News and Insights

Amy Savage was quoted in "Big Law Talent Battle Accelerates in Congressional Investigation Practices," (The National Law Journal, 5/7/26).

Nancy Palermo was quoted in "How Happy Are In-House Attorneys At Work?," (Law360, 2/18/26).

Veronica Ascarrunz, previously Partner at Perkins Coie, has joined Sheppard as Partner and Co-Leader of the firm's ITC Litigation Practice. Veronica has experience in Section 337 ITC investigations at all stages, patent infringement litigation, Hatch-Waxman litigation, product development license disputes and USPTO inter partes proceedings.

Judson Littleton and Morgan Ratner, previously Partners at Sullivan & Cromwell, have joined Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher as Partners in the firm's Appellate Practice. The team brings experience in appellate advocacy, including in the Office of the Solicitor General.

Jeffrey Wall, former Principal Deputy Solicitor General at the U.S. Department of Justice, has joined Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher as Partner and Co-Chair of the firm's Appellate and Constitutional Law Practice. Jeffrey has argued cases before the Supreme Court and is an appellate advocate for bet-the-company litigation.

Jeff Cottle, previously Partner and Co-Head of the National Security Practice and Global Co-Head of the Industrials Sector at Eversheds Sutherland, has joined Clyde & Co as Partner and Head of Regulatory & Investigations, White-Collar Crime and Sanctions Practice. Jeff has experience in sanctions and export controls compliance, anti-corruption, anti-money laundering and investigations.

Kerry Hotopp, previously General Counsel at the Department of the Navy, has joined Akin Gump as Senior Counsel in the firm's Government Contracts Practice. Kerry advises defense, technology and research‑driven clients on complex federal acquisition requirements and enforcement matters.

Peter Saba, previously Deputy General Counsel for Policy at the US International Development Finance Corporation, has joined Baker Botts as Senior Counsel in the firm's Global Projects Department. Peter advises clients on all aspects of project development and financing for energy and other infrastructure projects, both domestically and internationally.

Anne Murray, previously Partner at McDermott Will & Emery, has joined Winston & Strawn as Partner in the firm's White Collar & Government Investigations Practice. Anne guides companies, boards, and individuals through complex enforcement matters and internal investigations.

Torsten Kracht, previously Partner at Hunton Andrews Kurth, has joined Morgan Lewis as Partner in the firm's Global Litigation Practice. Torsten represents US and international clients in complex commercial litigation and arbitration.

Alexander Ott, previously Partner at McDermott Will & Emery, has joined Winston & Strawn as Partner in the firm's Litigation Department and the International Trade Commission Practice. Alex focuses on complex patent disputes and represents clients in high-technology industries, including semiconductor, wireless networking, LED, and software technologies.

Michelle Heisner, previously Partner at Baker McKenzie, has joined Baker Donelson as Shareholder in the firm's Corporate Group. Michelle advises public and private companies, boards of directors, private equity sponsors, and investors on complex U.S. domestic and cross-border corporate transactions, including mergers and acquisitions, strategic investments, joint ventures, carve-outs, roll-ups, and minority equity transactions.

Shannon Reaves, previously Partner at Squire Patton Boggs, has joined Dechert as Partner and Co-Chair of the National Security Practice Group. Shannon has experience in cross-border transaction reviews before the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States and Foreign Ownership Control or Influence mitigation with the Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency.

Marcus Childress, previously Senior Advisor & Special Counsel at the House Judiciary Committee has joined Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld as Partner and Co-Head of the Congressional Investigations Practice. Marcus helps clients navigate all aspects of congressional and other government investigations, public hearings, as well as related litigation.

Priyata Patel, previously Partner at Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison, has joined Dechert as Partner in the firm's Intellectual Property Practice. Priyata focuses her practice on life sciences and technology disputes.

Archis Parasharami, Daniel Jones and Kevin Ranlett, previously Partners at Mayer Brown, have joined Skadden as Partners. They will defend businesses in high-stakes class action litigation in federal and state courts nationwide.

Douglas Gansler and Stephen Ruckman, previously Partners at Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft, have joined Greenberg Traurig as Shareholders in the firm's State Attorneys General Practice. They represent clients in federal and state investigations and enforcement actions.

David Pearl, previously Partner at Axinn, Veltrop & Harkrider, has joined Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer as Partner in the firm's Antitrust Practice. David will focus on advising clients on high-stakes contentious and noncontentious antitrust issues, including litigation, investigations, cross-border merger reviews and foreign direct investment.

Cheryl Isaac, previously Partner at K&L Gates, has joined Alston & Bird as Partner in the firm's Financial Services Group. Cheryl focuses her practice on derivatives and commodities law across several industries, and advises on regulatory matters under the Commodity Exchange Act, the Dodd-Frank Act, and related Commodity Futures Trading Commission(CFTC) regulations.

David Shaw, previously Partner at Desmarais, has joined Latham & Watkins as Partner in the firm's Intellectual Property Litigation Practice. David focu ses on patent litigation across the technology and life sciences sectors in federal district courts and Section 337 proceedings before the International Trade Commission(ITC).