Happy Springtime from the National Law Review to all of our readers! Please read on for the latest in legal industry news, including law firm hiring, professional recognitions and achievements, and diversity and inclusion initiatives.

Law Firm Hiring, Promotion, and Expansion

Much Shelist, P.C. added Dan Rosenberg to its Construction practice group, located in the firm’s Chicago office. Mr. Rosenberg, is experienced in handling construction, design and development contracts, federal and state compliance matters, litigation, and dispute resolution. His previous roles afford him a view of the construction industry as it intersects with real estate, financing, and transactions.

"Dan is a tremendous addition to the Much team," said the co-chair of the Construction group, Josh Leavitt. "Our colleagues and our clients will benefit from his combination of legal and technical know-how and practical business insight. We have added another senior lawyer capable of both negotiating the most sophisticated of deals and leading a trial team if litigation proves necessary."

Timothy M. Murphy, partner at Sunstein LLP, is now the firm’s Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB) litigation chair. The PTAB practice group attorneys work to defend and uphold contested patents before the PTAB, assisting clients both in the United States and internationally.

With his experience in patent interference proceedings, inter partes review and reexamination proceedings, Mr. Murphy will aid in maximizing the value of clients’ patent portfolios for litigation, licensing and acquisition, as well as protecting clients’ key technologies.

“We are delighted to have Tim serve as the chair of the PTAB Litigation Practice Group,” said Kerry L. Timbers, Sunstein’s managing partner. “Tim’s experience handling appeals and other proceedings before the Patent Trial and Appeals Board along with his understanding of the process makes him an outstanding choice to lead the team and continue to provide value to our clients.”

ArentFox Schiff expanded its Antitrust & Competition practice group with the addition of partner Michael Jahnke to the firm’s New York office. Mr. Jahnke’s practice focuses on a variety of consumer protection and antitrust topics, ranging from business disputes, mergers, and acquisitions to litigation and transactional counseling. Previously, he worked in a wide array of industries, including financial services, food and beverage, energy, technology, and more.

“After a record year for M&A activity, anticipation is building for enhanced scrutiny of deals and an increase in the volume of requests by the FTC and DOJ,” said ArentFox Schiff’s Corporate & Securities practice group co-leader Steven A. Cohen. “Michael’s strong ability and proven track record of addressing complex antitrust problems will be a valuable resource for our clients.”

Tycko & Zavareei LLP announced the creation of its new Appellate Practice Group, to serve and represent clients in all levels of appeals courts in the United States. The firm assists clients in a wide variety of matters, including class actions against prominent mortgage companies and loan servicers. Inaugural members of the group include Hassan Zavareei and Jonathan Tycko, managing partners of the firm, as well as associates Glenn Chappell, David Jochnowitz, Dia Rasinariu, and Lauren Kuhlik.

“I’m excited to be a part of Tycko & Zavareei LLP’s newest practice group,” said Mr. Chappell, who will serve as Chair of the practice. “We hope to build upon our prior appellate successes and develop this practice into a force for the public interest.”

Law Firm and Lawyer Recognition

Barnes and Thornburg’s Dallas office is a 2022 Best Place for Working Parents, which recognizes companies with family’ friendly policies and practices to support employees, including working parents. This is the second year the Dallas office received the designation.

The designation is determined by a self-assessment that reviews 10 family-friendly policies, including company-paid healthcare coverage, paid time off, parental leave, nursing benefits, childcare assistance, backup childcare, flexible hours and remote work opportunities. Barnes & Thornburg’s parental leave policy offers 16 weeks of fully paid parental leave to all teammates, inclusive of adoption. Barnes and Thornburg’s Talent Resource Group for working parents and allies, BTParents, offers a supportive network..

The Dallas office also hosts a number of events for children and families, including Bring Your Child to Work Day; a Halloween event; and including teammates’ children in the monthly office birthday video message.

World Trademark Review’s (WTR) “WTR 1000” recognized Pierce Atwood’s trademark practice, noting that the firm’s trademark attorneys “get in sync with clients on multiple levels and design innovative trademark strategies that leave them protected while spurring them on to the achievement of their business goals.”

WTR recognized Trademark Practice Group Chair Jonathan Gelchinsky as an “extremely reliable and responsive attorney with great insight on USPTO practice.” WTR also praised firm associate Michael Hernandez for providing “timely and pragmatic counsel on both legal and business issues.”

Additionally, Mr. Gelchinsky earned an individual silver ranking for “Prosecution and Strategy” and “Enforcement and Litigation.”

Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP leads the Canadian market in practice rankings in the Chambers Global 2022: The World’s Leading Lawyers for Business, earning more Band 1 practice rankings than any other Canadian law firm for the sixth consecutive year. Chambers recognized 11 practices in total.

Blakes’ Band 1 practice rankings include:

• Aboriginal Law

• Banking & Finance

• Competition/Antitrust

• Corporate/M&A

• Disputes (International & Cross-Border)

• Energy: Oil & Gas

• Energy Sector (International & Cross-Border)

• Environment

• International & Cross-Border Transactions

• Projects: PPP & Infrastructure

• Tax

Chambers rankings are determined by feedback from clients, peers and other independent sources.

In addition to Blakes’ Chambers rankings, the firm announced that 196 of its lawyers and 92 of its practice groups are recognized in the 2022 edition of The Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory. Twenty five new lawyers from Blakes made the directory this year, with close to half of Blakes’ lawyers ranked making the list for Most Frequently Recommended — the directory’s most prestigious category.

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Initiatives

Epstein Becker & Green, P.C. celebrated the 20th anniversary for its Women’s Initiative, which aims to improve and support the careers of women professionals in the legal industry. Originally founded by Maxine Neuhauser, Frances Green, and Joan Disler (retired), the initiative offers opportunities for networking and skill enhancement.

“For women, finding the time to effectively network and develop critically needed hard and soft skills can be particularly challenging for a host of reasons,” said Maxine Neuhauser, Member of the Firm.

Two attorneys with Shumaker, Loop & Kendrick, LLP are now part of The Leadership Council on Legal Diversity (LCLD). The LCLD added Samantha Peckham to the 2022 Pathfinder Program, and added Jade Davis to the 2022 Fellows Program. The LCLD pledges to create a more diverse legal industry.

“Jade Davis and Samantha Peckham are exceptional attorneys and future leaders. As part of the firm’s commitment to diversity and inclusion, we are pleased and honored that Jade and Samantha will participate in the LCLD’s 2022 Fellows and Pathfinders programs,” said Shumaker’s Chairman and Toledo Managing Partner Tom Dillon. “Jade and Samantha are strong representatives of our firm and will be very valuable contributors to the LCLD’s leadership programs.”

Proskauer Rose LLP announced a new fellowship partnership with the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund (LDF) in 2020 to help fight racial injustice. The joint venture is part of the firm’s diversity and inclusion Collaborate for Change initiative.

Austin McLeod, a Proskauer labor and employment associate who participated in the fellowship said the legal community should encourage pro bono opportunities for civil rights.

Additionally, Mr. McLeod reflected on his experience with the fellowship, saying, “Fighting for racial justice should not be the responsibility of civil rights organizations alone. Proskauer is committed to engaging in this fight, but will continue to need willing individuals to move these efforts forward.”

Rachel Popa and Jessica Scheck also contributed to this article.