Haynes and Boone

ATL Holiday Card Contest: The Winner!

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Many law firms send out rather lame holiday cards, cards that marketing guru Ross Fishman would describe as “boring pieces of crap.” Thankfully that wasn’t the case for the eleven finalists in our third annual law firm holiday card contest.

Some of these cards were clever, some were beautiful, and some were funny. All of them were excellent, deserving of recognition and praise for the thoughtfulness and creativity that went into them.

Okay, enough with the sentimental and sappy stuff — you’re lawyers, and you’re competitive. You want to know who won….

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ATL Holiday Card Contest: The Finalists!

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The field of contenders for our third annual law firm holiday card contest was more impressive than ever. We received numerous nominations, and we thank everyone who participated. It took many hours to review the plethora of submissions.

We could complain about how some of you failed to follow contest rule #3, limiting the contest to “cards that are unusually clever, funny, or cool…. cards with some attitude, with that extra je ne sais quoi.” But we won’t; the holiday spirit has us in a good mood. You are all wonderful!

But some of you are more wonderful than others. Let’s look at this year’s finalists….

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ATL Holiday Card Contest: Honorable and Dishonorable Mentions

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Our law firm holiday card contest is still underway, but we’re in the home stretch. Voting closes tomorrow, January 9, at 11:59 p.m. (Eastern time). If you haven’t done so already, review the finalists and vote over here.

In the our earlier post, we promised a post in which we’d (1) give shout-outs to some holiday cards that were strong but narrowly missed our cut and (2) poke fun at some of the Christmas cards we found especially disappointing. Here is the promised post.

Let’s look at some of these honorable and dishonorable mentions. Perhaps your law firm’s card is among them?

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Dear Law Firms: Canceling Summer Programs After People Bid on Those Programs Is Bad Form

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Late last night, we received a tip that has become all too common in the dog days of August. This tipster sent us this letter from the career services office at Georgetown Law:

Haynes and Boone, LLP has just informed us that they will no longer have a summer program in their Washington, DC and Austin, TX offices. Please contact me if you are interested in switching your interview to either the Dallas, TX, Houston, TX, or New York, NY offices or if you would like us to cancel your interview.

These late-breaking summer program cancellations, partial cancellations, or substantive summer-program changes really need to stop…

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Mother of Biglaw-Kidney Recipient Expresses Thanks

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Haynes Boone logo.jpgIt’s still early in 2010, but the runaway leader in the clubhouse for feelgood Biglaw story of the year is coming out of Haynes and Boone. It was widely reported last week that Matthew Deffebach, a partner at Haynes and Boone, donated a kidney to the son of a staffer at the firm.
Deffebach didn’t know the staffer personally, but when another partner asked for volunteers to help this child, a number of Haynes and Boone partners were tested. Deffebach was a match. Texas Lawyer has this amazing quote from Deffebach:

Deffebach says he’s going through the surgery because he couldn’t stand the thought of the man’s son growing up without a father. “I met him the day after I found out how bad his situation was,” Deffebach recalls.

The reports say that the surgery went smoothly.
I can’t get enough of this good news story shining through in the middle of this bad news recession. After the jump, we’ve got some comments from the staffer, and a note from Matthew Deffebach.

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Paul Hastings Partner Defections: And Then There Were Six

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Haynes Boone logo.jpgThe number of Paul Hastings real estate partners fleeing for Haynes and Boone keeps growing. Initially, Paul Hastings admitted that three of its real estate partners were leaving. But then Haynes and Boone sources confirmed that they were poaching four PH RE partners — including Steven Koch, the administrative head of Paul Hastings’s real estate practice.
Today, HayBoo is out with an announcement that they’ve picked up six PH partners, all in the real estate group. From the Haynes and Boone press release:

In a major expansion of its East Coast real estate, finance and real estate restructuring practices, Haynes and Boone, LLP announces the addition of six partners who bring a wealth of experience, particularly representing top-tier New York financial institutions, real estate funds and private equity groups.

Sources report that the additional two partners had tried to keep their pending defection secret from the general Paul Hastings public. Maybe they didn’t want to become the subject of a bidding war between the firms?
The other two names and more details after the jump.

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Haynes and Boone Picks Up Paul Hastings Real Estate Partners

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haynes and boone logo.JPGEarlier this morning, we reported that three (or four) real estate partners were on their way out of Paul Hastings. Now we’re hearing that the partners weren’t “forced out.” Instead, they were actively recruited by Haynes and Boone and gave notice to Paul Hastings management on Monday.
Haynes and Boone sources confirm that Bob Grados, Ken Friedman, and Walter Schleimer will start at Haynes and Boone’s New York office on Monday.
And a fourth Paul Hastings partner will be joining them. It might help to explain why Paul Hastings sources thought the first three partners were pushed out in the first place.
Details after the jump.

