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Manko, Gold, Katcher & Fox, L.L.P.

In Celebration of Earth Day, Wawa, NBC 10 and Manko, Gold, Katcher & Fox, LLP Name winners of the Second Annual Environmental Community Service Award
Environmental issues are a major concern of students and teachers throughout the Delaware Valley, and with Earth Day right around the corner (April 22), Wawa, NBC 10 and the environmental law firm of Manko, Gold, Katcher & Fox, LLP, (MGKF), have announced the winners of the Second Annual Environmental Community Service Award. This area-wide competition asked schools to nominate environmental community service programs that have been developed in their classrooms.

Today, it was announced that W.B. Saul High School of Agricultural Sciences, located in the upper Roxborough section of Philadelphia, and the Sadie Tanner Mossell Alexander University of Pennsylvania Partnership School, located in West Philadelphia, are the winners. Each school will receive $5,000 to enhance environmental studies in their schools. Explaining the motivation for creating this award, Robb Fox, partner of MGKF, said, “Environmental issues have never been more important globally and throughout the Delaware Valley. Our future depends on how our next generation of students confronts these environmental issues.”

W.B. Saul High School of Agricultural Sciences was selected for its current Community Phyto-Remediation Project in which students study and remediate a residential lawn along Germantown Avenue that has high levels of lead present in the soil. This project, in conjunction with Penn State University (PSU) Cooperative Extension Horticulture Department, teaches students how to determine toxicity levels within the soil and use phyto-remediation, a process used to decontaminate polluted soil, to decrease traces of lead and return the soil back to acceptable levels. They spent much time on the lawn of one specific neighbor, coming to the rescue of Ruth Battle, who first made PSU aware of the problems.

The AgroEcology class at W.B. Saul, led by teacher Jessica Naugle and extension educator Christine Tilles, has been working on this project over the past two years. “This project empowers students to contribute positively towards sustainable ecological change within their own communities,” explained Naugle. “Their efforts create a link between the community, school and the environment. Ecological urban agriculture is alive and well on the streets of Philadelphia.”

The AgroEcology class plans to use the $5,000 grant to continue soil clean up at additional residential locations along Germantown Avenue, as well as educate the community on the dangers surrounding leaded soil. These dangers are particularly great for residents who wish to garden in leaded soil. By remediating the soil and encouraging residents to plant gardens, students are helping contribute to the beautification and environmental sustainability of their community. The grant money will be used to purchase necessary supplies such as, protective goggles and gloves, seeds and plants, soil tests, digital cameras used for documentation and educational signs to be placed in front of project sites to educate the community.

The Sadie Tanner Mossell Alexander University of Pennsylvania Partnership School (Penn Alexander School) was selected for its impressive efforts to restore the grounds surrounding their school, which is part of Pennsylvania’s Eastern Deciduous Forest Habitat. Students and teachers have been working to create an urban arboretum on the school’s grounds that would serve the community of West Philadelphia. By choosing plants that are native to this area, students can share knowledge of plants that adapt well to local conditions while attracting native wildlife such as birds and butterflies.

Principal Sheila A. Sydnor said, “We are truly thrilled to be a recipient of the Environmental Community Service Award. The school and its grounds enable student learning to extend beyond the classroom walls. The enjoyment and learning doesn't end at 3 p.m. either. After school the grounds are actively used by the community -- kids are exploring the gardens, playing ball, and much more activity is going on.”

Students will use this $5,000 award to continue the restoration process. They plan to purchase gardening equipment to help maintain the site, as well as native and wildlife friendly plants based on student research. They also plan to install outdoor garden signage to be updated regularly by students to educate the community about local plant life, recent wildlife sightings and sustainable methods of gardening.

The Penn Alexander School has been involved in environmental community service since its conception. When building the school, special measures were put into place to improve water retention in the local watershed. These measures include a porous asphalt play area and recharge basin buried under a playing field. Today, the grounds serve as an active outdoor classroom and recreational space for both students and community members.

With the theme of “A Connection to Your Community,” more than 45 schools throughout the region applied for these $5,000 awards. Competition was keen for the judges who included representatives from The Franklin Institute, The Academy of Natural Sciences, The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection; The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection; and The Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control. Representatives from Wawa, NBC 10 and Manko, Gold, Katcher & Fox also participated in judging.

There were a total of 11 finalists considered for the Second Annual Environmental Community Service Award. In addition to W.B. Saul High School of Agricultural Sciences, finalists in the high school category were: Moorestown High School Community Recycling Project, Moorestown, NJ; Moorestown High School Medieval Patrician Garden Project, Moorestown, NJ; Haverford High School, Havertown, PA and The Young Women’s Leadership School at Rhodes High School, Philadelphia, PA. In addition to The Sadie Tanner Mossell Alexander University of Pennsylvania Partnership School, the middle school finalists were: Springer Middle School, Wilmington, DE; Grover Washington Jr. Middle School, Philadelphia, PA; Northeast Middle School, Reading, PA; Woodland Country Day School, Bridgeton, NJ and Medford Memorial Middle School, Medford, NJ.

