Harrison Brown was promoted to partner of Blank Rome LLP in Los Angeles.

Brown's practice encompasses a wide range of complex litigation and class action defense, with an emphasis on fraud, consumer protection, and privacy disputes. His strong business acumen, courtroom skills, and appellate experience make Harrison a trusted advocate for his clients.

Erica A. Swensson was promoted to of counsel of Blank Rome LLP in Los Angeles.

Swensson has focused her career on helping individuals face their matrimonial matters with dignity. She concentrates her practice on complex matrimonial issues, including pre- and post-nuptial agreements, inter-state jurisdictional disputes, move-away cases, division of intricate financial estates, privacy and protective orders, contentious custody cases, spousal support, and attorneys' fees.

Ellis E. Herington joined BraunHagey & Borden LLP as associate in San Francisco.

Herington has substantial experience with securities litigation, shareholder derivative suits, and other complex commercial disputes. She has served as a strategic corporate advisor to companies and worked on internal investigations. She has a dedicated pro bono practice where she has represented clients in civil rights litigation and housing and domestic violence disputes.

An Nguyen Ruda was promoted to co-managing principal of Bartko Zankel Bunzel & Miller APC in San Francisco.

Ruda is co-chair of the Labor and Employment practice group. She takes a problem-solving approach to personnel issues brought by her clients whether it be advice, counseling, collective bargaining, or litigation. She has and seeks long-term legal and business relationships with her clients. She would much rather provide compliance review and strategic advice on the front end, rather than have clients pay for litigation on the back end.

Andrew M. Silver was promoted to principal of Much Shelist in Newport Beach, CA.

Silver is a corporate attorney who represents privately held businesses and private equity firms. He often serves as outside general counsel, advising owners, investors, and C-suite executives. In his transactional work, Andrew manages mergers, acquisitions, and restructurings.

Jesse Brody was promoted to equity partner of Manatt, Phelps & Phillips in Los Angeles.

Brody's practice includes ensuring legal compliance for companies in the technology, entertainment, advertising, retail, financial services, automotive and consumer products industries. He is primarily focused on advertising and marketing, privacy, e-commerce, and intellectual property matters.

Thomas Michael was promoted to equity partner of Manatt, Phelps & Phillips in Los Angeles.

Michael represents founding entrepreneurs and venture-backed companies at every phase of their life cycle. Having represented companies in over $1 billion of venture capital financing transactions, his practice focuses on venture capital and private equity growth stage financings as well as mergers and acquisitions and commercial transactions.

Brandon Reilly was promoted to equity partner of Manatt, Phelps & Phillips in Costa Mesa.

Reilly is a trusted go-to adviser on privacy and data security issues for a sophisticated client base, including consulting, counseling, regulatory enforcement and litigation. He is skilled at developing business-focused privacy and security frameworks aimed at mitigating future enforcement and litigation risk. Reilly's practice includes a wide array of consumer protection and privacy matters, including data privacy, security compliance and procedures, and data breach responses.

Matthew Williamson was promoted to equity partner of Manatt, Phelps & Phillips in Costa Mesa.

Williamson is an environmental lawyer who regularly advises clients on matters relating to complex permitting and enforcement matters and all other aspects of compliance with federal, state and local environmental laws and regulations. He represents clients in litigation, administrative proceedings and enforcement actions, including on matters involving hazardous waste, water, clean air, FIFRA/pesticides, Prop 65 and natural resources, among others.

Sophia Yen was promoted to equity partner of Manatt, Phelps & Phillips in Los Angeles.

Yen represents clients in a variety of commercial sectors, counseling both lenders and borrowers in debt financing transactions. She also advises entertainment industry clients on debt and equity finance deals as well as other transactional matters.

Brandon Young was promoted to equity partner of Manatt, Phelps & Phillips in Los Angeles.

Young's practice focuses on representing clients in all phases of public and private procurement, including local, state and federal government contracts. He also has experience with commercial contracts involving bridges, tunnels, rail transit, nuclear remediation, information technology and various government service providers.

Megan Ingraham was promoted to managing director of Manatt, Phelps & Phillips in San Francisco.

Ingraham advises health care leaders on priority issues related to their strategic direction, organizational transformation and the ever-evolving policy landscape. She works with large health systems, health plans, state and local governments, and foundations.

Sarah Moses was promoted to partner of Manatt, Phelps & Phillips in Los Angeles.

