Law Firm News

---

Law Firm News

Firm Name

News Title

News

News Date

25383 matches |  11138-11144 displayed

1  1591 1592 1593 1594 1595  3627

---

McDermott Will & Emery

MWE China Law Offices Opens in Shanghai, China
MWE China Law Offices, a newly formed Shanghai-based law firm licensed in the People’s Republic of China, has entered into a strategic alliance with McDermott Will & Emery, an international law firm with 14 offices in the United States and Europe, to provide global companies based within and outside of China superior global client service with access to leading attorneys within China and around the globe.

MWE China Law Offices was recently founded by John Z.L. Huang and Kevin Y. Qian to provide legal services and business advice to both Chinese and foreign-based companies doing business in China. Both John and Kevin recently left their former Shanghai-based firm, Allbright Law Offices. John was one of four founding partners of Allbright in 1998; Kevin chaired Allbright's corporate practice and served as a member of its Executive Committee. Under their leadership, Allbright grew to be a pre-eminent, China-based, global legal practice. Approximately 25 associates have joined their new firm. MWE China Law Offices will serve as an international law firm and, through its exclusive strategic alliance with McDermott Will & Emery, will extend its global reach to the United States and Europe. McDermott Will & Emery, which represents clients based in 70 countries, now adds China to its global platform.

The founders of MWE China Law Offices have extensive legal experience in China, and both have a substantial international practice. John is a leading lawyer in the areas of venture capital financing, foreign direct investment, intellectual property law, and international arbitration and litigation. A Ford Foundation Fellow, he received his J.D. from the University of California, Hastings College of the Law; his L.L.M. from the University of California in Los Angeles; and his L.L.B. and L.L.M degrees from the East China Institute of Politics and Law. Kevin, who has practiced law for both U.S. and China-based law firms, as well as served as in-house counsel for two global companies with operations in China, is a leading lawyer in the areas of financial and commercial law and intellectual property law. He received his J.D. from the University of Minnesota Law School and his L.L.M. from the East China Institute of Politics. He is also a graduate of Fudan University, where he received his L.L.B.

John stated, "We are very excited about founding a new international law firm based in China that has global reach and a broad selection of services to meet our clients’ needs." Kevin noted, "We are pleased to join in a strategic alliance with McDermott Will & Emery. The strategic alliance will benefit both our clients and the McDermott Will & Emery clients who operate in Asia."

Harvey Freishtat, Chair of McDermott Will & Emery, commented, "We are very pleased to be able to expand our international service platform to China through our strategic alliance with John, Kevin and their associates. Through the eyes of our mutual clients, we have come to know of John and Kevin's leadership abilities, keen legal and business acumen, and reputation in the legal market within China. We are pleased that McDermott and MWE China Law Offices now have a seamless legal solution for their respective international clients."

The strategic alliance calls for MWE China Law Offices to continue as a separate legal entity owned by its Chinese partners. Shared standards have been developed for client service, quality assurance procedures and professional training as well as shared IT and telecommunications infrastructure. Both firms have agreed that growing MWE China Law Offices meets the needs of the clients of each firm. McDermott Will & Emery will consider the MWE China Law Offices as another location for its clients to receive the international client service they have come to expect.

McDermott Will & Emery operates nine offices in the United States and five offices in Europe, including offices in Belgium, Italy, the United Kingdom and two offices in Germany. McDermott is among the 25 largest law firms in the world. MWE China Law Offices will be among the top tier of international law firms providing service in China.

01-29-2007

---

Jones, Walker, Waechter, Poitevent, Carrere & Denegre, L.L.P.

Arnie Havens, Former General Counsel, U.S. Treasury Department, Joins
The law firm of Jones, Walker, Waechter, Poitevent, Carrère & Denègre, L.L.P., is pleased to announce that Arnold I “Arnie” Havens, former General Counsel of the United States Department of the Treasury, has joined the Firm as a partner in its Washington office.

“We are delighted that Arnie has chosen to work with Jones Walker. His background and expertise, both domestically and internationally, will provide an invaluable resourc e to our clients,” said Jones Walker Managing Partner, Bill Hines. “Arnie’s broad experience in the public and private sectors not only complements our Firm’s strengths, but also enhances the Firm’s ability to address client needs in the face of increasing regulatory pressure worldwide,” he continued.

Havens was the United States Department of the Treasury’s General Counsel, a position from which he oversaw the activities of approximately 1,400 Treasury Department attorneys, including those at the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FINCEN), and the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS). As such, he was involved at the highest levels of the Federal government in the interpretation, development and implementation of a wide range of laws and regulations, including those involving federal tax, banking, finance, international affairs, trade, and insurance.

In that capacity, Havens worked closely with senior officials across the Federal government, including those at the Federal Reserve, the Comptroller of the Currency, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC), and the Office of Thrift Supervision (OTS). On the international front, he served as part of the Treasury Department delegation at numerous finance meetings, including the 2004 G7 meeting in Boca Raton, the 2004 G20 meeting in Berlin, and the 2006 G8 meeting in St. Petersburg.

