JD Journal » litigation

Clawbacks are Facing Pushback’s in Law Firm Bankruptcies

chelsei — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 13:36:45 +0000

When it comes to litigation involving defunct law firms, the clawback suits may be on their way out–of the bankruptcy court.

In a long series of recent court actions involving the Coudert Brothers, Thelen estates, and Heller Ehrman, law forms hit with the so-called unfinished business claims in bankruptcy court argue that the claims should be litigated in federal district court instead.

And if a November 2 ruling by the US District Court Judge Colleen McMahon in Manhattan is any indication, then the argument appears to be working.

The decision came in response to an August motion filled by Akin Gump Stauss Hauer & Feld, Duane Morris, Jones Day, and at least seven other firms asking if claims filed against them in 2008 by the Coudert Brothers estate be withdrawn from bankruptcy court.

Arguing in favor of moving the claims–via which the Coudert estates hopes to recover their profits from the work that originated at Coudert and went elsewhere as partners fled the firm in the months prior to its 2006 dissolution–the ten firms pointed specifically to the U.S. Supreme Court’s January decision in Stern vs. Marshall. In Stern, which involved the bankruptcy of deceased former Playmate of the Year Anna Nicole Smith, the Court found that the district court judges, not their bankruptcy court counterparts, have the constitutional authority to rule on common law question, such as the unfinished business claims that can arise in bankruptcy cases.

Granting the withdrawal request, McMahon noted in her decision that absent Stern,”’the firms’ motion could and probably would be denied.”

William Brandt, who is the president of Development Specialists, which is a consulting firm that often advises bankrupt law firms and their estates, predicts that McMahon’s ruling will reshape the legal landscape for firms embroiled in clawback suits around the country.

”I think her decision will have a major impact on a lot of other cases,” says Brandt, whose own efforts to recover money for the Coudert and Heller Ehrman estates have been delayed by change-of-venue motions.

It didn’t even take long for one firm targeted in such an action to seize on McMahon’s ruling.

Thompson Hine filed a motion on November 4, asking federal district to take over a claim brought in bankruptcy court by Yann Geron, who is the Chapter 7 trustee of the bankrupt Thelen estate. The issue: Geron’s attempt to recoup the profits from work brought to Thompson Hine by former Thelen parter Michael Shannon, who left Thelen about two months before its partnership voted to dissolve on October 28, 2008, all according to the Thompson Hine filing.

In its motion requesting the withdrawal, Thompson Hine pointed specifically to McMahon’s November 2 ruling and its reliance on Stern, noting that ”a decision this district recently granted a motion for withdrawal of the reference in a case very similar to this one, in which the trustee for a bankrupt law firm brought unfinished business claims against the law firms joined by the bankrupt firm’s partners.”

Trials and Litigation

jim — Fri, 25 Nov 2011 05:15:18 +0000

Trials and litigation are an important part of the everyday operation of the United States justice and legal systems. Trials are an event in which two parties, a plaintiff and a defendant, appear in a courthouse to dispute information with evidence in front of a jury, a judge, and the public. Not all trials are open to the public but a good majority of them are open to the public. Trials can last anywhere from one day to over a year at a time. Litigation is the process of carrying on a legal contest by judicial process.

There are two forms of trials; bench trials and jury trials. A bench trial is when the trial is presided over by a judge and typically end in a quick manner. Once the judge rules in favor of one party, it more often than not forces the other party to offer a settlement. A settlement is when the two parties reach an agreement about the dispute and resolve the claim in question. A jury trial is a trial that is held before a group of community members that have been chosen for that particular trial.

Jury selection for a trial can take anywhere from a couple of days to a handful of weeks. Attorneys from both sides of the case will ask each juror a set of questions they have prepared for the jury selection and the judge for the case will also preside over the jury selection process. Jurors know they have to appear for jury duty because they will receive notice of their appearance in the mail. If someone does not appear for jury selection they can be fined and even sent to jail. People are eligible to not serve jury duty, for instance, a student. If someone can prove that they are a full-time student in high school or college, then they do not have to appear for jury duty.

The types of trials vary depending on the type of crime that is involved. There are criminal trials, civil trials, administrative hearing and trial and labor trials. A criminal trial originates when the government accuses a person of committing a crime. All criminals in the United States have the right to a trial by a jury of their peers. The government is attempting to deprive the accused of life, liberty and property by accusing them of a crime. In a civil trial, a trial is held for minor disputes between two private parties. For instance, a civil trial would include a woman suing her ex-husband for spousal support or child support because he is not paying.

