O'Melveny loses global PE head to Cooley

• Steven Tonsfeldt, former chair of the global M&A and private equity practice at O’Melveny & Myers, has defected to Cooley, where he will serve as a partner. Tonsfeldt, who has more than 25 years of experience, will be based in the firm’s Palo Alto office advising clients on domestic and cross-border M&A transactions, contested transactions, hostile takeovers and defense planning.

• In response, O’Melveny & Myers promoted partner Paul Scrivano to Tonsfeldt’s role as the global M&A and private equity practice group leader. Scrivano, who divides his time between O’Melveny’s New York, San Francisco, and Silicon Valley offices, was formerly the US M&A and private equity head, and has been with the firm since 2005.

• Former head of Morrison & Foerster’s Los Angeles corporate practice Michael Cohen joined Blank Rome as a partner in its Los Angeles corporate, M&A and securities group. After 16 years at MoFo, Cohen will continue his practice focusing on M&A, venture capital, private equity, and general outside counsel representation.

• Veteran Schulte Roth & Zabel partner Michael Littenberg joined Ropes & Gray as a partner in the securities & public companies practice in the firm’s New York office. He has 25 years’ experience advising US and foreign public and private companies, investment banks, private equity funds, and other private investment funds.

• Tax and private equity lawyer Olga Loy has rejoined Jenner & Block as a partner in the Chicago office. Loy started her law career as an associate at Jenner & Block and has since worked at Mayer Brown and Kirkland & Ellis, most recently serving as an M&A partner at Jones Day. She also serves as an adjunct professor at the University of Illinois College of Law.

• McDermott Will & Emery appointed Chinese regulatory compliance attorney Michelle Gon as a capital partner in its White-Collar & Securities Defense practice. Gon will work on the premises of McDermott’s strategic ally, MWE China Law Offices, in Shanghai. Formerly a principal at Baker & McKenzie, Gon focuses on anti-corruption, anti-competition, anti-monopoly and anti-fraud areas.

• Vinson & Elkins promoted 10 lawyers to its partnership, including private equity M&A lawyer Dan Komarek, corporate finance and securities law specialist Julian Seiguer and private real estate lawyer Shaun Rogers.