“Before we get into the thick of free agency and draft talk over the next few months, one of my favorite exercises is seeing what the roster looks like using only currently contracted players for the upcoming season. If the Dallas Cowboys had to go into a game without the benefit of the 2022 offseason,” reports Jess Haynie in Inside The Star.

“This exercise really helps to illustrate where the front office may focus its energy in the coming months. Who are the key veterans that Dallas will be looking to build around? Will departing free agents leave gaping holes on the roster or open the path for younger prospects to step into larger roles? In some spots, like linebacker this year, there may.”

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“With the last of the confetti from Super Bowl LVI swept away from SoFi Stadium, the 2021-22 NFL season is officially in the books, and the league’s 32 teams will now look ahead to the offseason. The new league year and free agency will begin at 4 p.m. ET on March 16. Currently, nine teams are,” reports Michelle Bruton in Bleacher Report.

“The $208.2 million salary cap and will have to clean up their books before that date. Many of those teams and even ones that aren’t currently in salary cap hell wish that some of those contracts would magically disappear. Past regimes, and perhaps the same general managers who made those deals, are giving the 2022 iterations of these.”

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“Fresh off of getting some flack for not jumping on the Biglaw raises bandwagon fast enough, Fenwick & West has announced raises for its hardworking associates. The firm, which made $543,079,000 in gross revenue in 2020 making it 72nd on the Am Law 100, announce the compensation,” reports Kathryn Rubino in Above The Law.

“After Milbank raised associate salaries last month. But despite the antsy associates, the firm is actually on the early side of matches. Over a month after the first raises, the bulk of the market has still not matched. But the wait is over for Fenwick associates! The new salary scale for attorneys in good standing and on track to bill 1,950 hours.”

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“CRB has appointed Courtney Holt as General Counsel. Holt succeeds Jim Scott, who will retire later this year after eight years as CRB’s in-house counsel and several years before that as outside counsel. Holt, a 2011 graduate of the University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Law, joined CRB,” reports Courtney Holt in Clean Room Technology.

“Assistant General Counsel, responsible for a broad range of legal matters including contracts, disputes, corporate law and governance, compliance, employment, and other areas of law relevant to the company’s business. In her new role, Holt will direct all aspects of CRB’s legal affairs, ensuring compliance for the company’s policies and business.”

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“Noom Inc reached a $62 million settlement of a lawsuit accusing the weight loss app provider of tricking customers into signing up for risk-free trial periods only to force them into automatic, costly renewals that were difficult to cancel. The preliminary settlement filed on Friday night in Manhattan,” reports Jonathan Stempel in Reuters.

“Noom also made changes to its business practices that the company and the customers’ lawyers valued at between $31.2 million and $120 million. Noon was accused of extracting up to eight months of nonrefundable payments totaling as much as $199 once its trial periods expired, saddling some customers with weight-loss services they.”

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“Massachusetts General Hospital will pay $14.6 million to settle a lawsuit that alleged overbilling for double-booked surgeries that were simultaneously overseen by the same surgeon. It’s the third time since 2019 that the Harvard-affiliated teaching hospital agreed to pay millions to resolve a claim stemming,” reports NBC Boston in their blog.

“The three out-of-court settlements total $32.7 million, the newspaper said. Massachusetts General officials sent an email to the hospital community saying it is pleased to resolve the matter without further litigation. The letter from the Massachusetts General president and the president of the hospital’s physician organization said the hospital.”

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“Potentially as soon as late 2022 or early 2023, a new U.S. regulatory requirement will come into effect which will affect over 25 million existing business entities and another 3-4 million new entities each year,” reports Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner in JD Supra.

“The Corporate Transparency Act (“CTA”) will require small legal entities, both domestic and foreign, to file information about themselves and the individuals who formed, own and control them with a division of the U.S. Treasury Department.”

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LOS ANGELES – Barnes & Thornburg has added Lilit Asadourian to the firm’s Los Angeles office as a partner in the Litigation Department, where she will practice in the firm’s nationally-recognized Insurance Recovery and Counseling group.

Asadourian focuses her practice on insurance recovery, bringing over two decades of insurance dispute and financial litigation experience in private practice and in-house with two major banks. As a litigator, Asadourian represents corporate policyholders in breach of contract and bad faith disputes, which involve first- and third-party coverage claims.

Asadourian joins on the heels of two insurance recovery partners, Kevin Dreher in Chicago and Austin Bersinger in Atlanta, in 2021. She bolsters a growing roster of talent who have secured billions of dollars of insurance recovery for policyholders, ranging from Fortune 100 companies to small, privately held businesses.

