Bloomberg Law is reporting that a former Dentons associate who stole the firm’s confidential files and then tried to extort cash and artwork from the firm now faces attorney discipline charges.

The complaint names Michael Bernard Potere, who pleaded guilty and was sentenced to federal prison for unauthorized computer access. The complaint was served July 10 but recently posted. The Illinois Attorney Registration and Disciplinary Commission’s alleged ethical violations based on the criminal conduct.

Potere, an associate in Dentons’ Los Angeles office from 2015 until June 2017, downloaded numerous confidential firm documents, such as financial reports, documents about partner meetings, client lists, billing information, and recruiting-related information, ARDC said. He then threatened to send the documents to a legal website unless the firm paid him $210,000, according to reporter Mindy L. Rattan.

Read the Bloomberg Law article.

Perkins Coie announced that Adrian Rich has joined the firm’s Emerging Companies & Venture Capital (ECVC) practice as a partner in the firm’s Palo Alto office.

Thee firm said Rich has more than 15 years of experience counseling high-growth emerging companies and their investors. In a release, the firm said his education in biomedical engineering and economics helps him in counseling clients from inception to exit, assisting them with financial and strategic investments, licensing, strategic partnerships, acquisitions and public offerings, as well as routine corporate matters. Early in his career, Rich focused almost exclusively on medical device and biotech clients. In more recent years, his practice has broadened to include technology companies, big data, artificial intelligence/machine learning, AR/VR and blockchain, as it applies to business processes, data science and education.

“With his exceptionally diversified background, Adrian offers insightful counsel to life sciences and cutting-edge technology companies on a wide range of matters,” said Buddy Arnheim, Co-Chair of Perkins Coie’s ECVC practice. “As a trusted advisor on private and public securities offerings, licensing, incubators and small fund formation, Adrian is a key addition to the high level of support we provide our clients in the Bay Area and beyond.”

In addition to his traditional Silicon Valley startup corporate practice, Rich has represented venture funds and incubators in their operations and has worked for several life science incubators and their associated investment funds. Rich also represents several social impact companies and investors supporting clean water and gender and racial equality in the venture environment. Rich earned his J.D. from the University of Virginia School of Law and received a B.S. from Johns Hopkins University in biomedical engineering and also qualified for a B.A. with honors in Economics. Before joining Perkins Coie, he was a partner at Dorsey & Whitney LLP.

“Adrian is a substantively experienced ECVC attorney with deep roots in the Bay Area venture capital and startup communities,” said Lowell Ness, Office Managing Partner of Perkins Coie’s Palo Alto office. “Adrian’s solid reputation and extensive industry knowledge is a tremendous fit for our ECVC team. We’re thrilled to have him join Perkins Coie.”

The International Association of Defense Counsel announced that Craig A. Thompson, a partner at Venable LLP, has been elected president of the IADC for the 2018-2019 term.

Thompson was officially installed at the IADC’s Annual Meeting in July in Lisbon, Portugal.

A member of the Products Liability and Mass Torts practice at Venable, Thompson has more than two decades of experience handling civil cases in federal and state courts, the firm said in a release. He represents clients in the areas of commercial litigation, product liability, premises liability, and personal injury. Thompson also is active in leading law firm inclusion and diversity initiatives, and served for five years as chair of Venable’s Diversity Committee.

In 2013, Thompson was a faculty member for the IADC’s Annual Trial Academy, which is one of the oldest and most respected programs for developing defense trial advocacy skills. In addition, he has lectured or taught at numerous law schools and currently is a featured columnist for the Minority Corporate Counsel Association publication.

Thomson has been recommended or highly ranked by top legal industry and attorney referral guides including Martindale Hubbell, Chambers USA, Best Lawyers and Legal 500. He received his J.D. from the University of Maryland School of Law and his Bachelor of Arts from the University of Maryland.

Also at its Annual Meeting, the Chicago-based IADC elected Amy Sherry Fischer, a shareholder at Foliart Huff Ottaway & Bottom in Oklahoma City, Okla., as president-elect. The IADC’s immediate past president is Andrew Kopon Jr., a founding member of Kopon Airdo, LLC in Chicago.

The IADC’s other newly elected board members for the current term are:

– Frank A. Lattal, senior vice president, Claims, for Chubb Group in Hamilton, Bermuda, as the IADC’s vice president of insurance.

– Mark R. Beebe, partner at Adams and Reese LLP in New Orleans.

– Stephanie M. Rippee, member at Watkins & Eager PLLC in Jackson, Miss.

– Thomas Rouhette, partner at Hogan Lovells LLP in Paris, France.

Hogan Lovells has elected a new partner to its board. Karen Hughes has been elected as an at-large representative, and will start her role effective immediately, the firm said in a release.

