JD Journal » Seyfarth Shaw LLP

Seyfarth Shaw Adds Two Partners to Firm

rebneely — Tue, 10 May 2011 19:05:30 +0000

Seyfarth Shaw LLP has recently added two partners to its firm. Leading labor and employment attorney Wanda Holloway has joined as a partner in the Houston office, and Steven Fein has joined the firm as a partner in the Los Angeles office.

Holloway has significant experience working with major multi-national clients on strategic employment and labor law initiatives, nationwide litigation and global risk management/compliance, and day-to-day challenges. She has experience both as trusted outside counsel to major clients in a variety of industries and as in-house counsel for Fortune 50 companies. She joins Seyfarth from Littler Mendelson, P.C.

Lisa J. Damon, chair of Seyfarth Shaw’s Labor & Employment department was quoted as saying in a press release at the firm’s website: “Wanda Holloway is an all-star among labor and employment attorneys and we welcome her to the Seyfarth team. Wanda adds extra depth to our already leading national Labor & Employment department with her vast experience and great outcomes for major clients facing a host of litigation challenges and employment issues.”

Steven Fein specializes in commercial real estate lending and in representing funds and advisors to real estate funds on equity investments in real estate. He joins the firm from DLA Piper.

He has extensive experience in a wide range of commercial real estate transactions, including the formation of joint ventures and their equity investments, lending arrangements, acquisitions, and dispositions as well as workouts and restructurings. He represents institutional investors, pension funds, commercial banks and private investors, both U.S. and foreign-based. He has represented clients in mezzanine, permanent and bridge loan transactions, construction financings and preferred equity investments.

Paul P. Mattingly, chair of Seyfarth Shaw’s Real Estate department was quoted as saying in a press release at the firm’s website: “As transactional activity starts returning to pre-recession levels, this is the perfect time to add a real estate professional of Steven Fein’s caliber. We are seeing a significant uptick in sales, investments, lending and development deals, not to mention the remaining opportunities in distressed assets. Steven bolsters our real estate practice and creates an experienced and deep roster for institutional clients doing business in California as well as nationally.”

Seyfarth Shaw has over 750 attorneys located in 10 offices throughout the United States. The firm provides a broad range of legal services in the areas of labor and employment, employee benefits, litigation, corporate, and real estate.

Morning Roundup

joshua — Fri, 05 Nov 2010 13:03:44 +0000

Good morning everyone! Today is Tuesday, November 2nd. Here’s a quick look back at yesterday’s stories.

The U.S. Justice Department charged former Seyfarth Shaw taxpPartner John Rogers in a $370 million tax scheme…

doeLEGAL announced the release of their cloud-based portal software which provides collaboration solutions for corporate legal departments and law firms…

The Lanier law firm added two attorneys to its Toxic Exposure and Asbestos practice…

Justice Department Charges Former Seyfarth Shaw Tax Partner John Rogers in $370 Million Tax Scheme

joshua — Thu, 04 Nov 2010 22:00:51 +0000

The Justice Department has charged former Seyfarth Shaw tax partner John Rogers for allegedly promoting tax shelters using Brazilian debt to create tax deductions for U.S. clients.

In a 74-page civil suit filed in U.S. district court in Chicago, prosecutors accused Rogers and two companies with taking part in a scheme that generated more than $370 million in fictitious tax deductions. This allowed clients to offset unrelated income earned in the U.S., per the National Law Journal.

Currently, Rogers is a partner at his own Chicago firm, Rogers & Associates. Rogers joined Seyfarth as a nonequity partner in 2003 after his previous firm, the now defunct Altheimer & Gray, went bankrupt.

According to the NL, Rogers was an equity partner at Seyfarth from 2004 to 2008 until being forced to resign. At the time, Rogers told Seyfarth he was being investigated by the IRS and would stop promoting the Brazilian shelters to clients.

