The Appeals
With talent from Vega & Rivera, LLP; Perez & Caballero, APC; McNicholas & McNicholas, LLP; Practus, LLP; Law Offices of Patricia Higuera
Rocking Saturday for Loyola Immigrant Justice Clinic
Castle of Funk
Featuring legal talent from Cox Castle & Nicholson LLP
Rocking Friday for United Friends of the Children
CellarSonic
Featuring legal talent from Wolf Greenfield
Rocking for JDRF - Los Angeles Chapter
Confidential
Featuring legal talent from Buchalter; Travelers
Rocking Saturday for Little Kids Rock
Confidential is a rock band straight out of Irvine with a splash from south of the border. What started as a four man "Dad" band is now a five piece rock n' roll all night good time show comprised of: Jason Goldstein (Bass Guitar, Shareholder, Buchalter), Bob Dato (Lead Guitar/Mandolin, Of-Counsel, Buchalter), Abram Rodriguez (Lead Singer, Teacher, Mayfair High), Patty "Snaps" Oceguera (Drums, Legal Interpreter) and Matty West (Rhythm Guitar, Teacher, Coach, Author). There always remains a chance of one or more "special guests."
The Confidential set list offers a broad range of appeal for music aficionados - from the novice to rock diehards like us. And remember, no matter what happens before, at or after a Confidential show: "Your Secret Is Safe With Us."
Doughboys
Featuring legal talent from Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman
Rocking Friday for Slave 2 Nothing
Don’t let the name fool you. The Doughboys rock it hard. Mixing original lyrics to familiar beats and riffs, they are as deft with a mic as they are with a memo. The sextet from Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman will rock for The In-N-Out Burger Foundation this year, and they’re ready to prove that it’s all about that bassoon, ‘bout that bassoon, no treble.
Down By Law
With legal talent from Constangy, Brooks, Smith & Prophete; Reed Smith
Rocking Saturday for LACBA Counsel for Justice
As hard-core devotees of the Starland Vocal Band, we first met at the Annual SVB Convention in Dubuque in 2012. Upon realizing that we that we all worked for the same law firm, we spontaneously broke into a 4 and a half-part harmony of “Afternoon Delight.” After that, we knew that we had to form our own band to make awesome music together. Our motto: OBOS!
Lodestar
Featuring legal talent from Glancy Prongay & Murray LLP
Rocking Saturday for Kind, Inc. (Kids in Need of Defense). Kind helps ensure that no child appears in immigration court without high quality legal representation.
Lodestar is a hard rock band that won both the overall competition and the Judges’ Choice Award at night one of Law Rocks LA 2019.
Marc Godino, guitarist for Lodestar, is a senior partner at Glancy Prongay & Murray, and along with bassist Daniel Cubert have been playing music together for over 40 years. Combined with drummer John Ferrigno from Hooper Lundy & Bookman, percussionist/attorney Melissa Wright, and vocalist/attorney Gary Yones, Lodestar promises to deliver a high energy, guitar driven rock experience.
The Robert Smiths
With legal talent from Mitchell, Silberberg & Knupp
Rocking Friday for Mental Health Advocacy Services (MHAS)
MSK’s band, the 2017 Judge’s Choice winner, will again be playing to support Mental Health Advocacy Services (MHAS), an organization dedicated to providing free legal services to those with mental health disabilities.
Ocean Park Sound System
Featuring talented legal professionals from Raines Feldman
Rocking Friday for PATH
Ocean Park Sound System is a soul/funk reggae party. Featuring members of Raines Feldman LLP, Ocean Park Sound System came together out in the surf lineup and create a live groove mix of soul, reggae, funk, surf, and rock. The band plays around town and at fundraisers to keep the soul shakedown going!
Privileged Communications
Starring legal professionals from Perkins Coie
Rocking Saturday for City of Hope
Four-time Law Rocks champion Privileged Communications formed in early 2013 to represent Perkins Coie in the Law Rocks competition in Hollywood, California against other firms such as Latham & Watkins and DLA Piper. Privileged Communications comprises partner Michael Wise on lead vocals, partner Joe Hamilton on guitar, partner Lara Dueppen and counsel Oliver Gold on keyboards and drums, respectively, and non-Perkins attorney Niall Fordyce on bass. While Privileged Communications does not have any available recordings currently, the group is in contract discussions with several large record labels and expects to perform at the Super Bowl Halftime Show within the next few years.
City of Hope
City of Hope is a leading nonprofit research and treatment center for cancer, diabetes and other life-threatening diseases.
Los Angeles County Bar Association Counsel for Justice
Counsel for Justice brings together law firms, foundations, corporations, donors and volunteers in support of a more just Los Angeles. Together, we stand at the forefront of providing equal access to legal services in our community by raising funds and directly contributing at the frontlines of justice in five key areas: domestic violence, support of our veterans, immigration assistance, AIDS legal services and civic mediation.
Loyola Immigrant Justice Clinic
The Loyola Immigrant Justice Clinic (LIJC) is a community-based collaboration of Loyola Law School, Loyola Marymount University, Homeboy Industries Inc., and Dolores Mission Church. LIJC’s dual-pronged mission is to advance the rights of the indigent immigrant population in East Los Angeles through direct legal services, education, and community empowerment, while teaching law students effective immigrants’ rights lawyering skills in a real world setting.
Mental Health Advocacy Services (MHAS)
Mental Health Advocacy Services, Inc. (MHAS) is a private, non-profit organization established in 1977 to provide free legal services to people with mental disabilities. MHAS assists both children and adults, with an emphasis on obtaining government benefits and services, protecting rights, and fighting discrimination.
