Law Firm News

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Law Firm News

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Morgan, Lewis & Bockius, L.L.P.

Thierry Dalmasso Joins Morgan Lewis, Expanding White Collar Litigation Practice to Paris
Paris — January 19, 2006 — Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP is pleased to announce the addition of Thierry Dalmasso to the firm. The first litigation partner to join the firm in Paris, Mr. Dalmasso adds an international element to a growing and prestigious national white collar practice. Mr. Dalmasso joins Morgan Lewis from leading French firm Rambaud Martel and brings with him senior associates Ludovic Malgrain and Alain Salgado and junior associate Aline Bourcereau-Rouzin.

"Thierry is an internationally renowned litigator who will lead the expansion of our Litigation Practice in Paris," said Morgan Lewis Chair Francis M. Milone.

Mr. Dalmasso is well recognized in the French legal market as a premier advocate and litigator. Both The Legal 500 and Chambers and Partners have ranked him at the highest levels, with Chambers describing him as "a leading specialist in the white-collar crime field." He has also been ranked as one of the leading experts in white collar crime by the French equivalent of The American Lawyer, Décideurs Stratégie Finance et Droit. Décideurs notes that not only is Thierry one of only two lawyers recognized as the leading white collar crime practitioners, he is one of the only practitioners in Paris who focuses solely on high-profile white collar crime cases. In addition to his impressive case load, Mr. Dalmasso is utilized by French industry and media as a high-profile legal expert, appearing regularly on French television and interviewed by the French national press on other highly contentious media-intensive cases. His services are also in demand at conferences on white-collar crime.

The addition of Mr. Dalmasso brings the total number of Chambers-ranked partners in the Morgan Lewis Paris office to five and enhances the multi-jurisdictional practice there, allowing the office to manage litigation and white collar matters in-house. Morgan Lewis offers premier practices internationally to assist clients with matters related to litigation, business and finance, labor law, tax law and antitrust issues.

Mr. Dalmasso is a graduate of the Paris Sorbonne-Panthéon University and the Paris Institute of Judicial Studies. He has been a member of the Paris bar since 1985.

01-19-2006

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Michael Best & Friedrich, LLP

Mayor Daley Appoints Michael Best Attorney as Commissioner of the Chicago Housing Authority
Mayor Richard Daley appointed Bridget M. O’Keefe of Michael Best & Friedrich LLP’s Chicagooffice as a Commissioner of the Chicago Housing Authority (“CHA”). The Chicago City Council confirmed the Mayor’s appointment on January 11, 2006. Ms. O’Keefe, a real estate partner who focuses her practice primarily in the areas of zoning and land use law, is filling the unexpired term of Lori Healey, who left the Board to become Commissioner of the Chicago Department of Planning and Development. Ms. O’Keefe’s term on the Board of Commissioners runs through July 2008.

The CHA Board of Commissioners sets policies governing the operations of CHA and charts the direction of current and future programs. The CHA serves nearly 140,000 residents in the City of Chicago and has a budget of $1.5 billion to execute its Plan of Transformation, a 10-year plan to improve the quality, appearance and culture of public housing in Chicago. Under the plan, CHA aims to develop and rehabilitate 25,000 public housing units.

01-19-2006

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McKenna Long & Aldridge LLP

MCKENNA LONG & ALDRIDGE ADDS EXPERIENCED PUBLIC AFFAIRS STRATEGIST TO GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS PRACTICE
Billy Linville, Advisor to Mayor Shirley Franklin and Former Governor Roy Barnes Joins Firm as Managing Director
January 19, 2006

ATLANTA, GA - (January 19, 2006) - Billy Linville, a key advisor to Mayor Shirley Franklin, Governor Roy Barnes and a number of other elected officials, joins the Government Affairs practice of McKenna, Long & Aldridge LLP as a Managing Director. Linville will be based in the firm’s Atlanta office and will begin on February 1, 2006.

“McKenna Long & Aldridge is known for providing unparalleled Government Affairs counsel at all levels of government,” said Billy Linville. “My goal is to draw on my previous governmental and political experience to advise clients and further enhance the credentials of McKenna Long & Aldridge’s Government Affairs team.”

Mr. Linville, current president of the public affairs firm of Linville & Associates, has extensive experience in government at a local, state and national level. Mr. Linville previously worked at Strategy.Gov, a strategic planning, public affairs and political consulting firm and with Strother, Duffy, Strother, a Washington, DC political consulting and public affairs firm. He has also served as an advisor to former Governor Roy Barnes and Louisiana United States Senator Mary Landrieu (D-LA) in addition to functioning as a legislative assistant for former United States Congressman Phil Sharp (D-IN).

