Bloomberg Law reports that a wealthy investor who accused Holland & Knight of facilitating a Ponzi scheme was not entitled to the $34.5 million verdict that a jury awarded him in 2012, a California appeals court ruled April 2.

Plaintiff Rahim Sabadia claimed that he lost $16 million in cash, and incurred an additional $18 million in loan obligations, in a series of real estate investments that H&K structured on behalf of Atlanta developer M. Shi Shailendra. Shailendracame under SEC scrutiny for defrauding investors and was permanently barred from selling securities in 2014.

“Sabadia filed this suit against H&K in 2010, accusing the firm of malpractice and fraud and alleging that it helped Shailendra with a series of transactions that bore the ‘classic elements of a Ponzi scheme,’ in the words of a fraud examiner.” writes Samson Habte.

The appeals court said that verdict couldn’t stand because “Shailendra’s dishonest acts broke the causal connection” between H&K’s alleged misconduct and the plaintiffs’ claimed investment losses.

Read the Bloomberg article.

L-R: Scott Tuthill, Cynthia “Cindy” Brotman Nelson, Kevin L. Kelley, George C. Dunlap Jr.

Jackson Walker announced that Cynthia “Cindy” Brotman Nelson, George C. Dunlap Jr., Kevin L. Kelley and Scott Tuthill have joined the firm as partners in the real estate practice group in the Dallas office.

“We are privileged to have this exceptional group of lawyers join Jackson Walker,” said Wade Cooper, the firm’s managing partner. “They are well-known and highly respected in the real estate and legal communities, and we are very excited to call them our partners. Each of them brings unique experience and knowledge to the practice and shares our goal of providing unmatched client service in a great law firm environment.”

Kelley served as chair of the real estate practice and Nelson was chair of the hospitality practice at their previous law firm.

“We are thrilled to join Jackson Walker and work alongside attorneys we know and respect,” Kelley said. “The firm’s commitment to client service, efficiency, and low overhead adds a value we can continue to pass along to our clients.”

The addition of these four partners brings the total to seven partners who have joined Jackson Walker so far in 2018, the firm said. Also joining the real estate practice are associates James L. Miers and Ben Whitehill, who previously worked with the group, and Gabriela Rawlings.

Cynthia Brotman Nelson has more than 25 years’ experience representing and consulting institutional and entrepreneurial companies that develop, own, operate, finance, lease, and manage all types of commercial properties, with an emphasis on hotels and resorts and mixed-use developments. She handles complex commercial real estate and financing transactions, both within the United States and abroad. She received her J.D. from St. Mary’s University School of Law, where she received the American Jurisprudence Award and served as a member of Phi Delta Phi Honor Society, a law intern for a Western District of Texas judge, and a senior associate editor of St. Mary’s Law Journal.

George C. Dunlap Jr. has more than 30 years of experience in real estate, commercial finance, and investment funds and investor representation. His practice focuses on the representation of lenders and borrowers in loan transactions, acquisition and disposition transactions, and leasing and development matters. He represents clients in complex, large-scale projects such as major multifamily residential developments. Dunlap received his J.D. from the Southern Methodist University Dedman School of Law.

Kevin L. Kelley has more than 30 years’ experience in real estate development, investment, and finance in Texas and throughout the nation. His clientele includes commercial real estate developers, stakeholders in high-profile urban developments, hoteliers, and developers of corporate headquarters, campuses, and Fortune 500 companies. He is board certified in commercial real estate by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization. He received his J.D. from St. Mary’s University School of Law, where he served as an articles editor of St. Mary’s Law Journal.

Scott Tuthill has experience handling various commercial real estate transactions, particularly those involving the acquisition, financing, development, management, leasing, and disposition of office, industrial, multifamily, and retail development projects. He primarily works with senior executives and corporate counsel of domestic and global private equity funds, national retail companies, and national and regional real estate enterprises. He also has experience handling build-to-suit leases and acquisitions. Tuthill received his J.D., with honors, from the University of Texas School of Law.

DLA Piper announces that 62 lawyers have been promoted to its partnership. The promotions are effective as of April 1, 2018, in the United States and May 1, 2018, for EMEA and Asia Pacific. The promotions were made across many of the firm’s practice areas in 42 different offices throughout 20 countries.

