“A California lawyer practicing in Orange County was arrested today on a federal grand jury indictment charging her with conspiring to sell firearms without a license and distributing methamphetamine.” reports LawFuel.

“Melinda Romines, 41, of Anaheim, was taken into federal custody this morning. She is expected to make her initial court appearance this afternoon in United States District Court in Los Angeles.”

“Romines has been charged with one count of conspiracy to engage in the business of dealing in firearms without a license, one count of possession of an unregistered firearm, and two counts of distributing methamphetamine.”

Read the article.

“Bayer AG has asked a California appeals court to overturn an $86 million verdict that found it was responsible for a couple’s cancer caused by its glyphosate-based weed killer Roundup.” reports Tina Bellon in Reuter’s Environment News.

“Bayer in a statement on Monday said U.S. regulators had consistently found glyphosate to be non-carcinogenic and that the Pilliods’ lawyer during trial repeatedly violated court orders in an attempt to inflame jurors.”

“The company denies the allegations made by more than 42,700 plaintiffs in the United States, saying decades of studies have shown Roundup and glyphosate are safe for human use.”

Read the article.

Bradley Arant Boult Cummings LLP is pleased to announce that Frank M. Caprio, managing partner of the firm’s Huntsville office, has been nominated to serve on the Northeast Alabama/Huntsville Regional Council of Leadership Alabama.

“We congratulate Frank on his new regional council role with Leadership Alabama in recognition of his many years of service to the state and local Huntsville community,” said Bradley Chairman of the Board and Managing Partner Jonathan M. Skeeters.

Leadership Alabama is a network of established leaders across Alabama that also provides a structure for this network to seek mutual understanding of problems and priorities for Alabama’s future. Leadership Alabama encourages its members to act, individually and in concert, to move Alabama forward to help the state reach its full potential. Since its founding in 1990, more than 1,500 citizen leaders in Alabama have participated in the Leadership Alabama program. More information about Leadership Alabama is available at https://leadershipal.org/.

Mr. Caprio is a 2004 graduate of the Leadership Alabama Class XIV. Members are selected based on their leadership abilities, career accomplishments, volunteer activities, contributions to their communities, and commitment to help shape a better Alabama.

Chair of Bradley’s Intellectual Property Practice Group, Mr. Caprio focuses his practice on intellectual property (IP) law and assists clients in the protection and use of their IP rights, and in the litigation of various technology-related disputes involving patent, trademark, copyright, trade secret and computer issues. He also regularly speaks about IP issues to business owners and lawyer associations. Mr. Caprio has held leadership positions in local and state bar associations and has served as a board member for the Huntsville Hospital, local YMCA, Biztec (business incubator), local Chamber of Commerce, Emergency Management Agency, and the Vanderbilt NROTC Advisory Board.

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 over 500 lawyers represent regional, national and international clients in various industries, including financial services, healthcare, life sciences, real estate, construction, technology, energy, insurance, and entertainment, among many others.

Bradley Arant Boult Cummings LLP is pleased to announce that Lane M. Webster has joined the firm’s Dallas office as an associate in the Litigation and Government Enforcement and Investigations practice groups.

“We are pleased that Lane has joined our growing Dallas office and deep bench of skilled litigators,” said Bradley Dallas Office Managing Partner Richard A. Sayles. “Lane has a diverse litigation practice and background that will assist our clients across multiple industries.”

Mr. Webster focuses his practice on complex commercial litigation. He has advocated for clients around the country in multimillion-dollar matters in the technology, healthcare, sports and financial services sectors. He counsels clients in high-stakes cases involving both the False Claims Act and Securities Act, and he has taken on class actions and qui tam suits. He also handles investor and union disputes, as well as bankruptcy hearings.

Prior to joining Bradley, Mr. Webster was an associate at Winston & Strawn LLP. Previously, he spent a year in Washington, D.C., advising trade associations and organizations. He began his legal career in the federal judiciary where he served as a law clerk for Jorge A. Solis, chief judge of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas.

Mr. Webster received his J.D. (cum laude) from Southern Methodist University Dedman School of Law and his Bachelor of Science from Texas A&M University.

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 over 500 lawyers represent regional, national and international clients in various industries, including financial services, healthcare, life sciences, real estate, construction, technology, energy, insurance, and entertainment, among many others.

Chamberlain Hrdlicka is pleased to announce that it has elevated four of its shareholders to equity status and added six shareholders. Moving to equity shareholder are Atlanta attorneys John W. Hackney and Gina M. Vitiello, Houston attorneys Jeff C. Wigginton, Jr. and Justice David M. Medina. In addition, Atlanta attorneys Drew V. Greene, Jennifer Duval Lindy, Christine R. Norstadt and Houston attorneys David N. Calvillo, Julie G. Edelman and Kellen R. Scott were elected as shareholders. These promotions were affirmed during the firm’s annual meeting on February 8 in Houston.

David N. Calvillo
Calvillo has successfully tried, litigated and arbitrated matters in diverse practice areas, including breach of contract, business separation, commercial liability, construction, tax controversy, shareholder rights, professional malpractice, personal injury and wrongful death, employment, debt collection and intellectual property. He is a Civil Trial Specialist, a Texas CPA and earned his undergraduate and law degrees from the University of Texas School of Law and his Master of Laws (LL.M.) degree in taxation from Georgetown University Law Center.

