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.

Brian Z. Liss has joined theWashington, D.C. office of Sheppard Mullin Richter & Hampton LLP as specialcounsel in the firm's Labor and Employment practice group.  Liss most recently practiced with MorganLewis & Bockius in Washington, D.C. 

Liss focuseshis practice on wage and hour counseling and litigation, National LaborRelations Act and Railway Labor Act arbitration and litigation, labor law complianceadvice and defense of unfair labor practice charges, labor and employment lawdue diligence for mergers and acquisitions, and employment discriminationcomplex litigation.  Liss' practice alsoincludes advising clients regarding the labor and employment law ramificationsof business transactions, negotiation and administration of collectivebargaining agreements, and employment law counseling. 

Liss has extensive experiencearbitrating union grievances, litigating Fair Labor Standards Act collectiveactions, and litigating Title VII, ADA, FMLA, and multi-plaintiff"hybrid" breach of contract/duty of fair representation cases.  Liss also has experience conductingcomprehensive internal wage and hour audits, representing clientsin federal and state Department of Labor audits, developing employmentpolicy manuals and training materials, and conducting wageand hour training for human resources staff, supervisors, and managers. 

"We are thrilled that Brian has elected to join us," said EdSchiff, managing partner of the firm's Washington, D.C. office.  "He will be a great addition to our firmand to the Washington, D.C. office, as we continue to expand the Labor andEmployment group on the East Coast.  His depthof experience in labor relations is a perfect fit for the practice group andallows us to provide added resources for our client representation."

Commented Liss, "I am thrilled to rejoin former colleagues SheldonKline and Jonathan Rose, as well as begin practicing with the other top-notchemployment attorneys at Sheppard Mullin. I am greatly impressed by the firm and look forward to expanding theLabor and Employment practice in D.C."

Labor and Employment partnersSheldon Kline and Jonathan Rose joined Sheppard Mullin last year.  Sheppard Mullin has 40 attorneys based in itsWashington, D.C. office.  The firm'sLabor and Employment practice group includes more than 65 attorneys. 

About Sheppard MullinRichter & Hampton LLP

Sheppard Mullin is a fullservice AmLaw 100 firm with more than 520 attorneys in 10 offices locatedthroughout California and in New York, Washington, D.C. and Shanghai.  The firm's California offices are located inLos Angeles, San Francisco, Santa Barbara, Century City, Orange County, Del MarHeights and San Diego.  Founded in 1927 on the principle that the firm would succeedonly if its attorneys delivered prompt, high quality and cost-effective legalservices, Sheppard Mullin provides legal counsel to U.S. andinternational clients.  Companies turn to Sheppard Mullin to handle a full range ofcorporate and technology matters, high stakes litigation and complex financialtransactions.  In the U.S., the firm'sclients include more than half of the Fortune 100 companies.  For more information, please visit www.sheppardmullin.com.

Miller Canfield's Kalamazoo law office has relocated into a 32,000-square-foot suite on the top two floors of the new building that bears its name in downtown Kalamazoo.

The 151,000-square-foot Miller Canfield Building at 277 S. Rose St. is being called the first Class A office building to be built in downtown in more than 20 years.

Catalyst Development Co., part of building owner The Greenleaf Cos., has placed the building cost at $32 million. Construction redeveloped a space that had held an older office building and parking lot.

"We're pleased to be a part of Kalamazoo's renaissance," Miller Canfield Resident Director John R. Cook said in a press release. "This new building represents our commitment to the community, while the state-of-the-art facility will allow us to expand and provide services to clients around the block and around the world."

The office's 40 lawyers and staff of 36 relocated from 444 W. Michigan Ave. They are part of an 800-attorney law firm established in Detroit in 1852 that has offices in Michigan, Illinois, Massachusetts, Florida, New York, Canada and Poland.

According to information provided by the firm, it has grown from 18 lawyers in 1984, when Brown, Colman & DeMent merged with Miller Canfield.

Its legal practices include business law, securities, mergers and acquisitions, real estate, banking, intellectual property law, bankruptcy, litigation, labor, tax, health law and corporate-discovery-management services.

http://www.millercanfield.com

Stephanie L. Seidman, a life science attorney with a doctorate in molecular biology and biochemistry, heads the group office along with attorney David A. Fisher. Associate attorneys in the office are Frank J. Miskiel, Cheryl A. Allaire, Gregory F. Brucia and Alidad Vakili. The office can be contacted at 858-509-7400.

