c u s t om c on t e n t o c t o b e r 29, 2018
Top row left to right: James L. Arnone (Latham & Watkins LLP); Platinum sponsor Dave Thomas (Blank Rome LLP); Diamond sponsor Tom Wingard (Alston & Bird LLP); Winners Lisa L. Kim (Cathay Bank); Kim Matthews (Hot Topic, Inc.); Erik M. Krautheimer (Sullivan & Cromwell LLP); Apalla U. Chopra (O’Melveny & Myers LLP); Richard B. Levy (ICM Partners) Bottom row left to right: Winners Jared Wolff (City National Bank); Christopher S. Spicer (Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP); Jennifer Banks (Alexandria Real Estate Equities, Inc.); Victor King (California State University, Los Angeles); Rick Richmond (Jenner & Block); Shannon Kelly (Halo Top Creamery); Platinum sponsor Betsy Johnson (Ogletree, Deakins, Nash, Smoak & Stewart, P.C.)
DIAMOND SPONSOR
PLATINUM SPONSORS
GOLD SPONSORS
American Airlines | City National Bank | FivePoint Holdings, LLC | Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP
SILVER SPONSORS
Holland & Knight LLP | Latham & Watkins LLP
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LETTER FROM THE PUBLISHER
he State Bar of California reports that there are more than 67,000 lawyers in Los Angeles County, which makes standing out from the field a particularly impressive feat. But that’s what the in-house counsel and firm attorneys in our eighth annual Leaders in Law special supplement have done.
This supplement comes on the heels of the Leaders in Law Awards Luncheon, where we had the Topportunity to celebrate the outstanding work performed by these remarkable individuals and teams on Wednesday, October 20th at the Omni Los Angeles Hotel at California Plaza. In the following pages, we will reflect on the winners and finalists who were a part of what was a truly inspirational event. We also shed some additional light on a select group of premier business law practitioners who work among us today.
We hope you enjoy this special section, which contains some unique insights on what exactly it means to be a leading attorney in today’s business climate.
Best regards,
Anna Magzanyan Publisher & CEO
Congratulations to our Chief Legal Officer
Mike Alvarado
& all of this year’s honorees for being recognized by the Los Angeles Business Journal as Leaders in Law
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WINNERS IN-HOUSE COUNSEL AWARDS
GOVERNMENT/MUNICIPAL IN-HOUSE COUNSEL OF THE YEAR VICTOR KING University Legal Counsel California State University, Los Angeles
ictor King has served as the University Legal Counsel and Information Privacy Officer at California State University, Los Angeles, for almost sixteen years. The University is part of a 23-campus system, with total enrollment of over 450,000 students, V headquartered in Long Beach, California. Of the thirty attorneys that serve California State University, King is the only one resident full-time on a campus. King works closely with other administrators on the President’s Cabinet and the Presidential Leadership Team to create opportunities for the over 28,000 students and 3000 employees on the LA campus, to make sure the university’s record of upward mobility, which was based on a study of thirty million income tax records from 1999 to 2013, continues to hold true for the next generation. As the Los Angeles Chief Legal Officer, King furnishes daily litigation, risk management, contract formation, information privacy, and human resources advice to the employees. He directs over half a dozen outside law firms retained to defend the institution and its employees in commercial, construction defect, discrimination, employment, First Amendment, and personal injury litigation. Over the past decade, he has overseen the modernization of his department, adopting e-filing, online research, and electronic case management tools that have greatly increased the efficiency of campus legal services. As a California State University Human Resources legal team member, he is a designated specialist for all campuses on disability law and employee benefits. He is also a member of the system Intellectual Property legal team, helping to guide faculty about how to apply for, maintain, and defend their copyrights, trademarks, and patents. Among his achievements, In 2017 to 2018, King settled an employment lawsuit after it was heard by the California Supreme Court. He worked to develop legal agreements to forge a partnership with the Los Angeles Football Club to make the campus its home for practice activities.
PRIVATE LARGE COMPANY IN-HOUSE COUNSEL OF THE YEAR RICHARD B. LEVY Board Member and General Counsel ICM Partners
ick Levy is a Founding Partner and General Counsel of ICM Partners, a talent and literary agency representing clients in the fields of motion pictures, television, publishing, and concerts. In addition to serving as the agency’s chief legal officer, Levy R is a Managing Member of the agency as well as a member of the company’s Board of Directors. In 2005, Levy led ICM’s deal team to sell a controlling interest in the agency to a private equity firm. At the time, ICM was the only major agency to have sold a significant interest to a private equity firm. Seven years later, he played a pivotal role in the successful re-acquisition of control and ownership of the company through a management buyout of the agency in 2012. Before joining ICM in 1997, Levy was an associate in the employment and entertainment practice groups of Los Angeles law firm Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher. Levy is a member of the Board of the Association of Talent Agents, and has chaired numerous board committees including its Legal and Political Action committees. Levy is on the Executive Board of the Golden West Chapter of Y.P.O., and his name is included in America’s Registry of Outstanding Professionals. He has received numerous professional awards and recognition including the Association of Media and Entertainment Counsel’s Dealmaker of the Year Award. Levy’s charitable involvement includes the U.S. Fund for Unicef, where he is co-President of the Southern California Regional Board on which he has served since 2005. He also has served on the Advisory Board of the charity Peace Over Violence.
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Congratulations to the 2018 honorees of the Los Angeles Business Journal Leaders in Law Awards.
Your accomplishments, leadership, and contributions to the Los Angeles community set a strong example for us all.
Blank Rome is an Am Law 100 firm with 13 offices and more than 600 attorneys and principals who provide a full range of legal and advocacy services to clients operating in the United States and around the world.
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WINNERS IN-HOUSE COUNSEL AWARDS
PRIVATE LARGE COMPANY IN-HOUSE COUNSEL OF THE YEAR KIM MATTHEWS VP & General Counsel Hot Topic, Inc.
im Matthews is an accomplished legal executive with over 22 years of in-house experience in the health and wellness, retail, telecommunications, regulatory and franchise arenas holding in-house positions in various mega companies such as MCI K (now Verizon), Jenny Craig/Nestle, Hot Topic and Torrid. She believes that a successful in house attorney partners with the business units to minimize risk, increase productivity, reduce costs and meet and exceed business goals. Matthews is currently the Vice President and General Counsel of Hot Topic, BoxLunch and Her Universe brands – a position she has held since April 2015. As head of the company’s legal department she focuses on, among other things, Direct to Consumer license agreements with major studios and networks, IP portfolio management, compliance, IP claims, vendor compliance, employment matters, and outside counsel management. She is pursuing her MBA at UCLA Anderson School of Management (EMBA 2020), and has been an active member of the State Bar of California since 2000. Prior to Hot Topic, Matthews worked as General Counsel, Corporate Secretary and VP of Human Resources for Total Woman Gym & Spa from 2015-2016 where she was responsible for all legal matters and employee matters including litigation, EEOC, WC, LOAs, terminations, training, benefits, state and federal reporting. She also managed corporate governance, vendor and distribution contracts, lease negotiations, advertising review, litigation, and franchise matters. Matthews also served as Vice President and General Counsel for Jenny Craig from 2007-2014 where she was a member of executive leadership team reporting directly to the CEO.
PRIVATE SMALL COMPANY IN-HOUSE COUNSEL OF THE YEAR NICOLE DUCKETT General Counsel L.A. Clippers
icole Duckett built the Clippers’ legal department from the ground up as the organization’s first in-house counsel. She is the NBA’s first woman of color to serve as chief legal officer, and a key member of the largest female leadership team in the N NBA. Duckett advises on all strategies related to protecting the business and focuses on innovations in new media, digital platforms and broadcasting. She also oversees the L.A. Clippers Foundation as its President. Duckett has demonstrated a commitment to increasing diversity in the legal profession through her work with non-profit organizations, including the Fulfillment Fund and F.A.S.T. Track, as well as her leadership at the Clippers. With the Clippers, Duckett led the development and creation of entirely new contract templates across all departments, creating central repositories and intake processes, formal advisory protocols and audits for internal stakeholders. She also developed key relationships with gold standard outside counsel and much more as the fledgling legal department has grown into the fully operational team it is today. Over the past three years, she has hired and grown a diverse team of in and out-of-house professionals, overseeing the cultivation of a select group of trusted outside counsel and legal experts. Joining the Clippers on the heels of the team’s sale to Steve Ballmer, Duckett helped steer the team through an ownership transition -- the first time the Clippers changed hands in more than three decades. She seamlessly worked with the National Basketball Association to ensure a smooth transition in the post-sale process. Duckett also recently led the formation of the Clippers’ new G League team, the Agua Caliente Clippers of Ontario, which played its inaugural season in 2017-18.
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Ogletree Deakins proudly supports the Los Angeles Business Journal’s 2018 Leaders In Law Awards and congratulates all of this year’s nominees. Service Oriented. Client Focused. Ogletree Deakins is one of the largest labor and employment law firms representing management in all types of employment-related legal matters.
Premier client service is a firm tradition and remains our top priority. Our attorneys pledge to: • Understand your business and objectives. • Focus on and anticipate your needs. • Collaborate to develop creative business solutions. • Harness technology and innovation to better serve your interests. • Communicate in a timely and effective manner. • Provide quality representation with exceptional value. www.ogletree.com
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WINNERS IN-HOUSE COUNSEL AWARDS
PUBLIC MID-SIZE COMPANY IN-HOUSE COUNSEL OF THE YEAR LISA L. KIM General Counsel Cathay Bank
isa L. Kim serves as Executive Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary of Cathay General Bancorp. Kim has been Executive Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary of Cathay Bank since June of 2018. L Kim is responsible for all legal aspects of the publicly traded holding company and the Bank. In her blended roles as Executive Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary, Kim’s duties include Board representation, corporate matters, governance, strategic transactions and the overseeing of litigation. She also advises Cathay Bank in a broad array of various legal matters. Prior to her work for Cathay Bank, Kim served as Senior Vice President and Deputy General Counsel for BBCN Bank, where she was responsible for all legal matters of the publicly traded holding company and the Bank. Her duties there included negotiating loan documents, vendor agreements, nationwide retail leases, acquisitions and dispositions, oversee all bank operations, launching of new bank products including wealth management, equipment lease financing, and mortgages. She also supervised legal aspects of all 50 branches and loan production offices and oversaw Human Resources and Marketing Departments as well as manage all bank litigation and insurance claims. Prior to her work at BBCN, Kim was Senior Vice President and General Counsel for Hanmi Bank Corporation, where she was responsible for all legal matters of the publicly traded holding company, the Bank and its subsidiaries.
PUBLIC LARGE COMPANY IN-HOUSE COUNSEL OF THE YEAR JARED WOLFF Executive Vice President & General Counsel City National Bank
ared Wolff is Executive Vice President, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary of City National Bank, the largest bank headquartered in Los Angeles, where he oversees the Legal and Corporate Administrative Group. Wolff is responsible for the legal team J for City National Bank as well as the business and regulatory legal team for RBC Wealth Management in the United States. Additionally, Wolff oversees teams leading Corporate Governance, Corporate Premises, Community Reinvestment, and Corporate Security. He joined City National in January 2018 and is a member of its Executive Committee. Wolff has broad management experience in the financial services industry and substantial expertise in mergers and acquisitions, commercial transactions, risk management, governance, capital formation and strategic planning, among other areas. Wolff is considered one of the most accomplished and experienced banking general counsels in California, having participated in many of the most significant bank mergers in the past two decades. Wolff has played a significant a role shaping the landscape of banking in Los Angeles and in California, serving as the top legal executive of two major financial institutions in Los Angeles during a time of unprecedented change in banking and in the economy. When City National was looking for a General Counsel to succeed its longtime and highly-respected executive Mike Cahill, it found in Wolff a seasoned lawyer and entrepreneurial executive who had the unique combination of deep legal and business experience to support City National’s robust growth and expanding national presence. Since its acquisition by Royal Bank of Canada (RBC) in 2015, City National has grown in assets more than 33% from just over $36 billion to over $47 billion in assets.
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Congratulations to City National’s very own Jared Wolff Named Top General Counsel by the LA Business Journal
The way up® for the Los Angeles business community.
