Local firm makes good?
April 30, 2008
DLA Piper gets love from the American Lawyer annual rankings issue today. The magazine points to Piper as one of the few firms for whom a major merger has actually panned out:
The firm has yet to come back down to earth. It has quadruple the number of lawyers of either of its original predecessors. Per-partner profits kept up double-digit growth for five of the last eight years and are up nearly 150 percent since 1999. DLA significantly outpaced The Am Law 100 in average year-on-year growth in revenue per lawyer, profits per partner, and average partner compensation postmerger. And, as the chart shows, the firm grew fast enough in eight years to finally beat the Am Law 100 average in revenue per lawyer in 2007 (it has yet to catch up in profits).
However, the magazine also points out that more than 50 partners have departed the firm since late 2005. I wonder if most of this had to do with lawyers being conflicted out of work that they had always handled, or if there were other major reasons.
CARYN TAMBER, Legal Affairs Writer
Sphere: Related ContentPink slip for Law Firm Inc.
April 30, 2008
Law Firm Inc., an ALM publication that bills itself as “The Business Magazine for Law Firm Executives,” will cease publishing with its May/June issue, an employee at the company confirmed.
Originally launched as a quarterly in 2003, the $79-a-year magazine announced it would expand to 10 issues in 2007; it scaled back to bimonthly this year, the employee said. (If there was a March/April issue, though, it hadn’t been posted electronically as of this writing; the “current issue” on the Law Firm Inc. site is from January/February.)
More information is expected on its Web site next week.
BARBARA GRZINCIC, Managing Editor/Law
Sphere: Related ContentLesbians, with a capital L, in court
April 30, 2008
Somehow, I don’t see this ending well for the good people of Lesbos. (Hat tip: How Appealing.)
CARYN TAMBER, Legal Affairs Writer
Powerless patent judges?
April 30, 2008
Was the appointment of some patent appeals judges unconstitutional?
That is the question raised in a Supreme Court petition (PDF) filed this month by Translogic Technology, a company whose patent was rejected by a three-judge panel of the Board of Patent Appeals and Interferences. (Translogic Technology v. Dudas, No. 07-1303; hat tip to the Law.com/the National Law Journal and patentlyo.com).
The BPAI’s decision was affirmed (PDF) by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, which then set aside an $86.5 million infringement verdict for Translogic.
Based on the work (PDF) of intellectual property scholar John Duffy of George Washington Law School, Translogic is arguing that one of the judges on the BPAI panel was appointed in derogation of the U.S. Constitution.
Under reforms made in 1999, the director of the Patent and Trademark Office can appoint BPAI judges. Duffy and Translogic claim that the Constitution’s Appointments Clause reserves that power to the president, courts, or the secretary of the Commerce Department — not the director of the PTO.
According to the NLJ article, the problem could affect nearly two-thirds of the BPAI judges, about 40 of whom have been appointed by the director. What do you think? Were these appointments unconstitutional? And if they were, what is the remedy?
CHRISTINA DORAN, Assistant Legal Editor
Sphere: Related ContentSlots for Tots?
April 30, 2008
Another longtime slots supporter—the Maryland Chamber of Commerce—came out Tuesday to push a yes vote in November’s referendum vote. The chamber, which has backed slots since 2002, argues that slot machines are going to help draw new money for education. That’s the same argument employed by the Maryland Association of Counties and the Maryland State Teachers Association. An MSTA representative joined chamber officials at Tuesday’s news conference.
But right below the surface is a more expansive budget issue.
Slots, if approved, would mostly solve a painful budget bailout that has been in high gear since Gov. Martin O’Malley took office last year. As last year’s special session showed, the business community takes quite a hit when the state has to close big budget gaps. The state raised more than an annual $1 billion in new taxes during that session. Slots would bring in close to that amount by 2013, according to state projections.
“They can cut, which they’re unlikely to do, they can raise taxes on top of [what they’ve done in the past year], or some combination,” said Chamber President and CEO Kathy Snyder.
She said none of these options looks good. And she believes some of those cuts will have to come from education—which the chamber supports as a workforce development tool.
The chamber has an argument that slots will support education spending, because dedicated money from slots will support public schools, but Snyder said she also believes voters will be influenced by the idea that they might have to pay more taxes. After all, it’s not just businesses that pay new taxes. Sales tax affects everybody, for example.
Opponents would argue that the state can solve long-term budget problems with more careful spending.
So what do you think? Should we have slots in Maryland? If so, what’s the best argument for them—money for education, fewer tax increases or something else? If not, what’s the best argument against slots?
ANDY ROSEN, Business Writer
Sphere: Related ContentDogged pursuits
April 30, 2008
From the Department of Good Intentions But Bad Timing:
At 5:10 p.m. Tuesday I received an e-mail from Baltimore County warning me that if I did not have a license for my cat and/or dog after Thursday, May 1, I could receive a $100 fine for violating a new ordinance.
