News Type: Headlines

As Firm Recruiting Partner at Michelman & Robinson, Lara has been integral to the expansion of M&R into Texas—this year, she helped to open branches in Dallas and Houston—and the addition of several new lawyers across offices. In addition, she was a key member of the team that vaulted M&R into the upper echelon of associate compensation. All the while, Lara continues to build upon her extraordinary employment practice, representing some of the most admired companies in L.A.

Taken together, the LABJ saw to it that Lara be included in its 2022 Woman of Influence supplement. Along with the LABJ, M&R celebrates Lara and all she continues to achieve on behalf of the firm and our extraordinary clients.

Michelman & Robinson, LLP  has proudly designated Tim Gorry, a commercial and business litigator, as its E-commerce, Banking and Media Litigation Chair.

Gorry’s elevation reflects his stellar work in state and federal courts nationwide on behalf of clients across the e-commerce, banking and media sectors. With more than three decades of experience as a trial lawyer, Gorry is routinely sought after by companies within these spaces to handle the most challenging cases—those they have lost all hope of settling.

Commenting on Gorry’s new title, Sanford Michelman, M&R’s co-founder and Chairman, says, “Tim is a highly versatile trial attorney, who’s expertise spans industries. That said, he’s particularly well versed in the e-commerce, banking and media businesses, which is why his designation runs the gamut of these areas. As it happens, our firm represents several major e-commerce, banking and media companies, making Tim’s role a critical one within M&R. In my view, he’s the perfect litigator to fill this very important niche.”

Gorry adds, “It’s my honor to be a partner at M&R and now the firm’s most recent chair. We’re known from coast to coast as a powerhouse litigation firm that’s earned its extraordinary reputation by virtue of a remarkable track record of wins in and out of the courtroom. My singular focus has been to contribute to this success as best as I can. That I’ve been able to do so representing e-commerce, banking and media clients has been an absolute thrill. This chair designation coming in the wake of all my efforts is simply icing on the cake.”

For the fifth year running, Michael Poster has been named a Top Music Lawyer by Billboard. He’s featured in the magazine’s March 26 issue. Michael has again been honored by virtue of his extraordinary deal flow in the music space, especially the music publishing and master recording catalog acquisitions that he’s become known for.

In 2021 alone, Michael closed more than 20 catalog and music industry transactions. These included his representation of Pythagoras Music Fund in its acquisition of Soulshock & Karlin’s producer rights and music publishing catalog (Soulshock & Karin are a Danish record producer and songwriter team that has worked with artists including Brandy, Usher, Monica, Whitney Houston, Luther Vandross, Craig David, Solange, JoJo and Sting). Michael also worked on behalf of Massarsky Consulting, a leading music economic analysis firm which has valued music assets worth over $6.5 billion, in its acquisition by Citrin Cooperman, a national accounting firm. Likewise, he handled numerous other acquisitions for firms including Catch Point Rights Partners, Vine Alternative Investments, Tempo Music Investments, Opus Music Group, Wise Music and Cutting Edge Group.

Extraordinary clients like these, along with financial institutions, entertainment-focused investment firms, and independent music companies such as City National Bank, Spirit Music Group, Downtown Music Group, Reviver Records, and ONErpm, continue to put their trust in Michael, who one client recently described him as “the most effective deal-maker in the music industry.” It doesn’t get much better than that.

Everyone here at Michelman & Robinson, LLP congratulates Michael on this latest recognition and for continuing to bridge the gap between the music industry and the world of corporate, private equity, finance and M&A transactions. Bravo!

Megan Penick has been named M&R’s Public Securities Chair.

Penick operates out of our New York City office and is an integral member of the firm’s corporate & securities team. In that capacity, she guides private companies through the process of going public and advises them on a full-spectrum of securities-related matters, including SEC filing and disclosure requirements, listing and uplisting issues (whether to the NASDAQ or NYSE), Regulation A+ offerings, and the preparation and filing of quarterly and annual reports and proxy statements.

