Katten Muchin Rosenman LLP announced today that prominent white collar litigator David Kettel has joined its Litigation Practice in Los Angeles. With significant experience in SEC and white collar defense, commercial litigation and internal investigations, Mr. Kettel has investigated, prosecuted and defended such diverse cases as bankruptcy, bank, HUD and visa fraud, narcotics trafficking (including “doctor diversion” cases) and identity theft. He is a former Assistant U.S. Attorney in the Central District of California and was a member of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force.

Katten Muchin Rosenman LLP announced today that Allan Abshez and Elizabeth Camacho have joined its Real Estate Practice in Los Angeles. Mr. Abshez is a leading authority on land use development law and related litigation, representing both private and public clients in major developments. Ms. Camacho, a longtime colleague of Mr. Abshez, also has joined Katten as special counsel and will work with Mr. Abshez on land use issues.

The Los Angeles office of global law firm K&L Gates LLP welcomes Stephen Lee as a partner in its corporate practice. Lee joins K&L Gates from Bryan Cave LLP (formerly Holme Roberts & Owen LLP).

Polsinelli Shughart’s Los Angeles office continues to grow with the addition of Wesley D. Hurst as a shareholder practicing in the Trial department. Hurst represents both national and California-based clients in his business litigation practice, assisting companies and individuals through all aspects of complex commercial, construction and real estate disputes as well as providing class action defense.

The international law firm Greenberg Traurig, LLP announced that Ginger Heyman Pigott has joined the Los Angeles office as a shareholder. Pigott will work closely with Lori G. Cohen, chair of Greenberg Traurig’s national Pharmaceutical, Medical Device & Health Care Litigation Practice Group and co-chair of the firm’s Atlanta Litigation Practice. Pigott was previously a partner at Reed Smith. She represents national and international pharmaceutical and medical device companies in products liability and commercial litigation matters.

Barnes & Thornburg LLP announced today that Paul J. Laurin has joined the firm’s Los Angeles office as a partner in the Finance, Insolvency and Restructuring Department. Laurin was previously a partner in the Los Angeles office of Rutter Hobbs & Davidoff, Inc.

In a significant move towards increasing the power and depth of its Corporate Practice, Richardson & Patel LLP announced that Marc Jones, whose experience includes representing private equity and venture capital firms, has joined the firm as Partner in its Los Angeles office to launch and lead a new Private Equity Practice.

Goodwin Procter today announced that Terry D. Garnett and Vincent K. Yip have joined the firm’s Litigation Department in its Los Angeles office as partners in Goodwin’s Patent Litigation Practice. They will both focus on high-stakes patent litigation and licensing matters with an emphasis on the information technology industry.

As part of its ongoing expansion, the Los Angeles office of Davis Wright Tremaine LLP has added three experienced real estate attorneys to DWT’s real estate practice group. The three new lawyers previously worked together at DLA Piper.

Steven G. Polard, a bankruptcy and commercial litigator with more than three decades of experience, has joined Davis Wright Tremaine LLP as a partner in our Los Angeles office.