Law Firms

Retire in Your 40s? Yes, at U.K. Megafirm

Retiring at age 40-something probably isn’t a realistic goal for most lawyers. But in a move that may be viewed with envy by partners at some U.S. firms, one of Britain’s biggest and best-known law shops has announced a new retirement plan that makes this possible for some. Prompted by…

Jan 15, 2008 10:06 PM CST

More Verrill Dana Fallout re Former Partner’s Alleged $400K Theft

The managing partner at one of Maine’s biggest and best-known law firms has resigned his post in the wake of a former partner’s alleged theft of just over $400,000 from the firm and some clients. David Warren, who is credited with leading a successful turnaround at Verrill Dana after it…

Jan 15, 2008 6:32 PM CST

Associate Claims Houston Firm Retaliated for Reporting Racist Directive

A former associate with a Houston law firm alleges in a lawsuit that she was fired for reporting the comments of a top partner who told her not to hire any more black lawyers. The former associate, Sandra Perez Ard, is suing Forman Perry Watkins Krutz & Tardy, Texas Lawyer…

Jan 15, 2008 5:00 PM CST

Trial Begins Over Morgan Lewis’ Advice to Client

A lawyer for a former corporate client suing Morgan, Lewis & Bockius said in opening arguments Friday that the law firm gave bad advice about doing business in Cuba. Lawyer Marc Kasowitz told Philadelphia jurors that the law firm advised Purolite Corp. that its subsidiaries’ sales to Cuba were allowed…

Jan 15, 2008 12:05 PM CST

Look, It’s a Home, or a New Bistro—No, It’s a Law Office!

If at first glance Kriss & Feuerstein’s sleek new law offices look like a high-end postmodern home or a trendy new bistro, that’s not surprising. The 10-attorney Manhattan real estate boutique intentionally set out to design a space that looks like the places where young clients choose to spend their…

Jan 14, 2008 6:04 PM CST

New Firm to Use Alternative Billing in Commercial Disputes

Three former big-firm lawyers have formed a new law firm in Chicago that will use alternative billing in commercial civil litigation. The firm’s new name will be the Valorem Law Group, which is Latin for “value.” The firm will bill clients using fixed rates, contingency fees and other alternative arrangements,…

Jan 14, 2008 2:34 PM CST

Powell Goldstein in Serious Merger Talks With Womble Carlyle

Powell Goldstein’s merger talks with Womble Carlyle Sandridge & Rice are getting serious, sources tell Legal Times. The Atlanta-based Powell Goldstein has been plagued by departures in its Washington, D.C., office and has struggled to grow. A merger with Womble Carlyle, based in Winston-Salem, N.C., “would create an 800-lawyer regional…

Jan 14, 2008 12:00 PM CST

Oops. Lost Passbook Costs Utah Lawyer Up to $832,000

Back in the day when a savings account required a passbook in which the bank manually entered each deposit and withdrawal, a client of Ogden, Utah, attorney George B. Handy established one that named Handy as trustee and deposited $150,000. Then the client died in a plane crash. More than…

Jan 11, 2008 11:00 PM CST

Hynes Criticized in NY City Bar Prez Race Over Milberg Connection

A renowned trial lawyer running unopposed to serve as the president of the New York City Bar Association is being targeted for criticism because of her reluctance to discuss her longtime prior job at a law firm that is now under indictment. Patricia Hynes, a former federal prosecutor who is…

Jan 11, 2008 8:43 PM CST

Seven Partners Leave Miami’s Akerman Senterfitt; Source Tells of Pay Beefs

Seven partners have left Akerman Senterfitt in Miami amid rumors of missed budget projections and reduced partner pay. Three litigators have left to start their own boutique law firm while another is joining a different Miami firm, the Daily Business Review reports. Three employment lawyers are also joining a different…

Jan 11, 2008 1:43 PM CST

Big Attorney Fees for O’Melveny in New Century Legal Woes

The government probe and bankruptcy of subprime lender New Century Financial Corp. is translating into some big legal fees. O’Melveny & Myers has earned more than $12.5 million in six months for restructuring work and representation of the company in an investigation by the Justice Department and the Securities and…

Jan 11, 2008 1:19 PM CST

More Law Firms May Be Considering Layoffs

The Daily Brief blog of Portfolio.com wonders if more law firm layoffs are in the offing after the announcement yesterday that Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft is laying off 35 associates. The associates work in Cadwalader’s capital markets and global finance departments, hard-hit by volatility in the financial markets. Gregory Markel…

Jan 11, 2008 11:32 AM CST

Winston Lures Up to 18 Lawyers from N.C. Firm, Opens Charlotte Office

A 1,000-lawyer Chicago-based international firm is opening a Charlotte, N.C., office with six partners lured from a local firm, and expects to bring in a dozen more lawyers from the same firm soon. Six attorneys from 200-lawyer Kennedy Covington Lobdell & Hickman are to open the new Winston & Strawn…

Jan 11, 2008 12:55 AM CST

Ooh La La! DLA Piper Raids Proskauer in Paris, Promotes 69 to Partner Firmwide

One of the world’s biggest law firms has raided the Paris office of Proskauer Rose, snatching up seven lawyers to boost its French operations. News of the DLA Piper raid, which was reported today by Legal Week, follows word from another United Kingdom legal publication that the more than 3,600-attorney…

Jan 10, 2008 11:47 PM CST

Is Reed Smith Mulling N.Y. Merger?

An international law firm headquartered in Pittsburgh reportedly may be seeking to strengthen its New York presence and insurance coverage practice by merging with a New York City-based boutique. Reed Smith, which has some 1,500 attorneys in more than 20 offices worldwide after recent mergers, may now be considering bringing…

Jan 10, 2008 10:18 PM CST