Law Firm News

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Rothman Gordon

ATTORNEY REAPPOINTED TO SWISSVALE ZONING BOARD
Attorney James W. Carroll, Jr., a partner at Rothman Gordon, P.C., was reappointed to the Swissvale Zoning Board of Adjustment for a five-year term. Mr. Carroll first joined the Board in 1986 and has served as Chairperson since 1990.

Mr. Carroll is a partner at the Pittsburgh law firm of Rothman Gordon, P.C. and is a past-president of the Allegheny County Bar Association. He received his undergraduate degree at Georgetown University and his law degree from Villanova University. Mr. Carroll is married to Attorney Lisette "Mimi" McCormick, and they have three children.

01-23-2007

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Levenfeld Pearlstein, LLC

Peter Donati and the Employment Service Group Profiled by Employment Law 360
Levenfeld Pearlstein LLC is a small, fairly new Chicago law firm specializing in corporate law, real estate and litigation, but its Employment Service group offers the experience and know-how of a big name practice.

That’s because the practice group’s leader, Peter Donati, defected from Winston & Strawn LLP to join Levenfeld in 2005, bringing 12 years of experience, clients and connections with him.

“I was pretty happy at Winston,” Donati said. “But to lead this area—to really get a chance to shape the group around my practice—that was an appealing opportunity for me.”

When Levenfeld was founded in 1999 it didn’t have an employment group. The practice came to fruition under Donati, who came on board six years later.

Under his leadership, the Employment Service group has grown to two partners and one associate working full time on employment and benefit matters, and four partners and one associate who work on employment issues as part of their varied practices at the firm.

Since Levenfeld is first and foremost a corporate law firm, many of Donati’s clients are employers. He said although the firm does not focus on specific industry areas, most of the companies Levenfeld represents are in the communications and financial services industries.

Donati focuses most of his time on counseling and training for company managers and supervisors, employment-related litigation and transactional matters. The Employment Service group is rounded out by of counsel Gabriel Minc, whose practice focuses on ERISA counseling and litigation.

Donati was quick to point out that transactional law is his specialty, although it only comprises about a third of his current practice. He said he has worked with many firms around the world to create a network from which he can draw legal advice and local knowledge.

The network is the key to Donati’s successful completion of international divestitures, like Motorola Inc.’s sale of its automotive unit, which Donati and his firm supervised last year.

“That process took over a year from start to finish,” Donati explained. “In Europe there are a whole series of laws that deal with the sale of businesses. Throughout the E.U. there are typically notice and informational requirements that have to be satisfied, and you have to consult with employees before the company can be sold.” To overcome the various hurdles he faces in this area, Donati has developed a unique expertise.

“I don’t know any other employment attorneys who do what I do,” he said. “There are some people that have an understanding of E.U. law, but I know European law, the regulations in Central and South America and in Asia. That allows me to manage the deal process. I see it as a value added service that we can offer our corporate clients.”

Donati received his B.S. from Cornell University before heading to the University of Michigan Law School. After his graduation in 1992, Donati clerked for Judge Frank J. Battisi in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Ohio.

He moved from clerk to associate at Winston & Strawn, where he worked his way up to partner before joining Levenfeld. Donati was in a unique position when he joined his new firm: He was able to bring his years of experience and client roster with him.

Levenfeld overall only boasts about 70 attorneys, but under Donati’s direction the Employment Service group has represented high-powered, international clients, like Motorola and Freescale Semiconductor Inc.

Donati is especially proud of work he did on Motorola’s recent acquisition of Symbol Technologies. The deal, which reports pin at almost $4 billion, was the company’s largest acquisition to date and closed earlier this month.

Donati says that there are advantages to working for a small firm like Levenfeld. For example, in addition to representing employers in wage and hour disputes and other kinds of litigation, Donati sometimes represents executives in cases against their companies or boards.

Donati cited one recent case where Levenfeld represented the former president of a U.S. subsidiary of a U.K.-based company who had been terminated. The exec claimed he had certain contractual rights that the company had tried to deny him.

Donati was successful in recovering not only the amount his client was owed but also his legal fees.

“We don’t run into as many conflicts as bigger firms,” Donati explained. “If you’re looking to represent an executive and you work for a firm with 500 attorneys, chances are someone somewhere has represented that company at some point.”

And although Levenfeld may be at a disadvantage with large class action cases and hundred million dollar settlements, Donati said when employment cases only have one plaintiff, the field becomes even.

“We’re not Morgan Lewis and we’ll never pretend to be,” Donati said. “But we have a very satisfied client base that we give high priority to and we do very well with. And we’re proud of that.

01-23-2007

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Jackson Lewis, LLP

Aaron R. Ramirez Joins National Labor and Employment Law Firm's Dallas Office
In response to the expanding growth of the Hispanic community in Dallas and the firm's goal to target that growth, Jackson Lewis LLP announced that labor and employment law attorney and litigator Aaron R. Ramirez has joined the national law firm's Dallas office and its Hispanic Practice Group.

