Law Firm News

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Law Firm News

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Weil, Gotshal & Manges, LLP

Weil Gotshal’s Boston Office Honored for Pro Bono Work
Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP was awarded the 2007 Access to Justice Pro Bono Award for Law Firms by the Massachusetts Bar Association. The award recognizes a law firm for its significant pro bono efforts, particularly in developing, implementing and/or supporting a pro bono program or pro bono services within Massachusetts. Lawyers Clearinghouse nominated Weil Gotshal’s Boston office for this honor because of the office's noteworthy commitment to pro bono work. Five attorneys from the Boston office are assisting two nonprofit organizations, and over the past three years Weil Gotshal attorneys have provided pro bono assistance in approximately 10% of Lawyers Clearinghouse’s nonprofit cases. According to Lawyers Clearinghouse, “[n]o other firm of any size, including the largest firms in Boston, have contributed more in terms of number of cases taken and number of attorneys volunteering.

02-06-2007

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O'Melveny & Myers, LLP

Auschwitz Institute for Peace and Reconciliation Obtains Nonprofit Status
O'Melveny recently provided pro bono assistance to the Auschwitz Institute for Peace and Reconciliation, helping the organization obtain its nonprofit, tax-exempt status from the IRS.

The Institute is dedicated to the prevention of genocide and of the recurrence of such crimes anywhere in the world by creating an international network for individuals knowledgeable about the cause, dynamic, and consequences of genocide.

The Institute’s center will be located on the site of the Auschwitz concentration camp, infamous for the genocide committed on its premises during World War II; it will be a focal point for states to come together for positive preemptive actions against the recurrence of genocide.

An O'Melveny team including New York partners Russ Pinilis and Brad Butwin and associates Beth Tabackman and Tamara Tapoohi helped form the entity and get it approved as a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization for U.S. tax purposes. The team also drafted the Institute’s articles of incorporation, bylaws, and formation resolutions, and got it approved to do business in New York as a tax-exempt organization.

02-06-2007

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Buchanan Ingersoll & Rooney PC

Tax Attorney John McGrady Quoted in BNA's Daily Tax Report
John E. McGrady, III was quoted in the Thursday, February 1, 2007, edition of the Bureau of National Affairs Daily Tax Report. McGrady is a shareholder with Buchanan Ingersoll & Rooney PC, and is a member of the Employee Benefits and Executive Compensation Groups of the firm's Tax Section.

The article, titled "Practitioners See Senate Tax Provisions Having Dramatic Impact on Employee Plans," discusses the proposed Small Business and Work Opportunity Act of 2007. Provisions of that act that would limit the amount of compensation that can be deferred by executives and broaden the scope of tax code Section 162(m). Legal practitioners believe that the provisions could have a dramatic impact on the ability of companies to compensate employees. Several business groups wrote to all senators in opposition to revenue offsets in the tax package, saying that the proposals will force employers to significantly reduce or abandon retirement and savings programs benefiting middle management and will represent a "cash drain" and additional complexity for many employers.

McGrady said that the "provisions would limit the amount that can be deferred to the lesser of $1 million or the average annual compensation over the previous five-year taxable period." He also noted that the "'average annual compensation' is a term of art that will be receiving much attention in the future."

"The amendment is aimed at the amount that can be deferred," McGrady said. He added that there is a renewed focus at the IRS on compliance with Section 162(m), which applies to publicly traded companies, and that the IRS found significant weaknesses in plans governed by that section.

"Employers should focus on procedures and processes to protect their plans from failure under Section 162(m).

02-06-2007

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Baker & McKenzie, L.L.P.

Private Equity Lawyer Joins Baker & McKenzie LLP in New York
Baker & McKenzie LLP is pleased to announce that private equity lawyer Philip von Mehren has joined the Firm’s Global Private Equity Group in New York as a Partner. Prior to joining Baker & McKenzie, Mr. von Mehren was a partner at Curtis, Mallet-Prevost, Colt & Mosle LLP.

“Philip will be a valuable resource as we look to expand our private equity practice,” said Marc Paul, Chairman of Baker & McKenzie’s North American Corporate & Securities Practice Group. “With the increase of private equity activity this year, Philip’s talents coupled with our existing private equity capabilities respond to growing opportunities not just in New York and North America, but elsewhere in the world.”

Mr. von Mehren’s practice focuses on representation of private equity funds in the purchase and sale of portfolio companies as well as portfolio companies owned by funds with respect to follow on transactions. Recent transactions in which he has been involved include: the recapitalization of a U.S.-based manufacturing company with significant operations in Germany; the purchase of Class C Preferred Shares of a privately held company based in Canada developing internet storage technology; and the negotiation of a joint venture between a U.S.-based fiber optic company and a Northern European partner to develop and install transoceanic fiber optic networks.

Mr. von Mehren joined Curtis Mallet in 1993, and served on the firm’s Compensation Committee. He was also a member of the firm’s private equity and venture capital investment group, representing both domestic and foreign funds. Mr. von Mehren practiced in Curtis Mallet’s Mexico City office from 1994-95.

