Blank Rome LLP is pleased to announce that Jason C. Ray has joined the firm as a partner in its Tax, Benefits, and Private Client group in the firm’s new Dallas office. Ray advises employers on the design, implementation, and regulatory compliance of tax-qualified and nonqualified retirement plans with an emphasis on employee stock ownership plans (“ESOPs”). Ray joins Blank Rome from Morgan Lewis.

In 2023, Blank Rome has grown strategically, adding two dozen prominent lateral partners across offices and practices to expand service offerings and support client needs. The firm opened a Dallas office in July with a team of six leading corporate, real estate, and finance partners with national practices, including Dallas Office Co-Chair Jason S. Luter who similarly advises clients on corporate ownership succession planning transactions involving ESOPs.

“We are excited to welcome Jason Ray to the firm and expand our presence in Dallas,” said Grant S. Palmer, Blank Rome’s Chair and Managing Partner. “Savvy business owners moving toward retirement are seeking sound succession planning advice that will ensure a smooth transition for their employees, customers, and other stakeholders, while preserving company culture. Jason Luter and Jason Ray are an unparalleled team when it comes to ESOP experience and counsel, and will provide tremendous value to companies and trustees navigating the intricacies of various employee benefit plans.”

Ray represents companies in negotiating and drafting documents at every stage of a leveraged ESOP transaction, including re-leveraging transactions. He guides clients in ESOP transactions, including seller-financed and leveraged and nonleveraged buyouts as part of ownership succession transactions. Ray also counsels clients—including private equity and other strategic buyers of ESOP companies, as well as ESOP trustees—on countless ESOP-related matters, including corporate governance and issues pertaining to repurchase liability, fiduciary duties, compliance, and taxes.

In addition to counseling clients on all aspects of employee benefits, Ray appears before the Internal Revenue Service and the U.S. Department of Labor to review penalty assessments, plan corrections, and plan audits. Additionally, he represents companies in ESOP stock-drop and Employee Retirement Income Security Act (“ERISA”) breach of fiduciary duty cases. Furthermore, Ray designs and drafts Profit-Sharing Plans, 401(k) Employee Stock Ownership Plan (KSOPs), and stock-based compensation arrangements.

“Jason Ray is one of the go-to lawyers in the country for companies that need advice on ESOPs and the operation and administration of stock-based compensation agreements,” said Luter. “I’m excited to join forces with Jason to provide premium counsel on the design and execution of ESOP transactions, as well as ongoing legal and regulatory advice to ESOP-owned companies. Working together with our colleagues across the country, our ESOP practice will be an incredible resource for our business owner clients who are exploring succession planning options.”

“Jason Luter and I have spoken about practicing together and expanding our national ESOP practices for years while waiting for the right time and opportunity to do so. Blank Rome has a strong, national platform and collaborative culture and I look forward to building my practice and supporting clients with their ESOP and employee benefits needs,” Ray said. “I am also thrilled to join the newly launched Dallas office and contribute to the growth of the firm on a local and national level.”

Outside of his practice, Jason does charity work with Shriners Children’s Hospital in Galveston, Texas. Ray earned his LL.M and J.D. at Southern Methodist University Dedman School of Law, and his B.A at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas.

Buchalter is pleased to welcome Shareholder Chris Mason and Senior Counsel Christine Claffey to its Scottsdale Office. Chris is a new member of the Labor & Employment Practice Group, and Christine joins the Real Estate Practice Group.

“We are thrilled to welcome both Chris and Christine to the Firm,” said Adam Bass, President and Chief Executive Officer of Buchalter. “Chris brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to our prominent Labor & Employment Practice, and with her comprehensive experience in Real Estate Law, Christine makes an impressive addition to our robust Real Estate Practice.”

Chris counsels employers and management on all aspects of labor and employment law, including collective bargaining and union organizing; restrictive covenants; employment discrimination; sexual harassment; whistleblowing; retaliation; wrongful termination; wage and hour compliance; personnel policies; reductions in force; trade secrets; duty of loyalty; drug and alcohol testing; and other state and federal laws, rules, and regulations.

