By Laura Drossman
Drossman Law

Laura Drossman

Complying with the California Rules of Professional Conduct can be challenging enough for an attorney, but issues can become even more complicated if you are also practicing a dual profession. Engaging in a second occupation may appeal to some attorneys (especially solo practitioners who may enjoy more flexibility in their practice) as they can draw on their legal experience in performing such service, diversify their revenue stream, or sow long-lost creative oats. But lawyers must always consider the practical and ethical challenges involved with actively practicing dual occupations.

Subject to certain restrictions, California state ethics rules generally permit California attorneys to engage in the practice of law and a second occupation. This issue has been addressed by the state bar’s Standing Committee on Professional Responsibility and Conduct in several opinions.¹ Engaging in dual professions may carry traps for the unwary lawyer, however, as such conduct may conflict with a lawyer’s duties of confidentiality, loyalty, and/or violate the Rules of Professional Conduct, which govern an attorney’s actions at all times.

Providing non-legal services to a client is considered a business transaction, but one that creates actual and potential conflicts of interest. A client for whom a lawyer provides non-legal services is nonetheless considered a legal client with respect to the applicability of the Rules of Professional Conduct. Therefore, prior to entering into any such transaction, the attorney must determine all actual and potential conflicts, and if such conflicts are waivable. If so, the attorney must disclose the conflicts and risks and obtain written client informed consent and waiver. If not, the attorney must forego the deal.

Conflicts present even greater risk where attorneys perform “law-related” occupations, such as real estate brokerage or financial services to non-legal clients. In those situations, the lawyer is bound by the Rules of Professional Conduct as well as the rules and regulations governing the second occupation, and is responsible for reconciling the two. This can be challenging and potentially impossible where, for example, a lawyer providing real estate brokerage services must reconcile his or her duty to keep all information relating to the representation of a client confidential with the robust disclosure obligations imposed on brokers by the Bureau of Real Estate regulations.

An attorney must continue to comply with the Rules, even in promoting their second occupation. Advertising for the provision of non-legal services that imply clients will benefit from the attorney’s legal expertise is governed by the Rules of Professional Conduct and must conform to all rules governing lawyer advertising. Further, lawyers must be careful to not use their side occupation as a way to solicit legal clients in a manner that may violate the rules prohibiting in-person solicitation.

Finally, in structuring partnership or other shared business arrangements for non-legal deals, lawyers must be sure they maintain full control over their legal practice, and avoid any sharing of legal fees.

Footnote
1. California State Bar Formal Opinion Numbers 1982-69, 1995-141 and 1999-154.

Laura Drossman is the principal attorney at Drossman Law, a real estate and business law firm based in San Francisco. She is also a licensed real estate broker.

Arlene Switzer Steinfield, Dallas-based Senior Counsel in Dykema Cox Smith’s Labor and Employment Practice, was recognized in D Magazine‘s CEO’s special edition, The Dallas 500. Steinfield was one of only six honorees recognized in the area of “Law-Labor and Employment.” D CEO celebrated this year’s honorees with a reception on November 16, 2016.

The Dallas 500 is a special print edition of D CEO that celebrates the most influential and powerful business leaders in North Texas. It is the result of a year-long research initiative from the editors of D CEO, compiling a list based on extensive contacts in local business circles and hundreds of interviews. Unprecedented in scope, The Dallas 500 provides an engaging, personal look at the people across 60 categories that make Dallas such a powerful economic force.

In a release, the firm said:

Steinfield has more than 38 years of experience representing management in labor and employment law. In her practice, she litigates employment discrimination cases and workplace disputes in state and federal court, conducts employment law compliance training, counsels employers on preventative compliance strategies, and appears frequently on behalf of employers before numerous administrative agencies including the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, the Department of Labor Employment Standards Administration, the Texas Workforce Commission, and the National Labor Relations Board. She also serves as an independent investigator of internal workplace harassment and discrimination complaints, and as a mediator in workplace disputes. Ms. Steinfield’s proactive approach to employee relations enables her clients to address employee disputes effectively. What distinguishes Ms. Steinfield is her ability to devise creative and practical strategies for resolving personnel disputes with minimal disruption to the employer’s operations.

