If there is a firm model built for the dawning post-recession era, it's probably a litigation boutique with low overhead and a flexible billing structure. That model has attracted two new converts: Steven Molo of Shearman & Sterling and Jeff Lamken of Baker Botts have announced that they're leaving their firms to start up MoloLamken.

Once upon a time, plaintiffs lawyers in the IPO securities class action had visions of billions dancing in their heads. Today, they're quite happy taking $586 million.

V&E came through in a big way for its client, the jilted merger partner. Huntsman ended up with a billion-dollar settlement from Hexion--and V&E collected the lion's share of $43 million in legal fees paid out by Huntsman.

The Tousa ruling created a tsunami of backlash last year, after a bankruptcy court judge ruled the homebuilder's $450 million loan repayment was a fraudulent transfer. Now a federal district court judge says the bankruptcy judge was dead wrong. And he's not pulling any punches.