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New DC Internship program for Australian law students

The University of Queensland has been chosen to participate in a graduate internship program in Washington, DC.

The program, extended to only two universities, offers one UQ law graduate a two-year internship with the Institute for International Banking Law and Practice (IIBLP), based in Washington, DC. The internship includes the rare chance to attend United Nation sessions and travel to the IIBLP's conferences throughout the U.S. and Europe, as well as in India, Russia, Dubai, China, Hong Kong and Singapore. It will also pay for all travel expenses and living allowance. The selection process will begin in the second semester of 2006.

George Mason University in Washington is the only other university to get this honor.

04-19-2006

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West Virginia's law school woes

West Virginia's Marshall University is planning the launch of a new law school. Experts predict this could be a bad move considering that the U.S. News & World Report's ranking for West Virginia University's law school has been consistently slipping.

Previously in the U.S. News & World Report's second tier of law schools, WVU's law school fell into the third tier in the 1990s. Since then, it has yet to rise above the forth tier due to the difficulty its graduates often face in finding post-graduate employment. Market analysts forecast that adding a new law school in West Virginia could further burden the job market.

A focus on raising the standard of education and limiting class size could be a recipe for success at WVU.

04-18-2006

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Growing pains for Pillsbury Winthrop and Shaw Pittman merger

The year-old Pillsbury Winthrop and Shaw Pittman merger is facing troubles while still in its infancy. The sacrifices made by both sides in order to hammer out the deal seem to be too costly for the new firm.

The past year saw approximately 100 lawyers leave the firm, as well as the closing of its 26 year-old Connecticut office. Many senior partners have already jumped ship while others are being compensated on a salary-equity basis. Both profits per partner and revenue per lawyer have seen a downslide. Mary Cranston, chairwoman of the firm, is to step down shortly.

On a more positive note, billable hours showed upward momentum in the last half of 2005.

04-18-2006

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Passing the reins

Creating a second generation of leadership is necessary for a firms' survival beyond the life of its founders. This is especially true for smaller firms.

A case in point is Greene Radovsky Maloney & Share, a firm that has grown slowly but steadily since the 1980s. With all of the firm's present leaders over 50 years old, it has become imperative to determine who will head the firm in the future.

James Fotenos, the managing partner since January, joined six years ago and is actively planning on hiring lateral partners and senior associates to beef up the ranks of partners aged 30-40.

04-18-2006

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Maternity issues hamper career growth

The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission's recent report revealed that more women are facing discrimination based on pregnancy and maternity issues. Complaints have increased 31% since 1995.

Despite the nation's declining birth rate, EEOC reports 4,449 complaints were made in 2005 as compared to 3,385 in 1992. In addition, pre-litigation resolution also went up from $3.7 million to $11.6 million. These numbers make pregnancy discrimination one of the fastest-growing types of employment discrimination, taking over even sexual harassment and sex discrimination charges.

The fact may be attributed to a variety of factors. With the increasing emphasis on billable hours, women are more likely to continue to work after becoming pregnant. Greater understanding of employment rights has also played a key role as more women today are aware of laws like Pregnancy Discrimination Act and The Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA). General factors like firms looking to reduce their numbers have also been blamed.

Among the cases being litigated, a case in point is the Google lawsuit. A female employee of Google has claimed she was demoted and subsequently terminated because she told her boss about her medical problems relating to her pregnancy. Google is facing a federal lawsuit in New York. Elwell v. Google, No. 05 CV 6487 (S.D.N.Y.)

04-17-2006

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Wolf Block rationalizes its financial service department

Pennsylvania-based Wolf Block Schorr & Solis-Cohen has restructured its financial services department by putting its commercial lending, bankruptcy, and real estate structured finance practices under a single umbrella.

The restructured department will be led by Richard M. Zucker. Gretchen M. Santamour will head the bankruptcy/creditors rights group; Zucker, commercial lending; and Abby Wenzel will lead the real estate structured finance practice.

The firm decided to revamp its finance department structure in order to keep up with the recent market trends. Since the three different practice groups were related and had been conferring on various matters in the past too, the move makes logical sense.

04-17-2006

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More on Reed Smith-Richards Butler merger

Various reports on Reed Smith merger with Richards Butler have questioned the concurrence of the firm's Hong Kong affiliate in the matter. Reed Smith chairman dismisses these rumors saying that neither of the firm's press releases includes any reference to a Hong Kong office.

London-based Richards Butler has offices in the Middle East and Europe. Richards Butler Hong Kong split with the firm in the 1990s due to England's tax structure but continues to work in cooperation under the same name.

Considering Hong Kong a part of its international agenda, the chairman of Reed Smith and its director of strategic planning are scheduling a trip to Hong Kong in the last week of April to talk with Richards Butler Hong Kong about a potential merger.

Richards Butler's reported gross revenue for 2005 is $107 million, and its anticipated revenue per lawyer is nearly $529,000.

04-14-2006

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