He is also an experienced litigator, representing clients in Arizona, federal, and appellate courts, as well as before administrative agencies, including the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB), the Department of Labor, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), the Arizona Civil Rights Division, and the Department of Economic Security.

“Buchalter’s reputation in the Labor & Employment field made the firm a perfect fit to facilitate the growth of my practice,” said Chris. “I am excited to introduce my clients to the top-tier services the firm provides.”

Christine focuses her practice on commercial real estate leasing and has over 20 years of experience representing landlords and tenants across all asset classes, including office, retail, industrial, and lab. She also has significant experience representing clients in other commercial real estate matters, including acquisition, disposition, and financing transactions.

“Chris and Christine are fantastic additions as we continue to grow our full service platform in Arizona,” said Scottsdale’s Office Managing Shareholder, Craig Cartwright. “We anticipate additional lateral hires in the very near future.”

“Making sure all of these employees are safe is one matter, but firms also need to be wary of what upping sticks means for their legal entitlements, according to workplace lawyers,” reports Justin Cash in FN London.

Thousands of staff from UK-headquartered companies are heading for the exit in Russia. From law firms and consultancies to banks and retail brands, a drip has turned into a flood as the international community piles pressure on Vladimir Putin to stop an escalating conflict.”

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“Earlier this year, President Biden announced that all adult Americans would be eligible to get one of the Covid-19 vaccines approved for Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) by the FDA no later than May 1, 2021. Given that vaccines are now widely available, employers are grappling with various issues, including bringing employees back into the workplace,” writes Ellis L. Bennett in Dunlap Bennett & Ludwig’s Blog.

“Various issues associated with employer-imposed vaccine requirements are almost certain to be litigated in courts around the country over the coming months and year, and the results of the litigation may change the landscape. However, the current prevailing view is that employers may impose vaccine requirements upon employees.”

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“As vaccine proliferation continues, employers are preparing to welcome their workforces back to offices and job sites across the country,” write Katharine O. Beattie Sara J. Higgins in Foley & Lardner’s Insights.

“While many Americans are eager to return to pre-pandemic life, employers can expect resistance from employees recalled to the office, particularly from those whose medical conditions put them at greater risk for complications from COVID-19. Reviewing best practices under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and guidance from the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, this post provides employers with tips for engaging in an effective interactive process with employees seeking disability accommodations for risks associated with COVID-19.”

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“Global law firm Goodwin announced today the creation of a Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) position, and the appointment of Scott Kopcha to the role. As CISO, Kopcha, who previously served as the firm’s Managing Director of Information Security, will oversee all aspects of the firm’s global information security strategy, architecture, governance, and risk mitigation as CISO. He reports to Goodwin’s Chief Operating Officer, Michael Caplan,” announced Goodwin Law in their Press Releases.

“Kopcha brings more than 20 years of information security experience to his CISO role. Before joining Goodwin in 2013, Scott designed and executed best-in-class information and data security programs at WilmerHale. Prior to that, he was a product manager at Janus Associates where he received patents for his work with biometric authentication platforms.”

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“Data privacy attorney Hilary Lane has joined Holland & Knight’s Tampa office as a partner. Ms. Lane was formerly the chief privacy officer for NBCUniversal. She is a member of Holland & Knight’s national Data Strategy, Security & Privacy Team,” posted Holland & Knight in their News.

“Ms. Lane, a Certified Information Privacy Professional (CIPP/US), has extensive experience helping businesses navigate the privacy and cybersecurity landscape nationally and around the globe. As chief privacy officer for NBCUniversal, she built, implemented and led its global privacy program across diverse operating units and drove strategy throughout the organization. Building on that experience, Ms. Lane takes a strategic and practical approach, working closely with clients to design and implement global data privacy and security programs tailored to their business. Prior to joining Holland & Knight, Ms. Lane was a partner at Quarles & Brady.”

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“AT&T Inc.’s top lawyer David McAtee made nearly double the compensation in 2020 he did the previous year, due to an equity award infusion,” reports Ruiqi Chen in Bloomberg Law’s Business & Practice.