However, Rogers continued using the shelters. After Seyfarth discovered the deception, the firm forced him out, per the NLJ, citing from court records.

According to the suit, Rogers should have known his schemes were “abusive and illegal when he created them,” based on his education and experience.

Seyfarth Shaw Boosts Employment Practice on Both Coasts

joshua — Thu, 05 Aug 2010 23:05:34 +0000

Seyfarth Shaw has added a pair of partners to its labor and employment practice. In New York, Marjorie R. Culver comes over from Paul Hastings and in San Francisco, Eric M. Steinert has returned to the firm after serving an in-house stint the last three years.

Culver joins the firm’s international labor practice. She advises on a wide range of international employment matters in Europe, Africa, Asia, and North and South America and is also the co-chair of the International Law Committee of the American Bar Association.

“Marjorie is a leading international employment lawyer, and her approach and extensive experience in a wide range of international matters are an excellent fit with our international employment law practice,” said Darren G. Gardner, , Chair of Seyfarth Shaw’s international labor & employment law practice.

Seyfarth Shaw’s New York office opened in 1979 and is home to more than 100 attorneys.

Steinert was a partner in Seyfarth’s Los Angeles office from 2003-2007, but left to serve as vice president and senior employment counsel for Wachovia Corp. He then became senior counsel of Wells Fargo in 2009 when the banks merged.

“[Steinert’s] practice touches upon nearly every type of employment matter from wage and hour litigation to traditional labor law,” said Lisa J. Damon, chair of Seyfarth Shaw’s labor and employment department. “Eric is truly a jack of all trades and his experience adds tremendous value to our firm.”

Steinert’s practice is focused on representing clients in the financial services industry, and he has represented financial services companies extensively in FINRA arbitrations, wage and hour class actions and single-plaintiff employment litigation.

Seyfarth Shaw’s labor & employment department consists of nearly 350 employment attorneys nationally.

Morning Roundup

joshua — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 12:25:46 +0000

Good morning everyone! Today is Wednesday, July 28th. Here’s a look back at yesterday’s stories.

Steven Fagell, deputy chief of staff for Assistant Attorney General Lanny Breuer will leave to return to Covington & Burling LLP…

Stanford Dean Larry Kramer’s goal is to move past Yale and Harvard into the top spot on the U.S. News rankings…

Greenberg Traurig added an ex-health department official to its health and FDA business practice…

Sheppard Mullin added three partners to the firm’s Labor and Employment practice group…

Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck hired three top Vegas commercial litigation attorneys from Jones Vargas…

Kaye Scholer added three partners from Dewey & LeBoeuf…

Cozen O’Connor announced it added a 15-lawyer team from Sher & Blackwell to its Washington D.C. office…

Steptoe & Johnson will put a significantly expanded energy practice into action…

Chambers USA recognized Cohen & Grigsby attorneys, and practice group…

Morning Roundup

joshua — Tue, 13 Jul 2010 13:10:17 +0000

Good morning everyone! Today is Tuesday, July 13th. Here’s a quick recap of yesterday’s stories.

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…

Moving On…Law Firm Hirings

joshua — Mon, 12 Jul 2010 18:14:37 +0000

Seyfarth Shaw LLP has added patent attorney Alan M. Lenkin from Fulbright & Jaworski. Lenkin focuses his practice on IP matters for both emerging companies and more established high-technology companies…

Civil litigation firm Murchison & Cumming, LLP announced that Carlos E. Needham and Steven C. Spronz have become Of Counsel to the firm and that Molly E. Healy has joined the firm as an associate. Needham was formerly a partner at Manatt, Phelps, & Phillips, LLP. His practice focuses his practice on insurance coverage/bad faith and complex civil litigation matters involving product liability, science-related issues, mass tort claims, consumer class actions and environmental matters. Spronz is a business and real estate transactions attorney who has represented a broad spectrum of domestic and foreign business entities, including public and private equity funds, in a variety of transactions including mergers and acquisitions; partnership, joint venture, financing and corporate business matters; and the acquisition, disposition, financing, development and leasing of real estate…

