Hunton Andrews Kurth LLP is pleased to announce the promotion of Michelle S. Lewis to counsel. The firm proudly recognizes Lewis for her accomplishments and outstanding client service.

Michelle Lewis (Tax, Washington) concentrates her practice in the areas of health and welfare, qualified retirement and executive deferred compensation plans. She advises clients on a broad spectrum of employee benefit issues, including plan document and amendment drafting, plan administrative and fiduciary issues, ERISA and Internal Revenue Code compliance issues, benefit claims and appeals, employee benefit vendor contracts and HIPAA business associate agreements negotiations, and the employee benefit aspects of corporate transactions and financings. Lewis received her undergraduate degree from the University of Colorado, magna cum laude, and her law degree from the University of San Francisco School of Law.

Milwaukee – May 2, 2022 – Dykema, a leading national law firm, today announced the addition of Hallie Heath to its Corporate Finance Practice Group in the firm’s recently opened Milwaukee office.

Heath has experience handling matters in the areas of wealth planning, real estate, and general business matters. She earned a J.D., cum laude, a B.A. in Psychology, with distinction, and certificates in Business and Criminal Justice from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

While attending the University of Wisconsin-Madison, Heath received several academic honors and awards, including earning the Dean’s Academic Achievement Award. She was selected to be a member of the Wisconsin Law Review, including a stint serving as one of its managing editors.

“We are excited to further expand our service in Milwaukee with Hallie’s wealth planning and real estate experience,” said Kate Bechen, Managing Member of Dykema’s Milwaukee Office. “Hallie is well-positioned to immediately integrate with our clients. She is an asset to our growing team.”

Heath is also a member of the Association for Women Lawyers.

About Dykema
Dykema serves business entities worldwide on a wide range of complex legal issues. Dykema lawyers and other professionals in 14 U.S. offices work in close partnership with clients – from start-ups to Fortune 100 companies – to deliver outstanding results, unparalleled service, and exceptional value in every engagement.

Steptoe & Johnson LLP is pleased to announce that it has deepened the capabilities of its highly regarded Government Contracts practice with the addition of Amba Datta as a partner in the Washington, DC office, where she will focus on government contracts, internal investigations, and compliance.

Datta represents government contractors across various industries in bid protests before the U.S. Court of Federal Claims and the U.S. Government Accountability Office. In addition, she counsels clients on compliance with the Federal Acquisition Regulation and other federal agency acquisition supplements and drafts and negotiates teaming agreements, contracts, and subcontracts. She also conducts internal investigations and assists contractors in responding to government criminal, civil, and administrative actions, including allegations under the False Claims Act and Anti-Kickback Act.

“Amba’s proven advocacy skills and experience advising on high-stakes bid protests will add significant depth to our leading Government Contracts practice, particularly related to ever-growing novel issues such as compliance with cybersecurity and supply chain regulatory requirements,” said Steptoe chair Gwen Renigar. “She will be an invaluable addition to the firm as we continue to develop the next generation of leaders to serve our clients’ needs and respond to steadily increasing demand.”

Datta added: “I am very excited to be joining the Government Contracts team at Steptoe, a firm renowned for its depth of knowledge at the intersection of government regulation, litigation, and investigations. I look forward to contributing my own expertise in a wide range of government contracts matters and collaborating with this group of talented professionals to help our clients achieve their business goals.”

Highly ranked by Chambers and Legal 500, the top legal directories, Steptoe’s Government Contracts Group combines Steptoe’s litigation prowess with an extraordinary breadth of experience in government contracting issues. The group is built around a team of highly experienced lawyers who are familiar with all aspects of the government procurement process and who function in a collegial and highly cooperative manner. This enables us to respond quickly and seamlessly to meet the needs of our clients, both large and small, and to provide them with innovative solutions to complex government contracting issues.

Amba Datta earned her J.D. magna cum laude from the University of Minnesota in 2009, where she served on the Minnesota Law Review. She earned her B.A. from Columbia University in 2003.

About Steptoe

In more than 100 years of practice, Steptoe has earned an international reputation for vigorous representation of clients before governmental agencies, successful advocacy in litigation and arbitration, and creative and practical advice in structuring business transactions. Steptoe has more than 500 lawyers and other professional staff across offices in Beijing, Brussels, Chicago, Hong Kong, London, Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco, and Washington. For more information, visit www.steptoe.com.

The diversity of the firm is a critical factor in its success. The firm’s Chair is a woman; the majority of Steptoe’s nine offices are managed by women; the majority of Steptoe’s practice groups have women as leaders; and the firm’s twelve-person elected compensation committee is headed by a woman and includes five women as members. The firm’s eight-person professional business services leadership is equally diverse, with half the c-suite made up of women, including three women of color, and other leaders who openly identify as LGBTQ+.

Katten announced today that Christopher Isaacs has joined the firm’s distinguished Mergers and Acquisitions/Private Equity practice as a partner in New York, further expanding the office there and adding to the bench of experienced attorneys who handle corporate transactions and strategic investments.

“Chris is a highly skilled attorney with sophisticated transactional experience, particularly in the financial services industry,” said Kimberly T. Smith, global chair of Katten’s Corporate department where the firm’s Mergers and Acquisitions/Private Equity practice is based. “He complements our talented dealmaking team focused on delivering industry-leading advice to help our clients achieve their investment objectives.”

Isaacs focuses his practice on asset and equity transactions on both the buy and sell sides, as well as joint ventures, various types of reorganizations and other matters relating to general corporate and securities law. He has represented private equity funds and their portfolio companies, asset managers, banks, financial technology firms and real estate investment firms in connection with a range of corporate matters, including acquisitions and minority equity investments.

He has a strong history of pro bono service, working with nonprofit organizations, including the New England Innocence Project and the California Innocence Project, to help exonerate the wrongfully convicted.

Prior to joining Katten, Isaacs was an attorney at Goodwin Procter and an Assistant General Counsel in the Corporate and Investment Bank of JPMorgan Chase & Co.

Isaacs is the latest partner to join Katten’s Mergers and Acquisitions/Private Equity practice, which added nearly two dozen attorneys over the past year, strengthening the group and broadening the dynamic capabilities offered to firm clients. The practice, experiencing extremely high demand, is known for being at the forefront of market dynamics and providing clients with competitive market intelligence to close strategic transactions.