Administrative hearings are not normally considered trials even though they contain many aspects of trials. Labor trials are trials that an employee brings against their employer for breaking the laws and regulations set forth by the government regarding labor.

Litigation usually occurs following the filing of a lawsuit. A lawsuit is a motion brought against a company or individual seeking legal or equitable remedies. In lawsuits, the person that files the suit is the plaintiff and the person that is named in the suit is the defendant. They are the same two parties involved in civil and criminal trials.

Barnes & Thornburg Elected its New Partner

marvins — Wed, 29 Dec 2010 17:04:54 +0000

Barnes & Thornburg LLP, a premier US law firm and lobbying group based in Indiana, named its newly elected partner Monica R. Brownewell Smith, a graduate of DePauw University. Smith will be based in the firm’s Indianapolis headquarters beginning January 1, 2011.

Smith is part of the litigation department at Barnes & Thornburg. Her area of practice focuses on complex commercial lawsuits and construction litigation matters. Smith graduated summa cum laude at Valparaiso University School of Law in 2003, where she served as executive managing editor of the Valparaiso University Law. She graduated from the Ardath Burkhart Governance and Management Series in May 2008 under the United Way Leadership United program. Smith has been a member of National Multiple Sclerosis Society, Indiana Chapter since 2004 and is currently the vice chair of the board of trustees.

Barnes & Thornburg LLP is one of the largest law firms in the US with over 550 lawyers. The firm has a total of 11 offices located n Atlanta, Chicago, Delaware, Indiana, Michigan, Minneapolis, Ohio and Washington DC. The Indiana-based firm areas of focus include litigation, intellectual property, labor and employment, white collar crime, business law, governmental services and finance, energy, telecommunications, transportation and utilities, environmental, health care, creditors’ rights and construction law.

Quinn Emanuel Announces Eight New Partners

marvins — Mon, 20 Dec 2010 16:31:24 +0000

Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan LLP, a premier litigation firm in the US with over 450 lawyers, named its eight newly elected lawyers to add to the firm’s partnership starting January 1, 2011. The eight new partners are the following: Matthew Bunting, Michael L. Fazio, Benjamin I. Finestone, Gabriel S. Gross, Alexander Rudis, Manisha Sheth, Molly Stephens and Matthew Warren. The new partners in Quinn Emanuel are expected to intensify the firm’s litigation practice.

Bunting is from the firm’s London office. Faxio, Stephens and Wanrre are from Los Angeles office while Finestone, Sheth, Rudis are based in New York office of the firm. Gross works in the firm’s Silicon Valley office.

Quinn Emanuel is a worldwide litigation law firm with offices in Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco, Silicon Valley, London, Tokyo, and Manheim. Quinn Emanuel is the only firm in the US legal industry to win four nine-figure jury verdicts in the last seven years.

Hogan Lovells Adds Two Partners to Firm

joshua — Wed, 17 Nov 2010 18:00:20 +0000

Hogan Lovells US LLP has added two partners to its firm, one in Philadelphia, and one in Washington, D.C.

Virginia A. Gibson, former Executive Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, joins as a partner in the Philadelphia office and a member of the Litigation, Arbitration and Employment practice group.

Lynn Whipkey Mehler, former U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Senior Counsel for Drugs, joins as a partner in the Washington, D.C., office in the Pharmaceutical and Biotechnology practice group.

Gibson is a highly qualified investigation, litigation, and trial lawyer who has worked as a U.S. federal prosecutor for 24 years, serving most recently as the Executive Assistant U.S. Attorney in Pennsylvania where she oversaw all healthcare and government fraud, among other matters. She has also served as First Assistant and Chief of the Civil Division in that office.

Prior to her work for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, Gibson was with the Office of the U.S. Attorney for the District of Delaware, where she held the positions of First Assistant, Executive Assistant U.S. Attorney, and Civil Chief. Her tenures in both U.S. Attorneys’ Offices have placed her at the forefront of civil False Claims Act and qui tam enforcement as well as civil and criminal enforcement of the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act and other government fraud statutes. Gibson has played a central role in some of the largest and most significant pharmaceutical and medical device prosecutions the U.S. Department of Justice has undertaken in recent years.

Gibson has received numerous awards for her work from the Department of Justice and the Attorney General, including one she will receive on 6 December for a major pharmaceutical fraud matter. Other agencies, including the President’s (and the IG’s ) Council on Integrity and Efficiency, the Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General and the FDA Office of Criminal Investigations have recognized her fraud prosecutions.

Mehler has 12 years experience at the FDA, and served as one of the principal lawyers to the agency’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research (CDER). She was responsible for supervising the work of a number of lawyers. She has also counseled senior FDA officials on a broad range of legal issues involving federal regulation of pharmaceutical and biotechnology products, including drug safety, drug labeling, risk management, post-marketing studies and trials, and the federal regulation of controlled substances.

