Perkins Coie is pleased to announce that Mark R. Wicker has joined the firm’s Technology Transactions & Privacy practice as a partner in San Diego. Previously, Mark was a partner at Morrison Foerster. More >>

Dinsmore & Shohl LLP expands in California, welcoming Adriana Cara as a partner to the firm. Cara brings extensive employment law experience to the San Diego office. Her addition provides enhanced services to our clients and broadens the experience in the San Diego office.

Cara advises her clients on compliance with all federal and California employment laws. She also defends claims brought against employers including wrongful discharge, sexual harassment, discrimination, retaliation, and wage and hour disputes. Cara assists clients in developing clear policies and educates clients’ employees through training seminars.

“We are thrilled to strengthen our employment law capabilities with the addition of Adriana to our office,” said Joe Leventhal, San Diego Office Managing Partner. “It can be challenging to stay compliant with evolving employment regulations and requirements in California, and our clients can now turn to Dinsmore for guidance. Adriana has many years of experience in this area.”

Cara also serves as an instructor at the University of San Diego Paralegal Program and frequently writes on employment issues. She earned her J.D. from Loyola Law School of Los Angeles.

Foley & Lardner LLP announced today that Beni Surpin has joined the firm’s Technology Transactions & Outsourcing Practice as a partner in the San Diego office. More >>

Troutman Sanders LLP announced today that Justin M. Barnes and Lara S. Garner have joined the firm as partners in the Intellectual Property practice in the San Diego office. Both lawyers join the firm from Fish & Richardson. More >>

The global law firm Jones Day has announced that Carl A. Kukkonen, III has joined the Firm’s Intellectual Property Practice, and will be based in its San Diego Office. Mr. Kukkonen arrives from Mintz, Levin, Cohn, Ferris, and Popeo in San Diego.

Mr. Kukkonen focuses on the software, electrical engineering, medical devices, and energy industries among other key industries and technologies that impact clients in the technology cluster of San Diego, one of the country’s leading innovation hubs. He has significant experience in all aspects of patent law for international technology powerhouses.

“The addition of Carl diversifies the already substantial San Diego IP team and makes it even stronger,” said Anthony M. Insogna, the leader of Jones Day’s Intellectual Property Practice. “Jones Day continues to be among the leading firms in Post Grant Review proceedings with the U.S. Patent Office. Carl is a trusted advisor to Jones Day clients that will be active in IPRs and we are excited that he’s here to help us service and grow these client relationships and our technology practice throughout the world.”

Mr. Kukkonen is also experienced in licensing as well as conducting intellectual property audits and due diligence for companies and investors preparing for high-stakes transactions, including mergers, acquisitions, venture financings, and public security offerings. He has counseled medical device companies, software and other technology companies, energy companies, and companies involved in the aerospace, transportation, and food processing sectors, among others, in the strategic development of their patent portfolios and partnering agreements.

“Carl is a highly talented attorney with a substantial background in high stakes patent matters covering a number of important technologies,” said Karen Hewitt, Partner-in-Charge of Jones Day’s San Diego Office. “Carl has advised common clients on more than 1,000 patent applications related to various offerings, including analytics, enterprise search, business intelligence, and workflow processes. This will be invaluable to both those and other Jones Day clients around the world requiring leading patent advice, so his addition will be synergistic.”

“Carl’s diverse technology background is yet another addition to our deep and strong litigation capabilities across a wide array of dispute practices,” said Christopher Lovrien, Jones Day’s Partner-in-Charge of California. “As the seventh partner and of counsel arrival in California in the last 12 months, and the third in San Diego in the same time span, his arrival reflects our commitment to adding lawyers in every emerging aspect of the law to best serve our clients.”

Mr. Kukkonen earned his J.D. with honors from George Washington University and a B.S. in engineering from Harvey Mudd College. He has been twice named by the Daily Journal as one of the Top 25 Portfolio Managers/Patent Prosecutors in California (2014 – 2015). In addition, Carl was recently named a 2015 Southern California Super Lawyer (Intellectual Property) and is an eight-time San Diego Daily Transcript Top Attorney.

Cooley advised Dot Hill Systems Corp., a maker of software and hardware storage systems, on its approximately $694 million sale to data-storage company Seagate Technology PLC. The deal, which is intended to help enhance Seagate’s cloud offerings, is expected to close in the fourth quarter of 2015. More >>

Lisa M. Martens has joined the Del Mar office of Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton LLP as a partner in the firm’s Intellectual Property practice group. Martens joins from Fish & Richardson. More >>

Procopio is pleased to announce the addition of partner Susan L. Daly to the firm’s Real Estate team.

Susan focuses her practice on representing developers of residential and commercial real estate. She has extensive experience in numerous types of subdivided land projects in California, Hawaii, Arizona and Oregon, including condominiums, planned developments, standard subdivisions, mixed-use projects, mixed-use high-rise projects, commercial condominium projects, residential master-planned communities, resort master-planned communities, golf course communities and custom home developments. Susan works regularly with builders and developers to obtain subdivision public reports from the California Bureau of Real Estate and approval of subdivision documents from local city and county planning departments. She also works with developers and lenders on broken common interest development projects. More >>

Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck is pleased to announce the addition of Ryan Waterman as a shareholder in its San Diego office. Waterman’s practice focuses on land use, CEQA/NEPA environmental review, and water and natural resource issues. Well known for his expertise in permitting a wide range of complex projects, including renewable solar and wind energy, mixed use, and commercial projects, Waterman also counsels clients on compliance with Clean Water Act permitting, including California’s new Industrial Storm Water permit. More >>