Erica J. Van Loon was promoted to intellectual property litigation lead of Lathrop Gage LLP in Los Angeles.

Van Loon's practice focuses on copyright, trademark, patent, rights of publicity, trade secrets, invasion of privacy, defamation, business interference and other media and entertainment claims.

Eileen M. O'Pray joined Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati PC as partner in Palo Alto.

O'Pray has experience leading tax teams on all aspects of U.S. and cross-border mergers and acquisitions, including structuring and transaction negotiation, managing tax diligence and IP and business integration and advising on tax synergies and pricing considerations. She also advises on venture capital division on structuring debt and equity investments, exits and other transactions, focusing on U.S. and cross-border tax considerations.

Sanders B. Patton joined Cordell & Cordell PC as senior litigation attorney in Sacramento.

Patton has experience with state and federal criminal defense and civil litigation.

Peter C. Catalanotti joined Wilson Elser Moskowitz Edelman & Dicker LLP as partner in San Francisco.

Catalanotti focuses his practice on professional liability insurance defense. He represents real estate brokers, lawyers, appraisers, accountants, engineers, architects and insurance brokers. He has an emphasis on employment law that includes matters such as discrimination, wage and hour claims and class action lawsuits.

Timothy J. Long joined Greenberg Traurig, LLP as shareholder in Sacramento and Los Angeles.

Long has experience litigating complex labor and employment issues. He has represented a variety of financial institutions and entities, health care-related entities, airlines, retailers, high-tech companies and transportation and logistics companies. Long also advises private investment funds and their partners in disputes concerning the management of funds, removal of non-performing members and disputes involving portfolio companies.

Xavier M. Brandwajn joined Greenberg Traurig, LLP as shareholder in Palo Alto.

Brandwajn has experience representing technology companies of all sizes in patent, trade secret, copyright, trademark and complex commercial disputes, from inception through trial. He works to advance his clients' interests in all stages of litigation.

Karen L. Bizzini joined Musick Peeler & Garrett LLP as partner in Los Angeles.

Bizzini specializes in insurance coverage and general business litigation. She has extensive trial, arbitration or mediation and appellate experience and has regularly defended insurance companies in bad faith and contribution lawsuits. She has defended insurers in first-party homeowner actions involving earthquake and mold claims, as well as tried civil lawsuits involving entertainment, bankruptcy and franchise law.

Ryan W. Smith joined Allen Matkins Leck Gamble Mallory & Natsis LLP as partner in Irvine, CA.

Smith represents companies and high-net-worth individuals in a variety of complex business, commercial and civil litigation matters in state and federal courts. His practice focuses on partnership and membership disputes, breach of contracts, business torts, securities litigation and government and regulatory investigations, among other related issues.

Josh A. Maltzer joined Haight Brown & Bonesteel LLP as partner in San Francisco.

Maltzer focuses his practice on construction, general liability, risk management and insurance litigation. His clients include contractors, business owners, property managers, developers, real estate purchasers and public housing agencies in all phases of dispute resolution.

Robert W. Stanley joined Rosenfeld Meyer & Susman LLP as partner in Beverly Hills.

Stanley handles all aspects of divorces and also negotiates all forms of relationship agreements such as cohabitation agreements, pre-partnership agreements, pre-marital agreements and post-nuptial agreements.

Steven A. Fein joined Sutton, Pakfar & Courtney LLP as partner in Beverly Hills.

Fein's practice focuses primarily on the representation of institutional investors and lenders in preferred equity investments and senior and mezzanine financings.

Richard G. Somes as managing partner

Somes has litigation experience representing individuals and businesses in state and federal courts throughout California. His practice focuses on general liability, premises liability, personal injury, surety law, construction, medical malpractice, toxic and mass torts and employment law.

Laurie A. Sanders joined Wendel, Rosen, Black & Dean LLP as partner in Oakland.

Sanders acts as outside general counsel to domestic and international businesses. She advises on mergers and acquisitions, corporate restructurings, venture capital financings, private equity transactions, succession planning and corporate governance.

Mark C. Nicoletti joined Allen Matkins Leck Gamble Mallory & Natsis LLP as partner in Los Angeles.

Nicoletti represents real estate funds, individual investors and developers, home builders and institutional and non-institutional lenders in all areas of transactional real estate and real estate finance. He also represents commercial landlords and tenants in connection with the negotiation and preparation of commercial leases, subleases, retail space leases and lease modifications.

Suzanna L. Winslow joined Rutan & Tucker LLP as senior associate in Costa Mesa.

Winslow's practice includes wage and hour class actions and employment litigation. She has defended allegations of meal or rest period violations, employee misclassification, improper bonus plans, unpaid business expenses, uniform claims, reporting time pay and timecard rounding. Winslow has also represented employers in discrimination, retaliation, harassment and wrongful termination cases.

Daniel J. Jaffe as founding partner in Century City

Jaffe practices family law which includes division of property and debts, child support and custody counsel, divorce taxation, prenuptial, postnuptial and cohabitation agreements, paternity/parentage, mediation and substantial litigation.

MaryBeth Heydt joined Lewis Brisbois Bisgaard Smith LLP as partner in Los Angeles.

Heydt practice focuses on real estate matters that include acquisitions, development, leasing, finance, construction, planning, condemnation, environmental and general property management. She also has experience advising lenders and borrowers on loan originations, modifications, refinancing, foreclosures and lender liability actions.

Steven K. Berenson joined Antonyan Miranda LLP as senior associate attorney in San Diego.

Berenson focuses on civil government litigation and consumer protection enforcement. He also published two law school textbooks on family law and judicial ethics.

Raymond H. Sheen joined Farella Braun & Martel LLP as partner in San Francisco.

Sheen represents policyholders and recovers money from insurance companies for a wide array of claims and losses, including data breaches and other cyber incidents, intellectual property and trade secrets claims, product liability or consumer class actions, securities litigation and environmental claims. Sheen also assists clients in negotiating insurance policies, including cyber liability and directors and officer's policies.

Sushila Chanana joined Farella Braun & Martel LLP as special counsel in San Francisco.

Chanana focuses on patent, trademark, copyright and trade secret disputes for clients that range from small startups to large Fortune 500 companies. In addition to having a background in privacy and cybersecurity, Chanana is experienced in all phases of litigation, including discovery, motion practice, claim construction, trial and appeal.

Mary H. Fong joined Farella Braun & Martel LLP as special counsel in San Francisco.

Fong represents companies, primarily fast-growth, tech-focused businesses, on employment matters in state and federal court and before administrative agencies. She also provides strategic and pragmatic advice to companies on hiring, terminations, discrimination, harassment, reasonable accommodations and compliance with federal, state and local employment laws.