Hogan Lovells combines the breadth of business-oriented legal advice and high-quality service that clients have come to expect through working with its two founding firms – Hogan & Hartson and Lovells.

Dickstein Shapiro Adds Twelve Attorneys to M&A & Private Equity Practices

joshua — Mon, 15 Nov 2010 14:27:14 +0000

Dickstein Shapiro LLP expanded its national M&A and Private Equity Practices with the addition of five partners and seven associates.

The attorneys will be working both from New York City and the firm’s newly launched Stamford, Connecticut office. The group includes partners Christopher Cerrito, Martin Clarke, John Flaherty, Thomas Freed, and Evan Seideman, previously with Edwards Angell Palmer & Dodge LLP.

They represent a wide variety of fund clients, Fortune 1000 companies, management teams, buyers, sellers, and lenders in M&A deals and private equity and venture capital financings. Among them, they have closed over 40 deals in the last 12 months.

In the press release at the firm’s site, Howard Graff, managing partner of the firm’s New York office was quoted as saying: “We are truly fortunate to be adding such an exceptional group of lawyers. They not only fit perfectly with our strategic plan to grow our New York area presence, but also with our multi-disciplinary approach to problem-solving that has achieved enormous success for our clients — particularly in this challenging economic climate.”

Thomas J. Freed, who is recognized by Chambers USA among the top 10 Corporate/M&A attorneys in Connecticut, is a transactional attorney who, among other activities, provides representation for Fortune 1000 companies undertaking middle market mergers and acquisitions and joint ventures.

Martin A. Clarke, among other activities, represents private equity funds, public companies and private companies in connection with mergers, acquisitions, and divestitures.

John A. Flaherty, who is recognized by Chambers USA among the top Corporate/M&A attorneys in Connecticut, is a transactional attorney focusing primarily on mergers and acquisitions, as well as other strategic investment and capital raising transactions, joint ventures, and general corporate representation.
Christopher M. Cerrito is a transactional attorney who focuses his work on solving the business needs of venture capital investors and start-up companies, as well as middle market and Fortune 1000 corporations, particularly in the technology sector.

Evan S. Seideman is a transactional attorney and business advisor who, along with other activities, works with private companies engaged in one or a series of mergers and acquisitions.

Foundd in 1953, Dickstein Shapiro LLP is internationally recognized for its work with clients, from start-ups to Fortune 500 corporations. The firm provides strategic counsel and develops multidisciplinary legal solutions by leveraging its core strengths—litigation, regulatory, transactions, and advocacy—to successfully advance clients’ business interests.

Dickie McCamey Expands into Ohio With Merger

joshua — Wed, 06 Oct 2010 20:34:24 +0000

Dickie, McCamey & Chilcote, P.C., one of Pittsburgh’s largest law firms, has expanded into Columbus, Ohio, through a merger with Golian McCaffrey, LLC.

With this acquisition, Dickie McCamey now has offices in Columbus, Harrisburg, Philadelphia, Washington, D.C., Delaware, New Jersey, Charlotte, Steubenville, and West Virginia, along with the firm’s headquarters in Pittsburgh.

Jeffrey T. Wiley, managing director of Dickie McCamey, said joining an established firm like Golian McCaffrey “will allow us to expand in Ohio immediately because our practices are complimentary.”

Joe Golian and Pat McCaffrey, principals in Golian McCaffrey LLC since 1995, will be shareholders in Dickie McCamey. Also joining the firm is Audrey E. Varwig as an associate.

Dickie, McCamey & Chilcote, P.C. is a nationally recognized litigation firm providing comprehensive legal expertise, as well as non-litigation services, in a multitude of practice areas. It is headquartered in Pittsburgh and was founded more than 100 years ago.

Morning Roundup

joshua — Wed, 15 Sep 2010 13:40:36 +0000

Good morning everyone! Today is Wednesday, September 15th. Here’s a quick look back at yesterday’s stories.

The EPA threatened nine hydraulic fracturing companies with legal action…

Former Ambassador and Associate Attorney General Joins Fulbright & Jaworski…

Kramer Levin added three partners from Baker & McKenzie to its banking and finance group…

Andrews Kurth LLP added four attorneys to its Washington D.C. Office…

White & Case expanded its white collar and litigation practice…

White & Case Expands White Collar and Litigation Practices

joshua — Tue, 14 Sep 2010 11:20:57 +0000

Global law firm White & Case LLP has added partner Kenneth Caruso in New York and a seven-lawyer team, including partners Michel Beaussier and Isabelle Fenayrou-Degas, from the French specialist white collar firm Beaussier & Associés in Paris. The move expands the firm’s cutting edge white collar and litigation capabilities.

