Lawyers who are working on the Howrey bankruptcy stayed very busy over the holidays, filing multiple motions in late December that were aimed at moving along what is now a new trustee-supervised Chapter 11 bankruptcy.

Among some of the latest court filings: a motion by the Howrey estate’s unsecured creditors’ committee that are seeking bankruptcy court approval to cut their ties to a pair of federal putative class movements in which the firm lawyers had been representing Hispanic farmers who say that the federal government discriminated against them in some way.

The cases–Garcia v. Vilsack and Cantu v. United States, both of whom are pending down in Washington, D.C., federal district court–involve the claims that the U.S. Department of Agriculture routinely discriminated against the non-white farmers when granting their federal loans. Some similar class actions have yielded some settlements that are worth a combined total of more than $2 billion for Indian and black farmers, but the Hispanic plaintiffs’ cases have stalled without giving a settlement to anyone.

The creditors’ committee counsel Bradford Englander of Whiteford Taylor Preston argues in the motion that the Howrey estate cannot afford to continually pay a role in the litigation that has already cost the firm almost $32 million in fees and expenses over the past decade.

Englander points specifically to the expiration to the defunct firm’s malpractice insurance and the recent departure of the last three lawyers that are working on matters on the Howrey name as reasons why the estate should abandon the litigation on December 31. They continue to pay the $2.7 million malpractice insurance premium alone would be too big of a burden, says the motion, never minding the costs that are required to hire experts and perform the other tasks required to keep all of the cases moving along. At the same time as all of this, the motion states, dumping the cases should not affect the estate’s ability to recover all of the attorneys’ fees in the event that a settlement is going to be reached.

The motion states that until December 22, three Howrey lawyers were working exclusively on the litigation, but that the trustee Allan Diamond told the trio shortly after being appointed to oversee the bankruptcy that their services would no longer be needed to come in the new year. (Englander and Diamond did not return any of the calls for a comment late on Monday.)

It was reported back in August that as of July, the former Howrey partner Stephen Hill and his ex-firm attorney Collette Harrell were still getting paid by the estate in some connection with their work on the class movements (Hill received $1,357 that month and Harrell received $5,570). It was not entirely clear on Monday where either attorney now works with/for or if they will continue to represent the Hispanic plaintiffs if the court will approve Howrey’s withdrawal from the new litigation.

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• Bankruptcy Judge Approves the Ruden McCloky’s Sale to Lone Suitor
• Howrey Estate Payment Ruling Issued
• Corzine, in Response to Failure of MF Global, and 8th Largest Bankruptcy in U.S. History: “I Don’t Know”

Winston & Strawn LLP announced in recent days it has added Alfred Fabricant and Lawrence Drucker as partners to its New York office. Fabricant will head the firm’s IP practice in New York.

Both attorneys join from Dickstein Shapiro, LLP.  Both have cultivated a robust IP litigation practice through their representation of clients in cutting-edge technologies related to software used for analyzing media audience and marketing information data, radio frequency identification, digital watermarking, robotics, optics, and Web design platforms. Their clients are based in the United States, Europe, and Asia.

Fabricant has over thirty years of litigation experience. He is an experienced trial lawyer, and concentrates his practice on patent, copyright, trademark, unfair competition, entertainment, antitrust, and other commercial litigation matters. He has, on behalf of both plaintiffs and defendants, tried cases to verdict as first chair in a broad range of technical disciplines, including digital and analog electronics, robotics, computer software, mechanical, chemical, pharmaceutical, and business method patents.

For twenty years, Drucker has concentrated his practice on patent, trademark, and copyright litigation, including trials and appeals. His work covers a broad range of areas, and includes patent infringement matters involving consumer electronics, audience measurement systems, medical devices, robotics, optics, radio frequency identification products, and floor coverings.

Michael Elkin, managing partner of Winston’s New York office was quoted as saying in a press release at the firm’s website: “Fred and Larry bring enormous talent and energy to our IP litigation practice. Their nuanced understanding of advanced technologies, plus their track record of success in the courtroom, are tremendous assets to existing and new clients in New York.”

Thomas Fitzgerald, firm managing partner was quoted as saying: “We welcome the remarkable skills and savvy that Fred and Larry bring to the entire firm. Their reputation and know-how are an outstanding fit for the practice and the firm’s global platform.”

Fabricant earned his J.D., with highest distinction, from The John Marshall Law School in 1978 and his B.A. in Political Science, magna cum laude, from the University of Miami. Drucker earned his J.D. from Columbia Law School in 1988 and his B.A. in Economics and Political Science, summa cum laude, from Queens College of the City University of New York.

The addition of Fabricant and Drucker follows the firm’s recent expansion of its global intellectual property litigation group and regional capabilities. Most recently, Winston added prominent IP litigation attorney Michael Murray to its New York office. As well, David Enzminger and David Dalke joined the firm’s Los Angeles office. In addition over fifteen litigation partners from the former Howrey law firm joined its Chicago and Washington, D.C. offices, as well as its newly opened Houston office.