Across the firm’s practices globally, Litigation and Regulatory saw the largest intake of new partners with 16 promotions, followed by Corporate with 14 promotions. Tax and Finance and Projects both had eight. Real Estate and Intellectual Property and Technology had six and four promotions respectively, while there were three in Employment, two in Government Affairs and one in the firm’s US Office of General Counsel.

In total, there were 19 promotions in the United States, six in Canada, ten in the United Kingdom, 18 across Continental Europe, two in Asia, two in Latin America, two in the Middle East, two in Australia and a further one in South Africa. A full list of partner promotions by office and practice is included below.

Simon Levine, Global Co-CEO of DLA Piper, commented, “I would like to congratulate all of our lawyers who have been promoted to partners this year. This round of promotions brings to our partnership another highly talented group from across the world who represent the quality, breadth and depth of DLA Piper and are vital to the continued success of our business.”

Jay Rains, Global Co-CEO, added, “We are delighted by the promotion of this talented, diverse group of top-caliber lawyers. Their client work and importance to the firm are now a foundational part of our ongoing success and our ability to evolve to meet the challenges of the market, and they will play a key role in our delivery of legal services of the highest quality and value to our clients around the world. We look very forward to their ongoing contributions.”

Full list of partners by office:

Amsterdam, Netherlands
Michiel Coenraads, Litigation and Regulatory
Leen van der Marel, Real Estate

Atlanta, United States
Jeremy Corcoran, Corporate

Austin, United States
Rebecca McKnight, Government Affairs

Baltimore, United States
Kathleen Birrane, Litigation and Regulatory
Thomas Grace, Tax

Bangkok, Thailand
Don Rojanapenkul, Litigation and Regulatory

Birmingham, United Kingdom
Phillip Kelly, Litigation and Regulatory

Boston, United States
Brian Awe, Real Estate
Andrew Sroka, Finance and Projects

Brussels, Belgium
Laurent De Surgeloose, Employment

Bucharest, Romania
Alina Lacatus, Corporate

Calgary, Canada
Ryana Mather, Corporate

Chicago, United States
Ferlillia Roberson, Intellectual Property and Technology

Dubai, UAE
Richard Hughes, Corporate
Jamie Ryder, Intellectual Property and Technology

Edmonton, Canada
Veronica Monteiro, Corporate

Frankfurt, Germany
Christian Lonquich, Real Estate
Carlos Robles y Zepf, Corporate

Hong Kong, Hong Kong
Christina Loh, Corporate

Houston, United States
Grayson Stratton, Litigation and Regulatory

Johannesburg, South Africa
Janine Simpson, Litigation and Regulatory

Kyiv, Ukraine
Illya Sverdlov, Tax

Lisbon, Portugal
Vanessa Antunes, Litigation and Regulatory

London, United Kingdom
Chris Arnold, Corporate
Joel Cooper, Tax
Randall Fox, Tax
Steven Krivinskas, Finance and Projects
Christina Lawrence, Litigation and Regulatory
Kelly Lovegrove, Tax
Peter Lowe, Real Estate
Bryony Robottom, Finance and Projects

Los Angeles, United States
Andrew Hoffman, Litigation and Regulatory

Madrid, Spain
Juan Gelabert, Finance and Projects
Ricardo Plasencia, Corporate

Miami, United States
Chad Ehrenkranz, Corporate

Milan, Italy
Alessandro Ferrari, Intellectual Property and Technology
Alessandro Martinelli, Tax
Davide Rossetti, Litigation and Regulatory

Minneapolis, United States
Poonam Kumar, Corporate

Moscow, Russia
Philip Lamzin, Finance and Projects

New York, United States
Evan Parness, Employment

Northern Virginia, United States
Joe Davis, Office of General Counsel

Paris, France
Myriam Mejdoubi, Real Estate
Theobald Naud, Litigation and Regulatory

Perth, Australia
Alyson Eather, Finance and Projects

Philadelphia, United States
Brian Robinson, Litigation and Regulatory

Phoenix, United States
Jared Jensen, Corporate

Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Luiz Augusto Osorio, Corporate

