WTO attorneys move to Miller & Chevalier

05/01/07

WTO attorneys move to Miller & Chevalier

Former World Trade Organization (WTO) attorneys Chris Parlin and David Christy have joined the international trade practice of Miller & Chevalier, a Washington-based firm. They have represented the WTO since its inception in 1995, have handled more than 80 WTO and GATT disputes combined, advised members of WTO on diverse issues, and represented companies, governments, and associations.

Through their representation of the Saudi Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Christy and Parlin helped Saudi Arabia join the WTO. Both are adjunct professors of international trade law at the Georgetown University.

Parlin has negotiated a WTO dispute settlement as the lead U.S. lawyer and also played a key role in the Uruguay Round implementing legislation, among other duties. He had a government career prior to entering private practice, and has carried out several key roles in the Office of the United States Trade Representative.

Miller & Chevalier has a significant international trade practice. Founded in 1920, the firm's attorneys provide services in international trade, including bilateral and multilateral negotiations and dispute settlement, laws and regulation, and investment and interrelated domestic policy.

Diversity in law firm must for growth
Diversity is gradually gaining acceptance in the U.S. business world, including the legal industry- by choice or by compulsion.

According to Nancy L. Stagg, a principal with the San Diego office of Fish & Richardson, some of the large global corporations have decided to work only with those law firms which are committed to diversity.

Minority Law Report's 2006 Diversity Scorecard survey has provided startling data. Of the 240 law firms surveyed, 11.4% of lawyers belong to an ethnic minority group, while only 5% of partners are African American, Asian American, Hispanic, Native American, or part of another minority ethnic group.

Statistics reveal that there is a strikingly low number of minority and women law school graduates who later become partners at law firms. To tackle these hurdles, law firm Fish & Richardson has assumed the role of mentoring minority law students. The firm's 1L Diversity Fellowship Program awards fellowships to five diverse first-year law students. The fellowship includes an academic scholarship of $5,000, a paid summer associate position in a Fish & Richardson office of the student's choice, along with individual mentoring. The mentor helps the student in his professional growth and education.

The mentoring continues even when the attorney joins the firm. All associates in their early years at the firm are mentored by senior attorneys, as well.

BIZARRE NEWS

Grandfather mistaken as Brad Pitt
No, there is no resemblance involved here. It's just a stupid website that has caused the confusion. The victim of the confusion is Richard Perkins, 77, from New Hampshire. Perkins' phone is flooded with calls from people who think he is Brad Pitt. His number was mistakenly posted as Hollywood heartthrob Brad Pitt's in a "celebrity phone numbers" chat room on a French teen networking website. The irony is that he does not know who Brad Pitt is. Yet, he's receiving calls day in and out. In his first call (at around 2 am), he thought the caller was his daughter, asking for "Dad." Only later he realized that it was a young woman looking for "Brad." The retired teacher tried to unplug his phone to get some sleep. However, his Life Alert system took the dead phone as a call for help. The fire department took the false alarm seriously and burst into his house only to find him sitting in his living room. Perkins says he cannot even change his phone number as he is worried he will forget the new one due to his short-term memory loss. The Judge empathizes with the grandfather. Why harass an old man? Why not post the Judge's number, instead? After all, the Judge is as good as any of the Brads or Angelinas!!