Miller & Chevalier Chartered has added Abigail (Abi) Stokes as counsel in the firm’s Government Contracts practice. Stokes joins the firm after almost 10 years as a first-chair government contracts attorney for the United States Department of the Navy.

While she was with the Navy, Stokes had responsibility for numerous, high-value programs and was awarded an Acquisition Excellence award, as well as the U.S. Navy’s Meritorious Civilian Service Award, the firm said in a news release. Her experience includes litigating numerous bid protests and counseling on statutory and regulatory compliance issues throughout the procurement lifecycle.

Stokes earned a J.D. from the University of California, Hastings College of the Law, and a B.S. from the University of California, Davis. She began her legal career as a law clerk to the Honorable Alex R. Munson of the U.S. District Court for the Northern Mariana Islands.

The law firm of Thompson & Knight LLP announced its sixth consecutive nationwide ranking in the Energy: Oil & Gas (Transactional) category in the Chambers USA 2019 legal directory by Chambers & Partners.

The firm also is listed among Texas’ top firms in Antitrust, Banking & Finance, Bankruptcy/Restructuring, Corporate/M&A, Energy: State Regulatory & Litigation (Electricity), Energy: State Regulatory & Litigation (Oil & Gas), Environment, Healthcare, Intellectual Property, Labor & Employment, Litigation: General Commercial, Real Estate and Tax.

Austin
Katherine L. Coleman, Energy: State Regulatory & Litigation (Electricity)
James C. Morriss III, Environment
Phillip G. Oldham, Energy: State Regulatory & Litigation (Electricity)
Ashley T. K. Phillips, Environment
Rex D. VanMiddlesworth, Energy: State Regulatory & Litigation (Electricity)

Dallas
David M. Bennett, Bankruptcy/Restructuring
J. Patrick Bredehoft, Healthcare
Anthony Campiti, Labor & Employment
Max Ciccarelli, Intellectual Property
Andrew B. Derman, Latin American Investment; Energy: Oil & Gas (Transactional)
Stephen F. Fink, Labor & Employment
Rick Haan, Real Estate
Herbert J. Hammond, Intellectual Property
James B. Harris, Environment
Martha Harris, Real Estate
Craig A. Haynes, Litigation: Energy & Natural Resources
Benjamin Herd, Real Estate
Gregory S.C. Huffman, Antitrust
Andrew A. Ingrum, Real Estate
Wilson G. Jones, Healthcare
William M. Katz, Jr., Antitrust
James W. McKellar, Banking & Finance
Mary A. McNulty, Tax: Litigation
Emily A. Parker, Tax: Litigation
John W. Rain, Banking & Finance
Richard B. Roper, Litigation: White-Collar Crime & Government Investigations
Mark M. Sloan, Real Estate
Bruce S. Sostek, Intellectual Property
Shad E. Sumrow, Banking & Finance
Mark Weibel, Real Estate

Houston
Roger D. Aksamit, Tax
Andrew P. Flint, Banking & Finance
Kenneth P. Held, Litigation: Securities
Bruce W. Merwin, Construction
Cassandra Mott, Banking & Finance

Luke Cass has joined Quarles & Brady LLP’s Litigation and Dispute Resolution Practice Group as a partner in its Washington, D.C. office.

Cass focuses his practice on white collar crime, internal investigations, compliance, defense, and commercial litigation matters. He specializes in white collar investigations, government enforcement actions, and high-profile litigation relating to financial and health care fraud and cyber incidents.

Prior to joining Quarles & Brady, Cass served as a senior trial attorney for the Public Integrity Section of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Criminal Division, where he handled public corruption investigations and prosecutions of elected, appointed, and career government officials nationwide. Cass also served as an assistant United States attorney in the Financial Fraud and Corruption Unit of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Puerto Rico where he handled financial fraud, health care fraud, and cybercrime offenses. During his over decade-long tenure at the Justice Department, Cass partnered with U.S. attorney’s offices, worked closely with federal regulatory and enforcement agencies, and instructed assorted law enforcement agencies and foreign delegations on investigations, public corruption offenses, and electronic evidence.

The firm said Cass has been recognized for his work on numerous occasions, having been awarded the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement Director’s Interagency Award (2018), the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General Award for Fighting Fraud, Waste, and Abuse (2018), and the U.S. Department of Justice, Executive Office for U.S. Attorneys Director’s Award for Superior Performance as a Criminal Assistant U.S. Attorney. Cass is an Adjunct Professor at Georgetown University Law Center where he teaches White Collar Crime and Securities Fraud. He received his J.D. from New York Law School, and his B.A. from Lehigh University.

