Recent Representative Transactions

The opening of Steptoe & Johnson’s office in Los Angeles (Century City).

The Century City office of Steptoe & Johnson launched in July 2006 by partners from the litigation practice of Alschuler Grossman Stein and Kahan of Los Angeles—including Mark Neubauer, Katessa Charles Davis, Rebecca Edelson, Meredith Moss and Michael Heimbold—and Seong Hwan Kim, formerly a partner in the litigation practice at Christensen Glaser in Los Angeles. In November 2006, the firm acquired an IP group of four lawyers headed by patent lawyer Robert Kovelman. Kovelman, formerly a partner and chair of the IP Department in the L.A. office of Brown Raysman, joins Steptoe & Johnson along with of counsel Brooke Quist and associates Vanessa Owen and Andrew Chen . All of the lawyers who have joined Steptoe were placed by Watanabe & Nason, LLC.

The opening of Mintz Levin’s San Diego office.

Watanabe & Nason serves as strategic consultants to Mintz Levin in their California expansion efforts. Joining Mintz Levin from Fish & Richardson are partners Eddie Rodriguez, the Head of the Corporate and Securities Group; Craig Hunsaker, the Managing Partner of Fish and Richardson’s San Diego office; Lance Kurata; James Cleary; Carl Kukkonen, and Of Counsel Jeremy Hayden. Also joining Mintz Levin’s San Diego office from Fish & Richardson are six associates and Marketing Director David Salisbury.

McGuireWoods opens office in Los Angeles with Van Etten Suzumoto & Becket merger.

McGuireWoods has 750 lawyers in 13 domestic offices and two international offices. Van Etten Suzumoto & Becket was founded in 1996 by former partners of Pillsbury Winthrop (formerly known for real estate transactions, L&E, and complex business litigation). All 16 of Van Etten's partners will join McGuireWoods as partners with the firm.

Prominent securities litigator Bruce Vanyo with Katten Muchin in Los Angeles

Vanyo will join Katten Muchin as Partner and Co-Chair of the Securities Litigation Practice. He will also join the firm's Board of Directors. In 2005 he was selected as one of Lawdragon 500's leading lawyers in the U.S., one of the top 20 lawyers in CA, and one of the top 10 litigators in the U.S. Court of Appeals Ninth Circuit.

Merger of Stephan, Oringher, Richman & Theodora with Miller & Holguin

In a classic case study of merging practice needs, the predominately litigation driven 50-attorney firm Stephan, Oringher, Richman, Theodora has joined forces with 15-attorney corporate boutique Miller & Holguin. Headquartered in Century City, the new firm boasts in excess of 60 attorneys between Los Angeles and its Costa Mesa office. The firm now known as Stephan, Oringher, Richman, Theodora & Miller will have particular expertise in serving healthcare clientele with SORT's significant healthcare litigation practice complimenting Miller & Holguin's extensive healthcare regulatory and transactional practice.

Mintz Levin opens office in Palo Alto with the Reed IP Law Group merger.

Dianne Reed, founder and managing partner of the Reed IP Law Group, a prominent firm with extensive experience representing clients in the life sciences and technology sectors, along with approximately 10 other attorneys and agents will join Mintz Levin. The acquisition is the first in the 73-year history of Mintz Levin, which was founded in Boston in 1933 and has grown to more than 450 attorneys.

The opening of Paul Hasting's San Diego office with the acquisition of 8 partners and 30 associates from Brobeck.

Partners joining Paul Hasting's include John Benassi (former Managing Partner of Brobeck's San Diego office), Doug Olson (former Firmwide Chair of Brobeck's IP Practice), Stephen Korniczky, Jessica Wolff, William Sullivan, Scott Biel and Christopher McGrath. Mr. Benassi and Mr. Olson will serve as Co-Chair's of Paul Hasting's National IP Practice Group.

Michael Lawson, a former managing partner of Steefel Levitt & Weiss joins Morgan Lewis & Bockius in San Francisco.

Lawson was a managing partner at Steefel in the early 1990's and had been on the firm's Board of Directors up until his defection. He practices complex commercial litigation in the securities industry, including representing broker-dealers and major Wall Street firms.

The placement of prominent litigation partners Don Rushing, Jim Huston and Mark Zebrowski with Morrison & Foerster in San Diego.

All were formerly partners with Gray Cary. Don Rushing was a former Managing Partner of Gray Cary and member of the American Board of Trial Advocates. Jim Huston was the Chair of the Product Liability Practice for Gray Cary and Mark Zebrowski handled complex litigation for the San Diego Padres in actions concering the new ballpark and related developments.

