Chronicling the top litigator moves each month can sometimes feel like the roster of an old boys club. But not this month. Some of the most exciting, game-changing moves in October involved women.

Firms that came out on top include Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher, Covington & Burling, Dechert and Bracewell in practice areas ranging from appellate law to class action defense to government contracts.

Here are 10  litigator moves in October that we found most noteworthy.

Name: Nicole Saharsky

Practice area: Appellate litigation

The move: To Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher in Washington, D.C. from the Office of the Solicitor General

Why it's interesting: After 10 years at the SG's office—and 29 arguments before the U.S. Supreme Court—Saharsky joins Gibson Dunn as co-chair of the firm's appellate and constitutional law practice group.

She's a rare commodity: a woman practicing before the high court. Former Solicitor General Donald Verrilli Jr. told my colleague Tony Mauro, “She is a brilliant lawyer, a superb and experienced oral advocate, and, most importantly, a person of great character and integrity.”

Gibson Dunn appellate co-chair Mark Perry said “The demand for the group's services continues to grow, and we are looking forward to working with Nicole to meet that demand.”

 

Name: Paul Brinkman

Practice area: Intellectual property litigation

The move: To Kirkland & Ellis in Washington, D.C. from Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan

Why it's interesting: Brinkman was a founding partner of Quinn Emanuel's D.C. office, which originally opened in 2011 to handle Section 337 intellectual property cases before the International Trade Commission. Brinkman headed Quinn Emanuel's 337 practice, and won 17 of his 19 ITC trials.

He rejoins Kirkland, where he was an associate from 1994 to 1999, and a partner from 1999 to 2002.

“We are committed to the continued growth of our ITC practice, and are excited about the additional value Paul will provide to our clients,” said IP partner and executive committee member Greg Arovas.

 

Name: Christina Guerola Sarchio

Practice area: Commercial litigation, class action defense and white collar

The move: To Dechert in Washington, D.C. from Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe

Why it's interesting: Sarchio was a member of Orrick's board of directors and chair of the firm's class action strike team. My colleague Brian Baxter reports that she brought clients including Exxon Mobil Corp., French homeopathic products manufacturer Boiron and the National Basketball Players Association with her to her new firm. She told Baxter that she was drawn to Dechert by Vincent Cohen Jr., a former colleague from her time in the New York DA's office.

“Christina is a well-established litigator with significant, high-profile trial experience that will directly benefit current and future clients,” said Matthew Larrabee, chair of Dechert's litigation practice.

 

Names: Patrick Collins and Jade Lambert

Practice area: White collar/ complex commercial litigation

The move: To King & Spalding in Chicago from Perkins Coie

Why it's interesting: King & Spalding opened its Chicago office in August, landing former U.S. Attorney Zachary Fardon as its head. As promised, he's now building it out.

Collins, a former federal prosecutor who has tried more than 25 cases to verdict, was co-lead counsel with Fardon in the six-month trial and conviction of former Illinois Governor George Ryan. Lampert has advised corporate clients on data breach response and privacy matters, and managed defense of consumer and shareholder class actions.

“Jade and I could not be more pleased to join King & Spalding and to help launch its Chicago office,” Collins said. “Zach and I have done great work together in the past and I look forward to reuniting with him to build a great office and bring the high-quality King & Spalding brand to Chicago.”

 

Name: Jennifer Saulino 

Practice area: Commercial litigation and white collar

The move: To Covington & Burling in Washington, D.C. from Wilkinson Walsh + Eskovitz

Why it's interesting: Saulino spent about a year as a partner at new litigation boutique Wilkinson Walsh. She's tried 10 complex federal cases to jury verdicts, including eight as the lead trial lawyer, with a focus on pharmaceutical, health care, banking and securities, oil and gas, and technology industries. She started her career at Covington, where she was an associate from 2001 to 2010 before joining the Justice Department's fraud section.

“Jennifer's skill and experience in litigating and trying fact-intensive cases combined with her track record of success in complex jury cases will benefit our clients and strengthen the firm's general commercial litigation and trial practices,” said John Hall, chair of the firm's litigation practice.

 

Name:  Alex Spiro

Practice area: White collar defense

The move: To Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan in New York City from Brafman & Associates

Why it's interesting: Spiro is a big name in the criminal defense world, serving as lead counsel on more than 50 trials. Past clients including football player Aaron Hernandez, basketball player Thabo Sefolosha, rapper Bobby Shmurda and conservative author and filmmaker Dinesh D'Souza.

In a press release, John Quinn said, “Experienced white collar criminal trial lawyers are rare commodities in New York.  We think Alex will thrive in firm of trial lawyers like ours.”

