Bradley Arant Boult Cummings LLP is pleased to announce that Frederic L. Smith Jr., a partner in the firm’s Birmingham office, has been listed in the 2021 edition of Who’s Who Legal: M&A and Governance.

“We congratulate Frederic on being recognized once again by Who’s Who Legal,” said Bradley Birmingham Office Managing Partner Dawn Helms Sharff. “His exceptional legal skill in M&A and governance matters continue to earn him praise from both his clients and peers.”

A member of Bradley’s Corporate and Securities Practice Group, Mr. Smith has more than 20 years of experience advising businesses on M&A transactions, contract negotiations, business succession issues, and joint venture and financing transactions. He also serves as outside general counsel to several privately held and family-owned businesses. Mr. Smith has a broad range of experience in diverse industries and a particular focus representing companies in the construction, manufacturing, construction aggregates, oil and gas services, and real estate industries. He is an active member of the American Bar Association’s M&A Committee, for which he chairs a working group that tracks judicial developments in M&A transactions.

The 2021 edition of Who’s Who Legal: M&A and Governance is published by London-based Law Business Research Limited. Only lawyers who receive the highest number of recommendations from peers and clients as determined through independent research are listed in the publication. The Who’s Who Legal directories lists more than 24,000 private practice lawyers from more than 150 national jurisdictions, covering diverse areas of corporate and commercial law. The guides are intended to serve as reference sources for companies seeking to corroborate the reputations of lawyers recommended by another party.

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 550 lawyers represent regional, national and international clients in various industries, including banking and financial services, construction, energy, healthcare, life sciences, manufacturing, real estate, and technology, among many others.

A.Y. Strauss, a leading law firm focused on commercial transactions and litigation in the areas of real estate, construction contracting, bankruptcy, franchising, and labor and employment, is pleased to announce that Maria A.G. Harper has joined the firm as an associate in the Litigation practice group, based in the firm’s New Jersey office.

“We are very pleased to welcome Maria to A.Y. Strauss,” said Kelly M. Purcaro, a partner at A.Y. Strauss who co-chairs the Litigation practice group and serves as chair of the Class Action practice group. “Maria is a great addition to our growing team of litigators.”

Most recently, Harper was a judicial law clerk for Judge Bonnie J. Mizdol, A.J.S.C., of the Bergen County Superior Court. Previously, she worked as a law clerk and paralegal at a prominent northern New Jersey firm.

Harper received her J.D. from Seton Hall University School of Law and her B.A., magna cum laude, from Montclair State University.

About A.Y. Strauss
A.Y. Strauss provides legal counsel for commercial transactions and litigation in the areas of commercial real estate, construction contracting, bankruptcy, franchising law, and labor & employment. With the intellectual depth of a large firm and the personalized touch of a boutique, the firm’s lawyers represent emerging businesses, institutional clients, and high net worth individuals in domestic and international matters. The dynamic culture and collaborative working environment at the firm provide a balanced and enriching experience for its team members, with a focus on giving back to the communities the firm serves. A.Y. Strauss has offices in Roseland, NJ and New York, NY. For more information, visit https://www.aystrauss.com/.

Einhorn, Barbarito, Frost & Botwinick, PC, is pleased to announce the addition of Emily Deyring and Joshua T. Randall to the firm. Deyring has joined the Family/Matrimonial practice and Randall has joined the Accidents/Personal Injury practice.

“We are pleased to welcome Emily and Joshua to the firm,” said Patricia M. Barbarito, Co-Managing Partner, “and look forward to their contributions to our team and to incorporating them into our culture of mentorship and excellent client service.”

Deyring assists clients on all aspects of matrimonial law, including financial matters, prenuptials, divorce and post-divorce issues, and child custody issues. She collaborates with other attorneys in the firm to ensure clients receive comprehensive and strategic advice. Deyring earned her J.D. from Seton Hall University School of Law and recently served as a law clerk for the Honorable Mary Gibbons Whipple in the Appellate Division of the Superior Court of New Jersey. She is admitted to the New Jersey Bar and previously worked as a copy editor at daily newspapers.

Randall focuses his practice on all aspects of personal injury matters related to automobile accidents, medical malpractice, and products liability. He works with Einhorn Barbarito’s team of professionals to formulate legal strategies and implement tactics to help his clients prepare for trial or work toward a favorable settlement. Randall earned his J.D. from the Wake Forest University School of Law and recently clerked for the Honorable Peter G. Geiger in the Superior Court of New Jersey. He is admitted to the New Jersey Bar.

About Einhorn, Barbarito, Frost & Botwinick, PC
Established in 1961, Einhorn, Barbarito, Frost & Botwinick, PC, based in Denville, New Jersey, is a full-service law firm devoted to serving a broad range of legal needs. In its more than 50 years in business, Einhorn Barbarito and its attorneys have earned a reputation for dedication to the community. The firm represents a diverse base of clients from individuals and families to public and private companies, entrepreneurs and long-standing institutions. The multi-disciplinary team of attorneys leverages experience in areas of concentration including business and corporate matters, employment law, commercial litigation, personal injury and workers’ compensation, family and matrimonial matters, real estate and zoning issues, estate planning, special education, assisted living issues, criminal law, and tax law, and the firm has a strong appellate practice that touches on a variety of legal issues. The firm also provides counsel to small- to medium-size businesses on an as-needed, on-demand basis through its innovative On-Call for Business program. For more information, please visit www.einhornlawyers.com.

