Law Firm News

---

Law Firm News

Firm Name

News Title

News

News Date

25383 matches |  13364-13370 displayed

1  1906 1907 1908 1909 1910  3627

---

Healy & Baillie, L.L.P.

New York Summer Associates Program Ranked 2nd by Am Law
The American Lawyer magazine’s 2006 survey of summer associate* programs has put Blank Rome’s in second place in New York City, out of eighty New York law firms who qualified for the rankings. The New York office scored a near-perfect 4.98 out of a possible 5.0, with 100 percent of eligible summer associates responding to the Am Law survey. The respondents are guaranteed anonymity.

Our summer associates—second-year law students (Class of 2007)—rated the Firm’s program on nine key scoring questions, including:

* how interesting the work was
* how much “real” work was assigned
* the quality and quantity of training and guidance
* interactions with partners
* interactions with full-time associates
* how well we communicated our goals and expectations
* how accurately we portrayed ourselves during interviews
* the summer associates’ overall rating of us as a place to work
* their inclination to accept a full-time associateship with us, if offered

Other areas in which we scored highly were:

* opportunities for mentoring
* opportunities for pro bono work
* family-friendly
* making efforts toward diversity
* attorneys would be enjoyable to work with
* attorneys seem to enjoy working with each other

Our summer program is the primary vehicle through which we hire entry-level associates.

Emerging companies partner Peter Schnur and public companies partner Richard DiStefano ran this year’s program, along with financial services associate Pauline C. Edelmann and matrimonial associate Tara Jones Willecke. Besides Mr. DiStefano, the recruiting committee members were emerging companies partner Michael S. Mullman, real estate partners Martin Luskin and Stuart D. Kaplan, bankruptcy partner Andrew B. Eckstein, litigation partner Harris N. Cogan, tax partner Joseph T. Gulant, and trusts and estates partner Joann T. Palumbo.

12-14-2006

---

Healy & Baillie, L.L.P.

Blank Rome Names Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer
Blank Rome LLP announced today that it has named Judge Nathaniel R. Jones as the Firm’s inaugural Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer. Based in the Blank Rome’s Cincinnati office, Judge Jones will oversee the Firm’s overall diversity initiatives.

The decision to name a Chief Diversity Officer arises out of the ongoing efforts and recommendations of Blank Rome’s Diversity Committee, as well as the Firm’s strategic growth plan to integrate diversity into all business and civic activities.

“Judge Jones is a distinguished jurist and civil rights leader and I am delighted that he has accepted this position,” said Carl M. Buchholz, Managing Partner and Chief Executive Officer. “The Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer will be key to enhancing Blank Rome’s ability to delivering high quality legal services in a globalized economy. I am certain that Judge Jones’ leadership will give substance and currency to Blank Rome’s commitment to diversity and propel the Firm’s success in this area.”

While still serving on the bench Judge Jones played an active role in assisting the American Bar Association and various minority Bar associations to develop strategies of diversity and inclusion. Since joining Blank Rome he has worked with the Diversity Committee to shape initiatives he will now oversee.

As Chief Diversity Officer, Judge Jones will lead and manage all aspects of Blank Rome’s diversity program, including the implementation and execution of the Firm’s diversity plan, coordination of diversity activities and events, integration of diversity into the Firm’s business plan, and communication on diversity both internally and externally. In addition, Judge Jones will identify and implement best practices in the area of recruitment and training of a diverse workforce and maintenance of an environment of inclusion.

“I am very pleased to be given this opportunity at Blank Rome,” said Judge Jones. “Diversity is a core value of the Firm and I look forward to implementing Blank Rome’s diversity vision as well as to executing that vision as a key business function of the Firm.”

At Blank Rome, Judges Jones concentrates his practice in the areas of litigation and dispute resolution. Prior to joining the Firm, Judge Jones served as a Judge on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit in Cincinnati from 1979 to 2002. He has taught at and maintains ties with a number of law schools.

