Former GM Counsel William B. Slowey joins Butzel Long

07/25/07

Former GM Counsel William B. Slowey joins Butzel Long

After nearly two decades of serving General Motors Corporation as the Corporate Antitrust Counsel, William B. Slowey has joined one of Michigan's oldest and largest law firms, Butzel Long, as of counsel. Slowey will be based in the firm's Detroit office.

Slowey has nearly four decades of experience working as antitrust attorney covering a wide variety of industries and market sectors. These include defense, locomotive, electronic, communication, earth-moving equipment, heavy-duty transmission, heavy-duty bus and truck, as well as automotive parts and vehicle sectors. Philip J. Kessler, chairman of the law firm is hopeful of expanding the firm's practice, especially antitrust and class-action litigation, based on Slowey's experience of serving some of the top-notch international companies.

Butzel Long has more than 225 attorneys in its roster spread in offices across the globe. Its attorneys represent clients from varied industries on a regional, national, and multinational level.

Clifford Chance continues to expand U.S. base
Clifford Chance, UK's top drawer law firm continues to expand its Washington, DC, practice as well as fortify the firm's foothold in the U.S. The firm recently hired Regulatory Partner Thomas Pax, an expert in bank regulation and sub-prime issues. Pax, who joins the firm after 14 years of serving Pillsbury Winthrop, will concentrate on banking and regulatory law.

The firm's desire to strengthen base is exemplified by the recent hiring it has done in 2006 and earlier this year. The firm hired senior investment fund expert Brynn Peltz from rival Simpson Thacher & Bartlett last year. This year it added restructuring partners Andrew Brozman and Jennifer DeMarco from Chadbourne & Parke, and John Howitt and Ray Warman from Paul Hastings Janofsky & Walker.

Clifford Chance's U.S. arm has done itself proud by winning several notable U.S. and cross-border advisory assignments, including Schneider Electric's acquisition of American Power Conversion for $6.1 billion, among others.

BIZARRE NEWS

Tax dollars going to the dead
The U.S. Department of Agriculture has been paying subsidies to farmers long dead and gone. According to the Government Accountability Office (GAO), over a period of seven years, the department has sent out $1.1 billion in farm payments to more than 170,000 deceased people. Heirs and estates are benefiting from tax payer money that was actually meant for those who contributed to the nation's food supply. Investigations revealed that about 40% of payments went to people who were dead since more than three years, while 19% were sent to those dead for seven or more years. In one extreme case, cited by the GAO, an estate continuously received payments for almost three decades on behalf of a person who was heaven bound in 1973.