February 2010 TOP LATERAL HIRES

Photo by Nanette Kardaszeski

The Group at Cozen O’Conor. Photo Caption on page 10. A Supplement to

table of contents TL2 TL3 TL4 TL6 Looking at the Lateral Partner Market in What Associates Need to Know About Our Top Lateral Hires List And the Runners Up Are... 2010 Lateral Moves TL2 • Top Laterals tuesday, february 16, 2010 February 2010 Looking at the Lateral Partner Market in 2010

By robert b. nourian Robert B. ously considered by firms. lowing: Special to the Legal, PLW Nourian is manag- So what changes lay ahead in 2010? Will the • Regulatory-focused practices: These ing principal of Coleman lateral market loosen up? If firms are hiring, include antitrust and competition, health care, s the business and law firm communi- Nourian, a legal search and what will they be looking for in incoming part- and financial services. With regulations con- ties breathe a sigh of relief as the books staffing firm founded in ners? tinuing to increase and enforcement now on are closed on 2009, the focus has been 1985. Along with his man- I think, for one, the market will loosen up, the rise, lawyers with regulatory expertise are A agement responsibilities, he turning squarely on the game plan for 2010. albeit marginally. While the business and legal increasingly in demand to help keep clients out Law firm leaders are hopeful that they have the maintains an active search communities often have short memories, they of trouble. practice focused on partner intensive period of crisis management behind aren’t so short that law firms have forgotten the • White-collar defense: This area will also level search and high-level them and a period of growth and investment in-house search. He also recent pain of having to quickly cut overhead, remain very active, with clients continuing to ahead. A significant component of the growth works with small law firms seeking appropriate merger lay off lawyers and have very unpleasant con- get in trouble as a result of robust and increas- and investment plan for most firms involves opportunities with larger firms. Prior to entering the versations with underperforming partners. ing government enforcement. With the current targeted lateral partner hiring. recruiting profession, Nourian practiced law as a cor- Recently going through this retrenchment federal administration, there seems to already Before looking at the lateral partner market porate attorney for major New York City and period will certainly temper enthusiasm for any be an uptick in investigations and enforcement in 2010, however, it’s useful to summarize 2009 law firms. He can be contacted at rnou- new spending. actions. A high-ranking Department of Justice for context. In 2009, with the large law firm [email protected]. And while profits may not look too bad when official recently said that “[c]ombating health world experiencing a decline in revenues, cli- reviewing 2009 results, those numbers largely care fraud is a top priority of the Department of ents positioning themselves for survival, and ously consider making a move. The thresholds derive from having made large cost cuts, not Justice.” They’ve been backing that up with major peer firms dissolving, many partners with for lateral partner movement were higher on from increased work. The challenge for 2010 is additional investigations. And with more state- a significant client base were asking the follow- both ends: the individual partner’s end and the to increase revenue, since there isn’t much, if ments of enforcement intent and clear activity ing questions: incoming firm’s end. any, excess cost remaining in the system. in the foreign corrupt practices area and other • Is my law firm financially healthy and is it In the 2009 climate of high risk and uncer- As clients are working to limit outside legal areas, it seems very clear that there will be a positioned well enough to survive a sustained tainty around the country’s economic health expenses, including by resisting rate increases constant and growing need for highly compe- downturn or a new financial shock to the and, on a micro basis, the stability and health of and forcing alternative fee arrangements, law tent white-collar defense lawyers. economy? a partner’s primary clients, many partners were firms need to grow their top line fees. They can • Commercial litigation: While clients have • Does it know where it’s going? If so, does it reluctant to layer on the added risk (no matter do this by organically adding new clients (a day- been keeping a pretty tight lid on “discretion- have the right strategy, the financial resources how slight) of making a move to a new firm, to-day struggle) or adding revenue by taking on ary” litigation, there are some claims and dis- and the right management to get it there? despite the benefits it may have provided. On new partners and groups who come with a putes that were deferred over the past 12 to 18 • If it does get there (wherever that is), is that the law firm side, with mandates to rein in significant fee base and new client relation- months that clients may revisit