Kilpatrick Townsend & Stockton LLP
April Abele Isaacson
joined Kilpatrick Townsend & Stockton LLP as partner in San Francisco.
Isaacson returned to Kilpatrick Townsend & Stockton as a partner in San Francisco as part of a five-attorney national life science patent litigation team from DLA Piper.
The firm announced the addition of the team on Oct. 14.
Isaacson, who practiced at DLA Piper for nine months, specializes in generic drugs and biologics litigation, as well as commercial and licensing disputes related to life sciences.
"It was really about going to Kilpatrick Townsend for me," Isaacson commented on the move. " I actually had previously worked at the firm and that's where I made partner."
The firm's deep technical bench, expertise and outstanding trial team were what made the opportunity stand out, she said.
"For me, quite frankly, it's a homecoming. There's many people that worked there back when I was with the firm previously, which to me speaks to the ... firm's culture and environment."
Isaacson practiced at a predecessor of Kilkpatrick Townsend from 2002 to 2007.
Over the course of her career, she has worked at Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati, Goodwin Procter LLP and Shook, Hardy & Bacon LLP, and as in-house counsel to pharmaceutical company Impax Laboratories.
That experience, she said, has helped her understand clients.
"My unique selling point is that my perspective comes from both having been outside counsel as well as in-house counsel," she said. "I understand kind of the business of the business and some of the pain points that you may face when you're inside a company in terms of being a consumer of legal services."
Isaacson, a Navy veteran, is passionate about her pro bono work for veterans and is an active member of CalVet Women Veterans Division. Accompanying her in the move to Kilpatrick Townsend were counsel Abby Markeson, based in Seattle, New York partners Brian David O'Reilly and Michael Enzo Furrow, and counsel Erica W. Kuo.
Address
2 Embarcadero Ctr, Ste 1900 , San Francisco 94111-3904 USA
T:
(415) 273-8306
F:
(415) 354-3519
Gov. Gavin Newsom
Lawrence Hafetz
joined Gov. Gavin Newsom as chief counsel at the california department of toxic substances control in Los Angeles.
Hafetz is the former chief deputy at the Los Angeles Office of the County Counsel.
He is based in Los Angeles.
Claire Tauriainen
joined Gov. Gavin Newsom as general counsel at the california housing finance agency in El Dorado Hills.
Tauriainen has been general counsel since 2018. Prior to her appointment, she was assistant general counsel at the agency.
She is based in El Dorado Hills.
Tyrone Buckley
joined Gov. Gavin Newsom as assistant deputy director of fair housing at the california department of housing and community development in Sacramento.
Buckley was a senior policy specialist at the agency since 2019.
He is based in Sacramento.
Judith M. Cias
joined Gov. Gavin Newsom as chief counsel at the state board of education in Sacramento.
Cias has held the position since 2011. She is the former associate general counsel and director of policy services at the California School Boards Association.
She is based in Sacramento.
Rigel S. Massaro
joined Gov. Gavin Newsom as deputy legal counsel and deputy policy director for the office of planning and research at the state board of education in Sacramento.
Massaro was previously senior legislative counsel at Public Advocates.
She is based in Sacramento.
James B. Damrell
joined Gov. Gavin Newsom as assistant commissioner of legislation and regulations at the department of real estate in Sacramento.
Damrell was formerly vice president of business development at Peers & Co.
He is based in Sacramento.
Anastasia Baskerville
joined Gov. Gavin Newsom as chief counsel at the california department of resources and recycling and recovery in Sacramento.
Previously, Baskerville was an attorney at the Department of Housing and Community Development.
She is based in Sacramento.
Levy Vinick Burrell Hyams LLP
Wendy Musell
joined Levy Vinick Burrell Hyams LLP as of counsel in Oakland.
Musell represents employees in wage theft, discrimination, harassment, retaliation, wrongful termination and whistleblower actions.
She is based in Oakland
Rebecca Kagin
joined Levy Vinick Burrell Hyams LLP as of counsel in Oakland.
Kagin specializes in representing employees in workplace disputes including discrimination, harassment, retaliation and negotiations of severance agreements.
She is based in Oakland.