On her Chair designation, Penick commented, “It’s my privilege to represent an extraordinary roster of clients, facilitating their IPOs and helping them navigate the complexities of relevant securities laws. This Chair designation is a welcome nod to the work I do on their behalf, and I’m beyond excited to leverage the new title to continue building M&R’s securities practice and bring it to even greater heights.”

Penick is sought after by clients across industries, including those in the education, cannabis, biotech, and pharmaceutical spaces. A niche area of her practice includes working with China-based entrepreneurs, start-ups, and mid-sized ventures.

Dana Kravetz, M&R’s Firm Managing Partner, believes that Penick’s position as Public Securities Chair will serve to shine a brighter light on the firm’s transactional practice. He said, “M&R enjoys a nationwide reputation as a powerhouse litigation firm—one that routinely handles ‘bet-the-company’ cases, high-profile class actions included. But that shouldn’t overshadow our robust corporate & securities practice, and a transactional group that boasts a truly impressive portfolio of deals, particularly those on behalf of middle-market companies.”

Stephen Weiss, M&R’s Mergers, Acquisitions & Capital Markets Chair, adds, “Megan’s work taking private companies public has caught fire within the firm since she joined back in 2019. I’m absolutely delighted that she’s become a go-to securities lawyer for so many clients both here in the U.S. and abroad, a fact that makes this Chair designation especially fitting.”

Harpreet’s elevation reflects his exceptional dealmaking on behalf of some of the most admired and innovative startup and emerging growth companies in the country.

It is the global nature of Omer’s practice—and the outstanding work he does for companies and sovereigns overseas—that paved his road to partnership.

Michelman & Robinson, LLP has expanded into the Lone Star State with the opening of a Dallas office, the firm’s first location in Texas. The office in Dallas houses the firm’s renowned Intellectual Property, Data Privacy and Cybersecurity practice groups.

M&R chose Dallas for its latest expansion given the city’s rapid growth. In fact, the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex and surrounding regions are regularly identified as among the nation’s top markets for new and expanded corporate facilities, drawing many Fortune 500 companies to the area. The Dallas office is managed by partners Matthew Yarbrough and Jason Blackstone, two Texas natives recognized nationwide for their expertise in IP, data privacy and cybersecurity strategy, litigation and management.  

According to Sanford Michelman, founding partner at M&R, “There is no denying the importance of Texas in today’s legal marketplace. The state, and Dallas in particular, are booming, with countless major companies relocating there. For us, a strong presence in Dallas not only helps to serve our existing client base in Texas, but also allows for our continued growth throughout the Southwest.”

Michelman added, “We have in Matthew and Jason two extraordinary attorneys who give us a foothold in three extremely important and growing practice areas; namely, IP, data privacy and cybersecurity. Today, businesses and organizations must not only defend from a perpetual onslaught of external IP, privacy and cybersecurity threats, but they also need strategic guidance on the ever-expanding landscape of international cyber regulation, laws and government enforcement actions. Matthew and Jason are two of the very best at helping clients navigate these minefields.”

Yarbrough is an award-winning and internationally recognized trial lawyer with more than 28 years of experience in the areas of IP, cybersecurity, data privacy and government white-collar investigations, both as an Assistant United States Attorney (AUSA) with the Department of Justice and in private practice as a defense attorney, legal expert and strategist. He has deep expertise related to data protection and was a part of the DOJ’s first cybercrime enforcement strike team. Likewise, Yarbrough helped to establish the Texas AG’s Internet Bureau and the North Texas Computer Forensics lab for the FBI.

Blackstone closely complements Yarbrough as an experienced IP attorney and litigator who has built a career developing comprehensive information strategies for clients. These range from managing IP acquisitions and enforcement to data policy and operations. He is also active in the startup space and holds an MBA, which enables Blackstone to provide detailed and decisive legal advice, as well as business-focused counsel. In addition, Blackstone’s extensive technical expertise has allowed him to provide counsel on bleeding edge technologies such as artificial intelligence/machine learning and the interface between the cyber and real-world environments. 

