Carlton Fields released its 13th annual Class Action Survey, which provides an overview of important issues and practices related to class action matters and management. The annual publication reports on historical trends captured since the inception of the survey and includes information related to emerging issues in class action litigation.

Among the key highlights of this year’s survey is the continued of growth of class action spending. Class action spending increased to nearly $4 billion, making it one of the fastest-growing areas of legal spending in 2024. More companies than ever are facing class actions, and the current portfolio by company is the second-highest on record.

This year’s survey found that the percentage of companies facing class actions has reached the highest level in 13 years. Corporate counsel are anticipating unprecedented growth for their class action dockets in 2024 and are adding headcount to manage these new matters.

Other key highlights in this year’s survey include:

• Labor and Employment Drives Next Wave of Class Actions: Labor and employment is the single largest component of both matters and spending by a wide margin. Consumer fraud takes a clear second place. Securities edges out product liability and technical statutory violations.

• Class Action Settlements Plunge to Lowest Level in Six Years: The percentage of settlements continues the path down to nearly half. Companies report little interest from plaintiffs, complex claims, and a time-consuming workload as the main reasons. Alternatively, the few settlements reached in 2023 are dominated by individual settlements, which surged to 77%. Confidentiality and avoiding precedent were major motivators for the increase.

• Lower AFA Usage Continues: Only 38.2% of companies with class actions are using alternative fee arrangements. AFA usage remains at historically lower levels.

• Use of Generative AI in Class Action Defense: Data privacy dominates the expected class actions arising from the use of generative AI. Additionally, nearly 62% of companies believe outside counsel should use generative AI in some way.

• The Future of Class Actions: Two-thirds of companies expect class actions will become more complex through larger and novel claims including: AI-related, labor, data privacy, deglobalization, social media usage, and creativity from plaintiffs’ attorneys.

The 2024 Carlton Fields Class Action Survey is based on interviews with general counsel or senior legal officers at more than 300 Fortune 1000 and other large companies across a variety of industries. They shared their thoughts about class action exposure and best practices for class action management.

To download the 2024 Carlton Fields Class Action Survey, please visit http://www.classactionsurvey.com.

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (March 8, 2024) – Womble Bond Dickinson today announced that Erin Taylor has joined the Firm as of counsel. Erin joins Womble’s Business Litigation Group, where she will advise clients on matters relating to white-collar defense, internal investigations, and regulatory enforcement. She is based in the Firm’s Charlotte office.

For over 15 years, Erin practiced in federal court as an Assistant Federal Defender for the Western District of North Carolina where she represented clients under federal investigation and charged with federal crimes. Recognized for her trial experience and leadership qualities, Erin was elevated to the position of Trial Unit Chief for the Charlotte Division of the Federal Public Defender. As the Trial Unit Chief, Erin handled a full caseload while managing a team of trial attorneys and legal staff. She also acted as a liaison between the Federal Public Defender and federal agencies, including the U.S. Attorney’s Office, The U.S. Marshal’s Service, and the U.S. Probation Office.

Erin also serves as faculty for national trial skills training programs and electronic case management workshops.

This addition reflects continued momentum for the Charlotte office, which has welcomed 13 lawyers in as many months, including partner Kent Jones and of counsels Ellen Lloyd and Joshua Stone.

“Erin brings a combination of proven leadership and courtroom experience that will be hugely valuable to clients faced with business-critical enforcement and litigation matters,” said Office Managing Partner Sarah Motley Stone. “Our white-collar defense and broader litigation practice will benefit from her strategic insight, and we are thrilled to welcome her to the Firm.”

Locally, Erin is an active member of the Mecklenburg County Bar and Bar Foundation. In the last decade, her leadership roles included chairing various committees, conducting investigations for the Grievance Committee, and serving on the Board of Directors. After being elected to the Executive Committee in 2018, Erin was elected President of the Mecklenburg County Bar in 2022.

Erin graduated from Wake Forest University School of Law and received her bachelor’s degree in mathematics from Wesleyan University.

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About Womble Bond Dickinson
Womble Bond Dickinson is a transatlantic law firm with more than 1,000 lawyers based in 32 U.K. and U.S. office locations serving clients across every business sector. The firm provides core legal services including Commercial; Corporate; Employment; Dispute Resolution and Litigation; Finance: Banking, Restructuring, Insolvency; IP, Technology and Data; Private Wealth; Projects, Construction and Infrastructure; Real Estate; and Regulatory Law.

“Womble Bond Dickinson,” the “law firm” or the “firm” refers to the network of member firms of Womble Bond Dickinson (International) Limited, consisting of Womble Bond Dickinson (UK) LLP and Womble Bond Dickinson (US) LLP. Each of Womble Bond Dickinson (UK) LLP and Womble Bond Dickinson (US) LLP is a separate legal entity operating as an independent law firm. Womble Bond Dickinson (International) Limited does not practice law. Please see www.womblebonddickinson.com/us/legal-notice for further details.

Austin, TX (March 7, 2024) – Michael Best is pleased to announce that Katherine (Katie) A. Fillmore has joined the firm as Partner in the Litigation practice group. She will be located in the Austin office.

As a seasoned litigator with over a decade of experience, Fillmore manages and conducts all aspects of litigation before state and federal courts and arbitrators, including taking and defending depositions, developing case strategies, evaluating complex legal and regulatory compliance issues, working with clients, experts, and corporate witnesses, drafting and arguing dispositive motions, trying cases, and drafting and arguing appeals.

“Katie is an outstanding and valuable addition to our Litigation practice,” said Dan Vaccaro, Chair of the firm’s Litigation Practice Group. “We are committed to meeting our clients’ needs, and Katie will help us further enhance our capabilities so we can continue to support our clients as they navigate increasingly complex litigation matters.”

With a robust background in high-stakes commercial litigation, appeals, and regulatory compliance, Fillmore has established herself as a formidable advocate for clients in various industries such as representation of healthcare providers, pharmaceutical and medical device manufacturers, construction companies, and financial institutions.

“Michael Best continues to attract talented practitioners in strategically important regions like Austin, and we’re delighted to welcome Katie,” said Commissioner George P. Bush, Managing Partner of the firm’s Austin office. “She brings a multifaceted litigation background to further bolster our growing Texas presence and service offerings.”

Fillmore has been recognized for her outstanding achievements, including being named to Best Lawyers “Ones to Watch” in Administrative/Regulatory Law, Appellate Practice, Commercial Litigation, and Government Relations Practice.

Fillmore earned her J.D. from Baylor Law School, and graduated with a B.S. in Advertising, with high honors, from the University of Texas.