Trey Alexander
Trey is a survivor of 10 years in the Radio Industry during it final heyday. He was a music director and afternoon drive DJ at various stations throughout the midwest before being scooped up by MTV in the 90's because he kinda looked like Alan Hunter. It wasn't long after arriving in New York that Nirvana, ended Trey's MTV stint. Everyone was going grunge and he was unable to grow any facial hair. He moved on to other areas of the entertainment industry, but is proud of some of his past escapades, such as playing golf with Journey, drinking several gallons of beer with Brian Johnson of AC/DC, and being fired from "Friends" for saying something stupid to Jennifer Aniston. He is most proud of his former world record of Hot Tub Sitting (4 days at 105 degrees). He thanks his wife for being so patient when it came time to have children.
Marc Cimino
Marc Cimino is Chief Operating Officer of Universal Music Publishing Group (UMPG). Since joining in 2015, he has led the company’s global business strategy, overseeing public policy and business development. In 2017, he played a key role in negotiating and securing Facebook’s first-ever licensing deal with a major music publishing company, creating an entirely new revenue stream for songwriters on the world’s most popular social media platforms across Facebook, Instagram and Oculus. He has been instrumental in UMPG’s signings of iconic artists including Bruce Springsteen, Jack White, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Pearl Jam, Prince, Linkin Park, Dave Matthews Band, Disney Music Group, and R.E.M., among others.
A respected industry executive with more than 20 years of experience in both publishing and recorded music, Cimino previously worked at Warner Bros. Records for a decade where he rose from Vice President to Executive Vice President. In this position, he served as head of Business and Legal Affairs and A&R Administration, playing an integral role in directing the organization's strategy in both traditional and new business initiatives.
Laura Ferreiro
Laura Ferreiro is the founder Music for Good and M4G Media, which connects brands and musicians with reputable non-profits, helps tell their stories, and promotes musicians and the good causes they care about most. She previously served as West Coast Editor of British music magazine NME, and is a longtime music journalist contributing to Yahoo, the Los Angeles Times, Variety, LA Weekly, IGN.com, Nylon and Rolling Stone. She has also worked extensively in marketing, communications & PR, with brands including Red Bull and Gretsch Guitars, and non-profits such as WaterAid, Easterseals, MALDEF and the Levitt Foundation. When she’s not scribbling away or attending shows, she enjoys hiking and making pottery.
Shawn Dailey
Shawn Dailey has been a professional touring and recording musician since the age of 17. Most recently he played bass for Courtney Love / Hole. He has also toured and recorded with several other critically acclaimed rock bands. He currently serves as Executive Director for the Take Me to The River Music Education Initiative, a charity that seeks to inspire a deeper understanding of civil rights, music history, and cross-generational collaboration.
Joe Trofino
Joe Trofino is the Deputy General Counsel and a senior executive in the Legal Affairs Department at ICM Partners, one of the world’s largest talent and literary agencies with offices in New York, Los Angeles, Washington D.C. and London, where he focuses on general corporate legal matters including litigation, real estate, employment, business development and legal policy matters. The agency represents creative and technical talent in the fields of motion picture, television, books, music, live performance, branded entertainment, and new media. Mr. Trofino has been working for ICM Partners since 2008, and currently lives in Culver City with his wife Melissa, son/future NHL #1 draft pick Crosby and daughter Mila.
Chris Poole
Chris Poole is President and Chief Executive Officer of JAMS, the largest provider of alternative dispute resolution (ADR) services worldwide.
Poole joined JAMS in 2006 and since that time has led the organization through an unprecedented period of growth, which also helped elevate the ADR industry as a whole. In his role as President and CEO, Poole works closely with senior management and the highly-trained panelists who own the company. He is actively involved in recruiting high-profile ADR talent to the JAMS panel and overseeing the operations and marketing functions across all locations worldwide.
Poole’s extensive business experience in the legal industry makes him uniquely qualified for the head post at JAMS. Prior to joining JAMS, Poole was CEO at Thomson Elite, part of The Thomson Corporation. Under Poole’s leadership, Thomson Elite, the software division of Thomson’s $3-billion Legal and Regulatory Market Group, grew to be one of the most successful suppliers to the legal industry. At Thomson, he was responsible for overseeing multiple product lines with 800 employees. During his tenure, Elite dominated its core market and became a global leader in legal software, achieving a market share of over 60 percent of the largest law firms in the world.
Poole was COO of Elite Information Systems from 1995 to 1998, Chair and CEO of Elite Information Group from 1999 to 2003, and President and CEO of Thomson Elite from 2003 to 2006. Before joining Elite, Poole was Executive Director of Latham & Watkins LLP in Los Angeles. Latham is one of the largest law firms in the world, with more than 2,600 attorneys in 30 offices around the globe. He served as Executive Director from 1993 to 1995, and prior to that, he was the firm’s Director of Technology from 1989 to 1993.
Poole was the recipient of the 2002 Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award. He earned his B.A. in Economics from Harvard University in 1979 and his M.B.A. in Computers and Marketing from the Anderson Graduate School of Management at UCLA in 1984.
He is based in the JAMS Irvine Headquarters and lives with his family in Southern California.
Matthew Umhofer
Matthew Umhofer is a former federal prosecutor and Skadden survivor who founded the intergalactic litigation phenomenon known as Spertus, Landes & Umhofer. Law Rocks has afforded him the opportunity to defile the stage of the Whisky with mediocre covers on several prior occasions. To everyone’s great relief, Matthew will not be taking the stage this year to fill fans’ ears with feedback, and instead will be getting his Simon Cowell on, which is the closest he’ll ever come to being a judge.
