The global private investment firm Bridgewest Group announced its hiring of Jennifer Brown as general counsel.
Previously, Brown served as general counsel at Farmer Brothers, where she was responsible for the legal, corporate governance, risk management and real estate functions. She also previously served as a corporate, securities and an M&A attorney at global law firms Jones Day and Baker McKenzie.
“She has a stellar reputation for building great rapport, communicating clear descriptions of complex matters, and earning the trust of colleagues and customers alike,” said Adam Gickling, Bridgewest Group’s executive vice president and COO. “We're delighted that she is joining us.”
“I am thrilled to be working with such a talented group of professionals that are rolling up their sleeves and genuinely looking to add value to the companies where they invest," Brown said.
Amber Group
The global digital asset platform announced the appointment of Benjamin Bai as its chief legal officer.
Bai joins Amber Group from Ant Group, where he served as its vice president and chief intellectual property and international litigation counsel. Bai also previously was a partner at top international law firms, Jones Day and Allen & Overy in the U.S. and China where he focused on high-stakes IP litigation and licensing.
“As digital assets adoption continues to be on the rise globally, regulation and compliance will be key to sustain its role in the transformation of the financial ecosystem, and I am thrilled to join Amber Group at such a key moment to lead its global Legal and Compliance team,” Bai said.
BestEx Research
The algorithmic trading solution announced the appointment of Paul Merolla as general counsel.
Merolla most recently spent 11 years as a partner at the Murphy & McGonigle law firm and nearly four years at the LeClairRyan law firm. Prior to that, he served as executive vice president and general counsel at institutional broker Instinet Group, now a Nomura company, and before that served as vice president and associate counsel at Goldman Sachs.
“As we continue to expand into new markets and asset classes, Paul's regulatory and financial services expertise will be invaluable,” said Hitesh Mittal, BestEx Research’s founder and CEO. “We are committed to providing our global clients advanced, research-driven algorithmic trading solutions, and having robust legal oversight allows us to best serve their dynamic needs across asset classes and markets."
WELL Health
The digital patient communications company announced it has named Justin Widlund as general counsel.
Widlund has more than 17 years of legal experience advising various startups and large-enterprise companies in the Silicon Valley and Pacific Northwest. The companies where he has worked included Freshworks, Microsoft, Apigee (acquired by Google), and NetSuite (acquired by Oracle).
Widlund will “leverage his deep expertise to guide WELL Health's continued growth as a late-stage startup in the burgeoning digital health marketplace,” according to a company press release.
Western Michigan University
The public research institution announced it has appointed Keith Hahn as general counsel effective Aug. 1.
He has most recently served as assistant general counsel for Oakland University in Michigan for 14 years. Prior to his tenure at OU, Hahn served as an attorney in the auto insurance industry, as well as in private practice.
“We have an exemplary new colleague in Keith,” said WMU President Edward Montgomery. “I am confident his extensive experience and diverse legal background will serve Western Michigan University well amid the increasingly complex legal landscape in which we operate.”
