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Some big law firms have increased salaries of first-year associates to $180,000 in an effort to lure the best recruits, but now some of those firms are raising the bar by offering benefit packages that include flexible schedules, child care and elderly care assistance, student loan assistance programs, paid parental leave, unlimited paid vacation, private banking, subsidized gym membership and career and family coaching services, reports Bloomberg Law.

Reporter Carmen Castro-Pagan quotes Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe’s chief talent officer as saying :the war for talent is intensifying,” as she explains that declining law school enrollment and low LSAT scores result in fewer of the most talented students are entering the profession.

Orrick now offers primary caregivers 22 weeks of paid parental leave and up to nine months of job protection.

White & Case LLP has an adoption assistance program that allows employees to set aside pretax dollars of up to $13,460 to help offset adoption expenses, and Goodwin has a program to help lawyers and professional staff refinance and consolidate their student loans. Other benefits can include on-site fitness centers, career counseling, flexible vacations, and travel and living expenses, the Bloomberg article reports.

Read the article.

Reuters is reporting that prominent Texas lawyer Mikal Watts was acquitted on Thursday of charges he made up thousands of fake clients to sue BP Plc for damages that the oil company caused in the 2010 Gulf of Mexico spill, court records show.

A Mississippi federal jury found Watts and four other defendants not guilty of charges related to an alleged scheme to defraud a program set up by BP to compensate people who suffered economic losses from the spill, writes Jonathan Stempel. The jury found two other defendants guilty.

“The U.S. Department of Justice had accused the defendants of submitting claims on behalf of more than 40,000 people who had not agreed to be represented by Watts’ firm, or else were identified with stolen or bogus Social Security numbers and other personal information,” reports Stempel.

Read the article.

Susan M. Hartman of Buchanan Ingersoll & Rooney writes that most commercial contracts contain what is called an “indemnification” provision.

She explains in her article published by JD Supra Business Advisor that indemnification is an obligation to be responsible for  losses another party might suffer if certain events occur, possibly including legal fees to defend against a third-party claim and damages awarded to the third party as a result of the claim.

“Indemnification is often one of the last issues to resolve in contract negotiations. However, it is important to take the time to think through each party’s obligations under the contract, and consider what type of indemnification is appropriate based on the deal. A broad indemnification that may have been reasonable for a startup company to provide will not be viewed favorably when the applicable contract is assigned to an acquiring company that has more assets at risk if there is an indemnification claim.

Read the article.

The advantages and disadvantages of arbitration versus litigation have been long debated, writes Kirk Watkins of Womble Carlyle Sandridge & Rice, LLP.

“Because arbitration is a matter of contract, parties are free to adopt existing procedural and substantive rules or invent their own. This freedom can complicate comparisons. For example, the parties can include or exclude discovery, permit or prohibit direct testimony, and require prompt and detailed rulings – or not. Arbitrations have one advantage that is unquestioned – treaties make the international enforcement of arbitration awards easier and more likely than the informant of state judgments.” he explains.

He adds that, “if parties to a license or industry dispute resolution agreement devote appropriate time and effort to preparing an arbitration provision to meet their specific objectives, arbitration can be a valuable tool in resolving patent disputes.”

Read the article.

Whether you are leasing real estate or buying or selling a business or real estate, the letter of intent (LOI) is the usual and practical initial step, writes Bernard B. Kolodner for Kleinbard LLC.

“An LOI or term sheet is how you find out if you are likely to have a deal before you spend a lot of time or legal fees on the deal. The details included in an LOI will be largely dependent on whether the deal proposed is a lease, sale or purchase of real estate or a business,” he writes.

“For a lease, an LOI will often specify the space, rent, security deposit, term, extensions, and commencement. In addition it might include provisions covering work to be done on the space, who will be responsible for the work (landlord or tenant) and the amount of any tenant improvement allowance. Reviewing the LOI is the quick and easy way to gauge the interest of the person on the other side of the deal as well as identifying whether there are unbridgeable business issues that need to be addressed prior to drafting the lease.”

Read the article.

If your job includes reviewing, drafting or negotiating contracts, you’ve probably seen  provisions relating to insurance, indemnification, and limitation of liability, writes Kenneth Gorenberg of Barnes & Thornburg LLP.

“Are they boilerplate that you spend little time on? Do you fully understand exactly what they do? Do you negotiate or revise them?” he asks.

“Fundamentally, the purpose of insurance, indemnification, and limitation clauses is to allocate risks,” Gorenberg explains. “In general, insurance transfers risk from the contracting parties to a third party—an insurance company. Indemnification usually transfers risk between the parties to the contract. Limitation of liability prevents or limits the transfer of risk between the parties.”

Read the article.

Four workers injured in a flash fire last week at the Sunoco Logistics terminal in Nederland, Texas, remain hospitalized with severe burns and related injuries. Two of the workers have retained Matthew Matheny and Edward Fisher of the Provost Umphrey law firm to represent their interests, and the attorneys have already secured a preservation agreement covering the accident site and will be leading an investigation on behalf of their clients.

“It’s important to preserve the location and allow investigators and experts to better determine the causes of the accident and what might have prevented this tragedy,” says Matheny in an article posted by Androvett Legal Media & Marketing. “We’ll be talking to witnesses and examining any records of safety and maintenance procedures at the facility. Obviously this horrible accident should not have happened, and we’re prepared to find out why.”

According to initial reports, at the time of the accident the workers were doing some welding at the Sunoco facility, which handles crude oil, condensate, naphtha, base and extract oils.

Lawyers in corporate legal departments and attorneys at law firms both say the amount of outsourced legal work has increased over the past year, but they disagree by how much, according to the International Association of Defense Counsel’s (IADC) second annual Inside/Outside Counsel Relationship Survey.

This discrepancy, along with the survey’s finding that in-house and outside counsel continue to rate themselves higher than they rate each other, points to noteworthy and enduring disconnects in communication and in their understanding of each other’s challenges.

