Jeffer Mangels Butler & Mitchell LLP (JMBM) is pleased to announce the Firm’s most recent lateral addition, promotions, as well as new associates.

Robert Layton has joined the Firm’s Los Angeles office as a partner. Mr. Layton’s practice focuses on the healthcare industry, representing some of the nation’s largest hospital systems and health providers. He has litigated numerous cases for health providers, and provides them with guidance on state and federal regulation. 

In the regulatory area, Robert was heavily involved in the creation of the largest provider-owned Medicare HMO in the country in record time for licensing in the state of California and certification (contracting with the Medicare Administration). 

Mr. Layton was previously a partner with the Los Angeles office of Hinshaw & Culbertson LLP. 

Tom Geher has been named partner, having previously served as Of Counsel, and Wendy Bleiman has been named Of Counsel, previously an Associate in the Los Angeles office of JMBM. 

Mr. Geher’s practice includes a focus on bankruptcy, insolvency and creditors’ rights and the representation of debtors, secured creditors, unsecured creditors and bankruptcy trustees in all aspects of Chapter 11 and Chapter 7 cases in a wide variety of industries and businesses. He has also successfully represented numerous state and federal court receivers, as well as assignees and assignors in assignments for the benefit of creditors. 

Ms. Bleiman concentrates her practice on federal, state and local tax controversies, predominantly by supervising audits and advocating at administrative-level appeals. Her experience includes issues relating to Federal income taxes, state and local franchise and income taxes (including multi-state tax issues), California property taxes (including Prop. 13 reassessment issues) and sales taxes. 

After participation in JMBM’s 2010 Summer Program, Elissa Gysi and Brendan Kotler have been brought on as new litigation associates in the Firm’s Los Angeles office. Ms. Gysi received her J.D. from Stanford Law School in 2011, and her B.A. from Claremont McKenna College, where she studied Philosophy, Politics & Economics. Mr. Kotler graduated in 2011 from UCLA School of Law, and received his B.A. in Communications with a minor in International Relations from USC.