http://www.abajournal.com/news/ en Copyright 2013 2013-05-22T12:40:22-06:00 http://www.abajournal.com/news/article/paradigm_shift_is_here_to_stay_law_firm_leaders_say_in_altman_weil_survey/ Law firm leaders say the paradigm shift is here to stay, according to a new Altman Weil survey. Yet surprisingly they don't put concerns such as delivering value to clients and improving efficiency at the top of the list when asked an open-ended question about the biggest challenges they will… Business of Law, Corporate Law, Law Firms, Large Firm, Midsize Firm, Partners Wed, 22 May 2013 06:59:34 -0500 44301.abajournal.com http://www.abajournal.com/news/article/adams_and_reese_to_acquire_a_23-attorney_firm/ For the second time this year, New Orleans-based Adams and Reese is expanding its attorney roster by acquiring another legal partnership. This time it's 23-attorney Ellis Lawhorne. The Columbia, S.C., firm is expected to tie the knot with Adams and Reese on June 1, reports the Advocate. Together,… Business of Law, Law Firms, Midsize Firm, Partners, States, Louisiana, South Carolina Wed, 22 May 2013 05:29:57 -0500 44297.abajournal.com http://www.abajournal.com/news/article/circulating_law_student_interns_horror-film_clip_gets_ex-partner_suspended_/ A former partner of a well-known Indiana law firm has been suspended from practice for three years for persuading his paralegal to impersonate that firm's managing partner and send an email attaching a horror-film clip in which a new hire seemingly was onscreen in a state of undress. Arthur J.… Labor & Employment, Law Firms, Associates, Midsize Firm, Paralegals, Partners, Legal Ethics, Trials & Litigation, Evidence, Verdicts & Settlements, States, Indiana Mon, 20 May 2013 11:49:21 -0500 44269.abajournal.com http://www.abajournal.com/news/article/law_firm_2_attorneys_sued_by_fdic_accused_of_helping_now-defunct_bank_make_/ The Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. has sued a Florida law firm and two of its attorneys, contending that they failed to take note of “glaring red flags” when representing Orion Bank in making $82 million in illegal loans in 2009. Nason, Yeager, Gerson, White & Lioce, as well as a… Banking Law, Criminal Justice, White Collar Crime, Law Firms, Associates, Midsize Firm, Partners, Tort Law, Trials & Litigation, 11th Circuit Court, States, Florida Thu, 18 Apr 2013 14:42:08 -0500 43815.abajournal.com http://www.abajournal.com/news/article/company_sues_former_law_firm_says_failure_to_detect_issues_before_ipo_cost_/ A Florida-based company that sells health products over the Internet has sued its former law firm, contending that it lost millions because Shefsky & Froehlich failed to detect and inform its leaders, prior to going forward with an initial public offering, of corporate governance and capital structure issues. In the… Corporate Law, Law Firms, Midsize Firm, Mergers & Acquisitions, Securities Law, Trials & Litigation, 11th Circuit Court, States, Florida, Illinois Tue, 16 Apr 2013 12:35:48 -0500 43746.abajournal.com http://www.abajournal.com/news/article/5_trademark_lawyers_exit_finnegan_henderson_to_form_own_firm/ Five lawyers are exiting Finnegan Henderson Farabow Garrett & Dunner to form their own firm. They include David Kelly, who formerly served as a trademark practice group leader for the 350-attorney Washington, D.C., intellectual property boutique, three other partners and a counsel, Reuters reports. The split is apparently… Business of Law, Careers, Intellectual Property Law, Trademark Law, Law Firms, Midsize Firm, Partners Mon, 15 Apr 2013 10:53:04 -0500 43728.abajournal.com http://www.abajournal.com/news/article/d.c._insurance_boutique_opens_in_nycs_chrysler_building_is_looking_for_asso/ A Washington, D.C.