“Thomas Pinder will become the general counsel of the American Bankers Association, the trade group announced Thursday,” reports Brendan Pedersen in American Banker’s Career Moves.
“Pinder, who has worked at the ABA since 2012 and has been deputy counsel since 2017, will succeed Dawn Causey, who has been general counsel since 2003. Causey will retire this month, the ABA said in a press release.”
“California’s new privacy agency means a fresh set of regulatory headaches for tech companies and other businesses operating in California that are already grappling with the state’s landmark 2018 law,” reports Jake Holland in Bloomberg Law’s Privacy & Data Security Law News.
“The new regulator was established with the passage of the Proposition 24 ballot measure on Tuesday to police California’s broad data privacy laws. Companies need to be more diligent about their data retention and sharing practices or risk hefty fines of as much as $2,500 per violation or $7,500 per intentional violation.”
“‘The law is chock full of new things,’ said Kristen Mathews, a privacy and data security partner at Morrison & Foerster LLP in New York. ‘Most of the provisions require extra compliance, and it’s a big lift for businesses.'”
Assistant Chief Mark Begley was awarded a $1.84 million lawsuit settlement against the County of Kaua‘i and Kaua‘i Police Department, reports Jason Blasco in The Garden Island.
“Begley was put on paid administrative leave in March 2012 when he filed a stress-based worker’s compensation claim, citing a hostile work environment. He was reinstated in June 2019.”
“In 2016, Begley initiated a federal lawsuit against the county, KPD and several senior officers, claiming that the now-retired KPD Chief Darryl Perry and his successor, former Acting Chief Michael Contrades, harassed and retaliated against him for reporting allegations that another assistant chief acted inappropriately toward a subordinate female officer.”
“Johnson & Johnson has been defending against claims its talc-based powders cause cancers for years, and, with a new ruling against the drugmaker in Missouri, it’s preparing to challenge a massive verdict at the U.S. Supreme Court,” reports Eric Sagonowsky in Fierce Pharma.
“After a Missouri appeals court this summer lowered a 2018 talc verdict against the drugmaker to $2.11 billion, J&J pledged to appeal to the state’s Supreme Court. That court has now refused to take up the appeal—and J&J says it’ll take its case higher.”
“But it’s far from certain to get a hearing at the U.S. Supreme Court, either. Of the 7,000 cases it’s asked to review each year, the high court takes up 100 to 150 of them, according to U.S. government figures.”
Greensfelder, Hemker & Gale, P.C., is pleased to announce that the firm has been highly ranked nationally and in St. Louis and Chicago in the 2021 edition of the U.S News – Best Lawyers “Best Law Firms.” The firm received the highest possible ranking – in Tier 1 – for Franchise Law and garnered other high national rankings for multiple practice areas.
“We are honored that Greensfelder has again been highly ranked nationally and in St. Louis and Chicago in the industry-leading U.S News – Best Lawyers ‘Best Law Firms’ guide,” said Greensfelder President and Chief Executive Officer Kevin T. McLaughlin. “We are very proud of our outstanding lawyers and staff who contribute each day to the successes of our clients across the full spectrum of legal and business service needs.”
In addition to Franchise Law, Greensfelder was ranked nationally for the following practice areas:
• Advertising Law
• Appellate Practice
• Health Care Law
• Litigation – Construction
• Litigation – ERISA
The firm was ranked in Tier 1 for the St. Louis metropolitan area for the following practice areas:
• Advertising Law
• Appellate Practice
• Commercial Litigation
• Construction Law
• Corporate Law
• Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law
• Employment Law – Management
• Franchise Law
• Health Care Law
• Labor Law – Management
• Litigation – Construction
• Litigation – Insurance
• Litigation – Labor & Employment
• Mergers & Acquisitions Law
• Real Estate Law
• Tax Law
• Trusts & Estates Law
The firm also was highly ranked in St. Louis for the following practice areas:
• Business Organizations (including LLCs and Partnerships)
• Copyright Law
• Criminal Defense: White-Collar
• Government Relations Practice
• Litigation – ERISA
• Medical Malpractice Law – Defendants
• Nonprofit / Charities Law
• Patent Law
• Personal Injury Litigation – Defendants
• Securities / Capital Markets Law
For the Chicago metropolitan area, Greensfelder was ranked in Tier 1 for Franchise Law and was highly ranked for Criminal Defense-White Collar.
