Rising Stars 2021

VICTORIA BECKMAN

Principal Corporate Counsel – Lead DCU Americas,
Microsoft Corporation

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Before joining Microsoft as the Lead for the Americas of the Digital Crimes Unit, Victoria was Co-chair of Frost Brown Todd’s privacy and data security team and Chair of the Latin America Desk. Although her practice focused on privacy and information security, she also represented U.S. and foreign companies in intellectual property, business, and cross border transactions. Victoria is a frequent speaker on issues of cybersecurity and data breach response.

A native of Colombia, Victoria spent years as a public defender in Arizona first assigned to capital habeas appeals and later trying major felony cases. Prior to practicing law, Victoria was an industrial engineer in the technology and automotive sectors and a competitive figure skater.

Lavonne Burke Hopkins

Senior Managing Legal Director- Security & Resilency, Digital (IT),
Dell Technologies, LLC

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Lavonne Burke Hopkins currently serves as Senior Managing Legal Director, Security & Resiliency and Digital (IT) at Dell Technologies, Inc., where she leads a team of attorneys responsible for Cybersecurity, Product & Application Security, Corporate Security & Enterprise Resiliency, Global Operations and Supply Chain Security and Information Technology. Additionally, in this role Lavonne is directly responsible for providing strategic legal support to Dell’s Chief Security Officer, Chief Information Security Officer, Chief Digital Office and their respective global organizations. Her responsibilities also include guidance to to Dell’s enterprise Governance, Risk and Compliance organizations in the areas of Security and IT. Lavonne is a graduate of The Univ. of Houston Law Center and obtained her undergraduate degree in Chemical Engineering from Howard University and completed her Master of Science in Biomedical Engineering and post-graduate coursework in Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering from The Johns Hopkins University.

Prior to joining Dell, Lavonne worked for Johnson & Johnson where she served as Senior Director for Global Technology Transactions, Cybersecurity and Privacy Contracting. In this role she oversaw the negotiations of more than $3B annually in software and IT transactions, provided guidance on new technology acquisitions and directly supported J&J’s global Information Technology organization. As part of her duties, she also served as J&J’s Chief Cybersecurity counsel, where she designed and managed the organization’s privacy and cybersecurity contracting process to ensure world-wide compliance with international data protection laws. Prior to Johnson & Johnson, Lavonne worked for Vinson & Elkins, LLP for several years where she helped launch the firm’s Cybersecurity and Data Privacy practice and counseled clients on intellectual property and technology transactions matters. At V&E, her practice also focused on advising companies of all sizes on the negotiation of intellectual property and software licenses, protection of IP rights, IP monetization, technology/IP acquisitions, venture capital and private equity investments and IPOs. In addition, Lavonne has extensive experience assisting clients in the creation, development and implementation of global privacy, data protection and cybersecurity governance and compliance frameworks and in managing incident responses of all sizes.

Lavonne is an avid speaker and author in the areas of cybersecurity and incident response, privacy, software development and licensing, IP monetization and technology transactions. She speaks all over the United States and globally and is considered a thought leader in the areas of cybersecurity, technology transactions and third-party risk management. Additionally, she is a frequent lecturer at the Univ. of Houston Law Center, Thurgood Marshall Texas Southern School of Law and the Rice University OwlSpark and UH Red Labs Technology Accelerators. Lavonne has repeatedly been named a top attorney in Houston and Texas, as well as a Rising Star in Intellectual Property, in addition to receiving numerous other top honors. Lavonne currently serves as a member of the State Bar of Texas Computer and Technology Section Council, is a member of the Texas Bar College and a Fellow of the Texas Bar Foundation, an honor given to less than .5% of Texas attorneys.

Lavonne is very committed to diversity and inclusion advocate and has served as a D&I advocate for her entire legal career, including for the State Bar of Texas and the Houston Bar Association, where she served for many years as a member and co-chair of the Minority Opportunities in the Legal Profession Community. Lavonne currently serves on Dell’s Legal Diversity Committee, as well as co-lead’s of the Social & Racial Justice sub-committee of Dell’s Global Pro Bono committee, in addition to being an active participant in numerous company-wide Diversity & Inclusion initiatives. She is also the former Executive Director of The Downtown Group – the African-American/Black women’s bar association for Houston, TX.

Cyndie Chang

Duane Morris LLP

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Cyndie Chang is the Duane Morris Los Angeles managing partner and a member of firm’s governing Partners Board, and one of the few Asian American women in upper management at an AmLaw 100 firm. Chang litigates complex business, class action and commercial disputes involving contracts, products liability, product safety and recall, business torts and fraud, insurance coverage, trademarks, and real estate. Chang has represented many public and private companies, and has obtained favorable results serving as first chair in state and federal bench trials, jury trials and arbitration, leading joint defense groups in complex cases, and resolving cases through creative settlements and dispositive motions. She is an advocate for women and minorities in the law. She served as President of the National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA), representing more than 50,000 Asian American attorneys and 75 local, state and national bar associations. She led NAPABA’s advocacy efforts on significant issues, including NAPABA’s position and amicus briefs to the U.S. Supreme Court on immigration issues and also initiated programs for minority women in the profession and lawyers’ self-care/mental health. She was also President of the Southern California Chinese Lawyers Association, which awarded her its inaugural Trailblazer award. She serves on the Board of Directors for Loyola Law School, LA and received the Board of Governors Grand Reunion alumni award. She is a Commissioner on the ABA Commission on Women in the Profession and board member of the National Association of Women Lawyers (NAWL). She’s received the “Super Lawyers” distinction, including Top 50 Women of Southern California and the Daily Journal’s Top 100 California Women Lawyers. Her honors include: one of the “Most Influential Minority Lawyers” and “Leader in Law” by the Los Angeles Business Journal; NAPABA’s 2010 Best Lawyers Under 40; Council on Legal Education Opportunity (CLEO) EDGE’s inaugural Greater Equality Award recipient; Asian Americans Advancing Justice Pro Bono Award recipient with her firm; one of The Recorder’s “Lawyer on the Fast Track”; and profiled in Best Lawyers Magazine, Spring Edition 2016, as one of 15 women in the legal profession leading the charge for achievements in the practice and policy, on both local and national levels.

