“Roger-Mark De Souza is Pact’s Vice President for Sustainable Markets. Over his more than 20-year career, De Souza has built social, economic, health and environmental justice and resilience programs, teams and movements across the world to encourage local ownership and empowerment. David,” reports CSR Wire in their blog.

“Bonnardeaux is the Director of Pact’s Environment practice. A seasoned environment and natural resource management practitioner, Bonnardeaux has more than 15 years of experience living and working across the globe, from Malawi, Ghana, Ethiopia and Zimbabwe, to Vietnam, Myanmar, Thailand, Mexico and Peru.  Cristina Villegas.”

Read the article.

“This is an uncertain time for Big Law practices that piled into the SPAC craze in the past two years. Special purpose acquisition companies, which are alternatives to initial public offerings for presenting share sales, became so popular after years in financial obscurity that regulators are now scrutinizing them,” reports Roy Strom in Bloomberg Law.

“The Securities and Exchange Commission last week proposed new rules that could put law firms, investment banks and other advisers on the hook for the lofty projections SPACs have used that aren’t allowed for traditional IPOs. Citibank will pause new SPAC IPOs, Bloomberg News reported this week, citing uncertainty around legal liability.”

Read the article.

“Foster Garvey, PC announced that Principal Dan Keppler has been promoted to General Counsel following the retirement of Cinda Fernald, an industry veteran who has spent close to four decades with the firm and held the position for nearly 14 years. Keppler, who is based in the firm’s Portland office,” reports PR Newswire in their blog.

“Associate General Counsel alongside Fernald since fall 2021, has more than 25 years of experience in securities litigation, legal malpractice defense and complex business litigation. In addition, he has regularly counseled professional and institutional clients on risk management issues, particularly involving securities liability.”

Read the article.

“The Oregon Health Authority has agreed to a record settlement of nearly $23 million in a long-running lawsuit filed by FamilyCare, Inc., a former Medicaid insurer. The suit alleged the health authority used bad data which resulted in the agency underpaying FamilyCare. The company insured about,” reports Lynne Terry in Oregon Capital Chronicle.

“In 2017, FamilyCare sued the health authority in Marion County Circuit Court, its second suit against the agency. The case was transferred to the U.S. District Court in Eugene in 2018. It was due to go to trial next month. FamilyCare’s latest amended complaint sought $125 million in damages. Robb Cowie, lead spokesman for the.”

Read the article.

“BlackBerry Ltd. says it has reached a deal to settle a drawn-out class action lawsuit alleging the company defrauded shareholders by making misleading claims about its BlackBerry 10 smartphones. Under the agreement in principle, the Waterloo, Ont., software company says it would pay $165 million to settle,” reports Global News in their blog.

“BlackBerry says it believes the allegations in the case are without merit but says the settlement would eliminate the distraction, expense and risk of continued litigation. It alleged that the company made a series of materially false and misleading statements and omissions concerning its now discontinued BlackBerry 10 smartphones that inflated.”

Read the article.

“The noise in the sustainability space has gradually grown louder over the past few years, most often via forward-looking aspiration: bold commitments, proclamations of renewed corporate purpose, even a (nominal) redefinition of the corporation’s role in society,” reports Grant Harrison in the GreenBiz.

“But the past month marks the “suddenly” turning point. First, the SEC’s proposed rule on climate disclosure and, late last week, the International Sustainability Standards Board’s (ISSB) — the group chartered with creating a unified set of disclosure standards to meet investors’ need for sustainability information — delivery of proposals that create a comprehensive global baseline of corporate sustainability disclosures.”

Read the article.

Contract Logix, a leading provider of data-driven contract management software, was awarded “Highest User Adoption” within G2’s Spring 2022 Mid-Market Contract Lifecycle Management Implementation Index and “Easiest to Use” within the G2 Spring 2022 Mid-Market Contract Lifecycle Management Usability Index for the second consecutive quarter. The company was also named a “High Performer” in all G2 Spring 2022 Grid ® Reports for Contract Lifecycle Management Software including Enterprise, Mid-Market and Overall for the fifth consecutive quarter. The company was also named a “Momentum Leader” for the first time due to its impressive year-over-year growth.

G2 rates products and sellers based on reviews gathered from its user community, as well as data aggregated from online sources and social networks. Momentum Leader awards go to products that rank in the top 25% of their category’s products by users.

Over the past two years, Contract Logix has seen a triple digit increase in the number of contracts and documents, digital contract requests, completed tasks, and automatic workflows triggered by its customers. This tremendous growth is evidence of high user adoption, its product’s ease of use, and the need and desire for nearly every industry to digitally transform and automate contracting processes. Digital contract transformation helps organizations increase compliance with key regulations like SOX and HIPAA, mitigate the risk of increasingly complex business relationships, and more quickly finalize agreements with suppliers, customers and partners.

A key differentiator and driver behind Contract Logix’s success is the company’s unique and proven customer success model. Every Contract Logix customer is assigned a Customer Success Manager (CSM) to help onboard, set up, and get the most value out of its platform in the fastest time possible. The company’s “Quality of Support” consistently ranks above average on G2.

“It is an honor to continue to be recognized as a CLM leader in G2’s reports because those ratings come from the people who use our software everyday to digitally transform their contracting processes – our valued customers,” said Jim Averill, Vice President of Customer Success, Contract Logix. “Contract Logix has been helping organizations streamline processes for over fifteen years and we will continue to help them accelerate and modernize the way they manage contracts moving forward in today’s increasingly digital and complex world.”

