Greensfelder, Hemker & Gale, P.C., is pleased to announce that Tony Westbrooks and Nina L. Windsor have joined the firm’s St. Louis office as attorneys in the Trusts & Estates practice group.

“We are pleased to welcome Tony and Nina to our experienced team of trusts and estates attorneys offering the full range of sophisticated estate and tax planning services to our individual, family and business clients,” said Greensfelder President and Chief Executive Officer Kevin T. McLaughlin.

Serving as counsel, Westbrooks helps families and businesses with sophisticated estate planning matters, advising individuals and families on protecting assets and prudently transferring wealth to younger generations and charities. He drafts and implements personalized estate plans including wills, trusts, and powers of attorney, as well as tax and charitable planning.

Prior to joining Greensfelder, Westbrooks served as compliance counsel at Edward Jones, where he provided legal and compliance advice and guidance to business areas including high-net-worth client consultation.

Westbrooks received his J.D. from Washington University School of Law and his Bachelor of Arts in economics from Grinnell College.

Windsor is an associate who helps develop estate plans to protect the financial futures of families and individuals. Her experience includes drafting wills, trusts, powers of attorney, and other vital planning documents. She also assists with tax-related matters.

Before joining Greensfelder, Windsor was an attorney at Maune Raichle Hartley French & Mudd, LLC, where she assisted clients with trust, probate and tax-related matters.

Windsor received her J.D. from Saint Louis University School of Law and her Bachelor of Arts from Hillsdale College.

Greensfelder, Hemker & Gale, P.C., founded in 1895, is a full-service law firm with offices in St. Louis, Chicago and Southern Illinois. Greensfelder offers comprehensive legal solutions for clients locally, nationally and internationally. Areas of practice include business services; communications and media; construction; educational, religious and tax-exempt organizations; employee benefits; employment and labor; energy; franchising and distribution; health care; intellectual property; litigation; real estate; securities and financial services; and trusts and estates. Find out more at www.greensfelder.com.

San Francisco, CA (June 26, 2020) – Venable LLP is pleased to announce the addition of three leading complex commercial litigators to its growing national Commercial Litigation Practice in the San Francisco office. John S. Worden and Jean-Paul Cart, formerly of Schiff Hardin LLP, are joining the firm as partners. In addition, Steven E. Swaney is joining the firm as counsel.

Worden is a trial lawyer. He has tried more than 50 cases for plaintiffs and defendants in state and federal courts and in front of judges, juries, and binding arbitration panels across the country. Although most of his trials have been on the defense, he has also won four seven- and eight-figure plaintiff verdicts. He practices throughout the U.S., and in addition to being admitted in California, is admitted in Nevada (where he has tried—and won—seven cases to verdict). Worden received his J.D, magna cum laude, from Seattle University School of Law in 1989, and his B.A., with honors, from Seattle University in 1986.

Cart represents clients in complex business litigation matters in all varieties of business torts and commercial disputes, including consumer class actions,trademark infringement, securities and derivative class actions, licensing and contract actions, insurance disputes, privacy litigation, ADA website accessibility and Proposition 65 claims, and other related commercial litigation. He also provides pre-litigation risk analysis and counseling to clients involved in complicated transactions. His experience also covers all aspects of litigation, from declaratory relief actions to nine-figure demands. Cart received his J.D. from the University of California at Berkeley School of Law in 2009, andhis B.S., summa cum laude, in Business Administration from the California Polytechnic State University in 2006.

Swaney is a seasoned trial attorney with experience in all aspects of litigation. His practice focuses on the defense against consumer class actions involving allegations of product defect, fraud, false advertising, breach of warranty,and other claims across a wide variety of industries, including automotive,electronics, and children’s products. As a former assistant United States attorney in the District of Columbia and Maryland, he has tried more than 20 cases to juries and coordinated in excess of 100 grand jury investigations.  Swaney received his J.D., cum laude, from Northwestern University Pritzker School of Law in 2002, and his B.A., cum laude, in English from Santa Clara University in 1997.

As we celebrate LGBTQ Pride Month, join us for an important discussion on the significance and implications of the landmark 6-3 U.S. Supreme Court ruling, that Title VII of the 1964 Civil Rights Act protects LGBTQ employees from discrimination in the workplace based on sexual orientation or gender identity.

