Jeffrey J. Catalano has joined Freeborn & Peters LLP as a partner in the Litigation and Intellectual Property (IP) practice groups.

“We are thrilled to welcome Jeff to the firm,” said Jennifer L. Fitzgerald, a Partner and Leader of Freeborn’s Intellectual Property Practice Group. “With his experience and successes in high-stakes litigation and licensing matters, Jeff will further expand the depth and scope of both our trial and IP teams as we continue to focus on helping our clients achieve their business goals.”

Based in Freeborn’s Chicago office, Catalano focuses his practice on intellectual property litigation as well as IP-adjacent commercial litigation. His experience includes patent, copyright, trade secret, trademark and unfair competition disputes before federal courts, arbitrators, the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, and the International Trade Commission. He has in-depth experience related to patent licensing, including the licensing of standards-essential patents on fair, reasonable and non-discriminatory (FRAND) terms.

Prior to joining Freeborn, Catalano was a shareholder at Brinks, Gilson & Lione in Chicago.

Catalano received his J.D. from Georgetown University Law Center and his Bachelor of Arts from Miami University.

FisherBroyles, LLP has expanded its Cyber-Risk; Privacy & Data Security practice group with the arrival of new partner Stuart Panensky. Based in the firm’s Princeton, N.J. office, Panensky is the former co-chair of a boutique insurance law firm’s Cyber-Risk, Technology & Data Security practice group.

“Privacy and data security are very current issues with which the leadership of all of our clients are dealing,” said FisherBroyles, LLP General Counsel and Managing Partner of Litigation Joel M. Ferdinand. “The importance of offering the full spectrum of cyber and privacy legal services is absolutely unmistakable. Having Stu on board will allow us to further meet the cyber liability needs of our clients and, in particular, bolster the firm’s data breach incident response and technology liability capabilities. Stu will be an exciting addition to the Cyber-Risk; Privacy & Data Security and Litigation practice groups.”

Panensky said, “I am so pleased to be part of a firm that truly appreciates the relationship between cyber-risk, technology and privacy. This is a unique opportunity for me to offer my clients FisherBroyles’ full suite of privacy counseling. I am also very impressed with FisherBroyles’ own embrace of technology, as well as its deep bench in the privacy and technology areas across multiple industry sectors.”

Panensky is a business attorney and commercial litigator. His practice is concentrated in cyber-risk/technology, design professional and construction litigation, environmental liability, and other miscellaneous professional liability.

In a release, the firm said Panensky leads breach response investigations and provides legal advice on the nature of cyber occurrences, scope of data exfiltration, obligations to notify impacted consumers and/or state and federal government regulators, as well as contractual obligations to comply with the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standards. As breach counsel, Panensky is networked with other breach response vendors (IT, forensics, e-discovery, public relations, breach notification and others) and coordinates them in data breach response efforts including print and email notification, call-center management, credit monitoring and restoration services, and other cyber-incident response activity.

The firm said Panensky provides legal counsel related to pre-breach cyber-risk preparedness including, without limitation, drafting incident response planning documents, hosting mock-breach “tabletop” presentations to clients, opining on privacy and data and information security company policies, and reviewing technology vendor/provider contract agreements and scope documents. He previously served as co-chair of the Claims & Litigation Management Alliance’s Cyber Liability Committee and frequently speaks and writes on cyber-risk.

Prior to joining FisherBroyles, Panensky was a partner at Traub Lieberman Straus & Shrewsberry LLP. He is admitted to practice law in state and federal courts in New Jersey and New York and has been recognized as a New Jersey Super Lawyer or Rising Star on multiple occasions. Mr. Panensky received his J.D. from Syracuse University College of Law and his Bachelor of Science in Cinema Studies from Ithaca College.

Jason Lewis and Jason Hopkins have joined DLA Piper’s Litigation practice as partners in Dallas.

Lewis is a former enforcement attorney with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission who handles civil and criminal regulatory investigations and litigation matters. His practice focuses on SEC enforcement, government investigations, internal corporate investigations, FCPA matters, white collar criminal defense, securities litigation, crisis management and business disputes.

Hopkins focuses on securities litigation, including defending civil and criminal investigations and lawsuits brought by the SEC, FINRA, the Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control, IRS and DOJ, as well as state securities agencies and state attorneys general.

“Jason and Jason are talented trial lawyers with considerable experience in high-stakes criminal and civil matters,” said Loren Brown, co-chair of DLA Piper’s global and US Litigation practices. “They immediately enhance both our growing litigation team in Dallas and our trial bench nationally.”

“These additions will enhance our growing platform in Dallas, a crucial market for many clients, as we continue to expand there and across the state,” said Marc Katz, managing partner of the firm’s Dallas office. “They bring strong reputations as high-caliber individuals and attorneys who have a phenomenal litigation and regulatory investigation practice. We are extremely excited to welcome them to the firm.”

