Berkshire Hathaway announced on Monday that it is acquiring 77 percent of the country's largest railroad, Burlington Northern Santa Fe, for $34 billion in cash and stock. Berkshire, the holding company for the assets of Warren Buffett, the world's second-richest man, already owns the other 23 percent. Also, toolmakers The Stanley Works and Black & Decker are merging in a $3.5 billion all-stock transaction.
5 minute read
In a sign of increased caution in the post-Enron world, two of New York's most prominent law firms have elected to become limited liability partnerships. Sullivan & Cromwell and Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison both acquired Limited Liability Partnership status effective Jan. 1, thus ending a combined 250 years of operation as general partnerships.
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The rough-and-tumble world of M&A and private equity counts few women among its most prominent and senior ranks. But a new generation of lawyers are breaking through the ranks. Those who ascend to the highest levels of this rarefied world, including the women lawyers on this year's 45 Under 45 list, are all the more noteworthy.
11 minute read
IBM general counsel Robert Weber discusses his pet peeves about outside counsel—and what firms should not do if they want the computer giant to hire them.
3 minute read
IBM general counsel Robert Weber discusses his pet peeves about outside counsel—and what firms should not do if they want the computer giant to hire them.
3 minute read
IBM general counsel Robert Weber discusses his pet peeves about outside counsel—and what firms should not do if they want the computer giant to hire them.
3 minute read
In Re Bear Stearns Co., Inc., 08 MDL 1963
Publication Date: 2011-01-26Practice Area:Business Law
Industry:Court: U.S. District Court, Southern DistrictJudge: District Judge Robert W. SweetAttorneys:For plaintiff: Interim Co-Lead Counsel for the Securities Plaintiffs: By: David S. Preminger, Esq., Keller Rohrback LLP, New York, NY By: Lynn L. Sarko, Esq., Derek W. Loeser, Esq., Erin M. Riley, Esq., Gretchen S. Obrist, Esq., Seattle, WA By: Joseph H. Meltzer, Esq., Edward W. Ciolko, Esq., Peter H. LeVan Jr., Esq., Shannon O. Lack, Esq., Barroway Topaz Kessler Meltzer Check LLP, Radnor, PA Attorneys for Lead Securities Plaintiff State of Michigan Retirement Systems: By: Jeffrey C. Block, Esq., Patrick T. Egan, Esq., Justin Saif, Esq., Berman Devalerio, Boston, MA By: Joseph J. Tabacco, Jr., Esq., Julie J. Bai, Esq., San Francisco, CA By: Thomas A. Dubbs, Esq., James W. Johnson, Esq., Michael W. Stocker, Esq., Labaton Sucharow LLP, New York, NY Co-Lead Counsel for the Derivative Plaintiff: By: David A.P. Brower, Esq., Brower Piven, P.C., New York, NY By: Marc M. Umeda, Esq., George C. Aguilar, Esq., Shane P. Sanders, Esq., Gregory E. Del Gaizo, Esq., Robbins Umeda LLP, San Diego, CA Interim Co-Lead Counsel for the ERISA Plaintiffs: By: Joseph H. Meltzer, Esq., Edward W. Ciolko, Esq., Julie Siebert-Johnson, Esq., Peter H. LeVan Jr., Esq., Shannon O. Lack, Esq., Mark K. Gyandoh, Esq., James A. Maro, Jr., Esq., Barroway Topaz Kessler Meltzer Check LLP, Radnor, PA By: David S. Preminger, Esq., Keller Rohrback LLP, New York, NY By: Lynn L. Sarko, Esq., Derek W. Loeser, Esq., Erin M. Riley, Esq., Gretchen S. Obrist, Esq., Seattle, WA Interim Liaison Counsel for ERISA Plaintiffs: By: Milo Silberstein, Esq., Dealy & Silberstein, LLP, New York, NYFor defendant: Interim Liaison Counsel for the Securities Plaintiffs: By: Milo Silberstein, Esq., Dealy & Silberstein, LLP, New York, NY Attorneys for Defendants The Bear Stearns Companies Inc., JPMorgan Chase & Co., Michael Minikes, Kathleen Cavallo, Stephen Lacoff, and Robert Steinberg: By: Eric. S. Goldstein, Esq., Brad S. Karp, Esq., Lewis R. Clayton, Esq., Douglas M. Pravda, Esq., Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP, New York, NY By: Paul J. Ondrasik, Jr., Esq., F. Michael Kail, Esq., Steptoe & Johnson LLP, Washington, DC Attorneys for Defendant James E. Cayne: By: David S. Frankel, Esq., Kramer Levin Naftalis & Frankel LLP, New York, NY Attorneys for Defendant Alan D. Schwartz: By: Jay B. Kasner, Esq., Susan Saltzstein, Esq., Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP, New York, NY Attorneys for Defendant Samuel L. Molinaro, Jr.: By: Michael Chepiga, Esq., William T. Russell, Jr., Esq., Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP, New York, NY Attorneys for Defendant Alan C. Greenberg: By: Ronald Richman, Esq., Jill L. Goldberg, Esq., Schulte Roth & Zabel LLP, New York, NY Attorneys for Defendant Warren J. Spector: By: David B. Anders, Esq., Meredith L. Turner, Esq., Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz, New York, NY Attorneys for Defendant Jeffrey Mayer: By: Richard A. Edlin, Esq., Ronald D. Lefton, Esq., Greenberg Traurig, LLP, New York, NY Attorneys for Defendants Henry S. Bienen, Carl D. Glickman, Michael Goldstein, Donald J. Harrington, Frank T. Nickell, Paul A. Novelly, Frederic V. Salerno, Vincent Tese and Wesley S. Williams, Jr.: By: Randy M. Mastro, Esq., Robert F. Serio, Esq., Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP, New York, NY Attorneys for Defendant Michael Alix: By: Scott D. Corrigan, Esq., Jeffrey P. Wade, Esq., Wiggin & Dana LLP, New York, NY Attorneys for Defendant Jeffrey M. Farber: By: Michael R. Young, Esq., Antonio Yanez, Jr., Esq., Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP, New York, NY Attorneys for Defendant Deloitte & Touche LLP: By: Max R. Shulman, Esq., Cravath, Swaine & Moore LLP, New York, NYCase number: 08 MDL 1963
Cite as: In Re Bear Stearns Co., Inc., 08 MDL 1963, NYLJ 1202479404634, at *1 (SDNY, Decided January 9, 2011)District Judge Robert W. Sweetp class="decided
As the nation's major law firms wrestle with how to avoid massive liability in the post-Enron world, they can take some comfort in the thought that the lawyers suing them are not entirely thrilled at the prospect either. That's because compared with corporations or accounting firms, supposedly deep-pocketed law firms are frustratingly small potatoes.
7 minute read