Vedder Price is pleased to announce its entry into the California market with an office in San Francisco.

The firm’s California presence is centered on strengths in employment law and finance. It follows an extensive market analysis of potential office locations that best suit the firm’s existing client-base, while supporting the firm’s strategic plan for growth.

Three shareholders have joined Vedder Price to launch the new office and lead the firm’s expansion into California.

Bradley C. Crawford, formerly a partner at Bingham McCutchen LLP, joins the firm’s Finance & Transactions group. Mr. Crawford has extensive experience managing debt and equity financing transactions for insurance companies, mezzanine funds and commercial finance lenders, as well as issuers and borrowers. He has a strong background in traditional private placement financings, loan restructurings, and secured and unsecured syndicated bank financings in conjunction with tender offers, buyouts and other acquisitions.

Brendan G. Dolan, formerly a partner at Kasowitz Benson Torres & Friedman LLP, joins the firm’s Labor and Employment group. Mr. Dolan has over 25 years of experience defending a wide array of cases pertaining to discrimination, wrongful termination, employee misappropriation, noncompete claims and trade secrets.

Heather M. Sager, formerly a partner at Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP, also joins Vedder Price’s Labor and Employment group. Ms. Sager focuses her practice on management-side representation in single-plaintiff, multi-plaintiff and collective and class action litigation in the context of wage and hour disputes, as well as in the areas of wrongful termination, harassment and discrimination before state and federal courts and administrative agencies.

“We are very excited to offer our clients extended capabilities in several of our key areas like employment law and finance in San Francisco. We are delighted that highly regarded and skilled attorneys like Brendan, Heather and Brad have decided to join us, and are going to help us establish new relationships and provide quality legal services to our clients in California,” said Michael A. Nemeroff, President and CEO of Vedder Price.

The San Francisco office is the fifth location for Vedder Price, following the opening of the firm’s London office in October, 2011.

www.vedderprice.com