“McAtee made over $18.6 million in 2020 as the Dallas-based telecom giant’s general counsel and senior executive vice president, compared to $9.4 million in 2019, according to a Thursday SEC filing.”

“The increase comes from a ‘career retention grant’ in the form of an additional $9 million in stock awards over what he received in 2019, on top of his base salary of $1.3 million. The grant does not vest until 2030.”

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“Novartis AG announced Friday that its global head of litigation, Thomas Kendris, will on an interim basis succeed its outgoing chief legal officer Shannon Thyme Klinger,” reports Brian Baxter in Bloomberg Law’s Business and Practice.

“Novartis said in a statement that Klinger will depart the Swiss drug giant March 15 to return to the U.S. and take a job at ‘a biotechnology company.’ Novartis didn’t identify the company and declined to discuss Klinger’s new role. Klinger didn’t respond to a request for comment on the matter.”

“Her move is the latest in a series of comings-and-goings by law department leaders working for biotechnology startups, drug developers, and medical equipment manufacturers. The health care, life sciences, and pharmaceutical sectors have been busy hiring lawyers within the past year, in part due to the increased demands on some companies stemming from the coronavirus pandemic.”

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“Two property titans’ real estate development firms, MV Ventures and Turnberry Associates, have picked up a pair of law firm partners to be their top lawyers,” reports Brian Baxter in Bloomberg Law’s Business & Practice.

“Eagan, Minn.-based MV Ventures, owned by the family of shopping mall billionaire and Minnesota Vikings owner Zygmunt “Zygi” Wilf, hired Matthew Slaven to be its general counsel as of Feb. 15. Slaven was a real estate, environmental, and construction law partner at Taft Stettinius & Hollister in Minneapolis.”

“Turnberry Associates, an Aventura, Fla.-based real estate developer controlled by the family of billionaire Donald Soffer, brought on Julian Chung to serve as its general counsel. Chung was a Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson real estate finance partner in New York.”

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“Wigdor said Friday that Christine Hogan is joining the employment plaintiffs firm as a partner in New York from Littler Mendelson, where she worked defending employers for more than decade,” reports Chinekwu Osakwe in Westlaw Today.

“As a Littler partner, Hogan represented large companies and organizations in individual and class action litigation involving discrimination, harassment and wage and hour claims, with a clientele that has included The American Museum of Natural History, United Parcel Service Inc, Uber Technologies Inc and Walgreens Co.”

“But she said the pandemic gave her a chance to reevaluate her career, and she decided to make a change.”

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“Fired in-house lawyer Paul MacNeal Davis isn’t happy with media reporting on his lawsuit that contends that voting changes resulted in an illegal election,” reports Debra Cassens Weiss in ABA Journal’s Daily News.

“As of Monday, Davis had filed eight documents in his lawsuit, while the defendants had not yet responded, Above the Law points out. One filing getting attention—and ridicule—was a request that the government be placed in stewardship, with a nod to Lord of the Rings.”

“Now, Davis is retreating from that request in a Jan. 25 legal filing, but the pundits haven’t eased up. Nor have his troubles, including overwork, threats and vandalism, he says in the filing.”

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“A Texas-based insurance company fired one of its senior lawyers, the company said Thursday, after the attorney was identified as one of the hundreds of supporters of U.S. President Donald Trump who stormed the U.S. Capitol a day earlier,” reports Caroline Spiezio in Thomson Reuters’ Westlaw Today.

“Goosehead Insurance said in a Thursday morning tweet that associate general counsel Paul MacNeal Davis is “no longer employed” at the company.”

“He joined the Dallas-area company in mid-2020. His profile on the State Bar of Texas website lists a number for law firm Clark Hill. Court records show he also previously worked at Andrews Kurth, since merged to become Hunton Andrews Kurth. Representatives for those firms did not immediately respond to request for comment.”

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“A North Texas lawyer has been fired by his employer after he was seen on video outside the Capitol building along with hundreds of other supporters of President Trump on Wednesday,” reports Domingo Ramirez Jr. in the Forth Worth Star Telegram.

