Diana Perez Gomez, shareholder in Chamberlain Hrdlicka’s Houston Labor & Litigation Practice, has been named one of “Houston’s 50 Most Influential Women of 2020-21” by Houston Woman Magazine. Each of the honorees was nominated by a reader of Houston Woman Magazine and then selected by the staff of the publication.

According to Beverly Denver, publisher of Houston Woman Magazine, “Those selected as Houston’s 50 Most Influential Women of 2020-21 have earned an enviable reputation for their expertise in a particular field or arena. They are knowledgeable, credible and trustworthy. The thoughts and actions of these women influence the thoughts and actions of others. It is our distinct pleasure to introduce these remarkable women to our readers and to others in our community.”

In recognition of her professional accomplishments, Gomez was also recently invited to serve as a mentor during the 9th annual Bizwomen Mentoring Monday, held concurrently by the Houston Business Journal and sister publications in 40+ markets nationwide, offering career coaching to some 10,000 women looking to advance their careers.

Denver added, “Due to COVID issues, the popular recognition program was paused during the past two years. We here at Houston Woman Magazine couldn’t be happier about its revival in 2022.”

A celebration dinner, attended by honorees and guests, was held Thursday night, Feb. 24 at the Junior League of Houston. Included in the crowd were a number of past honorees; elected officials and celebrities. Since 2008, Houston Woman Magazine has published an annual, keepsake edition featuring Houston’s 50 Most Influential Women of the Year.

Gomez is a shareholder at Chamberlain Hrdlicka’s Houston office, where she serves on the firm’s Board of Directors, as the national co-chair for the labor and employment practice, as well as the national chair for the Pro Bono Committee. With extensive experience in civil lawsuits in state and federal courts, she focuses on complex labor and employment disputes by providing a full-range of employment law services to her clients from pre-termination counseling, investigations, EEO training, handbook review, drafting of policies, COVID-19 plans, defense in administrative proceedings (EEOC charges, unemployment hearings) and arbitrations as well as all aspects of trial from pre-suit through appeal. Gomez has successfully defended all types of employment law matters in state and federal court including claims involving ERISA, FLSA, discrimination, and retaliation.

Between 2008 and 2009, she has served as the Chief of Staff at U.S. Department of Education Office of Planning, Evaluation and Policy Development in Washington D.C. Her government experience also includes serving as a committee member on the City of Houston Mayor’s Transition Team – Education Committee, as vice chair of the City of Houston Municipal Civil Service Commission, vice chair of the City of Houston Police Officers’ and Fire Fighters’ Civil Service Commission, and as a commissioner on the Harris County Sheriff’s Civil Service Commission.

Gomez holds bachelor’s degree in political science from the Texas A&M University and has received her law degree from the University of Texas at Austin. Very involved in the legal community, she is a co-chair for District Four of the Texas Bar Foundation. She sits on the Board of Directors of the Houston Bar Association (HBA), where she currently serves as the treasurer and chair of the HBA’s County Law Library Committee and the HBA’s Employment and Personnel Committee. She has previously served in numerous other HBA committee chair positions and volunteer roles, including the Law and the Media Committee, HBA Dispute Resolution Committee, HBA Ambassador, HBA’s Administration of Justice Committee for the Criminal District/Appellate Bench Bar Conference, and HBA’s Harvest Celebration Fundraising Committee. She is the past president of the Hispanic Bar Association of Houston, where she currently sits on the Board of Directors. She has also served on the Board of Directors for the Mexican-American Bar Association of Houston, as a member of the Harris County Bench Bar Pro Bono Awards Committee, and as a committee member for the inaugural and second Southern District of Texas Houston/Galveston Bench-Bar Conferences. Furthermore, she sits on the Board of Directors for the Houston Zoo Development Corporation.

Recipient of many accolades, Gomez was named to the Texas Super Lawyers list by Super Lawyers® consecutively every year since 2013 and was among the Texas Super Lawyers 2020 Top Women. She was selected as a Top Lawyer in 2017, 2019 – 2021 by Houstonia Magazine; received Latina Lawyer Under 40 Award from the Mexican American Bar Association of Texas Foundation in 2012; was the recipient of the Houston Bar Association’s President’s Award in 2016; was a recipient of the Hispanic Bar Association of Houston’s President’s Award in 2007, 2009, 2015 and 2019; was awarded the Local Heroes Recognition by the Houston Lawyer Magazine in 2009; and the Woodrow B. Seals Outstanding Young Lawyer of Houston Award from Houston Young Lawyers Association in 2008. She is the Life Fellow of the American Bar Foundation, Texas Bar Foundation and the Houston Bar Foundation.

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.

Dallas Trial Lawyer Randy Johnston Inducted into D Magazine’s Hall of Fame

Veteran trial lawyer is one of only 50 selected for inaugural list

DALLAS – Trial lawyer Randy Johnston joins rare company among some of the very best lawyers in North Texas with his selection for D Magazine’s inaugural Best Lawyers in Dallas Hall of Fame.

A well-known courtroom talent and widely acknowledged and respected expert on legal ethics, he’s also a published poet, songwriter and avid guitar player. So, while Mr. Johnston may be one of just 50 attorneys selected for the prestigious Hall of Fame, it’s not surprising that he’s the only one to memorialize the honor in song.

“… every once in a while, there’s a pat on the back,” Mr. Johnston’s song reads. “Someone recognizes you’ve been on the right track. That you’ve done good work, helping clients who needed you. That the years that have passed have not defeated you. So, thank you, D Magazine, for calling my name. Along with all the others in your Best Lawyers Hall of Fame.”

