News

Alisha Mehta Adams JD ’16 has been elected partner at Jackson Walker. Based in the firm’s Austin office, Alisha counsels clients, including commercial and residential real estate developers, electric utilities and cooperatives, and water utility districts, on regulatory matters and complex environmental matters, helping identify environmental risks, navigating the permitting process, and assisting with issues before the Public Utility Commission of Texas.

Richard Baer JD ’83  has been appointed executive vice president, general counsel and secretary, effective March 3, of SiriusXM. Baer brings more than 40 years of experience as an attorney and business advisor, serving most recently as chief legal officer at Airbnb. Prior to that, he was chief legal officer at Liberty Media, UnitedHealth Group, and Qwest Communications. He also previously served as chairman of the litigation department of Sherman & Howard in Denver.

Leif Cervantes de Reinstein JD ‘97 has joined O’Melveny’s Century City office as a partner in its entertainment, sports and media industry group. A leading media and entertainment dealmaker for 30 years, Leif has represented entertainment studios, production companies, and media networks on media-related corporate transactions and advises clients on business strategy and market risks. He moves to O’Melveny from Sheppard Mullin, where he was a partner in its entertainment, technology and advertising practice group.

Elliot Chen JD ’16 has been named partner in the litigation department at Ervin Cohen & Jessup. Elliot specializes in intellectual property, insurance coverage, and complex commercial litigation, representing a diverse range of clients, including national retailers, technology companies, and high-net-worth individuals, in cases involving trademarks, copyrights, patents, contract disputes, and other complex business matters.

Andrew Galdes JD ’11  has been elected partner at Latham & Watkins. Based in its Washington, D.C., office, Andrew is a member of the white-collar defense and investigations practice and litigation and trial department. He advises clients on compliance and enforcement issues involving U.S. economic and trade sanctions and export control laws and regulations.

Kentucky Supreme Court Justice Pamela R. Goodwine MJS ’23 was honored with the 2025 William E. McAnulty Jr. Award. In November, Justice Goodwine became the first Black woman and second Black person (after McAnulty) to serve as a justice on the court. Prior to that, she was a Court of Appeals judge for six years for Central Kentucky’s 5th Appellate District and was the court’s deputy chief judge when she ran for election. She is the first woman and fifth justice to serve at all four levels of the Kentucky judiciary: district, circuit appeals and supreme courts.

Injee Hong JD ’24 has joined Bass, Berry & Sims as an associate in its Nashville office. She is a member of its corporate and securities practice, where she counsels clients in mergers and acquisitions, capital markets transactions and securities regulations matters and filings and represents private equity firms and portfolio companies in various transactions. Injee earned her undergraduate degree from Centre College.

Miranda MacNaughton JD ’24 has joined Bass, Berry & Sims as an associate in its Nashville office. She is a member of its litigation and dispute resolution practice, where she represents clients in complex business litigation and assists them in response to government investigations and related civil and criminal proceedings. Miranda earned her undergraduate degree from the University of Illinois.

Peter J. Roberts JD ’90 has joined Seyfarth Shaw’s Chicago office as a partner in its restructuring and insolvency practice. He brings to high-level experience in business reorganizations and liquidations, workouts, and commercial litigation, counseling clients in a broad range of industries in commercial insolvency matters including bankruptcies, workouts, receiverships, assignments for the benefit of creditors, UCC Article 9 Sales, and related litigation.

Adam Safwat JD/LLM ’94 has been named co-chair of Foley Hoag’s white-collar crime and government investigations practice in Washington, D.C. He joined the firm as a partner in June 2024 after 20 years of trial lawyer experience, including serving as deputy chief of the fraud section at the U.S. Department of Justice.

Lauren Schwartz JD ’18 has been named shareholder in the corporate and business department at Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck in Denver. Lauren has significant experience navigating complex debt finance matters, including middle market commercial debt transactions. She works with traditional banks and direct lenders in her lending practice, and with equity sponsors and businesses at every stage of development on the borrower side.

Derrick P. Williamson JD ’93 was honored as the recipient of the Dauphin County Bar Association’s Hon. Clarence C. Morrison Equal Professional Opportunity Award. Derrick is managing member of the Greater Harrisburg office of Spilman, Thomas and Battle, where he has specialized for more than 30 years on public utility and energy law. Derrick has advocated for diversity in the legal industry throughout his career, including playing a pivotal role in the Capital Area Managing Partners’ 1L summer program and diversity initiative. He is a member of the Pennsylvania Bar Association’s Military & Veterans Affairs Committee.