JOHN FISHER

Partner & Head of US Technology and Life Sciences M&A,
Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer US LLP

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John A. Fisher is a founding partner of our Silicon Valley office who advises some of Silicon Valley’s most innovative and pioneering companies in their technology and life sciences mergers, acquisitions and joint ventures.

John additionally acts as regular counsel to both US and international clients as they enter the Silicon Valley market or partner with established Silicon Valley companies.

John was named the “Best California Lawyer – Pharmaceutical M&A” by Acquisition International.

Prior to practicing law, John studied Biochemical Sciences at Harvard University and was a civil rights activist. John is a member of Bay Area Lawyers for Individual Freedom (BALIF) which is the nation’s oldest and largest association of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender persons in the field of law.

Recent work

Select technology M&A experience:

Salesforce on its $1.33 billion acquisition of cloud and mobile software provider Vlocity.
Salesforce on its acquisition of B2B commerce platform CloudCraze.
Splunk on its $1.05 billion cash and stock acquisition of cloud monitoring leader SignalFX.
Splunk on its $350 million cash and stock acquisition of Phantom Cyber.
Cielo on its $670 million acquisition of a California-based global payment solutions provider.
HP Inc. on the global sale of certain software assets to OpenText involving over 25 non-US jurisdictions.
HP Inc. on its sale of a highly regulated subsidiary.
SEGA Networks on its acquisition of Demiurge Studios.
Symantec on its acquisition of VPN provider SurfEasy.
Symantec on its acquisition of benefit enrollment provider Excelsior Companies.
Cooliris, a photo app-maker startup, on its sale to Yahoo!
Provigent, an Israel-based semiconductor company, on its $335 million sale to Broadcom.
A non-US company on its $170 million acquisition of a California-based software company.
Skype on its acquisition of several emerging companies.

Select life sciences M&A experience:

AstraZeneca on its pending $39 billion acquisition of Alexion Pharmaceuticals.
Agilent Technologies on its acquisition of Resolution Bioscience for $550 million in cash at closing and up to an additional $145 million based on achieving future performance milestones.
Fresenius Helios on its $550 million acquisition of leading international fertility company Eugin Group from NMC Health.
Foundation Medicine on its acquisition of precision oncology company Lexent Bio.
Hoffmann La-Roche and its affiliates on the $1.7 billion cash acquisition of publicly-traded cancer therapy company Ignyta.
Genentech on its $1.725 billion acquisition of biotechnology breast cancer treatment company Seragon Pharmaceuticals.
Hoffmann La-Roche and its affiliates on the collaboration and option to acquire early stage MS development program Versant incubator Inception 5.
Novira Therapeutics, a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical HBV treatment company, on its sale to Johnson & Johnson.
Roche Molecular Systems on its $125 million acquisition of DNA sequencing company Genia Technologies with up to $225 million in contingent-based payments.
Roche Molecular Systems on its acquisition of genomic analysis company BINA Technologies.
A China-based pharmaceutical company on its $95 million purchase of biological compounds and other assets of a San Francisco-based research company.
A San Francisco-based R&D company on its acquisition of a human antibody producing modified rat platform.

Select joint venture experience:

The Lagunitas Brewing Company on its 50:50 joint venture with Heineken.
UniGroup, a global transportation company, in board advice related to structuring and implementing technology joint ventures in Silicon Valley.
UniGroup on its first technology joint venture.
Monsanto Company on its life sciences joint venture with Pairwise Plants to advance agriculture R&D leveraging gene-editing technology.
Monsanto Company on the formation of Innovative Seed Solutions, a life sciences joint venture with Remington focused on sorghum development, including related joint ventures in Mexico and Brazil.
PayPal on a proposed cross-border technology joint venture related to assets valued at more than $1 billion.
A state-owned oil and gas company on legal arrangements related to $5.8 billion in assets with two Italian energy companies.
Experian on its technology joint venture and commercial arrangements with FICO.
Renaissance Capital on its joint venture with Royal Bank of Scotland to issue and market currency, interest rate and credit derivative products in Russia and Eastern Europe, and in the subsequent termination of said joint venture following RBS’s acquisition of ABN Amro.
Viking River Cruises on a joint venture related to the operation of Russian river vessels.
Immoeast on the restructuring of a €1 billion cross-border joint venture.
Goldman Sachs on a joint venture to buy and sell consumer debt.

Qualifications

Admissions

California
New York

Education

Columbia School of Law, J.D., 2004 Harlan Fiske Stone Scholar
Senior Editor, Columbia Law Review
Harvard University, B.A. in Biochemical Sciences, 1999

Nnedinma “Nnedi” Ifudu Nweke

Partner,
Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP

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Key Experience:

Assists clients with U.S. and international trade controls and regulatory compliance issues affecting international trade and business.
Member, Akin Gump Diversity & Inclusion Council.
Member, Akin Gump Hiring Committee.
Member, Akin Gump Africa Initiative Steering Committee.