City National Bank Member FDIC. City National Bank is a subsidiary of Royal Bank of Canada. ©2018 City National Bank. All Rights Reserved. cnb.com
7275.17
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WINNERS IN-HOUSE COUNSEL AWARDS
PUBLIC SMALL COMPANY IN-HOUSE COUNSEL OF THE YEAR JENNIFER BANKS Co-Chief Operating Officer, General Counsel & Corporate Security Alexandria Real Estate Equities, Inc.
ennifer J. Banks is Co-Chief Operating Officer, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary for Alexandria Real Estate Equities. As Co-Chief Operating Officer, Banks oversees the company’s risk management operations. She leads a team that advises J the company on a range of legal matters, including acquisitions and dispositions, construction and development, litigation, investment, compliance, intellectual property, leasing, property management, and joint venture. Banks serves as a key legal advisor to Alexandria and has cemented her reputation as a trusted partner and mentor within the organization. She became the first woman in company history to join Alexandria’s executive management team in 2013, and was appointed to co-chief operating officer in April 2018. In her role as Alexandria’s general counsel, she has identified, developed, and implemented legal and compliance framework to lead and grow the company’s in-house legal department. As Co-COO, Banks leads the company’s risk management operations, managing key areas of the program, including real property, environmental, anti-bribery and cyber security risk management. She leads with a self-starter and collaborative mindset, and in doing so she has created an in-house legal team that is highly respected and sought out for counsel by colleagues throughout the organization. Not only has she built an efficient in-house group, she has also been instrumental in selecting outside counsel, which is key in handling the wide range of legal needs to run a public company. Banks has over 19 years of commercial real estate and related legal experience. She previously practiced law in the real estate departments of Skadden, Arps, Meagher & Flom LLP and O’Melveny & Myers LLP.
IN-HOUSE COUNSEL RISING STAR OF THE YEAR SHANNON KELLY Corporate Counsel Halo Top Creamery
hannon Kelly serves as Corporate Counsel for Eden Creamery LLC, popularly known as Halo Top Creamery, a brand founded in 2012. In just a few years, Halo Top has grown from a two-man operation into a company valued at over $100 million that is S outselling ice cream icons, including Ben & Jerry’s and Haagen-Dazs. Made famous for creating a new “better for you” category in ice cream, with each of its pints containing about 300 calories, compared to 1,000+ calories for the average pint. In her role at Halo Top Creamery, Kelly manages all legal aspects for the rapidly growing, highly successful company, including providing counsel on matters related to advertising and marketing, employment law, intellectual property, food law, and FDA compliance. She has significant expertise in emerging food and beverage brands and in her role at Halo Top, she is in charge of managing the legal aspects of running a company that outsources a majority of its operation and is engaged in rapid international expansion. Though Halo Top was founded by two lawyers, Kelly is the only employee dedicated full-time to handling the company’s legal matters, from regulatory to trademark to litigation to contract review issues. She has also become a trusted advisor on all labor and employment related issues. Prior to joining Halo Top, she served as counsel for the Venturing and Emerging Brands division at The Coca-Cola Company and as counsel for ZICO Beverages LLC. Kelly is a great asset and strategic advisor to food and beverage companies and has developed a reputation as a true rising star in the legal community.
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IT’S 9-TO-5 SOMEWHERE
The only airline serving five continents nonstop from L.A.
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FINALISTS IN-HOUSE COUNSEL AWARDS
MICHAEL PETER E. FRANCESCA ALLISON ALVARADO BRAVEMAN BROOKS BUCHNER
Chief Legal Officer Senior Vice President for Managing Director, General Counsel Five Point Holdings, LLC Legal Affairs and Human Resources Dollar Shave Club General Counsel and General Counsel Cedars-Sinai Medical Century Group Center
ichael Alvarado is FivePoint’s Chief eter E. Braveman is an expert on ince coming on board to Century llison Buchner joined Dollar Shave Legal Officer. He actively manages healthcare law who advises the Board Group in 2016 as General Counsel, Club in May 2016 as the company’s first Mall legal affairs for FivePoint, as well Pof Directors and senior management on SFrancesca Brooks has taken the lead in AGeneral Counsel and led the company as managing FivePoint’s risk management, legal and regulatory matters. As general building and heading Century Group’s legal through its acquisition by Unilever just two purchasing/contracting and human resource counsel, he has guided Cedars-Sinai through operations function. She is responsible for months after joining. As General Counsel, functions. His role includes overseeing all a changing healthcare landscape for three leading Century Group’s corporate strategic she’s responsible for managing Dollar Shave legal matters related to the entitlement, decades. He has authored a number of articles and tactical legal initiatives and acts as a Club’s legal, regulatory and compliance development, sales, leasing and financing on healthcare law and is a frequent speaker at strategic partner with C level and executive risks while providing strategic advice to the of the company’s real estate holdings within national and local seminars and conferences. team members in meeting business objectives. business across all business functions. the communities owned and managed by Braveman has had a distinguished career She is an active participant in all board level Prior to joining Dollar Shave Club, FivePoint, as well as all corporate governance as the Senior Vice President for Legal Affairs decisions and possesses a remarkable ability Buchner spent nearly ten years as a litigator and compliance matters for FivePoint, a and General Counsel for Cedars-Sinai to provide senior management with effective at Kirkland & Ellis LLP, where she became publicly-traded company listed on the New Medical Center and its related entities. In advice on risk and legal implications of a partner in 2013. Her work at Kirkland York Stock Exchange. this role he has provided legal services on company strategies and implementation. focused on intellectual property and false The past year has seen Alvarado guide a range of issues stretching from antitrust Brooks has created an ethical, high advertising litigation and advice, and she FivePoint through a series of notable to zoning questions to his California, non- performance legal department with high had a robust pro bono practice focusing accomplishments, including: regulatory profit public benefit clients. Braveman is the professional standards and integrity that on special education and disability rights approvals and a landmark legal settlement longest-serving general counsel in California provides nothing but the best legal service litigation. She is a founding member of that advanced the Newhall Ranch healthcare history. During his tenure, his to the organization. Brooks generates the Los Angeles chapter of TechGC, an community development project in Los client has become internationally known for significant savings for the organization by independent, invitation-only community of Angeles County. He also led FivePoint’s its quality patient care, research, community bringing numerous operations in-house, while general counsels striving to drive innovation, successful May 2017 initial public offering service and medical education. Additionally, continuing to manage outside counsel on education and mentorship in the startup and on the New York Stock Exchange, and its his department at Cedars-Sinai has trained an litigation matters. Her keen legal insight has legal industry. She also serves on TechGC’s ensuing $500 million senior notes offering in exceptional and dedicated in-house group of benefited the organization with measurable national steering committee. November 2017. lawyers. success including prevailing in numerous legal matters through negotiations, arbitration, and various administrative and legal actions.
CORI STEPHEN NICOLE ANDREW J. CARDWELL CLARK DIAZ DUNBAR
Chief Legal Officer Vice President, General Senior Litigation and General Counsel, Chief United Pacific Counsel and Secretary Compliance Counsel Compliance Officer The J. Paul Getty Trust Snap, Inc Bel Air Investment Advisors LLC
ori Cardwell is an experienced corporate tephen Clark has spent nearly 25 s Snap’s Senior Litigation and ndy Dunbar joined Bel Air Investment counsel with 12 years of experience as a years helping museums and non-profit Compliance Counsel, Nicole Diaz Advisors LLC in 2015, shortly after Cgeneral counsel and dealmaker in high- Sinstitutions on some of their most Amanages Snap’s litigation portfolio and Aits acquisition by a large foreign asset growth environments. With specializations difficult legal problems. After a series of handles regulatory inquiries. She also works manager. He performs a leadership role in retail and private equity, Cardwell leads positions at museums such as the Museum of with key internal stakeholders to ensure that and has been instrumental in navigating business-minded legal departments and drives Modern Art in New York and the American Snap’s corporate policies minimize future and integrating (along with addressing the value by executing on high-impact initiatives Craft Museum (now the Museum of Art legal risk. In her compliance function, associated challenges) of becoming a part including mergers and acquisitions. In and Design), Clark attended Fordham Law Diaz oversees the company’s compliance of a new, global ownership structure and addition to her legal expertise, Cardwell has School. In 1994, he returned to the art world, investigation program and develops a wide brand. He also helped the firm and its parent significant business experience, serving on when he joined the legal department at variety of compliance and ethics policies company implement a Board of Directors executive leadership teams and fulfilling the MoMa. In 2008, he moved to Los Angeles to and trainings. She has also been a leader in charter and structure. He currently serves as role of trusted advisor and strategic thought become General Counsel of the Getty, a role developing the company’s ethics and integrity the Corporate Secretary. partner to CEOs, executive leadership teams he has served in for the last 10 years. programming. Prior to Bel Air, he was a partner at and corporate boards. Clark has served as Vice President of the Diaz has distinguished herself as a leader the law firm Sidley Austin LLP where he In her current role, Cardwell serves as California Association of Museums and is on in the legal diversity movement both at focused his practice on the defense and Chief Legal Officer of Apro, LLC d/b/a the faculty of the American Law Institute’s Snap and the larger community. For many litigation of government enforcement matters, United Pacific, the largest independently Legal Issues of Museum Administration. He years, she has been an active member of corporate internal investigations, complex owned and operated chain of convenience is widely recognized as being an authority the California Minority Council Program civil litigation, and creating and enhancing stores and gas stations in the west. With on provenance issues, particularly related to (CMCP), where she currently serves as an compliance programs. Prior to Sidley, he spent 372 stores, including 42 stores within the World War II art issues, and speaks and writes Ambassador and Chair of the In-House nine years as an Enforcement Attorney in the County of Los Angeles, Cardwell and her around the world on the subject. Counsel Committee. Through her work U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission’s team of three are responsible for overseeing all with CMCP, she has promoted legal Division of Enforcement in the Los Angeles aspects of the legal and corporate governance diversity within the in-house Silicon Beach Regional Office. Dunbar was the lead attorney functions. She also plays a leading role in the community, ensuring that the next generation on a high-profile enforcement action related company’s strategic transactions including of diverse attorneys is connected with the to a $590 million Ponzi scheme perpetrated by acquisitions, divestitures and financing burgeoning Los Angeles tech legal scene. a financial co-founder of EarthLink. transactions.
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DANIEL M. DAVID ZAZI POPE MICHAEL
FLORES ROBERT Senior Vice President and PRESTON Deputy General Counsel Senior Vice President, HOLMQUIST Executive Vice President, Warner Brothers Litigation General Counsel & General Counsel Entertainment Inc. Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Corporate Secretary Los Angeles Unified School Studios Inc. California Resources Cor- District poration
aniel M. Flores, Senior Vice President ave Holmquist has been an important azi Pope is Senior Vice President ichael L. Preston has been Executive and the head of litigation at Metro member of the LA Unified School and Deputy General Counsel for Vice President, General Counsel and DGoldwyn Mayer Studios Inc., joined DDistrict’s senior leadership team, since ZWarner Bros., where she has worked MCorporate Secretary at California the company in 2013 and is responsible for coming to the district in 2003. He was since 1992. As head of the litigation Resources Corporation since 2014, when managing all litigation and pre-litigation appointed General Counsel on October 1, department, she supervises a wide variety the company was spun off from Occidental matters, responding to third-party subpoenas 2009 by Superintendent Ramon Cortines. of lawsuits, worldwide, in the areas of Petroleum into its own separate publicly and government agency investigations, and In this role he leads the district’s legal office, copyright infringement, right of publicity, traded company. Preston leads a legal team advising on antitrust and FCPA compliance, oversees all litigation for the district and first amendment and breach of contract, that works closely with management and production-related claims, and risk serves as Counsel to the Board of Education. among others. She also oversees the legal operations to ensure that the company is management. In addition to leading the district’s legal office, functions relating to Privacy, Data Security a reliable provider of affordable energy, In his time at MGM, Flores has won he also manages the Office of Government and Participant Accounting, and is involved an active supporter of the communities in dismissal and attorney fee awards in multiple Relations, the Office of Labor Relations in various regulatory, compliance and policy which it operates, and is recognized for its copyright and idea misappropriation lawsuits, and the Student Safety Investigation issues pertaining to the entertainment operational excellence in a highly regulated involving films such as “Creed,” “Barbershop” Team, leading a staff of approximately 200 industry, particularly as they relate to the industry with some of the most stringent and “Cabin in the Woods.” He is responsible employees. marketing of Warner Bros.’ movies, television environmental standards in the world. In for protecting valuable MGM film and Under Holmquist’s leadership, the OGC is programs and videogames. addition to his responsibilities as chief legal television properties including such franchises an ethical, high performance legal department Pope has lectured at various law seminars officer, Preston oversees the company’s as James Bond, Rocky, The Pink Panther and with high professional standards and integrity and symposia including the American marketing, supply chain and human resources Stargate from infringement via legal actions that provides first class legal service to the Law Institute-American Bar Association functions. throughout the world. Flores has negotiated teachers, supervisors and administrators who Forum on Entertainment, Arts, and Sports Most recently, Preston played a leading dozens of favorable confidential settlements support the district’s 700,000 plus students. Law, American Bar Association Forum on role in CRC’s acquisition of the remaining on behalf of MGM in a variety of disputes Before his selection as General Counsel, Communications Law, USC Law School working, surface and mineral interests in the including intellectual property, labor and Holmquist served as Chief Operating Officer. Institute on Entertainment Law and Business 47,000-acre Elk Hills field in the San Joaquin employment, profit participations, and more. Forum, among others. Basin of California from Chevron.
