Womble Bond Dickinson announced that M. Rhett DeHart has joined the firm on the White Collar and Government Investigations Team. Rhett joins Womble from the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of South Carolina, where he most recently served as Acting U.S. Attorney, capping a 20-year career as a Federal Prosecutor.

As Acting U.S. Attorney, Rhett was the Chief Federal Law Enforcement Officer in a state with 5.2 million people, where he led a team of 165 professionals across offices in Charleston, Columbia, Greenville, and Florence. He successfully oversaw numerous high-profile criminal and civil cases, including an $11 billion securities fraud case involving the state’s largest utility company, a $140 million False Claims Act suit involving health care providers, and a $30 million investment fraud involving a coastal real estate development. He also led a state task force to prosecute fraud related to COVID-19 relief programs, including the Paycheck Protection Program.

Rhett’s arrival further strengthens Womble’s White Collar and Government Investigations practice, following the recent additions of former U.S. Attorney and Department of Homeland Security General Counsel Joe D. Whitley in Atlanta and former Small Business Administration General Counsel Britt Whitesell Biles in Washington, D.C.

“Rhett is an extraordinary lawyer with the highest integrity and an exemplary skill set,” said Joe D. Whitley, Leader of the firm’s White Collar and Government Investigations Team. “His career in public service is commendable, and his dedication and commitment to doing what is right to the best of his ability is applauded and speaks volumes to what he will bring to the firm and our clients.”

Rhett adds: “I have admired Womble for many years. It is a top-shelf law firm, and I am honored to join this talented team. Womble has grown from being one of the South’s most respected law firms to a transatlantic law firm, and I look forward to contributing to the growth of its White Collar and Government Investigations practice.”

Rhett is an experienced and respected litigator, having handled hundreds of federal cases. He has tried more than 25 cases to verdict, authored more than 35 appellate briefs, and argued eight cases before the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals. Throughout his career, Rhett has specialized in white-collar cases, including bank fraud, healthcare fraud, the False Claims Act, customs and import fraud, securities fraud, public corruption, and environmental crimes. Rhett worked closely with every major federal and state law enforcement agency and served under ten Attorney Generals. He was appointed First Assistant United States Attorney under Attorney General William Barr, and he served as Acting United States Attorney under Attorney General Merrick Garland.

At Womble, Rhett will represent corporate and individual clients in white-collar, internal investigations, and healthcare litigation matters. He will be based in Charleston, S.C., but will spend a significant amount of time in the firm’s Columbia, S.C., and Greenville, S.C., offices.

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About Womble Bond Dickinson
Womble Bond Dickinson is a transatlantic law firm with more than 1,100 lawyers based in 26 U.K. and U.S. office locations serving clients across every business sector. The firm provides core legal services including Commercial; Corporate; Employment and Pensions; Dispute Resolution and Litigation; Finance: Banking, Restructuring, Insolvency; I.P., Technology and Data; Private Wealth; Projects, Construction and Infrastructure; Real Estate; and Regulatory Law.

“Womble Bond Dickinson,” the “law firm” or the “firm” refers to the network of member firms of Womble Bond Dickinson (International) Limited, consisting of Womble Bond Dickinson (U.K.) LLP and Womble Bond Dickinson (U.S.) LLP. Each of Womble Bond Dickinson (U.K.) LLP and Womble Bond Dickinson (U.S.) LLP is a separate legal entity operating as an independent law firm. Womble Bond Dickinson (International) Limited does not practice law. Please see www.womblebonddickinson.com/us/legal-notice for further details.

Bradley Arant Boult Cummings LLP is pleased to announce that seven attorneys across the firm’s Dallas and Houston offices have been named to the 2022 Texas Super Lawyers Magazine’s Texas Rising Stars list. Bradley Partner Melissa Gutierrez Alonso has also been recognized in the “Up and Coming 50: 2022 Women Texas Rising Stars” and the “Up and Coming 100: 2022 Texas Rising Stars” Top Lists, indicating high point totals earned during the Super Lawyers selection process.

“This a well-deserved recognition for an outstanding group of young attorneys who have demonstrated their ability to produce high-level work across a variety of practices, and we congratulate them on this honor,” said Bradley Houston Office Managing Partner Ian P. Faria.

Bradley Dallas Office Managing Partner Richard A. Sayles added, “Our Dallas and Houston attorneys are committed to providing exceptional client service, and they have worked steadily to enhance our presence in Texas.”

The Bradley attorneys included in the 2022 Texas Rising Stars list are:

Dallas

• Samuel T. Acker, partner (Business Litigation)

Houston

• Melissa Gutierrez Alonso, associate (Consumer Law)
• Mary Elizondo Frazier, partner (Business Litigation)
• Stephanie C. Gaston, partner (Employment & Labor)
• Ryan T. Kinder, partner (Business Litigation)
• Philip J. Morgan, associate (Civil Litigation: Defense)
• Saira S. Siddiqui, associate (Construction Litigation)

Attorneys included in the Texas Super Lawyers Magazine Texas Rising Stars list must be 40 years old or younger or in practice for no more than 10 years. No more than 2.5% of lawyers in Texas are included in the Texas Rising Stars list each year. Honorees are selected using a patented multiphase process combining peer nominations and evaluations with independent research. Candidates are evaluated on 12 indicators of peer recognition and professional achievement. Super Lawyers is part of Thomson Reuters.

The full methodology for Super Lawyers Magazine is available here. Unless otherwise indicated, this information is not certified by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization.

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.

Stroock welcomed Gary Silber as a partner in the firm’s Corporate and Tax practices in its New York office.

“Gary bolsters the tax element of our corporate group. His impressive experience with large, high-profile private equity firms and creative, practical approach will advance our ability to support clients through the transactions that are key to their business goals,” said Alan Klinger, Stroock’s Co-Managing Partner.

Gary focuses on the tax structuring of various transactions including private equity, M&A, bankruptcy, restructuring, real estate, capital markets and financings. His experience includes advising leading global private equity firms on the tax issues of a range of transactions. Gary’s clients also include utilities, pharmaceutical companies, sports franchises, real estate developers and autonomous vehicle ventures.

