Venable LLP is pleased to announce that Dr. Qian Huang has joined the firm as a partner in the Intellectual Property Division in the Washington, DC office. Dr. Huang advises major players in different technology sectors in patent procurement, patent litigation, and patent transaction matters.

An experienced attorney with a solid technical background, Dr. Huang represents clients in patent litigation, patenting strategy, opinions, freedom to operate, and IP due diligence in business transactions. She also handles post-grant proceedings. Her technical and legal proficiencies coupled with her bilingual capabilities in English and Mandarin provide tremendous value to her clients. Dr. Huang is a veteran in various emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence and big data analytics. She specialized in AI in her doctorate program and subsequently performed research at multiple scientific development companies in AI and various applications, including multimedia, medical information analytics, surveillance, and driverless vehicles. Dr. Huang calls upon this experience to provide highly valued legal services to high tech clients in these emerging fields.

Brian L. Klock, chair of Venable’s Patent Prosecution and Counseling – Technology Group, said, “Qian’s practical understanding of various emerging technologies and exceptional command of the legal issues facing these sectors enable her to provide the strategic and well-rounded counsel clients expect when they come to Venable. We are thrilled to have her join our team.”

Commenting on her move to Venable, Dr. Huang said, “Venable offers a wonderful hybrid between the technical depth of an intellectual property boutique and the wide-reaching resources of a national firm. I look forward to utilizing this platform to support my practice.”
Dr. Huang received her J.D. from the Catholic University of America, Columbus School of Law in 2005, her Ph.D. in computer science and engineering from Michigan State University in 1994, and her M.S. in software engineering from Kansas State University in 1989.

Bradley Arant Boult Cummings LLP is pleased to announce that Junaid Odubeko, an attorney in the firm’s Nashville office, has earned the Certified Information Privacy Professional (CIPP/US) credential in the United States through the International Association of Privacy Professionals (IAPP).

Odubeko is a partner in Bradley’s Litigation Practice Group, who focuses his practice on representing clients in complex commercial and business disputes, real estate litigation, state regulatory matters and campaign finance. He also advises business clients on matters related to cybersecurity and privacy, including compliance with the California Privacy Rights Act (CPRA) and California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA).

Odubeko received his J.D. from Vanderbilt University Law School and his B.A. (magna cum laude) from the University of Tennessee. Prior to joining Bradley, he served as legal counsel and deputy legal counsel to Gov. Phil Bredesen, serving as the governor’s liaison to the Tennessee attorney general and each state agency.

Bradley has nine attorneys who are CIPP/US certified. Accredited by the American National Standards Institute, the CIPP is recognized as a leading global privacy and data protection credentialing program. The CIPP/US designates professionals who demonstrate a strong foundation in U.S. private-sector privacy laws and regulations and an understanding of the legal requirements for the responsible transfer of sensitive personal data to/from the United States, the European Union, and other jurisdictions.

Perkins Coie is pleased to announce that Lori A. Gordon has joined the firm’s Intellectual Property practice as a partner in the Washington, D.C., office.

Lori counsels clients in a range of industries with an emphasis on post-grant review proceedings before the Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB). Lori has been recognized by the PTAB Bar Association as the top woman litigator since the PTAB’s founding based on number of trials.

In addition to her extensive PTAB trial experience, Lori also has significant experience leading invalidity cases in district court. Lori has worked on matters involving myriad technologies including semiconductor devices and fabrication, data communication, data security, cryptography and e-commerce.

Lori earned her J.D., summa cum laude, from Seton Hall University School of Law, her B.S., cum laude, in electrical engineering from Lafayette College, and her M.S. in electrical engineering from Pennsylvania State University. Lori’s talents have been widely recognized, including as a finalist for PTAB Litigator of the Year in 2017 and 2019.

Lori joins Perkins Coie from King & Spalding LLP, where she was a partner in the Trial and Global Disputes and Intellectual Property, Patent, Trademark and Copyright Litigation groups.