We will be joined by special guest, James Esseks, Director of the ACLU Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender & HIV Project as a follow up to his talk at DWT’s LGBTQ event in NYC last November. James was counsel in one of the three LGBTQ cases ruled on by the Supreme Court last week and in other landmark LGBTQ cases: Obergefell v. Hodges, which won the freedom to marry nationwide; United States v. Windsor, striking down the federal Defense of Marriage Act; Grimm v. Gloucester County School Board, whether a Virginia school board can bar a boy from the common restrooms because he is transgender; and Masterpiece Cakeshop v. Colorado Civil Rights Commission, addressing whether a business open to the public can turn away LGBT customers based on its religious or artistic objections. James will share his views on the recent LGBTQ victory in Bostock v. Clayton County, Georgia and implications moving forward in extending rights to LGBTQ individuals.

Join the webinar.

Veteran Technology Transactions Lawyer David Daggett Joins Perkins Coie in Seattle

SEATTLE (June 25, 2020) – Perkins Coie is pleased to announce that David Daggett has joined the firm’s Technology Transactions & Privacy practice as a partner in the Seattle office.

Dave is a veteran technology lawyer who focuses his practice on complex technology and related commercial transactions, with a focus on cloud-based products and services, intellectual property, commercial issues in mergers and acquisitions, and technical standard setting.

Dave is also a member of the patent bar and is admitted to practice before the USPTO and uses his patent experience in a variety of transactional contexts.

Dave joins Perkins Coie from Davis Wright Tremaine, where he was a partner. He received his J.D., summa cum laude, from Gonzaga University School of Law and his B.S. from University of California, Los Angeles.

The attorneys in Perkins Coie’s Technology Transactions & Privacy practice represent leading and emerging technology companies, hospitals and health systems, financial services firms, retailers, manufacturers, and other businesses in connection with transactions spanning virtually every segment of the technology industry. The team has extensive experience in practically all forms of traditional and leading-edge technologies, including internet/e-commerce, online and cloud services, computing hardware, mobile, telecommunications, blockchain, artificial intelligence and machine learning, software, privacy and data security, virtual reality and augmented reality, autonomous vehicles, cleantech, gaming, fintech, emerging payments, virtual currencies, social media, health information and medical technology, medical devices, biomedical engineering, wearable technology, and medical and personal biotechnology.

BIRMINGHAM – Bradley Arant Boult Cummings LLP is pleased to announce that Robert Maddox, a partner in the firm’s Birmingham office, has been accepted as a Fellow in the American College of Mortgage Attorneys (ACMA).

“We congratulate Robert on his acceptance into the prestigious American College of Mortgage Attorneys,” said Bradley Birmingham Office Managing Partner Dawn Helms Sharff. “This honor is a reflection of his vast accomplishments in the financial service and mortgage sectors.”

ACMA is comprised of more than 400 lawyers in North America who are experts in mortgage law. Fellows must have distinguished themselves as practitioners in the field of real estate mortgage law through their skills and practice experience, bar association activities, lecturing, authoring articles and program materials, participation in the legislative process, and writing briefs and/or arguing cases that are significant to mortgage transactions.

Mr. Maddox practices in financial services litigation with an emphasis in mortgage and compliance litigation. He has litigated all facets of the mortgage industry: origination, warehouse lending, pooling and servicing agreements, loan repurchase disputes, investor disputes, secondary market representations and warranties, servicing matters, commercial mortgages, settlement services issues and mortgage fraud. These matters are in various contexts including pre-litigation complaints by borrowers, state agencies and consumer advocacy groups, class action, consumer litigation, bankruptcy and representing the investor/servicer as plaintiff in seeking recovery for fraud, title insurance coverage, repurchase and contract/commercial disputes.

Also a Certified Mortgage Banker, Mr. Maddox is a regular speaker at national mortgage programs and financial services industry conferences, and often teaches on real estate law, regulatory compliance, predatory lending, mortgage fraud and servicing.

About Bradley
Bradley combines skilled legal counsel with exceptional client service and unwavering integrity to assist a diverse range of corporate and individual clients in achieving their business goals. With offices in Alabama, Florida, Mississippi, North Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, and the District of Columbia, the firm’s nearly 550 lawyers represent regional, national and international clients in various industries, including banking and financial services, construction, energy, healthcare, life sciences, manufacturing, real estate, and technology, among many others.

