Structural Changes for Finnegan

Monday, February 26, 2007

Intellectual property firm, Finnegan, Henderson, Farabow, Garrett & Dunner, has been slowly making changes over the last decade. The Washington-based firm is considered a first-generation firm, with most of its business tied to the top partners. It is one of few such firms today, having named its first nonequity partner only in 1998. Realizing that in order to expand, changes must be made, the firm reported 25 nonequity partners in 2006. The shift is not easy, however, for a firm who is used to seeing all partners as equal.
Source: www.law.com

Tags:  Finnegan, Henderson, Farabow, Garrett & Dunner, LLP

Reed Smith Nabs Four from Dechert

Monday, February 26, 2007

Four partners from Dechert have joined Reed Smith’s Philadelphia office. Led by Lee Zoeller, the group (which includes Kyle Sollie, David Kraus and Frank Gallo) expands the firm’s tax controversy practice, and specializes in state tax controversy issues. In 2005, Reed Smith acquired a similar group from Preston Gates & Ellis for its West Coast office.
Source: www.nylawyer.com

Tags:  Dechert LLP

McKee Nelson Gains Litigation Practice

Monday, February 26, 2007

McKee Nelson announced the arrival of a six-partner business litigation practice to its New York Office. Coming from King & Spalding, the group focuses on defending lawsuits involving complex financial transactions. The fully staffed group will comprise of about 25 lawyers, pushing McKee Nelson’s numbers up to over 200 attorneys. Will Nelson, the firm’s managing partner, commented that the firm is always interested in acquiring top practices that focus on its client base and complement the existing practices. Founded in 1999, McKee Nelson has offices in NY and Washington, DC.
Source: www.prnewswire.com

Tags:  New York

Patent Litigator Moves to Buchanan from Skadden

Monday, February 26, 2007

Constance (Connie) S. Huttner has joined Buchanan Ingersoll & Rooney PC as the chair of the firm’s Intellectual Property Litigation Group. The patent and intellectual property litigator was previously a partner at Skadden, Arps. At Skadden, Huttner established the firm’s patent litigation practice in 1990. Huttner joins a team of 120 attorneys and patent agents in Buchanan’s IP and IP Litigation groups, yet the firm expects to add more patent litigators over the next weeks. Buchanan has made several other acquisitions over the past two years including seven tax and immigration lawyers in Miami; 55 attorneys and patent professionals from Burns, Doane, Swecker & Mathis; and three government relations professionals in Washington, D.C.
Source: www.prnewswire.com

Tags:  Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP | Miami

Eight Buchan Ingersol Lawyers Join Crowell & Moring

Saturday, February 24, 2007

An eight-lawyer financial institutions practice from Buchanan Ingersol & Rooney was recruited by Crowell & Moring to join its New York office. These additions puts the DC-based firm’s five-month old NY office to 28 lawyers. Headed by William M. O’Connor, the group handles transactional and litigation matters for banks and other financial institutions. Crowell & Moring has 350 attorneys firmwide.
Source: www.law.com

Tags:  Crowell & Moring LLP | New York

Salary Hikes in Charlotte

Saturday, February 24, 2007

Hunton & Williams has raised starting salaries in Charlotte, NC to $145,000. National firms Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft; Dechert; and Mayer, Brown, Rowe & Maw are also reported to have increased to $145,000 or plan to next year. Until now, first-year associates at Hunton’s 43-lawyer Charlotte office were making only $117,5000, making the increase a 23 per cent raise. The firm’s Raleigh, Richmond, DC, LA, Miami, Atlanta, Dallas, Norfolk, and Knoxville offices also now have a starting pay of $145,000. The NY office also increased to match the market rate of $160,000.
Source: www.charlotte.bizjournals.com

Tags:  Dallas

Drinker, Biddle & Reath Expands in DC

Saturday, February 24, 2007

Drinker, Biddle & Reath LLP expanded its Washington D.C. office by 33,000 square feet, now occupying 93,171 square feet of space in the Southern Railway Building. The firm has a 10 year lease at the building which was constructed in 1928 and renovated in 1988.
Source: www.costar.com

Tags:  Drinker Biddle & Reath, LLP

Ropes & Gray Relocates in Boston

Friday, February 23, 2007

Ropes & Gray is moving its Boston office from One International Place to the Prudential Tower. The firm will occupy 15 floors of the 52-floor building, increasing its space from 350,000 square feet to 400,000 square feet. Ropes & Gray also recently moved its New York office to a new location in Midtown NYC. The firm expects these new offices will better accommodate their expected growth over the next years.
Source: www.boston.com

Tags:  Ropes & Gray LLP | New York

Dewey Adds One in Frankfurt

Friday, February 23, 2007

Dewey Ballantine’s Frankfurt office has a new addition. The firm acquired capital markets partner, Matthias von Oppen, from White & Case. Von Oppen was at White & Case for seven years, and his clients include Deutsche Bank, Credit Suisse and HVB. In the wake of Dewey’s failed merger with Orrick, the firm lost a number of of key partners. With hires such as von Oppen, the firm hopes to rebuild.
Source: www.thelawyer.com

Tags:  Germany

Ohio firm Gains IP Senior Counsel

Friday, February 23, 2007

Ohio firm, Ulmer & Berne LLP, recently added Eric M. Robbins to its Cincinnati office as a Senior Counsel in the firm’s Intellectual Property & Technology Group. Robbins comes to the firm from Dinsmore & Shohl LLP, and deals with the securement, ownership, licensing, and enforcement of patents, trademarks and copyrights. Ulmer & Berne was established in 1908, and is one of Ohio’s largest firms. With four offices across the Midwest, it is also one of the region’s fastest growing firms.
Source: www.home.businesswire.com