WASHINGTON, D.C. - The U.S. Supreme Court today agreed to review a Third Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals ruling that a health plan administrator's claim for reimbursement against a plan participant is subject to equitable limitations, including unjust enrichment, under Employee Retirement Income Security Act Section 502(a)(3) ( U.S. Airways, Inc. v. James McCutchen, et al. , No. 11-1285, U.S. Sup.; See May 2012, Page...

ATLANTA - Greenberg Traurig's Atlanta-based national Pharmaceutical, Medical Device & Health Care Litigation Practice Group continues to grow with the addition of Ginger Heyman Pigott . Pigott, who joins as a shareholder, will work closely with Lori G. Cohen , chair of national group and co-chair of the firm's Atlanta Litigation Practice . Pigott will be based in the Los Angeles office. She was previously...

CLEVELAND -Thompson Hine LLP elected seven lawyers to the firm's partnership effective Jan. 1, 2012. The new partners are: Erin M. Alkire (Business Litigation - Cincinnati) - Alkire focuses her practice on business and corporate litigation involving financial service institutions, commercial and contract disputes, business transactions, and tort claims. She was selected as an Ohio Super Lawyer Rising Star by...

SAN FRANCISCO - Sidley Austin LLP has announced that Vernon M. Winters joined its San Francisco office as a partner in the intellectual property litigation practice, effective Jan. 1, 2012. Winters focuses his practice on complex patent and patent license litigation for life sciences companies and technology companies. He has litigated cases in jurisdictions nationwide and has worked with a number of the country's...

GREENSBORO, N.C. - Crumley Roberts LLP has named Brian Kinsley to Practice Group Leader for Mass Tort and Product Liability. Crumley Roberts is a North Carolina-based law firm that provides legal counsel on personal injury, workers' compensation and Social Security disability claims. Kinsley will be located in Greensboro and will head up the firm's Mass Tort group, providing legal counsel to clients on drug...

PITTSBURGH - Burleson LLP has announced that James "Jim" Strawn, who has more than three decades of experience as an oil and gas attorney, has joined the energy law firm's Pittsburgh location as of counsel. Although based in Pennsylvania, Strawn's practice is national and is focused on all areas relevant to the exploration and production of oil and gas in the United States. This includes mergers,...

WASHINGTON, D.C. - The international law firm of McKenna Long & Aldridge LLP (MLA) and the California-based law firm of Luce, Forward, Hamilton & Scripps LLP have set a target merger date of March 1, 2012, following a recent vote by the firms' partners. This combination will enhance the legal services provided to clients in litigation, real estate, insurance, government contracts, government affairs and corporate...

FLORHAM PARK, N.J. - The international law firm Greenberg Traurig LLP has announced that Wendy Johnson Lario, Kristine J. Feher, Micala Campbell Robinson and Kristy L. Grazioso have joined the firm's New Jersey office in the Labor & Employment Practice. Lario and Feher join as shareholders; Robinson and Grazioso join as of counsel. Most recently, all four were attorneys at Day Pitney LLP. Lario, who will serve...

ATLANTA - Pat Huddleston, the driving force behind Investor's Watchdog LLC and the author of The Vigilant Investor , joined the Atlanta-based law firm of Page Perry LLC as a partner on Nov. 28, 2011. Formerly an SEC enforcement branch chief out of the Atlanta office, a court-appointed receiver and a Chapter 11 examiner, Pat brings his depth of experience in the investment world (and other fields) to add to the national...

DALLAS - Dallas appellate law firm Hankinson LLP has announced the hiring of J. Carl Cecere , whose high-stakes appellate work has included cases involving issues in bankruptcy, constitutional law, insurance, whistleblower protections, family law, complex business law and habeas corpus. Formerly an associate at Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP in its Supreme Court and Appellate Practice, Carl has worked on a...

New Chief Executive, Managing Partner, Head of Litigation and Senior Partner to Join Chairman in US Region NEW YORK - SNR Denton's Global Chairman and Global Chief Executive announced that the firm has appointed new members to the leadership team for its US Region. In addition to the current US Chairman role, the firm has established the new positions of US Chief Executive and US Managing Partner, with responsibility...

KANSAS CITY, Mo. - Stueve Siegel Hanson LLP ( http://www.stuevesiegel.com ) has announced that Steve Six has joined the firm as a partner. Before joining the firm, Six served as the 43rd attorney general for the State of Kansas and as a District Court Judge in Douglas County, Kansas. As attorney general, Six successfully represented the State of Kansas in complex cases in various areas including health care, antitrust...

