Dallas-based trial and appellate law firm Godwin Bowman & Martinez PC  announced the promotion of senior attorneys Elisaveta “Leiza” Dolghih and Laci Bowman to shareholders and Stefanie Major McGregor to senior counsel, effective Nov. 1.

Additionally, the firm announced that shareholder Shawn McCaskill has been named to its Executive Committee as senior vice president and secretary.

“Leiza, Laci and Stefanie are all exceptional attorneys. We are pleased they have accepted these new positions,” says Godwin Bowman & Martinez Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Donald E. Godwin. “Similarly, Shawn is not only among the very best attorneys in the state, but a true leader as well. We look forward to the energy he will bring to the Executive Committee.”

In a release, the firm said:

Dolghih is a member of the firm’s Labor & Employment Section, representing large companies, small business owners and individual employees in federal and state courts. Her practice includes a broad range of business and employment litigation. In addition, she counsels clients regarding compliance with employment-related statutes such as Title VII, the Americans with Disabilities Act, Age Discrimination in Employment Act, Family and Medical Leave Act, Fair Labor Standards Act and employment agreements. She earned her law degree from Baylor Law School in 2006.

As a member of the Firm’s Family Law Section, Ms. Bowman represents clients in matters involving divorce, premarital agreements, common law marriage disputes, and suits affecting the parent-child relationship. Board Certified in Family Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization, she is also active in the collaborative law community in North Texas and is a founder and past President of the Collaborative Law Professionals of North Texas.  Ms. Bowman has earned selection to the Texas Rising Stars listing of the top young attorneys in the state four times (2013-16.) She earned her law degree from Baylor Law School in 2008.

McGregor is a member of the Firm’s Civil Appellate and Commercial Litigation sections. She represents clients in both the prosecution and defense of a wide range of cases before state and federal courts on matters including complex litigation, environmental and oil and gas litigation, Family Law, property, and trust and estates disputes. She is a former clerk and Senior Research Attorney for the Louisiana Supreme Court. She has been selected five times (2009, 2010, 2014-16) to the Texas Rising Stars list. She earned her law degree from Loyola University New Orleans College of Law in 2002.

McCaskill is the Chair of the Firm’s Appellate Section. In addition to his appointment to the Executive Committee, he will continue as Chair of the Firm’s Opinion and Audit Committee. He is also a member of the Conflicts & Ethics Committee, the Judicial Campaign Committee and the Library Committee.

Active in his community, McCaskill is a member of the Southlake City Council, where he serves as Deputy Mayor Pro Tem. He has been selected three times (2014-16) to the Texas Super Lawyers listing of the leading lawyers in Texas. He earned his law degree from St. Mary’s University School of Law in 1998.

Business law and trial attorney Marcos G. Ronquillo has joined Fishman Jackson, PLLC, as a name partner in the newly renamed Fishman Jackson Ronquillo, PLLC, in Dallas.

Attorneys Jose L. Gonzalez and Teresa Guerra Snelson have also joined Ronquillo at the new firm along with paralegals Rachel Rangel and Dora Clark.

“Jose and I take pride in the accomplishments of our trial teams over a span of three decades,” says Ronquillo. “Along with Teresa, we look forward to complementing the real estate and transactional practices at the firm. I also look forward to continuing my diverse law practice, community engagement and having my name on the door again.”

Ronquillo has more than 30 years of experience representing governmental agencies and businesses, including the Dallas Independent School District, Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. and Fortune 500 companies in high-profile controversies focusing on public policy and social issues. He is a former name partner with Dallas legal icons Adelfa B. Callejo and Donald E. Godwin.

Ronquillo is the recipient of numerous professional honors. Latino Leaders magazine recently named him one of the “25 Most Influential Hispanic Lawyers” in the country. He also has been awarded a Presidential Citation by the State Bar of Texas and received the Outstanding Lawyer of the Year Award from the Texas Mexican Bar Association.

Ronquillo is  former president of the Mexican American Bar Association of Dallas, now known as the Dallas Hispanic Bar Association, and former chairman of the Dallas Hispanic Chamber of Commerce.

“We are excited to have Marcos and his team join our firm to complement and expand our legal services to our clients in litigation, real estate and public-private partnerships,” says Fishman Jackson Ronquillo founding partner Edward Fishman.

For the fifth consecutive year, Farrell Fritz has received a Tier 1 Ranking by Best Lawyers. The listing will be in the 2017 Edition of U.S. News – Best Lawyers’ “Best Law Firms.”

Farrell Fritz has been ranked as a Tier 1 firm on Long Island in Employment Law – Management, Litigation – Trusts & Estates and Trusts & Estates Law. The firm been ranked as a Tier 2 firm on Long Island in Health Care Law and Real Estate Law.

Rankings were derived from a combination of our clients’ feedback, peer review ratings and the information we provided in response to the Best Lawyers Law Firm Survey.

Matthew T. Connelly and Martin Syvertsen have joined Freeborn & Peters LLP in Chicago as associates in the Litigation Practice Group.

