John Dominic Drdek joined Hahn Loeser & Parks LLP as associate in San Diego.

Drdek has handled a broad range of high-stakes cases, including multi-million dollar contract disputes, labor and employment issues, and class action lawsuits. He plays an integral role in all stages of the litigation process, from fighting complaints and managing discovery issues to arguing substantive motions and advocating at trial. Along with the state of California, Drdek is admitted to practice in the Southern, Central, Northern, and Eastern Districts of California. Drdek also serves as a Lieutenant Commander in the U.S. Navy Reserve. He deployed with Special Operations Joint Task Force to Afghanistan in 2012.

Steven B. Weisburd was promoted to managing partner of Carlton Fields, P.A. in Los Angeles.

Weisburd has represented businesses and individuals in federal and state courts in California and across the country, including class actions, business disputes, mass torts, MDLs, product liability, and other complex civil litigation, for clients in the consumer products industry, mass media and entertainment industries, technology industries, and financial services industry. A skilled litigator and legal strategist, he has amassed a long track record of winning high-profile cases and derailing high-stakes litigation, including multibillion-dollar disputes.

Dylan T. Rupchock joined Holden Law Group as associate in Auburn.

Rupchock is an employment law attorney and an adept problem solver, who takes pride in providing employers with practical ways to reduce exposure, avoid litigation, and make wise business decisions.

Kelley T. Tran joined Miller Barondess, LLP as associate in Los Angeles.

Kelley represents individuals and entities in a wide range of complex disputes, including business litigation, employment claims, fraud actions, and healthcare regulatory matters.

Edward G. Poplawski joined Baker & Hostetler LLP as partner in Los Angeles.

Poplawski focuses his practice on patent litigation, including jury trials and proceedings before the International Trade Commission. Recognized as one of the nation's leading trial lawyers, he has litigated and tried high-profile cases involving trade secret misappropriation, trademark, and copyright infringement, and antitrust violations for clients.

Olivia M. Kim joined Baker & Hostetler LLP as partner in Los Angeles.

Kim is the leader of the Los Angeles IP Group and an IP trial lawyer, concentrating her practice on complex patent litigation, including contentious competitor cases. She has a national trial practice, including trials in California, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, New York and Texas, and has significant experience in examining and cross-examining critical lay and expert witnesses.

Matthew C. Douglas was promoted to shareholder of Seltzer Caplan McMahon Vitek in San Diego.

Douglas' practice focuses on corporate finance, mergers & acquisitions, corporate governance, compliance with securities laws, and general business matters. He represents private and public companies in a wide range of industries, including real estate, technology, finance, apparel, health care, food services and more. He has extensive experience in advising companies at all stages - from startups seeking initial venture capital financing to established companies obtaining additional capital to pursue strategic opportunities or fund ongoing operations.

David L. Dick joined Crosbie Gliner Schiffman Southard & Swanson LLP as of counsel in San Diego.

A commercial real estate transactional attorney, Dick has represented some of Southern California's highest-profile commercial and residential developers and technology companies in matters such as land and commercial property acquisition, development planning and government entitlements, equity, debt and structured financing, leasing, disposition, risk management, and dispute resolution.

Timothy G. Poydenis joined Holland & Knight LLP as partner in Century City.

Poydenis advises companies throughout all stages of their corporate lifecycle, from formation to exit, as well as venture capital firms and strategic investors in connection with their investments in these companies. He has significant experience working with start-ups and growth-stage companies and advises them on all aspects of formation, fundraising, acquisitions, exits, and corporate governance. Poydenis represents clients in the technology market across a variety of industries, including real estate ("PropTech"), digital health and wellness, clean technology, sports and entertainment, advertising, music, Web3, AI, marketing, food and beverages, lending and financial services, insurance, and many others.

Joshua M. Henderson joined Jackson Lewis P.C. as principal in San Francisco.

