Distinguished Trademark Attorney, Jennifer Fraser, Joins Dykema’s Washington, D.C., Office

Friday, July 24, 2015

Dykema, a leading national law firm, today announced the addition of Jennifer Fraser to its Intellectual Property Practice Group as a Member in the firm’s Washington, D.C., office. Prior to joining Dykema, she served as Co-Chair of Novak Druce Connolly Bove + Quigg LLP’s national trademark and copyright practice, working out of its Washington, D.C., office.

Fraser represents clients in matters involving trademark procurement and protection as well as trademark and copyright litigation. Her practice focuses on the selection, use and enforcement of trademarks, including managing global brand portfolios, litigating rights before courts and administrative tribunals such as Trademark Trial and Appeal Board, and resolving domain name and Internet-related IP disputes. More >>

Tags:  Dykema Gossett PLLC | Washington

Cigna’s $54.2 Billion Merger with Anthem

Friday, July 24, 2015

On July 24, 2015, Anthem, Inc. and Cigna Corporation announced that they have entered into a definitive agreement whereby Anthem will acquire all outstanding shares of Cigna in a cash and stock transaction and Cigna shareholders will receive $103.40 in cash and 0.5152 Anthem common shares for each Cigna common share. The total per share consideration equates to approximately $188 for each Cigna share based on Anthem’s unaffected closing share price on May 28, 2015, valuing the transaction at approximately $54.2 billion on an enterprise basis. Cravath represented Cigna in connection with this transaction. More >>

Tags:  New York

Sarah Roe Sise Joins Armstrong Teasdale’s Corporate Services Practice

Friday, July 24, 2015

Armstrong Teasdale announces the addition of Sarah Roe Sise, partner, to its Corporate Services practice group. Based in the firm’s St. Louis office, Sarah focuses exclusively in the heavily regulated and constantly evolving field of employee benefits and executive compensation. She advises a wide range of clients, including closely-held companies, tax-exempt organizations and public companies.

Sarah brings more than 17 years of experience to the firm and partners with clients to establish, design and implement qualified retirement plans, non-qualified arrangements, welfare and fringe benefit plans, and executive compensation programs. She also guides clients through plan audits and service provider changes. More >>

Tags:  Armstrong Teasdale LLP | St. Louis

Buchanan Nabs IP Litigators for Expansion in Philadelphia Office

Thursday, July 23, 2015

Buchanan Ingersoll & Rooney announced today the addition of two highly experienced intellectual property attorneys, Shareholder Alfred W. Zaher and Counsel Shawn S. Li, Ph.D., to the firm’s Philadelphia office. The new hires expand Buchanan’s nationwide IP practice in the northeast corridor.

Zaher and Li will focus their practices on patent and trademark litigation, patent prosecution, licensing and counseling with a heavy focus on U.S. and international clients in the biotechnology, pharmaceutical, chemical, electronics, software and medical device industries. Both also have extensive experience advising multinational clients on protecting IP rights in China. More >>

Tags:  Buchanan Ingersoll & Rooney PC | Philadelphia

Husch Blackwell Adds Two National Trial Attorneys in Dallas

Thursday, July 23, 2015

Husch Blackwell welcomes two partners to its Dallas office who are experts in product liability, toxic tort, mass tort and catastrophic injury litigation: Michael John Ramirez and James A. Lowery. Ramirez and Lowery both recently joined the firm’s Technology, Manufacturing & Transportation industry team.

Over the past 20 years, Ramirez’s reputation has been built as a relentless advocate for his clients.
His unique experience ranges from serving as a prosecutor, in-house counsel and as a civil trial attorney.
As a prosecutor, Ramirez successfully prosecuted many criminal cases. As in-house counsel, he obtained cost-effective resolution of insurance coverage and professional liability disputes. He also spoke nationally on ethics and legal malpractice. More >>

Tags:  Husch Blackwell LLP | Dallas

Wealth Management Litigator Joins McDermott’s Private Client Practice Group

Thursday, July 23, 2015

McDermott Will & Emery announced today that Christen Douglas has joined the Firm’s Private Client Group as a partner in the New York office. She was previously a senior associate at another AmLaw 100 law firm.