Produced by The Best Lawyers in America® and U.S. News & World Report, the annual “Best Law Firms” ranks law firms based on a rigorous evaluation process that includes the collection of client and lawyer evaluations, peer reviews from leading attorneys in the field, and review of additional information provided by law firms as part of the formal submission process. To be eligible for a 2021 ranking, a law firm must have at least one lawyer recognized in the 26th edition of The Best Lawyers in America list for that particular location and specialty. The 2021 rankings incorporate 8.3 million evaluations of more than 110,000 leading lawyers from more than 22,000 firms. The rankings cover 75 national practice areas and 127 metropolitan practice areas. The rankings can be seen by visiting bestlawfirms.usnews.com.
Greensfelder, Hemker & Gale, P.C., founded in 1895, is a full-service law firm with offices in St. Louis, Chicago and Southern Illinois. Greensfelder offers comprehensive legal solutions for clients locally, nationally and internationally. Areas of practice include business services; communications and media; construction; educational, religious and tax-exempt organizations; employee benefits; employment and labor; energy; franchising and distribution; health care; intellectual property; litigation; real estate; securities and financial services; and trusts and estates. Find out more at www.greensfelder.com.
Houston firm honored for commercial litigation work
HOUSTON – The Houston-based trial firm Bissinger, Oshman & Williams LLP, has earned recognition among the Best Law Firms in the country for 2021 by U.S. News & World Report and The Best Lawyers in America.
The firm was recognized among the top commercial litigation firms based in Houston after extensive client and attorney feedback, practice-specific peer review and editorial evaluation.
The full 2021 Best Law Firms listing can be found at https://bestlawfirms.
Bissinger’s practice focuses on energy and technology, trade secrets and noncompete disputes, corporate fiduciary, executive compensation, banking, real estate litigation, and securities. His practice also includes work as an arbitrator in domestic and international commercial disputes.
Williams is a mechanical engineer whose trial practice focuses on technology, energy trading and marketing, trade secrets and noncompete disputes, corporate fiduciary, securities, and construction litigation.
In addition to their Best Lawyers in America selections, Bissinger and Williams were included in the 2020 edition of Texas Super Lawyers. Bissinger also earned recognition in America’s Top 100 High Stakes Litigators in 2019 and 2020.
Dallas-based firm selected among top litigation firms
DALLAS – Dallas-based Lyons & Simmons, LLP has earned recognition among the Best Law Firms in the country for 2021 by U.S. News & World Report and The Best Lawyers in America based upon its trial work.
A prerequisite for selection to the Best Law Firms list is that a firm must have had at least one attorney recognized in The Best Lawyers in America, the oldest and among the most-respected legal guides in the United States.
Firm co-founders Michael Lyons and Chris Simmons were both recognized in the 2021 edition of Best Lawyers based on the strength of their trial practices. Additionally, earlier this year firm attorney Stephen Higdon was selected to Best Lawyers’ “Ones to Watch” listing of the top young litigators in the country.
Lyons & Simmons is consistently recognized among the top plaintiff litigation firms in the country based upon its aggressive representation in cases involving life-altering personal injury and wrongful death, including selection as the top personal injury firm in Dallas by Texas Lawyer magazine. The firm also has a proven record of outstanding results in high-stakes, high-exposure business disputes. Tenacity, ingenuity and innovation have become hallmarks of the firm, and something that clients have come to expect and peers respect.
Among their notable recent work, Lyons and Simmons were involved in the Pittsburgh County, Oklahoma, Rig 219 disaster, to date, the worst oilfield incident in Oklahoma history. The case drew the attention of the U.S. Chemical Safety Board, and their work on the case helped bring further attention to dangerous industry practices involving well control management and monitoring.
The 2021 Best Law Firms listing is just the latest honor for the firm and its attorneys, who also have earned recognition from Texas Super Lawyers, Lawdragon 500 Leading Plaintiff Consumer Lawyers, D Magazine, the National Law Journal, Texas Lawyer, and The National Trial Lawyers. Additionally, Lyons is a member of the Million Dollar and Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forums, as well as a member of America’s Top 100 High Stakes Litigators.
About Lyons & Simmons LLP
Dallas-based Lyons & Simmons, LLP is a trial boutique representing clients in wrongful death, personal injury, products liability and complex “bet-the-company” business litigation matters across the country. To learn more, visit http://www.Lyons-
Firm named among top firms for commercial litigation, appellate work
DALLAS – Dallas-based litigation boutique Bailey Brauer PLLC has earned recognition among the nation’s Best Law Firms for 2021 by U.S. News & World Report and The Best Lawyers in America.