On their arrival at M&R, Yarbrough said, “We are excited to begin a new chapter.” “The firm is known nationwide for its powerhouse litigators and transactional pros. Jason and I are confident that our IP, data privacy and cybersecurity expertise and this new office in Dallas will be a value-laden complement to M&R’s already stellar offerings.”

According to the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center, the number of reported data breaches increased by 400% in 2020. These numbers do not include the many breaches that get reported to the FBI officially. For countless companies, these threats have become inevitable, requiring a strategic approach to risk mitigation and IP protection. 

“Data breaches are on the rise and threats will only grow more sophisticated as technology and AI advances sweep across every business sector and enterprise,” said Blackstone. “An attack not only can impact a company’s operations for weeks on end, but it causes collateral effects that can diminish customer and partner trust. With Dallas, specifically, and Texas overall, continuing to grow as an important region of business and innovation, the need for sound legal strategies related to data, privacy and cybersecurity regulation—those that Matthew and I provide—have become mission critical for companies.”

Blackstone continued, “No doubt about it, M&R’s nationwide reach and depth of attorneys and services, including our IP expertise, will help support our existing client base here in Texas—which has become a hotbed for IP litigation—and on both coasts. Joining M&R also provides the opportunity for Matthew and I to serve a wider range of clients and industries.”

Headquartered in Los Angeles, M&R is a national law firm sought after for its litigation, transactional and regulatory work on behalf of clients in industries such as advertising & digital media, gaming, banking & financial services, cannabis, hospitality, insurance, music, entertainment, retail, and technology, among others.

Congratulations, Sanford Michelman, on what may be his most meaningful and impressive recognition yet, at least here in Los Angeles. The L.A. Business Journal has named Sanford one of the 500 most influential people in the City of Angels.

If we truly are a reflection of the company we keep, Sanford’s peers on the list speak volumes. They include titans of business, industry, entertainment, law, tech, sports and politics, including Jeff Bezos, Elon Musk, Mayor Eric Garcetti, Oprah Winfrey, David Geffen, Ted Sarandos (Netflix), Alan Horn (Walt Disney Company), Ron Burkle (Yucaipa Cos.), Tom and Alec Gores (The Gores Group and Platinum Equity), Charlie Munger (Berkshire Hathaway Inc.), Jeanie Buss (the L.A. Lakers), Shonda Rhimes, Steven Spielberg, Apalla Chopra (O’Melveny & Myers), John Quinn (Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan), Ariel Emanuel (Endeavor Group), Evan Spiegel (Snap Inc.), Chris Greeley (Riot Games), Steve Ballmer (the L.A. Clippers and formerly Microsoft) and LeBron James.

No doubt, Sanford is right at home among this lineup, and we couldn’t be happier that he’s been named among a veritable Who’s Who. Well done, Sanford—this is an honor that’s very well deserved.

Michelman & Robinson, LLP is pleased to announce that Mona Z. Hanna, Chair of M&R’s Litigation Department and Orange County Office Managing Partner, has been selected one of the Top 50 Women Attorneys in Southern California and among the Top 50 Attorneys in Orange County for 2016 by Super Lawyers.  In addition, Ms. Hanna, M&R Chairman Sanford Michelman, and Firm Managing Partner Dana Kravetz were named to the 2016 list of Top 100 Attorneys in S. California by Super Lawyers.

Super Lawyers is a rating service of outstanding lawyers from more than 70 practice areas who have attained a high-degree of peer recognition and professional achievement. Each year, the research team at Super Lawyers Magazine undertakes a rigorous multi-phase selection process that includes a statewide survey of lawyers, independent evaluation of candidates by the attorney-led research staff, a peer review of candidates by practice area and a good-standing and disciplinary check.