Gardere Wynne Sewell LLP has added David Cabrales as a litigation partner in the firm’s Dallas office. Cabrales also will work with members of the firm’s Government Affairs team in Austin.

Cabrales, who joins Gardere from Locke Lord LLP, has broad experience representing clients in government and commercial litigation matters. He frequently represents financial institutions, securities broker-dealers, retailers, and life and health insurance companies in traditional, class-action and multidistrict lawsuits, and arbitrations. Cabrales also counsels clients in matters before state government, and represents businesses in litigation matters initiated by state attorneys general.

From 2007 to 2009, Cabrales served as general counsel to Texas Gov. Rick Perry, leading a legal team that advised the governor and his staff on a variety of topics at the intersection of law and public policy. He served as principal economic development advisor for the governor and helped administer the Texas Enterprise Fund, the Texas Emerging Technology Fund, Texas One and other programs in the governor’s economic development portfolio. In addition, Perry appointed Cabrales to the Texas Economic Development Corporation in 2010 and again in 2014, where he served as chairman from 2010 to 2012. He is a member of the bipartisan Federal Judicial Evaluation Committee, which is composed of leading Texas attorneys who screen and recommend nominees for vacancies on the federal bench and in U.S. attorney offices across Texas.

“As a former general counsel to the Texas governor, David has a broad understanding of the important issues facing our clients today,” says Gardere Chair Holland N. O’Neil. “His commercial litigation and state government expertise will be welcomed by our clients, and will further enhance our Litigation and Government Affairs practices. He is an excellent addition to the Gardere team.”

A graduate of Southern Methodist University Dedman School of Law, Cabrales began his legal career as a briefing attorney to former Texas Supreme Court Justice Raul Gonzalez. He is a member of the United Way of Texas Board of Directors and United Way of Metropolitan Dallas Foundation, as well as a past member of the Texas Racing Commission. 

“Gardere is the premier Texas-based law firm, and has the top government affairs group in Austin,” says Mr. Cabrales. “The Firm’s attorneys are among the most respected in their field. I am excited to be joining this exceptional group of professionals.”;

Cabrales is the latest high-level addition to Gardere. Texas State Representative Jason Villalba joined the firm’s Dallas office in July, and litigation partner Craig Dillard joined the Houston office in January.

Gardere Wynne Sewell LLP, an Am Law 200 firm founded in 1909 and one of the Southwest’s largest full-service law firms, has offices in Austin, Dallas, Houston and Mexico City. Gardere provides legal services to private and public companies and individuals in the areas of corporate, energy, environmental, financial restructuring and reorganization, financial services, government affairs, hospitality, insurance, intellectual property, international, labor and employment, litigation, private equity, real estate and tax.

Stradley Ronon announced that commercial litigation and insurance attorney Mark D. Villanueva has joined the firm as a partner in its Philadelphia office. He was most recently a partner with McCarter & English.

Villanueva represents clients in commercial litigation matters, having amassed extensive litigation experience at the trial and appellate levels in state and federal courts and in arbitration proceedings. He also counsels clients in the negotiation and drafting of commercial contracts and sponsorship agreements. Villanueva has worked with companies in numerous industries, including insurance, energy, oil and gas, financial services, pharmaceutical and health care.

Villanueva brings with him to Stradley Ronon significant litigation, transactional and intellectual property matters, the firm said in a release.

“Mark is widely regarded as one of the region’s top young attorneys, and we are thrilled to have him join Stradley Ronon,” said firm Chairman William R. Sasso. “His commercial litigation and insurance experience complements our existing practice areas and further advances our mission of providing clients with skilled attorneys committed to providing value-driven results.”

“Joining Stradley Ronon gives me a large, sophisticated and highly visible platform from which to serve my clients,” said Villanueva. “While I was familiar with the firm’s deep roster of legal talent in areas such as litigation, insurance, intellectual property and corporate law, I was just as impressed with its commitment to responsive, efficient, comprehensive client service, which is particularly attractive to my contacts.”

