The Top 25 Attorneys of Utah for 2022

Attorney Intel is pleased to announce The Top 25 Attorneys of Utah for 2022. Over the last few years, Utah has become a big draw for law firms. In 2021, two top firms — Kirkland & Ellis and Foley & Lardner — announced they'd be launching offices in Salt Lake City. A big part of this boom is due to an influx of people, tech dollars, and exciting innovations to regulations. Many of this year’s awardees working in private practice have a front-row seat to these changes, while others serve in a range of industries, from food, medical equipment, and software to fitness, healthcare, and transportation.

Among this year’s awardees is Jody Williams, Partner at Holland & Hart, who in the past was commissioned by President Obama and President Bush for federal water projects. Awardee Lauren Shurman, Partner at Mayer Brown, has previously been recognized for her acumen as a leading commercial lawyer by Chambers USA and Utah Business Magazine. Also awarded is Mark Gaylord, Partner at Ballard Spahr, who, throughout his 24-year career, represented clients before the US Courts of Appeals for the Ninth and Tenth Circuits.

Please join us in celebrating the accomplishments of The Top 25 Attorneys of Utah for 2022.

 

Debbie Robb
Attorney, Thermo Fisher Scientific

Debbie Robb is the Attorney at Thermo Fisher Scientific. Robb has extensive legal experience in reviewing, drafting, and negotiating contracts of all types. This includes master services agreements, statements of work, IT licensing, NDAs, partnerships, and global distributorship agreements. She’s negotiated agreements with global companies such as Microsoft, Intel, Oracle, Nike, Adidas, Maersk, Wells Fargo, and many others. Her knowledge and expertise is broad, spanning IP issues like brand strategies, brand protection, infringement monitoring and HR issues. Prior to Thermo Fisher Scientific, she was an Attorney at VitalSmarts. Before this, she was a Partner at Robb and Associates. Robb graduated from the University of Utah with a JD and a Bachelor of Science.

 

Jennifer Lange
General Counsel, Image Guided Therapies & GE Healthcare, GE

Jennifer Lange is the General Counsel, Image Guided Therapies & GE Healthcare, GE. She joined GE in 2008. Lange advises global surgery and intervention businesses on all legal matters in her role. She supports GE Healthcare's $1.3 billion Image Guided Therapies business unit. As a result, she’s responsible for the negotiation of contracts with customers and suppliers while providing legal advice. This covers a broad range of legal topics, including privacy, anti-kickback, employment, compliance, M&A, litigation, and regulatory issues. Before joining GE, she was an Attorney at Holland & Hart and Parry Anderson & Gardiner.

Lange is admitted to practice in the US Supreme Court, Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals, US District Court for the District of Utah, and Utah Supreme Court. She graduated from Brigham Young University with a JD and a BA in international relations and business.

 

Alex Pearson
General Counsel, Filevine

Alex Pearson serves as General Counsel at Filevine, Inc. He is responsible for Filevine’s legal affairs, supports all aspects of the business and reports to the CEO and co-founder. Prior to joining Filevine, he was a partner at Kirton McConkie, Utah’s largest law firm. Here, his law practice focused on corporate and securities law. There was an emphasis on securities regulation, private and public securities offerings, mergers, acquisitions, corporate governance, and contract negotiation. Pearson is a member of the Utah State Bar and the State Bar of Texas. He graduated from the University of Utah with a JD and Brigham Young University with a BA in economics.

 

David Angerbauer
Partner, Dentons Durham Jones Pinegar

David Angerbauer is a Partner at Dentons Durham Jones Pinegar. He specializes in private funds, mergers and acquisitions, opportunity zones, corporate law, securities offerings, commercial contracts, and complex business transactions. He has extensive experience representing highly-visible and highly-regulated clients, including Porsche, Medtronic, EnergySolutions, Tesla, and First Interstate BancSystem. Previously, Angerbauer served as General Counsel and Managing Director at Sunrise Growth Partners. Before this, he was General Counsel and Chief Administrative Officer at EnergySolutions. Prior to this, he was a Partner at Holland & Hart and a Partner and Associate at Parr Brown Gee & Loveless. Angerbauer graduated from the University of Utah with a JD, MBA, and BA in finance.

