Aaron Buckley was promoted to national vice chair, labor & employment practice group of Quarles & Brady LLP.

Buckley, partner in Quarles & Brady's San Diego office, has been named National Vice Chair of the firm's Labor & Employment Practice Group, effective Oct. 1. Buckley has over 25 years of experience representing clients in employment litigation matters and focuses his practice on wage and hour defense.

Hon. Larry Burns (Ret.) joined FedArb in FedArb, San Diego.

FedArb is pleased to announce Hon. Larry Burns (Ret.) has joined its panel based in San Diego. He is a widely respected trial lawyer and federal judge, who served for nearly 30 years on the U.S. District Court in Southern California, including two years as chief judge. He also litigated more than 150 cases and argued 40 appeals before the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. Judge Burns initially worked as a civil settlement judge resolving hundreds of matters. Then as a trial judge, he presided over more than 300 federal jury trials, including high-profile cases involving elected officials, complex business and tort litigation, MDLs and class actions.

Bryan J. Monson was promoted to partner of Latham & Watkins LLP in San Diego.

Monson has been elected a partner at Latham & Watkins LLP in San Diego, effective January 1. A member of the Banking Practice and Finance Department, he represents corporate borrowers, banks, and financial institutions in a range of complex financing transactions, including secured credit facilities, leveraged acquisition financings, construction financings, and sale-leasebacks, focusing on the gaming and hospitality industries.

Brian R. Umanoff was promoted to partner of Latham & Watkins LLP in Costa Mesa.

Umanoff has been elected a partner at Latham & Watkins LLP in Costa Mesa. A member of the M&A and Private Equity Practice and Corporate Department, he represents public and private companies in a range of matters, including mergers and acquisitions, private financing, and corporate governance.

Shawn P. Hansen was promoted to counsel of Latham & Watkins LLP in Los Angeles.

Hansen has been promoted to counsel at Latham & Watkins LLP in Los Angeles, effective January 1. A member of the Restructuring & Special Situations Practice and Finance Department, he represents clients in corporate restructurings, Chapter 11 reorganizations, distressed mergers and acquisitions, and general finance and corporate matters.

Devon L. MacLaughlin was promoted to counsel of Latham & Watkins LLP in Los Angeles.

MacLaughlin has been promoted to counsel at Latham & Watkins LLP in Los Angeles, effective January 1. A member of the Capital Markets Practice and Corporate Department, she advises issuers and financial institutions in public and private financing transactions, including IPOs, follow-on and public equity offerings, investment-grade and high-yield debt offerings, exchange offers, tender offers, and acquisition financings.

Katherine J. Page was promoted to counsel of Latham & Watkins LLP in Los Angeles.

Page has been promoted to counsel at Latham & Watkins LLP in Los Angeles, effective January 1. A member of the Banking Practice and Finance Department, she represents banks and private credit funds as lenders in leveraged finance and private capital transactions, including mergers and acquisitions and capital structure refinancings.

Changsheng (Eric) Song was promoted to counsel of Latham & Watkins LLP in Los Angeles.

Song has been promoted to counsel at Latham & Watkins LLP in Century City, effective January 1. A member of the Transactional Tax Practice and Tax Department, he advises financial institutions, private equity funds, and public and private companies on domestic and cross-border transactional tax matters.

Jennifer A. Howes was promoted to counsel of Latham & Watkins LLP in San Diego.

Howes has been promoted to counsel at Latham & Watkins LLP in San Diego and the Bay Area, effective January 1. A member of the Privacy & Cyber Practice and Corporate Department, she advises clients across industries on technology and data matters, including global data privacy, digital marketing, product development, artificial intelligence, consumer protection, incident response, and regulatory compliance.

Yi Sun was promoted to counsel of Latham & Watkins LLP in San Diego.

Sun has been promoted to counsel at Latham & Watkins LLP in San Diego, effective January 1. A member of the Intellectual Property Litigation Practice and Litigation & Trial Department, she represents clients in the pharmaceutical and life sciences industries before district and appellate courts, including litigation under the Hatch-Waxman Act and BPCIA.

Robert A. Yeh was promoted to counsel of Latham & Watkins LLP in San Diego.