“As we navigate our way out of the pandemic, we expect to see a significant increase in insurance recovery analysis and claims on behalf of our corporate clients,” said Randy Brown, chair of the firm’s Litigation Department. “Lilit’s diverse range of experience within financial and insurance recovery sectors make her a great team asset that will further bolster the firm’s ability to effectively serve our clients’ needs throughout the changing market.”

Asadourian’s insurance recovery practice involves claims that emerge under commercial general liability, fiduciary, property, errors and omissions, directors and officers, and employer liability policies. In addition to her insurance recovery experience, Asadourian represents financial institutions in matters involving residential mortgage-backed securities, loan-repurchase litigation and other complex commercial disputes.

“Lilit’s decades of experience in private practice and in-house make her an excellent addition to the Los Angeles office,” said David C. Allen, Los Angeles managing partner. “In addition to her outstanding legal know-how, Lilit provides beneficial strategic guidance to her clients. Her ability to understand clients’ perspectives, plan for risks and advise how to insure against risks and, when litigation is necessary, implement targeted litigation strategies makes her an extremely effective litigator.”

Asadourian earned her J.D. from the University of California, Los Angeles School of Law and her B.A., cum laude, from the University of California, Los Angeles.

With more than 700 attorneys and other legal professionals, Barnes & Thornburg is one of the largest law firms in the country. The firm serves clients worldwide from offices in Atlanta, Boston, California, Chicago, Delaware, Indiana, Michigan, Minneapolis, New York, Ohio, Raleigh, Salt Lake City, Texas and Washington, D.C. For more information, visit us online at www.btlaw.com or on Twitter @BTLawNews.

After announcing the opening of its new office in November of last year, Buchalter is pleased to announce that Shareholders Douglas Farr, Lance Lehnhof, and Blake Cooper have joined in Salt Lake City along with Blake Tengberg, Karl Israelsen, and Trevor B. Fugate.

“We are thrilled to welcome Doug, Lance, Blake C., Blake T., Karl, and Trevor to Buchalter,” said President and Chief Executive Officer Adam Bass. “As highly respected attorneys who will each make significant contributions in Salt Lake City and to the Firm, they are fantastic additions.”

Farr focuses his practice on commercial litigation helping clients navigate complex legal issues. He assists clients across a variety of industries, including real estate, financial services, bankruptcy, construction, renewable energy, and direct sales/multi-level marketing. Farr’s experience also spans from representing creditors through the complexities of bankruptcy cases to litigating cases with legal issues involving secured transactions, judgment collections, water rights, construction defects, securities, partnership disputes, land use and zoning disputes, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), the Clean Water Act and the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA).

Farr has been recognized as a Mountain States Super Lawyers® “Rising Star,” Business Litigation from 2014-2021. He was also named “Utah’s Legal Elite: Up and Coming” in Civil Litigation from 2015-2021, by Utah Business Magazine.

“Given Buchalter’s extraordinary commitment to client service, I am eager to integrate my practice and collaborate with the highly regarded litigation practice attorneys,” said Farr.

Lehnhof advises clients on a wide range of corporate and transactional matters, including mergers & acquisitions, equity and debt financings, strategic ventures and transactions and general corporate law matters facing companies ranging from start-ups to seasoned industry leaders.

“My team and I are very excited to join Buchalter’s growing Salt Lake City office,” said Lehnhof. “The Firm’s entrepreneurial mindset, remarkable caliber of attorneys, and exceptional full-service platform allows us to offer clients a wider range of legal solutions while continuing our personal and tailored approach to client service.”

Cooper closes complicated mergers, acquisitions and joint ventures, and navigates fundraising transactions to get clients access to capital. He has counseled clients ranging from startups to Fortune 50 companies. He also has extensive experience in helping mid- and small-cap public companies manage SEC reporting and capital markets issues.

Tengberg has an active startup and emerging growth companies practice, particularly in the technology space. He frequently represents companies through the life cycle of their business, including corporate formation, seed and venture financings, governance, and mergers and acquisitions. He also has experience in mergers & acquisitions and securities offerings, with a particular focus on the JOBS Act, Regulation D, and Regulation A offerings.

Israelsen, who will work out of both the Salt Lake City and Los Angeles offices, counsels clients on venture capital and angel financings, mergers and acquisitions, fund formation, private equity transaction, public offerings, SEC reporting, business formation, and corporate governance. He advises entrepreneurs, companies and investors ranging from small startups and individual investors to national and multinational companies and large investment funds.

Fugate rounds out the team and focuses on assisting with corporate and transactional matters.

Last November, Buchalter announced the opening of its new Salt Lake City office with the addition of seven lawyers – Shareholders Keven Rowe, Jed Burton, and Blake Terry along with Landon Hardcastle, Trevor Vincent, Carly Briggs, and Clayton Smith. In addition to five staff members, the office also now has three law clerks – Jack Darrington, Zachary Marquez, and Clayton Smith.

