BCG News - 12/29/03
12/29/03
Piper, Rudnick expands into the San Francisco market with merger
Piper Rudnick LLP, a top national firm, announced today that it has gained a foothold in the San Francisco market as part of its strategic growth plan by merging with stellar regional firm Steinhart & Falconer. Steinhart & Falconer's 32 attorneys (including 19 partners) in both New York and San Francisco will all be moving to Piper Rudnick, which the firm considered to be the best fit among the many large firms that have sought it out in recent years, citing a similarity in culture and being a positive fit with Piper's overall expansion plans. Piper Rudnick's recent growth efforts have also brought it into Boston through a merger with Hill & Barlow and expanded its Southern California offices through organic expansion. The firm currently has over 950 attorneys and the San Francisco office will be its 14th. Firm Press Release, 12/29/03
Ohio firm set to open an Akron office
Columbus, Ohio-based Vorys, Sater Seymour and Pease LLP announced today that, effective immediately, the firm will be opening a new office in Akron, OH. Dan Balmert, currently the managing partner of the firm's Cleveland office, will be taking on the same role in the new Akron office, where he will be joined by six new partner hires. All six of the new partners come from Brouse McDowell
LPA, also based in Akron. The firm has plans to increase the size of the new office through local lateral hires as well as the relocation of some of its current attorneys. Vorys, Sater is celebrating its 95th anniversary next year, having used that time to grow from a small four-attorney firm in Columbus to one of the most highly-esteemed Ohio firms with almost 350 attorneys and five national offices in the Midwest and on the East Coast. Firm Press Release 12/29/03
Former Bush administration official joins Alston & Bird
Another high-profile former government official has joined Alston & Bird's health care practice, as Tom Scully, former head of the Centers for Medicaid and Medicare Services, brings his experience and background to the firm's DC office. Scully was instrumental in the writing of the newest Medicare law for the current administration and will focus his work at Alston & Bird on health care regulatory, strategic, and public policy matters. This announcement comes just weeks after the hiring of Colin Roskye, the Senate Finance Committee's lead staffer on the Medicare bill that Scully helped write, earlier this month. The two join an already admired practice, which boasts former Senator and Republican Presidential Nominee Bob Dole among its ranks. Firm Press Release, 12/18/03
Jones Day officially announces its Pennie & Edmonds additions
With the news of Pennie & Edmonds' decision to dissolve in the last month and the announcement that Jones Day would take on many of their lawyers, rumors have been flying about how many they would take on and how many would be let go. Yet few details were certain until last week, when Jones Day issued a press release announcing that they would be taking on almost 100 attorneys from Pennie to work in the firm's New York, California, and Washington, DC posts, adding to the firm's already impressive 175-attorney intellectual property practice. The firm sees the acquisition of these attorneys as a step towards moving their IP practice beyond litigation that can offer licensing, and trademark and patent prosecution. Jones Day will also continue Pennie & Edmonds' program that enlists doctoral and post-doctoral candidates as law clerks and supports them in becoming attorneys. The announcement makes clear that some attorneys of the dissolving firm (which counted 172 attorneys among its staff, about 25 of which chose to go to Morgan, Lewis & Bockius) will be seeking work. Firm Press Release, 12/23/03
Head of SEC's New York office to return as a partner to Wachtell
The Securities and Exchange Commission's New York office is losing Wayne Carlin, who has decided to step down as director of the office in January and return to his roots at highly-regarded Wachtell, Lipton, Rose & Katz. Carlin first started as an associate at Wachtell, which consistently rates as one of the most profitable firms in the country every year, in 1984 and will rejoin as a partner. The SEC has yet to announce a replacement for his position. In his tenure at the SEC, his office was responsible for bringing charges against Martha Stewart for her alleged insider trading activities and against Credit Suisse First Boston for activity involving IPO offering allocations. Forbes, 12/19/03
Syracuse, NY firm acquires Albany civil litigation firm
Effective January 1, 2004, Hiscock & Barclay LLP, a 140-attorney firm based in Syracuse, New York will fully integrate the civil litigation practice of Kiernan & Casey with its own. Kiernan will bring nine attorneys and seven partners to Hiscock, as well as strong insurance defense and insurance subrogation practices. The move is part of Hiscock's plans to develop a larger, statewide presence in New York. The firm has grown from 60 attorneys in 1998 to a roster that will boast 150 attorneys at the beginning of the new year. Besides the Syracuse and Albany offices, the firm currently also operates in New York City, Buffalo, and Rochester. Firm Press Release, 12/17/03, New York Lawyer, 12/29/03
Cozen O'Connor expands New York office with five new attorneys
Philadelphia-based Cozen O'Connor has announced the lateral hiring of four partners and one counsel attorney to its New York City office. All five of the attorneys hail from New York-based Hill, Betts & Nash. Among the additions are two commercial litigation partners, two maritime and aviation litigation partners, and an environmental counsel. The move represents a major boost to its New York City office, increasing its number of attorneys to 35. Cozen O'Connor currently operates in 20 cities and has approximately 470 attorneys. New York Lawyer, 12/23/03
