Contact Information: CONTACT: JONATHAN ROSE (202) 772-5390 SHELDON KLINE (202) 772-5378 RALPH RICHARDSON (213) 617-5542
Three Attorney Labor and Employment Team Joins Sheppard Mullin's Expanding D.C. Office
| Source: Sheppard Mullin Richter & Hampton LLP
WASHINGTON, DC--(Marketwire - September 5, 2007) - Jonathan G. Rose and Sheldon M. Kline have
joined the Washington, D.C. office of Sheppard Mullin Richter & Hampton LLP
as partners in the firm's Labor and Employment practice group. Rose most
recently practiced with Katten Muchin Rosenman in Washington, D.C. and
Kline joins the firm from Thelen Reid Brown Raysman & Steiner in
Washington, D.C.
Also joining the firm's Labor and Employment practice group in the D.C.
office is Thomas K. Wotring, previously with Thelen Reid. Rose, Kline and
Wotring previously practiced together at Morgan, Lewis & Bockius, where
Wotring formerly chaired the Employee Benefits and Executive Compensation
practice.
Rose's practice is focused on the representation of plan sponsors and
fiduciaries involved in ERISA and related litigation. He has extensive
first-chair trial experience, including a successful jury trial involving
claims under Section 510 of ERISA, as well as successful bench trials
involving complex ERISA claims representing plan fiduciaries. Rose also
has significant first-chair litigation experience handling ERISA class
actions, including stock drop cases and formal disputes before arbitration
panels established to resolve disputes arising under complex ERISA class
action settlement agreements. He advises plan sponsors and fiduciaries of
pension and welfare benefit plans on compliance of fiduciary duties
required in the administration and investment of plan assets, including the
prudent selection and oversight of investment providers, disclosure
obligations, and prohibited transaction issues.
Kline represents clients in labor negotiations, in bankruptcy, federal and
state court litigation, and before administrative agencies, particularly
the National Labor Relations Board and the National Mediation Board. He is
experienced in all facets of transportation, including the representation
of international and domestic airlines, trucking companies, maritime, and
ports. Kline was Special Labor Counsel for Aloha Airlines, Inc. in its
recent bankruptcy. In that role, he was responsible for achieving the
termination of the carrier's defined benefit pension plans, negotiating a
final settlement of all claims with the Pension Benefit Guaranty
Corporation, resolving with the PBGC controlled group liability claims, and
addressing claims made by the PBGC regarding financial transactions
involving the carrier's pension plans.
"The arrival of this team marks another significant step in deepening the
firm's regulatory and labor expertise on the East Coast," said Guy Halgren,
chairman of the firm. "Our clients will benefit from their experience and
backgrounds in private practice, in-house and government work. The group's
formidable ERISA and employment knowledge complement our employee benefit
and labor practices."
Commented Rose, "I am enthusiastic about joining the firm with Sheldon and
Tom, as well as to be working with the great lawyers here. The three of us
previously practiced together and we are thrilled to regroup at Sheppard
Mullin, in the firm's growing D.C. office."
"I look forward to expanding the firm's East Coast employment practice,"
Kline said. "Sheppard Mullin is a top-notch firm with an excellent platform
for labor law. I am delighted to be joining with my former colleagues."
"We are excited to have Jonathan, Sheldon and Tom onboard," said Ed Schiff,
managing partner of the firm's Washington, D.C. office. "Their respective
practices are an excellent fit for the D.C. office, which has a strong
regulatory and transactional focus. Jonathan's investment fund clients and
Sheldon's airline industry work dovetail well with the firm's existing
matters and representations."
In June, telecommunication litigation partners Chris Huther and Megan Troy
joined Sheppard Mullin's Washington, D.C. office from Kirkpatrick &
Lockhart Preston Gates Ellis in Washington, D.C. Sheppard Mullin's
Washington, D.C. office has 35 attorneys, more than half of whom are
litigators. In total, the firm has approximately 250 litigation attorneys
in ten offices.
Prior to private practice, Rose served as an attorney in the Pension
Benefit Guaranty Corporation's ("PBGC") Office of General Counsel where he
handled the PBGC's special litigation projects involving unique legal
issues and difficult law enforcement cases. He gained extensive experience
at the PBGC handling ERISA issues relating to bankruptcy liquidations and
reorganizations, and significant experience dealing with the Department of
Labor and Internal Revenue Service on policy and enforcement matters.
Kline has extensive experience in the federal government, having served for
eight years at the U.S. Department of Labor and nine years at the National
Mediation Board. While at the Mediation Board, Kline was involved in the
mediation of a number of major collective bargaining disputes, including
pilots, flight attendants and mechanics at major domestic airlines. He was
directly involved in the government's legislative efforts to deregulate the
railroad and airline industries.
Wotring's practice involves advising employers in labor negotiations,
federal litigation and before state and federal agencies, particularly the
National Labor Relations Board and the Equal Employment Opportunity
Commission. He has extensive experience in the negotiation and
administration of single and multi-employer collective bargaining
agreements, most notably in the trucking, automobile transport, maritime
and air freight industries. Wotring also represents employee benefit plans
regarding all areas of benefit collective bargaining and benefit plan
operations. In addition to bargaining with union representatives, his
practice on behalf of employers includes ERISA compliance, litigation of
federal claims, and representation before the Department of Labor and
Department of Justice.
Rose earned a J.D. from Catholic University of America, School of Law in
1992 and a B.A. from Western Maryland College in 1986. Kline earned a J.D.
from George Mason University School of Law in 1987, a M.A. from Virginia
Tech in 1981 and a B.A. from University of Massachusetts in 1970. Wotring
earned a J.D., with honors, from Washington and Lee University School of
Law in 1975 and a B.A. from American University in 1972.
About Sheppard Mullin Richter & Hampton LLP
Sheppard Mullin is a full service AmLaw 100 firm with 490 attorneys in 10
offices located throughout California and in New York, Washington, D.C. and
Shanghai. The firm's California offices are located in Los Angeles, San
Francisco, Santa Barbara, Century City, Orange County, Del Mar Heights and
San Diego. Founded in 1927 on the principle that the firm would succeed
only if its attorneys delivered prompt, high quality and cost-effective
legal services, Sheppard Mullin provides legal counsel to U.S. and
international clients. Companies turn to Sheppard Mullin to handle a full
range of corporate and technology matters, high stakes litigation and
complex financial transactions. In the U.S., the firm's clients include
more than half of the Fortune 100 companies. For more information, please
visit www.sheppardmullin.com.