Hyongsoon Kim joined Morrison & Foerster LLP as a partner in Los Angeles.

Kim defends clients in complex commercial litigation, with a focus on high-value class actions and product-liability matters. His track record includes multiple class-certification denials as well as favorable dismissals at both the pleadings and summary-judgment stages. He has guided clients through class actions involving unfair-business-practices and false-advertising statutes in jurisdictions including California, New York, Texas, Michigan, Florida, and beyond. Hyongsoon also represents clients in litigation under the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA), the Electronic Communications Privacy Act, the Videotape Privacy Protection Act, and various securities-law claims.

Paul Lin joined Morrison & Foerster LLP as a partner in Los Angeles.

Lin advises clients on complex, cross-border transactions, including M&A, strategic investments, joint ventures, takeovers, real estate, and corporate finance. He also acts as outside general counsel for many clients, managing litigation relating to commercial disputes, antitrust, international trade, intellectual property, class action matters, and other areas.

John D. Drdek was promoted to partner of Hahn Loeser & Parks in San Diego. The promotion is effective Jan. 1, 2026.

Drdek is member of both the Litigation and Labor & Employment Groups and serves as a Commander in the U.S. Navy Reserve. He represents employers in complex litigation, including wage-and-hour class and representative actions, Private Attorneys General Act (PAGA) claims, and multi-million-dollar employment disputes. From startups to Fortune 500 companies, Drdek has successfully defended clients across a range of industries. He advises employers on risk mitigation, compliance, and pre-litigation resolution of workplace disputes. Drdek earned his J.D. from Stanford Law School and his B.A. from the University of Southern California.

Will Sterling was promoted to partner of Holland & Knight in San Francisco.

Sterling is a litigation attorney and a member of the West Coast Land Use and Environment Group. His practice focuses on the enforcement of California's recently strengthened housing laws, including the Housing Accountability Act (HAA), Builder's Remedy (Assembly Bill 1893), Housing Crisis Act of 2019 (Senate Bill 330), Permit Streamlining Act, Housing Element Law and California State Density Bonus Law.

Anna S. Ayar was promoted to partner of Holland & Knight in Century City.

Ayar is a real estate attorney in the Century City office, advising clients on balancing legal risk and business priorities in commercial real estate transactions across the U.S. With a deep understanding of property acquisition and real estate financing, Ayar guides clients through acquisitions, financings, joint ventures, leasing, development and disposition matters nationwide. She represents private and institutional investors, purchasers, owners, family offices and developers in complex transactions across a wide range of asset types, including office and industrial buildings, vacant land for development, multifamily, student housing, retail, mixed-use and hospitality projects.

Samuel J. Stone was promoted to partner of Holland & Knight in Los Angeles.

Stone is a trial attorney in the Los Angeles office and focuses his practice on high-stakes complex litigation and investigations, offering creative strategy to achieve goals in and out of litigation. He is a trusted advisor and crisis manager to some of the most successful companies in the world, including those in the financial services and banking, healthcare, advanced technology, defense and government, manufacturing and construction, transportation, and retail and hospitality industries. Stone's practice also includes advising on labor and employment matters for merger and acquisition (M&A) deals, representing management before the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB), in collective bargaining negotiating and in labor-management arbitration.

Sean D. Willet was promoted to partner of Holland & Knight in Newport Beach.

Willet's practice focuses on providing asset management and leasing representation to institutional real estate funds, real estate investment trusts (REITs) and other various ownership groups in connection with the ownership, operation, leasing and management of their retail, office and industrial real estate portfolios across the U.S. and in Canada.

Tara Sullivan joined Holland & Knight as a partner in San Francisco.

Sullivan is a member of Holland & Knight's West Coast Land Use and Environment Group. Sullivan has more than 15 years of extensive land use and policy experience in urban planning, historic preservation and zoning, and her practice focuses on complex zoning matters in San Francisco, advising clients on environmental laws, including the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and historic preservation issues. She has worked on large mixed-use projects in San Francisco, assisted owners and developers create new housing and establish emerging technology businesses, as well as worked with developers to revitalize the downtown core following the COVID-19 pandemic.

Marco Quazzo joined Rogers Joseph O'Donnell, P.C. as a shareholder in San Francisco.

Quazzo has more than 30 years of experience handling business, corporate governance, shareholder and real estate litigation matters. He has represented some of the largest companies in the United States, as well as privately held businesses, high-net-worth individuals, directors and officers, founders and trustees. Maintaining a versatile commercial litigation practice, Quazzo regularly handles disputes involving breach of contract, breach of fiduciary duty, fraud and other business torts. He also litigates partnership and shareholder disputes, corporate governance matters and disputes arising from the sale, purchase or leasing of real property. Quazzo's experience includes litigation involving manufacturers, distributors, suppliers and other business entities. He represents clients in bench and jury trials, arbitrations and mediations.

