Venable LLP announced today that it has promoted 24 attorneys to counsel effective April 1, 2021. The new counsels, from Venable’s Baltimore, Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco, Towson, and Washington, DC offices, represent a broad cross section from the firm’s four divisions—Business, Government, Intellectual Property, and Litigation.

The following attorneys were promoted to counsel.

Baltimore Office

Gueter Aurelien focuses her practice on a broad range of corporate law matters, including mergers and acquisitions, corporate governance, commercial financing, equity investments, securities offerings, commercial contracts, public finance, and general business transactions. She advises start-up, emerging growth, and later-stage companies in a variety of industries, financial institutions, specialty lenders, banks, investors, entrepreneurs, and nonprofit organizations and serves as bond counsel or borrower’s counsel to municipalities and conduit issuers and borrowers.

JaMar S. Mancano represents clients in complex commercial litigation matters in state and federal courts nationwide, with a focus on defending pharmaceutical and medical device companies in product liability cases. He has been a member of several trial teams in national products liability litigation and has experience coordinating overall case strategy and the day-to-day handling of individual cases.

Daniel R.H. Mendelsohn concentrates his practice on a wide range of corporate law matters, including corporate governance, securities transactions, corporate finance, and mergers and acquisitions, with a particular focus on Maryland corporation law as it relates to real estate investment trusts and registered investment companies.

Elizabeth Fialkowski Stieff is a member of Venable’s tax practice. She advises clients on a variety of transactional tax issues, including corporate advisory matters, such as mergers, acquisitions, and joint ventures, as well as tax controversies.

Los Angeles Office

Theresa R. Clardy focuses on domestic and international income tax planning and tax controversy for talent, entertainment executives, high-net-worth individuals, and entrepreneurs, including for their businesses. She has substantial experience with fiduciary income tax matters for domestic and foreign trusts, and provides advice regarding choice of entity, business formation, and character of income for clients living within and outside of the U.S.

Amir Kaltgrad represents businesses and individuals in shareholder and partnership disputes, professional malpractice, complex business torts, and contract disputes. He has experience representing clients from pre-filing of litigation all the way through trial and appeal in both state and federal courts.

New York Office

Michael M. Agosta is a litigation attorney with a broad-based practice focused on complex commercial disputes. His work includes mortgage-backed securities matters, corporate governance disputes, indemnification claims, and contract actions in state and federal courts.

Daniel A. Apgar practices intellectual property law, specializing in complex patent litigation. He has broad experience representing electronics and software companies in all aspects of litigation.

Gianna E. Cricco-Lizza focuses on patent and trademark litigation in the federal courts and monitors intellectual property enforcement efforts for clients in the telecommunications, luxury goods, and consumer products industries.

Zachary L. Garrett practices intellectual property law, with an emphasis on complex patent litigation. He has experience in all stages of litigation, including pre-lawsuit investigation, pleadings, claim construction, discovery, motion practice, and trial.

Sean C. McDonagh focuses on biopharmaceutical IP diligence and counseling. He is proud to support clients in their mission-critical deals.

Prajakta A. Sonalker, Ph.D., focuses her practice on complex intellectual property litigation, including patent and trade secret disputes, with an emphasis on biotechnology and pharmaceuticals. She has experience in all stages of litigation, from pre-suit investigations through trial and appeals, and proceedings before the Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB).

George Soumalevris focuses on high-stakes bankruptcy and complex structured finance litigation, representing clients in the commercial mortgage-backed securities (CMBS) and collateralized debt obligation (CDO) industries.

John C. Vazquez focuses his practice on a broad spectrum of complex commercial and class action litigation, including civil antitrust actions, securities and financial products litigation, bankruptcy litigation, and intellectual property disputes.

San Francisco Office

Emily Foehr advises high-net-worth individuals and families on all aspects of wealth planning and assists with wealth preservation through strategies that mitigate income, estate, and generation-skipping transfer taxes, limiting risk to family assets.

Towson, Maryland, Office

Christine C. Carey represents businesses and individuals in civil litigation and arbitration proceedings involving mortgage-backed securities and other complex financial instruments, conflicts over trust management, corporate governance disputes, shareholder and member litigation, securities fraud, labor and employment disputes, and claims arising from breach of contract and other business torts.

Washington, DC Office

Jean Yin Crews focuses her practice on commercial real estate finance, acquisition, disposition, development, and leasing. She regularly represents commercial developers, institutional lenders, individuals, landlords, tenants, and owners and operators of real property in a variety of transactions spanning office, retail, multi-family, industrial, and mixed-use properties.

