Energy Law

A Time to Plant

Project urges lawyers to put trees back in the ground

Oct 2, 2009 12:40 AM CDT

Troutman Lawyers Leave ‘Aircraft Carrier’ to Form Boutique Firm

Lawyer John Mercer says the new six-lawyer Atlanta boutique firm he is establishing will be more like the old Troutman Sanders he joined 31 years ago. Mercer is forming the firm Mercer Thompson with five other Troutman lawyers, according to the Fulton County Daily Report. The new law firm will…

Aug 12, 2009 12:54 PM CDT

Where the Work Is

Lawyers recommend these practice areas in recessionary times

Aug 2, 2009 3:39 AM CDT

Dallas Law Firms Better Poised to Weather Recession

Some Dallas law firms are laying off lawyers, but on the whole they are faring better than counterparts in other cities. The firms are doing well in part because they have energy and intellectual property practices that do better in an economic downturn, the Dallas Morning News reports. John Attanasio,…

Jul 6, 2009 4:09 PM CDT

Green Grow the Lawsuits

Real estate industry braces for green-inspired litigation

Feb 2, 2009 2:50 AM CST

Four Firms Adding Office Space, Lawyers in Chicago

Breaking away from reports of attorney layoffs, this week we spoke to four law firms taking advantage of the recent spate of law firm mergers and downsizing to hire pools of lateral attorneys—hopefully with big books of clients—and expand niche practices in Chicago. “There’s two seasons in Chicago: winter and…

Jan 29, 2009 10:17 PM CST

Locke Lord Pursues Partners of Dwindling Morgan & Finnegan IP Boutique

Most of the remaining lawyers in a New York intellectual property boutique that has been dwindling for the past two years are at least thinking about joining Locke Lord Bissell & Liddell. On Friday, Locke Lord extended offers to “the bulk” of the partnership at Morgan & Finnegan, reports the…

Jan 26, 2009 9:24 PM CST

Reed Smith Gets Thelen Labor Group, Confirms Thelen Energy Hire

Reed Smith has announced that it has captured a premier labor and employment group from the dissolving Thelen firm. Headed by Linda Husar and Thomas Hill, the five-partner and four-associate Thelen group “will clearly strengthen our capabilities on the West Coast” and enhance their new firm’s growing transactional practice in…

Nov 19, 2008 8:49 PM CST

55% of Potential Voters Support Judicial Elections for State Judges

Most potential voters support judicial elections for state court judges, despite qualms about influence by special interest groups making campaign donations, according to a Harris Poll conducted with input from the American Bar Association. The survey (PDF) of the voting age public found that 55 percent think elections should be…

Oct 21, 2008 5:08 PM CDT

Parties, Sex & Drugs Made Fed’l Office Much Like a Frat House, Probe Finds

A federal government office charged with overseeing the collection of some $4 billion in royalty payments by oil companies to the U.S. government allegedly operated more like an out-of-control fraternity than a regulatory agency. Sex, booze, drugs and parties among federal employees and representatives of the oil companies they were…

Sep 10, 2008 11:45 PM CDT

Meet Shelley Smith, a City Solicitor With 200 Pairs of Shoes

It’s not easy being in the shoes of Shelley Smith, who has served as Philadelphia’s city solicitor for the past eight months. For one thing, they’re size 11, and she’s got 200 pairs—50 of them ready for action in a closet in her municipal office. For another, she’s got a…

Sep 2, 2008 7:22 PM CDT

Gulp

Litigation won’t end the battles over depleted water resources in several regions of the United States

Sep 1, 2008 1:00 PM CDT

Cooley Godward Installs Solar Panels at Palo Alto Office

Cooley Godward Kronish has installed 465 state-of-the-art rooftop solar panels at its Palo Alto, Calif., office. The law firm is only one of a handful nationwide that have installed solar panels, according to a press release. The firm estimates that the panels, installed by REC Solar, will over the course…

Aug 18, 2008 1:23 PM CDT

Alaska Sues Feds Over Polar Bear Listing as Threatened Species

In a battle between environmental and business concerns, the state of Alaska has sued U.S. Interior Secretary Dirk Kempthorne, seeking to overturn his designation of the polar bear as a threatened species, under the Endangered Species Act. “Gov. Sarah Palin and other state officials fear a listing will cripple offshore…

Aug 5, 2008 6:33 PM CDT

Nuclear Plants Power Practice at Morgan Lewis & Bockius

A resurgence of interest in building new nuclear power plants is fueling significant practice growth at Morgan Lewis & Bockius. The Philadelphia-based international law firm has the nation’s largest nuclear reactor practice, with 32 lawyers working on, among other matters, a five-year contract for nearly $50 million to help the…

Jul 28, 2008 4:19 PM CDT