Brandon Michael Jacob Gantus as partner in Palo Alto

Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati announced Brandon Michael Jacob Gantus has been elected partner in San Francisco, effective Feb. 1. Gantus represents companies in compensation and employee benefits matters, with a particular emphasis on mergers and acquisitions and capital markets transactions. He advises clients on the design, drafting, and administration of equity-based compensation programs; employment, consulting, retention, severance, change in control, and deferred compensation arrangements; and the associated tax, accounting, ERISA, and securities law implications.

Wendy Lynn Devine as partner in San Francisco

Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati announced Wendy Lynn Devine has been elected partner in San Francisco, effective Feb. 1. Devine focuses her practice on intellectual property litigation, with a concentration in patent litigation and counseling. She counsels and represents clients in matters involving various technologies and processes, including biotechnology, biosimilars, pharmaceuticals, medical methods, trademarks, and trade secrets.

Michelle Rubalcava as senior counsel in Sacramento from County of Los Angeles Chief Executive.

Nielsen Merksamer Parrinello Gross & Leoni LLP announced Michelle Rubalcava has joined as senior counsel in Sacramento. Rubalacava has spent 20 years working in and around state politics and as a health care attorney and legislative advocate. At the firm, she will work on a variety of issues, including health care, environmental regulation, financial services, local government administration and services and the initiative and referendum process.

Ellen R.Z. Rosen as general counsel in Los Angeles from CohnReznick LLP.

The Jewish Community Foundation of Los Angeles announced Ellen R.Z. Rosen has joined as general counsel. Rosen will work on supporting The Foundation's endowment funds and help to grow endowments and other charitable giving funds. Rosen succeeds Susan C. Mattisinko, who held the position since 2012.

Bradley Muchard Libuit as partner in San Francisco

Cooley LLP announced Bradley Muchard Libuit has been elected partner in San Francisco, effective Jan. 1. Libuit practices corporate and securities law. He represents companies at all stages of their life cycle, from startups to large public companies, as well as venture capital firms and other institutional investors.

Jennifer Diane Knapp as partner in Palo Alto

Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati announced Jennifer Diane Knapp has been elected partner in Palo Alto, effective Feb. 1. Knapp represents public and private life sciences and technology companies, as well as venture capital and other institutional investors. She focuses on representing companies throughout their entire life cycle from formation to exit, and in all manner of strategic and complex transactions, including corporate formation and structuring, venture capital financings, corporate governance, spin-ins and spin-outs, mergers and acquisitions, public offerings, public company disclosure requirements, and SEC compliance matters. She also advises investors in venture capital financings and other strategic investments and transactions.

Daniel Jedediah Knauss as partner in Palo Alto

Cooley LLP announced Daniel Jedediah Knauss has been elected partner in Palo Alto, effective Jan. 1. Knauss' litigation practice focuses on intellectual property, with an emphasis on life sciences. He litigates patent infringement and contract disputes concerning a variety of technologies, including cancer medicines, antiviral therapeutics, biofuels, agriculture and medical devices.

Matthew Todd Wiltermuth as partner in Palo Alto

Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati announced Matthew Todd Wiltermuth has been elected partner in Palo Alto, effective Feb. 1. Wiltermuth advises clients in strategic commercial and intellectual property transactions, including collaboration and partnering arrangements, technology licensing and acquisitions, mergers and acquisitions, research and development agreements, and manufacturing, supply, and distribution arrangements, primarily in the pharmaceutical, biotechnology, medical device, and life sciences industries.

Shannon Renee Delahaye as partner in Palo Alto

Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati announced Shannon Renee Delahave has been elected partner in Palo Alto, effective Feb. 1. Delahaye works with companies and underwriters in connection with initial public offerings and other capital markets transactions. She also advises public companies on SEC compliance, disclosure, and corporate governance matters, and complex securities law issues.

Joshua Blank as professor of law in Irvine from New York University School of Law.

UC Irvine School of Law announced Joshua Blank has joined as a professor of law. He joins UCI Law from New York University School of Law where, besides being a professor of tax law, Blank is vice dean for technology-enhanced education, and faculty director of the school's Graduate Tax Program.

Eric A. Kauffman as partner in San Diego

Cooley LLP announced Eric A. Kauffman has been elected partner in San Diego, effective Jan. 1. Kauffman's practice encompasses both employment litigation and counseling. He provides strategic support to leading technology and life sciences companies, and their private equity and venture capital sponsors, on a wide variety of employment law matters.

John Patrick McGaraghan as partner in Palo Alto

Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati announced John Patrick McGaraghan has been elected partner in Palo Alto, effective Feb. 1. McGaraghan focuses on intellectual property counseling and licensing, and the drafting and negotiation of strategic commercial contracts. He also assists companies with mergers, acquisitions, divestitures, and financing transactions. Additionally, McGaraghan works with public and private companies in the hardware, semiconductor, software, Internet, media, social networking, and advertising industries.

Jeffrey Chen as principal attorney in Bartko Zankel Bunzel & Miller from Bunsow, DeMory, Smith & Allison LLP.

Jeffrey Chen is an intellectual property litigator who focuses his practice on high-stakes patent infringement disputes.

Kirsten Marie Ferguson as partner in San Francisco

Ferguson has been promoted to partner in San Francisco, effective Jan. 1. She is a member of the Latham & Watkins litigation & trial department whose practice includes antitrust and competition law, class actions, and complex litigation in federal and state court.

Ian Kenneth Boyd as partner in San Francisco from Siskind Boyd LLP.

Sideman & Bancroft LLP announced Ian Kenneth Boyd has joined the firm's intellectual property group as a partner in San Francisco. His practice focuses on commercial litigation and counseling; trademark and copyright clearance, prosecution, and enforcement; and trade secret and advertising law.

Belinda Martinez Vega as partner in Los Angeles from The Law Offices of Gerard Fox, Inc..

Venable LLP announced that Belinda Martinez Vega has joined its commercial litigation practice as a partner in Los Angeles. Vega will focus her practice on complex commercial business litigation and corporate internal investigations.

Laura Robinson Washington as partner in Century City

Washington has been promoted to partner in Century City, effective Jan. 1. Washington is a member of the Latham & Watkins litigation & trial department who focuses her practice on complex commercial litigation in the entertainment and media industry. She represents clients in intellectual property disputes including copyright and trademark infringement, and her experience includes trial and appellate work, motion practice, and discovery in state and federal courts.

Richard Louis Offsay as partner in Century City

Offsay has been promoted to partner in Century City. Offsay is a member of the firm's corporate department who advises clients in transactions across the entertainment and media industry. His practice focuses on strategic joint ventures, M&A deals, and the financing and distribution of motion pictures, television programs, and other content.

Shivaun Alison Cooney as partner in San Francisco

Cooney has been promoted to partner in San Francisco, effective Jan. 1. She is a member of Latham's environment, land & resources department who advises on a range of land use and regulatory matters, as well as related transactional matters, with a particular focus on land use entitlements and environmental approvals for major real estate development projects. Her clients include developers, institutions, non-profit organizations, corporations, and land owners.

Gregory K. Sobolski as partner in San Francisco

Sobolski has been promoted to partner in San Francisco, effective Jan. 1. He is a member of Latham & Watkins litigation & trial department whose practice focuses on patent litigation. He represents patent owners and accused infringers in matters involving a range of complex technologies before US federal district courts, the US Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, and the International Trade Commission.