Nicholas O. von der Lancken was promoted to partner of Dykema Gossett PLLC in Los Angeles.

Von der Lancken regularly represents clients in product liability, personal injury, and general business litigation matters. Von der Lancken works with domestic and international clients across a broad range of industries, including automotive, manufacturing, technology, consumer products, and professional services.

Samantha J. Hughes was promoted to partner of Dykema Gossett PLLC in Los Angeles.

Hughes understands that a skilled litigator needs to be quick thinking, strategic, collaborative, and client focused. She has seen cases through trial, successfully resolved numerous matters through dispositive law and motion work, and obtained many favorable resolutions through negotiated settlements. Her extensive litigation experience ensures that she evaluates each case on its merits and vigorously defends her clients' interests both in and out of the courtroom. Having served as general counsel on a client's in-house legal team, Hughes understands that each case carries its own unique circumstances, so she works closely with each client to determine the most favorable outcome.

Lowenstein Sandler welcomes Matteo Daste as a partner in Palo Alto

Daste advises companies, investors, and entrepreneurs on venture financings, M&A, secondary transactions, and U.S. "flips." He has extensive experience in corporate, venture finance, governance, and cross-border transactions, particularly between Europe and the United States in the technology, fintech, and digital asset sectors. He represents domestic and foreign clients in mergers, acquisitions, reorganizations, and U.S. capital markets transactions, and is a frequent speaker on securities regulation and emerging markets in venues ranging from Stanford University to the Italian Parliament. Deeply engaged in international business and civic leadership, Daste is a founder of the Business Association Italy America, a founding board member of Mind the Bridge Foundation, a board member of Italian Community Services in San Francisco, and outside counsel to the Italian General Consulate in San Francisco.

Victor T. Chiu was promoted to partner of Keker, Van Nest & Peters LLP in San Francisco. The promotion is effective Jan. 1, 2026.

Chiu helps clients navigate novel legal issues at the intersection of intellectual property, software development, and advanced hardware systems. His practice centers on high-stakes copyright, contract, unfair competition, and technology-related litigation, including matters involving integrated-circuit design and verification and generative AI training systems.

Deeva V. Shah was promoted to partner of Keker, Van Nest & Peters LLP in San Francisco. The promotion is effective Jan. 1, 2026.

Shah represents technology companies and professionals in high-stakes commercial disputes, with a focus on intellectual property, complex contract litigation, and professional liability defense. She is known for disciplined and pragmatic case management, early risk assessment, and translating highly technical issues into clear litigation strategy.

Christine Zaleski was promoted to partner of Keker, Van Nest & Peters LLP in San Francisco. The promotion is effective Jan. 1, 2026.

Zaleski represents clients in complex commercial disputes, with a focus on defending technology companies in intellectual property matters. Her practice spans high-stakes contract, unfair competition, copyright, false advertising, and trade libel cases, as well as the defense of professional malpractice and fraud claims.

Niall Frizzell was promoted to counsel of Keker, Van Nest & Peters LLP in San Francisco.

Frizzell represents clients in complex commercial disputes across a wide range of industries and areas of law, including intellectual property, antitrust, contract, administrative law, arbitration, consumer protection, privacy, and constitutional litigation. He regularly litigates high-stakes financial, regulatory, and public-policy matters and is often engaged for his ability to master complex and novel subjects.

Candice Mai Khanh Nguyen was promoted to counsel of Keker, Van Nest & Peters LLP in San Francisco.

Nguyen represents clients that range from early-stage companies to Fortune 500 corporations in complex disputes. Her practice includes intellectual property, contract, and commercial litigation at the trial and appellate levels, as well as arbitration proceedings involving sophisticated technologies and high financial stakes.

Sabreen Noel Bensalem joined Rogers Joseph O'Donnell, P.C. as an associate in San Francisco. The move was Jan. 1, 2026.

Bensalem defends employers in a wide range of cases, including those involving wage and hour disputes, labor code violations, including those arising under the Private Attorneys General Act (PAGA), whistleblower claims, EEO claims (discrimination, harassment and retaliation claims), tort claims, trade secrets and contract disputes. She is experienced in preparing and responding to law and motion matters, written discovery, and in preparing mediation briefs and settlement agreements, and meet-and-confer letters. In addition to her litigation matters, Bensalem serves as a trusted advisor to clients, drafting employee handbooks as well as anti-harassment and anti-discrimination policies.

Erik M. Silber joined Dykema Gossett PLLC as senior counsel in Los Angeles.