“I am excited to join the Jones Walker team and to add my extensive public and private sector experience to the Firm. It is an outstanding Firm with a long history and proven track record of providing quality legal services,” Havens said. “I am particularly impressed by Jones Walker’s ongoing work to help Louisiana and the Gulf Coast region recover and rebuild in the aftermath of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita,” he continued.

“As we continue to grapple with the recovery of the Gulf Coast region, Arnie’s intimate knowledge of the GO Zone and other federal initiatives in this area will be particularly valuable to our clients,” said Chris Johnsen, partner in Jones Walker’s Washington, D.C. office. “Moreover, the Firm will greatly benefit from Arnie’s insights into such additional areas as financial services, and rail and maritime transportation,” he continued. Prior to his service at the Treasury Department, Havens was Senior Vice President for Government Affairs at CSX Corporation. During his tenure at CSX, the company’s transportation operating units included CSX Transportation, Sea-Land Service and American Commercial Barge Line.

01-29-2007

---

Jones, Walker, Waechter, Poitevent, Carrere & Denegre, L.L.P.

Duncan Elected Chairman of Audubon Nature Institute Board of Directors
Maritime partner Kelly Duncan has been elected Chairman of the Audubon Nature Institute Board of Directors. The Audubon Nature Institute's family of museums and parks dedicated to nature include: Audubon Park, Audubon Zoo, Woldenberg Riverfront Park, Audubon Aquarium of the Americas, Freeport McMoRan Audubon Species Survival Center, Entergy IMAX Theatre, Audubon Louisiana Nature Center, Audubon Center for Research of Endangered Species, Audubon Wilderness Park, Audubon Insectarium, and Audubon Nature Institute Foundation.

01-29-2007

---

Jenner & Block LLP

U.S. Bankruptcy Court Rules in Favor of Trustee of the Bankruptcy Estates of Delta Phones, Inc. and EZ Talk Communications, LLC
Following a six-day trial, the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Northern District of Illinois, Eastern Division, ruled on January 10 that the former principals of Naperville-based Delta Phones, Inc. and EZ Talk Communications, LLC, who had each individually filed for bankruptcy protection, were not entitled to have their debts discharged under the federal Bankruptcy Code.

Jenner & Block Partners Seth A. Travis and Terence G. Banich represented Firm Partner Ronald R. Peterson, who served as the Chapter 7 trustee of the bankruptcy estates of Delta Phones, Inc. and EZ Talk Communications, LLC.

In so finding, the Court agreed with Mr. Peterson that the former principals had committed various acts prohibited by the Bankruptcy Code. For example, the Court found that the defendants had removed Delta Phones' computers and furniture from its Naperville offices with the specific intent of hiding those assets from Mr. Peterson, repeatedly lied under oath about their compensation and left the Delta Phones' offices and files in utter disarray.

As a result of the ruling, the defendants’ creditors may still pursue them to make good on their pre-bankruptcy debts. The judge also recommended that Mr. Peterson formally refer the former principals' conduct to the United States Attorney's Office for possible criminal prosecution.

“This ruling sends a strong message to individual debtors who abscond with estate property, lie under oath regarding their bankruptcy proceedings and fail to keep their books and records adequately,” said Mr. Banich.

In addition to Messrs. Banich, Travis and Peterson, the Jenner & Block team on this matter included Associates Jeremy T. Stillings and Alison A. Dieterichs, Former Associate Donald S. Boyce, Paralegal Toi Hooker, Project Assistant Robert T. Gianneschi and Former Project Assistant Kathryn Schauer.

Mr. Peterson has been a member of the panel of Chapter 7 Trustees for the Northern District of Illinois, Eastern Division, since 1987. He presides over approximately 100 consumer bankruptcy cases per month.

01-29-2007

---

Hogan & Hartson LLP

Miami Office Wins 2007 Chief Justice’s Law Firm Commendation Award From the Supreme Court of Florida for Pro Bono Work
Hogan & Hartson LLP announced today that it has received the 2007 Chief Justice’s Law Firm Commendation Award from the Supreme Court of Florida, given in honor of the firm’s outstanding efforts in support of pro bono legal services. The award was presented at a ceremony on January 25, 2007 at the Supreme Court of Florida.

The Chief Justice's Law Firm Commendation is a statewide award that recognizes a law firm which has demonstrated a significant contribution in the provision of legal services on a pro bono basis to individuals or groups that cannot otherwise afford the services.

The firm’s Miami office has handled a wide range of pro bono matters in the past year. The Florida-based lawyers have worked to establish and help local nonprofits with legal issues vital to their operations. Among many of its pro bono projects, in November 2006, lawyers with the Miami office won a $2.5 million jury verdict in a discrimination case against the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. In addition, the firm has continued its involvement with the report on the Guardian Ad Litem system that was prepared for Gov. Jeb Bush by a working group that is chaired by a Hogan & Hartson Miami partner.

In February 2006 the Miami office held a Pro Bono Open House, inviting state and federal judges, law school deans, and directors of a number of the area's legal assistance groups to speak and meet with Hogan & Hartson lawyers for the purpose of encouraging pro bono work and furthering the firm’s culture of giving back to the community.