“We welcome Matthew and Martin to our firm,” said Anthony J. Carballo, a Freeborn partner and co-leader of the firm’s Commercial Litigation Team. “Both Matthew and Martin have valuable trial experience that will enhance our services to clients in all areas of complex disputes and litigation.”

Connelly previously served as a law clerk for Judge William J. Bauer of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit. As a law student, he served as an extern for Judge Jean C. Hamilton of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri. He also was a clerk at a law firm in St. Louis during law school.

Connelly received his law degree from Washington University School of Law, summa cum laude, and holds a Bachelor of Arts, magna cum laude, from Loyola University Chicago.

Syvertsen served for seven years as an Assistant State’s Attorney in Cook County, Ill., most recently in the Complex Litigation Unit. He also previously practiced in the Federal Civil Rights and Torts Unit, as well as in the Felony Trial and Criminal Appeals Divisions, of the State’s Attorney’s Office. During his tenure with the State’s Attorney’s office, Syvertsen achieved numerous successful results in federal jury trials and before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit.

Syvertsen also currently serves as an adjunct professor in the trial advocacy program at Loyola University Chicago School of Law, from which he earned his law degree. He holds a Bachelor of Arts from the College of the Holy Cross in Worcester, Mass.

D’Arcy Conrique, a 27-year-veteran of the international film industry, has joined Barnes & Thornburg LLP in its entertainment practice. Conrique, who comes to the firm from Akin Gump, will serve as senior advisor for entertainment contracts.

Conrique has a background in film production and distribution and has been involved in the review and drafting of agreements for single-picture production loan financing and credit facility transactions.

“We are very excited about the depth of knowledge and relationships that D’Arcy brings to our entertainment team and what he can offer to clients,” said Jason Karlov, chair of the Entertainment, Media and Sports Practice Group at Barnes & Thornburg. “It is yet another example of our strategic growth and the progress being made to make sure we have experienced professionals covering all the critical disciplines on behalf of our clients in the entertainment, music and sports industries.”

Prior to entering private practice, Conrique was president of production and distribution of Arcadia Film Group, a production and distribution company that handled worldwide distribution and production of motion picture film properties. His industry experience includes serving as a senior sales executive at J&M Entertainment, a London-based film production and distribution company, and senior vice president of The Kushner-Locke Company, a publicly traded mini-major film studio.

“Bringing D’Arcy on board deepens our commitment to our film finance practice and our clients,” said Carolyn Hunt, who heads up Barnes & Thornburg’s film finance practice. “He is a well-respected and recognized industry professional and we are excited to have him on board to assist in our ability to deliver cost-effective transactions for our film and television clients.”

Active in the industry, Conrique is a member of the Producers Guild of America – Diversity Committee, the National Association of Latino Independent Producers and an active participant in the Independent Film and Television Alliance. He earned his B.A. in 1987 from California State University-Los Angeles.

DLA Piper has been recognized with the President’s Award by the Alternative and Direct Investment Securities Association (ADISA) for the firm’s  service to the alternative investment securities industry.

ADISA is a national trade association of decision makers who influence over 30,000 professionals involved in alternative investments, primarily non-traded alternatives. These typically include non-traded Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs), Business Development Companies (BDCs), Master Limited Partnerships (MLPs) and private and public funds (LPs/LLCs), 1031 exchange programs (DSTs/TICs), energy and oil and gas interests, equipment leasing programs, and other alternative and direct investment offerings.

DLA Piper received the award on September 27, 2016 at ADISA’s Annual Conference and Trade Show in Las Vegas. John Grady, a partner in DLA Piper’s Philadelphia office, is the President-Elect of ADISA, and currently chairs its Legislative and Regulatory Committee. He will take over from the current President, Mike Bendix, on January 1, 2017. Darryl Steinhause, a partner in DLA Piper’s San Diego office, currently serves as general counsel to ADISA and its Board of Directors. Darryl Steinhause has been active in the association since its formation and in the past has been a member of the Board of Directors and numerous committees and has been active in ADISA’s interaction with the SEC and FINRA.

Global law firm Hogan Lovells and Fujian Fidelity Law Firm have entered into a formal association in the China (Shanghai) Free Trade Zone.

This move reflects the firm’s growth strategy in Asia and the importance of the region to many of the firm’s global clients, the firm said in a release.

The release continues:

Fidelity was established in 1989 and is one of the largest law firms in the Fujian province. The firm has around 170 lawyers and covers a wide range of legal services, but has a particularly strong track record in corporate and M&A, insolvency and liquidation, financial securities, real estate and construction, and arbitration and litigation work. They currently have seven offices, including the one within the Shanghai FTZ. Hogan Lovells partners Andrew McGinty and Zhen (Katie) Feng will be leading the relationship with Fidelity and the promotion of the joint services from the two firms to clients.

Hogan Lovells has been actively following recent developments in the Shanghai FTZ and is only the third international law firm to enter into an association in the Shanghai FTZ.

