Partners

Skadden, Wachtell Top AmLaw 100

After earlier news reports of record-breaking revenue and massive profits per partner, two New York-based major-name law firms have now been crowned by American Lawyer as the nation’s most lucrative in 2007. One of three U.S. law firms that reportedly broke the $2 billion barrier for the first time last…

May 1, 2008 6:07 PM CDT

Internet Scammers Steal Major Law Firm Partners’ Names

For those who may have thought the lengthy disclaimers on most law firm e-mails and websites covered virtually every contingency, there’s at least one more frontier that may offer an opportunity for further verbiage. A major London-based law firm says Internet scammers have been plying their trade under the names…

May 1, 2008 5:37 PM CDT

Tropical Island Near Africa May Soon Allow Foreign Practice

For American lawyers and others who may wish to consider practicing in the Republic of Mauritius, a lengthy editorial in a local newspaper provides a detailed description of the lay of the land. While it isn’t yet legal for outsiders to do so, the writer of the L’Express editorial today…

May 1, 2008 3:29 PM CDT

Cravath Plans to Grow, Starting With ‘08 Summer Class

Recession? What recession? The current economic downturn apparently hasn’t been particularly painful at one of New York’s most exclusive BigLaw firms, which is planning to expand its summer associate class this year by more than 75 percent. There will be 161 summer associates at Cravath Swaine & Moore this year,…

Apr 30, 2008 6:57 PM CDT

BigLaw Managing Partner Predicts the Future; Cost Control is Key

Even in challenging economic times, there is a need for expert legal services. But clients are increasingly eager to avoid unpleasant surprises, says the U.K. managing partner of a major London-based international firm. “As always, quality of service and technical expertise is absolutely paramount as are productivity and accountability,” Bryan…

Apr 30, 2008 5:03 PM CDT

Judge Smacks Law Firms & Partner With $150K Sanctions, But Spares 2 Associates

A federal bankruptcy judge in Massachusetts has sanctioned two law firms and a name partner a total of $150,000 for incorrectly claiming that their client owned a mortgage that had in fact been reassigned at least twice. Finding that one law firm had information in a client file that contradicted…

Apr 29, 2008 8:14 PM CDT

Facing Retirement, Fox Rothschild Leader Jumps Ship

A former managing partner and chair of Fox Rothschild is leaving for a litigation boutique so that he can continue to practice law. Louis Fryman, who has been with the 425-lawyer Philadelphia-based law firm for 26 years, is 72 years old and facing mandatory retirement at his soon-to-be-former firm, reports…

Apr 29, 2008 7:30 PM CDT

Big Firm Lawyer Works Part-Time—and Largely at Home

Victoria Wells has a job that many a lawyer might envy. As counsel to a major United Kingdom law firm, she works part-time from her home in Yorkshire, where she moved after marrying a farmer there, and only goes to work at Allen & Overy’s office in London one day…

Apr 29, 2008 4:55 PM CDT

Survey Says Law Firm GCs Make More Than Ever Before

Most major U.S. law firms continue to have an in-house general counsel, and the position is better-paid than ever before. On average, law firm GCs earn $750,000 in cash compensation if they hold the position full-time, according to a new survey by a legal consultant. The $750,000 represents a 34…

Apr 29, 2008 3:57 PM CDT

Morrison & Foerster Closes Orange County Office

Morrison & Foerster is closing its Orange County office in the wake of a decision by the head of the outpost to leap to Manatt, Phelps & Phillips. Orange County managing partner Dean Zipser is moving to Manatt along with partner Thomas Umberg, the Recorder reports. The firm plans to…

Apr 29, 2008 12:08 PM CDT

Wolf Block Acquires Five-Lawyer White-Collar Crime Firm in Delaware

East Coast law firm Wolf Block has acquired a five-lawyer law firm in Delaware that includes the state’s former attorney general, Charles Oberly III. The Delaware firm, Oberly Jennings & Rhodunda, will add white-collar and corporate investigations expertise to Wolf Block’s Wilmington office, the Legal Intelligencer reports. One of the…

Apr 29, 2008 11:50 AM CDT

Worried Partners Secretly Seek Business Development Help

Worried about drastic cuts in compensation and possible de-equitization, many partners at major law firms in the Philadelphia area are trying something new to enhance their marketability. An unprecedented number reportedly are secretly seeking help from career counselors with their business development skills. “Pretty much 100 percent of marketing consultant…

Apr 28, 2008 7:45 PM CDT

3 Thelen Practice Leaders Join Proskauer

Heads of three practice groups at Thelen Reid Brown Raysman & Steiner are moving to Proskauer Rose, along with two associates. The three, who will be partners in their new 750-lawyer firm’s technology practice group in New York, are: Jeffrey Neuburger, who chaired Thelen’s technology, media and communications department; Robert…

Apr 25, 2008 6:34 PM CDT

Law Firm Sues Secretary Who Claims Partner Raped Her

A New York law firm has beat a secretary to the courthouse with a lawsuit claiming her allegations of rape and sexual harassment are false. The law firm of Bivona & Cohen says in its suit that secretary Windy Richards first made the rape allegations against a partner in a…

Apr 25, 2008 10:55 AM CDT

Pay Cut Prompted a Shearman Office in Mannheim, Germany, to Jump Ship

An across-the-board pay cut estimated at about 10 to 15 percent for all nine partners at Shearman & Sterling’s outpost in Mannheim, Germany, is reportedly what prompted the 30-lawyer office’s recent decision to abandon the mother ship and strike out again on its own. The pay cut, approved last month…

Apr 24, 2008 5:20 PM CDT