Stinson LLP is proud to welcome Partner John J. Tucker to the Stinson team. Tucker is the third partner to join the Dallas office since June of this year. He brings extensive experience in complex corporate finance transactions throughout Texas and nationwide.
“We’re excited to welcome John to the firm and our growing Dallas office,” said Paul Lackey, Managing Partner of the firm’s Dallas office. “His experience in complex real estate financing transactions and commercial lending strengthens our corporate transactional team as we continue to grow and serve our local and national clients.”
Tucker’s finance practice focuses on fund representation, investment banking, and other institutional lenders. He also assists market participants with commercial mortgage loan origination, securitization, and secondary market transactions. He has significant experience in structuring and advising clients concerning warehouse and repurchase facilities, preferred equity, mezzanine, subordinate, and pari passu financings, as well as whole loan sales, participations, splits, and syndications. He handles acquisitions and dispositions of distressed assets, including representing buyers and servicers in workouts and restructurings, foreclosures, discounted payoffs, and REO sales.
“Stinson’s strong and reputable finance practice drew me to the firm,” said Tucker. “I know I am joining a phenomenal team, and I am excited to be part of such a dynamic and talented practice.”
Tucker has represented lenders and borrowers in syndicated and non-syndicated credit facilities and other types of asset-backed financing transactions. He has experience representing REITs, private equity funds, and other investors in the acquisition, disposition, financing, and development of all types of commercial real estate. Additionally, he has represented purchasers, sellers, and investors in mergers, acquisitions, and financings of privately held entities.
Tucker is admitted to practice law in the State of Texas. He received his J.D. from SMU Dedman School of Law and his undergraduate degree from the University of Alabama.
About Stinson LLP
Stinson LLP collaborates with clients ranging from individuals and privately held enterprises to national companies and international public corporations. Our accomplished attorneys leverage deep knowledge and experience to deliver practical guidance, helping clients minimize risks and realize opportunities. We take pride in our collaborative approach, our lasting relationships, and our unique perspectives. Connect with us at one of our 12 offices nationwide and at stinson.com.

The International Association of Defense Counsel (IADC) has announced that Lisa R. Hsiao, senior counsel at Musick, Peeler & Garrett LLP in Costa Mesa, California, has accepted an invitation to join the IADC, the preeminent invitation-only global legal organization for attorneys who represent corporate and insurance interests.

“I look forward to learning from these remarkable colleagues who have achieved so much in their careers,” Ms. Hsiao said.

Ms. Hsiao focuses her practice on commercial trucking defense, products liability, business litigation and employment. Her clients range from Fortune 500 companies, small businesses, and individuals.

Prior to practicing law, Ms. Hsiao clerked for five federal judges in the Central District of California. During her undergraduate time at the University of Southern California, she played for the women’s basketball team, and she frequently participates in USC student-athlete alumni events.

Ms. Hsiao has been named a California Super Lawyers Rising Star for the last three years. She received her J.D. from LMU Loyola Law School, Los Angeles, and her Bachelor of Arts from the University of Southern California.
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.

Houston – Sidley Austin LLP is pleased to announce that Trent Bridges has joined the firm as a partner in the Energy and Infrastructure Global Practice Group in Houston. He previously served as Vice President and Assistant General Counsel at Magellan Midstream Partners, L.P., an NYSE-listed company headquartered in Tulsa, OK that primarily transports, stores, and distributes liquid petroleum products.
Mr. Bridges has extensive first-hand knowledge of the midstream industry from his near decade of experience at Magellan. He served as the lead lawyer for Magellan on numerous significant M&A transactions and commercial matters, including negotiating and drafting purchase and sale agreements, joint venture arrangements, terminalling and offtake contracts, and pipeline throughput commitments and related tariffs for the development, construction, ownership, and operation of new and expanded pipeline systems, inland storage and marine export terminals, condensate splitter facilities, and other midstream assets.
Prior to his role at Magellan, Mr. Bridges practiced law at the Oklahoma-based law firm of McAfee & Taft representing NYSE and NASDAQ-listed companies in capital markets transactions and Securities Exchange Act of 1934 matters. He also represented public and private companies in mergers, acquisitions, divestitures, and financing transactions.
“We have known Trent for many years as both a client and across the table and know the quality of his work, his negotiating skills, and his entrepreneurial drive,” said Cliff Vrielink, global leader of the Energy and Infrastructure practice and a member of the firm’s Executive Committee. “His experience as an executive at a preeminent energy infrastructure company will help bolster and expand our work for strategic clients and private equity and infrastructure funds as well as grow our midstream transactional and regulatory practices.”

Lawyers and professionals from RumbergerKirk will host a series of virtual professional development workshops for Florida A&M University (FAMU) College of Law students during the 2021-2022 academic year. This is the third consecutive year the law firm has presented the RumbergerKirk Professional Development Series to help prepare future lawyers for real-world experiences.