-based international insurance boutique has opened in New York City, where it signed a four-year lease for nearly 4,000 square feet of space in the Chrysler Building. Lewis Baach has been operational there for roughly a month, with partners Adam Kaufmann and Insurance Law, Law Firms, Midsize Firm, Partners, States, District of Columbia, New York Wed, 10 Apr 2013 14:40:50 -0500 43676.abajournal.com http://www.abajournal.com/news/article/law_firm_mergers_hit_four-year_high_in_1st_quarter_2013/ Law firm merger activity hit a four-year high in the first quarter of 2013. All of the 20-plus law firm weddings listed by the Altman Weil Mergerline, however, involved the acquisition of smaller—and often much smaller—legal shops. “Firms are picking up specialty practices, expanding in strong… Business of Law, Law Practice Management, Law Firms, Large Firm, Midsize Firm, Solos/Small Firms Thu, 04 Apr 2013 16:50:11 -0500 43599.abajournal.com http://www.abajournal.com/news/article/forced_out_of_small_firm_he_founded_after_leaving_biglaw_partner_72_gets_a_/ A well-known employment and civil rights litigator says he was forced out of the law firm he founded in 2003 after a nearly 23-year career at Paul Hastings. But Lawrence Ashe, 72, is now starting a new job, as senior counsel, at another firm, Parker, Hudson, Rainer… Careers, Labor & Employment, Law Firms, Large Firm, Midsize Firm, Partners, Solos/Small Firms, States, Georgia Wed, 03 Apr 2013 14:12:07 -0500 43556.abajournal.com http://www.abajournal.com/news/article/4_partners_exit_top_local_firm_to_open_new_wilmington_del._office_for_kl_ga/ K&L Gates is the only Pittburgh-based BigLaw firm without an office in Philadelphia. But it now has one a short distance away in Wilmington, Del., which is opening with a four-lawyer corporate group from one of the city's longtime top law firms. Partners Eric Feldman, Nicholas Froio, Christina Houston and… Corporate Law, Law Firms, Large Firm, Midsize Firm, Partners, States, Delaware, Pennsylvania Mon, 01 Apr 2013 17:01:52 -0500 43513.abajournal.com http://www.abajournal.com/news/article/detroits_clark_hill_to_meld_with_pittsburgh-based_thorp_reed_forming_300-la/ A longtime Pittsburgh law firm has agreed to join forces with Clark Hill, a 200-attorney counterpart based in Detroit. Together, Clark Hill and Thorp Reed & Armstrong will have 300 lawyers in 12 offices when they formally merge in the second quarter of this year, reports the Business of Law, Law Practice Management, Law Firms, Midsize Firm, Partners, States, Michigan, Pennsylvania Fri, 29 Mar 2013 13:38:25 -0500 43492.abajournal.com http://www.abajournal.com/news/article/top_ny_court_puts_final_kibosh_on_kasowitz_bid_for_7m_success_fee_from_ex-c/ An effort by a New York law firm to obtain a $7 million success fee from a former client got a final kibosh Tuesday from the state's top court. In a brief ruling (PDF), the New York Court of Appeals declined to hear a challenge by Kasowitz Benson… Business of Law, Law Practice Management, Contracts, Law Firms, Midsize Firm, Trials & Litigation, Attorney Fees, States, New York Tue, 26 Mar 2013 12:30:51 -0500 43439.abajournal.com http://www.abajournal.com/news/article/ex-associate_sues_law_firm_says/ Jeffrey Downs says he was all set to follow partner Mark LeWinter last year when he exited Philadelphia personal injury law firm Anapol Schwartz to take a job with competitor Raynes McCarty. But then his Raynes job offer was rescinded, Downs contends in a lawsuit filed this week in the… Business of Law, Law Practice Management, Labor & Employment, Law Firms, Associates, Midsize Firm, Partners, Tort Law, Trials & Litigation, States, Pennsylvania Mon, 25 Mar 2013 12:06:07 -0500 43412.abajournal.com