Dykema has added attorneys Mike Toth and Ashley Shapiro Bunyard to its Austin office, both in the firm’s Litigation Department.

Toth is a former justice on the Texas Third District Court of Appeals at Austin. Before taking the bench, Toth served as a special counsel to the Texas Office of Attorney General, where he developed and implemented litigation strategy in a broad range of high-profile cases involving significant executive-level deliberation on complex legal issues. Toth has litigated in state and federal courts across Texas and achieved numerous nationwide victories in cases involving federal regulations, the firm said.

Toth earned his J.D., as well as an M.A. in history, from the University of Virginia, and a B.A., magna cum laude, in history from Stanford University. After graduating from law school, he served as a trial attorney in the United States Marine Corps, and Toth remains a major in the Marine Corps Reserves assigned to the Office of the Staff Judge Advocate to the Commandant of the Marine Corps in the Pentagon. Toth is a former law clerk to Judge Edith H. Jones on the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit.

Shapiro Bunyard joins Dykema as an associate practicing in corporate matters in both state and federal court. She has experience representing clients in commercial disputes concerning breach of contract, breach of fiduciary duty, and misappropriation of trade secrets, the firm said.

Shapiro Bunyard earned a J.D. and a B.B.A. in marketing from the University of Oklahoma. She spent nearly four years in the Dallas office of Sumner Schick LLP.

Stephanie C. Gaston has joined Bradley Arant Boult Cummings LLP’s Houston office as a partner in the Labor and Employment Practice Group.

In a release, the firm said Gaston focuses her practice on resolving labor and employment matters for private employers, public entities, and nonprofits. Her clients include school districts, housing authorities, special districts, and governmental entities. She defends companies facing discrimination, harassment, retaliation, class actions, and other claims under federal, state and local laws, including the Fair Labor Standards Act, Title VII, ADA, FMLA, USERRA, and the Texas Commission on Human Rights Act. She also advises and counsels employers on minimizing the risks of litigation, developing employment policies, and drafting and enforcing employment and severance agreements, including those with non-competition, non-solicitation and non-disclosure provisions. In addition, she has prepared numerous affirmative action plans and represents clients in administrative agency investigations. She also represents business clients in commercial litigation.

Prior to joining Bradley, Gaston was a member at Clark Hill Strasburger.

Gaston received her J.D. from Baylor University School of Law and her Bachelor of Arts (summa cum laude) from the University of St. Thomas.

Christopher E. Hamilton has joined Crawford, Wishnew & Lang PLLC in its office in Dallas.

In a release, the firm said Christopher, a native Texan who was a U.S. Navy SEAL before pursuing a career in law, has experience in representing individuals and entities in matters involving construction defects, products liability, personal injury and wrongful death, among other things. His practice at CWL also will include other areas of litigation, including business, employment and intellectual property disputes.

Hamilton graduated from Texas A&M School of Law in 2018, where he was decorated and active within the school’s Oral Advocacy Program, placed second in the National Sports Law Negotiation Competition, and was named chair of the Alternative Dispute Resolution section. He received the Order of the Barristers prior to his graduation.

The firm said that, as a law student, Hamilton interned with Dallas District Court Judge Bonnie Goldstein and, during that time, met and developed a relationship with CWL partners Dave Wishnew, Michael Lang and Trey Crawford. This relationship initially led to Hamilton taking a clerkship at the partners’ former firm, Gruber Hail Johansen Shank LLP, and, ultimately, led to Christopher joining CWL as an associate.

His service as a U.S. Navy SEAL and Central Intelligence Agency operator spanned more than 11 years, during which time he conducted operations in Iraq, Afghanistan, Yemen, and Pakistan.

Joel Forman has joined Akerman LLP’s national Litigation Practice Group as a partner in New York.

In a release, the firm said Forman brings decades of experience resolving securities civil litigation and government enforcement cases, having represented broker-dealers, investment advisers, investment banks, mutual funds, hedge funds, boards of directors, and industry executives involved in allegations of corporate and individual misconduct.