Devon Engel
Devon Engel is Vice President and General Counsel of General Dynamics Mission Systems, which is headquartered in Fair Lakes, Virginia. With approximately 13,500 employees worldwide, Mission Systems develops and delivers mission critical life saving products and systems across land, sea, air, space and cyber domains.
Devon earned his bachelor’s degree in psychology and sociology from Emory University in Atlanta, Ga. He earned his law degree from George Washington University in Washington, D.C., where he graduated with honors and was a member of the Law Review.
Devon started his legal career at Crowell & Moring in Washington, D.C., where he specialized in government contract law. In 1996, Devon moved to Scottsdale to go in-house with Motorola. That business was sold to General Dynamics in 2001 and is now part of General Dynamics Mission Systems. Devon has been active in the government contract legal community throughout his career and has published numerous articles and lectured frequently on government contract and other legal topics.
Devon is also very active in his community. He was a member of the Board of Directors for DrugFreeAZKids.org for ten years, serving as Chairman of the Board for three years. He has also been a long time supporter of the United Way, the American Diabetes Association, Law Rocks, Sentinels of Freedom and numerous other charitable organizations. While in private practice in DC, Devon provided pro bono legal services on adoption matters, including the successful opposition of a high profile petition to the Supreme Court.
Devon splits his time between DC and Scottsdale, where he and his wife Carla have four kids between them. To unwind, Devon enjoys playing golf and tennis with his kids, cycling, hiking and reading. He is also a bass player and plays in a rock and roll cover band in Scottsdale called Retro-Active and an original band based in Atlanta called Several Dudes. Devon has won Law Rocks in DC and Phoenix with two different bands.
Greg Doll
Greg Doll is the founding partner of Doll Amir & Eley, a 20-lawyer litigation firm with offices in Los Angeles and Manhattan Beach. He has been a drummer for 30 years, playing professionally on the Sunset Strip in the 90s. His lawyer band, Big Dicta, played Law Rocks for the last six years, taking home the top prize in 2015 and the Judges’ Choice award for four of the six years. Big Dicta got a chance to play in the Law Rocks 10-year anniversary show in London this past summer, which, when they were asked how fun it was on a scale of 1-10, responded, unsurprisingly, “11.” Big Dicta is taking a year off this year to focus on their aging rock star conditions such as tinnitus and tendinitis, but are super psyched to return to the fun next year!
Cov'R Band
Featuring legal talent from Covington & Burling LLP
Rocking for TBD
Cov'R Band is the house band of Covington & Burling LLP, and is comprised of attorneys located in the firm's San Francisco and Palo Alto offices. The band was formed in 2018 and plays an eclectic mix of rock, pop, and R&B songs, spanning across the past six decades.
Magnum PI
Featuring legal talent from Walkup, Melodia, Kelly & Schoenberger
Rocking for Collective Impact
From one of the premier personal injury firms in the Bay Area comes a musical ensemble that will compel you to move. Magnum PI debuted at Law Rocks SF 2018 and took the audience on a wild ride through the history of rock. Always looking for the edge, and for the jam that will take the crowd off the beaten path, this year Magnum PI brings a new set that explores more genres, instruments, and sounds. If the Battle of the Bands doesn’t settle out of court, this outfit is ready to go to verdict.
Morgan, Lewis & ROCKius
Featuring legal talent from Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP
Rocking for Child Advocates of Silicon Valley
Morgan, Lewis & ROCKius—FKA The Combinations—is a 16-piece band from Morgan Lewis’s San Francisco office that combines a wicked horn section, guitarists, and rhythm section with a phenomenal keyboardist, electric cello player, and truly amazing vocalists. Morgan, Lewis & ROCKius lays down a '70s R&B/Motown/funk vibe, with current hits and classic chart-toppers in the mix. At Law Rocks, we’re honored to be rocking for Child Advocates of Silicon Valley to support children in the foster care system. We love playing together and believe that music makes the world a better place. Join us for a great show—for an even greater cause! #morganlewisrocks
Dan Flores
Dan Flores is an Executive Vice President and the head of litigation at Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc., where he is responsible for managing all litigation and pre-litigation disputes for the company worldwide, responding to government investigations/inquiries, advising on antitrust and FCPA compliance, production-related claims, and risk management. Prior to joining MGM, he practiced in the Los Angeles office of Gibson Dunn in the areas of entertainment, intellectual property, and antitrust law. Dan received his J.D. degree from Columbia Law School in 2002 and graduated summa cum laude with a B.A. in Music from the University of Nevada Las Vegas in 1999. He serves on the board of the Jazz Education Network, the leading organization supporting college and high school jazz educators and students, and he has previously served on the President’s Council at the Colburn School. Dan currently plays tenor saxophone with Gary Greene and His Big Band of Barristers, an institution in the Los Angeles legal community that has allegedly been declared as America’s #1 Legal Band by the American Bar Association. Once upon a time he could also play clarinet, guitar, bass, and piano reasonably well but now he is admittedly kind of a hack. Dan’s favorite non-lawyer band is Fishbone.