The team of partners from Wawa, NBC 10 and Manko, Gold, Katcher & Fox, LLP (MGKF) was overwhelmed by the enthusiasm for this project, which they plan to continue it for the third straight year. Robb Fox, a partner of MGKF, shared the group’s enthusiasm for the response. “Wawa and NBC 10 share a commitment to the environment. We were all so pleased with the tremendous application responses and the presence of these environmental community service programs in our area schools. It was extremely difficult to select the winners, but we know that that W.B. Saul High School of Agricultural Sciences and Sadie Tanner Mossell Alexander University of Pennsylvania Partnership School richly deserve recognition for their work. We are proud that the awards will enhance both their school projects and surrounding communities.”

Dennis Bianchi, general manager of NBC 10, is enthusiastic about this project because in his opinion, “The environment is one of the most important issues we’ll be facing for many, many years to come, and to know that local students and teachers feel this commitment is very rewarding.” Fred Wood, Facilities and Energy Manager of Wawa, agreed and shared his enthusiasm about working with the schools. “We are so impressed with the responses from the schools. It’s important to encourage students to be environmental stewards and we see that teachers are doing this. After all, this is their future, and their ideas can make a difference.”

Manko, Gold, Katcher & Fox, LLP concentrates its practice in environmental and land use law and litigation. It represents clients ranging from Fortune 100 corporations to small, privately held enterprises, both in the Mid-Atlantic Region and on a national basis. Their commitment to education is manifested in the lawyers’ participation in environmental programs outside the office.

Wawa, Inc., a privately held company, traces its roots back to 1803 as an iron foundry in New Jersey. Owner George Wood started a dairy processing plant in Wawa, PA, in 1902. The milk business was a success, due to its quality, cleanliness and “certified” process. In 1964, George’s grandson Grahame Wood opened the first Wawa Food Market in Folsom, PA. Today the company operates more than 540 stores in Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Virginia. Wawa is known for its branded products including award-winning coffee and freshly prepared hoagies. Wawa consistently ranks among Forbes’ top 200 privately held companies. “Wawa” is the Lenni-Lenape Indian word for flying goose.

NBC 10, one of 14 Owned & Operated NBC television stations, is located in Bala Cynwyd, Pennsylvania, a suburb of Philadelphia. Millions of viewers throughout Greater Philadelphia, Lehigh Valley, South Jersey and Delaware tune into NBC 10 everyday for the most up-to-date news, weather, sports, consumer, health and traffic reports. Viewers also tune in daily to watch the 10! Show, an upbeat, one-hour lifestyle and entertainment show featuring local, national and internationally-known celebrities. The program airs ‘live’ Monday through Friday at 10 a.m. Recognized as the #1 website (www.nbc10.com) in the top 50 markets, NBC10.com was recently awarded with the prestigious National Edward R. Murrow Award.

04-19-2007

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Robinson & Cole LLP

Robinson & Cole Trial & Appellate Lawyers Published in Connecticut Law Tribune
Robinson & Cole Trial & Appellate lawyers Bradford S. Babbitt and Brett J. Boskiewicz coauthored the article "New Rules Help Deal with Inadvertent Disclosure" that appeared in the March 2007 edition of the Connecticut Law Tribune.

04-19-2007

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O'Melveny & Myers, LLP

Williamson, Villaflor Publish on "Struggle for Ownership"
O'Melveny partner Brett Williamson and associate Gilbert Villaflor recently authored the article "Struggle for Ownership," published in the April 11 edition of The Recorder. The article examines the patent case KSR International Co. v. Teleflex, Inc. beyond the conventional wisdom to determine the real impact of the U.S. Supreme Court's likely ruling.

The authors write,

The conventional wisdom appears to be that a rejection of the Federal Circuit's test, and the consequential raising of the bar for patentability, will reward innovation by removing barriers to competition, and at the same time deter patent "trolls," whose only business is patent enforcement. This view oversimplifies the issue, however. …[T]here is a strong argument to be made that a Supreme Court decision in KSR that radically changes the obviousness analysis will actually be a blow to innovation, by removing one of the principal deterrents to the copying of novel inventions by business competitors, while at the same time eliminating a primary incentive for companies to invest in new technologies.

04-19-2007

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Fulbright & Jaworski L.L.P.

African Rift Valley Rail Financing Named "Deal of the Year"
Project Finance magazine named the privatization of the Kenya/Uganda Railway concession as the 2006 “African Transport Deal of the Year.”

Fulbright’s structured and project finance team, comprised of Gregg Harris, Ashley McKean, Jeremy Hushon and Sandra Gebhardt in Washington, D.C., Shep Melzer and Debra Goldberg in New York and Christopher Clement-Davies in London, is representing the International Finance Corporation (IFC) (the private sector arm of the World Bank Group) and KfW of Germany in connection with the secured financing to support the privatization of the Kenya/Uganda Railway concession.