“Stroock provides an excellent opportunity for me to expand my practice by supporting the firm’s leading private equity, M&A and financial restructuring groups,” said Gary.

Gary joins from Weil, Gotshal & Manges and earned his LL.M. in Taxation from NYU Law School, his J.D. From Columbia Law School and his B.A from Touro College.

“The addition of Gary continues our ongoing growth over the last year,” added Jeff Keitelman, Stroock’s Co-Managing Partner. “It is yet another demonstration that we are focused on our effort to grow strategically and strengthen our key practices.”

Stroock’s growing Corporate practice of more than 60 lawyers is at home in the fast-moving, high-stakes world of corporate deal-making, and goes beyond solving legal problems. Our attorneys are trusted business advisors whom leading hedge funds, multinational corporations, fund managers and start-ups call on for customized solutions that meet their unique challenges – across a wide range of industries and transactions.

About Stroock

Stroock provides strategic transactional, regulatory, and litigation advice to advance the business objectives of leading financial institutions, multinational corporations, and entrepreneurial businesses in the U.S. and globally. With a rich history dating back 140+ years, the firm has offices in New York, Los Angeles, Miami, and Washington, D.C. For more, visit www.stroock.com.

DALLAS –Winston & Strawn LLP is pleased to announce the addition of Christopher (Chris) R.J. Pace as a partner in the firm’s Dallas office and as a member of the firm’s Litigation practice.

Chris is an experienced national litigator who has secured more than 20 trial victories and prevailed in more than 25 appeals. He represents clients in the health care, financial services, and technology industries (including health tech and fintech) in commercial disputes, antitrust and unfair competition cases, and government investigations. He has appeared on behalf of Fortune 500 companies in courts across the country, including in multidistrict litigation proceedings.

“I am excited to join Winston’s remarkable litigation practice,” Chris said. “We are seeing a marked increase across the country in civil litigation, cross-border disputes, and federal enforcement actions stemming from ongoing economic uncertainty, supply chain risks, and global instability. I believe the Winston platform, which includes some of the best trial lawyers in the country, is uniquely positioned to handle any kind of dispute, regardless of its complexity. Moreover, what Winston’s Dallas office has accomplished in the last five years, in one of the hottest economic markets in the country, is nothing short of amazing.”

“Chris is a top tier lawyer with a unique set of skills. He can try the most complicated jury case or handle the most sophisticated appeal. He has experience in a wide range of critical matters, including complex commercial disputes, unfair competition cases, and multi-jurisdictional investigations,” said Tom Melsheimer, managing partner of Winston’s Dallas office. “He’s a great addition to our team and will be an essential part of the continued growth of Winston in Texas and beyond.”

Earlier in his career, Chris was an Assistant U.S. Attorney in the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida. He clerked for Justice Anthony M. Kennedy of the U.S. Supreme Court, for Judge Alex Kozinski of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, and, as a law school extern, for Judge Edward Becker of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit. In addition to being admitted to the Texas bar, Chris is also a member of the bar in California, the District of Columbia, Florida, and New York.

“Chris’ arrival emphasizes the caliber of talent we are attracting and the complexity of matters our litigators are handling,” said Winston Chairman Tom Fitzgerald. “His addition further strengthens our ability to represent the complex and varied interests of our clients on a global scale.”

Winston & Strawn LLP is an international law firm with 15 offices located throughout North America as well as in South America, Asia, and Europe. More information about the firm is available at www.winston.com.

Jeffrey Della Rocco, Lauren Herrera, Jack Li, Jason Patton and Karen Tate recently joined Chamberlain Hrdlicka’s Houston and San Antonio offices, adding to the Commercial Litigation; Corporate, Securities & Finance; Employee Benefits; Intellectual Property and Trusts & Estates practices, as the firm continues its rapid growth in Texas and nationally.

“Chamberlain Hrdlicka’s ability to compete for up-and-coming attorneys is testament to the firm’s reputation in the market,” said Larry Campagna, managing shareholder for Chamberlain Hrdlicka. “Our mid-size, entrepreneurial structure resonates with our clients, who have come to expect the sophistication of a big law firm together with personal service. Also, talented young attorneys, who seek hands-on opportunities, increasingly realize that our firm allows them to develop at an accelerated pace while providing mentorship of experienced attorneys.”

Jeffrey Della Rocco
Della Rocco joined Chamberlain Hrdlicka’s Employee Benefits practice as an associate in the San Antonio office. His practice will focus on qualified retirement plans, tax-exempt entities, and executive compensation. Prior to joining the firm, he represented businesses and individuals with diverse legal needs ranging from commercial real estate transactions, probate matters, and litigation in South Texas.
Della Rocco graduated from Texas A&M University, cum laude, with a bachelor’s degree in history and philosophy. He earned a master’s degree in history from the University of Chicago, and received his law degree, cum laude, as a member of The John M. Harlan Society, from St. Mary’s University School of Law. During law school, he made the dean’s list, won the Ralph G. Langley Best Brief Section C Award, and received Law Faculty Excellence awards for Legal Research and Writing.

Lauren Herrera
Herrera joined Chamberlain Hrdlicka’s Commercial Litigation practice in Houston as an associate. With seven years of experience, she focuses her practice on civil litigation, including: commercial litigation, personal injury, negligence, medical malpractice, breach of contract, real estate, insurance coverage, premises liability, and wrongful death. Prior to starting her legal career, she served as a judicial clerk for Justice Eva Guzman of the Texas Supreme Court and judge Debra Ibarra-Mayfield of Harris County Court Number 1.
Herrera graduated from Texas A&M University with a bachelor’s degree in communication and earned her law degree from South Texas College of Law Houston. While in law school, she served as President of the South Texas Student Bar Association and was inducted into the Order of the Lytae and the Phi Delta Phi legal honors society. She was a Langdell Scholar for Federal Income Taxation, a member of the Board of Advocates and Varsity Moot Court program, and a finalist in the 2013 Hispanic National Bar Association National Moot Court Competition. She is a Past President of the Mexican-American Bar Association of Houston and is a member of the State Bar of Texas, the Houston Bar Association, the Defense Research Institute, Houston Young Lawyers Association, Hispanic Bar Association of Houston, South Texas College of Law Houston Young Alumni Council and the Texas Association of Defense Counsel. She’s been named among Houstonia Magazine’s Top Lawyers in 2017 and 2018.