According to the press release at the firm’s site, George Terwilliger, head of White & Case’s Global White Collar Practice and former Deputy Attorney General of the United States was quoted as saying: “We are delighted to welcome Ken, Michel and Isabelle, as well as the entire Beaussier & Associés team. These lawyers are a great addition for our clients who increasingly need the benefit of experienced judgment to address global investigations, enforcement actions and related civil claims.”

Caruso has over 30 years of private and public legal experience. He joins White & Case from Bracewell & Giuliani LLP, where he was a partner in the firm’s litigation and international business practice in New York. Caruso’s practice focuses on civil and criminal litigation and investigations involving international and transnational matters, primarily for financial institutions both in the United States and worldwide.

In Paris, partners Michel Beaussier and Isabelle Fenayrou-Degas join White & Case and bring with them five additional lawyers comprising the white collar and litigation boutique Beaussier & Associés. With their arrival, the Paris dispute resolution team now stands at 10 partners, six counsel and more than 30 associates.

“Michel and Isabelle and their team command a high reputation in the French legal market as leading practitioners in the white collar, criminal law and contentious regulatory fields, advising leading French and international banks,” said John Willems, head of White & Case’s Disputes Practice in Western Europe, Middle East and Africa. “We could see immediately the parallels between their business and our own: we share many of the same clients and their arrival brings specialist expertise in this increasingly important area for multinational businesses.”

Beaussier is a senior white collar lawyer, with more than 30 years of experience. He has a leading reputation in the French legal market for criminal and bank regulatory matters.

Fenayrou-Degas is a highly respected white collar lawyer who represents banks and corporations in criminal and regulatory proceedings.

White & Case LLP is a leading global law firm with lawyers in 36 offices in 25 countries. The firm provides counsel and representation in virtually every area of law that affects cross-border business.

Morning Roundup

joshua — Fri, 13 Aug 2010 12:17:15 +0000

Good morning everyone! Today is Friday, August 13th. Here’s a quick look back at yesterday’s stories.

Baker McKenzie reported its revenues were flat but profits were up…

Ventricelli joined Capstone Advisory Group LLC as Managing Director…

The stay was lifted in California same-sex marriage ban…

Brinks Hofer laid off 18 workers this week…

Law Firm Best, Best, & Krieger was subpoenaed by the Attorney General’s office during its investigation of overpaid employees in the city of Bell…

A top compliance officer from BAE Systems joined Covington & Burling as a partner…

Ventricelli Joins Capstone Advisory Group LLC as Managing Director

joshua — Thu, 12 Aug 2010 20:58:59 +0000

Daniel Ventricelli has joined Capstone Advisory Group, LLC as a Managing Director of the Litigation and Forensic Practice Group in the firm’s New York City office.

Ventricelli, an expert in areas of financial investigations, litigation consulting and bankruptcy, has over 22 years of experience working with counsel to conduct accounting and financial investigations, providing litigation consulting and expert witness services and serving as forensic accountant/financial advisor to trustees, debtors, lenders and committees.

According to today’s press release at PR Newswire, Ed Ordway, Executive Director and Co-Founder of Capstone Advisory Group was quoted as saying: “I am delighted to announce that Dan Ventricelli will be joining Capstone. He will be an invaluable addition to the Litigation and Forensics Practice and the New York Office.”

Capstone Advisory Group offers Restructuring and Transaction Advisory Services, Litigation and Forensic Services, and Valuation Services. The firm has led the resolution process in some of the most complex corporate domestic and international matters. Its broad experience and superior service, coupled with its personal, hands-on approach, have benefited hundreds of clients – from small businesses to Fortune 500 companies, in a wide array of industries.

Cadwalader Names New Co-Chair of Litigation Department

joshua — Wed, 07 Jul 2010 20:26:53 +0000

Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft LLP has named Louis M. Solomon co-chair of the firm’s 180-lawyer litigation department. He will manage the group with Gregory A. Markel.

Solomon, considered a leading trial lawyer, has represented clients in many high-profile disputes, including antitrust, intellectual property, class action, and government and regulatory proceedings. He has also litigated cases involving multiple international jurisdictions including the EU, Russia, Latin America, Asia, Africa, and the Middle East.

Solomon also serves as chairman of the firm’s commercial and international litigation group.

“We are pleased that Lou is assuming a prominent role at the firm. Lou brings to this position a record of successful management initiatives and years of leadership experience,” said Christopher White, Cadwalader chairman.