For video of Mr. Johnston performing the ballad, click here.

“It’s really a great feeling,” said Mr. Johnston, co-founder of Dallas-based Johnston Tobey Baruch. “I am very proud to be named among some of the most talented legal professionals in this region.”

The Best Lawyers in Dallas Hall of Fame is published in D Magazine’s March edition.

Mr. Johnston handles cases involving professional malpractice and breaches of fiduciary duty, as well as a wide range of business disputes. In both his legal career and his art, he warns people of scammers who commit business or partner fraud, stockbroker/investment fraud, and accounting and money management malpractice on consumers.

He is also Board Certified in Civil Trial Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization and has been featured among D Magazine’s annual Best Lawyers in Dallas list since 2013.

About Johnston Tobey Baruch:
Johnston Tobey Baruch is a dynamic law practice based in Dallas. Its trial and appellate attorneys have a broad range of litigation, arbitration and appellate experience. They are pioneers in the handling of legal and accounting malpractice, investment fraud and business disputes. They also have an enviable track record with insurance bad faith matters, commercial litigation and fiduciary litigation, as well as civil, family and criminal appeals for many prominent Texas companies and individuals. For more information, visit johnstontobey.com.

Cohen Seglias is pleased to announce that Richard Reice has joined the firm as a partner in the New York office. He is a member of the Labor and Employment Group.

“Richard’s proactive approach to workplace and labor issues makes him a valuable business partner for our clients,” said managing partner George Pallas. “His arrival adds depth to our employment capabilities and we know that he will be an asset to our team.”

Richard is an experienced labor and employment law counselor litigator and trial attorney who works with management-side clients across industries to address their labor and employment issues. He regularly advocates for clients in employment discrimination and restrictive covenant/trade secrets protection matters before state, federal and appellate courts. He was responsible for the first seizure order ever issued by a U.S. court under the federal Defend Trade Secrets Act on behalf of a client working to regain possession of misappropriated trade secrets. Richard has additional experience in drafting and negotiating employment and collective bargaining agreements, restrictive covenant agreements, workplace policies and procedures, and guidelines for harassment prevention.

A court-appointed mediator in the Southern District of New York, Richard utilizes his dispute resolution and litigation experience to resolve matters in court or in arbitration. He is a graduate of the Yeshiva University Benjamin Cardozo School of Law and received his B.A. from the University of Michigan. Richard has been recognized in the New York Metro Super Lawyers for Employment & Labor list since 2015, and was noted as an Employment Trailblazer by the National Law Journal in 2019.

PHOENIX (February 28, 2022)—Perkins Coie is honored to announce that Diane Johnsen has joined the firm’s national Litigation and Appellate practice. Diane joins the firm after fourteen years of service as a judge on the Arizona State Court of Appeals.

Diane will become a member of Perkins Coie’s Appeals, Issues, and Strategies group, where she will serve clients across offices. She is also the newest addition to the firm’s Phoenix office, which manages a range of commercial litigation, including patent and other intellectual property disputes, public law and constitutional issues, business torts, contracts, antitrust litigation, product liability, corporate governance, securities, professional liability, and environmental litigation, as well as bankruptcy, environmental and natural resources, energy, water law, and white-collar criminal defense matters.

Diane was appointed to the Arizona Court of Appeals in 2006 and served as the court’s chief judge during 2014-15. In 2020, she received both the Arizona Judicial Branch’s “Judge of the Year Award” and the Arizona State Bar Association’s James A. Walsh Outstanding Jurist Award. “Diane’s vast judicial experience, and her insights into the judicial process will be enormously valuable to our clients,” said Jessica Everett-Garcia, the national chair of Perkins Coie’s Litigation practice. “We’re thrilled to welcome Diane to our litigation and appellate practice amid strong demand for our counsel and as we continue to manage many complex cases for clients in and beyond Phoenix.”

“Diane’s experience on the court of appeals bench will be an asset to our Phoenix office, and it allows us to further expand upon the range of legal counsel and services we are able to provide our clients,” said Todd Kerr, the managing partner of Perkins Coie’s Phoenix office. “I’m excited to welcome Diane to the firm and to continue our growth in Phoenix.”

Diane received her Juris Doctor from Stanford University, where she was an associate editor of the Stanford Law Review, her Bachelor of Arts, magna cum laude, from the University of Arizona, and a Master of Laws in Judicial Studies from Duke University. Before taking the bench, Diane was a commercial litigation attorney at Munger, Tolles & Olson in Los Angeles and at Osborn Maledon in Phoenix.

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.

