Recruiting Rampage Part II: Alston Aces to Join DLA Piper
The managing partner of Alston & Bird’s Washington, D.C. office and the head of the firm’s legislative and public policy practice group are reportedly joining megafirm DLA Piper along with three corporate partners. Plus, other Alston attorneys are likely to follow them there, too.
Alston & Bird says that Frank “Rusty” Conner, who was in charge of the Washington office, co-chaired Alston’s corporate practice and chaired its executive committee, is leaving the firm, according to the Blog of Legal Times. And an unnamed source says he is joining 3,400-lawyer DLA Piper, according to a New York Lawyer (reg. req.) reprint of a National Law Journal story.
Conner, who had been with Alston & Bird for nearly 30 years, according to the blog, is making the move to DLA Piper along with Tom Boyd, who was in charge of Alston’s legislative group, and three corporate partners, the National Law Journal source says. Plus, the article adds: “Others are expected to defect to DLA Piper in the coming weeks, the source said.”
William Cook, who formerly was in charge of Alston & Bird’s telecommunications practice, joined DLA Piper last month. As discussed in a previous ABAJournal.com post, the firm has been on a recruiting rampage lately.
Cook won’t be the only former colleague waiting to welcome the new Alston attorneys to DLA Piper.
DLA Piper lured a 10-lawyer group from Alston when it opened a Raleigh, N.C., office two years ago, the Triangle Business Journal reported at the time. And two other Alston lawyers from Atlanta joined DLA Piper as partners earlier this year, according to an announcement posted at the time on the megafirm’s Web site. They are Robert Crewdson and Brian Fielden, who focus their practices on commercial real estate and construction law, respectively.
Alston & Bird, based in Atlanta, reportedly has about 750 attorneys.