The series kicks off Thursday, Sept. 16, 2021 at 5 p.m. via Zoom with RumbergerKirk lawyers sharing their experience on the topic, “Transitioning from Government Practice to Private Practice.” Three of the firm’s associates, Latravious Johnson (Miami), Stephanie Calcote (Orlando) and Kathleen Shea (Orlando), will educate law students on the various ways they can successfully shift from a career in government to a career in a private law firm.

RumbergerKirk has assembled a group of presenters including partners, associates and professionals from the firm as well as local judges. This year also includes a presentation by in-house counsel from Harley-Davidson who will talk with students about the in-house career path as well as what clients expect from their outside counsel. Several of the workshops will feature breakout sessions and polling questions to ensure a more interactive and engaging experience for the law students.

Additional presentations in the series include:
 Oct. 21, 2021: In-house Counsel Career Path and What Clients Expect from Outside Counsel, presented by Harley-Davidson
 Nov. 4, 2021: Interviewing Skills Workshop
 Jan. 20, 2022: Judges Panel on Professionalism, Courtroom Etiquette and the Importance of Good Writing
 Feb. 17, 2022: Associate Life: What to Expect Your First Three Years and Securing Clerkships
 March 10, 2022: Path to Partnership: What Does it Take?

Eversheds Sutherland is pleased to announce that Alex A. Goldberg has joined the firm’s Energy Practice Group as senior counsel. With more than 30 years of experience in the energy industry, most recently as general counsel of Continuum Energy, LLC, previously known as Seminole Energy Services, LLC, Mr. Goldberg will advise clients in all matters of energy and energy regulation on the federal and state level.

“Alex brings the kind of deep energy industry experience to the table that perfectly complements our existing practice in this fast-moving regulatory landscape,” said Lino Mendiola, Co-Head of Global Energy at Eversheds Sutherland. “With so many changes on the horizon for the industry, his extensive knowledge and experience are an excellent fit for our practice.”

Mr. Goldberg counsels clients in all matters of energy and energy regulation as they relate to administrative and civil litigation management, federal and state regulatory issues related to rates, tariffs and certificate application, compliance, day-to-day and strategic transactions, company governance, investor and financial community communications, and strategy formulation.

Throughout his career, Mr. Goldberg has provided counsel on matters of energy regulation, including regulatory enforcement and compliance matters before the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), state regulatory commissions, and federal and state courts, including significant administrative trial experience and appeals. He has extensive experience advising companies in the power marketing and transmission business and in the natural gas business from the wellhead to the burner tip. Mr. Goldberg has served as lead counsel in significant matters at FERC including interstate natural gas pipeline rate cases, and defending enforcement actions in both the power business and the natural gas business. He has also provided regulatory and general legal services related to crude oil and products pipelines and logistics businesses.

He advises his clients in these processes on a stand-alone basis and as they relate to crisis and litigation management, M&A, asset dispositions, commercial contracts, debt and equity financing, and joint venture formation, transactions, and operations.

Prior to joining Eversheds Sutherland, Mr. Goldberg was general counsel at a large privately held energy company and, prior to this, assistant general counsel at one of the nations’ largest publically held integrated energy companies where he led all legal activities associated with its energy marketing and trading subsidiary and corporate regulatory and litigation management. Prior to his in-house positions, Alex worked as an associate in a mid-sized DC law firm focused on the energy industry.

Mr. Goldberg is also the senior notes editor of the Energy Law Journal where he has been on the editorial board for many years.

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

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

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

Eversheds Sutherland is a global legal practice and comprises two separate legal entities: Eversheds Sutherland (International) LLP (headquartered in the UK) and Eversheds Sutherland (US) LLP (headquartered in the US), and their respective controlled, managed, affiliated and member firms. The use of the name Eversheds Sutherland is for description purposes only and does not imply that the member firms or their controlled, managed or affiliated entities are in a partnership or are part of a global LLP. For more information, visit eversheds-sutherland.com.

Sidley Austin LLP is pleased to announce that Trent Bridges has joined the firm as a partner in the Energy and Infrastructure Global Practice Group in Houston. He previously served as Vice President and Assistant General Counsel at Magellan Midstream Partners, L.P., an NYSE-listed company headquartered in Tulsa, OK that primarily transports, stores, and distributes liquid petroleum products.

Mr. Bridges has extensive first-hand knowledge of the midstream industry from his near decade of experience at Magellan. He served as the lead lawyer for Magellan on numerous significant M&A transactions and commercial matters, including negotiating and drafting purchase and sale agreements, joint venture arrangements, terminalling and offtake contracts, and pipeline throughput commitments and related tariffs for the development, construction, ownership, and operation of new and expanded pipeline systems, inland storage and marine export terminals, condensate splitter facilities, and other midstream assets.

Prior to his role at Magellan, Mr. Bridges practiced law at the Oklahoma-based law firm of McAfee & Taft representing NYSE and NASDAQ-listed companies in capital markets transactions and Securities Exchange Act of 1934 matters. He also represented public and private companies in mergers, acquisitions, divestitures, and financing transactions.

