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Former Linklaters Managing Partner Tony Angel to Join DLA Piper as Co-Global Chairman?

rebneely — Fri, 28 Oct 2011 08:00:40 +0000

Former Linklaters managing partner Tony Angel may join DLA Piper as co-global chairman, if approved by a partnership vote, as early as November 7^th.

According to the October 27^th blog at wsj.com, DLA Piper Borrows Wall Street Model In Search for Co-Chairman”: “…two people familiar with the matter confirmed that DLA’s partnership is poised to approve Angel”.

It is virtually unheard of to appoint someone from outside the law firm to a top leadership position within the firm. However, DLA Piper is known for pushing the envelope, so to speak, and thinking outside the box. In the last six years, under Frank Burch’s leadership, the firm has become the largest in the world.

Peter Zeughauser, a law firm consultant, was quoted as having told Law Blog: “DLA has broken the mold several times since its inception. It’s difficult to draw parallels.” He also referred to Angel as “one of the top players in Europe”.

If approved, Angel would become co-chairman with Burch, who is currently the sole chairman of DLA Piper. As well, he would become the senior partner of DLA Piper International, which encompasses DLA’s operations in Europe, Asia and the Middle East.

Currently, Angel serves as a non-executive director at SJ Berwin in London.

From 1998 to 2008, Angel served as managing partner at Linklaters. He is given significant credit for assisting with the transformation of the firm into a leading global force. According to the wsj.com blog, according to Legal Week, “he pushed hard to boost individual partner performance and align the firm’s business around premium work for a tighter group of blue-chip clients.”

And, according to the October 26^th article at thomsonreuters.com, “DLA Piper voting on hiring Tony Angel as co-global chairman”, under Angel’s leadership, Linklaters became one of the most profitable law firms ever, boasting annual revenues of over $2 billion and profits per partner of $2.4 million, according to The American Lawyer magazine. That was an increase in profits of nearly 110% over a three year period, which surpassed those of Skadden, as well as Davis Polk.

Most recently, Angel held the position of chief executive at Vantage Diagnostics, a London-based health-care data company. Before joining Vantage, Angel served as the executive managing director at Standard & Poor’s. in that role, he was in charge of the company’s Europe, Middle East and Africa business.

Clearly, Angel is a force with which to be reckoned. With Burch and Angel at the helm, DLA Piper could well be poised for powerhouse status.

Linklaters LLP is a global law firm headquartered in London, United Kingdom and a member of the ‘Magic Circle’ of leading UK law firms. The firm is the world’s fourth largest global law firm by revenue. The firm employs approximately 2,200 legal advisers and 2,800 additional staff in 26 offices in 19 countries.

DLA Piper is a global law firm with 76 offices in 30 countries and over 4,200 lawyers. As of May 2011, it was the largest law firm in the world by number of attorneys. Two partnerships comprise the firm – DLA Piper International, and DLA Piper U.S. the firm’s clients include multinational, Global 1,000 and Fortune 500 companies, to emerging high-tech companies and start-ups.

Mayer Brown’s Sao Paolo Office Raided for Lawyers by Davis Polk

EmploymentCrossing — Tue, 12 Jul 2011 21:20:32 +0000

Mayer Brown’s office in Sao Paolo was raided by Davis Polk for lawyers, since Davis Polk is starting a new office in Sao Paolo, which is scheduled to open this summer. Next month corporate partners Maurice Blanco and Manuel Garciadiaz will head the new Sao Paolo office along with partner James Vickers and of counsel Stephen Hood.

Read the full article here:
Davis Polk Raids Mayer Brown to Open New Sao Paolo Office, Lures Away 2 of 3 …

ConAgra Being Represented by Davis Polk in $4.9 Billion Ralcorp Bid

aostler — Wed, 04 May 2011 22:25:57 +0000

On May 3, ConAgra Foods announced an offer for Ralcorp Holdings in the amount of $4.9 billion. Ralcorp Holdings is a cereal maker, and ConAgra wants to expand into generic foods, which is why it is making the offer.

Representing ConAgra in the bid is Davis Polk & Wardwell. It is being advised by the global head of Davis Polk’s M&A practice, George “Gar” Bason, Jr. and Arthur Golden, corporate partner. Colleen Batcheler is ConAgra’s general counsel.

Davis Polk is close to ConAgra because of Steven Goldstone, current ConAgra chairman of the board, who was senior partner at Davis Polk from 1978 to 1995.

On the other side of this bid, Ralcorp is seeking counsel from Bryan Cave, and is being led by William Seabaugh, the head of global transactions for Bryan Cave. Ralcorp had a third party try and acquire it in March, and is making sure if acquisition by ConAgra is the best move for the company. Gregory Billhartz is Ralcorp’s general counsel.

