Reed Smith is in talks with Chicago firm Sachnoff & Weaver over a possible merger. Based in Pittsburgh, Reed Smith is looking to continue the expansionary trend it has set over the past several years. The recent merger with London-based Richards Butler is effective as of January 1st, and will bring the firm to a total of 1,300 lawyers. Reed Smith currently has 18 offices, including Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco, and Washington, D.C.
Source: www.law.com

Manatt, Phelps & Phillips has given its associates another raise in pay, with first-years now earning $145,000 anually. Manatt employs 300 attorneys and has offices in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Orange County, Sacramento, New York and Washington, D.C.
Source: www.law.com

Hunton & Williams, the 850 attorney firm based in Richmond, Virginia, is opening its 18th overall office in Los Angeles. The firm will enter the market with the recruitment of 8 lawyers from dissipating L.A. boutique O’Donnell & Mortimer. The office’s initial practice will concentrate on product liability, environmental law and intellectual property.
Source: www.law.com

Hunton & Williams has opened its 18th office in Los Angeles, California. Five litigation partners from local boutique O’Donnell & Mortimer will seed the new office. 10 current Hunton & Williams lawyers will join from other offices to aide in the job. The firm will focus initially on IP and environmental litigation.
Source: www.legalweek.com

In an annual survey conducted by Vault.com, New York’s Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz placed number one as the most prestigious law firm in the country. The rest of the top ten was dominated by major NY firms.
1 Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz New York, NY
2 Cravath, Swaine & Moore LLP New York, NY
3 Sullivan & Cromwell LLP New York, NY
4 Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP New York, NY
5 Davis Polk & Wardwell New York, NY
6 Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP New York, NY
7 Cleary, Gottlieb, Steen & Hamilton LLP New York, NY
8 Latham & Watkins LLP Los Angeles, CA
9 Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP New York, NY
10 Kirkland & Ellis LLP Chicago, IL
(From Vault.com’s 100 Most Prestigious Firms)

In a move to expand its national presence, Washington, D.C.-based firm Venable LLP has opened a new office in L.A. throught the aqcuisition of two boutiques: Gorry Meyer & Rudd L.L.P. and Whitwell Jacoby Emhoff LLP. The move brings twenty attorneys to Venable, with a total of approximately 500 firm-wide. Venable has offices in Washington, New York, Maryland, and Virginia.
Source: www.law.com

In a move contrary to the current trend, Pillsbury Winthrop is set to close its Century City, California office. Citing the office as “redundant,” Pillsbury will consolidate the attorneys and staff to its downtown L.A. location. The move comes at a time when many other firms are opening new offices in Century City in order to reduce the time their employees spend commuting.
Source: www.law.com

Washington D.C. firm Steptoe & Johnson will open a new office in Century City. The office will be seeded with four partners acquired from Alschuler Grossman Stein & Kahan, with plans to quickly expand to 20 attorneys and a long-term number between 40 and 50. The practice will focus on insurance, tax and commercial litigation, including intellectual property. Steptoe currently has a 20 attorney downtown L.A. office, along with locations in New York, Phoenix, Brussels, Washington, and London. Source:www.law.com

LA firms Greenberg Glusker FieldsClaman & Machtinger and Christensen, Glaser, Fink, Jacobs, Weil & Shapiro have raised their first-year associate pay. Greenber Glusker’s associates will now earn $135,000 their first year, while Christensen’s raise was undisclosed. The move comes late in comparison to most others, but the firms insist it is to meet the market and bears no relation to the current wiretapping investigations. Source:www.law.com