Law Firm Hirings, Firings and Promotions

Alec Alexander, who served as an assistant U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Louisiana from July 2002 thru April 2010, has joined Jones Walker’s office in Lafayette, La. as a special counsel in its business and commercial litigation practice group.  Alexander’s practice focuses on corporate health care compliance, government and internal corporate investigations, and white collar criminal matters…

Ugo Colella has returned to Patton Boggs after 3 ½ years at Katten Muchin Rosenman. He previously was with Patton Boggs from 2000 thru 2006. Colella represents companies in civil litigation, with an emphasis on business-related disputes and mass torts…

Jem Li, an attorney in Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft’s corporate mergers and acquisition department in Beijing, has been promoted to partner. Li’s practice focuses on capital markets and corporate transactions…

Greenberg Traurig has made Meital Stavinsky of counsel to the firm. Stavinsky previously was the Israeli Business Consultant for Greenberg Traurig’s Israel practice. She will continue to direct the activities of that practice…

Winston & Strawn has added attorney Wood W. (Woody) Lay to its Charlotte office from Hunton & Williams, where he led its Charlotte labor and employment practice. Lay’s practice focuses labor and employment law issues with an emphasis on employment, ERISA, non-competition and trade secret litigation…

Thomas Whitelaw announced Melissa Yoon has joined the firm’s Irvine office as senior counsel. Yoon previously practiced at Jones Day and before that was at Morrison & Foerster, where she handled employment and complex commercial litigation.