Best Best & Krieger Promotes Six Attorneys to Partner
Additional 2022 Leadership Updates Involving Managing Partner and Executive Committee
For Immediate Release: Jan. 6, 2022
Media Contact: Bethany Chieffallo • (202) 370-5302 • bethany.chieffallo@bbklaw.com
LOS ANGELES – Best Best & Krieger LLP is pleased to announce that the following firm attorneys have been elevated to partner: Alison S. Bassett, Whitney Blackhurst, Rebecca Chaparro, Todd R. Leishman, Nicholaus W. Norvell and Christine N. Wood. Additionally, BBK Managing Partner Eric L. Garner has been reelected to the role and Partner Scott Ditfurth has been elected to the firm’s Executive Committee.
“Congratulations to each new firm partner. Making partner is no small feat and we are pleased to recognize their accomplishments, leadership and loyalty to BBK,” Garner said. “BBK’s culture of inclusion provides every team member the opportunity to grow throughout their career. It is rewarding to witness the ongoing development of our people and a pleasure to continue leading our firm as we broaden our services and national presence.”
New Partner Alison S. Bassett, a member of BBK’s Business practice group, represents health care districts, nonprofit health care systems, hospitals, medical groups and community clinics in a variety of matters ranging from health care acquisitions and affiliations, real estate leasing arrangements, and regulatory and compliance issues. Over the past recent years, she has been dedicated to analyzing fast-moving legal and regulatory issues arising from the COVID-19 pandemic.
New Partner Whitney Blackhurst is a member of the firm’s Special Districts practice group. She focuses on civil litigation, including public works disputes; eminent domain and inverse condemnation actions; fee, tax, assessment and rate challenges; tort claims; real property disputes; land use and entitlement actions; mobile home rent control challenges and title insurance disputes. Blackhurst has extensive state and federal experience litigating on behalf of special district, city, county and private clients.
New Partner Rebecca Chaparro focuses her practice on public infrastructure, with specific experience in public works construction law and public contracting. Chaparro, a member of the firm’s Special Districts practice group, advises and assists clients in all aspects of public works construction, including public contract procurement, prevailing wage law compliance and construction claims resolution. She works with public agencies and private owners through every phase of the construction process.
New Partner Todd R. Leishman helps public agencies and private developers create successful projects by applying his experience in environmental law and real estate, as well as creative approaches to negotiation. Leishman, a member of the firm’s Municipal practice group, has a background in public policy and local government law, and is widely sought for guidance on issues surrounding short-term rentals, sober-living facilities and other housing matters.
New Partner Nicholaus W. Norvell is a member of BBK’s Special Districts practice group and provides general counsel and special counsel services to clients on issues involving the Brown Act, Public Records Act, Political Reform Act, public contracting, governance policies, real estate and other matters. Norvell regularly works with agency directors, executives and staff members to achieve their agency’s unique objectives while maintaining compliance with California’s complex and ever-evolving legislative and regulatory requirements.
New Partner Christine N. Wood launched and leads BBK’s ARC: Advanced Records Center, which provides comprehensive and cost-effective support for public records matters. Wood, also a Certified E-Discovery Specialist, advises, educates and assists public agencies in developing procedures and best practices to support the preservation, collection and production of electronically stored information. In addition to her practice in public records matters, Wood is at the forefront of understanding evolving laws regarding officers’ use-of-force and privacy concerns related to technology deployment.
Newly elected Executive Committee Member and Partner Scott Ditfurth succeeds Partner and General Counsel Richard Egger, who served for three terms. BBK’s five-member Executive Committee oversees core business decisions for the firm. Ditfurth is a civil litigator who handles public entity defense litigation and real property-related disputes for private and public clients. His practice encompasses public entity defense, real property disputes, land use claims and writs, inverse condemnation, easement disputes, eminent domain, contract claims and construction claims.
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About Best Best & Krieger LLP
Best Best & Krieger is a national law firm with nearly 250 attorneys who focus on municipal, environmental, employment, business, education, public finance and telecommunications law, government relations and more for public agency and private clients of every size. BBK was established in Riverside, California more than 130 years ago and continues to grow nationally, with offices across the West Coast, Pacific Northwest and in Washington, D.C. For more information, visit www.bbklaw.com or follow us @BBKlaw on Twitter, @bestbestkrieger on LinkedIn and @bbklawfirm on Instagram.
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