Stroock & Stroock & Lavan LLP
Christine E Ellice
was promoted to partner of Stroock & Stroock & Lavan LLP in Los Angeles.
Having worked at the firm since graduating from law school 15 years ago, attorney Christine E. Ellice has been promoted to partner at the Los Angeles office of Stroock & Stroock & Lavan LLP.
"I've dedicated my legal career to Stroock, and I obviously believe in the firm and am appreciative of the culture," Ellice said in an interview.
"Christine is a true Stroock success story," said a statement from co-managing partner Alan M. Klinger. "Her career with us began as a summer associate in the New York office, and she joined us there as a firstyear after graduating from law school. Christine later transferred to our LA office as a third-year associate and now has made partner based on her fine legal work, commitment to clients and firm citizenship."
Ellice has developed a strong reputation in trial litigation, thanks in part to a forward-looking approach to her work.
"I approach every case as if it is going to trial," she said. "I'm always working backwards from the assumption that I'm going to eventually have to prove the case to a jury, a judge or, as is often the case, an arbitrator."
Among the many cases Ellice has tried, the class action TransUnion LLC v. Ramirez, 141 S. Ct. 2190 stands out as exemplifying her no-stone-unturned approach.
"What's interesting about that case is it actually went up all the way to the Supreme Court," she said. "While Stroock didn't handle the appeal, many of the arguments we had raised leading up to trial, that we had made and preserved, were the ones that we ultimately prevailed on at the Supreme Court."
"That was a great experience because those cases so rarely go to trial, and a class action is such a different beast that having that experience is so rare," she added. "It was very valuable to me to be able to work up a class action case for trial as opposed to an individual case."
Some of the work Ellice has been most proud of has been litigating pro bono cases in immigration law, which she said she's always been passionate about.
"One of the things that really drew me to Stroock was that it has this amazing pro bono platform called the Public Service Project," she said.
Ellice worked pro bono cases from her first summer at the New York office, and since then has dedicated herself to immigration cases involving asylum.
"It's been one of the most rewarding aspects of my legal career," she said. "It's something I feel passionately about, and it gives me an opportunity to make an actual real world impact on a family's life."
As a newly-minted partner at Stroock, Ellice says she looks forward to continuing to work with what she calls the firm's "extremely talented legal minds."
"Two maternity leaves, moving cross-country and all the ups and downs of life -- it's all happened at Stroock. So I'm just very excited to be promoted to partner and to be able to hopefully do more in that position at the firm," she added.
Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP
Ronald L Cheng
joined Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP as litigation partner in Los Angeles.
Following a distinguished career that has taken him across the Pacific and back, former government attorney Ronald L. Cheng has joined Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP as a litigation partner in Los Angeles, where he will handle cases for Chinese clients in the U.S.
"I've already been able to start working on client matters and I see a lot of potential to develop this area, which has been an interest of mine ever since I did my time in China at the U.S. Embassy on behalf of the Department of Justice in the mid- 2000s," Cheng said in an interview.
Cheng worked as the DOJ's resident adviser at the embassy in Beijing from 2005 to 2007, trying to promote rule-of-law development in criminal matters.
"My assignment was to develop relationships within and outside the Chinese government with all parties involved in the criminal process," Cheng said. "That involved the public security bureaus and ministry as well as the prosecutors, courts, defense lawyers and academics doing research and proposing reforms
in this area."
Traveling through about 25 of China's provinces and self-governing cities, Cheng's work included a high profile embezzlement case that reached all the way to federal court in Las Vegas.
"That involved corrupt officials from a Chinese bank who had embezzled $482 million from the bank and then absconded to the United States to avoid prosecution," he said.
Continuing his work in the U.S. attorney's office in Nevada as chief of the criminal division, Cheng guided 40 up-and-coming federal prosecutors during the uncertain early days of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020.
"We had to deal with keeping the criminal system running during this period when trials were not taking place, when it was even difficult to have initial appearances, charge cases and make sure the defendants were guaranteed their right to indictment by grand jury," Cheng said. "Some of these basic things we took for granted were very difficult to implement, but we got it up and running and I think we kept the dislocation to a minimum."
