Robert Shaia joined Cox, Castle & Nicholson as partner in Orange County.

Shaia focuses on all types of construction-related disputes in addition to surety and real estate matters.

He has more than 20 years of experience representing project owners, general contractors, subcontractors, and other project participants on a variety of private and public projects, ranging from power plants and prison facilities to roads, high-rise developments, hotels, and residential homes. His strategic approach to handling construction disputes has led to successful outcomes in claims involving disputed change orders, scope of work disputes, terminations, differing site conditions, delays, licensing issues, design issues, defect claims, indemnity issues, pursing and defending bid protests, mechanics' liens, stop notices and payment bonds.

Shaia has extensive trial and arbitration experience, and has successfully mediated dozens of cases to resolution. He also has experience litigating before the California Courts of Appeal. His notable successes include prevailing in complex jury trials, bench trials, and arbitrations showcasing his adeptness in navigating various legal challenges.

Khalilah A. Walters joined Knox Ricksen LLP as counsel in Los Angeles.

Walters has more than 15 years of legal experience, litigating complex matters in state and federal courts in several states and representing a variety of private, public, and nonprofit clients in commercial matters. She spent nearly 10 years at Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP, focusing on mergers and acquisitions and corporate restructuring. Walters also served as in-house counsel for a California-based entertainment company.

Shane Goudey joined Sidley Austin LLP as a partner in Palo Alto

Goudey advises domestic and international investment fund sponsors on all aspects of the formation and operation of venture capital, private equity, fund-of-funds, secondary market, debt, and a variety of other types of funds. He has formed over 1,000 funds, ranging from multibillion-dollar venture capital and leveraged buy-out funds to smaller firms forming early-stage venture capital, angel, pledge, and similar micro-funds with just several million dollars in committed capital. Goudey also regularly works with and advises accelerator and incubator firms with respect to their organizational, operational, and fund formation matters.

Jerri L. Johnson joined Murchison & Cumming, LLP as partner in Los Angeles.

Johnson has extensive experience is complemented by memberships in elite legal circles, including the Los Angeles Chapter of the American Board of Trial Advocates (ABOTA), the Defense Research Institute (DRI), and the Claims and Litigation Management Alliance (CLM), among others. Johnson's impressive career began at Morgan, Wenzel & McNicholas and continued to flourish at another prestigious Los Angeles defense firm. Her clientele spans transportation sectors, various businesses, and major casualty insurance companies. Johnson is a graduate of Pepperdine Law School.

Judith A. Hasko joined Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale and Dorr LLP as partner in Palo Alto.

Hasko serves as co-chair of WilmerHale's Life Sciences Practice. She counsels life sciences companies and investors on strategic, intellectual property, and technology-based commercial transactions. Along with their investors, companies in the biotechnology, pharmaceutical, medical device, and diagnostic product sectors depend on Hasko for guidance and execution of licensing, corporate partnerships, joint ventures, co-promotion arrangements, manufacturing and distribution agreements, asset purchases, and royalty stream transactions.

James Lee joined Seagate Technology as general counsel in Fremont.

Lee has over two decades of experience and has held key positions at companies and law firms. Before his role at Maxar, Lee spent 15 years at Aramark, a prominent player in the food, facilities, and uniform services industry. During his tenure as deputy GC, he played a crucial role in shaping the company's legal strategy. Before joining Aramark, Lee gained valuable experience during his three-year stint as counsel at O'Melveny & Myers. This was his second time working at the firm. He kickstarted his legal career at O'Melveny in 1995, where he laid the foundation for his future success. In 2000, he transitioned to eConnections, a supply chain software start-up, where he assumed the role of GC and made significant contributions to the company's legal affairs.

Bradley P. Childers joined Murchison & Cumming, LLP as partner in Los Angeles.

Childers brings a wealth of experience in litigating various tort defense matters, including product liability, transportation, professional liability, general negligence matters, and bad faith cases in federal and state courts. He has a robust background in representing insurers in first-party property loss appraisals and has argued cases before the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. His professional affiliations include the Los Angeles County Bar Association and its Litigation Committee. Childers, a graduate of Pepperdine Law School, is recognized for his diligent advocacy and strategic legal insights.

Brian M. Schnarr was promoted to partner of Hanson Bridgett in San Rafael.

Schnarr is the new market leader of the firm's San Rafael office. Schnarr takes over from Brad Rogerson, who led the office from 2020. Schnarr, an integral part of Hanson Bridgett's Construction Practice Group since 2017, is a nationally recognized and award-winning trial attorney with a successful record of accomplishment in high-stakes, high-profile disputes. He has successfully represented various clients - including contractors, developers, and public entities - in complex construction disputes, contract negotiations, and risk management.

Kevin Henry Fink joined Jones Day as partner in Irvine.

Fink advises on high-stakes acquisition-related financings, leveraged buyouts, asset-based credit facilities, senior and subordinated credit facilities, recapitalizations, and cross-border financings. He has worked with clients across a broad range of industries, including retail, manufacturing and distribution, technology, transportation, oil and gas, and aerospace.

