LOS ANGELES, Oct. 29, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Kaplan Kirsch LLP, a national law firm focused on infrastructure, transportation, energy and related sectors, today announced the addition of Anna Hermelin as partner, Shmel Graham as senior counsel and Rosie Rios as a junior team member, establishing a three-person team in the firm’s new Los Angeles office and significantly expanding its capabilities in infrastructure project delivery, alternative delivery models and public policy.
The new Los Angeles team establishes Kaplan Kirsch’s fifth U.S. office and marks the latest step in the firm’s evolution into a broader national infrastructure platform, now comprising 65 attorneys. Hermelin joins from global law firm Ashurst with 18 years of experience advising on major infrastructure projects across the United States, Europe and Asia, while Graham, also joining from Ashurst, brings deep experience at the intersection of transportation, government, public policy and complex contracting in Southern California. Together with Rios, the firm has established a growing local team positioned to serve clients across the region and nationally.
“Anna and Shmel are significant additions because of what their experience allows us to offer our clients,” said Bob Randall, managing partner at Kaplan Kirsch LLP. “Anna brings a global perspective on project delivery, while Shmel understands how major projects move through the public-sector and policy environment in Los Angeles. Together, they add a deeper bench of expertise to our national team working across transportation, energy, environmental, real estate and public policy.”
Hermelin is a nationally recognized infrastructure attorney whose practice spans the structuring, financing, procurement and delivery of complex transportation and social infrastructure. She has advised public agencies, private-sector bidders and funders across three continents on major rail and transit expansions, airports, roadways, energy and social infrastructure, with experience across delivery models including P3s, progressive design-build, design-build and CM/GC/CMAR. As a reflection of the prominence of her work, Hermelin is individually ranked for Projects: PPP in both Chambers Global and Chambers USA.
At Kaplan Kirsch, that global project delivery experience complements a team with deep knowledge of the U.S. regulatory and public-sector landscape. Nearly half of the firm’s attorneys have prior government experience, including senior positions across federal, state and local government.
“Kaplan Kirsch provides me with the opportunity to bring the lessons and experience I’ve gained in the U.S. and internationally to a team with tremendous depth in transportation, government and regulation,” said Anna Hermelin, partner at Kaplan Kirsch. “That combination gives us a broader perspective on the challenges that determine whether complex infrastructure projects move forward successfully.”
Graham will work across the firm’s Projects Funding and Delivery, Rail and Transit, and Government and Public Policy practices. A Los Angeles native, she advises organizations on infrastructure and operational initiatives, strategic contracts, third-party relationships and government contracting.
“California is a place where infrastructure, government and community priorities are constantly intersecting,” said Shmel Graham, senior counsel at Kaplan Kirsch. “I’m excited to bring my experience here to a firm that understands both the legal issues and the broader environment required to move complex projects forward.”
Their arrival comes at a significant moment for infrastructure investment in Southern California. LA Metro alone is delivering a capital program exceeding $35 billion, while Los Angeles County is accelerating infrastructure development ahead of the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games. For Kaplan Kirsch, the new office creates a stronger local presence in that work while giving clients nationally access to the experience and lessons emerging from one of the country’s largest infrastructure markets.
“Infrastructure project delivery depends on the contributions of experienced, passionate, and collaborative professionals, and we are therefore thrilled to welcome Anna, Shmel, and Rosie to Kaplan Kirsch, each of whom reflect these qualities in spades. Together we share a passion for helping clients navigate challenges on major infrastructure projects using a team-first approach that emphasizes the shared, public benefits of success,” said Adam Giuliano, partner at Kaplan Kirsch, based in New York and co-leader of the firm’s Projects Funding and Delivery practice.
To learn more about Kaplan Kirsch, visit www.kaplankirsch.com.
About Kaplan Kirsch
Kaplan Kirsch LLP is a national law firm focused on helping public entities and other stakeholders navigate the legal, regulatory and practical challenges involved in developing, delivering and operating major infrastructure systems, programs and projects. Founded in 2003, the firm includes 65 attorneys across offices in Denver, Los Angeles, New York City, San Francisco and Washington, D.C. Kaplan Kirsch advises clients across transportation, infrastructure, energy, environmental, tribal, real estate, land use and public policy matters, bringing together multidisciplinary legal experience and firsthand knowledge of federal, state and local government. Projects That Keep Life Moving®.
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