International law firm Winston & Strawn LLP has nearly 1,000 attorneys in fifteen offices in Beijing, Charlotte, Chicago, Geneva, Hong Kong, Houston, London, Los Angeles, Moscow, New York, Newark, Paris, San Francisco, Shanghai, and Washington, D.C. The firm serves clients of all types and sizes, in both the private and the public sector.

• Jones Day Adds Six Partners to Los Angeles and Washington, D.C. Offices
• Morning Roundup
• Winston & Strawn Adds Prominent Litigation Attorney to London Office
• Morning Roundup
• Jones Day Adds Three Partners and Three Registered Patent Agents in Southern Calfornia

Winston & Strawn LLP announced yesterday that Michael Madden has joined the firm as head of its commercial litigation practice in London.

The addition of Madden follows a succession of high profile appointments for Winston, both in London and globally. As part of its continuing strategy for expanding globally, prominent IP litigators, Richard Price and Gareth Morgan, joined the firm’s London office. In addition, other major hires include former managing partner/CEO of Howrey LLP, Robert Ruyak, and former head of the President’s national Financial Fraud Enforcement Task Force, Robb Adkins, to the firm’s Washington, D.C. and West Coast offices. 

Madden is the former managing partner of Ashurst’s dispute resolution department. Not only does he have a strong track record in commercial litigation and arbitration, administrative law and judicial review, he has significant experience as the lead partner in disputes involving corporate acquisitions, divestitures and joint ventures in various industries. He has also advised on disputes relating to international and domestic contracts, finance transactions, tax, defamation, professional negligence, insolvency issues and real estate.

Among Madden’s range of significant cases is a favorable decision before the House of Lords concerning directors’ duties which is a leading case on the use of “poison pill” and other takeover disputes. He has successfully handled many other major cases in the Court of Appeal and the High Court, including leading cases on injunctions, the exercise of public authority powers and on casino licensing. 

Madden’s corporate clients represent a variety of sectors, including banks, private equity, financial services, retail, gaming and leisure, real estate and technology. He is consistently recommended for his strong client focus. He has been described, per the press release, in the leading directories as “someone you would always want on your side” and a “tough” litigator.

While serving as managing partner of the Ashurst dispute team, Madden oversaw the development of litigation and arbitration teams to service global clients, including the establishment of such practices in Europe, Singapore and Hong Kong, and with clients and lawyers in Beijing and other centres in China.

Winston’s managing partner, Thomas Fitzgerald was quoted as saying in a press release at the firm’s website: “We are delighted that Michael has chosen Winston to further develop his highly regarded disputes resolution practice. Michael’s experience and stature within the sector will immediately enhance our dispute resolution capabilities and undoubtedly attract the kind of talent we seek in growing our presence throughout Europe.”

Madden was quoted as saying: “Winston’s globally acclaimed disputes resolution team has an outstanding reputation and a premier list of clients. I am pleased to be joining the Winston London office at a time of growth and welcome the exciting new challenge of developing not only a London-based disputes resolution team but a truly global offering.”

Thomas Benz, managing partner of Winston’s London office was quoted as saying: “We are delighted that Michael is joining our London team, his strong management experience in developing a cohesive and highly successful disputes team and his track record of managing significant client relationships will be integral to broadening the scope of this practice area both here and globally.”

Founded in Chicago in 1853, Winston & Strawn LLP is an international law firm with over 900 attorneys in 13 offices in the United States, Europe and Asia.

• Baker & McKenzie Announces Appointment of New Chief Operating Officer to Australia Offices
• Merger of King & Wood and Mallesons Stephens Jaques Creates Largest Law Firm in Asia
• Winston & Strawn Continues Expansion of IP Litigation Practice With Addition of Two Partners
• Morning Roundup
• Veteran Federal Tax Attorneys Join Winston & Strawn as Partners

Law firm Jones Day announced recently that both Martha Gooding and Michael Stimson have joined as partners in its Intellectual Property Practice, in the Irvine Office.

Both join from Howrey, where they were members of the firm’s IP Group.

Joe Sims, the Jones Day partner responsible for coordinating the Firm’s activities in California was quoted as saying in a press release at the firm’s website: “Martha and Michael are experienced IP litigators who provide even deeper strength for our firm in the California region. Together with the addition earlier this year of Bill Rooklidge and Frank Cote as IP partners in Irvine – both of whom were formerly partners in Howrey’s Irvine office – Jones Day now has 64 attorneys in our IP Practice in California and 266 attorneys in the group worldwide. This is one of the largest and most experienced, full-service global IP practice groups at any law firm in the world.”

Martha Gooding has nearly 30 years of experience representing clients in a wide range of complex disputes, including patent infringement and trade secret misappropriation litigation. An experienced litigator, she has tried cases in federal and state courts. In addition to serving on the Board of Directors of the California Bar Foundation, she formerly served as President of both the Federal Bar Association of Orange County and the Association of Business Trial Lawyers of Orange County. She is also a former member of the ABA House of Delegates, and a former co-chair of the Federal Practice Task Force of the ABA Litigation Section.

The numerous awards she has received include being named a Southern California Super Lawyer, being selected for the Daily Journal’s Top Women Litigators list and the Best Lawyers in America list, and receiving the 2009 ADL Marcus Kaufman Jurisprudence Award. She received her J.D. from the University of California, Berkeley, School of Law.

