The Legal Intelligencer Blog

Buchanan Ingersoll Names New General Counsel

By Gina Passarella
Of the Legal Staff

Buchanan Ingersoll & Rooney has named a new general counsel.

The firm announced today that labor and employment co-chairman and shareholder Gregory A. Miller will serve as its newest general counsel.

Miller is taking over for John Leathers, who served as the firm’s general counsel for almost 10 years. Sue C. Friedberg and Darice McNelis will continue to serve as associate general counsel to the firm.

All four of the attorneys are based in Buchanan Ingersoll’s Pittsburgh headquarters.

“Much of the experience I’ve gained during my career will be useful in advancing the firm’s goals as inside counsel,” Miller said in a statement.

Jack Barbour, the firm’s CEO, added, “Given Greg’s excellent legal skills and analytical abilities, combined with his historical knowledge of the firm, he is an ideal fit for this role.”

Miller's practice has encompassed a range of employer counseling and employment litigation issues. In addition to co-chairing the labor and employment section, he has previously served in a number of leadership positions with the firm and on its board.

Martin LLC Raises Money for ACS

By Alexa Woronowicz
Of the Legal Staff

More than 60 employees and family members from Martin LLC came together for the American Cancer Society’s “Making Strides Against Breast Cancer” walk Oct. 19 in Fairmount Park in Philadelphia, raising more than $1,000 for the cause.

To date, 2,535 participants raised $155,137 at the event.

Donations are still being accepted at makingstrides.acsevents.org.

 

Stradley Ronon Sponsors Champions for Children Luncheon

By Alexa Woronowicz
Of the Legal Staff

Stradley Ronon Stevens & Young served as a sponsor of the first Champions for Children Luncheon hosted by the Moyer Foundation in Philadelphia.

Representatives from Stradley Ronon attended the luncheon as the Jamie Moyer Legends Award was presented to Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Cole Hamels for his humanitarian work with the Hamels Foundation.

The mission of the Moyer Foundation is to provide comfort, hope and healing to children affected by loss and family addiction, according to a release.

Pictured, from left, are Hamels; Stradley Ronon associates Stephen Feinour Jr., Jamie Gershkow and David Somers; and former Phillies pitcher and Moyer Foundation President Jamie Moyer.

Attorney Joins Post & Schell as Principal in Washington, D.C.

By Alexa Woronowicz
Of the Legal Staff

Barbara Rowland joined Post & Schell as a principal in its internal investigations and white-collar defense practice group.

She is resident in the firm’s Washington, D.C., office.

Rowland focuses her practice on representing large for-profit and nonprofit corporations in a variety of industries, including pharmaceutical and medical device manufacturing, retail pharmacy, pharmacy benefit management, health care and defense contracting, according to a release.

She provides trial representation and counsel regarding internal and government investigations, and represents boards, management and employees in connection with such investigations, the release said.

Rowland, who spent nearly a decade as a trial attorney with the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Philadelphia, has more than 27 years of experience in government and industry. 

RatnerPrestia Adds Associate in Washington, D.C.

By Alexa Woronowicz
Of the Legal Staff

Martin E. Miller joined RatnerPrestia as an associate in its Washington, D.C., office.

He focuses his practice on patent prosecution, with expertise in mobile technology, social networking, LED display technology, computer software, analog circuit design, telecommunications, consumer electronics, video coding, image analysis and business methods.

Miller has more than 10 years of legal experience. He previously worked at other Washington, D.C., firms and the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, according to a release.

He has experience in drafting patent applications and managing complex patent prosecution dockets including U.S. and foreign patent applications.

Fresh Ink: Inside Today's Legal

Welcome to your Wednesday morning round-up of stories in today’s edition of The Legal Intelligencer. All of the links below will take you directly to today’s stories, or you can head straight over to The Legal’s homepage. (Some stories may require registration or a paid subscription.)

Today’s top story is an analysis of the effect state Sen. Jane Orie’s conviction might have on her sister, state Supreme Court Justice Joan Orie Melvin. As reporter Ben Present writes, Orie’s verdict Monday, in which she was found guilty on 14 of 24 corruption charges, does little to settle the fate of Orie Melvin, according to some legal observers. The larger issue for Orie Melvin might be her other sister, Janine Orie, whom the state hit with two rounds of corruption charges.

Also above the fold on Page 1, reporter Saranac Hale Spencer writes that the 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals has ruled that workers can bring claims against their employers under both federal collective actions and state law class actions simultaneously.