Greensfelder, Hemker & Gale, P.C., is honored to announce the creation of a new scholarship fund with Washington University in St. Louis School of Law to support diverse law students, in recognition of the first anniversary of the passing of former Greensfelder President and CEO Tim Thornton.

The Greensfelder Diversity Scholarship in Memory of Timothy R. Thornton will be awarded beginning in fall 2020. Each year, a student at Washington University in St. Louis School of Law who has demonstrated a commitment to diversity will be selected as the recipient. After awarding the initial $10,000 scholarship this fall, Greensfelder will fund an endowment to allow for the continuation of the scholarship annually in alignment with the firm’s commitment to advancing diversity in the legal profession and creating opportunities for individuals in the firm’s communities.

“Diversity and inclusion were deeply held components of Tim’s core values, and he imparted those values to our law firm,” said Kevin T. McLaughlin, who succeeded Tim Thornton as the firm’s president and CEO. “Diversity and inclusion serve as an integral part of our core values today, and that is a lasting part of Tim’s impact on the firm. He believed in diversity in the legal profession and in firm leadership, and it is important to us to honor his legacy by continuing to prioritize those values.”

Tim Thornton passed away on June 23, 2019, at age 64. He was a 1980 graduate of Washington University in St. Louis School of Law and joined Greensfelder in 1981. His son Patrick Thornton also graduated from Washington University in St. Louis School of Law.

Tim Thornton, who built his practice as a highly successful construction attorney, became Greensfelder’s first CEO in 2016. His vision for the firm was one where all employees were given the opportunity to achieve their highest potential, and diversity of leadership was paramount.

Greensfelder, Hemker & Gale, P.C., founded in 1895, is a full-service law firm with offices in St. Louis, Chicago and Southern Illinois. Greensfelder offers comprehensive legal solutions for clients locally, nationally and internationally. Areas of practice include business services; communications and media; construction; educational, religious and tax-exempt organizations; employee benefits; employment and labor; energy; franchising and distribution; health care; intellectual property; litigation; real estate; securities and financial services; and trusts and estates. Find out more at www.greensfelder.com.

Detroit – June 22, 2020 – Dykema, a leading national law firm, announced today that its Pro Bono Counsel, Heidi Naasko, was selected to receive the State Bar of Michigan’s John W. Cummiskey Pro Bono Award for 2020. The award is typically presented at the State Bar of Michigan’s Annual Meeting, which is scheduled for Sept. 17, 2020, in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

According to the State Bar of Michigan, the purpose of the Cummiskey Award is to foster awareness of the need for involvement of the private bar in delivering legal services to the poor, by giving public recognition each year to a Michigan lawyer who has made a significant pro bono contribution to this effort. The award is established in the name of John W. Cummiskey of Grand Rapids, a leading advocate and activist in the cause of making legal services available to all, without regard to economic status. Past Dykema honorees of the Cummiskey Pro Bono Award include Joel Kellman (2000) and retired members Peggy Costello (2002), and Joe Basta (2009).

In her role as Pro Bono Counsel, Naasko leverages Dykema’s resources to satisfy the unmet legal needs of the community. She is widely known for serving those who are underserved including child immigrants, human trafficking and domestic violence survivors. Working collaboratively with legal aid, Naasko has launched legal clinics for those seeking personal protection orders. She’s also coordinated teams of lawyers to address statewide and national legal crises. She is currently working to pass legislation establishing right to counsel for low-income Detroiters facing eviction.

However, Naasko’s work in pro bono goes far beyond her cases. As Dykema’s first full-time Pro Bono Counsel, she initiated several innovative projects that promoted best practices and expanded volunteer opportunities for not only Dykema attorneys and summer associates, but corporate counsel nationwide. Her knowledge, thoroughness, availability and mentorship has created a broader network of attorneys providing pro bono service.