Stradley Ronon’s nationally recognized insurance practice group counsels leading insurers, reinsurers and producers, and, when necessary, litigates on their behalf. The firm helps insurers resolve disputes regarding the full spectrum of commercial and individual coverage lines, including transactional and regulatory matters and complex claims and litigation. In addition, Stradley Ronon’s complex commercial litigation practice represents public and private companies in a wide range of industries on litigation issues including securities fraud allegations, director and office liability, merger and acquisition disputes, shareholder disputes, intellectual property claims, business torts, contract claims and lender liability matters. The firm’s litigation practice group was recognized by The Legal Intelligencer as one of the top litigation departments in Pennsylvania.

“Mark’s unique combination of business savvy and courtroom experience strengthens the capabilities of our growing corporate and litigation teams,” said Stradley Ronon Insurance Practice Group Chair Steven B. Davis “His passion for the law and commitment to client service will instantly resonate with our client base.”

Prior to joining McCarter & English, Villanueva clerked for the Honorable Paul S. Diamond of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. He began his legal career as an associate at Drinker Biddle. Villanueva was honored as one of The Legal Intelligencer’s “Lawyers on the Fast Track.”

He received his J.D. magna cum laude from The Catholic University Columbus School of Law, where he was notes and comments editor of The Catholic University Law Review, and his B.A. from Bucknell University.

About Stradley Ronon Stevens & Young

Counseling clients since 1926, Stradley Ronon has helped private and public companies – from small businesses to Fortune 500 corporations – achieve their goals by providing pragmatic, value-driven legal counsel, the release said. The firm has seven offices throughout the mid-Atlantic region.

Gardere Wynne Sewell LLP has relocated the firm’s Houston office. Although the firm will remain in Wells Fargo Plaza in downtown Houston, the office, spanning nearly 75,000 square feet, will be relocated to floors 20-22, effective immediately.

“We are thrilled to begin operation out of our new and innovative office,” says Gardere Vice Chair Eric A. Blumrosen. “The space is designed to accommodate modern law firm operations, particularly the use of technology. Our new office will enable us to implement multiple efficiencies for our clients, lawyers and staff for years to come.”

In a release, the firm said the fully redesigned interior office space will allow Gardere to incorporate state-of-the-art technology and workspace amenities for its employees. In addition, the modernized configuration will accommodate future growth and further embodies the firm’s brand and culture. The relocation emphasizes Gardere’s commitment to client service, responsiveness and overall quality of work – fundamental to the success of the firm and its clients.

Gardere’s leadership team felt it was in the firm’s best interest to remain at Wells Fargo Plaza based on its first-rate facilities and easily accessible location, the release said. The firm has been a Wells Fargo Plaza tenant for the past 16 years.

The property is the largest multi-tenant building in the southwestern United States with more than 1.7 million square feet of rentable office space. The building occupies an entire city block, surrounded by Louisiana, Lamar, Smith and McKinney Streets in downtown Houston. CBRE manages and leases the building.

The new Houston office address is 2000 Wells Fargo Plaza, 1000 Louisiana Street, Houston, TX 77002.

Kat Gallagher, partner in Beck Redden’s Houston office, has been invited to become a Fellow of the International Academy of Trial Lawyers (IATL).

“With more than 25 years practicing law, Kat has distinguished herself as an elite trial lawyer with outstanding instincts for how to best tell her client’s story in the most persuasive and compelling manner,” the firm said in a release. “Her invitation to become an IATL Fellow is well deserved.”

The news release continues:

“I am truly honored and grateful to become an IATL Fellow” said Kat. “I am humbled to have received this recognition from the judges before whom I have appeared and from my peers.”

Kat will officially be inducted as an IATL Fellow during a ceremony to be held on July 25, 2015.

Membership in the Academy is limited to only 500 Fellows in the U.S. under the age of 70.  Standards for admission are high and the process is extremely thorough. Imperative qualities for every nominee include outstanding skills and extensive experience as a trial lawyer, unimpeachable personal and professional character, and integrity and honesty, among others.

The purposes of the IATL are to promote the rule of law, promote reforms in the law, facilitate the administration of justice, and elevate the standards of integrity, honor, and courtesy in the legal profession globally.

Two attorneys and a paralegal from the Law Offices of John W. Giblin, Jr., P.C. have joined Farrell Fritz. The Melville-based, Martindale-Hubbell AV-rated firm concentrated in estate planning, business succession planning, estate management and estate litigation.