Below the fold on Page 1, reporter Zack Needles writes that the state Supreme Court has defined the term “in paying quantities,” and attorneys believe it will have wide-reaching applicability for oil and gas companies. The court ruled that wells that are operated sporadically and don’t consistently turn a profit can still be considered to be producing in paying quantities as long as the operator has maintained the well in good faith.

In more Regional News on Page 3, Saranac Hale Spencer writes that a federal judge is allowing a private racketeering claim to proceed against a bank and payment processors involved with telemarketing schemes under the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO).

Also on Page 3, insurance firm Nelson Levine de Luca & Horst announced plans to open a Washington, D.C., office.

As always, our People in the News section is on Page 2, and the top stories from our sister publications across the country make up the Page 4 National News section.

In a Litigation column on Page 5, Harrie Samaras and Judy Weintraub write about 10 ways to introduce mediation to opposing counsel.

In this week’s GC Mid-Atlantic column on Page 7, Erica Smith-Klocek, Lisa Dykstra and Tara Lawler write about what should be considered when deciding to issue a litigation hold.

If you have questions or comments about any of today's stories, or our coverage as a whole, we invite you to e-mail any of the reporters directly. We hope you'll enjoy today's Legal.

Fresh Ink: Inside Today's Legal

Welcome to your Tuesday morning round-up of stories in today’s edition of The Legal Intelligencer, which also includes this week’s edition of Pennsylvania Law Weekly. All of the links below will take you directly to today’s stories, or you can head straight over to The Legal’s homepage. (Some stories may require registration or a paid subscription.)

The second supplement of 2012, Banking & Accounting, is also inside the pages of today's Legal, so be sure to check it out.

Today’s top story is the growth of Dechert’s revenue for the first time in four years. As reporter Gina Passarella writes, the firm bumped its revenue from $648.5 million in 2010 to $671 million last year. Dechert also saw growth in metrics such as revenue per lawyer, profits per equity partner and average compensation for all partners.

On the bottom of Page 1, reporter Amaris Elliott-Engel writes that Philadelphia Common Pleas Court Judge M. Teresa Sarmina said the majority of “bad acts” evidence will be admitted in the priest abuse case. Sarmina ruled that all but six instances of priests who were reported to have committed sexual abuse or other improprieties can be admitted in the trial of Monsignor William Lynn, who allegedly endangered the welfare of two youths whom Lynn’s co-defendants are accused of sexually abusing.

In more Regional News on Page 3, reporter Zack Needles writes that recorders of deeds may not reject gas lease documents. The Commonwealth Court has ruled that counties’ recorders are required by statute to record all lease documents presented to them, in what attorneys said is a significant win for natural gas drillers.

As always, our People in the News section is on Page 2, and the top stories from our sister publications across the country make up the Page 4 National News section.

On Page 5 is today’s Litigation column, as William E. Harris writes about projecting wage growth and inflation in today’s economic climate.

In a Business of Law column on Page 7, Frank Michael D’Amore writes about the top areas where law firms differ from each other in the first article of a series he will write.

As it is Tuesday, it’s also your chance to read this week’s Pennsylvania Law Weekly. The lead story for PLW comes from Zack Needles, who writes that a Northampton County trial judge has found that talking on a cellphone while driving is not egregious enough to warrant punitive damages in a motor vehicle accident case. “The Pennsylvania Supreme Court has held that punitive damages are an ‘extreme remedy,’ available in only the most exceptional matters,” said Northampton County Common Pleas Court Judge Leonard N. Zito.

On the bottom of Page 1, Amaris Elliott-Engel writes that the Republican-controlled state House of Representatives has moved to cap punitives in nursing home cases. The House passed a bill to cap punitive damages in lawsuits against personal care homes, assisted living communities, long-term care nursing facilities, home care agencies, home health care agencies and hospices at 200 percent of compensatory damages awarded in such lawsuits.

On Page 3, Gina Passarella writes that the 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals has ruled that a car accident caused by a box left on the road can generate uninsured motorist benefits.

There’s much more inside this week’s PLW, including Samuel C. Stretton’s Ethics Forum, in which he discusses how a heavy dose of trial work can help a young lawyer; Matthew Weisberg’s commentary on the legal profession, in which he writes about attorney fees as consequential damages in legal malpractice actions; a criminal practice article in which the state Supreme Court has ruled that robbery was not needed as a predicate offense for a murder conviction; and the Commonwealth Court ruling that a Chester, Pa., ordinance making it illegal to loiter in “high drug activity” areas is too vague and unconstitutional.

