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The AM Law Daily 
Daily legal news from American Lawyer magazine.
Post Frequency: 2.2/day Last Entry: November 20, 2009 at 09:30:00 Recent Entries: 329
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The Am Law Litigation Daily -- Nov. 20, 2009
Posted on November 20, 2009Litigator of the Week Pierce O'Donnell of O'Donnell & Associates wins for Hurricane Katrina flood victims; Gibson Dunn knocks out African pesticide cases for Dole; and the McKesson fraud retrial ends in a split decision.
Dealmaker of the Week: Martha McGarry of Skadden Arps
Posted on November 20, 2009This week the multitasking Skadden partner kept up her work on CIT's restructuring even as she was negotiating a $300 million deal for American Express.
Bad News for BofA?
Posted on November 19, 2009It appears plaintiffs in the securities class action against BofA related to the Merrill Lynch deal may get their hands on some (formerly) privileged documents.
Rod Stewart, Jackson Estate Slapped With Suits Over Unpaid Legal Bills
Posted on November 19, 2009Arnold & Porter and L.A. firm Glaser Weil are singing the blues over unpaid legal fees owed by the pop stars, and they're taking action in civil suits filed in Los Angeles Superior Court.
JPMorgan and Linklaters Prove You Can Get Back Together
Posted on November 19, 2009JPMorgan Chase ditched Linklaters last year after a litigation dustup involving Bear Stearns. But the megabank reached back out to the Magic Circle firm for its $1.7 billion deal for the rest of the prestigious brokerage Cazenove.
Bingham, Reed Smith Lead on Wells Fargo's $1.4 Billion ARS Settlement
Posted on November 19, 2009The two firms represented three affiliates of Wells Fargo in an auction-rate securities settlement reached with the California attorney general's office, reports The Am Law Litigation Daily.
The Am Law Litigation Daily -- Nov. 19, 2009
Posted on November 19, 2009A key ruling in the BofA securities class action gives plaintiffs access to a treasure trove of documents; JPMorgan and unsecured creditors reach a settlement in the Idearc bankruptcy; and NASAA disputes California AG Jerry Brown's credit for Wells Fargo's $1...
Report: No Link Between Fraud and Companies Hurt by Downturn
Posted on November 19, 2009PricewaterhouseCoopers unveiled its fifth Global Economic Crime Survey on Thursday at a luncheon in New York. And the results weren't exactly what the global accounting firm expected.
Skadden Matches Cravath, Cleary Numbers
Posted on November 19, 2009The class of 2008--the closest thing to first-year associates--is taking a bonus cut at Skadden, just like it is at Cleary and Cravath.
Pinnacle Foods Gobbles Up Birds Eye for $1.3B
Posted on November 19, 2009Simpson Thacher & Bartlett and Kirkland & Ellis advised the companies on a deal that will turn Pinnacle into a packaged food giant with more than two dozen brands, including Nally and Tim's Cascade Snacks.
Winston's Jim Thompson Stays Loyal to Convicted Ex-Gov
Posted on November 19, 2009Former Illinois Gov. George Ryan is scheduled to spend nearly four more years in prison and forfeit all of his pension. But not if his former boss and current Winston & Strawn senior chair "Big" Jim Thompson has anything to do it.
The Am Law Litigation Daily -- Nov. 18, 2009
Posted on November 18, 2009Jones Day and Boies Schiller are set to tangle over the Barclays-Lehman deal; former BofA GC Mayopoulos says he played no role in making disclosure decisions about Merrill bonuses; and Joe Cotchett sues Wall Street over alleged bid-rigging in the municipal derivative market...
In Houston, Being an Am Law 100 Partner Has Its Drawbacks
Posted on November 18, 2009A runoff mayoral election in Houston is getting nasty for Andrews Kurth partner Gene Locke, whose opponent is railing against the lucrative quasi-governmental contracts awarded to the firm.
Skadden, O'Melveny on AmEx Deal for "Futuristic Payment System"
Posted on November 18, 2009We like to consider ourselves hip, but we hadn't heard of the type of payment system pioneered by the company American Express purchased for $300 million today.
Welcome to the Future: Rating the Ratings
Posted on November 18, 2009We now live in a legal world which is arguably the first professional services marketplace in which buyers are as able to judge quality as sellers, and a Web world where information is ever more transparent. Those changes, writes Paul Lippe, will lead to better ratings information that ultimately will help clients and lawyers do a better job.
Gibson Dunn, Simpson Thacher Chart a Course for MGM
Posted on November 18, 2009As MGM and its creditors weigh the future of the struggling movie company, they are turning to lawyers familiar with syndicated lending, troubled debt restructuring and Hollywood's inner workings.
Tom Daschle to Join DLA as Senior Policy Adviser
Posted on November 18, 2009Former Democratic Senate majority leader Tom Daschle is leaving his job at Alston & Bird for DLA Piper. The National Law Journal spoke with DLA Piper's D.C. managing partner about the high-profile hire.
Lots of Intrigue, Few Answers in BofA-Merrill Flap
Posted on November 17, 2009Today is a big day in Congress, as several current and former Bank of America executives testify before a House committee on what they knew during the chaotic months of December 2008 and January 2009, when Bank of America absorbed Merrill Lynch.
Recruiter Returns to Law Firm Life
Posted on November 17, 2009Robert Depew picked the wrong time to quit being a lawyer to become a legal recruiter. In one year he made just one placement: himself. But a series of fortunate events helped Depew beat the odds in a weak economy to score a job at Wilson Sonsini.
Herbert Smith, Dutch Firms Advise on Canon Deal
Posted on November 17, 2009The Japanese camera giant has offered to buy Océ, Europe's biggest printer manufacturer, for $1.1 billion. The offer price represents a 70 percent premium per share for Océ stockholders.
The Am Law Litigation Daily -- Nov. 17, 2009
Posted on November 17, 2009Amaranth withdraws its $350 million case against Touradji Capital; GSK wins "a major victory" in a Kentucky drug-pricing fraud trial; and the Fifth Circuit rules for investors in a Stanford International Bank clawback action.
Chevron Files Malicious Prosecution Suit Against Plaintiffs Lawyer
Posted on November 17, 2009Chevron is suing one of the architects of a massive environmental torts case against the company for his role in filing a separate civil suit against the energy giant in April 2006. A federal judge tossed the bulk of a suit filed by Cristobal Bonifaz after finding that plaintiffs' attorneys "manufactured" claims...
The Shifting Associate Paradigm
Posted on November 17, 2009The recession has brought home many of the problems inherent in lockstep associate compensation systems. In the last year, several Am Law 100 firms have announced that they have shifted to, or are in the process of shifting to, a performance-based program...
The Churn: Lateral Moves and Promotions in The Am Law 200
Posted on November 17, 2009Baker & Hostetler opens for business in Chicago, Duane Morris takes from Eversheds in the U.K., and Katten Muchin nicks one from Simpson Thacher & Bartlett. Plus: moves to Arnold & Porter, Baker McKenzie, Bernstein Litowitz, DLA Piper, Fulbright & Jaworski, Jones Day, Mayer Brown, Pryor Cashman, and Schiff Hardin...
Stroock, Kasowitz Lead Way on Trump Casino Deal
Posted on November 17, 2009The Donald's name will stay on three Atlantic City casinos, but bondholders will take over ownership of Trump Entertainment Resorts.
Talking Terror Trials with Gerry Zerkin
Posted on November 17, 2009The Justice Department's decision to try alleged 9/11 conspirator Khalid Sheik Mohammed in Manhattan is raising its fair share of questions. The Am Law Daily caught up with Gerald Zerkin, who represented Zacarias Moussaoui, to discuss what it's like to be involved in a high-profile terrorism trial.
Cravath, Mayer Brown Advise on BMS-Mead Johnson Split
Posted on November 17, 2009In a deal valued at $7.6 billion, Bristol-Myers Squibb is splitting off its stake in baby formula maker Mead Johnson to focus on developing new biotech treatments.
It's Official: Jones Day, Boies to Battle over Lehman-Barclays Deal
Posted on November 17, 2009Lehman Brothers and its counsel at Jones Day have filed suit against Barclays, claiming the bank got an undeserved windfall of at least $5 billion when it purchased much of Lehman's North American operations after Lehman went bankrupt last September...
Williams & Connolly Partner Brokers Palin Book Deal
Posted on November 17, 2009While Sarah Palin touts being a D.C. political outsider in her new memoir, Going Rogue, she turned to a Beltway insider during negotiations with publishers.
Another Am Law IP Partner Leaves for Plaintiff Pastures
Posted on November 16, 2009Large plaintiffs firms aren't done recruiting patent lawyers to their ranks. Bernstein Litowitz announced late last week that former WolfBlock and Cozen O'Connor IP partner Joshua Raskin is joining the firm.
Simpson, Ropes on Latest Citi Deal
Posted on November 16, 2009The $1.1 billion sale of a call center operator in Japan is the latest Asian divestiture for Citigroup.
Law Firm Disputes are Uglier in Jersey
Posted on November 16, 2009An associate fired from the firm Levinson Axelrod started a Web site called Levinson Axelrod Sucks. The firm was not amused.
Swiss to Reveal Tax Man Tactics
Posted on November 16, 2009Switzerland will unveil the criteria behind the disclosure of 4,450 UBS accounts handed over to U.S. tax officials at a press conference tomorrow.
Onto Plan B (Or Is it Plan C?) for Drinker Biddle in Redskins Trademark Case
Posted on November 16, 2009The suit claims the federal trademark on the Redskins name should be invalidated because it is offensive. The U.S. Supreme Court declined to hear the case again.
Now Joining The Am Law 100: Hogan Lovells
Posted on November 16, 2009A little more than a month after merger talks were revealed between Hogan & Hartson and British firm Lovells, the two firms have agreed on a new name. Alas, it's not the Harry Potter-esque Hogells.
The Am Law Litigation Daily -- Nov. 16, 2009
Posted on November 16, 2009It's a new day but the same result in the Massey Energy case; we analyze the AMD-Intel sanction motions; and Marsh & McLennan pays $400 million to settle a bid-rigging suit.
Blood Money
Posted on November 16, 2009After 30 years, one of the biggest patent cases ever ends with a $400 million win for C.R. Bard and its lawyers. From the November issue of The American Lawyer.
The Mike Webster Chronicles: A Semi-Regular Look at Sports and the Law
Posted on November 15, 2009More litigation battles between the NFL and its players union; the Dodgers divorce saga continues; NHL ownership issues. Plus: Skadden?s Binghamton legal tab revealed.
Insider Trading: It's All the Rage
Posted on November 13, 2009Everywhere The Am Law Daily turns these days we find reports of insider trading. The latest to hit the wires: two ex-Am Law 100 partners in London will stand trial in April and a hedge fund billionaire is ratcheting up the pressure on a government informant.
Judge Overturns 1991 Murder Conviction
Posted on November 13, 2009A pro bono team that included a Kelley Drye partner convinced a Manhattan federal judge to free Fernando Bermudez after 18 years in prison. It's only the third time a New York judge has recognized "actual innocence" as grounds for habeas relief...
Two Programmers Accused of Aiding Madoff
Posted on November 13, 2009Federal prosecutors charged two computer programmers that worked for Bernard L. Madoff Investment Securities with aiding in the cover-up of a massive Ponzi scheme. The SEC also filed a separate civil complaint against the two defendants.