Practice:
Nnedinma (Nnedi) Ifudu Nweke counsels U.S. and non-U.S. clients on U.S. laws and policy affecting cross border transactions and international trade, including export control laws, economic sanctions and trade embargoes, antiboycott laws and regulations, anticorruption laws including Foreign Corrupt Practices Act and anti-money laundering laws.

Nnedi represents clients in international trade matters before several U.S. government departments and agencies, including the departments of Commerce, State and the Treasury. She has helped clients in various industries to effectively manage due diligence reviews in connection with investment fund formation, mergers, acquisitions and other transactions. Nnedi also advises clients on how to respond to U.S. government investigations, develop and implement compliance policies and procedures, prepare voluntary self-disclosures, and conduct internal reviews, audits and investigations.

Nnedi maintains an active pro bono practice, and, in December 2020, joined the board of the Center for Democracy in the Americas, a D.C.-based non-profit, non-partisan organization promoting U.S. policy toward the Americas based on engagement and mutual respect. Nnedi also helped relaunch Akin Gump’s cross-practice Africa initiative, which comprises attorneys working on matters involving the region and who are interested in or view the continent as the next frontier for expanding legal work.

Representative Work:

Counsels clients subject to U.S. sanctions on compliance with U.S. regulatory requirements, delisting applications, requests for OFAC specific licenses, guidance and advisory opinions, and scope of permissible transactions with non-sanctioned business partners.
Conducts global anticorruption and sanctions risk assessments and investigations in connection with transactional due diligence.
Advises non-U.S. clients on compliance with applicable U.S. secondary sanctions measures regarding Iran and Russia.
Assists registered investment advisers, private equity funds and other financial institutions on compliance with U.S. anti-money laundering laws and best practices, and develops related compliance programs.
Provides legal counsel to global energy companies on U.S. legal and policy developments regarding Russia, Myanmar, Venezuela and Iran, and implications for global business operations.

Speeches:

“AGOA: Options for Greater U.S.-Africa Partnership,” Panelist, The Association of Women in International Trade Trust AGOA Panel, March 30, 2021.
“The Most Critical Economic Sanctions Trends Affecting Exports & Reexports: The Lesser Known Pitfalls to Avoid for 2021” Panelist, ACI Conference on US Export and Reexport Compliance for Canadian Operations, January 26-27, 2021
Introductory Remarks on Russia Sanctions Developments in 2020 and Outlook for 2021, Co-Chair and Moderator, 3rd ACI/C-5 Annual Conference on Navigating Russia Sanctions Complexities, November 9-10, 2020
“When the Government Comes Knocking: Internal Investigations, Subpoenas and Government Sanctions,” Panelist, Corporate Counsel Women of Color 16th Annual Career Strategies Conference, September 30, 2020.
“Transformation in the Legal Industry,” Panelist, Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM) Arbitration Centre, Knowledge Series Webinar, June 23, 2020.
“U.S.-Cuba Investment in 2019: Building on Success or Biding our Time?” Akin Gump Cuba seminar, November 27, 2018.
“Trump and Trade: 2018 Compliance Implications,” African-American General Counsel Retreat, Miami, March 10, 2018.
“EU Sanctions Developments,” Akin Gump’s Seminar on International Sanctions and Anti-Bribery Laws, Moscow, March 1, 2018.
”International Sanctions and Antibribery Laws: Risk and Compliance Considerations, Akin Gump Seminar, Moscow, March 1, 2018.
“Cuba, Open for U.S. Business?” LITE (Legal Innovator Talk Experience), Washington, September 25, 2016.
“Update on EU Sanctions/Russia/Iran/Ukraine,” NielsonSmith’s EU Trade Controls for North American Companies 2016, Washington, May 4, 2016.
Panelist, “Back to Business in Iran After the Nuclear Deal: Maximizing Opportunity and Minimizing Liability Risks,” Strafford Webinar, October 13, 2015.
“Policy, Politics and Proliferation: Planning for the P5+1 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action Regarding Iran,” Akin Gump Webinar, April 21, 2015.

Public Service and Affiliations:

Member, board of directors, Center for Democracy in the Americas.

Recognition:

The National Law Journal, D.C. Rising Star, 2019.

Eddie Jauregui

Partner,
Holland & Knight LLP

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Eddie A. Jauregui is a partner in Holland & Knight’s Los Angeles office and a member of the firm’s White Collar Defense and Investigations Team. A litigator and former federal prosecutor, Mr. Jauregui focuses on internal corporate investigations, corporate compliance and training, government enforcement, white collar criminal defense and complex business disputes.

Prior to joining Holland & Knight, Mr. Jauregui served as an Assistant U.S. Attorney in the Los Angeles U.S. Attorney’s Office, where he prosecuted high-profile fraud and public corruption cases. Notably, Mr. Jauregui was part of the trial team that tried and convicted former Los Angeles County Sheriff Leroy Baca and Undersheriff Paul Tanaka for obstruction of justice in connection with a federal civil rights investigation of the Los Angeles County jails. For his role in these landmark prosecutions, Mr. Jauregui received a California Lawyer of the Year Award in 2018 and a special recognition from the Los Angeles County Bar Association Criminal Justice Section.

