Jill Fannin joined JAMS as neutral in Walnut Creek.

Fannin will serve as a mediator, arbitrator, special master/referee and neutral evaluator, handling business/commercial, breach of contract, personal injury/torts, employment, professional liability, real estate/real property, family law and construction/construction defect cases. She is available to conduct sessions in person, as well as virtually, for clients across the country.

Caitlin C. Blanche joined Venable LLP as partner in Los Angeles.

Blanche is a seasoned litigator and skilled client-counselor who works side by side with clients to navigate complex advertising and regulatory matters, along with bet-the-company litigation. As the co-lead of Commercial Litigation and chair of the Consumer Products and Beauty and Wellness practices at her prior firm, she has represented top manufacturers and distributors of food and beverages, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, medical devices, and other equipment in false advertising, unfair competition, or other fraud-based claims, as well as product liability litigation, including under California's Proposition 65. She is nationally recognized as an environmental and social governance leader.

Zachary Rothenberg joined Polsinelli LLP as shareholder in Los Angeles.

Rothenberg is a healthcare lawyer focused on litigating business disputes. He regularly represents a range of healthcare clients, from individual doctors, nurses, and other medical professionals to physician practice groups and IPAs to hospitals and hospital systems.

Steven J. Elie was promoted to co-managing partner of Musick, Peeler & Garrett LLP in Los Angeles.

Elie has extensive experience defending and prosecuting a broad range of environmental, administrative and litigation matters. He has handled a wide variety of insurance, commercial litigation and white-collar criminal matters as well as pre-litigation counseling for businesses, non-profit organizations and public entities.

Richard A. Galafaro was promoted to co-managing partner of Musick, Peeler & Garrett LLP in Los Angeles.

Galofaro has experience structuring and implementing sophisticated transfer tax planning techniques, including sales to defective grantor trusts, grantor retained annuity trusts, irrevocable life insurance trusts, qualified personal residence trusts, and generation-skipping transfer tax planning. He also advises clients concerning business and succession planning, charitable giving, and the establishment and administration of private foundations.

Anne Wang joined Frost Brown Todd AlvaradoSmith as partner in Los Angeles.

Wang has expertise in building and maintaining patent portfolios in the fields of mechanical, electromechanical, and electrical systems, including computer graphics, optical lasers, musical instruments, apparel, cosmetics, and toys. Leveraging her strong background in physics, Wang also has particular familiarity with medical devices, interferometers, amusement park rides, and gas sensors and detectors. Throughout her career, she has worked on a range of trademark matters, patent prosecutions, infringement actions, enforcement and licensing programs, and due diligence analysis.

Lauren E. Schneider joined Frost Brown Todd AlvaradoSmith as partner in Los Angeles.

Schneider's practice focuses on U.S. and international patent procurement and portfolio development, as well as licensing and monetization. She provides patent strategy and portfolio planning and management for numerous major clients across a diverse array of technical disciplines, both in the United States and internationally.

Tom Curtis was promoted to partner, co-chair of Nossaman in Orange County.

Curtis has represented clients in the healthcare sector on a wide range of issues including, medical staff peer review proceedings, licensing proceedings, writ proceedings, State and Federal Court civil litigation and related appellate proceedings. He represents hospitals, health systems, health plans, medical staffs, medical groups, ambulatory surgery centers and other healthcare providers on regulatory and compliance issues and the development of long-range plans and has done so for more than 40 years. He is a Life Fellow of the American Bar Foundation. This recognition is limited to 1/3 of 1% of lawyers licensed to practice in each jurisdiction.

Mike Gawley was promoted to partner, co-chair of Nossaman in San Francisco.

Gawley leads a broad range of litigation matters, including medical staff and peer review hearings, whistleblower claims, administrative enforcement actions, regulatory investigations, labor and employment disputes, reimbursement actions with public and private payors. He also collaborates with clients to develop policies and strategies to comply with ever-changing legal and regulatory requirements.

James Edward Brownstein joined O'Melveny & Myers as partner in Century City.

Brownstein has deep experience advising sophisticated private equity sponsors in Northern and Southern California and nationally --principally in the middle market on new platform investments and add-on acquisitions. He also advises private equity-owned companies on general corporate, commercial, and governance matters.

Scott Hyman joined Womble Bond Dickinson as partner in Irvine.

