“The Pennsylvania Supreme Court ruled last week that Amazon must pay warehouse workers for their time spent in mandatory security checks after each shift. Amazon will pay a total of $13.5 million in the settlement, ending a legal battle that has lasted over 10 years,” reports Hannah Towey in Business Insider.

“The highest payout claimed by an Amazon employee thus far is $5,760. Amazon and its lawyers argued that employees are only paid for their labor to pack boxes, but not to stand at a security checkpoint, which does not involve labor or toil.”

Read the article.

Today, 8minute Solar Energy (8minute) announced that Jennifer D. Arasimowicz has been hired as 8minute’s new General Counsel and Corporate Secretary, underscoring 8minute’s continued evolution to one of the country’s clean energy leaders. At 8minute, Arasimowicz will lead the legal and human resources teams, and also oversee compliance, governance, intellectual property strategy and protection, as well as company ESG initiatives.

Arasimowicz has more than 20 years of experiencing advising private and public companies in the renewable energy and technology industries, with extensive expertise in commercial contracts, intellectual property protection, corporate governance and government affairs. Prior to joining 8minute in early July 2021, Arasimowicz was part of the FuelCell Energy, Inc. (FCEL) leadership team and most recently served as the company’s Executive Vice President, General Counsel, Chief Administrative Officer, and Corporate Secretary, where she was responsible for all legal, regulatory, compliance, government affairs, intellectual property protection, and human resources.

“For the past decade, 8minute has paved a new path for the clean energy transition, and in the process, has solidified solar-plus-storage as a reliable, responsive, and cost-effective energy solution,” said Arasimowicz. “As the company embarks on its next stage of growth, I am thrilled to be joining such a distinguished team of engineers and developers at such a pivotal moment, both for 8minute and for the entire clean energy industry.”

Previously, Arasimowicz also served as General Counsel for Total Energy, Inc. and as a Partner and Chair of the Utility Law Practice Group at Shipman & Goodwin, LLP. In 2018, Arasimowicz was appointed to serve on Connecticut Governor-elect Ned Lamont’s Energy Transition Team. She was also the first female President of the Connecticut Power and Energy Society and is a current member of Chief, a private network designed specifically for women leaders.

“The clean energy transition hasn’t happened in a vacuum – it’s been rapidly accelerated by leaders who both foster the potential of emerging technologies and are eager to reach a future where clean energy is universally accessible, reliable, and affordable. Jennifer is one of those leaders,” said Dr. Tom Buttgenbach, Founder and CEO of 8minute. “An expert in energy and technology, Jennifer’s tenacious drive, innovative thinking and valuable expertise aligns with our design and engineering driven approach. As we continue delivering on our industry-leading products and services, we’re excited to welcome Jennifer to our 8minute team and look forward to her contributions during this important phase of growth at 8minute.”

Dallas – July 22, 2021 – Dykema, a leading national law firm, today announced the addition of Catherine S. Bowe to its Corporate Finance Practice Group as Senior Counsel in the firm’s Dallas office. Bowe joins Dykema after practicing with Exall Legal Advisors, PLLC in Dallas for four years. Prior to that, she spent 17 years in-house with Hudson Advisors, LP, most recently as Deputy General Counsel, Managing Director.

Bowe has extensive experience in negotiating and structuring complex acquisitions, joint venture arrangements, equity offerings, debt financings and investment funds, including fund formation, marketing materials, investor side letters, securities offerings, and regulatory matters. She also has broad experience in corporate governance, complex contractual arrangements and general corporate matters.

Thanks to her extensive in-house experience, Bowe is adept at advising and guiding clients to achieve a balance between business objectives and managed risks. In her role as Deputy General Counsel, Managing Director at Hudson Advisors, LP, she provided strategic and operational leadership to a variety of global business operations, including investment acquisitions and dispositions, asset management, investor relations and capital markets.

“Catherine is a highly experienced and impressively credentialed corporate attorney,” said Chris Kratovil, National Hiring Member and Managing Member of Dykema’s Dallas office. “Dykema’s clients in Dallas and beyond will benefit from having a lawyer of Catherine’s caliber working on their transactions, and her in-house experience gives Catherine a valuable perspective and the ability to anticipate client needs.”

