Campaign raises awareness in support of American Heart Association

WASHINGTON (Feb. 10, 2020) Local heart attack survivor John Harrity, managing partner of Harrity & Harrity, LLP, has launched a campaign to raise awareness and support for the American Heart Association with a unique challenge, dubbed the “Keep the Beat Challenge.” The campaign kicked off on February 1^st in alignment with the start of American Heart Month, a federally designated program founded in the 1960s to raise awareness of the prevalence of heart disease, the leading cause of death in the world today.

The challenge began with a video featuring Harrity performing an original rap about the disease, after which he challenged several others to “keep the beat going.” The challenge is intended to encourage communities nationwide to focus on heart health, educate individuals on preventing heart disease, and generate support for the American Heart Association.

The cause is particularly meaningful to Harrity, who, despite showing no risk factors for heart disease, suffered a near fatal “widow-maker” heart attack in 2016.

“I was in the best shape of my life, and I experienced the worst type of heart attack you can have. Hours later, at the hospital, my situation got gravely worse. I experienced bleeding into my lungs, which sent me into respiratory distress, and eventually led to multiple organ failure. During that first day in the hospital, my wife was told more than a half of a dozen times that the chances of me surviving were very slim. My cardiologist said the odds of me making it through those first few weeks were a million to one,” said Harrity.

Harrity was fortunately with friends, who quickly called 9-1-1 and administered CPR before the ambulance rushed him, unconscious, to the hospital.  Harrity spent three weeks in a coma and an additional five weeks of grueling recovery in an intensive care unit in Virginia. Despite his doctor’s unfavorable odds, Harrity survived the attack and made an incredible recovery. His unlikely rehabilitation compelled him to implement a giving back initiative at his firm, with a focus on the crucial work of the American Heart Association.

“From the second I woke up and understood what had happened, I was laser focused on two things: getting back to 100% and ensuring that I don’t waste my heart attack. If I just went back to my old way of life, then this traumatic experience would have been for nothing. I have no intention of wasting my heart attack. During the following five weeks, as I lay in intensive care regaining my ability to speak and move, my twin brother and I had many conversations. We knew we needed to do more, we needed to be purpose driven. It was in that bed at Fairfax Hospital that the foundation for Harrity 4 Charity, our giving back initiative, was born.”

However, Harrity wasn’t done there. Inspired by the success of the “Ice Bucket Challenge,” which raised over $115 million in one summer for the ALS Association, Harrity crafted the idea of Keep the Beat. The goal of challenge is to spread awareness of the reality of heart disease and the mission behind the American Heart Association. One-hundred percent of donations raised by the challenge go directly to the American Heart Association through a text-to-donate number and heart.org webpage and will fund research, prevention, and treatments of this universal killer- instrumental factors in decreasing the shocking mortality rate by heart disease and stroke worldwide.

“When you participate in the Keep the Beat Challenge, you are supporting the American Heart Association, and serving as a beacon for others to support our lifesaving mission in a unique and powerful way! Thank you for joining us in the fight against heart disease; the number one killer of all Americans. Together, we are a relentless force for a world of longer, healthier lives!” said Soula Antoniou, Executive Director of the American Heart Association.

To participate, upload a video to social media of yourself keeping a beat in honor of American Heart Month and challenge at least three others to do the same. Tag and follow the Keep the Beat Challenge on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter and the hashtags #KeeptheBeat and #Harrity4Charity to watch challenge videos and learn more about the campaign.

To hear John’s whole story and to donate to the Keep the Beat Challenge for the American Heart Association, visit the Heart.org Campaign Page or text “KEEPTHEBEAT” to 41444 .

About Harrity 4 Charity

Harrity 4 Charity represents a partnering of law firm Harrity & Harrity, LLP, with charities that are near and dear to our hearts. Harrity partners pledge to give five percent of profits to partner charities and all Harrity employees pledge to donate a portion of their paychecks. Harrity & Harrity is a patent preparation and prosecution firm specializing in the electrical and mechanical technology areas and is considered a Go-To Firm for the Patent 300®. Our clients have come to trust in our high-quality work, experienced people, industry leading innovation, and outstanding service. For more information, visit harrityllp.com.

