge, presiding over the Law and Motion Department and the Family Law Department. During this time, she handled civil trials involving government agencies, personal injury, and family law, demonstrating an exceptional ability to address intricate legal challenges with fairness and empathy. Justice Benke began her career as a Deputy Attorney General, representing the state in various legal proceedings. Beyond her courtroom accomplishments, she is a professor at National University, designing and teaching courses in Alternative Dispute Resolution. Her dedication to advancing innovative approaches to conflict resolution is evident in her work and teaching.

Kayleigh A. Andersen was promoted to partner of Manning & Kass, Ellrod, Ramirez, Trester LLP in Los Angeles. The promotion is effective Jan. 1, 2025.

Andersen is a member of Manning Kass' Governmental Entity Liability team. She has extensive experience dealing with high-profile cases, including allegations of wrongful death, excessive force, dangerous condition of public property, medical malpractice, and a variety of other matters on behalf of public entities and their employees. In the past year, she was instrumental in multiple successful motions, and her litigation skills secured minimal settlements on wrongful death claims with multimillion-dollar demands. Andersen also teaches SWAT officers for the California Association of Tactical Officers.

Kirsten A. Brown was promoted to partner of Manning & Kass, Ellrod, Ramirez, Trester LLP in Los Angeles. The promotion is effective Jan. 1, 2025.

Brown is a member of the Trusts and Estates and Complex Litigation teams. As a Certified Specialist in Estate Planning, Trust, and Probate Law with the State Bar of California, the majority of her practice is focused on Trusts and Estates litigation. She also handles Trust and Probate administration, estate plan drafting, and generational tax planning. In 2024, Brown successfully co-tried two large trust cases with her team leader, Los Angeles Partner Daniel B. Herbert, earning defense verdicts in favor of our client beneficiaries and returning assets to the Trusts in both. She also negotiated several multimillion-dollar trust case settlements at mediations.

Roya H. Fohrer was promoted to partner of Manning & Kass, Ellrod, Ramirez, Trester LLP in Los Angeles. The promotion is effective Jan. 1, 2025.

Fohrer is a member of the Construction Law, Insurance Coverage / Bad Faith, Premises Liability, and Professional Liability teams. Fohrer was promoted after a series of notable accomplishments, including successfully defending an insurance bad faith action at trial and beating the 998 offer, and developing a strategy to net a developer client over $4.2 million in settlements. She also successfully broke through coverage issues on a fire caused by a subcontractor, ensuring that our client paid nothing on a $4.5 million settlement, with all funds instead coming from the subcontractors.

Michelle J. Martin was promoted to partner of Manning & Kass, Ellrod, Ramirez, Trester LLP in Los Angeles. The promotion is effective Jan. 1, 2025.

Martin is a member of the Complex Litigation and Special Investigations Unit / Insurance Fraud Litigation teams. She is integral to the firm's affirmative litigation practice, focusing on qui tam litigation. Martin is also launching a new practice with a focus on international insurance fraud, which will benefit from her substantial experience in all aspects of domestic and cross-border litigation from intake through final disposition at trial, as well as post-judgment proceedings, including asset tracing.

Mark R. Wilson was promoted to partner of Manning & Kass, Ellrod, Ramirez, Trester LLP in San Francisco. The promotion is effective Jan. 1, 2025.

Wilson is a member of the Appellate Law (Strategy, Writs, & Appeals) team. He has substantial experience in appellate litigation, including serving as a panel attorney representing indigent criminal defendants before the 1st District Court of Appeal. He secured several defense verdicts in the past year and is on track to become a Certified Appellate Specialist, having recently passed the requisite exam.

Nima Darouian was promoted to partner of Ballard Spahr LLP in Los Angeles. The promotion is effective Jan. 20, 2025.

Darouian represents employers in all areas of employment litigation, with an emphasis on defending companies against wage and hour class and representative actions, including under the Private Attorneys General Act (PAGA). He regularly works with employers in defending against allegations of unpaid wages and overtime, off-the-clock work, time rounding, failure to reimburse, inaccurate wage statements, meal and rest break violations, and worker misclassification. He has defended employers against challenges to their compensation structures as well, including compensation plans providing for commissions, piece-rate pay, and bonuses. His class action and PAGA experience includes litigating cases in which the number of employees at issue ranged from under 100 employees to over 15,000 employees.

Spencer I. Eldred was promoted to counsel of Ballard Spahr LLP in Los Angeles.

Eldred focuses on real estate development and transactional matters. He represents developers, affordable housing agencies, and other commercial property owners in various land use and zoning issues. Eldred has extensive experience in due diligence, processing entitlements, California Environmental Quality Act review, Surplus Land Act matters, and real estate and land use litigation.

Jeremy A. Lawrence joined Farella Braun + Martel LLP as a partner in San Francisco. The move was Jan. 22, 2025.

Lawrence represents clients in insurance coverage disputes, bad faith claims, and disputes involving indemnity contracts. He draws on his extensive policyholder-focused experience in pursuing claims involving the full range of first- and third-party insurance policies, including general liability, D&O, professional liability/E&O, property and business interruption, commercial crime, and representation and warranty policies. He has litigated and advised clients in a wide range of industries, including construction, energy, finance, media and entertainment, legal, retail, technology, telecommunications, and transportation.

Heather Antoine joined Stoel Rives LLP as a partner in Sacramento. The move was Jan. 21, 2025.

Antoine's practice is also focused on protecting trademark rights and advising clients at all stages of brand management, from due diligence to registration and commercial transactions. She handles trademark clearance and selection, domestic and foreign trademark prosecution, Trademark Trial and Appeal Board (TTAB) enforcement, and licensing. In addition, she is well-versed in the related fields of trade secrets, copyrights, publicity rights, domain names, and strategic intellectual property counseling.