James C. Chen has joined the natural resources and environmental group as partner at Crowell & Moring

Congratulations to Hakeem Jefferies, an in-house counsel at a large media and entertainment company who is running for Assembly in the 57 th District of Brooklyn.

Congratulations to Darryl D. Chiang, who has moved from the Legal Group of Hitachi America, Ltd., to Google’s Legal Department.

Emilie Rajaratnam Ninan, a partner in the business group of Potter Anderson & Corroon LLP, was named head of the firm’s public finance practice earlier this year. She was also recently profiled in The Legal Intelligencer and the Delaware Law Weekly as result of her new position as well as her support of diversity initiatives within her firm and in the larger legal community. Congratulations.

Congratulations to Amy Cheng, who was named a partner in the Chicago office of DLA Piper Rudnick Gray Cary.

Congratulations to Grace Poe who was named a partner in the Chicago office of DLA Piper Rudnick Gray Cary.

Altaf M. Baki has joined the Chicago office of DLA Piper Rudnick Gray Cary.

Congratulations to Sulee Clay, who was named a partner in the Washington D.C. office of DLA Piper Rudnick Gray Cary.

Congratulations to Martin Lorenzo who was named a partner in the San Diego office of DLA Piper Rudnick Gray Cary.

Bobbe Hirsh has moved from Lord, Bissell & Brook to Bell, Boyd & Lloyd in Chicago.

Fred L. Alvarez has moved to Walker, Wilcox, Matousek in Chicago, as a partner.

Ajay I. Patel is now with The Hunt Law Group.

Mary M. Roundtree and Jerard T. Gibson have joined the Washington D.C. office of DLA Piper Rudnick Gray Cary.

Richard L. Cruz has joined the Philadelphia office of DLA Piper Rudnick Gray Cary.

Uchendu O. Anyaso has joined the Reston, VA. Office of DLA Piper Rudnick Gray Cary.

Jonathan A. Ibarra is now with Law Offices of Craig A. Tomassi in Chicago, IL.

Congratulations to Charlene L. Usher celebrated the 5th anniversary of her woman and minority-owned law firm, Usher Law Group, P.C. by celebrating achievement and diversity and giving back to a scholarship fund for law students.

Namha Bich Corbin and Sanjay M. Shirodkar have joined the Baltimore office of DLA Piper Rudnick Gray Cary

Congratulations extended to Robert Wone, who has moved from Covington & Burling to Radio Free Asia.

Anita J. Ponder, a partner at Chicago’s Gardner, Carton & Douglas, received the Woman of the Year Award from the Coalition for United Community Action.

Sonya D. Naar, a partner at DLA Piper Rudnick Gray Cary was honored by the Illinois State Bar Association as one of its young lawyers of the year for her work at Barry Elementary School in Constitutional Rights Foundation’s Lawyer in the Classroom program.

Hon. George N. Leighton, was honored by the American Constitution Society for Law and Policy.

Jeannette P. Tamayo, has been named legal counsel to the Chicago Crime Commission.

Chirag B. Patel, has joined Sachnoff & Weaver’s Chicago office as an associate.

Hector Balderas has received the Outstanding Young Lawyer of the Year Award from the State Bar of New Mexico. Congratulations!!

Eddie Wang Rodriguez and Lance Kurata have joined the newly opened San Diego office of Mintz, Levin, Cohn, Ferris, Glovsky and Popeo as partners.

Congratulations to Angel Castillo Jr. who was named partner of Olgetree, Deakins, Nash, Smoak & Stewart in Chicago.

Have some good, bad, happy or sad news you’d like to share with minority lawyers and others interested in diversity issues? E-mail any announcements or other news (personal or professional) to the Commission on Racial & Ethnic Diversity in the Profession at yamates@staff.abanet.org– of course, the Commission reserves the right to edit or refuse publication of any submission.