Law Firm News

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Law Firm News

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Morrison & Foerster, LLP

Tax Partner Joins Morrison & Foerster’s San Diego Office
Morrison & Foerster LLP is pleased to announce that Peter Elias has joined the firm as a partner in its San Diego office. Mr. Elias joins the firm’s Tax Department, where his practice will focus on joint ventures, LLC, mergers and acquisitions, and cross-border tax issues. He recently has focused his practice extensively in the fund formation and private equity area, forming and advising promoters and investors in all types of pooled investment vehicles, including real estate and opportunity funds, hedge funds, and venture capital funds.

Mr. Elias’s tax expertise advising clients in joint ventures, mergers and acquisitions, project finance transactions, strategic investments and workouts, and real estate transactions will make him a valuable asset to both the corporate and real estate practices at the firm.

“We are delighted to have Pete with us. He will be a great addition to the team and will expand our tax capabilities on the West Coast, allowing us to better serve our corporate and real estate clients,” said Thomas Humphreys, chair of the Tax Department. “Pete’s outstanding tax skills, particularly in the corporate area, will allow our office to be truly full-service for our corporate clients,” added Mark Zebrowski, managing partner of the firm’s San Diego office.

Mr. Elias said, “Morrison & Foerster provides me with a great platform to expand my practice. The firm's deep commitment to client service will give me the opportunity to build on existing relationships and contribute to the continued growth of the firm’s tax practice.”

Mr. Elias joins the firm from Foley & Lardner. Mr. Elias received his J.D. from the University of California, Hastings School of Law in 1992, and his LL.M. in taxation from the New York University School of Law in 1993. He graduated, magna cum laude, from the University of Pittsburgh. He was admitted to the California State Bar in 1993.

04-05-2007

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Morrison & Foerster, LLP

Morrison & Foerster Advises on Pipeline Boosting Life Science Deals
The Corporate Group in Morrison & Foerster's London office closed a further two Life Sciences M&A transactions last week reflecting the ongoing trend for larger pharmaceutical companies boosting their development activities and global research infrastructure through acquisition. In the last quarter of 2006 the industry witnessed a spate of acquisitions, and recent deals Morrison & Foerster has been involved in suggests that this will continue well into 2007.

The two deals last week involved the leading gene therapy company, Oxford BioMedica, acquiring Oxxon Therapeutics Limited, a privately held biotechnology company, based in Oxford, UK and Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited, the largest pharmaceutical company in Japan, acquiring the drug discovery and development company Paradigm Therapeutics Limited.

Oxford Biomedica: A team including James Gubbins, Natalie Diep and Mark O’Donnell represented Oxford BioMedica Plc on its £16 million acquisition of Oxxon Therapeutics Limited (“Oxxon”). Oxxon’s lead cancer vaccine has completed a Phase II trial in melanoma, the only solid tumour that cannot be treated with Oxford BioMedica’s TroVax. Oxxon’s technology has broad product applications in cancer and infectious diseases and will create new licensing opportunities. Oxxon has other therapeutic programmes addressing infectious diseases, including hepatitis B and HIV, in addition to its strong intellectual property estate that broadens and complements Oxford BioMedica’s proprietary position in immunotherapy and gene-based medicines.

Paradigm Therapeutics: A large London-based team represented the selling shareholders Avlar BioVentures, Merlin Biosciences, Bio-1 and Lloyds Development Capital on the sale of Paradigm to Takeda. The acquisition builds on Takeda and Paradigm’s 2005 CNS therapeutic area alliance. Paradigm’s technologies and researchers will be integrated into Takeda and will help to accelerate multiple scientific processes such as the validation of drug targets derived from genomic research and the optimization of drug candidates. The Morrison & Foerster team was led by Paul Claydon and James Halstead and included Sophie Waels, Matthew Edwards, Waltter Kulvik and Simon Williams in the London Corporate group, with able support from Julian Thurston, Tara Sherbrooke and James Ryan, from the Technology Transactions Group. Tax support was provided by Trevor James and Singapore issues were handled by Ying Ming Ho in the Singapore office.

Paul Claydon, commented: “These two deals, in addition to the sale of Arrow to AstraZeneca which we completed last month, demonstrate a pharmaceuticalindustry eager to fill pipeline gaps by acquiring smaller biotech companies.” The acquisition of Arrow further strengthens AstraZeneca’s portfolio of anti-infective treatments and augments AstraZeneca’s portfolio with clinical and pre-clinical compounds and programmes. Further illustrating the trend, last November, Genentech made its first acquisition in its 30-year history when it bought Houston-based biotech Tanox for $919 million, one of the largest acquisitions in the sector last year. Morrison & Foerster LLP represented Tanox in its negotiations of a three-way deal with Novartis and Genentech regarding Xolair and other anti-IgE products.

04-05-2007

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Davis Polk & Wardwell

Davis Polk Advises Software AG on Its Acquisition of webMethods
Davis Polk & Wardwell is advising Software AG on its acquisition of webMethods, Inc. webMethods provides business integration software that integrates, assembles and optimizes information technology assets to drive business process productivity. Headquartered in Darmstadt, Germany, Software AG is a global leader in mission-critical software infrastructure solutions based on open standards.

According to the terms of the transaction, Software AG will acquire webMethods through a cash tender offer for $9.15 per share, or approximately $546 million. The transaction is expected to be completed in the second quarter of 2007 and is subject to customary closing conditions, including regulatory clearances.