Cocktail Reception The Los Angeles Business Journal presents the 22nd annual ranking Wednesday, November 7 of the top 100 Fastest Growing Private Companies. The Reserve • 5:30pm - 7:30pm The Business Journal will host the CEOs and executives of the 650 S. Spring Street private companies that are exhibiting the highest revenue growth Los Angeles, CA 90014 in the Los Angeles area. Come join us for an evening of networking To register, please visit and cocktails with the companies that are shaping the future. labusinessjournal.com/bizevents
DIAMOND SPONSOR PLATINUM SPONSOR GOLD SPONSORS SILVER SPONSORS Armanino | CBIZ MHM Audit Prep Services Massumi + Consoli LLP City of Pasadena
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FINALISTS IN-HOUSE COUNSEL AWARDS
ROB JOHN MICHAEL DAN RADER ROGOVIN ROWLES TEPSTEIN
General Counsel & Executive Vice President & Executive Vice President & Chief Litigation Counsel Corporate Secretary General Counsel General Counsel Oath, a Verizon Company Ovation LLC Warner Brothers Live Nation Entertainment Entertainment Inc.
obert “Rob” Rader is a highly ohn Rogovin is considered to be one of ichael Rowles has served as Executive aniel C. Tepstein serves as Chief experienced General Counsel with more the most strategic and insightful general Vice President, General Counsel Litigation Counsel for Oath, a Verizon Rthan 15 years of general counsel and Jcounsel in Los Angeles. Since joining Mand Secretary of Live Nation Dcompany that owns and operates Yahoo, business affairs experience for high-growth Warner Bros. nearly a decade ago, Rogovin Entertainment, Inc. since March 2006. AOL, Tumblr, and HuffPost, among other digital media companies, multi-billion dollar has helped de-risk the studio’s important deal Based in Beverly Hills, Live Nation is the leading online properties. Tepstein has media companies and retailers, and major and work, address global change like the merger largest live entertainment company in the served as an in-house lawyer since 2007. boutique law firms, including over $7 billion with AT&T, and manage litigation incredibly world, promoting concerts for top artists At that time, he joined Yahoo—one of his of M&A and financings. well, including protecting some of the studio’s such as U2, Coldplay, Bruno Mars and Jay- then-clients—as a senior litigation attorney Rader is currently the General Counsel most iconic properties, notably Superman, Z. The company operates renowned music managing complex commercial litigation. and Corporate Secretary of Ovation TV, The Hobbit, Lord of the Rings and Two and venues such as the House of Blues clubs, the This decision was driven by his passion for America’s only cable network dedicated a Half Men, among others. He is not afraid to Hollywood Palladium and the Fillmore, as technology, the internet, data privacy, and to the arts. The independent network try cases to victory when appropriate, and is well as many of the world’s preeminent music the excitement of creating new law in an based in Santa Monica is distributed to also willing to settle fairly when it is the right festivals including Lollapolooza, Electric Daisy emerging area that courts were just beginning approximately 50 million subscribers on thing to do and makes sense for the company. Carnival, BottleRock, Rock Werchter and to understand. major cable and satellite platforms across the Earlier this year, Rogovin and his team Reading. Since its merger with Ticketmaster He managed hundreds of disputes and country, including Comcast, DIRECTV, Time were instrumental in shutting down years in 2010, Live Nation Entertainment litigation matters while at Yahoo and was Warner Cable, Verizon FiOS and AT&T of litigation and four sets of plaintiffs has become one of the top e-commerce promoted to serve as Yahoo’s chief litigator U-verse. Rader joined Ovation in 2013 as asserting rights in the multibillion-dollar companies in the world, with offices in over in 2012, garnering several awards and the the company’s first in-house attorney, and Conjuring motion picture franchise. He is 40 countries globally. recognition of the company’s executive he is responsible for all business and legal also responsible for knocking out a variety of Prior to joining Live Nation, Rowles leadership. Tepstein and four of his colleagues matters, including production, traditional and claims arising out of the motion picture War served as Senior Vice President, General received Yahoo’s Superstar Award—the online distribution, government relations, Dogs. Counsel and Secretary of Entravision company’s highest honor—for their work on a marketing, litigation, intellectual property, Communications Corporation, a diversified high-profile litigation matter in Mexico City, real estate, corporate and human resources. Spanish-language media company located in referenced above. In each year the company He has been a leader in online and unscripted Santa Monica. ranked achievement by percentile, he earned deals for over a decade and has brought that the highest performance percentile of top 10%. experience to bear over the last four years.
TYLER THOMAS THEOBALD WEHINGER
Vice President / Assistant General Counsel General Counsel Regent, LP Marcus & Millichap
yler Theobald currently serves as assistant homas Wehinger serves as the General general counsel and compliance officer Counsel for Regent LP, a boutique Tat Marcus & Millichap, a publicly traded Tprivate equity firm in Beverly Hills, and multibillion dollar national commercial is responsible for all legal matters at both the real estate brokerage, founded in 1971. He corporate level and within its nine portfolio joined the firm, headquartered in Calabasas, companies. He joined Regent LP as its first in 2014. Theobald provides advice and in-house counsel in June 2016 and was counsel to executive management and the promoted to General Counsel in April 2017. firm’s investment sales professionals on topics Before joining Regent LP, Wehinger including commercial litigation, real estate was a Finance Associate at Latham & transactions, risk avoidance, and labor and Watkins, LLP in Los Angles representing employment issues. lenders and borrowers in international Theobald also litigates for Marcus & finance transactions. Prior to moving to the Millichap, representing the firm and its sales U.S., Wehinger worked in the Corporate professionals in court and arbitration across & Commercial team of Walder Wyss Ltd., the country. The firm’s legal department is a one of Switzerland’s leading corporate law central part of its value proposition to both firms, where he represented public and clients and sales professionals. He helps the private buyers and sellers in international company develop strategies to effectuate its M&A transactions. Combined with his core mission of helping clients create and communication skills (he speaks four preserve wealth. In leading the firm’s corporate languages), these positions have strengthened compliance initiative, Theobald works with his legal skills in finance and corporate law an audit committee to analyze and address and helped him specialize in venture capital risk and development tools and trainings for and private equity transactions as well as investment sales professionals to enhance the drafting of commercial agreements and corporate culture and ensure state and federal corporate governance. law.
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congratulations to our 2018 in-house counsel nominees
Michael Alvarado, Five Point Holdings, LLC Charles LaChaussee, Wedbush Securities Jennifer Banks, Alexandria Real Estate Equities, Inc. Jason Lee, Lido Advisors, LLC Courtney Braun, Endeavor Richard B. Levy, ICM Partners Peter E. Braveman, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center Kim Matthews, Hot Topic, Inc. Francesca Brooks, Century Group Brian Ostler, Los Angeles World Airports Allison Buchner, Dollar Shave Club Philippe Phaneuf, Gensler Cori Cardwell, United Pacific Matthew Polesetsky, Wovexx Holdings, Inc. Stephen Clark, The J. Paul Getty Trust Zazi Pope, Warner Brothers Entertainment, Inc. Molly Coleman, ForwardLine Financial, LLC Courtney Powers, GRACE Nicole Diaz, Snap, Inc Michael Preston, California Resources Corporation Nicole Duckett, L.A. Clippers Rob Rader, Ovation LLC Andrew J. Dunbar, Bel Air Investment Advisors, LLC A. Joel Richlin, Prime Healthcare Daniel Flores, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc. Kathryn Richman, Hughes Marino Jeffrey Freedman, Creative Artists Agency John Rogovin, Warner Brothers Entertainment, Inc. Rahwa Ghebre-Ab, Lionsgate William Goodwin, AirMap Michael Rowles, Live Nation Entertainment Todd Greene, Penske Media Corporation Robert Rubenstein, Divergent Technologies, Inc. Victoria Harvey, Smile Brands Inc. Jaclyn Swe, Aptus Court Reporting David Robert Holmquist, Los Angeles Unified School District Dan Tepstein, Oath, a Verizon Company Mary Ellen Kanoff, Peninsula Pacific Tyler Theobald, Marcus & Millichap Shannon Kelly, Halo Top Creamery Thomas Wehinger, Regent, LP Lisa L. Kim, Cathay Bank Randy Winograd, Nimes Capital Victor King, California State University, Los Angeles Jared Wolff, City National Bank
Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP and Affiliates
Skadden congratulates our colleagues, clients and friends on their 2018 Leaders in Law Award nominations.
Beijing Boston Brussels Chicago Frankfurt Hong Kong Houston London Los Angeles Moscow Munich New York Palo Alto Paris São Paulo Seoul Shanghai Singapore Tokyo Toronto Washington, D.C. Wilmington
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WINNERS FIRM ATTORNEY AWARDS
ENTERTAINMENT FIRM ATTORNEY OF THE YEAR CHRISTOPHER S. SPICER Partner Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP
kin Gump Corporate Partner Chris Spicer is the head of the firm’s renowned entertainment and media team in Los Angeles, regularly leading some of the industry’s Ahighest-visibility deals between independent movie production companies and financial institutions. His ability to find creative solutions has been instrumental to the firm’s financial institution clients in a rapidly changing landscape for content creation/consumption and a challenging, competitive environment for financial institutions. With a practice focused on media and entertainment finance, Spicer represents financial institutions, mezzanine investors, production companies and equity providers in motion picture, television, digital financing and co-financing as well as other corporate transactions. He also advises borrowers, distributors, content creators, high-net-worth individuals, funds and others involved in various aspects of the production, financing and distribution of film, television and digital content. As a media industry go-to on China’s Hollywood investment deals, Spicer has completed a number of Chinese-related deals, including: Bona Film Group’s investment in a slate of movies for 20th Century Fox and continued investments in additional projects; the representation of East West Bank in China’s Perfect Universe film-slate financing at Universal Pictures; an $86 million credit facility with TIK Films for the co-financing of a slate of motion pictures produced by Lionsgate; and Talent International’s production of the Jackie Chan and John Cena action thriller, Project X. Spicer is also a member of the advisory committee of the UCLA Entertainment Law Symposium and has been a visiting Assistant Professor at the graduate and undergraduate level in the UCLA School of Theater, Film and Television.
ENVIRONMENTAL FIRM ATTORNEY OF THE YEAR JAMES L. ARNONE Partner Latham & Watkins LLP
im Arnone is a Partner in Latham’s Los Angeles office and the Global Chair of the firm’s Environment, Land & Resources Department. He previously served as the JDeputy Managing Partner of the Los Angeles office and as the Global Co-Chair of the Environmental Litigation Practice. Arnone has particular experience in compliance with state and federal environmental laws; infrastructure, energy, and real estate development projects; and litigation over the legal obligations of local, state, and federal governmental bodies. Arnone also has extensive courtroom experience, both in the trial courts and in the appellate courts. He has advised numerous clients on the implications of current and pending global climate change rules, and he also frequently advises clients on and litigates matters involving the enforcement of governmental duties, including environmental laws, open meeting and public records laws, charter school laws, and initiative and referendum laws. Arnone has often advised clients and litigated controversies involving a wide range of environmental and land use laws, including air quality laws, water quality laws, water supply laws; the California Coastal Act; the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA); the Endangered Species Act; historic preservation laws; and state and local land use laws. Arnone’s skills and leadership are exemplified by the recent approvals of a plan to advance one of the largest master-planned communities ever proposed in California, the Newhall Ranch project in Los Angeles County. Representing the Five Point/Newhall Ranch developers, Arnone helped lead a Latham team and co-counsel in taking initiative to gain regulatory clearances and to forge a settlement of litigation that the Los Angeles Times called “a historic truce.”
