GC Appointments

Anne Marie Cook was appointed senior vice president and general counsel at Aegerion Pharmaceuticals Inc. She was formerly a partner with Choate Hall & Stewart, where she represented life science companies and provided general legal support.

Lou Agnese joined WhaleShark Media Inc. as the company's first general counsel. Agnese formerly served as a senior corporate associate with DLA Piper. As WhaleShark's general counsel, Agnese will oversee the company's legal and government affairs.

Matt Thomson joined Blue Global Media as general counsel. He will handle the performance marketing company's in-house legal needs and oversee day-to-day activities. Thomson brings experience from more than five years of work at Kronenberger Rosenfeld.

Cynthia Pevehouse was appointed senior vice president and general counsel of Staples Inc. She was most recently senior counsel at Steptoe & Johnson, and previously served as executive vice president and general counsel at Allianz of America Corp.

Konstantin Linnik joined IDEA Pharma as general counsel and principal IP strategist. He previously served as senior corporate counsel of Pfizer Inc., and will help IDEA Pharma open its Boston branch to expand its client base.

J.F. Lehman & Co. appointed David L. Rattner to the newly created position of general counsel and chief compliance officer. Rattner had served as acting general counsel of the private equity firm since January 2011, and was previously general counsel at OAO Technology Solutions Inc.

Victoria E. Fimea joined Sammons Financial Group Inc. as senior vice president and general counsel. Fimea most recently worked for Fort Dearborn Life Insurance Co. and previously was senior counsel, litigation, for the American Council of Life Insurers.

First Wind named Michele Beasley senior vice president and general counsel. She will oversee the company's legal affairs. Beasley previously worked with Wells Fargo Bank in San Francisco and Boston as senior legal counsel to the Securities Investment Group of its Wholesale Division.

The Fiesta Bowl hired Stephanie Jarvis as chief compliance officer and general counsel—a newly created role. Before her appointment as the Fiesta Bowl's GC, Jarvis worked at the Horizon League, where she was the associate commissioner and general counsel.

Chad D. Perry joined Tanger Factory Outlet Centers Inc. in its newly created position of executive vice president and general counsel. Perry previously served as executive vice president and deputy general counsel for LPL Financial Corp.

 

Other In-House Moves

Cobalt International Energy Inc. announced the retirement of Executive Vice President and General Counsel Samuel H. Gillespie. Gillespie co-founded Cobalt in late 2005. Jeffrey A. Starzec, Cobalt's current associate general counsel and corporate secretary, will be his successor.

Thomas A. Capezza left the Justice Department's Albany office, where he has served as an assistant U.S. attorney since 2003, to become chief counsel for the New York State Police. Before working for the Justice Department, Capezza served as an enforcement counsel at the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Eastman Kodak Co. promoted its general counsel, Laura Quatela, to president. Quatela has worked for Kodak since 1999, and has been responsible for monetizing the company's intellectual property since 2008. Patrick Sheller, formerly Kodak's deputy general counsel, took over as GC.

Law Firm News

Spilman Thomas & Battle appointed Drew H. Davis as counsel. Davis formerly was general counsel to the Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Board of Education. He is a member of the North Carolina Bar Association in the Education, Litigation, and Labor and Employment sections.

Thompson Coburn hired Robert E. Wallace Jr. as a partner. He will pursue a business law practice and lead the firm's new Sports Law Group. Wallace brings more than 30 years of experience from the St. Louis business community and the national sports arena from his work with the National Football League's Philadelphia Eagles and St. Louis Cardinals.

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