Cheng also oversaw cases involving civil unrest, including an alleged plot to commit violence in Las Vegas by the Boogaloo movement, as well as narcotic and firearms trafficking by the MS13 gang.
"There was quite a bit that we were able to accomplish during that time," he said. "Of course, that's against the backdrop of bringing in a large number of new AUSAs, getting them trained and making sure that they got responsibility and were in a position to handle it in the office and in court."
"I'm ecstatic to have Ron join our team," Geoffrey Sant, co-chair of Pillsbury's China practice, said in a news release. "Just in the last year, we won judgments totaling nine figures for our clients in U.S.-China litigation matters, and we are busier than ever. Adding one of the most experienced and accomplished trial litigators in the United States is a tremendous coup. Ron has a skill set and track record of success in China-related trials and litigations that is unrivaled."
Address
725 South Figueroa Street 36th Floor
Los Angeles, 90017
Procopio, Cory, Hargreaves & Savitch LLP
Jack Shaw
joined Procopio, Cory, Hargreaves & Savitch LLP as partner in Silicon Valley.
Shaw litigates intellectual property disputes, advising clients on matters of fact and expert discovery, claim construction, motion practice and trial.
Address
1117 S California Ave, Suite 200
Palo Alto, 94304
Klinedinst PC
Address
777 S. Figueroa St Suite 4000
Los Angeles, 90017
Susman Godfrey LLP
Glenn C Bridgman
was promoted to partner of Susman Godfrey LLP in Los Angeles.
Practicing in insurance, intellectual property, antitrust, breach of contract and securities, Bridgman has represented clients in solar energy, telecommunications and lease financing.
Constangy Brooks Smith & Prophete LLP
William J Emanuel
joined Constangy Brooks Smith & Prophete LLP as senior strategist.
A respected labor relations attorney, Emanuel worked at Jones Day, Musick, Peeler, & Garrett LLP, Littler Mendelson PC and Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP before his four years at the National Labor Relations Board.
Address
2029 Century Park East Suite 1100
Los Angeles, 90067
Judicate West
Geoffrey Gray
joined Judicate West as neutral in Santa Ana.
Gray has worked in product defect, premises liability, personal injury, public entity liability and medical negligence, and was on the board of directors for the Orange County Trial Lawyers Association for 10 years.
Address
1851 East First Street Ste 1600
Santa Ana, 92705
Jacko Law Group PC
R. Shea Lee
joined Jacko Law Group PC as senior attorney in San Diego.
An experienced mergers and acquisitions attorney, Lee practices in general securities compliance, labor and employment law, intellectual property and antitrust.
Address
1350 Columbia St Unit 300
San Diego, 92101
Gunderson Dettmer Stough Villeneuve Franklin & Hachigian LLP
Lily H Kim
was promoted to partner of Gunderson Dettmer Stough Villeneuve Franklin & Hachigian LLP in Silicon Valley.
Focusing her practice on general corporate and partnership income taxation, Kim has represented venture capital and equity funds as well as high-growth companies in mergers, acquisitions, joining ventures, dispositions, initial public offerings and growth equity financings.
Bradley D Krack
was promoted to partner of Gunderson Dettmer Stough Villeneuve Franklin & Hachigian LLP in San Francisco.
Krack represents high-growth companies and venture capital firms in mergers and acquisitions, cross-border equity and debt financing and corporate governance as a member of Gunderson’s Latin America practice group.
Cody R Peterson
was promoted to partner of Gunderson Dettmer Stough Villeneuve Franklin & Hachigian LLP in Los Angeles.
Peterson has represented startups and venture capital funds in the e-commerce, social media, financial and educational technology, and virtual reality industries, focusing on supporting early-stage founders.
Shawna M Reeder
was promoted to partner of Gunderson Dettmer Stough Villeneuve Franklin & Hachigian LLP in Silicon Valley.
Having represented companies that were sold to Procter & Gamble, Synopsys and LinkedIn, Reeder practices in transactional technology, intellectual property, corporate partnering and technology assets.
Anna C Westfelt
was promoted to partner of Gunderson Dettmer Stough Villeneuve Franklin & Hachigian LLP in Silicon Valley.
