Foley & Lardner sued legal recruiter Mark Bruce International in New York to recoup its placement fee for an unidentified partner who was hired in April and gone by the end of June. The lawsuit claims Foley & Lardner is entitled to a full refund because the partner’s employment was terminated within three months.
The legal recruiting firm is not new to legal tussles with large U.S. law firms. In 2021, the firm lost to Dechert, which argued it owed the recruiter no placement fee because the attorney in question was hired as a counsel, not a partner.
Mark Bruce was handed another defeat in 2009, when a New York state appeals court ruled for Blank Rome in a dispute over a $720,000 fee stemming from the law firm’s merger with maritime-focused Healy & Baillie. Neither Mark Bruce’s president nor CEO immediately responded to requests for comment. Read more.
More from the legal industry …
U.S. dealmaking accounted for a greater share of overall worldwide M&A during the first nine months of 2023 than last year, rising from 42% to 44%, according to a new LSEG report … An ABA proposal that would require law schools to adopt free speech policies drew a largely positive, if somewhat muted, response given that law schools have seen a rash of high-profile free speech controversies … Southwestern Law School in Los Angeles is launching the nation’s first fully online, full-time J.D. program accredited by the ABA … New Jersey became the latest in the ranks of state bars increasingly rethinking their approach to mental health screening questions … SCOTUS turned away an appeal by conservative lawyer John Eastman indicted in August over his role in efforts to overturn Donald Trump’s 2020 election loss … Trump-appointed D.C. Circuit Judge Justin Walker called social media ‘dangerous’ and urged law students to “be a little bit less online” … San Francisco-founded Rimon combined with business law firm SilvermanAcampora based on Long Island, New York, adding 10 lawyers to Rimon’s ranks.
Moves:
In New York …
Boies Schiller hired former Manhattan federal judge Shira Scheindlin from Stroock as of counsel … Clifford Chance added partner Jason Ewart for its global financial markets team from Latham & Watkins … Greenspoon hired Jaci Flug as a partner from Drizly, where she was general counsel and senior vice president … Goodwin added partner Adam Johnson in its life sciences and capital markets practice from Latham … Manatt tapped Axel Bernabe, a former top official at the New York State Office of Cannabis Management, for its cannabis practice … Latham hired Jessica Cohen as a partner in its data and technology transactions practice from Simpson Thacher … Willkie hired a trio of renewable energy transactions partners in New York and Los Angeles from Mayer Brown.
In Washington, D.C. …
Veteran appellate lawyer Beth Brinkmann of Covington left the law firm to serve as senior litigation director at the Center for Reproductive Rights … Quarles & Brady appointed James Aquilina and Hans Riede as co-managing partners of the firm’s office … Two partners in Boston and D.C. rejoined Finnegan’s IP transactions practice.
In Chicago ….
Baker McKenzie tapped Colleen Baime, the head of McDermott’s Chicago litigation practice, as a partner … Polsinelli added Patrick Muffo as an IP partner from Seyfarth … Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner hired IP partner Jeff Wakolbinger from Katten.
In Philadelphia ….
McCarter & English hired white-collar litigator Daniella Gordon in its business litigation practice.
In Dallas …
Husch Blackwell added four lawyers to its private wealth practice through a combination with fiduciary litigation boutique Norris & Weber and hired two commercial litigation partners from Hedrick Kring Bailey.
In Houston …
Weil tapped energy transactions lawyer Irina Tsveklova from Pillsbury as a partner in its corporate department.
In Atlanta …
Kasim Reed, who served for two terms as the city’s mayor from 2010 to 2018, joined McDermott as a litigation partner from Squire Patton Boggs.
In California …
Womble added six product liability trial lawyers, including four partners, from Hawkins Parnell & Young … Hogan Lovells hired private equity partner Todd Schwartz from Paul Hastings.
In Cleveland …
Nelson Mullins added Devan Flahive as a partner in its Midwest commercial litigation team from Porter Wright.
In Nashville …
Husch Blackwell added Brandi Maiorino as a partner for its real estate practice from Ottinger Law Group.
In Denver …
Perkins Coie tapped former USPTO judge Jessica Kaiser who was most recently a partner at Arnold & Porter … Faegre Drinker hired a business litigation partner from Armstrong Teasdale.
In Paris …
A group of lawyers that departed Shearman & Sterling for rival New York-founded law firm Proskauer Rose is larger than previously made public, with 15 attorneys accompanying four partners in making the move.
In Toronto …
Mintz added Anthony de Fazekas as an IP partner from Norton Rose, where he was previously head of the firm’s technology and innovation practice.
