JD Journal » Skadden Arps Slate Meagher & Flom

Former Linklaters Managing Partner Tony Angel to Join DLA Piper as Co-Global Chairman?

rebneely — Fri, 28 Oct 2011 08:00:40 +0000

Former Linklaters managing partner Tony Angel may join DLA Piper as co-global chairman, if approved by a partnership vote, as early as November 7^th.

According to the October 27^th blog at wsj.com, DLA Piper Borrows Wall Street Model In Search for Co-Chairman”: “…two people familiar with the matter confirmed that DLA’s partnership is poised to approve Angel”.

It is virtually unheard of to appoint someone from outside the law firm to a top leadership position within the firm. However, DLA Piper is known for pushing the envelope, so to speak, and thinking outside the box. In the last six years, under Frank Burch’s leadership, the firm has become the largest in the world.

Peter Zeughauser, a law firm consultant, was quoted as having told Law Blog: “DLA has broken the mold several times since its inception. It’s difficult to draw parallels.” He also referred to Angel as “one of the top players in Europe”.

If approved, Angel would become co-chairman with Burch, who is currently the sole chairman of DLA Piper. As well, he would become the senior partner of DLA Piper International, which encompasses DLA’s operations in Europe, Asia and the Middle East.

Currently, Angel serves as a non-executive director at SJ Berwin in London.

From 1998 to 2008, Angel served as managing partner at Linklaters. He is given significant credit for assisting with the transformation of the firm into a leading global force. According to the wsj.com blog, according to Legal Week, “he pushed hard to boost individual partner performance and align the firm’s business around premium work for a tighter group of blue-chip clients.”

And, according to the October 26^th article at thomsonreuters.com, “DLA Piper voting on hiring Tony Angel as co-global chairman”, under Angel’s leadership, Linklaters became one of the most profitable law firms ever, boasting annual revenues of over $2 billion and profits per partner of $2.4 million, according to The American Lawyer magazine. That was an increase in profits of nearly 110% over a three year period, which surpassed those of Skadden, as well as Davis Polk.

Most recently, Angel held the position of chief executive at Vantage Diagnostics, a London-based health-care data company. Before joining Vantage, Angel served as the executive managing director at Standard & Poor’s. in that role, he was in charge of the company’s Europe, Middle East and Africa business.

Clearly, Angel is a force with which to be reckoned. With Burch and Angel at the helm, DLA Piper could well be poised for powerhouse status.

Linklaters LLP is a global law firm headquartered in London, United Kingdom and a member of the ‘Magic Circle’ of leading UK law firms. The firm is the world’s fourth largest global law firm by revenue. The firm employs approximately 2,200 legal advisers and 2,800 additional staff in 26 offices in 19 countries.

DLA Piper is a global law firm with 76 offices in 30 countries and over 4,200 lawyers. As of May 2011, it was the largest law firm in the world by number of attorneys. Two partnerships comprise the firm – DLA Piper International, and DLA Piper U.S. the firm’s clients include multinational, Global 1,000 and Fortune 500 companies, to emerging high-tech companies and start-ups.

White & Case Adds Three Partners to Moscow Office

rebneely — Thu, 20 Oct 2011 08:00:24 +0000

In recent days, global law firm White & Case LLP announced it has added three new partners to its Moscow office. They are Grigory Chernyshov, Jonathan Langley and Alexandra Schukina.

Chernyshov joins from Egorov, Puginsky, Afanasiev & Partners, and will head White & Case’s Russian dispute resolution practice. Langley relocates from the Firm’s London office as a local partner in the corporate practice. Schukina joins from Skadden Arps as a local partner in the capital markets practice.

Partner Jan Matejcek, Regional Section Head for Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) was quoted as saying in a press release at the firm’s website: “Ever since White & Case moved into Russia 20 years ago, our Moscow office has been a strategically important foothold for the Firm. We take our role as a market leader in Russia very seriously. The arrival of three new partners in our key practice areas – dispute resolution, corporate and capital markets – gives a significant boost to our strategy to provide clients with outstanding legal service and direct access to partner teams across the entire spectrum of our practices in Russia.”

Chernyshov is a leading Russian litigator who has extensive experience in Russian commercial litigation. As well as his active dispute resolution practice, Chernyshov acts in antitrust matters. He is a board member of the non-commercial partnership “Promoting the Development of Competition”. He was involved in the drafting of Russian antimonopoly legislation and its subsequent amendments.

With Chernyshov’s arrival, White & Case continues the growth of its CEE Dispute Resolution Practice. Numerous significant lateral hires have been made during the last two years in Bucharest, Budapest, Prague and Warsaw. In March 2011, White & Case recruited a 20-person Polish litigation team lead by Pawel Pietkiewicz, to head its dispute resolution practice in Warsaw. In April 2011, White & Case joined forces with leading Czech lawyer Luděk Chvosta, Sr., who brings vast experience in dispute resolution, insolvency and restructuring to the Firm’s Prague office. In 2010, the Firm brought in David Goldberg, a leading Russian-speaking international arbitration partner, to join its London and Moscow offices.

