Stephen M. McLoughlin was promoted to partner of Atkinson, Andelson, Loya, Ruud & Romo in Cerritos.

McLoughlin advises public and private agencies in transactional and litigation issues such as state community college districts in education related matters as well as providing counsel concerning compliance with Title IX.
He is based in Cerritos.

Susana P. Solano was promoted to partner of Atkinson, Andelson, Loya, Ruud & Romo in Sacramento.

Solano advises employers and management in employment issues including prevention of employment discrimination, retaliation, harassment, wrongful termination, and wage and hour violations.
She is based in Sacramento.

Amber S. Healy was promoted to shareholder of Atkinson, Andelson, Loya, Ruud & Romo in Cerritos.

Healy defends employers and management in employment claims including wage and hour class and representative actions, as well as unpaid wages, unpaid overtime, meal and rest break violation claims.
She is based in Cerritos.

Ken Whiting, Jr. joined Rutan & Tucker LLP as partner in San Francisco.

Whiting specializes in real estate transactions. He represents owners, developers, landlords, tenants and borrowers in the acquisition, development, construction, financing, leasing and disposition of commercial and industrial properties.
He is based in San Francisco.

Rebecca Kim was promoted to partner of Kutak Rock LLP in Los Angeles.

Kim focuses on product liability, toxic tort, asbestos and environmental litigation.
She is based in Los Angeles.

Maxine D. Bayley was promoted to partner of Duane Morris LLP in San Francisco.

Bayley specializes in immigration law related to employment of foreign nationals. She also advises clients in family based permanent residence and naturalization.
She is based in San Francisco.

Meagan E. Garland was promoted to partner of Duane Morris LLP in San Diego.

Garland specializes in employment litigation. She advises startups, multi-jurisdictional and multinational employers in various industries, particularly in fashion and beauty.
She is based in San Diego.

Joseph J. Machi was promoted to partner of Duane Morris LLP in San Diego.

Machi focuses on complex transactions such as mergers and acquisitions and securities offerings, as well as general corporate matters.
He is based in San Diego.

Nicholas G. Markman was promoted to partner of Gunderson Dettmer Stough Villeneuve Franklin & Hachigian, LLP in San Francisco.

Markman specializes in representing emerging growth companies in the technology sector including consumer internet, software, telecommunications and entertainment technology. He also advises angel investors and venture capital firms.
He is based in San Francisco.

Ryan J. Gunderson was promoted to partner of Gunderson Dettmer Stough Villeneuve Franklin & Hachigian, LLP in San Diego.

Gunderson represents emerging growth companies in initial public offerings, other capital market transactions and public company matters.
He is based in San Diego.

Benjamin Pelletier joined Haynes and Boone LLP as partner in San Francisco.

Benjamin Pelletier has joined Haynes and Boone's in San Francisco after spending the last three years at Venable LLP.
Pelletier, a patent attorney and former biochemical engineer, specializes in patent counseling and prosecution in the biotechnology, pharmaceutical, life science and medical device industries.
"The firm has just opened the San Francisco office and they have this digital health and precision medicine practice group with a couple of other practitioners, who are doing really exciting patent work for the same types of clients that I have, but in a slightly different area," said Pelletier. "My colleagues are focusing more on computer science aspects of some of these inventions, they're not doing the therapeutic molecule development work that I'm doing, but we have really complementary practices."
Pelletier added he was also attracted to the opportunity at Haynes and Boone because of the firm's focus on patent prosecution.
Formerly a biochemical engineer, Pelletier spent many years working in the manufacturing division at Genentech, a biotechnology company based in the Bay Area. Experience that has been beneficial to his current practice, he said.
"I was working on developing the processes for manufacturing a lot of the drugs that I now work on the patent side of," Pelletier added. "Oftentimes, my clients come to me with questions about how we can patent a drug, but also, if we can patent the manufacturing process that's related to the drug. So because I have a lot of experience in that field, I'm able to understand what they're doing and help them identify potential new inventions that could be protected with patents."
According to Pelletier, he decided to pursue a career in law because he wanted to be closer to the decision makers in the industry.
As a new member of the digital health and precision medicine practice group, Pelletier hopes to help expand and grow the group's footprint.
"Beyond that, I'd like to reach out to more of a national and international base of clients, once we expand the team and get the bandwidth to take on bigger types of matters," he said.

Tamerlin J. Godley joined Paul Hastings LLP as partner.

Following 23 years at Munger, Tolles, & Olson LLP, Tamerlin J. Godley has joined Paul Hastings LLP in Los Angeles as a partner in the entertainment and media practice.
"They gave me an offer that I couldn't refuse," said Godley of her decision to move.
She is the third prominent entertainment attorney to join the firm in Los Angeles in recent years as part of its efforts to develop "a first class entertainment group that is soup to nuts," she added.
Recent notable additions include Steven A. Marenberg from Irell & Manella LLP and James Bo Pearl from O'Melveny & Myers LLP.
"Paul Hastings is just firing on all cylinders. All their metrics are really strong. Their trajectory is incredible-everything from profitability to being a great place to work and a commitment to pro bono," Godley said. "I'm excited to be a part of this larger platform and really build a first class entertainment litigation group, the best of the city."
As an entertainment litigator, Godley has represented NBC Universal, Sony Pictures, Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc, Time Warner and the Warner Music Group Corp. Her work focuses on investigations and commercial disputes, as well as a subspecialty in trademark and copyright.
Paul Hastings' reputation in employment law will enhance her sensitive investigations practice and was another reason for her move, Godley said.
Outside of her practice, Godley is active in education impact litigation. She is one of the founders of Public Funds Public Schools, which focuses on ensuring that public funds stay in public schools and are not siphoned off for other purposes.
"Just this past year, I led the team that was granted summary judgment to permanently vacate a Betsy DeVos rule that attempted to siphon off hundreds of millions away from public schools to private schools," she said. "My work in the education impact litigation space is really important to me and I will continue doing that at Paul Hastings."