Patrick Sherrington, Asia Pacific and Middle East Regional Managing Partner, said: “This is an exciting time in Asia. The establishment of the China (Shanghai) Free Trade Zone by the Chinese government and the implementation of the new rules allowing foreign law firms in China to team up with a Chinese firm have dramatically changed the landscape. We see the association as a value driver for many of our clients whose needs are increasingly complex in this market. Multinationals have been quick to demonstrate their interest in the industry-specific liberalization policies within the Shanghai FTZ, while other investors have been drawn in by the simplified approval procedures. We look forward to serving these and other international and local clients, particularly those seeking to invest overseas. Fidelity is a high quality, innovative and well-respected firm.”

Steve Immelt, CEO of Hogan Lovells added: “Asia is critical to our global strategy and the Shanghai FTZ offers an exciting opportunity to expand our service offering in the region. The landscape is moving quickly there – so we need to be on the ground to cater for the increasingly complex needs of our clients in this market. We are excited about the prospects of our collaboration with Fidelity.”

Wang Ping, Managing Partner at Fidelity’s new Shanghai FTZ office, added: “We’ve been looking forward to this moment for quite some time. As Fidelity has been entrenched in Fujian for many years, the establishment of a branch in the Shanghai Free Trade Zone—the most important commercial center in the country—is our first foray outside of the Fujian Province. This is a critical step toward Fidelity becoming a large and significant national firm. We are very honored to be launching an association with Hogan Lovells, as we’ll be able to draw on each other’s strengths to fully realize our potential and to offer our clients a high-quality, professional, and seamless service. Furthermore, the association will give Fidelity even more opportunities to learn from a large, global law firm like Hogan Lovells and allow us to grow. We firmly believe that the association between Fidelity and Hogan Lovells will be a success, and will serve as an exemplary collaboration between a Chinese and foreign law firm.”

Paul Matecki has joined Greensfelder, Hemker & Gale, P.C. in St. Louis as of counsel and a member of the firm’s Securities & Financial Services industry group.

Matecki has more than three decades of experience counseling financial services firms, according to a release from the firm. He most recently served as general counsel for Raymond James Financial Inc., leading all legal and corporate governance functions for the public bank holding company.

The firm’s release continues:

“We are thrilled to welcome Paul to Greensfelder to add to our already deep bench of experienced attorneys with diverse knowledge and background in business, accounting and the securities industry,” said Christopher A. Pickett, an Officer and leader of the firm’s Securities & Financial Services industry group. “Paul brings unique business and legal insights, with a particular focus on compliance and regulatory issues, that will be great assets to our growing group of clients including financial institutions and wealth management groups, broker-dealers and investment advisors.”

Mr. Matecki said, “I am grateful for the opportunity to join Greensfelder and its team of experienced securities and financial services attorneys. I also look forward to helping the firm continue to grow and enhance its already robust service offerings for its financial industry clients in the region and throughout the nation.”

Mr. Matecki has worked extensively on securities litigation and regulatory matters, as well as issues of corporate governance. In his 27 years with Raymond James Financial Inc., Mr. Matecki was heavily involved in resolving regulatory actions by the SEC, FINRA and all 50 states to significant advantage for the firm, as well as trying and managing litigation matters to successful resolution. He also worked to establish a culture of compliance and risk reduction while strengthening the firm’s legal and business infrastructure and closed multiple M&A transactions, helping the firm expand to become one of the industry’s largest.

A former member of the General Counsel Committee of the Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association (SIFMA), Mr. Matecki has been a frequent presenter at conferences hosted by SIFMA. He also has been an active member and speaker for the Association of Corporate Counsel and previously served on the FINRA National Arbitration and Mediation Committee, NYSE Supervisors’ Continuing Education Training Committee, and SIFMA Arbitration and State Regulation and Legislation Committees.

Mr. Matecki earned his law degree from Saint Louis University School of Law and also holds a Bachelor of Arts from Grinnell College.

Dykema, a national law firm, announced the addition of Craig Woods to its Commercial Litigation Practice Group and Dental Service Organizations Industry Group as a member in the firm’s Dallas office. Prior to joining Dykema, Woods practiced at the Dallas office of Greenberg Traurig LLP.

In a release, the firm said Woods has a national practice that focuses on serving clients on a broad range of matters, including contractual disputes, breach of fiduciary duty, theft of trade secrets, unfair competition, covenants not to compete, injunctive actions, fraud and deceptive trade practices, products liability litigation, medical device litigation, financial services litigation and complex business litigation. In addition to handling individual claims, he also has experience litigating disputes in the context of class action lawsuits.

The firm’s release continues:

Woods also has considerable experience advising Dental Service Organizations (DSOs), Medical Service Organizations (MSOs), large practice groups, dentists and other health care providers in various corporate and regulatory matters, including the preparation of regulatory compliant business agreements between DSOs and their affiliated practices and dentists. He also has substantial experience in complex commercial, business and health care law where he has advised and represented Fortune 500 and industry-leading dental, medical and health care companies.