The firm was recognized based upon its commercial litigation and appellate work. The attorneys of Bailey Brauer regularly represent clients in complex tort and commercial cases in federal and state courts across the country.
Best Law Firms selection is based upon extensive client and attorney evaluations, followed by peer and editorial reviews. The full 2021 listing of Best Law Firms can be found at https://bestlawfirms.usnews.com. To be eligible for consideration, a firm must have a lawyer listed individually in the annual Best Lawyers in America guide.
Firm co-founders Clayton Bailey and Alex Brauer were each recognized in the recently published 2021 edition. Mr. Bailey was honored for his commercial litigation and appellate work, and Mr. Brauer for commercial litigation.
Additionally this year, firm attorney Adam Bell was selected to the inaugural edition of Ones to Watch, Best Lawyers’ guide to the top young attorneys in the country.
That approach has led to multiple professional honors. In addition to the Best Law Firms and Best Lawyers in America recognition, the firm and its attorneys have been honored by Benchmark Litigation, Chambers USA, BTI Consulting Group, the National Law Journal, Texas Super Lawyers and D Magazine.
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (Nov. 5, 2020) – Bradley Arant Boult Cummings LLP is pleased to announce that the 2021 edition of U.S. News – Best Lawyers “Best Law Firms” has awarded the firm Tier 1 national rankings for the practice areas of Commercial Litigation, Construction Law, Litigation – Construction, and Mass Tort Litigation/Class Actions – Defendants. In addition, Bradley earned Tier 1 metropolitan rankings across 69 practice areas and in all 10 of its offices.
“We are very proud that Bradley is once again recognized so highly by ‘Best Law Firms’ in such a diverse range of practice areas,” said Bradley Chairman of the Board and Managing Partner Jonathan M. Skeeters. “These rankings signify the knowledge and experience of our attorneys and their unwavering commitment to our clients’ success.”
The Best Lawyers in America® and U.S. News & World Report ranked law firm practice areas nationally and across more than 180 metropolitan areas for the 2021 edition of “Best Law Firms.” Rankings are based on client evaluations, peer reviews from leading attorneys, and review of additional information provided by law firms as part of the formal submission process. To be eligible for a national or metropolitan ranking, a law firm practice area must have at least one lawyer in that practice ranked as a “Best Lawyer.”
The complete list of the firm’s Tier 1 metropolitan rankings, organized by market/office, is provided below:
Birmingham
• Antitrust Law
• Appellate Practice
• Arbitration
• Banking and Finance Law
• Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law
• Bet-the-Company Litigation
• Business Organizations (including LLCs and Partnerships)
• Closely Held Companies and Family Businesses Law
• Commercial Litigation
• Construction Law
• Copyright Law
• Corporate Compliance Law
• Corporate Governance Law
• Corporate Law
• Criminal Defense: White-Collar
• Economic Development Law
• Education Law
• Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law
• Employment Law – Management
• Energy Law
• Environmental Law
• Financial Services Regulation Law
• Franchise Law
• Health Care Law
• Insurance Law
• Labor Law – Management
• Land Use & Zoning Law
• Leveraged Buyouts and Private Equity Law
• Litigation – Antitrust
• Litigation – Banking & Finance
• Litigation – Bankruptcy
• Litigation – Construction
• Litigation – Environmental
• Litigation – ERISA
• Litigation – Health Care
• Litigation – Insurance
• Litigation – Intellectual Property
• Litigation – Labor & Employment
• Litigation – Land Use & Zoning
• Litigation – Real Estate
• Litigation – Securities
• Litigation – Tax
• Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions – Defendants
• Mergers & Acquisitions Law
• Mortgage Banking Foreclosure Law
• Municipal Law
• Non-Profit / Charities Law
• Personal Injury Litigation – Defendants
• Product Liability Litigation – Defendants
• Professional Malpractice Law – Defendants
• Project Finance Law
• Public Finance Law
• Real Estate Law
• Securities / Capital Markets Law
• Tax Law
• Trademark Law
• Trusts & Estates Law
• Water Law
Charlotte, N.C.
• Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law
• Commercial Litigation
• Construction Law
• First Amendment Law
• Health Care Law
• Litigation – Bankruptcy
Dallas
• Commercial Litigation
• Litigation – Patent
Houston
• Construction Law
• Litigation – Construction
Huntsville, Ala.