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Freeborn & Peters LLP announced that Chambers USA has ranked five Freeborn practice areas and 13 firm attorneys in its 2019 legal industry guide. Among the ranked attorneys, Freeborn Partner Joseph T. McCullough was nationally ranked in Insurance: Dispute Resolution: Reinsurance. He is one of only six attorneys nationwide to receive that honor.

Freeborn was ranked as among the top firms in Illinois in the following practice areas:

– Bankruptcy/Restructuring
– Insurance: Dispute Resolution: Reinsurance
– Media & Entertainment: Transactional
– Real Estate
– Real Estate: Zoning/Land Use

Freeborn’s Chicago-based attorneys, and their recognized practice areas, ranked by Chambers USA as among the leading lawyers for business in Illinois are:

– James J. Boland (Partner, Insurance: Dispute Resolution: Reinsurance)
– Mitchell A. Carrel (Partner, Real Estate: Zoning/Land Use)
– Philip L. Comella (Partner, Environment: Litigation)
– Jeffery M. Cross (Partner, Antitrust)
– Andrew L. Goldstein (Partner, Media & Entertainment: Transactional)
– Mark R. Goodman (Partner, Insurance: Transactional & Regulatory)
– David C. Gustman (Partner, Litigation: General Commercial)
– Harry Leipsitz (Associate, Real Estate)
– Joseph T. McCullough (Partner, Insurance: Dispute Resolution: Reinsurance)
– Christopher J. Townsend (Partner, Energy & Natural Resources: Regulatory)
– Richard J. Traub (Partner, Real Estate)

Freeborn’s New York City-based Partners, and their recognized practice areas, ranked by Chambers USA as among the leading lawyers for business in New York are:

– Daniel Hargraves (Partner, Insurance: Dispute Resolution: Insurer)
– Sean Thomas Keely (Partner, Insurance: Dispute Resolution: Insurer)

Greensfelder, Hemker & Gale, P.C., announced that the firm’s franchising practice and officers Beata Krakus and Leonard D. Vines have been nationally ranked in the 2019 edition of the Chambers USA legal industry guide. In addition, three other Greensfelder practices and four officers were ranked by Chambers in the St. Louis metropolitan area.

Chambers ranked the firm in St. Louis for Litigation: General Commercial, Labor & Employment, and Real Estate. The firm’s attorneys ranked in St. Louis, and their primary practice areas, are:

– Amy L. Blaisdell (Labor & Employment)
– Vincent J. Garozzo (Corporate/M&A)
– David M. Harris (Litigation: General Commercial)
– Kevin T. McLaughlin (Labor & Employment)

Based in the firm’s Chicago office and a member of Greensfelder’s Franchising & Distribution practice group, Krakus works with  franchise programs for concepts including real estate brokerages, hotels, restaurants, and fitness and personal health systems, among others. Her practice also encompasses other distribution models, and she assists clients in managing their distribution networks.

Based in Greensfelder’s St. Louis office and also a member of the Franchising & Distribution group, Vines has experience representing national, regional and local franchisors and distributors. He has assisted start-up and established franchisors, as well as franchisees and franchisee associations. Vines also is a frequent lecturer and writer on franchise topics.

Also based in St. Louis, Blaisdell is a member of Greensfelder’s Employment & Labor practice group and leads the firm’s Health Care industry team. She has represented employers nationwide in the defense of employment and employee benefits litigation, including in the U.S. Supreme Court. She focuses her practice on highly regulated industries including health care and financial services.

Garozzo is a member of the firm’s Business Services practice group. Based in St. Louis, he has experience in mergers and acquisitions, corporate finance and tax issues. He is a member of Greensfelder’s board of directors and formerly served as the firm’s president.

Harris works from Greensfelder’s St. Louis and Chicago offices. A member of the firm’s Litigation practice group, he focuses on the energy, securities and health care industries, representing large integrated energy companies, broker-dealers in securities matters, and a broad spectrum of other companies and industries. Harris is a former member of the firm’s executive committee and board of directors.

Leader of Greensfelder’s Employment & Labor practice group and a former member of the firm’s board of directors, McLaughlin handles employment issues including traditional labor matters. He works with employers to navigate lawsuits, investigations and day-to-day human resources issues. He is based in Greensfelder’s St. Louis office.

Sharon B. Soloff has joined FisherBroyles, LLP as a partner in the firm’s New York City office and Private Client Services, Trusts & Estates and Tax practice groups.