Mary M. Gardner represents clients in government investigations and enforcement actions, insurance litigation, and complex consumer class actions. She also regularly advises corporate clients and their directors and officers regarding complex insurance coverage issues and advertising- and marketing-related issues, including telemarketing compliance and claim substantiation.

Joseph R. Hicks focuses on energy and administrative law, with an emphasis on crude oil, petroleum products, natural gas, and electric utility matters. His practice involves providing advice on developments in energy regulation, corporate compliance, energy infrastructure development, and administrative rulemakings, as well as representing clients in litigation before the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), state public utilities commissions, and federal courts.

Benjamin E. Horowitz is a litigator who represents clients in a wide array of civil matters, including partnership disputes, government investigations and enforcement actions, construction defect cases, and various other breach of contract and business tort cases.

Leslie A. Lee is a registered patent attorney with experience litigating intellectual property matters and prosecuting patents involving various technological fields, including mechanical devices, medical devices, semiconductor manufacture and design, computer software, telecommunications, and automotive technologies. She has represented clients in numerous district courts, the U.S. International Trade Commission, the Patent Trial and Appeal Board, and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, obtaining victories on summary judgment, at trial, and on appeal.

Meredith K. McCoy provides experienced guidance to businesses, tax-exempt organizations, individuals, and political groups in their efforts to impact public policy and the political process. She helps clients comply with a range of laws that may impact political activities, including tax, campaign finance, lobbying disclosure, gift and ethics, and pay-to-play laws.

Shahin O. Rothermel counsels clients on issues involving advertising, marketing, e-commerce, privacy, social media, promotions, sweepstakes, and subscription programs. She regularly defends clients in investigations and litigation involving the Federal Trade Commission and other state and federal regulatory agencies in addition to handling consumer class actions, competitor disputes, and matters before the National Advertising Division.

William W. Weaver advises on a range of commercial real estate matters, with a focus on the acquisition, disposition, development, and leasing of retail, office, residential, and industrial property.

Venable LLP announced today that it has elected 16 attorneys to the firm partnership. The new partners, from Venable’s Baltimore, Los Angeles, New York, and Washington, DC offices, are emerging leaders from a broad cross section of the firm’s practice groups, including Bankruptcy and Creditors’ Rights, Commercial Litigation, Corporate, Environmental, Financial Services, Intellectual Property, International Trade, Labor and Employment, Political Law, and Privacy.

Stu Ingis, chairman of Venable, said, “The new partners were elected based on their exceptional legal abilities, contributions to the firm, commitment to client service, and demonstration of the firm’s values. Their promotion to the partnership recognizes both their accomplishments to date and the confidence of the partnership in their future contributions to the firm.”

The following attorneys are joining Venable’s partnership effective April 1, 2021.

Baltimore Office

Laura S. Bouyea advises clients across industries with respect to a wide range of bankruptcy matters and complex commercial disputes. She has extensive experience representing lenders and special servicers in the commercial mortgage-backed securities (CMBS) industry, both in court and in the workout context.

Lindsay McCrory Monti is a corporate attorney who focuses on mergers and acquisitions, private equity transactions, and equity financings. She guides clients as they close on financing, negotiate business points, work through intellectual property issues, and successfully complete transactions.

John V. Sunder’s practice encompasses a wide range of business law matters, with a focus on mergers and acquisitions and equity/debt financing, including structuring secured and unsecured credit facilities. His clients include operating businesses, private equity funds, family offices, agent banks and financial institutions, and specialty lenders.

Los Angeles Office

Ryan M. Andrews first-chairs the defense of employment lawsuits and arbitrations, counsels employers and executives on navigating restrictive covenants, and advises clients on employment law compliance and best practices.

Logan M. Elliott is an experienced trial and appellate litigator who represents companies and individuals in a variety of high-stakes business litigation matters. He has substantial experience handling a wide range of matters, including entertainment, trust and estate, real estate, finance, and general commercial litigation.

Matthew M. Gurvitz focuses on complex litigation in state and federal courts across the United States. His broad range of experience, including consumer product litigation, entertainment litigation, general business litigation, employment litigation, and probate litigation, provides a multidisciplinary wealth of knowledge that he can draw on to creatively approach any complex dispute.

Marjorie W. Norman helps clients obtain and protect their intellectual property through domestic and international trademark preparation and prosecution, portfolio strategy, licensing, clearance, and intellectual property transaction counseling.

New York Office

Evan R. Minsberg counsels fintech companies, banks, and other financial service providers on regulatory, product development, and transactional issues in the payments, consumer and commercial credit, and data analytics industries.