 

Mica McKinney
General Counsel, Utah State University

Mica McKinney is the General Counsel at Utah State University. In this role, McKinney spearheads the school’s legal activities. She also advises and supports the President, the university’s Board of Trustees, the officers, and the faculty on business, legal, and public policy issues. She started her career as a clerk to Judge Dee V. Benson at the US District Court for the District of Utah. McKinney then clerked for Chief Justice Christine M. Durham at the Utah Supreme Court. After working in the judicial and private sectors, she decided to join Utah State University. McKinney received her JD from the University of Utah S.J. Quinney College of Law. She earned her undergraduate degree in political science and journalism from Utah State University.

 

Emily Tabak
Partner, Kirkland & Ellis LLP

Emily Tabak is a Partner in the Salt Lake City office of Kirkland & Ellis LLP. She identifies strategic solutions in environmental regulatory compliance, specializing in waste and chemical management, contamination issues, emerging contaminants, multi-facility audit management and disclosures, and enforcement response. Tabak regularly advises clients involved in multiple industry sectors, including energy and resources, mining, oil and gas, aggregates, and electric power. Prior to joining Kirkland, Tabak practiced at Holland & Hart, K&L Gates, and Kramer Levin Naftalis & Frankel. Before this, she served as a judicial clerk to the Honorable Robert Kirsch on The Superior Court of New Jersey. Tabak graduated from the New York University School of Law with a JD and received a BA from The Ohio State University.

 

Lucy Andre
General Counsel, Stadler US

Lucy Andre is the Chief of Staff and General Counsel at Stadler US. Stadler builds trains that are tailored to meet the needs of customers. She’s an experienced General Counsel with a broad legal knowledge base. She is skilled in negotiation, legal compliance, employment law, government relations, and regulatory compliance. Andre graduated from the University of Utah S.J. Quinney College of Law with a JD and from Webster Vienna Private University with an undergraduate degree.

 

Lauren Shurman
Partner, Mayer Brown

Lauren Shurman is a Partner in Mayer Brown’s Salt Lake City office. She’s also a member of the Litigation & Dispute Resolution practice. Shurman focuses her practice on general commercial and employment litigation. The clients she represents span a variety of industries, including technology, consumer products, and energy. She also regularly advises educational institutions on education law matters. Her pro bono work includes partnering with the Rocky Mountain Innocence Center to litigate wrongful conviction cases. Shurman has been recognized as one of “America’s Leading Lawyers for Business” (Utah) by Chambers USA (Litigation: General Commercial). She has also been selected by her peers for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America (Commercial Litigation) and Utah Business Magazine’s Utah Legal Elite (Civil Litigation) directories.

Previously, Shurman was the president of the Salt Lake County Bar Association. She’s currently the President of Women Lawyers of Utah. Before joining Mayer Brown, she was a Partner at Stoel Rives. Shurman graduated from Duke University School of Law with a JD and received an MS from the University of Utah.

 

Bryan Banks
Attorney, Perkins Coie LLP

Bryan Banks is the Attorney of Perkins Coie LLP. In this role, he focuses on litigating commercial disputes involving complex technology. This includes patents, electrical, computer science, and trade secret matters. Banks has been with Perkins Coie since 2004. Previously, Banks was a Law Clerk at Burbidge and Mitchell and at J.R. Simplot Company, Office of General Counsel. Banks earned a JD from the University of Utah, S.J. Quinney College of Law, and he graduated from Utah State University with an undergraduate degree in crop science.

 

Douglas Smith
Partner, Lewis Brisbois Bisgaard & Smith LLP

Douglas Smith is a Partner of the Global Transactions Group in the Salt Lake City office of Lewis Brisbois. He’s also a member of the Tax and General Liability practices. He’s been with the firm for over 33 years. During this time, Smith represented clients in federal income, state, and local tax matters. He has represented clients before the Internal Revenue Service, the Office of Appeals, the Federal Court, and various administrative bodies and courts in multiple states. He has also represented clients in numerous transactional matters, including entity organizational issues, debt and equity financing, mergers and acquisitions, divestitures, private equity transactions, and corporate governance. Smith also has extensive experience in litigation matters, primarily focusing on defending insurers and their insureds. He graduated from the University of San Diego with a JD and the University of California with a bachelor's degree.

