Citing an uptick in litigation and bankruptcy work, the New York office of Mayer Brown has enlisted at least six deferred associates to start work in September. “We tracked them down on vacation and asked them to start early, and they agreed,” said Richard Spehr, managing partner of the New York office. In April, the firm decided to offer its incoming first-year associate class voluntary deferrals up through October 2010. In New York, roughly a dozen associates took the offer.
But work has picked up for Mayer Brown’s litigators, particularly in three cases. The firm is defending Google Inc. in Viacom Inc.’s $1 billion copyright infringement case over YouTube clips. It also is representing Bank of America Corporation in the bankruptcy of chemical maker LyondellBasell Industries and it represents Bank of New York Mellon Corporation in the bankruptcy of Sentinel Management Group Inc. Mayer Brown is not alone in calling on deferred associates for litigation and bankruptcy work. Brown Rudnick earlier this month said it would tap 11 deferred first-years. - Nate Raymond
Attorney Is Suspended for Misrepresenting Facts
