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Law firm updates
Holland & Knight announced Dec. 12 that Kenneth Chang had joined its intellectual property practice as a partner in Denver. Chang was previously a partner with Quarles & Brady. Chang is the third partner to join Holland & Knight’s intellectual property practice in recent months. Partners Kris Reed and Ted Mayle joined the firm in October from Kilpatrick Townsend & Stockton. Chang and Reed previously worked together at Kilpatrick, where Chang founded the firm’s Shanghai office. Both served as managing partners before returning to the United States.
Caplan & Earnest announced Dec. 13 that Andrew Salazar has joined the firm’s litigation practice. Before joining Caplan & Earnest, Salazar served as a law clerk for Hoffmann, Parker, Wilson & Carberry P.C.; as a judicial extern for the Colorado Court of Appeals under Chief Judge Steve Bernard; as a student attorney for the University of Colorado’s Criminal Defense Law Clinic; and as an intern for Colorado Supreme Court Justice William Hood.
Spencer Fane announced Dec. 17 that five attorneys had joined the firm’s corporate and business transactions practice group, including Kelley Rowan in its Denver office. Rowan works with clients to create estate plans, tailoring wills, powers of attorney and end-of-life care plans to address each client’s unique needs, honor personal wishes and effectively manage assets. Rowan earned her bachelor’s degree at the University of Nebraska at Kearney and her J.D. from the Washington University School of Law.
Norton Rose Fulbright announced Dec. 18 that Michael Kaplan, an attorney with significant in-house counsel experience, has joined its corporate, mergers and acquisitions and securities practice as senior counsel in Denver. Kaplan has represented private equity firms, as well as public and private companies, across multiple industries for more than 30 years. He has served as outside counsel, in-house counsel and on the executive leadership teams for several leading companies, with particular experience in the restaurant, consumer markets and aerospace and defense industries.
On Dec. 18, Woods Aitken announced that Ana Hingorani joined the firm as an associate attorney in its Denver office. Hingorani joins the firm’s growing litigation team, working with clients in the construction law and commercial litigation practice areas. She advises and represents business owners, contractors, subcontractors and design professionals on construction and commercial disputes, contract formation and negotiations. Hingorani received her J.D. from Creighton University School of Law.
The judiciary
Gov. Jared Polis appointed District Court Magistrate Lauren Swan to the 11th Judicial District Court Bench. Swan’s appointment fills the vacancy created by the retirement of Judge Patrick Murphy, and is effective Jan. 1, 2025. Swan is a district court magistrate in the 11th Judicial District, a position she has held since 2024. Her docket consists primarily of dependency and neglect and domestic matters. Previously, she was a senior deputy public Defender from 2021 to 2024 and deputy public defender from 2017 to 2021 at the Office of the Colorado State Public Defender in Pueblo. Swan earned her bachelor’s degree from the University of California, San Diego in 2012 and her J.D. from the University of Colorado Law School in 2017.
Kudos
Michael Best announced Dec. 10 the election of Denver managing partner Shawn Stigler to the firm’s management committee. The current committee consists of 11 partners across roughly seven offices.