Julie G. Edelman
Edelman focuses her practice on estate, gift and generation-skipping tax planning, as well as estate administration and related matters. She counsels client in preparation of wills and powers of attorney, preparation of trust agreements, probate of wills and estate administration, and the preparation of federal gift and estate tax returns. She earned her undergraduate degree from Wake Forest University and her law degree from the University of Texas School of Law.

Drew V. Greene
Greene focuses her practice on state and federal commercial matters in the discovery, dispositive motions, trial and appellate stages of litigation. She also works on business reorganization matters and bankruptcies. She earned her undergraduate degree from the University of Georgia and her law degree from Emory University School of Law.

John W. Hackney
Hackney represents clients in disputes with the Internal Revenue Service and other taxing authorities. He counsels clients on tax issues, including Section 469 passive activity losses, gift tax valuation issues, captive insurance, accounting method issues, Section 1031 “like-kind exchanges” and Section 183 hobby losses. He earned both his undergraduate and graduate degrees from the University of Virginia, and his law degree from the University of Georgia School of Law.

Jennifer Duval Lindy
Lindy represents individual, partnership/pass-through, and multinational corporate taxpayers, with a special focus on cross-border and international tax issues in disputes with the IRS. She counsels individuals, multinational entities, accountants and other tax service providers on complex international tax matters. She earned both her undergraduate degree and her Master of Laws degree in taxation from the University of Miami, her Master of Business Administration and law degree from Nova Southeastern University and her Master of Laws degree in international law from Emory University.

Justice David M. Medina
Justice Medina works with clients in multiple industries on various trials, appeals and business transactions. Justice Medina previously served on the Texas Supreme Court and authored over 90 Supreme Court Opinions. He earned his undergraduate degree from Texas State University, his law degree from South Texas College of Law and his Master of Laws degree in international arbitration, global energy and environmental law from University of Texas School of Law.

Christine R. Norstadt
Norstadt focuses her practice on all aspects of commercial real estate representing owners, managers and users of office, retail and industrial properties, apartments and land. She counsels clients involved in acquisitions and dispositions, financing, leasing and development matters. She earned her undergraduate degree from the Georgia Institute of Technology and her law degree from Emory University School of Law.

Kellen R. Scott
Scott maintains a general civil litigation practice in state and federal courts, with emphasis on employment law, restrictive covenants, and trade secret matters. He counsels employers and businesses in state and federal courts, arbitration proceedings, and in matters before state and federal administrative agencies, including the Department of Labor, the Texas Workforce Commission and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. He earned his undergraduate degree from the University of Evansville and his law degree from South Texas College of Law Houston.

Gina M. Vitiello
Vitiello focuses her practice on construction law and contract litigation. She represents owners, contractors, designers and suppliers in the construction industry in contract negotiations and dispute resolution. She advises clients on construction projects throughout the country and internationally and has litigated and arbitrated disputes relating to both public and private projects. She earned her undergraduate degree from St. Lawrence University and her law degree from the State University of New York at Buffalo School of Law.

Jeff C. Wigginton, Jr.
Wigginton focuses his practice on commercial litigation matters in state and federal courts representing businesses and business owners in a wide range of industries. He guides clients in matters related to business disputes, real estate, construction, professional liability claims and tort defense. Additionally, he also maintains an insurance coverage practice, which includes counseling clients on property and casualty insurance matters they may encounter. He earned his undergraduate degree from the University of Texas and his law degree from South Texas College of Law.

The firm’s entry into Silicon Hills highlights its growth in the U.S. and expanding presence in key markets known for technology and emerging companies

Perkins Coie, an Am Law 50 firm known for representing innovative companies and industry leaders, announced today that it has opened an office in Austin, marking an expansion of its Texas operations. Establishing an office in Austin furthers the firm’s momentum in building a strong tech-based practice in Texas and broadens its ability to counsel companies across the state, including those in computer electronics and other technology industries as well as those in the retail, transportation, healthcare, and pharmaceutical industries, as they increasingly adopt technology-related platforms and applications.

Perkins Coie entered the Texas market 10 years ago by opening its Dallas office, which today has 30 lawyers across a range of practices with particular strength in technology and privacy.

“We continue to build our reputation as a leading technology and privacy firm for many of the state’s biggest companies,” said Dean Harvey, Dallas Office Managing Partner. “We’re excited to welcome our new colleagues in Austin and work with them to further the firm’s service to clients throughout Texas.”

Three partners with extensive experience in technology and other industries are joining the Austin office, the firm’s 20th. They include:

• Andy Smetana, an experienced corporate lawyer who represents entrepreneurs and investors in a wide variety of technology and high-growth enterprises. He advises emerging companies and investors in venture capital, private equity, and other strategic financings, buyers and sellers in mergers and acquisitions, and issuers and underwriters in public offerings. In addition to helping clients with bet-the-company transactions, Smetana routinely advises clients on corporate governance matters. He joins from Vinson & Elkins and was previously General Counsel for Vapor IO.

• Craig Tyler, a veteran trial and appellate lawyer, who has 20 years of experience litigating trade secrets and patent infringements/validity matters in federal and state courts for clients in the LED, LCD, software, internet, telecommunications, medical device, pharmaceutical, gaming, e-learning, semiconductor, VoIP, computer-assisted hardware, and oil and gas industries. He joins from Vinson & Elkins.

• Jose Villarreal, a veteran litigator, trial counsel, and advisor to technology and growth companies, who focuses on patent litigation and alternative dispute resolution, strategic intellectual property counseling, intellectual property licensing and merger and acquisition due diligence. Jose has represented clients in numerous federal district courts around the country and before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, the U.S. International Trade Commission, and the Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB). He joins from Wilson Sonsini.

