“Merit Medical Systems Inc. investors who say it misled them about its purchases of two medical device manufacturers asked a federal judge in California to sign off on their $18.25 million settlement. The cash deal recovers between 12% and 55% of maximum realistic damages if the,” reports Jennifer Bennett in Bloomberg Law.

“The disposable medical device maker’s investors said in a memo filed as part of their final settlement approval bid in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California. In reaching a settlement, the investors considered the many costly milestones that remain in this litigation, the Wednesday memo said. Absent settlement now.”

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“Nearly a year after a former Live Oak Bank employee alleged in a class action lawsuit that major local companies had conspired to avoid hiring each other’s employees, a settlement agreement is now on the table. It could distribute millions of dollars to nearly 2,000 fintech workers. Joseph McAlear, a 10,” reports Preston Lennon in Port City Daily.

“Resident of Wilmington, joined the financial technology department of Live Oak Bank in April 2017, according to a lawsuit he filed last year. McAlear quickly became a vice president at Apiture, a digital banking solutions firm half-owned by Live Oak. he lawsuit was presaged by McAlear’s introduction at a conference to an nCino recruiter.”

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“The Russian government is pushing forwards with plans to undermine intellectual property rules and reverse the rights of Western patent holders, in an effort to counter the impacts of Western sanctions,” reports Louis Goss in City A.M.

“The Russian government this week said Russian companies have no obligation to pay patent holders from countries that sanctioned Russia for use of their intellectual property, according to local media reports.”

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“Biglaw is in the middle of a hot lateral market. That means that firms have to be willing to pay the tippy top of market compensation plus other perks to recruit and retain the associates that keep the deals/cases moving. Goodwin Procter a firm making $1,486,263,000 in 2020 gross revenue,” reports Kathryn Rubino in Above The Law.

“Making it 23rd on the Am Law 100 already announced raises way back in January when the Milbank scale was the top of the market. Of course, since then both Davis Polk and Cravath have taken a crack at raises, and now that higher Cravath scale is what’s holding sway. And now that the dust seems to have settled, Goodwin is raising.”

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“Joyce McCarthy will become general counsel of Nasdaq-listed Central Garden & Pet Company, effective April 4. She succeeds George Yuhas, general counsel and corporate secretary, who is retiring from the position after 11 years with the company. In her new role, McCarthy will be responsible for all of,” reports Ben Maiden in Corporate Secratary.

“McCarthy was most recently general counsel and secretary with Ferrara Candy Company, overseeing all legal and compliance matters for the company. Before that, she held multiple positions at Colgate-Palmolive. Company, including four years as general counsel of Colgate’s global pet food division, Hill’s Pet Nutrition. She advised.”

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“Yale University and some of its employees have agreed to settle a class-action lawsuit over its employee wellness program for $1.29 million, subject to court approval. Kwesell v. Yale University alleged that Yale’s Health Expectations Program violated federal statutes because it required employees,” reports Alan Goforth in Benefits Pro.

“We designed the Health Expectations Program with our union partners and the advice of health care and legal experts, said Stephanie Spangler, vice provost for health affairs and academic integrity. Nevertheless, we feel it is best to resolve what would have been expensive litigation and move forward. Our relationship with our employees.”

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“The families of victims and survivors of the Champlain Towers South collapse in Surfside, Florida, that killed 98 people have agreed on a tentative settlement of more than $55 million with three defendants in a wrongful-death lawsuit, according to court documents filed Tuesday. Insurers representing the,” reports Randi Kaye in CNN.

“Engineering firm responsible for inspecting and certifying the building’s structural integrity, Morabito Consultants, and the firm representing the condo association, Becker & Poliakoff P.A., have agreed to settle for $16 million and $31 million, respectively, according to a joint motion to stay all claims against the defendants. Another defendant.”

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“Energy stocks have surged as oil and gas prices rise. Supply shortages were already in play before Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. As multinationals such as Exxon Mobil  unwind energy partnerships for Russian projects, it’s a given that supply will remain low.In recent days, insiders at energy explorer APA and shale oil firm,” reports Ed Lin in Barrons.

