Camille Vasquez was an associate in the Irvine office of Brown Rudnick LLC who, as one national publication reported, “became a breakout star” as the lead attorney for Johnny Depp’s winning defamation verdict against Amber Heard.
Vasquez, a graduate of USC in 2006 and Southwestern Law School in 2010, was promoted to partner last week.
“We are delighted to welcome Camille to the partnership,” William Baldiga, chairman and CEO of Brown Rudnick, said in a statement. “Historically, we have reserved this announcement for the end of our fiscal year. But Camille’s performance during the Johnny Depp trial proved to the world that she was ready to take this next step now.
“We are incredibly proud of her and look forward to what she will accomplish as our newest partner.”
Vasquez, who reportedly is being wooed by Hollywood talent agents as well as competing law firms, said she’s delighted Brown Rudnick “has given me its full vote of confidence.”
Irvine Co., which ranks No. 6 among OC’s Largest Private Companies according to this week’s Business Journal list, has found success finding tenants for its newest office developments, Spectrum Terrace and Innovation Office Park, luring names like Apple, Amazon and others to lease large chunks of space, if not entire buildings.
The landlord touts the new buildings’ design and numerous workplace amenities, but a recent study in the Wall Street Journal suggests the Spectrum-area offices’ proximity to workers might be their best-selling point.
Eight of the 10 major cities with the biggest drop in office occupancy during the pandemic had an average one-way commute of more than 30 minutes in 2019, reported a May 31 WSJ report, citing data gleaned from U.S. Census Bureau data and building-access company Kastle Systems.
On the other hand, six of the 10 cities with the smallest drop in office occupancy over the same time have average commutes of less than 30 minutes, the WSJ report said.
OC wasn’t specified in the report, which highlighted 24 metro regions; the market counts a total vacancy rate in the 16% range (though actual occupancy is much lower) and is improving of late, according to area brokerage data.
See Kim Stemper’s story on this page for details on the inaugural Celebration of Heroes awards gala that was held on April 30; the event was the brainchild of longtime area philanthropists Doug Freeman and Charlie Zhang, each of whom are major backers of Orange County Music and Dance.
The event honored 13 scientists whose work stood out during the pandemic, among them Philip Felgner, director of UCI’s Vaccine Research and Development Center, and a Business Journal Innovator of the Year Award winner in 2021.
A well-worthy future Celebration of Heroes winner would be South Coast Medical Group’s Dr. John Cheng, a member of the Greater Newport Physicians and MemorialCare family. He died while saving others during the May 15 shooting at Laguna Woods Geneva Presbyterian Church.
Outside of his clinic, he volunteered at local high schools and was medical director for the health center at Soka University.
“His heroism saved so many people NOT only at that church but throughout his career,” notes a GoFundMe page set up for his family.
Consider donating, at memorialcare.org/JohnCheng.
