Associates

Harvard Law Grad Can’t Afford $180K, So Restitution Is $50K in 9/11 Chapel Arson

A Harvard Law School graduate who had his Sidley Austin job offer rescinded after he was accused of setting fire to a Sept. 11 memorial chapel in Manhattan had expected to turn to his parents for help in paying tens of thousands of dollars in restitution required as part of…

Jul 26, 2011 5:48 PM CDT

Quinn Emanuel Associates May Dress Casual, But Work in ‘Winner-Take-All’ Environment

If you like to dress casual and work hard, Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan may be the place for you. Name partner William Urquhart acknowledges in an interview with the Careerist that the firm has a reputation as a sweatshop. The environment, he says, is “winner-take-all,” but associates really don’t…

Jul 26, 2011 11:53 AM CDT

Jenner Charged $1M to Fight Violent Video Game Law in Supreme Court, Fee Request Says

Jenner & Block charged more than $1 million to successfully challenge California’s violent video game law in the U.S. Supreme Court, according to a fee request. The petition (PDF) asks California to pay $1.14 million in legal fees and expenses for the Supreme Court appeal, including nearly $1.03 million in…

Jul 26, 2011 11:31 AM CDT

4-Lawyer White-Collar Defense Team Leaps from Winston & Strawn to Pillsbury Winthrop

A four-lawyer white-collar defense team has jumped from Winston & Strawn to the Washington, D.C., office of Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman, their new firm announced in a press release. It is headed by William Sullivan, who will co-chair the practice group at Pillsbury Winthrop. The firm has also recently expanded…

Jul 21, 2011 5:55 PM CDT

Some Law Firm Leaders Are Clearly Hitting a Mental Wall When Confronted with a Chance to Change

I was watching TV with my boys the other night. As usual, The Discovery Channel was our choice, and the show that we were watching was Surviving the Cut. The Discovery Channel website describes the program this way: “Surviving the Cut takes viewers into the intense world of military elite…

Jul 21, 2011 2:31 PM CDT

Federal Judge OKs $97.5K Verdict Won By Goodwin Procter in Pro Bono ‘Contempt of Cop’ Arrest Case

The chief federal criminal trial judge in Washington, D.C., yesterday rejected the city’s call for a new trial in a “contempt of cop” arrest case in which a jury awarded a woman $97,500. Represented by Goodwin Procter on a pro bono basis, Lindsay Huthnance contended she had been unconstitutionally arrested…

Jul 20, 2011 9:27 PM CDT

3 Lawyers, Worker’s Comp Arbitrator Face Disciplinary Cases re Claimed ‘Ex Parte Party’

A former Illinois Worker’s Compensation Commission arbitrator and three lawyers are facing legal ethics charges concerning alleged misconduct characterized by the Legal Profession Blog as an “ex parte party.” Plus, in addition to allegedly sending ex parte emails to three lawyers on one side of worker’s comp cases without copying…

Jul 19, 2011 6:52 PM CDT

Academic All-Stars Won’t Be Hired at Kramer Levin if They Aren’t Client-Worthy

Being an academic all-star doesn’t ensure you a job offer at Kramer Levin Naftalis & Frankel. The law firm asks its interviewing attorneys to consider whether job candidates would be presentable to clients. And that eliminates some people, James Grayer of Kramer Levin tells the Careerist. “They can be first…

Jul 18, 2011 12:04 PM CDT

Singapore Law Firms Try to Hold on to Associates with Perks

Law firms in Singapore are trying to retain associates with perks rather than pay. Singapore law firms increased associate pay by about 20 percent last year, but the average starting salary is only about $50,000 a year in U.S. dollars, the Asian Lawyer reports. Yet lawyers are expected to work…

Jul 12, 2011 12:37 PM CDT

Lateral Associate Working at Clausen Miller Wasn’t a Licensed Attorney, Law Firm Concludes

A lateral associate at Clausen Miller who reportedly worked at two law firms for nearly a decade apparently may never have been licensed to practice. In fact, it’s not even clear that Mark Pastuszak graduated from law school, the Daily Business Review reported. Pastuszak worked as an insurance coverage associate…

Jul 11, 2011 11:40 PM CDT

11-Attorney Group Joins Winstead from Beirne Maynard & Parsons

An 11-attorney group is making the move in Houston from Beirne Maynard & Parsons to Winstead. Headed by partners Hilary Borow, Jay Brown and Steve Wedemeyer, the group focuses on commercial litigation. They are among 39 lateral attorneys hired by the Texas-based firm so far this year—and will not be…

Jul 11, 2011 4:32 PM CDT

Lawyer Who Quit Sidley for Cross-Country Trek Credits Dog in Bear Battle

A bankruptcy associate who quit Sidley Austin to trek cross country has battled bad weather and a black bear, but he’s alive and still walking, thanks to his dog. Chicago lawyer George Tyler Coulson found that that BigLaw wasn’t right for him, so he decided to take his tent and…

Jul 11, 2011 3:18 PM CDT

Litigators Provide iPads to 20 Clients, to Help Them Stay Connected to Cases

Corporate clients generally have access to smart phones and other cutting-edge technology. But working class individuals often don’t. So two litigators at an Arizona law firm have provided iPads to 20 clients in their biggest cases. The devices act as hotlines, helping clients of partner Marc Lamber and associate James…

Jul 8, 2011 10:13 AM CDT

7 Drinker Biddle Lawyers Form New Environmental Firm, Brooman Buzzell & Garber

Headed by the former managing partner of the now-closed Berwyn, Pa., office of Drinker Biddle & Reath, seven attorneys from the law firm have formed a new environmental boutique. It will be known as Brooman Buzzell & Garber, reports the Legal Intelligencer in an article reprinted in New York Lawyer…

Jul 7, 2011 7:31 PM CDT

Rookie Associate Mistakes to Avoid

Congratulations! You’ve landed your dream job as a first-year associate at a law firm. So it’s starting to look like all those years of study and hard work are about to pay off. But you don’t want to get so excited by your good fortune that you screw it all…

Jun 29, 2011 10:47 PM CDT