Law Firm News

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Law Firm News

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Dechert LLP

Tooth & Claw in the IP Jungle: Firms Fight Over Small Talent Pool in Hot Practice Area
A front-page feature discussing the limited pool of top level patent attorneys that possess both a technical background and patent trial experience, and the significance of Dechert's hiring of seven IP litigation partners from Dewey Ballantine. When Chris Scott Graham heard the news that James Elacqua, head of Dewey Ballantine's IP litigation group, was officially moving to Dechert's Palo Alto office, he said it was like hearing his law firm had just signed the No. 1 pick in a baseball draft. "I was like a kid in a candy store," Graham said. "I was already thinking of all the work I can give him and the influx of help I'll be getting in my cases. Competition for talent is extremely stiff around here, and to have someone with Jim's caliber, experience and expertise in our firm was exciting news." "Believe me, we know how blessed we are," Graham added. "But at the same time, we can't rest on our laurels because we know how competitive the market is for both the talent and the clients." Fred Herold, Dechert's recruiting partner based in Palo Alto, is aware of the importance of integrating the new group with the rest of the law firm. He said the first thing the firm's management did when the Dechert group arrived was to fly them out to several of Dechert's 18 offices and introduce themselves to partners and clients. "We talked to them about our IP management practice plan and the different client opportunities that we can offer them," Herold said. "We've already involved the group in a number of client pitches and we're not just cross-selling them to our clients but to other partners in other offices too." "Our strategy for growth is mostly driven by practice group," Herold said, "We don't go where clients are; we build wherever location we can find great lawyers. We believe that great law firms become great law firms because of great lawyers.

03-27-2006

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Dechert LLP

Dechert Advises on Western & Oriental plc\'s AIM admission
Western & Oriental plc, the parent company of a specialist luxury travel group, was today admitted to trade on the AIM market of the London Stock Exchange.

International law firm Dechert LLP advised existing client Evolution Securities Limited, Western & Oriental's nominated adviser and broker, both on the AIM admission and a related £4.5 million placing of ordinary shares with institutional investors. At float, the Company was valued at approximately £9 million.

Corporate partner David Vogel led the Dechert team assisted by associate Andrew Harrow.

03-27-2006

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White & Case, LLP

Arbitration\'s Glamorous Side
With business increasingly conducted on a global scale, the number of investment treaty arbitration practitioners is growing. The arbitrators settle disputes that are governed by bilateral investment treaties (BITs), which help countries to both attract and protect investments. BITs also allow private entities to bring claims against a country, given that there is a BIT between the two countries.

In the past decade, the number of BITs more than doubled, especially in countries in Latin America and Eastern Europe, and the number of investment treaty arbitrations grew exponentially.

""I'd say that we're one of the few firms who did this historically, now there's so much of it,"" said Abby Cohen Smutny, administrative partner in the international arbitration group in the Washington office of White & Case. ""It's seen as an exciting and interesting area for attorneys to get involved in.""

However, it is still a highly specialized field, and the number of leading investment treaty arbitration lawyers remains relatively small. White & Case is often cited as one of the elite US firms to handle treaty arbitration cases.

""It's a very small number,"" said Smutny. ""Like any small bar, one tends to get to know each other, especially those firms that are repeat players.""

Smutny spends 100 percent of her time on BIT arbitration. According to her, approximately 25 White & Case lawyers have also handled BIT cases. The field is still in its initial stages, despite its growth, and many concerns are still unresolved.

""There's still not a firm sense of what will and will not give rise to liability,"" Smutny said. ""As there are more decisions made, as the law becomes a bit more well known, as more recent cases become decided, and it becomes clear to lawyers as to what gives rise to liability, perhaps the number of cases will plateau. It's not easy to prove that a country has broken its international obligations.""

While many countries eagerly conclude treaties, Argentina is one exception. It signed a large number of BITs, and after its economic crisis, was hit with a number of arbitration cases.
""It's no surprise they oppose BITs,"" Smutny said. ""It's a shock to their financial system. They are exposed to literally billions of dollars in claims, so of course this has been a very big issue for them.

