The U.S. law firm of Hinshaw & Culbertson LLP is pleased to announce that partner Brian S. McGrath and a team of four attorneys have joined the firm in the Consumer Financial Services Practice in New York. Formerly with McGlinchey Stafford, the group includes McGrath and Victor Matthews, who also joins as a partner, and associates Ashley R. Newman, Ronald Park, and Mitra Singh.

In addition to running a complex bet-the-company litigation practice, McGrath served as managing partner of McGlinchey’s New York office. His background includes a mix of public sector practice and private practice, having served early in his career as Special Assistant District Attorney in the Kings County District Attorney’s Office in Brooklyn, NY, on secondment from Dewey & LeBoeuf LLP (previously Dewey Ballantine LLP).

According to McGrath, Hinshaw’s deep bench in the Consumer Financial Services sector, the firm’s national platform, and its commitment to diversity and inclusion helped convince the team to make the move. A 2018 Fellow of the Leadership Council on Legal Diversity (LCLD), McGrath is committed to diversity in the legal industry and intends to actively participate in the firm’s LGBTQ Affinity Network. “The firm’s commitment to diversity and inclusion is a big part of who I am and something I’ve made part of my own practice,” said McGrath.

Brian S. McGrath
McGrath advises companies in the mortgage lending sector, representing companies in lender liability litigation, and litigation under federal consumer protection statutes, the Truth in Lending Act (TILA), Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act (RESPA) and the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA). He represents companies in a wide range of complex commercial litigation matters, including financial services, intellectual property, antitrust, and white-collar criminal investigations. Beginning his legal career at Dewey Ballantine in 2000, he developed a sophisticated and diverse practice. While at Dewey, he handled two related cases of first impression that went to the U.S. Supreme Court, resulting in a landmark decision on the doctrine of licensee estoppel. He also practiced law at Hogan Lovells US LLP prior to joining McGlinchey Stafford in 2015. McGrath received his B.A. from The State University of New York at Geneseo, and his J.D. magna cum laude from The State University of New York at Buffalo School of Law.

Victor Matthews
Matthews represents mortgage lenders, servicers and other financial services companies in a wide array of litigation matters, including consumer financial services, real estate and general commercial litigation. With almost 15 years of experience, he also advises companies in title insurance defense and contested mortgage foreclosure litigation, as well as a broad range of other issues. He received his B.A. from Binghamton University and his J.D. from Wake Forest University School of Law.

Ashley R. Newman
Newman has a general commercial litigation and arbitration practice, representing companies in breach of contract claims, fire damage and business interruption litigation, construction defect cases, and insurance coverage disputes related to risk management, commercial general liability and directors and officers liability. She also advises financial services companies on FDCPA and consumer fraud claims. She began her law practice at Herrick, Feinstein LLP before joining McGlinchey Stafford in 2015. She received her B.A. summa cum laude from Villanova University and her J.D. cum laude from Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law.

Ronald Park
Park represents banks, mortgage servicers and investors, lenders and other consumer financial services companies in a wide array of litigation matters, with a focus on defending consumer litigation claims in lender liability cases. In addition, he advises banks and financial institutions in various disputes related to state and federal consumer protection, licensing, lending, usury, leasing and sales laws, and defends claims related to TILA, RESPA, Home Ownership and Equity Protection Act (HOEPA) and FCRA. Prior to joining McGlinchey Stafford, he served as an Agency Attorney in the New York City Department of Buildings. He received his B.A. from New York University and his J.D. from Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law, serving as a summer law clerk for the Honorable Ruben Franco of the New York City Civil Court.

Mitra Singh
Singh has a commercial litigation and consumer financial services litigation practice, including litigating contested mortgage foreclosures, bankruptcy, and real estate and title issues. He also defends financial services companies in cases related to payment disputes and claims arising under the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA), FDCPA and FCRA. He received his B.S. magna cum laude from St. John’s University and his J.D. from St. John’s University School of Law.

The International Association of Defense Counsel (IADC) has announced that Camille Neddo Johnson, a partner at Snow, Christensen & Martineau in Salt Lake City, has accepted an invitation to join the IADC, the preeminent invitation-only global legal organization for attorneys who represent corporate and insurance interests.