“Social media posts identified the attorney as Paul Davis, who was an associate general counsel and director of human resources at Goosehead Insurance, a company based in Westlake.”

“On Wednesday, Davis posted a video on Instagram saying that he was outside the Capitol building and he had just been tear-gassed.”

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“Netflix is facing another executive poaching lawsuit, this time from gaming giant Activision Blizzard over the departure of CFO Spencer Neumann,” report Ashley Cullins and Natalie Jarvey in The Hollywood Reporter’s Labor.

“Activision claims Netflix induced Neumann to breach his employment contract while the CFO was actively involved in negotiations with the streamer on the gamer’s behalf. This marks the third major entertainment company, following Fox and Viacom, to allege Netflix is illegally poaching employees.”

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“Amid a flurry of fresh lateral moves among labor and employment lawyers, one of the leading L&E firms is facing a lawsuit tied to hires it made several years ago from an industry group that counts many of its clients as members,” report Arriana McLymore and Sara Merken in Reuters’ Employment.

“Law firms have been grabbing labor and employment lawyers at a fast clip the past several weeks, with hires at Blank Rome, Ogletree Deakins, Dentons and Kaufman, Dolowich & Voluck.”

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“On Sunday, November 8, 2020, the Biden-Harris team updated its transition website to highlight four priorities: COVID-19, economic recovery, racial equity, and climate change,” reports Ivo J. Becica in Obermayer’s HR Legalist.

“While workplace issues are not explicitly included in the transition plan, and the campaign itself has focused more on the pandemic and the economy, the Biden campaign has certainly not been silent about labor and employment issues. In a series of blogs over the next several months, HR Legalist will outline some of the biggest issues for employers to watch over this transition period.”

“The Biden-Harris campaign website includes an aggressive multi-pronged platform for changes to labor and employment law across the country …”

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“Another day, another Biglaw firm that’s reversing its COVID-19 austerity measures,” reports Staci Zaretsky in Above the Law’s Biglaw.

“This time, the good news is coming from Taft Law (formerly known as Taft Stettinius & Hollister). If you recall, back in April, the firm decided to reduce partner draws by 25 percent, leaving compensation for staff, associates, and of counsel attorneys intact. At the same time, the firm laid off 1.4 percent of its attorneys and 3.5 percent of its staff. We’ve been told that the firm’s partners received a treat for Halloween instead of a trick, because all of their pay was restored in full in October.”

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Assistant Chief Mark Begley was awarded a $1.84 million lawsuit settlement against the County of Kaua‘i and Kaua‘i Police Department, reports Jason Blasco in The Garden Island.

“Begley was put on paid administrative leave in March 2012 when he filed a stress-based worker’s compensation claim, citing a hostile work environment. He was reinstated in June 2019.”

“In 2016, Begley initiated a federal lawsuit against the county, KPD and several senior officers, claiming that the now-retired KPD Chief Darryl Perry and his successor, former Acting Chief Michael Contrades, harassed and retaliated against him for reporting allegations that another assistant chief acted inappropriately toward a subordinate female officer.”

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“A U.S. District Court judge has ordered New Prime to send letters to 30,000 truck drivers to let them know that a $28 million settlement involving the Springfield, Mo.-based trucking company is legitimate,” report Mark Schremmer in Land Line.

“Earlier this summer, Prime and truck drivers Dominic Oliveira and Rocky Haworth reached a $28 million settlement regarding claims that Prime improperly paid drivers in violation of the Fair Labor Standards Act, Missouri minimum wage law, and related laws.”

“On Oct. 5, about 40,000 former and current Prime drivers and trainees were notified – an estimated 30,000 of them by email – about the website PrimeTruckingSettlement.com and their potential eligibility to receive funds from the court-approved settlement. According to court documents, on the same day a supervisor at Prime sent a message through the company’s app and Qualcomm system telling its drivers not to click on the link of the email because it was a “phishing” scam. The same supervisor sent a second Qualcomm message about an hour later retracting the previous message.”

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