Firm Profile > Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton LLP > San Diego (Downtown), United States

Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton LLP > The Legal 500 Rankings

Government > Government contracts Tier 2

Split between Los Angeles and Washington DC, Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton LLP's government contracts practice has expertise in the areas of aerospace and defense, international trade, and intelligence. The team also stands out for its national security practice, fielding a number of lawyers with high security clearance credentials. Jonathan Aronie leads the team in Washington DC and is noted for his experience in qui tam cases and False Claims Act litigation. Other DC-based contacts include former practice head Anne Perry, John Chierichella, and Keith Szeliga. Bryan Daly is the name to note in Los Angeles; as a former federal prosecutor, Daly has considerable experience in the white-collar and whistleblower cases, in addition to FCA complaints. Scott Roybal is also recommended in Los Angeles; he leads the firm's government contracts, investigations and international trade group.

Industry focus > Energy: renewable/alternative power Tier 2

Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton LLP has a significant focus on renewables transactions, with expertise not only from a financing and corporate perspective, but also in adjacent but pivotal areas including environmental, permitting and land rights. Much of the firm's transactional work for developers, sponsors and financiers is driven by tax considerations, including advice on structuring equity investments for the monetization of investment tax credits or production tax credits, special allocations in partnership arrangements, implementing tax advantaged financing and acquisition techniques. Led out of Chicago by Katherine Gillespie  on the transactional front and Andrew Ratts  for bespoke tax advice, the firm has recently advised many project developers in relation to the financing of wind project portfolios throughout the country. Gillespie co-heads the team alongside Chicago-based partner Tony Toranto .

M&A/corporate and commercial > M&A: middle-market (sub-$500m) Tier 2

Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton LLP handles a broad range of transactional and general corporate matters for public and private companies both domestically and internationally. It provides full legal support on M&A and LBOs, financing transactions, recapitalizations, public offerings, real estate capital markets transactions and joint ventures. The firm's highlights also illustrate the team's ability to work across industry sectors, with recent work covering the IT, healthcare, consumer goods, aerospace and defense, financial services, and food and beverage industries. The corporate and securities practice group is jointly led by Century City-based Jeryl Bowers and Linda Michaelson, alongside Ariel Yehezkel in New York. Will Chuchawat leads the M&A team in Los Angeles, where he represents public and private companies, private equity clients, and venture capital investors.

Media, technology and telecoms > Media and entertainment: transactional Tier 2

Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton LLP is highly active in the digital content and OTT distribution space and often advises Amazon and subsidiaries in content deals, as well as representing several notable production companies and studios in their dealings with other streaming service providers. The practice is jointly led from Century City by Robb Klein and Linda Michaelson, both of whom have significant practices in the film and television space, with Michaelson focusing more on strategic corporate transactions, while Klein is active in the field of day-to-day financing, distribution, licensing, and production deals. Also based in Century City is Sidney Fohrman, who leads the firm's music and esports industry teams and acts on the full range of mandates in both sectors. The firm has a particularly strong relationship with the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers, who instruct New York-based Daniel Schnapp in relation to various licensing matters. Robert Darwell is another key figure within the practice, and is particularly strong in the new media space, handling work for several clients including Amazon, as well as having significant experience in the areas of fashion and art law.

Media, technology and telecoms > Telecoms and broadcast: regulatory Tier 2

The Washington DC team at Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton LLP is primarily known for communications-related litigation and 'thoughtful' strategic counselling in the cable and telecommunications industry, but also demonstrates expertise on regulatory issues in the satellite and commercial space industry. It represents clients disputes in state and federal trial and appellate courts, administrative tribunals, and international arbitrations. Practice head, Brian Weimer handles the majority of state and local regulatory and litigation issues for Charter, while also acting as the primary outside FCC counsel to OneWeb. Telecoms litigation specialist Paul Werner, who has 'a measured, thoughtful approach' and 'comes exceptionally well-prepared for trial', has experience in large-scale domestic consumer protection matters, with a particular emphasis on privacy, as well as arbitration and international disputes. Dave Thomas focuses on wire and wireless networks and services, specifically on federal, state and local regulations surrounding broadband networks. Other key team members include cable specialist Ray Rutngamlug, and Drew Svor and Abraham Shanedling, both of whom are associates.