Katten announced today that it has begun moving into its new 125,000-square-foot New York home at 50 Rockefeller Plaza in Midtown Manhattan, coinciding with the return to offices firmwide in a hybrid environment under a new flexible work policy.

“We are excited to have our New York office in this prime location, offering top workplace amenities and exciting new dining and retail that will make physical presence in the office more desirable for Katten team members as well as clients and other visitors,” said Katten CEO Noah S. Heller, who is based in New York.

“Moving to this premier spot is a great way to begin our hybrid work environment as the upgraded space is an improved option where our team can continue delivering superior client service,” Heller said. “Our return-to-work policy is built on trust in our people. They are working incredibly hard. This policy helps us seize a rare chance to redefine ‘normal.’”

The policy, called KattenFlex, allows Katten attorneys and business professionals, working with their practice and department heads, to decide when to work in the office or remotely. This approach applies to all firm employees, including those based in New York as team members there are relocating from the firm’s longtime office at 575 Madison Avenue.

“The move to Rockefeller Center, such a central and dynamic campus, will enhance Katten’s ability to expand in the world’s business capital, helping us continue to retain and attract top talent,” said Chris DiAngelo, managing partner of Katten’s New York office.

The firm plans to formally unveil the Rockefeller office with its many amenities later this year.

Katten signed a long-term lease for the new space in 2019 to occupy five floors in the 16-story building owned by Tishman Speyer and located near the legendary Radio City Music Hall, the storied NBC Studios, the popular Top of the Rock® Observation Deck and the famed Rink at Rockefeller Center.

Built in the 1930s, the newly renovated 50 Rockefeller Plaza is an Art Deco-style structure formerly known as the Associated Press Building that for decades housed that news agency’s headquarters. A distinctive part of the building is the façade’s 10-ton stainless steel sculpture by artist Isamu Noguchi titled “News” and located at the main entrance as a tribute to journalism. As part of its dedicated focus on hospitality, Tishman Speyer commissioned renowned design firm Studio Mellone to redesign the building’s lobby, which was recently completed. Last fall, Radio Park—a new green space on the roof of the building—opened, fulfilling the vision of the original architects.

As a new tenant, all Katten employees have access to ZO., Tishman Speyer’s comprehensive suite of amenities and services, including fitness programming, for tenants in its buildings worldwide.

The New York office move deepens the relationship between Katten and Tishman Speyer, the law firm’s current landlord in Chicago, and soon in Washington, DC, when Katten relocates its office there to 1919 Pennsylvania Avenue.

In leasing the new space, Katten was represented by its Real Estate partners Scott M. Vetri, chair of the New York Real Estate practice, and Andrew L. Jagoda, as well as its New York managing partner Chris DiAngelo and associate Ryan A. Gibbons. John Cefaly, Robert Lowe and Jon Herman of Cushman & Wakefield served as Katten’s real estate broker, and Cushman & Wakefield also provided project management services. J.T. Magen was Katten’s general contractor and Gensler was the design and architecture firm.

Katten is a full-service law firm with approximately 700 attorneys in locations across the United States and in London and Shanghai. Clients seeking sophisticated, high-value legal services turn to Katten for counsel locally, nationally and internationally. The firm’s core areas of practice include corporate, financial markets and funds, insolvency and restructuring, intellectual property, litigation, real estate, structured finance and securitization, transactional tax planning, private credit and private wealth. Katten represents public and private companies in numerous industries, as well as a number of government and nonprofit organizations and individuals.
For more information, visit katten.com.

Global law firm Norton Rose Fulbright is expanding its Minneapolis office with 11 lawyers, including four partners, joining its Commercial Litigation and Products, Pharma, Medical and Mass Tort teams. These lawyers join from Blackwell Burke P.A., a boutique trial law firm recently honored as Benchmark Litigation’s “Minnesota Firm of the Year” for the sixth consecutive year.

Joining Norton Rose Fulbright as partners are Jerry Alcazar, S. Jamal Faleel, Benjamin W. Hulse and Mary S. Young. Of counsel Corey L. Gordon, senior counsel Emily Ambrose, Andy Crowder and Charmaine K. Harris, senior associate Ted Hartman and associates Gene Hummel and Amarachi Ihejirika complete the group.

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

“We have been part of the Minneapolis business community since 1994. Bringing in Jerry, Jamal, Ben and Mary, as well as their team—who regularly represent many of the Fortune 500 and have a client base that is highly complementary to ours—is an ideal match, as our firm has a long history of trial success and litigation excellence.”

Tim Kenny, Norton Rose Fulbright’s Minneapolis Partner-in-Charge, said:

“This dynamic team comes from a firm known for its high-profile litigation achievements and outstanding client service. Having collaborated as co-counsel with some of these lawyers, I have seen firsthand the excellence and professionalism they bring to Norton Rose Fulbright.”

Young, who was trained along with the other members of the 11-lawyer team by celebrated trial advocate Jerry Blackwell, said:

“We are pleased and excited to join Norton Rose Fulbright, where we will continue to provide unmatched service for our clients in the Twin Cities and on a national scale. The firm’s rich history as a leading trial firm and proven commitment to diversity were extremely important to us. We are thrilled that our team is remaining together and can continue to build on the trial work that is the cornerstone of our practice. This is a natural fit for us.”

