DLA Piper announced that Raphael Larson has joined the firm’s litigation practice group as a partner in Washington, DC.

Larson most recently served as associate director in the Division of Enforcement and Investigations with the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (PCAOB), a not-for-profit corporation chartered by the US Congress as part of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 to oversee auditors of US public companies. While at the PCAOB, Larson led numerous enforcement investigations and litigations involving domestic and international accounting firms. He also regularly coordinated enforcement matters with the US Securities and Exchange Commission and other foreign and domestic regulatory bodies, the firm said in a release.

“Raphael will be a strong asset in Washington as we look to expand the firm’s growing accountant liability practice,” said Jeff Lehrer, managing partner of DLA Piper’s Washington, DC, office. “With his accounting knowledge and unparalleled experience over the past 12 years at the PCAOB, Raphael is well positioned to advise audit firms and auditors before regulatory bodies and in litigation matters.”

“Amid the shifting landscape in Washington, we believe the PCAOB is poised to remain active and likely will continue to pursue new matters aggressively,” said Jim Brogan, US co-chair of DLA Piper’s Litigation practice. “Raphael will be an important addition to our already talented team as we continue to provide important counsel to clients in the global accounting arena.”

Larson joins the firm’s litigation practice in Washington, DC, which recently added Matthew Graves, and Louis Ramos. The practice has also made a number of additions elsewhere in the country, including Eric Christofferson (Boston), George Karavetsos (Miami), David Sager (Short Hills, New Jersey), and Thiru Vignarajah (Baltimore).

Larson received his J.D. from Georgetown University Law Center, and a B.S. with honors in accounting from Portland State University.

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Linda Hoseman has joined Chicago-based Neal Gerber Eisenberg as a partner in the firm’sEmployee Benefits & Executive Compensation practice group.

Hoseman works with employee benefit matters, including designing and administering qualified retirement benefit plans and welfare benefit plans, the firm said in a release. She works with compliance issues and manages ERISA aspects and reviews of corporate, private equity, and other transactions.

“The addition of Linda to our practice group is great news for our firm and for our clients,” said Patricia S. Cain, chair of the firm’s Employee Benefits & Executive Compensation group. “I’m very confident that our clients will come to rely on Linda’s breadth of experience handling the complex employee benefit issues that arise in designing and administering retirement plans and health and welfare plans.”

“Linda is a wonderful addition and evidence of our commitment to adding depth with exceptional talent seeking an inclusive, collaborative and industrious culture,” Managing Partner Scott J. Fisher noted. “Her ability to design client-centered solutions while always keeping the client’s business imperatives foremost makes her a terrific asset.”

After graduating from Tulane University School of Law in 1989, Hoseman obtained an LLM in Taxation from NYU School of Law in 1994. She has also worked as an adjunct faculty instructor at John Marshall Law School. Most recently, she was a partner with Thompson Coburn LLP.

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Holland & Hart announces the expansion of its litigation and trial services with the addition of Philip Hymanson, who will be based in the firm’s Las Vegas office. Hymanson joins Holland & Hart’s Commercial Litigation team of more than 110 litigators and trial lawyers, the firm said in a release.

“Las Vegas and the Nevada market are key components of our strategic plan, and Phil’s addition is a terrific opportunity. We are known in Nevada and nationally for having excellent commercial litigators, and Phil enhances our capabilities and underscores that reputation,” said Liz Sharrer, Chair of Holland & Hart.

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After announcing the opening of a new office in February, Buchalter announces it has added four additional lawyers to its growing Sacramento office from LeClair Ryan. Robert McWhorter joins as a shareholder, Kevin Collins joins as of counsel, and Jacqueline Vu and Jarrett Osborne both join as associates. All join as members of the litigation practice group.

“Robert and his team are welcome additions to our new Sacramento office and I am confident they will make strong contributions to both the local office culture and the firm,” said Adam J. Bass, President and Chief Executive Officer of Buchalter. “As we continue to expand, I’m looking forward to further deepening our footprint in the Sacramento region and all of our office locations in the months to come.”

In a release, the firm said that McWhorter handles commercial, business and bankruptcy litigation matters on behalf of his financial institution clients, including those involving lender liability, insolvency, restructuring, receivership, and real estate. He has expertise handling Article 9 issues under the Uniform Commercial Code and Chapter 7, 9 and 11 bankruptcy proceedings, including California’s AB 506. His clients span a range of industries including real estate, manufacturing, healthcare, automotive, and more. He earned his M.B.A. from the University of Michigan, his J.D. from Wayne State University School of Law, and his B.A. from the University of Chicago.

