Sheppard Mullin Richter & Hampton LLP announced today the openingof a Silicon Valley office, the firm's eleventh office and eighth in California.  Attorneys in the new office, located in PaloAlto, will include partners Marc A. Sockol, Riaz A. Karamali, Karen Canaan andJames M. Chadwick.

Sockol, managing partner of the new office, joins Sheppard Mullin'sIntellectual Property practice group.  Karamalijoins the firm's Corporate practice group. Both Sockol and Karamali were previously partners at Thelen Reid BrownRaysman & Steiner LLP in Palo Alto, where Sockol headed the office.

Canaan joins Sheppard Mullin's Intellectual Property practice group.  She most recently had an independent lifesciences patent boutique servicing a variety of clients from large corporationsto start-ups.  Prior to running her ownfirm, she was a partner at Mintz, Levin, Cohn, Ferris, Glovsky and Popeo PC inPalo Alto. 

Chadwick, a member of Sheppard Mullin's Entertainment and Media andBusiness Trials practice groups, has relocated from Sheppard Mullin's SanFrancisco office. 

“Establishing a Silicon Valley presence has been a key stepin the firm's strategic plan.  Itleverages the expansion and success of our Corporate, IP and Entertainmentpractices and helps us serve current and future technology clients.  We are pleased to be opening the office witha solid foundation of talented attorneys having exactly the right combinationof skills.  We are committed to growingthe office to serve companies in Silicon Valley, including those in media,information technology, communications, clean technology, security, health careand biotechnology sectors," said GuyHalgren, chairman of the firm. 

Commented Sockol, "Joining Sheppard Mullin provides an excitingopportunity to lead the firm's new Silicon Valley office.  I was attracted by the firm's commitment toopening in this market, as well as its strong financial performance and successin opening other offices, most recently in Shanghai and New York.  I am also impressed by Sheppard Mullin’sunderstanding of the needs of Silicon Valley clients and its resources tosupport them."

Sockolspecializes in intellectual property rights and applies his technical and legalskills to client counseling, preparation and prosecution of patentapplications, preparation of patentability, invalidity and noninfringementopinions, and the assertion and defense of patent litigation claims. He also has experience in trademarks,copyrights, trade secrets and technology licensing. 

Sockolhas drafted, prosecuted and defended more than 750 patent applications across abroad spectrum of technological areas. Theseareas include computer hardware, computer software, semiconductor design andfabrication, the Internet, networking, wireless systems, satellites, QAM,multimedia distribution systems, e-commerce, business methods, POS hardware andsoftware, network and computer security systems, database structures,application development tools, storage management systems, fault tolerantsystems, QOS monitoring, biometrics, set-top boxes, digital and analogcircuitry, medical devices, solar power, optics, thin films and HVAC. 

Karamali has twenty years of experience in the areas of mergers andacquisitions, licensing and technology transactions, venture capital financing,outsourcing, and domestic and international joint ventures. He represents a broad range of clientsincluding high growth start-ups and Fortune 500 companies, and is currentlyactively involved in venture capital and acquisition transactions related tothe Middle East, India and Pakistan. 

Canaanhas close to ten years of experience preparing and prosecuting patentapplications for clients in the biotechnology, chemical, and medical artsindustries.  As part of her practice, sheprepares patent legal opinions and technology transfer agreements.  In addition, she has assisted her clients in developingtrademark portfolios for their patented products and she has assisted herpharmaceutical clients with their FDA regulatory requirements.

Chadwick's practice focuses on media law and mediadefense litigation, including copyright and trademark litigation, FirstAmendment and privacy law, and access and newsgathering law, as well as generalcivil litigation.  His clients include MediaNews Group, San Jose Mercury News, Inc., Mother Jones Magazine, Salon MediaGroup, Daily News Group and NBC. 

Sockolreceived a J.D. from University of San Francisco School of Law in 1992 and a B.S.in electrical engineering from University of California, Davis in 1989.  Karamali received a J.D. from Columbia Universityin 1988 and a B.A. from Rice University in 1985.  Canaan received a J.D. from Whittier LawSchool in 1997 and a B.A. in biochemistry from University of Texas, Austin in1986.  Chadwickreceived a J.D., summa cum laude, from Santa Clara UniversitySchool of Law in 1991, a M.A. from San Francisco State University in 1985 and aB.A., cum laude, from University of California, Santa Cruz in 1979.

About Sheppard Mullin Richter &Hampton LLP

Sheppard Mullin is a full service AmLaw 100 firm with more than 520attorneys in 11 offices located throughout California and in New York,Washington, D.C. and Shanghai.  Thefirm's California offices are located in Los Angeles, San Francisco, SiliconValley, Santa Barbara, Century City, Orange County, Del Mar Heights and SanDiego.  Foundedin 1927 on the principle that the firm would succeed only if its attorneysdelivered prompt, high quality and cost-effective legal services, SheppardMullin provides legal counsel to U.S. and international clients.  Companies turn toSheppard Mullin to handle a full range of corporate and technology matters,high stakes litigation and complex financial transactions.  In the U.S., the firm's clients include morethan half of the Fortune 100 companies.  Formore information, please visit www.sheppardmullin.com.