in a new, more likely to be a place where my practice fits? Or overhead and associate costs and trim back ships. stable economic climate. Some of these claims will the firm structure and resources either be unproductive partners, it was politically unfea- So for 2010, most large firms will be actively may be deemed good investments and worth too much or too little for the needs of my prac- sible for most firms to take any chances on seeking to add partners with practices that are the cost to pursue. This, along with simmering tice and clients? incoming lateral partners. That meant not deemed complementary to the firm’s existing recession-born disputes, should help drive addi- Although they were asking questions and making investments that weren’t virtual sure practices and clients that can hopefully provide tional commercial litigation. having legitimate concerns, many partners things. As a result, only partners with large and cross marketing opportunities. While litigation will likely be more active, were sitting tight in 2009, unwilling to seri- highly predictable practices were being seri- Key hot areas for 2010 will include the fol- Partners continues on TL7 February 2010 Tuesday, February 16, 2010 Top Laterals • TL3 What Associates Need to Know About Lateral Moves By frank michael d’amore Frank Michael being good lawyers, simply could not make value. Special to the Legal, PLW D’Amore is the found- that transition. Despite all their contribu- This means that associate candidates will er of Attorney Career tions, more junior lawyers — who cost a need to point to specific experience that he recession has turned associate Catalysts, www.attycareers. firm less money — were coming up from meshes with a firm’s need, as opposed to career paths upside down. Legions com, a -based behind to replace them, which is a harsh just generalized exposure to certain aspects Tof associates unfortunately lost legal recruiting and consult- reality that they didn’t understand until it of a practice. Moreover, in a market glutted their jobs, and countless others who were ing firm that focuses on law hit. with unemployed associates, firms clearly eager to start their careers were deferred firm mergers and partner As such, if this recession teaches associ- have the upper hand and thus can hold out and shunted toward short-term positions placements. He is a former ates anything, it is the value of looking for true stars. As such, doing well and hav- they never envisioned. Even those whose partner in an AmLaw 200 ahead and not just blissfully plugging along. ing experience are likely not to be enough firm, general counsel in pri- jobs were spared were impacted, as com- Engaging in firm citizenship, being a team to lateral as an associate. vately held and publicly traded companies, and vice pensation systems in many firms were over- player and collaborating with others Associates should be able to cite accom- president of business development. He can be reached at hauled to better fit the new world order. [email protected]. remains important, but those essentials plishments that unmistakably separate them There will be quite a few long-term should not obscure the need to also focus from others who are vying for the same effects from these changes, most of which, traditionally carried over to life as an asso- on where one’s career is going and how to opportunity. This actually is valuable for in this writer’s opinion, will be beneficial ciate, especially in big firms, as young law- best improve it. associates, since the examination is much for associates. This is not meant to trivialize yers were neatly put into classes, where This will now confront associates head- the same as what they will face in making a the pain caused by a job loss or the effect of base compensation and bonuses were in on if they venture into the lateral market. lateral partner move later in their career having compensation decreased, both of tight ranges that barely caused significant Those who think they don’t need not worry (although a book of business will also be which can have serious consequences. differentiation. about this should think again, as the odds of important then). Examining all those effects is outside the This methodology created a false sense anyone starting and finishing his career in From an associate’s perspective, making scope of this article. of security. Associates worked quite hard, one firm are infinitesimal in this era. the move is also more complicated. In the However, there is one that is directly tied but many did not take the extra time to Employment data show that most profes- past, firms had very clear identities — to career paths and it may be the most consider what lay ahead for them or to sionals change jobs every four and a half international, national, regional, local, etc. important one of all. This entails under- prepare for it. This is partially understand- years, which, after this recession shakes out, Now, many of those lines are blurred, standing that an associate must take charge able, as work continued to be put in front of is