Search

Only in Spotlights Archive
Advanced Search

Spotlights Archive

Filter results:

All Spotlights

01-20-2010	Jenny Marler Named to "40 Under 40" List Sonnenschein Real Estate Partner Jennifer Marler was profiled in the St. Louis Business Journal's annual "40 Under 40" list, which is selected by a panel of Business Journal editors and former winners and is based on her career achievements and community work.
01-20-2010	Diversity Connections Winter 2010 Issue Sonnenschein's Diversity Connections Winter 2010 issue contains the firm's fifth year-end diversity statistics for attorneys and second for nonlegal staff, as well as a wealth of material highlighting myriad cultural and educational events that have recently taken place at our offices. It also includes news with an international flavor. Varya Simpson, counsel in the Corporate Practice of our San Francisco office, shares the tremendous energy and excitement she experienced at the first conference in India to address issues facing women lawyers. The story of a Peruvian-born student demonstrates how hard work led Alejandro Callirgos to receive a Sonnenschein-sponsored scholarship to law school.
01-20-2010	Sonnenschein Sponsors Various Hotels and Resorts Conferences in 2010 Sonnenschein Nath & Rosenthal LLP is proud to sponsor the following 2010 hotels and resorts conferences: The 9th Annual Americas Lodging Investment Summit (ALIS) , Jan. 25-27, at the Hilton San Diego Bayfront in San Diego, California The 13th Annual International Hotel Investment Forum (IHIF), March 8-10, at the InterContinental in Berlin, Germany The 32nd Annual New York University International Hospitality Industry Investment Conference, June 6-8, at the New York Marquis, New York City Richard ("Rick") Ross, Hotels & Resorts - Global Practice Chair, will be a panel discussion leader at the 9th Annual Americas Lodging Investment Summit (ALIS) on Monday, January 25, 2010. The discussion topic will be “Distressed Hotel/Workouts Track: Pre-Default Considerations For Hotel Lenders, Owners, And Management – With A Focus On The ‘Non Securitized’ Debt Scenario. Where Is The Loan Sitting Today, And How Does This Affect Things?” Rick Ross also serves on the ALIS Program Planning Committee. Hotels & Resorts - Global Practice Partner, Meghan Cocci, will be speaking at the 13th Annual International Hotel Investment Forum (IHIF) on Tuesday, March 9, 2010. The breakout session topic will be "Conversions - Reinventing Existing Properties Into New Products."
01-19-2010	Strategic Solutions for Health Care Reform The health care reform bill that ultimately lands on President Obama’s desk is bound to have a far-reaching impact on all segments of the health care industry, including pharmaceutical manufacturers, medical device companies, Medicare and Medicaid providers and suppliers, insurers, researchers and educators. The bill also will have significant consequences for employers, benefits managers and a wide range of other constituencies within the health care industry. Sonnenschein's Strategic Solutions for Health Care Reform site provides up-to-date news and resources prepared by our attorneys and professionals on the current state of America's health care reform system and its impact on the client communities we serve." Click here to learn more about Sonnenschein's Strategic Solutions for Health Care Reform.
01-13-2010	Sale of IndyMac Bank Deal Ranks Among Top 10 M&A Deals of 2009 Sonnenschein's high-profile representation of the FDIC in connection with its sale of IndyMac Federal Bank FSB received top billing in the 2009 M&A league tables. According to mergermarket and The Deal, the sale of the failed bank to a consortium of private equity buyers for $13.9 billion was the tenth-largest M&A transaction closed in 2009.
01-08-2010	Challenges and Opportunities in Implementing Health Care Reform Webinar On Tuesday, January 19, Sonnenschein held a 60-minute webinar exploring the changes and challenges associated with the upcoming Health Care Reform bill. Our national team of policy professionals and strategists reviewed status of legislation, including key components of the House and Senate legislation, major unresolved amendments, timeline and key issues, and provided an overview of the areas that will be most impacted by the bill. Download this webinar.
01-07-2010	Chip Korn Examines the Market for Venture Investing in Cleantech Sonnenschein partner Chip Korn analyzes the factors driving venture investments in cleantech, to include a look at the hottest areas attracting capital, the impact of government stimulus funds, the funding outlook for emerging growth companies and the latest trends in deal terms, as well as what we can expect in the year to come. Click here to view the interview from LegalMindsTV.
01-07-2010	Medicare Secondary Payer Section 111 Reporting Congress amended the federal Medicare Secondary Payer ("MSP") statute in December 2007 to impose mandatory reporting obligations on certain entities, including group health plans and liability, no fault and workers’ compensation insurers. A liability insurer is interpreted broadly in this context to include any self-insured entity and, accordingly, CMS has determined that the reporting obligations may apply to a broad range of entities (including, in certain instances, those who settle and pay within insurance deductible amounts). The statute authorizes CMS to impose civil monetary penalties of $1,000 dollars a day for each instance of non-reporting. Sonnenschein is actively advising many clients on MSP reporting obligations, including insurers and self-insured entities (such as hospitals, retailers and others). Click here to view Medicare Secondary Payer & Other Coordination of Benefits page.
01-06-2010	Policy Scan 2010: From Washington to the States The 2010 political landscape will be shaped by continued debate over major legislative reforms, ongoing focus on the state of the Nation's economy, and the security situation in Afghanistan and at home. Across the country, budget challenges in a struggling economy and concerns over the potential for new federal mandates will dominate the agenda, along with elections in November. The Congressional midterm elections will also force political leaders and strategists in Washington to take stock of potential voter backlash on many key votes expected early this calendar year. Sonnenschein's Policy Scan 2010 provides our annual look ahead at the legislative and political agenda and key events for the new year.
12-14-2009	Sonnenschein Argues Landmark Health Care Case to Supreme Court of Washington On November 17, 2009, the Supreme Court of Washington heard oral argument in a case being watched by medical practices as well as state and national medical associations across the country. In Columbia Physical Therapy, Inc. v. Benton Franklin Orthopedic Associates et al., Sonnenschein appellate litigators represent an orthopaedic surgery practice seeking to protect its right to furnish physical therapy services to its patients. Click here to read more.
11-19-2009	Sonnenschein Successfully Represents Former Senate Aid in Abramoff Scandal Sonnenschein successfully represented Kevin Koonce in connection with a Department of Justice and FBI investigation into allegations that Koonce took significant items of value from Jack Abramoff and other lobbyists while he worked as a key aide to Senator Judd Gregg. In January, corruption prosecutors at DOJ made clear of their intention to indict Koonce on a range of felony charges, as they had with 24 others involved in the Abramoff scandal. After nine months of effort, Sonnenschein White Collar attorneys convinced the Department of Justice to decline any prosecution and close the case.
11-17-2009	Sonnenschein Secures Win in Stanford Clawback Case Sonnenschein won a key ruling in the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals on behalf of several current and former Major League Baseball players who had invested money with accused Ponzi schemer Robert Allen Stanford. The decision in Janvey v. James R. Alguire et al. cleared the way for the release of more than $9 million that had been held by the receiver in the case. The court ruled that the receiver failed to show that Stanford investors were "relief defendants" who could be sued in a clawback action, and the three-judge panel found that the lower court lacked authority to freeze their assets. Sonnenschein had already freed more than $120 million prior to fully engaging the Stanford receiver in litigation. Read more about this decision.
11-12-2009	Victor Boyajian Analyzes IPO Market Outlook for The Deal Shot on location at the NYSE, Victor Boyajian, Global Chair of Sonnenschein's Venture Technology Group, speaks with The Deal on conditions necessary for the IPO market to open up for venture-backed companies. Click here to view.
11-11-2009	Sonnenschein Sponsors 2009 Healthcare & Capital Conference Sonnenschein is an executive sponsor of the 2009 Healthcare & Capital Conference, an event bringing together senior executives in healthcare and finance to explore issues and trends in health care finance and regulation. On November 17, 2009, Capital Markets Partner and Co-Chair Mike Froy will participate in a panel titled "Anatomy of a Deal," an in-depth case study of Legend Health care transactions with National Health Investors. On November 18, 2009, Health Care Partner Bruce Fried will participate in a panel titled "The Outlook for Physician Medical Groups".
11-10-2009	Sonnenschein Handles Financing for Merger of Financial Services Companies Sonnenschein handled the financing for the merger of Ramius LLC and Cowen Group, Inc., with the new entity retaining the Cowen Group name. The merger was completed on Nov. 2 following shareholder and regulatory approval.
11-10-2009	Washingtonian Magazine Recognizes Two Health Care Partners for 2010 Thomas Hyatt is recognized by the Washingtonian magazine on the "Washington, D.C., Best Health Care Lawyers of the Year" and "Washington, D.C., Best Non-Profit Charities Lawyers of the Year" list. Also, Robert Joseph is named by the Washingtonian magazine on the "Washington, D.C., Best Franchise Lawyers of the Year" list. These lists are published in the magazine's November 2009 edition.
11-05-2009	Sonnenschein Unpacks Health Care Reform Provisions for Clients The health care reform bill that ultimately lands on President Obama’s desk is bound to have a far-reaching impact on all segments of the health care industry, including pharmaceutical manufacturers, medical device companies, Medicare and Medicaid providers and suppliers, insurers, researchers and educators. The bill also will have significant consequences for employers, benefits managers and a wide range of other constituencies within the health care industry. Sonnenschein’s Health Care and Public Law & Policy Strategies groups have stayed on top of the health care reform debate so that we can help our clients understand the various bills under consideration in Congress and what those bills would mean for them. Click here for a comparison of the key provisions in the various health care reform bills. Click here to learn more about Sonnenschein's Strategic Solutions for Health Care Reform.