Real estate > Land use/zoning Tier 2

Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton LLP fields teams of experts in key cities across California, which routinely advise on issues such as subdivision and zoning, historic preservation, development agreements and environmental permits. The practice group is jointly headed by Keith Garner in San Francisco and San Diego-based Nancy Scull. Also in San Diego, Jeffrey Forrest is a name to note for large-scale planning matters, litigation defense and entitlement approvals. He also advises on compliance with regulations, such as NEPA and CEQA. Jennifer Renk in San Francisco is also recommended; she has experience of development projects across the state of California, and has a focus on matters relating to the California Environmental Quality Act.

Tax > Not-for-profit (nonprofit and tax exempt organizations) Tier 2

Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton LLP is rated for its 'caring, understanding, and knowledgeable' nonprofits team, which stands out in particular for its experience in the healthcare sector. The group is jointly led by Los Angeles-based David Ulich and Tamar Rosenberg in New York, both of whom have experience advising a range of not-for-profit organizations on corporate and tax matters. Other names to note include corporate and tax expert Jay Gerzog, a key advisor for nonprofits in the healthcare sector, and 'talented' associate Amanda Zablocki, who attracts praise for her 'breadth of legal knowledge and understanding of nonprofit and tax-exempt law'. All attorneys referenced are based in New York unless otherwise stated.

Antitrust > Cartel Tier 3

Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton LLP is equipped to handle cartel investigation appointments across a wide range of industries: The firm's strong national healthcare practice attracts a lot of industry clients and the antitrust team is especially strong in the technology sector. Led out of San Francisco by Michael Scarborough, the team is also involved in cases at the intersection of antitrust and IP. Operating out of the same office, Dylan Ballard combines his business litigation and white-collar know-how with a strong antitrust practice. Stationed in Washington DC since moving from the Los Angeles office in June 2019, Leo Caseria is active in DOJ and FTC antitrust investigations in addition to his litigation practice.

Industry focus > Healthcare: advice to health insurers Tier 3

Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton LLP advises clients on transactional and regulatory matters in the healthcare space. Areas of specialism include health plan licensing, reimbursement, fraud and abuse, tax, financing, HIPAA, and privacy. The practice also handles matters such as structuring alliances and joint ventures, leading physician alignment initiatives, and organizing population health management and risk-based reimbursement systems. Los Angeles-based practice head Eric Klein has extensive experience advising US and Chinese healthcare companies and private equity funds in healthcare M&A. The group also has partners in Washington DC, Chicago, Dallas, and New York.

Media, technology and telecoms > Cyber law (including data privacy and data protection) Tier 3

Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton LLP's privacy and cybersecurity team includes 'very practical and business-savvy lawyers' who cover a full range of disputes, transactional and advisory matters. The team is perhaps most active in the retail sector, though it boasts a varied client base including names such as Levi Strauss, NEO Technologies and Toyota Motor Credit Corp. The practice is jointly led from Chicago and Century City by Liisa Thomas and Craig Cardon, respectively; Thomas and New York-based Kari Rollins are names to note for data breach incidents, while Cardon along with Rollins and Shannon Petersen in San Diego handle privacy litigation and class action defense. Washington DC-based Jonathan Meyer specializes in cybersecurity matters, while, in San Francisco, Brian Anderson and recently promoted partner Rachel Tarko Hudson are highlighted for their experience advising on the privacy aspects of technology transactions.