Judge Jones is the recipient of many awards and honors, the most recent of which are the Just The Beginning Foundation’s 2006 Trailblazer Award, the 2005 Metropolitan Award, presented annually to a local citizen who has made significant contributions to the unifications of the community in the business and civic worlds and the 2005 ABA Young Lawyers Division (YLD) Fellows Award, given each year to a leader in the profession. He chaired the ABA Council on Racial and Ethnic Justice. Judge Jones was also recognized as a Great Living Cincinnatian by the Greater Cincinnati Chamber of Commerce in 1997 and one of the “Fifty Most Influential Blacks in Cincinnati in the Last Half Century” by Radio Station WCIN and the Fifth Third Bank in 2003. He received the 2002 Thurgood Marshall Award from the National Bar Association’s Judicial Council and is a member of the National Bar Association’s Hall of Fame. On February 20, 2003, the United States Congress passed H.J.Res.2, officially naming the Nathaniel R. Jones Federal Building & United States Courthouse in Youngstown, Ohio.

Involved in countless professional and educational organizations, Judge Jones has made a tremendous impact on American society, particularly in civil rights matters. Judge Jones also frequently writes and lectures on civil rights issues. Actively involved in the legal community, Judge Jones recently appeared before the Senate Judiciary Committee, which had been holding hearings on the nomination of Judge John Roberts to the U.S. Supreme Court.

Judge Jones received his law degree from Youngstown State University Law School and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree from Youngstown State University. In addition, Judge Jones holds honorary degrees from 18 educational institutions, including Syracuse University, University of Cincinnati, Xavier University and Northeastern University School of Law.

12-14-2006

---

Wolf Block Schorr & Solis

WolfBlock Associate Elected to the Board of Directors of Family Services
WolfBlock attorney Christina M. DeMatteo has been elected to the Board of Directors of Family Services, a nonprofit organization serving children, seniors and families in Montgomery County.

An associate in the firm's Family Law practice group, DeMatteo has been practicing family law with WolfBlock since 1999. Her practice encompasses all aspects of family law, including support, custody, divorce and property distribution and abuse matters. She is resident in the firm's Norristown office.

DeMatteo received her J.D. with honors from Villanova University School of Law in 1998 and her undergraduate degree in economics in 1995 from the College of William and Mary in Virginia.

12-14-2006

---

Wolf Block Schorr & Solis

WolfBlock Partner Presents at Tax Forum, CPE Seminar
WolfBlock partner Dan A. Schulder was one of the featured speakers at the 63rd Continuing Professional Education Seminar, sponsored by George R. Harris and Associates, which was held in Monroeville, PA, on November 7. Also, he was one of the featured speakers at the 47th Annual Lehigh University Tax Forum, co-sponsored by the Lehigh Valley Chapter of the Pennsylvania Institute of Certified Public Accountants and Lehigh University, on November 15. Schulder's presentation was entitled “Pennsylvania Taxation - 2006 Update."

A partner in the firm's Tax and Real Estate practice groups, Schulder concentrates in the areas of taxation, mergers and acquisitions, business finance, general corporate planning, real estate and zoning law. His practice primarily involves all aspects of federal, state and local taxation, structuring business organization, merger, acquisition, disposition, recapitalization and reorganization transactions, developing debt and equity financing strategies, providing business planning and corporate formation counseling, and all aspects of acquiring, developing, financing, leasing and zoning of commercial and residential real estate.

Schulder received his B.S. from Syracuse University in 1983, his J.D. from the Dickinson School of Law in 1987, and his master of laws in taxation degree from Georgetown University Law Center in 1992.

