Law firms with roots outside of California, including Greenberg Traurig, Alston & Bird, Foley & Lardner and Covington & Burling, have expanded their Los Angeles practices in the past few weeks.

Greenberg Traurig picked up a partner from Vedder Price's Los Angeles office this month, hiring Lisa Simonetti, whose practice focuses on complex litigation defense.

She represents clients in the financial services industry, including credit card issuers, mortgage lenders, e-commerce companies, automotive finance companies, national banks, student lenders and savings and loan associations.

“I am thrilled to join a litigation team of this caliber and play a role in the growth of the practice and the Los Angeles office,” Simonetti said in a statement. “I know my clients will benefit from Greenberg Traurig's global platform and collaborative culture.”

Greenberg Traurig recently bolstered its California presence by adding three litigators in Sacramento and an intellectual property partner in Silicon Valley. The firm's Los Angeles office last year hired Elizabeth Valentina, who was formerly in-house at Fox Entertainment Group.

Atlanta-based Alston & Bird picked up Yuri Mikulka from Manatt, Phelps & Phillips as a partner in its intellectual property group.

“The firm's California practice is growing, especially here in Los Angeles … and offers me room to grow,” Mikulka said. “The firm is recognized for its exceptional culture for diversity and inclusion, and it supports women leaders, which I see as a powerful differentiator from the other firms.”

Mikulka litigates patent, trademark and copyright infringement cases as well as trade secret misappropriation and complex commercial disputes. According to the firm, she has over 20 years of experience counseling clients ranging from startups to Fortune 100 companies in the U.S., and multinational companies based in Asia and Europe.

Because of the U.S. Supreme Court's venue-limiting decision in TC Heartland v. Kraft Foods, patent filings are on the rise in California, she said. “There is a significant incentive for national firms to have a substantial practice in California that accommodates IP litigation.”

With Mikulka's addition, Alston & Bird has 107 attorneys in California, including 82 lawyers in Los Angeles.

Milwaukee-based Foley & Lardner announced the addition of two Locke Lord attorneys, Kathleen Smalley and Phillip Hosp, to its Los Angeles office this month. Smalley is of counsel in the firm's real estate practice, while Hosp joined its business litigation and dispute resolution practice as a partner.

“They both have strong roots in the greater Los Angeles area and are heavily engaged in the community,” Jeff Atkin, managing partner of the firm's Los Angeles office, said in a statement. “Their local ties and depth of experience will be a tremendous asset to both our local and national clients.”

Smalley focuses her practice on real estate transactions and disputes.

Hosp, an Army  veteran, handles litigation involving securities, real estate and corporate law claims.

Foley's website shows the firm has about 72 attorneys in Los Angeles.

In another move, Covington hired special counsel Ryan Weinstein, who most recently served as a Los Angeles federal prosecutor, to grow its commercial litigation practice.