SAN FRANCISCO — Media and technology transactional partner Russell Weiss joined Sidley Austin's Los Angeles office Tuesday. Weiss, who leaves Morrison & Foerster after 16 years, is Sidley's latest hire in the Los Angeles area expansion that began this spring.

Weiss said the firm approached him, and that its growing practices in both media and tech attracted him. “I've been watching the practice grow over the course of five or six months, but things have gotten serious over the past few months,” he said.

Weiss is the third media transactional partner hired by Sidley in two months. Hollywood finance partner Richard Petretti, formerly of Morgan, Lewis & Bockius, and Century City capital-transactions partner Vijay Sekhon joined Sidley in November.