The Hogan Lovells Board comprises 12 members and has supervisory responsibility for overseeing the affairs of the firm, but without executive responsibility for strategy, management, and operating decisions. It provides input to the CEO and Hogan Lovells’ International Management Committee. Members of the board make up the Compensation Committee, Finance Committee and are part of the Equity Elevation and Partner Admission Committees which they chair. Membership of the board is designed to reflect the broad scope of the business, with members representing a combination of geographic and other backgrounds. Karen will also be a member of the Finance Committee.

Hughes is a London-based corporate tax partner and Global Co-head of Tax who focuses on corporate tax advice for highly complex international structuring, including cross-border M&A transactions. She is also a member of the Hogan Lovells’ Corporate Leadership Committee, a global management team focused on the business strategy of the worldwide Corporate Group.

The board will now comprise:

Chair (and “At Large”): Leopold Gerlach
CEO: Steve Immelt
Asia Pacific Middle East: Andrew McGinty
Continental Europe: Joaquín Ruiz Echauri
Washington, D.C. area: Cate Stetson
London: Adrian Walker
The Americas: Bruce Oakley
U.S. (except D.C.): Richard Lorenzo
45 and under: Ben Higson
“At Large” representatives: Karen Hughes, Clay James, and Phoebe Wilkinson

“I am honored to welcome Karen to the board,” said Hogan Lovells Chair Leopold von Gerlach. “The board plays an important role in the governance of Hogan Lovells. Board members are expected to engage with, and to be accessible to, all partners as part of their duties and, in particular, to engage constructively with firm management in exercising the Board’s supervisory responsibility.”

Bradley Arant Boult Cummings LLP announced that Jeffrey Davis, Mary Elizondo Frazier and Peter Scaff have joined the firm’s Houston office as partners. Davis and Scaff will co-chair Bradley’s Oil and Gas team, and Frazier will serve on the firm’s Texas Growth and Expansion Task Force.

All three attorneys were long-term partners and practice leaders at Gardere Wynne Sewell LLP, which recently merged with Foley & Lardner, LLP. At Foley, Davis served as vice chair of the Energy Litigation Practice Group and, before the merger, was a member of Gardere’s Board of Directors. At Gardere, Scaff most recently served as the firm-wide chair of Gardere’s Compensation Committee, and Frazier served as co-chair of the Associates Committee.

“We are thrilled to welcome Jeff, Mary and Peter to Bradley,” said Houston Office Managing Partner Ian P. Faria. “Their added depth and experience in the energy sector for handling complex litigation disputes as well as business needs are a great benefit to our clients.”

Davis added, “Mary, Peter and I are very excited about joining Bradley to help boost its already thriving energy litigation practice. We believe that Bradley provides us with the best platform to take our practices to the next level and enhances our ability to effectively serve our clients.”

In a release, the firm said Davis represents energy companies in litigation involving catastrophic personal injury, wrongful death, surface and downhole tool incidents, and royalty and mineral interest disputes. He has served as lead counsel in more than 100 oilfield incident cases in state and federal courts across Texas and Oklahoma. He also represents clients in a variety of commercial and construction litigation matters, including contractual disputes, business torts, products liability, warranty, real estate and trade secrets litigation. Davis is an elected member of the American Board of Trial Advocates.

Davis received his J.D. from the University of Houston Law Center, where he was member of the Houston Law Review, and received his B.B.A. in Finance from the University of Texas at Austin.

Frazier represents clients in personal injury, premises liability, wrongful death and product liability litigation, as well as business tort disputes. The firm said she has experience with multi-plaintiff and multi-defendant oil and gas litigation cases in Texas.

Frazier received her J.D. (magna cum laude) from South Texas College of Law and her Bachelor of Arts from the University of Texas at Austin.

Over his 18-year career, Scaff has litigated a variety of energy industry disputes, including cases concerning joint operations, areas of mutual interest, lease acquisition, trade secrets, seismic licensing, supply chain, construction, and manufacturing. He also has experience handling cases related to oilfield operations, downhole failures and well control events. In addition to his energy industry matters, Scaff has a commercial litigation practice, handling matters involving real estate, construction, franchising, partnership litigation, misappropriation, and fiduciary litigation. He also has prosecuted a number of civil fraud and investment scheme cases, many of which involved parallel criminal proceedings.

Scaff received his J.D. (magna cum laude) from the University of Houston Law Center and his Bachelor of Arts with honors from the University of Texas at Austin.

Quarles & Brady LLP announced that Randall L. Oyler has joined the firm’s Litigation & Dispute Resolution Practice Group as a partner in its Chicago office.

