Sidley Austin LLP has added a lateral tax partner to its New York office. Richard A. Leavy has joined the firm. He received his L.L.M. From New York University and his J.D. From Rutgers School of Law.

Source:  www.businesswire.com

Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft has snagged a big one from DLA Piper. Drew G.L. Chapman, head of DLA Piper’s alternative asset management group, is joining Cadwalader’s New York branch. Chapman will be in charge of his new firm’s hedge fund practice.

Source:  www.law.com

Dana G. Fleischman has joined Latham & Watkins from Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton. Fleischman joins as partner in the firm’s New York office. She focuses her practice on broker-dealer regulation.

Source:  www.nylj.com

Mayer Brown has lost not only a finance partner, but also the co-head of its Latin American practice in one swell swoop. Peter V. Darrow has joined DLA as a partner. Mayer Brown lost another finance partner last week, by the name of Ron D. Franklin.

Source:  www.law.com

McKool Smith has announced its latest addition to its New York office. Six litigation attorneys have joined the firm. Sachin Bansal joins McKool Smith from Davis Polk & Wardwell; John C. Briody most recently practiced at Simpson Thacher & Bartlett; Yusuf A. Rangwala formerally practiced with Sullivan & Cromwell; Elizabeth Raskin was previously with Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld; Kevin Schubert formerally worked at the US Patent & Trademark Office for this new opportunity, and James H. Smith leaves Shearman & Sterling to join McKool Smith.

Source:  www.prnewswire.com

Haynes and Boone has gained a partner in its New York office. David Fleischer joins the firm as a partner. He focuses on business litigation in the entertainment, real estate and bankruptcy fields. Fleischer was most recently with Paul Hastings.

Source:  www.prweb.com

Although Lovells has plans to close its Chicago office, the firm will continue to expand its New York office following the merger with Hogan & Hartson. The firm will be focused on growing its corporate and finance groups. It is a possibility that some of the Chicago attorneys may transfer to the NY office.

Source:  www.thelawyer.com

Darby & Darby announced that it plans to shut its doors for the last time. The New York intellectual property boutique will dissolve because many of its partners left due to the fact that the firm could not find another firm with which to merge. Darby & Darby has 19 partners spread across four offices found in New York, Seattle, Florida and Frankfurt.

Source:  www.law.com

Roger Rosendahl has joined DLA Piper as a partner in the corporate and finance department. Rosendahl will practice our of the New York and Los Angeles offices. He joins from Kaye Scholer LLP where he was the head of the energy practice in New York.

Source:  www.newyork.citybizlist.com

Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer has hired three new partners from three different firms. One aspect that all three share is that all focus their practice on financial insitution litigation. Marshall Fisherman joins the firm’s New York office from Kramer Levin Naftalis & Frankel. Timothy Coleman also joins in New York but from firm Dewey & LeBoeuf. Walter Stuart leaves Vinson & Elkins to join Freshfields in Washington.

Source:  www.legalweek.com