Johnson counsels and educates business clients and public employers regarding risk management initiatives and strategies that prevent or minimize employment claims. She advises clients on employment policies and practices, discipline and terminations, the protection of confidential information, wage and hour practices, executive agreements and compensation plans, separation agreements, independent contractor relationships, and the investigation of employment claims. She serves as both advisor and litigator, having had extensive experience defending clients in employment litigation. Johnson has a significant and varied litigation and trial practice, which includes the defense of leading pharmaceutical and medical device manufacturers in mass tort and coordinated litigation.

Johnson received her J.D. from the S.J. Quinney College of Law at the University of Utah and her Bachelor of Arts from the University of Utah.

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.

Bradley Arant Boult Cummings LLP is pleased to announce that George R. Parker, a partner in the firm’s Montgomery office, has been selected for membership as a Fellow of the Alabama Law Foundation.

“We are very proud of George’s achievements throughout his distinguished law career and we congratulate him on his selection as an Alabama Law Foundation Fellow,” said Bradley Montgomery Office Managing Partner Bobby Poundstone.

The Alabama Law Foundation Fellows Program honors lawyers who have been members of the state bar for at least 10 years and who have demonstrated outstanding dedication to their profession and to the community. No more than 1 percent of Alabama Bar members are invited into fellowship.

A member of Bradley’s Litigation Practice Group, Mr. Parker focuses his practice on pharmaceutical and medical device, product liability, mass tort and class action matters. His general commercial litigation experience includes representing commercial real estate corporations, trucking companies, bus lines, insurance companies and their insureds, as well as financial and credit institutions in matters involving credit card fraud, credit reporting and mortgage-related issues. He has also spent significant time representing individuals and entities on a pro bono basis.

Mr. Parker is a member of the Alabama State Bar Board of Bar Commissioners for the 15th Circuit (Montgomery) as well as its Executive Committee. He previously served as president of both the Alabama State Bar Young Lawyers Section and the Montgomery County Young Lawyers Section. He is also a graduate of the Alabama State Bar Leadership Forum and has been an active member of its Alumni Section.

Affiliated with the Alabama State Bar, the Alabama Law Foundation provides access to justice for all and respect for and understanding of the law. The charitable, tax-exempt organization makes annual grants to organizations that provide free legal aid to the poor in civil cases, for projects that improve the administration of justice and for law-related education.

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 over 500 lawyers represent regional, national and international clients in various industries, including financial services, healthcare, life sciences, real estate, construction, technology, energy, insurance, and entertainment, among many others.

Neal Gerber Eisenberg (NGE) is pleased to announce the addition of David A. Wheeler as a partner in the Intellectual Property practice group. Prior to joining the firm, Wheeler was a partner at Chapman Spingola LLP.

During his three-decade career, Wheeler, a Certified Information Privacy Professional (CIPP) by the International Association of Privacy Professionals (IAPP), has counseled companies on issues related to cyber security and data privacy, intellectual property, information technology and eCommerce. His practice extends across a wide range of industries, including manufacturing, energy, finance, entertainment, education, hospitality and medicine. Wheeler has additional experience addressing personal information collection, compliance and use policies, data security requirements, breach notification compliance, incident response, PCI-DSS compliance and cyber governance counseling.

A former software developer, Wheeler has an in-depth understanding of the technical aspects of intellectual property, technology, privacy and data security issues. Wheeler counsels clients on a range of intellectual property issues, including trademark and copyright prosecution and litigation, new gTLDs and forced recovery of domain names. Additionally, Wheeler resolves social media issues, such as addressing false statements, harassment and infringement issues related to social media platforms.

Wheeler joins an intellectual property practice group comprised of nearly 40 dedicated attorneys, responsible for protecting and leveraging the IP assets of some of the most cutting-edge technology and Fortune 500 companies. He is the second addition to the group this year joining Vanessa Colman, formerly of Groupon and now counsel in the firm’s Intellectual Property and Corporate & Securities practice groups.