Perkins Coie’s Intellectual Property practice offers clients innovative, comprehensive counsel at every stage of IP protection and development, including patent litigation and appeals, post-grant proceedings, patent prosecution, portfolio counseling, and technology licensing, as well as copyright, trademark, trade secret, and unfair competition counseling and litigation. The firm’s team has secured significant wins for many clients, particularly in the pharmaceutical and technology sectors, and before the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, the U.S. International Trade Commission, district courts, and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit.

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.

Media Inquiries: Please email Justin Cole, Senior Media Relations Manager.

Hughes Hubbard & Reed LLP is pleased to announce that Remy Gerbay has joined the firm as a partner in the Arbitration group in the firm’s Washington, D.C., office.

Gerbay’s practice focuses on international commercial and investment arbitration, and related litigation. He represents clients across various industries including energy, infrastructure, transportation, pharma, banking, and telecommunications. Trained in the U.S., U.K., France and Switzerland, Gerbay has extensive experience with arbitration under the rules of the International Chamber of Commerce, the London Court of International Arbitration (where he served as deputy registrar), ICSID and other arbitral institutions.

Gerbay holds a permanent academic appointment at the University of London (Queen Mary), where he is the director of an LL.M. program in international arbitration.

Gerbay joins from MoloLamken, where he was a partner. He has a French law degree from the University of Lyon, a Masters from the University of Geneva’s Graduate Institute, an LL.M. from Georgetown University Law Center, and a Ph.D. in arbitration law from the University of London.

Bradley Arant Boult Cummings LLP is pleased to announce that 24 attorneys have joined the firm’s offices in Birmingham; Charlotte, N.C.; Houston, Tex.; Jackson, Miss.; Nashville, Tenn.; and Tampa, Fla.

The firm’s new attorneys in each Bradley office are as follows:

Birmingham

Sarah A. Baldwin is an associate in the Litigation Practice Group. She received her J.D. (summa cum laude) from the Cumberland School of Law at Samford University, where she graduated first in her class and served as both research editor and junior editor for the Cumberland Law Review. Ms. Baldwin earned a B.A. in English literature (summa cum laude) from the University of Alabama at Birmingham, where she was a member of the University Honors Program and was named the Department of English’s Outstanding Undergraduate

Sarah Gunn is an associate in the Litigation Practice Group, where she concentrates her practice on high-stakes and appellate litigation throughout the federal and state court systems, with a focus on legal strategy, motion practice, and appeals. Prior to joining the firm, she served as a law clerk for the Hon. Kevin C. Newsom on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit. Ms. Gunn received her J.D. from the University of Alabama School of Law and earned a B.S.B.A. in Economics and a B.A. in Political Science from the University of Florida.

Hirshel M. Hall is an associate in the Bankruptcy and Creditors’ Rights Practice Group. He has a J.D. from the University of Alabama School of Law, where he was the lead editor for The Journal of the Legal Profession and a member of the Duberstein Bankruptcy Moot Court Team. During law school, Mr. Hall served as an extern for the Hon. Jennifer H. Henderson of the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Northern District of Alabama. He earned a B.A. (with distinction) in Political Science and Philosophy from McGill University.

Katie A. Humphries is an associate in the Litigation Practice Group. She earned her J.D. (summa cum laude) from the University of Mississippi School of Law, where she was the external chair of the Moot Court Board and the Mississippi cases editor for the Mississippi Law Journal. Ms. Humphries graduated from Auburn University with a B.A. (summa cum laude) in Public Relations and a minor in Business.

Demi A. Kampakis is an associate in the Real Estate and Banking and Financial Services practice groups. She earned her J.D. from Vanderbilt University Law School, where she was an articles editor for the Environmental Law and Policy Annual Review. She graduated from Samford University with a B.A. (cum laude) in History.

Mallory C. Koger is an associate in the Corporate and Securities Practice Group. She received her J.D. (magna cum laude) from the Cumberland School of Law at Samford University, where she was executive editor for the Cumberland Law Review. While in law school, Ms. Koger served as a judicial intern for the Hon. Madeline H. Haikala of the United States District Court for the Northern District of Alabama. She graduated from Auburn University with a B.A. (magna cum laude) in English Literature.