Blackwell, who is leaving private practice to pursue a career in public service, said:

“This group has been family to me and I will miss them. They have distinguished themselves in the profession by punching above their weight, achieving outstanding results in the cases that matter most across the country as well as in community service, year after year. They excel in both litigation and in trial work, and have the experience to know the difference. I am proud of them and delighted to see them joining such a fine firm, simpatico in the pursuit of excellence in trial work and in the commitment to the community. I wish them and Norton Rose Fulbright all the best.”

Norton Rose Fulbright, which won the “Innovations in Diversity and Inclusion” award at last month’s Legalweek Leaders in Tech Law Awards, is focused on attracting diverse lawyers who are practice and sector leaders. With Alcazar, Faleel and Young, seven of the 10 US lateral partners who have joined the firm in 2022 are diverse in race or gender. In both 2020 and 2021, more than 40 percent of the US lateral partners added were diverse.

About the new partners
Alcazar serves as national litigation and trial counsel for major corporations. His practice includes product liability and high-stakes disputes. His trial and arbitration experience includes representing product manufacturers, food producers, grocery retailers, transportation companies and homebuilders.

Faleel serves as lead trial counsel and a trusted advisor to his clients on their most challenging high-stakes trials, litigation and regulatory matters. He has two decades of experience representing public and private companies across a broad spectrum of industries, including consumer products, healthcare and life sciences. He also serves as corporate counsel for one of the world’s largest consumer goods private label manufacturers, helping his client navigate its dynamic global regulatory and litigation landscape.

Hulse focuses on class action defense, mass tort defense and commercial litigation. He represents leading companies from several different sectors, including medical devices, food, health and fitness, oil and gas as well as banking and insurance. He is an experienced trial lawyer and frequently represents clients on appeal.

Young represents clients in complex matters across a broad range of substantive legal areas, including product liability, consumer fraud class actions, mass torts, and commercial litigation. She serves as national counsel and national coordinating counsel for Fortune 500 companies, defending claims in state and federal courts across the country, including in multidistrict litigation and consolidated proceedings.

Young and Gordon also served pro bono, with Blackwell, as members of the prosecution team that secured the conviction of former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin for the murder of George Floyd. They applied their decades of experience in trying large, civil cases to synthesize complex medical issues in a way that was clear and understandable for the jury.

Buchalter recently added a number of new attorneys to round out its White Collar and Investigations Practice, including the former Acting United States Attorney for the District of Arizona, Anthony Martin, as well as Adam Sechooler and Arielle Seidman. Launched in 2020, Buchalter’s White Collar and Investigations Group has quickly expanded into a robust practice, including over a dozen attorneys across the majority of the Firm’s offices.

“I am thrilled to welcome Anthony, Adam, and Arielle to the Firm,” said President and Chief Executive Officer, Adam Bass. “Anthony is a litigation powerhouse with an impressive government background and is a welcome addition to our Scottsdale office. Adam and Arielle bring extensive experience in high-stakes litigation disputes to Orange County. All three are incredible assets to our White Collar Group.”

Martin, who was also previously the Chief Deputy Attorney General of West Virginia, focuses his practice on government investigations, state attorneys general enforcement actions, and high-stakes, multi-jurisdictional litigation. Drawing on his extensive law enforcement and multi-state litigation background, he has managed civil and criminal litigation and investigations in a range of subject matter throughout his career. Martin’s diverse spectrum of experience dealing with government investigations has regularly received national attention and covered by the Associated Press, Wall Street Journal, New York Times, Reuters, CNN, Fox News, and others.

Sechooler and Seidman join Buchalter in its Orange County office. Sechooler focuses his practice on business litigation, high-stakes disputes, and white-collar defense. Before joining Buchalter, Sechooler practiced at an elite boutique litigation firm and clerked for the Honorable John W. Holcomb in the Central District of California. Seidman, formerly of Cravath, Swaine & Moore, has represented clients in groundbreaking litigation, including the defense of Qualcomm against FTC antitrust claims and pursuing RICO and human trafficking claims against a major multinational religious organization.

These additions follow Sanjay Bhandari’s joining the group this past November, based the firm’s San Diego office. Bhandari, a former federal prosecutor and SEC enforcement attorney, is an experienced civil and criminal trial lawyer, focusing on government investigations, white-collar defense, and intellectual property litigation. He has conducted numerous internal investigations, created and reviewed corporate compliance programs, and defended many individuals and corporations in government investigations and enforcement proceedings.

With the addition of Martin, Buchalter has now added four former federal prosecutors to its ranks. Combining their expertise with the firm’s substantial experience in defending government enforcement cases and other litigation in the financial services and health care industries, Buchalter now features one of the strongest white-collar practices in the western United States.

“Anthony, Adam, and Arielle are exactly the type of stellar talent we wanted to add to the team,” said Joshua Robbins, Co-Chair of the Firm’s White Collar and Investigations Practice. “Our group is putting down roots across the western region, and these attorneys will add tremendous value as we continue our expansion.”

Foley & Lardner LLP announced today that the firm has continued to grow its Salt Lake City office with the addition of R. Whitney “Whit” Johnson as a partner in its Electronics Practice Group. Johnson will bolster Foley’s growing team in Salt Lake City following the addition of the Business Litigation & Dispute Resolution Team in February and Real Estate Partner Melanie Clark in March.