Peter Von Haam
Peter von Haam is a government ethics specialist and former Deputy Attorney General at the California Department of Justice. A native of Georgia, Peter formed a band in Athens in the mid-1980s. That group (Rude Boy Romance) headlined at the fabled 40 Watt Club, opened for Widespread Panic at the slightly-less-fabled Uptown Lounge, and headlined at the final music festival at “The Church”. At some point, Peter let his older (and wiser?) friends talk him into leaving that gig for the more conventional life of a full-time college student in California. He kept his passion and love of rock music through college, law school, and work. Peter currently performs as the bass guitarist for Friends You Can Kill (facebook.com/friendsyoucankill), an LA-based industrial rock band, and Benjamin the Wolf (benjaminthewolf.com), an LA-based indie rock band. He also dabbles in alt-country music composition, home studio recording, and senseless collecting of guitar gear.
Crisis
CRISIS brings together five experienced musicians with extensive backgrounds playing in Rock Bands throughout their careers. All five are successful businessmen and leaders in their community. The group’s focus is on playing danceable Rock and Roll with prominent vocals and harmonies. The band has used this influence in writing and recording original music as well. Original CRISIS music has been selected for several Rock and Roll Marathon promotional CD’s. CRISIS also had an original song - Stand Up!, selected for the soundtrack of the film "Smile till it Hurts", which was released at the 2009, Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah.
Band members include:
Michael Dollin – Drums, percussion
Tim Greer – Lead Guitar, Vocals
Michael Norton – Drums, percussion
Tim Sprague – Bass, Vocals
Ross Wilson – Guitar, Lead Vocals
Desert Rangers
The Desert Rangers consist of four lifelong musicians who have played oldies, rock, blues and jazz in numerous bands across the country and around the globe. The Desert Rangers perform cover songs at various venues throughout the valley, including songs from BB King, Jimi Hendrix, Chuck Berry, James Brown, Eric Clapton, Elvis, John Mayer, Santana and Bobby Darin. The individual Rangers are mostly new to the Phoenix area and met at local Phoenix and Scottsdale jams. Matt Hoot, from Germany and who just became a U.S. citizen, plays guitar/vocals. Bill Ypsilanti, a semiconductor process engineer who was born and raised in the Bronx, plays saxophone/vocals. Randall Haake, who moved here from San Francisco and has performed in bands in California and Texas, plays bass guitar/vocals. Vikram Gosain, an international tax attorney/CPA who recently moved here from Connecticut, plays drums.
Jane Joyce
Jane Joyce is a singer, songwriter, engineer, and music producer that has played bass, guitar, and drums in several phoenix bands over the years. Early entering the scene Jane has written and published five novels which have become underground cult classics. Fighting the good fight in law, Jane is an accomplished and experience trial paralegal that has worked on many cases netting tens of millions of dollars for clients. Jane currently works in law, music, and real estate management and continues to write cutting edge music, with an emphasis now on providing high quality recording options to local talent.
The knobs
The knobs have been playing together since 7 December 1941 (noonish), a day on which nothing else of particular note happened. The knobs are a collection of, let’s say, men, all of whom like playing Doors songs and none of whom are presently violating parole. Tom Salerno (drums) is a bankruptcy lawyer with an insatiable appetite for ketchup. Jordan Kroop (piano, organ, vocals) is a much younger bankruptcy lawyer who keeps a collection of Victorian-era riding crops for use in none of your damned business. Peter Swann (bass) is an appellate judge and a world-renowned expert on the second season of Punky Brewster. Jim Roberts (guitar) is an architect who dated Patty Hearst before that whole thing. His brother, Donny Roberts (lead guitar, harp), is a life-long professional musician, totally a ringer, and probably embarrassed just to be seen with Jordan. Together, they form a quintet with a reasonably good chance of getting some of the notes right.
Host - Mark Devine
You might remember him as the host of the “Tim & Mark” show on 93.3 KDKB where he co-hosted the morning show for 16 years. Mark is a husband of 28 years and a father of two! After KDKB, Mark started and ran a real estate business for a decade before deciding to return to radio. Now you can hear him every morning on the “Mark and NeanderPaul” Morning Show on 100.7 KSLX!
Host - Grant Woods
Grant is one of Arizona's premier attorneys. He graduated from Occidental College in 1976, where he was a member of Phi Beta Kappa (and selected their Alumnus of the Year in 2000), and is currently a member of the Occidental College Board of Trustees. He graduated from Arizona State University College of Law in 1979 and was named their Alumnus of the Year in 1999. He served as Arizona's Attorney General from 1991-1999 and was selected by his peers as the nation's top attorney general in 1995. He successfully argued before the United States Supreme Court in Lewis v. Casey, which was recently named one of the most important legal cases in Arizona history. He was one of the principal architects of the states' lawsuits against the tobacco companies and was a key negotiator in the resulting largest civil settlement in history and over $2Billion to Arizona health care so far. He was the first Chief of Staff to the late Senator John McCain and delivered the first eulogy at the beautiful services for Senator McCain.
Mr. Woods is the founder of the Mesa Boys & Girls Club, the Mesa Education Foundation and the Mesa Arts Academy, one of Arizona's first successful charter schools. He has won top awards from the American Cancer Society, American Lung Association, the Salvation Army, the Children’s Action Alliance and Chicanos Por La Causa.
As a songwriter, Mr. Woods’ songs have been recorded and performed by award winning artists such as Francine Reed, Walt Richardson, Blaine Long, Lawrence Zubia, and Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and E Street Band member Nils Lofgren. His columns and articles have appeared in newspapers and magazines across the country and he has been recognized by the Associated Press as Arizona’s Top Radio Show Host. Mr. Woods has written two plays, “Dear Senator” and “The Things We Do,” which will have its West Coast premiere in Los Angeles in April, 2019.