Jack Li
Li joined Chamberlain Hrdlicka’s Corporate, Securities & Finance practice as an associate. He brings three years of legal experience, representing corporate entities in cross-border, and domestic merger and acquisitions deals on the buy and sell side in mid-market transactions. He has represented clients in manufacturing, textile, technology transactions including licensing and SaaS, healthcare, commercial real estate, as well as corporate restructuring.
Li earned a bachelor’s degree in commerce specializing in finance, with a minor in international business, as well as his law degree from the Australian National University. He received a master of laws degree from the University of Dayton School of Law with a specialization in transnational law. He is a member of the American Bar Association, the Dallas Association of Young Lawyers, as well as a member of the American Mock Trial Association. Li is conversational in Mandarin.

Jason Patton
Patton joined Chamberlain Hrdlicka’s Intellectual Property practice as an associate, bringing four years of legal experience as a registered patent attorney and 10 years of industry experience as a R&D mechanical engineer in the energy, medical device, manufacturing, testing, and processing industries. As part of his practice, he helps clients with all aspects of intellectual property law including: patents (U.S. and foreign), trademarks, copyrights, trade secrets, and related agreements, such as confidentiality agreements and licensing agreements.
Patton graduated from Texas A&M University with a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering and earned a law degree from University of North Carolina School of Law at Chapel Hill. He is a member of the State Bar of Texas and the American Bar Association.

Karen Tate
Tate joined Chamberlain Hrdlicka’s Trusts & Estates practice as Senior Counsel. She focuses her practice primarily on estate, gift and income tax planning for high net worth individuals.
Tate graduated from the Texas A&M University. She received her law degree, magna cum laude, from the Texas Tech Law School. She has also earned a master of laws degree in taxation from the University of Houston Law Center.

About Chamberlain Hrdlicka
Chamberlain Hrdlicka is a diversified business law firm with offices in Houston, Atlanta, 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 civil appeals; bankruptcy, restructuring, & creditor rights; commercial litigation; condemnation and eminent domain law; construction & real estate law; corporate, securities and finance; employee benefits & executive compensation; energy and maritime law; ERISA; estate & income tax planning & estate administration; exempt organizations; federal white collar criminal defense; immigration & international law; insurance law; intellectual property; labor & employment; paycheck protection program audits & investigations; privacy & data security; probate & fiduciary litigation; state & local tax; tax controversy; tax planning & business transactions; and technology & IP transactions. For more information, visit: www.chamberlainlaw.com.

LOS ANGELES (March 16, 2022) –Barnes & Thornburg has added Alice Kyureghian as a partner in the firm’s Los Angeles office, where she will practice with the Insurance Recovery and Counseling group.

Kyureghian represents corporate policyholders in disputes against their insurance companies. Her practice is centered on defending clients in coverage matters such as commercial general liability, directors and officers (D&O) liability, and errors and omissions (E&O) liability, employment practices liability insurance (EPLI), business interruption and first party property insurance. She has experience in federal and state courts representing clients in a variety of coverage matters relating to government investigations, breach of fiduciary duties, wrongful termination, employee theft, cybercrime, professional athlete disability claims, and mortgage fraud, among others.

Kyureghian is the latest insurance recovery partner to join the firm following the addition of Lilt Asadourian last month. The nationally recognized Insurance Recovery and Counseling group has secured billions of dollars of insurance recovery for policyholders, ranging from Fortune 100 companies to small, privately held businesses.

“We are continuing to see an increase in aggressive coverage denials by insurance companies eager to profit from restrictive claim-handling practices,” said David Wood, Insurance Recovery practice co-chair. “As this and other insurance recovery issues continue to be top of mind for policyholders, we know Alice will continue to offer clients deep experience and savvy advice about how to maximize their insurance coverage. She is a terrific addition to our practice group and to our firm.”

Kyureghian’s trial experience has led to representing several Fortune 500 companies in matters including False Claims Act violations, wrongful termination, property damage, mortgage fraud claims, and subprime mortgage claims. Alice also provides proactive counseling for clients by conducting policy review audits and providing tactical insight on how to minimize exposure.

“Alice is an excellent litigator who brings a case-by-case approach when working with the varying disputes that insurance recovery brings,” said David C. Allen, Los Angeles managing partner. “Our Los Angeles team has continued to grow this year, and Alice is a welcomed addition. We are thrilled to welcome her.”

Kyureghian earned her J.D. from the University of California, Davis School of Law, and her B.A. from the University of California.

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.

The national law firm of Quarles & Brady LLP announced that Jerry Morgan, a Real Estate attorney with more than 20 years of experience both as in-house counsel and at law firms, has joined the firm’s Phoenix office as a partner. He also has significant experience providing corporate and insurance counsel to a variety of clients across industries.

Morgan is the fifth senior attorney addition in the past four months to the firm’s Real Estate team, which grew 11% in the firm’s last fiscal year.

Morgan represents homebuilders, developers, landlords and land bankers in complex commercial real estate transactions, including acquisitions and dispositions, due diligence analysis, and lending documents. His experience in all facets of real estate development, real estate law, commercial negotiation and insurance law enables him to provide counsel on a broad range of legal matters. He also holds an Arizona Department of Real Estate license.

“Jerry brings an impressive level of experience that will enable him to quickly contribute as our Real Estate team continues to grow and expand,” said Mary Ann Murray, national chair of the firm’s Real Estate Practice Group. “Whether it’s helping us strengthen relationships with current clients or attracting new clients, his knowledge of land banking and relationships with homebuilders and national developers is a valuable addition to our team.”

In addition to his past experience with law firms, Morgan has worked as general counsel for a Lloyd’s-based insurance company, as general counsel and chief financial officer for the largest for-profit hospice in Arizona, and as in-house counsel for a large regional new homebuilder.