“The purpose of the 2016 Inside/Outside Counsel Relationship Survey was to better understand current trends in outsourcing legal services and to gauge how in-house counsel and outside lawyers are getting along, especially compared to the findings from the IADC’s 2015 survey,” said John T. Lay, Jr., IADC President and a shareholder at Gallivan, White & Boyd, P.A. “The survey results demonstrate that both sides still require greater understanding and support in certain key areas.”

Administered by a third party, the IADC online survey includes responses from 346 corporate attorneys currently working in the legal department of a company/corporation and 333 attorneys employed at a law firm or private law practice. Most respondents hold leadership positions within their organizations. A 2,500 member, invitation-only organization, the IADC conducted the survey in its role as a leader in many areas of legal reform and professional development.

Notably, sixty-one percent of inside counsel survey respondents reported an uptick in the amount of work they were contracting out to law firms over the last 12 months, while only 39 percent of outside counsel say their work from corporate clients increased over the same period. Compared to the previous 12 months analyzed in the 2015 survey, this year 8 percent more inside counsel and 12 percent more outside counsel reported growth in the overall amount of outsourced legal work. Also, slightly more than half of in-house respondents said they expect outsourcing to continue to grow over the next 12 months.

“The significant variance in opinion between the two groups on how much work is going to law firms tells us that companies are consolidating more work with a smaller number of law firms and that’s a trend that is having a significant impact on our industry,” said Andrew Kopon, Jr., IADC President-Elect and a founding member of Kopon Airdo, LLC.

The survey also revealed disagreements between inside and outside counsel on how well each group is doing in managing their client-vendor relationships and understanding of each other’s business goals and operations. Billing and budgets, unsurprisingly, are front and center among the survey respondents’ areas of concern. In-house counsel gave outside counsel their lowest grades concerning offering timely and realistic budgets and discounted fees/fixed fees/alternative arrangements when requested.

One in-house survey respondent noted that outside counsel “put multiple partners on the same matter; exceed budgets; do not offer fee arrangements that are linked to value.” Conversely, an outside counsel respondent suggested that in-house counsel should “eliminate budget requirements when a case is new and remove absurd billing guidelines.”

Communication also was called out by both inside and outside counsel respondents as an area of concern. One outside counsel respondent suggested that lawyers in legal departments should communicate “regularly and clearly on what the objectives are and the methods to be used to achieve those objectives.”

In-house survey respondents cited outside counsel communication failures including not returning phone calls and emails in a timely manner, insufficient updates on case developments and strategy changes, and “taking steps without first securing clearance from legal department.”

Inside counsel rated attorneys at law firms highest for their expertise and how well they work with the in-house legal department. Attorneys at law firms were most complimentary when rating in-house attorneys on responsiveness to questions, feedback, or requests for authorization.

To access a PDF of the 2016 Inside/Outside Counsel Relationship Survey results, visit http://www.iadclaw.org/assets/1/7/2016_IADC_Inside_Outside_Counsel_Relationship_Survey.pdf.

Neal, Gerber & Eisenberg LLP has added David P. Milligan as partner. Milligan joins the firm from Kirkland & Ellis LLP.

Milligan’s corporate experience includes mergers & acquisitions, leveraged buyouts, recapitalizations, divestitures, debt financings and equity financings for a client list that includes private equity groups, commercial lending institutions, hedge funds, and a variety of public and privately held companies. He has been recognized as a “leading lawyer” in IFLR1000 for both his banking and private equity work.

“We’re very pleased to expand our group with the addition of an attorney of David’s caliber,” said David S. Stone, chair of the firm’s Corporate & Securities practice. “We are confident that his extensive experience with complex finance transactions will be of great benefit to our clients.”

“I am thrilled to have David join us,” added Managing Partner Scott J. Fisher. “We are committed to delivering cutting-edge counsel with a sound appreciation for our client’s business realities, and David’s skill set – combining his strong business credentials with his excellent legal experience – is a perfect fit.”

Prior to beginning his legal career, Milligan obtained his M.B.A. and worked as a management consultant and in various business roles at Dow Chemical and Compaq Computer Corporation.

Milligan earned his J.D., magna cum laude, from the University of Michigan Law School in 2005, where he was awarded the Order of the Coif. He previously received a B.S. in chemical engineering, with honors, from the Florida Institute of Technology, and an M.B.A. from the University of Houston.

Nine partners in Farrell Fritz have been recognized in The Best Lawyers in America 2017.

The partners and the fields in which they are being recognized are: Charles M. Strain and Jeffrey P. Rust (Health Care Law); Domenique Camacho Moran (Employment Law – Management); Eric W. Penzer, Ilene Sherwyn Cooper and John R. Morken (Litigation – Trusts & Estates); Jason S. Samuels (Litigation – Construction); John (Jack) Barnosky (Litigation – Trusts & Estates and Trusts & Estates); and Robert E. Sandler (Real Estate Law).

In addition, Jack Barnosky has been named a “Lawyer of the Year.” This recognition is awarded to individual attorneys with the highest overall peer-feedback for a specific practice area and geographic location. Only one lawyer is recognized as the “Lawyer of the Year” for each practice area and location.

Strain, a Garden City resident, earned his J.D. from St. John’s University School of Law and his B.A. degree from Washington and Lee University. Mr. Rust, a Garden City resident, earned his J.D. degree from The University of Akron School of Law, his M.B.A. from The University of Akron College of Business and his B.S. degree from SUNY College at Geneseo. Ms. Moran, a Rockville Centre resident, earned her J.D. degree from the University of Notre Dame Law School and her B.A. degree from SUNY Stony Brook. Mr. Penzer, a Melville resident, earned his J.D. degree from Fordham University School of Law and his B.A. degree from SUNY Stony Brook. Ms. Cooper, a Huntington resident, earned her J.D. degree from Hofstra University School of Law and her B.A. degree from Cornell University. Mr. Morken, a Centerport resident, earned his J.D. degree from New York University School of Law and his B.A. degree from Swarthmore College. Mr. Samuels, a Roslyn Heights resident, earned his J.D. degree from Hofstra University School of Law and his B.A. degree from the SUNY Albany. Mr. Barnosky, a Halesite resident, earned his LL.M. degree from New York University School of Law, his J.D. degree from St. John’s University School of Law and his A.B. degree from Assumption College. Mr. Sandler, a Dix Hills resident, earned his J.D. degree from St. John’s University School of Law, his Master’s degree from Hunter College and his B.A. degree from American University.

