Minn. Judge Disqualifies Covington from Representing State In Big Enviro Case Against Ex-Client 3M

Agreeing that 3M Co. had been betrayed by a major law firm’s decision to help the Minnesota attorney general pursue an environmental suit against its former longtime corporate client, a judge has disqualified Covington & Burling from continuing to represent the state in the litigation against 3M. In a Thursday…

Oct 11, 2012 11:22 PM CDT

Retired Dewey Partners Say Judge’s Fast-Track Clawback OK ‘Adds Insult to Injury,’ May Appeal

Accused in a Tuesday opinion by a federal bankruptcy judge of seeking an independent examiner merely as a litigation tactic, a committee of retired partners of Dewey & LeBoeuf say the claim they acted improperly by doing so in the law firm’s massive Chapter 11 case “adds insult to injury.”…

Oct 10, 2012 6:35 PM CDT

Despite Brutal Legal Job Market, Some Well-Known Law Firms are Hiring in the Midwest

Although the overall market for legal hiring could hardly be called robust, it is perhaps improving in the Midwest; and in certain high-demand niche practice areas, experienced attorneys are even being sought-after. Tucker Ellis, based in Ohio, added 21 new attorneys lawyers this year, 16 in its downtown Cleveland office.…

Oct 10, 2012 3:30 PM CDT

Judge OKs $71.5M Settlement with Ex-Partners of Dewey

Only a little more than four months after Dewey & LeBoeuf filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in federal court in Manhattan at the end of May, some 400 former partners of the once-storied law firm have agreed to give up part of their 2011 and 2012 pay in exchange for…

Oct 9, 2012 10:46 PM CDT

Civil Suit Accuses Ex-Partner of Chinese BigLaw Firm of Conspiracy to Bilk US Clients of $10M

In a civil securities fraud suit filed in federal court in New York, a group of investors has accused a former partner in a Beijing-based BigLaw firm of conspiring with her husband to bilk them of $10 million. Helen Lv and her former 1,200-attorney law firm, DeHeng Law Offices, are…

Oct 9, 2012 8:22 PM CDT

Baker & McKenzie 1st BigLaw Firm to Open Peru Office, Acquires 100-Lawyer Lima-Based Partnership

Baker & McKenzie has announced that the megafirm has become the first global law practice to open an office in Peru; a Reuters article calls it the first major United States-based law firm to do so. The 4,000-attorney international megafirm has acquired a 100-attorney South American practice based in Lima,…

Oct 9, 2012 4:00 PM CDT

More Law Firms Embrace Cheaper Alternatives for Back Office Work

Last week Foley & Lardner became the latest law firm to send more of its administrative tasks to an outsourcing company. The work of Foley’s records department will be handled by Williams Lea, which already provides mailroom, copying and reception services for the law firm, the Wall Street Journal (sub.…

Oct 9, 2012 12:46 PM CDT

DA’s Dewey Probe Heats Up; ‘Major Focus’ Is on Statements Made to Lenders

The Manhattan District Attorney’s office is pursuing its investigation into the collapse of Dewey & LeBoeuf with subpoenas issued to the law firm and at least one of its lenders. A “major focus” of the probe is whether Dewey leaders misled a bank syndicate that had issued a $100 million…

Oct 9, 2012 11:36 AM CDT

‘Hosting Incident’ Hits 36 BigLaw Sites; Some Visitors Offered Personal Injury Lawyer Search Links

An admitted “hosting incident” by a Chicago-based company that provides technology services to law firms created issues at dozens of BigLaw websites Thursday morning that apparently may have lasted at least several hours. At more than 36 top law firms including Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld; Baker & McKenzie;…

Oct 4, 2012 8:39 PM CDT

Jones Day Plans to Open Office in Amsterdam

Jones Day has announced plans to open an office in Amsterdam next year. It will be headed by Luc Houben, who previously led the Brussels office of the 1,750-attorney law firm, according to Legal Week and the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. A law firm press release gives further details. Earlier this year,…

Oct 2, 2012 6:00 PM CDT

Baker, DLA Are Highest Grossing Firms; Wachtell Has Top PPP at $4.46M

Total revenues at the top 100 grossing law firms jumped 6.8 percent last year to an all-time high of $81.9 billion. Baker & McKenzie remains the top grossing firm in this year’s Global 100, with $2.313 billion in gross revenue, according to the American Lawyer. Second is DLA Piper, with…

Oct 1, 2012 1:36 PM CDT

Burgeoning Blogs: Can They Give BigLaw Firms an Edge?

Oct 1, 2012 7:00 AM CDT

Law Firm Pricing Directors Suggest Alternative Fee Strategies, Call for Focus on Profit, Not Hours

Many law firms might be surprised to find that corporate clients have better legal billing analytics than they do. That should change, according to a new breed of law firm executives known as pricing directors. As a starting point for creating new “value”-based billing models, law firms should know how…

Sep 28, 2012 5:27 PM CDT

Cozen O’Connor Announces New Chief, Discusses Plans for Future Growth

Once thought of as an insurance coverage powerhouse run by its name partners, Cozen O’Connor culminated years of expansion and development with a Tuesday announcement that a former chairman of its business law practice group has been elevated to the BigLaw firm’s top job. Effective Jan. 1 of next year,…

Sep 25, 2012 4:34 PM CDT

Skadden Partners with Companies and Legal Aid Groups to Bring ‘Critical Mass’ to Pro Bono

In an effort to make more effective use of the lawyer resources at its disposal, the Washington office of Skadden Arps has announced that it’s partnering with in-house teams at LivingSocial, Northrop Grumman and Cisco Systems and with three legal aid groups to better assist low-income residents with legal needs.…

Sep 25, 2012 11:15 AM CDT