Lindsay M. Nathan provides strategic advice, guidance, and oversight to political groups and nonprofit organizations on all aspects of federal, state, and local political law. She has experience in campaign finance, lobbying disclosure, government ethics and gift rules, and procurement and pay-to-play laws.

Erica L. Norey is an intellectual property attorney whose practice focuses on complex patent litigation under the Hatch-Waxman Act, contested proceedings before the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), and patent diligence, acquisition, and licensing for high-profile clients in multiple technical fields. She is admitted to the state bars of New York and New Jersey and is registered to practice before the USPTO.

James R. Tyminski practices intellectual property law, with a focus on Hatch-Waxman patent litigation. He has extensive experience litigating various types of pharmaceutical patents, including patents covering novel pharmaceutical formulations and polymorphic forms of active pharmaceutical ingredients.

Washington, DC Office

Margaret K. Fawal represents clients in a wide array of environmental regulatory and litigation matters, with a focus on issues impacting rail and surface transportation, mining, electric utility companies, and trade associations. She regularly advises clients on chemical regulation and waste management issues and assists clients through the regulatory and environmental review processes for complex infrastructure development projects.

Jay C. Johnson serves clients in a variety of infrastructure and natural resource contexts, guiding them past regulatory and environmental review obstacles to win agency approvals, then defending those approvals in court.

Elizabeth K. Lowe advises U.S. and non-U.S. companies on a variety of cross-border and international trade regulatory, commercial, and policy matters, with a focus on global logistics, economic sanctions, Customs laws, and export controls rules. Her work includes internal compliance reviews and investigations, due diligence activities, voluntary self-disclosures, responses to inquiries from federal agencies, compliance training, and licensing.

Calvin R. Nelson’s practice covers a wide range of intellectual property matters, including patent litigation, trademark and brand protection, and anti-counterfeiting. He has extensive experience litigating disputes in federal courts and before the U.S. International Trade Commission.

Ariel S. Wolf leads the firm’s Mobility and Transportation Technology team. He counsels clients facing complex legal and policy issues at the intersection of automation, connectivity, safety, privacy, and cybersecurity.

Hunton Andrews Kurth LLP begins its new fiscal year with the promotion of the following seven lawyers. The firm proudly recognizes these talented individuals for their accomplishments and outstanding client service.

Brian M. Clarke (Capital Finance and Real Estate, New York) advises issuers, investors, and other stakeholders in chapter 11 reorganizations, out-of-court restructurings, and other distressed situations. In addition, he advises clients in the negotiation and execution of complex business transactions, including financings, mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures, and control investments. Clarke received his undergraduate degree from Fairfield University and his law degree from Fordham University School of Law, graduating cum laude from both.

Andrea DeField (Litigation, Miami) focuses her practice on helping clients manage risk and maximize insurance recovery by advising them through the claims process and representing them in litigation, mediation and arbitration when necessary. She has tried coverage and insurance bad faith cases to jury verdict and has handled appeals in several state and federal courts across the country. She also helps clients proactively manage risk through policy reviews and audits, particularly of cyber insurance policies, and has conducted full-scale insurance program audits for some of the nation’s largest companies. DeField received her undergraduate degree from University of Miami and her law degree from University of Denver Sturm College of Law.

Ian R. Goldberg (Corporate, Houston) advises clients on a broad range of energy transactions, including upstream and midstream oil and gas mergers, acquisitions and divestitures, financial transactions, and out-of-court and bankruptcy court restructurings. Ian has extensive experience representing exploration and production companies and financial partners with respect to operations in the major U.S. conventional and unconventional onshore basins, as well as offshore in the Gulf of Mexico. Goldberg received his undergraduate degree from The University of Texas at Austin and his law degree from University of Houston Law Center.

Jared D. Grodin (Capital Finance and Real Estate, Houston) focuses his practice on commercial lending, finance and real estate transactions. His experience includes the representation of national and international lenders and borrowers in various secured and unsecured credit transactions, including, upstream, midstream and downstream oil and gas lending, real estate lending, asset-based lending transactions, acquisition finance, syndicated finance and various restructurings. Grodin received his undergraduate degree from The University of Texas at Austin and his law degree from South Texas College of Law Houston, where he was one of the editors of the South Texas Law Review.

Douglas H. Hoffmann (Capital Finance and Real Estate, New York) focuses his practice on representing commercial real estate owners, developers, lenders, investors, private equity funds, and institutional REITs in structuring and closing all types of real estate transactions, including joint ventures, acquisitions and dispositions, developments, financings, development rights or “air rights” transactions, and portfolio transactions. Hoffmann received his undergraduate and law degrees from Emory University.