Bowe earned a J.D. from the Southern Methodist University Dedman School of Law and a B.A. from Stanford University.

Buchalter is pleased to announce the addition of two new shareholders in Orange County – Lee C. Cheng joins as a member of the Corporate practice group, and Michael Katz joins as a member of the Litigation practice group.

“I am delighted to welcome both Lee and Michael to the Firm,” said Adam Bass, President and Chief Executive Office of Buchalter. “They bring remarkable resumes with expertise in both transactional practice and the litigation legal services our clients need and rely on us to provide.”

Cheng, also a member of the Intellectual Property and Litigation practice groups, is Chair of the Firm’s new Greater China group. His practice spans a broad array of disciplines, from corporate transactional work, M&A, finance, and governance to intellectual property, licensing and litigation management, and strategy. Cheng has unique insights on client service due to his experience as a C-level executive at venture-funded startups and global, multi-billion dollar revenue companies. He was twice recognized as one of America’s 50 Outstanding General Counsel, and an Intellectual Property Trailblazer and Pioneer, by The National Law Journal.

“I am thrilled to join Buchalter and excited to Chair the Firm’s new Greater China group,” said Cheng. “The decision to join was an easy one with its well-established and exceptional corporate practice and the breadth and depth of expertise in so many other areas where my clients need legal services. The resources the Firm offers will allow me to both grow my existing practice and provide access to tremendous new opportunities from the Buchalter platform.”

Cheng presently serves on the Board of Industry Leaders of the Consumer Technology Association (CTA), the largest technology focused trade association in the world and the operator of the Consumer Electronics Show. He is also a member of the Board of Trustees of the CTA Foundation and the Board of Directors of the Asian American Legal Foundation.

Cheng earned his J.D. from University of California, UC Berkeley School of Law and received his A.B. from Harvard University, magna cum laude.

“Lee’s practice aligns very well with our overall strategic plan,” added Bass. “We look forward to seeing his practice grow and offering the support he needs along the way.”

Katz focuses his practice on complex business disputes, with an emphasis on intellectual property, unfair competition and breach of fiduciary duties. He frequently handles commercial litigation and trials for clients ranging from start-ups to Fortune 500 companies. Katz is recognized as a leading trade secret lawyer in California with deep experience across many industries, including semiconductor, health sciences, software and computers, artificial intelligence, data storage and security, financial services, and automotive. In 2020, he was recognized by Best Lawyers as the Intellectual Property Litigator of the Year in Orange County.

“Michael will be such a great asset to the Firm,” said Bass. “He is a perfect fit culturally and an accomplished litigator who brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to our considerable and already robust litigation practice.”

Katz received his J.D. from New York University School of Law and he holds an A.B. from Harvard College.

“I am so pleased to be joining Buchalter and to work with the incredibly talented team of litigators, said Katz. “Commitment to client service has always been a core value of my practice. The Firm’s substantial platform will allow me to offer unparalleled service to my clients and increase my practice.”

“TC Energy Corporation stated that it filed a notice of intent with the U.S. Department of State that it will make a claim against the U.S. under the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). The claim will be based on President Biden’s January 2021 revocation of TC Energy’s Keystone XL Pipeline permit,” reports Hunter Chauvin in The Energy Law Blog.

“NAFTA allowed for investors to seek arbitration against political states for certain mistreatment. See NAFTA at Chapter 11. That mistreatment could include a nation treating an investor of another nation less favorably than it treats its own investors (national mistreatment), treating an investor of another nation less favorably than an investor of a different nation (most-favored-nation mistreatment), not according an investor equal treatment under international law, or improperly expropriating an investment. See NAFTA at articles 1102, 1103, 1105, & 1110, respectively.”

Read the article.

“Law firms should not use the introduction of the Solicitors Qualifying Exam (SQE) as an opportunity to pay trainees less, the Law Society has warned. The Chancery Lane body stressed that providers of training contracts and qualifying work experience (QWE) should pay lawyer hopefuls at least £20,217 outside London and £22,794 in the capital,” reports Legal Cheek in their blog.