Henderson's labor relations experience includes NLRB litigation, collective bargaining, due diligence in connection with corporate mergers and acquisitions, arbitrations, union elections and related litigation. Additionally, through his national workplace safety and health practice, he provides strategic and practical advice on compliance with workplace safety regulations and defends employers in OSHA litigation in California and across the U.S.

Amir Benakote was promoted to of counsel of Kaufman Dolowich & Voluck LLP in Los Angeles.

Benakote represents employers in litigation matters before federal and state courts and administrative agencies. He has substantial experience trying individual cases, including a two-week Labor Code misrepresentation/defamation claim and an ADA compliance/discrimination claim in which he obtained a defense verdict. He also maintains an active pro bono practice assisting indigent pro se litigants who represent themselves in federal court.

Laura L. Campbell was promoted to of counsel of Kaufman Dolowich & Voluck LLP in San Francisco.

Campbell focuses her practice on real estate transactional work and residential and commercial land use matters. She routinely assists clients in co-ownership agreements such as Tenancy-In-Common agreements and has been actively expanding the firm's practice areas to include San Francisco land use. In addition, Campbell has served as lead counsel on matters of first impression at the San Francisco Rent Board relating to newly passed legislation governing the development of Alternate Dwelling Units

Morgan Cahill-Marsland was promoted to of counsel of Kaufman Dolowich & Voluck LLP in San Francisco.

Cahill-Marsland focuses her practice on real estate transaction and litigation matters. She represents property owners, landlords, lenders, real estate brokers/age, tenancy-in-common parties, homeowners' associations and developers. She has successfully defended many real estate disputes including partitions, purchase sale disputes, unlawful detainers and HOA disputes.

Arthur S. Gaus was promoted to partner of Kaufman Dolowich & Voluck LLP in San Francisco.

Gaus focuses his practice on labor and employment, civil rights, data privacy, and commercial litigation matters. He defends clients in class-action labor and employment claims, including FEHA discrimination, harassment, retaliation, wrongful termination, wage and hour, collective Private Attorneys General Act (PAGA) actions, actions arising out of Collective Bargaining Agreements, as well as administrative actions before the Department of Labor Standards Enforcement and the Worker’s Compensation Appeals Board. Gaus’ case victories include the published Ninth Circuit decision in Whitaker v. Tesla and more recently Whitaker v. Mind Games, LLC.

Emilio Rojo joined Hoge Fenton Jones & Appel as associate in San Jose.

Rojo's practice focuses on mergers and acquisitions, assisting clients with forming business entities, and corporate governance.

Katherine Hight was promoted to partner of Howarth & Smith in Los Angeles.

Hight's transactional experience includes serving as outside general counsel for small to midsize business concerns, as well as consulting on brownfield redevelopment projects. She has also handled estate and business succession planning for individuals and closely held businesses facing environmental contamination liability.

Benjamin C. Lau was promoted to principal of Jackson Lewis P.C. in Los Angeles.

Lau focuses his practice on representing employers in corporate law matters, including global mobility issues and developing internal immigration policies. He assists employers in navigating the complexities of U.S. immigration law, including international travel and long-term immigration planning.

Erika M. Barbara was promoted to principal of Jackson Lewis P.C. in Sacramento.

Barbara focuses her practice on representing employers in workplace law matters, providing clients with preventive advice and counseling, handbook reviews, and trainings. She handles all scopes of workplace-related claims and assists employers in investigating and responding to administrative complaints before the California Department of Fair Employment and Housing and the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.

Evan D. Beecher was promoted to principal of Jackson Lewis P.C. in Sacramento.

Beecher focuses his practice on representing management in all types of employment disputes in both state and federal court as well as in arbitration and administrative hearings. He defends employers in wage and hour matters, including class and representative action lawsuits.

Dominique L. Windberg was promoted to principal of Jackson Lewis P.C. in San Francisco.

Windberg focuses her practice on representing employers in traditional labor and employment law matters, including union elections and unfair labor practice charges. She has defended companies against unfair labor practice charges and litigation brought by labor unions before the National Labor Relations Board and in labor arbitrations.