Rowe, recently named as Firm-wide Chair of the Real Estate Commercial Finance Practice group, represents clients in commercial finance, complex real estate development and leasing, and corporate law. He has closed numerous complex asset-based, commercial, construction, syndicated, and securitized loans throughout the United States for lenders such as Wells Fargo Bank, and for numerous individual and corporate borrowers.

Burton, a member of Real Estate Practice group, has extensive experience navigating both the legal complexities and business realities of sophisticated commercial real estate transactions. He offers clients a unique perspective as former in-house counsel for a publicly traded REIT. His expertise includes acquisitions, dispositions, leasing, real estate finance (representing both lenders and borrowers), and mezzanine debt with special proficiency in transactions involving self-storage, shopping centers, and drive-thru retail.

“We could not be happier with the additions of Doug, Lance, Blake C., Blake T., Karl, and Trevor, and the growth of our office so soon after we opened,” added Burton. “We are excited to see what lies ahead.”

Terry, also a member of the Real Estate Practice group, handles projects across the entire United States, in each province of Canada, as well as parts of Central America. His practice encompasses all aspects of real estate law, including sales, purchases, leasing, financing, development and redevelopment, easements, CC&R’s, owners’ associations, development agreements, due diligence review for title and survey matters, and associated agreements.

“The talented lawyers who have joined us in Salt Lake City are a natural cultural and business fit,” added Bass. “We look forward to further expanding our footprint in the Utah region in the near future.”

Orsinger, Nelson, Downing & Anderson Welcomes Family Law Attorneys Ryan Branch, Kaleigh Downing

Attorneys bring Family Law, Property Division expertise to the team

DALLAS – Nationally recognized Family Law firm Orsinger, Nelson, Downing & Anderson welcomes attorneys Ryan Branch and Kaleigh Downing to the firm.

“Ryan and Kaleigh are talented attorneys with the experience we need to add to our already smart and dedicated team,” said Scott Downing, managing partner of Orsinger, Nelson, Downing & Anderson.

Mr. Branch comes to the firm with extensive experience in Family Law matters, including divorce, child custody, child support and property division. His work has been honored by legal peers with recognition in Texas Super Lawyers Rising Stars. Mr. Branch is a member of the Rockwall County Bar Association, Dallas Bar Association and the State Bar of Texas Family Law section.

Mr. Branch served 10 years in the U. S. Air Force, where he received the Joint Service Achievement and the Joint Service Commendation medals.

Kaleigh Downing focuses on divorce, child custody and property division, among other Family Law matters. She can relate to her clients and understands the impact of divorce as she grew up in a blended family. Ms. Downing earned her law degree from St. Mary’s School of Law and received her undergraduate degree from Texas Tech University.

The firm is often recognized by the legal industry for managing complex family law matters, including divorce, child custody and international custody disputes, property division and appellate issues.

Orsinger, Nelson, Downing & Anderson has served families for almost 30 years. With offices in Dallas, Frisco, Fort Worth and San Antonio, ONDA 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.

Bradley Arant Boult Cummings LLP is pleased to announce the addition of Greg Suess as a senior advisor to the firm’s Entertainment & Media and Corporate & Securities practice groups in Birmingham.

“Greg’s unique background at the crossroads of corporate, tech, media and entertainment law allows him to provide strategic counsel to key executives and talent across a variety of industries,” said Bradley’s Chairman of the Board and Managing Partner Jonathan M. Skeeters. “We’re pleased to welcome Greg to the firm and know that his experience providing strategic services to industry and market leaders will be an asset to our team and our clients.”

“Bradley has a sterling reputation for excellence and serves an elite client base. I’m pleased to become a senior advisor to the firm and work alongside the entertainment, media, and corporate teams to strengthen and expand these practices,” said Mr. Suess.

Prior to joining Bradley, Mr. Suess was a partner at Glaser Weil, a leading Los Angeles-based, full-service law firm where he was with the firm for more than 24 years. Peter Weil, managing partner of Glaser Weil, said, “Greg has a gift for creating win-win situations for his clients and partners. We look forward to the opportunity to collaborate with Greg and his new firm in future matters across the Southeast and to provide Bradley with a powerhouse ally in California.”

Mr. Suess added, “I am proud of my more than 20 years of partnership with Peter and the Glaser Weil team and look forward to the opportunity to work with them in the future as part of Bradley.”

In addition, Mr. Suess will continue in his position as a founding partner of Activist Artists Management, LLC (Activist.co), a top-tier, full-service music and talent management firm with offices in Los Angeles, New York, Nashville and Atlanta. Activist represents an A-list roster of music artists, actors, writers, directors, brands and family offices and was founded on the notion that artists, actors, brands and family offices can create positive change in the world through leveraging their voices via media and entertainment. Mr. Suess established and leads Activist’s Family Office & Corporate Division, which advises Forbes 400 families and emerging businesses at the cross-section of media, entertainment, and technology.