RumbergerKirk has elected three new partners to the firm including Brett Carey and Samantha Duke in Orlando and Abigail Roberts in Miami.

Brett Carey

An extremely versatile attorney, Brett Carey practices in the areas of insurance coverage and bad faith, employment, and commercial litigation. He represents insurers in first and third party coverage matters, including claims involving personal and commercial lines of insurance, and claims involving extra-contractual liability and bad faith disputes. He also has extensive experience representing insurance companies and other clients in contract disputes, claims of fraud and misrepresentation and other commercial litigation.

Carey is an active member of The Florida Bar Diversity and Inclusion Committee. He also participates in RumbergerKirk’s annual pipeline program known as Street Law, which introduces local high school students to topics and careers in the legal field. Carey also mentors law students in the firm’s Summer Associate Program, a program he participated in before joining the firm. He graduated, magna cum laude, from Florida State University College of Law in 2011 and from the University of Florida with a bachelor’s degree in Business Marketing.

Samantha Duke

Samantha Duke practices in the areas of commercial litigation and product liability. She defends clients in Florida and multi-state consumer protection class actions including false advertising and violations of state consumer protection acts, such as the Florida Deceptive and Unfair Trade Practices Act (FDUTPA). In 2016, Duke was an integral member of a team in securing a denial of class certification in a multi-state putative class action venued in the Northern District of California. She recently played a large role in drafting the petition to the FCC for Amerifactors Financial Group, LLC where the FCC ruled in favor of the petition that online fax services are outside the scope of the Telephone Consumer Protection Act.

Duke also represents companies in commercial litigation and product liability matters, defending manufacturers of a variety of products including automobiles, personal watercraft, motorcycles and medical devices. She graduated, magna cum laude, from the University of Florida College of Law in 2011 and graduated magna cum laude from Florida State University with a bachelor’s degree in Art History.

Abigail Roberts

Abigail Roberts practices in the areas of aviation law, drone law and appeals. She represents airlines in matters involving the Warsaw and Montreal Conventions, negligence claims, security issues, as well as catastrophic injuries and wrongful death. Roberts played a large role in the successful defense of the American Airlines Flight 331 crash in Kingston, Jamaica in December 2009.

She is dedicated to serving individual, corporate and government clients in all aspects of drone law and litigation including assistance with obtaining airspace and operational waivers under Part 107, obtaining Public Certificates of Authorization or Waiver (Public COAs), policies and procedures for drone programs, and regulatory compliance. Roberts monitors the latest developments in the drone law industry and is published frequently regarding the legal developments in this emerging area of law.

Roberts graduated from the University of Miami Law School, cum laude, in 2007 and from Purdue University with a Bachelor’s degree in Telecommunications, with highest distinction.

Rumberger, Kirk & Caldwell has rebranded to become RumbergerKirk, revealing a new, modern brand identity and website. In part, the refreshed brand is a result of the firm’s market research showing that clients and recruits respond favorably to more contemporary styles and shorter names. The new look and name reflects the regional litigation firm’s commitment to its core values of trust, mentorship, courage and diversity, while offering clients, colleagues and the community a more engaging, user-friendly experience across all of the firm’s communications channels.

The firm’s Director of Marketing, Marisa Eubanks, spearheaded the initiative working closely with the firm’s leadership team and Orlando-based creative agency Big Vision. Drawing upon insights from clients, colleagues and community partners, the new look is a dynamic visual representation of the firm’s personality and collaborative nature.

In addition to introducing a clean and minimal aesthetic, RumbergerKirk made significant enhancements to its website, which now offers an improved user experience. “Clients and recruits will be able to find the information they’re seeking easily —from attorney insights to details about the kind of work we do, and what recruits can expect from a career with us,” said Eubanks.

The brand exemplifies RumbergerKirk’s unique culture and commitment to the community, which has made it a trusted leader in the legal services industry for more than 40 years.

To experience the firm’s new brand identity and learn more about RumbergerKirk, please visit www.rumberger.com.

ORLANDO, Fla., – RumbergerKirk announces the return of former partner Larry Smith as of counsel and new partner Jennifer Smith Thomas to the firm’s Orlando office. Smith brings deep experience in product liability and catastrophic injury litigation. In addition to working in product and casualty defense, Smith Thomas also brings with her a commercial litigation background.