“We are extremely excited to welcome Craig to our DSO team and commercial litigation practice,” said Chris Kratovil, Office Managing Member of the Firm’s Dallas office and Assistant Leader of Dykema’s Commercial Litigation Practice Group. “Craig’s extensive background litigating cases for a wide variety of clients enhances our bench strength in Dallas, and his experience will be a great benefit to the firm’s ever-expanding DSO Industry Group, as well as its clients.”

Woods, who has been recognized in Texas Super Lawyers as a Rising Star each year since 2010, received a J.D., cum laude, from the Southern Methodist University Dedman School of Law, as well an M.S. in Finance, and a B.B.A., cum laude, in Financial Management and Information Systems from Texas A&M University.

Board certified commercial litigation attorney Bruce W. Bowman Jr. has been named president and managing shareholder of the Dallas-based trial and appellate law firm Godwin Bowman & Martinez PC, effective Oct. 1, 2016.

“We are pleased that Bruce has agreed to assume the positions of President and Managing Shareholder,” says Godwin Bowman & Martinez Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Donald E. Godwin. “Our firm has always had a reputation for strong leadership, and that reputation has been strengthened in recent years by Bruce’s involvement in our leadership group as Executive Vice President and General Counsel.”

Godwin will continue as chairman and CEO of the firm, while Jenny L. Martinez will remain in the role of executive vice president, while maintaining her duties as secretary/treasurer of the firm. In addition to his responsibilities as president and managing shareholder, Bowman will continue to serve as general counsel of Godwin Bowman & Martinez as well as co-chair of the firm’s Commercial Litigation Section.

The firm’s release continues:

Board Certified in Civil Trial Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization, Mr. Bowman is a highly respected litigator who has successfully handled litigation for both plaintiffs and defendants for many years, primarily in business disputes. His work has included the recovery of assets from trusts in prolonged trust and bankruptcy litigation and defending against trade secret allegations involving oil field technology in state and federal courts. He also has successfully defended directors, lawyers, accountants, financial advisors, and other professionals in many areas of business. In addition to trying hundreds of cases to verdict, he has handled numerous arbitrations, mediations and appeals before the Texas Supreme Court, federal appeals courts and the U.S. Supreme Court.

Reflecting the excellence of his practice, Mr. Bowman is an 11-time recipient of Texas Super Lawyers honors from Thomson Reuters, and he has been rated AV-Preeminent by Martindale-Hubbell, the highest peer rating for legal skills and ethics. He also has achieved a 10.0 rating from AVVO, the company’s highest attorney rating.

Thompson & Knight LLP announced that Robert W. Ray has joined the firm’s New York office as a partner in the Trial Practice Group. He has previously served as a federal prosecutor and independent counsel for the Whitewater investigation.

“Bob is a prominent, respected litigator who brings to the Firm a wealth of  expertise in white collar criminal defense,” said Greg W. Curry, Thompson & Knight’s Trial Practice Leader and a Trial Partner in the Firm’s Dallas office. “He will be a great addition to our white collar team.”

Ray’s practice focuses on white collar criminal defense matters; corporate; governance and compliance issues; internal investigations; and general litigation, including civil RICO and commercial fraud. He has first-chaired more than 25 federal jury trials to verdict in matters ranging from fraud, extortion, bribery, real property, and healthcare law to white collar criminal defense, including sophisticated prosecutions – as both a prosecutor and as a defense attorney – involving RICO, terrorism, violent crime, and public corruption offenses as well as securities fraud.

From 1989 through 1995, he was an Assistant U.S. Attorney in the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York. In 1995, Ray joined the Independent Counsel’s office in Washington, D.C., where he supervised, conducted, and participated in complex, long-term, and multi-defendant federal prosecutions involving public corruption at all levels and stages in federal court. He succeeded Kenneth Starr as Independent Counsel and was responsible for the In re Madison Guaranty investigations, which concluded with published final reports on matters involving FBI files, the White House Travel Office, Whitewater, and Monica Lewinsky.

Ray has provided commentary on relevant criminal and legal matters on “Good Morning America,” “The O’Reilly Factor,” “FOX News Sunday,” “CNN Late Edition/Situation Room with Wolf Blitzer,” “NBC Nightly News,” and other television news programs. He is also an op-ed contributor to The New York Times. Ray serves on the advisory council for the History Department at Princeton University. He received an Executive Education Certificate for a program in Mastering Negotiation from the Harvard Kennedy School in April 2016; a J.D., cum laude, from Washington and Lee University School of Law in 1985; and an A.B., magna cum laude, from Princeton University in 1982.

Immediately prior to joining Thompson & Knight, Ray was a partner at Fox Rothschild LLP in New York.

Littler, which bills itself as the world’s largest employment and labor law practice representing management, has added Jeffrey D. Hanslick and Curtis R. Summers as shareholders in the Kansas City office. The addition of Hanslick and Summers, who were previously partners with Husch Blackwell, follows the arrival of shareholder Anthony Romano who made the move to Littler’s Kansas City office in August.

