SCG Member News Roundup: August 2024

In the Spotlight

Long-standing member firm Robinson + Cole will now represent SCG in US: Massachusetts (previous jurisdiction > US: Connecticut). Please reach out to VR Ken Baldwin, who also serves on our Board of Directors, for any referrals – and remember to CC me (agorokhovsky@scglegal.com) – or questions regarding matters in Massachusetts. 

Adler Pollock & Sheehan (US: Rhode Island) announced the relocation of its headquarters. This move marks a significant commitment to the city where the firm has been a cornerstone since its founding in 1960.  The new office location represents a strategic shift “from a little bit of an island into the heart of the capital City,” as described by Managing Partner Bob Brooks. The new address is: 100 Westminster, 16th Floor, Providence, RI 02903.

GOLAW (Ukraine) is now very well positioned to support interest in Ukraine’s new National Energy and Utilities Regulatory Commission (NEURC) resolution, which introduces special auctions for ancillary services, enabling the signing of five-year bankable contracts and providing significant business opportunities, particularly in energy storage, as it aims to attract essential investment for enhancing the country’s energy infrastructure and grid stability. For more information, please click HERE. 

Mills & Reeve (UK) is a signatory to the Mindful Business Charter (MBC), an organization dedicated to reducing unnecessary stress in the workplace and fostering healthier, more productive environments. In collaboration with the NYC Bar Association, MBC is organizing a US Summit on September 5 from 8:30 am to 4:30 pm. For event details, click HERE. For the MBC Summit Guide and invitation to join MBC, click HERE. 

Parsons Behle and Latimer (Utah) announced the opening of its 11th regional office with its expansion into St. George, Utah. Parsons’ St. George attorneys C. Edward Cather III and Darren Neilson are joined by five new attorneys from the St. George law firm of Gallian Welker to form its new office. Matthew Ekins and Michael Welker join the firm as shareholders, and Russell Gallian, Brian Eggleston and Tyson Raymond join as of counsel. The addition of these five outstanding attorneys enhances the range of legal services available to our combined clients throughout the St. George and Washington County areas.

In the News

Adler Pollock & Sheehan (Rhode Island) announced Nicole Benjamin was recently elected to the Executive Council by the members of the National Conference of Bar Presidents (NCBP) at their Annual Business Meeting Luncheon on Friday, August 2, 2024. Nicole’s selection for this position is a testament to her exemplary leadership during her term as President of the Rhode Island Bar Association (2023-2024). Nicole’s outstanding contributions during her presidency have undoubtedly paved the way for her continued success in this new role, where she will continue to inspire and lead bar leaders with distinction. The firm also announced their membership to the Leadership Council on Legal Diversity (LCLD) “Joining the LCLD is a significant milestone for our law firm, underscoring our commitment to fostering diversity and inclusion within the legal profession. Our membership allows us to align ourselves with a network of leaders who are actively working to cultivate a legal environment where diverse talent is nurtured and empowered, said Managing Partner Robert Brooks.  Additionally, twenty-seven attorneys have been included in the 2025 edition of the 2025 Best Lawyers in America® and ten attorneys have been included in the Ones to Watch. Four members were also selected as “Lawyer of the Year” in their respective categories: William Dolan, Construction Law; Elizabeth Noonan –Land Use and Zoning Law; John Tarantino – Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions – Defendants; Patricia Rocha – Administrative / Regulatory Law.

AGM Abogados (Spain) announced they were part of the legal team that advised Fleury Michon, S.A., a prominent leader in the French food sector, on the sale of 50% of the shares of Platos Tradicionales, S.A. to Torrent Fimer, S.L., a company belonging to the well-known Familia Martínez group. The AGM team was composed of Francisco Lacasa and Julio Menchaca, partners in the Transactions, Mergers, and Acquisitions department. The firm was also nominated for the prestigious ITR EMEA Tax Awards, in the category of ‘Spain – Transfer Pricing Law Firm of the Year.’ This year, the 20th edition of the awards aims to celebrate the most outstanding tax, transfer pricing (TP), tax litigation and indirect tax teams and practitioners from 33 jurisdictions across the region. The awards also recognize achievements in tax technology, innovation, policy, compliance, and reporting, as well as diversity, equity, and inclusion. The Tax team at AGM Abogados, led by Jordi Rovira, Leonardo Cárdenas and Ignacio Ruiz, has been selected among the best law firms in Spain thanks to its commitment to quality, innovation and client satisfaction in the Transfer Pricing category.