12-14-2006

---

Willkie, Farr & Gallagher, LLP

Firm Advises RenaissanceRe on $300 Million Public Offering
Willkie client RenaissanceRe Holdings Ltd. announced the pricing of its $300 million public offering of 6.60% Series D Preference Shares. RenaissanceRe anticipates using net proceeds from the offering to redeem all of its outstanding 8.10% Series A Preference Shares as soon as practicable following completion of the offering and to redeem all of its outstanding 8.54% Junior Subordinated Deferrable Interest Debentures on or as soon as practicable after March 1, 2007. RenaissanceRe is a global provider of reinsurance and insurance. The transaction was handled by partner Robert Stebbins, associates Sean Ewen and Andrew Markus, and law clerk Stephen O'Connor.

12-14-2006

---

Willkie, Farr & Gallagher, LLP

London Office Advises on 3i’s $1.8 Billion Countrywide MBO
it was announced that Willkie client 3i Group Plc, Europe's largest publicly traded buyout firm, agreed to acquire Countrywide Plc, the U.K.'s biggest real estate broker for about £941 million ($1.8 billion). Willkie’s London office advised 3i on the U.S. securities aspects of the deal. Based in Witham, Essex, Countrywide owns 1,177 branches and is led by Managing Director Harry Hill, who teamed up with 3i to make the bid. 3i's offer has the backing of Countrywide's independent directors, led by Chairman Christopher Sporborg. A world leader in the area of private equity, each year 3i invests £1.5 billion supporting people who start, grow, change and buy businesses. The transaction was handled by partner Gregory Astrachan and associate Jonathan Gatsik.

12-14-2006

---

White & Case, LLP

CIS Securitisation Market Continues to Strengthen
White & Case acted for Alfa-Bank in its issue of €230 million of Series 2006-B Notes and $260 million of Series 2006-C Notes ("the Notes"), due December 2011, in what qualifies as, globally, the largest ever publicly placed unwrapped diversified payment right (DPR) issuance, as well as being the largest securitisation in the CIS to date. Established in 1990, Alfa-Bank is one of the largest banks in Russia in terms of assets and capital.

"This is the second issue by Alfa-Bank under its DPR programme illustrating the increasing investor appetite for its paper, and for the DPR market in general," commented David Barwise, lead White & Case partner advising on the deal. "Confidence in Russian banks and the emerging markets is growing rapidly and in the coming years, we are likely to see a series of other securitisations from the banks in the CIS."

The Notes were issued by Alfa Diversified Payment Rights Finance Company S.A., a special purpose vehicle incorporated under Luxembourg law. The Notes received a Baa3 investment grade rating by Moody's Investor Service. Moody's rates Alfa-Bank as Ba2/NP and the institution is rated BB- by Standard & Poor's. Interest will accrue on the offered Notes from their date of issuance at the rate of 1.9 percent per annum above Three-Month EURIBOR. The Notes have been admitted to the Irish Stock Exchange under Regulation S by Joint Lead Arrangers Dresdner Kleinwort and Merrill Lynch & Co.

Alfa-Bank's first securitisation was back in March with its issue of $350 million Series 2006-A Notes.

The White & Case team advising Alfa-Bank was led by partners David Barwise working alongside partner Kaya Proudian, associates Simon Morgan, Angus Tarpley, Oded Bejarano, Claire Wilson and Sam Yau in London, partner Maya Melnikas and associates Olga Okouneva and Anna Ivanova in Moscow, partner David Plch and associate Tomas Jine in Prague and partner Karoly Foti in Budapest.

This year White & Case has been involved in a number of major securitisations in the CIS, most recently acting for another Russian bank, MDM bank, in its issue of €225 million of Series 2006-A Notes and $200 million of Series-B Notes. In Kazakhstan, the Firm has been involved in the following securitisations, which have broken new ground: acting for WestLB AG and JPMorgan in the first ever public future flow securitisation of DPRs in Kazakhstan, in a $300 million Floating Rate Note issue for Kazkommertsbank; and advising another Kazakh bank, Alliance Bank, on the first future flow securitisation of DPRs to be guaranteed by a multilateral development bank.

12-14-2006

---

25383 matches |  13364-13370 displayed

1  1906 1907 1908 1909 1910  3627