Gabriel N. Rubin was promoted to principal of Jackson Lewis P.C. in San Francisco.

Rubin focuses his practice on representing employers in a broad range of employment law matters He also advises managers on preventive litigation practices, focusing on how to comply with applicable laws and regulations, avoid workplace disputes, resolve employee relations problems, and satisfy legitimate employee expectations.

Jonathan P. Schmidt was promoted to principal of Jackson Lewis P.C. in Orange County.

Schmidt focuses his practice on representing employers in workplace law matters, including preventive advice and counsel. He has experience defending employers in workplace law matters, as well as prosecuting and defending companies in complex contractual disputes and business tort cases.

Monica H. Bullock was promoted to principal of Jackson Lewis P.C. in Riverside.

Bullock focuses her practice on employment litigation on behalf of management and provides advice and counsel on all facets of labor and employment law. Her practice has encompassed the representation of varied employers in the retail, health care, service, intellectual property, and insurance industries. Her experience includes all facets of wrongful termination, employment discrimination, and workplace harassment litigation, as well as wage and hour matters.

Michael Gerald joined Loeb & Loeb as partner in Los Angeles.

Gerald's practice focuses on executive compensation and employee benefits and encompasses matters related to equity compensation, deferred compensation, qualified retirement, and welfare benefits. He also advises clients on executive compensation and employee benefits issues related to mergers and acquisitions, workforce reductions, and corporate restructurings.

Hillary R. Sledge-Sarnor joined Greenberg Traurig, LLP as shareholder in Los Angeles.

Sledge-Sarnor advises U.S. and foreign financial institutions and their holding companies on a wide range of financial regulatory, transactional, corporate governance, and compliance matters. When Japan-based MUFG Bank divested from its North American retail assets, Sledge-Sarnor was instrumental in the negotiation of the definitive agreement and related documentation for the deal, overhauling the governance framework and overseeing regulatory aspects of the $8 billion sale of MUFG Union Bank, N.A. to another large bank in the U.S.

Elizabeth Sperling joined Glaser Weil Fink Howard Avchen & Shapiro LLP as partner in San Diego.

Sperling has extensive trial, arbitration and appellate experience in a broad range of litigation matters involving class actions, business torts, unfair business practices and related consumer protection actions (Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA), Equal Credit Opportunity Act (ECOA), Truth in Lending Act (TILA), Consumer Legal Remedies Act (CLRA)); unfair debt collection practices; state attorneys general investigations and litigation; and products liability and complex toxic tort cases.

Robert L. Handler joined Blank Rome LLP as senior counsel in Los Angeles.

Handler focuses his practice on the representation of middle-market private businesses and their high-net-worth owners on a wide range of matters, including structuring and forming businesses; commercial financing; purchases, sales, financing, and leasing of real estate; mergers and acquisitions; and licensing intellectual property. He frequently serves as outside general counsel to such businesses. Over the course of his career, Handler has represented companies from sole proprietors to the Fortune 500, spanning commercial banking, finance, film production, fashion design and manufacturing, commodities, commercial leasing, and more.

Russell P. Cohen joined Dechert LLP as partner in San Francisco.

Cohen focuses his practice on antitrust and unfair competition disputes, venture capital and other high-stakes litigation, particularly in the technology sector. He has represented market-leading companies, including Microsoft Corporation, Netflix Inc., LinkedIn and Zillow Group, in federal and state court and arbitration proceedings.

Kristi Blackwell was promoted to regional managing partner of Tyson & Mendes LLP in San Diego.

Blackwell is the firm's California regional manager, overseeing San Diego, Los Angeles, Orange County, Fresno, and Northern California from the firm's San Diego headquarters. She is an experienced litigator who also leads the firm's Retail, Restaurant, and Hospitality practice group, representing some of the largest chain retailers and hotel companies in the country. She focuses her practice on general liability, personal injury, premises liability, and complex litigation.

