Most Highly Regarded Firms: Management Labour & Employment 2010

• July 2010

• Management Labour and Employment

Our 2010 research uncovers 613 leading management labour and employment lawyers in 62 countries. Below is a selection of the very best names that feature, praised by clients and contemporaries alike.

Global

Paul Hastings Janofsky & Walker LLP features the most prominently in our research with 16 inclusions in the book, 12 of whom are based in the US. In Washington, Barbara Brown is internationally renowned and a name that “simply has to be on the list”. In California, Paul Grossman is hailed as a “dean of the employment bar” and one of the top 10 individuals in our international research. Nancy Abell is “absolutely fantastic”, Paul Cane is a “legal leader” and Kirby Wilcox a “wage-and-hour expert par excellence”. In New York, Erika Collins is “outstanding” and Zachary Fasman is “superb”. Atlanta’s Geoff Weirich and John Wymer have a “very strong client base” and in London, Christopher Walter is “really great”. Shanghai’s Lesli Ligorner and Tokyo’s Setsuko Ueno are also highly recommended, adding to the firm’s global expertise.

Baker & McKenzie LLP has an impressive international presence: nine lawyers are listed in eight countries. In Toronto, George Avraam is “tremendous”, particularly for litigation. In Sydney, Paul Brown is highly respected and earns significant praise from clients. In Madrid, Fermín Guardiola has a wealth of experience and a strong international reputation. Frankfurt-based Günther Heckelmann is a “star” and Robert Mignin is a “top” lawyer in Chicago. Christine O’Brien is a “great lawyer” on the London market. In Belgium, François Gabriel is another “excellent” name to demonstrate the firm’s strong international legal network.

Allen & Overy has a six-strong contingent listed across the following pages. In London, Mark Mansell is “superb” and Karen Seward is very well regarded. Amsterdam-based Ferdinand Grapperhaus is “very good indeed”. Pieter De Koster In Brussels is a senior lawyer with an “excellent practice” that contemporaries “like a lot” and in Luxembourg, André Marc receives significant praise.

Linklaters LLP has four lawyers featured. Brussels-based Luc Vanaverbeke is a “stand out” name that leading lawyers “like a lot”. In Hong Kong, Rowan McKenzie is highly praised and in Stockholm Anders Nordström is “fantastic”. London’s Catrina Smith is very highly regarded.

Mayer Brown LLP also has four lawyers listed. Duncan Abate is “brilliant” and one of the highest nominated individuals in Hong Kong. In Washington, DC, Robert P Davis receives praise, as does Robert C Davis in Chicago. In London, the highly recommended Julian Roskill appears for the firm.

Europe

Lewis Silkin LLP’s presence is unmistakable on the London market with five stand-out names listed. James Davies is “absolutely first-class” and one of the highest nominated individuals in our research overall. Michael Burd is “top notch”, receiving a wealth of international recognition and Russell Brimelow is “a gem”. Toni Lorenzo and Ellen Temperton are further “great lawyers”.

Blackstone Chambers’ Paul Goulding QC receives outstanding international recognition and is hailed an “awe inspiring” advocate. The similarly high-profile Dinah Rose QC is another “astonishing” and formative figure at the Chambers, praised for her razor-sharp intellect.

At Fox Williams LLP, Jane Mann and Mark Watson are extremely effective, highlighted for their practical focus and technical know-how.

Berwin Leighton & Paisner LLP’s “immensely experienced” Fraser Younson is “simply brilliant” and receives a mountain of international acclaim.

Salans’ Barry Mordsley is a well established and highly regarded figure. Name partner Clare Murray at CM Murray is a “wonderful lawyer” and enjoys a particular popularity with firms in the US. Fox Lawyers founding partner Ronnie Fox is a “leading lawyer in the field” and at Herbert Smith LLP, Peter Frost is “top drawer”. Cardiff-based Vivian du-Feu is “outstanding” at Capital Law LLP.

Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer LLP has nine lawyers listed in four countries. In London, Kathleen Healy and Nicholas Squire are “excellent”. In Austria, Stefan Köck is a “leading light” and in Germany Klaus-Stefan Hohenstatt is another “big player” for the firm.

Cuatrecasas, Gonçalves Pereira is very highly regarded in Spain, where five lawyers feature. Salvador del Rey is a “spectacular” lawyer. Receiving the most votes for the region, del Rey also features in our breakdown of the top 10 most highly nominated individuals overall. In Barcelona, Sonia Cortés is a “very high level operator” in the field and Juan Bonilla Blasco is a name to watch.

Four lawyers are listed from the “very good to work with” Flichy Grangé Avocats. The “extremely effective” Joel Grangé is universally recognised as a leading figure for employment issues, Hubert Flichy is “super”, Claire Toumieux is a “star” and Oliver Kress is a “skilful lawyer”.

At Bredin Prat, Pascale Lagesse is “absolutely one of the leading names in France” whom lawyers “would not hesitate to refer a client to”.

Capstan Avocat’s has four partners listed, including “prominent lawyer” Pascale Lagoutte. At JeantetAssocies AARPI Stéphanie Godof is “marvellous”.

In Germany, Gerlind Wisskirchen at CMS Hasche Sigle is “fantastic”. Praised as “one of the very best in the world for employment law” Wisskirchen features in our table of the most highly regarded individuals. Björn Gaul is credited as an active lawyer that should “certainly be on this list” for his “extremely strong expertise”.