“While most readers will be familiar with the traditional TC, many will perhaps be less familiar with QWE. This is part of the changes brought in under the SQE and offers a more flexible approach to on-the-job training, with trainees able to complete their two-year work experience requirement with up to four different legal employers.”

Read the article.

“Scotch Creek Ventures Inc. (the “Company”) (CSE:SCV)(FSE:7S2)(OTC PINK:SCVFF) (“Scotch Creek” or the “Company”) is pleased to announce that it has retained Hasbrouck Geophysics Inc. (“Hasbrouck”) to commence work on its two Clayton Valley lithium brine projects. Hasbrouck will commence with a detailed HSAMT survey and the results from this survey will aid in identifying and selecting potential future drill targets,” reports Yahoo Finance in their blog.

“The geophysical exploration program will consist of Hybrid-Source Audio-Magnetotellurics (HSAMT) where data will be acquired at intervals of 500 meters along four lines within each claim block with a nominal total of 31 and 41 stations within the Macallan and Highlands claims.”

Read the article.

“A prominent agent who represents NBA coaches and executives has filed a civil lawsuit against Toronto Raptors coach Nick Nurse for breach of contract and seeks financial relief,” reports Jeff Zillgitt in USA Today.

“Warren LeGarie — who represents several NBA head coaches, assistant coaches and front-office executives — said in his claim, “Defendant Nurse failed to do certain things required by the representation contract.”

Read the article.

“Poor Eric Grossman. It must be awfully hard for a humble lawyer to be suddenly catapulted to world fame. One minute he was simply the hardworking chief legal officer of Morgan Stanley, then overnight he was anointed the dinosaur of Wall Street,” reports Vivia Chen in Bloomberg Law.

“As first reported by Bloomberg Law, Grossman recently issued an edict of sorts that law firms stop the remote work nonsense and return full time to the office—tout de suite! If firms fail to do so, he intimated that they might lose the mighty bank as a client. In a July 15 email memo to outside counsel he writes: “We choose to hire you all because of the quality of your lawyers and the product they deliver. I strongly believe that firms that return to the office will have a significant performance advantage over those that do not.”

Read the article.

“LOS ANGELES, Calif.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Manhattan West, a modern, independent financial solutions company, has appointed Benjamin Vega to serve as General Counsel to the organization. A highly skilled attorney and negotiator, Vega will represent Manhattan West’s rapidly expanding business interests both domestically and globally,” reports Manhattan West in BusinessWire.

“A native Angeleno, Mr. Vega brings over 20 years of legal and deal-making experience to the organization, spanning the fields of private equity, mergers and acquisitions, finance, banking, gaming, media, professional sports, real estate and construction. He was instrumental in negotiating the acquisitions of the Power 106, KLOS, KLLI and KDAY radio stations in Los Angeles, the SLS Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, the National Bank of California in Los Angeles, the NBA’s Atlanta Hawks and the NHL’s Arizona Coyotes. Mr. Vega earned his BA from Harvard University and a Juris Doctor from Harvard Law School.”

Read the article.

“State attorneys general say they have a $26 billion dollar plan to resolve the bulk of the liability for the three biggest drug distributors and one major drugmaker that are entangled in the nationwide opioid litigation,” reports Valerie Bauman in Bloomberg Law.

“The opioid crisis killed nearly 841,000 people since 1999, including 69,710 last year alone. Plaintiffs in thousands of suits say drugmakers and distributors produced and promoted strong painkillers for a massive profit, not heeding their addictive qualities.”

Read the article.

“In the first big challenge to the proposed $26 billion national opioid settlement, the Philadelphia district attorney on Thursday sued Pennsylvania’s attorney general over the deal, saying the city stands to get only a pittance to cope with an epidemic that is killing more than 1,000 people a year,” reports Michael Rubinkam in Morning Call.