Early Dividends: Ropes Advises on $5.2B Media Merger
Posted on November 13, 2009Less than a month after the firm opened a London office, finance partner Mike Goetz led a team that advised cable giant Liberty Global on its acquisition of Germany's Unitymedia--one of the largest media deals since the credit crunch hit two years ago...
Reed Smith to Ask Nonequity Partners to Pay Chunk of Salary to Firm
Posted on November 13, 2009Reed Smith will ask its roughly 300 nonequity partners to contribute a percentage of their base pay--likely about 15 percent--to the firm in order to maintain their partnership status, Gregory Jordan, the firm's chair, confirms to The Am Law Daily...
The Am Law Litigation Daily -- Nov. 13, 2009
Posted on November 13, 2009Litigators of the Week Susan Brune of Brune & Richard and Dane Butswinkas of Williams & Connolly successfully defend former Bear Stearns hedge fund managers Ralph Cioffi and Matthew Tannin; O'Melveny helps AMD ring up a $1.25 billion settlement with Intel; and Dewey and Weil prevail for the NFL players union in the Michael Vick bonus dispute...
White House Counsel Greg Craig Resigns
Posted on November 13, 2009White House counsel Gregory Craig, the former Williams & Connolly partner recently rumored to be on his way out of the administration, has officially resigned from his post. Craig will be replaced by Perkins Coie partner Bob Bauer, a legal adviser to the Democratic National Committee and to President Barack Obama...
Dealmaker of the Week: Michael Ringler of Wilson Sonsini
Posted on November 13, 2009After one 3Com deal went bad, Ringler was able to turn the second time into a charm. This week, Hewlett-Packard Co. announced an agreement to buy 3Com for about $2.7 billion, trumping a $2.2 billion bid for the company launched by Bain and Huawei Technologies in 2008.
Structured Settlements Focus of Rothstein Probe
Posted on November 13, 2009The unfolding fraud scandal involving the high-rolling South Florida lawyer raises questions about the nature of structured settlements. Did Rothstein manipulate these financial arrangements to his advantage or concoct something else entirely?
Allen & Overy, Wachtell on $1.8B GE Sell-Off
Posted on November 12, 2009The deal continues a sales spree for General Electric, with another biggie potentially on the way.
Weil Can't Help Plame Un-Redact Book
Posted on November 12, 2009The U.S. Court of Appeals ruled that the CIA did not violate the First Amendment by requiring ex-agent Valerie Plame Wilson to black out classified information in her memoir, Fair Game.
The Am Law Litigation Daily -- Nov. 12, 2009
Posted on November 12, 2009Baker Botts beats back Alien Tort suits against Drummond (again); the SEC wins an insider trading trial; and Stanley Arkin wants a 'scandalous' complaint against the prince of Monaco dismissed.
Slaughter and May, S&C, Allen & Overy Advise on Proposed British Airways-Iberia Merger
Posted on November 12, 2009After more than a year of talks, British Airways and Iberia have announced plans for a $7 billion proposed merger expected to create an airline better positioned to challenge its competitors.
The Bankruptcy Files: Credit Cards, Health Bars, and Country Clubs
Posted on November 12, 2009As the bankruptcy boom moves into its later stages, boutique firms with Chapter 11 expertise are starting to see some of the benefits. But there's still plenty left for the big boys like Weil Gotshal and Kaye Scholer.
Cooley, Gibson Dunn Brew Up Coffee Deal
Posted on November 12, 2009Peet's Coffee & Tea has agreed to buy wholesale coffee roaster Irvine's Diedrich Coffee for $213 million, giving Peet's a foothold in the single-cup coffee market.
Is the Intel-AMD Blood Bath Really Over?
Posted on November 12, 2009The Am Law Litigation Daily takes a look at the epic Intel-AMD antitrust dispute, and it's clear that both sides are still a little sore despite their declaration of peace and a $1.25 billion settlement.
Perkins Coie to Master P: Pass Us Da Green
Posted on November 12, 2009In the VH1 reality show "No Excuses with Master P," the hip-hop artist counseled a former gang member to get his life in order and face up to his obligations. But according to his former lawyers at Perkins Coie, the entertainer doesn't follow his own advice.
Sidley's Case for Northwestern Journalism Students Off To Rough Start
Posted on November 11, 2009A state trial judge was not exactly happy with Sidley Austin's performance defending a group of Northwestern University students who contend that an inmate scheduled for execution is innocent.
The Am Law Litigation Daily -- Nov. 11, 2009
Posted on November 11, 2009An O'Melveny partner's arguments in a corporate jurisdiction case gain traction at the U.S. Supreme Court; in an Azerbaijan bribery case, Frederic Bourke, Jr., is sentenced to a year; and Williams & Connolly and Brune & Richard win acquittals for Bear Stearns managers in a blockbuster fraud case...
After Big Auto Bankruptcy Battles, a Partner Returns to Willkie
Posted on November 11, 2009Matthew Feldman, a 20-year restructuring veteran at Willkie Farr & Gallagher, spent five months as chief legal adviser to the Obama administration?s presidential task force on the auto industry. The Am Law Daily spoke with Feldman about Big Auto battles, 363 sales, and casting aspersions on opposing counsel...
Cleary Gottlieb, Wilson Sonsini Switch on Networking Deal
Posted on November 11, 2009Hewlett-Packard will pay $2.7 billion to buy 3Com, a Massachusetts-based networking equipment manufacturer. Lawyers from Cleary Gottlieb and Wilson Sonsini helped the two connect.
Pinching Pennies Part II: Microsoft Hires Perkins Coie as Outside Piracy Counsel
Posted on November 11, 2009In the second of a five-part series, Corporate Counsel takes a look at an arrangement between Microsoft and Perkins Coie that enables the software giant to pay a flat fee for counsel on all its counterfeit software matters.
Hugh Tremaine, Cofounder of Davis Wright Tremaine, Dies
Posted on November 11, 2009Hugh Tremaine, cofounder of Davis Wright Tremaine and decorated World War II veteran, died Sunday.
Attention Law Students: ABA Proposing Loan Relief
Posted on November 11, 2009The Am Law Daily knows several recent law grads who are dreading the arrival of loan payment stubs in their mailboxes. Before you change your address, befriend a loan shark, or assume a new identity, read about the ABA's plan to help ease the crushing debt load.
SEC Adds Another Am Law 100 Partner to Regulatory Ranks
Posted on November 11, 2009Three months after SEC enforcement director Robert Khuzami announced the formation of five specialized units to combat corporate fraud, the agency is dipping into the Am Law 100 partnership ranks to staff up those divisions. And other departments outside the domain of enforcement are getting Am Law attention as well.
Seyfarth Reps Playboy in Spat with Racy Lawyer
Posted on November 11, 2009Would winning the case earn the lawyers--should they want it--a trip to a certain mansion?
Ashurst Taps Six AmLaw Firms for New Referral Network
Posted on November 10, 2009Akin Gump, David Polk, Paul Weiss, Ropes & Gray, Schulte Roth and Quinn Emanuel will serve as the UK firm's referral partners in the U.S. The move comes eight months after Ashurst broke into the U.S. market by acquiring 32 McKee Nelson lawyers.
Latham, Clifford Chance Have Work to Do on $7.4B Oracle-Sun Deal
Posted on November 10, 2009The firms are negotiating with regulators across the world to get antitrust clearance for what is suddenly becoming one of the more controversial deals of 2009.
Rodge Cohen: Glass-Steagall Repeal Not Responsible for Financial Crisis
Posted on November 10, 2009In recent months we've heard many lawyers blame the repeal of certain provisions of the act for the 2008 economic crisis. In an interview with the Daily Deal, H. Rodgin Cohen, the chairman of Sullivan & Cromwell, calls that a myth.
The Am Law Litigation Daily -- Nov. 10, 2009
Posted on November 10, 2009The U.S. Supreme Court justices are skeptical of lower standards for business method patents; Keker settles the Taiwan Semiconductor trade secrets theft case as the damages phase begins; and Kirkland wins the dismissal of 'future sale' claims against Exxon by gas station owners...
Mayer Brown's Touch-Up Job
Posted on November 10, 2009Dinged by scandal and internal conflict, Mayer Brown tries to freshen up. Will more streamlined management and a new focus on the firm's "global platform" do the trick? From the November issue of The American Lawyer.
The Churn: Lateral Moves and Promotions in The Am Law 200
Posted on November 10, 2009Foley & Lardner hires from Sheppard Mullin, Akin Gump grabs from White & Case, and the AG of VA is coming to Hunton & Williams. Plus: moves to Clifford Chance, Baker & McKenzie, Dinsmore & Shohl, and Woodcock Washburn. The Churn is constant...
Covington Freezes Salaries Outside New York
Posted on November 10, 2009Covington & Burling wasn't among the Am Law 100 firms to cut or freeze salaries last year or so far in 2009. That changed today, when the firm announced it would freeze associate salaries in offices outside of New York City.
L is for Lawyers... And That's Good Enough for Them
Posted on November 10, 2009The attorneys behind Sesame Street--celebrating its 40th anniversary today--probably make enough money to live on the opposite side of Sesame Street from Oscar the Grouch. They've earned it through hundreds of licensing contracts, bizarre IP trials, and complicated corporate deals involving Honkers and something called Big Blue Head.
Pinching Pennies Part I: UPS Taps King & Spalding for E-Discovery Work
Posted on November 10, 2009In the first of a five-part series, Corporate Counsel takes a look at how the postal company is slashing its document review costs by more then 50 percent with the help of a few lawyers.
Bear Stearns Hedge Fund Managers Not Guilty
Posted on November 10, 2009A federal jury in Brooklyn found two former Bear Stearns hedge fund managers not guilty of fraud charges on Tuesday, only a day after jury deliberations began.
Day Pitney Cuts 29 Staffers, Goodwin Procter Lays Off 21 Associates
Posted on November 10, 2009After losing 5,800 jobs in October, the legal industry took another hit the first week of November.
Reed Smith Sets First-Year Associate Salaries, Reduces Billing Rates
Posted on November 10, 2009Reed Smith has unveiled a new scale that slashes salaries for 51 first-year associates starting in January by 20 percent. The move comes two weeks after the firm announced it would revamp its associate model by doing away with year-based classes and moving to a competency-based compensation system.
Some Bitter-Sweet Legal Work
Posted on November 09, 2009A reminder of the legal roster on the Kraft-Cadbury food fight.
Bear Stearns Hedge Fund Manager Trial Headed to Jury
Posted on November 09, 2009A little less than a month after it began, the trial of two former Bears Stearns hedge fund managers has moved to its final stage. Closing arguments in the case concluded on Friday and a federal judge spent Monday morning charging the jury.
Law Firms Cautious About ACC Ranking System
Posted on November 09, 2009Firms aren't exactly thrilled with the Association of Corporate Counsel's new system allowing in-house lawyers to rank outside firms.
The Bilski Math Geeks
Posted on November 09, 2009The National Law Journal has a nice primer on the huge business method patent case the U.S. Supreme Court is hearing today.
2009 Lawyer Head Count Suffers Worst Decline in Three Decades
Posted on November 09, 2009According to the latest NLJ 250--a survey of head count at the largest law firms in the country published by the National Law Journal--the total number of attorneys working at the top 250 firms this year plunged by 5,259 lawyers.