Westfelt advises clients on U.S. and European data privacy and security issues as well as venture capital financings, mergers, acquisitions and initial public offerings.
Blank Rome LLP
Natalie R Alameddine
was promoted to partner of Blank Rome LLP in Los Angeles.
Defending employers in single- plaintiff cases, class actions and PAGA actions, Alameddine has represented clients in federal and state courts as well as arbitration forums in a variety of employment disputes.
Carlton Fields PA
Ellyn S Garofalo
joined Carlton Fields PA as shareholder in Los Angeles.
Garofalo focuses on breach of conduct, securities and investor claims, as well as partnership disputes and real estate litigation. Recently she secured a defense verdict in a $100 million partnership dispute, and a $32 million judgment in a cyber theft case.
Address
2029 Century Park East Suite 1200
Los Angeles, 90067-2913
Hoge Fenton Jones & Appel
Christopher P Chang
joined Hoge Fenton Jones & Appel as attorney in Silicon Valley.
A member of Hoge Fenton's business litigation practice group, Chang has argued more than 800 motions in his career.
Address
55 South Market St., Suite 900
San Jose, 95113-2324
Wilson Turner Kosmo LLP
Carolina Bravo-Karimi
was promoted to partner of Wilson Turner Kosmo LLP in San Diego.
Bravo-Karimi advises employers in wrongful termination, discrimination, wage and hour, retaliation and harassment cases.
O'Melveny & Myers LLP
Elizabeth M Bock
was promoted to partner of O'Melveny & Myers LLP in Los Angeles.
Representing prominent health care companies, Bock is also on the board of governors and the Foundation Board of the Women Lawyers Association of Los Angeles.
Brian M Cook
was promoted to partner of O'Melveny & Myers LLP in Los Angeles.
A nuclear physicist and former Jet Propulsion Laboratory engineer in addition to his litigation work, Cook represents clients in patent, trade secret and licensing matters throughout the consumer electronics, broadcasting, software and wireless communication industries, among others.
J. Jorge deNeve
was promoted to partner of O'Melveny & Myers LLP in Los Angeles.
Specializing in SEC enforcement, deNeve has represented issuers, executives and investment advisers in investigations involving accounting, disclosure and internal control issues.
Megan K Smith
was promoted to partner of O'Melveny & Myers LLP in Century City.
Smith has represented fashion houses, hoteliers, automobile manufacturers, real estate companies and financial institutions, and once helped a prominent homebuilder defeat a nine-figure suit in a case that reached the U.S. Supreme Court.
Wenting Yu
was promoted to partner of O'Melveny & Myers LLP in Silicon Valley.
Yu specializes in venture financing, mergers and acquisitions, equity and debt offerings and joint ventures. She also has experience working with Cayman Islands based entities operating in the U.S. and China.
Jackson Lewis PC
Jack P Schaedel
joined Jackson Lewis PC as principal in Los Angeles.
Representing employers throughout California and the U.S., Schaedel advises clients in the manufacturing, professional services and hospitality industries.
Address
725 South Figueroa Street Suite 2500
Los Angeles, 90017
O'Melveny & Myers LLP
Ike C Chidi
joined O'Melveny & Myers LLP as partner in Los Angeles.
Advising private equity firms, lending institutions and other private and public companies, Chidi deals with financing transactions including syndicated credit facilities, asset-based loans, recapitalizations and mezzanine financings.
Address
400 South Hope Street 18th Floor
Los Angeles, 90071
Larson LLP
Emilie J Zuccolotto
was promoted to partner of Larson LLP in Los Angeles.
Emilie Zuccolotto represents corporations in high-stakes business disputes and defends employers against state and federal employment law violation claims in single-plaintiff suits and class actions. She also advises companies on regulatory and compliance matters and conducts sensitive internal investigations. Emilie earned her J.D. from USC Gould School of Law and her B.A. from UC Berkeley.
John Lee
was promoted to counsel of Larson LLP in Los Angeles.