At Gleiss Lutz, five partners are listed including “major players” Martin Diller and Jobst-Hubertus Bauer.

In the Netherlands, Els de Wind at Van Doorne NV receives a wealth of international acclaim.

Henriëtte Bronsgeest and Erik Deur at Bronsgeest Deur are “excellent” while at Loyens & Loeff NV, Hermine E Voûte is a “fabulous lawyer” that many leading players turn to for her expertise.

North America

In the US, Morgan Lewis Bockius LLP has 13 individuals listed. In Philadelphia, Timothy Reilly and Steven Wall stand out for their expertise as do Charles Cohen and Harry Rissetto in Washington, DC. In Chicago, Barry A Hartstein is “first class”. Paris-based François Vergne is an adviser that clients “really trust” and in Miami, Mark Zelek is a well respected industry name. Splitting his time between London and Philadelphia, chair of the firm’s labour and employment practice Mark Dichter is “superb” and is listed among the highest nominated individuals overall.

Thirteen individuals are also recommended at Seyfarth Shaw LLP, six of whom are based in Chicago where Camille Olson, Joel Kaplan and Gerald Maatman receive particular acclaim. In New York, Robert Nobile and Howard Pianko are “effective lawyers”. San Francisco-based Gilmore Diekmann is “extraordinary” and in Houston Gloria Portela “tremendous”.

At Proskauer Rose LLP 12 lawyers feature on the following pages. The firm’s strongest showing is in New York were eight of these lawyers are based. Bettina Plevan and Paul Salvatore are “top-flight lawyers”. Allen Fagin and Howard Ganz have “a wealth of expertise”, Robert Batterman is “great” and Kathleen McKenna is an industry expert “that clients love”. In Los Angeles, Anthony J Oncidi is “terrific”. New Orleans-based Howard Shapiro is a “remarkably talented lawyer”. With pre-eminent expertise in ERISA litigation, Shapiro features again in our breakdown of the top 10 individuals overall.

Littler Mendelson PC has 11 lawyers listed, four of whom are based in San Francisco. Garry Mathiason and Ariel Weindling are “top lawyers” and New York’s Gerald Hathaway is “greatly recommended”. In Washington, the “excellent” Peter Susser receives hefty praise from contemporaries.

Eight lawyers feature from Ogletree Deakins Nash Smoak & Stewart PC. In New Jersey, Davis Copus, Patrick Stanton and Richard Mariani are “great”. Mark Mallery in New Orleans receives international praise as does Thomas H Barnard in Ohio.

Jones Day also performs well. In Washington, where five of the firm’s eight listed lawyers are based, Eric S Dreiband and Glen Nager are “top tier”. Andrew Kramer is “outstanding” and “a real thought leader in the field”. In New York, Willis Goldsmith is “brilliant”.

In California, Gary Siniscalco at Orrick Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP is “absolutely superb” and one of the highest nominated practitioners in our research. Three further names feature for the firm: the much-praised Lynne Hermle, and the “superb” Michael Delikat and Jill Rosenberg in New York.

At Miller Canfield Paddock and Stone PLC in Great Rapids, Michigan, Charles Mishkind is celebrated for his first-rate expertise.

Heenan Blaikie LLP features strongly in our Canadian research. Ten names are listed from the firm including the “exceptional, dean of the employment bar” and most highly regarded individual in our research Roy Heenan OC. Joining him on the list in Montreal, Danny Kaufer is “first class”. In Toronto, five lawyers are listed including the “very effective” Brian Burkett.

At Ogilvy Renault LLP Giles Touchette is an “impressive and vastly knowledgeable lawyer”. Four further names from the firm are listed, including the “highly skilled” John West in Toronto.

In Vancouver, Thomas Roper QC of Roper Greyell LLP is “a very fine lawyer”.

Worldwide

In Australia, Freehills performs excellently with six lawyers listed. Perth-based Russell Allen receives international praise and is joined on the list by a Melbourne trio of “very effective” lawyers comprising Graeme Smith, John Cooper and Anthony Wood. In Sydney, Chris Barton stands out for his industry know-how, as does Michael Coonan in Brisbane.

Blake Dawson also features prominently with four lawyers recommended, three of whom are based in the firm’s Sydney office. Helen McKenzie is a favourite of clients as is Richard Bunting in Melbourne.

In New Zealand, Rob Towner at Bell Gully is “top notch” and in South Africa, Susan Stelzner is “first class”.

In China, Andy Yeo at Mayer Brown JSM is a talented lawyer. Fangda Partners’ Zheng Xie is another impressive practitioner in the region.

In Singapore, Rajah & Tann’s Abdul Jabbar Bin Karam Din receives significant international praise as does Deborah Barker SC at Khattar Wong and Susan de Silva at ATMD Bird & Bird LLP.

At Kochhar & Co in India, Manishi Pathak is a much celebrated practitioner and one of the highest nominated individuals in our global research. At Trilegal Anand Prasad is a very skilled lawyer.

At Basham Ringe y Correa SC in Mexico City Oscar de la Vega Gomez is “superb”. In Brazil, Cássio Mesquita Barros of Mesquita Barros Advogados is a recognised “name to turn to when you have a difficult case”.

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