Graham Christenson Mills was promoted to partner of Newmeyer & Dillon LLP in Walnut Creek.

Mills concentrates in the areas of complex insurance law with an emphasis on insurance recovery, construction litigation, real estate litigation, and business litigation.

Frank H. Busch was promoted to partner of Kerr & Wagstaffe LLP in San Francisco.

Busch's practice focuses on complex trial and appellate litigation. He represents companies, with state and local governments, in disputes including intellectual property, contracts, unfair competition, and trade secret issues in California state court and federal courts across the country.

Robert Kum joined Duane Morris LLP as partner in Los Angeles.

Kum focuses his practice on complex litigation matters concerning catastrophic injuries and business disputes in various state and federal courts throughout the United States. He has handled dispute resolution, including arbitration and mediation, and has served as a mediator for the Los Angeles County Superior Court.

Michael Louis Fox joined Duane Morris LLP as partner in San Francisco.

Fox represents energy companies, chemical and equipment manufacturers, construction companies and public entities in toxic tort, environmental release, general liability and serious personal injury matters.

Michael Portnov was promoted to principal of Fish & Richardson PC in Redwood City.

Portnov focuses his practice on client counseling and preparing and prosecuting patent applications directed to computer-related technologies.

Parisa Farokhi Weiss was promoted to shareholder of Seltzer Caplan McMahon Vitek in San Diego.

Weiss' practice includes estate planning and probate and trust administration, and representing clients in trust, estate and fiduciary litigation.

Annie Lau was promoted to partner of Fisher & Phillips LLP in San Francisco.

Lau defends employers in all aspects of labor and employment law, with an emphasis in single-plaintiff discrimination and harassment litigation claims. She represents construction firms and manufacturing and retail companies in wage and hour, disability and leave management matters, and layoff claims related to the Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act. Lau counsels employers on preventive strategies and compliance matters and assists in developing employee handbooks, policies and procedures.

Joel Michael Athey joined DLA Piper LLP as partner in Los Angeles.

Athey is a member of the firm's litigation practice. He focuses his practice on white collar criminal defense, U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission enforcement, private securities litigation, internal corporate investigations, banking and regulatory investigations and litigations, consumer protection matters and complex civil litigation.

Stuart Alexander Johnson joined Kesselman Brantly Stockinger LLP as partner in Manhattan Beach.

Johnson will head the firm's commercial real estate and partnership matters practice group.
Johnson and his team represent family-owned companies and large institutional clients in the acquisition, sale, development, and financing of a variety of real estate assets, including retail centers, office buildings, multifamily developments and industrial space.

Benedict Kwon joined Sheppard, Mullin, Richter @ Hampton as partner in Orange County.

Kwon's practice focuses on private equity fund and hedge fund formation and structuring, as well as domestic and cross-border mergers and acquisitions.

Benedict O. Kwon joined Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton LLP as partner in Orange County.

Kwon is a member of the firm's corporate practice group, focusing on fund formation and taxation.

Sarah G. Conway was promoted to partner of Jones Day in Los Angeles.

Conway is a member of the firm's business & tort litigation practice. She represents corporations, businesses, and individuals in commercial litigation matters involving product liability, contracts, fraud, consumer class actions, deceptive trade practices, health care, securities and financial products, and business torts. Conway has defended clients in bench and jury trials as well as in arbitrations.

David Enrique Amaya was promoted to partner of Fisher & Phillips LLP in San Diego.

Amaya represents clients in a range of industries, including healthcare, retail and education. His practice is focused on advising employers in both union and non-union settings and defending them in matters including discrimination litigation and wage and hour class actions. Amaya also works with companies to develop creative and business-oriented solutions that resolve workplace issues.

Debra Beth Vernon joined VLP Law Group LLP as partner in San Francisco.

Vernon is a member of the firm's corporate practice. She specializes in startup formation and capitalization, financings, corporate venture, mergers and acquisitions, public offerings and corporate governance.

