Top Legal Industry News for Summer 2022: Law Firm Expansions, Industry Awards and Recognition, and the Latest in Diversity and Justice Efforts

Happy July from the whole team at the National Law Review! We hope you are enjoying the warm weather. Please read on for our coverage of the latest in legal industry news, including firm hiring and expansion, industry awards and recognition, and notable diversity and justice initiatives.

Law Firm Hiring and Expansion

Frost Brown Todd has added Member Sohan Dasgupta, Ph.D to its Business Litigation Practice Group. An experienced litigator, Mr. Dasgupta has represented clients before U.S. courts of appeals, trial courts, and the U.S. Supreme Court. His practice focuses on regulatory and compliance issues, investigations, and international law; previously, he served as Deputy General Counsel to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and as Special Counsel to the U.S. Department of Education. In his new role, Mr. Dasgupta will continue advising on matters related to compliance, investigations, and regulation.

Hill Ward Henderson has added four new attorneys to its Tampa, Florida office:

  • David Keel, who joins the firm as Senior Counsel. Mr. Keel is an experienced construction attorney. He represents clients across the industry, including owners, developers, contractors, subcontractors and design professionals, in matters such as litigation, transactions, and the preparation and design of contracts.
  • Steven Cline, who joins as an Associate. Mr. Cline is a complex commercial litigator with a background in insurance claims. He represents clients in both state and federal court, with a particular emphasis on various types of business disputes.
  • Michael J. Farr, who joins as an Associate. His practice is focused on mergers and acquisitions, venture capital, joint ventures and partnerships, and general corporate advice.
  • Zoila Lahera, who joins as an Associate. Her practice is centered on commercial law matters and litigation, including land use, real estate, zoning, and estate disputes. In the past, she has defended lawsuits involving commercial landlord/tenant disputes, breach of contract, non-compete litigation, and more.

Drew Hirshfeld, an experienced intellectual property lawyer, joined Schwegman Lundberg & Woessner as Principal. Located in the firm’s Minneapolis office, he will draw upon nearly 30 years of federal agency experience, working in all areas of the firm’s patent practice, from prosecution and litigation to navigating USPTO policy. He will also act as an expert witness on USPTO-related issues.

Mr. Hirshfeld began his career as a USPTO Patent Examiner in 1994. In 2015, he was named Commissioner for Patents, and then served as Acting Deputy Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property and Acting Deputy Director. In 2021, he led in the creation and implementation of a new director review process for Patent Trial and Appeal Board final written decisions, a response to United States v. ArthrexManaging IP has listed him as one of the Top 50 Most Influential People in IP.

Law firm Davis|Kuelthau, s.c. continues its Trusts, Estates & Succession Team expansion with the addition of estate law attorney Andrew (Drew) MacDonald. Mr. MacDonald, a Founding Board Member and Past President for the charity Old Glory Honor Flight, will be located in the firm’s Appleton, WI office. He focuses his practice on issues related to estate administration, business succession, firearm trusts, and special needs planning. He also has a great deal of experience related to the planning of long-term care.

Legal Industry Awards and Recognition

David I. Brody, partner at Sherin and Lodgen, has been elected President of the Massachusetts Employment Lawyers Association (MELA) for 2022-2023. A member of the firm’s Employment DepartmentMr. Brody is an experienced litigator and advisor, representing clients before state court, federal court, and the Civil Service Commission, as well as advising executives on restrictive covenants, non-competes, change of control agreements, and more.

MELA is the Massachusetts Chapter of the National Employment Lawyers Association, the largest professional organization in the U.S. that is composed entirely of employment-focused attorneys. The organization seeks to improve advocacy, increase awareness, monitor key legislation, and support members who are devoting their practice to the representation of employees.

Shumaker’s Chief Marketing and Business Development Officer Erica Shea has been selected by Leadership Florida to join Cornerstone Class 40, a team of executives and professionals that collaborate toward the overall improvement of the state. Participants attend educational sessions on both leadership and relevant issues in Florida, and will remain connected through ongoing meetings once the program is complete. At the present moment, Leadership Florida has fostered a network of over 3,300 alumni, ranging from CEOs and elected officials to agency heads, hospital administrators, legal professionals, and more.