In a release, the firm said Oyler represents motor vehicle manufacturers and distributors on various dealer network matters, vehicle distribution matters, market representation strategies, dealership litigation, and corporate transactions in the automobile, motorcycle and power sports industries. Spanning more than 25 states, he has litigated dealership matters before federal and state courts and state administrative agencies.

“New business and legal challenges are emerging in the motor vehicle industry, which can impact a company’s operations, compliance and, ultimately, its go-to-market strategy,” said Paul Langer, Office Managing Partner and Chair of the Chicago Office Litigation & Dispute Resolution Practice. “Randy’s deep background and experience working with prominent manufacturers and distributors will be an invaluable asset to clients who are active in these areas.”

Oyler co-founded an alternative investment management company that has raised over $100 million to fight global poverty through direct investments in micro-finance institutions in developing economies all over the world. He is a member of the American Bar Association’s Forum on Franchising and has been recognized in Best Lawyers in America® for Franchise Law.

Oyler earned his law degree from the University of Chicago Law School, where he served as developments editor for the University’s Legal Forum, and his B.A., summa cum laude, from Wheaton College of Illinois.

Christopher A. Pesch has joined Freeborn & Peters LLP as a partner in the firm’s Corporate Practice Group in New York.

In a release, the firm said the New York since that office was formed in March 2016 through the combination with New York City firm Hargraves, McConnell & Costigan P.C., with a particular focus on insurance and reinsurance law.

“We are thrilled to welcome Chris to Freeborn’s New York office where he adds breadth and depth to our current team of attorneys including a number of top insurance and reinsurance practitioners,” said Daniel Hargraves, the Managing Partner of Freeborn’s New York office. “Chris has been a leader in corporate and securities law for many years and his knowledge and experience will be great assets for the diverse business clients we serve.”

Freeborn Co-Managing Partner William E. Russell added, “Chris enhances the scope and caliber of services that we provide to our clients from New York. As a former Chicago practitioner, he also brings insights and leadership that will benefit our corporate clients across all Freeborn’s offices.”

The firm said Pesch focuses his practice in a broad range of general corporate and securities matters, including mergers and acquisitions, compliance with federal securities laws, public offerings, corporate governance, and general commercial transactions. He has represented diverse businesses of all sizes, including publicly and closely held corporations, in the areas of corporate finance, securities, and business organization. In addition, he has represented purchasers and sellers in a variety of business transactions, including mergers and acquisitions, divestitures, and joint ventures.

Most recently, Pesch was a partner and served as chair of the Corporate and Securities practice at PIB Law. Previously, he also served as chief legal officer for former insurance industry technology and outsourcing solutions provider Patriot National, Inc.

Pesch received his J.D. from Seattle University School of Law (cum laude) and his Bachelor of Arts from Lake Forest College.

FisherBroyles, LLP has added Wayne Alder and Alfred J. Monte, Jr. as partners and litigators in the firm’s Naples, Fla., and Philadelphia offices, respectively.

“Wayne and Alfred are great additions to the team of successful litigators in our Southwest Florida and Philadelphia offices,” said FisherBroyles General Counsel and Managing Partner of Litigation Joel M. Ferdinand. “Wayne and Alfred also continue the growth that has made FisherBroyles the largest distributed law firm partnership in the nation.”

Alder said, “I look forward to working alongside my new colleagues to deliver the brand of high-level service and value that clients expect from FisherBroyles.”

Monte added, “I am thrilled to collaborate with other attorneys who combine their Big Law experiences with the platform that FisherBroyles offers for delivering high-level, cost-effective legal services to our clients.”

In a release, the firm said Alder concentrates his practice on litigation matters and represents companies, individuals and municipalities. He has experience in the litigation of claims related to professionals’ business and international transactions. He also handles the defense of directors and officers against trustees in bankruptcy, as well as matters related to marine and shipyard liability, product liability, environmental claims, personal injury, construction defects and claims, cyber risks and claims, architects and engineers, and insurance coverage disputes. Alder also has experience in the area of condominium law, the Florida Condominium Act, homeowners association issues, general liability, and property claims and defense.

Previously, Alder was a partner at Kaufman Dolowich &Voluck LLP in Boca Raton, Fla. He also formerly was a partner with Becker & Poliakoff in West Palm Beach, Fla., and served as co-managing partner with Seiden, Alder & Matthewman, P.A., in Boca Raton, Fla.

Alder received his J.D. from Seton Hall University School of Law and his Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Hartwick College. He also attended Regent’s University in London.

The firm said Monte focuses his nationwide practice in business risk management, both preventative and post-litigation. He has litigated and tried to conclusion cases in virtually every jurisdiction in the nation. The vast majority of his practice involves businesses operating in federally regulated environments, focusing on the often-conflicting obligations of regulated businesses to disclose adverse events to regulatory agencies and the resulting liability exposure such disclosures cause. He is actively sought out by medical device, pharmaceutical, biotech and other businesses regulated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to design and manage risk before and after litigation has initiated. He is well-versed in traditional and alternative risk management strategies.

