Chaka Patterson

We're kicking off 2025 with exciting news! Buchanan is thrilled to announce that we are launching a Chicago office with 17 lawyers and six professional staff joining the firm's intellectual property litigation practice group. The lateral group is one of the most active in the nation for Hatch-Waxman litigation and is well-known for its talents dealing with scientific and intellectual property issues across virtually all aspects of the life sciences industry and includes several members with advanced scientific degrees. Learn more here: https://lnkd.in/echF6KRM

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On August 1, 2025, Labaton Keller Sucharow LLP, Lowey Dannenberg P.C., and Spector Roseman & Kodroff P.C. secured a historic jury verdict in a landmark data privacy case against tech giant Meta Platforms Inc. in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California. Serving as co-counsel for the plaintiffs, a class of Flo Health app users, who alleged that Meta knowingly recorded and exploited sensitive women’s health data in violation of California privacy laws. The jury found Meta liable for its role in the unauthorized collection and commercial use of highly personal health data, which plaintiffs argued was used to strengthen Meta’s targeted advertising business. The case is one of the first times a jury has held a major technology company accountable for its handling of consumer health information. The case was led at trial by Michael Canty and Carol Villegas of Labaton Keller Sucharow, Christian Levis of Lowey Dannenberg, P.C., and Diana J. Zinser of Spector Roseman & Kodroff, P.C.. https://lnkd.in/eAGEbD9h

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Kirkland & Ellis hired five partners from rival U.S. law firm Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom, including Allison Brown, who will help Kirkland open an office in Philadelphia, the firm said on Jan. 21. Brown leads the team of lawyers, focused on product liability, mass torts and commercial litigation, that are joining Kirkland in several cities. Partners Jessica Davidson and Christopher Cox are based in New York, and Geoffrey Wyatt and Nina Rose are in Washington, D.C. The firm has opened several new offices in recent years, including in Miami in 2022, and in Salt Lake City and Austin in 2021. It launched in Frankfurt in 2024 and Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, in 2023. Read more: https://reut.rs/4jnKdb7 #legal #legalnews #lawyers #lawfirms

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Burr & Forman is moving beyond its Southeast U.S. base and expanding to Washington, D.C., and Chicago by adding four seasoned federal government contract attorneys, including a practice leader, from two firms. The Am Law Second Hundred firm added Dirk Haire and Sean Milani-nia from Fox Rothschild, and Jessica Haire—Dirk’s wife—from Thompson Hine, to open the firm’s first office in the nation’s capital. It also added Joseph Cohen from Fox Rothschild to open the firm’s first Chicago office. All were added as equity partners, Dirk Haire said in an interview. Charles Marshall, chief operating officer of Burr & Forman, said in an interview the firm decided to expand after seeing the “opportunity to get a core group of outstanding attorneys with proven practices.” He said the lawyers add a new area of focus—government contracting—within its construction and commercial litigation practices. They fit with the firm’s strategic plan “to be able to attract these types of lawyers,” he said. Full story from Tom Spigolon: https://lnkd.in/gJbdKxPT (L-R: Dirk Haire, Jessica Haire, Sean Milani-nia, and Joseph Cohen, with Burr & Forman.)

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Partners Colin B. Davis (Orange County) and Jonathan Fortney (New York) are the editors of Lexology Panoramic: M&A Litigation 2025. Written by leading practitioners, the wide-ranging guide is a comparison tool that provides local insights into the legal and regulatory frameworks governing M&A litigation across multiple jurisdictions. Read more (subscription required): https://lnkd.in/gJkQqgF5

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The number of BigLaw partners publicly backing litigation against the federal government over executive orders targeting firms continues to grow, as a group representing more than 800 partners and members of major U.S. law firms has filed an amicus brief in support of Jenner & Block. https://lnkd.in/eSnD8P8h

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In a Business Insider article, Edward Black, senior counsel and technology leader, and Melissa Bender, asset management partner and co-lead of the private funds practice, discuss how Ropes & Gray has been a leader in AI adoption. Through strong relationships and consistent communications with AI legal technology developers, the firm has its ear to the ground on the latest trends and technologies in the industry. Read the article: https://lnkd.in/g6NvDKNm

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In our latest #FMG blog, we break down a key Illinois appellate decision interpreting Supreme Court Rule 305(a). The court addressed when alternative security can be used to secure a money judgment on appeal and emphasized that trial courts must assess the full financial picture, not just insurance coverage. Click the link to learn more about this important clarification in postjudgment procedure: https://lnkd.in/eYiGE3tu FMG authors: Donald Patrick Eckler and Josh Zhao   #FMGLaw #AppellateAdvocacy #ILLaw

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