“The opportunity to join the newly established office of a firm like Buchalter is a unique opportunity that we could not pass up,” said McWhorter. “I’m thrilled at the opportunity to join during such an exciting time and bring along a great team as we continue to represent all types of clients – trustees, secured creditors, acquirers, and more – in their litigation matters.”

In his commercial litigation practice, Collins represents insurers, public agencies, financial companies, and automotive manufacturers in a variety of matters, including class actions, multi-district litigation, products liability cases and antitrust litigation. He formerly served as general counsel for one of the largest public entities in Sacramento County and has approximately 20 years of experience representing cities, counties, and special districts. He received his J.D., with high honors, from the University of the Pacific McGeorge School of Law and his B.A., cum laude, from the University of Redlands.

Vu has a two-pronged practice. She represents banks in a variety of matters, including loan work-outs, debt restructurings, lender liability, and foreclosures of residential and commercial real estate, while simultaneously representing employers in all aspects of labor and employment law. This includes discrimination and harassment, whistleblowing, wage and hour, family and medical leave, disability accommodation matters, and more. She received her J.D. from the University of the Pacific and her B.A. from the University of California Santa Barbara.

Osborne focuses his practice on bankruptcy, construction, and labor and employment matters on behalf of public and private institutions. He received his J.D. from the Santa Clara University School of Law and his M.B.A. and B.A., magna cum laude, from Monmouth University.

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Seth J. Pritikin has joined Neal Gerber Eisenberg in its Corporate & Securities practice group as a firm partner.

Pritikin experience includes mergers and acquisitions, divestitures, equity carve-out transactions, leveraged buyouts, joint ventures, growth capital investments, corporate restructurings and representations of large and middle market private equity funds, the firm said in a release.

“The addition of Seth to our team expands our ability to meet the needs of our corporate and private equity clients,” said David S. Stone, chair of NGE’s Corporate & Securities practice. “His wealth of experience with complex domestic and cross-border transactions adds value not only to our group but also to the services we offer to our clients.”

“Our strategic focus remains to be a destination for exceptional talent seeking an inclusive, collaborative and industrious culture; Seth clearly fits that bill. We are elated to have Seth join us and further enhance our ability to provide our clients with first-rate counsel,” commented NGE Managing Partner Scott J. Fisher.”

Pritikin graduated cum laude from Harvard Law School in 2007 and earned his A.B., magna cum laude, from Harvard University in 2003. Prior to beginning his legal career, Pritikin was a strategy consulting analyst with Dean & Company. Most recently, Pritikin was a partner at Kirkland & Ellis LLP.

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Hogan Lovells announced it will add high-profile M&A partners Richard Climan, Keith Flaum and Jane Ross, and IP and technology transactions partner John Brockland to its global corporate team. Climan and Flaum will join the global leadership teams within Hogan Lovells’ corporate practice.

Climan, Flaum, Ross and Brockland have worked together for nearly 20 years, the firm said in a news release. They have worked in the technology and life sciences sectors with companies such as Adobe, Ant Financial, Applied Materials, eBay, Facebook, Gilead Sciences, Intel, Jazz Pharmaceuticals, Oracle, Qorvo and Synopsys.

The team advises major technology, life sciences and other companies on complex and significant transactions, including advising on multi-billion dollar acquisitions of publicly traded companies on a regular basis. While Climan, Flaum, and Ross lead the team’s M&A work, Brockland focuses on the development, transfer, and licensing of technology and intellectual property assets.

The release continues:

Recent work carried out by the team includes Facebook’s acquisition of WhatsApp for US$16bn; the successful defense of Illumina against Roche’s US$6.2bn hostile takeover attempt; more than 25 acquisitions for Adobe, eBay, Intel, Oracle, and Synopsys; and the US$2bn sale of the Los Angeles Dodgers to a buyout group led by Guggenheim Partners.

“We have a strategic focus on advising clients on transactions with a regulatory or industry specific component,” said Hogan Lovells CEO Steve Immelt. “We are excited to have this team of lawyers join us in Northern California, as they have represented market leading technology and life sciences companies on many of their most significant transactions. Their well-earned reputation, relationships, and market profile will expand our presence in one of the most active markets for corporate transactions and illustrates a focus on strengthening our M&A capabilities in key markets in the U.S. and globally.”