Also joining the group as a partner in the firm’s Palo Alto office:

• Wendy Wang, who focuses her practice on IP litigation, including patents, trademarks, trade secrets, and copyrights, with a focus on patent litigation involving data storage, sound recognition, software, internet technologies, and computer electronics. Wang works extensively with clients in China and is a fluent Mandarin speaker. She joins Perkins Coie’s Palo Alto office from Vinson & Elkins.

Along with its notable growth in both revenue and lawyer headcount over the past five years, Perkins Coie has achieved one of the highest lateral retention rates among large law firms and has been repeatedly recognized for its collegial and inclusive culture. This includes being named to Fortune’s 100 Best Companies to Work For® list for the past 17 years.

Munck Wilson attorneys have distinguished themselves in numerous areas of practice, earning recognition in leading publications such as Chambers USA, the National Law Journal, Best Lawyers in America, Texas Super Lawyers and Texas Rising Stars, D Magazine in Dallas and the Dallas Business Journal. We are tremendously proud of these past accomplishments and even more excited about our future.

The Dallas 500 – D CEO Magazine
Texas Lawyer Hall of Fame Verdicts
2019 IP Stars – Managing Intellectual Property

The list continues!

King & Spalding today announced that Ingrid Myers has joined as a partner in the firm’s Corporate, Finance and Investments (CFI) practice group in its Houston office. Myers’s practice focuses on the drafting and negotiation of construction-related contracts for the development of energy and other major infrastructure projects.

Myers assists clients in the development of LNG, solar, biomass, and nuclear facilities. She has prepared bid requests and drafted and negotiated engineering, procurement, and construction contracts; technology licenses; and equipment supply, operations and maintenance, and fuel supply agreements. Myers also regularly represents clients in connection with decommissioning projects, particularly decommissioning of nuclear power generation facilities, as well as in the acquisition and disposition of energy industry companies and projects, including coal mining companies and power generating facilities.

Myers joins the firm from Morgan Lewis. Before attending law school, she worked as a geologist in the mining and petroleum industries. Myers received her JD from the University of California, Los Angeles School of Law, her Ph.D. from James Cook University of North Queensland, Australia, and her M.Sc. and B.Sc. degrees from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas.

The firm’s U.S. construction transactional team is the largest of its kind in the United States, and with the addition of Myers, the firm’s Houston office has four partners and seven associates focusing almost exclusively on the drafting and negotiation of construction-related agreements.

“Federal officials on Monday arrested an Orange County lawyer accused of illegally selling firearms, including to an undercover agent.” reports Kristina Bravo in KTLA 5 News.

“Melinda Romines, a 41-year-old Anaheim resident, has been charged with conspiracy to engage in the business of dealing in firearms without a license. She was also charged with possession of an unregistered firearm, as well as two counts of distributing methamphetamine.”

“Romines has an active attorney’s license as of Monday, state records show. Her website says she owns a Fountain Valley-based boutique law firm that handles criminal defense, business and entertainment, and child custody cases, among others.”

Read the story.

“Coinbase Inc., a San Francisco-based digital currency exchange specializing in bitcoin transactions, has gone on an in-house hiring spree a little more than a year after recruiting former Fannie Mae general counsel Brian Brooks to serve as its chief legal officer.” reports Brian Baxter on Bloomberg Law’s Corporate Law News.

“Within the last three months Coinbase has brought on three more top in-house lawyers. One of those additions, former JPMorgan Chase & Co. assistant general counsel Rachel Nelson, was named in January to co-chair a new market integrity working group for the Blockchain Association, a trade association for the U.S. blockchain and cryptocurrency industry.”

“The additions by Coinbase come at the same time as a series of departures from Circle Internet Financial Ltd., a Boston-based blockchain payments company backed by The Goldman Sachs Group Inc. Several in-house lawyers have left Circle since last summer amid a series of layoffs and divestitures by the company as it reshapes its business around stablecoins.”

Read the article.

“Most lawyers have a general understanding of the “no-contact rule”  — with a few exceptions, you can’t communicate directly on the subject of the representation with someone you know is represented by counsel.  But where does in-house counsel fit in?  Is in-house counsel “fair game” for ex parte contact by opposing counsel?” asks Karen Rubin in Thompson Hine’s Communication.

“Last month, the Virginia Supreme Court approved Legal Ethics Opinion 1890, and answered “Yes,” in an opinion that also covered some other issues of concern to in-house counsel.”

Read the article.

ContractPodAi®, the award-winning provider of AI-powered contract lifecycle management software, today announced that a majority of corporate counsels use outdated and unsecure technology to manage contracts, according to its report “Down the Road with AI Based Contract Management and Corporate Legal Hazards.” The report highlights the current state of contract lifecycle management and whether corporate legal departments are using technology to improve processes. Despite evolutions in AI for Contract Lifecycle Management (CLM), 62% of companies are still using Excel, SharePoint or email to manage contract data and only 18% are applying contract management technology to gain a competitive advantage.

The report interviewed 50 large corporate legal departments that manage an excess of 10,000 active contracts each, and found significant differences between market leaders and laggards:
• 48% of leaders will adopt AI-based contract risk mitigation technology in the next 12 months.
• 56% of leaders’ corporate general counsels analyze contract performance.
• 62% of laggards use Excel, SharePoint or email to manage contract data.
• 64% of laggards believe it would take at least a year to adopt an AI-based contract management system.