Michael Stimson, Ph.D., focuses his practice on intellectual property litigation and appeals and reexaminations, appeals, and patent interference proceedings before the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. His litigation experience includes trade secret and patent trials and arbitrations, and appellate experience including appeals to the Courts of Appeals for the Federal Circuit and Ninth Circuit. Stimson has been the successful leader of several high stakes intellectual property litigation teams. He has handled cases regarding a broad range of technologies including hard disk drives, pharmaceuticals, biotechnology, medical devices, polymer chemistry, cement chemistry, and computer telephony. He received his law degree from Georgetown University Law Center.

Founded in 1893, Jones Day is an international law firm with over 2,500 lawyers. The firm acts as principal outside counsel to, or provides significant legal representation for, more than half of the Fortune Global 500 companies. It is also the eighth largest law firm in the world by revenue, and the fourth highest grossing firm in the United States. In California alone, Jones Day has over 320 lawyers in its San Francisco, Silicon Valley, Los Angeles, Irvine, and San Diego offices.

• Jones Day Adds Six Partners to Los Angeles and Washington, D.C. Offices
• Morning Roundup
• Jones Day Adds Three Partners and Three Registered Patent Agents in Southern Calfornia
• Jones Day Continues California Expansion
• Baker Botts Continues International Expansion of IP Practice

The data released by the AmLaw 200 list in the American Lawyer magazine states that in its final year the revenues of almost non-operational firm Howrey LLP decreased by nearly half of its original. Howrey with $480 million was at position 58 last year and now has moved down to 108th position with $262 million. The AmLaw list includes data from the top 200 law firms.

Read the full article here:

Post-mortem, Howrey plummets in AmLaw lists

• Morning Roundup
• No Holiday Break For The Lawyers Working On The Howrey Delay
• Who Are Hollywood’s Top Legal Dealmakers?
• Winston & Strawn Continues Expansion of IP Litigation Practice With Addition of Two Partners
• Winston & Strawn Adds Prominent Litigation Attorney to London Office

Seven partners, four counsel and four associates possessing significant antitrust and environmental practice strengths will join the Firm in Washington, D.C.  They include Robert G. Abrams, who will serve as the head of Baker Hostetler’s national antitrust practice, and the following individuals, who all join as partners: Gregory L. Baker, Robert J. Brookhiser, Gregory J. Commins Jr., Gilbert S. Keteltas, , Elizabeth B. McCallum and Terry L. Sullivan.

Joanne E. Caruso and Joanne Lichtman have joined the Los Angeles office as partners. They each have significant antitrust, commercial litigation and environmental experience.

National Executive Partner Steven Kestner was quoted as saying in a press release at the firm’s website that: “The addition of Bob Abrams and this highly respected team is another significant step forward for Baker Hostetler’s Washington and Los Angeles offices, our Firm and our clients. These attorneys bring the experience and client relationships that complement and broaden our national litigation team as we deliver the highest quality legal counsel on the most complex and critical issues facing clients today.”

John F. Bruce, William T. DeVinney, Danyll W. Foix and Monica B. Lateef join the Firm as Counsel. Associates joining the Firm are Carey S. Busen, Evan M. Mannering, Bridget S. Merritt and Jocelyn R. Roy.

With over 700 attorneys, global law firm Baker Hostetler serves clients in such diverse industries as hospitality, healthcare, financial services, media, energy, sports and technology.

• Law Firm Kirkland Ellis Commits $2.75 Million to Stanford Law School to Fund Scholars’ Program and Annual Forum
• Morning Roundup
• K&L Gates Adds Partners in Brussels and Washington, D.C. Offices
• Interior Department Assistant Secretary and Chief of Staff Thomas Strickland Joins WilmerHale as Partner
• Global Law Firm K&L Gates Adds Retired U.S. Congressman Bart Gordon to D.C. Office

Jones Day

In the press release at the firm’s website, Chris Lovrien, Partner-in-Charge of Jones Day’s Los Angeles Office was quoted as saying: “This group not only brings substantial depth to two very important and already strong practices at Jones Day, it is an indication of the continued growth plans we have in Los Angeles and throughout the state.”

Dave Steuber was the Chair of Howrey’s Insurance Recovery practice, and is a recognized leader in his field.

Formerly the Southern California co-managing partner for Howrey and co-chair of its Insurance Recovery practice, Ty Childress focuses his practice on complex business and tort litigation, insurance coverage advice, and related coverage litigation.

Amy Fink focuses her practice on general and complex litigation and insurance coverage advice.

David Meyer’s practice focuses on antitrust, commercial litigation, and appeals.

Greg Shumaker, Partner-in-Charge of Jones Day’s Washington Office was quoted as saying: “John and Susan add great depth to our trademark, copyright, and false advertising capabilities in Washington and their experience will help us deliver better service to our clients. Their arrival enhances our worldwide intellectual property practice, which includes nearly 300 lawyers and allows us to handle virtually any IP issue our clients might have.”

John Froemming is a trial lawyer with over twenty years of experience in commercial and intellectual property litigation.