John W. Giblin, Jr., a Lloyd Harbor, NY resident, is counsel to the firm, concentrating in trusts and estates law. He earned his Juris Doctor degree from Fordham University School of Law and his undergraduate degree from Fairfield University. He is admitted to practice before all courts in New York State, as well as the United States Tax Court and the Supreme Court of the United States.

Yeshim E. O’Donnell, a Lloyd Harbor, NY resident, is also trusts and estates counsel. She earned her Juris Doctor degree from Fordham University School of Law and her Bachelor of Arts degree from The Johns Hopkins University. She is admitted to practice in New York.

JoAnn Jostlin, a Jericho, NY resident, is a paralegal.

AlixPartners, the global advisory firm, has announced that Kathryn Koorenny has joined the firm as Managing Director and General Counsel. Ms. Koorenny will join the firm’s senior leadership team and be based in AlixPartners’ New York office.

Ms. Koorenny succeeds John Collins, who is stepping down after eight years of service to pursue a career in academia.

Ms. Koorenny joins AlixPartners from American Airlines, where she spent 20 years, most recently as Associate General Counsel, Litigation and Compliance. There, she was responsible for global commercial litigation and corporate compliance.

“Kathryn is an accomplished attorney who brings exceptional experience, passion and energy to her work,” said Fred Crawford, CEO of AlixPartners. “I look forward to working with her and believe she will bring a unique perspective to the senior leadership team. It is a pleasure to welcome her to the firm.”

Ms. Koorenny’s background also includes considerable experience in legal and business ethics leadership, litigation, and mergers and integration on both sides of Chapter 11 bankruptcies. As such, she has a deep understanding of the sensitive situations AlixPartners’ clients often face and a demonstrated track record of providing highly responsive and effective counsel.

“AlixPartners consultants work under extreme pressure to deliver exceptional results – and our legal team works just as hard to support them,” said Kathryn Koorenny, General Counsel of AlixPartners. “I am excited to join the team and will be a passionate advocate for our business, our clients, and our people.”

Prior to joining American Airlines, Ms. Koorenny worked as an attorney in the litigation practice of Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher, where she represented secured creditors, lessors, and Chapter 11 debtors.

Ms. Koorenny holds a J.D. from the University of Southern California Law Center and a B.A. from Loma Linda University.

About AlixPartners
AlixPartners is a leading global business advisory firm of results-oriented professionals who specialize in creating value and restoring performance at every stage of the business life cycle. We thrive on our ability to make a difference in high-impact situations and to deliver sustainable, bottom-line results. The firm’s expertise covers a wide range of businesses and industries whether they are healthy, challenged or distressed. Since 1981, we have taken a unique, small-team, action-oriented approach to helping corporate boards and management, law firms, investment banks, and investors to respond to crucial business issues. For more information, visit www.alixpartners.com.

The Expert Institute is working on a comprehensive ranking of legal blogs as a part of its 2015 Best Legal Blog Contest.

“You’ve written hundreds of posts, scored thousands of pageviews, and won diehard fans and subscribers,” the Institute says on its website. “Whether you offer insightful analysis of a niche legal topic or light hearted commentary on life as a lawyer, your legal blog deserves some recognition.

“From medical malpractice to intellectual property and criminal law, we’re creating the largest and most comprehensive ranking of legal blogs online today as chosen by thousands of voters – and we want your blog to earn a spot on the list.”

The Institute says each blog will compete for rank, as well as exposure to our monthly readership of more than 200,000 legal professionals. The three blogs that receive the most votes overall will win cash prizes.

Enter the contest.

The Dallas-based law firm Gruber Hurst Elrod Johansen Hail Shank LLP, one of the largest litigation-focused boutique practices in Texas, has added two high-profile attorneys as partners.

“Samuel M. Stricklin and Tricia R. DeLeon together offer more than 40 years of combined legal experience, enhancing the firm’s growing practice representing bankruptcy plan trustees and others in major bankruptcy litigation,” the firm said in a release. “Ms. DeLeon and Mr. Stricklin previously were partners in the Dallas office of Bracewell & Giuliani.”

“Tricia and Sam each offer a diverse and impressive record of success in courtrooms throughout Texas and across the nation,” says firm name partner Mark Johansen. “Their collective accomplishments, commitment to effective client service, and history of professional and community involvement reflect the values and qualities of our firm. We’re delighted they made the decision to join us.”

