Aviva J. Gilbert was promoted to co-chair of white collar defense and internal corporate investigations group of Farella Braun + Martel in San Francisco.

Gilbert is a senior associate. She represents individuals and businesses in federal and state civil enforcement, investigation and criminal justice matters. She is based in San Francisco.

Janice W. Reicher was promoted to co-chair of white collar defense and internal corporate investigations group of Farella Braun + Martel in San Francisco.

Reicher is a senior associate. She focuses her practice on white collar defense and complex business litigation. She is based in San Francisco.

Helen Christakos joined Fenwick & West LLP as counsel in Mountain View.

After four years with Alston & Bird, Christakos joined Fenwick & West's privacy and cybersecurity practice group as counsel in Mountain View on June 29.

She provides counsel for clients developing products and services that utilize data to ensure compliance with the law. She does work related to large M&A transactions that have privacy and data security components. Advising clients in preparing privacy and cybersecurity policies as well as data breaches is another area of focus.

Her clients range from small startups to large, established public companies within the technology and
life sciences sector.

"I really enjoyed my time at Alston & Bird. It's been a wonderful experience for me and I think it'll be sort of a great chapter as I look back upon my career," she said.

Fenwick's focus on tech and life sciences clients attracted her to the firm, she said.

"Fenwick also has a really unique privacy practice and they've built an integrated team of both lawyers and professionals who have a lot of industry experience and we work together to provide a comprehensive solution for clients and I think that's really unique in the industry. And that's something that really attracted me to Fenwick," she added.

She said hopes to continue to build out her practice on Fenwick's platform.

Christakos is an adjunct professor at Santa Clara University School of Law, where she teaches a cybersecurity law class she designed.

"The technology is often 10 steps ahead of the law and the law hasn't really anticipated where the technology is going to go. So bridging that gap between what the technology companies are doing and where the law is at is fascinating," she said. "It's brain food and I love working on problems like that."

Tim C Hsu was promoted to partner of Allen Matkins in Los Angeles.

Hsu represents clients in disputes involving creditors' rights, environmental litigation and general commercial and appellate matters. He is based in Los Angeles.

Johnathan L Lorenzen was promoted to partner of Allen Matkins in San Diego.

Lorenzen represents buyers and sellers in the negotiation of purchase and sale agreements, development of properties, receivership matters and ongoing maintenance and management of projects. He is based in San Diego.

Brian Michel was promoted to partner of Allen Matkins in Century City.

Michel focuses on real estate transactional matters. He represents both landlords and tenants. He is based in Century City.

Lindsay Tabaian was promoted to partner of Allen Matkins in Los Angeles.

Tabaian advises clients on land use and environmental law. She is based in Los Angeles.

Britney Willhite was promoted to partner of Allen Matkins in Orange County.

Willhite focuses on commercial real estate transactions. She is based in Irvine.

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

Strong joined the firm's tax and tax equity practice group as partner in Palo Alto. He joined the firm on June 22 from Morrison & Foerster.

Strong's transactional tax practice focuses on mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures, private equity and venture capital investments and restructurings and distressed situations.

His clients include both public and private companies ranging from very large, international businesses in industries including media and entertainment, healthcare, manufacturing and industrial services, technology and life sciences.

Prior to the move, he served as co-chair of Morrison & Foerster's tax department and federal tax practice for six years. He was managing partner of Morrison & Foerster's Denver office and was a member of its board of directors.

"I have the highest regard for the firm. It was a wonderful experience for me and I think a great chapter in my career," said Strong of Morrison & Foerster. Wilson Sonsini's needs matched his skill set and he was attracted to the firm's entrepreneurial culture as well as its client base, Strong said. "I think my historical leadership experience was attractive to [Wilson Sonsini] in relation to its tax practice, really helping to along with other senior members of the group to really grow and expand the practice," said Strong.

Strong added he felt the timing was right for the move and that both he and the firm viewed the move as "a strategic long term play."

As partner, Strong hopes to continue to build out his practice in the technology and life sciences sector in addition to helping the firm's tax practice continue to grow and expand.

What makes his practice unique, Strong said, is the value he puts on client service.

"I really, really value client service. I think that's why I've had such not only success, but I think enjoyment in my career," he said. "I really truly embrace adding value to a transactional situation, -- whether it's a merger or an acquisition or a joint venture -- really helping entrepreneurs and business decision makers bring an idea to life and to do that in a tax efficient manner."

James Pearl joined Paul Hastings LLP as partner in Century City.

Pearl joins the firm's entertainment and media litigation practice. He is based in Century City.

John C. Redding joined Alston & Bird LLP as partner in Los Angeles.