Robert L. Echols, former Chief Judge of the United States District Court of the Middle District of Tennessee, is joining the Nashville office of Bass, Berry & Sims PLC as a Member following his retirement from the bench on July 22. His first day at the firm will be August 2. Echols brings 45 years of legal experience, including 18 years of experience on the federal bench…

Robert McLaughlin has joined Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson’s New York office as a partner in its asset management and financial services practice. McLaughlin was previously co-chairman of the Katten Muchin Rosenman’s structured products practice.

Morning Roundup

joshua — Thu, 17 Jun 2010 11:26:54 +0000

Good morning everyone! Today is Thursday, June 17th. Here’s a quick recap of yesterday’s stories.

A team of five energy transaction lawyers left the newly formed Hogan Lovells for King & Spalding…

Mintz, Levin, Cohn, Ferris, Glovsky and Popeo established a scholarship in Herman Mintz’s name, one of the firm’s original name partners…

Three attorneys from Kramer Levin Naftalis & Frankel were named to Human Resource Executive magazine’s 2010 list of Most Powerful Employment Attorneys…

Seyfarth Shaw added one partner and one of counsel to its L.A. office…

Corporate Intl Magazine Global Awards named Sadis & Goldberg LLP the 2010 Corporate Advisory Firm of the Year in New York…

Seyfarth Shaw Bolsters Los Angeles Office

joshua — Wed, 16 Jun 2010 17:02:31 +0000

Seyfarth Shaw has expanded its Los Angeles office with the additions of partner Jeffrey A. Berman and Joan E. Smiles, who joins the firm as of counsel. Both previously were with Sidley Austin.

Berman joins Seyfarth’s labor and employment department. His practice spans traditional labor and employment litigation, including a significant amount of complex, representative and class actions under both state and federal law. Berman has also represented employers in nearly all of the National Labor Relations Board’s (NLRB) regional offices in the Western United States, as well as before state and federal trial and appellate courts.

“Jeff is a tremendously accomplished and respected labor and employment attorney who is particularly adroit at handling complex matters on behalf of large medical institutions,” said Lisa J. Damon chair of Seyfarth Shaw’s Labor & Employment Department. “Both Jeff and Joan are tenacious advocates for their clients. They will fit right in with their labor and employment colleagues throughout the country.”

Seyfarth Shaw’s labor and employment practice has more than 350 employment attorneys at the firm’s ten U.S. offices.

Morning Roundup

sara — Thu, 25 Mar 2010 11:29:09 +0000

Good morning everyone! Today is Thursday, March 25, and here’s a look back at yesterday’s news…

Rosenfeld, Meyer & Susman LLP take on the band Green Day for copyright infringement…

Virginia Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli sues the federal government to stop the health care bill…

A new study details the “client revolution”…

UnitedHealth fraud is symptomatic of larger economic woes…

Seyfarth Shaw offers an overview of California employment law…

Former public relations specialist Susan Finkelstein is on trial after exchanging sex for World Series tickets…

Former FCC Commissioner Tyrone Brown leaves Wiley Rein…

Camille Cantrell has joined the Atlanta office of Hawkins, Parnell & Thackston…

Anna Nicole Smith’s estate loses a $300 million claim in court…

Seyfarth Shaw Offers Overview of California Employment Law

joshua — Wed, 24 Mar 2010 18:31:50 +0000

California’s long-standing reputation as a haven for employee rights hasn’t been lost on Seyfarth Shaw. Since 1999, the firm has published an annual analysis of the state’s employment legal landscape, dubbed California Peculiarities.

In this year’s edition, employment partner David Kadue outlines the Golden State’s workplace laws and regulations that make it one of “the most burdensome state’s” to do business.