The firm said Forman defends financial services companies and associated persons in federal and state court trials and appeals, arbitrations, and mediations. His cases involve sales practices and supervision, insider trading, money laundering, prime brokerage, trade execution and clearing, research, privacy and cybersecurity, public and private funds, variable annuities, securities lending, and sales charges, fees, and commissions.

In enforcement matters, Forman represents clients before the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA), Commodity Futures Trading Commission, Financial Conduct Authority (UK) and state securities regulators. He also represents companies in SEC broker-dealer and investment adviser registrations, disclosure documents including investment adviser brochures, as well as filing new and continuing membership applications with FINRA. Before entering private practice, Forman served as a staff attorney for the New York Regional Office of the SEC in the Division of Enforcement.

Stacey L. McGraw has joined Dykema in its Insurance Industry Group and Business Litigation Practice as a member in the firm’s Washington, D.C., office. McGraw joins Dykema from Troutman Sanders LLP.

The firm said McGraw’s practice focuses on providing counsel to and representing major professional liability insurance carriers with respect to coverage issues, ultimate exposure and underwriting strategy. She advises clients on matters involving complex insurance policies for directors and officers and other professionals, including those in quickly growing areas of technology, telecommunications and media.

McGraw frequently represents directors and officers and other professional liability carriers at private and court-ordered mediations. She has also defended professionals, including attorneys, against allegations of malpractice, and has represented nonprofits in litigation and other contexts.

McGraw earned a J.D., cum laude, from the University of Michigan Law School and a B.A., with distinction, from the University of Virginia.

Michael J. Altieri has joined Hunton Andrews Kurth LLP as senior attorney in the firm’s global environmental practice in the Boston office.

In a release, the firm said Altieri’s practice focuses on issues relating to environmental permitting and energy infrastructure siting, including for renewable energy projects. He has experience overseeing environmental matters, dispute resolution and enforcement actions involving infrastructure construction projects, energy resources, contaminated lands and much more.

Prior to joining Hunton Andrews Kurth, Altieri worked for regulatory agencies in Massachusetts and New York, including the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority, Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources, Massachusetts Department of the Environment, New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, as well as several others.

DLA Piper, fighting a sexual-assault claim against a former partner, filed a response to the accusation Tuesday, saying the lawyer who filed the complaint orchestrated a “flirtation” to advance her career, reports Bloomberg News.

DLA and former partner Louis Lehot parted ways after his colleague Vanina Guerrero accused the star Silicon Valley lawyer of sexually assaulting her.

The firm said it conducted an “impartial investigation” of the matter.

“Ms. Guerrero was a willing participant in a lengthy emotional flirtation with Mr. Lehot that she orchestrated to advance her career,” DLA Piper said in a letter to the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, citing Guerrero’s emails.

Read the Bloomberg Law article.

The International Association of Defense Counsel (IADC) has announced that IADC member Matthew D. Keenan has been appointed by President Trump and confirmed by the U.S. Senate as one of eight new members of the Legal Services Corporation (LSC) board of directors.

Also a partner at Shook, Hardy & Bacon L.L.P. in Kansas City, Mo., Keenan was sworn in as an LSC board member Oct. 2 by U.S. Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts following his Aug. 1 Senate confirmation. The LSC is the largest provider of civil legal assistance for low income people in the nation. Its 11-member board is bipartisan: No more than six members may be of the same political party.

Keenan is past chair of the Social Justice Pro Bono Committee and current member of the Trial Techniques and Tactics Committee, both of the IADC, which takes a leadership role in many areas of legal reform and promotes social justice by expanding and supporting pro bono programs among attorneys who are members of the IADC.

Keenan also serves on the board of Legal Aid of Western Missouri and previously served for eight years as chair of Shook, Hardy & Bacon’s Pro Bono Committee.

In a release, the firm said Keenan focuses his practice on pharmaceutical and medical device litigation. He also focuses on the preparation and defense of a number of corporate witnesses in many MDL proceedings. During his career, he has tried jury trials in seven states.