São Paulo, Brazil
Carolina Marcondes Sant’Angelo, Corporate

Seattle, United States
Kate Lucente, Intellectual Property and Technology

Sheffield, United Kingdom
Alastair Clough, Litigation and Regulatory

Silicon Valley, United States
SeoJung Park, Tax

Sydney, Australia
Eddie Ahn, Tax

Toronto, Canada
Russel Drew, Finance and Projects
Leslie Frattolin, Employment

Vancouver, Canada
Morgan Burris, Litigation and Regulatory
Michael Mjanes, Real Estate

Warsaw, Poland
Andrzej Balicki, Litigation and Regulatory
Tomasz Rudyk, Litigation and Regulatory

Washington DC, United States
Brad Jorgensen, Government Affairs
David Ridenour, Finance & Projects

Special Counsel, a provider of legal staffing and eDiscovery solutions, released the results of its first In-House Legal Trends Survey, a comprehensive look at how in-house legal departments are structured, how they are hiring and what their priorities are for the year ahead.

More than 500 in-house counsel, including general counsels and chief legal officers, completed the survey on topics related to talent acquisition resources, legal budgets and national and local salary data, including an examination of diversity and gender gaps.

In a release, Special Counsel said in-house legal departments have a strong desire to bring more talent in-house. According to the survey findings, 65 percent of respondents said they would prefer to bring additional talent in-house instead of relying on outside counsel. Nearly one third of respondents (32 percent) would consider using contract attorneys during their continued search for an appropriate full-time hire.

“Our expertise in the legal space allows us to provide niche solutions that help in-house teams compete in this tight labor market. Whether ready to add headcount or in need of a temporary hire, we work closely with our clients to understand their unique staffing needs and offer the most appropriate fit,” said Laurie Chamberlin, president, Special Counsel.

The economy is at one of its strongest points in years and the employment of lawyers is projected to grow 8 percent between 2016 and 2026 (according to the Bureau of Labor and Statistics). For the legal professionals surveyed, the study found that over half of them said they are planning to grow or would consider growing their department in 2018.

The In-House Legal Trends Survey found that salary was not the biggest draw for talent, with only 13 percent of respondents citing compensation as a top reason for working at their current company. On the other hand, benefits like flexible work arrangements (23 percent), as well as long-term growth opportunities (23 percent) help make a difference for employees. The right mix of salary and benefits may be contributing to strong tenure within legal departments, with nearly half of respondents saying they have been at their current job for six years or more (48 percent).

“Monetary compensation is only one piece of the puzzle,” said Amanda Ellis, senior vice president, Special Counsel. “Following suit with other industries, in-house legal departments are now offering alternative perks to compete for and retain talent.”

Talent acquisition continues to be a pain point for in-house legal departments, with over half of respondents (56 percent) sharing they are not confident in their HR or Talent Acquisition department’s ability to staff attorney positions, citing a lack of expertise. Alternatives such as a retained search firm, external contingency recruiters, and internal and external referrals continue to be used as positive talent acquisition resources throughout the industry.

See details of the In-House Legal Trends Survey.

Craig M. Borowski has joined Littler as a shareholder in the firm’s Indianapolis office. Borowski was previously a partner at Faegre Baker Daniels LLP. Borowski’s arrival marks the sixth lateral shareholder the firm has recruited since January.

“Craig is a skilled litigator and a fantastic addition to our team in Indiana,” said Alan L. McLaughlin, Littler’s Office Managing Shareholder in Indianapolis and Denver. “With a background that includes litigating more than 200 federal and state cases across the country, his deep knowledge of the employment and regulatory landscape will be a valuable resource for our clients.”

In a release, the firm said Borowski has experience defending employers in jury trials, appeals and single and multi-plaintiff litigation matters. Borowski’s trial victories include the defense of Fortune 500 companies against discrimination and retaliation claims in federal court in Indiana and against employment-related claims in Wisconsin state court, and he has defended employers in employment litigation in Indiana and more than 20 other states.

The firm said Borowski regularly represents companies before the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission where he has defended more than 300 charges before the agency. He also represents clients before other federal, state and local administrative agencies and provides clients with proactive counsel on employment policy and personnel matters and training.