Prior to joining FisherBroyles, Monte served as the founding chair and later as co-chair of the Life Sciences Practice Group at Fox Rothschild, LLP for more than 11 years.

Monte received his J.D. from Villanova University School of Law and his Bachelor of Arts from DeSales University.

George Callas, who served as senior tax counsel to Speaker of the House Paul Ryan and was one of the chief architects of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA), has joined the Steptoe & Johnson LLP’s Government Affairs & Public Policy and Tax Groups. He will serve as a managing director in Steptoe’s Washington office.

Callas is a 15-year Capitol Hill veteran who spent most of that time working on tax issues at the committee level and for Republican leadership. As senior tax counsel to Ryan since 2015, Callas worked as lead staff negotiator for House Republicans on the three major tax packages that were enacted into law during Ryan’s tenure. Along with the TCJA, which Ryan personally thanked him for shepherding upon signing the legislation in December 2017, Callas led the charge on the Protecting Americans against Tax Hikes Act of 2015 and the tax title of the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2018, the firm said in a release.

Previously, Callas served seven years on the House Committee on Ways and Means, including as chief tax counsel, where he worked closely with former Chairmen Dave Camp, Paul Ryan, and current Chairman Kevin Brady. In 2012, Roll Call recognized him as “One of Five Hill Aides to Know” in tax. During his tenure as chief tax counsel, Callas also worked on the revenue aspects of several pieces of trade legislation. Callas’s Hill experience also includes time spent on the Senate side, serving as legislative director and senior advisor to Sen. George Voinovich, and a position as counsel to the House Budget Committee.

“George is one of the most influential tax staffers on the Hill,” said Steptoe Chair Phil West, who also leads the firm’s tax department. “Along with his strong technical tax skills, George has been recognized for his ability to translate the technical aspects of tax policy into concise and straightforward language that legislators, Treasury officials, and business executives understand. He will provide great value to clients, from large multinational corporations to trade associations, in navigating the new tax laws and the rulemakings that lie ahead.”

Micah Green and Scott Sinder, who co-lead the firm’s Government Affairs and Public Policy Group, added: “George’s experiences both technically and politically at the committee level and in the speaker’s office, have given him unique insights not only into how tax laws are negotiated and enacted, but also the intent of the Congress on virtually every section of the most significant tax reform legislation to pass Congress in over three decades. Such deep and recent experiences and insights will provide tax clients valuable perspective on tax regulatory, legislative, and planning strategies as this new law is implemented and continually reviewed.”

Callas remarked: “Since reaching a decision to leave the Hill, I’ve explored a number of opportunities with law, lobbying and accounting firms. Steptoe is the right fit. With a stellar tax practice and equally strong public policy shop, it is the combination of everything I was looking for to shape and grow a comprehensive tax policy and legislative practice.”

Callas earned his B.A. and his J.D., with honors, from the University of Florida, where he served as the senior managing editor for the Florida Journal of International Law. He also received an LL.M. in taxation from the University of Florida. Before transitioning to Capitol Hill, Callas spent several years at KPMG as a senior tax associate.

Bloomberg Law is reporting that a lawyer who put the logo of a law school more prestigious than the one he actually attended on his website was indefinitely suspended July 11.

“Daren Allen Webber’s incompetent representation of bankruptcy clients and violations of the rules on attorney advertising merit indefinite suspension, the Supreme Court of New York, Appellate Division, Second Department found,” writes reporter Mandy L. Rattan. “The suspension was based on an identical sanction by the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York.”

Weber, who attended New York Law School, displayed the seal of the more prestigious New York University on his website. The court also listed conduct including filing incorrect or incomplete documents, missing or being late to meetings with creditors, failing to communicate with his clients, and missing deadlines.

Read the Bloomberg Law article.

Boutique family law firm Orsinger, Nelson, Downing & Anderson, LLP, announced the promotions of Chris Oldner and Holly Rampy Baird to partner.

“Chris and Holly are exceptional attorneys who have demonstrated their dedication to the success and well-being of our clients,” said partner Keith Nelson. “We are pleased to have them accept this new responsibility.”

Oldner served three terms as judge of the 416th District Court in Collin County, where he presided over criminal and civil cases, including family law bench and jury trials. He holds dual certification in Family Law and Criminal Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization.

He has served as co-chair of the Judicial Disproportionality Workgroup for the Supreme Court of Texas Permanent Commission for Children, Youth and Families’ Court Improvement Project, and as a member of the Texas Center for the Judiciary’s Children’s Justice Act Task Force. Oldner earned his law degree from the Texas Tech University School of Law.