Climan, Flaum, Ross, and Brockland will join Hogan Lovells from Weil, Gotshal & Manges and will be based in the firm’s Menlo Park and San Francisco offices.

“This team’s reputation is world class, and with Hogan Lovells, they will join a strong global M&A team with a track record of success, as part of a sustained drive to enhance our corporate M&A capabilities in key markets throughout the world,” said David Gibbons, Global Head of the firm’s Corporate Practice Group. “As more and more companies across a wide range of market sectors put disruptive technology at the heart of their business strategy and operations, this group’s deep understanding of M&A and the technology and life sciences sectors will prove invaluable.”

In addition to the team’s client work, which ranks them among the premier M&A/Corporate practices in California, the group has a long history of involvement in the local legal community. Their M&A forums in Silicon Valley are well known, as are their presentations, lectures, and trainings at top law schools around the country.

About the lawyers:

Richard Climan: One of the most well-known M&A lawyers in the country, Climan has extensive experience advising on mergers, divestitures, leveraged buy-outs, and cross-border transactions, in addition to corporate governance and general corporate matters. He was listed as one of the 100 most influential lawyers in America by The National Law Journal, was named one of the 10 most highly regarded Corporate Governance lawyers worldwide and one of the seven most highly regarded M&A lawyers in North America in 2016 by Who’s Who Legal, and is ranked in Band 1 for Northern California Corporate/M&A in Chambers USA. Climan earned his A.B. from Harvard College and his J.D. from Harvard Law School.

Keith Flaum: In addition to Flaum’s work representing public and private companies on wide range of transactional matters, including acquisitions of publicly traded companies and cross-border acquisition transactions and joint ventures, he also advises boards and special committees on fiduciary duties in the M&A context. In 2016, he was recognized as a “Trailblazer” in M&A by The National Law Journal and a “Life Science Star” by the LMG Life Sciences Guide. He is ranked Band 1 for Northern California Corporate/M&A in Chambers USA. Flaum earned his B.A. from UCLA and his J.D. from UC Davis School of Law.

Jane Ross: Ross represents buyers and sellers of public and private companies, particularly in the information technology and life sciences sectors. She has extensive experience handling cross-border transactions and complex cross-border joint ventures. In 2015, Ross was named “Best in M&A” by Euromoney’s Women in Business Law Awards. Ross is ranked Band 3 for California Corporate/M&A in Chambers USA. From McGill University, she earned her B. Com, an LL.B., and a B.C.L.

John Brockland: Brockland focuses on strategic and commercial transactions involving the development, transfer, and licensing of technology and intellectual property assets. He has represented companies in a variety of industries, such as software, semiconductor, internet, renewable energy, and healthcare. Brockland has been ranked as a leading lawyer for IT & Outsourcing by Chambers USA and Chambers Global. He is ranked Band 1 in California — IT & Outsourcing: Transactions. He earned his B.A. from Trinity University and his J.D. from the University of Chicago Law School.

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Former Texas Supreme Court justice Deborah Hankinson will be honored March 30 with the Distinguished Alumni Award during the University of Texas Dallas Awards Gala.

The UT Dallas Distinguished Alumni Award is the highest honor the school can bestow on its alumni and is presented to individuals who are outstanding in their chosen profession or life’s work.

She earned a master’s degree in special education in 1977 from UT Dallas. With that degree, she became the lead teacher of a groundbreaking Plano ISD program for elementary students with developmental disabilities.

“I have been blessed with a very fulfilling legal career, but my work as a teacher was rewarding in a way that is difficult to express, and it was made possible by the education I received at UT Dallas. Not only did my education help make me a better teacher, it helped lay the foundation for my decision to attend law school,” said Hankinson.

Following her tenure on Texas’ highest court, Hankinson returned to private practice, founding the Dallas-based appellate law firm Hankinson LLP and becoming one of the most widely respected arbitrators, mediators and appellate lawyers and strategists in the state, her firm said in a news release.

Her professional honors include a Lifetime Achievement Award from Texas Lawyer and recognition as a Local Litigation Star from Benchmark Litigation. She has been selected five times among the Top 10 attorneys in the state by Texas Super Lawyers. In 2016 she was selected to The National Law Journal’s inaugural ADR Champions listing, recognizing alternative dispute resolution trailblazers from across the nation.

Hankinson is one of four UT Dallas graduates to be honored as Distinguished Alumni during the 15th annual Awards Gala. For more information, visit www.utdallas.edu/gala.