Serena M. Mentor (Corporate, New York) has experience representing issuers, sponsors, underwriters, agents, trustees and servicers in connection with public and private asset-backed securitization transactions, with a special focus on mortgage and mortgage-related assets. She also frequently analyzes and interprets various regulations, requirements and restrictions promulgated by regulatory and other governing authorities with respect to such securitizations. Mentor received her undergraduate degree from Colgate University and her law degree from the University of Virginia School of Law.

Carter C. Simpson (Litigation, Washington) maintains a diverse civil litigation practice, with a focus on antitrust, consumer, class-action litigation and complex commercial and business disputes. She advises and represents clients across a range of industries in civil and criminal antitrust investigations and litigation, merger challenges and cases involving RICO, false advertising, deceptive trade practices, employment and intellectual property claims with particular expertise in the food and beverage, retail and hospitality. She also has a robust pro bono practice focused on civil rights. Simpson joined the firm following a federal clerkship and received her undergraduate degree from Duke University and her law degree from Vanderbilt University Law School.

Lowenstein Sandler is pleased to announce that partner Bruce D. Buechler has been appointed as a Judge of the Superior Court of New Jersey, Essex County Vicinage. Buechler, who is set to be sworn in to his new role in early April, has been a partner in the firm’s Bankruptcy & Restructuring Department for over 21 years.

Buechler joined Lowenstein in 2000, representing debtors and creditors’ committees in Chapter 11 reorganizations, out-of-court workouts, and other financial reorganizations. Recognized as a “smart, efficient, practical and very well prepared lawyer” by Chambers USA, he became well-known for his tenacity in high-stakes bankruptcy matters and for proactively engaging with clients to achieve solutions that aligned with their business objectives.

A 20-year member of the West Orange Zoning Board, Buechler was recommended to the bench by former Gov. Richard Codey (D-Roseland), the senior member of the New Jersey Senate. He received his J.D., cum laude, in 1987 from the Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law and his B.A. from Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey in 1982.

Bradley Arant Boult Cummings LLP is pleased to announce that Martha Roby is joining the firm as a senior advisor in the Governmental Affairs and Economic Development practice groups.

Prior to joining Bradley, Roby served as the U.S. Representative for Alabama’s Second Congressional District from 2011 to 2021. Early in her tenure, she served on the Agriculture, Armed Services, and Education and Workforce committees. She also served as the chairman of the Subcommittee of Oversight and Investigations of the House Armed Services Committee during the 113th Congress and was the ranking member of the Subcommittee on Courts, Intellectual Property, and the Internet for the House Judiciary Committee in the 116th Congress.

Roby was the first representative from Alabama’s Second Congressional District to serve on the House Appropriations Committee, where at some point she served on six of the 12 subcommittees, including the Defense Appropriations Subcommittee, the Labor, Education, Health and Human Services Subcommittee, the Commerce, Justice and Science Subcommittee, the State and Foreign Operations Subcommittee, the Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Subcommittee, and the Legislative Branch Subcommittee. In this position, she had direct oversight of over 90 departments and related agencies.

In her tenure in Congress, Roby sponsored and cosponsored more than 500 bills. She distinguished herself as an effective legislator focusing on issues directly impacting her constituents, including veterans’ health and military mobility. She exposed abuses in the Veterans Affairs health system and worked tirelessly to improve care for veterans, both locally and nationally. Roby continually led efforts to stop devastating cuts that threatened military readiness.

Before being elected to Congress, she was in private practice in Montgomery, Alabama, and then served on the Montgomery City Council from 2003 to 2010. Roby received her J.D. from the Cumberland School of Law at Samford University and a B.M. in Music Business from New York University.

Roby will provide governmental affairs, but not legal, services for clients.

Foley & Lardner LLP today released a guide for employers entitled, Best Practices for Returning to Work in a Vaccinated World.

For more than a year, the world has reacted to and adjusted for COVID-19. Now, with the arrival of COVID-19 vaccines, there is light at the end of the tunnel and individuals and companies can start moving forward and planning for a new normal. As companies in all industries have undoubtedly been affected, employers must remain cognizant of various issues as offices and facilities reopen and employees return to work.

Foley’s guide covers the following key issues for employers to consider as they create or update their policies and practices in conjunction with a thorough analysis of all applicable laws, ordinances, and guidance.

