Holland & Knight LLP
Mark E. Powell
joined Holland & Knight LLP as partner in Los Angeles.
Powell specializes in estate and gift tax planning, family governance and succession planning and trust and probate administration.
He is based in Los Angeles.
Address
400 South Hope Street, 8th Floor
Los Angeles, 90071 USA
T:
(213) 896-2426
Yoka & Smith LLP
Lauren A.R. Lofton
was promoted to partner of Yoka & Smith LLP in Los Angeles.
Lofton defends clients in catastrophic personal injury, wrongful death and products liability litigation, as well as business tort matters.
She is based in Los Angeles.
Atkinson, Andelson, Loya, Ruud & Romo PC
James Baca
was promoted to managing partner of Atkinson, Andelson, Loya, Ruud & Romo PC in Cerritos.
Baca was the firm's chief operating officer. He represents public and private sector employers in labor relations and negotiations, and represents school districts.
He is based in Cerritos.
Holland & Knight LLP
Raymond Kim
was promoted to partner of Holland & Knight LLP in Los Angeles.
Kim is a commercial litigator with a focus on consumer class action defense.
He is based in Los Angeles.
Hanson Bridgett LLP
Kristina D. Lawson
was promoted to managing partner of Hanson Bridgett LLP in San Francisco.
promotes Kristina D. Lawson to managing partner
Lawson specializes in complex entitlement, land use, environmental and municipal matters.
She is based in San Francisco.
Michael J. Gorback
was promoted to management committee member of Hanson Bridgett LLP in San Francisco.
Gorback advises clients in corporate formation, debt and equity financing transactions, mergers and acquisitions, technology transactions, employment counseling, public securities offerings, SEC reporting and corporate governance.
He is based in San Francisco.
Constance Liu
was promoted to management committee member of Hanson Bridgett LLP in San Francisco.
Liu advises clients in tax strategies and international estate planning, including issues related to investments in the U.S. and tax reporting requirements for foreign trusts.
She is based in San Francisco.
Sandra L. Rappaport
was promoted to management committee member of Hanson Bridgett LLP in San Francisco.
Rappaport specializes in employer- side labor and employment law.
She is based in San Francisco.
Mohammad Walizadeh
was promoted to management committee member of Hanson Bridgett LLP in San Francisco.
Walizadeh focuses on commercial litigation related to real estate such as lease and contract actions, partition actions, debt collection cases, partnership disputes and bankruptcy matters.
He is based in San Francisco.
Christopher A. Rheinheimer
was promoted to partner of Hanson Bridgett LLP in San Francisco.
Rheinheimer focuses on complex trials and litigation with an emphasis on environmental, energy, land use
and real estate-related matters.
He is based in San Francisco.
Ann Mary Olson
was promoted to senior counsel of Hanson Bridgett LLP in San Francisco.
Olson represents clients in the health and long-term care services industries in civil and regulatory litigation.
She is based in San Francisco.
Nicole S. Witt
was promoted to senior counsel of Hanson Bridgett LLP in San Francisco.
Witt advises clients on government and public agency law.
She is based in San Francisco.
Elisha J. Yang
was promoted to senior counsel of Hanson Bridgett LLP in San Francisco.
Yang is a transactional lawyer with a focus on commercial, real estate and land use matters.
She is based in San Francisco.
Tucker Ellis LLP
Nicholas V. Janizeh
was promoted to counsel of Tucker Ellis LLP in Los Angeles.
Janizeh focuses on product liability defense in the pharmaceutical and medical device industry.
He is based in Los Angeles.
Musick Peeler
Michael Mauge
was promoted to partner of Musick Peeler in Los Angeles.
Mauge specializes in general litigation and employment law. He has experience litigating disputes related to wrongful termination and discrimination, contracts, construction defect, insurance bad faith and product liability.
He is based in Los Angeles.
Miller Starr Regalia
Timothy Maes
was promoted to shareholder of Miller Starr Regalia in Walnut Creek.
Maes represents property owners, developers and retailers in real estate transactions.
He is based in Walnut Creek.
Jeffer Mangels Butler & Mitchell LLP
Daniel F. Freedman
was promoted to partner of Jeffer Mangels Butler & Mitchell LLP in Los Angeles.
Freedman advises clients in real estate development, zoning, land use entitlements and compliance with local, state and federal regulations.
He is based in Los Angeles.
Ryan D. Nowicki
was promoted to partner of Jeffer Mangels Butler & Mitchell LLP in Los Angeles.
Nowicki specializes in domestic and international tax planning and controversies, business structuring and complex transactions, as well as nonprofit tax-exempt organization law.
He is based in Los Angeles.
Andrew K. Steenbock
was promoted to partner of Jeffer Mangels Butler & Mitchell LLP in Los Angeles.
