Greenberg Traurig has gained a notable lateral attorney by the name of Jack McBride. McBride has joined the firm New York arm as a Shareholder. He specializes in corporate and finance, but also entertainment and media law in particular. Prior to joining Greenberg Traurig, McBride was a partner at Katten Muchin Rosenman LLP.
Source: www.earthtimes.org
Tags: Greenberg Traurig LLP | New York
John Bellinger III is joining Arnold & Porter as a partner starting April 13. He has served in the George W. Bush administration. He spent those 8 years as a senior associate White House counsel. The last time Bellinger worked at a law firm, was 16 years ago when he worked at Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale and Dorr. He will work out of the Washington office.
Source: www.legaltimes.typepad.com
Foley & Lardner has lost three partners from its bankruptcy practice to Patton Boggs. Michael Richman, the former firm’s bankruptcy foreman is now destined to chair Patton’s bankruptcy practice. He will be based out of the New York office, while partners Mark Salzberg and Erika Morabito will be stationed out of the Washington office.
Source: www.nylj.com
Tags: Squire Patton Boggs | New York
Two firms have stepped forward and taken in lawyers from Wolf Block, soon to be non-existent. Duane Morris hired 24 of its attorneys and 30 went to Cozen O’Connor. More than half of Wolf Block’s 290 attorneys have relocated to new firms only a mere two weeks after the firm announced its closing.
Source: www.bizjournals.com
The word on the (wall) street is that “green real estate” is only going to get increasingly popular. The term represents buildings and homes that are environmentally friendly. This boom, which coincides with the expansion of environmental building regulations, is luckily resulting in more work for environmental and construction lawyers. Green construction litigation and product liability are both expected to increase.
Source: http://www.nylj.com/nylawyer/news/09/04/040609r.html
Some firms are not following the downward trend in all areas of law firm life. For instance, a few U.S. law firms did not follow the downward spiral of merger and acquisition deals worldwide. The value of reported deals fell 29.4 percent, from $578 billion in the first quarter of 2008, to $408 billion in the first quarter of 2009. Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom jumped from third place to first place, with $169 billion dollars in M&A deals. Wachtell made a drastic move from 21st place to 2nd place, with a total of nine deals totaling almost $125 billion dollars.
Source: http://www.nylj.com/nylawyer/news/09/04/040609h.html
SJ Berwin has launched an office in Dubai, less than a month after opening its Hong Kong office. Tim Taylor and Benjamin Aller, who up to now stationed in London and Paris, respectively, are moving to the Dubai office. Taylor focuses on litigation, while Aller does mostly private equity fund formation. Expanding into Asia and the Middle East is a big step for SJ Berwin; previously, the firm concentrated on expanding in Europe.
Source: http://www.thelawyer.com/1000307.article
Tags: Berwin Leighton Paisner LLP | Dubai
Atlanta now has claim over another law firm, that of Barnes & Thornburg. The firm opens its 8th office with lateral attorneys, Stuart C. Johnson and Jason A. Bernstein. They join from Bryan Cave Powell Goldstein’s Atlanta office. Managing Partner Alan Levin reported the office will be actively recruiting lateral attorneys, with the goal of being a full-service law firm.
Source: www.indystar.com
Tags: Barnes & Thornburg LLP
Andrew N. Vollmer, previously deputy general counsel of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, rejoined Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale & Dorr. Vollmer joins the Washington office as partner. He will focus his practice on securities law. Vollmer left Wilmer in 2006.
Source: www.nylj.com
Some firms are creating programs that lend junior lawyers to public interest practices with the intent minimizing layoff numbers, while giving these attorneys some experience. Sidley Austin LLP, Latham & Watkins, and Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe are a few of the firms with such a program. Latham & Watkins offered its incoming associates a salary of $75,000 for doing community service work for one year, and thus delaying their start dates until October 2010. Orrick has done something similar, in that the firm has asked about 70 third year students, who were previously promised jobs, to defer for year, or take on a fellowship in public service for a year.
Source: www.latimes.com
