Law Firm News

---

Law Firm News

Firm Name

News Title

News

News Date

25383 matches |  24025-24031 displayed

1  3431 3432 3433 3434 3435  3627

---

Meyer, Unkovic & Scott, L.L.P.

Meyer, Unkovic & Scott Names New Practice Group Leaders
March 20, 2006, Pittsburgh, PA – Meyer, Unkovic & Scott LLP announces the appointment of practice group leaders for its Real Estate, Business, and Intellectual Property Groups. W. Grant Scott, II was named Chair of the firm’s Real Estate & Lending Group; Joel Pfeffer was named Chair of the firm’s Corporate & Business Law Group; and David G. Oberdick was named Chair of the firm’s Intellectual Property Group.

Scott provides counseling to clients on the structuring, negotiation and documentation of sophisticated real estate transactions, including the acquisition, sale and dispositions of real properties. He also advises both owners and tenants on leasing agreements, counsels borrowers on financing and works in tandem with Corporate Tax Departments on the real estate components of mergers, acquisitions and dissolutions. Scott also serves on the firm’s Management Committee.

A Sewickley resident, Scott received his Bachelor of Science in Commerce from the University of Virginia. He received his Juris Doctor Degree from the Duquesne University School of Law.

Pfeffer, since joining the firm in 1985, has focused his practice in the areas of corporate, immigration, and nationality law. He handles immigration and naturalization matters on behalf of both foreign and U.S. based companies, as well as individuals, and has been recognized in the publication “Best Lawyers in America,” published by Woodward & White for his practice of immigration law.

A Squirrel Hill resident, Pfeffer received an Advanced Rabbinic Degree from Beth Medrash Govoha in 1981. He then received his Juris Doctor Degree from the University of Pittsburgh School of Law in 1985.

Oberdick concentrates his practice on intellectual property law, including patents, trademarks, copyrights, trade secrets, software and technology licensing, computer law, e-commerce and related internet contracts and warranty/privacy issues, intellectual property litigation and related business transactions. Oberdick’s litigation experience in the intellectual property area has included infringement and misappropriation litigation, restrictive covenants, licensing disputes, injunction proceedings, and related breach of contract issues. He is admitted to practice before the United State Patent and Trademark Office.

An Ohio Township resident, Oberdick received his B.A., magna cum laude, from the University of Pittsburgh, majoring in Physics and Astronomy. He earned his Juris Doctor, magna cum laude, from the University of Pittsburgh Law School, where he was elected to membership in the Order of the Coif.

03-21-2006

---

Kaplan, Fox & Kilsheimer, LLP

Kaplan Fox Seeks to Recover Losses for Investors Who Purchased H&R Block, Inc. Securities
Kaplan Fox & Kilsheimer LLP (www.kaplanfox.com) has filed a class action suit in the United States District Court for the Western District of Missouri against H&R Block, Inc. (“HRB” or the “Company”) (NYSE: HRB) and certain of its officers and directors, on behalf of all persons or entities who purchased the publicly traded securities of HRB between June 12, 2002 and March 15, 2006 (the “Class Period”).

The complaint alleges that during the Class Period, defendants violated Sections 10(b) and 20(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 by publicly issuing a series of false and misleading statements regarding the Company’s business and financial prospects, thus causing HRB’’s shares to trade at artificially inflated prices.

In particular, the complaint alleges that the true facts, which were known by each of the defendants, but concealed from the investing public during the Class Period, were as follows: (a) HRB knowingly engaged in fraudulent business practices by steering low and middle-income customers to its Express IRA – a retirement account in which most customers have lost money because the Express IRA’s fees exceeded the return on interest earned on the account; (b) HRB marketed the Express IRA in a fraudulent manner by, for example, failing to adequately disclose fees; and (c) HRB failed: (1) to adequately disclose that the Express IRA earned a negative rate of return because of fees, but instead, falsely described the rate as “great” and the account as a “better way to save”; (2) to adequately disclose the fees associated with the Express IRA in a format comprehensible to customers and falsely claimed fees were lower than they in fact were; (3) to inform customers that the value of their accounts would decline over time unless they made large and continuing contributions to the Express IRA because the fees far exceeded the low rate of return; and (4) to disclose the tax consequences and penalties associated with early withdrawal of funds from the Express IRA. In addition, the complaint alleges that during the Class Period, the Company experienced material weaknesses in internal controls relating accounting for state income taxes and HRB has disclosed that it would have to restate its financial statements for the fiscal years-ended April 30, 2004 and April 30, 2005 because HRB understated its state income taxes by at least $32 million.