Address
180 Grand Avenue, Suite 1300 , Oakland 94612 USA
T:
(510) 318-7700
Lewis Brisbois Bisgaard & Smith LLP
Rima Badawiya
was promoted to chief diversity partner of Lewis Brisbois Bisgaard & Smith LLP in San Bernardino.
Badawiya also is the co-chair of the health care, medical malpractice and long-term care and elder law practices and vice chair of the health care regulatory and compliance practice.
She is based in San Bernardino.
Nixon Peabody LLP
Leah Goldberg
joined Nixon Peabody LLP as counsel in San Francisco.
Goldberg advises clients on repurposing and reusing contaminated properties.
She is based in San Francisco.
Address
One Embarcadero Center 32nd floor , San Francisco 94111 USA
T:
(415) 984-8234
F:
(833) 370-0825
Farella Braun + Martel
Alexis Sinclair
joined Farella Braun + Martel as special counsel in San Francisco.
Sinclair represents lenders and borrowers in financial transactions.
He is based in San Francisco.
Address
235 Montgomery Street, 17th Floor , San Francisco 94104
T:
(415) 954-4404
Fox Rothschild LLP
Heidy Vaquerano
joined Fox Rothschild LLP as partner in Los Angeles.
Vaquerano is an entertainment attorney with a focus on intellectual property and transactions.
She is based in Los Angeles.
Address
10259 Constellation Blvd. Suite 900 , Los Angeles 90067
T:
(310) 598-4150
Miller Starr Regalia
James L Swearingen
joined Miller Starr Regalia as associate in Walnut Creek.
Swearingen handles all phases of litigation in California federal and state courts for a broad range of commercial litigation matters. MSR's Litigation Practice represents Fortune 500 companies, government, developers, homebuilders, financial institutions, title insurers, property owners/managers, retailers, manufacturers and REITs related to business, real property, commercial, environmental, construction & insurance disputes.
Address
1331 N. California Blvd. , Walnut Creek 94596
T:
(925) 935-9400
Holland & Knight LLP
Abraham Joshua Colman
joined Holland & Knight LLP as partner in Los Angeles.
Colman is a financial services litigator and specializes in class actions and individual claims nationally related to violations of federal and state statutes.
He is based in Los Angeles.
Raymond Y. Kim
joined Holland & Knight LLP as of counsel in Los Angeles.
Kim specializes in consumer class action defense involving federal and state statutes.
He is based in Los Angeles.
Address
400 S. Hope Street, 8th Floor , Los Angeles 90071 USA
T:
(213) 896-2400
F:
(213) 896-2450
California Western School of Law
Michael J. Whitton
was promoted to as chairman of the board of trustees of California Western School of Law in San Diego.
Whitton is a partner at Troutman Pepper Hamilton Sanders LLP and has been a member of the board since 2014.
He is based in San Diego.
Horvitz & Levy
Lacey Estudillo
joined Horvitz & Levy as associate in San Francisco.
Estudillo returned to the firm after completing a clerkships with the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit with Judge Carlos Bea and the United States District Court, Central District of California with Judge André Birotte, Jr.
Shaw Law Group
J.R. Riddell
joined Shaw Law Group as of counsel in Sacramento.
Riddell specializes in conducting workplace investigations for public and private employers.
He is based in Sacramento.
Melissa Whitehead
joined Shaw Law Group as of counsel in Sacramento.
Whitehead advises employers, conducts workplace investigations and provides training to employers and human resources teams.
She is based in Sacramento.
Address
425 University Ave Ste 200 , Sacramento 95825-6509 USA
T:
(916) 640-2240
F:
(916) 640-2241
JAMS
Alan G. Perkins
joined JAMS as neutral in Sacramento.
A former Sacramento Superior Court judge for 15 years, Perkins will handle business and commercial disputes.
He is based in Sacramento.
Address
1415 L Street Suite 700 , Sacramento 95814 USA
T:
(916) 830-7102
F:
(916) 565-7780
Stroock & Stroock & Lavan LLP
Peter David Ballance
joined Stroock & Stroock & Lavan LLP as partner in Los Angeles.