“I’m excited to join the strong team Littler has assembled here in Indiana, a state with a vibrant and growing economy,” Borowski said. “I’ve long admired Littler’s innovative approach, and I’m excited to join a firm with a deep focus on labor and employment law combined with a growing global footprint.”

Borowski received his J.D., magna cum laude, from Indiana University’s Robert H. McKinney School of Law and his B.S. from Indiana University.

Craig P. Chick has joined Foley Gardere’s Government Solutions Practice Group in its Austin, Texas office as Director of Public Affairs.

Chick is the founder of Capitol Partners Consulting and has been involved in Texas politics for over 20 year as a senior adviser in the Texas House and Senate on a variety of topics ranging from alcohol, economic development, electric generation and transmission, employment, environmental regulation, housing, immigration, pharmaceuticals, property rights, real estate, tax and transportation.

Consistently named to the Texas Lobby Power Rankings at CapitolInside.com, Chick has expertise in the sunset advisory process, drafting legislation, authoring interim reports, and directing political campaigns, the firm said in a release.

“We are thrilled that Craig has joined our Government Solutions Practice at our newly combined firm,” said Kim Yelkin, managing partner of Foley Gardere’s Austin office and co-chair of the State and Local Government Solutions Practice Group. “His joining Foley Gardere allows us to continue to strengthen and grow this practice group into a core practice area for the firm and its clients.”

“Our clients consider us as trusted advisers when they need to advance their cause before state and local governments throughout the country. Craig’s deep experience with and knowledge of Texas state government will strongly enhance the firm’s ability to provide a broad array of solutions for our clients in Texas,” said Washington, DC Partner David Ralston, chair of the firm’s Government Solutions Practice Group. “I’m also looking forward to working with Craig in Washington, and in other state capitols, as he assists our Texas clients with matters before the federal government and other state governments.”

Prior to founding Capitol Partners Consulting, Chick served as the Senior Business and Regulatory Advisor to Texas House Speaker Joe Straus from 2009-2012 during the 81st and 82nd legislative sessions. Chick handled business and regulator policy issues and monitored committees including the Committee on Business & Industry; the Economic and Small Business Development Committee; the Environmental Regulations Committee; the Energy Resources Committee; the State Affairs Committee; the Transportation Committee; and the Technology Committee.

Prior to his work in the Speaker’s office, Chick was the director of political affairs for the 90,000-member Texas Association of Realtors. He also was a senior policy adviser for Texas State Senator Kyle Janek of Houston and served for six years as chief clerk for Texas State Representative Fred Bosse of Houston.

The Association of Corporate Counsel is conducting the new 2018 Global Compensation Survey — the largest self-reported compensation survey within the in-house counsel profession in the world.

This groundbreaking global study of salaries and total compensation will provide in-house counsel and legal operations professionals with the data they need to benchmark pay and benefits.

Participants who complete the survey will receive 25 percent off the report when published.

Take the survey

More whistleblowers turn directly to the SEC to report complaints of alleged misconduct than to internal reporting systems, reports NAVEX Global. A recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling further encourages this behavior, so it is critical to evaluate a company’s employee whistleblowing program.

NAVEX will present a complimentary webinar on the subject on Tuesday, April 10, 2018, beginning at 10 a.m. Pacific / 1 p.m. Eastern time.

Participants will hear new insights from the 2018 Ethics & Compliance Hotline & Incident Management Benchmark Report. Experts at Baker McKenzie and NAVEX Global have analyzed the data to show you how to assess your program and improve the odds that an employee will report to you first—giving you critical foresight into potential organizational risk.

Presenters will be Carrie Penman, Chief Compliance Officer and Senior VP, NAVEX Global; and Scott Nelson, Partner, Baker McKenzie LLP.

Register for the webinar.

Anyone ruminating over the elevated role of in-house lawyers might consider the case of Facebook, points out Elizabeth Olson in a Bloomberg Big Law Business report.

She writes that the company’s top two lawyers, Colin Stretch and Paul Grewal, have played both lawyer and spokesperson as the social media giant confronts a dizzying number of legal issues, which are besieging the Wild West of data privacy at tech companies.

