Dechert LLP announced today that it has opened an office in Los Angeles and that four partners have joined the firm in that office in the Litigation practice.
Moving to Dechert is Edwin V. Woodsome, Jr., a former national chair of Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP’s Litigation Group, along with William W. Oxley, Christopher S. Ruhland and Andrew S. Wong.
“The decision to establish an office in Los Angeles results from our assessment of our clients’ current and potential business interests,” Dechert Chairman and CEO Barton J. Winokur said. “This is an extremely talented team of lawyers with a vibrant national practice, and we are very pleased that they are joining Dechert and will help us build our Los Angeles presence.”
Woodsome represents Fortune 100 and 500 companies in a variety of complex commercial litigation matters, with particular emphasis on class action defense. He has more than 25 years experience in matters involving antitrust, consumer and securities class actions, product liability and toxic torts, intellectual property litigation, employment class action litigation and international disputes. He also has significant appellate experience in both state and federal courts as well as extensive business counseling experience.
“My colleagues and I are extremely excited by the opportunity to help Dechert expand its global reach to Los Angeles,” Woodsome said. “From our perspective the professional and cultural fit is just right. This move allows us to not only better serve our existing clients in the United States and overseas, but also provides us with substantial resources for future growth given Dechert’s extraordinary reputation for excellence.”
Oxley is experienced in complex business disputes, intellectual property matters, and product liability and mass tort cases. He tried four cases in 2010 to verdict, including two product liability cases for Union Carbide Corporation and two contract and business tort cases for DHL Express (USA). He has also represented The Dow Chemical Company in environmental litigation, Fox Entertainment Group in patent infringement actions, and Sony Pictures Entertainment, The Walt Disney Company, and ESPN in copyright and trademark litigation. Oxley has worked extensively on false advertising, contract, class action and real estate disputes and has also defended nutritional and health product manufacturers and distributors against Proposition 65 claims.
Ruhland is a trial lawyer who specializes in business disputes and intellectual property. He formerly was in-house counsel at The Walt Disney Company, and in private practice he has represented leading media and entertainment companies such as Disney, ESPN, Fox, Sony, MGM, the Blu-ray Disc Association and Investor’s Business Daily. He also has significant experience in the financial, technology, transportation and healthcare industries. Ruhland has represented clients in trial and appellate courts throughout the country.
Wong represents leading domestic and international companies in the financial, technology, manufacturing, oil and gas, food and beverage and transportation industries in a variety of commercial litigation and employment law matters. He has significant experience in product liability, business tort, trade secret, unfair trade practice and other complex disputes as well as employment discrimination matters. He counsels numerous oversees clients on business strategy issues as well as on ways in which they may mitigate their risk of future litigation.
