Rachel Hatfield, a partner at White & Case, has announced her impending departure from the firm.  Hatfield began her career at White & Case in 2000, joining from law firm, Weil Gotshal & Manges.  The attorney has held some important positions at her current firm, including the head of the high yield practice group from 2005-2008, as well as co-head of capital markets from 2002-2005.  It is unclear where Hatfield will take her career next.

Source:  www.nylj.com

Skadden Arps Slate Meagher & Flom has made an addition to its arbitration team. David Kavanagh joins the arbitration team from O’Melveny & Myers in London. Before O’Melveny, Kavanagh was at Watson, Farley & Williams.

Source:  www.thelawyer.com

It has been decided. Wolf Block is to dissolve itself over the span of 2 months.  The downhill economy has hit too hard.  There are now 300 extra attorneys and much more staff looking to join the job market.  The two months of pay that they will receive before the firm officially closes, is to be treated as severance pay.  

Source:  www.nylj.com

Shearman & Sterling has decreased newly qualified (NQ) attorney salaries and freezing the salaries of current associates in the UK, the Middle East, and in Asia.  The pay cut is more than 8 percent, bringing NQ salaries from £80,000 down to £73,000.  Any lawyers who have had one year of experience will not move up in salary.

Source:   www.thelawyer.com

Covington & Burling has hired a notable attorney – Michael Chertoff. Chertoff was formally the Department of Homeland Security secretary and federal appellate judge.  As a magna cum laude graduate from Harvard, Chertoff has had much opportunity throughout his career.  Here is a brief summary:  He spent almost four years at Latham & Watkins, became assistant U.S. attorney under Rudolph Giuliani, and U.S. Attorney for the District of New Jersey, returned to Latham & Watkins to open its Newark office and head the white-collar defense practice, became the head of the Justice Department’s criminal division, and now off to Covington. Wheh! That was a whopper!

Source:  www.amlawdaily.typepad.com

McCarter & English has taken an entire life sciences team from intellectual property boutique Lahive & Cockfield in Boston. Eight attorneys and four patent agents have joined the firm in its Newark, New Jersey office. Lahive is well known for promoting female attorneys to its partnership, as well as its flexible work schedule.

Source:  www.nylj.com

Watson Burton is in the midst of redundancy talks which could end in the departure of up to 75 attorneys. The firm announced that its Newcastle, Leeds, and London offices will all be decreasing headcounts. If it compares to the last time Watson Burton had redundancy talks, it may be that most if not all of the 75 possible job cuts will take place. In December of 2008, the firm talked to 14 people, and 10 left the firm.

Source:  www.thelawyer.com

President Obama has asked Jeffrey Bleich to become his special counsel.  Bleich is currently a partner at Munger, Tolles & Olson in the San Francisco office.  Starting today, March 23, Bleich joins Obama on an interim basis for about three to four months.

Source:  www.nylj.com

Wolf Block and the rest of the world will find out the future or non-future of the firm very soon.  Wolf Block partners are meeting today to discuss the possibility of closing the firm, or whether they shall continue to fight for survival.  There is talk about a group of Wolf Block lawyers in the midst of discussing their lateral moves with and to Cozen O’Connor.  Cozen and Wolf Block almost merged two years ago.

Source:  www.philadelphia.bizjournals.com