“Jeffrey and Curt have developed a strong reputation locally and nationally for advising clients on critical issues impacting the workplace, including discrimination and harassment claims and wage and hour litigation,” said Daniel B. Boatright, office managing shareholder of Littler’s Kansas City office. “Their extensive industry knowledge and diverse experiences will enhance our services to clients and expand our presence in the region. We are excited to welcome them to the firm.”

The firm’s release continues:

Hanslick has extensive experience defending clients in employment litigation matters, including wage and hour class and collective actions, employment discrimination and harassment claims, and contract and commercial disputes. He regularly serves as lead counsel in traditional labor arbitrations, counsels employers on the protection of trade secrets and enforcement of restrictive covenants, and conducts human resources audits and training sessions for clients on labor and employment matters.

Summers balances his practice between litigation and human resources counseling. On the litigation side, he has defended employers at the administrative agency, trial court and appellate court levels against a variety of discrimination, harassment and retaliation claims. Summers also has experience pursuing claims for violations of restrictive covenants. On the counseling side, Summers focuses his practice on human resources compliance and litigation avoidance strategies, including policy development, training, workplace investigations, and guidance on best practices in the employer-employee relationship.

“Littler has an exceptional reputation and we are excited to join its growing Kansas City office,” said Hanslick and Summers in a joint statement. “We look forward to leveraging the firm’s innovative products and services, geographic reach and network of talented attorneys to expand our offerings to clients.”

Hanslick earned his J.D., cum laude, from Northwestern University School of Law and his B.A., with highest honor, from DePaul University. Summers earned his J.D. from the University of Kansas School of Law and his B.S. from Kansas State University.

The national law firm of Quarles & Brady LLP announced that 22 of its associate attorneys have been promoted to partners. The new partners are in the firm’s Chicago, Indianapolis, Madison, Milwaukee, Phoenix, and Washington, D.C. offices.

The new partners are Sarah R. Anchors, Joel A. Austin, Cristina M. Choi, Vanessa A. Davis, Simone Colgan Dunlap, Krystal Aspey Fleischmann, Stephen J. Gardner, Nikia L. Gray, Jonathan G. Howard, Darrell S. Husband, Maria Frenn Kallmeyer, Jessica Lin Lewis, Anne M. O’Brien, Andrea M. Palmer, Isaac J. Roang, Michael A. Rogers, Matthew J. Splitek, Andrea S. Tazioli, Robert G. Vaught, Stuart V. Warren, Hillary J. Wucherer, and Katrene Zelenovskiy.

Firm Managing Partner Fred Lautz, who supervises the partnership across the firm’s 10 nationwide locations from Milwaukee said, “Throughout their tenure with the Firm, these attorneys have demonstrated excellent lawyering skills, have been terrific business and legal advisors to our clients, have provided services at levels which surpass client expectations, and have generally shown commitment and engagement to the Firm and our clients which reflects our values and culture. We are confident they will contribute valuably to the continued growth and success of Quarles & Brady.”

“We congratulate these men and women and are proud to have them represent Quarles & Brady as partners,” added Firm Chair Kimberly Leach Johnson. “We look forward to their continued contributions in serving our clients at the highest levels.”

The attorneys’ new status as partners becomes effective on October 1.

• Sarah R. Anchors — Litigation & Dispute Resolution Team
• Joel A. Austin — Intellectual Property Team
• Cristina M. Choi — Business Law Team
• Vanessa A. Davis — Product Liability Team
• Simone Colgan Dunlap — Health Law Team
• Krystal Aspey Fleischmann — Litigation & Dispute Resolution Team
• Stephen J. Gardner — Intellectual Property Team
• Nikia L. Gray — Intellectual Property Team
• Jonathan G. Howard — Business Law Team
• Darrell S. Husband — Real Estate Practice Group
• Maria Frenn Kallmeyer — Labor & Employment Team
• Jessica Lin Lewis — Intellectual Property Team
• Anne M. O’Brien — Health Law Team
• Andrea M. Palmer — Bankruptcy, Restructuring, and Creditor’s Rights Team
• Isaac J. Roang — Real Estate Team
• Michael A. Rogers — Litigation & Dispute Resolution Team
• Matthew J. Splitek — Litigation & Dispute Resolution Team
• Andrea S. Tazioli — Litigation & Dispute Resolution Team
• Robert G. Vaught — Labor & Employment Team
• Stuart V. Warren — Real Estate Team
• Hillary J. Wucherer — Intellectual Property Team
• Katrene Zelenovskiy — Business Law Team

WB Mills, PLLC, announces the expansion of the practice with a new office located in North Dallas, starting operations on Oct. 1.

WB Mills, PLLC, was created based on the principle of giving small and mid-sized businesses excellent quality and cost-effective representation. The firm is dedicated to protecting its clients’ copyright, trademark, patent and other valuable business assets.