Mr. Suess graduated from the University of Southern California and earned his J.D. and M.B.A. from Pepperdine University’s School of Law and Graziadio School of Business, graduating in three years with honors while working for Michael Milken.

Mr. Suess recently relocated from Los Angeles to Mountain Brook, Alabama, with his wife, Michelle Suess, and their two children, Avery and Wyatt. Ms. Suess is an Alabama native, an alumna of the University of Alabama, and a strategic communications executive.

About Bradley
Bradley combines skilled legal counsel with exceptional client service and unwavering integrity to assist a diverse range of corporate and individual clients in achieving their business goals. With offices in Alabama, Florida, Mississippi, North Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, and the District of Columbia, the firm’s almost 600 lawyers represent regional, national and international clients in various industries, including banking and financial services, construction, energy, healthcare, life sciences, manufacturing, real estate, and technology, among many others.

About Activist
Activist Artists Management is a top-tier, full-service music and film/TV talent management, integrated media, and advisory firm with offices in Los Angeles, New York, Nashville, and Atlanta. Activist was founded on the notion that artists, actors, and brands can create positive change in the world. Activist works with a range of music and entertainment clients, including Dwight Yoakam, Bobby Weir, Grateful Dead, Dead & Company (co-manager Azoff/Moir), The Lumineers, Alec Benjamin, Empire of the Sun, and Michael Franti & Spearhead. The Activist Film & Television Department represents iconic actors, including Oscar, Golden Globe, and Tony Award-nominee Ken Watanabe (The Last Samurai, Inception, Godzilla, and Broadway’s The King and I) and Tony Award-winner and GRAMMY Award-nominee David Alan Grier (A Soldier’s Play, A Soldier’s Story, Joe Pickett), notable screenwriters Terry Rossio (Pirates of the Caribbean, Godzilla vs. Kong) and Jeff Eastin (White Collar), and Oscar-winning media company Lion Forge Animation (Hair Love). Along with actively measuring and reducing the firm’s own carbon footprint, Activist supports vetted and diverse carbon-fighting tours and projects to eliminate significantly more greenhouse gas pollution than we create, making our operations climate positive.

About Glaser Weil
Glaser Weil is one of the country’s premier full-service law firms, particularly well known for its prowess in litigation. Indeed, Benchmark Litigation, the definitive guide to America’s leading litigation firms, awarded Glaser Weil its highest ranking of “Highly Recommended” – one of only 25 law firms in California to earn this elite status.

“Biglaw firms are really looking forward to things getting back to normal and in this case, that means heading back to the office. Yet again, we have a top law firm inviting associates back to the office without word on matching the new Milbank salary scale Earlier this week, Simpson Thacher & Barlett, a firm,” reports Staci Zaretsky in Above The Law.

“That’s in the top 20 of the Am Law 100 No. 14, to be exact, notified associates that they’d be due back in the office on March 14. Associates are expected to spend three to four days each week in the office, on average, starting next month. Sources we’ve heard from didn’t exactly seem thrilled about this plan. The firm, however, is focusing.”

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“Pinterest Inc., the social scrapbooking platform that has been a possible acquisition target, is losing its general counsel Oct. 1, the company disclosed in a securities filing. Christine Flores will assist Pinterest in the orderly transition of her duties as the company initiates a search to find her,” reports Brian Baxter in Bloomberg Law.

“Pinterest hired her from Google to be its legal chief in 2017. She had joined Alphabet Inc.’s Google in 2007 and spent the next decade there, rising to the level of vice president of legal before being recruited by San Francisco-based Pinterest. Flores is set to exit Pinterest roughly a year to the month that PayPal Holdings Inc. said.”

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“A Northeast Ohio federal judge is questioning the proposed shareholders lawsuit settlement with FirstEnergy that could give the Akron utility as much as $180 million in an insurance payout tied to the House Bill 6 scandal. U.S. District Court Judge John Adams says the utility and others first,” reports Jim Mackinnon in Akron Beacon Journal.

“They Need to answer numerous questions he has about the proposed settlement, which the parties want to  take place in the Southern District of Ohio court in Columbus and not in front of Adams in Akron. Adams late on Friday ordered an in-person meeting with all parties to discuss the issues 2 p.m. March 9 in his Akron courtroom.”

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“CaptureRx has proposed a $4.75 million settlement to resolve claims related to a 2021 data breach that affected approximately 2.4 million patients of its healthcare provider clients. CaptureRx is a healthcare administrative service provider that helps hospitals manage their 340B drug discount programs,” reports Hipaa Journal in their blog.