Steenbock focuses on wealth transfer planning, including estate, gift tax and charitable planning, probate and trust administration.
He is based in Los Angeles.
Stuart K. Tubis
was promoted to partner of Jeffer Mangels Butler & Mitchell LLP in San Francisco.
Tubis focuses on civil litigation with an emphasis on claims related to the Americans with Disabilities Act.
He is based in San Francisco.
Hogan Lovells US LLP
Tao Y. Leung
was promoted to partner of Hogan Lovells US LLP in Los Angeles.
Leung leads the labor and employment practice in the firm's California offices and specializes in state and federal employment law.
He is based in Los Angeles.
Kilpatrick Townsend & Stockton LLP
Wesley E. Overson Jr.
joined Kilpatrick Townsend & Stockton LLP in San Francisco.
Overson specializes in intellectual property and commercial litigation.
He is based in San Francisco.
Address
Two Embarcadero Center Suite 1900
San Francisco, 94111 USA
T:
(415) 273-4730
F:
(415) 723-7020
Weintraub Tobin
Jessica Rankin Corpuz
was promoted to shareholder of Weintraub Tobin in Los Angeles.
Corpuz focuses on complex commercial disputes with an emphasis on entertainment and intellectual property litigation.
She is based in Los Angeles.
Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton LLP
Stacey L. Rosenberg
joined Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton LLP as partner.
Stacey L. Rosenberg, a former partner at Hogan Lovells U.S. LLP, joined Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton LLP on Dec. 5 in the downtown Los Angeles office. Rosenberg, the 15th partner to join the firm in the last 12 months, will be part of the finance and bankruptcy practice group.
"I think that Sheppard offers me just a better platform," Rosenberg said of her move. "It has a larger banking group than Hogan had in the U.S. ... and it was doing well. But I think that Sheppard really gives me an opportunity to focus on a larger potential group of clients, and just because they have that larger finance practice, I think it's a bit easier to work with my partners and pitch business and the like."
Rosenberg had been with Hogan Lovells for four years.
Since the start of her career, she has specialized in secured lending and currently focuses on alternative lenders and direct lending. She also has experience in leveraged finance, working with investment banks and commercial banks and other types of debt finance, with the exception of public securities. Her clients range across industries but she has specific expertise in film finance, which she has been doing for the last 20 years.
Much of Rosenberg's work also involves distressed companies. "I think that there's quite a bit of opportunity to work with the bankruptcy partners to build on the synergies there as well," she added.
"Stacey checks a bunch of boxes," said Brent Horstman, Sheppard's finance and bankruptcy practice group leader. "We've always had a historical strength in commercial banking, but we have tried to strengthen our direct lending, alternative lender portion of our practice, which we think Stacey definitely does. We have a very strong entertainment group and Stacey fits well there as well. And then, just culturally, we've gotten to know Stacey over the course of interviewing and we think she fits very well with the firm. We thought, on all levels this was a great fit."
Rosenberg has been involved in handling adoption cases pro bono for the Alliance for Children's Rights. She was the coordinator of pro bono adoption cases at Hogan Lovells and looks to continue that work at Sheppard Mullin.
Address
333 S Hope St, Fl 43
Los Angeles, 90071-1422 USA
T:
(213) 617-4128
Klinedinst PC
Heather L. Rosing
was promoted to chief executive officer of Klinedinst PC in San Diego and Los Angeles.
Rosing specializes in the defense of lawyers and accountants, as well as ethics and risk management counseling. She is the chairperson of the professional liability department.
She is based in San Diego and Los Angeles.
Blank Rome LLP
Kevin M. O'Malley
was promoted to partner of Blank Rome LLP in Los Angeles.
O'Malley specializes in financial services and secured lending in the manufacturing, health care and technology industries.
He is based in Los Angeles.
Blank Rome LLP
Arash Beral
joined Blank Rome LLP as partner in Los Angeles.
Beral represents clients in complex and high-stakes business litigation.
He is based in Los Angeles.
Address
2029 Century Park E Ste 600
Los Angeles, 90067-2907 USA
T:
(424) 239-3453
F:
(424) 389-7519
Miller Starr Regalia
Nicholas E. Ma
joined Miller Starr Regalia as associate in Walnut Creek.
Ma is a commercial litigator. He represents real estate developers, tech companies, financial institutions and public entities.
Address
1331 N. California Blvd.
Walnut Creek, 94596 United States
T:
(925) 935-9400
JAMS
John K. Stewart
joined JAMS as neutral in San Francisco.
Stewart was appointed to the bench in 2000 and served for 20 years, presiding over civil, criminal, juvenile and probate calendars. He was presiding judge in 2015.
He is based in San Francisco.