“Also, both APA and Coterra shares are near multiyear intraday highs. Last week, APA stock reached $39.73, a level it hasn’t traded at since October 2018. Coterra was formed by the October 2021 combination of Cabot Oil & Gas and Cimarex Energy; Coterra stock reached an intraday high of $26.32 last week, a level it hasn’t traded at on a pro.”

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“Recon Technology, Ltd today announced several contracts signed recently by its domestic VIE companies and reported the progress on its business segments so far for the year 2022. For its automation business segment, the Company was awarded RMB3.26 million in contracts by the Shenhua Group,” reports PR Newswire in their blog.

“For its equipment and accessories business segments, the Company won RMB2.39 million in contracts in January and February, which include contracts for furnaces accessories and electric submersible progressing cavity pump and Online transactions through FGS’ digitization services for gas stations of for year 2022 have also been.”

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“The Parkersburg Utility Board this morning unanimously authorized contracts for the upcoming $19 million water system improvement project and an amendment to cover additional expenses for the design of that work. Manager Eric Bennett also informed the board the second stair screening system to,” reports News And Sentinel in their blog.

“Prevent rags and other objects from entering the wastewater treatment plant failed on Feb. 18. The first was damaged earlier in February by a brick that apparently broke off an older manhole. So right now, the staff is manually cleaning the bar screens, Bennett said. The contracts approved were $4,553,934.37 with Stonegate.”

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“The Kansas City Chiefs are in the preliminary stages of negotiating contracts with several pending free agents. In just 15 short days the NFL’s free agency period will begin, which means that Chiefs GM Brett Veach and his team have a lot of work to accomplish. One pending free agent that has been on,” reports Charles Goldman in Chiefs Wire.

“A staple on the Chiefs’ defense since signing as a free agent in 2019, Mathieu’s three-year contract is up on March 16. Speaking to the media on Tuesday, Veach explained that he had spoken with Mathieu’s representation following the AFC championship game loss. Both sides still had a mutual interest in getting a deal done, but now is when the.”

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“One by one, Biglaw firms across the country have realized that in order to recruit and retain the best talent, they need to offer the best perks and policies for a progressive new generation of lawyers. That may be why yet another firm has decided to truly support its attorneys who are embarking upon,” reports Staci Zaretsky in Above The Law.

“Which firm is the latest to modernize its parental leave policies? That would be Ropes & Gray, which recently announced that a new, gender-neutral leave policy would be implemented, ensuring that attorneys will receive additional time off following the birth, adoption, or foster placement of their new child. Not a Cravath match.”

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“Ontario Tech University announces the appointment of Sara Gottlieb as its General Counsel, effective Monday, April 4. Ms. Gottlieb will be responsible for all legal services of the university and for the provision of legal support related to policy matters impacting Academic Council, the Board of Governors,” reports Ontario Tech in their blog.

“All sub-committees of the Board, the Office of the President, the Office of the Provost and Vice-President, Academic, and the executive leadership team. Reporting directly to the President, and as part of an overall accountability that includes managing an internal team of lawyers, Ms. Gottlieb will be relied upon for her diligence and expertise.”

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“Whirlpool agreed to pay $21 million to resolve claims its dishwashers are prone to leaks. The settlement benefits individuals who purchased or otherwise acquired certain Whirlpool dishwashers built between 2010 and 2018. A full list of included models can be found on the settlement website. Whirlpool,” reports Top Class Actions in their blog.

“In 2020, Whirlpool consumers filed a class action lawsuit against the company alleging the dishwashers are prone to leaks. According to the plaintiffs, the dishwashers leak due to faulty seals within the appliances. The dishwashers were and are equipped with a pump motor diverter shaft seal oriented incorrectly, accelerating degradation.”

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“The Sackler family owners of Purdue Pharma LP reached a deal with a group of attorneys general to pay up to $6 billion in cash to resolve widespread litigation alleging that they fueled the U.S. opioid epidemic, bringing the OxyContin maker closer to exiting bankruptcy. The attorneys general for,” reports Jonathan Stempel in Reuters.