“CaptureRx discovered unauthorized individuals had gained access to its network and used ransomware to encrypt its files. On March 19, 2021, CaptureRx determined files containing patient data had been compromised, and affected clients started to be notified on March 30, 2021. CaptureRx publicly announced the data breach.”

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Houston – February 14, 2022 – Dykema, a leading national law firm, today announced that it is expanding its presence in Texas with a new Houston office. The office, which is Dykema’s 14th nationwide, has come to fruition with the recent joining of top business litigators Isaac Villarreal and Andy Green.

Villarreal and Green establish the office alongside existing Dykema Senior Counsels Nicholas Zugaro and Basil Umari who have been affiliated with the Dallas office but will now sit in Houston. Also joining the Houston office is commercial litigation associate Amanda D. Gordon, who worked closely with Villarreal and Green at their former firm. In addition to these five resident Houston attorneys, several other attorneys from Dykema’s Texas offices regularly practice in Houston and will split their time between offices.

“Dykema is committed to expanding its platform and deepening our already robust footprint in Texas,” said Len Wolfe, Dykema’s Chair and CEO. “Houston is a key market for our clients and a hub for several areas where we have strong practices including oil and gas, healthcare, life sciences, bankruptcy, and major commercial litigation. Our new presence here will allow us to leverage our large national platform to better serve our clients in the state and serve Houston’s greater business community. Further, both Isaac and Andy have deep Houston roots and excellent local legal reputations so are well-poised to help us continue our Houston expansion.”

This move comes just weeks after Dykema announced an office opening in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, adding seven seasoned capital markets lawyers and marking the firm’s first footprint in that state.

Villarreal, Green, and Gordon previously practiced in the Houston office of Dallas-based firm McCathern, Shokouhi, Evans, Grinke. They work together as a litigation team, with Villarreal serving as a trial lawyer and Green focusing on all pre-trial aspects of litigation. They counsel a wide range of clients in Houston and Texas, from small businesses to Fortune 500 companies.

“For years, we sought the right team to build a Houston office and we have finally found that team,” added Chris Kratovil, Managing Member of Dykema’s Houston and Dallas offices. “Dykema has litigators that have practiced against Isaac, Andy, and Amanda, so we know first-hand how talented they are and how well their practices complement our platform. To say that we are very excited for them to join Basil and Nick to found our Houston office is an understatement.”

Advancing Dykema’s National and Texas Strategy

As a premier firm with Midwestern roots, Dykema has developed a national footprint focused on serving Fortune 1000 and middle-market companies. Building on its roots and driven by the needs of its clients, the firm has extended its platform nationally by developing sophisticated practices in areas including automotive, consumer financial services, energy, electric distribution, infrastructure finance, intellectual property, and pharmaceutical/medical device litigation. With more than 380 lawyers and government policy advisors, Dykema continues to engage in strategic expansion discussions with leading attorneys who can add further depth to key practices.

Throughout 2021, Dykema strategically added bench strength in key regional markets including Austin, Chicago, Dallas, Detroit, Lansing, and Washington, D.C.

Houston as the fourth-largest city in the United States and the largest legal market in Texas is a natural addition for Dykema’s team of top-ranked practitioners. While Houston is widely known for its importance in the global energy market and the oil and gas industry, it is also a diversified legal market that counts healthcare and life sciences as its second-biggest economic sector. In the legal industry, the Bankruptcy Court for the Houston Division of the Southern District of Texas has emerged as the “go-to” federal district for major bankruptcies alongside Delaware and the Southern District of New York. It is also a major commercial litigation hub and a venue where the firm regularly handles litigation matters.

About the Lawyers

Isaac Villarreal is a seasoned litigator with more than 10 years of experience in business and complex commercial matters. He has served as the first-chair counsel in at least 50 trials and arbitrations and has won a substantial majority of those cases. Villarreal helps clients navigate contract claims and business torts, real estate and construction matters, liens and bond claims, collections, and probate and estate disputes. He counsels midmarket and closely held businesses in the region, often serving as outside counsel for these entities. Villarreal also handles transactional matters on behalf of his clients.

Villarreal is a member of several bar associations, including the State Bar of Texas’ Alternative Dispute Resolution and Litigation Section, and is active in Houston’s Hispanic legal community. He received an M.A. and B.A. from Southwest Texas State University and a J.D., magna cum laude, from Thurgood Marshall School of Law at Texas Southern University.

Andy Green handles commercial litigation and transactional matters on behalf of businesses in the real estate, construction, energy, and financial services sectors. His practice focuses primarily on civil litigation, along with occasional transactional matters including commercial finance and corporate funding and formations. Green is also a certified mediator and has completed training with the A.A. White Dispute Resolution Center at the University of Houston.

Green has an active pro bono practice and has worked with the Houston Volunteer Lawyers Program and the Houston Chapter of Amigos de las Americas. Green received a J.D. from Fordham University School of Law and a B.A. from the University of Notre Dame.

