JD Journal » Oregon

Morning Roundup

sara — Mon, 22 Mar 2010 13:56:36 +0000

Good morning! Today is Monday, March 22, and here’s a quick look back at Friday’s stories…

Troutman Sanders opens a new office in Portland, Oregon…

Former Millberg partners Melyvn Weiss, William Lerach, David Bershad, and Steve Schulman move on with lives after serving their prison sentences…

The United States District Court in Alexandra, Virginia orders the U.S. Patent Office to reconsider a rejected patent extension filed by the Medicines Company for their drug Angiomax…

Former Democratic counsel on the House Judiciary Committee Brian P. Woolfolk joins the lobbying branch of Squire Sanders…

Schwabe, Williamson & Wyatt to Hold Layoffs, Cut Salaries

Erik Even — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 21:37:00 +0000

Blawgs are reporting that Portland, Oregon’s Schwabe, Williamson & Wyatt will cut associate salaries and hold layoffs of support staff.

The firm is expected to announce associate pay cuts of between 5% and 10%. First years already only make $110,000.

The number of staff to be cut is as yet unknown.

Schwabe, Williamson & Wyatt is a law firm with over 160 attorneys in seven cities. The firm currently has offices in Portland, Bend and Salem, Oregon; Seattle, Vancouver and Stevenson, Washington; and Washington, DC. It is the seventh largest law firm in the Pacific Northwest, and the second largest in Oregon.

Ex-Senator Joins Covington & Burling

Erik Even — Tue, 03 Mar 2009 23:08:26 +0000

Former Oregon Senator Gordon Smith is returning to Washington, DC, where he will join Covington & Burling and focus on international trade and foreign relations.

Smith, 56, a Republican who lost a bid for a third term to Democrat Jeff Merkley, is barred from lobbying his former colleagues for two years, but can offer strategic advice to clients.

Smith, who owns a frozen-foods business in Weston, Oregon, will spend at least two-thirds of his time at the firm. He also will serve on corporate and charitable boards.

Covington & Burling LLP is an international law firm with offices in Beijing, Brussels, London, New York, San Francisco, Silicon Valley, San Diego, and Washington, DC. It consistently ranks among the top 20 on The American Lawyer’s prestigious “A-List.”

Supreme Court To Decide On Mojave Cross

Erik Even — Tue, 24 Feb 2009 23:32:54 +0000

The Supreme Court agreed on Monday to decide whether or not a cross honoring fallen soldiers in the Mojave National Preserve is a violation of the 1st Amendment. It will be the first time that the court will hear a case regarding “an establishment of religion” with John Roberts as the Chief Justice.

The current cross is eight feet tall, though a smaller wooden cross was erected by the Veterans of Foreign Wars in 1934 and was maintained by the National Park Service as a war memorial.

The American Civil Liberties Union objected to the cross and filed a suit on behalf of Frank Buono, a former Park Service employee. The suit noted that the government declined to build a Buddhist shrine near the cross.

The case appeared before the U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals. The court ruled in favor of the ACLU, declaring the cross an “impermissible government endorsement of religion.”

The government has questioned Buono’s right to challenge the cross. Mr. Buono lives in Oregon and, according to government lawyers, suffers no obvious harm because of the cross’ existence.

Miller Nash Named One of Oregon’s Most Admired Companies

Erik Even — Tue, 09 Dec 2008 23:21:17 +0000

The Portland Business Journal has ranked Miller Nash LLP one of the top 10 professional services companies of 2008 on its Most Admired Companies in Oregon list. The law firm was recognized at an awards luncheon held today at Portland’s Hilton Hotel.

More than 2,000 Oregon CEOs were asked to rank the best companies in Oregon based on innovation, customer service and community involvement. In addition to professional services, award recipients included companies in seven other industry categories – agriculture & forest products, commercial real estate, financial services, health care, nonprofit, technology, and traditional manufacturing.

Founded in 1873, Miller Nash has 126 lawyers serving clients through its offices in Portland, Bend and Prineville, Oregon, and Seattle and Vancouver, Washington.