In a release, the firm said Soloff concentrates her practice on domestic and international gift, estate and tax planning for high net worth individuals and their families, including planning for owners of closely held businesses from inception through succession to future generations. She has a particular focus in the administration of large and complex estates, and represents fiduciaries in estate and gift tax audits. In addition, Soloff practices in the areas of art law and the law of charitable organizations.

Prior to joining FisherBroyles, Soloff served as special counsel at Stroock & Stroock & Lavan LLP. She also previously practiced at Withers Bergman LLP and Schulte Roth & Zabel LLP.

Soloff received her J.D., cum laude, Order of the Coif, from New York University School of Law, and her Bachelor of Arts, cum laude, from Harvard University. She also holds a Master of Social Work from New York University.

Bradley Arant Boult Cummings LLP announced that 94 attorneys and 27 practice areas at the firm have been highly ranked in the 2019 edition of Chambers USA, the independent legal industry referral guide.

Chambers USA ranked Bradley as one of the top firms in the nation for the following practice areas:

· Construction
· Financial Services Regulation: Banking (Enforcement & Investigations)
· Financial Services Regulation: Consumer Finance (Compliance & Litigation)
· Product Liability & Mass Torts

In addition, the following Bradley attorneys were ranked nationally:

· Aron C. Beezley (Government Contracts)
· William F. (Will) Goodman, III (Product Liability & Mass Torts)
· Tripp Haston (Product Liability & Mass Torts)
· Robert Maddox (Financial Services Regulation: Banking (Enforcement Investigations)

Based in London, Chambers and Partners ranks leading U.S. firms and attorneys based on in-depth research and interviews with attorneys’ clients and peers. Chambers USA 2019 ranks more than 6,000 law firms and 18,000 lawyers across more than 50 practice areas/sectors on a state and national level. Chambers assesses attorneys on attributes most valued by clients, including technical legal ability, professional conduct, client service, commercial astuteness, diligence, and commitment. Most attorneys are ranked in bands of 1-6, with all band rankings considered to be a significant achievement. Some attorneys earn specialized Chambers designations including “Recognised Practitioner,” which indicates an attorney who handles notable matters and/or has received some recommendation, and “Star” individual, which is awarded to lawyers with exceptional recommendations in their fields. The Chambers USA guide is widely read by industry-leading companies and organizations nationwide. For more information, visit https://www.chambersandpartners.com.

Following is a summary of Bradley’s Chambers USA rankings, organized by state.

Alabama

Chambers USA ranked Bradley as one of the top firms in Alabama for the following practice areas:

· Banking & Finance
· Bankruptcy/Restructuring
· Corporate/Commercial
· Environment
· Healthcare
· Labor & Employment
· Litigation: General Commercial
· Real Estate

Chambers USA ranked the following attorneys in the firm’s Birmingham office as among the leading lawyers for business in Alabama:

· Charles A. J. (Charlie) Beavers, Jr. (Real Estate: Zoning/Land Use)
· Jay R. Bender (Bankruptcy/Restructuring)
· Lee Birchall (Banking & Finance: Public Finance)
· Beau Byrd (Real Estate)
· Jennifer Hoover Clark (Healthcare)
· William S. (Buddy) Cox, III (Environment)
· R. Alan Deer (Banking & Finance, Banking & Finance: Mainly Regulatory)
· L. Susan Doss (Banking & Finance)
· J. David (Dave) Dresher (Banking & Finance, Banking & Finance: Mainly Regulatory, Real Estate)
· Denson N. Franklin, III (Corporate/Commercial)
· N. Chris Glenos (Bankruptcy/Restructuring)
· T. Parker Griffin, Jr. (Bankruptcy/Restructuring)
· John W. Hargrove (Labor & Employment)
· Judd A. Harwood (Healthcare)
· Tripp Haston (Litigation: General Commercial)
· Christopher L. (Chris) Hawkins (Bankruptcy/Restructuring)
· Rod Kanter (Banking & Finance: Public Finance)
· Joel M. Kuehnert (Environment)
· Harold B. Kushner (Corporate/Commercial)
· Matthew H. (Matt) Lembke (Litigation: Appellate)
· Jack B. Levy (Healthcare)
· Robert Maddox (Litigation: General Commercial)
· Stuart M. Maxey (Corporate/Commercial)
· T. Matthew (Matt) Miller (Labor & Employment)
· Stephen R. (Steve) Monk (Real Estate)
· Charles Moore (Banking & Finance)
· Daniel F. (Dan) Murphy (Healthcare)
· Michael R. (Mike) Pennington (Litigation: General Commercial)
· E. Mabry Rogers (Litigation: Construction)
· David Roth (Environment)
· Dawn Helms Sharff (Banking & Finance, Real Estate)
· Laurence D. (Larry) Vinson, Jr. (Banking & Finance, Banking & Finance: Mainly Regulatory)
· Anne R. Yuengert (Labor & Employment)
· Alan K. Zeigler (Banking & Finance: Public Finance)