Wheeler received his J.D. with moot court honors from the Loyola University Chicago School of Law, his M.B.A in finance from Loyola College in Maryland and his B.S. in information systems management from the University of Maryland.

Bradley Arant Boult Cummings LLP is pleased to announce that Tiffany M. Graves, Bradley’s pro bono counsel, has been appointed to the board of directors of the Association of Pro Bono Counsel (APBCO) and will be the commencement speaker at the 178th commencement ceremony for Hollins University in Roanoke, Va., on May 24. Graves received her Bachelor of Arts from the school.

Graves began serving a three-year term on the APBCO board Jan. 1.

“We are very proud of Tiffany’s leadership and the direction she provides for our firm’s pro bono initiatives,” said Bradley Chairman of the Board and Managing Partner Jonathan M. Skeeters. “Tiffany is an outstanding addition to the board of the Association of Pro Bono Counsel.”

Bradley partner Dylan C. Black, chair of the firm’s Pro Bono Committee, added, “Our firm will continue to benefit from Tiffany’s involvement in the pro bono industry. We thank Tiffany for her ongoing work and career devoted to helping to ensure access to justice for those who are less fortunate.”

“I am excited to serve on the APBCO Board and look forward to contributing to the important work of the law firm pro bono community in this new way,” said Graves.

The APBCO is a membership organization of over 200 attorneys and practice group managers who run pro bono practices at more than 100 of the world’s largest law firms. The group’s mission is to maximize access to justice through the delivery of pro bono legal services.

Graves oversees the development and administration of Bradley’s pro bono programs. Previously, she served as executive director of the Mississippi Access to Justice Commission, for which she promoted initiatives to improve and expand access to civil justice to the nearly 700,000 Mississippians living in poverty. Graves also formerly served as interim director and adjunct professor for the Pro Bono Initiative at the University of Mississippi School of Law, and as executive director and general counsel for the Mississippi Volunteer Lawyers Project.

Graves also is active with numerous other professional and community organizations and activities. These include the Community Advisory Board of the MIND Center at the University of Mississippi Medical Center and the Millsaps College Board of Visitors. She is a Fellow of the American Bar Foundation and an Inaugural Fellow of the W.K. Kellogg Foundation Community Leadership Network.

Through Bradley’s pro bono program, the firm’s attorneys across all of its offices devote a significant amount of time each year to pro bono work and community service. In 2019, the firm’s attorneys and staff performed more than 15,400 hours of pro bono service valued at more than $5 million.

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.

On behalf of RevoLaze, LLC, Kristi Browne and Sarah Dunkley of Patterson Law Firm won a $32,262,488.50 legal malpractice jury verdict against attorney Mark Hogge and Dentons. This is a win for RevoLaze against a firm that claims to be the largest law firm in the world.

The trial took place in Cleveland, Ohio and lasted three weeks. “The verdict did not surprise me,” said Kristi Browne, “but it was gratifying. The jury was particularly attentive throughout the trial, asked good questions, and thoroughly deliberated.”

RevoLaze, a small Cleveland, Ohio technology company, owns patents that have revolutionized the denim industry. In 2015, Dentons and Hogge were disqualified from representing RevoLaze in a patent enforcement case in the International Trade Commission. The disqualification occurred after a defendant in that case, The Gap, raised a conflict of interest. “The case is important because it shows that a law firm cannot evade its duty of loyalty by organizing itself as a Swiss verein,” said Sarah Dunkley.

Kristi Browne and Sarah Dunkley relocated to Cleveland for a month, and worked with local Cleveland counsel, Tom Anastos. A five-lawyer team from Jones Day represented Dentons and Hogge.

This is believed to be the largest legal malpractice judgment in Ohio history.

“Stephanie Apostolou has been elected general counsel and secretary of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania-based Koppers and Koppers Holdings, effective March 1,” report Ben Maiden in Corporate Secretary’s Appointments.

“Apostolou is at present deputy general counsel and assistant secretary with the NYSE-listed company, which is a global provider of treated wood products, wood treatment chemicals and carbon compounds.”

