Law Firm News

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Law Firm News

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Foley & Lardner

Foley Named to Working Mother & Flex-Time Lawyers’ Best Law Firms For Women List
Foley & Lardner LLP announced today that the firm has been named a 2007 Best Law Firm for Women by Working Mother magazine and national consulting firm Flex-Time Lawyers LLC in recognition of its commitment to the retention and advancement of women.

“We are proud of the recognition we have received for our efforts to attract and retain women attorneys and professional staff,” said Maureen A. McGinnity, the firm's chief diversity partner. “This initiative is just one of several we have embraced in our firmwide diversity program. We are committed to encouraging a culture of inclusion and to implementing women-friendly policies.”

Following in the tradition of Working Mother's signature 100 Best Companies List, the Best Law Firms for Women List recognizes a select group of U.S. law firms that are proactively developing and implementing women-friendly policies­ including flex-time, child care and women-focused mentoring, leadership and networking programs.

The list ranked firms in the following categories:

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Benefits and compensation – Compensation for health benefits, compensation for top earners and compensation for lawyers on flexible and reduced schedules
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Workforce profile – Representation of women, particularly in partnership and leadership positions
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Parental leave and related benefits and policies – Job-guaranteed leave following birth or adoption and pay practices for parental leave
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Retention and advancement of women – Programs to support women's leadership, training and promotion
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Child care – Onsite, nearsite and backup childcare programs offered
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Flexibility – Flex-time, reduced hours and other alternative work options, and usage rates of these programs

Foley scored highly in all of the categories above and scored particularly well in relation to the firm's parental leave policy, flexible schedule policy, and benefits and compensation.

“Since its founding, Working Mother magazine has been the champion of progressive, women-friendly changes in the workplace,” said Carol Evans, CEO of Working Mother Media. “Every year we see substantive advances in companies' policies across the country, and we are so excited to be able to pair with Flex-Time Lawyers to celebrate change in a field that has historically struggled to support women and their life choices. I commend Foley for taking the lead for women lawyers.”

In the August/September issue of Working Mother, Foley, along with the other winners, is recognized for creating a work environment that is hospitable to and encouraging of the advancement of women.

The application and evaluation process for the 2007 Working Mother & Flex-Time Lawyers Best Law Firms for Women Initiative was developed in partnership by Working Mother magazine and Flex-Time Lawyers LLC and based on Working Mother's annual 100 Best Companies,

a groundbreaking initiative that was first introduced in 1986, that continues to set the standard for family-friendly workplaces. To apply for the Best Law Firms for Women, Foley provided detailed information on the issues that are most important to the retention and promotion of women lawyers in six measured areas: workforce profile, benefits and compensation, parental leave, childcare, flexibility and retention and advancement of women.

Founded in 1979, Working Mother magazine reaches nearly 3 million readers and is the only national magazine for career mothers. The 21-year signature initiative, Working Mother 100 Best Companies, is the most important benchmark for work/life practices in corporate America. The publication also releases the annual list of the Best Companies for Multicultural Women in the June issue. Working Mother is published by Working Mother Media. For more information, please visit www.workingmother.com.

Flex-Time Lawyers LLC is a national consulting firm advising lawyers, law firms, bar associations, law schools and corporations on work/life balance, business development, women's initiatives, re-entry of professionals and retention and advancement of women.

08-14-2007

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Wilmer, Cutler, Pickering, Hale & Dorr, L.L.P.

WilmerHale Named 2007 Working Mother & Flex-Time Lawyers Best Law Firm For Women
Working Mother magazine, the authoritative source for career mothers, and Flex-Time Lawyers LLC, a national consulting firm advising attorneys and legal employers on work-life balance and the retention and advancement of women, have named WilmerHale as one of the 2007 Working Mother & Flex-Time Lawyers Best Law Firms for Women. A new initiative from the leading advocates for work-life balance and women-friendly policies, Best Law Firms for Women honors 50 winning firms for their commitment to the retention and advancement of female talent.

“Since its founding, Working Mother magazine has been the champion of progressive, women-friendly changes in the workplace,” said Carol Evans, CEO, Working Mother Media. “Every year we see substantive advances in companies’ policies across the country, and we are so excited to be able to pair with Flex-Time Lawyers to celebrate change in a field that has historically struggled to support women and their life choices. I commend WilmerHale for taking the lead for women lawyers.”

