Littler, the world’s largest employment and labor law practice representing management, has added Stacey F. Blank as a shareholder in its Los Angeles office.
Blank helps clients navigate all stages of litigation from initial strategy building to mediation, arbitration, trials and appeals. She has tried cases before federal and state courts, including the California Courts of Appeal. Blank represents clients in a range of employment matters, with a particular focus on defending wrongful termination and unfair competition cases.
“With more than two decades of trial experience, Stacey is a welcome addition to our talented team of litigators,” said Erin Webber, Littler’s managing director and president. “She is an accomplished practitioner with a strong track record of success and a practice that complements our platform. Stacey will be an invaluable resource for our clients in resolving complex employment matters and developing strategies to avoid litigation before it arises.”
Blank has represented companies in a wide range of industries, including transportation, health care, construction, real estate and higher education. In addition to her litigation practice, she regularly assists clients with risk mitigation efforts.
“Stacey is a skilled attorney both in and out of the courtroom,” said Shannon Boyce, Littler’s Los Angeles office managing shareholder. “As employers face high stakes litigation in California, and throughout the country, having Stacey’s knowledge and insights on our roster will be a major benefit and continue to distinguish Littler as an employment law powerhouse.”
“I’ve worked with several Littler attorneys over the years and have long been impressed by the many sophisticated and high-profile litigation matters the firm has successfully handled for major employers,” Blank said. “Littler’s bench of experienced litigators practicing across every imaginable area of law impacting employers – from discrimination and harassment to disability accommodation and wage and hour matters – along with the firm’s innovative approach to using technology in the litigation process will be a significant asset for my clients.”
Blank received her J.D. from Whittier Law School and her B.A. from California State University at Northridge. She was previously a partner at Wood Smith Henning & Berman LLP.

Dykema, a leading national law firm, today announced the addition of attorney Timothy Caprez to the firm’s recently opened Milwaukee office. Caprez joins Dykema after serving as Vice President and Chief Compliance Counsel at Exact Sciences Corp. (Nasdaq: EXAS), a worldwide leader in cancer diagnostics.

Caprez brings nearly two decades of experience advising public and private entities in corporate governance and commercial transaction settings spanning an array of industries, with a deep focus in the healthcare sector. In his role as Vice President and Chief Compliance Counsel with Exact Sciences, he built and led the company’s global compliance program, delivering guidance and developing systemic initiatives focused on mitigating industry risks, ensuring an ethical organizational culture, and auditing, monitoring, and investigating for adherence to standards and plan. In addition to his corporate governance role, he counseled and represented the company on commercial activities that helped fuel its historic growth, from corporate acquisitions and third-party engagements to the planning and execution of sales and marketing strategies and tactics.

Over the course of his career, Caprez has provided legal counsel for clients of all sizes and stages of growth, partnering with corporate executives to effectively integrate legal compliance into the research, development, and commercialization of products and services, as well as creating specialized policies and engaging training programs to ensure a compliant approach to sustainable success. His diverse transactional background includes mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures, real estate and financing transactions, and the negotiation and execution of sophisticated commercial and licensing arrangements.

Recognized as a gifted public speaker on healthcare and corporate compliance topics, in particular, Caprez has developed significant experience providing guidance on the spectrum of fraud and abuse prohibitions, data privacy protections and monetization opportunities, Medicare/Medicaid billing regulations, and private payor coverage topics, as well as employment, affiliation and credentialing issues and arrangements for medical professionals.

“Tim’s breadth of transactional and public company experience, complemented by significant depth in the healthcare industry amplifies Dykema’s capital markets and healthcare practices, both of which underpin our Milwaukee office,” said Kate Bechen, Managing Member of Dykema’s Milwaukee Office. “In this highly competitive legal market, Tim had many great options, making his decision to join Dykema’s Milwaukee office all that more exciting as we continue to actively grow this geographic area.”

Caprez earned a J.D. from Loyola University Chicago School of Law and a B.A. from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Dykema’s Milwaukee office also recently added business attorney Hallie Heath.

Hanzo, a technology pioneer in preserving, collecting, reviewing, and exporting dynamic, complex collaboration and web-based data, in partnership with Nightfall AI, the first cloud-native extensible data loss prevention (DLP) platform, announce an upcoming educational webinar held at 1:00 pm EDT on Tuesday, May 24. The webinar, Drive Data Intelligence with Collaborative Data will explore how enterprises can improve their information governance processes to support effective and efficient investigations and ediscovery by leveraging the power of data loss protection detection engines on ediscovery data to highlight issues and topics of interest.

EVENT DESCRIPTION
Data volumes are growing at breakneck speeds and managing risk with collaborative enterprise data sources becomes more critical as the work from home trend persists. Enterprise legal, compliance, and governance teams struggle to detect, manage, govern, and protect the information in near real-time. Similarly, litigation, HR, and investigation teams struggle with data intelligence on information they have collected from cloud applications like Slack and Google Workspace.

In this webinar, industry leaders will discuss the challenges enterprises face with collaborative data, and how enterprises can broaden their horizons and gain insights into their data using powerful ML-enriched data. Teams can discover more to quickly find sensitive data such as PII, secrets, and undesirable language that might otherwise go undetected within collaboration content. We’ll also share some compelling real-world examples of how companies can leverage Data Loss Prevention (DLP) and ML-enriched data to make their governance, discovery, and compliance processes safer, more informed, and more efficient.