The firm’s expansion in Texas this year has also included Litigation partners Rob Hoffman, Michael Moore and Matthew Nickel; Employment partners Marc Katz and Isabel Crosby; and Corporate partner Steven Bartz in Dallas. In Austin, the firm recently welcomed Corporate partners David Parrish, Nicole Brennig, Elise Green, Philip Svahn, Sara Stinnett and Richard Cardillo.

Lewis and Hopkins join from Greenberg Traurig LLP. Lewis received his J.D. from Cornell Law School and his B.A. from the University of Oklahoma. Hopkins received his J.D. from the College of William and Mary and his B.A. from the University of Mississippi.

Foley Gardere LLP announced that Cynthia Harkness has joined the firm’s Finance practice as Of Counsel in the Austin office. Harkness joins Foley from Haddad Legal Group, P.C. where she was the head of the Business Transaction practice.

In a release, the firm said that, for more than 30 years, Harkness has counseled global businesses ranging from start-ups to large corporate entities in financial and structured transactions, mergers and acquisitions, dispositions of assets and entities, and creating and dismantling business entities. She also has experience counseling clients with regard to corporate bankruptcies, restructurings, risk management, licensing, and compliance and employment arrangements. Harkness advises clients in domestic and international financial and capital markets, as well as in the corporate, real estate, consumer and energy sectors.

Before entering private practice, Harkness was the general counsel of the Gapstone Group LLC; general counsel of The Weston Group; and senior vice president, general counsel and corporate secretary of Fieldstone Investment Corporation/Fieldstone Mortgage Company. She also has worked in varying in-house positions at Constellation Power Source, Inc., Enron Broadband Services, Enron Wholesale and Crédit Agricole Indosuez.

“Cynthia’s diverse transactional practice paired with her extensive in-house counsel experience provides our team with a unique perspective as we help our clients tackle some of today’s toughest issues,” said Laura Bilas, chair of Foley’s Finance practice.

The firm said Harkness also has business management experience and has been called upon to help clients build legal, compliance, human resources and quality control departments. As it relates to aiding human resource departments, Harkness has experience drafting and implementing policies and procedures, online training and online performance-management systems.

“Cynthia will be a great addition to Foley Gardere and to our Austin office as we expand our capabilities and services in the private equity and corporate practices,” said Kimberly Yelkin, managing partner of Foley Gardere’s Austin office.

Harkness also is a qualified as a FINRA Non-Public arbitrator.

Hunton Andrews Kurth LLP (formerly Hunton & Williams and Andrews Kurth Kenyon) began its new fiscal year on April 1 with the promotion of the following 14 lawyers:

Administrative Law
Samuel L. Brown, San Francisco

Corporate
Brittany M. Bacon, New York
Taylor E. Landry, Houston
Lawton B. Way, Richmond

Energy & Infrastructure
Parker A. Lee, Houston
Chumbhot Plangtrakul, Bangkok

Labor & Employment
Ryan M. Bates, Washington
Robert T. Dumbacher, Atlanta

Litigation
Brian C. Pidcock, Houston
Bridget B. Vick, Houston
Thomas R. Waskom, Richmond

Public Finance
Clayton T. Holland, Houston

Tax & ERISA
Hilary B. Lefko, Washington
Jocelyn Tau, Houston

L-R: Scott Tuthill, Cynthia “Cindy” Brotman Nelson, Kevin L. Kelley, George C. Dunlap Jr.

Jackson Walker announced that Cynthia “Cindy” Brotman Nelson, George C. Dunlap Jr., Kevin L. Kelley and Scott Tuthill have joined the firm as partners in the real estate practice group in the Dallas office.

“We are privileged to have this exceptional group of lawyers join Jackson Walker,” said Wade Cooper, the firm’s managing partner. “They are well-known and highly respected in the real estate and legal communities, and we are very excited to call them our partners. Each of them brings unique experience and knowledge to the practice and shares our goal of providing unmatched client service in a great law firm environment.”

Kelley served as chair of the real estate practice and Nelson was chair of the hospitality practice at their previous law firm.

“We are thrilled to join Jackson Walker and work alongside attorneys we know and respect,” Kelley said. “The firm’s commitment to client service, efficiency, and low overhead adds a value we can continue to pass along to our clients.”

The addition of these four partners brings the total to seven partners who have joined Jackson Walker so far in 2018, the firm said. Also joining the real estate practice are associates James L. Miers and Ben Whitehill, who previously worked with the group, and Gabriela Rawlings.