Partner John Willems, Regional Section Head of the Firm’s Disputes Practice in Western Europe, the Middle East and Africa was quoted as saying: “White & Case is now strongly positioned to handle all types of disputes matters for our clients, whether domestic or international, arbitration or litigation, with leading capability in Moscow and London, and other major arbitration centres in Stockholm, New York, Washington DC and Paris.”

Jonathan Langley focuses his practice on mergers and acquisitions, and joint ventures.

Partner Eric Michailov, co-head of White & Case’s CEE and Russian corporate/M&A practice, was quoted as saying: “We already have a strong base of English law M&A capability in Moscow, and we intend to continue growing it both through lateral hires and organically by capitalising on our existing legal talent to service our clients’ needs where they arise. Jonathan has been working on Russia-related transactions since joining our London office in 2007, so this move is a natural progression for him, and we welcome him to our Moscow team.”

Schukina’s concentrates her practice on equity and debt capital markets transactions. She is experienced in representing both issuers and underwriters in equity and debt securities offerings. She has also advised several leading Russian corporates in a wide variety of industry sectors on their listings on the London Stock Exchange, the Moscow Interbank Currency Exchange, and the Russian Trading System.

Hermann Schmitt, Executive Partner of White & Case’s Moscow office was quoted as saying: “We are continuously strengthening our Russian practice in line with our strategy and growing client demands. The new arrivals are a testament to the investment we are making in serving our clients in Russia and globally.”

A leading global law firm, White & Case LLP has lawyers in 38 offices in 26 countries.

Jones Day Adds Three Attorneys to New York, Boston Offices

rebneely — Mon, 03 Oct 2011 08:05:32 +0000

Global law firm Jones Day announced in recent days it has added three attorneys to its Boston and New York offices.

M&A attorney David Brewster joins the Firm’s Boston Office as a partner. Alice Yurke and Jonathan Ching join the firm’s New York office in the Banking & Finance Practice; Yurke as partner and Ching as counsel.

Brewster joins the firm from Skadden’s Boston office, where he was a partner, and where he worked for over 25 years.

Brewster’s experience includes advising a wide range of companies on corporate and transactional matters. He has also represented clients ranging from large publicly traded corporations to middle market private companies in connection with mergers and acquisitions, leveraged buyouts, restructurings, corporate finance, takeover preparedness, corporate governance, and general corporate counseling. He has provided counsel in the areas of high tech products and services, biotech and other life sciences, financial services, reinsurance, retail, and manufacturing.

Brewster is an active member of the Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce and The Boston Lawyers Group.

Traci Lovitt, Partner-in-Charge of Jones Day’s Boston Office was quoted as saying in a press release at the firm’s website: “David is a terrific M&A lawyer with significant experience in complex transactional matters. His joining the Boston Office immediately places Jones Day among the leaders of Boston M&A and moves us closer to our goal of creating a full-service office locally, while introducing Boston-area companies to Jones Day’s global capabilities. From his deep roots in the Boston area and the breadth and depth of his M&A experience here, David has a well-developed sense of what it takes to service M&A clients in this region. We share David’s vision and are delighted he has chosen to execute it with Jones Day.”

Bob Profusek, leader of Jones Day’s global M&A Practice was quoted as saying: “David’s significant experience in a wide range of industries and transaction types is obviously a coup vis-à-vis the New England market, but will also add significantly to our ability to serve clients throughout the world. His addition gives us added depth on a number of transactional fronts.”

Alice Yurke joins from Ashurst LLP; there she was a partner in the Finance Practice. Jonathan Ching joins from a global investment firm; there he served as a vice president and counsel.

Mark Sisitsky, co-leader of Jones Day’s Banking & Finance Practice was quoted as saying: “We are pleased to welcome Alice and Jonathan to the Firm. Their substantial experience in financial products and related regulatory issues will enhance our structured finance and derivatives practice and will be of great value to our clients as they face both challenging new regulations and changing financial markets.”

Yurke concentrates her practice on structured products, including equity-, credit-, hedge fund- and commodity-linked structures in both U.S. and offshore markets. She has significant experience advising financial institutions in structuring products for hedging, arbitrage, balance sheet management, and liquidity purposes across a variety of sectors. She regularly advises clients on products involving principal protection; as well, she has is knowledgeable in the area of bank lending, and advises clients on regulatory concerns including risk-based capital, bankruptcy and workout issues, as they relate to derivatives and loan transactions.

Ching concentrates his practice on structured products and their applications in trading and capital markets. He has managed a variety of transactions regarding product structuring, valuation, and margin arrangements; insolvency issues; and trade unwinds. He has significant experience in negotiating documentation for transactions. He also has a great deal of experience working with U.S., U.K., and European Union regulators, and industry groups relating to the regulation of OTC derivatives.

Willis Goldsmith, Partner-in-Charge of Jones Day’s New York Office was quoted as saying: “Alice and Jonathan are great additions to the Firm and our Banking & Finance team. Their significant experience in complex structured finance transactions adds even more capacity to serve our clients not only here in New York, but also around the world.”

Global law firm Jones Day employs over 2,500 attorneys and provides significant legal representation for more than half of the Fortune Global 500 companies.

