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Law Firm News

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Simpson, Thacher & Bartlett, LLP

Simpson Thacher Wins Important Victory for Client Moody's Investors Service in Uruguay
Simpson Thacher recently achieved a significant victory in a series of Uruguayan litigations that the firm has been spearheading since 2002 on behalf of rating agency client, Moody's Investors Service, Inc. Following the collapse in 2002 of Banco de Montevideo, one of the largest private banks in Uruguay, an economic rescission in Uruguay coupled with an internal fraud within the Bank led investors in the Bank to initiate approximately 35 lawsuits in Uruguay against the Bank, the Central Bank of Uruguay and Moody's to recover investments (mostly bank deposits and bonds) totaling approximately $80 million. Plaintiffs claimed they had relied in making their investments in the Bank on Moody's ratings of the Bank's term deposits, and sought to recover their investments from Moodys on a tort theory. Judgment in the first case to reach the merits was rendered on March 23, 2007. The Court held both the Bank and the Central Bank of Uruguay liable for plaintiffs' losses, but dismissed all of plaintiffs' claims against our client Moody's. In dismissing the claims against Moody's, the Court adopted virtually all of Moody's defenses both on the law and on the facts. The judgment is an important precedent because it is the first non-US decision worldwide on the liability of a rating agency to investors who allegedly rely on its ratings in making investments.

The successful Simpson Thacher team for Moody's consisted of Robert Smit, Tyler Robinson and Sara Ricciardi.

04-04-2007

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Ropes & Gray, LLP

Harry Rubin joins Ropes & Gray
Ropes & Gray is pleased to announce that Harry Rubin has become a corporate partner and a partner in its Fish & Neave Intellectual Property Group. Rubin will base his practice in the firm’s New York office.

Rubin has extensive experience in the representation of technology companies and users in global and domestic joint ventures; applications development and maintenance (ADM) outsourcing; supply side/manufacturing outsourcing; IP protection and technology commercialization strategies, and IP support for complex M&A transactions. His clients range from startups to multinational companies from every continent, including companies in the defense, software, bio-information, life science, medical devices, financial services, and Internet sectors.

Rubin comes to Ropes & Gray from Heller Ehrman, where he was the national co-chair of the IP transactions group. He has been cited as one of Euromoney’s “World’s Top 25 Technology, Media and Telecommunications attorneys,” and he has been recognized by The Best Lawyers in America. A prolific author and speaker, Rubin wrote International Technology Transfers, which is widely recognized as the standard reference text in the field. He has given more than 25 speeches and presentations at conferences throughout the world.

“Harry is a tremendous addition to our group,” said Edward G. Black, a corporate partner and co-chair of the Fish & Neave Intellectual Property Group of Ropes & Gray. “In addition to his expertise in transactional intellectual property matters, his broad background and versatile experience allow him to bring his skills to bear across many of the firm’s practice groups, ranging from strategic transactions and private equity to the firms international practice, to the firm's industry-focused life sciences and high-tech groups.”

“By joining Ropes & Gray, in New York I’m taking my practice to the next level,” added Rubin. “My experience fits nicely with several of the firm’s leading national practice groups, and I look forward to serving the firm’s sophisticated clients in a variety of capacities.”

Rubin is admitted to practice in California, Massachusetts, New York, and Washington, D.C. He earned his undergraduate degree from Harvard University and his law degree from Columbia University. He is fluent in French, German and Hebrew.

04-04-2007

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Miller, Canfield, Paddock & Stone, P.L.C.

Miller Canfield Attorney Robert Wright Elected Secretary of Grand Rapids Bar Association's ADR Section Executive Committee
Miller Canfield announces that Robert E.L. Wright, an attorney-mediator in the Grand Rapids office, has been elected secretary of the ADR Section Executive Committee of the Grand Rapids Bar Association.

Wright is a Harvard-trained facilitative mediator and neutral arbitrator, resolving commercial, construction, divorce and employment disputes. He has over 25 years’ experience in litigation for plaintiffs and defendants with particular emphasis in alternative dispute resolution and commercial litigation, including bankruptcy. He is listed in The Best Lawyers in America, 2006 and 2007 editions, as well as Michigan Super Lawyers 2006, for his work as a mediator.