03-27-2006

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Morgan Miller Blair

Prominent Land Use Attorney, Cris Carrigan, Joins Morgan Miller Blair
Carrigan is the 5th attorney to recently join MMB
Walnut Creek, CA (March 28, 2006) – Morgan Miller Blair, a premier Northern California business, technology and real estate law firm, is pleased to announce that Christian M. Carrigan has joined the firm as a principal. Carrigan was formerly a shareholder in Miller, Starr & Regalia’s Walnut Creek office where he practiced land use and environmental litigation. His practice focuses on CEQA, Planning and Zoning law, inverse condemnation, complex multi-party cost recovery litigation, writs and fee challenges and appeals, and includes advising public agencies, developers, universities and individuals on transactions and litigation.

“Cris is a highly regarded land use and environmental litigation attorney and a key addition that will bring breadth and depth to Morgan Miller Blair’s already strong real estate practice,” said Bruce Ring, chairman of Morgan Miller Blair. “The addition of Cris, along with the other recent additions to our firm, brings experience, track records, and skill sets that will serve our clients well and will continue to increase our reputation as the legal counsel of choice for sophisticated business and real estate clients.”

“I’m thrilled to be joining a group of attorneys of the high caliber of the team at Morgan Miller Blair. I am eager to work with a group of enormously talented colleagues at a firm that has such a strong platform for serving the real estate industry,” Carrigan said.

Carrigan has a broad skill set in land use and environmental law. He has expertise in the major state and federal land use laws, including CEQA, the Subdivision Map Act, the Clean Water Act (which gives the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers jurisdiction over wetlands), the Endangered Species Act and the California Planning and Zoning laws. He is the former editor of the California Land Use Law & Policy Reporter.

Carrigan is a member of the United States Supreme Court Bar, is admitted to the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit and all of the United States District Courts in California and the California State Courts. He received his J.D. with distinction in 1998 from McGeorge School of Law, University of Pacific, where he earned Order of the Coif, and his B.A. from California State University, Sacramento.

Carrigan is the fifth attorney to recently join Morgan Miller Blair. The other additions include:

Stephanie Smith
A veteran real estate lawyer, Smith serves as Counsel to the firm’s developer and homebuilding clients as well as general contactors and subcontractors. She focuses her practice in the area of litigation, representing and defending clients in real estate matters. Smith has first chair experience in numerous jury and bench trials, and has participated in more than 150 arbitrations and mediations. Prior to joining Morgan Miller Blair, she was managing partner of the Oakland office of Koletsky Mancini Feldman & Morrow. She holds a B.A. from Stanford University and her J.D. from Santa Clara University.

Steven Holland
As Counsel in Morgan Miller Blair’s real estate department, Holland focuses his practice on risk management, real estate development and construction industry matters. His legal experience is broad and includes representing Fortune 500 companies, as well as small and emerging growth companies and individuals, in a wide range of industries, including real estate. Prior to joining Morgan Miller Blair, Holland was Of Counsel in the San Francisco office of Morgan Lewis & Brockius LLP. He holds a B.A. from the University of California at Los Angeles and a J.D. from Loyola Law School in Los Angeles. He completed his externship with U.S. District Court Judge William J. Rea.

Pippin Brehler
Brehler joins the firm as a litigation associate and focuses his practice on supporting the defense of real estate developers in multi-party disputes, assisting property owners in condemnation actions and litigating business disputes. Prior to joining Morgan Miller Blair, he was a judicial clerk to Justice Marilyn Kelly of the Michigan Supreme Court from 2003 to 2005. While there, he drafted opinions and dissents, prepared legal analyses, and conducted research in all matters involving civil and criminal appeals. Brehler earned a B.S. from Michigan Technological University and his J.D. from the University of Michigan Law School.