Speakers will discuss:

– The multiple challenges that enterprises face with the rise of collaboration data.
– An overview of data loss prevention and how companies are using it to protect sensitive data.
– How ediscovery and investigation processes improve when applying data detection filters on it to uplevel issues.

SPEAKERS
Jason Trip
Solutions Engineer
Nightfall AI

Jason Trip is a Solutions Engineer at Nightfall AI, the industry’s first cloud-native data loss prevention & data classification platform that brings efficiency and efficacy to enterprise data protection. With a background as a software engineer and experience in the financial, education, and healthcare industries, Jason helps build Cloud DLP solutions for security and compliance teams.

Dave Ruel
Head of Product
Hanzo

Dave is the Head of Product at Hanzo, a pioneer in the contextual capture, and preservation of dynamic web and collaboration content for corporate legal and compliance departments. Dave has more than 20 years of experience in software and product development and has spent considerable time in the legal, compliance, and information governance space. He has helped develop a broad range of products and solutions for big data challenges and is passionate about emerging technologies like machine learning, artificial intelligence, and visual analytics.

Jon Braunstein
Partner
Seyfarth Shaw, LLP

Jon is a successful business litigator, advisor, and strategist. He helps clients solve business and legal problems. He provides practical, business-driven advice to clients on the challenging issues, risks, and opportunities they face. Jon looks at the whole chessboard, keeps clients two moves ahead, and positions them for success. He advises clients in the health care, insurance, employee benefits, financial services, technology, real estate, retail, construction, and global defense industries.

REGISTRATION
[Webinar] Drive Data Intelligence with Collaborative Data
Date: May 24, 2022
Time: 1:00 pm ET
Cost: Free
Registration link: https://www.hanzo.co/resources/collaborative_data_intelligence

New York, NY, May 12, 2022 – The International Institute for Conflict Prevention and Resolution (CPR), a global non-profit organization that manages conflict to enable purpose, has extended its strategic, cross-promotional partnership with the International Association of Defense Counsel (IADC). The IADC is the preeminent invitation-only global legal organization for attorneys who represent corporate and insurance interests.

CPR harnesses the insights and experiences of its members to prevent and resolve business disputes through its think tank, the CPR Institute. CPR Dispute Resolution provides alternative dispute resolution (ADR) services through innovative and practical rules and procedures and through CPR’s Panel of Distinguished Neutrals.

The exciting partnership provides IADC members with access to CPR’s numerous resources and publications, as well as preferential rates for CPR membership and attendance at CPR events, including the CPR Annual Meeting that convenes panels on a variety of topics regarding dispute prevention and resolution. In addition, both U.S. and international IADC members can apply to serve on CPR’s Panel of Distinguished Neutrals.

The IADC recommends CPR to its membership as an ADR provider whose arbitration, mediation and dispute resolution services and rules can be utilized worldwide by the IADC’s approximately 2,500 members and their clients. In addition, the IADC promotes membership with CPR among IADC members and facilitates attendance by CPR corporate members at the IADC’s Corporate Counsel and International Corporate Counsel Colleges, which provide content of particular interest to the in-house community.

“Our collaboration with IADC has been a resounding success. We look forward to continuing our partnership while providing our innovative dispute resolution services, thought leadership, tools and other resources to IADC’s worldwide membership,” said CPR President and CEO Allen Waxman.

IADC President Spencer H. Silverglate said, “We are thrilled to extend the IADC’s collaboration with the highly regarded CPR. We look forward to continuing the outstanding benefits that this partnership provides to IADC members, including much sought-after professional development opportunities that complement the core purpose of the IADC in serving our members.”

About CPR
Established in 1977, CPR is an independent nonprofit organization that promotes the prevention and resolution of conflict to better enable purpose through the CPR Institute and CPR Dispute Resolution.

The CPR Institute drives and advocates for a global prevention and dispute resolution culture through the thought leadership of its diverse members – companies, leading mediators and arbitrators, law firms, individual practitioners, and academics – who share best practices and develop innovative tools for dispute management through Committees and events.

CPR Dispute Resolution is a boutique provider of leading-edge dispute management services – mediation, arbitration, custom appointing services, a panel of dispute prevention specialists, and more – that leverages resources generated by the CPR Institute. The case administrators are experienced attorneys with a combined 40 years of experience in ADR who speak five languages. The Panel of Distinguished Neutrals is a carefully curated, diverse group of prominent, experienced subject matter experts based in 35 countries. To learn more visit cpradr.org.

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 iadclaw.org.

Twitter: CPR_Institute
LinkedIn: CPR-Institute

MEDIA INQUIRIES:
Lili Schroppe
CPR Marketing and Communications Manager
646.753.8204

Two at Dean Omar Branham Shirley Named to List of Top Plaintiff Lawyers

Lawdragon’s list of top consumer lawyers features Jessica Dean, Amin Omar among the top 500 in the country

DALLAS – Lawdragon has named two Dean Omar Branham Shirley, LLP trial lawyers to its 2022 national list of 500 Leading Plaintiff Consumer Lawyers. The ranking recognizes top attorneys who advocate for consumers who have been harmed by dangerous products and corporations that place profit over safety.

