Law Firms

Rising From The Rubble

In the aftermath of 9/11, lawyers at New York’s Harris Beach don’t practice law the same way they once did

Sep 1, 2007 8:30 AM CDT

Alston & Bird Plans: TX, Maybe CA, London

A major Atlanta-based law firm has announced plans to open an office in Dallas and is thinking about expanding into California and London as well. Alston & Bird will start small in Dallas, with an eight-lawyer office, reports the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. The Dallas office will be staffed by five attorneys…

Sep 1, 2007 12:27 AM CDT

Column: Legal Secretary Isn’t ‘Furniture’

Many lawyers are frustrated when they deal with their legal assistants (and vice-versa). But a new column by a legal secretary seeks to narrow that gap by telling attorneys what their staff members wish they could tell the boss. Legal assistants aren’t “furniture,” writes the anonymous 15-year-veteran in a New…

Aug 31, 2007 8:57 PM CDT

Jones Day Snares Hong Kong IP Lawyers

Jones Day has hired four intellectual property lawyers for its Hong Kong office from Baker & McKenzie’s office in the same city. They are Peggy Cheung, Anita Leung, Chiang Ling Li and Helen Tang, the National Law Journal reports. Tang will have of-counsel status, and the others will be partners.…

Aug 31, 2007 10:21 AM CDT

Top Experts Trump Lawyers: $2,000/Hour

A very select group of lawyers reportedly now bills at hourly rates that can exceed $1,000. But they are topped by an even more select group of experts, whose fees can hit $2,000 per hour. Intellectual property knowledge can earn such stratospheric fees for experts—who typically, at four-figure rates, are…

Aug 30, 2007 8:05 PM CDT

Proskauer to Enter UK

Proskauer Rose is planning to open a London office, and its new leader may be the former managing partner of O’Melveny & Myers’ U.K. branch. Matthew Hudson is in negotiations to make the leap to Proskauer, Legal Week reports. He led O’Melveny’s London office from 2004 until earlier this year.…

Aug 30, 2007 10:59 AM CDT

UK Magic Circle Firms Add US Lawyers

Some of London’s biggest and best-known law firms are signaling their intention to establish a higher-profile presence in the U.S. legal market. Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer has sent two partners and three associates into the firm’s New York office from international locations, reports New York Lawyer (reg. req.), reprinting a Legal…

Aug 29, 2007 7:59 PM CDT

Nixon Goodbye Inspired Lerach

Securities class action lawyer William Lerach is fessing up: The announcement of his retirement borrowed partly from Richard Nixon’s farewell speech to his staff. Lerach said in an e-mail that he is retiring from law practice to resolve an investigation into alleged kickbacks paid to lead plaintiffs while at securities…

Aug 29, 2007 5:55 PM CDT

Funny Videos Woo Associates

A Boston law firm is trying to woo associates with humorous video clips posted to its Web site that portray a frazzled “megafirm” lawyer who works hard but doesn’t get into the courtroom. The clips posted by Choate, Hall & Stewart contrast the megafirm lawyer with the calmly assured Choate…

Aug 29, 2007 11:07 AM CDT

Ex-Milberg Lawyer Lerach Retires

Securities class action lawyer William Lerach is retiring amid rumors he is close to a plea deal related to kickbacks made to lead plaintiffs while he was a lawyer at Milberg Weiss. Lerach is a name partner at California-based Lerach, Coughlin, Stoia, Geller, Rudman & Robbins, the firm he created…

Aug 29, 2007 10:47 AM CDT

India to Open Door to Foreign Law Firms?

The government of India and attorneys throughout the country reportedly are considering a proposal to make it easier for foreign law firms to establish a presence there. Under possible legislation being discussed by bar groups throughout India, foreign law firms could establish a limited liability partnership in the country so…

Aug 29, 2007 12:09 AM CDT

Lawyer Switches Sides, Faces Suit

A Houston lawyer who represented four plaintiffs who settled with BP over an oil refinery explosion in Texas City is encountering some problems now that he wants to represent the energy company as it fights suits by other plaintiffs. A Texas appeals court refused to boot lawyer Ronald Krist from…

Aug 28, 2007 1:10 PM CDT

Judge Sanctions Cleary Gottlieb

A federal judge has sanctioned Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton for trying to dissuade a witness from testifying in a deposition. Judge Loretta Preska ordered Cleary to pay its opponent’s attorney fees for the sanctions motion and to circulate the reprimand to all of the firm’s 950 lawyers, the New…

Aug 28, 2007 12:03 PM CDT

Dewey & LeBoeuf Is Born

It’s official: Dewey & LeBoeuf is the new mega law firm created through the merger of two New York powerhouses. The firms Dewey Ballantine and LeBoeuf, Lamb, Greene & MacRae announced the merger yesterday, confirming early reports of the pending deal. The new firm will have 1,300 lawyers and revenues…

Aug 28, 2007 11:23 AM CDT

Law Firms: Layoffs a Possibility

Although the legal market is still strong and many major firms reportedly are competing hard for desired associates, some see a potential storm cloud on the horizon. The stock market gyrations following the subprime mortgage meltdown are creating a credit crunch that makes it more difficult to finance corporate transactions.…

Aug 27, 2007 11:32 PM CDT