Foley & Lardner LLP is proud to announce its partnership with No One Left Behind to support the evacuation of Afghan allies and their families following the Taliban takeover in Afghanistan.
No One Left Behind is the leading nationwide non-profit committed to ensuring that America keeps its promise to Afghans and Iraqis eligible for Special Immigrant Visa (SIV) programs. The organization’s mission includes advocating for the SIV programs as well as evacuating and resettling SIV recipients and their families. In collaboration with its Board of Advisors, No One Left Behind works to advocate for allies with the U.S. government and Congress, provides subject matter expertise to the media, and partners with large organizations in the private and non-profit sectors to enable opportunities for these new Americans.
Together as partners, Foley is committed to advancing No One Left Behind’s mission to resettle every Afghan and Iraqi interpreter in the United States. With the support of 139 Foley attorneys across 19 of the firm’s offices, Foley is providing legal services in various areas to support this effort. Those services include filing humanitarian parole applications to help bring Afghan allies and their families to the United States, reviewing service contracts for emergency evacuation flights from Afghanistan and housing of Afghan allies following their arrival in the United States, and advising on matters such as fundraising, tax, and other non-profit governance issues.
Since entering its partnership with No One Left Behind in September 2021, 440 Afghan allies and their family members have been referred to Foley for legal assistance. To date, there are 352 humanitarian parole applications in progress. Foley attorneys have filed applications with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services for dozens of families fleeing the Taliban, with many more in process. Those numbers continue to grow week by week.
“Six months after the Taliban captured Afghanistan, No One Left Behind is still making a critical difference for America’s Afghan allies,” said Foley partner and Afghan Ally project team leader Christopher Swift. “Our attorneys are proud to support this organization and even prouder to help our Afghan friends find the safety and liberty that they deserve.”
“More than 60,000 Afghan Special Immigration Visa applicants remain at risk in Afghanistan, waiting for their SIV or humanitarian parole applications to be approved so they may evacuate to safety in the United States,” said Philip Caruso, chair of the board of directors for No One Left Behind. “With so many in need, it’s critical to have partners like Foley donating time to bring our allies to America.”
Foley is committed to providing meaningful pro bono opportunities for its attorneys and quality legal services to those who most need our help. The firm’s commitment to conscience and community – established by its founding partners and still a core value to this day – includes providing quality pro bono legal services that ensure every person and organization has access to the justice system regardless of financial means.

Today Wiggin and Dana LLP announced that Jack Sousa, managing principal of Lev Berlin & Sousa, P.C., the corporate and securities boutique law firm based in Norwalk, CT, has joined Wiggin and Dana, supporting the continued growth of the firm’s corporate and transactional practice. Sousa will be resident in Wiggin’s Stamford office as a partner in its Emerging Companies and Venture Capital and Mergers and Acquisitions practice groups.

Sousa, who had been managing Lev Berlin & Sousa since 2016, has a broad-based corporate and commercial practice with a focus on venture capital, private financing, and emerging growth companies, as well as mergers and acquisitions. His addition bolsters the firm’s global ECVC practice, especially in the key New York to Boston corridor. According to Pitchbook, Wiggin and Dana is among the most active firms in venture capital transactions in the Northeast, representing more than 250 clients in 2021, possessing a deep understanding of the issues faced by venture capitalists and other investors, and emerging growth companies at all stages of their life cycle.

“Jack delivers a deep understanding of the Northeast’s expanding startup market and venture capital landscape that critically positions our strategic growth to meet the demand we’re seeing in the region and beyond,” said Tim Diemand, Wiggin and Dana’s Managing Partner.

Sousa counsels venture-backed, startup and early-stage companies on their corporate, transactional, regulatory, and private financing needs, with substantial experience advising venture, family office, and high net worth investors in Connecticut and throughout the Northeast. He has closed venture capital transactions totaling more than $100 million in a broad range of industries, including software, digital media, manufacturing, and retail. In addition, Jack has handled numerous acquisitions and mergers in a variety of industries. A Connecticut native, Jack holds a J.D. from Fordham University School of Law in New York and a B.A. from Boston College.

“Jack immediately increases our group’s ability to serve clients’ growth and business objectives,” said Bill Perrone, chair of Wiggin and Dana’s Corporate Department.

“In considering moving the practice to another platform, Wiggin has stood out far and away as the most impressive group for emerging companies and venture capital work and M&A,” said Sousa. “The breadth and depth across the firm’s corporate practice among a dynamic group of lawyers provide the ideal platform for clients’ commercial and transactional legal needs while maintaining a focus on hands-on, personal service that is a fundamental core value of our practice over the last decade.”

About Wiggin and Dana

Wiggin and Dana is a national law firm with more than 160 attorneys. We are a true partnership of highly talented, creative, and experienced lawyers dedicated to exceeding our clients’ expectations every day. With offices in Connecticut, New York, Philadelphia, Washington, DC, and Palm Beach, we represent clients throughout the United States and globally on a wide range of sophisticated and complex matters. From defending the Fortune 500 in “bet-the-company” litigation to helping the next generation of inventors bring new technologies to market, to preserving the wealth that family businesses worked so hard to create, we pride ourselves in offering value-driven solutions and results.

Blank Rome Welcomes Matrimonial and Family Law Partner in New York

Addition Continues Expansion in the Firm’s New York Office

New York — Blank Rome LLP is pleased to announce that Sophie Jacobi-Parisi has joined the firm’s nationally recognized Matrimonial & Family Law practice group as a partner in the New York office, which continues to strategically expand with talented attorneys across key areas of law. Sophie focuses her practice on a wide range of matrimonial and family law matters, with notable experience in navigating complex custody cases. Prior to joining Blank Rome, Sophie was a partner at Warshaw Burstein LLP.

“Sophie is a well-known and respected family law attorney who serves as a steadfast advocate for her clients and utilizes her significant legal experience to skillfully counsel on divorce and custody proceedings,” said Grant S. Palmer, Blank Rome’s Managing Partner and CEO. “Sophie is an excellent addition to our East Coast team of matrimonial and family law attorneys and growing New York office, which recently welcomed Leslie Marlow, Hank Gracin, and Patrick Egan, a respected corporate and securities law team, as well as leading real estate and hospitality partners, Christy L. Reuter and Sonia Kaur Bain.”

Sophie’s practice focuses on helping families going through separations as well as divorces with a particular emphasis on navigating complex custody cases. For example, Sophie has in-depth experience navigating custody matters involving children with special needs, including Individualized Education Programs. She also has litigation and trial experience in New York’s Family and Supreme Courts and frequently negotiates prenuptial, separation, and settlement agreements.

