Eckert Hires 3; 60 Over Past 12 Months

01/20/10

Eckert Hires 3; 60 Over Past 12 Months

The fourth largest law firm in Pittsburgh, Eckert Seamans Cherin & Mellott LLC, has hired three new associates and three government affairs professionals to its Richmond office.

The firm opened the Richmond office in late October of 2009. ''We've established a beachhead and now it's turned into a real office,'' said Timothy Ryan, Eckert's CEO. ''We expect this office to grow pretty aggressively over the next six to eight months. We could easily see this office growing to 15 by the end of the year- if we find the right people.''

All six hires are coming from the LeClair Ryan law firm. The three new attorneys are David. W. Clarke, Thomas A. Lisk and Richard L. Savage III. The Richmond office's non-lawyer hires are May H. Fox, director of government relations, Nicole A. Riley, government relations specialist, and Lisa A. Foster, government relations coordinator.

Over the past year, Eckert has raised its staff considerably hiring 60 lawyers over the past 12 months. The firm boats a staff of 146 lawyers at its Downtown Pittsburgh headquarters alone. Since 2008, that number is up 6.6 percent.

Thorp Reed Names New Managing Partner At Philadelphia Office
Joe Donley has been named the new managing partner at Thorp Reed & Armstrong's Philadelphia office. Donley's appointment comes just as Ira Silverstein exits. Silverstein led up the firm's litigation department as well as the Philadelphia Office. Last week, Silverstein left Thorp Reed for other Philadelphia-based firm, Ballard Spahr.

Donley's former firm, Kittredge Donley, Fullem, Elson and Embick merged into Thorp Reed in April 2008. He will continue in his position as leader of Thorp Reed's insurance and reinsurance practice group.

Managing Partner at Thorp Reed, Jeff Conn, had this to say about Donley: ''He's done an excellent job with us, has been very productive, and we felt he was the right person to elevate to that position.''

Thorp Reed employs over 110 lawyers throughout four offices located in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and West Virginia. The firm's headquarters are located in Pittsburgh.

Law Firms in Nation's Capitol Step-Up Aid for Haiti
After the devastating earthquake last week that is reported to have killed in the hundreds of thousands in Haiti, several major law firms located in the nation's capital are opening their hearts and their wallets to come to the aid of the ailing nation.

''We know that no amount of money can fix this catastrophe, but we hope it will help to rebuild lives, buildings and most of all- hope,'' said Stuart Pape, managing partner of Patton Boggs, who donated $25,000 to the Red Cross, $25,000 to Doctors Without Borders, in addition to setting up a fund which will match all employee donations up to $50,000.

Assistant managing partner Carol Clayton, of Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale and Dorr, released this statement ''We at Wilmer Hale are deeply saddened by the great suffering in Haiti and as a firm we are immediately donating $25,000 to the International Red Cross in order to support its emergency relief efforts there.''

Other firms that are either donating directly, or setting up match funds include Hogan & Hartson Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld, Reed Smith, Foley & Lardner LLP, Morgan, Lewis & Bockius, and several others.