Cowan, DeBaets, Abrahams & Sheppard Adds Two Partners to Digital Media and IP Practice

rebneely — Mon, 19 Sep 2011 12:59:29 +0000

The law firm of Cowan, DeBaets, Abrahams & Sheppard LLP recently announced the addition of two partners, Mary E. Rasenberger and Eleanor M. Lackman, both of whom are well known in the copyright and trademark fields. Both attorneys will join the firm’s digital media and intellectual property practice.

Rasenberger joins the firm from Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom, where her practice focused on copyright and digital media. For over twenty years, she has worked in the area of intellectual property, with a focus on copyright law and technology.

Her experience includes the counsel of clients in a broad range of fields, including internet, publishing, entertainment, technology, media and technology; her areas of specialty include policy, litigation, infringement analysis, and licensing.

Significant cases in which Rasenberger has been involved include Viacom v. YouTube in the Southern District of New York and Second Circuit, UMG v. Veoh in the Ninth Circuit, and Reed Elsevier v. Muchnick in the Supreme Court, for which she drafted amicus briefs on behalf of rights holders.

She also represented Houghton, Mifflin, Harcourt in a series of lawsuits brought by photographers, and represented several software companies in major copyright infringement and trade secret litigations.

She also represented clients in the Google Books Settlement and in DMCA rulemaking proceedings. She has also advised a variety of Internet and entertainment companies on copyright law in the online environment, and handled major transactions involving the acquisition and licensing of copyrights and related properties.

Before returning to Skadden in 2008, Ms. Rasenberger served as a Policy Planning Advisor for the Register of Copyrights; as well, she managed the National Digital Infrastructure & Information Preservation Program (NDIIPP) at the Library of Congress. In addition, she worked in the IP and technology groups of both a major record company and New York law firms.

Rasenberger was quoted as saying in a press release at the firm’s website: “I am thrilled to be joining new and old friends at CDAS. The firm’s deep expertise across all areas of entertainment and media law and high degree of professionalism have impressed me. CDAS is the perfect match for my practice in copyright and digital media. The expertise that Eleanor and I bring to CDAS will create terrific synergies for existing CDAS clientele and will help to grow the practice.”

Lackman joins from Hogan Lovells. She has broad experience in copyright, trademark and commercial litigation and counseling, especially in the areas of IP and new media.

She has provided representation to clients in a wide range of industries, including those in media, entertainment, luxury goods, consumer products, and telecom, in scores of federal and state court lawsuits at trial and appellate levels, as well as in arbitrations, domain name dispute proceedings and contentious matters before the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board.

Significant cases in which she has been involved include Capitol Records v. Naxos of America in the Court of Appeals of New York, Cartoon Network v. CSC Holdings and Tiffany v. eBay in the Southern District of New York and Second Circuit, U.S. v. ASCAP (In re Yahoo! and RealNetworks) in the Second Circuit and Supreme Court, and Capitol Records v. Thomas in the District of Minnesota. In these cases, which involved complex IP issues, she represented litigants or amicus parties.

She has also counseled a wide variety of clients in matters regarding copyright, trademark and technology licensing, and exploitation and enforcement.

Lackman was quoted as saying in the same press release at the firm’s website: “Cowan DeBaets provides a concentration of in-depth expertise in copyright, trademark and digital media law that not only rivals that of other leading firms of all sizes, but is on a trajectory of growth. The ability to match that expertise with business-conscious rates was a real draw for me to join the firm.”

Located in New York, New York, Boutique law firm Cowan, DeBaets, Abrahams & Sheppard (CDAS) has provided legal counsel to leading media and entertainment clients for over twenty-five years, offering them expert services regarding copyright, trademark and media disputes.

World’s Largest Firm Now Claimed by Baker and McKenzie

EmploymentCrossing — Thu, 18 Aug 2011 18:22:01 +0000

Despite a challenging year, Baker & McKenzie increased it’s revenue in all three of it’s geographical regions to regain the title of largest global firm turning over 2.27 billion and unseating Skadden Arps Slate Meagher & Flom, who in 2010 turned over 2.15 billion. PEP averages also grew at Bakers to 7 percent, which has not been that high since 2007-08.

Read the full article here:

Bakers usurps Skadden as world’s largest firm with $2.27bn turnover

Skadden to Shutter its Office in San Francisco

marvins — Mon, 06 Dec 2010 16:04:52 +0000

Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP, a prominent law firm based in New York City, announced that it will close its San Francisco office. The office will be merged with Skadden’s Palo Alto office. The firm first entered the Silicon Valley and San Francisco during the dot.com bubble days. Lawyers who have been watching Skadden’s progress through the years are saying that the consolidation of Skadden’s Palo Alto and San Francisco offices is not that surprising anymore since talks about it have been circulating the industry for years.

San Francisco legal recruiter, Gary Davis, said that he was not surprised by Skadden’s announcement because this decision was strategic and beneficial to the overall welfare of the firm, given that the San Francisco office is relatively small and the Palo Alto office has a promising market. He also interpreted the move to mean that Skadden has a new strategy wherein the firm will just concentrate in the growth of one office. “It would be much more surprising to hear that an indigenous firm like Morrison & Foerster announced it was closing here or in Silicon Valley. Out-of-state firms usually need a compelling reason to keep two offices open in a small geographic location, like a client or partner request.”