Cadwalader Wickersham & Taft was established in 1792 and is the oldest continually operated law firm in the United States. The firm also has international offices in London and Beijing.

Revenue and Profits Increase at Cahill

sara — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 15:13:17 +0000

Cahill Gordon & Reindel report that in 2009 the firm saw increases in revenue and profits. Gross revenue increased more than 9%, rising from $247 million to $269.5 million. Revenue per lawyer increased almost 6%, from $932,000 to $987,000; and profits per equity partner increased 19%, from $2.1 million to $2.5 million.

Founded in 1919, Cahill Gordon & Reindel is a New York City based international firm with additional offices in Washington, D.C. and London. Cahill has one of the most prominent litigation practices in the United States and has handled high profile securities, anti trust and firs amendment litigation.

Revenue Declines Slightly at Arent Fox

joshua — Wed, 24 Feb 2010 19:46:14 +0000

2009 looks a lot like 2008 at Arent Fox where revenue fell slightly to $216.5 million from the previous year’s $222.5 million. Profits per partner came in at $800,000, the same as in 2008, and revenue per lawyer was $690,000, a slight drop from 2008. The firm finished the year with the same number of partners as it had in 2008, but kept per partner profits flat despite a slight dip in revenue by cutting 5% from its expense budget and prepaying some 2009 expenses in 2008.

The real estate practice took a hit in 2009 but the decline in real estate law was balanced out by a strong showing in litigation, particularly within the IP practice group.

Arent Fox has nearly 350 attorneys with offices in Los Angeles, Washington D.C. and New York.

Peter Prieto of Holland & Knight Moves to Podhurst Orseck

sara — Fri, 12 Feb 2010 15:08:26 +0000

Miami based attorney Peter Prieto, the chairman of Holland & Knight’s national litigation section, has left the firm for boutique litigation firm Podhurst Orseck. Prieto becomes the 13^th lawyer at the firm and the first lateral partner hire in 28 years.

Prieto was with Holland & Knight for 16 years. He began his courtroom career as an Assistant U.S. Attorney in Miami. He worked in Washington D.C., as associate deputy independent counsel for the Office of Independent Counsel investigating Commerce Secretary Ron Brown. He had joined Holland & Knight right after graduating law school in 1985 before joining the U.S. Attorney’s office. He returned to Holland & Knight in 1996.Holland & Knight is a general practice firm with over 1,000 lawyers in 17 offices around the world.

Nelson Mullins Opening in West Virginia

joshua — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 20:45:34 +0000

Nelson Mullins, already the largest firm in South Carolina, is opening its 12th office this week in Huntington, West Virginia. Three prominent West Virgina litigators, Marc Williams, Robert Massie and Melissa Foster Bird, will be joining the firms as partners and kicking off the West Virginia office. Litigation represents a little over half of Nelson Mullins work.

Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough LLP is a large US law firm and lobbying group based in Columbia, South Carolina. The firm ranked 127th in profit per attorney on the 2007 AmLaw 200 survey.

Bass Berry Associates Complete Training Program

Erik Even — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 17:18:06 +0000

Nashville, Tennessee’s Bass, Berry & Sims has announced the completion of its first associate litigation training program, culminating in full-scale mock jury trials at Vanderbilt University Law School.

The six-month program was designed to provide associates with direct litigation, trial advocacy, and jury persuasion experience. The goal of the training is to prepare associates to become first-chair trial lawyers, a client-service strategy to provide quality service at non-senior rates.

Clips of the training sessions, including opening statements, direct examinations, and closing arguments, are available on YouTube.

In June, the firm laid off 10 associates and 22 staff.

Nashville’s Bass, Berry & Sims employs more than 225 attorneys, representing numerous publicly-traded companies and Fortune 500 businesses.

American Discovery to Hire 100 Attorneys

Erik Even — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 17:24:59 +0000

Document review and research services provider American Discovery is expanding its Insurance Litigation Practice Area, hiring an additional 100 attorneys for its review offices in the US and the Philippines

The firm will provide dedicated legal teams to support insurance companies in litigation matters. The firm claims it can reduce legal fees for companies by 80%.

American Discovery provides clients with dedicated litigation resources who have extensive experience in US. law, discovery practices, and cost management

American Discovery provides global corporations and law firms with outsourcing of labor-intensive areas of litigation, such as fulfilling discovery requirements, document review, contract management, and litigation support. It is headquartered in Los Angeles; and has an Asia-Pacific headquarters in The Philippines.