“In countless areas – from qualifying for overtime pay to protecting employee vacation pay – California workers have protections that go beyond benchmarks established under federal law,” said Lisa J. Damon, chair of Seyfarth Shaw’s labor & employment Department. “California Peculiarities has earned its place as a trusted guide to help employers navigate the legal complexities of the state with the most employees in the nation.”

Added Kadue: “With its history of progressivism combined with activist judges and lawmakers looking to exceed federal standards, California has become by far the most burdensome state in which to operate a business under labor laws.”

In the report, Kadue notes the volume of workplace litigation has boomed since the passage of the California Labor Code Private Attorney General Act in 2004. It allows employees to “stand in the shoes of the California Labor Commissioner” and seek civil penalties for violations of the labor code up to $100 per pay period, per employee. The act also allows workers who bring actions against an employer to keep 25 percent of any penalties imposed.

Kadue notes the act has generated a wave of so-called “bounty hunter” or “sue your boss” lawsuits for failure to comply with often obscure provisions of the state’s labor code.

“Not surprisingly, it’s been an extremely lucrative litigation mill for the plaintiffs’ bar,” Kadue said.

The 2010 edition of California Peculiarities covers 21 chapters and is designed to provide insight on “every conceivable corner of workplace non-compliance.”

Morning Roundup

sara — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 12:54:35 +0000

Good morning everyone! Today is Monday, March 1, and here’s a quick look back at Friday’s news…

Profits and revenue decline at Debevoise & Plimpton…

Ogletree Deakins open a new office in Orange County, California…

Donchess & Notinger claim in a court filing that a bankruptcy case is creating a financial hardship for the firm…

Seyfarth Shaw releases details about it’s merit based plan…

Revenue and profits increase at Cahill…

10 lawyers leave McDonough Holland & Allen for DLA Piper…

Revenue decreases at DLA Piper…

U.S. firms scale back London recruitment according to a new survey…

Former University of Maryland law dean Karen Rothenberg is asked to refund $60,000 to the university…

Laurence Tribe accepts a position at the Department of Justice…

Freshfields unfreezes associate lockstep…

Obama nominates 4 U.S. Attorneys…

The Citizens United decision could lead to a constitutional amendment…

Congress considers a U.S. patent overhaul…

Seyfarth Releases Details about It’s Merit-Based Plan

sara — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 14:53:53 +0000

Seyfarth Shaw has released more details about its move to a merit-based associate compensation plan. This plan will be phased in over several months in 2010 and place associates in three different tiers or “bands”. The tiers are the rough equivalent to junior, mid level and senior associate positions at big firms. Instead of seniority based promotions, associates are evaluated and promoted based on a mastery of 11 core competencies in each band. Competencies include “delivering legal excellence”, “driving client value” and “building a practice”. Before implementing the new compensation system Seyfarth had a hybrid merit and seniority-based promotion system in place.

Founded in 1945, Seyfarth Shaw is a general practice Chicago based firm with 775 lawyers. The firm has additional offices in New York, Boston, Washington, D.C., Atlanta, Houston, Los Angeles, and San Francisco.

Seyfarth Shaw Adds Greg Yates as N.Y. Partner

joshua — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 17:06:16 +0000

Greg Yates has joined Seyfarth Shaw as a partner in the firm’s New York office. The former partner at Steptoe & Johnson joins the firm’s bankruptcy practice.

Yates focuses his national practice in the areas of debt/creditor relations, including workouts, restructurings and bankruptcy. A particular area of focus is advising clients on creative solutions to distressed commercial real estate transactions, the firm said in a press release.

Seyfarth Shaw has over 750 attorneys with offices in Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, New York, Sacramento, San Francisco, Washington D.C. and Brussels, Belgium.