Natalie Maples was promoted to partner of Nossaman in Irvine.

Maples advises clients on a wide spectrum of real estate transactions. She counsels and negotiates on behalf of clients on issues related to site acquisition and development, land use, leasing and ground leasing, and due diligence matters, including a comprehensive review of title and survey matters and title curative action. She has experience serving as lead counsel in the purchase and sale of commercial, mixed-use, industrial, and vacant land, as real estate counsel in complex mergers and acquisitions transactions, and representing landlords and tenants negotiating and drafting leases and ground leases. She has direct experience with the unique issues presented in the acquisition and leasing of medical office buildings and hospitals; national restaurant chains; ground leasing and site development for a national gas station operator and a regional car wash operator; as well as leasing and acquisitions for telecommunications providers.

Pavneet Singh Mac was promoted to partner of Nossaman in Irvine.

Mac is based out of the Orange County office. He specializes in all things employment law, including the various legal nuances which affect the healthcare, nonprofit, technology, manufacturing, transportation and logistics industries. He defends employers in all aspects of employment litigation, including high stakes wage and hour class, collective and representative actions, wrongful termination, retaliation, discrimination and harassment disputes. Pavneet also has extensive experience conducting independent investigations of workplace harassment claims and counseling employers and their respective employees on how to proactively avoid employment-related lawsuits.

Kimberly L. Rivera was promoted to managing partner of california offices of Foley Mansfield in Los Angeles (Monrovia) and Walnut Creek.

Rivera focuses her work on the defense of complex product liability, toxic tort, environmental and other general liability litigation. She manages high-risk product liability and talc manufacture claims for the firms Fortune 100 and 500 clients through trial and resolution. She has served as national coordinating counsel for major friction clients against toxic tort, asbestos, products liability, and premises liability cases from inception to trial. Rivera is also experienced in a range of insurance defense matters.

Nicholas M. Gross was promoted to partner of Foley & Lardner LLP in Los Angeles.

Gross is a commercial trial attorney with Foley & Lardner LLP. He is a member of the firm's Business Litigation & Disputes Resolution Practice Group as well as the Energy and Health Care sectors. His practice focuses on complex commercial litigation with extensive experience representing real estate developers and landlords as well as private and public entities, healthcare facilities and administrators, directors, officers, financial institutions and other parties in disputes.

Adam Hepworth was promoted to partner of Foley & Lardner LLP in Los Angeles.

Hepworth's practice focuses on Medicaid, privacy, and health care fraud and abuse laws. He has represented hospitals, Federally Qualified Health Centers, and other providers in administrative appeals, overpayment investigations, and self-disclosures. He has also counseled on legal issues involving the social determinants of health, and worked on legislation addressing Medicaid, information sharing, and FQHC reimbursement.

Galen Yu

Yu is an intellectual property law attorney with Foley & Lardner LLP. He is a member of the firm's Electronics Practice Group. His practice focuses on counseling clients on effective management and protection of electronics, software, and emerging Internet technology patent portfolios, as well as providing comprehensive legal services that help clients to obtain, protect, and add value to their IP assets.

Michael P. Calabrese was promoted to partner of Foley & Lardner LLP in Los Angeles.

Michael is a member of the firm's Transactions and Labor & Employment Practice Groups. His practice focuses on providing sophisticated legal advice on the issues most important to public and private entities, including investments by institutional investors such as pension funds, fiduciary matters, public agency ethics laws, sunshine laws, and procurement and contracting.

Eric Chow was promoted to partner of Foley & Lardner LLP in Silicon Valley.

Chow is a member of Foley's Transactions Practice Group and its Innovative Technology Sector. His practice areas are public and private mergers and acquisitions, investments, joint ventures, and other corporate transactions, with a focus on the Northern California market. He is also experienced in cross-border transactions and speaks fluent Mandarin and Cantonese and conversational Portuguese.