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Hogan Lovells announced that Lea Ann Fowler will join the firm’s Real Estate practice as a partner in the Denver office.

“Lea Ann has significant ties to the Denver real estate community and a notable reputation for representing prominent investors and lenders on highly complex matters,” said Mark Eagan, Hogan Lovells’ Head of Real Estate for the Americas. “Bringing Lea Ann on board deepens our national platform for our regional, national, and international real estate clients.”

Fowler represents a range of commercial lending institutions, developers, operators, and investors in real estate acquisitions and dispositions, joint ventures, development projects, asset-based lending involving loan origination, restructurings, loan participations, note purchases, and commercial mortgage-backed securitizations.

“I am excited about the opportunity to bring leadership to the Denver real estate team, mentor younger attorneys, and expand my client base nationally and internationally,” said Fowler.

In a release, the firm said:

Fowler has a highly regarded commercial real estate finance practice, representing clients in the origination of multimillion dollar senior and mezzanine structured financings secured by all sectors of commercial real estate, including hotel, mixed use condominium projects, retail, office and industrial portfolios. On the investor side, Fowler advises commercial real estate developers and private equity firms in the structuring and negotiation of large portfolio acquisitions and dispositions and multi-tiered construction and permanent loan transactions, including workouts and restructurings.

“Many of us at Hogan Lovells have known Lea Ann and worked with her for many years,” said Cole Finegan, Regional Managing Partner at Hogan Lovells. “We are very pleased that such a prominent real estate and finance lawyer will now be part of our local, national, and global efforts.”

Prior to joining Hogan Lovells, Fowler was a shareholder at Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck, LLP. She earned her J.D. from the University of Denver Sturm College of Law and her B.B.A. in Finance from Southern Methodist University.

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Greensfelder, Hemker & Gale, P.C., announces the expansion of its Chicago office with the addition of three attorneys across the firm’s Securities & Financial Services, Litigation and Intellectual Property groups.

Harris L. Kay joins the Securities & Financial Services industry group as an officer. Daniel C. McCabe is a new officer in the Litigation Practice Group. Ryan J. Yager joins as an associate in the Intellectual Property Practice Group.

“We are excited to welcome Harris, Dan and Ryan to our firm as we continue to expand and enhance the level of services in key practice areas for our clients throughout the Midwest and the nation,” said David B. Goodman, Managing Officer of Greensfelder’s Chicago office. “Together, they bring decades of legal experience and market-specific knowledge that will help us further expand the footprint for Greensfelder in Chicago.”

In a release, the firm said:

Kay counsels financial services firms and individuals regarding a variety of registration, compliance, regulatory and litigation matters. He represents futures commission merchants, introducing brokers, broker-dealers, forex firms, investment advisers, commodity pool operators and commodity trading advisors in regulatory inquiries, investigations and enforcement proceedings before CFTC, SEC, FINRA, NFA and various exchanges.

Kay most recently was a shareholder with Greenberg Traurig, LLP in Chicago. He earned his law degree from the University of Richmond School of Law and his Bachelor of Arts from the College of William and Mary.

McCabe focuses his practice on complex business and commercial litigation matters including insurance coverage, construction, real estate, energy, finance, manufacturing and pharmaceutical industries. He provides service to clients in all phases of commercial litigation and also provides risk management, transactional and general counsel representation. He has successfully litigated cases in state and federal venues throughout the United States, serving as lead trial counsel in multimillion-dollar matters, and has handled mass tort and class action cases nationally and internationally.

McCabe most recently was the managing partner with the former McCabe, Miller & Morrissey LLC in Chicago. He earned his law degree from Chicago-Kent College of Law and his Bachelor of Arts from Northwestern University.

Yager works with clients in a range of industries on matters related to trademark enforcement, trade secret litigation, defense of IP portfolios and other areas of concern for businesses. He also has experience with complex commercial litigation in federal and state courts, handling issues including contract disputes, as well as copyright, trademark and non-compete agreements.

Yager previously served as corporate counsel for a power company, providing legal counsel on the company’s development of power generation and electric transmission infrastructure throughout the United States, as well as managing outside counsel on litigation-related issues. He earned his law degree (magna cum laude) from Saint Louis University School of Law and his Bachelor of Arts (cum laude) from the University of Missouri.

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Thomas F. Bush has joined the Freeborn & Peters LLP’s Chicago office as a partner and member of the Litigation Practice Group and Insurance/Reinsurance Industry Group.

