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.

Duane Morris to Work With Singapore Government on Biz Ops

By Gina Passarella
Of the Legal Staff

Duane Morris has continued to grow its presence in Singapore through its joint law venture in the country, Duane Morris & Selvam.

Now that venture will partner with Singapore’s Economic Development Board to link the law firm’s clients in the United States and Latin America with business opportunities in Singapore, Duane Morris said Thursday. The agreement was signed today and is expected to last through 2015.

The goal of the Economic Development Board is to enhance Singapore’s position as a global business center. The country has received attention from a number of U.S. law firms looking to open operations in the region.

Under the agreement, Duane Morris, in conjunction with its U.S.-based public affairs unit, Duane Morris Government Strategies, and the Singapore joint law venture, will seek to engage clients and contacts in the United States and Latin America to explore business and expansion opportunities in Singapore.

The EDB focuses on extending the city’s offerings to businesses, fostering local and foreign investment, encouraging expansion into new markets and providing feedback to other government agencies to ensure that infrastructure and public services remain efficient and cost-competitive, Duane Morris said.

“This agreement is a boon for our clients looking to forge new connections and establish operations in Asia,” Duane Morris Chairman John Soroko said in a statement. “Leveraging our existing and future contacts on both sides of the Pacific, and bolstered by this agreement, Duane Morris will act as a bridge for investment and growth. We are pleased to collaborate with the EDB toward our common goals, and look forward to a strong and productive relationship.”

Eduardo Ramos-Gómez, managing partner of Duane Morris’ Asian offices and a former Mexican ambassador to Singapore, led the firm’s collaboration with the EDB.

“Singapore is a vibrant city that has developed rapidly into a hub for business and innovation,” Ramos-Gómez said in a statement. “It’s easy to see why. Our highly educated workforce, business-friendly climate, well-developed legal system and proximity to markets throughout Asia and the Middle East create a particularly attractive target for new investment. We hope to provide our clients with the means to succeed and indeed thrive in Singapore. Our agreement with the EDB is an ideal way to do just that.”

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

K&L Gates Welcomes Back White House Aide to Pittsburgh Office

By Gina Passarella
Of the Legal Staff

David H. Ehrenwerth has rejoined K&L Gates after two-and-a-half years as an official in the Obama administration.

President Obama had appointed Ehrenwerth as the regional administrator of the General Services Administration and, most recently, as associate commissioner of the U.S. Public Buildings Service.

Ehrenwerth is rejoining K&L Gates’ real estate investment, development and finance practice.

At the U.S. Public Buildings Service, Ehrenwerth helped manage the government’s national real estate portfolio of nearly 400 million square feet across 10,000 properties. He also served as the agency’s senior Recovery Act official, overseeing the expenditure of $5.5 billion allocated by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act for the construction and energy-efficient renovation of a variety of federal buildings throughout the country.

Ehrenwerth advises real estate developers, closely held entities, investment groups and lenders, as well as major hospitals, foundations and economic development organizations, on a range of business matters. He has a particular focus on real estate development, finance, corporate transactions and domestic and international joint ventures.

“We are delighted that Dave has returned ‘home’ to K&L Gates,” Carolyn M. Branthoover, administrative partner of K&L Gates’ Pittsburgh office, said in a statement. “As they have done in the past, we expect many of the firm’s clients will benefit considerably from Dave’s impressive private and public sector experiences, including his latest work with the GSA and Public Buildings Service.”

Ehrenwerth first joined K&L Gates in 1974 and was elected to the partnership in 1979. He served for more than a decade on the firm’s management committee and as administrative partner of the Pittsburgh office.

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

Lincoln Financial Hires Morgan Lewis Partner to Head Business Law Unit

By Gina Passarella
Of the Legal Staff

Lincoln Financial Group has hired a new head of business law and compliance in its Radnor, Pa.-based law department.

Former Morgan, Lewis & Bockius partner James DelBello has joined Lincoln Financial and will serve as senior vice president and head of business law and compliance.

DelBello will report directly to Lincoln Financial General Counsel Adam Ciongoli.