Cynthia Brotman Nelson has more than 25 years’ experience representing and consulting institutional and entrepreneurial companies that develop, own, operate, finance, lease, and manage all types of commercial properties, with an emphasis on hotels and resorts and mixed-use developments. She handles complex commercial real estate and financing transactions, both within the United States and abroad. She received her J.D. from St. Mary’s University School of Law, where she received the American Jurisprudence Award and served as a member of Phi Delta Phi Honor Society, a law intern for a Western District of Texas judge, and a senior associate editor of St. Mary’s Law Journal.

George C. Dunlap Jr. has more than 30 years of experience in real estate, commercial finance, and investment funds and investor representation. His practice focuses on the representation of lenders and borrowers in loan transactions, acquisition and disposition transactions, and leasing and development matters. He represents clients in complex, large-scale projects such as major multifamily residential developments. Dunlap received his J.D. from the Southern Methodist University Dedman School of Law.

Kevin L. Kelley has more than 30 years’ experience in real estate development, investment, and finance in Texas and throughout the nation. His clientele includes commercial real estate developers, stakeholders in high-profile urban developments, hoteliers, and developers of corporate headquarters, campuses, and Fortune 500 companies. He is board certified in commercial real estate by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization. He received his J.D. from St. Mary’s University School of Law, where he served as an articles editor of St. Mary’s Law Journal.

Scott Tuthill has experience handling various commercial real estate transactions, particularly those involving the acquisition, financing, development, management, leasing, and disposition of office, industrial, multifamily, and retail development projects. He primarily works with senior executives and corporate counsel of domestic and global private equity funds, national retail companies, and national and regional real estate enterprises. He also has experience handling build-to-suit leases and acquisitions. Tuthill received his J.D., with honors, from the University of Texas School of Law.

DLA Piper announces that 62 lawyers have been promoted to its partnership. The promotions are effective as of April 1, 2018, in the United States and May 1, 2018, for EMEA and Asia Pacific. The promotions were made across many of the firm’s practice areas in 42 different offices throughout 20 countries.

Across the firm’s practices globally, Litigation and Regulatory saw the largest intake of new partners with 16 promotions, followed by Corporate with 14 promotions. Tax and Finance and Projects both had eight. Real Estate and Intellectual Property and Technology had six and four promotions respectively, while there were three in Employment, two in Government Affairs and one in the firm’s US Office of General Counsel.

In total, there were 19 promotions in the United States, six in Canada, ten in the United Kingdom, 18 across Continental Europe, two in Asia, two in Latin America, two in the Middle East, two in Australia and a further one in South Africa. A full list of partner promotions by office and practice is included below.

Simon Levine, Global Co-CEO of DLA Piper, commented, “I would like to congratulate all of our lawyers who have been promoted to partners this year. This round of promotions brings to our partnership another highly talented group from across the world who represent the quality, breadth and depth of DLA Piper and are vital to the continued success of our business.”

Jay Rains, Global Co-CEO, added, “We are delighted by the promotion of this talented, diverse group of top-caliber lawyers. Their client work and importance to the firm are now a foundational part of our ongoing success and our ability to evolve to meet the challenges of the market, and they will play a key role in our delivery of legal services of the highest quality and value to our clients around the world. We look very forward to their ongoing contributions.”

Full list of partners by office:

Amsterdam, Netherlands
Michiel Coenraads, Litigation and Regulatory
Leen van der Marel, Real Estate

Atlanta, United States
Jeremy Corcoran, Corporate

Austin, United States
Rebecca McKnight, Government Affairs

Baltimore, United States
Kathleen Birrane, Litigation and Regulatory
Thomas Grace, Tax

Bangkok, Thailand
Don Rojanapenkul, Litigation and Regulatory

Birmingham, United Kingdom
Phillip Kelly, Litigation and Regulatory

Boston, United States
Brian Awe, Real Estate
Andrew Sroka, Finance and Projects

Brussels, Belgium
Laurent De Surgeloose, Employment

Bucharest, Romania
Alina Lacatus, Corporate

Calgary, Canada
Ryana Mather, Corporate

Chicago, United States
Ferlillia Roberson, Intellectual Property and Technology

Dubai, UAE
Richard Hughes, Corporate
Jamie Ryder, Intellectual Property and Technology

Edmonton, Canada
Veronica Monteiro, Corporate

Frankfurt, Germany
Christian Lonquich, Real Estate
Carlos Robles y Zepf, Corporate

Hong Kong, Hong Kong
Christina Loh, Corporate

Houston, United States
Grayson Stratton, Litigation and Regulatory

Johannesburg, South Africa
Janine Simpson, Litigation and Regulatory

Kyiv, Ukraine
Illya Sverdlov, Tax

Lisbon, Portugal
Vanessa Antunes, Litigation and Regulatory

London, United Kingdom
Chris Arnold, Corporate
Joel Cooper, Tax
Randall Fox, Tax
Steven Krivinskas, Finance and Projects
Christina Lawrence, Litigation and Regulatory
Kelly Lovegrove, Tax
Peter Lowe, Real Estate
Bryony Robottom, Finance and Projects