“We are enthusiastic about welcoming Tom to Freeborn and to our team serving the insurance and reinsurance industry,” said Freeborn’s Co-Managing Partner Michael A. Moynihan. “Tom brings to the firm decades of experience handling diverse litigation and other matters for insurers and reinsurers.”

In a release, the firm said Bush has experience in complex litigation involving antitrust, insurance and reinsurance matters. He has been involved in the representation of lawsuits and arbitrations for global reinsurers in disputes arising from large-scale losses. In addition, he represents and counsels insurance companies and investment firms on antitrust compliance and on competition issues arising in mergers and acquisitions.

Most recently, Bush was a partner and co-chair of the Antitrust Litigation Practice Group at Locke Lord LLP in Chicago. He served as a law clerk to Chief Judge Collins J. Seitz of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit. Mr. Bush earned his J.D. from the University of Chicago Law School and his Bachelor of Arts (magna cum laude) from Dartmouth College.

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Michael Best announced that John Sheehan has joined its Environmental & Natural Resources Practice Group as a partner in the firm’s Washington, D.C., office.

Sheehan, who joins from a national firm in Washington, previously served as a senior trial attorney at the U.S. Department of Justice in its Environmental and Natural Resources Division for more than 13 years, during which time he also served as a special counsel to the Assistant Attorney General for the Environment and as a special advisor in EPA’s Office of General Counsel.

“John has more than 30 years of experience in environmental law and corporate litigation – including involvement in some of the most high-profile environmental law cases during that time,” said David Krutz, Michael Best’s Firm Managing Partner. “The combination of his public sector experience at the United States Department of Justice and his private sector experience over the last decade gives him a valuable perspective which will be of great value to clients facing an ever-changing regulatory environment.”

In a news release, the firm said:

Among his cases, Sheehan represented a state government in its lawsuit against BP following the Deepwater Horizon disaster. He regularly counsels municipal and state governments, private corporations, and trade associations in actions brought by environmental regulatory agencies, helping clients navigate complex federal and state regulations.

Sheehan also advises clients in enforcement defense cases and transaction deals under key environmental statutes. He has extensive knowledge of the Clean Water Act, the Clean Air Act, and Superfund.

“Michael Best’s team of environmental lawyers understands the law and the science of regulations while balancing client needs – and the firm is also well known for strategically guiding clients through the entire business cycle,” Sheehan said. “Those are qualities that will be especially important in the months and years ahead, given the momentous changes and challenges in Washington and evolving environmental concerns around the world.”

Sheehan earned his J.D. from Georgetown University Law Center and his B.A. from Georgetown University. In 1994 and 1997, he was awarded the special achievement award from the U.S. Department of Justice. Sheehan also received a special merit award from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Office of General Counsel in 2001. In Sheehan’s spare time, he volunteers as a youth basketball coach.

Akerman LLP announced trusts and estates associate Dale Noll has been installed as president of the National LGBT Bar Association, the country’s largest organization of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and allied legal professionals.

During the 2017-2018 term, Noll will preside over the 29th annual Lavender Law Conference and Career Fair, the legal sector’s leading event for lawyers, law students, law firms and government agencies to exchange insights about important issues for the LGBT community. Last year’s Lavender Law conference had more than 1,300 attendees. As president, Noll also will work with the board of directors to advance the National LGBT Bar Association’s mission to promote advocacy and equal access to justice for the diverse LGBT community.

In a news release, the firm said:

Noll has devoted his legal career to advancing the LGBT community. He began his efforts while attending the University of Miami Law School, where he served as co-president of the LGBT student advocacy group OUTlaw. He graduated magna cum laude in 2012 and joined the National LGBT Bar Association as a member of its finance committee for two years. He was later appointed to the board of directors as treasurer and most recently served as president-elect of the organization. Noll also is a former co-chair of the Miami Dade County Gay and Lesbian Lawyers Association and a previous gala committee member of the Broward County Gay and Lesbian Lawyers Network. He regularly speaks on marriage equality and estate planning issues for alternative families and same sex couples.

At Akerman, Noll represents trustees, personal representatives and beneficiaries in a wide variety of fiduciary issues and assists them in their roles as fiduciaries in administering estates and trusts. A particular focus of his practice is the representation of fiduciaries, beneficiaries and other interested parties in high-conflict, complex and high-profile guardianship, trust and probate matters.

