Williams Mullen, Virginia’s third largest law firm, and North Carolina-based Maupin Taylor, P.A. announced today that they have merged. With 300 attorneys, the combined firm is now one of the largest in the Southeast, and has offices in Raleigh, Research Triangle Park and Wilmington, N.C.; Charlottesville, Newport News, Norfolk, Portsmouth, Richmond, Tysons Corner, and Virginia Beach Va.; Washington, D.C.; and London. The firm’s name will remain Williams Mullen, and Joey Smith continues to serve as the chairman and CEO.
Source: www.triangle.dbusinessnews.com

When deciding their recent pay increases, DLA Piper set patent litigators on a different scale than other associates. First year patent litigators are put on the $160,000 pay scale while other associates in California receive the standard $145,000. Patent litigators often have science or engineering degrees, and are in high demand with clients who are willing to pay high rates for their services. As a result, many firms already offer these attorneys higher compensation, often through bonuses or other means. Though DLA has always rewarded attorneys with a technical or science background, the firm decided to increase its starting pay after competitors such as Fish & Richardson raised salaries to $160,000.
Source: www.law.com

Heller Ehrman welcomed two new additions to its Washington office. Maureen F. Browne and Johnny Cheng-Teh Chiu have joined the firm’s Intellectual Property Practice Group as shareholders. Both lawyers come from Washington, D.C.-based firms where they practiced intellectual property law – Browne from Adduci, Mastriani & Schaumberg, where she was a partner, and Chiu from Powell Goldstein, where he was a partner. The two attorneys will be valuable to Heller for their expertise in litigating IP disputes, including Section 337 proceedings before the U.S. International Trade Commission; their presence significantly strengthens the firm’s ITC and Asia practices.
Source: www.lawfuel.com

Sutherland Asbill & Brennan has hired high-profile litigator William R. Martin to head its white-collar criminal defense practice. Martin comes from the Washington office of Blank Rome, and has represented a number of athletes, politicians, celebrities and corporate executives. His clients have included NBA players Jayson Williams and Allen Iverson, former White House intern Monica Lewinsky and the parents of murdered federal government intern Chandra Levy. Martin listed Sutherland’s tax practice, as well as its securities, litigation, and financial services practices as reasons for his move.
Source: www.law.com

Two weeks after its acquisition of three corporate partners from WilmerHale, Heller Ehrman has gone back for more. Tax partner Christopher Prout and senior corporate associate Scott Leonard-Morgan will join Heller as partners, along with three more corporate associates. Only a little over a month since its opening in London, the West Coast firm is rapidly building its UK outpost. Heller is in the process of extending its corporate, real estate, and competition practices into Europe.
Source: www.thelawyer.com