He is married to former Channel 10 news anchor, Marlene Galan Woods. They have five children: Austin and Lauren, graduates of ASU, Cole, a graduate of Chapman College, Dylan and Ava.
Retro-Active
Devon Engel – bass
Sean Hood – guitar
Mike Rissman – keyboards
Chuck Leyva – drums
Christi Sartin – vocals
Dave Cass - vocals
Retro-Active is a high energy rock & roll cover band playing in the Valley since 2006. Featuring dynamic male and female vocals (and three Valley lawyers!) Retro-Active set lists are full of the songs that make you jump out of your seat to dance and sing along. From Adele to Zeppelin, Journey to Van Halen, Guns n Roses to Velvet Revolver, Boston to Kansas and Toto, Styx to Stones, the Black Crowes to the White Stripes, Aerosmith to Jet, Blue Oyster Cult to the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Heart to Paramore, Alien Ant Farm to Michael Jackson, the Cult to Kravitz, Boston to Bon Jovi, Jefferson Starship to Foreigner, Elle King to Prince, Scandal to Dramarama, Petty to Mellencamp, AC/DC to U2, The Killers to The Knack, Florence + The Machine to No Doubt, Def Leppard to Foo Fighters, Rihanna to Rage Against the Machine, Grace Potter to Greta Van Fleet, Ratt to the Doobie Brothers…you get the picture…
Rock Judge - David Ellefson
Scottsdale, Arizona resident David Ellefson is the co-founding bassist for Thrash Metal Titans MEGADETH. In 2016, David and Megadeth enjoyed a Billboard chart topping hit with their 15th studio album Dystopia, culminating in a triumphant 2017 Grammy Award win for Best Metal Performance. Throughout the band’s 35 year storied career, Megadeth has been awarded numerous gold and platinum awards, 12 Grammy nominations and has sold over 30 million albums worldwide.
Ellefson is also an accomplished record producer, clinician, music business lecturer and entrepreneur presiding over a global brand including his own record label EMP Label Group and the relaunch of legendary COMBAT RECORDS, the seminal Metal record label that launched Megadeth’s career in 1985. He is also well known for creating his own boutique coffee brand Ellefson Coffee Co., which has launched into a fully international retail coffee line.
As an accomplished author, David’s canon of literary works include his music business self help guide “Making Music Your Business…A Guide for Young Musicians” (Hal Leonard) and his 2014 autobiography “My Life With Deth” (Howard Books/Simon & Schuster).
In 2019 Ellefson has been active as a solo artist, touring the world in support of his most recent album ELLEFSON’s “Sleeping Giants” and memoir “More Life With Deth” (Jawbone Press).
Find out more about David Ellefson here:
www.davidellefson.com
www.facebook.com/davidellefson
www.instagram.com/davidellefson
www.twitter.com/ellefsondavid
www.ellefsoncoffeeco.com
www.emplabelgroup.com
www.merchlive.com
www.megadeth.com
Rock Judge - Katia Racine
Katia "Pixie" Racine has been playing music for as long as she can remember. A mix of self-taught and academic studies, she first formally learned clarinet at age 8, followed by piano, guitar, and ukulele. She graduated from Northeastern University with a degree in Theater, where she also studied Jazz and Opera vocals. She performed in Boston with the indie pop dance band All These Elements as the lead singer and keyboard player. After moving to Utah and performing as a solo singer-songwriter, she became a founding member of the SLC based newgrass band Pixie and The Partygrass Boys. Pixie currently performs full time as lead vocalist, ukulele player and auxiliary percussionist with her nationally touring band, and is working on two new musical projects launching in 2020.
Rock Judge - Lawrence Zubia
Lawrence Zubia is the lead singer in a legendary Tempe AZ Mill Avenue band – PISTOLEROS.
The Pistoleros have managed to carve out 25 years of great music & 7 full length albums. Their Major Label debut album (Hang On To Nothing) on Hollywood Records was met with critical acclaim. Currently they are signed to FERVOR RECORDS & have had several songs placed in TV & Film projects, including NCIS, FOX SPORTS, VH-1 HINDSIGHT, RIZOLLI & ISLES & many more.
Lawrence has song co-writes with some notable rock n Roll greats including Pat DiNizio/Smithereens, Doug Hopkins & Jesse Valenzuela/Gin Blossoms, Radney Foster/Foster & Lloyd & many more.
In addition to Lawrence’s front man duties in the PISTOLEROS, Lawrence plays around Phoenix as a solo acoustic act & with his side project band – Lawrence Zubia Band. Currently Lawrence is writing songs & working on ideas for the next record.
Rock Judge - Zeke Roeser
Zeke Roeser is 5'8" and 160lbs of diamond-hard rock 'n' roll. He is a trial lawyer and the principal of Roeser Law Firm, a personal injury practice in Washington, DC. He litigates primarily in DC and Maryland, and has successfully represented thousands of DC-area residents.
Mr. Roeser's interest in music and entertainment is hard-wired. He was born to an acting teacher and the founder and lead guitarist of a venerable, white-shoe classic rock band from New York City. He will not say which, but he will advise that he has attended 100+ Blue Oyster Cult concerts from the age of fetus through his present 40th year. He believes that life begins at rock 'n' roll.
Mr. Roeser is a member of the Trial Lawyers Association of Washington DC, the Maryland Association for Justice, and the secretive Federalist Society.
