North America/US - Page 159
Cravath IP partner defends US patent system
Criticism of the US patent system is unjustified, says a former director of the US Patent and Trademark Office.
Professors provide legal framework for companies to share patents
Companies could share information and agree not to initiate patent litigation under the agreement.
Legal sector in expansion mode
There is good news for the legal marketplace after figures released by the US Bureau of Labor revealed legal employment was on the up.
New York urged to end non-working law firm roles for politicians
Following controversy over the relationships between legislators who have earnt millions from law firms without clocking up hours for clients, the state is being asked 'to close the no-show job loophole'.
Cozen O'Connor takes 8-lawyer team to found state attorney generals group
The controversial practice area of challenging the methods and decisions of state attorney generals is spreading to new firms as Cozen recruits ten specialist professionals - including the 8 lawyers - from Dickstein Shapiro.
Wall St loses out to firms who compete on profit share for rising stars
The traditional big payers in the US market - the Wall St firms - are starting to be left behind by Kirkland & Ellis, Latham & Watkins and other practices which will pay vastly more to lawyers they identify as rising stars.
DLA spreads discount offer to start-ups across the US
DLA Piper is offering discounts of between 35 and 50 per cent to start-ups through a programme called NEST which it started in Texas, has expanded to Arizona and intends to unveil in California.
Pillsbury to strengthen New York office as chair announces fourth term
James Rishwain has been elected chair for a fourth term in which he plans to build up the New York office - but he will retire in late 2016 and will hope to recapture some lost momentum at the firm before that date.
New York bar exam goes national
Lawyers will be able to practise in a number of states after the changes.
Chinese companies create legal firewalls, says US agency
Chinese companies are using tactics to avoid the US courts, according to a US federal agency report.
Top legal brands grow 45pc faster than others over last four years
The list of top US brands identified by researcher Acritas includes BakerHostetler, Dentons, Foley Hoag, Clifford Chance and K&L Gates.
Western US firm joins the move to set up drone teams
Lewis Roca Rothgerber, one of the largest firms in the western US, is setting up a 14-person 'Unmanned Aircraft Systems' team, headed by an air pilot, with expectations of advising on IP, patents for new models, regulations and export controls.
Lawyer to Cameron Douglas publishes tale of drug-smuggling and love
Jennifer Rhida, the criminal defence lawyer who acted for Michael Douglas's son Cameron recounts the story of how they met when he was in prison and fell in love - leading to her smuggling drugs to him and then getting fired - in an autobiography.
Baltimore law school lets law students take exam at home
Students at the University of Maryland can take exams at home, at any time they want within a 48-hour period this week - because of problems they might experience in going to the exam centre through the riots.
SEC chief has to face up to Debevoise past over bank decisions
Mary Jo White, chair of the SEC and formerly adviser to leading banks at Debevoise, may have to recluse herself from decisions regarding the ability of JP Morgan and UBS to raise capital - with the result that they might be denied such powers.
Skadden Arps heads US list of firms gaining work by IT
Skadden Arps, Jones Day and Baker & McKenzie take the top three places in the BTI Brand Elite league table for 2015, leading the list of firms which are 'strengthening their brand with clients and winning more work'.
McKenna Long loses San Francisco real estate trio on eve of Dentons merger
Citing concerns over potential conflicts of interest, a San Francisco property partner and two other lawyers are bailing out of McKenna Long to join the 60-strong real estate team at Arent Fox.
Companies warned to heed compliance whistleblowers
A compliance whistleblower has been awarded over a million dollars, the second time an employee in an internal audit/compliance function has received an award outside the normal whistleblowing rules.
Trial of Dewey trio expected to last six months
Lawyers are currently going through the jury selection procedure in the trial of the former chair, chief executive and chief financial officer of Dewey LeBoeuf, on grounds that they mislead investors of the US firm which went bankrupt in 2012.
Gay lawyer sues law firms for defamation
The case has just begun between plaintiff Jeffrey Downs who alleges that two firms, Anapol Schwartz and Raynes McCarty, were guilty of defamation in the way that information was provided about his sexual orientation.