| Revision as of 05:43, 19 August 2009 editLathaminfo (talk | contribs)49 editsNo edit summary← Previous edit | Revision as of 05:44, 19 August 2009 edit undoLathaminfo (talk | contribs)49 edits →Notable Latham & Watkins attorneysNext edit → | ||
| Line 72: | Line 72: | ||
| </ref>. | </ref>. | ||
| *]- One of the leading writers on commercial real estate law in the US as well as a leading practitioner. Editor of the website Real-Estate-Law.com . | *]- One of the leading writers on commercial real estate law in the US as well as a leading practitioner. Editor of the website Real-Estate-Law.com . | ||
| *Dave Gordon - Chief Layoffist at Latham NY | |||
| == Offices == | == Offices == | ||
Revision as of 05:44, 19 August 2009
Latham has recently been in the news for its financial difficulties, prompting employee layoffs. Given Latham's heavy reliance on transactional work for its revenues, it saw major declines in 2008. In 2008, revenue fell by $100,000,000, approximately 4%. Profits per partner fell by 21%.
In March 2008, managing partner Bob Dell announced: "there will be no layoffs", and that it was not even on the table for discussion. However the falling revenue prompted management to freeze associate salaries in December 2008., and on February 27, 2009, Latham announced that it was laying off 190 associates, and 250 staff members.. This is one of the largest layoffs by a major law firm in history.. In the New York office, more than half the first year associates were laid off in February. A total of 130 New York associates, representing 45% of the office, were cut over January and February 2009.
Additionally, Latham reportedly made Vault surveys due on February 26, 2009, the day before the February 27, 2009 mass layoffs, in what some have criticized as an attempt to prevent layoffs from influencing their Vault ranking. This effort appears to have failed miserably, as LaTTTham's Vault ranking has dropped an unprecedented 10 spots from 7 to 17.
Layoffs
Latham has recently been in the news for its financial difficulties, prompting employee layoffs. Given Latham's heavy reliance on transactional work for its revenues, it saw major declines in 2008. In 2008, revenue fell by $100,000,000, approximately 4%. Profits per partner fell by 21%.
In March 2008, managing partner Bob Dell announced: "there will be no layoffs", and that it was not even on the table for discussion. However the falling revenue prompted management to freeze associate salaries in December 2008., and on February 27, 2009, Latham announced that it was laying off 190 associates, and 250 staff members.. This is one of the largest layoffs by a major law firm in history.. In the New York office, more than half the first year associates were laid off in February. A total of 130 New York associates, representing 45% of the office, were cut over January and February 2009.
Additionally, Latham reportedly made Vault surveys due on February 26, 2009, the day before the February 27, 2009 mass layoffs, in what some have criticized as an attempt to prevent layoffs from influencing their Vault ranking.
Notable clients and cases
 | This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (April 2008) |
 | This section does not cite any sources. Please help improve this section by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (October 2008) (Learn how and when to remove this message) |
- Represented Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Inc. in its $4.84 billion sale to the Sony Corporation in cooperation with Providence Equity Partners Inc, Texas Pacific Group Inc, DLJ Merchant Banking Partners and Comcast Corporation (Sept. 2004).
- Advised Bayer AG in its successful 2006 €16.4 billion takeover offer for Schering AG pharmaceuticals.
- Legal counsel to bookrunners and arrangers Deutsche Bank Securities Inc, Goldman Sachs International and Merrill Lynch International in $2 billion Rule 144A/Regulation S notes offer for ICICI Bank Ltd, through its Bahrain branch (Oct. 2007).
- Represented the Church of Scientology in the Reed Slatkin Ponzi scheme, and in 2008 letters signed by David J. Schindler on Latham & Watkins stationary were hand-delivered to Anonymous protesters identified by Scientology, demanding cessation of unspecified "illegal activities against the church".
Notable Latham & Watkins attorneys
- Sean Berkowitz - Federal prosecutor in the trials of Enron executives Ken Lay and Jeffrey Skilling.