John Lee's practice focuses on complex commercial disputes--including class actions, trade secret lawsuits, and securities cases--and white collar defense matters. Before joining Larson LLP, he served as a judicial law clerk on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. John earned his J.D. from Northwestern University Pritzker School of Law, cum laude, and his B.A. from Princeton University.
Weintraub Tobin Chediak Coleman Grodin Law Corporation
Julie E Green
joined Weintraub Tobin Chediak Coleman Grodin Law Corporation as attorney in Sacramento.
Green co-founded Salem & Green, and specializes in securities, issue tender offers, Securities and Exchange Commission deregistration and negotiating settlement agreements.
Christopher F Anderson
joined Weintraub Tobin Chediak Coleman Grodin Law Corporation as attorney in Sacramento.
Anderson practices in business transactions, health care regulation and intellectual property licensing.
Jeanne L Vance
joined Weintraub Tobin Chediak Coleman Grodin Law Corporation as attorney in Sacramento.
A health law professional since 1994, Vance advises on provider types, counsels for equity firms and oversees mergers and acquisitions in the health care industry.
Address
400 Capitol Mall, 11th Floor
Sacramento, 95814
Jackson Lewis PC
John P Schaedel
joined Jackson Lewis PC as attorney in Los Angeles.
Schaedel has litigated cases related to wage and hour violations, discrimination, retaliation, harassment and wrongful termination.
Address
725 South Figueroa Street Suite 2500
Los Angeles, 90017
Faegre Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP
Yana S Johnson
joined Faegre Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP as partner in San Francisco.
Johnson practices in biotech, health care, manufacturing, entertainment, temporary staffing and government contracting. She advises clients on public disclosures, stock exchange listing standards and corporate governance.
Address
Four Embarcadero Center, 27th Floor
San Francisco, 94111
Faegre Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP
Lucas J Tomsich
was promoted to counsel of Faegre Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP in Silicon Valley.
Tomsich litigates complex patent cases and has experience in claim construction, discovery, merit and pre-lawsuit investigations, pleadings and dispositive motions.
Glaser Weil Fink Howard Avchen & Shapiro LLP
Jason E Grinnell
joined Glaser Weil Fink Howard Avchen & Shapiro LLP as partner in Los Angeles.
Grinnell represents clients in commercial real estate transactions and real estate finance, and has worked with video game developers, tech companies and international retail tenants in the U.S.
Address
10250 Constellation Blvd. 19th Floor
Los Angeles, 90067
Greenspoon Marder LLP
Richard C Giller
joined Greenspoon Marder LLP as head of insurance recovery and counseling in Los Angeles.
Giller's 35-year legal career has focused on insurance recovery for institutional and individual clients, including collegiate and professional athletes.
Address
1875 Century Park East Suite 1900
Los Angeles, 90067
Winston & Strawn LLP
Josh N Birenbaum
was promoted to partner of Winston & Strawn LLP in Los Angeles.
Focusing on mergers and acquisitions, private equity transactions, leveraged buyouts and joint ventures, Birenbaum works with public and private companies, private equity funds and financial institutions.
Jason S Campbell
was promoted to partner of Winston & Strawn LLP in Los Angeles.
Campbell deals in employment litigation, advising employers on matters of wage and hours compliance, leaves of absence, termination, investigations and trade secrets and representing them in class action and single-plaintiff litigation.
Laura M Franco
was promoted to partner of Winston & Strawn LLP in San Francisco and Silicon Valley.
A member of Winston & Strawn’s video game, gaming and esports group, Franco specializes in intellectual property litigation involving brand protection and enforcement.
Hao Huang
was promoted to partner of Winston & Strawn LLP in Los Angeles.
Huang practices in the areas of renewable energy and infrastructure throughout the U.S., and has advised in the development, acquisition and financing of wind and solar.
Shawn R Obi
was promoted to partner of Winston & Strawn LLP in Los Angeles.
Practicing in consumer protection, class action, securities, financial services and advertising, Obi represents clients in the food, beverage and consumer product industries.
Aaron C O’Dell
was promoted to partner of Winston & Strawn LLP in Los Angeles.
Experienced in securities and complex, commercial and business litigation, O’Dell has seen cases through to verdict across the U.S.