Recognized for five consecutive years on the Texas Rising Stars list, Baird earned a place on the publication’s list of the Top 100 Up-and-Coming lawyers and the Top 50 Up-and-Coming Women lawyers. She also was recognized on D Magazine’s 2018 list of Best Lawyers Under 40 for her work in divorce and complex property division, modification and enforcement actions, and child custody litigation.

Most recently, Baird was selected to People Newspapers’ 20 under 40 listing for 2018, which honors young professionals making the biggest impact in the Park Cities and Preston Hollow neighborhoods of Dallas. Certified in Family Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization, she is a graduate of Texas Tech University School of Law.

John Hintz has joined the Quarles & Brady LLP’s Health & Life Sciences Practice Group in the role as of counsel in its Milwaukee office.

Hintz focuses his practice on health care business transactions, including forming and administering clinically integrated networks, negotiating managed care contracts, and establishing and maintaining clients’ legal compliance. His experience includes representation of health care entities, including providers, payers, third-party administrators, PPOs, billers and others.

Hintz is an Adjunct Professor of Law at Marquette University Law School, teaching courses in managed health care. He is a member of the State Bar of Wisconsin, the Arizona Bar Association, and the American Health Lawyers Association. Hintz has also been recognized by Nightingale’s Healthcare News as one of the country’s ten Outstanding Physician Practice Lawyers.

Hintz worked as a clinical physiologist before becoming an attorney, and began his legal career with Blue Cross & Blue Shield United of Wisconsin. At Blue Cross, he focusing on health care litigation, insurance compliance, and corporate business transactions. He then transitioned into an executive role, assuming responsibility for the provider networks of Blue Cross and its subsidiaries, before moving into private practice.

Jackson Walker announced the addition of Larry Glasgow and Richard Waggoner to the Corporate and Securities practice in Dallas.

In a release, the firm said Glasgow and Waggoner each bring to the firm more than 30 years of experience in sophisticated transactions involving mergers and acquisitions and private equity.

“We are thrilled to welcome Larry and Richard to our Corporate and Securities practice,” said Wade Cooper, the firm’s managing partner. “Their experience handling complex corporate matters of all sizes – but more important, their commitment to client service and value – are a great fit for our firm.”

“Larry’s and Richard’s experience coast-to-coast and internationally in a wide range of industries melds well with our practice,” said Dallas partner Richard F. Dahlson, who manages the Corporate and Securities practice group at Jackson Walker. “Larry’s extensive understanding of deal points has helped mold the M&A practice and will provide a tangible benefit for our clients engaged in mergers and acquisitions. Richard is a global corporate law resource who has a well-earned reputation for getting deals done.”

The firm said Glasgow is an M&A attorney who represents acquirers and sellers in transactions ranging in size from mid-market to in excess of $1 billion. He represents clients in the healthcare, energy, banking, trucking, entertainment, hospitality, and technology industries.

“Without a doubt, joining Jackson Walker is a great decision for my clients and for myself,” Glasgow said. “I look forward to not only benefitting from but contributing to the valuable resources of Jackson Walker’s Chambers-ranked Corporate group to better serve clients.”

The firm said he co-founded the American Bar Association’s M&A Deal Points Studies and the M&A Market Trends Subcommittee. He also co-founded and annually co-chairs the University of Texas School of Law’s Mergers and Acquisitions Institute, which brings together practitioners and experts to evaluate current M&A trends, opportunities, and concerns facing the finance, accounting, and legal industries.

The firm said Glasgow has been consistently recognized by The Best Lawyers in America for M&A and corporate law. He has also been listed among the top rated lawyers in M&A and healthcare by The American Lawyer and Corporate Counsel as well as for international M&A by Who’s Who Legal.

Richard L. Waggoner is an M&A lawyer who counsels sophisticated investors and issuers on private equity transactions, governance, contracts, and general corporate legal needs, the firm said. He also regularly counsels boards of directors and board committees on matters of corporate governance. Over the years, he has advised clients on distressed acquisition opportunities, creation of expansion capital, and strategies to deal with the growing reluctance of banks to fund large and highly leveraged deals.

Since 2016, Richard has been recognized among The Best Lawyers in America for Corporate Law, and has also been listed in Thomson Reuters’ “Texas Super Lawyers” list for M&A.

“I pride myself on getting deals done as efficiently as possible,” Waggoner said. “Joining Texas powerhouse Jackson Walker enables me to offer tremendous value to my clients around the world. Jackson Walker has nationally recognized subject matter experts in all areas. My clients are very excited about this move.”