In his new role, which became effective December 31, DelBello will manage all of the business-unit-aligned legal and compliance resources across the company. He will also provide legal counsel on complex business issues, compliance matters and other initiatives.

“Jim is a highly accomplished lawyer and a talented business-oriented manager. We are thrilled that he decided to join Lincoln,” Ciongoli said in a statement.

DelBello was a partner with Morgan Lewis since 2004. At Lincoln Financial, he will serve in the company’s corporate leadership group.

While at Morgan Lewis, DelBello focused his practice on litigation, serving in a leadership role in the firm’s technology industry litigation practice. DelBello’s litigation practice included representing clients in contract and licensing disputes, class actions, product liability and mass and toxic torts, with an emphasis in the technology and health care industries.

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

What Does the Greenberg Gender Bias Case Mean for Other Firms?

By Ben Seal
Of the Legal Staff

In Tuesday's Legal, reporter Gina Passarella wrote about a gender bias class action that has been filed against Greenberg Traurig by Francine Griesing, who worked in the firm's Philadelphia office from 2007 to 2010. Griesing's suit alleges that the firm had a "boys club of origination" and stifled women's ability to generate business.

Vivia Chen, at Legal affiliate The Careerist, spoke with Griesing's attorney, David Sanford of Sanford Heisler, about what the suit might mean for other firms. Sanford said Griesing's allegations were investigated by the EEOC for three years, and the firm ranked "193 out of 221 top law firms" in terms of female equity partners. So what might this lawsuit mean for other firms? Take a look at the full story for more.

Reed Smith Starts Emergency Relief and Injunction Practice

By Gina Passarella
Of the Legal Staff

Reed Smith has created a new practice group geared toward helping clients in need of emergency litigation services.

The emergency relief and injunction team consists of nine members of the firm’s commercial litigation and disputes practice.

The team will be led by Philadelphia-based commercial litigation partner Wayne C. Stansfield.

“Clients who require or face emergency action, such as injunctions, need a specialized resource because of the unique nature of these types of matters and the speed at which they move,” Stansfield said in a statement. “Unless a lawyer handles emergency matters routinely, such situations can be daunting. Even experienced litigators without prior experience in emergency matters can be uncomfortable with them. In this specialized area, the law moves at such a tremendous speed there’s no room for error.” Reed Smith said the members of the new team have experience in securing emergency relief in matters such as trade secrets or noncompetes, tenants holding over leases, injunctions to prevent property damage or matters related to M&A deals.

Stansfield told The Legal the need for emergency litigation services has seen an uptick in recent years because of the proliferation of the use of electronic information. Stansfield said a number of these cases involve companies looking to protect their trade secrets when high-level employees are leaving.

“In those [cases], you need to move fast because the electronic information will be gone before you can do anything about it,” Stansfield said.

The team will advise clients across the country on emergency actions, from initial investigation to resolution. They will seek and defend emergency relief in the form of temporary restraining orders, preliminary injunctions and expedited discovery orders, the firm said.

Stansfield emphasized the specialty nature of emergency litigation work.

“Even among litigators, people who do them tend to do all of them,” he said of emergency filings.

Aside from Stansfield, the new team includes Doug Albritton in Chicago; Jesse Miller in San Francisco; Michael Garabed in Los Angeles; John McIntyre and Jayme Butcher in Pittsburgh; Brian Rostocki in Wilmington, Del.; Travis Sabalewski in Richmond, Va.; and David Kochman in New York.

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

Kalis and Jordan: A Couple of West Virginia Boys

By Gina Passarella
Of the Legal Staff

In today’s Legal, I wrote about the similarities between the way Reed Smith’s Greg Jordan and K&L Gates’ Peter Kalis have grown their respective firms. But it turns out they have much more in common than just both being from West Virginia and both taking their law firms from regional presences to global powerhouses.

• Both Jordan and Kalis grew up in a tiny town outside of Wheeling called Warwood, W.Va.
• Both of their fathers came to the United States as kids from neighboring Greek islands.
• Jordan lived in Kalis’ house in Pittsburgh when he was a summer associate at Reed Smith.
• Kalis hired Jordan to represent Kalis’ brother. Jordan won the case, Kalis paid him and Jordan got Kalis reimbursed from the other side.
• Both men have beach homes in Naples, Fla., in neighboring buildings on the same beach.

