Small Gains for Black Lawyers, Impeachment Day, Faegre Drinker Is Set: The Morning Minute
Here's the news you need to start your day.
December 18, 2019 at 06:00 AM
3 minute read
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WHAT WE'RE WATCHING
STILL LOW – The percentage of black associates at law firms in the United States has returned to its pre-recession level. Karen Sloan reports that in 2019, black lawyers made up 4.76% of the associate ranks, which is the highest figure since 2009 when black lawyers totaled 4.66% of all associates, according to new data from NALP. At the same time, the percentage of black partners remains discouraging low, at 1.97%. Black lawyers accounted for 1.83% of partners in both 2018 and 2017.
IMPEACHMENT – The House of Representatives is set to vote today along party lines on two articles of impeachment—one for abuse of power and the other for obstruction of Congress—against President Trump. Democrats maintain Trump withheld foreign aid to Ukraine to pressure the country to announce an investigation into Joe Biden's son and later tried to prevent officials from testifying before Congress.
MARRIED – Minneapolis-based Faegre Baker Daniels and Philadelphia-based Drinker Biddle & Reath have voted to join forces after lengthy merger talks. Lizzy McLellan reports that the merger, which is set to become official Feb. 1, will create an Am Law 50 firm with more than 1,300 lawyers and consultants across 22 locations in the U.S., U.K. and China. The combined firm will be known as Faegre Drinker Biddle & Reath.
EDITOR'S PICKS
Amid Massive Changes, Bed Bath & Beyond Ousts Veteran GC
'Judicial Change of Heart': Fifth Circuit Judge Changes His Mind in Black Lives Matter Case
New Lawsuit Seeks to Force Kellyanne Conway to Face Hatch Act Complaint
Giuliani-Linked Defendant Parnas to Remain Free on Bail as Judge Rejects Prosecutors' Bid to Revoke
U.S. Firms Are Losing Interest in Hong Kong IPO Work
Legal Tech Providers Want Lawyers' Feedback. Why Can't They Get It?
WHILE YOU WERE SLEEPING
FIRST - Shearman & Sterling has named Hong Kong partner Lorna Chen as the firm's Asia regional managing partner—the first woman to lead its Asia operations. Anna Zhang reports that Chen, an investment funds lawyer, holds the title jointly with Tokyo office head and corporate partner Masahisa Ikeda. Chen, who joined the Shearman in 2001 after graduating from Columbia Law School, also becomes a member of the firm's firmwide executive group.
WHAT YOU SAID
"As a defense attorney, you don't ask why."
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Who Got The Work
J. Brugh Lower of Gibbons has entered an appearance for industrial equipment supplier Devco Corporation in a pending trademark infringement lawsuit. The suit, accusing the defendant of selling knock-off Graco products, was filed Dec. 18 in New Jersey District Court by Rivkin Radler on behalf of Graco Inc. and Graco Minnesota. The case, assigned to U.S. District Judge Zahid N. Quraishi, is 3:24-cv-11294, Graco Inc. et al v. Devco Corporation.
Who Got The Work
Rebecca Maller-Stein and Kent A. Yalowitz of Arnold & Porter Kaye Scholer have entered their appearances for Hanaco Venture Capital and its executives, Lior Prosor and David Frankel, in a pending securities lawsuit. The action, filed on Dec. 24 in New York Southern District Court by Zell, Aron & Co. on behalf of Goldeneye Advisors, accuses the defendants of negligently and fraudulently managing the plaintiff's $1 million investment. The case, assigned to U.S. District Judge Vernon S. Broderick, is 1:24-cv-09918, Goldeneye Advisors, LLC v. Hanaco Venture Capital, Ltd. et al.
Who Got The Work
Attorneys from A&O Shearman has stepped in as defense counsel for Toronto-Dominion Bank and other defendants in a pending securities class action. The suit, filed Dec. 11 in New York Southern District Court by Bleichmar Fonti & Auld, accuses the defendants of concealing the bank's 'pervasive' deficiencies in regards to its compliance with the Bank Secrecy Act and the quality of its anti-money laundering controls. The case, assigned to U.S. District Judge Arun Subramanian, is 1:24-cv-09445, Gonzalez v. The Toronto-Dominion Bank et al.
Who Got The Work
Crown Castle International, a Pennsylvania company providing shared communications infrastructure, has turned to Luke D. Wolf of Gordon Rees Scully Mansukhani to fend off a pending breach-of-contract lawsuit. The court action, filed Nov. 25 in Michigan Eastern District Court by Hooper Hathaway PC on behalf of The Town Residences LLC, accuses Crown Castle of failing to transfer approximately $30,000 in utility payments from T-Mobile in breach of a roof-top lease and assignment agreement. The case, assigned to U.S. District Judge Susan K. Declercq, is 2:24-cv-13131, The Town Residences LLC v. T-Mobile US, Inc. et al.
Who Got The Work
Wilfred P. Coronato and Daniel M. Schwartz of McCarter & English have stepped in as defense counsel to Electrolux Home Products Inc. in a pending product liability lawsuit. The court action, filed Nov. 26 in New York Eastern District Court by Poulos Lopiccolo PC and Nagel Rice LLP on behalf of David Stern, alleges that the defendant's refrigerators’ drawers and shelving repeatedly break and fall apart within months after purchase. The case, assigned to U.S. District Judge Joan M. Azrack, is 2:24-cv-08204, Stern v. Electrolux Home Products, Inc.
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