The Am Law Litigation Daily -- Nov. 9, 2009
Posted on November 09, 2009Finnegan lawyer Michael Jakes says he's ready to challenge the "machine or transformation" patent test at the U.S. Supreme Court; with a $667 million complaint against BB&T, Dow Corning is the latest company to file a big-money auction-rate securities suit; and Akin Gump works a $296 million Boston Scientific defibrillator settlement with the Justice Department...
Supreme Skepticism Over Bilski Claims Puts Method Patents on Shaky Ground
Posted on November 09, 2009For the first time in almost 30 years, the U.S. Supreme Court on Monday considered the issue of what types of technology should be eligible for patent protection when it heard oral arguments in Bilski v. Kappos.
Back from Banking: Wilson Sonsini Picks Up Top BofA/Merrill Banker
Posted on November 09, 2009Warren de Wied, formerly cohead of M&A at Fried Frank before decamping for Merrill Lynch two years ago, has returned to the Am Law 100 fold after serving as a managing director in Merrill's M&A group. The Am Law Daily caught up with de Wied to talk about the move.
Fried Frank, Paul Weiss, Simpson on $1.65 Billion PE Defense Buy
Posted on November 09, 2009The three firms handled the private equity purchase of Northrop Grumman's profitable consulting unit, TASC.
Dreier Had Another Accomplice? Who Used to Work at the SEC?
Posted on November 09, 2009We didn't see this one coming. And, by the way, how's the weather in Iceland?
Remembering Major Michael Weston
Posted on November 09, 2009Major Michael Weston, a 37-year-old Harvard Law School graduate, was killed a week ago in Afghanistan. A memorial service in remembrance of Weston on Monday in Washington, D.C., drew more than 1,000 mourners.
The Scandalous Chronicles: A Quick (and Ugly) Look at Sports and the Law
Posted on November 06, 2009Two polarizing sports figures made legal news this week in cases that tread into very uncomfortable areas.
The Churn: Lateral Moves and Promotions in The Am Law 200
Posted on November 06, 2009Crowell & Moring gets three in L.A., Eckert Seamans takes two from Dechert, and Squire Sanders has a new chair. Plus: moves to Anderson Kill, Baker & Daniels, Barnes & Thornburg, Greenberg Traurig, Hogan & Hartson, and Sheppard Mullin...
BofA: The Waiver Holds True
Posted on November 06, 2009Bank of America is confident its limited attorney-client privilege waiver is, in fact, limited.
McDonald's Settles Another "David v. Goliath" Suit
Posted on November 06, 2009A family-owned hamburger joint has settled a suit accusing McDonald's of violating trademark law by using its "Who's Your Patty?" slogan in marketing the new McDonald's Angus beef burger.
S&C, Ropes & Gray Work Biggest LBO This Year
Posted on November 06, 2009TPG Capital teamed up with the Canadian Pension Plan to buy market research company IMS Health for $5.2 billion. Lawyers on the deal say it's another indicator that credit markets are starting to thaw.
Legal Side Show Forces Touchy Questions in Prop 8 Case
Posted on November 06, 2009A conservative group wants to intervene in the federal case against California's ban on gay marriage, claiming the lawyers arguing in favor of Prop 8 aren't doing a good enough job.
Legal Remedies: Fast, Furious, and Distracted
Posted on November 06, 2009The fast and the furious combo can be deadly. Add technological distraction to the mix and self-described "great drivers" someday might steer themselves and their passengers down a highway to hell. The tag team of cars and "smart" phones hits the human brain in ways it was never designed to handle.
Vinson at Center of Texas-Style Astor Case
Posted on November 06, 2009The daughter of an oil magnate says Vinson & Elkins pushed the man to change his will shortly before he died so that most of his fortune would go to charity and only about $10 million to her.
Legal Sector Loses 5,800 Jobs in October
Posted on November 06, 2009According to a monthly jobs report released on Friday by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the nation lost 190,000 jobs in October as the unemployment rate jumped to 10.2 percent. The legal sector wasn?t spared. When data is seasonally adjusted, the legal field shed another 5,800 jobs.
The Am Law Litigation Daily -- Nov. 6, 2009
Posted on November 06, 2009Litigator of the Week Jeffrey Chanin of Keker & Van Nest wins a trade secrets verdict for Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co.; Centocor's record-setting $1.7 billion patent verdict survives Abbott posttrial motions; and a Ropes & Gray litigator is charged in the Galleon insider trading scheme...
Bernard Kerik Throws in the Towel
Posted on November 05, 2009The former New York City police commissioner pleaded guily today in a deal that resolves three different federal cases and will send Kerik to prison for more than two years.
Ropes & Gray Lawyer Arrested in Insider-Trading Probe
Posted on November 05, 2009Federal prosecutors have filed criminal charges against 14 individuals in connection with the government's insider-trading investigation of the Galleon Group hedge fund. Two of those individuals are an associate at Ropes & Gray and an associate at a personal injury firm in Brooklyn...
The Am Law Litigation Daily -- Nov. 5, 2009
Posted on November 05, 2009Gibson Dunn gets hired to defend Intel against the N.Y. AG's antitrust suit; Covington wins a judgment for Verizon in a billion-dollar ERISA class action based on an in-house lawyer's typo; and the Federal Circuit overturns a patent licensing ruling--in an already settled case...
The Am Law Litigation Daily -- Nov. 4, 2009
Posted on November 04, 2009Keker & Van Nest prevails at a semiconductor trade secrets trial; a Fifth Circuit judge informs Stanford receiver Ralph Janvey that he's nobody; and a New York judge allows a constitutional challenge to human gene patents.
Would-Be Am Law 100 Mayors See Mixed Results in Tuesday Balloting
Posted on November 04, 2009For several candidates with Am Law 100 backgrounds, Tuesday's elections ended either in defeat or with the prospect of a runoff. The Am Law Daily spoke with McKenna Long & Aldridge's Jesse Spikes, who finished third in the race for mayor of Atlanta, about his experience in the political arena...
Cuomo, Intel Keeping Gibson Dunn Busy
Posted on November 04, 2009The firm gets the call again as New York's attorney general files an antitrust case against the chip maker in Delaware.
Feds Implicate Troutman Sanders Real Estate Chair in $50 Million Kickback Scheme
Posted on November 04, 2009A banner week for lawyers behaving badly got even more interesting on Tuesday when Leonard Grunstein, head of the real estate practice at Troutman Sanders, was named in a federal complaint filed in connection with an alleged kickback scheme involving a nursing home operator Grunstein advised...
Fertilizer Fight Update: Cravath Client Terra Stands Firm, Rejects Latest Bid
Posted on November 04, 2009A predominantly cash offer? Backed by maybe the single biggest financing commitment an individual bank has made this year? Still not enough to get a deal done in fertilizer.
It's Not All Layoffs at Latham as Firm Promotes 23 to Partner
Posted on November 04, 2009The firm announced Wednesday that it is promoting 23 associates to the partnership ranks and 13 others to counsel.
The Corporate Deferred: Associates Who Took a Different Path
Posted on November 04, 2009Not all deferred associates took a public interest law job or used their stipends to travel the world. Some were determined to find work in the corporate world--and a few persistent ones pulled it off.
Am Law Tech Survey 2009: Tight Budgets Hit the Toolkit
Posted on November 04, 2009CIOs are trying to persuade their reluctant bosses to consider more efficient, cutting-edge tools, according to our annual survey. And the recession is making that pitch something of a hard sell.
Scott Rothstein Returns to 'Fraud Lauderdale'
Posted on November 03, 2009The former name partner at Rothstein Rosenfeldt Adler who turned up in Morocco amidst allegations that he bilked investors out of more than $200 million through a side business, returned to South Florida hours before a hearing on Tuesday to determine control of his firm, the Daily Business Review reports.
Three Firms Win Roles on Berkshire's Largest Deal Ever
Posted on November 03, 2009Cravath, Munger Tolles, and Sullivan & Cromwell advised parties in a $34 billion deal to sell a remaining 77 percent stake in railroad operator Burlington Northern Santa Fe to Warren Buffett's holding company.
Cravath, Hogan & Hartson, Miles & Stockbridge Close Long-Debated Toolmaker Deal
Posted on November 03, 2009Black & Decker and Stanley Works announced Monday they are merging to create a new tool manufacturer worth $8.4 billion--a deal the companies have discussed for almost 30 years.
The Churn: Lateral Moves and Promotions in The Am Law 200
Posted on November 03, 2009Winston & Strawn grabs a group from Nixon Peabody, Husch Blackwell Sanders hires two, and Blank Rome takes from Allen & Overy. Plus, moves to: Brown Rudnick, Clifford Chance, Cooley Godward Kronish, Jones Day, Littler Mendelson, Quarles & Brady, and Sonnenschein Nath & Rosenthal...
The Deferred: Go West, Young Lawyer
Posted on November 03, 2009Meet Matthew Kane, recent law school graduate. This fall, instead of settling in as a first-year associate at Kelley Drye in New York, Kane moved to Los Angeles and started a one-year stint with a legal aid organization.
Vinson & Elkins, King & Spalding Advise on Gas Company Acquisition
Posted on November 03, 2009TPG Capital, one of the world's largest private equity firms, plans to pay $500 million for a majority stake in Valerus Compression Services, a natural gas company based in Houston.
Former DLA, Duane Morris Partner Facing Forgery Trial in Singapore
Posted on November 03, 2009Trial began on Monday for Rudy Lim, a lawyer charged with falsely inflating his monthly draw at DLA Piper to get a higher salary at Duane Morris when he joined the firm in 2007. In Singapore, a forgery conviction carries a sentence of up to seven years in prison...
Another Take on the Cravath Bonuses
Posted on November 03, 2009Reaction to a news report about the Cravath bonus on Monday has ranged from surprise that the firm is paying bonuses at all to curiosity about whether other big firms will follow suit.
Wachtell Promotes Two to Partner
Posted on November 03, 2009Two associates--one from the corporate practice and one from the restructuring group--will join Wachtell's partnership, reports the New York Law Journal.
The Am Law Litigation Daily -- Nov. 2, 2009
Posted on November 02, 2009A new ruling defends the role for U.S. firms in Canadian class actions; the Ninth Circuit revives a class action over Zicam side effects; and Quinn Emanuel and Jones Day win a U.K. Supreme Court ruling in a SIV payment fight.
LETTER FROM ASIA: Mayer Brown's Big Bet in China
Posted on November 02, 2009Merging with Hong Kong's largest firm gave Mayer Brown instant critical mass in Asia. But will a hoped-for boom in outbound Chinese investment make up for the loss of referral work? Part Two of a special report on how two global firms with Chicago roots are following very different strategies in China.
The Sports Litigation Archives: USFL v. NFL
Posted on November 01, 2009A new book and a documentary series from ESPN.com's Bill Simmons touch on two landmark antitrust cases that shaped the futures of professional basketball and football in the U.S.
For SEC, Madoff Answers More Troubling Than Questions
Posted on October 31, 2009The SEC's Inspector General released new exhibits on Friday from the agency's internal investigation into how it failed to uncover Bernard Madoff?s $65 billion Ponzi scheme. Among the disclosures: a jailhouse interview with Madoff in June.
The Sports Litigation Archives: The ABA v. NBA
Posted on October 30, 2009A new book and documentary series by a prominent sportswriter touches on two landmark antitrust cases that shaped the futures of professional basketball and football in the U.S. The Am Law Daily found that lead lawyers in those cases saw their careers mirror that of their sporting clients.