The Davis Polk corporate team includes partner Martin A. Wellington and associates Mischa Travers and Christopher Pan, all of the Menlo Park office, partner Patrick S. Kenadjian of the Frankfurt office and partner Peter R. Douglas and associates Waqaas Fahmawi and Joanna A. McGinley (not yet admitted), all of the New York office. Partner Harry Ballan and associates Gregory T. Hannibal and M. Ryan LaRosa, all of the New York office, are providing tax advice. Partner Barbara Nims and associate Ron M. Aizen, both of the New York office, are providing employment advice. Partner Arthur J. Burke of the Menlo Park officer and associate Stephen M. Pepper of the New York office are providing antitrust advice. Counsel Margaret M. Ayres and associate Bethany K. Hipp, both of the Washington, D.C. office, are providing Exon-Florio advice. The intellectual property team includes partner Steven S. Weiner of the Menlo Park office and associate Stefan Quick (not yet admitted) of the New York office. Mathew Cohen of the New York office is the legal assistant for the transaction.

04-05-2007

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Robinson & Cole LLP

Robinson & Cole Land Use Lawyer Profiled in New England Real Estate Journal
Robinson & Cole Land Use Lawyer Dwight H. Merriam was recently profiled in the New England Real Estate Journal.

04-05-2007

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McGuireWoods LLP

Nine McGuireWoods Lawyers in Tysons Corner Office Named “Washington, D.C. Super Lawyers” for 2007
Nine McGuireWoods’ lawyers in the firm’s Tysons Corner office have been named “Washington, D.C. Super Lawyers” for 2007 in a recent study by Law & Politics magazine. The list of “Washington, D.C. Super Lawyers” appeared in the March issues of Washington, D.C. Super Lawyers magazine and an advertising supplement of The New York Times distributed in the Washington, D.C. area.

As part of the selection process, Law & Politics magazine conducts a regional survey of lawyers who have been in practice for at least five years, asking them to nominate the best attorneys they've personally observed in action. In addition, the Law & Politics attorney-led research department reviews the nominees’ credentials and evaluates indicators of professional achievement, including verdicts and settlements, transactions, honors and awards, special licenses and certifications, bar and/or other professional activity, pro bono and community service, scholarly lectures and writings, experience, position within the law firm and representative clients.

The following McGuireWoods partners were named as Washington, D.C. Super Lawyers for 2007:

* Ronald D. Aucutt, Estate Planning & Probate
* Thomas C. Brown, Jr., Business/Corporate
* Melissa M. Glassman, Business Litigation
* Dennis R. McArver, Real Estate
* Richard S. Meyer, Intellectual Property
* Sean F. Murphy, Business Litigation
* Clive R. G. O’Grady, Business/Corporate
* Stephen W. Robinson, Employment Litigation: Defense
* Thomas E. Spahn, Business Litigation.

04-05-2007

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Fulbright & Jaworski L.L.P.

Fulbright Associate Wins Arbitration Over Domain Name Dispute
Fulbright senior associate Sarah Silbert defended 360Skate LLC in an arbitration initiated by SkateboardDirectory.com, which operates a web site on skateboards and skateboarding, providing links to sources of information on the Internet.

SkateboardDirectory.com filed a complaint before the National Arbitration Forum, pursuant to the Uniform Domain Name Dispute Resolution Policy (UDRP) adopted by the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN).

ICANN is the organization responsible for the global coordination of the internet's system of unique identifiers. The UDRP is incorporated by reference in all domain name registration agreements for domain names ending in, among others, .com, .net and .org. Skateboard Directory filed its complaint after 360Skate began to operate a similar Web site from the web address, 360skatedirectory.com.

Skateboarddirectory.com sought to transfer or cancel the 360skate domain name on the grounds that:

* 360Skate's use of "skatedirectory" was confusingly similar to Skateboarddirectory.com's common-law "skateboarddirectory.com' and "skateboarddirectory" service marks;
* 360Skate had no legitimate interest in the domain name; and
* 360Skate.com registered the domain name in bad faith.

360Skate argued, among other things, that the complaint failed on the first element because Skateboarddirectory.com could not have exclusive rights on its alleged marks, arguing that they were generic descriptors of Skateboarddirectory.com's services. The NAF arbitrative panel agreed with 360Skate, stating "SkateboardDirectory" had not "reached the threshold of acquiring the necessary degree of distinctiveness to establish the phrase exclusively in the public's mind with Complainant." The panel therefore found it unnecessary to consider the remaining elements of the UDRP claim, and ruled for 360Skate.

Sarah Silbert's practice focuses on trademark enforcement litigation and brand protection counseling. She has litigated numerous intellectual property matters in federal district courts throughout the United States, and before the Trademark Trial and Appeals Board.

Around the globe, Fulbright & Jaworski is at the leading edge of arbitration and alternative dispute resolution. With many potential remedies for disputes, Fulbright's Arbitration Group pursues the best solution for each client and each dispute.

04-05-2007

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Fulbright & Jaworski L.L.P.

Fulbright Only Law Firm Named by City of Houston as “Flexible Work Place Employer"
Fulbright was recently designated as a "Flexible Work Place Employer" by the City of Houston as part of Mayor Bill White’s Flexible Workplace Initiative. The first distinction of its kind, Fulbright is the only law firm so far to receive this designation. The City’s qualifications to receive the designation are:

* Have an established business case for flexible work options
* 35% or more of the organization's management team is knowledgeable about flexible work options and how-to leverage the advantages and mitigate the disadvantages inherent to flexing
* 75% or more of the organization's jobs have been evaluated for suitability with flexible work options
* 80% of the organization's employees understand the flexible work options that are available to them
* 40% or more of the organization's employees eligible to flex are participating in a flexible work option
* Periodic evaluations of the flexible work options with revisions to the program based on the results of the evaluation

Fulbright’s Houston office has been named by among the best places to work for the last three years, winning top honors for "Best Place to Work" among large employers in 2004.

04-05-2007

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