Gardere Wynne Sewell LLP announces that 61 of the firm’s attorneys have been selected for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America 2017 edition, including a Denver partner who earned a “Lawyer of the Year” distinction.

“More than two-thirds of our recognized attorneys have been included on the annual Best Lawyers list for five years or longer, which speaks highly to the Firm’s ongoing commitment to providing the best service for our clients,” says Gardere Chair Holland N. O’Neil. “We are honored to be acknowledged by our peers in these prestigious rankings.”

Denver Partner Leonard H. MacPhee has earned recognition as the Best Lawyers® Denver Franchise Law “Lawyer of the Year.” The “Lawyer of the Year” recognition is reserved for a single lawyer with the highest overall peer feedback in a specific practice specialty and geographic location. Mr. MacPhee, who serves as co-chair of the Firm’s global supply network industry team and practices in the commercial litigation practice area, focuses on global and national supply network, franchise and distribution matters.
Gardere attorneys named to the 2017 edition of The Best Lawyers in America list include:

Austin:

• Edward D. Burbach – Administrative/Regulatory Law
• Mark Vane – Government Relations Practice
• Kimberly A. Yelkin – Insurance Law

Dallas:

• Val J. Albright – Tax Litigation and Controversy, Tax Law
• David G. Cabrales – Commercial Litigation
• Steven S. Camp – Banking and Finance Law
• Chris Converse – Corporate Law
• Scott L. Davis – Commercial Litigation
• Marshall J. Doke Jr. – Commercial Litigation
• Michael J. Donohue – Tax Litigation and Controversy, Tax Law
• Michael W. Dubner – Intellectual Property Litigation
• W. Robert Dyer Jr. – Real Estate Law
• T. Mark Edwards – Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law
• Craig B. Florence – Commercial Litigation
• Dwight M. Francis – Commercial Litigation
• Jeffrey M. Gaba – Environmental Law
• Kenneth R. Glaser – Intellectual Property Litigation, Patent Law
• Lawrence E. Glasgow – Corporate Law, Mergers and Acquisitions Law
• Beverly B. Godbey – Commercial Litigation, Insurance Law
• Lawrence B. Goldstein – Corporate Law
• Stephen D. Good – Tax Law
• Randy D. Gordon – Antitrust Law
• Douglas A. Harrison – Family Law
• Jack W. Hawkins – Trusts and Estates
• Michael S. Haynes – Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights/Insolvency and Reorganization Law
• Marcus Helt – Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights/Insolvency and Reorganization Law
• Carrie B. Hoffman – Employment Law Management, Labor and Employment Litigation
• Kevin L. Kelley – Leisure and Hospitality Law, Real Estate Law
• Stephen A. McCartin – Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights/Insolvency and Reorganization Law, Bankruptcy Litigation
• Joyce G. Mazero – Franchise Law
• Cynthia Brotman Nelson – Leisure and Hospitality Law, Real Estate Law
• Keith V. Novick – Trusts and Estates
• Holland N. O’Neil – Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights/Insolvency and Reorganization Law, Bankruptcy Litigation
• Alan J. Perkins – Corporate Law, Mergers and Acquisitions Law
• Frances E. Phillips – Environmental Law, Environmental Litigation
• Clifford J. Risman – Leisure and Hospitality Law, Real Estate Law
• Deirdre B. Ruckman – Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights/Insolvency and Reorganization Law, Bankruptcy Litigation
• Robert Sarfatis – Corporate Law
• Larry Schoenbrun – Corporate Compliance Law, Corporate Governance Law, Corporate Law, Leveraged Buyouts and Private Equity Law, Mergers and Acquisitions Law, Securities/Capital Markets Law
• Paul V. Storm – Intellectual Property Litigation
• Andre M. Szuwalski – Intellectual Property Litigation
• David H. Timmins – Insurance Law
• Richard A. Tulli – Corporate Law
• Peter S. Vogel – Information Technology Law, Technology Law
• Richard L. Waggoner – Corporate Law

Denver:

• Leonard H. MacPhee – Franchise Law

Houston:

• Michael A. Abbott – Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law
• Eric A. Blumrosen – Corporate Law
• Geoffrey H. Bracken – Commercial Litigation, Oil and Gas Law
• Robert W. Bramlette – Real Estate Law
• Daniel L. Cohen – Mergers and Acquisitions Law
• Allen B. Craig III – Corporate Law, Tax Law
• Jeffrey S. Davis – Commercial Litigation, Product Liability Litigation Defense
• Douglas K. Eyberg – Corporate Law, Energy Law
• James Howard – Tax Law
• John P. Melko – Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights/Insolvency and Reorganization Law, Bankruptcy Litigation
• Lawrence J. Pirtle – Trusts and Estates
• Frank M. Putman – Corporate Law
• N.L. Stevens III – Corporate Law
• Hoang Quan Vu – Banking and Finance Law
• T. Michael Wall – Commercial Litigation

Longtime East Texas lawyer Johnny Ward of Longview’s Ward, Smith & Hill, PLLC, once again has been named among the country’s top attorneys in the latest edition of The Best Lawyers in America.

This is the second consecutive year that Ward has earned selection to the annual compilation of the nation’s leading lawyers based on his expertise in intellectual property litigation. In as release, the firm said he is widely recognized for his work in patent infringement cases heard in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas.