An independent nonprofit established by Congress in 1974, the LSC promotes equal access to justice by awarding grants to legal services providers through a competitive grants process. LSC distributes more than 90 percent of its total funding to 132 independent nonprofit legal aid programs with more than 800 offices. The LSC also conducts compliance reviews and program visits to oversee program quality and compliance with statutory and regulatory requirements, as well as restrictions that accompany LSC funding, and provides training and technical assistance to programs. For more information, visit www.lsc.gov.

Dykema announced the addition of attorneys Israel R. Silvas, Mike Toth and Alexis B. Farrell to its Dallas office, and to the firm’s Commercial Litigation Practice Group. In addition, Dykema’s Dallas office also added Charleen Maranto as practice group manager for its Dental Service Organizations Industry Group.

An oil and gas trial lawyer, Silvas joins Dykema as a member from Godwin Bowman PC, which is based out of Dallas, where he served as co-chair of that firm’s Bankruptcy/Creditors’ Rights Section. At Dykema, Israel will continue to work with complex business disputes and negotiations.

A native of El Paso, Silvas earned a J.D. from Harvard Law School and a B.A. in Political Science, summa cum laude, from the University of Texas at El Paso. Following his graduation from law school, he clerked for United States District Judge Philip R. Martinez in the Western District of Texas.

Toth is a former justice on the Texas Third District Court of Appeals at Austin. Before taking the bench, Toth served as a special counsel to the Texas Office of Attorney General, where he developed and implemented litigation strategy in a broad range of high-profile cases involving significant executive-level deliberation on complex legal issues. He litigated in state and federal courts across Texas and achieved numerous nationwide victories in cases involving federal regulations, the firm said in a release.

Toth earned his J.D., as well as an M.A. in History, from the University of Virginia, and a B.A., magna cum laude, in History from Stanford University. After graduating from law school, he served as a trial attorney in the United States Marine Corps, and Toth remains a major in the United States Marine Corps Reserves assigned to the Office of the Staff Judge Advocate to the Commandant of the Marine Corps in the Pentagon. Toth is a former law clerk to Judge Edith H. Jones on the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit.

Farrell joins Dykema as an associate after graduating with a J.D. from Notre Dame Law School. She worked as a summer associate at Dykema in 2018. Her practice will focus on commercial litigation, including products liability matters. In law school, Farrell was an ABA team member of the Moot Court Board, served as managing editor of the Journal of Legislation, and was president of the Native American Law Students Association while working as an Alumni Fellow for the law school.

Farrell earned her B.S. in Political Science, summa cum laude, from Oklahoma Christian University where she was the Outstanding Political Science Graduate of 2016 and worked as a Political Projects Intern for the Oklahoma State Chamber of Commerce and a law clerk for the Oklahoma County District Attorney’s Office.

An experienced dental professional, Maranto joins Dykema with nearly two decades of experience working in the dental industry, including time serving as chief operating officer of Electus Health and Dental Depot, as well as more than 18 years working with Henry Schein—a distributor of health care products and services with a presence in 34 countries. She earned a degree in biology from the University of Indianapolis.

Hunton Andrews Kurth LLP announced the expansion of its national public finance practice with the addition of Darren C. McHugh. The tax and public finance lawyer joined the firm as a partner in its Austin office.

In a release, the firm said McHugh has tax law experience as it relates to public finance transactions, including governmental, 501(c)(3), housing and healthcare bonds. He also advises clients regarding the structuring process and tax requirements associated with tax-exempt transactions.

The firm said McHugh has advised clients on tax-advantaged bond financings and has experience representing issuers and conduit borrowers in tax controversy matters, including Internal Revenue Service examination, voluntary closing agreement program requests, and administrative appeals.

McHugh received his undergraduate degree from the University of Northern Colorado, a master’s in accountancy from the Metropolitan State University of Denver, and his law degree from the University of Denver Sturm College of Law.

Stacy Manobianca and Jeanne Crandall have joined Saxe Doernberger & Vita, P.C. as of counsel attorneys in the Northeast and Southeast offices, respectively.

