On the Move

A weekly report of lawyer moves and law firm changes. Keep abreast of where movers and shakers are going and what they're doing.

2013-01-18 11:23:58 AM

SAN FRANCISCO

California Rural Legal Assistance has appointed Marcela Ruiz as its new deputy director. Ruiz was previously a CRLA regional director, overseeing the Modesto and Stockton offices. She received her J.D. from UC-Berkeley School of Law in 2006.

Moscone Emblidge Sater & Otis has added Erin Reding as an associate. Reding previously served as a deputy county counsel for Alameda County and has experience in land use matters, government contract disputes, employment cases and civil rights claims. She is a 2007 graduate of UC-Berkeley School of Law.

Partner Duane Mathiowetz and first-year associates Lindsey Berg and Lance Cidre have joined Schiff Hardin.

Previously with Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman, Mathiowetz is a member of the intellectual property group. He earned his J.D. from University of San Francisco School of Law in 1983.

Berg and Cidre, who graduated from UC-Hastings law school in 2012, will work in a variety of practice groups.

SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA

Vartanoush "Varty" Defterderian has joined Los Angeles-based Weingarten Brown as an associate. Previously with O'Melveny & Myers, Defterderian's practice includes litigation of intellectual property, contract, mass tort defense and legal malpractice matters. She graduated from UC-Berkeley School of Law in 2010.

Allan Anderson has been selected as a fellow of the Litigation Counsel of America. Anderson, a Ropers Majeski Kohn & Bentley partner in Los Angeles, is a member of the business and commercial litigation and intellectual property practice areas. He is a 1987 graduate of University of San Francisco School of Law.

Fred Bernstein has joined Katten Muchin Rosenman's Century City office as an entertainment and media partner. Previously with Edwards Wildman, he graduated from UCLA School of Law in 1976.

NEW PARTNERS

Berry Appleman & Leiden has elected Vernadette Antonio and Susan Wehrer to the partnership. Both attorneys, who are based in San Francisco, practice immigration law. Antonio received her J.D. from Santa Clara University School of Law in 1996. Wehrer graduated from Loyola Law School in 1995.

Duane Morris has promoted Meagen Leary and Laurie van Löben Sels to partner.

Leary is a member of the business reorganization and financial restructuring practice group. She is a 2004 graduate of Tulane Law School.

A 1996 graduate of Georgetown University Law Center, van Löben Sels is a member of the intellectual property practice group.

McKenna Long & Aldridge has promoted 11 attorneys to partner, including Andrea Chang, Bradford DeJardin, David Ginsberg and Theona Zhordania in Los Angeles and James McNeill and Renzo Rocchegiani in San Diego.

Chang is a member of the firm's real estate and finance practice. She graduated from University of Southern California School of Law in 2004.

DeJardin is a member of the firm's litigation practice. He earned his J.D. from Whittier Law School in 1997.

Ginsberg is a member of the firm's government contracts practice. He is a 2005 graduate of Pepperdine University School of Law.

Zhordania is a member of the firm's litigation practice. She graduated from Pepperdine University School of Law in 2007.

McNeill is a member of the firm's litigation practice. He received his J.D. from California Western School of Law in 1999.

Rocchegiani is a member of the firm's intellectual property and technology group. He is a 2004 graduate of George Mason University School of Law.

Jeffer Mangels Butler & Mitchell has elected Matthew Kenefick, An Nguyen Ruda and Jonathan Weininger to the partnership.

Kenefick, based in San Francisco, is a member of the litigation group. He graduated from Santa Clara University School of Law in 2003.

Ruda, based in Los Angeles, is a member of the labor and employment law group. She earned her J.D. from Santa Clara University School of Law in 2001.

Weininger, based in Los Angeles, is a member of the litigation group. He is a 2001 graduate of Whittier Law School.

Bingham McCutchen has promoted 13 lawyers to its partnership, including Janice Liu in Los Angeles and Camarin Madigan in San Francisco.

Liu is a member of the corporate group. She is a 2000 graduate of Harvard Law School.

Madigan is a member of the environmental, land use and natural resources group. She graduated in 2003 from UC-Hastings law school.

Please send news about partners or associates, appointments or awards by email to recorder-editor@alm.com, fax to 415-490-9997 or mail to On the Move, The Recorder, 1035 Market St., Suite 500, San Francisco, CA 94103.

Correction: Due to an editing error, an earlier version of this column incorrectly stated that Meagen Leary and Laurie van Löben Sels were promoted to special counsel at Duane Morris. Actually, they were promoted to partner. We regret the error.