Friday, May 7, 2010
Page 3
Sheppard Mullin, Allen Matkins Announce Partners
By a MetNews Staff Writer
Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton LLP and Allen Matkins Leck Gamble Mallory & Natsis LLP both announced the addition of new partners yesterday.
Alan M. Feld, the former co-chair of Manatt, Phelps & Philips’ Bankruptcy & Financial Restructuring practice group, made the move to Sheppard Mullin’s downtown Los Angeles office while Allen Matkins lured Alston + Bird LLP partner Scott J. Leipzig to its Century City location.
Feld remarked that he was impressed with Sheppard Mullin’s international and real estate practices, and its dedication to growing these areas even further.
“I’m excited to be part of a partnership that values teamwork and fosters collegiality, both within practice groups and across practice areas,” he said.
Guy N. Halgren, chairman of the firm, praised Feld as “a first-rate bankruptcy attorney and an excellent fit with our Finance and Bankruptcy practice group.” He noted Feld’s experience with cross-border restructuring matters, real estate secured creditor work and representation of investors in technology companies, opining that the attorney’s background “dovetails well with the firm’s international practice, New York and Silicon Valley offices, and premier California real estate practice.”
Practice Areas
Feld’s practice involves international and domestic bankruptcy, business reorganizations, and workouts involving complex collateral packages and multiple jurisdictions, the firm said. Feld represents bondholders, lenders, servicers and other creditors in connection with bankruptcy and financial restructuring matters of all types.
The attorney focuses much of his practice in the emerging markets with particular emphasis on Latin America, and has experience representing the creditors of publicly traded foreign entities with U.S. dollar denominated debt.
He graduated from Williams College in 1987 prior to attending law school at USC. He earned his law degree and was admitted to practice in 1991.
Leipzig said he “couldn’t be more excited about transitioning my real estate and financial services litigation practice to [Allen Matkins],” which he praised as “a fine firm with such immense bench strength in these areas.”
Tony Natsis, managing partner of Allen Matkins’ Century City office and chair of the firm’s real estate department, commented that Leipzig “has an excellent reputation as a litigator,” adding that “we are pleased to be attracting attorneys of his caliber.”
Nastis predicted that Leipzig’s experience handling complex real estate, finance, banking and commercial disputes “ will play an integral part in serving clients’ diverse needs and the firm’s growing litigation team.”
Litigation Experience
Leipzig’s commercial litigation experience includes prosecuting and defending complex real estate disputes on behalf of commercial and residential developers; representing major telecommunications companies in regards to network real estate disputes; representing financial institutions, mortgage companies and real estate businesses in a wide range of real estate and consumer finance disputes; handling complex franchise matters on behalf of substantial franchisors and franchisees; prosecuting and defending various commercial and real estate contract disputes; and handling complex insurance disputes, the firm said. His clients include, AT&T, TowerCo, Rich Development Company and American Housing Group.
The attorney received his undergraduate degree from James Madison University and went on to earn his business and law degrees from the College of William and Mary, both in Virginia. He was admitted to practice in 1997.
In other news, Encino-based Barry Kurtz, A Professional Corporation, has announced the addition of Candice Lee.
Lee previously worked as an associate with O’Melveny & Myers LLP in San Francisco where she represented public and private companies in securities matters and corporate governance. Prior to that, she was an associate with McDermott Will & Emery LLP in Irvine doing transactional work on various real estate and merger and acquisition transactions.
A graduate of UC San Diego, Lee attended law school at USC and served as an extern for Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Ernest M. Hiroshige. She earned her law degree and was admitted to the State Bar in 2005.
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