Amit, Pollak, Matalon & Co. (Israel) announced the firm was ranked by IFLR1000 as a leading firm in the fields: Banking Law, Capital Markets, Corporate/ M&A, Investment Funds, Project Development, and Restructuring/Insolvency. Additionally, the firm has been ranked by BDICode in 24 practice areas.

Boutin Jones (Sacramento, CA) announced Attorney Greg Peterson, a Certified Specialist in Estate Planning, Trust & Probate Law by the State Bar of California Board of Specialization, has joined the firm as a new shareholder. Peterson is a well-known attorney in the region who has a respected trusts and estates practice bolstered by decades of experience as a real estate lawyer and trial attorney.

CNPLaw (Singapore) announced Managing Partner Lisa Theng and Bill Jamieson have been recommended by Who’s Who Legal (WWL) in 2024. Lisa has been acknowledged as a national leader for Southeast Asia in the area of Mergers and Acquisitions and has also been recognized under the global practice area guide for Corporate Governance. This is the sixth year she has been recognized by WWL. Bill has been acknowledged as a national leader for Southeast Asia Banking.

Field Law (Canada: Alberta, Northwest Territories, Nunavut, Yukon) has been identified as a top ten place to work for law students across Canada. Field was ranked ninth nationally in the annual Universum ranking of most attractive employers for students in the legal field. Universum surveyed more than 16,000 students from 161 universities across Canada in 186 areas of study, including law. They were surveyed on areas including how a potential employer’s job opportunities align with their aspirations, how the employer engages in nurturing talent and how the employer works to cultivate an appealing and recognizable brand. Field is one of only three law firms listed in the top ten of the law student list. Additionally, the firm continued expansion of its presence in the Bow Valley, with its lawyers, Richard Stobbe and Austin Ward, taking on significant roles in the local business community. This year, Richard, a partner in the firm experienced in intellectual property law, joined the board of Tourism Canmore Kananaskis, where he will bring his extensive experience in tech and IP law to support the region’s tourism initiatives. Meanwhile, Austin, a labour and employment and IP law attorney, has joined the board of the Bow Valley Chamber of Commerce, where he will advocate for the interests of businesses in the region. 

Fraser Trebilcock (Michigan) announced Shareholder Sean Gallagher has been recognized by Michigan Lawyers Weekly as a ‘Michigan Go To Lawyer’ in 2024 for cannabis law.

Hall and Wilcox (Australia: Melbourne) announced a record 60 promotions, including appointing seven new partners, reflecting the firm’s commitment to clients and strong growth over the past year. The new partners are: Melinda Andrew, Erin Brown, Angie Gimisis, Seun Idowu, Clare Kerley, Tina Lung and Hannah Peddie. Graydon Dowd has commenced his role as Chief Executive Partner, succeeding Tony Macvean, who stepped down on 30 June 2024 as Managing Partner. Further, the firm is a finalist in six categories at the Australian Law Awards 2024: Banking and Finance Team of the Year, Government Team of the Year, Innovator of the Year – Company, Law Firm of the Year, Wellness Initiative of the Year and Workplace Relations and Employment Team of the Year. In client news, the firm was appointed to the Whole of Australian Government Legal Services Panel in the five areas of law tendered for: workplace, industrial relations and compensation; public law; corporate and commercial (general); corporate and commercial (specialist); and property and environment. Un addition, Partner Michelle Eastwell led a team who advised shareholders of iGreenData, a leading cloud-enabled data-centric digital solutions company, on the acquisition of their company by Synechron. Partners Chris Brown, Mark Inston and Jim Koutsokostas advised CHG-Meridian, a leading global technology2use company, on its acquisition of Maia Financial’s commercial leasing portfolio.

Larkin Hoffman (Minnesota) announced Joseph Fittante, Jr. has been elected as the new president of the firm. Jacob Steen and Michael Salchert have been elected to the firm’s board of directors and Inga Kingland has been re-elected to the board.  Other members of the board include Daniel Ballintine, Patrick Cole and Timothy Rye. The firm also announced the addition of new attorneys: Matthew Resch joined the firm in the Corporate and Finance practice, Andrew Peterson has become a part of the Estate Planning and Probate practice, and Victoria Callander has joined the Real Estate Litigation team.