He is a volunteer mediator for the Western Michigan Dispute Resolution Center in Grand Rapids and received its Trail Blazer Award for his leadership role in making peaceful resolution of disputes a possibility for citizens of West Michigan. He was recently appointed to co-chair of the Standing Committee on ADR Practice Management, Business and Skills Development for the American Bar Association Dispute Resolution Section; to the ADR Oversight Committee of the Kent County Circuit Court; and to the Mediation Advisory Board of the Institute of Continuing Legal Education (ICLE).

Wright received his J.D. from Wayne State University Law School, an M.A. in Psychology from the University of Santa Monica, California, and a B.A., magna cum laude, from Western Michigan University.

He is admitted to all courts in Michigan and Florida and is a member of the Association for Conflict Resolution, National Association for Community Mediation, Dispute Resolution Center of West Michigan (president), Michigan Council for Family and Divorce Mediation, American Bar Association, State Bar of Michigan, Grand Rapids Bar Association and the American Bankruptcy Institute along with numerous civic and charitable organizations.

He resides in Ada, Michigan with his wife, Arlene.

04-04-2007

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Adams & Reese LLP

Carmody Accepts Two-Year Appointment on the 11th Circuit Admissions Council of the American College of Bankruptcy
"Richard P. Carmody, a partner in the Birmingham office of Adams and Reese, has been appointed to serve a two-year term on the 11th Circuit Admissions Council of the American College of Bankruptcy. A Circuit Admissions Council is appointed for each of the 11 federal judicial circuits, and is responsible for the review and evaluation of prospective Fellows, and for recommending them to the Board of Regents for election to the College. He is the only attorney in Alabama currently serving on this Council. Formed in 1989 and comprised of approximately 650 Fellows, the mission of the College is to honor and recognize distinguished bankruptcy professionals who set standards achievement for others in the insolvency community. The College also funds and assists projects that enhance the highest quality of bankruptcy practice, including undergraduate and graduate programs and pro bono projects related to bankruptcy and insolvency.

Carmody, who was inducted into the College as Fellow in 1999, is one of the firm's principal bankruptcy partners. He represents clients with a broad spectrum of interests in difficult financial situations, including secured lenders in working out troubled loans, unsecured creditors in bankruptcy proceedings, debtors in bankruptcy reorganizations, trustees in special bankruptcy litigation matters and purchasers of assets from bankruptcy estates. He has appeared in Bankruptcy Courts in the three Federal Districts in Alabama, as well as Tennessee, Texas, Delaware, Arkansas and New York.Carmody's experience transfers over to transactional matters, as well. He regularly represents lenders and borrowers in complex commercial lending transactions, including forestry and agricultural loans. He helps to develop lending forms and lending policy for financial institutions, and he counsels, and helps plan, complex business transactions involving the purchase and sale of businesses and assets. He has prosecuted and defended financial institutions in federal and state courts on matters involving all facets of the Uniform Commercial Code.

In 1992, Carmody became the first lawyer in Alabama to become certified as a specialist in business bankruptcy by the American Board of Certification, and he is currently is a member of its Standards Committee. Carmody is also recognized as a founding member of the American Bankruptcy Institute, and served as co-chair of its Ethics Committee from 1999 – 2005. He is an active member of the Alabama and Birmingham Bar Associations.
Carmody is a frequent lecturer and writer on bankruptcy and commercial law topics. He served as the first chair of the Alabama State Bar Section on Bankruptcy and Commercial Law and is a member of the Alabama Law Institute's Committees for revision of the UCC (Articles 3, 4, 4A, 5 and 9). Carmody is listed among The Best Lawyers in America (Bankruptcy and Creditor-Debtor Rights Law), and the International Who's Who of Professionals listing. In 2002, the Alabama State Bar recognized him as a ""Lawyer Rendering Service.""

Carmody earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in Finance from the University of Illinois in 1964, and received his Juris Doctor degree from Vanderbilt University Law School in 1975. Prior to attending law school, Carmody served eight years as an officer in the United States Army Field Artillery, including two tours in Vietnam. He has been recognized with several awards for his military service."

04-04-2007

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King & Spalding

King & Spalding Ranks 18th for M&A Deals for the First Quarter
"King & Spalding, a leading international law firm, ranks 18th in the value of its completed mergers and acquisitions deals for the first three months of 2007, according to Global Securities Information, Inc., a provider of specialty information services to legal and financial professionals.

GSI credited King & Spalding with 9 completed deals in the first quarter of 2007, with a total estimated value of $28.1 billion."