Los Angeles, United States
Andrew Hoffman, Litigation and Regulatory

Madrid, Spain
Juan Gelabert, Finance and Projects
Ricardo Plasencia, Corporate

Miami, United States
Chad Ehrenkranz, Corporate

Milan, Italy
Alessandro Ferrari, Intellectual Property and Technology
Alessandro Martinelli, Tax
Davide Rossetti, Litigation and Regulatory

Minneapolis, United States
Poonam Kumar, Corporate

Moscow, Russia
Philip Lamzin, Finance and Projects

New York, United States
Evan Parness, Employment

Northern Virginia, United States
Joe Davis, Office of General Counsel

Paris, France
Myriam Mejdoubi, Real Estate
Theobald Naud, Litigation and Regulatory

Perth, Australia
Alyson Eather, Finance and Projects

Philadelphia, United States
Brian Robinson, Litigation and Regulatory

Phoenix, United States
Jared Jensen, Corporate

Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Luiz Augusto Osorio, Corporate

São Paulo, Brazil
Carolina Marcondes Sant’Angelo, Corporate

Seattle, United States
Kate Lucente, Intellectual Property and Technology

Sheffield, United Kingdom
Alastair Clough, Litigation and Regulatory

Silicon Valley, United States
SeoJung Park, Tax

Sydney, Australia
Eddie Ahn, Tax

Toronto, Canada
Russel Drew, Finance and Projects
Leslie Frattolin, Employment

Vancouver, Canada
Morgan Burris, Litigation and Regulatory
Michael Mjanes, Real Estate

Warsaw, Poland
Andrzej Balicki, Litigation and Regulatory
Tomasz Rudyk, Litigation and Regulatory

Washington DC, United States
Brad Jorgensen, Government Affairs
David Ridenour, Finance & Projects

Craig P. Chick has joined Foley Gardere’s Government Solutions Practice Group in its Austin, Texas office as Director of Public Affairs.

Chick is the founder of Capitol Partners Consulting and has been involved in Texas politics for over 20 year as a senior adviser in the Texas House and Senate on a variety of topics ranging from alcohol, economic development, electric generation and transmission, employment, environmental regulation, housing, immigration, pharmaceuticals, property rights, real estate, tax and transportation.

Consistently named to the Texas Lobby Power Rankings at CapitolInside.com, Chick has expertise in the sunset advisory process, drafting legislation, authoring interim reports, and directing political campaigns, the firm said in a release.

“We are thrilled that Craig has joined our Government Solutions Practice at our newly combined firm,” said Kim Yelkin, managing partner of Foley Gardere’s Austin office and co-chair of the State and Local Government Solutions Practice Group. “His joining Foley Gardere allows us to continue to strengthen and grow this practice group into a core practice area for the firm and its clients.”

“Our clients consider us as trusted advisers when they need to advance their cause before state and local governments throughout the country. Craig’s deep experience with and knowledge of Texas state government will strongly enhance the firm’s ability to provide a broad array of solutions for our clients in Texas,” said Washington, DC Partner David Ralston, chair of the firm’s Government Solutions Practice Group. “I’m also looking forward to working with Craig in Washington, and in other state capitols, as he assists our Texas clients with matters before the federal government and other state governments.”

Prior to founding Capitol Partners Consulting, Chick served as the Senior Business and Regulatory Advisor to Texas House Speaker Joe Straus from 2009-2012 during the 81st and 82nd legislative sessions. Chick handled business and regulator policy issues and monitored committees including the Committee on Business & Industry; the Economic and Small Business Development Committee; the Environmental Regulations Committee; the Energy Resources Committee; the State Affairs Committee; the Transportation Committee; and the Technology Committee.

Prior to his work in the Speaker’s office, Chick was the director of political affairs for the 90,000-member Texas Association of Realtors. He also was a senior policy adviser for Texas State Senator Kyle Janek of Houston and served for six years as chief clerk for Texas State Representative Fred Bosse of Houston.

Michael B. Pullano has joined Segal McCambridge Singer and Mahoney, Ltd. as a shareholder in the firm’s Philadelphia office.

“Mike has extensive litigation experience, the utmost integrity and the ability to contribute significantly to realizing our shared vision for the firm’s continued national growth,” said Mark Crane, Segal McCambridge managing shareholder.

Pullano focuses his practice on complex catastrophic injury cases in the products liability realm and in the defense of professional negligence matters. He has represented manufacturers and suppliers of heavy construction equipment, including fuel dispensers, refuse collection vehicles, and Liquified Propane Gas pumps and compressors.

“With Segal McCambridge’s nationally recognized reputation defending products cases, I knew joining the firm would allow me to better serve my clients who have a national presence,” said Michael Pullano. “Sharing in Segal McCambridge’s commitment to client service, joining the firm was the natural next step for me.”