Antitrust > Civil litigation/class actions: defense Tier 4

The antitrust litigation offering at Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton LLP includes defense of monopoly violations or joint collaborations, market foreclosures and other competitor and supplier-side cases. Alongside expertise at the nexus of antitrust and intellectual property, the group is committed to assisting clients from the technology sector. Michael Scarborough, in San Francisco, fields experience through all phases of class action litigation, presides over the practice. Washington DC-based Leo Caseria is also involved in antitrust litigation issues including alleged price-fixing, boycott and monopolization defense.

Industry focus > Environment: litigation Tier 4

The team at Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton LLP is active in high-stakes environmental litigation throughout the state of California, and is also experienced in representing clients before various governmental agencies. Jointly led from Los Angeles by Jeffrey Parker and Whitney Roy, the practice group is especially strong in issues related to California Proposition 65. In addition, Parker has expertise in toxic tort and groundwater contamination matters, while Roy stands out for her in-depth knowledge of regulatory matters and experience in contamination litigation. Gail Suchman, who recently joined the New York office from Stroock & Stroock & Lavan LLP, has a wealth of experience in the fields of climate change and carbon emissions.

Industry focus > Environment: regulatory Tier 4

Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton LLP handles a range of regulatory and permitting matters before federal, state and local agencies, such as air pollution control districts and regional air quality management boards. The team also provides crisis response services, and advises on compliance with the State Environmental Quality Review Act and the National Environmental Policy Act. The practice group is jointly headed in LA by Jeffrey Parker, who is experienced in enforcement actions brought under CERCLA, RCRA, and the Clean Air Act, among other environmental statutes; and Whitney Roy, who specializes in Proposition 65 matters. Gail Suchman recently joined the New York office from Stroock & Stroock & Lavan LLP.

Industry focus > Healthcare: advice to service providers Tier 4

Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton LLP is best known for its transactional work, which encompasses matters such as joint venture projects, often involving multiple hospital systems and large physician groups, and a growing private equity practice. Other areas of work include health plan licensing, HIPAA issues, payor and provider contracting, fraud and abuse litigation, and advice on risk- and value-based reimbursement systems. The group has a robust presence in California, with offices in San Diego, San Francisco, and Los Angeles, where practice head Eric Klein is based. Other locations include Chicago, Dallas, Washington DC, and New York.

Intellectual property > Trademarks: litigation Tier 4

Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton LLP's West Coast trademark team is perhaps best known for its work in the style and fashion industry, but is also highly active in the entertainment and hospitality industries. Century City-based Jill Pietrini leads the team and regularly represents clients in cases involving trademark dilution, trade name and trade dress issues.

Media, technology and telecoms > Media and entertainment: litigation Tier 4

Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton LLP houses a litigation team which advises media sector clients on a wide range of cases, including profit participation, breach of contract, talent disputes, and intellectual property litigation. Marty Katz heads the team from the firm's Century City office and advises the full spectrum of entertainment industry clients in relation to a wide range of disputes, with recent instructions including bankruptcy-related cases, contract disputes, and right of publicity claims. In the music sector, recent work has primarily involved IP and royalty disputes, in which the firm acts both for platforms and distributors as well as individual artists and their estates in relation to claims by alleged rights-holders. James Curry is another key figure within the team, and is particularly focused on the film and television sector, acting for studios, broadcasters and production companies in relation to their distribution, financial, and IP disputes.

Media, technology and telecoms > Technology transactions Tier 4

Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton LLP handles joint venture mandates, intellectual property matters, and outsourcing and licensing agreements for media, financial services and retail entities. The group is advising Truepic, a photo and video verification platform, on IP issues concerning its image verification technology. The practice group is jointly headed by New York-based Daniel Schnapp, Brian Anderson in San Francisco and Michael Orlando in San Diego. Los Angeles-based Sidney Fohrman is noted for his expertise in media and entertainment sector mandates. James Gatto in Washington DC garners praise for his 'innate ability to understand, simplify, and protect complex technologies in cutting edge fields'.

