Joining the Players Club

Big law and sports went together like hot dogs and mustard last year, with a pair of high-stakes divorces among the most closely watched matters. In one, McGuireWoods advised Elin Nordegren in her split from golfer Tiger Woods, which reportedly netted her as much as $150 million. It’s safe to say that the firm got the assignment courtesy of London-based associate Josefin Lonnborg, who happens to be Nordegren’s twin sister. In the other divorce case, Bingham McCutchen partner Lawrence Silverstein’s admittedly botched handling of a marital property agreement put the firm at the center of the nasty fight between Frank McCourt and his estranged wife, Jamie, over control of a particularly valuable asset: the Los Angeles Dodgers. On December 7 a California state court judge ruled that the MPA prepared by Silverstein was invalid, giving Jamie a stake in the team. The decision was expected to jump-start settlement talks.

Closer to home plate, Roger Clemens was indicted on perjury charges as a result of denying to Congress and federal investigators that he used steroids while mowing down hitters. The Rocket bolstered his legal team with Cooley partner Michael Attansio, who has his own baseball ties via his dad, Tony, an agent whose clients have included Seattle Mariners outfielder Ichiro Suzuki. While Clemens is set to go to trial in July, baseball’s second star steroid defendant, Barry Bonds, has a March trial date. Bonds will presumably have Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom’s deep bench behind him now that his longtime lawyer, former solo practitioner Allen Ruby, has joined the firm.