On a local level, Mr. Linville served as Mayor Franklin’s Communication Director for her election as Mayor in 2001; headed media relations for her transition team; and was the Deputy Campaign Manager for her re-election last November. He also headed up the Mayor’s successful Water and Sewer Referendum in 2004 and the Cobb County Sales Tax Referendum in 2005. On a state level, Mr. Linville served as Governor Roy Barnes Communication Director in 2002.

“Billy Linville is a trusted friend and advisor,” said Mayor Shirley Franklin. “ He brings valuable perspective on government, business, politics and public strategies. He will be a great addition to the firm of McKenna Long & Aldridge.”

By joining the Government Affairs practice of McKenna Long & Aldridge, Mr. Linville becomes the newest member of an experienced group of professionals that was recently joined by former US Senator Zell Miller and former Assistant Secretary of Defense for Legislative Affairs, Powell Moore.

“In recognition of our clients’ need for counsel at the intersection of business and government, the Government Affairs practice at McKenna Long & Aldridge has an aggressive growth strategy in order to meet the public policy needs of our clients at all levels of government,” said Eric Tanenblatt, head of the firm’s Government Affairs practice. “As such, a person with Billy’s knowledge and expertise in the area of government will be of great value to the firm and our clients.”

01-19-2006

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Le Boeuf, Lamb, Greene & McRae, L.L.P.

McDonald’s Files to Dismiss Lease Complaint
McDonald’s American Samoa’s parent company, American Samoa 2000 Inc.,
(AMSAM) is arguing their original and amended lease for a second restaurant on
Utulei Beach do not violate the law, and that the Fono and its individual members
lack standing to sue the governor to invalidate the lease contract because they are
not party to the contract.
This is according to the company’s filing made last week, in which AMSAM, represented
by local attorney Marshal Ashley and off-island attorney Sharon Corda,
seeks to have the High Court dismiss the Senate’s lawsuit over McDonald’s lease
on Utulei Beach.
The High Court had declined to rule on Executive Branch’s motion to dismiss until
it heard from AMSAM.
AMSAM’s attorneys maintain that the amended lease and the original lease comply
fully with the law, and do not attempt to undermine the Senate’s authority and
the Fono’s authority isn’t threatened here. The company says the Fono “simply
disagrees with the Governor’s application of a statute to a particular set of facts.”
“The complaint suggests, although it does not explicitly assert, that Moliga and the
Fono are acting in the interests of the American Samoa public in seeking to prevent
violation of a statute,” it notes.
AMSAM contends that US courts have repeatedly held that serious issues regarding
the US constitution’s case or controversy requirements arise when individual
lawmakers, legislative bodies or government officials attempt to sue the executive
branch to obtain enforcement or invalidation of particular statutes.
It says that same situation applies in this case where the Senate and its president
are attempting to invalidate a contract for a “purported violation [of the local statute]
when the executive branch has repeatedly approved of the lease and sees no
illegality in its terms.”

01-19-2006

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Kronish, Lieb, Weiner & Hellman, L.L.P.

Kronish Lieb Team Plays Lead Role in 98.5% Return in Bob's Stores Bankruptcy
Kronish Lieb's Bankruptcy and Restructuring Group has played a key role in securing a 98.5% total distribution for unsecured creditors in the Chapter 11 bankruptcy of Bob's Stores, the casual clothing and footwear chain. Early in the bankruptcy proceeding, the return for unsecured creditors was projected at approximately 30%.

Representing the creditors committee in the case, Kronish Lieb ensured that a competitive auction was held in a relatively short time frame, resulting in a doubling of the projected recovery. Further work by the Firm's attorneys in representing the liquidating trustee on both claims reconciliation and litigation helped to increase the recovery by another 30%.

"Any time that you can more than triple the recovery beyond initial estimates, you've achieved something special," said Jay R. Indyke, partner in Kronish Lieb's Bankruptcy & Restructuring Group. "The aggressive committee action was instrumental in facilitating this level of return, and there was outstanding cooperation among all parties involved. A recovery of close to 100% is certainly atypical in these types of cases." Clear Thinking Group LLC served as the liquidating trustee for BSI Holding Co., Inc., formerly known as Bob's Stores.

Meriden, Connecticut-based Bob's Stores filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court, District of Delaware on October 22, 2003. At that time, the retail chain operated 34 stores in six states throughout the Northeast. The majority of the merchant's assets were subsequently acquired by the TJX Companies, Framingham, MA, for about $113 million, less various adjustments. A liquidation trust was then established to reconcile all remaining claims and liquidate the retailer's estate.

