Madison Karsenty was promoted to partner of Donaldson Callif Perez LLP in Los Angeles.

Karsenty joined the firm in 2021, bringing with her an invaluable background in legal production for marketing and unscripted productions. At DCP, Karsenty has been working on a variety of financing and development deals, running production legal, and handling clearance reviews for many of the firm's premiere clients such as Hartbeat, Lady and Bird, Mighty Entertainment, MGX, Film Independent, Women in Film and Madhouse. Through her work, she has been recognized among Realscreen's "Factual Under 40" and Variety's "Up Next" Dealmakers.

Alexandre M. Yousefzadeh was promoted to partner of Donaldson Callif Perez LLP in Los Angeles.

Yousefzadeh joined the firm in 2015. He works in all areas of the firm’s entertainment and media law practice, advising clients through the various stages of corporate structuring, development, financing, production, rights acquisition, clearance, and distribution.

Gurpreet Bal joined Foley & Lardner as a partner in Silicon Valley.

Bal's clients represent a broad spectrum of the technology sector, including leaders and investors in the artificial intelligence, semiconductors, digital health, fintech, enterprise security, consumer tech, food innovation, and social enterprise, among others. He is known for his practical, forward-thinking approach to complex transactions and possesses a deep understanding of the challenges faced by leading and leading-edge companies, their investors, and supporters.

Shaalu Mehra joined Foley & Lardner as a partner in Silicon Valley.

Mehra guides clients through complex corporate and technology transactions, focusing his practice on emerging company venture capital, corporate venture capital, multinational joint ventures, technology procurement, and intellectual property acquisition and licensing. With clients spanning Fortune 50 multinationals making critical technology investments to technology and digital health care start-ups backed by Tier 1 venture capital, Mehra leverages his background in computer science research and software development to navigate transactional matters for clients, including for FAANG companies, automakers, energy producers, telecos, chipmakers, and more.

Matthew Pham joined Friedland Cianfrani LLP as an associate in Irvine.

Pham brings a dual background in engineering and law to his practice. Before law school, he worked at Mondelez International--maker of Oreo cookies and Sour Patch Kids--developing food packaging and contributing to the company's invention disclosure system. That experience sparked his interest in intellectual property and ultimately led him to the University of Illinois College of Law.

Louis N. Haas joined Farella Braun + Martel LLP as a counsel. The move was Jun. 2, 2025.

Managing partner of Haas & Najarian for 52 years, Haas has tried and supervised government contract disputes in virtually every forum in the country, including contract appeals boards, the U.S. Court of Federal Claims, the U.S. Government Accountability Office, and the U.S. Supreme Court. He provides business advice to clients across a wide range of industries, including real estate, manufacturing, mining, technology, and an array of service businesses.

Robert C. Nicholas joined Farella Braun + Martel LLP as a counsel. The move was June. 2, 2025.

With more than four decades of experience, Nicholas has a diverse real estate practice representing owners and developers in the acquisition, disposition, leasing, financing, construction, and management of all types of commercial properties. He has developed particular expertise in the hospitality industry, where he negotiates third-party and "brand" hotel management and hotel franchise agreements. He also has considerable experience in negotiating, documenting, restructuring, and enforcing commercial leases.

Lauren Horgan joined Cummins & White LLP as an associate in Newport Beach.

Horgan brings extensive experience in civil, business, and intellectual property litigation in both state and federal courts. Her dynamic approach and dedication to protecting clients' intellectual property rights strengthen the firm's robust litigation practice.

Daniel Hitzfield joined Cummins & White, LLP as an associate in Newport Beach.

Hitzfield brings his expertise in real estate, finance, and corporate transactions to the firm. He counsels clients on balancing business objectives with legal liabilities in commercial real estate and corporate transactions. His prior experience includes working at a law firm specializing in real estate transactions and corporate governance, particularly involving retail shopping centers, industrial, and office parks, enhancing the firm's capabilities in these areas. Hitzfield also has a strong background in drafting and negotiating service and financing agreements, including master service agreements, licensing, loans, and corporate governance documents.

Tom Ara joined Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP as a partner in Los Angeles. The move was Jun. 4, 2025.

Ara's practice focuses on domestic and international transactions across entertainment, sports and media. He represents a broad range of clients in M&A and financing transactions, including private equity firms, investors, sovereigns, lenders and borrowers. Additionally, he advises entertainment companies worldwide on strategic deals and complex corporate and commercial transactions, handling billions of dollars of transactions for media properties and major sports media rights, among other high-profile deals.

Samuel Jo joined Greenberg Traurig LLP as a shareholder in San Diego.