Johnson brings 15 years of high-tech experience to the firm, with a concentration in technology, including computer software and hardware, Internet commerce, cloud computing, the Internet of Things, blockchain, electronics, software as a service, artificial intelligence, electromechanical technologies, automotive safety systems, energy utilization, and smart grid components. Johnson counsels clients on patent-related services, including U.S. and foreign patent procurement, patent portfolio management, and strategic counseling. This work encompasses patent preparation and prosecution, patent opinions, due diligence investigations, audits, and pre-litigation patent analysis.

“Whit’s holistic tech experience enables us to continue our growth in a region that is experiencing rapid growth in innovation,” said Paul Hunter, co-chair of the firm’s Electronics Practice Group. “His deep knowledge of technology and experience representing technology clients will be a boon to Foley’s presence in Salt Lake City.”

“We are excited to add Whit to our Salt Lake team and apply his knowledge as a senior-level patent counselor to expand our client offerings,” said David Wright, managing partner of the firm’s Salt Lake City office. “Whit is not only a strong fit for our team and existing clients, but his complementary practice serves as an attractive resource to prospects seeking a full-service firm.”

In addition to advising clients on developing, protecting, and utilizing intellectual property rights, Johnson counsels clients on intellectual property licensing and other transactions involving intellectual property assets and dispute matters. Johnson also provides non-infringement, invalidity, and freedom-to-operate opinions, performs product clearance analyses and due diligence investigations, and provides guidance regarding designing around patents.

“I’m thrilled to be joining the Foley team as we work to support the rapidly expanding Salt Lake City tech market,” said Johnson. “Foley’s robust platform, unparalleled quality of work, and deep bench of resources are critical elements to help our clients foster innovation and thrive.”

About Foley & Lardner LLP
Foley & Lardner LLP looks beyond the law to focus on the constantly evolving demands facing our clients and their industries. With approximately 1,100 lawyers in 25 offices worldwide, Foley approaches client service by first understanding our clients’ priorities, objectives and challenges. We work hard to understand our clients’ issues and forge long-term relationships with them to help achieve successful outcomes and solve their legal issues through practical business advice and cutting-edge legal insight. Our clients view us as trusted business advisors because we understand that great legal service is only valuable if it is relevant, practical and beneficial to their businesses.

###

Atlanta Office Adds 16 Attorneys to Serve Top School Districts and Colleges throughout the Southeast

ATLANTA, April 4, 2022 – Parker Poe Adams & Bernstein LLP is pleased to announce the continued expansion of its Atlanta office with the addition of 16 education attorneys and five support staff. The team brings decades of experience serving some of the top school districts and colleges in the nation, as well as private, nonprofit and charter K-12 institutions. The team is led by partners Nina Gupta, Suzann Wilcox and Sherry Culves, and includes partners Samantha Lewis, Brandon Moulard and Cheryl Shaw and 10 other, experienced attorneys. The group’s arrival at Parker Poe underscores the firm’s commitment to adding top legal talent in Atlanta and serving clients in the education industry throughout the Southeast.

The complete list of attorneys joining Parker Poe today include:

 Nina Gupta, Partner
 Suzann M. Wilcox, Partner
 Sherry H. Culves, Partner
 Samantha P. Lewis, Partner
 Brandon O. Moulard, Partner
 Cheryl V. Shaw, Partner

 Kathryn L. Ams, Special Counsel
 Emily H. Breece, Counsel
 Laura Lashley, Counsel
 Elizabeth Phrampus, Counsel
 Kathy B. Solley, Special Counsel
 Laurance J. Warco, Counsel

 Ashley A. Akins, Associate
 MaryGrace Bell Kittrell, Associate
 Ralph Culpepper III, Associate
 Jeffrey R. Daniel, Associate

“We are thrilled that these talented lawyers chose our firm,” says Tom Griffin, Parker Poe’s Managing Partner. “They represent so much of what we strive to accomplish – a fierce commitment to their clients and communities, a strong culture of collaboration and teamwork, a passion to contribute more than their legal work, and a welcoming and championing of diverse individuals and perspectives. Their commitment to education is particularly meaningful. As a group they have decades of experience serving public and private K-12 schools, colleges and universities, adding materially to Parker Poe’s leadership in this space. And of course, they are adding to our strong growth in Atlanta, where we are building a multi-faceted and, frankly, fun place to work. I couldn’t be prouder to share that nearly 60 percent of the attorneys in our fastest growing office are women, and 57 percent of our partnership in Atlanta is female. They’re great people and a great addition, and we’re lucky to have them.”

The team joining Parker Poe has long represented some of the largest education entities in the country. Their work involves advising governing boards on decisions regarding effective policy development and compliance. The attorneys also offer a full range of legal services by providing holistic, general counsel services to education entities, including but not limited to trademark of logos, buying and selling property, financing options, privacy issues, procurement, contract review and negotiations, etc. The group also focuses on disability and discrimination law and routinely represents clients in counseling and claims, including matters related to the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, the Americans with Disabilities Act, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, Title IX, the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) and related statutes.

“Each member of our team has a personal connection to the work that we do, and we recognize that K-12 and higher education is not just an industry but a civic good that is critical to a functioning, healthy democracy,” said Gupta. “We take the responsibility seriously and are honored to partner with our clients to ensure the availability of a high-quality education for future generations. Parker Poe’s culture, values and vision for expansion align with our team’s approach. We were immediately attracted to the firm’s core values and commitment to building a diverse and inclusive team. This is mission critical for us, and we are grateful to join like-minded colleagues in this important work.”

