Foley Hoag welcomed Jayne Bultena to its Washington, DC office today. She joins the firm from Hogan & Hartson as a partner in the Government Strategies Practice. Bultena will work with life sciences companies on FDA matters. Her practice focuses on products in the biotech, pharmaceutical and consumer health care sectors. She also has done work creating marketing plans addressing policy and regulatory concerns, preparing clients for advisory committee presentations, and conducting internal compliance audits and training. Foley Hoag’s Government Strategies Practice attorneys counsel clients in regulated industries to reach mutually beneficial solutions to public policy issues.
Source: www.home.businesswire.com
Hot Indian Market for U.S. Firms
The Indian market is second only to China in its economic growth rate, and law firms are beginning to take notice. However, because foreign firms cannot practice or set up offices in India, many conduct their business from Singapore, London, or elsewhere. The booming economy is generating tons of work for U.S. firms, ranging from international public offerings to overseas acquisitions. New York firms such as Davis Polk & Wardwell; Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton; and Shearman & Sterling dominate the market in high end securities work. Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati; Fenwick & West; and Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman are particularly strong in tech work. One issue for U.S. firms is that Indian clients often try to cap costs, pushing down normal firm billing rates.
Source: www.law.com
King & Spalding Opens in Charlotte, NC
King & Spalding has opened an office in Charlotte, NC. Launching the new office are four partners and one associate from the Charlotte office of 200-lawyer Kennedy Covington Lobdell & Hickman. Opening in Charlotte was a wise move considering the city’s position as the second largest financial center in the country, and among the top five cities for Fortune 500 corporate headquarters. Jefferson Brown will serve as managing partner of the new office, and the other partners are George C. Covington, Cory Hohnbaum and Mark V. Thigpen. William O. L. Hutchinson joins as counsel. Their practice areas include land use, zoning, real estate, financial institutions and services, securities, and litigation.
Source: www.law.com
Partners Jump Ship in the Big Apple
New York partners are making lateral moves to new firms. Bankruptcy partner Richard Miller left Greenberg Traurig for Kirkpatrick & Lockhart Preston Gates Ellis. Eric Piasta joined Reed Smith’s private equity practice from Schulte Roth & Zabel. Warren McRae and Stephen Cohen have joined Loeb & Loeb as partners; McRae was with Bryan Cave and Cohen was previously of counsel at Morgan, Lewis & Bockius. Richard Liskov has rejoined the insurance practice at Chadbourne & Parke as special counsel. He was of counsel to the New York office of White & Case.
Source: www.nylawyer.com
Gambrell & Stolz Combines with Baker Donelson
Atlanta firm, Gambrell & Stolz, has combined with Baker, Donelson, Bearman, Caldwell & Berkowitz, and Gambrell & Stolz’s 36 attorneys will join Baker Donelson’s Atlanta office. Linda Klein, the managing partner of Gambrell & Stolz, will become the co-managing shareholder of her new firm’s Atlanta office. Baker Donelson opened its Atlanta office in 2001; the acquisition of Gambrell & Stolz will build its base there for clients from Tennessee, Alabama, Louisiana, and Mississippi who are doing business in Georgia. For Klein, the deal was a way to better meet the needs of the firm’s clients; the Gambrell & Stolz lawyers also already were familiar with some Baker & Donelson attorneys.
Source: www.law.com
Reed Smith is Close to Merger with Richards Butler’s Hong Kong Practice
International firm Reed Smith is in merger talks with Richards Butler’s Hong Kong partners. The Hong Kong practice was not a part of the merger between the two firms last year; it was treated as financially separate from the London and European partnership of Richards Butler. Partners from both firms are favorable towards a merger, and an agreement is expected to be reached by the end of the summer.
Source: www.legalweek.com
Cooley Godward Opens in Boston
Cooley Godward Kronish has opened an office in Boston, launched by ten Boston-based partners from national firms. Considering that Boston is one of the leading technology and life sciences centers in the world and Cooley’s strength in these areas, expansion to the new market was natural. The new office will boast market-leading expertise in emerging and public companies, life sciences, venture and private equity fund representation, mergers and acquisitions, intellectual property and commercial litigation. The firm expects associates to join the partners in Boston in the next few weeks. The opening in Boston continues Cooley’s expansion on the East Coast, as last fall the firm merged with New York firm Kronish Lieb Weiner & Hellman.
Source: www.marketwire.com
Bingham McCutchen’s San Fran Office Faces Losses, Names New Head
Bingham McCutchen’s San Francisco office has named Geoffrey Howard to be its new managing partner; firm Vice Chairman Donn Pickett had been serving de facto in the position until now. Howard aims to rebuild the office that has seen six partners and several associates leave since the beginning of the year, most recently losing antitrust practice leader Alfred Pfeiffer Jr. Few attorneys left after Bingham’s merger with McCutchen, but departures have increased this year. The majority of those who have left were litigators, a significant loss to a firm that was before a litigation powerhouse.
Source: www.nylawyer.com
Venable Adds Five Saul Ewing Laterals
Five lateral attorneys have joined D.C.’s Venable from Saul Ewing. Herbert D. Frerichs and George F. Ritchie are joining Venable as partners. Frerichs is a business lawyer, and Ritchie is a litigator who specializes in product, pharmaceutical and medical device defense work. Bernard Rhee will be of counsel, and Guido J. Galvez and Aida M. Lebbos join as associates. Rhee and Galvez are known for their expertise in life sciences.
Source: www.bizjournals.com
Tech Boutique Closes to Combine with NC Firm
Technology boutique Daniels, Daniels & Verdonik has closed its doors and will be absorbed into Ward & Smith’s Raleigh office. DD&V specialized in corporate and tax law, structuring venture financing deals and patent and copyright work. Though always a small firm, when its numbers got down to only four attorneys, the firm leaders decided to combine with Ward & Smith in order to provide their clients with additional resources.
Source: www.triangle.bizjournals.com