Jo focuses his practice on complex commercial and licensing agreements, as well as technology product and platform development, integration, launch, and counseling, with a particular emphasis on emerging technologies such as machine learning and AI, quantum computing, aerospace, custom Silicon applications, and Internet of Things.

William Ticknor joined Thompson Hine LLP as a partner in Santa Monica. The move was May 30, 2025.

Ticknor advises real estate funds, developers, high-net-worth individuals, and institutional investors on acquisitions, dispositions, and complex financing transactions. His work includes single- and multi-asset portfolios; acquisition and construction loans; refinancings; workouts; syndicated and securitized loans; mezzanine financings; and preferred equity.

He has handled deals across a broad range of property types--industrial, hospitality, office, retail, self-storage, student housing, and multifamily--and has facilitated the acquisition and financing of high-value projects totaling more than $850 million across California and the U.S.

Bruce Kelson joined Buchalter as a shareholder in San Francisco. The move was May 30, 2025.

Kelson focuses his practice on securities litigation and complex commercial litigation for both U.S. and foreign clients across a wide range of industries, including financial services, real estate, venture capital, software, and technology. He represents clients in SEC, FINRA, and other regulatory investigations and enforcement proceeding. He has appeared in federal and state courts and arbitral forums across California, New York, Delaware, and other jurisdictions.

Stacey Geis joined Crowell & Moring LLP as a counsel in San Francisco. The move was May 29, 2025.

Geis recently served at EPA headquarters, first as a senior advisor, then as a deputy assistant administrator. During her tenure, she helped to lead the 2,800-person Office of Enforcement & Compliance Assurance and implement policy goals, including addressing climate change, per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), and revitalization of EPA's enforcement and compliance programs throughout the country. Most notably, Geis helped create EPA's Strategic Civil-Criminal Enforcement Policy, provided guidance on EPA's National Enforcement and Compliance Initiatives, and helped implement two recent Supreme Court decisions -- Sackett v. EPA, which limited the definition of wetlands under the Clean Water Act; and SEC v. Jarkesy, which limited the scope of federal administrative proceedings.

At Crowell, Geis' practice will focus on advising clients on a broad range of environmental and policy matters, including compliance assistance, corporate governance, and risk and crisis management. She will also advise on compliance and enforcement issues, including internal investigations, pre-filing negotiations, and litigation as needed.

J. David Bournazian joined Norton Rose Fulbright US LLP as a partner in Los Angeles.

Bournazian combines thoughtful legal analysis and strategy with an aggressive but practical approach to highly intricate disputes and business negotiations. A trial litigator and trusted advisor, he is a fierce advocate for clients facing issues at the intersection of law, business and innovation. He represents national and international clients, including well-known and publicly traded companies, in the retail, energy, construction, consumer goods, insurance and automotive industries.

Hrag Kouyoumjian joined Kabateck LLP as a counsel in Los Angeles. The move was May 27, 2025.

A seasoned trial lawyer with a strong background in complex litigation, Hrag brings a sharp focus on personal injury law and a deep commitment to standing up for those who've been wrongfully harmed.

He has successfully represented individuals in high-stakes cases involving negligence, dangerous products, and catastrophic injuries. Known for his strategic approach and relentless advocacy, Hrag is dedicated to helping clients navigate some of the most challenging moments of their lives.

In addition to his role at Kabateck, Hrag is the founder of Seven Hill Law, APC, where he continues to represent clients in complex litigation. He also previously served in the Los Angeles City Attorney's Office, gaining valuable experience alongside lead trial attorneys on major civil matters.

Skanthan Vivekananda joined O'Melveny & Myers LLP as a partner in Los Angeles.

Vivekananda has more than 20 years of experience advising clients on structured finance, derivatives, and investment management. He focuses his practice on the formation and structuring of cash and synthetic CLOs and other securitization vehicles, as well as other credit-focused investment funds.

Matt Ashby joined Kirkland & Ellis LLP as a partner in Los Angeles, Century City.

Ashby focuses his practice on complex litigation defense. For more than a decade, he has served as local and national trial counsel for some of the largest U.S. companies in the government contracting, chemical, pharmaceutical, construction, maritime, and automotive industries. He brings a unique perspective to client service based on his prior experience as a certified public accountant in California.

Julia Romano joined Kirkland & Ellis LLP as a partner in Los Angeles, Century City.

Romano is a nationally recognized trial lawyer and litigator, with extensive experience in products liability and California law. She has a proven track record of success for her clients in a wide range of complex litigation matters, including medical device, pharmaceutical, toxic tort and other product liability and tort cases.

Michael Maher joined Davis Wright Tremaine LLP as a partner in San Francisco. The move was Jun. 2, 2025.

