Goodwin goes to San Diego, Procopio raids Foley to expand healthcare
Boston-based technology law firm Goodwin Procter LLP opened shop in San Diego. The firm's new office will be chaired by Stephen C. Ferruolo. Beside Ferruolo, another partner-colleague from Heller Ehrman LLP, Ryan A. Murr, will join the new office. Ferruolo is a prominent name in the technology and life sciences industry. Murr focuses on corporate and securities law, especially securities offerings, M&A, and corporate governance matters.
This move marks Goodwin's third California office within a year; the earlier two in San Francisco and Los Angeles, respectively. The firm hopes to broaden its reach in the technology and life sciences, real estate, and real estate investment management practice. Apart from its offices in California, the firm also has offices in Boston, New York, and Washington, DC. Out of its 700+ attorneys, 150 focus on advising life sciences and technology companies.
In another move, San Diego-based firm, Procopio, Cory, Hargreaves & Savitch LLP, launched a national healthcare practice. The firm hired nine prominent attorneys from Foley & Lardner LLP to form its new core practice group.
The new group at Procopio includes George L. Root, Jr. and Gregory V. Moser, who join as partners. Previously, Root chaired Foley's health law and regulated industries departments and the healthcare industry team. Moser was managing partner of Foley's San Diego and Sacramento offices. The other seven are Diane M. Racicot, Celia A. Brewer, Mary K. Norvell, and Wendy L. Tucker who joined as senior counsels; and Sahyeh S. Fattahi, John C. Lemmo, and Alyssa A. Osugi, who joined as associates.
The group has expertise in a wide range of matters including medical and health insurance, and those related to regulatory and governmental compliance. Thomas W. Turner, Jr., managing partner at Foley said that the new additions and the creation of the new healthcare practice group is a "pivotal event for the firm that will establish its regional and national presence in the industry."
A survey conducted by Edge Legal Marketing reveals that there is a strong and sustained support for technology in law firm and legal department budgets. Edge Legal Marketing provides marketing and public relations services to companies targeting the legal market. The survey named `Technology Budgeting and Spending' was conducted at the end of the three-day conference, LegalTech New York.
Edge Legal's 2007 survey reported 67 percent respondents saying that their firm or department's technology budget is on the rise in 2007. Only three percent reported a decrease. The survey also stated data storage and imaging equipment as the most researched hardware. About 56 percent of the respondents reported electronic discovery and related services to be the most sought after at LegalTech NY. The conference witnessed 12,000 attendees including lawyers, their support staff, IT professionals, and vendors catering to the needs of legal professionals.
FUN NEWS
When you gotta go, you gotta go
A SkyWest Airlines passenger was denied access to the loo in the air, which forced him to use the air-sickness bag. Here's the story. Prior to boarding the Salt Lake City flight on March 7, James Whipple had two "really big beers" at the Boise Airport. On flight, Whipple consumed another soft drink. The flight captain had declared the cabin restroom off-limits during the hour-long flight because a light was not working. Whipple thus relieved himself in an air-sickness bag. Surprisingly, no other passengers noticed Whipple using the bag. A flight attendant enquired him and reported the captain, who then called airport police. The airline apologized to John Whipple and sent him a letter of apology along with a flight voucher, reported SkyWest spokeswoman Sabrena Suite-Mangum.
