Mintz, Levin, Cohn, Ferris, Glovsky and Popeo has expanded both its San Diego and Palo Alto, CA offices. Former Buchanan Ingersoll & Rooney attorneys Daniel T. Pascucci and Andrew D. Skale, an intellectual property litigator, have joined Mintz Levin’s San Diego office as Members. Two associates from Buchanan are also joining the San Diego office. Corporate attorneys Matt Kirmayer and Jason Altieri, formerly of Sonnenschein Nath & Rosenthal, will be working in Palo Alto. Joining those two in Palo Alto are two associates from Bozicevic, Field & Francis. With the new additions, Mintz Levin’s San Diego office has tripled in size to 22 attorneys since opening nine months ago; the Palo Alto office, which opened last year, has doubled in size to 11 lawyers. Mintz Levin is capitalizing on its expertise in intellectual property, technology, and life sciences; in fact they have over 400 IP-related clients.
Source: www.home.businesswire.com

As US firms’ salaries increase, more and more of the top lawyers in London are leaving their UK firms for American firms. Last year, 71 partners left their UK firms for their American competitors; the majority cited higher salaries as the cause for the move. US law firms in London increased their revenue in 2006 by 17 percent, while London firms only increased revenue by 13 percent. Moreover, in 2006 the average profits per equity partner in US firms was 670,000 pounds compared to only 549,000 pounds for UK firms. In Europe, US firms, even those considered “second tier”, pose more of a threat than UK firms.
Source: www.business.timesonline.co.uk

While other top firms tend not to emphasize rate-sensitive practice areas like land use or labor and employment, Sheppard Mullin Richter & Hampton is focusing its attention on these practices. The 490-lawyer firm just hired two new San Francisco partners and two associates for its real estate, land use, natural resources, and environmental practice. In February the LA-based firm also hired an employment partner in San Francisco. Most top firms have minimized these practices because the clients are not as willing to pay higher billing rates; however, Sheppard attorneys say that keeping these practices strong gives the firm a broader range and safeguards it against varying economic circumstances. High rates are not pushed as hard at Sheppard, where the general feeling is that if your rates are such that you can work enough to make a profit, there is no problem.
Source: www.law.com

Morgan Lewis & Bockius’s London office has established an associate mentoring scheme as a part of its associate engagment program. Each associate is paired with an advisor, and also is involved in biweekly knowledge seminars, and weekly meetings with the managing partner to discuss their experiences, ideas and problems. Response to the programs has been very positive, and the firm has seen regeneration and increased retention over the past two years.
Source: www.thelawyer.com