Sam Stricklin

Stricklin has served as lead trial attorney in a wide range of business bankruptcy and litigation matters during the past 25 years, representing debtors, trustees, creditor committees and individual creditors in negotiations and contested hearings. Board Certified in Business Bankruptcy Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization, Stricklin earned his law degree from the University of Houston Law Center in 1987 and his undergraduate degree from Texas A&M University in 1984.

Tricia DeLeon

DeLeon has tried numerous jury trials in state and federal courts, focusing her practice on complex commercial litigation in financial, banking and securities matters, as well as director and officer insurance disputes, commercial bankruptcies and class-action defense. Active in a number of legal and civic organizations, DeLeon earned her law degree from Southern Methodist University’s Dedman School of Law in 1999 after securing her undergraduate degree, with honors, from DePauw University in 1996. She also served as a briefing attorney for the Hon. James A. Baker at the Texas Supreme Court during the 1999-2000 session.

In its release, Gruber Hurst Elrod Johansen Hail Shank LLP said the firm represents clients in complex commercial litigation in Texas and across the nation. “The firm’s experience includes litigation involving energy, contract disputes, pipeline construction, partnership dissolutions, fiduciary matters, labor and employment, securities and shareholder disputes, intellectual property, bankruptcy and other business and commercial cases. Clients include leading companies and individuals as both defendants and plaintiffs across a broad range of industries,” the release continues.

Partners Group, the global private markets investment manager, has agreed to acquire Knowledge Universe’s US early-childhood education business (KUE LLC) on behalf of its clients. KUE LLC is the largest for-profit provider of early childhood education in the United States and the parent company of KinderCare Learning Centers, as well as the brands Children’s Creative Learning Centers (CCLC) and Champions. The transaction is expected to close later this year.

Latham & Watkins LLP represented Knowledge Universe in the transaction with a corporate team led from the firm’s Los Angeles office by partner Brad Helms, with associates Jordan Miller and Alyssa Chi. Advice was also provided on finance matters by partner John Jameson and associate Mark Morris in Los Angeles; on real estate matters by partner David Meckler and associate Hilary Shalla in Orange County; on employee benefits matters by partner Laurence Seymour in Los Angeles and associate Julie Crisp in San Francisco; on tax matters by partner Samuel Weiner in Los Angeles and associate Enrique Rene de Vera in Chicago; on intellectual property matters by counsel David Kuiper in Orange County; on environmental matters by partner Michael Feeley, with associates Aron Potash and John Morris in Los Angeles; and on antitrust matters by counsel Sydney Smith in Washington, D.C.

KinderCare Learning Centers has been educating and caring for children for over 45 years and has a strong reputation for delivering high-quality educational programs through approximately 1’400 centers in 38 states. KinderCare is on track to achieve 100% national accreditation of its centers in 2016. In May 2015, the company saw its 1’000th center achieve this prestigious accreditation milestone, which signifies a program is of the highest quality recognized nationally in the early-childhood education field. KinderCare is KUE LLC’s largest subsidiary.

KUE LLC owns two additional education businesses, CCLC and Champions. CCLC provides early-childhood care and educational services similar to those offered by KinderCare, in partnership with corporate clients, government agencies and leading universities. It currently provides programs for more than 200 clients and operates approximately 100 centers. Champions partners with schools to offer before- and after-school educational and developmental programs. It currently runs over 400 programs across the US.

Following the investment, Partners Group will work with the KUE LLC management team on several initiatives to expand its programs and enhance the experience for families enrolled at its centers, drawing on its long track record of investment in the education sector globally.

Tom Wyatt, CEO of KUE LLC, comments: “Partners Group shares our passion for positively impacting the lives of children and families every day through quality education. Families will see the same experienced, dedicated teachers and the same exceptional programs as we continue to build on our strong foundation. I’m extremely proud of our employees’ hard work over the past three years in transforming our company financially and culturally. It’s rewarding to now have the potential to support even more children within our programs.”