Simmons & Simmons to Outsource Legal Work

Erik Even — Fri, 08 May 2009 17:30:59 +0000

Simmons & Simmons plans to use external lawyers for litigation and corporate due diligence work.

The firm seeks to outsource legal work to qualified lawyers, unlike other firms that outsource to paralegals in India.

The firm has already contacted several outsourcing agencies, and hopes to ramp up the new initiative in the next three years.

It is unclear how this will affect hiring at the firm.

Simmons & Simmons is a leading international law firm with over 2,000 employees, and 20 offices located throughout Europe, the Middle East and Asia.

Incoming Skadden Associates Get Litigation Rotation

Erik Even — Tue, 31 Mar 2009 16:36:15 +0000

Skadden, which on Friday laid off an undisclosed number of staff attorneys and 50 support staffers, is introducing a litigation program for its incoming class.

From the memo:

… To address this issue, the relative underutilization of first year corporate associates, and with the firm belief that first year legal work should serve to set the groundwork for a set of skills that all lawyers need, we are introducing a litigation component to the program. In addition this will assist our litigation departments with their staffing needs.

Our first year program will now include a six month litigation component in which you will work under the direct supervision of lawyers from the general litigation, white collar, intellectual property/patent, antitrust and/or mass torts groups… In order to implement this program fairly, all corporate associates will participate in the litigation component. One group will rotate into litigation in early April while the others will proceed to their previously scheduled “second” corporate rotation. In October, the groups will switch and those who were in the litigation rotation will be rotated to their other corporate rotation and those who have completed their second corporate rotation will rotate into the litigation rotation. We anticipate final assignments will occur in May 2010.

We will offer litigation training at the start of each rotation…

Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP, founded in 1948, is a prominent law firm based in New York City. With over 2,000 attorneys, it is one of the largest and highest-grossing law firms in the world. Forbes magazine called Skadden “Wall Street’s most powerful law firm.”

Kirkland & Ellis Revenue Up, Profits Flat

Erik Even — Sun, 08 Mar 2009 17:23:28 +0000

Am Law 100 firm Kirkland & Ellis saw an increase in revenue and flat profits per partner in the 2008 fiscal year.

Revenue rose 7% to $1.4 billion, and profit per partner was flat at $2.47 million. Revenue per lawyer fell 3% to $1.05 million.

Business for the firm’s large private equity group was down, but that was balanced by its strong practices in litigation, bankruptcy, and intellectual property.

The firm saw an 11% jump in head count, bringing its lawyer headcount to more than 1,300.

The firm increased its number of partners last year by 7%, from 509 to 545.

Maslon Edelman Cuts Five Admin Positions

Erik Even — Mon, 23 Feb 2009 22:22:56 +0000

Maslon Edelman Borman & Brand has cut five administrative positions.

There is no further information available about these layoffs. If you have any inside info you’d like to share, please send us a confidential tip. You’ll be glad you did!

Founded in 1956, the Minneapolis, Minnesota-based firm employs more than 80 lawyers. The firm specializes in business & securities, estate planning, financial services, labor & employment, litigation and real estate.

Calfee, Halter Dismisses Four Lawyers

Erik Even — Sun, 22 Feb 2009 17:44:42 +0000

Cleveland’s Calfee, Halter & Griswold dismissed four lawyers, a paralegal and another staffer. All were among Calfee’s 160 lawyers in Cleveland except one, a lawyer in the 15-lawyer Columbus office.

Calfee, a general business firm, has large practices in intellectual property law, capital markets and litigation.

“Their departures are a direct result of matching our head count with projected business,” Philip Dawson, the firm’s COO, said.

Hinshaw & Culbertson Lays Off 11 Attorneys, 17 Staff

Erik Even — Fri, 06 Feb 2009 16:58:35 +0000

Hinshaw & Culbertson, a Chicago-based firm with about 490 attorneys, cut 11 attorneys and 17 staff members last week in an effort to trim costs amid the economic meltdown.

The firm, which has nine of its 26 offices in Illinois, made the reductions across all offices and the dismissals weren’t concentrated in any particular practice areas, said managing partner Bill Roberts.

The employee cuts amount to nearly 3% of the former 1,002-worker headcount. The firm has 490 attorneys.

The firm counts business litigation and transactional work as its core strengths, although it has niches in labor and employment as well as school law.

The firm has offices in 12 states, including Florida, California, New York and Wisconsin.

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.

Dorsey & Whitney Sees Flat 2008 Revenue

Erik Even — Mon, 02 Feb 2009 16:32:39 +0000

Minneapolis-based Dorsey & Whitney saw flat revenues, with a small decrease in profits per partner for 2008.

