Joe Yelda joined Higgs Fletcher & Mack LLP as associate in San Diego.

Yelda has represented clients in insurance coverage disputes and uninsured/underinsured motorists claims with a focus on transportation and rideshare companies. He held law clerk positions with both the California Innocence Project and Liberty Mutual Insurance.

Kimia Kojouri joined Higgs Fletcher & Mack LLP as associate in San Diego.

Kojouri handles all aspects of family law and has considerable experience representing clients in high-conflict cases. She held an externship at the Santa Clara District Attorney’s Office, and also garnered experience working at the Family Law Facilitator’s Office at the Santa Clara County Family Justice Center prior to working in private practice.

Jennifer Griffin joined Higgs Fletcher & Mack LLP as associate in San Diego.

Griffin’s litigation experience includes defending businesses, professionals and individuals involved in civil and commercial litigation. Her work has also included contract drafting and counseling clients on regulatory compliance and risk management. She is licensed to practice law in both California and Hawaii.

Pedram Esfandiary was promoted to partner of Wisner Baum LLP in Los Angeles.

Esfandiary concentrates his practice on toxic tort injuries, pharmaceutical drug liability, class actions, consumer fraud litigation and police misconduct lawsuits.

Dana Kennedy joined Miller Star Regalia as shareholder in San Francisco.

Kennedy advises real estate developers, investors, and other clients on a wide range of land use matters and real estate transactions, including zoning, planning, and the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). Her practice focuses on the processing of entitlements, supervising the preparation and approval of environmental documentation, and negotiating transactional documents associated with land use, project development, and construction, including agreements between private and public entities. She has also counseled clients on an array of real estate transactions, including the acquisition, disposition, and financing of retail, office, and hotel properties.

Janelle Li-A-Ping joined Miller Barondess, LLP as associate in Los Angeles.

Li-A-Ping has represented clients in a variety of complex commercial litigation and general litigation matters, actively involved in pro bono work, and has worked on cases involving prisoners' rights and civil claims pursuant to Section 1983.

Manuel F. Cachán joined Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom PP as partner in Los Angeles.

Cachán is a trial lawyer who has represented Fortune 500 companies before federal and state courts in jury trials and class actions, including in breach-of-contract litigations, securities and banking actions, product liability lawsuits and professional malpractice cases.

Jeff S. Westerman joined Zimmerman Reed LLP as of counsel in Los Angeles.

Westerman's experience spans 40 years in securities fraud, Ponzi scheme, consumer fraud, antitrust, shareholder derivative, and employment litigation. He has served as lead or co-lead counsel in cases resulting in significant corporate governance changes and recoveries - and recognized increased value to plaintiffs - totaling more than $2 billion. His strong reputation for leadership and positive collaboration have resulted in appointments to a leadership role in large multi-party cases. He has also been an active member of the California bar, serving in Court appointed and volunteer roles within California and the U.S. Central District of California including Chair, U.S. Central District of California Attorney Discipline Committee; Honorary Board Member and past President of the Federal Bar Association - Los Angeles Chapter; and Member, U.S. Central District of California Magistrate Judge Merit Selection Panel.

Matthew Ryan Ball joined Musick Peeler & Garrett LLP as associate in Los Angeles.

Ball's practice focuses on public entity liability, general business litigation, and professional liability, including the representation of public entities, architects, engineers, and legal professionals.

Dustin Calkins joined Goodwin Procter LLP as partner in San Francisco, CA.

Calkins represents leading public and private, and national and international real estate investors on a broad array of transactions focused on commercial assets, including industrial, multifamily, office, hotel and retail properties. He helps clients engage in transactions and financings, including forming joint ventures for numerous purposes such as large-scale investments, developments and recapitalizations. Calkins also advises on acquisitions and dispositions of single assets as well as large national portfolios, ground-up developments and large-scale re-developments, commercial leases and complex loan facilities.

Alejandro (Alex) E. Moreno was promoted to office managing partner of Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton LLP in Downtown San Diego.

