Brian Baxter

December 21, 2014 | The American Lawyer

Locke Lord, Norton Rose Fulbright and Vinson & Elkins reshuffle some energy industry legal chairs in Houston; a K&L Gates partner with a conflict moves on; more Bingham McCutchen refugees find new homes; the federal bench lands some big-firm talent; and other notable additions from throughout The Am Law 200.

By Brian Baxter

8 minute read

December 18, 2014 | The American Lawyer

Slapped with a $100 million antitrust suit this week by a group of ex-fighters backed by a formidable team of plaintiffs lawyers, the Ultimate Fighting Championship and its Las Vegas-based parent company Zuffa LLC have commenced a beauty contest involving several top firms flexing their legal muscle in an effort to secure the lucrative defense work.

By Brian Baxter

7 minute read

December 18, 2014 | The American Lawyer

Slapped with a $100 million antitrust suit this week by a group of ex-fighters backed by a formidable team of plaintiffs lawyers, the Ultimate Fighting Championship and its Las Vegas-based parent company Zuffa LLC have commenced a beauty contest involving several top firms flexing their legal muscle in an effort to secure the lucrative defense work.

By Brian Baxter

7 minute read

December 18, 2014 | New York Law Journal

Phoenix-based PetSmart announced an agreement to sell itself for $8.7 billion to a consortium led by London-based private equity firm BC Partners.

By Brian Baxter

3 minute read

December 16, 2014 | The American Lawyer

James Schwab, head of the media and entertainment practice at Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison, is poised to become president at Vice Media; a former Bingham McCutchen partner heads to the federal bench; Vorys Sater adds nine litigators in Houston; and other notable hires from throughout The Am Law 200.

By Brian Baxter

7 minute read

December 15, 2014 | The American Lawyer

Wachtell, Simpson Thacher, Schulte Roth, Skadden and Paul Hastings grabbed roles on the largest leveraged buyout for a U.S. company in 2014 as PetSmart, the nation's largest pet-store chain, on Sunday acquiesced to the demands of an activist investor and agreed to sell itself for $8.7 billion to a group led by private equity firm BC Partners. One day later, another activist fund headed by a Harvard Law School graduate prevailed in its bid to force an LBO at Riverbed Technology.

By Brian Baxter

7 minute read

December 14, 2014 | The American Lawyer

Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher grabbed a senior debt finance partner from Kirkland & Ellis in London, as the latter snatches Winston & Strawn's litigation chair in Chicago; Jones Day beefs up in Miami; Sidley Austin snags six from Loeb & Loeb; a half-dozen lawyers leave firms for in-house jobs and more notable hires from throughout The Am Law 200.

By Brian Baxter

15 minute read

December 14, 2014 | The American Lawyer

Charles Bennett, a former corporate lawyer in New York who once worked at Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom, has been charged by federal prosecutors and regulators with running a $5 million Ponzi scheme. Bennett unsuccessfully tried to kill himself in early November, leading police to recover a suicide note detailing his alleged fraud, in which he invoked the name of former New York Gov. Eliot Spitzer.

By Brian Baxter

6 minute read

December 14, 2014 | The American Lawyer

Charles Bennett, a former corporate lawyer in New York who once worked at Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom, has been charged by federal prosecutors and regulators with running a $5 million Ponzi scheme. Bennett unsuccessfully tried to kill himself in early November, leading police to recover a suicide note detailing his alleged fraud, in which he invoked the name of former New York Gov. Eliot Spitzer.

By Brian Baxter

6 minute read

December 11, 2014 | The American Lawyer

Lawyers love their lists, and more than a few with Am Law 200 ties appear on annual compilations of dealmakers and powerbrokers by entertainment industry trade publications like The Hollywood Reporter, Variety and SportsBusiness Journal.

By Brian Baxter

7 minute read