Joel Schwartz, Managing Director, Private Equity at Partners Group, will join the Board of KUE LLC once the transaction completes. He states: “KUE LLC is an innovative market leader that has achieved measurable impact with its early-childhood educational programs. Since 2012, Tom Wyatt and the rest of the executive team have increased the focus on engagement amongst both employees and families, leading to increased enrollment. They have also invested in a new curriculum and increased support for professional development, leading to a rapid climb in the number of centers gaining national accreditation through professional organizations such as the National Association for the Education of Young Children. We are looking forward toworking alongside the executive team to build on this momentum and further raise the bar for standards in early-childhood education in the US.”

The transaction has fully committed financing from Credit Suisse, Barclays and Bank of Montreal and is subject to regulatory approvals and customary closing conditions. Credit Suisse, Barclays, BMO Capital Markets, Goodwin Procter LLP and KPMG LLP are advising Partners Group on the transaction.

Farrell Fritz partner Jason S. Samuels was recently appointed Chair of the Nassau County Bar Association’s (NCBA) Construction Law Committee. He will serve a two year term.

Samuels, a Roslyn Heights, NY, resident, concentrates his practice in construction law. He represents contractors, owners and developers in a variety of matters. He earned his J.D. degree from Hofstra University School of Law and his B.A. degree from the State University of New York at Albany.

The Construction Law Committee is a forum for the discussion of construction-related topics.

Beck Redden LLP Partner Alistair Dawson and his wife Wendy are featured in the current issue of The Houston Lawyer magazine. The couple is recognized for their unwavering dedication and passion for helping others, especially children and adults with special needs.

In addition to their renowned efforts and success within the legal and commodities trading professions, both Alistair and Wendy are deeply committed to the Social Motion Skills, a non‐profit organization that Wendy founded in 2010, and to the H.E.A.R.T. program where Alistair serves as Chairman. Social Motion Skills is aimed at teaching life and social skills to autistic children and adults, and the H.E.A.R.T. program provides education, training, and jobs to developmentally challenged young adults.

Beck Redden is a litigation firm that handles a wide range of disputes including commercial, oil and gas, product liability, antitrust, securities, environmental, insurance coverage, legal and accounting malpractice, white collar crimes, patent and other intellectual property cases.

Microsystems announces the promotion of David Cook to the position of Vice President, Product Development, succeeding newly-appointed CEO Stacey Kacek in the position as the leader of the Downers Grove, Ill.-based software company’s product team.

Cook, who joined Microsystems in 2013 as the Director of Software Development, has worked with Kacek at three different companies, each time joining when Kacek recruited him. Cook’s background includes escalating positions in consulting, software development, and engineering with Andersen Consulting, IBM, Motorola, SmartSignal, and GE.

Kacek said this of the appointment: “David enables us to innovate fast. When I arrived at Microsystems in 2013 as VP of Product Development and CTO, I knew I had much to do accelerate our pace of product development to match the rapidly-changing needs of the markets we serve. David was the first person I called. Together we were able to implement rapid changes in our methodologies to agile development, and make large changes in our staffing models, and from there, our product roadmap. As the leader of our product development team, he will continue to expand the efforts we started together and continue to ensure our products truly deliver the value our customers demand.”

The Microsystems product lineup currently includes four software solutions to assist document-intensive businesses such as the legal, life sciences, and financial verticals: DocXtools; EagleEye; Patent Companion; and 3BClean. These products meet the complex demands associated with all aspects of the document production life cycle—authoring, review, proofreading, editing, and distribution. Cook, working with Kacek has driven broad innovation efforts into Microsystems product lineup, expanding existing products, launching new product efforts, and into supporting mobile and cloud computing.

About Microsystems:
Microsystems has provided cutting-edge software and innovative document technology solutions since 1995. Its products help companies worldwide mitigate risk, improve authoring, create error-free documents, and enhance document production efficiency. Today, Microsystems supports more than 650 document-intensive organizations across the globe, helping them satisfy the complex demands of clients and regulators.

Gardere Wynne Sewell LLP announces that attorney and Texas State Rep. Jason Villalba has joined the firm as a corporate partner in the Dallas office.

Villalba, who joins Gardere from Haynes and Boone LLP, brings more than a decade of experience representing clients in a wide array of corporate transactions, including mergers, acquisitions and divestitures of public, private and middle-market companies; venture capital and private equity financing transactions; and transactions involving emerging growth and technology companies, the firm said in a release. In addition, Villalba has experience representing clients in public and private securities offerings under the Securities Act of 1933, as well as public company corporate compliance under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.

