Administrative Project Coordinator

Skadden welcomes partners Archis Parasharami, Daniel Jones and Kevin Ranlett, expanding capabilities in consumer class actions, multidistrict litigation and mass arbitration. Tuesday, March 24, 2026 Skadden is pleased to welcome Archis Parasharami as a partner in the firm's Washington, D.C. and Palo Alto offices. Mr. Parasharami joins Skadden from Mayer Brown LLP, where he served as co-head of its Washington, D.C. litigation and dispute resolution practice and co-leader of its class action practice. With two decades of experience managing complex litigation, he will play a pivotal role in expanding Skadden's leading class action defense, multidistrict litigation and mass arbitration capabilities. He will be joined in Washington, D.C. by Daniel Jones and Kevin Ranlett, who are also joining the firm as partners and previously worked with Mr. Parasharami at Mayer Brown LLP. Together, Mr. Parasharami, Mr. Jones and Mr. Ranlett bring a distinguished record of defending businesses in high-stakes class action litigation in federal and state courts nationwide. Their combined practice spans all aspects of consumer class actions and complex litigation, with a particular focus on developing strategies to defeat class actions, address sprawling multidistrict litigation and combat mass arbitrations. They regularly advise companies in the technology and consumer-facing sectors. "The arrival of Archis, along with Dan and Kevin, reinforces our commitment to providing our clients with unparalleled aptitude in class action defense, aggregate litigation and mass arbitration," said John Beisner, of counsel and leader of Skadden's Mass Torts, Insurance and Consumer Litigation Group. "Archis' comprehensive understanding of class action lawsuits, coupled with his success in high-stakes litigation - including his involvement in multiple victories before the U.S. Supreme Court - positions him as a true leader in the field. With a presence in both Washington, D.C. and Northern California and a national practice, he further strengthens our ability to serve clients wherever these matters arise." James Carroll, global head of Skadden's litigation/controversy practices, added, "Archis and his team's impressive track record in defending against class actions and mass arbitrations will further enhance our ability to deliver exceptional results for clients. Their background complements our existing strengths, and we look forward to leveraging their insights to tackle the most complex class action challenges." "We have worked closely alongside Archis for years, and we're delighted to welcome him, Dan and Kevin to Skadden," said class actions and mass arbitration partners Michael McTigue and Meredith Slawe. "Their depth of knowledge and experience at the intersection of consumer class actions, mass arbitration and multidistrict litigation will align well with Skadden's leading practice in this space." Mr. Parasharami has extensive experience drafting and defending the enforceability of arbitration agreements, particularly in the consumer and employment contexts, and addressing mass arbitrations. He has also played a pivotal role in landmark U.S. Supreme Court class action- and arbitration-related cases, including AT&T Mobility LLC v. Concepcion, Spokeo, Inc. v. Robins, Lamps Plus, Inc. v. Varela and Kindred Nursing Centers L.P. v. Clark. "Skadden's reputation for excellence in complex litigation, class actions and mass arbitration is unmatched," said Mr. Parasharami. "The firm's global platform and collaborative culture provide an ideal environment to help clients tackle their most challenging disputes." Mr. Parasharami received his J.D. from Harvard Law School (cum laude) and his A.B. from Princeton University (summa cum laude). Daniel Jones helps clients to prepare and present appeals, and has authored numerous briefs in the U.S. Supreme Court, federal and state appellate courts and trial courts around the country, with a focus on class action and arbitration issues. He has represented businesses in defeating class certification in multiple federal trial courts and routinely briefs cutting-edge class action defense issues at both the trial and appellate levels. Mr. Jones received his J.D. from the University of Chicago Law School and his B.A. from Amherst College. Kevin Ranlett defends businesses in complex class and representative actions in state and federal courts across the country, as well as in high-stakes mass arbitrations. He has successfully defended and resolved a wide variety of claims, including allegations of false or deceptive advertising, data breach and other privacy claims and alleged violations of the Telephone Consumer Protection Act, Fair Credit Reporting Act, Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, Alien Tort Claims Act and various other consumer protection statutes. Mr. Ranlett received his J.D. from the University of Chicago Law School and his B.A. from the University of Texas at Austin. Analysis | Jobs | News

