JD Journal » new offices

Jones Day Expands in Saudi Arabia

marvins — Wed, 12 Jan 2011 17:52:20 +0000

Jones Day, an international law firm with over 2,500 lawyers, announced a plan to boost its presence in the Middle East by adding three new offices in Saudi Arabia this year. The Ohio based firm has partnered with local law firm Al Sulaim & Al Awaji to push through the expansion program. Jones Day will set up its three new offices in Jeddah, Khobar and Riyadh. The firm said that the offices in Khobar and Jeddah will be operational later this year. Jones Day reentered the Middle East legal market in March 2009.

Mary Ellen Powers, Jones Day’s partner-in-charge of Jones Day for Europe and Middle East practice, explained that the expansion plan is attributed to the booming economy of Saudi Arabia over the past few years. Powers reiterated that two decades ago Jones Day only operated a small office in Saudi Arabia. Now, the firm wants to spread out its operations and strengthen its presence in the Middle East legal market. “The economy has changed dramatically in Saudi Arabia since then. The Saudi government has worked hard over the last several years to successfully expand the economy, so it’s no longer dependant on the oil industry. Many segments of the economy have also been privatized, so the portion of The Kingdom’s [gross domestic product] that is in the private sector has increased, changing the nature of the legal opportunities there.”

Arman Galledari, project finance partner, added that the Saudi Arabia has become an attractive country for many international law firms in the recent years due to its strong economy and active legal market. “No international firm’s Middle East practice can ignore Saudi Arabia; it’s such a big engine in the region. A great deal of the work that most law firms do, including ourselves, revolves around Saudi Arabia.” Gallederi added that Jones Day plans to increase its manpower and add more practices soon. “Jones Day hopes to have about 25 lawyers working full-time for the firm in the Middle East. The firm now has eight lawyers working out of Dubai and plans on increasing to the “low teens as rapidly as we can” if he can find the right hires. Besides energy and project finance, M&A is becoming a more important practice area in the region, and will be a major focus for the firm.”

Steptoe & Johnson Nabs Energy Team for New Office

joshua — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 16:03:47 +0000

Steptoe & Johnson is opening an office in Pennsylvania following the acquisition of the energy practice group from the firm of Culbertson, Weiss, Schetroma and Schug .

The new office is Steptoe & Johnson’s ninth in the U.S. According to a firm press release, the office will cater to Steptoe & Johnson’s Appalachian clients. The firm also has six offices in West Virginia and one each in Ohio and Kentucky. A second Pennsylvania office, in Southpointe, is slated to open later this year.

With the addition of the CWSS energy practice group, Steptoe & Johnson’s Energy Team will field approximately 190 attorneys and paraprofessionals who will provide legal services to Appalachian energy industry clients throughout the nation. The firm’s team of energy practitioners focuses on services to the energy sector including coal, oil and gas and renewables.

“Establishing a physical presence in Pennsylvania was a natural decision for our firm as our Energy Team comprises one of the largest and most diverse practices in the region,” stated Susan Brewer, CEO of Steptoe & Johnson.

Steptoe & Johnson PLLC is a regional, business-focused firm with particular strengths in energy, labor, employment and litigation. It comprises over 200 lawyers resident in nine locations throughout West Virginia, Ohio, Kentucky and Pennsylvania.

Nationally Recognized Health Law Firm, The Health Law Partners, Opens Office in Atlanta

joshua — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 01:10:39 +0000

Nationally recognized boutique health law firm, The Health Law Partners, announced the opening of its office in Atlanta, Georgia.

Daniel B. Brown will serve as the office’s Managing Shareholder. Mr. Brown has over 20 years of health care experience.

The Firm will operate in Georgia under the name Brown, Dresevic, Gustafson, Iwrey, Kalmowitz and Pendleton THE HEALTH LAW PARTNERS, LLC.

The addition of its Atlanta office and Mr. Brown further enables the firm to provide quality and responsive counsel across the spectrum of legal and regulatory health care matters. Mr. Brown is considered one of the country’s foremost experts regarding legal issues impacting sleep medicine.

In today’s press release at marketwire.com, Abby Pendleton, President of HLP was quoted as saying: “Dan literally wrote the book on health law compliance for sleep labs. He speaks and publishes frequently on sleep medicine issues, is a faculty member of the Atlanta School of Sleep Medicine and Technology in Atlanta, and is a member of the Board of Directors of the National Sleep Foundation.”

