Don S. Williams has joined the Shanghai office of Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton LLP as a partner in the firm's Corporate practice group.  Williams most recently practiced with Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati in Shanghai, after spending more than a decade with the firm's Silicon Valley office.  

Williams' practice encompasses a broad range of general corporate and transactional matters, including venture capital and private equity financings, public offerings, and mergers and acquisitions.  He has represented private and public companies across many industries in connection with public offerings, venture and private equity funds in connection with portfolio investments, as well as both buyers and sellers in a large number of M&A transactions.  A Mandarin speaker, Williams works with both U.S. companies conducting business and raising funds in Asia and Asian companies conducting business and raising funds in the United States.

"Don is a top-notch transactional attorney and an excellent fit with both our Corporate practice group and Shanghai office.  His twenty years of investment and capital markets practice straddles both Asia and Silicon Valley, with expertise in venture capital and private equity financings, public offerings and mid-market M&A deals that dovetails well with our China practice as well as firmwide," said Guy N. Halgren, chairman of the firm. 

Commented Williams, "I am thrilled to be joining Sheppard Mullin, a top-notch firm with an impressive Corporate practice group that provides me with an excellent platform.  The firm's collegial culture and dedication to teamwork is very attractive to me."  

Williams received a J.D., cum laude, from Harvard Law School in 1993 and a B.A., with honors and distinction, from Stanford University in 1989. 

In June, Jon Atzen joined Sheppard Mullin's Corporate practice group in the firm's Los Angeles/Downtown office from DLA Piper in Los Angeles. 

Sheppard Mullin's Corporate practice group includes more than 100 attorneys firmwide.  The firm has fourteen attorneys based in its Shanghai office. 

Food safety law firm Pritzker Olsen is preparing to file a lawsuit on behalf of a woman from central Illinois who was hospitalized in the Subway Salmonella Hvittingfoss outbreak.

“Our client ate a sandwich and ended up in the hospital. This should never happen in our country”
.The 52-year-old resident of Tazewell County is one of at least 97 people who have tested positive for the same strain of Salmonella in an outbreak linked to more than 40 Subway locations in 28 Illinois counties. Pritzker Olsen is in contact with other victims.

Attorney Fred Pritzker said the client ate an oven-roasted chicken sub on May 11 at the Subway on 603 Jackson Street in Morton, Illinois. She was hospitalized for several days after suffering gastroenteritis and cramping with severe vomiting.

“Our client ate a sandwich and ended up in the hospital. This should never happen in our country,” Pritzker said. “Stringent sanitation requirements should be in place all along the food chain, and federal and state health officials should be given the authority and money needed to enforce the laws. Large restaurant chains should require suppliers to regularly test for Salmonella and other dangerous pathogens.”

Pritzker Olsen is also representing victims of a shigellosis outbreak associated with the Subway restaurant in Lombard, Illinois. The firm filed a lawsuit in March of this year on behalf of one of the victims, a resident of DuPage County, Illinois, who battled a severe Shigella infection for two weeks. The Subway lawsuit alleges that the outbreak was caused by sick food handlers at the restaurant.

Although contaminated food was the source of this current outbreak linked to certain Subway restaurants in Illinois, health officials are concerned that sick food handlers may continue to spread Salmonella Hvittingfoss. To prevent this, the Illinois Department of Public Health is requiring food handlers in 46 Subway restaurants to have two consecutive test results that are negative for Salmonella Hvittingfoss before being allowed to return to work.

For more information, visit http://www.pritzkerlaw.com or contact Pritzker Olsen law firm at (612) 338-0202. Pritzker Olsen offices are located at Plaza VII, Suite 2950, 45 South Seventh Street, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55402.

Hyland Levin, a law firm that was created by breaking off from Ballard Spahr Andrews & Ingersoll’s Voorhees, N.J., office, is scheduled to move at the end of August into its new offices at 6000 Sagemore Drive in Marlton, N.J. The firm signed a 10-year deal on 16,440 square feet on the third floor of the building, giving it fresh space for the relatively new firm. Hyland Levin has been working from 12,000 square feet of former Ballard Spahr space at 1000 Main St. in Voorhees. The lease on that space is scheduled to expire in August.

Mark Shapiro, an attorney at Hyland Levin, took a circuitous route to Sagemore Drive. While at Ballard, he was put in charge of looking for space for the law firm since the lease was scheduled to come due this summer. For roughly 18 months before leaving Ballard last June and helping to form the new firm, Shapiro toured several sites throughout South Jersey to look for something that would be a good fit.

“We looked at a lot of space,” he said.

Marlton and Mount Laurel were considered along the Route 38 and Route 73 corridors as well as a couple of sites in Voorhees. During the search and in the throes of the recession, Hyland Levin was established and it was no longer a Ballard deal. While Shapiro really liked Liberty Property Trust’s Four Greentree Centre, Hyland Levin partners preferred Sagemore and settled on 6000 Sagemore. Jason Wolf at Colliers International was involved with the transaction.