Jordan did point out that there are a few differences between the two. While Kalis, Jordan said, is smarter, Jordan is younger. Kalis was quick to reply, however, that Jordan is only younger by 108 months.

But on a more serious note, both men also share a commitment to their roots. Kalis said they wear their Warwood and West Virginia ties as a badge of pride. Jordan is on the board of West Virginia-based Bethany College, where he got his undergraduate degree. Kalis is on the board of the West Virginia University Foundation, the charitable arm of his alma mater.

Kalis said he thinks their West Virginia roots have given him and Jordan a headstart over their competitors. Perhaps Orrick Herrington & Sutcliffe CEO Ralph Baxter, former Sullivan & Cromwell Chairman H. Rodgin Cohen and SNR Denton CEO Elliott Portnoy would agree – all three are West Virginia natives. West Virginia, the place where global law firm leaders are built?

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

 

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.)

The top story this morning is Reed Smith and K&L Gates both doubling down on their veteran leaders. As reporter Gina Passarella writes, both Reed Smith’s Greg Jordan and K&L Gates’ Pete Kalis have won unopposed elections to additional terms, as both firms have moved from regional presences to global powerhouses in recent years.

Below the fold on Page 1, reporter Amaris Elliott-Engel writes that the bar examination passage rate in Pennsylvania dropped to a five-year low with the July 2012 exam. The passage rate was 77.32 percent, down from 79.81 a year ago.

In more Regional News on Page 3, reporter Saranac Hale Spencer writes that Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia said to a Philadelphia audience Monday night that original intent is indispensable for finding the meaning of a law and the era of a dictionary should match the era of the text one is reading.

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, G. Christopher Ritter writes about the art of using economical expert witness graphics.

In this week’s GC Mid-Atlantic column, Hayes Hunt and Calli Jo Varner write about what in-house counsel need to know about workplace bullying.

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

Fresh Ink: Inside Today's Legal

Welcome to your Monday 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.)

The top story this morning is the continued Restatement muddle in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit. As reporter Amaris Elliott-Engel writes, defense lawyers in an airplane crash case said they were left wondering which source of law should apply after the Third Circuit declined to consider a district judge’s opinion that the Restatement (Second) of Torts, not the Restatement (Third), applies to products liability law in Pennsylvania.

Below the fold on Page 1, reporter Gina Passarella writes that Buchanan Ingersoll & Rooney is set to open an office in Charlotte, N.C.

In more Regional News on Page 3, reporter Saranac Hale Spencer writes that an Eastern District judge has ruled that a ship doesn’t qualify as a product for purposes of products liability and that makers of the components of those ships don’t have a duty to warn “sophisticated” users about hazardous products, like asbestos.

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 an Insight on Diversity column on Page 5, Cassandra Lee Matos writes about how a global perspective can make you a better lawyer.

In this week’s Law Technology News page, Monica Bay writes that a survey showed that law department spending is up.

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 Thursday 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.)

The top story this morning is the preliminary objections being denied in the family courthouse suit. As reporter Amaris Elliott-Engel writes, the First Judicial District’s legal malpractice lawsuit related to the new courthouse moved one step further, as objections related to a defendant law firm’s answer in the case were turned away.

Below the fold on Page 1, reporter Gina Passarella writes that Cozen O’Connor has asked the state Superior Court to reopen the discontinued lawsuit against it filed by Wolf Block lawyer John Loalbo, Rebecca Rosenberger Smolen, Kevin O’Connor and Lynne Gold-Bikin. Cozen wishes to get a ruling that the firm as never properly served a writ and therefore the statute of limitations cannot be tolled on the plaintiffs’ claims.

In more Regional News on Page 3, reporter Saranac Hale Spencer writes that the third party in an elevator accident case may invoke attorney-client privilege.

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 this week’s Young Lawyer column on Page 5, Farbod Farnia writes about how to use document review work to enhance a resume.

In a Health Care Law column on Page 7, Vasilios J. Kalogredis and Karilynn Bayus write that the OIG has approved arrangements for pre-authorization services.

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