Law Firm News

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Law Firm News

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Brown, Raysman, Millstein, Felder & Steiner, L.L.P.

Law Firms Aiming for Bigger NYC Presence
The law firm consolidations continue to spread, creating a larger New York presence for a number of firms. . . .

. . .San Francisco-based Thelen Reid & Priest merged with Manhattan's Brown Raysman Millstein Felder & Steiner, forming a powerhouse of 615 attorneys, 255 of whom are based in Manhattan

11-13-2006

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McGuireWoods LLP

McGuireWoods Partner Named "Volunteer of the Year"
Alexander H. Slaughter, a partner at McGuireWoods LLP, will be honored by The Central Virginia Chapter of the Association of Fundraising Professionals during their annual National Philanthropy Day luncheon. Slaughter will be presented with the “Volunteer of the Year” award.

The event, held on Tuesday, November 14, at the Downtown Richmond Marriott, annually recognizes individuals and organizations for exceptional generosity and leadership. More than 800 people are expected to attend this year’s event.

“Everyone who knows Alex Slaughter knows of his tireless dedication to helping others. He serves as an inspiration to many,” said Robert L. Burrus, Jr., chairman of McGuireWoods. “He has spent countless hours making a difference in the lives of adults and children who need help the most in our society.”

Slaughter has been active in numerous causes. For more than 20 years, he has worked with the Daily Planet, a non-profit organization in Richmond, dedicated to addressing the issue of homelessness in the greater Richmond area. One of his contributions for the Daily Planet was helping found its Safe Haven program, which is a transitional housing operation for homeless people who are mentally ill.

He also has supported St. James Children’s Center, a pre-school and after-school education program for at-risk and special needs children in the Richmond area. As a member of its board, Slaughter created an annual fund campaign. As a member of the board for the Richmond chapter of the Multiple Sclerosis Society, Slaughter helped attract numerous community leaders to serve as volunteers and become board members.

Slaughter has served on McGuireWoods’ Executive Committee and as chairman of the Products Liability and Litigation Management Department. He also has served as the firm's general counsel. His primary legal focus is on insurance coverages for insureds in mass tort situations. He is a Fellow of the American Bar Foundation.

11-13-2006

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Womble Carlyle Sandridge & Rice, PLLC

Womble Carlyle Sponsors Washington Metropolitan Area Corporate Counsel Association Reception
more than 500 people attended the Washington Metropolitan Area Corporate Counsel Association's second annual Awards Reception at the Ritz-Carlton in Tysons Corner, Va. Womble Carlyle was a Diamond category sponsor, the highest level of sponsorship.

WMACCA is the 1500-member D.C.-area affiliate of the Association of Corporate Counsel (ACC) and was recently chosen as the ACC's chapter of the year. Womble Carlyle has recently co-sponsored several events with WMACCA and plans to sponsor more.

Nine Womble Carlyle lawyers attended the event. Pam Rothenberg (pictured), managing member of the D.C. office, was the presenter of the Chief Legal Officer of the Year Award. She gave it to James Fontana, the senior vice president, general counsel and secretary of Alion Science and Technology, an employee-owned research, development and technology company based in McLean, Va.

11-13-2006

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Fox Rothschild LLP

Fox Rothschild LLP, Recognized as 2006 Growth Leader by National Law Journal
Fox Rothschild LLP, ranked 112th in The National Law Journal's 29th annual survey of the nation's 250 largest law firms. In addition, Fox Rothschild was recognized as one of the top ten Growth Leaders for 2006 who experienced growth between 20 and 25 percent.

The National Law Journal ranked the 300 firms who were surveyed by the total number of full-time equivalent (FTE) attorneys, rather than just full-time attorneys. In some cases, due to rounding, this calculation resulted in slightly higher or lower numbers than the figures submitted by the law firms.

11-13-2006

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Foster Pepper PLLC

Supreme Court Holds Boundary Review Board Cannot Add Territory To Proposed Annexation
The Washington Supreme Court recently held that a Boundary Review Board lacked authority to increase the territory of a proposed annexation. Interlake Sporting Association, Inc. v. Washington State Boundary Review Board for King County, No. 78578-3 (November 9, 2006).

The Interlake Sporting case involved what could only be considered as “bad facts.” The City of Redmond had previously tried to annex a 184-acre area, but residents voted to reject the proposal. The City then tried to annex half the area, but could not get sufficient support. It finally settled on 59 acres, where there appeared to be sufficient support. The annexation proposal then wound its way to the state Boundary Review Board for King County.

After the BRB set a hearing, King County asked it to approve annexing the original 184 acres. After two public hearings, where broader annexing was strongly opposed, the BRB agreed with King County and approved annexing the entire 184 acres. Property owners in the annexed area, outside the 59 acres in the City’s petition, then filed suit.