Naasko’s passionate drive allows her to call attention to unmet needs and find a way to overcome perceived obstacles that historically prevented lawyers outside of and within the firm from volunteering, thereby resulting in a larger group of low-income clients being served. In 2008, under her direction, Dykema became the first firm to take on pro bono work in the representation of abused and neglected migrant children. In 2009, Naasko began directing the Dykema Free Legal Aid Clinic, the first program of its kind in the State of Michigan. The clinic was designed in response to the unmet legal needs that may impede the success of students. About a decade ago, under Naasko’s leadership, Dykema was the first major law firm to accept criminal expungements as a pro bono opportunity. Her willingness to engage this project was essential to overcoming initial trepidation within the private bar and resulted in other firms following suit, leading to hundreds of Detroiters having criminal records expunged from their public records. In 2018, Naasko championed the idea of passing a right to counsel in Detroit for low-income Detroiters facing eviction. In 2019, an ordinance proposing such right was introduced by Detroit City Council.

Throughout her career, Naasko has developed strong relationships with business clients to create pro bono partnerships that focus on identifying high-profile, relevant, and succinct pro bono opportunities. As Dykema’s Diversity Counsel, she has also implemented diversity initiatives from recruiting and mentoring to business development opportunities.

Naasko earned a J.D., cum laude, from Boston University and a B.A. from the University of Michigan. She serves on the Board of Directors of the Association of Pro Bono Counsel, a nonprofit professional organization for attorneys and practice group managers who run a law firm pro bono practice on a full-time basis, and First Step-Wayne County, a non-profit providing comprehensive services for victims of domestic violence and sexual assault.

Bradley Arant Boult Cummings LLP is pleased to announce that Ellene Glenn Winn has been inducted into the 2019 Alabama Lawyers Hall of Fame. A native of Clayton, Alabama, Ellene Winn became the first female partner at Bradley in 1957, when the firm was known as White, Bradley, Arant, All & Rose.

To be inducted into the Alabama Lawyers’ Hall of Fame an attorney must have had a distinguished career in the law. This can be demonstrated through many different forms of achievement, leadership, service, mentorship, political courage, or professional success. Each inductee must have been deceased at least two years at the time of their selection.

“Miss Winn’s impact on public finance in Alabama was profound,” said Alan Zeigler, partner at Bradley and one-time associate of Ellene Winn. “She was instrumental from the late 1940s till the 1980s in drafting legislation pertaining to all aspects of public finance in the state. Her wisdom and her work, particularly in briefing and presenting validation cases decided by the Alabama Supreme Court, still provide the bedrock for much of what Alabama public finance lawyers do today.”

Bradley partner Virginia Patterson, another former colleague of Ellene Winn’s, added, “Miss Winn exemplified the wisdom, intellect, kindness, ethics and strategic insight for which all lawyers should strive. I am proud and grateful to have known her.”

Ellene Winn joined Bradley in 1944 and quickly became known for her mastery in public finance. In 1957, she became the firm’s first female partner, the first in any major law firm in the Southeast, as well as one of the first in the nation. She is also believed to be the first female lawyer to present an oral argument before the Alabama Supreme Court.

Her trailblazing achievements led Bradley to create the Winn Initiative, a firm-wide program dedicated to enhancing the engagement, development, advancement and success of the firm’s female attorneys through mentoring and training sessions on boosting professional skills, leadership, mentoring and business development.

The full list of Alabama Lawyers Hall of Fame Class of 2019 can be found at https://www.alabar.org/news/alabama-state-bar-inducts-five-new-members-to-lawyers-hall-of-fame/.

About Bradley
Bradley combines skilled legal counsel with exceptional client service and unwavering integrity to assist a diverse range of corporate and individual clients in achieving their business goals. With offices in Alabama, Florida, Mississippi, North Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, and the District of Columbia, the firm’s nearly 550 lawyers represent regional, national and international clients in various industries, including banking and financial services, construction, energy, healthcare, life sciences, manufacturing, real estate, and technology, among many others.

Fitch, Even, Tabin & Flannery LLP will present a free webinar, “Trade Secret Misappropriation: When and How to Take Action,” featuring Fitch Even attorneys Joseph F. Marinelli and Thomas A. James.

The webinar will take place on Thursday, July 16, 2020, at 9:00 am PDT / 10:00 am MDT / 11:00 am CDT / 12 noon EDT.

Trade secrets protect many of a company’s most valued intellectual assets, such as formulas, fabrication techniques, data compilations, and business intelligence. With the high employee turnover, shortened lifespan and digitization of technology, and complex business structures of today’s competitive environment, protecting trade secrets has never been more important. Deciding if, when, and how to litigate a possible misappropriation is a critical part of maintaining trade secret protection and enforcing a robust intellectual property strategy.