Larry D. Smith

Smith comes back to RumbergerKirk from Southern Trial Counsel | PLC where he was a founding partner. For more than 30 years, he has defended complex, high exposure product liability cases for automotive and medical device and drug manufacturers, as well as primary and excess insurance companies.

Smith earned his bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice with Great Honor from the University of North Alabama, and his law degree from the University of Alabama School of Law.

Jennifer Smith Thomas

Also from Southern Trial Counsel | PLC, Smith Thomas focuses her practice on product and premises liability defense, both risk management pre-suit and after litigation has been initiated, as well as commercial litigation. She serves on the Florida Bar’s Young Lawyers Division Board of Governors as a Ninth Judicial Circuit Representative and will remain active with Orange County Bar Association committee work and voluntary bar organizations.

Smith Thomas received her bachelor’s degree from Mercer University in Macon, triple-majoring in Criminal Justice, Political Science, and International Relations. She graduated from Barry University School of Law in 2008.

Stephens Law is a premier law firm focused exclusively on handling serious personal injury and wrongful death claims. We have over two decades of experience and a proven track record of success in helping individuals and families who have been harmed by the wrongdoing or negligence of others.

Our team is dedicated to the pursuit of excellence in everything we do, while providing trustworthy, compassionate representation to our clients. We leverage our vast experience, cutting edge technology, advanced resources, unquestionable preparedness, and our reputation to pursue the best results for our clients.

We seek to maximize our client’s restitution and compensation, while understanding that families and loved ones will likely never fully know their old way of life again. We strive to be “Difference Makers” and to be true advocates for the seriously injured. At Stephens Law, we take your trust seriously and personally and always seek to serve our clients and our community with honor and integrity.

If you or someone you knows ever needs a personal injury or wrongful death lawyer with a proven record of success in the courtroom, please give us a call to see how we can help.

Michael Best is pleased to announce the addition of nine partners as members of its LLC.

The new partners include:

Eric J. Callisto—Energy Law, Madison
Callisto is the chair of the firm’s Regulatory practice group. Callisto has extensive experience in energy and environmental matters, particularly the regulation of utilities at both the state and federal levels. He helps clients with regulatory filings and issues before state public utility commissions, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) audits and investigations, and electric transmission and Regional Transmission Organization (RTO) policy matters.

Adrienne S. Ehrhardt, Privacy & Cybersecurity, Madison
As chair of the firm’s Privacy & Cybersecurity practice group, Ehrhardt is known to give practical and actionable legal advice. She counsels clients on the many complex aspects of privacy and data management matters. Her extensive background includes experience with issues relating to the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act (GLBA), Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA), the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA), and the European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), as well as privacy programs and cyber security issues.

Denise L. Greathouse, Labor & Employment Relations, Milwaukee
Greathouse is a member of the firm’s Labor & Employment practice group. She represents management clients in regard to labor and employment matters. Clients rely on Greathouse’s informed guidance involving OSHA and Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) issues, workplace investigations, labor arbitration, employment tort and breach of contract lawsuits, employee safety and health, Medicare/Medicaid billing disputes and Social Security disability

Michelle E. Kouba, Intellectual Property, Chicago
Kouba handles all aspects of U.S. and international trademark law, helping clients build and protect their IP portfolios while providing actionable advice on brand management. Her practice focuses primarily on clearance, prosecution, and enforcement matters. Her practice focuses primarily on clearance, prosecution, and enforcement matters. She has experience handling proceedings before the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board and coordinating foreign trademark enforcement and litigation for clients based in the U.S. and around the world.

Molly S. Lawson, Intellectual Property, Milwaukee
Lawson is a member of the firm’s Intellectual Property practice group experienced in all phases of obtaining patent protection both in the United States and internationally. Her patent prosecution and patent clearance practice is focused on computer software and hardware technologies, including wireless networks and communication protocols, vehicle and industrial machinery control systems, including RFID technology and near-field communications, imaging systems and applications (including computed tomography and radiographic image creation, analysis, and management), productivity and messaging software and services, cryptographic and security applications, and web-based applications and business methods.

