As first-year salaries around the country rise like thermometers in August, some local firms are still holding their ground. Several firms in Connecticut have resisted raising salaries, at least not to the heights of their neighbor, New York. Wiggin & Dana, for example, will not make changes, if any, unti mid-year like normal. Finn, Dixon & Herling in Stamford did raise its starting pay, but only to $136,000. The branch offices of some large national firms like Bingham McCutchen have followed the salary increase trend, however, creating a pressure on local firms to follow suit in order to remain competitive.
Source: www.nylawyer.com

Blank Rome announced yesterday that it would increase first-year salaries in New York, Washington, D.C., and Philadelphia. Starting pay in Philly will now be $135,000; in D.C. it will be $145,000; and in NY it will be $150,000. The same day D.L.A. Piper also made the move pushing Philadelphia salaries to $135,000, NY to $160,000, and D.C. and Chicago to $145,000. Other firms have not confirmed plans to match the increases but will be wathcing the market closely now that the first Philadelphia firm has raised salaries.
Source: www.law.com

Construction firm, Peckar & Abramson, recently acquired NY boutique Berman, Paley, Goldstein & Monte. Three partners and one associate from Berman have joined Peckar & Abramson. The midsize firm has around 100 attorneys in its nine offices across the country.
Source: www.nylawyer.com

Litigation boutique, Susman Godfrey, is expanding its NY office. The Houston, TX firm recently added a new partner and relocated another from Dallas to New York. The 75-lawyer firm opened the NY office last fall, and it focuses on representing clients in antitrust, intellectual property, securities and accounting malpractice cases. Having won some of the largest damages awards and settlements in history, Susman Godfrey is most known for its antitrust practice.
Source: www.law.com

Three Atlanta firms followed Troutman Sanders’ lead in raising salaries. Jones Day, King & Spalding and Alston & Bird are implementing raises that actually put them above Troutman’s first-year associate increase from 115K to 125K. Jones Day’s starting pay will be $135,000, King & Spaulding will pay first-years $130,000, and Alston & Bird raised all associate salaries by 15K, putting first-year pay at $130,000. Alston will also raise salaries in D.C. and New York to match the market increases of last month; D.C. attorneys start at $145,000, and NY associates receive $160,000 in their first year.
Source: www.nylawyer.com

Sichenzia Ross Friedman Ference relocated from 1065 Avenue of the Americas to 61 Broadway in downtown New York, expanding by 11,250 square feet. The larger space will better accomodate the growing firm, which now has 25 lawyers and 13 support staff. The new office before was home to Healy & Baillie, which recently merged with Blank Rome and now operates out of the Chrysler Building. Cole, Schotz, Meisel, Forman & Leonard has also moved from 460 Park Avenue to a larger, 17,300 square foot office at 900 Third Avenue. Fourteen attorneys and 10 professionals will work in the new office, but there is room for growth. The firm, which merged with Angel & Frankel last year, expects there to be additions to the staff over the next few years.
Source: www.nylawyer.com

New York has recently been a hotbed of activity for lateral moves and associates making partner. Blank Rome added James V. Masella III to its corporate litigation group as a partner. Three attorneys also joined DLA Piper as partners in its NY, DC, and LA offices. In offices across the globe, White & Case just named thirty-seven associates to the partnership. Two partners from Buchanan Ingersoll & Rooney left to join the litigation department of Carter Ledyard & Milburn.
Source: www.nylawyer.com

Latham & Watkins and Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher announced Friday that they will increase first year salaries in NY to $160,000, but only to $145,000 in CA and other offices. Because several firms have refrained from matching CA salaries to those of NY, other West-coast firms feel less pressure to increase. Billing rates, cost of living, and other issues make the two markets very different; most California firms are making pay raises to reflect that difference. However, one of the factors involved in the decision to raise salaries is whether or not the firm wants to be considered a top-tier firm.
Source: www.law.com

Eight lawyers from Thelen Reid Brown Raysman & Steiner have been recruited by Winston & Strawn to join its New York office. The group of attorneys is led by former vice chairman and litigation chief of Thelen Reid & Priest, Michael Elkin. Elkin primarly deals with copyright and other intellectual property issues within the entertainment, luxury goods, technology and financial industries. Chicago-based firm Winston & Strawn has about 150 lawyers in its NY office.
Source: www.law.com

Former vice-presidential candidate Geraldine A. Ferraro has joined Blank Rome’s government relations group in New York. Ferraro was previously handling public relations work and lobbying as managing director of Global Consulting Group, a communications and public relations consulting firm. For Blank Rome, she will lead seminars and speak with clients, along with tackling various other projects. Ferraro’s experience as an ambassador to the United Nations Human Rights Commission and thus her wide international influence, are assets to the firm.
Source: www.law.com