Morning Roundup

joshua — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 12:56:19 +0000

Good morning everyone! Today is Wednesday, February 3, and here’s a look back at yesterday’s news…

Arthur Cutillo plead not guilty in court yesterday to charges stemming from the Galleon Group insider trading case…

Thomas Russo has officially started at AIG, leaving Patton Boggs behind…

Mayer Brown has thawed salaries and given associates a double bump…

McDonald Hopkins expanded its health care practice…

Chadbourne & Parke added a litigator in New York…

Seyfarth Shaw picked up one from the Department of Labor…

Greenberg Traurig has a new CEO…

Revenues were up in 2009 for Bryan Cave, but per partner profits dropped a bit…

WilmerHale is in the market for more office space in New York…

And Dechert picked up two from Goodwin Procter…

Seyfarth Shaw Adds Sequeira as Of Counsel

joshua — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 16:43:13 +0000

Leon R. Sequeira has joined Seyfarth Shaw as of counsel in the labor and employment department. Sequeira most recently served as assistant secretary of labor for policy at the U.S. Department of Labor from 2007-09.

Seyfarth Shaw’s labor and employment department has nearly 350 employment attorneys nationally. Sequeira will join other two other recent additions to the Washington D.C.-based department- former Assistant Secretary of Labor Victoria Lipnic and Alexander Passantino, the former acting administrator of the Labor Department’s Wage and Hour Division.

“The addition of Leon builds on the tremendous talent we’ve brought to our L&E Department in Washington recently,” said Lisa Damon, chair of Seyfarth Shaw’s labor and employment department. “Their experience offers our clients invaluable insights into the enforcement of labor and employment laws, as well as the regulatory and legislative environment affecting employers.”

While with the Department of Labor, Sequeira advised the secretary on a wide range of policy issues affecting the American workforce and oversaw more than 80 regulations annually under development by the department’s agencies.

Seyfarth Shaw has over 750 attorneys located in ten offices throughout the United States and Belgium.

Morning Roundup

joshua — Wed, 27 Jan 2010 12:30:35 +0000

Good morning! Today is Wednesday, January 27, and here’s a look back at Tuesday’s news…

Bass Berry promoted seven to partner and added ten associates…

Vinson & Elkins expanded its middle east practice with the addition of two laterals…

A prison ban on Dungeons & Dragons was upheld by the 7th Circuit…

Happy days are here againat Chadbourne & Parke…

Seyfarth Shaw added one to its IP practice…

A Florida firm is suing over the fraudulent copying of its website…

A former AG has been retained by a private school to help block UMass from opening a law school…

Wilmer Hale adds a former deputy director of the SEC…

And the Florida Bar sent its members a request for donations for Haiti relief efforts…

Seyfarth Shaw Signs Schwartz For IP Practice

joshua — Tue, 26 Jan 2010 16:52:19 +0000

Daniel J. Schwartz has joined Seyfarth Shaw’s Chicago office as a partner in the Intellectual Property Practice Group, the firm announced Tuesday. Schwartz was previously with Jenner & Block.

Schwartz focuses on the areas of intellectual property litigation and counseling with a special emphasis on patent, trade secrets and trademark litigation, according to a press release. His most recent experience includes various forms of Markman hearings and intellectual preliminary matters.

Seyfarth Shaw has over 750 attorneys in ten offices throughout the United States and Belgium.

Morning Roundup

sara — Mon, 18 Jan 2010 13:46:11 +0000

Good Morning! Today is Monday, January 18th, and here’s a look at Friday’s top stories…

Employment law firm Ogletree Deakins opens an office in Las Vegas, Nevada, with the help of six new attorneys…

Seyfarth Shaw is laying of approximately 40 people, 20 lawyers and 20 staff…

K&L Gates tops $1 billion in revenue…

and as a result of a change in partnership, the firm previously known as KamberEdelson is now EdelsonMcguire…

Layoffs at Seyfarth Shaw

joshua — Fri, 15 Jan 2010 18:20:19 +0000

Seyfarth Shaw is letting go of approximately 40 people, 20 lawyers and 20 staff. It’s been rough over at Seyfarth over the past year and they’ve taken several steps to keep costs down. In December, the firm cut salaries as part of a move toward merit based compensation. In November, it re-deferred half of its already deferred first years for an entire additional year, while cutting the salaries of the first years lucky enough to actually start working. In August, the firm announced that it would not have a summer program in 2010 and in May, Seyfarth laid off 50 people and cut some salaries.