Yeh has been promoted to counsel at Latham & Watkins LLP in San Diego, effective January 1. A member of the Healthcare & Life Sciences Practice and Corporate Department, he advises companies and investors in the life sciences sector on intellectual property-intensive transactions, including complex licensing, collaboration, joint venture, mergers and acquisitions, capital markets and private equity deals; research and collaboration agreements; and financing-related IP issues.

Danny Nordstrom was promoted to counsel of Latham & Watkins LLP in Bay Area.

Nordstrom has been promoted to counsel at Latham & Watkins LLP in the Bay Area, effective January 1. A member of the Mergers & Acquisitions and Private Equity Practice and Corporate Department, he advises private equity sponsors and their portfolio companies, as well as public and private companies, on mergers and acquisitions, dispositions, take-privates, joint ventures, carveouts, investments, recapitalizations, and general corporate matters.

Matthew Yelovich joined Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton LLP as partner in San Francisco, CA.

Yelovich's practice focuses on government and internal investigations, including defending companies and individuals in a wide range of high-stakes domestic and international enforcement actions and trials. Prior to joining Cleary, Yelovich served as deputy chief of the Criminal Division in the Northern District of California, helping to oversee approximately 100 federal criminal prosecutors and 15 supervisors, and managing division policies and operations. Before this, he served for approximately three years as appellate chief, overseeing all briefing and argument at the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals and personally briefing and arguing numerous federal appeals. In these roles, he provided legal and strategic advice on some of the Office's most significant cases--including one of the largest cryptocurrency seizures in DOJ history--and all major corporate fraud cases.

Polina Bernstein joined Judicate West as neutral in Los Angeles.

Bernstein possesses over two decades of combined litigation and mediation experience, and she has represented both plaintiffs and defendants in employment law disputes involving claims of discrimination, sexual harassment, misappropriation of trade secrets, wrongful termination, retaliatory discharge, defamation and breach of contract. Bernstein has also handled many single-plaintiff wage and hour and representative PAGA matters, including unpaid commissions claims.

Michael R. Guerrero joined Hinshaw & Culbertson LLP as partner in Los Angeles.

Guerrero helps companies manage regulatory and compliance issues across a wide range of consumer-focused products, including automotive finance and leasing, earned wage access products, Buy Now Pay Later products, point-of-sale and personal property financing and leasing, rent-to-own products, credit cards, and installment loans. In addition, he advises contractors and financing companies on residential solar energy sales, financing, and leasing issues. A recognized thought leader, he is a frequent speaker at industry conferences, has been quoted by several media outlets, and has authored numerous articles on emerging fintech regulatory issues.

Jessica Lienau joined Nossaman LLP as partner in Los Angeles.

Lienau worked at the State Bar of California, Office of Chief Trial Counsel, as both deputy and acting senior trial counsel, representing the State Bar and the Committee of Bar Examiners. She currently serves as an arbitrator for the State Bar of Arizona Fee Arbitration Program, 1st vice president of the Association of Discipline Defense Counsel in California and as a volunteer attorney for the State Bar Defense Consultations for the Arizona Association of Defense Counsel. She previously served as a member of the State Bar of Arizona Ethics Advisory Group and as a member of the Professional Responsibility and Ethics Committee for the Los Angeles County Bar Association.

Jonevin Sabado was promoted to partner of Locke Lord LLP in Los Angeles.

Sabado concentrates his practice on defending companies in complex and class action litigation, typically involving labor and employment claims. He has defended employers in litigation involving wage and hour claims brought under the Fair Labor Standards Act, California Private Attorneys General Act ("PAGA"), California Labor Code and Industrial Welfare Commission ("IWC") Wage Orders, alleged worker misclassification, claims of discrimination and harassment and alleged violations of family and medical leave laws.

Christopher L. Tinen joined Snell & Wilmer as partner.

Tinen is an experienced capital markets and securities attorney well-versed in all facets of securities law compliance and transactions. He regularly counsels public and private companies on a wide range of capital markets and corporate transactions, including IPOs, de-SPAC transactions, follow-on offerings, up-listings, cross-border dual listings and PIPE transactions, as well as SEC reporting, corporate governance, and private securities offerings for both emerging and established businesses. Additionally, he provides counsel on the formation, funding, and exit strategies for high-growth startups.

