Musical Chairs: Holland & Knight Picks Up Richard Raysman
Former Thelen associates might still be scrambling to pick up the pieces of their aborted legal careers, but former Thelen partners continue to land on their feet. The latest partner refugee is an All-Star. Richard Raysman (of what used to be known as Thelen Reid Brown Raysman & Steiner) has ended up at Holland & Knight.
Raysman left Thelen in August for Otterbourg Steindler. He got out before Thelen collapsed. Not surprisingly, Holland & Knight’s announcement downplays Raysman’s connection to his defunct former firm:
After graduating from Massachusetts Institute of Technology and receiving his J.D., from Brooklyn Law School while working at IBM as a systems engineer, Raysman founded the firm of Brown, Raysman, Millstein, Felder & Steiner which grew to 250 attorneys. The Brown Raysman firm was the first significant firm to focus on computer law. Raysman was among the first lawyers to recognize that the practice of law in the area of computers would be increasingly important as digital technology spread through commercial enterprises.
But ex-Thelen employees still remember My. Raysman. Remember, earlier this month former Thelen employees were granted class status to pursue claims against Thelen. Their lawyer has indicated a willingness to go after former partners of the firm.
But clients probably won’t care about Raysman’s connection with the unfortunate events surrounding Thelen. He’s a leading lawyer in an important field. We’re sure Holland & Knight will be thrilled by the extra rain.
Check out the full press release after the jump.
HOLLAND & KNIGHT — STATEMENT — NEW HIRES
NEW YORK CITY - April 15, 2009 - Holland & Knight is pleased to announce that Richard Raysman and Edward Pisacreta have joined the firm’s New York office as partners. Raysman, known in many circles as the founder of American computer law, will focus his practice on intellectual property, e-commerce and outsourcing. Pisacreta will concentrate his practice in technology law and related intellectual property matters.
“We are extremely delighted to have both Richard and Ed join Holland and Knight. Both Richard and Ed are leading attorneys with a clear understanding of how law impacts technology and e-commerce,” said Jim McDermott, head of the firm’s Business Law Section. “The combined wealth of experience these two attorneys bring will be a tremendous asset to the firm and our clients, and enhance our existing team of technology and intellectual property lawyers.”
After graduating from Massachusetts Institute of Technology and receiving his J.D., from Brooklyn Law School while working at IBM as a systems engineer, Raysman founded the firm of Brown, Raysman, Millstein, Felder & Steiner which grew to 250 attorneys. The Brown Raysman firm was the first significant firm to focus on computer law. Raysman was among the first lawyers to recognize that the practice of law in the area of computers would be increasingly important as digital technology spread through commercial enterprises.
As both a systems engineer and a lawyer he has a unique understanding and unrivaled knowledge of technology and intellectual property law. In addition to his transactional practice, Raysman has litigated reported cases in the New York State and Federal Courts. Raysman has been selected by Chambers as one of America’s leading outsourcing lawyers.
Raysman is the co-author of numerous publications including three treatises on computer law, intellectual property licensing and emerging technologies and writes a monthly column in the New York Law Journal. Raysman is a frequent speaker in the field and is a co-moderator of the IP Licensing Counsel Update conference scheduled for May 6-7, 2009 at the Harvard Club in New York City.
Pisacreta is a leading attorney in technology related issues. He is experienced in e-commerce and computer related negotiations including agreements for design, development and licensing of software, outsourcing, licensing of intellectual property and conduct of business in electronic forms. Pisacreta also counsels clients on the use and protections of intellectual property assets.
Pisacreta is the author of many publications regarding computer technology and often speaks on the multi-faceted aspects of e-commerce and licensing. Pisacreta is also an adjunct professor of Law and Technology at Brooklyn Law School. He received a B.A. in Mathematics and his J.D. from Fordham University and his masters in Mathematics from Temple University. Prior to practicing law, Pisacreta was a management consultant with Ernst & Whinney (now Ernst & Young) in the information systems area.
About Holland & Knight LLP: Holland & Knight is a global law firm with 1050 lawyers in 17 U.S. offices as well as Abu Dhabi, Beijing and Mexico City. Representative offices are located in Caracas and Tel Aviv. Holland & Knight is among the nation’s largest law firms, providing representation in litigation, business, real estate and governmental law. Interdisciplinary practice groups and industry-based teams provide clients with access to attorneys throughout the firm, regardless of location. www.hklaw.com
Earlier: Thelen Their Oats: Will A New Name Lure Suitors?
Ex-Thelen Employees Granted Class Status
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Comments
TEAR THOSE BIGLAW FIRMS DOWN
I congratulate Dick for landing on his feet again. A very resourceful attorney if I ever saw one. Young lawyers and law students should take cue from Dick's ability to surmount adversity.