Katten is a full-service law firm with approximately 700 attorneys in locations across the United States and in London and Shanghai. Clients seeking sophisticated, high-value legal services turn to Katten for counsel locally, nationally and internationally. The firm’s core areas of practice include corporate, financial markets and funds, insolvency and restructuring, intellectual property, litigation, real estate, structured finance and securitization, transactional tax planning, private credit and private wealth. Katten represents public and private companies in numerous industries, as well as a number of government and nonprofit organizations and individuals. For more information, visit katten.com.

When Do You Really Need the Expense of a Law Firm?
Adopting an Agile Approach to Legal Resourcing During an Inflationary Economy

By Catherine Kemnitz, Chief Legal Officer, Axiom

Do you really need the (growing) expense of a law firm? The answer is – of course you do. Elite law firms will always have a place in the legal resourcing ecosystem. The right question to ask, however is: When do you really need that law firm?

Given the way world events are unfolding, now is the time for legal leaders to intensify their efforts to hedge against inflation by rethinking the traditional legal paradigm – and this means taking a hard look at their approach to anticipating and identifying risks and mapping related legal matters to the most appropriate legal resources.

The Impact of Macro Issues
Today, evolving macro issues are challenging the role of in-house counsel.

Risks are proliferating: Turmoil in world politics, ongoing repercussions from the pandemic, the Great Resignation, the looming energy crisis, and unprecedented inflation – which recently reached its fastest 12-month pace in nearly 40 years – are just some of the factors contributing a perfect storm of enterprise jeopardy which legal departments must navigate. Commercial leaders, already dealing with a pandemic-induced volatile economy and a disrupted supply chain, are struggling to keep costs in check to maintain profit.

The marketplace is less forgiving: Stakeholder expectations are changing rapidly and there is even less tolerance for companies that cannot effectively withstand increased scrutiny around DE&I practices, ESG, privacy, security, and heightened consumer advocacy. Reputational risk carries far more weight and its impact is longer-lasting than ever before.

The role of legal is expanding: Particularly in the post-pandemic environment, and after a year of social unrest and global turmoil, legal departments have had to be more responsive to external circumstances, volatility, and related internal shifts in priorities and strategies. Meanwhile, product development cycles are accelerating and corporate strategies are evolving more rapidly. The need for legal teams to act with speed and agility has never been greater. This is good news, perhaps, for GCs who (rightfully) believe they have critical insights to contribute as a partner and counselor to the C-suite – but with that enhanced role comes increased implications for the legal department. Legal now becomes far more accountable for advocating, driving, and navigating the corporate response to emerging risks and market opportunities.

GCs are all too aware of how their role is expanding. Seventy-nine percent of respondents to a recent survey of 220 GCs at companies with $250m+ in annual revenue say they believe they must serve as the conscience of the company, and 64% believe that role is more important today than it’s ever been. GCs are also conscious of how much harder their job is in a COVID- influenced environment, with 85% (unsurprisingly) reporting that the pandemic made their job more difficult.

The pressure on GCs to cut costs is mounting: Even before the pandemic, 74% of in-house legal executives cited cost control as a top priority, according to a 2020 Consero Report. A 2021 EY Law and Harvard Law School survey, which interviewed more than 2,000 GCs, found that 88% of GCs anticipated substantial budget cuts. CEOs of companies with more than $20 billion in annual revenue were expected to require legal departments to reduce costs by 18%, despite ballooning work volumes and emerging legal risks.

The Deficiencies of the Traditional Model for Legal Resourcing
It’s a new environment in which the old “staff up or send out” model is no longer adequate, not only because budgets are shrinking, but also because the legacy legal resourcing model lacks the agility to address accelerating risks. In this model, the in-house team handles an ongoing stream of enterprise legal work, which normally requires some level of institutional knowledge and should support the broader strategic priorities of the company. External law firms form the second piece of the puzzle. They are critical for large-scale litigation, for understanding and benchmarking marketplace norms, and for exceptional matters that are beyond the abilities and scale of even the most robust internal team (more on this later).

Addressing enterprise needs in this model is expensive and partly ineffective. The in-house team is a fixed cost, so GCs ideally need to avoid staffing up for matters that turn out to be transient. But because it is difficult to anticipate future risk, especially in the current business environment, GCs are forced to hire for tomorrow’s needs based on yesterday’s issues, creating an inherent misalignment. Ideally the core team could follow the Goldilocks paradigm of being perfectly right-sized: big enough to focus on essential issues, lean enough to control for costs and hedge against the underutilization of specialists, but sufficiently agile to add resources as workflow and matters evolve. But it rarely works out that way.

The second element of the traditional model is even costlier costly. Big Law firms are inherently expensive and getting more so: In 2020, we saw an aggregate rate increase of 5% for their services. The pandemic years have been good for law firms. Beyond cost, however, law firms must be educated about the critical context of the legal matters for which they are engaged, which adds both to the cost and management time required to bring them up to speed. They also often lack the unique experience of in-house lawyers in building practical solutions that can be operationally carried out throughout the organization.

Legal leaders can adapt, survive, and thrive only by rethinking the traditional legal paradigm. What does that mean? It means taking a new approach to anticipating and identifying risks and mapping related legal matters to the most appropriate legal resources.

The Missing Leg
Like a two-legged stool, the traditional model lacks a stabilizing element to help absorb risk and balance the distribution of legal matters. That missing piece, the third leg of the stool, is an agile layer of flexible talent or “virtual bench” that sits between the in-house team and the law firm, allowing the legal department to combine the legal expertise of Big Law and company-specific institutional knowledge in new ways. In this model, which we call Core-Bench-Firm or CBF, the core team is composed of a lean full-time team of legal lieutenants who leverage internal enterprise knowledge, provide appropriate managerial scale and handle core competency work. That core team is then supported, almost entirely, by a bench of trusted, on-demand lawyers for expertise aligned to emerging risks, workload surges, and law firm management.

Creating a CBF model that incorporates a layer of agile talent reduces the addiction to law firms by limiting their involvement to a need-based model. Instead of leveraging law firms because the in-house team is simply too busy, or not well-versed enough in the specialty, a CBF model funnels legal matters through a process that confines law firm engagement to exceptional events, like navigating during the pandemic and new benchmarking needs; or provides a mechanism for more finely focusing how and when, during the course of a legal matter, external firms get called upon for counsel. Herein lies one of the hidden values of the agile layer. In the old paradigm, everything that can’t be staffed internally gets sent out to law firms from the start. In this new model, expertise from the bench is tasked with handling the matter. That agile lawyer (or lawyers) can often handle the issue entirely – but that is not the only value he or she brings. Sometimes that lawyer can handle a matter through near completion, but then understands the needs and nuances requiring specific law firm expertise. That latter-stage and more finely tuned conversation with a law firm is far more informed, focused and valuable than it would have otherwise been from the start, which means lower costs and less managerial burden because the agile lawyer is participating in the law firm education process.