J. Tanner Lusk is an associate in the Banking and Financial Services Practice Group. He received his J.D. from Washington and Lee University School of Law, where he was a senior articles editor for the Washington and Lee Journal of Civil Rights and Social Justice. He graduated from Jacksonville State University with a B.A. in Political Science.

Jackson Olsen is an associate in the Construction Practice Group. He received his J.D. (cum laude) from Georgetown University Law Center and his B.A. (cum laude)in English from Florida State University.

Carson S. Phillips is an associate in the Litigation Practice Group. He earned his J.D. (summa cum laude) from the University of Mississippi School of Law, where he was executive articles editor for the Mississippi Law Journal and chair of the Negotiation Board (Alternative Dispute Resolution). He earned his B.A. (cum laude)in Political Science from Auburn University.

William Stoll is an associate in the Litigation Practice Group. He received his J.D. (cum laude) from the University of Alabama School of Law, where he served on the managing board and was articles editor for the Alabama Law Review. Mr. Stoll graduated from Boston College with his B.A. in History and Political Science.

Sarahanne Y. Vaughan is an associate in the Labor and Employment Practice Group. She received her J.D. (cum laude) from Wake Forest School of Law, where she served as articles editor for the Wake Forest Journal of Law and Policy. Ms. Vaughan earned a degree in Political Science from Rhodes College.

Mary Katherine White is an associate in the Corporate and Securities Practice Group. She received her J.D. (cum laude) from the University of Alabama School of Law, where she served as articles editor for the Alabama Law Review and was a member of the John A. Campbell Moot Court Board. Ms. White graduated (summa cum laude) from Auburn University with a B.S. in Finance.

Sydney H. Willmann is an associate in the Healthcare Practice Group. She represents numerous types of healthcare providers in a range of regulatory matters and in the litigation of healthcare-related matters. Ms. Willmann received her J.D. (cum laude) from the Cumberland School of Law at Samford University, where she served as the managing editor for the Cumberland Law Review, and received a B.A. in Journalism from Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis.

Charlotte

Lissette C. Payne is an attorney in the Banking and Financial Services Practice Group. She is designated as a Certified Information Privacy Professional by the International Association of Privacy Professionals, with U.S. Private Sector (CIPP/US) and European (CIPP/E) concentrations. Ms. Payne received her J.D. from the University of North Carolina School of Law and received her B.A. in Political Science from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Houston

Molly Maier is an associate in the Construction Practice Group. She earned her J.D. (magna cum laude) from Baylor University School of Law, where she was editor-in-chief for the Baylor Law Review. Ms. Maier has a B.S. (cum laude) in Business Economics from the University of Wyoming.

Gabe Rincón is an associate in the Construction Practice Group. He earned his J.D. (summa cum laude) from South Texas College of Law Houston, where he was the development editor for the South Texas Law Review, a member of the Student Bar Association, and an officer on the Board of Advocates. He has a B.A. in Spanish and Psychology from Southern Methodist University.

Jackson

Jonathan M. Barnes is an associate in the Litigation Practice Group. He received his J.D. (summa cum laude) from the University of Mississippi School of Law, where he was executive notes and comments editor for the Mississippi Law Journal, and earned his B.A. (summa cum laude) in History from Belhaven University. Prior to joining the firm, Mr. Barnes clerked for the Hon. Leslie H. Southwick on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit and for the Hon. Daniel P. Jordan III on the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Mississippi.

Stephen Fritz is an associate in the Litigation Practice Group. Before joining the firm, Mr. Fritz clerked for the Hon. Rhesa H. Barksdale on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit. He received his J.D. from the University of Virginia School of Law, where he was articles editor for the Virginia Law Review. He earned a B.A. (summa cum laude) in History and Political Science from the University of Pennsylvania.