From Child Star to Law Professor
Posted on October 30, 2009Getting into costume for Halloween is for amateurs. Charles Korsmo, a visiting professor at Brooklyn Law School and former Sullivan & Cromwell litigator, once had roles in major motion pictures like Dick Tracy, Hook, and Can't Hardly Wait.
The Nolan Ryan Chronicles: A Big Firm Look at Sports and the Law
Posted on October 30, 2009Our very quick look at sports and the law examines an Am Law 200 lawyer ready for a new adventure.
It's Official: Fairey Lawyers Want Off Case
Posted on October 30, 2009In a motion filed with the court on Thursday, lawyers representing artist Shepard Fairey in the copyright fight with the Associated Press over his "Obama Hope" poster asked that they be allowed to step aside so that Jones Day and a pair of law professors can take over the case...
Report: CIT Headed to Bankruptcy Despite Icahn Loan
Posted on October 30, 2009The lone bright spot of the near collapse of CIT Group: Lots and lots of work for law firms.
All Aboard: Cravath, Skadden Score Roles in Insider Trading Probe
Posted on October 30, 2009As Galleon Group continues to take on water--the liquidation of the hedge fund firm is reported to be 90 percent complete--the government's investigation of billionaire Raj Rajaratnam and five codefendants continues to reveal new details about the individuals involved.
The Churn: Lateral Moves and Promotions in The Am Law 200
Posted on October 30, 2009Eckert Seamans takes a practice group from Troutman Sanders, Edwards Angell Palmer & Dodge starts an antitrust group in London, and Ice Miller puts a sports law professor back in practice. Plus: moves to Baker & Danies, Foley Hoag, Fulbright & Jaworski, and Pryor Cashman...
LETTER FROM ASIA: McDermott's One-of-a-Kind Alliance
Posted on October 30, 2009In 2007 McDermott Will & Emery announced a groundbreaking deal that created an allied Chinese law firm, MWE China Law Offices. So far, no one's following its example--but the firm insists the move is paying off. Part One of a special report on how two global firms with Chicago roots are following very different strategies in China...
Court: Lawyers Aren't Creditors, ID Theft Law Doesn't Apply
Posted on October 30, 2009The ruling is a major victory for law firms, who contended that FTC regulations designed to prevent identity theft would impose an unfair and unnecessary burden on them.
Am Law 200 Lawyers Love Christie; Corzine...Not As Much
Posted on October 29, 2009If campaign finance records for the NJ's gubernatorial race are any indication, it seems Am Law 200 lawyers aren't so crazy about the state's democratic governor.
Wilmer Wins Release of Client Wrongfully Imprisoned for 26 Years
Posted on October 29, 2009Dewey Bozella served 26 years in a New York prison for a crime he did not commit. On Wednesday, a court ordered Bozella's immediate release after prosecutors said they didn't have enough evidence to try him again on murder charges. Bozella's lawyers at Wilmer found and presented exculpatory evidence that had never been disclosed to the defense.
Do You Know What Metadata Is?
Posted on October 29, 2009Data about data--or the history of a document--can play a big part in the work of lawyers (and journalists), among others. And it was at the heart of a question decided today by Arizona's Supreme Court: is metadata part of the public record?
Weil Billing Irks MTA Board
Posted on October 29, 2009The MTA board was not thrilled when it saw a Weil partner's billing rate for work on a labor arbitration.
S&C, Paul Hastings Nab Lead Roles in AIG Bonus Talks
Posted on October 29, 2009S&C has the lead for AIG's company-wide compensation issues, while Paul Hastings is focusing on bonuses in the ultra-controversial financial products unit.
Heller Creditors Say Ex-Partners Should Return $150M
Posted on October 29, 2009Confidential briefs obtained by our colleagues at the Recorder show that the firm's creditors are going after former partners for much more money than originally thought.
Good News for Foley & Lardner: A $208 Million Government Contract
Posted on October 29, 2009After suffering layoffs and a several defections from its IP practice in recent weeks, the firm scored a $208 million contract to provide IP services for the National Institutes of Health.
LETTER FROM ASIA: Chapter 11 for Hong Kong?
Posted on October 29, 2009Efforts to introduce a Chapter 11-style corporate restructuring law in Hong Kong--the third such attempt over the past decade--are underway.
Ropes, Eckert Lawyers Remember Strange Halloween Costume Case
Posted on October 29, 2009We knew there had to be an interesting story behind the case of a woman whose Halloween costumes helped torpedo her sexual harassment case. But we didn't know it would be this strange.
The Am Law Litigation Daily -- Oct. 29, 2009
Posted on October 29, 2009The House Judiciary Committee holds its "Access to Justice Denied--Ashcroft v. Iqbal" hearing; a Seattle judge allows most of the claims in a securities class action complaint against former Washington Mutual officers and directors to move forward; and Skadden's John Beisner urges a ban on third-party litigation financing in a Chamber of Commerce report...
Insider Trading Probe of ex-Dorsey Partner Ends in Tragedy
Posted on October 28, 2009A lawyer who engaged in insider trading while at Dorsey & Whitney and Sullivan & Cromwell killed himself in Canada on the eve of a plea deal.
The Am Law Litigation Daily -- Oct. 28, 2009
Posted on October 28, 2009The solicitor general and SEC urge the Supreme Court not to take the "F-cubed" case; David Boies persuades a judge to bar the America's Cup from taking place in the UAE; and a Texas jury orders a $65 million dividend in an 'oppressed shareholder' case...
Reed Smith Rolls Out Competency-Based Associate Development Program
Posted on October 28, 2009Reed Smith plans to revamp its associate model and institute a talent development program that promotes attorneys based on a set of core competencies, the Legal Intelligencer reports.
Four Firms Land Roles on ING Split
Posted on October 27, 2009Sullivan & Cromwell, Freshfields, and Stibbe are advising on an $11.3 billion restructuring plan that will separate the banking and insurance arms of Dutch financial services giant ING Groep. Clifford Chance is advising the Dutch Central Bank.
Texas Joins Associate Deferral Bandwagon
Posted on October 27, 2009Firms in the Lone Star state have resisted mass associate layoffs in recent months. But now the wave of first-year deferrals has officially begun, sibling publication Texas Lawyer reports.
Thelen Employees: Firms that Hired Our Partners Owe Us!
Posted on October 27, 2009Thelen's laid off employees are trying out a strategy that hasn't worked before: going after firms that absorbed ex-Thelen partners for severance.
Australian Firms Consider Performance-Based Salary Model
Posted on October 27, 2009Even at a third the starting salary of New York first years, newbie lawyers could see their salaries cut as Australia's leading firms consider performance-based pay structures.
The Am Law Litigation Daily -- Oct. 27, 2009
Posted on October 27, 2009Indicted hedge fund honcho Rajaratnam replaces Gibson Dunn with Akin Gump; SanDisk suffers a setback at the ITC; and a new report says the credit crunch fueled a jump in U.K. commercial disputes.
Bankruptcy Court Approves $31 Million More in Chrysler Legal Fees
Posted on October 27, 2009A U.S. bankruptcy court approved hefty legal bills for six law firms working on the Chapter 11 case of Old Carco, the auto manufacturer formerly known as Chrysler. The lion's share of the money went to Jones Day.
Weil Helps Foxwoods Get Temporary Debt Relief
Posted on October 27, 2009The firm's restructuring lawyers advised the Pequot Tribe on a forbearance agreement that gives its casino operations in Connecticut a reprieve from debt payments until January 20.
Hogan Sort of Wins Christian Fraternity Case
Posted on October 27, 2009Can a university refuse to register a Christians-only fraternity under a policy that bans discrimination based on religion? Or does that constitute a violation of the First Amendment?
Israeli Firms Handle $1.7B Telecom Merger
Posted on October 27, 2009Fischer Behar and Zellermayer Pelossof advised Israeli telecom rivals 012 Smile Communications and Bezeq Israel Telecom on a deal that yielded a 300 percent return for the seller, a consortium of private equity funds.
The Churn: Lateral Moves and Promotions in The Am Law 200
Posted on October 27, 2009Weil Gotshal hires two in Hong Kong, Baker & Daniels nabs a government lawyer, and Ropes & Gray announces another for the new London office. Plus: moves to Akin Gump, Blank Rome, O?Melveny & Myers, and Perkins Coie.The Churn is constant. Send your news to amlawdaily@alm...
Women at the Rain Dance
Posted on October 27, 2009The latest study by the National Association of Women Lawyers finds that women are "surprisingly weak" when it comes to the skill that ultimately defines success in law firm practice: Rainmaking.
Is Ex-Shearman Associate Breaking into an Obama Boys' Club?
Posted on October 27, 2009We were somewhat bemused to read the Sunday story in The New York Times that took President Obama to task for running the White House like some kind of frat house--save for the keg stands and other extracurricular activities. Was it just a coincidence that the same day the story appeared, the duffer-in-chief played a round of golf with a former Shearman & Sterling associate who happens to be a woman?
Crowell Gets Big in California; Folger Levin Gets Broken Up
Posted on October 26, 2009Crowell & Moring didn't acquire all of Folger Levin & Kahn, but it snagged most of the firm's litigators while a couple of other high-profile partners left Folger for other firms.
The Am Law Litigation Daily -- Oct. 26, 2009
Posted on October 26, 2009Quinn Emanuel sits out Nokia's patent suit against Apple; a Lehman examiner from Jenner & Block wants to interview former SEC chair Christopher Cox; and Motley Rice files a suit against indicted Galleon founder Raj Rajaratnam.
Bennett Jones, Burnet Duckworth on $3.9 Billion Sale of Harvest Energy Trust
Posted on October 26, 2009The two Canadian firms rolled up their sleeves for Friday's announced buy of Harvest Energy Trust, a driller and refiner based in Alberta.
Sidley Helps Northwestern Journalism Students in Spat with Prosecutors
Posted on October 26, 2009Prosecutors want a ton of information from Northwestern University journalism students who concluded, after three years of work, that a man convicted of a Chicago-area murder is actually innocent. The school has turned to Sidley Austin to fight prosecutors' requests for information.
Hedge Fund Billionaire Drops Gibson Dunn for Akin Gump
Posted on October 26, 2009Hedge fund billionaire Raj Rajaratnam has dropped Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher as lead defense counsel on federal insider trading charges in favor of Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld.
Report: K&L Gates Tied to Scandal-Plagued Congressman
Posted on October 26, 2009The Washington Post reports that first-term Democratic Rep. Peter Visclosky's mounting legal troubles have ensnared K&L Gates. The Pittsburgh-based firm handled lobbying work for 15 technology companies granted at least $44 million in earmarks by Visclosky over the last two years.
Legal Times 150: Head Count Dips in D.C. Offices of New York Firms
Posted on October 26, 2009A boon in economic stimulus and regulatory work hasn't prevented the Big Apple's big firms from trimming head count in Washington, D.C. The 2009 edition of The Legal Times 150 details who's down for the count and who's still standing strong.
Wachtell Under Fire
Posted on October 23, 2009In the pile of documents a congressional committee released this week are e-mails and notes indicating that Wachtell partners said one thing to Bank of America and another to federal regulators.
The Bankruptcy Files: Is The Party Over?