About Michael Best & Friedrich LLP
Michael Best is a leading law firm, providing a full range of legal services to clients around the world. The firm has more than 400 legal professionals, including more than 300 attorneys, serving clients in 17 offices across the U.S. in Colorado; Illinois; North Carolina; Texas; Utah; Washington, D.C.; and Wisconsin. Michael Best’s areas of practice include: intellectual property; labor and employment relations (including employee benefits); litigation; corporate; government relations, political law, and public policy; privacy and cybersecurity; real estate; regulatory; tax; and wealth planning. The firm serves a variety of industries, such as advanced manufacturing, agribusiness, banking, and financial services, digital technology, energy, food and beverage, healthcare, higher education, and life sciences. For more information, visit michaelbest.com.

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Michael Best is pleased to announce that Katherine (Katie) A. Fillmore has joined the firm as Partner in the Litigation practice group. She will be located in the Austin office.

As a seasoned litigator with over a decade of experience, Fillmore manages and conducts all aspects of litigation before state and federal courts and arbitrators, including taking and defending depositions, developing case strategies, evaluating complex legal and regulatory compliance issues, working with clients, experts, and corporate witnesses, drafting and arguing dispositive motions, trying cases, and drafting and arguing appeals.

“Katie is an outstanding and valuable addition to our Litigation practice,” said Dan Vaccaro, Chair of the firm’s Litigation Practice Group. “We are committed to meeting our clients’ needs, and Katie will help us further enhance our capabilities so we can continue to support our clients as they navigate increasingly complex litigation matters.”

With a robust background in high-stakes commercial litigation, appeals, and regulatory compliance, Fillmore has established herself as a formidable advocate for clients in various industries such as representation of healthcare providers, pharmaceutical and medical device manufacturers, construction companies, and financial institutions.

“Michael Best continues to attract talented practitioners in strategically important regions like Austin, and we’re delighted to welcome Katie,” said Commissioner George P. Bush, Managing Partner of the firm’s Austin office. “She brings a multifaceted litigation background to further bolster our growing Texas presence and service offerings.”

Fillmore has been recognized for her outstanding achievements, including being named to Best Lawyers “Ones to Watch” in Administrative/Regulatory Law, Appellate Practice, Commercial Litigation, and Government Relations Practice.

Fillmore earned her J.D. from Baylor Law School, and graduated with a B.S. in Advertising, with high honors, from the University of Texas.

Global law firm Norton Rose Fulbright announced today that Annmarie Giblin has joined its New York office as a partner in the global Cybersecurity and Privacy group, adding further cyber capabilities to a team consisting of over 90 practitioners worldwide. Giblin is the sixth partner to join the firm in New York this year, following Steven Lofchie, Mark Highman, Alison Radecki, Rob Hirsch and Johanna Schmitt.

Giblin counsels clients on cybersecurity, incident response, crisis management, data governance, maintenance, cybersecurity planning and policies, privacy concerns and strategies, emerging technologies and related compliance programs. Her practice is datacentric and anchored by her proactive cybersecurity approach, which holistically prepares for a data security incident and related response/compliance issues before it occurs, addressing all related legal concerns that affect data, including data governance, privacy legal issues and compliance as well as the collection, use, sharing and transfer of data.

Understanding data management, cybersecurity and privacy issues in all sectors, Giblin represents clients in the banking, finance, transportation and logistics, software (including software as a service), social media, consumer-facing retail, cosmetics, insurance, accounting, advertising, mortgage lending, healthcare and not-for-profit industries. She also supports clients with managing third-party vendor legal risks and legal guidance on emerging technologies, such as artificial intelligence.

Jeff Cody, Norton Rose Fulbright’s US Managing Partner, said:

“Cybersecurity remains a key focus for our clients, as reflected in the responses throughout the firm’s recent Litigation Trends Survey. Annmarie is a top-flight cyber lawyer who can help clients facing challenging scenarios and implement tactics to be best prepared for when incidents occur.”

Chris Cwalina, Norton Rose Fulbright’s Global Head of the Cybersecurity and Privacy Group, commented:

“The cybersecurity landscape evolves rapidly, and clients rely on Norton Rose Fulbright for assistance on significant cybersecurity issues and managing cyber attacks. Annmarie is a seasoned lawyer in the cyber space who joins us with valuable in-house experience that our clients appreciate.”

Giblin, who joins the firm after serving as Co-Chair of Cybersecurity, Data Management and Privacy Practice at Tarter Krinsky & Drogin, said:

“I have always admired Norton Rose Fulbright’s global cybersecurity and privacy practice, which is not only one of the best in the industry, but also has leading cross-border capabilities to provide clients with a seamless service all over the world. The firm is also a powerhouse in most areas of law, with impressive bench strength in almost every practice. I am very excited to join the firm, and especially this team of highly skilled lawyers.”

Giblin joins with New York associate Angelica Aminov, who also previously practiced at Tarter Krinsky & Drogin. Aminov advises clients across a range of industries during the investigation, containment and remediation of data breaches and other security incidents. She also assists clients with information management, records retention and compliance with federal and state regulations.

Licensed to practice in New York, Giblin received her law degree from St. John’s University School of Law and her bachelor’s degree from State University of New York at Albany. Aminov is licensed in New York and Florida. She received her law degree cum laude from New York Law School and her bachelor’s degree from Hunter College.

Am Law 100 firm Polsinelli has welcomed John A. Chamberlin as a shareholder in the Real Estate Finance Practice Group. Based in the firm’s Chicago office, he brings over 20 years of experience representing institutional investors, commercial banks, investment banks and opportunity funds in complex commercial real estate financings. He is the fourth shareholder Polsinelli has added to the Chicago office in the past 12 months and the sixth real estate finance shareholder the firm added nationwide.

“We are continuing to opportunistically grow our real estate finance bench by adding extremely talented lawyers we know and respect in the market as our clients prepare for a stabilizing and strengthening commercial real estate finance market,” said John T. Duncan III, Chair of Polsinelli’s Real Estate Finance Practice and the Financial Services Division. “John’s deep experience and impressive track record in this space – in particular, his wealth of experience originating large and complex loans – make him an excellent addition to our team. His skills will further enhance our ability to provide top-tier service to our clients as they navigate the ever-changing commercial real estate finance market.”

“What attracted me to Polsinelli was the firm’s commitment to maintaining, supporting and expanding top-level real estate and real estate finance practices and its dedication to delivering outstanding service to clients,” said Chamberlin.

Joining Polsinelli from an Am Law 10 firm, Chamberlin has extensive experience in a variety of commercial real estate transactions, including permanent loans, mezzanine loans, construction loans, and mortgage loans for commercial mortgage-backed securitization programs (CMBS).

