Law Firm News

---

Law Firm News

Firm Name

News Title

News

News Date

25383 matches |  12069-12075 displayed

1  1721 1722 1723 1724 1725  3627

---

Piper Rudnick, L.L.P.

DLA Piper M&A top-ranked in Bloomberg's 2006 year-end league tables
DLA Piper US LLP finished 2006 ranked among the top four M&A law firms, both in the U.S. and worldwide, in the year-end league tables issued by Bloomberg. The firm also finished in the top four worldwide in the year-end league tables issued by Thomson Financial.

According to Bloomberg, DLA Piper ranked fourth worldwide based on the number of announced transactions (363 deals) and also ranked fourth in the United States based on the number of announced transactions (207 deals).

Bloomberg's year-end league tables represent publicly disclosed transactions that were announced between January 1, 2006 and December 31, 2006, that are either pending or completed, and for which Bloomberg has been notified.

"We are thrilled with our team's accomplishments in 2006," said Diane Holt Frankle, co-chair of DLA Piper's M&A practice group. "These rankings highlight our dedication to our clients and our unyielding commitment to advance their transactional priorities."

"The 2006 results indicate our continued ability to provide high-quality services to our clients, both in the United States and internationally," added Steve Landsman, co-chair of DLA Piper's M&A practice. "We look forward to building on the momentum that we established last year."

According to Thomson Financial, DLA Piper ranked fourth worldwide based on completed transactions (310 deals) and ranked sixth in the United States based on completed transactions (137 deals).

Some of the transactions the firm handled in 2006 included:

*
Maxtor Corporation - In May, DLA Piper completed the transaction between Maxtor Corporation and Seagate, in Seagate's acquisition of the company. The deal was an all-stock transaction that is valued at over $2 billion.
*
The Rank Group PLC (announced deal) - In December, DLA Piper represented The Rank Group PLC, the international gaming and leisure group, on the $1 billion sale of Hard Rock International to the Seminole Indian Tribe.

Other notable transactions included:

*
JDA Software Group - In April, DLA Piper represented JDA Software Group in the acquisition of Manugistics Group for $267 million.
*
Columbia Bancorp - In February, DLA Piper represented Columbia in its acquisition by Fulton Financial for $306 million.
*
Deluxe Laboratories film services division of The Rank Group PLC - DLA Piper represented The Rank Group PLC in the sale of 100 percent of the shares of Deluxe Laboratories and its worldwide film processing and creative services business to DX III Holdings Corporation, a subsidiary of MacAndrews & Forbes Holdings, Inc., for $750 million in January.
*
VeriSign - DLA Piper assisted client VeriSign Inc. and its subsidiary VS Merger Corporation in May with the merger of VS Merger Corporation with and into m-Qube Inc. for $266 million.

In the U.S., DLA Piper's Mergers and Acquisitions group consists of an integrated team of more than 180 transactional lawyers who handle complex transactions, including stock-for-stock mergers, management buyouts, tender offers, proxy contests, cross-border acquisitions and divisional purchases and sales. The firm also represents special committees of boards and advises in contests for control, including hostile bids and proxy contests.

01-10-2007

---

Morrison & Foerster, LLP

Supreme Court Ruling in MedImmune v. Genentech Upsets Fundamental Assumptions About Reliability of Patent Licenses, According to Morrison & Foerster Attorney
The Supreme Court’s January 9 ruling in the patent case of MedImmune v. Genentech "upsets the fundamental, real-world assumptions that people make when entering into licensing deals—namely, that the license is something on which they may actually rely," according to Morrison & Foerster LLP patent litigator Charles Barquist.

"What else is a license, after all, but a compromise and a settlement of not only the negotiated value of the intellectual property, but also of the underlying validity of that patent?" Barquist asks. "This case turns that critical understanding on its head, and allows someone who has taken a license—and indeed is benefiting from that license—to nevertheless turn around and claim that the patent they are benefiting from is invalid."