Jeffrey L Steinfeld
was promoted to partner of Winston & Strawn LLP in Los Angeles.
Steinfeld has defended criminal, civil insider and securities fraud actions, and specializes in white collar defense, SEC enforcement actions and class action defense.
Eisner LLP
Kristine M Blumensaadt
joined Eisner LLP as partner in Beverly Hills.
Blumensaadt has worked as a business affairs executive at Fox Television Studios and A&E Networks, and has also consulted in the field of independent film distribution.
Address
9601 Wilshire, 7th Floor
Beverly Hills, 90210
Baker & Hostetler LLP
Jennifer L Mitchell
joined Baker & Hostetler LLP as partner in Los Angeles.
Mitchell has litigated privacy matters in the health care and entertainment industries, having served as vice president of privacy and legal compliance at Sony Pictures and as a global privacy officer at Abbott Laboratories.
"I think in some ways, even though the industries are very different, the challenges relating to privacy compliance and grappling with new laws as they're enacted have really been similar in more ways than I expected," Mitchell said in an interview.
Address
11601 Wilshire Boulevard Suite 1400
Los Angeles, 90025
Gordon Rees Scully Mansukhani LLP
Kevin W Alexander
as managing partner
Alexander has been managing partner of the firm's 110-plus attorney San Diego office and co-chair of its drug and medical device and commercial
litigation practice groups. He represents corporations, officers and directors in complex commercial, securities and product liability litigation in federal and state courts, and before arbitration panels.
Address
3200 Guasti Road, Suite 100
Ontario, 91761
Buchalter
Anne Marie Ellis
was promoted to shareholder of Buchalter in Irvine.
Ellis practices in product liability defense, personal injury and commercial litigation, premises liability, regulatory compliance and client counseling. She is a member of the Product Liability Advisory Council and is on the task force for the Sports and Fitness Industry Association.
Katharine H Falace
was promoted to shareholder of Buchalter in St. Helena.
Regularly litigating cases in business, real estate and land use on behalf of wineries and vineyard managers, Falace is the former president of the Napa County Women Lawyers and sits on the board of directors for Connolly Ranch.
Brian T Harvey
was promoted to shareholder of Buchalter in Los Angeles.
Working in the firm’s insolvency and financial law group, Harvey represents financial institutions, creditor committees, debtors, lessors, lessees, trade creditors and investors in bankruptcy proceedings.
Jeffrey M Judd
was promoted to shareholder of Buchalter in San Francisco.
Judd’s practice focuses on corporate ownership and governance, commercial and finance issues, trade secrets and real estate. He specializes in complex litigation involving science and technology.
David E Mark
was promoted to shareholder of Buchalter in Los Angeles.
Focusing on complex commercial, creditors’ rights, real estate and intellectual property litigation, Mark’s specialties include the cannabis, apparel, entertainment and alternative lenders industries.
Michael J Muse-Fisher
was promoted to shareholder of Buchalter in Sacramento.
Muse-Fisher represents regional and national lenders, banks, financial institutions and real estate investment trusts, as well as public and private companies in state and federal administrative cases.
Roger L Scott
was promoted to shareholder of Buchalter in Irvine.
Specializing in labor and employment, Scott practices in trade secret theft, patent disputes, business litigation and class action defense.
Nikole K Zoumberakis
was promoted to shareholder of Buchalter in Los Angeles.
Zoumberakis practices in industries including employee benefits, executive compensation, startups, early stage companies and private equity, focusing on fund formation and investment adviser representation.
Withers
Jonathan N Garbutt
joined Withers as special counsel in San Francisco.
Previously a tax attorney in Canada, Garbutt has represented international individuals, families, family offices, financial institutions and trust companies.
Address
505 Sansome Street 2nd Floor
San Francisco, 94111
Sheppard Mullin
Lauren M Strickroth
joined Sheppard Mullin as partner in Costa Mesa.
Strickroth represents privately owned businesses, trust beneficiaries, health care agencies and trustees, with a focus on fiduciary litigation, business disputes, private wealth disputes, litigation trusts, estates and conservatorships.
Address
650 Town Center Drive Tenth Floor
Costa Mesa, 92626