Crowell & Moring Elects Seven New Partners and Promotes 23 Associates to Counsel

Washington – January 4, 2018: Crowell & Moring LLP is pleased to announce that it has elected seven lawyers to the firm’s partnership, effective January 1, 2018. The firm has also promoted 23 associates to the position of counsel. The new partners have been promoted from within the ranks of the firm’s Washington, New York, San Francisco, and Los Angeles offices, and underscore the firm’s commitment to its Government Contracts, Litigation, Corporate, Environment & Natural Resources, International Dispute Resolution, Intellectual Property, and Labor & Employment practices.

“We congratulate our newly promoted partners and counsel. Each of them embodies Crowell & Moring’s values of client service and dedication to our communities,” said Philip T. Inglima, chair of Crowell & Moring. “These lawyers represent many of our national practices across the United States and will play an important role in helping us deliver excellence for our clients.”

The newly elected partners of 2018 are:

Jonathan M. Baker (Washington) – A member of the firm’s Government Contracts Group, Baker advises clients on federal and state bid protests, prime-sub disputes, government contracts due diligence and transactions, and regulatory compliance. His practice also has a notable emphasis on technology-related issues, including counseling clients in the areas of patent and data rights, responding to government challenges to technical data and computer software rights assertions, and litigating cases involving complex and cutting-edge technologies. He also provides guidance on national security matters and False Claims Act issues. He is actively involved in the firm's pro bono program, having litigated prisoner neglect, parental rights termination, and landlord-tenant matters. Before attending law school, Baker served on active duty as an officer in the U.S. Air Force. Baker received his J.D. from the University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law, his M.B.A. from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, and his B.E. from Vanderbilt University.

Nathaniel P. Bualat (San Francisco) – Bualat is a member of the firm’s Litigation Group. His practice focuses on complex commercial, university licensing, and health care litigation. Since 2011, Bualat has had three jury trials, two arbitration evidentiary hearings, and two bench trials. In 2016, he represented a university system in a jury trial against a pharmaceutical company regarding whether profit-sharing payments are sub-licensing income that the university system is entitled to 10 percent of. He also represented a behavioral health benefits administrator in a class-action bench trial in which a consumer class alleged violation of ERISA in the denial of residential, intensive outpatient, and outpatient treatment claims. During 2011-2013, Super Lawyers Magazine named Bualat a Northern California "Rising Star." He received his J.D. from the University of California Hastings College of the Law and his B.A. from San Francisco State University.

Ilana Lubin (New York) – A member of the firm’s Corporate Group, Lubin frequently represents clients in the apparel, fashion, retail, luxury, and beauty sectors regarding cross-border and domestic mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures, and private equity investments. Her experience specifically includes the negotiation of intellectual property transactions, and her representations frequently involve the formation, structuring, and negotiation of joint venture arrangements focusing on the exploitation of celebrity and corporate brands. Lubin’s background includes the representation of a variety of companies from inception, including advisement with respect to equity and debt financing and other commercial matters, and she has experience working in-house across business divisions, including in connection with global merger and acquisition and licensing activity. Lubin was most recently recognized by M&A Advisor as an “Emerging Leader,” and since 2015, has annually been named a “Rising Star” by Super Lawyers Magazine. She received her J.D. from the Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law and her B.S. from Cornell University.

Robert Meyers (Washington) – A member of the firm’s Environment & Natural Resources Group, Meyers provides counseling, regulatory, and legislative representation for clients on energy and environmental issues, including the Clean Air Act (CAA), greenhouse gas regulation, and climate change. He has also represented clients in related litigation before the U.S. Court of Appeals (D.C. Circuit) and enforcement matters. With more than three decades of experience in energy, utility, manufacturing automobile, fuel (including renewable fuel) and agricultural issues, as well as related compliance and permitting, Meyers formerly led the Office of Air and Radiation (OAR) of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, serving as Assistant Administrator (Acting) and Principal Deputy Assistant Administrator. Meyers received his J.D. from The George Washington University Law School and his B.A. from St. Lawrence University.

John L. Murino (Washington) – Murino is a member of the firm’s International Dispute Resolution and Intellectual Property groups. He represents clients across a variety of jurisdictions in commercial and investment arbitrations and complex civil litigation, with many of the disputes involving the actions of sovereigns or international organizations. The industries within which he has worked span the globe and include hospitality, financial services, natural resources, transportation, media, manufacturing, software, and technology. From Latin America to the Middle East, from Europe to across the United States, he is also active in counseling clients regarding various Internet governance, domain name, trademark and international business-related issues. Murino, a former law clerk in the United States District Court for the District of Columbia, received his J.D., with honors, from The George Washington University Law School and his B.A. from the University of Michigan.

Rebecca L. Springer (Washington) – Springer is a member of the firm’s Labor & Employment Group. Her practice focuses on labor and employment litigation and counseling, particularly in the area of Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP) compliance. She has extensive experience representing clients in OFCCP audits and counseling clients on affirmative action issues. Springer also has significant experience addressing pay equity issues, and advises clients on the design, management, and analysis of compensation and performance management systems. Her other area of focus involves investigations of harassment, discrimination, and retaliation complaints.  As a member of the firm’s Education Practice, Rebecca also counsels secondary schools and colleges and universities on these issues and on Title IX compliance. Springer received her J.D. from the Duke University School of Law and her B.A. from Washington University in St. Louis.

Nathanial J. Wood (Los Angeles) – Wood is a member of the firm’s Litigation Group. His practice focuses on the litigation of complex commercial matters, including data privacy, cybersecurity, and class actions. He has defended both companies and government entities against data breach class actions and represented companies as both plaintiffs and defendants in data theft litigation. He has substantial experience representing clients at all phases of the litigation process, from pre-litigation counseling through trial and appeals. Before joining Crowell & Moring, Wood was an associate at the San Francisco firm of Folger Levin & Kahn LLP. He worked for the California State Water Resources Control Board before attending law school. Wood received his J.D. from the University of Southern California Gould School of Law and his B.A. and B.S. from the University of California, Davis.

Crowell & Moring associates promoted to counsel are: Elizabeth Buehler, Joanna Coyne, Jason Crawford, Christian N. Curran, Dalal Hasan, Martin J. Mackowski, Jonathan Nesher, Robbie Rogart, Robert J. Sneckenberg, Ashley N. Southerland, Tiffany Wynn, Genevieve Moreland, and Brian J. Weber in Washington; Andrew Holmer, Laura Schwartz, and Megan Weisgerber in Los Angeles; Gordon McAllister in London; Randa Adra and Preetha Chakrabarti in New York; Tiffany Chang and Samrah Mahmoud in Orange County; and Brendan V. Mullan and Rebecca Suarez in San Francisco.

About Crowell & Moring LLP

Crowell & Moring LLP is an international law firm with approximately 500 lawyers representing clients in litigation and arbitration, regulatory, and transactional matters. The firm is internationally recognized for its representation of Fortune 500 companies in high-stakes litigation, as well as its ongoing commitment to pro bono service and diversity. The firm has offices in Washington, D.C., New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Orange County, London, and Brussels.