“The marriage, divorce, and child custody landscape is changing drastically in this modern age as new social and economic issues continue to arise,” said Brett S. Ward, Partner and Co-Chair of the firm’s Matrimonial & Family Law practice group. “Sophie’s strong legal talent and fresh perspective will complement our national practice as we rise to meet these multifaceted challenges and further support the high-level service that we provide to our clients on both coasts.”

As a thought leader, Sophie is often called upon to speak at events, author articles, and appear as a guest on podcasts to share her knowledge of matrimonial law and related issues, including how to have a healthy and transparent marriage, raise children, negotiate pre- and post-nuptial agreements, and undergo a divorce.

“I am excited to join Blank Rome, which has a stellar client network, broad service offerings, and an equally impressive matrimonial practice, all of which are integral to my growing practice,” added Sophie. “It is a privilege to be in the company of so many skilled practitioners in the matrimonial space who also share a dedication to this type of work, and I look forward to growing my practice in New York as well as Connecticut and collaborating with the firm’s West Coast matrimonial and family law team based in Los Angeles to accomplish great successes for our clients and their families.”

Sophie serves as a co-chair and executive committee member of the New York State Bar Association, Family Law Section. She previously served as a member of the board of directors of Promise Project, a nonprofit organization associated with Columbia University that supports and works with underserved children with learning disabilities. She started her career as a staff attorney with the Legal Aid Society, Juvenile Rights Practice, where she represented children in legal proceedings in the Bronx Family Court.

Sophie earned her J.D. from the Loyola University Chicago School of Law, her M.A. from the Loyola University Chicago School of Social Work, and her B.A. from Bucknell University.

Since January 1, 2022, Blank Rome has welcomed the following leading partners across its U.S. offices, enhancing the firm’s services and capabilities throughout its various practices:
 Consumer Finance Partner R. Andrew “Andy” Arculin Joins Blank Rome in Washington, D.C.
 Corporate Litigation Partner Barak Bassman Joins Blank Rome in Philadelphia
 Prominent Energy Finance Partner David E. Kronenberg Joins Blank Rome
 Blank Rome Expands Corporate, M&A, and Securities Group with Leading Team in New York

About Blank Rome

Blank Rome is an Am Law 100 firm with 13 offices and more than 600 attorneys and principals who provide comprehensive legal and advocacy services to clients operating in the United States and around the world. Our professionals have built a reputation for their leading knowledge and experience across a spectrum of industries and are recognized for their commitment to pro bono work in their communities. Since our inception in 1946, Blank Rome’s culture has been dedicated to providing top-level service to all of our clients and has been rooted in the strength of our diversity and inclusion initiatives. For more information, please visit blankrome.com.

Lewis Roca, a mainstay of the Colorado legal community and with a presence in Denver since 1903, has completed its office move to the newly opened McGregor Square development. Lewis Roca has introduced “hoteling” and other forward-thinking office concepts at its space at McGregor Square, a 650,000 square-foot mixed-use development in Denver’s historic Lower Downtown.

“This new office prominently features an inclusive, welcoming communal space with floor to ceiling windows,” said Caitlin McHugh, managing partner of Lewis Roca’s Denver and Colorado Springs offices. “It is modern and fresh – very evocative of the neighborhood.”

The office move is Lewis Roca’s first in Denver in more than 35 years. The firm’s new address features a hotel, luxury condos, retail space, and a nearly 30,000 square-foot public plaza in addition to the office tower in which Lewis Roca’s office is located. The development is within close walking distance of Union Station and Coors Field.

“We embarked upon the design with intention, creating a space people will want to come back to and choose to come back to, added McHugh. We have taken the knowledge gained from these past two years about how we interact with our clients and each other and incorporated that into our innovative space planning, which will allow us to use cutting-edge technology to provide superior service and maintain a high-energy workplace.”

Shared office arrangements, or “hoteling,” are part of Lewis Roca’s new hybrid work environment. Lawyers committed to being in the office four days a week or more may have an assigned office, while those not in as often may opt to share an office. The hoteling arrangement offers lawyers flexible work accommodations while optimizing the use of the firm’s physical footprint. The new location is a paperless environment with more efficient space for library and records storage.
About Lewis Roca
Lewis Roca is an Am Law 200 law firm serving clients globally in complex litigation, intellectual property, business transactions, gaming, government relations, labor and employment, and regulatory counseling. Its offices are in Albuquerque, Colorado Springs, Denver, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Phoenix, Reno, Silicon Valley, and Tucson. To learn more about the firm, please visit us at our website at www.lewisroca.com.

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Arent Fox LLP and Schiff Hardin LLP completed their merger, effective March 1, 2022. The new firm operates under the name ArentFox Schiff and is led by Chair Anthony V. Lupo and Firmwide Co-Managing Partners Cristina A. Carvalho and Joseph J. Krasovec III. The newly combined firm is home to more than 600 lawyers and policy professionals and serves as a destination for an international client base of corporations, governments, private individuals, and trade associations.

ArentFox Schiff provides comprehensive, industry-focused transactional, regulatory, and litigation counseling from offices in seven US markets — Washington, DC, Chicago, New York, Los Angeles, Boston, San Francisco, and Ann Arbor.

“After working tirelessly over the last three months to complete the combination, we’re thrilled to open our doors as ArentFox Schiff today,” said Lupo. “Our clients, lawyers, and staff have eagerly anticipated this day and we look forward to applying our enhanced capabilities in bet-the-company litigation, first-class transactional, and superior regulatory counseling to our clients’ most important business challenges and opportunities.”