Lee M. Seese, Litigation, Milwaukee
Seese is a member of the firm’s Litigation practice group with substantial experience in insurance recovery, complex commercial litigation, product liability, and construction matters. He is well versed in all aspects of pre-trial litigation and has tried cases before state and federal courts. His appellate work is also noteworthy, including arguing before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit.

Ryan T. Sulkin, Privacy & Cybersecurity, Chicago
Bringing a robust background in privacy and cybersecurity, Sulkin focuses his practice in the areas of information technology, outsourcing, data protection, licensing, e-commerce, and intellectual property. He serves clients across industry sectors, including financial services, hospitality, manufacturing, and pharmaceuticals. Sulkin’s experience with privacy and cybersecurity issues includes compliance with multinational regulatory requirements (specifically cross-border data transfers), evaluation and negotiation of agreements for cloud-based solutions, creation of website privacy policies and terms of use, investigation and management of potential data security incidents, and compliance with PCI-DSS and applicable breach notification laws.

David J. Trautschold, Intellectual Property, Milwaukee
Clients look to Trautschold for help in obtaining patents and in managing their intellectual property portfolios. His proven track record as a patent prosecutor, together with his academic training as a biomechanical engineer, give him the depth of technical knowledge and legal experience needed to tackle the issues facing client innovators. Trautschold has experience with consumer products such as outdoor power equipment, furniture, office supplies, computer accessories, power tools, motorcycles, medical devices, and robotic storage and dispensing systems. He has also worked on industrial machinery and software applications.

Betsy T. Voter, Corporate, Salt Lake City
Voter focuses her practice on financial services, securities law, and regulatory compliance. Voter advises clients to take a proactive approach to meeting their regulatory requirements, in line with their practical and operational needs. In her past role as general counsel for a brokerage and clearing firm, she developed an informed perspective on advising clients who conduct their business in a regulatory environment. She has extensive experience in advising clients on compliance with federal and state securities laws and their impact on broker-dealers, investment advisors, and public companies.

Bradley Arant Boult Cummings LLP is proud to announce that it is celebrating the firm’s 150th anniversary this year. Founded in 1870 in Elyton, Alabama, before moving to Birmingham the following year, Bradley has grown to 10 offices with nearly 550 lawyers in Alabama, Florida, Mississippi, North Carolina, Tennessee, Texas and the District of Columbia.

“This significant milestone is an opportunity to celebrate the past 150 years with our attorneys, staff, clients, and friends, and to focus on the future of the firm as we continue to carry forward our strong tradition of excellent client service,” said Bradley Chairman of the Board and Managing Partner Jonathan M. Skeeters. “Bradley’s extraordinary legacy is reflective of the highest standards of value, ethics, and professional excellence in the practice of law – standards that have guided us through to the present day.”

As one of only a handful of U.S. law firms to reach this milestone, Bradley is proud to have developed a national reputation for serving businesses around the world in the banking and financial services, construction, energy, healthcare, manufacturing, pharmaceutical and life sciences, real estate, and technology industries.

About Bradley
Bradley combines skilled legal counsel with exceptional client service and unwavering integrity to assist a diverse range of corporate and individual clients in achieving their business goals. With offices in Alabama, Florida, Mississippi, North Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, and the District of Columbia, the firm’s nearly 550 lawyers represent regional, national and international clients in various industries, including banking and financial services, construction, energy, healthcare, life sciences, manufacturing, real estate, and technology, among many others.

Freeborn & Peters LLP is pleased to announce that Joseph T. McCullough IV has been elected as Chair of the Firm’s Executive Committee, effective Jan. 1.

McCullough, Partner in the Litigation Practice Group, is the Leader of the Firm’s Insurance/Reinsurance Industry Group. He has served as a member of the Firm’s Executive Committee for many years.

Freeborn’s Insurance and Reinsurance Industry Group was recommended by the 2019 Legal 500 United States Guide for Insurance: advice to insurers and the Reinsurance team was ranked in the 2019 Chambers USA-Guide to Leading Lawyers for Business.

For more than 35 years, McCullough has devoted his practice to representation of insurance and reinsurance companies in both life & health and the property & casualty matters. He has acted as counsel to insurers and reinsurers from around the world in more than 150 arbitration, court, and administrative proceedings, including some of the highest-profile cases in the industry. In 2019, McCullough received a Nationwide ranking for Insurance: Dispute Resolution: Reinsurance in the Chambers-USA Guide to America’s Leading Lawyers for Business. He is one of only six attorneys nationwide to receive that honor. He has also been recognized as a Litigation Trailblazer by The National Law Journal.