Akerman is recognized as one of the nation’s most diverse and inclusive law firms. Advocacy for equal opportunity within the legal profession, as well as within the community at large, is a significant part of the firm’s history. Akerman received its third, perfect 100 percent rating in the 2017 Corporate Equality Index (CEI), the national benchmarking survey administered by the Human Rights Campaign Foundation for workplace inclusion and equality, earning recognition as a “Best Place to Work for LGBT Equality.”

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Stinson Leonard Street LLP announced that Stuart Funderburg joined the firm as a partner in the Decatur, Ill. office.

Funderburg joins the firm from Fortune 50 company, Archer Daniels Midland Company (ADM), where he has worked since 1998, most recently serving in the role of Chief Corporate & Securities Counsel and Assistant Secretary. In this role, he led ADM’s securities law compliance, capital markets and corporate governance efforts. Funderburg also previously served as Associate General Counsel for ADM’s Europe, Asia and Africa operating regions, working closely with senior management to advise on a wide variety of complex legal matters, as well as assisting with the development of business strategy and evaluation of potential transactions.

He works in securities law compliance, capital markets and corporate governance matters, complex transactional matters, including joint ventures and strategic alliances, mergers and acquisitions and commercial transactional matters.

“Having served as the lead securities lawyer for one of the largest companies in the world, Stuart has led a wide variety of large, complex transactions, including significant capital markets transactions. In addition, Stuart brings with him to Stinson a unique understanding of how best outside counsel can serve their clients in order to plan, strategize and solve problems effectively and efficiently,” said Jack Bowling, the co-chair of the firm’s corporate finance group. “Our clients will benefit from the addition of Stuart to our deep bench of corporate finance attorneys.”

“Stuart is an incredibly talented attorney who knows the agribusiness industry from the inside out. He has the kind of experience and industry knowledge our clients demand. He has closed multi-million and multi-billion dollar financial transactions around the globe for a Fortune 50 company for nearly two decades,” said Scott Roberts, the managing partner of the firm’s Decatur office. “We are thrilled that he is joining our team.”

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DLA Piper announced the addition of Eric P. Christofferson, a former assistant US attorney, to the firm’s litigation practice as a partner in the Boston office.

For the past six years, Christofferson served in the US Attorney’s Office in Boston, primarily with the Criminal Division’s Economic Crimes Unit. He investigated and prosecuted Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) violations, insider trading, securities fraud, tax fraud and mortgage fraud and has tried nine criminal cases to verdict. He also worked closely with the US Securities and Exchange Commission and the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority.

“Eric immediately enhances our global white collar and investigations platforms, as well as our national trial bench,” said Loren Brown, co-chair of DLA Piper’s global and US Litigation practices. “Our clients will value his counsel as they continue to navigate a complex regulatory and enforcement environment.”

Prior to his time as a US attorney, Christofferson worked for Ropes & Gray in Boston focusing on white collar and complex civil litigation for clients in various industries, including life sciences and financial services. He’s the latest addition to DLA Piper’s Litigation practice in recent months, following David Sager (Short Hills, New Jersey), George Karavetsos (Miami), Thiru Vignarajah (Baltimore), Matthew Graves (Washington, DC) and Louis Ramos (Washington, DC).

“Eric is a highly respected assistant US attorney and prosecutor in Boston, and his reputation in the white collar community, along with his experience and relationships, will greatly enhance the capabilities of our office,” said John Rattigan, managing partner of DLA Piper’s Boston office. “Our region continues to grow and thrive, and Eric’s broad experience in key industries will be extremely useful to our clients.”

Christofferson received his J.D., magna cum laude, from Georgetown University Law Center, and his A.B., cum laude, from Harvard College.

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Freeborn & Peters LLP announces that attorneys Kenneth M. Crane and Rita W. Garry have joined the firm’s Chicago office as members of the Corporate Practice Group. Crane is a partner and Garry serves as senior counsel.

“Kenneth and Rita both bring extensive experience in corporate and business law matters on behalf of clients in diverse industries,” said Freeborn’s Co-Managing Partner Michael A. Moynihan. “We are enthusiastic about having these two join our corporate practice, which focuses on helping middle-market companies and businesses of all sizes meet their challenges and achieve their full potential.”

In a news release, the firm said:

Crane is a deal lawyer who represents private equity, venture capital and family office clients, focusing on acquisitions and sale transactions. He works with entrepreneurs and companies from inception through closing of realization transactions. He also represents the portfolio companies of his private equity, emerging growth and other clients in a wide range of commercial transactions and legal matters, including equity-based compensation plans, manufacturing, distribution and sales agreements, and intellectual property licensing and development. Crane most recently was a partner with Perkins Coie LLP.