11-04-2009	D.C. Office Hosts Panel on Cuba Opportunities Sonnenschein and the National Foreign Trade Council hosted "The Emerging Cuban Market: Opportunities, Prospects and U.S. Policy" on Nov. 4 in Washington, D.C. Clients and guests heard an update on developments in Cuba and the U.S. that will create opportunities for U.S. and global businesses. The panel discussion included Tim Ashby; Jake Colvin of the National Foreign Trade Council; Wendy Gnehm, legislative assistant in the office of U.S. Senator Michael Enzi; David Jessop of The Cuba Initiative; and Alex Perkins, trade counsel, Subcommittee on Trade, Committee on Ways and Means Democratic Staff. View the video presentation from this event here (note it may take a few minutes to fully download video). Download Tim Ashby's presentation (PDF) .
10-28-2009	Pro Bono Pathways The fall 2009 edition of Pro Bono Pathways features articles about Sonnenschein's outstanding recent pro bono work, including successful death penalty work, federal civil rights litigation, Immigration Equality asylum representations across the country, award-winning transactional work on behalf of an Islamic Community Center in California and more.
10-26-2009	L. Robert Guenthner Named A Nightingale Outstanding Healthcare Transactions Lawyer Sonnenschein partner L. Robert Guenthner has been named by Nightingale's Healthcare News as one of the country's Outstanding Healthcare Transactions Lawyers for 2009. Nightingale's is a nationally prominent monthly health care newsletter that honors outstanding health care attorneys practicing in various areas of health care law. Rob focuses his practice in transactional matters with an emphasis on the health care industry. His expertise includes mergers and acquisitions, divestitures, joint ventures, strategic alliances, equity and debt financings, corporate reorganizations and other commercial transactions. He also has considerable experience dealing with the issues facing graduate medical education.
10-19-2009	Bruce Fried Speaks at the Oppenheimer 20th Annual Healthcare Conference in New York Sonnenschein partner Bruce Merlin Fried will be the opening keynote speaker for the Oppenheimer 20th Annual Healthcare Conference. This conference, taking place at the Waldorf Astoria in New York City on November 3-4, 2009, is for institutional clients of Oppenheimer & Co. Inc. and is open by invitation only. Mr. Fried will be speaking on "Health Reform & Managed Care: Implications and Implementation". The panel presentation begins at 8 a.m. on November 3rd and will be webcast live during the event. The webcast will be archived automatically about three hours after the live event concludes and will be available for 90 days through February 2, 2010. Click here to view the webcast.
10-19-2009	Kevin Eskew Presents Tactical Framework for a Clinical Trial Billing Audit Webinar As part of the Association of Healthcare Internal Auditors (AHIA) webinar series, Kevin Eskew, Sonnenschein Health Care Managing Director, presents a webinar titled, "Tactical Framework for a Clinical Trial Billing Audit," on November 5, 2009 at 11:00 a.m. Eastern. This webinar will provide an overview of clinical trials billing (dynamics, accountabilities, regulations), identify the common areas of risk and issues that are usually cited in an audit and summarize strategic options for reducing risk. Read more and register for this event at http://www.ahia.org.
10-15-2009	CREW Names Jennifer Marler to "20 Under 40" List St. Louis real estate partner Jennifer A. Marler was named by Commercial Real Estate Women (CREW) Network to its first ever "20 under 40" program at the organization's annual conference in Boston. Recipients were chosen based on their established success in the field of commercial real estate, commitment to the industry and demonstrated leadership. Ms. Marler served on CREW Network's national board of directors (2008-2009) and was the chapter president for CREW St. Louis in 2007. In 2007, she was honored by the national CREW Network as the first recipient of its Achievement of Excellence Award. Ms. Marler was also the recipient of the Deal of the Year Award 2005-2007 and 2008 Mentor of the Year and Networking Story of the Year Awards from the CREW St. Louis chapter.
10-14-2009	Marc Zwillinger and Rebecca Fayed to Participate in HITECH Act Webinar Sonnenschein attorneys Marc Zwillinger and Rebecca Fayed will present during the "The Impact of the HITECH Act on HIPAA Compliance and Data Security: Clear Information Direct from the Legal Experts" webinar on October 21 at 2:00 p.m. EDT. The 60-minute webinar is presented by Legal Experts and sponsored by Vormetric. Click here to register for this webinar.
10-05-2009	Ramy Fayed Named "Outstanding Young Healthcare Lawyer" Ramy Fayed has been named to the Nightingale's Healthcare News list of "Outstanding Young Healthcare Lawyers." The list was published in the newsletter's September 2009 edition.
10-02-2009	Sonnenschein Scores Major Eighth Circuit Win for AEGON Sonnenschein recently won a significant appellate decision involving long-term care (LTC) insurance on behalf of insurance client AEGON and its subsidiary, Life Investors Insurance Company of America (now Transamerica Life Insurance Company), defeating a putative 150,000-policyholder nationwide class action. Click here to read more about this win.
10-01-2009	Health Care Group Partners Author Second Edition of Stark Law Bestseller A second, extensively revised, edition of *The Stark Law: A User's Guide to Achieving Compliance* has been published by HC Pro. Authored by Sonnenschein partners Ramy Fayed, Christopher Janney, Marci Rose Levine and Gadi Weinreich, this book (first published in 2005) provides hospitals, physicians and others with practical guidance from seasoned professionals, easy-to-implement tools, and over 175 real world examples -- all designed to help health care organizations comply with the Stark Law and its increasingly complex regulations.
10-01-2009	Sonnenschein Sponsors Scholarship for U.C. Hastings Law Student Sonnenschein is one of the sponsors of the California Bar Foundation’s Diversity Scholarship Program, which provides scholarships to diverse law students with financial need who wish to make a positive impact as community leaders. This year, 23 recipients were chosen out of a pool of 200 applicants. Sonnenschein is matched with Alejandro Callirgos, a first-year student at the University of California, Hastings College of the Law. Alejandro is a native of Peru who overcame personal and economic adversity to graduate from the University of Miami, Coral Cables.
09-25-2009	Rebecca Fayed Presents on Privacy and Security of Health Information at AHLA Conference Sonnenschein attorney, Rebecca Fayed will present on "Privacy and Security of Health Information: HIPAA, HITECH and Red Flags" on November 3rd and November 4th in Chicago at AHLA's Fundamentals of Health Law Conference. The presentation will focus on the HIPAA Privacy and Security Rules, the HITECH Act and related agency rules and guidance, and the FTC's Red Flag Rules. This AHLA conference is tailored as a training program for new associates and in-house counsel as well as a refresher for experienced health lawyers. To learn more about the conference, visit the AHLA site.
09-25-2009	Thomas Hyatt Speaks at AHLA's Fundamentals of Health Law Conference Thomas Hyatt is serving on the conference program faculty and presenting "Tax Exemption and Tax Issues" at the AHLA's Fundamentals of Health Law Conference on November 3rd at 8:00 a.m. Mr. Hyatt also will present alongside Barry Alexander, David Marx, Jr. and David E. Matyas during a presentation titled "Pulling It All Together - a Joint Venture Case Study" on November 4th at 3:00 p.m. This conference will be held November 2-4, 2009 at the Hyatt Regency Chicago. Download the AHLA Fundamentals of Health Law Conference brochure.
09-24-2009	Sonnenschein Achieves Victory in Pro Bono Environmental Case Sonnenschein attorneys Nick Yost, Sarah Ratcliffe Choi and Matthew Adams convinced a federal judge in California to dismiss a suit challenging the Bay Delta Conservation Plan (BDCP), which would provide for both species/habitat protection and improved reliability of water supplies in California's Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta. The lawsuit, brought by two water agencies, claimed that the state and federal agencies' notices of preparation and notice of intent violated CEQA (California Environmental Quality Act) and NEPA (National Environmental Policy Act), respectively. Sonnenschein represented six different non-profit environmental organizations in the case who were sued because of their role and participation in the BDCP planning process. Those groups, along with other defendants, filed motions to dismiss in the Eastern District of California on multiple grounds, with the main point being that that the claims were not ripe under NEPA.
09-18-2009	Business Journal Names Elliott Portnoy "Top Washington Lawyer" in Lobbying Law Category Elliott Portnoy was named the top D.C. lawyer in the category of "Lobbying Law" by the Washington Business Journal. The publication's annual survey recognizes the top-tier lawyers in Greater Washington who practice law and provide legal counsel to Washington businesses. Attorneys are evaluated for their noteworthy achievements and other accomplishments over the course of their careers.