Address
Two Embarcadero Center, Suite 1500
San Francisco, 94111 USA
T:
(415) 774-2600
F:
(415) 982-5287
K&L Gates LLP
Helen B. Kim
joined K&L Gates LLP as partner in Los Angeles.
Kim focuses on securities litigation.
She is based in Los Angeles.
Address
10100 Santa Monica Blvd, Ste 800
Los Angeles, 90067-4105 USA
T:
(310) 552-5090
F:
(310) 552-5201
Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP
Daniel M. Kolkey
After 28 years as a partner at Gibson Dunn and five years as a justice of the 3rd District California Court of Appeal, San Francisco based appellate lawyer Daniel M. Kolkey retired at the end of the year.
"There's an expectation that partners will retire at age 68, to make room for the younger partners, but it was also time for a change," said Kolkey in an interview.
"I'm interested in focusing on things that particularly interest me. Particularly I'd like to write about California public policy -- I've been doing a bit of that already this year -- as well as on foreign affairs."
Kolkey plans to leave the door open when it comes to practicing law and said he is open to consulting and possibly writing briefs in the future.
Kolkey's 43 years in practice includes civil actions and litigation on a range of law, from tax to constitutional issues. He has expertise in the California Constitution and procedure, government law and ballot initiatives.
He drafted two constitutional measures, co-authoring California's international arbitration law and a recent law that allows foreign and out-of-state attorneys to represent clients in international commercial arbitrations in California.
At Gibson Dunn, he was co-chair of the appellate and constitutional law group and was chair of the appellate rules subcommittee of the Judicial Council of California for six years.
In addition to his time on the appellate court, he was legal affairs secretary and counsel to Gov. Pete Wilson during his second term and as Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's negotiator under the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act.
Kolkey said he has enjoyed most the thrill and creativity of appellate litigation, particularly in the high stakes cases he has handled related to public policy. He mentioned in particular arguing for both Governors Wilson and Schwarzenegger on redistricting before the California Supreme Court.
"I've also enjoyed drafting two initiative measures that were adopted by the California voters and are now part of the California Constitution," he added. "I can technically say that I've written part of the California Constitution."
Gov. Gavin Newsom
Selis Koker
joined Gov. Gavin Newsom as chief counsel of the california department of child support services in El Dorado Hills.
Koker was formerly assistant chief counsel of the department. Prior to joining the department in 2013, she was an associate at Cordell & Cordell LLP.
She is based in El Dorado Hills.
Sarah L. Ream
joined Gov. Gavin Newsom as chief counsel at the california department of managed health care in Sacramento.
Ream has been acting chief counsel of the department since 2018. Before joining the department in 2007 she was legal counsel for the Washington State House of Representatives.
She is based in Sacramento.
Adetunji O. Olude
joined Gov. Gavin Newsom as member of the fair employment and housing council in Oakland.
Olude is an attorney at the Judicial Council of California Center for Judicial Education and Research. She is a former staff attorney at Housing and Economic Rights Advocates.
She is based in Oakland.
Hellen Hong
joined Gov. Gavin Newsom as member of the fair employment and housing council in Los Angeles.
Hong is chief executive officer at Cal Bar Affinity Inc. and is the former director of the Office of Access and Inclusion at the State Bar.
She is based in Los Angeles.
Gabriel A. Sandoval
joined Gov. Gavin Newsom as chair of fair employment and housing council in Los Angeles.
Sandoval has served on the council since 2019 and is a partner at Atkinson, Andelson, Loya, Ruud & Romo PC. He is a former senior advisor and director of policy at the White House Initiative on Educational Excellence for Hispanics.
He is based in Los Angeles.
Julie Wilensky
joined Gov. Gavin Newsom as member of fair employment and housing council in Oakland.
Wilensky is a senior staff attorney at the National Center for Lesbian Rights and is a former deputy county counsel in Santa Clara County.
She is based in Oakland.
Myriam Bouaziz
joined Gov. Gavin Newsom as chief deputy director of the office of tax appeals in Fairfield.
Bouaziz has served as deputy director of legislation at the office since 2018. Previously, she was a consultant and floor staff member for State Senate President Pro Tempore Kevin de León.
She is based in Fairfield.
Klinedinst PC
Robert R. Martinez
joined Klinedinst PC as attorney in Irvine.
Martinez represents institutional clients in a wide range of civil matters, including general commercial liability, consumer law and title litigation.
He is based in Irvine.
Address
2 Park Plaza, Suite 1250
Irvine, 92614 United States
T:
(714) 542-1800
F:
(714) 542-3592
Klinedinst PC
Ricardo Esteban Diaz
joined Klinedinst PC as associate in Los Angeles.
Diaz focuses on employment litigation including wage and hour disputes and discrimination suits.
He is based in Los Angeles.