Wendy B. Mills, managing attorney, said she is thrilled the company is growing.

In a release, the firm said:

“We are excited to join the wave of explosive growth in the North Texas business community. By adding a North Dallas office, we are answering the demands of our many North Dallas clients to provide them with easier access to our one-on-one personalized legal services. For those North Dallas businesses that have yet to find the right law firm to bridge the gap between the legal, and the business world, our presence in the area will provide small and mid-sized business owners with the option of a smaller, more individualized firm to protect their business assets, including intellectual property through business litigation and representation before the United States Patent and Trademark Office.”

WB Mills, PLLC, has directed focus to serving a relatively under-served market in the Dallas, Texas area. The new North Dallas office, is the first expansion of WB Mills, PLLC,—located just off the North Dallas Toll way and George Bush Turnpike. The current office in Uptown, Dallas will continue to serve clients as always.

Office Address:
14275 Midway Rd
Suite 130
Addison, Texas 75001

Foley & Lardner LLP announced  that Kim Ashby has joined the firm’s Construction Litigation Practice as partner in the Orlando office. Ashby work in complex construction law includes a focus on appellate work.

In a release, the firm said Ashby represents developers, contractors and governmental entities on a range of complex litigation matters, including lenders and special servicers in commercial mortgage-backed securities foreclosures and workouts. She has experience in construction lien disputes, defect litigation, workouts & restructurings, construction contract formation and tax exemption issues.

The release continues:

“Kim has substantial experience successfully litigating matters in the construction industry, which aligns perfectly with our recognized national practice. Her experience and in-depth understanding of the industry will be a valuable asset as we continue to handle and attract some of the most complex construction cases,” said Jeff Blease, chair of Foley’s Construction Litigation Practice.

In addition, Ashby has represented public- and private-sector appellants across an array of appeals, including judgments for lender liability, review of non-compete clauses, review of construction conditional payment bond issues and the first conditional payment bond case.

“Kim’s arrival will further expand our existing construction practice in Florida and adds significant bench strength to our appellate practice,” said Michael Okaty, managing partner of Foley’s Orlando office.

Prior to joining Foley, Ashby was a partner at Akerman.

Buchalter announces that its Scottsdale office is growing with three new additions. Laurent Badoux joined as a Shareholder in the firm’s Labor & Employment Practice Group. He was formerly the Chair of the Phoenix Labor & Employment Practice at Greenberg Traurig LLP. Douglas John and Shaun Kuter also joined as members of the Tax & Estate Planning Practice Group. John was previously a Senior Partner at Frazer, Ryan, Goldberg & Arnold LLP, where Kuter was previously an Associate. Both Badoux and John are also licensed in Nevada, where they both have active practices.

“Laurent, Doug and Shaun are welcome additions to our growing Scottsdale office,” said Adam J. Bass, President and Chief Executive Officer of Buchalter. “Their complimentary practices to our existing labor and employment and tax and real estate capabilities make our services incomparable in this region, and Laurent, Douglas and Shaun’s expertise is another value-add to our clients.”

The firm’s release continues:

Badoux’s practice spans a national and international scale as he handles a variety of labor and employment litigation matters, including labor relations, harassment claims, wage and hour audits, breach of fiduciary duties and more. He represents clients across a number of industries and in addition to handling litigation matters, Badoux assists clients on a proactive basis by conducting audits, providing preventive employee and managerial training and drafting sound employee handbooks and policies.

“I have known many of Buchalter’s attorneys in Scottsdale for years and hold them in high regard. My labor and employment practice meshes perfectly with Buchalter’s current offerings,” said Badoux. I am eager to continue representing my clients at Buchalter.”

Badoux earned his J.D. from the Emory University School of Law and his B.A. in English composition and French literature, cum laude, from the University of Arizona.

John focuses his practice on state and local taxation matters, with an emphasis on property tax counseling and litigation. He regularly advises his clients – including individuals, small businesses and Fortune 500 corporations – as they navigate Arizona’s and Nevada’s complex state and local tax systems.

John earned his J.D. from the University of Arizona, his M.A. in economics from the University of Arizona and his B.A. in history from the University of North Carolina, Greensboro.

Kuter focuses his practice on state and local tax matters, including proactively advising clients on potential tax pitfalls and representing them in litigation in administrative tribunals, Superior Court and appellate appearances. Kuter also has significant experience with tax controversy matters, and formerly worked at the Arizona Department of Revenue’s Office of General Counsel, where he handled transaction privilege tax, use tax and luxury tax issues.

Kuter earned his J.D. from Temple University and his B.S. in political science and government from Arizona State University.

Farrell Fritz had a combined total of 30 attorneys selected to the 2016 New York Metro Super Lawyers and New York Metro Rising Stars lists.