ArentFox Schiff is a leader in providing comprehensive legal counsel to the finance and corporate sectors and remains a destination for clients in the real estate, environmental and agricultural, beverage and food, consumer products and product liability, health and life sciences, fashion and retail, and sports and entertainment industries.

“We’ve officially doubled our Corporate, Finance, and Litigation capabilities, offering our clients more resources, expanded talent and experience, and a broader geographic reach,” added Carvalho. “This combination creates opportunities for our lawyers and clients in new markets and expanded areas of law. I can’t wait to see what we can accomplish as a firm and on behalf of our clients in the years ahead.”

“Our clients will be impressed by the collective talents, team culture, and deeper bench of attorneys at ArentFox Schiff,” said Krasovec. “There’s an excitement buzzing through our hallways and virtual spaces, and we’re eager to put that momentum to work.”

Combined, the firm offers significant breadth and depth of experience in practice areas that include Bankruptcy & Financial Restructuring, Complex Litigation, Government Relations, Intellectual Property, International Trade & Investment, Private Clients, and general regulatory counseling. Learn more about ArentFox Schiff at the new website, www.afslaw.com.

About ArentFox Schiff
ArentFox Schiff LLP is internationally recognized in core industries where business and the law intersect. With more than 600 lawyers and policy professionals the firm serves as a destination for an international roster of corporations, governments, private individuals, and trade associations. Learn more at afslaw.com.

Sidley is pleased to announce that Frank Favia, former general counsel at Guaranteed Rate, a leading financial services company that is one of the largest retail mortgage lenders in the U.S., has rejoined the firm’s Litigation group as a partner in Chicago. Most recently as general counsel, Mr. Favia led a legal department of over 200 lawyers, compliance professionals and staff, and was a member of the company’s executive leadership team.
Previously, Mr. Favia spent 14 years at Sidley in the Litigation group, where he focused on white collar and commercial litigation matters. He also served as a co-leader of the firm’s Private Equity Litigation practice, working on matters including M&A litigation, employment issues, and post-closing disputes related to indemnification, working capital, earn-outs, and purchase price adjustments. Mr. Favia also represented private equity firms’ portfolio companies in a wide variety of matters, including significant litigation and investigations, employment matters, and litigation avoidance strategies.
“We are thrilled to have the opportunity to bring Frank back to Sidley,” said Yvette Ostolaza, chair-elect of Sidley’s Management Committee and global co-leader of Sidley’s Litigation group. “He was instrumental in the growth of our PE litigation practice and our lawyers and clients are excited to have him back as a colleague and advisor.”
Sidley has approximately 750 litigation lawyers in North America, Asia, and Europe that practice in virtually every area of business disputes, including commercial trials, intellectual property, class action defense, appellate, international arbitration, and white collar. The firm’s “built-to-win” approach to litigation earned Sidley recognition as a finalist in The American Lawyer’s 2020 “Litigation Department of the Year” competition. “Built-to-win” emphasizes diversity, bringing together dynamic, cross-functional teams from different disciplines, practices, and perspectives to handle the most complex litigation matters and deliver winning results.

PHOENIX (February 28, 2022)—Perkins Coie is honored to announce that Diane Johnsen has joined the firm’s national Litigation and Appellate practice. Diane joins the firm after fourteen years of service as a judge on the Arizona State Court of Appeals.

Diane will become a member of Perkins Coie’s Appeals, Issues, and Strategies group, where she will serve clients across offices. She is also the newest addition to the firm’s Phoenix office, which manages a range of commercial litigation, including patent and other intellectual property disputes, public law and constitutional issues, business torts, contracts, antitrust litigation, product liability, corporate governance, securities, professional liability, and environmental litigation, as well as bankruptcy, environmental and natural resources, energy, water law, and white-collar criminal defense matters.

Diane was appointed to the Arizona Court of Appeals in 2006 and served as the court’s chief judge during 2014-15. In 2020, she received both the Arizona Judicial Branch’s “Judge of the Year Award” and the Arizona State Bar Association’s James A. Walsh Outstanding Jurist Award. “Diane’s vast judicial experience, and her insights into the judicial process will be enormously valuable to our clients,” said Jessica Everett-Garcia, the national chair of Perkins Coie’s Litigation practice. “We’re thrilled to welcome Diane to our litigation and appellate practice amid strong demand for our counsel and as we continue to manage many complex cases for clients in and beyond Phoenix.”

“Diane’s experience on the court of appeals bench will be an asset to our Phoenix office, and it allows us to further expand upon the range of legal counsel and services we are able to provide our clients,” said Todd Kerr, the managing partner of Perkins Coie’s Phoenix office. “I’m excited to welcome Diane to the firm and to continue our growth in Phoenix.”

Diane received her Juris Doctor from Stanford University, where she was an associate editor of the Stanford Law Review, her Bachelor of Arts, magna cum laude, from the University of Arizona, and a Master of Laws in Judicial Studies from Duke University. Before taking the bench, Diane was a commercial litigation attorney at Munger, Tolles & Olson in Los Angeles and at Osborn Maledon in Phoenix.

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.

On February 28, 2022, Ralph C. Martin II joined Boston law firm, Prince Lobel, in the firm’s Litigation, White Collar Defense, and Internal Investigations practice groups.

Mr. Martin brings 40 years of legal, trial, and business experience to the firm, having been Chief Legal Officer for Northeastern University as well as the Suffolk County District Attorney from 1992 – 2002. He has a broad depth of professional experience as an active trial lawyer, with significant experience in the areas of corporate investigations, government investigations, white-collar defense, regulatory affairs, public/private partnerships, and general civil litigation.