H. Thomas Felix III joined Morrison Foerster as partner in San Diego.

Felix brings to the firm over a decade of experience advising public and private companies, private equity firms, and investment banks on a multitude of legal matters, including leveraged buyouts, debt and equity offerings, initial public offerings, mergers & acquisitions, liability management transactions, cross-border transactions, securities law compliance issues, and stock exchange requirements.

Cameron Stewart joined Pearlman, Brown & Wax as senior counsel in Encino.

Stewart brings to the position 30 years of experience defending clients in disability and pregnancy discrimination, sexual harassment, wage and hour violations and wrongful termination claims. In her diverse practice, she represents insurance carriers, healthcare companies and providers, restaurants and other large corporations.

Monique Carter joined Quarles & Brady as of counsel in San Diego.

Carter is an experienced litigator and trial attorney who also advises employers on all aspects of employment law and disputes. She applies her deep knowledge of trial practice to the full spectrum of labor and employment litigation, including discrimination, wrongful termination, retaliation wage and hour disputes, and class actions.

Missy Leon joined MG+M The Law Firm as partner in Los Angeles.

Leon has extensive experience in commercial litigation, including cases involving breach of contract, fraud and defamation. She has served as a client liaison to Fortune 500 companies, managing multimillion-dollar litigation. Her background includes professional liability litigation in legal and medical malpractice and director and officer liability cases involving negligence and breach of fiduciary duty claims. Additionally, she has defended clients across a vast range of industries facing toxic tort, product and premises liability, and personal injury claims. Her clients include Fortune 500 companies, major retailers and large organizations, such as oil and gas companies, pharmaceutical manufacturers and pharmacies, automotive supply manufacturers, amusement parks and ice-skating rinks, gyms, and apartment complexes.

Matthew J. Michaels joined Barnes & Thornburg as partner in Los Angeles.

Michaels specializes in guiding federal government contractors through complex legal and regulatory challenges. His expertise spans bid protests, contract disputes, federal investigations, compliance matters, and transaction due diligence. He's a seasoned advocate before key government bodies, including the U.S. Government Accountability Office, U.S. Court of Federal Claims, federal agencies, and the Small Business Administration's Office of Hearings and Appeals. His experience ranges from small business contracts to multibillion-dollar acquisitions across diverse industries - from aerospace and IT to shipbuilding, data analytics, military supplies, and space technology.

Jeremiah S. Helm, Ph.D. was promoted to partner of Knobbe Martens in Irvine.

Helm has been appointed to the Advisory Council for the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit. Chief Judge Kimberly A. Moore appointed Helm for a three-year term, effective Oct. 1. Helm has represented clients in a variety of technological fields, with an emphasis on patent litigation and appellate practice. Helm has appeared before the Federal Circuit on several occasions and has argued over a dozen cases before the Court. Before joining the firm in 2017, he was an associate solicitor at the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. In that role, he represented the director in both district and appellate courts and provided legal advice about intellectual property law policy and regulation.

Brian Gustafson joined Haynes & Boone LLP as partner in San Francisco.

Gustafson's practice emphasizes strategic patent counseling and prosecution in technology areas, including computer science, cloud computing, electronics, semiconductor fabrication, optics, machine learning, and visual effects. He helps his clients align their patent portfolios with business goals to identify and protect innovations that secure technological leadership and provide the best business outcomes.

Alfred C. Tierney joined Stradling Yocca as partner in Newport Beach.

Tierney focuses his practice on securities enforcement, regulation, and compliance matters. He has significant experience navigating complex issues faced by asset managers, private and registered funds, broker-dealers, public companies, executives, and boards of directors in connection with SEC, FINRA and other government investigations and examinations, litigations, internal investigations, and the development and implementation of effective compliance programs. Prior to joining the firm, he served for over 10 years with the SEC as senior counsel in the Division of Enforcement, including over six years in the Asset Management Unit, and in the Division of Investment Management's Chief Counsel's Office.