Max Mizejewski received his undergraduate degree from the University of California at Berkeley in 1993. In 1997, Max graduated from Northwestern School of Law of Lewis and Clark College and went on to work in the public sector before entering private practice. As Manager of the Oregon Department of Transportation Environmental Unit, Max gained valuable experience negotiating, problem solving and working through confrontational issues with emotionally charged individuals. Max brings this experience to his private practice which focuses on criminal defense and family law.

Max believes in taking the time to understand each clients unique situation and specific needs. Max represents clients in criminal prosecutions, administrative hearings, dissolution of marriage, custody matters and appeals. Max's tenacious attitude and strategic mindset make him the right advocate to have on your side.

Mr. Mizejewski believes everyone's rights should be protected, and everyone deserves the best possible defense. If you have been charged with a criminal offense, you need to know your rights.  We can defend you against your criminal charges, including the following:

• Drunk Driving (DUII, DUI, DWI) - including underage drinking and driving, refusing a breathalyzer test, driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol, and other drug or alcohol related driving offenses
• Criminal Driving Offenses - including manslaughter, criminally negligent homicide, assault, hit & run, attempting to elude police, reckless driving and licensure issues
• Drug Crimes - including possession
  
  , delivery, and manufacturing of marijuana, cocaine, methamphetamine, heroin, designer drugs and prescription drugs
• Property Crimes - including theft, embezzlement, forgery, fraud, computer crimes and burglary
• Violent Crimes - including menacing, stalking and assault
• Stalking - including criminal offenses and civil actions

For more information about Oregon criminal law, Oregon criminal courts,  the criminal process, or to discuss your criminal charges with an experienced criminal defense attorney, please call 541-505-9872 or contact us online.

Tully Rinckey PLLC, a full-service law firm with offices in Albany, NY and Washington, DC, recently hired an experienced law practice management consulting group, RJH Consulting, as part of their explosive growth and firm reorganization in both offices. RJH Consulting is a Wyoming-based legal consulting group that provides strategic planning for more than 250 law firms nationwide.

RJH Consulting specializes in operations analysis and can assist law firms with coaching for professional development, profitability, business planning, utilization, budgeting and financial management. It is owned by Robert J. Henderson and Jan Friedland Henderson.  Robert is a graduate of the University of Michigan Law School and is an experienced trial lawyer and was managing partner of his own law firm. Jan obtained her Masters Degree in Judicial Administration from the University of Denver College of Law and  has served in mid-and senior management positions in law firms during her 30 year career.

“We are excited to have RJH Consulting assist us as we continue to expand and grow into other markets within the next 3-6 months. We take pride in having an outside perspective of how we operate in order to continue to live up to our standards as being a full-service law firm that provides superior legal services to our clients. Positive client relations is still a top priority for us as we continue to grow,” said Mathew B. Tully, Esq., founding partner of Tully Rinckey PLLC.

Mathew B. Tully, Esq., Robert J. Henderson and Jan Friedland Henderson are available for commentary. For more information, please contact Jessica Brociek at 202.787.1900 or at jbrociek@tullylegal.com.

Napa-based law firm Dickenson Peatman and Fogarty said it will add three more attorneys to its Santa Rosa office to “serve the evolving needs of the North Bay community.”

Rounding out the Santa Rosa hires are Susan Teel, who joins as a senior counsel for the firm’s wealth management group, specializing in estate planning, trust administration, probate and tax matters; Delphine Adams, who will be a senior counsel in the litigation group, with emphasis in real estate matters; and Jennifer Phillips, who will join as a associate in the labor and employment and litigation groups, also specializing in real estate as well as labor.

Gregory Walsh will take on the role of a director at the firm’s labor and employment group.

At the same time, five attorneys are leaving the firm: Brandon Blevans, who joined Blevans & Blevans in Napa, and Michael Holman, Kevin Teague, Cathy Roche and Rob Anglin, who formed their own firm in Napa under their names.

America was created by people who understood that power unchecked is power abused.  That’s why we have separation of powers, the Bill of Rights, and the right to a day in court. The law firm of Block O’Toole & Murphy makes it possible for the average American  to have their day in court by taking on cases to fight for hard working people, including construction workers, laborers, electricians, carpenters, police officers, fire fighters, and everyday  Americans, as well as New York City police, fire, and sanitation workers. Block O’Toole & Murphy’s lawyers believe that their responsibilities do not end when they have settled a case or gotten a verdict in favor of their clients. As champions of justice, they need to do whatever they can to prevent future injuries. Individuals and businesses that harm people  deliberately or through negligence  need to take responsibility for their actions. As advocates for injured people, Block O’Toole & Murphy does what it can to make the world safer. When they see injustice, when they see companies that choose greed over safety, they fight back in the courtroom, and they also work to change the laws. Today, The Insider Exclusive takes an inside look at one of New York’s premier law firms, Block, O’Toole & Murphy, and their outstanding record for seeking justice for their clients. Jeffrey Block, Daniel O’Toole and Stephen Murphy of Block O’Toole & Murphy will join us, along with Ryan Maguire and Agron Halili, two clients successfully represented by the firm, as well as guest lawyers Javier Solano and Tim Sullivan  as we examine some of the multimillion dollar record verdicts and settlements won by Block O’Toole & Murphy.