However, even corporate counsels who are lagging behind believe there is value in adopting technology. Regarding technology requirements for 2020, 74% want metrics and analytics to better evaluate contract portfolio performance, and 64% want ready to use contract management tools that don’t require extensive preparation.

“The findings from our report demonstrate the industry’s interest and excitement in moving toward more efficient, technology-driven contract management processes,” said Sarvarth Misra, co-founder and CEO, ContractPodAi. “Trusted AI technology like systems built on an IBM Watson platform can jumpstart a corporate counsel’s digital transformation, automating and streamlining services so that legal teams are empowered to focus on more strategic aspects of their business.”

View the full findings from the report here.

Greensfelder, Hemker & Gale, P.C., is pleased to announce that Zack Smith, an associate in the firm’s St. Louis office, has been named to the National Black Lawyers (NBL) Top 40 Under 40 list of leading black attorneys in the United States.

Top 40 Under 40 honorees are black attorneys who are under age 40 and have an outstanding reputation among their peers, the judiciary, and the public. The NBL evaluates nominees based on factors including legal achievements, professional memberships, leadership roles, and rankings from other national organizations.

The mission of the NBL is to develop a strong national network of attorneys and promote their legal excellence. NBL members are plaintiff and defense lawyers from all 50 U.S. states who represent law firms from across the nation and specialize in a variety of practice areas.

A member of Greensfelder’s Litigation practice group, Smith focuses his practice on general and complex commercial litigation, arbitrations, and administrative proceedings in jurisdictions throughout the country. He represents companies of all sizes in industries that include energy, franchising, telecommunications, and securities. He also represents clients in toxic tort litigation.

As a member of the Urban Revitalization Clinic while attending Washington University School of Law, Smith researched laws and policies concerning the St. Louis Board of Aldermen redistricting. In addition, he worked with the law school’s Children’s Rights Clinic, representing juveniles involved in a variety of legal matters, including arguing a bench trial in an adoption case.

Smith received his J.D. from Washington University School of Law. He received his Bachelor of Arts from Lindsey Wilson College.

Leading international law firm Brown Rudnick LLP today announced the appointment of a group of three partners, Neil Foster, Tim Davison and Sarah Melaney, who join from Baker Botts.

The group is led by Mr. Foster who joins the Firm as Global Co-Chair and European Head of Technology. Neil and his team have over 60 years of experience among them of advising companies and their investors on complex domestic and international transactions, including M&A, JVs and financings as well as capital markets advisory. Their expertise spans TMT, fintech, life sciences, energy and impact investing, and they have worked on some of the most high-value deals in some of the most innovative and high-growth segments of technology, including:

– Environmental technology
– Blockchain
– Crypto assets
– Digital health and diagnostics
– Genomics
– Therapeutics
– Digital media
– Ed-tech
– Robotics
– Autonomous vehicles

Bill Baldiga, Brown Rudnick’s CEO said: “These additions are not only strategically important for our clients in Europe, but key to our firm and to our investor and corporate clients internationally. Europe is a hotbed of innovation and home to some of the most sophisticated pools of capital, and London is the epicentre. We are thrilled that Neil will be joining us in a global leadership role.”

Mark Dorff, Chair of the Firm’s International Corporate Group and Co-Chair of the Firm’s Global Life Sciences team said: “The extensive deal-making experience of Neil and his team across Europe and the USA, and their specialist sector knowledge of some of the hottest areas of technology, will be a tremendous asset to the Firm and to our corporate and investor clients. This move is also closely aligned with the Firm’s growth plans in the USA.”

Neil Foster is a corporate technology Solicitor with over 20 years advising on complex transactions. His practice covers mergers & acquisitions, venture capital & private equity and corporate finance. His principal sector experience is in the areas of technology and telecommunications, fintech, media and entertainment, life sciences and energy technology. As well as advising UK companies, venture funds and intermediaries, Neil represents many large U.S., Middle Eastern, South African and Asian corporations on their UK and European deals. Neil qualified in 1996 and became a partner in 2003.

Foster is experienced in complex cross-border transactions. This work is balanced between in-bound deals for large international corporates and deals for UK companies especially where IP and/or technology are the key assets.

Tim Davison has significant experience in the areas of TMT, life sciences and healthcare sectors and advises on a wide range of transactions including corporate finance, M&A, reorganisations, joint ventures and other general corporate and commercial matters. In addition, Mr. Davison advises on general company procedure, corporate law and governance.

Within the technology sector, Davison’s practice includes advising on strategic alliances, licensing and complex technology and sourcing transactions covering the whole range of hardware, software, security and data usage, online assets, IT services, engineering assets, cleantech and alternative energy. In the media and telecoms industries, he advises clients in the sectors of digital media, online and offline brands, mobile and other telecoms, broadcasting, games, television channels, distribution and content. His practice in the life sciences sector covers discovery and therapeutics, devices, diagnostics, services and software.

Melaney has advised on a broad range of corporate transactions, including share acquisitions, joint ventures and private and public equity finance. Her principal sector focuses are in the areas of financial services, media and technology, energy and cleantech. In addition, Melaney has also provided advice to Official List companies, AIM-quoted companies, financial advisers and NOMADs on general company procedure, corporate law and governance and the application of the Listing Rules/ AIM Rules.

Jackson Walker is pleased to announce S. Priya Coffey and Michael E. Taten have been appointed as managing partners of the Houston and Dallas offices, respectively.