“The District of Columbia, who had blocked a previous settlement that included a $4.3 billion cash payment, announced the deal after weeks of mediation with the Sacklers. The family agreed to pay at least $5.5 billion in cash, which will be used for abating a crisis that has led to nearly 500,000 U.S. opioid overdose deaths over two decades.”

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Top 100 U.S. law firm Akerman LLP is pleased to announce that it has expanded its Houston and Los Angeles offices with Labor and Employment Practice Group partner Mishell Parreno Taylor. Parreno Taylor focuses her practice on employment litigation in federal and state courts and administrative agencies across the country.

“Mishell distinguishes herself from several of her peers with her ability to effectively handle employment compliance and litigation in circumstances involving multilingual and multicultural human capital across the globe,” said Labor and Employment Practice Group Chair Eric Gordon. “Her unique skillset will strengthen our practice and our presence in both Texas and California.”

Parreno Taylor partners with stakeholders in organizations of all sizes, ranging from local to global corporations on a broad spectrum of employment law issues, including defending clients against individual and class-wide claims of discrimination, harassment, wrongful termination, and retaliation. Additionally, she handles both individual and class action/Private Attorney General Act (PAGA) wage and hour litigation in matters involving claims of missed meal and rest periods, unlawful deductions, misclassification, expense reimbursement, and off-the-clock work.

Parreno Taylor uses her deep multijurisdictional employment litigation experience to counsel clients in workplace crisis management and prevention. She has served as the key negotiator in high stakes workplace negotiations including exiting executives during threatened litigation. She conducts and oversees sensitive employee investigations involving post #metoo claims of harassment, inappropriate conduct, and whistleblower claims. Parreno Taylor also counsels organizations on COVID-19 workforce response, including compliance with government-related restrictions across the globe, managing remote workers, reorganizations, workplace safety related issues, and unemployment insurance and leave requirements under state and federal emergency legislation created during the pandemic.

Parreno Taylor is also focused on helping organizations build workplaces of the future through collaborating with global clients to develop innovative solutions for achieving diversity, equity, and inclusion objectives. She also serves as a trusted advisor to clients on a wide range of employment related issues across California and Texas, including counseling on hiring/onboarding procedures, testing, developing workplace policies and practices, anti-harassment/discrimination compliance and training, wage and hour compliance, leave administration, and termination decisions.

About Akerman

Akerman LLP is a top 100 U.S. law firm recognized among the most forward-thinking firms in the industry by Financial Times. Its more than 700 lawyers and business professionals collaborate with the world’s most successful enterprises and entrepreneurs to navigate change, seize opportunities, and help drive innovation and growth.

Akerman’s Labor & Employment Practice Group defends employers throughout the United States in all types of litigation under federal, state and local employment laws, including the Fair Labor Standards Act. Adept at class and collective actions defense, the group represents clients in connection with employment law compliance, collective bargaining and NLRB proceedings, ADA public access, global workforce issues, immigration and non-compete and trade secret advice and litigation.

Perkins Coie is pleased to announce that it has moved into a new client-centric office space in the heart of Austin’s downtown business district amid continued growth of the firm’s Texas operations. Perkins Coie’s Austin office, the latest expansion of the firm’s national presence, occupies the 17th floor of a trophy-class office building at 405 Colorado Street.

Since Perkins Coie’s move into the Austin market in 2020, the firm’s original three-attorney team has grown to a diverse group of 19 lawyers and 20 business professionals. The breadth and experience of the Austin-based attorneys positions them to counsel a wide range of innovators and industry-leading companies, particularly in the areas of emerging companies and venture capital law, healthcare, technology transactions, and patent litigation and prosecution.

“We hope to maintain the strong momentum we have created in a short period of time to become a leading full-service, tech-focused law firm in the Austin market,” said Jose Villarreal, Perkins Coie’s Austin office managing partner. “Our move into a collaborative and client-centric new office space provides us a dedicated downtown home, from where we will continue to provide effective legal counsel to an expanding number of clients in Austin and beyond.”

The firm’s Austin attorneys offer full-service capabilities for startups, emerging firms, and established tech companies, as well as global leaders in the retail, transportation, healthcare, and pharmaceutical industries.

