David Kwasniewski was promoted to partner of BraunHagey & Borden LLP in San Francisco.

David Kwasniewski is a partner at BraunHagey & Borden. David has extensive experience on both plaintiff and defense sides of complex commercial and intellectual property disputes. He has served as lead counsel in federal and state court trials, and has obtained multiple federal and state appellate victories.

David has successfully defended a number of food, beverage, and supplement manufacturers in Proposition 65, false advertising, and CLRA disputes, including obtaining dismissals of a Proposition 65 challenge to TerraSoul Superfoods' raw cacao powder and a false advertising claim against RiteAid's house-brand body wash and hand lotion. Additionally, David conducted expert discovery and served as trial counsel to Broadcom in an ITC Investigation brought against some of the largest television manufacturers in the world, which resulted in a favorable settlement. David obtained a precedential opinion from the Federal Circuit reversing the dismissal of his client's trade secret claim, brought against Goodyear for their theft of self-inflating tire technology.

David is also committed to serving clients in need on a pro bono basis. David has obtained multiple favorable Ninth Circuit rulings for former inmates whose civil rights were violated, including a precedential opinion confirming that prison officials are not due any deference when they violate rights without any security-based justification.

Judge Judy H. Hersher joined Judicate West as neutral in Sacramento.

Judicate West welcomes retired Sacramento County Superior Court Judge Judy H. Hersher to its exclusive roster of neutrals. She is based in the Sacramento office and is available for mediations, arbitrations and private judging and Special Master assignments statewide.

Misty Ann Murray was promoted to partner of Maynard Cooper & Gale, LLP in Los Angeles.

Murray counsels and defends insurers in matters involving coverage disputes, unfair competition, welfare benefits plans concerning ERISA benefit claims and breach of fiduciary duty, as well as insurance bad faith.

Robert Edward Hess was promoted to partner of Maynard Cooper & Gale, LLP in Los Angeles.

Hess focuses his practice on a wide range of disability, life, and health insurance litigation. Practicing at both the trial and appellate levels, Mr. Hess has litigated hundreds of cases, primarily defending insurers in cases involving insurance breach of contract and bad faith claims and ERISA‐governed cases involving employee welfare benefit plans.

Vivian Orlando was promoted to partner of Maynard Cooper & Gale, LLP in Los Angeles.

Orlando's practice focuses on life, health and disability insurance, and she routinely handles insurance bad faith litigation, and litigation involving the defense of unfair competition claims, fraud/misrepresentation claims, elder abuse claims, STOLI and IOLI claims, claims concerning insurance-related investment products, coverage disputes, long term care related disputes, customer complaints, suitability related disputes, and general business matters.

Ophir Johna was promoted to partner of Maynard Cooper & Gale, LLP in Los Angeles.

Johna focuses his practice in the areas of life, health, disability, and long-term care disputes ranging from matters involving bad faith and punitive damage exposure to ERISA-governed litigation. He also has experience representing health insurers and health care plans in payor-provider disputes and litigating matters involving agent and broker sales practices as well as insurance and annuity suitability.

Richard Bryan Hopkins II was promoted to partner of Maynard Cooper & Gale, LLP in Los Angeles.

Hopkins focuses his practice on complex litigation and regulatory matters, with particular emphasis on health care payor/provider disputes, life insurance fraud actions, business practices, claims handling practices, reinsurance, trade secrets, insolvency, and inter-company disputes. He regularly represents business entities, including insurers, health plans, underwriters and holding companies in a variety of contexts, such as federal and state class actions, arbitrations, administrative hearings, regulatory investigations and market conduct examinations.

Alison Jaroch Shilling was promoted to associate of Maynard Cooper & Gale, LLP in Los Angeles.

Shilling defends the interests of businesses and individuals in litigation and has extensive experience advising on matters involving reinsurance and insurance treaties and contracts, both domestically and internationally.

