Around the Firms

Newcomers Help Reed Smith Venture into New York

A stronger New York presence has developed for Reed Smith with the addition of 21 Hall Dickler lawyers from New York and Beverly Hills, who joined Reed Smith at the beginning of the month. Hall Dickler, which was 70 years old and concentrated on advertising law, has now come to an end. Several other Hall Dickler lawyers had left during 2003 to join Los Angeles-based Manatt, Phelps & Phillips.

The move also allows Reed Smith to enter into an appealing client base on Madison Avenue. Nine of the new attorneys will be partners, and a new advertising and marketing group will be run by Douglas Wood, an executive partner at Hall Dickler. Wood's collection of attorneys will oversee several matters, including mergers and acquisitions, litigation, and intellectual property. Among the group's clients are media companies and advertising and promotion agencies.

Gregory Jordan, a firm-wide managing partner at Reed, was highly enthused by the new additions, and said that these attorneys will increase the services that the firm can offer regarding advertising law as well as the firm's New York presence. Wood is among the firm's major acquisitions, along with Hall Dickler executive members Michael Meyers and Peter Raymond. Many former Hall Dickler staff members have joined as well.

Act of Kindess Suffers with Economy

Dechert recently learned firsthand the true meaning of the old adage: “No good deed goes unpunished.” A little more than 4 years ago, the firm decided to implement a special preservation bonus program for its associates. Dechert reserved $50,000 of its savings in Internet Capital Group (ICG) ' a powerful client. Funded in 1997, the company had significant backers such as Compaq and Safeguard and was the guiding force behind an association of unified Internet companies that operated business-to-business Web sites. In 1999, Dechert partner Henry Nassau had departed the firm to join ICG as COO, General Counsel and Secretary. He returned to Dechert in fall 2003.

Under the program, all associates and counsel in Dechert's employ on Dec. 31, 1999, and who were still employed at the firm by Sept. 15, 2003, would be awarded a bonus. The bonus amount would equal that of the employee's prorated portion of the venture. However, in late 2000, ICG's stock value fell significantly as part of the demise of the dot-coms. Dechert had retained its shares until recently, and the depreciation of the stock has left a bonus of $15.50 each for 177 lawyers.

Altman Weil consultant William Brennan acknowledged that the firm was being quite charitable in offering such a deal for associates and counsel. However, the times changed significantly. In fact, one unidentified Dechert associate had expressed that he was not the least bit surprised about the news.

New Rule, New Year, New Name

Thanks to a recent rule change by the Illinois Supreme Court, Schiff Hardin Waite became Schiff Hardin LLP as of Jan. 1, 2004. The firm, which was founded well over 100 years ago, has undergone 21 name changes since its origin. In recent years, the firm had come to be known as Schiff Hardin, and the name change shows the profession's present developments and rules.

IP Practice Spruced Up Addition of New Partners

It looks like White & Case LLP's tactic of bringing on board the best lateral partners is continuing into 2004. Last month, the firm welcomed Jonathan E. Moskin as a partner in its Global Intellectual Property Practice Group. Moskin, formerly of Pennie & Edmonds, is based in White & Case's New York City office. At his former firm, he served as chair of the trademark, copyright, and competition group.

Moskin has considerable trial experience and is a well-known litigator. Among the disputes he has handled are trademark, copyright, patent, contract, false advertising and right-of-publicity cases before arbitral organizations such as the International Trade Commission and the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board. He also provides regular counsel to clients on various subjects involving e-commerce and Internet law, writes and lectures frequently, and chairs the New York Intellectual Property Law Internet Committee.

In addition to welcoming Moskin, White & Case recently promoted registered patent attorneys Leslie Morioka and Jean Shimotake to partner. Both had served as IP counsel. Another addition to the firm is Xiang Wang, a well-known patent and trademark senior associate who joined the Shanghai office. A surge of IP matters in China makes Wang's arrival at the firm integral. Among other significant accomplishments, Wang is vice chair of the Intellectual Property Committee of the American Chamber, located in Shanghai.