He also has significant experience in single-family rental (SFR) financings, loan participations, loan assumptions and sales, loan modifications, and loan workouts and restructurings. He has represented both lenders and servicers in connection with the modifications and restructurings of commercial mortgage and securitized loans. Chamberlin earned his J.D., magna cum laude, Order of the Coif, from the University of Illinois College of Law. He received his B.A. in history from Brigham Young University.

Polsinelli is a recognized leader in the commercial real estate finance industry. Polsinelli’s Real Estate Finance team has the geographic footprint and depth and breadth of experience necessary to support clients with offices across the nation. The team has closed thousands of commercial mortgage loans secured by property in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, the U.S. Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico, totaling over $69 billion in principal advanced.

View Polsinelli’s Commercial Mortgage Lending Experience Map. The team regularly represents a wide variety of commercial real estate lenders, including originating commercial real estate loans for capital markets executions (both CMBS and CLOs), mortgage REITs, insurance companies, debt funds, banks and other financial institutions and market participants in transactions of all sizes and complexities across all asset classes, including full-service resorts, office, retail, multi-family, single-family rental, mixed-use projects, storage, manufactured home parks and industrial facilities.

Womble Expands Corporate Practice in Atlanta

ATLANTA (March 6, 2024) – Womble Bond Dickinson today announced that partner James H. Andros has rejoined the Corporate & Securities Group in Atlanta. Andros advises clients on domestic and international corporate, transactional, and financing matters, including mergers, acquisitions, divestitures, recapitalizations, capital raises, restructurings, joint ventures, and succession planning.

Andros has served as outside counsel for clients ranging from emerging growth to mature public and private companies. He also advises high-net-worth individuals, family-held enterprises, private equity groups, investment bankers, business owners, C-suite executives, boards of directors, committees, and family offices.

“Jim is well known by many of our partners and a respected member of the Atlanta legal community,” said Joel Pieper, managing partner of the Atlanta office. “He brings significant experience that will strengthen our corporate bench, and we are excited to welcome him back to Womble.”

This addition reflects continued momentum for the Corporate Group, which has welcomed a string of notable partners in the last 12 months, including Hideki Akiyama (Raleigh, North Carolina), Scot Anderson (Denver), Tracy Bacigalupo (New York City), Al Broadbent (Charlottesville, Virginia), Rich Cameron (Washington, D.C.), Howard Herndon (Nashville), Cherylyn Harley LeBon (Tysons, Virginia), David Vance Lucas (Huntsville, Alabama), and Raj Singh (Tysons, Virginia).

Andros was a partner at Womble from 1998 to 2009. He rejoins the Firm from Parker, Hudson, Rainer & Dobbs alongside associate Robert Thrasher. Thrasher’s practice focuses on general corporate transactions, including structuring, negotiating, and drafting documents. His experience includes domestic and international mergers and acquisitions, divestitures, joint ventures, and corporate governance matters.

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About Womble Bond Dickinson
Womble Bond Dickinson is a transatlantic law firm with more than 1,000 lawyers based in 32 U.K. and U.S. office locations serving clients across every business sector. The firm provides core legal services including Commercial; Corporate; Employment; Dispute Resolution and Litigation; Finance: Banking, Restructuring, Insolvency; IP, Technology and Data; Private Wealth; Projects, Construction and Infrastructure; Real Estate; and Regulatory Law.

“Womble Bond Dickinson,” the “law firm” or the “firm” refers to the network of member firms of Womble Bond Dickinson (International) Limited, consisting of Womble Bond Dickinson (UK) LLP and Womble Bond Dickinson (US) LLP. Each of Womble Bond Dickinson (UK) LLP and Womble Bond Dickinson (US) LLP is a separate legal entity operating as an independent law firm. Womble Bond Dickinson (International) Limited does not practice law. Please see www.womblebonddickinson.com/us/legal-notice for further details.

Milwaukee, WI (March 6, 2024) – Michael Best is pleased to announce that Nicholas (Nick) Behrens has joined the firm as Senior Counsel in the Corporate Practice Group. Behrens will be located in the Milwaukee office.

Behrens’s practice is centered on advising buyers and sellers in mergers & acquisitions spanning diverse industries, and helping clients navigate complex investment, joint venture and other business transactions. Behrens also counsels clients on corporate governance and federal securities laws matters.

“Adding even more depth to our robust M&A practice reinforces our commitment to top-notch client service,” said Jason Thompson, Chair of the firm’s Transactional Practice Group. “Nick’s vast knowledge and successful track record have him well-positioned to flourish at Michael Best.”
Behrens’s mergers and acquisitions experience ranges from multi-billion-dollar buyouts and public company mergers to small-cap private equity add-on acquisitions. He is well-versed in negotiating earnouts, milestone payments, equity rollovers and joint venture protections. His impressive background is attuned to advising investors, growth-stage companies and entrepreneurs with their various legal needs, pairing well with the firm’s Venture Best team.

“Nick is a highly skilled lawyer who will enhance strategic counsel to our clients,” added Alec Fraser, Managing Partner of the firm’s Milwaukee office. “We’re thrilled to have a lawyer of his caliber strengthen our presence in Milwaukee and beyond.”

Behrens earned his J.D., magna cum laude, from the University of Wisconsin Law School and was elected to the Order of the Coif. He received his B.S., cum laude, in Finance with High Honors Distinction from Butler University.

About Michael Best & Friedrich LLP
Michael Best is a leading law firm, providing a full range of legal services to clients around the world. The firm has more than 400 legal professionals, including more than 300 attorneys, serving clients in 17 offices across the U.S. in Colorado; Illinois; North Carolina; Texas; Utah; Washington, D.C.; and Wisconsin. Michael Best’s areas of practice include: intellectual property; labor and employment relations (including employee benefits); litigation; corporate; government relations, political law, and public policy; privacy and cybersecurity; real estate; regulatory; tax; and wealth planning. The firm serves a variety of industries, such as advanced manufacturing, agribusiness, banking, and financial services, digital technology, energy, food and beverage, healthcare, higher education, and life sciences. For more information, visit michaelbest.com.

Reichman Jorgensen Lehman & Feldberg LLP (RJLF), an elite majority women-owned trial boutique, announced that Quinn Johnson, former Vice President and Deputy General Counsel of Arconic Corporation, has joined the firm as a Partner and the firm’s General Counsel. Johnson brings over two decades of unparalleled experience as both an in-house counsel and a trial lawyer.