Ballance advises lenders, borrowers, developers and property owners in national commercial real estate transactions.
He is based in Los Angeles.
Address
2029 Century Park East , Los Angeles 90067-3086 USA
T:
(310) 556-5865
F:
(310) 556-5959
Kramer Trial Lawyers A.P.C.
Daniel K. Kramer
as founding partner and trial attorney
in Los Angeles
Daniel K. Kramer launches new firm as founding partner
The plaintiffs' firm specializes in personal injury, wrongful death and employment lawsuits. Kramer's specialization is in personal injury, wrongful death and employment discrimination and retaliation lawsuits.
The firm is based in Los Angeles.
Teresa Johnson
as trial attorney
in Los Angeles
welcomes Teresa Johnson as trial attorney
Johnson litigates personal injury, wrongful death and employment disputes.
She is based in Los Angeles.
John Torbett
as trial attorney
in Los Angeles
welcomes John Torbett as trial attorney
Torbett focuses on business, real property and insurance litigation.
He is based in Los Angeles.
David Paletz
as trial attorney
welcomes David Paletz as trial attorney
Paletz specializes in medical malpractice, personal injury and wrongful death.
He is based in Los Angeles.
Address
1925 Century Park East, Suite 1180 , Los Angeles 90067 United States
T:
(310) 551-0600
World Affairs
Dean Fealk
joined World Affairs as trustee in San Francisco.
Fealk is managing partner of DLA Piper's San Francisco office and a member of the global equity practice.
He is based in San Francisco.
Address
DLA Piper LLP (US), 555 Mission St Ste 2400 , San Francisco 94105-0933 USA
T:
(415) 836-2521
Tyz Law Group
Olivia Clavio
joined Tyz Law Group as trademark attorney in San Francisco, CA.
Clavio is a trademark attorney. She advises and provides strategic business counseling to Silicon Valley startups and Fortune 500 companies on trademark portfolios.
Address
4 Embarcadero Center, Suite 1400 , San Francisco 94111 USA
T:
(415) 766-3530
Kirkland & Ellis LLP
Michael C. Allers
was promoted to partner of Kirkland & Ellis LLP in San Francisco.
promotes Michael C. Allers as partner
Allers focuses on transactional matters related to
mergers, acquisitions and divestitures.
He is based in San Francisco.
Caitlin Bouey
was promoted to partner of Kirkland & Ellis LLP in San Francisco.
promotes Caitlin Bouey as partner
Bouey represents clients in secured and unsecured
debt financing transactions.
She is based in San Francisco.
Travis J. Distaso
was promoted to partner of Kirkland & Ellis LLP in San Francisco.
promotes Travis J. Distaso as partner
Distaso advises equity firms in general corporate
matters including mergers and acquisitions.
He is based in San Francisco.
Natalie Flechsig
was promoted to partner of Kirkland & Ellis LLP in San Francisco.
promotes Natalie Flechsig as partner
Flechsig handles intellectual property-related litigation
including patent, copyright and trademark infringement.
She is based in San Francisco.
Shayne Henry
was promoted to partner of Kirkland & Ellis LLP in San Francisco.
promotes Shayne Henry as partner
Henry is a litigator with a focus on commercial litigation.
He is based in San Francisco.
Ari Levi
was promoted to partner of Kirkland & Ellis LLP in San Francisco.
promotes Ari Levi as partner
Levi is a corporate partner with an emphasis on private
equity, mergers and acquisitions and leveraged
acquisitions.
He is based in San Francisco.
Simon C. Root
was promoted to partner of Kirkland & Ellis LLP in San Francisco.
promotes Simon C. Root as partner
Root represents private equity firms and portfolio
companies in business matters including strategic and
leveraged acquisitions.
He is based in San Francisco.
Michael Saretsky
was promoted to partner of Kirkland & Ellis LLP in San Francisco.
promotes Michael Saretsky as partner
Saretsky specializes in environmental transactional
matters.
He is based in San Francisco.
Anna Terteryan
was promoted to partner of Kirkland & Ellis LLP in San Francisco.
promotes Anna Terteryan as partner
Terteryan focuses her practice on commercial litigation
in both state and federal court.