Nashville

Alex Brent is an associate in the Healthcare Practice Group. He assists clients in the healthcare industry with transactional, operational, and regulatory matters. Mr. Brent received his J.D. (summa cum laude) from the University of Tennessee College of Law, where he graduated first in his class. He earned a B.S. in Business Administration from the University of Tennessee.

Katelin Davis is an associate in the Real Estate Practice Group. She received here J.D. (summa cum laude) from the University of Mississippi School of Law, where she was executive online editor for the Mississippi Law Journal. Ms. Davis earned a B.A. (summa cum laude) in Journalism from the University of Mississippi.

Tanner Hamilton is an associate in the Real Estate Practice Group. He provides counsel in real estate acquisitions and dispositions, finance and development, leasing, and lending. Prior to attending law school, Mr. Hamilton worked in the residential sector of the Nashville real estate market as a licensed real estate agent and property manager. He received his J.D. (summa cum laude) from the University of Tennessee College of Law and his B.S. (cum laude) in Mechanical Engineering from Clemson University.

Shelby Lomax is an associate in the Banking and Financial Services Practice Group. She focuses on litigation and regulatory compliance issues and advises clients on regulatory risks relating to small business lending, alternative finance, and merchant cash advance transactions. Ms. Lomax received her J.D. (magna cum laude) from Belmont University College of Law, where she served as associate editor for the Belmont Law Review, and she earned a B.S. in Sport Management from Florida State University.

Rachel Sodée is an associate in the Litigation Practice Group. She received her J.D. from Vanderbilt University Law School, where she was symposium editor for the Vanderbilt Law Review and president of the Labor and Employment Law Society. Ms. Sodée earned a B.A. (summa cum laude) in French and English from the University of Alabama.

Tampa

John C. Hood is an associate in the Healthcare Practice Group. He earned his J.D. (cum laude) from the University of Florida Levin College of Law, where he was executive symposium editor for the Florida Law Review. Prior to enrolling in law school, he worked as a public policy analyst for a large not-for-profit healthcare system. Mr. Hood graduated from Rollins College with a B.A. (magna cum laude) in International Business.

Rebecca L. Palmer Law Group Attorneys Cathleen Winter and Cynthia Winter Become Founding Members of Newly Launched AACFL Orlando Chapter

ORLANDO, FLA: June, 2021 – The Rebecca L. Palmer Law Group is proud to announce that attorneys Cathleen Winter and Cynthia Winter are founding members of the recently launched American Academy for Certified Financial Litigators (AACFL) Orlando Chapter as founding members. Joined by other Central Florida legal professionals, the organization’s mission is to solve a growing problem in the divorce world – a rapidly changing economy and client demand for financially savvy attorneys.

In addition to being siblings, Cathleen and Cynthia Winter are talented legal professionals with a shared passion for the law and serve as critical members of the Rebecca L. Palmer Law Group.

Cathleen Winter received her Juris Doctor degree from the University of Florida. In addition to being appointed to the GOAABA Board of Directors, Cathleen is also a member of the Florida Bar, the Orange County Bar Association, and the Central Florida Family Law Inn of Court. Cathleen was selected to the 2020 Super Lawyers Florida Rising Stars list and received a 2021 Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch recognition for her work in Family Law.

Cynthia received her Juris Doctor degree from the University of Florida. Cynthia is licensed to practice law in Federal matters in the United States Federal Court for the Middle District of Florida. Cynthia is a member of the Florida Bar, the Orange County Bar Associated, the Central Florida Family Law Inn of Court, and GOABBA. Cynthia was selected to the 2020 Super Lawyers Rising Stars list and has received recognition by Best Lawyers her work in Family Law annually since 2019.

The Orlando Florida chapter of the AACFL is an organization of elite professionals dedicated to excellence in the financial aspects of litigation. Membership indicated significant commitment to the community by improving the court system’s efficiency through advance financial education for attorneys.

Firm Grows Capabilities for U.S. and International Franchises with a Private Equity Focus
Akerman LLP, a top 100 U.S. law firm, has expanded its Franchise and Licensing Practice with Dale Alexandra Cohen in New York.