During this webinar, the speakers will explore the factors that must be considered when bringing a trade secret action, covering these topics and more:
• Pre-suit diligence and conduct
• Filing considerations related to jurisdiction and venue (state court, federal court, ITC)
• Other causes of action to consider
• Available relief
• Protecting trade secrets during litigation

CLE credit has been approved for California and Illinois and is pending in Nebraska. Other states may also award CLE credit upon attendee request.

Following the live event, a recording of the webinar will be available to view for one year at www.fitcheven.com.

Register for the webinar.

Lawsuit: Safari Club International stole valuable membership data, provided it to Buckmasters for unauthorized membership outreach

SAN ANTONIO – One of the oldest and most-respected hunting advocacy groups in Texas – the Texas Trophy Hunters Association – has filed for a temporary restraining order against two rival groups, charging that Safari Club International stole its proprietary membership list and provided it to Buckmasters to solicit new members.

The Texas Trophy Hunters Association charges that Safari Club International gained access to TTHA’s confidential membership list during acquisition negotiations with TTHA and violated confidentiality agreements by providing the list to Buckmasters. The TRO asks a court in Bexar County to order the two groups to immediately stop using TTHA’s confidential membership list.

“What happened here is no different than inviting someone to be a guest in your home, only to have them steal your property in the middle of the night. Safari Club International said it wanted to forge a business relationship. Instead, they just wanted to surreptitiously gain access to a competitor’s most valuable asset,” said TTHA’s attorney Reagan Marble of the San Antonio office of Jackson Walker.

Safari Club International approached TTHA in 2019 and sought to begin negotiations to acquire the organization as part of an effort to expand its Texas presence. TTHA provided the membership list after both parties specifically agreed that confidential information revealed in the negotiations would not be disclosed to third parties. Shortly after the negotiations broke down, TTHA discovered that its members were receiving solicitations from Buckmasters.

Based in San Antonio, TTHA is a member-based organization dedicated to promoting the sport, science and heritage of hunting. The group produces the “Hunters Extravaganza,” known as the “granddaddy” of consumer hunting shows and publishes “The Journal of the Texas Trophy Hunters.”

This is not Buckmasters’ first controversy regarding improper membership outreach. In 2017, Buckmasters was sued by the Alabama Attorney General over allegations it had signed up members without authorization. The 10-count Deceptive Trade Practices Act lawsuit was later settled.

“TTHA entered into discussions in good faith,” said Mr. Marble. “Luckily for TTHA members, the true nature of SCI and Buckmasters leaders was revealed before this acquisition took place. They cannot be allowed to continue to engage in these types of dishonorable practices.”

Founded in 1975, Texas Trophy Hunters Association® is the largest and most well-established hunting and outdoor association in Texas. TTHA strives to unite all segments of the hunting community for the dissemination of information and joining of energies to promote and protect our hunting heritage.

MIAMI, June 17, 2020 – Global law firm Reed Smith today announced that Felipe Berer has joined the firm as a partner in the Miami office in the Global Disputes Group. Berer is also a member of the firm’s Latin America Business Team. Formerly head of the Brazil practice at Akerman LLP, Berer represents multinational companies doing business in the United States, Brazil, and throughout Latin America. He has significant experience advising Brazilian companies in a wide array of industries on cross-border commercial disputes, litigation and arbitration, and insolvency matters both in the US and in Brazil.

An internationally recognized lawyer, Berer is dual licensed in the US and Brazil and a native Portuguese speaker whose clients include Fortune 500 companies and some of the largest and most successful Brazilian conglomerates and investors. Sometimes acting in the capacity of outside general counsel, he works with companies that are often involved in parallel litigation in both jurisdictions. In addition, he advises Brazilian companies that are creditors or debtors in bankruptcy and insolvency proceedings related to Chapter 11 and Chapter 15 filings in the US, or where there is a Brazilian insolvency recognized in the US. He also regularly advises international clients on a wide array of matters, including trade policy, export controls and sanctions under US and Brazilian laws, contract negotiations, especially supply and distribution agreements, and government affairs in Brazil.