Parker Poe Adams & Bernstein LLP has more than 260 lawyers in eight offices in North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia and Washington, D.C. The firm provides legal counsel to many of the largest companies and local governments in the Southeast. Parker Poe is a member of two leading international legal networks: TerraLex and the Employment Law Alliance, both of which have chosen Parker Poe to help guide clients through the challenges of global business.

###

Greensfelder, Hemker & Gale, P.C. is pleased to announce that David A. Zobel has joined the firm as an officer in its Business Services practice group.

Zobel brings an extensive pedigree as a top advisor to the St. Louis and Missouri business communities. Clients look to him for astute guidance navigating specific corporate, financial, and real estate transactions as well as serving as outside general counsel.

Zobel regularly assists businesses with entity formation and restructuring, shareholder agreements and disputes, mergers and acquisitions, contracts, employment matters, strategic and succession planning, joint ventures, and general corporate governance. He also represents financial institutions and private lenders with loan documentation and workout services and clients in all aspects of commercial real estate transactions.

Outside of the office, Zobel is highly engaged in the community, including past and present involvement with the Olivette Board of Adjustment, the Clayton Chamber of Commerce, the Mizzou Tiger Club – St. Louis and more.

Before joining Greensfelder, Zobel practiced for 12 years at another St. Louis-based firm. He earned his J.D., cum laude, from the Saint Louis University School of Law and his B.A., cum laude, in Political Science from the University of Missouri.

Hunton Andrews Kurth LLP begins its 2023 fiscal year with the appointment of a new executive committee chairman and general counsel and the promotion of 14 attorneys to partner. The firm proudly recognizes these talented individuals for their accomplishments and outstanding client service.

Executive Committee: Randall S. Parks will succeed George C. Howell III as chair of the firm’s executive committee.

“Randy is a resolute leader who is dedicated to the firm’s strategic vision,” said managing partner Wally Martinez. “His demonstrated commitment to the success of the firm and our core values will continue to drive Hunton Andrews Kurth’s bright future.”

With over 30 years of experience, Parks is recognized for his work in complex corporate transactions, especially enterprise information technology and outsourcing transactions, as well as corporate governance, capital markets and mergers and acquisitions. He has served as co-chair of the firm’s corporate team, head of the global technology and outsourcing practice group and co-chair of its retail and consumer products industry group.

“We thank George for his many contributions to the firm while serving as chair of our executive committee,” added Martinez. “His devoted and astute leadership has been critical to Hunton Andrews Kurth’s success.”

Office of General Counsel: Greg Waller will succeed Robert M. Rolfe as the firm’s general counsel.

“We are grateful for Bob’s steadfast and wise counsel throughout the years,” said Martinez. “Like Bob, Greg’s considerable insight, experience and dedication to the firm make him an exceptional fit for this position.”

Waller brings over 25 years of trial experience to his new position. His practice includes commercial litigation, products liability cases, corporate investigations and white-collar criminal matters. His clients have included prominent members of the energy, construction and aviation industries. For the last four years, he has served as the firm’s assistant general counsel and as co-lead of the firm’s commercial litigation practice.

Admissions to the Partnership: Hunton Andrews Kurth also announces the promotion of the following 14 lawyers:

Fawaz A. Bham (Capital Finance and Real Estate, Dallas) focuses his practice on the acquisition, development, leasing and disposition of real estate nationwide, financing of projects secured by real estate, originating commercial mortgage-backed securities and balance sheet loans, and implementing private equity investment strategies and advising on organizational structure and entity formation. He chairs the firm’s pro bono committee in the Dallas office and devotes time to several pro bono efforts, such as launching and leading the Dallas Attorney Volunteer Program’s virtual legal clinic platform. Bham received his undergraduate and law degrees from Southern Methodist University, graduating cum laude from both.

Trevor S. Cox (Litigation, Richmond) represents private and public clients in Virginia and federal appellate courts on a wide variety of matters, including on issues of state and federal constitutional law. In addition to appellate litigation, he handles dispositive briefing in trial courts, files amicus briefs, and counsels clients on legal trends and strategy. A member of the firm’s Issues and Appeals team, he previously served as Acting Solicitor General of Virginia. Cox received his undergraduate degree from Harvard University, his master’s degree from the University of Cambridge and his law degree from Harvard Law School.

Shannon E. Daily (Corporate, Richmond) advises clients on asset-based financing transactions, distressed lending transactions, securitizations, and whole loan and mortgage servicing rights sales. She represents financial institutions and other players in mortgage warehouse facilities, including early buy-out and gestation facilities, securitized warehouse facilities, residential mortgage and non-mortgage asset securitizations, and distressed lending transactions. She also has represented clients with respect to corporate bankruptcy proceedings, out-of-court restructurings and legal opinions for complex transactions for asset based-lending, safe harbored financial contracts, asset securitizations and other capital markets transactions. Daily received her undergraduate and law degrees from The College of William & Mary, where she graduated summa cum laude.

Merideth Snow Daly (Litigation, Richmond) represents clients in all aspects of litigation and risk management, with particular focus on defending product liability, toxic tort and environmental litigation, and catastrophic injury and death claims. Her experience also includes plaintiff- and defense-side representation in general commercial disputes, including those involving product performance, breach of contract and post-corporate transaction indemnification claims. Daly received her undergraduate degree from Texas A&M University, graduating summa cum laude, and her law degree from William & Mary Law School, graduating cum laude.

