The International Association of Defense Counsel (IADC) has announced that Spencer H. Silverglate, a partner with Clarke Silverglate, P.A., in Miami, has been elected President of the IADC for the 2021-22 term. The IADC also elected new Board of Directors members and leaders for 2021-22.

The IADC is the preeminent invitation-only global legal organization for attorneys who represent corporate and insurance interests.

In addition to Mr. Silverglate, the other new IADC board leaders, along with their law firm or company affiliations, are:

President-Elect
Mark R. Beebe
Adams and Reese LLP
New Orleans, Louisiana

Immediate Past President
Andrew S. Chamberlin
Ellis & Winters LLP
Greensboro, North Carolina

Vice President of Insurance
Thomas F. Lysaught
QBE North America
Chicago, Illinois

The new IADC board members (three-year terms), along with their law firm affiliations, are:

J. Dominic Campodonico
Gordon Rees Scully Mansukhani, LLP
San Francisco, California

Daniela Karollus-Bruner
CMS Reich-Rohrwig Hainz
Vienna, Austria

Christopher A. Kenney
Kenney & Sams, P.C.
Boston, Massachusetts

A member since 2000, Mr. Silverglate was formally installed as President at the IADC’s 2021 Annual Meeting. Mr. Silverglate also previously served as Director (in 2015) of the IADC’s prestigious annual Trial Academy held at Stanford Law School.

“Thanks to the IADC, I have been able to develop lasting relationships with some of the very best civil defense lawyers across the globe,” said Mr. Silverglate. “As a result, my IADC network has been the biggest single contributor to my business development success. My primary goal during the coming year will be to enhance member engagement and business development opportunities. All members are invited to the table.”

Mr. Silverglate litigates complex business disputes and defends high-stakes personal injury and product liability claims, including mass and class actions. Co-founder of the Miami-based litigation firm Clarke Silverglate, P.A., Mr. Silverglate has been recognized as one of the top litigators in Florida and the United States.

Mr. Silverglate also serves on the American Arbitration Association’s National Roster of Commercial and Employment Arbitrators. In addition, he is a prime member of the Association of Defense Trial Attorneys and serves on the boards of DRI and LCJ (Lawyers for Civil Justice). Mr. Silverglate also is a widely published author and frequent speaker.

Mr. Silverglate received his J.D. from the University of Florida College of Law and his Bachelor of Science from the University of Florida.

The IADC board oversees activities that benefit the organization’s members and their clients, as well as the civil justice system, the legal profession, and society in general. In addition to its core purpose involving professional development for members, the IADC takes a leadership role in many areas of legal reform. IADC members are among the world’s leading corporate and insurance lawyers at large and small law firms and senior counsel in corporate law departments, as well as corporate and insurance executives. Members represent the largest corporations around the world, including many of the companies listed in the FORTUNE 500.

Bradley Arant Boult Cummings LLP is pleased to announce that Birmingham partner Brooke Vinson has been selected as one of M&A Advisor’s 2021 Emerging Leaders. The 12th Annual Emerging Leaders Awards celebrate the industry’s emerging leaders in M&A, finance and turnaround who have reached a significant level of success in the industry before the age of 40.

“We are proud of Brooke for being recognized as a M&A Advisor’s Emerging Leader,” said Bradley Birmingham Office Managing Partner Dawn Helms Sharff. “Brooke demonstrates a high level of leadership and service to Bradley and the M&A community, and we congratulate her on this honor.”

Ms. Vinson primarily counsels privately held companies and private equity funds and their operating companies in formation, mergers and acquisitions, and corporate finance transactions, including securities offerings, divestitures, joint ventures and general corporate and securities law issues. She focuses on advising public and private clients, from startups to large corporations, in the areas of business formation, investment and financing transactions, securities compliance and other corporate matters. Ms. Vinson is a member of the firm’s Recruiting Committee, and in addition to her corporate practice, she advises clients on franchise matters, including business structure and legal and regulatory compliance.

