Around the Firms

Holland & Knight Seeks Further Growth

Despite a negative experience after its previous growth campaign, Tampa, FL-based Holland & Knight is seeking to increase it 30-attorney San Francisco office by 100 lawyers. The quest is part of a grander effort to grow on the West Coast. Holland & Knight's hope is to gain at least one regional firm, or a national firm's local branch. Firmwide Managing Partner Howell Melton, Jr.'s goal is to have the West Coast offices grown from 125 attorneys to 500 before the end of his term in 4 years.

According to consultants, however, it might not be so easy to find appropriate partners, since the market in California is so competitive. Another factor is that the firm offers comparatively low per-partner profits. There are 1263 attorneys that are spread in offices from Rio de Janeiro to Helsinki ' 36 in total ' and The American Lawyer has listed these profits at the bottom of the top 100 law firms steadily. But Melton has stated that the standings on the list have no reflection on the capability of the firm to offer some of its markets the highest return. He also says that the firm has good prospects for a merger.

Twelve years ago, Holland had 275 attorneys; by 2000 it increased its size to more than 1200. However, there was criticism within regarding the strategy that the firm had taken to achieve this. A partner's memo 2 years later, which received wide publicity and was released to the press, attested that Holland gave priority to growth, with less regard for profitability, having too many of its offices expend an inordinate quantity of billable time on pro bono work. Melton has said that there were other factors involved when the memo was written, including an economic downfall, the loss of the firm's New York office following the September 11 attacks, and the abrupt exit of longtime managing partner William McBride, who had decided to run for Florida governor. All this helped to result in decreased staff and revenues.

In August, Holland opened a four-attorney office in Sacramento, to aide its energy and tribal law practices. In early 2004, San Diego County firm Cowley & Chidester, a trusts and estates boutique with seven lawyers, became a Holland acquisition. And recently the San Francisco office gained Stephen Taber, one of Hanson, Bridgett, Marcus, Vlahos & Rudy's public finance partners. Accorrding to Melton, pro bono and growth are foundations of Holland's culture.

Baker & MacKenzie handled a small duty for a separate attorney's client in Taiwan, and now that attorney is accusing the firm of client theft.

In a complaint filed in August in San Francisco Superior Court, Douglas Akay of the two-lawyer firm Akay & Associates says that in 2002, he filed a suit for a noodle restaurant chain's shareholders. Akay had a contractual agreement with clients Geordy Murphy, Jerry Davis and Dux Capital Management, Akay's complaint says.

However, serving the foreign parties was difficult, so Baker & MacKenzie was hired (reportedly at the suggestion of one of his clients) to represent several clients in Taiwan, the Virgin Islands and Bermuda. Akay alleges that Baker & MacKenzie started trouble by badmouthing him to his clients and then luring them away from him. In addition to the firm, two partners, Christopher Van Gundy and Bruce Jackson, are cited as defendants.

Akay claims that Davis was falsely informed by Van Gundy that Akay was delaying matters, but that, in fact, Baker had not made a complete determination on its requirements to take care of the client effectively. The complaint also states that Akay was dismissed by Davis in August 2002, in favor of Baker & MacKenzie. He and Dux withdrew from the case, while Murphy remained with Akay. The attorney says that the mega-firm copied almost verbatim his complaint, which, among other things, accused the defendant of presenting unfair competition and of deliberately interfering for potential economic benefit.

Addition of Specialist Enhances Ogletree

Ogletree, Deakin, Nash, Snoak & Steart, P.C., the nation's third-largest labor and employment law firm, has experienced its largest merger to date. In August, southeaster labor specialist Haynsworth Baldwin Johnson & Greaves, LLC, joined the firm, bringing along approximately 50 new lawyers. Business at the Haynsworth offices is being conducted as Ogletree Deakins, and Haynsworth is now part of a firm that has 21 offices nationwide. Ogletree Deakins now has an increased presence in Florida and in North Carolina. Also, the firm's clients now have access to an increasing list of expert lawyers; 35 of Ogletree Deakins attorneys are listed in “Best Lawyers in America.”