“Her promotion follows the announcement that Steven Lacy, chief administrative officer, general counsel and secretary of Koppers will retire at the end of this year after a 20-year career with the company. In the period between March 1 and December 31, Lacy will hold a new position as assistant to the president of Koppers.”

Read the article.

Venable LLP is pleased to announce the addition of two high-profile real estate partners to its growing national Real Estate Practice – J. Michael Pickett and Thomas C. Klanderman. Pickett, formerly a partner in the real estate practice at Morgan Lewis, will split his time between the firm’s Washington, DC and Tysons offices. Klanderman, also previously a partner at Morgan Lewis, will be based in the firm’s DC office. In addition, Bryan J. Hoynak is joining as counsel and Noah M. Tischler is joining as an associate in the DC office.

Thomas (Ted) Millspaugh, national chair of Venable’s Real Estate Practice, said, “We are delighted that Michael and Thomas will be joining our team. They are long-standing leaders in the world of real estate transactions, both in the mid-Atlantic region and nationally. And they have provided a very broad range of services for a sterling base of clients, who themselves are leaders in the industry. They will fit in nicely and complement the group extremely well.”

Pickett counsels clients on all aspects of commercial real estate transactions. These include single-asset and portfolio sales and acquisitions, equity investments, joint ventures, financings for borrowers and lenders, and real estate debt restructurings. Among Pickett’s clients are real estate developers, REITs, investors and operators, banks and other financial institutions, and pension and other fund advisers.

Commenting on his move to Venable, Pickett said, “We are very honored and excited to be joining Venable’s long-established, top-notch real estate practice. We feel that our practices will integrate naturally within Venable’s platform and that we will be able to bring an even broader real estate and finance skill set to our clients.”

Klanderman’s practice encompasses all facets of commercial real estate, specializing in complex development transactions, joint venture arrangements, ground lease transactions, acquisitions and sales, borrower- and lender-side finance work, and hotel franchise and management arrangements across the range of asset types. Klanderman counsels national and regional developers, financial institutions, equity investors, owners, and operators.

Commenting on his move to Venable, Klanderman said, “Venable’s national real estate practice offers top talent, a wide range of expertise, and a deep bench that we are confident will be a great asset to our clients. We are thrilled by the opportunity to join this premiere group.”

Hoynak advises real estate developers, owners, and investors in a wide range of commercial real estate transactions, including sales and acquisitions, financing, joint ventures, development, and leasing. He also has experience assisting clients with syndicated corporate loan transactions.

Pickett received his J.D. from Washington University in St. Louis in 1989, and his B.A. from DePauw University in 1986. Klanderman received his J.D. from Georgetown University Law Center in 1996, and his B.A. from the State University of New York at Binghamton in 1986. Hoynak received his J.D. from Washington and Lee University School of Law in 2010, and his B.A. from Dickinson College in 2007. Tischler received his J.D. from Temple University Beasley School of Law in 2015, and his B.A. from Temple University in 2012.

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Venable LLP is an American Lawyer Global 100 law firm headquartered in Washington, DC that serves as primary counsel to a worldwide clientele of large and mid-sized organizations, nonprofits, high-net-worth entrepreneurs, and other individuals. With more than 850 professionals across the country, including California, Delaware, Maryland, New York, Virginia, and Washington, DC, the firm strategically advances its clients’ objectives in the U.S. and around the globe. Venable, which is celebrating its 120-year anniversary, advises clients on a broad range of business and regulatory law, legislative affairs, complex litigation, and the full range of intellectual property disciplines. For more information, please visit https://www.venable.com/.

Steptoe & Johnson LLP is pleased to announce that Elinor Ramey has returned to the firm as a partner in its esteemed Tax Group. Ramey rejoins Steptoe from the US Department of Treasury’s Office of Tax Policy, where she has served as an attorney advisor for the past four and a half years. Ramey will be based in Steptoe’s Washington office, where she worked as an associate from 2008-2015, and she will build upon the firm’s tax-exempt organizations practice.

