Costa Mesa, CA (January 2, 2020) – Rutan & Tucker LLP has elected Michael Hellbusch, Peter Hering, Justine Kastan, Allison LeMoine-Bui and Christina McSparron to the firm’s partnership effective January 1, 2020.
“Each attorney exemplifies the combination of skills and character that we look for in representatives of Rutan & Tucker,” says firm Managing Partner William F. Meehan. “Their commitment to client service and excellence in the practice of law makes them future leaders at the firm and I could not be prouder to welcome them as partners.”
Michael Hellbusch excels in several areas of law including cyber law, data security and privacy issues. He has a broad range of experience both as a transactional lawyer and as a litigator. He is co-chair of the Orange County Chapter of the International Association of Privacy Professionals (IAPP). He is certified in U.S. privacy law (CIPP/US) and privacy management (CIPM) from the IAPP. He is also a Certified Information Privacy Professional—Europe (CIPP-E) and Certified Information Privacy Management (CIPM). He is a graduate of University of San Diego School of the Law and University of San Diego.
Peter Hering advises employers of all sizes on how to navigate the intricacies of California’s employment laws, in particular its complex wage and hour requirements. He divides his time between counseling employers on strategies for proactively assessing and minimizing litigation risk and representing employers facing a broad array of employment claims. He is a graduate of University of California, Los Angeles, where he was a managing editor with the UCLA Law Review, and Biola University, summa cum laude, member of the Order of Peter and Paul.
Based in the firm’s Palo Alto office, Justine Kastan works with developers and contractors on matters involving construction law, infrastructure development, and public-private partnerships. In addition to her day-to-day construction law practice drafting contracts at all project phases, managing change order work and claims, and litigating, Justine has also represented builders in connection with complex and trailblazing P3s such as the Long Beach Civic Center, UC Merced 2020 Campus, and Los Angeles Convention Center projects. Justine’s prior work experience includes externships at both the U.S. Attorney’s Office and the Federal District Court for the Eastern District of California. She is a graduate of the University of California, Davis, School of Law and Harvard University, cum laude.
Allison LeMoine-Bui specializes in affordable housing and economic development. She regularly advises public entities and developers regarding affordable housing transactions and real property transactional matters, and has negotiated and drafted numerous agreements, including affordable housing agreements, ground leases, statutory development agreements, purchase and sale and economic development agreements, and various other general municipal contracts. She is also Deputy City Attorney for Irvine and La Quinta. She is a graduate of Chapman University School of Law, Valedictorian; magna cum laude; Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies, and University of California, Los Angeles.
Christina McSparron works closely with individual and corporate clients across the country, at all stages in the life cycle of the business. In her practice, she regularly acts as general outside counsel and advises on diverse matters such as entity structuring, corporate governance, mergers, acquisitions, debt and equity financing, licensing and general business operations. She regularly advises entrepreneurs and executives in the automotive, technology, restaurant, food and beverage, manufacturing and retail industries. She is a graduate of the University of California, Los Angeles and University of Minnesota Law School, where she was an editor of the Minnesota Law Review.
