6 décembre, 2006 22:21
Thelen Merger Spurs More Exits in L.A.
Brown Raysman's merger with Thelen Reid has led to another two departures from Brown Raysman's L.A. office, days before the firms officially combine. Partner Brian Pass and associate Kevin Straw left for Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton, a firm Pass said better fits his practice, which focuses on the convergence of entertainment, technology and intellectual property. The move follows four other attorney departures, calling into question what will become of the combined firm's westside outpost.
Thelen Merger Spurs More Exits in L.A.
Kellie Schmitt
The Recorder
11-29-2006
Brown Raysman Millstein Felder & Steiner's merger with Thelen Reid & Priest has led to another two departures from Brown Raysman's Los Angeles office, just days before the two firms officially combine on Friday.
The move follows four attorney departures from that same office last month, calling into question what will become of the combined firm's westside outpost.
Partner Brian Pass and associate Kevin Straw left for the Century City, Calif., office of Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton, a firm Pass said better fits his practice, which focuses on the convergence of entertainment, technology and intellectual property.
While Thelen has a downtown L.A. office with about 70 attorneys, Brown Raysman's Century City office has just nine attorneys left. Firm leaders said they're still in the process of deciding what to do with the dual presence in Los Angeles.
"We've begun discussion about the importance of that office and the alternative of consolidation," said Julian Millstein, a founding partner of Brown Raysman.
Pass led Brown Raysman's West Coast technology, media and communications practice. He said he started looking into other options as a result of merger talks.
"My practice worked well at the old Brown Raysman, but with the merger, there was a shift in priorities -- the resources were focused more on merger rather than growing the office organically," he said.
Sheppard Mullin was also a better place to develop his practice, which includes clients such as Yahoo, he said.
"Thelen doesn't have a significant technology or entertainment [practice] at all, so the combined firm wouldn't have provided more resources," he said. "The technology practice at Brown Raysman will likely still be an important part, but I was really the West Coast presence of that practice."
But Stephen O'Neal, Thelen's chairman, said the firm does plan to invest heavily in that practice area and said Los Angeles is an essential part of that plan.
"We very much intend to make that practice a focus of the new firm and in particular one of the focuses of the L.A. office," he said. "With more than 600 attorneys, the new firm will be much better able to make investments to foster and expand that practice."
Robert Kovelman, the head of Brown Raysman's intellectual property practice in Los Angeles, left for Steptoe & Johnson along with three other attorneys in October. At the time, he said the move was going to give him entry to new clients and "a level of integrity and respect to expand" his practice.
It's not surprising that Brown Raysman has seen some departures, given the pending merger, said recruiter Larry Watanabe.
"Sheppard has a great entertainment/intellectual property practice in west Los Angeles," he said. "Perhaps [Pass] saw greater connectivity."
Lawrence Mullman, a managing director in the New York office of Major, Lindsey & Africa, contrasted Thelen's emphasis on Old Economy enterprises with Brown Raysman's tech orientation. "In that merger, I am not altogether sure they are compatible cultures," he said.
But Millstein said he's not reading anything into the recent departures.
"In three days, we're going to have substantially more partners in L.A. than we ever had," he said. "Brian was one of our partners, but we have plenty more."