01-19-2006

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

Kennedy Covington Adds Ten New Partners
CHARLOTTE and RALEIGH, N.C. - Kennedy Covington, one of the largest full service law firms in the Carolinas, is pleased to announce that six attorneys were voted into the firm's partnership in 2006. Kennedy Covington is the third largest law firm in North Carolina and was recognized in the most recent National Law Journal annual survey as a "Top 10" law firm in terms of growth in 2005. Kennedy Covington attorneys that became partners are:



RICHARD K. BROWN - Brown is a member of the Financial Services Department and has been with the firm since 2001. He focuses his practice on banking and finance with an emphasis on senior syndicated credit transactions, asset-based financing, and other secured financial transactions. Brown received his law degree from Quinnipiac University/University of Bridgeport (J.D., magna cum laude , 1987).



BRIAN C. COX - Cox is a member of the Financial Services Department and has been with the firm since 1998. He focuses his practice on structured finance, including mortgage-backed and asset-backed securitization and collateralized debt obligations. Cox received his law degree from the University of Virginia (J.D., 1998).



MICHAEL F. KING - King is a member of the Real Estate Department and has been with the firm since 1998. He focuses his practice on real estate acquisition, development and disposition as well as land use matters. King received his law degree from the University of Texas (J.D., with honors, 1998).



WILLIAM B. MACURDA - Macurda is a member of the Financial Services Department and has been with the firm since 1998. He focuses his practice on structured finance, where he represents trustees and master servicers in commercial mortgage-backed , residential mortgage-backed and asset-backed securitization transactions. Macurda received his law degree from Case Western Reserve University (J.D., 1997).



DONALD E. MARTIN - Martin is a member of the Real Estate Department and has been with the firm since 2001. He focuses his legal practice in all facets of commercial real estate transactions, including acquisitions, sales, development, joint venture documentation, leasing and lender representation. Martin received his law degree from the University of Kentucky (J.D., cum laude , 1998).



PATRICK L. RIDINGER - Ridinger is a member of the Real Estate Department and has been with the firm since 1998. He focuses his practice on the acquisition, financing, leasing and sale of commercial real estate developments. Ridinger received his law degree from the University of South Carolina (J.D., cum laude , 1998).



Attorneys that joined Kennedy Covington as partners during 2005 are:



WILLIAM J. BRIAN, JR. - Brian joined Kennedy Covington's Research Triangle Park office as a partner in the Real Estate Department. He focuses his practice in the areas of zoning, land use and municipal law, real estate litigation and commercial real estate law. Brian received his law degree from Duke University (J.D., with high honors, 1989).



RAYMOND S. KOLOSKI - Koloski joined Kennedy Covington's Charlotte office as a partner in the Financial Services Department. He focuses his practice on representing banks and other financial institutions in structuring and negotiating debt capital markets products. Koloski received his law degree from Case Western Reserve University (J.D., 1994).



MICHEL P. VANESSE - Vanesse joined Kennedy Covington's Charlotte office as a partner in the Business Law Department. He focuses his practice on employee benefits, with an emphasis on executive compensation and corporate reorganizations. Vanesse received his U.S. law degree from the University of Chicago (J.D., 1995) and his Belgian law degree from Universit´e Libre de Bruxelles (J.D., with high honors, 1988).



SCOTT M. YARBROUGH - Yarbrough joined Kennedy Covington's Charlotte office as a partner in the Financial Services Department. He focuses his practice on representing underwriters and issuers in high yield debt offerings in acquisition finance transactions. Yarbrough received his law degree from New York University (J.D., 1995).



*Michel Vanesse and Scott Yarbrough are not currently licensed to practice law in North Carolina and South Carolina.



Kennedy Covington Lobdell & Hickman, L.L.P. is one of the largest full service law firms in the Carolinas, with offices in Charlotte, Columbia, Raleigh, Research Triangle Park 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.


01-19-2006

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Kaye Scholer LLP

Borggräfe and Schütt win appeal before the German Federal Constitutional Court
Joachim Borggräfe and Marc Schütt, both of the Frankfurt office, won an appeal on January 19 before the German Federal Constitutional Court, the highest court in Germany. The Court issued a unanimous judgment in favor of client Sigurd Kunkel overruling three prior decisions of a lower court. The appeal was submitted to the Federal Constitutional Court in July 2005 to lift an injunction order of over two million euros which was issued in connection with a criminal investigation. In its first decision about the issues addressed in the appeal, the Court held that the client's constitutional right to a fair trial had been violated because voluminous evidence gathered by the prosecution had not been disclosed to defense counsel, but nevertheless, was used to uphold the injunction order. The judgment is a significant achievement because successful appeals of individuals to the Federal Constitutional Court are very rare, with success in only about 50 of the roughly 3,500 appeals per year.

01-19-2006

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