At the start of this year, Shook Hardy & Bacon created the option for part-time partnership. Rather than having to remain of counsel, attorneys can advance from part-time associate to part-time partner. This policy was enacted especially in order to meet the needs of young female associates who often are trying to start families while managing their careers. This juggling act clearly has its effects, as only 16 percent of partners at the nation’s largest firms are women though they make up almost half of associates nationwide. However, it’s not just women that need more accomodating schedules; many women and men nowadays simply don’t want to put in the hours that previous generations did. Flexible work schedules like those offered by Shook allow these attorneys more freedom, yet still keep them on track for partnership if that is what is desired.
Source: www.kansascity.bizjournals.com

Six health care partners left Powell Goldstein for McKenna Long & Aldridge this week. Senior health care and media litigator, James C. Rawls, along with Charlene L. McGinty, Joann G. Jones, Kathlynn Butler Polvino, Summer H. Martin and Charlotte A. Combre all jumped ship; senior litigation associate, S. Derek Bauer, also joined the partners in the move. The attorneys took with them Northside Hospital, a client that the two firms had previously shared. McKenna does government affairs work for the hospital, and had an interest in expanding its health care practice.
Source: www.law.com

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