Derrick Toddy
Toddy joins the firm as a litigation associate representing homebuilders, developers, and general business clients. He is involved in litigation and counseling clients in construction, real estate and related risk management and insurance issues as well as defending developers in multi-party disputes, commercial arbitrations and mediations and in assisting property owners in condemnation actions and general business disputes. Prior to joining Morgan Miller Blair, Toddy was an associate with Quinn Emanual Urquhart Oliver & Hedges, LLP in San Francisco. He holds a B.S. from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point. He earned his J.D. from Columbia University School of Law, where he was a James Kent Scholar. Following graduation from West Point, Toddy served in the U.S. Army and Oregon Army National Guard where he rose to the rank of Captain.

About Morgan Miller Blair

Morgan Miller Blair is a leading business and real estate law firm. The firm’s 33 lawyers provide cutting edge transaction services and pragmatic litigation solutions to a diverse clientele ranging from institutional real estate investors and Silicon Valley start-ups to publicly traded companies and some of largest home building companies in the United States. From its San Francisco Bay Area location in Walnut Creek, Morgan Miller Blair provides its national and global clients with sophisticated legal representation in California and throughout the United States. Morgan Miller Blair is active in many community organizations including the East Bay Leadership Foundation, The Economic Development Alliance for Business and numerous business and civic associations.

03-27-2006

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Gunster, Yoakley & Stewart, P.A.

GUNSTER YOAKLEY PROMOTES LINDA MCCANN HAKE TO SHAREHOLDER
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (March 27, 2006)— Gunster, Yoakley & Stewart, P.A., has named Linda McCann Hake a firm shareholder. She is a member of the firm’s Real Estate Department in Stuart.

Hake concentrates her practice in zoning, environmental and land use law, real estate development, administrative and regulatory law and governmental permitting. Extremely active in the local community, she has served on the board of directors for the Stuart/Martin County Chamber of Commerce, the Martin County Business Development Board and the Economic Council of Martin County, where she also served as president. She has been appointed to the advisory board for the Arts Council of Martin County, the community board for First National Bank & Trust Company and the Water Resources Advisory Committee of the South Florida Water Management District. She currently serves as the chair of the management board for Clark Advanced Learning Center, a Martin County Schools/Indian River Community College charter school, and as an advisory board member for Florida Atlantic University. She received her juris doctorate from the University of Florida College of Law.

03-27-2006

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Forchelli, Curto, Schwartz, Mineo, Carlino & Cohn, LLP

Partner Terence E. Smolev Featured in Newsday\'s \"Ask the Expert\" Column
Terence E. Smolev, partner-in-charge of the firm's Tax, Trusts, and Estates division, appears in the latest issue of Newsday offering expert advice to readers regarding how to go about securing willed assets that may have been inappropriately transferred.

Responding to a reader's inquiry Mr. Smolev explains, ""Once [a] will is filed for probate and the executor does an accounting of the assets, you may ask the court to determine whether the assets were appropriately distributed to your sister or not. In the event that the will is never filed for probate, you would need to file a legal action in the Surrogate's Court in the county where your mother lived.

03-25-2006

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Gray-Robinson, P.A.

Ashley Calhoun Selected \"Grads Made Good\" Recipient at FSC Homecoming
Lakeland, Florida (March 25, 2006) -- Ashley N. Calhoun, an attorney in the Lakeland office of GrayRobinson law firm, has been selected as the recipient of the 2006 Omicron Delta Kappa ""Grads Made Good"" award, presented by Florida Southern College (FSC). This award recognizes FSC graduates who have made significant progress on their career paths during the 10 years following graduation. She is a member of the class of 1999.

Calhoun focuses her legal practice in the areas of taxation, corporate, wealth transfer, estate planning, and trusts and estate administration. She holds a Master of Laws (LL.M.) in Taxation from the University of Florida Levin College of Law, as well as a Juris Doctor (J.D.) from Stetson University College of Law and a Masters of Business Administration (M.B.A.) degrees from Stetson University.

03-25-2006

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