Veteran trial lawyers Jessica Dean and Amin Omar are key members of the firm’s trial team, which has earned multimillion-dollar asbestos verdicts in courts across the country. Ms. Dean is a member of the American Board of Trial Advocates, the Texas Trial Lawyers Association, and the Dallas Trial Lawyers Association. Her motivation to fight for justice on behalf of consumers stems from lifelong aspirations to improve her community and make a difference for real people.

“It is so rewarding to be recognized among this talented group of legal professionals,” said Ms. Dean. “I am grateful to be listed this year, and more importantly I am grateful for my clients’ trust and the outcomes we have been able to achieve together.”

Mr. Omar is a master advocate in the National Institute for Trial Advocacy and a member of the American Association for Justice. His passion for justice is a product of his desire to hold companies accountable and remind them of the importance of safety.

“To be considered for this honor by peers within the industry is truly something special,” said Mr. Omar. “Our firm places great emphasis on quality and hard work, and I am very thankful to be recognized by Lawdragon this year.”

Lawdragon is known for its carefully curated lists of the country’s leading lawyers and is considered by legal practitioners as one of the most respected legal ranking organizations in the country. The Lawdragon team relies on independent research, including peer assessment, to identify the nation’s top lawyers. The media company vets potential honorees with boards of their peers and carefully reviews their achievements in verdicts and settlements over a period of several months prior to finalizing the rankings.

About Dean Omar Branham Shirley, LLP

Dean Omar Branham Shirley, LLP, is a nationally recognized trial firm that handles cases across the country for individuals who have suffered catastrophic injuries or have died as a result of the irresponsible conduct of others. For more information, visit www.dobslegal.com.

Media Contact:
Mark Annick
800-559-4534
mark@androvett.com

Eversheds Sutherland is pleased to announce that the firm has added Philip H. Ehrlich as senior counsel in the Insurance Practice Group in New York. Joining from Hogan Lovells, Mr. Ehrlich focuses his practice on the representation of domestic and foreign financial institutions, private equity and hedge funds, corporate clients, and bondholder and creditor committees in a wide range of transactions and corporate matters. He also routinely advises clients on bankruptcy, restructuring and insolvency, nationally and internationally. Mr. Ehrlich will work closely with Partner Peter A. Ivanick and Counsel Lynn Holbert, who focus on bankruptcy, restructuring, and insurance insolvency and joined Eversheds Sutherland from Hogan Lovells earlier this year.

“We are excited to welcome Philip to the firm,” said Partner John S. Pruitt, Practice Group Leader Insurance. “He brings a broad range of experience in M&A, finance and bankruptcy with him that complements both our global transactional insurance practice and our growing Bankruptcy & Restructuring Team.”

Mr. Ehrlich has deep experience in complex US and cross-border corporate reorganizations, acquisitions and dispositions, including mergers and stock and asset acquisitions. He’s also well versed in out-of-court and bankruptcy restructurings and reorganizations, debt and equity financings, workouts and foreclosures, joint ventures, and other commercial transactions.

The Eversheds Sutherland Insurance practice has been advising leaders in the insurance industry for more than 50 years. Immersed in insurance—from transformative transactions to essential operations—Eversheds Sutherland’s team develops creative, business-oriented solutions in regulatory, mergers and acquisitions, finance, demutualizations, tax, litigation, reinsurance and captive insurance matters, among many others.

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 79 of the Fortune 100, 65 of the FTSE 100 and 134 of the Fortune 200.

With more than 3,000 lawyers, Eversheds Sutherland operates in over 70 offices in more than 30 countries 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.

CHICAGO (May 16, 2021) – Neal Gerber Eisenberg (NGE) is pleased to announce the addition of Andrew Douglass as a partner in the Employee Benefits & Executive Compensation practice group. Douglass joins from Reed Smith LLP in Chicago.

Douglass advises private and public companies on tax-qualified and non-qualified health and welfare plans, retirement plans, executive compensation and other employee benefit arrangements. He manages plan design, administration, governance, fiduciary responsibility issues, disclosure and reporting requirements under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act and the Internal Revenue Code, and participant claims and appeals. Clients look to Douglass to design and implement benefit programs that align with their business goals.

“Andrew enhances our talented team of employee benefits and executive compensation advisors at a critical time as our clients look closely at these areas in relation to their retention and acquisition of talent,” said Bobby Gerber, Managing Partner of NGE. “I’m happy to welcome him to the firm and look forward to working together.”

Douglass also negotiates agreements with plan service providers and represents clients in audits and related matters before the Internal Revenue Service, Department of Labor, and Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation. He handles employee benefit issues for individual employment and severance agreements and withdrawal liability and delinquent contribution demands from multi-employer plans.

“The benefits landscape is evolving rapidly due to the intense competition for talent and the many legislative and regulatory developments that have occurred over the last several years fueled by the pandemic,” said Patricia Cain, Chair of the firm’s Employee Benefits & Executive Compensation practice group. “Andrew is a trusted advisor who helps employers manage the financial, administrative, and legal issues that impact their executive compensation and employee benefit plans. His experience and insight will greatly benefit our clients as they navigate this dynamic environment.”

Douglass received his J.D., cum laude, from Saint Louis University and his B.S., magna cum laude, from Miami University.