Hyman has three decades of experience representing financial institutions, national banks, automobile finance companies, and loan servicers. He has counseled and defended clients on privacy and cybersecurity, licensing and regulatory matters, and individual and class actions brought under state and federal Truth-in-Lending laws, UDAP laws, the Telephone Consumer Protection Act, the Fair Credit Reporting Act, and the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act.

Genevieve Walser-Jolly joined Womble Bond Dickinson as partner in Irvine.

Walser-Jolly represents financial institutions, including banks, lenders, and loan servicers. Her practice includes defending individual and consumer class actions (e.g., data privacy, mortgage servicing, TCPA, and auto finance) and developing data privacy and security programs that comply with federal statutory schemes and the evolving patchwork of state privacy laws. Walser-Jolly also assists clients as they compile data maps, update vendor management programs, draft contractual privacy requirements and policies, and operationalize comprehensive consumer response programs.

Daniel Guggenheim joined Quarles & Brady as partner in San Diego.

Guggenheim represents clients in a variety of industries, including health care, health technology, life sciences and information technology. He delivers strategic advice, innovative solutions and practical guidance on commercial agreements, privacy and data protection, regulatory guidance, product and compliance counseling, and artificial intelligence (AI) law.

Jennifer Mizrahi joined Cole Huber LLP as partner in Ontario.

Mizrahi served as city attorney for Desert Hot Springs for over a decade. Mizrahi also served as assistant city attorney for the cities of Cathedral City, Rancho Mirage, and Victorville, and deputy general counsel for the Southern California Logistics Airport Authority, Glendale Oversight Board, the Victorville Water District, Victor Valley Economic Development Authority and prior, the City of Lynwood and the Water Replenishment District, as deputy legal counsel. During her career representing public entities, Mizrahi has acquired extensive experience in many facets of municipal law, including land use planning, environmental analysis, annexation proceedings, contract negotiations, public works, prevailing wage compliance, Proposition 218, eminent domain, and sales and property tax measures and is one of the leaders in cannabis law regulation.

Robert Lepore joined Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP as partner in Los Angeles and Washington D.C..

Lepore most recently led the Transportation, Energy and Agriculture Section, leveraging his skills as an antitrust trial lawyer to achieve government wins in high-profile, multi-billion merger challenges, including JetBlue/Spirit Airlines. In his 13 years at the Antitrust Division, he has overseen more than 40 investigations and four trials in a range of industries--including airlines, travel technology, electricity, livestock, telecommunications, software, railroads, shipping, oil field services, seeds, and agricultural biotechnology. He routinely interacted with and served as a Division spokesperson to other federal, state and international agencies: among others, the Department of Transportation, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, Surface Transportation Board, Department of Commerce, Federal Communications Commission, European Commission, and offices of state attorneys general. Lepore is a recipient of the Attorney General's Award for Distinguished Service, and a nine-time recipient of the Assistant Attorney General Award.

Jacob Lager joined Coblentz Patch Duffy & Bass LLP as partner in San Francisco.

Lager maintains an active tax controversy practice, advising clients at all stages of federal, state, and local tax audits, appeals, and court actions. He regularly defends clients in income tax disputes with the Internal Revenue Service and the Franchise Tax Board, employment tax disputes with the Employment Development Department, sales and use tax disputes with the Department of Tax and Fee Administration, and property and transfer tax matters with county assessors throughout California.

Quinn Johnson joined Reichman Jorgensen Lehman & Feldberg LLP as partner in Redwood Shores.

Johnson's practice focuses on a broad range of complex commercial litigation. Johnson brings over two decades of unparalleled experience as both in-house counsel and a trial lawyer. Her responsibilities include crisis response, intellectual property protection, mergers and acquisitions, and government relations, adeptly managing risk, conducting corporate investigations, and ensuring corporate compliance.

Staci Jennifer Trager joined DLA Piper LLP as partner in Los Angeles.

Trager is an established intellectual property litigator managing high-profile cases and has significant experience in courts throughout the country, particularly across California federal and state courts. A former apparel company executive, Trager works closely with fashion and consumer products companies on the business, trade secrets, and intellectual property issues they face, both in and out of the courtroom, but her top-flight practice extends to other industry sectors as well. Her extensive experience also encompasses crisis management to help clients mitigate unexpected reputational risk.

