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 >>

Hughes Hubbard & Reed LLP announced today that Patrice P. Jean has joined the firm’s Intellectual Property practice as a partner in the firm’s New York office. Jean was previously a partner at Kenyon & Kenyon LLP.

Jean received a B.S. degree, summa cum laude from Xavier University of Louisiana (1993); she holds both Masters (1996) and Ph.D. (1999) degrees in molecular biology from Princeton University; and she earned a J.D. (2002) from Columbia Law School where she was Editor-in-Chief of the Columbia Science and Technology Law Review. Jean has extensive experience in both contentious and non-contentious patent matters involving pharmaceutical products, bio-engineered cells, animal vaccines, medical devices, and diagnostic tests. More >>

Reed Smith LLP today announced the addition of Niket Rele as a partner in its Corporate Transactional Advisory Group in New York.

Rele was formerly a partner in the Corporate Department and Information Technology and Outsourcing Group and Chair of the India Practice at Wiggins and Dana. Prior to Wiggin, Rele was with a corporate boutique firm which he co-founded in New York City. Prior to that Rele was an attorney at Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe and White and Case. He also practiced at Crawford Bayley & Co in Mumbai, India. More >>

Benesch is pleased to announce that Joseph A. Castrodale, Gregory J. Phillips, Yelena Boxer and Andrew G. Fiorella will be joining the firm as partners in the Litigation Practice Group. They will be based in Benesch’s Cleveland office. Formerly with Ulmer & Berne LLP, together the four attorneys will bring to Benesch decades of experience representing large corporate clients in complex business and commercial disputes in federal and state courts throughout the country. More >>

Reed Smith LLP today announced the addition of Niket Rele as a partner in its Corporate Transactional Advisory Group in New York.

Rele was formerly a partner in the Corporate Department and Information Technology and Outsourcing Group and Chair of the India Practice at Wiggins and Dana. Prior to Wiggin, Rele was with a corporate boutique firm which he co-founded in New York City. Prior to that Rele was an attorney at Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe and White and Case. He also practiced at Crawford Bayley & Co in Mumbai, India. More >>

Steptoe & Johnson LLP is pleased to announce the arrival of Charles Michael as a partner in the Complex Commercial Disputes Group. Based in the firm’s New York office, Mr. Michael will primarily focus on commercial litigation matters as well as regulatory and criminal investigations.

Mr. Michael has successfully handled a wide range of commercial litigation matters. He has obtained favorable settlements and dismissals on behalf of clients accused of securities fraud, intellectual property infringement, antitrust violations, wrongful termination and breach of contract. He has represented clients bringing claims for breach of fiduciary duty, trademark infringement and professional malpractice. Mr. Michael was recently part of the trial team that obtained a complete victory after a bench trial of a $120 million suit relating to a collateralized debt obligation transaction. He also secured a preliminary injunction preserving a medical practice’s contractual option to buy the company supplying the practice’s non-medical support staff, and won an appellate decision reversing the trial court and dismissing a $200 million fraud and alter ego suit against a private equity firm. More >>

Cooley is further bolstering its New York corporate practice with the addition of partner Joshua Kaufman. Kaufman joins Cooley from the New York office of Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP. As a member of the business & finance practice, he will advise on capital markets and other corporate work.

A former Lehman Brothers investment banker, Kaufman focuses his legal practice on equity and debt capital markets work, representing US and foreign private issuers as well as underwriters across a wide array of complex transactions. He also advises public companies on other significant transactions and provides counsel on matters of corporate law and governance, federal securities law, public reporting requirements and exchange regulations. More >>