With offices in New York, Michigan and now Atlanta, HLP has accomplished attorneys with practices focused exclusively on the regulatory, corporate, and litigation needs of health care clients throughout the United States.

HLP has acquired a reputation as one of the nation’s pre-eminent health law firms. Its attorneys advise a wide range of local, regional and national health care providers, investors, management companies and health systems on complex health care matters.

Kobre & Kim LLP Set to Open Office in Hong Kong

joshua — Mon, 16 Aug 2010 15:30:33 +0000

Morgan Stanley’s William McGovern has joined New York based Kobre & Kim LLP to head a new Hong Kong office targeting Asian clients in disputes with U.S. regulators or global banks.

In today’s article at businessweek.com, firm founder and former assistant U.S. Attorney Steven Kobre was quoted as saying: “What we’re seeing is the globalization of rules relating to anti-bribery, antitrust and securities regulation. There is a real demand in Asia for a law firm willing to take an adverse position against larger companies.”

Per Kobre, the Hong Kong office will have five lawyers by year’s end.

The Hong Kong office will be Kobre & Kim’s first in Asia. The firm opened an office in London last year. Per spokeswoman Pallas Knight, the Hong Kong office is expected to open at the end of September.

McGovern worked as a lawyer at Morgan Stanley for six years, including as an Executive Director in Hong Kong since 2008.

Kobre & Kim LLP is routinely called upon to represent large institutional clients in significant matters. Institutional clients who have engaged Kobre & Kim LLP’s services recently include leading hedge funds, private equity firms, banks, industrial borrowers, and the Audit Committees of several Fortune 500 companies, among others. The firm represented hedge funds in connection with Bernard Madoff’s fraud.

Kobre & Kim LLP’s private clients are largely composed of managing directors or executive officers at top-tier investment banks, private equity firms, and blue-chip companies, as well as celebrities. The firm recently represented current and former executives from Amaranth, Bank of America, Bristol-Myers Squibb, General Motors, KPMG, and Monster.com, among others.

Milbank to Open First Office in Latin America; Adds Two Partners

joshua — Wed, 21 Apr 2010 14:04:41 +0000

Milbank, Tweed, Hadley & McCloy LLP announced yesterday it will open an office in São Paulo, Brazil. This will be the firm’s eleventh office worldwide, and its first in Latin America.

According to the press release at the firm’s website, the São Paulo office will serve to expand Milbank’s Latin American Practice Group, and the firm’s already strong international capacitiy in M&A, capital markets and project finance.

Andrew Belá Jánszky will join the firm as Managing Partner, and Tobias Stirnberg is expected to join as partner, both in the new São Paulo office.

“We are delighted to have Andrew and Tobias join us in São Paulo,” said Mel M. Immergut, Chairman of Milbank. “Both are outstanding attorneys, and as the senior member of the team, Andrew is a highly regarded attorney with a broad base of experience; his counsel and services in a wide range of transactions are highly sought after. We are confident that our clients will benefit from Andrew’s and Tobias’ collective years of experience in Latin America.”

“The opening of an office in São Paulo underscores Milbank’s commitment to the Latin American market,” said Michael L. Fitzgerald, Chair of Milbank’s Corporate, Securities and Latin America Practice Groups. “The firm has been active in the region since the 1920s, and establishing an office there reflects our intent to continue working in the region for years to come.”

For 140 years, law firm Milbank, Tweed, Hadley & McCloy LLP has provided innovative legal solutions to many of the world’s largest, most complex, corporate transactions and litigation. The firm’s clients range from prominent multinational financial, industrial and commercial enterprises to governments, institutions and individuals. The Firm is headquartered in New York, with offices in Los Angeles, Washington, DC, London, Frankfurt, Munich, Tokyo, Hong Kong, Singapore and Beijing.

Perkins Coie Opens Office in Dallas

joshua — Mon, 19 Apr 2010 16:02:01 +0000

Today, the firm of Perkins Coie announced it has opened an office in Dallas, Texas.

According to the press release at the firm’s website, the new Dallas office will allow Perkins to better serve the interests of national clients in Texas.

Steven R. Smith, former Greenberg Traurig shareholder, will be the partner in charge of the office. His practice will concentrate on real estate workouts and lending.