The Supreme Court, after reciting this history, first noted the annexation statute prohibited cities from “include[ing] in the annexation any property not described in the petition.” RCW 35A.14.140. Then, after noting that all annexations are subject to the BRB, the Court held the BRB statute, RCW 36.93.150, allows the BRB “to ‘modify’ or ‘adjust’ boundaries [which] is best understood to allow ‘adjusting’ boundary changes that do not add to the total acreage.” Interlake Sporting, Opinion at 12.

The dissent claimed the majority’s citation to RCW 36.93.150 was misplaced because that statute provides the BRB may “modify the proposal by adjusting boundaries to add or delete territory.” RCW 36.93.150(2) (emphasis added).

The majority went on to say that allowing the BRB to add territory is “disturbing as a matter of due process.” Interlake Sporting, Opinion at 13. Finally, the majority held that increasing the area violated a principle of “no taxation without representation.” Interlake Sporting, Opinion at 17. These conclusions appear inconsistent with the Court’s prior opinions and internally inconsistent with its opinion in Interlake Sporting.

Nearly 50 years ago, the Supreme Court in Port of Tacoma v. Parosa, 52 Wn.2d 181, 192-94, 324 P.2d 438 (1958), held the legislature had general power over annexation. It also held that a property owner’s due process rights are not violated when the property owner’s property is annexed without consent. And in King County Water Dist. No. 54 v. King County Boundary Review Board, 87 Wn.2d 536, 550, 554 P.2d 1060 (1976), the Court upheld imposing taxes on annexed property because, “[i]n that situation, of course, people living on the property are fully eligible to vote in the elections for that city or town.” Finally, in Grant County Fire Protection Dist. No. 5 v. City of Moses Lake, 150 Wn.2d 791, 814-16, 83 P.3d 419 (2004), the Supreme Court rejected a challenge to the petition method of annexation. That challenge was based on the perceived unfairness of allowing approval based on the value of the assessed property.

The Supreme Court in Interlake Sporting reaffirmed annexation based on assessed property values, yet commented the principle of no taxation without representation may have been violated by the BRB’s actions. The Grant County decision was upheld in Interlake Sporting, but it does not appear the Grant County decision can be reconciled with the Supreme Court’s “no taxation without representation” and due process comments.

11-13-2006

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Jenner & Block LLP

Suskin Comments on the Future of Corporate Fraud
Current and emerging fraud issues in Corporate America were addressed in a recent article in Chicago Lawyer magazine.

In the wake of a number of highly publicized cases, corporations are now hoping to protect themselves against a fraud scandal by implementing their own internal investigations and announcing the findings. Such investigations are the “new way of life” for corporations, according to the article.

Jenner & Block Partner Howard S. Suskin, Co-Chair of the Firm’s Class Action Litigation and Securities Litigation Practices, said in the article that while there will continue to be securities fraud cases filed where investors genuinely suffered real damages, there will likely be a decrease in securities cases brought on the basis of an economic downturn or an inability to meet a specific forecast.

“Today, private litigants claiming securities fraud need to allege a very specific link between fraud and the damage,” said Mr. Suskin, citing the 2005 U.S. Supreme Court decision in Dura Pharmaceuticals Inc. v. Broudo. In that case a group of plaintiffs filed a securities fraud class action against Dura Pharmaceuticals alleging that misrepresentations about future approval from the Food and Drug Administration led to the respondents purchasing Dura securities at an artificially inflated price. However, the Court held that an inflated purchase price will not by itself prove "loss causation."

While certain types of corporate fraud seem to be occurring less often, the article also says that “soft spots” in the system will continue to be exploited by wrongdoers, and corporations will have to adjust their strategies, the article concluded.

11-13-2006

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Baker & McKenzie, L.L.P.

Baker & McKenzie Advises on a Proposed Hotel Development in Maldives
Baker & McKenzie has advised Malé Hotel Associates Sourcing Limited ("Owner") on its agreement with InterContinental Hotels Group ("Manager") to manage the new Holiday Inn Malé in Maldives, scheduled to open in late 2008. Malé is the capital of the Maldives – a country comprised of 1,190 natural coral atolls and home to more than 90 resorts. The 120-room hotel will be the capital's first international hotel and is set to become a landmark city hotel in the Maldives.

Sydney-based Baker & McKenzie Partner Graeme Dickson acted on the management agreement, which was completed in only four weeks despite the Owner being in Europe and the Manager in Singapore.

Mr Dickson commented, "Baker & McKenzie is thrilled to have played a part in this transaction. With its global reputation for service, Holiday Inn Malé will attract travelers on business or holidays enroute to neighboring destinations.

"This transaction follows on from our previous involvement in the acquisition and subsequent sale of the White Sands Resort & Spa located at the South Ari Atoll in the Maldives.

11-13-2006

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