a number that is likely to go down even which requires a candidate to probe more of his career the day he starts, as he cannot them and their pay continued to increase further. carefully about the firm and where it fits. blindly assume that his firm or others will — so why should they worry, especially if In the short term, a lateral associate can- Similarly, compensation was also easier protect him forever. their reviews were good? didate is much less likely to be evaluated in to evaluate in years past, as class years and It is an interesting phenomenon that What these lawyers didn’t appreciate is the “check the box” manner of the past: bonus triggers provided relatively clear most junior lawyers enjoy the comfort of that associates have a shelf life — the pro- school, graduation year, quality of existing demarcations among lawyers and criteria being treated equally. This starts in law tective bubble in which they worked was firm and experience. Rather, scrutiny will by which one could determine how one was school, where students recoil from overt going to pop at some point, whether that be heightened, as the hiring firm (and its likely to fare. Today, those neatly defined competition, especially in their first year, was seven, eight or nine years down the clients, who are really the driving force as categories are still in flux, as quite a few and eschew separation among them. Some line. Although some emerged from that they are providing the fees to pay an associ- firms are moving toward more schools institutionalize this by forgoing cocoon as lawyers who had matured into ate’s salary) will be looking for someone numerical grades and class rank. This has partnership material, many others, despite who can immediately contribute and add Associates continues on TL7 TL4 • Top Laterals tuesday, february 16, 2010 February 2010 But for Wolf Block Break-Up, Lateral Lethargy Marked 2009 By Gina Passarella it stand out above Duane Morris. All photos by Nanette Kardaszeski Of the Legal Staff Many firms “salivated” over Tom Gallagher’s tax group, one person said. Wolf Block’s vener- ast year isn’t going to be remembered able private client services group, a wealth for its plethora of traditional lateral hires management practice with well known partners Las firms did more cutting than adding to like Robert Friedman and Lester E. Lipschutz, their head counts. But few will forget 2009 was was also highly sought after. Though some of the year Wolf Block closed its doors, putting the group’s attorneys joined as of counsel rather several quality candidates on the market, albeit than partners, the practice is said to be deep. under atypical circumstances. While bringing on real estate and corporate It was the firms that made aggressive moves attorneys may not seem at first glance to be the to capture the bulk of that talent that top our best decision in a year when those practices suf- Top Lateral Hires of 2009 list — a list that is fered greatly, they add a depth to Cozen otherwise noticeably shorter than in years past. O’Connor that can help better position the firm As always, we should mention this list is far coming out of the economic downturn. And from scientific. It takes into account the effect even though it was hit hard by the economy, the departure had on the former firm, the gain Wolf Block’s real estate practice, led by Herman a lateral addition represented for his or her new Fala, was known as one of the best in the city. firm, and the general buzz created in the market Cozen O’Connor also picked up some big at word of the switch. Insights from those in the names within Wolf Block, including vice-presi- From Left: Morstein, Schiller, Dungee, Corry, Rosenblum, Layden and industry as well as historical background from dent of its executive committee, Bernard Lee, Carlson. our own archives also play a role in determining and the firm’s longtime chairman, Mark ing Alan Kessler and Wolf Block litigation Their departure brought the DLA Piper who makes the list. Alderman, who will focus on growing the gov- chairwoman Dana Klinges. Wolf Block’s for- office, once at more than 55 attorneys, to about While the list was shorter this year, the line of ernment relations practice. mer general counsel and member of its wind- 35 lawyers. Their addition brought Hangley Wolf Block laterals that joined both Cozen down committee, Patrick Matusky, also made Aronchick to 56 lawyers. O’Connor and Duane Morris was long. The the Wolf Block Group to the switch. Schiller was said to have the largest book of two firms acquired the most Wolf Block attor- Duane Morris And though this supplement doesn’t include business out of any of the laterals in 2009, save neys by far, and by many accounts some of the Duane Morris was a close runner-up in terms lateral moves outside of Pennsylvania, we would for maybe some of the Wolf Block groups. biggest names and books of business went to of adding top talent from Wolf Block, with be remiss not to mention that Duane Morris He was with DLA Piper-predecessors for 18 those two firms. The practice areas were differ- some