This CBF approach to legal resourcing minimizes expensive law firm spend while simultaneously reducing the fixed costs of permanent headcount, especially as legal departments find themselves affected by an inflationary economy and more short-staffed than ever.

This doesn’t just control costs; it provides the legal department with better value for every budgeted dollar. Instead of expensive external outside counsel, an in-house generalist not well-versed in the matter, or an underutilized specialist, that bucket of legal spend can be re-deployed and divided among a curated bench of on-demand lawyers, based on needs and risks in the moment. Not only does it provide more value and managerial scale, but it also optimizes risk management by ensuring the right talent is matched to the right legal matter at the right time.

It’s Time to Change the Paradigm
Identifying the right legal resource is no longer a binary choice between the two expensive options of staffing up (internally) or sending out (to an external law firm). Today, the right legal resource – particularly in an inflationary market where cost mitigation is paramount – is often a third option: agile legal talent. Instead of hiring a single on-demand lawyer for overflow work, forward-looking GCs are building a virtual bench of “always-on” flexible talent, trained to understand the business and the strategic objectives of the organization, that sits between the in-house team and the firm, combining Big Law-level expertise with in-house acumen.

The agile virtual bench helps the internal team achieve four critical objectives:

1. It improves risk mitigation by matching legal matters to the right legal talent on an as-needed basis
2. It extends in-house expertise, thereby limiting how much and how often work needs to be sent to a law firm
3. It decreases costs by minimizing law firm spend and in-house hires
4. It reduces the burden on in-house counsel by providing practical, business-focused oversight to teams tasked with managing an increasing number of law firms.

A 5-Step CBF Blueprint
Critically, the virtual bench must be curated, built, and onboarded before specific needs arise, and its nature will be dictated the subject matter expertise that’s required to address specific anticipated risks. The objective is to create a standby team with a base of institutional knowledge that’s ready to ramp up at any time. This bench can be supplemented by additional lawyers as work requires or unexpected risks emerge.

There are 5 key steps for building that virtual bench:

1. Identify and understand the enterprise’s key priorities to ensure that the legal department’s resourcing strategies support core business goals.
2. Assess enterprise-specific core legal talent requirements.
3. Implement a hiring freeze on full-time lawyers to free up budget.
4. Partner with HR to assess the skills and expertise available within the current team and where critical gaps exist.
5. Build the bench by:
• Identifying skill sets required to address anticipated work volume and risk in the near future
• Selecting an agile legal talent provider to curate the required bench of lawyers
• Documenting institutional information to ease onboarding, and
• Continuing to expand the bench over time.

The benefits of CBF are not just financial; the agile bench helps the legal team in many less obvious, but meaningful, ways. For example, agile talent can be used to help create better legal outcomes in coordination with law firms. Agile talent can be used in M&A transactions to help support the entire lifecycle of the deal from diligence to integration, or perhaps to handle discrete components of transaction activity (such as contract review and integration) while the law firm addresses the bet-the-company IPO-related filings. The right bench can also help keep day-to-day legal operations running smoothly while the core team focuses temporarily on the timely execution of a high-stakes deal. The possible configurations of in-house, external, and agile talent to address a diverse set of legal problems are virtually limitless.

The important point is that the agile bench is a true but flexible extension of the in-house team, imbued with the required institutional knowledge of the enterprise, but without the fixed costs of full-time employees. For specific projects, that bench can displace law firms entirely. For other matters, the bench can help extend the internal team’s ability to address the matter, only then engaging the law firm during the project’s latter stages, where their counsel and advice is really required and ready to be acted upon.

Because the CBF model allows hard-pressed legal departments to gain access to a vetted bench of institutionally knowledgeable lawyers without incurring the costs of hiring full-time talent, it gives those departments unprecedented flexibility and buying power. Given marketplace volatility and the macro risks and trends impacting the modern-day enterprise legal department, this model is quickly becoming a core requirement for today’s GC. This is the kind of innovation today’s short-staffed legal departments desperately need as they face an inflationary economy, increased market pressures, and a growing list of risks to the enterprise.

Stinson Partner Michelle Corrigan Erikson and attorney Renee Henson successfully defended their client, Safariland LLC, maker of law enforcement body armor, in product liability claims asserted against it in St. Louis, Missouri. A 12-person jury found that Safariland was not responsible for a former police officer’s paralysis suffered when he was shot in the line of duty.

Plaintiffs brought a lawsuit, Michael Vernon v. Ed Roehr Safety Products and Safariland Group, LLC, in St. Louis County Circuit Court against Safariland on a product liability matter regarding a bullet-resistant vest, claiming negligence, failure to warn and design defects. In defense, Corrigan Erikson and Henson presented evidence that showed that the Safariland product met all industry standards, contained appropriate warnings for all potential hazards, and did not cause the injuries claimed by plaintiffs. After 90 minutes of deliberation, a St. Louis County jury ruled in favor of Safariland, rejecting the plaintiffs’ claim that the product was defective and the cause of the officer’s paralysis.

“A case like this is obviously very difficult. The plaintiff police officer was doing his job and unfortunately suffered this tragic injury in the line of duty,” Corrigan Erikson said. “It’s terrible, but I am confident that it was not our client’s fault. Our client’s product did not contribute to the officer’s injury, nor could it have prevented his injury given the way he was shot.”

Safariland, pleased with outcome of the trial, said that Corrigan Erikson and Henson were “great representatives” of the company. “In their work and trial presentation, they reflected our company’s values, integrity, curiosity, excellence and servant leadership. I am truly grateful that we had such great people, not just great lawyers, as our public voice in the trial.”

Additional Stinson personnel involved in this matter include attorneys Alexander Barrett and Joyce Kim, paralegals Judy Bradley and Dianna Rodenburg, and eDiscovery and Practice Support consultant Robin Ferrell.

Corrigan Erikson has 25 years of experience in the area of product liability, including claims involving consumer products, children’s products, and industrial products, as well as in general business litigation. She has successfully represented manufacturers and distributors of a wide range of products in litigation involving claims of personal injuries and property damages. She also represents many clients in federal and state regulatory matters related to consumer products and children’s products.

Henson focuses her practice on products liability litigation, complex commercial litigation, and intellectual property litigation. She works with a broad array of clients, including manufacturers, distributers, commercial liability insurers, industrial commodity merchandisers and private equity firms.

