“It’s important to talk about my career, talk about how I achieved it . . . so women realize it is possible to have aspirations beyond their current role.”
Karen Linehan, Executive Vice President and General Counsel, Sanofi SA

What You Need to Know

Kelda Roys, Krish Vignarajah breastfeed their babies in online ads for gubernatorial races.
While filming a campaign ad for the gubernatorial race in Wisconsin and discussing her legislative accomplishments, Roys’ husband handed off her crying daughter and Roys continued to talk while casually breastfeeding. She later decided to include the candid moment in the final ad before releasing it earlier this month. Weeks later, Vignarajah scripted a similar moment into her campaign ad to drive home the fact that she is the only woman running for governor in Maryland.
Baltimore Sun

Dara Tarkowski leaves Big Law to start firm focused on building expert systems.
The former Akerman partner left the firm to co-found a boutique firm after becoming involved with the innovative Data Law Center, which provides subscribers with automated legal advice in the wake of a data breach. Tarkowski’s experience with the Data Law Center and her practice counseling new financial services and technology firms inspired her to create “lower-cost solutions for startup companies to navigate complex regulatory environments.” Law.com

Kerrie Campbell lauded for bringing gender issues in legal field to forefront with lawsuit.
After suing Chadbourne & Parke for gender discrimination, Campbell drew criticism from the firm where she was a partner. In the $100 million suit, Campbell alleged that Chadbourne routinely underpaid women and excluded them from positions of authority within the firm. Two days after settling the case, Chadbourne (now part of Norton Rose Fulbright) issued a statement praising Campbell for “contribut[ing] to important ongoing dialogue within the profession about gender issues.” Law.com

Judge Kathleen O’Malley orders third trial for Oracle, Google copyright case.
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit once again remanded the fair use case to federal court in California, this time for damages where Google could be held liable for billions of dollars. “Because the Java SE was already being used in smartphones, Google did not ‘transform’ the copyrighted material into a new context and no reasonable jury could conclude otherwise,” O’Malley wrote. Law.com

Lisa Kremer Brown brings new insight into Starbucks’ legal spending.
As the managing director of operations and strategy for law and corporate affairs at Starbucks, Kremer wanted a tool that would allow her to track the company’s spending comprehensively. She partnered with Elevate Services to create a tool to track internal and external spending, and is now using the data to re-evaluate outside counsel guidelines and implement accountability measures. Law.com

Amal Clooney will defend Reuters reporters detained in Myanmar.
The human rights lawyer is joining the legal team representing two Reuters reporters who are being detained in Myanmar for allegedly possessing secret government papers. “Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo are being prosecuted simply because they reported the news,” Clooney said. “[I]t is clear beyond doubt that the two journalists are innocent and should be released immediately.” Reuters

Lisa Blatt secures appellate win in infringement suit over “Blurred Lines.”
The Ninth Circuit upheld the plaintiffs’ victory in the lower court, where the judge held that Pharrell Williams and Robin Thicke infringed the copyright to Marvin Gaye’s iconic “Got To Give It Up” with their international hit “Blurred Lines.” A split panel affirmed the 2015 decision and its accompanying $5.3 million damages award. Sara R. Ellis also represented the plaintiffs in the case. Law 360

Kalpana Srinivasan scores $706.2 million award for data analytics startup in Texas.
Concluding that TitleSource “willful[ly] and malicious[ly]” misappropriated HouseCanary’s secrets when it “brazenly” stole propriety data recipes from the data analytics startup, the jury awarded more than $400 million in exemplary damages to HouseCanary. Law 360

What are you reading? Share it with us.

---

Is your organization doing enough to move the diversity needle in the legal profession?
Major, Lindsey & Africa is committed to being a diversity market leader both internally and externally through its business activities. Many of our clients are making strides toward creating inclusive workplaces that accurately reflect society and the communities they serve. Read our report to find out what firms and corporations are doing diversity right.

---

Power Moves

Tammy Albarrán becomes deputy general counsel at Uber after co-authoring report about company’s cultural and harassment issues. Bloomberg Law

Kiisha Morrow and Charlotte Green appointed to the Winthrop Rockefeller Foundation Board of Directors. Arkansas Business

Maryssa Simpson becomes partner at Potts Law Firm and opens firm’s Dallas office.
PR Newswire

Judge Nina Wright Padilla and attorney Mandi L. Culhane appointed to the Judicial Conduct Board of Pennsylvania. Your Erie

Caroline Polisi joins Pierce Burns in New York. Law.com

Jennifer Zachary named general counsel of Merck & Co. Corporate Counsel

Claudia Poernig joins Baker McKenzie’s New York office. Baker McKenzie

Natalie Brouwer Potts joins Dykema’s Chicago office. Dykema

Missy Heidelberg, Jean Folsom and Jan Gadow join Weisbrod Matteis’ new Jackson, Mississippi office. American Lawyer

Jamie Bryan and Elizabeth Tiblets join K&L Gates’ Fort Worth office. Texas Lawyer

Dawn Collins and Tae Kim join Barnes & Thornburg’s Los Angeles office. Law.com

Cindi Giglio and Theresa Foudy move to Katten Muchin. American Lawyer

Camilla Sanger and Holly Ware promoted to partner in London office of Slaughter and May. LegalWeek

In Los Angeles, Tamany Bentz moves to DLA Piper and Jennifer Nassiri heads to Quinn Emanuel. Law.com
Recently made a power move? We want to know. 

Not currently receiving Power Players? Subscribe.