Mark Jason Austin was promoted to equity partner of Burke, Williams & Sorensen, LLP in Santa Ana, CA.

Burke, Williams & Sorensen, LLP is pleased to announce that Mark J. Austin has been elevated to equity partner. Mark Austin is a member of Burke's Litigation; Public Law and Tort Claims and Products liability practices.

Thomas Darrel Jex was promoted to equity partner of Burke, Williams & Sorensen, LLP in Riverside, CA.

Burke, Williams & Sorensen, LLP is pleased to announce that Thomas D. Jex has been elevated to equity partner. Tom Jex is a member of the firm’s Public Law and Education Law practices.

Kevin Drake Siegel was promoted to equity partner of Burke, Williams & Sorensen, LLP in Oakland, CA.

Burke, Williams & Sorensen, LLP is pleased to announce that Kevin D. Siegel has been elevated to equity partner. Kevin Siegel is a member of Burke’s Public Law; Environmental, Land Use, and Natural Resources; and Litigation practices.

Alan Amadeo Sozio was promoted to equity partner of Burke, Williams & Sorensen, LLP in Los Angeles.

Burke, Williams & Sorensen, LLP is pleased to announce that Alan A. Sozio has been elevated to equity partner. Alan Sozio is a member of the firm’s Public Law (Eminent Domain); Environmental, Land Use, and Natural Resources; Litigation; and Real Estate and Business practices.

Gregory Brian Thomas was promoted to equity partner of Burke, Williams & Sorensen, LLP in Oakland, CA.

Burke, Williams & Sorensen, LLP is pleased to announce that Gregory B. Thomas has been elevated to equity partner. Greg Thomas is a member of Burke’s Litigation; Public Law; and Insurance Coverage and Litigation practices.

Samantha Wilson Zutler was promoted to equity partner of Burke, Williams & Sorensen, LLP in San Francisco, CA.

Burke, Williams & Sorensen, LLP is pleased to announce that Samantha W. Zutler has been elevated to equity partner. Samantha Zutler is a member of the firm’s Public Law; Litigation; and Labor and Employment practices.

Charles Edward Slyngstad was promoted to partner of Burke, Williams & Sorensen, LLP in Los Angeles.

Charles E. Slyngstad, partner and Chair of Burke's Litigation practice, has been appointed General Counsel for the firm. Slyngstad has served as lead trial counsel in a number of high profile cases involving Burke's public sector and private sector clients. He is a certified specialist in Legal Malpractice Law by the Board of Legal Specialization for the State Bar of California. In his expanded role as Burke's General Counsel, Slyngstad will help guide decisions on all legal, risk, and compliance issues affecting the firm.

Justin A. Santarosa was promoted to partner of Duane Morris LLP in Los Angeles.

Justin A. Santarosa, of Duane Morris' Los Angeles office, has been promoted to the firm partnership.

Kenneth Tze was promoted to partner of Duane Morris LLP in San Francisco.

Kenneth Tze, of Duane Morris' San Francisco office, has been promoted to the firm partnership.

Norma Ramirez-Marin was promoted to senior counsel of Buckley LLP in Los Angeles.

Ramirez-Marin represents a variety of financial services clients on licensing, regulatory, compliance, and transactional matters.

Jesse Levin was promoted to partner of Glaser Weil Fink Howard Avchen & Shapiro LLP - Los Angeles, CA in Century City.

Jesse Levin is a problem solver. For clients that face high-stakes disputes in corporate, entertainment, employment, real estate, and general commercial litigation, he is an aggressive advocate and a dedicated advisor. Mr. Levin takes pride in being responsive to his clients' unique concerns, and understanding the impacts litigation can have on his clients' attention and bottom lines. With that understanding, he helps each of his clients identify and pursue their objectives in litigation efficiently, and when necessary, relentlessly.