04-04-2007

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Katten Muchin Rosenman LLP

Katten Muchin Rosenman Names 11 New Partners
"The Board of Directors of Katten Muchin Rosenman LLP is pleased to announce that it has elected 11 attorneys to partner.

“This is a group of very talented attorneys,” said Vincent A. F. Sergi, the Firm’s National Managing Partner. “They have all demonstrated the commitment to professionalism and dedication to client service that we expect of those who advance in the firm, and we look forward to their continued success.”

The board selected attorneys from seven practices (Corporate, Commercial Finance, Intellectual Property, Litigation and Dispute Resolution, Real Estate, Tax Planning, Trusts and Estates) across four Firm offices.

In Chicago:
Valentina Famparska, in the Tax Planning Practice, concentrates on federal and state taxation, focusing in venture capital, private equity and emerging growth companies, partnerships, and mergers and acquisitions. Ms. Famparska graduated from Sofia University School of Law, Bulgaria with a law degree and highest honors. In Bulgaria, she practiced for five years in the areas of commercial law, corporate law and taxation. She also worked as a legal advisor for the Bulgarian Ministry of Finance, Department of Taxation. Ms. Famparska received a law degree, magna cum laude, from Loyola University Chicago School of Law.

Brooks T. Giles, in the Corporate Practice, concentrates on private company mergers and acquisitions. He has represented both buyers and sellers in acquisitions, including stock purchases, asset sales, tax-free mergers, and leveraged buyout situations. Mr. Giles also has experience in public and private corporate finance transactions, including registered and 144A debt offerings, registered equity offerings and venture capital financings. His public company experience includes mergers, tender offers, hostile proxy contests and general corporate advice, including poison pills. Mr. Giles received his B.A. from the University of Chicago and holds both a J.D. with honors and an LL.M. from Duke University School of Law.

Derek F. Ladgenski, in the Commercial Finance Practice, concentrates on all aspects of corporate finance, including secured and unsecured senior financing, mezzanine financing, equity co-investments and similar products for a wide variety of lending syndicates and institutional and entrepreneurial finance and corporate clients. He has experience with several distinct lending products, including secured and unsecured asset-based and cash flow loans, debtor-in-possession financings, loans to distressed companies, securitizations, Islamic Shari’ah-compliant loans, real estate-based loan packages, loans to energy and utility companies and secured and unsecured mezzanine loans. Mr. Ladgenski holds a B.S. with distinction and a B.A. from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and received his J.D., magna cum laude, from the University of Illinois College of Law.

Stephen J. Lombardo, III, in the Corporate Practice, concentrates his work primarily in the areas of private equity/venture capital, mergers and acquisitions and general corporate work. He has worked on a wide range of transactions (valued from $1 million to $15 billion) representing clients in a wide variety of industries including restaurant and food, technology, manufacturing, healthcare, aerospace, and finance. He holds a B.S.B.A. as well as a J.D. from Georgetown University, and is also a CPA.
Eric A. Smith, in the Corporate Practice, focuses his work primarily in private equity and mergers and acquisitions, but also counsels clients in matters related to public and private securities matters. His primary focus is representing private equity funds and their portfolio companies. He has also been involved in providing advice to corporate clients involved in leveraged buyouts, consolidations, restructurings and various other types of corporate transactions, as well as to executives involved in various private equity transactions. Mr. Smith holds a B.S. with honors from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and a joint J.D., magna cum laude, M.B.A. from the University of Illinois in Champaign.

Philip J. Tortorich, in the Trusts and Estates Practice, concentrates in the areas of tax- and estate-planning matters, primarily representing wealthy individuals and closely-held corporations. His work includes consulting with clients regarding tax-efficient structuring of corporate entities, including C corporations, S corporations, limited-liability companies, limited partnerships, and hybrid-type entities. He also designs trusts that shift the future growth of a client’s net worth out of the client’s estate while minimizing the exposure to gift taxation. Mr. Tortorich regularly advises clients on structuring personal family investment companies, as well as their philanthropic goals. He holds a B.A. from Loyola University Chicago and a J.D., cum laude, from Loyola University Chicago School of Law.

