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"I hope there are people who are intrigued -- who find this approach different and refreshing," Wymer said.
Sherman & Howard is in negotiations for permanent space for the Atlanta office, he said. Meanwhile it is leasing temporary space in Buckhead's Lenox Building at 3399 Peachtree Road N.E.
Trial lawyer Maines' new firm, Holland & Knight, also is in growth mode. The Atlanta managing partner, Robert Highsmith, said adding Maines is a coup for the firm. "Allen is fantastic and we're thrilled to have him."
Maines, who co-chaired Paul Hastings' global litigation practice and led the securities litigation and enforcement practice, has tried 22 cases in his almost 40-year career and handled more than 70 class actions.
In one recent $400 million cross-border shareholder dispute before both the English High Court and the Southern District of New York, the Chambers-listed litigator defended Afghan-American entrepreneur Ehsan Bayat and his Florida-based company, Telephone Systems International, against claims from Bayat's erstwhile British partners in Afghanistan's first mobile phone company, Afghan Wireless -- a joint venture between TSI and the Afghan Ministry of Communications.
Highsmith said Holland & Knight added almost 30 lateral partners firmwide last year and it's a priority to develop the Atlanta office, which currently has about 30 lawyers. "We're looking to build on that momentum in Atlanta and Allen's obviously a great part of that," he said.
Molen said moving his asset-based lending practice to King & Spalding was not an easy decision after almost two decades at Paul Hastings. "I am leaving a great firm. Paul Hastings is an international firm of some renown and I was very proud to be there for 19 years," Molen said.
After competing with King & Spalding's finance lawyers for a long time, Molen said, he and his partner Lee decided to join them.
Molen handles loan transactions for banks, finance companies and hedge funds, he said, generally for the lender. Lee has worked with him for several years, becoming a partner about three years ago.
Molen said King & Spalding's finance practice is a bit bigger than Paul Hastings' -- at least in the Southeast. "This is the top brand in Atlanta and the Southeast, plus they have a big footprint in Charlotte and New York."