Silber's experience spans both trial and appellate courts, where he helps clients navigate complex legal issues, craft persuasive arguments, and protect their rights at every stage of litigation. He has argued 36 appeals before the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals and previously served as chief of the Post-Conviction and Special Litigation Section at the U.S. Attorney's Office. In addition, he has supervised, edited, and filed hundreds of appellate briefs and participated in hundreds of moot courts to prepare colleagues for oral argument. As a trial lawyer, Silber has served as lead or solo counsel in six federal cases and directly supervised more than 40 federal trials as acting chief and deputy chief of the General Crimes Section, offering strategic guidance on all phases of trial, including preservation of appellate issues. He has also taught as an adjunct professor of criminal procedure at USC Gould School of Law and lectured on white collar crime and appellate advocacy at Loyola Law School.

Esmailian was promoted to partner of YOKA | SMITH, LLP effective Jan. 13, 2026.

Esmailian represents businesses and individuals as plaintiffs and defendants in California state and federal courts and has tried numerous cases to verdict. She has also achieved appellate success, prevailing on all issues raised by the plaintiff after the trial court granted a motion to dismiss. Before joining Yoka | Smith, LLP, Esmailian served as in-house trial counsel and a supervising attorney for an insurance company, focusing on civil defense and personal injury litigation. During law school, she was a judicial extern to Judge Neil W. Bason of the U.S. Bankruptcy Court and a law clerk in the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office, Family Violence Division. She is deeply committed to pro bono work and has successfully organized an international conference bringing together legal scholars and practitioners to address access to international justice for victims.

Ben Herbert joined Procopio, Cory, Hargreaves & Savitch LLP as a partner in Irvine. The move was Dec. 16, 2025.

Herbert brings significant experience in patent and trade secret litigation across a wide range of advanced technologies to an IP Litigation practice with a deep bench of seasoned litigators. He has represented technology companies in federal courts, before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, and before the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. His work spans digital communications, semiconductor architecture, medical devices, and other complex systems. He also advises clients on strategic patent issues and licensing.

Kevin M. Seibert joined JAMS as a neutral in Sacramento. The move was Jan. 12, 2026.

Judge Seibert joins after a decade on the Tuolumne County Superior Court and over 30 years in private practice. Appointed to the bench in 2015, Seibert served for 10 years on the Tuolumne County Superior Court, including roles as assistant presiding judge and presiding judge. Throughout his judicial career, he managed civil trial calendars, law and motion proceedings, and mandatory settlement conferences. While overseeing the court's civil calendars, he effectively resolved the majority of the hundreds of cases before him. Based in the Sacramento Resolution Center, Judge Seibert will work as an arbitrator, mediator, court-appointed neutral (such as a special master or referee), and neutral evaluator, handling cases in business and commercial law, real estate and property, construction, employment, professional liability, agriculture, banking, personal injury, and government sectors. He is available for sessions in person or virtually, serving clients nationwide and internationally.

Matthew G. Jacobs joined Lieff Cabraser Heimann & Bernstein LLP as a counsel in San Francisco.

Jacobs brings more than four decades of experience in complex litigation, government investigations, and public-sector leadership. Most recently, he served as general counsel of CalPERS, the nation's largest public pension fund, overseeing legal, compliance and risk, and information security functions, as well as the fund's affirmative and defensive litigation.

Rachel D. Kleinberg joined Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP as a partner in Palo Alto.

Kleinberg's practice covers the U.S. federal tax aspects of a wide array of transactional matters, focusing on the representation of corporate and private equity clients on M&A and private equity transactions, including joint ventures, spinoffs, and reorganizations, as well as associated acquisition financing transactions. She has significant experience with royalty financing transactions, as well as financial products and derivatives. Kleinberg also advises clients on international restructurings and planning, debt workouts, and bankruptcy restructurings.

Neil Salyards was promoted to partner of Procopio, Cory, Hargreaves & Savitch LLP in San Diego. The promotion is effective Jan. 12, 2026.

Salyards advises clients on domestic and international trademark and copyright matters, with an emphasis on building, protecting, and enforcing global brand portfolios. He works closely with in-house legal, marketing, and brand teams, as well as foreign counsel worldwide, to develop and execute cohesive, cross-border IP strategies. His practice spans trademark and copyright clearance, prosecution, and enforcement; worldwide trademark and trade dress protection; brand launches and advertising campaigns; licensing and right of publicity matters; and representation before the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office in prosecution, opposition, and cancellation proceedings. He also handles online brand enforcement, IP due diligence for mergers, acquisitions, and licensing transactions, and collaborates with litigators on IP disputes. In addition, Salyards leads Procopio's Sports & Active Lifestyle practice and represents clients across a broad range of industries.