The firm’s release continues:

Ward was selected to the 2017 edition after an independent nomination process followed by a review of his courtroom track record by other attorneys who handle the same types of cases and who previously have been named to Best Lawyers.

To learn more about Mr. Ward and his background, click here: .

In February, Mr. Ward helped win the largest verdict issued in the U.S. so far this year in a patent infringement case against Apple Inc. over certain features included in the company’s popular iPhones. Mr. Ward, who served as local counsel, selected the jury, examined key witnesses and presented a portion of the closing arguments in the record-setting case.

“I am proud to have been selected to Best Lawyers again based on the recommendations of other lawyers who handle the same type of work we have been handling at Ward, Smith & Hill for decades,” says Mr. Ward. “I am fortunate to work with some of the best lawyers anywhere in patent cases, and this honor reflects all of our efforts.”

In addition to the recent Best Lawyers honor, Mr. Ward also is regularly recognized as one of Texas’ leading lawyers in the annual Texas Super Lawyers list.

The Expert Institute is now accepting nominations for its Second Annual Best Legal Blog Contest.

Blogs can be nominated by friends, fans, and colleagues by filling out a short form and explaining why the blog deserves a place in the voting round of the competition. The Institute says the nomination process is competitive – the more nominations a blog receives, the more likely it is to move on to the next stage of the competition, where it will go head to head with some of the best legal blogs online today.

Blogs will compete for rank within their category, and the top three blogs in any category that receive the most votes will receive prizes, as well as a permanent spot on the Institute’s Best Legal Blogs page.

The nomination period closes on Sept. 5 at 12:00am (EDT), after which the nominations will be tallied and voting opened for the competition.

Nominate a blog.

Phase 5, an independent market research firm, is conducting a comprehensive study of how third-party risks are managed within organizations.

Participants in the study will receive complimentary copies of the final report. All responses are confidential and will be reported only in aggregate form.

Some of the questions to be considered include:

• What are the top objectives organizations have when it comes to their third party risk management programs?
• What challenges do organizations face when developing their third party risk management programs, and what could undermine the effectiveness of their efforts?
• What processes do organizations employ to conduct third party due diligence?
• How does your organization compare to your peers when it comes to its level of third party program maturity?

Take the survey.

U.S. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx

Bloomberg Law examines a lawsuit involving U.S. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx, who is the target of an attempt to recover salary Foxx collected during his three-and-a-half year tenure as deputy general counsel at a now-defunct company.

“From 2009 to 2013, Foxx worked as a deputy general counsel at the bankrupt Charlotte bus maker DesignLine. During that time, he also served as mayor of Charlotte on a part-time basis, writes Gabe Friedman. “Now, the liquidating trustee in bankruptcy court is seeking to recover his pay — as a fraudulent transfer — during a three-and-a-half year stretch.”

The salary in question works out to $309,760, or $88,502.86 per year.

“The parties in the case have agreed to participate in a voluntary, non-binding mediation in Charlotte that will occur on or before Sept. 30, according to an order filed in federal bankruptcy court this month,” according to The Charlotte Observer.

Read the article.

CNN is reporting that Kentucky’s attorney general is suing health-care giant Johnson & Johnson for millions of dollars, saying the company “concealed and misrepresented” the risk of its transvaginal mesh products to doctors and patients.

In the lawsuit, AG Andy Beshear alleged Johnson & Johnson’s medical device company, Ethicon, didn’t provide enough information about possible adverse effects to more than 15,000 women in Kentucky who had the transvaginal mesh implanted.

The company called the suit justified.

“The lawsuit says women have reported chronic pelvic pain, pain associated with intercourse and/or the loss sexual function, and other health problems,” according to the report by Steve Almasy.

Read the article.

An increase in revenue for law firms in the first half of this year came largely from higher lawyer billing rates rather than greater demand for services, The New York Times reports, citing Citi Private Bank’s quarterly report on the legal industry.

Reporter Elizabeth Olson wrote that “the 4.1 percent average revenue increase was surprisingly strong, considering the continuing consolidation among law firms and the sharper scrutiny that corporations are giving the customary high levels of legal billing. It compares with the 3.3 percent growth for the first half of 2015, according to the report by Dan DiPietro, the chairman of Citi Private Bank’s law firm group, and Lauren Harsha, an analyst with the group.”

The Citi report attributed much of the growth to an average billing rate increase of 3.2 percent. “The results so far are similar to four out of the last five years, when law firms experienced modest growth in demand, revenues and single-digit profit growth,” DiPietro said.

Read the article.

DLA Piper announced that Andrea Chambers, who has more than 20 years of experience working with energy-sector clients, has joined the firm’s Finance practice as a partner in Washington, DC.

Chambers has extensive experience on matters before the Federal Energy Regulation Commission (FERC) and has advised clients regarding wholesale electric energy markets, natural gas pipelines, electric transmission facilities, storage infrastructure, and ratemaking and tariffs.

“Andrea is highly regarded within the FERC community and is well known for her ability to provide strong regulatory advice,” said Joseph Tato, global co-chair of DLA Piper’s Energy sector. “Her knowledge of FERC regulatory and administrative matters will benefit clients as they continue to grapple with regulatory compliance in an evolving energy sector.”

The firm’s release continues:

Chambers follows other recent additions to the firm’s Finance practice, including Timothy Moran, Vanessa Richelle Wilson and Gregory Smith, who are based in the Washington office. The partners focus on project development and financing matters, as well as energy and M&A, in the United States and internationally. They are part of a strategic initiative by DLA Piper, together with recently hired New York-based partners Charles Carroll and Philip Corsello, to expand its offerings as one of the top global law firms in those sectors.

“We’ve brought in some strong talent covering a variety of areas to our Finance team in Washington and across the firm this year,” said Mary Gately, managing partner of DLA Piper’s Washington, DC, office. “Andrea adds to that with her strong experience with interstate pipeline projects and geothermal and wind developers, as well as her success in litigation before FERC and appellate courts nationwide.”

