SAN FRANCISCO — Corporate lawyers, the ugly ducklings of the recession, are looking more like swans to law firms as the economy improves.

Two well-known corporate lawyers moved law firms Tuesday in Silicon Valley. Timothy Curry, the former head of transactions at O’Melveny & Myers, jumped to Jones Day and James Chapman, who founded Nixon Peabody’s Palo Alto office, is off to Foley & Lardner.