In a release, the firm said Stacy is experienced in litigation, including depositions and motion practice as well as settlement negotiations, mediations and arbitrations, trials and appellate practice. In addition to representing builders and condominium associations in multi-faceted construction defect litigation, she has also represented manufacturers of automobiles and consumer products in complex product liability and personal injury suits involving catastrophic injuries, including traumatic brain and severe burn injuries, and wrongful death. Most recently, Manobianca worked for a major insurer as a senior complex analyst analyzing coverage, liability and damages in professional liability healthcare claims.

The firm said C randall has experience as lead trial and appellate counsel in highly complex commercial, insurance defense, securities and antitrust litigation in federal and state courts in multiple jurisdictions. She was the first female partner at a well known Dallas firm, and her career includes 20 years at a firm she founded. There, she successfully resolved hundreds of litigation matters as outside counsel for the Resolution Trust Corporation (RTC) and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC). Most recently, she was national counsel for a major insurer in professional liability cases against real estate appraisers.

Richard T. Kienzler, a partner in Freeborn & Peters LLP’s Litigation Practice Group, is one of Law Bulletin Media’s 2019 40 Illinois Attorneys Under Forty, which recognizes the “most talented young attorneys working in Illinois” under age 40. A Freeborn attorney has been included in the 40 Under Forty each of the last 20 years.

Publisher of the Chicago Daily Law Bulletin and Chicago Lawyer magazine, Law Bulletin Media selected the 40 Under Forty from among more than 1,500 nominations. The honorees are chosen for their intelligence, passion, success in the office, desire to help their community, and willingness to work hard at their profession.

The firm said Kienzler represents large companies, owner-managed businesses and individuals in state and federal cases across the country, as well as in arbitrations and other proceedings conducted outside of court. A large part of his practice involves disputes concerning non-competition and non-solicitation agreements, as well as fast-paced, emergency proceedings in which parties seek temporary restraining orders and preliminary injunctions. In addition, he has successfully resolved significant, large-scale commercial contract disputes, partnership and shareholder disputes, and class action lawsuits.

Kienzler received his J.D. (magna cum laude) from Loyola University Chicago School of Law and his Bachelor of Business Administration from the University of Iowa.

The University of Georgia law school led the list of best value law schools compiled by preLaw magazine, a National Jurist publication.

The study ranked schools based on ultimate bar pass rate and two-year pass rate (15 percent); employment rate (35 percent); tuition (25 percent); cost of living (10 percent); and average indebtedness upon graduation (15 percent).

State university law schools make up most of the slots in the list of the top 25 best-values.

Read the article.

Bethanie Livernois has joined Bradley Arant Boult Cummings LLP’s Dallas office as an associate in the Government Enforcement and Investigations Practice Group.

In a release, the firm said Livernois is the fourth lawyer to join the group in recent weeks.

The firm said Livernois has developed and overseen key investigation and auditing strategies with an emphasis on company investigation procedures and outcomes, diversion risks, and training programs. She is experienced with U.S. export control regulations, U.S. and Texas laws involving trademark and trade secret matters, securities laws, federal plea agreements and probation requirements, and Texas civil procedure.

She previously practiced at Stanton LLP.

Livernois earned her J.D. with honors from Southern Methodist University Dedman School of Law and her B.A. with honors from Austin College in Sherman.

Greensfelder, Hemker & Gale, P.C., announced that Laura M. Beckering, Emily J. Jaeger, and Brianna N. Lockridge have joined the firm’s St. Louis office as fall associates. All three return to the firm after working as summer associates in 2017 and 2018.

A member of Greensfelder’s Business Services practice group, Beckering assists businesses and organizations with transactions including formation of entities, buy-sell agreements, and other corporate matters. She also is involved in the St. Louis entrepreneurial community as a representative for St. Louis Startup Ambassadors. During law school, Beckering worked for Saint Louis University School of Law’s Entrepreneurship and Community Development Clinic, where she helped a startup group form as a nonprofit corporation, as well as reviewed lease agreements and other transactional documents.

Beckering received her J.D. (magna cum laude) from Saint Louis University School of Law and her Bachelor of Arts (cum laude) from Truman State University.

