What's Hot, What's Not

Reed Smith has added cross-cultural lawyer Jinshu 'John' Zhang as a partner in its corporate & securities group in Los Angeles. Mr. Zhang
was formerly a shareholder at Greenberg Traurig.

Bracewell & Giuliani announced that Mark C. Evans has been elected as the firm's seventh managing partner, effective Feb. 8. Patrick Oxford, who served as the firm's managing partner since 2001, assumes the role of chairman. Additionally, partners Carrin F. Patman and Clark G. Thompson, Jr. have been elected to serve a 3-year term on the firm's management committee; partner Paul W. Fox will serve the remainder of Mr. Evans '1-year term on the management committee.

Lowenstein Sandler has named Gary M. Wingens, head of the firm's mortgage finance practice, as managing director of the firm. Mr. Wingens succeeds Michael L. Rodburg as part of a planned succession; Mr. Rodburg retains his position as chairman of the firm.

Trends: Norton Rose instituted a merit-based grading system for associates during associate appraisals in February and March. The system has three grade levels based on five core competencies: development and application of technical knowledge and skills; efficiency; business development; teamwork; and 'good
citizenship.' Only associates ranked in the top tier will be promoted to senior associate; those moving from bottom to middle level (who are expected to have three to five years' experience) will receive a significant pay increase. The decision to change the system follows an independent survey of associates conducted by external consultants last year. The firm also plans to improve associate communication with management by launching three different groups to deal with matters affecting associates, secretaries and support staff that will meet regularly with management.

Maxim Levinson and Sergei Stepanov have joined Baker Botts as partner and special counsel, respectively, in the firm's Moscow office. Both have extensive experience in international finance, M&A and corporate legal issues.

Duane Morris has added three intellectual property trial lawyers to its Chicago office. Richard Ruzich and John Maher join from Epstein Becker & Green; Robert Gould, Ph.D ., joins from Bell, Boyd & Lloyd.

Michael A. Schwartz, chief of the corruption/civil rights/labor/tax unit of the US Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, joined the white collar and corporate investigations practice at Pepper Hamilton as a partner, effective Feb. 25.

Reed Smith has added cross-cultural lawyer Jinshu 'John' Zhang as a partner in its corporate & securities group in Los Angeles. Mr. Zhang
was formerly a shareholder at Greenberg Traurig.

Bracewell & Giuliani announced that Mark C. Evans has been elected as the firm's seventh managing partner, effective Feb. 8. Patrick Oxford, who served as the firm's managing partner since 2001, assumes the role of chairman. Additionally, partners Carrin F. Patman and Clark G. Thompson, Jr. have been elected to serve a 3-year term on the firm's management committee; partner Paul W. Fox will serve the remainder of Mr. Evans '1-year term on the management committee.

Lowenstein Sandler has named Gary M. Wingens, head of the firm's mortgage finance practice, as managing director of the firm. Mr. Wingens succeeds Michael L. Rodburg as part of a planned succession; Mr. Rodburg retains his position as chairman of the firm.

Trends: Norton Rose instituted a merit-based grading system for associates during associate appraisals in February and March. The system has three grade levels based on five core competencies: development and application of technical knowledge and skills; efficiency; business development; teamwork; and 'good
citizenship.' Only associates ranked in the top tier will be promoted to senior associate; those moving from bottom to middle level (who are expected to have three to five years' experience) will receive a significant pay increase. The decision to change the system follows an independent survey of associates conducted by external consultants last year. The firm also plans to improve associate communication with management by launching three different groups to deal with matters affecting associates, secretaries and support staff that will meet regularly with management.