 

Jeff Steele
Partner, Foley & Lardner LLP

Jeff Steele is a Partner in the Business Law Department with Foley & Lardner LLP. Steele is a member of the firm’s Transaction Practice Group. His practice involves the representation of emerging growth technology companies. This includes mergers and acquisitions, venture capital and angel financings, commercial contracts, strategic partnerships, and other collaborative arrangements and licensing. Steele also regularly represents venture capital funds and angel groups in their portfolio investments. Steele was named to the Utah Legal Elite, Mergers, and Acquisitions by Utah Business Magazine in 2018 and 2020-2021.

Steele earned a JD from Cornell Law School, an AM from Brown University, and a BA, magna cum laude, from the University of Colorado at Boulder.

 

Nate Whitaker
General Counsel, Crumbl Cookies

Nate Whitaker serves as Chief Legal Officer and General Counsel at Crumbl Cookies. His primary goal is to help businesses maximize their potential by avoiding legal pitfalls and developing an overall risk-management strategy. He loves working with entrepreneurs that have fresh and innovative ideas. His practice spans many areas of law, including corporate, franchise, employment, trademark, firearms, and other related fields. Previously, he was at Franchise & Business Law Group, where he served as an Attorney. Before this, he was a Corporate Secretary at Evernym, General Counsel at Millcreek Engineering, and Corporate Counsel at CreditCircle. Whitaker is admitted to practice in Utah and in the US District Court for the District of Utah.

Whitaker received his JD with honors and his MBA from the University of Utah. He received his Bachelor of Arts from Utah State University.

 

Marc Porter
Partner, Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati

Marc Porter is a Partner in the Salt Lake City office of Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati. His practice focuses on the representation of emerging technology, consumer product, and life science companies and the venture capital firms that fund them. He executes a substantial volume of financings and liquidity events each year for early-to-late-stage private companies as well as venture capital firms. Prior to joining the firm, Porter was a Partner in the Salt Lake City office of Holland & Hart. Earlier in his career, he was an Associate at Snell & Wilmer and Perkins Coie. Following law school, he served as a Law Clerk for the US Court of Appeals for the 10th Circuit. He graduated from Brigham Young University with a JD and Bachelor of Arts.

 

Kimberley Henningsen-Honeysett
SVP, Chief Legal Officer, General Counsel, & Corporate Secretary, Varex Imaging Corporation

Kimberley Henningsen-Honeysett is the Senior Vice President, Chief Legal Officer, General Counsel, and Corporate Secretary of Varex Imaging Corporation. In this role, she oversees and advises on domestic and international acquisitions, strategic partnerships and initiatives, new business opportunities, and expansion into emerging markets. As a trusted advisor to the Board of Directors and Board committees, Henningsen-Honeysett also analyzes complex business issues for meetings. She’s a skilled counselor on a wide range of legal matters, including corporate governance, compliance, finance, and treasury. Prior to Varex Imaging Corporation, Henningsen-Honeysett was at Varian Medical Systems, where she was VP and Associate General Counsel. Before this, she was at Siebel Systems. She started her career as an Attorney at Brobeck, Phleger & Harrison.

Henningsen-Honeysett graduated from Cornell Law School with a JD and from the University of California with an undergraduate degree in communications.

 

Stephen Wood
Partner, Quinn Emanuel Urquhart Oliver & Hedges

Stephen Wood is the Partner of Quinn Emanuel Urquhart Oliver & Hedges. He first joined the company in 2005 as an Attorney. Wood’s practice focuses on complex business litigation representing plaintiffs and defendants in corporate governance, intellectual property, and commercial contract disputes. He has successfully represented clients in trial and appellate courts in cases involving shareholder derivative actions, renewable energy developments, lender liability, and high-technology patent infringement. Previously, he was a partner at Wood Balmforth LLC. Wood earned a JD and an undergraduate degree in political science from Brigham Young University.

