Two partners have defected from Big Law Firms:  Steven Molo is leaving Shearman & Sterling and Jeff Lamken leaves Baker Botts.  The two are starting their own litigation boutique called MoloLamken.  The firm will have offices in New York and in Washington D.C.

Source:  www.law.com

Winston & Strawn has had two lateral partners land at the firm.  Both partners are in the telecommunications field and join from Dewey & LeBouef.  Eric Cowan, who was the chair of the telecommunications industry sector group at Dewey, will be Winston’s global chair of media and telecommunications.  He will be splitting his time between the New York and London offices.  Glynna Christian joins Cowan.

Source:  www.nylj.com

Dickstein Shapiro has boosted its energy group with the hire of Michael Cusick.  Cusick has practiced law for the last 30 years. He was most recently with Jones Day.

Source:  www.solarindustrymag.com

Rumor has it that Kirkland & Ellis has laid off around 20 associates in New York.  More attorneys were laid off during this year’s annual review than last.  Kirkland has made great attempts to avoid lay-offs.  The firm has recently done the opposite lately by boosting it’s corporate and finance departments with the hiring of several partner laterals.  

Source:  www.nylj.com

George Miller has jumped from Simpson Thacher to Mayer Brown.  Miller joins as as the first project finance partner in the New York office.  He makes the 9^th lateral partner in New York City thus far in 2009.

Source:  www.nylj.com

Two international finance attorneys join Cozen O’Connor from Gide Loyrette Nouel. Marianne Rosenberg and Jill Davidson have become members of the firm’s corporate law practice group in the New York office.  Rosenberg has over 30 years of experience.

Source:  www.businesswire.com

Attorney Michael Jahnke has laterally jumped from Allen & Overy to Howrey. After spending seven years with the former, Jahnke joins the latter as a partner in the competition practice group. He focuses on aiding corporations that deal mostly with tobacco, food, energy and telecommunications.

Source:   www.legalweek.com

Troutman Sanders has announced that it is hiring an Intellectual Property group from Dreier. Five IP attorneys will join Troutman in New York. Senior Patent attorney Albert Jacobs Jr. first brought the group from Greenberg Traurig to Dreier in 2007.  Only a year and half later, the namesake of the firm, Marc S. Dreier was arrested for fraud and later sentenced for up to 20 years. In addition to Jacobs, Gerard Diebner and Daniel Ladow join the firm as of counsel bringing along two associates.

Source:  www.law.com

Gibson Dunn & Crutcher has just recruited its 11^th litigation attorney from Clifford Chance in the span of a month. Litigation partner, George Schieren will be stationed at Gibson Dunn’s New York office. He joins Mark Kirsch, ex-Clifford Chance global head of litigation, partner Joel Cohen, and counsel Christopher Joralemon, along with seven associates.

Source:  www.nylj.com

Venable’s New York office has acquired a new partner.  Edwin M. Larkin, a commercial litigator and e-Discovery attorney. Previously to joining Venable, Larkin spent the last 13 years of his career with Winston & Strawn.  

Source:  www.ecmconnection.com