09-18-2009	TR Daily Covers Telebriefing by Telecom Antitrust Panel, Including Doug Bonner On September 17, 2009, Internet, Communications & Data Protection Group partner Douglas Bonner moderated an expert panel of antitrust lawyers, including Michael Altschul, Senior Vice President & General Counsel of CTIA - The Wireless Association, and Donald J. Russell, partner at Robbins, Russell, Englert, Orseck, Untereiner & Sauber LLP and former Chief of the Antitrust Division's Telecommunications Task Force from 1994 to 2001. The Q&A discussion examined 1) Antitrust policy changes at the DOJ; 2) The impact of vertically integrated telecommunications companies on competition; 3) FCC investigation of wireless industry practices; 4) The role Congress plays in investigations of the telecom industry; and 5) the results of private antitrust actions against telecom/video providers. To review materials provided to participants, click links below: Preserving "Net Neutrality" Amidst Massive Telecommunications Consolidation - Can it Happen? presentation Assistant Attorney General Varney 5/12/09 speech to U.S. Chamber of Commerce, "Vigorous Antitrust Enforcement in This Challenging Era" DOJ Antitrust Division Press Release, 5/11/09 Read full TR Daily article
09-17-2009	Gary Goodman Elected to Association of Foreign Investors in Real Estate Executive Committee Sonnenschein real estate partner Gary Goodman was recently elected to the 2010 Association of Foreign Investors in Real Estate (AFIRE) executive committee and will serve as Director of Legal & Tax. AFIRE, a not-for-profit association of international real estate investors with headquarters in Washington, D.C., was founded in 1988 with strong support from Dutch pension funds. German investment firms now constitute the largest nationality of investors. While inbound investment into the U.S. remains the members’ common bond, their portfolios have become increasingly global in scope.
09-17-2009	Human Rights Campaign Gives Sonnenschein Perfect Score for 3rd Straight Year Sonnenschein has earned a perfect score for the third straight year in the Human Rights Campaign Foundation's Corporate Equality Index (CEI). Based on the prefect score, the Firm is also named a "Best Place to Work" by the organization. The CEI report, released each fall, analyzes and rates U.S. employers on their policies and practices related to lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) employees. Criteria include non-discrimination policies, domestic partner benefits and LGBT resource groups.
09-16-2009	Marc Zwillinger Quoted in BNA Report Sonnenschein attorney Marc Zwillinger was quoted in BNA's Electronic Commerce & Law Report. The report discusses the significance in the Ninth Circuit's decision in Comprehensive Drug Testing, Inc. Legal experts have identified this decision as one of the most important rulings on government searches of electronically stored information. Click here to read the article, titled "Attorneys, Academics Sort Through Landmark Case on Computer Searches."
09-15-2009	Tracey LeBeau Joins Sonnenschein's Energy & Regulated Industries Practice Tracey LeBeau, partner and co-founder of Red Mountain Energy Partners, joins Sonnenschein as a senior managing director in the Energy & Regulated Industries Practice. A noted specialist in energy development, LeBeau will co-lead the firm’s renewable energy practice. Click here to read more.
09-10-2009	Douglas Bonner Provides Telecommunications Industry Antitrust Analysis Via Telebriefing Internet, Communications & Data Protection Group partner Douglas Bonner speaks alongside Michael Altschul, Senior Vice President & General Counsel of CTIA - The Wireless Association, and Donald J. Russell, partner at Robbins, Russell, Englert, Orseck, Untereiner & Sauber LLP. In a discussion tailored for telecommunications/cable executives, antitrust and regulatory lawyers, and government representatives, this panel will examine 1) Antitrust policy changes at the DOJ 2) The impact of vertically integrated telecommunications companies on competition 3) Policy and procedure changes by the new Antitrust Division and 4) FCC investigation of wireless industry practices. Click here to register for this event.
09-04-2009	ACQ Finance Gives Sonnenschein Top Insurance / Reinsurance Honors ACQ Finance, the U.K.-based deal magazine, has named Sonnenschein the "Insurance & Reinsurance Law Firm of the Year." The annual award is based on an independent poll of the magazine's global readership, which consists of roughly 35,000 industry peers.
09-03-2009	Sonnenschein Attorneys Present at Compliance Seminar on FTC's New Market Manipulation Regulations Sonnenschein partners and Federal Trade Commission and petroleum market experts Katherine Funk and Vince Murchison present "Nuances and Potential Impacts of the Final Rule on Participants in the Petroleum Markets" on Sept. 21 at the Capital Hilton Hotel in Washington, D.C. This seminar is designed to assist industry participants in complying with the FTC's recent rulemaking on market manipulation in the petroleum industry, which takes effect Nov. 4. More information can be found at http://www.npra.org.
08-31-2009	Leading Residential Mortgage Lawyers Help Homeowners Navigate Federal Programs to Save their Homes In September, Sonnenschein began providing pro bono support directly to New York City homeowners in distressed situations through the "Lawyer's Foreclosure Intervention Network". Twelve of Sonnenschein's capital markets and real estate lawyers received training under the new program created and sponsored by The Federal Reserve Bank of New York and the City Bar Justice Center. Sonnenschein counsels homeowners in distress and/or foreclosure situations on their rights and other issues, outside of litigation, including: mandatory settlement conferences, loan modifications and credit management. Read more.
08-26-2009	Sonnenschein Amicus Brief Contributes to Victory for Insurance Client Sonnenschein recently helped secure an important victory for its insurance clients before the California Supreme Court, while successfully arguing that a prior decision by that court was inapposite. In Delgado v. Interinsurance Exchange of the Automobile Club of Southern California, the court held that the policyholder’s conduct in physically assaulting and battering another person could not be deemed an “accident” – and hence failed to trigger a duty to defend – regardless of whether the policyholder believed his actions were necessary to defend himself. more>
08-17-2009	Lisa Murtha presents at the AHLA Fraud & Compliance Forum Lisa Murtha presents at the AHLA Fraud & Compliance Forum on October 5. Ms. Murtha presents, "Conflicts of Interest: The Final Research Compliance Frontier," 2:00-3:00pm, discussing recent cases and legislative updates on conflicts of interest and best practices related to conflicts of interest policies and disclosure procedures. Read more, here.
08-06-2009	Daniel Zimmermann Appointed Chair of International Law Section of CA State Bar Sonnenschein partner Daniel Zimmermann has been appointed Chair of California State Bar's International Law Section Executive Committee. The section serves California lawyers handling international legal matters in a wide variety of areas, including corporate and business transactions, litigation and arbitration, tax, regulatory and trade matters, bankruptcy, intellectual property and family law.
07-30-2009	Randy Sabett Speaks at an ISSA Web Conference Randy Sabett presents at the ISSA Web conference, "The Truth about Securing Mobile Device", on August 11 at 12:00pm EST. Mr. Sabett discusses legal concerns in the mobile world, focusing on information security liability, export compliance, and the issues that arise at the U.S. border. The web conference details how mobile devices are becoming further pervasive and the security risks they may pose. Please click for more information and to register for this event.
07-29-2009	Former National Congress of American Indians Government Affairs Director Joins Firm Heather Dawn Thompson, a widely respected former director of government affairs at the National Congress of American Indians (NCAI) and a member of the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe, joins Sonnenschein as a partner in the Public Law & Policy Strategies and Indian Law & Tribal Representation practices. With this move, Thompson joins the ranks of only a handful of Native American partners in large national law firms. Read more.
07-28-2009	Thomas Hyatt Provides Analysis of the New IRS Form 990 Health care and nonprofits attorney Thomas Hyatt has authored "Show Me What I'm Looking For: A Trustee's Guide to Reviewing the New IRS Form 990," published in the July/August 2009 issue of Trusteeship Magazine, by the Association of Governing Boards of Universities and Colleges. The article provides an overview, analysis and outline of the new form that will assist nonprofit trustees in reviewing and discussing the new form's disclosures.
07-20-2009	Rudolf Beese Elected President of the Construction Law Section of the Kansas Bar Rudolf H. Beese was recently elected to serve as the 2009-2010 President-Elect of the Construction Law Section of the Kansas Bar Association. The purpose of the Construction Law Section of the Kansas Bar Association is to plan and promote education programs; support and recommend legislation; distribute information through newsletters, bulletin boards, or other means of communication; and provide networking opportunities for construction law practitioners.
07-10-2009	Sonnenschein's Capital Markets Practice Achieves Top Industry Ranking Sonnenschein has been ranked as number-one issuer counsel and number-two underwriter counsel for the first half of 2009 by Asset-Backed Alert, the leading publication of the securitization industry. Click here to view the complete rankings and read about Sonnenschein's emergence as one of the securitization industry's top law firms. Read more about our Capital Markets Practice.
07-08-2009	Congratulations to Our Corporate Lawyers Who are Ranked in Chambers USA Congratulations to our 21 Corporate lawyers who are ranked in Chambers USA: America's Leading Lawyers for Business 2009. Since the USA client guide was introduced in 2003, the number of our practice areas and attorneys who are evaluated by the independent editorial board at Chambers & Partners has steadily increased. The editors note that "this corporate group is well positioned in the market to provide quality coverage from coast to coast" and "boasts a good international presence as it works with national and overseas insurers, investment banks, buyers and sellers on significant merger transactions." Click here to access the rankings for our Corporate lawyers.
07-07-2009	Franchise Attorney Reappointed to Advisory Board Alan Silberman of Chicago has been reappointed to the Illinois Franchise Advisory Board, a statutorily created body under the Illinois Franchise Disclosure Act of 1987 to advise the Office of the Illinois Attorney General on franchising and related matters.
06-29-2009	Holley Thames Lutz Speaks at AHLA Annual Meeting Holley Thames Lutz presents on "Conflicts of Interest in Clinical Research, Enforcement Initiatives and FCA Update" on June 30, 2009, at the AHLA Annual Meeting. This year's meeting, which features more than 35 sessions on a broad range of health law topics, takes place on June 29-30 at the Marriott Wardman Park Hotel in Washington, D.C. Read the event agenda.