As a Major Frauds prosecutor, Mr. Jauregui investigated and prosecuted complex financial crimes, including international money laundering, bank and wire fraud, investment advisor fraud, mortgage fraud, defense procurement fraud, import/export crimes, tax crimes and extortion by threat to reputation. He also handled parallel investigations involving the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and the U.S. Department of Justice’s (DOJ) Civil Fraud Division, and served for several years as the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s Procurement Fraud Coordinator. Mr. Jauregui was then promoted to Deputy Chief in the General Crimes Section, where he supervised and trained prosecutors handling a wide variety of federal criminal cases. While serving as an Assistant U.S. Attorney, Mr. Jauregui worked on hundreds of matters, tried six jury trials, and briefed and argued multiple cases before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit.

Before entering government service, Mr. Jauregui practiced law at two Am Law 100 firms in New York and Los Angeles, where he focused on internal investigations, compliance and white collar criminal defense. Mr. Jauregui represented his large corporate and individual clients in investigations brought by the DOJ’s Antitrust Division, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York, the Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control, the U.S. House of Representatives, the New York State Attorney General’s Office and the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office.

Mr. Jauregui is active in the legal community and has maintained a pro bono practice throughout his career. As an advocate for diversity in the legal profession, Mr. Jauregui has led diversity, recruiting and mentoring efforts for more than 10 years in both private practice and government service. He has developed programming aimed at building the pipeline of diverse attorneys and federal prosecutors and mentored numerous young lawyers. His pro bono clients have included children seeking protections under the Special Immigrant Juvenile Status program, an individual fleeing anti-gay persecution abroad and an inmate in a federal civil rights lawsuit. Mr. Jauregui currently serves on the Diversity Committee for the firm’s Los Angeles office.

Mr. Jauregui is a graduate of Columbia Law School, where he was a Harlan Fiske Stone Scholar and recipient of the Valentin J.T. Wertheimer and Allen Morrow prizes. During law school, Mr. Jauregui served as an extern to then-Judge Sonia Sotomayor of the Second Circuit Court of Appeals. Upon graduation, he served as a law clerk to the Hon. Jan E. DuBois of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania.

Representative Experience

U.S. Attorney’s Office Experience

Obtained guilty verdicts against former Los Angeles County Sheriff Leroy Baca and former Undersheriff Paul Tanaka in separate month-long jury trials for conspiracy to obstruct justice, obstruction of justice and making false statements to the FBI
Led multi-year, multi-agency investigation of international aluminum extruder and corporate officers for money laundering, import/export fraud and other crimes resulting in a 10-defendant indictment for a complex scheme exceeding $1.8 billion
Prosecuted two threat-to-reputation Hobbs Act “sextortion” cases presenting complex legal questions; obtained convictions after jury trials in both cases and handled both cases on appeal
Served as procurement fraud coordinator, overseeing intake of defense procurement fraud cases and other procurement cases brought by the Defense Criminal Investigative Service, Army Criminal Investigation Command, NASA Office of Inspector General, Federal Bureau of Investigation and other agencies
Supervised and trained General Crimes prosecutors handling a wide range of felony cases during all stages of prosecution, including guilty pleas, suppression motions, jury trials, sentencings, appeals and probation violations

Private Practice Experience

Represented corporation and executive officer in criminal investigation and prosecution brought by the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) in pharmaceuticals distribution case
Provided consultation and advice on Bank Secrecy Act (BSA) and anti-money laundering (AML) laws and regulations
Represented a major multinational corporation in an antitrust investigation by the DOJ in one of the largest global antitrust matters in U.S. history
Represented a global Fortune 50 corporation in an urgent, high-profile and ultimately public investigation stemming from a product defect
Conducted a 40-plus country global compliance review on behalf of a multinational automotive firm
Represented bank executives in an investigation by the U.S. Department of Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control

Credentials

Education

Columbia University Law School, J.D.
Harvard University Kennedy School of Government, M.P.P.
Occidental College, B.A.

Bar Admissions/Licenses

California
New York

Memberships

American Bar Association, White Collar Crime Committee, Southern California Region, Program Co-Chair
California Lawyers Association, Criminal Law Section, Executive Committee Member
California Lawyers Association, Federal Courts Committee
Hispanic National Bar Association
Federal Bar Association, Los Angeles Chapter

Honors & Awards

Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Nominee, Los Angeles Business Journal, 2021
California Lawyer of the Year (CLAY) Award, Daily Journal, 2018
Special Recognition Award, Los Angeles County Bar Association (LACBA), 2018
Best LGBT Lawyers Under 40, LGBT Bar Association, 2014

Publications

Mr. Jauregui regularly speaks and publishes on matters relevant to his practice. This year alone he has published articles on the key provisions of the Anti-Money Laundering Act of 2020, the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act cases to watch, and the Department of Justice’s likely priorities under Attorney General Merrick Garland.

TANIA MOYRON

US Region Co-Chair, Global Restructuring, Insolvency and Bankruptcy Group,
Dentons US LLP

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Tania M. Moyron is a partner in Dentons’ Restructuring, Insolvency and Bankruptcy group. Tania has significant experience in bankruptcy, corporate restructuring and related litigation matters. She has represented Chapter 11 debtors, creditors’ and equity committees, liquidating trustees, principals and secured and unsecured creditors in all aspects of corporate bankruptcy. She also has advised buyers and sellers of assets in bankruptcy and receivership cases, including representation of a publicly traded real estate investment trust (REIT) and restaurant franchise.

