Brent D. Sokol joined Greenberg Traurig LLP as shareholder in Los Angeles.

Veteran intellectual property litigator Brent D. Sokol joined Greenberg Traurig as a shareholder in Los Angeles after almost 20 years with Jones Day.
"Almost unique amongst law firms, Greenberg Traurig has first tier recognition and a deep bench in copyright, patent and trademark litigation, which makes it an excellent fit for my practice," said Sokol, who joined the firm Oct. 20.
His familiarity with the firm and its quality of services also made the opportunity stand out, he added.
During his 27 years of practice, Sokol has represented clients on both sides of intellectual property disputes.
Sokol specializes in medical device and biotechnology patent litigation, where he leverages his background as a biomedical engineer. He also focuses on bringing and defending copyright and trademark infringement cases.
"I've always been a very verbal person and going into a law practice, particularly one involving patents, sort of combined two aspects of my interest and personality," he explained.
Outside his practice, Sokol is a frequent speaker on global restructuring of intellectual property assets and is a member of the International Trademark Association. He is also a longtime member and associate national commissioner of The Anti-Defamation League, where he ran the summer associate research program for about 10 years.

Nazar A. Ghosseiri joined Hoge Fenton Jones & Appel as counsel in San Mateo.

Ghosseiri focuses on estate planning, trust administrations, probate and conservatorships.
She is based in San Mateo.

Dean Fealk joined World Affairs as trustee in San Francisco.

Fealk is managing partner of DLA Piper's San Francisco office and a member of the global equity practice.
He is based in San Francisco.

Alan G. Perkins joined JAMS as neutral in Sacramento.

A former Sacramento Superior Court judge for 15 years, Perkins will handle business and commercial disputes.
He is based in Sacramento.

J.R. Riddell joined Shaw Law Group as of counsel in Sacramento.

Riddell specializes in conducting workplace investigations for public and private employers.
He is based in Sacramento.

Melissa Whitehead joined Shaw Law Group as of counsel in Sacramento.

Whitehead advises employers, conducts workplace investigations and provides training to employers and human resources teams.
She is based in Sacramento.

C. Dennis Loomis joined Buchalter as of counsel in Los Angeles.

Loomis is an intellectual property adviser and litigator.
He is based in Los Angeles.

Lawrence Hafetz joined Gov. Gavin Newsom as chief counsel at the california department of toxic substances control in Los Angeles.

Hafetz is the former chief deputy at the Los Angeles Office of the County Counsel.
He is based in Los Angeles.

Claire Tauriainen joined Gov. Gavin Newsom as general counsel at the california housing finance agency in El Dorado Hills.

Tauriainen has been general counsel since 2018. Prior to her appointment, she was assistant general counsel at the agency.
She is based in El Dorado Hills.

Tyrone Buckley joined Gov. Gavin Newsom as assistant deputy director of fair housing at the california department of housing and community development in Sacramento.

Buckley was a senior policy specialist at the agency since 2019.
He is based in Sacramento.

Judith M. Cias joined Gov. Gavin Newsom as chief counsel at the state board of education in Sacramento.

Cias has held the position since 2011. She is the former associate general counsel and director of policy services at the California School Boards Association.
She is based in Sacramento.

Rigel S. Massaro joined Gov. Gavin Newsom as deputy legal counsel and deputy policy director for the office of planning and research at the state board of education in Sacramento.

Massaro was previously senior legislative counsel at Public Advocates.
She is based in Sacramento.

James B. Damrell joined Gov. Gavin Newsom as assistant commissioner of legislation and regulations at the department of real estate in Sacramento.

Damrell was formerly vice president of business development at Peers & Co.
He is based in Sacramento.

Anastasia Baskerville joined Gov. Gavin Newsom as chief counsel at the california department of resources and recycling and recovery in Sacramento.

Previously, Baskerville was an attorney at the Department of Housing and Community Development.
She is based in Sacramento.

Abraham Joshua Colman joined Holland & Knight LLP as partner in Los Angeles.

Colman is a financial services litigator and specializes in class actions and individual claims nationally related to violations of federal and state statutes.
He is based in Los Angeles.

Raymond Y. Kim joined Holland & Knight LLP as of counsel in Los Angeles.

Kim specializes in consumer class action defense involving federal and state statutes.
He is based in Los Angeles.

Wendy Musell joined Levy Vinick Burrell Hyams LLP as of counsel in Oakland.

Musell represents employees in wage theft, discrimination, harassment, retaliation, wrongful termination and whistleblower actions.
She is based in Oakland

Rebecca Kagin joined Levy Vinick Burrell Hyams LLP as of counsel in Oakland.

Kagin specializes in representing employees in workplace disputes including discrimination, harassment, retaliation and negotiations of severance agreements.
She is based in Oakland.

Rima Badawiya was promoted to chief diversity partner of Lewis Brisbois Bisgaard & Smith LLP in San Bernardino.

