JD Journal » skadden

An Autopsy Can’t Say What Caused Skadden Associate’s Death Puts Rumors to Rest

chelsei — Thu, 17 Nov 2011 17:55:27 +0000

On June 20, when 32-year-old Lisa Johnstone was found dead in her Redondo Beach, California condominium after failing to arrive at work, her law firm death was the one that was heard around the internet.

The fact that the Los Angeles Country coroner’s department couldn’t immediately say what killed Jonstone, who is a sixth-year corporate associate in Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher &Flom’s Los Angeles office, didn’t stop the speculation — especially once legal blog Above the Law used Jonstone’s death as the peg for one of their June 30 posts reflecting on the rugged working conditions endured by associates at large law firms.

While acknowledging that the official autopsy results were not yet available and that ”we can’t be sure of what happened to Lisa Johnstone,” the kind of thoughtful post by blogger Elie Mystal nonetheless helped fuel the fire of the rumor mill.

Mystal’s post stated that, among other things, ”reports indicate that [Johnstone] died while doing legal work from her home office on a Sunday,” that she had been ”pulling 100-hour weeks and was under intense pressure,” that ”she was suffering from hair loss,” and even that–in a thinly veiled reference to drug use–she had ”turned to ‘the lawyer-version of performance enhancers’ just to stay awake.”

Other blogs–from Practicing Law Sucks and University of Cincinnati College of Law professor Paul Caron’s TaxProf Blog to Law and More and former Kirkland & Ellis partner (and regular Am Law Daily contributor) Steven Harper’s The Belly of the Beast–soon picked up on the trend, by either republishing or linking to the Above the Law post or by even using it as a jumping-off point for additional commentary about the brutal nature of a life as an associate at a big law firm.

But was it really the rigors of working at Skadden that actually contributed to what killed Lisa Johnstone? Almost five months later, the official cause of her death remains a mystery. A full autopsy and a toxicology report, that was prepared by the Los Angeles Country coroner’s office because of Johnstone’s relative youth and the lack of clear cause of death, suggests possible causes without arriving at a definite conclusion. Still, the 18-pae report, that was released in September, shed a little light on the circumstance surrounding her death–and dispels some of the Wed-fueled rumors that sprang up after just one post.

Lisa Johnstone, who was born in Scotland on September 6, 1978 to John and Julie Johnstone, she moved to San Diego area with her family during grade school. She stayed in Southern California for her college years, and then attended the University of California, Los Angeles, where she joined the Kappa Delta sorority and graduated manga cum laude in 2000 with a degree in history. After her 2004 graduation of Northwestern University School of Law, she began her legal career at Sidley Austin in New York before returning to California to join Skadden in 2007.

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.

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.

Josheph Flom Dead at 87

joshua — Thu, 24 Feb 2011 21:13:58 +0000

Joseph Flom passed away last night in a New York hospital from hear failure. The last living named partner at Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom was 87 years old.

Flom was a New York native and began his education by taking night classes at City College of New York, while working a day job as an office boy in a small law firm. During World War II he served in the US Army, and then got his law degree from Harvard University with the help of the GI Bill. The following year he was the first associate hired by the three founders of Skadden, and became a partner in 1954.

In the 70′s, Flom brought M&A into the mainstream of corporate law and served as lead counsel in numerous hostile takeovers.

Joseph Flom was the founding trustee of the Skadden Fellowship Foundation, whose mission is “to give Fellows the freedom to pursue public interest work.” In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the foundation.

Weekend Roundup

joshua — Mon, 06 Dec 2010 16:18:17 +0000

Good morning! Today is Monday, December 6, and here’s a look back at the weekend…

Oral arguments in the prop 8 case will be broadcast today on CSPAN…

Jobs declined in the legal sector for the second straight month…

and Skadden is closing its office in San Francisco…

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.

Morning Roundup

joshua — Wed, 24 Nov 2010 01:17:48 +0000

Good morning everyone! Today is Wednesday, November 24th. Here’s a quick look back at yesterday’s headlines.