“I thoroughly enjoy the practice of law and working through complex legal issues to achieve the client’s goals and objectives,” said Morgan. “I am honored and humbled by this opportunity at Quarles & Brady and look forward to working with the team there to help to build on its impressive momentum.”

Morgan earned his B.A. from the University of Texas-Austin and his MBA and J.D. from Arizona State University.

About Quarles & Brady LLP
Quarles & Brady, founded in 1892, is a full-service AmLaw 200 firm with approximately 475 attorneys offering an array of legal services to clients ranging from individuals to small entrepreneurial businesses to Fortune 100 companies. The firm has practices focused in bankruptcy, restructuring and creditor’s rights; business law; energy, infrastructure and environment; estate, trust and wealth preservation; health and life sciences; intellectual property; labor and employment; litigation and dispute resolution; product liability; public finance; and real estate and land use. Its 10 U.S. offices are in Chicago, Indianapolis, Madison, Milwaukee, Minneapolis, Naples, Phoenix, Tampa, Tucson and Washington, D.C. Additional information can be found at quarles.com, as well as on Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube and Facebook.

Replacing Alimony Payments with Homes Sales

By Rebecca L. Palmer

Divorces can take a toll on all parties involved, especially when negotiations and other issues take years to resolve. What makes them even more complicated is when one party refuses to comply with agreements and court-ordered alimony payments. Defying a court order is a dangerous game to play and judges show little remorse for individuals who toy with the judicial system. Ignoring alimony payments or any court-mandated agreement is a sure way to lose more assets than initially expected. For example, a case in New Jersey, W.S. H. v V. I. P recently saw a non-precedential decision that ordered the defendant to sell a vacation home to pay arrears. The defendant failed to pay the plaintiff alimony and equitable distribution for several years and ultimately lost an expensive asset as a result.

If standard alimony payments are problematic or a party involved in a divorce does not pay for a prolonged period of time, why couldn’t both parties agree on the sale of a vacation home, timeshare, or condominium to satisfy payment of alimony? Given how Central Florida’s real estate market is booming, it makes a lot of sense for divorcing parties to sell a second or third home and make a clean split instead of making repeating payments.

“It goes without saying that Florida’s real estate marketing is exploding,” says Kelly Price, owner of Kelly Price & Company and one of Florida’s preeminent brokers. “Home values are through the roof, so leveraging that financial advantage toward alleviating foreseeable headaches in the future is a no-brainer.”

I’ve known Kelly for years, and her commitment to integrity, loyalty, and professionalism has propelled her into a class of her own. She boasts 30-years of experience in real estate and tailors each experience to her clients’ specific needs. This makes her an excellent choice for parties looking to sell or swap an additional home in lieu of alimony payments.

No one likes to talk about divorce or alimony payments—they are depressing, an admission of failure to some, and can become entrenched in bad-faith negotiations. If paying a long string of alimony is something parties want to avoid, leveraging a vacation home for an influx of cash is a great route to take to avoid failing court order payments and eventual asset forfeiture.

Rebecca L. Palmer, Esq. is a Family & Marital Law attorney practicing in Orlando, FL. She is the Managing Partner of the Rebecca L. Palmer Law Group, and she can be reached at rebecca@rlpvlawgroup.com

By Rebecca L. Palmer

Even though it’s difficult, divorce can deliver much-needed clarity about what matters in life. In a marriage, a lot of time is spent making decisions together. What car should we buy? Where should we live? Should we have kids? What color should we paint the living room? At the time, they seem like significant decisions, and more times than not, one partner makes a compromise. Some compromises are easy but making compromises to keep the peace can be a way to avoid tough conversations, and by doing that, you genuinely sacrifice yourself.

From an early age, we have an idea of what we want our life to look like and what should be done to have a successful relationship. Just because you get married doesn’t mean that you have to sacrifice your opinions or values. Giving in on what color to paint your living room, on its own, is not relinquishing who you are, but if you always give in to avoid conflict, and the compromise is a sacrifice, then it will add up over time and lead to deep resentment toward your partner down the road. If your marriage becomes the type of relationship where giving in is expected to be returned in kind, you start to get caught up in keeping score – no relationship will ever be fair or equal with this approach.

Repeatedly sacrificing your needs to avoid conflict and not standing up for what you believe in has the power to destroy a marriage. Often, compromising means giving up what you know to be best – and if you are being asked to do that or feel you have to each time, then something is wrong.

With each compromise, you should ask yourself if you are being honest or just avoiding conflict. From the first utterance of “I want a divorce” to the signing of the final paperwork, being honest with yourself about the outcome should be a significant component of the process. What car you drive, where you live, and the living room color no longer matters. Instead of comprising your wants and needs, communicating truthfully about finances, custody, assets, and expectations is essential in navigating a divorce successfully.

Perhaps it is too late to save your marriage, but it matters how you come out of a divorce. Be honest with yourself and your partner about what is important to move forward. Since you are no longer “we,” try to see it as an opportunity to start a new chapter of life. This can be filled up with a stronger relationship with yourself and the people you love. Instead of spending time giving in on paint color – you can choose wallpaper!

Rebecca L. Palmer, Esq. is a Family & Marital Law attorney practicing in Orlando, FL. She is the Managing Partner of the Rebecca L. Palmer Law Group, and she can be reached at rebecca@rlpvlawgroup.com

Venable LLP obtained summary judgment of noninfringement on behalf of Simon Property Group (Texas), L.P., a global leader in the ownership of premier shopping, dining, entertainment, and mixed-use destinations, against patent infringement claims brought by AlexSam, Inc. AlexSam had asserted patent no. 6,000,608, relating to gift card activation technology.

After extensive briefing and hearing that lasted several hours, Magistrate Judge Roy S. Payne of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas recommended dismissal with prejudice of Alexsam’s infringement claims against Simon Property Group, saying that changes made to various point-of-sale systems that allegedly infringed the patents “fall outside of the scope of the asserted” patent claims. On March 16, 2022, after a second hours-long hearing, District Judge Robert W. Schroeder, III adopted Judge Payne’s report and recommendation in its entirety, granting Venable’s motion of summary judgment of non-infringement.