in the community saying the firm picked picked up litigator Hersh Kozlov from Wolf years, having helped open the Piper Marbury ent and the offices were mixed, but a general up the biggest individual stars of the bunch. The Block’s Cherry Hill, N.J. office, who was said by office in Philadelphia when he left Schnader consensus put one of these firms as the clear firm also added depth to some hot practice areas many to have one of the largest books of busi- Harrison Segal & Lewis. Schiller said he was winner in the Wolf Block talent game. — labor and employment and litigation. In ness at the firm. He brought with him more excited to move to Hangley Aronchick, which total, Duane Morris added 53 Wolf Block law- than 20 attorneys and gave Duane Morris a he had said he views as the pre-eminent firm for the Wolf Block Group to yers to its roster in 2009. South Jersey presence. litigation work in the city. Cozen There was definitely citywide interest in the Schiller said that while moving to a more No matter who we spoke to, Cozen O’Connor labor and employment group, particularly its the Ron Schiller Group nimble firm with less procedure and adminis- came out on top when looking at which firm leaders, Jonathan Segal and James Redeker. The Ronald P. Schiller headed up the litigation tration was “sort of cool,” he knew how to navi- saw the biggest impact from acquiring Wolf team was 16 attorneys deep, including Segal practice of DLA Piper’s Philadelphia office. In gate the larger environment at DLA Piper. It Block lawyers. and Redeker. One person said Segal may have July, he left the largest firm in the world for a was really the opportunity at Hangley Aronchick Cozen O’Connor added more than 65 Wolf been the biggest catch of all in terms of stature litigation boutique in the city, bringing five and the number of connections he had at the Block attorneys across its Philadelphia, New and future potential. other attorneys with him. Schiller, Daniel J. firm that resulted in the move, he said. York and Delaware offices. The firm had been Segal headed up Wolf Block’s wholly owned Layden and Nicole Rosenblum joined Hangley in merger discussions with Wolf Block a few employment services subsidiary The Wolf Aronchick Segal & Pudlin as shareholders, and David Girard-diCarlo years prior and already had an idea of who made Institute and now does the same for Duane Jennifer L. Corry, Jacqueline R. Dungee and Former U.S. ambassador to Austria David sense for their practice. Morris under the banner of the Duane Morris Michael R. Carlson joined as associates. Girard-diCarlo joins the Top Lateral list not It was who Cozen O’Connor picked up in Institute. Of counsel Jay I. Morstein left DLA Piper only for what he brings to his new firm, but Philadelphia and the overall depth the Wolf Duane Morris also got big names in the gov- along with Schiller’s group and officially joined for where he didn’t end up. Block additions brought to the firm that made ernment relations and litigation world, includ- Hangley Aronchick at the start of 2010. Girard-diCarlo left , the firm

from left: Segal, Klinges, Matusky and Kessler. INsert: Kozlov and Redeker. February 2010 Tuesday, February 16, 2010 Top Laterals • TL5

girard-dicarlo From left: McMullen, Pillsbury, Conley, Finnerty, Gottlieb and Pettit. where he spent his entire career, to serve as The David Mandelbaum Group a national practice rather than a regional one, Anderson Kill shareholder Frederick A. Pettit ambassador to Austria under President Environmental lawyer David Mandelbaum though there are always exceptions,” regional and associate Darin J. McMullen are also now George W. Bush. When Bush’s term ended, and four other attorneys left last managing partner Michael Lehr said at the time principals at Offit Kurman and former Anderson Girard-diCarlo resigned and began exploring October to join the Philadelphia office of of Mandelbaum’s addition. Kill associates William H. Pillsbury and Meghan his options. Greenberg Traurig. K. Finnerty joined the firm as associates. He had served as managing partner and Mandelbaum headed up Ballard Spahr’s Mark Gottlieb and Michael Their addition brought the relatively new chairman of Blank Rome for several years, environmental law practice and had been with Conley Pennsylvania office of Offit Kurman to 21 attor- and many assumed he might return to the the firm for 22 years. He brought with him to When a good chunk of Anderson Kill & neys and brought Anderson Kill’s Philadelphia firm he joined stright out of law school. Greenberg Traurig partner Monique M. Olick’s Philadelphia office moved to Reed Smith presence to just four lawyers after nine went to Instead, he joined the fast-growing Cozen Mooney, of counsel Marc Davies and associates in 2008, the local community was definitely won- Reed Smith and the six joined Offit Kurman. O’Connor in April. Sabrina Mizrachi and Caleb J. Holmes. dering whether partners Mark E. Gottlieb and Conley and Gottlieb also brought to their new “I was disappointed and somewhat sur- Mandelbaum, Mooney and Davies joined Michael Conley were part of