“An important part of Villalba’s practice includes his work with the Texas Legislature. He currently serves as the state representative for House District 114, where he focuses on key issues facing all Texans – education, water, transportation and public safety,” the release says. “Since taking office in 2013, Mr. Villalba has been committed to working with colleagues on both sides of the aisle to find consensus and pass legislation that benefits Texans and positively affects the future of the state. As a result, in his first session as a legislator, seven of the 10 bills he proposed were signed into law, and in his second session, he passed an additional 10 bills – with none vetoed by the governor.”

“Through Jason’s service in the Texas Legislature, he has developed a unique understanding of the business and regulatory needs facing our clients,” said Gardere Chair Holland N. O’Neil. “He is well-known in our market and very well-respected. We are excited to welcome him to the Firm.”

Last year, the Republican State Leadership Committee named Villalba to serve as an executive committee member of the Future Majority Caucus, an initiative to create a long-term, sustained commitment of significant contributions of time and resources to support and elect minorities to state offices. He is the immediate past vice-chair of the Dallas County Republican Party, a member of the board of directors of Dallas Mayor Mike Rawlings’ Grow South Fund, and a member of the development committee of the Dallas Zoo.

A fourth-generation Texan, Villalba credits his parents for teaching him the value of hard work, integrity, academic achievement and personal responsibility. The first in his family to graduate from college, Villalba worked his way through Baylor University where he studied economics and finance. He went on to earn his law degree at the University of Texas School of Law.

“I am excited about the opportunity to work with the team at Gardere,” said Mr. Villalba. “The Firm’s commitment to providing world-class legal services is matched only by the exceptional quality of the lawyers who call Gardere home. It is both an honor and a privilege for me to be able to continue my legal career with such a capable and well-respected group of counselors.”

Villalba joins Gardere‘s corporate practice, which focuses on sophisticated transactions across a wide variety of industries throughout the United States, Mexico and beyond. The team is known for its work with entrepreneurs and among middle-market companies, both public and private, particularly within the technology and energy sectors.

Gardere Wynne Sewell LLP, an Am Law 200 firm founded in 1909 and one of the Southwest’s largest full-service law firms, has offices in Austin, Dallas, Houston and Mexico City. Gardere provides legal services to private and public companies and individuals in the areas of corporate, energy, environmental, financial restructuring and reorganization, financial services, government affairs, hospitality, insurance, intellectual property, international, labor and employment, litigation, private equity, real estate and tax.

National law firm Wilson Elser announces that Jeffrey C. Hart has joined the firm’s Detroit Metro office in Livonia, Michigan, as of counsel. Prior to joining Wilson Elser, Hart was of counsel with Segal McCambridge Singer & Mahoney.

Hart litigates employment, complex commercial, product liability, medical malpractice, transportation, general liability, professional liability and workers’ compensation matters.

An accomplished attorney with more than 280 cases tried before various administrative agencies, judges and juries, Hart represents Fortune 500 companies, cities, universities, hospitals, physicians groups and individuals in civil and criminal matters.

“Jeff is a welcome addition to our Metro Detroit office,” said John Eads, regional managing partner of the office, in a release. “His experience representing clients across a broad spectrum of practices and industries adds tremendous value to the counsel we provide our clients and to our office – one of the firm’s newest. The clients who accompany Jeff will benefit from his role as their one point of contact for Wilson Elser’s national, full-service platform.”

Hart believes in staying abreast of the most recent developments in the legal sector and is affiliated with several bar associations, including the American Bar Association, DRI: The Voice of the Defense Bar and the State Bar of Michigan, and maintains memberships on numerous committees within each group.

Committed to pro bono service, Hart volunteers with the Homeless Experience Legal Protection (H.E.L.P), a program offered through Sts. Peter and Paul Jesuit Church’s Warming Center that assists homeless men and women with legal issues.

Hart earned his B.A. degree from Michigan State University (1992) and his J.D. degree from Loyola University Chicago School of Law (1995), where he served on the editorial board for the Loyola Consumer Law Reporter and on the advisory board for the publication’s predecessor, Loyola Consumer Law Review.