Michael Nolan was promoted to partner of Procopio, Cory, Hargreaves & Savitch LLP in San Diego. The promotion is effective Jan. 12, 2026.

Nolan advises clients on construction and business litigation matters, with a focus on prosecuting and defending claims arising from public and private construction projects. His experience includes disputes involving contracts, construction defects, extra work, changed conditions, warranties, delays, disruption, acceleration, contract interpretation, mechanic's liens, stop notices, and payment and performance bonds. He also represents clients in a range of commercial litigation matters, including breach of contract, breach of fiduciary duty, fraud, and professional liability claims.

Rebecca J. Lee was promoted to partner of Venable LLP in Los Angeles.

Lee defends clients facing labor and employment issues related to sexual harassment, gender and disability, discrimination claims, and wage and hour matters. Lee also counsels clients on myriad employment issues, including leave requests, termination decisions, accommodations, and employment policies. She routinely negotiates employments deals on behalf of employers for high-level executives. She has experience in wage and hour class actions, Private Attorneys General Act (PAGA) cases, single-plaintiff cases in California federal and state courts, and arbitrations before JAMS and the American Arbitration Association (AAA). Prior to law school, Lee spent two years volunteering for the Peace Corps in Ecuador.

Bryan Weintrop was promoted to partner of Venable LLP in Los Angeles.

Weintrop practices complex commercial litigation for companies in the advertising, food and beverage, entertainment, car rental, real estate, and crypto-currency industries. Weintrop also has experience representing individuals in trust and estate litigation. Weintrop regularly represents clients in state and federal courts in a wide range of matters, including class actions, general business disputes, false advertising disputes, complex real estate transaction disputes, probate disputes, defamation defense, unfair competition defense, commercial unlawful detainer, and automotive repair regulatory defense. Weintrop also routinely briefs on complex issues before the California Court of Appeal and 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.

Matthew M. Wallace was promoted to counsel of Venable LLP in Los Angeles.

Wallace is a civil litigator who represents companies and individuals in complex cases in state and federal courts and before arbitrators. Wallace has represented clients in a variety of industries, including media and entertainment, pharmaceutical, cannabis, and professional services. He is particularly skilled at crafting compelling, persuasive legal arguments and framing clients' stories to their maximum advantage. He has drafted litigation documents, including pleadings, ex parte applications, discovery motions, and dispositive motions. He has also managed large-scale discovery and trial preparation.

Jeffrey A. Brand was promoted to counsel of Venable LLP in Los Angeles.

Brand has worked with employers of all sizes to defend them from a variety of employment lawsuits - from single-plaintiff cases to class action and representative action. Brand also provides his clients with practical employment advice on their day-to-day operations to help them navigate California's complicated employment laws.

Brian G. Fredkin was promoted to counsel of Venable LLP in Los Angeles.

Fredkin is certified by the State Bar of California's Board of Legal Specialization as a legal specialist in estate planning, trust, and probate law. He focuses his practice on estate and income tax planning and trust and estate administration for high-net-worth individuals. Fredkin has designed and drafted revocable trusts, wills, advanced healthcare directives, durable powers of attorney, irrevocable life insurance trusts, charitable remainder trusts, and grantor retained annuity trusts. He has obtained favorable private letter rulings, counseled clients through administration issues and tax exposures, and prepared and reviewed federal estate and gift tax returns.

Elizabeth M. Barket Kremser was promoted to counsel of Venable LLP in Los Angeles.

Barket Kremser advises clients on complex corporate transactions, commercial contracts, and general corporate matters, bringing experience in regulatory compliance, mergers and acquisitions (M&A), joint ventures, corporate governance, intellectual property (IP), land use, and real estate to her growing practice. Barket Kremser represents clients from a wide variety of industries, including healthcare, technology, and cannabis. Her practice includes drafting and negotiating entity formation documents and other key business documents, as well as cornerstone commercial contracts.

Sarah Hoffman was promoted to counsel of Venable LLP in San Francisco.

Hoffman has represented clients in a wide range of environmental and land use matters, including litigating citizen suits, navigating the permitting process, and defending against agency enforcement actions. Hoffman has extensive experience working with the California Environmental Quality Act, Clean Water Act, Clean Air Act, the Endangered Species Act, and California's Housing Accountability Act. She has represented both project developers and opponents, giving her insight into the litigation strategies employed on each side of environmental disputes.

Trevor R. Witt was promoted to principal of Jackson Lewis P.C. in Los Angeles.

Witt's experience includes handling a wide variety of employment matters, with an emphasis on complex wage and hour class actions and Private Attorney General Act (PAGA) claims. Witt guides employers through litigation and provides counsel on matters such as discrimination, harassment, employee discipline, and wage and hour compliance.