Redding joined Alston & Bird as partner in the Los Angeles office.

He joined the firm's financial services and products group and consumer financial services team from Buckley LLP, where he practiced for the last 10 years.

"I was not looking to make a move necessarily, but after speaking with a number of people at the firm including Richard Hays, who is a very dynamic and strategic thinker, it all just really seemed like it would be a great fit," said Redding. "It's a larger firm that doesn't feel as big as it actually is and that's attractive."

Alston & Bird's targeted approach to growth in California and the ability to help grow the practice attracted him to the firm, Redding said.

"It was also important, more generally, to me that the firm represents many of the auto finance and consumer finance clients that I work with in a variety of areas including things like structured finance, litigation and others," he said. "So it was really just a natural fit and allows me to help clients to broaden relationships and it allows me to do more for the clients with whom I work." Redding specializes in consumer finance particularly in auto finance, which he led at Buckley before he started at Alston& Bird June 15. He also advises on matters related to unsecured consumer finance.

He has experience handling regulatory, compliance and enforcement matters involving the U.S. Department of Justice, the Federal Trade Commission and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. He has represented banks, auto finance companies, private equity firms, investors, loan services, as well as debt purchasers and collectors.

"Much of my practice revolves around defending government enforcement actions and investigations."

Prior to joining Buckley, he worked as general counsel and deputy general counsel at consumer finance companies including Encore Capital Group and and Midland Credit Management Inc.

Erika J. Scott was promoted to managing partner of Winer, Burritt & Scott, LLP in Oakland.

With Scott's promotion the firm changes its name. She focuses on harassment, discrimination, retaliation, wrongful termination, sexual assault and civil rights violations. She is based in Oakland.

Diane F. Boyer-Vine

Diane F. Boyer-Vine, who served as legislative counsel for 18 years, will retire in October according to a June 5 announcement from Senate Leader Toni G. Atkins.

Boyer-Vine will retire after 32 years with the State of California Office of Legislative Counsel.

"The Legislative Council oversees three divisions in the Office of Legislative Counsel besides regular administrative staff. One is the legal division that has 80 lawyers plus support staff who drafts the bills, amendments to the bills, opinions, contracts and all the traditional legal work you might think lawyers would do. And then I oversee something called the workplace conduct unit, which was established a few years ago for legislative employees and members and people outside of the legislature to make complaints if there's been inappropriate conduct in the workplace. And then I also oversee what we call the legislative data center, which handles all of the information technology needs for my office and also the legislature," said Boyer-Vine.

During her time in the Office of Legislative Counsel, she has handled matters for the legislature including analysis of the recall of Governor Gray Davis, representing the California Legislature in Steinberg v. Chiang and helping prepare an amicus curiae brief before the U. S. Supreme Court in Keller v. The State Bar of California.

She also helped establish the workplace conduct unit, which she oversees, and has been involved in replacing the state capital annex by leading the legal team working on procurement and legal matters related to it.

Recently, she has also been involved in the discussions surrounding COVID-19 including remote voting.

Boyer-Vine said she does not have anything planned for retirement yet, though her current work is her priority at the moment.

"I feel it's an honor to work for the members of the legislature who are elected by many, many Californians. They're hard working people who serve their constituents and every day, I have learned something new in the law. I tell candidates who come to apply for jobs as lawyers in this office, it's the best practice of law. It's a place where you're going to be at the intersection of policy and law and politics, but you see it from a nonpartisan side. And I truly, 32 years later, am learning something new every day."

She added that once she retires, what she will miss most are her staff and the people she works with.

Her last day as legislative counsel is September 1.

Scott T. Lyon joined Michelman & Robinson, LLP as counsel in Irvine.

Lyon advises clients on evaluating and implementing effective information security practices, developing responsible data governance programs and managing data breach responses and notifications for his clients. He is based in Irvine.

Christopher J. Bors was promoted to counsel of Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP in Palo Alto.

Bors advises clients in domestic and cross-border transactions. He is based in Palo Alto.

Robert C. Goldstein was promoted to counsel of Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP in Los Angeles.

Goldstein advises issuers and investment banks in connection with public and private financings. He is based in Los Angeles.

Caroline Van Ness was promoted to counsel of Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP in Palo Alto.

Van Ness focuses on commercial civil litigation involving intellectual property, contract and competition issues. She is based in Palo Alto.

Anne E. Villanueva was promoted to counsel of Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP in Palo Alto.

Villanueva focuses on labor and employment matters including executive and separation agreements, restrictive covenants, reductions-in force and discrimination charges and lawsuits. She is based in Palo Alto.