the group that firm an insurance recovery practice, which prised that I wasn’t going to return to Blank Greenberg Traurig as shareholders and Mizrachi made the switch. They weren’t. Instead, the two Conley now heads. Conley said at the time that Rome, but I don’t think it’s constructive or and Holmes as associates. took over as co-managing shareholders at one of the advantages of joining a full-service useful for me to go into any aspects of that,” Mandelbaum took some clients with him, Anderson Kill. firm compared to an insurance boutique like Girard-diCarlo said at the time. “I have including one pretty significant piece of litiga- But in October 2009, they ultimately decided Anderson Kill was that they could cross-sell their moved on.” tion — Appleton Papers Inc. and NCR Corp. v. to leave the firm and brought four other attor- practices. He brought to Cozen O’Connor political George A. Whiting Paper Co. — which, shortly neys with them to the Philadelphia office of connections on the Republican side of the after his move, saw a summary judgment Maryland-based Offit Kurman. Top Laterals continues on TL7 aisle at the federal level, teaming up with motion in favor of his clients. Mark Alderman and Stephen Cozen, who Not only was the business he brought with have ties to the Democratic party. They all him notable, but the addition of five lawyers at work on the firm’s government relations once is a rarity in the local Greenberg Traurig practice and are involved in its new govern- office where such a large group hasn’t joined ment relations subsidiary. since the office opened over ten years ago. The While he doesn’t have day-to-day manage- five attorneys that joined in October brought ment responsibilities anymore, Girard- the office to 36 lawyers. diCarlo is taking his leadership experience “More likely than not, an attorney joining and helping advise his new firm on strategy. Greenberg Traurig in Philadelphia would have

From left: Mooney, Holmes, Mizrachi, Davies and Mandelbaum. TL6 • Top Laterals tuesday, february 16, 2010 February 2010 And the Runners Up Are... Other Big Lateral Moves in 2009 By zack needles Goldberger made Harrisburg office. They practice in the chairman of DLA Piper’s litigation prac- Of the Legal Staff the move with trade areas of energy, telecommunications and tice, said in a statement. secrets attorney utility regulation, employment services, hile the recession made for a Matthew A. White litigation, health care law, tax and real BRUCE W. KAUFFMAN relatively sluggish lateral mar- and patent lawyer estate. Senior District Judge Wket overall in 2009, it also may Laura E. Krabill, Daniel Clearfield, the managing part- Bruce W. Kauffman of have been the single biggest contributor who were share- ner of Wolf Block’s Harrisburg office, the U.S. District Court to the moves that were made last year. holders at Hangley joined Eckert Seamans along with part- for the Eastern District There is perhaps no greater example Aronchick and be- ners Mark Fontana, Robert Hoffman, of Pennsylvania of this than the implosion of Wolf Block came partners in Alan Kohler, Michael McAuliffe Miller, stepped down from goldberger last March following a string of credit the litigation de- Renee Mattei Myers, Dino Ross and the bench July 20 to woes and failed mergers. partment of Ballard Spahr. Associate Mark Stewart. Associates Kevin Moody, join Elliott Greenleaf When the Philadelphia institution Robyn D. Levitan, who left Wolf Block Deanne O’Dell, Carl Schultz and G. & Siedzikowski as a closed its doors less than four months for Hangley Aronchick shortly after Edward Schweikert also moved to Eckert shareholder and co- kauffman into 2009, it instantly flooded the mar- Goldberger and his group made the jump, Seamans. chairman of the firm’s ket with eligible attorneys who regularly joined Ballard Spahr as of counsel. All of the partners joined Eckert executive committee.. cropped up in lateral deals throughout Recruiter Michael Coleman of Coleman Seamans as members, as did Moody. The former chairman of Dilworth the rest of the year. Nourian, who assisted in the deal, said at O’Dell, Schultz and Schweikert joined Paxson rejoined the private sector after But while the name Wolf Block was on the time that Goldberger would also be as associates. 11 years on the federal bench to service a lot of lateral hires’ resumes last year, adding a list of “impressive” clients to The one attorney that did not make the clients in the areas of litigation, white- some of the lawyers who made moves in the firm’s roster. move was tax and real estate partner Dan collar internal investigations and me- 2009 came from sources other than law Schulder, who joined other Wolf Block diation regarding financial and business firms, such as the federal bench and the THE WOLF BLOCK FAMILY LAW colleagues at Cozen O’Connor. disputes. corporate sector. GROUP Eckert Seamans Managing Partner With Kauffman’s addition to the firm’s The last of Wolf Timothy Ryan said the Wolf Block group Philadelphia office, Elliott Greenleaf DAVID GITLIN Block’s major prac- added a utility