Now that the merger between Drinker Biddle & Reath and Chicago’s Gardner Carton & Douglas is complete, the new firm is looking towards a new structure. Specifically, the changes revolve around the department reorganization and the addition of a regional managing partner in Philadelphia. Previously the firm had structured its practices under the two-department umbrella of business and litigation, but with its increased numbers and practice areas, the firm didn’t want the practice group leaders all reporting to just one or two senior management officials. Instead of the two departments, the firm now has 14 national practice groups; some of the practice areas have also been moved around to have better cross-selling and client team development opportunities. Drinker Biddle’s merger with Gardner Carton gives the firm 640 attorneys in 12 offices across the country.
Source: www.nylawyer.com

Law firms Alston & Bird, Arnold & Porter, Nixon Peabody, Perkins Coie and Bingham McCutchen are among the best employers according to Fortune magazine’s 2007 list of the best 100 employers to work for. The same five were on last year’s list, but another from last year was missing this time – Morrison & Foerster, the only California-based firm to make the 2006 list, dropped off the chart. Making the list is cause for celebration for the selected firms because it is so important “from a recruiting and internal point of view” says Bingham’s chairman, Jay Zimmerman. To create the top 100 list, the Great Place to Work Institute collects nominations and invites companies to participate. It then narrows down the list and sends out surveys to randomly selected employees. Factors such as compensation, benefits, and diversity are also taken into consideration.
Source: www.law.com

On the first of the month, Fox Rothschild acquired six-attorney Young Moriwaki & Greenfader, which has offices in Manhattan and Tarrytown, Westchester County. The three name attorneys, Donald R. Young, Gary S. Moriwaki and Glenn J. Greenfader, joined the firm as partners along with three associates from their former firm. The new additions’ practice deals especially with estate planning and administration, corporate and nonprofit work. Fox Rothschild has another acquisition planned for April; the husband-and-wife duo of Miller Mitchell will join Fox Rothschild’s Princeton, N.J., office as partners. Miller and Mitchell focus their practice on counseling businesses on corporate matters, as well as litigation, technology, intellectual property and entertainment issues.
Source: www.law.com

Buchanan Ingersoll & Rooney recently gained three new additions to its Harrisburg, PA office. Led my David Sweet, the three-attorney government relations and public finance group come from the Harrisburg office of Pepper Hamilton and will serve in Buchanan’s state government relations practice. Sweet and Donna Kreiser joined the firm as shareholders and Eloise Frazier has joined as counsel.
Source: www.nylawyer.com

In Chicago on Monday, nine attorneys from Chicago’s Gardner Carton & Douglas opened an office with D.C.’s Steptoe & Johnson. The group of lawyers was headed by Christopher Barber and Stephen O’Donnell, and specializes in litigation work for the financial services, insurance, and reinsurance industries. In total, the new office will likely be home to 15 to 20 lawyers and staff members. The former Gardner attorneys’ departure comes after Gardner Carton’s announcement this past November of its impending merger with Philadelphia’s Drinker Biddle & Reath.
Source: www.law.com

High-power Philadelphia firms Block Schorr & Solis-Cohen and Cozen O’Connor have been discussing a merger for about six weeks. Combined, the firm would have over 370 attorneys in Pennsylvania, giving it the most lawyers in the state. 300-lawyer Wolf Block, ranked 147th on the 2005 AmLaw 200 and had gross revenues for 2005 of $145 million. Cozen O’Connor, with 500 attorneys, ranked 99th on the AmLaw 100 with gross revenues of $220.5 million. Cozen is interested in the real estate, tax and structured finance practices that Wolf Block would offer, and Wolf Block chairman, Mark Alderman, has shown interest in Cozen O’Connor’s insurance practice.
Source: www.nylawyer.com