Basil A. Umari has more than 20 years of experience representing debtors, liquidating trustees, official creditors’ committees, secured creditors, unsecured creditors, equity holders, officers and directors, patent holders, landlords, tenants, and asset purchasers in corporate bankruptcy matters. He also has extensive experience in bankruptcy litigation representing liquidating trustees in litigation trusts and companies in preference actions and claims objections brought by trustees.

Umari earned a J.D., with honors, from the University of Texas School of Law and a B.A., cum laude, from Amherst College.

Nicholas Zugaro represents clients in a range of industries – including oil and gas, healthcare, construction, food service, retail, and manufacturing – across all stages of corporate bankruptcy matters. He has extensive experience in bankruptcy litigation and has prosecuted and defended numerous companies in preference actions and claims objections brought by trustees. He has also tried numerous complex commercial cases to juries and the bench in state and federal court.

Zugaro earned a J.D., cum laude, from the University of Houston Law Center, and a B.S. from Texas A&M University.

Amanda Gordon handles all aspects of commercial and business litigation from client origination through trial. She is also a certified mediator in both civil and family law.

Gordon earned a J.D. from South Texas College of Law and a B.S. in Psychology from the University of Houston.

About Dykema
Dykema serves business entities worldwide on a wide range of complex legal issues. Dykema lawyers and other professionals in 14 U.S. offices work in close partnership with clients – from start-ups to Fortune 100 companies – to deliver outstanding results, unparalleled service, and exceptional value in every engagement.

Bradley Arant Boult Cummings LLP is pleased to announce the addition of partners Ben Dachepalli and Timothy Ford to the firm’s Construction Practice Group.

“Ben and Tim are leading attorneys in Florida with significant experience working with construction industry professionals on strategic legal and business solutions,” said Bradley Tampa Office Managing Partner R. Craig Mayfield. “We are excited to welcome them to the firm and know that their background and their involvement in the local legal and civic community will enhance the already high level of service we are able to provide our construction clients.”

David W. Owen, leader of the firm’s Construction Practice Group, added, “The addition of Ben and Tim reflects yet another important step in our strategic growth plan for the Florida market, building upon a team of exceptional attorneys equipped to handle public and private projects of all sizes throughout the country.”

Mr. Dachepalli is experienced in litigating complex construction claims regarding contract disputes, construction defects, design errors, surety bonds, insurance, and construction liens, and negotiating construction-related agreements. He also advises clients on construction licensing matters and defends them in administrative proceedings and complaints against their construction licenses. He collaborates with clients to understand their businesses to provide comprehensive strategies that go beyond legal issues and contracts. Mr. Dachepalli serves as national coordinating counsel for a large, publicly traded REIT, providing strategic advice and counsel on matters impacting projects across the United States. As a member of the Tampa Housing Authority Board of Commissioners and a former member of Florida’s Construction Industry Licensing Board, Mr. Dachepalli is actively engaged in the community and construction industry. He is board certified by the Florida Bar in Construction Law and is recognized for his construction practice in Chambers USA, The Best Lawyers in America® and Florida Super Lawyers. Mr. Dachepalli is a current member of the Board of Directors for the Tampa Bay Economic Development Council, past chair of the Indo-U.S. Chamber of Commerce in Tampa, and a member of the American, Hillsborough County, and Florida Bar associations.

Mr. Ford represents owners, developers, contractors, construction managers, design professionals and subcontractors in all phases of the construction process, with an emphasis on complex construction litigation, including insurance disputes and defect claims. He is recognized for his construction practice by Chambers USA, The Best Lawyers in America® and Florida Super Lawyers. Mr. Ford is board certified by the Florida Bar in Construction Law and is an active member of the American Bar Association’s Forum on Construction Law as a current board member of the Forum’s Governing Committee. He has also held leadership roles with the Florida Bar and the Hillsborough County Bar Association. Mr. Ford is an active member of the Tampa Bay Community and a pro bono volunteer lawyer with Building for Good (B4G), a national nonprofit organization that links other nonprofits and charities with skilled construction lawyers.

Bradley’s award-winning Construction Practice Group has been recognized as the nation’s “Law Firm of the Year” for Construction Law by U.S. News – Best Lawyers “Best Law Firms” in 2022, 2020, and 2018, a designation only given to one law firm in the country per legal practice area each year. The firm has held a national Tier 1 ranking in Construction Law every year since the rankings began. The Construction Practice Group also was named the “2020 Practice Group of the Year” by Law360, and was ranked No. 3 on Construction Executive’s list of “The Top 50 Construction Law Firms” in 2020.The firm’s construction attorneys counsel clients on projects throughout the United States, Canada and Mexico, as well as more than 35 countries across Europe, Asia, Africa, Australia, the Middle East, the Caribbean, and South America. Several of Bradley’s construction attorneys have degrees in engineering, building science or architecture and have previous practical experience working in the construction industry.