About NGE
Neal Gerber Eisenberg is a leading law firm dedicated to handling sophisticated matters for entrepreneurs, public companies, and private businesses and their owners. More than one-third of the lawyers at Neal Gerber Eisenberg were recognized in 2021 in Best Lawyers, and the firm represents scores of the Fortune 100 and many of the best known private companies. The firm also acts as the trusted advisors to nonprofits, startups, growth companies and entrepreneurs. The firm has built over thirty years of trusted partnerships with clients that span the globe, and we meet each unique client need with personalized service and collaboration that provide the most practical solutions for every matter.

Contacts
John Albrighton
Marketing and Business Development Director
p: (312) 269-8065

WEBINAR: Best Practices for Retaining & Working Effectively with Outside Counsel

Co-presented by Association of Corporate Counsel- Northeast and Lando & Anastasi, LLP

Tuesday, June 7, 2022 | 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm

Register at: https://events.r20.constantcontact.com/register/eventReg?oeidk=a07ej6m295r6162a89d&oseq=&c=&ch=

PROGRAM
Is your outside counsel making your life easier? Getting the most from your outside counsel relationships requires proactive management, clear communications, and a thorough understanding of their areas of expertise.
Register for this webinar and learn from experienced in-house counsel on the best practices for retaining and working with outside counsel, with a specific focus on selecting and managing outside counsel to protect and defend your company’s intellectual property.
Often, IP outside counsel are relied upon to secure valuable intellectual property assets, including patents and trademarks, and to sometimes defend the company in litigation disputes, all areas with substantial financial impact. To choose the right IP counsel for your company, it is vital to understand what factors should be considered: what technology or special backgrounds to seek, and what is the breadth of the firms’ practice (patents, trademarks, copyrights, litigation).

The panel includes:

Tom Brown, Senior Managing Legal Director, Head of IP Litigation, DELL Technologies

Lesley A. Hamlin, Vice President and General Counsel, Intellectual Property, Operations and Emerging Businesses, Citrix

Dave Schuler, Chief IP Counsel, BOSE

Moderator: Andrea Reed, Of Counsel, Lando & Anastasi, LLP

During this webinar, the panel will provide practical tips for securing, building, and fostering the most effective working relationships, including:
• Retaining outside counsel for specific services
• Using Requests for Proposals
• Negotiating engagement agreement
• Building a long-term relationship
• Applying best practices from other firms
• Setting expectations for services, communications, and technology, particularly for tracking and communicating sensitive information.

Save Your Spot for June 7th!

Sign up today and come away with important, useful information on how to pick your next advisor.

ABOUT THE ASSOCIATION OF CORPORATE COUNSEL- NORTHEAST
ACC Northeast is a local network of the global Association of Corporate Counsel, which includes more than 45,000 in-house counsel members employed by over 10,000 organizations in more than 80 countries.
As the leading in-house counsel association in MA, RI, VT, NH, and ME, ACC Northeast promotes the interests of in-house counsel across the region through the sharing of information, education, networking, and advocacy, while demonstrating innovation and leadership for the benefit of the profession.

ABOUT LANDO & ANASTASI, LLP
Lando & Anastasi, LLP (L&A) partners with clients to protect their innovations through effective intellectual property strategies related to patent, trademark and copyright procurement, licensing and associated transactions, counseling, trade secrets, and litigation. This partnership complements an emphasis on creative and strategic solutions guided by a solid understanding of each client’s business imperatives. Well versed in a wide range of industries including life sciences, software, cleantech, medical devices, chemical and electrical engineering, L&A attorneys counsel clients ranging from individuals to early-stage and venture-backed start-ups to small and large national and global corporations.
More info at www.lalaw.com

The International Association of Defense Counsel (IADC) has announced that Milele N. St. Julien, a special partner at Pugh, Accardo, Haas, Radecker & Carey, LLC in New Orleans, Louisiana, has accepted an invitation to join the IADC, the preeminent invitation-only global legal organization for attorneys who represent corporate and insurance interests.

Ms. St. Julien focuses her practice on toxic tort litigation, premises liability, products liability, and collections. Her professional affiliations include the Defense Research Institute; the Greater New Orleans Louis A. Martinet Legal Society, Inc.; and the New Orleans Bar Association.

Ms. St. Julien received her J.D. from Loyola University New Orleans College of Law and her Bachelor of Business Administration from Loyola University New Orleans.

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.

Foley & Lardner LLP announced today that Tamera “Tammy” Westerberg has joined the firm’s Litigation Department and Business Litigation & Dispute Resolution Practice Group as a partner in the Denver office.
Westerberg brings significant experience representing clients in all aspects of sophisticated and complex commercial litigation, with a particular emphasis on navigating disputes in the Colorado market. She represents clients in high-stakes contractual disputes as well as competition-related issues, business ownership disputes, consumer fraud, employment conflicts, investigations, professional liability, oil and gas and energy transition litigation, and other business tort claims.
“Tammy is a critical addition to Foley’s Denver team and will play a significant role in driving synergies with our fast-growing national business litigation group,” said Emily Weber, managing partner of Foley’s Denver office. “Tammy’s reputation as a premier trial lawyer will help us continue to attract additional top talent in Denver and increase Foley’s presence in the state.”
“Tammy’s demonstrated success as a trial lawyer and her diverse skill set will serve our clients across several of the firm’s key markets and sectors,” said Mike Gay, chair of the firm’s Litigation Department and the Business Litigation & Dispute Resolution Practice. “She is known for her aptitude as a trial lawyer and will make a great addition to our trial practice at Foley.”
“Foley offers a significant platform for trial work and a cross-office collaborative culture that will greatly value my clients and allow me to further expand my practice,” said Westerberg. “I’m excited to join Foley’s growing Denver office and look forward to contributing to the firm’s success here and across the country.”

