Law Firms

Big Labor Boutique Raids Orlando Rival

The nation’s biggest labor boutique has set up shop in Orlando, Florida, with six attorneys raided from the local office of a rival multistate employment firm. Littler Mendelson, headquartered in San Francisco, opened an Orlando office on June 1 staffed with six attorneys from Fisher & Phillips, which has offices…

Jun 5, 2007 9:25 PM CDT

Group Chastises Calif. Firms on Hiring

An advocacy group supporting greater minority participation in policy making is giving a barely passing grade to several California law firms. The report by Berkeley’s Greenlining Institute gave Ds and Fs to the following firms for apparently employing few or no African-American partners, according to the Recorder: –Cooley Godward Kronish…

Jun 5, 2007 2:23 PM CDT

Howrey Conflict Alleged

A company that owns several patents is seeking to disqualify Howrey from representing a defendant it sued for infringement. San Francisco company Friskit Inc. says in a May 25 motion that it met with lawyers from Howrey’s East Palo Alto, Calif., office in January to discuss hiring the firm to…

Jun 5, 2007 1:32 PM CDT

Lawyers Clash in BAR/BRI Case

McGuireWoods and a former partner are clashing over leadership of a $49 million class action against bar review company BAR/BRI. Eliot Disner, who says the firm fired him after he wrote a brief last month criticizing a potential settlement, asked a judge to make him co-lead counsel in the litigation,…

Jun 5, 2007 1:15 PM CDT

Ex-Milberg Partner May Cooperate

A former partner at indicted law firm Milberg Weiss & Bershad would provide evidence for the prosecution if he works out a plea deal. Lawyer David Bershad is accused of paying lead plaintiffs in securities class-action suits with money stashed in a safe in his office. A deal could produce…

Jun 4, 2007 8:30 PM CDT

Giuliani ‘Stepping Back’ as Practitioner

Rudolph Giuliani’s decision two years ago to become a partner in the Manhattan office of a Houston, Texas, law firm at a point in life when many practitioners are retiring was about more than just a lust to practice law. It was, in all likelihood, at least partially a political…

Jun 4, 2007 7:54 PM CDT

Plaintiffs Firms Bring International Tort Claims

Plaintiffs class-action firms are starting to get involved in international human-rights cases. Previously such suits were usually brought by public-interest lawyers. But now plaintiffs firms such as Motley Rice of South Carolina are suing international defendants for human-rights violations, according to Adam Liptak of the New York Times. Motley Rice…

Jun 4, 2007 12:47 PM CDT

Pay Gap Grows at Top 100 and 200 Firms

The pay gap is widening for partners in American Lawyer’s top 100 and second 100 law firms. Average pay for all partners rose 10.7 percent in top 100 firms and 3.8 percent in second 100 firms, according to an article published today in American Lawyer. Profits per equity partner averaged…

Jun 1, 2007 7:50 PM CDT

Operation Law Firm Leader

Ex-Military Types Bring Strong Organizational Skills and Integrity to the Job

Jun 1, 2007 5:22 PM CDT

Milberg Weiss Discusses Plea Deal

Four top partners from Milberg Weiss & Bershad met with federal prosecutors in Los Angeles on Wednesday to talk about settling charges that the firm paid kickbacks to lead class-action plaintiffs. The securities class-action law firm has been indicted along with former name partners David Bershad and Steven Schulman. The…

Jun 1, 2007 1:02 PM CDT

Lerach to Leave His Calif. Firm

Securities class-action lawyer William S. Lerach has been telling clients that he will be leaving his San Diego law firm. Lerach has sued high-profile companies such as AOL, Enron and WorldCom on behalf of shareholders. Anonymous sources told the Washington Post about Lerach’s plans to leave. Lerach formed Lerach Coughlin…

May 31, 2007 6:04 PM CDT

Milberg Partner in Plea Talks

A lawyer with securities class-action firm Milberg Weiss & Bershad is negotiating a plea deal with the government, the Wall Street Journal reports (sub. req.). If name partner David Bershad pleads guilty, it is unclear if he will cooperate with the government, the newspaper says. He has been indicted on…

May 31, 2007 4:52 PM CDT

Coca-Cola Taps Skadden for Energy Brands Deal

When Coca-Cola Co. needed lawyers to help it acquire Energy Brands Inc. for $1.4 billion, the company turned to Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom. King & Spalding has represented the soft-drink company since the 1930s, and its absence is noticeable, according to the Fulton County Daily Report. Coca-Cola spokesman…

May 31, 2007 12:26 PM CDT

Benefits Spell Relief for Harried Associates

Some law firms are providing special fringe benefits in an effort to boost recruiting and keep their attorneys happy. The National Law Journal found firms providing everything from concierge services to help buying environmentally friendly cars. Nixon Peabody has a 401(k) plan that includes matching contributions for associates who have…

May 30, 2007 1:39 PM CDT

Brocade Switches Firms in Options Suit

Brocade Communications Systems has dropped Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati as its defense counsel in an options backdating suit, after a federal judge said the firm had an apparent conflict of interest. Brocade’s ex-CEO Gregory Reyes has been charged with securities fraud for allegedly backdating options. He has pointed a…

May 30, 2007 12:59 PM CDT