Glasgow and Waggoner join Dallas real estate partners Cynthia Brotman Nelson, George C. Dunlap, Jr., Kevin L. Kelley, and Scott Tuthill as the most recent partner additions at Jackson Walker.

“The move to Jackson Walker has been a great one for me and my clients,” said Kelley, who joined the firm after serving as chair of the real estate practice at his previous firm. “In my short time here, I’ve already seen firsthand how Jackson Walker emphasizes client service and efficiency.”

Barnes & Thornburg LLP has added Warren Biro as an associate in the firm’s Entertainment, Media and Sports Practice Group in Los Angeles.

Biro focuses on media finance and entertainment transactional matters, where he works with independent production companies, financial institutions and high net worth individuals on the legal and business issues of financing, producing and distributing film and television projects.

“Warren has been involved in a multitude of motion picture and television transactions, often involving prominent financiers and studios,” said Jason Karlov, chair of Barnes & Thornburg’s Entertainment, Media and Sports Practice Group. “He’s the latest premier talent to join the firm, which continues to add entertainment practitioners in key markets across the country.”

Biro’s arrival comes on the heels of Variety’s 2018 Legal Impact Report, where five Barnes & Thornburg attorneys were recognized for their representation of high-profile entertainment industry clients. Members of the firm’s Entertainment, Media and Sports Practice Group have a thorough understanding of the business, financing, distribution and licensing needs of the film, television, music, technology, gaming and sports industries. They represent motion picture producers and distributors, serve as outside general counsel for musicians and entertainers, and negotiate significant marketing and promotional agreements.

Biro joins Barnes & Thornburg from ‎Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP. He received his J.D. from UCLA School of Law with a specialization in entertainment, media and intellectual property, and has been named a 2018 Southern California “Rising Star” in the field of Entertainment & Sports by Super Lawyers.

Steven J. Lee of Flushing has joined Farrell Fritz‘s commercial litigation practice group, where he focuses his practice on construction matters.

Prior to attending law school, Lee founded a construction company, Evolution Contracting, Inc. (Flushing, NY), where he remained president for 10 years. Immediately prior to joining Farrell Fritz, he was an associate in the Insurance Fraud practice group at Rivkin Radler LLP. Previously, he was an associate/law clerk at Wormser, Kiely, Galef & Jacobs, LLP and a New York State Pro Bono Scholar law clerk at the New York Legal Assistance Group.

Lee earned his Juris Doctor, cum laude, from the Maurice A. Deane School of Law at Hofstra University. While in law school, he co-founded and directed the Veterans Legal Assistance Project. Steven holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from the State University of New York at Geneseo.

Lee, who speaks conversational Korean, is admitted to practice in New York State.

Foley Gardere announced that Neal A. Bakare has joined the firm’s Finance Practice Group and Energy Industry Team as of counsel in the Houston office. He joins from Macquarie Bank Limited, where he served as Senior Vice President of Legal Risk Management.

In a release, the firm said Bakare’s background includes time as both an in-house attorney and a private practice attorney at an international law firm. He has represented clients across the finance and energy industries, including investment banks, private equity funds, limited partnerships, public and private companies, hedge providers, and oil and gas corporations, among others.

“Texas continues to see heavy activity in the energy and financial services sectors, and we have a long history of successfully managing energy projects and financings,” said Michael F. Rogers, Foley Gardere’s Houston Office Managing Partner. “Neal’s experience as an in-house attorney, paired with his knowledge of the Houston market and beyond, will provide tremendous value to our clients locally and nationally. We are thrilled to have him on board.”

The firm said Bakare has worked on equity transactions, complex structured transactions, mergers and acquisitions, divestitures of assets and entities, debt financing transactions (in both borrowing and lending roles), mezzanine debt and senior secured borrowing base financing transactions, and hedging transactions, among other corporate legal counsel relating to financing activities. His representative experience includes providing counsel to large global investment banks on mezzanine financings of oil and gas corporations in the United States, Canada, France and Colombia and representing a large upstream oil and gas corporation in a bid for Permian Basin oil and gas assets.

“Our finance attorneys provide extensive transactional and counseling services to a wide range of clients in the financial services industry. Neal’s experience working on behalf of banks and other lenders, investors and borrowers will immediately benefit our team and our clients,” said Laura L. Bilas, chair of the firm’s Finance Practice Group. “We look forward to leveraging Neal’s understanding of the current market and his hands-on experience as we continue to grow our practice in Texas and beyond.”

Global Investigations Review (GIR) honored Sidley Austin’s Washington, D.C. partner Karen A. Popp with its inaugural “Award for Services to Diversity.”

Popp was lauded for her “great commitment to improving women’s positions in the workplace,” both within Sidley and in the wider white collar defense and investigations world. GIR commended Popp for her leadership in developing Sidley’s firmwide women’s program, forming the D.C. office’s Diversity Committee for racial, ethnic and LGBT communities, and serving as the first Chair of Sidley’s D.C. Women’s Committee.

