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Cooley Godward strengthens government contracts group

Cooley Godward Kronish raided rival firm DLA Piper to add two established names to its list of partners. The new entrants, Gregory A. Smith and Kevin P. Mullen, are prominent government contracts attorneys who joined the firm's Washington, DC office. They will be attached to the Government Contracts practice group, a recent expansion in the existing practice areas of the firm. The duo, who has to their credit experiences spanning more than five decades, was earlier associated with DLA Piper in the same area of practice.

Apart from adding teeth to its Government Contracts practice group, Cooley Godward is also highly confident that the addition will allow them to serve clients better due to the duo's vast experience and expertise in the sector. The legal market in the sector, augmented by the rise in government and industry relations, as well as escalation in business ties between individuals and the government sectors has seen an increase in the demand for attorneys in the related field. Its attorneys provide both a wide range of counseling and litigation services to clients ranging from negotiations with government agencies to bid protests, contract actions, and termination disputes.

A full-service firm Cooley Godward Kronish's 580 attorneys spread over its 7 offices serves a vast array of clients from diverse industry sectors.

11-28-2006

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Why lawyers shy away from becoming lawmakers

Lawyers, who wish to turn into lawmakers, have to do so for a price, literally. The two most major deterrents in this respect are time and money. Lawyers not only have to withstand extra long hours, but also have to do without the lucre of precious billable hours, which accounts for their perennially dwindling numbers in the state legislatures. Often they leave the government sector at all stages in their careers to enter the more profitable private practice of law. However, realizing this factor, many companies now allow their attorneys the leg room to juggle between sessions and additionally try to compensate for the financial discrepancy.

The legislature needs attorneys to ensure proper constitutional drafting of legislation, in the greater context of the interest of society as a whole as well to help their counterparts understand the basics while negotiating compromises. Some legislators also argue that taxpayers must shell out more to tackle the shortcomings. Even though the legislation provides assistance for drafting bills, qualified lawyers are more adept to such legal language and can be faster and more efficient in writing statutory language and debating.

Lawyers lose up to the tune of $50,000 in salary a year by serving in the Legislature. The Senate does not compensate for the loss of income from reduced billable hours for the lawyers. Bill Corrigan, a partner at Armstrong Teasdale LLP and former president of the Missouri Bar Association, via bizjournals.com, states that rising campaign costs as well as lengthy sessions deter lawyers from serving the public office. Corrigan says that the legislature and its works should not be predominantly a lawyer's domain. However, to motivate lawyers into becoming lawmakers, they should be given the opportunity to work both as a lawyer as well as a legislator. In this context, Corrigan opines that law firms should be flexible enough to accommodate such lawyers.

According to Kansas Bar Association, 20 lawyers occupy state legislative seats in Kansas. Missouri's General Assembly has 25. The prime reason for the general apathy is because of the extra long sessions, special as well as general, other committee meetings, and speaking assignments that they have to honor. Along with the financial loss, the rising costs of ordinary senatorial campaign worsen the situation.

Firms recognize the need for lawyers in the legislature because of their ability to explain, assist in drafting bills and give feedback on possible legislation. Therefore, most firms now accommodate lawyers who keep switching between private and public sector to keep in tune with the need to serve the senate as well firm's exclusive clientele.

11-28-2006

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Parker Scheer expands practice to Sin City

Boston-based law firm Parker Scheer, specialists in personal injury, opened shop in "Sin City" Las Vegas, under the moniker Parker Scheer Lagomarsino. The new set up will focus primarily on areas concerning serious personal injury and business litigation. After a successful decade in Boston's civil practice arena, the Las Vegas office will mark the firm's operational expansion beyond Massachusetts. Both managing partners, Eric Parker and Barry Scheer, are renowned names in their field of operation.

The firm's motive to expand towards the southwest stems from the area's emerging legal market following the rise in population in the region as well as its escalating legal requirements. Both partners are expressing confidence of making it big following their successful operational strategies adopted in Massachusetts of delivering quality service to clients.

11-27-2006

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International immigration lawyers unite under one umbrella

Accomplished immigration pundits from all over the globe joined hands to form Visalaw International, a novel association formed by immigration specialists Siskind Susser Bland. Visalaw International, the umbrella organization, will aid member firms from countries all over the globe including the U.S., Canada, U.K., Australia, Italy, Japan, China, Germany, Brazil, South Africa, and Argentina, in tackling complicated immigration laws across continents for clients, both individuals and companies.

Attorneys' difficulties in competing globally are further vexed by stringent immigration laws. The novel organization will help its clients develop new strategies to overcome these impediments. Visalaw International aims to help international clients through with its wide web of member lawyers spread all over the world. Visalaw International members can work directly with the help of the organization. They can also employ the services of other member firms in particular regions to help them with litigation.