Rock Judge - Neal Smith
Legendary drummer and 2011 Rock n’ Roll Hall of Fame inductee Neal Smith, songwriter and founding member of one of the most successful rock and roll acts to be seen and heard in the world: The Shock Rock Group Alice Cooper. The first band to introduce theatrics to the rock and roll stage, and the Band has sold over 25 million records worldwide. Neal has six gold and five platinum album awards to his credit. Neal has performed before millions of fans on extensive grand World Tours. In addition to the band called Alice Cooper, Neal has also played and/or recorded with such groups as The Billion Dollar Babies, The Plasmatics, Buck Dharma, Deadringer, Bouchard, Dunaway & Smith, Cinematik and his current killer solo project KillSmith.
1981
Grand Cayman
Featuring legal talent from Walkers Global
Rocking for Noel Watkins Recovery Fund
Live(-ish) from the rooftop of our secret Caribbean lair. Playing both kinds of music: Rock and Roll. 1981 have been locked down tight, and that's just the rhythm section. Riffs honed during endless zoom calls. Pecs honed by quarantine press-ups. The Diva's voice honed delivering home-schooling lessons. Amps turned up loud enough to make the internet hum. Drum kit taking more hits than Instagram. We're ready to be released…Hello Law Rocks-apalooza!
The Appeals
Los Angeles
Featuring legal talent from Vega & Rivera, LLP; Perez & Caballero, APC; McNicholas & McNicholas, LLP; Practus, LLP; Law Offices of Patricia Higuera
Rocking for Loyola Immigrant Justice Clinic
Attractive Nuisance
Los Angeles
Starring legal talent from Allen Matkins and Buchalter
Rocking for California Strong
Featuring an appearance by Christian Yelich and Ryan Braun
Attractive Nuisance roared onto the Whisky stage in 2014 for its inaugural Law Rocks! set. The Nuisance won the Judges' Choice Award in 2016 and won both the Saturday night concert and the Judges' Choice Award in 2017, 2019, and 2020. The Nuisance has played gigs all over Southern California, from Agoura Hills to Hermosa Beach. Law Rocks is thrilled that the Nuisance is bringing back its mosh-inspiring sound in support of California Strong, which provides financial and beneficial aid to individuals and groups in California affected by natural disasters or other tragic and extraordinary events.
The Bar Mess
London
Starring legal talent from 2KBW
Rocking for Leukaemia UK
Featuring an appearance by John Thomson
The rock world was turned upside down, spun around, spat out and projected into orbit in November 2012. For that was when The Bar Mess were created. Formed by a gaggle of barristers at 2 King’s Bench Walk (barristers are the ones who dress properly in court by wearing collars and bands, wigs, and gowns), the band consists of Richard, Raph, Pedro and Hutch: 4 Brits but with deep and exotic Chilean and Belgian roots. They ply their rock with a distinctive and deliberate punk attitude and make no apology for doing so (much as others might like them to). Veterans of the London rock scene, they have had a near-decade long residency at the world-famous 100 Club – at least, they have in their minds. They reached their zenith on 22 June 2017; a date etched in rock history and an evening almost frozen in time. That was when they won their particular Law Rocks first-round heat at the umpteenth time of trying. Sadly they’ve never quite scaled those dizzy heights since. Nevertheless they power on enigmatically in their deliciously self-contradictory way: measured and calm off-stage, yet emotionally raw (for which, read ‘shouty’ and ‘brash’) on-stage. Vive Le Mess!
CellarSonic
New York City
Starring legal talent from Wolf Greenfield; Priority 1 Holdings
Rocking for JDRF - Greater New York City Chapter
Featuring an appearance by Mark McGrath
CellarSonic is comprised of Ted Bednarczyk on drums, Brian Lothson on guitar and vocals, and attorneys Greg Kahn on lead guitar and Gabe McCool on bass. The band hails from the coastal Connecticut area. The guys are honored to be a part of Law Rocks-apolooza this December 10th and to be raising money in support of JDRF and Law Rocks. CellarSonic has been fortunate to have rocked both the NYC and LA shows in the last couple of years, with its members having played the NYC show since its inception in 2014, performing over the years as Doc McCool and the Fools, Rocke Lords, and the Wolfpack. In addition, the band’s members have helped raise over $55,000 for non-profits in connection with Law Rocks over the last 6 years and are continually inspired by the amazing work done by both Law Rocks and the non-profits in the Law Rocks family, including JDRF. CellarSonic is drawn to covering great rock songs written and performed by many of the amazing bands from the 80s and 90s, including the Cult, Foo Fighters, Collective Soul, GnR, and Smashing Pumpkins (to name a few!) and in particular, covering lesser known (but nevertheless awesome!) tracks.
The Femme
Salt Lake City
Featuring legal talent from Salt Lake Legal Defenders Association
Rocking for Rock Camp SLC
Started as the brain-child of Talia Keys and Rock Camp SLC, the Femme is a power-group composed of six femme-identifying rockers who cover everything from classic rock to pop and R&B. After debuting at Moab Pride in 2018, the group has gone on to continue to unite forces to raise funds for good causes and non-profits and get people dancing while they do.
Featuring "Step-Daddy" Talia Keys on guitar, bass, drums, and vocals
"Aunt Momma" Hillary McDaniel on bass and drums
"Hot Babysitter" Sofia Scott on guitar
"Uncle Baby" Lindsay Heath on drums, keys, and guitar
"Emo Mom" Kat Kellermeyer on keys, drums, and vocals
"Red-Headed Step-Momma" Elise Lockwood on ukulele and vocals.
