Stradley Ronon, the Philadelphia-based law firm, has expanded its reach into the West Coast litigation market for the first time in its nearly 100-year existence.
Joining the team will be five partners who are very familiar with the financial law scene in Long Beach.
“Given the state’s active litigation market, California has become a target location for Stradley Ronon,” said partner-in-charge of the newly opened office, Esther Cho, who is among the five partners coming over from Keesal, Young & Logan, a storied and well-connected firm that’s been a fixture in Long Beach since 1970.
Besides Cho, Partners David Piper, Neal Robb, Melanie Ronen and Bentley Stansbury III will be departing from Keesal Young & Logan and with five other associates to form a 10-lawyer team at the newly launched Stradley Ronon Long Beach office.
“We were looking for the right opportunity with a law firm that would give us more bench strength on a national platform, and Stradley Ronon provides that,” Cho said.
She added that when talks with Stradley Ronon began, it was evident that the firm was the right place to be in terms of culture, collegiality and collaboration.
“We are excited to call Stradley Ronon our home and leverage our collective strengths across the firm’s diverse practices,” Cho said.
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Stradley Ronon’s litigation practice defends financial institutions that are often subject to government scrutiny and that are regularly targeted in litigation, which includes representing clients in individual, class action and multi-district litigation in state and federal courts, as well as in arbitration proceedings nationwide.
“Some of the California lawyers also represent employers across a broad array of industries, advising on all aspects of employment law, including hiring, promotion, termination, privacy, wage and hour, disability and protected leave, and retaliation and whistleblower issues,” said Cho.
Michael O’Mara, managing partner of Stradley Ronon, views the firm’s move to the West Coast as one in accordance with its long-term plan to meet the developing needs of its clientele.
“Opening the office supports our current growth strategy and our commitment to meeting the evolving needs of our clients in diverse geographic regions,” he said. “With this seamless integration, we are poised to not only continue providing excellent client service but to also leverage the team’s deep knowledge of the California community in supporting our clients’ objectives and forging new relationships.”
Although Stradley Ronon has eight other offices concentrated in the Midwest and on the East Coast, the Long Beach office will set a precedent of being the first on the West Coast.
Cho is a seasoned litigator with a particular focus on securities and regulatory matters. She represents financial service firms in state and federal court and before arbitral tribunals in proceedings involving violations of state and federal securities laws and related rules and regulations.
David Piper has more than two decades of experience advising individuals and global companies in commercial disputes, securities arbitration proceedings, privacy and cybersecurity matters, residential and commercial real estate issues, and all aspects of bankruptcy and insolvency.
Neal Robb brings more than 30 years of experience representing financial services firms and their executives in a broad array of complex and high-stakes commercial and business litigation.
Melanie Ronen litigates single-plaintiff employment disputes in state and federal courts and arbitration, as well as complex, class and Private Attorneys General Act (PAGA) actions.
Bentley Stansbury III focuses on financial services litigation, handling proceedings in state and federal court and arbitration.
“Stradley Ronon has one of the largest and most widely respected financial services litigation practices in the U.S., so it’s an exciting opportunity to oversee the firm’s physical expansion in California while continuing to work alongside my esteemed colleagues,” Cho said.
The California office is at Landmark Square, 111 W. Ocean Blvd., Suite 400.