The exchange of artillery fire between North and South Korea set the stage for China to make a distinctive mark on the world stage…

The law firm bonus season began…

Crowell & Moring LLP & the University of the District of Columbia David A. Clarke School of Law established the Took Crowell Institute for At-Risk youth…

Wilmer Hale announced a plan for leadership succession…

Bonus Season has Begun

joshua — Tue, 23 Nov 2010 20:09:38 +0000

Last year, Cravath kicked off the bonus season with a bonus schedule that represented huge cuts from previous years. Most firms followed behind, although some firms took the Sullivan & Cromwell model instead, which differed only in that the most senior associates got an extra $5,000.

We can only hope that Cravath isn’t as influential at setting the market rate this year. Cravath will be paying bonuses that look identical to Sullivan’s 2009 scale – that is to say, no different from their own 2009 bonuses unless you are a 7th year associate. First year associates will receive $7,500, senior associates will get $35,000 and everyone else falls somewhere in between. AM Law has the full bonus scale and a copy of the firm’s memo here.

Obviously 2009 was a difficult year for the legal industry, as it was for the rest of the economy, but most signs indicate that 2010 was a vast improvement. We had hoped to see that reflected in bonuses for the year. It’s possible that other firms will buck the Cravath scale, even though very few did last year, but according my magic 8-ball the outcome is doubtful. Skadden has already followed with an identical bonus schedule.

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 — Thu, 21 Oct 2010 00:20:59 +0000

Good morning everybody! Today is Thursday, October 21st. Here’s a quick look back at yesterday’s stories.

The Children’s Law Center, Washington D.C.’s largest provider of free legal services, launched a new six-week campaign, dubbed the Lawyers for Children Campaign….

Winston & Strawn expanded its transactional capabilities in China with a three-person team from Cadwalader…

BigLaw Lends A Hand in New Children’s Law Center Campaign

joshua — Wed, 20 Oct 2010 23:06:21 +0000

The Children’s Law Center, Washington D.C.’s largest provider of free legal services, has launched a new six-week campaign, dubbed the Lawyers for Children Campaign, that’s designed to expose area lawyers and their colleagues to opportunities to improve the lives of D.C.’s children.

In conjunction with the campaign, an 18-member advisory board was selected that’s made up of attorneys from law firms, law schools and corporations throughout the D.C. area. Among the organizations represented are Arnold & Porter, Blank Rome, Bryan Cave, Clifford Chance, Covington & Burling, Crowell & Moring, Fish & Richardson, Hunton & Williams, Jones Day, Latham & Watkins, McDermott Will & Emery, McKenna Long & Aldridge, Patton Boggs, Sidley Austin, Skadden, Williams & Connolly, American University and the Podesta Group.

Evelyn Becker, pro bono director at Children’s Law Center, said the groups “enthusiasm to launching the campaign and introducing their colleagues to Children’s Law Center has been tremendous.”

The campaign will run from October 18 through Thanksgiving. A Campaign Kickoff Happy Hour will be held Tuesday, Oct. 26 from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at the Children’s Law Center offices.

Carmen McLean, CLC Board Member and Chair of CLC’s Advisory Board, and attorney at Jones Day, commented on the campaign in a press release.

“At Jones Day, we just took on our 20th pro bono case through Children’s Law Center and we know how important this work is,” McLean said. “We are excited to spread the word about CLC’s new Lawyers for Children campaign.”

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.

Wachtell Again Atop Vault Law 100

joshua — Tue, 20 Jul 2010 20:49:50 +0000

The 2011 Vault Law 100 was released Tuesday and again topping the list was Wachtell Lipton Rosen & Katz.

The only change in the top 5 was Sullivan & Cromwell leapfrogging Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom for the third spot. In a press release, Vault.com Managing Editor Brian Dalton noted the continuing rise of litigation boutiques in the rankings. As an example, Dalton notes Quinn Emmanuel has jumped from No. 43 in 2008 to No. 19 this year. He theorizes the down economy has allowed boutiques to compete with full-service firms for top students.

“As the Great Recession is well into its litigation phase, litigation boutiques are increasingly competing with the large full-service firms for the top law student talent,” Daltonsaid. “Quinn Emmanuel’s meteoric rise through our rankings reflects the growing success and impact of the boutique model industry-wide.”