The M&A Advisor’s Emerging Leaders Award winners were chosen from a pool of prominent nominees for their notable accomplishments in business and in service to the community. An independent panel of judges reviewed submissions and selected this year’s winners, who will be formally recognized on October 20, 2021, at a gala during the 2021 Future of Dealmaking Summit. The complete list of 2021 honorees can be seen here.

TYLER, Texas – Trial lawyers Reid Martin, John F. (Jack) Walker III, and Marisa Schouten of the law firm Martin Walker PC, will each be recognized in the 2022 issue of The Best Lawyers in America, considered the oldest and one of the most respected legal guides in the U.S.

Mr. Walker and Ms. Schouten were chosen for their experience representing individuals in personal injury and wrongful death litigation. Mr. Martin was honored for his work representing plaintiffs in medical malpractice lawsuits. Mr. Martin and Mr. Walker, who founded the firm in 2006, are Board Certified in Personal Injury Trial Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization. Ms. Schouten is Board Certified in Civil Appellate Law.

“It’s been a challenging year for everyone,” said Mr. Martin. “But I believe that, as a firm, we’ve come together, doubled our efforts, and done some of our best work. Being recognized for that is really tremendous.”

Martin Walker PC has received numerous honors for its work over the years. In addition to Best Lawyers, Mr. Martin and Mr. Walker have each been included on Thomson Reuters’ annual list of Texas Super Lawyers and in the list of 500 Leading Plaintiff Consumer Lawyers. The firm was also inducted into the Verdicts Hall of Fame by Texas Lawyer magazine for winning a $43.32 million judgment against East Texas Medical Center in 2018, the largest medical malpractice verdict in the state for that year.

“We take this recognition very seriously,” said Mr. Walker. “For us, it’s a constant reminder to do more, to go a little further, and work harder for those we represent.”

Attorneys selected to The Best Lawyers in America are chosen by peers practicing in the same area and geographic region. The Best Lawyers research team then puts each nominee through a vigorous review process before making its final selections. For the full list, visit https://www.bestlawyers.com/.

Martin Walker PC is a Tyler-based law firm with significant trial expertise representing individuals statewide in high-stakes litigation, including medical malpractice, catastrophic injuries involving 18-wheeler accidents, oilfield injuries, wrongful death, and product liability. For more information visit: http://www.martinwalkerlaw.com/

Bridgewater, NJ (August 20, 2021) – The law firm of Norris McLaughlin, P.A., is pleased to announce that nineteen of the firm’s attorneys have been selected for inclusion in the 2022 Best Lawyers® lists. Fifteen attorneys have been included in the 2022 edition of The Best Lawyers in America© and five are included in the 2022 Best Lawyers “Ones to Watch” list.

“We are proud of this group of attorneys for their accomplishments throughout the past year and we congratulate them on this honor,” said David C. Roberts, Chairman of the firm.

The Best Lawyers in America

The following Norris McLaughlin attorneys were included in the 2022 edition of The Best Lawyers in America:

• Douglas R. Brown, Banking and Finance Law
• Martha N. Donovan, Environmental Law; Litigation – Environmental
• Victor S. Elgort, Trusts and Estates
• Hugh P. Finnegan, Real Estate Law
• Edward A. Hogan, Energy Law; Environmental Law; Litigation – Environmental; Natural Resources Law
• Barbara L. Hollenbach, Workers’ Compensation Law – Employers
• Peter D. Hutcheon, Corporate Law; Mergers and Acquisitions Law; Securities / Capital Markets Law; Securities Regulation
• Joel N. Jacobson, Banking and Finance Law
• Steven A. Karg, Product Liability Litigation – Defendants
• James H. Laskey, Communications Law; Energy Law
• Kenneth D. Meskin, Trusts and Estates
• Richard B. Somach, Real Estate Law
• Edward G. Sponzilli, Commercial Litigation
• Ross J. Switkes, Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law
• Bruce J. Wisotsky, Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law; Litigation – Bankruptcy