“We have known Trent for many years as both a client and across the table and know the quality of his work, his negotiating skills, and his entrepreneurial drive,” said Cliff Vrielink, global leader of the Energy and Infrastructure practice and a member of the firm’s Executive Committee. “His experience as an executive at a preeminent energy infrastructure company will help bolster and expand our work for strategic clients and private equity and infrastructure funds as well as grow our midstream transactional and regulatory practices.”

With 2,000 lawyers in 20 offices around the globe, Sidley is a premier legal adviser for clients across the spectrum of industries. Follow Sidley on Twitter @SidleyLaw.

ROANOKE, Va. (September 14, 2021) – The Virginia law firm Gentry Locke is pleased to announce that Roanoke partner Todd A. Leeson was named to Virginia Lawyers Weekly’s 2021 class of “Leaders in the Law” and Richmond associate D. Scott Foster Jr. was named to the publication’s 2021 class of “Up & Coming Lawyers.” All recipients will be honored during an awards ceremony on October 19 and will be profiled in the publication.

Now in its 16th year, the Virginia Lawyers Weekly Leaders in the Law awards recognize lawyers across the commonwealth who are setting the standard for other Virginia lawyers. “Leaders” are changing the law, serving the community, changing practices, or improving Virginia’s justice system, among other accomplishments. The Up & Coming Lawyer program, now in its sixth year, recognizes lawyers across the commonwealth who are making their mark within their first 10 years of practice.

Leeson is a member of the firm’s Employment and Labor practice and advises Virginia employers in employment and labor law matters and litigation. He regularly defends clients in Virginia courts and before government agencies including the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), National Labor Relations Board (NLRB), Department of Labor (DOL), Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), and the Virginia Division of Human Rights (DHR). Leeson regularly drafts, enforces, and/or litigates non-compete agreements and executive employment contracts. In addition, Leeson has experience representing management in labor union matters including union avoidance campaigns, unfair labor practice charges and labor arbitrations. He also represents Virginia colleges in various student conduct matters including Title IX and sexual misconduct complaints.

Foster assists businesses with their land use, real estate and corporate law needs. He is a member of the firm’s Legislative Affairs and Solar and Renewable Energy teams and handles solar and energy storage land use matters across the Commonwealth. In 2010, Foster became the first college student to be elected to the Williamsburg City Council, where he served as Vice-Mayor from 2016-2018. He was instrumental in the adoption of the 2013 City of Williamsburg Comprehensive Plan, advocating for additional residential density in Williamsburg’s downtown, which led to major reinvestment and development of that area. He currently serves on the William and Mary Real Estate Foundation Board of Directors.

DALLAS – For the second consecutive year, readers of Texas Lawyer magazine have selected the trial firm of Lyons & Simmons, LLP, among the top Dallas-based personal injury law firms.

Fighting for the rights of their clients is the hallmark of Lyons & Simmons. With a focus on large, complex personal injury, wrongful death, and high-exposure business dispute cases, the trial firm’s founders, Michael Lyons and Christopher Simmons, are devoted to representing those whose lives have been torn apart by the actions of others.

“Without a doubt, I take on my clients’ problems as if they are my own. I have a hard time not thinking about their situation and how it has impacted them. It’s what drives me every day,” said Lyons. “I am consumed not only with what needs to be done to help them move on with their lives but also how to prevent it from ever happening to someone else.”

Each year since 2013, the editors of Texas Lawyer have surveyed members of the legal community to identify the top industry support companies in Dallas, Houston, and Austin. The firm’s focus on results led to Lyons & Simmons’ selection when personal injury firms were added to the survey in 2020.

Most recently, Lyons and Simmons secured the largest-ever verdict in Midland County, Texas, for a personal injury case, representing a woman whose three children died in a highway collision caused by a worker speeding to a jobsite in inclement weather. The firm also successfully represented the family of one of five victims of the worst oilfield accident in Oklahoma history and the deadliest in the U.S. since the 2010 Macondo Deepwater Horizon blowout.

Earlier this year, the firm was honored among the 2021 National Law Journal Elite Trial Lawyers finalists. Lyons and Simmons also have earned multiple individual honors from Texas Super Lawyers, Lawdragon 500, and D Magazine.

Results of the “Best of 2021” survey are published in the September/October issue of Texas Lawyer and can be found online at www.texaslawyer.com.

About Lyons & Simmons LLP
Dallas-based Lyons & Simmons, LLP is a trial boutique representing clients in wrongful death, personal injury, products liability, and complex “bet-the-company” business litigation matters across the country. To learn more, visit http://www.Lyons-Simmons.com.

Eversheds Sutherland is pleased to announce that Alex A. Goldberg has joined the firm’s Energy Practice Group as senior counsel. With more than 30 years of experience in the energy industry, most recently as general counsel of Continuum Energy, LLC, previously known as Seminole Energy Services, LLC, Mr. Goldberg will advise clients in all matters of energy and energy regulation on the federal and state level.

“Alex brings the kind of deep energy industry experience to the table that perfectly complements our existing practice in this fast-moving regulatory landscape,” said Lino Mendiola, Co-Head of Global Energy at Eversheds Sutherland. “With so many changes on the horizon for the industry, his extensive knowledge and experience are an excellent fit for our practice.”