- John Kirby - Intellectual property attorney, after whom Nintendo may have named its "Kirby" character after a series of high-profile cases.
- Maureen Mahoney - Former Deputy Solicitor General in 1991, represented the University of Michigan before the U.S. Supreme Court in Grutter v. Bollinger
- Philip Perry, was Dept. of Homeland Security General Counsel, now a partner in the litigation department and chair of the Public Policy practice group. He is married to Elizabeth Cheney, attorney, diplomat and daughter of Vice President Dick Cheney.
- David J. Schindler – convicted hackers Justin Tanner Petersen, Kevin Mitnick, and Kevin Poulsen.
- Joshua Stein- One of the leading writers on commercial real estate law in the US as well as a leading practitioner. Editor of the website Real-Estate-Law.com .
- Dave Gordon - Chief Layoffist at Latham NY
Offices
Latham currently has 1,900 attorneys throughout its offices in: Abu Dhabi, Barcelona, Brussels, Chicago, Dubai, Doha, Frankfurt, Hamburg, Hong Kong, London, Los Angeles, Madrid, Milan, Moscow, Munich, Newark, New Jersey, New York City, Costa Mesa, California, Paris, San Diego, San Francisco, Shanghai, Silicon Valley(Menlo Park), Singapore, Tokyo and Washington D.C.
Notable Latham & Watkins alumni
- Bruce Babbitt, former Governor of Arizona and U.S. Secretary of the Interior
- Michael Chertoff, former U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security
- Chris Cox, former SEC Chair
- Samuel Fishman, convicted on mail fraud case.
- Fred T. Goldberg, Jr. former Partner and Commissioner of Internal Revenue at the IRS
- Carla Anderson Hills, former U.S. Trade Representative and HUD Secretary
- Roderick M. Hills, former SEC Chair
- Reed Hundt, former FCC Chair
- Dana Latham, Commissioner of Internal Revenue from 1958-1961
- Bill Wehrum, acting Assistant Administrator, Office of Air & Radiation United States Environmental Protection Agency
- James J. White, Robert A. Sullivan Professor of Law at the University of Michigan Law School and author of a treatise on the Uniform Commercial Code (with Summers).
- Beth Wilkinson - Prosecutor in the Oklahoma City bombing case.
References
- http://www.abovethelaw.com/2009/03/2008_revenue_numbers.php
- http://abovethelaw.com/2009/02/latham_watkins_profits_per_par.php
- http://www.abovethelaw.com/2008/03/whats_up_at_latham_watkinsmora.php
- http://abovethelaw.com/2008/12/latham_watkins_salary_freeze.php
- http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/02/27/AR2009022702751_pf.html
- http://abovethelaw.com/2009/02/nationwide_layoff_watch_latham_1.php
- Reckard, Scott (2006 November 8). "Scientology groups to pay back $3.5 million". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2008 April 24.
{{cite news}}: Check date values in:|accessdate=and|date=(help); Cite has empty unknown parameter:|coauthors=(help) - Gray, Tyler (2008-03-31). "Anonymous on Trial? Scientology Steps Up Skirmish". Radar. Retrieved 2008-12-16.
- Lat, David (2008-04-01). "Latham & Watkins to Free Stress Tests?". Above the Law. Retrieved 2008-12-16.
- Bowman, Lisa (1999 October 3). "Schindler heads toward life post-Mitnick". ZD Net. Retrieved 2008 April 24.
{{cite news}}: Check date values in:|accessdate=and|date=(help); Cite has empty unknown parameter:|coauthors=(help) - Heller, Jamie (2008 March 28). "Lawyer Pleas in Case Charging that He Bilked Firm and Clients". Wall Street Journal. Retrieved 2008 April 18.
{{cite news}}: Check date values in:|accessdate=and|date=(help); Cite has empty unknown parameter:|coauthors=(help)