About Bradley
Bradley combines skilled legal counsel with exceptional client service and unwavering integrity to assist a diverse range of corporate and individual clients in achieving their business goals. With offices in Alabama, Florida, Mississippi, North Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, and the District of Columbia, the firm’s almost 600 lawyers represent regional, national and international clients in various industries, including banking and financial services, construction, energy, healthcare, life sciences, manufacturing, real estate, and technology, among many others.

Chamberlain Hrdlicka is pleased to announce that it has elevated three of its shareholders to equity status and elevated three attorneys to shareholder. Moving up to equity shareholders are Atlanta-based attorney Erica L. Opitz and Houston-based attorneys David N. Calvillo and Kellen R. Scott. Additionally, Atlanta-based attorneys Patrick J. McCann, Jr., Steven M. Wyatt and Houston-based attorney Kelly Boss Shields were elevated to shareholder. These promotions were affirmed during the firm’s virtual annual meeting held on Feb. 5, 2022.

“We are excited for the elevation of these attorneys to our shareholder ranks,” said Larry Campagna, Chamberlain Hrdlicka’s managing shareholder. “They have played key roles in the firm’s success over the past few years through their hard work and commitment to client service. We look forward to seeing what else they achieve for our firm and within the legal industry.”

David N. Calvillo
Calvillo has successfully tried, litigated and arbitrated matters in diverse practice areas, including breach of contract, business separation, commercial liability, construction, tax controversy, shareholder rights, professional malpractice, personal injury and wrongful death, employment, debt collection and intellectual property. He is a Board-certified Civil Trial Specialist and a Texas CPA. Calvillo earned his undergraduate and law degrees from the University of Texas School of Law and his Master of Laws degree in taxation from Georgetown University Law Center. He is a member of the Board of Directors of the State Bar of Texas and has been listed as a Texas “Super Lawyer” for fourteen (14) consecutive years.

Erica L. Opitz
Opitz is a member of the Corporate, Securities and Finance practice group and often serves as a client’s outside general counsel. She assists clients with corporate governance, commercial contracts, mergers and acquisitions and privately held securities matters. Opitz represents clients in a variety of industries, including moving and storage, merchant services, certified public accounting, investment management, manufacturing and building supply distribution industries. She also serves as the Atlanta office’s primary drafter of Georgia legal opinions. Opitz earned her undergraduate degree from Binghamton University and her law degree from Mercer University Walter F. George School of Law.

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

Patrick J. McCann, Jr.
McCann is a member of the Tax Controversy and Litigation Practice based in Atlanta, Georgia. He focuses his practice on representing taxpayers at all stages of tax controversy including examination, appeals and litigation. McCann has advised clients on a full range of federal tax controversy matters including federal income tax, corporate income tax, partnership tax matters, employment taxes, estate and gift tax issues and tax shelter penalty and promoter examinations. He also advises clients on various tax planning and restructuring matters designed to withstand future scrutiny from the Internal Revenue Service. McCann earned his undergraduate degree from Wake Forest University, his law degree from the University of Virginia School of Law and his Master of Laws in Taxation from the University of Florida Levin College of Law.

Kelly Boss Shields
Shields is a litigation attorney who maintains a diverse litigation practice, representing clients in probate and fiduciary litigation, labor and employment litigation, complex commercial litigation and arbitration. She has successfully represented both plaintiffs and defendants in federal and state courts in a variety of cases including will contests, trust disputes, fraud, breach of fiduciary duty, FLSA, Title VII, ADA/ADEA, contractual disputes, and construction disputes. Shields graduated magna cum laude from Washington and Lee University with a bachelor’s degree in business administration and psychology. Shields then graduated with honors from the University of Texas School of Law. She was named to 2021 Best Lawyers in America “Ones to Watch” and 2021 Super Lawyers “Rising Star.”

Steven M. Wyatt
Wyatt is a member of the Tax Controversy Practice Group and the Estate & Income Tax Planning & Estate Administration Practice Group. He has experience in wealth and asset protection planning, life insurance planning, incapacity planning, and other matters dealing with pre-mortem and post-mortem planning. Wyatt currently serves as chairman of the Tax Section of the Alabama State Bar Association. He is also past president of the Tuscaloosa Estate Planning Council. While in law school, he served as the editor of the Alabama Law Review. He earned his undergraduate degree from the University of Alabama, his law degree from the University of Alabama School of Law and his Master of Laws in Taxation from New York University School of Law.