Memphis-based Siskind Susser Bland is one of the largest immigration law firms in North America whose attorneys provide consultations to corporations and individuals on all aspects of immigration and nationality law on a global footing.

11-27-2006

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Orrick adds muscle to structured finance practice in Asia

Michelle Taylor, a prominent securities and structured finance expert and specialist in Asian legal matters joined Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe's Hong Kong office as a partner. Taylor, who earlier served Paul, Hastings, Janofsky, & Walker in its Hong Kong office, handled several notable transactions during her career. The move to induct Taylor follows the firm's ongoing plans to expand its structured finance capabilities geographically in response to the growing need for securitization and structured finance in capital markets around the world.

The firm is upbeat about Michelle's joining as it hopes to reap greatly from her vast experience and strengthen its global structured finance practice. Orrick is banking on Taylor's focused practice and expertise in Asian legal matters to give the firm an edge over its competitors in the region. Taylor, on her part, is happy to join the international firm as its global presence will help her gain rich experience.

International law firm Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe has more than 900 lawyers across the continents who serve a wide array of clients on matters relating to litigation, complex and novel finance, and innovative corporate transactions.

11-24-2006

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Hiring at top U.S. law firms see 4% increase

The results of the annual staff survey conducted by National Law Journal were released recently. The survey reports that prominent U.S. law firms showed a meager 4 percent increase in recruitments in 2006. The Top 10 firms of last year maintained their status quo. At the end of September 2006, a total of 121,423 attorneys were appointed in Top 250 law firms this year, 4,752 more than last year. The firms have added to their various teams to keep in tune with the growing demands of the market, as well as to remain at par with the expanding clientele list and their varied needs.

In spite of the marginal rise in lawyer recruitment, partners increased by 48,954, amounting to 5.1 per cent, while associates registered a growth rate of 4.8 per cent. But the increase registered among salaried partners in one year is impressive, with the non-equity partners growing by 16.1 per cent. The other highlights in the survey included starting salaries for Associates within the Top 50 firms, which ranged between $85,000 and $145,000.

A few firms like Baker & McKenzie (who added 226 names to its rosters during the year), Greenberg Traurig, and Mayer, Brown, Rowe & Maw registered recruitment rate of 12.4 per cent, and 9.1 per cent, respectively, showed significant growth. On the other hand, some major contenders like Jones Day and Shearman & Sterling suffered losses in attorney strength due to defection. In the case of individual firms, one major reason behind the changing growth rate is mergers. Most small to midsize firms merged with big name firms, accounting for the firms' growth between 20 per cent and 25 per cent.

11-24-2006

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South Korea likely to open its doors to foreign law offices

With a surcharged economy and the emergence of a hot legal market in South Korea, legal professionals in the U.S. as well as other foreign countries are now eyeing Seoul with growing interest. As an outcome of the economic liberalization, foreign investments in the Asian sector has witnessed an upswing in recent times; following this many international firms are gearing up to make their mark on the new territory.

The move comes as a follow-up of the trade agreement bill currently being discussed with the United States under the review of the Korean Justice Ministry. According to the Seoul Bar Association, early next year the Korean Parliament too is expected to put its stamp of approval on the bill which besides textiles, agriculture, pharmaceuticals, and automobiles also includes the legal industry. Lifting of economic sanctions will also see South Korea receiving a bulk of the international trade so long enjoyed by China alone. Till now the South Korean government has not entertained forays by the foreign law firms to open offices in its land, but with the agreement in place the road is expected to be smoother.

In order to serve their Korean clients, several leading law firms, like Clifford Chance, Linklaters, Baker & McKenzie, Allen & Overy , and Paul, Hastings, Janofsky & Walker already have attorneys with proficiency in the Korean language working in the new region from their other Asian offices. Though economically South Korea is a stalwart among its Asiatic peers, Korean Bar Association data reveals that it's lagging far behind the U.S. in the lawyer population ratio.

Law firms are eager to represent leading Korean companies, in an effort to enhance their practice in the region. The U.S. International Trade Commission forecasts an increase in trade by $29 billion annually from the bill, reports bloomberg.com. U.S. legal pundits opine that if the U.S. can open its doors to foreign-licensed lawyers to work in U.S. soil, Korea should adopt a similar attitude towards the U.S. attorneys.

In order to explain Korea's reluctance to grant access to foreign law firms, many Korean legal experts take refuge in the fact that their firm sizes are very small compared to the U.S. and hence fear being overpowered. Korean lawyers, however, would like the market to evolve gradually for accommodating foreign experts rather than to make the transition overnight, which they fear may prove disastrous to the existing legal market. Meanwhile, overwhelmed Korean law firms often deal as buyers and sellers in a single transaction for international companies for lack of competition.

11-23-2006

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