Address
777 S. Figueroa St., Suite 2800
Los Angeles, 90017 United States
T:
(213) 406-1100
FisherBroyles LLP
David Mesa
joined FisherBroyles LLP as partner in Palo Alto.
David Mesa joined FisherBroyles as a partner this month, expanding the firm's Palo Alto litigation practice. He moved from Steptoe & Johnson, where he practiced three years in the products liability, commercial litigation and retail and e-commerce groups.
"FisherBroyles is a stellar law firm. It provides my clients with a broader platform and a larger national footprint, and for me, the opportunity to work with the firm's impeccable trial bench to defend clients nationally," said Mesa in an interview. "It's a global firm with world class partners. Whatever my clients are facing when a problem arises, even if I'm not an expert in the area, we have a diversely talented and experienced bench, who can help the client solve whatever those problems are. ... The firm was touted as a fantastic place to work with a collaborative culture amongst the partners and I agree 100%."
He was attracted to the flexibility and autonomy of the partnership and its distributed, cloud-based structure that allows him to spend extra time with his young children, Mesa said.
"I have the freedom to choose to work from home, which means I get to spend more time with my family," he added. "I have a 3-year-old and a 6-year-old and that extra time really means the world to me."
Mesa specializes in complex civil disputes with a focus on defending manufacturers and retailers. He has experience representing clients in products liability and commercial business disputes, as well as injury and wrongful death lawsuits, consumer class actions and enforcement actions by government agencies.
"From my summer associate program at Sedgwick in 2006 up until today, all I've ever done is litigation for manufacturers and retailers," he said.
Mesa was with Sedgwick LLP for 10 years before joining Steptoe in 2018.
Outside of his practice, Mesa is active in bar associations, which he considers his second family. In the past, he has been president of the National Filipino Lawyers Association and board member of the National Asian Pacific American Bar Association. Currently, he is in his third year on the board of the California Asian Pacific American Bar Association and is on the judiciary committee of the National Filipino Lawyers Association and the California chapter of the National Asian Pacific American Bar Association.
Address
530 Lytton Ave, Fl 2
Palo Alto, 94301-1541 USA
T:
(415) 915-4415
F:
(415) 890-4845
Hueston Hennigan LLP
Michael Behrens
was promoted to of counsel of Hueston Hennigan LLP in Los Angeles.
Behrens is a commercial litigator and has experience with disputes related to contracts, professional malpractice, toxic torts, corporate executive employment disputes, defamation, health care fraud and labor unions.
He is based in Los Angeles.
Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough LLP
Shawtina F. Lewis
was promoted to partner of Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough LLP in Los Angeles.
Lewis specializes in defending clients in product liability, toxic tort and automotive warranty litigation. She also advises clients in California Proposition 65 compliance.
She is based in Los Angeles.
Larson LLP
Dana M. Howard
was promoted to partner of Larson LLP in Los Angeles.
Howard represents clients in contact, intellectual property, entertainment, employment and fraud disputes.
She is based in Los Angeles.
A. Alexander Lowder
was promoted to partner of Larson LLP in Los Angeles.
Lowder focuses on representation of clients in white collar criminal investigations and prosecutions, as well as complex breach of contract matters, class actions and civil rights disputes.
He is based in Los Angeles.
Jen C. Won
was promoted to counsel of Larson LLP in Los Angeles.
Won specializes in complex commercial disputes and white collar criminal investigations and defense.
She is based in Los Angeles.
Emilie J. Zuccolotto
was promoted to counsel of Larson LLP in Los Angeles.
Zuccolotto focuses on employment and business disputes such as discrimination
and wrongful termination claims, wage and hour class actions and
consumer class actions.
She is based in Los Angeles.
Manatt, Phelps & Phillips LLP
Veronica Lah
was promoted to partner of Manatt, Phelps & Phillips LLP in Los Angeles.
Lah specializes in corporate and financial transactions including mergers and acquisitions, private equity, capital markets and corporate finance.
She is based in Los Angeles.
Elizabeth P. Levin
was promoted to partner of Manatt, Phelps & Phillips LLP in Los Angeles.
Levin is a member of the firm's real estate group. She advises clients in a broad range of matters including loan restructures, leasing and acquisitions.
She is based in Los Angeles.
Johnston & Hutchinson LLP (formerly Johnston Hutchinson & Lira LLP)
Haight Brown & Bonesteel LLP
Frances Brower
was promoted to partner of Haight Brown & Bonesteel LLP in Irvine.
Brower specializes in litigation related to premises liability, commercial disputes, elder abuse and products liability.
She is based in Irvine.
Kristian B. Moriarty
was promoted to partner of Haight Brown & Bonesteel LLP in Irvine.
Moriarty is a litigator and a member of the firm's risk management and insurance law, transportation and products liability practice groups. He has experience handling disputes related to insurance coverage and trucking accidents.
He is based in Irvine.