http://www.abajournal.com/news/article/cozen_to_open_new_fla._office_with_6-lawyer_edwards_wildman_team/ A six-lawyer group has leaped from Edwards Wildman to Cozen O'Connor, where they will open a West Palm Beach office for their new firm. The group, headed by D. Scott Elliott and Michael Botos, is part of an ongoing expansion plan in South Florida, according to a Cozen O'Connor Law Firms, Midsize Firm, States, Florida Mon, 18 Mar 2013 16:50:39 -0500 43332.abajournal.com http://www.abajournal.com/news/article/law_firm_settles_pfizer_case_pays_bills_and_emerges_from_chapter_11_bankrup/ In an unusual move, a Portland, Ore., law firm has been able to pay its bills and emerge from Chapter 11 bankruptcy after setting a big case. The same prolonged legal battle with Pfizer Inc. that forced Williams Love O'Leary & Powers to file… Bankruptcy Law, Business of Law, Law Practice Management, Law Firms, Midsize Firm, Partners, Tort Law, Trials & Litigation, Verdicts & Settlements, 9th Circuit Court, States, Oregon Thu, 14 Mar 2013 09:26:09 -0500 43258.abajournal.com http://www.abajournal.com/news/article/archer_greiner_lays_off_14_lawyers_27_staff_members/ After mergers during the past several years that brought its attorney roster from 150 to nearly 210 lawyers, a well-known law firm with longtime roots in New Jersey is retrenching. Archer & Greiner gave layoff notices last week to 14 attorneys and 27 staff members, the… Careers, Layoffs, Law Firms, Associates, Midsize Firm, Partners, States, New Jersey, Pennsylvania Tue, 12 Mar 2013 16:04:53 -0500 43234.abajournal.com http://www.abajournal.com/news/article/250_lawyers_and_staffers_told_to_clear_desks_and_go_home_as_regulators_inte/ Some 250 lawyers and staff were told to clear their desks Monday and go home as regulators "intervened" in the operation of a British law firm. The Solicitors Regulation Authority said it acted at Blakemores Solicitors, which has offices in Birmingham and Leamington, to protect the interests of the firm's… Bar Associations, Business of Law, Careers, Layoffs, Consumer Law, Law Firms, Midsize Firm, International, Europe, United Kingdom Tue, 12 Mar 2013 11:46:52 -0500 43227.abajournal.com http://www.abajournal.com/news/article/cozen_global_securities_chief_leaps_to_schiff_in_3-lawyer_group/ The chief of the global securities practice at Cozen O'Connor has led a three-attorney group to Schiff Hardin. Ralph De Martino and F. Alec Orudjev will practice in the corporate and securities group, working out of Washington, D.C., and Cavas Pavri, practicing in the same group, will work primarily in… International Law, Law Firms, Midsize Firm, Partners, Securities Law, States, District of Columbia Mon, 11 Mar 2013 11:50:37 -0500 43197.abajournal.com http://www.abajournal.com/news/article/land-use_partner_exits_johnson_pope_after_30_years_to_open_new_office_for_h/ After 30 years at a well-known Florida law firm with roots in Pinellas County, a leading land-use lawyer is exiting with another attorney to open a new Clearwater area office for Hill Ward Henderson, a 90-attorney Tampa-based law firm, on May 1. Partner Ed Armstrong, 55, declined to explain why… Business of Law, Careers, Law Firms, Midsize Firm, Partners, Real Estate & Property Law, States, Florida Tue, 05 Mar 2013 12:22:51 -0600 43120.abajournal.com http://www.abajournal.com/news/article/dorsey_whitney/ Revenue last year at Dorsey & Whitney was the lowest in six years. Yet the new managing partner of the Minneapolis-based law firm says he expects better things in 2013 and 2014, as the firm focuses on a financial turnaround, the Star Tribune… Business of Law, Law Practice Management, Law Firms, Midsize Firm, Partners, States, Minnesota Mon, 04 Mar 2013 18:59:26 -0600 43111.abajournal.com