The rankings were compiled through an anonymous survey of more than 15,000 attorneys at 165 law firms.

Here is Vault.com’s Top 10:

1. Wachtell

2. Cravath, Swaine & Moore

3. Sullivan & Cromwell.

4. Skadden

5. Davis Polk & Wardwell

6. Simpson Thacher & Bartlett

7. Weil, Gotshal & Manges

8. Williams & Connolly

9. Cleary Gottlieb

10 Covington & Burling

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 — 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…

Baker & McKenzie Says So Long to Deferred Associates

joshua — Wed, 23 Jun 2010 02:15:57 +0000

Baker & McKenzie, which replaced Skadden atop the AM Law 100 with 2009 revenue of $2.11 billion, has formally parted ways with 11 of its 12 re-deferred associates from the class of 2009.

The New York associates were re-deferred by the firm back in September with a potential June start date. Now, Above the Law is reporting that word has come down from the firm’s brass that their services won’t be needed.

In a statement to the Web site, the firm said that “unfortunately the work required for these individuals has not materialized to a sufficient degree,” while also pointing out that more than 30 deferred associates from the firm’s 2009 class are now working in North America.

Baker & McKenzie was founded in 1949 and has more than 3,900 lawyers in 67 offices worldwide.

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…

Skadden Snags Rivals Global Antitrust Head

joshua — Mon, 14 Jun 2010 21:18:13 +0000

Skadden Arps has scooped up the global antitrust head of rival Clifford Chance, LegalWeek is reporting. Simon Baxter, who resigned June 3 after serving 10 years as the head of Clifford Chance’s antitrust practice, will join U.S.-based Skadden’s Brussels office on Wednesday.

According to LegalWeek, Baxter advised corporations at the European Union and national levels on mergers, joint ventures, distribution systems and licensing. He also advises in relation to media, aeronautics and medical sectors.

Baxter told LegalWeek he resigned from Clifford Chance simply because it was time for new blood in the position.

“CC’s competition practice is in very good shape and I thought was good timing to hand over to somebody else,” Baxter said. “At that same time Skadden approached me and for me this move is an exciting prospect as Skadden has a first-class antitrust practice which they are keen to grow globally.”

Baxter becomes just the fourth partner at Skadden’s Brussels office. He is joined by two counsel and 10 associates.

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.

BP Looks To WilmerHale for Oil Spill Defense

joshua — Thu, 03 Jun 2010 22:48:35 +0000

BP and the two other major culprits in the Gulf of Mexico oil spill—Transocean Ltd. and Haliburton Co.—have retained their legal teams, according to a report in the New York Times.

BP has brought on WilmerHale to fight the myriad of congressional investigations the company is facing for the ongoing ecological disaster. Leading the team for WilmerHale is Washington D.C. partner and practice head Jamie Gorelick, a former deputy attorney general of the United States under Bill Clinton and one-time lobbyist for BP.

The company that leased the exploded rig to BP, Transocean Ltd, has enlisted Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom, and Halliburton has brought on Patton Boggs.

The Times said potential government inquiries include whether BP and the other companies “violated any regulations, whether they subverted the regulatory process by seeking favors with Minerals Management Service or other Interior employees, or whether BP acted criminally by keeping away cameras that could have revealed earlier the extent of the spill.”

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…

Morning Roundup

joshua — Mon, 17 May 2010 14:05:07 +0000

Good morning everyone! Today is Monday, May 17th. Here’s a quick look back at Friday’s and Saturday’s stories.

Orrick to Change Profit Reporting…

Loucks Has New Home…

Small Firms to Pay Higher Payroll Tax?…

Chicago Firm Victim of nearly $1M Embezzlement…

Australian Firm Eyes Suit Against Goldman Sachs…

Class Action Filed Against Pfizer by Brualdi…

Judge Appoints Berman Co-Lead Counsel In Class Action Against Toyota…

Harris Beach PLLC Opens Office on Long Island…

$15 Million Verdict Announced Against Botox Manufacturer…

Bernard M. Gross Files Class Action on Behalf of Transocean Shareholders…

Partner Of Honolulu PI Firm To Start Nonprofit For Children With Disabilities…

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.”

