Paul Hastings Strengthens Corporate Department in Palo Alto

08/03/06

Paul Hastings strengthens corporate department in Palo Alto
Paul, Hastings, Janofsky & Walker LLP is consolidating its corporate practice in Palo Alto with the addition of White & Case Partner, David Dedyo. The firm will leverage David Dedyo's 12 years' experience in equity and debt financings, mergers & acquisitions, joint ventures, commercial transactions, corporate governance, and compliance matters.



As indicated on the firm website, currently the firm's corporate department has expertise in solving cross-border legal and business issues of clients which include major financial institutions and corporate. Attorneys at the firm advise clients on a wide range of intellectual property, private equity and investment, securities litigation, corporate and employment matters. Along with IP practice, the law firm specializes in employment litigation practice offering services in employment litigation, advice, and assistance with investigating and resolving difficult corporate governance issues.

Clifford takes a Chance on new practice management system
Clifford Chance has successfully installed Aderant Expert, a business and financial management software, at its offices across Germany, as reported by itbusinessnet.com. As part of Global Practice Management System project launched by the law firm, the software is implemented by Aderant, a provider of business and financial management software, in joint collaboration with Oracle Financials. The prime motive of Clifford Chance's GPMS project is to enable consistent, global processes throughout the firm's operating regions and individual offices.

Clifford Chance has 29 offices in 20 countries with 3,300 legal advisors and offers expertise in capital markets, corporate (including M&A), finance, litigation and dispute resolution, real estate and tax, pensions, and employment law to financial institutions, commercial enterprises, and state and regulatory bodies on a regular basis.

The implementation of the new software will provide the law firm with an integrated time and billing, practice management, and financial management solution that will improve the overall work efficiency.

Corporate governance and IP law favorites among law school graduates
With the recent growth trend witnessed in the legal job market, Corporate Governance and Intellectual Property law are amongst the most lucrative practice areas for the lawyers and are the most preferred ones too. According to a survey conducted on behalf of Robert Half Legal, Litigation practice garnered 23 percent votes of lawyers followed by Intellectual Property with 19 percent. Of the total number of attorneys surveyed, 55 percent expected to increase staff hiring over the next year whereas 1 percent expect the numbers to decrease.

The legal fraternity attributes the growth in IP practice to increased usage of the Internet and companies' going for tapping of untapped IP assets. Moreover, for the small cadre of students with the required science or engineering background, there exists stiff competition, as it is mandatory for them to sit for patent bar exam.

The results of the survey are corroborated by another survey conducted by the National Association for Law Placement. The survey revealed that the law firms will increase hiring of entry-levels and laterals that will further boost the job market. As compared to the employment rate of 88.9 percent registered for law graduates during 2003-2004, the corresponding year witnessed 89.6 percent employment. The results were evident as lateral hiring during 2003-2004 increased by more than 14 percent. The survey expects the law firms to increase entry level hiring by 10 percent.

Shutts & Bowen increase IP practice in Tampa
Shutts & Bowen LLP has expanded its intellectual property law practice at its Tampa office. With inclusion of Adam E. Crall and Eric R. Pellenbarg as attorneys in the office, the law firms intends to strengthen all forms of IP practice including patent, copyright, trademark, and trade secret law.

Both the new entrants are registered patent attorneys with the United States Patent and Trademark Office and have significant experience. As a former member of Carlton Fields in Tampa, Adam E. Crall served in the intellectual property and technology practice group whereas Eric Pellenbarg was a former contract law attorney in the U.S. Air Force Judge Advocate General's Corps in Massachusetts.