10 Latham Lawyers Named 2021 Rising Stars by Law360

Ten highly skilled Latham lawyers with diverse practices in transactional, litigation, and regulatory areas have been named 2021 Rising Stars by Law360 — the most honorees among law firms this year. The annual feature recognizes "attorneys under 40 whose legal accomplishments transcend their age," according to Law360, which reviewed more than 1,400 nominations across multiple areas of practice.

The 2021 Latham rising stars honorees are:

Nicola Higgs, a partner in the Financial Regulatory Practice, named in Law360’s Banking category. Based in London, she advises financial institutions and market infrastructure providers on a range of complex domestic and cross-border financial regulatory issues. She was also recently recognized among Law.com’s Best Up and Coming Female Lawyers in the UK for taking on notable mandates for large investment banks.

Ted A. Dillman, a finance partner in the Restructuring & Special Situations Practice, named in the Bankruptcy category. Based in Los Angeles, he represents debtors, creditors, private equity sponsors, investment funds, and buyers in corporate restructuring, distressed M&A, and out-of-court workouts, as well as special situations finance and corporate matters. He also represents hedge funds, private equity funds, direct lenders, and strategic buyers in a range of challenged M&A and finance matters.

Kegan A. Brown, a litigator partner in the firm’s Environmental Litigation Practice, named in the Environment category. Based in New York, he represents clients in complex environmental, products liability, and toxic tort litigations; environmental regulatory matters, including remediations and natural resource damage claims; and transactional matters. He advises clients across a variety of industry sectors, including manufacturing, retail and consumer products, chemicals, pulp and paper, and oil and gas.

Eric C. Greig, a corporate partner in the Healthcare & Life Sciences Practice, named in Law360’s Healthcare category. Based in Washington, D.C., his practice focuses on healthcare regulatory, transactional, and litigation matters involving the medical device, pharmaceutical, digital health, and healthcare provider industries. He counsels clients on a variety of healthcare regulatory and reimbursement matters, focusing primarily on issues involving the US Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, other federal and state regulatory agencies, and commercial healthcare insurers.

Marissa R. Boynton, a litigation and trial counsel in the Connectivity, Privacy & Information Practice, named in the Privacy category. Based in Washington, D.C., she advises clients across market sectors on data privacy, cybersecurity, and consumer protection – providing comprehensive advice on regulatory compliance, investigations, and litigation matters. She was recently named to Global Data Review’s triennial 40 Under 40 list, which celebrates “the best of the upcoming generation of data lawyers.”

David J. Ziyambi, a finance partner in the Project Development & Finance Practice, named in the Project Finance category. Based in London, his practice focuses on project, structured, and leveraged financing in the energy and infrastructure sectors within both mature and developing markets, particularly throughout Africa. Ziyambi was recently named among Powerful Media’s Power in the City 2021 list, honoring the 30 most Influential black senior executives in London’s finance, law and technology sectors, and EMpower’s 100 Ethnic Minority Executives 2020, which celebrates senior people of color across sectors who are leading by example and removing barriers to success.

Gavin M. Masuda, a litigation and trial partner in the Securities Litigation & Professional Liability Practice, named in Law360’s Securities category. Based in the Bay Area, he advises accounting firms, companies, and financial institutions on a range of securities litigation and complex commercial litigation matters. He draws on extensive experience representing Big Four accounting firms and their international affiliates in connection with some of the largest corporate failures, financial frauds, and restatements of the past decade.

Kendall K. Johnson, a corporate partner in the Entertainment, Sports & Media Practice, named in the Sports category. Based in Century City, she works at the intersection of sports and entertainment, drawing on her unique level of crossover experience to handle transactions spanning the industry. She delivers creative and commercially focused advice in connection with the licensing, acquisition, production, financing, and exploitation of broadcast and sponsorship rights, film and television content, and other media-related assets.

Mark M. Bekheit, a corporate partner in the Mergers & Acquisitions Practice, named in the Technology category. Based in the Bay Area, he provides practical strategic advice to technology and life science companies at all stages in M&A, minority investments, and other strategic corporate transactions. He previously received The M&A Advisor’s Emerging Leaders Award and is recognized by Chambers USA as an Up and Coming corporate/M&A lawyer in Northern California.

Kuan Huang, a litigation and trial partner in the Complex Commercial Litigation Practice, named in the Trials category. Based in New York, he has tried numerous cases to verdict — winning US$1.8 billion in combined damages for his clients in plaintiff-side verdicts, and achieving complete dismissal either at or before trial of virtually all claims asserted against his clients in defense-side cases. Recently, he was a key member of the case team that secured a US$1 billion judgment for UBS Securities against two affiliates of Highland Capital Management in a decade-long contract dispute.