Shapiro, Lifschitz & Schram is pleased to announce that Laura C. Fraher, Judah Lifschitz and Steven H. Schram are named among the 2022 Super Lawyers for Washington, D.C.

Fraher and Lifschitz are included for their work in Construction Litigation and Schram for Business / Corporate work. Washington, D.C. Super Lawyers has ranked Lifschitz for the past 14 years, Schram for 12 years and Fraher for the past six years.

Super Lawyers, part of Thomson Reuters, is a rating service of lawyers from more than 70 practice areas who have attained a high degree of peer recognition and professional achievement. Only five percent of lawyers in Washington, D.C. are selected as Super Lawyers.

Selections for Super Lawyers are made through a rigorous process entailing independent attorney-led research, evaluations and peer evaluations. Each candidate is evaluated on 12 indicators of peer recognition and professional achievement, including verdicts / settlements, transactions, special licenses and pro bono service.

Shapiro Lifschitz & Schram is a Washington, D.C.-based law firm delivering solutions for clients in the areas of business, construction, real estate and commercial litigation. The firm has a proven track record of success representing clients in sophisticated deals and big-ticket, complex litigation at both the trial and appellate levels. With state-of-the-art document management and electronic discovery techniques, sophisticated graphics capabilities and seasoned lawyers, Shapiro, Lifschitz & Schram creates client-centered solutions to close deals and win cases. For more information, please visit the firm’s website, http://www.slslaw.com.

Turner Padget is pleased to announce that eight of its attorneys have been recognized by South Carolina Super Lawyers for 2022. Five attorneys from across the firm are included among the annual list of leading lawyers, and an additional three attorneys have been named Rising Stars by the publication. Super Lawyers creates a diverse listing of outstanding attorneys who are honored for their professional achievements. Only five percent of lawyers in South Carolina are named as Super Lawyers, and no more than two-and-a-half percent are selected as Rising Stars. The complete list is available today at www.superlawyers.com.

The Turner Padget attorneys named among South Carolina Super Lawyers for 2022 by office are:

Charleston
Richard S. Dukes, Jr.: Personal Injury – Constitutional Law

Columbia
Catherine H. Kennedy: Estates & Probate
Lanneau Wm. Lambert, Jr.: Real Estate
Thomas C. Salane: Insurance Coverage
Franklin G. Shuler, Jr.: Employment and Labor

The Turner Padget attorneys named as Rising Stars are:

Charleston
Kristen N. Nichols: Creditor / Debtor Rights
Nickisha M. Woodward: Personal Injury – General: Defense

Columbia
W. Taylor Stanley: Business Litigation

Every year, Super Lawyers selects attorneys from all firm sizes and over 70 practice areas throughout the United States. Each candidate undergoes a multiphase selection process where they are evaluated on 12 indicators of peer recognition and professional achievement. Super Lawyers can be found online at www.superlawyers.com, where lawyers can be searched by practice area and location.

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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Venable LLP is pleased to announce that our client, UC Davis, has prevailed in a civil lawsuit brought by activists under the California Public Records Act. The suit was filed by People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, Peta, in January 2019, seeking access to unpublished research data from the work of two researchers at the California National Primate Research Center. The Superior Court of California, County of Yolo, ruled that releasing the material did not serve the public interest and would undermine academic freedom and the scientific process while increasing the risk that researchers could face physical harm and harassment from activists.

The court issued its ruling on Jan. 11, 2022. PETA had the opportunity to appeal the decision but has declined to do so.

“We’re pleased with the court’s decision enabling UC Davis researchers to pursue their work, which ultimately benefits our community,” said Prasant Mohapatra, vice chancellor for research at UC Davis. The Office of Research oversees animal care programs on campus.

The Venable trial team was led by Jean-Paul Cart and supported by Antonia Stabile.

NEW YORK (Apr. 28, 2022) – The transatlantic law firm Womble Bond Dickinson is opening an office in New York with the addition of a prestigious group of lawyers from the intellectual property boutique firm Abelman Frayne & Schwab. With this year marking the fifth anniversary of the transatlantic combination that created Womble Bond Dickinson, the firm’s continued growth has included new offices in Boston, Los Angeles, and Houston, and an expanded presence in Palo Alto.

The New York-based trademark, licensing, and copyright team will be led by partners Julianne Abelman and Marie Anne Mastrovito, who will be joined by of counsel Erica R. Halstead, senior counsels Lori B. Cohen and Anthony A. Coppola, and six paralegals. With a well-known reputation across the trademark world, the team represents clients at all stages of trademark protection and litigation in every country of the world.

“This impressive group of lawyers has represented some of the world’s top brands, providing a wide range of trademark services across several industries,” said Elizabeth O. Temple, CEO and Chair of Womble Bond Dickinson (US) LLP. “Along with bolstering our trademarks and brand management practice, this addition allows us to plant our flag in one of the world’s most important business and legal centers. In alignment with our strategic plan, this office – combined with our existing presence in other key innovation centers, including Atlanta, Boston, Charlotte, Houston, London, Los Angeles, Raleigh-Durham, Silicon Valley, and Washington, D.C. – continues our growth trajectory in markets that are driving innovation and technological change.”

Abelman and her team offer a full range of trademark services, including counseling clients in the selection of marks, providing trademark clearance searches and opinions, prosecuting trademark applications, counseling on enforcement strategies, representing clients in opposition and cancellation actions, and infringement litigation. They have worked with major corporations in several sectors, including alcoholic beverages, food, clothing, energy, technology, healthcare, consumer products, and manufacturing.

“We are excited to join Womble Bond Dickinson and establish the firm’s presence in New York,” said Abelman. “We will be able to combine our experience and small-firm culture of personal service to our clients with the support of a highly respected intellectual property department. We can’t think of a better partner as we begin this new chapter for our team.”

With this addition, Womble Bond Dickinson’s intellectual property practice will include more than 140 attorneys, patent agents, and technical advisors who help clients protect innovations and capitalize on the value of their IP in a competitive marketplace. The group’s full-service offerings include trademark clearance, prosecution and enforcement, patent preparation and prosecution, copyright registrations, technology transactions, complex licensing, IP litigation, trade secret protection, and data privacy and cybersecurity. More than 100 of these legal professionals are U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) registered practitioners, including attorneys and agents, and the team has more than 75 professionals with advanced degrees, 28 of whom have Ph.D.s or doctorates. Womble Bond Dickinson is a top-ranked firm in the Chambers USA 2021 Guide for intellectual property.