She was also cited for serving on Sidley’s task forces on Diversity and Women, formed by the Executive Committee. Popp was praised for co-founding the Women in White Collar Defense Association, which she launched along with Beth Wilkinson in 1999 shortly after leaving government and noticing the distinct lack of female practitioners on panels or among the attendees at the American Bar Institute’s Annual National Institute on White Collar Crime.

GIR credited Popp’s vision and “impressive leadership and interpersonal skills” with the “extraordinary growth” of the organization which has grown to 30 chapters with more than 1,400 members across the world in less than 20 years.

At Sidley, Popp is the global co-leader of the firm’s White Collar: Government Litigation & Investigations group. She has a practice representing companies and individuals in high-profile matters with legal, political and public relations components, such as corporate criminal defense, internal investigations, SEC Enforcement, Congressional investigations, OIG and State Attorney General actions, corporate compliance, and litigation.

Brian D. Anderson has joined Quarles & Brady LLP’s Real Estate Practice Group in the role as of counsel in its Madison office.

Anderson focuses his practice on commercial real estate and mortgage finance. His experience includes real estate sale and purchase, commercial leases, real estate development, stadium financing, tribal real estate, project financing, public-private partnerships and more.

Anderson is a member of the Wisconsin Bar Association’s Real Estate Section and Indian Law Section. He has been recognized as a Best Lawyers in America honoree in Real Estate Law for the past five years.

Before practicing law, Anderson was a math and English teacher in rural Wisconsin, as well as in Kenya where he volunteered for the Peace Corps. He received his Bachelor of Arts from University of Minnesota and his Doctor of Law from University of Maryland School of Law.

Barnes & Thornburg LLP has added Matthew E. Leno, Peter M. Siavelis and Matthew J. Gryzlo as partners in the Intellectual Property Department.

Siavelis and Gryzlo will reside in the Chicago office where the firm has seen the addition of six partners this year, and Leno will practice out of the Washington, D.C., office. All three join from McDermott Will & Emery.

“The Chicago office is in a growth phase and the addition of these accomplished IP attorneys continues that strategic trajectory,” said Mark Rust, managing partner of the Chicago office. “We’ve been making significant investments in Chicago and other key markets, like Washington, D.C., and seeing it reflected in the exceptional legal talent that we’re able to attract and retain on behalf of our clients.”

“We’re thrilled to welcome this group to the firm,” said Julia Gard, chair of Barnes & Thornburg’s Intellectual Property Department. “We have a deep bench of talented attorneys with technical backgrounds and experience. The addition of these three will be an asset to our clients facing sophisticated and complex challenges to their business.”

In a release, the firm said:

Matthew Leno concentrates his practice on intellectual property litigation, including patent, trademark and trade secret matters, and implementing and executing patent portfolio management, invention harvesting, patent prosecution and intellectual property transactions. He represents clients in a variety of industries, including medical devices, dental devices, cellphone technology, semiconductors, internet, information filtering technology, data communications, data storage, tracking systems and software, air handling systems, energy recovery systems, manufacturing, chemical processing and consumer packaging. Having previous experience as a patent examiner for the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, Leno is well-versed in inter partes reviews before the Patent Trial and Appeal Board.
Leno also dedicates his time to pro bono work to provide public special education services for families in need. Leno earned his J.D. from the Syracuse University College of Law and his B.S. from the Rochester Institute of Technology.

Peter Siavelis focuses his practice on U.S. and foreign patent and trademark litigation, counseling and portfolio development. He represents clients in wide variety of technical fields and plays a key role in helping clients enforce, acquire and license valuable IP rights. In addition to his enforcement and litigation experience, he represents clients before the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office in post grant proceedings, including inter partes reviews and reexamination proceedings. Siavelis counsels and prosecutes patent applications in the mechanical and electrical arts, including applications related to sports and fitness equipment, wearable active monitoring technology, commercial and residential ventilation equipment, beverage containers, lighting fixtures, LEDs, computer server hardware and cabinets, infrared, ultrasonic and acoustic sensor assemblies, medical devices and packaging containers, window hardware, plumbing fixtures and hardware, plastic part molding, concrete conduit repair, diesel engine sensors and monitoring, as well as semiconductor fabrication, food processing and commercial printing.

Active in the legal community, Siavelis is a member of various bar and trade associations, including the Intellectual Property Law Association of Chicago and the American Society of Mechanical Engineers. He earned his J.D. from the Chicago-Kent School of Law and his B.S. from Michigan State University.