Ms. Douglas’s practice includes trust and estate planning, administration and litigation. She counsels individuals and families with respect to estate, gift and generation-skipping transfer taxation, family business succession and philanthropic planning. She also works closely with individual and corporate fiduciaries in administering trusts and estates. More >>

Tags:  McDermott Will & Emery LLP | New York

Stroock Continues Expansion of Litigation Practice with Addition of Lewis F. Murphy

Wednesday, July 22, 2015

Lewis F. Murphy has joined the national Litigation Practice Group of Stroock & Stroock & Lavan LLP as a partner in the Miami office. He joins recent additions Steven D. Atlee, a litigation partner in Los Angeles; Michael C. Keats, a litigation partner in New York; Laura E. Besvinick; a litigation partner in Miami; and Julie E. Nevins, a litigation special counsel in Miami.

Mr. Murphy’s practice focuses on complex multidistrict and high-stakes commercial litigation. He has extensive experience with securities and fiduciary duty litigation, class actions and derivative claims, proxy contests and corporate takeovers, as well as class actions for insurance retail sales fraud. More >>

Tags:  Stroock & Stroock & Lavan LLP | Miami

Troutman Sanders Energy Practice Continues Growth Adds Former General Counsel at Progress Energy as a Partner in Atlanta and Raleigh

Wednesday, July 22, 2015

Troutman Sanders LLP announced today that Frank A. Schiller has joined the firm’s Energy practice as a partner in the Atlanta and Raleigh offices. He joins the firm from the Raleigh office of McGuireWoods. Prior to joining McGuireWoods in 2010, Schiller served as Senior Vice President and General Counsel at Progress Energy.

In 1997, Schiller joined Carolina Power & Light Company, which became Progress Energy after the merger between CP&L and Florida Progress. From 1995-1997, he was Senior Counsel with Virginia Electric and Power Company, where he had primary responsibility for matters related to FERC compliance and regulation and wholesale power marketing. He began his career at Hunton & Williams, where he practiced from 1987-1995. More >>

Tags:  Troutman Pepper Hamilton Sanders LLP | Atlanta

Former SEC Deputy Chief Litigation Counsel Joins Murphy & McGonigle

Tuesday, July 21, 2015

Murphy & McGonigle, P.C. announced today that Stephen J. Crimmins has joined the firm as a shareholder in its Washington DC and New York offices. Mr. Crimmins’ arrival continues the strong trend of top litigation and regulatory talent joining the financial services law firm that was founded in 2010 and now numbers 43 lawyers.

“Steve is a great addition to our firm. He is well known and respected by the defense bar as a thoughtful, collegial and highly-effective trial lawyer,” said James Murphy, Chairman of Murphy & McGonigle. “Steve adds to our deep pool of former SEC Enforcement lawyers, bringing 14 years of experience at the SEC, first as a trial attorney and then as the Deputy Chief Litigation Counsel,” continued Murphy. More >>

Tags:  Murphy & McGonigle, P.C. | New York

Kevin Petrasic Joins White & Case as a Partner

Tuesday, July 21, 2015

Global law firm White & Case LLP today announced the expansion of its financial institution advisory (FIA) practice with the arrival of Kevin Petrasic as a partner in its Washington, DC office. The Firm’s FIA practice is an integral part of its Global Banking Practice, and Petrasic will lead the FIA practice to help the Firm achieve its strategy of strengthening and further expanding its already significant global FIA capabilities.

“As a result of the last financial crisis, banks and financial institutions are facing ever-increasing scrutiny from regulators,” said Eric Berg, Head of White & Case’s Global Banking Practice. “Kevin’s deep bank regulatory experience and his on-the-ground knowledge of the legislative and regulatory processes in our nation’s capital further enhance our ability to assist clients in navigating the complex overlay of laws and regulations they must deal with, particularly the Volcker Rule and other Dodd-Frank Act rules and regulations.” More >>

Tags:  White & Case LLP | Washington