GSI Commerce Being Purchased by eBay for $2.4 Billion

aostler — Tue, 29 Mar 2011 20:24:07 +0000

On Monday, March 28, eBay Inc. announced its plans to buy GSI Commerce for $2.4 billion. GSI Commerce is a Pennsylvania based company that provides online marketing services and operates websites for 180 retailers, including Toys R Us, Ace Hardware, American Eagle Outfitters, and Bath & Body Works.

Advising eBay is Dewey & LeBoeuf, with Keith Flaum, its Mergers and Acquisitions partner from Silicon Valley, leading the team. Flaum has advised eBay previously in 2010 and 2009. Several other partners that are also advising eBay with Flaum include: Jane Ross and Rick Climan, M&A Partners; Eric Reifschneider and Robert Finkel, technology transactions partners and counsel Spencer Wood; David Smith, corporate partner; Greg Owens, finance partner and counsel Patti Marks; and employment partner Mitch Pahl. The general counsel for eBay is Michael Jacobson.

GSI was advised by Morgan, Lewis & Bockius, with a team led by finance partner Richard Aldridge. Aldridge was assisted by Robert Gooding, litigation partner; Harry Robins, antitrust partner; Paul Gordon, tax partner; Joseph Ronan, employee benefits senior counsel, as well as partner Amy Kelly; Ron Dreben, Kenneth Davis, and Louis Beardell, IP partners; and Howard Kenny and Justin Chairman, finance partners. GSI’s primary in-house attorney was it’s own vice president and general counsel, Arthur Miller.

GSI is also being given counsel by Davis Polk & Wardwell. The team from Davis included Rachel Kleinberg, tax partner, Daniel Kelly Jr. and Julia Cowles, corporate partners, and Dennis Glazer, litigation partner. The CEO of GSI, Michael Rubin, is being advised by Sullivan & Cromwell, led by John Savva, corporate governance partner.

Weil, Gotshal & Manges are advising Morgan Stanley, which is GSI’s financial adviser in this deal. Michael Aiello, corporate partner, is leading that firm’s team.

Although the agreement has been signed, there is a now going to be a waiting period of 40 days so that GSI can consider other bids. If the deal is approved by GSI shareholders and receives regulatory approval, it should close sometime in the third quarter.

S. Hazard Gillespie, Davis, Polk, & Wardwell Senior Counsel, Passes Away at 100

aostler — Wed, 09 Mar 2011 19:00:33 +0000

S. Hazard Gillespie, who has been a prominent attorney in Davis Polk & Wardwell and was formerly a U.S. attorney, passed away on Monday at the age of 100. According to his wife, Adelma Park, he died from pancreatic cancer.

He was born Samuel Hazard Gillespie Jr., in Morristown, N.J., on July 12, 1910. He received a bachelor’s degree from Yale in 1932 and his law degree in 1936.

He started out at Davis Polk as the primary assistant to name partner John W. Davis, and his career there lasted over 75 years. He was only away from the firm during his military service in World War II, and from 1959 to 1961, after he was appointed a U.S. attorney for two years for the Southern District of New York. Over the span of his career he has represented many prominent people, such as J.P. Morgan, Douglas Fairbanks, Maurice Chevalier, and many others.

In 1934, Gillespie worked for Davis Polk as its first summer associate, and in 1936, became a full-time associate. He eventually became a partner to the firm in 1948.

After becoming a full-time associate, he was part of a landmark case, Erie Railroad Co. v. Tompkins, which took place in the U.S. Supreme Court.

Although Gillespie retired as an attorney in 1980, he took on the role of senior counsel in that same year, and still visited the office daily at the age of 100.

He is survived by his wife, two children, two stepchildren, two brothers, seven grandchildren, and eight great-grandchildren.

Morning Roundup

joshua — Fri, 24 Sep 2010 10:54:21 +0000

Good morning everyone! Today is Friday, September 24th. Here’s a quick look back at yesterday’s stories.

Reed Smith was brought on as U.S. corporate and securities counsel for China Sun Group High-Tech Co…

Quarterly revenue at Britain’s 100 biggest law firms increased by an average of 5 percent for the three-month period ending July 31…

Arnold & Porter acquired three attorneys from Sonnenschein…

Four Davis Polk partners were named ‘Top Lawyers’ in California…

Troutman Sanders appointed a new managing partner in its Washington, D.C office…

The Best Lawyers in America 2011® will feature 58 attorneys from Winstead PC…

Morning Roundup

joshua — Tue, 17 Aug 2010 10:21:54 +0000

Good morning everyone! Today is Tuesday, August 17th. Here’s a quick look back at yesterday’s stories.