Best Lawyers “Ones to Watch”

Additionally, five lawyers from the firm have been included in the 2022 Best Lawyers “Ones to Watch” list, which includes attorneys who are earlier in their careers and have demonstrated outstanding professional excellence in private practice. The following Norris McLaughlin attorneys were included in the list:

• Eric Alvarez, Commercial Litigation
• Risa M. Chalfin, Commercial Litigation
• Nicholas J. Dimakos, Litigation – Trusts and Estates
• Nicholas A. Duston, Commercial Litigation; Criminal Defense: White-Collar
• Michael J. Locke, Corporate Law; Mergers and Acquisitions Law

The full methodology for The Best Lawyers in America and the Best Lawyers “Ones to Watch” is available here. No aspect of this advertisement has been approved by the Supreme Court of New Jersey.

For the full list of Norris McLaughlin attorneys with links to their respective biographies, click here.

About Best Lawyers

Since it was first published in 1983, Best Lawyers has become regarded as the definitive guide to legal excellence. Best Lawyers lists are compiled based on an exhaustive peer-review evaluation. Almost 108,000 industry leading lawyers are eligible to vote (from around the world), and Best Lawyers has received over 13 million evaluations on the legal abilities of other lawyers based on their specific practice areas around the world. Lawyers are not required or allowed to pay a fee to be listed; therefore, inclusion in Best Lawyers is considered a singular honor.

Lawyers included in the Best Lawyers lists are divided by geographic region and practice area. They are reviewed by their peers and undergo an authentication process to ensure they are in current practice and in good standing.

Texas Lawyer magazine’s ‘Best of 2021’ honors firm for ninth consecutive year. DALLAS/HOUSTON – Readers of Texas Lawyer magazine have named Androvett the No. 1 communications firm in the Dallas and Houston legal markets in the magazine’s “Best of 2021” reader survey. This is the ninth consecutive year Androvett has earned “Best PR Firm” honors in the annual survey.  

“Powered by the dynamic regional economy, Texas has emerged as one of the strongest, fastest-growing and most innovative legal markets in the world. We’re proud to have helped law firms plant a flag in this market and leverage their existing assets, find their voice and reach their audiences,” said Mike Androvett, firm founder, president and CEO.  

Established in 1995, Androvett is a full-service agency providing public relations, marketing, advertising and digital expertise to the legal industry, professional services firms and others in the business community. In 2021, the firm opened a third Texas office to serve the growing Austin market. 

“We’ve seen the evolution of legal communications firsthand,” said Chief Operating Officer Scott Parks. “New tools are emerging on a daily basis, allowing firms to spread their messages to broad audiences, at the granular targeted level, and everywhere in between.” 

The complete “Best of 2021” awards will be published in September as part of a special edition of Texas Lawyer, the longest-running legal publication in the state. 

“Texas Lawyer has covered the legal industry for generations and has a savvy and knowledgeable audience. It’s a special honor that sophisticated readers place our firm at the top of the list,” said Mark Annick, Androvett’s vice president of news and public relations. 

In addition to traditional PR, litigation-related communications, crisis communications, and marketing, the firm offers a full pallet of tools for an evolving digital, web and social media communications landscape.  

“There are so many high-quality professional services firms and talented lawyers in the market that it’s critical for firms to differentiate themselves,” said Zack McKamie, Androvett’s vice president of marketing. “A strategic communications plan is key to achieving this. We’ve assembled a nimble team that can develop award-winning creative concepts and smart solutions to help our clients reach their goals.”  

Pat Rafferty, Androvett’s director of marketing and advertising, agreed: “Legal marketing has matured to the point that firms are really embracing creativity and opening up to new approaches to reaching their audience. We’re seeing firms get noticed by really stepping out and expressing their brand.” 