Maher is a strategic legal advisor and trusted partner to owners, operators, and investors across the food, beverage, agriculture, and hospitality industries. With over a decade of in-house experience as general counsel to leading wine and hospitality businesses, Michael brings a practical business perspective to advising his clients. His legal practice encompasses a broad range of commercial matters, including advising businesses on strategic commercial partnerships and contracts; on acquisition, disposition, and merger transactions; in assessing, structuring, and negotiating real estate transactions; and in navigating complex regulatory operating environments.

John Babala joined Seyfarth Shaw LLP as a partner in Century City. The move was May 28, 2025.

With over 30 years of experience, Babala brings deep expertise in complex transactions, financings, and cross-border matters. He has represented clients from numerous global markets, including Asia, Europe, and Africa, and has advised on M&A deals, joint ventures, licensing, and equity/debt financing. His background also includes serving as outside general counsel to businesses in regulated sectors such as aerospace, healthcare, and finance.

Seyfarth's Corporate Department has more than 100 lawyers across the firm's offices in the U.S. and internationally.

Andrew W. Cheng joined Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP as a partner in Los Angeles. The move was May 27, 2025.

A member of Gibson Dunn's Business Restructuring and Reorganization Practice Group and the Liability Management and Special Situations Practice Group, Cheng focuses on distressed-related financings, including rescue and DIP financings, representing lenders in liability management transactions, restructuring of syndicated secured credit facilities, and sponsor-side acquisition financings.

DJ Moore joined Paul Hastings LLP as a partner in Century City. The move was May 27, 2025.

Moore specializes in securing and defending land use and environmental approvals for major development, infrastructure, and energy projects. He represents developers, institutions, and utilities before local, state, and federal agencies, navigating complex regulatory frameworks including CEQA, NEPA, the Coastal Act, Clean Air and Water Acts, and others. Moore's portfolio includes high-profile projects such as the Western Hemisphere's largest seawater desalination plant, sports stadiums, research facilities, urban skyscrapers, and energy infrastructure, showcasing his expertise in managing both approvals and litigation for diverse, large-scale developments.

Beth Gordie joined Paul Hastings LLP as a partner in Century City.

Gordie advises landowners, developers, and institutional investors on land use, environmental, and infrastructure matters, with a focus on entitlements, permitting, and regulatory compliance. She guides clients through every stage of the development process, addressing legal, political, and community concerns while navigating complex local, state, and federal regulations, including CEQA, NEPA, and zoning laws. Her work spans high-profile projects such as stadiums, hospitals, transportation infrastructure, and solar facilities. As a registered lobbyist with strong ties to public agencies in California, she brings strategic insight from her leadership roles in regional advocacy and community organizations.

Winston Stromberg joined Paul Hastings LLP as a partner in Century City.

Stromberg represents developers, utilities, institutions, and property owners in securing land use entitlements and environmental approvals for complex real estate, energy, and infrastructure projects, with a strong emphasis on related litigation. He is experienced in navigating regulatory frameworks such as CEQA, NEPA, and the California Coastal Act, and has first-chaired many high-stakes trials and appeals. Stromberg advises clients through all development stages—from site diligence and entitlements to compliance and dispute resolution—often managing politically sensitive and heavily opposed projects. He is also a skilled negotiator, adept at brokering complex agreements with agencies and stakeholders to advance large-scale developments.

Benjamin Hanelin joined Paul Hastings LLP as a partner in Century City.

Hanelin focuses on environmental and land use law, including CEQA and the California Coastal Act. He advises clients on regulatory approvals and litigates writ of mandamus cases in California trial and appellate courts for infrastructure, energy, and real estate projects. Hanelin also provides strategic counsel on administrative and governmental law, drawing on experience that includes clerking for Chief Judge Irma E. Gonzalez of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California.

Lauren Paull joined Paul Hastings LLP as a partner in Century City.

Paull advises landowners and developers on land use, environmental, and real estate development matters, with a focus on navigating complex entitlement processes and regulatory frameworks such as CEQA, the California Coastal Act, and the Subdivision Map Act. She has extensive experience managing large-scale, multi-jurisdictional projects—ranging from sports and entertainment complexes to energy facilities and mixed-use developments—that involve legal, political, and community considerations. A registered lobbyist, Paull also regularly advocates for clients before local agencies and commissions.

Jay C. Gandhi joined Phillips Alternative Dispute Resolutions Enterprises (PADRE) as a neutral. The move was May 30, 2025.

Gandhi has successfully resolved many high-profile cases, including the $1.2 billion Discover settlement related to card misclassification, the $725 million class action settlement accusing Facebook of allowing Cambridge Analytica to access user data, and the $648 million Monsanto class action settlement over environmental contamination from polychlorinated biphenyls.