“It is a testament to our growing strength as a national firm that Steve has chosen to join us,” said Perkins Managing Partner Bob Giles. “We are committed to expanding our real estate capabilities and Steve will help us pursue that strategic goal. We are delighted to have him join the firm.”

The addition of Smith will assist Perkins in expanding its representation of Commercial Mortgage Backed Securities (CMBS) special servicer clients. Many have offices in Dallas.

With more than 700 lawyers in 15 offices across the United States and in China, Perkins Coie represents companies across a wide range of industries and stages of growth—from start-ups to FORTUNE 100 corporations.

Akin Gump Expands Into Switzerland

joshua — Wed, 07 Apr 2010 16:36:24 +0000

Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld announced it is opening an office in Geneva, Switzerland on May 1 with a team of lawyers formerly of Hogan & Hartson.

Among that group is Charles C. Adams Jr., who will head the new office. He will be joined in Geneva by partners Jonathan Ivinson and Michael J. Stepek as well as four other lawyers.

R. Bruce McLean, chairman of Akin Gump, said in a press release that “market conditions and client demand have created significant opportunities for our international arbitration and tax practices in Europe.”

The firm said the office has extensive experience in the prosecution and defense of major claims brought in international arbitrations, international civil litigation before various national and international courts and institutions, corporate and commercial law, and tax optimization for multinational corporations and high net-worth individuals.

Adams has more than 35 years experience in international law to the position. His practice focuses on complex, high-value international disputes involving major infrastructure construction projects, joint ventures, insurance coverage, manufacturing, telecommunications and transportation.

Akin Gum was founded in 1945 and has more than 800 lawyers in the United States, Europe, Asia and the Middle East.

Littler Mendelson Opens New Office in Lexingon, Ky.

joshua — Mon, 05 Apr 2010 17:13:53 +0000

Labor firm Littler Mendelson opened the doors of its new office in Lexington, Ky., which is the firm’s 49^th in the United States. Susan Sears, formerly a partner at Cincinnati-based Dinsmore & Shohl, will serve as the office’s managing shareholder, according to a firm press release.

Little Mendelson is based in San Francisco and is the nation’s largest labor and employment law firm with more than 750 attorneys. The firm, which saw its revenue increase 5 percent to $371.7 million in 2009, has been on the forefront of expansion among labor firms because of the recession, notes a report in the San Francisco Chronicle.

“With unemployment soaring to levels not seen since the 1980s, companies have been calling on labor and employment attorneys for a range of issues, including how to avoid violating laws during layoffs, what issues a company must consider when bringing on freelance workers and age discrimination suits,” the report states.

Sears, who has more than 15 years professional experience, represents employers in employment litigation in both state and federal courts. She also counsels employers on a range of issues including hiring, discipline, discharge, medical leave, wage & hour, disability accommodations, and workplace harassment.

“We are very fortunate to have Susan join the Firm,” said Marko Mrkonich, president and managing director of the Firm. “She is not only highly regarded in the Kentucky area, but she brings to Littler a strong record of successfully representing and defending organizations in employment-related matters on a regional and nationwide basis.

“The addition of Susan and the opening of our Lexington office underscores the firm’s commitment to delivering exceptional client service throughout Kentucky and the Mid-South,” Mrkonich added.

Littler Mendelson was founded in 1942.

Profits, Revenue Up at Jenner & Block

joshua — Wed, 24 Feb 2010 19:35:57 +0000

Jenner & Block reported gross revenue of $367 million in 2009, a 6 percent increase from the previous year. Profits per partner jumped 33 percent to $1.1 million and revenue per lawyer was up 8 percent to $855,000. Per partner profits showed a markedly stronger increase than revenues in part because the firm dropped down to 128 partners, a decline of 17%.

Last year Jenner & Block opened a new office in Los Angeles, and the firm says it plans to continue its expansion this year, particularly in terms of hiring more laterals.

Jenner & Block has around 450 attorneys with offices in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles and Washington D.C.

Greenberg Traurig Has Steady Year

sara — Wed, 17 Feb 2010 13:34:11 +0000

2009 was a steady fiscal year for law firm Greenberg Traurig. Gross revenues decreased 2.9% to $1.17 billion. Profits per equity partner increased 0.15 of a percent to $1.311 million. The compensation pool for non-equity partners increased 3.94% to $222 million. The number of non-equity partners working at the firm increased more than 10% to 585. The total number of partners increased from 824 to 877. Greenberg opened two new offices in London and White Plains, New York, which accounts for the growth in partners.

