Wake Up Call: Swiss Lawyer Investigated Over Hermes Heir Shares

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

• French prosecutors have put Swiss lawyer Alexandre Montavon under formal investigation in a long-running probe tied to LVMH’s stake-building in Hermes. Prosecutors believe Montavon may have played a role, as both an attorney and the administrator of offshore company Dilico, in the alleged diversion of millions of Hermes shares linked to heir Nicolas Puech. The step indicates investigators believe there is substantial evidence to keep pursuing the case, though it does not amount to a finding of guilt. (Reuters)
• House Republicans have subpoenaed an Oregon climate lawyer as part of their probe into alleged efforts to influence judges. Roger Worthington, who represents Mulnomah County in its climate case against oil companies, agreed to sit for a July deposition sought by House Judiciary Chair Jim Jordan and courts subcommittee Chair Darrell Issa. Worthington says the investigation is meant to help the fossil fuel industry undercut climate-liability suits that could expose oil companies to billions of dollars in damages. (E&E News)
• Teny Geragos is emerging as a prominent defense lawyer in high-profile sex-crimes cases. The 35-year-old attorney—who has represented Harvey Weinstein, Sean Combs, and one of the Alexander brothers—said she welcomes being seen as part of a post-#MeToo defense bar and argued that criminal courts need to hear more from defendants and their lawyers, not just accusers’ advocates. Geragos also said media coverage can drive prosecutions and that she has not found a line she would refuse to cross in choosing clients. (Vanity Fair)

Laterals, Moves, In-House

• Michael Dorf joined DLA Piper as a partner in its corporate practice in San Francisco.
• Geoffrey Palachuk joined DLA Piper as a partner in its real estate practice in Seattle.
• Abigail X. Xu joined Greenberg Traurig as a shareholder in its M&A practice in New York.
• Tyler Brown joined Paul Hastings as a partner in its energy and infrastructure practice in Atlanta.
• Kimberly Rai joined Holland & Knight as a partner in its healthcare regulatory and enforcement practice in New York.
• Satvi Vepa joined Alston & Bird as a partner in its federal and international tax group in London.
• Joe Meadows joined Fox Rothschild as a partner in its litigation department in Washington, DC.
• Greg Pimstone joined Husch Blackwell as a partner in its Los Angeles office.
• Kenneth Kansa joined Steptoe as a partner in its restructuring and bankruptcy practice in Chicago.
• Joshua Portnoy joined Bradley as a partner in its real estate practice group in Atlanta.
• Robert Powell joined Hinshaw & Culbertson as a partner in its commercial transactions group in Miami.
• Parisa Salehi, the former inspector general of the Export‑Import Bank of the United States, has joined Parker Poe as a partner in its Washington, DC office.