Outside of her practice, Steinfield serves on the Board of Governors for the College of Labor and Employment Lawyers, is a Fellow of the American, Texas and Dallas Bar Foundations, and is a Trustee with the Texas International Theatrical Arts Society. She has been recognized by Chambers USA as a Leader in Labor and Employment each year since 2007, and by The Best Lawyers of America® and Texas Super Lawyers® each year since 2003, including being listed in the Texas Super Lawyers® “Top 100 Lawyers in Texas” (2011), the “Top 100 Lawyers in Dallas/Fort Worth” (2011-2013), and the “Top 50 Women Lawyers in Texas” (2010-2013, 2015).

Steinfield received a B.A., with distinction, from the University of Rochester, and her J.D., magna cum laude, from Georgetown University Law Center, where she served on the Executive Editorial Board of the American Criminal Law Review.

Akerman LLP, a top 100 U.S. law firm serving clients across the Americas, announced the continued expansion of its second largest office, with the addition of New York partners John Campo and Sanford Davis. Campo joins Akerman from Troutman Sanders, bringing experience in complex bankruptcy and business restructuring within the real estate and financial services sectors. Davis joins from Withers Bergman LLP, bringing transactional tax experience.

“New York is a vital and dynamic market for Akerman and our clients,” said Steven Polivy, Akerman’s New York office managing partner and chair of the Economic Development & Incentives Practice. “We are pleased to continue to attract highly skilled professionals who enhance our core strengths across a diverse range of client sectors.”

In a release, the firm described the new partners:

John Campo
Campo is a partner in the Bankruptcy & Reorganization Practice Group. He represents debtors, trustees, creditors, equity holders, and asset purchasers in Chapter 11 and large, complex Chapter 7 cases, as well as out-of-court workouts. He has been involved in many large, complex bankruptcy proceedings and has served as an operating Chapter 11 trustee in cases in both the Southern and Eastern Districts of New York. Notably he served as the Chapter 11 trustee in Maywood Capital Corp., a multi-debtor proceeding involving a $200 million real estate Ponzi scheme. Campo also has served as the lead lawyer in numerous reported circuit court, district court, and Bankruptcy Court decisions. His cases have been featured in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal and The American Lawyer. He also has appeared on CNBC’s “American Greed.”

Sanford Davis
Davis is a partner in the Tax Practice Group. He advises privately held and publicly traded companies, high net worth investors, and investment funds on a broad range of U.S. and international tax matters. His practice is both transactional and advisory, focusing on corporate, M&A, partnership, finance, joint venture and international taxation. He has extensive M&A experience on the buy and sell side, assisting private equity and portfolio companies, strategic players and closely-held businesses to achieve tax efficiencies, benefits and value-add. Davis’ cross-border experience is both in-bound and outbound, addressing corporate reorganization, Foreign Investment in Real Property Tax Act (FIRPTA), tax nexus, sourcing, withholding, effective rate minimization and deferral, controlled foreign corporations (CFC) and passive foreign investment companies (PFIC), transfer pricing, foreign tax credit and treaty issues. In addition, he has represented clients in federal and state tax controversy matters, and obtained a landmark corporate tax victory at the federal appellate level Falconwood Corp. v. U.S., precluding application of the step-transaction doctrine in a multi-step, single day reorganization in the consolidated return context.

Campo and Davis join one of the fastest-growing law firms in New York. Lateral Link revealed Akerman had the third most lateral gains in the market over the last year, expanding the New York office to more than 100 lawyers and business professionals. Recent additions include the firm’s first OnRamp fellow and a former leader of the American Civil Liberties Union Sara Mandelbaum; litigation partner Joshua Bernstein from Pryor Cashman; real estate transactional partner Thomas Diorio from Nixon Peabody; healthcare transactional partners Martin Monaco and William Weiner from Duane Morris, and tax partner Ira Stechel from Wormser, Kiely Galef & Jacobs LLP, among others.

Neal, Gerber & Eisenberg LLP expanded its intellectual property practice with the addition of Olivia Luk Bedi as partner. Bedi is a trial lawyer with experience in intellectual property litigation, having represented both individuals and corporations in high-stakes cases in federal and state courts.

Bedi earned a B.S. in chemistry from the Georgia Institute of Technology in 2000 and her J.D. from the American University Washington College of Law in 2005.

“We’re thrilled to have Olivia on our team,” said Michael G. Kelber, co-chair of the firm’s Intellectual Property & Technology Transactions practice group. “She brings tremendous value to the group and will help us further expand the patent services we are able to offer our clients.”

“Olivia’s addition continues our focus to add top-flight talent,” added Managing Partner Scott J. Fisher. “Her jury-trial experience and deep connections within the community fit perfectly with our focus on seeking exceptional talent, and building an inclusive and collaborative culture.”