Mr. Goldberg counsels clients in all matters of energy and energy regulation as they relate to administrative and civil litigation management, federal and state regulatory issues related to rates, tariffs and certificate application, compliance, day-to-day and strategic transactions, company governance, investor and financial community communications, and strategy formulation.

Throughout his career, Mr. Goldberg has provided counsel on matters of energy regulation, including regulatory enforcement and compliance matters before the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), state regulatory commissions, and federal and state courts, including significant administrative trial experience and appeals. He has extensive experience advising companies in the power marketing and transmission business and in the natural gas business from the wellhead to the burner tip. Mr. Goldberg has served as lead counsel in significant matters at FERC including interstate natural gas pipeline rate cases, and defending enforcement actions in both the power business and the natural gas business. He has also provided regulatory and general legal services related to crude oil and products pipelines and logistics businesses.

He advises his clients in these processes on a stand-alone basis and as they relate to crisis and litigation management, M&A, asset dispositions, commercial contracts, debt and equity financing, and joint venture formation, transactions, and operations.

Prior to joining Eversheds Sutherland, Mr. Goldberg was general counsel at a large privately held energy company and, prior to this, assistant general counsel at one of the nations’ largest publically held integrated energy companies where he led all legal activities associated with its energy marketing and trading subsidiary and corporate regulatory and litigation management. Prior to his in-house positions, Alex worked as an associate in a mid-sized DC law firm focused on the energy industry.

Mr. Goldberg is also the senior notes editor of the Energy Law Journal where he has been on the editorial board for many years.

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

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

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

Eversheds Sutherland is a global legal practice and comprises two separate legal entities: Eversheds Sutherland (International) LLP (headquartered in the UK) and Eversheds Sutherland (US) LLP (headquartered in the US), and their respective controlled, managed, affiliated and member firms. The use of the name Eversheds Sutherland is for description purposes only and does not imply that the member firms or their controlled, managed or affiliated entities are in a partnership or are part of a global LLP. For more information, visit eversheds-sutherland.com.

The Centre for Information Policy Leadership, a global privacy and security think tank founded in 2001 by leading companies and Hunton Andrews Kurth LLP, is celebrating 20 years of working with industry leaders, regulatory authorities and policy makers to develop global solutions and best practices for privacy and responsible data use.

To mark this occasion, CIPL will publish a volume of short “thought pieces” later this year under the general title of Perspectives on Privacy and Effective Data Use in the Global Digital Economy and Society. This compilation will feature contributions from academics, technologists, former regulators and other thought leaders in privacy. Prior to the release of the full compendium, CIPL will release the contributions individually on a weekly basis on CIPL’s blog, “A Very CIPL Solution.”

During the past two decades, CIPL has evolved into a global organization at the forefront of cutting-edge policy issues. Perhaps most notably, CIPL is known for its extensive work on privacy accountability and its advocacy for the implementation of accountability frameworks and measures by organizations around the world.

Building on this prior work, CIPL has most recently been working with experts in the EU and multinational companies who are leaders in AI, to collect best practices and emerging trends in AI accountability. CIPL’s objective in this work is to inform the current EU discussions on the development of rules to regulate AI.

“Our guiding mission has always been to create and implement information best practices for our members that increase accountability, safeguard individuals and establish meaningful benchmarks to map the future of data privacy and legislation,” said CIPL president, Bojana Bellamy.

About CIPL
The Centre for Information Policy Leadership is a global think tank which encourages responsible information governance. Through collaboration with industry leaders, civil society, consumer organizations and government representatives, it explores innovative and pragmatic approaches to global policy issues, seeking to build privacy and data protection in practice while balancing economic and societal needs and interests. More details about the Centre can be found at www.informationpolicycentre.com.

About Hunton Andrews Kurth LLP
With over 900 lawyers in the United States, Asia, Europe and the Middle East, Hunton Andrews Kurth LLP serves clients across a broad range of complex transactional, litigation and regulatory matters. We are known for our strength in the energy, financial services, real estate, and retail and consumer products industries, as well as our considerable experience in more than 100 distinct areas of practice, including privacy and cybersecurity, intellectual property, environmental, and mergers and acquisitions. Our full-service litigation practice is one of the largest in the country, with particular depth in key litigation markets such as Texas, California, Florida and the Mid-Atlantic.

Ironclad Announces Clickwrap, Brings Click-to-Accept to CLM
The Digital Contracting company unveils industry-first product developments fueled by recent acquisition at keynote event

SAN FRANCISCO (September 9, 2021) — At today’s State of Digital Contracting event, Ironclad unveiled Clickwrap, a new product for managing online agreements, and a never-before-seen set of features for Ironclad’s contract lifecycle management (CLM) product.

Clickwrap contracts (also known as clickthrough, click-to-accept contracts) are digitally native, legally binding online agreements that don’t require a signature. They are executed when the user clicks on a button that displays acceptance language or checks a box next to acceptance language. The use of clickwrap contracts has continued to rise with billions of agreements processed each year.