As Chief Legal Officer for Northeastern University, he served on the eight-member Senior Leadership Team, which directs the overall strategic direction of the university under the leadership of the president. Mr. Martin also oversaw compliance, risk, labor relations, public safety and policing, and city and community relations.

Before joining Northeastern, Mr. Martin was the managing partner of the Boston office of Bingham McCutchen, an 1,100-lawyer international law firm. He has more than 30 years of experience as a trial lawyer and as a state and federal prosecutor.

Mr. Martin is also the former Suffolk County District Attorney, having served as the elected prosecutor for Boston, Chelsea, Revere, and Winthrop from 1992–2002. During his nearly 10 years in office, he was credited with helping to oversee substantial changes in the way law enforcement collaborated with other agencies to make dramatic improvements in crime prevention and prosecution.

Mr. Martin is the first African American district attorney in Suffolk County’s history. He was recognized for his leadership by former President Bill Clinton and former Attorney General Janet Reno, and traveled across the country to both lecture and consult on the business and strategy of managing and reducing crime.

Mr. Martin has been credited to have the ability to “see around corners when others can’t” and is a skilled problem solver who is not intimidated by complexity or extreme positions. It has been suggested that “City on a Hill,” an ongoing Boston crime drama on Showtime, is based on Mr. Martin’s career as Suffolk County’s District Attorney.

Mr. Martin served as an adjunct associate professor of legal studies at Brandeis University in 2000 and 2001 and as a lecturer on civil trial practice at Northeastern University School of Law from 1987-92.

He holds a J.D. from Northeastern University School of Law and a bachelor’s degree from Brandeis University.

Dykema, a leading national law firm, today announced the addition of Mark Chutkow as Leader of the firm’s Government Investigations and Corporate Compliance Team. Chutkow, who will reside in the firm’s Bloomfield Hills office, comes to Dykema after serving as an Assistant U.S. Attorney for 24 years, including the past 17 in the Eastern District of Michigan.

As the leader of Dykema’s Government Investigations and Corporate Compliance practice, Chutkow will help companies and executives navigate through complex, high-stakes government enforcement and civil litigation matters. His practice extends from fraud, RICO, and corruption matters to environmental enforcement actions. Chutkow’s experience spans routine compliance audits, high-stakes, high-profile investigations, and courtroom litigation.

“Mark is a top-tier, highly respected trial attorney and counselor who has more than two decades’ worth of invaluable experience leading and overseeing high-profile law enforcement matters,” said Mike Cooney, Director of Dykema’s Litigation Department. “His background as a Federal Prosecutor handling nearly every type of civil and criminal case will be a tremendous resource for our clients. We’re thrilled for Mark to lead our Government Investigations and Corporate Compliance Team.”

As a Federal Prosecutor, Chutkow first served as an Assistant U.S. Attorney in Seattle before transferring to the Eastern District of Michigan, where he headed the Public Corruption Unit and later the 85-prosecutor Criminal Division. In those roles, he investigated, tried, and supervised cases resulting in convictions of some of the most recognized names in local government. Chutkow also obtained and oversaw record-breaking criminal fines and penalties against global manufacturers and officials engaged in consumer fraud, corruption, and kickback schemes.

Throughout his career, Chutkow has received numerous honors, including multiple Director’s Awards for Superior Performance from the Executive Office for U.S. Attorneys, as well as recognition from IRS Criminal Investigation, the U.S. Department of Justice, and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. He received the Leonard R. Gilman Award for the practice of criminal law from the Federal Bar Association, Eastern District of Michigan. He is a Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers.

Chutkow earned a J.D. from the University of Chicago Law School and a B.A., cum laude, from Yale University.

DALLAS – Simon Greenstone Panatier, PC, announced today that the firm’s lead attorney in opioid litigation, Jeffrey B. Simon, working with a committee of trial lawyers and the Office of the Texas Attorney General, have reached historic settlements totaling $1.85 billion for Texans in the state’s ongoing opioid multidistrict litigation (MDL).

Members of the negotiating team that secured these opioid settlements included Dara Hegar of The Lanier Law Firm, Mikal Watts and Shelly Sanford of the firm Watts Guerra, attorney Dan Downey, and Ken Paxton and Lesley French of the Texas Office of the Attorney General.

The settlements were executed with several drug companies and distributors in the opioid supply chain, including Johnson & Johnson, Endo Pharmaceuticals, McKesson Corporation, Cardinal Health, Teva Pharmaceuticals and AmerisourceBergen.

A $1.775 billion cash award will reimburse local governments and the state of Texas for costs associated with opioid abuse and fund an intensive harm-reduction program to combat the ongoing epidemic. Additionally, $75 million is earmarked for NARCAN® Nasal Spray, a life-saving drug that can reverse opioid overdoses when administered in time, to be distributed across the state.

“Our firm is especially proud of our client Dallas County,” Simon observed. “Through its dedication to aggressively prosecuting its civil case, Dallas County has led the way in holding specific prescription opioid drug companies responsible for their roles in fueling the opioid epidemic. We thank the Honorable Robert Schaffer who has presided over the Texas Opioid MDL, for his skill and efforts in managing this litigation. I am also very gratified to see how trial lawyers, healthcare professionals, and public servants across a broad political spectrum found true common purpose and worked together in this resolution process on behalf of all Texans.”

About Simon Greenstone Panatier

Simon Greenstone Panatier, PC, is a nationally recognized trial law firm with a reputation for creative and aggressive representation of clients in a wide variety of catastrophic personal injury matters nationwide.

NEW YORK – February 28, 2022— Epiq, a global technology-enabled services leader to law firms and corporations, announced today it has appointed Cole Morgan as senior director for Epiq’s Legal Business Advisory Group.