Geoffrey B. Fehling (Litigation, Boston) is an experienced litigator and advocate who helps policyholders maximize the value of their insurance assets. He dedicates his practice to advising corporate policyholders and their directors and officers in insurance coverage matters, from placement of complex insurance programs and policy reviews to claim advocacy through arbitration, litigation, trials and appeals. He assists policyholders in a wide range of coverage disputes involving directors and officers (D&O), errors and omission (E&O), employment practices liability (EPL), cybersecurity, employee theft and fidelity claims, environmental liabilities, commercial general liability, property damage and business interruption. Fehling received his undergraduate degree from Davidson College and his law degree from George Mason University Antonin Scalia Law School.

Armin Ghiam (Litigation, New York) focuses his practice on litigation, counseling and prosecution in the fields of trademark, patent and copyright law. With an international background in law, finance and technology, he helps companies understand the complexities of intellectual property law to make important business decisions and achieve their objectives. Ghiam received his undergraduate degree from Stony Brook University and the State University of New York, his master’s degree from Columbia University and his law degree from the University of Pennsylvania Law School.

Austin P. Maloney (Corporate, Richmond) advises clients in connection with domestic and cross-border acquisitions and dispositions, including representation of private equity funds and institutional clients. He also regularly represents financial services clients, particularly the mortgage industry, in acquisitions and dispositions. Maloney received his undergraduate degree from the University of North Carolina and his law degree from Duke University School of Law.

Amee Parekh Narayan (Corporate, Dallas) focuses her practice on formation, structuring, operation and management of private investment funds and regulatory compliance matters for investment advisers. She regularly provides counsel to investment fund sponsors on private fund formations across a wide variety of strategies, including private equity funds, real estate funds, debt and credit funds, hedge funds, venture capital funds, energy funds and other private investment fund strategies. Narayan received her undergraduate degree from Boston University and her law degree from Fordham University School of Law, where she graduated summa cum laude and magna cum laude, respectively.

Justin F. Paget (Capital Finance and Real Estate, Richmond) provides restructuring advice to companies and financial institutions. He assists corporate borrowers, lenders, private equity and hedge funds, and fintech and financial services companies in a variety of distressed transactions involving mortgages, asset based facilities, unsecured loans, bankruptcy claims, class action claims, and numerous other types of distressed assets and debt. Paget received his undergraduate degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and his MBA and law degrees from the University of Richmond, graduating magna cum laude.

Kate Saltz (Corporate, Richmond) counsels clients on corporate finance, public and private securities offerings (as both issuers’ and underwriters’ counsel), mergers and acquisitions and other corporate matters, with a particular concentration on Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) and other real estate related specialty finance companies. Saltz received her undergraduate degree from Virginia Tech and her law degree from the University of Virginia School of Law.

Susan L. Saslow (Capital Finance and Real Estate, New York) has a practice that spans all aspects of complex real estate transactional matters, including commercial acquisitions and dispositions, joint ventures, real estate finance, construction, development and leasing, involving all types of assets. She has experience advising institutional clients, private investors and developers in sophisticated debt and equity financings, counseling both borrowers and lenders in complex transactions involving multistate, multiproperty portfolios; mezzanine financings; mortgage loan originations; construction loans; and loan purchases, sales and participations. Saslow received her undergraduate degree from Wesleyan University and her law degree from Albany Law School.

Brendan M. Staley (Capital Finance and Real Estate, Richmond) focuses his practice on public finance, with emphasis on the areas of federal tax and securities law, state and local government law, economic development incentives and public-private partnerships (P3s). He has experience in advising, negotiating and documenting tax-exempt bond transactions for governmental and 501(c)(3) entities, as well as in structuring public finance and project development transactions for a wide range of public and private infrastructure and economic development projects. Staley received his undergraduate and master’s degrees from Georgetown University and his law degree from the University of Virginia School of Law.

William J. Van Thunen (Corporate, Richmond) advises clients on complex, high-stakes structured finance, whole loan and securities repo, asset securitization and whole loan and mortgage servicing rights purchase and sale transactions. He represents leading banks and companies in diverse industries, ranging from residential and commercial mortgage finance to renewable energy and coal mining and production. Van Thunen received his undergraduate and law degrees from the University of Richmond, graduating cum laude from both.

Gregory R. Wall (Administrative Law, Richmond) assists clients in environmental regulatory counseling, enforcement defense, litigation and transactional matters. As a former US Environmental Protection Agency senior attorney, he uses his deep agency, regulatory and enforcement knowledge to assist clients in solving complex environmental matters, with particular experience in CERCLA/Superfund, brownfields, RCRA, FIFRA and TSCA legal issues. He also represents clients on the evolving regulation of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) and other emerging contaminants. Wall received his undergraduate degree from Tufts University and his law degree from Wake Forest University School of Law.

About Hunton Andrews Kurth LLP
With over 900 lawyers in the United States, Asia, Europe and the Middle East, Hunton Andrews Kurth LLP serves clients across a broad range of complex transactional, litigation and regulatory matters. We are known for our strength in the energy, financial services, real estate, and retail and consumer products industries, as well as our considerable experience in more than 100 distinct areas of practice, including privacy and cybersecurity, intellectual property, environmental, and mergers and acquisitions. Our full-service litigation practice is one of the largest in the country, with particular depth in key litigation markets such as Texas, California, Florida and the Mid-Atlantic.