• Appellate Practice
• Commercial Litigation
• Corporate Law
• Litigation – First Amendment
• Litigation – Intellectual Property
• Litigation – Patent
• Mediation
• Medical Malpractice Law – Defendants
• Patent Law
• Personal Injury Litigation – Defendants
• Real Estate Law
• Tax Law
• Trusts & Estates Law
Jackson, Miss.
• Appellate Practice
• Bet-the-Company Litigation
• Commercial Litigation
• Construction Law
• Corporate Law
• Land Use & Zoning Law
• Litigation – Banking & Finance
• Litigation – Construction
• Litigation – Environmental
• Litigation – Insurance
• Litigation – Intellectual Property
• Litigation – Labor & Employment
• Litigation – Real Estate
• Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions – Defendants
• Personal Injury Litigation – Defendants
• Product Liability Litigation – Defendants
• Real Estate Law
Montgomery, Ala.
• Bet-the-Company Litigation
• Commercial Litigation
• Employment Law – Management
• Litigation – Insurance
• Litigation – Labor & Employment
• Mass Tort Litigation / Class Action – Defendants
• Personal Injury Litigation – Defendants
• Product Liability Litigation – Defendants
• Public Finance Law
• Tax Law
Nashville, Tenn.
• Arbitration
• Banking and Finance Law
• Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law
• Bet-the-Company Litigation
• Business Organizations (including LLCs and Partnerships)
• Commercial Litigation
• Construction Law
• Corporate Governance Law
• Corporate Law
• Economic Development Law
• Eminent Domain and Condemnation Law
• Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law
• Employment Law – Management
• Energy Law
• Entertainment Law – Motion Pictures & Television
• Entertainment Law – Music
• Government Relations Practice
• Health Care Law
• Insurance Law
• Labor Law – Management
• Land Use & Zoning Law
• Litigation – Banking & Finance
• Litigation – Bankruptcy
• Litigation – Construction
• Litigation – Health Care
• Litigation – Intellectual Property
• Litigation – Labor & Employment
• Litigation – Patent
• Litigation – Tax
• Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions – Defendants
• Media Law
• Mediation
• Mergers & Acquisitions Law
• Municipal Law
• Patent Law
• Product Liability Litigation – Defendants
• Public Finance Law
• Real Estate Law
• Tax Law
• Trusts & Estates Law
Tampa, Fla.
• Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law
• Commercial Litigation
• Criminal Defense: White-Collar
• Employment Law – Management
• Litigation – Bankruptcy
Washington, D.C.
• Construction Law
• Criminal Defense: White-Collar
• Litigation – Construction
• Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions – Defendants
• Product Liability Litigation – Defendants
About Bradley
Bradley combines skilled legal counsel with exceptional client service and unwavering integrity to assist a diverse range of corporate and individual clients in achieving their business goals. With offices in Alabama, Florida, Mississippi, North Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, and the District of Columbia, the firm’s nearly 550 lawyers represent regional, national and international clients in various industries, including banking and financial services, construction, energy, healthcare, life sciences, manufacturing, real estate, and technology, among many others.
Ball Janik LLP, a business law firm with offices in Florida and Oregon, is pleased to announce the launch of its Affordable Housing and Community Development Practice, which is expected to gain momentum during the COVID-19 pandemic and after.
“We are heading to a place where clients and the marketplace are going to demand real changes in the way housing is delivered ,” said Damien R. Hall, the firm’s chair of the Affordable Housing and Community Development Group who also chairs the firm’s Land Use and Real Estate Groups. “We have served in the affordable housing industry for a long time and have sponsored various affordable housing developers and operators, volunteered as board members for community development corporations, local housing authorities and more. As we strategically and thoughtfully expand our legal services, the addition of our Affordable Housing practice is a natural fit.”
From all aspects of acquisition, disposition, financing, development, construction, and operation, Ball Janik represents affordable housing developers in the public, private and non-profit space. The firm’s deep experience in real estate, land use, public-private partnerships, finance, construction, insurance recovery, and construction defect litigation, allows attorneys to assist clients with their asset development and management objectives in ways that are practical, streamlined, and tailored to their business needs.
Overcoming discovery challenges presented by Slack, Teams and other communication apps
During this pandemic, there’s a high probability you’ve expanded the usage (and potentially the number) of workplace tools that allow you to collaborate with other team members. As a result, new new pre-litigation discovery risks are rapidly growing.