The Venable team was led by partners Timothy Carroll and Elizabeth M. Manno.

Venable LLP is an American Lawyer Global 100 law firm headquartered in Washington, DC that serves as primary counsel to a worldwide clientele of large and mid-sized organizations, nonprofits, high-net-worth entrepreneurs, and other individuals. With more than 850 professionals across the country, including in California, Delaware, Illinois, Maryland, New York, Virginia, and Washington, DC, the firm strategically advances its clients’ objectives in the United States and around the globe. Venable advises clients on a broad range of business and regulatory law, legislative affairs, complex litigation, and the full range of intellectual property disciplines. For more information, please visit Venable.com.

Kerry Potter McCormick has joined Barnes & Thornburg as a partner in the firm’s Investment Funds and Asset Management practice in New York. Barnes & Thornburg’s growing New York office has added 25 attorneys and staff in New York since opening in February 2020.

Kerry joins the firm from Apollo Global Management, Inc., where she was the Private Funds and Products Counsel.

Kerry’s practice focuses on representing fund sponsors and alternative asset managers in connection with the launch and ongoing operations of various investment products and structures, including private funds, managed accounts, funds-of-one and co-investment products. She advises managers of private equity funds, hedge funds, credit funds, real estate funds, and funds-of-funds on the full spectrum of issues that can arise during a product’s life cycle, from negotiating with seed and other early investors in start-up managers to fund restructurings and wind-downs. Kerry also represents institutional investors with respect to their investments in these products. She has worked with clients ranging in size from startups and other rapid-growth managers to some of the largest alternative asset managers in the world.

“Kerry has deep experience and a strong network of relationships in New York’s investment community, which will be crucial as we look to deepen connections and continue growing our client base in the area,” said Robert Boller, partner in charge of Barnes & Thornburg’s New York office. “Kerry has also carved out a name for herself in a male-dominated space, and is a prime example of the strong female talent we have attracted to the New York office.”

Prior to Apollo, Kerry spent nearly a decade in the Investment Funds practice of a top international law firm. While there, her practice focused mainly on representing managers and sponsors of hedge funds, private equity funds, and credit funds.

“We are thrilled to welcome Kerry to our expanding Investment Funds and Asset Management team. Her experience managing the launch of various investment products, both in-house and as external counsel to sponsors, will be invaluable to our clients in New York and across the country,” said David Gotlieb, Chair of the firm’s Corporate Department.

Kerry earned her J.D. from The University of Texas School of Law and her B.A. in economics and political science from Temple University.

March 21, 2022 (CHARLESTON, S.C.) – Womble Bond Dickinson announced today that M. Rhett DeHart has joined the firm on the White Collar and Government Investigations Team. Rhett joins Womble from the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of South Carolina, where he most recently served as Acting U.S. Attorney, capping a 20-year career as a Federal Prosecutor.

As Acting U.S. Attorney, Rhett was the Chief Federal Law Enforcement Officer in a state with 5.2 million people, where he led a team of 165 professionals across offices in Charleston, Columbia, Greenville, and Florence. He successfully oversaw numerous high-profile criminal and civil cases, including an $11 billion securities fraud case involving the state’s largest utility company, a $140 million False Claims Act suit involving health care providers, and a $30 million investment fraud involving a coastal real estate development. He also led a state task force to prosecute fraud related to COVID-19 relief programs, including the Paycheck Protection Program.

Rhett’s arrival further strengthens Womble’s White Collar and Government Investigations practice, following the recent additions of former U.S. Attorney and Department of Homeland Security General Counsel Joe D. Whitley in Atlanta and former Small Business Administration General Counsel Britt Whitesell Biles in Washington, D.C.

“Rhett is an extraordinary lawyer with the highest integrity and an exemplary skill set,” said Joe D. Whitley, Leader of the firm’s White Collar and Government Investigations Team. “His career in public service is commendable, and his dedication and commitment to doing what is right to the best of his ability is applauded and speaks volumes to what he will bring to the firm and our clients.”

Rhett adds: “I have admired Womble for many years. It is a top-shelf law firm, and I am honored to join this talented team. Womble has grown from being one of the South’s most respected law firms to a transatlantic law firm, and I look forward to contributing to the growth of its White Collar and Government Investigations practice.”

Rhett is an experienced and respected litigator, having handled hundreds of federal cases. He has tried more than 25 cases to verdict, authored more than 35 appellate briefs, and argued eight cases before the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals. Throughout his career, Rhett has specialized in white-collar cases, including bank fraud, healthcare fraud, the False Claims Act, customs and import fraud, securities fraud, public corruption, and environmental crimes. Rhett worked closely with every major federal and state law enforcement agency and served under ten Attorney Generals. He was appointed First Assistant United States Attorney under Attorney General William Barr, and he served as Acting United States Attorney under Attorney General Merrick Garland.

At Womble, Rhett will represent corporate and individual clients in white-collar, internal investigations, and healthcare litigation matters. He will be based in Charleston, S.C., but will spend a significant amount of time in the firm’s Columbia, S.C., and Greenville, S.C., offices.

March 21, 2022 (CHARLESTON, S.C.) – Womble Bond Dickinson announced today that M. Rhett DeHart has joined the firm on the White Collar and Government Investigations Team. Rhett joins Womble from the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of South Carolina, where he most recently served as Acting U.S. Attorney, capping a 20-year career as a Federal Prosecutor.

As Acting U.S. Attorney, Rhett was the Chief Federal Law Enforcement Officer in a state with 5.2 million people, where he led a team of 165 professionals across offices in Charleston, Columbia, Greenville, and Florence. He successfully oversaw numerous high-profile criminal and civil cases, including an $11 billion securities fraud case involving the state’s largest utility company, a $140 million False Claims Act suit involving health care providers, and a $30 million investment fraud involving a coastal real estate development. He also led a state task force to prosecute fraud related to COVID-19 relief programs, including the Paycheck Protection Program.