Chambers is a member of the Energy Bar Association, the Women’s Energy Network and the Women’s Council of Energy and the Environment, and has received the FERC Certificate for Outstanding Performance. She earned her J.D. from American University, Washington College of Law, and her B.A. from Georgetown University.

The national law firm of Quarles & Brady LLP has announced that 168 attorneys have been selected by their peers for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America 2017. The following Quarles & Brady attorneys distinguished for excellence were named in their respective practice areas designated by Best Lawyers:

Chicago, Ill.
• Adrianne C. Mazura—Employment Law – Management, Labor Law – Management, Litigation – Labor and Employment
• E. King Poor—Commercial Litigation, Appellate Practice
• Eric J. Fuglsang—Real Estate Law
• Janice E. Rodgers—Non-Profit / Charities Law
• Janine M. Landow-Esser—Environmental Law
• Jeffrey S. Piell —Arbitration, Mediation
• Kirk A. Hoopingarner—Trusts and Estates
• Kwame Y. Raoul—Education Law
• Michael S. Mostow*—Environmental Law
• Nicole M. Murray—Trademark Law
• Norah L. Jones—Non-Profit / Charities Law
• Paul L. Langer—Insurance Law
• Richard W. Young—Trademark Law
• Robert F. Messerly—Real Estate Law
• Robert L. Gamrath—Real Estate Law
• Theodore I. Yi—Real Estate Law

Indianapolis, Ind.
• Daniel M. Long—Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions – Defendants
• George E. Purdy—Commercial Litigation, Medical Malpractice Law – Defendants, Product Liability Litigation – Defendants
• Joshua B. Fleming—Commercial Litigation
• Lucy R. Dollens—Appellate Practice
• Matthew S. Carr—Non-Profit / Charities Law

Madison, Wis.
• Anthony A. Tomaselli—Litigation – Intellectual Property
• Ave M. Bie—Administrative / Regulatory Law, Energy Law
• Bennett J. Berson—Litigation – Patent, Patent Law, Trademark Law
• Bradley D. Jackson—Communications Law, Energy Law, Energy Regulatory Law
• Donald K. Schott—Bet-the-Company Litigation, Commercial Litigation, Litigation – Environmental, Litigation – Mergers and Acquisitions, Litigation – Regulatory Enforcement (SEC, Telecom, Energy) Litigation – Securities
• Fred Gants—Employment Law – Management, Labor Law – Management, Litigation – Labor and Employment
• Grant Sovern—Immigration Law
• Gregory T. Everts—Litigation – Regulatory Enforcement (SEC, Telecom, Energy)
• John S. Robison—Corporate Law, Mergers and Acquisitions Law
• Kerry L. Moskol—Health Care Law
• Kevin A. Delorey—Real Estate Law
• Margaret E. M. Utterback—Corporate Compliance Law, Corporate Law
• Mark T. Ehrmann—Corporate Law, Mergers and Acquisitions Law, Venture Capital Law
• Patricia M. Hutter—Mergers and Acquisitions Law
• Sarah E. Coyne—Health Care Law
• William J. Toman—Insurance Law