The office occupies a full floor in the new 405 Colorado Street building in downtown Austin and features floor-to-ceiling windows throughout the space with sweeping views of the city. It also incorporates dedicated private spaces that underline the firm’s values and commitment to its people and their wellness, including a meditation and wellness room, and a mother’s room.

“Our continued growth in Austin, and more broadly in Texas, is a reflection of the successful legal counsel we provide to clients and our commitment to deepen our investment in key technology and innovation hubs across the country,” said Bill Malley, Perkins Coie’s firmwide managing partner. “We see many strategic opportunities in Texas as Austin, Dallas, and Houston continue to expand and attract investment as business centers for startups, medium-sized companies, and global corporations.”

Perkins Coie has long been recognized for excellence in the legal industry and for its commitment to fostering a diverse and inclusive work culture. The firm was ranked as the #1 U.S. employer among the 2021 “Best Workplaces in Consulting & Professional Services” by Great Place to Work®, has been recognized as one of Fortune’s “100 Best Companies to Work For®” for 19 consecutive years, and has also been recognized as an Inclusion Blueprint Champion by Diversity Lab. Perkins Coie has also earned the Human Rights Campaign Foundation’s top rating of 100% in the Corporate Equality Index, a national benchmarking survey on corporate policies and practices related to LGBTQ workplace equality, for 14 straight years.

Perkins Coie is a leading international law firm that is known for providing high value, strategic solutions and extraordinary client service on matters vital to our clients’ success. With more than 1,200 lawyers in offices across the United States and Asia, we provide a full array of corporate, commercial litigation, intellectual property, and regulatory legal advice to a broad range of clients, including many of the world’s most innovative companies and industry leaders as well as public and not-for-profit organizations.

Blank Rome LLP is pleased to announce that Saul Breskal has joined the firm’s Los Angeles office as a partner in our nationally recognized Real Estate practice. Representing hospitality and entertainment clients in real estate transactions and ground-up development both domestically and internationally, Saul joins Blank Rome from Glaser Weil and is the latest addition to Blank Rome’s growing Real Estate group, which recently welcomed leading partners Christy Reuter, Sonia Kaur Bain, and J.J. Broderick, of counsel Kerri Alessi, and associates Kaitlyn West, Christina Preminger, and Matthew Crawford.

“Saul is a fantastic addition to our outstanding real estate team,” said Grant S. Palmer, Blank Rome’s Managing Partner and CEO. “He brings a successful track record of managing all aspects of a real estate transaction—from purchase agreements and due diligence to financing, joint venture negotiations, escrow, and closing—which makes him a great fit for the group. We are thrilled to welcome him to Blank Rome.”

In his practice, Saul represents commercial real estate investors, developers, and high-net-worth individuals in the entertainment and hospitality sectors on a range of commercial and residential real estate transactions. He has represented film studios, hotels, and casinos in connection with the purchase, finance, and construction of complex projects, including as lead counsel for Las Vegas CityCenter, the largest privately funded construction project in the United States. Saul also advises public agencies in ground leasing work for public-private partnerships.

“Saul’s background and relationships in the hospitality sector will greatly benefit our clients during this critical time,” stated Samantha Wallack, Partner and Co-Chair of the Real Estate group. “His strong experience and network in the entertainment landscape will further strengthen and complement Blank Rome’s West Coast real estate team and expand upon our firm’s national hospitality and gaming services, enhancing our cross-practice capabilities in several key markets. We are excited to have him on board.”

“Blank Rome’s global reach and full suite of legal services made it the ideal firm for me to continue growing my practice and serving my clients in the United States and around the world,” added Breskal. “I look forward to helping the firm expand its real estate offerings on the West Coast and to being part of such a renowned team of talented attorneys.”

Saul earned his law degree from the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom, and his bachelor’s degree from the University of Cape Town in South Africa. He is active in pro bono work on behalf of The Village by Cornerstone and ETTA, organizations that provide housing and services to adults with special needs.