06-29-2009	Janice Ziegler Presents at AHLA Webinar Janice Ziegler speaks in the AHLA's "Part D Compliance" Webinar on Wednesday, July 29, from 1:00-2:30 p.m. The Webinar focuses on Part D fraud, waste and abuse issues, as well as relevant Part D reporting issues. Read additional Webinar information.
06-25-2009	White-Collar and Government Investigations Lawyer Glenn Colton Moves to Sonnenschein Glenn C. Colton, a former assistant U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York, has joined the national law firm as a partner in its Litigation Practice and co-chair of its White-Collar and Government Investigations Practice. Colton practices in the areas of white-collar criminal and complex civil litigation, as well as government and internal investigations. He comes to Sonnenschein from Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati and will reside in the firm’s New York office. Read more.
06-22-2009	Sonnenschein's Hotels & Resorts Global Practice Achieves Top Ranking in Chambers USA 2009 For the third consecutive year, Sonnenschein's Hotels & Resorts - Global Practice has achieved a Nationwide Band 1 Ranking in Chambers USA 2009: America's Leading Lawyers for Business' National Leisure & Hospitality Band. Attorneys Richard F. ("Rick") Ross and Meghan Cocci also received top individual rankings from Chambers USA's National Leisure & Hospitality band. Ross also was recognized in the Real Esate Band for Arizona.
06-19-2009	Financial Regulatory Reform The Financial Regulatory Reform outline is the first step in what is expected to be a lengthy and contentious legislative process — one that will likely commence in earnest this coming fall and could potentially stretch into next year. Sonnenschein professionals are analyzing key substantive areas of the proposed regulatory reform initiative, including those portions that will most directly impact the banking, insurance, private equity, and consumer markets. Please refer to our recent In Briefs, which discuss these critical topics.
06-18-2009	Venture Technology Group Nationally Ranked, Attorneys Honored by Chambers USA 2009 Sonnenschein's Venture Technology Group has been recognized by Chambers USA as one of the premier national venture capital and life sciences practices. Numerous members of our interdisciplinary team have been recognized for their oustanding performance in several areas including: Victor H. Boyajian (Venture, Corporate/M&A), Paul Gajer (Venture), John L. Cleary II (Corporate/M&A), Joel Bock (IP), Douglas Bonner (Telecom), Michael D. Rosenthal (Venture, Corporate/M&A), Randy Sabett (Privacy & Data Security) and Thomas Walsh (Corporate/M&A). Attorney rankings are based on recommendations of thousands of peer attorneys and clients nationwide.
06-15-2009	76 Sonnenschein Attorneys Recognized by Chambers USA Chambers USA: America's Leading Lawyers for Business 2009 has recognized 76 Sonnenschein attorneys and 35 of the firm's practice areas as leaders in their field. Selection to Chambers is based on substantial research which includes interviews with thousands of attorneys and their clients, placing them among the most prestigious of the legal industry rankings. Since the introduction of the USA guide in 2003, the number of Sonnenschein practices and lawyers selected by the independent editorial board at Chambers & Partners has steadily increased. View the entire list of Sonnenschein's ranked attorneys and practices in Chambers 2009.
06-02-2009	Gadi Weinreich Presents Stark Law Compliance Webinar Sonnenschein and Compliance 360 will present a complimentary webinar titled, "Ensuring Compliance with Current Stark Laws: An Operational Guide." Sonnenschein Health Care attorney Gadi Weinreich host the webinar, discussing recent updates to the Stark law that expand the regulations and create new risks for hospital and physician compliance. The webinar takes place on June 10, 2009 from 2:00 until 3:00 p.m. Eastern Time. Click here to read more and register for the event.
06-01-2009	Bruce Merlin Fried Speaks at Standard & Poor's Health Insurance Seminar Bruce Merlin Fried presents at Standard & Poor's June 2, 2009 seminar, "Health Insurance 2009: Are Health Insurers Positioned For Change?" The seminar, which will take place in Brooklyn, New York, will examine current issues shaping the industry and potential implications for credit ratings.
05-26-2009	Janice Ziegler Participates in the AHLA's Teleconference on Medicare Risk Adjusters Janice Ziegler speaks in the AHLA's teleconference, "Medicare Risk Adjusters: A New Frontier and Potential Legal Issues for Plans and Providers" on June 16, 2009 from 1:00-2:30 p.m. EST. The teleconference provides an overview regarding Medicare risk adjusters and affected payments, reviews the CMS enforcement trends, and discusses the plan and provider issues and challenges in complying with obligations under MA Plan contracts.
05-19-2009	Sonnenschein Serves as Underwriters' Counsel in Public Offering of Berkshire Hills Bancorp, Inc. Sonnenschein represented Sandler O'Neill + Partners, L.P., lead book-running manager, and Keefe Bruyette & Woods, co-manager, in connection with the public offering of 1.4 million shares of common stock of Berkshire Hills Bancorp, Inc. Berkshire raised $30.1 million in gross proceeds in the offering.
05-19-2009	Victor Boyajian Hosts Panel on Stimulus Bill's $50 Billion Cleantech Opportunity Cowen, ThinkEquity, Chevron, Trident Capital and Deloitte joined Sonnenschein's Venture Technology Group and Public Law & Policy Strategies Group for a panel discussion led by Victor Boyajian, titled "Capitol Hill and Wall Street Come to the Valley: How to Get a Piece of the Stimulus Bill's $50 Billion Cleantech Pie". The event, which was co-sponsored by Deloitte, RoseRyan and MIT/Standford VLAB, focused on how emerging growth cleantech companies can secure funding through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. Click here for coverage of this standing room only event, which was held in our Palo Alto office on May 14th.
05-18-2009	Victor Boyajian Moderates NVCA Webcast on Broadband Stimulus Plan Sonnenschein Venture Technology Group chair Victor Boyajian moderated the National Venture Capital Association Webcast "Hi-Speed Access to $7.2 Billion in Broadband Stimulus Plan Provisions". The Webcast featured a panel of experts from Capitol Hill, Core Capital, Ernst & Young and Sonnenschein's Venture Technology Group who discussed how the venture capital community and their IT-focused portfolio companies can benefit from the recently enacted American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.
05-13-2009	Appellate Court Says Charter Schools Not Subject to Prevailing Wage Laws In a decision that will enable charter schools to devote more funds to their educational programs and teacher salaries by holding down construction and maintenance costs, the New York Supreme Court's appellate division unanimously held that charter schools are not subject to the state's "prevailing wage" laws. Read more about this charter school decision.
05-13-2009	Sonnenschein Hosts Webinar - It's All About the Data: Privacy and Security for Patient Data On May 12, 2009, Sonnenschein's Health Care and Internet, Communications & Data Protection Practices hosted a webinar titled, "It's All About the Data: Privacy and Security for Patient Data in 2009". This seminar: (1) summarized new privacy and security regulations that impact health care providers, (2) provided an easy-to-follow timeline of required next steps, and (3) offered practical and cost effective tips for ensuring compliance. Listen to the audio presentation and view the presentation (590k PDF) from this webinar.
05-07-2009	Diversity Connections Spring 2009 Issue As California's supreme court prepares to rule on the single-sex right-to-marry issue in light of Proposition 8, the spring 2009 issue of Diversity Connections includes Paul Glad's reflections on the state of same-sex marriage in California and nationally. Also in this issue, Diversity Partner Helise Harrington reflects on implicit bias, the subject of a recent forum in our Los Angeles office, and generational diversity in the workplace, a subject first explored in Diversity Connections in winter 2008. In the current issue, you can also learn about exciting developments around the firm and test your knowledge of African American history.
05-01-2009	Complimentary Webinar - It's All About the Data: Privacy and Security for Patient Data Sonnenschein's Health Care and Internet, Communications & Data Protection Practices host a webinar titled, "It's All About the Data: Privacy and Security for Patient Data in 2009" on Tuesday, May 12 from 12:00-1:00 p.m. ET. This seminar will (1) summarize new privacy and security regulations that impact health care providers, (2) provide an easy-to-follow timeline of required next steps, and (3) offer practical and cost effective tips for ensuring compliance. Read more and get RSVP information.
05-01-2009	Janice Ziegler Speaks at BCBSA 43rd Annual Lawyer's Conference Janice Ziegler presents at the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association's 43rd Annual Lawyer's Conference on May 7, 2009 in Seattle, Washington. Ms. Ziegler leads a roundtable discussion regarding, MSP Mandatory Reporting, Debt Collection Recovery and Coordination of Benefits Contractor issues, on which she is a nationally recognized authority.
04-21-2009	Barry Cannaday and Vince Murchison Join Sonnenschein's Energy & Regulated Industries Practice Oil and gas attorneys Barry F. Cannaday and William Vincent “Vince” Murchison have joined Sonnenschein’s Energy & Regulated Industries Practice as partners in our Dallas office. Cannaday and Murchison have global practices, representing industry leaders around the world. Cannaday’s practice focuses on oil and gas exploration and production activities, including financing, acquisitions, divestitures, restructuring, and administrative trial and appellate work related to the energy sector. Murchison is a pipeline regulatory lawyer, who also advises clients on issues regarding upstream exploration, development and production. Read Cannaday and Murchison's news release.