Sidley Austin LLP is pleased to announce that Larry Silverman and Dianne “Dee Dee” Fischer have joined the firm as partners in the Litigation practice group. As trial lawyers, they focus their practices on commercial litigation and antitrust litigation and counseling, including MDL and class action disputes, representing a wide variety of industries. They were previously in the Miami office of Akerman LLP. In addition, two litigation associates, Ivan Feris and Carmen Ortega-Rivero, will be joining Sidley.

“We are thrilled to have two such outstanding litigators as Larry and Dee Dee join Sidley,” said Yvette Ostolaza, Sidley’s Management Committee Chair. “With these additions, we continue to emphasize our current growth trajectory in bet-your-company disputes and to build the best teams to serve our clients’ litigation and antitrust needs.”

Mr. Silverman is known for his wealth of experience in antitrust and commercial litigation matters and is a Band 1 Chambers ranked lawyer in Florida in antitrust. He has extensive experience in antitrust counseling, with an emphasis on distribution law issues such as MAP, resale and unilateral pricing policies, internet sales restrictions, and dealer agreements. Mr. Silverman also advises clients on governmental premerger filings and handles federal and state antitrust investigations.

Ms. Fischer is a trial lawyer, commercial litigator and counselor who focuses her practice on complex commercial litigation. She has handled disputes involving a variety of legal claims including the Racketeering Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO), the Lanham Act, the Florida Deceptive and Unfair Trade Practices Act (FDUTPA), the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA), and the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act (CFAA). She has represented clients in a range of industries including fintech, private equity, insurance, technology, and health care, among others. Prior to practicing law, Ms. Fischer served, active duty, in the U.S. Army as an intelligence analyst and Arabic linguist, and afterward served for a decade in the U.S. Army Reserves.

“Larry’s and Dee Dee’s experience working across a number of industries will provide a valuable perspective to clients in a variety of litigation matters,” said Mark Hopson, co-leader of Sidley’s global Litigation group. “We are excited to have them join our worldwide team of litigators that help drive our clients’ paths to success.”

Sidley is “Built to Win” at each stage of the litigation process, and counts more than 750 litigators worldwide. With true geographic reach, the firm can field winning litigation teams in virtually any forum where its clients find themselves facing a dispute.

With more than 2,000 lawyers in 21 offices around the globe, Sidley is a premier legal adviser for clients across the spectrum of industries. Follow Sidley on Twitter @SidleyLaw.

Attorney Advertising – Sidley Austin LLP, One South Dearborn, Chicago, IL 60603, +1 312 853 7000. Sidley and Sidley Austin refer to Sidley Austin LLP and affiliated partnerships as explained at www.sidley.com/disclaimer.

NEW YORK and MIAMI – Sidley welcomes Charles “Chuck” Baker and Irwin Raij as partners and co-chairs of its Entertainment, Sports and Media industry group. Mr. Baker has joined in New York and Mr. Raij has joined in Miami. They were previously co-chairs of the Sports Industry Group at O’Melveny & Myers LLP. Greg Fritzius from Jones Day, as well as incoming fall associates Ally Levy, and Max Budowsky, will be joining in Miami, and Taylor Larson will be joining in Los Angeles, to support the Entertainment, Sports, and Media group.

Mr. Baker’s corporate practice encompasses mergers and acquisitions and private equity transactions, with a core focus in the sports, media, and entertainment industry. He has earned Chambers USA recognition representing buyers and sellers of sports franchises in groundbreaking deals in the National Football League, National Basketball Association, National Hockey League, Major League Baseball, Major League Soccer, National Women’s Soccer League, Liga MX, and many of the European football leagues. He has also represented private equity firms in sports team and sports property investments as well as gaming and data companies in both strategic partnerships and media deals with sports leagues in the U.S. and abroad.

Mr. Raij is a Chambers USA recognized lawyer with extensive experience leading transactions on a wide range of sports matters on both the professional and collegiate levels. He has represented sports teams, leagues, universities, and state and local governments. His experience includes matters related to MLB, MiLB, MLS, NBA, NHL, NFL, NWSL, European football leagues, and Formula 1, along with major colleges and universities. He is a former owner of the Oklahoma City Dodgers (MiLB), and a current owner of the MLS Los Angeles Football Club (LAFC).

In addition to representing buyers and sellers of sports franchises, Mr. Raij is focused on development and financing projects involving sports facilities, including related management agreements, concessions, merchandising, and naming rights. Mr. Raij has received numerous “dealmaker of the year” awards throughout his career in several categories. He also advises on television and media rights, sponsorships, naming rights, team operations, and sports licensing arrangements. His stadium facilities and finance work has involved NFL, MLS, MLB, NBA, NWSL, Formula 1 events, and colleges and universities.

“We are excited to bring on Irwin and Chuck with their complementary, destination practices in the sports and media world,” said Yvette Ostolaza, Chair of the firm’s Management Committee. “Combined with our strong M&A, private equity, real estate, and finance practices, they will be aligned with our broader entertainment practice in the rapidly growing sports and media industry.”