The firm’s 20 attorneys selected to the 2016 New York Metro Super Lawyers list and the practice areas for which they have been recognized are: Peter A. Mahler, John P. McEntee, James M. Wicks and Peter B. Zlotnick (Business Litigation); Peter L. Curry (Real Estate); Jed C. Albert, Eric M. Kramer and Patricia C. Marcin (Estate & Probate); John (Jack) J. Barnosky, Ilene S. Cooper, John R. Morken and Eric W. Penzer (Estate & Trust Litigation); Ted A. Berkowitz and Patrick T. Collins (Bankruptcy: Business); Charlotte A. Biblow (Environmental); Heather P. Harrison (Employee Litigation: Defense); Domenique Camacho Moran (Employment & Labor); Jason S. Samuels (Construction Litigation); Louis Vlahos (Tax); and Joel R. Weiss (Criminal Defense: White Collar).

The firm also saw 10 attorneysselected to the 2016 New York Metro Rising Stars list. The attorneys and the practice areas for which they have been recognized are: Kathryn Carney Cole, Matthew D. Donovan, Franklin C. McRoberts, Adam M. Rafsky, Michael A.H. Schoenberg and Aaron E. Zerykier (Business Litigation); Brian P. Corrigan, Jaclene D’Agostino and Robert M. Harper (Estate & Trust Litigation); and Veronique A. Urban (Bankruptcy: Business).

Brian Corrigan recently joined the firm and was selected to the list while he was at his predecessor firm, Holland & Knight LLP.

Beth A. Scharpf (Estate & Probate) was selected to the list while she was an associate at Farrell Fritz. She is now an attorney at Wiggin and Dana in New York, NY.

This year marks Jack Barnosky’s tenth year on the Super Lawyers list. Jed C. Albert, Heather P. Harrison, Jason S. Samuels and Adam M. Rafsky were selected for inclusion for the first time this year. This is the fourth consecutive year James M. Wicks was selected to the New York – Metro Super Lawyers Top 100 list. The Top 100 group of lawyers received the highest point totals in the New York Metro nomination, research and blue ribbon process.

Six attorneys from the Texas trial law firm Deans & Lyons, LLP, have earned selection to the 2016 Texas Super Lawyers listing.

“From the start, our firm has focused on providing clients with innovative and aggressive representation. We are appreciative to receive the recognition of our peers, as it demonstrates that others respect what we are doing for our clients,” says firm co-founder Michael Lyons. “I have tremendous respect for the work of these outstanding lawyers, and I am so proud to work alongside them.”

Lyons was selected to the Super Lawyers list for a fourth consecutive time based upon his work on catastrophic personal injury cases and high exposure commercial litigation. Firm co-founder Gregory Deans also earned his fourth consecutive appearance on the list for his work in civil litigation and mass torts. Both attorneys are based in Dallas.

Houston partner Jeff Nobles and of counsel Thomas Sartwelle both were selected to Super Lawyers for the 14^th consecutive year for their work in appellate cases and civil litigation, respectively.

Dallas partners Brian Lauten and Katherine Stepp both earned their third consecutive Super Lawyers selections for their work in commercial litigation and civil litigation, respectively.

To develop the list of Texas’ top attorneys, researchers with Thomson Reuters conduct a statewide survey asking lawyers to nominate their top legal peers. A blue-ribbon panel of attorneys then assists the Super Lawyers staff with final selections. No more than 5 percent of Texas attorneys are chosen each year.

The Texas Super Lawyers list is featured in the October 2016 issues of Texas Monthly and Super Lawyers magazines and is available at www.superlawyers.com.

Earlier this year, Dallas partners Robert Bogdanowicz III, Courtney Bowline and Christopher Simmons and associate Kathleen Kilanowski were selected to the companion 2016 Texas Rising Stars listing, which honors the state’s top young lawyers.

Deans & Lyons, LLP, has offices in Dallas and Houston.

Ten attorneys from the family law boutique Orsinger, Nelson, Downing & Anderson, LLP, have been selected to the 2016 Texas Super Lawyers listing, including five lawyers among the Top 100 in the state. No other Family Law firm in Texas has as many attorneys named to the Top 100.

Name partners Richard Orsinger, Keith Nelson, Scott Downing and Jeffrey Anderson have earned a place on the list of the top family law attorneys every year since Texas Super Lawyers was established in 2003.

Dallas partner Brad LaMorgese was named to the listing for the 13^th time. This is the fourth listing for associate Hunter Lewis of Dallas and partner Amber Liddell Alwais of San Antonio, with Dallas partners William Reppeto and Lon Loveless each earning their third selections. Marilea Lewis, of counsel in Dallas, was honored for a fifth year.

In addition, several firm lawyers earned special recognition in the exclusive listing, including:

Top 100 attorneys in Texas:

• Richard Orsinger (14 years)
• Scott Downing (5)
• Jeffrey Anderson (1)
• Brad LaMorgese (4)
• Marilea Lewis (2)

Top 50 women attorneys in Texas

• Marilea Lewis (3)

Top 100 attorneys in Dallas-Fort Worth

• Scott Downing (6)
• Jeff Anderson (3)
• Brad LaMorgese (4)
• Marilea Lewis (3)

Top 50 attorneys in Central/West Texas

• Richard Orsinger (13)

Super Lawyers selections are based on peer nominations and evaluations, as well as independent editorial research. No more than 5 percent of Texas attorneys are chosen each year. The full 2016 listing appears in the October editions of Texas Monthly and the Super Lawyers Texas issue, available online at http://www.superlawyers.com.