If you have questions or comments about any of today's stories, or our coverage as a whole, we invite you to e-mail any of the reporters directly. We hope you'll enjoy today's Legal.

Fresh Ink: Inside Today's Legal (and Delaware!)

By Jaime Bochet
Of the Legal Staff

Welcome to your daily round-up of stories in today's edition of The Legal Intelligencer. Click the links below to access stories directly, or head to The Legal homepage.  (Some stories may require registration or a paid subscription.)

Just as Tuesdays always include our Pennsylvania Law Weekly section, Wednesday is the unofficial "Day of Delaware," when we roll out the fresh ink from our First State to the south. That includes the Delaware Law Weekly, available online at www.delawarelawweekly.com, as well as our newest product, the Delaware Business Court Insider, an online newsletter that definitely warrants a look.

But more about Delaware in a bit … let's get to today's Legal.

Topping the front page, U.S. Courthouse Correspondent Shannon P. Duffy has news that deals a legal setback to the Obama administration: "A federal judge in Harrisburg has struck down several provisions of the Affordable Care Act after concluding that the law's 'individual mandate' is an unconstitutional extension of Congress's authority under the Commerce Clause. 'The issue is whether Congress can invoke its Commerce Clause power to compel individuals to buy insurance as a condition of lawful citizenship or residency,' U.S. District Judge Christopher C. Conner wrote in his 53-page opinion in Goudy-Bachman v. United States."

Below the fold, reporter Amaris Elliott-Engel was there as the Supreme Court heard (televised) oral arguments in an historic setting in Old City Philadelphia yesterday. In the case she covered, a state Supreme Court justice characterized the drugmaker Wyeth as asserting that there is enough protection for persons harmed by prescription drugs in federal regulation of the release of drugs onto the market, and limiting plaintiffs to lawsuits for drugmakers' alleged failures to adequately warn of risks.

Today's Page 3 Regional News story is by reporter Zack Needles, who chronicles the growth of an area law firm: Philadelphia-based Zarwin Baum DeVito Kaplan Schaer Toddy has acquired four transactional lawyers from the Philadelphia office of Maryland-based Offit Kurman, saying increased work in that practice area over the last few months has necessitated the growth.

As always, our People in the News sectionis on Page 2. The top stories from our sister publications across the country make up the Page 4 National News section.

Today's contributed columns begin on Page 5 with an "Employment Law" column by Sid Steinberg of Post & Schell, who writes that as cases under the amended Americans with Disabilities Act begin to reach the courts, less emphasis will be placed on whether an employee is "disabled" and a greater emphasis will be placed on the questions of whether an employee is a "qualified individual" under the act and whether an employee could be reasonably accommodated.

Page 7 features our weekly "GC Mid-Atlantic" page, with an article from affiliate Corporate Counsel magazine, which profiles the new head of the Minority Corporate Counsel Association (MCCA), Joe West.

As we move south in our weekly coverage to Delaware, we'll stop first at the Delaware Law Weekly, where reporter Jeff Mordock has the top stories. Please note: all of our Delaware coverage is for paid subscribers, but you can register for a free 30-day trial by clicking here.

In the top slot, Jeff writes that four Sussex County residents have filed a lawsuit accusing the county's legislative council of explicitly endorsing Christianity by beginning each meeting by reciting the "Our Father."

Jeff also reports that St. Paul Fire and Marine Insurance Co. has filed a lawsuit seeking to remove itself from the duty of defending or reimbursing the Beebe Medical Center in Lewes, Del., from civil lawsuits related to the crimes committed by former pediatrician Earl Bradley.

Finally, we'd like you to meet (if you haven't already) the Delaware Business Court Insider.  As the name suggests, this is a national product covering the latest news, analysis and cases from the Delaware Chancery Court, Bankruptcy Court and Supreme Court. The accompanying website is www.delbizcourt.com, where you can go to subscribe to this newsletter weekly. You can also follow us on Twitter at: @delbizcour.

Top stories there include the following:
- President Obama is set to overhaul the nation's patent system, but attorneys say it is too early to see how the law will affect business.
-  Plaintiffs filed yet another amended complaint in their derivative suit against News Corp., including new allegations against the company.
- Vice Chancellor Noble denies plaintiffs' request for interim attorney fees in the Novell shareholder dispute.

Have questions or comments about any of today's stories, or our coverage as a whole? E-mail me or any of the reporters directly. We hope you'll enjoy today's Legal and our Delaware coverage!

