(PRWEB) March 22, 2017
Mestel & Company, a leading national attorney placement and recruitment consulting firm established in 1987, is pleased to announce the opening of Buchalter’s new Sacramento office for a team of seven new lawyers as well as the placement of James (Jim) K. Dyer and Gwenn O’Hara. Jim Dyer has joined the firm as Managing Shareholder of the new office from Downey Brand LLP, where he was a partner. Gwenn O’Hara has joined as Shareholder and brought her team, including Valerie Collanton, Meghan Cox, and Ann Springgate, from California Power Law Group, where she was the Founding Partner.
Ilene Fisher, an Executive Managing Director, and Jennifer Brown, a Senior Search Consultant, at Mestel & Company’s San Francisco office, led the search.
“We are proud to have assisted Buchalter in this exciting milestone and to find talent that aligns well with their culture and strengthens their practice,” said Joan Davison, President and CEO of Mestel & Company, a company of HCMC Legal, Inc. “For nearly 30 years, our company has developed the careers of attorneys, built best in class legal teams, and effectuated law firm mergers."
“The opening of the new office and addition of a team of lawyers support Buchalter’s desire for growth and increased presence in Sacramento and the Central Valley. I am thrilled to welcome Jim, Gwenn and their teams to the firm,” said Adam J. Bass, President and CEO of Buchalter.
Jim’s role at Buchalter will focus on establishing the firm’s presence in the state capital, spearheading the new Financial Regulatory and Compliance Group and offering valuable insight as a member of the firm’s Board of Directors. He has more than 25 years of experience as a corporate and financial institutions lawyer with a background in public accounting and in his practice, he assists clients – private and public enterprises and financial institutions – on a range of corporate matters including corporate governance, mergers and acquisitions, and regulatory compliance. He regularly serves as outside general counsel to a number of these organizations in the California Central Valley, advising them as they develop new products, services or enter new markets. Jim earned his J.D. from Texas Tech University School of Law, and his B.A. from California State University, Sacramento.
Gwenn’s role at Buchalter will include chairing the new Energy & Natural Resources Group firm-wide. She represents public and private entities, assisting with large infrastructure projects, and the development, negotiation, and administration of traditional energy, gas and renewable portfolios. Gwenn represents a major grid operator with contract and regulatory matters, and advises on the management of a portfolio of energy contracts that reached $46 billion. She advises on complex transmission and interconnection issues, utility rate cases, and represents clients at the CPUC, CEC, CARB, and FERC. Her public finance work has involved representing cities, counties, and state agencies in public finance transactions as bond or underwriter’s counsel. Gwenn earned her J.D. and B.A. from the University of California, Berkeley.
About Mestel & Company
Mestel & Company, a leading national attorney placement company established in 1987, specializes in assisting the careers of individual associates, partners and in-house counsel as well as effectuating the movement of legal teams and law firm mergers. Our experienced recruiters have first-hand knowledge of the practices and cultures of law firms and in-house legal departments, making us the acknowledged leader in our field. Mestel & Company is a company of HCMC Legal, Inc. and is the only 100% employee owned company in the attorney placement industry, ensuring that each of our recruiters, as an owner, provides best in class service and is committed to the needs and sensitivity of our attorneys. For more information, visit http://www.mestel.com or follow us on Twitter@Mestel.