Ka-On Li was promoted to partner of Jones Day in Silicon Valley.

Li is a member of the firm's intellectual property/technology transactions practice. She focuses her practice on commercial transactions for clients active in the technology, medical, pharmaceutical, telecommunications, education, media and entertainment fields. Li advises both customers and service providers in strategic front-end and back-end technology contracting.

Nancy Hilu was promoted to partner of Hanson Bridgett LLP in Los Angeles.

Hilu advises and represents private and public companies, tax-exempt organizations and governmental entities on all aspects of employee benefits and executive compensation. She counsels clients on the design, implementation, and continued legal and regulatory compliance of their retirement plans and other benefit programs. Hilu also represents clients on matters before the Internal Revenue Service.

Colin P. Calvert was promoted to partner of Fisher & Phillips LLP in Irvine.

Calvert's practice covers all areas of labor and employment law, with a focus on claims of discrimination and harassment under the California Fair Employment and Housing Act, as well as class action wage and hour lawsuits. In addition to his litigation practice, he provides counseling to clients on various issues, including labor relations and workplace safety issues.

Frank H. Busch was promoted to partner of Kerr & Wagstaffe LLP in San Francisco.

Busch's practice focuses on complex trial and appellate litigation. He represents companies, along with state and local governments, in a broad range of disputes including intellectual property, contracts, unfair competition, and trade secret issues in both California state court and federal courts across the country.

Ryan T. Bricker was promoted to partner of Kilpatrick Townsend & Stockton LLP in San Francisco.

Bricker is a member of the firm's trademark & copyright team. He focuses his practice on litigation involving trademark, copyright, Internet law, and related commercial issues.

Anne LaWer joined Littler Mendelson as shareholder in Littler/San Jose.

LaWer counsels employers on matters related to the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA), the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), and the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. Her practice also includes advising on Internal Revenue Service and Department of Labor compliance programs, healthcare privacy and security, executive compensation matters, and employee benefits issues in mergers and acquisitions.

Shannon Marie Nessier was promoted to partner of Hanson Bridgett LLP in San Francisco.

Nessier focuses her practice on the defense of product manufacturers, suppliers, retailers and premise owners in personal injury and defective product/premise litigation, and toxic tort matters. She also provides advice and litigation defense on matters involving product and food labeling claims, Organic labeling issues under COPA, and Proposition 65 claims.

Lila Mirrashidi was promoted to deputy commissioner of policy of California Department of Business Oversight in Sacramento.

Lila Mirrashidi has been appointed deputy commissioner of policy at the California Department of Business Oversight, where she has been deputy commissioner of legal (business regulations) since 2013. Prior to that, Mirrashidi was deputy commissioner of business regulations at the California Department of Corporations from 2012 to 2013.

Samir J Abdelnour was promoted to senior counsel of Hanson Bridgett LLP in San Francisco.

Abdelnour advises and represents clients in regulatory environmental enforcement actions, remediation of contaminated properties, land use entitlement and permit proceedings, litigation over water rights and product labeling.

Matthew Chase Wickersham joined Alston & Bird LLP as of counsel in Los Angeles.

Wickersham's practice focuses on commercial litigation, with an emphasis on environmental litigation and regulatory practice.

Jeffrey Glen Huron was promoted to office managing member of Dykema in Los Angeles.

Huron is a member of the firm's business litigation practice group. His clients range from successful individuals, financial institutions, lenders, real estate investors and developers, and receivers. In addition, Huron has significant experience in appellate matters.

Sarina Saluja was promoted to partner of Fisher & Phillips LLP in Los Angeles.

Saluja concentrates her practice on employment litigation and client counseling. She represents employers against claims of discrimination, harassment, retaliation, wage and hour matters and wrongful termination. Saluja also advises clients on employment compliance, internal investigations, discipline, terminations and wage and hour matters.