Cohen follows the addition of partner Robert Smith in Washington, D.C., Franchise and Licensing Practice Co-chair Kevin Hein, special counsel Trish MacAskill in Denver, litigation partner William Sentell in Houston, and special counsel Jill Klein in West Palm Beach. The six new partners, combined with the experience of Franchise and Licensing Practice Co-Chair Warren Lewis in Washington, D.C., bring a wealth of knowledge in U.S. and international franchise and distribution matters.

Cohen focuses her practice on domestic and international franchising, distribution, and licensing law. Dale advises both emerging and mature companies with respect to planning, structuring and implementing their franchise, distribution, and licensing programs. Her experience includes drafting franchise, master franchise, license and distribution agreements; preparing franchise disclosure documents (FDDs); securing registration of franchise offerings in the U.S. and abroad; negotiating and structuring complex system-wide supplier arrangements, as well as drafting agreements memorializing such system-wide supplier arrangements; implementing compliance programs and system-wide standards; and, counseling franchisors on a variety of franchise relationship issues, such as franchise termination and strategies to avoid and resolve franchisee disputes.

Cohen also has experience with franchise-related mergers and acquisitions (including assisting private equity firms with the purchase and sale of franchise systems), sophisticated franchise-related financing transactions (including the securitization of a franchisor’s royalty stream), and general corporate law.

“With legal troubles seemingly behind the company, Block.one could set its sights on finally making a significant dent in the crypto and blockchain space,” reports OSATO AVAN-NOMAYO in Coin Telegraph

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“EFH Holdings Inc. (“EFH” or the “Company”) (TSXV: EFH) Board of Directors is pleased to announce that Ken Coulson has been appointed as the Company’s General Counsel and Corporate Secretary. Mr. Coulson, called to the Ontario bar in 1989, re-joins the Company after a two year hiatus. As a senior officer of the Company, Mr. Coulson’s compensation includes a grant of 42,000 Restricted Share Units (“RSUs”), made pursuant to the Company’s Share Unit Plan for Eligible Employees,” reports Yahoo in their blog.

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“While too many of us get overdosed with clownish depictions — from doctors, hospitals, insurers, and corporations, especially Big Pharma firms — of how the civil justice system operates, it’s always worth a reminder of the tremendous fortitude ordinary folks show in pursuing malpractice and other personal injury or liability claims,” reports Patrick Malone in JD Supra.

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“TikTok has agreed to pay $92 million to settle dozens of lawsuits alleging that the popular video-sharing app harvested personal data from users, including information using facial recognition technology, without consent and shared the data with third-parties, some of which were based in China,” reports BOBBY ALLYN in NPR News

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“On June 8, 2021, the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management issued a Request for Interest (RFI) to assess interest in possible commercial wind energy leasing in the Gulf of Mexico OCS. BOEM will consider the information received in response to the RFI to determine whether to schedule a competitive lease sale or issue a noncompetitive lease for any portion of the area descried in the RFI. The area covered by the RFI comprises the entire Central Planning Area and Western Planning Area of the Gulf of Mexico, excluding portions of those areas located in water depths greater than 1,300 meters,” writes Stephen Wiegand in Lex Blog.

“Issuance of the RFI comes in advance of the first scheduled meeting of the Gulf of Mexico Intergovernmental Renewable Energy Task Force on June 15, 2021. The focus of the meeting is to facilitate coordination among federal, state, local, and tribal governments regarding the wind energy leasing process in the Gulf of Mexico.”

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“The Springfield Symphony Orchestra board and its musicians are waging a public debate over union contracts, including the length of the upcoming season,” post Jill Kaufman in Wbur

“The SSO, touted as Massachusetts’ largest symphony outside Boston, faces many financial challenges, according to its board. And they say the problems existed well before the pandemic.”