“With Philadelphia pursuing its own, potentially more lucrative litigation against the opioid industry, District Attorney Larry Krasner denounced the national agreement and asked a state court to declare that Attorney General Josh Shapiro has no authority to bind the city to it.”

Read the article.

Eversheds Sutherland is pleased to announce that Paul R. Hogan has joined the firm’s Corporate Practice Group in the Chicago office as counsel, continuing the firm’s steady growth in the city to now 16 attorneys. Mr. Hogan focuses his practice on guiding clients through strategic transactions, including mergers and acquisitions, joint venture, equity and debt financing. He joins Eversheds Sutherland from Kingsway Financial Services, where he served as secretary and general counsel.

“Paul is an accomplished corporate attorney who has been a trusted advisor to the C-Suite and boards of directors for many years,” said Robert J. Pile, Co-Head of Global Corporate at Eversheds Sutherland. “With his extensive transactional experience, he is an excellent fit for our growing practice, and his arrival continues our successful expansion in Chicago.”

Mr. Hogan counsels clients in connection with their most critical corporate matters and strategic transactions. He advises clients on all matters of corporate governance and risk management and has extensive experience guiding clients through complex transactions, including mergers, stock acquisitions and dispositions, asset acquisitions and dispositions, acquisitions and dispositions of divisions, joint ventures, strategic alliances and other similar transactions.

About Eversheds Sutherland’s Corporate Practice
With more than 700 attorneys worldwide, Eversheds Sutherland’s global mergers and acquisitions team provides pragmatic advice and comprehensive support that enables clients to evaluate, structure and complete transactions across a broad spectrum of industries.

The team combines decades of experience with in-depth knowledge of local and cross-border practices. Wherever the transaction is led from, we provide a seamless and integrated worldwide service.

Our attorneys are well versed in the unique requirements of mergers, tender offers, stock and asset acquisitions, corporate restructurings, spin-offs, recapitalizations and other deal structures. We negotiate and establish alliances, joint ventures and other partnering relationships. In addition, we develop innovative approaches to implement other tailored commercial relationships.

Our global M&A team advises clients across a broad range of sectors including financial services, insurance, payment systems, technology, communications, energy, industrials, consumer products, professional services, health care and e-commerce. We understand regulatory frameworks and the impact on transactions of the key issues that affect your business. This in-depth sector knowledge allows us to add real value to the M&A process.

About Eversheds Sutherland
As a global top 10 law practice, Eversheds Sutherland provides legal services to a global client base ranging from small and mid-sized businesses to the largest multinationals, acting for 70 of the Fortune 100, 61 of the FTSE 100 and 128 of the Fortune 200.

With more than 3,000 lawyers, Eversheds Sutherland operates in 74 offices in 35 jurisdictions across Africa, Asia, Europe, the Middle East and the United States. In addition, a network of more than 200 related law firms, including formalized alliances in Latin America, Asia Pacific and Africa, provide support around the globe.

Eversheds Sutherland provides the full range of legal services, including corporate and M&A; dispute resolution and litigation; energy and infrastructure; finance; human capital and labor law; intellectual property; real estate and construction; and tax.

Bradley Arant Boult Cummings LLP is pleased to announce that Clarence Webster III, counsel in the firm’s Jackson office, has begun a one-year term as president of the Capital Area Bar Association (CABA).

Mr. Webster is a member of Bradley’s Litigation Practice Group, where he represents and advises a broad range of clients in a variety of litigation matters, including complex commercial, labor and employment, product liability, mass tort, and appellate. He has also advised healthcare and business clients on federal and state labor laws, board governance, business formation, and contract drafting and negotiation. Mr. Webster has been recognized by Mid-South Super Lawyers since 2013. He previously served in several leadership roles on CABA’s board of directors.

“Clarence is a tremendous attorney and a highly regarded leader in the Jackson legal community,” said Bradley Jackson Office Managing Partner Margaret Oertling Cupples. “As a fellow member of CABA’s board, I look forward to the association’s direction under Clarence’s leadership.”