“Adding Chuck and Irwin’s sports practice to Matt Thompson’s winning media team is like hitting it out of the park: a grand slam,” said Dan Clivner, co-leader of the firm’s global M&A and Private Equity practice. “Chuck and Irwin have unmatched experience in this space and our platform will give them all the advantages they need to continue to grow.”

Mr. Baker and Mr. Raij both serve as adjunct professors at the University of Miami School of Law’s Entertainment, Arts and Sports Law LL.M degree program. Sidley’s preeminent global M&A practice has over 450 lawyers who are engaged in the full spectrum of public and private mergers and acquisitions and private equity transactions across a variety of industries including energy, life sciences, sports, entertainment, real estate, consumer products, manufacturing, transportation and logistics, technology, media and telecoms, financial services and insurance, and metals and mining.

With more than 2,000 lawyers in 21 offices around the globe, Sidley is a premier legal adviser for clients across the spectrum of industries. Follow Sidley on Twitter @SidleyLaw.

Cohen Seglias is pleased to announce that William Buchanan has joined the firm as a partner in the Pittsburgh office. He is a member of the Financial Services and Real Estate Groups.

Additionally, partner Christopher Carusone has relocated to Pittsburgh and been named the office’s managing partner. Previously based in Harrisburg, Chris will continue his white-collar corporate defense practice focused on government and internal investigations.

“Will brings a high level of experience to our firm, serving a variety of clients including banks, lenders, condominiums, physicians and long-term care facilities,” said managing partner George Pallas. “His addition strengthens our financial services and real estate teams, increasing the capabilities we offer our clients, and we are confident that our Pittsburgh office will enjoy continued growth and success with Will’s arrival and under Chris’ leadership.”

Will concentrates his practice in the areas of bankruptcy, creditor rights, commercial litigation, collections, real estate and litigation. He regularly counsels creditors or interested parties in bankruptcy proceedings, clients who are seeking to obtain judgments or to utilize their collection and foreclosure remedies, and clients who are in involved in contract disputes. Will works with property managers and condominium and planned community associations in disputes and governance issues and has additional experience defending medical malpractice liability actions and representing medical facilities.

A graduate of the Duquesne University School of Law, Will received his B.A. from Allegheny College. He is a member of the American Bankruptcy Institute, the Turnaround Management Association, the National Creditors Bar Association and the Allegheny County Bar Association.

Cohen Seglias’ Financial Services Group provides counsel on an array of matters including creditors’ rights, commercial finance and lending, loan workouts, bankruptcy, foreclosures, and consumer and lender liability litigation.

The firm’s Real Estate Group represents all parties in various real estate transactions, from owners and developers to lenders, buyers, and sellers. Attorneys draft documents and negotiate real estate transactions, all while providing counsel on numerous issues affecting the outcome of each matter or project.

About Cohen Seglias Pallas Greenhall & Furman PC
Founded in 1988, Cohen Seglias is a law firm with 80 attorneys in offices across Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York, Delaware, Washington, DC, and Kentucky. The firm provides client service on a national basis in areas including business transactions, commercial litigation, construction, energy & utilities, financial services, government contracting, labor & employment, government law & regulatory affairs, insurance coverage & risk management, real estate, research misconduct, student defense, Title IX, wealth preservation, and white collar defense & internal investigations. For more information please visit www.cohenseglias.com.

Venable LLP represented Glass House Brands Inc., one of the fastest-growing vertically integrated cannabis and hemp companies in the United States, in its acquisition of Plus Products Holdings, Inc., a leading cannabis edibles company based in California.

Glass House acquired Plus for approximately $25.6 million through a combination of unsecured convertible debt and equity, plus additional performance-based consideration. The closing of this transaction establishes Glass House as the only company with a top 5 market position in both the flower and edibles segments in California’s adult-use and medical cannabis market.

The Venable team was led by Matthew Portnoff and included Harry Atlas, Carol Calhoun, Cameron Cole, Audrey Cubizolles, Jordan Ferguson, Daria Ivanova, Jeffrey Ostrager, and Liz Barket Kremser.

The International Association of Defense Counsel (IADC) has extended its strategic, cross-promotional partnership with the International Institute for Conflict Prevention and Resolution (CPR), a global non-profit organization that advances dispute prevention and resolution practices and provides high-quality solutions.

The partnership, which began in 2020, has been extended for another two years.

“We are thrilled to extend the IADC’s collaboration with the highly regarded CPR,” said IADC President Spencer H. Silverglate. “We look forward to continuing the outstanding benefits that this partnership provides to IADC members, including much sought-after professional development opportunities that complement the core purpose of the IADC in serving our members.”

CPR President and CEO Allen Waxman said, “Our collaboration with IADC has been a resounding success. We look forward to continuing our partnership while providing our innovative dispute resolution services, thought leadership, tools and other resources to IADC’s worldwide membership.”

The collaboration provides IADC members with access to CPR’s numerous resources and publications, as well as preferential rates for CPR membership and attendance at CPR events, including the organization’s annual meeting that convenes panels on a variety of topics regarding dispute prevention and resolution. In addition, both U.S. and international IADC members can apply to serve on CPR’s Panel of Distinguished Neutrals.

