Buffalo, N.Y.-based law firm Goldberg Segalla announced Jan. 2 that it opened downtown its first California location.

The new outpost is led by Partner John Stephens, who was previously in the L.A. office of San Francisco-based Sedgwick, which collapsed late last year after partner defections gutted the law firm. Stephens’ expertise includes data privacy, digital marketing, new media and entertainment law. He will chair the firm’s cyber risk practice group and serve as vice chair of the sports and entertainment practice group.

The office will initially provide legal services in practice areas such as cyber risk, sports and entertainment and product liability litigation, the firm said in a statement. It will later expand to cover all areas of civil litigation, corporate transactions, regulatory compliance and risk-avoidance counsel, the firm added. Goldberg Segalla has 350 attorneys across 10 states, with much of its operation on the East Coast.

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