Robert M. Guo was promoted to partner of Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP in Palo Alto.

Guo counsels fund sponsors on establishing and operating private investment funds across multiple asset classes. He has also represented private equity and venture capital investors on financing and other transactions.

Robin R. Baral joined Meyers Nave Riback Silver & Wilson PLC as of counsel in Sacramento.

Baral advises public and private entities in land use matters, environmental law and public finance. He has experience negotiating development agreements, processing specific plans and other complex entitlement packages as well as establishing viable tax and public finance mechanisms. Baral also provides strategic counsel in response to state legislative and regulatory mandates.

Steven A. Haskins joined McCune Wright Arevalo LLP as partner in Ontario.

Haskins' practice focuses on antitrust, constitutional issues, contract and business disputes, labor and employment, commercial product-liability and probate matters.

John F. Maselli joined DLA Piper US LLP as partner in San Francisco.

Maselli advises private equity sponsors, venture capital firms, portfolio companies and other strategic buyers and sellers in executing domestic and cross-border mergers and acquisitions.

Bambo Obaro was promoted to partner of Weil Gotshal & Manges LLP in Redwood City.

Obaro focuses on commercial issues and disputes in state and federal courts, as well as arbitrations. He has experience in consumer class actions, alleged violations of state deceptive trade practice acts, product liability and breach of contract. The promotion will be effective Jan. 1.

Selwyn Chu joined Fisher Phillips LLP as associate in Irvine.

Chu advises and represents employers with respect to a broad array of employment law matters, including workplace discrimination, harassment, and retaliation, wage and hour compliance, trade secrets, unfair competition and accommodation and leave issues.

David Marion joined Nossaman LLP as partner in Irvine.

Marion's practice focuses on representing emerging growth, middle market, national and multi-national companies in the areas of commercial agreements, mergers and acquisitions, compliance and general corporate matters.

Chris L. Dueringer was promoted to managing partner of Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner LLP in Los Angeles.

Dueringer is a commercial litigator and trial lawyer who handles domestic and cross-border disputes. He represents financial institutions as well as other national and multinational corporations in industries such as technology, manufacturing, distribution, insurance and energy.

Seth A. Gold joined Barnes & Thornburg LLP as partner in Los Angeles.

Gold concentrates on intellectual property and commercial litigation matters, including trials and appeals in state and federal courts. He also focuses on issues related to false advertising, online advertising across digital platforms, brand protection and enforcement and intellectual property transactions.

Ellen N. Sueda joined Ropes & Gray LLP as counsel in San Francisco.

Sueda serves private and public companies, prominent investment firms and businesses with counsel on benefits and executive compensation issues in transactions, investments and litigation. Equity incentive, stock option, employee stock purchase plans and non-qualified deferred compensation are some of the issues Sueda is experienced in handling.

Joshua D. Dick was promoted to partner of Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP in San Francisco.

Dick has litigated matters in state and federal courts, at the trial at appellate levels. Antitrust, unfair competition law, false advertising, products liability, constitutional challenges, the securities and commodities acts, regulatory enforcement and compliance are some of the legal issues he has handled. The elevation will be effective on Jan. 1, 2020.

Michael J. Holecek was promoted to partner of Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP in Los Angeles.

Holecek’s practice focuses on commercial litigation in the trial court and on appeal. He has also authored articles on appellate procedure, civil discovery, corporate appraisal actions, data privacy and bad-faith insurance litigation. The promotion will be effective on Jan. 1, 2020.

Dhananjay S. Manthripragada was promoted to partner of Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP in Los Angeles.

Manthripragada has defended companies in litigation in state and federal courts through the country, from pre-trial demands through trial, arbitration or settlement and on appeal. His promotion will be effective on Jan. 1, 2020.

Ilissa S. Samplin was promoted to partner of Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP in Los Angeles.

Samplin focuses on entertainment and technology disputes. She has experience in breach of contract, copyright, trademark and trade secret matters. Her elevation will be effective on Jan. 1, 2020.

Michael A. Titera was promoted to partner of Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP in Irvine.

Titera advises public companies on securities disclosure and compliance matters, financial reporting and corporate governance. His promotion will be effective on Jan. 1, 2020.

Lorna S. Wilson was promoted to partner of Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP in Los Angeles.

Wilson works on federal tax matters, including corporate and partnership tax matters domestically and abroad. She also has extensive experience in tax planning for real estate transactions, including advising on investments in real estate. Her promotion will be effective on Jan. 1, 2020.

Giles Giovinazzi joined California State Transportation Agency as senior advisor in Sacramento.

Giovinazzi has more than 19 years of experience in transportation policy, legislative and regulatory experience. He also has been responsible for developing direction for the State transportation system with regard to federal programs and implementation policy issues.

Scott H. Wyckoff joined California State Transportation Agency as general counsel in Sacramento.

Wyckoff has held multiple positions in the California Attorney General’s office, including deputy attorney general and supervising deputy attorney general. He has also worked as an assistant to the government affairs director at the Oregon Education Association.

Judge Wynne S. Carvill joined JAMS as neutral in San Francisco.

Carvill has handled cases including civil, criminal and family law. At JAMS, he will serve as an arbitrator, mediator and special master or referee in a variety of disputes such as antitrust, competition, business, commercial, class actions, mass torts, employment, insurance, intellectual property, personal injury and professional liability.

Vatche J. Zetjian joined Jeffer Mangels Butler & Mitchell LLP as of counsel in Los Angeles.

Zetjian represents fiduciaries, individuals and charities in litigating complex trusts and estates matters. His experience includes trust and probate administration, general civil litigation matters, surcharge actions, trustee removal actions, will and trust contests, creditor's claims, guardianship proceedings and elder abuse matters.

David M. Guess joined Greenberg Traurig LLP as shareholder in Irvine.

Guess focuses on business bankruptcy cases, out-of-court workouts and bankruptcy litigation. He represents debtors, secured and unsecured creditors, asset purchasers, trustees, committees, liquidation and litigation trusts, fraudulent transfer defendants, landlords and others.

Navi S. Dhillon was promoted to partner of Baker Botts LLP in San Francisco.

Dhillon focuses on civil, environmental and regulatory litigation in courts throughout the nation. He has represented clients in the energy, hedge funds, private equity, wine, mining, timber, infrastructure, agriculture and technology industries.

David W. Wu was promoted to partner of Baker Botts LLP in Palo Alto.

Wu practices intellectual property law with an emphasis on patent prosecution, litigation and post-grant review proceedings. He has experience prosecuting patent applications in computer, electrical, mechanical, medical and telecommunication technologies.

Ronald N. Sarian joined Constangy, Brooks, Smith & Prophete LLP as senior counsel in Los Angeles.

Sarian will focus on cybersecurity best practices, incident response, crisis management, website compliance and cryptocurrency law.

Gary M. Gansle joined Perkins Coie LLP as senior counsel in Palo Alto.

Gansle has an employment law practice, including litigation and class actions. He provides counsel on executive compensation, legal matters arising from harassment, discrimination as well as wage and hour claims.

Alexander J. Freedman joined Michelman & Robinson LLP as of counsel in Los Angeles.

Freedman has drafted Los Angeles' cannabis licensing ordinances and regulations as well as guided the launch of the municipal commercial cannabis regulatory and licensing program in the city. He also advises clients on the risks and opportunities within the licensed cannabis market.

Michael J. Torosian joined Baker Botts LLP as partner in Palo Alto.

Torosian focuses on emerging companies and venture capital, mergers and acquisitions as well as capital markets work, primarily in the technology, renewables and life sciences industries. He has also represented buyers, sellers and advisory firms in private and public transactions.