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HEALTHCARE FIRM ATTORNEY OF THE YEAR GERRY HINKLEY Partner Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pitman LLP
erry Hinkley is a Health Care Partner in Pillsbury’s Los Angeles office. He is also the leader of Pillsbury’s firm-wide Health Care Industry team. The team is one of the larger Ggroups at Pillsbury, contributing approximately $70 million in revenues to the firm in 2017 and growing significantly year-to-year under Hinkley’s leadership. Hinkley counsels hospitals and physician organizations on the management of legal affairs, governance, regulatory compliance, reimbursement, capital finance, joint ventures and clinic development. Serving as outside counsel to health care organizations, Hinkley is responsible for corporate law and board governance matters as well as regulatory compliance and M&A. A leader in the health IT field, he has extensive experience in procurement, licensing, service arrangements and dispute resolution. Hinkley chaired the Legal Task Force of the Health Information Management Systems Society from 2011 to 2015. He speaks and writes frequently on privacy and data security in health care, HIPPA, and trends in hospital system and medical group partnerships. As leader of the Health Care Industry team, Hinkley has been spearheading efforts to bring together all of the multi-disciplinary practices into a targeted health care team. He is also encouraging lawyers to expand their services with institutional clients. Recently, for example, Pillsbury was representing a health care staffing company for its tax work. Over several months, the team has introduced that client to a variety of other capabilities such as ERISA, Securities Act compliance and privacy. Among Hinkley’s marquee clients in Southern California, he represents Dignity Health and the Southern California Permanente Medical Group, which has 5,500 physicians supporting Kaiser Permanente in the region.
Holland & Knight congratulates Susan Booth, Doug Praw and all of the Los Angeles Business Journal 2018 Leaders in Law nominees.
www.hklaw.com Los Angeles, CA | 213.896.2400
Copyright © 2018 Holland & Knight LLP All Rights Reserved
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WINNERS FIRM ATTORNEY AWARDS
INTERNATIONAL FIRM ATTORNEY OF THE YEAR EDWARD A. PERRON Managing Partner Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP
d Perron is Pillsbury’s firm-wide Managing Partner, overseeing the day-to-day activities of the 700 lawyer firm with 19 global offices. He is also an accomplished dealmaker and Ecorporate lawyer representing clients in mergers, acquisitions, divestitures, joint ventures, strategic investments and the distribution of products in the U.S. Perron was appointed Pillsbury’s managing partner in January 2017. Perron, who has spent his career at Pillsbury, has held numerous leadership positions at the firm, including most recently as co-leader of the Japan practice, as Lead Director of the firm’s 13-member Board of Directors and as Chair of the firm’s International Strategy Committee. He earned his law degree in 1979 at Harvard Law School, where he served as editor of the Harvard International Law Journal. He earned his undergraduate degree in Economics and East Asian Studies at Harvard College in 1975. He is admitted to practice in California, New York, and the District of Columbia. As Pillsbury’s Managing Partner, Perron is leading the development of a more integrated, comprehensive international referral platform and database. The platform will assist Pillsbury and its clients in identifying preferred, vetted outside counsel throughout the world that have existing, trusted relationships with Pillsbury. The platform will enhance the firm’s cross- border capabilities for clients. This effort is part of his overall mandate to grow and nurture the firm’s international practice, from which more than 30 percent of the firm’s work derives. Perron is also charged with managing the firm’s talent development, recruiting and retention, innovative technologies and legal practices, alternative fee arrangements, and the firm’s overall strategic direction.
REAL ESTATE FIRM ATTORNEY OF THE YEAR PATRICK D. HARDER Partner Nossaman LLP
ver the past several years, Patrick Harder, Chair of Nossaman’s Infrastructure Practice Group, has served as lead counsel to public agencies on some of the largest, most Oinnovative, and most technically complex Public-Private Partnership (P3) projects in Los Angeles and nationally, with combined project costs totaling over $9 billion. Currently, he is serving as the lead attorney for the City of Los Angeles/Los Angeles World Airports (LAWA) Landside Access Modernization Program (LAMP) – a massive $6 billion overhaul/modernization of Los Angeles Airport (LAX), and the largest P3 program ever undertaken by the City. The LAMP project includes the Automatic People Mover (APM) project, which was approved by the City in April of 2018 and reached financial close in June of 2018. This approximately $5 billion project is the core of the LAMP project, and will ease transit throughout LAX, while connecting the Airport with the Crenshaw Metro station and allowing travelers to take the train directly into LAX for the first time. This will significantly improve access to LAX, and enhance how 75 million travelers experience the nation’s second busiest airport. Mayor Eric Garcetti has offered effusive praise for this project, saying it will make Los Angeles “better connected than ever before” and provide “Angelenos and travelers from everywhere with reliable, convenient transportation to and from” LAX. In addition to leading the APM project, Harder is also leading on LAMP’s $1billion-plus Consolidated Rental Car Center (ConRAC) project at LAX, which will add the world’s largest consolidated rental car center to the airport. This ConRAC is expected to close in Q4 of 2018.
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INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY FIRM ATTORNEY OF THE YEAR RICK RICHMOND Managing Partner, Los Angeles Jenner & Block
ick Richmond is a commercial litigator, Founding and Managing Partner of Jenner & Block’s Los Angeles office, and Co-Chair of the firm’s Trade Secrets and Restrictive RCovenants practice. He represents clients in matters ranging from misappropriation of trade secrets and other forms of intellectual property infringement to commercial cases of all kinds, including breach of contract, fraud, and class actions. Richmond’s extensive experience as a trial and appellate lawyer includes representing clients in state and federal courts, in federal and local administrative proceedings, and before arbitration panels. Richmond has tried dozens of cases and argued nearly 20 appeals. He also counsels clients with respect to compliance issues in an increasingly complex legal environment. Since joining Jenner & Block in the spring of 2009 to establish its Los Angeles office, Richmond has been instrumental in growing the firm’s top-tier reputation in California as well as leading the firm’s trade secrets practice. Richmond led the Jenner & Block team in securing the $940 million trade secrets jury verdict in favor of Epic Systems Corp., one of the leading health care software companies in the United States, against Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), which is a part of one of the largest industrial conglomerates in India. After a two-week trial, an eight-member jury found that TCS stole Epic’s trade secrets and other confidential information about Epic’s proprietary software. Tata was also found to have committed fraud and violated the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act. The verdict represents one of the largest trade secrets verdicts in US history.
Latham & Watkins congratulates all of the 2018 Leaders in Law finalists and honorees
LW.com
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WINNERS FIRM ATTORNEY AWARDS
LABOR & EMPLOYMENT FIRM ATTORNEY OF THE YEAR APALLA U. CHOPRA Partner O’Melveny & Myers LLP
palla Chopra is Chair of O’Melveny’s Labor and Employment Practice, and a member of the firm’s Policy Committee. She specializes in litigating complex multi-plaintiff and Aclass action discrimination and wage and hour cases. Her experience is broad as she has represented clients in cases regarding employee allegations of invasion of privacy, wrongful discharge, and discrimination based on age, race, gender, national origin, physical handicap, and related matters. In addition, Chopra is among a handful of lawyers colleges and universities turn to for their most complex and high profile legal challenges, including Title IX and Clery Act investigations and follow-on litigation into institutions’ handling of sexual assault allegations, and is handling many of the country’s high-profile workplace misconduct investigations and claims related to the #metoo movement. She has represented clients in traditional labor matters under the National Labor Relations Act and Educational Employment Relations Act, and has experience negotiating collective bargaining agreements and executive employment contracts. Chopra’s industry experience is likewise broad, as she has represented companies in the biotechnology, manufacturing, utility, health, retail, hospitality, private and public schools, and entertainment sectors. In addition to scoring numerous victories in traditional labor and employment cases, Chopra is a leading authority on conducting independent investigations into high-profile allegations of employee misconduct on behalf of companies, boards and special committees, placing her squarely at the center of the national dialogue around sexual harassment. She also is one of the national go-to lawyers for Title IX investigations and follow-on litigation over how universities handle sexual assault allegations.
LITIGATION FIRM ATTORNEY OF THE YEAR JEFF E. SCOTT Shareholder Greenberg Traurig, LLP
eff E. Scott is the Co-Managing Shareholder of the Los Angeles office, Co-Chair of the Global Litigation Practice, and a member of Greenberg Traurig’s Litigation Executive JCommittee. He handles sophisticated litigation matters and has served as lead trial counsel for clients in many cases tried before judges, juries and arbitrators. He focuses his practice on consumer protection class actions, entertainment and intellectual property litigation, complex commercial litigation, partnership and corporate disputes, real estate litigation, unfair competition defense, and alternative dispute resolution. As Co-Managing Shareholder of the Los Angeles office, Scott focuses on inspiring and supporting his office of 90 attorneys and business staff, delivering success for his clients, and giving back to LA’s nonprofit community. As Co-Chair of the Global Litigation Practice and a member of the firm’s Litigation Executive Committee, he provides strategy and direction to the firm’s largest practice group of more than 600 attorneys worldwide. A zealous, tireless advocate, he learns each client’s business inside and out, and focuses on solving the immediate problem while weighing the impact on the client’s other cases, day-to- day operation, and reputation. In addition to being a highly sought after first-chair litigator, Scott is known as a mentor and a leader in the Los Angeles office and across the firm. Throughout his career at Greenberg Traurig, which spans 18 years, he has provided assignments to associates that further their growth. He advocates for junior lawyers to be involved in work that sharpens their skills and helps them cultivate relationships inside and outside the firm to ensure they are well positioned to develop business and be on track for promotion.
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MERGERS AND ACQUISITIONS FIRM ATTORNEY OF THE YEAR ERIK M. KRAUTHEIMER Partner Sullivan & Cromwell LLP
or two decades, Eric Krautheimer has represented industry leaders in their most important domestic and cross-border M&A transactions. Truly a master of all trades, he has executed Fsuperlative, headline-making deals in disparate industries. His work in recent years has left its mark on ecommerce, retail, life sciences, pharmaceuticals and telecommunications. Krautheimer is a Partner in the Los Angeles office of Sullivan & Cromwell and is a member of the firm’s General Practice Group. For over 20 years, he has successfully represented many of the largest and most prominent corporations on a wide range of domestic and cross-border mergers and acquisitions transactions, including negotiated and hostile acquisitions of public companies, negotiated sales of private companies, subsidiaries and divisions, private equity transactions, leveraged buy-outs, formation of joint ventures and asset sales. Krautheimer has extensive experience representing buyers, sellers and financial advisers across a wide range of industries, including consumer and retail, financial services, healthcare and life sciences, sports and entertainment, technology and telecommunications. Highly regarded as one of the elite M&A lawyers on the West Coast, Krautheimer advised AT&T in its acquisition of Time Warner and also advised AT&T in its proposed acquisition of T-Mobile USA from Deutsche Telekom AG. His considerable experience in large and time-sensitive M&A transactions was critical in completing Amazon.com’s $13.7 billion acquisition of Whole Foods – the 11th biggest global retail transaction and the fourth biggest deal in U.S. retail, ever. Executed in record time – it’s the fastest $5 billion-plus public retail acquisition in U.S. history – the deal also unlocks myriad opportunities for Amazon to change the way we shop for food.