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“Pittsburgh’s Point Park University said students choosing between in-person and online classes didn’t create an “implied contract” guaranteeing in-person classes to those who chose them, and pointed to other universities’ recent victories against similar suits seeking tuition refunds for semesters moved entirely online during the COVID-19 pandemic,” post Matthew Santoni in Law360

“The university said Thursday that Pennsylvania courts have long held that only express, written contracts apply to the relationship between schools and their students, including in recent cases where Temple University, the University of Pittsburgh and the University of Pennsylvania had defeated students’ proposed class actions because they had no express promises of in-person, on-campus learning.”

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Bradley Arant Boult Cummings LLP is pleased to announce that Dana C. Lumsden, a partner in the firm’s Charlotte office, has been elected to the 2024 Class of the Mecklenburg County Bar’s (MCB) Board of Directors.

A member of Bradley’s Banking and Financial Services, Litigation and Intellectual Property practice groups, Lumsden focuses his practice on business litigation, including intellectual property disputes, securities litigation, investigations and enforcement proceedings, and the resolution of regulatory controversies concerning the consumer financial services industry. He advises and represents domestic and international companies, including some of the world’s largest financial institutions and manufacturers.

Lumsden’s professional and civic involvement includes work for and leadership on committees for the International Association of Defense Counsel, the North Carolina Bar Association and the MCB. Additionally, he serves as Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Charlotte Ballet and is a member of the board of the Charlotte Regional Business Alliance.

The Mecklenburg County Bar is dedicated to serving the pubic and its members by improving and preserving the administration of justice, and to assisting the North Carolina State Bar as described by statutory requirements.

“The legal staffing industry is seeing a surge in contract staffing, echoing the demand seen in the 1990s recession. Leslie A. Firtell, CEO of Tower Legal Solutions, says this is because many law firms and legal departments laid off or furloughed lawyers in 2020, plus attorneys are choosing to leave their permanent, full-time positions for more work-life flexibility,” post Leslie A. Firtell in BloomBerg Law

“The saying “History doesn’t repeat itself, but it often rhymes” is proving to be true in the area of contract legal staffing. The burgeoning demand for contract attorneys post-pandemic is reminiscent of what took place in the late 1990s following the recession at the beginning of the decade. I joined the legal staffing industry in 1997, just as contract staffing was about to come into its own.”

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Littler, the world’s largest employment and labor law practice representing management, is pleased to announce that Stephanie Sarantopoulos, a shareholder in the firm’s Minneapolis office, has been named Program Director of its award-winning Littler onDemand (LoD) platform.

In this role, Sarantopoulos will oversee the legal operations of LoD and help implement new services and products. She will also manage and grow the team of Littler onDemand Counsel – a dedicated role within the platform held by experienced employment-law practitioners who are on call to answer workplace questions.

Launched in 2019, LoD is a technology-based platform that provides companies with quick, consistent and thorough answers to workplace legal questions, as well as data-driven insights to identify trends, manage risk and drive stronger business decisions. The platform houses all of a client’s inquiries, creating a knowledge bank that stays with the company in perpetuity and that can be drawn upon to reduce time spent answering duplicative questions. To date, more than 1,500 clients have used LoD and the firm has answered over 6,000 questions via the platform.

The LoD platform and Forman’s innovative leadership, have led to numerous awards from organizations that recognize innovation in the legal industry, including most recently winning the “Digitising the Practice of Law” award in the Financial Times 2020 North America Innovative Lawyers report.

“Boston Scientific has promoted Vance Brown to become senior vice president, general counsel and corporate secretary as a member of the company’s executive committee,” reports Ben Maiden in Corporate Secretary

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“Salaries for junior lawyers are rising above $200,000 at many top law firms for the first time, following a year of record-breaking profits in the legal industry and competition to retain a workforce that has billed long hours at home during the pandemic,” reports Sara Randazzo in The Wall Street Journal

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“The National Music Publishers’ Association has sued the popular gaming platform Roblox for copyright infringement on behalf of several music publishers in a lawsuit seeking $200 million in damages,” reports TORI B. POWELL in CBS News

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