Fifteen-lawyeer Orsinger, Nelson, Downing & Anderson has offices in Dallas, San Antonio and Frisco, Texas.

David I. Spector and Andrew M. Smulian

Akerman LLP, a top-100 U.S. law firm, announced the firm’s succession plan for its top leadership post. David I. Spector, a member of the firm’s Executive Committee and co-chair of Akerman’s Fraud & Recovery Practice Group, was elected by a partnership vote on Sept. 9 to succeed Andrew M. Smulian as the firm’s ninth chairman and CEO. Spector will serve a 3-year term that begins Feb. 1, 2018 when Smulian concludes a decade-long tenure as chairman and CEO.

Akerman’s Executive Committee issued the following statement: “Andrew is one of the great law firm leaders of our time. He has guided Akerman through transformative growth while strengthening our commitment to be a client-driven, entrepreneurial and forward-thinking enterprise. His bold leadership has placed Akerman at the vanguard of our industry and positioned our firm to address the important challenges impacting our clients and our profession today and in the future.”

“The vision and growth strategy articulated nearly a decade ago are being realized,” said Smulian. “This is the right time to plan for succession and David is the right leader for Akerman’s future. He is an exceptional trial lawyer and has practiced at the leading edge of innovation and business transformation. He has changed the legal landscape for his clients and I am confident that he will be just as successful as our next chairman and CEO.”

Spector is a member of the firm’s Board of Directors and one of seven members of the Executive Committee. He also is the founding co-chair of one of the largest legal teams in the United States dedicated to the eradication of fraud. He previously served on Akerman’s Strategic Planning Committee and is a leader in many of the firm’s client-driven initiatives.

“I am honored by the confidence of my partners and Andrew to serve as Akerman’s next chairman and CEO,” said Spector. “Andrew is a visionary and his dynamic, forward-thinking leadership continues to guide our firm in a rapidly changing industry. I look forward to collaborating with him throughout the transition and in the years ahead.”

A news release from the firm continues:

Smulian has guided the strategic growth and management of Akerman since 2008. He is the second longest serving chairman in the firm’s 96-year history. Smulian has led Akerman’s unprecedented expansion and record financial performance through a strong commitment to client-driven growth. During his tenure, the firm has expanded from 12 to 24 offices, serving clients across the United States and Latin America, and in more than 35 countries. Headcount has reached an all-time high of more than 650 lawyers and business professionals, attracting 200 lawyers since 2008 and bolstering its core strengths in middle market M&A and complex disputes, and its many areas of practice in the financial services, real estate and other dynamic client sectors.

A commitment to collaborative innovation and transformative business practices are hallmarks of Smulian’s ongoing leadership. He has overseen the creation of the legal industry’s first law firm R&D co-venture with clients, which earned Akerman distinction as one of the top forward-thinking law firms in North America by the Financial Times. Smulian also has led the creation of one of the most diverse and inclusive law firms, ranked no. 3 among the top U.S. law firms for Hispanic lawyers by Law360; no. 19 among the top U.S. law firms for female partners by The American Lawyer; and distinguished as a leader in LGBT workplace equality with a 100 percent rating on the Corporate Equality Index. In addition, Smulian has advanced one of the most ambitious philanthropic and pro bono efforts for abused and neglected children in the family court system, which placed Akerman among the Financial Times‘ eight most innovative law firms in social responsibility. Following his tenure, Smulian will continue to play a leadership role in many of the firm’s initiatives.

Spector joined Akerman in 2009 and has built a national trial practice devoted to the investigation and litigation of complex fraud schemes, and unfair and deceptive practices, on behalf of the largest U.S. insurance companies and self-insured retailers. His work has carved a groundbreaking path in plaintiff-side fraud investigation and litigation, and developed case law that helps corporations recover financial losses caused by fraudulent acts. Spector has handled a series of cases involving issues of first impression that have had a significant implication in the eradication of fraud. Among them, Spector was lead counsel in matters resulting in trial verdicts or summary judgments relating to unlawful ownership structure of healthcare providers, medical legal referral services and statutory obligations of medical directors.

He also has significant experience in defending law firms from claims of legal malpractice and breach of fiduciary duties — one of which resulted in the successful striking of his opponents’ pleadings in a case valued at more than $1 billion. Outside the courtroom, Spector regularly acts as a trusted advisor to some of the nation’s largest insurers and retailers in their efforts to identify fraud and establish pre-suit strategies.

The partnership vote last Friday paved the way to an orderly transition process beginning in 2017. Spector will assume his new responsibilities on February 1, 2018.