The pandemic shutdown has also changed the communications and marketing terrain, noted Bria Burk, Androvett’s director of digital marketing.  

“This has caused law firms to rethink their approach to marketing and in many cases go all-in on digital,” she said. “The push to remote work has really accelerated the legal industry’s embrace of digital channels and operations.”  

In addition to its string of No. 1 honors, Androvett was inducted into the Texas Lawyer Hall of Fame in 2016.  

Androvett is an award-winning, full-service marketing and public relations agency with unparalleled experience serving the communications needs of businesses and organizations across the U.S. Now in its 26^th year, Androvett has offices in Dallas, Houston and Austin. 

For a complete listing of agency services, visit www.androvett.com.  

“Investors are betting that cash-rich companies will increase spending on everything from factories to share buybacks, a combination many believe can boost stocks in coming months. Businesses including Tyson Foods Inc., consumer-products firm Newell Brands Inc., Morgan Stanley,” reports Hardika Singh in The Wall Street Journal.

“They plan to build factories, expand research budgets, pay down debt or seek acquisitions while also giving priority to dividends or share repurchases. The hoard of cash held by U.S. companies is a key comfort for U.S. investors, despite worries that the spread of the Delta variant of coronavirus could dent the burgeoning recovery.”

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“Community members affected by the 2018 explosion at the Husky oil refinery in Superior will be able to seek compensation now that a $1 million settlement has been reached in a federal class-action lawsuit. Husky Energy reached the $1.05 million agreement with Superior residents,” reports Danielle Kaeding in Wisconsin Public Radio.

“The lawsuit was filed in August 2018 due to losses experienced as a result of an explosion and series of fires at the refinery April 26, 2018. The explosion caused a temporary evacuation of the city and injured three dozen people. Husky is not admitting any wrongdoing or liability as part of the settlement. Up to 20,000 community members are eligible for compensation.”

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“New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy on Aug. 16 announced the appointment, which establishes a new in-house legal department at NJ Transit. The move stems from Murphy’s 2018 executive order directing an assessment of the N.J. Department of Transportation. Among the recommendations were the,” reports Marybeth Luczak in Railway Age.

“Wilson is currently Deputy Chief Counsel and Director of the Governor’s Authorities Unit for the state of New Jersey. Since September 2018, he has overseen the governance and operations of more than 50 independent state and bi-state agencies on behalf of the governor, and has sat on NJ Transit’s Board of Directors, exercising oversight.”

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“T-Mobile has been hit with a pair of class-action lawsuits in Washington federal court as the number of current and former customers impacted by a cyberattack against the telecommunications giant grows. One of the lawsuits, Espanoza v. T-Mobile USA, accuses T-Mobile of putting plaintiffs,” reports Lucas Manfredi in Fox Business.

“Armed with the Private Information accessed in the Data Breach, data thieves can commit a variety of crimes, including but not limited to fraudulently applying for unemployment benefits, opening new financial accounts in Class Members’ names, taking out loans in Class Members’ names, using Class Members’ information.”

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Lansing – August 23, 2021 – Dykema, a leading national law firm, today announced the addition of John W. Fraser to its Government Policy & Practice Group in the firm’s Lansing office. Fraser, who will serve as Michigan Team Leader of the firm’s Cannabis Group, joins Dykema after establishing and leading the cannabis practice at Grewal Law in Okemos, Mich.

In his practice, Fraser focuses on cannabis law, business law, general litigation, and appellate law. He primarily counsels cannabis entrepreneurs and investors, municipal governments, and other attorneys on matters of cannabis law. Fraser also has experience litigating cases in trial courts throughout the State of Michigan and has argued cases before the Michigan Court of Appeals and the Michigan Supreme Court.

In concurrence with his practice, Fraser serves as the Chairperson of the Cannabis Law Section of the State Bar of Michigan. He is also an adjunct professor of law at Western Michigan University Cooley Law School where he teaches a course on Medical Marijuana and the Law. He also regularly lectures and presents on cannabis law topics to attorneys and the community.