Matthew Gryzlo advises clients on domestic and international patents, trademarks, copyrights, trade secrets, unfair competition and other related causes. His practices focuses primarily in the areas of litigation, portfolio management and IP acquisition. He has served as trial counsel in federal district courts, federal courts of appeals, the International Trade Commission, and the Patent Trial and Appeal Board. Gryzlo’s client base is wide-ranging, including companies in the medical device, telecommunication, semiconductor, software, data networks, artificial intelligence, food and beverage, packaging, precision machinery, consumer products and children’s toy industries.

Gryzlo has an active pro bono docket, including for the Family Defense Center in Chicago, is a member of the Knights of Columbus, and has dedicated years of service as a coach, manager, and board member for numerous youth athletic organizations. He earned his J.D., cum laude, from The John Marshall Law School where he was an Editor on the Law Review, and his B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

FisherBroyles, LLP has added Gregory R. Lunt, John K. Shimmick and Mark A. Thomas as partners in the firm’s Intellectual Property Practice Group. Lunt, Shimmick and Thomas are based in the firm’s Salt Lake City; Palo Alto, Calif; and Washington, D.C., offices, respectively.

“We are pleased to have Greg, John and Mark join our team of experienced intellectual property attorneys who make up one of the top IP law groups in the nation,” said T.J. DoVale, managing partner of the FisherBroyles Intellectual Property Practice Group. “Greg, John and Mark bring to FisherBroyles extensive experience in patent preparation and prosecution, as well as engineering backgrounds that will greatly benefit our clients.”

Lunt, Shimmick and Thomas are the latest additions to the firm’s growing IP practice, which recently added five other partners to the firm’s offices in Atlanta, Denver, Los Angeles and Washington.

“I am excited to join FisherBroyles and its deep bench of IP partners who thrive serving clients through the firm’s innovative distributed partnership model,” Lunt said.

Shimmick said, “It is a privilege to join the robust team of partners and IP attorneys at FisherBroyles, and I am excited to collaborate with the firm’s many IP professional with many years of experience.”

Thomas added, “I believe my patent prosecution background is a great match for FisherBroyles’ forward-thinking approach to delivering high-level service and value to clients in diverse industries.”

Lunt focuses on patent preparation and prosecution, specifically in the fields of software, computing, and electrical devices. He has more than a decade of experience assisting clients in strategic patent planning, IP portfolio valuation, infringement opinions, licensing and appeals. Also a member of the FisherBroyles Technology Practice Group, Lunt helps organizations strategically grow and develop their national and international patent portfolios. Specifically, he has served as an IP consultant with a New York City-based startup incubator.

Most recently, Lunt was a shareholder and patent attorney at Workman Nydegger in Salt Lake City. Previously, he worked as a software engineer at Novell, Inc., developing and testing software for application provisioning and database management.

Lunt received his J.D. from Creighton School of Law and his Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering Technology from Brigham Young University.

Shimmick focuses his practice on patent prosecution and counseling. In addition to protecting intellectual property rights, he has experience with investor due diligence and financing. As a patent attorney, Shimmick has worked extensively in the medical device sector as well as other technical fields, including software, optical systems, mechanical devices, laser ablation systems, telemetry, semiconductor manufacturing, and test equipment. Shimmick most recently was a patent attorney at Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati. Previously, he also practiced as a solo attorney and with the firms Kilpatrick Townsend & Stockton LLP and Townsend, Townsend & Crew, LLP.

Before entering the legal profession, Shimmick worked for more than a decade in the medical device industry, holding positions in engineering and management, and is the named inventor on over 30 medical device patents.

Shimmick received his J.D. from Santa Clara University School of Law. He also holds a Master of Science from the University of Texas at Austin and a Bachelor of Science from the University of California, Davis.

Thomas is a member of the FisherBroyles Fintech and Blockchain, Internet & eCommerce, and Technology practice groups, in addition to Intellectual Property. He has more than 20 years of experience in patent application preparation and prosecution, licensing and litigation support. His experience spans a wide array of technologies within the software, digital device, telecommunications, semiconductor device fabrication, electro-mechanical and medical device arts. He has prepared and prosecuted numerous patent applications for AT&T Wireless, SAP SE, Hewlett-Packard, and Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Corp.

Recently, Thomas was assistant general counsel for Intellectual Property and Transactions for TeleTech Holdings, Inc. where he was responsible for the $1.5 billion public company’s intellectual property matters. Previously, he was a patent attorney for US West, Inc., managing patent prosecution and the full range of IP activities for its divisions including Advanced Technologies, Wireless and Information Technologies. He also formerly worked as a senior hardware engineer responsible for the design and integration of key architectural components in multiple mainframe-class computers.

Thomas received his J.D. (cum laude) from The John Marshall Law School and his Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science from Carnegie Mellon University.