At Treasury, Ramey counseled the assistant secretary of tax policy and the general counsel on all tax matters involving tax-exempt organizations and charitable contributions. Her primary responsibility was the development of regulations and other tax guidance on a variety of projects that affect tax-exempt organizations and charitable giving. Most notably, Ramey worked on numerous projects resulting from the passage of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) including guidance on the state and local tax deduction limitation, qualified transportation fringe benefits, unrelated business income tax, executive compensation, and the net investment income tax on colleges and universities. In addition, she worked on guidance relating to private foundations, donor-advised funds, conservation easements, substantiation of charitable contributions, and supporting organizations.

Ramey also gained Capitol Hill experience while at Treasury working with the House Ways and Means Committee staff, Senate Finance Committee staff, and the staff of the Joint Committee on Taxation on the development of proposed legislation, including the TCJA. She worked closely with IRS officials on the development and review of exempt organization guidance, and worked with other parts of Treasury, such as the Office of Domestic Finance and the Office of Terrorism and Financial Intelligence on matters that impact the nonprofit sector.

Steptoe’s Tax Group advises businesses, high-net-worth individuals, and tax-exempt organizations on their most significant federal and state tax planning, tax controversy, and tax policy issues. The group includes former senior government officials from Treasury, the IRS, the Justice Department, and congressional tax-writing committees. Steptoe’s highly regarded Tax Group has earned top rankings and recommendations from the prestigious legal directories Chambers USA and The Legal 500, among other publications. In 2019, the group’s tax-exempt organizations practice received a top-tier ranking from The Legal 500 US.

Ramey earned her B.A., magna cum laude, from Wellesley College. She received her J.D. from Georgetown University, magna cum laude, where she was elected to the Order of the Coif and served as a staff editor for The Tax Lawyer.

Level 2 Legal Launches Dedicated Compliance and Privacy Practice Areas
Growing Demand for Compliance Expertise from Clients Fuels Formation of New Divisions

Level 2 Legal Solutions, a leading legal services company, today announced the formation of new Compliance and Privacy Practice Areas specifically geared towards law firm and corporate counsel needs. Long respected as for its elevated eDiscovery managed services, Level 2 Legal has developed expertise over the years helping clients with compliance, privacy, and investigations –service areas of the business that has grown from 66% to 298% over the past three years. The formal launch of these services makes Level 2 Legal’s compliance and data analytics expertise broadly available to legal teams and Big Law practitioners in need of help navigating complex legal issues, such as CCPA and GDPR.

The new practice areas address rising regulatory concerns and growing discontent in the quality of compliance-related services from Big-4 accounting firms. According to Thompson Reuters, fines for audit failures imposed by the Securities & Exchange Commission (SEC) and Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (PCAOB) increased 5X to $64.7m from $12.5m the year before. In the midst of strengthening regulations, some policymakers are contemplating if a forced breakup of the Big-4 is in order.

In today’s corporations, data is driving increased collaboration across internal and external silos. Today’s regulatory environment – especially around privacy – requires specialized skill sets in addition to legal expertise. Increasingly, clients are asking Level 2 Legal to address issues that extend beyond eDiscovery and litigation – including compliance with GDPR and CCPA, regulatory investigations, privacy impact assessments, information governance, and more. Level 2 Legal’s attorneys are partnering with the company’s technologists and data scientists to build innovative compliance solutions that positively impact both the legal and business bottom-lines of their clients.

In addition to its technology, litigation and investigation services, its new service offerings provide support to both privacy and compliance departments ranging from business unit training, policy/process improvement and compliance gap analysis and remediation to privacy investigations, privacy regulatory compliance, compliance audits, and regulatory compliance.

Saxe Doernberger & Vita, P.C. (“SDV”) is pleased to welcome three new Attorneys to its West Coast office in Temecula, California.

Of Counsel, Melanie A. McDonald brings an abundance of experience to SDV having represented, exclusively, policyholders on insurance recovery matter for more than 30 years. She has successfully represented clients in the recovery of insurance policy proceeds and related contractual indemnity and has prosecuted extra contractual claims of bad faith and violations of state insurance statutes. McDonald is a highly skilled litigator and has extensive experience with complex commercial litigation, including multi-party environmental disputes, at the trail and appellate level, in state and federal courts.