At Arconic, as a regular advisor to the CEO and Board, Johnson excelled in blending sophisticated legal strategies with business objectives. She managed a broad portfolio encompassing thousands of cases, from high-stakes commercial disputes and product liability litigation to international arbitration matters and securities litigation. Her capabilities extended to crisis response, intellectual property protection, mergers and acquisitions, government relations, as well as adeptly managing risk, conducting corporate investigations, and ensuring corporate compliance.

“Quinn’s unique background as both a trial lawyer and seasoned in-house counsel perfectly aligns with our client-first approach,” said Courtland Reichman, Managing Partner at RJLF. “She is a seasoned pro who blends in-house perspectives with deep understanding of what it takes to win cases.”

Johnson, a magna cum laude graduate of the University of Pittsburgh School of Law and former trial lawyer at Meyer, Unkovic & Scott LLP, has also blended her professional endeavors with her passion for diversity and community involvement. As the global co-chair of Arconic’s Women’s Network, Thrive, she spearheaded educational and recruiting initiatives. This commitment to diversity mirrors the values of RJLF, enhancing her role within the team. Beyond her professional achievements, Johnson actively contributes to her community through her leadership role on the Board of The Children’s Museum of Pittsburgh.

On her move to RJLF, Johnson said, “Having known Courtland for over a decade, I was eager to be part of the exceptional firm they’ve established. Coming from an in-house background, RJLF’s innovative fixed-fee approach really resonated with me, challenging the traditional billable hour to better serve client needs. I see joining RJLF as a chance to further a model that truly aligns with client interests.”

About Reichman Jorgensen Lehman & Feldberg LLP
Reichman Jorgensen Lehman & Feldberg LLP (RJLF) is an elite national trial firm that handles high-stakes commercial, intellectual property, and white collar disputes. The firm is majority women-owned, reinventing the practice of law without the billable hour in favor of fee arrangements that align client interests. RJLF’s attorneys are diverse, exceptionally credentialed, and passionate about trial advocacy. From offices in Silicon Valley, New York, Washington, D.C., Austin, and Atlanta, the firm tries cases and argues appeals throughout the country.

Epiq Service Cloud clients can now use integrated Microsoft AI capabilities to transform their businesses with legal intelligence and data-driven decision-making

NEW YORK – March 5, 2024 – Epiq, a global technology-enabled leader to the legal industry and corporations, announced today the latest Epiq Service Cloud AI solutions and AI-enabled analytics applications and dashboards built on Microsoft Azure.

With data security, data management, and access control features, the Epiq Service Cloud enables legal departments and law firms to accelerate innovation with the ability to build, adopt, and nurture AI model libraries and data sets tailored to legal and compliance use cases.

Epiq’s Metrics that Matter solution, powered by the Epiq Service Cloud, is a cornerstone of Epiq Legal Service Management. Through this legal analytics solution, clients can gain real-time insight into activity, measure progress, identify areas for process improvement, and enable benchmarking. Metrics that Matter is built on a service layer enabled by Microsoft Azure Databricks, Microsoft Fabric’s Azure Data Factory, and Microsoft Power BI, with plans to integrate Azure OpenAI Service for conversational interaction with the data. Epiq experts collaborate with clients to define KPIs, build dashboards, and create data frameworks to automate data collection and analysis securely.

In contrast to the use of multiple point solutions, prevalent within legal, integrating AI services and applications directly into the Epiq Service Cloud and leveraging Epiq Advisory consulting services, gives legal professionals access to data to make informed decisions across the legal enterprise. The Epiq Service Cloud hosts Epiq services, including Epiq AI, eDiscovery, compliance, reporting, and advanced analytics. The cloud-native platform will also introduce a managed, secure generative AI platform for clients, including prompt management and traceability, that takes advantage of the latest AI models later this year.

Epiq AI Extensibility Model: Available in 2024, Epiq’s extensibility model enables clients to innovate faster by accessing a large marketplace of legal-specific language models and developing custom AI models, all managed on the Epiq Service Cloud to ensure data security, privacy, and compliance.
Expert Consulting and Advisory: Legal departments and law firms can access Epiq AI consulting and advisory services to ensure that they use AI effectively, responsibly, ethically, and in a compliant and secure manner.
With the latest advancements in Copilot for Microsoft Power BI, users can pose “what if” questions to the data structured by Epiq intelligence and receive actionable insights instantly.

“Conversational interfaces enabled by Copilot for Microsoft Power BI and generative AI bridge data repositories with prompts accessible to a wide range of users, not just data scientists,” said Roger Pilc, President and General Manager of Legal Solutions at Epiq. “Naturalizing the interactions between humans and AI in this way has the potential to revolutionize legal services and fully realize our vision of helping our clients achieve Legal Service Management.”

“Epiq’s AI innovation is a testament to the power of next-gen AI platforms,” said Chief Data & AI Officer, Software & Digital Platform, Microsoft, Eduardo Kassner. “By using Microsoft Fabric and Microsoft Power BI, Epiq has created an AI data and analytics platform that provides legal professionals with the metrics and insights they need to make informed decisions. Epiq’s AI-powered Metrics that Matter and data intelligence layer are two examples of how Epiq is helping legal departments and law firms manage data-driven reporting, identify cost savings opportunities, and providing actionable insights to clients.”

Epiq AI solutions provide relatable tools for legal professionals including:

Custom Copilots: Legal departments and law firms increase productivity with Epiq’s custom Copilot development, using tuned, relevant agents and predictive models, to build legal AI assistants with secure retrieval augmented generation to define and limit the search area for accurate results. Epiq’s custom Copilots are developed to handle inquiries related to positions like General Counsel, a Head of Legal Operations, and a Law Firm Partner to help manage specialized workflows across operations, eDiscovery, and compliance.
AI Text Summarization: Legal professionals can quickly locate and communicate key findings more effectively through concise and accurate summaries of large volumes of text produced by Epiq using the power of Azure OpenAI Service, reducing hours of analysis to minutes, enabling teams to focus on higher value work.
Responsible AI Adoption, Data Security, and Management Consulting: Clients benefit from end-to-end support rolling out Azure Purview, improving collaboration, productivity, and security while mitigating implementation risks. Epiq supports clients in integrating new Microsoft Security Copilot capabilities as they become available.
Epiq Data Intelligence Layer: Epiq uses the power of Azure to build, store, and deliver more than 100 expert-trained and industry-specific models that clean, enhance, and enrich legal spend data to guide legal departments in identifying cost savings opportunities.
Knowledge Search for Law Firms: Utilizing Azure OpenAI Service, Epiq’s proprietary knowledge search empowers legal professionals to find and fully leverage a firm’s experience and expertise. Utilizing Azure OpenAI Service capabilities and semantic search our platform collates knowledge sources, provides conversational access to knowledge and answers, and adheres to AI governance processes and practices, delivering a next-generation search experience.
About Epiq
Epiq, a global technology-enabled services leader to the legal industry and corporations, takes on large-scale, increasingly complex tasks for corporate counsel, law firms, and business professionals with efficiency, clarity, and confidence. Clients rely on Epiq to streamline the administration of business operations, class action, and mass tort, court reporting, eDiscovery, regulatory, compliance, restructuring, and bankruptcy matters. Epiq subject-matter experts and technologies create efficiency through expertise and deliver confidence to high-performing clients around the world. Learn more at www.epiqglobal.com.