In a release, the firm said Pullano has represented architects, engineers, attorneys and municipal professionals, including prosecutors and police officers in professional liability cases. His clients include public and private entities, including Fortune 500 companies, as well as individuals. He also has experience defending employment claims, and in defamation and civil rights matters.

Pullano previously was with Weber Gallagher in Philadelphia. Prior to his work in civil litigation, he worked as an assistant district attorney in Philadelphia. He received his J.D. from Illinois Institute of Technology, Chicago-Kent College of Law and his B.A. from Catholic University in Washington, D.C.

Adam Ettinger has joined FisherBroyles, LLP as a partner and co-chair of its FinTech and Blockchain practice group, based in the firm’s Los Angeles and Palo Alto, Calif., offices.

“Adam is one of the most highly regarded attorneys practicing in the blockchain space, and our clients will benefit greatly from the significant experience and additional bench strength that he brings to FisherBroyles,” said Michael Pierson, FisherBroyles partner and co-chair of the FinTech and Blockchain practice group, based in the firm’s New York office. “Our FinTech and Blockchain practice group has quickly become one of the largest and most multidisciplinary of its kind at any law firm, serving as the ‘go-to’ counsel for many companies and entities operating in or investing in the fintech and blockchain space.”

In a release, the firm said the FisherBroyles FinTech and Blockchain practice group includes partners who are alumni of the SEC, Goldman Sachs, Deutsche Bank, and other premier investment backs, and have joined from America’s top law firms including Wilmer Hale, Morgan Lewis, Sheppard Mullin, Sidley Austin, Baker & McKenzie, Wilson Sonsini, and Cravath, Swaine & Moore, LLP. The team advises banks, broker-dealers, investment funds, exchanges, technology developers, wallet providers, and other companies making new and exciting uses of blockchain technology. To do so, the team includes partners from different practice groups including securities and private equity, data security and privacy, fund formation, intellectual property, real estate, and technology. They help clients invest in, fund, develop and market the innovative services and products that are revolutionizing the financial services and technology industries.

Kimberly Dempsey Booher, managing partner of FisherBroyles’ Los Angeles and Palo Alto offices, added, “We are thrilled to welcome Adam to our Los Angeles and Palo Alto offices, where we continue to strategically grow our team of highly experienced attorneys in key areas such as data security and privacy, intellectual property, litigation, corporate, real estate and insurance, among others.”

Ettinger said, “I am honored to join and help lead this top-caliber team. Since my first bitcoin technology development agreement in 2012, I have sought to work with the most innovative companies involved in blockchain technologies, and the smartest, most well-educated and experienced attorneys in the space. I am excited for the opportunities we have to help clients achieve success.”

Prior to joining FisherBroyles, Ettinger was a partner and co-leader of the Blockchain Technology and Digital Currency Team at Sheppard Mullin in Los Angeles. He focuses his practice on venture capital and angel financing, technology development, hardware manufacturing, channel relationships, licensing, and privacy for companies involved in many technologies including blockchain and digital currencies, social gaming, Internet advertising, mobile apps, ecommerce, SAAS, semiconductors, and networking. His clients have included AMD, Apple, BitGo, Brave, Comma.ai, DeviceScape, Fakespace, Get Satisfaction, Intel, Internet Devices (acquired by Alcatel), Lightning Labs, Magma Design, MasterCard, New Enterprise Associates, Network Solutions Inc., Nimble Collective, Orchestria (acquired by CA), S3 (acquired by HTC), Self Aware Games (acquired by Big Fish), Tivo, and Undertone Networks. He has represented investors in investments including Hootsuite, Houzz, The Social+Capital Partnership, and SpaceX.

Before Sheppard Mullin, Ettinger was an attorney at Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP and served as lead corporate counsel for SmartAge.

The firm said Ettinger frequently writes and speaks on fintech and blockchain technology topics. He recently has presented on blockchain-related legal issues at the UCLA School of Law, Consensus 2017, the FinTech SV Cryptocurrency Law Panel, the State of Digital Money Conference, the USC Marshall School of Business (Lloyd Greif Center for Entrepreneurial Studies), the American Conference Institute’s Blockchain & Distributed Ledger Technology Conference, the American Conference Institute’s ACI Crypto Virtual and Digital Currency Conference, and the APEX All Payments Conference.

Dallas litigation boutique Estes Thorne & Carr announced that firm attorneys Katherine Anand, Lindsay Daye Barbee, and Terah Moxley are among those honored on the 2018 list of Texas Rising Stars.

This is the sixth consecutive year Anand has been selected based on her business litigation work. She earned her law degree from the Notre Dame Law School.

Barbee is being honored for the third time by Texas Rising Stars for her work in family law. She earned her law degree from the Southern Methodist University Dedman School of Law.