Six minutes later, I received another e-mail from Baltimore County – about a cat and dog adopt-a-thon at the county’s Animal Shelter on Saturday.
Sounds like someone is a little too anxious to test the new law…
DANNY JACOBS, Legal Affairs Writer
Sphere: Related ContentBaltimore, with a green roof overhead
April 29, 2008
Baltimore’s a leading city in the creation of green roofs, says an organization set to convene tomorrow in town.
Green Roofs For Healthy Cities says Baltimore came in third for square footage of green roof projects built in 2007. (We had 122,000 sq. ft.). Chicago and Wilmington, Del. surpassed Charm City, while D.C. and Philadelphia came in seventh and eighth.
Green roofs use plants to absorb rainfall and provide insulation while reducing energy consumption.
Anyone know where all the green roofs are in town? Here’s a few, including a BP gas station on Key Highway.
JACKIE SAUTER, Web Editor
Sphere: Related ContentMy Organic Market opens pet-themed offshoot
April 29, 2008
Does your dog pant at your feet, desperate for a taste of your raw/organic snacks? Sick of the canine-on-human jealousy?
My Organic Market announced this week that your pet need not suffer with traditional food and toys any longer. Introducing: Mighty Healthy Pet, the new College Park store by MOM’s.
A bit about their mission, from the release:
In addition to a large variety of raw frozen dog and cat diets, wellness products including supplements and natural grooming aids are also offered. Unique toys and accessories, such as hemp toys and organic cotton beds, round out the eco-friendly assortment.
Here’re a few of the store’s premium brands. There are raw, cooked, freeze-dried and hypoallergenic grain-free options, “for sensitive cats and dogs.”
- Stella & Chewy’s From the Farm
- Halo Purely for Pets
- Wild Kitty Cat Food
- Honest Kitchen
- Country Pet
- The Raw Advantage
Let’s take a poll: who thinks this is a sustainable business? Can an eco-friendly pet store survive, especially in today’s economy (in College Park, of all places)?
JACKIE SAUTER, Web Editor
Sphere: Related ContentAn hour with Judge Cicone
April 29, 2008
Many lawyers in Baltimore County believe retired Judge Frank E. Cicone can see the future. In a half-century at Baltimore County Circuit Court — 18 handling settlement conferences and 35 on the bench — he’s seen and heard it all, so his opinion on the potential outcome of a trial is highly valued.
I learned this Tuesday morning, having arrived unannounced at the courthouse settlement office to find out if I could sit in on a conference. I was surprised when Cicone invited me into the room and we chatted for a minute before the conference began. As long as the lawyers don’t mind you here, he said, I’m fine with it. (They did not.)
The case ended up being about a woman who injured herself three years ago when she fell in a county shopping center. Lawyers on both sides outlined the basic facts and previewed their arguments.
Cicone then talked with each side separately, estimating a dollar figure he felt was a fair compromise, giving an opinion on how the jury might rule and answering questions. But he also took the time to praise both lawyers, tell stories and chat with a young defense lawyer about how he liked his job. The whole hour was one-half business, one-quarter casual conversation and one-quarter story time.
Neither side appeared ready to settle at the conference’s conclusion, but everyone involved clearly enjoyed their time with Cicone and intended to take his recommendations into consideration.
I’ve seen lawyers deferential to judges, but not like this. “Stay here and learn,” one of the defense lawyers said to me as he left.
Anyone else have a Judge Cicone story?
DANNY JACOBS, Legal Affairs Writer
Sphere: Related ContentJoe Flacco jerseys for sale
April 29, 2008
Well, it’s out with the old and in with the new at the Baltimore Ravens Store this week. Less than 48 hours after the team used its first round draft pick to add University of Delaware quarterback Joe Flacco to its roster, the Flacco No. 5 replica jersey went on sale Monday.
Chad Steele, director of media relations for the team, reports 30 jerseys sold the first day (“which is pretty good,” he adds).
Meanwhile, any merchandise related to former Ravens QB Steve McNair, who recently announced his retirement, is half off and being shipped for free.
While the site has a photo of McNair with the message “Thank you Steve,” this is still one of those times you are reminded that football is a business. For the Ravens, this product didn’t pan out as well as they’d hoped. They’re likely hoping a newer model in Flacco (who will likely compete with resident backups Kyle Boller and Troy Smith for the starting spot) will produce better results.
But it’s different when the product is an icon — an oldie-but-a-goodie you didn’t want to see go. A visit to the Green Bay Packers Web site shows that it’s not only selling retired QB Brett Farve’s jerseys at full price, but they’ve actually created more Favre-related merchandise, such as “Favre We Won’t 4 Get” or “Favre for President” slogan tee-shirts.
Notwithstanding applause to the Packers organization for cashing in on a player even after he’s off the roster, is the “Brett Favre Collection” an anomaly or are there Ravens players that also carry this kind of cache? If linebacker Ray Lewis announced his retirement today, would the folks over at Owings Mills start drumming up “Thank you Ray” tees?
LIZ FARMER, Business Writer
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