Moses focuses her practice on a variety of complex litigation and commercial disputes. A significant portion of her practice is dedicated to white collar criminal defense work, representing high-net-worth individuals, politicians and companies in government investigations and prosecutions, and guiding companies through internal investigations.

Tara Shabahang was promoted to partner of Manatt, Phelps & Phillips in San Francisco.

Shabahang's practice focuses on real estate transactions, including acquisitions and dispositions, development, joint ventures, leasing, financing and construction.

Kier Wallis was promoted to managing director of Manatt, Phelps & Phillips in San Francisco.

Wallis helps private and public clients navigate the rapidly evolving health care landscape. Using her knowledge of delivery system and payment reform, coverage and access, and health information technology and exchange, she assists clients in program development and implementation.

Jessica Wood was promoted to partner of Manatt, Phelps & Phillips in Los Angeles.

Wood focuses her practice on intellectual property transactions, including domestic and foreign trademark prosecution, maintenance and enforcement, copyright registration and content protection, licensing and transfers of rights, domain name proceedings, ex parte and inter partes proceedings before the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, and litigation in U.S. Federal District Courts.

John Meller was promoted to counsel of Manatt, Phelps & Phillips in Los Angeles.

Meller's practice focuses on music transactions, including negotiating and drafting agreements in the music industry.

David Levine joined Harvest LLP as partner in Los Angeles.

Levine is a veteran attorney with decades of industry experience and a particular expertise in the acquisition, management, financing and leasing of hotels and other hospitality products. He also has significant experience with all asset classes, including multifamily, single-family rental, hotel, industrial and office, and advises clients in a variety of matters involving real estate development, acquisition, construction, financing, land banking and joint venture transactions. Levine's clients include national and regional developers, REITs, institutional investors, public and private companies, and high-net-worth individuals.

Julie Scher joined Harvest LLP as associate in San Diego.

Concentrating on complex commercial litigation matters and internal investigations, Scher has represented a variety of clients across a wide array of businesses, including the commercial real estate, life sciences and healthcare industries. At Harvest, she focuses her practice on representing commercial real estate landlords in a wide variety of real estate-related disputes, and representing real estate owners, lenders and court-appointed receivers in workouts, bankruptcies and other high-stakes disputes.

David M. Keithly was promoted to partner of Mortenson Taggart Adams LLP in Irvine.

Keithly's practice focuses on complex business litigation, breach of warranty litigation, employment law counseling and litigation, and contract disputes. He has represented clients in high-stakes litigation matters in state and federal courts across the United States, including class action litigation.

Robert A. Schultz was promoted to partner of Mortenson Taggart Adams LLP in Irvine.

Schultz is an experienced complex commercial litigator and trial attorney who has represented and litigated against a variety of clients, including Fortune 500 companies, mid-market companies, nascent startups, and individuals. Utilizing his business background, Bob has developed a keen sense for aligning his clients’ legal goals with their business goals and achieving both.

Sherry S. Hamilton was promoted to partner of Mortenson Taggart Adams LLP in Irvine.

Hamilton’s practice focuses on employment law, unfair competition, intellectual property rights, state and federal franchise laws, products liability, and general business disputes. Sherry has represented clients in a wide range of industries, including automotive, sports and fitness, security services, and restaurant and food services.

Jonah M. Mekebri joined Duckor Metzger & Wynne, A Professional Law Corporation as associate in San Diego.

Mekebri served as a legal intern for the Placer County District Attorney's Office and held other positions with political offices and campaigns.

Nathaniel R. Smith joined Duckor Metzger & Wynne, A Professional Law Corporation as senior counsel in San Diego.

Smith focuses on finding the best outcomes for clients at the earliest litigation stage. Clients rely on him to help them navigate complex and difficult challenges. Utilizing his years of experience, including as a litigator at one of the nation’s largest law firms and as an in-house attorney, Smith works strategically to help individuals and businesses resolve disputes efficiently and with optimal outcomes.

James H. Sipple joined Duckor Metzger & Wynne, A Professional Law Corporation as shareholder in San Diego.

Sipple has more than 20 years of experience practicing business law and managing all aspects of trust and estates for clients. He advises clients in developing and implementing comprehensive estate plans and provides guidance on more advanced tax planning strategies for larger, tax-sensitive estates.

Joseph M. Welch joined Blank Rome LLP as partner in Orange County.