Founded in 1967 and headquartered in Miami Florida, Greenberg Traurig has approximately 1,800 lawyers in 35 offices around the world.

Hawkins & Parnell Opening in Austin with Brown McCarroll Laterals

joshua — Fri, 12 Feb 2010 22:49:00 +0000

Atlanta’s Hawkins & Parnell is opening its doors in Austin with the help of several partners from Brown McCarroll, according to a tipster.

Long-time partners Todd Wade, Kay Andrews, Bill Fountain, Taylor Smith, and Chris Ege, along with numerous associates and legal assistants are making the move. Todd Wade and Kay Andrews were members of the management committee at Brown McCarroll. The new office will be up and running on Wednesday, February 17.

Hawkins & Parnell was founded in 1963 and has offices in Atlanta, Georgia; Charleston, West Virginia; Dallas, Texas; Los Angeles, California; and St. Louis, Missouri. In Dallas, Los Angeles, and Missouri, the firm is known as Hawkins, Parnell & Thackston, LLP.

Colson Hicks Picks up Greeberg Traurig Managing Partner in DC

joshua — Fri, 12 Feb 2010 21:28:12 +0000

The managing partner of Greenberg Traurig‘s Washington DC office, Ronald Kleinman, is leaving to open a DC office for Florida’s Colson Hicks Eidson. Colson Hicks and Greenberg Traurig have a long standing collaborative relationship and Colson Hicks is subleasing space from Greenberg for the new office. The new office will focus on commercial litigation and international arbitration, and according to Colson Hicks Eidson partner Joseph Matthews, it will offer contingency and alternative billing arrangements to its clients. Matthews will split his time between South Florida and the new office in DC.

Laura Klaus and Sanford Saunders will take over management responsibilities in DC for Greenberg Traurig.

Revenues Up at Barnes & Thornburg

sara — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 18:09:54 +0000

Barnes & Thornburg reported that gross revenues increased from $212,617,000 in 2008 to $241,583,000 in 2009, a 14% increase. Profits per equity partner also increased 11% to $640,614. Barnes & Thornburg opened new offices in Atlanta, Delaware, and Columbus, Ohio last year and also completed a merger with The Parsinen Law Firm in Minneapolis. The expansion helped the firm to diversify its practice areas and placed them in higher priced markets. Another factor in increased revenues this year was the firms increased workload (up 40%) in creditor representation, one of the firm’s major areas of practice.

Founded in 1982, Indianapolis based Barnes & Thornburg has a broad range of practice areas such as aviation law, jury research, labor and employment, intellectual property and estate planning. The firm also engages in lobbying work. There are approximately 475 lawyers working for the firm in 7 offices including Washington, D.C., Atlanta, Chicago, Columbus, Ohio, Elkhart, Indiana, South Bend and Grand Rapids.

Morning Roundup

joshua — Wed, 20 Jan 2010 11:17:09 +0000

Good morning! Today is Wednesday, January 20, and here’s a look back at Tuesday’s news.

Jones Walker picks up a former US Attorney…

Gibson Dunn has launched an E-Discovery practice…

Patton Boggs expanded its international arbitration group…

Drinker Biddle announced its new merit based compensation plan…

Mischon de Reya opened its doors in NYC…

Jackson Lewis added six attorneys in Phoenix…

LG Electronics has sticker shock after losing in court…

Eckert Seamans expanded in Richmond…

K&L Gates opened offices in Tokyo and Moscow…

Walkers has new leader in its investment funds group…

Clifford Chance snagged a senior partner from Millbank Tweed…

and Sidley Austin has a major new client…

K&L Gates Adds Tokyo And Moscow Offices

sara — Tue, 19 Jan 2010 15:31:28 +0000

On Tuesday K&L Gates became the first Pittsburgh based firm to enter Russia and Japan as it opened offices in Moscow and Tokyo. The firm is continuing to expand agressively after opening three new offices last year and hitting the $1 billion mark in revenues.

The Tokyo office will focus on corporate and international finance, mergers and acquisitions, banking private equity, licensing and distribution arrangements and general corporate and employment law areas. J. Ryan Dwyer III and Takahiro Kawaguchi were hired at the Tokyo location.

Corporate partners Robert Langer and William Reichert, Counsel Marina Lebedeva and three associates will work at the Moscow office. The Moscow office will focus on general corporate law, mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures and strategic alliances, private equity, capital markets and securities transactions, banking, real estate, energy, infrastructure, telecommunications and information technology.