“Jackson Walker has been fortunate to have decades of strong leadership in each of our offices across Texas, and Priya and Mike are part of the next generation of those leaders,” Firmwide Managing Partner Wade Cooper said. “Under the guidance of Kurt Nondorf and David Moran, the Houston and Dallas offices have grown substantially, and our advancement over the past 10 years is just incredible. Kurt and David established a strong foundation that Priya and Mike will build upon.”

A partner in the Real Estate practice, Priya assists clients with complex commercial real estate transactions, including the representation of buyers and sellers in the acquisition and disposition of raw land, office buildings and retail centers, and the representation of landlords and tenants in commercial office building leases and retail leases.

Outside of her practice, Priya serves on Jackson Walker’s Management and Compensation committees, the Board of Directors of Recipe for Success, and the University of Chicago’s Houston Regional Council. She is also a member of the South Asian Bar Association of Houston, the Houston chapter of Commercial Real Estate Women, and The Junior League of Houston, Inc. In addition, Priya stepped up to help the Houston community in the wake of Hurricane Harvey. Under her leadership, Jackson Walker attorneys and staff volunteered more than 2,000 hours toward providing relief by collecting monetary contributions, coordinating volunteer and pro bono efforts, and reaching out to displaced clients and those in the legal community who were affected by the floods.

In honor of her leadership excellence and commitment to the community, the Texas Diversity Council recognized Priya among the Top 50 Women Lawyers of Houston in 2017.

On her appointment, Priya noted: “I am so proud and happy to serve the Firm. It is my honor and privilege to work with so many of my friends and colleagues to advance the interests of the Firm and our clients. We would not be where we are without extraordinary leaders like Kurt Nondorf who have worked tirelessly to expand our client base, promote diversity and preserve the Firm’s culture — all reasons why I have stayed at Jackson Walker for over 20 years. I cannot thank them enough for the past years, and I am excited about the future.”

With her appointment, Priya is the third woman—and the first woman of color—to serve as an office managing partner in the Firm’s history. Currently, Julia W. Mann serves as Managing Partner of the San Antonio office, a role she was appointed to last year.

Priya earned her J.D. from Texas Tech University School of Law, M.Sc. from the London School of Economics, and B.A. from The University of Chicago.

Mike focuses his practice on mergers and acquisitions, corporate transactions, joint ventures, executive employment and compensation arrangements, equity financing transactions, and corporate governance. His clients represent a diversity of industry sectors, including healthcare, manufacturing and distribution, technology, and service providers. Since 2014, Mike has been recognized as a “Texas Super Lawyer” in Thomson Reuters’ Super Lawyers list.

In addition to his practice, Mike has held leadership roles within the Firm as a chair of the Dallas Corporate & Securities practice group, a three-year member of the Management Committee – for which he was recently re-elected to serve a second term, and a member of the Compensation Committee. He also serves on the Board of Directors of the Dallas Regional Chamber.

“Jackson Walker’s culture has been foundational to our commitment to excellence in client service and our success as a firm, and it is the chief ingredient in making our office such a great place to work,” Mike said. “David Moran has set a superlative example of service for all of us, and it is a privilege and an honor to follow in his footsteps. I look forward to carrying those traditions forward together with my colleagues.”

Mike received his J.D. from Duke University School of Law and his A.B. from Stanford University.

Meet JW

Founded more than 130 years ago, Jackson Walker has played a vital role in the growth and development of Texas business. With more than 400 attorneys across seven Texas-based offices, the Firm represents Fortune 500 companies, multinational corporations, major financial institutions, insurance companies, and a wide range of public companies and private businesses around the globe. The Firm is ranked nationally in 27 practice areas in the U.S. News’ “Best Law Firms” rankings, has eight Chambers USA-ranked practices and 16 practice areas with Chambers-ranked attorneys, and has been recognized on the BTI Client Service A-Team since 2014. Learn more at JW.com.

Jackson Walker is pleased to announce the election of 11 attorneys to partnership on Friday, February 7, 2020. The new partners in each city are:

• Austin: Denise Rose, Carlos Treviño
• Dallas: Joseph Guajardo, Kelly Hodge, Natalie Kosydar, James McFall, David Schlottman
• Houston: Briggs Knight, Trey McDonald, Kristhy Peguero
• San Antonio: Shari Mao

“At Jackson Walker, we’re proud of our people-centric culture and our commitment to recruiting, developing, and advancing talented lawyers,” Firmwide Managing Partner Wade Cooper said. “We realize that recruiting talent is great, but if we don’t help set them up for success, we haven’t accomplished much. From the start, we are invested in their future and give them responsibility early on, all with the goal of preparing them for partnership and ultimately a leadership role within the Firm.”

Joe Guajardo
Dallas, Corporate & Securities

Joseph T. Guajardo is an experienced transactional lawyer who works closely with clients in a full range of corporate matters, including mergers and acquisitions, private placement of debt and equity securities, entity formation and governance, joint ventures, and general corporate counseling. In addition to his extensive M&A work in the healthcare sector, Joe also represents clients in the energy, manufacturing, real estate, and technology industries. He received his J.D., cum laude, from the University of Houston Law Center and his B.B.A. from the University of Houston.

Kelly Hodge
Dallas, Finance & Banking

Kelly S. Hodge’s real estate finance experience includes the negotiation, structuring, and documentation of construction; interim and permanent financing for multifamily properties, office buildings, shopping centers, hotels, car dealerships, industrial properties, and residential properties; and transactions involving Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC). He also represents borrowers and lenders in the restructuring of troubled credit facilities and foreclosure on real estate. Outside of his practice, he volunteers his time as a Level C1 Referee for the Texas Rugby Referee Association and as a Director for the Young Risk Manager’s Association. Kelly received his J.D., magna cum laude, from Baylor University School of Law and his B.A., magna cum laude, from Texas A&M University.

