News

Foley & Lardner to serve as legal counsel for Special Olympics opening ceremony

Foley & Lardner, LLP, has been retained as international legal counsel for the opening ceremony of the 2007 Special Olympics World Summer Games by the Games Executive Committee (GEC). The GEC is responsible for managing and marketing large events for the World Summer Games; it will oversee the opening ceremony, which will be held in Shanghai, China, on October 2. Foley & Lardner's Catherine Sun will lead the effort along with the firm's entertainment and media industry team, including Ken Suddleson and James Nguyen. The law firm will oversee issues pertaining to entertainment law, new-media and intellectual-property counseling, and transactional matters. Foley's team will draft and assist with the negotiation of all agreements related to the opening ceremony. The firm also intends to open a representative office in Shanghai. In order to do so, it must file an application with the Ministry of Justice of the People's Republic of China.

FileTrail introduces new file-tracking system

The RFID Tracking Kit, introduced by FileTrail, Inc., is proving to be an affordable system for tracking files and managing records for small and medium-sized law firms. Combining FileTrail's browser-based software with Gen 2 RFID technology, the kit includes RFID hardware, RFID tags, and software. It facilitates the location of missing files by using a handheld RFID tracker capable of reading RFID tags from a distance of four feet. The system enables audits and also drastically reduces time consumed during audits. Additionally, FileTrail's browser-based software automates common manual processes such as labeling, boxing, requesting, and ordering from commercial records centers. Among the law firms successfully using the system are Sughrue Mion, PLLC, and Kamlet, Shepherd & Reichert. A leading provider of browser-based solutions for file tracking and records management, FileTrail has revolutionized the use of RFID in offices.

Andrews Kurth appoints chief diversity officer

Andrews Kurth, LLP, has announced the appointment of Elizabeth A. Campbell as its chief diversity officer. Campbell will be a full-time partner with the law firm and concentrate exclusively on the firm's diversity strategy. Reporting directly to Managing Partner Howard Ayers, she will work closely with Gene Locke, who chairs the firm's diversity committee. Campbell will manage the diversity, recruiting, professional-development, and marketing efforts of the firm. Prior to joining Andrews Kurth, she served as Vice President of Employment Relations and Corporate Diversity Officer for the ARAMARK Corporation. Known for its diversity initiatives, the 400-lawyer firm represents clients in business law and has offices in Austin, Beijing, Dallas, Houston, London, Los Angeles, New York, The Woodlands, and Washington, DC.

Winstead raids Jenkens

Winstead, PC, has announced the addition of about 15 attorneys to its Austin office, all of whom have come from the dwindling law firm of Jenkens & Gilchrist, PC. The lawyers include corporate and securities specialist Rowland Cook, litigator Gary Zausmer, environmental counsel Albert Axe and Keith Courtney, and others focusing on corporate, securities, tax, and intellectual property matters. The firm has hired telecommunications expert Martha Smiley as of counsel. It is also considering hiring four additional Jenkens lawyers, which would eventually boost its attorney strength to 56. Jenkens, which was once one of the largest law firms in Texas, has witnessed a steady decline in both its number of lawyers and revenue in the last three years. The financially stronger Winstead has aggressively grown in size and is now among the leading business law firms in Texas.

Cozen O'Connor's IP lawyers and staff move to Pepper Hamilton

Prominent patent and intellectual property lawyers from Cozen O'Connor Mark DeLuca and Paul K. Legaard have joined Pepper Hamilton, LLP's Berwyn office as partners in the firm's intellectual property practice group. At Cozen O'Connor, DeLuca was co-chair of the intellectual property practice, and both DeLuca and Legaard had practiced at the firm since 2002. The lawyers bring with them registered patent attorneys Michael A. Patané and Susanne H. Goodson, associates Nikhil A. Heble and John A. Zurawski, registered patent agent Feng Shao, and paralegals Catherine T. Hill, Janet S. Jiulianti, Lisa Machado, and Lori Roman. The move will provide a significant boost to Pepper Hamilton's practice in terms of its dealings with life-sciences matters and pharmaceutical companies.

NC firm adds new associate

Blanco, Tackabery, Combs & Matamoros, P.A., has announced that it has hired Chrystal N. DeHart as an associate. DeHart will focus her practice on commercial real estate and title issues and will work in the firm's transactional group. She earlier practiced law in Catawba County, NC. DeHart, who earned her J.D. from Emory University School of Law, has an undergraduate degree in political science from the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill. Established in 1973, Blanco, Tackabery, Combs & Matamoros has 25 attorneys working from its offices in Winston-Salem, NC.

Foley & Lardner is among the top 100 most diverse law firms

Foley & Lardner, LLP, has been named as a "Top 100 Law Firm for Diversity" by Multicultural Law magazine. The honor is the result of a survey of more than 200 law firms conducted in January 2007. Indicators of Foley's diversity initiative include its ethnically diverse team of lawyers and its diversity-related leadership positions, such as its chief diversity partner position. The firm also has a diversity committee and a diversity business department that encourages and creates opportunities for its staff. A national law firm, Foley & Lardner serves clients by providing a full range of corporate legal services, including corporate governance and compliance, mergers and acquisitions, securities, litigation, intellectual property and IP litigation, labor and employment, and tax counsel.

Gordon & Rees opens office in Denver

San Francisco-based Gordon & Rees has expanded its operations by opening an office in Denver. The new office will initially focus on commercial litigation and later add healthcare and employment law, among other practice areas. The Denver office will be administered by co-managing partners Scott Cook and Miles Scully and senior associate Amy Darby. According to managing partner Dion Cominos, the opening of the new office was a natural extension of the firm's business necessitated by the needs of the firm's clients. Many of the firm's clients are either located in the area or have legal and business needs in the region. Gordon & Rees has more than 290 attorneys working from offices in 14 cities.

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