“We are delighted to celebrate WilmerHale for its efforts and successes in retaining and promoting women,” said Deborah Epstein Henry, Founder and President of Flex-Time Lawyers LLC. “We hope its standing on the list of Best Law Firms for Women will further inspire WilmerHale to use the national benchmarking data now available to it through participation in this initiative to improve the status of women in the profession and raise the bar on what makes a best law firm for women,” added Henry.

Profiled in the August/September issue of Working Mother magazine, WilmerHale is honored for creating a work environment that is hospitable to and encouraging of the advancement of women. With innovative programs and policies that seek to help female attorneys achieve balance in their personal and professional lives and thrive as practitioners, WilmerHale is ensuring that women are an integral part of the future of private law practice.

“We are honored to be recognized as one of the Best Law Firms for Women,” said William Lee, co-managing partner of WilmerHale. “Among our best and brightest lawyers are working mothers. The Firm has undertaken initiatives in helping working mothers (and fathers) to balance their work and family responsibilities, including providing them with the opportunity to work on reduced or flexible schedules.”

08-14-2007

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White & Case, LLP

White & Case Named One of the Top Law Firms for Women
Working Mother magazine and Flex-Time Lawyers LLC have announced today that White & Case LLP has been named one of the top 50 law firms for women to work in the US.

"During the past few years, we have intensified our efforts on developing and implementing programs that help with the retention and advancement of our women lawyers," said Timothy Goodell who is global co-head of White & Case's Mergers & Acquisitions Practice Group and head of the Firm's Women's Initiative Program. "It is very rewarding to know that these efforts have been recognized in comparison with other top tier law firms throughout the US."

Working Mother magazine and Flex-Time Lawyers LLC partnered on the inaugural "Working Mother & Flex-Time Lawyers Best Law Firms for Women" award. The two organizations surveyed the practices of the largest law firms — those with 50 or more lawyers — on female representation, women's initiatives, workplace culture, networking, flexibility, mentoring, compensation, partnership and advancement. Ranking and scoring were determined by female presence, roles, policies, programs and usage rates. In response to the submissions, Working Mother sent survey participants, including those who did not make the top 50 ranking, scorecards indicating their specific ranking in each area of the application, with the intention of having them improve their standing in areas where they were deficient in comparison to other participating firms.

"This award is a great honor for our firm and makes all of our lawyers very proud, especially those who have championed and participated in the programs that help our lawyers succeed in managing the responsibilities required of them both in their personal and professional roles," said Carolyn Lamm, partner in the DC office who was recently named by the National Law Journal as one of the "Most Influential Women Lawyers in America" and is currently running for President Elect of the American Bar Association. "As the benchmark for diversity continues to rise, White & Case will continue to pioneer."

White & Case received high scores in the areas of benefits and compensation, parental leave and related benefits and policies, child care and flexibility. Highlights of the Firm's best practices include:

* Flexible Work Arrangement (FWA) Program, Leave of Absence Policy, Parental Leave Policy and New York Nanny/Back-up Day Care Programs to help lawyers manage their personal and professional responsibilities.
* The FWA program is unique as it allows lawyers in the US and London offices to develop flexible schedules on a gender- and reason-neutral basis, and it provides a wider range of options — from working part-time to taking time off between assignments, or telecommuting on a regular basis.
* The Women's Initiative, Women's Network and Diversity Committee focus on creating a work environment where White & Case women/minority lawyers, alumni and clients can thrive in their careers.
* wellnessWorks for Me, our comprehensive global wellness program that motivates lawyers and staff to improve their health and well-being.


In celebration of this achievement, the Firm is hosting a special contest for the children of White & Case employees to submit drawings, paintings or poems honoring the working women whom they know at the Firm. Entries will appear on an online gallery.

The 2007 "Working Mother & Flex-Time Lawyers Best Law Firms for Women" award recipients will be honored at a special awards luncheon at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel on September 24 in New York.

About Flex-Time Lawyers LLC
Flex-Time Lawyers LLC® is a national consulting firm advising law firms, corporations and lawyers on work/life balance and the retention and promotion of women attorneys.

08-14-2007

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White & Case, LLP

Friedland's Authoritative Text for International Arbitration Clauses Re-released
Paul D. Friedland's Arbitration Clauses for International Contracts, the authoritative text for international arbitration clauses, has been re-released in its second edition. A comprehensive analysis and collection of workable language for dispute resolution clauses in international contracts, accompanied by easy-to-reference appendices, Friedland's work is considered an essential reference for in-house counsel negotiating international contracts as well as for international arbitration practitioners.

The new edition, published by Juris Net LLC, addresses the growth in international business and increased use of international arbitration mechanisms. Friedland, co-head of White & Case LLP's top-ranked International Arbitration Practice, has added chapters on expert referral clauses and China contracts, as well as a revised chapter on sovereign contracts and expanded coverage of Latin America.