AUSTIN, TX (March 5, 2024) – Michael Best is proud to announce that the 28th Land Commissioner for the State of Texas, George P. Bush, has been named the new managing partner of the firm’s Austin office. Bush, who will oversee the office’s operations and strategic planning, succeeds Richard J. Ressler. Ressler will continue to serve as a partner in the firm’s Corporate practice group.

Bush is a native-born Texan and a graduate of Rice University who clerked for U.S. Federal Judge Sidney Fitzwater following graduation from The University of Texas School of Law. A military veteran, he served in the U.S. Naval Reserve as an intelligence officer for 10 years and completed an 8-month tour in Afghanistan.

“I am honored to step into this role and bring my commitment to lead with integrity, advocate for excellence, and uphold our firm’s 175-year legacy,” said Bush. “The firm and I are grateful for Richard’s guidance and leadership, and I optimistically look forward to furthering the growth of our Texas presence in the future.”

Widely known throughout the Lone Star State, Bush was elected as the 28th Texas Land Commissioner in 2014 and overwhelmingly re-elected in 2018. During his tenure, Bush built a track record of success, helping tens of thousands of Texans recover from natural disasters, funding Texas public education through the Permanent School Fund, providing benefits to Texas veterans, and helping to preserve the Alamo.

Bush joined Michael Best in 2023 following his second term as Texas Land Commissioner. His legal practice ranges across a variety of areas including transactions in oil and gas, renewables, and commercial real estate; corporate governance and securities law; administrative law, public-private partnerships and economic development. Bush advises private investment funds and operating companies on the implications of federal and state-level policy decisions coupled with market guidance to assist investment and business strategy.

Michael Best’s Austin office opened its doors in 2015 and has 15 members, including attorneys, strategists, and other firm professionals. As the office managing partner, Bush will lead efforts to bolster the firm’s legal and consulting practices throughout Texas.

About Michael Best
Michael Best is a legal and consulting group with more than 400 diverse professionals across the U.S., serving clients around the world. We offer full-service law firm capabilities (capital markets, corporate, intellectual property, labor and employment relations, litigation, political law, privacy and cybersecurity, real estate, regulatory, tax, and wealth planning); and consulting talent (business strategies, communications, government relations, HR consulting, and technology innovation). We serve a variety of industries, including agribusiness, banking and financial services, digital technology, energy, food and beverage, healthcare, higher education, and life sciences. For more information, visit michaelbest.com.
The law firm of Michael Best & Friedrich LLP and the consulting firm of Michael Best Strategies LLC are affiliated entities that provide distinct services.

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Global law firm Norton Rose Fulbright today announced Sameer Ghaznavi as the new Co-Partner-in-Charge of its Chicago office. He will work alongside Chicago Co-Partner-in-Charge Daniel Farris, who has overseen the office since its opening in April 2022.

Ghaznavi is a projects lawyer who represents private and public companies, developers, utilities and sponsors concerning the development, strategic acquisition and sale of energy and infrastructure projects in the US and globally. His prior experience includes legal and corporate counsel positions with several energy and power companies.

Ghaznavi and Farris both joined Norton Rose Fulbright in 2022 as part of the Chicago office’s initial 11-lawyer team. Since then, the firm’s presence in Chicago has nearly tripled to 32 lawyers serving tech and tech-enabled businesses in transformative sectors across a range of practices, including corporate, M&A and securities, cybersecurity and data privacy, employment and labor, energy, healthcare, intellectual property, litigation, projects, real estate and technology transactions.

Norton Rose Fulbright was the first major law firm to base itself in Chicago’s vibrant Fulton Market District, which is home to some of the country’s most innovative companies. Last fall, the firm unveiled its modern and progressive Chicago office space located on the top two floors of 1045 on Fulton—the newest and tallest building in the district.

Jeff Cody, Norton Rose Fulbright’s US Managing Partner, said:

“Expanding our Midwest presence and client offering is an important component of Norton Rose Fulbright’s strategic growth plan, and the success of our Chicago office has been paramount. Sameer is a dynamic lawyer who shares our firm’s focus on innovation and inclusion. I am delighted for him to join Daniel in leading our Chicago team.”

Ghaznavi, who was named a Trailblazer in Energy/Environmental Law by the National Law Journal in 2021 and a recommended lawyer for renewable and alternative power by The Legal 500 United States in 2023, commented:

“Chicago is the third-largest legal market in the US and a hot spot for technology, energy, and innovation. I look forward to collaborating with Daniel and our team of talented lawyers and business services personnel, as we continue our mission to provide superior service to our Midwest and global clients.”

Licensed in Illinois and New York, Ghaznavi earned his law degree from the University of Maryland School of Law and his bachelor’s degree from the University of Alberta.

Norton Rose Fulbright
Norton Rose Fulbright provides a full scope of legal services to the world’s preeminent corporations and financial institutions. The global law firm has more than 3,000 lawyers advising clients across more than 50 locations worldwide, including Houston, New York, London, Toronto, Mexico City, Hong Kong, Sydney and Johannesburg, covering the United States, Europe, Canada, Latin America, Asia, Australia, Africa and the Middle East. With its global business principles of quality, unity and integrity, Norton Rose Fulbright is recognized for its client service in key industries, including financial institutions; energy, infrastructure and resources; technology; transport; life sciences and healthcare; and consumer markets. For more information, visit nortonrosefulbright.com.

AUSTIN, Texas and NEW YORK —January 30 DISCO (NYSE: LAW), a leader in AI-enabled legal technology, announced today the launch of Cecilia Deposition Summaries (“Depo Summaries”), which will be made available for select customers in private access. Depo Summaries is a generative AI-driven solution that is designed to let legal professionals automatically create deposition summaries, easily navigate to key points, and reduce the need for multiple team members to review numerous lengthy deposition transcripts.