Robb Klein has joined the Century City office of Sheppard MullinRichter & Hampton LLP as special counsel in the firm's Entertainment & Mediapractice group.  Klein joins from the Londonoffice of leading European law firm SJ Berwin LLP where he was a partner in theMedia & Communications Group.

Klein specializes in film and television financing,production and distribution, merchandising and the licensing of rights and newmedia. He has worked on the financingand production of numerous feature films, from small independent movies tostudio blockbusters. Recent films include"Manolete," "PS I Love You," "Love in the Time ofCholera" and "Basic Instinct 2." Klein has also worked on numerous tax-driven deals, and specializes instructuring international co-productions. His work for financiers includes representingbanks, entrepreneurs, tax funds and hedge funds, often involving securedlending and complex multi-party financing arrangements.

Klein also advises companies on their online businessarrangements, from terms and conditions to commercial supply and advertisingagreements, and on mobile content licensing. He has represented both content owners andmobile platform operators. He alsoadvises computer games developers in their dealings with publishers and onother types of software licensing.

Klein has worked on many significant corporate dealsin the media sector including IPOs and acquisitions of companies in the film,television, music, computer games, mobile and video on demand sectors.

"We have worked with Robb through the years and we're thrilled tohave him on board in LA now. Hisinternational industry experience is an excellent complement to the globalmatters which we handle," said Bob Darwell, chair of the firm'sEntertainment & Media practice group. "Robb's depth of experience in film and television finance, onlineand mobile business transactions, and corporate deals is a perfect fit for ourpractice group, which crosses over all areas of the entertainment industry andintersects with the technology sector."

Commented Klein, "Sheppard Mullin has built a world-class Entertainmentpractice and I am excited about joining Bob and the team in Century City.  I am very impressed by the breadth ofindustry work they handle and their top-notch Hollywood client list."

Klein's clients include UK producers (Holy Cow Films, West ElevenFilms), European producers (Lola Films, Ilion Studios) and large U.S.independents (Mandalay Pictures, Alcon Entertainment).  His work for financiers has includedrepresenting banks (Comerica), entrepreneurs (Infatrade), tax funds (Ernst& Young, Future Films) and hedge funds (120dB Films LLC).

Klein graduated, with honors, from The College of Law, Chester (UK) in1990 and earned an LLB (Hons) from Manchester University (UK) in 1989.

Entertainment litigation partner James E. Curry also joined SheppardMullin's Century City earlier this week. The firm has 40 attorneys based in its Century City office and theEntertainment & Media practice group includes more than 50 attorneysfirmwide. 

About Sheppard MullinRichter & Hampton LLP

LOS ANGELES, March 31, 2008 — James E. Curry has joined the Century City office of Sheppard Mullin Richter & Hampton LLPas partner in the firm's Entertainment and Media group. Curry most recently practiced as a foundingpartner with White O'Connor Curry LLP in Century City. 

Curry is an experienced trial attorney who specializes in complexbusiness lawsuits on behalf of entertainment clients, primarily studios andnetworks.  He has litigated and tried awide variety of entertainment matters, with particular expertise in accountingcases. 

Curry's experience also includes a variety of entertainment mattersincluding First Amendment (defamation, disparagement and invasion of privacyclaims), insurance coverage and bad faith, media-related torts, real estate,copyright, trademark, antitrust, securities, class actions and othercomplicated commercial disputes.

Curry's clients have included CBS, Disney, Paramount Viacom, Showtime, Fox,ABC, Warner Brothers, Universal Studios, MGM, Studios USA, Saban Entertainment,Mary Tyler Moore Enterprises, International Family Channel, InfinityBroadcasting and Westwood One. 

"Jim will be a tremendous asset to the firm and to ourentertainment clients.  His arrival furtherbolsters our position as the preeminent law firm representing institutionalentertainment clients,"  said GuyHalgren, chairman of the firm. 

"Jim is well known and well respectedin the community and we are looking forward to working closely together. He will help us continue to expand ourplatform as a full service entertainment firm, capable of anticipating clientissues and needs of the future," said Marty Katz, leader of the firm'sentertainment litigation practice. Katzrecently received the 2008 California Lawyer Attorney of the Year (CLAY)award for Entertainment. 

Commented Curry, "Sheppard Mullin'sgrowth, success, and its reputation as a 'go-to' firm for entertainment andmedia clients is very impressive.  I amexcited to join the 50-plus attorney team focused on representing global entertainmentclients."

