Farella Grabs Six Landels Partners

Farella Grabs Six Landels Partners
Exodus includes environmental group heavyweight James Bruen

By Lauren Gard

......... R E L A T E D L I N K S .........
+ Landels Plans Merger With Smaller Firm
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F or the first time in its 38-year history, Farella Braun & Martel is adding a lateral practice group to its ranks. Six partners from Landels Ripley & Diamond's environmental law department will be joining the 97-attorney firm on Monday.
The ringleader of the departing group is one of Landels' most prominent rainmakers, James Bruen, who founded the firm's 35-attorney environmental law practice.
"He's always been Landels' big gun," said one local recruiter about the 56-year-old litigator.
"I am elated," said Bruen. "It seemed like an appropriate decision for us at the time and is a great opportunity for our clients."
Joining Bruen are Deborah Schmall, 47, whom a recently departed Landels partner called "a very heavy hitter"; and R. Christopher Locke, 47; Paul "Skip" Spaulding, 48; Robert "Buzz" Hines, 42; and Peter Modlin, 36.
"It's a great acquisition for Farella," said recruiter Avis Caravello. "It shows they're getting aggressive in the marketplace and are making sure they don't fall prey to the scourge affecting mid-size firms."
Farella chairman William Schlinkert said that after Farella analyzed its hiring needs the executive board decided to "aggressively pursue" bringing in senior-level attorneys. The only other lateral partner the firm has ever hired came on board last year.
"This gives us a new direction in the environmental area," said Schlinkert, who added that the six partners will complement Farella's existing real estate and land use practice and help beef up the firm's commercial litigation practice.
Among the clients the group will bring with them to Farella are General Electric Co., Levi Strauss & Co., McDonald's Corp., Lucasfilm Ltd. and the University of California.
Schlinkert added that Farella will "continue to expand in a variety of different areas," naming real estate and corporate securities among practices targeted for growth. He would not speculate on how many attorneys he thinks the firm may add over the course of the next year.
Landels managing partner Theodore "Dore" Griffinger Jr. said the firm is sorry to lose these "terrific lawyers," but he maintained that Landels still intends to merge with an undisclosed San Francisco firm within the next few weeks, a plan announced earlier this week. He said the two firms went into the merger agreement knowing that the six-partner environmental group would not be coming along for the ride. Griffinger would not confirm that the merger partner is heavily rumored to be Washburn, Briscoe & McCarthy.
While Griffinger said the merger partner will not fill in the gaps left by Bruen's team, he is optimistic about the combined firms' future.
"Their strengths meet our strengths," he said, explaining that the two firms focus on slightly different practice areas that will complement one another.
An environmental partner at another large San Francisco firm says Landels' environmental department can withstand the loss of Bruen and the other partners.
"The people who are staying include some significant players," she says. "I expect Landels will do just fine."
Landels has also lost another prominent partner, First Amendment expert Neil Shapiro. Shapiro, 53, joined McCutchen, Doyle, Brown & Enersen on Thursday.
"I was seeking a firm committed to working with me to expand my practice from one based on traditional media to one that now includes the new, electronic media," Shapiro said.
McCutchen partner Dale Barnes Jr., managing partner of the San Francisco office, called Shapiro's expertise "a valuable addition to our ever-expanding e-commerce practice."
Shapiro is the third Landels partner this week to make the jump to McCutchen. Corporate partners Stephen Ryan and Anne Knowles hopped on board the 70-attorney business group Monday.

......... R E L A T E D L I N K S ......... + Landels Plans Merger With Smaller Firm ..........................................................			F or the first time in its 38-year history, Farella Braun & Martel is adding a lateral practice group to its ranks. Six partners from Landels Ripley & Diamond's environmental law department will be joining the 97-attorney firm on Monday. The ringleader of the departing group is one of Landels' most prominent rainmakers, James Bruen, who founded the firm's 35-attorney environmental law practice. "He's always been Landels' big gun," said one local recruiter about the 56-year-old litigator. "I am elated," said Bruen. "It seemed like an appropriate decision for us at the time and is a great opportunity for our clients." Joining Bruen are Deborah Schmall, 47, whom a recently departed Landels partner called "a very heavy hitter"; and R. Christopher Locke, 47; Paul "Skip" Spaulding, 48; Robert "Buzz" Hines, 42; and Peter Modlin, 36. "It's a great acquisition for Farella," said recruiter Avis Caravello. "It shows they're getting aggressive in the marketplace and are making sure they don't fall prey to the scourge affecting mid-size firms." Farella chairman William Schlinkert said that after Farella analyzed its hiring needs the executive board decided to "aggressively pursue" bringing in senior-level attorneys. The only other lateral partner the firm has ever hired came on board last year. "This gives us a new direction in the environmental area," said Schlinkert, who added that the six partners will complement Farella's existing real estate and land use practice and help beef up the firm's commercial litigation practice. Among the clients the group will bring with them to Farella are General Electric Co., Levi Strauss & Co., McDonald's Corp., Lucasfilm Ltd. and the University of California. Schlinkert added that Farella will "continue to expand in a variety of different areas," naming real estate and corporate securities among practices targeted for growth. He would not speculate on how many attorneys he thinks the firm may add over the course of the next year. Landels managing partner Theodore "Dore" Griffinger Jr. said the firm is sorry to lose these "terrific lawyers," but he maintained that Landels still intends to merge with an undisclosed San Francisco firm within the next few weeks, a plan announced earlier this week. He said the two firms went into the merger agreement knowing that the six-partner environmental group would not be coming along for the ride. Griffinger would not confirm that the merger partner is heavily rumored to be Washburn, Briscoe & McCarthy. While Griffinger said the merger partner will not fill in the gaps left by Bruen's team, he is optimistic about the combined firms' future. "Their strengths meet our strengths," he said, explaining that the two firms focus on slightly different practice areas that will complement one another. An environmental partner at another large San Francisco firm says Landels' environmental department can withstand the loss of Bruen and the other partners. "The people who are staying include some significant players," she says. "I expect Landels will do just fine." Landels has also lost another prominent partner, First Amendment expert Neil Shapiro. Shapiro, 53, joined McCutchen, Doyle, Brown & Enersen on Thursday. "I was seeking a firm committed to working with me to expand my practice from one based on traditional media to one that now includes the new, electronic media," Shapiro said. McCutchen partner Dale Barnes Jr., managing partner of the San Francisco office, called Shapiro's expertise "a valuable addition to our ever-expanding e-commerce practice." Shapiro is the third Landels partner this week to make the jump to McCutchen. Corporate partners Stephen Ryan and Anne Knowles hopped on board the 70-attorney business group Monday.