Berer has been ranked by Chambers Global for eight consecutive years, 2013-2020, in the International Trade (USA) category as the only Foreign Expert for Brazil based in the United States.

Berer began his legal career at Barbosa, Müssnich, & Aragão Advogados in Rio de Janeiro. He later practiced at Bryan Cave and Mayer Brown before joining Akerman in 2012. He received his LL.B. from Pontifical Catholic University of Rio de Janeiro and his LL.M. from Georgetown University Law Center. He is a former president and current member of the advisory council of the Brazilian-American Chamber of Commerce of Florida, serves on the advisory board of the Brazil-Florida Business Council, and is on the board of directors of Georgetown University’s Club of Miami.

Geyser to lead national appellate and Supreme Court practice

DALLAS – Daniel L. Geyser, one of the nation’s leading Supreme Court and appellate lawyers, has joined the Dallas office of Texas-based appellate firm Alexander Dubose & Jefferson LLP (ADJ). Highly regarded for his work and high-profile wins before the U.S. Supreme Court, Geyser will serve as chair of the firm’s U.S. Supreme Court and Federal Appellate Practice and will focus on complex and high-stakes appellate litigation.

Geyser’s 18-year legal career is punctuated with an impressive list of accomplishments. Prior to joining the firm, he was one of the few lawyers in private practice to argue eight merits cases in the U.S. Supreme Court’s past three terms, prevailing in matters that industry experts said could not be won. He had three certiorari petitions granted in a 12-month period and personally handled over 5 percent of the Court’s merits docket for October Term 2018. In 2019, Law360 named him an “Appellate MVP,” an honor awarded to only four lawyers in the United States. Most recently, both Chambers USA and The Legal 500 recognized Geyser as one of the nation’s leading Supreme Court and appellate lawyers. He has argued more cases in the U.S. Supreme Court in private practice than any other active lawyer in Texas.

Beyond the Supreme Court, Geyser handles high-stakes appellate matters nationwide. He has argued cases in the U.S. Courts of Appeals for the Second, Third, Fifth, Seventh, Eighth, Ninth (including before the en banc court), Eleventh, and Federal Circuits, and briefed still other cases before the First, Sixth, and D.C. Circuits. He has special expertise at the rehearing stage where he has recently handled high-stakes cases involving subjects such as securities, patents, ERISA, arbitration, and bankruptcy. In addition to an active federal practice, Geyser has handled landmark appeals in state courts, including arguing seven times in the Texas Supreme Court.

Before launching his own practice, Geyser was the appellate chair at Stris & Maher, leading that firm to the National Law Journal’s “Appellate Hot List” and a national appellate ranking in Chambers USA. He also practiced with an elite appellate team at Munger, Tolles & Olson in their Los Angeles office where he received the State Bar of California’s Wiley W. Manuel Award for Pro Bono Legal Services (2006) and was appointed to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit Pro Bono Panel. From 2007-2011, Geyser served in the Office of the Solicitor General of Texas, where he conducted and supervised appellate litigation for the State.

Geyser graduated Phi Beta Kappa with honors and distinction from Stanford University and received his law degree with honors from Harvard Law School. During law school, he was the Notes Chair of the Harvard Law Review, a best-brief winner and oralist on the championship team of Harvard’s moot-court competition, and a research assistant to Professor Laurence H. Tribe, working on his academic writing and appellate docket. After completing his J.D., he clerked for the Hon. Alex Kozinski of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit.

About Alexander Dubose & Jefferson

Attorneys at Alexander Dubose & Jefferson LLP collaborate closely with clients at all stages of litigation. The firm provides multiple layers of experience and expertise, including: pretrial strategy to maximize the odds of a favorable outcome at trial; in-trial support including error preservation, issue identification, trial briefing, and jury-charge work; and post-trial management of all aspects of the appeal. The firm has offices in Austin, Dallas, and Houston. In addition to former Texas Supreme Court Chief Justice Wallace Jefferson, the firm’s lawyers include a former Chief Justice of the Austin Court of Appeals, a former Justice of the Houston (14th) Court of Appeals, and multiple former staff attorneys and law clerks of the Supreme Court of Texas and the U.S. Courts of Appeals for the Fifth, Sixth, and Ninth Circuits. The firm also has numerous lawyers recognized for excellence in Texas appellate law by Chambers USA, America’s Leading Lawyers for Business, Best Lawyers in America, and Texas Super Lawyers. To learn more about Alexander Dubose & Jefferson, visit https://www.adjtlaw.com.