Dewey Ballantine Launches IP Group In Three Offices Nationwide with the acquisition of 11 partners from Brobeck.

The partners joining Dewey include Jim Elacqua who was the Firmwide Head of Brobeck's IP Practice, Stephen Rosenman, Craig Allison, Andrew Thomases, Jeannine Sano, Bryan Farney, Wayne Harding, James Smith, Kevin Kudlac, Cono Carrano and Anthony Shaw. They will join Dewey Ballantine in Silicon Valley, Washington, D.C. and Austin, Texas. This is the largest partner group to ever join Dewey in it's firms history and involves the opening of Dewey's office in Austin, Texas.

Heller Ehrman's acquisition of 14 Business and Technology attorneys in San Diego.

The group included partners Craig Andrews, Mike Kagnoff, Martin Nichols, Hayden Trubitt and Rick Parker (former Firmwide Managing Partner of Brobeck). All were formerly with Brobeck in San Diego. Andrews was the former the Firmwide Chair of Brobeck's Business and Technology practice.

The placement of high profile litigation partner Brian Lysaght to become head of Piper Rudnick's West Coast litigation practice.

Lysaght was a founding partner of O'Neill, Lysaght & Sun in Los Angeles. Some of the big wins in Lysaght's career include a $42.6 million jury verdict for Lion Country Safari against The Irvine Co. for lost profits and punitive damages. He also secured a $11.2 million verdict against the State of California in a real estate dispute involving a property in West Lake Village.

Latham & Watkins health care partner Russell Hayman with McDermott, Will & Emery as a partner in its Los Angeles trial department.

Hayman was a former federal prosecutor and past chief of staff at the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration. A partner with Latham for the past 10 years, Hayman represents health care companies in litigation, government investigations and involuntary disclosures.

The representation of Jones Day in the acquisition of 10 IP partners.

Intellectual property partners Coe Bloomberg, Robert Dickerson, Lois Kwasigroch, Lawrence LaPorte, Ted Maceiko, Donald McCarthy, David Randall, Jerrold Reilly, Brent Sokol and Michael Tomasulo all joined Jones Day in their Los Angeles office. All were formerly partners with Lyon & Lyon in Los Angeles.

O'Melveny & Myers Acquires IP Group from Lyon & Lyon in Orange County.

Partners David Murphy, John Kappos and three associates have joined O'Melveny's Newport Beach office from Lyon & Lyon. The group, which brings a combined book of business reportedly worth $4 million, will join the firm Sept. 3. Murphy specializes in intellectual property transactions, licensing and counseling.

KMZ Rosenman's acquisition of a corporate group in Los Angeles.

Corporate partner Eric Klein will Co-Chair the firms Los Angeles corporate practice. Also joining the firm are John Molloy as Special Counsel and corporate associates Gavin Galimi and Dawn Anaiscourt. All were formerly with Shaw Pittman in Los Angeles. Mr. Klein specializes in middle market and emerging growth companies. His practice focuses heavily on private equity, financing and mergers and acquisition transactions.

The emergence of Morrison & Foerster's San Diego office with the acquisition of intellectual property litigation partners David Doyle (former Managing Partner of Baker & McKenzie's San Diego office and Global IP Chair),

Craig Celniker and corporate, securities partner Carlos Heredia, together with thirteen associates. Doyle, recognized as of one of San Diego's leading patent litigation attorneys, has been consistently recognized in the Los Angeles Daily Journal's Top Rainmaker list.

The opening of Gray Cary's Sacramento office

with the acquisition of corporate, securities partners Gilles Attia, (former Managing Partner of Graham & James' Sacramento office and firmwide Corporate Chair), Kevin Coyle and several corporate and intellectual property associates.

Winston & Strawn's acquisition of labor and employment partners Charles 'Chuck' Birenbaum and Jeff Bosley in their San Francisco office.

Both were formerly partners with Thelen Reid & Priest. Birenbaum served as National Chair for Thelen's Labor and Employment Practice and was a member of the firm's Executive Committee.

The placement of intellectual property litigation partner Terry McMahon as the West Coast IP chair for McDermott, Will & Emery, resident in their Menlo Park office.

Mc Mahon was the former firmwide head of Orrick Herrington's IP practice group and has been consistently recognized in the Los Angeles Daily Journal's Top Rainmaker list.

See entire placement/transaction list

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