Welch represents secured and unsecured creditors in all elements of insolvency and bankruptcy matters and documents multimillion-dollar loan transactions secured by property and personal collateral. Additionally, he counsels clients in lending, leasing, and real estate matters. He has served as lead counsel in representing investors, large banks, lenders, and international and Fortune 100 companies.

Cynthia G. Aaron joined Judicate West as neutral in San Diego.

Justice Aaron has nearly four decades of combined legal experience, including serving the last 20 years on the appellate bench. During her judicial tenure, she resolved all types of cases on appeal, including complex civil, probate and family law matters. Prior to her 2003 appointment to the Court of Appeal, she served as a magistrate judge in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California, a position she held for eight years.

R. Brent Wisner was promoted to managing partner of Wisner Baum LLP formerly Baum Hedlund Aristei & Goldman, PC, in Los Angeles.

Wisner oversees all mass tort litigation, focusing on pharmaceutical product liability, toxic torts, and consumer fraud class actions.

Ben Davis was promoted to partner of Wilson Elser in Los Angeles.

Davis focuses his practice on achieving a resolution-oriented approach while representing large businesses in commercial transportation, complex tort and premises liability cases.

Shannon L. Santos was promoted to partner of Wilson Elser in Los Angeles.

Santos handles a diverse range of matters on behalf of insurers, including coverage and extra-contractual litigation, coverage advice and defense of insurers.

Lisa S. Passalacqua was promoted to partner of Wilson Elser in San Francisco.

Passalacqua maintains a civil litigation practice, with trial work defending product manufacturers, trucking and premises liability cases.

Juliana Salfiti was promoted to partner of Wilson Elser in San Francisco.

Salfiti is an accomplished trial attorney with vast experience in complex and commercial litigation, insurance defense, transportation, toxic tort, premises liability, general business advice and counseling companies on risk management.

Marty B. Ready was promoted to partner of Wilson Elser in San Diego.

Ready is an experienced litigation and trial attorney primarily focused on complex commercial and intellectual property litigation, including trade secret misappropriation, patent infringement, breach of fiduciary duty and business torts. In addition, as a registered patent attorney, he provides counsel to corporations to help reduce the risks of litigation and defend their intellectual property assets.

Justina L. Tate was promoted to partner of Wilson Elser in San Diego.

Tate is licensed in California and Oregon, defends business entities and individuals against a range of complex personal injury and commercial tort matters involving technology, transportation, and products.

Trevor R. Witt was promoted to partner of Roxborough, Pomerance, Nye & Adreani in Woodland Hills.

Witt focuses his practice on representing employers before federal and state courts in both complex class actions and individual claims asserted by employees. He regularly advises and counsels clients about workplace issues, policies, and practices, providing out-of-the-box strategies for dealing with complex issues.

Vincent Gannuscio was promoted to partner of Roxborough, Pomerance, Nye & Adreani in Woodland Hills.

Gannuscio represents insureds in coverage and bad faith matters against insurers, worker’s compensation claims disputes, and has a wide-ranging business/commercial litigation practice. He has been part of some of RPNA’s most high-profile cases over his tenure.

Ashley Breakfield was promoted to partner of Farella Braun + Martel LLP in San Francisco.

Breakfield, a real estate transactional lawyer and former environmental litigator, represents large-scale urban developers, real estate investors, renewable energy companies, and private property owners in sophisticated land use and real estate matters.

Sushila Chanana was promoted to partner of Farella Braun + Martel LLP in San Francisco.

Chanana, a high-stakes technology litigator, co-leads Farella's Platforms Initiative and Privacy and Cybersecurity Practice. She represents companies in general business litigation and IP matters, including trademark, copyright, trade secrets, patent, and privacy disputes.

Rebecca Stephens was promoted to partner of Farella Braun + Martel LLP in San Francisco.

Stephens, an employment advisor and litigator, co-leads Farella's Consumer Products Initiative. Rebecca counsels employers ranging from small businesses to global corporations on developing and implementing sound workplace policies, conducting investigations, managing accommodations and leaves of absence, and administering separations from employment.

Sharon Smith joined Goodwin Procter LLP as partner in San Francisco.

Smith focuses on complex trials, and business and intellectual property litigation, including trademark infringement, copyright infringement, patent infringement, false advertising, unfair business practices, business torts, trade secrets, fraud, defamation, and breach of contract matters. In the biotechnology, medical device and technology industries, she represents clients in high-stakes contested matters including 22 trials and arbitrations. She also represents clients across these industries in prosecuting, enforcing, and minimizing risk related to intellectual property and trade secret matters.