FORT WORTH – The Law Offices of Steven C. Laird, P.C. is now the Law Offices of Laird & McCloskey, adding the name of veteran trial lawyer and partner Seth McCloskey to the firm title to reflect the firm’s expertise working on behalf of individuals injured in trucking and transportation crashes.

“We are thrilled to recognize Seth’s legal talents and expertise and include it in the name of our firm where it belongs,” said firm founder and partner Steven C. Laird. “He has proven himself to be an outstanding leader at our firm and fighter for his clients. We believe this to be well-deserved and are very excited to make it official.”

A courthouse veteran, Mr. McCloskey is one of only five trial lawyers in North Texas who are board-certified in Truck Accident Law by the National Board of Trial Advocacy. Certification helps to safeguard the public interest by providing accident victims and their families with an objective measure to aid them in selecting qualified and experienced legal counsel.

In addition to his board certification in Truck Accident Law, Mr. McCloskey is also board-certified in Personal Injury Trial Law through the Texas Board of Legal Specialization. He has been recognized as a Super Lawyers – Rising Star by Thomson Reuters and has been selected by the National Trial Lawyers Association as a Top 40 Under 40 attorney. He is a member of the American Board of Trial Advocates, the Academy of Truck Accident Attorneys, the National Board of Trial Advocacy, the Texas Bar College and the Texas Board of Legal Specialization.

“It is truly an honor to partner with Steve Laird as we continue to pursue justice for our clients, most of whom have suffered catastrophic loss,” said Mr. McCloskey. “I know we can do many things for our community through this partnership, and holding trucking companies accountable for their safety practices and training is the top priority.”

About The Law Offices of Laird & McCloskey
The Law Offices of Laird & McCloskey is a Fort Worth, Texas, law firm whose lawyers and staff members are committed to finding justice in every case we handle. For more than 30 years, we have worked responsibly and diligently to represent individuals and families in personal injury cases where corporate and individual negligence have resulted in significant injuries and wrongful death. To learn more about the firm, visit http://texlawyers.com/.

Media Contact:
Alyssa Woulfe
800-559-4534
alyssa@androvett.com

The Netherlands has been identified as the best jurisdiction to base pharma-industry entities when taking into account cost and time efficiencies, according to data compiled by the global entity portfolio management (GEPM) leader Mercator® by Citco, in its Pharmaceutical GEPM: Special Report.

The pandemic has accelerated the way pharmaceutical companies streamline their operations and Mercator’s granular data found that most of the businesses it looked at were organizationally agile with robust business continuity plans in place.

The figures show the United States is the most efficient jurisdiction for the timely completion of tasks and Luxembourg the most cost effective but, when combining these factors together, the Netherlands had the best metrics on cost and completion time.

The country’s status as a European financial center and its historic links to international trade have created an environment that allows multinational pharmaceutical companies to manage entities there with relative ease.

Singapore and Belgium both scored highly when combining the two characteristics, while Brazil, South Korea and China had the lowest ranking overall.

Europe remains the hub for a significant portion of pharmaceutical companies outside of North America, primarily led by renowned life sciences hubs in Switzerland, Germany and France – with India performing a similar role within the APAC region.

Kariem Abdellatif, Head of Mercator, said: “The world is a global village, but this report shows that there are still huge differences between countries. However, the insights revealed by this report are not a recommendation of where pharmaceutical multinationals should base their entities or subsidiaries as that will always be driven by demand and necessity. Rather, it is an exercise in setting expectations and providing pharmaceutical General Counsels and Company Secretaries with foresight on the relative cost and time it takes to manage entities and their activities in each jurisdiction.

“It is interesting to see the Netherlands top the rankings in this instance, but forward-thinking multinational companies should be embracing technology platforms that let them do business seamlessly across borders and jurisdictions.”

Many of the projects Mercator helped facilitate for its pharma clients over the past two years have involved high-impact corporate initiatives to optimize value chains, minimize the commercial impacts of the ongoing disruptions and control costs.

This report follows the Mercator Entity Management (MEM) Report which outlined the challenges that multinationals across a variety of sectors face when managing a global portfolio of entities.

ENDS

Dykema, a leading national law firm, today announced the addition of L. Michael Kennington to its Commercial Litigation Practice Group as Senior Counsel in the firm’s recently opened Houston office. Kennington joins Dykema after serving as Associate General Counsel of Callon Petroleum Company and Carrizo Oil & Gas, Inc.

Kennington has a history of managing corporate transactional and legal strategies in the oil and gas industry, including those involving litigation, acquisitions and divestitures, corporate governance, and environmental, to protect organizations from risks, liabilities, and exposures. He has deep experience steering legal projects in the energy sector throughout their life cycles while coordinating with multidisciplinary teams, designing policies/procedures, negotiating agreements/contracts, resolving disputes, and ensuring compliance with regulatory statutes.

During his time as Associate General Counsel with Callon, Kennington served as “First Chair” and “Second Chair” counsel on numerous acquisitions and divestitures of energy industry assets, including a leading role in a $750M direct merger. He also helped resolve more than 40 multistate material lawsuits or disputes stemming from several areas of law, including contracts, trade secrets, proprietary licenses, environmental damage claims, property damage, labor and employment, class actions, and regulatory investigations. Additionally, Kennington has a wealth of experience handling corporate governance and business operations.

