The international law firm Greenberg Traurig, LLP announced that preeminent attorney Charles S. Birenbaum has joined the firm as its Chair of Northern California. Birenbaum will be based out of the firm’s San Francisco office and will be a shareholder in the Labor and Employment Practice. Birenbaum joins the firm from Winston & Strawn, LLP, where he was a senior member of the Labor and Employment Practice, former Managing Partner of the San Francisco office, and former member of the firm’s Executive Committee.

A recognized leader in his field, Birenbaum has been honored by numerous organizations for his outstanding legal practice. In 2013 alone, the Chambers USA Guide listed him for his work in labor and employment law, HR Magazine named him one of the nation’s top 100 most powerful labor attorneys, and The Daily Journal singled him out as one of California’s top 75 labor attorneys. He has been listed in The Best Lawyers in America for labor and employment law from 2007-2014.

Furthermore, for more than 20 years, Birenbaum has been at the forefront of law firm management in both Southern and Northern California. Prior to serving in his management roles at Winston & Strawn, Birenbaum was at Thelen, Reid & Priest, where he served in various management capacities, including National Managing Partner for Client Services, Chair of the Labor and Employment Department, and Managing Partner for the Los Angeles Office.

“We are very pleased to have Chuck join our firm,” said Matthew B. Gorson, Co-Chairman of Greenberg Traurig. “Adding him to the growing San Francisco office shows our firm’s commitment to attracting top-quality attorneys and building on the depth of services we offer our clients. His track record in expanding Thelen’s and then Winston’s abilities to serve their clients on the West Coast coupled with our platform of five offices and almost 200 attorneys in California will be a terrific combination.”

“I am excited to join Greenberg Traurig,” said Birenbaum. “With the firm’s commitment to growing its presence in California to better deliver extraordinary value to its clients, I’m confident that, along with the managing shareholders of our San Francisco, Silicon Valley, and Sacramento offices, we will be able to build on the momentum that the firm has seen in both Northern California and across the globe.”

Birenbaum and Alex Ruiz, who also joined Greenberg Traurig today and was previously at Kirkland & Ellis, are the most recent hires in what is Greenberg Traurig’s strategic expansion of its Northern California offices. Other additions include: Litigation shareholder Carolyn McNiven, Tax shareholder Bradley R. Marsh, and Corporate and Securities shareholder R. Bruce Steinert, Jr. in San Francisco; Intellectual Property shareholder William S. Coats in Silicon Valley; and more than a half dozen of counsel and associates since January 1, 2013.

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