The IADC recommends CPR to its membership as an ADR provider whose arbitration, mediation and dispute resolution services and rules can be utilized worldwide by the IADC’s approximately 2,500 members and their clients. In addition, the IADC promotes membership with CPR among IADC members and facilitates attendance by CPR corporate members at the IADC’s Corporate Counsel and International Corporate Counsel Colleges, which provide content of particular interest to the in-house community.

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.

About the International Institute for Conflict Prevention & Resolution (CPR)
Established in 1977, CPR is an independent nonprofit organization that promotes the prevention and resolution of conflict to better enable purpose through the CPR Institute and CPR Dispute Resolution.

The CPR Institute drives and advocates for a global prevention and dispute resolution culture through the thought leadership of its diverse members – companies, leading mediators and arbitrators, law firms, individual practitioners, and academics – who share best practices and develop innovative tools for dispute management through Committees and events.

CPR Dispute Resolution is a boutique provider of leading-edge dispute management services – mediation, arbitration, custom appointing services, a panel of dispute prevention specialists, and more – that leverages resources generated by the CPR Institute. The case administrators are experienced attorneys with a combined 40 years of experience in ADR who speak five languages. The Panel of Distinguished Neutrals is a carefully curated, diverse group of prominent, experienced subject matter experts based in 35 countries.

To learn more visit www.cpradr.org.

NEW HAVEN, Conn. – May 12, 2022 – Wiggin and Dana announced that it is implementing billable hour credit for diversity, equity and inclusion work. An annual allocation of 150 hours per lawyer previously granted for work with pro bono clients or within the Wiggin Opportunity Initiative now extends to qualified activities that enhance diversity, equity and inclusion at the firm or in the legal industry. This decision to prioritize DEI work reflects Wiggin and Dana’s continued leadership in DEI efforts and is retroactive to January 1, 2022.

Qualified DEI activities include representing Wiggin and Dana at law school diversity events, mentoring and establishing recruiting relationships with law students from diverse backgrounds, partnering with clients on DEI initiatives, participating in diversity specific bar and other legal associations and any of the several LCLD programs in which Wiggin and Dana has enrolled, among many other options.

“Providing billable credit for DEI work is a key component of our firm’s efforts to foster a diverse and welcoming professional environment, one where DEI work is valued and critical to our success,” said Tim Diemand, Wiggin and Dana’s Managing Partner. “This important step signals the next phase of building greater equity into our systems and policies.”

“By incentivizing and rewarding attorneys for spending time on activities that build an inclusive culture and equitable workplace, we aim to ensure attorneys are appropriately credited for DEI activities, the majority of which often falls disproportionately to attorneys from underrepresented groups,” said Jana Simon, Wiggin and Dana’s Chief DEI Officer. “Additionally, incentivizing DEI work through the billable hour drives more engagement from attorneys firmwide to enhance DEI at the firm and in the profession.”

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

Buchalter is pleased to welcome new Shareholder Leah Lively in the Firm’s Portland office as a member of the Labor & Employment Practice Group. Lively joins from Davis Wright Tremaine.

“Leah is an exceptional addition to the Firm,” said Adam Bass, President and Chief Executive Officer of Buchalter. “She comes to us as a highly recognized and respected attorney in the Labor and Employment space. She will make significant contributions to our practice group, and to the Firm as a whole.”

Lively is an experienced litigator and counselor who has tried more than 40 jury trials in multiple states and jurisdictions during her career. Her practice centers on defending employers against claims of harassment, discrimination, retaliation, wrongful discharge, and wage and hour violations. When employers need to get ahead of potential disputes, Lively conducts workplace investigations and counsels businesses on employment law compliance, risk, and best practices. Licensed to practice in Alaska, California, Idaho, Oregon, and Washington, Chambers USA has named Lively as one of “America’s Leading Lawyers for Business” in Labor & Employment (Oregon) every year consecutively since 2008.

In addition to her experience defending wage and hour claims, including class actions, Lively served as lead defense counsel in a putative wage/hour misclassification class action in Oregon and co-managed the defense of a 40,000 putative class-member case for a national restaurant chain in California. Further, Lively also advises and represents businesses in non-compete and employment-related trade secrets disputes.

“The exceptional legal services that Buchalter provides to its clients, and the breadth and depth of its lawyers, offers a unique opportunity to further develop my practice and serve our clients,” said Lively. “I am delighted to join the Firm.”

“I am so pleased to welcome Leah,” added Portland’s Office Managing Shareholder, Todd Mitchell. “She adds a wealth of knowledge and expertise in Portland and the Firm as we continue to grow our full service platform in Portland and across the Pacific Northwest.”

Bradley Arant Boult Cummings LLP is pleased to announce that Jennifer Morrison Ersin has been named a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (CIArb), making her the only Fellow based in Mississippi.

Fellowship in the CIArb is the highest level of membership. Fellows must have a minimum of 10 years of experience in arbitration and first-hand involvement in settlement agreements. They must also have been involved in the management of proceedings and attended hearings that have resulted in the publication of a reasoned award or decision.

“Jennifer is a highly accomplished arbitration lawyer and has built a successful practice in dispute resolution. We are proud of the diligent efforts that have earned her this designation,” said Bradley Jackson Office Managing Partner Margaret Oertling Cupples.