Milwaukee, Wis.
• Alyce C. Katayama—Health Care Law, Immigration Law
• Amalia L. Todryk—Closely Held Companies and Family Businesses Law, Trusts and Estates
• Amy A. Ciepluch—Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law
• Andrew Beilfuss—Commercial Litigation
• Ann M. Murphy—Banking and Finance Law, Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law
• Anthony C. Marino—Banking and Finance Law, Commercial Finance Law
• Arthur A. Vogel, Jr. —Environmental Law, Litigation – Environmental, Natural Resources Law
• Bernard J. Kearney III—Real Estate Law
• Brian D. Winters—Energy Law
• Brian G. Lanser—Project Finance Law, Public Finance Law
• Carl R. Schwartz—Biotechnology Law, Copyright Law, Litigation – Intellectual Property, Litigation – Patent, Patent Law, Trademark Law
• Catherine Faught Pollard—Product Liability Litigation – Defendants
• Daniel E. Conley—Bet-the-Company Litigation, Commercial Litigation, Health Care Law, Litigation – Environmental, Litigation – Intellectual Property, Litigation – Securities
• Daniel M. Janssen—Franchise Law
• David B. Kern—Employment Law – Management, Labor Law – Management, Litigation – Labor and Employment
• David L. Bourne—Banking and Finance Law, Corporate Law
• David P. Olson—Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law
• David R. Cross—Commercial Litigation, Litigation – Antitrust, Litigation – Intellectual Property, Litigation – Patent
• Donald W. Layden, Jr.—Corporate Law
• Elizabeth A. Orelup—Corporate Law
• Elizabeth G. Nowakowski—Tax Law
• Elizabeth S. Blutstein—Public Finance Law
• Ely A. Leichtling—Employment Law – Management, Labor Law – Management, Litigation – Labor and Employment
• Eric J. Van Vugt—Bet-the-Company Litigation, Commercial Litigation, Personal Injury Litigation – Defendants
• Fredrick G. Lautz—Corporate Law, Mergers and Acquisitions Law, Securities / Capital Markets Law
• George E. Haas—Litigation – Patent, Patent Law
• George J. Marek—Environmental Law
• James D. Friedman—Banking and Finance Law, Financial Services Regulation Law, Litigation – Banking and Finance
• James F. Daly—Trusts and Estates
• Jean C. Baker—Biotechnology Law, Patent Law
• Jeff Peelen—Government Relations Practice, Public Finance Law
• Jeffrey K. Spoerk—Product Liability Litigation – Defendants
• Jeffrey Morris—Commercial Litigation
• Jeffrey O. Davis—Insurance Law
• Jennifer L. Rathburn—Health Care Law
• Jennifer V. Powers—Public Finance Law
• John A. Rothstein—Commercial Litigation, Litigation – Real Estate, Litigation – Trusts and Estates
• John D. Franzini—Litigation – Intellectual Property, Litigation – Patent, Patent Law
• John H. Lhost—Trusts and Estates
• John L. Barlament—Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law
• John T. Bannen—Trusts and Estates
• John T. Barry—Litigation and Controversy – Tax, Tax Law
• John W. Daniels, Jr. —Real Estate Law
• Joseph D. Masterson—Corporate Law
• Joseph E. Puchner—Real Estate Law
• Katherine Maloney Perhach—Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law, Eminent Domain and Condemnation Law, Mortgage Banking Foreclosure Law
• Kathleen A. Gray—Trusts and Estates
• Keith A. Bruett—Commercial Litigation
• Kenneth V. Hallett—Financial Services Regulation Law, Mergers and Acquisitions Law
• Kevin M. Long—Litigation – Construction, Litigation – Real Estate
• Kim Marie Wynn—Banking and Finance Law, Commercial Finance Law
• Lisa A. Lyons—Health Care Law
• Mark A. Kircher—Personal Injury Litigation – Defendants, Product Liability Litigation – Defendants
• Mary Neese Fertl—Real Estate Law
• Mary Pat Jacoby—Employment Law – Management, Labor Law – Management
• Matthew J. Flynn—Commercial Litigation
• Michael A. Jaskolski—Litigation – Intellectual Property, Litigation – Patent, Patent Law
• Michael A. Levey—Health Care Law, Non-Profit / Charities Law
• Michael Aldana—Employment Law – Management, Labor Law – Management, Litigation – Labor and Employment
• Michael D. Zeka—Real Estate Law
• Michael J. Gonring—Personal Injury Litigation – Defendants, Product Liability Litigation – Defendants
• Michael J. Ostermeyer—Real Estate Law
• Mike Fischer—Employment Law – Management, Labor Law – Management, Litigation – Labor and Employment
• Nancy K. Peterson—Environmental Law, Litigation – Environmental, Natural Resources Law
• Noleta L. Jansen—Trusts and Estates
• Pamela M. Ploor—Litigation – Labor and Employment
• Patricia A. Hintz—Tax Law
• Patrick J. Goebel—Corporate Law, Leveraged Buyouts and Private Equity Law, Mergers and Acquisitions Law
• Patrick W. Schmidt—Personal Injury Litigation – Defendants, Product Liability Litigation – Defendants
• Paul J. Tilleman—Trusts and Estates
• Peter A. Tomasi—Energy Law, Energy Regulatory Law, Environmental Law, Litigation – Environmental
• Rebecca A. Speckhard—Project Finance Law, Public Finance Law
• Robert D. Rothacker—Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law
• Robert H. Duffy—Employment Law – Management, Labor Law – Management, Litigation – Labor and Employment
• Scott L. Langlois—Real Estate Law
• Sean M. Scullen—Employment Law – Management, Labor Law – Management
• Thomas A. Simonis—Corporate Law, Mergers and Acquisitions Law, Venture Capital Law, Tax Law
• Thomas J. Phillips—Litigation and Controversy – Tax, Tax Law
• Thomas P. McElligott—Environmental Law, Litigation – Environmental, Natural Resources Law
• Walter J. Skipper—Corporate Law
• William H. Harbeck—Litigation – Environmental

Naples, Fla.
• Bradley G. Rigor—Trusts and Estates
• Kimberly Leach Johnson—Trusts and Estates
• Laura M. Holm—Corporate Law

Phoenix, Ariz.
• Brian Sirower—Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law, Litigation – Bankruptcy
• C. Bradley Vynalek—Commercial Litigation
• Daniel L. Muchow—Environmental Law, Natural Resources Law
• Dawn R. Gabel—Tax Law
• Derek L. Sorenson—Real Estate Law
• Diane M. Haller—Real Estate Law
• Don P. Martin—Commercial Litigation, Legal Malpractice Law – Defendants, Litigation – Banking and Finance, Litigation – Real Estate
• Edward Salanga—Commercial Litigation, Litigation – Construction
• Eric B. Johnson—Employment Law – Management
• Jacque N. Westling—Banking and Finance Law, Corporate Law
• James A. Ryan—Bet-the-Company Litigation, Commercial Litigation, Tax Law
• Jeffrey B. Fugal—Tax Law
• Jeffrey H. Wolf—Franchise Law
• John A. Harris—Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law, Litigation – Bankruptcy
• John Maston O’Neal—Commercial Litigation
• Jon E. Pettibone—Administrative / Regulatory Law, Employment Law – Management, Labor Law – Management
• Joseph A. Drazek—Environmental Law, Litigation – Environmental, Natural Resources Law
• Lori L. Winkelman—Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law
• Matthew Mehr—Banking and Finance Law
• Nicole Stanton—Commercial Litigation, Legal Malpractice Law – Defendants
• P. Robert Moya—Corporate Law, Leveraged Buyouts and Private Equity Law, Mergers and Acquisitions Law, Securities / Capital Markets Law
• Peter A. Terry—Banking and Finance Law
• Robert P. Harris—Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law
• Roger N. Morris—Health Care Law
• Scott A. Klundt—Commercial Litigation
• Scott M. Berg—Banking and Finance Law
• Stanton E. Johnson—Real Estate Law
• Stephanie J. Quincy—Employment Law – Management, Labor Law – Management, Litigation – Labor and Employment
• Steven P. Emerick—Corporate Governance Law, Corporate Law, Equipment Finance Law, Securities / Capital Markets Law
• W. Scott Jenkins, Jr.—Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law

Tampa, Fla.
• Christian C. Burden—Franchise Law
• David A. Beyer—Franchise Law
• Jennifer L. Griffin—Trusts and Estates
• Kelli A. Edson—Commercial Litigation
• Paul E. Parrish—Commercial Litigation, Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law
• Philip V. Martino—Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law
• Rena Upshaw-Frazier*—Litigation – Real Estate
• Robert James Kline—Litigation – Trusts and Estates, Litigation and Controversy – Tax, Tax Law, Trusts and Estates
• Samuel P. Queirolo—Real Estate Law

Tucson, Ariz.
• Craig H. Kaufman—Bet-the-Company Litigation, Commercial Litigation
• Deanna Conn—Litigation – Patent
• James F. Morrow—Banking and Finance Law, Real Estate Law
• Jeremy A. Lite —Environmental Law, Litigation – Environmental
• Luis A. Ochoa—Non-Profit / Charities Law
• Susan G. Boswell—Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law, Litigation – Bankruptcy

Washington, D.C.
• John F. Dienelt—Franchise Law
• Scott McIntosh—Franchise Law

(*) Lawyers who are listed for the first time in Best Lawyers.