“It is exciting that Erica will have the opportunity to use her leadership skills to benefit our great state,” said Ron Christaldi, Shumaker Tampa Managing Partner and President/CEO of Shumaker Advisors Florida. “Erica sets a clear vision, and genuinely cares about people. Her passion and energy inspire us all.”

Don Eglinton, business and commercial litigation attorney at Ward and Smith, P.A., has been named to the Order of Juris, an honorary trial order of the Litigation Counsel of America (LCA). Comprised of Fellows who have tried to verdict at least fifty jury or bench trials, the LCA selects less than half of one percent of all American lawyers for membership. Fellowship is highly selective, allowed only through invitation and based on exhibited excellence and accomplishment in litigation at trial and appellate levels, as well as notable ethical reputation.

Mr. Eglinton is a Senior Fellow of the Litigation Counsel of America. His practice at Ward and Smith is primarily focused on commercial litigation, with particular emphasis on patent and trademark disputes, copyright infringement, and trade secrets. He has represented clients in infringement actions based in North Carolina, Texas, and California, as well as complex trademark and copyright actions in the Eastern District of North Carolina, and before the United States Trademark Trial and Appeal Board.

Diversity, Equality, and Justice in the Legal Field

After a grant from Venable LLP, the Mid-Atlantic Innocence Project (MAIP) has established a new support fund aimed at helping exonerees from Maryland, Virginia, and the District of Columbia after their release from prison. The Venable-Burner Exoneree Support Fund, named in part for client Troy Burner, will seek to provide job placement assistance, counseling, social services, and advocacy training for its recipients. Mr. Burner was represented by Venable attorneys Seth Rosenthal, Lauren Stocks-Smith, and MAIP co-counsel, who secured his full exoneration in March 2020 for a crime he did not commit.

“From its inception, MAIP has represented individuals with bona fide claims of actual innocence and advocated for changes in law and policy to prevent wrongful convictions,” said Mr. Rosenthal. “But MAIP has not had the capacity to provide comprehensive, direct support to its clients following their exonerations. Now it will. This new program is a game changer for the organization.”

Shawn Armbrust, MAIP Executive Director, said, “The adjustment to life outside prison is challenging for all returning citizens, but exonerees have suffered additional trauma and have needs that traditional reentry services – which often are not available to them – cannot address. Thanks to Venable, our clients will have the support they need to rebuild their lives and, if they desire, use their experiences to advocate for reform.”

La’Tika Howard, attorney at Womble Bond Dickinson, has been named to the National Black Lawyers Top 40 Under 40 list. An invitation-only development and networking association composed of noteworthy African American attorneys in the U.S, National Black Lawyers has a stringent list of criteria for recognition, including outstanding reputation among peers and the judiciary, notable achievements or settlements, nomination from leading lawyers in the field, and rankings by other leading evaluation organizations. Selection to the list is a high honor, limited to only the top Black lawyers under the age of 40.

Ms. Howard, who practices in the firm’s Baltimore office, focuses her practice on corporate law. She represents clients on matters such as private equity, mergers and acquisitions, due diligence, venture capital financing, and corporate governance.

This June, after efforts from the firm’s DEI committee as well as shareholder David GoldmanCMBG3 Law presented a $5,000 scholarship to a graduating high school student pursuing higher education. The scholarship, intended for an individual who is seeking a law degree but does not have the economic means to do so, was granted to a student at Central Falls High School in Rhode Island. Selected after an essay contest which detailed her hopes to pursue a law degree, she will be attending Brown University in the fall of 2022 as a freshman.

CMBG3’s newest scholarship initiative was born from two separate efforts: first, in 2021, Mr. Goldman was selected to participate in the Leadership Rhode Island program, in which he designed a social contract promising to give back to the local community. Simultaneously, the firm’s DEI committee was seeking additional opportunities to support high school students from disadvantaged backgrounds. Working together, Mr. Goldman and the committee developed the scholarship, and on June 6, 2022, Mr. Goldman was able to present the award in person.

Copyright ©2022 National Law Forum, LLC

Legal Marketing in the Post COVID-19 Work Environment with Jaffe PR [PODCAST]

In this inaugural episode of the Legal News Reach podcast, Rachel and Jessica discuss marketing in the post-COVID work environment with Melanie Trudeau, Director of New Business & Digital Strategies with Jaffe PR.

