Neil Micklethwaite, a litigation partner at Bingham McCutchen, has left his firm to open a human rights litigation boutique with his friend and former colleague Roger Gherson. This moves raises some questions about Bingham McCutchen; what was a human rights attorney doing at a financial law firm? It seems Micklethwaite was a financial attorney at Bingham McCutchen, but his heart just wasn’t in it. A source at Bingham McCutchen didn’t seem that upset to see Micklethwaite go, and said that he’s much better off elsewhere.
Source: www.thelawyer.com
Hollywood Attorney Switches Firms
Michael Garfinkely, formerly of Rintala, Smoot, Jeanicke & Rees, has joined Venable’s Los Angeles office. Garfinkely, a litigator who specializes in entertainment and property law, represents entertainment companies such as William Morris Agency Inc. and International Creative Management Inc.. Previously, Garfinkely has worked for Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman with Douglas Emhoff, partner-in-charge of Venable’s Los Angeles office. In 2005, Garfinkely represent the author of the book upon which the film “Who Framed Roger Rabbit” was based in a suit against Walt Disney Co. concerning gross receipts.
Source: www.nylawyer.com
Sutherland Gains Litigation Partner in Houston
Sutherland Asbill & Brennan has recruited top litigation partner, Rachel Giesber Clingman, for its Houston office. Formerly employed with Fulbright & Jaworski, Clingman will be the Co-Partner-in-Charge of the Houston office as well as the head of a national business litigation group. Clingman handles energy and environmental litigation, and was named as one of the five top Women in Energy by EnergyLaw360. Sutherland is dedicated in its efforts to expand its Texas energy practice; the Houston office has also added talent in other practices such as banking, real estate, and immigration. The firm has offices in Atlanta, Austin, Houston, New York, Tallahassee and Washington.
Source: www.lawfuel.com
IP Attorney Joins Winston & Strawn
Intellectual property attorney, Raymond Van Dyke, has left Nixon Peabody to join Winston & Strawn in its D.C. office. Van Dyke’s practice focuses on IP and technology counseling, procurement, licensing and litigation in federal courts and the U.S. International Trade Commission. His clients work in a variety of fields such as biotechnology, pharmaceutical, telecommunications, Internet and financial services. Winston & Strawn employs more than 850 lawyers in nine offices.
Source: www.bizjournals.com
ABA Urges Law Firms to Discard Mandatory Retirement Policies
In Monday’s meeting of the American Bar Association’s House of Delegates, the 413,000-member organization agreed that law firms should rethink their mandatory retirement policies. These sorts of policies violate age discrimination laws in place in most every other workplace. The ABA recommends that instead of age-determined retirement policies, firms should consider senior partners’ performance levels when evaluating their future with the firm. According to a 2005 study, 57 percent of law firms with 100 or more attorneys have a mandatory retirement age, which usually ranges from 65 to 75.
Source: www.law.com
IP Lateral Attorney Hired by Sutherland
David Wigley has joined Sutherland Asbill & Brennan’s Atlanta office. The IP attorney joins as Counsel resident, and will focus his practice on securing, maintaining and enforcing intellectual property rights for domestic and foreign companies. Wigley has a Ph.D. in Chemistry, and he has done work in the life scienes, chemical, and pharmaceutical sectors. Sutherland now has 49 IP attorneys, 26 of whom are members of the Patent Bar, and 6 of whom have Ph.Ds.
Source: www.atlanta.dbusinessnews.com
Manatt Phelps Opens San Fransisco Office
Manatt, Phelps & Phillips opened a new office in San Fransisco on Monday. The new office houses 12 attorney and six professionals who previously worked for Manatt Health Solutions in Palo Alto and Los Angeles. This new office will specialize in health care, energy, land use and corporate litigation. Manatt Phelps plans to expand it’s new Bay Area office by recruiting from other local firms.
Source: bizjournals.com
Building Boom Causes Boston Hiring Frenzy
Due to recent increase in Boston’s commercial and development market, area firms are enlarging their real estate practices. Firms such as Goulston & Storrs, Goodwin Procter, and Mintz, LEvin, Cohn, Ferris, Glovsky and Popeo are among those clamoring for new real estate associates. The Boston branch of national firm DLA Piper has nearly doubled its real estate attorneys since 2003. Currently there are 75 large ongoing building projects with a total value of $3.3 billion.
Source: www.nlj.com
Best Firms for Working Mothers List Announced
Working Mother Magazine has announced its 2007 list of best law firms for working mothers. The firms were selected for their emphasis on work-life balance, the retention and promotion of female employees, and had such benefits as flex-time, child care, and women-focused mentoring programs. Representatives at Working Mother magazine are optimistic about women’s futures with prominent firms, and are delighted to promote those firms that are doing their best to make positive changes in their infrastructure to aid women in their careers.
Source: earthtimes.org
Ogletree Opens Two New Midwest Offices
Ogletree, Deakins, Nash, Smoak & Stewart has opened an office in St. Louis and has plans to open a new office in Detroit September 1st. The St. Louis branch will be headed by Gregg M. Lamley of Bryan Cave, and Tim A. Garnett of Kinder Morgan. After August 20th they will be joined by Heidi Kuns Durr, also of Bryan Cave. The St. Louis office is the only national labor/employment firm in the city, an opportunity too good for Ogletree to pass up. Ogletree has 30 additional offices in the US.
Source: nylawyer.com
