Former Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman attorney Pete Elias is now partner in Orrick Herrington & Sutcliffe‘s tax practice. Elias will work in the firm’s Santa Monica office. He handles cross-border tax matters, including mergers and acquisitions, private equity and venture capital investment fund transactions, and equity and debt financings.

Tyson & Mendes promoted San Diego-based Kristi Blackwell to equity partner. She was promoted alongside the managing partner of Tyson & Mendes’ Phoenix office, Lynn Allen, making the firm over 60% women-owned. Blackwell leads the firm’s retail, restaurant and hospitality practice group and focuses her practice on general liability, personal injury, premises liability and complex litigation.