Ironclad Clickwrap (formerly Pactsafe, which Ironclad acquired earlier this year) helps companies manage the agreements embedded in apps, websites, and other digital experiences. The product handles millions of agreements per month for brands like Doordash and Wayfair, while capturing evidence to ensure the contracts are legally enforceable. Today, Ironclad announced that Clickwrap will now be available alongside CLM on Ironclad’s digital contracting platform.
Bringing click-to-accept to CLM
As ubiquitous as clickwrap contracts have become in consumer experiences, they are rare in B2B agreements, where eSignature is the common standard. At today’s event, Ironclad asserted that in the future, businesses will strategically choose the best mode of acceptance to optimize for contract speed and counterparty experience.

“Clickwrap will have a profound impact on how businesses handle all types of contracts — not just terms of service,” said Brian Powers, GM of Clickwrap at Ironclad. “By combining these proven technologies with Ironclad CLM, our customers will unlock consumer-type contracting speeds for contracts in sales, procurement, and legal.”

Ironclad announced a new set of features for CLM that allows for clickwrap and eSignature to be used interchangeably across all types of B2B agreements — a first among CLM providers. Additionally, new Public Workflow features provide public-facing links and dynamic launch forms, enabling completely self-service workflow for B2B counterparties.

“As a legal operations professional, I’m always looking for ways to improve our processes. So when our legal engineer approached me with the idea to try clickwrap, I was excited to test it out. We decided to start with our creative service agreements, which are high volume, transactional agreements that had been experiencing some friction,” said Sheena Loren Ferrari, Head of Global Legal Operations at Snap. “Since converting these to clickwrap, our time to acceptance is down, our sales reps are happier and our legal team has saved dozens of hours each month.”

The new product and features were shared at Ironclad’s latest State of Digital Contracting event in which attendees learned about the strengths, limitations and enforceability of self-service online agreements at scale. Attendees also saw how Ironclad customers, such as DoorDash and Snap, solve transactional agreements at scale without slowing down the business.

To learn more about Ironclad Clickwrap or the State of Digital Contracting summit, visit ironcladapp.com.

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About Ironclad
Ironclad is the leading digital contracting platform. L’Oréal, Staples, Mastercard, and other leading innovators use Ironclad to collaborate and negotiate on contracts, accelerate contracting while maintaining compliance, and turn contracts into critical carriers of operational business intelligence. It’s the only platform flexible enough to handle every type of contract workflow, whether a sales agreement, an HR agreement or a complex NDA. The company was named one of the 20 Rising Stars on the Forbes Cloud 100 list, and is backed by leading investors like Accel, Y Combinator, Sequoia, and BOND.

To learn more, visit www.ironcladapp.com or follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter.

Media Relations
Patrick Murphy
BLASTmedia on behalf of Ironclad
press@ironcladhq.com

Greensfelder, Hemker & Gale, P.C. is pleased to announce that Jared E. Hedman has joined the firm as counsel in its Intellectual Property practice group.

Hedman, a talented litigator with an engineering technology background, complements the IP group’s focus on experience, efficiencies and economics to guide clients in their day-to-day operations. He is based in Greensfelder’s Chicago office.

“Jared’s experience in a wide range of roles and industries will support our clients and help guide practical and business-driven solutions,” said Greensfelder President and CEO Kevin T. McLaughlin. “He is an outstanding addition to our IP practice and the firm as a whole.”

Hedman’s background includes an engineering technology degree and a consulting role in the food, beverage, personal care and distribution industries, and enables him to provide comprehensive counsel on complex technical matters and business and management strategies.

He has participated in multiple trials and arbitrations in federal venues with litigation involving patent, copyright and trademark transactions, trade secrets and breaches of contract. Client representation includes complex sectors, including medical, dental and surgical devices; telecommunications, smartphones and PDA communications systems; computer vision, processors and memory; filtration systems and gaming.

Before joining Greensfelder, Hedman founded a private practice, J.E. Hedman Law LLC, and practiced at several prominent national firms. He earned his J.D., magna cum laude, from Loyola University Chicago School of Law and his B.S., summa cum laude, in Engineering Technology from Northern Illinois University.

Eversheds Sutherland is pleased to announce that Alex A. Goldberg has joined the firm’s Energy Practice Group as senior counsel. With more than 30 years of experience in the energy industry, most recently as general counsel of Continuum Energy, LLC, previously known as Seminole Energy Services, LLC, Mr. Goldberg will advise clients in all matters of energy and energy regulation on the federal and state level.

“Alex brings the kind of deep energy industry experience to the table that perfectly complements our existing practice in this fast-moving regulatory landscape,” said Lino Mendiola, Co-Head of Global Energy at Eversheds Sutherland. “With so many changes on the horizon for the industry, his extensive knowledge and experience are an excellent fit for our practice.”

Mr. Goldberg counsels clients in all matters of energy and energy regulation as they relate to administrative and civil litigation management, federal and state regulatory issues related to rates, tariffs and certificate application, compliance, day-to-day and strategic transactions, company governance, investor and financial community communications, and strategy formulation.

Throughout his career, Mr. Goldberg has provided counsel on matters of energy regulation, including regulatory enforcement and compliance matters before the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), state regulatory commissions, and federal and state courts, including significant administrative trial experience and appeals. He has extensive experience advising companies in the power marketing and transmission business and in the natural gas business from the wellhead to the burner tip. Mr. Goldberg has served as lead counsel in significant matters at FERC including interstate natural gas pipeline rate cases, and defending enforcement actions in both the power business and the natural gas business. He has also provided regulatory and general legal services related to crude oil and products pipelines and logistics businesses.