The newly hired associate's strong ties to the Dallas Hispanic community will bring a valuable dimension to the services the firm provides for Hispanic-owned businesses or those that employ Spanish-speaking individuals, according to Dallas office Managing Partner Christopher Antone. Mr. Ramirez is a proven leader in the Hispanic community as evidenced by his election as the President-elect of the Dallas Hispanic Bar Association for 2007, a legal organization whose membership includes the over 500 Hispanic attorneys practicing in Dallas County. Mr. Ramirez also serves on the Board of Directors of the Dallas Bar Association and an active member of the Greater Dallas Hispanic Chamber of Commerce.

"Aaron is bilingual which is extremely helpful in our ability to work with the growing number of our clients whose employees and supervisors speak Spanish as a first language. This skill will be very helpful when we are asked to conduct workplace investigations, train supervisors in lawful workplace practices, and defend clients experiencing litigation. Aaron also contributes to the growing diversity of our firm, consistent with our goal to build on our reputation as a firm that is all-inclusive and representative of all races, genders, nationalities, and religions," said Antone.

"Jackson Lewis has the local support mechanism in place that I was looking for. The firm has a well established and active Hispanic Practice Group. The firm also is well known around the country with many locations nationwide. I sought a law firm that would provide me with the opportunity to continue representing Hispanic-owned companies or companies with Spanish-speaking employees and a firm that was equally motivated in targeting that business model. Jackson Lewis was a perfect fit."

Mr. Ramirez has extensive experience litigating employment law matters after working as a trial attorney for the Office of the Solicitor, U.S. Department of Labor where he handled numerous cases based on such statutes as Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA), and Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA). Prior to joining Jackson Lewis, Mr. Ramirez represented management at a national law firm.

"Our clients are faced with many wage-and-hour issues as well as other federal regulatory issues, including occupational safety and health. Aaron's experience as a trial attorney adds to our bench strength for providing clients with both substantive knowledge and trial expertise in these two areas," said Antone.

Mr. Ramirez is a member of the Texas bar and of the U.S. District Courts for the Northern, Southern, and Eastern districts of Texas. He graduated from South Texas College of Law in 2000 and received a B.S. in Political Science from the University of Houston.

01-23-2007

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Greenberg Traurig, LLP

Greenberg Traurig LLP Attorneys and Practice Areas Recognized in 2007 Chambers Global Guide
Chambers Global, an annual guide of the leading business lawyers and law firms in more than 160 countries, has again honored Greenberg Traurig LLP by listing more than a dozen attorneys and practice areas in its 2007 directory. Recently, Chambers Global included Greenberg Traurig among its nominees for U.S. Law Firm of the Year.

Chambers Global, produced by Chambers & Partners publishers, ranks lawyers based on interviews with clients, mainly from in-house lawyers, balanced by opinions from colleagues and competitors around the world.

In addition to individual attorney rankings, Chambers Global recognizes practice areas by geographic region. Greenberg Traurig’s practice areas included in the current directory are:

Corporate & Finance - Latin America
Corporate/M&A - Netherlands
Corporate/M&A - United States
Dispute Resolution - Netherlands
Immigration (Business) - United States
International Arbitration - Global Practice
Tax - United States

Individual attorneys received further recognition including:

Gary Epstein - Corporate/M&A - United States
Juan Pablo Cappello - Corporate & Finance - Latin America
Oscar Levin - Immigration (Business) - United States
Pedro Martinez-Fraga - Arbitration (International) - Global Practice
Patricia Menendez Cambo - Corporate & Finance - Latin America
Laura Reiff - Immigration (Business) - United States
Peter Roorda - Corporate/M&A and Dispute Resolution -Netherlands

01-23-2007

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Jackson Lewis, LLP

Former VP and Associate General Counsel of Hartford Financial Services Group Joins Jackson Lewis as Partner
Jackson Lewis announced today that David Jimenez has joined the Hartford, Conn. office as partner and co-chair of the firm’s Corporate Governance Practice Group. Jimenez will counsel clients on human resource and risk management issues and will work with the firm’s Class Action Practice Group.

“Managing risk and avoiding class actions requires innovative thinking and is one of the most active areas of the firm’s practice. In fact, it’s what attracted me to Jackson Lewis,” says Jimenez. “I was impressed by the firm’s national platform, and its team of experts has some of the best talent I have seen in this area of specialization. I look forward to further solidifying our position as one of the nation’s premier labor and employment law firms.”

Prior to joining Jackson Lewis, Jimenez was Vice President, Employee Relations & Associate General Counsel at The Hartford Financial Services Group, a Fortune 100 company, where he managed domestic and international employment law matters for the company’s 30,000 employees.

“The dynamics of off-shoring, outsourcing, corporate reorganizations, and the threats posed by complex class action litigation are all placing greater demands on human resources professionals and in-house employment lawyers,” says Patrick L. Vaccaro, managing partner of Jackson Lewis. “David is uniquely qualified to advise clients in these areas, having developed successful legal, business and preventive strategies for a major international corporation.”

