DLA Piper promoted two attorneys in northern California: Amanda Lynn Morgan in San Francisco and Chung Wei in Silicon Valley. Morgan is a partner in the litigation and regulatory practice and Wei is a partner in the intellectual property and technology practice.

Kristina Kim joined Seltzer Caplan McMahon Vitek as of counsel in the business department. Her practice focuses on international and cross border investment, trade, tax and corporate matters. Most recently, she was general counsel for Samsung International. Kim is based in San Diego.

Germain Labat joined Greenspoon Marder as a partner in the litigation group. Previously, he was a partner at Vedder Price. Labat represents companies in business and commercial disputes and is based in Los Angeles.

Baker Botts named Brian Lee as partner-in-charge of the Palo Alto office. His clients include private and public companies, venture capital and private equity firms.

Nixon Peabody named Karen Ng as managing partner of the San Francisco office. Ng focuses her practice on ERISA and employee benefits matters, and is the first Asian-American woman to lead an office at the firm.

Edward Prokop joined Winston & Strawn as a partner in the real estate practice. Prokop focuses on complex real estate transactions and will be based in the Los Angeles office. Previously, he was partner at Sidley Austin.

Kenneth Szeto joined Emergent as a partner leading the Orange County office. He represents plaintiffs in both federal and state court. Previously, he was managing partner at Abiri & Szeto.

Squire Patton Boggs brought on Eric Troutman as partner in the litigation practice. Troutman's experience includes almost 1,000 individual TCPA cases, and he will be based in the Los Angeles office.

Venable promoted three partners in California: Grace Chung and Shane Nix in Los Angeles and Scott Thompson in San Francisco. The firm also promoted seven attorneys to counsel: Ryan Andrews, Sharoni Finkelstein, Matthew Gurvitz, Melissa McLaughlin and Marjorie Norman in Los Angeles, and Rebecca Chappell and William Hector in San Francisco.

Wendel Rosen Black & Dean hired Mathew John and Jodi Phillips as associate attorneys. John will be part of the trust and estate litigation practice and Phillips will be part of the trusts and estates practice. They will be based in Oakland.

Major, Lindsey & Africa brought on Ronald Wood as managing director in the partner practice group. Wood represents partners, counsel and partner groups in firms throughout Southern California and will be part of the Los Angeles office. Previously, he was partner at Brown, White & Osborn.