The financing is being provided to Rift Valley Rail (RVR), whose lead investor is Sheltam Rail Company (Pty) Limited, to support a program for the operation, maintenance, improvement and rehabilitation of the railway. Under the joint 25-year concession, RVR will provide freight services in Kenya and Uganda and passenger services in Kenya. The World Bank Group is further involved in the project through the International Development Association, which is providing financial support for retrenchment and relocation related to the project and a partial risk guarantee.

This transaction is the first privatization in Kenya where the concession structure has been used and represents a step towards increased involvement of the private sector in East African infrastructure development. The joint concession is expected to result in increased efficiency and lower transportation costs and to set the stage for future regional cooperation in East Africa.

Project Finance magazine has named Fulbright’s internationally-recognized Structured and Project Finance Practice one of the top international project finance practices in the world.

04-19-2007

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Foley & Lardner

Foley Boston Attorneys Named Massachusetts “Rising Stars”
Foley & Lardner LLP announced that three partners, four senior counsel and four associates have been named 2007 Massachusetts “Rising Stars” by Law & Politics Media, Inc.

Rising Stars names the top young lawyers in Massachusetts as chosen by Massachusetts Super Lawyers and through the independent research of Law and Politics Media, Inc. The final list features the top 2.5 percent of Massachusetts attorneys in more than 60 areas of practice. The list will be published in the May 2007 issue of Massachusetts Super Lawyers/Rising Stars and in a special section in the 2007 issue of Boston Magazine.

The Foley attorneys named and their primary practices as classified by Law & Politics are:

* Claire Bishop Abely, associate, business litigation;
* James F. Ewing, senior counsel, intellectual property;
* Carrie J. Fletcher, senior counsel, commercial litigation;
* John M. Garvey, partner, intellectual property;
* Laura E. Gibbs, associate, family law;
* Heather C. Krauss, associate, labor & employment;
* Edouard C. LeFevre, partner, securities and corporate finance;
* Christopher Novello, senior counsel, labor & employment;
* Stephen D. Riden, senior counsel, business litigation;
* Jeffrey M. Rosin, partner, labor & employment; and
* Erica Templeton Spencer, associate, business litigation.

04-19-2007

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Baker & McKenzie, L.L.P.

Baker & McKenzie Advises Beijing Enterprises Holdings on the Acquisition of Beijing Gas Group
Baker & McKenzie’s mergers & acquisitions team in Hong Kong recently advised Chinese conglomerate Beijing Enterprises Holdings Limited on its acquisition of Beijing Gas Group (BVI) Co., Ltd. from Beijing Enterprises Group Limited, which is wholly-owned by the Beijing municipal government, for HK$11.6 billion. The Sale and Purchase Agreement was signed on 10 April 2007. Completion is scheduled to take place on 30 June 2007.

Beijing Gas Group is principally engaged in the business of the supply and sale of piped natural gas and related businesses in Beijing. It is also the leading urban supplier of natural gas in China. The purchase will be financed by HK$4 billion in cash and the issuance of 411.3 million new shares at HK$18.48 each, worth Hk$7.6 billion. Immediately after completion of the transaction, the Beijing municipal government will control 71.12 per cent of the listed entity.

Beijing Enterprises Holdings Limited, a Hong Kong-listed company, is the investment arm of the Beijing municipal government, and focuses on urban utilities and infrastructure. It also controls Beijing Yanjing Brewery, toll roads, expressways and water treatment plants.

The Baker & McKenzie team led by corporate partners Cheung Yuk Tong and Dorothea Koo acted as deal counsel on this complex transaction. They were assisted by associates Rossana Chu and Tony Chong as well as a team of lawyers from the firm’s corporate, finance and tax teams.

CICC acted as financial adviser to Beijing Enterprises Holdings Limited and CLSA Equity Capital Markets Limited acted as independent financial adviser to the independent board committee and the independent shareholders of the company.

04-19-2007

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Baker & Hostetler, L.L.P.

Dettelbach Addresses Ethics & Compliance Officers Association
Cleveland/Washington, D.C., partner Steve Dettelbach was invited to speak at the annual Sponsoring Partner Forum of the Ethics and Compliance Officers Association (ECOA).

Dettelbach was on a panel entitled "E-discovery: Managing Compliance and Risk Challenges." His copanelist was Beryl Howell, currently serving as a Commissioner on the U.S. Sentencing Commission and the former General Counsel of the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee.

The presentation dealt with the challenges of responding to investigations and civil discovery involving electronic communications from the perspective of a large corporate compliance program, including:

* Evaluating the environment and the risks
* Verifying compliance with preservation obligations
* Implementing successful practices

04-19-2007

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