He Gandhi previously served for eight years as a U.S. magistrate judge for the Central District of California, the nation's largest federal court. At the Court, he oversaw its ADR program and its mediation panel of more than 200 neutrals. He also served as a partner at Paul Hastings LLP and spent 12 years litigating high-profile, high-dollar commercial cases and MDL/class actions in a variety of state and federal jurisdictions across the nation.

Claire-Lise Y. Kutlay joined Miller Barondess, LLP as a counsel in Los Angeles. The move was May 12, 2025.

Kutlay is an accomplished trial lawyer with experience litigating cases in a broad range of practice areas, including labor and employment, fraud, business torts, defamation, real estate, contracts, business partnership disputes, and trade secret misappropriation.

Kathryn C. Kafka joined Miller Barondess, LLP as an associate in Los Angeles. The move was May 5, 2025.

Kafka is a litigation attorney with experience handling matters involving real estate, land use, contracts, breach of fiduciary duty, business torts, and commercial lease disputes.

Christian P. Erwin joined Miller Barondess, LLP as an associate in Los Angeles. The move was May 1, 2025.

Erwin is a litigation attorney whose practice focuses on patent infringement and trade secret misappropriation. He has represented clients across a range of industries, including semiconductor manufacturing and fabrication, digital radios, computer software, bitcoin mining, and medical devices.

Gurpreet S. Bal joined Foley & Lardner LLP as a partner in Silicon Valley.

Bal's clients represent a broad spectrum of the technology sector, including leaders and investors in the artificial intelligence, semiconductors, digital health, fintech, enterprise security, consumer tech, food innovation, and social enterprise, among others. He is known for his practical, forward-thinking approach to complex transactions and possesses a deep understanding of the challenges faced by leading and leading-edge companies, their investors, and supporters.

Shaalu Mehra joined Foley & Lardner LLP as a partner in Silicon Valley.

Mehra guides clients through complex corporate and technology transactions, focusing his practice on emerging company venture capital, corporate venture capital, multinational joint ventures, technology procurement, and intellectual property acquisition and licensing. With clients spanning Fortune 50 multinationals making critical technology investments to technology and digital health care start-ups backed by Tier 1 venture capital, Mehra leverages his background in computer science research and software development to navigate transactional matters for clients, including for FAANG companies, automakers, energy producers, telecos, chipmakers, and more.

Ashley King joined Kibler Fowler & Cave LLP as an associate in Los Angeles. The move was May 12, 2025.

King represents clients in a broad range of complex litigation, employment, and white-collar matters. Known for her strategic mindset and meticulous attention to detail, King combines a practical, solution-oriented approach with a strong understanding of the broader business landscape in which her clients operate.

Alexander M. Gamez was promoted to partner of Boucher LLP in Woodland Hills. The promotion is effective May 22, 2025.

Gamez represents survivors of sexual abuse, sexual harassment, and employment discrimination in civil litigation, and prosecutes class and PAGA representative actions against employers who violate California and federal wage and hour laws. He has successfully resolved cases on behalf of the firm's clients through settlements and trial. In 2022, he obtained an over $24 million jury verdict in favor of two brothers against an adult cousin who sexually abused them during their childhood.

Gamez graduated cum laude from California State University, Fullerton in 2012, earning a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science. Thereafter, in 2015, he earned his Juris Doctor degree from Southwestern Law School. During law school, he clerked for the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office, served as a student coordinator for the National Lawyers Guild Court Watch Program, and was a member of the Public Interest Law Committee. He also obtained numerous awards and distinctions during law school for his public interest and pro bono efforts.

David Segre joined Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati as a partner in Palo Alto.

Segre advises technology companies through all stages of growth, including venture capital financings, public offerings, mergers and acquisitions, and corporate governance, as well as disclosure and SEC compliance. He also counsels venture capital firms and investment banks on a range of transactional matters. Notably, Segre was one of the lead partners on the teams that represented Google, Square, and Tesla in their initial public offerings and Asana on its direct listing. Throughout his career, he has represented Google in over 100 acquisitions.

Joshua D. Hess joined Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton LLP as a partner in San Francisco.

Hess' national litigation practice focuses on securities litigation, with a particular emphasis on defending asset managers in class action litigation, white collar and shareholder litigation, internal investigations and civil and criminal price-fixing cases. He regularly represents companies, boards and individuals in high-stakes shareholder disputes and corporate governance litigation in Delaware courts and across the country. Over the course of his career, Hess has represented major financial institutions, investment firms and public companies in complex commercial and regulatory disputes. His experience includes leading internal investigations, defending clients in SEC enforcement matters, litigating cases involving securities fraud, breach of fiduciary duty, antitrust conspiracy and corporate governance issues.