Briggs Knight
Houston, Real Estate

Briggs A. Knight represents purchasers, owners, and developers in connection with the acquisition, disposition, leasing, and development of improved and unimproved real property. Additionally, he handles lending transactions secured by or involving real estate, including retail, office, industrial, and multifamily projects and related personal property. He received his J.D., with honors, from the University of Houston Law Center. He also graduated from Louisiana State University with his B.S. and M.B.A., both with honors.

Natalie Kosydar
Dallas, Corporate & Securities

Natalie M. Kosydar is a transactional attorney specializing in complex mergers & acquisitions, joint ventures, corporate transactions, executive employment and compensation arrangements, equity financing transactions, and corporate governance. Outside of her practice, Natalie serves on Jackson Walker’s Recruiting Committee and is a regular contributor to Nepris as a mentor to students of all levels. Natalie received her J.D., cum laude, from the Notre Dame Law School and her B.A., summa cum laude, from the University of Michigan.

Shari Mao
San Antonio, Corporate & Securities

Shari Y. Mao represents privately held clients in a variety of general corporate matters, including entity formation, corporate governance, financings, and divestitures. In 2015, the Bexar County Women’s Bar Foundation honored Shari with the Belva Lockwood Outstanding Young Lawyer Award. She has also been recognized by San Antonio Scene as a Best S.A. Lawyer since 2017 and a Rising Star Lawyer in 2018. In addition to her practice, Shari serves on the Board of Directors of the San Antonio Botanical Garden. She received her J.D., magna cum laude, from St. Mary’s University School of Law and her B.A., magna cum laude, from Duke University.

Trey McDonald
Houston, Trial & Appellate Litigation

William “Trey” A.I. McDonald III practices media litigation and complex commercial litigation with a focus on First Amendment, defamation, false advertising, and Lanham Act claims. In addition to his practice, Trey serves on the University of Texas School of Law Young Alumni Steering Committee, the OneGoal Houston young professional board, and the Sweat Equity Group board of directors. He also enjoys raising money for Houston-area nonprofits that uplift minority communities though his annual One Night event. Trey is also a Fellow of the Texas Bar Foundation. Recently, Trey was selected to The National Black Lawyers’ “Top 40 Under 40” list. He received his J.D. from the University of Texas School of Law and his B.A., magna cum laude, from Morehouse College and studied as an exchange fellow at Stanford University.

James McFall
Dallas & San Antonio, Trial & Appellate Litigation

James Carlos McFall focuses his practice on  media, sports, entertainment, and complex commercial litigation, including cases of alleged fraud, tortious interference, breach of contract, breach of fiduciary duty, and theft of trade secrets. He has represented clients in federal and state courts Texas and California. James has been named a “Rising Star” in Thomson Reuters’ Super Lawyers from 2017-2018 and in 2020. Outside of his practice, James volunteers his time as Board President of the Windcrest/Northeast Bridge Builders, as a Co-Chair of the American Bar Association’s First Amendment and Media Law Diversity Moot Court Competition, and as a Board Member of Kids-U. He received his J.D. from Washington University School of Law and his M.A. and B.A. from Stanford University. James has been admitted to practice in California and Texas.

Kristhy Peguero
Houston, Bankruptcy, Restructuring, & Recovery

Kristhy M. Peguero represents debtors, financial institutions, creditors’ committees, and other creditors in Chapter 11 proceedings. Outside of her practice, Kristhy volunteers her time as a Trustee of the Association of Women Attorneys Foundation. She is also a Fellow of the Texas Bar Foundation. Kristhy received her J.D. from the University of Pennsylvania and her B.A., with honors, from the University of Miami. She has been admitted to practice in Delaware and Texas.

Denise Rose
Austin, Government Relations, Public Policy, & Regulatory Law

Having worked in and around the Texas Capitol for over a decade, Denise Rose provides effective strategic counsel to clients on a wide variety of issues, including but not limited to Medicaid and hospital finance, special utility districts, occupational licensing, healthcare quality, and agency rulemaking processes and requests for proposals. In 2019, Denise was recognized as a “Rising Star” in the Lobby Power Rankings from Capitol Inside. In addition to her practice, Denise volunteers her time with the Children’s Advocacy Centers of Texas, Texans Care for Children, the Wine and Food Foundation of Texas, Dress for Success Austin, Mobile Loaves and Fishes, and GENAustin. She was also selected to participate in the Leadership Texas Class of 2020. Denise received her J.D. from the University of Houston Law Center and her B.S. from the University of Oklahoma.

David Schlottman
Dallas, Labor & Employment

David Schlottman is an adviser and litigator who focuses on complex cases involving employees, the workplace, and related business disputes. He has been recognized in the labor and employment field as a “Rising Star” by Super Lawyers and one of the “Best Lawyers in Dallas” by D Magazine. In addition to his practice, David serves on the Board of Directors of the Community Partners of Dallas and on the leadership councils for both the State Bar of Texas Labor and Employment Law Section and the Labor & Employment Law Section of the Dallas Bar Association. He received his J.D., magna cum laude, from Baylor Law School and his B.A., with high honors, from Abilene Christian University.

