San Francisco-based law firm Coblentz Patch Duffy & Bass LLP welcomes George M. Borkowski to the firm's partnership, and Wendy Bleiman and Alex Loshiloff as Special Counsel.
George M. Borkowski joins Coblentz from the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), where he served as Senior Vice President, Litigation and Legal Affairs. He has represented leading entertainment, video game, technology, and software companies, as well as industry trade associations. George has worked with clients in the music industry for most of his career. He has also provided services to clients in the motion picture, gaming, advertising, marketing, and mobile communications industries, among others.
“Having worked with George as co-counsel, and for him as a client, I couldn’t be happier to have him on board," said Jeffrey G. Knowles, Litigation Partner at Coblentz. "Very few litigators have George's depth of IP experience generally – or in the music industry specifically. We’re lucky to have him.”
George has over 30 years of experience in complex business and intellectual property litigation and counseling, with a focus on content protection, media and entertainment, and technology. He has litigated cases involving copyrights, trademarks and trade dress, trade secrets, patents, technology, software, false advertising, and right of publicity, as well as antitrust and corporate control disputes.
George was previously a partner at law firms Freeman Freeman & Smiley LLP in Los Angeles, Venable LLP, and Mitchell Silberberg & Knupp LLP where he also founded and chaired the IP and Technology Practice Group.
Coblentz also welcomes Wendy Bleiman and Alexander Loshiloff as Special Counsel, bringing depth to the firm's Tax and Family Wealth practices.
Wendy Bleiman joins as Special Counsel from Jeffer Mangels Butler & Mitchell LLP in Los Angeles. Wendy's practice focuses on tax controversy, exempt organizations, and estate planning. Her tax controversy practice includes supervising audits by the IRS, as well as by state and local taxing authorities. She represents clients at IRS Appeals and at Tax Court, and in state and local income, franchise, property, and sales tax matters. Wendy works with non-profits to obtain and maintain tax-exempt status, and advises exempt organizations with respect to raising, investing, and utilizing charitable assets. She also works with clients to achieve their charitable and wealth transfer objectives by using specialized planning vehicles and structuring charitable gifts.
"Wendy brings incredible depth to our Tax and Family Wealth groups in the areas of tax-exempt organizations and tax controversy," said Philip B. Feldman, Family Wealth Partner at Coblentz. "She is a fantastic client advocate and we are thrilled to add Wendy to our team."
Alexander Loshiloff joins as Special Counsel. Alex is a tax attorney with experience in private tax practice and tax planning in-house at one of the largest software companies in the world. He has advised on hundreds of domestic and cross-border merger and acquisition transactions for both public and private companies and banks, including private equity deals and joint ventures. He has significant experience with taxable and tax-deferred transactions, including taxable stock and asset dispositions, as well as spin-offs and recapitalizations, and he has provided tax support for issuers of equity and debt domestically and overseas. In the international area, Alex has significant experience advising domestic and multinational clients on various tax aspects of cross-border mergers, acquisitions, and post-acquisition internal restructurings. Alex has successfully represented companies and individuals in IRS appeals with respect to various tax controversies.
"Alex has steered clients through a tremendous number of M&A transactions – it’s tough to replicate that kind of experience," said Sara Finigan, Coblentz Co-Managing Partner. "Both of our Tax and Business groups are looking forward to bringing his wisdom and experience to corporate clients."
Prior to joining Coblentz, Alex worked at Oracle Corporation in Silicon Valley as its Senior Director for Tax Planning, and before that, he was a partner at K&L Gates in New York.
"Wendy, Alex, and George are wonderful people, excellent lawyers, and leaders in their practices. I’d be proud to announce the addition of any one of them; it is an immense addition to the firm to have them all," said Finigan. "We are so pleased to welcome them to the firm."
