Partner Issues

Lawyer of the Day: Jonathan Bristol, Winston Partner Turned Accused Fraudster

By

Back in June, we wrote about an amusing effort by Winston & Strawn to rewrite history. The firm edited an historical press release to omit all mention of sketchy lawyer Jonathan Bristol, who joined Winston as a partner from Thelen.

Now Winston has even more reason to be embarrassed by its former partner. Earlier today, Jonathan Bristol was both sued by the SEC, for aiding and abetting fraud, and arrested on federal criminal charges, for money laundering. The civil suit and criminal charges arose out of Bristol’s legal work for Kenneth Starr — no, not the former Whitewater independent counsel, but the money manager to the stars who stole money from his celebrity clients.

(Interestingly enough, Ken Starr the fraudster — he’s pleaded guilty, so no need for “alleged” here — is also a lawyer. He graduated from Brooklyn Law School.)

The indictment against Jonathan Bristol, brought by prosecutors in the Southern District of New York, has some juicy details. For example: How much did Bristol earn while at Winston?

double red triangle arrows Continue reading “Lawyer of the Day: Jonathan Bristol, Winston Partner Turned Accused Fraudster”

7 Comments

Career Center Survey Results: Top Partners to Work For – California (Part 2)

By

David Thomas, of Wilson Sonsini, and Kelly Richardson, of Latham & Watkins.

The East Coast is freezing right now. New York is bitterly cold, and D.C. is even getting snow. So let’s head out to the West Coast, where the weather is warmer — and where associates are thrilled to be working with some superb partners.

Earlier this week, we presented ten California partners whom our readers nominated as being great to work for.  We continue our coverage today with eight additional partners who earn this distinction. They hail from some of the country’s preeminent law firms: DLA Piper, Baker & McKenzie, Latham & Watkins, Holland & Knight, Jones Day, Wilson Sonsini, Knobbe Martens, and Paul Hastings.

Let’s find out who made the list….

double red triangle arrows Continue reading “Career Center Survey Results: Top Partners to Work For – California (Part 2)”

Associate Bonus Watch: What’s Up With S&C?

By

As of this writing — Thursday, December 16, at 10:30 AM — Sullivan & Cromwell has not yet announced its bonus scheme. We suspect that several other top firms that have yet to announce bonuses, like Davis Polk, Simpson Thacher, Cleary Gottlieb, and Debevoise, are simply waiting for the white smoke to emerge from 125 Broad Street. [FN1]

So… what’s going on at S&C?

double red triangle arrows Continue reading “Associate Bonus Watch: What’s Up With S&C?”

57 Comments

A Look at New Partner Classes at Ten Top Firms (and an Open Thread)

By

Partnership: the proverbial brass ring.

‘Tis the season — for new partner elections at large law firms. Although there are some exceptions, most firms pick and announce their new partner classes around November and December, with partnership effective on January 1 of the following year.

These partnership announcements sometimes contain interesting information, if you read between the lines. As we’ve previously observed, “Partnership decisions often shed light on the current state of a firm, its prospects for the future, and its priorities. How many new partners did a firm make? How does the number of new partners this year compare to past years? In which practice areas did it make new partners? How many of the new partners are women or minorities?”

After the jump, we look at new partner news from ten top firms — perhaps you know some of these law firm superstars (and soon-to-be millionaires)? — and we invite you to discuss the new partners at your firm….

double red triangle arrows Continue reading “A Look at New Partner Classes at Ten Top Firms (and an Open Thread)”

55 Comments

Career Center Survey Results: Top Partners to Work For – California (Part 1)

By

Deborah Cussen, of Gibson Dunn, and Carla Feldman, of Morgan Lewis.

Welcome to the third installment of our Top Partners to Work For series, as selected by our readers (see last week’s posts here and here). In the first two weeks, we covered New York and D.C.; this week, we head west, and cruise on over to sunny California.

The ten partners we highlight today work at some of the country’s leading law firms: Kirkland & Ellis, Morrison & Foerster, Gibson Dunn, Latham & Watkins, Munger Tolles, Wilson Sonsini, Morgan Lewis, Baker & McKenzie, Bryan Cave, and Jones Day.