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FINALISTS FIRM ATTORNEY AWARDS
ENTERTAINMENT
IVY KAGAN MATTHEW DARRELL D. BRUCE BIERMAN ERRAMOUSPE MILLER TOBEY
Partner Partner Partner Partner Loeb & Loeb LLP O’Melveny & Myers LLP Fox Rothschild LLP O’Melveny & Myers LLP
ith decades of experience providing atthew Erramouspe is Co-Chair of arrell D. Miller is a broker of dreams. s Co-Head of O’Melveny’s sexual harassment prevention training O’Melveny’s Entertainment, Sports He orchestrates foundations for success Entertainment, Sports and Media Wtailored to entertainment companies, Mand Media transactional practice. He is Damong his growing list of extraordinarily APractice, Bruce Tobey is a highly regarded and proven expertise handling investigations a dealmaker and trusted advisor who counsels talented clients, negotiating career-making entertainment transactions lawyer with more of sexual harassment claims in connection clients in all business and legal aspects related deals and leveraging every step on their than a decade of executive experience. His with high-profile television series, it’s no to the financing, acquisition, production, ladder of stardom to advance their personal practice covers all aspects of production, surprise that Ivy Kagan Bierman has been a distribution and other exploitation of content brands. Harnessing his own long-standing distribution, financing and licensing of feature prominent voice during a tumultuous year in and live events. His practice focuses on relationships with key industry executives, film and television productions as well as Hollywood. structuring strategic investment, financing, Miller is able to provide guidance and digital media. He also provides strategic and In addition to counseling entertainment and co-financing arrangements, negotiating spearhead contract negotiations that operational advice to investors and companies companies on issues related to sexual strategic production and distribution directly translate to increasing success and in both traditional and new media. harassment and discrimination, Bierman arrangements, and advising on strategic brand awareness. Especially within the past A go-to lawyer for entertainment giants serves as an advisor for prominent acquisitions and sales of entertainment and two years, the achievements of his clients like Sony, Paramount and Lionsgate, Bruce entertainment industry nonprofit media companies and assets, both in the are proof of the wisdom in his strategic regularly advises on ground-breaking, organizations focused on these issues. She United States and abroad. Erramouspe is at the philosophy. industry-shaping deals. Bruce had a is a member of the Legal, Legislative and forefront of the increased cooperation between Many of the agreements Miller closed particularly strong last year, including Policy Committee on Sexual Harassment the US and China in the entertainment and recently have had a profound impact on headline-making transactions such as and Gender Parity for TIME’S UP and also media sectors, and guides clients through the industry. In the past year alone, he Lionsgate’s sale of its stake in the premium serves as an advisor for the Commission the complexities of cross-border licensing, helped Courtney B. Vance land a starring pay television network EPIX to Metro- on Eliminating Sexual Harassment and financing, production and distribution deals. role on HBO’s series Lovecraft Country; Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM). Tobey is the former Advancing Equality in the Workplace, He brings a commercial, practical, and and furthered the success of Angela Basset Chief Operating Officer of CBS Films, which chaired by Anita Hill. Recent client work common sense approach to deal making, by negotiating her appearance in Mission: he helped found, and oversaw all aspects of its includes her being engaged by the Academy and is recognized as a top dealmaker in the Impossible 6 and a lead role in Netflix’s motion picture development, production, and of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. entertainment industry. Otherhood. distribution businesses and operations.
ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTHCARE
LAURAE DANIEL TERRI KEVIN B. ROSSI SINAIKO HILLIARD KROEKER
Partner Partner Owner and Principal Partner Winston & Strawn LLP Akin Gump Strauss Hauer Terri Hilliard, PC Crowell & Moring LLP & Feld LLP
aurae Rossi is highly regarded for her work ecently named Co-Head of Akin Gump’s erri Hilliard is the Principal of Terri evin Kroeker is a Partner in Crowell & representing lenders, institutional investors renowned global project finance practice, Hilliard, P.C. Her practice centers on Moring’s Los Angeles office and co-chair Land sponsors in energy project financings RDan Sinaiko is a recognized leader not Tadvanced estate and business succession Kof the firm’s nationally recognized Health and energy tax equity partnerships involving only within the firm but throughout the planning, asset protection, special needs Care Group. He represents health care wind, ethanol, solar, and geothermal power industry – having led or co-led many of the trusts, and family protection planning for organizations on a wide range of state and projects throughout the country. With firm’s and the industry’s marquee multibillion seniors. She is also a private mediator focused federal regulatory matters and health care more than 15 years of experience, Rossi and multimillion dollar renewable financings on helping families, elders, individuals and transactions. Kroeker has more than 30 years has served as lead counsel to developers, and merger and acquisition transactions, businesses resolve disputes. Hilliard earned of experience representing health plans and sponsors, institutional investors and lenders including the world’s largest solar her law degree from Loyola Law School in insurers, Medicare Advantage Organizations, in many innovative and complex matters Photovoltaic project. 1989, following her successful business career Medicaid Managed Care plans, medical – including construction and term loan Throughout his career, Sinaiko has as an investment advisor. While at Loyola, groups, and community clinics, among others. transactions; sale-leaseback transactions; developed extensive experience with tax Hilliard was a contributing author of the Kroeker has guided numerous health inverted lease transactions, holdco and equity and debt financings of all shapes Loyola Entertainment Law Journal. plans and providers through the regulatory mezzanine financings; portfolio financings, and sizes and enjoyed tremendous success Senior citizens and people with special complexities of merger and acquisition residential solar portfolios, bridge financings representing some of the industry’s largest needs are among the most vulnerable people transactions. His health care transactional for the Investment Tax Credit; and financings companies engaged in the development, in the community, and Hilliard is dedicated experience also includes representation of regarding the Production Tax Credit. financing and operation of wind, solar and to giving the special help and assistance they managed care organizations and providers Rossi has been praised for her other alternative energy projects. His clients need to prevent abuse and fraud. In addition in joint ventures, shared savings, and global commitment and experience, having been include many of the top renewable energy to her law practice, which focuses on the and partial-risk capitation arrangements. He described by colleagues and clients as “very developers, sponsors, lenders and investors in legal needs for seniors and others, Hilliard has also represents health plans and providers in dedicated and hard-working,” and having the US and abroad. Owing to this impressive given her time for many years to the senior connection with outsourcing agreements and received high marks from everyone who depth and breadth of knowledge and and special needs communities, making a management services agreements. Kroeker works with her. Over the past 24 months, experience, Sinaiko has established himself as big impact on her clients and those in the also counsels health plans and providers Rossi has led more than 45 deals. a thought leader in the project finance space community she helps. concerning compliance with state and federal through his prolific speaking and writing. health care laws and regulations.
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INTERNATIONAL
JONATHAN FRANKLIN D. MIKE NIMISH BLOCH KANG MARGOLIS PATEL
Partner Principal Partner Vice Chairman and Partner Brownstein Hyatt Farber Polsinelli LLP Blank Rome LLP Mitchell Silberberg & Schreck, LLP Knupp, LLP
seasoned attorney, Jonathan Bloch ranklin Kang, a Principal of Polsinelli, ike Margolis, Partner in Blank Rome’s imish Patel has a long-standing reputation provides creative and solution-oriented is a highly respected, nationally Business Litigation practice group and for being a thought-leading corporate A legal counsel in a variety of corporate and Frecognized intellectual property litigation MAsia Practice Chair, has been a trial Nsecurities attorney. For 20 years he has finance transactions. He represents domestic attorney. Over the past two decades, Kang lawyer for more than 30 years. He currently consistently delivered results for clients across and international corporations, investors has successfully litigated some of the most practices in the firm’s Shanghai and Los a wide range of industries, leveraging various and entrepreneurs in transactions including significant and high-profile patent cases in the Angeles offices. Chambers Global reported modalities of financing companies. Whether mergers and acquisitions, hotel and resort country as well as complex arbitration matters in 2015 that Margolis “draws acclaim for the venture-backed financings of the late developments, fund formations, joint ventures involving hundreds of millions of dollars. his broad litigation expertise.” His major 1990s (before the bubble burst) or the roaring and general corporate work. Franklin focuses his practice on patent, cases and areas of focus have included: reverse merger and PIPEs market in the early Bloch assists clients in technology, real trade secret, unfair competition, and other M&A break-ups, failed deals, and corporate 2000s or the massive influx of Chinese-based estate, hospitality and telecommunication intellectual property litigation and counseling governance disputes; intellectual property, companies seeking capital in US markets in companies, and manufacturing facilities matters for high tech clients throughout the trade secret, and non-compete litigation; the late 2000s, Patel has worked on hundreds and Internet distribution centers, with United States and Asia. He has particular financial institution and real estate litigation; of transactions involving billions of dollars in the challenges of raising capital. He also expertise in patent litigation before U.S. employment, fiduciary and fraud litigation; accumulated financings. has extensive experience negotiating and federal courts and the International Trade class actions; and cross-border and multi- With a pedigree that includes a CPA and documenting financing through the EB-5 Commission (ITC). jurisdiction litigation. MBA, Patel always brings a deal-maker’s immigrant investor Visa program, including As Chair of Polsinelli’s Korea Practice, Margolis also heads the Blank Rome LLP personality to corporate securities. When advising real estate developers as well as Kang serves as the primary relationship group dedicated to representing Chinese various markets have gone sour or corrected, energy infrastructure companies on obtaining partner and counselor to many Korea-based companies and individuals working in the he has creatively found financing strategies loans through the EB-5 program. clients. USA. that work for his clients and investors alike.
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FINALISTS FIRM ATTORNEY AWARDS
REAL ESTATE BOB KEVIN ANDREW THOMAS J. BARADARAN EHRHART KIRSH MASENGA
Managing Partner Partner Co-Founder & Partner Partner Greenberg Glusker LLP Kirkland & Ellis LLP Sklar Kirsh LLP Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton LLP
n his law practice, Bob Baradaran serves evin M. Ehrhart is a Real Estate Partner ndrew T. Kirsh is a Founding Partner om Masenga is a Partner in the Real as outside general counsel to numerous at Kirkland & Ellis LLP. He represents of Sklar Kirsh LLP and is the Chair of Estate, Land Use and Environmental Icompanies, funds, family offices, and Kreal estate investors, capital providers, Athe firm’s Real Estate practice. Kirsh TPractice Group in Sheppard Mullin’s Los high-net worth entrepreneurs in the real owners, developers and others in all aspects of is an experienced commercial real estate Angeles office. He has almost 40 years of estate, hospitality, sports, technology, and real estate related transactions. He focuses on transactional attorney, whose clientele experience representing pension funds and entertainment industries. He also is actively capital investment directed to real estate and includes a broad spectrum of national, their separate account advisors, commingled involved in managing high stakes complex real estate operating companies, financings regional and local investors, funds, funds, banks, life insurance companies, litigation for his clients. within all segments of the capital stack, joint developers, operators, syndicators, private private equity funds, REITs and other Greenberg Glusker elected Bob Baradaran ventures, property and operating company equity providers and lenders. His practice institutional real estate investors and lenders. its Managing Partner in 2012. He was the acquisitions. His practice has an emphasis on involves all aspects of the real estate industry, His finance and capital markets practice has youngest managing partner to date at that the acquisition and disposition of commercial including acquisitions, dispositions, equity included advising on portfolio, syndicated and time and was the also the first transactional office, hospitality, multi-family and other investments, syndications, fund formation, mezzanine loan originations, restructurings attorney to helm the firm. Under his assets located throughout the U.S., as well as development, leasing, financing, note and foreclosures, the acquisition and leadership, the firm has furthered its all types of related debt and equity financings. purchases and foreclosures. disposition of performing and non-performing commitment to the culture instilled in it by Ehrhart’s clients include private equity Kirsh began his career as a real estate loan portfolios, revolving credit facilities, its founders, who understood that providing funds and investment advisors, publicly traded attorney in the Los Angeles office of the and repurchase agreements for real estate excellent legal service and understanding REITs, privately held real estate companies global firm, Latham & Watkins, where he mortgage loans. clients’ businesses would be the core to the and international investors. He regularly practiced from 2000-2006. He then assisted Masenga is recognized nationally for his firm’s success. While many firms have yet advises foreign and domestic clients with with the opening of the Century City office of expertise in structuring and closing complex to rebound to pre-recession revenue levels, respect to the formation and capitalization of another international firm, Goodwin Procter real estate transactions for institutional Greenberg Glusker has had five of its best joint ventures in all matters of commercial LLP Procter, where he practiced from 2006- clients and is a frequent lecturer on real years since Baradaran took the helm. The real estate. He also represents clients in 2009. Andrew was a partner of the Beverly estate investment and financing. He has firm continues to grow in all key performance connection with recapitalization of operating Hills firm, Raines Feldman until 2013, when served as a panelist for, among others, the indicators, such as revenue, profits per equity companies and assets, raising new capital and he opened Sklar Kirsh LLP with co-founding National Association of Public Pension partner and headcount. the formation of related investment funds. partner, Jeff Sklar. Attorneys and the California Continuing Education of the Bar.
INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY
DR. DARIUSH MARC KALPANA ELLISEN ADLI FENSTER SRINIVASAN TURNER
Founder and President Partner Partner Managing Partner ADLI Law Group P.C. Russ August & Kabat Law Susman Godfrey LLP Irell & Manella LLP
r. Dariush Adli specializes in high- arc Fenster is a first chair trial lawyer, alpana Srinivasan tries high-stakes cases llisen Turner is the Managing Partner of stakes intellectual property and complex specializing in patent and other for plaintiffs and defendants in courtrooms Irell & Manella LLP. He also continues Dcommercial disputes. For more than two Mcomplex, high stakes litigation. He Kacross the country. A partner in the Los Eto practice full time in the Litigation and decades, Dr. Adli has successfully counseled earned BS and MS degrees in Bioengineering Angeles office and a member of the firm’s Intellectual Property practice groups. Ellisen and represented businesses in the U.S., at UC San Diego, and his JD from UCLA. Executive Committee, she has secured has represented and counseled clients in a Asia and Europe, from startup companies He then worked at Irell & Manella, where he significant victories for her clients in antitrust, broad range of commercial and intellectual to Fortune 500 corporations. In 2010, after specialized in patent litigation, working with patent, unfair competition, trade secret, property disputes in numerous federal years of successful practice at big law firms, Morgan Chu. In 2003, he joined Russ, August copyright, class action, and other disputes. courts, as well as in the International Trade he decided to act on his vision of offering & Kabat to start the patent litigation group Srinivasan recently won a $706.2 million Commission, the Patent Trial and Appeal clients the combination of high-quality work with the idea to build a world-class patent jury verdict for client HouseCanary in a Board, and the ICC International Court of typical of a major law firm with the access and litigation team. misappropriation of trade secret, fraud and Arbitration. His practice focuses primarily affordable fees of a boutique firm. Since 2003, RAK has grown to a leading breach of contract case. As co-lead counsel on entertainment and entertainment Dr. Adli is recognized as a premier patent litigation practice, specializing in on the high-stakes case, Srinivasan played a technology, software, telecom, semiconductor, strategist in patent, trademark, copyright representing patent holders and inventors. crucial role in this landmark win. Srinivasan’s biotechnology, and life sciences matters. and trade disputes and is widely sought after RAK currently has approximately 28 patent current representations include serving as Ellisen has handled patent and trade by businesses seeking effective strategies for litigators, and has consistently been ranked as Court-appointed interim co-lead counsel secret litigations, and contested patent office protecting their valuable intellectual property one of the top firms representing plaintiffs for for consumers impacted by anti-competitive proceedings, particularly inter partes reviews assets. In addition to his legal expertise, Dr. the last 5 years. Fenster has led multiple teams conduct in the market for mobile chipsets; (IPRs), through all phases including pre- Adli has a deep understanding of science and to trial, including recent wins over Apple in pursuing claims of trade secret infringement litigation, trial, and appeal. He also advises technology. He has a bachelor’s degree in Core Wireless v. Apple (Apple’s first lost in related to real estate analytics and appraisal companies on technology development and physics and mathematics and a master’s and a a patent case in California); Core Wireless v. software; and defending claims of patent commercialization and represents companies Ph.D. degree in Nuclear Engineering from the LG (first willfulness verdict in a SEP patent infringement involving computer security in bankruptcy and transactional matters, University of Michigan in Ann Arbor. case); and Realtime v. Riverbed. technology. In the past 18 months, Srinivasan including intellectual property transactions also secured two landmark class action and license negotiations. settlements.
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LABOR & EMPLOYMENT
HARRY I. TIMOTHY MARK TODD B. JOHNSON, III LONG NEUBAUER SCHERWIN
Partner Partner Shareholder Regional Managing Morgan, Lewis Orrick, Herrington & Carlton Fields Partner & Bockius LLP Sutcliffe, LLP Fisher Phillips, LLP
former Board Member of the National im Long is one of the few lawyers who uring Mark Neubauer’s 30-plus years s the regional Managing Partner of Labor Relations Board (NLRB), Harry I. has tried to verdict an employment class of practice, he has tried numerous jury Fisher Phillips’ Los Angeles office, A Johnson, III is now a partner in Morgan Taction, obtaining a complete defense Dand bench cases in both state and federal ATodd Scherwin has become one of Lewis’ labor and employment practice where verdict on behalf of a major retailer in a courts. Neubauer focuses on sophisticated California’s premier labor and employment he serves clients as a management-side matter in which the potential exposure litigation including commercial, securities, attorneys, known regionally and nationally defense lawyer, handling traditional labor exceeded $40 million. He went on to protect antitrust, real estate, employment, and for defending employers in all aspects of matters before the NLRB and the federal the verdict on appeal. In the wage-and-hour entertainment matters. employment litigation, including hot-button courts. He is also the labor and employment area, Long has litigated exemption, incentive Throughout his career, Neubauer has and highly publicized wage-hour laws and practice group leader for the firm’s Los compensation, independent contractor, off- achieved key litigation victories for some worker classification issues. Scherwin has held Angeles and Century City offices. the-clock and pay practice claims. He also of the world’s most well-known companies, the position of regional managing partner A 1994 graduate of Harvard Law School, has defeated class and collective certification protecting them from multi-million-dollar since 2013. Johnson brings to clients nearly 25 years (including at Stage One) in exemption, off- claims. He has applied these same skills to pro Scherwin represents employers in Private of experience practicing across the entire the-clock and pay practice cases. bono matters with lasting, positive impact on Attorney General Act (PAGA) actions and traditional union and labor field. He also Long has significant experience litigating Californians who could not otherwise seek class actions, employment discrimination, has experience in anti-union discrimination other complex employment and non- justice. As Carlton Fields’ Los Angeles office harassment, and retaliation claims, trade and coercion and successorship issues. employment matters, including employment Managing Shareholder, Neubauer has led the secret protection, and administrative Additionally, Johnson has significant discrimination and wrongful termination West Coast practice since the firm expanded proceedings. He has defended employers experience in California litigation and federal claims, and matters involving qui tam, trade into California in 2014. He was part of the in civil litigation in state and federal court, wage-hour cases and related wage-hour secret, white collar crime and environmental team that filed Cruz v. California, which including the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals compliance counseling. claims. exposed troubling practices at schools. and the United States Supreme Court.
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FINALISTS FIRM ATTORNEY AWARDS
LITIGATION ANGELA LOUIS R. ROLAND ALEX M. AGRUSA “SKIP” TELLIS WEINGARTEN
Partner MILLER Shareholder Partner DLA Piper Baron & Budd, P.C. Venable LLP Partner Miller Barondess, LLP
ngela Agrusa tries high-stakes complex trial lawyer with thirty lawyers overall in oland Tellis is head of Baron & lex Weingarten represents clients in commercial, class action and civil cases his firm, Skip Miller’s practice is diverse Budd’s Class Action Practice Group all facets of business litigation, with a Aon behalf of international brands, major A and includes, securities, employment, Rand co-manages the firm’s Los Angeles Aparticular emphasis on entertainment companies and prominent individuals. She corporate takeover, energy, investment Office. His practice focuses on complex, and trust litigation. He does not merely has earned a premier reputation as a brand banking, defamation/First Amendment, high-profile litigation, including consumer litigate cases and settle; he has a strong track crisis litigator with quantifiable success entertainment (motion pictures, television class actions, financial fraud, business torts, record of picking juries and winning verdicts. defending clients in marketing practices and and music), copyright, toxic tort, civil corporate misconduct, automobile defect, Clients look to Weingarten to handle high- branding litigation in a range of industries, rights, real estate, contract, partnership, food labeling, false advertising, securities profile cases, protect their integrity during the including entertainment, food and beverage, inverse condemnation, unfair competition, fraud and environmental contamination. very public litigation process, provide a fresh retail and hospitality. In the last five years administrative, energy, government, and He has held leadership roles in numerous approach, and suggest novel and overlooked alone, she has successfully defended brand other areas of law. multi-state, complex class action cases and strategies. He is aggressive about optimizing holders in over 50 putative class actions Miller represents clients ranging from has represented clients in many jury trials, results and prides himself on finding the most with combined potential exposure over $100 celebrities to Fortune 500 companies. Among including several involving hundreds of direct route to victory. Sometimes that means billion. entertainers, Miller has represented Rod millions of dollars. His legal expertise and finding a creative solution around a difficult Over the past several decades, Agrusa Stewart, Sean Connery, Axl Rose (Guns N track record of success has placed him in problem; sometimes it means bowling through and her team of business litigators have been Roses), Steven Tyler (Aerosmith), Don Felder leadership roles for some of the country’s most it. Over the past 18 months, he has tried and hired in some of the most high-profile cases (Eagles), Nikki Sixx and his band Motley high-profile cases. won four cases, and orchestrated favorable filed across the country, litigating in federal Crue, Steely Dan, the Tupac Shakur Estate, settlement outcomes in countless others. and state courts from New York to Florida and NBA All-Stars, and an NFL head coach. Weingarten is also a leader in the Los Massachusetts to Hawaii. Agrusa tries high- Miller is also litigation counsel for major cases Angeles legal community. After previous stakes complex commercial, class action and for the County of Los Angeles and its Board service as the Chair of the Jewish Federation civil cases on behalf of international brands, of Supervisors. He has represented companies of Los Angeles’ Legal Division, he now serves major companies and prominent individuals. including KB Home, SunCal, Prudential, as Chair of the Federation’s Community among others. Engagement Division and is a member of the Federation’s board of directors.
MERGERS AND ACQUISITIONS
ALISON S. JASON H. ANDREW J. MICHAEL A. RESSLER SILVERA WEIDHAAS WORONOFF
Partner Partner Partner & Co-Chair, Private Partner Sullivan & Cromwell LLP Latham & Watkins LLP Equity Group Proskauer Rose LLP Goodwin Procter LLP
s one of the foremost private equity legal ason H. Silvera is a Partner in the Los .J. Weidhaas is a Partner in and Co-Chair ichael Woronoff is head of the advisers, Alison Ressler, Co-Head of Angeles office and Co-Chair of Latham & of Goodwin Procter LLP’s Private Proskauer’s Los Angeles office and its ASullivan & Cromwell’s Private Equity JWatkins’ global Corporate Department. AEquity group, as well as a member of MWest Coast Corporate and Securities Group, has spent the past year successfully Silvera’s practice focuses on mergers and its Technology and Emerging Companies practice, co-head of the firm’s global Mergers steering significant, multi-stakeholder, acquisitions for private equity firms and practice. Weidhaas has previously served on & Acquisitions and Private Equity Groups, cross-border deals to closure. In her 35-year public and private companies in a broad the firm’s Executive Committee and as Chair and a former member of the Firm’s Executive career, she has built a high-profile practice range of industries, including retail, sports, of the New York Business Law Department. Committee. He represents purchasers, around blockbuster deals that have reshaped entertainment and media, internet and He specializes in private equity and venture sellers and financial advisors in public and industries and had an impact on the world at technology, real estate, defense, logistics, and capital investments, including growth equity private merger and acquisition transactions; large. manufacturing. investments, leveraged buyouts and leveraged underwriters, issuers, selling security holders, One example of her work is Syntel Inc.’s His recent private equity experience recapitalizations, going private transactions, and private investment funds and other $3.57 billion acquisition by Atos. Ressler includes representing Leonard Green & and mergers and acquisitions. investors, in public and private debt and represented Syntel, Inc., as it announced its Partners in its acquisitions of or investments Weidhaas’ experience ranges from equity financings; debtors, creditors, other agreement to be acquired by Atos S.E. in an in J. Crew Group Inc., Jo-Ann Stores, Troon the representation of early stage growth stakeholders and financial advisors in in-court all-cash transaction valued at approximately Golf, CharterNEX Films, IMS Health, companies and financings and buyouts in and out-of-court restructuring transactions; $3.57 billion, including Syntel’s net debt. The Scitor Corporation, CharterNEX, Caliber the micro-cap space through later stage and public and private entities and transaction was unanimously approved by Collision, Signet, Brickman Group, and growth equity investments and LBOs and individuals with respect to various corporate the full Board of Directors of Syntel based on Lucky Brand Dungarees and the dispositions the representation of Fortune 50 financial and securities law matters, including SEC the unanimous recommendation of a Special of David’s Bridal, Brickman Group, and Scitor institutions in strategic investments, reporting obligations, corporate governance, Committee of the Board. Ressler also recently Corporation. He also represented Platinum merchant banking activities and private and strategic alliances advised Loon, a Google X project working Equity in its acquisitions of Americatel M&A. His industry expertise includes Prior to joining Proskauer, Woronoff to bring the internet to people around the Corporation, US Robotics Corporation, and technology, healthcare, consumer products, was a Principal of Shelter Capital Partners, world using advanced air balloons, in its Geologic Solutions. Silvera also represented defense, real estate and financial services. a Southern California-based private separation from Google to establish Loon as Transom Capital in its acquisitions of Loud equity fund that invests in technology and an “Alphabet Company.” Technologies and A.T. Cross Company. technology-enabled businesses.