Bedi joins Neal Gerber Eisenberg from the boutique intellectual property firm Niro Law, where she was a shareholder. Prior to beginning her legal practice, she spent five years as a patent examiner for the United States Patent and Trademark Office in the area of semiconductor manufacturing.

She has been recognized by Law Bulletin Publishing Company as one of the “40 under Forty Top Lawyers in Illinois,” and has been included in Managing Intellectual Property magazine’s Top 250 Women IP Attorneys list.

Bedi is active in the community, serving as Executive Director of the Richard Linn American Inn of Court in Chicago, which she co-founded, as well as serving on leadership committees for the Economic Club of Chicago and Women’s Bar Association of Illinois. She co-founded LIPS (Ladies in IP Society) to promote mentoring and networking among female members of the IP bar in Chicago. She also serves on the board of directors of the Chicago Founders Council for the American Writers Museum and the Chicago Inventors Organization.

Buchalter Nemer announced that it has added Masahisa (“Masa”) Mitsunaga to the firm’s Los Angeles office, where he is a member of the Corporate, Intellectual Property and Japan practice groups. Mitsunaga joined from Liner LLP.

“Masa is a welcome addition to our Los Angeles office as we seek to bolster our corporate and IP offerings and grow our Japan Practice Group,” said Sabina Helton, shareholder and chair of the Japan Practice Group. “Masa strengthens our already highly-respected reputation in the Japanese markets.”

“Masa’s previous transaction experience is impressive – including involvement in the $660 million purchase of Miramax Films from Disney and related financing – and I look forward to seeing him continue that type of high-profile work at Buchalter,” adds Adam J. Bass, president and chief executive officer of Buchalter.

In a release, the firm said Mitsunaga has a deep understanding of the business and legal practices in the Hollywood and entertainment industries as he regularly represents broadcast, film production and distribution, talent management and toy and game companies on M&A matters, debt and equity finance transactions, and intellectual property matters. Mitsunaga also advises Japanese companies on legal considerations when entering or expanding in the U.S. market.

“The Asian entertainment industry is rapidly expanding into the U.S. and other markets, and with this expansion comes the ever-increasing need for executives to fully understand the intellectual property and media-related transaction legal landscape,” said Mitsunaga. “I’m thrilled at the opportunity to continue to advise my clients on these matters at Buchalter, a firm that promotes collaboration from top to bottom.”

Mitsunaga earned his LL.M. at University of Southern California Law School and his LL.B. from Keio University in Tokyo, Japan.

Herbert Smith Freehills’ New York Office has added Edward J. Dougherty is relocating to New York from São Paolo, Brazil, to join the firm as a partner focusing on project finance, trade finance and syndicated lending in the infrastructure, mining, power, oil & gas and financial sectors across Latin America.

In a release, the firm said Dougherty was previously in the project finance group of Allen & Overy LLP. He worked from its São Paulo office for the last three years with that firm. He gained prior experience in the legal departments of the Brazilian mining company Vale S.A. and the US private sector development agency OPIC, and was at the Brazilian law firm Veirano Advogados. He speaks fluent Spanish as well as Portuguese. He has advised clients in Brazil, Mexico, Colombia, Peru, Uruguay, Panama, Dominican Republic, Chile and the United States.

The release continues:

Herbert Smith Freehills’ Latin America Group comprises a highly regarded team in New York, Madrid, London, the Australasian offices, and other offices across the firm’s network.

In New York, Mr. Dougherty’s finance practice is a strategic complement to the projects practice of Juan-Jose Zentner, who joined the office earlier this year. Mr. Zentner was previously based in Herbert Smith Freehills’ office in Melbourne, Australia. Led by international arbitration partner Christian Leathley, the LatAm hub in New York includes other US, English and Australian – qualified lawyers, native and fluent in Spanish and Portuguese, with specialist projects and infrastructure and international arbitration experience, many of whom began their careers in Latin America. The practice offers expertise in mining, power, oil & gas and general infrastructure and represents a large number of global firm clients.

With expanding opportunities to serve existing global clients, existing LatAm based clients, prospective clients investing in and from the region, the New York hub plans to grow through further lateral hires.