For lawyers, the process of creating witness deposition summaries is often tedious, time-consuming and costly, and can take focus away from other more strategic tasks. Depo Summaries is a solution that leverages generative AI to give lawyers the ability quickly to make sense of important deposition transcriptions and provide client-ready summaries. These summaries are automatically produced both chronologically and by key topic, and then linked to relevant deposition testimony. Users are able to seamlessly search through annotated transcripts, thus enabling better case preparation.

Depo Summaries lets legal professionals understand testimony faster and eliminates the need for associates to produce secondary summaries from scratch. The solution is designed to let users upload deposition transcripts and then receive key-topic summaries within a matter of minutes, with links and full citations. Users can copy summarized testimony directly into motion drafts with proper formatting and citations, and summaries can also be exported from the tool for sharing with the case team or client.

“Generative AI is allowing us to improve legal workflows by giving lawyers a way to quickly understand and process long transcripts, eliminate cumbersome manual review, and enable legal teams to get to critical insights in depositions faster,” said Kevin Smith, DISCO’s Chief Product Officer. “We believe DISCO is well positioned to continue developing best-in-class AI products that can alleviate pain points and better equip lawyers to win their cases.”

Depo Summaries is an offering within the Cecilia platform, DISCO’s industry-first solution that combines natural language processing with the latest advances in LLM technology. DISCO will be showcasing its generative AI products at Legalweek in New York. To learn more, visit booth #2113 or schedule a private meeting with the team www.csdisco.com/legalweek.

About DISCO
DISCO (NYSE: LAW) provides cloud-native, artificial intelligence-powered legal solutions that simplify legal hold, legal request, ediscovery, legal document review and case management for enterprises, law firms, legal services providers, and governments. Our scalable, integrated solutions enable legal departments to easily collect, process and review enterprise data that is relevant or potentially relevant to legal matters. For more information, visit www.csdisco.com.

Press Contact
media@csdisco.com

(January 24, 2024) – Littler, the world’s largest employment and labor law practice representing management, has elected five new members to its 2024 board of directors: William Anthony (New York), Kristine Grady Derewicz (Philadelphia), Danielle Herring (Houston), Charlotte Main (Atlanta) and Stephan Swinkels (Amsterdam). Additionally, Michael Wilder has been reelected as board chair.

“I am excited to welcome this talented group to the firm’s board,” said Erin Webber, Littler’s managing director and president. “Each of these individuals brings a range of leadership experience to the table and will be integral to furthering our strategic vision and ensuring that Littler maintains its position as the world’s leading employment and labor law firm.”

“I am again honored to serve alongside such an impressive group of colleagues,” Wilder added. “We will undoubtedly benefit from their collective insights and perspectives as we continue to focus on Littler’s path for the future.”

The 2024 board is reflective of Littler’s unwavering dedication to fostering a culture of inclusion, equity and diversity. Its diverse members – attorneys who identify as women, of color and/or LGBTQIA+ – make up nearly 60% of the board. Littler’s entire board slate, along with member bios, can be found on Littler.com.

About Littler

With more than 1,800 labor and employment attorneys in offices around the world, Littler provides workplace solutions that are local, everywhere. Our diverse global team and proprietary technology foster a culture that celebrates original thinking, delivering groundbreaking innovation that prepares employers for what’s happening today, and what’s likely to happen tomorrow. For more information, visit www.littler.com.

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NEW YORK – Foley & Lardner LLP announced today that Kay Gordon has joined the firm’s New York office as a partner in its Fund Formation & Investment Management (FFIM) Practice Group. Her arrival marks a streak of impressive growth for the FFIM Practice and comes directly on the heels of several recent additions to the group on the East Coast, including David Makso, a tax partner in the New York office supporting FFIM, and funds partner Gustavo (Gus) Resendiz and associate Robert Linnoila, who joined the firm’s FFIM Practice in Boston.

For over two decades, Gordon has counseled clients on the formation and management of private equity funds, real estate funds, funds-of-funds, hedge funds, credit funds, and venture funds, as well as compliance-related matters involving registered advisers and broker-dealers. She advises clients on a broad range of securities and regulatory matters in addition to a variety of financial instruments and transactions, including managed accounts, credit facilities, joint ventures, and derivative instruments. Gordon also works closely with strategic, institutional, and seed investors and represents clients in investigations led by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and other regulators.

“We’re excited to have Kay join at such a pivotal point in the group’s expansion, and her capabilities will enhance the wide array of services we already provide our clients,” said Andrew Kurzon and Stephen Meli, co-chairs of Foley’s FFIM Practice. “Her extensive experience across multiple asset classes and vehicle types will strengthen FFIM’s existing depth and capabilities, particularly with respect to real estate funds, open-ended funds, fund-related derivatives, and other bespoke areas.”

“Kay has represented countless private funds pursuing a wide variety of investment strategies – and we’re confident that her wealth of experience will be put to good use in one of the world’s leading financial centers,” said Anne Sekel, managing partner of the firm’s New York office. “Her reputation precedes her, especially her successful representation of prominent private funds, sponsors, and other clients before the SEC and other financial regulatory agencies. We’re delighted to have her onboard.”

“As I look to expand my practice, Foley’s robust infrastructure and national presence will be invaluable assets,” said Gordon. “I look forward to working alongside the collegial team of lawyers comprising the firm’s FFIM Practice and collaborating with team members across complementary practices, including Tax, Transactions, Insurance, and Finance, amongst others.”

Gordon joins the firm from Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough LLP, where she served as partner and co-head of the firm’s Investment Management Group. She is a frequent speaker and author, as well as a chartered financial analyst.

About Foley & Lardner LLP
Foley & Lardner LLP is a preeminent law firm that stands at the nexus of the Energy, Health Care & Life Sciences, Innovative Technology, and Manufacturing Sectors. We look beyond the law to focus on the constantly evolving demands facing our clients and act as trusted business advisors to deliver creative, practical, and effective solutions. Our 1,100 lawyers across 25 offices worldwide partner on the full range of engagements from corporate counsel to intellectual property work and litigation support, providing our clients with a one-team solution to all their needs. For nearly two centuries, Foley has maintained its commitment to the highest level of innovative legal services and to the stewardship of our people, firm, clients, and the communities we serve.

DISCO Announces C-Suite Elevations For Key Customer and People-Focused Roles

Legal technology leader promotes Melanie Antoon, Chief Customer Officer, and Karen Herckis, Chief HR Officer, to improve customer experience and enhance company culture

AUSTIN, Texas – January 23, 2024 – DISCO (NYSE: LAW), a leader in AI-enabled legal technology, announced today the promotion of two senior leaders to C-level roles. Melanie Antoon will serve as DISCO’s first Chief Customer Officer (CCO) and Karen Herckis has been appointed Chief Human Resources Officer (CHRO).