• A Revised Understanding of COVID-19: One Year Later
• Considerations for Reopening
• Preparing for Reopening a Facility
• Working with Employees
• Vaccinations
• Indemnification Laws/Developments
• Operating in a Changing Regulatory Environment

The report was prepared by attorneys in Foley’s Labor & Employment practice, including Krista Cabrera, Sarah Guo, Carrie Hoffman, Daniel Kaplan, Jeffrey Kopp, John Litchfield, John Lord Jr., Jessica Glatzer Mason, Mark Neuberger and Rachel Powitzky Steely.

Read the report.

ORLANDO, Fla. – March 31, 2021 – Top 100 U.S. law firm Akerman LLP today announced Litigation Partner Carrie Ann Wozniak has been appointed by Florida Governor Ron DeSantis to serve as Judge on Florida’s Fifth District Court of Appeal. She fills the judicial vacancy created by the retirement of Judge Richard Orfinger.

After a clerkship with the Florida Supreme Court, Wozniak began her legal career at Akerman in 2007 and has been an integral part of the firm’s national Litigation Practice Group ever since. Board certified by the Florida Bar in Appellate Practice, she is also a member of Akerman’s Appellate Practice, where she represents clients in appellate litigation at the state and federal levels, as well as in commercial litigation in the trial courts. She also serves as general counsel to the Florida Bankers Association, where she assists with drafting, revising, and commenting on myriad banking legislation and issues.

Wozniak has served as Vice Chair of the Fifth District Court of Appeal Judicial Nominating Commission via nomination by the Florida Bar and appointment by previous Governor Rick Scott, and as a member of the Florida Bar’s Appellate Practice Section Executive Council, Appellate Rules Committee, and Appellate Practice Board Certification Committee. A fierce advocate in the community as well, Wozniak is past chair of Akerman’s Community Impact Team in Orlando, and her work on behalf of abused and neglected children earned her the Orange County Bar Association’s Elizabeth Susan Khoury Guardian Ad Litem Award of Excellence in 2016.

Wozniak received her B.A. with honors from the University of Michigan in 2002 and a J.D. cum laude from Stetson University College of Law in 2004.

Brightflag, the A.I.-powered legal spend management and matter management platform, today announced the hiring of John Joyce as Vice President of Alliances. This appointment will accelerate the company’s plans to strengthen its partner community and present in-house legal teams with comprehensive solutions to their evolving business needs.

Having most recently led business development for document management and e-signature provider PandaDoc, Joyce brings more than 20 years of experience building strategic alliances with leading companies like Amazon, Microsoft, Salesforce, and Intuit. He will now lead Brightflag’s global alliances strategy, simultaneously advancing existing relationships and driving new partner development.

Brightflag partners with a wide variety of strategic experts, such as UpLevel Ops, Mosaic Consulting, and Norton Rose Fulbright, and software providers, such as Coupa and Okta, to build compelling, fully-integrated customer experiences that deliver more value to all parties.

Raleigh, N.C. – Parker Poe Adams & Bernstein LLP is pleased to announce that Michael Goldsticker has joined the firm’s Raleigh office as counsel. Goldsticker is a former Assistant U.S. Attorney with significant experience in large-scale investigations, and he strengthens Parker Poe’s Business Litigation Team.

Goldsticker concentrates his practice on business litigation, white collar criminal defense, and government and internal investigations. He has tried numerous cases as a prosecutor and on behalf of businesses and individuals before juries and arbitration panels throughout the country.

Prior to joining Parker Poe, Goldsticker served as a federal prosecutor in the District of Maryland, overseeing sweeping investigations into violations of federal criminal laws, including those involving corruption and money laundering. Earlier in his career, Goldsticker was a litigator at Williams & Connolly in Washington, D.C., where he focused on complex civil litigation and criminal defense.

Goldsticker joins Parker Poe’s Business Litigation Team, which has extensive experience representing clients before state and federal courts, governmental agencies, and national and international arbitration panels. The firm’s trial attorneys have decades of first-chair experience and a proven track record of resolving disputes across a broad array of industries, including energy, financial services, health care, insurance, life sciences, manufacturing, real estate, and technology. Goldsticker is licensed to practice law in the District of Columbia.

“… a trend that was started by Willkie on Friday, March 19, 2021 (offering between $7,500 and $40,000), and quickly one-upped by Davis Polk on Monday, March 22, 2021 (offering between $12,000 and $64,000) — many firms quickly fell in line and matched the generous scale,” reports Staci Zaretsky in Above the Law’s Biglaw.

Above the Law has compiled a comparison table of “special bonus scale, the minimum hours required to receive those bonuses (if available), and the date those bonuses will be paid.

Read the article.