Peter M. Waneis was promoted to principal of Jackson Lewis P.C. in Los Angeles.

Waneis' practice focuses on representing employers in all types of employment-related litigation in state and federal courts and in arbitration, with an emphasis on litigating individual and class action cases involving wage and hour, discrimination, harassment, retaliation, wrongful termination, and related claims. While attending law school, Waneis clerked for Southern California Edison Company's Labor and Employment Section and was a legal intern at the Office of the Long Beach City Attorney.

Allen F. Acosta was promoted to principal of Jackson Lewis P.C. in Los Angeles.

Acosta's practice focuses on representing employers in workplace and labor law matters, including preventive advice and counseling and representing employers in labor negotiations and arbitrations. Acosta advises clients on compliance with federal, state and local employment laws, including Family and Medical Leave Act, California Family Rights Act, Fair Employment and Housing Act, Fair Labor Standards Act, National Labor Relations Act and Americans with Disabilities Act.

Jessica C. Shafer was promoted to principal of Jackson Lewis P.C. in San Francisco.

Shafer defends employers in high-stakes employment litigation and provides pragmatic counsel on day-to-day workplace issues and new and developing areas of the law. Shafer regularly represents companies in single-plaintiff matters involving claims of discrimination, harassment, retaliation, wrongful termination, unfair competition, and trade secret misappropriation. She also handles class and representative actions, including claims under the Private Attorneys General Act (PAGA), meal and rest break violations, off-the-clock work, and employee misclassification. Across her litigation practice, she has made dozens of appearances before courts, administrative agencies, arbitrators, and mediators.

Ronald Tran was promoted to principal of Jackson Lewis P.C. in San Francisco.

Tran regularly advocates on behalf of businesses that wind up in court, he is equally passionate about helping employers stay out of court. He does so through his preventative advice and counsel practice. Tran assists employers in their day-to-day management of their employees, including investigation of workplace complaints, training and development, discipline and termination, and severance negotiations.

Suzana I. Sinatra was promoted to principal of Jackson Lewis P.C. in San Diego.

Sinatra’s practice also includes providing advice and counsel to clients about offer letters and employment agreements, internal investigations, compliance with employment laws, reasonable accommodations, policy development, employee handbooks, disciplinary issues, and employee separation. With her in-depth knowledge of state and federal employment laws, she strives to help clients minimize risk and prevent matters from reaching litigation. She is a member of the California Advice and Counsel resource group, and Wage and Hour resource group.

Nikki L. Wilson Crary was promoted to principal of Jackson Lewis P.C. in Orange County.

Wilson Crary's practice is focused on counseling in the areas of employment litigation on behalf of management, Title IX Compliance, sports compliance, health and safety issues in sports, NAIA and NCAA compliance. She regularly counsels educational institutions on Title IX Compliance as well as conducts Title IX Investigations. Wilson Crary also practices employment litigation on behalf of management as well as advice and counsel on all employment issues, including OSHA Compliance. She has litigated single and multi-plaintiff cases, in both state and federal courts, as well as before state administrative agencies, on all aspects of employment law from wage and hour to harassment, discrimination, and disabilities cases. She also practices before such tribunals as the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, the California Civil Rights Department, the Department of Labor Standards Enforcement and the California Workers' Compensation Appeals Board.

Kimberley L. Litzler was promoted to principal of Jackson Lewis P.C. in Orange County.

Litzler's practice primarily focuses on representing employers in a broad range of employment law matters, including single plaintiff, class and representative matters. She also provides advice and counseling to clients on day-to-day workplace issues for clients throughout California. She is experienced in all stages of litigation, from case inception through trial or arbitration, and practices in both state and federal court. She served as second chair in a bench trial and has a proven track record of resolving a variety of class action/representative wage and hour claims and individual employment claims through mediation and direct negotiations.

Molly A. Jones was promoted to partner of Crowell & Moring LLP in San Francisco.

Jones focuses her practice on helping companies protect their technology assets, drawing on her deep litigation experience that encompasses the full range of intellectual property law, including patents, trade secrets, trademarks, and copyright issues. She serves as an editor of Crowell & Moring's Trade Secrets Trends blog, offering analysis and commentary on trade secrets protection, disputes, enforcement, and other closely-related areas, such as employment law and cybersecurity. She has co-authored amicus curiae briefs in two landmark patent cases at the U.S. Supreme Court.

Laura Schwartz was promoted to partner of Crowell & Moring LLP in Los Angeles.

Schwartz represents corporate and individual clients in high-stakes litigation, including healthcare fraud, intellectual property and trade secrets theft, data privacy, and related criminal investigations in state and federal courts. Her clients include Fortune 500 corporations, multinational health care services companies, investment bank and financial services companies, university systems, and technology start-ups.

