tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19360670.post6876664585060530727..comments2024-03-25T03:20:57.659-04:00Comments on My Daily Struggles: Hunton & Williams: Mystery Solved?My Daily Struggleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12785498459884222234noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19360670.post-38702378862109014432010-03-09T21:15:45.214-05:002010-03-09T21:15:45.214-05:00July 31, 2008
Hunton Sets Its Sights on Akin Gump...July 31, 2008 <br />Hunton Sets Its Sights on Akin Gump<br /><br />Posted by Francesca Heintz<br /><br />When Wally Martinez returned to Hunton & Williams two years ago to serve as the firm's managing partner, he went in with a strategy: Expand the firm's national reach by taking on large groups in target practice areas. And go after only the best and the brightest.<br /><br />The recent announcement that the firm snagged nine Akin Gump lawyers, led by top D.C. litigator Richard Wyatt--a former member of Akin Gump's executive committee--fits right into Martinez's vision. <br />"Our preferred strategy is to bring in larger groups as much as possible," says the 41-year-old lawyer. "We will bring in ones and twos, but there has to be a real niche area that needs to be filled." The Akin Gump lawyers are mostly class action litigators, a practice area that Hunton has targeted for growth; several also boosted Hunton's corporate and securities group and its IP practice.<br /><br />Wyatt says that Martinez's growth strategy was a big factor in his decision to leave after 20-plus years at the firm. "Wally's strategy to develop a law firm composed of wonderful practices and practitioners resonated with us," says Wyatt. "Firms built that way do well during up-cycles and down-cycles."<br /><br />Martinez adds that every partner the firm has brought on meets the high standards that Hunton banks on. "Richard is one of the great boardroom consiglieri," says Martinez. "He's the sort of guy people go to when their company is on the line."<br /><br />For Akin Gump's part, chairman R. Bruce McLean told sibling publication Legal Times that he was sorry to see the group leave. "These are good partners in the firm. We would've preferred that all of them stay," McLean said.<br /><br />The nine new hires also will fan out to geographical hot spots--including Houston and Los Angeles--that Hunton has targeted for growth. Six are joining the D.C. office, a major anchor for the firm, according to Martinez. Two are heading to Houston, further boosting Hunton's Texas operations. (In April 2007, Hunton hired about 100 lawyers from Dallas's now defunct Jenkens & Gilchrist.) One of the new partners is joining the Los Angeles office; this comes just a month after another two Akin Gump lawyers signed on with Hunton's L.A. office. (The two were part of a larger group of lawyers hired to build up Hunton's California practice; the group included several who launched a San Francisco office for the firm.)<br />This week's additions bring the total number of laterals hired by Hunton since January 2007 to 247, including 82 partners. <br />Will the firm break 250 soon? Absolutely, says Martinez. "Our thought is that a tough economy doesn't necessarily impede growth as long as you're sticking to your strategy."My Daily Struggleshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12785498459884222234noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19360670.post-74066118250009441832010-03-09T18:29:53.068-05:002010-03-09T18:29:53.068-05:0010-05-01 I start on my antipsychotic meds tonight....10-05-01 I start on my antipsychotic meds tonight. As for an end to these letters, don't hold your breath. Now to your assignment: During the entire period of my early tenure at Akin Gump (beginning March 1988) there was a paralegal at the firm named Jeffrey Wertman -- a recent college graduate who worked in the labor group on Eastern Airlines. The same project I worked on. Subject left the firm in late summer 1988 to attend American University Law School. He would have graduated in about 1991. I know that according to an entry in Martindale-Hubble (the lawyer's directory) subject practiced in Miami, Florida. Subject won a writing competition in law school. I believe <b>Richard Wyatt, Esq.,</b> a partner at Akin Gump, wrote a letter of recommendation for subject that should be on file at AU. Subject resided at 3701 Connecticut Avenue--next door.My Daily Struggleshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12785498459884222234noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19360670.post-77051566632561337722010-03-09T18:16:43.745-05:002010-03-09T18:16:43.745-05:00Complainant was routinely invited to attend, and d...Complainant was routinely invited to attend, and did attend, legal assistant staff meetings. The legal assistant administrative staff arranged for Complainant to attend Westlaw and Lexis training both on-site and off-site on a number of occasions. Complainant was invited to attend, and did attend, legal assistant seminars including a series of weekly writing seminars for legal assistants in February 1989 conducted by one of the Respondent's associates, Gary Rubin; a cite checking seminar for legal assistants held in about early 1989 conducted by one of Respondent's associates, <b>Michael J. Mueller;</b> and a legislative seminar held in about early 1989 conducted by one of Respondent's partners, Edward S. Knight (?). Also, Complainant was issued personalized Westlaw and Lexis access cards for use in computer searches of legal databases. The issuance of such access cards--indeed, all of the above activities--were unrelated to the Litigation support tasks on which Complainant was engaged during that period and inconsistent with Respondent's representation to the Office of Human Rights that Complainant was employed to manage documents for the client Eastern Airlines.My Daily Struggleshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12785498459884222234noreply@blogger.com