Download this white paper and learn:
“NYU President Andrew Hamilton today announced the appointment of Aisha Oliver-Staley, Chief Ethics and Compliance Officer and Deputy General Counsel at the Georgia Institute of Technology, as NYU’s General Counsel and University Secretary. She will join NYU’s leadership team January 2021,” reports NYU in News, Publications, and Facts.
“Aisha Oliver-Staley has been with Georgia Tech’s counsel’s office since 2011 in positions of expanding responsibility, including a period as their interim general counsel. During her tenure there, she was deeply involved in international projects, compliance and ethics, facilities development, fundraising, export controls, investigations, and personnel matters, to name just a few areas of experience. Prior to coming to Georgia Tech, she was an associate at McKenna, Long & Aldridge LLP in Atlanta, where she worked on general corporate matters for both non-profit and for-profit organizations, as well as municipal finance matters.”
“Two Las Vegas residents made their initial court appearances in U.S. District Court on Friday for charges in connection with a multimillion dollar investment fraud scheme,” reports the U.S. Attorney’s Office District of Nevada.
“A federal grand jury returned a 14 count indictment on Tuesday, charging John Frank Thomas III, 75, and Thomas Joseph Becker, 72, both of Las Vegas, with one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and 13 counts of wire fraud.”
“According to allegations in the indictment, from September 2010 to August 2019, Thomas and Becker maintained — and advertised to investors as supposed investment funds — the following entities: Sports Psychometrics; Vegas Basketball Club; Vegas Football Club; Einstein Sports Advisory; Quantum Sports Advisory; Wellington Sports Club; and Welscorp, Inc. Thomas and Becker made false representations to investors that they would use their sports betting skills and strategy to make sports bets with the investors’ money.”
“The owners of the Scandies Rose have reached a settlement of more than $9 million with two surviving crew and the families of four men who died when the Washington-managed crab boat went down Dec. 31 off Alaska,” reports Hal Bernton in The Seattle Times.
“The agreement was confirmed by Michael Barcott, an attorney representing the Washington and Alaska owners, who said the settlement will be funded by insurance.”
“The agreement will be subject to review in state Superior Court, and how the money will be divided up among survivors and families of the deceased is under discussion, according to Markham.”
“… a jury in Tyler, Texas, ordered Apple to pay $502.8 million in royalties for infringing on VirnetX’s patented virtual private network (VPN),” was posted on PYMNTS.com’s Apple.
“The original lawsuit, filed Aug. 11, 2010, alleged that Apple’s FaceTime and VPN On Demand features were using its patented technology. Over the years, VirnetX won various monetary awards, all of which were appealed by Apple, the report stated.”
“Initially, Nevada-based VirnetX was asking for about $700 million in royalties. Apple, however, was looking to pay no more than $113 million, the report stated.”
Letitia Quinones understands and takes seriously the level of trust and responsibility required when another lawyer refers a case to her firm. The same when a lead lawyer invites her to join the team representing a corporation or individual against the great weight of government prosecution.
When her client, Arkema Inc., and its CEO Richard Rowe, beat back a misguided criminal prosecution arising out of the mayhem of Hurricane Harvey, teamwork, passion and courtroom acumen made all the difference. As in The State of Texas v. Arkema, Inc., Ms. Quinones has deep experience working closely, in the glare of publicity, with legal colleagues in either a support role or as lead trial lawyer.
Letitia Quinones has practiced criminal law for more than 20 years. Her presence before a jury – her ability to connect with jurors, help them follow the narrative of a defense and to accept the defense theory of the case – sets her apart from her peers.
Ms. Quinones is board-certified in criminal defense by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization and has been recognized by Best Lawyers in America and the American Academy of Trial Attorneys. She is deeply committed to her community and believes attorneys have a responsibility to make positive contributions in all walks of life.
She brings unique perspective and diversity in training, perspective and life experience. Long ago, she embraced the need to outwork others with grit and determination and believes, in the practice of law, this is an asset. Finally, she has never lost touch with the experience of the everyday men and women who populate our juries.
To speak to Ms. Quinones or learn more about her and her practice, call 713-481-7420 or Letitia@Quinonesandassociates.com.
PHILADELPHIA, CHICAGO and PALO ALTO, California, November 3, 2020—The Duane Morris Women’s Impact Network for Success (WINS) has honored three attorneys for their efforts to advance women in the legal profession. Manita Rawat, managing partner of the firm’s Silicon Valley office, and Chicago partner Lisa T. Scruggs received the Cheryl Bryson Leadership Award. Philadelphia partner Linda B. Hollinshead received the Margery Reed Professional Excellence Award. Rawat, Scruggs and Hollinshead received the awards at Duane Morris’ virtual annual firmwide meeting.