Mohammed B. Shihabi was promoted to partner of FordHarrison in Los Angeles.

Shihabi has represented employers in claims asserted under federal statutes such as Title VII, the Age Discrimination in Employment Act, the Americans with Disabilities Act, the Family and Medical Leave Act, and the Fair Labor Standards Act, as well as state and local regulations including the New York Labor Law, the New York State Human Rights Law, and the New York City Human Rights Law. He has litigated matters on behalf of clients in federal and state courts and before administrative agencies at the federal and local level, appearing before the U.S. Department of Justice, the U.S. Department of Labor, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, and the New York City Commission on Human Rights.

Kimberlina N. McKinney joined Newell Law Firm P.C. as senior counsel in Los Angeles.

McKinney specializes in intellectual property, deal strategy, and negotiations, catering to diverse entertainment realms, including television, film, new media, music, entertainment and technology combined ventures, and live events.

Kevin R. Boyle as attorney in Pacific Palisades

Boyle's practice focuses on plaintiffs' contingency fee litigation and trial in the areas of catastrophic injury (burns, brain injury, severe spinal and other orthopedic injuries) and wrongful death, as well as contingency fee business torts. Boyle Law has particular expertise in aviation (helicopter and fixed wing), mass transportation (railroad, bus, and ship), mass shootings, mass torts, products liability, and other areas.

Matthew J. Stumpf as attorney in Pacific Palisades

Stumpf's practice focuses on plaintiffs' contingency fee litigation and trial in the areas of catastrophic injury (burns, brain injury, severe spinal and other orthopedic injuries) and wrongful death, as well as contingency fee business torts. Boyle Law has particular expertise in aviation (helicopter and fixed wing), mass transportation (railroad, bus, and ship), mass shootings, mass torts, products liability, and other areas.

Lisa Nguyen joined Paul Hastings LLP as partner in Palo Alto.

Nguyen represents cutting-edge technology companies in intellectual property matters, particularly in litigation against non-practicing entities. Nguyen is adept at resolving disputes efficiently and identifying pragmatic solutions for her clients. Her practical and deliberate approach to preparing cases for trial regularly disposes of claims early in the process.

Eric Lancaster joined Paul Hastings LLP as partner in Palo Alto.

Lancaster represents technology and pharmaceutical companies in all aspects of their lifecycle. His practice focuses on litigation matters across the country in district courts, the International Trade Commission, Patent Trial and Appeal Board and state courts.

Joseph S. Leventhal joined Glaser Weil Fink Howard Jordan & Shapiro LLP as partner in San Diego.

Leventhal has been named head of litigation for the San Diego office. He has extensive trial experience in state and federal courts, representing clients across diverse industries. Noteworthy accomplishments include leading Milacron to victory in an eight-day federal jury trial, successfully defending against a $23 million breach of contract lawsuit and securing a counterclaim award. He also overturned sanctions against a global logistics company after an appeal to the 9th Circuit. Leventhal achieved a judgment in favor of a real estate developer and owners' association, resolving claims of fraud, breach of contract and RICO, and securing attorneys' fees. Additionally, he played a key role in a cybersecurity dispute, resulting in the minority member relinquishing interest and agreeing to a multiyear noncompetition agreement.

Mitchel Jones was promoted to partner of Patterson + Sheridan LLP in Silicon Valley.

Jones brings to the firm more than 15 years of experience counseling clients over a wide range of technical disciplines and cutting-edge fields, including 3D computer graphics, virtual reality, computer networking, electronics and semiconductor technologies, artificial intelligence and machine-learning applications, medical devices, and complex software and information technology.

Jason M. Adams joined Cox, Castle & Nicholson as partner in Los Angeles.

Adams will focus on handling both construction disputes and insurance and risk management matters. He specializes in construction law, insurance law and risk management, and business and civil litigation. He represents developers, contractors, subcontractors, designers, and other construction professionals through all phases of the construction process. He brings extensive experience in contract negotiation, procurement and evaluation of insurance programs, project delays, defects, insurance claims, and disputes. He is also a licensed property and casualty insurance broker and certified Construction Risk & Insurance Specialist (CRIS). In addition, Adams has significant trial and arbitration experience and serves as outside general counsel to a variety of businesses.