Howrey has recruited Mark Hodgson from Taylor Wessing for its European IP team. Hodgson was a partner at Taylor Wessing for nine years and was the head of its life sciences practice. He is leaving the firm because of the potential for conflicts between one of his key clients and his current firm’s wider IP practice. Hodgson will join Howrey on April 30, reuniting with former Simmons & Simmons colleague Richard Willoughby.
Source: www.thelawyer.com

Philadelphia-based Morgan Lewis & Bockius has its sights set on growth for its 32-lawyer London office. The firm aims to increase numbers there by 40 percent, to 45 lawyers, in 2007. The office is on its way, as it has already hired outsourcing partner Rory Graham and associate Simon White from Brown Rudnick. Two associates are also scheduled to join in April. Morgan Lewis also plans to relocate the London office in July. The growth seen in this office comes after increases in both turnover and average profit per equity partner (PEP) in 2006.
Source: www.thelawyer.com

Tom Steed has joined Kilpatrick Stockton’s Investment Company/Investment Manager practice; he joins the firm as Counsel in the Raleigh office. Steed has experience in mutual and hedge fund administration, public and private offerings and compliance matters. His expertise covers the Investment Company Act of 1940, the Securities Act of 1933, The Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and regulations of the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. Prior to joining Kilpatrick Stockton, Steed worked for five years with a mutual fund administrator, where he served as Executive Vice President and General Counsel. Kilpatrick Stockton is an international law firm with 500 attorneys in nine offices.
Source: www.lawfuel.com

In only ten months, DLA Piper has built up a thriving venture capital practice out of its Atlanta, GA office. Since its opening in Atlanta, the firm has recruited Jeffrey M. Leavitt of Arnall Golden Gregory; Douglas R. Spear, who was with Morris, Manning & Martin, and, in October, Joseph G. Silver from Kilpatrick Stockton. In just the last quarter of 2006, this team worked eleven venture capital deals raising $68.7 million for their clients. DLA Piper’s international presence is a real strength for the practice, as local clients are able to connect with capitalist around the world. The firm also has a separate website www.venturepipeline.com which allows startups to link up with investors.
Source: www.law.com

Eckert Seamans Cherin & Mellott has hired nine attorneys from bankruptcy boutique Adelman Lavine Gold Schildhorn & Kleban, effectively closing the nearly 60-year-old boutique. The group will start at Eckert’s Philadelphia office on April 2. Lewis H. Gold, Gary M. Schildhorn, Barry D. Kleban, Gary D. Bressler, Alan I. Moldoff and Kathleen E. Torbit will join Eckert Seamans as partners, and Mark Pfeiffer, Alexander Moretsky and Marie C. Dooley will join as associates. Gold reported that the deal was largely due to his firm’s desire to provide the services and have access to the resources of a larger, full-service law firm. Eckert now has about 18 lawyers in its bankruptcy practice. Four attorneys chose not to move to Eckert and instead are joining other firms.
Source: www.law.com

A group of nine health care lawyers recently left Foley and Lardner for local San Diego firm Procopio, Cory, Hargreaves and Savitch. According to George Root Jr., the head of the moving group, the departure is mostly due to rising rates at Foley. Those increasing rates were making it hard to retain clients and recruit new ones. Though in recent years small local firms have been facing increasing pressure from larger international firms, other attorneys have made similar moves, especially those with price-sensitive clients. For the group from Foley, Procopio’s option for a flexible work schedule was also a draw. Procopio has 110 lawyers in its downtown San Diego office, along with a second office in Carlsbad.
Source: www.signonsandiego.com

Willkie Farr & Gallagher has hired Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer partner Cesare Vecchio for its Milan office. Vecchio, who helped launch Freshfields’ Milan office, focuses on corporate and M&A, securities offerings, structured financial products and tax issues. Joining Willkie Farr on May 1, Vecchio will become the fourth full equity partner in Italy. The new addition comes after the firm posted strong 2006 financial figures; revenues were up 14 percent, reaching a new mark of $502m, and profits per partner rose by 13 percent to break past the $2m barrier for the first time.
Source: www.legalweek.com