McCullough received his J.D. (cum laude) from Northwestern University School of Law, a Postgraduate License in European Law (highest honors) from University of Gent, Belgium and his Bachelor of Arts (magna cum laude) from Georgetown University.

“Attorneys sparred Friday over oil and gas drilling in Alaska – whether the government ignored environmental consequences and if it should reevaluate projects in light of climate science released after the project was first evaluated in 2012.” reports Karina Brown in Courthouse News Service.

“The National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska is 23.4 million acres of pristine wilderness named as a source of oil for the U.S. Navy in 1923. The vast area is important habitat for millions of migratory birds, marine mammals like beluga whales and home to the Teshekpuk Lake caribou herd – critical for Nuiqsut subsistence hunters. Congress handed management to the Department of the Interior in 1976 with the mandate to provide “maximum protection” to the area’s fish and wildlife habitat.”

“In 2016, ConocoPhillips Alaska found a new cache of oil in the reserve that would mean an additional 130,000 barrels per day – beyond the daily 500,000 barrels that flowed through TransAlaska Pipeline last year.”

Read the article.

“The president of Texas Southern University may be out of a job after TSU regents alleged that he failed to promptly report information about an admissions scandal at the Thurgood Marshall School of Law.” reports Debra Cassens Weiss in the ABA Journal.

“The regents said in a Feb. 4 termination notice that Lane failed to promptly report to the board or internal auditor allegations of fraudulent and dishonest conduct by an assistant law dean.”

“The assistant law dean was accused of taking a $14,000 payoff for facilitating a scholarship and fraudulent admission for a law student. The assistant law dean was also accused of facilitating a fraudulent transfer application for a second student.”

Read the article.

“The Biglaw firm of Dentons is facing a $25 million lawsuit alleging self dealing, conflict of interest, and gross overbilling. ” reports Kathryn Rubino in Above the Law’s BigLaw.

“The lawsuit alleges that both Dentons and partner Shane Stevenson told Venning that “within a short period of time” of the Regent Energy sale, Stevenson would come in-house at Venning Group. While that move never materialized, the complaint alleges that in anticipation of the move, Stevenson became involved as a shareholder or director in numerous of its companies.”

“Additionally, the complaint alleges that Stevenson has a substance abuse problem and that Dentons was aware of the issue and failed to provide proper supervision of his legal work. The allegations against Stevenson include ones that he provided legal advice under the influence of alcohol and cocaine and that Venning was not warned the legal work they got from Stevenson may be under the influence.”

Read the article.

“Legal technologies promise to flourish in the coming decade, and although it is not possible to predict all the innovations that are likely to become mainstream, the use of smart contracts appears to be on the rise. A typical smart contract uses computers and code to automate performance of some or all of the parties’ obligations. However, the legal terms of the contract are likely to remain in written form in a contract that people can read. If a dispute arises, the parties may prefer arbitration as an alternative to court, but arbitration doesn’t happen on its own – it typically requires a properly drafted arbitration clause.”

Steven K. Davidson, Michael J. Baratz, Jared R. Butcher and Molly Bruder Fox provide some tips in Steptoe’s News/Publications to keep in mind when considering how to draft these clauses.

Read the article.

“It is important for contractual language to be not only precise but also accurate. Many agreements govern multiple individuals, some of whose gender is unclear or variable. This article will give you advice and guidance on how to adjust contract language to be gender-neutral. As society moves towards treating all genders equally, legal contracts should too.” advises Kati I. Pajak in Mintz’s Insights Center.

“Conversations around gender and gender neutrality are becoming more and more mainstream. Thompson Reuters reported that in the past year (2018), there has been an increase in the number of clients requesting gender-neutral documents. Start-ups are at the forefront of change and industry disruption, so it is logical that they stay ahead of the trend.”

“Now, the shift towards non-gendered pronouns and away from binary choices of “he” or “she” means attorneys need to adopt new drafting techniques. As entrepreneurs and leaders of your own business, you can encourage this shift.”

Read the article.