Commenting on Philip’s joining, David Hackett, the Firm’s North American Managing Partner, said, “We are extremely pleased to have Philip join the Firm. We are committed to expanding our New York office, particularly in key core practices, to better serve our clients in North America and globally. Along with the substantial other additions during the past two years, Philip contributes to our enhanced capability in the New York market.”

Mr. von Mehren received his J.D., cum laude, from Harvard Law School in 1990. He received his M. Phil from Cambridge University in 1984. Mr. von Mehren received his B.A. from Reed College in 1982.

Charles Niemeth, Managing Partner of Baker & McKenzie LLP New York, added: “We welcome Philip to our continually expanding team in New York. He will not only further our successes here, but globally as well.”

Beginning in 2005, Baker & McKenzie has emphasized expanding the size and depth of its New York practices, including its transactional practices (including M&A, private equity, securities, and banking and finance), litigation, tax and intellectual property. Since then, the Firm has acquired Coudert’s flagship New York office in 2005, which more than doubled Baker & McKenzie’s presence in the city; as well as adding mergers and acquisitions and banking & finance partners including Laurence Pettit, Martin Weisberg, Jonathan Stapleton, and Margaret Paradis; and global equity services partners June Anne Burke and Kate Clancy.

02-06-2007

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Gide, Loyrette & Nouel, PC

Gide Loyrette Nouel, legal counsel for the CNP Assurances share capital increase:
This 700 million euro share capital increase with preferential subscription rights was launched to partly finance the acquisition of a 49.9% interest in Ecureuil Vie, a Caisse d’Epargne Group company.

The share capital provided for a public offering in France, an international offering for institutional investors and a private placement in the United States.

Gide Loyrette Nouel acted as legal counsel to CNP Assurances, France's leading personal insurance company. The Capital Markets team was overseen by Hubert du Vignaux, partner, assisted by Stéphane Jaffré and Julien Sébastien. The Capital Markets team specialised in US law was led by Chris Mead, partner, assisted by Gretchen Kellner and Alexander Muller.

BNP Paribas, Lehman Brothers and UBS Limited lead managed this operation.

02-06-2007

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Flaster Greenberg

Attorney Joseph J. DiDonato Participates in “Protecting Your Intellectual Property -- Patents, Trademarks and Thieves” at Delaware Biotechnology Institute
Joseph J. DiDonato, an intellectual property attorney at Flaster/Greenberg in the Philadelphia office, will participate in a seminar entitled “Protecting Your Intellectual Property - Patents, Trademarks and Thieves” on Wednesday, February 14, 2007 from 7:30 - 10 a.m. The seminar is sponsored by the Delaware Small Business Development Center, the Delaware Technology Park, Digital Delaware, Delaware EPSCoR and the Delaware Economic Development Office. The event will be held at the Delaware Biotechnology Institute at 15 Innovation Way in Newark.

DiDonato will join a panel of experts that will provide in-depth legal insight into patents and trademarks for the regional business and the University of Delaware community. DiDonato focuses on intellectual property issues and concentrates on evaluation, business and IP issues in university and non-profit technology transfer offices, small companies, and “start-ups”. His experience includes preparation and prosecution of U.S. patent applications and intellectual property litigation. DiDonato's patent prosecution practice includes the areas of biomedical, biotechnology, chemical and mechanical arts.

Admitted to the Bar of New Jersey, DiDonato is a graduate of Franklin Pierce Law Center (J.D., 1998) and Loyola College (B.A., 1988). He is taking classes in the M.S./M.B.A. program in Biotechnology at Johns Hopkins University.

The Marlton resident is a member of the Association of University Technology Managers, New Jersey Bar Association, Licensing Executives Society and the American Intellectual Property Law Association.

02-06-2007

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Ellis, Lawhorne & Sims, P.A.

Ellis Lawhorne Adds Environmental Lawyer to Firm
Ellis, Lawhorne & Sims, P.A., Attorneys At Law, has announced that Jessica J.O. King has become Of Counsel to the Firm. She is a member of the Firm's Litigation and Dispute Resolution Practice Group and the Business, Real Estate and Finance Practice Group.

King's practice is focused entirely on environmental law, including issues that arise in business and real estate transactions, administrative and regulatory areas, and complex litigation. With more than a decade of experience in environmental law, she served most recently as Chief Counsel of Environmental Quality Control for the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control.

"As refinement of environmental rules and regulations continues, Ellis Lawhorne is working to insure that our clients' needs will be satisfied. Jessie's substantial experience in state and federal regulatory matters is a tremendous addition to our Firm," says Bill McElveen, managing shareholder for Ellis Lawhorne.

King earned her bachelor's degree from Roanoke College and her Juris Doctor from the University of South Carolina School of Law. She is admitted to the South Carolina Bar, and is a member of its Women's Law Society and Environmental Resources sections. She also is on the Board of Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA), formerly known as the Guardian Ad Litem Project.

02-06-2007

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