Associate, Eric M. Clarkson brings extensive experience to the risk transfer and litigation teams at SDV. Having worked on complex civil disputes for state and federal courts, Clarkson has a keen perspective on how disputes may ultimately resolve and why. With an informed eye toward trial, Clarkson is readily capable of parsing coverage issues for clients and providing comprehensive analysis of their potential for recovery or risk transfer.

Associate, Ryan G. Nelson comes to SDV following a career in the military, having spent several years in the U.S. Marine Corps, where he rose to the rank of Captain, serving in a variety of billets as an Artillery Officer. In law school, Nelson served as Associate Editor of the Law Review and the International Law Journal. He was CEO of the Moot Court Honors Board, and also served as a judicial extern for the Hon. Justice Judith Haller of the California Court of Appeal, Fourth District.

SDV is pleased to welcome McDonald, Clarkson and Nelson to its West Coast team.

“Jones Day has hired five Supreme Court clerks from the October 2018 term, continuing its recent tradition of recruiting top talent from the nation’s highest court,” reports Roy Strom in Bloomberg Law’s Business & Practice.

“For nearly a decade, the Cleveland-founded firm has been a leader in the prestigious competition to land young lawyers with a Supreme Court pedigree. Last year, Jones Day hired nearly a third of all the clerks, 11, from the 2018 term. Jones Day has now hired 55 Supreme Court clerks since the 2011 October term. It’s 2019 class includes clerks for Justices Samuel Alito, Clarence Thomas, and Ruth Bader Ginsburg.”

Read the article.

Sidley Austin LLP is pleased to announce that it has named María D. Meléndez its new chief diversity officer. She will replace Sally Olson who has served as chief diversity officer at Sidley since 2011 and will be retiring from the firm May 1, 2020.

Previously a partner in Sidley’s Commercial Litigation and Disputes practice, Meléndez has more than 25 years of experience in the litigation and arbitration of a broad range of high-stakes commercial disputes. From 2017 through 2019, Meléndez was named one of the “Top 250 Women in Litigation” by Benchmark Litigation. She served as a member of the firm’s Diversity and Inclusion Committee, including as New York chair from 2002 to 2016. Additionally, she was a member of the Recruiting of Associates Committee and the New York co-chair of the Summer Associate Program Committee. As chief diversity officer, Meléndez will devote all of her time to leading the firm’s efforts to further advance and increase diversity and inclusion at the firm and beyond.

Meléndez’s commitment to diversity and inclusion extends well beyond her work at Sidley. She is chair of the board of directors of LatinoJustice PRLDEF, a national civil rights organization using the power of the law, advocacy and education to advance and protect the rights of Latinos in the U.S. She also serves as the firm’s representative to Her Justice, a provider of legal services on matters of domestic abuse and child custody to disadvantaged women in New York. Meléndez is a recipient of the Puerto Rican Bar Association’s Flor de Maga award that is given to trailblazing women who have demonstrated leadership skills in their fields of expertise, who have been models to other women and girls, and who have advocated for a more equitable society.

Chamberlain Hrdlicka is pleased to announce the inclusion of 10 of its Atlanta attorneys among Super Lawyers for 2020. Shareholders David D. Aughtry, Stephanie Friese Aron, Annette A. Idalski, Thomas E. Jones, Jr., Seth R. Price and Hale E. Sheppard are recognized as Georgia Super Lawyers. In addition, shareholders John W. Hackney, Erica L. Opitz, Christopher A. Steele and associate Barclay R. Taylor were named as “Georgia Rising Stars” by the publication. The complete list of honorees is available today and can be found here.

Super Lawyers, part of Thomson Reuters, is a rating service of attorneys from more than 70 practice areas. Those recognized have attained a high degree of peer recognition and professional achievement. Only five percent of lawyers in Georgia are selected as Super Lawyers. Sections are determined by independent, attorney-led research 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.

