Wake Up Call: London-Based Class Action Firm Warns It Could Fold

Welcome to Bloomberg Law’s Wake Up Call, a daily rundown of the top news for lawyers, law firms, and in-house counsel.

• Pogust Goodhead is warning it could fold, after losing £400 million ($540 million) in the last two years. The London-headquartered class action law firm, which is pursuing claims against major automobile brands for allegedly faking diesel cars’ clean air test results, is nearly £630 million in debt. Bosses at the firm expect to be open for at least the next year. (The Telegraph)
• Greenspoon Marder launched an Israel practice group, which will support Israeli individuals and companies doing business in the US. The team, which includes Israeli-Hebrew speaking attorneys, will offer counsel on issues ranging from M&A to immigration. (Greenspoon Marder)
• Masters LegalAI hired Henry Dicker, who ran the LegalTech conferences now known as Legalweek. Dicker will serve as the company’s senior vice president of strategy and partnerships. (LawSites)

Laterals, Moves, In-House:

• Former Trump administration official Curtis “C.J.” Mahoney will be Meta Platforms’ new legal leader. Mahoney is a former partner at Williams & Connolly.
• Alena Thomas joined Paul Weiss as a partner in its finance group in New York. She previously practiced at Sidley Austin.
• Rebeca Ojeda joined King & Spalding as a partner in its product liability and mass torts practice group in Atlanta. Ojeda most recently worked in the US Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia.
• Ken Halcom joined Willkie Farr & Gallagher as a partner in its private wealth group and family office practice.
• Kate Goodrich Wright joined K&L Gates as a partner in its public policy and law practice in Austin. She joins from Holland & Knight.
• Katie Hausfeld joined BCLP as a partner in its litigation and investigations practice in Chicago. She joins from DLA Piper.
• Justin Johnson will serve as Westinghouse Electric Company’s executive vice president and chief legal officer. Johnson previously worked for Jacobs, Vistra Energy, Hogan Lovells, Kaye Scholer, and Sullivan & Cromwell.
• Aaron Winn and Natalie Bare joined Greenberg Traurig as shareholders. They join from Duane Morris.
• Jonathon Pressley joined Akerman as a partner in its litigation practice in Jacksonville. He joins from Smith, Gambrell & Russell.
• Megan Ben’Ary, Alexander Green, and Joseph Apatov joined Hinshaw & Culbertson as partners in its consumer financial services group. They join from McGlinchey Stafford.
• Ryan O’Neil joined Troutman Pepper Locke as a partner in its health care and life sciences litigation practice group. He joins from Campbell Conroy & O’Neil.
• Kasturi Bagchi joined Honigman LLP as a partner in its transactional and real estate finance practice group in its real estate department. She joins from Miller Canfield.
• Stephen Aschettino joined Fox Rothschild as chair of its fintech and digital assets practice and co-chair of its financial services industry group in New York. He joins from Steptoe LLP.
• David Abramowicz joined Pryor Cashman as a partner in its white collar and regulatory enforcement practice in New York. He joins from GE Vernova Inc.
• Anne Seymour rejoined Weil, Gotshal & Manges as a partner in its banking and finance practice in Boston. She returns from Foley Hoag.
• Katherine Gibson joined Morgan Lewis as a partner in its labor and employment practice in London. She joins from DLA Piper.
• Katherine Wax joined Arnold & Porter as a real estate partner in Seattle. She previously worked as a senior corporate counsel for Amazon.com Inc.
• Harold Jones, Natalie Fujikawa and Emma Redden joined Ogletree Deakins as shareholders. Jones rejoins from Jackson Lewis. Fujikawa joins from Gordon Rees. Redden joins from Baker Donelson.