Moxley, recognized for her employment litigation defense work, is making her first appearance on the Rising Stars list. She is board certified in Labor and Employment Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization. She earned her law degree from Baylor Law School, graduating first in her class.

No more than 2.5 percent of attorneys in the state are chosen for Texas Rising Stars each year. They are age 40 or younger or have practiced law for 10 years or less. Selection involves a rigorous process beginning with nominations by other lawyers. The full list will be published in the April 2018 issues of Texas Monthly and the Texas Rising Stars issue of Super Lawyers magazine.

Above the Law is reporting that Reed Smith partner Andrei Baev is out a year after joining the firm from Chadbourne & Parke. Baev has come under scrutiny recently for his connections to Republican donor Elliott Broidy.

Bloomberg has reported that Baev contacted Broidy, a Los Angeles-based financier currently serving as deputy finance chair for the Republican National Committee, about working together on a campaign to influence members of the Trump administration in order to alleviate U.S. sanctions against certain Russian companies.

Editor Kathryn Rubino writes that “Norton Rose Fulbright (which last year merged with Chadbourne) has denied that work was done to actually remove Russian companies from the U.S. sanctions list.”

Read the Above the Law article.

Former energy and chemical company lawyer Daniel J. Grucza has joined Hunton & Williams LLP as counsel in Atlanta.

“With his unique background and experience in safety, and particularly process safety, Dan is a great addition to the environmental practice,” said Eric Murdock, head of the firm’s administrative law team. “With increased focus at the federal and state level on process safety and chemical safety across industries, Dan will be a terrific resource for many of our clients.”

In a release, the firm said Grucza has 30 years of experience in the complex chemical manufacturing, foundry, mining and coking industries. He previously was senior counsel and vice president of a major energy company, and has provided legal support for mines, gas operations, foundries, manufacturing facilities and distribution centers in the United States, Canada, Europe and China.

The release continues:

While seconded to a leading oil company, Grucza was responsible for implementing new regulations and managing incident response. He has also served as a corporate compliance officer, responsible for developing compliance programs, conducting training, conducting due diligence and responding to hotline complaints.

Possessing a strong chemical technical background, Grucza also previously served as an environmental, health and safety manager for one of the world’s largest chemical companies, where he had responsibility for EHS compliance, process safety management, risk management, security, wastewater treatment operations, and related matters. He has advised clients in the OSHA Process Safety Management (PSM) and EPA’s Section 112(r) Risk Management Program (RMP) applicability determination, program development, implementation and compliance. He also has defended clients in OSHA enforcement actions throughout the inspection, closing conference, citation and abatement actions.

DLA Piper announced that Jeff Tsai has joined the firm’s Litigation, White Collar and Investigations practices as a partner in California, based out of the San Francisco and Los Angeles offices.

Tsai, who previously led Alston & Bird’s State Attorneys General team, represents companies in complex civil and criminal enforcement matters brought by state and federal agencies. He will help lead DLA Piper’s efforts nationally in assisting companies subject to investigative scrutiny by individual and multi-state attorneys general.

Tsai’s state attorneys general practice has included representations in multi-state investigations and lawsuits on a range of issues related to consumer protection, antitrust and health care. His representation has included many industries that are regularly the subject of state attorney general enforcement, such as Internet retail, daily fantasy sports, travel and online higher education.

Additionally, Tsai is active in defending white collar matters in investigations and trials, including representations involving trade secret theft and economic espionage, fraud and public corruption. In January, he served as first-chair counsel in one of the few federal criminal trade secret prosecutions to proceed to trial.

“As both a former federal prosecutor and former senior official in the office of the California attorney general, Jeff immediately will enhance our growing white collar and investigations platform globally,” said Loren Brown, co-chair of DLA Piper’s global and US Litigation practices. “Our clients continue to face a complex and changing regulatory environment at both the state and federal levels, and Jeff is uniquely suited to help them navigate these challenges.”

“As we continue to increase the breadth and depth of our white collar and corporate investigations capabilities in California, as well as our overall litigation platform, Jeff’s vast knowledge and experience will be an important strategic component of our offering,” said Sang Kim, managing partner of the firm’s Northern California offices.

“I’m thrilled with the opportunity to work with DLA’s dynamic team on the West Coast, and I look forward to helping the firm build out the White Collar and Investigations practices here and across the country,” Tsai said.

Tsai previously served as special assistant attorney general in the office of California Attorney General Kamala D. Harris, where he served as a senior advisor to former Attorney General Harris on criminal justice and consumer protection issues and litigation. He was also an assistant US attorney in Miami, a trial attorney for the Public Integrity Section of the Criminal Division of the US Department of Justice, and senior counsel to former Assistant US Attorney General Lanny Breuer. He started his career as a judicial law clerk for US District Judge Vanessa Gilmore in Houston. He received his J.D. from Georgetown University Law Center and his B.A. from the University of Texas at Austin.