Chicago’s Seyfarth Shaw LLP is a full-service law firm founded in 1945. It has ten offices, nine of which are in the United States. The firm is well known for its labor and employment, employee benefits, litigation and business services.

Seyfarth Shaw Abandons Lockstep

joshua — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 18:54:12 +0000

Like many firms before it, Seyfarth Shaw is abandoning lockstep starting in 2011. Details haven’t been released, not even to the associates who must now spend next year trying to hit performance goals that have not been announced in order to receive salaries that have not yet been determined but that’s just part of the charm of working for biglaw. 2010 salaries will be based on 2009 performance and although exceptional associates can expect a 5% salary increase next year, those that merely met expectations will be rewarded with a 5% pay cut. Exceeding expectations without being exceptional is good enough to get you a salary freeze, so a second year associate that is exceeding expectations can expect to be paid the same as a wet behind the ears first year and a second year associate meeting expectations will be paid less than colleagues that haven’t had the pleasure of prepping their first document. Seyfarth Shaw’s web page says that they pay “competitive salaries”. Who knew that meant competing with each other to avoid being paid less than a first year…

I’m not sure which is more insulting – getting a 2010 pay cut for meeting 2009 expectations, or being told that at the end of 2009.

UPDATE: A tipster reminded me that Seyfarth Shaw has already cut the salaries of the incoming first year associates by five to ten percent, so meeting expectations isn’t going to drop your salary below that of a first year associate after all. Well, isn’t that a relief.

Morning Roundup

joshua — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 18:08:41 +0000

Good morning everyone! It’s Thursday, December 17, and here’s your snapshot of yesterday’s news…

John Schulman, top counsel for Warner Bros for 25 years, has joined MS&K…

Seyfarth Shaw picks up a lateral from Hogan & Hartson…

WilmerHale’s new partnership class is over 50% female…

The FTC wants a piece of Intel….

Dewey & Leboeuf match the Cravath bonuses…

and Simpson & Thatcher is the only firm that we know of paying bonuses to deferred associates doing public interest work…

William Kahn Moves to Seyfarth Shaw

joshua — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 21:40:11 +0000

Yesterday William Kahn was an associate at Hogan & Hartson, or an associate at what will soon be Hogan Lovells. Today Kahn is a partner at Seyfarth Shaw. With firms cutting back on partnership promotions, who wouldn’t want to make that kind of leap?

Kahn has a mergers and acquisitions practice focusing on cross border mergers for both US and Foreign companies. He says the move is unreleated to the pending Hogan Lovells merger. He was attracted to Seyfarth Shaw because the firm offers “more transparency and predictability” in billing rates and cost predictability is important to his clients.

Morning Roundup

joshua — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 17:18:00 +0000

Good morning everyone! It’s Tuesday, December 15, and here’s a snapshot of yesterday’s news…

Loeb & Loeb is opening in Washington…

The Supreme Court will review a government employee’s right to privacy for text messages received on government owned equipment…

Zico is setting up shop in Australia, the first Asian firm to do so…

Seyfarth Shaw gets a pair of laterals in New York…

and Orrick picks up one…

Seyfarth Shaw Picks up two

joshua — Mon, 14 Dec 2009 18:22:15 +0000

Simeon Spencer is leaving the London office of Morgan Lewis and, along with associate Anna Margolis, joining Seyfarth Shaw in New York. The two new arrivals will join the firm’s International Labor & Employment Practice Group. Although they will be working out of New York, Spencer’s focus will remain on European multi-jurisdictional labor and employment law.