“Global law firm Hogan Lovells has opened a Legal Service Center (LSC) in the firm’s Louisville office. The LSC provides dedicated services to the Corporate & Finance practice with an initial focus on due diligence analysis and review services. The LSC is co-located with the firm’s existing Global Business Service team,” reports Hogan Lovells in their Press Releases.

“The LSC currently has a team of five dedicated to providing legal services related to corporate and finance matters. The team is led by Robert Fleu, who joined the firm in May 2020, and has 20 years of combined experience in-house and at an Am Law 200 law firm. Hogan Lovells expects to grow the team at the LSC over time to meet increasing client needs.”

“Currently focused on providing due diligence support for M&A, capital markets, and other transactional matters, the team plans to add additional capabilities to support all of the core practices of the firm’s Corporate & Finance practice. These will include areas such as fund formation, finance, bankruptcy, private equity, and venture capital.”

Read the article.

“A new pair of bonuses recently introduced by Big Law to reward and retain associates may not be enough to keep them in their seats in a hot job market and amid what recruiters call increasing lawyer burnout,” reports Meghan Tribe in Bloomberg Law’s US Law Week.

“Willkie Farr & Gallagher and Davis Polk & Wardwell kicked off the new bonus race earlier this month, offering up to $64,000 per attorney.”

“Through March 29, more than 20 Big Law firms have matched this “special bonus” scale, including Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton, Cooley, Fenwick & West, Latham & Watkins, Paul Weiss Rifkind Wharton & Garrison, and Cravath, Swaine & Moore. Kirkland & Ellis is among a number of Big Law firms that have yet to announce a match.”

“The case for bonuses is simple: Big Law business is booming, particularly in the corporate space, and extra cash could help recruit and retain associates. On the other side of the equation is the lure of a hot job market and burnout from the heaviest workloads firms have faced in recent memory, along with personal pressures caused by Covid-19.”

Read the article.

“McDonald’s Corporation (NYSE: MCD) announced today that Desiree Ralls-Morrison has been named the company’s General Counsel and Corporate Secretary, overseeing global legal operations and corporate governance. Ralls-Morrison will start on April 26, 2021 and will be based at the company’s Chicago headquarters in the West Loop,” announced McDonald’s in their press releases.

“Ralls-Morrison most recently served as General Counsel and Corporate Secretary for Boston Scientific Corporation, a world leader of innovative medical solutions.”

“Prior to Boston Scientific Corporation, Ralls-Morrison served as General Counsel and Corporate Secretary at Boehringer Ingelheim USA, Inc., and General Counsel of the Consumer Group at Johnson & Johnson. Ralls-Morrison currently serves on the Board of Directors for DICK’S Sporting Goods, Inc. and was previously a Director for The Partnership, Inc., whose mission is to ensure the economic competitiveness of the Boston area by attracting, retaining and convening professionals of color. Desiree was also a Founding Member of The New Commonwealth Racial Equity and Social Justice Fund in Massachusetts.”

Read the release.

New York (March 29, 2021) – Barnes & Thornburg is pleased to announce the arrival of Catherine Turgeon as a partner in the firm’s Private Investment Funds and Asset Management practice in New York.

Turgeon advises private investment funds and other financial investors in a broad range of U.S. and offshore investment and financing transactions, including private equity transactions, venture capital and growth equity investments, mergers and acquisitions, convertible instruments, private investments in public equity (PIPEs), special purpose acquisition companies (SPACs), joint ventures and other specialized investment structures. She also counsels clients on general corporate and regulatory matters.

Before joining the firm, Turgeon practiced for 18 years at the financial services boutique Richards Kibbe & Orbe LLP (now known as Kibbe & Orbe LLP).

Turgeon has advised clients on investments and transactions in a wide range of industries, including life sciences, biotechnology, medical devices, pharmaceuticals, automotive technology, data technology, energy, finance, online platforms, insurance solutions, social media and software.

Turgeon earned her J.D. from the University of Michigan Law School, magna cum laude, and her B.S. from Penn State University.

Fitch, Even, Tabin & Flannery LLP will present a free webinar, “Using Persuasion Techniques to Achieve Litigation Success: Part Two,” featuring Fitch Even partners Karl R. Fink, Nikki Little, and Timothy P. Maloney.

The webinar will take place on Thursday, April 22, 2021, at 9:00 am PDT / 10:00 am MDT / 11:00 am CDT / 12 noon EDT. Register.

During this webinar, we continue our discussion of how the persuasion techniques ethos, pathos, and logos can be effectively used during intellectual property litigation. In Part One, we explored how these persuasion concepts can be applied when developing case themes, building a litigation team, and selecting and preparing fact witnesses.