CABA is a voluntary bar association in Mississippi serving Hinds County and the metropolitan areas of Madison and Rankin Counties, providing members with opportunities to engage on current legal issues through publications and educational events. CABA is dedicated to promoting and maintaining high standards of professional service and conduct towards clients, fellow lawyers, the public, and the courts.

Bradley Arant Boult Cummings LLP is pleased to announce that six of the firm’s partners have been named to the 2021 Benchmark 40 & Under Hot list, which recognizes top young litigation talent in the United States and Canada.

“We are proud of these partners and their recognition by Benchmark, which is a testament to their skill as litigators, as well as their hard work and contributions to our firm,” said Bradley Chairman of the Board and Managing Partner Jonathan M. Skeeters.

The annual 40 & Under Hot List, published by Benchmark Litigation, includes litigators aged 40 or younger who have been selected based on a combination of their recent casework, peer review, and client feedback.

The following Bradley attorneys, listed by office, are included in the 2021 40 & Under Hot List:

Birmingham

• Tiffany J. DeGruy is a member of the Litigation Practice Group with considerable experience trying high-stakes business and commercial litigation for clients in a variety of industries including healthcare and e-commerce.
• Ann Phelps Hill is a member of the Litigation and Class Action & Complex Litigation practice groups, who has successfully represented private and publicly held corporations in all phases of high-stakes and complex litigation.
• Rudy Hill is a member of the Litigation and Intellectual Property practice groups, who handles matters at both trial and appellate levels through all phases of litigation including pre-suit investigation, fact discovery, expert discovery, summary judgment and trial.

• Thomas Richie is a member of the Litigation Practice Group, representing clients in procedurally complex litigation in both trial and appellate courts and litigating a broad range of cases, from class actions to municipal tax disputes to Chapter 9 bankruptcy cases.
• Whitt Steineker is a member of the Litigation Practice Group and co-chair of Bradley’s Cannabis Industry team. He provides clients with all types of litigation counsel, transactional advice, and practical strategies for growth.

Washington, D.C.

• Aron C. Beezley is co-leader of the Government Contracts Practice Group. He has significant experience representing government contractors in numerous industries and in all aspects of the government-contracting process, including negotiation, award, performance and termination.

Buchalter is pleased to announce and welcome Corporate practice group member Phil Donnelly to the Arizona office. The Firm’s Arizona office has experienced substantial growth this year with the addition of six new attorneys since January.

“I am delighted to welcome Phil to the firm and expand our corporate law capabilities in Arizona,” Adam Bass, President and Chief Executive Officer of Buchalter. “Arizona continues to be an important market for us, and Phil is an impressive addition who brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to the Firm.”

Donnelly has over thirty years of experience working in the banking, finance, real estate, and aviation industries. He has a remarkable understanding of client service having served as general counsel to a Berkshire Hathaway and Leucadia National joint venture. Donnelly focuses his practice on corporate governance, banking and regulatory compliance, complex litigation management, and human resources support. He also advises boards and executive committees of public and private institutions on their fiduciary responsibilities to company stakeholders and regulatory authorities.

“I am thrilled to join Buchalter’s impressive Corporate group and work with so many accomplished attorneys,” said Donnelly. “With the Firm’s entrepreneurial culture, I am excited to see what the future holds for my practice.”

Donnelly earned his J.D. from St. John’s University School of Law.

“The addition of Phil speaks to the caliber of attorneys that we continue to welcome to the Firm and in Arizona. I look forward to further contributing to our strategic growth,” added Arizona’s Managing Shareholder, Craig Cartwright.

Morris S. (Mo) Bauer has joined Duane Morris LLP as a partner in the firm’s Business Reorganization and Financial Restructuring Practice Group in its Newark, N.J., office. Prior to joining Duane Morris, Bauer was a member at Norris McLaughlin, P.A.

“We are pleased to welcome Mo to Duane Morris, where he will add to our firm’s robust bankruptcy, financial restructuring and business reorganization capabilities,” said Duane Morris Chairman and CEO Matthew A. Taylor.

