J. Mark Atlas has joined McDonough Holland & Allen of counsel. Mark has extensive general counsel experience with public agencies, particularly water, irrigation and community service districts. Mark advises both public and private clients on state and federal water law and currently is engaged in work on surface and groundwater storage projects and long-term federal water contracts. In addition to his position, Mark will continue as principal of Frost, Krup and Atlas, in Willows, where he has lived and practiced since 1977.

Arthur F. Godwin, of Griffith, Masuda, Godwin & Emrick in Turlock, has been affiliated with the firm for 11 years, where his practice focused on representing public agencies in all aspect of water law and related issues. Godwin brings McDonough Holland & Allen extensive background in water rights, water conservation, conjunctive uses water transfers, and water policy. Previously, Godwin served for 13 years as an environmental specialist for the Department of Water Resources, where he managed environmental studies for water supply projects among his other assignments.

Livingston & Mattesich announces the addition of four lawyers.

William J. Thomas represents agricultural business interests before California agencies such as the Agricultural Labor Relations Board, state and regional water boards and the Departments of Food & Agriculture, Fish & Game, and Pesticide Regulation. Thomas currently chairs the legal defense fund of the National Cattlemen's Beef Association and the Water & Environmental Quality Committee of the California Cattlemen's Association. He earned a BS in Agriculture (1968) from California State University, Chico and a JD (1975) from the University of the Pacific, McGeorge School of Law.

Martha Evensen Opich provides experienced legal counsel to lenders and borrowers in matters concerning commercial loans, bank deposits and negotiable instruments. Opich specializes in secured financing and brings with her over twenty years of legal practice, including eleven years as in-house counsel to financial institutions. Opich earned her BA at the University of California, Davis, and her JD at the University of the Pacific, McGeorge School of Law.

Terry A. German serves energy producers, equipment manufacturers, and utilities in administrative proceedings and litigation. Utilizing his engineering background, German provides excellent counsel on legal problems with technical, environmental, and financial components. He specializes in power plant design and deployment projects. German earned his BS degree in Mechanical Engineering with a minor in Mathematics at California State University, Sacramento and his JD from the University of Southern California Law Center.

Martin D. Carr is a business litigator with experience in intellectual property and employment matters. Carr has defended defamation, First Amendment, and whistleblower cases. Carr has published several articles on contemporary employment issues. Carr is a member of the Intellectual Property, Labor and Public Law Sections of the Sacramento County Bar Association and the Intellectual Property and Antitrust & Unfair Competition Sections of the California State Bar. Carr received his BA from Stanford University and his JD from Yale Law School.

Carl Falstrom of Kanter Immigration Law Office in Sacramento has been elected chair of the Northern California Chapter of the American Immigration Lawyers Association for the 2001-2002 term and will also serve on the national AILA Board of Governors. Falstom joined Kanter Immigration Law Office on August 1, 2000 after two years with Berry, Appleman &b Leidaman LLP in San Francisco. Falstrom received his BA from the University of Chicago and his JD from the University of California, Hastings College of Law.

The law firm of Boutin, Dentino, Gibson, Di Giusto, Hodell & West proudly welcomes Kellie Cook as its newest associate. Cook, formally an All-American basketball player, attended Northwestern University and graduated with high honors from UC Santa Barbara in 1996 where she received her BS. She received her JD from Vanderbilt University in 2000. Cook practices in the area of litigation involving intellectual property, business and sports law.

Jennifer Krengel of Downey Brand Seymour & Rohwer is a new associate in the Business Department. Krengel received her JD from the University of California, Davis School of Law in 1999 and her BA in Psychology and Sociology from Emory University, in 1995. Prior to joining Downey Brand, Krengel was an associate with Foley & Lardner in Sacramento.

Mike S. Mireles has returned to Downey Brand Seymour & Rohwer from Washington, D.C. Mireless is a candidate for L.LM. in Intellectual Property at George Washington University Law School in Washington, D.C. where he is a Marcus B. Finnegan graduate scholar. Mireless received his JD from McGeorge School of Law in 1998, Order of the Coif. Mireles practice will focus on intellectual property, e-commerce and Internet law, and litigation.