About Wilson Elser

Wilson Elser, a full-service and leading defense litigation law firm (www.wilsonelser.com), serves its clients with nearly 800 attorneys in 27 offices in the United States and one in London and through a network of affiliates in key regions globally. Founded in 1978, it ranks among the top 200 law firms identified by The American Lawyer and is included in the top 50 of The National Law Journal’s survey of the nation’s largest law firms. Wilson Elser serves a growing, loyal base of clients with innovative thinking and an in-depth understanding of their respective businesses.

Dallas family law firm VernerBrumleyMcCurley PC, devoted solely to divorce law, announces that Robert A. Emerson has joined the firm as an associate.

Emerson has extensive experience in negotiated and mediated settlement agreements, child custody contests and the division of complex marital estates, the firm said in a release. A native of Amarillo, Texas, he has deep roots in family law. His mother, Sally Emerson, is a prominent Amarillo family lawyer and his father, Don Emerson, is the longtime judge of Amarillo’s 320th District Court, which handles family law matters.

Despite growing up steeped in family law, Emerson had planned to pursue environmental law until he interned at the Resource and Crisis Center of Galveston County, a domestic violence shelter.

“I realized that helping those who can’t help themselves is both important and rewarding work,” he says. “When someone decides to get divorced – or their spouse makes the decision for them – they’re in a difficult place and they need the help of someone who is committed to solving their problems. Now I know why my parents made this their life’s work.”

Jim Mueller, the firm’s managing partner, says Emerson is an ideal addition to VernerBrumleyMcCurley.

“We have been quite happy to learn that the apple did not fall far from the tree,” he says. “Bob is a bright and promising lawyer, and we are thrilled he is bringing his talents to our firm.”

Mr. Emerson earned his law degree, with pro bono honors, from South Texas College of Law in 2013. He earned his bachelor’s degree from the University of Texas at Austin in 2006. He is a member of the Dallas Bar Association, the Collin County Bar Association and the State Bar of Texas Family Law Section. 

VernerBrumleyMcCurley provides concierge-style representation to its divorce clients. “They are available day or night to handle not only legal problems, but also other personal challenges often associated with divorce,” the release says. “With a reputation for excellence, thorough preparation and innovation, and more than 200 years of combined experience, they don’t believe in a ‘one size fits all solution.’ Ultimately, their mission is to help their clients prepare for a better life after divorce.”

For more information, visit VernerBrumleyMcCurley’s website or call 866-363-5907.

For more information on Emerson, contact Mike Androvett at mike@androvett.com or 800-559-4534.

Scott J. Fisher

Neal, Gerber & Eisenberg LLP announced today a significant change in firm leadership. Litigation partner Scott J. Fisher will assume the role of managing partner from long-term leader Jerry H. Biederman.

The leadership shift is a significant step in investing in the firm’s future and will be effective Jan. 1, 2016, allowing for a planned transition for Fisher, 43, to assume the new role.

Biederman, 68, has been the only managing partner in the firm’s history and will remain active with the firm he helped found nearly 30 years ago. Since its inception, Neal Gerber Eisenberg has nearly quadrupled in size and has resisted, by design, the current legal trend of dramatic growth for the sake of growth.

“What sets Neal Gerber Eisenberg apart is that we retain many of the unique qualities that have been lost in the current law firm merger frenzy,” said Fisher, who will retain his active trial practice. “We have a distinct and compelling value proposition to offer clients. Our firm is positioned to service all of our clients’ needs in an atmosphere that is collaborative, innovative and diverse.”

Fisher said he is committed to focusing on Neal Gerber Eisenberg’s core strengths of intellectual property, strategic litigation, and the representation of middle market businesses and their owners. He is also firmly committed to maintaining the vision of the firm’s founders.

It was this vision that drew Fisher to Neal Gerber Eisenberg almost 10 years ago. “The firm has always enjoyed a sterling reputation as first-rate lawyers and business counselors who handle sophisticated matters as true professionals,” he said. “I look forward to building upon the tremendous foundation that Jerry, our partners and staff have put in place over the past 29 years.”

A diverse range of firm clients have remained committed to that model as well. In 2014, Neal Gerber Eisenberg represented 39 of the Fortune 100 companies and many of the best known private companies. The firm also acts as the trusted advisers to nonprofits, startups, growth companies and entrepreneurs.

Biederman is confident the leadership transition will be seamless.