More than 35 years ago, Hogan & Hartson became the first major law firm in the United States to establish a separate practice group, the Community Services Department (CSD), devoted exclusively to providing pro bono legal services. Since its inception in 1970, the CSD has been charged with attracting and staffing both high impact matters raising issues of public importance, as well as smaller cases addressing individual problems.

01-29-2007

---

Debevoise & Plimpton, LLP

David W. Rivkin Named Chair of International Bar Association’s Legal Practice Division
David W. Rivkin, a litigation partner and head of the International Dispute Resolution Practice at Debevoise & Plimpton LLP, has been named Chair of the International Bar Association’s Legal Practice Division. Mr. Rivkin’s term will run through December 31, 2008. Mr. Rivkin is a resident of Scarsdale, New York.

The IBA comprises 30,000 individual lawyers and over 195 Bar Associations and Law Societies, and influences the development of international law reform. The IBA’s Legal Practice Division – one of two divisions in the IBA – consists of about 50 committees, such as Arbitration, Antitrust, Securities, Banking and Corporate Counsel. The Division promotes the interchange of information and views as to laws, practices and professional responsibilities relating to the practice of law throughout the world.

"It is an honor to serve as the Chair of the Legal Practice Division during the 60th anniversary of the IBA," said Mr. Rivkin. "I look forward to advancing the far-reaching work of the Division through working with the top lawyers in their fields, who head our many committees. In addition, I have begun some important special projects, such as a task force for resolving overlapping and conflicting laws imposed by countries around the world and an examination of the importance of the rule of law to international business. I hope to continue to enhance the IBA’s position around the world and to promote a greater global understanding of law."

Mr. Rivkin, who works from Debevoise & Plimpton LLP’s New York and London offices, has handled international arbitrations throughout the world and before virtually every major arbitration institution. He also represents European, Latin American and Asian companies in litigation in the United States involving disputes over the enforcement of arbitral awards and arbitration agreements, as well as other transnational disputes. Mr. Rivkin has also represented clients in securities litigation and SEC enforcement proceedings.

In 2006, Mr. Rivkin was honored with the first Chambers USA Award for Excellence in International Arbitration, together with Debevoise partner Donald Francis Donovan, as the top lawyers in that field in the United States, and he has received numerous other awards and honors. Among other positions, he serves as a Director of the American Arbitration Association and as Chair of its Law Committee, as President of the North American Users Council of the London Court of International Arbitration, and as a member of the Council on Foreign Relations. He was a founding member of the NAFTA Advisory Committee on Private Commercial Disputes and is a member of the U.S. Secretary of State’s Advisory Committee on Private International Law. As a member of the Court of Arbitration for Sport, he was an arbitrator at the 2002 and 2004 Olympic Games.

Mr. Rivkin graduated from Yale University in 1977 with a B.A., magna cum laude, in history, and received a J.D. degree from Yale Law School in 1980.

Debevoise & Plimpton LLP is a leading international law firm, representing a wide range of clients around the world. Founded in 1931, the firm has offices in New York, Washington, D.C., London, Paris, Frankfurt, Moscow, Hong Kong and Shanghai. The firm now has over 650 lawyers, including more than 130 lawyers in Europe.

01-29-2007

---

Davies, Ward, Phillips & Vineberg, LLP

Davies Ward Phillips & Vineberg LLP Recruits Leading Pension and Benefits Lawyer
Davies Ward Phillips & Vineberg LLP is pleased to announce that Natasha vandenHoven will join the firm on February 5, 2007 as a partner specializing in the area of pension and benefits law.

Ms vandenHoven joins Davies from Aon Consulting Inc., one of the leading global human capital and management consulting firms, where she managed Aon's Human Capital Practice area in the Central/Western Region of Canada and regularly provided advice to consultants and clients on matters related to pension and benefits law. In addition to her operational role, as a member of Aon's Canadian Management Team, Ms vandenHoven held the dual roles of Senior Vice President, Research, Human Resources and Corporate Counsel, managing the national human resources function and national research department, and overseeing all of Aon's Canadian legal matters. Prior to joining Aon, Ms vandenHoven practised pension, benefits, employment and labour law in private practice for four years. She was also previously a pension analyst with the Financial Services Commission of Ontario (formerly the Pension Commission of Ontario), where she reviewed pension plans and related activities to determine compliance with pension benefits legislation. Ms vandenHoven brings to Davies over 15 years of experience in representing and advising clients on all aspects of the highly specialized area of pension and benefits law.

"Ms vandenHoven brings to Davies exceptional knowledge and experience in an increasingly important area of practice, one that is highly complementary to our current core practice capabilities. The diversity of her experience – as a practising lawyer, a regulator, a consultant and a senior executive – will greatly benefit our clients", said William O'Reilly, Managing Partner of Davies' Toronto office.

01-29-2007

---

25383 matches |  11138-11144 displayed

1  1591 1592 1593 1594 1595  3627