Raysman seemed like a good egg. That Millstein guy , though, he would go bullshit every time anyone answered the phone simply "Brown Raysman."
first to say that elie is a fat, disgusting, horrible editor in chief
thank god every day for your skin color, elie. if it were not for affirmative action, and you actually had to go through life relying on your abilities, you would be sucking dick for bus fare right now
who cares?
4 - you have a lot of misplaced anger, dude. why not go catch a j, take a walk around the block, and ctfo?
you will die young with venom in your veins like that, son.
Why is it prudent to pick up former partners of defunct law firms? Wasn't it their management, or lack therof, that caused such disasters? What makes anyone think that they won't do the same things at the "new" firms?
seek therapy, 4.
"Holland & Knight's announcement of the downplays Raysman's connection"
Nice.
Anyone else hearing rumors of another round of Latham layoffs? I am hearing early May...
4 - the readers of abovethelaw elected Elie for Editor in Chief before anyone knew his skin color.
Wow, I had two comments in one thread deleted. That's pretty impressive.
Easily the worst display of typos this week. Keep up the good work, you ever-expanding blob.
Former Thelen and current Orrick partner the Glass Cock here, confirming that Raysman was a decent guy and if fingers must be pointed at partners who caused the collapse of Thelen, they should first point at the former Thelen partner whose last name starts with a W and ends with an L (not Weasel, but very close in spelling and character).
i don't know why i continue to be amazed by mystal's constant incompetence. it's really a marvel that he was hired anywhere. Lat should be ashamed.
why did he leave otterbourg after only 7-8 months?
Will Tetris be re-acquiring Thelen's logo as part of the liquidation?
USN&WR rankings have been leaked. Where is ATL on this?
Jesus catfucking Christ, slow news day? Kash does a deferral roundup every two days, NW is extending student health care for a few months, and a partner from Thelen got another job? Even Roxanna is running out of shit to unnecessarily blather about.
Can't you guys make something up, or harass one of the firms that hasn't yet announced start dates or layoffs? This is where Lat's superb writing would normally come in - however, today he took a picture of an advertisement unrelated to the practice of law.
You should leave the office tonight with your head held low tonight, ATL staffers - everyone a' yas!
Intellectual Property Law
1 University of California--Berkeley Berkeley, CA
2 Stanford University Stanford, CA
3 George Washington University Washington, DC
4 Columbia University New York, NY
5 Franklin Pierce Law Center Concord, NH
6 Duke University Durham, NC
7 University of Houston Houston, TX
8 Santa Clara University Santa Clara, CA
9 Boston University Boston, MA
10 Illinois Institute of Technology (Chicago-Kent) Chicago, IL
Hey, Partner Emeritus: Don't I know you from the movie Popeye? Can you get me Shelley Duvall's autograph?
1. Y (100)
2. S (93)
3. H (92)
4. CLS (86)
5. UoC (85)
6. NYU (83)
7. NU (81)
8. Mich, Penn (80)
10. UVA, Duke (79)
12. Boalt (78)
13. Cornell (76)
14. UT (74)
15. GULC (73)
16. Vandy (71)
17. UCLA (70)
18. USC (69)
19. WUSTL, Minn (67)
21. GWU, Emory (66)
23. BU (64)
24. BC, Illinois (63)
Elie has got to be messing with us.
"My. Raysman"?
Really? Is that even possible as an honest typo?
Richard Raysman did nothing at Thelen but walk around the firm and barge into attorney's offices. He was rude and obnoxious. He did not last at Otterbourg for a reason -- he had no billable work. Holland and Knight should put him out to pasture. He is worthless along with all the other BR attorneys.
Rays-man is my favorite superhero
22-for real?
Northwestern to 7? yea the fuck right?
ahh 22 = troll
17: Hilarious.
29--agreed
mr. Raysman is a buffooon. he is inept, socialy awkward and will say anything to clients. beware of this man. he is a walking ethical, board of bar examiners violation
Then he ought to fit right in at H&K.
Holy shit. MIT to Brooklyn Law? That's gotta be one of the steepest falls for prestige.
I mean he's probably very smart, but he couldn't even make Fordham? Even with a full scholarship that's pretty sad.
BREAKING NEWS : Partner Emeritus is doing one hour overtime work at the other side of the glory hole!
--Mohammad
BREAKING NEWS : Partner Emeritus is doing one hour overtime work at the other side of the glory hole!
--Mohammad
BREAKING NEWS : Partner Emeritus is doing one hour overtime work at the other side of the glory hole!
--Mohammad
SPELLING!
"We're sure Holland & Knight will be thrilled by the extra rain." Elie, do you really think if he was a rainmaker he would have gone to Otterbourg,which maybe the worst firm in NY? Now to Holland & Knight, where the PPP is among the lowest in the AMLaw. Next stop, Phillips Nizer!
I hope he can survive working in the tomb that is the H&K NY office. I haven't witnessed that many dead people walking around doing legal work since I read the last few bits of the Inferno.
Yeah baby. They settled with me on my way out the door when I caught what they were doin. I had documentation and all.