Wake Up Call: California Law Schools Offer Support During Fires

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

• As wildfires spread across Southern California, local law schools, including Pepperdine, Loyola Marymount, and UCLA, are offering legal assistance to affected residents. Volunteers are helping with FEMA claims, insurance issues, and tenant rights. (ABA Journal)
• Attorney Jennifer Standerfer reached a $200,000 settlement with the city of Hot Springs and the Arkansas Bar Association after being arrested for carrying petition materials at an association meeting. Standerfer, who was not soliciting signatures, was detained for allegedly violating the venue’s solicitation rule, though no charges were filed. (Arkansas Times)
• Disbarred lawyer Steven Salami was sentenced to 10 years in prison for stealing nearly $1.18 million from clients. He pleaded guilty to financial facilitation of criminal activity after taking funds for real estate transactions but failing to complete the work. (Patch)

Laterals, Moves, In-House

• Brian Gross joined Morrison Foerster as chief operating officer based in San Francisco. He joins from Boston Consulting Group.
• Justin Ho joined Cleary Gottlieb as a partner in its capital markets group in San Francisco.
• Dustin Till joined Troutman Pepper Locke as a partner in its energy practice in Portland, Ore. He joins from PacifiCorp.
• Adam Shevell joined Perkins Coie as a partner in its technology transactions and privacy group in San Francisco. He joins from Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati.
• Brian Cheney joined Holland & Hart as a partner in its real estate practice. He joins from Dentons.
• Adria Crowe and Christine Kim joined Akerman as partners in its transactional risk practice.
• Brian Doran joined Byline Bancorp as executive vice president and general counsel. He joins from Republic First Bank.
• Edward Duffy joined Baker Botts as a partner in its litigation department and antitrust practice in Washington. He joins from the Justice Department.
• Ben Love joined Baker Botts as a partner in its litigation practice in Houston.
• Jeffrey Ramsay joined Paul Hastings as a partner in its investment grade finance practice in New York. He joins from Davis Polk.
• Patrick O’Gara joined Skadden as a partner in its tax group in London.
• Stephen Jorden rejoined Carlton Fields as a shareholder in its life, annuity, and retirement litigation practice in Hartford, Conn. He joins from Faegre Drinker Biddle & Reath.
• Stephen Guzzetti joined Fox Rothschild as a partner in its litigation department.