“Mo adds significant depth to the scope of services of our Business Reorganization and Financial Restructuring Practice Group,” said James J. Holman, co-chair of the Business Reorganization and Financial Restructuring Practice Group. “Mo is a problem solver, with strong relationships in key markets and a range of industries,” added Meagen E. Leary, co-chair of the Business Reorganization and Financial Restructuring Practice Group.

“Mo’s presence allows Duane Morris to continue to provide top-level bankruptcy advice to our New Jersey clients. We’re pleased that Mo selected Duane Morris for the next phase of his career,” said Gregory R. Haworth, managing partner of Duane Morris’ Newark office.

Bauer has represented debtors, creditor committees, banks and other secured creditors, trade creditors, and landlords in Chapter 11 proceedings and is a New Jersey bankruptcy mediator. Businesses he has represented in Chapter 11 proceedings include a multistate nonprofit behavioral and mental healthcare facility, a regional supermarket chain, a national distributor of electronics, residential developers and income-producing property owners, construction contractors and small businesses. Bauer has also been appointed by the court as a Chapter 11 trustee, a liquidating trustee, an assignee for the benefit of creditors and a bankruptcy mediator.
In addition to his bankruptcy practice, he has represented banks, equipment lessors and one of the nation’s largest utility providers in commercial foreclosure and commercial collection matters. Bauer has been an instructor for the New Jersey Skills and Methods Course and the New Jersey Bankruptcy Inn of Court, and a panelist for the annual New Jersey Bankruptcy Bench Bar Conference, the American Bankruptcy Institute, and local bar associations in New Jersey and Pennsylvania.

“Duane Morris has a strong reputation for delivering successful results for clients, and the firm provides a terrific platform to expand and enhance my practice. I am excited to be part of an organization with a clear vision for growth and collaboration,” added Bauer.

Bauer is a graduate of Hofstra School of Law (J.D., 1988) and Dickinson College (B.S., 1985). He is vice chairman of the Washington Township, Morris County Zoning Board of Adjustment. Bauer served as a member of the Washington Township Economic Development Committee from 1996 to 2003 and was president of the Jewish Center of Northwest Jersey. He is a corporate advisory board member of Homeless Solutions, Inc. and a board member of Team for Kids Foundation, Inc., a non-profit that provides funding for children of low-income families to play team sports.

Michael Best Strategies is pleased to announce that Tamara (Tami) Quiram and Dr. Terry Sullivan have joined Michael Best Strategies in its growing Healthcare Innovation Group. Waukesha-based Quiram is a Network Partner Principal while Sullivan, based in Denver, is a Senior Clinical Strategist and Principal.

Quiram holds over 25 years of healthcare industry knowledge with a strong background in finance, analytics, risk management, clinical operations and product development. As a Network Partner Principal, she will be responsible for building strong relationships with payers and providers in order to assist in sourcing solutions that meet their needs.

Sullivan has over 30 years of experience identifying and implementing solutions in the healthcare and insurance industries to improve patient outcomes and reduce healthcare costs. Within the Healthcare Innovation Group at Michael Best Strategies, he will help healthcare innovators bring their products to the marketplace and become sustainable organizations.

“Tami and Terry will play a key role in enhancing our national healthcare consulting practice, using their decades of experience in operations and development in the healthcare, finance and insurance industries to the advantage of our clients,” said Robert Marchant, President of Michael Best Strategies.

Before taking on her role at the firm, Quiram served as Senior Vice President of Clinical Operations for Humana, and has served in multiple leadership roles for the company, including President of Large and Small Group, Chief Operating Officer of Large and Small Group, Vice President of Small Business, and Agency Director of Humana One. She spent much of her time developing business strategies on behalf of commercial lines of business.

Prior to joining Michael Best Strategies, Sullivan served as a Chief Medical Officer at The Nebraska Health Information Exchange, CareRise Companies, and Clinical Outcomes Management Solutions Interactive. He has also held significant leadership roles in managed care and public health organizations.

“We are thrilled to have Tami and Terry join our ever-evolving healthcare team,” said Kristine Seymour, Partner with Michael Best Strategies in the Healthcare Group. “Their knowledge and already-established relationships within the industry will be of great value in serving our clients and helping them achieve their business goals.”