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ATL Contest: Akin Gump Has the Coolest Holiday Card

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law firm holiday card contest AboveTheLaw Above the Law.jpgCongratulations to Akin Gump, winner of Above the Law’s inaugural holiday card contest. Check out their very funny and clever card over here.

The voting wasn’t even close. There were seven entrants, but Akin walked away with over 44 percent of the vote. It was the commenters’ favorite, too:

“I work at HayBoo [Haynes and Boone], and really like our card. But I was actually laughing (alone in my office) at Akin Gump’s. A little cliched, but still, well-executed.”

“Akin hands down. All others were simply dreadful.”

“OK, the Akin Gump ‘holiday’ card (we all know we are talking xmas cards here) is hands down the best by a very wide margin, although the Goodwin Procter ‘gift’ of a pile of blow on the mantle at the end of their e-card was a nice touch.”

(That does look like cocaine, doesn’t it? Check out the Goodwin Procter card here.)

Once again, congratulations to Akin Gump on a well-deserved victory!

P.S. We received a few nice late submissions, like Proctor Heyman (inspired by the Abbey Road album cover) and Howard Rice (donating the savings from sending electronic rather than physical cards to a charity chosen by readers). Unfortunately, we were unable to include them because voting was already underway. Check ATL early and often, so as not to miss our contests and other features.

Earlier: ATL Contest: Holiday Card Coolness
A Fun Law Firm Holiday Card

ATL Contest: Holiday Card Coolness

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law firm holiday card contest AboveTheLaw Above the Law.jpgBefore Christmas, we highlighted one law firm holiday card that we particularly enjoyed (from Haynes and Boone). We also invited readers to email us with other holiday cards we might enjoy. We stated that, if we received sufficient submissions, we might even hold a contest.

Lo and behold, we did receive enough entrants. So we are happy to hold Above the Law’s first holiday card contest.

Check out the nominees and vote — you’re stuck in the office between Christmas and New Year’s, and you’re bored — after the jump.

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A Fun Law Firm Holiday Card

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Some new associates at Haynes and Boone aren’t feeling the holiday spirit. Just last month, they learned that their salaries were being cut — about a week before their start date.
But at least their law firm has a really cool holiday card. Check it out:
Haynes Boone holiday card 2009.jpg
Have you come across a particularly fun firm holiday card? If so, please email it to us (subject line: “[Firm Name] Holiday Card”). If we get enough good ones, maybe we’ll hold a contest. Thanks!
Earlier: Cadwalader: Where ‘Human Resources’ Is a Term of Art
A Depressing “Happy Holidays” from Grodsky & Olecki
A Few Law Firm Holiday Cards

Nationwide (Possibly Temporary) Salary Cut Watch: Haynes and Boone

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Salary Cuts.jpgHaynes and Boone deferred its incoming first-year associates to November 30. First-years at the firm will be happy to know that the firm is keeping its promise and they will be starting just after Thanksgiving.
But they won’t be starting at full salary. Incoming associates got the news on Friday. An angry tipster let us know the news:

I’m an incoming first -ear at Haynes and Boone in Texas. We start on the 30th and just got an email saying our salaries will be $145k. This is the first time any of us even knew the firm was considering cutting salaries, and they did it with a bull**** email. So much for being committed to competing with other Texas firms.

But there is a chance that incoming first-years will be paid on a $145K scale for only a month. Above the Law reached out to spokespeople for Haynes and Boone, and they told us that the salary scale for 2010 has not yet been set.
So salaries could be going back up, if that’s where the Texas market settles.
There are actually a couple of interesting things Haynes is doing with its incoming class for their first month on the job.

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Nationwide Layoff Watch (Sort Of): Haynes & Boone Makes Minor Adjustments

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Haynes Boone logo.jpgTechnically, there were layoffs at Haynes & Boone yesterday. But our cadre of Texas readers don’t need to start storing canned goods in their hats just yet. The Texas based firm made minor cuts to its New York office. A firm spokesperson released this statement to Above the Law:

We can confirm that Tuesday, Haynes and Boone terminated one associate, one of counsel and one staff in our New York City office.

These terminations resulted from the upcoming departure of two New York-based corporate partners who are leaving by mutual agreement. Affected attorneys and staff were recruited specifically to support the departing partners.

Just as importantly, the spokesperson adds:

At this time, we don’t expect any further attorney or staff layoffs in our New York office or in any of the firm’s other eleven national and international offices.

Haynes and Boone continues to look for good opportunities to strategically expand in New York and in other markets … We expect to add new partners to our NYC Finance and Bankruptcy groups soon to meet current market demands.

Add partners? Finance? Demand? Are we talking about the same “New York City?”

Though, if Haynes & Boone is looking to poach partners, maybe managing partner Terry Connor will get to scream “I drink your milkshake. I drink it up!” That would be fun.

Earlier: Law Firm Merger Mania: Haynes & Boone Signs Up for New California Adventures