Media Contact:
Jennie Bui-McCoy
800-559-4534
jennie@androvett.com

Barnes & Thornburg has added John M. Moye as a partner in the firm’s Litigation Department. Moye is the eighth attorney to join the Atlanta office since the beginning of the year.

An experienced business litigator, Moye concentrates his practice in the areas of technology and software litigation, trade secrets and restrictive covenants, complex commercial litigation, and telecommunications law.

Moye has served as lead counsel in numerous federal and state court proceedings throughout the United States, representing companies and manufacturers in a range of complex commercial disputes, intellectual property matters, trade secret and restrictive covenant cases, and software implementation disputes. He also has advised large telecommunications providers engaged in clashes over Long-Term Evolution (LTE) technology provisions and class actions arising out of the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA).

Moye also champions numerous pro bono efforts and works closely with the Atlanta Volunteer Lawyers Foundation. The Georgia Immigration and Asylum Network named him as the organization’s “Volunteer Attorney of the Year” for his work representing detained immigrants from Central America in federal asylum proceedings.

Moye’s legal experience runs even deeper, having served from 2008 to 2015 as an adjunct professor at the UNC School of Law. Earlier in his career, Moye worked as a reporter for Forbes Magazine, where he wrote about technology issues, startups and entrepreneurs.

The International Association of Defense Counsel (IADC) has announced that Parwana Noorzad, an attorney at Quarles & Brady LLP in Indianapolis, 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 honored to be invited as a new member of the International Association of Defense Counsel,” Ms. Noorzad said. “I look forward to participating in the educational and professional development opportunities IADC provides and I am excited to work alongside other defense lawyers and insurance executives who are members of this prestigious organization.”
A member of her firm’s Litigation & Dispute Resolution Practice Group, Ms. Noorzad concentrates her practice in product liability litigation. She represents domestic and international manufacturers of a variety of products in litigation in state and federal courts across the United States. Prior to joining Quarles & Brady, she was a deputy prosecutor for the Marion County Prosecutor’s Office, Special Victim’s Unit, where she prosecuted major felony cases.

Ms. Noorzad serves on the board of directors and as secretary of the Indianapolis Legal Aid Society, which works to ensure that qualified, low-income persons living in central Indiana have immediate and direct access to quality legal assistance. She also serves as the social media vice chair of the DRI Women in the Law Committee, which supports the career advancement of women by providing a form for leadership, education, and professional development. In addition, she recently served on the board of directors and as treasurer of Legacy House, an Indianapolis nonprofit agency that provides counseling and advocacy to victims of violence.

Ms. Noorzad received her J.D. from the Indiana University Robert H. McKinney School of Law and her Bachelor of Arts (with high distinction) from Indiana University Bloomington.

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.

Farrell Fritz is pleased to announce that Jacklyn A. Zitelli has been appointed to the North Shore Child & Family Guidance Center Board of Directors.

Jacklyn, a Jericho, NY, resident, is counsel in the firm’s real estate practice group. She earned her J.D. from St. John’s University School of Law and her B.A. from Syracuse University.

For over 60 years, the North Shore Child & Family Guidance Center has been dedicated to restoring and strengthening the emotional well-being of children and their families. The Guidance Center helps children and families address issues such as depression and anxiety; developmental delays; bullying; teen pregnancy; sexual abuse; teen drug and alcohol abuse; and family crises stemming from illness, death, trauma and divorce.

The International Association of Defense Counsel (IADC) has announced that Matt Wright, a partner at McCarter & English, LLP, in Washington, D.C., 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 honored to have the opportunity to work with, and learn from, some of the best lawyers in the country and around the world,” Mr. Wright said. “IADC will help me stay abreast of cutting-edge developments in the law so I can better serve my clients.”
Mr. Wright is a trial lawyer who focuses on commercial litigation, advertising, products liability, and government contract disputes.

Mr. Wright received his J.D. from Boston College Law School and his A.B. (cum laude) from Princeton University.