Newcomers Help Reed Smith Venture into New York

A stronger New York presence has developed for Reed Smith with the addition of 21 Hall Dickler lawyers from New York and Beverly Hills, who joined Reed Smith at the beginning of the month. Hall Dickler, which was 70 years old and concentrated on advertising law, has now come to an end. Several other Hall Dickler lawyers had left during 2003 to join Los Angeles-based Manatt, Phelps & Phillips.

The move also allows Reed Smith to enter into an appealing client base on Madison Avenue. Nine of the new attorneys will be partners, and a new advertising and marketing group will be run by Douglas Wood, an executive partner at Hall Dickler. Wood's collection of attorneys will oversee several matters, including mergers and acquisitions, litigation, and intellectual property. Among the group's clients are media companies and advertising and promotion agencies.

Gregory Jordan, a firm-wide managing partner at Reed, was highly enthused by the new additions, and said that these attorneys will increase the services that the firm can offer regarding advertising law as well as the firm's New York presence. Wood is among the firm's major acquisitions, along with Hall Dickler executive members Michael Meyers and Peter Raymond. Many former Hall Dickler staff members have joined as well.

Act of Kindess Suffers with Economy

Dechert recently learned firsthand the true meaning of the old adage: “No good deed goes unpunished.” A little more than 4 years ago, the firm decided to implement a special preservation bonus program for its associates. Dechert reserved $50,000 of its savings in Internet Capital Group (ICG) ' a powerful client. Funded in 1997, the company had significant backers such as Compaq and Safeguard and was the guiding force behind an association of unified Internet companies that operated business-to-business Web sites. In 1999, Dechert partner Henry Nassau had departed the firm to join ICG as COO, General Counsel and Secretary. He returned to Dechert in fall 2003.

Under the program, all associates and counsel in Dechert's employ on Dec. 31, 1999, and who were still employed at the firm by Sept. 15, 2003, would be awarded a bonus. The bonus amount would equal that of the employee's prorated portion of the venture. However, in late 2000, ICG's stock value fell significantly as part of the demise of the dot-coms. Dechert had retained its shares until recently, and the depreciation of the stock has left a bonus of $15.50 each for 177 lawyers.

Altman Weil consultant William Brennan acknowledged that the firm was being quite charitable in offering such a deal for associates and counsel. However, the times changed significantly. In fact, one unidentified Dechert associate had expressed that he was not the least bit surprised about the news.

New Rule, New Year, New Name

Thanks to a recent rule change by the Illinois Supreme Court, Schiff Hardin Waite became Schiff Hardin LLP as of Jan. 1, 2004. The firm, which was founded well over 100 years ago, has undergone 21 name changes since its origin. In recent years, the firm had come to be known as Schiff Hardin, and the name change shows the profession's present developments and rules.

IP Practice Spruced Up Addition of New Partners

It looks like White & Case LLP's tactic of bringing on board the best lateral partners is continuing into 2004. Last month, the firm welcomed Jonathan E. Moskin as a partner in its Global Intellectual Property Practice Group. Moskin, formerly of Pennie & Edmonds, is based in White & Case's New York City office. At his former firm, he served as chair of the trademark, copyright, and competition group.

Moskin has considerable trial experience and is a well-known litigator. Among the disputes he has handled are trademark, copyright, patent, contract, false advertising and right-of-publicity cases before arbitral organizations such as the International Trade Commission and the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board. He also provides regular counsel to clients on various subjects involving e-commerce and Internet law, writes and lectures frequently, and chairs the New York Intellectual Property Law Internet Committee.

In addition to welcoming Moskin, White & Case recently promoted registered patent attorneys Leslie Morioka and Jean Shimotake to partner. Both had served as IP counsel. Another addition to the firm is Xiang Wang, a well-known patent and trademark senior associate who joined the Shanghai office. A surge of IP matters in China makes Wang's arrival at the firm integral. Among other significant accomplishments, Wang is vice chair of the Intellectual Property Committee of the American Chamber, located in Shanghai.