 

Name: Angela Styles

Practice area: Government contracts

The move: To Bracewell in Washington, D.C. from Crowell & Moring

Why it's interesting: Styles was chair of Crowell until her partners voted her out of the leadership position about a month ago. She told Lit Daily affiliate Texas Lawyer that the move gives her the opportunity to “refocus on my practice,” and that she liked Bracewell's strategic focus on energy and technology.

A former top procurement official in the George W. Bush administration, Styles expertise includes suspension and debarment proceedings and civil fraud matters under the False Claims Act.

 

Names: Arthur Beeman and Joel Muchmore

Practice area: IP litigation

The move: To Crowell & Morning in San Francisco from Arent Fox

Why it's interesting: Crowell continues its expansion in California with the addition of Beeman, who headed Arent Fox's complex litigation and intellectual property practices for Northern California, and Muchmore, a more junior partner.

According to The American Lawyer, the pair began working together at Dentons, before jumping to Arent Fox in 2013. They've represented Fortune 500 consumer products companies, and served as counsel for Mars Inc. in its suit against Oracle Corp. over audit tactics.

Beeman told AmLaw's Meghan Tribe that they appreciated Crowell's ability to represent IP clients as both plaintiffs and defendants, and its willingness to partner with clients in alternative fee arrangements.

 

Names: Patrick Gaas and Daniel Shank

Practice area: Construction and complex commercial litigation

The move: To Kilpatrick Townsend & Stockton in Houston from Coats Rose

Why it's interesting: Gaas and Shank led a group of 13 lawyers who moved from Coats Rose to launch Kilpatrick's new office in Houston in October.

“We really need a bigger platform and a large law firm to help us,” Gaas said of 640-lawyer Kilpatrick in an an interview with Texas Lawyer. “We like their strategic plan, their platform … and really their commitment to Houston and Texas and the Gulf Coast region.”

 

Name: Kevin Wheeler

Practice area: IP litigation

The move: To Latham & Watkins in Washington, D.C. from Fish & Richardson

Why it's interesting: Wheeler is an up-and-comer, named a “Rising Star” in August by The National Law Journal. He's litigated dozens of patent cases, including more than 20 at the International Trade Commission. Among them: a win for Hyosung in a large patent dispute involving the multibillion-dollar ATM industry in the U.S.

“Kevin is a very talented litigator who is particularly adept at navigating the unique challenges of ITC proceedings,” said Bert Reiser, who heads Latham's ITC practice.

Chronicling the top litigator moves each month can sometimes feel like the roster of an old boys club. But not this month. Some of the most exciting, game-changing moves in October involved women.

Firms that came out on top include Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher, Covington & Burling, Dechert and Bracewell in practice areas ranging from appellate law to class action defense to government contracts.

Here are 10  litigator moves in October that we found most noteworthy.

Name: Nicole Saharsky

Practice area: Appellate litigation

The move: To Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher in Washington, D.C. from the Office of the Solicitor General

Why it's interesting: After 10 years at the SG's office—and 29 arguments before the U.S. Supreme Court—Saharsky joins Gibson Dunn as co-chair of the firm's appellate and constitutional law practice group.

She's a rare commodity: a woman practicing before the high court. Former Solicitor General Donald Verrilli Jr. told my colleague Tony Mauro, “She is a brilliant lawyer, a superb and experienced oral advocate, and, most importantly, a person of great character and integrity.”

Gibson Dunn appellate co-chair Mark Perry said “The demand for the group's services continues to grow, and we are looking forward to working with Nicole to meet that demand.”

 

Name: Paul Brinkman

Practice area: Intellectual property litigation

The move: To Kirkland & Ellis in Washington, D.C. from Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan

Why it's interesting: Brinkman was a founding partner of Quinn Emanuel's D.C. office, which originally opened in 2011 to handle Section 337 intellectual property cases before the International Trade Commission. Brinkman headed Quinn Emanuel's 337 practice, and won 17 of his 19 ITC trials.

He rejoins Kirkland, where he was an associate from 1994 to 1999, and a partner from 1999 to 2002.

“We are committed to the continued growth of our ITC practice, and are excited about the additional value Paul will provide to our clients,” said IP partner and executive committee member Greg Arovas.

 

Name: Christina Guerola Sarchio

Practice area: Commercial litigation, class action defense and white collar

The move: To Dechert in Washington, D.C. from Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe

Why it's interesting: Sarchio was a member of Orrick's board of directors and chair of the firm's class action strike team. My colleague Brian Baxter reports that she brought clients including Exxon Mobil Corp., French homeopathic products manufacturer Boiron and the National Basketball Players Association with her to her new firm. She told Baxter that she was drawn to Dechert by Vincent Cohen Jr., a former colleague from her time in the New York DA's office.