Badawiya also is the co-chair of the health care, medical malpractice and long-term care and elder law practices and vice chair of the health care regulatory and compliance practice.
She is based in San Bernardino.

Leah Goldberg joined Nixon Peabody LLP as counsel in San Francisco.

Goldberg advises clients on repurposing and reusing contaminated properties.
She is based in San Francisco.

Shawn A. Bagdasarian was promoted to partner of Kirkland & Ellis LLP in Los Angeles.

Bagdasarian specializes in debt financing transactions.
He is based in Los Angeles.

Zachary W. Byer was promoted to partner of Kirkland & Ellis LLP in Los Angeles.

Byer is a litigator, who focuses on complex civil litigation.
He is based in Los Angeles.

Sara Campbell was promoted to partner of Kirkland & Ellis LLP in Los Angeles.

Campbell focuses her practice on M&A and private equity matters.
She is based in Los Angeles.

Michele M. Cumpston was promoted to partner of Kirkland & Ellis LLP in Los Angeles.

Cumpston specializes in M&A, private equity and corporate governance.
She is based in Los Angeles.

Yimeng Dou, Ph.D was promoted to partner of Kirkland & Ellis LLP in Los Angeles.

Dou is an intellectual property litigator, who focuses on patent, copyright, trade secret and trademark litigation.
She is based in Los Angeles.

Mark D. Fahey was promoted to partner of Kirkland & Ellis LLP in Los Angeles.

Fahey focuses on patent infringement litigation involving high-technology patents.
He is based in Los Angeles.

Kimia Ghalambor was promoted to partner of Kirkland & Ellis LLP in Los Angeles.

Ghalambor specializes in complex real estate transactions.
She is based in Los Angeles.

Josh Glucoft was promoted to partner of Kirkland & Ellis LLP in Los Angeles.

Glucoft is a patent litigator and trial lawyer. He is experienced in litigating and performing due diligence in patents related to electrical engineering and computer science.
He is based in Los Angeles.

Whang Ki Josh Jang was promoted to partner of Kirkland & Ellis LLP in Los Angeles.

Jang specializes in debt finance matters.
He is based in Los Angeles.

Jean A. Lee was promoted to partner of Kirkland & Ellis LLP in Los Angeles.

Lee is a corporate partner that specializes in M&A and private equity matters.
She is based in Los Angeles.

Ashley Neglia was promoted to partner of Kirkland & Ellis LLP in Los Angeles.

Neglia is a litigator with experience in a range of disputes including breach of contract, business torts and consumer class action defense.
She is based in Los Angeles.

Evan M. Roberts was promoted to partner of Kirkland & Ellis LLP in Los Angeles.

Roberts concentrates his practice on mergers and acquisitions, private equity and corporate governance.
He is based in Los Angeles.

Katherine Roddy was promoted to partner of Kirkland & Ellis LLP in Los Angeles.

Roddy specializes in real estate and advises clients on investments across all commercial real estate asset classes.
She is based in Los Angeles.

Lauren J. Schweitzer was promoted to partner of Kirkland & Ellis LLP in Los Angeles.

promotes Lauren Schweitzer as partner
Schweitzer focuses on copyright, trademark, internet
and advertising litigation.
She is based in Los Angeles.

Caleb Vesey was promoted to partner of Kirkland & Ellis LLP in Los Angeles.

promotes Caleb Vesey as partner
Vesey specializes in mergers and acquisitions, private
equity and corporate finance.
He is based in Los Angeles.

Jeremy Esterkin was promoted to partner of Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP in Los Angeles.

Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP
promotes Jeremy Esterkin as partner
Esterkin advises clients in energy and manufacturing
in environmental litigation and regulatory matters.
He is based in Los Angeles.

Denise G. Fellers was promoted to partner of Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP in Los Angeles.

promotes Denise G. Fellers as partner
Fellers specializes in environmental law including litigation
related to groundwater contamination and mass
toxic tort litigation.
She is based in Los Angeles.

Paul M. Williams was promoted to partner of Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP in Los Angeles.

promotes Paul M. Williams as partner
Williams counsels clients in merger, acquisition, disposition,
development and financing transactions.
He is based in Los Angeles.

Minna Naranjo was promoted to partner of Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP in San Francisco.

promotes Minna Naranjo as partner
Naranjo specializes in antitrust and complex litigation.
She is based in San Francisco.

Julia K. Forbess was promoted to partner of Fenwick & West LLP in San Francisco.

promotes Julia Forbess as partner
Forbess advises technology and biotech companies in transactional matters.
She is based in San Francisco.

Lara Foster was promoted to partner of Fenwick & West LLP in Mountain View.

promotes Lara Foster as partner
Foster provides technology and life sciences companies with strategic counseling.
She is based in Mountain View.