Curry earned a J.D. from University of Chicago in 1984 and received an undergraduate degree from Stanford University in 1981.  He hasregularly been recognized as one of "The Best Lawyers in America."

About Sheppard Mullin Richter &Hampton LLP

Sheppard Mullin is a full service AmLaw 100 firm with more than 520attorneys in 10 offices located throughout California and in New York, Washington, D.C. and Shanghai.  The firm's Californiaoffices are located in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Santa Barbara, Century City,Orange County, Del Mar Heights and San Diego. Founded in 1927 on the principle that the firmwould succeed only if its attorneys delivered prompt, high quality and cost-effectivelegal services, Sheppard Mullin provides legal counsel to U.S. and international clients.  Companies turn toSheppard Mullin to handle a full range of corporate and technology matters,high stakes litigation and complex financial transactions.  In the U.S., the firm's clients include more thanhalf of the Fortune 100 companies.  For more information, please visit www.sheppardmullin.com.

Carren B. Shulman and Russell L. Reid, Jr. have joined the New York officeof Sheppard Mullin Richter & Hampton LLP as partners in the firm's Financeand Bankruptcy practice group.  Shulmanand Reid most recently practiced with Heller Ehrman in New York, where sheco-chaired the office's Summer Associate program and he chaired the New YorkPro Bono committee and co-chaired the office's recruiting committee.

Shulman focuses her practiceon bankruptcy, commercial litigation, business reorganization and creditors'rights, with an emphasis on representing secured and unsecured creditors intransactions in and out of bankruptcy both domestically and internationally.  She has represented debtors, committees,chapter 11 trustees, trade creditors and secured and unsecured lenders inbankruptcy and has advised corporate trustees in default administration.  Shulman also has significant trial experiencein commercial and employment litigation.

Reid’s practice focuses onthe areas of creditors’ rights, bankruptcy, and corporate reorganization, withparticular emphasis on default administration for corporate trustees. On behalf of debtors, creditors, committees,indenture trustees and loan servicers, he has developed and negotiateddisclosure materials and plans of reorganization, and has prosecuted anddefended litigation involving the automatic stay, cash collateral, claimdetermination, debtor-in-possession financing and plan confirmation.

"With Carren and Russelljoining us, we continue to grow signature practice groups like Finance andBankruptcy and expand national capabilities to better serve client needs onboth coasts.  In the current businessclimate where restructurings and insolvencies are on the upswing, their bankruptcyand commercial litigation expertise is of even greater value to clients,"said Guy Halgren, chairman of the firm. 

Commented Shulman, "Sheppard Mullin has a top-notch Finance andBankruptcy group.  I am impressed by itsreputation as a 'go-to' firm for banking and restructuring clients, and amlooking forward to working with Ed Tillinghast in New York."

New York-based partner Edward H. Tillinghast III leads SheppardMullin's East Coast bankruptcy practice. Tillinghast specializes in corporatereorganizations and restructurings, cross-border insolvencies, creditors’rights litigation, and distressed mergers and acquisitions, advising distressedasset investors on high-yield investments and insolvency-related securitizationopinions.

"I am excited to grow the firm's New York bankruptcy practice withEd, and Carren and I are very pleased to rejoin our former colleague MargaretMann,” Reid said. “Sheppard Mullin offers a strong platform for my practice,which includes the support needed to handle sophisticated bankruptcy andcorporate trust matters." 

Two months ago Margaret M.Mann joined the San Diego office of Sheppard Mullin as partner in the firm'sFinance and Bankruptcy practice group. Mann previously led Heller Ehrman's Restructuring and Insolvencypractice and was the firm’s National Hiring Chair. 

For ten years, Shulman hasrepresented the interests of Goodrich Corporation in litigation and complexcontract negotiations in nearly every airline bankruptcy worldwide.  She represented the largest West Coast powercompany in a multi-billion dollar claim litigation against Enron Corp.  Shulman was special counsel to WorldCom, Inc.in In re WorldCom, U.S. Bankruptcy Court, S.D.N.Y., 2002.  She represented secured lenders indebtor-in-possession financings in In re Indesco, U.S. Bankruptcy Court,S.D.N.Y., 2001; In re Cannondale, U.S. Bankruptcy Court, Connecticut,2003; In re Henninger Media Services, U.S. Bankruptcy Court, Virginia,2002.

Reid's experience hasencompassed for a number of years the representation of varied deal parties inthe mortgage backed securities arena. His expertise includes the interpretation and enforcement of pooling andservicing agreements, swap agreements, trust indentures, and other relateddocuments, as well as associated out-of-court restructurings and litigation.  Reid has handled an array of businessdisputes before state and federal trial and appellate courts and regulatoryagencies, as well as before tribunals appointed by the American ArbitrationAssociation and the National Association of Securities Dealers. He has significant experience with other typesof alternative dispute resolution, including mediation and summary jury trials.

