Thompson Hine Expands to West Coast
June 26 2024 - 12:43PM
Business Wire
LA Litigation Boutique Conkle, Kremer &
Engel Lawyers Join Firm
Thompson Hine LLP, a national law firm recognized for
innovation, is pleased to announce it is growing its national
presence with the opening of a Los Angeles office, effective July
1.
Experienced California litigators from Conkle, Kremer &
Engel (CKE) are joining the firm. The move expands Thompson Hine’s
geographic footprint to the West Coast and further strengthens its
litigation practice, adding 25 lawyers, supporting
paraprofessionals and staff.
The partners and other attorneys from CKE, a Los Angeles
boutique litigation, regulatory and intellectual property firm,
have maintained a strong reputation for being trusted advisors and
delivering high-quality work for over 40 years. They have
significant experience representing clients in industries including
beauty and personal care products, fashion, technology, real estate
and manufacturing in a broad range of complex and sophisticated
litigation and other matters.
Both firms have a growth-focused approach and share a commitment
to providing clients with predictable, transparent and efficient
legal services. “We view the West Coast as an important part of our
national growth strategy,” said Thompson Hine Managing Partner Tony
White. “We began our westward expansion when we opened our Chicago
office in 2019, and our strategic plan calls for us to continue
moving into new areas across the country and adding resources that
will enable us to deliver value and best serve our clients
nationwide.”
Thompson Hine’s Los Angeles office includes partners John
Conkle, Eric Engel, Mark Kremer, Zach Page, Evan Pitchford and
Amanda Washton; senior counsel Jeffrey Pearlman, Mark Riedel and
Kim Sim Sandell; and associates Chelsea Bernard and Kelly
Peterson.
Prior to joining Thompson Hine, their work helped shape
California commercial law. They obtained the first published
federal decisions establishing that importing and selling
foreign-labeled goods with contents identical to genuine U.S.
products constitutes trademark infringement, a landmark ruling for
gray market regulation, and that just possessing personal care
products with altered or obliterated manufacturer codes is both a
crime and unfair competition under California law. In the Ninth
Circuit Court of Appeals, CKE attorneys established the statute of
limitations applicable to ERISA cases. They also obtained the first
published California decision affirming that the right of publicity
is an assignable intellectual property right that is not preempted
by copyright laws. The work of CKE lawyers has advanced the legal
framework governing commercial, labor and intellectual property law
in California. Indeed, in reviewing a hotly contested fight over
commercial insurance, the assessment of California’s Fourth
District Court of Appeal was that “the Conkle law firm were the
heroes of the battle.”
Opening this West Coast office means that many of Thompson
Hine’s clients with significant business interests and litigation
in California will benefit from access to these established
California lawyers who eliminate the need to engage local counsel
on California litigation matters. “Our partners have worked with
these lawyers as co-counsel on significant litigation in California
and our firms have developed a solid collaborative relationship
built on mutual trust in each other’s strengths. They are top-tier
lawyers who will be excellent resources for our clients,” said
White.
Reflecting on the decision to join Thompson Hine, CKE partner
John Conkle noted that the move was influenced by the firm’s
commitment to continuous innovation, enhancing client service
consistent with a long history and reputation for providing
efficient and effective legal counsel. “We have worked successfully
with Thompson Hine lawyers for many years, and we are excited to
now join Thompson Hine. Its 100-year history of delivering superior
results, its growing national presence, and its diverse practice
area expertise will enable us to provide our clients with a broader
array of services and resources, enhancing the high-quality legal
support we have always provided. The firm’s focus on transforming
the legal service delivery model by emphasizing predictability,
efficiency and transparency is a clear plus for our clients. We
look forward to offering our clients the benefits of Thompson
Hine’s many years of developing proprietary tools and top legal
technology resources,” said Conkle.
Thompson Hine has earned national attention and acclaim for its
innovation, including being ranked first in “Most Innovative North
American Law Firms: New Working Models” by the Financial Times,
shortlisted for The American Lawyer’s inaugural Legal Services
Innovation Award, recognized by the National Law Journal as a Legal
Technology Trailblazer and featured by Bloomberg for its
groundbreaking service delivery model.
About Thompson Hine LLP. Thompson Hine LLP, a
full-service business law firm with approximately 400 lawyers in 9
offices, was ranked number 1 in the category “Most innovative North
American law firms: New working models” by the Financial Times and
was 1 of 7 firms shortlisted for The American Lawyer’s inaugural
Legal Services Innovation Award. The firm has been recognized by
the National Law Journal as a Legal Technology Trailblazer and
featured by Bloomberg for its innovative service delivery models,
which drive accuracy and predictability. The firm’s commitment to
innovation is embodied in Thompson Hine SmartPaTHTM – a smarter way
to work – predictable, efficient and aligned with client goals. For
more information, please visit ThompsonHine.com and
ThompsonHine.com/Innovation/SmartPaTH.
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Sheila Turner Sheila.Turner@ThompsonHine.com 202.263.4132