Gross revenues were just over $367 million, and profits per partner were $661,000, a 1.6% decrease from the prior year.

The firm’s activity was even across practice areas with both litigation and corporate work accounting for significant chunks of revenue. Litigation accounted for approximately 35% of the firm’s revenue this year.

The firm also saw a fair amount of corporate advisory and transactional work, including a close to $1 billion bank financing for an Indian gaming project. Corporate work represented 22% of gross revenue.

Also, the 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals threw out a decade old case that could have cost the firm up to $4 million in malpractice verdicts.

Ervin Cohen & Jessup Absorbs MDFS Law

Erik Even — Thu, 22 Jan 2009 21:27:15 +0000

The partners of Moldo Davidson Fraioli Seror & Sestanovich (aka MDFS Law), a Century City, California-based business law firm, will join Ervin Cohen & Jessup (aka ECJ) of Beverly Hills, starting February 1st.

The MDFS Law group includes Byron Moldo, Peter Davidson, Patrick Fraioli, David Seror, Tom Sestanovich, Jeffrey Glassman, Ken Miller, and Howard Camhi, along with other attorneys and staff.

Each of the MDFS Partners worked at large Los Angeles or New York firms, before joining in their practice that has thrived in Century City for the past 12 years.

With the addition, ECJ’s roster will include more than 50 full-time legal professionals.

ECJ has been serving California and nationwide clients for the past 56 years, and provides a full range of business-related legal services. ECJ is also a charter member of the international Law Firm Alliance.

ECJ’s new partners will expand the firm’s practice in the areas of bankruptcy, receivership and reorganization; business litigation and “litigation avoidance” counseling; commercial real estate; corporate matters; “green” and other emerging technologies; and intellectual property protection and litigation

MDFS Law will leave behind its offices in Century City and move into the newly renovated ECJ offices located in the heart of Beverly Hills.

DLA Piper Appoints Vice Chairs for Chicago Practice Groups

Erik Even — Thu, 22 Jan 2009 17:56:09 +0000

DLA Piper has for the first time appointed vice chairs for some Chicago practice groups, seeking to aid those who chair large practice groups and provide additional leadership opportunities for lawyers in the office.

The law firm, with 270 attorneys in Chicago, appointed Tina Martini as vice chairperson of the intellectual property group; Michael O’Neil as vice chairperson of the litigation & arbitration group; and Rich Klawiter as vice chairperson of the real estate group.

The move is designed to “reduce the burden” on leaders of large groups; beef up administration, planning, integration and marketing resources for the groups; and open up more leadership posts for people in the office, according to the firm.

DLA Piper lawyers worldwide feel connected at a local level while working at the world’s largest law firm, said William Rudnick, the firm’s managing partner in Chicago.

“When you have 3,800 lawyers, you have to do things that make the firm feel small,” Rudnick told the NLJ.

Tip: Duval & Stachenfeld Laying Off 1st & 2nd Year Associates

Erik Even — Tue, 20 Jan 2009 21:48:39 +0000

New York City’s Duval & Stachenfeld is laying off an undisclosed number of first and second year associates, according to a JDJournal tipster.

If you know anything about what’s going on at Duvall & Stachenfeld, please contact us confidentially.

Founded in 1997, Duval & Stachenfeld LLP provides legal advisory services. The firm focuses on areas such as bankruptcy, litigation, real estate, restructuring, securities and construction.

Neal Gerber Fires Attorneys

Erik Even — Fri, 16 Jan 2009 18:24:41 +0000

Chicago’s Neal, Gerber & Eisenberg, a 200-lawyer firm specializing in real estate, litigation and mergers & acquisitions, has cut attorneys following annual performance reviews.

The firm this month cut ‘fewer than 10 attorneys’ across various practice groups, according to Jerry Biederman, the firm’s managing partner. He should hire a second grader who can actually count to ten, so we can know how many people got axed.

Biederman left open the possibility that the firm may have to make additional cost reductions if the economy continues to sour and negatively impacts law firm work. But the new Obama Administration’s proposed stimulus could accelerate companies’ disposal of real estate and other assets, and thereby boost transactional work.

The Obama Administration and its legislative priorities may also spur more work for law firms in practice areas related to healthcare law and labor unions and organizing, Biederman said.

Wildman, Harrold, Allen & Dixon, another Chicago firm with about 200 attorneys, said last week that it was cutting 10 attorneys, including five income partners and five associates.

Via Law.com.

Ward & Smith Welcomes New Attorney [Video]

Erik Even — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 23:38:49 +0000

From LawCrossing:

North Carolina firm Ward & Smith has added litigation attorney Joseph A. Schouten to its group of attorneys.