“Christina is a well-established litigator with significant, high-profile trial experience that will directly benefit current and future clients,” said Matthew Larrabee, chair of Dechert's litigation practice.

 

Names: Patrick Collins and Jade Lambert

Practice area: White collar/ complex commercial litigation

The move: To King & Spalding in Chicago from Perkins Coie

Why it's interesting: King & Spalding opened its Chicago office in August, landing former U.S. Attorney Zachary Fardon as its head. As promised, he's now building it out.

Collins, a former federal prosecutor who has tried more than 25 cases to verdict, was co-lead counsel with Fardon in the six-month trial and conviction of former Illinois Governor George Ryan. Lampert has advised corporate clients on data breach response and privacy matters, and managed defense of consumer and shareholder class actions.

“Jade and I could not be more pleased to join King & Spalding and to help launch its Chicago office,” Collins said. “Zach and I have done great work together in the past and I look forward to reuniting with him to build a great office and bring the high-quality King & Spalding brand to Chicago.”

 

Name: Jennifer Saulino 

Practice area: Commercial litigation and white collar

The move: To Covington & Burling in Washington, D.C. from Wilkinson Walsh + Eskovitz

Why it's interesting: Saulino spent about a year as a partner at new litigation boutique Wilkinson Walsh. She's tried 10 complex federal cases to jury verdicts, including eight as the lead trial lawyer, with a focus on pharmaceutical, health care, banking and securities, oil and gas, and technology industries. She started her career at Covington, where she was an associate from 2001 to 2010 before joining the Justice Department's fraud section.

“Jennifer's skill and experience in litigating and trying fact-intensive cases combined with her track record of success in complex jury cases will benefit our clients and strengthen the firm's general commercial litigation and trial practices,” said John Hall, chair of the firm's litigation practice.

 

Name:  Alex Spiro

Practice area: White collar defense

The move: To Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan in New York City from Brafman & Associates

Why it's interesting: Spiro is a big name in the criminal defense world, serving as lead counsel on more than 50 trials. Past clients including football player Aaron Hernandez, basketball player Thabo Sefolosha, rapper Bobby Shmurda and conservative author and filmmaker Dinesh D'Souza.

In a press release, John Quinn said, “Experienced white collar criminal trial lawyers are rare commodities in New York.  We think Alex will thrive in firm of trial lawyers like ours.”

 

Name: Angela Styles

Practice area: Government contracts

The move: To Bracewell in Washington, D.C. from Crowell & Moring

Why it's interesting: Styles was chair of Crowell until her partners voted her out of the leadership position about a month ago. She told Lit Daily affiliate Texas Lawyer that the move gives her the opportunity to “refocus on my practice,” and that she liked Bracewell's strategic focus on energy and technology.

A former top procurement official in the George W. Bush administration, Styles expertise includes suspension and debarment proceedings and civil fraud matters under the False Claims Act.

 

Names: Arthur Beeman and Joel Muchmore

Practice area: IP litigation

The move: To Crowell & Morning in San Francisco from Arent Fox

Why it's interesting: Crowell continues its expansion in California with the addition of Beeman, who headed Arent Fox's complex litigation and intellectual property practices for Northern California, and Muchmore, a more junior partner.

According to The American Lawyer, the pair began working together at Dentons, before jumping to Arent Fox in 2013. They've represented Fortune 500 consumer products companies, and served as counsel for Mars Inc. in its suit against Oracle Corp. over audit tactics.

Beeman told AmLaw's Meghan Tribe that they appreciated Crowell's ability to represent IP clients as both plaintiffs and defendants, and its willingness to partner with clients in alternative fee arrangements.

 

Names: Patrick Gaas and Daniel Shank

Practice area: Construction and complex commercial litigation

The move: To Kilpatrick Townsend & Stockton in Houston from Coats Rose

Why it's interesting: Gaas and Shank led a group of 13 lawyers who moved from Coats Rose to launch Kilpatrick's new office in Houston in October.

“We really need a bigger platform and a large law firm to help us,” Gaas said of 640-lawyer Kilpatrick in an an interview with Texas Lawyer. “We like their strategic plan, their platform … and really their commitment to Houston and Texas and the Gulf Coast region.”

 

Name: Kevin Wheeler

Practice area: IP litigation

The move: To Latham & Watkins in Washington, D.C. from Fish & Richardson

Why it's interesting: Wheeler is an up-and-comer, named a “Rising Star” in August by The National Law Journal. He's litigated dozens of patent cases, including more than 20 at the International Trade Commission. Among them: a win for Hyosung in a large patent dispute involving the multibillion-dollar ATM industry in the U.S.

“Kevin is a very talented litigator who is particularly adept at navigating the unique challenges of ITC proceedings,” said Bert Reiser, who heads Latham's ITC practice.