Jaeger is a member of the firm’s Construction practice group. She focuses her practice on construction law, working for clients regionally and nationally in matters related to litigation and arbitration, contract negotiation, mechanic’s liens and day-to-day issues.

Jaeger served an externship with the Federal Public Defender’s Office for the Southern District of Illinois. She received her J.D. (cum laude) from Washington University School of Law and her Bachelor of Arts (summa cum laude) from the University of Missouri.

A member of Greensfelder’s Litigation practice group, Lockridge works on behalf of business clients to assist in all phases of litigation, including research and fact investigation, drafting, and deposition and trial preparation.

Lockridge completed an externship at a public interest law practice focused on death penalty cases. She received her J.D. from Saint Louis University School of Law and her Bachelor of Arts (cum laude) from The Ohio State University.

George D. Medlock, Jr. has joined Bradley Arant Boult Cummings LLP as a partner and as the firm’s first director of inclusion and diversity. He is based in the firm’s Birmingham office.

In release about this newly created role, the firm said Medlock will oversee the firm’s inclusion and diversity efforts, including working with existing firm committees focused on the recruitment, training and retention of diverse and talented attorneys. He will further the firm’s objective to attract, retain, and promote into leadership roles individuals who foster inclusion and reflect the diversity that Bradley values. Medlock will work with Skeeters, as well as the firm’s board and Inclusion and Diversity Committee, as part of Bradley’s commitment to a work environment in which diverse lawyers thrive and reach their full potential, the firm said.

Prior to joining Bradley, Medlock served as vice president and deputy general counsel for Comcast Cable in Philadelphia. In this role, he developed and led company strategy for all patent matters, including patent prosecution, agreements, and high-stakes litigation. He also previously practiced as a partner at Alston & Bird LLP in Atlanta.

Medlock received his J.D. from Harvard Law School. He also holds a Bachelor of Arts and a Bachelor of Science, both cum laude, and both from the University of Alabama at Birmingham.

Bradley has been recognized by numerous local, regional and national organizations for the firm’s commitment to diversity and inclusion. These include being named among the Working Mother and Flex-Time Lawyers 50 Best Law Firms for Women, and receiving the Nashville Bar Association’s Diversity Committee Leadership Award 15 times since 1994.

Freeborn & Peters LLP announced that Christina L. Flatau, David M. Knapp, and D. Richard Self have joined the firm as associates in the Litigation Practice Group.

Flatau is based in the firm’s Tampa, Fla., office, Knapp is based in Freeborn’s Chicago office, and Self works from both the firm’s Springfield, Ill., and Chicago offices.

A member of Freeborn’s Insurance and Reinsurance Industry Team, Flatau focuses her practice on insurance coverage litigation, professional liability defense, and complex commercial litigation. She has represented insurers in a wide range of complex coverage matters including claims involving bad faith, priority of coverage issues, and rescission issues. She also has represented individuals and entities pursuant to coverage provided under commercial general liability, homeowners, errors and omissions, and employment practices liability insurance policies.

Prior to joining Freeborn, Flatau was an associate at Phelps Dunbar LLP. She received her J.D. (magna cum laude) from the University of Miami School of Law and her Bachelor of Arts from Trinity University.

Knapp is a member of Freeborn’s Intellectual Property Practice Group. His practice focuses on intellectual property (IP) enforcement and defense and IP portfolio management. He has developed patent portfolios in technical fields such as biotechnology, pharmaceuticals, agrichemicals, medical diagnostics, and software. In addition, he advises clients on IP risk management, including patent portfolio due diligence, patent infringement and validity opinions, and freedom-to-operate analyses. He has technical experience in the fields of chemistry, molecular biology, protein biochemistry, and chromatography.

Prior to joining Freeborn, Knapp was an associate at Wilson, Sonsini, Goodrich & Rosati, P.C. He received his J.D. from George Washington University Law School. He also holds a Ph.D. from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and a Bachelor of Science (magna cum laude) from Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology.

A member of Freeborn’s Litigation Practice Group and Government and Regulatory Law Practice Group, Self focuses his practice on complex commercial litigation, appellate litigation, antitrust, and government relations.