A Spanish language version is expected to be available in 2008.

"With the expansion and complexity of commercial business worldwide, the practice of international arbitration is evolving faster than ever," said the author. "A second edition became necessary to reflect the experience gained in the years since the first edition, and better set out the clauses appropriate for the developing markets of the world of international commerce and investment."

Friedland has served as counsel in numerous international arbitrations, principally involving the oil and gas, power, telecommunications and construction sectors. His recent experience includes a victory for a respondent in an ICC case, where the claimant sought $100 million and was awarded zero on claims of fraud and breach of warranty regarding the sale of a duty free shop business; representation of the Republic of Indonesia in a $500 million ICSID arbitration arising out of a dispute in the cement industry, which was settled to the satisfaction of all parties; and representation of the Republic of Bulgaria arising in the energy sector where provisions of the Energy Charter Treaty were invoked for the first time in an ICSID case.

Friedland regularly advises clients at the contract drafting stage on options for dispute resolution mechanisms, and at the pre-arbitral stage on options for mediation or other alternative dispute resolution processes.

White & Case's International Arbitration practice has 100 legal professionals, including 20 partners, in offices around the world. This year the practice was named the "International Arbitration Team of the Year" at Chambers USA Awards for Excellence 2007, in addition to the receiving the following recent accolades and rankings: The American Lawyer's 2007 Arbitration Scorecard — Ranked Tier One nationally; Chambers USA 2007 — Ranked Tier One nationally; Legal 500 USA 2007 — Ranked Tier One nationally in Dispute Resolution; PLC Which Lawyer 2007 — "Highly Recommended" nationally and in New York and Washington, DC for Dispute Resolution/Arbitration.

08-14-2007

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Thompson Hine LLP

Thompson Hine Grows National Tax Practice
James Hartford has joined the law firm of Thompson Hine LLP as a member of the Tax practice group. Mr. Hartford, of counsel in the firm’s Washington office, will focus his practice on representing clients in controversies with the Internal Revenue Service at both the examination and appeals levels.

Prior to joining Thompson Hine, Mr. Hartford worked for seven years in the National Tax Department of Ernst & Young LLP, where he represented domestic and international business clients with respect to examination, appeals and collection issues before the IRS and represented individual tax shelter investors under IRS examination. He advised clients on alternative dispute resolution procedures, on the impact of issue “tiering” under the IRS Industry Issue Focus program, on procedural issues as they relate to FIN 48 and on reportable transaction disclosure obligations under Treasury Regulation §1.6011-4. Mr. Hartford also drafted and reviewed opinion letters/memoranda on all aspects of procedural tax law, drafted reasonable cause submissions on domestic and international penalty issues, prepared letter ruling submissions including requests for “9100 relief” and represented taxpayers before the IRS National Office.

On joining the firm, Mr. Hartford said, “My experience has taught me the value and importance of providing the highest quality client service. In addition, it afforded me the opportunity to interact with the IRS National Office. I’m very excited to be making the transition to a law firm environment where client service is at the forefront, and I look forward to growing Thompson Hine’s tax presence here in Washington.”

Thomas Callahan, Tax practice group leader, commented, “We’re thrilled to have Jamie join our team. His previous experience has prepared him well for our national tax controversy practice. I look forward to working with him.”

Chuck Freed, Washington office partner-in-charge, added, “The addition of Jamie to our office broadens the scope of the practices we have to offer in the D.C. market.”

Mr. Hartford earned his LL.M. from the Georgetown University Law Center in 2000 and his J.D., cum laude, from Quinnipiac University School of Law in 1998. After receiving his J.D., Mr. Hartford clerked for one year for the Honorable Paul M. Foti and the Honorable Barry R. Schaller at the Connecticut Appellate Court. He received his B.A. from the University of California, San Diego in 1993.

An active member of the American Bar Association Section of Taxation, Mr. Hartford currently serves as vice chair of the Administrative Practice Committee. He is admitted to practice in the commonwealth of Pennsylvania and is applying for admission in the District of Columbia.

08-14-2007

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Schiff Hardin LLP

Schiff Hardin LLP's Lawrence M. Gill Appointed Chair of the American Bar Association Standing Committee on Audit
Lawrence M. Gill, a partner in Schiff Hardin's Corporate and Securities Group, has been appointed Chair of the Standing Committee on Audit of the American Bar Association ("ABA") for 2007/2008. ABA President-elect William H. Neukom appointed Mr. Gill to this position effective August 14, 2007. Mr. Gill was also re-elected to a three-year term on the Standing Committee on Audit by the ABA’s Board of Governors at the 2007 ABA Annual Meeting in San Francisco.