With fifteen plus years of experience in intellectual property litigation and counseling, trademark, copyright, and false advertising, Susan Kayser has been nationally recognized in her field.

Jones Day is a global law firm providing significant legal representation for more than half of the Fortune Global 500 companies.

• Baker Botts Continues International Expansion of IP Practice
• Winston & Strawn Continues Expansion of IP Litigation Practice With Addition of Two Partners
• Jones Day Adds Two Partners to IP Practice in Irvine Office
• Morning Roundup
• Jones Day Adds Three Partners and Three Registered Patent Agents in Southern Calfornia

Since Howrey dissolved last week, its partners have been going to many different firms.  This Thursday, March 17, three more firms hired several former Howrey partners.

Morgan Lewis is getting Jason White, former IP litigation partner at Howrey, as well as commercial litigation partner, Romeo Quinto, Jr.  They will be joining 11 former Howrey lawyers that left to Morgan Lewis in February, including David Clough, in the firms Chicago office.  Quinto and White will also be joined by David Patariu, Mansi Shah, and Scott Sherwin, who were also formerly Howrey associates.  In all, 19 former Howrey lawyers have now gone to Morgan Lewis.  Clough also brought in two others with him to the firm: Scott Schutte, commercial litigator from Howrey and former head of class action practice Kenneth Kliebard.

Yet another four associates formerly from Howrey joined Morgan Lewis in Chicago: Kate Berezutskaya, Christopher Cabral, Gregory Fouts, Jayesh Hines-Shah, and Tedd Warden.

Scott Mendeloff and Gabriel Aizenberg, formerly litigation partners at Howrey, were hired by Greenberg Traurig in Chicago.  They had been part of Howrey since June 2008 after leaving Sidley Austin.

Another firm that got in on the action was Arnold & Porter, which hired another former Howrey litigation partner, Paul Alexander, in its Palo Alto office.

• Jones Day Adds Six Partners to Los Angeles and Washington, D.C. Offices
• McKool Smith Hires 5 Lawyers in New York City
• Morgan Lewis Adds Seasoned Attorney Margaret Gatti to Antitrust Practice
• Winston & Strawn Adds Prominent Litigation Attorney to London Office
• Jones Day Adds Two Partners to IP Practice in Irvine Office

Baker Botts

Included in the group is Sean Boland, former vice-chair of Howrey, and two former assistant US attorneys general who will both serve as senior counselors at their new firm.  Boland led Howrey’s negotiation discussions with Winston & Strawn and said that one of the reasons the deal fell through is that client conflicts would have split up his anti-trust group.

• Winston & Strawn Continues Expansion of IP Litigation Practice With Addition of Two Partners
• Winston & Strawn Adds Prominent Litigation Attorney to London Office
• Turn Out The Lights…
• Howrey Dissolution May Be Imminent
• 11 More Leave Howrey, This Time for Morgan Lewis

One things for certain: wherever they end up, they’re likely to find old friends.  In the last year, over 140 partners have left Howrey for other firms, not to mention large numbers of associates and staff.  As they say at Dodger Stadium, you can’t know the players without a scorecard, and The American Lawyer has prepared a handy chart for those interested in tracking the former Howrey partners.

Even a major law firm needs lawyers when it shuts its doors, and Howrey is no exception.  The firm will be advised during the final days by counsel from Latham & Watkins.

• Howrey Dissolution May Be Imminent
• Winston & Strawn Continues Expansion of IP Litigation Practice With Addition of Two Partners
• Winston & Strawn Adds Prominent Litigation Attorney to London Office
• Several Howrey Partners Moving on to Three More Firms
• 32 Howrey Lawyers Land at Baker Botts

Large numbers of Howrey partners have moved to other firms in the last few months after merger talks with Winston & Strawn fell through.  Winston & Strawn reportedly withdrew from merger negotiations and instead issued direct invitations to three-quarters of Howrey partners, however several prominent attorneys have left for firms other than Winston as well.

• Turn Out The Lights…
• Winston & Strawn Continues Expansion of IP Litigation Practice With Addition of Two Partners
• Winston & Strawn Adds Prominent Litigation Attorney to London Office
• Several Howrey Partners Moving on to Three More Firms
• 32 Howrey Lawyers Land at Baker Botts

WlimerHale jumped on the spring bonus bandwagon…

Howrey lost another big batch of lawyers…

Sirhan Sirhan was denied parole…

UK firm Kennedys merged with its Portugese partner…

and pop star Prince is facing some unpleasant legal troubles…

• Morning Roundup
• Morning Roundup
• Morning Roundup
• Morning Update
• Morning Roundup

The lights haven’t gone out yet, but recent reports indicate that there is a rather rotund woman warming up her vocal chords.  Morrison & Foerster also picked up a Howrey attorney yesterday, and in the last several days Paul Hastings, Sheppard Mullin and Kirkland & Ellis have all been destination firms for Howrey lawyers making a clean escape.