Chambers USA ranked the following attorneys in the firm’s Huntsville office as among the leading lawyers for business in Alabama:

· Kevin C. Gray (Bankruptcy/Restructuring)
· H. Harold Stephens (Litigation: Medical Malpractice Defense)

District of Columbia

Chambers USA ranked Bradley as one of the top firms in Washington, D.C., for the following practice area:

· Construction

Chambers USA ranked the following attorneys in the firm’s Washington, D.C., office as among the leading lawyers for business in the District of Columbia:

· Douglas L. (Doug) Patin (Construction)
· Robert J. (Bob) Symon (Construction)

Florida

Chambers USA ranked Bradley as one of the top firms in Florida for the following practice areas:

· Bankruptcy/Restructuring
· Corporate/M&A and Private Equity

Chambers USA ranked the following attorneys in the firm’s Tampa office as among the leading lawyers for business in Florida:

· Troy M. Carnrite (Corporate/M&A & Private Equity)
· Robert B. (Bob) Glenn (Bankruptcy/Restructuring)
· Mark A. Hanley (Labor & Employment)
· Robert C. (Bob) Rasmussen (Corporate/M&A & Private Equity)
· Edwin G. (Ed) Rice (Bankruptcy/Restructuring)

Mississippi

Chambers USA ranked Bradley as one of the top firms in Mississippi for the following practice areas:

· Corporate/Commercial
· Litigation: General Commercial

Chambers USA ranked the following attorneys in the firm’s Jackson office as among the leading lawyers for business in Mississippi:

· Kelly R. Blackwood (Environment)
· Roy D. Campbell, III (Litigation: General Commercial)
· W. Rodney (Rod) Clement (Real Estate)
· W. Wayne Drinkwater (Litigation: Appellate, Litigation: General Commercial)
· Ralph B. Germany, Jr. (Litigation: Construction)
· J. William (Will) Manuel (Labor & Employment, Litigation: General Commercial)
· Wendy R. Mullins (Corporate/Commercial)
· Alan W. Perry (Litigation: Appellate, Litigation: General Commercial)
· William R. (Bill) Purdy (Litigation: Construction)
· Alex Purvis (Litigation: General Commercial)
· Stephen L. (Steve) Thomas (Litigation: General Commercial)
· Stephen M. (Steve) Wilson (Corporate/Commercial)

North Carolina

Chambers USA ranked Bradley as one of the top firms in North Carolina for the following practice area:

· Construction

Chambers USA ranked the following attorneys in the firm’s Charlotte office as among the leading lawyers for business in North Carolina:

· Corby Cochran Anderson (Litigation: General Commercial)
· Ryan L. Beaver (Construction)
· Robert A. (Rob) Cox, Jr. (Bankruptcy/Restructuring)
· Christopher C. (Chris) Lam (Litigation: General Commercial)
· Robert R. Marcus (Litigation: General Commercial)

Tennessee

Chambers USA ranked Bradley as one of the top firms in Tennessee for the following practice areas:

· Banking & Finance
· Corporate/M&A
· Healthcare
· Intellectual Property
· Labor & Employment
· Litigation: General Commercial
· Media & Entertainment
· Real Estate

Chambers USA ranked the following attorneys in the firm’s Nashville office as among the leading lawyers for business in Tennessee:

· Jeffrey L. Allen (Media & Entertainment)
· Emily Hatch Bowman (Banking & Finance)
· Stephen T. (Steve) Braun (Healthcare)
· Kevin B. Campbell (Healthcare, Healthcare: Regulatory)
· Ann Peldo Cargile (Real Estate)
· William F. (Will) Goodman, III (Litigation: General Commercial)
· Bob Hannon (Banking & Finance)
· Jay Hardcastle (Healthcare, Healthcare: Regulatory)
· John R. Haynes (Real Estate)
· Bart J. Kempf (Environment)
· Samuel D. (Sam) Lipshie (Media & Entertainment)
· Travis G. Lloyd (Healthcare)
· Matthew C. (Matt) Lonergan (Labor & Employment)
· Chuck Mataya (Labor & Employment)
· Russell B. (Russ) Morgan (Litigation: General Commercial)
· John E. Murdock, III (Banking & Finance)
· Jim Murphy (Real Estate: Zoning/Land Use)
· Andrew J. (Andy) Murray (Healthcare)
· John W. Myers, II (Banking & Finance)
· William L. (Bill) Norton, III (Litigation: Bankruptcy)
· Craig Oliver (Labor & Employment)
· Robert S. (Bob) Patterson (Litigation: General Commercial)
· Todd Presnell (Litigation: General Commercial)
· David A. Rutter (Real Estate)
· Brooks R. Smith (Real Estate)
· John W. Titus (Corporate/M&A)
· J. Thomas (Tom) Trent, Jr. (Real Estate)
· Thor Y. Urness (Litigation: General Commercial)
· Phillip E. (Phil) Walker (Intellectual Property)
· Richard F. Warren (Real Estate)
· Robert E. (Bob) Wood (Real Estate)

Texas

Chambers USA ranked Bradley as one of the top firms in Texas for the following practice area:

· Litigation: General Commercial

Chambers USA ranked Ian P. Faria in the firm’s Houston office as among the leading lawyers for Construction in Texas.

Chambers USA ranked Richard A. (Dick) Sayles in the firm’s Dallas office as among the leading lawyers for Litigation: General Commercial and Litigation: Trial Lawyers in Texas.

Ann C. Kim, a former assistant U.S. Attorney, has joined Hogan Lovells‘ Los Angeles office as a partner in its Litigation practice.

In a release, the firm said Kim joins the firm after spending more than 12 years working for the federal government with nearly five years in the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California and, prior to that, seven years as a senior counsel in the Enforcement Division of the Securities and Exchange Commission’s (SEC) Los Angeles Regional Office. Before joining the SEC, Kim worked for over six years as a litigation associate and counsel at an international law firm.

While at the U.S. Attorney’s Office and the SEC, Kim was involved in investigating and litigating high profile FCPA matters and violations of federal securities laws, including fraud schemes and insider trading cases involving Fortune 500 companies.

Kim received her B.A. from the University of California, Los Angeles and her J.D. from Pepperdine University School of Law.

Chambers and Partners, a research and analytics firm for the legal profession, published its Chambers USA 2019 rankings of the top lawyers and law firms across the United States.

In a release, the company said the Chambers USA 2019 guide provides insight into the U.S. legal market based on its researchers’ interviews with industry thought leaders and consumers of legal service, including general counsel and other clients. Chambers uses a team of 200+ research analysts who speak 23 languages and cover 200 jurisdictions, the company said.

A lawyer or law firm must demonstrate sustained excellence in order to receive and maintain a ranking by Chambers USA, which has been ranking practitioners and firms in the United States since 2000, and in a number of other international guides since 1990.

“A ranking in Chambers is a significant achievement for a lawyer or law firm and we are excited to share this year’s guide to help purchasers of legal services make informed decisions about the top lawyers and law firms across key areas of the law,” said Toby Eccleshall, editor of Chambers USA.

New to Chambers USA 2019

— Capital Markets tables – Chambers now ranks firms based on their work with both issuers and underwriters in debt and equity offerings.

— New nationwide Cannabis Law category – Recognizes firms and practitioners assisting on all manner of transactional and operational challenges facing clients in the ever-expanding U.S. cannabis industry.

— New city-wide and regional tables in California, Texas, Florida, Pennsylvania and North Carolina, as Chambers USA delves deeper into local markets, with enhanced and expanded statewide and nationwide coverage, as well as an expanded list of up-and-coming attorneys.

Chambers USA 2019 ranks more than 6,000 law firms and 18,000 lawyers and includes nearly 900 ranking tables across all U.S. states as well as nationwide. Chambers USA covers all 50 U.S. states and also includes regional rankings in a number of states, including New York, California, Pennsylvania and Missouri. In each state, leading law firms are ranked in at least four areas of law: Corporate/Commercial, Labor & Employment, Litigation, and Real Estate, with more than 50 different practice areas/sectors covered overall on a state and national level. State-level rankings are based upon the location in which a firm or lawyer practices regardless of client or deal/case location.

Chambers USA ranking decisions are made collaboratively by research analysts and U.S. deputy editors. Rankings are also determined through an assessment of work identified on a firm’s submission, along with external feedback on the firm’s service and an emphasis on opinions provided by clients.

More information can be found on the Chambers and Partners methodology web page.