Chimezie Ebiriekwe joined Murchison & Cumming, LLP as associate in Los Angeles.

Ebiriekwe obtained his undergraduate degree in finance from San Diego State University before earning a law degree from the University of San Francisco School of Law. In law school, he received the prestigious Board of Governors Scholarship in recognition of his academic achievements. Additionally, he served as vice president of the Sports and Entertainment Law Association and a member of the Black Law Student Association.

Kayla F. Wheeler joined Murchison & Cumming, LLP as associate in Los Angeles.

Wheeler obtained her bachelor's degree with honors from the UCLA in African American Studies with a minor in public affairs. She earned her J.S. at Syracuse University, College of Law in New York, where she excelled academically while balancing multiple jobs and internships, including a position with the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office. While in law school, she carved out time to serve as a mentor in a program that uplifts young women in developing their academic, and interpersonal skills.

Arlen F. Printz joined Murchison & Cumming, LLP as associate in Los Angeles.

Printz focuses his practice on general liability matters. He has a range of experience in administrative law having worked at a special education law firm analyzing Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) and labor matters. He graduated magna cum laude from Occidental College in Los Angeles, where he majored in history with a minor in Russian and earned honors and distinction for his senior year thesis. he continued on to earning his J.D. from Loyola Law School, graduating cum laude.

Chaviante Bell joined Murchison & Cumming, LLP as associate in Los Angeles.

Bell graduated from the University of Oregon with a bachelor's degree in philosophy and a minor in business administration before earning her law degree from Southwestern Law School. During her time in law school, she interned at a firm where she was tasked with drafting persuasive demand letters for general liability cases, showcasing her legal writing skills and attention to detail.

Kristen Blanton joined Murchison & Cumming, LLP as associate in Los Angeles.

Blanton clerked for a law firm handling employment matters, where she focused on class action wage and hour settlements, wrongful termination claims, and discrimination lawsuits. She earned a Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice Administration from California State University, Dominguez Hills, before obtaining her J.D. from Southwestern Law School with a concentration in Trial Advocacy.

Yingchaun (Grace) Mo was promoted to counsel of Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP in Palo Alto.

Mo represents public and private companies in a wide range of U.S. and cross-border corporate transactions, including mergers, acquisitions, divestitures, spin-offs and minority investments. She also advises companies on securities law compliance, shareholder activism and corporate governance matters.

Raza Rasheed was promoted to counsel of Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP in Los Angeles.

Rasheed represents clients in a wide range of complex civil matters in state and federal courts and private arbitrations, with a particular focus on shareholder derivative suits, securities class actions and trade secret misappropriation actions.

Patricia Whitten joined Holland & Knight LLP as partner in Los Angeles.

Whitten focuses her practice on a wide range of commercial lending and banking transactions, including senior secured and unsecured lending, art financing transactions, securities-based lending and hedge fund transactions.

Kristin Bacchus joined Holland & Knight LLP as partner in Los Angeles.

Bacchus focuses her practice on complex domestic and cross-border financing transactions. She has extensive experience representing financial institutions in connection with loans to private equity sponsors and principals, corporate entities, investment vehicles and high-net-worth individuals.

Paul W.A. Severin joined Holland & Knight LLP as partner in Los Angeles.

Severin is a financial services attorney with a national practice focusing on commercial finance, general corporate, mergers and acquisitions (M&A), and securities matters. He is based in the firm's Los Angeles office. A major portion of his practice consists of the representation of financial institutions in secured and unsecured lending and finance transactions, including securities-based facilities, private equity fund finance transactions, such as co-investment facilities and other net asset value-based (NAV) credit facilities, capital call facilities and managing company fee secured facilities, derivatives, hedge fund transactions.

Paul Chander joined Miller Barondess, LLP as associate in Los Angeles.

Chander is a trial and appellate attorney who represents clients in complex commercial litigation. He has experience handling a broad range of complex disputes for both plaintiffs and defendants, including breach of contract, securities litigation, unfair competition, business fraud, antitrust, false advertising, consumer protection, class actions, and trade secrets.

Kyle G. Kessler joined Womble Bond Dickinson as partner in Los Angeles.

Kessler draws on her in-house and outside counsel experience to advise national and international companies across industries on transactional and regulatory compliance, focusing on privacy, cybersecurity, and consumer protection. A certified privacy professional with a marketing communications and public relations background, clients turn to her for counsel that blends practical business solutions with effective legal strategies.

Brian C. Wheeler joined Foley & Lardner LLP as partner in San Francisco.

Wheeler is a seasoned strategic advisor with decades of experience providing legal and business guidance to clients across a wide variety of industries. Both his work in private practice and his in-house career have given him an extensive background in M&A --particularly cross-border M&A -- transactions involving venture-backed companies in the technology and life sciences sectors, growth equity, private equity, and fund structuring.

Mark I. Lim was promoted to shareholder of Shegerian & Associates in Los Angeles.

Lim has consistently demonstrated his commitment to justice and advocacy for our clients. This promotion reflects his outstanding contributions to the firm and the legal community at large. Lim is a formidable force in the legal industry. His impressive record of accomplishment and dedication to his clients have earned him a distinguished reputation among his peers.