• Jones Day Adds Two Partners to IP Practice in Irvine Office
• Jones Day Adds Six Partners to Los Angeles and Washington, D.C. Offices
• Morning Update
• Morning Roundup
• Jones Day Adds Three Partners and Three Registered Patent Agents in Southern Calfornia

White & Case reported 2010 numbers that look a lot like 2009…

Clifford Chance is moving into Australia…

and the Howrey exodus continued…

• Morning Roundup
• Morning Roundup
• Morning Roundup
• Morning Roundup
• Morning Roundup

Cherian leaves Howrey for rival firm, Hogan Lovells, and joining him will be partners Constance Ramos, Sarah Jalali, John Hamann, and hiring partner at Howrey’s Scott Wales. On top of the loss of partners, Cherian also takes $10 million worth of business with him.

Hogan & Lovells was formed in May 2010, when Washington-based firm Hogan & Hartson merged with the London-based Lovells. With revenues of around $1.8 billion, there are nearly 2,500 lawyers at Hogan Lovells.

Howrey lost its other IP rainmaker last month, when Henry Bunsow left to join Dewey LeBeouf.

• Winston & Strawn Continues Expansion of IP Litigation Practice With Addition of Two Partners
• Jones Day Adds Six Partners to Los Angeles and Washington, D.C. Offices
• Morning Roundup
• Jones Day Adds Three Partners and Three Registered Patent Agents in Southern Calfornia
• Morning Roundup

2010 was another good year at Bingham…

Edwards Angell Palmer & Dodge merged a local firm into its DC office…

Blank Rome picked up a seven attorney consumer financial services practice group…

The exodus from Howrey continued as eleven attorneys moved to Morgan Lewis…

and as civil unrest gains intensity in Egypt, major law firms are shutting down local offices for the duration…

Although not part of our normal news coverage, we have our eyes on Egypt today as the protests swell to record size and the US pressures Mubarak to step down.

• Morning Roundup
• Morning Roundup
• Morning Roundup
• Morning Roundup
• Morning Roundup

According to numerous reports, Winston & Strawn, after ending merger negotiations with Howrey, made individual offers to as many as three quarters of Howrey partners over the weekend.

• Winston & Strawn Continues Expansion of IP Litigation Practice With Addition of Two Partners
• Winston & Strawn Adds Prominent Litigation Attorney to London Office
• Several Howrey Partners Moving on to Three More Firms
• 32 Howrey Lawyers Land at Baker Botts
• Turn Out The Lights…

Anderson Kill is opening a new office in Connecticut…

Wilmer Hale recruited a senior attorney from the Air Force…

Dewey & LeBoeuf picked up Howrey’s vice-chair…

and Kent Conrad will retire from the Senate in 2012…

• Morning Roundup
• Morning Roundup
• Morning Roundup
• Morning Update
• Morning Roundup

Sean Boland, Howrey vice chairman, said that the firm respects the decision of the three former partners. He revealed that Howrey is now under a major restructuring plan to put the firm in a better position this year. “The amount of costs taken out of the firm at all levels—which include leases, partners, associates, and the like leaving the firm—have made the firm much more efficient. It’s done wonders for our cost structure such that we’re going to see some major advantages in 2011. We’re very encouraged by the cost cutting that we’ve done.” Boland admitted that Howrey has been through a lot of challenges over the past years and is now more determined to stabilize its operations across its offices globally. “Like every firm, we’d like to see the recession end. But there are changes in the legal market that are likely permanent. Clients have learned that they have more purchasing power and in some cases are exercising that. We as a firm have to continue operating more efficiently as a result.”

• Dewey Announces 7 New Partners
• WilmerHale Shows Profits and Revenue Growth in 2010
• Another Partner Departs from Howrey LLP
• Dewey Introduces a New Vacation Policy
• King & Spalding Announces a New Partner as it Expands Government Investigations Practice in California

Steven Davis, chairman at Dewey, said that the moves have been under negotiation for the past few months as part of the firm’s expansion. “Ever since the [Dewey Ballentine/LeBoeuf Lamb] merger, we’ve had our program in place to build up key practice areas with the highest quality people we can find” Davis noted that the seven additional partners will boost the firm’s key practice areas such as global energy practice. “The additions of Hopkins and Otillar are expected to boost Dewey’s global energy practice–Hopkins has represented Middle Eastern-based oil and gas companies, as well as the Turkish government, while Otillar has handled energy acquisition and renewable energy projects in China, Brazil, and Latin America.”

Jeffrey Kessler, chairman of the firm’s global litigation department, expressed his excitement over the latest news. He said that more and more partners are being attracted to join Dewey due to the firm’s unique qualities that set it aside from other law firms. “There are three or four things we think make us unique. We have a major presence in the largest financial sectors, we make sure we have a strategic presence in the most important jurisdictions worldwide, we have a major emphasis on technology from a global side, and we have a balance between litigation and corporate, as well as a sector emphasis on key areas like energy, green issues, and financial issues relating to insurance. There are a lot of firms that have a few of those pieces, but it’s hard to find another firm that has all those pieces.” Kessler added that Dewey is still in talks with other partners from different firms, but didn’t elaborate on the details. “I don’t think this will be the last announcement we make during this first quarter. We hope to announce comparable additions in other areas and we’re very excited about the quality of people that want to come to our firm.”