“As tales of data misuse spilled into the open, Grewal, a former federal magistrate, took to social media to staunchly defend his employer. His blog posts filled the void created by the initial silence from CEO and founder Mark Zuckerberg and other top company brass. No doubt everyone in the company will be working overtime to stem billions in losses in recent days,” predicts Olson.

Read the Bloomberg article.

Hunton & Williams LLP has posted an on-demand webinar discussing the Securities and Exchange Commission’s recently released cybersecurity guidance.

For the first time since its last major staff pronouncement on cybersecurity in 2011, the SEC has released new interpretive guidance for public companies that will change the way issuers approach cybersecurity risk, the firm says on its website.

Presenters are partners Lisa Sotto, Aaron Simpson and Scott Kimpel, and senior associate Brittany Bacon. They discuss the new guidance, along with changes in regulatory obligations under EU law with respect to the upcoming GDPR and historical SEC enforcement actions related to cybersecurity.

Watch the on-demand webinar.

Hundreds of lawyers and financial consultants involved in the $42 billion corporate restructuring of Energy Future Holdings, once the largest power supplier in Texas, have been paid a gusher of cash, and more huge paydays may be in the works, reports The Houston Chronicle.

Mark Curriden of The Texas Lawbook writes that the law firms, banks and consultants working on the EFH case have received more than $600 million, making it one of the most complex and expensive corporate bankruptcies in U.S. history. For comparison, similar fees in the Enron bankruptcy topped $700 million.

“The total fees for all the professionals – for the lawyers, bankers, accountants, restructuring experts for all the companies involved – will probably hit $1 billion,” EFH General Counsel Andy Wright told The Texas Lawbook in an exclusive interview.

Read the article.

An article by two Hogan Lovells lawyers and published by Lexology outlines some of the due diligence steps to take in the age of blockchain age of smart contracts.

Authors of the article are Theodore J. Mlynar and Ira J. Schaefer.

They discuss the need for a traditional analysis of the proposed transaction and negotiated terms, a source code analysis, and the advice that the proposed smart contract be run on a simulator to see how it operates in response to expected and unexpected messages from users and other contracts..

Read the article.

When considering an arbitration clause in a contract, one must always bear in mind the “separability” or “independence” of the arbitration agreement — the autonomy principle, writes Narges Kakalia in the ADR: Advice From the Trenches blog of Mintz Levin.

She asks: “For example, should a plaintiff be compelled to arbitrate a dispute if the contract containing the ADR clause has expired? What if the contract containing the arbitration clause is unconscionable as a matter of public policy? A plaintiff may nonetheless be compelled to arbitrate in order to resolve his dispute, as illustrated recently in a decision by the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas.”

She discusses Athas Health, LLC v. Giuffre and explains how the court reached its decision.

Read the article.

America’s favorite sport is at the center of a legal battle between divorced Pittsburgh parents. John Orsini wants their youngest son, who has a history of concussions, to stop playing high school football out of a concern for his safety. However, his ex-wife says their son understands the risks and supports his choice to keep playing. Since the divorced couple cannot agree on terms, the fight has ended up in family court, where a judge has preliminarily allowed the boy to continue to play.

In a post on the website of Androvett Legal Media & Marketing, Dallas family law attorney Lon Loveless of Orsinger, Nelson, Downing & Anderson, LLP says when divorced parents cannot agree on issues involving their children, the judge in the case is asked to serve as the tiebreaker. Ultimately, he says, the decision will come down to what is best for the child.

Loveless explains:

“Due to the teen’s past concussion history, there is obviously an increased concern about him continuing to engage in contact sports. Although the parents want to be able to make this decision, because they cannot agree, this is a decision that will be left to the court. Even though he is 17, he is still considered a minor and therefore must abide by the court’s decision, but it has been my experience that because of his age a judge will most likely consider the boy’s input in making his ruling. But ultimately, the paramount issue for the court is what is in the best interest of the child. The court will undoubtedly seek input from medical professionals about the likelihood, and potential long-term impact, of another head injury. That input, not the wishes of either parent, will likely carry the most weight in this case.”