Schouten represents clients in all phases of litigation, including trial. According to a firm press release, he also counsels clients in cases involving claims of patent infringement, tortious interference with contract, telecommunications, trade secret misappropriation, and breach of contract.

Schouten earned his law degree from the College of William & Mary Law School in Williamsburg, Virginia, where he was Notes Editor of the William & Mary Law Review.

– Jillian Manning

US Attorney for Colorado Leaves to Join Private Practice [Video]

Erik Even — Fri, 09 Jan 2009 00:01:25 +0000

From LawCrossing:

United States Attorney for Colorado Troy A. Eid has announced his plan to resign and return to private law practice. The move is effective midnight on Monday, January 19th.

Eid, an environmental attorney and Adjunct Professor in American Indian Law at the University of Colorado School of Law, will be a litigation partner in the national law firm Greenberg Traurig LLP.

Previously he worked at the firm as a litigation partner from 2003 through 2006.

In the Colorado U.S. Attorney’s Office, Eid’s has quadrupled statewide federal prosecutions of child pornographers and sexual predators, and earned the U.S. Department of Justice’s highest awards in each of the last two years.

– Jillian Manning

Troutman Sanders Closes Deal on Ross Dixon Merger

Erik Even — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 17:37:00 +0000

Atlanta’s Troutman Sanders LLP has closed on a deal to merge with Washington, DC’s Ross, Dixon & Bell LLP.

Financial terms of the merger were not disclosed. The new firm is based in Atlanta and keeps the Troutman Sanders name. It has offices in 15 cities and on three continents, employs 750 attorneys and has a total of 1,700 employees.

Troutman said the deal combines its corporate, finance, litigation, real estate and public policy practices with Ross, Dixon & Bell’s insurance, professional liability and commercial litigation practices. The merger also doubles the size of Troutman Sanders’ presence in Washington, DC, where Ross, Dixon & Bell is now based. The combined firm will have more than 100 attorneys in the nation’s capital.

Robert W. Webb Jr. remains chairman and managing partner of the merged firm.

Founded in 1897, Troutman Sanders represents Delta Air Lines, Chick-fil-A and Wachovia Bank.

And here’s the press release.

Bradley Lerman Leaves Winston & Strawn Because of Drugs

Erik Even — Wed, 24 Dec 2008 17:45:47 +0000

Bradley Lerman, a partner at Chicago’s Winston & Strawn who has represented Illinois Governors Rod Blagojevich and George Ryan, is leaving the law firm to join Brooklyn-based pharmaceutical giant Pfizer.

Lerman will be a senior VP in charge of litigation.

Lerman has been with Winston since 1988, working on product liability and white-collar defense matters. He spent years on Ryan’s legal defense team and also handled legal work for Blagojevich’s political campaign, which paid Winston nearly $2 million in legal fees.

The firm no longer represents Blagojevich, who was recently arrested on corruption charges.

Prior to joining Winston, Lerman was a partner at Kirkland & Ellis; and he served as an assistant US attorney in Chicago for eight years.

Lerman received a BA in Economics, summa cum laude, from Yale University in 1978, where he was a member of Phi Beta Kappa, and received a JD, cum laude, from Harvard Law School in 1981.

Via The Chicago Tribune.

Madoff Victims — Sue All You Want, The Money’s Gone

Erik Even — Fri, 19 Dec 2008 21:35:07 +0000

Lawyers ramping up to try to recover client’s investment cash squandered by indicted New York investor Bernard Madoff aren’t expecting to get back very much.

“There are going to be claims, but it’s not going to be billion-dollar litigation,” says Columbia Law professor John C. Coffee. “This is medium-sized litigation that will probably go to relatively small firms. I don’t think there are enough assets left. It’s a lean and starved corpse.”

Coffee doesn’t anticipate any Madoff-related financial recovery to top $20 million, making it relatively small potatoes compared to other legal issues involving the global financial meltdown.

With the Madoff funds looking like a recovery dead-end for investors who lost millions, several litigators have said that they plan to try to recover investor funds from the third-party institutions that funneled money to Madoff, such as banks, hedge funds and investment firms.

It remains to be seen how lucrative such third-party suits will be. Stanford Law professor Robert Weisberg said litigation over the Madoff fraud may prove to be a “loss leader,” meaning firms won’t make much money trying to recover investors’ funds. But the publicity of being involved in such a high-profile case could make it worthwhile for firms in the long run.

“I think there are firms that are doing this on spec. They are circulating their businesses cards,” Weisberg said. “Getting your name out there is important, even if there isn’t much potential for recovery.”