Flight Risk
San Francisco
Starring legal talent from Baker Botts
Rocking for Neal Casal Music Foundation
Featuring an appearance by Dave Schools
Formed in the Bay Area during 2020, Flight Risk is Baker Botts’ new house band. With bandmates from a wide variety of musical backgrounds, you can expected the unexpected with a broad range of tunes to keep you in the groove. Flight Risk is proud to support the Neal Casal Music Foundation to provide instruments and lessons to youth musicians and mental health services to musicians in need.
The Latent Defects
San Francisco
Featuring legal talent from Greenberg Traurig
Rocking for The Veterans Consortium (TVC) Pro Bono Program
Formed in 2017, The Latent Defects (f.k.a. Attractive Nuisance) are proud to return at Law Rocks for the third time! Originally formed as one of Greenberg Traurig’s house bands, The LDs now includes a Verein of weekend warriors from four different law firms (Greenberg Traurig, Baker Botts, Perkins Coie, and K&L Gates) all flying a united banner of rock. Whether in-person or virtual, these guys definitely go to 11 and are proud to be supporting the Family Violence Appellate Project (FVAP) for this upcoming event.
Lodestar
Los Angeles
Starring legal talent from Glancy Prongay & Murray
Rocking for Kids In Need of Defense (KIND)
Featuring an appearance by Tommy Lee
Lodestar is a hard rock band that took first place and the Judge’s Choice Award at last year’s Law Rocks concert in Los Angeles. in 2018 they took third place in the Banding Together to End Domestic Violence charity concert at the El Rey Theatre in Los Angeles. Most recently, in 2020, Lodestar took first place in Law Rocks “Best Performance Ever” contest.
Marc Godino, guitarist for Lodestar, is a senior partner at Glancy Prongay & Murray, and along with bassist Daniel Cubert have been playing music together for over 40 years. Combined with drummer Tom Zevin, percussionist/attorney Melissa Wright, and vocalist/attorney Gary Yones, Lodestar promises to deliver a high energy, guitar driven rock experience.
The Meltones
New York City
Starring legal talent from Greenberg Traurig
Rocking for The Veterans Consortium (TVC) Pro Bono Program
Featuring an appearance by TBD
The Meltones, named in honor of Greenberg Traurig’s co-founder, Mel Greenberg, have rocked for decades—proudly earning 6 Law Rocks NY Championships along the way! The Meltones never miss a beat, when given the opportunity to perform in support of a charitable cause and community. The Meltones draw homegrown talent from across GT’s worldwide network, including GT NY’s very own Stephen Rabinowitz (guitar), Tracy Newirth, Ashley LeBlanc, Sylvia Simson (vocals), and Jim Mussen (drums); Original Meltones’ member, Burt Bruton from Miami (bass), joins Chris Cernik from Albany (keys), Tony Hatchett from Atlanta (vocals), Thédoor Melchers from Amsterdam (trombone), and Mark Mattioli from Philadelphia (guitar).
Matthew Umhofer
Los Angeles
Starring legal talent from Spertus, Landes & Umhofer
Rocking for Women Lawyers Association of Los Angeles
Featuring an appearance by Nick Valensi
Matthew Umhofer has spent most of COVID being a cliché by getting a Peloton, scouring the internet for a mask that doesn’t fog his glasses, and watching Marvel movies on an endless loop. He recently mastered both the Renegade and WAP routines for his TikTok account, DadBod2020, which totally does not embarrass his teenage daughters.
For this year’s virtual Law Rocks performance, Matthew is headed to his recording studio in his basement mancave armed with an ironclad excuse for not helping out with homework: “It’s for charity, honey.” He is performing this year in honor of the late, great Notorious RBG, and raising money for the Women Lawyers Association of Los Angeles, which is a far better association than he is a musician.
Noise in the Basement
Washington DC
Starring legal talent from Venable LLP
Rocking for Together We Bake
Featuring an appearance by Bryan Stevenson
Formed in 2012, this three-time DC Law Rocks winner has serious pent up emotion ready to unleash! We isolated from each other for months – not even a Zoom call or immature texts. We lost a few spirited fans for college, i.e., our kids. Our bass player Derek Argust started making paper mache animals. Our lead singer Andy Bucholz rededicated himself to river creek gold mining. Our drummer Alex Sirpis discovered his inner Bob Ross. Guitarist Andy Krakowski explored Montana and trolled Facebook, while lead guitarist Andrew Price got a dog and thought about restarting his solo career. And percussionist Damon Wright succumbed to an unusual addiction, buying Cameo videos for friends. But Law Rocks brought us back together and we’re ready to rock!!! Please support us as we support Together We Bake, a job training and personal empowerment program for women in need!
Pro Hac Vice
Houston
Starring legal talent from Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP, Enterprise Products Partners, L.P. and The Friedkin Group
Rocking for Chance for Hope Foundation
Featuring an appearance by Pauly Shore
The members of Pro Hac Vice joined forces in 2019 for the inaugural Law Rocks Houston event to bring the hits from the most totally awesome era of music. Performing in their first show together as a band, they won the competition as well as the Judges’ Choice Award. The band will be raising money for the Chance for Hope Foundation, a local charity providing support services for children with cancer and their families, and grant funding for pediatric cancer research. Pro Hac Vice is: Mario Barrientos (bass, vocals), Travis Earp (guitar, vocals), Scott Davidson (lead vocals, guitar), John Goodgame (guitar, vocals) and Charlie San Miguel (drums/percussion). Law Rocks-Apalooza will be the band’s second public performance.