Posted on October 23, 2009Amid reports that the bankruptcy boom may be coming to an end, companies like NTK Holdings, Stallion Oilfield Services, and Erickson Retirement Communities filed for Chapter 11. Weil Gotshal, Kirkland & Ellis, and DLA Piper have landed roles on the latest cases.
Patton Boggs in Middle of Sri Lanka's Battle for World Public Opinion
Posted on October 23, 2009The firm is lobbying Congress on behalf of the Sri Lankan government.
Wilmer Cutler Lays Off 57 Staff Members
Posted on October 23, 2009The firm has told 57 staff members that they'll need to find other work, reports The National Law Journal, a sibling publication. A statement from Wilmer cochairs William Lee and William Perlstein said the decision "better positions [the firm] to respond to a changed business landscape...
The Churn: Lateral Moves and Promotions in The Am Law 200
Posted on October 23, 2009Two high-profile lawyers will help Ropes & Gray open in London, Proskauer Rose steals a practice group from McDermott Will & Emery, and O?Melveny & Myers gets an entertainment lawyer back from a baseball card maker. Plus: moves to Hinshaw & Culbertson, Kilpatrick Stockton, Littler Mendelson, McDermott Will & Emery, and Reed Smith...
Davis Wright Settles Sunwest Litigation
Posted on October 23, 2009Davis Wright Tremaine has agreed to a global settlement in litigation against the firm related to the collapse of Sunwest Management, an Oregon-based provider of senior living centers. The reported settlement amount: $30 million, one of the largest malpractice settlements by a law firm in the Pacific Northwest.
Lehman Examiner Wants to Interview Ex-SEC Chief
Posted on October 23, 2009The examiner investigating the collapse of Lehman Brothers has requested an informal interview with Christopher Cox, who left the SEC and joined Bingham McCutchen as a partner in July. Ironically, Bingham McCutchen recently became Lehman's special tax counsel in the company's bankruptcy case...
The Am Law Litigation Daily -- Oct. 23, 2009
Posted on October 23, 2009Litigator of the Week Jonathan Blackman of Cleary Gottlieb won a ruling from the Second Circuit that vulture funds with judgments against Argentina cannot attach Argentine pension funds held in the U.S.; Russia gives up on a $22.5 billion suit against Bank of New York; and Tishman gets dealt a blow in the Stuyvesant/Peter Cooper dispute...
Dealmakers of the Week: Paul Ginsberg of Paul Weiss and Alison Ressler of Sullivan & Cromwell
Posted on October 23, 2009The two put together a complicated deal that's helped two private equity firms take ownership of First Republic. The deal is the first bank sale since the economy's implosion that didn't need an FDIC backstop.
Ropes & Gray Goes To London
Posted on October 22, 2009The Boston firm is branching out across the pond with a four-lawyer office set to open in January, Legal Week reports. Two of the lawyers will be former Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer finance duo Maurice Allen and Mike Goetz.
After a Brief Foray into Social Work, Ex-Wachtell Partner Returns to Law
Posted on October 22, 2009Three years after leaving Wachtell to pursue a career that would allow him to spend more time with his family, Michaell Katke has joined a successful executive comp boutique.
Shearman & Sterling Signs On for Galleon Wind Down
Posted on October 22, 2009Four partners in the firm's New York office are advising Galleon Management with respect to the government's ongoing insider-trading investigation and the wind down of its funds.
Roman Polanski, Public Integrity and a Looming Extradition
Posted on October 22, 2009E-mails made public by the L.A. district attorney's office show that Roman Polanski will likely be extradited to face charges of sex with a minor. Some irony: a Justice Department lawyer working on the transfer is a former member of the team under investigation for mishandling the prosecution of Sen...
UK Firms Cut Partner Profit Sharing
Posted on October 22, 2009Pinsent Masons and DLA Piper are among several firms in the U.K. that are delaying quarterly profit-based payouts to cushion the blow of the continued recession.
The Tragedy of Kilpatrick Stockton?s Mark Levy
Posted on October 22, 2009The ABA Journal?s Richard Schmitt has the full story on Mark Levy, the former Kilpatrick Stockton?s Supreme Court and appellate litigation group, who killed himself last April after being let go by the firm.
BofA Amended Complaint: New Claims, No New Defendants
Posted on October 22, 2009Despite Judge Rakoff's prodding of the SEC to focus on the individuals responsible for disclosure, the new complaint still just targets BofA, reports The Am Law Litigation Daily.
Bank of America: Where's the Line Between Lying and Bargaining?
Posted on October 22, 2009Privileged documents turned over to Congress show that Bank of America chief Ken Lewis was less than truthful in his threat to federal regulators to terminate BofA's deal with Merrill Lynch if they didn't cough up better financial incentives.
Welcome to the Future: Making Innovation Happen
Posted on October 22, 2009How is technology likely to impact the practice of law in the next few years? Our intrepid columnist addresses the issue with Bryan Cave's John Alber and Debevoise & Plimpton's Mary Abraham.
Inside the Head of the Toyota Whistle-Blower
Posted on October 22, 2009The Recorder has the first media interview with the former in-house lawyer at Toyota who filed a whistle-blower suit alleging that the company hid evidence in rollover torts.
Live From Boston: Corporate Counsel Talking Tough
Posted on October 21, 2009Cutting legal spend is now priority number one.
British, International Firms Expect More Mergers
Posted on October 21, 2009One in three law firm managers expect to be involved in a merger or acquisition in the coming year, according to a just released survey from Jomati Consultants.
Magic Circle Firms Lead Gatwick Airport Deal
Posted on October 21, 2009Freshfields scored the lead role for Britain's top airport operator, a major win in its battle for the client with Herbert Smith.
The Am Law Litigation Daily -- Oct. 21, 2009
Posted on October 21, 2009Exxon gets hit with a $105 million jury verdict in multidistrict litigation over the gas additive MTBE; California's AG alleges State Street fraud in a whistle-blower suit; and Massachusetts's highest court rules that smokers can seek medical monitoring expenses from Philip Morris...
Adecco Bids $1.3B to Acquire Professional Temp Agency
Posted on October 20, 2009Latham & Watkins and Jones Day advised the parties in Adecco's recently announced bid for MPS, a temporary staffing agency. The deal makes Adecco, the world's largest HR conglomerate, even bigger.
Defense Lawyers: Insider-Trading Charges Should Worry Companies, Hedge Funds
Posted on October 20, 2009The insider-trading charges levied by federal prosecutors in Manhattan against six individuals are sure to affect how attorneys advise their corporate clients, say several white-collar defense lawyers.
Mixed Results for Manatt on Qwest Ad Attack
Posted on October 20, 2009The case is a window into an interesting practice area--one that promises to get busier as new forms of advertising develop.
Bernie Goes to Jail: Judge Puts Ex-NYC Police Commish Behind Bars
Posted on October 20, 2009Bernard Kerik's long-awaited public corruption trial hasn't even started and already the former New York City police commissioner has ticked off a federal judge enough to have his bail revoked. Kerik, represented by Kramer Levin's Barry Berke, is expected to file an expedited appeal.
The Churn: Lateral Moves and Promotions in The Am Law 200
Posted on October 20, 2009Baker Hostetler welcomes three, Schulte Roth & Zabel steals four from Mayer Brown, and Thompson Coburn gets two. Plus: moves to Foley Hoag, Hinshaw & Culbertson, Irell & Manella, Katten Muchin Rosenman, Reed Smith, and Winston & Strawn...
Am Law Obits: David Shapiro and Mike Miskovsky
Posted on October 20, 2009Dickstein Shapiro cofounder David Shapiro and Mike Miskovsky of Kirkland & Ellis both died this month. Shapiro served as a class action and civil rights pioneer, while Miskovsky negotiated Cold War prisoner exchanges.
Wachtell, Davis Polk Advise on Invesco's $1.5B Deal with Morgan Stanley
Posted on October 20, 2009Asset management firm Invesco announced Monday that it's buying Morgan Stanley?s retail investment management business for $1.5 billion in stock and cash. The purchase includes Van Kampen Investments--one of Morgan Stanley?s core retail asset management brands...
Thinking of Outsourcing to Cut Costs? Buyer Beware.
Posted on October 20, 2009A new study says that company executives need to consider the risks of outsourcing legal work to third-party contractors. If they don't, they could become easy targets for fraud.
New Book Highlights S&C Lawyer's Central Role in Federal Bailout
Posted on October 20, 2009In 2008, we named S&C's Rodge Cohen our Dealmaker of the Year for a reason. But a new day-by-day account of last year's bank rescues places Cohen squarely at the center of it all.
Fulbright Lawyer Loses Claim to Taub Estate
Posted on October 20, 2009Mary-Ellen Conway, a former TV reporter and current counsel at Fulbright & Jaworski, has lost her bid to a portion of the estate of late businessman Henry J.N. Taub. Conway claimed to be Taub's common law wife, but a judge's ruling leaves her with nothing but memories.
Freshfields, CC Work A-B InBev's Latest Sale to PE
Posted on October 19, 2009A-B InBev's latest asset sale, of its brewery operations in Central and Eastern Europe, was handled by attorneys at Freshfields and Clifford Chance, reports Legal Week. PE firm CVC Capital Parters was the buyer.
Texas Case Could Have Huge Implications for Laterals
Posted on October 19, 2009A bankruptcy lawyer left a Texas firm for an in-house position at a cancer center. His new employer later got involved in a bankruptcy case on the opposite side from one of his former firm's clients. That client got the lawyer thrown out of the case in what could be a landmark ruling for client conflicts issues.
A New Law Firm Ranking System
Posted on October 19, 2009This one will be different--clients will be doing the ranking, and cost will be a major issue.
Mukasey WSJ Op-Ed: No Terror Trials in Civilian Courts
Posted on October 19, 2009In an opinion piece in today's Wall Street Journal, former U.S. Attorney General Michael Mukasey argues against the Obama administration's plan to try several prisoners currently detained at Guantanamo Bay in civilian courts in the U.S.
The Am Law Litigation Daily -- Oct. 19, 2009
Posted on October 19, 2009The Alabama Supreme Court overturns verdicts against drug companies in state drug-pricing fraud cases; Charter defeats lenders at trial over $11 billion in debt; and a new litigation financing fund raises $130 million with a London IPO.
Study: General Counsel Really Want to Control Outside Legal Costs
Posted on October 19, 2009A study by the Association of Corporate Counsel finds that for the first time in three years, controlling costs on outside counsel has returned as the top priority for in-house legal chiefs.
Kirkland Catches Fairey With Hand in Copyright Jar
Posted on October 19, 2009Why did artist Shepard Fairey suddenly admit to fabricating and destroying evidence to cover up the truth about which photograph he used to create his iconic "Obama Hope" poster? Because he got caught, according to a lawyer representing The Associated Press in its copyright dispute with Fairey over the celebrated image.
Firm With No Associates Intends to Stay that Way
Posted on October 19, 2009Boston-based boutique Outside GC was founded in 2002 as an alternative firm model for experienced former in-house lawyers. The firm has grown steadily since then, launching a sister IP firm this month. But out-of-work associates need not apply.
Sprint Buys Affiliate, Ending Longstanding Legal Dispute
Posted on October 19, 2009Lawyers from King & Spalding and Mayer Brown helped patch things up between Sprint Nextel and affiliate iPCS, to the tune of $831 billion. The deal puts an end to four years of litigation between the two.