Bailey Heaps was promoted to partner of Keker, Van Nest & Peters in San Francisco.

Heaps represents clients in a range of high-stakes civil litigation. He has handled cases in federal and state courts throughout the country for several leading tech and biotech companies, including the former shareholders of FerroKin BioSciences, Scripps Research Institute, Calithera Biosciences, Nextiva, and Zscaler.

Katie Lynn Joyce was promoted to partner of Keker, Van Nest & Peters in San Francisco.

Joyce has handled high-stakes commercial and intellectual-property matters in a wide range of industries and litigations, including for Netflix, Crexi, Google, Zscaler, Instacart, and Kitty Hawk. Katie Lynn has played a central role on several trial teams, including an arbitration that secured a multi-million-dollar award and recovered attorneys' fees for former shareholders of a tech company.

Chris Sun was promoted to partner of Keker, Van Nest & Peters in San Francisco.

Sun maintains a broad practice representing major corporations in matters ranging from complex commercial litigation, class action defense, and intellectual property disputes. Chris helped win a complete defense verdict in a rare class action trial threatening more than $150 million in damages against his client Public Storage.

Kristin Hucek was promoted to of counsel of Keker, Van Nest & Peters in San Francisco.

Hucek represents clients in high-stakes commercial disputes and a broad spectrum of intellectual property litigation. She has played a key role on several trial teams, including the team that defended Qualcomm against an antitrust lawsuit brought by the FTC that challenged the company's licensing practices, and on appeal, secured the reversal of the lower court's order granting a preliminary injunction in the case.

Ian Kanig was promoted to of counsel of Keker, Van Nest & Peters in San Francisco.

Kanig focuses his practice on complex civil cases, sophisticated commercial disputes, and civil rights actions. He has particular experience litigating in San Francisco federal court, where he recently secured a dismissal with prejudice for Google of a nationwide consumer class action alleging the secret collection of third-party app data from Android phones.

Agatha H. Liu joined Duane Morris LLP as partner in Silicon Valley.

Dr. Liu concentrates her practice on IP analysis, portfolio management and strategic counseling. She routinely advises investors, business owners and inventors on all areas of IP related to computer technology. Liu also speaks and writes extensively on different IP topics, such as eligibility for IP protection, IP protection for emerging technology and global IP protection. Prior to entering the legal profession, Liu held positions in technology and management consulting. She has a significant research background in artificial intelligence as applied to internet communications, database system management, computational biology and speech recognition.

Amanda R. Wolin was promoted to partner of Cox, Castle & Nicholson LLP in Los Angeles.

Wolin specializes in representing different types of lenders, including national and regional banks, insurance companies and private lenders, in connection with real estate financing transactions. She has experience with a wide variety of real estate finance transactions, including acquisition and development loans, bridge loans, construction loans and mezzanine loans, and a broad range of product types, including commercial, multifamily, hotel, and retail projects. She also has experience with secondary market transactions, such as "loan-on-loan" deals, and asset management work, including loan assumptions and loan modifications. Throughout the course of a transaction, Wolin is an expert at structuring transactions, drafting and negotiating loan documents, analyzing diligence materials, and coordinating transaction logistics and closings.

Kelly Lucinda Galligan was promoted to partner of Rutan & Tucker LLP in Irvine.

Galligan is a corporate attorney with an emphasis on mergers and acquisitions, private equity, and corporate governance. She has experience in an array of corporate transactions, including representing acquirers and target companies in stock and asset acquisitions and divestitures, mergers of privately held companies, joint venture transactions, and private equity investments. Her mergers and acquisitions practice is focused on the middle market with transaction values ranging between $5 million and $500 million. Galligan is a Past President of the Orange County Women Lawyers Association and currently serves on the Board of Directors of the Orange County Bar Association.

Samantha L.G. Papuchis was promoted to partner of Rutan & Tucker LLP in Irvine.

Papuchis is a litigator who specializes in class action defense, as well as litigation involving business contracts, business torts, and probate and trust disputes. Papuchis has significant experience in all aspects of litigation, from the pleading stage through trial. Prior to joining the firm, Papuchis served a federal clerkship for the Honorable Ronald M. Gould at the U.S. Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals in Seattle, Washington.