SAN ANTONIO - Veteran municipal law attorney William "Mick" McKamie of San Antonio has been honored with the International Municipal Lawyers Association's prestigious Marvin J. Glink Private Practice Local Government Attorney Award in honor of his distinguished career and commitment to his community and profession. McKamie, co-founder of San Antonio-based McKamie Krueger, LLP , received the honor during...

LAWRENCEVILLE, N.J. - Nathan M. Edelstein has joined the law firm of Szaferman, Lakind, Blumstein and Blader as a partner. Edelstein has had a distinguished career handling complex litigation in both state and federal courts, with a specific focus on environmental law. Edelstein served as deputy attorney general in the State of New Jersey and has been in private practice since 1979. Edelstein has been chairman of...

LAWRENCEVILLE, N.J. - The law firm of Szaferman Lakind has announced that Arnold Lakind has been presented with the Nizolek Award by The Mercer County Bar Association. The Nizolek Award is the Mercer County Bar Association's most prestigious award, recognizing exceptional contribution to the field of law as well as the highest level of personal and professional ethics and conduct. The award was presented to Lakind...

CLEVELAND - The law firm of Roetzel & Andress LPA has announced that on Oct. 19, 2011, Diana M. Thimmig was installed as president of the Federal Bar Association - Northern District of Ohio Chapter. Following an afternoon reception, Chief Judge Solomon Oliver Jr. delivered the oath of office to Thimmig in Courtroom 19A of the Carl B. Stokes U.S. Court House here. Thimmig, currently of counsel with Roetzel in its...

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Winston & Strawn LLP has announced that Robert F. Ruyak has joined its global litigation practice in Washington, D.C., as a partner. Ruyak is one of the nation's most accomplished first-chair trial lawyers whose resume includes successful representations of high-profile corporate clients involved in complex commercial litigation and investigations. His diverse experience includes high-stakes...

HOUSTON - Susman Godfrey L.L.P. has announced that Neal Manne has joined name partners Steve Susman and Lee Godfrey as a managing partner of the firm. Manne, 56, is a graduate of the University of Texas and of the University of Texas School of Law. He began his career in Washington D.C. and joined Susman Godfrey in 1988. He has served on the firm's Executive Committee since 1997. Manne has tried dozens of cases...

WASHINGTON, D.C. - International law firm Dechert LLP has announced that Glenn A. Fine has joined the firm as a partner in the White Collar and Securities Litigation Practice in Washington, D.C. Fine served as the inspector general for the U.S. Department of Justice from December 2000 until January 2011. Fine will focus his practice on internal investigations, corporate compliance issues, corporate monitorships, government...

SAN FRANCISCO - Winston & Strawn LLP has announced that nationally recognized trial attorney Robb Adkins has joined its litigation practice as a partner in the San Francisco and Los Angeles offices. Over the past decade, Adkins has served as a federal prosecutor, Enron trial attorney, chief of the U.S. Attorney's Office in Orange County, and, for the past two years, as the Executive Director of the President's...

LOS ANGELES - Manatt, Phelps & Phillips LLP has announced that Kristin Escalante has joined the Los Angeles office as a partner in the Litigation Division. Previously a partner at Munger, Tolles & Olson, Escalante has more than a decade of experience as a commercial litigator. Escalante's broad-based practice includes extensive experience in an array of litigation matters, including consumer class actions...

HOUSTON - Noted trial attorney Mark Lanier , founder of The Lanier Law Firm , is presenting the keynote address on the first day of the 14th Annual National Asbestos Litigation Conference set for Oct 3-4 in Amelia Island, Fla. The conference, which is taking place at the Ritz-Carlton hotel, will include two days of presentations and panel discussions featuring dozens of the country's leading asbestos lawyers and...

HOUSTON - Complex commercial litigation attorneys Amir Alavi and Todd Mensing have been elevated to name partners in Houston's Ahmad, Zavitsanos, Anaipakos, Alavi & Mensing P.C. , a dynamic and growing boutique law firm also known as AZA. All five name partners are Board Certified by Texas Board of Specialization. The firm, formed in 1993, is a collection of high-achieving, creative lawyers who thrive in the...

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Hogan Lovells has announced that Neal Katyal, former acting solicitor general of the United States, has joined its Litigation, Arbitration and Employment practice as a partner in the Washington, D.C., office. Neal will be co-head of Hogan Lovells' Appellate practice alongside Washington, D.C., partner Cate Stetson. As acting solicitor general, Katyal was responsible for representing the federal...

BOSTON - Littler Mendelson P.C. , the nation's largest employment and labor law firm representing management, reports a 25 percent increase in the number of whistleblower and retaliation claims the firm has handled between 2009 and 2011 as a result of changing regulations stemming from the Dodd-Frank and Sarbanes-Oxley (SOX) Acts. The firm, which has been representing clients on these types of matters under its employment...