“Mike Kennington will bring immediate credibility with Houston’s largest industry, oil and gas, to Dykema’s newest office in Texas” said Chris Kratovil, Managing Member of Dykema’s Houston office. “Both his experience and his network in the energy sector are top-tier.”

Kennington earned a J.D. from the South Texas College of Law and a B.B.A. from the University of Houston, C.T. Bauer College of Business.

DALLAS – Bradley Arant Boult Cummings is pleased to announce that partner Dick Sayles has earned National Board Certification as a trial lawyer advocate by The National Board of Trial Advocacy (NBTA).

National Board Certification is the highest, most stringent and most reliable honor an attorney can achieve. Board certifications are the only distinctions awarded by non-profit organizations. The NBTA as well as all board-certifying organizations are committed to safeguarding the public’s ability to choose a good attorney.

Mr. Sayles has been board certified in Texas for more than 30 years in both civil trial law and personal injury trial law, and now has the honor of being nationally recognized for his dedication to the legal profession. The extensive screening that NBTA board certified attorneys must complete includes demonstrating substantial trial experience, submission of judicial and peer references, attendance in continuing legal education courses, submission of legal writing documents, proof of good standing and passing of an examination.

The NBTA was formed out of a strong conviction that both the law profession and its clients would benefit from an organization designed specifically to create an objective set of standards illustrating an attorney’s experience and expertise in the practice of trial law.

Mr. Sayles has been honored as the Dallas Bar Association’s Trial Lawyer of the Year and recognized by Benchmark Litigation and The Best Lawyers in America®. He is a Fellow in the American College of Trial Lawyers, the International Academy of Trial Lawyers, and the International Society of Barristers. Mr. Sayles also was featured in Texas Lawbook’s “Lions of the Texas Bar” and has been selected among the Texas Super Lawyers “Top 10 Lawyers in Texas” multiple times. Mr. Sayles was previously recognized in the 2020 edition of the Lawdragon 500 Leading Lawyers in America and the Lawdragon’s Hall of Fame.

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 600 lawyers represent clients worldwide in a wide range of professions, including financial services, healthcare, construction, technology, energy, insurance, and many others.

Media Contact:
Alyssa Woulfe
800-559-4534
alyssa@androvett.com

Experienced financial services and capital markets attorneys Laura E. Hoag and Joseph J. Ricotta have joined the firm’s Washington office as partner and of counsel, respectively. Laura focuses her practice on domestic and international financings, debt restructurings, and commercial business transactions; Joe focuses his practice on transactional law and debt finance.

“Laura and Joe are strategic and complementary additions to the Capital Markets practice. Their lending and financing experience adds breadth and depth to our financial service capabilities on both sides of the Atlantic, which will be of tremendous value to our clients,” said Merrick Benn, who leads the firm’s Capital Markets practice.

They join a team of more than 200 financial services sector lawyers located across the United States and the United Kingdom, representing nearly half of the top 100 U.S. banks, including 17 of the top 25.

Laura regularly advises national and international financial institutions and corporate clients in connection with a variety of credit facilities. Her experience includes negotiating, documenting, and managing secured and unsecured loan transactions, including private equity sponsor transactions, bilateral and syndicated credit facilities, multi-currency and cross-border lending facilities, split-collateral pool transactions, asset-based lending facilities, bridge financings, mezzanine financings, and private note offerings.

Joe represents financial institutions and other entities in a wide variety of transactional and commercial financing-related matters, including senior and subordinated credit facilities, secured single bank and syndicated asset-based and cash flow loans, acquisition finance transactions, and workouts and restructurings. He also has significant experience working on cross-border lending transactions in North America and Europe. He has dealt with borrowers in a broad array of industries, including manufacturing, technology, software, healthcare, hospitality, retail, and business services.

Laura and Joe join Womble from Squire Patton Boggs’s Cleveland office.

DALLAS – Bradley Arant Boult Cummings LLP is pleased to announce that attorney Trent Appleby is joining the Dallas office as an associate in the Real Estate Practice Group.

Mr. Appleby’s experience includes representing owners and buyers in the sale and acquisition of office buildings, warehouses, shopping centers, restaurants and freestanding retail properties across the country.

“We are very pleased to welcome Trent to our Dallas office,” said Bradley partner Richard A. Sayles. “He is already very accomplished in his young career, and we are looking forward to the contributions he will make as a member of our team.”

In addition to navigating commercial real estate acquisitions and sales from inception to closing, Mr. Appleby has guided clients in transactions involving large residential developments. His experience also includes preparation of loan documents and the subsequent re-sale of lots for residential construction.

Mr. Appleby has provided counsel to clients in complex, multi-party deals, including a 55-story condominium tower development project in which he represented a private developer in partnership with an institutional investor to develop, finance and raise equity.

Mr. Appleby is an active member of the Dallas Association of Young Lawyers and the Texas Real Estate Council. He attended Texas Christian University, where he was a member of the TCU baseball team and received his B.S. in Communications with a minor in Criminal Justice. He received his law degree from the SMU Dedman School of Law in 2016. With the addition of Mr. Appleby, Bradley has a distinguished team of nearly 30 attorneys in its Dallas office.

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 almost 600 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.

Media Contact:
Alyssa Woulfe
800-559-4534
alyssa@androvett.com