National law firm Dykema has announced that 115 of the its attorneys, in multiple practice areas and markets, have been recognized in The Best Lawyers in America 2017 guide. Additionally, 14 of the firm’s practitioners have been named Best Lawyers 2017 “Lawyer of the Year,” a special distinction conferred upon a single lawyer within a practice area and metropolitan market.

The Best Lawyers in America is the pre-eminent national listing of outstanding attorneys, the firm said in a release. This annual guide is derived from exhaustive peer-review surveys in which thousands of leading lawyers confidentially evaluate their professional peers. The 2017 guide recognizes Dykema attorneys in virtually all of the firm’s practice areas.

The Dykema attorneys named Best Lawyers 2017 “Lawyers of the Year,” the practice area for which they are being recognized and office location are:

• Richard J. Aaron – Energy Law, Lansing
• Maria B. Abrahamsen – Health Care Law, Ann Arbor
• J. Michael Bernard – Mergers and Acquisitions Law, Detroit
• Ann D. Fillingham – Corporate Law, Lansing
• Alan M. Greene – Land Use and Zoning Law, Bloomfield Hills
• Kathrin E. Kudner – Health Care Law, Ann Arbor
• Lori McAllister – Insurance Law, Lansing
• Mark A. Metz – Securities Regulation, Bloomfield Hills
• Melvin J. Muskovitz – Litigation – Labor and Employment, Ann Arbor
• William J. Perrone – Banking and Finance Law, Lansing
• Cameron H. Piggott – Real Estate Law, Detroit
• Carl Rashid, Jr. – Litigation and Controversy – Tax, Detroit
• Rex E. Schlaybaugh, Jr. – Mergers and Acquisitions Law, Bloomfield Hills
• Joshua A. Sutin – Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law, San Antonio

The Dykema attorneys listed in the 2017 Best Lawyers in America guide, identified by office location and the practice areas for which they have been recognized, are:

Ann Arbor, Michigan

• Maria B. Abrahamsen – Health Care Law
• Phyllis G. Adams – Health Care Law
• Marie R. Deveney – Trusts and Estates
• Kathrin E. Kudner – Health Care Law
• Melvin J. Muskovitz – Employment Law – Management, Labor Law – Management, Litigation – Labor and Employment
• Roselyn (Roz) Parmenter – Health Care Law
• Ronald J. Santo – Employment Law – Management, Labor Law – Management
• Robert P. Tiplady – Litigation – Trusts and Estates, Trusts and Estates
• Jill M. Wheaton – Appellate Practice, Commercial Litigation

Austin, Texas

• Mary Schaerdel Dietz – Commercial Litigation, Litigation – Banking and Finance, Litigation – Construction, Litigation – Real Estate
• Keith A. Shuley – Environmental Law, Water Law
• Phillip M. Slinkard – Corporate Law, Securities / Capital Markets Law

Bloomfield Hills, Michigan

• Bowden V. Brown – Public Finance Law
• Brendan J. Cahill – Mergers and Acquisitions Law
• Eric Thomas Carver – Litigation – Trusts and Estates, Tax Law, Trusts and Estates
• Amy M. Christen – Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law
• Michael G. Cumming – Trusts and Estates
• James P. Feeney – Arbitration, Bet-the-Company Litigation, Commercial Litigation, Corporate Law, Product Liability Litigation – Defendants
• Adam M. Fishkind – Real Estate Law
• Fred J. Fresard – Product Liability Litigation – Defendants
• Alan M. Greene – Land Use and Zoning Law, Litigation – Land Use and Zoning, Litigation – Real Estate
• John P. Guenther – Patent Law, Trademark Law
• Dennis M. Haffey – Commercial Litigation, Litigation – Banking and Finance, Litigation – Mergers and Acquisitions, Litigation – Securities, Litigation – Trusts and Estates
• Kyle R. Hauberg – Project Finance Law, Real Estate Law
• Margaret Adams Hunter – Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law
• Howard B. Iwrey – Antitrust Law, Litigation – Antitrust
• Joanne R. Lax – Health Care Law
• Gerald T. Lievois – Mergers and Acquisitions Law, Securities / Capital Markets Law
• D. Richard McDonald – Corporate Law, Mergers and Acquisitions Law, Securities / Capital Markets Law, Securities Regulation
• Mark A. Metz – Corporate Governance Law, Corporate Law, Securities / Capital Markets Law, Securities Regulation
• James D. Obermanns – Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law
• Rex E. Schlaybaugh, Jr. – Corporate Law, Mergers and Acquisitions Law, Securities / Capital Markets Law
• Sheryl L. Toby – Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law, Litigation – Bankruptcy
• Stephen L. Tupper – Information Technology Law

Chicago, Illinois

• Ross J. Altman – Construction Law, Real Estate Law
• Richard M. Bendix, Jr. – Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law
• Michael C. Borders – Product Liability Litigation – Defendants
• Terrence M. Burns – Medical Malpractice Law – Defendants
• Derek L. Cottier – Real Estate Law
• C. Elizabeth Darke – Real Estate Law
• Michael S. Kurtzon – Real Estate Law
• Robert C. Linton – Real Estate Law
• Andrew P. Scott – Land Use and Zoning Law
• Michael F. Sexton – Real Estate Law
• Ian M. Sherman – Insurance Law