04-20-2009	Sonnenschein Professionals Speak at HCCA's 13th Annual Compliance Institute Health Care Group members Ramy Fayed, Holley Thames Lutz, Judy Ringholz, and Gadi Weinreich will each present at HCCA's 13th Annual Compliance Institute in Las Vegas, NV on April 26-29, 2009. The conference will include 118 sessions on the latest compliance information, hot topics in the industry and current events.
04-10-2009	Real Estate Lawyers Elected to ACREL Sonnenschein attorneys Jana Cohen Barbe and Gary Goodman have been elected to the American College of Real Estate Lawyers (ACREL). ACREL is the premier organization for real estate attorneys, and membership is by invitation only. Lawyers are elected not only for their legal abilities, experience and high standards of professional and ethical conduct, but also for the contributions they make to the real estate and legal professions through their practices, legal writings and public speaking.
04-09-2009	Jennifer Marler Receives Two Crew Awards The St. Louis chapter of CREW (Commercial Real Estate Women) presented Jennifer A. Marler with its Networking Story of the Year and Mentor of the Year awards at the chapter’s Fourth Annual Networking Awards Luncheon in February. The awards go to CREW members who exemplify the organization's mission to advance the success of women in commercial real estate, as well as support the community. Ms. Marler is a past president of the St. Louis chapter of CREW and serves on its executive board. In 2007, she received the national CREW Network’s inaugural Achievement of Excellence Award for her efforts to advance the success of women in real estate.
04-09-2009	Sonnenschein Represents Banks in TARP Capital Purchase Program Participation Sonnenschein has assisted numerous regional and community banks in raising additional capital through their participation in the U.S. Department of Treasury's Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP) Capital Purchase Program. These representations have included issuances of preferred stock and warrants by State Bancorp, Inc. and Hilltop Community Bancorp, Inc.
04-09-2009	Sonnenschein Represents Kansas City Southern de Mexico in Private Placement Sonnenschein represented longtime client Kansas City Southern de Mexico (KCSM), a subsidiary of client Kansas City Southern (KCS), in its offering of $200 million of 12-1/2 percent Senior Notes through Banc of America Securities, SunTrust Robinson Humphrey, Scotia Capital (USA) and DVB Capital Markets. Attorneys in our Corporate Practice counseled KCSM on Rule 144A and disclosure issues, drafted the private placement offering memorandum and negotiated terms of the purchase agreement. KCS is a holding company with domestic and international rail operations in North America focused on the growing north/south freight corridor connecting key commercial and industrial markets in the central United States with major industrial cities in Mexico.
04-09-2009	Tarek Fahmi Named Top IP Attorney Silicon Valley partner Tarek Fahmi was recognized among California's Top IP Attorneys in an April 8 Daily Journal special section. Fahmi was selected to the "25 Leading Portfolio Managers" list.
04-07-2009	Jonathan Kaden Receives Northwestern Young Alumni Award Sonnenschein attorney Jonathan Kaden will be honored with the Northwestern University Young Alumni Award at the 6th Annual Alumni Public Service Benefit Dinner on April 16. Northwestern’s Student Funded Public Interest Fellowship gives the award each year to alumni who have demonstrated a commitment to public service. Jonathan regularly represents investors, community development entities and lenders in connection with New Markets Tax Credit (NMTC) transactions that finance commercial developments in low-income communities. His recent pro bono work has focused on helping individual clients purchase affordable homes and secure stable affordable rental housing.
04-01-2009	Intellectual Property Bulletin The November 2009 Intellectual Property Bulletin reviews Bose's victory in a trademark office claim with a competitor, the potential pitfall of re-selling foreign works and the highest court in PA ruling their counterfeit trademark law as unconstitutional. Read Sonnenschein's November 2009 Intellectual Property Bulletin. The August 2009 edition reviews a PA patent lawsuit for "co-exclusive" licensees, selling trademarked products with an altered UPC code and the new hurdle for claims of inequitable misconduct in patent cases. Read the August 2009 Intellectual Property Bulletin. The June 2009 edition reviews Mattel's recent $100M copyright case win, a vodka maker's attempt at registration in spite of the name being geographically deceptive and how a company failed to protect their trademark. Read the June 2009 Intellectual Property Bulletin. The May 2009 Intellectual Property Bulletin reviews a major software patent case, a copyright and first amendment case in CO and a trademark case involving two clothing retailers. Read the May 2009 Intellectual Property Bulletin. The April 2009 Intellectual Property Bulletin reviews the dismissal of an IP suit between rival car sales Web sites in Delaware, the first decision that recognizes the "hot news" doctrine and how a large office supply company won a patent case by a rival withholding prior art. Read the April 2009 Intellectual Property Bulletin. The March 2009 edition includes stories on design patent issues with Crocs style foam shoes, the U.S. Supreme Court case In re Bilski and an examination of the scope of protection provided by the DMCA's "safe harbor" provision. Read the March 2009 Intellectual Property Bulletin.
04-01-2009	Appellate Team Files High Court Amicus Brief in Education Funding Case Sonnenschein recently filed an amicus curiae brief in the U.S. Supreme Court on behalf of the Asian American Justice Center, the National Council of La Raza and several other civil rights organizations in Horne v. Flores. The case involves an injunction compelling the state of Arizona to provide sufficient funding for non-English-speaking school children. The brief focuses on the importance of providing English language learners with access to effective programs, as required by the Equal Educational Opportunities Act of 1974, and argues for equal access to public education as a fundamental civil right. Click here to view the full list of amici.
04-01-2009	Health Care Group Promotes Ramy Fayed to Partner Effective April 1, Ramy Fayed, of our Washington, D.C. office, was promoted to partner. Mr. Fayed advises clients on compliance with the federal health care program anti-kickback law, the Stark law, the False Claims Act, laws and regulations governing coverage and reimbursement and privacy issues.
04-01-2009	Randy Sabett Speaks at the RSA Conference 2009 Randy Sabett participates at the 2009 RSA Conference held in San Francisco on April 20-24, 2009. The conference plays an integral role in educating and connecting security professionals across the globe. Mr. Sabett presents on four separate topics: Mock Hearing - Spoliation of Digital Evidence on April 21, Head in the Clouds…Feet on the Ground? on April 22, You've Been Pwned: News at 11 on April 23, and Cyber Security for the 44th Presidency - Assessing the CSIS Commission Recommendations, CNCI, and Current U.S. Strategy on April 21.
03-25-2009	Washington, D.C. Super Lawyers Recognizes Two Sonnenschein Healthcare Attorneys Thomas Hyatt and Gadi Weinreich have been named 2009 Super Lawyers for the Washington, D.C. area. Mr. Hyatt and Mr. Weinreich are ranked in the "Health Care" category. Super Lawyers is a listing of attorneys who are recognized for their professional accomplishments.
03-19-2009	Healthcare Attorney Hosts Webinar on New CMS Guidelines for Transplant Centers Erin Janssen hosted a webinar presentation on "The New Medicare Survey and Certification Process: What Transplant Centers Need to Know" on March 19, 2009. Ms. Janssen provided a detailed explanation of this new process, as well as tips and insight into what transplant centers may expect in the coming months. Click here to hear the audio presentation and PowerPoint presentation from this Webinar.
03-17-2009	Janice Ziegler Speaks on Medicare Secondary Payor Issues Janice Ziegler presents at the AHLA's Institute on Medicare and Medicaid Payment Issues on March 25 in Baltimore, MD. Ms. Ziegler discusses Medicare Secondary Payor Issues, on which she is a nationally recognized authority. She has advised insurers, providers, and industry associations in all manner of MSP and coordination of benefits representations, including defending companies involved in False Claims Act litigation and regulatory enforcement matters, conducting comprehensive MSP compliance and operational reviews, and providing legislative counseling.
03-16-2009	Diversity Connections Winter 2009 Issue The Winter 2009 issue of Sonnenschein’s Diversity Connections contains several articles focusing on the recent presidential election, including speculation on what the election of President Obama may mean for the legal profession and reflections on voters' approval of California's Proposition 8. This issue also includes the firm’s year-end diversity statistics for both legal and non-legal staff.
03-11-2009	Bruce Fried Participates in Sonnenschein's Roundtable Discussion of the ARRA Stimulus Package Bruce Fried speaks at Sonnenschein's Day 63: The State of Stimulus Spending Breakfast Roundtable Discussion on March 24, 2009. The event will feature a distinguished panel of experts who will focus on Information Security, Healthcare and Energy spending in the Obama Administration. Mr. Fried, who has more than 30 years of experience in health law and policy, will discuss updates and impacts of the stimulus package dollars on the healthcare industry. Read more about this event, and get RSVP information.
03-05-2009	Rebecca Fayed Provides Expert Analysis of HITECH Act Healthcare attorney Rebecca Fayed has authored "ARRA 2009 and the HITECH Act: The New Phase of HIPAA Regulation and Enforcement Arrives," published in the March 5th issue of BNA's Health Law Reporter. The article analyzes the privacy and security provisions of the HITECH Act, which includes many significant changes to HIPAA's privacy and security programs, particularly with respect to the obligations of business associates, security breach notification, and penalties and enforcement.
02-25-2009	Doug Bonner Speaks at Telecommunications Conference Doug Bonner will speak on "Recent Decisions That Affect the Competitive Landscape" at the Law Seminars International 14th Annual Conference on Telecommunications Law in Seattle, Washington on April 16, 2009. The seminar will cover key developments in regulatory policy, technology and case law.