Mr. Dougherty commented: “Eager to expand my practice in the competitive marketplace for Latin American legal services, Herbert Smith Freehills’ offering was instantly compelling. The firm is deeply experienced in key industries such as oil and gas and mining, with institutional links to the Japanese trading houses, large Korean conglomerates and Canadian and Australian pension funds that are major players in the project finance space. And the New York office is fully integrated with the global offering, key for knowledge sharing and cross-selling in a diverse marketplace of multiple jurisdictions. I could not be me more excited to join Herbert Smith Freehills in New York.”

Mr. Leathley, co-head of the firm’s Latin American group, said: “We are building the New York hub of our Latin American practice to better serve clients with interests in the region and seize upon clear opportunity in energy, infrastructure and mining and other industries in which the firm is strong. With a New York-based project finance capability, our very credible and high-quality offering meets the most critical legal needs of clients doing business in Latin America with a multi-lingual team that has deep roots in the region. The development of this capability is key to the firm and we will continue to add strength to our local team. Ed Dougherty is an impressive attorney. He has a breadth of experience and practice building record together with drive, energy and a real love of challenge. We are pleased to welcome him to Herbert Smith Freehills.”

Mr. Dougherty is admitted to the Bar in the State of New York.

The New York office also includes a team of US and UK-qualified disputes lawyers that represents clients in US courts in commercial litigation, investigations, cross-border matters and class actions. Lawyers working in the New York office are also qualified to practice in Paris, Singapore, Brazil, Ecuador, New Zealand and Australia.

Dallas litigation boutique Estes Thorne & Carr PLLC has added trial lawyer Luis Zambrano as partner and former in-house counsel Sarah Bradbury as senior counsel.

“We are proud to have two attorneys with such different professional backgrounds join our firm,” said managing partner Jessica Thorne. “Luis is a trial lawyer with extensive experience at every stage of the litigation process. Sarah has an innate instinct for the issues central to business success, having worked in-house for two different organizations. Our clients will benefit greatly from their unique perspectives.”

The release from the firm continues:

Zambrano is a litigator, arbitrator and mediator, representing and advising clients on matters involving complex commercial litigation, health care, private equity, securities, financial transactions and consumer class actions. He joins the firm from Miller, Egan, Molter & Nelson.

He began his career as a Texas Supreme Court briefing attorney for the late Justice James Baker. He earned his law degree, cum laude, from the Southern Methodist University Dedman School of Law. He earned his undergraduate degree and an MBA from Texas Christian University.

“I am excited to be joining a firm where every attorney is an excellent litigator with strong trial expertise,” said Zambrano. “This is unquestionably one of the most impressive legal teams I’ve seen and I’m truly excited to be a part of it.”

Bradbury joins the firm after serving as senior legal counsel at Energy Transfer, where she focused on labor and employment matters. She also served as senior legal counsel for MoneyGram International. Board Certified in Labor & Employment Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization, she previously was a senior attorney at Gardere Wynne Sewell LLP. Bradbury earned both her undergraduate and law degrees from Vanderbilt University.

“There is an atmosphere at Estes Thorne & Carr unlike any other,” said Bradbury. “There is a true sense of collaboration, so that every client receives the benefit of everyone’s expertise. That approach also helps make each of us a better attorney.”

Dallas-based law firm Carrington, Coleman, Sloman & Blumenthal, LLP, is expanding its intellectual property practice with the addition of patent attorney Stephen L. Levine. His practice is focused on patent and trademark prosecution, portfolio management, and client counseling. 

The firm said Levine works with clients ranging from individual start-up companies to a Fortune 250 North Texas-based technology corporation on patents involving:

• Electronic devices and systems
• Semiconductor circuits, devices and fabrication
• Processor and memory architectures
• Signal processing
• Telecommunications
• Software systems and methods
• Electromechanical and mechanical systems
• Consumer devices
• Biomedical devices

He joins Carrington Coleman from the Dallas-based IP law firm Anderson & Levine LLP, which he co-founded in 1995.

“Steve has a unique set of experiences and expertise that will benefit both the technically focused client as well as our growing IP practice,” says Carrington Coleman Managing Partner Bruce Collins. “When I think of how his work meshes with what we are currently doing, I am excited for the future of this practice group.”

Earlier this year the firm added patent litigators Mark C. Howland, Samuel E. Joyner and Chijioke Offor to complement its existing copyright/trademark licensing, protection, and management work. The IP attorneys in the firm’s Dallas and Longview, Texas, offices also advise clients on data privacy and cybersecurity matters.