In this new role, Antoon will have leadership over the Customer Success team in addition to the Professional Services and Review organizations that she previously led while serving as DISCO’s SVP of Professional Services. Antoon’s newly created Customer Experience team will deliver enhanced methods of engagement to drive better customer outcomes.

As a long-time customer advocate, Antoon will continue to innovate and improve the customer experience at DISCO. Prior to joining the company, Antoon held multiple executive positions across legal, software and business consulting at companies including Inventus, Huron Consulting, Catalyst, and Winston & Strawn.

“As we continue to evolve our customer engagement strategy, I’m eager to tackle this new role and ensure DISCO remains at the forefront of delivering exceptional value to clients through our integrated solutions,” said Melanie Antoon, Chief Customer Officer. “Our approach to customer relationships is more than just a typical vendor relationship; it’s a deep partnership that sets us apart in helping clients realize the maximum benefits of our technology.”

As CHRO, Herckis will continue to lead DISCO’s People team and be instrumental in evolving the company’s culture. Herckis will continue to focus on attracting and retaining top talent and strengthening leadership capabilities throughout the organization. In her previous role as SVP of Human Resources Herckis also helped lead DISCO’s successful globalization efforts. Herckis previously held leadership positions at Stova (formerly Aventri) and Epiq prior to joining the company.

“Stepping up to this role is an exciting opportunity to lead this incredible journey we’ve embarked on at DISCO,” said Karen Herckis, Chief Human Resources Officer. “This past year was filled with significant milestones, including DISCO opening its first office in India. I am committed to helping establish a high functioning culture and building an environment where people want to grow their careers”

“Karen and Melanie have played pivotal roles in our company’s success, and these promotions reflect their outstanding leadership in enhancing our customers’ experience and strengthening our culture,” said Scott Hill, Chief Executive Officer. “We are confident that they will both continue to exert a positive influence on our company and contribute significantly to our strategic goals and future growth.”

Later this month, both will be in attendance alongside other DISCO executives at Legalweek in New York. Visit booth #2113 to explore DISCO’s Generative AI offering Cecilia and other solutions, or to schedule a private meeting, visit www.csdisco.com/legalweek.

About DISCO
DISCO (NYSE: LAW) provides cloud-native, artificial intelligence-powered legal solutions that simplify legal hold, legal request, ediscovery, legal document review and case management for enterprises, law firms, legal services providers, and governments. Our scalable, integrated solutions enable legal departments to easily collect, process and review enterprise data that is relevant or potentially relevant to legal matters. For more information, visit www.csdisco.com.

Press Contact
media@csdisco.com

ArentFox Schiff is pleased to announce the selection of Brian P. Waldman as Firmwide Managing Partner, effective January 1, 2024. Based in the Washington, DC office, Waldman succeeds Firmwide Co-Managing Partners Cristina A. Carvalho and Joseph J. Krasovec, III, who completed their terms following the successful merger in March 2022 of Arent Fox and Schiff Hardin. Both will remain on ArentFox Schiff’s Executive Committee, and Krasovec will now serve as Managing Partner of the firm’s Chicago office.

Waldman will lead the firm together with Chairman Anthony V. Lupo to advance ArentFox Schiff’s commitment to exceptional legal work and industry-focused approach to client service, promote an inclusive environment where diverse talents can succeed, and maintain the firm’s position as a leader in public service.

“Cristina and Joe have made incredible contributions, both in leading their respective firms prior to our transformative merger and in guiding the successful integration,” said Lupo. “Having worked alongside Brian on the Executive Committee for more than 10 years, I am confident that Brian can help us build upon our recent success as we take the firm to new heights.”

Waldman brings extensive leadership experience to the role, having served on the firm’s Executive Committee for more than a decade; led the Food, Drug, Medical Device & Cosmetic group; and co-managed the Regulatory Department. In his practice, Waldman advises companies in the pharmaceutical, medical device, food, dietary supplement, and cosmetic sectors on a broad range of legal and regulatory issues throughout all phases of a product’s life cycle.

As a trusted advisor on intellectual property strategy for global companies, Carvalho has brought astute judgment and deep experience in business counseling to her leadership role over the past eight years, including taking Arent Fox through two mergers. Likewise, Krasovec’s background as a highly accomplished product liability litigator with a focus on clients’ business objectives proved invaluable as the firm navigated the merger integration and COVID-19 pandemic.

“It’s been incredibly gratifying working with people across ArentFox Schiff to create a truly integrated firm that is known as forward-thinking, entrepreneurial, and consistently able to deliver exceptional legal work,” said Krasovec.

“Brian shares our leadership team’s passion for innovation in the delivery of legal services, creating an environment that attracts and retains top diverse talent, and spurring continuous growth,” added Carvalho. “Working with him during this transition period only reinforced that he is the right leader to guide the firm through this next chapter.”

“It is a great honor to be named Firmwide Managing Partner at such a pivotal moment in the firm’s storied growth trajectory,” said Waldman. “Whether it’s capitalizing on the opportunities offered by artificial intelligence, expanding our capabilities to stay ahead of client needs, or nurturing a strong firm culture, I’m excited to build on the tremendous success of my predecessors and help shape ArentFox Schiff’s path forward in 2024 and beyond.”

About ArentFox Schiff
Your goals define our mission. Whether an immediate need or a long-term objective, ArentFox Schiff helps you reach your full potential. As industry insiders, we partner with you to develop practical business strategies and sophisticated legal solutions to achieve today’s targets and anticipate tomorrow’s problems. We get you across the finish line. Learn more at www.afslaw.com.

Gordon Rees Scully Mansukhani, the 20th largest law firm in the United States, today unveiled its new “GRSM50” brand. The 1,200+ lawyer firm – the first and only full-service law firm in the country with offices in all 50 states – is embarking on an extensive branding effort to highlight its rapid growth and unique 50-state legal services capabilities.

“Our identification as GRSM50 reflects not only the firm’s national presence but also our commitment to servicing clients wherever they may have needs throughout the United States,” said Dion Cominos, Firmwide Managing Partner.

Name partner Miles Scully, a major catalyst in the firm’s rapid expansion added: “The firm’s transition to GRSM50 further demonstrates a laser focus on continuing to successfully grow our novel 50-state platform which combines local knowledge with the resources of a robust national organization.”