In Part Two, we’ll explore compelling ways to leverage the concepts of ethos, pathos, and logos in other aspects of litigation, including these:
• Expert witness selection and reports
• Written and oral communications with the court
• Trial

CLE credit has been approved for California, Illinois, and Nebraska. Other states may also award CLE credit upon attendee request.

Following the live event, a recording of the webinar will be available to view for one year at www.fitcheven.com.

Blank Rome Formally Announces Its National Environmental, Social, and Governance (“ESG”) Team

Blank Rome LLP is pleased to formally announce its national Environmental, Social, and Governance (“ESG”) Team. This multi-disciplinary group is comprised of more than 25 attorneys from across the firm’s offices and practices who have been advising clients for decades in the areas of environmental compliance and management; natural resources and responsible energy development; human capital management; socially responsible, sustainable, and impact investing; capital markets; and governance best practices. The collective ESG Team officially launched last year and has been helping clients navigate emerging ESG issues, identify ESG risks and opportunities, and develop ESG strategies and programs.

Blank Rome’s multi-service ESG Team practices in the corporate and securities, mergers and acquisitions, investment management, energy, environmental, labor and employment, maritime, privacy and data security, real estate, and regulatory and litigation areas, and advises clients on a broad range of ESG matters, including:

• Program strategy, design, and implementation
• Investor engagement, shareholder communications, and reporting
• Corporate governance best practices, board of directors’ agenda, and oversight of risk management
• Disclosures and enforcement actions
• Environmental management and compliance
• Climate change, including regulations, disclosures, protocols, and insurance coverage
• Renewable energy, including energy consumption, power purchase agreements, and leases
• Investment management and ESG, sustainable and impact investing
• Considerations for specific industries, including oil and gas, chemicals, financial services, and life sciences
• Creation and operation of ESG funds and special purpose acquisition companies (“SPACs”)
• Mergers and acquisitions, including environmental compliance and liability and transactional due diligence
• Human capital management
• Diversity, equity, and inclusion leadership and competency
• Remote workplace considerations

About Blank Rome

Blank Rome is an Am Law 100 firm with 14 offices and more than 600 attorneys and principals who provide comprehensive legal and advocacy services to clients operating in the United States and around the world. Our professionals have built a reputation for their leading knowledge and experience across a spectrum of industries, and are recognized for their commitment to pro bono work in their communities. Since our inception in 1946, Blank Rome’s culture has been dedicated to providing top-level service to all of our clients, and has been rooted in the strength of our diversity and inclusion initiatives. For more information, please visit blankrome.com.

Littler, the world’s largest employment and labor law practice representing management, has released the Inaugural Report of Littler’s Global Workplace Transformation Initiative. The report provides a detailed analysis of how the workplace is changing and addresses the litany of novel issues created for employers worldwide.

This is the first report from Littler’s newly formalized Global Workplace Transformation Initiative, which enables employers to capture the benefits of the technological revolution sweeping through today’s workplaces while mitigating the risks. The initiative, which evolved from Littler’s Robotics, AI and Automation practice group, integrates the full range of the firm’s global capabilities to provide the resources employers need to manage complex workforce issues and thrive in a rapidly changing landscape.

The report serves a critical resource for organizations as they develop policies and best practices to succeed in this new landscape, including examining:

• The technology-induced displacement of employment (TIDE™) and the need to provide workers with the skills, training and resources to adapt, which is an area where Littler has long been a thought leader through its role as co-founder of the Emma Coalition.

• The wide-ranging legal and operational impacts of the move to more permanent remote work, such as deploying AI to augment recruiting, complying with state and local employment laws and tax-related issues when employees work from a state where the company does not do business, and data-security challenges.

• The integration of robotics and automation technologies in the workplace and the associated legal issues, such as health and safety standards and employee privacy.

• How businesses are restructuring in the wake of workforce transformation.

• The evolution of litigation trends in an increasingly digital workplace.

• The importance of evolving approaches to improving inclusion, equity and diversity.

• The global implications of these significant changes.