Lawyers at the Martin Walker law firm in Tyler say while the number attached to the recently announced Texas portion of the settlement with opioid manufacturers and distributors – $1.85 billion – is a big one, what matters most is the fact most of those dollars are headed to local communities, where the tragedy of the opioid epidemic continues to play out every day.

“It’s easy to assume the opioid story is over,” says Reid Martin, co-founder of Martin Walker. “But the truth is, people continue to suffer and die from the opioid epidemic. That’s why these dollars are so important.”

Under the settlement agreed to by Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, 15 percent of the funds will go to the state of Texas, 15 percent to cities and counties and the remaining 70 percent to an opioid abatement council. The council will apportion monies to local communities to treat opioid victims.

The Texas portion of the deal is part of a larger $26 billion settlement opioid manufacturers and distributors agreed to late last week. Initial checks may go out as soon as April.

In all, the Martin Walker firm represented 29 counties that brought claims against opioid manufacturers and distributors, including Smith County and Smith County Judge Nathaniel Moran, who functioned as a leader for the efforts on behalf of rural counties in Texas. He worked together with Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins, who spoke for the state’s more populous counties and who was represented by attorney Jeffrey Simon. Mr. Simon and other lawyers, working together with representatives from the Texas Attorney General’s office, negotiated the deal.

“This took a tremendous amount of effort and an awful lot of persistence, but now we’re going to see the payoff,” says attorney Jack Walker. “I expect that in many cases, these dollars will mean the difference between life and death for those struggling with opioid addiction.”

Martin Walker PC is a Tyler-based law firm with significant trial expertise representing individuals statewide in high-stakes litigation, including medical malpractice, catastrophic injuries involving 18-wheeler accidents, oilfield injuries, wrongful death, and product liability. For more information visit: http://www.martinwalkerlaw.com/

Katten announced today that Geoffrey G. Young has joined the firm’s Commercial Litigation practice in New York, building on the firm’s high caliber of talent representing clients in complex commercial disputes.

“Geoff is a highly experienced litigator with a successful track record of strategizing, minimizing risks and resolving matters with favorable outcomes for his clients,” said David Crichlow, chair of Katten’s Commercial Litigation practice, and member of the firm’s Executive Committee and Diversity Committee. “Equally important is the fact that Geoff is also a dedicated leader in the diversity, equity and inclusion space, particularly when it comes to recruiting and creating a pipeline of diverse talent.”

Young has advised on all phases of the litigation process from the pre-litigation stage through trial verdict of high-stakes cases in multiple jurisdictions, including New York state and federal courts. His practice concentrates on complex commercial disputes, with a focus on disputes in the life sciences, financial services and media and entertainment sectors. He has litigated disputes related to pharmaceutical drugs and clinical trials, consumer class actions, financing agreements, media broadcasting services and technology services. Young also has extensive experience prosecuting and defending intellectual property disputes.

He has represented clients in a wide range of industries, including aviation, biotech, financial services and investment, mass media, oil and gas, public relations and communications, and transportation. He has counseled high-net-worth individuals and public figures, including some in the entertainment industry, on in-court and out-of-court disputes.

Young has handled domestic and international arbitrations under a variety of rules, including those of JAMS (formerly known as Judicial Arbitration and Mediation Services, Inc.), the American Arbitration Association (AAA), the International Centre for Dispute Resolution (ICDR) and the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO). He also maintains a strong commitment to pro bono work, devoting significant attention to capital punishment matters.

Prior to joining Katten, Young was a partner at Reed Smith and held various DEI leadership roles, most recently as the firm’s Executive Director of Diverse Recruiting, in which he guided the firm’s strategy for recruiting diverse attorneys at all levels. He has also held several DEI leadership roles in the legal community.

“Geoff’s distinguished career and contributions very much align with Katten’s focus on embracing diversity and fostering an inclusive environment so our attorneys and business professionals at every level can achieve increasing success, and our clients can be more effectively represented,” Crichlow said. “At Katten, Geoff will have an opportunity to make a meaningful impact, strengthening our New York team.”

Early in his career, Young served as a law clerk for the Honorable Sandra L. Townes in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York.

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