Checking In: November 25, 2025

Compiled by Jessica Junqueira

Baker Donelson Adds New Shareholder

John David “J.D.” Koesters has joined Baker Donelson as a shareholder. He will practice in the Government Enforcement and Investigations Group. Koesters previously served as an Assistant United States Attorney. He advises organizations and individuals navigating internal investigations, False Claims Act allegations, government enforcement actions, complex litigation and cybersecurity risks. While serving as an Assistant U.S. attorney, Koesters led multi-agency investigations into transnational criminal operations. Koesters also served as a U.S. Army Judge Advocate, in which he counseled cyber protection teams and completed a combat tour in Afghanistan. He received the Bronze Star for his military service in Operation Enduring Freedom. Koesters is a Certified Information Privacy Professional. He received his law degree from Wake Forest University School of Law and his bachelor’s degree from the University of Tennessee.

Poyner Spruill Announces New Attorneys

Paul Cox is experienced in election law, campaign finance issues, complex litigation and regulatory advice and policy. He previously was General Counsel to the North Carolina State Board of Elections and Special Deputy Attorney General at the North Carolina Department of Justice. He served as a clerk to Raymond Fisher of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. Prior to becoming an attorney, he worked as a public relations professional and policy aide for federal political campaigns and elected officials. He holds a law degree from the University of California Berkeley School of Law and a bachelor’s degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Emily Steele works with institutional investors, developers and nonprofit organizations in acquisitions, dispositions and joint ventures. She assists clients in matters such as commercial real estate projects, which include drafting purchase and sale agreements, preparing closing checklists and conducting title, survey, and zoning reviews. She holds a law degree from Wake Forest University School of Law. While in law school, she was the managing editor of the Wake Forest Journal of Business and Intellectual Property. She received a bachelor’s degree from North Carolina State University.

Smith Anderson Welcomes Partner, Attorney

Robin Tatum has joined the Land Use and Zoning Practice group as a partner. Tatum is a land use litigator. She has over 30 years of experience representing local governments, private businesses and developers throughout North Carolina. She has served as lead counsel in state and federal court. She assists clients in matters of complex land use, zoning and land development. She has worked in private practice; she also served as city attorney for Raleigh and Asheville. She was appointed as a municipal representative on a drafting committee that rewrote the North Carolina General Statutes related to land use and zoning. She holds a law degree, summa cum laude, from North Carolina Central University Law School, where she was the valedictorian. She received a master’s degree and a bachelor’s degree from North Carolina State University.

Catherine Hill joined the Land Use and Zoning Practice group. She previously served as an attorney for the City of Asheville (2014-2018) and the City of Raleigh (2018-2025). She has over ten years of experience helping clients in zoning, land use and regulatory issues across North Carolina. She serves as the 2025-2026 chair of the North Carolina Bar Association’s Zoning, Planning & Land Use Section. She received her law degree from Campbell Law School and her bachelor’s degree from North Carolina State University.

Attorney Joins Young Moore

Marlene “Marlo” Donato Kalb is now an associate attorney with the firm. She focuses on state and local tax controversy and long-term care litigation. Kalb is fluent in Spanish. She received her law degree from the University of North Carolina School of Law in 2025. While in law school, she served on the North Carolina Civil Rights Law Review and was co-president of the National Lawyers Guild Chapter. She also holds a master of Public Health from UNC’s Gillings School of Global Public Health and a bachelor’s degree, cum laude, from Boston University.