Former Santa Clara County Superior Court judge, Hon. William J. Elfving (ret.) has joined JAMS in its Silicon Valley office to serve as an arbitrator and mediator for insurance, intellectual property, professional liability and real property disputes, to name a select few.

Carlton Fields Jorden Burt promoted Harvey Geller to shareholder in its Los Angeles office. Geller is part of the firm's national trial practice business litigation section and intellectual property group.

Kathy Jones Irish has joined the Los Angeles office of Englander Knabe & Allen, where she will be using project and personnel management skills as a joint venture partner.

Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher has brought on Carrie LeRoy as a partner specializing in complex IP licensing, cross-border and commercial transactions. Leroy previously served as a partner at White & Case and is based in Palo Alto.

Civil defense firm Tyson & Mendes has added Mina Miserlis as a third equity partner in its San Diego office. Miserlis has more than 20 years of litigation and trial experience, leading the firm's multiattorney complex trial team with a focus on personal injury matters.

Troy Schmelzer joined Baker & Hostetler as a partner in the firm's intellectual property group. Schmelzer is based in the Los Angeles office and previously hailed from Norton Rose Fulbright.

Fisher Phillips has announced the addition of Cheryl Schreck as a partner in its Los Angeles office. Schreck joins from Ogletree, Deakins, Nash, Smoak & Stewart, where she was a shareholder in the firm's employment practice.

Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton promoted eight attorneys to partner in California: Travis Anderson, John Edson, Justine Phillips, Ericka Schulz and Robert Wernli in San Diego; Michael Chilleen in Orange County; Robert Mussig in Los Angeles; and Lai Yip in Northern California.