RSHC news

Congratulations to 13 RSHC partners recognized by their peers for inclusion in the 2022 Edition of The Best Lawyers in America© in 11 areas of practice and in three geographic regions. The Best Lawyers list was first published in 1983 and is universally regarded as the definitive guide to legal excellence.

RSHC has, once again, been named a top firm in Law360’s Diversity Snapshot Report for law firms having one of the most diverse equity partnerships. RSHC outpaces its similar-sized peers for creating pathways to advancement from all groups and walks of life. DEI are founding principles on which RSHC was built.

Law360’s annual Diversity Snapshot Report recognizes RSHC as a Top 5 law firm for the most diverse attorney workforce nationwide for firms with 100 or fewer attorneys. RSHC outpaces peers for creating pathways to advancement from all groups and walks of life. Diversity, equity, are core founding principles on which RSHC was built. While we are grateful for the recognition and congratulate the other firms on Law360’s list, we recognize our efforts at improving DEI in the legal profession are only just getting started.

As a named Chambers D&I Awards finalist and noted as “a true diversity and inclusion pioneer for the profession,” RSHC is honored to contribute a Case Study to the tenth annual Chambers Diversity & Inclusion North America Report 2021. This best practice guide features innovative and supportive initiatives that further racial inclusion in the workplace, demonstrate measurable progress, and broaden the cultural shift.

While the economy recovers from the pandemic, regulators in the futures and derivatives industry continue to move forward with significant regulatory and enforcement efforts. Regulators and leading industry professionals will provide guidance and insight regarding current and anticipated issues impacting participants in the futures and derivatives industry. Attorneys who attend can earn two hours of CLE in Illinois and California, free of charge.

We are pleased to announce that RSHC attorney Ariel Wilson has been selected as a 2021 Michigan Rising Star in General Litigation for 3 consecutive years, and Partner Greg Curtner has been selected as a 2021 Michigan Super Lawyer in Antitrust Litigation for 16 consecutive years.

We are delighted to share that RSHC Partner Louis Klapp has been named a 2021 Notable LGBTQ Executive by Crain’s Chicago Business for his significant contributions in the legal industry and his pro bono practice advancing LGBTQ and civil rights. In addition to his active intellectual property litigation practice, Louis sits on the firm’s Recruiting and Development Committee, and he supervises the RSHC Summer Institute Program, which promotes the development of diverse college students. Join us in congratulating Louis!

Riley Safer Holmes & Cancila LLP (RSHC) welcomes new partner Georgia Alexakis to our Government Enforcement, Investigations & White Collar Criminal Defense and Appellate advocacy practices. Alexakis joins the firm following nearly nine years with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Illinois, where she most recently served as Deputy Chief of Appeals in its Criminal Division.

Riley Safer Holmes & Cancila LLP (RSHC) welcomes new partner Keyonn Pope to the firm’s intellectual property and litigation practices. Pope, who was recently recognized by Bloomberg Law as one of 40 outstanding young attorneys nationwide, is a tech-savvy litigator relied upon by clients to represent their brands in bet-the-company patent and trademark litigation and other complex and high-stakes commercial disputes. He has tried patent cases in many hotbed jurisdictions including E.D. Va., E.D. Texas, Delaware, and N.D. Cal.

On July 29, the Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit affirmed a lower court's finding that a California law that bans the sale of pork from sows kept in confined housing doesn't unconstitutionally regulate out-of-state conduct.

RSHC Managing Partner Patricia Brown Holmes will be a panelist on the July 29, 2021 ABA Profile of the Legal Profession: Returning to the Law Office … Or Not webinar. After 16 months of the COVID-19 pandemic, a distinguished panel will discuss what comes next, post-pandemic – how to decide, new rules, changes in expectations, and the effect on recruiting.

RSHC congratulates San Francisco Partner Meghan McMeel on her selection as a 2021 Northern California Rising Star, and Partners Steve Hankins, Jeff Williams, and Of Counsel Bruce Wagman on their selection as 2021 Northern California Super Lawyers. Super Lawyers and Rising Stars are highly regarded by their peers for professional achievement and excellence in the practice of law. Super Lawyers represent five percent of the attorneys in the state, and Rising Stars represent 2.5 percent of the attorneys in the state.

RSHC Partner Matthew Kennison explains the significance of the Supreme Court's recent 5-4 ruling on the case: Has a plaintiff suffered a real, concrete, non-abstract harm if there is incorrect and embarrassing information in the plaintiff’s credit file, but that information is never disclosed to a third party? Or, as the Supreme Court put it, “if inaccurate information falls into a consumer’s credit file, does it make a sound?" Last Friday, in a 5-4 decision, the Supreme Court answered no. In doing so, the Court reigned in broad views of the Court’s language in Spokeo, reaffirmed long-standing concepts related to Article III standing, and provided helpful precedent and guidance for defendants defending against future class actions.

RSHC’s environmental attorney Brian Dodds is presenting on “Environmental Justice: What the Developing EJ Standards Mean for You” at the June 29 Perrin Environmental Risk & Litigation Conference.

RSHC Partner Josh Lee will be a panelist on the “Class Action, MDL or Bankruptcy: What is the Best Option for Global Resolution?” at the June 24 Perrin Mass Tort Litigation Conference virtual event. Topics covered will be the history of mass tort resolution of current and contingent liabilities, changes in class certification, and the advancements and disadvantages of global resolution.