More information on the attorneys joining Womble Bond Dickinson can be found below:

Julianne Abelman has experience in the protection and enforcement of trademarks, copyrights, and domain names worldwide, including counseling on the selection and clearance of trademarks and slogans, filing and prosecution, licensing of intellectual property, trademark infringements, oppositions, and agreements relating to the use and coexistence of trademarks. At AFS, she served as a primary team leader and manager of that firm’s trademark practice group and managed a number of important client relationships.

Lori B. Cohen has represented Fortune 100 clients in the procurement and protection of well-known trademarks domestically and internationally. She concentrates her practice on all aspects of international and domestic trademark prosecution and international opposition and cancellation proceedings.

Anthony A. Coppola focuses his practice on various intellectual property litigation matters in the federal courts and before the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board. He also counsels clients in selecting, clearing, and maintaining international trademarks. He has experience in patent and trademark prosecution and negotiating and drafting intellectual property licensing and coexistence agreements. He has successfully litigated cases in the areas of patent infringement, trademark infringement, theft of trade secrets, trademark counterfeiting, and product liability in jurisdictions across the country.

Erica R. Halstead’s practice is focused on U.S. trademark prosecution, policing, enforcement, clearance, and counseling. This includes practice before the U.S. Trademark Trial and Appeal Board in both opposition and cancellation proceedings. She also has experience in negotiating and preparing assignments, licenses, and coexistence agreements.

Marie Anne Mastrovito is a former trademark examining attorney with the USPTO. She concentrates her practice on domestic trademark portfolio management, enforcement, and protection, including trademark clearance, trademark prosecution, negotiation of coexistence and settlement agreements, and the representation of clients in opposition and cancellation actions and ex parte appeals before the U.S. Trademark Trial and Appeal Board. She has also represented clients in successful appeals to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit.

ArentFox Schiff LLP is pleased to announce the expansion of its Health Care practice with the addition of Counsel Gayland O. Hethcoat II in the firm’s Los Angeles office.

Gayland brings nearly a decade of experience serving as in-house counsel to two of California’s leading health care organizations, including Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, a nationally-ranked and freestanding acute care children’s hospital, and Dignity Health, one of the largest nonprofit health systems in the United States.

A strategic legal advisor to providers and stakeholders across the health care delivery spectrum, Gayland offers a practical, business-minded approach to supporting his clients. As regulatory counsel, Gayland develops solutions for complying with the complex web of federal and state laws governing the healthcare sector, including in the emerging fields of telemedicine and digital health. He has represented hospitals and health systems, physician practices, retail pharmacies and clinics, clinical laboratories, home health agencies, telehealth platforms and health tech start-ups, and management service organizations.

Gayland possesses particular experience with health data privacy and security laws (including HIPAA, the California Confidentiality of Medical Information Act (CMIA), 42 CFR Part 2 substance abuse confidentiality regulations, and the FTC Health Breach Notification Rule) and healthcare fraud and abuse laws (including the Stark Law, Anti-Kickback Statute, and Civil Monetary Penalties Law). In addition, he routinely advises on healthcare licensure and scope-of-practice requirements, Medicare and Medicaid program rules, and controlled substance regulations.

In his transactional practice, Gayland drafts and negotiates various types of contracts and legal instruments, including financial arrangements between hospitals and physicians. He also assists with matters involving for-profit and nonprofit corporate board governance, conflicts of interest, and discharge of fiduciary duties.

“Gayland joins us at a critical time for our health care clients as they continue to manage their operations during the pandemic and work to comply with the changing regulatory landscape. Gayland’s impressive knowledge, excellent legal skills, and strong client service record are well-recognized in the health community. Welcoming attorneys with Gayland’s level of experience allows us to provide superior service and strategic counsel to our very sophisticated, growing client base.”
– Douglas A. Grimm, Health Care Practice Leader

Gayland’s Experience
Gayland’s recent work includes:

– Advising on issues involving COVID-19 testing and vaccination requirements for healthcare workforce members, supply chain disruptions, and regulatory waivers and flexibilities during the COVID-19 pandemic
– Supporting senior compliance officers in administering healthcare compliance programs, including internal investigations, audits, and risk assessments
– Providing representation in enforcement actions and investigations conducted by the US Department of Justice, Office for Civil Rights in the US Department of Health and Human Services, the California Department of Public Health, and other federal and state agencies

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

– Foley & Lardner LLP secured a victory on behalf of the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors last week when Honorable Judge Michael Beckloff of the Los Angeles County Superior Court denied a County resident’s petition for a writ of mandate in an attempt to block the transfer of Bruce’s Beach back to the legal heirs of Charles and Willa Bruce.

Bruce’s Beach was a popular Black-owned resort in the City of Manhattan Beach that catered to Black beachgoers in the 1910s and 20s. In 1924, the City of Manhattan Beach condemned Bruce’s Beach in an act of racial discrimination, seeking to drive out Black patrons from Manhattan Beach. Recognizing this profound historical wrong, Governor Gavin Newsom signed Senate Bill 796 into law, enabling the County to take appropriate actions to return Bruce’s Beach to the legal heirs of the Bruce family.

A County resident petitioned for a writ of mandate to block the transfer of the property. The resident primarily argued that the transfer of the property violates Article XVI, Section 6 of the California Constitution, which prohibits the Legislature from giving public funds to private citizens. Foley partner and the County’s lead counsel Byron McLain argued that returning the property to the Bruce family is not an improper gift in violation of the California Constitution because this act serves a clear and direct public purpose of addressing and redressing government racial discrimination. As stated in Senate Bill 796, this transfer enables the County to “rectify the historic injustice that was done to the Bruce family by returning the land…from whom it was taken in an act motivated by racism.”

Judge Beckloff denied the Petitioner’s writ of mandate and held that the anticipated transfer is constitutional, which effectively grants the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors the power to right this historic wrong. The County’s effort to return Bruce’s Beach “works to strengthen government integrity, represents governmental accountability. . . [and] fosters trust and respect in government,” Beckloff wrote in his ruling. “Redressing past acts of discrimination as well as preventing such acts in the future benefits the whole of the community. The public purpose served by [the County’s efforts] is direct and substantial,” Beckloff found.

McLain commented, “The Superior Court’s decision to allow the County of Los Angeles to transfer the Bruce’s Beach property back to the Bruce family is a huge step in support of the County’s concerted call to action for government entities to recognize and dismantle the history of racial oppression, injustice, and inequity that has left an indelible stain on this nation, most especially, its communities of color.”