GRSM’s accelerated growth trajectory began more than four years ago when the firm became the first law firm in history to establish offices in all 50 states. Since launching the 50-state initiative, the firm has grown from 850 lawyers to its current count of more than 1,200 lawyers. In 2021, the firm broke into the Am Law 100 rankings and was highlighted by The American Lawyer as one of the top firms for lateral partner growth. That growth has continued this year, with 270 attorneys joining the firm thus far in 2023. GRSM is currently ranked #88 on the Am Law 100 list and the 20th largest firm in the country by headcount, with over 50 diverse practice and industry groups in 75 national offices throughout the country.

LITTLER ACHIEVES 2022-2023 MANSFIELD CERTIFICATION PLUS FROM DIVERSITY LAB

(October 10, 2023) – Littler, the world’s largest employment and labor law practice representing management, has earned 2022-2023 Mansfield Certification Plus for the sixth consecutive year through Diversity Lab. The certification process is designed to ensure all talent at participating law firms have fair and equal opportunities to advance. The “Plus” designation is reserved for firms that voluntarily measure the outcomes of their inclusive processes and have achieved positive results.

“As a firm dedicated to creating opportunities for all attorneys to excel, we are thrilled to once again receive Mansfield Certification Plus,” said Erin Webber, Littler’s managing director and president, and Paul Bateman, Chief Inclusion, Equity & Diversity Officer, in a joint statement. “Having been an advocate of this program since 2016, it is incredibly rewarding to see how participation has grown and to witness the tangible impact it has had on the legal industry. We look forward to our continued work in advancing inclusion, equity and diversity, alongside Diversity Lab and other participating firms, as we work together to keep moving the needle.”

To achieve Mansfield Certification, Littler considered broad slates of qualified talent for leadership roles. Because of its commitment to being an inclusive law firm, Littler had a broad bench from which to draw, and this included historically underrepresented lawyers – such as women lawyers, underrepresented racial and ethnic lawyers, LGBTQ+ lawyers, and lawyers with disabilities, thus meeting the Mansfield 30% guideline. In addition, as part of the certification process, the firm worked toward enhancing the transparency of its leadership roles, advancement processes and compensation policies.

Mansfield is now entering its seventh year, and its methodology has proven to build more diverse leadership teams, which is rooted in changes to systems and processes – not just exclusivity or discrimination. Mansfield ensures that opportunities for advancement are inclusive by broadening talent pools instead of instilling quotas, set asides or requirements unrelated to an individual’s qualifications.

Littler was one of nearly 50 firms to pilot the inaugural version of the Mansfield Rule, which is named after Arabella Mansfield, the first woman admitted to the practice of law in the U.S. It was also one of the winning ideas from the 2016 Women in Law Hackathon hosted by Diversity Lab in collaboration with Bloomberg Law and Stanford Law School. Littler Shareholder Nina Markey (Philadelphia) was part of the team that pitched the initial concept.

“At a time when efforts to expand opportunities to underrepresented groups are under attack, these Mansfield firms are making their advancement processes more open and transparent,” said Alyssa Jarvis, Director of Mansfield & Strategic Innovations at Diversity Lab. “The firms honored today for achieving Certification have articulated and broadened the paths to leadership. The expectations, and avenues to success, have never been clearer. And this commitment to transparency benefits everyone. I am proud to work with each of these firms.”

Littler continues to set the standard in the industry as it continually earns recognition for its commitment to inclusion, equity and diversity. A full list of Littler’s accolades can be found on Littler.com.

About Littler

With more than 1,800 labor and employment attorneys in offices around the world, Littler provides workplace solutions that are local, everywhere. Our diverse global team and proprietary technology foster a culture that celebrates original thinking, delivering groundbreaking innovation that prepares employers for what’s happening today, and what’s likely to happen tomorrow. For more information, visit www.littler.com.
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Womble Bond Dickinson announced today that John Hawk has rejoined the firm as a partner in the Business Litigation Group. Previously with Womble from 2006 to 2021, Hawk is the first partner addition to the Denver office since it was opened last month by leading global energy and natural resources team Scot Anderson and Ana Maria Gutiérrez.

“John’s return to Womble reflects the strong culture of our firm, and his practice adds meaningful bench strength as we continue to expand our complex litigation capabilities across our domestic footprint,” said Chris Jones, who leads the Business Litigation Practice Group and serves on the Global Board.

Hawk has represented Fortune 500 companies for nearly two decades in complex commercial disputes. While his experience is diverse, he has particularly deep knowledge of consumer finance and insurance litigation. He defends banks and other lenders, mortgage servicers, and life and disability insurers in state and federal courts, including cases brought under the Fair Credit Reporting Act, Telephone Consumer Protection Act, Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, and Employee Retirement Income Security Act.

“We are excited to have John join our new and growing Denver office,” said Scot Anderson, Managing Partner of the Denver office. “John will be the foundation of a broad litigation practice in this office, and his expertise and experience will serve our clients well.”

Hawk rejoins Womble from Fox Rothschild, where he was based in that firm’s Denver and Greenville, South Carolina, offices. He graduated from the University of South Carolina School of Law and earned his B.A. from Davidson College.

“I’m thrilled to return to Womble, the firm where I began my legal career,” said Hawk. “In addition to contributing to the growth of the Denver office, I look forward to once again working with distinguished colleagues across the firm to advise clients in the financial services and energy sectors on their complex commercial litigation matters.”

This addition also underscores the continued growth of the Business Litigation Group. Hawk is the 13th partner to join the firm since the start of the year, following Liz Campbell, Patricia Cymerman, Ana Maria Gutiérrez, Edward Kim, Carol Lee, Kristina Moore, Tomio Narita, Joe Patella, Harry Rimm, Gina Schaecher, Mariam Tadros, and Jeff Topor.

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About Womble Bond Dickinson
Womble Bond Dickinson is a transatlantic law firm with more than 1,000 lawyers based in 32 U.K. and U.S. office locations serving clients across every business sector. The firm provides core legal services including Commercial; Corporate; Employment; Dispute Resolution and Litigation; Finance: Banking, Restructuring, Insolvency; IP, Technology and Data; Private Wealth; Projects, Construction and Infrastructure; Real Estate; and Regulatory Law.

“Womble Bond Dickinson,” the “law firm” or the “firm” refers to the network of member firms of Womble Bond Dickinson (International) Limited, consisting of Womble Bond Dickinson (UK) LLP and Womble Bond Dickinson (US) LLP. Each of Womble Bond Dickinson (UK) LLP and Womble Bond Dickinson (US) LLP is a separate legal entity operating as an independent law firm. Womble Bond Dickinson (International) Limited does not practice law. Please see www.womblebonddickinson.com/us/legal-notice for further details.