K&L Gates has over 1900 attorneys in locations including Pittsburgh, Los Angeles, New York, London, Shanghai, Hong Kong and Berlin. K&L Gates formed on January 1, 2007 by the merger of Pittsburgh-based Kirkpatrick & Lockhart Nicholson Graham with Seattle-based Preston, Gates & Ellis.

Adams & Reese Take Over Two Offices in Florida

joshua — Sat, 05 Dec 2009 01:24:50 +0000

New Orleans firm Adams & Reeseadded their 11th and 12th offices this week by taking over Ruden McClosky’s offices in Sarasota and St. Petersburg, Florida. The two offices have a combined total of 23 attorneys and a little over 30 staff.

Adams & Reese is a multidisciplinary, regional law firm with offices in Baton Rouge, LA; Birmingham, AL; Houston, TX; Jackson, MS; Memphis, TN; Mobile, AL; Nashville, TN; New Orleans, LA; Sarasota, FL; St. Petersburg, FL; and Washington, D.C.

Canadian Firm Blake, Cassels & Graydon Opening Two Offices in Gulf

joshua — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 15:35:07 +0000

Blakes, a Canadian law firm with over 500 employees in eight offices, will become the first Canadian firm to establish a permanent presence in the Persian Gulf when it opens an office in Bahrain on October 4th and an additional office in Saudi Arabia later this fall. Saud Al-Ammari, who is a native Saudi with an American law degree, will join Blakes as managing partner for both offices.

Chartwell Law Launches New York Office

Erik Even — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 16:36:51 +0000

Pennsylvania’s Chartwell Law has launched a Manhattan office.

Danielle Sullivan Kaminski joins from Clausen Miller as a partner in New York, handling first-party property, damaged cargo, major casualty, complex subrogation, transportation, and construction law. Her JD is from the Fordham University School of Law, where she was editor of the law journal.

Matthew Gonzalez joins from Bruckmann & Victory. He handles complex commercial litigation, subrogation, insurance defense, and first-party property insurance coverage, for both domestic and international companies. He also graduated from Fordham.

The firm opened a Delaware office in June.

The Chartwell Law Offices, LLP was founded in Valley Forge in 2002 with four lawyers. It now has offices in Valley Forge, Harrisburg, Philadelphia, Scranton, and Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; New York City; and Wilmington, Delaware. It employs 49 lawyers.

There is no one at the firm named Chartwell — it is named after Winston Churchill’s house.

Lathrop & Gage Hiring for New Chicago Office

Erik Even — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 16:21:46 +0000

Lathrop & Gage has hired two Sonnenschein partners to launch its new Chicago office, its 11th — and plans “aggressive recruiting.”

Blaine Kimrey will be managing partner in Chicago, joining Lathrop’s intellectual property practice. He is joined by associate Bryan Clark.

The oldest law firm west of the Mississippi River, Kansas City, Missouri’s Lathrop & Gage provides litigation and business law services with 300 attorneys in 11 offices in Kansas, Missouri, Illinois and Washington DC.

Medical Negligence Firm Burnetts Expands

Erik Even — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 16:40:56 +0000

Burnetts Solicitors, with two offices in Carlisle, Cumbria, UK, has announced the launch of an office in Newcastle.

The office will be headed by Angela Curran, who joined Burnetts earlier this year from Irwin Mitchell. She is an expert in birth trauma cases, working extensively with children with cerebral palsy.

Burnetts Solicitors employs 120 people. It has been nationally recognized for its expertise in clinical negligence, employment and education law.

Diaz Reus & Targ Launches in Shanghai

Erik Even — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 20:51:36 +0000

Diaz Reus & Targ has launched a new office in Shanghai, China.

Firm partners Robert Q. Lee and Adam Ehrlich will manage the office. They are joined by associates Federico Tabja, Xiaomin Hu and Xin Zhang.

Miami, Florida-based Diaz Reus & Targ LLP focuses on trade and business transactions; complex commercial, civil, and criminal litigation; and arbitration matters. It has offices in Frankfurt, Germany; Caracas, Venezuela; Dubai, United Arab Emirates; Bogotá, Colombia; and São Paulo, Brazil.