Patrick V. Grilli was promoted to partner of Fenwick & West LLP in Mountain View.

promotes Patrick V. Grilli as partner
Grilli counsels emerging and public companies in various matters including venture capital financings, equity and
employee compensation and complex acquisitions.
He is based in Mountain View.

Anthony Jacobson was promoted to partner of Fenwick & West LLP in Mountain View.

promotes Anthony Jacobson as partner
Jacobson specializes in patents and develops IP strategies for clients.
He is based in Mountain View.

Mark Jansen was promoted to partner of Fenwick & West LLP in Mountain View.

promotes Mark Jansen as partner
Jansen advises clients in a broad range of intellectual property matters including complex trademark acquisitions
and multi jurisdictional disputes.
He is based in Mountain View.

Thomas Kang was promoted to partner of Fenwick & West LLP in Mountain View.

promotes Thomas Kang as partner
Kang provides technology and life sciences companies with strategic business counseling in addition to advising
venture capital firms in corporate transactions.
He is based in Mountain View.

Molly Melcher was promoted to partner of Fenwick & West LLP in San Francisco.

promotes Molly Melcher as partner
Melcher specializes in complex commercial, privacy and intellectual property litigation.
She is based in San Francisco.

Ravi Ranganath was promoted to partner of Fenwick & West LLP in Mountain View.

promotes Ravi Ranganath as partner
Ranganath is a litigator with an emphasis in patent litigation related to high technology and life science industries.
He is based in Mountain View.

Morgan Sawchuk was promoted to partner of Fenwick & West LLP in San Francisco.

promotes Morgan Sawchuk as partner
Sawchuk provides emerging and high growth technology companies with strategic counseling.
She is based in San Francisco.

Joseph Schenck was promoted to partner of Fenwick & West LLP in San Francisco.

promotes Joseph Schenck as partner
Schenck represents technology companies in transactions involving intellectual property.
He is based in San Francisco.

Julia Ushakova-Stein was promoted to partner of Fenwick & West LLP in Mountain View.

promotes Julia Ushakova-Stein as partner
Ushakova-Stein counsels clients on U.S. tax planning and tax controversy matters.
She is based in Mountain View.

Ali Jahangiri

appoints Ali Jahangiri to California Film Commission
Jahangiri is the CEO of Outclick Media DBA EB5 Investors
since 2005.
He is based in Newport Beach.

Michael C. Allers was promoted to partner of Kirkland & Ellis LLP in San Francisco.

promotes Michael C. Allers as partner
Allers focuses on transactional matters related to
mergers, acquisitions and divestitures.
He is based in San Francisco.

Caitlin Bouey was promoted to partner of Kirkland & Ellis LLP in San Francisco.

promotes Caitlin Bouey as partner
Bouey represents clients in secured and unsecured
debt financing transactions.
She is based in San Francisco.

Travis J. Distaso was promoted to partner of Kirkland & Ellis LLP in San Francisco.

promotes Travis J. Distaso as partner
Distaso advises equity firms in general corporate
matters including mergers and acquisitions.
He is based in San Francisco.

Natalie Flechsig was promoted to partner of Kirkland & Ellis LLP in San Francisco.

promotes Natalie Flechsig as partner
Flechsig handles intellectual property-related litigation
including patent, copyright and trademark infringement.
She is based in San Francisco.

Shayne Henry was promoted to partner of Kirkland & Ellis LLP in San Francisco.

promotes Shayne Henry as partner
Henry is a litigator with a focus on commercial litigation.
He is based in San Francisco.

Ari Levi was promoted to partner of Kirkland & Ellis LLP in San Francisco.

promotes Ari Levi as partner
Levi is a corporate partner with an emphasis on private
equity, mergers and acquisitions and leveraged
acquisitions.
He is based in San Francisco.

Simon C. Root was promoted to partner of Kirkland & Ellis LLP in San Francisco.

promotes Simon C. Root as partner
Root represents private equity firms and portfolio
companies in business matters including strategic and
leveraged acquisitions.
He is based in San Francisco.

Michael Saretsky was promoted to partner of Kirkland & Ellis LLP in San Francisco.

promotes Michael Saretsky as partner
Saretsky specializes in environmental transactional
matters.
He is based in San Francisco.

Anna Terteryan was promoted to partner of Kirkland & Ellis LLP in San Francisco.

promotes Anna Terteryan as partner
Terteryan focuses her practice on commercial litigation
in both state and federal court.
She is based in San Francisco.

Carol H. Wang was promoted to partner of Kirkland & Ellis LLP in San Francisco.

promotes Carol Hsing Wang as partner
Wang advises clients in various tax matters including
those that arise from forming and operating private investment
funds.
She is based in San Francisco.

Jeff Joyner joined Venable LLP as partner in Los Angeles.

Joyner coordinates and manages legal teams as outside general counsel for clients in various industries including alternative energy and entertainment.
He is based in Los Angeles.