So, which West Coast partners do associates enjoy working for?

double red triangle arrows Continue reading “Career Center Survey Results: Top Partners to Work For – California (Part 1)”

Nixon Peabody Management Shuffle

By

Nixon Peabody has suffered a series of partner defections over the last year. Last month, we reported that a number of partners at Nixon were preparing for a mass exodus from the firm.

According to our Nixon Peabody sources, the disgruntled partners wanted one thing: managing partner Richard Langan’s head on a plate. From our original story: “Our sources have also offered up a lot of speculation about why these partners want out, and the message is that they feel like Langan is ‘ruining’ the culture of the firm.”

Apparently, these partners are getting their wish. Richard Langan is out as managing partner. Taking his place is Andrew Glincher, who has been the managing partner of Nixon’s Boston office.

So did the mutinous partners win? According to a Nixon spokesperson, Langan’s ouster is all part of Nixon’s regularly scheduled programming…

double red triangle arrows Continue reading “Nixon Peabody Management Shuffle”

30 Comments

Career Center Survey Results: Top Partners to Work for – Washington, D.C. (Part 2)

By

Craig Primis of Kirkland & Ellis

Earlier this week, we introduced six Washington, D.C. law firm partners chosen by our readers as the best partners to work for.  The next six partners we present to you today come from some of the nation’s finest law firms:  Gibson Dunn, Kirkland & Ellis, Latham & Watkins, Orrick, White & Case, and Willkie Farr.

For more information about these firms generally, visit the Career Center.

Without further ado, let’s find out who these premier partners are . . .

double red triangle arrows Continue reading “Career Center Survey Results: Top Partners to Work for – Washington, D.C. (Part 2)”

Career Center Survey Results: Top Partners to Work for – Washington, D.C. (Part 1)

By

Reginald Brown of WilmerHale

Last week we brought you the top New York partners to work for (see here, here, and here), as nominated by our readers.  This week we head inside the Beltway to highlight the best partners to work for in Washington, D.C.

The following six partners work at some of the most prestigious law firms in the country: Foley & Lardner, WilmerHale, Akin Gump, Skadden, Covington & Burling, and Cleary Gottlieb. For more information about these firms generally, visit the Career Center.

Let’s learn what it takes to be a top partner in the nation’s capital….

double red triangle arrows Continue reading “Career Center Survey Results: Top Partners to Work for – Washington, D.C. (Part 1)”

Discrimination Lawsuit Potpourri: Reed Smith and Akin Gump

By

JoEllen Lyons Dillon

Pennsylvania legal circles are buzzing over a discrimination lawsuit filed yesterday in federal district court by a partner in the Pittsburgh office of Reed Smith. One source who informed us of the suit referred to “some really interesting allegations” against the firm.

A corporate and energy law partner at Reed Smith, JoEllen Lyons Dillon, alleges that her firm pays and promotes women less than men. Yawn; that’s definitely not “really interesting.” While unfortunate — or even outrage-inducing — if true, one could say the same thing about dozens, if not hundreds, of large law firms.

Far more interesting is Dillon’s claim that “work was diverted … to female attorneys who were willing to engage in sexual relations with members of [Reed Smith] management or with whom members of [Reed Smith] management had sought to engage in such relations.” Dillon alleges that because she “did not engage in such relations,” she was professionally penalized.

David DeNinno

Dillon decided instead to have “relations” with her husband, resulting in the birth of twins. After she took time off to take care of the two tots, “her total compensation decreased, by almost half,” according to the complaint. Dillon claims that when she objected to this pay cut, partner David DeNinno, former chair of the Business & Finance Department at RS, asked if she was “done having babies yet.”

That’s just for starters. Dillon claims to have more dirt on her firm….

double red triangle arrows Continue reading “Discrimination Lawsuit Potpourri: Reed Smith and Akin Gump”

53 Comments

Quote of the Day: Unintended Consequences

By

[M]ale lawyers do not want to travel with, have lunch with, or mentor women lawyers because they fear someone will mistake their intentions and accuse them of sexual harassment.

— law firm consultant Cynthia Calvert, in a blog post entitled Male Partners: Help Your Firm by Connecting with Women Lawyers.

90 Comments
Page 61 of 711...575859606162636465...71