Jessica Chu was promoted to partner of Allen Matkins Leck Gamble Mallory & Natsis LLP in Los Angeles.

Chu structures, negotiates and documents complex joint ventures and business transactions for equity investors, financial institutions and developers.

Steven M. Farenbaugh was promoted to partner of Allen Matkins Leck Gamble Mallory & Natsis LLP in Los Angeles.

Farenbaugh specializes in acquisitions and dispositions of commercial office, industrial and retail properties, as well as leasing transactions.

Rachel M. Sanders was promoted to partner of Allen Matkins Leck Gamble Mallory & Natsis LLP in Los Angeles.

Sanders represents landlords, purchasers, sellers and developers in commercial real estate matters and litigation.

Maxwell B. Shapiro was promoted to partner of Allen Matkins Leck Gamble Mallory & Natsis LLP in Los Angeles.

Shapiro advises clients in complex acquisitions and dispositions and commercial leasing with a focus on build-to-suit purchase agreements and large portfolio transactions.

Derek G. Weisbender was promoted to partner of Allen Matkins Leck Gamble Mallory & Natsis LLP in Irvine.

Weisbender specializes in design, construction and other development agreements for international projects.

Matthew Liam Hofer joined Cappello & Noël LLP as associate in Santa Barbara.

Hofer has experience in all stages of civil litigation and has experience with regulatory agencies including the California Coastal Commission, California Air Resources Board, Great Basin Unified Air Pollution Control District, South Coast Air Quality Management District, Water Replenishment District of Southern California and the California Department of Toxic Substances Control.
He is based in Santa Barbara.

Richard Lloyd joined Cappello & Noël LLP as associate in Santa Barbara.

Lloyd joined Cappello & Noël LLP in 2015 as a paralegal. After relocating to the U.S. in 2010, he provided consulting services to legal fee experts and litigation finance providers in both the U.K. and U.S.
He is based in Santa Barbara.

Linda Pfatteicher joined Dentons as partner in San Francisco.

Dentons bolstered its West Coast tax practice with the addition of partner Linda Pfatteicher, the former managing partner of Squire Patton Boggs' San Francisco office.
Pfatteicher specializes in international tax and operation structuring projects. She advises clients in cross-border mergers and acquisitions, post-acquisition integration and international tax controversies. She also represents clients in discussion with the government on pending tax legislation and advises clients on new tax legislation compliance.
"I think their global platform is impressive," Pfatteicher said about Dentons. "And it's far reaching and can really service my clients anywhere that they are. I also think that they as a firm are sort of doing things that are more innovative to stay current. Law firms need to be more forward thinking on how they approach providing legal services."
She added the industry is changing and clients want to pay less for services, so it was important for her to be at a firm that is being strategic and using technology in anticipation of the future changes.
Pfatteicher has 25 years of international tax and transactional experience. Her clients range from startups to multinational corporations in the technology, automotive, entertainment software, manufacturing, oil and gas industries and in venture funds.
Pfatteicher received her master of laws in tax from Georgetown University School of Law and her law degree from New England School of Law.

Mehmet Baysan was promoted to chair of cross-border litigation and arbitration of Michelman & Robinson, LLP in New York (Firm headquartered in Los Angeles).

Baysan advises entities, individuals and governments in cross-border disputes and arbitrations, as well as in investigations involving the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, export violations and U.S. economic sanctions.
He is based in Los Angeles.

Kevin Benedicto was promoted to member of the local committee on elimination of bias of San Francisco Superior Court in San Francisco.

Benedicto is an associate at Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP and focuses on complex litigation, cybersecurity and data privacy matters, securities investigations and litigation, business and corporate disputes and toxic torts.
He is based in San Francisco

Erica R. Graves joined Blank Rome LLP as associate in Los Angeles.

Graves advises companies in compliance matters related to regulations on advertising, labeling and other consumer practices.
She is based in Los Angeles.

Aaron Silva joined Olson Remcho LLP as senior counsel in Sacramento.

Aaron Silva, a former chief deputy in the state Office of Legislative Counsel, has joined Olson Remcho LLP as a senior counsel in Sacramento.
Silva joined the firm after 16 years with the state office and will leverage his past work to advise clients in government and election law matters.
"This is my first time in private practice," Silva said in an interview. "I was not unhappy at legislative counsel. It's a great agency. They serve a great client base and they do really important meaningful work. But I had been doing it a long time and I just sort of felt like I needed a new challenge and a change of scenery as we often do in life."
He described joining Olson Remcho as, "an opportunity to work alongside the best of the best in my profession" and said he looks forward to continuing to contribute to the governance of the state by advising clients involved in state politics.
"I'm really excited about the prospect and I think this is going to be a good change for me in a way that it sort of broadens my horizons," he said.
Silva had been chief deputy since 2014 in the office that provides legal services to the California Legislature.
His work included drafting legislation and preparing legal opinions on elections and redistricting, campaign finance law changes, open meetings and public records. He said he also oversaw all litigation related to the Legislature and advised state officials on ethics and conflict of interest matters.
Working with the office's staff and contributing to good governance and policymaking were what he enjoyed most, he said.
Previously Silva was a staff attorney for the Central District of California court. He was a law clerk for U.S. District Judge Howard McKibben of the District of Nevada and for U.S. Magistrate Judge Ralph Zarefsky of the Central District.
"We are thrilled to have Aaron join us," Olson Remcho, managing partner Karen Getman, said in a statement. "He is a brilliant lawyer with years of experience advising the Legislature on legal matters and will be an invaluable resource and advocate for our clients."

B. Allison Borkenheim joined Best Best & Krieger LLP as partner in Irvine.

Borkenheim focuses on human resources, employment and labor law, defends employment law claims and creates compliance programs.
She is based in Irvine.