Michael D. Hornback has joined Littler as special counsel in the firm’s Lexington, Kentucky, office. He was previously an attorney with Wyatt, Tarrant & Combs LLP.

“Michael brings nearly two decades of impressive litigation experience, including representation of employers with local, national and international operations,” said Kevin Griffith, Lexington Office Managing Shareholder. “He has a strong track record and reputation in Kentucky and Tennessee and will make a great addition to our Lexington office.”

In a release, the firm said Hornback’s practice focuses on representing clients in all aspects of litigation before federal and state courts. He defends companies in a wide-range of employment matters, including discrimination, harassment and retaliation claims, and issues involving breaches of non-compete agreements and other contracts. Hornback also regularly represents clients before the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.

“I am excited to work with the talented team in the Lexington office and with my new colleagues across the firm’s global platform,” Hornback said. “As employers continue to confront new and existing risks in managing their workforces, I look forward to drawing on Littler’s depth and breadth of knowledge to serve my clients in Kentucky and Tennessee, as well as the many regions in which they operate.”

Hornback received his J.D. from the University of Arkansas School of Law and his B.A. from Eastern Kentucky University. He is a member of the Fayette County Bar Association’s board of directors and a member of the Rotary Club of Lexington.

DLA Piper announced that Tamany Bentz has joined the firm’s Intellectual Property and Technology practice as a partner in Los Angeles.

Bentz, who will be in the Trademark, Copyright and Media subgroup of the firm’s IPT practice, focuses on intellectual property litigation, including patent, trade secrets, trademark and copyright litigation.

“Tamany brings a diverse practice that aligns well with our strengths and will allow us to continue expanding our core intellectual property offerings,” said Ann Ford, co-chair of the firm’s US IPT practice.

Bentz, who joins DLA Piper from Venable LLP, will be reunited with her longtime colleague Douglas Emhoff, who joined the firm’s Media, Sports and Entertainment practice in October 2017.

“I’m thrilled to be working with Tamany again,” Emhoff said. “We collaborated on many cases over the years, and I’m looking forward to continuing to build out our growing IP litigation practice in Los Angeles with her and the rest of our team.”

“The reverberation that the recent expansion of DLA Piper in Los Angeles has caused in the LA legal market presents a unique and timely opportunity to grow my intellectual property practice and share my clients with some of the best IP lawyers in the country and the world,” Bentz said. “It was an opportunity I did not want to pass up.”

She earned her J.D. from the University of Pennsylvania Law School, her M.B.E. from the University of Pennsylvania and her B.S. from Arizona State University.

Bentz is the latest addition to DLA Piper’s IPT practice, which has also recently added partners Michael Garfinkel, Miles Cooley and Benjamin Mulcahy in Los Angeles, Clayton Thompson and Jake Zolotorev in Silicon Valley, John Beahn and Margo Tank in Washington, DC, David Whitaker in Chicago, and Gina Reif Ilardi in New York.

Barnes & Thornburg LLP has added Dawn Collins and Tae Kim as partners in the Labor & Employment Department in Southern California.

Collins and Kim, previously shareholders at Ogletree Deakins, are employment litigators with extensive experience in California and federal law. In a release, the firm said they work with corporations and management in connection with a variety of employment law matters, including high-stakes wage and hour disputes and discrimination, harassment, and retaliation claims. They also assist with workplace investigations and advise clients on compliance best practices.

“Dawn and Tae are excellent additions to the firm and enhance our already strong capabilities in California, where companies are challenged to navigate the state’s nuanced employment laws,” said Kenneth Yerkes, chair of Barnes & Thornburg’s Labor & Employment Department. “Our clients need to be more vigilant than ever regarding their employment practices, and having such accomplished and reputable attorneys on the ground is a great benefit to them.”

Collins and Kim are the latest arrivals to the firm’s Los Angeles office, which has added partners Gary Caris and Sal LaViña in recent months. Barnes & Thornburg also recently launched a new office in San Diego, where Troy Zander is the partner in charge.

“The additions we’ve made in Southern California are not only integral to the growth of our firm, but they are also prospering on our platform and, most importantly, are finding new ways to efficiently solve client problems,” said David Allen, managing partner of the firm’s Los Angeles office.

The release continues:

About the Attorneys

Dawn Collins has 20 years of experience as a civil litigator, but she places an emphasis on litigation prevention measures for her corporate clients, including conducting workplace investigations, ensuring best practices related to discharge, discipline, leaves and reductions, drafting employment agreements, and complying with wage and hour laws. She is often called upon to defend clients in high-stakes wage and hour class actions alleging violations of federal and California wage and hour laws.

Collins earned her J.D. from the University of California, Los Angeles, School of Law and her B.S. from the University of Pennsylvania.