Retro-Active
Phoenix
Starring legal talent from General Dynamics Mission Systems; Fennemore Craig; Potomac Law Group
Rocking for Alice Cooper’s Solid Rock Teen Center
Featuring a performance by Alice Cooper and an appearance by Buck Dharma
Devon Engel – bass
Sean Hood – guitar
Mike Rissman – keyboards
Chuck Leyva – drums
Christi Sartin – vocals
Dave Cass - vocals
Retro-Active is a high energy rock & roll cover band playing in the Valley since 2006. Featuring dynamic male and female vocals (and three Valley lawyers!) Retro-Active set lists are full of the songs that make you jump out of your seat to dance and sing along. From Adele to Zeppelin, Journey to Van Halen, Guns n Roses to Velvet Revolver, Boston to Kansas and Toto, Styx to Stones, the Black Crowes to the White Stripes, Aerosmith to Jet, Blue Oyster Cult to the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Heart to Paramore, Alien Ant Farm to Michael Jackson, the Cult to Kravitz, Boston to Bon Jovi, Jefferson Starship to Foreigner, Elle King to Prince, Scandal to Dramarama, Petty to Mellencamp, AC/DC to U2, The Killers to The Knack, Florence + The Machine to No Doubt, Def Leppard to Foo Fighters, Rihanna to Rage Against the Machine, Grace Potter to Greta Van Fleet, Ratt to the Doobie Brothers…you get the picture…
The R-23's
San Francisco
Starring legal talent from Lieff Cabraser Heimann & Bernstein
Rocking for East Bay Community Law Center and Open Door Legal
Featuring an appearance by George Glinton
The verdict is in: Lieff Cabraser's R23s rock! From class action to class act, the R23s reinvent classic rock and roll for the new millennium, and you won't want to miss it. Join Elizabeth Cabraser (Drums, Partner), Anthony McDaniel (Singer, Head of Services), Djuna Gray (Bass, Paralegal), Mark Chalos (Keyboards, Partner), Phong Nguyen (Guitar, Glockenspiel, Singer, Partner), Melissa Gardner (Flute, Singer, Partner), and Jordan Elias (Saxophone) as they dazzle and delight in support of East Bay Community Law Center and Open Door Legal.
Shotgun Margarita
London
Starring legal talent from Nuix / Alvarez and Marsal
Rocking for Variety, the Children’s Charity
Featuring an appearance by Tony Hatch
This is a band that breaks the rules of Rock and Roll. I mean, for the last few years it’s been one man and his little guitar...
Now there is a full band made up of people who make it their lives to support lawyers and also play covers of covers of covers.
Shotgun Margarita - Where the drinks probably won’t be on us.
Starstruck
London
Featuring legal talent from Mishcon de Reya
Rocking for Charles Dickens Museum
Featuring an audio performance by Guy Pratt and an appearance by Miriam Margolyes
These Rawckers represent an age-old tale of musical boom and bust. You might just recognise some of the band from their heyday, almost a decade ago, when they bossed the UK’s Law Rocks! scene. Back then, performing as The Enlightened Tenacitists, and with performances brimming with energy and swagger, it seemed that no UK amateur professional services title was beyond their reach. But the success, followed by a cliché of other vices, went straight to their heads and, just as quickly as their reputation blossomed, it withered and disappeared without trace.
But lockdown has cleaned them up and flushed them out, and so here they are again, digitally remastered and virtually rejuvenated as “Starstruck” and ready to rock’n’roll the dice one more time.
With the band's bassist having fallen foul of logistical hurdles, Starstruck have had to rope in a last minute celebrity replacement - with Pink Floyd, Madonna, Michael Jackson, Roxy Music and Robert Palmer on his CV, and having opened for David Bowie on a stadium tour, there isn’t much this Guy doesn’t know about low notes...but, as with all good pros, he’s still learning and who better to teach him how really to keep time than a bunch of late night lawyers…
The Stragglers
London
Starring legal talent from CMS
Rocking for Duchenne UK
Featuring an appearance by Justin Hawkins
Paul Smith (Vocals & Keys) honed his vocal skills shouting at his four kids. He started out on keys but switched to guitar when he realised that sitting at the piano stool prevented him from dancing like a pig farmer. He has since moved back to keys, having realised that his “moves” aren’t much appreciated outside the farmyard. The set list has improved since he was stopped from choosing songs. Paul proves two immutable truths: coming from Liverpool does not make you a Beatle; but it does make you think you're one.
Jon Dames (Guitar) grew up on the mean streets of Nottingham dodging small arms fire. Learnt to "play" guitar by twanging on a solitary line of barbed wire running along the wall at the back of his parents' council house. Usually sounds like he's still doing just that. He has a face for radio, which is a shame because it's extremely unlikely any station would want to spin any record he played on.
Marcus Barclay (Drums) invented the stereotype about drummers being people who hang around with musicians. Despite only having to remember to bring himself and his sticks, usually turns up at band practices and asks if anyone has sticks he can borrow. And whether anyone has seen the drummer. Deep pockets, short arms. Not quick to the bar.
Nathan Smith (Bass) "completes" the band, but not in the Jerry Maguire sense. Of Liverpudlian descent. Liverpool has, of course, produced many fine bass players. Nathan isn't one of them. Hired solely as eye candy, he has at least improved the appearance of the band and lowers the average age by a couple of decades. Spends a lot of time talking about what he played and how he played it. When others are quizzed on the point they almost invariably say: "there's a bass player in the band?"
It shouldn't work ... and most of the time it doesn't. They are “The Stragglers” from CMS.