Dykema announced that 17 attorneys from multiple offices and practice areas received individual rankings and 10 practice areas have been recognized in the 2019 edition of Chambers USA: America’s Leading Lawyers for Business guide.

Published annually, Chambers has been ranking the best law firms and lawyers since 1990, and now cover 185 jurisdictions throughout the world. Chambers ranks both lawyers and law firms based on the investigations of more than 200 researchers who conduct in-depth confidential interviews with lawyers and clients.

Chambers USA recognized the following Dykema practices:

USA – Nationwide

• Product Liability & Mass Torts
District of Columbia
• Insurance: Insurer
Illinois
• Real Estate
Michigan
• Banking & Finance
• Corporate/M&A
• Employee Benefits & Executive Compensation
• Labor & Employment
• Litigation: General Commercial
• Real Estate
Texas
• Bankruptcy/Restructuring

Chambers USA recognized the following Dykema attorneys, as identified by jurisdiction and practice area:

USA – Nationwide
• Lance Boldrey—Native American Law
District of Columbia
• Lewis K. Loss—Insurance: Insurer
• Thomas J. Judge— Insurance: Insurer
Illinois
• Michael S. Kurtzon—Real Estate
Michigan
• J. Michael Bernard—Corporate/M&A
• Robert A. Boonin—Labor & Employment
• Amy M. Christen—Employee Benefits & Executive Compensation
• Adam M. Fishkind—Real Estate
• James P. Feeney—Litigation: General Commercial
• Dennis M. Haffey—Litigation: General Commercial
• Kyle R. Hauberg—Real Estate
• Margaret Adams Hunter—Employee Benefits & Executive Compensation
• Jin-Kyu Koh—Corporate/M&A
• Cameron H. Piggott—Real Estate
• Thomas S. Vaughn—Corporate/M&A
Texas
• Mark E. Andrews—Bankruptcy/Restructuring
• Deborah D. Williamson—Bankruptcy/Restructuring

Gregory L. Deans and Michael P. Lyons, co-founders of the trial law firm Deans & Lyons, LLP, along with partner Christopher J. Simmons, have earned selection to D Magazine’s 2019 Best Lawyers in Dallas listing.

“This is a firm focused on achieving the best possible results for our clients,” said Lyons. “Greg, Chris and I appreciate that our dedication has not gone unrecognized by our peers.”

The Best Lawyers in Dallas list is determined through peer voting and extensive review by an independent panel of distinguished attorneys working in concert with the magazine’s editors.

Lyons has worked with catastrophic personal injury and wrongful death cases, as well as highly complex business disputes. This is his seventh time to earn D Magazine honors, and he is one of a select few to be recognized for both business litigation and personal injury trial work.

In a release, the firm said Deans is routinely asked to lead the trial team in “bet-the-company” exposure, and he often handles construction defect, catastrophic personal injury, negligence, and products liability disputes. In addition to his 2019 Best Lawyers selection, he has been named to the Thomson Reuters’ Super Lawyers listing six times.

Simmons represents plaintiffs and defendants in complex catastrophic personal injury and wrongful death litigation involving products liability, premises liability, professional negligence, industrial and workplace accidents, and motor vehicles. He earned recognition on D Magazine’s Best Lawyers Under 40 listing in both 2018 and 2019 and has also made the Texas Rising Stars list of Top 100 Up-and-Coming young lawyers three times.

The complete Best Lawyers in Dallas list is featured in the May 2019 edition of D Magazine and is available at http://www.dmagazine.com.

Cristopher Farrar has joined Bradley Arant Boult Cummings LLP’s Houston office as a partner in the Construction Practice Group.

In a release, the firm said Farrar focuses his practice on drafting construction, engineering and architectural agreements, as well as service and operation-related contracts and oilfield transactions. He represents clients in a wide range of sophisticated and complex project development matters related to commercial, energy, oil and gas, power, renewable, manufacturing, chemical, pipeline, offshore, and infrastructure. He has experience managing major matters involving capital improvements and large asset-based transactions ranging from $25 million to more than $8 billion. Farrar also frequently presents at conferences and seminars on topics related to risk allocation in construction contracts.

Prior to joining Bradley, Farrar was a principal at Cokinos Young. He also has served as in-house counsel for international engineering and construction companies.

Farrar received his J.D. from Baylor University School of Law and his Bachelor of Business Administration from Texas A&M University.

Gordon M. Berger has joined FisherBroyles, LLP as a partner in the firm’s Atlanta office and Labor & Employment and Litigation practice groups.