019-49_leaders_in_law_recap-supp.indd 44 10/25/18 2:41 PM OCTOBER 29, 2018 CUSTOM CONTENT – LOS ANGELES BUSINESS JOURNAL 45
congratulations to our 2018 firm attorney nominees
Dr. Dariush Adli, ADLI Law Group P.C. Barry Kurtz, Lewitt Hackman Angela C. Agrusa, DLA Piper Michael Leventhal, Holmes Weinberg, P.C. James L. Arnone, Latham & Watkins LLP Aaron Lewis, Covington & Burling LLP Ryan Baker, Baker Marquart LLP Timothy Long, Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe, LLP Bob Baradaran, Greenberg Glusker LLP Tre Lovell, The Lovell Firm, A Professional Law Corporation Brandon E. Barker, Mintz Levin Sarah M. Luetto, Hersh Mannis LLP Michele J. Beilke, Hunton Andrews Kurth LLP Mike Margolis, Blank Rome LLP Ivy Kagan Bierman, Loeb & Loeb LLP Nina Marino, Kaplan Marino, PC Jonathan Bloch, Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck, LLP Jaime Marquart, Baker Marquart LLP Mark A. Bonenfant, Buchalter Thomas J. Masenga, Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton LLP Susan J. Booth, Holland & Knight LLP Sanford L. Michelman, Michelman & Robinson, LLP Karie Boyd, Boyd Law, APC Darrell D. Miller, Fox Rothschild LLP Lee S. Brenner, Kelley Drye & Warren LLP Louis R. “Skip” Miller, Miller Barondess, LLP Brad D. Brian, Munger, Tolles & Olson LLP Ann Marie Mortimer, Hunton Andrews Kurth LLP Kimberly Buffington, Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP Haleh Colleen Naimi, Advocate Solutions, LLC Richard S. Busch, King & Ballow Mark A. Neubauer, Carlton Fields Christopher Caldwell, Boies Schiller Flexner LLP Richard P. Ormond, Buchalter Alexander Calfo, King & Spalding Dean Pappas, Goodwin Procter LLP Ronald R. Camhi, Michelman & Robinson, LLP Jackie Park, DLA Piper Ralph A. Campillo, Mintz Levin Daniel Passage, Winston & Strawn LLP Meryl K. Chae, Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP Nimish Patel, Mitchell Silberberg & Knupp, LLP Apalla U. Chopra, O’Melveny & Myers LLP Edward A. Perron, Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP Dawn T. Collins, Barnes & Thornburg Jennifer Post, Thompson Coburn LLP David M. deRubertis, The deRubertis Law Firm, APC Douglas Praw, Holland & Knight LLP Juan J. Dominguez, The Dominguez Firm Laura Reathaford, Blank Rome LLP Kevin M. Ehrhart, Kirkland & Ellis LLP Alison S. Ressler, Sullivan & Cromwell LLP Matthew Erramouspe, O’Melveny & Myers LLP Rick Richmond, Jenner & Block Mia Farber, Jackson Lewis P.C. Greg Robins, Latham & Watkins LLP Marc A. Fenster, Russ August & Kabat Law Michael Rosner, Sklar Kirsh LLP Alfred Fraijo, Jr., Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton LLP Laurae Rossi, Winston & Strawn LLP Jerome H. Friedberg, Isaacs Friedberg LLP Paul S. Rutter, Cozen O’Connor Yesenia M. Gallegos, Fox Rothschild LLP Robert A. Sacks, Sullivan & Cromwell LLP Stephen M. Garcia, Garcia & Artigliere Todd B. Scherwin, Fisher Phillips, LLP Jasmine Gevorkyan, Gevorkyan Law Firm Cheryl L. Schreck, Fisher Phillips, LLP Dale J. Giali, Mayer Brown Jeff E. Scott, Greenberg Traurig, LLP Lisa Gilford, Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP Christina Shaffer, Law Office of Christina Shaffer Patrick D. Harder, Nossaman LLP Jason H. Silvera, Latham & Watkins LLP Genie Harrison, Genie Harrison Law Firm Daniel Sinaiko, Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP Arash Hashemi, Law Offices of Arash Hashemi Christopher S. Spicer, Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP Terri Hilliard, Terri Hilliard, PC Kalpana Srinivasan, Susman Godfrey LLP Gerry Hinkley, Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP Julia Strickland, Stroock & Stroock & Lavan LLP Mark Holscher, Kirkland & Ellis LLP Olivier Taillieu, The Dominguez Firm Harry I. Johnson, III, Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP Roland Tellis, Baron & Budd, P.C. Mitchell A. Kamin, Covington & Burling LLP Bruce Tobey, O’Melveny & Myers LLP Franklin D. Kang, Polsinelli LLP Ellisen Turner, Irell & Manella LLP Richard Kaplan, Kaplan Marino, PC Andrew J. Weidhaas, Goodwin Procter LLP Andrew T. Kirsh, Sklar Kirsh LLP Alex M. Weingarten, Venable LLP Gregory W. Knopp, Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP Barry Weisz, Thompson Coburn LLP Eric M. Krautheimer, Sullivan & Cromwell LLP David Welch, D|R Welch Attorneys at Law Dana A. Kravetz, Michelman & Robinson, LLP Bart H. Williams, Proskauer Rose LLP Bethany W. Kristovich, Munger, Tolles & Olson LLP Michael A. Woronoff, Proskauer Rose LLP Kevin B. Kroeker, Crowell & Moring LLP Debra Wong Yang, Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP
019-49_leaders_in_law_recap-supp.indd 45 10/25/18 3:11 PM 46 LOS ANGELES BUSINESS JOURNAL – CUSTOM CONTENT OCTOBER 29, 2018
California Consumer Privacy Act and Its Impact
By LISA J. SOTTO, AARON P. SIMPSON � Definition of Consumer. The CCPA require a business, upon verifiable request from dacted personal information, as defined in the and BRITTANY M. BACON defines “consumer” as a natural person who is a a consumer, to delete personal information state’s breach notification law, if the business California resident. about the consumer which the business has failed “to implement and maintain reasonable n June 28, 2018, California Governor � Definition of Personal Information. Per- collected from the consumer and direct any security procedures and practices appropriate Jerry Brown signed the California Con- sonal information is defined broadly as “infor- service providers to delete the consumer’s per- to the nature of the information to protect Osumer Privacy Act of 2018 (“CCPA”), a mation that identifies, relates to, describes, is sonal information. the personal information.” The consumer may groundbreaking law that signals a shift in the capable of being associated with, or could rea- � Non-Discrimination and Financial bring an action to recover damages up to $750 data privacy regime in the U.S. and likely will sonably be linked, directly or indirectly, with a Incentives. Businesses cannot discriminate per incident or actual damages, whichever is require significant changes to businesses’ data particular consumer or household.” against consumers for exercising any of their greater. protection programs. On September 23, 2018, � Right to Know. Upon a verifiable request rights under the CCPA. Businesses can, how- For more information on the CCPA and a Governor Brown signed into law SB-1121, from a consumer, a Business must disclose (1) ever, offer financial incentives for the collec- variety of other cybersecurity and data privacy which makes limited substantive and technical the categories and specific pieces of personal tion, sale, or deletion of personal information. topics, please visit Hunton Andrews Kurth’s amendments to the CCPA. SB-1121 takes information the business has collected about � Disclosures. The CCPA will require Privacy & Information Security Law Blog at effect immediately, and delays the California that consumer; (2) the categories of sources Businesses to provide notice to consumers of huntonprivacyblog.com. Attorney General’s (“AG’s”) enforcement of from which the personal information is collect- their rights under the CCPA (e.g., the right the CCPA until six months after publication of ed; (3) the business or commercial purposes for to opt out of the sale of their personal infor- Lisa Sotto chairs Hunton Andrews Kurth’s Glob- the AG’s implementing regulations, or July 1, collecting or selling personal information; and mation), a list of the categories of personal al Privacy and Cybersecurity practice and has 2020, whichever comes first. (4) the categories of third parties with whom information collected about consumers in the received widespread recognition for her work in this Key provisions of the CCPA include: the business shares personal information. A preceding 12 months, and, where applicable, area. Lisa can be reached at LSotto@HuntonAK. � Applicability. The CCPA will apply to Business that sells a consumer’s personal infor- that the Business sells or discloses their person- com or (212) 309-1223. Aaron Simpson is a any for-profit business that (1) “does business mation or discloses it for a business purpose, al information. If the Business sells consumers’ partner with Hunton Andrews Kurth and leads the in the state of California”; (2) collects con- must also disclose (1) the categories of personal personal information or discloses it to third firm’s EU Data Protection and Privacy practice. sumers’ personal information (or on the behalf information that the business sold about the parties for a business purpose, the notice must Aaron can be reached at ASimpson@HuntonAK. of which such information is collected) and consumer; (2) the categories of third parties to also include lists of the categories of personal com or (212) 309-1126. Brittany Bacon is a that alone, or jointly with others, determines whom the personal information was sold (by information sold and disclosed about consum- partner with Hunton Andrews Kurth and focuses the purposes and means of the processing of category of personal information for each third ers, respectively. Businesses will be required on global privacy and data protection, with a par- consumers’ personal information; and (3) sat- party to whom the personal information was to make this disclosure in their online privacy ticular emphasis on cybersecurity events. Brittany isfies one or more of the following thresholds: sold); and (3) the categories of personal infor- notice. can be reached at [email protected] or (a) has annual gross revenues in excess of $25 mation that the business disclosed about the (212) 309-1361. million, (b) alone or in combination annually consumer for a business purpose. ENFORCEMENT buys, receives for the business’s commercial � Opt-Out. Businesses must provide a clear � The CCPA is enforceable by the Cali- purposes, sells, or shares for commercial pur- and conspicuous link on their website that fornia AG and authorizes a civil penalty up to poses, the personal information of 50,000 or says, “Do Not Sell My Personal Information,” $2,500 for each violation or $7,500 for each more consumers, households or devices, or (c) and provide consumers a mechanism to opt intentional violation. derives 50 percent or more of its annual reve- out of the sale of their personal information, a � The CCPA provides a private right of nue from selling consumers’ personal informa- decision which the Business must respect. action only in connection with certain breach- tion (collectively, “Businesses”). � Right to Deletion. The CCPA will es of a consumer’s nonencrypted or nonre- Sotto Simpson Bacon
Los Angeles County Bar Association Introduces “ADMITTED,” a Podcast for Future leaders in Law
his summer, the Los Angeles County Bar Association (LACBA), in conjunction with its Barristers Section for new and young attorneys, launched “ADMITTED,” a new podcast Twhich assembles experiences, tips, and insights from practicing attorneys to help law students prepare for legal careers and make a successful transition from law school to legal professional. Each monthly episode of “ADMITTED” will feature interviews with a diverse group of LACBA members reflecting on and sharing their personal experiences from graduating law school to finding their place in the legal landscape. The pilot episode of “ADMITTED” examined the role that “Networking and Getting Involved” has in helping law students establish peer-to-peer connections and gain experience which can have a critical role when it comes to building or advancing their careers. Barrister’s President Jeanne Nishimoto, Barrister’s President Elect Jessica G. Gordon, Barrister’s Executive Committee Member Diana A. Sanders, along with Mary Mucha, director of LACBA’s Immigration Legal Assistance Project and Andrew Culberson, director of LACBA’s Veterans Legal Services Project, share their personal experiences as to how networking has impacted their careers and the practical legal experience new and young lawyers can gain by volunteering with one of LACBA’s legal services projects. “ADMITTED” is currently available online on the iTunes Podcasts platform. Those interested in receiving notification of future episodes can subscribe to the podcast via iTunes at lacba.org/itunes. The Los Angeles County Bar Association (LACBA) is one of the largest voluntary metropolitan bar associations in the nation and has more than 15,000 members. LACBA is engaged in advancing the administration of justice and meeting the professional needs of lawyers.
For more information on LACBA, visit lacba.org.