Carlos Treviño
Austin, Corporate & Securities

Carlos R. Treviño handles domestic and cross-border transactions, including mergers and acquisitions, divestitures, joint ventures, and general corporate matters. Outside of his practice, he is an adjunct professor at the University of Texas School of Law. Carlos received his LL.M. from UT School of Law, his M.B.A. from Thunderbird School of Global Management and Instituto Tecnológico y de Estudios Superiores de Monterrey, and his LL.B. from Instituto Tecnológico y de Estudios Superiores de Monterrey. He has been admitted to practice in Mexico and Texas.

Meet JW

Founded more than 130 years ago, Jackson Walker has played a vital role in the growth and development of Texas business. With more than 400 attorneys across seven Texas-based offices, the Firm represents Fortune 500 companies, multinational corporations, major financial institutions, insurance companies, and a wide range of public companies and private businesses around the globe. The Firm is ranked nationally in 27 practice areas in the U.S. News’ “Best Law Firms” rankings, has eight Chambers USA-ranked practices and 16 practice areas with Chambers-ranked attorneys, and has been recognized on the BTI Client Service A-Team since 2014. Learn more at JW.com.

Bradley Arant Boult Cummings LLP is pleased to announce that Jonathan H. Ferry, most recently an Assistant U.S. Attorney in the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of North Carolina, has joined the firm’s Charlotte office as a partner in the Government Enforcement and Investigations Practice Group.

“It is a pleasure to welcome Jon to our firm and our team of distinguished attorneys who represent clients in government and internal investigations,” said Bradley Charlotte Office Managing Partner Christopher C. Lam. “As a former federal prosecutor, Jon is well versed in the numerous enforcement challenges that businesses face across diverse and highly regulated industries.”

“Jon is a highly accomplished prosecutor who has handled some of the largest investigations involving the healthcare, financial services, and other industries in North Carolina. He will be an asset to our clients and a great addition to our government enforcement and white collar defense team, which is among the largest and deepest in the region, with seasoned defense attorneys and former prosecutors in offices in Texas, Washington, D.C., and across the Southeast,” said Ty E. Howard, chair of Bradley’s Government Enforcement and Investigations Practice Group.

Mr. Ferry focuses his practice primarily on Financial Institutions Reform, Recovery, and Enforcement Act (FIRREA) violations, procurement and mortgage fraud, as well as fraud involving the Small Business Administration, Department of Agriculture, and Department of Housing and Urban Development. He has extensive knowledge of healthcare statutes and regulations, including the Anti-Kickback Statute, the Stark Law, and the Food Drug and Cosmetics Act, and their application to various business arrangements and marketing activities.

As an AUSA, Mr. Ferry served as the healthcare fraud coordinator for the U.S. Attorney’s Office and led the affirmative civil enforcement department. He developed the Healthcare Fraud False Claims Act program and recovered over $280 million in government program funds. Previously, Mr. Ferry served as Assistant General Counsel for the Central Intelligence Agency, where he was deputy chief of the High Value Terrorist Prosecution Task Force.

Mr. Ferry has been a frequent speaker on healthcare fraud matters for the ABA Healthcare Fraud Conference (Stark Law developments), North Carolina Association of Health Care Attorneys, the Taxpayer’s Against Fraud National Conference and continuing legal education events. Mr. Ferry also served on the faculty at the Department of Justice’s National Advocacy Training Center.

Mr. Ferry received his J.D. from the University of Virginia School of Law and his Bachelor of Arts from Rutgers University. He began his legal career as a law clerk to the Hon. Judge Larry Edmondson on the United States Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit.

Bradley’s Government Enforcement and Investigations Practice Group is made up of numerous former federal prosecutors and accomplished civil litigators, as well as seasoned defense attorneys with decades of government and industry experience. The group’s attorneys handle a full range of legal matters, ranging from high-stakes regulatory and civil enforcement to white-collar and criminal enforcement.

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 over 500 lawyers represent regional, national and international clients in various industries, including financial services, healthcare, life sciences, real estate, construction, technology, energy, insurance, and entertainment, among many others.

During the month of January, Jackson Walker proudly welcomed Joe Flack, David Parker, and John Wittenberg as partners in the Houston and San Antonio offices. In addition, the Firm added Dana Murphy as senior counsel in the Dallas office.

“We’re proud to kick off 2020 with the addition of four lateral attorneys who each bring proven track records of obtaining successful results for regional and national clients in the energy, finance, and corporate sectors,” Managing Partner Wade Cooper said. “The new year is off to a great start as we continue to build on our strategic hiring efforts and serve our clients in the robust Texas market and around the country.”

Meet Joe

Focused on oil and gas transactions, Joe F. Flack’s substantial upstream representations include buyers and sellers in acquisitions and divestitures, borrowers and lenders in reserve-based lending transactions, and grantors and grantees in conveyancing transactions. He also has led various diligence examinations with regards to property and title issues.

Additionally, Joe has handled midstream matters for gatherers and producers/shippers in gathering agreements, and processors and producers in processing agreements. He also offers broad experience related to energy transactions, including exploration and development agreements, farmout agreements, participation agreements, joint operating agreements, gas gathering agreements, processing agreements, and oil and gas leases.

“Jackson Walker has a long-established presence in the energy sector—especially in the state of Texas,” Joe said. “I am proud to join this leading team and leverage my experience handling oil and gas transactions to help solve clients’ complex legal issues.”

On welcoming Joe to the Firm, Energy Practice Chair Mike Pearson noted, “We have a proud legacy of providing cutting-edge legal advice to energy businesses in Texas and nationwide. With Texas leading the nation in energy production, Jackson Walker has had great success in providing counsel in every segment of the industry. We’re excited to have Joe join our team as he adds breadth and depth to our experience in upstream and midstream energy transactions, including in particular acquisitions and dispositions, and energy finance.”