regulation practice to the co-located its headquarters between the David Gitlin was tice groups to find a firm, expanded its labor and employment existing headquarters in Blue Bell, Pa., a member of Wolf new home following and gaming and energy practices, as well and Two in Philadelphia. Block’s execu- the firm’s dissolu- as brought a health law and bankruptcy “He has very extensive experience not tive committee and tion was the family component. only as a prominent member of the judi- chairman of its cor- law practice. ciary but as one of the most well known porate and securi- The five-lawyer TIMOTHY E. HOEFFNER and experienced litigators in the coun- ties practice. In the group, headed by Timothy E. try,” said Elliott Greenleaf Chairman months leading up partner Lynne Z. Hoeffner left an John M. Elliott at the time. to the firm’s dis- Gold-Bikin, joined gold-bikin international New solution, Gitlin Weber Gallagher Simpson Stapleton York firm after 15 JOSEPH W. MARSHALL was installed as the gitlin Fires & Newby effective May 1, giv- years to join Saul In November firm’s finance partner and worked along- ing the firm a new office location in Ewing and lead its 2009, Joseph W. side chairman Mark Alderman to cut mil- Norristown, Pa. corporate gover- “Chip” Marshall lions from the firm’s budget. It also gave Weber Gallagher a new nance group. joined Stevens & But following the firm’s breakup, practice area, given the litigation-fo- A few years later, Lee to serve as vice Gitlin quickly found a new home at cused firm hadn’t handled family law in he headed back to chairman of both hoeffner Blank Rome. He joined the firm as a the past. an international the law firm and partner in its mergers and acquisitions Gold-Bikin joined as head of the prac- model and his New York ties. its affiliated invest- and private equity group last April. tice and her partner, Daniel J. Clifford, Last February, Hoeffner joined DLA ment bank, Griffin Gitlin’s practice has an international serves as the managing partner of the Piper’s litigation group, where he Financial Group. marshall bent and is focused on corporate acqui- Norristown office. They were joined by now spends time in both the firm’s Marshall came sitions and divestitures, venture capital the three family law associates at Wolf Philadelphia and New York offices. Prior into the position from his roles in the and technology development and corpo- Block — Christian Badali, Jonathan to joining Saul Ewing in 2003, Hoeffner health care industry, which was a prac- rate finance work. Many of his clients Hoffman and Andrew Taylor. practiced for 15 years in the business and tice area Stevens & Lee was hoping to are foreign companies involved in the Weber Gallagher management commit- securities litigation department at Weil grow when it brought him on board. purchase or sale of U.S. businesses. He tee member Paul Fires said at the time Gotshal & Manges in New York. Marshall previously served as the chair- is admitted to the bars of Pennsylvania, that the firm had previously referred out Hoeffner concentrates his practice in man and chief executive officer of New York and Israel. Two associates any legal services “of a more personal securities and business litigation, and Temple University Health System and from Wolf Block’s New York office nature.” also counsels corporations and their as the director of Health Partners, a pro- joined Gitlin at Blank Rome. Fires said the firm had been thinking boards on corporate governance issues. vider-owned Medicaid/Medicare health At the time of the move, Blank Rome about adding a family law component His clients have included Enron and maintenance organization. managing partner Carl Buchholz said and when Wolf Block dissolved, the op- Sotheby’s, along with individual direc- Marshall said he was really struck by Gitlin’s practice complemented the portunity presented itself. tors and corporate officers involved in the integrated platform Stevens & Lee firm’s existing merger and acquisition securities class action and shareholder had created along with its other business and private equity practice extremely THE WOLF BLOCK HARRISBURG derivative litigation. enterprises. well and added to the international work Group He also represents clients before “The more I looked at it, the more it the firm was already doing. Twelve law- the U.S. Securities and Exchange seemed like they represent the new para- yers from Wolf Commission, the Department of Justice digm in business matters going forward,” the M. NORMAN GOLDBERGER Block’s 13-attorney and other regulatory agencies and some- he said. Group Harrisburg office times serves as an investigator in in- Joseph M. Harenza, the non-executive After only nine months at Hangley joined - ternal corporate and special committee chairman of Stevens & Lee who spends Aronchick Segal & Pudlin, which M. based Eckert investigations. most of his time as the CEO and senior Norman Goldberger said he joined from Seamans Cherin & “Tim’s significant experience in high managing director of Griffin, said in Wolf Block because he wanted a smaller Mellott in April. profile corporate governance litigation a statement at the time that Marshall firm environment, the prominent litiga- There were 10 and investigations strengthens our se- would allow the investment bank to bet- tor moved to the larger firm of Ballard partners and three curities litigation practice,” Robert J. ter help clients operating in the health clearfield Spahr last January. associates in the Mathias, joint global leader and U.S. care and related industries. •