02-24-2009	Bruce Fried to Lead Health Care Reform Conference Call Bruce Fried will participate in a conference call titled, "Health Care Reform —The Path, The Players & The Policy." The call, sponsored by investment firm Oppenheimer & Co., will take place on Thursday, March 5, 2009 at 2:30 p.m. ET, and will focus on the health care reform timeline under the new Obama administration and the recently passed American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. Mr. Fried has more than thirty years of experience in health care law and policy, both in the public and private sectors.
02-24-2009	Katie Funk to Speak at Premier Antitrust Program Katie Funk addresses “Evidentiary Standards for Judging Economic Analysis, Here and Abroad” at the ABA Antitrust Section’s annual meeting in Washington, D.C. on March 25-27, 2009. Courts in different countries apply varying standards in evaluating economic analysis in antitrust cases. Katie will discuss which standards have been and should be applied on issues ranging from the proof of liability to the measurement of damages.
02-19-2009	American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 Webinar Series: Outlooks and Impacts Sonnenschein's Financial Crisis Special Situations Group presented a Webinar on February 19th that discussed the impacts and outlook of the 2009 Economic Stimulus Bill. Download the presentation file from this Webinar. Listen to the audio file from this Webinar. Client Updates and Alerts -- Our Financial Crisis Special Situations Group client alerts and updates can provide you with more information and analysis.
02-18-2009	Sonnenschein's Coverage and Analysis of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 Webinar Series: Outlooks and Impacts Please join Sonnenschein's Financial Crisis Special Situations Group for our first in a series of complimentary webinars regarding the Economic Stimulus Bill, Thursday, February 19, 2009, 4:00-5:00 p.m. (EST). Our national team of policy professionals and strategists will highlight key components of the stimulus, anticipated business impacts, and the next steps for implementation. To RSVP, e-mail dcrsvp@sonnenschein.com. Client Updates and Alerts: The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act The Broadband Stimulus Provisions of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act Provides Billions of Dollars For Health Care Initiatives Overview of the Homeowner Affordability and Stability Plan
02-17-2009	Sonnenschein Successfully Represents Director in Ninth Circuit Stock Options Backdating Appeal On January 23, 2009, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit upheld the dismissal with prejudice of a shareholder derivative action involving allegations of stock options backdating against current and former officers and directors of Computer Sciences Corporation ("CSC"). Click here to read more about this decision in the Ninth Circuit.
02-13-2009	American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 - Webinar Series: Outlooks and Impacts. Please join us for our first in a series of complimentary webinars regarding the Economic Stimulus Bill, Thursday, February 19, 2009, 4:00-5:00 p.m. (EST). Our national team of policy professionals and strategists will highlight key components of the stimulus, anticipated business impacts, and the next steps for implementation. You can listen to the conversation live on the Web and send in your questions in advance and during the event to webinar@sonnenschein.com.
02-02-2009	Leading Tax-Exempt Organization Attorney Tom Hyatt Joins Sonnenschein's Health Care Group Tom Hyatt, most recently with Ober, Kaler, Grimes & Shriver, has joined Sonnenschein's Health Care Group. Mr. Hyatt's practice focuses on tax-exempt organization issues for healthcare providers. His practice also involves counseling nonprofit organizations on governance and transactional matters.
01-30-2009	Prominent FDA Lawyer Bret Koplow Joins Sonnenschein Bret Koplow, most recently with Patton Boggs LLP, has joined Sonnenschein as the head of its FDA practice and a member of the firm's Health Care, Life Sciences, and Public Law & Policy Strategies groups. He advises clients on a variety of complex food and drug and general health care law matters in the regulatory, legislative, and public policy arenas.
01-29-2009	Sonnenschein Represents ABA in Landmark Sex Discrimination Case in Supreme Court In a unanimous opinion written by Justice Samuel Alito, the U.S. Supreme Court has held that victims of sex discrimination at federally funded schools and colleges may bring suit not only under Title IX, which specifically prohibits such discrimination, but also under Section 1983, a broader civil rights statute that offers greater remedies. Sonnenschein represented the American Bar Association (ABA), acting as amicus curiae, in support of the plaintiffs’ position, which was upheld by the Supreme Court. Read more about Sonnenschein's successful representation of the ABA in the Supreme Court.
01-23-2009	Senior CMS Official, Mark Hamelburg, Joins National Health Care Group Mark Hamelburg, most recently the Director of the Medicare Part C and D Analysis Group in the Office of Legislation at the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), has joined Sonnenschein's national Health Care Group. While at CMS, Mr. Hamelburg focused on the Medicare Advantage and Medicare Prescription Drug programs and other issues relating to private health insurance. Mr. Hamelburg has almost 20 years of health law experience in a variety of settings and specialties.
01-14-2009	EVAPCO Prevails in Long Running Intellectual Property Dispute For the past several years, Sonnenschein has represented EVAPCO, Inc. in a series of intellectual property disputes with its rival Clearwater Systems relating to non-chemical water treatment technology. The dispute began when EVAPCO hired a Clearwater engineer to design a non-chemical treatment device for EVAPCO. Clearwater sued EVAPCO in federal court in Connecticut alleging that EVAPCO had or inevitably would misappropriate Clearwater trade secrets as it developed its own device. Read more about Sonnenschein's successful representation of EVAPCO.
12-30-2008	Gadi Weinreich Presents to Illinois Bar on Stark Law Gadi Weinreich will present to the Health Law Section of the Illinois Bar in a conference titled "Changes to the Stark Law and other Principal Regulatory Developments in Medicare 2008." This program will review the latest updates to the Stark law and discuss its implications for health care practitioners and their clients. Mr. Weinreich is a frequent speaker and author on health care fraud and abuse and on regulatory compliance matters.
12-23-2008	Analysis on Global Developments and Legislation Relating to Climate Change Issues The latest issue of Sonnenschein's Climate Change Practice Update discusses the adoption of California's Climate Change Scoping Plan and what the incoming Obama administration means for climate, energy and environmental policy. Click here to read the December 2008 Climate Change Practice Update.
12-22-2008	Katie Funk Named Outstanding Healthcare Antitrust Lawyer by Nightingale's Katie Funk was selected as one of Nightingale's Outstanding Healthcare Antitrust Lawyers of 2008. Ms. Funk was honored for her work in leading a team in defending an Arizona hospital against allegations of price fixing in a putative class action arising from a DOJ investigation. Ms. Funk also negotiated a favorable consent decree with the FTC which resolved vertical competition concerns for the world's largest provider of dialysis services and equipment.
12-22-2008	Core Group of 150-Year-Old Wall Street Powerhouse Joins Sonnenschein Approximately 100 lawyers from Thacher Proffitt & Wood LLP, including 40 partners, joined Sonnenschein effective January 1. This core group of nationally and internationally renowned lawyers is comprised of prominent attorneys in structured finance, corporate, banking, real estate and regulatory law, as well as a strong team of litigation, ERISA and employee benefits, and tax lawyers. These additions from Thacher Proffitt enhance Sonnenschein's national corporate and finance capabilities, double the size of the New York office, and grow the firm to approximately 800 attorneys and other professionals. Click here to read the news release.
12-17-2008	Bruce Fried to Chair The Business of Medicare Advantage 2009 Conference Sonnenschein partner Bruce Fried will serve as Chairman of The Business of Medicare Advantage 2009 conference in Washington, D.C. on January 28-30, 2009. The program will bring together industry leaders representing health plans, CMS and policy leaders. Mr. Fried will speak on The Effects of the Election Season on Health Policy Reform on January 29.
12-17-2008	Holley Lutz Speaks at AHLA Conference Sonnenschein partner Holley Lutz will participate in the AHLA's Legal Issues Affecting Academic Medical Centers and Other Teaching Institutions program in Washington, D.C. on January 29-30, 2009. Ms. Lutz will speak on January 29 in a session titled "Research Misconduct: How Did We Get in this Mess and How Can We Avoid it in the Future", which will address clinical misconduct, key requirements and recent enforcement.
12-12-2008	Sonnenschein Introduces Risk Management Group Sonnenschein's Insurance Regulatory Practice has launched a sub-group of attorneys dedicated to providing legal services to risk managers and their brokers. Our new Risk Management Group advises corporate risk managers, their brokers, senior management and corporate counsel on significant insurance and reinsurance matters, including the financial regulation of insurance companies, insurer insolvencies, disengagement transactions, cut-through endorsements, the protection and return of policyholder collateral, proof of claim submission and guaranty fund protection. For more information on the new group, please contact Corinne Carr.
12-09-2008	Bruce Fried to Participate in AIS Health Audioconference Bruce Fried will participate in AIS Health's audioconference, entitled "Health Reform Under President Obama: Likely Priorities and Time Frames for 8 Possible Initiatives," on Dec. 9, 2008. The conference will discuss a long list of federal health reforms that could soon become a reality under the new Democratic administration.
12-08-2008	Gazing into the Crystal Ball: Financial Markets Intervention, Economic Recovery and the 2009 Agenda Sonnenschein's Financial Crisis Special Situations Group presented a Webinar on December 8 that discussed the current landscape in our markets and recent developments in our economy. Listen to the audio from this financial markets Webinar. View the accompanying PowerPoint presentation from this Webinar. Click here to view more details about this Webinar.