Amy Karnikian was promoted to senior counsel of Crowell & Moring LLP in Los Angeles.

Karnikian advises airlines, high net worth individuals, and Fortune 500 corporate flight departments on operating structure matters such as leasing, timeshare, and fractional ownership agreements, as well as the sale and purchase of aircraft. Karnikian also advises investors on the regulatory impact of investment in aviation-related businesses or those that own and/or operate aircraft. Additionally, Karnikian advises commercial space clients on transactional and regulatory matters.

Allison Skager was promoted to counsel of Crowell & Moring LLP in Los Angeles.

Skager advises on legal issues related to complex transactions involving federal, state, and local government contractors, including national security reviews. Skager provides practical guidance tailored to companies' unique priorities--her clients range from startups pursuing their first federal award to mature contractors and financial sponsors tackling high stakes structuring and compliance questions.

Paul Park was promoted to counsel of Crowell & Moring LLP in Los Angeles.

Park focuses his practice encompasses a broad spectrum of complex civil and criminal matters, including commercial and financial services litigation, government investigations, and enforcement actions. He previously served as a prosecutor at the New York County District Attorney's Office. In this role, he managed hundreds of misdemeanor and felony cases from arrest to resolution. His prosecutorial experience includes presenting over two dozen cases to the grand jury and acting as first and second chair in two jury trials.

Kevin D. Cacabelos was promoted to counsel of Crowell & Moring LLP in San Francisco.

Cacabelos focuses on education, artificial intelligence, and technology law. His experience spans a wide array of legal issues, particularly those affecting universities, educational institutions, and non-profit organizations. He advises clients on issues including DEI programs and policies, federal funding, admissions, and scholarships. He provides compliance counseling on state and federal law, such Title VI, Section 1981, and Section 504.

Jonathan Camello was promoted to counsel of Crowell & Moring LLP in San Francisco.

Camello represents emerging companies ranging from pre-seed stage through IPO and helps them scale by acting as a business-minded outside general counsel throughout the client's lifecycle. Camello provides guidance on company formations, ongoing corporate governance and securities matters. Camello also advises venture capital funds and corporate investors on their investment transactions and portfolio company matters. He regularly advises clients on a wide range of corporate transactions, including debt financings, venture capital financings, mergers and acquisitions, recapitalizations and reorganizations.

Melissa M. Nguyen was promoted to counsel of Crowell & Moring LLP in Orange County.

Nguyen uses her experience in antitrust investigations and litigation to effectively support her clients' needs. Nguyen represents corporate clients across a broad range of industries, including transportation, healthcare, and digital media, in complex antitrust litigation under both state and federal antitrust laws.

Tiffany Aguiar was promoted to counsel of Crowell & Moring LLP in Orange County.

Aguiar represents clients in matters related to investigations brought by the Federal Trade Commission and State Attorneys General. She is also a litigator with a practice that focuses on representing Fortune 500 companies across various industries in complex antitrust litigation.

Carolina de Armas was promoted to partner of Farella Braun + Martel LLP in San Francisco.

De Armas works with Farella Braun + Martel's renewable energy, wine, and construction clients on a broad range of transactional matters. From mergers and acquisitions to day-to-day business management, including corporate governance, commercial contracts, and long-term planning, De Armas helps large and small clients navigate a strategic course efficiently, maximizing opportunity while managing risk.

Benjamin R. Buchwalter was promoted to partner of Farella Braun + Martel LLP in San Francisco.

Buchwalter specializes in working with companies to manage and mitigate employment law risks to achieve their business goals. He has deep experience defending companies in single-plaintiff and class and representative action lawsuits related to discrimination, retaliation, harassment, leaves of absence, wage and hour compliance, and requests for accommodations. Through his experience defending companies of all sizes in litigation and as an in-house employment attorney, Buchwalter always strives to understand what is most important to his clients in order to reach the best company-tailored resolution of disputes.

Hannah Kieschnick joined Gupta Wessler LLP as a counsel in San Francisco. The move was Jan. 5, 2026.

Kieschnick litigates complex public interest and plaintiff-side cases across the country. She formerly served as senior attorney at Public Justice, where she successfully achieved justice for last-mile delivery drivers in Adler v. Gruma Corp., and preserved consumers' right to seek relief in court against opaque digital contracting practices in Parisi v. GreenSky, LLC.

Brian C. Barnes was promoted to partner of Knobbe Martens in Irvine.

Barnes focuses his practice on protecting his clients' innovations through strategic patent litigation across biotechnology, pharmaceuticals, medical devices, and other complex technologies. He represents innovators and companies in intellectual property disputes, guiding them through infringement actions and defenses with a practical, results-driven approach.