Morning Roundup

joshua — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 17:31:33 +0000

Good morning everyone! As we head into Thanksgiving week, things have slowed down a bit. Here’s a look back at the end of last week.

Seyfarth Shaw has redeferred half of its incoming class and cut salaries for all first years…

Wilkie Farr and Simpson Thatcher have both put out their bonus schedules….

Scott Rothstein has made a written request for disbarrment….

Skadden has also settled on bonuses, and they look very familiar…

and I mused ahead on the trial and likely conviction and execution of Khalid Sheikh Mohammad.

Hard Times at Seyfarth Shaw

joshua — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 20:14:47 +0000

Seyfarth Shaw has told half of its deferred associates that they will not be starting in January as planned. Instead, they are being redeferred to October 2010, and will receive a stipend of $2000 dollars per month starting in January. If that wasn’t enough bad news, Seyfarth is also cutting the salaries of first year associates by five to ten percent. One can only hope that the deferral stipends aren’t subject to those cuts.

Yes, it’s nice to get paid $2000 a month to do nothing, and yes, it’s possible in some parts of the country to live on that kind of money, but in general biglaw doesn’t have offices there. Keep in mind that we’re talking about lawyers that graduated in June, got a job, and are now having to wait almost a year and a half to start working – assuming that things improve enough to start at all. With more firms pushing start dates back to October of next year, are there going to be jobs available for the 2010 grads?

Greenberg Traurig Adds 3

joshua — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 17:46:28 +0000

Arthur Don and Nancy Schimmel have joined Greeberg Traurig as partners in the firm’s Chicago office. Don and Schimmel are both part of the coporate and securities practice group. In Atlanta, Cindy J.K. Davis is a new partner in the financial institutions and business reorganization & bankruptcy practices.

Arthur Don comes to Greeberg from Seyfarth Shaw where he was a partner for more than 30 years. Over that time he has built a large investment management practice and has experience in a broad array of corporate and securities law.

Nancy Schimmel was most recently a partner at Latham & Watkins. Her experience covers the negotiation and documentation of trade, health care, loan and lease receivables securitizations and structured financings.

Cindy Davis, who comes to Greenberg from Paul Hastings, has a financial restructuring practices. She specializes in complex credit transactions involving multi-currency facilities and cross-border lending arrangements.

Greenberg Traurig is expanding its investment management practice and anticipates this trio of partners will increase the firms ability to advise clients on complex corporate transactions.

Greenberg Traurig LLP is an international, full-service law firm with more than 1,800 attorneys and governmental affairs professionals in the US, Europe and Asia.

Seyfarth Shaw Hires for IP, Corporate in Atlanta

Erik Even — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 21:46:23 +0000

Seyfarth Shaw has added lawyers to its intellectual property and corporate & finance groups in Atlanta, Georgia.

Jack D. Todd joins as a partner from Morris, Manning & Martin. His practice concentrates on patent and trademark prosecution, strategic counseling, enforcement and protection of IP, transactional, licensing, opinion, and clearance. His JD is from Duke University School of Law.

Kevin T. Brown joins as of counsel from Macon, Georgia’s Sell & Melton. His practice focuses on representing governmental issuers of securities and private borrowers in conduit incentive financing transactions; general state and local government representation; ad valorem taxation; corporate transactions relating to public/private partnerships, and related real estate matters. His JD is from the Mercer University Walter F. George School of Law.

Chicago’s Seyfarth Shaw LLP is a full-service law firm founded in 1945. It has ten offices.

Setfarth Shaw Cancels 2010 Summer Program

Erik Even — Mon, 03 Aug 2009 17:05:53 +0000

Seyfarth Shaw, which laid off 50 people in May, has announced it will not host a Summer associate program in 2010.

The firm stressed that the cancellation is a one-time decision, and is not permanent. It will also continue to hire from law schools.

Last year’s Summers will start in either January or October 2010, and this year’s Summers who get offers will begin in January 2011.