12-08-2008	ICDP Attorneys Wrap Up Commission On Cybersecurity for the 44th Presidency The Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) has released a final report, titled "Securing Cyberspace for the 44th Presidency", that culminated the work of the Commission on Cybersecurity for the 44th Presidency. The report contains 25 recommendations across seven broad categories, ranging from issues addressing strategy and organization to increased focus on identity management and modernizing authorities. Internet, Communications & Data Protection attorneys Marc Zwillinger and Randy V. Sabett served as Commissioners over the past 16 months and both attended the roll out of the report on Capitol Hill.
12-03-2008	Sonnenschein Represents EMI Group Limited in Digital Distribution Deal with MySpace Music Sonnenschein represented EMI Group Limited, a major music company, in connection with with its participation in the MySpace Music joint venture and related agreements authorizing MySpace Music's digital distribution of EMI's sound recordings and music videos in connection with, among other things, ad-supported streaming and e-commerce offerings including downloads and ringtones.
12-02-2008	Mary Wilson Named Outstanding Healthcare Transaction Lawyer by Nightingale's Mary Wilson was selected as one of Nightingale's Outstanding Healthcare Transaction Lawyers of 2008. Ms. Wilson was honored for her work in health care financings in more than 20 states and financial compliance programs for large health systems and long-term care providers. Ms. Wilson has represented health care investment banks in several of the nation's largest health care financings.
11-26-2008	The New Energy Economy On November 20, 2008, Sonnenschein hosted a round table discussion on the New Energy Economy, which included an in depth conversation about the role of clean technologies in America's energy future. The panel included Sonnenschein partner Tom Jensen, as well as Peter Corsell, CEO of GridPoint, Larry Kellerman, Managing Director of Goldman Sachs, Carl Pope, Executive Director of the Sierra Club and Chris Chafe, Executive Director of Change to Win. Senator Jeff Bingaman (D-NM) and Congressman Jay Inslee (D-WA) provided remarks regarding the landscape for clean technologies, job growth and renewable energy in the 111th Congress. The panel discussion centered on the economic impact of the green energy revolution, including the emergence of green jobs, the near-term prospects and necessity of a nation-wide smart grid, and a need for increased research and development. Read more about Sonnenschein's work surrounding the New Energy Economy.
11-17-2008	Marci Rose Levine Speaks at Live Stark Law Audio Conference Marci Rose Levine will participate in a live audio conference titled, "Stark Law Update: Analysis of Recent Changes to Phase III." The event, which will take place on Thursday, December 11, 2008, is sponsored by HC Pro, Inc. and will discuss the many changes and tightening regulations that have occurred since the introduction of the Stark II, Phase III Final Rule late last year.
11-13-2008	Sonnenschein Wins Agreement in Landmark Civil Rights Class Action Sonnenschein, in conjunction with Equip for Equality, Access Living and the ACLU, has announced a groundbreaking agreement in a class action lawsuit brought against the State of Illinois for its ongoing violation of the civil rights of people with developmental disabilities. The agreement, when approved by the court, will bring justice to people with developmental disabilities, giving them the choice to receive long-term care services in integrated community settings. As a result, they no longer will be compelled to live in segregated institutions in order to receive the services they require. Read the news release: "People With Developmental Disabilities Celebrate Agreement with State of Illinois in Landmark Lawsuit". Related Article: "Sonnenschein Secures Pro Bono Class Action Victory for Disabled Clients" in The AmLaw Daily. Related Article: "Accord Ends Lawsuit Over Housing for Disabled" in Chicago Daily Law Bulletin.
11-05-2008	Sonnenschein Achieves Victory for Lessee in New York Appellate Division On October 21, Sonnenschein achieved a victory in the New York Appellate Division, First Department, for its client 40 East 80 Apartment Corp., the lessee under a 99-year ground lease. The dispute concerned the interpretation of the lease’s periodic rent adjustment clause. The Appellate Division upheld our client’s position that the rent adjustment clause did not permit consideration of air rights applicable to the adjoining parcel owned by the landlord even though the client’s apartment building actually utilized those adjacent air rights and notwithstanding the landlord’s argument that the air rights must be considered because they pertain to a single zoning lot under the New York City Zoning Resolution. This favorable decision will save the client many millions of dollars in rental payments over the remaining term of the ground lease. This case was handled by Marty Schwartz.
11-04-2008	A Blue Wave of Change: Democrats Resoundingly Sweep the Nation "Yes We Can" has now made the transition from slogan to statement of fact, as Barack Obama of Illinois becomes the first African American elected President. With sweeping gains throughout the Eastern Seaboard, new inroads in the Southwest and Mountain states, and a turnout operation of unparalleled effectiveness, the Obama campaign left nothing to chance on election day. The impact of the dramatic increase in voter registration and Democratic turnout, combined with the coattails of a prevailing Presidential candidate resulted in a rout of the Republican party in races across the country. Sonnenschein's Election Insight 2008 profiles the key races, themes, and ballot measures that shaped yesterday's elections, and outlines the trends, personalities, and priorities that will shape policy in Washington and around the states in 2009. Election Insight 2008 Report State Elections Preview Report Congressional Elections Preview Report
11-03-2008	Rebecca Fayed Speaks at AHLA Fundamentals of Health Law Conference Partner Rebecca Fayed will speak at the AHLA Fundamentals of Health Law Conference in Chicago on November 9-11. The conference is a valuable training program for new associates and in-house counsel and also an excellent refresher for experienced health lawyers. Ms. Fayed's presentation, titled HIPAA Privacy, Security and Beyond, will take place on November 10.
10-29-2008	Blueprint for Growth: Building a World-Class Board Sonnenschein's Victor Boyajian participated in the panel for this webcast, presented by Ernst & Young as part of their Strategic Growth Leadership Series.
10-28-2008	Sonnenschein Team Convinces Judge to Stop Construction of Dangerous Rail Crossings Near L.A. Schools A team of Sonnenschein lawyers in San Francisco and Los Angeles recently scored a victory for community groups in Los Angeles who want the city's transit authority to redesign two proposed light rail crossings to protect students and other pedestrians at nearby schools. Click here to read more.
10-23-2008	Pro Bono Pathways The fall 2008 edition of Pro Bono Pathways features articles about Sonnenschein's outstanding recent pro bono work, including amicus curiae (friend of the court) briefs, firm efforts on behalf of the Pentagon Memorial Fund, the Alliance for Climate Protection, the National Veterans Legal Services Program and more. Click here to read the Fall 2008 Pro Bono Pathways newsletter.
10-23-2008	Rudy Beese Appointed to Kansas University Medical Center Steering Committee Sonnenschein partner Rudy Beese has been appointed to the Kansas University Medical Center Steering Committee to address their proposed Entrepreneurial Research Incubator project. This very select Committee includes representatives of Kauffman Foundation, as well as the KUMC Research Center team and the University's new Vice-Provost for Research.
10-21-2008	Gary Hernandez Speaks on Hispanic Heritage Sonnenschein partner Gary Hernandez was among a handful of prominent citizens selected by San Francisco's local ABC-TV affiliate to discuss issues facing the community in a public service announcement recognizing Hispanic Heritage. Pointing to the problem that our nation's public school students are under-performing, Hernandez urged viewers to join the efforts to give back to the community and seek ways to serve as role models and help our school systems improve results. Click here to read Gary Hernandez's profile on the ABC7 site.
10-17-2008	Bruce Fried to Speak at iiBIG's Investment and M&A Opportunities in Managed Care Conference Partner Bruce Fried will serve as conference chair and will speak at iiBIG's Investment and M&A Opportunities in Managed Care Conference on November 17-18, 2008, in New York City. The conference will bring together knowledgeable industry insiders from companies and health systems to discuss how savvy investors are capitalizing on opportunities in the growing health care sector.
10-16-2008	How the Troubled Asset Relief Program Affects You In a few weeks, the U.S. Treasury will begin purchasing troubled assets from businesses and individual entities as part of the Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP). Sonnenschein's ability to perform expedited due diligence on massive portfolios of real estate assets is unmatched within the industry. Our attorneys and professionals can execute a three-point plan to facilitate your participation in the Troubled Asset Relief Program program. Click here to learn more.
10-15-2008	Peru-U.S. Investment Forum Draws Business and Government Leaders Sonnenschein hosted the first Peru-U.S. Investment Forum on October 2, 2008, in Washington, D.C. The event brought together a business and government delegation comprised of Cabinet Ministers, agency Directors and approximately 37 corporate leaders, along with their U.S. counterparts. Sonnenschein Chairman Elliott Portnoy opened the lunch at the Forum, which was attended by more than 165 participants. Various Sonnenschein attorneys moderated breakout sessions and counsel Gabriel Guerra Mondragon and partner Juan Carlos Iturregui served as master of ceremonies and coordinator, respectively. Click here to view photos of the event.
10-14-2008	Sonnenschein Healthcare Attorneys Speak at ABA's Washington Healthcare Summit Three attorneys in Sonnenschein's Health Care Group will speak at the American Bar Association Health Law Section's 6th Annual Washington Healthcare Summit in Arlington, Virginia. Holley Thames Lutz will speak about Quality Reporting and the Move Toward Value-Based Purchasing on November 17. Gadi Weinreich will speak in a session titled, "The Stark Law Revisited: "Same Old Or a Brave New World", also on November 17. Larry Kocot will present on "The Future of Medicare Part D" on November 18.