Ben K. Shiroma was promoted to partner of Knobbe Martens in Los Angeles.

Shiroma represents clients in all types of high-stakes intellectual property disputes, with a focus on patent and trade secret litigation. Shiroma understands that every case, big or small, is an important case and takes the time to understand his clients' goals, businesses, and technology.

Dr. Makoto Tsunozaki was promoted to partner of Knobbe Martens in San Francisco.

Tsunozaki focuses his practice on helping clients build, protect, and deploy their intellectual property assets with a global perspective. Tsunozaki's practice includes client counseling and global portfolio management in intellectual property, patent prosecution, IP due diligence, and licensing. He has experience in a wide range of technologies, including biopharmaceuticals, biotechnology, bioinformatics, diagnostics, personalized medicine, medical devices, microelectromagnetic systems (MEMS), and computer software.

Rafick Issagholian was promoted to counsel of Goldberg Segalla in Los Angeles.

Issagholian focuses his practice on counseling and defending employers, insurers, and third-party administrators in workers' compensation matters. Issagholian handles all aspects of the litigation process from beginning to end, including pre-litigation discovery, depositions, hearings, petitions, mediations, settlement, and trial. He draws on experience representing clients in a variety of workers' compensation matters as well as personal injury matters while in civil practice.

Mindy C. Hsu was promoted to partner of Goldberg Segalla in Orange County.

For over 10 years, Hsu has specialized in workers' compensation law across southern California, mainly representing employers, insurance carriers, and third-party administrators. She manages every part of the claims process, from developing case work-ups for exposure analysis and settlement options to handling discovery, conferences, trials, cross-examinations, depositions of medical experts, as well as settlement negotiations, hearings, and appeals.

Jeffrey M. Zech was promoted to partner of Goldberg Segalla in Orange County.

Zech focuses his practice on counseling and defending a number of retail and hospitality companies in commercial matters and civil disputes in state and federal courts throughout California. He has handled a variety of litigation and transactional matters for Fortune 500 companies, national and regional retailers, and corporate clients, including personal injury and general liability. Zech manages all aspects of litigation including pleadings, discovery, law and motion, mediation, and appellate work.

Min J. Yu was promoted to partner of Goldberg Segalla in Orange County.

Yu has nearly a decade of experience representing employers, insurers, and third-party administrators in workers' compensation matters in venues throughout southern and central California. She manages the defense for a wide range of employers as well as staffing companies and professional employer organizations. Yu has extensive experience analyzing medical reports and MSAs, preparing pleadings, and providing clients with appropriate settlement recommendations. She also handles claim file reviews with various insureds and employers. Before joining private practice, Yu was an in-house counsel in the workers' compensation department at a major insurance company.

Emma Tavmasyan was promoted to partner of Goldberg Segalla in Los Angeles.

Tavmasyan dedicates her practice to counseling and defending employers, insurance carriers, and third-party administrators in complex workers' compensation matters throughout California. She has extensive experience managing all phases of litigation, ranging from evaluating claims and developing case strategy to analyzing medical records, deposing claimants and physicians, preparing motions and petitions, and handling hearings and trials. Before focusing on workers' compensation matters, Tavmasyan gained experience while practicing immigration law.

Hannah Jiam was promoted to partner of Morrison & Foerster LLP in San Francisco.

Jiam's practice focuses on the intersection of technology and law, and she brings extensive experience counseling clients and litigating patent, copyright, trademark, and administrative law matters involving a broad range of technologies, including software, medical devices, and pharmaceutical drugs.

Camila A. Tapernoux was promoted to partner of Morrison & Foerster LLP in San Francisco.

Tapernoux's practice focuses on complex litigation, with an emphasis on class actions and commercial matters. She has extensive experience representing technology firms, consumer products companies, and healthcare providers in class action cases and complex commercial disputes, including unfair competition, false advertising, privacy, and product liability matters. She has also represented clients in numerous intellectual property matters, including patent, copyright, and trade secret litigation. She has experience in all stages of the litigation process, including pleadings, motion practice, electronic discovery, preliminary injunctions, depositions, summary judgment motions, oral argument, and trial.

Yuan Xia was promoted to partner of Morrison & Foerster LLP in Palo Alto.

Xia's practice focuses on the transactional aspects of executive compensation matters in the context of domestic and cross-border mergers, acquisitions, divestitures, private equity investments, public offerings, and restructurings. Xia also provides ongoing executive compensation advice to emerging companies and venture capital backed clients as well as publicly traded companies on a wide range of day-to-day compensation, equity, and governance matters

Sumaiya Sharmeen was promoted to partner of Morrison & Foerster LLP in Palo Alto.