Moreno practices general business and commercial litigation in state and federal courts, and also handles appeals in the California Court of Appeal and the Ninth Circuit. He is experienced in private dispute resolution and arbitration, including FINRA arbitration. Moreno also represents clients in the banking and finance, mortgage, cannabis, hospitality, technology and telecommunications, restaurant and franchise, energy and extraction, and healthcare industries. Moreno defends consumer class actions, securities litigation and shareholder derivative suits, cross-border litigation, and litigation for high-net-worth individuals and companies with a need for Spanish speaking counsel.

Marisa B. Miller was promoted to office managing partner of Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton LLP in Del Mar, San Diego.

Miller is a seasoned litigator whose practice focuses on commercial litigation matters and internal investigations for public and private companies. She regularly handles complex, multi-party disputes involving contracts, trade secrets, corporate governance, partnership and fiduciary relationships, inverse condemnation and other strict liability claims, business tort and fraud. These disputes range from high-stakes commercial litigation to matters involving construction, energy, environmental, statutory, technology and shareholder rights issues. She counsels clients through all stages of litigation, from pre-lawsuit strategy and advice to post-trial motions and appeals.

Arielle Harris joined Cox, Castle & Nicholson LLP as partner in San Francisco.

Harris represents developers, landowners, and public agencies in connection with land use entitlements as well as environmental review and permitting for a wide range of residential, commercial, and industrial developments as well as public infrastructure projects in California. She brings extensive experience in state planning and zoning laws, the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), in addition to state housing production laws such as the Housing Accountability Act and Density Bonus Law. Harris is an experienced litigator, representing clients in administrative hearings as well as in litigation at both the trial and appellate court level in the areas of CEQA, land use law, and the public trust doctrine. She is a frequent speaker on matters involving land use, housing production, and CEQA.

Christopher J. Raidy joined Reed Smith LLP as partner in Orange County.

Raidy's practice focuses on complex debt financing transactions and representation of private equity firms, public and private companies, hedge funds, borrowers, and issuers. These include secured and unsecured financings, domestic and cross-border transactions, mergers, stock and asset acquisitions, leveraged buyouts, restructurings, and debtor-in-possession and exit financings. He has advised on transactions valued in excess of $30 billion for clients including Vista Equity Partners, Thoma Bravo, Clearlake Capital, Gryphon Investors, and Frontier Communications Corporation, among others.

Tyler R. Dowdall joined Tarter Krinsky & Drogin as partner in Beverly Hills.

Dowdall focuses his practice on commercial, banking, and business litigation, regularly litigating contract disputes, business tort disputes, and similar matters. He represents clients in both state and federal courts, and he often serves as outside general counsel to clients across a wide range of industries. Dowdall does traditional commercial real estate work on behalf of clients, including advising on acquisitions, sales, and financings, raising capital, back-end leasing, and commercial lease disputes. Recently, he has counseled clients on innovative transactions within the hemp market.

Gordon Hart joined Cox, Castle & Nicholson LLP as partner in San Francisco.

Hart focuses on environmental and land use law and government advocacy. He specializes in transactional, permitting, enforcement, and litigation issues on behalf of real estate developers and owners, energy project developers, and manufacturers. Prior to entering private practice, Hart served in several capacities on the staff of the California State Legislature, including serving as senior consultant to the Senate Toxics and Public Safety Management Committee, as counsel to the Senate Judiciary Committee, and as counsel to the Speaker of the Assembly.

Dennis Landin joined ADR Services Inc. as neutral in Los Angeles.

Landín brings 20 years of judicial experience to his ADR practice. As a judge assigned to the Mandatory Settlement Conference program, Landín holds a distinguished record of success in settlements and earned recognition for his ability to resolve even the most intractable disputes encompassing complex issues in nearly every area of civil law, including employment, wage & hour, business and commercial disputes, personal injury, and insurance coverage. In addition to his settlement work, Landín's prior judicial assignments include presiding over an Independent Calendar Court, a Personal Injury Hub Court, a Felony Trial Court, and serving as an Associate Justice Pro Tem for the California Court of Appeal, Second Appellate District.

Stephen M. Osborn was promoted to managing office partner of Mintz, Levin, Cohn, Ferris, Glovsky and Popeo, P.C. in San Francisco.

Osborn is a versatile corporate attorney who draws on his in-house legal and business management experience to advise clients on transactional, corporate finance, and general corporate matters. He has particular experience with middle market mergers and acquisitions and regularly advises clients on exit strategies. He represents public, private, and emerging growth companies in a variety of industries, including life sciences, technology, digital health, and retail and consumer products.