He advises his clients in these processes on a stand-alone basis and as they relate to crisis and litigation management, M&A, asset dispositions, commercial contracts, debt and equity financing, and joint venture formation, transactions, and operations.

Prior to joining Eversheds Sutherland, Mr. Goldberg was general counsel at a large privately held energy company and, prior to this, assistant general counsel at one of the nations’ largest publically held integrated energy companies where he led all legal activities associated with its energy marketing and trading subsidiary and corporate regulatory and litigation management. Prior to his in-house positions, Alex worked as an associate in a mid-sized DC law firm focused on the energy industry.

Mr. Goldberg is also the senior notes editor of the Energy Law Journal where he has been on the editorial board for many years.

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

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

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

Eversheds Sutherland is a global legal practice and comprises two separate legal entities: Eversheds Sutherland (International) LLP (headquartered in the UK) and Eversheds Sutherland (US) LLP (headquartered in the US), and their respective controlled, managed, affiliated and member firms. The use of the name Eversheds Sutherland is for description purposes only and does not imply that the member firms or their controlled, managed or affiliated entities are in a partnership or are part of a global LLP. For more information, visit eversheds-sutherland.com.

Sidley Austin LLP is pleased to announce that Michael Devins has joined the firm as a partner in the New York office. Mr. Devins will be a member of the global Insurance practice, and will support clients in a wide range of domestic and international insurance and reinsurance industry transactions. Mr. Devins joins from Debevoise & Plimpton LLP, where he was a member of its Financial Institutions Group.

Mr. Devins is a leader in the insurance industry and has significant transactional experience, including representing private equity and other non-traditional investors in insurance companies and insurance related assets. For more than 20 years, he has worked in the insurance transactional space and has tremendous M&A and regulatory experience, including with reinsurance M&A transactions.

“Mike is a great addition because he has the skills to support, manage and execute a wide variety of transactions,” said Perry Shwachman, leader of Sidley’s global Insurance group and a member of the firm’s Management and Executive Committees. “Many of our lawyers have worked across from Mike and we all have great respect for the work he does representing his clients. We are thrilled that he has chosen Sidley to continue growing his practice.”

“Our M&A deal flow has continued to grow substantially,” said Jonathan Kelly co-leader of the firm’s Insurance practice and leader of the New York Insurance group. “Mike’s experience will immediately enhance our ability to offer the best client service and continue our expansion.”

Sidley’s multidisciplinary global Insurance practice has nearly four decades of experience and more than 85 lawyers that provide transactional and regulatory advice to the industry. It has been at the forefront of the formation and capitalization of new insurance companies, public and private debt and equity financings and complex insurance company investment transactions.

With 2,000 lawyers in 20 offices around the globe, Sidley is a premier legal adviser for clients across the spectrum of industries. Follow Sidley on Twitter @SidleyLaw.

Top 100 U.S. law firm Akerman LLP is pleased to announce that it has achieved Mansfield Plus Certification for 2021. The Mansfield Rule, widely considered a benchmark for law firm diversity, equity, and inclusion, measures law firms’ record of considering and appointing lawyers from underrepresented categories for leadership, partnership, and significant roles in client work.

“We are very proud that our firm has achieved this recognition from the Mansfield Rule arbiters, Diversity Lab,” said Chairman and CEO Scott Meyers. “It is central to our firm’s indelible commitment to true equality and inclusion throughout our ranks, and it is wonderful to be recognized for fostering an environment of inclusivity for our Akerman family,” he added.

The goal of the Mansfield Rule is to boost the representation of historically underrepresented lawyers in law firm leadership, Diversity Lab writes. “Now entering its fifth year, the Mansfield Rule has become the standard by which law firms track and measure that they have affirmatively considered at least 30 percent women, lawyers from underrepresented racial/ethnic groups, lawyers with disabilities, and LGBTQ+ lawyers for top leadership roles, senior-level lateral hiring, promotions into the equity partnership, and participation in client pitch meetings.”

Akerman’s Mansfield Rule certification follows closely on the firm’s ranking in August, 2021 among the Top 10 large law firms (of 600 or more lawyers) in Law360’s 2021 Diversity Snapshot. The firms on this list have the highest representation of minorities in their equity partnerships, and are outpacing their peers as the legal industry works towards increasing minority representation in their top ranks.

Akerman partner Pedro A. Freyre, Chair of the firm’s Equality and Inclusion Committee and Chair of its International Practice Group, said the certification “marks a great day for Akerman, and another indication that the firm is on the right path seeking, finding, promoting, and sustaining excellent lawyers from all backgrounds.

I am both honored and thrilled by the Mansfield Rule Certification result, much work remains to be done but the Mansfield certification is critical in measuring our progress” Freyre added.

Diversity Lab noted that all firms that meet or exceed the required Mansfield Rule Certification parameters, which are measured twice yearly through a data collection process and structured check-in meetings, are provided with an opportunity to send their newly promoted underrepresented partners to Client Forums to meet and learn from hundreds of influential legal department leaders.