Tania’s representations span a variety of industries, including health care, retail, entertainment, trucking, commercial and residential real estate and restaurant franchise industries. She also has litigation experience in state and federal courts and appellate experience before the Bankruptcy Appellate Panel for the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, District Courts and the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals.

Prior to joining Dentons, Tania gained experience in complex and challenging Chapter 11 cases at top-ranked national firms for business restructuring and bankruptcy. Tania also served as a judicial and appellate law clerk to the Honorable Christopher M. Klein, Chief Judge for the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Eastern District of California and former member of the Bankruptcy Appellate Panel of the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals.

Experience

Verity Health System of California, Inc. (Chapter 11 – Central District of California, August 2018-2021): Tania co-led the representation of Verity Health System, and 16 related entities (collectively, “Verity”), including 6 acute care operating hospitals, in their chapter 11 cases—the second largest hospital bankruptcy case in American history with more than $1.4 billion of debt. During the cases, the Court approved the sale of Verity’s hospitals and senior living facility, and confirmed the joint plan of liquidation, which resolved complex litigation and created a liquidating trust for the benefit of creditors. The sale of Verity Health’s nonprofit assets raised unique issues related to the transfer of healthcare assets in bankruptcy, including the scope of the powers of the Attorney General and the transfer of medical provider agreements, which led to groundbreaking decisions. During the cases, Verity also collaborated with the Attorneys for the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services to reopen St. Vincent Medical Center in Los Angeles, and to set aside beds at Seton Medical Center in the Bay Area to treat COVID-19 patients.
Air Force Village West, Inc. dba Altavita (Chapter 11 – California): Representing Air Force Village West, Inc., in chapter 11 proceedings that will pave the way for the sale of its continuing care retirement community. The Riverside, CA–based company, which does business as Altavita Village, filed in the US Bankruptcy Court for the Central District of California. They have lined up a stalking horse bidder, with the consent of the secured creditors, to sell the 220 acre facility for $58 million in cash and assumption of certain liabilities. A bid procedures motion was approved on May 14, 2019, with an auction to be held on or about June 5, 2019.
Gardens Regional Medical Center & Hospital, Inc. (Chapter 11 – Central District of California, June 2016-October 2018): Tania played a pivotal role in representing this 137 bed not-for-profit hospital in connection with the California Attorney General’s appeal of the Bankruptcy Court’s sale order. The hospital was initially sold under section 363 of the Bankruptcy Code in a very successful auction (the purchase price went from $8.5 million to $19.5 million). The California Attorney General approved the sale, but imposed such onerous economic conditions on the buyer that the sale failed, which led to the hospital’s closure. The hospital sold again, now as a closed hospital, for approximately $7 million, over the objection of the Attorney General. When the Attorney General appealed the sale order, the firm successfully obtained a dismissal of the appeal. The case resulted in three published opinions, all on cutting edge issues of bankruptcy law, and a distribution to unsecured creditors.

Recognition

Recognized as a “Rising Star” by Southern California Super Lawyers, 2013–2015
In the Media
“The coronavirus pandemic impact on a hospital bankruptcy,” The Bond Buyer, April 30, 2020
“AHMC Healthcare to Buy Two San Francisco-Area Hospitals for $40 Million” The Wallstreet Journal, April 23, 2020
“Verity Cleared to Sell Two Hospitals,” The Deal, April 13, 2020
“Verity Collects Approval to Sell Remaining Hospitals,” The Deal, April 18, 2019
“Altavita Village Latest Retirement Community Casualty,” The Deal, March 12, 2019
“$610M Stalking Horse Bid For 4 Verity Hospitals Approved,” Law 360, February 20, 2019
“Verity Reveals Sale of Remaining Hospitals,” The Deal, January 18, 2019
Insights
Co-author, “Medicare, Medicaid Provider Agreements May Transfer Free and Clear in Bankruptcy,” Journal of Corporate Renewal, September 2020
Co-author, “The Effect of the Global Pandemic on Hospitals in America: The Rich Get Richer, But for the Rest …” in Norton Journal of Bankruptcy Law and Practice, Vol. 29, No. 4 (August 2020)

Activities and Affiliations

Community Involvement and Pro Bono
Cycle for Survival, Team Lead
LA Beats Cancer, Board Member

Presentations

Panelist, “How to Effectuate Distressed Hospital Sales Where Prior Efforts have Failed,” Distressed Investing Conference
Panelist, “Nonprofits in Distress Never Say Never,” Western Conference on Tax Exempt Organizations
Panelist, “Today’s Health Crisis: Behavioral Health and Opioids,” ABI Health Care Program: The New Reality in Health Care
Speaker, “Appellate Ethics and Frivolous Appeals,” 4th Annual Bankruptcy Ethics Symposium, Federal Bar Association
Speaker, “What’s up with Attorney Civility?,” 5th Annual Bankruptcy Ethics Symposium, Federal Bar Association
Memberships
Member, American Bankruptcy Institute
Member, International Women’s Insolvency and Restructuring Confederation (IWIRC)
Los Angeles County Bar Association

Education

University of the Pacific, McGeorge School of Law, 2004, Juris Doctor
University of California, San Diego, 1999, BA
Admissions and qualifications
US Bankruptcy Court for the Central District of California
US Bankruptcy Court for the Eastern District of California
US Bankruptcy Court for the Northern District of California
US Bankruptcy Court of the Southern District of California
US Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit
US District Court for the Central District of California
US District Court for the Northern District of Texas

Languages: English and Spanish

CEDRIC POWELL

Special Counsel,
Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton LLP

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As an experienced transactional attorney in the firm’s Washington, D.C. office, Cedric represents private and public companies, investment banks and private equity firms in corporate and transactional matters, including mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures and securities offerings. Over the span of his 11-year career, Cedric has completed dozens of corporate transactions and developed extensive expertise in acquisition transactions on behalf of private equity firms and other buy-out sponsors, as well as domestic and international firms in the aerospace, defense, technology, manufacturing, automotive and healthcare industries. Notably, Cedric was also recognized by Super Lawyers as a Rising Star in 2015 (Texas) and 2019 (Washington, D.C.).