The new office will be led by Kenton King, the Palo Alto corporate partner. It s website also named six other partners, three counsel and 17 associates, all of whom are litigators.

Morning Roundup

joshua — Fri, 26 Nov 2010 13:47:30 +0000

Good morning everyone! Today is Friday, November 26th, and it’s Black Friday! Here’s a quick look back at the latest headlines.

Former Texas solicitor general Gregory Coleman died in a plane crash…

Milbank will pay associate bonuses on what is rapidly becoming known as the Cravath scale…

Skadden matched the associate bonus scale announced earlier this week by Cravath…

Skadden Follows Cravath’s Lead for Bonuses

joshua — Wed, 24 Nov 2010 13:39:49 +0000

Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom have matched the associate bonus scale announced earlier this week by Cravath, Swaine & Moore.

The numbers range from $7,500 for first-year associates to $35,000 for more senior associates.

Skadden is the second Am Law 100 firm to announce its year-end bonuses, and, according to the article at amlawdaily.com, as Nate Raymond at the New York Law Journal reports, this suggests the market is solidifying around Cravath’s scale.

Recruiters and partners at rival firms told the New York Law Journal on Monday that they expect other firms to match the scale, too.

For the last three years, Cravath has set the market rate for associate bonuses, the NYLJ reports. The firm is seen as a rate leader, especially among New York’s white shoe firms.

With over 2,000 attorneys, Skadden is one of the largest and highest-grossing law firms in the world.

Skadden Arps Partner David Meister Named Head of Enforcement at U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission

joshua — Wed, 03 Nov 2010 15:02:50 +0000

Skadden Arps partner David Meister has been named head of enforcement at the US Commodity Futures Trading Commission.

The CFTC’s director of enforcement oversees the investigation of instances of alleged fraud, market manipulation and abusive trading practices. The CFTC’s largest enforcement action to date was in 2007, a $303 million settlement with BP for charges of manipulating propane markets.

Meister is a partner in Skadden’s white collar crime practice. A former federal prosecutor, Meister has more than 20 years of white collar experience. He represents financial institutions, other corporations and their senior executives in criminal, enforcement and regulatory matters involving the U.S. Department of Justice, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, state attorneys general, and other federal and state regulators. He has extensive experience conducting internal investigations for boards of directors and board committees concerning fraud, corruption, bank sanctions, money laundering and other potential corporate misdeeds. Mr. Meister has been lead counsel in numerous federal criminal jury trials.

Notable cases include his representation of John Landes, who was the general counsel of ImClone when Martha Stewart was accused of trading its shares on inside information. Additionally, as a US prosecutor in the 1990s, he won a guilty verdict in a case of inside trading on stocks of Motel 6, the US hospitality chain.

Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP and Affiliates was founded in 1948, and 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.

Morning Roundup

joshua — Mon, 16 Aug 2010 12:56:09 +0000

Good morning everyone! Today is Monday, August 16th. Here’s a quick look back at Friday’s stories.

Baron & Budd, P.C. will represent Louisianans in upcoming case against BP…

A survey by the Minority Corporate Counsel Association revealed the number of Fortune 500 companies with female general counsels reached an all-time high this year…

King & Spalding applied for government permission to open an office in Singapore…

Skadden added a partner in its Washington, D.C. Office…

Skadden Adds Partner in Washington, D.C. Office

joshua — Fri, 13 Aug 2010 16:22:50 +0000

Mark D. Young, a leading financial services regulation attorney with vast experience representing clients before the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), has joined Skadden as a partner in the firm’s Washington, D.C. office.

According to the press release at the firm’s site, Mr. Young, a former CFTC assistant general counsel, has handled landmark appeals in the area of CFTC-SEC jurisdiction and has a strong background in legislative issues addressing financial regulatory reform.

He has more than thirty years of experience in financial services regulation, legislative advocacy, and business and transactional counseling in the derivatives arena. On behalf of his broad client base, he played a key role in the development of federal regulatory policy on financial derivatives under the Dodd-Frank Act and will be active on behalf of the firm’s clients as those agencies develop the numerous new regulations required by the Act. In addition, he played a lead role in connection with every major piece of legislation to amend the Commodity Exchange Act, the statute administered by the CFTC, since 1978.

Founded in 1948, Skadden is a New York City based firm with 2,000 lawyers in 24 offices around the world including Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, Washington, D.C., Toronto, Brussels, Frankfurt, London, Moscow, Munich, Paris, Beijing, Hong Kong and Sydney.

Firms Looking to Increase Summer Hires

joshua — Fri, 30 Jul 2010 18:08:16 +0000

AM Law Daily provided some encouraging news Friday in a preview of the upcoming summer hiring season. According to its reporting, summer associate class-size is expected to show significant increases in some cases among the more prestigious firms.

Cravath, Swaine & Moore, which has a summer class size of 23 now, is expected to increase its hiring to around 75 for next summer. The story notes how Cravath “shocked the market” when it slashed its summer class size from 123 in 2009 to this year’s low number.