• Vice Chairman at Howrey Departs for Dewey & LeBoeuf
• Two Former Senators Join Arent Fox
• Dewey Introduces a New Vacation Policy
• Cravath to Give Special Spring Bonus to its Associates
• Patton Boggs’ Profits and Revenue Show Slight Increase

As flood waters rise, the “Big 6″ law firms in Australia are evacuating their offices in Brisbane…

Robins Kaplan is expanding its IP practice with the help of a lateral from Stroock & Stroock…

Jones Day is partnering with a local firm to expand operations in Saudi Arabia…

and Howrey has lost another partner in London…

• Jones Day Adds Two Partners to IP Practice in Irvine Office
• DLA Piper Open for Business in Australia
• Jones Day Adds Six Partners to Los Angeles and Washington, D.C. Offices
• Howrey Takes Another Big Hit
• Morning Roundup

Robert Ruyak, global managing partner and chief executive of Howrey, explained that the firm is currently in the process of trimming down its European operations to shift its strategy to a network of referral partners. “Due to very difficult and repetitive conflict issues in the IP area, we made a strategic move to reduce significantly our on-the-ground European IP practice.”

Howrey has also suffered a series of losses across its offices in Europe. As of today, about 19 partners and 30 associates have exited Howrey’s offices in various headquarters that include Amsterdam, Madrid, Brussels and Paris.

• Vice Chairman at Howrey Departs for Dewey & LeBoeuf
• Dewey Announces 7 New Partners
• No Holiday Break For The Lawyers Working On The Howrey Delay
• Winston & Strawn Continues Expansion of IP Litigation Practice With Addition of Two Partners
• Winston & Strawn Adds Prominent Litigation Attorney to London Office

Charles “Chuck” Douglas, a Sidley litigation partner and chair of the firm’s executive committee, confirmed the addition of the three partners in their firm. “Gary, Greg, and Kevin are each respected and experienced litigators who embrace the highest standards of client service. They will join our extremely active accountant’s liability practice and will enable us to significantly expand its scope in New York and throughout the world.”

Howrey has been injured by the recent economic downturn in the past years. In February, the firm let go 29 associates and 65 staff members followed by another cut of 32 staffers last month. In total, there have been 66 partners who left the firm since last winter. Julie Triedman, a senior reporter of The American Lawyer, noted “Since March, there has been an extraordinary exodus of partners, capped in mid-October by the departure of most of the vaunted European IP practice, including the firm’s Europe managing partner and 11 other partners.”

• Another Partner Leaves the Howrey Firm
• Winston & Strawn Continues Expansion of IP Litigation Practice With Addition of Two Partners
• Jones Day Adds Six Partners to Los Angeles and Washington, D.C. Offices
• Turn Out The Lights…
• Sidley Austin Names New Partner in Geneva Office

Cowie was an antitrust partner of the firm. He served as a team leader for an antitrust counsel helping Medco Health Solutions on its $730 million acquisition of medical research company United BioSource in August. Before he joined the firm, he was the former director of Federal Trade Commission’s Bureau of Competition where he supervised about 25 lawyers who were responsible for probing prospective mergers in the health care, retail, and food and beverage industries. He also worked as the senior litigation counsel of the FTC’s antitrust litigation area.

Howrey LLP has more than 700 attorneys in 17 locations worldwide. The firm’s areas of practices are antitrust, global litigation and intellectual property law.

• Nationally Recognized Advertising Attorney Joins Manatt, Phelps & Phillips
• Jones Day Adds Six Partners to Los Angeles and Washington, D.C. Offices
• Cochair and Two other Partners of Howrey’s Litigation Join Sidley Austin
• Morning Roundup
• Holland & Knight Nixes Billable Hours Tracking in Public Policy & Regulation Group

Jones Day added three partners and three registered patent agents in Southern Calfornia…

Former Chief of Staff to U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski, George H. Lowe, joined Brown Rudnick…

Former Health Policy Director Mark Hayes joined Greenberg Traurig as a shareholder in the firm’s Washington, DC office…

• Jones Day Adds Three Partners and Three Registered Patent Agents in Southern Calfornia
• Former Chief of Staff to U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski Joins Brown Rudnick
• Former Health Policy Director Mark Hayes Joins Greenberg Traurig as Shareholder
• Morning Roundup
• Morning Roundup

So far this year, the Firm has added 15 partners in its five California offices:  one in San Francisco, four in Silicon Valley, one in Los Angeles, three in Irvine, and six in San Diego. Jones Day now has more than 300 lawyers in California.

Roman E. Darmer will be joining Jones Day as a partner in Irvine as a member of the Securities Litigation & SEC Enforcement Practice. He is currently a partner in the Orange County office of Howrey LLP.

In San Diego, Astrid R. Spain and David A. Gay, Ph.D. will be joining as partners, and Deborah L. Cadena, Victor Behar, and Micheal L. Hebert, who are all Ph.D.s, will be joining as patent agents in the firm’s IP Property practice. All five join from the San Diego office of McDermott Will & Emery LLP.