Parsons Behle and Latimer (Utah) announced their attorneys celebrated the culmination of more than five years of work at the ribbon cutting of client D.E. Shaw Renewable Investments’ (DESRI) Elektron Solar Project (Elektron Solar) – one of the largest renewable energy projects in the state of Utah. The project will provide clean energy to Salt Lake City, Park City, Summit County, Utah Valley University and Park City Mountain Resort and Deer Valley Resort – all key stakeholders in making the project a success. Elektron Solar has 20- and 25-year power purchase agreements with PacifiCorp under Rocky Mountain Power’s Schedule 34. Additionally, attorney Erik Christiansen has been elected to represent District 17 as a member of the American Bar Association (ABA) Board of Governors for the 2024 – 2027 term. District 17 includes Utah, Idaho, Nevada and Hawaii.

Richards, Layton & Finger (Delaware) announced several new Directors and Counsel: Cory Kandestin, Daniel Kaprow, and Kyle Lachmund will serve as Directors, and Christine Dealy Haynes, Zachary Kmetz, and Kinsey Lenehan will serve as Counsel. Additionally, an astonishing seventy-seven attorneys were recognized in the 2025 Best Lawyers in America® rankings, more lawyers than from any other Delaware firm. Best Lawyers has also selected seven Richards Layton attorneys as Wilmington, Delaware Lawyers of the Year in eight practice areas, an award presented to one outstanding lawyer in each specialty in a metropolitan area: Mark Collins in Banking and Finance Law, Bernard Kelley in Business Organizations (including LLCs and Partnerships), Weston Peterson in Securitization and Structured Finance Law, Donald Sparks II in Tax Law, Robert Stearn Jr. in Bet-the-Company Litigation, Gregory Williams in both Corporate Governance Law and Mergers and Acquisitions Law, and William Yemc in Commercial Transactions / UCC Law.

Rifkin Weiner Livingston (Maryland) announced ten members were recognized in the 2025 Best Lawyers in America® rankings. The following individuals were honored: Alan Rifkin, Arnold Weiner, Scott Livingston, Michael Johansen, Jamie Eisenberg Katz, Barry Gogel, Stuart Cherry, Michael Marr, Geoffrey Washington, and Devon Harman.

Robinson+Cole (Massachusetts) announced the firm was among the top-ranked law firms in the “2025 Best Law Firms for Diversity” category as part of Vault’s Top Ranked Law Firms. The rankings are derived from Vault’s Annual Associate Survey, where over 18,000 associates anonymously rated and commented on various aspects of their work lives. Robinson+Cole achieved Top 10 rankings in three diversity categories: eighth in Overall Diversity, ninth in Race & Ethnicity, and 10th for LGBTQ+ Individuals. The firm also ranked highly in the diversity categories of Women and Individuals with Disabilities.

Rosli Dahlan Saravana Partnership (Malaysia) announced the firm has added two more partners to its growing roster, Steven Perian as head of the firm’s economic crimes, fraud and anti-money laundering practice, and Vinayak Sri Ram to its disputes practice. Perian holds the unique distinction of being the first and only English King’s Counsel who has been admitted to the Malaysian Bar. He has been running his independent criminal law practice in London since 2019. He also served as Senior Crown Prosecutor from 1989 to 1995. With significant experience in high-profile criminal trials in the UK, Perian has prosecuted individuals and corporations committing internet shopping fraud, conspiracy to defraud UK financial institutions of U.S. Treasury Bonds worth $2.3 trillion, and computer-related crimes. Meanwhile, Vinayak Sri Ram was running his own namesake law firm in Kuala Lumpur since 2020, focusing on domestic and cross-border arbitration and litigation. Before setting out on his own, he has had stints at Drew & Napier in Singapore and Shearn Delamore & Co.

Starn O’Toole Marcus & Fisher (Hawaii) announced Directors Trevor Brown and Christina Ohira have been recognized by the 2024 Chambers High Net Worth Guide in the practice area of Private Wealth Law. The highly respected guide has ranked Trevor and the firm, Tier 1, the highest ranking possible. Trevor has been recognized by the respected guide since the accolade’s inception in 2017. Christina is also recognized for her work in Private Wealth Law and ranked Tier 2.

WeirFoulds (Canada: Ontario) announced Megan Mossip as a Partner to the firm’s Corporate & Commercial Practice Group. Megan’s practice is focused on complex business transactions. She regularly advises both private and public companies and leverages her experience to provide practical advice in mergers and acquisitions, secured financing transactions, venture capital investments and other corporate commercial matters.