Tracey Goldvarg joins the National Law Review as Business Development Director

CHICAGO (PRWEB) SEPTEMBER 15, 2020

The National Law Review (NLR), one of the highest volume business law news services in the United States, announced that Tracey Goldvarg joined the company as Business Development Director. Goldvarg brings extensive legal business development and B to B publishing experience from her previous leadership roles at American Lawyer Media (ALM), Today’s General Counsel, and Inside Counsel. Goldvarg’s wealth of knowledge and legal industry know-how will enhance the National Law Review’s initiatives involving various advertising, promotional and other new product offerings.

The National Law Review is a leading source of information for companies and individuals looking for guidance on compliance and regulatory matters. The NLR’s COVID-19 pandemic coverage garnered over 4.3 million readers in both March and April of this year, and the NLR’s pandemic coverage continues following Congressional and Executive directives and local Coronavirus mandates.

Goldvarg joins the National Law Review at an exciting time, when the company is poised for exponential growth as traffic levels to the National Law Review have tripled in the last year.

Jennifer Schaller, Managing Director of the National Law Review:

“We are excited to welcome Tracey to our team. Her depth of experience in the publishing and in the legal and financial services fields is invaluable as we continue to grow and develop new markets, expand coverage in new areas and amplify our product offerings to our clients and in new verticals. Tracey’s upbeat attitude and exceptional commitment to client service is just what we need to keep our momentum going.”

Goldvarg:

“I am thrilled to be joining such a dynamic and nimble organization at such a pivotal time in its growth. I look forward to continuing our on-going collaboration and welcome the opportunity to join a women-owned organization, that values the insights and talents of its team-members and has such high standards of customer service to its clients. Their client retention numbers are unparalleled.”

The NLR is a certified women-owned business enterprise that reports breaking legal news on emerging and on-going business issues ranging from business immigration to the regulatory and operational challenges of the Coronavirus pandemic.

The National Law Review’s U.S based editorial team publishes around the clock and optimizes legal thought leadership for search engine visibility, and for distribution via news syndication partners. The NLR also promotes our published content through their extensive social media network, and to their over 135,000 daily newsletter subscribers.

About the National Law Review: The National Law Review is a daily legal news website with a mission to provide objective, reliable and practical litigation, legislative and administrative legal news and analysis through partnership with law firms, other legal and business organizations and our own staff journalists. The NLR’s online platform was developed by corporate attorneys and is the online descendant of a legal publication tracing its roots back to 1888. With the talents of our own writers and contributing authors, the National Law Review has grown into one of the highest volume business law publications in the U.S., with an average of 2 million visitors each month. Visit us at www.NatLawReview.com.

Contact:

JENNIFER BUECHELE SCHALLER
E. EILENE SPEAR
708-357-3317

Today is the Last Day! Don’t Forget to Vote for NLR to Receive a Small Business Grant! Sponsored by Mission Main Street and Chase

National Law Review Mission Main Street Small Business Grant Sponsored by Chase
Click here to vote!

The National Law Review is applying for a grant from Chase’s Mission Main Street program. Chase is committed to helping a small business like ours. They are awarding $3 Million to help small businesses, like the National Law Review, make it big! Today is the last day to cast your vote, so please vote for NLR!

We are committed to providing quality compiles timely, well-researched articles submitted to us from law reveiws, law journals, law firm newsletters, bar associations and original thought leadership.  The dynamic landscape of healthcare reform, data privacy and human resources compliance, is frustrating and time consuming for business professionals. The National Law Review streamlines news updates and research, by curating vetted experts who provide timely insight and solutions – no login needed.

We have done all these incredible things with a very small team. Imagine the great things we can do with help from a Mission Main Street Grant. Please cast your vote for us! Thank you so much for supporting the National Law Review and all small businesses!

The National Law Review is Going Back to the Future. New website coming up soon!

The National Law Review is honoring its roots as one of the country’s first nation-wide legal journals by returning to a more journalistic style.   At the same time, we’re adding enhanced features to help our readers more quickly find the nation’s breaking legal news and analysis.

NLR-Transition-3-slide-7-16-14_256

Look for changes over the next few weeks.

Launch date soon!