Paul Hastings LLP, a leading global law firm, announced today that white collar defense lawyers Robert Luskin, Kwame Manley, and John S.(Jay) Darden, will be joining the Investigations and White Collar Defense practice within the Litigation practice as partners in the Washington, D.C. office. The team, known for its high-profile representations for global clients, was previously with Squire Patton Boggs.

Also joining with the team is highly regarded white collar defense lawyer Jamie Gardner, formerly Trial Chief for the Washington (DC) Public Defenders Service and a faculty member at Harvard Law School. More >>

Akerman LLP, a top 100 U.S. law firm serving clients across the Americas, today announced it has expanded its Washington, D.C., office with nationally recognized political lawyer, Brett Kappel. A leading authority on campaign finance, lobbying and government ethics laws, Kappel has deep, bipartisan experience with political law on the local, state and federal levels. Kappel joins Akerman as a partner in the Government Affairs & Public Policy Practice Group. More >>

Sidley Austin LLP announced a further expansion of its Energy and M&A practices with the addition of partners Karen A. Dewis, Kenneth W. Irvin and Daryl L. Rice in Washington, D.C. Mr. Irvin’s and Mr. Rice’s practices involve a broad cross-section of energy and commodities transactions, including energy trading and marketing, hedging and derivatives transactions, as well as the representation of clients in regulatory and investigation matters before the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC). Ms. Dewis represents public and private clients in connection with complex M&A, joint venture, spin-off and other strategic transactions, with a particular focus on the energy/commodities, financial services and general industrial sectors. She also advises clients on capital raising transactions, corporate governance, conflict of interest, disclosure and related matters. More >>

Weil’s Antitrust team is representing Actavis in the just announced sale of its Branded Respiratory Portfolio to AstraZeneca, a transaction valued at $600 million. The transaction is subject to antitrust regulatory approval as well as customary closing conditions, and is expected to close in the first quarter of 2015. More >>

Polsinelli welcomes well known FDA attorney Stuart M. Pape to its Washington, D.C. office as a shareholder. With extensive knowledge of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, the U.S. Department of Agriculture and food and drug safety regulatory bodies worldwide, Pape will lead and strategically grow Polsinelli’s FDA Practice. Joining Pape and the FDA group are two highly experienced colleagues: Shareholder Carey B. Nuttall, and Of Counsel Anne D. Spiggle, who together will assist Polsinelli in serving clients with FDA matters. More >>