In his young career, Fraser has already been recognized by the Ingham County Bar Association as a Top 5 Lawyer Under 35 and by the State Bar of Michigan’s Marijuana Law Section as a Pioneer for his efforts in the published Michigan Court of Appeals opinion in People v. Manuel. He’s also been named a Rising Star by Michigan Super Lawyers for each of the past two years.

“We couldn’t be more excited to have John join the Dykema team in a leadership role,” said Lance Boldrey, leader of Dykema’s Cannabis Law Practice. “He has a proven record of success in the cannabis space, and bringing him on board is a great help as we continue to expand this practice.”

Fraser earned a J.D., summa cum laude, from the Michigan State University College of Law and a B.S. in both Philosophy and Political Science, cum laude, along with a minor in English from Central Michigan University.

C. Scott Murray has joined Duane Morris LLP as a partner in the firm’s Corporate Practice Group in its Dallas office. Prior to joining Duane Morris, Murray was vice president and general counsel at Gramercy Capital Partners.

“We’re excited to continue to expand our footprint and enhance our bench strength in Dallas with Scott Murray,” said Duane Morris Chairman and CEO Matthew A. Taylor. “We are seeing strong demand for corporate work, and increasing our Texas presence with full service offerings for our clients remains a critical firm objective.”

“In this heightened deal-making environment, Scott strengthens our corporate practice and accelerates our growth opportunities,” said Brian P. Kerwin, chair of the firm’s Corporate Practice Group. “His valuable experience, practice-building skills and connections in the regional private equity community are a great foundation to build out our presence in an important market.”

“Scott adds to the continued momentum we’re building in Dallas since opening our office six months ago,” said Randy Gordon, managing partner of Duane Morris’ Dallas office. “We’re thrilled to welcome him to our growing team.”

At Gramercy Capital Partners, Murray was responsible for and oversaw all legal matters for fund and portfolio holding operations. As a senior adviser for all legal issues, he advised senior executives on corporate acquisitions and divestitures and legal, tax and operational risks as well as current legal issues affecting litigation, real estate, regulatory compliance, intellectual property and employee rights. Murray also managed the firm’s outside counsel. He addressed all aspects of investment fund formation, including the representation of sponsors in the formation of new private investment vehicles. Murray prepared SEC registration statements and periodic reports. He performed corporate transactions associated with private mergers, stock and asset acquisitions and divestitures, going-private transactions, partnership allocation and debt issues, in all sectors, and addressed compliance and registration issues such as SEC 33 & 34 Acts. Murray led due diligence and deal term negotiations for awarded proposals. Prior to his time at Gramercy Capital Partners, he was an attorney at Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP, Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP and Dewey & LeBoeuf LLP.

“Duane Morris has a strong private equity industry group and a growing presence in Dallas,” said Murray. “I’m looking forward to returning to private practice with an opportunity to increase the firm’s corporate reach in Texas and nationwide.”

Murray is a graduate of Southern Methodist University, Cox School of Business (MBA, 2020), New York University School of Law (LL.M., 2007), the University of Arkansas School of Law (J.D., cum laude, 2005) and Baylor University (B.A., 1995).

DALLAS – Three attorneys from the Dallas trial firm of Bailey Brauer PLLC are recognized in the 2022 edition of The Best Lawyers in America.

Firm co-founders Clayton Bailey and Alex Brauer are each recognized in the legal guide based upon their commercial litigation work. Associate Adam Bell is named to the companion Ones to Watch listing among the country’s top young commercial litigation attorneys. In addition to his commercial litigation practice, Mr. Bailey earned recognition among the leading appellate attorneys in the country.

Mr. Bailey is nationally known for his trial and appellate practice in complex tort and other commercial cases in federal and state courts. He represents clients in cases involving contract disputes, business torts, RICO, employment law, trade secrets, deceptive trade practices, fraud, breach of fiduciary duty, antitrust, unfair business practices, and the Packers and Stockyards Act.