Cedric has been an integral part of the growth of the firm’s Private Equity/M&A Practice Group in the Washington D.C. office, which is Chambers-ranked in the District of Columbia for two consecutive years. Since joining the firm in 2015, he served as the lead associate on more than two dozen sophisticated M&A transactions, attaining numerous successful results for the firm’s clients. Cedric brings a measured approach to his legal practice, prioritizing the client’s business objectives while maintaining the integrity of the firm’s and his role as counsel. During his tenure at the firm, he has completed successful transactions for major domestic and international private equity firms such as Arlington Capital Partners, Gryphon Investors, OpenGate Capital Parties Littlejohn and Co. and Triton Investment Management, as well as strategic acquirers such as CACI, Cubic Corporation, Precision Medicine, CA, Inc. and TP ICAP. Prior to joining the firm, Cedric has also completed successful transactions for clients that include AT&T, Amerisource Bergen Corporation, American Airlines, Guggenheim Partners and Satori Capital.

A snapshot of some of the more prominent recent deals include:

Representing Arlington Capital Partners in its acquisition of the composites business in Milledgeville, Georgia and Rayong, Thailand from Triumph Group, Inc. (NYSE: TGI).
Represented Flokk AS, in connection with its acquisition of 9to5 Seating, LLC, a leading manufacturer of ergonomic office seating.
Represented United Flexible, Inc., a portfolio company of Arlington Capital Partners, in connection with its sale to UK-based Smiths Group for $345 million.
Represented Endeavor Robotics Holdings, Inc., a developer of battle-tested, tactical unmanned ground vehicles and a portfolio company of Arlington Capital Partners, in connection with its sale to FLIR Systems, Inc. (NASDAQ: FLIR) for approximately $385 million.

Roy Prather III

Partner,
Beveridge & Diamond P.C.

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Roy Prather maintains a national practice focused on complex environmental and commercial litigation matters. Roy represents businesses and public sector entities across a broad range of industry sectors in federal and state courts. He defends citizen suits and class actions involving toxic tort, product liability, and green marketing claims under federal environmental laws and state analogues, including the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA), Safe Drinking Water Act, Clean Air Act, and Clean Water Act. Roy advises clients on issues relating to regulatory compliance, and represents clients in indemnity and other commercial contract disputes relating to construction as well as contaminated site cleanup under the federal Superfund law (CERCLA). Roy also works with clients to proactively manage sensitive multi-stakeholder interactions related to environmental justice, including developing creative solutions to address environmental justice community concerns. Additionally, Roy assists clients in navigating administrative regulatory proceedings under various environmental laws and advises them on mitigating the risks of regulatory enforcement actions and litigation. He currently serves as the Deputy Chair of the firm’s Toxic Tort and Environmental Tort Practice Group.

Roy’s recent representative matters include:

Successfully resolving a lead in drinking water litigation on behalf of the City of Newark, and advising the City on navigating a public health emergency
Defeating a nuisance class action involving alleged odors emanating from client’s facility
Securing the dismissal of a multi-million dollar citizen suit seeking to cease operations of energy company based on alleged RCRA violations
Representing a major retailer in a consumer product class action involving novel green marketing issues
Defeating administrative appeal to state trial court and then to intermediate appellate court challenging manufacturer’s Clean Water Act discharge permit
Successfully negotiating recovery of repair costs and lost profits in commercial dispute with contractor relating to construction of infrastructure for energy-generating facility
Advising company on management of site cleanup under CERCLA (Superfund) and defense against potential contribution claims
Obtaining dismissal of a case in New York state court involving alleged contract and environmental claims relating to a dispute over the removal of underground storage tanks
Counseling energy company regarding Clean Air Act permit compliance and negotiating reduction of penalties related to past violations
Winning emergency injunction enforcing class action settlement and dismissing pending claims against a large financial services company
Negotiating favorable settlements for software company while managing its copyright enforcement and litigation efforts.

Roy regularly provides insights regarding environmental litigation to journalists, as well as commenting on diversity and inclusion issues within the legal industry. Law360 recently named Roy to its 2021 Environmental Editorial Advisory Board. The editorial advisory board will provide feedback on Law360’s coverage of environmental law and related matters, as well as providing insight on how best to develop future coverage. Roy holds numerous leadership roles within industry organizations, which include serving on the Institute for Energy Law’s Advisory Board and as a Leadership Council Member for Young Energy Professionals; Co-Chair of the Defense Research Institute’s (DRI) Toxic Tort and Environmental Law Committee 2022 Seminar; and Co-Vice Chair of the National Bar Association’s Environmental, Energy, & Public Utility Law Section. His influence extends beyond B&D, both in the field of environmental law and in his efforts to advance diversity, equity, and inclusion in the legal profession. Roy was named as part of the Young Energy Professionals Leadership Class (2019-2020) by the Institute for Energy Law, received the 2020 National Bar Association Young Lawyers Division Chairman’s Award, and was named one of the “Litigators of the Week” for January 29, 2021 by AmLaw Litigation Daily.