Barlow Lyde & Gilbert Targets 49 Lawyers & Staff [Update 2]

Erik Even — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 22:03:23 +0000

London’s Barlow Lyde & Gilbert has launched a redundancy consultation targeting 49 lawyers.

Trainees and staffers will not be affected.

In April, the firm opened a fifth office in Manchester, and has hired two attorneys from DLA Piper to run it. In May, it deferred half of its September 2009 incoming trainee class.

Barlow Lyde & Gilbert LLP is a leading international legal practice specializing in commercial litigation and dispute resolution, as well as insurance and reinsurance. It has offices in Hong Kong, Shanghai and Singapore, with its principal office in London.

UPDATE

In fact, the layoffs do not specifically target lawyers. All areas of the firm are under threat, except for trainees.

UPDATE 2

The firm has made a statement clarifying that that its East Asian offices will not be affected by the layoffs. Only employees in London and Oxford are being targeted.

Reminger Launching Kentucky Office

Erik Even — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 20:19:45 +0000

Cleveland, Ohio’s Reminger law firm will open an office in Louisville, Kentucky on July 1st.

Managing partner Donald L. Miller II and partner Paul A. Dzenitis will oversee the new office. Another 14 lawyers will the firm’s clients.

It will be Reminger’s third office in the state, and the firm’s tenth office overall.

Reminger Company, LPA is a full service law firm with offices located throughout Ohio and Kentucky.

Ackerman Opens Washington DC Office

Erik Even — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 19:16:28 +0000

Bloomfield Hills, Michigan-based law firm Ackerman Ackerman & Dynkowski has opened a new satellite office in Washington DC.

Managing partner Alan Ackerman will commute between the two offices; he is a member of the District of Columbia Bar. The firm expects to have a full-time attorney at the office by the end of the year.

Founded over 75 years ago, Ackerman Ackerman & Dynkowski represents landowners who face condemnation or eminent domain proceedings in court.

Miller Canfield Opens Toronto Office

Erik Even — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 16:58:30 +0000

Miller Canfield has established an office in Toronto, Ontario.

The new office was formed through a merger with the 10-lawyer Toronto firm of Gaertner Tobin, run by name partners Dennis Tobin and Arie Gaertner. Miller Canfield also employs 25 attorneys in Windsor, Ontario, on the US border.

Last week, the firm held an event celebrating the merger, feting 200 clients.

This week, the Detroit headquarters of Miller Canfield let go 25 people, including 16 lawyers.

Miller, Canfield, Paddock & Stone was established in Detroit in 1852 and has offices in Michigan, Illinois, Florida, New York, Canada, Poland, Mexico and China.

Lane Neave Opens Second Office; Will Hire 15

Erik Even — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 19:18:33 +0000

Christchurch, New Zealand law firm Lane Neave has opened an office in Queenstown. It is the firm’s first major expansion outside of Christchurch in its 140-year history.

The new office will be headed by Jim Castiglione. Another 15 people will be added over the next two years, including up to four partners.

Established in the 1860s, Lane Neave has grown to be one of New Zealand’s premier law firms. It has two offices in Christchurch.

K&L Gates Opens Dubai Office [UPDATE]

Erik Even — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 17:00:36 +0000

Pittsburgh’s K&L Gates, which in March opened a Singapore office, has launched a footprint in Dubai, UAE.

It’s the firm’s first office in the Middle East, and its 33rd overall.

K&L Gates LLP employs over 1900 attorneys worldwide, and is ranked as the 7th largest law firm in the world. It was formed in January 2007, by the merger of Pittsburgh-based Kirkpatrick & Lockhart Nicholson Graham with Seattle-based Preston Gates & Ellis, co-founded by William H. Gates, Sr.

UPDATE

K&L Gates has hired Paul de Cordova away from Ashurst, where he managed the firm’s Dubai office. The firm will also move senior dispute resolution partner Neal Brendel to Dubai from its Pittsburgh office.

Morris Manning Hires Group from Bryan Cave

Erik Even — Fri, 15 May 2009 18:31:02 +0000

Atlanta’s Morris, Manning & Martin has hired 12 lawyers and staff this year, including a seven-member timber & forest products practice group from Bryan Cave.

The Bryan Cave group is led by C. Glenn Dunaway and Stephen B. Schrock, and will represent investors in and owners of timberland in the US, Africa, Europe and South America.

The firm recently announced new offices in Beijing and Taiwan. In March, it rescinded offers to six of its incoming first-year associates, and canceled this year’s summer associate program.