The complaint alleges that after the truth about HRB began to be revealed on February 23, 2006, HRB’s stock price declined from $25.19 per share to $20.63 per share, a decline of approximately 16%.

If you are a member of the proposed Class, you may move the court no later than May 16, 2006 to serve as a lead plaintiff for the Class. You need not seek to become a lead plaintiff in order to share in any possible recovery.

Plaintiff seeks to recover damages on behalf of the Class and is represented by Kaplan Fox & Kilsheimer LLP. Our firm, with offices in New York, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Chicago and New Jersey, has many years of experience in prosecuting investor class actions and actions involving financial fraud. For more information about Kaplan Fox & Kilsheimer LLP, or to review a copy of the complaint filed in this action, you may visit our website at www.kaplanfox.com.

03-21-2006

---

Kennedy Covington Lobdell & Hickman, L.L.P.

Kennedy Covington Listed Among TOP U.S. Private Equity and Venture Capital Law Firms by Private Equity Analyst
Kennedy Covington, one of the largest law firms in the Carolinas, has been named one of the most active private equity and venture capital law firms in the country in the February issue of Private Equity Analyst, a Dow Jones publication. According to the survey, Kennedy Covington led all Southeast law firms in the overall number of completed transactions in 2005, for the second consecutive year.


""It has been a great year and we are excited to have closed so many deals,"" said Norfleet Pruden, chair of Kennedy Covington's business law practice. ""Private equity transactions are especially rewarding and exciting for business lawyers because they draw on the breadth and depth of our experience in all areas of business law and require collaboration among attorneys from many areas of the firm. We were among the first firms in the Southeast to have a focus on private equity, and it has been great both to grow with our long-time clients and to help new clients in this area.""



Kennedy Covington closed 59 deals, 42 private equity transactions and 17 venture capital deals in 2005, involving clients and portfolio companies across the country and which represent total consideration of more than $1.5 billion, including representing:



Affiliates of Bank of America Corporation in a variety of investment and strategic matters including our representation of Banc of America Capital Investors in the initial public offering of its portfolio company, Republic Companies Group, Inc.
Affiliates of Wachovia Corporation in a variety of financing, strategic and acquisition transactions including Wachovia Capital Partners in its investment in Coastal Drilling, LLC, an owner and operator of oil and gas drilling barges
Carousel Capital Partners on several new investments and liquidity transactions, including its sale of Meineke Car Care Centers, Inc.
Banc of America Capital Investors and Wachovia Capital Partners, as the controlling investors in WorldStrides, a specialist in educational travel, in connection with the sale of the company to Charlesbank Capital Partners, Silverhawk Capital Partners and management
Copeley Capital Partners, in its acquisition of Badgerland Car Wash and Equipment Co., Inc., a leading distributor of car wash equipment and products in the Midwest
BIA Digital Partners, in its investment in Destination Cinemas LLC, an owner and operator of IMAX movie theaters at travel destinations in the United States and Canada
Plexus Fund I, L.P., in its investment in Transcription Relief Services, LLC, a medical transcription company specializing in quality healthcare documentation services
In addition, Kennedy Covington represented general partners and other investors in connection with the formation and closing of nine new private equity, hedge and similar investment funds, including the formation of Plexus Fund I, LP.



Kennedy Covington Lobdell & Hickman, L.L.P., headquartered in Charlotte, NC, is one of the largest full service law firms in the Carolinas, with offices in Raleigh, Research Triangle Park, Columbia and Rock Hill. Our lawyers bring a wealth of experience and knowledge of the law to bear in solving problems and leveraging opportunities for clients in varied industries such as banking and finance, real estate, technology and manufacturing. At Kennedy Covington, we give more than a legal opinion; we provide a business perspective.

03-21-2006

---

Gray-Robinson, P.A.

Patent Attorneys Join Fort Lauderdale Office
GrayRobinson is pleased to announce that Thomas L. Kautz and Donald S. Showalter have joined the Fort Lauderdale office as shareholders. Kautz and Showalter join the firm from Holland & Knight and will continue to practice in the area of intellectual property law.

""The addition of these two outstanding attorneys will further solidify our intellectual property practice and add significant capability to our Fort Lauderdale office. Intellectual property is a growing concern among businesses, big and small, throughout the country. This recent expansion in our south Florida office further enhances our position in this all important market,"" said Byrd F. Marshall, Jr., President & Managing Partner of Gray-Robinson.