The number of summer associates at Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom fell from 225 in 2009 to 79 this year, but that number could jump back to over 100.

While still not at the levels from before the cuts, the AM Law Daily notes that the increases are “a modest jump, but modest jumps are what pass for good news these days.”

Ropes & Gray could go over 100 summer associates after having 82 this year. Jones Day expects to increase its summer class from the 124 of this year and Proskauer Rose will hold steady.

None of this is official, however, as much of the information for the story is based largely on anonymous sources.

Survey Confirms Summer Hiring Cool If Not Frozen

eric — Wed, 21 Jul 2010 15:26:58 +0000

AmLaw Daily reported today that firms have cooled their 2010 summer associate hiring down by an average of 44 percent. That equates to roughly an average of 31 fewer summer associates per firm for each of the 114 firms that took the publication’s survey.

Am Law is also reporting that some of the biggest dips in hiring came from those firms found on its “A” List. This includes Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom, which went from 223 summer associates last year to a meager 79 this year, and Cravath, Swaine & Moore, which saw an 81 percent cut in summer jobs. Ballard Spahr eliminated its summer camp entirely.

Finally, both Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher and Latham & Watkins had the largest summer school classes, although both saw a shrinking, about 40 associates less, of those classes.

Morning Roundup

joshua — Wed, 07 Jul 2010 10:15:26 +0000

Good morning everyone! Today is Wednesday, July 7th. Here’s a quick look back at yesterday’s stories.

Latham & Watkins announced its launch of an Asian litigation practice centered in Hong Kong…

Detroit-based firm Dykema hired Robin Radomski as its Chief Marketing Officer…

Saul Ewing added a four-person team focused on the gaming industry…

Sidley Austin named a new managing Partner in San Francisco…

Thompson Hine LLP received national recognition for leadership in promoting diversity…

Skadden was found to be first in M&A Advisements for first half of year…

A global study found tracking procedures lacking in lawyer-to-lawyer referrals…

Weil Gotshal received two international Legal Alliance Awards…

Fisher & Phillips opened an office in Washington, D.C….

The Bureau of Labor Statistics showed legal sector lost 3,900 jobs in June…

Clifford Chance named a new London practice head…

Skadden Tops The World in M&A Advisements

joshua — Tue, 06 Jul 2010 16:22:43 +0000

Thompson Reuters’ quarterly study of worldwide mergers and acquisitions shows Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom had the best first half of the year advising on 82 deals worth $137 billion.

Skadden secured top deals in telecoms and media to regain the top spot it held at the end of 2009. However, Skadden’s market share did decrease by more than 8 percentage points to 12.8 percent since the first half of 2009.

Among Skadden’s deals was the second-largest of the six-month period, U.S. phone operator CenturyLink’s $22 billion acquisition of Quest Communications International Inc., according to a Reuters press release.

Skadden is also representing News Corp’s proposed $13.7 billion bid for British satellite broadcaster BSkyB.

Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton jumped to 2nd from 17th place for the first half of the year after advising on 57 deals worth $111 billion.

Jones Day had the heaviest volume with 175 transactions worth $50.8 billion.

The number of global deals rose 3.8 percent from the first half of last year, while their value jumped 9.4 percent, taking the total to $1.1 trillion — the strongest opening six month period for global deals since 2008.

Morning Roundup

joshua — Thu, 24 Jun 2010 11:23:40 +0000

Good morning everyone! Today is Thursday, June 24th. Here’s a quick recap of yesterday’s stories.

Gonzalez Saggio & Harlan opened an office in Atlanta, the fifteenth for the firm…

DLA Piper announced the expansion of its Venture Pipeline Service and online resource center for entrepreneurs….

Cooley’s bankruptcy and restructuring practice earned top honors at last week’s Turnaround Atlas Awards…

Sonnenschein added a former U.S. Treasury tax counsel as a partner in its taxation practice…

Jones Day cut staff in Cleveland…

Bowman & Brooke launched a blog for women executives in law and other fields…

The former co-chair of Mayer Brown’s litigation practice joined Buckley Sandler…

Mayer Brown Loses Litigation Co-Chair To BuckleySander

eric — Wed, 23 Jun 2010 14:06:49 +0000

Bloomberg: Former co-chair of Mayer Brown’s litigation practice, David S. Krakoff has been hired by BuckleySandler. Another former Mayer partner, Christopher Regan, joins Krakoff at the firm where the two will specialize in financial-services enforcement.

The firm has been aggressively growing its boutique practice since its inception in March 2009. Created through a merger with Buckley Kolar and a number of lawyers led by Andrew Sandler, a former Skadden partner, it now has some 90 attorneys in its ranks.

BuckleySandler is headquartered in Washington DC, with offices in New York and Los Angeles. It represents clients in the financial services industry, such as banks, mortgage lenders, and credit card companies.

Morning Roundup

joshua — Wed, 23 Jun 2010 13:03:52 +0000

Good morning everyone! Today is Wednesday, June 23rd. Here’s a quick look back at yesterday’s stories.

