Large Firm

Akin treated bias plaintiff more favorably, at least once, because of her race, 2nd Circuit says

An associate who attributed her 2009 layoff to racial bias won’t be able to pursue her lawsuit against Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld. The New York City-based 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals has upheld dismissal of the suit by Tameka Simmons, who had claimed the economic reasons cited…

Jan 28, 2013 12:15 PM CST

Around the Blawgosphere: Is BigLaw ‘culture’ worth preserving?; In defense of plastic grocery bags

The myth of law firm ‘collegiality’ Law firms should “pay heed to culture” when developing business plans, contemplating mergers, or making lateral hires, according to Citi Private Bank’s Law Firm Group and Hildebrandt Consulting’s recent client advisory (PDF). At Law21, lawyer/consultant Jordan Furlong notes this passage from the advisory: “Law…

Jan 25, 2013 2:30 PM CST

Suit claims WilmerHale fired counsel for taking adoption leave

A former litigation counsel at WilmerHale claims in a lawsuit that the law firm wrongfully fired her after taking leave for the adoption of a 22-month-old daughter from China. The $5 million suit (PDF) filed in Washington, D.C., superior court by Pamela Levinson claims violations of the District’s family leave…

Jan 24, 2013 4:54 PM CST

How to create opportunity for newbie lawyers? Cut their BigLaw salaries, law prof says

Brooklyn law professor Lawrence Solan outlines one reason for the so-called crisis in legal education: Large law firms are hiring fewer new associates, creating fewer training opportunities for law grads and declining interest in law school. Law schools are responding with clinics and externships designed to train students in the…

Jan 24, 2013 12:00 PM CST

Did Greenberg hide tea-time document incineration accident? Claim won’t be heard; case is tossed

An appeals court has tossed a lawsuit accusing Greenberg Traurig of failing to disclose that a document central to its client’s defense was “burned under highly suspicious circumstances”—a claimed tea-time incineration accident. Greenberg won dismissal of the suit by plaintiff James Melcher on statute of limitations grounds, the New York…

Jan 23, 2013 12:30 PM CST

Why not improve value instead of doubling down on bad practices?

As we move into 2013, firms face a basic choice between doubling down on Dewey or pumping up the value. Reading the various things written of late (PDF) , it would seem that many firms are “doubling down” by: • Aggressively seeking laterals and in some cases, merger partners. •…

Jan 22, 2013 10:30 PM CST

Womble Carlyle is sued by EEOC over alleged 75-pound lifting requirement

The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission has sued Womble Carlyle Sandridge & Rice on behalf of a former office assistant who claims disability discrimination over a lifting requirement. The suit (PDF) filed on behalf of Charlesetta Jennings says she suffered from a chronic swelling condition known as lymphedema as a result…

Jan 18, 2013 3:47 PM CST

Ex-Dewey partner’s fraud claim re Citibank capital loan gets green light from federal judge

A former partner of Dewey & LeBoeuf has won a round in an unusual legal case against the bank that made him a personal loan to finance his capital contribution to the now-defunct law firm. A federal judge in New York on Wednesday nixed a summary judgment motion by Citibank…

Jan 17, 2013 4:42 PM CST

Longtime Canada-based legal shops are top-listed for M&A work, survey says

International mergers among law firms are a hot trend right now. But, at least among Canada-based legal shops, when it comes to bringing in the most global M&A business, the traditional top-drawer firms that have grown more conservatively and are perhaps still best known for their work in Canada are…

Jan 16, 2013 10:33 PM CST

Only one woman has made partner in 25 years at BigLaw firm’s Miami office

Linda Leali didn’t have a lot of role models during her 12 years as an associate at the Miami office of White & Case. Only one woman has made partner in the firm’s Miami office in 25 years, the Daily Business Review reports. A magna cum laude law grad from…

Jan 16, 2013 11:30 AM CST

Reed Smith has opened Houston office, expects 50 lawyers there

Another major law firm is opening an office in Houston. Reed Smith now has a physical presence in the Texas city and is looking to hire attorneys to practice in its new office there, the firm’s chief marketing officer told the Pittsburgh Business Times on Tuesday. “We have opened, and…

Jan 15, 2013 11:23 PM CST

Black market for office supplies? Suspect charged in $376K theft of copy machine toner from law firm

A former 10-year worker in the copy department of Fried Frank Harris Shriver & Jacobson is facing felony charges alleging that he stole $376,000 worth of copy machine toner from the law firm’s offices in New York. Adrian Rodriguez is charged with two counts of grand larceny. Prosecutors say he…

Jan 15, 2013 8:44 PM CST

Top Akin Gump antitrust lawyer leaps to new firm with 2 other partners

The top antitrust lawyer at Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld has jumped to Squire Sanders, along with two other antitrust partners. Former Akin Gump antitrust chair Mark Botti started work at the Washington, D.C., office of his new firm today. Joining him there are J. Brady Dugan and Anthony…

Jan 15, 2013 4:39 PM CST

Attorneys who quit law firm jobs during 2009 downturn find success as small corporate boutique

During the fall of 2009, as the legal economy was headed into a tailspin, two attorneys at the Wilmington, Del., office of Pennsylvania-based Riley Riper Hollin & Colagreco did something counterintuitive. Jack Harris and Buddy Berger left the security of their Riley Riper jobs and formed their own small law…

Jan 15, 2013 3:40 PM CST

Indictment: Ex-Mayer Brown CIO helped bilk law firm of $4.8M in vendor billing and kickback scheme

Already accused of teaming up with a vendor to bilk a Chicago-based international law firm of nearly $1 million, the former chief information officer of Mayer Brown is now facing charges that he and the other man stole nearly $5 million from Mayer Brown between 2004 and 2011. The former…

Jan 14, 2013 6:29 PM CST