Duke Lacrosse Team Rape Case, Layoffs, Musical Chairs

Musical Chairs: Gilbert Randolph To Add Jerry Oshinsky Dickstein Shapiro, 'Morin & Oshinsky' To Change Stationery

By  
on

Gilbert Randolph has added Jerry Oshinsky to their partnership ranks. The firm will change its name to “Gilbert Oshinsky” to highlight this new acquisition. Firm chairman Scott Gilbert announced the new hire via a firm-wide email:

I have a number of exciting announcements.

First, I am extraordinarily pleased to tell you that Jerry Oshinsky will be joining the firm, likely as early as next week. A number of us were Jerry’s colleagues at Dickstein Shapiro, Morin & Oshinsky; indeed, it was the prospect of combining our respective practices that ultimately led me to leave Covington & Burling after 18 years and join Dickstein in the first place. Jerry is simply THE preeminent litigator and advisor in insurance law, and we certainly now can say that there rarely has been a coverage decision or settlement of any significance in the United States that did not directly involve Jerry or other of our firm lawyers. Of course, as anyone who knows Jerry can readily attest, he also is a tremendous human being, in every sense of the word. As his friend of 30 years and an ardent admirer, I just could not be more pleased and excited that Jerry has chosen to begin this new, and yet to be the most satisfying and successful, chapter of his storied career with us.

Second, as soon as Jerry is able to join the partnership, the firm will be changing its name to Gilbert Oshinsky LLP. This name best reflects our new, or in some cases reestablished, relationship with Jerry, as well as the merger of our two substantial practices. And yes, on several levels, we henceforth will be known as the GO to firm.

“GO to firm.” Nice touch.

The email went on to say that GO would be opening a Los Angeles office and that Oshinsky would be operating out of that new facility.

But the email does not mention Jerry C. Randolph, co-founder of the firm. Is there a limitation on the number of “Jerrys” allowed as name partners? Does he sleep with the fishes? Were they so excited about the “GO to” stuff that Randolph’s name became a marketing causality?

Dickstein Shapiro responds (sort of) after the jump.


Dickstein Shapiro has not yet announced that one of their partners is leaving. Michelle Rodgers, a Dickstein Shapiro spokesperson, declined to comment on Gilbert’s email.

Sponsored

However one tipster did tell us:

I have heard a rumor from a source I consider reliable that Dickstein is getting ready to lay off 30 associates. My source did not know if it was firm-wide or office-specific

We thought that the two stories could be connected. But Rodgers unequivocally denied that there were any layoffs in the works at Dickstein. She also said that if Oshinsky were to leave, there would be no layoffs. And she then further assured us that no layoffs have been planned or discussed at Dickstein Shapiro at any level for any reason.

You can’t put it any more plainly than that.

So while Oshinsky represents a major hire for Gilbert Randolph Oshinsky, Dickstein doesn’t appear to be worried. Maybe Dickstein can poach the undervalued Jerry Randolph off of waivers.

Sponsored

Update: One tipster has more bad news for Dickstein:

Oshinsky is bringing a good portion of his policyholder insurance work with him. The rumor is that 100% of the clients that he’s asked to come have agreed. He’s not taking any other attorneys from Dickstein with him, but Gilbert Randolph (Gilbert Oshinsky) will be opening an LA office that may hire up to 12 attorneys to handle the incoming work. This includes 2 cases in active litigation, including the Duke University litigation where Duke is suing its insurers to recover settlements from the lying stripper/non-rape case from awhile back.

Topics