Insider Trading Defendants, Wasting No Time, Lawyer Up
Posted on October 17, 2009Federal prosecutors in Manhattan charged six individuals, including hedge fund billionaire Raj Rajaratnam, with insider trading on Friday. Defense lawyers--including Jim Walden of Gibson Dunn and Alan Kaufman of Kelley Drye--are already on the case.
The Frank McCourt Chronicles: A (Semi) Regular Look at Sports and the Law
Posted on October 16, 2009A Dodgers owner's acrimonious divorce could force a sale of the team, the NHLPA looks to Dewey & LeBoeuf for leadership, the Cubbies file for Chapter 11, and Bryan Cave argues for the future of Atlantic Yards.
The Churn: Lateral Moves and Promotions in The Am Law 200
Posted on October 16, 2009Schiff Hardin takes one from Seyfarth Shaw, McDermot Will & Emery steals from Mintz Levin, and Greenberg Traurig grabs two from Am Law 100 competitors. Plus: moves to Hogan & Hartson and Morrison & Foerster. The Churn is constant. Send your news to amlawdaily@alm...
Pols Still Spending Big on Am Law Lawyers
Posted on October 16, 2009Congressmen Pete Visclosky and Charles Rangel shelled out $350,000 in legal fees over the summer to defend themselves in two separate investigations. The beneficiaries: Steptoe & Johnson and Zuckerman Spaeder.
Allen & Overy Reports Solid 2008-09 Financials
Posted on July 09, 2009Allen & Overy announced its financials for the 2008-09 fiscal year, reporting a 7 percent increase in revenues and a drop of just over 6 percent in profits per equity partner.
Dealmaker of the Week: Peggy Brown of Skadden Arps
Posted on July 09, 2009NetApp thought it had a deal for Data Domain. But rival data storage systems firm EMC swooped in with its own acquisition of Data Domain, thanks to some expert lawyering by Margaret "Peggy" Brown and her team at Skadden Arps.
Quinn Emanuel Lawyers Get Involved in Albany Circus
Posted on July 09, 2009New York Governor David Paterson thought that appointing a lieutenant governor might help quell the chaos that has roiled the state legislature for weeks. Unfortunately, it appears Paterson's move has only heightened the Albany's legal and political drama.
Orrick's OCI Delay: The First of Many?
Posted on July 09, 2009Orrick announced Thursday that it will defer summer associates until 2012 and delay its on-campus interviewing into the late fall and winter.
Jackson Lewis Diversity Head: Weigh Potential Bias Suits When Cutting Jobs
Posted on July 09, 2009Coming off a year that saw the EEOC register its biggest-ever annual increase in workplace discrimination claims, the new head of the firm's corporate diversity counseling group urges companies to tread carefully when it comes to job cuts.
Dewey IP Trio Defects for McKool Smith
Posted on July 09, 2009Only a day after Dewey & LeBoeuf helped itself to the cream of Cooley Godward's corporate practice, the firm lost three IP lawyers, including its practice cochair, to Dallas-based McKool Smith.
The Am Law Pro Bono 100: # 12, Robins Kaplan
Posted on July 09, 2009Robins, Kaplan has led a complex fight to obtain damages for victims of the Minneapolis bridge collapse, dedicating more than $2 million in lawyer time to the cause.
The Am Law Pro Bono 100: #11, Orrick
Posted on July 09, 2009A month after joining Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe as a pro bono fellow in September 2008, Scott Roehm was in Liberia, assisting that country's Truth and Reconciliation Commission in its efforts to address economic crimes committed during more than two decades of political instability and civil war.
Lehman Legal Bills Crack $100 Million
Posted on July 09, 2009It's good to be one of the 11 firms playing some court-appointed role in the Lehman Brothers bankruptcy. The total bill for Lehman has now reached nearly $110 million, according to an SEC filing.
Locke Lord Lawyer Seeks to Replace Blago
Posted on July 09, 2009Kirk Dillard, a public policy and litigation partner at Locke Lord Bissell & Liddell in Chicago, announced Wednesday that he's running to replace Rod Blagojevich as governor of Illinois.
Cozen O'Connor Takes Capital Markets Gamble
Posted on July 08, 2009The same day that Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft gave indefinite sabbaticals to several capital markets lawyers, Philadelphia's Cozen O'Connor announced it would be launching a capital markets group.
Davis Wright Partner Takes On Governator in First Amendment Flap
Posted on July 08, 2009Robert Corn-Revere, an experienced First Amendment defender, has issues with California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and his calling on the Supreme Court to save a state law restricting minors' access to violent video games.
The Am Law Pro Bono 100: #10, Patterson Belknap
Posted on July 08, 2009Patterson Belknap partner Lisa Cleary is part of a team of eight lawyers representing a class of 150 disabled New Yorkers in the latest bureaucratic dispute between New York City's Administration for Children's Services and New York State's Office of Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities.
Jenner, Davis Wright on Internet Radio Settlement
Posted on July 08, 2009Internet radio broadcasters feared they were about to go out business thanks to a major hike in royalty payments scheduled to kick in next year. They're going to survive, for now, thanks in part to efforts from Davis, Wright & Tremaine.
Dreier Letter: "I Just Lost My Mind"
Posted on July 08, 2009Acts of contrition by the mighty who have fallen are an art form. Now Marc Dreier steps onto the stage to say how very sorry he is for running a fraudulent law firm. In a letter to Manhattan federal judge Jed Rakoff filed Wednesday, Dreier describes the crazy, tortured life he's led...
The Am Law Pro Bono 100: #9, Wilmer Cutler
Posted on July 08, 2009The arrest of a Washington, D.C., tax official accused of embezzling more than $48 million over a 20-year period led to an independent investigation into the city's Office of Tax and Revenue. Wilmer handled the matter on a pro bono basis.
DLA Piper, Jones Day on France Telecom $2.5 Billion Offering
Posted on July 08, 2009France Telecom, one of the world's largest telecommunications companies, closed on a public offering of senior unsecured debt Tuesday, issuing $2.5 billion in senior notes.
The Bankruptcy Files: Up First, Lenny Dykstra's Legal Bills
Posted on July 08, 2009If The Am Law Daily were so inclined, we could probably dedicate an entire column to the creditors list in Lenny Dykstra's bankruptcy filing. The ex-baseball star turned financial wizard owes nearly $2 million to K&L Gates and O'Melveny & Myers.
DLA Piper Announces More Job Cuts in U.S. Offices
Posted on July 08, 2009DLA Piper lays off 21 associates and 100 staff members from its U.S. offices, the National Law Journal reports.
The Am Law Pro Bono 100: #8, Morrison & Foerster
Posted on July 08, 2009The firm filed a suit in February 2008 on behalf of legitimate legal aid organizations in Colorado and Texas against several companies and 15 individuals who were operating phony legal aid organizations. The defendants were charged with false advertisement, unfair competition, racketeering, and trademark infringement.
Dewey Raids Cooley For Three Corporate Bigwigs
Posted on July 07, 2009Cooley Godward M&A chair Richard Climan, M&A partner Keith Flaum, and technology transactions practice group head Eric Reifschneider will leave the firm for Dewey & LeBoeuf.
GM and Chrysler: The End of Bankruptcy as We Know It?
Posted on July 07, 2009Just about everyone agrees that something fundamentally new happened in the General Motors and Chrysler bankruptcy cases. But will the super fast sales set precedent, or are the cases so unique as that judges will regard them as a sort of Bush v. Gore of bankruptcy law?
Cadwalader Offers Sabbaticals Instead of Layoffs
Posted on July 07, 2009Cadwalader has offered paid sabbaticals instead of layoffs to underutilized lawyers, leaving the door open for them to return to the firm.
Alberto Gonzales Has Finally Found a Job
Posted on July 07, 2009According to the Austin American-Statesmen, the former U.S. attorney general will teach in the political science department at Texas Tech University this fall semester.
No Time for Blogging When There's Work to be Done?
Posted on July 07, 2009Two of the Am Law world's most successful bloggers wondered why none of the top ten law firms (as measured by profits per partner) have firm-sponsored blogs. We tried to get some answers.
The Am Law Pro Bono 100: #5, Hughes Hubbard
Posted on July 07, 2009Hughes Hubbard & Reed litigation partner Sarah Cave has worked on many pro bono matters, but she says that representing Alima Traore was different. Traore is a victim of female genital mutilation who is seeking asylum in the United States to avoid deportation back to Mali...
Five Firms Saddle Up for Lear Bankruptcy Roles
Posted on July 07, 2009Kirkland & Ellis, Curtis Mallet, Winston & Strawn, Bodman, and Brooks Kushman all have a part in the bankruptcy of the world's second-largest car seat maker. Lear already has paid nearly $10 million in legal fees.
The Am Law Pro Bono 100: #4, Dechert
Posted on July 07, 2009Dechert attorneys recently won a key victory in a fight to win damages from foreign diplomats who allegedly brought domestic servants into the United States and then abused them.
The Churn: Lateral Moves and Promotions in The Am Law 200
Posted on July 07, 2009Jones Day steals its eighth attorney in two months from Kirkland & Ellis, Barnes & Thornburg adds five in Chicago, and Seyfarth Shaw adds three. Plus: moves to Nixon Peabody, Alston & Bird, and Arent Fox. The Churn is constant. Send your news to amlawdaily@incisivemedia...
The Am Law Pro Bono 100: #3, Arnold & Porter
Posted on July 07, 2009In July 2007, officials at Woodrow Wilson High School in Long Beach, California, cleared out the women's gymnastics team room, the only space on campus used exclusively by a women's team, to make way for a weight-lifting and fitness room. Months earlier, Arnold & Porter associate Danika Vittitoe took up the cause of the women's gymnastics team at Woodrow Wilson High School in Long Beach, California, after school officials revealed plans to get rid of the team room--the only space on campus used exclusively by a women's team--to make way for a weight-lifting and fitness room.
Welcome to the Future: Revolutions and Other Models of Change
Posted on July 06, 2009July 4th is the great lawyers' holiday but it's not a model for how change is coming to the profession. The latest from Paul Lippe.
Mayer Brown Loses Top Finance Lawyer to Dewey
Posted on July 06, 2009Marshall Stoddard, who served as co-chair of Mayer Brown's global finance practice and was the relationship partner to Bank of America, will become the U.S. head of bank and institutional finance at Dewey. Stoddard says he was attracted by Dewey's more stable leadership team.
MTV Networks Changes Channel on Outside Counsel
Posted on July 06, 2009The tangled bankruptcy mess of former boy band impresario Lou Pearlman--currently in prison for running a $300 million Ponzi scheme--has a bankruptcy trustee targeting MTV Networks to recover money for the former talent manager's estate. Last week MTV dumped K&L Gates for Paul Weiss and Holland & Knight to handle an adversary proceeding against the trustee's lawyers from Kasowitz Benson.
Quinn Emanuel's Susan Estrich Redefines Multitasking
Posted on July 06, 2009Estrich splits her time between three careers: lawyer at Quinn Emanuel Urquhart Oliver & Hedges, professor at the University of Southern California's law school, and political commentator on television and in syndicated newspaper columns. How does she do it?
Davis Polk, Simpson Thacher, S&C Advise on $2 billion Reinsurance Merger
Posted on July 06, 2009Bermuda-based PartnerRe inched its way towards the top of the global reinsurance leaderboard Sunday with plans to acquire rival Paris Re for $2 billion.