 

Everett Smith
General Counsel, iFIT

Everett Smith is the General Counsel and Secretary at iFIT. In this role, he manages and oversees the company’s legal affairs as well as compliance. Previously, Everett served as the Director of Tax and SEC Reporting and the Corporate Controller. Before joining iFIT, Everett was an attorney with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) in Washington, D.C. Everett has a JD degree from the University of Idaho College of Law and an LLM from Georgetown University Law Center. He’s also a certified public accountant and holds a Master of Accountancy from Brigham Young University. He’s a member of the Utah and Idaho State Bar Associations.

 

Matthew Hemmert
General Counsel and Privacy Officer, NetDocuments Software, Inc.

Matthew Hemmert is the General Counsel and Privacy Officer for NetDocuments Software, Inc. After working as a litigator at a boutique firm for 18 months, he has spent over 15 years in the software industry. He’s provided legal advice and support to some of the most prominent technology companies in the world. Hemmert often speaks and writes on topics related to building and training legal teams, utilizing legal technology, and leveraging emotional intelligence as a tool in his profession. He’s also known for finding creative solutions to legal issues, building rapport with internal departments and customers, optimizing legal workflows, and providing exceptional legal direction for high-growth companies. In 2022, he was one of 20 Corporate Counsel honorees named by Utah Business Magazine.

Hemmert earned a JD from Willamette University College of Law and an undergraduate degree in English from Brigham Young University.

 

Melanie Vartabedian
Partner, Ballard Spahr LLP

Melanie Vartabedian is a Partner at Ballard Spahr. She handles complex commercial litigation matters, focusing on consumer financial services litigation, receivership matters and securities litigation, real estate disputes, and diversity and inclusion counseling. Vartabedian has litigated cases in state and federal courts across the country. She also has experience representing clients in arbitrations and government investigations. As an experienced consumer finance litigator, Vartabedian defends consumer and class action lawsuits in the areas of federal and state consumer protection laws and mortgage banking. Her practice includes defending financial institutions against civil claims alleging failure to adhere to AML and BSA regulations, policies, and procedures. Vartabedian has extensive experience with Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) receiverships, having prosecuted fraudulent transfer actions. She graduated from the University of Utah with a JD and received a BM from the University of the Pacific.

 

Ben Machlis
Partner, Dorsey & Whitney

Ben Machlis is a Partner at Dorsey & Whitney. He provides practical, timely, and strategic solutions for the company's environmental issues. He has advised clients ranging from multinational oil, gas, and mining companies to innovative alternative energy companies and mom-and-pop gas stations. Machlis has extensive experience in matters involving state and federal regulations regarding solid and hazardous waste (RCRA), hazardous materials transportation (HMR), toxic chemicals (TSCA), water quality (CWA), community right-to-know laws (EPCRA), and remediation of contaminated property (CERCLA). Machlis previously served as Young Professionals Committee Chairman of the Rocky Mountain Mineral Law Foundation, as a member of the Board of Directors of Utah Open Lands, and as an adjunct faculty member at the S.J. Quinney College of Law.

Before this, he was an Attorney at Holland & Hart, Associate Attorney at Holme Roberts & Owen, and the Public Lands Policy Advisor for the State of Utah. Machlis graduated from the University of Utah with a JD and BA in political science and English literature.

 

Jody Williams
Partner, Holland & Hart LLP

Jody Williams is a Partner at Holland & Hart. As a veteran lawyer, she’s worked to protect scarce water resources, helped clients acquire water, and put it to new uses. She has an active legal practice representing water districts, commercial real estate developers, energy development companies, water bottling companies, ranchers, and water companies in buying, selling, and developing water resources. President Obama appointed Williams as the Federal Commissioner and Chair of the Bear River Commission of a three-state compact commission. She was charged with apportioning the waters of the Bear River among Wyoming, Idaho, and Utah. Previously, she was appointed by President Bush to head a commission charged with providing environmental mitigation for large federal water projects.

Williams currently serves as the Federal Commissioner and Chair of the Bear River Commission by appointment of the President of the US and has specialized in water issues in the Bear River Basin her entire career. Williams graduated from the University of Utah with a JD and a Bachelor of Arts in English.

