Summer associate hiring for 2008 wilts
The National Law Journal
Summer associate ranks look thinner for the upcoming season as many of the nation's law firms have pulled back from the record-breaking hiring of 2007. A sampling of summer associate programs at several top firms shows a decrease in the number of students that they plan for this year. With last year's summer associate tallies representing all-time highs at some of those firms, they appeared more guarded at recruiting time last fall. And as the economy has taken a dramatic downturn since on-campus interviews that began in August 2007, some law firms could find a mismatch in the supply of summer associates and their demands for full-time starters.
New York Fed taps Simpson Thacher on Bear Stearns deal
The American Lawyer
Last week, as shareholders for Bear Stearns threatened action over JP Morgan's $2-per-share offer, the Federal Reserve Bank of New York called on Simpson Thacher & Bartlett to represent its interests, according to a source. Apparently Simpson Thacher's lawyers were brought on to represent the Fed in a role it disclosed in a statement on Monday (24 March). Through an LLC set up just for this deal, "the New York Fed will take ... control of a portfolio of assets valued at $30bn as of March 14, 2008," the statement read.
Wachtell to orchestrate Motorola break-up
The American Lawyer
Motorola will be leaning on longtime outside counsel Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz as it splits into two publicly traded companies. The mobile phone giant announced Wednesday that it expects the transaction to take place sometime in 2009. A spokesperson for Wachtell confirmed that corporate partners Patricia Vlahakis and Gregory Ostling are working on the matter for Motorola, the world's third-largest cell phone manufacturer.
Legal Times
Nixon Peabody has opened an office in Shanghai, the firm's first China location and its second international shop, after the London office that Nixon Peabody opened last year. The Shanghai office is currently staffed with two attorneys on a rotational basis, but the firm has plans to hire more attorneys in the near future.
Age discrimination suit against Foley & Lardner sparks discovery tiff
The Recorder
Plaintiffs in employment suits might suspect ex-bosses are hiding documents in discovery, but they can't always prove it. Charles Wisch, who represents a former Foley & Lardner legal secretary, thinks he can. When his client was fired, she took more than 800 pages of files, which Wisch thinks will be a road map to other Foley files helpful to the age discrimination suit. It's not every day someone admits to stealing documents. But some lawyers say the dispute shows a nagging problem in discrimination suits.
How Obama worked his way into Clinton's DC lawyer base
Legal Times
Barack Obama's charm offensive in his early days in D.C. has helped him crack a demographic that at one time seemed destined for total domination by Hillary Clinton: elite Washington lawyers -- including many who served in Bill Clinton's administration. Dozens of top D.C. lawyers have organized fundraisers, contributed their own cash and sacrificed billable hours for Obama's campaign.
Law.com draws on editorial content from ALM’s network of more than 20 award-winning national and regional publications, including The American Lawyer, The National Law Journal, Legal Times and The Recorder. For a full list of ALM’s titles click here.
Legal Week’s publisher, Incisive Media, acquired ALM in August 2007.