Roy also serves as the Chair of the firm’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion committee. The firm is Mansfield Plus Certified, indicating that B&D considers women, LGBTQ+, minorities, and lawyers with disabilities for at least 30% of all significant leadership roles, lateral recruiting, and business development opportunities. The “Plus” status signifies that B&D exceeds the baseline certification requirements – achieving 30% representation in firm leadership roles. Roy is also active in diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts in the broader legal community. He is a founder and Board member of The Black BigLaw Pipeline, Inc., a nonprofit established to promote positive outcomes for Black attorneys working in large law firms through training, mentorship, and career planning. He is also an active alumnus of the Leadership Council on Legal Diversity’s (LCLD) Pathfinder program and coordinates with his program class and the larger organization to promote diversity within the legal profession. Roy also serves as the Membership Chair of the In-House Counsel Committee for the ABA Section of Environment, Energy, and Resources (SEER) as the Co-Chair of the Subcommittee of the ABA Real Estate Litigation, Condemnation & Trust Litigation Committee.

Roy also prioritizes being an active member of his local community. He is a member of the National Aquarium’s Conservation Committee, where he facilitates the creation of conservation education programming focused on urban and ocean conservation for students and assists the organization in furthering its larger conservation goals. Roy also contributes to his community through youth mentorship as a Big Brother for Big Brothers Big Sisters and as a mentor for Bridges Baltimore.

Additionally, Roy maintains a commitment to pro bono service. He has been recognized by the Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas’ Pro Bono Honor Roll for assisting indigent and homeless clients in resolving contract disputes and obtaining public benefits. For his service with the Prisoner Pro Se Civil Rights Panel where he represented a prisoner in a civil rights case, Roy received a Certificate of Appreciation from the Judges of the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. Roy regularly provides pro bono representation in various other areas of law, including unfair wage practice, immigration, and landlord/tenant matters.

Courtney Reid

Lead Counsel, Broker-Dealer and Investment Adviser Practice Group,
MassMutual

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Courtney leads MassMutual’s Black Strategic Initiative, which is a cross-functional enterprise effort to examine MassMutual’s external and internal engagement with the Black and African American community and to identify and execute strategies for MassMutual to deploy that will contribute to the elimination of systemic structures that exacerbate racial inequities. Courtney also serves as Chair of Passages Business Resource Group, which focuses on issues relating to the advancement, retention, and development of Black and African American employees at MassMutual. She has been a member of Passages’ leadership team for the past 4 years.

In addition to her roles above, Courtney is also Lead Counsel within the Broker-Dealer and Investment Adviser practice group at MassMutual. She is the primary regulatory attorney on FINRA and state securities matters that impact MassMutual’s retail broker-dealer, MML Investors Services, LLC. She represents the company in FINRA and state-related enforcement actions and provides general consultation and advice on issues relating to U4/U5 and 4530 questions, books and records, seniors, and other regulatory-related topics.

Before joining MassMutual in 2016, Courtney was an industry litigator for over 14 years as both in-house and outside counsel. She has represented broker-dealers and brokers in customer and industry disputes before FINRA’s Dispute Resolution Forum and currently serves on FINRA’s National Arbitration and Mediation Committee.

Courtney has been passionate about advancing diversity throughout her career. She was a 2017 Fellow with the Leadership Council on Legal Diversity. Also, she previously served on the executive board for Minnesota Association of Black Lawyers and was a leader within the Minnesota Black Women Lawyers Network. She also was an active member of the Minnesota State Bar Association’s Diversity Committee,
where she served on a task force to study gender and minority equity in Minnesota law firms and corporations.

Courtney received a BA in Journalism and Mass Communications and in Political Science from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and her JD from North Carolina Central University School of Law. She currently lives in Atlanta, GA with her husband, son and two dogs.

BRYAN WEBSTER

Senior Product Counsel,
eBay Inc.

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Having left Texas for college and after earning a degree in Electrical Engineering from Syracuse University, Bryan Webster landed a position with the United States Patent & Trademark Office. As a patent examiner, Bryan focused on applications in the digital communications art.

A few years into his tenure as a patent examiner, Bryan attended night school at Catholic University Law School, and graduated with a JD in 2001.

Bryan was recruited by and joined the internationally-recognized law firm Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale and Dorr LLP, drafting and prosecuting patent applications in the mechanical and electrical arts. There, Bryan started to develop a “nose for innovation”, working with inventors to identify and analyze ideas and features.

By 2003, Bryan was ready to expand his practice, joining Arnold & Porter as an associate working in all aspects of intellectual property and technology. Adding to his patent experience, Bryan worked in intellectual property litigation, licensing, and patent development. He continued this training with McKenna Long & Aldridge LLP, in Washington, D.C.

Bryan was recruited by and joined Microsoft in 2008, moving across the country to Redmond, Washington. As a Senior Attorney in Microsoft’s Intellectual Property Group, Bryan partnered most closely with the Windows Application business. He become a trusted member of the in-house legal team, developing Microsoft’s patent portfolio and counseling their tech leaders on technology strategy. Bryan managed all aspects of the portfolio, including competitor analysis and claim charts. Bryan also worked to develop a strong strategy on patent licensing, including the development of internal innovation programs, both in the US and internationally. Bryan worked to develop and expand Microsoft’s diversity and inclusion efforts, leading the Black lawyers at Microsoft ERG. He was involved in diversity and inclusion at both the legal and corporate levels, for which he recognized with several awards.