Among other things, the ABA's Standing Committee on Audit reviews the ABA's internal controls and internal audit function as well as the results of the annual external audits of the financial statements of the entire ABA.

Mr. Gill concentrates his practice in accounting law, business transactions with an emphasis on acquisitions, and corporate governance. He has served as legal counsel to numerous international, national, and regional organizations regarding business operations in the United States, Europe, Canada, Australia, and the Pacific Rim.

Mr. Gill has a distinguished record of service to accounting and legal professional organizations. He served on numerous committees and task forces of the Illinois CPA Society, as a director of the Society for five consecutive years ending May 2000, and as the Society's President in 1999. He also was a member of the Board of Directors of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) from 2000 to 2003, the only AICPA member on the board who was a full-time practicing lawyer. Mr. Gill also co-chaired the National Conference of Lawyers and Certified Public Accountants for three years ending in 2005. Mr. Gill continues to serve on the AICPA's governing Council and is currently chair of the AICPA's International Issues Committee and a member of the AICPA's Strategic Planning Committee.

08-14-2007

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Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP

Nonprofits Increasingly Adopt Corporate Governance Models Says Noted Pillsbury Attorney and Author
Responding to unprecedented stakeholder demands for greater accountability, transparency and internal financial controls, nonprofit groups are adopting strenuous new governance measures previously associated with business corporations, according to the latest edition of a book on nonprofit law written by Jerald A. Jacobs, head of Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman’s Nonprofit Organizations practice in Washington, DC.

“Nonprofits are having to rethink governance at every turn, from avoiding conflicts of interest and tighter accounting to due diligence ahead of mergers and minding lobbying or political laws,” Jacobs points out in Association Law Handbook: A Practice Guide for Associations, Societies and Charities, which is considered the definitive legal guide for nonprofit organizations, and has been published in its Fourth Edition by the American Society of Association Executives. “You could say that nonprofits see the writing on the wall; corporate accounting and securities laws are not written with nonprofits in mind, but principles these rules enshrined effectively set a new governance bar, which organizations accept they must meet, including those in the tax-exempt, nonprofit community.”

Jacobs adds that leaders at trade associations, professional societies, charities and other nonprofits are adjusting their governance priorities to foster public accountability and transparency, cognizant of internal and external audiences’ growing interest in managers’ standards of conduct, ethics and outside offices. “Nonprofits have a renewed focus on asserting internal controls, risk management and sound policies as they mirror the Fortune 500’s behavior in several respects, whether weighing consolidation, engaging in real estate transactions or broadening financial transparency,” says Jacobs. “These institutions have long had meticulous policies and procedures detailing membership rights and obligations, for example, and recently we see that same treatment being extended to leadership succession, executive compensation, and government relations legal compliance,” he explains.

To avoid legal or ethical lapses that can trigger investigations, jeopardize tax-exempt status and weaken members’ confidence, Jacobs urges nonprofits to carefully review their operations, assets and procedures before determining where controls and policies must be updated to comply with new governance norms or accommodate technologies changing how nonprofits maintain records, communicate and raise money.

“Look at emerging document and data retention laws, for example,” Jacobs adds, pointing out the fact that newsletters, fundraising and internal staff processes often rely the Internet and email, which may be sought as evidence in legal proceedings or become subject to federal and state data privacy laws. “Like their corporate counterparts, the onus is on nonprofit executives to keep governance a step ahead of the changes technology imposes on their operations.”

“Governance is not a new concept for nonprofits, particularly for those institutions attuned to holding a degree of public trust inherent to advocacy or philanthropy,” explains Jacobs. “The question today is how you define and implement good governance in a manner that anyone—not just your fellow insiders—can recognize. Nonprofits seek a posture that lets them keep governance in line and assure that they can concentrate on their missions and causes. Business corporations’ moves are revealing an appealing path to ‘seal of approval’ governance practices.”

Jacobs’ team represents more than 200 national nonprofit organizations, including a variety of trade associations, professional societies, interest groups, and philanthropic organizations. Pillsbury’s nonprofit clients benefit from the firm’s incomparable experience and decades-long commitment to nonprofit work. Attorneys in the practice provide counseling and advocacy on subjects including antitrust, transactions, governance, tax exemption, litigation, technology, health care, legislative/regulatory matters and intellectual property.

08-14-2007

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