She is based in San Francisco.
Carol H. Wang
was promoted to partner of Kirkland & Ellis LLP in San Francisco.
promotes Carol Hsing Wang as partner
Wang advises clients in various tax matters including
those that arise from forming and operating private investment
funds.
She is based in San Francisco.
Kirkland & Ellis LLP
Shawn A. Bagdasarian
was promoted to partner of Kirkland & Ellis LLP in Los Angeles.
Bagdasarian specializes in debt financing transactions.
He is based in Los Angeles.
Zachary W. Byer
was promoted to partner of Kirkland & Ellis LLP in Los Angeles.
Byer is a litigator, who focuses on complex civil litigation.
He is based in Los Angeles.
Sara Campbell
was promoted to partner of Kirkland & Ellis LLP in Los Angeles.
Campbell focuses her practice on M&A and private equity matters.
She is based in Los Angeles.
Michele M. Cumpston
was promoted to partner of Kirkland & Ellis LLP in Los Angeles.
Cumpston specializes in M&A, private equity and corporate governance.
She is based in Los Angeles.
Yimeng Dou, Ph.D
was promoted to partner of Kirkland & Ellis LLP in Los Angeles.
Dou is an intellectual property litigator, who focuses on patent, copyright, trade secret and trademark litigation.
She is based in Los Angeles.
Mark D. Fahey
was promoted to partner of Kirkland & Ellis LLP in Los Angeles.
Fahey focuses on patent infringement litigation involving high-technology patents.
He is based in Los Angeles.
Kimia Ghalambor
was promoted to partner of Kirkland & Ellis LLP in Los Angeles.
Ghalambor specializes in complex real estate transactions.
She is based in Los Angeles.
Josh Glucoft
was promoted to partner of Kirkland & Ellis LLP in Los Angeles.
Glucoft is a patent litigator and trial lawyer. He is experienced in litigating and performing due diligence in patents related to electrical engineering and computer science.
He is based in Los Angeles.
Whang Ki Josh Jang
was promoted to partner of Kirkland & Ellis LLP in Los Angeles.
Jang specializes in debt finance matters.
He is based in Los Angeles.
Jean A. Lee
was promoted to partner of Kirkland & Ellis LLP in Los Angeles.
Lee is a corporate partner that specializes in M&A and private equity matters.
She is based in Los Angeles.
Ashley Neglia
was promoted to partner of Kirkland & Ellis LLP in Los Angeles.
Neglia is a litigator with experience in a range of disputes including breach of contract, business torts and consumer class action defense.
She is based in Los Angeles.
Evan M. Roberts
was promoted to partner of Kirkland & Ellis LLP in Los Angeles.
Roberts concentrates his practice on mergers and acquisitions, private equity and corporate governance.
He is based in Los Angeles.
Katherine Roddy
was promoted to partner of Kirkland & Ellis LLP in Los Angeles.
Roddy specializes in real estate and advises clients on investments across all commercial real estate asset classes.
She is based in Los Angeles.
Lauren J. Schweitzer
was promoted to partner of Kirkland & Ellis LLP in Los Angeles.
promotes Lauren Schweitzer as partner
Schweitzer focuses on copyright, trademark, internet
and advertising litigation.
She is based in Los Angeles.
Caleb Vesey
was promoted to partner of Kirkland & Ellis LLP in Los Angeles.
promotes Caleb Vesey as partner
Vesey specializes in mergers and acquisitions, private
equity and corporate finance.
He is based in Los Angeles.
Stroock & Stroock & Lavan LLP
Lorie Soares Lazarus
joined Stroock & Stroock & Lavan LLP as partner in Los Angeles.
Lazarusas, the former co-chair of Katten Muchin Rosenman's West Coast Real Estate Practice, has joined Stroock & Stroock & Lavan as part of a real estate team in Los Angeles.
"Stroock presented a really exciting opportunity, it is a firm that very highly values the real estate
practice," said Lazarus regarding the move.
"The firm really provided kind of the best of both worlds. Stroock has a real estate practice across the country that's top notch-the offices work seamlessly together across the country- and we have the opportunity to come in and help expand the group in Los Angeles, both in terms of the L.A. office and the L.A. real estate practice," she added.