In addition to McLain, the Foley team representing the County included Anum Amin and former Foley attorney M. Kristina Fernandez Mabrie. Paralegal Autumn McIntosh and Vivian Hong also assisted in this matter.

Sidley Accelerates Expansion in Emerging Companies Practice
-Welcomes Global Finance Partner Cynthia Bai and Executive Compensation Partner Nic Frey in Palo Alto
-Strengthens National Platform in Emerging Technology and Life Science Sectors

PALO ALTO – Sidley Austin LLP is pleased to announce that Cynthia Bai and Nicholas (Nic) Frey have joined the firm as partners in its Palo Alto office. Ms. Bai joins the firm’s Global Finance group from Cooley LLP, while Mr. Frey joins the Employee Benefits and Executive Compensation practice from Baker Botts. Sidley’s presence in Northern California continues to grow with more than 100 lawyers serving technology, life sciences, emerging companies, venture capital, and other practice areas.

“With over a dozen new partners nationally in the emerging growth practice over the past several years, our strategic investment in this sector is only gaining momentum,” said Martin Wellington, leader of Sidley’s Emerging Companies and Venture Capital practice and a member of the firm’s Executive Committee. “Cynthia and Nic bring the Silicon Valley-native expertise that entrepreneurial technology and life sciences companies expect in credit and executive compensation matters, as they are intimately familiar with the bespoke practices and market norms that have grown up in this sector.”

Mr. Frey focuses on executive compensation and benefits, equity plan and award design, M&A and capital markets transaction support, ERISA matters, and general public and private company compensation and benefit matters.

“Sidley has built a strong pipeline of technology and life sciences capital markets and M&A opportunities,” said Matthew E. Johnson, co-leader of the firm’s global Employee Benefits and Executive Compensation practice. “Nic’s experience will be a great asset to the team and the firm.”

Ms. Bai focuses her practice on debt financing transactions involving technology, life science, healthcare, and other high growth verticals, with an emphasis on venture debt and other emerging growth debt facilities, as well as fund finance. Her clients include debt funds, banks, and other lenders, as well as operating company and investment fund borrowers.

“We continue to attract the highest level of talent to our globally recognized practice,” said Kevin Blauch, leader of Sidley’s Global Finance practice and a member of the firm’s Executive Committee. “Cynthia’s strong knowledge of the structures common to early stage and high growth borrowers and venture funds is a great addition to our team.”

With more than 180 lawyers, Sidley’s Global finance group is a destination practice for high-value, complex financings across a broad spectrum of platforms, industries and asset types. Sidley lawyers have pioneered the development of financial instruments for the world’s financial markets and is consistently recognized by leading publications as one of the world’s leading finance practices.

With more than 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.

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SARASOTA, Fla., Ball Janik LLP is pleased to announce the firm’s fourth office opening, and first on the Gulf Coast, in Sarasota, Florida. The newest office is in the Center Pointe Office Building at 2033 Main Street, Suite 201. Located in downtown Sarasota, the office is across the street from the Sarasota County Courthouse and minutes away from several city highlights such as the Marie Selby Botanical Gardens, Sarasota Opera House, and the Sarasota Art Museum. Special Counsel Salvatore G. Scro will lead the Sarasota office, along with partners Phillip E. Joseph, James C. Prichard, Evan J. Small, Kelly M. Corcoran, and Brian T. Crevasse. The Sarasota office is positioned to serve clients up and down the Gulf Coast, including Naples, Fort Myers, Sarasota, Bradenton, Tampa, St. Petersburg, and Clearwater.
“Expanding to western Florida is a natural move for our firm as we grow in the Florida market. The new office allows us to strengthen our client relationships and services,” said Jim Prichard, Managing Partner at Ball Janik. “Having someone as experienced as Sal Scro leading our Sarasota office will ensure it provides the highest quality of service to clients—matching Ball Janik’s nationally recognized brand.”
Scro resides in Sarasota, Florida, where he is heavily involved in the community. His legal experience spans 33 years and includes various areas of litigation, real estate, and business matters in New York and Florida. Since relocating to Florida in 2006, Scro has concentrated his practice on the representation of homeowners, homeowner associations, and condominium associations in complex construction defect litigation and turnover matters. He also represents clients in business, civil, and commercial and residential real estate transactions.
“Establishing the firm’s first western Florida office is an exciting endeavor,” said Scro. “I have no doubt this office will provide the best service to every client we represent and expand Ball Janik’s footprint in the coming years.”
An expansion of Ball Janik’s growing presence throughout Florida, the Sarasota office will continue the Florida mission of working with owners of all types in construction defect claims, construction and design matters, real estate transactions, insurance recovery, and first-party property damage claims.
About Ball Janik LLP
Ball Janik LLP is a bicoastal comprehensive services law firm focused on real estate, land use, construction, and business litigation. With offices in Florida and Oregon, we serve clients in the areas of affordable housing, bankruptcy, and creditor rights, community associations, construction and design, construction defect disputes, corporate, financial services, hospitality, insurance recovery, investigations and white-collar crime, public agencies and schools, and renewable energy.
Since our firm’s inception, we have expanded our capabilities, professionals, and geographic footprint. In doing so, we have earned a national reputation for upholding the rights of our clients.
Ball Janik LLP has been recognized by Chambers USA, US News & World Report and Best Lawyers®, The Best Lawyers in America©, and Corporate International. Ball Janik LLP’s success and integrity have repeatedly made it one of “Oregon’s Most Admired Professional Firms,” according to the Portland Business Journal’s survey results of CEOs throughout the region. To learn more about Ball Janik LLP, please visit www.balljanik.com.

Bradley Arant Boult Cummings LLP is pleased to announce eight of the firm’s Washington, D.C. attorneys have been recognized in the 2022 edition of Washington, D.C. Super Lawyers and the list of “Rising Stars.”

“We congratulate this group of attorneys for their well-deserved recognition among their peers in the D.C. area. We are proud of their success and the high level of service they consistently provide their clients,” said Bradley Washington, D.C. Office Managing Partner Douglas L. Patin.