Jeffrey Block began his prolific career as a trial attorney after only being admitted to the New York State Bar for three weeks. He handles significant construction accidents, tractor-trailer accidents, medical malpractice cases, premises liability cases and motor vehicle accidents for the firm. Jeffrey has been elected as a "Super Lawyer" in New York State, recognizing him as one of the top 5% of New York personal injury trial lawyers. He honed his reputation as a young lawyer by achieving astounding results on cases that other attorneys dismissed, like a trial he handled where the Appellate Division in the Second Department sustained $1,350,000 on a non-surgical herniated disc case. He now consistently reports some of the largest verdicts in New York, including a $14,000,000 result in Nassau County, reported to be the highest non-medical malpractice verdict ever in Nassau County by the New York Jury Verdict Reporter, and a recent trial that resulted in a verdict in excess of $9,000,000 in Kings County. Jeffrey is known as a tireless worker who never settles for anything but the best for his clients. He is heavily involved in many charities and enjoys being in the position to make a difference in people's lives in and out of the courtroom.

Daniel O’Toole is one of New York's premier catastrophic injury trial attorneys, having graduated from the Fordham University School of Law in 1992. During the course of his career he has obtained in excess of $150,000,000.00 worth of settlements and verdicts, all by the age of 40. He is also the Vice-Chairman of the Labor Law Committee for the New York State Trial Lawyers Association. He is active at his church and serves on the Parish School Advisory Board as well as Chairman of his parish's Capital Campaign Committee. Daniel is an active supporter and sponsor of the St. Jude Children's Hospital, The Frances Pope Memorial Foundation (to aid the families of children with cancer), The Butterfly Foundation (to aid the families of children with cancer), Candlelighters of New York City and Judges and Lawyers Cancer Alert. He recently funded the construction of a classroom at a school for autistic children in Connecticut and is a major donor of an autism school near his home in New Jersey. Additionally, Daniel provides multiple needs based scholarships for children on annual basis for parochial grammar and high schools in New York and New Jersey.

Stephen Murphy is a lifetime New Yorker with Irish roots. He comes from a family of firefighters, police officers, prosecutors and teachers. Both of his grandfathers were members of the Fire Department. His grandfather, Stephen J. Murphy, served the City of New York as Interim Fire Commissioner. His maternal grandfather, Walter Matthews, reached the rank of Assistant Chief of Department. Stephen joined the firm Block & O'Toole in early 2005 after a successful and rewarding career as a homicide prosecutor. He handles a wide range of cases including labor law and construction accidents, wrongful death, premises liability, trucking collisions, medical malpractice and motor vehicle cases. Stephen began his legal career working as an Assistant District Attorney under Brooklyn District Attorney Charles J. Hynes. He honed his skills in the criminal courtrooms in Brooklyn, prosecuting persons accused of violent crimes. In early July 2003, Stephen traveled to Sarajevo on behalf of the United States Justice Department to assist in the implementation of a new justice system in post-war Bosnia & Herzegovina. Stephen is also an adjunct professor of law at the St. John's University School of law. He teaches trial advocacy and lectures on criminal and civil trial practice and evidence.

Joseph Donahue has successfully represented workers in various trades, including construction workers. In 1997 he began his career as a trial lawyer as an Assistant District Attorney in Brooklyn, New York. As an Assistant District Attorney Joseph investigated thousands of criminal cases, presented hundreds of cases to the New York State Grand Jury and successfully obtained jury verdicts on behalf of crime victims. He began his career in private practice at a prominent New York City law firm specializing in medical malpractice litigation. He represented hospitals and physicians against claims of medical malpractice in the fields of cardiology, obstetrics and gynecology, neurosurgery, general surgery and failure to diagnose cancer. Joseph also handled substantial personal injury cases, including negligent security matters. In March 2008 he was appointed to the Board of Directors of the New York State Trial Lawyers Association. He is a 1994 graduate of Loyola College in Baltimore Maryland and a 1997 graduate of The City University of New York School of Law. Joseph is licensed to practice in the Federal and State Courts of New York and New Jersey. 

Block O’Toole & Murphy is one of the premier personal injury law firms in New York City. The firm’s experienced team of New York personal injury lawyers is devoted to truly caring for and fighting for the rights of their clients. The firm’s clients are diverse, hard-working people including laborers, construction workers, electricians, carpenters, police officers, firefighters and iron workers. Block O’Toole & Murphy has had the privilege of representing persons involved in construction and scaffold accidents, wrongful death actions, tractor trailer accidents, medical malpractice cases and motor vehicle collisions. The firm is proud to include members of the New York City Police, Fire and Sanitation Departments that are injured while on the job as both clients and friends.

You can contact Jeffrey Block, Daniel O’Toole and Stephen Murphy at 212-736-5300, or www.blockotoole.com