US - Skadden expands private credit and restructuring capabilities with Scott Heard and the return of Matthew Murphy. Skadden is pleased to announce that Scott Heard and Matthew Murphy have joined its market-leading Finance and Corporate Restructuring Groups, respectively, further strengthening the firm's private credit and restructuring capabilities. Having worked together closely at another prominent global law firm, Mr. Heard and Mr. Murphy provide integrated service across complex debt financing transactions, including acquisition financings, recapitalizations, restructurings and liability management exercises. Based in New York, Mr. Heard will lead Skadden's private credit practice and has a wealth of private credit experience, advising private credit lenders and other financial institutions on a broad spectrum of sophisticated private credit transactions, including acquisition financings, asset-backed and cash flow loans and special situations financings. Mr. Murphy rejoins Skadden in Chicago, where he will advise distressed companies, creditors, lenders, hedge funds and asset managers on insolvency-related transactions and liability management exercises. He has extensive experience in all aspects of capital structure management, including out-of-court and Chapter 11 restructurings, distressed asset acquisitions and investments and post-petition financing. "Scott's proven track record of advising lenders and alternative capital sources combined with Matt's experience handling high-profile restructurings will further enhance our ability to deliver creative, effective full-scale solutions to clients navigating complex financial challenges," said Jeremy London, Skadden executive partner. "They join us at an exciting time of strategic growth for the firm, and we are thrilled to welcome them." "Skadden's Finance Group is an industry leader in high-stakes deals and offers an outstanding platform to expand my work in private credit transactions," said Mr. Heard. "I am excited to join such a talented team and look forward to collaborating with Matt and my new colleagues to achieve exceptional results for our clients. Together, we will continue to support their needs through every stage of the financing process." "I am honored to rejoin Skadden's renowned restructuring group," said Mr. Murphy. "The firm's commitment to excellence and its collaborative culture are unmatched, and I am grateful for the opportunity to work alongside such esteemed colleagues as we help clients address their most difficult challenges." Mr. Heard received his J.D. from the State University of New York at Buffalo Law School and his B.S. from the State University of New York at Buffalo. Mr. Murphy has been recognized by Chambers USA, IFLR1000, Legal 500 and Best Lawyers as a leading restructuring lawyer. He earned his J.D. from the University of Michigan Law School and his B.A. from the University of Michigan. Read The American Lawyer's coverage of Skadden's announcement that Mr. Heard and Mr. Murphy have joined the firm: "Skadden Recruits Debt Financing Duo From Paul Hastings," March 12, 2026.

Orrick adds energy M&A partner in Houston. Orrick today announced that Nick Woodruff has joined the firm's Energy & Infrastructure team as a partner in the Houston office. Woodruff, who joins from Skadden, brings extensive experience in strategic and public M&A and private equity across the oil & gas, power, renewables, and infrastructure sectors. His arrival underscores the continued momentum of Orrick's global platform, which saw the addition of 18 partners across 12 markets last year. "We are excited to add a talent of Nick's caliber in Houston to help meet record client demand as we gear up for another busy year of investment in energy," said Dahl Thompson, co-leader of Orrick's global Energy & Infrastructure practice. "I'm thrilled to join one of the most innovative teams in the market at Orrick, with incredible momentum right now across all energy asset classes," Nick added. "I'm excited to collaborate with my new colleagues to further build out our Houston team in Texas." Orrick was named a 2025 Energy Practice Group of the Year by Law360. The firm acts for four of the top 10 oil & gas majors, 60 of the top 100 energy & infrastructure investors and half of the top 50 renewables sponsors worldwide.