Mintz sign Courtesy photo

Mintz, Levin, Cohn, Ferris, Glovsky and Popeo on Monday became the latest firm to poach from Boies Schiller Flexner, picking up a partner who represented Sony and worked closely with firm founder David Boies.

An 18-year veteran of the firm, Courtney Rockett's practice at Boies Schiller centered around complex civil litigation, including entertainment and intellectual property, as well as data privacy and cybersecurity. Apart from Sony, Rockett's other clients included fashion label Tory Burch, asset management group Eden Rock Group and filmmaker Ron Howard and his family.

In an interview, Rockett said she anticipates her clients will be joining her at Mintz, noting that the firm has a corporate department and an entertainment practice group. She also said her commercial litigation practice is a perfect fit for the firm's plans to expand in New York. Rockett is joining Mintz as a member of its litigation practice.

"I do not know what made me return that phone call," Rockett said, describing the "first and only" phone call she has ever taken from a recruiter. "It was a different message than you typically get. I always follow my gut, and my gut told me to return that phone call."

An advertising copywriter before she became a lawyer, Rockett said she was one of Boies' proteges, working very closely alongside the firm founder.

"He's taught me more about the practice of law … what it means to be a litigator and to utilize every skill. Just amazing, amazing training. That's something I will take with me forever," Rockett said.

Rockett is the latest departure from a firm that has seen more than a quarter of its partnership leave since December, according to ALM Intelligence. In June alone, Boies Schiller has seen four more commercial litigators depart for King & Spalding and two high-profile rainmakers join Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison. One other partner, the former U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, left for Jenner & Block.

At the time of her departure, Rockett was one of the few female equity partners left at Boies Schiller. She was also the first female associate to get pregnant while working there. As a result, Rockett said she also wrote the firm's first-ever maternity leave policy. The son that led to the firm's first maternity policy just graduated from high school, Rockett added.

"I was just excited to start a new chapter in my life. It was the perfect storm for me. It was a shockingly easy decision. I thought I would be sad, but the firm's culture is overwhelmingly fabulous, and it fits with me and my lifestyle and my client base and my family perfectly," Rockett said.

Rockett was one of the Boies Schiller partners who was tapped to represent a health care provider that sued pharmaceutical company McKesson Corp. in 2018 for allegedly engaging in a drug-skimming scheme. She also represented Herbalife, a nutritional and supplemental vitamin company, in a fight with a hedge fund over whether it's a legitimate business or a scam.

In a statement, Boies Schiller managing partner Nicholas Gravante said: "We wish Courtney all the best at her new firm."

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