Rhett’s arrival further strengthens Womble’s White Collar and Government Investigations practice, following the recent additions of former U.S. Attorney and Department of Homeland Security General Counsel Joe D. Whitley in Atlanta and former Small Business Administration General Counsel Britt Whitesell Biles in Washington, D.C.

“Rhett is an extraordinary lawyer with the highest integrity and an exemplary skill set,” said Joe D. Whitley, Leader of the firm’s White Collar and Government Investigations Team. “His career in public service is commendable, and his dedication and commitment to doing what is right to the best of his ability is applauded and speaks volumes to what he will bring to the firm and our clients.”

Rhett adds: “I have admired Womble for many years. It is a top-shelf law firm, and I am honored to join this talented team. Womble has grown from being one of the South’s most respected law firms to a transatlantic law firm, and I look forward to contributing to the growth of its White Collar and Government Investigations practice.”

Rhett is an experienced and respected litigator, having handled hundreds of federal cases. He has tried more than 25 cases to verdict, authored more than 35 appellate briefs, and argued eight cases before the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals. Throughout his career, Rhett has specialized in white-collar cases, including bank fraud, healthcare fraud, the False Claims Act, customs and import fraud, securities fraud, public corruption, and environmental crimes. Rhett worked closely with every major federal and state law enforcement agency and served under ten Attorney Generals. He was appointed First Assistant United States Attorney under Attorney General William Barr, and he served as Acting United States Attorney under Attorney General Merrick Garland.

At Womble, Rhett will represent corporate and individual clients in white-collar, internal investigations, and healthcare litigation matters. He will be based in Charleston, S.C., but will spend a significant amount of time in the firm’s Columbia, S.C., and Greenville, S.C., offices.

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About Womble Bond Dickinson
Womble Bond Dickinson is a transatlantic law firm with more than 1,100 lawyers based in 26 U.K. and U.S. office locations serving clients across every business sector. The firm provides core legal services including Commercial; Corporate; Employment and Pensions; Dispute Resolution and Litigation; Finance: Banking, Restructuring, Insolvency; I.P., Technology and Data; Private Wealth; Projects, Construction and Infrastructure; Real Estate; and Regulatory Law.

“Womble Bond Dickinson,” the “law firm” or the “firm” refers to the network of member firms of Womble Bond Dickinson (International) Limited, consisting of Womble Bond Dickinson (U.K.) LLP and Womble Bond Dickinson (U.S.) LLP. Each of Womble Bond Dickinson (U.K.) LLP and Womble Bond Dickinson (U.S.) LLP is a separate legal entity operating as an independent law firm. Womble Bond Dickinson (International) Limited does not practice law. Please see www.womblebonddickinson.com/us/legal-notice for further details.

Apperio today announced new enhancements to its legal spend management software. These include options for individual legal department contributors – including allied professionals and finance staff – to personalize and customize their view of company legal spend data. This allows customers to tailor their experience with the software to better support their unique role on the in-house legal team.

“Our new features are the result of behind-the-scenes work with many legal departments over time and across industries,” says Apperio Founder and CEO Nicholas d’Adhemar. “That collaboration enables us to listen to our customers and to spot both best practices and unmet needs – and bake what we’ve learned into the software to ultimately provide more value to customers.”

Personalization is provided through new dashboard templates designed for legal operations and finance teams. Each template offers an easier way for customers to get a view of the data that meets their specific needs.
This curation is imperative because legal spend management systems contain vast amounts of data with many different uses – and can feel overwhelming at first.

The templates were designed based on best practices Apperio observed in collaborating with customers and industry-leading legal departments. They also add to the options among existing personalized dashboard views first unveiled in late 2021. Those included a “bird’s eye” view of legal spend for GCs and CLOs and a “matter view” for staff lawyers managing legal projects.

Customization is made possible through 17 new “widgets” – data points and charts customers can choose from, to see legal spend data from a different vantage point. Customers can use these widgets to build their dashboard view from scratch, or customize an existing template to their liking. Each widget can be further tailored by configuring how they display data.

A few representative examples of the new widgets include:

● Matters over budget. This dashboard element shows the top matters that are over budget. It can be configured to show the top matters across all law firms – or just a few specific law firms. The purpose is to help the legal department optimize the allocation of work, bring spending under control and manage cost forecasts.

● Aged unbilled. This shows the total work in progress (WIP) across a business, broken down over selected time periods. It can also be filtered to show only the WIP for all firms or just specific law firms. The purpose is to allow customers to identify the unbilled time that’s yet to be invoiced and keep track of accruals related to specific forecasting periods, allowing companies to manage billing cycles more predictably with law firms.

● Dormant matters. This widget allows legal departments to see matters that have had no activity for six months or more, yet which remain open and potentially forgotten. The purpose is to help the legal department close dormant matters and predict potential invoices for any remaining unbilled WIP.

Apperio previously rolled out client-centric dashboards which lets outside counsel obtain the same view of legal spending their clients have. There are more than 200 global law firms connected to the Apperio platform currently – and many have come to view it as a competitive advantage.

Attaching key documents to matters

Apperio is also announcing a new feature called Matter Files. This feature makes it possible to attach key documents – such as an engagement letter or record of instruction – to a matter tracked in the system. This provides an easy way for customers to reference documents governing the scope of a matter when following progress or monitoring spend.

The idea for Matter Files grew out of a simple but important customer need. Legal operations required the ability to cross-reference letters of engagement throughout the life cycle of each matter, but these sat with various instructors across the business. As a result, legal operations were unable to track down the original instruction letters consistently, which was impossible from digging through emails. Matter Files is the answer to that business problem.

“Collectively, these new features underscore how Apperio gives in-house teams the data, guidance and insights to bring efficiencies to their legal department. They offer legal, finance and legal operations professionals a best practice starting point to set goals and focus on spend management. Our new customization options allow users to further shape, label and adapt the software to support the way they run their legal departments,” added d’Adhemar. “Everything we do as a legal technology solution provider is focused on enabling legal departments to use data and technology to drive better legal outcomes.”