Media, technology and telecoms > Telecoms and broadcast: transactional Tier 4

Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton LLP is particularly active on satellite transactions, and advising private equity clients on their telecoms investments. Satellite, wireless and media expert Brian Weimer heads the practice, which also handles acquisitions and mergers. Recent work of note includes advising social network giant Snap concerning its move into mass media content. Paul Werner handles the vast majority of the litigation issues arising in the telecoms space, while Ray Rutngamlug specializes in communications service agreements. Associate Drew Svor is another name to note.

Real estate > Construction (including construction litigation) Tier 4

Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton LLP’s offices in California traverse the West Coast, and primarily handle public or private transactional and contentious cases. Los Angeles-based Candace Matson handles the bulk of disputes, and has further experience acting as an independent arbitrator or mediator. Matson co-chairs the practice with San Francisco-based Erinn Contreras, whose clients include owners, developers, subcontractors and construction lenders from project start until final completion. Such work includes the drafting and negotiation of construction contracts, advising on scheme execution issues, and step-by-step claim management.

Real estate > Real estate Tier 4

Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton LLP's 'cohesive' real estate group ticks all of the key boxes, with noted expertise in acquisitions, public-private developments, and commercial real estate finance. San Diego-based Nancy Scull jointly leads the department with Keith Garner in San Francisco. The team has been particularly active in build-to-suit office developments, and also has a strong track record in handling complex leases on behalf of multinational technology companies.

Antitrust > Merger control Tier 5

Antitrust lawyers at Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton LLP collaborate closely with the firm's corporate practice to handle merger reviews and Hart-Scott-Rodino filings of primarily mid-market deals. The department is headed by the San Francisco-based Michael Scarborough and often makes use of a pull and refile to avoid second requests. Bevin Newman from Jones Day is a significant addition to the Washington DC office, bringing her healthcare expertise. The firm's offices in the capital further fields Robert Magielnicki, a pre-merger expert with knowledge of business law. David Garcia serves as managing partner of the Century City office, alongside his antitrust transaction practice with a focus on healthcare and entertainment.

Finance > Restructuring (including bankruptcy): municipal

Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton LLP > Firm Profile

Sheppard Mullin is a full service Global 100 firm with 950 attorneys in 15 offices located in the United States, Europe and Asia. Specifically the firm has US offices throughout California and in New York, Washington, DC, Dallas and Chicago, and its international offices are located in London, Brussels, Shanghai and Seoul.

Since 1927, companies have turned to Sheppard Mullin to handle corporate and technology matters, high stakes litigation and complex financial transactions. In the US, the firm’s clients include more than half of the Fortune 100.

In addition to the areas of legal practice listed in the sidebar, the firm has numerous interdisciplinary teams focused on such key industries as: aerospace and defence; communications; construction; blockchain technology and digital currency; energy; fashion; financial services; food and beverage; healthcare; hospitality; insurance; and life sciences.

Guy Halgren was re-elected as chairman of the firm’s executive committee for a sixth consecutive term in March 2016.

Sheppard Mullin is a firm that truly puts clients first. And this sets it apart. The firm doesn’t just give lip service to client service. Sheppard Mullin regularly gives ‘Clients First’ awards to attorneys and staff members who ‘go the extra mile’ for clients. Client service is part of the culture and permeates everything the firm does.

The firm recognizes the importance of diversity and the need to create a workplace of inclusion. Law firms need, and clients demand, a team of attorneys that is as diverse as the world in which they practice. Achieving and maintaining diversity is key to effective client service – a core value of the firm. The firm repeatedly gets a 100% ranking from the Human Rights Campaign.

At Sheppard Mullin, the firm encourages attorneys to help pro bono clients. Coast-to-coast, the firm has compiled an admirable record in providing community service and legal services to those in need. The firm achieved two historic victories on behalf of New York City’s persons with disabilities that were featured in American Lawyer magazine. One of the firm’s partners is the recipient of the American Bar Association’s Pro Bono Publico Award which honors those who have enhanced the human dignity of others by improving or delivering volunteer legal services to the nation’s poor and disadvantaged.