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actually try a case (even if it is a “smaller” the pile grows. In this regard, it helps to • What type of experience are you likely Associates one that is more equipped for an associate), periodically “Google” yourself, as this may to get? continued from TL3 or take a more active role in a deal. Taking produce some surprises as to where your • What type of commitment can the firm that initiative and performing well will contributions have appeared. make that you will have a position (assum- performance-oriented compensation sys- separate you from your peers. Finally, begin to keep a journal or other ing you perform well) over the next few tems. This means that many associates Second, no matter how busy you are, type of record of your key accomplish- years? really won’t know how much they may find the time to build a network. Keep in ments. It may surprise you, but as your • Do associates get business develop- make until they have been in the firm for at touch with college and law school class- career progresses, you will also forget ment support (and, if so, what type)? least one year. mates, in-house counsel (even if you haven’t about many of these, so keep a log of them • If your ultimate goal is to go in-house, There are several steps that you, as asso- had a matter with them for quite some while the memories are fresh. These just how well will this firm prepare you? ciates, can take to best prepare for an even- time), and general business contacts (even accomplishments will be essential not only Has the firm served as a springboard for tual move, all of which will be helpful even if they are not lawyers). This is the founda- in talking to a prospective firm, but in cli- others who made the move in house? if your present firms are the ones you stay tion from which you will get work and also ent pitches and in making your case inside This last point often cannot be asked of with until retirement. First, do not take the is an important group of contacts who can of your firm when compensation review the prospective firm, but can be evaluated easy route by doing work that has no chal- help you in making a move. time arrives. through due diligence of your own. lenge or risk associated with it. An associ- Third, keep copies (both hard and digi- When you are ready to make the move, In many respects, the key going forward ate’s attractiveness on the market, and to tal) of all those articles, blog posts, news- your evaluation today is not as simple as is to begin thinking like a partner. This will clients and partners in the evaluating firm, letter pieces and other writings that you do looking at a firm’s size and pay scale. better prepare you for the future, will help will largely be driven by the complexity of for your firm. It is easy to remember these Rather, some of the questions you should you to become a better lawyer, and will work and how well that work is performed. when you have just started, but, as time raise, with the firm or for yourself, include make you much more valuable to your firm It thus behooves associates to volunteer to passes, you surely will forget about them as the following: and clients. •

may finally experience a meaningful comeback rates and high leverage, along with pending continued economic stability and recovery, Partners in 2010. The biggest obstacles to deal making loan expirations that need to be refinanced. partners who were asking questions in 2009, continued from TL2 in 2009 were tight credit issues that kept buyers There are a lot of well-capitalized real estate may feel more comfortable seriously exploring in check and low valuations that kept sellers on buyers waiting to pounce in the next 24 months options in 2010. clients will increasingly be providing input on the sidelines. As we get further into 2010, on, what they hope, will be “fire sales” of dis- The key criteria from the firm standpoint how large cases should be managed and staffed. credit has finally been easing, and valuations, tressed prime commercial properties. If that will be: does the partner have a recent history of For example, there is an increasing trend following the public markets, are starting to happens, there should be some increased real generating revenues that both keep him or her toward clients requiring, for cost reasons, their creep back up. This should lead to some more estate deal activity to help pull the law firm fully busy and also provide hours to other attor- outside counsel to use contract attorneys to M&A activity by both strategic and financial commercial real estate departments