Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton LLP has hired Brian Weimer as a partner in Washington D.C.  Weimer joins the firm’s Corporate and Communications group.  He focuses on telecommunications law, specifically on satellite, broadcasting, and wireless industries.  Weimer received a J.D. in 1995 from Georgetown University.

Source:  www.wireless.sys-con.com

The Harrisburg, Pa., office of Wolf Block has been acquired by Eckert Seamans Cherin & Mellott.  All but one of the nine partners are making the move.  Dan Schulder is joining Cozen O’Connor with the rest of the Wolf Block tax group that already made the move.  Three associates are also jumping aboard of Eckert Seamans.

Source:  www.triangle.bizjournals.com

Miller, Canfield, Paddock and Stone has launched its seventh international office.  The firm has one office in Shanghai, two in Canada, three in Poland, and now one in Monterrey Mexico.  The firm explained in a press release that Monterrey was chosen as its first office in Mexico, because it is the country’s automotive manufacturing and business center.  

Source:  www.law.com

Milbank Tweed Hadley & McCloy has created a new practice group in the London office:  commercial litigation.  The firm hired a new attorney, Julian Stait from DLA Piper, to go along with the new practice field.  This brings Milbank’s London office up to 13 partners.

Source:  www.thelawyer.com

Yet another partner has dumped Clifford Chance for another.  Brynn Peltz is leaving her position as a partner in Clifford’s corporate department to join Latham & Watkins.  She focuses on aiding financial institutions, private equity and hedge funds.  Prior to joining Clifford Chance, Peltz was with Simpson Thatcher & Bartlett.  

Source:  www.legalweek.com

Hildebrandt Peer Monitor has collected data from 100 firms, 35 from the Am Law 100, 35 from the Am Law 200 and 30 from the NLJ 250. Their study has concluded that San Francisco has fared much better during the recession than many other big cities.  In the first quarter of 2009, demand for legal services fell 8 percent, compared to the same period last year.  New York’s legal service need dropped a total of 9.5 percent.  Los Angeles saw an 8 percent decrease.  San Francisco, however, demand for legal services only dropped 1 percent.  These figures are calculated with the use of the firms’ billable hours.  The demands for various practice areas were also calculated.  Bankruptcy grew by 13 percent.  M&A became a bigger demand by 2 percent.  Litigation remained the same, and every other practice field decreased in demand.  For instance, general corporate work decreased an outstanding 14 percent.  Real estates is down by 20 percent.  It is unclear as of yet, why San Francisco has weathered the economic decline so well.

Source:  www.law.com

Perkins Coie has laid off 12 attorneys and 26 staff workers.  The firm will continue to provide health insurance for nine months to those people let go.  Perkins Coie announced that these cuts were necessary because of the challenging economic climate.

Source:  www.abajournal.com

Cozen O’Connor recently hired Albert J. Pinzon, previously a partner with Stroock & Stroock & Lavan LLP.  Pinzon practices corporate law.  He received his Juris Doctor from Syracuse University College of Law in 1989.

Source:  www.anotherfp.com

Ian Gershengorn, currently with Jenner & Block, will be the next deputy assistant attorney general in the Justice Civil Division.  Gershengorn is currently a member of the firm’s litigation group and a partner of the firm.  He starts his new position on April 27^th.

Source:  www.legaltimes.typad.com