Barquist suggests that, despite the Court’s narrow procedural approach, this ruling could still have a significantly chilling effect on several fronts, affecting both licensors and licensees, and far more broadly than simply the area of life sciences covered in the fact pattern of the case: "Why would a licensor compromise now, perhaps agreeing to a lower royalty percentage that benefits the licensee, if it knows that the licensee can simply turn around and sue to invalidate the underlying patent anyway?"

Barquist goes so far as to suggest that licensing from universities and other research institutions could begin to decline as a result of the MedImmune ruling.

"Such licensing from research institutions is designed to take the important benefits of government-sponsored research and distribute them to us all. It will be interesting to see how this aspect of licensing is impacted as a result of the decision."

Barquist suggested that the ruling will affect how future licenses are drafted. He wonders, for instance, whether licensors will now require licensees to contractually waive claims challenging the underlying patent, and how courts will view such attempts.

01-10-2007

---

McDermott Will & Emery

Brooks Gruemmer Named Client Service All-Star
McDermott Will & Emery partner Brooks Gruemmer was named to the BTI Client Service All-Star Team, a report released by BTI Consulting Group. The report honors individual lawyers whom clients identify as providing outstanding client service. This report was compiled from the results of interviews of corporate counsel at Fortune 1000 and other large, US based companies that focused on clients’ needs, expectations and clients’ overall satisfaction with law firms. Mr. Gruemmer was one of approximately 100 lawyers in the US recognized by BTI.

BTI has conducted this survey since 2001, and each year McDermott lawyers have been recognized for their client service. Previous McDermott All-Star Team members include Robert Bouma, Michael Fayhee, Paul Hamburger, Michael Peregrine, David Rogers and David Ryder.

In 2005, McDermott ranked 8th in BTI's annual client service survey, "The Survey of Client Service Performance for Law Firms." The Firm was recognized as one of only six law firms to be designated as "client service standouts," a designation for those law firms that have been in the top 30 for client service for four years. This survey was compiled as a result of interviews with 200 corporate counsel at Fortune 1000 and other large, U.S.-based companies.

Mr. Gruemmer has a broad range of transactional and business counseling experience, with an emphasis on mergers, acquisitions, recapitalizations, joint ventures and the related financing required to fund such transactions. He earned his J.D. cum laude and Order of the Coif from the University of Michigan Law School and his B.B.A. with highest honors from the University of Notre Dame.

BTI Consulting, based in Boston, advises managing partners, CEOs, chairmen and other senior executives on issues related to revenue acquisition, client development and business development.

01-10-2007

---

McDermott Will & Emery

New Structured Finance Partner Joins London Office
The London office of McDermott Will & Emery announces the appointment of Steven Black as a partner in its Securitisation and Structured Finance Group. Steven will be working closely alongside existing structured finance partners, Paul-Michael Rebus and Nick Terras, both of whom joined the London practice during 2006.

Steven is a well-respected structured finance lawyer who represents clients across a broad range of industry sectors and he has extensive experience with CDO and CLO structures representing arrangers and managers.

David Dalgarno, partner-in-charge of the London office, said "We are delighted Steven has joined us. He is a high quality lawyer and his appointment complements our existing structured finance capabilities and supports the continuing development of our European practice."

Paul-Michael Rebus and Nick Terras, co-heads of the UK Securitisation and Structured Finance Group, said "Steven’s practice dove-tails together with our strategy in London and the fact that he represents many of the same clients as us makes it a great fit."

Commenting on his new appointment, Steven said "It is an exciting time for me to be joining McDermott Will & Emery as the structured finance practice in London and New York continues to grow both in terms of clients and range of services available.

01-10-2007

---

Jaffe Raitt Heuer & Weiss, P.C.

Aaron H. Sherbin Joins Jaffe Raitt Heuer & Weiss, P.C.
Aaron H. Sherbin has joined Jaffe Raitt Heuer & Weiss, P.C., as a partner in the Firm's Tax and Estate Planning Practice Groups.