Dallas, Texas

• Thomas B. Alleman – Insurance Law, Litigation – Environmental
• Mark E. Andrews – Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law
• M. David Bryant, Jr. – Commercial Litigation
• William Frank Carroll – Arbitration, Banking and Finance Law, Commercial Litigation, Mediation
• Bob H. Feroze – Real Estate Law
• William B. Finkelstein – Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law
• Brian R. Forbes – Real Estate Law
• R. Chris Harvey – Product Liability Litigation – Defendants
• Christopher D. Kratovil – Appellate Practice
• Arlene Switzer Steinfield – Employment Law – Management, Litigation – Labor and Employment
• Edwin J. Tomko – Criminal Defense: White-Collar

Detroit, Michigan

• J. Michael Bernard – Corporate Law, Mergers and Acquisitions Law
• Robert A. Boonin – Employment Law – Management, Litigation – Labor and Employment
• Michael P. Cooney – Product Liability Litigation – Defendants
• Samuel C. Damren – Commercial Litigation, Mediation
• Sherrie L. Farrell – Commercial Litigation
• Grant P. Gilezan – Environmental Law, Litigation – Environmental
• Steven E. Grob – Litigation and Controversy – Tax, Tax Law
• James F. Hermon – Litigation – Labor and Employment
• Kathryn J. Humphrey – Aviation Law, Product Liability Litigation – Defendants
• Mark D. Jacobs – Environmental Law
• Peter M. Kellett – Commercial Litigation, Litigation – Antitrust, Litigation – Securities, Mediation, Product Liability Litigation – Defendants
• Joel D. Kellman – Litigation – Real Estate, Real Estate Law
• Jin-Kyu Koh – Corporate Law, Mergers and Acquisitions Law, Securities / Capital Markets Law
• Cameron H. Piggott – Litigation – Real Estate, Real Estate Law
• Carl Rashid, Jr. – Eminent Domain and Condemnation Law, Litigation – Real Estate, Litigation and Controversy – Tax, Real Estate Law, Tax Law
• Thomas M. Schehr – Commercial Litigation
• Thomas S. Vaughn – Corporate Law, Securities / Capital Markets Law

El Paso, Texas

• Kathleen Campbell Walker – Immigration Law
• Mark C. Walker – Personal Injury Litigation – Defendants

Grand Rapids, Michigan

• James S. Brady – Bet-the-Company Litigation, Commercial Litigation, Criminal Defense: General Practice, Criminal Defense: White-Collar, DUI/DWI Defense, Family Law, Litigation – First Amendment, Litigation – Regulatory Enforcement (SEC, Telecom, Energy), Personal Injury Litigation – Defendants, Product Liability Litigation – Defendants
• John A. Ferroli – Environmental Law, Litigation – Environmental
• Stephen S. Muhich – Employment Law – Management, Litigation – Labor and Employment
• Brian J. Page – Corporate Law, Litigation – Real Estate, Real Estate Law

Lansing, Michigan

• Richard J. Aaron – Administrative / Regulatory Law, Energy Law
• R. Lance Boldrey – Gaming Law, Native American Law
• Sandra M. Cotter – Administrative / Regulatory Law
• Ann D. Fillingham – Corporate Law, Public Finance Law
• Gary P. Gordon – Administrative / Regulatory Law, Government Relations Practice
• James P. Kiefer – Corporate Law, Public Finance Law
• Lori McAllister – Arbitration, Bet-the-Company Litigation, Commercial Litigation, Insurance Law, Litigation – Banking and Finance, Litigation – Insurance
• William J. Perrone – Banking and Finance Law, Government Relations Practice
• W. Alan Wilk – Administrative / Regulatory Law, Corporate Compliance Law, Corporate Governance Law
• Leonard C. Wolfe – Administrative / Regulatory Law, Gaming Law, Government Relations Practice

McAllen, Texas

• Diann M. Bartek – Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law, Litigation – Bankruptcy

Minneapolis, Minnesota

• Reed R. Heimbecher – Patent Law
• Timothy D. Kelly – Bet-the-Company Litigation, Commercial Litigation, Litigation – Banking and Finance, Litigation – Mergers and Acquisitions, Litigation – Real Estate
• Brian Melendez – Commercial Litigation

San Antonio, Texas

• Kerry T. Benedict – Banking and Finance Law, Real Estate Law
• Ramon D. Bissmeyer – Employment Law – Management, Labor Law – Management, Litigation – Labor and Employment
• Peter R. Broderick – Real Estate Law
• J. Daniel Harkins – Copyright Law, Litigation – Intellectual Property, Litigation – Patent, Patent Law, Trademark Law
• C. David Kinder – Commercial Litigation
• Wilhelm E. Liebmann – Corporate Law, Securities / Capital Markets Law
• James M. McDonough – Real Estate Law
• Donna K. McElroy – Employment Law – Management, Labor Law – Management
• Robert W. Nelson – Tax Law
• J. Patrick Ryan – Corporate Law
• Thomas E. Sanders – Commercial Litigation, Litigation – ERISA
• Brett W. Schouest – Commercial Litigation
• James B. Smith, Jr. – Corporate Law
• Daniel R. Stern – Employment Law – Individuals, Employment Law – Management, Labor Law – Management, Labor Law – Union, Litigation – Labor and Employment
• John B. Stewart – Real Estate Law
• Joshua A. Sutin – Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law
• James M. Truss – Commercial Litigation, Litigation – Environmental, Litigation – Real Estate
• Dan G. Webster III – Corporate Law
• David B. West – Commercial Litigation, Litigation – Banking and Finance, Litigation – Trusts and Estates
• Deborah D. Williamson – Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law
• W. Roger Wilson – Energy Law
• Harry W. Wolff, Jr. – Trusts and Estates