In the press release at the firm’s site, Joe Sims, the Jones Day partner responsible for coordinating the Firm’s activities in California, was quoted as saying: “The addition of these talented lawyers provides us with even greater depth of experience on the West Coast in the securities litigation, biotech, and pharmaceutical space. The fact that we continue to attract some very accomplished lawyers in California is making it possible to broaden and deepen the services we offer — in California and around the world — and to open opportunities for improved client service to our existing clients and for the creation of potential new relationships.”

Mr. Darmer has represented a range of clients in civil and criminal investigations, and has supervised numerous internal investigations on behalf of corporations and board committees. He has extensive experience handling SEC enforcement actions and white collar criminal matters, and also handles a wide range of complex civil litigation.

Ms. Spain’s practice spans patent counseling, prosecution, and litigation in the life sciences and pharmaceutical industries.

Dr. Gay focuses his practice on pharmaceutical and biotechnology intellectual property law.

Among the patent agents, Dr. Cadena focuses her practice on all aspects of life sciences and biotechnology and has 13 years of experience prosecuting patents.

Jones Day is a global law firm with more than 2,500 lawyers, including over 400 in Europe and 200 in Asia, located in 32 centers of business and finance throughout the world. In California, Jones Day has more than 300 lawyers in five offices – San Francisco, Silicon Valley, Los Angeles, Irvine, and San Diego.

• Morning Roundup
• Jones Day Adds Two Partners to IP Practice in Irvine Office
• Jones Day Adds Six Partners to Los Angeles and Washington, D.C. Offices
• Baker Botts Continues International Expansion of IP Practice
• Winston & Strawn Continues Expansion of IP Litigation Practice With Addition of Two Partners

Energy law firm Burleson Cooke added three attorneys to its growing Pittsburgh office…

Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale and Dorr LLP partner Joseph K. Brenner was named chief counsel of the Division of Enforcement for the Securities and Exchange Commission…

Howrey laid off 32 staffers across its 10 offices…

• Energy Law Firm Burleson Cooke Adds Three Attorneys to Growing Pittsburgh Office
• Howrey Drops the Ax on 32 Staffers
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Howrey, which confirmed the cuts in an e-mail to several media outlets, described the move as “a limited workforce reduction to adjust support staff levels to match our current and anticipated needs.

“This right-sizing of the firm,” the statement continues, “will allow Howrey to concentrate its resources on its three principal practice groups – antitrust, intellectual property and complex business litigation and to maintain our strong competitive position. We regret that this decision was necessary and will provide resources to help.”

Affected employees will receive a comprehensive severance package and full COBRA payments through Feb. 28, 2011, the firm said.

According to a report on AM Law Daily, the move continues a particularly rough couple of years at Howrey.  In 2009, the firm’s partners saw their profits plunge by 35 percent and this past February, Howrey axed 29 associates and 65 staffers.

AM Law Daily reports the latest round of cuts happened during the last week and that no attorneys were affected.

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In the press release at PR Newswire, Howrey Chairman and CEO Robert F. Ruyak was quoted as saying: “About 95 percent of the work the firm does is litigation, and about 40 percent of that deals with IP, mostly in the area of patents. Howrey handles somewhere between 40 and 50 trials a year and has more seasoned trial lawyers than just about anyone.” Ruyak also credits the firm’s “Powerhouse” designation to its intense focus on both litigation and Intellectual Property law.

Howrey has nine offices in the United States, six offices in Europe and one in Taiwan that handle IP litigation. Howrey’s presence in Europe allows it to coordinate cases where they are filed presenting both an efficient and effective representation for the firm’s clients, as related IP cases are frequently filed in U.S. and European courts.

Recent wins for the firm include successful representation of Yahoo Inc. at trial in August in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas, where the jury found that the search giant did not infringe a patent for electronic messaging technology held by Bright Response LLC.

In July, Howrey won for DA NanoMaterials, a Division of DuPont-Air Products. In this case, as in others, Howrey was brought in to replace another firm, issues were complex and required meticulous preparation of the relevant legal arguments so juries could understand the technicalities, and multimedia involvement was critical.

Founded in 1956, Howrey LLP is a global law firm with over 625 attorneys and more than 35 economic, financial and regulatory consultants. A consistent American Lawyer “A-List” and PLC Which Lawyer? “Global 50″ firm, Howrey is one of the most frequently used law firms by the world’s leading companies.

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Former Merrill Lynch counsel John Bevilacqua joined Fulbright…

Johnsrun and Knuesel, LLC, based in Winona, Minnesota, took over court-appointed counsel in Houston County…

Dallas-based law firm Goldfarb Branham LLP launched an investigation into Marlin Equity Partners buyout of Phoenix Technologies…

Howrey’s Jerrold Ganzfried assumed Chairmanship of ABA’s Council of Apellate Lawyers…

• Howrey’s Jerrold Ganzfried Assumes Chairmanship of ABA’s Council of Apellate Lawyers
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Mr. Ganzfried is one of the original founders of the Council, which is the only nationwide bench-bar organization devoted to appellate courts and practice. The Council seeks to foster a dialogue among federal and state appellate judges and lawyers that will improve appellate advocacy and the administration of justice.