After 13 years at Katten, Lazarusas joined the firm Oct. 1 alongside Peter Ballance, who also joined as partner.
She represents institutional real estate investors, lenders and borrowers in connection with financing, acquiring and selling commercial properties across the U.S. Her clients include banks, investment funds, REITs, investment advisors and asset managers.
At Stroock in addition to helping expand the L.A. real estate practice and L.A. office, she and Ballance look forward to working collaboratively with the firm's national real estate team, she said.
"I like that [my practice] is very dynamic and ever changing," she added. "[I'm] very involved in our clients' business and that's what I really enjoy."
Stroock has added over 10 senior attorneys to the firm since last year, roughly half have joined the firm's national real estate practice.
Address
2029 Century Park East , Los Angeles 90067-3086 United States
T:
(310) 556-5800
F:
(310) 556-5959
Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP
Jeremy Esterkin
was promoted to partner of Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP in Los Angeles.
Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP
promotes Jeremy Esterkin as partner
Esterkin advises clients in energy and manufacturing
in environmental litigation and regulatory matters.
He is based in Los Angeles.
Denise G. Fellers
was promoted to partner of Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP in Los Angeles.
promotes Denise G. Fellers as partner
Fellers specializes in environmental law including litigation
related to groundwater contamination and mass
toxic tort litigation.
She is based in Los Angeles.
Paul M. Williams
was promoted to partner of Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP in Los Angeles.
promotes Paul M. Williams as partner
Williams counsels clients in merger, acquisition, disposition,
development and financing transactions.
He is based in Los Angeles.
Minna Naranjo
was promoted to partner of Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP in San Francisco.
promotes Minna Naranjo as partner
Naranjo specializes in antitrust and complex litigation.
She is based in San Francisco.
Fenwick & West LLP
Julia K. Forbess
was promoted to partner of Fenwick & West LLP in San Francisco.
promotes Julia Forbess as partner
Forbess advises technology and biotech companies in transactional matters.
She is based in San Francisco.
Lara Foster
was promoted to partner of Fenwick & West LLP in Mountain View.
promotes Lara Foster as partner
Foster provides technology and life sciences companies with strategic counseling.
She is based in Mountain View.
Patrick V. Grilli
was promoted to partner of Fenwick & West LLP in Mountain View.
promotes Patrick V. Grilli as partner
Grilli counsels emerging and public companies in various matters including venture capital financings, equity and
employee compensation and complex acquisitions.
He is based in Mountain View.
Anthony Jacobson
was promoted to partner of Fenwick & West LLP in Mountain View.
promotes Anthony Jacobson as partner
Jacobson specializes in patents and develops IP strategies for clients.
He is based in Mountain View.
Mark Jansen
was promoted to partner of Fenwick & West LLP in Mountain View.
promotes Mark Jansen as partner
Jansen advises clients in a broad range of intellectual property matters including complex trademark acquisitions
and multi jurisdictional disputes.
He is based in Mountain View.
Thomas Kang
was promoted to partner of Fenwick & West LLP in Mountain View.
promotes Thomas Kang as partner
Kang provides technology and life sciences companies with strategic business counseling in addition to advising
venture capital firms in corporate transactions.
He is based in Mountain View.
Molly Melcher
was promoted to partner of Fenwick & West LLP in San Francisco.
promotes Molly Melcher as partner
Melcher specializes in complex commercial, privacy and intellectual property litigation.
She is based in San Francisco.
Ravi Ranganath
was promoted to partner of Fenwick & West LLP in Mountain View.
promotes Ravi Ranganath as partner
Ranganath is a litigator with an emphasis in patent litigation related to high technology and life science industries.
He is based in Mountain View.
Morgan Sawchuk
was promoted to partner of Fenwick & West LLP in San Francisco.
promotes Morgan Sawchuk as partner
Sawchuk provides emerging and high growth technology companies with strategic counseling.
She is based in San Francisco.
Joseph Schenck
was promoted to partner of Fenwick & West LLP in San Francisco.
promotes Joseph Schenck as partner
Schenck represents technology companies in transactions involving intellectual property.