In 1985, Mr. Sherbin earned his B.A. in business administration from the University of Michigan, and his J.D., cum laude, in 1988 from Wayne State University Law School. He also earned his LL.M. in taxation in 1989 from the New York University Law School.

Mr. Sherbin is a member of the Oakland County and American Bar Associations, State Bar of Michigan and the Financial and Estate Planning Council of Metropolitan Detroit.

01-10-2007

---

Howrey, LLP

HOWREY AGAIN TOPS “GCR 100” AS WORLD’S LEADING COMPETITION PRACTICE
Howrey LLP has once again topped Global Competition Review’s “GCR 100” survey of the world’s most prominent antitrust/competition practices. The firm was recognized this year as the world’s largest competition practice, “outstrip(ping) its rivals by quite some margin…if you combined all the practices in the bottom third of the GCR 100, the ensuing super-practice would still be smaller than Howrey’s,” according to GCR.

Howrey has topped this survey since GCR initiated it in 1999.

GCR noted Howrey’s success in recruiting high level laterals to the firm in Europe this year, “Howrey may have created more of a buzz in Europe this year than any other competition practice…the Brussels office exceeded projected revenues by 40 percent…(and) picked up a flurry of new clients.” GCR also referred to Howrey’s prominence as a leading US Antitrust firm. “In the US, Howrey’s reputation as a specialist antitrust firm is secure,” it stated.

Sean Boland, co- chair of the firm’s Antitrust Practice group said, “We have had a spectacular year by every measure. We’ve attracted some of Europe’s leading competition lawyers, successfully managed one of the year’s biggest mergers, Whirlpool Maytag, and we have been prominently involved in thirty percent of the multi-district litigation involving major class action.”

Alan Wiseman, who co-chairs the practice with Boland, noted that the firm’s success on both sides of the Atlantic has been in every facet of its practice. “Our merger and litigation practices have both enjoyed a strong year,” he said. “As in years past, we are able to shift our resources between merger and litigation work, depending on demand, and the team has become first rate at both. We look forward to continued expansion next year, and an equally busy and successful year. We are already off to a good start”

Global Competition Review is the foremost publication in the field of Antitrust and Competition. Its annual survey is a comprehensive analysis of the activity of the world’s antitrust/competition firms.

01-10-2007

---

Holland & Knight, L.L.P.

Former Florida Governor Bob Martinez Joins Holland & Knight
Holland & Knight LLP today announced that Bob Martinez, former Governor of the state of Florida, will join the firm upon completion of routine transition matters. Governor Martinez, who joins as senior policy advisor, will maintain offices in Tampa, Tallahassee and Washington, D.C.

Governor Martinez has a long and distinguished career in public service that spans more than 40 years. He was governor of the state of Florida from 1987-1991, he served in President George H. W. Bush's cabinet as the nation’s Drug Czar from 1991-1993, was mayor of the city of Tampa from 1979-1986, and vice chair of the Southwest Florida Water Management District from 1975-1979. Governor Martinez is known for his creation of effective environmental protection programs, his focus on drug control and his commitment to public education. He has participated in a number of presidential missions to Latin America, giving him valuable experience in international affairs.

"The arrival of one of Florida's most respected government leaders demonstrates our firm's commitment to assembling a preeminent team of problem solvers that can effectively serve our clients throughout Florida, in the nation’s capitol and internationally," said Holland & Knight Managing Partner Howell W. Melton, Jr. "The governor’s leadership, reputation and track record on policy add significant strength to our team as we focus on becoming the go-to firm for advocacy in Florida."

“I’m excited about joining Holland & Knight, a firm with a rich history of serving Florida and clients around the world,” said Governor Martinez. “We have a common vision – to be government problem solvers. I look forward to helping the firm''s clients find solutions to Florida’s most important issues.

01-10-2007

---

25383 matches |  12069-12075 displayed

1  1721 1722 1723 1724 1725  3627