Breaking: Bondholders Give Up GM Fight, Citing Lack of Resources
Posted on July 06, 2009The sale of General Motors to a group of buyers led by the U.S. Treasury Department may be finalized by Thursday, as the primary opponents said Monday afternoon they would not appeal.
Does WARN Work?
Posted on July 06, 2009The Wall Street Journal examines whether a law requiring advance notice before any mass layoff offers enough protection for employees.
Bemis, Food Americas Wrap $1.2 Billion Deal
Posted on July 06, 2009Food packager Bemis will pay Rio Tinto $1.2 billion for the Food Americas operations of its Alcan Packaging unit. Baker & McKenzie, Kirkland & Ellis, Sullivan & Cromwell and Faegre & Benson advised.
Who Is the Prominent Plaintiffs Lawyer Helping Sarah Palin?
Posted on July 06, 2009Soon-to-be-former Alaska governor Sarah Palin has delivered plenty of surprises these past few months. Her resignation over the weekend intrigued us for so many reasons, especially when we learned that noted trial lawyer (and Democratic supporter) John Coale had set up Palin's political action committee.
Linklaters, the World's Largest Law Firm
Posted on July 06, 2009Based on revenues, that is. The Magic Circle firm has pushed rival Clifford Chance aside as the largest global law firm, based on 2008-09 revenues reported last Friday.
Welcome, New GM?
Posted on July 06, 2009The new version of General Motors could emerge as early as Thursday--provided one last appeal from Patton Boggs and the dissident bondholders it represents doesn't interfere with the process.
Three Law Firms, Three Civil Suits
Posted on July 02, 2009Some under-the-radar litigation in the run-up to the July 4th holiday weekend: Squire Sanders, Bryan Cave, and Baltimore's Neuberger, Quinn, Gielen, Rubin & Gibber are caught up in cases over unpaid legal bills, trade secrets, and an imprisoned former general counsel.
Judicial Panel Admonishes Kozinski For Sexually Explicit Files
Posted on July 02, 2009The Ninth Circuit Chief Judge, represented by Mark Holscher of Kirkland & Ellis, is admonished by a Third Circuit panel, but no discipline is imposed.
Cravath, Cahill, A&L Goodbody Lead Johnson & Johnson / Elan Deal
Posted on July 02, 2009Johnson & Johnson will pay $1 billion for a stake in Irish drugmaker Elan Corporation and the rights to drugs that could someday treat Alzheimer's disease.
Skadden, Wachtell Dominate M&A League Tables
Posted on July 02, 2009Deal volume is down and the top firms are surviving. Meanwhile, Aussie firm Allens Arthur Robinson surprisingly cracks the top five on one table--how, we're not quite sure.
Revenues Up, Profits Flat at Freshfields
Posted on July 02, 2009Firm chief executive Ted Burke attributes the firm's "good shape" to some restructuring and other mandates, as well as to an uplift from exchange rates.
Freshfields Would Like to Apologize for its Links to the Slave Trade
Posted on July 02, 2009A report by the Financial Times last week tied two prominent London institutions--Magic Circle firm Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer and investment bank Nathan Mayer Rothschild--to slavery in former British colonies. Freshfields and Rothschild both subsequently issued statements apologizing for links between their founders and slavery.
Got Debts? If So, You Might Not Be Fit to Practice Law
Posted on July 02, 2009An aspiring lawyer fails to gain admission to the New York state bar after devoting about 26 years to earning various degrees and accumulating $400,000 in student loans. Why? Too much debt and not enough payments.
Vorys Wins One for Planned Parenthood
Posted on July 02, 2009The organization does not have to provide medical records of young girls who underwent abortions at their Cincinnati clinic, according to a state supreme court ruling.
Litigator of the Week: Dianne Elderkin of Woodcock Washburn
Posted on July 02, 2009At long last the Litigation Daily has selected a woman as Litigator of the Week. And man, did she deserve it.
Clifford Chance Profits Suffer Steep Fall
Posted on July 01, 2009Profits at the Magic Circle firm fell 37 percent in the 2008-09 fiscal year. Chief executive David Childs described the year as "very challenging" for the firm and its clients, but says a longterm strategy of further growth globally remains a top priority.
Davis Wright Wins for Salinger as Judge Blocks Catcher-Based Book
Posted on July 01, 2009A federal judge ruled on Wednesday that a book featuring a 76-year-old version of Holden Caulfield--and originally billed as a Catcher in the Rye sequel--can not be published or sold in the U.S. because it infringes author J.D. Salinger's copyright on his iconic novel of adolescent angst...
Live-Blogging the GM Sales Hearing: Are Consumers Getting a Raw Deal?
Posted on July 01, 2009After flying through GM's defense of its plan to sell itself to a group headed by the U.S. Treasury Department, the sales hearing is now bogged down in consumer liability issues.
The Bankruptcy Files: The Pre-Fireworks 'N Franks Edition
Posted on July 01, 2009Cooley Godward, Milbank, Faegre & Benson, and Kirkland & Ellis have landed restructuring roles for a pre-July 4th bash of bankruptcy filings.
In Texas, Morgan Lewis Just Keeps Growing
Posted on July 01, 2009The Houston office has grown from four lawyers in 2007 to 49 today, and includes a few Texan stars such as Baker Botts rainmaker David Asmus and Texas solicitor general R. Ted Cruz. Should the state's native firms be worried?
Live Blogging the GM Sales Hearing: The Labor Issue
Posted on July 01, 2009Harvey Miller addresses claims that the proposed sales agreement is unfair to labor unions that aren't the United Auto Workers.
Former Mass AG Leaves Greenberg To Join 50-Lawyer Firm
Posted on July 01, 2009The defection of Thomas Reilly offers more proof that it's no longer sacrilegious to leave The Am Law 100 for a smaller firm.
Live Blogging the GM Sales Hearing: A $90 Billion Company?
Posted on July 01, 2009Harvey Miller sells the GM sales process.
Live Blogging the GM Sales Hearing: "There Is No Alternative"
Posted on July 01, 2009Harvey Miller defends the sales plan.
Live Blogging the GM Sales Hearing
Posted on July 01, 2009The Am Law Daily is on the scene for closing arguments in General Motors sales hearing.
Closing Time: Clifford Chance, Weil Shutter Offices
Posted on July 01, 2009The two firms shuttered offices in Austin and Budapest, respectively, with Clifford Chance's Hungarian operations spinning off into their own firm.
Checking in With AIG Trust Lawyer Kevin Barnard of Arnold & Porter
Posted on June 30, 2009AIG holds its annual shareholders meeting this morning. Shareholders will be asked to vote on a number of issues, including a motion by dissident shareholders to further restrict executive pay. Kevin Barnard talks about what to expect from today's meeting and explains more about the government-created trust that now controls the company...
Mayer Brown Names Partner-in-Charge of New York Office
Posted on June 30, 2009Two months after partners voted to create a new managing partner position and named a new chairman, Mayer Brown continues to roll out leadership changes. Tuesday it named Richard Spehr the partner-in-charge of the New York office.
Debevoise, Linklaters Get More Work from AIG
Posted on June 30, 2009We're not sure if AIG has reached the "everything must go" stage of selling off assets to help pay back $180 billion in federal government loans. But the ailing insurer continues to keep M&A lawyers busy.
GM's Fritz Henderson Takes the Stand
Posted on June 30, 2009The Am Law Daily dodged union protesters, braved huge lines, and suffered through court delays caused by sound system problems to get a firsthand look at the General Motors sales hearings.
Franken's Victory in Minnesota Election Is Win for Perkins Coie
Posted on June 30, 2009Minnesota's high court voted 5-0 Monday afternoon to uphold a lower court ruling declaring Democrat Al Franken the winner of the Senate race against Norm Coleman. The Am Law Daily talked to winning lawyer Marc Elias.
The Churn: Lateral Moves and Promotions in The Am Law 200
Posted on June 30, 2009Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher takes a fourth partner this month from Clifford Chance, and Virtual Law Partners adds four. Plus: moves to K&L Gates, Linklaters, Mintz Levin, and Sutherland Asbill. The Churn is constant. Send your news to amlawdaily@incisivemedia...
Fried Frank Hosts Gay Marriage Panel Discussion
Posted on June 30, 2009While the New York State Senate's stalemate over majority control has prevented a gay marriage bill from coming to a vote, if the crowd at a Fried Frank event on Monday night is any indication, New York lawyers remain enthusiastic about the future of same sex marriage rights.
Ex-Bingham Associate Files Date Rape Suit
Posted on June 30, 2009Months after a Massachusetts state agency dismissed a sexual harassment complaint against Bingham McCutchen filed by a former associate, the firm has been slapped with a civil suit by Michelle Moor, who seeks damages for allegedly being drugged at a holiday party by a Bingham staffer.
Study: Law Firms Have "Little or No Interest in Change," CLOs Say
Posted on June 30, 2009An annual survey of chief legal officers conducted by legal consulting firm Altman Weil has found that law firms aren't exactly embracing the forces of change that many claim are sweeping the legal industry.
Sentencing Order for ex-Latham Partner Decries Double Life
Posted on June 30, 2009Samuel Fishman was ordered to spend 15 months in federal prison after pleading guilty to one count of wire fraud. Echoing themes from the Bernard Madoff saga, Judge Victor Marrero's sentencing order is an impassioned condemnation of this "subset of white-collar criminal" who appear to be "distinguished, reputable, highly esteemed model citizens...
The Legal Mess MJ Left Behind
Posted on June 29, 2009The King of Pop left behind a legacy not only of infectious beats and smooth moves, but a long list of litigation, the National Law Journal reports.
Former Latham Partner Gets 15 Months for Billing Fraud
Posted on June 29, 2009Samuel Fishman was sentenced by federal district judge Victor Marrero to 15 months in prison, a $10,000 fine, and $350,000 in restitution, for engaging in billing expense deceptions over a 12-year period.
Live Blogging the Madoff Sentencing: The Hearing Wraps
Posted on June 29, 2009Everyone seems to be in a state of shock about Judge Chin giving Madoff the maximum sentence allowable under the law. Once again, our veteran courthouse correspondent and colleague Mark Hamblett from the New York Law Journal was in court, and we'll be sure to point you towards his story later today.
Live Blogging the Madoff Sentencing: 150 Years for Madoff
Posted on June 29, 2009Judge Denny Chin has sentenced Bernard L. Madoff to 150 years in prison. Chin gave Madoff the maximum of 20 years on several of the counts, which will be served consecutively. For a brief moment, the courtroom erupted with applause.
Breaking: SCOTUS Rules for Firefighters
Posted on June 29, 2009The 5-4 decision overturns a one-paragraph decision issued by a panel of judges that included Sonia Sotomayor.
Live Blogging the Madoff Sentencing: Madoff Speaks
Posted on June 29, 2009"Your Honor, I cannot offer you can excuse for my behavior," Madoff says. "How do you excuse lying and deceiving thousands of investors. How do excuse lying and deceiving over 200 employees. How do you excuse lying and deceiving a wife of 50 years, who still stands by you...
Live Blogging the Madoff Sentencing: Madoff is "Flawed" but "a Human Being," Sorkin Says; Asks for 12 Years
Posted on June 29, 2009Bernard Madoff is a "deeply flawed individual," says his attorney, Ira Lee Sorkin, but he's also "a human being," and doesn't deserve to be sent away for anything more than 12 years. Sets the stage for Madoff to speak.
