First-year salaries in Boston vary widely between firms matching the NY rate of $160,000, and those who only raised to $145,000. Fish & Richardson; Proskauer Rose; Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom; and Weil, Gotshal & Manges are a few of the firms offering $160,000. These firms view their payrate as a means of staying competitive – a tool for both recruiting and retention. Other firms like Bingham McCutchen; Boston’s Choate, Hall & Stewart, Goodwin Procter, and Ropes & Gray; DLA Piper; McDermott, Will & Emery; Nixon Peabody; and Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale and Dorr opted for $145,000.
Source: www.nylawyer.com

Crowell & Moring announced last week the addition of Arif Hyder Ali as partner and associate Baiju Simal Vasani. The former Fulbright & Jaworski attorneys are joining the firm’s International Arbitration Practice in the Washington, DC office. Arif Hyder Ali has represented parties in international commercial and public investment arbitrations involving thermal, nuclear and hydro power plants, oil and gas pipeline construction and concession-related matters, project finance and development agreements, patents and trademarks, and foreign investment. Vasani has worked on arbitrations in Angola, Ecuador, Peru, Brazil, and Nigeria.
Source: www.prnewswire.co.uk.com

Bill Robinson has left Greenebaum Doll & McDonald to join Frost Brown Todd LLC. Robinson was the member-in-charge of Greenebaum’s Cincinnati and Covington, KY offices, and had worked for the firm for 16 years. At Frost Brown Todd, Robinson will chair the strategic planning and expansion committee, where he will develop a plan to expand the firm’s presence in the region. The firm currently has offices in Louisville and Lexington, KY; Cincinnati, Columbus and Middletown, Ohio; New Albany, IN; and Nashville, TN; Robinson will be based out of Cincinnati and a new office to open in Covington.
Source: www.bizjournals.com

Chicago firm Winston & Strawn has recruited four more attorneys from Thelen Reid Brown Raysman & Steiner. Just last month Winston gained former Thelen Reid vice-chairman and litigation chief Michael Elkin, who led an eight-lawyer group to the firm. This time, Winston has added a partner, an of counsel, and an associate to its NY office, as well as one associate to its LA office. Firmwide, Winston has about 900 attorneys.

Chicago-based firm, Mayer, Brown, Rowe & Maw, has de-equitizated 45 of its partners, or around 10 percent of its total. Sources report that most of the terminated partners were in the U.S., but the firm is remaining quiet on the details. The restructuring comes despite a strong financial year in 2006; according to the firm, the changes were made to “enhance the firm’s position among the world’s leading law firms.” Rival Chicago firm Sidley Austin’s decision to de-equitize 32 partners in 2000 is currently under scrutiny by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, which claims the termination was a result of age-discrimination. Firms that downsize in this manner usually do so to increase profits per partner and attract and keep money-making partners.
Source: www.law.com