Joe received both his J.D. and B.A. from The University of Texas at Austin.

Meet David

David Parker focuses on all facets of development, leasing, and the acquisition, disposition, construction, and financing of various real estate projects. His representative clients vary widely across numerous industries, including oilfield services, healthcare, retail, and industrial, residential, office, and mixed-use developments. Prior to private practice, David was an analyst and lender at a leading Texas bank.

“Jackson Walker has established itself as a leading law firm in the real estate industry and has handled many high-profile real estate transactions within Texas and across the nation,” David said. “I am excited to join an elite group of attorneys who practice across a broad spectrum of areas, while also offering great value to my clients.”

Houston Real Estate Chair Lewis Kasner noted: “The Houston office is thrilled to have David join our team. Real Estate is a core practice area at Jackson Walker, with the Firm maintaining one of the largest real estate groups in Texas and Houston. David represents our strategic vision to grow the size and expertise of our real estate practice, and our ability to handle all facets of buying, selling, financing, developing, and operating commercial real estate.”

David received his J.D. from the University of Houston Law Center and his B.B.A., cum laude, from Texas Tech University.

Meet John

Bringing previous experience as an executive vice president and corporate counsel at one of the 60 largest U.S. banks, John D. Wittenberg, Jr. represents banks and other financial services companies on commercial finance, real estate finance, equipment finance, and business transactions.

With nearly 30 years of multifaceted and multidisciplinary transaction experience, John concentrates on syndicated transactions, direct lending transactions, secured financings, acquisition and bridge financings, refinancing facilities, loan workouts and restructurings, and other types of complex credit facilities. He also has significant experience handling regulatory compliance, vendor contract, capital markets, public funds, and treasury management matters, along with commercial real estate—acquisition, disposition, leasing, and development—transactions.

On his decision to return to private practice, John said, “The opportunity to help Jackson Walker enhance and expand its banking and financial services practice and contribute to its Real Estate practice is exciting and compelling. I’m honored to be a member of the JW team.”

“A number of our attorneys have known and worked with John over the years, and his extensive banking and financial services experience are a terrific fit for us,” said Debbie Robinowitz, who chairs the Firm’s Finance & Banking practice. “With the dual-lens perspective and client-centric approach that John brings to our Finance team, we can continue to expand our presence in commercial and real estate lending markets locally, regionally, and nationally.”

John received his J.D. from the University of Houston Law Center and his B.A. in Economics, summa cum laude, from St. Mary’s University.

Meet Dana

Dana F. Murphy counsels high-net worth individuals, family-owned businesses, publicly traded entities, and private equity and operational investors related to mergers and acquisitions, corporate governance, and commercial contracts. In her practice, she handles entity formation and structuring, mergers and acquisitions, and drafting and negotiating loan instruments, master services agreements, confidentiality and non-disclosure agreements, and real property transfer documentation.

“What drew me to Jackson Walker was the fact that it’s a regional firm that isn’t small,” Dana said. “I look forward to growing my practice while working at a law firm that is known for its mid-market transactions for investment funds as well as M&A deals.”

“Dana’s broad experience in corporate matters, specifically related to corporate governance and complex commercial contracts, is a strong value add for our clients,” said Mike Taten, who chairs the Dallas office’s Corporate & Securities practice.

Dana received her B.A., summa cum laude, from the University of Mississippi and her J.D. from The University of Texas School of Law.

Meet JW

Founded more than 130 years ago, Jackson Walker has played a vital role in the growth and development of Texas business. With more than 400 attorneys across seven Texas-based offices, the Firm represents Fortune 500 companies, multinational corporations, major financial institutions, insurance companies, and a wide range of public companies and private businesses around the globe. The Firm is ranked nationally in 27 practice areas in the U.S. News’ “Best Law Firms” rankings, has eight Chambers USA-ranked practices and 16 practice areas with Chambers-ranked attorneys, and has been recognized on the BTI Client Service A-Team since 2014. Learn more at JW.com.

Alicia Sienne Voltmer, of counsel in the Dallas office of global law firm Greenberg Traurig, LLP, served as lead counsel for Paul Quinn College, a nationally recognized Historically Black College, in the Rebecca Musser v. Paul Quinn College (PQC) case, wherein Musser, a former PQC employee, alleged retaliatory discharge under the federal False Claims Act (FCA). In a matter with facts that spanned an eight-year period, Voltmer secured summary judgment for PQC and Musser appealed.

In an opinion issued this week and designated for publication, the Fifth Circuit affirmed summary judgment for PQC and found that Musser could not establish that PQC’s legitimate, non-discriminatory reasons for her discharge, including poor performance and a reorganization, were pretextual. According to the Court, no reasonable juror could conclude Musser’s firing was due to retaliation for engaging in protected activity.

Learn how this eight-year matter was ultimately resolved.

60%-80% of B2B deals are governed by contracts, but 85% of companies are still using manual processes to manage those contracts. Your organization might be one of them. If it is, you know about how slow the contract cycle can be and the headaches that come with contract negotiations.

You may have experienced in the past the frustration of hunting for the latest version of the contract, or worse, sending redlines that you added to an out-of-date version. If you’re in sales, you’ve spent time tapping your foot waiting on feedback and approval from the legal team, fingers crossed that you can close this deal before end of quarter.

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