Morgan brings to Epiq’s clientele decades of experience, unique advisory talent and authoritative legal operations and technology expertise. In this role, he will guide corporate legal departments through strategic transformation and digitalization initiatives that advance legal services management and deliver improved outcomes.

“General counsel and legal operations leaders require high value-add advisory and transformation services in order to deliver legal services more effectively and efficiently, and with more insights from data,” said Eyal Iffergan, Managing Director, Legal Business Advisory. “Cole’s addition to our team will further enable us to help complex, global corporations build and run world-class legal operations.”

Morgan has more than 20 years of management experience in the legal technology and legal operations sectors. Prior to joining Epiq, he was vice president of operations at Onit, where he helped corporate legal departments to optimize service delivery and develop strategies that define the value of legal services within the corporation. Previously, Morgan served in an in-house legal business operations role at LyondellBasell — a multinational, Fortune 500 chemical company.

Morgan further strengthens a team that was recently named the best provider in Legal Operations by ALM in their inaugural Legalweek Leaders in Tech Law Awards. “Our mission to empower innovation in legal service management continues to differentiate Epiq as a world-class global leader,” said Ziad Mantoura, Epiq’s Senior Vice President and General Manager, Legal & Consulting Solutions. “That mission is powered by our people, and we are thrilled to add someone of Cole’s caliber to our team. I’m sure our clients will be too.”

Morgan has an MBA from Rice University and a BBA in Management Information Systems from Texas A&M University. He is a member of CLOC and frequently speaks on issues relevant to corporate legal departments.

About Epiq Legal Transformation Services
Epiq Legal Transformation Services provides expertise and technology solutions to help in-house legal departments and law firms meet near-term challenges while empowering them to build a digital future. That vision includes driving automation into critical legal processes like spend management and contract management, incorporating innovative staffing models and turning data into actionable insights – all to improve outcomes. For more information on Epiq and its transformation services for the business of law, visit us here.

About Epiq
Epiq, a global technology-enabled services leader to the legal industry and corporations, takes on large-scale, increasingly complex tasks for corporate counsel, law firms and business professionals with efficiency, clarity and confidence. Clients rely on Epiq to streamline the administration and transformation of business and legal operations, class action and mass tort, court reporting, eDiscovery, regulatory, compliance, restructuring and bankruptcy matters. Epiq subject-matter experts and technologies create efficiency through expertise and deliver confidence to high-performing clients around the world. Learn more at www.epiqglobal.com.

Press Contact
Jessica Abad-Serpas
Epiq
+1 713 471 6702
jessica.abad-serpas@epiqglobal.com

Dallas Trial Lawyer Dick Sayles Inducted into D Magazine’s Inaugural Hall of Fame List

Mr. Sayles is one of 50 selected for prestigious honor

DALLAS – Esteemed trial lawyer and Bradley partner Dick Sayles is being honored as a member of D Magazine’s first Best Lawyers in Dallas Hall of Fame list. The award is one the magazine is bestowing only on attorneys who have been named to its Best Lawyers in Dallas list a minimum of 15 times.

“When you’re doing a client’s work, you’re of course concentrating on that and not really thinking about these kinds of honors,” said Mr. Sayles. “But it is very gratifying to see the good work you do honored in this way. And it is nice to be included among the other fine lawyers named to this list.”

Mr. Sayles has developed a national reputation for his work in the courtroom, bringing over 150 cases to verdict and earning more than a dozen multimillion-dollar jury verdicts along with high-profile defense wins. He has an active caseload in state and federal venues across the country, representing clients in a range of commercial litigation including securities, healthcare, product liability, patent infringement disputes and high-stakes commercial litigation.

Honored as the Dallas Bar Association’s Trial Lawyer of the Year in 2018, Mr. Sayles has also been recognized by Benchmark Litigation and Best Lawyers in America. In addition, he is a Fellow in the American College of Trial Lawyers, the International Academy of Trial Lawyers, and the International Society of Barristers. Mr. Sayles was featured in Texas Lawbook’s “Lions of the Texas Bar” and has been selected among the Texas Super Lawyers Top 10 lawyers in Texas multiple times. Mr. Sayles was previously named in the 2020 edition of the Lawdragon 500 Leading Lawyers in America, and most recently he was inducted into Lawdragon’s Hall of Fame earlier this year.

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 nearly 600 lawyers represent clients worldwide in a wide range of professions, including financial services, healthcare, construction, technology, energy, insurance, and many others.

Contract Logix, a leading provider of data-driven contract management software, today announced the appointment of its new Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Karen Meyer. Meyer brings more than 20 years of Software as a Service (SaaS) experience to the role, as well as a passion for helping organizations scale and grow.

She joins Contract Logix from Upland Software, where she served as head of the company’s Global Customer Success organization, responsible for commercial and customer engagement teams for over a dozen products. Meyer will leverage this experience to lead and accelerate Contract Logix through its next phase of growth, as it continues its mission to help organizations uncover and mitigate hidden contractual risk through process automation, data-driven intelligence, and real-time collaboration.

In her prior role, Meyer was critical in driving Upland’s M&A and integration strategies leading to high growth and strong customer retention. She brings a unique blend of customer advocacy, communications, and sales effectiveness and enablement skills to Contract Logix. She also held executive leadership roles at Qvidian, a proposal and RFP automation provider, leading to the acquisition of the company in 2017.

“Contract Logix has over fifteen years of experience helping customers automate and optimize their contract management and support their broader digital transformation efforts, and I could not be more excited about joining this team,” said Meyer. “I am passionate about listening to customers and helping solve problems. Joining a company with a customer-centric culture focused on helping them successfully achieve fast time-to-value and broad user adoption seemed like the perfect fit. I look forward to helping grow our business and strengthening existing relationships.”

