Sidley Picks Up Head of McDermott’s Los Angeles Litigation Team

Jon Dean, the head of McDermott Will & Emery’s litigation group in Los Angeles, is leaving for Sidley Austin as the firm continues its growth in Southern California.

Dean, a former prosecutor, is joining Sidley as a partner in its commercial litigation and disputes practice, the firm announced on Wednesday.

“Sidley is one of a handful of elite law firms with immense depth and legal talent and the opportunity really to join the firm, and that platform, is really too good to be true,” Dean said in an interview.

Dean focuses his practice on complex commercial litigation matters, including patent and trade secrets, antitrust, securities, unfair competition, trademark, employment, workplace safety, and health care matters. He successfully defended Airbnb Inc. last year over alleged violations of the California Coastal Act as well as various tax issues.

He also has represented clients in connection with government investigations by the Justice Department and Securities and Exchange Commission, as well as local law enforcement agencies.

“Litigation is been an important part of our growth story at the firm and in California in particular,” said Yvette Ostolaza, chair of Sidley’s management committee. “When you see a trial lawyer like [Dean],” she said, “we jump at the opportunity.”

The firm earlier this month opened an office in San Diego with a team of five lawyers, including recent additions Cindy Lovering and James Lu from Cooley and Jon Olsen from Goodwin. It also picked up Peter Burke, global finance partner and former vice chair of Paul Hastings’ Los Angeles office and Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati labor and employment litigator Rebeccca Stuart.

“Jon is well known in Los Angeles, and his nearly 30 years of connections to LA-based and national clients will strengthen our existing relationships and litigation offering across all industries,” said Rollin Ransom, managing partner of the Los Angeles office and co-leader of the firm’s commercial litigation and disputes practice.

Sidley is going to continue expanding in California, Ostolaza said. The firm is looking to build across US offices its capabilities in media, life sciences, healthcare, technology, emerging companies, financial institutions, and hospitality, she said.

It’s also growing in London, where the firm earlier this month said it would bring on a five-lawyer leveraged finance team from Latham & Watkins. Sidley is additionally seeking to widen its cross-border capabilities in the Middle East and Singapore, a go-to destination for law firms in Asia, Ostolaza said.