Four transactional lawyers from Epstein Becker & Green have joined the Atlanta office of Chicago-based Schiff Hardin. The group specializes in the design and implementation of Employee Stock Ownership Plans and leveraged ESOP transactions. Preston C. Delashmit and Robert E. Lesser join as partners, and Randolph R. Smith Jr. and Danielle R. Doerhoff join as associates. Schiff Hardin’s Atlanta office opened in 2003; the firm also has offices in Washington, New York, and San Francisco.
Source: www.law.com

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

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

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

There has been a recent flourish of activity for firms in New York; NY-based and non-NY-based firms alike are growing and consequently are seeking new office spaces. Small to mid-size non-NY firms such as Duane Morris, Hodgson Russ, Seyfarth Shaw, and Covington & Burling all found new homes in NY last year. The trend has been that these firms in particular are moving to the West Side. Expanding NY firms have also sought new spaces; these firms do not have much of a preference between the East and Wide Side, as long as they remain in Midtown. Indeed location and efficiency rather than price are the main concerns of these firms. They wanted spaces accessible to clients and recruits, and they also wanted offices with newer features and that could be adaptable to fit their needs.
Source: www.law.com

Quinn Emanuel Urquhart Oliver & Hedges is expanding its NY office, adding 11,292 square feet to its previous holding of 56,261 square feet. Growing from 50 to 77 attorneys over the past year, the firm needed the extra space to accomodate its new hires. Other tenants at 51 Madison Ave. include Addison Wesley Longman, Accretive Technology Partners, and the Henry Luce Foundation.
Source: www.nylawyer.com

Last week King & Spaulding moved its real estate capital markets practice to New York from Atlanta, and also added Andrew H. Charles as a partner from Cravath, Swaine & Moore. At least six Atlanta attorneys will relocate to NY; while 30 or more real estate lawyers will remain in Atlanta and Houston, the firm expects to have up to 25 NY lawyers in this practice. As the NY office sees growth, the Washington office lost three corporate partners to Hogan & Hartson. The firm will be active in lateral recruiting efforts to fill those spots.
Source: www.nylawyer.com

When Troutman Sanders’ managaing partner Robert W. Webb Jr. took the reins in 1993, the firm only had one office, their Atlanta headquarters. Today, 14 years later, the firm has 11 offices in New York, Washington, Virginia, North Carolina, Hong Kong, and London. Webb has also been working on opening an office in China for the past couple years. His next move is the West Coast; because of a need to have offices in several cities, a merger is a strong possibility.
Source: www.nylawyer.com

New York firm Debevoise & Plimpton reports a profitable 2006. Turnover and profit per partner both rose by about 7 per cent, and the firm’s net profit rose by over 11 per cent. Sources report that the firm’s success could be due to a very strong year in London.
Source: www.thelawyer.com

International firm Chadbourne & Parke have added two partners to their renewable energy practice in LA. Edward Zaelke and Adam Umanoff, who came from the LA office of Morgan, Lewis & Bockius, focus on wind power and other alternative energy sources. Both attorneys are nationally recognized as leaders in alternative energy development. Based in New York, Chadbourne & Parke offers a wide range of legal services including but not limited to securities, project finance, corporate finance, energy, commercial and products liability litigation, special investigations and litigation, intellectual property, antitrust, insurance and reinsurance, environmental, real estate, employment law and ERISA, and government contract matters.
Source: www.lawfuel.com