Kautz practices exclusively in the area of intellectual property, including patent, trademark and copyright law, and related litigation, agreements and client counseling. He negotiates and drafts a broad range of patent and trademark licenses, settlements and other agreements on behalf of clients in a number of industries. In the patent area, Kautz focuses on mechanical and electro-mechanical inventions in a wide variety of technologies. He is experienced in all phases of trademark practice. Kautz, a graduate of Valparaiso University School of Law, is a member of the United States Patent and Trademark Office and the American Intellectual Property Law Association.

Showalter has practiced exclusively in the intellectual property area for over 20 years. His practice focuses on electrical, electronic, optical, computer and mechanical technologies. As a registered Patent Attorney by the U.S. Patent and Trade Office, Showalter's practice includes preparation and prosecution of utility and design patent applications (both domestic and international), patentability, infringement and validity opinions, reexamination and reissue proceedings, foreign patent oppositions, and federal patent litigation. Showalter, a graduate of the University of Pittsburgh School of Law, is a member of the American Intellectual Property Law Association and the International Trademark Association.

Intellectual property, in many cases the most valuable and least protected asset of companies and individuals, consists of several forms of intangible property including copyrights, trademarks, patents, and trade secrets. For business executives and creative individuals, these are vital components of success. Intellectual Property law protects your innovations from unauthorized use and exploitation by third parties, allowing you to fully benefit from what you have created.
A wide range of companies and individuals have sought out GrayRobinson's experience and knowledge in intellectual property matters. From start to finish, our attorneys can direct clients the process of obtaining copyrights and trademarks and protecting valuable trade and business secrets.

They are also experienced in enforcing rights related to trademark and copyright matters, including copyright and trademark infringement actions.

03-21-2006

---

Wiley, Rein & Fielding, L.L.P.

Wiley Rein & Fielding Partner Quoted on Use of Contentious Factors in Risk Assessment
Wiley Rein & Fielding partner Lawrence H. Mirel was quoted in The Washington Post on insurers' use of education level and occupation as factors in their risk assessments. The Consumer Federation of America has charged that Geico, the fourth-largest auto insurance company in the country, discriminates against low income and minority customers by using such factors as occupation and educational attainment as surrogates for race and income. Geico denies any discrimination, responding that occupation and education are two of numerous criteria derived from loss experience.

Insurance carriers are constantly in search of ways to assess risk accurately, said Mr. Mirel, a former D.C. insurance commissioner. “The heart of insurance is underwriting. You want to make the best prediction you can about who is going to have a claim, and if you’re good about that you make money, if not you lose money.”

03-21-2006

---

Saul Ewing, LLP

SAUL EWING ATTORNEY ELECTED TO BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF THE BAYONNE MEDICAL CENTER FOUNDATION
Marc A. Citron, a Partner in the Real Estate
Department and Vice Office Managing Partner of the Princeton office, was elected to the Board
of Trustees of the Bayonne Medical Center Foundation. He will serve a three-year term.
Established in 1888, Bayonne Medical Center is a 278-bed, fully accredited, acute-care
hospital located in Hudson County, New Jersey. Since opening its doors more than a century
ago, it has been committed to providing quality, comprehensive, community-based healthcare
services to more than 70,000 people annually.
Mr. Citron’s practice includes a broad range of commercial real estate matters as well as
business-related transactions. His experience spans acquisitions, sales, joint ventures, financings,
entity formation, leasing and development for both commercial and industrial projects with
particular emphasis in the hospitality sector.
Mr. Citron graduated from Rutgers University, and received his J.D. degree from the
University of Pennsylvania School of Law.

03-21-2006

---

Saul Ewing, LLP

SAUL EWING ATTORNEY ELECTED TO BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF THE BAYONNE MEDICAL CENTER FOUNDATION
Marc A. Citron, a Partner in the Real Estate
Department and Vice Office Managing Partner of the Princeton office, was elected to the Board
of Trustees of the Bayonne Medical Center Foundation. He will serve a three-year term.
Established in 1888, Bayonne Medical Center is a 278-bed, fully accredited, acute-care
hospital located in Hudson County, New Jersey. Since opening its doors more than a century
ago, it has been committed to providing quality, comprehensive, community-based healthcare
services to more than 70,000 people annually.
Mr. Citron’s practice includes a broad range of commercial real estate matters as well as
business-related transactions. His experience spans acquisitions, sales, joint ventures, financings,
entity formation, leasing and development for both commercial and industrial projects with
particular emphasis in the hospitality sector.
Mr. Citron graduated from Rutgers University, and received his J.D. degree from the
University of Pennsylvania School of Law.

03-21-2006

---

25383 matches |  24025-24031 displayed

1  3431 3432 3433 3434 3435  3627