 

Paul Shakespear
Partner, Snell & Wilmer, LLP

Paul Shakespear is a Partner at Snell & Wilmer. He focuses his practice on commercial litigation and defending clients in product liability, medical malpractice, and personal injury cases. His commercial litigation experience includes real estate and title insurance disputes, business membership cases, and contract matters. Shakespear’s product liability defense focuses on defending automotive and medical device manufacturers. He’s a member of the State Bars of Utah and Nevada. As one of a small number of attorneys selected as a Rising Star, Shakespear gained this recognition through professional achievement, peer recognition, and other distinguishing criteria. He graduated from Brigham Young University J. Reuben Clark Law School.

 

Alan Hurst
Partner, Akerman LLP

Alan Hurst is a Partner in Akerman’s Consumer Financial Services, Data, and Technology Practice Group. He represents a wide array of financial services companies in state and federal litigation. This includes class actions and litigation involving homeowners’ association lien priority. He regularly defends financial services providers against individual and class claims brought pursuant to RESPA, TILA, FCRA, FDCPA, and TCPA. Additionally, Hurst defends mortgage lenders, servicers, and other financial services providers against borrower complaints alleging violations of state statutes, wrongful foreclosures, and debt collection statutes.

Before joining Akerman, he was a Law Clerk at the US Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit and at the Utah Supreme Court. Hurst graduated from Yale Law School with a JD and from Brigham Young University with a Bachelor of Arts in political science and government.

 

Mary Squire
General Counsel, Revere Health

Mary Squire serves as Revere Health’s General Counsel. Squire’s expertise spans a variety of legal issues in healthcare. In addition to advising Revere Health’s leadership in all avenues of legal and regulatory compliance, she appreciates working for a company whose mission is to improve the health and happiness of patients. Prior to Revere Health, she was an Attorney at Stilling & Harrison Health Care Law, where she catered to healthcare professionals throughout Utah and the Intermountain West. Before this, she was a Prosecutor at Cowdell & Woolley PC. She obtained her BS at Brigham Young University and graduated cum laude from the Brigham Young University J. Reuben Clark Law School with her JD.

 

Ron Moffitt
Partner, Stoel Rives LLP

Ron Moffitt is a Partner at Stoel Rives. He has a broad corporate practice, with an emphasis on mergers, acquisitions, divestitures, corporate finance, and commercial transactions. He has more than 20 years of experience in mergers, acquisitions, finance, and commercial transactions. Moffitt also represents individuals and family offices in private transactions, investments, and charitable giving. He serves as a director or advisor to several private foundations and charitable organizations. During his career, Moffitt has coordinated legal work for several clients, including American Pacific Corporation, Coveris Flexibles/Exopack, AlphaGraphics, Raser Technologies, and ePac. Prior to joining Stoel Rives, he was General Counsel of Huntsman Chemical Corporation and Huntsman Packaging Corporation. Moffitt graduated from the University of Utah with a JD, Master of Accounting, and Bachelor of Arts.

 

Evan Strassberg
Partner, Michael Best & Friedrich LLP

Evan Strassberg is a Partner at Michael Best & Friedrich. He has extensive experience in a wide variety of litigation matters. This includes the defense of consumer class actions and disputes regarding trademarks, breach of contract, fraud, securities, employment discrimination, eminent domain, and personal injury. Strassberg has argued cases in the Utah Court of Appeals and the Utah Supreme Court. He regularly appears in Utah’s state and federal courts, and frequently published and regularly speaks on cutting-edge legal issues. Today, he serves the Utah legal community as a Co-Chair of the Character and Fitness Committee of the Utah State Bar and as a member of the Utah State Bar Admissions Committee. He also sits on the Utah Supreme Court’s Working Group on Bar Admissions.

Prior to joining Michael Best & Friedrich, he was a Partner at Vantus Law Group and Associate General Counsel at Basic Research. Before this, he was a Partner at Young Hoffman Strassberg & Ensor, Associate Attorney at Jones Day, and Associate Attorney at VanCott. Strassberg received his JD and bachelor’s degree from the University of Utah.