WilmerHale Adds Corporate Hot-Shot to Beijing Office

Wednesday, March 14, 2007

WilmerHale expands its China practice with the addition of corporate lawyer, Robert Woll, to its Beijing office. Woll joins as Co-Partner in Charge from Morrison & Foerster’s Hong Kong office. He is highly regarded as a expert in his field, known especially for his top work in private equity transactions. WilmerHale’s China practice deals with incountry corporate and regulatory issues, as well as offering expertise in public policy and government affairs. The firm has over 1,100 lawyers in its ten offices worldwide.
Source: www.prnewswire.com

Tags:  Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale and Dorr LLP | Beijing

Sullivan & Cromwell Signs for New NY Office

Wednesday, March 14, 2007

Sullivan & Cromwell has signed a lease on a new New York office at 55 Water Street. Occupying the entire 51st floor of the building, the firm holds 66,948 square feet of office space. Construction of the space is expected to be complete by early summer. The firm’s litigators will remain at the Manhattan headquarters at 125 Broad Street.
Source: www.nylawyer.com

Tags:  Sullivan & Cromwell LLP | New York

Wingate Kearney Finds New Office After 93 Years

Wednesday, March 14, 2007

Brooklyn firm Wingate, Kearney & Cullen has relocated after 93 years at 32 Court Street. The firm’s new office is in the DUMBO region at 45 Main Street. Though the 3,500 square foot office is slightly smaller than the previous one, its layout is more efficient and the neighborhood is more attractive. Wingate specializes in commercial transactions and representing religious and charitable organizations; six attorneys work in its Brooklyn office, while the rest are located in Melville.
Source: www.nylawyer.com

IP Litigators Are Hot Property

Wednesday, March 14, 2007

Intellectual property litigators are hot property, and firms are willing to pay top dollar for their specialized skills and knowledge. According to the American Intellectual Property Law Association, the median cost to take a patent case through trial was five to six million in 2005; if firms don’t have the attorneys to accomplish this work, they miss out on such big fees. Because there is a shortage of patent litigators, they are able to demand large sums for their services. These attorneys also emphasize the importance of a firm that supports their work by providing a strong team of technical advisors, patent prosecutors, and other litigators.
Source: www.law.com

Two New Partners in Blank Rome’s Hong Kong Office

Tuesday, March 13, 2007

Blank Rome has added two new partners to its Hong Kong office. Peter Mills was named partner in the Maritime group; as a litigator in this industry, he advises clients in areas such as the sale and purchase of ships and cargoes, enforcement of international awards and judgments, crisis and casualty management, unsafe berth disputes, and personal injury and death claims. Andrew Hart was hired as a partner in the commercial litigation group. He comes from Barlow Lyde & Gilbert, and advises clients on all aspects of dispute resolution in the areas of employment, banking, regulatory, insolvency, property, trusts and corporate work. Blank Rome’s Hong Kong office opened in October 2006 as a part of the firm’s combination with the international law firm of Healy & Baillie LLP.
Source: www.home.businesswire.com

Tags:  Blank Rome LLP | Hong Kong

Alston & Bird Ups Pay Again

Tuesday, March 13, 2007

Alston & Bird has raised starting salaries in Charlotte and Raleigh, NC to $145,000. The firm already raised salaries in February to $130,000, but this raise brings them to match the market rate set by other firms like Hunton & Williams; Dechert; Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft; and Mayer, Brown, Rowe & Maw. Alston also raised first year salaries for patent attorneys in Atlanta to $160,000. Again, this increase comes in response to the actions already taken by firms like Sutherland, Asbill & Brenna, DLA Piper, and Fish & Richardson. The pay raises for the firm will become effective April 1.
Source: www.law.com

Tags:  Alston & Bird LLP

Bankruptcy Group Leaves Weil Gotshal for Cadwalader

Tuesday, March 13, 2007

Four top bankruptcy partners from Weil, Gotshal & Manges have left for Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft. George A. Davis, Deryck A. Palmer, John J. Rapisardi and Andrew M. Troop will be joining the firm’s New York office. Though the partners’ departures comes at the same time as the return of well-known bankruptcy partner Harvey Miller, the loss is still a difficult one for Weil Gotshal. Back in 2001, the firm lost partner Bruce Zirinsky to Cadwalader; getting to work with him again was actually one of the attractions for the four lawyers. The partners were also drawn to Cadwalader’s strong client base among financial institutions, investment groups and in the health care arena, as well as their performance-driven culture.
Source: www.law.com

Tags:  Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft LLP | New York

Drinker Biddle Increases Starting Pay Sooner Than Expected

Tuesday, March 13, 2007

Drinker Biddle has announced that they are pushing up the start date for their first-year salary increases. The firm originally planned to make the pay raise effective September 1, 2007, but it changed the date to March 1 of this year. Starting salaries in Philadelphia, New Jersey, Chicago and Wilmington, Delaware were raised to $135,000, and will increase again in September to $145,000. First-year pay in New York, California, and Washington, D.C. was raised to $145,000. The firm’s Albany, NY and Milwaukee offices will be handled individually due to the small number of attorneys in each. More advanced associates will also receive a pay increase, but it will not necessarily follow a lock-step system.
Source: www.law.com

Tags:  Drinker Biddle & Reath, LLP | New York

Three Winstead Attorneys Move to Bracewell & Giuliani

Monday, March 12, 2007

Three corporate and securities lawyers from Winstead in Dallas recently moved to Bracewell & Giuliani. Partners Bruce Cheatham and Brice Tarzwell, and counsel Connie Stamets joined Bracewell’s 400-lawyer corporate and securities practice at the end of February. Cheatham commented that Bracewell’s New York, Washington, and international offices were a draw because of the benefit they hold for his practice. After losing Cheatham, Winstead reorganized, doing away with his former position of corporate and securities section head.
Source: www.law.com

Tags:  Bracewell LLP | Dallas

Former Miami Beach Mayor Joins Akerman

Monday, March 12, 2007

Former Miami Beach Mayor Neisen O. Kasdin was hired to head Akerman Senterfitt’s 27-lawyer land-use practice group in Miami. Joining Kasdin, who was formerly a shareholder with Gunster Yoakley & Stewart, are associates T. Spencer Crowley and Andrew W. Frey. Kasdin plans to have his practice group work closely with the environmental law group. He served as mayor of Miami Beach from 1997 until 2001 and as a Miami Beach city commissioner from 1991 until 1997. Many credit the former mayor with helping the growth and revitalization of Miami Beach.
Source: www.law.com

Tags:  Akerman LLP | Miami