“When business deals are concluded verbally or with a gentleman’s agreement solely, the results can later on be very detrimental. Oral agreements are inadmissible in the court of law and if you happen to be ripped off by a business associate, the chances are slim to win that case. Therefore, drafting a business agreement and documenting it is very important to secure the deal that you will be conducting.” advises Margaret Francis in the Southeast Missourian’s Career Advice.

“To clearly state each party’s rights and obligations, you need to draft an agreement that will be agreed upon by all stakeholders. However, drafting a business deal contract agreement can be tricky, especially if you don’t have a lawyer on your side.”

Read the top 5 tips for a fair business contract agreement.

Blank Rome LLP is pleased to announce that Dean S. Nordlinger has joined the Firm’s Washington, D.C., office as a Partner in the Corporate, M&A, and Securities group, which welcomed Partner Stacy H. Louizos earlier this week in the New York office. Dean brings more than 20 years of experience representing privately held and closely held companies of all sizes, private equity firms, and entrepreneurs from a broad range of industries. Dean joins from Miles & Stockbridge, P.C., where he served as principal.

Nordlinger has extensive experience representing clients on both sides of corporate and transactional matters. Often serving as a virtual in-house counsel for his clients, Nordlinger’s work includes representing businesses or individuals as buyers and sellers on mergers, stock and asset acquisitions and sales, management buyouts, spinoffs, joint ventures and other strategic transactions, and debt and equity financing transactions. Additionally, he advises clients on a variety of other business and corporate matters, including entity formation, ownership structure, operating agreements, shareholders agreements, employee incentive compensation plans, non-compete agreements, loan transactions, and succession planning.

His corporate experience leverages a deep understanding for matters involving government contracts, derived from his work with several private entities that also provide services to state and federal agencies. He will collaborate with the Firm’s Government Contracts group, one of the top government contracts practices ranked nationally in Chambers USA and notably recognized for handling sophisticated litigation, counseling, and transactional matters for government contractors, on providing more comprehensive services to clients and creating additional synergies across the Firm’s practices. Notably, Nordlinger will enhance Blank Rome’s capabilities in its Aerospace, Defense, and Government (“ADG”) M&A practice, further strengthening the Firm’s position as one of the few firms with top-tier national corporate and government contracts practices who are skilled at counseling clients on the web of complex transactions and considerations that are unique to the ADG sector.

With his move to Blank Rome, Dean plans to continue his active role in the community and build upon past representation of pro bono clients. Dean earned his J.D. from the Georgetown University Law School, his M.B.A. from the University of San Diego, and his B.A., cum laude, from the University of Michigan.
About Blank Rome

“Let’s assume the mediator sticks his head into your room with a grin at 8pm after an exhaustive day when your client is still upset he made the 8^th counteroffer and the Mediator says: “Great news! Counter-offer accepted! We have a deal!” Wonderful, right? Even though your client was pushed way past what he came ready to do that day, you have a deal. So what mistakes are made when it comes to confirming the long sought, hard fought deal?” asks David K. Taylor in Buildsmart Mediation.

“This post is a continuation of the 10 most horrible, terrible, no good, “bang your head against the door” mistakes that I have seen lawyers make before, during and after mediations in which I was the mediator. As stated in previous posts, it takes more than throwing together a mediation statement at the last second and showing up at the mediation. Doing it right requires the same kind of due diligence and work that goes into preparing for a key deposition or even trial. Great “mediation” lawyering is essential and is the best way to get to an acceptable deal.”

Read the Top 10 mistakes made in mediations.

“Have you recently made a career move — maybe going in-house?  Or shifting from a firm to government work?  When you’re dealing with a work-life change, watch out for details that can too-easily fall through the cracks — like your license to practice, the date it expires, and whether you are in line to get an expiration notice.” reports Karen Rubin in The Law for Lawyers Today In-House Counsel.

“Illustrating the possible pitfalls:  a high-level Justice Department  lawyer was in the spotlight this week because he practiced for two months while unaware that his license had lapsed.  He issued apology letters, including to the Ninth Circuit, where he had presented an oral argument while unlicensed.”

“The lawyer heads the DOJ’s Environment and Natural Resources Division.  He has been a member of the D.C. bar since 1997, and worked at Kirkland & Ellis before joining the DOJ in 2018.  His license was deactivated October 1 for not paying his annual bar dues.”