Amazon.com Inc. cut ties with two of Washington’s biggest lobbying law firms and brought on new advisers following passage of the tax overhaul bill last year and in the face of new challenges in the age of President Donald Trump, reports Bloomberg Politics.

The shakeup occurred shortly before Trump briefly sent Amazon’s stock tumbling when he tweeted that Amazon doesn’t pay enough in state and local sales taxes, hurts retailers and gets an unfair edge on the back of the U.S. Postal Service.

“Amazon ended its relationship with Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP, the law firm that attracts more lobbying revenue than any other K Street operation, and Squire Patton Boggs, last Friday, according to a person familiar with the decisions,” write Ben Brody, Spencer Soper and Jennifer Jacobs.

The reporters add that their source told them Amazon hired Paul Brathwaite of Federal Street Strategies LLC and Josh Holly of Holly Strategies Inc.

Read the Bloomberg Politics article.

Exxon Mobil Corp.’s attempt to derail a multistate fraud investigation into the company’s public comments about climate change flamed out in a New York court, according to wire services, via The Dallas Morning News.

The report says a U.S. district judge in New York on Thursday dismissed Exxon’s lawsuit claiming officials in New York and Massachusetts conspired with environmental groups in planning the securities-fraud probe and made up their minds about its outcome before it started.

Judge Valerie Caproni said in her ruling that Exxon’s tactic of suing in federal courts in New York and Texas to stop the state probes “running roughshod over the adage that the best defense is a good offense.”

Read the Dallas News article.

Bloomberg is reporting that Barclays Plc agreed to pay $2 billion to settle a probe into how it sold the sort of mortgage bonds that fueled the financial crisis, securing a penalty less than half of what U.S. authorities originally demanded.

Reporters Stephen Morris and Gavin Finch explained: “The British lender was the only bank to push back against the size of the settlement demanded by the Justice Department, prompting the prosecutor to file a lawsuit in the waning days of the Obama administration in 2016. The DOJ wanted a fine of about $5 billion, but the bank refused to pay any more than $2 billion, Bloomberg news reported in 2016.”

Two former executives at the bank, Paul Menefee and John Carroll, also settled Thursday and agreed to pay $2 million to resolve claims without admitting wrongdoing.

Read the Bloomberg article.

Michael B. Pullano has joined Segal McCambridge Singer and Mahoney, Ltd. as a shareholder in the firm’s Philadelphia office.

“Mike has extensive litigation experience, the utmost integrity and the ability to contribute significantly to realizing our shared vision for the firm’s continued national growth,” said Mark Crane, Segal McCambridge managing shareholder.

Pullano focuses his practice on complex catastrophic injury cases in the products liability realm and in the defense of professional negligence matters. He has represented manufacturers and suppliers of heavy construction equipment, including fuel dispensers, refuse collection vehicles, and Liquified Propane Gas pumps and compressors.

“With Segal McCambridge’s nationally recognized reputation defending products cases, I knew joining the firm would allow me to better serve my clients who have a national presence,” said Michael Pullano. “Sharing in Segal McCambridge’s commitment to client service, joining the firm was the natural next step for me.”

In a release, the firm said Pullano has represented architects, engineers, attorneys and municipal professionals, including prosecutors and police officers in professional liability cases. His clients include public and private entities, including Fortune 500 companies, as well as individuals. He also has experience defending employment claims, and in defamation and civil rights matters.

Pullano previously was with Weber Gallagher in Philadelphia. Prior to his work in civil litigation, he worked as an assistant district attorney in Philadelphia. He received his J.D. from Illinois Institute of Technology, Chicago-Kent College of Law and his B.A. from Catholic University in Washington, D.C.

Adam Ettinger has joined FisherBroyles, LLP as a partner and co-chair of its FinTech and Blockchain practice group, based in the firm’s Los Angeles and Palo Alto, Calif., offices.

“Adam is one of the most highly regarded attorneys practicing in the blockchain space, and our clients will benefit greatly from the significant experience and additional bench strength that he brings to FisherBroyles,” said Michael Pierson, FisherBroyles partner and co-chair of the FinTech and Blockchain practice group, based in the firm’s New York office. “Our FinTech and Blockchain practice group has quickly become one of the largest and most multidisciplinary of its kind at any law firm, serving as the ‘go-to’ counsel for many companies and entities operating in or investing in the fintech and blockchain space.”

