Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP is pleased to announce that Michael Flynn has joined the firm’s Orange County office as a partner.  Flynn was formerly a partner at Stradling Yocca Carlson & Rauth, where he served as chair of the Corporate and Securities Practice.  He will continue his corporate practice with an emphasis on mergers and acquisitions and capital markets transactions.

A team of capital markets attorneys from McGuireWoods LLP advised CounterPoint Capital Partners LLC on financing matters in connection with its acquisition of the assets of Tomich Brothers Fish Company and Standard Seafood, a deal announced last week by the Los Angeles-based private equity firm.

Today, California Superior Court Judge Marie S. Weiner (San Mateo County) entered a $516.7 million judgment in favor of Asahi Kasei Pharma Corp. in the case Asahi Kasei Pharma Corp. v. Actelion Ltd., et al., bringing to a close the trial in Asahi’s state-court lawsuit against Swiss drug maker Actelion and various of its executives and subsidiaries. Asahi’s trial team was led by Morgan Lewis San Francisco partners Christopher Banks, Rollin Chippey, II, and Benjamin Smith, and associate Tera Heintz. New York partner Alan Neuwirth is responsible for the firm’s long-term relationship with Asahi Kasei.

Paul Hastings LLP, a leading global law firm, announced today that the firm is representing Groupe du Louvre in connection with the refinancing of a €1.2 billion facility.

Katten Muchin Rosenman LLP is pleased to announce that Chuck Knauss has joined the firm as co-chair of its Environmental Practice and Shannon Broome has joined as chair of the Air Quality and Climate Change Practice. Mr. Knauss, based in Katten’s Washington office, joins the firm from the Washington office of Bingham McCutchen LLP. Ms. Broome has been in private practice for the last 10 years while serving as Executive Director of a trade coalition, the Air Permitting Forum, and was previously manager of General Electric’s domestic and international air quality programs. She will split her time between Washington and California’s Bay Area. Mr. Knauss and Ms. Broome are nationally recognized authorities on the Clean Air Act and a range of environmental and energy laws, and bring substantial legislative experience to the firm.

The Los Angeles Dodgers filed for protection under Chapter 11 of the U.S. Bankruptcy Code in order to protect the franchise financially and provide a path that will enable the Club to consummate a media transaction and capitalize the team. Dodger owner Frank McCourt cited Major League Baseball Commissioner Bud Selig’s refusal to approve the Fox transaction as the cause for the Chapter 11 filing.

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.

Arent Fox partners Rich Brand and Steve Cohen served as counsel to the Los Angeles Lakers in connection with the Lakers’ new 20-year, wide-ranging agreement with Time Warner Cable for rights to distribute all locally available pre-season, regular season, and post-season Lakers games, beginning with the 2012-2013 season.