Legal News

Darby & Darby, New York IP Firm, Is Shutting Down

By Nathan Koppel

Just when we thought it was all hope and light in the law-firm economy, venerable New York-based intellectual-property firm Darby & Darby announced today that it's closing its doors.

Above the Law first reported the dissolution.

Here's a statement from the 50-lawyer firm with five offices, including in New York, D.C. and Seattle:

It is with a heavy heart that we announce that after more than 100 years in continuous operation, Darby & Darby will begin the process of winding down the firm in anticipation of an orderly dissolution. While we continue to have exceptional clients, from individual inventors to Fortune Global 500 Companies, and remain profitable, many of the factors frequently cited in demise of other firms’ have made as similar impact on us.

What might the aforesaid "factors" be?

Darby & Darby has been stung of late by partner defections to BigLaw, according to a source with knowledge of the firm. It has been hard for Darby to compete with the sort of monster pay packages that AmLaw 200 firms these days are willing to lavish on IP talent. Gone, it seems, are the glory days of the IP boutique. While some still exist — Finnegan Henderson and Kenyon & Kenyon are two notable examples — others have either disbanded or been subsumed into larger firms.

Still, in its statement, Darby offered a vote of confidence to the IP boutique model, saying it “continues to produce some of the best legal talent in the intellectual property field."

As of yet, it's unclear precisely when the firm will padlock its doors. We wish all the displaced lawyers the best of luck.

Full post as published by Law Blog - WSJ.com on March 12, 2010 (boomark / email).