Venable LLP is pleased to announce that W. Bryan Rakes will join Lisa A. Tavares as a co-chair of the firm’s Business Division. As a co-chair, Mr. Rakes will be a member of the firm’s Management Committee.

Stuart P. Ingis, chairman of Venable, said, “Bryan is an accomplished attorney who is well respected by both clients and colleagues. His leadership within the firm is an excellent representation of Venable’s values. I look forward to the achievements he and Lisa will accomplish together as co-chairs of our Business Division.”

Mr. Rakes, who is based in the firm’s Baltimore office, also serves as a co-chair of Venable’s national Mergers and Acquisitions Practice. He is a pragmatic and experienced business attorney who brings a collaborative approach to corporate matters. He assists clients with complex mergers and acquisitions, private equity investments, licensing transactions, joint ventures, and financing transactions. Mr. Rakes represents the business interests of private equity groups, family offices, operating businesses, and senior and subordinated lenders. He often acts as outside general counsel to businesses throughout the United States.

Mr. Rakes has held a faculty appointment in the entrepreneurship and management program at Johns Hopkins University since 2012. He is an active member and former board member of the Maryland Chapter of the Association for Corporate Growth and is currently the president of the board of directors of Everyman Theatre. Mr. Rakes is also a former board member and current advisory committee member for Civic Works, a Baltimore-area nonprofit and an AmeriCorps organization that strengthens Baltimore’s communities through education, skills development, and community service.

Venable’s Business Division encompasses a broad range of fully integrated practices addressing every facet of business law, including bankruptcy and creditors’ rights, real estate, corporate, labor and employment, employee benefits, wealth planning, and tax law. This division is trusted by Fortune 100 companies, international and regional entrepreneurs, family businesses, venture capitalists, nonprofits, individuals, and families to provide sophisticated advice on a variety of business matters. Its practices are consistently ranked among the best in the nation by Chambers USA, Legal 500, U.S. News Best Lawyers, and Forbes, which recently recognized Venable as one of “America’s Top Corporate Law Firms.”

Venable LLP is an American Lawyer Global 100 law firm headquartered in Washington, DC that serves as primary counsel to a worldwide clientele of large and mid-sized organizations, nonprofits, high-net-worth entrepreneurs, and other individuals. With more than 850 professionals in California, Delaware, Illinois, Maryland, New York, Virginia, and Washington, DC, the firm strategically advances its clients’ objectives in the United States and around the globe. Venable advises clients on a broad range of business and regulatory law, legislative affairs, complex litigation, and the full range of intellectual property disciplines. For more information, please visit https://www.venable.com/.

Milwaukee – March 17, 2022 – Dykema, a leading national law firm, today announced the addition of Amy L. Vandamme to its Business Litigation Practice Group as Senior Counsel in the firm’s recently opened Milwaukee office. Vandamme joins Dykema with more than two decades of experience and after most recently serving as Vice President and Associate General Counsel for Fiserv, Inc., a Fortune 300 financial services technology company.

In her practice, Vandamme counsels clients in a variety of industries, including financial services, fintech, consumer products and manufacturing. She advises businesses on risk identification and mitigation, dispute resolution, litigation strategy, and complex incident response and investigation.

In her role as Vice President and Associate General Counsel for Fiserv, Vandamme led a 20-member team and oversaw several disciplines, including global litigation, intellectual property, incident response and investigation, technology, risk, and claims. She counseled C-Suite executives and business leaders on risk avoidance, disputes, litigation, and federal and state regulatory inquiries on legal issues ranging from breach of contract, privacy, cybersecurity, employment, real estate, antitrust, TCPA, EFTA, FCRA and shareholder rights.

“Amy’s reputation in the Milwaukee legal community is well-known and respected,” said Kate Bechen, Managing Member of Dykema’s Milwaukee office. “We are excited and fortunate to add a business advisor and litigator with her depth of experience. Amy’s background in financial services, technology and privacy will be an asset to the firm and its clients.”

Vandamme earned a J.D. from the University of Wisconsin Law School and a B.A. in History from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

In addition to Vandamme, Paralegal Jill Knutson also joined the firm’s Milwaukee office. Knutson’s areas of focus include Corporate and Finance. She joins Dykema from Husch Blackwell, where she led the management of complex mergers, acquisitions and corporate transactions.

Knutson earned a Paralegal Certificate from the Denver Paralegal Institute and a B.A. in German with a minor in Business Administration from the University of Wisconsin-Platteville.

WILMINGTON, Del. – Womble Bond Dickinson announced that Rhonda Payne Harmon has joined the firm’s Business Litigation practice as Of Counsel in the Wilmington, Del., office.

Harmon joins Womble after sixteen years as in-house counsel for one of the country’s largest commercial banks, where she most recently served as Senior Counsel and Vice President of the Consumer Defensive Litigation division handling high-risk and class action cases. Earlier in her career, she was a bankruptcy associate in private practice representing large banks and other financial institutions.

“Rhonda is key to the continued expansion of our financial services litigation practice,” said Business Litigation Practice Group Leader Chris Jones. “Her intimate knowledge of what is most important to our banking clients and first-hand experience resolving disputes for one of the world’s largest and most important financial institutions will bring unique value to our clients and colleagues.”

At Womble, Harmon joins a team of more than 200 financial services sector lawyers located across the United States and the United Kingdom, representing nearly half of the top 100 U.S. banks, including 17 of the top 25.

Harmon has more than 20 years of combined experience as in-house counsel specializing in default servicing and consumer defensive litigation relating to lending practices, automobile and personal loans, lines of credit and home mortgages, as well as experience representing banks and companies in bankruptcy. She has managed both single-plaintiff and class/mass actions across a broad range of financial services issues, including mortgage loan servicing and origination claims, TCPA, FCRA, FDCPA, SCRA, TILA, loan modification, retail and installment sales claims, MERS standing issues, lien disputes, and bankruptcy disputes and adversary proceedings.

Harmon received her undergraduate degree in Psychology from Carnegie Mellon University, and she received her J.D. from the University of Pittsburgh School of Law.