Baker & McKenzie formally parted ways with 11 of its 12 re-deferred associates…

Cadwalader earned top honors at the Global M&A Network Turnaround Atlas Awards in Chicago…

Sidley Austin’s Ronald Flagg was awarded the 2010 Vincent E. Reed Award…

Dewey And LeBouef’s D.C. office filed a friend of the court brief on behalf of the Mexican government…

Greenberg Traurig is counseling Valeant Pharmaceuticals in a merger deal with Biovail…

Ross E. Eichberg joined Nixon Peabody as a partner in the firm’s D.C. office…

Sidley Austin announced that Thomas W. Albrecht will assume the responsibilities of managing partner for the Asia Pacific region…

A wide-ranging Altman Weil survey offered perspective on a multitude of issues facing law firms today…

Blank Rome added three attorneys to its Government Relations group in Washington, D.C…

Morning Roundup

joshua — Tue, 15 Jun 2010 13:13:50 +0000

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

Some SNR Partners were considering leaving prior to the merger with Denton…

Former White House counsel John Adams joined McGuireWoods…

Skadden snagged rival Global Antitrust head Simon Baxter…

A landmark $82.5 Million verdict was awarded for the death of a man killed in a 2007 natural gas explosion…

Gibson Dunn & Crutcher received Chambers’ annual Award for Excellence in the Antitrust Category…

Morning Roundup

joshua — Mon, 14 Jun 2010 11:05:05 +0000

Good morning everyone! Today is Monday, June 14th. Here’s a quick recap of Friday’s stories.

For the second year running, Chambers honored Dechert LLP with the Award for Excellence in Product Liability…

McDermott Will & Emery was selected as Chambers’ Winner For Health Team Of The Year…

Chambers named Ropes & Gray number one in the field of intellectual property for 2010…

Greenberg Traurig received the Chambers award for its Real Estate Practice group…

Sidley Austin was honored by Chambers as the best in international trade…

Chambers presented Skadden Arps Slate Meagher & Flom with its annual Award for Excellence in the Tax Category…

New York based Chadbourne & Parke LLP was honored by Chambers for Excellence in the Energy Projects category…

Chambers awarded Sullivan & Cromwell for its excellence in the field of Energy Projects…

Weil Gotshal’s Bankruptcy Group rated for excellence by Chambers…

Gibson Dunn received Chambers annual Award for Excellence in the Antitrust Category…

National labor and employment firm Fisher & Phillips LLP is increasing its associate pay scale…

Venable LLP was the recipient of the Chambers Annual Award for Excellence in the Advertising and Marketing Category…

Skadden On Top Of Tax Practice Heap In 2010

eric — Fri, 11 Jun 2010 18:10:52 +0000

Chambers has presented Skadden Arps Slate Meagher & Flom with its annual Award for Excellence in the Tax Category. Awards, which were presented yesterday in New York, coincide with the release of the 2010 edition of Chambers USA.

With a depth of transactional experience, Skadden continues to develop a group of tax specialists with experience in virtually every type of matter, domestic or international, that presents significant tax issues. With approximately 150 tax lawyers including 45 partners, the firm’s tax group coordinates its efforts with firm attorneys in other disciplines to provide a team approach to each client matter.

Skadden is a New York City based firm with 2,000 lawyers in offices around the world including Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, Washington, D.C., Toronto, Brussels, Frankfurt, London, Moscow, Munich, Paris, Beijing, Hong Kong and Sydney.

Morning Roundup

joshua — Fri, 04 Jun 2010 12:03:33 +0000

Good morning everyone! Today is Friday, June 4th. Here’s a quick look back at yesterday’s stories.

BP brought on WilmerHale to fight the myriad of congressional investigations the company is facing…

The American Association for Justice named Ronald F. Motley the recipient of its prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award…

Stroock & Stroock & Lavan welcomed the addition of Irah H. Donner to their Intellectual Property Practice Group…

Jun He Law Offices Opened a second U.S. Office in Palo Alto…

Karen P. Hewitt, the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of California, headed to Jones Day…

Baker & McKenzie appointed Eduardo Leite, a partner from its Sao Paolo office, as its global chairman…

Fried Frank Adds Two Partners to London Office…

Morning Roundup

joshua — Fri, 21 May 2010 12:39:37 +0000

Good morning everyone! Today is Friday, May 21st. Here’s a quick look back at yesterday’s stories.

Corporate In-House Counsel Consider Blogs (Among Other Things) When Hiring Firms…

Beasley Allen Files Class Action Suit Against Methadone Clinics…

Before Supreme Court Nomination Kagan Consulted With Skadden Attorneys…

3M Legal Department Head To Join Barnes & Thornburg…

Before Supreme Court Nomination Kagan Consulted With Skadden Attorneys

eric — Thu, 20 May 2010 14:18:41 +0000

Supreme Court Nominee Elena Kagan

Per a Law.com article posted yesterday, Supreme Court nominee Elena Kagan consulted with attorneys from Skadden’s Washington, D.C. office just prior to her nomination. The information was disclosed in her answers to the Senate Judiciary Committee’s background questionnaire. According to the post, she met with the Skadden attorneys on at least two occasions. On one of these occasions she was accompanied by Deputy White House Counsel. On another, she consulted with a partner from Skadden’s tax practice. The National Law Journal piece also reports that outside counsel – in that instance, the Washington office of Zuckerman Spaeder– was used by the White House in the initial interview process of Justice Sonia Sotomayor.

Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom is a New York City based firm with 2,000 lawyers in offices around the world including Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, Washington, D.C., Toronto, Brussels, Frankfurt, London, Moscow, Munich, Paris, Beijing, Hong Kong and Sydney.

Founded in Washington, DC in 1975, Zuckerman Spaeder maintains a national practice with attorneys in five offices, including Washington, New York, Tampa, Baltimore, and Wilmington, DE.

Loucks Has New Home

joshua — Sat, 15 May 2010 05:07:57 +0000

Michael K. Loucks, who spent over 20 years as a U.S. attorney in Massachusetts, has joined law firm Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom. Loucks is best known for a number of high profile prosecutions against pharmaceutical companies, including 2009 case U.S. et al v. Pfizer Inc. which resulted in Pfizer paying a record $1.2 billion criminal fine as part of a $2.3 billion overall settlement.

Savvy readers have perhaps already figured out where this is headed. Pfizer is in fact a client of Skadden, Arps, Slsate, Meagher & Flom. When asked whether he thought representing Pfizer would be awkward so soon after the record fine, Loucks replied “I don’t think so. One of the principles that all lawyers operate by is your duty is to represent your client zealously.”

Morning Roundup

joshua — Fri, 14 May 2010 13:57:22 +0000

Good morning! Today is Friday, May 14th. Here’s a quick look back at yesterday’s stories.

Bryan Cave and Venable Add A Partner Apiece…

More And More Firms Consider Alternative Fee Structures…

Massachusetts Home To Many Cutting Edge IP Law Firms…

U.S. Citizens Association Files Suit to Repeal ‘Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act’…

List Of Top Corporate Law Firms Released…

DiversityBusiness.com Selects Rutherford & Christie as one of “Top 50 Women Owned Businesses in Georgia”…

List Of Top Corporate Law Firms Released

eric — Thu, 13 May 2010 14:25:16 +0000

The Law.com has released its list of top corporate law firms. Check it out.

The list is based on a number of different rankings compiled by Corporate Board Member Magazine, FTI Consulting Inc., and big business corporate directors and general counsel throughout the country.

Not to ruin the surprise (if you haven’t yet noticed which firm’s logo is in the upper right hand corner of this post) … but Skadden Arps Slate Meagher & Flom has topped both board directors’ and general counsels’ list again. Congrats Skadden!

Sullivan & Cromwell Lawyers Takes Lead in Goldman Sachs Case

joshua — Wed, 21 Apr 2010 21:37:31 +0000

The decision by the SEC to file civil fraud charges against Goldman Sachs has been big news over the last week or so. On Wednesday, Reuters provided a profile of the Goldman Sachs legal team, which features several Biglaw heavy hitters.

The lead lawyer in the Goldman Sach’s defense is Richard Klapper, a partner at Sullivan Cromwell since 1987 who has represented several big financial firms to victories in the past.

Reuters describes Klapper as a lawyer who “keeps a low profile…(and) is a fearsome litigator.

The story cites Klapper’s previous wins, which includes a role as a lawyer representing Barclays in 2007 in a class-action suit filed by Enron Corp. shareholders against banks that advised Enron before its collapse in 2002.

“It’s certainly fair to say ‘formidable’ is the right word for him,” Charles Whitehead, a securities law professor at Cornell and former attorney at Sullivan & Cromwell told Reuters.

“He’s diligent and very, very focused,” Whitehead said. He goes on to note Klapper does not have a lengthy biography on the firm’s website because “he does not brag.”

Joining Klapper on the Goldman defense team is Gregory Craig, a former White House Counsel to President Obama who Politico said was brought on to aide in political and legal matters. Craig practices in Washington D.C. as a partner at Skadden Arps Slate Meagher & Flom.

Also part of the defense team, sources told Reuters, is Vince DiBlasi, another Sullivan & Cromwell attorney who has experience representing high-profile individuals in SEC investigations.

The story goes on to note Sullivan & Cromwell is regarded as a “top corporate go-to law firms in the country” that has “a long-standing relationship with Goldman Sachs.”

Akin Gump Acquires Boutique Lobbying Firm

joshua — Fri, 26 Mar 2010 18:15:55 +0000

Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld has acquired Democratic boutique lobbying firm Parven Pomper Strategies, the firm said in a press release. PPS founders Scott Parven and Brian Pomper will join the firm as partners. Akin Gump also announced Al From, founder and longtime leader of the Democratic Leadership Council, will become a senior advisor at the firm.

Smith W. Davis, co-leader of Akin Gump’s policy practice, said the new team brings an “excellent track record of providing business clients with first-rate strategic advice and advocacy in the policy arena.”

Prior to founding PPS, Parven served as vice president and counsel at Aetna, where he oversaw international public policy. He is also a former vice president of public policy at AOL Time Warner and chair of the international policy group at Mayer Brown.

Pomper served as chief international trade counsel for Chairman Max Baucus (D-Mont) on the Senate Finance Committee prior to founding PPS. He also served as an attorney at Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom before entering government service.

