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
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
Alston & Bird Ups Pay Again
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
Bankruptcy Group Leaves Weil Gotshal for Cadwalader
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
Drinker Biddle Increases Starting Pay Sooner Than Expected
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
Three Winstead Attorneys Move to Bracewell & Giuliani
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
Former Miami Beach Mayor Joins Akerman
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
Dewey, Galgano Combination Complete
The collaboration between Dewey Ballantine and Italian firm Galgano is finally complete. Though Dewey initially only expected to gain ten lawyers in the deal, the New York-based firm ended up acquiring 15 associates and five partners, including Galgano’s heads of TMT and finance, Marco Consonni and Davide Contini respectively. Those two, along with founder Galgano, and corporate partner Alessandro Accinni will become full partners; two other Galgano partners will become local partners at Dewey. This deal is a sign of Dewey’s desire for growth in Europe, where they have already had recent success.
Source: www.thelawyer.com
Bracewell & Giuliani Expands NY Office
Bracewell & Giuliani has expanded its New York office to now take up the 18th and 19th floors of the Americas Tower building. The expansion doubles the size of the space, adding 24,475 square feet for the growing firm. Bracewell opened in New York in 2005 after former mayor Rudolph Giuliani joined as a name partner. Since then, the office has grown from two to fourty attorneys, thanks to outstanding recruitment efforts and a maintenance of a good deal of work from the firm’s central practices.
Source: www.prnewswire.com
Holland & Knight Acquires Millstein & Taylor; Expands IP Group
Holland & Knight has acquired D.C.-based firm Millstein & Taylor, and in the process its Intellectual Property Group gains a prominent biotech patent lawyer. Name partner and respected life sciences attorney Larry S. Millstein joins the firm’s D.C. office as partner. Name partner and transactional lawyer Robin Taylor, also joins and will practice in the firm’s Northern Virginia office in the Mergers & Acquisitions Group. The addition of Millstein is just the latest move in a series of lateral hires by Holland & Knight’s IP group, which added eight lawyers last year. With a Ph.D. in molecular biology and chemistry, Millstein’s practice focuses on technology and intellectual property portfolio development and strategy. Taylor has more than 20 years of experience in matters relating to business transactions, taxation, regulatory compliance, intellectual property law, and employment law.
Source: www.lawfuel.com