About Chamberlain Hrdlicka
Chamberlain Hrdlicka is a diversified business law firm with offices in Atlanta, Houston, Philadelphia and San Antonio. The firm represents both public and private companies, as well as individuals and family-owned businesses across the nation. The firm offers counsel in appellate law, bankruptcy, commercial and probate litigation, construction law, corporate, employee benefits, energy and maritime law, ERISA, estate planning and administration, intellectual property, international and immigration law, labor and employment, privacy and data security, real estate, securities and finance, tax controversy and tax planning.

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Katten announced today that corporate attorney John Corrigan has joined its Private Credit practice as a partner in LA to advise public and private companies and investors in M&A transactions and handle a range of other client matters.

“John’s comprehensive understanding of complex corporate transactions and his pragmatic approach to client service allow him to close a wide range of deals effectively and efficiently. This makes him an ideal addition to our team,” said Michael Jacobson, chair of Katten’s Private Credit department, a diverse team of attorneys active on behalf of some of the most prominent players in the middle-market finance industry. The practice has advised on more than 500 finance transactions annually over the past two years.

Domestic and cross-border deals are among Corrigan’s work advising public and private companies and investors in M&A transactions. He represents technology and life sciences companies in a number of industries, including software, cryptocurrency, health care IT, biotech and pharmaceutical. He also represents venture capital and private equity funds targeting technology and life sciences companies, and handles equity co-invests, equity kickers and exits, among other matters.

Before joining Katten, Corrigan was at Goodwin Procter LLP.

Combining technical knowledge with sophisticated problem-solving skills, Katten’s Private Credit practice routinely handles large, high-value transactions. Featured in the group’s extensive portfolio are a number of alternative lenders as well as lead arrangers, administrative agents, secured and unsecured creditors, proprietary lenders, junior capital providers, and borrowers.

The practice represents clients on the full spectrum of commercial finance transactions, regularly handling senior secured and unsecured loans, asset-based loans, first- and second-lien loans, unitranche and mezzanine debt, and warrants/equity kickers. It handles preferred equity, equity co-investments, private investment in public equity (PIPE), as well as distressed and bridge loans. The team shows particular strength advising clients on health care finance, junior capital, sports finance, franchise finance and insurance finance and is a go-to resource for international organizations in cross-border engagements.

These standout offerings position Katten to handle multinational and multicurrency financings and set the firm apart from others in the market that focus primarily on traditional bank-side work.

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.

Bradley Arant Boult Cummings LLP is pleased to announce that Michael Williams, a partner in the firm’s Jackson office, has been selected as a 2022 Fellow of the Leadership Council on Legal Diversity (LCLD). In addition, Shundra Manning, an associate in the firm’s Nashville office, and Gabriella Alonso, an associate in the firm’s Houston office, have been selected as 2022 LCLD Pathfinders.

The LCLD Fellows and Pathfinder programs are among the most comprehensive legal talent development programs in the country. They are designed to increase diversity at the leadership levels of the nation’s law firms and corporate legal departments. With more than 350 members, the LCLD is a national organization made up of general counsel and law firm managing partners who participate in programs designed to attract, inspire, and nurture the talent in society and within the members’ organizations, thereby helping a new and more diverse generation of attorneys ascend to positions of leadership. The LCLD was launched in 2009.

“We congratulate Michael on his selection as a LCLD Fellow and Shundra and Gabriella on their participation in the LCLD Pathfinder Program,” said Bradley Director of Inclusion and Diversity George D. Medlock, Jr.

The LCLD Fellows Program was designed to connect high-potential attorneys from distinguished organizations for a year-long professional development series focused on leadership and relationship building. The program offers unique opportunities to network with and learn from the top leaders in the legal field. The program provides Fellows exclusive access to numerous virtual training methods and networking opportunities, including class meetings, leadership lunches, accountability partners, and mentoring and alumni networking.

The LCLD Pathfinder Program is designed for diverse, high-potential, early-career attorneys at LCLD member organizations. The goal of the program is to provide Pathfinders with practical tools for developing and leveraging professional networks through relationship-building skills, foundational leadership skills, and an understanding of career development strategies. The program provides Pathfinders exclusive access to a variety of virtual training methods and networking opportunities, including class meetings, regional meetings, e-Learning modules, compass conversations with LCLD alumni, and program facilitators.

Bradley joined LCLD in 2020 and is proud to participate in the Fellows, Pathfinder, Alumni and 1L Scholars Programs to prepare future generations of diverse talent for the highest positions of leadership.

About Bradley
Bradley combines skilled legal counsel with exceptional client service and unwavering integrity to assist a diverse range of corporate and individual clients in achieving their business goals. With offices in Alabama, Florida, Mississippi, North Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, and the District of Columbia, the firm’s almost 600 lawyers represent regional, national and international clients in various industries, including banking and financial services, construction, energy, healthcare, life sciences, manufacturing, real estate, and technology, among many others.