Piper, Rudnick expands into the San Francisco market with merger
Piper Rudnick LLP, a top national firm, announced today that it has gained a foothold in the San Francisco market as part of its strategic growth plan by merging with stellar regional firm Steinhart & Falconer. Steinhart & Falconer's 32 attorneys (including 19 partners) in both New York and San Francisco will all be moving to Piper Rudnick, which the firm considered to be the best fit among the many large firms that have sought it out in recent years, citing a similarity in culture and being a positive fit with Piper's overall expansion plans. Piper Rudnick's recent growth efforts have also brought it into Boston through a merger with Hill & Barlow and expanded its Southern California offices through organic expansion. The firm currently has over 950 attorneys and the San Francisco office will be its 14th. Firm Press Release, 12/29/03
Ohio firm set to open an Akron office
Columbus, Ohio-based Vorys, Sater Seymour and Pease LLP announced today that, effective immediately, the firm will be opening a new office in Akron, OH. Dan Balmert, currently the managing partner of the firm's Cleveland office, will be taking on the same role in the new Akron office, where he will be joined by six new partner hires. All six of the new partners come from Brouse McDowell
LPA, also based in Akron. The firm has plans to increase the size of the new office through local lateral hires as well as the relocation of some of its current attorneys. Vorys, Sater is celebrating its 95th anniversary next year, having used that time to grow from a small four-attorney firm in Columbus to one of the most highly-esteemed Ohio firms with almost 350 attorneys and five national offices in the Midwest and on the East Coast. Firm Press Release 12/29/03 Former Bush administration official joins Alston & Bird
Another high-profile former government official has joined Alston & Bird's health care practice, as Tom Scully, former head of the Centers for Medicaid and Medicare Services, brings his experience and background to the firm's DC office. Scully was instrumental in the writing of the newest Medicare law for the current administration and will focus his work at Alston & Bird on health care regulatory, strategic, and public policy matters. This announcement comes just weeks after the hiring of Colin Roskye, the Senate Finance Committee's lead staffer on the Medicare bill that Scully helped write, earlier this month. The two join an already admired practice, which boasts former Senator and Republican Presidential Nominee Bob Dole among its ranks. Firm Press Release, 12/18/03
Jones Day
officially announces its Pennie & Edmonds additionsWith the news of Pennie & Edmonds' decision to dissolve in the last month and the announcement that Jones Day would take on many of their lawyers, rumors have been flying about how many they would take on and how many would be let go. Yet few details were certain until last week, when Jones Day issued a press release announcing that they would be taking on almost 100 attorneys from Pennie to work in the firm's New York, California, and Washington, DC posts, adding to the firm's already impressive 175-attorney intellectual property practice. The firm sees the acquisition of these attorneys as a step towards moving their IP practice beyond litigation that can offer licensing, and trademark and patent prosecution. Jones Day will also continue Pennie & Edmonds' program that enlists doctoral and post-doctoral candidates as law clerks and supports them in becoming attorneys. The announcement makes clear that some attorneys of the dissolving firm (which counted 172 attorneys among its staff, about 25 of which chose to go to Morgan, Lewis & Bockius) will be seeking work. Firm Press Release, 12/23/03
Head of SEC's New York office to return as a partner to Wachtell
The Securities and Exchange Commission's New York office is losing Wayne Carlin, who has decided to step down as director of the office in January and return to his roots at highly-regarded Wachtell, Lipton, Rose & Katz. Carlin first started as an associate at Wachtell, which consistently rates as one of the most profitable firms in the country every year, in 1984 and will rejoin as a partner. The SEC has yet to announce a replacement for his position. In his tenure at the SEC, his office was responsible for bringing charges against Martha Stewart for her alleged insider trading activities and against Credit Suisse First Boston for activity involving IPO offering allocations. Forbes, 12/19/03
Syracuse, NY firm acquires Albany civil litigation firm
Effective January 1, 2004, Hiscock & Barclay LLP, a 140-attorney firm based in Syracuse, New York will fully integrate the civil litigation practice of Kiernan & Casey with its own. Kiernan will bring nine attorneys and seven partners to Hiscock, as well as strong insurance defense and insurance subrogation practices. The move is part of Hiscock's plans to develop a larger, statewide presence in New York. The firm has grown from 60 attorneys in 1998 to a roster that will boast 150 attorneys at the beginning of the new year. Besides the Syracuse and Albany offices, the firm currently also operates in New York City, Buffalo, and Rochester. Firm Press Release, 12/17/03, New York Lawyer, 12/29/03
Cozen O'Connor
expands New York office with five new attorneysPhiladelphia-based Cozen O'Connor has announced the lateral hiring of four partners and one counsel attorney to its New York City office. All five of the attorneys hail from New York-based Hill, Betts & Nash. Among the additions are two commercial litigation partners, two maritime and aviation litigation partners, and an environmental counsel. The move represents a major boost to its New York City office, increasing its number of attorneys to 35. Cozen O'Connor currently operates in 20 cities and has approximately 470 attorneys. New York Lawyer, 12/23/03