The following four Bradley attorneys are recognized as Washington, D.C., Super Lawyers:

Aron C. Beezley, partner (Government Contracts)
Gregory G. Marshall, partner (Criminal Defense: White Collar)
Douglas L. Patin, partner (Construction Litigation)
Sky Woodward, partner (Class Action)

The following four Bradley attorneys are recognized as “Rising Stars”:

Lee-Ann C. Brown, associate (Construction Litigation)
Kya M. Henley, associate (Criminal Defense: White Collar)
Anna M. Lashley, associate (Criminal Defense: White Collar)
Jessica L. Zurlo, associate (Intellectual Property)

The selections for the Super Lawyers lists, published by Thompson Reuters, are determined through independent research, peer nominations and peer evaluations. Only the top 5% of lawyers in D.C. are included in the Super Lawyers list. No more than 2.5% percent of D.C. attorneys who are 40 years old or younger or practicing for 10 or fewer years are included in the “Rising Stars” list.

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.

The International Association of Defense Counsel (IADC) has announced that Jennifer S. Park, a shareholder at Dentons Cohen & Grigsby P.C., in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, has accepted an invitation to join the IADC, the preeminent invitation-only global legal organization for attorneys who represent corporate and insurance interests.

“I am thrilled about the opportunities that the IADC offers to learn about current issues and trends affecting members and their respective organizations,” Ms. Park said.
Ms. Park advises and represents global and U.S. clients on various employment matters including, but not limited to, issues related to disability, leave, wage and hour, whistleblower, discrimination, and retaliation.

At Dentons Cohen & Grigsby, Ms. Park is a member of both the Governance and Nominating, and Oversight and Executive committees. Also, since 2020, she has served as Co-chair of the firm’s U.S. Pandemic Special Situations Team, providing guidance and insight related to COVID-19 issues affecting Dentons clients. In addition, she is a member of the Dentons ESG Advisory Committee, which provides guidance to firm clients on all manner of environmental, social and governance issues including, but not limited to, board diversity and other issues related to diversity and inclusion.
Ms. Park also is a board member of the Pittsburgh Legal Diversity & Inclusion Coalition.
Ms. Park received her J.D. from Georgetown University Law Center and her Bachelor of Arts (magna cum laude) from Wellesley College.

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.

Washington, D.C. – Blank Rome LLP is pleased to welcome leading international trade and national security attorney Anthony Rapa as a partner in the firm’s Washington, D.C., office where he will lead the firm’s National Security team. Working closely with the firm’s Aerospace, Defense and Government Services industry group, Anthony will counsel companies, private equity sponsors, and financial institutions on sanctions and export control-related matters in cross-border transactions, mergers and acquisitions, government investigations, and regulatory matters. A dual U.S./UK-qualified practitioner, he joins Blank Rome from Kirkland & Ellis where he was a partner.

“Anthony is a fantastic addition to Blank Rome and our aerospace, defense and government services industry team,” said Grant S. Palmer, Blank Rome’s Managing Partner and CEO. “He will play a key role in expanding our national security and international trade capabilities as well as helping our clients address critical issues in this multidisciplinary and evolving area. His deep knowledge of the sanctions and export control regimes in the United States, UK, and EU will greatly benefit our clients as we help them navigate the increasingly complex, fast-moving sanctions landscape.”

Anthony advises clients on wide-ranging sanctions and export controls compliance matters, including under the sanctions regulations administered by the U.S. Department of Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (“OFAC”), the Export Administration Regulations (“EAR”) administered by the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security (“BIS”), and the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (“ITAR”) administered by the U.S. Department of State’s Directorate of Defense Trade Controls (“DDTC”). He leads internal investigations and merger and acquisition due diligence related to sanctions and export controls, submits license and advisory opinion requests on behalf of clients, advises on transactions involving high-risk jurisdictions and/or export-controlled items, conducts product classifications under EAR and ITAR rules, develops compliance policies for multinational organizations, and assists clients with supply chain due diligence. In addition to his U.S. qualification, Anthony is admitted to practice as a solicitor in England and Wales, and has deep familiarity with UK and EU sanctions and export control regimes.

“Anthony’s experience handling some of the most sophisticated national security and international trade matters gives him a well-rounded perspective into the challenges that companies operating in the global marketplace encounter,” said Justin A. Chiarodo, Partner and Chair of the firm’s Government Contracts group. “His strong relationships across key government agencies bolsters our firm’s abilities to advocate for clients facing challenging regulatory matters and investigations not only in the United States, but in the UK and EU as well. I look forward to collaborating with Anthony in helping our clients navigate their most challenging national security and international trade matters.”

Anthony works with entities around the world and has experience in a number of industries, including aerospace, defense, energy, technology, software, semiconductors, mining, manufacturing, telecommunications, automotive, financial, shipping, and freight forwarding and logistics.

“We are in a pivotal moment for sanctions and export controls policy that calls for a holistic approach to national security and geopolitical issues, and Blank Rome’s deep reserve of multidisciplinary capabilities and strong focus on a collaborative approach to client service and commitment to growth will position our clients for success,” added Rapa. “The opportunity to work with such talented people was something I couldn’t pass up. This is a great firm to call home.”

Anthony received his J.D. from Seton Hall University School of Law, summa cum laude, and his B.A. from Drew University, summa cum laude. During law school, Anthony was the comments editor of the Seton Hall Law Review.

About Blank Rome

Blank Rome is an Am Law 100 firm with 14 offices and more than 600 attorneys and principals who provide comprehensive legal and advocacy services to clients operating in the United States and around the world. Our professionals have built a reputation for their leading knowledge and experience across a spectrum of industries and are recognized for their commitment to pro bono work in their communities. Since our inception in 1946, Blank Rome’s culture has been dedicated to providing top-level service to all of our clients and has been rooted in the strength of our diversity and inclusion initiatives. For more information, please visit blankrome.com.