In a release, the firm said the FisherBroyles FinTech and Blockchain practice group includes partners who are alumni of the SEC, Goldman Sachs, Deutsche Bank, and other premier investment backs, and have joined from America’s top law firms including Wilmer Hale, Morgan Lewis, Sheppard Mullin, Sidley Austin, Baker & McKenzie, Wilson Sonsini, and Cravath, Swaine & Moore, LLP. The team advises banks, broker-dealers, investment funds, exchanges, technology developers, wallet providers, and other companies making new and exciting uses of blockchain technology. To do so, the team includes partners from different practice groups including securities and private equity, data security and privacy, fund formation, intellectual property, real estate, and technology. They help clients invest in, fund, develop and market the innovative services and products that are revolutionizing the financial services and technology industries.

Kimberly Dempsey Booher, managing partner of FisherBroyles’ Los Angeles and Palo Alto offices, added, “We are thrilled to welcome Adam to our Los Angeles and Palo Alto offices, where we continue to strategically grow our team of highly experienced attorneys in key areas such as data security and privacy, intellectual property, litigation, corporate, real estate and insurance, among others.”

Ettinger said, “I am honored to join and help lead this top-caliber team. Since my first bitcoin technology development agreement in 2012, I have sought to work with the most innovative companies involved in blockchain technologies, and the smartest, most well-educated and experienced attorneys in the space. I am excited for the opportunities we have to help clients achieve success.”

Prior to joining FisherBroyles, Ettinger was a partner and co-leader of the Blockchain Technology and Digital Currency Team at Sheppard Mullin in Los Angeles. He focuses his practice on venture capital and angel financing, technology development, hardware manufacturing, channel relationships, licensing, and privacy for companies involved in many technologies including blockchain and digital currencies, social gaming, Internet advertising, mobile apps, ecommerce, SAAS, semiconductors, and networking. His clients have included AMD, Apple, BitGo, Brave, Comma.ai, DeviceScape, Fakespace, Get Satisfaction, Intel, Internet Devices (acquired by Alcatel), Lightning Labs, Magma Design, MasterCard, New Enterprise Associates, Network Solutions Inc., Nimble Collective, Orchestria (acquired by CA), S3 (acquired by HTC), Self Aware Games (acquired by Big Fish), Tivo, and Undertone Networks. He has represented investors in investments including Hootsuite, Houzz, The Social+Capital Partnership, and SpaceX.

Before Sheppard Mullin, Ettinger was an attorney at Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP and served as lead corporate counsel for SmartAge.

The firm said Ettinger frequently writes and speaks on fintech and blockchain technology topics. He recently has presented on blockchain-related legal issues at the UCLA School of Law, Consensus 2017, the FinTech SV Cryptocurrency Law Panel, the State of Digital Money Conference, the USC Marshall School of Business (Lloyd Greif Center for Entrepreneurial Studies), the American Conference Institute’s Blockchain & Distributed Ledger Technology Conference, the American Conference Institute’s ACI Crypto Virtual and Digital Currency Conference, and the APEX All Payments Conference.

Dallas litigation boutique Estes Thorne & Carr announced that firm attorneys Katherine Anand, Lindsay Daye Barbee, and Terah Moxley are among those honored on the 2018 list of Texas Rising Stars.

This is the sixth consecutive year Anand has been selected based on her business litigation work. She earned her law degree from the Notre Dame Law School.

Barbee is being honored for the third time by Texas Rising Stars for her work in family law. She earned her law degree from the Southern Methodist University Dedman School of Law.

Moxley, recognized for her employment litigation defense work, is making her first appearance on the Rising Stars list. She is board certified in Labor and Employment Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization. She earned her law degree from Baylor Law School, graduating first in her class.

No more than 2.5 percent of attorneys in the state are chosen for Texas Rising Stars each year. They are age 40 or younger or have practiced law for 10 years or less. Selection involves a rigorous process beginning with nominations by other lawyers. The full list will be published in the April 2018 issues of Texas Monthly and the Texas Rising Stars issue of Super Lawyers magazine.