Richard Cino, co-chair of the firm’s Corporate Governance Practice Group adds, “In today’s business world, Sarbanes-Oxley and the recently passed Deficit Reduction Act add new complexities and increase the potential for whistleblower claims. David’s extensive experience in a corporate legal environment will help us provide robust, multi-disciplinary solutions for our clients.”

Jimenez speaks regularly on a variety of employment and human resources topics. He has been quoted by some of the nation’s most respected newspapers, including The Wall Street Journal and The Hartford Courant. He is licensed to practice law in Connecticut, Texas and Massachusetts and is a member of the American Bar Association, the Hispanic Bar Association, the MetroHartford Alliance, the American Leadership Forum, a Board member of The Hartford County Bar Foundation, and a former barrister of the Inns of Court. He received his law degree from Hofstra University School of Law, his bachelor’s degree in Economics from the University of Texas, and has completed executive education on strategic human resources systems at the Cornell University School of Industrial Relations.

“David’s expertise as a litigator, human resources executive and in-house counsel makes him an invaluable asset and unique member of our team,” says William J. Anthony, managing partner of Jackson Lewis’s Hartford office.

01-23-2007

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Mintz, Levin, Cohn, Ferris, Glovsky & Popeo P.C.

Harvey Saferstein Speaks at the 46th Annual Advanced Antitrust Seminar: Distribution & Marketing
Mintz Levin attorney Harvey Saferstein spoke at the 46th Annual Advanced Antitrust Seminar: Distribution and Marketing. The seminar was held at the PLI California Center, San Francisco, CA on January 23, 2007. Harvey's presentation, Robinson-Patman - Price Discrimination, covered:

* Elements of a violation
* Defensive tactics
* Maximizing pricing flexibility
* Hasbrouck
* Government enforcement: Implications of McCormick
* Treble damage developments

Harvey is a member practicing in the firm's Litigation Section. He specializes in antitrust and trade regulation counseling and litigation, and complex commercial and business litigation.

01-23-2007

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Lathrop & Gage LLP

Former H.J. Heinz Associate General Counsel Joins Lathrop & Gage
Dean Bierkan, the former associate general counsel to one of the nation’s marquee consumer products companies, has joined Lathrop & Gage L.C. as an of counsel attorney.

Bierkan spent more than 30 years with Pittsburgh, Pa.-based H.J. Heinz Co., steadily rising through the ranks from a junior attorney to associate general counsel. As associate general counsel, he was responsible for all intellectual property and trademark matters for the company’s extensive portfolio of several thousand well-known consumer brands, including Heinz®, Ore-Ida®, Classico®, Lea & Perrins® and SmartOnes®. He also advised the company on foreign and domestic antitrust matters, including the regulatory and IP aspects of acquisitions and divestures of various business units and product lines. Additionally, he managed licensing of such famous brands as Weight Watchers, T.G.I. Friday’s and Boston Market.

Bierkan will remain in Pittsburgh and work through the firm’s New York office.

Bierkan said that when he decided to work for a law firm, Lathrop & Gage was the natural selection because of his longstanding relationship with Bill Hansen, the partner-in-charge of the firm’s New York office, and his team. Hansen and his colleagues, including Bert Collison, have advised Heinz since the 1970s, when they worked at the former Nims Howes, the IP boutique firm considered to have invented U.S. trademark law.

Lathrop & Gage attorneys worked with Bierkan on many projects for Heinz, including the trademarking of the color green for the company’s “Blastin’ Green” ketchup, which was introduced in 2000. Hansen has served as lead counsel in several significant pieces of litigation for the company, including the 1990 “Diet Food War,” Weight Watchers v. Lean Cuisine, a trademark and false advertising dispute that culminated in a two-week trial.

“Bill Hansen is one of the most successful IP litigators I’ve worked with, and over the years, he and his team have been instrumental in protecting Heinz’s famous brands,” Bierkan said. “As a client, I was always impressed by the quality of Lathrop & Gage’s work and the firm’s commitment to service. It is an honor to join the firm, and to be a part of its national IP practice.”

Hansen said Bierkan’s addition was an opportunity to enhance the firm’s IP and corporate practices with a seasoned in-house attorney.

“Few attorneys in the country have the kind of branding experience that Dean has,” Hansen said. “His expertise in managing, protecting and licensing brands in the U.S. and internationally, and experience navigating mergers and acquisitions, will be a terrific asset to our clients.”

Tom Stewart, managing partner of Lathrop & Gage, attributed the firm’s success in intellectual property to its strategy of attracting top talent nationwide.

“Our practice truly started with Bill Rudy, one of the leaders in building IP in the Midwest and a recognized litigator nationwide,” Stewart said. “In New York, we’ve added more stars, like Bill Hansen, Beth Atkins, Bridget Short and Tom Curtin, former Nims Howes attorneys who have been true pioneers in IP law. Now, Dean Bierkan brings significant expertise in branding and acquisitions, adding depth to our practice and further enhancing our ability to serve IP clients.”

Bierkan earned his undergraduate degree from Colgate University in Math and Economics, and his law degree from the Georgetown University Law Center. He is admitted to practice in Pennsylvania and Massachusetts.

01-23-2007

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