Read the article.

Irell & Manella “announced to all attorneys that the firm was pursuing an ‘alternative business model.’ According to the email sent by partner Jonathan Kagan, they are ‘focus[ing] on areas where we have a clearly demonstrated record of success and excellence when compared to other firms.’” reports Kathryn Runbino in Above the Law’s BigLaw.

An email was sent to explain what this means. “We therefore plan to focus our future growth and investments in our litigation practice areas, particularly IP and complex business litigation. Although we will continue to have lawyers in other practice areas at the Firm (particularly in certain transactional areas), we do not anticipate making significant investments in non-core practice areas in the near future.”

Read the article.

Androvett Legal Media & Marketing, a full-service marketing and public relations agency based in Texas, is pleased to announce the addition of April Arias as public relations manager. 

Arias, who will be part of Androvett’s Houston office, joins the company with more than six years of media and public relations experience, along with nearly 18 years as an award-winning broadcast journalist. 

“Androvett has long been a respected leader in the industry, so to join this incredible team is an honor,” said Arias. “I am excited to take on this new challenge and look forward to using what I know to help serve Androvett’s many amazing clients.” 

In her previous work for Dallas’s The Power Group and her own consulting firm, Arias Communications, Arias handled public relations, media relations and social media for clients in the energy, commercial real estate, food and beverage, lifestyle and technology sectors.  

Before entering media and public relations, Arias was an award-winning television journalist. Her work as producer and executive producer for KPRC-TV in Houston earned multiple industry awards, including three Lone Star Emmys and honors from the Houston Press Club and Texas Associated Press Broadcasters. 

A native Houstonian, Arias has a bachelor’s degree in journalism from Texas A&M University in College Station. She currently serves as immediate past president of the Houston Association of Hispanic Media Professionals.  

“As we continue to build and grow our company, it is important to build it with people who have the knowledge and expertise that can benefit our clients,” said Mike Androvett, president and CEO of Androvett Legal Media & Marketing. “We are so excited to welcome April to our team. With her background as a former broadcast journalist and her breadth of experience in media and public relations, we believe she will be an incredible asset to our Houston team.” 

Learn more about Arias. 

Androvett Legal Media & Marketing is an award-winning, full-service marketing and public relations agency with unparalleled experience serving the communications needs of businesses and organizations across the U.S. Entering its 25^th year, Androvett has offices in Dallas and Houston. For a complete listing of agency services, visit www.androvett.com.  

The boutique Family Law firm Orsinger, Nelson, Downing & Anderson is pleased to announce that 10 attorneys have been selected for inclusion in the 2020 Lawdragon guide: 500 Leading Family Lawyers in America.

ONDA partners Richard Orsinger, Keith Nelson, Scott Downing, Jeff Anderson, Will Reppeto III, Brad LaMorgese, Amber Alwais, Paula Bennett, Lon Loveless and Holly Rampy Baird are among the attorneys featured in this year’s listing, which contains the best Family Law attorneys for divorce, separation, asset division and custody issues.

“Our firm works hard to develop the best solutions for our clients and give them the outcome they deserve when Family Law matters are concerned,” said partner Brad LaMorgese. “We are grateful that our commitment to clients is also recognized by our peers in the legal industry.”

The guide is compiled by Lawdragon’s editorial team after reviewing submissions, conducting independent research and vetting nominees through a board of peers. The Family 500 Lawyers is the first guide of its kind and includes representation from every state.

The Lawdragon honor is only the latest national recognition for the firm, which was recently included in the prestigious US News – Best Lawyers Best Law Firms list with a Tier 1 ranking, as well as the Best Lawyers in America legal guide.

Orsinger, Nelson, Downing & Anderson, LLP, is a nationally recognized firm with more Top 100 Super Lawyers in Texas than any other law firm in the state. With offices in Dallas, Frisco, Fort Worth and San Antonio, Orsinger, Nelson, Downing & Anderson, LLP, is one of Texas’ largest Family Law firms. Each partner is Board Certified in Family Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization, as well as a member of the Texas Academy of Family Law Specialists. To learn more about Orsinger, Nelson, Downing & Anderson, visit http://www.ondafamilylaw.com.