“As a longtime leading provider of data-driven contract lifecycle management software, Contract Logix has a tremendous growth opportunity in serving the needs of any organization looking to streamline their contracting processes,” said Lewis Miller, Chairman of the Board of Directors at Contract Logix. “We believe Karen will help accelerate the pace of growth and innovation of the company, and with her outstanding mix of strategic and operational experience, Contract Logix will continue to scale with speed.”

This announcement closely follows a period of significant growth for Contract Logix. Over the past 12-months, the company has seen a triple-digit percentage increase in platform usage as it rapidly adds new customers and expands existing relationships. This tremendous growth is evidence of the need and desire for organizations to digitally transform and simplify the way they conduct business with greater compliance, business agility, security, and collaboration.

February 23, 2022 – Wiggin and Dana announced its participation in Diversity Lab’s Mansfield Rule for Midsize Law Firms, underscoring the firm’s commitment to tangible progress towards greater Diversity, Equity and Inclusion across the firm and in the legal profession. From March 2022 to September 2023, the firm will join other participating firms in a certification process to boost diversity in leadership.

The Mansfield Rule aims to broaden the pool of women, LGBTQ+ lawyers, lawyers with disabilities, and racial and ethnic minority lawyers who are considered for entry-level and lateral attorney job openings, leadership opportunities, partner promotions, and opportunities to connect with clients. Participating firms must engage in hiring, promotion and leadership transition activities aimed at increasing representation of underrepresented lawyers in leadership roles to at least 30 percent. Diversity Lab, an incubator for innovative ideas and solutions that boost diversity and inclusion in the legal industry, developed the midsize iteration of the Mansfield Rule initiative to better serve appropriate firms.

“The Mansfield Rule provides a framework for us to increase representation and promotion of diverse talent, which is critical to our mission of working towards a more equitable and inclusive firm and legal industry,” said Tim Diemand, Wiggin and Dana’s Managing Partner. “DEI is a cornerstone of our firm’s culture and The Mansfield Rule will help ensure that we remain intentional in our efforts.”

“Real progress towards representation requires action and measurement,” said Jana Simon, Wiggin and Dana’s Chief DEI Officer. “These two areas act as pillars of the Mansfield Rule, allowing us to take meaningful steps on the road towards advancing diversity and inclusion.” Wiggin and Dana’s DEI action plan, DEI DRIVE, aims to drive the firm into the top 33 percent of its law firm peer group for diversity in five years, and the top 25 percent in ten years. The firm’s participation in the Mansfield initiative follows several important steps taken towards Wiggin and Dana’s DEI goals. Last month, the firm created a C-level leadership role fully dedicated to addressing DEI.

The International Association of Defense Counsel (IADC) has announced that Lyndey R. Z. Bryant, a partner at Adams and Reese LLP in Columbia, South Carolina, has accepted an invitation to join the IADC, the preeminent invitation-only global legal organization for attorneys who represent corporate and insurance interests.

“As a participant in the IADC’s 2018 Trial Academy, I am familiar with the IADC’s dedication to continued education, leadership skills training, and opportunities to network and grow through relationships with other lawyers,” Ms. Bryant said. “I am excited for the opportunity to get more involved with the IADC as I have seen the tremendous impact it has had on partners of mine over the years.”

Ms. Bryant focuses her practice in the areas of commercial litigation; appellate; financial services litigation (commercial and consumer); and estate, trust and fiduciary litigation.

Ms. Bryant currently serves on the executive committee of the John Belton O’Neall American Inn of Court and as a member of the South Carolina Women Lawyers Association. In addition, she is actively involved with the South Carolina Bar, including as a council member of the Trial and Appellate Advocacy Section, a member of the Diversity Committee, and chair of the inaugural Pro Bono Committee of the Young Lawyers Division. She also is a graduate of the South Carolina Bar Leadership Academy.

Ms. Bryant received her J.D. from the University of South Carolina School of Law and her Bachelor of Arts from Furman University.

About the International Association of Defense Counsel
The IADC is the preeminent invitation-only global legal organization for attorneys who represent corporate and insurance interests. Founded in 1920, the IADC has members who hail from six continents, 51 countries and territories, and all 50 U.S. states. The core purposes of the IADC are to enhance the development of skills, promote professionalism, and facilitate camaraderie among its members and their clients, as well as the broader civil justice community. For more information, visit www.iadclaw.org.

Venable filed a trade secret misappropriation lawsuit in the Southern District of New York on behalf of Hedgeye Risk Management, an independent investment research and online financial media firm. The defendants are Nadine Terman, founder and CEO of Solstein Capital and a regular television business news contributor, together with Solstein Capital itself. The complaint alleges that Terman and Solstein conspired with investor Steven Lamar and a disgruntled former Hedgeye managing director, Darius Dale, themselves defendants in a related lawsuit Venable filed on behalf of Hedgeye last year in the same court.

Terman’s hedge fund, Solstein Capital, subscribed to Hedgeye’s institutional research from 2017 until April 2021. The complaint alleges that in March 2021, Terman contacted then-Hedgeye macro analyst Darius Dale and developed a plan whereby 1) Dale would steal Hedgeye’s trade secrets 2) Dale’s and Terman’s partner and co-conspirator Steven Lamar would finance and manage the launch of a competing business, “42 Macro,” and 3) 42 Macro would provide Solstein with research virtually identical to what Solstein had been buying from Hedgeye.

The Venable team includes Eric Prager and Tom Wallerstein.