Morris, Manning & Martin, LLP, is 175-lawyer firm with offices in Atlanta, Alpharetta, Duluth and Savannah, Georgia; Raleigh-Durham, North Carolina; Washington DC; Beijing and Taipei.

Lewis & Daggett Expands with Third Office

Erik Even — Mon, 04 May 2009 18:22:34 +0000

Lewis & Daggett is opening a third office in Statesville, North Carolina, to be run by retiring Superior Court judge Kim Taylor.

She will handle personal injury cases. Taylor is an area native, and received her law degree from the University of North Carolina. She was a judge for over 20 years.

She was voted Judge of the Year by the Judicial Section of the North Carolina Association of Women Attorneys.

Lewis & Daggett is a law firm with offices in Winston-Salem and Greensboro, North Carolina.

Constangy, Brooks & Smith Expands into Boston

Erik Even — Thu, 16 Apr 2009 16:18:43 +0000

Atlanta’s Constangy, Brooks & Smith is expanding into Boston.

The employment law firm has hired Ellen Kearns, of counsel to the Boston office of Foley & Lardner, to run the new office. Three more attorneys will join her.

In the last 12 months, the 120-lawyer firm has opened new offices in Chicago; Milwaukee; Greenville, South Carolina; and Encino, California.

Founded in 1946, Constangy, Brooks & Smith now has 19 offices in the US.

Michelman & Robinson Expanding, Hiring

Erik Even — Wed, 15 Apr 2009 20:59:54 +0000

California’s Michelman & Robinson has opened an office in Manhattan, and plans to hire associates for its current offices.

Since 2004, the firm has doubled its attorney headcount to 60.

The New York office is opening with three partners who focus on corporate and securities work. The firm also plans to expand their San Francisco and Orange County offices to full-service, by bringing in new lawyers.

A number of partner candidates is being interviewed in Los Angeles, where the firm has more than 40 lawyers.

Michelman & Robinson has offices in Los Angeles, Santa Ana and San Francisco, California; and Manhattan.

Morris, Manning & Martin Expands into Beijing

Erik Even — Wed, 15 Apr 2009 17:37:14 +0000

Atlanta-based Morris, Manning & Martin, which last month fired incoming associates, is launching a new office in Beijing, China.

The firm just opened an office in Taiwan.

Morris’ Asian offices will deal with patent prosecution and potential litigation, as well as corporate and securities matters.

Morris, Manning & Martin, LLP, is 175-lawyer firm with offices in Atlanta, Alpharetta, Duluth and Savannah, Georgia; Raleigh-Durham, North Carolina; Washington DC; Beijing and Taipei.

Barlow Lyde & Gilbert Poaches Personal Injury Team from DLA Piper

Erik Even — Wed, 15 Apr 2009 17:00:08 +0000

London’s Barlow Lyde & Gilbert will open a fifth office in Manchester, UK, and has hired two attorneys from DLA Piper to run the office.

Personal injury lawyers Rob Muttock and Mark Hemsted are slated to join BLG by August.

BLG has lost at least four partners as it restructures.

The firm is also preparing to open a sixth office in Brazil.

Conyers Dill & Pearman Opens Brazilian Office

Erik Even — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 16:54:10 +0000

Cayman Islands law firm Conyers Dill & Pearman will open a São Paulo office.

The Brazilian Bar Association has approved licensing. Conyers will be the only offshore law firm with an office in Brazil.

The practice will focus on investment funds, public company listings and holding company incorporations in the Cayman Islands, the British Virgin Islands, Bermuda and Mauritius.

Established in 1928, Conyers has over 550 staff and 150 lawyers at offices in Anguilla, Bermuda, British Virgin Islands, Cayman & Mauritius Islands, Dubai, Hong Kong, London, Moscow, Singapore and now São Paulo.

Jenner & Block Launches California Footprint

Erik Even — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 16:26:36 +0000

Jenner & Block has opened its first office in California.

Rick Richmond, a former partner from the Los Angeles office of Kirkland & Ellis, will run the Los Angeles office for Jenner. He is joined by partner Brent Caslin, also from Kirkland.

Both are joining Jenner’s intellectual property practice.

Jenner & Block is a US law firm with offices in Chicago, New York, and Washington, DC. Over 450 attorneys serve a wide range of clients in corporate litigation, business transactions, and in the public sector.