Wake Up Call: WilmerHale Partner Eyed for Key Commerce Post

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

• Jeffrey Kessler, a partner at WilmerHale, is being considered by President-elect Donald Trump to lead the Commerce Department’s Bureau of Industry and Security. If selected, Kessler would oversee export controls on US technology sent to countries like China that pose a risk to national security. He served as the agency’s assistant secretary for enforcement and compliance during Trump’s first term. (Reuters)
• Parambil, an artificial intelligence-powered mass tort analysis provider, raised $2 million in a pre-seed funding round led by Daybreak Ventures. Founded former McKinsey engagement manager Sara Dwyer, the company uses AI to perform medical record analysis for use in mass tort litigation. (Law.com)
• Sean Teare, the newly-elected district attorney for Harris County, Texas, was sworn in this month even thought he wasn’t aware that his law license had been suspended. Teare won his election with just shy of 51% of the vote Nov. 5, and on Dec. 31, the State Bar of Texas suspended his law license due to a failure to complete annual Minimum Continuing Legal Education requirements. (The Texan)

Laterals, Moves, In-House

• Mathew Eapen joined Sidley Austin as a partner in its investment funds practice in Boston. He joins from Kirkland & Ellis.
• Bruce Embley joined Clifford Chance as a private equity partner in London. He joins from Skadden.
• Ryan Majerus joined King & Spalding as a partner in its international trade team in Washington. He joins from the Commerce Department.
• Former Indiana Congressman Larry Bucshon joined Holland & Knight as a senior policy adviser in its public policy and regulation group in Washington.
• David Grimes and Patrick Rowe joined Alston & Bird as partners in its mergers and acquisitions and private equity teams in New York.
• Rachelle Downie joined K&L Gates as a partner in its intellectual property practice in Melbourne. She joins from Corrs Chambers Westgarth.
• Daniel Cowan joined Mintz, Levin, Cohn, Ferris, Glovsky and Popeo as a member in its private equity team in Boston. He joins from Ropes & Gray.
• Brandi Howard rejoined McGuireWoods as a litigation partner in Washington. She joins from Brown Rudnick.
• Stacy O’Mara joined Venable as a senior director in its cybersecurity services group.
• Regina Faul joined Clark Hill as a member in its labor and employment practice in New York.
• Nicole Snyder was promoted to chief operating officer at Holland & Hart. She was previously the firm’s chief administrative officer.
• Jonathan Ginsberg joined Carlton Fields as a shareholder in its business litigation practice in New York.
• Evelyn Giaccio joined Cole Schotz as a member in its real estate department in New York. She joins from Counterpointe Sustainable Real Estate.
• James Sze joined FisherBroyles as a partner in its intellectual property and patent practices. He joins from Kilpatrick Townsend & Stockton.
• Timothy Reilly joined Snell & Wilmer as a partner in its litigation, investigations, and trials practice group in Denver. He joins from Beltzer, Banger & Gunnell.