Mr. Levin's maintains a diverse practice built upon his extensive experience in both defending and prosecuting claims for breaches of contract and fiduciary duties; profit participation and royalty disputes; employment claims and wage & hour violations; class actions; intellectual property infringement and trade secret violations. Mr. Levin also routinely represents and advises partners and corporate officers and directors in matters of business divorce, internal investigations, and professional liability.

Recently, Mr. Levin prevailed on behalf of a management company suing for seven figures in unpaid royalties and defeated counter-claims for alleged violations of the Talent Agencies Act after a two-week arbitration. In a recent real estate matter before the Los Angeles Superior Court, Mr. Levin won a motion for summary judgment of contract claims that alleged over $150,000,000 in damages.


A life-long Angeleno, Mr. Levin received his bachelor's degree from the University of Southern California, and his law degree from UCLA Law. Year after year, he is repeatedly selected as a "Rising Star" by Southern California Super Lawyers.

Elias Dabaie was promoted to partner of Glaser Weil Fink Howard Avchen & Shapiro LLP - Los Angeles, CA in Century City.

Elias Dabaie focuses on complex commercial litigation and advises clients in a wide range of high-stakes disputes, with particular emphasis on claims involving breach of contract, business torts, consumer fraud and products liability. His clients span a diverse array of industries, including real estate finance, professional sports and multinational retail.

With expertise in all aspects of litigation-including serving as lead counsel in several trials and obtaining lucrative settlements-Mr. Dabaie's commitment to his clients' success has earned him a reputation for fierce advocacy and imaginative litigation strategies.

John D. Cooke was promoted to partner of Bergeson LLP in Silicon Valley.

Cooke represents clients in civil litigation, criminal and regulatory matters, and corporate investigations. Prior to joining the Bergeson firm, Cooke was an assistant U.S. attorney for 12 years in the Northern District of Illinois as well as in the Northern Districts of California and New York. He led complex investigations, prosecutions, and trials in a range of matters, including fraud, money laundering, cybercrime, public corruption, violent crime, and violations of the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act. As a result of his prosecution and trial of leaders of a violent street gang for RICO violations, John was tapped to coordinate the U.S. Attorney's Office's racketeering investigations amid an upswell in violent crime in Chicago. In addition to his experience in federal criminal litigation, Cooke represented the United States in civil litigation, including fraud matters under the False Claims Act and employment disputes.

Matthew Jann was promoted to partner of Glaser Weil Fink Howard Avchen & Shapiro LLP - Los Angeles, CA in Century City.

Jann, a member of Glaser Weil's Corporate Department, maintains a broad corporate transactional practice with a focus on the purchase and sale of businesses and securities. He is experienced in all aspects of the purchase and sale process beginning with due diligence and the preparation of letters of intent, to the negotiation and documentation of purchase agreements and ancillary transaction documents, to the review and preparation of fairness opinions, and finally to post-closing dispute resolution. He has represented clients in the successful purchase and sale of businesses in a wide range of industries, including medical practices, construction, traditional and green energy, manufacturing, environmental systems, IT services, real estate holdings, food and liquor manufacturing and wholesaling, e-commerce, and ad-tech and marketing services. In addition to his M&A practice, Jann acts as outside corporate counsel assisting clients with the negotiation and documentation of key business agreements and governance matters, including agreements detailing partner and shareholder rights, loans and security interests, employment, non-competition, confidentiality, and commercial terms and conditions.

Aaron L. Osten was promoted to partner of Greene Broillet & Wheeler LLP in Santa Monica.

Osten focuses on catastrophic personal injury, business and employment litigation, wrongful death, and legal malpractice. He has helped effectively litigate and settle a wide range of cases for the firm, including an $8 million jury verdict he helped obtain in a sexual harassment and wrongful termination case involving a whistleblower who sued a celebrity yoga guru.

Jill M. Manning joined Pearson, Simon & Warshaw LLP as partner in San Francisco.

Manning specializes in plaintiffs-side antitrust litigation. She has successfully sued several major companies including Apple.