Jakob Villum

Linnea C. Porter focuses her practice on business immigration matters, including representing domestic and multinational employers before the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, the U.S. Department of Labor and the U.S. Department of State. Linnea represents and advises employers in virtually all areas of business immigration, including nonimmigrant visa categories (B, E, F, H, J, L, O, TN), permanent residence (PERM, Extraordinary Ability/Outstanding Researchers, Multinational Manager...

Beth is a partner in the Environmental and Healthcare practices and a member of the Life Sciences industry team. Focusing her practice on regulatory law, she leverages her experience and relationships as a former attorney with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to counsel businesses regulated by governmental agencies. Beth serves clients across a broad spectrum of industries, including chemical companies, real estate developers, retailers, lenders, drug and medical device manufacturers,...

Mr. Rhodes has an extensive background in legal ethics. He regularly advises attorneys and law firms in matters relating to State Bar complaints, fee disputes, disciplinary matters, bar admission, and other licensing, ethics, and professional responsibility issues. In addition, Mr. Rhodes previously served as the Firm’s General Counsel from May 2015 to January 2021 and held the position of Managing Attorney from December 2009 to May 2015. The Best Lawyers in America© named Mr. Rhod...

Charles S. Modell has represented franchisors throughout the country in most every imaginable scenario over the course of his 40-year legal career. He counsels franchisors in every stage of their development, including the decision to franchise, preparation and registration of franchise documents, management of franchise relationships, franchise growth strategies, negotiation of supplier and joint venture agreements, and termination of franchise relationships. He also represents private equit...

Jason Froggatt practices employee benefits law, advising clients on employee retirement plans, plan qualification and plan fiduciary duties. He works extensively on equity-based compensation, including establishing stock option and employee stock ownership plans. Jason regularly counsels group health plans and their plan sponsors with respect to ERISA, COBRA and HIPAA compliance, and represents employee plans and plan sponsors with the Department of Labor and the Internal Revenue Service.

James (“Jim”) J. Chalfie specializes in the areas of estate and tax planning for individual clients, succession planning for small businesses, estate and trust administration, and litigation involving trusts, estates, fiduciaries, and guardianships. Mr. Chalfie is admitted to practice in Ohio, in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Ohio, U.S. Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals, and U.S. Supreme Court. He graduated with an undergraduate degree in Economics from Brandei...

Bryan S. Dumesnil is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Litigation - Regulatory Enforcement (SEC, Telecom, Energy). Bryan S., who practices law in Houston, Texas, has been recognized since 2021. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Bryan S. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Chuck Staples grew up in Auburn, Alabama, where he was educated in the local public schools. He received his Bachelor of Science from Washington and Lee University in 1967 and his Juris Doctor, magna cum laude , in 1971 from the University of Georgia, where he was on the Georgia Law Review and was admitted as a member of Phi Beta Kappa. Chuck has been with the firm since 1971. His areas of practice include corporate and business organizations and related areas, entity selection/formation, est...

Matthew Z. Zimmerman is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Commercial Litigation and Trade Secrets Law. Matthew Z., who practices law in West Palm Beach, Florida, has been recognized since 2021. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Matthew Z. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Kevin McCarthy is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law. Kevin, who practices law in Scottsdale, Arizona, has been recognized since 2025. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Kevin is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.