The Cheryl Bryson Leadership Award recognizes significant contributions, including professional development, leadership and mentoring, made by a lawyer to women in the legal profession. The award is named in honor of the late Cheryl Blackwell Bryson, a Duane Morris partner in Chicago who died in January 2012 after a long battle with cancer. Bryson was a leader in many significant civic and community causes, and she was repeatedly honored throughout her career as a major pioneer, both as a female lawyer and as a lawyer of color.
Likewise, Reed spent her entire professional career as an attorney at Duane Morris, including 24 years as a partner of the firm. As demonstrated by her numerous awards, including her admission as a fellow in the prestigious American College of Bankruptcy, Reed was repeatedly recognized as one of the best commercial bankruptcy lawyers in the country. A consummate partner, Reed was incomparably selfless in giving of her time and talents to assist her colleagues and mentor junior lawyers. She was a true professional in every sense, and her unwavering commitment to her clients and colleagues, the firm and the profession of law is the reason this award for professional excellence is given in her name.
Despite her extremely busy schedule, Rawat was chosen for going out of her way to work with young female lawyers and serve as a mentor to them in terms of “work product, marketing and what it means to be a good firm citizen.” She is committed to having open and honest discussions with young attorneys related to practice and personal issues.
Rawat is the managing partner of the firm’s Silicon Valley office and a member of the firm’s Intellectual Property Practice Group. She counsels clients on a variety of issues related to intellectual property, working primarily with software, mechanical and aerospace technologies. Rawat also has significant experience with patent office post grant proceedings (including inter-partes review and reexamination). She also has substantial experience in supporting intellectual property issues related to corporate deals, such as mergers and acquisitions and investment funding. Rawat also assists clients in patent licensing and transactional matters, including structuring, negotiating and drafting agreements. She has significant experience with providing technical support on patent litigation matters at various stages of a case as well. In 2020, Rawat was honored with a Women of Influence Award from Silicon Valley Business Journal. She is a member of the firm’s governing Partners Board and serves on the firm’s Diversity and Inclusion Committee.
Scruggs was chosen for her dedication to mentoring young female attorneys. “In a profession that can often be dominated by competitiveness and egos, she goes out of her way to provide kind leadership.”
A core member of the Education Industry group at Duane Morris, Scruggs provides litigation and counseling services for education and school reform organizations, including individual charter and private schools, early childhood centers, charter school networks, charter and education management organizations, school districts and other education nonprofit and for-profit organizations and service providers. She has handled a wide range of litigation, regulatory and policy matters for clients relating to new school development, teacher evaluation, credentialing and certification reforms, public/private education ventures, virtual education/remote learning, school finance and parent and student civil rights. Scruggs has been recognized by Crain’s Chicago Business on its listing of Notable Minorities in Law (2019) and as an Illinois Super Lawyer (Business Litigation and Education Law) for eight years running. She was awarded the firm’s Pro Bono Leadership Award for her work handling a legal challenge to the school funding system in Illinois and is a Pahara-Aspen Education Fellow, joining a cohort of leaders who are “reimagining America’s public schools.”
Although employment issues surrounding COVID-19 have left Linda B. Hollinshead incredibly busy, she is still taking the time to support her colleagues during these unexpected times. She was chosen for the “advice, resources and humor she has contributed to fellow parents these past few months while coping with the new normal.”
Hollinshead practices in the area of employment law. She provides training and counseling to employers throughout the country on a variety of subjects, including monitoring employee attendance, FMLA compliance, medical and religious accommodations, leaves of absence policies, harassment and discrimination prevention, responding to harassment and discrimination claims, FLSA and wage and hour compliance, including employee misclassification, diversity and inclusion, termination of employees, hiring practices, performance appraisals and performance management. Hollinshead also advises public accommodations as well as recipients of federal financial assistance on program accessibility and other compliance obligations. She advises clients in numerous industries, including colleges and universities, manufacturing and retail companies, hospitals and other healthcare organizations, technology companies, financial services organizations, energy companies and not-for-profit entities. Hollinshead is also a member of the firm’s Cannabis Industry Group. She also assists employers by drafting employees policies and handbooks, confidentiality and restrictive covenant agreements, employment agreements, termination and severance agreements as well as independent contractor agreements. Hollinshead is a member of the firm’s COVID-19 Strategy Team.
