Luce Forward Has Big Plans for 2009

Luce, Forward, Hamilton & Scripps spent half a year creating a plan to improve reputation and increase numbers in their California offices – Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Orange County. This may seem like a typical aim for most law firms, and yet the intended magnitude will require that the firm’s managing partner concentrate solely on leading and no longer on practicing law. As of January 1st, partner Kurt Kicklighter will lead the firm through the next five years. Currently, Luce, Forward focuses mainly on real estate, trusts and estates, and insurance. But, by 2011, the firm plans to makes its presence known in other practice areas, such as labor and employment and intellectual property litigation.

 

Source:  www.law.com

Tags:  Los Angeles

Bankruptcy Makes Business For Lawyers

The increase in bankruptcies can be well represented by the following: bankruptcy filings by businesses in Florida’s Middle District has increased by 122 percent. Firms must act accordingly by adding to their bankruptcy groups with either current associates or hiring newbies/laterals. It can be assumed that more of the same will continue in 2009.

 

Source:  www.tampabay.bizjournals.com

Thacher Proffitt to Close Its Doors

Thacher Proffitt is planning closing its doors in 2009. The mortgage crisis really hurt its structured finance practice. Many other factors aided in the demise of the 160 year old firm. Attempts at merging were not successful; about 100 of its lawyers, including 40 partners, left Thacher for Sonnenschein. About 95 lawyers were left in the dust of the aftermath. Thacher Proffitt’s partners made an average of $1 million in 2007, a devastatingly 22 percentage decrease.

 

Source: www.bloomberg.com

Baker & McKenzie Wins Environmental Award

Baker & McKenzie was voted Best Law Firm of the Year (in three out of five categories) in the Environmental Finance and Carbon Finance’s market survey. The firm received the best firm title in the following categories: GHG Emissions Voluntary Markets, Kyoto Project Credits, and Australasian Markets. Baker placed runner-up in two other categories: EU Emissions Trading Scheme and North American Mandatory Markets.

 

Source: www.lawfuel.com

Tags:  Baker & McKenzie LLP

Slammed in HK / Additional Allowances for Children

 

Robert here, writing from Hong Kong, where Robert and I are slammed all week. I just now managed to break away from some clients we were having drinks with at Sevva to get on a computer and quickly punch out a new post. I plan to meet these same clients at another location in about 30 minutes, so am typing quickly.

It has been an extremely busy time for us in Asia recently, as there is a lot of pending partner movement in HK / China and we are representing a number of such senior attorneys. We have made a few US associate placements in Asia in the past two weeks, but associate hiring is falling significantly.

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Slammed in HK / Additional Allowances for Children

 

Robert here, writing from Hong Kong, where Robert and I are slammed all week. I just now managed to break away from some clients we were having drinks with at Sevva to get on a computer and quickly punch out a new post. I plan to meet these same clients at another location in about 30 minutes, so am typing quickly.

It has been an extremely busy time for us in Asia recently, as there is a lot of pending partner movement in HK / China and we are representing a number of such senior attorneys. We have made a few US associate placements in Asia in the past two weeks, but associate hiring is falling significantly.

More >>

Tags:  Asia | Hong Kong

Skadden Loses Only Sao Paulo Partner

Skadden Arps Slate Meagher & Flom has lost its only Sao Paulo partner. Jonathan Bisgaier is leaving at the end of the year for Banking and Trading Group (BTG). With Bisgaier’s departure, the Sao Paulo office will be left with seven associates. Partner Paul Schnell will take over Bisgaier’s position of leading the Sao Paulo office, but will continue to be based in New York.

 

Source: www.thelawyer.com

Tags:  Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom, LLP | Sao Paulo

Basic US Tax Issues in Asia, Middle East and Russia

 

Robert here, writing from Hong Kong, where we just made two more US associate placements last week and expect another one this week. I just arrived back in Hong Kong late last night, after a family holiday in Bali, and planned to return to US today, but a couple of pending partner level placements in Asia by our team has caused a stay in Hong Kong for another 10 days. Robert is heading back here on Friday. Before Bali, Robert and / or I had been in Tokyo and Hong Kong all of November, for the usual meetings with firms and candidates. Actually, you can catch a photo during my last week in Hong Kong in Sunday’s NY Times: Lawyers Wanted, Abroad That Is

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Basic US Tax Issues in Asia, Middle East and Russia

Robert here, writing from Hong Kong, where we just made two more US associate placements last week and expect another one this week. I just arrived back in Hong Kong late last night, after a family holiday in Bali, and planned to return to US today, but a couple of pending partner level placements in Asia by our team has caused a stay in Hong Kong for another 10 days. Robert is heading back here on Friday. Before Bali, Robert and / or I had been in Tokyo and Hong Kong all of November, for the usual meetings with firms and candidates. Actually, you can catch a photo during my last week in Hong Kong in Sunday’s NY Times: Lawyers Wanted, Abroad That Is

More >>

Tags:  Asia | Hong Kong

Chadbourne Making Big Changes in Moscow

Chadbourne & Parke boosts its Moscow office with the hires of Olga Koniuhova and Jeff Browne and the transfer of current partner Jennifer Handz. Handz moves from the London to the Moscow office to focus on bank restructuring and various other banking/finance matters. New to the firm, Olga Koniuhova, joins from PricewaterhouseCoopers in Moscow. Her vast experience in mergers and acquisitions and other corporate matters will greatly aid the office. She joins as counsel. Also new to the Chadbourne’s Moscow office is Jeff Browne, who joins as a senior banking associate. He comes from Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer.

Source: www.marketwatch.com

Tags:  Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer LLP | Moscow