Sidley Austin announced the hiring of James Mendenhall, former U.S. Trade Representative General Counsel. Mendenhall will join the Washington, DC office as a partner in the firm’s International Trade and Dispute Resolution Practice. In his former position, Mendenhall managed U.S. dispute settlement activities under international trade agreements and supervised trade negotiations dealing with intellectual property, investment and services, including financial services; over the past five years, he was central to many of the most important trade issues facing the U.S. government. Sidley’s International Trade and Dispute Resolution Practice includes more than 50 professionals in the firm’s Brussels, Geneva and Washington, D.C. offices.
Source: www.prnewswire.co.uk

Bracewell & Giuliani has recruited two partners from Bingham McCutchen. Bingham’s former co-head of bankruptcy, Robert Flaschen, and Gregory Nye will join the Texas firm’s Hartford, CT office. The addition of these partners puts Bracewell’s bankruptcy team up to 14 attorneys. These recent hires are a small part of the firm’s overall growth. There are plans to open a London office, and Bracewell doubled its office space in NY. The expansion, especially in NY, is largely attributed to the arrival of name partner Rudolph Giuliani to the firm.
Source: www.thelawyer.com

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

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

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