Littler’s Global Workplace Transformation Initiative brings together the insight of the more than 1,600 attorneys across the firm’s global platform. In addition to building on the firm’s Robotics, AI and Automation practice, the initiative integrates numerous practice areas and capabilities involved in the transformation of the workplace, including:

• Business Restructuring and M&A
• COVID-19 Task Force
• Data Analytics
• Discrimination and Harassment
• Inclusion, Equity and Diversity Consulting
• Labor Management Relations
• Leaves of Absence and Disability Accommodation
• Staffing, Independent Contractors and Contingent Workers
• Wage and Hour
• Workplace Policy Institute
• Workplace Privacy and Data Security
• Workplace Safety and Health

Greensfelder, Hemker & Gale, P.C., is pleased to announce that Kathy H. Butler, an Officer and leader of the firm’s Health Care practice and industry groups, has been named to the leadership group for a new women’s initiative launched by global law firms network Meritas.

Greensfelder President and Chief Executive Officer Kevin T. McLaughlin said, “We congratulate Kathy on her new leadership role and her continued support of the mission of Meritas and its commitment to diverse representation in the legal community.”

Butler is one of 10 members of the Meritas Women’s Leadership Congress Leadership Council whose mission is to create a path to leadership for the women of Meritas by providing more visibility and engagement opportunities through knowledge-sharing, mentoring and skills-building. The group will boost interactions among member firms to promote diversity and inclusion as an important part of recruiting and retention, business development, and the elevation of women leaders.

Butler has been an active leader within Meritas for many years, most recently serving as chair of the organization’s U.S. Leadership Committee. She also has served on the network’s board of directors and the board’s executive committee.

Butler is one of Greensfelder’s primary liaisons to Meritas, of which the firm is a longtime member and the exclusive Meritas law firm in the St. Louis metropolitan area. Greensfelder’s membership offers the firm’s clients access to the experience and legal knowledge of the nearly 200 business law firms in 90 countries worldwide that belong to Meritas.

Butler is the second Greensfelder attorney this year to be selected to help lead new Meritas initiatives on diversity and inclusion. Greensfelder Chief Diversity Officer Christopher A. Pickett recently was named to the Leadership Council for the newly formed Meritas Black Lawyers Forum.

Venable LLP is pleased to announce that Virgil R. Montgomery has joined the firm as a partner in the Construction Law Group in the Chicago office. Montgomery was part of the initial group of attorneys from Schiff Hardin who joined Venable in December 2020. Montgomery draws on a lifetime of experience in construction. His practice is divided between project development, procurement, project controls, project monitoring and evaluation, and dispute resolution through mediation, arbitration, and litigation.

Montgomery has drafted and provided key assistance in the preparation of contracts ranging in value up to several billion dollars for construction projects on behalf of owners, contractors, energy, and infrastructure clients. He has advised clients during the development and negotiation phase and works closely with project participants to develop detailed evaluations of scope, bidding, and schedule issues. His vast experience includes projects involving major urban developments, light rail, transportation, breweries, selective catalytic reduction systems, flue gas desulfurization systems, nuclear facilities, heat recovery steam generators, alternative energy projects, sewage treatment facilities, steam and gas turbines, and other new and emerging technologies. Montgomery regularly mediates, arbitrates, and litigates matters concerning a variety of construction disputes, including performance issues, delays, scope of work issues, and rate disputes. He also utilizes his considerable experience to assist clients in developing project analysis, project controls and risk mitigation strategies.

Montgomery received his J.D. from Harvard Law School and his B.A. in History and Political Science from the University of Colorado.

MILWAUKEE – Foley & Lardner LLP announced that Matthew Krueger has joined the firm’s Government Enforcement Defense & Investigations Practice Group as a partner in its Milwaukee and Washington, D.C. offices. Krueger is a former U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Wisconsin with an extensive background in prosecuting health care fraud and other government enforcement matters, the primary focus of his practice.

As the former chief federal law enforcement official for 28 Wisconsin counties, Krueger supervised all criminal and civil litigation involving the United States in that district. Under his leadership, the office successfully prosecuted high-profile cases involving national security, cybercrime, public corruption, health care fraud, financial crime, PPP fraud and other offenses. As U.S. Attorney, Krueger formed a dedicated health care fraud unit and increased its focus on data analytics, leading to a rise in enforcement matters. Krueger also led efforts with the FBI to advise businesses on how to mitigate the risk of and respond to cyber intrusions.

Krueger previously worked as an Assistant U.S. Attorney in the same district in both the criminal and civil divisions. While in the criminal division, he prosecuted cases from investigation through trial and appeal involving health care fraud, tax offenses, investment fraud and government program fraud. Krueger handled multiple jury trials, argued numerous appeals in the Seventh Circuit, and led the investigation and prosecution of a $9 million green energy investment fraud. While in the civil division, he handled the investigation and litigation of various False Claims Act matters.

Prior to his time with the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Krueger was a litigation and appellate associate at Sidley Austin LLP in Washington, D.C.