Kelsey Quist was promoted to partner of Rutan & Tucker LLP in Irvine.

Quist is actively involved in all aspects of litigation through trial, with particular success in mediating and settling several high exposure cases. She works closely with many of Rutan's high profile city clients and is responsible for interfacing with and advising Rutan's city clients' police departments, which includes reviewing "Use of Force" policies, revising and negotiating contracts, defending Pitchess motions, advising executive staff on COVID-19 enforcement issues, and responding to subpoenas, discovery requests, and Public Records Act requests. She is also responsible for overseeing the training and implementation of Gun Violence Restraining Order programs amongst local law enforcement agencies designed to combat increased gun violence statewide.

Jordan Tessier was promoted to partner of Rutan & Tucker LLP in Irvine.

Tessier advises commercial real estate professionals in all aspects of the acquisition and disposition process, including negotiating purchase agreements, advising during due diligence, performing title review, and ensuring a timely and organized closing. His practice also includes representing real estate owners in a variety of real estate financing transactions, including acquisition, construction and permanent real estate secured loans from banks, insurance companies, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. Additionally, he advises his clients on other general real estate matters, such as drafting and negotiating leases, CC&Rs, easements, and other commercial real estate documentation, advising clients on title insurance matters, and assisting in the structuring and formation of entities. His practice covers a wide range of asset types, including land, industrial, retail, office, multi-family housing and mixed-use developments. He is an active member of NAIOP, a graduate of the NAIOP Young Professionals Group, and a current member of the NAIOP YPG Alumni Committee.

William "Bill" Metke was promoted to partner of The Mitzel Group in San Francisco.

Metke's practice focuses on all aspects of employment law counseling and litigation. His approach emphasizes anticipating and avoiding potential future risks while strategizing to foster workplace culture. He is a trusted counselor to small and mid-sized employers, supporting and advising clients across a wide range of industries, nonprofit organizations, and businesses. With 20 years of experience as a civil litigator, Bill has represented numerous clients before California and Federal courts, administrative bodies and in private arbitration.

Vick K. Mansourian was promoted to partner of Foley Mansfield in Los Angeles.

Mansourian concentrates his practice on products liability, toxic tort, and complex asbestos litigation. For over 20 years, he has defended companies in a wide range of industries, including manufacturers/suppliers of joint compounds, stucco, flooring, brakes, brake grinders, gaskets, wiring, pumps, valves, and roofing products.

Whitney Erin Street was promoted to partner of Hagens Berman Sobol Shapiro LLP in Berkeley.

Street has served in leadership positions for various multi-district litigation cases. She joined the firm in November 2021 and has been heavily involved in the firm's antitrust matters affecting the price of chicken and pork. She served as a member of the litigation team representing direct purchasers in In re: Broiler Chicken Antitrust Litig. and In re: Pork Antitrust Litig. To date, approximately $200 million has been obtained on behalf of direct purchasers in the Broilers matter, and $107.5 million has been obtained on behalf of direct purchasers in the Pork matter. Both cases are ongoing against remaining defendants.

Stephanie Roque-Hurtado joined Murphy, Pearson, Bradley & Feeney P.C. as associate in San Francisco.

Roque-Hurtado counsels clients in a wide variety of matters relating to professional liability and civil litigation. While attending law school, she interned for the U.S. District Judge Haywood S. Gilliam, the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office and the ACLU of Northern California. As a student, she was an editor on the University of San Francisco Law Review and a member of Moot Court.

Robert Roth was promoted to partner of Complex Appellate Litigation Group in San Francisco.

Roth is widely regarded as one of the leading family law appellate specialists in California. He has over 30 years' experience as an appellate practitioner and more than 25 published (and scores of unpublished) appellate opinions to his name.

Cheryl L Kozdrey was promoted to partner of Saxe Doernberger & Vita, P.C. in Temecula.

Kozdrey represents national and local healthcare organizations through complex D&O coverage litigation, as well as commercial property and business interruption claims. In addition, she advises risk managers, in-house counsel, insurance brokers, and other industry professionals on optimal risk transfer strategies and insurance solutions, including key considerations for Commercial General Liability, Professional Liability, and Builders Risk policies.

Angela Yu was promoted to shareholder of Miller Starr Regalia in Walnut Creek.

Yu focuses her practice on complex business litigation in both federal and state courts. From 2014 through 2019, she was recognized as a "Northern California Super Lawyer - Rising Star" in business litigation.