Partners

Hearst Heir’s Malpractice Suit: Lawyer Helped Wife Steal $20M

A New York appeals court has reinstated a $20 million malpractice and fraud suit brought by a grandson of newspaper magnate William Randolph Hearst against the grandson’s wife and the couple’s lawyer. After he suffered a debilitating stroke in 1989 at age 55, John Randolph Hearst Jr. contends, his wife,…

May 2, 2008 10:49 PM CDT

Much-Ticketed Teen Now a N.Y. Traffic Court Defense King

Being a bad driver as a teenager helped Matthew Weiss make a good living as a lawyer. Now the head of a Manhattan law practice familiar to residents of the metropolitan area from radio ads, the 46-year-old Weiss spent the first four years of his legal career doing what he…

May 2, 2008 10:26 PM CDT

Limit Rainmaker Credit to Keep Other Lawyers Happy

Paying partners extra for bringing in new matters is something that virtually every U.S. law firm does. But paying them too much can be bad business. So-called “permanent” business-generation fees, in particular, can create the wrong incentives for those who actually do the bulk of the work on the matter,…

May 2, 2008 10:06 PM CDT

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