Chicago’s Seyfarth Shaw LLP is a full-service law firm founded in 1945. It has ten offices.

Seyfarth Shaw Partners Jump Ship to Eckert Seamans

Erik Even — Sat, 18 Jul 2009 17:37:53 +0000

Eckert Seamans has picked up two Seyfarth Shaw partners for its real estate practice.

Ralph Stone and Rachel Gould join Eckert Seamans in Boston.

Stone will handle commercial, industrial, and residential properties. He earned his JD from Harvard Law School.

Gould will represent parties in commercial real estate matters. She earned her law degree from Northeastern University School of Law.

Eckert Seamans Cherin & Mellott, LLC is a national full-service law firm based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, with two offices located in the Pittsburgh area and eight other offices located throughout the eastern United States.

Law Firm Hirings & Firings

Erik Even — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 18:39:51 +0000

Recent laterals and layoffs in the legal sector:

US District Court Judge Bruce Kauffman is stepping down next week, and will join Philadelphia’s Elliott Greenleaf law firm. Kauffman will co-chair the firm’s executive committee. He is a former Pennsylvania Supreme Court justice.

Paul Battaglia joins Williams Kastner in Seattle as of counsel. He handles real estate, leasing, and collections matters. Battaglia earned his JD from the University of Washington School of Law in 1991.

Anthony F. Newton joins Seyfarth Shaw in Houston, from Franklin Cardwell & Jones. He joins as of counsel to Seyfath’s Corporate & Finance Practice Group. He earned his JD cum laude from the University of Houston Law Center, and his LL.M in Taxation from the Georgetown University Law Center.

Seyfarth Shaw Hires for Atlanta Office

Erik Even — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 16:45:03 +0000

Seyfarth Shaw, which last week brought on a new team of corporate and technology partners from Alston & Bird, is expanding its Atlanta office with lawyers poached from Troutman Sanders.

Robert C. Stevens joins as a partner in Seyfarth Shaw’s Labor & Employment Department. He concentrates his practice on litigation and counseling matters involving employment discrimination, restrictive covenant, trade secret, and wage & hour issues. Stevens earned his JD magna cum laude from the University of Alabama, where he wrote for the Alabama Law Review and was elected to the Order of the Coif.

Benjamin D. Briggs also joins the labor group as partner. He focuses on a wide-variety of labor and employment matters arising under state and federal law. Briggs received JD with honors from Georgia State University, where he was a member of the Georgia State Law Review.

Seyfarth Shaw’s Labor & Employment Department consists of 350 employment attorneys nationally at all levels of experience.

Chicago’s Seyfarth Shaw LLP is a full-service law firm founded in 1945. It has nine offices in the US and one in Belgium.

Seyfarth Shaw Brings on Team from Alston & Bird

Erik Even — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 17:14:20 +0000

Chicago-based Seyfarth Shaw, which in May laid off 50 people and reduced salaries, has brought on a new team of corporate and technology partners from Alston & Bird.

Robert C. Reynolds, Jr. is an outsourcing lawyer who co-founded Alston & Bird’s energy infrastructure team. He received his JD from the Vanderbilt University Law School, where he was an editor of the Vanderbilt Law Review and elected to the Order of the Coif. He is admitted to practice law in Georgia, Maryland and the District of Columbia. He will work from both Atlanta and Seyfarth’s Washington DC office.

Shawn K. Baldwin, who joins in Atlanta, focuses on strategic corporate transactions. He got his JD from the University of Pennsylvania Law School. He is admitted to the Georgia Bar.

S. Joel Cartee, who also joins in Atlanta, handles complex global transactions and matters relayed to the Kyoto Protocol. He is a Special Assistant Attorney General for the State of Georgia. He received his JD from the University of Alabama School of Law. He is admitted to practice law in Georgia.

Chicago’s Seyfarth Shaw LLP is a full-service law firm founded in 1945. It has ten offices.