For four years, Sullivan & Cromwell has been the top adviser in mergers and acquisitions. But, Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom has just usurped the throne. Skadden is presenting three very large corporations in their three very large (multi-billion dollar) deals. The three companies include: Capline Corp., Time Warner Inc., and BlackRock Inc. In 2007, Skadden made a profit of $2.2 billion, the most profit reportedly ever made by a law firm.

Source: www.bloomberg.com

Three intellectual property partners have recently departed from McDermott, Will & Emery and landed at Weil, Gotshal & Manges. The three include: Brian Ferguson, Mark Davis and Ronald Pabis. 12 years ago, Ferguson and 16 other attorneys left IP firm Brinks Hofer Gilson & Lione to help start McDermott’s IP group. Two of those attorneys were Davis and Pabis.

Source: www.legaltimes.typepad.com

Henning Harte-Bavendamm, an Intellectual Property and Commerical partner is leaving Allen & Overy to launch his own boutique practice in Hamburg. The firm, named Harte-Bavendamm Rechtsanwälte, will center its practice on Intellectual Property, It commercial and licensing law. It is likely that along with taking three associates from A&O, Harte-Bavendamm is also taking his clients. Some of the main ones include, Sony BMG Music Entertainment, Levis, Audi, TNT, Wella (now owned by Proctor & Gamble) and Germany’s largest brewer, Krombacher.

Source: www.thelawyer.com

Attorneys who focus on bankruptcies, distressed assets, or restructuring are “banking” right now. Firms that specialize in bankruptcy are expanding and some bankruptcy attorneys are starting their own businesses. One such attorney is Jefferey Bast, previously a partner with Hunton & Williams. Others like him, are taking advantage of the state of economy and are able to ride the wave of bankruptcy.

Source: www.bizjournals.com

Law firm Chadbourne & Parke has announced its launch of a nanotechnologies practice. What is nanotechnologies, you ask? It is the science and technology of controlling matter at the atomic and molecular scale. There is sundry array of fields that utilize this science, such as electronics, energy, transportation, pharmaceuticals, manufacturing, and the list goes on. Such a cross-displinary subject will require the expertise of Chadbourne’s practice areas.

Source: www.nanotech.com

The law firm of Andrews Kurth LLP has announced its expansion of paid maternity leave from 12 weeks to 18 weeks. With this new policy, attorneys will have an additional 6 weeks for paid leave for birth or adoption of a child. This change also includes 2 weeks’ paid leave for non-primary childcare providers when connected to birth or adoption. This new policy starts immediately.

Source:www.earthtimes.org