James Miller as office managing shareholder

With a legal career spanning 25 years, Miller is an experienced trial attorney whose practice focuses on employment litigation, including class and representative actions and traditional labor. Miller has particular experience in the agricultural and dairy industry, including both the grower/farmer side and farm labor contracting defense. Miller is a Fresno native and has practiced there for nearly his entire legal career. He earned his J.D. from the University of San Diego School of Law and his B.A. from the University of California, San Diego.

Ryan Porte as shareholder

Porte’s practice focuses on counseling and defending employers in class and representative actions, as well as single plaintiff employment disputes. Prior to law school, Porte served as an Officer in the United States Army. He earned his J.D., with honors, from the University of California, Hastings College of the Law, his M.A. from the University of Oklahoma, and his B.A. from the University of California, Santa Barbara.

Kevin Piercy as shareholder

Piercy is an experienced litigator, including significant experience in class and representative actions. Prior to law school, Piercy served as a Human Intelligence Collector (Interrogator) in the United States Army. He earned his J.D. from the University of Southern California and his B.A., magna cum laude, from California State University, Fresno.

Ryan Alexander joined Offit Kurman as principal in Los Angeles.

Alexander's practice covers a broad range of business and financial matters, including automotive, oilfield services, health care, life sciences, private equity and mergers and acquisitions. He represents publicly traded companies, privately held companies, private equity funds, partnerships and professional service firms in many aspects of their business including, capital raising, acquisition, product distribution, technology licensing, strategic partnerships, joint ventures and international trade. Alexander also advises private equity funds in their formation, fundraising efforts, regulatory compliance and investment and divestment transactions.

John Bostic joined Cooley LLP as partner in Palo Alto.

Bostic's practice focuses on responding to government investigations and prosecutions, conducting internal investigations, litigating complex civil matters, and leading trial teams in matters before juries, judges, and arbitrators.

Erik J. Carlson joined Alston & Bird as partner in Los Angeles.

Carlson focuses his practice on patent jury trials involving complex technologies such as spinal surgery systems and other medical devices, natural language processing and machine learning, telecommunications, cryptography, and cloud computing.

Kris K. Spiro joined Gordon Rees Scully Mansukhani, LLP as partner in San Francisco.

Sprio's practice is focused in the area of insurance coverage. Her has rendered many coverage opinions involving standard and manuscript primary, excess and umbrella policies including general liability, personal and advertising injury, construction defect and professional liability policies.

Joshua E. Anderson joined Faegre Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP as partner in Los Angeles.

Anderson is the business litigation group's West Coast class action team leader. He is a Los Angeles-based lead attorney with 25 years of experience and has developed a reputation for compressing the defense of class actions, mass torts, product liability, and other complex, multiparty litigation in California and nationwide. With a passion for providing clients with creative solutions to complicated legal issues, Josh has deep experience resolving disputes in ERISA and the insurance, financial services, life sciences, and pharmaceutical sectors.

Bernard G. Skomal joined JAMS as neutral in San Diego.

Skomal will serve as an arbitrator, mediator, special master/referee, and neutral evaluator, handling business/commercial, civil rights, class action, employment, insurance, intellectual property, personal injury, and privacy cases.

Judge Robert P. Dahlquist joined Judicate West as neutral in San Diego.

Dahlquist served 20 years on the San Diego County court, 14 as a Civil Independent Calendar judge, handling all manner of civil cases, including business, employment, insurance coverage and bad faith, and personal injury matters. He also spent three years in a trial department, handling trials of all types, including probate, family and civil trials, and another three years as a Family Independent Calendar judge. During his judicial tenure, Dahlquist was the supervising judge of the North County Courthouse and a member of the Superior Court's Executive Committee. Prior to his bench appointment, he was in private practice for more than 20 years, where he litigated a wide variety of civil matters in federal and state courts.

David Hochman joined Glaser Weil Fink Howard Jordan & Shapiro LLP as partner in Century City.

Hochman's practice focuses on intellectual property issues, entertainment licensing and general business matters. His experience includes counseling companies, start-up businesses and individuals in connection with a broad range of transactional and litigation matters.

Heewon Lee joined Blank Rome LLP as associate in Los Angeles.

Lee concentrates her practice on a wide range of litigation matters. She has experience representing clients in federal, state, and administrative courts in matters involving business transactions, fraud, securities, tax, bankruptcy, government investigations, and labor and employment actions.

Brent M. Douglas joined Snell & Wilmer L.L.P. as partner in San Diego.

Primarily focusing his practice on wage-and-hour class actions, partnership disputes, and employment claims, Douglas services clients with statewide compliance advice and litigation defense. Additionally, he frequently drafts and negotiates stock option plans and stock grants, as well as senior, subordinated, and mezzanine debt arrangements.

Douglas is actively involved in the community. He serves as a board member for the New Children's Museum and the San Diego Century Club/Farmers Insurance Open. Douglas is also a member of the State Bar of California and the San Diego Bar Association, and he previously served as president of the San Diego County Bar Foundation.