Top litigation firm Heller Ehrman has hit a rough patch. After the recent lay-offs which resulted in a loss of 65 staff members, two partners and four associates have left the firm for Orrick, Herrington and Sutcliffe. Leading the group is Patricia Gillette, previously co-chairwoman of Heller Ehrman’s Labor & Employment group.
Source: www.nylawyer.com
Monthly Archives: October 2007
Reluctant Firm Boosts First Year Pay
Although law firm Cozen O’Connor stated earlier this year that they had no intention of joining the first-year salary hike craze, they have just announced that they will boost first-year annual pay for attorneys in their Philadelphia office by $10,000 to $135,000. The pay hike will become affective January 1.
Source: www.nylawyer.com
Dallas Firm Shuts Down
Dallas firm Gwinn & Roby has closed its doors. The defense firm once housed 200 attorneys in three offices throughout Texas. Source blame HB 4, a tort reform measure set in 2003, for the downfall of the firm.
Source: www.texaslawyer.com
Philadelphia IP Group Forms Boutique
An intellectual property group that joined Akin Gump’s Philadelphia office eight years ago will split off and form a boutique. The group consists of approximately 20 attorneys led by managing partner Ronald Panitch. The separation is affective January 1.
Source: www.bizjournals.com
Thelen Reid Naps Patent Partner from Weil Gotshal
Thelen Reid Brown Raysman & Steiner LLP has announced the hire of Steven Rizzi to its Patent Litigation practice in New York. Rizzi most recently worked as partner for Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP and has represented such clients as News Corporation, DirecTV, NDS Ltd., and The Walt Disney Company.
Source: www.prnewswire.com
Texas Firm Expands Westward
Lanier Law Firm, a litigation firm based out of Houston, has announced the opening of a Los Angeles office. The firm, which opened a New York office in 2005, has placed counsel Shepard Hoffman and associate Julie Drenner in the West Coast branch.
Source: texaslawyer.typepad.com
Firm Divides Second Years
Chapman and Cutler, a Chicago based law firm, has announced an innovative salary strategy. While they have boosted first-year salaries to $160,000, second-year associates will have a decision to make. There will be two salary brackets; one will pay a higher rate and expect attorneys to work longer hours, and one will have a lower hour requirement and a corresponding lower salary. Neither the hour-requirements nor the salaries have been released.
Source: www.nlj.com
Fried Frank Opens Shanghai Branch
Fried Frank Harris Shriver & Jacobson has announced the opening of a new branch in Shanghai.Michael Hickman, who previously headed the firm’s Hong Kong branch, will be managing partner of the new office, which will house five attorneys.
Source: www.legalweek.com
Powell Goldstein Loses Partners to Ropes & Gray
Powell Goldstein has announced the departure of four health care partners. Larry Gage, Nathan Brown, Barbara Eyman, and Charles Luband have moved from the firm’s Washington DC office to that of Ropes & Gray. Gage joins as partner while the rest join as counsels.
Source: legaltimes.typepad.com
Weil Gosthal Opens Hong Kong Office
Weil, Gotshal, & Manges has announced that it plans to open a new office in Hong Kong later this month. The office will specialize in transactional practice and is designed to work in tandem with the firms already established Shanghai office. The firm also has plans to open an office in Beijing.
Source: lawfuel.com