In a release, the firm said Berger has more than 25 years of experience representing corporations in litigation and preventive measures involving employment matters, contracts and commercial disputes. He has experience in HR outsourcing, as well as professional employer organizations (PEOs) and alternative staffing organizations or administrative services organizations (ASOs).

Prior to joining FisherBroyles, Berger was a partner at Ford & Harrison LLP. He also previously practiced at Wagner, Johnston & Rosenthal, P.C.

Berger received his J.D. from Emory School of Law and his Bachelor of Arts from the University of Rochester.

Greensfelder, Hemker & Gale, P.C., announced that Beata Krakus and Leonard D. Vines, officers in the firm’s Chicago and St. Louis offices, respectively, have been named to Franchise Times magazine’s 2019 Legal Eagles list of the “best and brightest attorneys in franchising.”

According to Franchise Times, “These attorneys live and breathe franchising and truly understand the nuances of this unique business model.”

Franchise Times determines its Legal Eagles honorees through nominations and recommendations from clients, peers and other legal professionals.

In a release, the firm said Krakus works with clients across the United States and around the globe, preparing franchise programs for concepts including real estate brokerages, hotels, restaurants, and fitness and personal health systems, among others. Her practice also encompasses other distribution models, and she assists clients in managing their distribution networks. Chambers & Partners has repeatedly recognized Krakus as among the top franchise lawyers globally and in the United States.

Vines has experience representing national, regional and local franchisors and distributors. He has assisted start-up and established franchisors, as well as franchisees and franchisee associations. Also a frequent lecturer and writer on franchise topics, Vines has been ranked nationally in franchise law by Chambers USA for eight consecutive years.

Larry Waks has joined Foley Gardere as a partner in its Business Law Department and Transactions Practice Group. Waks will split his time between the firm’s Dallas, Austin and New York City offices.

The firm said Waks is a corporate transactional and intellectual property lawyer and advisor to domestic and international clients, including many in the food and beverage, energy, manufacturing, private equity, technology, and media and entertainment industries. He also represents publishing and distribution entities, computer game, software and hardware companies, and oil and gas interests. His practice experience has an emphasis on mergers and acquisitions, consumer products, fashion, entertainment and intellectual property, the firm said in a release.

Waks’ transactional experience includes leading a six-attorney team that represented actor George Clooney, along with Clooney’s business partners Rande Gerber and Mike Meldman, in the $1 billion sale of the premium Casamigos tequila brand to global spirits giant Diageo Plc. He also handled the $1.7 billion sale of an international chemical company, the $1 billion going-private sale of a medical products company to Blackstone, and the $400 million sale of a high-tech defense company to Carlyle Group. In addition, Waks has led the acquisition and sale of more than $2 billion in businesses in the energy industry and has represented clients in a variety of lawsuits involving intellectual property issues, as well as libel and privacy matters.

Waks joins Foley from Wilson Elser, where he was head of the M&A practice. Before that, he was a partner at Jackson Walker, and previously, at Milgrim, Thomajan & Lee. He also once served as assistant general counsel of Tesoro Petroleum Corp.

Waks is a fellow of the American Bar Association Foundation, the Austin Bar Foundation, and the Texas Bar Foundation. He is also a member of the State Bar of Texas Intellectual Property Section’s Governing Committee and past chairman chair of its Copyright and Texas Entertainment & Sports Sections, and he is a former chair of the American Bar Association’s Entertainment & Sports Practice Forum’s Litigation Division. In addition, Waks is a voting member of the Grammy’s and Latin Grammy’s.

Anthony D. Kuchulis has joined Littler in its Portland, Ore., office. Kuchulis joins the firm from Barran Liebman LLP.

The firm said Kuchulis has experience defending employers in jury trials, class actions, mediations and arbitrations. He has achieved favorable outcomes in matters involving discriminations claims, leaves of absences, retaliation and other employment issues for clients in a range of industries, including higher education, transportation and logistics. Kuchulis also counsels clients on compliance with federal, state and local employment laws and with issues related to pay equity, termination of employees, and unfair competition and trade secrets.

Kuchulis received his J.D., with honors, from Lewis & Clark Law School and his B.A. from the University of Oregon. Earlier in his career, Kuchulis served as law clerk for the Oregon Department of Justice and tried cases with the Clackamas County and Deschutes County District Attorneys’ offices.

Attorney Joel Brodsky, best known for representing convicted wife killer Drew Peterson, has been suspended from practicing in federal court in Chicago for one year stemming from his scorched-earth tactics in a mundane lawsuit, reports the Chicago Tribune.

