Husch Blackwell is pleased to announce the opening of new offices in Los Angeles and the San Francisco Bay Area. The new office openings were prompted by the arrival of a 21-lawyer litigation team from Dentons and greatly expand Husch Blackwell’s presence in California, where the firm has maintained a Sacramento office since 2018. The group includes Los Angeles-based partners Bradford J. DeJardin, Frederic Norris, Kelvin Wyles, and Jules Zeman; the new Bay Area partners include Lisa L. Oberg, Lynne Patricia Blair, Michelle C. Jackson, Jennifer J. Lee, Michael E. Sandgren, and Christopher W. Wood.
The group also includes 11 counsel and associates. Joining the firm as counsel are Patricia Alberts, Arlene Barton, Erin Carpenter, Kimberly Chew, Daniel Hoye, Kathy Huynh, Karen Luong, and Natasha Sumner; among the three associates joining the firm are Natalie Lashinsky, Shayan Heidarzadeh, and Amrita K. Pannu. The firm has also added 14 administrative staff, bringing the total new-arrival headcount for its California offices to 35.
“We always viewed our Sacramento office as a prelude to further expansion in California,” said Husch Blackwell’s Chair Catherine Hanaway. “We are so excited to expand our footprint in California with this incredibly gifted team of lawyers who are a great fit with our culture and strategy.”
“The arrival of our new California colleagues deepens the bench and resources available to our clients who have a variety of litigation needs in the region,” said partner Greg Smith, under whose chairmanship Husch Blackwell first expanded into California.
“California is often a bellwether state in terms of the regulation of private business, and we are very pleased to add a substantial presence in a state that is vital to so many of our clients, said Paul Eberle, Husch Blackwell’s Chief Executive. “This is just the first chapter in our growth in California; we look forward to adding additional depth and talent when the opportunities arise.”
“The economics of handling large portfolios of complex tort claims can be difficult to master, but we have built a platform for doing just that,” said Joseph Orlet, the head of Husch Blackwell’s Technology, Manufacturing and Transportation industry group. “Our approach and the technology applications we bring to bear on these matters enable us to provide clients with a compelling value proposition. Risk and reward are shared, and ultimately, this aligns our goals with those of our clients.”
“Our team reached a comfort level quickly with Joe Orlet and Husch Blackwell,” said Oberg. “Not all firms are configured in a way that makes sense for our practice, but Husch Blackwell’s platform is perfectly suited to us and our clients, especially in terms of putting the focus where it belongs: helping clients manage the potential liabilities associated with tort claims in the most efficient manner possible. We are excited and honored to be the tip of the spear for the firm’s California expansion plans.”
In addition to the creation of two new California offices, some of the new attorneys plan to join Husch Blackwell’s The Link, a virtual office created in July 2020. The Link was formed to enable attorneys to work remotely and to provide the administrative support, leadership, and technology necessary to serving clients in the remote environment.