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

Eversheds Sutherland today announced the further global expansion of Konexo to provide alternative legal and compliance services in the US, under the leadership of Carmen L. Brun, who previously practiced in Eversheds Sutherland’s Securities Enforcement and Litigation practice.

Brun is responsible for the development and delivery of Konexo’s strategy and services in the US and works closely with Graham Richardson, Head of Konexo, on coordinating global matters and overall strategy. Konexo offerings in the US include litigation services; investigation, due diligence and regulatory research services; contract analysis; commercial contracting; financial services investigations and remediation; interim resourcing; consulting; and global legal entity management – with plans to expand and diversify service offerings in tandem with client needs.

In June 2019, Eversheds Sutherland leveraged existing teams in the UK and Asia to launch Konexo with plans to expand to the US shortly thereafter. With the ongoing global COVID-19 crisis, the firm anticipates an even higher demand for alternative legal services powered by a top global legal brand.

The US launch comes on the heels of Konexo’s launch and significant growth globally last year. With several offices in the UK, and with the opening of new offices in Singapore and Kuala Lumpur in 2019, Konexo has already established a presence around the world. “We work hard to be where our clients need us to be – and to provide what they need us to provide – and that’s apparent in the moves we are making to grow and refine our service offerings in the US and globally,” said Mr. Wasserman.

Robert Mercer is pleased to announce the launch of Mercer Law LLC, a bankruptcy and insolvency boutique law firm in Atlanta serving clients in a wide range of industries nationwide. Mercer Law will represent a full range of bankruptcy and insolvency clients including post-confirmation trustees, receivers, assignees for the benefit of creditors, lenders, borrowers, professionals, licensors and licensees of intellectual property, landlords, trade creditors, directors and officers, and purchasers of distressed businesses.

In addition to his broad bankruptcy and insolvency practice, Mercer works with personal injury plaintiffs’ lawyers when their clients are asserting large claims against insolvent entities. He also represents fiduciaries on a contingency-fee basis in high-stakes bankruptcy and insolvency litigation. Mercer Law intentionally does not represent any national banks because of the constraints often imposed by national bank conflicts of interest.

The culmination of his successful career built over the past two decades, Mercer’s plans to open his boutique firm were laid in advance of the COVID-19 pandemic, but his services are required now more than ever.

Mercer serves on the board of directors of the Atlanta chapter of the Turnaround Management Association and the Advisory Board of the American Bankruptcy Institute’s Southeast Bankruptcy Workshop. Mercer has been recognized by Chambers USA for Bankruptcy/Restructuring in Georgia for the last 8 consecutive years and is only one of three attorneys ranked in Bankruptcy/Restructuring in Georgia who works in a boutique law firm.

Lex Machina notes nearly 4,000 suits filed by Dallas firm between 2015-2019

The trial lawyers of Dallas-based Fears Nachawati Law Firm, known for its long track record of litigation on behalf of consumers, are being recognized by the legal analytics organization Lex Machina as one of the most active product liability plaintiff teams in the country.

The 3,817 cases filed between 2015-2019 represent the firm’s dedication to pursuing justice for clients harmed by the catastrophic effects of addictive pharmaceutical drugs and defective medical devices, along with other dangerous products.

“Bryan Fears and I created this firm with the goal of acting quickly and strategically when we saw corporations recklessly disregarding the safety of their customers,” said firm co-founder Majed Nachawati. “Our promise to every client is that we will navigate the complexity of product liability litigation in the pursuit of justice on their behalf.”

Fears Nachawati has played a significant leadership role in litigation on behalf of states, regional governments, public hospitals and other public entities battling the opioid epidemic. The firm’s lawyers use their multidistrict litigation expertise to help repair communities devastated by corporate wrongdoing by pharmaceutical companies, distributors and retailers.

The attorneys of Fears Nachawati have also given voice to individual plaintiffs when neglectful companies’ practices have endangered their lives. The team secured a $3 million federal jury verdict in 2019 against Cook Medical over its defective intravenous blood filter. It marked the first time a jury reached a finding that the filters, designed to stop blood clots from reaching the heart and lungs, were flawed.

Fears Nachawati Law Firm represents individuals, businesses and public entities in cases involving business interruption insurance disputes, medical device and pharmaceutical liability, environmental damage claims, and serious personal injury and wrongful death. For more information on the firm, visit www.fnlawfirm.com.