Practice Management

KPMG Lawyers: Unchain Us from Clients!

Representing a high-profile client in a major white-collar case can be both a blessing and a curse for a criminal defense attorney. Such cases can bring in big bucks and offer lots of free publicity. But they can also result in enormous unpaid legal bills. That nightmare scenario is apparently…

Jul 18, 2007 10:46 PM CDT

No Insurance, No Lawyers: No Problem

Nobody was insured, and no lawyers were involved. But, unusual as it may seem for Americans accustomed to the U.S. system, a recent auto accident in Iraq was settled the same day. The drivers involved were seated on sofas in the local police chief’s office, and tea was served as…

Jul 18, 2007 9:12 PM CDT

Cooley Continues East Coast Invasion

Continuing its aggressive expansion into the East Coast legal market, Cooley Godward Kronish, a major San Francisco-based law firm known for its technology expertise, opened a 10-partner office in Boston this week. The firm has also recently marched into New York City and Washington, D.C., establishing sizable offices in both…

Jul 18, 2007 6:59 PM CDT

Memphis Powerhouse Ups Atlanta Ante

A 500-lawyer Memphis, Tenn., firm is adding a 36-lawyer Atlanta firm to its roster, expanding its existing 14-attorney intellectual property and patent focused practice there. Baker, Donelson, Bearman, Caldwell & Berkowitz will broaden its depth in Atlanta by combining with Gambrell & Stolz, in a merger of two firms with…

Jul 18, 2007 12:48 AM CDT

Partner Musical Chairs: 12 Switch Seats

A boom in legal business for many of the nation’s big firms may be prompting a musical chairs game among their partners. At least a dozen new partners with a New York City connection have recently made lateral moves, most of them from partnerships at other well-known firms. Among them:…

Jul 18, 2007 12:21 AM CDT

Gitmo Lawyer: U.S. Agents Seized Notes

A Canadian attorney representing an accused enemy combatant held at the Guantanamo Bay military prison says he was harassed and had his legal notes reviewed on Saturday by U.S. authorities. On his way home after meeting with his client, Omar Khadr, 20, Dennis Edney was singled out by U.S. customs…

Jul 17, 2007 12:56 AM CDT

New Leader for Bingham’s SF Office

Bingham McCutchen is putting a new partner at the helm of its San Francisco office, following the departure of seven partners and several associates since the beginning of the year. The new office leader is Geoffrey Howard, 40, who has been jointly heading the firm’s complex litigation practice group, reports…

Jul 16, 2007 11:41 PM CDT

‘Part-Time’ Partner Works 9 Hours a Day

Virginia Seitz is living proof that women lawyers can do it all, balancing a high-powered career with a family life. The Washington, D.C., appellate practitioner, 50, is a partner at Sidley Austin, yet leaves the office at 2:55 p.m. to pick up her two children from school, reports the New…

Jul 16, 2007 10:52 PM CDT

Study: PDs Save $$, Do Better for Clients

Court-appointed criminal defense lawyers cost taxpayers more and achieve less for their clients than salaried public defenders working for the government. That’s the surprising result of a recent study by a Harvard University economist that looked at the results in federal cases randomly assigned to public and private lawyers, reports…

Jul 16, 2007 9:59 PM CDT

NY Lawyer: Lap Dances, No Partnership

Some partners at New York’s Wolf Haldenstein Adler Freeman & Herz had more on their minds than law practice, a former colleague claims in a recent sex discrimination suit. And that led to an unfair work set-up, where secretarial lap dances had more of an impact in the Madison Avenue…

Jul 16, 2007 5:19 PM CDT

Court Fines Law Firm Over Spam Filter

Initially, the problem at a suburban Denver law firm was pornographic e-mail. Employees complained, and the office’s tech administrator was told to do something. He did. Dialing up the spam setting on the firm’s firewall solved the porn problem. But it also created a new issue, PC World reports. Shortly…

Jul 13, 2007 9:26 PM CDT

Top CA Court: Spector Atty Must Testify

A former lawyer for Phil Spector must testify in the music producer’s ongoing murder trial, the California Supreme Court determined today. By refusing to hear Sara Caplan’s appeal of a ruling by the trial judge holding her in contempt for not testifying, the court effectively is affirming the lower court’s…

Jul 12, 2007 1:50 AM CDT

New IRS Weapon: Tax Professionals

New IRS rules that hold accountants, lawyers and others who prepare tax returns more accountable for client errors are changing the way some practice and may be driving a wedge between client and professional. Tax professionals now at least arguably have more accountability than their clients for filing a problematic…

Jul 12, 2007 1:28 AM CDT

LeClair Raids Donovan for New MA Office

At least 10 lawyers, including several practice group chairs, have jumped ship from the now 60-attorney Donovan Hatem in Boston to establish an office there for LeClair Ryan. The Virginia firm has some 150 lawyers, more than twice as many as Donovan, and has a general business practice. Kevin G.…

Jul 11, 2007 9:58 PM CDT

Defendants: No Jail for Libby; Why Me?

Updated: A former top aide to the vice president of the United States didn’t have to serve time for lying to a federal grand jury. So why should I? That essentially is the argument being made by a Massachusetts woman, 41-year-old Joanne “Jody” Richardson. And she’s not the only one.…

Jul 11, 2007 9:13 PM CDT