In Los Angeles:
James J. Thompson, in the Corporate Practice, counsels clients on a wide range of matters including mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures, reorganizations, formation and financing transactions for emerging growth companies, public and private offerings of equity and debt securities, 1933 Securities Act and 1934 Exchange Act compliance and periodic reporting, corporate governance matters and general corporate representation. He advises publicly-traded corporations and privately-held corporations and other business entities, investment banks, commercial banks and other financial institutions. He has represented clients in industries including, technology, e-commerce and the Internet, health care, biotechnology, real estate, gaming, entertainment, education, financial services and consulting sectors. He holds a B.A., magna cum laude, from Georgetown University and a J.D. from the University of Southern California School of Law.

Laurie Cohen Yoo, in the Litigation and Dispute Resolution Practice, concentrates her practice in real estate litigation. Ms. Yoo represents retail shopping center owners, managers, and developers in a wide range of matters including lease enforcement, public access, and disability discrimination (ADA). She regularly counsels clients on shopping center management issues and enforcement of private property interests. She holds a B.A., cum laude, from Pomona College and a J.D. from UCLA School of Law.

In New York:
Julie Pechersky, in the Litigation and Dispute Resolution Practice, focuses on the defense of private and publicly-traded companies and their directors and officers in securities actions, directors’ and officers’ liability actions, and governmental and regulatory investigations and litigation. She also serves as counsel to companies in internal investigations. Ms. Pechersky has represented clients in a wide range of matters relating to allegations of accounting irregularities and securities fraud. Prior to joining the Firm, Ms. Pechersky clerked for Chief Judge Sylvia Rambo, United States District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania. She holds a B.A. with honors from the University of Pittsburgh and a J.D. from New York University School of Law.

Susan Lee Saslow, in the Real Estate Practice, concentrates in all aspects of real estate transactional matters, including commercial acquisitions and dispositions, leasing, real estate finance and development of all types of real properties. Her practice primarily focuses in the areas of conventional and securitized real estate financings. She has extensive experience representing institutional clients and private investors and developers in sophisticated debt and equity financings, advising both borrowers and lenders in complex transactions involving multi-state, multi-property portfolios, mezzanine financings, securitized loan originations, construction loans and loan participations. She holds a B.A. from Wesleyan University and earned her J.D., cum laude, from Albany Law School of Union University.

In Washington:
Justin L. Krieger, in the Intellectual Property Practice, focuses on intellectual property litigation, patent prosecution, and client counseling with a technical background in chemistry. Mr. Krieger concentrates on patent litigation and has participated in all phases of patent litigation including discovery, trial and appeals. As a registered patent attorney, Mr. Krieger is also actively involved in prosecuting patent applications in the chemical engineering, metallurgical, nanotechnology, medical device, mechanical, consumer products, business method and software technology fields. He has extensive experience prosecuting domestic and international patent applications including reexamination and reissue applications. He has also provided numerous non-infringement and validity opinions in the chemical, polymer and mechanical arts from both due diligence and litigation perspectives. Mr. Krieger received a B.S. in Chemistry from the College of William and Mary and his J.D. from the University of Florida College of Law.
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04-04-2007

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Hunton & Williams, LLP

Hunton & Williams Ranks #1 for Announced U.S. Target M&A Deals on Thomson Financial List
"Hunton & Williams’ M&A practice advised clients on $107 billion in transactions in the first quarter 2007, earning a #1 ranking for advising on announced deals involving U.S. targets in Thomson Financial’s first quarter league tables.

The firm advised Altria in its spin-off of Kraft, the largest spin-off ever, and private equity firms KKR and Texas Pacific Group in the acquisition of TXU. The firm also represented long time client Banco Santander in a $5 billion asset acquisition, among other transactions. Hunton & Williams ranked near the top of all major M&A league tables for the first quarter: ‡ Thomson Financial: The firm ranked first in announced U.S. target deals, and fourth in global announced deals.

Mergermarket: The firm ranked third in value of global deals for the first quarter.
Bloomberg: The firm earned a second
place ranking for U.S. M&A deals by volume, and a fifth place ranking for global M&A deals.
“These rankings are truly significant — they reflect the extraordinary work of our M&A lawyers involved in the reported transactions, and the confidence placed in the firm by our clients who rely on us to handle their largest transactions,” said Jerry Whitson, head of Hunton & Williams’ Business Practice Group. “We are particularly gratified to have worked on both the largest spin-off and largest private equity transaction in history and to see continued growth in our highly successful private equity and Latin America practices.”
According to Thomson Financial, deal volume was up 27 percent globally and 32 percent in the US over the same period last year."

04-04-2007

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