Sheppard Mullin elects ten attorneys to partnership
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The ten new partners are Malani J. Cademartori (New York), Alfred Fraijo Jr. (Los Angeles/Downtown), S. Keith Garner (San Francisco), Bethany Hengsbach (Los Angeles/Downtown), Brent E. Horstman (Los Angeles/Downtown), Charbel Lahoud (Los Angeles/Downtown), Matthew S. McConnell (San Diego/Del Mar), Miriam Montesinos (San Francisco), Shannon Z. Petersen (San Diego/Downtown) and Scott R. Sveslosky (Los Angeles/Downtown).
Malani Cademartori, in the firm's Finance and Bankruptcy practice group in the New York office, regularly counsels both international and domestic clients in the areas of corporate reorganization, restructuring and liquidation in both domestic and cross-border insolvencies, creditors' rights, distressed asset acquisitions, insolvency-related securitizations, matters related to contract, lease and license issues in the insolvency and bankruptcy context, and out-of-court restructuring and bankruptcy planning.
Ms. Cademartori has represented a wide array of entities in various industries in these areas, including debtors, major creditors, institutional lenders, bondholder committees, and investors in and purchasers of distressed assets. She received her J.D. from Fordham University School of Law in 1999 and her undergraduate degree from New York University in 1994.
Alfred Fraijo Jr. is a member of the Real Estate, Land Use, Natural Resources and Environmental practice group and based in the firm's Los Angeles/Downtown office. Fraijo has significant experience in negotiating and securing land use entitlements for complex housing and mixed use development projects throughout California, including advising clients with innovative, urban renewal projects in the inner-city and other sectors with emerging markets.
Mr. Fraijo advises clients on all aspects of land use and redevelopment law in connection with the development of wind and solar energy projects. Mr. Fraijo received his law degree from Loyola Law School in 2002 and his undergraduate degrees, with honors, from Harvard University in 1999.
Keith Garner, a member of the firm's Real Estate, Land Use, Natural Resources and Environmental practice group, is based in the firm's San Francisco office. Garner's practice focuses on state and federal environmental laws, land use planning and entitlement procedures, and natural resources permitting issues for large residential, commercial and mixed use communities and energy generation and transmission projects, including wind and solar facilities.
Mr. Garner provides legal and strategic planning advice to clients at every stage of the complex development process, including due diligence for land acquisition, project planning and permitting, regulatory compliance, and land use litigation. Mr. Garner received his law degree from the University of California, Berkeley, Boalt Hall School of Law in 2001, his masters degree, with distinction, in Urban Planning from Harvard University in 1997 and his undergraduate degree, with honors, from Stanford University in 1993.
Bethany Hengsbach, in the firm's Government Contracts and Regulated Industries practice group in the Los Angeles/Downtown office, specializes in commercial litigation and government contracts, with an emphasis on the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, contractual disputes, and class actions.
Ms. Hengsbach has represented businesses and individuals in litigation, arbitrations and investigations related to government contracts, international corporate compliance, trade secret misappropriation, products liability, professional liability, business torts, real estate, and intellectual property. She received her J.D. from DePaul University in 1997 and her undergraduate degree, with honors, from the University of Illinois in 1994.
Brent Horstman is a member of the firm's Finance and Bankruptcy practice group and based in the Los Angeles/Downtown office. Horstman specializes in commercial law, with a primary focus on complex financial transactions, representing both lenders and borrowers in syndicated and single lender credit facilities, including both cash flow and asset-based financings.
Mr. Horstman has recently worked on a number of transactions involving hotel and gaming entities, in addition to a number of cross-border transactions. Mr. Horstman received his law degree from Columbia University in 2001 and his undergraduate degree from Yale University in 1998.
Charbel Lahoud, in the firm's Finance and Bankruptcy practice group in the Los Angeles/Downtown office, specializes in commercial law and focuses his practice on the structuring, documentation and negotiation of financial transactions. Mr. Lahoud received his J.D., order of the coif, from University of Southern California in 2001 and his undergraduate degree, cum laude, from University of California, Los Angeles in 1997.
Matt McConnell is a member of the Labor and Employment practice group and based in the firm's San Diego/Del Mar office. Mr. McConnell specializes in labor and employment matters on behalf of management and has significant trial experience in which he has achieved multiple defense verdicts. Mr. McConnell received his law degree from Duke University in 2000 and his undergraduate degrees from the University of California, San Diego in 1992.
Miriam Montesinos, in the firm's Real Estate, Land Use, Natural Resources and Environmental practice group in the San Francisco office, specializes in land use, environmental and climate change matters, including obtaining development entitlements, compliance with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), and administrative proceedings and litigation.
Ms. Montesinos has worked on a wide variety of land use projects throughout California, including retail developments/shopping centers, office and industrial parks, residential, mixed use developments, and long-range strategic plans for developers. As part of her practice related to CEQA compliance, she has advised on the legal adequacy of numerous EIRs for projects throughout California.
Ms. Montesinos received her J.D. from the University of California, Berkeley, Boalt Hall School of Law in 1999 and her undergraduate degree from Stanford University in 1995.
Shannon Petersen, a member of the firm's Business Trial practice group and based in the San Diego/Downtown office, practices general business litigation. Mr. Petersen specializes in financial institution, insurance, and healthcare litigation.
Mr. Petersen received his J.D., with distinction, from Stanford Law School in 2000, Ph.D. from University of Wisconsin in 2000, and M.A. and B.A., with high honors, from University of Montana in 1995 and 1993 respectively.
Scott Sveslosky, in the firm's Business Trial practice group in the Los Angeles/Downtown office, has been responsible for numerous aspects of business, antitrust, professional liability, banking, products liability, trade secret, toxic tort and insurance litigation matters. Sveslosky has tried to verdict business matters involving breach of contract, fraud, and unfair competition. ■