Live Blogging the Madoff Sentencing: Madoff is a "Beast," says Final Victim to Speak
Posted on June 29, 2009The victims statements conclude.
Live Blogging the Madoff Sentencing: Pleading With the Judge
Posted on June 29, 2009A fourth victim pleads with Judge Chin to "not fail us." The fifth and sixth victims both have to compose themselves in the midst of their statements. The sixth victim lashes into Madoff for betraying fellow Jews.
Live Blogging the Madoff Sentencing: "May God Spare You No Mercy"
Posted on June 29, 2009The victims continue to stand and speak, while Madoff sits quietly and looking straight at the table he's seated at in between his lawyers, Ira Lee Sorkin and Daniel Horwitz of Dickstein Shapiro.
Madoff Victims, Lawyer Lash Out at Government, Trustee
Posted on June 29, 2009After a federal judge sentenced Bernard Madoff to 150 years in prison Monday, several Madoff victims and their lawyer gathered in Foley Square to protest the actions of the SEC, SIPC, and trustee Irving Picard of Baker & Hostetler.
Milbank, Gibson on $3.5 Billion Consultant Merger
Posted on June 29, 2009In a rare public-private private merger of equals, Towers, Perrin, Foster & Crosby and Watson Wyatt Worldwide are joining forces to create what is believed to be the world's largest human resources consulting company.
$3.3 Billion Teppco-Enterprise Deal Creates Work for Special Committees
Posted on June 29, 2009The complex nature of the deal means plenty of work for several law firms, including Andrews & Kurth, Baker & Hostetler, Latham & Watkins, and Baker Botts.
Linklaters Continues Its NYC Expansion
Posted on June 29, 2009The firm that had about 35 lawyers in New York a half-decade ago has hired another big lateral as it continues its expansion in the Big Apple.
The King of Pop: Ben Brafman Remembers Michael Jackson
Posted on June 26, 2009Arguably one of the most transcendent performers in the history of music, Michael Jackson had his share of legal troubles. One of Jackson?s many lawyers, noted New York criminal defense lawyer Benjamin Brafman, openly recalled his experience representing the King of Pop in an interview with CNN's Anderson Cooper.
Dealmaker of the Week: N. Lynn Hiestand of Skadden Arps
Posted on June 26, 2009Talk about being busy. This week's Dealmaker has had a full plate in recent weeks, juggling work on GM's sale of its Saab unit (Hiestand was part of the team representing the Swedish buyers) and on Nortel's asset sale to Nokia Siemens (she led the team representing Nokia)...
The Bernie Kosar Chronicles: Fehr & Longing for Sports and the Law
Posted on June 26, 2009A new lawyer takes over the MLBPA, Mike Vick's lawyer gets sacked, another quarterback goes bankrupt, and a Steptoe spouse scraps the law for the blogosphere. All this and much more in The Am Law Daily's regular look at sports and the law.
Once Again, White & Case Tops Bankruptcy Tables
Posted on June 26, 2009The Daily Deal released its first quarter bankruptcy tables for 2009 earlier this week. If anyone's happy, it's White & Case's Tom Lauria.
Legal Jobs in Charlotte? DiscoverReady is Hiring
Posted on June 26, 2009Anybody in Charlotte ready for some document review? E-discovery shop DiscoverReady is set to hire more than 100 contract lawyers in the Queen City.
THE CHURN: Lateral Moves and Promotions in The Am Law 200
Posted on June 26, 2009Sonnenschein, K&L Gates pick up media lawyers, Jones Day and Venable snag antitrust partners, and Morgan Lewis adds three. Plus: moves to Anderson Kill, McGuireWoods, and more. The Churn is constant. Send your news to amlawdaily@incisivemedia.com.
Jenner Associate Fights For Prisoner, Media Rights
Posted on June 26, 2009Did you know there is a small subset of federal prisoners that members of the media are not allowed to interview face-to-face or via video conference? Neither did we. Jenner & Block is fighting to change that rule on behalf of one death row inmate who really wants to talk...
Cuts, Cuts, Cuts
Posted on June 26, 2009Wherein we bring you a round up of bad law firm news from around the globe.
DLA, Reacting to Economy and Client Requests, Moves Away from Lockstep
Posted on June 25, 2009DLA Piper is revamping its entire associate program, reducing its associate class sizes, and shifting to more of a performance-based pay system, reports the The National Law Journal.
GM Update: Dissident Bondholders Not Backing Down
Posted on June 25, 2009The General Motors bankruptcy case is flying through Judge Robert Gerber's courtroom in Lower Manhattan. But the Patton Boggs team backing a group of dissident GM bondholders isn't retracting its wish for an official committee in the case--or its general opposition to the plans to sell most of GM's assets into in new entity...
New IP Trial Strategy: $10,000 For That TiVo Bull!
Posted on June 25, 2009The Recorder's Zusha Ellinson reports that buying a prize-winning bull probably didn't hurt TiVo's chances in winning a $73.9 million jury verdict over EchoStar Communications in a landmark patent case in East Texas.
AIG Deals Net Work for Five Am Law Firms
Posted on June 25, 2009AIG is having a harder time than they may have anticipated selling off assets to repay massive government loans, but they are finding creative ways to shed debt--and that's good news for deal-starved firms.
Baker Botts Advises Rosneft on $15 Billion Chinese Loan-for-Oil Deal
Posted on June 25, 2009China wants oil. Four firms advised on a $7.2 billion Chinese oil deal this week. Baker Botts subsequently announced that it's helped Russian oil giant Rosneft secure $15 billion in loans in an agreement with China Development Bank earlier this year.
Skadden Agrees to Give Back $375,000 to Client
Posted on June 25, 2009As part of a settlement, the firm agreed to give back a portion of the $1 million in legal fees Sharper Image paid Skadden in the 90 days before the electronics retailer filed for bankruptcy.
General Motors Gets 'Da DIP' It Needs
Posted on June 25, 2009It took barely 15 minutes, but General Motors secured $33 billion in debtor-in-possession financing it needed to continue operations in Chapter 11.
Steve Jobs and Disclosure Rules
Posted on June 25, 2009What did Apple know about the health of Steve Jobs, and what were they required to say about it?
General Growth Bankruptcy Sends In a Clown
Posted on June 25, 2009National Public Radio takes a look at one of the largest bankruptcy filings in U.S. history and finds a "little guy" amid the crowd of creditors--a clown fighting to recoup $200.
Jones Day Granted Discovery Motion in Lehman-Barclays Squabble
Posted on June 25, 2009Jones Day has won a court order granting discovery in the ongoing squabble over whether Barclays got a better deal on Lehman Brothers' U.S. assets than it should have.
Davis Wright Works Its First Amendment Magic
Posted on June 24, 2009After Seattle imposed strict rules on street performers in the city's main public park, one magician sued, claiming the restrictions were a violation of free speech. With the help of a big name firm, the magician won.
Weil's AIG Fees Exceed $25 Million
Posted on June 24, 2009A court filing by Weil, Gotshal & Manges provides a ballpark figure for just how much the firm is making on the insurance giant's case.
Politics & Law: Franken, Coleman, Nader Back in the Headlines
Posted on June 24, 2009The Republican National Committee has pumped another $1 million into Norm Coleman's ongoing legal fight to hold on to his Minnesota Senate seat. In other offbeat election-related news, Ralph Nader is making noises about campaign contributions by Reed Smith lawyers to Pennsylvania's Attorney General.
Vinson, Three Canadian Firms Advise on $7.2 Billion Oil Deal
Posted on June 24, 2009Sinopec's purchase of a Swiss oil and gas exploration is the largest overseas acquisition by a Chinese company ever.
What's the Damage? Lawyers Line Up for Payment in Chrysler Case
Posted on June 24, 2009Jones Day, Schulte Roth, and Kramer Levin have submitted applications for $19 million in attorneys' fees in the "Old Carco" bankruptcy case.
Justice O'Connor Dings Gibson, Dunn on Letterman Show
Posted on June 24, 2009While plugging her new children's book on the Late Show with David Letterman, former U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor revealed her favorite speaking engagement while on the high court.
DOJ: We're Not Dropping UBS Case...Yet
Posted on June 24, 2009Maybe Wachtell and Cravath partners should hold off on popping those champagne bottles?
Judge Shoots Down Plea for Extra GM Bondholders Committee
Posted on June 23, 2009Despite Patton Boggs partner Michael Richman's best efforts, Judge Robert Gerber rejected his argument that small bondholders needed their own official committee to protect their interests in the auto maker's bankruptcy.
Morgan Lewis Gets Energy Boost from Baker Botts
Posted on June 23, 2009Morgan Lewis has lured Baker Botts rainmaker David Asmus to help build its growing energy transactions team. Asmus, who had been with Baker Botts since 1985, will help expand the firm's Houston office.
From Am Law 200 to City Hall . . . Hopefully
Posted on June 23, 2009Lawyers from two Am Law 200 firms--McKenna Long & Aldridge and Morgan, Lewis & Bockius--are looking to ditch the billables and take their chances with the bureaucracy. Jesse Spikes and Kevin Acklin each are making a play for city hall in mayoral campaigns currently underway in Atlanta and Pittsburgh.
Cleary, Skadden Advise on Nortel Asset Sale to Nokia
Posted on June 23, 2009Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton advised the bankrupt Canadian phone equipment maker on its sale of assets to Nokia for $650 million.
Norton Rose Acquiring Australia's Deacons
Posted on June 23, 2009U.K. law firm Norton Rose has agreed to acquire Australia's Deacons, expanding its presence in the Asia-Pacific region by over 500 lawyers.
Kirkland & Ellis Doesn't Fear the Mindfreak
Posted on June 23, 2009The firm is representing a 23-year-old illusionist who is suing magician Criss Angel in state court in New York for unpaid royalties.
Another UBS Win for Wachtell?
Posted on June 23, 2009Legal experts said that UBS got a pretty good deal in February, when the Justice Department entered into a deferred prosecution agreement under which the Swiss giant agreed to pay $780 million in fines to end a massive tax evasion investigation. Is even more good news for UBS on the horizon?
Bernie Madoff's Lawyer Thinks 12 Years Should Suffice
Posted on June 23, 2009A 12-year prison sentence for Bernie Madoff sounds about right, at least to his lawyer, who suggested in a court filing that a federal judge in Manhattan ignore the "hysteria" surrounding the case against the disgraced investment manager.
Howrey's New Model: A Two-Year Associate Apprenticeship
Posted on June 23, 2009In a move that reminds us a lot of one announced by Drinker Biddle last month, Howrey plans to place all incoming associates in a two-year apprenticeship program rather than tossing them straight into the world of expensive billable hours.
Bingham Wins SCOTUS Ruling on Special Needs Student
Posted on June 22, 2009The impact of the ruling is up for debate, but it's undoubtedly important: The parents of special education students can ask public school districts to reimburse them for their child's private school education--even if that child had never tried a public school's special ed programs...
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The company I worked for forced me to quit instead of dealing with someone harassing me, what can I do?
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Do I have a case against my former employer?
Yes you have a case against them. Walmart just lost a case for several million d...
My job requires me to drive bank deposits up to two times a day using my own vehicle and gas. Although not too far, can should I be receiving compensation? One deposit run is required daily by company policy, but the man
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Hi, do you know any site which really pay money to thier members for participation thier programme and they pay on daily basis and few person who have already paid from that site and have income proof too to show me.
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