He is based in San Francisco.
Julia Ushakova-Stein
was promoted to partner of Fenwick & West LLP in Mountain View.
promotes Julia Ushakova-Stein as partner
Ushakova-Stein counsels clients on U.S. tax planning and tax controversy matters.
She is based in Mountain View.
Governor Newsom
Ali Jahangiri
appoints Ali Jahangiri to California Film Commission
Jahangiri is the CEO of Outclick Media DBA EB5 Investors
since 2005.
He is based in Newport Beach.
Wendel Rosen LLP
Address
1280 Civic Dr.,Suite 210. , Walnut Creek 94596
JAMS
Mark H. Pierce
joined JAMS as neutral in Silicon Valley.
Pierce is a retired Santa Clara County Superior Court civil trial judge.
He is based in Silicon Valley.
Address
160 W. Santa Clara St., Suite 1600 , San Jose 95113 USA
T:
(408) 346-0737
F:
(408) 295-5267
Covington & Burling LLP
Kate Cahoy
was promoted to partner of Covington & Burling LLP in Palo Alto.
Cahoy specializes in complex high stakes disputes such as class actions and antitrust lawsuits.
She is based in Palo Alto.
Rani Gupta
was promoted to partner of Covington & Burling LLP in Palo Alto.
Gupta is a commercial litigator with a focus on high stakes insurance coverage disputes.
She is based in Palo Alto.
Addison Thompson
was promoted to partner of Covington & Burling LLP in San Francisco.
Thompson advises clients in government and internal investigations, and helps them comply with anti corruption and anti-money laundering laws. He is based in San Francisco.
Signature Resolution
Lisa Cole
joined Signature Resolution as neutral in Los Angeles.
Cole, a retired Los Angeles County Superior Court judge, will focus on personal injury, employment, business and commercial, insurance, real estate, construction and class action disputes. She is based in Los Angeles.
Address
633 W 5th St #1000 , Los Angeles 90071 USA
T:
(213) 622-1002
Governor Newsom
LaDonna DiCamillo
joined Governor Newsom as southern california regional director at the california high-speed rail authority in Los Angeles.
Most recently, DiCamillo was e regional assistant vice president of state government affairs at the BNSF Railway Company.
She is based in Los Angeles.
Alexandre B. Makler
joined Governor Newsom as california water commission in Berkeley.
Makler was the senior vice president in the western region for Calpine Corp. since 2014.
He is based in Berkeley.
DLA Piper LLP
Eileen O'Pray
joined DLA Piper LLP as partner in Silicon Valley.
DLA Piper expanded its tax practice in Silicon Valley with the addition of O'Pray.
"This is a tremendous opportunity to join a really vibrant tax and corporate practice in Northern California," she said. "I was particularly attracted to the integrated and global platform that DLA offers to clients as well as the comprehensive tax practice."
She joined the firm Sept. 28 as a partner from Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati, where she was of counsel for a little over a year.
Her practice focuses on tax matters related to U.S. and cross-border mergers and acquisitions, private equity transactions, investments and the tax aspects of capital markets. Over the course of her career, she has worked with clients in technology, financial services, natural resources and energy, among other industries.
Before her time at Wilson Sonsini, she was senior tax counsel at Intel Corp for almost three years.
"While I practiced in house, I really saw firsthand the business complexities and opportunities that our clients face every day. And I bring that practical perspective to my work for our clients and I'm looking forward to continuing to do that," she said.
At DLA Piper, she said. She looks forward to being part of a global team that can help clients find legal and business solutions wherever they may operate.
Address
2000 University Avenue , Palo Alto 94303-2214 USA
T:
(650) 833-2105
F:
(650) 687-1105
Wendel Rosen LLP
Richard A. Sipos
joined Wendel Rosen LLP as partner in Oakland.
Sipos' litigation and transactional practice focuses on leasing, sales, disability access and hazardous materials contamination.
He is based in Oakland.
Address
1111 Broadway, 24th Floor , Oakland 94607 USA
T:
(925) 947-1327
F:
(510) 834-1928