Legal News

Arnold & Porter snags five litigators from Heller

By Jason Siegel

Arnold & Porter has snagged five litigators from Heller Ehrman, all of whom will beef up the firm's business litigation and antitrust groups in Washington and Los Angeles.

Arnold & Porter announced the hirings on Tuesday morning. (press release)

"We're thrilled to attract this immensely talented group of lawyers to Arnold & Porter," said Chairman Thomas Milch, in a press release. "They bring invaluable experience in complex litigation and antitrust matters and their arrival strengthens our litigation and trial practice in key substantive and geographical areas."

Speaking on behalf of the new hires in the press release, Kenneth Chernof, one of the six hires, said: "We chose Arnold & Porter because we respect the breadth and depth of their litigation experience and the wealth of talent they have in so many key areas of practice."

At his former firm, Chernof was a member of the policy committee and co-chairman of the complex commercial litigation practice. He defended clients against price-fixing conspiracy class action suits in more than 40 federal and state courts. From 1997 to 1999, he served in the U.S. Department of Justice as deputy associate attorney general and chief of staff to the associate attorney general.

The other hires are:

? Carl Nadler, an intellectual property law attorney who has managed large and complex patent litigation cases, specifically in the area of telecommunications. He also will be based in Washington.

? James Speyer, whose practice focuses on antitrust and other complex civil litigation, including product liability, unfair competition, and franchise law. He served as chairman of the litigation practice in Los Angeles at his former firm.

? John Ulin, a trial lawyer who focuses on trademark litigation. In 2007, he won a visible brand integrity trial for a national consumer products client and another trademark trial in which he acted as co-lead counsel for a classic toymaker.

? Eric Shapland, who represents a variety of Fortune 500 companies in industries that include tobacco, computer software, and commercial real estate, which are facing suit under state and federal antitrust laws.

-- Tresa Baldas

Full post as published by Legal Pad | LA on October 10, 2008 (boomark / email).