Mr. Brauer’s practice focuses on high-stakes business disputes ranging from allegations of fraud and deceptive practices in commercial transactions to breaches of fiduciary duties and litigation relating to non-compete agreements. He also assists clients with disputes involving the sales and acquisitions of businesses.

Mr. Bell represents companies and individuals in a wide range of complex commercial and tort litigation involving contract claims, trade secrets, deceptive trade practices, antitrust law, employment law, and construction law, as well as personal injury and health care matters in state and federal courts.

The oldest peer-review legal guide in the country, The Best Lawyers in America is also among the most respected. Selection is based on confidential evaluations by attorneys in the same practice area and from the same geographic region. The companion Ones to Watch list is reserved for attorneys who have been in private practice for five to nine years.

HOUSTON – Trial lawyers John H. Kim and Denise H. Kim of The Kim Law Firm have earned recognition in the 2022 edition of the respected peer-review guide to the nation’s top attorneys, The Best Lawyers in America, for their commercial litigation work.

This is a repeat appearance for both, with Mr. Kim first receiving honors in 2016, and Ms. Kim in 2020. Mr. Kim, founder of the law firm, is in this 29th year and balances a robust practice focused around high-stakes and complex litigation matters, while also serving on key professional committee organizations.

“John Kim is a fabulous lawyer,” one pleased client told Best Lawyers in supporting his selection.

“The Kim Law Firm has the unique ability to concisely present complex cases to jurors resulting in great verdicts for its clients,” said another commercial litigation client.

And another client said this: “I tried a contract dispute with John Kim a number of years ago. His cross examination of the other side’s main witness was something to behold.”

Earlier this year, Mr. Kim was named the 2021 National Vice President of the American Board of Trial Advocates Foundation. In March, he was appointed to the Texas Supreme Court Advisory Committee which assists the high court in developing rules and procedures for courts throughout Texas.

Ms. Kim is a former prosecutor in the Harris County District Attorney’s Office who as a civil trial lawyer, focuses her practice on complex business disputes. Clients turn to her for counsel on a range of matters including construction defects, products and premises liability, insurance defense, legal malpractice, financial professional responsibility, the Deceptive Trade Practices Act and oil & gas disputes.

One client commented: “I recently tried a 3-week jury trial with John and Denise Kim representing my co-defendant. They are outstanding trial lawyers and always adhere to the highest standards of ethics and civility.”

“Called on the eve of trial, veteran trial lawyers John H. Kim and Denise H. Kim … obtained a take-nothing verdict in bet-the-company litigation that had sought over $17 million in damages plus punitive damages,” noted another pleased client of the firm.

Much credit is due to the professionals that developed and evolved what we now call legal operations. It introduced traditional business concepts and practices into our staid profession and allowed greater control and transparency into legal functions. And yet with all good things, sometimes they are overdone. Of course, a maturity model has been introduced (14 distinct functions), each with their own recommended standards and processes. Instead of limiting things to a functional approach, this article explores how incorporating a data centric approach to managing the business and practice of law drives greater effectiveness and measurable impact.

DALLAS – Michael Lyons and Chris Simmons, co-founders of the Dallas-based trial firm Lyons & Simmons, LLP, have earned selection among the top personal injury litigation attorneys for plaintiffs in the 2022 edition of The Best Lawyers in America.

Lyons and Simmons were also honored for their commercial litigation work by Best Lawyers, the oldest and among the most-respected legal guides in the United States.

The trial lawyers of Lyons & Simmons have a reputation for obtaining outstanding results in life-altering personal injury and wrongful death cases, as well as complex business disputes. Most recently the named partners secured the largest-ever verdict in Midland County, Texas, for a personal injury case, representing a mother who lost three children in a highway collision caused by a worker speeding to a jobsite in inclement weather.