Quiram earned her B.S. in accounting from The University of Iowa. Sullivan received both his B.S. and his M.D. from Georgetown University.

Katten announced the changes in leadership of several firm practice areas as part of its periodic rotations done to share leadership opportunities and responsibilities within the firm.

“Our new practice heads are outstanding individuals who will help ensure continuity of the first-rate client service and superb legal work that has made Katten the law firm leader it is,” said Katten Chairman Roger P. Furey. “We thank our longtime practice leaders for their valuable contributions to the firm, which will continue in other ways, and we congratulate our new leaders as they assume new roles and greater responsibility.”

These are the new leadership appointments, effective immediately:

• Capital Markets — Lawrence D. Levin and Mark D. Wood will co-lead the firm’s Capital Markets group.
• Government and Public Finance — Craig M. Scully will lead the practice after serving several years as a partner in the firm’s group.
• Health Care — Lisa Atlas Genecov will assume the role as chair of the Health Care practice. She recently served as co-chair with Laura Keidan Martin, who led the practice for more than a decade.
• Insolvency and Restructuring — Steven J. Reisman and Peter A. Siddiqui will serve as new group leaders. They follow the late John P. Sieger.
• Intellectual Property — Deepro R. Mukerjee, who was previously national co-chair of Katten’s Patent Litigation practice, has been elevated to chair of the IP department, and Karen Artz Ash and Floyd A. Mandell will continue to be co-practice leaders of the firm’s nationally ranked top-tier Trademark/Copyright/Advertising/Privacy practice group.
• Mergers & Acquisitions and Private Equity — J. David Washburn joins Christopher S. Atkinson as co-chair. Former co-chair Kimberly T. Smith now serves as global chair of the firm’s Corporate department.
• Real Estate — Scott M. Vetri will take on the job as chair of the New York Real Estate practice. He previously served as co-chair with Andrew L. Jagoda.

Barnes & Thornburg is continuing the expansion of its insurance recovery group with the addition of experienced litigators in Chicago. Kevin Dreher joins as a partner and Caroline Upton joins as of counsel, both focusing on insurance recovery on behalf of policyholders and complex commercial litigation as part of the firm’s Litigation Department.

Dreher is a commercial litigator and trial lawyer with nearly 20 years of experience negotiating insurance claims on behalf of corporate policyholders and litigating general commercial disputes in jurisdictions across the country and abroad. He has litigated and negotiated with major U.S. insurers to resolve insurance disputes and has also handled cases in international markets such as London and Bermuda.

Upton’s practice is centered on handling coverage disputes, arbitration and litigation, as well as assisting with coverage counseling and mediation. She has represented companies in a range of industries, including energy and natural resources, financial services, healthcare and medical device manufacturing, and technology.

Dreher and Upton handle liability coverage matters involving general liability and business risks, directors’ and officers’ liability, professional liability, business and contingent business interruption, product liability, and environmental and asbestos liability, among others.

“With the increase in insurance claims-related litigation stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic, Kevin and Caroline will be great resources for our clients navigating these cases,” said Randy Brown, chair of the firm’s Litigation Department. “Their commercial litigation work spans a multitude of sectors, making them well-rounded additions as we continue to expand our insurance recovery practice.”

Dreher has also represented corporations and individuals in complex commercial matters involving financial services litigation, outsourcing litigation, environmental and statutory enforcement litigation, class actions, securities and broker-dealer litigation and enforcement actions, white collar and corporate investigations, and product liability defense.

“We’ve experienced tremendous growth this past year in various practice areas in Chicago, and we’re excited to bring this same momentum to our litigation team with Kevin and Caroline’s arrival,” said Michael Carrillo, Chicago office managing partner. “The global reach of Kevin’s practice will also complement the sophistication we bring to our clients domestically and internationally.”

Dreher earned his J.D. from the University of Illinois College of Law, his M.A. from Loyola University of Chicago, and his B.A. from the University of Michigan.

Upton earned her J.D. from the University of Illinois College of Law and her B.A. from Allegheny College.