WILMINGTON, Del. – Womble Bond Dickinson announced that Rhonda Payne Harmon has joined the firm’s Business Litigation practice as Of Counsel in the Wilmington, Del., office.

Harmon joins Womble after sixteen years as in-house counsel for one of the country’s largest commercial banks, where she most recently served as Senior Counsel and Vice President of the Consumer Defensive Litigation division handling high-risk and class action cases. Earlier in her career, she was a bankruptcy associate in private practice representing large banks and other financial institutions.

“Rhonda is key to the continued expansion of our financial services litigation practice,” said Business Litigation Practice Group Leader Chris Jones. “Her intimate knowledge of what is most important to our banking clients and first-hand experience resolving disputes for one of the world’s largest and most important financial institutions will bring unique value to our clients and colleagues.”

At Womble, Harmon joins a team of more than 200 financial services sector lawyers located across the United States and the United Kingdom, representing nearly half of the top 100 U.S. banks, including 17 of the top 25.

Harmon has more than 20 years of combined experience as in-house counsel specializing in default servicing and consumer defensive litigation relating to lending practices, automobile and personal loans, lines of credit and home mortgages, as well as experience representing banks and companies in bankruptcy. She has managed both single-plaintiff and class/mass actions across a broad range of financial services issues, including mortgage loan servicing and origination claims, TCPA, FCRA, FDCPA, SCRA, TILA, loan modification, retail and installment sales claims, MERS standing issues, lien disputes, and bankruptcy disputes and adversary proceedings.

Harmon received her undergraduate degree in Psychology from Carnegie Mellon University, and she received her J.D. from the University of Pittsburgh School of Law.

Foley & Lardner LLP announced today that the firm has continued to grow its Salt Lake City office with the addition of Melanie Clark as a partner in its Real Estate Practice. This new hire continues to cement Foley’s presence in Salt Lake City, which follows directly on the heels of the addition of the Business Litigation & Dispute Resolution Team in February.

Clark brings 15 years of vast real estate experience to the firm, which includes acquisition and disposition of land, development structuring, and leasing and sale to end-users. She counsels developers of mixed-use, resort, and residential projects, including condominiums and vacation products. Additionally, Clark regularly assists clients in negotiating, documenting, and closing on portfolio purchases, including performing related due diligence review of properties.

Clark also has extensive experience advising clients on real estate transactions involving renewable energy assets. She has represented multiple investors in their acquisition of solar project portfolios, including performing due diligence on properties in up to 14 jurisdictions.

“Melanie’s portfolio of experience enables us to begin building a strong real estate presence in a region ripe with opportunity,” said David Cook, chair of the firm’s Real Estate Practice. “Her keen attention to detail and thoughtful approach to dealmaking positions Foley as an invaluable resource to clients and prospects seeking innovative real estate solutions.”

“We are excited to welcome Melanie to our burgeoning Salt Lake office and tap into her deep regional knowledge that will help further expand our full-service client offering,” said David Wright, managing partner of the firm’s Salt Lake City office. “As a well-regarded counselor by the legal community and clients alike, Melanie will strengthen our ability to support a core corporate practice area in this market.”

Clark has proudly supported pro bono work, having represented foster parents in adoption proceedings, assisted wrongfully evicted tenants in subsidized housing projects, and obtained a presidential commutation for a prisoner serving an egregious sentence for a non-violent drug conviction.

“I’m energized by the opportunity Foley affords its attorneys and its ability to service real estate clients in a rapidly growing area,” said Clark. “The caliber of the team in the Salt Lake office is replete with specialized knowledge, and I am thrilled to harness this energy to support our clients at such pivotal junctures with their businesses.”

About Foley & Lardner LLP
Foley & Lardner LLP looks beyond the law to focus on the constantly evolving demands facing our clients and their industries. With approximately 1,100 lawyers in 25 offices worldwide, Foley approaches client service by first understanding our clients’ priorities, objectives and challenges. We work hard to understand our clients’ issues and forge long-term relationships with them to help achieve successful outcomes and solve their legal issues through practical business advice and cutting-edge legal insight. Our clients view us as trusted business advisors because we understand that great legal service is only valuable if it is relevant, practical and beneficial to their businesses.

LOS ANGELES (March 16, 2022) –Barnes & Thornburg has added Alice Kyureghian as a partner in the firm’s Los Angeles office, where she will practice with the Insurance Recovery and Counseling group.

Kyureghian represents corporate policyholders in disputes against their insurance companies. Her practice is centered on defending clients in coverage matters such as commercial general liability, directors and officers (D&O) liability, and errors and omissions (E&O) liability, employment practices liability insurance (EPLI), business interruption and first party property insurance. She has experience in federal and state courts representing clients in a variety of coverage matters relating to government investigations, breach of fiduciary duties, wrongful termination, employee theft, cybercrime, professional athlete disability claims, and mortgage fraud, among others.

Kyureghian is the latest insurance recovery partner to join the firm following the addition of Lilt Asadourian last month. The nationally recognized Insurance Recovery and Counseling group has secured billions of dollars of insurance recovery for policyholders, ranging from Fortune 100 companies to small, privately held businesses.

“We are continuing to see an increase in aggressive coverage denials by insurance companies eager to profit from restrictive claim-handling practices,” said David Wood, Insurance Recovery practice co-chair. “As this and other insurance recovery issues continue to be top of mind for policyholders, we know Alice will continue to offer clients deep experience and savvy advice about how to maximize their insurance coverage. She is a terrific addition to our practice group and to our firm.”

Kyureghian’s trial experience has led to representing several Fortune 500 companies in matters including False Claims Act violations, wrongful termination, property damage, mortgage fraud claims, and subprime mortgage claims. Alice also provides proactive counseling for clients by conducting policy review audits and providing tactical insight on how to minimize exposure.

“Alice is an excellent litigator who brings a case-by-case approach when working with the varying disputes that insurance recovery brings,” said David C. Allen, Los Angeles managing partner. “Our Los Angeles team has continued to grow this year, and Alice is a welcomed addition. We are thrilled to welcome her.”

Kyureghian earned her J.D. from the University of California, Davis School of Law, and her B.A. from the University of California.

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.