Shulman received a B.A., magnacum laude, from State University of New York, Albany in 1988 and a J.D. fromNew York University Law School in 1991.  Reidreceived a B.F.A., Journalism, magna cum laude, from Southern MethodistUniversity in 1983, a B.B.A., cum laude, in 1984 and a J.D. from Universityof Texas School of Law in 1989.

Sheppard Mullin has 40attorneys based in its New York office. The firm's Finance and Bankruptcy practice group includes more than 70attorneys firmwide.

About Sheppard Mullin Richter &Hampton LLP

Sheppard Mullin is a full service AmLaw 100 firm with more than 520attorneys in 10 offices located throughout California and in New York,Washington, D.C. and Shanghai.  Thefirm's California offices are located in Los Angeles, San Francisco, SantaBarbara, Century City, Orange County, Del Mar Heights and San Diego.  Founded in 1927 onthe principle that the firm would succeed only if its attorneys deliveredprompt, high quality and cost-effective legal services, Sheppard Mullinprovides legal counsel to U.S. and international clients.  Companies turn toSheppard Mullin to handle a full range of corporate and technology matters,high stakes litigation and complex real estate, land use and finance transactions.  In theU.S., the firm's clients include more than half of the Fortune 100companies.  For more information,please visit www.sheppardmullin.com.

Carulli faces an expected five-year prison term. His sentencing was set for May 13.

"My best defense was going in front of a judge and hoping she would see my side," Carulli said outside the courtroom.

Carulli acknowledged he solicited sex online and drove from his home in Brown Mills, N.J., to Long Island for a liaison. He insisted he believed his correspondent was 24, but prosecutors maintained he knew she was 14.

Unbeknownst to Carulli, the electronic enticement was part of a police operation in which Miss America 2007 Lauren Nelson pretended to be a lonely 14-year-old girl. She chatted with men online and on the phone, drawing them to a home where a camera crew from television's "America's Most Wanted" was waiting. An episode involving the sting aired in 2007.

Carulli sensed something was wrong when he got to the house and left. He was arrested at a highway exit three miles away. His defense lawyer, Robert Macedonio, had called the arrest a stunt for the media, suggesting his client was coerced into making an incriminating statement and paraded before the "America's Most Wanted" cameras.

Carulli's guilty plea came after parts of a graphic chat-room transcript was read in court, and several police officials testified that Carulli confessed that he thought he was arranging for sex with a minor.

Seven other men also have pleaded guilty in the sting.

Some people say Detroit attorney Doyle O'Connor's refusal to approve the Michigan Civil Rights Initiative for the November 2006 election ballot was an act of courage.

Others call the decision by the former member of the Board of State Canvassers an act of defiance.

Either way, the Michigan Attorney Grievance Commission has charged O'Connor with professional misconduct for failing to carry out his public duties -- the first time it has invoked the charge.

More than a dozen individuals and groups, including the Michigan Democratic Party and the League of Women Voters of Michigan, have urged the state Attorney Discipline Board to drop the charges. The board tries and disciplines lawyers for alleged misconduct.

"It's really an outrage," said state Democratic Party Chairman Mark Brewer. "If lawyers are going to be subjected to this kind of second-guessing for acts as a public official, why would any lawyer want to serve in public office? This is a political vendetta."

But the woman who filed the misconduct complaint, Owosso novelist Diane Carey, who circulated petitions for the civil rights initiative, said O'Connor violated state law and should be disbarred.

"He violated his sworn oath to ratify a petition that was legally collected by the people and deserved to be on the ballot," Carey said.

Voters passed the initiative in 2006, 58% to 42%. It banned race and gender affirmative action in university admissions and government and public school hiring and contracting.

Proposal 2 got onto the ballot, despite complaints that sponsors duped voters, especially blacks, into believing it promoted affirmative action. Supporters denied that.

The grievance commission, which investigates and prosecutes lawyers for alleged misconduct, said O'Connor refused at a July 2005 meeting to approve putting the measure on the ballot despite a state attorney general opinion that canvassers had no legal authority to look into petition fraud.

And then, in December 2005, despite a Michigan Court of Appeals order to certify the proposal, he abstained.

O'Connor said he thought he was abstaining on a motion to close debate. The next month, he voted to put the measure on the ballot.

"If lawyers can defy a court order they disagree with, then they undermine the judicial system," said Deputy Grievance Administrator Robert Edick. O'Connor stepped down from the board in 2006 under the threat of contempt charges by the court of appeals.

O'Connor, then a labor lawyer, now works as a state administrative law judge. "Rather than being prosecuted for professional misconduct, Doyle should be given an award for trying to ensure the integrity of the electoral process," said his lawyer, Kenneth Mogill of Lake Orion, who wants the discipline board to toss the charge.