Jaime Bochet is the Magazines & Supplements Editor for The Legal. Follow her on Twitter at @JaimeBochetTLI or e-mail [email protected].

K&L Gates Opens Qatar Office

By Gina Passarella
Of the Legal Staff

K&L Gates said Thursday that it has opened an office in Doha, Qatar.

The new location, the 38th for the Pittsburgh-based firm, will be the second location in the Middle East. It opened a Dubai office in 2009.

The Doha location was established following the issuance of a license by the Qatar Financial Centre (QFC) Authority on August 23, the firm said.

Disputes partner Kenneth Freeling, who joined K&L Gates in March after serving as managing partner of the Doha office of Dewey & LeBoeuf, assisted in setting up and obtaining approvals for the new office. His practice focuses on the areas of intellectual property, antitrust, commercial and construction litigation.

"I have been practicing in Doha for more than three years and have no doubt that K&L Gates is the ideal platform for Doha's growing and dynamic economy," Freeling said in a statement. "The breadth and depth of K&L Gates' practices, in combination with its global reach in a single integrated firm, uniquely suits the broader needs of our Qatari clients in Doha and around the world, as well as our multinational clients doing business in Doha."

Firm Chairman Peter Kalis said in a statement that Qatar is committed to a diversified economy on the strength of its energy endowments.

The firm's Doha lawyers will assist clients with their legal and regulatory needs in areas including projects; energy and infrastructure; banking and finance; telecommunications, media and technology; real estate and construction; intellectual property, and dispute resolution, among others.

The new office will be located in Doha's well-known Tornado Tower.

Gina Passarella is the senior reporter for The Legal. She can be contacted by e-mailing [email protected] or calling 215-557-2494. Follow her on Twitter at @GPassarellaTLI.

Fresh Ink: Inside Today's Legal

By Jaime Bochet
Of the Legal Staff

Welcome to your daily round-up of stories in today's edition of The Legal Intelligencer. Click the links below to access stories directly, or head to The Legal homepage. (Some stories may require registration or a paid subscription.)

Just as a heads-up, tomorrow's Friday issue will be devoted mainly to a special section on the 10-year anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks. In commemoration of the anniversary, we asked readers to send us their stories of what they remember about that day, and what they feel about it now - and you won't want to miss the amazing stories you sent in.

But for now, today's paper features a ton of business of law stories, so let's get to them!

Leading the front page on this soggy Thursday morning, senior reporter Gina Passarella has a salary story of particular interest: "With some evidence that associate salaries are on the rise, one might start to think that it's a case of back to the future. But this time around, firms appear to be treading lightly. After a few years of taking advantage of a down market and decreasing associate salaries, some firms are starting to edge up what they pay first-year associates. Whether this means a wholesale increase across all associate levels is unclear." Read the full article here.

Alongside Gina's story, sharing the top of the front page, Zack Needles reports on a lateral move that may surprise you: David H. Marion, a 25-year veteran of Montgomery McCracken Walker & Rhoads who served as the firm's chairman for seven years until 2003, has left the firm to join the Philadelphia office of Haddonfield, N.J.-based Archer & Greiner.

Below the fold, U.S. Courthouse Correspondent Shannon P. Duffy has a (non-business of law-related) ruling from the 3rd Circuit: When an employer is hit with a proposed collective action under the Fair Labor Standards Act, it cannot "pick off" the lead plaintiff by making an offer of judgment that moots her claim before any other workers have the chance to "opt in" to the case, according to the court.

Zack also has today's Page 3 Regional News story, reporting on a Philadelphia-based firm's expansion to the western part of the commonwealth: Insurance defense firm Bennett Bricklin & Saltzburg announced the opening of a Pittsburgh office Tuesday, citing a desire to bring in more of its clients' Western Pennsylvania-based work.

As always, our People in the News section is on Page 2, and the top stories from our sister publications across the country make up the Page 4 National News section.

Today's Page 5 "Insight on Diversity" column is by Christopher A. Lewis of Blank Rome, who takes a deeper look at the business case for diversity.

Page 7 is where you'll find our weekly "Young Lawyer"or "YL" page, which today features a story from the Connecticut Law Tribune, a Legal affiliate. It looks at the emerging trend of recent law grads going solo because of the down economy.

Have questions or comments about any of today's stories, or our coverage as a whole? E-mail me or any of the reporters directly. We hope you'll enjoy today's Legal!

Jaime Bochet is the Magazines & Supplements Editor for The Legal. Follow her on Twitter at @JaimeBochetTLI or e-mail [email protected].