While in Washington State, Bryan actively supported the local community, serving as a member of the Board of the Associates Board with the ArtsFund and the Board of Directors of the Artist Trust. Given his commitment to education and his knack for inspiring young people, Bryan served as Mentor for the Community Development and Entrepreneurship Clinic at Seattle University. Bryan acted as a legal advisor to the law students and the small business owners who were coming to the Client for advice.

Given Bryan’s passion for innovation and his interest in learning, Bryan joined eBay in 2017, as a Senior Product Counsel. Bryan takes point in advising multiple product, technology, and business leaders on global user experience projects. For example, on any given day, Bryan might advise on ways to simplify the flow for someone to donate to charity on eBay, how to handle a user’s personal information under US and EU law, and how to structure eBay’s APIs. Bryan manages all aspects of the eBay user agreement, liaising across multiple stakeholders. Bryan has led the legal advice for multiple team including Identity, Charity, API, Artificial Intelligence, Personalization, International, Security, and Mobile.

In the past few years, Bryan has invested heavily in his professional and personal communities, actively volunteering for and participating in the eBay Diversity Committee, Blacks at eBay Community of Inclusion, The Law in Technology Diversity Collaborative, and First AME Church, Oakland. On top of his “day job” has served as a mentor and training manager for multiple student interns, working to expand our diversity and inclusion efforts.

CARLOS WHITE

Partner,
Husch Blackwell

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Carlos White is a Partner at Husch Blackwell, an Am Law 100 law firm. Carlos advises and counsels startups and large clients on a wide variety of corporate matters, private equity and commercial transactions, and franchise transactional and regulatory matters.

As franchise counsel and a former franchise owner, Carlos provides legal counsel from a 360° perspective. He has advised franchisors and franchisees on various domestic and international franchise disclosure, registration, relationship and transactional issues, including counseling clients on all legal aspects of franchise offers, sales, advertising, transfers, renewals and terminations. Carlos has created franchise networks for companies in various industries, including restaurants and food service, hotels and hospitality, real estate, wellness and healthcare, senior assisted living, computer and business services, manufacturing, transportation, logistics, and dating services. Carlos has prepared and negotiated numerous franchise and development agreements and assisted companies with restructuring their franchise programs. Carlos has also assisted franchisees on acquiring franchise units, raising capital, and entering strategic partnerships and transactions. He also serves as outside general counsel to many of his clients.

Carlos’s practice areas can be categorized into the following areas: franchising and distribution, corporate and private equity, and system optimization. His representative work includes the following matters:

Franchising Matters

representing a multi-billion-dollar hotel company in restructuring its franchise program in the United States. This representation involved revising hundreds of existing franchise and operating agreements.
representing a multi-billion-dollar company in its sale of a restaurant concept to a San Francisco-based private equity firm. This representation entailed advising the client on due diligence issues relating to the sale of a franchise.
supervising the annual franchise registration process for over 25 companies. These companies included a multi-billion-dollar hotel and hospitality company, multi-billion restaurant company, well-known Dallas-based pizza chain, and well-known Tampa-based hamburger chains.

International Franchising Matters

representing a multi-billion hotel/hospitality company in establishing franchise and distribution networks in Australia, Barbados, Singapore, Russia and Thailand. This representation included advising the clients on commercial laws in those countries, drafting franchise and distribution programs, and drafting franchise agreements and operating agreements.
representing a well-known, California-based beverage company in restructuring its distribution network in the United States and establishing a franchise program in the Middle East. This representation entailed counseling the client on commercial laws relating to the United States as well as Jordan, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and UAE and drafting franchise agreements, development agreements, licensing agreements and operational agreements.
representing an international real estate company in establishing a distribution network in China. This representation included advising the client on commercial laws relating to China and drafting a franchise program and franchise agreement in accordance with Chinese law.

Private Equity & M&A Transactions

serving as lead franchise counsel on the sale of an oil services company for $650 million.
representing a private equity firm as lead franchise counsel in its acquisitions (exceeding $600 million in transactional value) of a logistics franchise system.
representing management team of a consumer product company in connection with a $1 billion private equity transaction.

System Optimization

while serving as General Counsel, oversaw and implemented the legal strategy for corporate governance matters, supply chain and customer agreements and arrangements, and day-to-day operational matters for telecom company that now has revenues exceeding $700 million.
as in-house counsel, served as chief administrative lawyer for a cloud computing company whose growth included a work-force expansion from 110 to 600 employees, total revenues from $80 to nearly $400 million, and customer count from 5,700 to over 25,000 in a two-year period.
go-to in-house counsel with respect to corporate governance issues, domestic and international commercial issues, customer-oriented agreements, and day-to-day operational matters for company and multiple subsidiaries.

VICTORIA BECKMAN

LAVONNE BURKE HOPKINS

Cyndie Chang

CYNTHIA FERNANDEZ LUMERMANN

PAST MCCA RISING STARS

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VICTORIA BECKMAN

Lavonne Burke Hopkins

Cyndie Chang

Cynthia Fernandez Lumermann

JOHN FISHER

Katisha Fortune

ALBERT GIANG

KRISTIN GIVENS

Nnedinma “Nnedi” Ifudu Nweke

Eddie Jauregui

Sumit Mallick

TANIA MOYRON

Shaila Lakhani Ohri

CEDRIC POWELL

Roy Prather III

Courtney Reid

Terence Rozier-Byrd

Rahael Seifu

BRYAN WEBSTER

CARLOS WHITE