Eight lawyers from Thelen Reid Brown Raysman & Steiner have been recruited by Winston & Strawn to join its New York office. The group of attorneys is led by former vice chairman and litigation chief of Thelen Reid & Priest, Michael Elkin. Elkin primarly deals with copyright and other intellectual property issues within the entertainment, luxury goods, technology and financial industries. Chicago-based firm Winston & Strawn has about 150 lawyers in its NY office.
Source: www.law.com
Fort Worth, TX-based firm Kelly, Hart & Hallman will be opening an office in Houston within the next few months. Two Houston partners from Vinson & Elkins, along with former Enron Corp. general counsel James V. Derrick Jr. and Kelly Hart partner J. Clark Martin, will open the new office. Representatives from Kelly Hart claimed a friendly relationship between the two firms; Vinson & Elkins’ management declined comment. The new Houston office has room to grow, with space for 15 attorneys.
Source: www.law.com
Former vice-presidential candidate Geraldine A. Ferraro has joined Blank Rome’s government relations group in New York. Ferraro was previously handling public relations work and lobbying as managing director of Global Consulting Group, a communications and public relations consulting firm. For Blank Rome, she will lead seminars and speak with clients, along with tackling various other projects. Ferraro’s experience as an ambassador to the United Nations Human Rights Commission and thus her wide international influence, are assets to the firm.
Source: www.law.com
Jenkens & Gilchrist of Dallas, TX is reported to have been talking with Hunton & Williams management about a number of lawyers from Jenkens’ Dallas office relocating to Hunton & Williams’ Dallas office. Currently, Jenkens’ Dallas office houses most of the firm’s lawyers, 140 of 251 attorneys in six cities across the country. One of the largest firms in Texas, Jenkens’ management assures that the firm is talking with several firms, and refuses to confirm rumors of negotiation with Hunton. Hunton & Williams is based out of Richmond, VA, and boasts 875 attorneys in 18 offices worldwide; management from this firm would not comment either.
Source: www.law.com
Chicago-based firm, Sonnenschein Nath & Rosenthal, is looking to expand through lateral hiring. Key to the plan is Kara Baysinger, the firm’s newly appointed lateral acquisition partner, and a lateral hire to the firm herself. Developed by longtime chairman Duane Quaini, Sonnenschein’s strategic plan involves reaching $1.4 million in profits per equity partner by 2008 (from the current $800,000). The firm’s goal of growth will primarily be achieved through lateral recruiting. Demonstrated by the May 2006 acquisition of Phoenix powerhouse Richard Ross, the firm will not shy away from even opening offices in unlikely places in order to gain lawyers with large and valuable practices.
Source: www.law.com