Tae Kim represents corporate clients in high-stakes wage and hour class and representative actions, and single plaintiff discrimination harassment claims. Her wage and hour work includes the defense of disputes involving misclassification, commissions, meal and rest breaks, off-the-clock work and piece rate compensation as well as advising clients on wage and hour compliance and conducting audits. She also regularly advises clients on best practices related to terminations, leaves of absence and accommodations, as well as conducting workplace investigations.

Kim earned her J.D. from Loyola Law School, Los Angeles, and her B.A. from University of California, Los Angeles.

Robert M. Harper, counsel in Farrell Fritz’s estate litigation practice group, was honored as a Public Interest/Pro Bono Attorney of the Year at Touro Law Center’s Annual Goods and Services Auction on Wednesday, March 21, 2018.

Harper, a Garden City, NY resident, earned his J.D., cum laude, from the Maurice A. Deane School of Law at Hofstra University and his B.S. from Boston College Carroll School of Management. He is a frequent contributor to the firm’s New York Trusts and Estates Litigation blog.

Harper has worked for the rights and well-being of minors and the developmentally disabled as a Surrogate’s Court guardian ad litem, the firm said in a release. He takes on some of these guardian ad litem assignments as pro bono matters.

In 2017,  Harper devoted nearly 200 hours to his pro bono work, including many hours that involved protecting a half dozen individuals assigned to him by the Surrogate’s Court. These situations typically involve him writing reports concerning petitions for the appointment of guardians for minors and persons who have developmental disabilities. Harper spends many hours conducting research and interviews to ensure that the individuals in question will be well served through the guardianship appointment, the firm said.

Each year, Touro Law Center hosts the Goods and Services Auction to raise money to benefit the Touro Summer Public Interest Fellowship Program, which funds summer stipends for students to work in public interest law firms or non-profit organizations. The auction program also recognizes an Attorney of the Year from Long Island law firms.

Four attorneys with Texas family law firm Orsinger, Nelson, Downing & Anderson, LLP, have been named to the Texas Rising Stars list of top lawyers in the state for 2018.

Recognized for their family law expertise are partner Paula Bennett and associates Ryan Kirkham, Holly Rampy Baird and R. Porter Corrigan II, the firm said in a release. Each of the lawyers assists clients with navigating matters such as property division, child custody, pre- and post-marital agreements, parental rights, and other challenges common to family legal disputes.

Baird, Kirkham, and Corrigan have all been recognized by Texas Rising Stars in previous years. This is Bennett’s first time being named. Corrigan is based in San Antonio; the other honorees work from the firm’s Dallas and Frisco offices.

“In putting together any list of the best and brightest attorneys in Texas, you’d have to include these four,” said firm partner Brad LaMorgese. “Their knowledge of the law and their dedication to their clients are nothing short of stellar. We’re very proud of the work they do.”

Once a year, the Super Lawyers rating service recognizes the top attorneys in the state 40 or younger, or who have been practicing for 10 years or less. The list is made up of lawyers who are nominated by their peers and then assessed in a rigorous editorial review process. Ultimately, only 2.5 percent of eligible attorneys are chosen.

The honorees will be featured in the April 2018 edition of Texas Monthly and the Texas Rising Stars issue of Super Lawyers magazine.

In addition to this year’s four Rising Stars recipients, the firm has more Top 100 Super Lawyers in Texas than any other family law firm in the state. LaMorgese and firm co-founders Richard Orsinger, Keith Nelson, Scott Downing and Jeff Anderson all made the 2017 Top 100 list.

Two trial lawyers with Texas-based Provost Umphrey Law Firm, L.L.P., earned selection to the 2018 Texas Rising Stars list for their representation of plaintiffs in personal injury litigation.

Colin David Moore and Ronnie Turner Jr. have made the annual list multiple times.

In a release, the firm said Moore has earned Rising Stars recognition each year since 2007 for his work in product liability cases resulting in personal injury. His practice also involves premises liability work and toxic tort claims involving exposure to cancer-causing asbestos materials. Recently recognized on the prestigious Best Lawyers in America list, Moore serves on the Jefferson County Bar Association’s Board of Directors.

Turner is making his fourth appearance on the list for his plaintiffs’ personal injury representation. His practice also includes premises liability and products liability cases. Board Certified in Personal Injury Trial Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization, Turner also earned recognition in this year’s edition of The Best Lawyers in America. He is a member of the Texas Trial Lawyers Association and serves on the Jefferson County Young Lawyers Association’s Board of Directors.

The Texas Rising Stars list recognizes the outstanding work of the state’s top attorneys age 40 and younger or who have practiced law for no more than 10 years. Only 2.5 percent of eligible Texas lawyers are selected to the list each year based on nominations from other lawyers, independent research and a review by separate advisory boards.