out of the neys? And is the practice area one that is com- take the first cut at reviewing the thousands of buyers. worst downturn they’ve experienced since the plementary to the other practices of the firm in pages of discovery documents that typically There has already been some noticeable late 1980s-early ’90s real estate bust. terms of substance and rates? Looked at as a exist in major cases. There is also more empha- increase in strategic transactions, and many • Intellectual Property/Clean Technology: whole, assuming the partner is a good cultural sis on case budgeting and monitoring. This will M&A partners have been voicing cautious Finally, with companies and governments get- fit, will his or her addition be accretive and not put a premium on lateral partner prospects that optimism about private equity clients putting ting back to investing for the future, there will dilutive to the profitability of the firm? have experience managing large cases with some cash to work. In 2010, some firms feel be continued interest in intellectual property Law firms are always in the market for top alternative staffing models. These are the cases that productive corporate partners, a constant and clean technology, some hot areas over the lawyer talent and clients. Having too much of that large firms want to attract. Having partners desire of acquisitive firms, may be more willing past few years that should get back on track. one without enough of the other is untenable in with experience handling these sorts of major to consider options while embarking on a Partners with significant practices, especially the long run. By attracting and integrating cases will help attract similar matters. comeback year. those in some of the substantive areas men- high quality lawyers with significant client rela- • Mergers and acquisitions: Coming off a • Real Estate: The big overhang on com- tioned above, should be in high demand in tionships, law firms accomplish both goals. terrible year, merger and acquisition activity mercial real estate remains weak occupancy 2010. From the partner’s perspective, assuming That’s the law firm game plan for 2010. • Top Laterals continued from TL5 Pedro Ramos and Nora Dowd Eisenhower Former Philadelphia city solicitor and man- aging director, Pedro Ramos, and the imme- diate past secretary of the Pennsylvania Department of Aging, Nora Dowd Eisenhower, joined a five-lawyer litigation shop in June that, though small, has long been involved in Philadelphia’s political workings. Ramos and Eisenhower’s addition, however, made the political connections of Trujillo Rodriguez & Richards more concrete as the two helped open the firm’s government rela- tions subsidiary, OnPoint Public & Private Solutions. Ramos is a well-known name in the legal community. He left Blank Rome to help start eisenhower and ramos sheppard up the subsidiary and will also work in Trujillo to represent clients in all of those areas with- practice. Perhaps the busiest partner in that Sheppard brought with him another high- Rodriguez’s legal practice. out running into too many conflicts. Both practice, Richard L. Scheff, had recently been profile case from Sprague & Sprague when While OnPoint will focus on the members’ Trujillo Rodriguez and Blank Rome said at named chairman of the firm. It was Sheppard’s he moved to Montgomery McCracken. He regional ties, Kenneth Trujillo, a former city the time they would continue a working rela- relationship with Scheff and white-collar represents attorney Robert Powell, who has solicitor himself, said the firm will have a tionship. defense partner Ellen Brotman that brought said he was forced by two Luzerne County national component. He said the firm will the litigator to Montgomery McCracken. Common Pleas judges to give kickbacks for leverage its strong connection to Latino elect- Mark Sheppard In recent years, Sheppard has been involved their sending juveniles to a detention center ed officials across the country in furthering its White-collar defense attorney Mark B. in some of the highest profile public corrup- that Powell at one point co-owned. national efforts. Sheppard left Sprague & Sprague in March tion cases the state has seen. Before he left For the past few years, Sheppard’s practice Ramos said at the time of the move that he to join Montgomery McCracken Walker & Sprague & Sprague, and before the firm has been focused on representing individuals has built up relationships in the education, Rhoads. parted ways with the client, Sheppard was on rather than corporations, and he said at the business and government sectors, and the size The firm was looking to grow its govern- the team representing former state Sen. time of his move that he was looking to of Trujillo Rodriguez gives him the flexibility ment investigations and white-collar crime Vincent Fumo in Philadelphia federal court. expand to represent both groups. •

Cover Caption: From Left: Fala, Silverman, Alderman, Friedman and Lipschutz. Not Pictured: Thomas Gallagher and Bernard Lee. TL8 • Top Laterals tuesday, february 16, 2010 February 2010