Recognized among the 2021 National Law Journal Elite Trial Lawyers finalists, the firm was selected in 2020 and 2021 by readers of Texas Lawyer magazine among the top personal injury law firms in Dallas. Lyons and Simmons also have earned multiple individual honors from Texas Super Lawyers, Lawdragon 500, and D Magazine.

In addition to Lyons and Simmons’ 2022 Best Lawyers honors, firm attorney Stephen Higdon was selected to the companion Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch listing in recognition of his work on behalf of plaintiffs in personal injury litigation as well as in the area of commercial litigation. Ones to Watch recognition is reserved for the nation’s top attorneys who have been in private practice for five to nine years.

Best Lawyers and Ones to Watch recognition is based on confidential evaluations by Best Lawyers members in the same practice area, with final selection made following careful editorial review. For more information, including the full 2022 listing, visit https://www.bestlawyers.com/.

“IKEA won’t just sell you smart lights it’ll soon sell you the electricity to power those lights, provided you live in the right country. Electrek notes that IKEA has revealed plans to sell clean energy to Swedish homes through a Stromma subscription service. Pay the as yet unmentioned fee and you’ll get certified solar or wind generated electricity with usage you can track through a mobile app.” reports Jon Fingas in Tech Crunch.

“The home furnishings giant didn’t say whether it would expand the clean energy sales to other countries, although it hoped to let people use and generate renewable energy in all our Ingka Group markets by 2025. The company already sells solar panels. The retailer is no stranger to eco-friendly efforts. It stopped selling non-LED lights and will soon drop non-rechargeable alkaline batteries.”

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“The IRS has awarded five $7.5 million contracts through an experimental procurement vehicle for a multiple solution challenge to digitize paper files. The request for proposals released in July indicated the agency was looking to use the Pilot IRS program to test innovative solutions it could deploy to receive, prepare, reproduce, sort, validate, store return and transfer digital copies of various IRS documents and records,” reports Chris Riotta in FCW.

“According to the RFP, the volume contemplated is significant, with the initial potential use case having upwards of 1 billion pages. The tax agency is looking for solutions that cover the scanning of paper documents and in some instances the extraction of machine-readable data. The five contractors who received awards this week include Xerox, Brillient Corporation, Ripcord Inc. Government CIO LLC and Resultant KSM Consulting.”

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“Seeking to sell the downtown 20 Federal Place building, the city’s board of control agreed to pay for a marketing study as well as for an environmental assessment, and an asbestos and hazardous materials survey of the property. Also Thursday, the board approved contracts for two improvement,” reports David Skolnick in The Vindicator.

“With Professional Services Industries Inc. of Girard to do an asbestos and hazardous materials survey of the building to determine how to handle and remediate safely any hazardous materials found on the property. Foley & Puls of Dallas for a housing market conditions study to determine the need for downtown housing as it relates.”

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“Pittsburgh Penguins general manager Ron Hextall has a significant job to do over the next year when it comes to working out new contracts for center Evgeni Malkin and defenseman Kris Letang. It seems like a given or at least a strong possibility that both will be re-signed with the only thing left to be,” reports Adam Gretz in their PensBurgh.

“But there is going to be another contract situation that needs to be dealt with over the next year, and that is veteran forward Bryan Rust. What exactly is that next contract going to look like, whether in Pittsburgh or somewhere else, and should he be looking for. We already know how good and important Rust is and do not really need to go.”

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“A startup is founded, first product ships, customers engage, and then a larger company’s corporate development team sends a blind email requesting to connect and compare notes. If you’re a venture-backed startup, it would be wise to generate a return at some point, which means either get acquired,” reports Todd Graham in Tech Crunch.

“If you’re going to get acquired, chances are you’re going to spend a lot of time with corporate development teams. With a hot stock market, mountains of cash and cheap debt floating around, the environment for acquisitions is extremely rich. And as I’ve been on both sides of these equations, an increasing number.”

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