Ms. Ersin concentrates her practice in international disputes, regularly advising clients in international investment and commercial arbitrations across a range of sectors. She has acted in proceedings governed by the rules of arbitration of the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC), United Nations Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL), American Arbitration Association (AAA), and International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID). Ms. Ersin has experience acting in disputes involving sovereign states, including counseling contractors on how to best exit high-conflict states.

CIArb is an international non-profit organization dedicated to the practice and profession of alternative dispute resolution (ADR). It has more than 17,000 members in 149 countries. The organization provides education and training for arbitrators, mediators, and adjudicators and supports the global promotion, facilitation, and development of all ADR methods.

About Bradley
Bradley combines skilled legal counsel with exceptional client service and unwavering integrity to assist a diverse range of corporate and individual clients in achieving their business goals. With offices in Alabama, Florida, Mississippi, North Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, and the District of Columbia, the firm’s almost 600 lawyers represent regional, national and international clients in various industries, including banking and financial services, construction, energy, healthcare, life sciences, manufacturing, real estate, and technology, among many others.

(May 11, 2022, Washington, DC) — Steptoe & Johnson LLP is pleased to announce that Timothy Strafford has joined the firm’s Transportation Practice Group as a partner in Washington, DC. Strafford joins Steptoe from the Association of American Railroads (AAR), where he served for over a decade as Associate General Counsel and Corporate Secretary. Prior to joining the AAR he served as Chief of Staff to the Chairman of the Surface Transportation Board (STB).

At Steptoe, Strafford will advise clients on legislative issues, economic and safety regulatory matters, rulemaking and individual disputes before the STB, appeals in federal court, court actions and arbitrations. His experience also extends to, and he will add value to the firm’s clients on, matters related to federal preemption, communications law and transborder transportation.

“Amid a surge in U.S. freight volume and historic rail investments, it’s never been clearer just how critical railway infrastructure is to a properly functioning supply chain in the United States, and Tim’s arrival couldn’t have come at a more opportune time,” said Steptoe chair Gwen Renigar. “His insider experience in government and with prominent industry groups will solidify our standing as a go-to firm in every major area of rail regulatory activity.”

“Having already worked with several of Steptoe’s clients, joining the firm’s preeminent Transportation Practice Group was a natural next step for me in my career,” added Strafford. “The Group’s Railroad practice is renowned for the depth and quality of its representation before federal agencies, and I look forward to bolstering the team’s impressive and longstanding efforts on behalf of this vital American industry.”

Steptoe’s Railroad practice represents rail carriers in complex commercial disputes before the STB, in federal and state courts, and in arbitration proceedings. Its major representations include high-stakes rail rate, contract litigation and arbitration proceedings, as well as major rail construction/environmental cases and cases involving the pre-emption of state law.

Strafford earned his J.D. from the American University, where he served on the Washington College of Law International Law Review. He earned his B.A. from Rutgers University, New Brunswick.

NEW YORK, May 4, 2022 – Brown Rudnick announced today that Aaron Lang has joined its New York office as a partner in the Litigation & Arbitration practice and as a member of the Crisis Management Litigation & Government Response team.

Lang’s practice focuses on high-stakes litigation and investigations for banks, investment firms, and corporate clients. He has handled multibillion-dollar and high-profile securities, M&A, and corporate governance litigation, as well as a variety of other complex commercial cases. Lang also has extensive experience conducting regulatory and internal investigations, including anti-money laundering, tax, benchmark-setting, and compliance investigations.

“We are very excited to integrate Aaron into the elite crisis management litigation team,” said Stephen Best, chair of the White Collar Defense, Investigations & Compliance practice. “Aaron’s talent and experience will make him a key player.”

Lang joined the Firm from Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft, where he practiced with Mark Grider, a former White House senior adviser and deputy assistant attorney general at the U.S. Department of Justice. Grider recently joined Brown Rudnick’s Washington, D.C., office as a partner in the White Collar Defense practice and as head of the Crisis Management Litigation & Government Response team.

“This is a time of growth and opportunity for our Firm and practice groups,” said Sunni Beville, managing director of Brown Rudnick’s Dispute Resolution & Restructuring Department. “Aaron exemplifies the type of lawyer we are seeking as we strengthen and diversify our practice offerings.”

As a member of the Crisis Management Litigation & Government Response team, Lang will partner with Grider to navigate clients through bet-the-company litigation and regulatory crises. “I am delighted that Aaron will be joining the team,” Grider said. “We had a strong working relationship at our prior firm, and I believe our collaboration at Brown Rudnick will be very beneficial to our clients. Aaron is a true strategist and a skilled advocate; he is an important addition to the Crisis Management Litigation team.”

Lang received his B.A., cum laude, from Harvard University and his law degree from Duke University.

“I am grateful for the opportunity to join the top talent at Brown Rudnick and reunite with Mark,” Lang said. “I look forward to contributing to the Firm’s outstanding reputation for litigation and investigations.”

About Brown Rudnick LLP

Brown Rudnick is an international law firm that serves clients around the world from offices in key financial centers across the United States and Europe. We combine ingenuity with experience to achieve great outcomes for our clients. We deliver partner-driven service; we incentivize our lawyers to collaborate in the client’s best interest; and we put excellence before scale, focusing on industry-driven, client-facing practices where we are recognized leaders. Our lawyers and government relations professionals work across the United States and Europe, with offices in key financial centers. Beyond the United States and Europe, we serve clients around the world.