Biglaw, Intellectual Property, Lateral Moves, Manatt, Phelps & Phillips, Partner Issues

More Defections From Dickstein Shapiro

Who are the latest lawyers to leave?

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Now that Bingham McCutchen appears to have found a savior, talk is turning to other firms that have experienced a lot of recent partner attrition. One such firm is Dickstein Shapiro, which lost the most partners to lateral moves in 2013 and has continued to shrink over the course of 2014.

Today brings word of more Dickstein departures. Who are the latest lawyers to leave?

Here’s a report from the American Lawyer (via Morning Docket):

Manatt, Phelps & Phillips has become the latest Am Law 100 firm to swoop in on struggling Dickstein Shapiro, adding a trio of West Coast IP partners.

ROBERT DICKERSON JR., a former coleader of the IP practice at Dickstein Shapiro in Los Angeles, has joined Manatt’s office in the city along with IP litigation partner LAWRENCE LAPORTE. The duo previously practiced together at Jones Day and Lyon & Lyon, the latter a Los Angeles IP boutique that went bust in 2002 with a group of lawyers led by Dickerson, its former managing partner, going to Jones Day.

YASSER EL-GAMAL, a former administrative partner of Dickstein Shapiro’s Orange County office in Irvine, Calif., is also leaving the firm he joined in 2011 from Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe to link up with Dickerson and LaPorte at Manatt. The losses are the latest notable departures from Dickstein Shapiro, which reported a disappointing financial performance in 2013.

We reached out to Dickstein Shapiro, which issued this statement through a spokesperson:

We wish our former colleagues well. Our nationally recognized Intellectual Property practice includes over 45 Intellectual Property lawyers who represent clients in high-profile, multifaceted Intellectual Property litigation, patent prosecution, procurement, and asset management. Dickstein Shapiro is fortunate to have many deep, long standing national and global client relationships due to our commitment to providing clients with the highest-caliber strategic counsel and litigation services.

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A good comment. Or at least an improvement over the firm’s prior messaging.

But that number of 45 IP lawyers might grow smaller still. We’ve heard rumblings of additional possible departures from Dickstein — with some of our sources raising the possibility of partners being asked to leave or terminated for cause by the firm.

We’ll keep an eye on goings-on at Dickstein Shapiro. Feel free to email us or text us (646-820-8477) with any information you might have.

UPDATE (10/17/2014, 12:15 p.m.): A knowledgeable source notes:

Dickstein has also closed the Orange County office and removed it from their website without a trace. Also, word is the IP partners are taking at least a couple associates to Manatt with them. If they take the IP associates from the LA office, the LA office is down to less than 15 attorneys (and only 3 partners) — the insurance coverage group and a few business litigation people.

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Manatt Adds Trio of IP Partners in Southern California [The Recorder]
Dickstein Shapiro IP Group Defects, Plus More Lateral Moves [American Lawyer via Morning Docket]

Earlier: One Biglaw Firm Is Shrinking And Feeling Pretty Good About It
Musical Chairs: More Partner Defections Hit Dickstein Shapiro
What’s Going On At Dickstein Shapiro?

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