Gordon Rees Scully Mansukhani continues its strong 2026 hiring momentum with the addition of six lateral partners, Aram Afsharian, Melissa Bickel, Ian Bausback, John Eustermann, Rachel Mandelberg, and Michelle Watkins, in its Northern California offices. Their extensive experience and diverse practice areas strengthen the firm’s capabilities in Northern California and nationwide.
“Growth like this is a reflection of the strength of the firm and the opportunities our platform creates for both attorneys and clients,” said Mollie Burks, Regional Oversight Partner of GRSM’s Northern California offices. “These six attorneys bring outstanding experience, strong client relationships, and a collaborative mindset that will further enhance our presence across Northern California.”
Afsharian focuses his practice on healthcare litigation, regulatory compliance, and government and internal investigations. He has more than ten years of experience handling high-stakes complex litigation and regulatory matters across both private practice and in-house settings. He is admitted to practice in California.
Bickel is a seasoned attorney with more than 25 years of legal experience spanning both defense and plaintiff-side personal injury matters, as well as public sector representation. She began her career as a personal injury defense attorney, where she served as sole trial counsel in ten automobile-related cases, securing favorable verdicts in each. She is admitted to practice in California.
Bausback focuses his practice on complex litigation, investigations, and regulatory and compliance matters. He has significant experience handling all aspects of case workup for commercial disputes in California state and federal courts, including discovery, motion practice, depositions, hearings, and trial preparation. He is admitted to practice in California.
Eustermann has more than three decades of experience across the full clean-energy spectrum, as both a partner with a nationally-recognized firm and as general counsel for several industry-leading companies, all with a focus on clean-energy and sustainable agriculture. He has spent these years advising developers, suppliers, off-takers, and financiers on projects ranging from waste-to-energy and biomass to solar, wind, geothermal, and nuclear. He is admitted to practice in California, Oregon, and Washington.
Mandelberg focuses her practice on the defense of tort liability claims, including personal injury, elder abuse and neglect, wrongful death, and civil rights matters. She represents nonprofit and public entities, healthcare and human services providers, and business entities. She is admitted to practice in California, the U.S. District Court for the Central and Eastern Districts of California, and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit.
Watkins has established a strong reputation for defending complex litigation across California on behalf of government entities and clients in the construction, transportation, and manufacturing sectors. Her experience in high-exposure cases spans catastrophic injuries and fatalities to construction defects, premises liability, and environmental issues. She is admitted to practice in California.
Learn more about GRSM’s offices nationwide and the exciting remote and hybrid opportunities in Northern California and across the firm’s 50-state platform.