Levine is a 1988 graduate of The University of Texas School of Law and earned his undergraduate degree, with honors, from The University of Texas in 1985. As a former electrical engineering student, he was assigned to two shuttle missions as a NASA space program intern before entering law school.

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

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

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

In a release, the firm said:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Four members of Grant Thornton LLP‘s Risk, Regulatory and Legal Affairs team have received First Chair Awards for excellence in legal counsel.

This organization brings together private practice and in-house attorneys together with the common goal of networking and recognizing the accomplishments in the legal profession. The First Chair Awards annually selects in-house counsel members who have made significant contributions to the legal community and honors them for their accomplishments in the past year.

The winners are:

• Associate general counsel Chris Stathopoulos – Won the 2016 Top Assistant General Counsel award. Prior to joining the firm, he was an attorney at Winston & Strawn LLP. Stathopoulos received a juris doctor degree from the University of Michigan Law School.
• Senior legal counsel Jason Anderson – Won the 2016 Top Litigation Counsel award. Anderson served as a special trial attorney for the Internal Revenue Service prior to joining Grant Thornton. He received a juris doctor degree from the University of Illinois College of Law.
• Senior counsel Elizabeth Epstein – Won the 2016 Top Corporate Counsel award. Prior to joining the firm, Epstein was an associate attorney at Stein, Ray & Harris LLP. She received a juris doctor degree from Washington University in St. Louis School of Law.
• Senior counsel Hina Sodha – Won the 2016 Top Employment Counsel award. She has served in Grant Thornton’s Regulatory, Risk and Legal Affairs department for more than six years. Sodha received a juris doctor degree from DePaul University College of Law.

Dallas lawyer Deborah Hankinson has earned recognition in Benchmark Litigation as a Local Litigation Star among Texas appellate attorneys. It is the second time the former Texas Supreme Court justice has been selected for this prestigious honor.

Produced by London-based Legal Media Group, Benchmark Litigation is the only publication to focus exclusively on U.S. litigators and litigation-focused law firms. Attorneys undergo rigorous screening by the publication’s editorial team. The team also conducts extensive face-to-face interviews with judges, leading appellate lawyers and general counsel of Fortune 500 companies to make its final selections.

In a release, the firm said:

Benchmark Litigation is just the latest honor earned in 2016 by Ms. Hankinson. In recognition of her mediation, arbitration and appellate work, earlier this year she also was named to:

• The Texas Super Lawyers list of the state’s top legal practitioners for a 14^th consecutive year.
• The Best Lawyers in America for 2017. Best Lawyers is among the oldest and most respected legal guides based in the United States.
• Texas Lawyer Lifetime Achievement Award in recognition of her tenure on the Texas Supreme Court and for her role in the establishment of the Texas Access to Justice Commission.
• The National Law Journal’s inaugural ADR Champions listing, recognizing the top 48 alternative dispute resolution trailblazers from across the nation.
• D Magazine’s Best Lawyers in Dallas for an 11^th time.

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

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

The firm’s release continues:

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

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

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

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

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

Attorneys can now take a “walk down the hall” anytime to obtain legal know-how from experts who are part of Practical Law’s team of over 200 attorney editors. Thomson Reuters Practical Law today launched a new podcast called “Down the Hall with Practical Law.”

The podcast is hosted by Renee Karibi-Whyte, marketing director of Practical Law.

“The value that Practical Law brings to our customers really starts with the expertise and experience of our people, and we want to make our people more accessible, placing them just ‘down the hall’ to share timely views on significant legal trends and topics,” said Karibi-Whyte. “’Down the Hall with Practical Law’ offers another convenient vehicle through which attorneys can obtain the most up-to-date legal know-how that can save them time and increase their efficiency. We are looking forward to extending our mission of sharing valuable resources to make attorneys’ lives easier through our new podcast.”

Some of the initial topics to be covered on “Down the Hall with Practical Law” include: understanding the legal landscape of privacy and data security, featuring Mel Gates, senior legal editor, Privacy and Data Security at Practical Law; avoiding frequent mistakes startups make, featuring Joe Green, senior legal editor and principal member of the Practical Law Startup Resource Group; and employment handbook hot topics, featuring Kate Bally, director of Practical Law’s Labor & Employment Service. Special guests from outside of Practical Law will also be featured in upcoming episodes.

Podcast episodes will be released monthly. The podcast can also be found on iTunes.

Listen to the podcast.

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

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

The firm’s release continues:

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

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

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

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

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

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

The firm’s release continues:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The firm’s release continues:

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

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

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

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