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!

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.

Baker & McKenzie Replaces Skadden Atop AM Law 100

joshua — Thu, 29 Apr 2010 17:00:55 +0000

American Lawyer released its top 100 law firms Thursday and, as it notes in its summary of the rankings, things certainly could have been worse in 2009. Profits per equity partner, which increased 0.3 percent last year to $1.26 million, was the lone category that showed improvement of the rankings’ four traditional measuring sticks. And while gross revenue, head count and revenue per lawyer were all down, “the bad results weren’t nearly as dire as many firms had feared just a year ago, American Lawyer reports.

Taking a closer look at the four categories we find that Baker & McKenzie was the highest revenue-grossing firm last year with just over $2.1 billion. It supplants Skadden to take the top spot for the first time since 1994. Eleven firms topped $1 billion in gross revenue, including K&L Gates, which reached the level for the first time.

Overall, total revenue was off by 3.4 percent, with the firms grossing a total of $64.8 billion, down roughly $2.3 billion from the prior year.

More than half, 56 firms, showed drops in revenue per lawyer, which the report notes is “our best measure of a firm’s financial health.” Debevoise & Plimpton had the biggest decline at 19.1 percent, which dropped them out of the top 10.

Revenue per lawyer was down $15,697, to $802,381, a 2 percent fall. This was the second consecutive year in which RPL fell.

A total of 54 firms reduced their head counts last year, cutting more than 3,000 lawyers overall.

As for profits per partner, 16 firms had PPP exceeding $2 million in 2009. That is the same number as 2008, though that group has seen some changes. Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft and Davis Polk & Wardwell replaced Debevoise & Plimpton and Dechert in that group.

The Top 10 firms based on revenue:

Baker & McKenzie, $2.11 billion

Skadden, $2.10 billion

Latham & Watkins, $1.82 billion

Jones Day $1.52 billion

Kirkland & Ellis $1.43 billion

Sidley Austin, $1.35 billion

White & Case, $1.3 billion

Weil Gotshal, $1.23 billion

Greenberg Traurig $1.17 billion

Mayer Brown, $1.12 billion

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.”

Skadden Names New Head of Asia Pacific Practice

joshua — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 15:50:36 +0000

Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom has named Audrey Sokoloff as co-head of the firm’s Asia Pacific practice. A partner in Skadden’s Tokyo office, Sokoloff will join Hong Kong-based Alan Schiffman in managing the firm’s six Asia Pacific offices.

According to LegalWeek, Skadden’s Asia-Pacific practice was previously headed by U.S.-based partners Michael Gisser and Phyllis Korff in addition to Schiffman. The firm has since decided to supervise the practice from Asia rather than domestically.

“The development of the practice in Asia means that it makes sense to base the leadership here,” Sokoloff told Legal Week. “I will be coordinating and providing oversight to our offices in Asia, Europe and the Americas and am excited about Skadden’s continued growth in the Asia region.”

Sokoloff will also continue to head the Tokyo office and its Asia-Pacific real estate and investment finance teams. She has been in Asia since 2008.

Skadden has more than 100 lawyers in the Asia-Pacific region with offices in Beijing, Hong Kong, Shanghai, Singapore, Sydney and Tokyo.

Morning Roundup

joshua — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 13:22:22 +0000

Good Morning! Today is Tuesday, February 9, and here’s your daily round up…

A Senate report says that attorney-client accounts are being used to circumvent money laundering laws…

King & Spalding picked up three litigators from Orrick…

Winston & Strawn added three in New York…

Wilson Sonsini picked up an O’Melveny partner in San Francisco…

Former Michigan Chief Justice joined Miller Canfield…

Thompson Hine gets a lateral from Hogan & Hartson…

Lovells opened its second Saudi Arabia office…

Former California Bar Director sentenced for embezzlement…

Allen & Overy will open in Australia…

A class action against Dell has been reinstated by the Ninth Circuit…

Skadden picked up a pair of partnersfrom Dechert…

Wlikie Farr reported a drop in revenue and profits…

And Littler Mendelson has a new managing shareholder in Philly…

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.