Crane earned his law degree from the University of Illinois College of Law and his Bachelor of Arts from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

Garry focuses her practice on serving as outside general counsel to many small and middle market companies across an array of industries. With over 30+ years’ experience, Garry works closely with business owners, executive management teams, and stakeholders throughout the business’ life cycles, including entity design and maintenance, commercial transactions, mergers, acquisitions, business sales, joint ventures, corporate governance and succession planning. Additionally, Garry works to assist clients in capital market transactions and finance, including private securities offerings under Regulation D and the new equity crowdfunding exemption. She most recently was a corporate and transactional partner at Golan Christie Taglia LLP. Previously, she served as a partner and chair of the corporate practice group at SmithAmundsen LLC.

Garry earned her law degree from Boston University School of Law and her Bachelor of Arts from Lake Forest College.

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Quarles & Brady LLP announced that partner Edward A. Salanga has been named national chair of the Commercial Litigation & Dispute Resolution practice group, and partner Joshua D. Maggard will assume the newly established role of vice-chair of the Commercial Litigation & Dispute Resolution Group, effective immediately.

Salanga succeeds Kevin M. Long, who has been the national chair of the Commercial Litigation & Dispute Resolution Group for the past 10 years. Long will continue to serve on the Executive Committee (EC), as well as focus on his litigation practice in the firm’s Milwaukee office.

“Ed and I have worked together for many years and I am confident that he and Josh, who have more than 30 years of combined experience at the firm, will be outstanding leaders for the Commercial Litigation & Dispute Resolution group,” said Long. “Ed is a well-respected member of the community with stellar litigation capabilities and a thoughtful approach to the firm and client matters and I look forward to seeing him advance the ongoing success of the group.”

Having been with the firm for 17 years, Salanga previously served as the chair of the Commercial Litigation Group in the Phoenix office and co-chair of the Real Estate and Construction Litigation Committee. He focuses his practice on construction and commercial litigation disputes. Following Salanga’s transition, John M. O’Neal will serve as chair of the Commercial Litigation Group in Phoenix.

“I am grateful for Kevin’s years of dedicated leadership,” said Salanga. “Together, with the support of Josh, I look forward to continuing the success of the group.”

As partner in the firm’s Milwaukee office, Maggard focuses his commercial litigation practice on class action defense and professional liability defense. He has also served on several technology-focused groups and firm committees.

“I am thrilled to assume this new position and to help shape the future of the Commercial Litigation & Dispute Resolution group,” said Maggard. “I look forward to collaborating with Ed to continue to develop and strengthen the relationships with litigators across the firm.”

Salanga has received several recognitions for his work including being named by The Best Lawyers in America® in 2013-2016 and receiving Martindale-Hubbell AV® Peer Review Rating. He was a member of the Graduate of Leadership Council on Legal Diversity (LCLD) Fellows Program, and named Top Pro Bono Attorney by the Arizona Foundation for Legal Services and Education in 2005.

Maggard is active in the firm’s pro bono group, representing clients on appellate issues before the Seventh Circuit. He is also the membership co-chair of the ABA’s Professional Liability Litigation Committee, and a member of Advocate Designation for the National Institute for Trial Advocacy.

Salanga received his B.S. from Vanderbilt University, and his J.D., magna cum laude, from Arizona State University’s Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law. Maggard received his B.A. from Taylor Univiersty and his J.D., cum laude, from Ohio State University’s Moritz College of Law.

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Dykema Cox Smith announced the addition of IP lawyerVan Lindberg to its Intellectual Property group in the firm’s San Antonio office. Lindberg will be focusing his practice on the intersection of technology and law.

Lindberg was most recently Vice President of Intellectual Property at Rackspace, where he led Rackspace’s defense against patent trolls and worked to end patent law abuse. Lindberg also played a role in Rackspace’s relationships with open source communities, serving as Rackspace’s representative before the OpenStack Foundation, Linux Foundation, and on the advisory board for Docker, Inc. He also served as its Vice President of Technology, developing and leading a technical executive program for the most highly skilled tech employees across all business units and advising on the company’s technical strategy.

“I’m excited to join Dykema,” said Lindberg. “The firm impressed me with both the depth of its team as well as its devotion to client service.”