Aughtry co-chairs Chamberlain Hrdlicka’s tax practice. A renowned tax attorney, he counsels clients involved in civil and criminal tax litigation. He earned his undergraduate degree from the Citadel, and both his graduate degree in accounting and his law degree from the University of South Carolina. He also holds a Master of Laws in taxation from Emory University School of Law.

Friese focuses her practice on commercial real estate transactions including acquisition of land, leasing, construction, financing and disposition. She earned her undergraduate degree from Stetson University and her law degree from the University of Georgia School of Law.

Idalski chairs the firm’s employment and labor group, focusing on litigation and counseling. She earned her undergraduate degree from Central Michigan University and her law degree from St. Mary’s University School of Law.

Jones focuses his practice in the areas of business law and trust and estates. He holds an undergraduate degree from Emory University and a law degree from the University of Georgia School of Law.

Price is a construction lawyer who guides clients through the resolution of complex contract disputes. He earned his undergraduate degree from Trinity College and his law degree from The National Law Center of George Washington University.

Sheppard is a partner in Chamberlain Hrdlicka’s tax controversy practice, helping businesses with tax disputes and compliance projects, particularly those involving international issues. He earned his undergraduate, graduate and law degrees from the University of Kansas School of Law. He also earned a Master of Laws in taxation from the Universidad de Chile and a Master of Laws in taxation from the University of Florida Levin College of Law.

Hackney focuses on tax controversy and litigation, advising clients on a range of tax issues including captive insurance and accounting method issues. He earned his undergraduate degree from University of Virginia and his law degree from University of Georgia School of Law.

Opitz assist clients with corporate governance, commercial contract, mergers and acquisitions and privately-held securities matters. She earned her undergraduate degree from Binghamton University and her law degree from Mercer University’s Walter F. George School of Law.

Steele is a member of Chamberlain Hrdlicka’s trusts and estates practice, serving as a trusted advisor to individuals, families and business owners. He earned his undergraduate degree from Georgia State University and his law degree from Mercer University’s Walter F. George School of Law. He also earned a Master of Laws in taxation from the University of Florida Levin College of Law.

Taylor focuses on individual and corporate taxpayers in disputes with the Internal Revenue Service. He earned his undergraduate degree from the University of Georgia and his law degree from Mercer University’s Walter F. George School of Law. He also earned a Master of Laws in taxation from Southern Methodist University Dedman School of Law.

Dykema, a leading national law firm, successfully defended Kia Motors America, Kia Motors Corporation, and Kia Motors Manufacturing Georgia (collectively, “KIA”) in a product liability case in the Superior Court of Los Angeles. After a 17-day trial, and after deliberating for just 90 minutes, on February 13, 2020, a jury returned a defense verdict in favor of KIA. Plaintiffs were seeking more than $87M in damages.

In May 2018, plaintiffs filed an instant action claim against KIA following an automotive accident that occurred in May 2017 involving a 2016 Kia Optima. Plaintiffs later filed their Second Amended Complaint (SAC) asserting causes of action for Strict Product Liability, Negligence, and Wrongful Death. In total, plaintiffs sought damages of $87.7 million.

Plaintiffs contended that issues with the Kia Optima’s power steering caused the loss of driver control. However, the jury determined that KIA was not responsible for any damages occurring in the accident.

“We were pleased by the jury’s decision that found KIA not liable for this unfortunate accident,” said Mike Carey, a member of the Dykema trial team. “After a long and strenuous process for all parties involved, we are pleased with the outcome, showing that the 2016 KIA Optima is a safe, reliable vehicle that has no defects in its power steering system.”

The Dykema team representing KIA was led by James Feeney and included Dommond Lonnie, Director of Dykema’s Automotive Industry Group, Mike Carey, Co-Leader of Dykema’s Mobility & Advanced Transportation Team, James Azadian, and Cory Webster.

“Carrols Restaurant Group, Inc. (“Carrols” or the “Company”) (Nasdaq: TAST) announced that it has appointed Markus Hartmann as the Company’s Vice President and General Counsel effective February 18, 2020.” reports BusinessWire.