About the Duane Morris Women’s Impact Network for Success
WINS is devoted to the success of the firm’s women attorneys. Through various programs, it exchanges ideas, fosters and expands business contacts and opportunities, and enhances attorney development to fully realize the talent, knowledge and potential of Duane Morris’ women attorneys.
PHILADELPHIA and NEW YORK, November 3, 2020—Duane Morris LLP associate Leah Mintz of the Philadelphia office and partner Michael D. Schwamm of the New York office were honored at the firm’s virtual annual meeting for their pro bono contributions. Mintz received the 14th annual Duane Morris Pro Bono Award and Schwamm was the recipient of the sixth annual Duane Morris Pro Bono Leadership Award.
The Duane Morris Pro Bono Award honors the outstanding service of an attorney who exemplifies Duane Morris’ commitment to pro bono service and has made a significant impact on an individual or community.
Mintz collaborated with Philadelphia Lawyers for Social Equity (PLSE) for several years to perform constitutional analyses of Pennsylvania’s pardon requirements and procedure, which PLSE used to advocate for streamlining and modernizing the Commonwealth’s pardon process. More than 200,000 criminal cases are initiated in Pennsylvania every year, yet before 2020, the Pardon Board decided only approximately 200 pardons annually. The backlog created significant barriers to employment, credit, housing, and education, as well as numerous other collateral consequences such as volunteering, taking care of grandchildren and more for Pennsylvania residents. Relying on Duane Morris and Mintz’s analysis, in spring 2020, the Pardon Board adopted a consent style agenda for pardon applications to which no member objects, which was used in September to recommend over 60 pardon candidates to the Governor in a single vote, among other modernization efforts that already are helping to expand access to this essential element of justice. As of September 21, 2020, the Pardon Board heard 326 applications at public hearings and was on pace to exceed 500—the most, by far, in its 170 year history.
Mintz focuses on appellate litigation, white-collar criminal defense and complex commercial litigation. As a member of Duane Morris’ appellate practice, she has briefed appeals before the United States Courts of Appeals for the Third and Sixth Circuits, as well as before all three Pennsylvania appellate courts. Mintz has also served as appellate counsel for litigators in preparation for and during trials in various state courts. In addition to her appellate practice, she has represented clients in federal court in connection with fraud, breach of contract and civil RICO claims, as well as other complex litigation. Mintz additionally has handled prisoner civil rights actions pro bono we well as representing immigrants and health care providers.
In honor of Mintz’s work, Duane Morris will make a $2,500 to HIAS Pennsylvania and a $2,500 to PLSE.
Mintz is a graduate of the University of Michigan Law School (J.D., cum laude, 2015), where she was contributing editor of the Michigan Law Review, and a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania (B.A., magna cum laude, 2011).
The Duane Morris Pro Bono Leadership Award recognizes an attorney who exemplifies the spirit of pro bono: a selfless, long-standing and unwavering commitment to pro bono service; a leader by example who accepts pro bono matters without fanfare; and a pro bono contributor who encourages and mentors other firm attorneys in pro bono service. Michael D. Schwamm leads by example, recruiting associates and partners alike to get involved in their communities. He has served on the firmwide Pro Bono Committee since 2008, helping transform and grow Duane Morris’ program. Schwamm has been praised by his pro bono clients – the Lawyers Alliance for New York commended Schwamm, stating precious few lawyers have his level of commitment to bettering the community and championing pro bono service at every opportunity. Outward Bound Center for Peacebuilding previously honored Schwamm’s pro bono assistance a as a steadfast ally and trusted counselor.
Schwamm practices in the areas of mergers and acquisitions, securities and technology law and provides general corporate counseling. He represents companies of all sizes, including startups and venture-backed companies, privately held family businesses and both large and small public companies in all aspects of their business affairs. Schwamm also provides services to venture capital and private equity funds, angel and other institutional investors. An increasing focus of his practice is assisting single family offices in structuring their direct business acquisitions—he co-leads the firm’s initiative in this area. Schwamm has worked on a wide variety of transactions, including mergers, acquisitions, public offerings, private placements, joint ventures and licensing arrangements involving a number of industries, such as cannabis, big data, business services, consumer/retail, technology including fintech, entertainment, healthcare services, manufacturing, sports and telecommunication.
Schwamm is a graduate of Georgetown University Law Center (J.D., magna cum laude, 1983), where he was editor of the Journal of Law and Policy in International Business, and a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania (B.A., cum laude, 1980).
