Morgan Lewis & Bockius LLP
01 August 2007
International firm Morgan Lewis & Bockius LLP was founded in 1873 and now possesses 22 offices in Asia, Europe and America, which are home to over 1,300 lawyers. Although two of the Californian offices are relatively new additions, its reputation for excellence within the state has been cemented.
Morgan Lewis & Bockius LLP in Who's Who Legal: California
The firm is represented in all three employment-related areas in the publication. Three management labour and employment practitioners make the chapter. Co-chair of the West Coast wage and hour group Rebecca Eisen has a “great” practice, representing employers in the financial services, insurance and retail industries. Specialising in complex issues regarding collective bargaining and the National Labor Relations Service, Peter Hurtgen’s responsibilities include serving as director of the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service as well as chairing the National Labor Relations Board. Brendan Dolan is assistant practice group manager of the northern California labour and employment law practice group and serves a wide client base.
The group’s employment law credentials are bolstered by the plaudits its global corporate immigration service received. The senior director of Morgan Lewis Resources and partner in Morgan Lewis & Bockius LLP’s immigration and nationality services practice, Lance Director Nagel, was described as “an obvious choice for inclusion”. He joined the firm from Cooley Godward Kronish LLP with James Vazquez-Azpiri, who is “respected and contributes to the area’s intellectual development”, according to one interviewee. Employee benefits lawyer James DiBernardo is an “authority” in issues relating to stock option backdating and transactional related benefits and appears in the relevant chapter.
One of Morgan Lewis’s “well regarded” insurance and reinsurance practitioners stood out in the research. The“very creative” Michael Yves Horton’s practice is also recommended for policyholder representation for companies such as Wal-Mart Stores.
The firm earns nominations in three further practice areas. Product liability lawyer Joan Haratani has “a wonderful reputation for pharmaceuticals” and was also recommended for her work on a high-profile case regarding a food product. In the project finance chapter, co-chairman of the energy and infrastructure finance group Richard Shortz “possesses particular commercial experience in the energy and finance area gained from his tenure at Tosco Corporation”. Dino Barajas, who joined the firm from Paul Hastings LLP is a “hard worker and loyal to his clients” according to sources, and he’s the firm’s sole nominee in the project finance chapter. Barajas is said to enjoy a “very good following in Latin America”. He participates in financings in the energy, power, infrastructure and commercial sectors.We close our overview of Morgan Lewis by looking at Rochelle Alpert, whose “fine” trademark litigation and advisory work for a range of clients was especially admired and she comes recommended for matters involving the clothing, retail and technology sectors.
To see more profiled firms from California, vist the Firm Profiles page in the California Special Report