Geoffrey K. Willis and Deborah M. Rosenthal havejoined the Orange County office of Sheppard Mullin Richter & Hampton LLP aspartners in the firm's Real Estate, Land Use and Environmental practice group.  Willis and Rosenthal will be joined bya team of six attorneys: special counsel Marguerite P. Battersby and David R.Hunt, and associates David P. Collins II, Jessica A. Johnson, Douglas E. Wanceand Gregory E. Woodard.  The group most recentlypracticed together with Bingham McCutchen in Orange County. 

"With Geoff, Deborah and the groupjoining us, we continue to grow signature practice groups like Real Estate andexpand capabilities to better serve client needs.  With Geoff leading the team, the group's knowledgeand expertise will significantly enhance our real estate practice, which isalready one of the best in California," said Guy Halgren, chairman of thefirm. 

"I look forward to growing the firm's California landuse practice, specifically in Orange County,” Willis said. “Sheppard Mullin isa top-notch firm with an impressive real estate group.  I am thrilled to be practicing on such astrong platform with the firm's great lawyers throughout the state."

"Geoff's group is an excellent addition to the firm'sReal Estate practice group, which now includes more than 80 attorneys firmwide," commented Domenic Drago, chair of the firm's Real Estate, Land Useand Environmental practice group. "They bring an incredible collective background with more than seventy-fiveyears of combined experience, which includes ground-breaking land use mattersand cutting-edge real estate-related litigation." 

As a land use and developmentspecialist, Willis concentrates his practice on matters involving theCalifornia Environmental Quality Act (CEQA); the National Environmental PolicyAct; water rights and quality; the Endangered Species Act; wetlands regulation;the Clean Air Act; CERCLA investigation, remediation and litigation; theCalifornia Subdivision Map Act; local zoning and land use requirements,environmental due diligence and audits. He has specific expertise in the development of shopping centers, largeconjunctive use projects, houses, golf courses, industrial parks andmanufacturing complexes, regulatory compliance of ongoing businesses involvingair, endangered species, water and wetlands permitting. 

Rosenthal devotes her practice to land use andenvironmental law and litigation, working with issues that include wetlands,endangered species, takings, historic preservation, mitigation banking,hazardous materials industrial development, including self-storage, and golfcourses.  She has been involved in avariety of complex federal- and state-coordinated environmental permitting programsfor large private developments, including the negotiation of developmentagreements and preparation of development plans.  A major portion of Rosenthal's practice isdevoted to CEQA, inverse condemnation and general plan litigation in connectionwith land use entitlements for large residential real estate developers. 

Willis and Rosenthal have represented their clients’ interests beforeall of the counties in Southern California, many of the cities in California,the State Water Resources Control Board, the Regional Water Quality ControlBoards, the Army Corps of Engineers, the United States Fish and WildlifeService, the South Coast Air Quality Management District, the High Desert AirPollution Control District, the California Department of Fish and Game, theCalifornia Coastal Commission, the California EPA, and EPA Region IX and anumber of additional state and local governing bodies.

Willisreceived a B.A. from Pomona College in 1983 and a J.D. from University ofCalifornia, Hastings College of Law in 1986. Rosenthal received a B.A. from University of Michigan in 1972, a master'sdegree in regional planning from the University of Oklahoma in 1978 and a J.D. fromYale Law School in 1981.

Last year, a six attorneyteam joined Sheppard Mullin's Real Estate, Land Use and Environmental practicegroup in the firm's San Francisco office. The former Steefel, Levitt & Weiss land use group includes partnersJudy Davidoff and Art Friedman, as well as associates William Fleishhacker,Miriam Montesinos, Alexis Pelosi and Elizabeth Sibbett. 

TheCalifornia Real Estate Journalconsistently ranks Sheppard Mullin among the largest real estate practices in thestate. The firm's Real Estate, Land Useand Environmental practice group is one of the most diverse in California, representinginvestors, developers, builders, major landowners, lenders and local agencieson every aspect of commercial and residential real estate.

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 100 companies.  For more information, please visit www.sheppardmullin.com.