As Chairman of the Council, Mr. Ganzfried will also sit on the Board of Directors of the Appellate Judges Education Institute (AJEI) and on the Executive Committee of the ABA’s Appellate Judges Conference. These entities work closely with the Council.

Throughout his career, Mr. Ganzfired has handled the largest, most complex and most sensitive cases for major national and international firms. His vast experience includes litigating a broad range of cases and arguing appeals for the foremost companies in a variety of industries, including high technology, oil and gas, and financial services. He has served as counsel in many of the landmark antitrust, securities and intellectual property cases decided in the past two decades by the Supreme Court and the federal courts of appeals.

Mr. Ganzfried’s most recent successes include the reversal on appeal of a judgment arising from a dispute in a $100 million real estate transaction. In the past five years, he has won high-profile appeals involving the savings and loan industry crisis, securities class actions, a contract/patent licensing dispute over cutting-edge biotechnology, and one of the largest corporate tax cases ever reversed on appeal.

According to the August 17 article at citbizlist.com, Mr. Ganzfried was quoted as saying: “I look forward to the coming year. The Council is dedicated to the professional development of appellate lawyers through creative, effective programs and productive dialogue with judges who sit on appellate courts at all levels across the country. I am honored to have been asked to serve.”

Founded in 1956, Howrey LLP is a global law firm with over 625 attorneys and more than 35 economic, financial and regulatory consultants. A consistent American Lawyer “A-List” and PLC Which Lawyer? “Global 50″ firm, Howrey is one of the most frequently used law firms by the world’s leading companies.

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Thompson Hine added to its Executive Committee…

International firm Howrey is set to open a new office in Duesseldorf, Germany…

Despite law firm cuts, report showed an increase in law school applications…

Seyfarth Shaw LLP added patent attorney Alan M. Lenkin to its practice…

Snell & Wilmer added former Holland & Hart partner Daniel R. Frost to its construction practice…

Greenberg Traurig President Matthew B. Gorson was elected to serve on the Executive Committee of United Way…

Switzerland declined the United States’ request for extradition of Roman Polanski…

The National Law Journal released its 2010 “Hot List” of midsize law firms in the U.S….

Disney wiill pay “Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?” creator Celador nearly $270 mMillion in damages…

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According to the report, Howrey will add an antitrust team to the office soon after its launch.  The practice is currently conducted in Brussels, Paris, Madrid and London.

“Since we started our operations in Germany we have always kept in mind that Duesseldorf is a very important place and the number one place for patent litigation in the region,” Joachim Feldges, the managing partner of Howrey’s Munich office, told LegalWeek. “We have handled many cases there from our Munich office, so it made sense to now establish a proper presence there. Howrey will continue to expand its base in Europe in line with the firm’s focus and clients.”

The Deusseldorf office will be Howrey’s seventh in Europe, joining bases Amsterdam, Brussels, London, Madrid, Munich and Paris.

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The recession, a trend toward flat fees versus hourly billing and ever improving technology has forced many firms to trim the fat.

In the last two years, many law firms have laid off associates, deferred start dates for hires and altered base pay and bonus structures. This has included pay cuts and freezes, redistributing portions of base salaries, and eliminating lock-step pay increases.

As an example of an alternative pay structure, Howrey LLP hires about 20 partner-track associates. Each receive reduced salaries in their first year ($125,000) and second year ($150,000) and have lower billable-hour requirements. Instead, training and partner mentorship are emphasized. In the early years, they are billed out at lower rates for the work they do. In essence, this transfers the costs of training to the firm and to the associates. Instead of meeting billable-hour quotas or merely marking time at the firm, advancement is based on the broadening of skill sets.

Howrey also hires a second tier of non-partner track lawyers to handle lower-level assignments and work fewer hours. These individuals begin at a salary of $80,000.

Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe employs a similar program. Mr. Zeughauser calls these programs “cutting edge.”

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The new partners are Terree Bowers and Mary Carter Andrues, who will reside in the firm’s Los Angeles office; Peter Unger, who joins the Washington D.C. office; and Andrew D. Kaizer, who heads to the New York City office. Andrues, Bowers and Unger all arrive from Howrey, which recently announced it would be cutting partners after a poor year financially.

Arent Fox Chairman Mark Katz called the additions “the first in a series of moves we will be making in this practice area.”

Bowers is a former U.S. Attorney for the Central District of California. He has over 30 years experience practicing in white collar defense, complex commercial and regulatory litigation.

Andrues is a former assistant U.S. Attorney in the Central District of California under Bowers. Her practice focuses on white collar defense, internal corporate investigations, international and domestic regulatory compliance and enforcement and complex commercial litigation.

Unger is a former attorney in the SEC’s Division of Enforcement. His practice includes representation of parties facing SEC investigations and litigations,

Kaizer’s practice centers on securities and commodities enforcement, investigations by federal, state and private-sector regulators and law enforcement officials both in the U.S. and abroad, internal investigations, hedge-fund and broker-dealer regulatory compliance and other areas.

Arent Fox has more than 350 lawyers nationwide with offices in Los Angeles, Washington D.C. and New York City.

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