In a release, the firm said:

Lindberg was named as one of “America’s Top 12 Techiest Attorneys” by the American Bar Association in 2012, and is author of the book Intellectual Property and Open Source. He is a former Chairman and current General Counsel and Member of the Python Software Foundation Board of Directors.

“Van’s reputation and extensive background precede him,” said Dan Harkins, Office Managing Member of Dykema Cox Smith’s San Antonio office and member of the firm’s IP group. “We’re obviously thrilled that he’s joining us. His deep knowledge and experience in patent and technology transfer matters, combined with his highly technical experience in the world of open source software, will be of great benefit to not only our clients, but to the entire firm as well.”

Prior to his work with Rackspace, Lindberg was with Haynes and Boone, LLP, representing companies in high-stakes patent litigation and inter partes review proceedings. Lindberg received his J.D. and a B.S. in both Computer Engineering and History from Brigham Young University.

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A Miami defense lawyer’s pants burst into flames Wednesday afternoon as he began his closing arguments in front of a jury — in an arson case, reports The Miami Herald.

Stephen Gutierrez, who was arguing that his client’s car spontaneously combusted and was not intentionally set on fire, had been fiddling in his pocket as he was about to address jurors when smoke began billowing out his right pocket, reporter David Ovalle writes, quoting witnesses.

The report says Miami-Dade Circuit Judge Michael Hanzman, in the coming days, could decide to hold Gutierrez in contempt of court.

Read the Miami Herald story.

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McKool Smith has announced that Frank Vecella, the former associate general counsel of litigation at Ericsson Inc., has joined the firm as a principal in its Dallas office. Vecella was with Ericsson for 16 years and managed and supervised all of the company’s significant litigation in the United States and Canada, and often provided guidance with respect to Ericsson’s major disputes around the world.

“Ericsson is a long-time client and Frank has been a very dear friend of the firm for many years,” said McKool Smith managing principal David Sochia. “We couldn’t be more excited to have Frank with us. He has significant litigation and industry expertise, and his in-house counsel perspective will be invaluable to the firm as we continue to strengthen our client service initiatives.”

Prior to joining Ericsson, Vecella was a senior partner at Jackson Walker L.L.P., where he worked for 18 years.

Read details about Vecella’s career move.

Barnes & Thornburg LLP has added Bill Jones, former general counsel to Texas Gov. Rick Perry, to its Dallas and Washington, D.C., offices as a partner in the Government Services and Finance Department.

Upon leaving the governor’s office in 2003 and entering private practice, Jones counsels clients on a variety of matters before state and federal agencies and on legislative matters. He has represented numerous clients in the public law arena, including oil and gas companies before the Texas Railroad Commission, landowners before the Texas Public Utility Commission, and various clients before the Texas Office of the Attorney General, Texas Health and Human Services Commission, Texas Department of Transportation and other state agencies. He also has represented clients in matters at the U.S. Department of Energy.

In a news release, the firm said:

“Bill’s experience in public service has made him adept in managing complex proceedings and investigations for clients that involve local, state and federal administrative and regulatory agencies,” said Bruce Donaldson, chair of Barnes & Thornburg’s Government Services and Finance Department. “He’s a valuable addition to our multidisciplinary team and also gives us additional boots on the ground in Texas and Washington, D.C., to advise clients on virtually all aspects of government.”

Jones served in the governor’s office from 2000 to 2003, where he advised on all legal, regulatory and legislative matters, including economic development, contract negotiations, policy review and the monitoring of settlements and litigation. He later entered into private practice and worked as a partner at two large law firms before launching his own law practice, The Jones Firm.

“Bill is a self-starter and natural leader, which are qualities we’re seeking for our young, but growing, Dallas office,” said Mark Bayer, managing partner of the firm’s Dallas office. “We’re gaining a premier practitioner in government-related law, including regulatory issues with most Texas agencies, and Bill benefits from the firm’s national platform including our strong Washington, D.C. office.”

With the addition of Jones, Barnes & Thornburg’s Dallas office now has 12 attorneys since opening in 2015, and its roster spans many of the firm’s sophisticated practices, including corporate, intellectual property, labor and employment and litigation, to name a few.

Jones earned his J.D. from Baylor University School of Law and his B.S. from Texas A&M University. He is chairman emeritus of the Texas A&M University System Board of Regents and serves as commissioner of the Texas Parks & Wildlife Commission. He will continue to reside in Austin, Texas.

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