Winston P. Hsiao was promoted to partner of Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP in Los Angeles.

Hsiao focuses on complex civil litigation in state and federal courts. He represents clients in a wide range of suits, including securities and shareholder litigation, tax shelter and accounting malpractice, trade secret actions, contract disputes, unfair competition claims and fraud claims. His clients include U.S. and international companies in the financial services, tax consulting, pharmaceuticals, biotechnology, medical insurance, energy, education, consumer products, logistics and food industries. Mr. Hsiao serves on the Pro Bono Advisory Council for Asian American's Advancing Justice Southern California (AJSOCAL), the Board of Governors of the Southern California Chinese Lawyer's Association and on the Advisory Board for Asia Society Southern California. He received his J.D. from UCLA School of Law in 2010 and a B.A. from Yale University in 2007.

David A. Niemeyer was promoted to partner of Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP in Los Angeles.

Niemeyer represents public and private clients, private equity sponsors, portfolio companies, sovereign funds, family offices and special committees in a variety of U.S. and cross-border transactions, including acquisitions, dispositions, auctions, investments, joint ventures, restructurings, spin-offs and SPAC transactions. He also regularly advises clients on corporate governance and other general corporate matters. He has represented a diverse set of clients in an array of industries, such as apparel, beauty, consumer products, energy, entertainment, fintech, food, gaming, media, sports and retail, among others. Mr. Niemeyer is actively involved in Skadden's training and recruiting programs and serves on the firm's Los Angeles office Recruiting Committee. He received his J.D. from University of Southern California Gould School of Law in 2011 and a B.A. from Loyola Marymount University in 2007.

Peter P. Jones was promoted to partner of Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP in Palo Alto.

Jones represents clients across a range of corporate transactions, with a particular focus on private equity, financial sponsors and high-growth and established technology clients. He received his Legal Practice Course in 2010 and his Diploma in Law in 2009 from The College of Law, England & Wales; as well as a M.A. (Hons) from University of St. Andrews in 2008.

Emily A. Reitmeier was promoted to partner of Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP in Palo Alto.

Reitmeier concentrates her practice in complex civil litigation, white collar criminal cases and internal investigations. She has experience representing individuals and corporations in all stages of state and federal trial and appellate litigation and civil and criminal enforcement issues. She regularly handles a wide range of matters, including criminal white collar cases, defending government inquiries, and conducting internal investigations related to anti-corruption, accounting irregularities, improper business practices, compliance practices, corporate governance issues and related matters. She received her J.D. from Notre Dame Law School in 2007 and a B.S. from University of Michigan in 2004.

Steven R. Hilst was promoted to partner of Bisnar Chase Personal Injury Attorneys, LLP in Newport Beach.

Hilst has presented more than 35 jury trials to verdict and has recovered more than $30,000,000 on behalf of victims and their families. He is a member of the prestigious American Board of Trial Advocates, an invitation-only association of the most elite trial attorneys in the United States. He is also a Master of the American Inns of Court and is a member of The Million Dollar Advocates Forum, an organization limited to those select attorneys who have obtained seven-figure awards or more for clients.

Erik J. Carlson joined Baker & Hostetler LLP as partner in Los Angeles.

Carlson litigates and tries patent cases involving complex technology, including spine surgery systems and other medical devices, medical diagnostic and screening tests, spoken language understanding systems, artificial intelligence, integrated circuits, telecommunications, cryptography, cloud computing, mobile apps and smart devices.

David R. Callaway joined Glenn Agre Bergman & Fuentes LLP as partner in San Francisco.

Callaway, a former assistant U.S. attorney and deputy district attorney, joined the firm's complex commercial litigation and white-collar litigation & investigations practices. Callaway will be based in San Francisco. With over 30 years of trial experience, Callaway has successfully tried over 30 criminal and civil cases to verdict in both state and federal courtrooms. He also advises companies, ranging from Fortune 100 companies to tech startups, on a wide range of high-stakes commercial litigation and internal investigations. He counsels corporate and individual clients on criminal matters related to economic crime, including securities and commodities fraud, national security, public corruption, privacy and cybercrime, trade secrets, enforcement by the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA), and money laundering.