Partners

Alston & Bird Nears Malpractice Settlement With Bankruptcy Trustee

Alston & Bird is close to a settlement with a bankruptcy trustee to resolve allegations of legal malpractice and fee overcharges, according to the Fulton County Daily Report. There is no admission of liability in the settlement with the bankruptcy trustee for Friedman’s Jewelers, a former Alston & Bird client,…

Jun 10, 2008 12:34 PM CDT

Some Law Firms Give Managing Partner Firing Authority

A lawsuit brought by the former chairman of the intellectual property practice at Kasowitz, Benson, Torres & Friedman highlights an unusual policy at law firms: The managing partner has authority to fire partners without approval from others. The suit by Jeremy Pitcock claims he was fired by the managing partner…

Jun 10, 2008 11:25 AM CDT

Lawyer Bans Opponent from Hotel in Hard-Fought IP Case

Concerned that sensitive documents might be delivered to the wrong legal counsel, a corporate client in a hard-fought federal case reportedly contracted with the hotel at which its own attorney was staying not to allow lawyers or staff from the opposing side to stay there, too. Then, when heavy-hitting Los…

Jun 9, 2008 8:46 PM CDT

South Florida Law Firm’s Website Worries Ethics Experts

A full-time adviser to the Miami-Dade County mayor in South Florida also happens to be a lawyer. And, on the website for Gazitua Letelier, the law firm of which Luis Andre Gazitua, 32, is a founding partner—at least until recently—was a photograph of Gazitua looking into downtown Miami from an…

Jun 9, 2008 4:35 PM CDT

Big Brown Licensing Lawyer Especially Eager for Triple Crown Win

Lots of horse-racing fans would love to see favorite Big Brown come in first at the Belmont Stakes in New York on Saturday for a rare Triple Crown win. But Harrisburg, Pa., attorney Michael Doctrow and others at his law firm, McNees Wallace & Nurick, are especially eager to see…

Jun 6, 2008 3:34 PM CDT

Ex-Kasowitz Partner Files $90M Suit Over Claim of ‘Extremely Inappropriate’ Conduct

The former chairman of the intellectual property group at Kasowitz, Benson, Torres & Friedman has filed a $90 million defamation suit against the firm for issuing a press release that said he was fired for “extremely inappropriate personal conduct.” Jeremy Pitcock contends in his suit that the conduct was nothing…

Jun 6, 2008 12:07 PM CDT

Women’s Rights Lawyer Sued for Sexual Harassment

A partner at a New York law firm that bills itself as “dedicated to the empowerment of women in the workplace” has been accused of sexually harassing a former client who is now also the former office manager for Tuckner, Sipser, Weinstock & Sipser. “Lisa Brockington says in court papers…

Jun 4, 2008 10:57 PM CDT

Lawyer’s ‘Cribtastic’ Office Lands Him Movie Role

Steve Stodghill practices in Dallas as a litigation partner at Fish & Richardson. But a recent movie offer gave him a chance to demonstrate his corporate deal-making skills, too. The offer was to use his “cribtastic” office at the downtown Comerica Bank Tower in Karma Police, a movie that premiered…

Jun 4, 2008 8:19 PM CDT

Big Indy Firm Coming to Chicago, Plans 50-Lawyer Office

A more than 370-lawyer international law firm headquartered in Indianapolis is reportedly coming to Chicago in a big way. Baker & Daniels is establishing a presence in the Windy City with a seven-lawyer contingent from Schuyler Roche, and expects to have a 50-lawyer Chicago office in the near future, according…

Jun 2, 2008 10:34 PM CDT

New NLJ List: 50 Most Influential Minority Lawyers

Winnowing through an avalanche of nominations to determine the 50 minority lawyers who have had the most influence on the profession during the past five years was no easy task, due to the multitude of candidates. But a National Law Journal team has done so, supplementing the information provided with…

Jun 2, 2008 9:20 PM CDT

Wise in the Ways of the World

Big practices abroad help large firms weather the economic storm

Jun 1, 2008 1:05 PM CDT

Opening Up to Open Source

Corporation counsel must be ready to deal with “free” software and its licensing

Jun 1, 2008 1:00 PM CDT

I Wish I Had Known ...

Former associates find surprises as they enter partnership

Jun 1, 2008 1:00 PM CDT

Clifford Chance FY Revenue up 11%, Hits $2.623 Billion

Corrected: Clifford Chance has started the British law firm earnings reporting season with a bang, announcing a hefty revenue increase regardless of the economic slowdown that began last year. The London-based international firm is the first magic circle firm to report its earnings for the 2007-2008 fiscal year. “Despite its…

May 29, 2008 5:16 PM CDT

Sonnenschein Layoffs Signal Sea Change in Law Firm PR Strategy

An announcement that Sonnenschein, Nath & Rosenthal is laying off 37 lawyers and 87 staffers was noteworthy for the size of the reduction alone. But even more noteworthy, perhaps, is the fact that the more than 700-attorney Chicago-based international law firm took a highly nontraditional approach to the reduction in…

May 29, 2008 4:21 PM CDT