“Mr. Hartmann is a business-oriented legal leader with experience in both public and private companies. He has practiced law in both domestic and international settings. Markus is a driven executive with experience as both a commercial and legal leader, with a distinguished career spanning more than three decades.”

“Mr. Hartmann most recently was the Vice President for Technical Compliance at Mercedes-Benz Research & Development North America, Inc. (a Daimler Company) (XETR: DDAIF). During his tenure, he was responsible for establishing the technical compliance function in North America for Daimler’s passenger car and vans division. Mr. Hartmann previously served as the North American General Counsel for Sandoz, Inc. (a division of Novartis) (NYSE: NVS), as well as the European and North American General Counsel for Reckitt Benckiser (LSE:RB) while living and working as an expatriate in the Netherlands.”

Read the press release.

Dykema, a leading national law firm, today announced the addition of Steven D. Mroczkowski to its Financial Services Litigation Practice Group. Mroczkowski joins Dykema’s Chicago office where he will concentrate on complex commercial litigation, representation of financial institutions, and construction law.

Mroczkowski represents owners, contractors, developers, small and large businesses, and creditors and financial institutions in all manner of disputes. He litigates in state and federal trial and appellate courts and also represents clients in mediation and arbitration proceedings. Mroczkowski also works closely with clients to prevent disputes through contract drafting and document review and provides valuable general counsel advisory services to industry clients.

He regularly writes and speaks about developments in construction law and general commercial law as it pertains to the financial services industry. He is a past chairperson of the Chicago Bar Association’s Real Property Law Subcommittee on Construction Law and Mechanics Liens. Mroczkowski has been selected to serve on the Illinois State Bar Association’s (ISBA) Construction Law Section Council and is currently serving as the Council’s secretary. He is also a member of the State Bar of Wisconsin’s Construction and Public Contract Law Section.

Mroczkowski earned a J.D. from the Chicago-Kent College of Law and a B.A., magna cum laude, in Economics and French from North Central College.

Perkins Coie is pleased to announce that Renée Rothauge has joined the firm’s Commercial Litigation practice as a partner in the Portland office. Renée counsels national and global clients on litigation strategy and guides them through high-stakes jury and bench trials as well as arbitrations.

With three decades of courtroom trial experience, Rothauge focuses her practice on complex business litigation. She has represented clients in licensing and shareholder disputes, business torts, breach of contract and intellectual property matters—including trademarks, trade secrets, unfair competition, copyrights, and patents.

Rothauge has received numerous accolades during her career, including being ranked Band 1 in Chambers USA for litigation and being named a Women of Influence honoree by the Portland Business Journal. She is also active in the legal community, serving as chair of the prestigious American College of Trial Lawyers’ Oregon State Committee and as a member of the executive committee of the Oregon State Bar Litigation Section.

She earned her J.D., cum laude, from the Willamette University College of Law and her B.S.F.S. from Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service.

Foley & Lardner LLP announced that Thomas Krysa has joined the firm’s Denver office as a partner in its Litigation Department and Securities Enforcement & Litigation Practice Group. Before entering private practice in 2016, Krysa served in government roles for nearly two decades – most recently as associate regional director for enforcement in the Denver regional office of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), where he oversaw the SEC’s enforcement program in seven western states and before that, as head of the trial unit in the Denver regional office. Earlier in his career, Krysa served as a federal prosecutor for the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) Tax Division in Washington, D.C.

A veteran litigator and trial attorney, Krysa counsels clients in securities litigation and enforcement matters, government investigations and complex commercial disputes. He regularly represents clients in matters before the SEC, DOJ, Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA), Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (PCAOB), Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), and other federal and state regulatory bodies. Krysa’s practice also includes conducting internal investigations for corporations, their boards of directors and audit committees.

During his time leading the SEC’s enforcement program in its Denver office, Krysa supervised matters involving insider trading, financial fraud, activities of broker-dealer and investment advisor misconduct, market timing, market manipulation and audits of public companies. Prior to that, he supervised the office’s trial unit and was responsible for litigating securities enforcement matters in federal district courts and before administrative law judges.

Krysa comes to Foley from Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck LLP, where he was a shareholder in the firm’s Litigation Practice.