Andrew J., “A.J.” Thomas joined Jenner & Block’s L.A. office as partner…

A Greenberg Traurig partner was named ABA Committee Co-Chair…

Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP added two partners to its Hong Kong practice…

Kobre & Kim prepared to open an office in Hong Kong…

Former Chairman of Arnold & Porter Joins Davis Polk

sara — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 14:29:26 +0000

Michael Sohn, former chairman of Arnold & Porter, has joined Davis Polk & Wardwell’s Washington office as general counsel. Sohn joined Arnold & Porter in 1969 and was made a partner in 1972. He left the firm briefly and served for 3 years as general counsel of the Federal Trade Commission beginning in 1977. Sohn served as chairman of Arnold & Porter from 1996 through 2006. Sohn’s former clients include Wyeth, GE, Merck, NASDAQ and PepsiCo in merger investigations before the FTC and Justice Department.

Sohn has handled several high profile deals including the approved $27.2 billion acquisition of Guidant by Boston Scientific and the acquisition of Quaker Oats by PepsiCo. In 2005 the Legal Times named Sohn a “Leading Lawyer” for his “skill as a negotiator and his ability to craft settlements on the eve of a trial.”

Davis Polk Bonuses

joshua — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 17:46:47 +0000

Davis Polk has announced its year end bonus schedule and, surprise!, it looks all too familiar. Yup, it matches the bonuses put out by Cravath, which match the bonuses of every biglaw firm to announce bonuses in the days after Cravath set the bar. New associates are receiving $7500, with seniors making $30,000 and everyone else sliding in the middle.

Davis Polk & Wardwell is an international law firm headquartered in New York. The firm employs more than 700 attorneys and is primarily known for its corporate, litigation and tax practices.

50 Best Law Firms for Women Announced

Erik Even — Tue, 11 Aug 2009 20:33:38 +0000

Working Mother Magazine and Flex-Time Lawyers have announced their 2009 Best Law Firms for Women.

The accolade is awarded based on attention to work-life and women’s issues, and the increased use of part-time and other family-friendly policies.

Firms with at least 50 lawyers were eligible to apply, and the application included detailed questions about issues that are important to the retention and promotion of female lawyers. The winning firms were selected based on their workforce profile, family-friendly benefits and policies, flexibility, leadership, compensation, advancement and retention of women, among other criteria utilizing 2008 data.

The 50 firms chosen are not ranked in any order, but include:

Alston & Bird
Andrews Kurth
Arent Fox
Bass Berry Sims
Chapman and Cutler
Covington & Burling
Davis Polk & Wardwell
Debevoise & Plimpton
Dorsey & Whitney
Drinker Biddle
Foley Hoag
Folger Levin & Kahn
Fox Rothschild
Frankfurt Kurnit Klein & Selz
Fried Frank Harris Shriver & Jacobson
Frost Brown Todd
Gibbons PC
Goodwin Procter
Gray Plant Mooty
Hanson Bridgett
Hardy & Bacon
Holland and Hart
Honigman Miller Schwartz & Cohn
Ice Miller
Jenner & Block
Katten Muchin Rosenman Cornish LLP
Latham & Watkins
Lindquist & Vennum
Littler Mendelson
Lowenstein Sandler
Manatt Phelps & Phillips
McGuireWoods
Miller & Chevalier
Morrison & Foerster
Munger Tolles & Olson
Neal Gerber & Eisenberg
Orrick Herrington & Sutcliffe
Paul Weiss Rifkind Wharton & Garrison
Perkins Coie
Pillsbury Winthrop
Quarles & Brady
Shook
Sidley Austin
Simpson Thacher & Bartlett
Smith Moore Leatherwood
Steptoe & Johnson
Sterne Kessler Goldstein & Fox
Vinson & Elkins
Weil Gotshal & Manges
Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale & Dorr
Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati

Huh. The list of firms not included might be shorter.

Davis Polk to Shut Frankfurt Office

Erik Even — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 18:39:30 +0000

Davis Polk, home of stealth layoffs, will permanently close its office in Frankfurt, Germany in August.

The office’s long-time resident partner, Patrick Kenadjian, is retiring at the end of the year. His successor, Harald Halbhuber, has decided to leave the firm as well.

Much of the office’s work will be taken over by Davis Polk’s 31-lawyer London office.

Two associates and one counsel at the Frankfurt office have been offered other positions with the firm.

Davis Polk & Wardwell is an international law firm headquartered in New York. The firm employs more than 700 attorneys and is primarily known for its corporate, litigation and tax practices.