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By Rebecca L. Palmer
When a marriage is on the rocks, it’s difficult not to continually blame your partner for what went wrong in your marriage. As your life goes through drastic emotional and financial changes, fanning the flames of blame during the divorce mediation can delay the process, increase animosity, and prevent you from getting on with your life.
No-fault divorce is one way separated couples can be granted a dissolution of marriage without assigning fault in the court proceeding. Also referred to as irreconcilable differences or irretrievable breakdown of the marriage, a no-fault divorce does not require proof of misconduct or the placement of blame on either spouse when submitting a dissolution of marriage petition. Florida is one of 17 states in the U.S. that adheres to a no-fault divorce process. All states recognize no-fault divorces, and each state has its own separation requirements before one spouse can formally file for divorce. To navigate the process in the state of Florida and outside its jurisdiction, it is wise to consult a family law attorney to make sure you are adhering to the law and that your rights are being protected.
A no-fault divorce does not relieve either party of personal accountability in the breakdown of the marriage; it simply does not have to be a part of the petition and court proceedings during the fault divorce process. Without a burden of proof needed, there is no legal directive to go into the private details of the marriage and find reasons, such as alleged infidelity, to illustrate support for the petitioner’s divorce request. Also, unique to the no-fault divorce process, one spouse cannot refuse the divorce petition. A refusal of the request will serve as support to the dissolution request by giving an example of the irretrievable breakdown of the relationship. In most cases, no-fault divorces are typically quicker, less expensive, and not as intense or emotionally draining as fault divorces can be. In Florida, it is only necessary to let the court know the marriage is broken and request a dissolution.
Even though it is referred to as “no-fault,” fault can be used to illustrate wrongdoing that would affect the rights to distribution of marital funds. No-fault divorce doesn’t mean that a party can walk away from a marriage without being held accountable for their actions. The Florida courts can still address any actions during the marriage that negatively affected the opposing spouse.
A common misunderstanding is that a no-fault divorce is the same as an “uncontested” divorce. The only way a divorce is uncontested is if all the provisions outlined in a divorce decree, such as child custody, alimony, and division of assets, have been agreed upon.

One potential drawback of a no-fault divorce is that there is no opportunity for either party to share the circumstances that led to the breakdown of the marriage during the proceedings. If this is a crucial element for you to achieve closure and move forward with your life, you may want to seek the counsel of a family law professional.
Long, drawn out, divorces can take a heavy emotional and financial toll. Be sure you understand the ramifications of choosing a no-fault divorce, as it may be the best course for you.
Rebecca L. Palmer, Esq. is a Family & Marital Law attorney practicing in Orlando, FL. She is the Managing Partner of the Rebecca L. Palmer Law Group, and she can be reached at rebecca@rlpvlawgroup.com

DALLAS – The trial work of Michael Lyons and Chris Simmons has earned the Lyons & Simmons, LLP co-founders selection among Dallas’s top lawyers for 2022.

Lyons and Simmons were each named to D Magazine’s Best Lawyers in Dallas listing based on their work on behalf of plaintiffs in high-stakes personal injury litigation.

This is the ninth selection for Lyons, who has previously earned recognition for both his personal injury and business litigation work from the magazine. The respected trial attorney also has earned individual honors from The Best Lawyers in America, Super Lawyers – Texas Top 100 and DFW Top 100, Lawdragon 500, and the National Law Journal. He is a member of the Million Dollar and Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forums.

Simmons’ work on behalf of plaintiffs who have been catastrophically injured or killed by the negligence of others helped propel him to his third selection among Dallas’ best lawyers. A member of the Million Dollar and Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forums, his work has also earned recognition by Best Lawyers in America, Lawdragon 500, the National Law Journal, and Texas Super Lawyers.

Lyons & Simmons has a reputation for obtaining outstanding results in cases involving life-altering personal injuries, wrongful death, and “bet-the-company” business disputes. The firm was honored with the Dallas Trial Lawyers Association’s prestigious 2021 John Howie Award, which is presented to firms that exemplify the “courageous pursuit of justice in the face of adversity.”

The Best Lawyers in Dallas is based on a comprehensive selection process that starts with peer nominations and includes extensive review by the magazine’s editorial staff, assisted by a blue-ribbon panel of attorneys. The complete 2022 list is featured in the May issue of D Magazine.

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.

Abdón Pedrajas Littler, a leading labor and employment law firm in Spain and part of Litter, the world’s largest employment and labor law practice representing management, has opened an office in Valencia, Spain. The office will be led by partner Javier Molina, who is part of a six-lawyer team joining from law firm Cuatrecasas.

In addition to building on the firm’s existing operations in Spain in Madrid and Barcelona, the new Valencia office follows Littler’s November 2021 expansion into Portugal when DCM Lawyers (now DCM | Littler) joined its global platform.

“We’re thrilled to continue our growth in the Iberian Peninsula and to add a third office in Spain,” said Erin Webber, Littler’s managing director and president. “The ongoing expansion of our European footprint has been a core part of our global growth strategy and we have built a strong team across 27 offices in 12 European countries. Javier and his colleagues are an ideal addition to our talented team and will serve as a great resource for our clients.”

Molina brings nearly three decades of experience in labor relations and deep knowledge of the Valencian community. His practice focuses on counseling employers on collective bargaining and productive decentralization processes, as well as on issues related to workplace accidents and occupational risk prevention. He also advises on labor matters for German companies doing business in Spain, as well as Spanish companies operating in Germany.

“Valencia is a strategic location for our growth trajectory, both in Spain and across Europe,” said Antonio Pedrajas, managing partner of Abdón Pedrajas Littler. “The new office anchored by Javier and his team, all of whom are recognized leaders in labor law with extensive knowledge of the Valencian legal market, will allow us to expand our services, while continuing to provide top quality counsel to our clients.”

Along with Molina, the attorneys joining Abdón Pedrajas Littler in Valencia include Patricia Madrona García, Amparo Bru Mundi, Gemma Pla Peris, Maite Martínez Otero and Raquel Romero González.

Stephan Swinkels, a Littler shareholder who helps lead the development and integration of the firm’s global practice added: “In addition to providing us with a presence in Spain’s three largest cities and expanding our ability to serve clients operating throughout Europe and the Iberian Peninsula, this new office further strengthens our Latin American capabilities, given the strong ties between the regions.”

“Littler is the leading firm in labor and employment matters globally, and we look forward to boosting the firm’s presence in the Valencian community,” noted Molina. “It is an exciting move for our team and we are energized by the opportunities that lie ahead.”

Littler’s international operations span four continents – North America, South America, Asia and Europe – and 26 countries, including Austria, Belgium, Brazil (via a correspondent counsel relationship), Canada, Colombia, Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, El Salvador, France, Germany, Guatemala, Honduras, Ireland, Italy, Mexico, the Netherlands, Nicaragua, Norway, Panama, Poland, Portugal, Singapore, Spain, the United Kingdom, the United States (including Puerto Rico) and Venezuela. The firm’s global capabilities also include lawyers with exceptional international experience, including practitioners dually licensed in the U.S. and Australia, Brazil, Japan, New Zealand, Russia and South Africa.

About Littler

With more than 1,600 labor and employment attorneys in offices around the world, Littler provides workplace solutions that are local, everywhere. Our diverse global team and proprietary technology foster a culture that celebrates original thinking, delivering groundbreaking innovation that prepares employers for what’s happening today, and what’s likely to happen tomorrow. For more information, visit www.littler.com.