Emily M. Karlberg was promoted to partner of Ropes & Gray LLP in San Francisco.

Specializing in intellectual property, Karlberg guides clients through complex private equity deals and strategic transactions, with expertise in carve-outs. Her practice combines deep knowledge of technology and consumer brands with extensive transaction experience. She structures and negotiates strategic partnerships across borders, including joint ventures, licensing agreements, and collaborative ventures. Karlberg provides critical IP and technology counsel for emerging companies, from initial formation through corporate partnerships, systems integration, and product commercialization.

David Andersen joined Barnes & Thornburg as partner in Los Angeles.

Andersen's practice is primarily concentrated in the middle market but includes transactions ranging from small acquisitions and divestitures by emerging growth companies to platform acquisitions and billion-dollar exits. Andersen has represented clients in a variety of industries, with an emphasis on media and entertainment, technology, and healthcare.

Nima Mohebbi joined Sidley Austin as partner in Century City.

Mohebbi is a recognized trial lawyer who focuses his practice on complex commercial litigation, counseling clients on unsettled issues in connection with the growing intersection between entertainment content development and technology, including digital assets, artificial intelligence (AI), gaming, and intellectual property, including in film and music. He represents studios, and artists in disputes and transactions with billions of dollars at stake, including jury trials.

Emily G. Horrigan joined Melmed Law Group as associate in San Diego.

Horrigan represents employees navigating complex disputes against powerful employers. Her client-centered approach is rooted in empathy and clear communication, ensuring clients feel supported and heard throughout the legal process.

Danielle C. Foster joined Jackson Lewis P.C. as principal in Los Angeles.

Foster focuses her practice on defending private companies and public entities in complex litigation, with a particular emphasis on employment actions brought under Title VII, the California Fair Employment and Housing Act and the California Labor Code.

Tom Stout joined Davis Wright Tremaine LLP as partner in San Francisco.

Stout has more than 15 years of trial experience, including as a federal prosecutor and as a litigator at a California firm he co-founded before joining DWT. His expertise in white-collar defense, government investigations, and complex litigation delivers top-tier results for businesses, executives, and entrepreneurs in key sectors across the Bay Area and beyond.

Melanie L. Chaney was promoted to firm co-managing partner of Liebert Cassidy Whitmore.

Chaney's leadership journey has been shaped by a practical and comprehensive approach that emphasizes listening to and valuing the input of all team members. Her ability to foster strong relationships with internal and external stakeholders underscores her recognition of the importance of teamwork in achieving successful outcomes. Her exceptional listening skills are a cornerstone of her leadership style, going beyond mere hearing to actively understand, validate, and appreciate the viewpoints of others. This empathetic approach fosters an inclusive environment where individuals feel heard, valued, and motivated to contribute their best. Navigating complex situations and guiding diverse groups toward shared goals, Chaney's bona fide approach ensures that all stakeholders feel involved, engaged, and invested in the collaborative process. This fosters a strong team spirit and unity among stakeholders, impacting her firm, clients, and colleagues.

James G. Perry joined Atticus Injury Law, P.C. as senior trial lawyer in Irvine.

Perry comes with a decade of experience as a prosecutor, primarily with the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office, and a proven record of accomplishment in civil and criminal law. Perry brings a wealth of expertise to the firm's personal injury practice. He has written extensively on various topics, including the intersection of the Fifth Amendment and civil discovery, spoliation of evidence, and state and federal public records requests. He is actively involved in the legal community. He serves on the Top Gun Event Committee for the Orange County Trial Lawyers Association and Education Committee with the Orange County Bar Association. He holds board positions with the Consumer Attorneys of California's Inland Empire Chapter. Perry is also a member of several other bar associations, including the San Bernardino and Riverside County Association.

Sarah J. Guske joined Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP as partner in San Francisco.

Guske is a first-chair trial lawyer who counsels technology clients and other Fortune 500 companies in patent litigation in U.S. district courts and the US Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit and in Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB) trials. In her practice, focused on high-stakes competitor litigation, she leverages her technical background in electrical engineering and physics and her trial experience to serve clients in the San Francisco Bay Area of California and beyond in the United States.