Sharmeen's practice focuses on high-stakes patent and trade secret disputes in the life sciences and biotechnology sectors. She has significant experience representing leading innovators in matters involving biologics, antibody-drug conjugates, gene therapy, and bio-manufacturing technologies. Sharmeen has litigated across multiple forums, including federal district courts, the Patent Trial and Appeal Board, and arbitration tribunals. She also advises clients on patent portfolio development, pre-suit investigations, and strategic IP counseling.

Dana Silva was promoted to partner of Saul Ewing LLP in Los Angeles. The promotion is effective Jan. 1, 2026.

Silva handles business litigation and general civil suits. She has experience with breach of contract, fiduciary duty, trade secret disputes, fraudulent conveyance, unfair competition and shareholder disputes. She litigates trademark infringement claims in federal court. She also has experience with employment issues including wage and hour, and PAGA.

Zachary Timm was promoted to partner of K&L Gates in Los Angeles. The promotion is effective Jan. 1, 2026.

Timm focuses his practice on intellectual property litigation, labor and employment related litigation, business litigation, and class action defense. He has represented public and private companies in litigation involving claims for trade secrets misappropriation, tortious interference, employment discrimination, wrongful termination, wage and hour violations, breach of contract, false advertising, unfair competition, and fraud.

Neil A. Eddington was promoted to partner of K&L Gates in Los Angeles. The promotion is effective Jan. 1, 2026.

Eddington handles a wide range of employment-related cases; he is most often called upon to leverage his experience in litigating and advising on wage and hour issues. Eddington oversees single plaintiff and collective actions (class action and PAGA claims) alleging wage and hour violations, including regular rate of pay, overtime, and meal and rest break issues, among others.

Valerie R. Chrissakis was promoted to partner of Wesierski & Zurek, LLP in Lake Forest. The promotion is effective Jan. 1, 2026.

Prior to joining Wesierski & Zurek in March 2025, Chrissakis served as a judge of the Kings County Superior Court, where she was appointed in December 2017 and remained until her retirement in February 2025.

During her tenure, she held leadership roles as assistant presiding judge and as presiding judge of the court's Family Law Division, and presided over a wide range of civil and criminal calendars.

Chrissakis also served as an appointed member of the California Judges Association Civil Law & Procedure Committee and the California Judicial Council's Unlawful Detainer, Small Claims, and Civil Advisory Committee.

Before her judicial appointment, she was a staff attorney with the Kings County Superior Court and served as a temporary judge from 2009 to 2017. Earlier in her career, she practiced civil litigation as an associate in Visalia and San Mateo from 1997 to 2006.

Layne M. Bukovskis was promoted to partner of Wesierski & Zurek, LLP in Lake Forest. The promotion is effective Jan. 1, 2026.

Bukovskis has been a member of the firm since September 2021 and brings decades of litigation experience across a broad range of practice areas, including medical and dental malpractice defense, construction defect litigation, and representation of amusement park clients in both civil litigation and administrative proceedings.

His current practice focuses on general civil liability matters, including personal injury, habitability, lemon law, premises liability, insurance defense, and related litigation. He represents clients at all stages of litigation and has experience in trials, administrative hearings, and appellate practice.

Bukovskis began his career in medical and dental malpractice defense and has since represented a diverse clientele ranging from large institutional clients to small businesses and individuals. He is admitted to practice before all California state courts and the U.S. District Courts for the Southern and Central Districts of California.

He earned his juris doctorate from the University of San Diego School of Law in 1992 and a Bachelor of Science in biological sciences from the University of California, Irvine in 1988, and was admitted to the California Bar in November 1992.

Abraham S. Odabachian was promoted to partner of Wesierski & Zurek, LLP in Lake Forest. The promotion is effective Jan. 1, 2026.

Odabachian's practice spans a broad range of matters, including premises liability, public entity defense, business litigation, anti-SLAPP, lemon law, and personal injury. He has developed particular experience handling cases involving retail operations, grocery stores, truck accidents, and other complex premises liability matters.

He represents clients at all stages of litigation and has served as co-lead and second chair in bench and jury trials. Odabachian has achieved favorable results for clients, including summary judgment victories in complex cases, and is known for his strategic approach to litigation and negotiation.

Odabachian earned his juris doctorate from Pepperdine Law School in 2016, after graduating summa cum laude from California State University, Northridge with a Bachelor of Arts in philosophy and comparative religions. During law school, he clerked with the Los Angeles City Attorney's Office in the Employment Litigation Division. He was admitted to the California State Bar in 2016 and began his career at a boutique litigation firm before joining Wesierski & Zurek.