Holland & Knight Seeks Further Growth

Despite a negative experience after its previous growth campaign, Tampa, FL-based Holland & Knight is seeking to increase it 30-attorney San Francisco office by 100 lawyers. The quest is part of a grander effort to grow on the West Coast. Holland & Knight's hope is to gain at least one regional firm, or a national firm's local branch. Firmwide Managing Partner Howell Melton, Jr.'s goal is to have the West Coast offices grown from 125 attorneys to 500 before the end of his term in 4 years.

According to consultants, however, it might not be so easy to find appropriate partners, since the market in California is so competitive. Another factor is that the firm offers comparatively low per-partner profits. There are 1263 attorneys that are spread in offices from Rio de Janeiro to Helsinki ' 36 in total ' and The American Lawyer has listed these profits at the bottom of the top 100 law firms steadily. But Melton has stated that the standings on the list have no reflection on the capability of the firm to offer some of its markets the highest return. He also says that the firm has good prospects for a merger.

Twelve years ago, Holland had 275 attorneys; by 2000 it increased its size to more than 1200. However, there was criticism within regarding the strategy that the firm had taken to achieve this. A partner's memo 2 years later, which received wide publicity and was released to the press, attested that Holland gave priority to growth, with less regard for profitability, having too many of its offices expend an inordinate quantity of billable time on pro bono work. Melton has said that there were other factors involved when the memo was written, including an economic downfall, the loss of the firm's New York office following the September 11 attacks, and the abrupt exit of longtime managing partner William McBride, who had decided to run for Florida governor. All this helped to result in decreased staff and revenues.

In August, Holland opened a four-attorney office in Sacramento, to aide its energy and tribal law practices. In early 2004, San Diego County firm Cowley & Chidester, a trusts and estates boutique with seven lawyers, became a Holland acquisition. And recently the San Francisco office gained Stephen Taber, one of Hanson, Bridgett, Marcus, Vlahos & Rudy's public finance partners. Accorrding to Melton, pro bono and growth are foundations of Holland's culture.

Baker & MacKenzie handled a small duty for a separate attorney's client in Taiwan, and now that attorney is accusing the firm of client theft.

In a complaint filed in August in San Francisco Superior Court, Douglas Akay of the two-lawyer firm Akay & Associates says that in 2002, he filed a suit for a noodle restaurant chain's shareholders. Akay had a contractual agreement with clients Geordy Murphy, Jerry Davis and Dux Capital Management, Akay's complaint says.

However, serving the foreign parties was difficult, so Baker & MacKenzie was hired (reportedly at the suggestion of one of his clients) to represent several clients in Taiwan, the Virgin Islands and Bermuda. Akay alleges that Baker & MacKenzie started trouble by badmouthing him to his clients and then luring them away from him. In addition to the firm, two partners, Christopher Van Gundy and Bruce Jackson, are cited as defendants.

Akay claims that Davis was falsely informed by Van Gundy that Akay was delaying matters, but that, in fact, Baker had not made a complete determination on its requirements to take care of the client effectively. The complaint also states that Akay was dismissed by Davis in August 2002, in favor of Baker & MacKenzie. He and Dux withdrew from the case, while Murphy remained with Akay. The attorney says that the mega-firm copied almost verbatim his complaint, which, among other things, accused the defendant of presenting unfair competition and of deliberately interfering for potential economic benefit.

Addition of Specialist Enhances Ogletree

Ogletree, Deakin, Nash, Snoak & Steart, P.C., the nation's third-largest labor and employment law firm, has experienced its largest merger to date. In August, southeaster labor specialist Haynsworth Baldwin Johnson & Greaves, LLC, joined the firm, bringing along approximately 50 new lawyers. Business at the Haynsworth offices is being conducted as Ogletree Deakins, and Haynsworth is now part of a firm that has 21 offices nationwide. Ogletree Deakins now has an increased presence in Florida and in North Carolina. Also, the firm's clients now have access to an increasing list of expert lawyers; 35 of Ogletree Deakins attorneys are listed in “Best Lawyers in America.”