About Akerman

Akerman LLP is a top 100 U.S. law firm recognized among the most forward thinking firms in the industry by Financial Times. Its more than 700 lawyers and business professionals collaborate with the world’s most successful enterprises and entrepreneurs to navigate change, seize opportunities, and help drive innovation and growth.

Turner Padget is pleased to announce that Frank Stern, associate in the firm’s Greenville office, has been named as one of Greenville Business Magazine’s 2021 Best & Brightest 35 and Under – an elite group of young professionals who are making a difference in their workplace and community. Now in its 27th year, the annual Best & Brightest 35 and Under award celebrates the men and women who are rising stars in the Greenville business community. Stern will be honored at an event on September 23 at Southern Bleachery and is profiled in the September issue of Greenville Business Magazine. The full list of award recipients can be found here.

As a member of the Litigation Team, Stern served as first chair in nearly 20 jury trials – most of which have resulted in complete defense verdict trials. While the vast majority of cases filed in Greenville County never make it to the courtroom, he has led up to six jury trials each year for the last several years. Stern represents national insurance carriers, leading trucking and transportation companies, and other businesses in courtrooms across upstate South Carolina, including Greenville County. He focuses his practice on defending clients in insurance disputes; product liability, personal injury and premises liability suits; and construction litigation.

Stern co-chairs the firm’s Associate Committee. In this role, he organizes Continuing Legal Education programs and social events, mentors other associates, and serves as a liaison to the firm’s partner and Executive Committee.

Stern earned his undergraduate degree from Clemson University and his law degree from the University of South Carolina School of Law.

Turner Padget exceeds expectations by taking your interests, your business and our relationships personally. Our depth of knowledge, technical strength and diverse experience makes us sharp, talented business thinkers able to see our clients’ needs holistically and get to the core of the problem quickly. As one of South Carolina’s largest law firms, Turner Padget has expanded into neighboring states with offices located in Augusta, Charleston, Columbia, Florence, Greenville and Myrtle Beach, along with strategic alliances in Florida and North Carolina. http://www.turnerpadget.com/

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Hanzo, a technology pioneer in preserving, collecting, reviewing, and exporting dynamic, complex collaboration and web-based data sources, today announced securing substantial investment from Recurring Capital Partners totaling $10.5 million.

Hanzo brings simplicity and control to legal and compliance teams over dozens of dynamic and complex data sources such as Slack, Google Workspace, Confluence, Jira, and Trello, among others. The company plans to invest significantly in product development to expand and enhance Hanzo’s easy-to-use collaboration application ediscovery and compliance platform.

“Remote working and enterprise collaboration applications that power many of the increasingly digital-first workplaces of today, have fundamentally changed the way we create, transmit, retain, and interact with information. Legal, compliance, HR, and security teams face significant challenges searching, analyzing, and identifying the vast volumes of information within these complex data sources, leading to enterprises collectively spending hundreds of millions managing discovery and compliance processes,” said Hanzo, CEO, Julien Masanès. “Hanzo’s mission is to simplify the complexity of managing this data so that companies can manage their risk affordably.”

Hanzo also intends to invest in its sales, marketing, and support organization to meet the enthusiastic market demand for a purpose-built ediscovery solution that simplifies workflows for complex data sources and streamlines access to vital data for early case assessment and efficient investigations.

Masanès, commented, “We were looking for a financing partner experienced with supporting the unique needs of SaaS enterprises and the flexibility to provide structured capital that aligns to our growing needs as we scale the company. Recurring Capital checked all the boxes.”

Hanzo’s announcement of growth funding comes amid its significant business momentum as collaboration application growth drives the adoption and use of Hanzo’s innovative technology. In recognition of this growth trajectory, Recurring Capital Partners, an investment firm specializing in flexible debt financing for technology-driven companies, has added Hanzo to its investment portfolio.

“Hanzo is an exciting company in the unstructured data management space known for its history of innovation and delighting customers by making the complex simple,” said Brian Henley, Managing Partner, at Recurring Capital Partners. “We are delighted to partner with the Hanzo team and supply them with growth capital to accelerate and scale their product and market initiatives.”

About Recurring Capital Partners
Recurring Capital Partners specializes in growth capital for Software as a Service (SaaS) and other recurring revenue model technology-driven companies. Our team, advisors, and investors combine significant operating experience with growth-stage investing expertise to drive a focus on results founders and management teams care about: accelerating growth, controlling business and personal risks, and maximizing personal equity stakes. https://www.recurring.capital/

About Hanzo
Hanzo brings context and a greater understanding of enterprise data to corporate legal and compliance teams by providing in-house control over dynamic and collaborative data sources. This control allows organizations to reduce billions of dollars in risk, litigation, and compliance costs and elevate their corporate legal and regulatory compliance responses. Hanzo’s software empowers defensible preservation, targeted collection, and efficient review of dynamic content from enterprise collaboration applications and complex websites. Hanzo is SOC 2® Type 2 certified, demonstrating its commitment to data security and serves large corporations worldwide. Learn more at hanzo.co and follow updates on Twitter: @gethanzo or on LinkedIn.