A panel of federal judges found that Brodsky violated the rules of professional conduct in the civil case involving a used vehicle.

“Brodsky’s bizarre antics in the case — all but accusing a witness of inventing a son and saying his rival attorney was running a ‘criminal enterprise’ — had already garnered him a stiff $50,000 fine and an order to undergo anger management training,” writes Jason Meisner.

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Trial attorney Majed Nachawati has been selected to the 2019 list of the Best Lawyers in Dallas by D Magazine based on his work in mass tort litigation. This is the fourth year the co-founding partner of Fears Nachawati Law Firm has made the list.

In a release, the firm said Nachawati has represented individuals, businesses and public entities in high-stakes litigation that includes defective drugs and medical devices. Most recently, he won a $3 million verdict for a woman who suffered complications from an intravenous blood filter in a case that marked the first time a jury reached a finding that the filters were defective. He also handles matters involving environmental and antitrust matters, as well as serious personal injury and wrongful death cases.

“Recognition on a list of the best lawyers in Dallas is a tremendous honor given the deep talent pool here,” said Mr. Nachawati. “Having a nationally focused practice, I have worked with and against the best and am fully aware that North Texas has some of the top lawyers in the country.”

Nachawati also has been recognized regularly by Super Lawyers magazine, first as a young lawyer on the Texas Rising Stars list and later among the Texas Super Lawyers ranks.

Nachawati  serves on the Dallas Bar Association’s Lawyer Referral Service Committee. He also is a member of the DBA’s Legal Ethics Committee and serves as District Chairman for District 6 of the State Bar of Texas Grievance Committee.

In addition, he serves on the Public Justice Board of Directors and the Texas Trial Lawyers Association Board of Directors. He is a member of the Dallas Trial Lawyers Association and the American Association for Justice’s Leaders Forum. He is a member of the Million Dollar Advocates Forum.

Trial attorney Alex Brauer, co-founder of the litigation boutique Bailey Brauer PLLC, has been named for a fourth time among the top lawyers in Dallas by D Magazine.

“Alex continues to provide aggressive, creative legal solutions to clients who expect sophisticated representation,” said firm co-founder Clayton Bailey.

“As a boutique law firm, Bailey Brauer provides the flexibility to build relationships that allow you to understand what will best help a business achieve success,” adds Mr. Brauer.

Selected to the 2019 Best Lawyers in Dallas list for his work in commercial litigation, Bauer’s practice spans a wide range of industries, the firm said in a release. He works on disputes involving claims of fraud, tortious interference, breach of contract, breach of fiduciary duty, conspiracy, deceptive trade practices, trade secret theft, RICO, and antitrust violations. He has successfully defended clients facing class and collective actions and represented plaintiffs and defendants in complex tort and negligence cases, the firm said.

He also has been recognized in the Texas edition of Super Lawyers magazine by Thomson Reuters and in The Best Lawyers in America guide.

A graduate of Georgetown University Law Center, Brauer has served on several Dallas Bar Association committees and is a community advocate. He is a board member for literacy program Readers 2 Leaders and is on the Host Committee for the Great Investors’ Best Ideas Foundation, benefiting The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research and the Vickery Meadow Youth Development Foundation.

The Best Lawyers in Dallas list is determined through peer voting and extensive review by an independent panel of distinguished attorneys along with the magazine’s editors. The complete Best Lawyers in Dallas list is featured in the May 2019 edition of D Magazine.

Barnes & Thornburg has added Pat Cornelius as a partner in the firm’s Corporate and Healthcare Departments in Columbus.

Cornelius focuses his practice on advising clients, who span the healthcare, financial services, life sciences and biotechnology, insurance, energy, and aviation industries, on mergers and acquisitions, as well as matters concerning joint venture and affiliation, capital raising and investments, contracting and licensing, technology development and commercialization, compliance and corporate governance.

In a release, the firm said Cornelius provides counsel on health system mergers and acquisitions, health system-insurer joint ventures, shared savings agreements and payor-provider contracting, hospital-physician alignment strategies, and capital raising and investment transactions. He also advises on in-bound and out-bound licensing software and intellectual property for research, development and commercialization.

Cornelius joins from Squire Patton Boggs, where he was a member of the firm’s Corporate Practice Group. He also previously served as assistant general counsel for America Online, Inc. and as primary counsel for CompuServe and MapQuest.

Cornelius earned his J.D. from the University of Virginia, where he was a member of the Virginia Tax Review, and his B.A. from the University of Notre Dame.