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Leave the Gun, Take the Cannoli: A Brief Primer on the Qualified Opportunity Zones Program
By SUSAN BOOTH and DOUG PRAW the Program does not have any “like-kind” 70% of its assets are tangible property located gains treatment will inure to QOF investments exchange requirement. Instead the Program in a QOZ, in each instance excluding certain until December 31, 2047. his classic line from The Godfather, strange- provides tax benefits to investors who receive “immoral” businesses. The final terms of the Program are still being ly comes to mind in light of a new federal short or long-term capital gains from any source Taxes on capital gains which are reinvested developed, but a revenue ruling and the first set Tprogram that allows for the deferral of cap- (including real estate, stocks and bonds), and in a QOF within the requisite time period will of regulations, both released ital gains taxes. “Leave the Taxes. Invest in reinvests those gains (in certain cases, the gain be deferred until the earlier to occur of Decem- on October 19, 2018 by the the Property” is essentially the mantra of the recognized by a partnership may be reinvested ber 31, 2026 or the date of disposition of the Internal Revenue Service, recently enacted Qualified Opportunity Zone by the partners in the partnership) in a “Quali- QOF investment. If the QOF investment is have provided some clarity. program (the “Program”). The Program, passed fied Opportunity Fund” within 180 days follow- held for at least five years, the basis of the rein- Further guidance is expected into law in December of 2017, as part of the Tax ing the sale that generated those gains (in some vested capital gains will be increased by 10%, by the end of this year. In the Cuts and Jobs Act, provides an investor with instances, the 180 days may be triggered off of a and if it is held for at least seven years, then meantime, billions of dollars the ability to defer taxes on capital gains. It also later date). the basis will be increased by a total of 15%. In Booth are being invested into QOFs provides an investor with the ability to reduce A Qualified Opportunity Fund (“QOF”) is a each instance, the amount of capital gains will waiting for the final rulings or even eliminate taxes on capital gains in cer- corporation or partnership (and possibly a lim- be determined using a basis equal to the lesser and eventual deployment into tain instances. ited liability company treated as a partnership of the original basis (subject to any 10% or 15% QOZs. The goal of the Program (26 U.S.C. §1400Z) for federal income tax purposes) which holds basis increase) and the fair market value of the is to encourage long-term investment in des- at least 90% of its assets (the 90% threshold is QOF investment. Susan Booth and Doug Praw are ignated low-income communities called Qual- tested and certified within 180 days after the If an investor holds his QOF investment for partners at Holland & Knight ified Opportunity Zones (“QOZ”). These are QOF is qualified, and thereafter on the last day at least ten years, the tax basis of the investment Praw LLP. Learn more at hklaw.com. low-income census tracts nominated by a state’s of each calendar year) in Qualified Opportunity will be adjusted to equal the fair market value of governor and certified by the U.S. Treasury Zone Business Property (“QOZP”), whether the QOF investment at the time of its sale, thus Per Treasury Department Circular 230: Any U.S. federal tax Department. There are 878 opportunity zones directly or as an equity (not debt) investment. eliminating any capital gains thereon. While a advice contained in this article (including any references here- in California and 8,700 throughout the United “QOZP” includes both tangible property QOZ designation lasts only until the end of the in) is not intended or written to be used, and cannot be used, for the purpose of (i) avoiding penalties under the Internal States. (including real estate) used in a business located tenth calendar year following its designation, Revenue Code or (ii) promoting, marketing or recommending Unlike the requirements of a 1031 exchange, in a QOZ as well as a business in which at least the Program provides that the beneficial capital to another party any transaction or matter addressed herein.
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Congratulations To Our Colleague Los Angeles Business Journal Leaders in Law 2018 Litigation Attorney of the Year Award
Jeff E. Scott • Co-Chair, Global Litigation Practice • Co-Managing Shareholder, Los Angeles O ce
The hiring of a lawyer is an important decision and should not be based solely upon advertisements. Before you decide, ask us to send you free written information about our qualifications and our experience. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome. Greenberg Traurig is a service mark and trade name of Greenberg Traurig, LLP and Greenberg Traurig, P.A. ©2018 Greenberg Traurig, LLP. Attorneys at Law. All rights reserved. °These numbers are subject to fl uctuation. 31557
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LACBA Domestic Violence Legal Services Project Receives $10,000 Grant Attorneys
arlier this year, Counsel for Justice (CFJ) served abused litigants in a creative and pro-ac- ciation of Certified Family Law Specialists raise funds for the purpose of making monetary announced that the Los Angeles County Bar tive manner,” said Foundation President Joseph (ACFLS), an independent non-profit organi- grants to persons and/or entities who are work- EAssociation (LACBA) Domestic Violence J. Bell. “We believe that this award will have a zation composed of certified family law spe- ing to enhance access to justice, to provide Legal Services Project (DVP) was awarded a substantial positive effect on the Domestic Vio- cialists dedicated to promoting and preserving family law-related education, and/or to improve $10,000 grant by the Association of Certified lence Legal Services Project’s ability to directly the practice of family law in California. In the California family law process for affected Family Law Specialists Foundation (Founda- serve an increasing number of clients.” 2014, Los Angeles family law Judge Thomas persons, families, or groups in need, and to tion) to support its efforts to provide pro bono Last year alone, DVP staff and volunteers Trent Lewis, an ACFLS fellow, suggested that carry on other charitable activities associated legal services to victims of domestic violence guided 4,222 clients through the complex ACFLS consider a greater legacy and do some- with these goals as determined by the Board of and elder abuse in Los Angeles County. and difficult processes of obtaining temporary thing to positively support not just ACFLS Directors and allowed by law. “We are extremely grateful to the Asso- restraining orders, stay-away orders, move-out members, but all those who come in contact Counsel for Justice brings together law ciation of Certified Family Law Specialists orders, child custody and visitation orders, and with California family courts. The Foundation firms, foundations, corporations, donors, Foundation for awarding this $10,000 grant support orders. was created as a separate entity from ACFLS. and volunteers in support of a more just LA. to support the efforts of LACBA’s Domestic “Our involvement at a crucial point in Grants such as those awarded to DVP are due Together, we stand at the forefront of providing Violence Legal Services Project to help clients the process assures both access to the court to the generosity of ACFLS members who are equal access to legal services in our community take their first step to breaking away from their and resolution of petitions in a timely manner, encouraged to donate an amount equal to one by raising funds and directly contributing at the abuser,” said CFJ President Mark Garscia. relieving an enormous burden from the court billable hour each year. frontlines of justice in four key areas: domestic “This $10,000 is one of the largest awards the attempting to process what would otherwise be DVP operates out of Room 235 at the Stan- violence, support of our veterans, immigration Foundation has granted and will support DVP’s an incomplete or inaccurate petition, which ley Mosk Courthouse in downtown Los Ange- assistance and AIDS services. With over 50 efforts to meet the ever increasing demand for could result in delay of protection orders being les, Monday through Thursday from 8:00 a.m. years of service as the charitable arm of the Los TROs and other services for victims of domes- issued,” said DVP Director Sara Rondon. to noon and 1:00 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.; and on Angeles County Bar Association, our efforts tic violence.” “Without the help of our pro bono volunteers, Friday from 8:00 a.m. to noon. For more infor- have raised millions of dollars in giving and “The Association of Certified Family Law many of the people DVP sees would find these mation, please visit www.lacba.org/dvp. impacted hundreds of thousands of lives with Specialists Foundation selected LACBA’s complex petitions intimidating and daunting, Since it was founded 35 years ago, DVP has better, more powerful paths to justice. Domestic Violence Legal Services Project leaving many to feel hopeless with nowhere helped more than 100,000 clients. to receive this grant because it is effectively else to turn.” The Certified Family Law Specialists Foun- For more information on LACBA, visit providing needed services to diverse and under- The Foundation was formed by the Asso- dation’s mission is to solicit donations and to lacba.org
Inspiring Leadership
We are pleased to congratulate Kim Matthews of Hot Topic, recipient of a 2018 Leaders in Law Corporate Counsel Award, and Mintz’s own Brandon Barker and Ralph Campillo, nominees in the Attorney Award category. We applaud all of this year’s nominees and recipients.
Congratulations Kevin Kroeker
Recognized by the Los Angeles Business Journal
mintz.com as a 2018 Healthcare Leader in Law Finalist
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LACBA Offers Independent Juvenile Defender Program
he Los Angeles County Bar Association academic and entitlement advocacy.” support. of IJDP clients; (LACBA), one of the largest voluntary “Before IJDP, appointed counsel was Prior to accepting the appointment as � A resource attorney to provide attorneys Tmetropolitan bar associations in the coun- required to provide all ancillary resourc- directing attorney, Yamashiro was a profes- support on entitlements issues ranging from try, last year established the LACBA Inde- es from a single fee awarded by the court, sor and founding executive director of the academic support to mental health services pendent Juvenile Defender Program (IJDP) approximately $350. Further, the attorneys Center for Juvenile Law and Policy at Loyola and foster care, in addition to carrying his in partnership with Los Angeles County to had to petition the courts for funds to provide Law School, where he established the first own caseload; provide legal services to youth charged with their clients with social workers, investigators, juvenile delinquency policy and defense legal � A social worker to prepare bio-psycho- crimes in the Los Angeles County juvenile and appellate counsel. Now, these resources clinic and taught classes in advanced criminal social assessments of youth and their families delinquency system. are readily available to them through our pro- litigation skills, juvenile law, and trial advo- for use in developing the guilt and disposition “We are extremely pleased to work with gram,” Yamashiro added. cacy. Yamashiro has also been published in stages of their cases, and to oversee a network the County of Los Angeles to create the IJDP attorneys are available on site daily the area of indigent defense delivery systems of juvenile- specific social workers to provide Independent Juvenile Defender Program. This at each of the eight Juvenile Delinquency and how different systems affect dispositional support for IJDP clients; and innovative approach will provide a wide range Districts of the Los Angeles Superior Court outcomes. � An investigator who carries her own of social welfare and legal services, with the - Compton, Eastlake, Inglewood, Lancaster, An experienced criminal trial attorney, caseload and coordinates a network of investi- goal of reducing recidivism among juvenile Long Beach, Los Padrinos, Pomona, and Yamashiro had his own criminal defense gators who are juvenile specialists. offenders,” said LACBA President Margaret Sylmar. In instances when both the Public practice and served as a Los Angeles County Yamashiro estimates IJDP will handle up P. Stevens. Defender and Alternate Public Defender are Deputy Public Defender. He has tried 52 cases to 2,000 cases per year. Attorneys who are IJDP’s Directing Attorney, Cyn Yamashiro, conflicted out of a case, IJDP attorneys will to jury and litigated over 200 bench trials interested in joining IJDP should contact said, “We are implementing a best-practices represent the juvenile defendant. in municipal, juvenile, and superior court. Tracy Andrade, IJDP Program Coordinator, at and holistic mode of representing youth. Current IJDP attorneys are experienced L.A. County Supervisor Mark Ridley Thom- [email protected] or (213) 896-6429. LACBA’s Independent Juvenile Defender criminal defense attorneys who have exten- as appointed Yamashiro to the Los Angeles Program integrates psychological and familial sive juvenile and adult trial experience. Those County Probation Commission, where he The Los Angeles County Bar Association assessments to identify the core reasons the attorneys who wish to join IJDP must com- served as president for two years. (LACBA) is one of the largest voluntary metro- minor has come into contact with the juve- plete a specific curriculum designed to insure Yamashiro leads an in-house staff of eight, politan bar associations in the nation, with nearly nile justice system. In addition, IJDP provides competence in the juvenile delinquency sys- including: 18,000 members. LACBA is engaged in advanc- our attorneys with ancillary resources to sup- tem. Additionally, LACBA hosts brown bag/ � A writs and appeals attorney to answer ing the administration of justice and meeting the port their clients, including social workers, office hours for attorneys new to the program, practice questions and provide written legal professional needs of lawyers. For more informa- investigators, writs and appellate support, and and provides ongoing training and real-time support for attorneys and file writs on behalf tion on LACBA, visit lacba.org.
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1 2 3 AT THE EVENT 1 Diamond sponsor Tom Wingard (Alston & Bird LLP)
2 Platinum sponsor Betsy Johnson (Ogletree, Deakins, Nash, Smoak & Stewart, P.C.)
3 Finalist Peter E. Braveman (Cedars Sinai Medical Center), Mariam Braveman, winner Edward A. Perron (Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP)
4 Finalist Francesca Brooks (Century Group)
5 Gold sponsors Martha Tuma, Debora Vrana, Paul Weiss (City National Bank)
6 Winner Gerry Hinkley (Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pitman LLP)
7 Platinum sponsor Dave Thomas (Blank Rome LLP)
8 Sarah Redzikowski Wilhelmina (Polsinelli LLP) and nominee Franklin Kang (Polsinelli LLP) 4 5 6 9 Winner Nicole Duckett and Marcus Banks (L.A. Clippers)
10 Finalist Thomas Wehinger (Regent, LP)
11 Finalist Nicole Diaz (Snap, Inc) and Gold sponsors Stacy Horth-Neubert, Jason Russell (Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP)
12 Diamond sponsors Jeff Rosenfeld, Rachel Lowe, Sean Crain (Alston & Bird LLP)
7 8 9 10
11 12
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