About the Duane Morris Pro Bono Program
The goal of Duane Morris’ pro bono program is to provide free legal services to those in our communities least able to afford legal services, and usually to those who have a dire need of such services. The importance of pro bono work and volunteerism has been an integral part of Duane Morris’ culture and the backbone of our value system since the firm’s founding more than 110 years ago.
Littler, the world’s largest employment and labor law practice representing management, is pleased to announce that Abdón Pedrajas, a leading labor and employment law firm in Spain, is joining its global platform. The move into Spain marks the tenth European country Littler has expanded into – alongside continued growth in North America, South America and Asia – and gives the firm a presence in Western Europe’s five largest economies.
Since establishing its first foothold in Europe in October 2015 with a move into Germany, Littler has expanded across Europe through a strategy that includes combining with top labor and employment law firms in the world’s business centers. The addition of Abdón Pedrajas follows Littler’s moves into Poland and Austria in 2020, as well as the opening of its first Asia office in Singapore in late 2019. Littler now has more than 1,500 attorneys across 23 countries.
Having recently celebrated its 50th anniversary, Abdón Pedrajas is comprised of 39 attorneys and has offices in Madrid and Barcelona. The firm counsels clients on a wide range of labor and employment issues, including corporate restructuring, collective bargaining, pension plans, social security issues, labor audits, M&A due diligence, discrimination and equality, and data protection. Abdón Pedrajas also has deep experience in finance and tax law, advising clients on workforce-related taxation issues.
Pedrajas has nearly two decades of experience advising national and multinational companies in labor relations and employment matters, including collective bargaining negotiations with trade unions and works councils, collective agreements, employee terminations and reductions-in-force, and modification of working conditions. In addition to Pedrajas, the nine attorneys that make up the firm’s partnership include well-known global lawyer Sonia Cortés, who advises clients on collective redundancies and agreements and on setting up business operations in Spain; Iván López García de la Riva, known for his litigation skills and work in collective claims related to outsourcing agreements and changes in employment terms; and Inés Molero Navarrois, a litigator highly regarded for her work in contentious employment matters.
Abdón Pedrajas and its attorneys have been recognized as leaders in labor and employment law by such international ranking organizations as Chambers & Partners and Legal 500. The firm represents clients in a variety of industries, including banking and finance, energy, food distribution, fashion, hotels and tourism, insurance, manufacturing, pharmaceutical and medical devices, technology and transportation.
Buchalter is pleased to announce the establishment of the Kaufman Appellate Fellowship Program, named in honor of California Supreme Court Justice Marcus Kaufman, who founded the appellate practice at Buchalter upon his retirement from the bench thirty years ago. The Fellowship provides recent law school graduates with appellate advocacy experience early in their careers and is intended to serve as a launching pad into a judicial clerkship or an appellate career.
The U.S. Solicitor General’s Office and state solicitor generals such as California and Colorado have similar fellowship programs, as do a handful of appellate boutiques across the country. This is the first appellate fellowship at an AmLaw firm.
The first Kaufman Fellow is Lauren Jacobs, a Pepperdine Law School graduate and former extern for Presiding Justice Tricia Bigelow of California’s Second District Court of Appeal, Division Eight.
Jacobs joins another new appellate hire, Joshua Ostrer, a UCLA Law School graduate and former judicial law clerk to the Honorable Patrick DeAlmeida on the New Jersey Superior Court, Appellate Division (New Jersey’s intermediate appellate court) and the Honorable Karen E. Scott, U.S. Magistrate Judge in the U.S. District Court of the Central District of California. Ostrer joined the firm earlier this fall.
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About the Fellowship:
Kaufman Appellate Fellowship Program
The Kaufman Appellate Fellowship, named in honor of the founder of Buchalter’s appellate practice, former California Supreme Court Justice Marcus Kaufman, provides one or two year fellowships for recent law school graduates with a high level of academic success and an interest in appellate advocacy.
Fellows may come directly following graduation from law school or after completion of a judicial clerkship.
Fellows perform legal research, assist with the drafting of legal arguments, help prepare attorneys for oral argument before the California courts of appeal, California Supreme Court, and Ninth Circuit, work on articles and other projects, and perform cite-checking of briefs and motions.
The firm may extend an offer to a select number of Fellows to join the firm as associates once they have completed their tenure and secured commitments for post-Fellowship clerkships with a state or federal appellate judge.