The remainder of the PPS team joining Akin Gump are Alixandria Lapp, former chief of staff to Rep. Adam Smith (D-WA); Francine Friedman Grabowski as senior policy counsel; Roger Murry, former legislative assistant to former Rep. Ellen Tauscher (D-CA) as policy analyst; and Sarah Crnkovich as policy analyst.
Akin Gump’s bipartisan policy practice was founded in 1977 and has more than 50 lawyers and professionals.

Dechert Duo Join Skadden

sara — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 14:41:45 +0000

Dechert partners James Elacqua and Andrew Thomases have left the firm to join Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom in Silicon Valley. James Elacqua won a $57 million verdict in August for his client Medtronic Inc. against AGA Medical Corp., and then scored a settlement with W.L Gore & Associates Inc. later in the same month. Thomases has worked with Elacqua for a long period of time and developed an International Trade Commission practice.

Former Bush Lawyer John Farren Sued By Wife for Attack

sara — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 15:16:26 +0000

Mary Margaret Farren filed a lawsuit last week in Connecticut trial court against her husband, John Michael Farren. Farren, a former deputy general counsel to George W. Bush, has been charged with attempted murder, first degree strangulation and assault after he allegedly attacked his wife with a flashlight and choked her until she passed out. Mary Farren spent time in Norwalk Hospital with a broken jaw and nose, lacerations to her face and head and another separate injury to the back of her head. It is reported that Mary Farren asked her husband for a divorce before he attacked her.

Mary Farren has filed a $30 million lawsuit against John Farren, alleging that the attack against her has left her unable to work. She is an attorney at Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom. In an affidavit that accompanied her suit Mary Farren said, “Given the community in which we live, and the station of living to which we are accustomed, and our plans for the future and the education of our children, the defendant’s obligations to support his children and me are substantial”. Local family attorney Wayne Effron is representing Mary Farren in the civil suit and divorce case. Timothy Moynahan of Moynahan & Minnella is representing John Farren.

Gregory Craig Surfaces With Skadden

joshua — Wed, 27 Jan 2010 20:55:38 +0000

Gregory Craig, former White House counsel under President Obama, has joined Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom as a partner in its Washington D.C. office. Craig will lead Skadden’s new global policy and litigation strategy practice Group.

Craig, a former partner in Williams & Connolly, has a long history of public service. Prior to joining the Obama administration he served under President Clinton as assistant to the president and special counsel. In that role he represented Clinton in his Senate impeachment trial. He also was director of policy planning under Secretary of State Madeline Albright and was senior advisor of defense for Sen. Edward Kennedy.

“Greg Craig is a terrific addition to our firm,” said Eric J. Friedman, Skadden’s executive partner. “His combination of international expertise, national public service and high-profile litigation experience will greatly enhance our traditional strengths and offer added value to clients in the U.S. and internationally. We’re excited about what Greg can contribute to both ourWashington, D.C. capabilities and the firm’s overall strategic initiatives.”

Skadden’s has 24 offices worldwide.

Skadden Slashing 2010 Summer Class Size by Half

Erik Even — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 18:15:54 +0000

Skadden will hold its Summer associates program in 2010, but with less than half as many associates than in 2009.

The firm had 225 summers this year, but will only have about 100 in 2010. No 2010 offers will be rescinded — if more than 100 associates accept their offers, they all will participate.

As for the 2009 Summer class, whose start dates were deferred to 2011 in May, Skadden will offer jobs to 95%.

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.”

Paul Hastings Hires IP Team from Skadden

Erik Even — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 20:51:45 +0000

Paul Hastings has hired a team of three IP attorneys from Skadden.

Jeff Randall joins Paul Hastings’ Palo Alto and Washington DC offices, as co-chair of the firm’s Global Intellectual Property Practice. He represents companies in multi-billion-dollar intellectual property cases. He earned his JD from the University of California Hastings College of Law.

Allan Soobert joins in Washington DC. He represents major technology companies in patent disputes before trial and appellate courts across the United States. His JD is from the Franklin Pierce Law Center where he was editor of IDEA, The Journal of Law and Technology. He received his LL.M in Intellectual Property from George Washington University Law School.

Jeff Pade also joins in Washington DC. He has represented clients in patent litigation matters before arbitration panels, federal district courts and the US Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit. His JD is also from the Franklin Pierce Law Center.

Founded in Los Angeles in 1951, Paul, Hastings, Janofsky & Walker LLP is a leading international law firm with over 1,300 attorneys and 18 offices worldwide. Paul Hastings serves a diverse client base that includes many top financial institutions and Fortune 500 companies.

BuckleySandler Adds More Lawyers

Erik Even — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 18:56:38 +0000

BuckleySandler, founded in March when two Skadden partners left the firm’s Washington DC office, has grown to 55 lawyers with the addition of two lawyers.

Stephen Ambrose Jr. joins from GE Capital, where he was general counsel of the consumer finance unit. He will be managing partner of the firm’s new New York office. He earned his JD at Fordham University Law School, where he served as Editor of the Fordham Law Review.

Robert Cook joins as of counsel from Countrywide Financial, where he was deputy general counsel. He was previously special counsel at the Federal Reserve Board.