“I have maintained a close relationship with Scott for nearly 10 years and know we are in good hands with the firm’s next generation of leaders,” said Biederman. “It has been an honor to serve Neal Gerber Eisenberg as managing partner for almost 20 years, and it’s reassuring to work with a successor who is no stranger to firm leadership and management. I respect Scott’s perspectives as a member of the firm’s executive committee and his leadership as chair of our General & Commercial Litigation practice group. I have the utmost confidence in his ability to guide the firm to continued success.”

Fisher received his J.D., with highest honors, in 1996 from Chicago-Kent College of Law and earned his B.A. from The Ohio State University in 1993. An experienced trial lawyer, he has been recognized repeatedly as a leader in the field.

Neal Gerber Eisenberg is a Chicago-based law firm whose attorneys share a culture of teamwork and devotion to personalized client service to advance our clients’ business interests. Our attorneys provide legal business solutions to public and private entities of all types—including Fortune 100 companies, financial institutions, nonprofits and high net worth individuals—in connection with domestic and global business transactions and litigation. Our full service firm is large enough to handle nearly any legal matter throughout the world, yet small enough that clients personally know the attorneys accountable to their matters.

The national law firm of Quarles & Brady LLP has announced that Patricia Spiccia has joined the firm’s Chicago office in its Tax-Exempt Organizations Practice Group.

Spiccia previously externed at Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP in the Tax-Exempt Organizations Group. She also served as a judicial extern with the U.S. Courts for the Honorable Magistrate Judge Paul R. Cherry and the Honorable Jon E. DeGuilio. During law school, Patricia was a member of the Moot Court Society and an executive editor of the law review.

She earned her law degree from Valparaiso University School of Law, her bachelor’s degree from Indiana University – Bloomington, and her master of laws degree from Georgetown University Law Center.

About Quarles & Brady LLP

Quarles & Brady is a full-service AmLaw 200 law firm with more than 475 attorneys offering an array of legal services to corporate and individual clients that range from small entrepreneurial businesses to Fortune 100 companies, with practice focuses in health care and life sciences, business law, data privacy and security, and complex litigation. The firm has offices in Chicago; Indianapolis; Madison; Milwaukee; Naples, Florida; Phoenix; Scottsdale; Tampa; Tucson; and Washington, D.C. Additional information can be found online at quarles.com, as well as on Twitter, LinkedIn and Facebook.

DLA Piper has announced that Matthew Genkin has joined the firm’s Corporate practice as an associate in its Philadelphia office.

Genkin previously served as in-house counsel at an intellectual property management company where he handled many of the company’s corporate legal issues, including operational agreements and intellectual property transactions, among other responsibilities.

Genkin received his B.A. from Emory University and his J.D. from the Drexel University Thomas R. Kline School of Law.

Two lawyers, Cristen D. Feldman and David M. Feldman, have formed a new Houston law firm called Feldman & Feldman.

Cris Feldman holds a B.A. in both Political Science and English from Tulane University (1993) where he graduated Cum Laude and a J.D. from the University of Texas (1999). He is a former partner at Rusty Hardin & Associates.

David Feldman, Cris’s father, holds a B.A. in Political Science from LSU (1970) and a J.D., Summa Cum Laude, from South Texas College of Law (1976). He is a former partner in Vinson & Elkins and was managing partner of his own firm, Feldman, Rogers, Morris and Grover, L.L.P. He left private practice to serve as City Attorney under Mayor Annise Parker from April 2010 to January 2015.

Associates with the new firm are Christin L. Grant and Deidra Norris Sullivan.

Feldman & Feldman’s office is at 3355 West Alabama Street, Suite 1220 , Houston, TX 77098. The telephone number is 713-986-9471.

DTI, a global legal process outsourcing company providing eDiscovery, managed services and litigation support, announced today that it has finalized the acquisition of Merrill Corporation’s Legal Solutions business.

The acquisition, announced earlier this year, expands the DTI platform in both scope and geographic reach while adding legal service operations in the United Kingdom, Ireland, Hong Kong, Singapore, New Zealand and Australia. The Merrill Legal Solutions lines of business included in the transaction are eDiscovery, Deposition and Court Reporting and Facilities Management. Merrill employees within the Legal Solutions group and some support services employees will transition to DTI as a part of the acquisition.

Read details of the acquisition.