Survey: Skadden is Nation’s Top Firm Again

Erik Even — Wed, 20 May 2009 16:59:59 +0000

Skadden has been ranked the top corporate law firm in the US for the ninth year in a row, according to Corporate Board Member magazine.

The rankings are based on a poll of 6,300 directors and general counsel.

Here are the top 20 on the America’s Best Corporate Law Firms list, including last year’s ranking:

1. Skadden Arps Slate Meagher & Flom, New York (1)
2. Jones Day, Cleveland (7)
3. Cravath Swaine & Moore, New York (2)
4. Wachtell Lipton Rosen & Katz, New York (3)
5. Sullivan & Cromwell, New York (5)
6. Weil Gotshal & Manges, New York (9)
7. Gibson Dunn & Crutcher, Los Angeles (13)
8. Kirkland & Ellis, Chicago (8)
9. Latham & Watkins, Los Angeles (6)
10. Fulbright & Jaworski, Houston (17)
11. Baker & McKenzie, Chicago (14)
12. O’Melveny & Myers, Los Angeles (19)
13. Davis Polk & Wardwell, New York (4)
14. Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati, Palo Alto (14)
15. Sidley Austin, Chicago/New York (-)
16. Shearman & Sterling, New York (11)
17. Paul Weiss Rifkind Wharton & Garrison, New York (11)
18. Covington & Burling, Washington DC (16)
19. Hogan & Hartson, Washington DC (20)
20. Fried Frank Harris Shriver & Jacobson, New York (-)

Corporate Board Member is a leading information resource for senior officers and directors of publicly traded corporations, large private companies, and Global 1000 firms.

Stealth Layoffs at Davis Polk

Erik Even — Sun, 15 Mar 2009 16:34:29 +0000

According to the online rumor mill, Davis Polk & Wardwell started laying lawyers off in December.

At least 12 corporate law associates have been laid off for performance reasons and given three months notice.

Up to 30 total may have been cut in New York City alone.

If you know anything at all about layoffs at Davis Polk, please send us a confidential tip. Keep coming back to JDJournal — as soon as we know more, we’ll post it.

Davis Polk & Wardwell is an international law firm headquartered in New York. The firm employs more than 700 attorneys and is primarily known for its corporate, litigation and tax practices.

McKool Smith Adds White Collar Partners

Erik Even — Sat, 07 Mar 2009 18:46:41 +0000

Trial firm McKool Smith has expanded its New York-based international white-collar group with two new partners, both from the US Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York.

Thomas Engel was one of the founding partners of Howrey LLP’s New York office, and later led his own firm, Engel and McCarney.

Jack Cooney was previously at Davis Polk & Wardwell.

McKool Smith has offices in Dallas, Austin & Marshall, Texas; plus New York City and Washington, DC.

Debevoise Reports Revenue Up

Erik Even — Mon, 02 Mar 2009 22:20:08 +0000

New York’s Debevoise & Plimpton announced that its 2008 gross revenue climbed 7.2%, while profits per partner fell nearly 3%.

Revenue grew to $760.8 million, but profits per partner dropped to $2.23 million.

The drop-off in profitability followed declines at other New York-based firms, such as Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom; Sullivan & Cromwell; and Davis Polk & Wardwell. Only a few, such as Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton and Weil, Gotshal & Manges, have posted positive results.

Debevoise’s profits per partner dropped in part because the firm had more equity partners in 2008. The firm’s overall income actually increased 1.3% last year to $318 million. But the number of equity partners also increased.

Revenue per lawyer inched up slightly by less than 1% to $1.2 million.

The firm cut associate bonuses in December, after Cravath, Swaine & Moore set the market floor at $17,500 for a first-year associate bonus.

Debevoise & Plimpton LLP is a prominent international law firm based in New York City. Founded in 1931 by Eli Whitney Debevoise and William Stevenson, the firm currently employs about 680 lawyers in eight offices throughout the world.

SEC’s Colby Joins Davis Polk & Wardwell

Erik Even — Tue, 03 Feb 2009 22:21:37 +0000

Robert Colby, the Securities and Exchange Commission’s deputy director of the division of trading & markets, will leave the agency this month after 27 years. He will join the Washington, DC office of New York’s Davis Polk & Wardwell.

Colby is credited by the SEC with having led “the development and implementation of investor protection policies, rules and interpretations governing broker-dealers, securities markets, clearance and settlement systems and transfer agents.”

Colby joined the SEC staff in 1981 as a staff attorney in the division, where he was promoted to chief counsel in 1986 and deputy director in 1993.

He graduated with a BA from Bowdoin College, and a JD from Harvard Law School.

Davis Polk & Wardwell is an international law firm that employs more than 740 attorneys, and is primarily known for its corporate, litigation and tax practices.