Wake Up Call: FAA Shells Out $2 Million to Spiro for DEI Probe

Welcome to Bloomberg Law’s Wake Up Call, a daily rundown of the top news for lawyers, law firms, and in-house counsel.

• The Transportation Department agreed to pay Quinn Emanuel’s Alex Spiro $2.1 million to investigation any connection between the Federal Aviation Administration’s DEI policies and recent safety incidents. Spiro’s scope of work for the investigation included $150,000 for interviews with 10 to 15 “key stakeholders,” $100,000 for statistical analysis, and $1.8 million for the cost of legal analysis. (The Atlantic)
  
• Seyfarth Shaw will close its Shanghai office, redirecting its Mainland China clients to its Hong Kong location. The firm employed three partners at the office, who also split their time between Hong Kong and the US, and three associates who worked in Shanghai full-time. (Law.com)
  
• Carlyle’s general counsel for Europe investment moved to a new role as a managing director for the firm’s energy investment team. Anna-Louise Oliver’s move is relatively rare, with senior lawyers typically making the move to investment banking over private equity. (Private Equity News)

Laterals, Moves, In-House

• J. Rick Taché joined Pillsbury as a partner in its intellectual property practice in San Diego. He joins from Buchalter.
• Kyle Gann joined Norton Rose Fulbright as a partner in its business practice group and transactional and regulatory insurance team in Chicago. He joins from Winston & Strawn.
• Sara Werner joined Lowenstein Sandler as a partner in its investment management and emerging companies and venture capital groups in New York. She joins from Goodwin Procter.
• Samuel Jo joined Greenberg Traurig as a partner in its technology transactions group in San Diego. He joins from Perkins Coie.
• Kelly Robreno Koster joined Greenberg Traurig as a shareholder in its labor and employment practice in Houston. She joins from Bracewell.
• Jacque Kruppa joined Bradley Arant Boult Cummings as a partner in its banking and financial services practice group in Dallas. She joins from Texas Regional Bank.
• Steven Katkov joined Husch Blackwell as a partner in its real estate, development, and construction industry team in Dallas and Minneapolis. He joins from Cozen O’Connor.