Prior to joining the firm, Self served as a law clerk for Judge J. Phil Gilbert of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Illinois. He gained experience in civil and criminal matters in government and private practice while working for the U.S. Department of Justice for one summer with the National Security Division in Washington, D.C., and another summer with the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte, N.C.

Self received his J.D. from the University of Michigan Law School and his Bachelor of Arts from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Lowenstein Sandler has announced that after founding and leading Lowenstein’s Washington D.C. office for five years, Jeff Blumenfeld will be transitioning responsibility for heading the office to partner Zarema A. Jaramillo effective Jan. 1, 2020.

In a release, the firm said Jaramillo has experience in both the government and the private sector, and she looks forward to building upon the impressive foundation laid by Blumenfeld. Jaramillo focuses her practice on complex antitrust matters including government investigations, M&A transactions, and complex litigation, including high-stakes class action defense. She also advises clients on compliance with U.S. and foreign anti-bribery and anti-corruption regulations, U.S. sanctions and export controls, and foreign investment reporting requirements.

Lowenstein’s Washington D.C. office currently includes three practice groups: Antitrust and White Collar, Global Trade, and Insurance Recovery. Blumenfeld will continue as Co-chair of the firm’s Antitrust & Trade Regulation group.

The civil rights, employment, and whistleblower law firm Katz, Marshall & Banks, LLP announced that Jolena Jeffrey and Antuan M. Johnson have joined the firm’s Washington office as associates and Marilyn Gabriela Robb has joined as a law clerk.

Prior to joining the firm, Jeffrey was an assistant district attorney at the Queens County District Attorney’s Office in New York City. In that role, she managed more than 200 misdemeanor or felony cases, which involved issues including purview of discovery, suppression of evidence, and the legal sufficiency of claims. As a law student, she worked in the Civil Advocacy Clinic, assisting low income persons with employment matters. She also served as the executive editor of the labor and employment law brief. Jeffrey received her J.D. from American University Washington College of Law and her Bachelor of Arts from Babson College.

Johnson was most recently an associate at Debevoise & Plimpto LLP, where he focused his practice on complex commercial litigation matters. As a law student, he served as a teaching fellow for courses on sex equality and sexual harassment in employment and education. He currently serves as a board member for the ERA Coalition, which supports legislative strategies that aim to increase constitutional protections against discrimination. Johnson received his J.D. from Harvard Law School. He also holds a Master of Arts from Yale University and a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Pennsylvania.

Robb previously clerked for Judge Duane Benton of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit. As a law student, she served as editor-in-chief of the Harvard Law & Policy Review, the official legal publication of the American Constitution Society. She also was a student attorney with Harvard Law School’s Criminal Justice Institute, representing clients facing misdemeanor and felony charges in Boston criminal courts from arraignment to dismissal. Also during law school, she worked for the Civil Rights Division of the Department of Justice under President Obama, the ACLU Voting Rights Project, and Arnold & Porter LLP. Robb received her J.D. from Harvard Law School and her Bachelor of Arts from Columbia University.

Financial and regulatory litigation attorney David S. Slovick has joined Barnes & Thornburg’s Washington, D.C., office as a partner in the firm’s Litigation Department. Slovick joins from Cahill Gordon & Reindel LLP in New York, where he was counsel in the Litigation Group.

Slovick is a former senior enforcement attorney at both the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) and the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). In these roles, he led numerous administrative investigations and federal court actions involving a wide range of conduct in the derivatives and securities markets, including futures, swaps and securities trading practices; market manipulation; insider trading; commodity pool fraud; futures and foreign exchange Ponzi schemes; securities offering and disclosure fraud; accounting fraud; and options trading.

In a release, the firm said Slovick represents financial services firms and individuals in investigations and litigation conducted by the CFTC, SEC, FINRA and CME Group, among other public and private regulators, in a broad array of matters arising under federal laws and rules governing the derivatives and securities markets. Slovick also counsels clients on regulatory compliance matters arising under those laws and rules.

Slovick earned his J.D. from Chicago-Kent College of Law and his B.A. from the University of Wisconsin.