10-10-2008	Sonnenschein Argues Landmark Patient Referral Law Case to Maryland's Highest Court On October 10, 2008, the Maryland Court of Appeals—the State's highest court—heard oral argument in a case being watched by medical practices as well as state and national medical associations across the country. In Potomac Valley Orthopaedic Association et al. v. Maryland State Board of Physicians et al., Sonnenschein appellate litigators represent 12 petitioner medical practices that are challenging the Maryland State Board of Physicians' declaratory ruling that prohibits non-radiology medical practices from providing their patients with in-office magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and computed tomography (CT) services. Click here to read more about this case.
10-07-2008	Jana Cohen Barbe Named to Real Estate Forum's "Women of Influence" List Jana Cohen Barbe has been named to Real Estate Forum's first annual "Women of Influence" list in their September, 2008 edition. Barbe's practice focuses on affordable housing and community development. Over the past decade, she has been involved in more than $5 billion of affordable housing investment deals. An expert in the field of tax credits, Barbe has experience with low-income housing credits, historic tax credits and new market tax credits.
10-03-2008	Congress Passes New Limits on Executive Compensation Paid by Troubled Financial Institutions The terms of the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act, approved by Congress on October 3, 2008, imposes new limitations on the amount and type of compensation that may be paid by distressed financial institutions to its senior executives. The Act applies only to those financial institutions that sell troubled assets to the Federal government under the terms of the Act. The nature and extent of the executive compensation restrictions largely depend on whether the government acquires the troubled assets from the financial institution through an auction purchase or through a direct purchase not involving an auction process. Click here to read this e-Alert.
09-29-2008	Leading European Hotel Lawyers Join Sonnenschein in Zurich Office Heinz Bloch and Robert Schlup, two of Europe's most prominent hotel lawyers, have joined Sonnenschein as partners in Zurich, Switzerland, where our firm has opened a new office. Bloch and Schlup have a broad international practice based in Zurich and have been involved in hotel and resort projects around the globe. They represent hotel owners and developers, private investors, financial institutions and hotel management companies worldwide on a variety of matters, from mergers and acquisitions, real estate transactions and joint ventures to management contracts and lease transactions. Click here to read the news release.
09-29-2008	Rosemary Gullikson Named Regional Vice-Chair of Lex Mundi's Global Technology and Outsourcing Group Rosemary Gullikson was recently named North America Regional Vice-Chair of Lex Mundi's Global Technology and Outsourcing Practice Group. The purpose of the group is to encourage member firms to collaborate and share best practices, and to discuss trends in the practice of technology transactions law.
09-25-2008	Read Our Updates on the Current Financial Crisis Sonnenschein's Financial Crisis Special Situations Group is deeply engaged with implementation of the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act. As key developments emerge and coalitions develop to work with Treasury on implementation of the Troubled Assets Relief Program (TARP), attorneys and professionals across Sonnenschein's national practice teams are actively advising on the issues surrounding the crisis and analyzing its impact to our clients. Up-to-date information, including Treasury guidelines, analysis of the requirements of the EESA, press releases, legislative analysis, and resource links are available on our Financial Crisis Special Situations Group Web site.
09-24-2008	Nightingale's Honors Kathryn Ashton as Outstanding Young Healthcare Lawyer Kathryn Ashton has been acknowledged as an "Outstanding Young Healthcare Lawyer" in 2008 by Nightingale's Healthcare News. Ms. Ashton concentrates her practice in health care transactional matters, with an emphasis in finance.
09-22-2008	John Snyder Receives Kansas City Metropolitan Bar Association 2008 Outstanding CLE Contributor Award Sonnenschein partner John Snyder has been selected by the Kansas City Metropolitan Bar Association (KCMBA) CLE Advisory Committee as the recipient of the Kansas City Metropolitan Bar Association 2008 Outstanding CLE Contributor Award. Snyder will be presented with the award at the 124th KCMBA Annual Meeting Luncheon on Thursday, December 4.
09-19-2008	Antitrust Partners to Join Faculty at the Antitrust Masters Course IV Sonnenschein partners Robert Joseph and Andrew Gavil will serve as faculty for the ABA Section of Antitrust Law's Antitrust Masters Course IV, which will be held September 25-28 in Hot Spring, VA. Joseph presents "Horizontal and Vertical Issues" and Gavil will participate in numerous plenary sessions and concludes the conference with a presentation titled "What We've Learned." Click here to view the agenda.
09-19-2008	Sonnenschein Represents Insurance Client Before the California Court of Appeals In State of California v. Continental Insurance Company, et al., No. E041425 (Cal. Ct. App.), members of Sonnenschein's appellate subgroup, Paul Glad and Katie Evans, are representing an insurance company client in an appeal that could have important ramifications for insurance companies throughout the State of California. Click here to read more about this appeal.
09-17-2008	Introducing the Internet, Communications and Data Protection Blog The Internet, Communications and Data Protection Group at Sonnenschein Nath & Rosenthal has launched its new blog. This blog will be chock full of important new developments in Internet, Security, Privacy and Communications Law. Unlike our formal e-Alerts, which will continue from time-to-time, our blog posts will be shorter, more frequent, and hopefully, more amusing. Visit the Internet, Communications and Data Protection Blog.
09-15-2008	Sonnenschein Attorneys Help Make Pentagon Memorial a Reality Sonnenschein is honored to have played a role in the successful completion of the Pentagon Memorial, a two-acre park adjacent to the Pentagon that features 184 cantilevered steel and granite benches with small pools of water underneath. The Pentagon Memorial Fund was established by the families of the 184 victims of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks in Washington, D.C. As a result of our multi-year pro bono representation of the Pentagon Memorial Fund, Sonnenschein was recognized at the dedication of the Memorial on September 11, 2008. The Memorial Fund allows for the construction and permanent maintenance of the Pentagon Memorial, which is the first of the major 9/11 memorials to be completed and opened to the public.
09-10-2008	Sonnenschein Forges New Standards in Bankruptcy Law in Key Win Before the Eighth Circuit In PW Enterprises, Inc. v. North Dakota Racing Commission, ___ F.3d ___, 2008 WL 3981809 (8th Cir. Aug. 29, 2008), Sonnenschein attorney Robert Millner, an appellate lawyer in the bankruptcy group, won an important victory in a Chapter 7 bankruptcy case pending before the United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit. Click here to read more about this important Chapter 7 bankruptcy case win.
09-10-2008	Marci Rose Levine and Gadi Weinreich to Speak on Physician Recruitment Under Stark Marci Rose Levine and Gadi Weinreich will present at HCPro's live audioconference entitled "Stark Law Update: Physician Recruitment in the Post-Stark II Phase III World" on September 10, 2008. Ms. Levine and Mr. Weinreich will help to evaluate the effectiveness of physician recruitment policies and practices.
09-04-2008	Firm Helps Kansas Tornado Survivors Rebuild Their Community Sonnenschein teamed up with the New York Says Thank You Foundation to help the people of Greensburg, Kan., rebuild their devastated community, which was destroyed by a tornado on May 4, 2007. A group of more than 20 attorneys, staff and guests from the law firm's Kansas City, Mo., office traveled to Greensburg from Sept. 4-7 to participate in what was described as America's largest "barn raising." Click here to read more about Sonnenschein's efforts in Greensburg, KS.
09-04-2008	Human Rights Campaign Gives Sonnenschein Perfect Score for 2nd Year Sonnenschein has earned a perfect score for the second year in a row in the Human Rights Campaign Foundation's 2009 Corporate Equality Index. The rating is based on how companies interact with gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender employees, consumers and investors. Criteria included existing non-discrimination policies, gender identity and expression and domestic partner health insurance. According to the report, LGBT equality is an integral part of law firms' efforts to recruit and retain top talent and cultivate clients in a highly competitive environment.
08-22-2008	Russell Shumway Presents at IT Security World Conference in San Francisco Russell Shumway presents at the IT Security World Conference and Expo 2008, which will take place in San Francisco on September 15-17. Mr. Shumway presents "The New Rules of the Road for Evidence Gathering and Protection" on September 17.
08-22-2008	Shane McGee Presents at Two PLI "Technotainment 2008" Events Shane McGee presents at the PLI "Technology and Entertainment Convergence 2008: Business and Legal Issues for the Next Stage of 'Technotainment'" events in New York City on September 3, 2008 and in San Francisco on September 17, 2008. The full-day program will explore new content distribution and delivery mediums and media, delve into licensing and merchandising techniques, and analyze erupting copyright and trademark litigation, as well as glean the latest trends in converged entertainment.
08-22-2008	Sonnenschein Successfully Represents Medis Technologies, Ltd. in Class Action Complaint Sonnenschein attorneys Reid Ashinoff and Ben Delfin in New York, and Christopher King in Chicago, along with paralegal Patrice Ho Sang in New York, successfully represented Medis Technologies, Ltd. and other defendants in a securities fraud class action which alleged that Medis had made misleading statements concerning its portable power source product, a liquid fuel cell "Power Pack." Only one month after hearing argument on defendants' motion to dismiss the complaint for failure to plead scienter (i.e., an intent to deceive), Judge Paul Crotty of the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York granted the defendants' motion in its entirety, without leave to replead, noting "there are very real evidentiary shortcomings undermining the allegations."
08-22-2008	Trusts & Estates Newsletter - Summer 2008 Issue of Wealth Preservation Strategies The Summer 2008 edition of Wealth Preservation Strategies™ contains timely, important and thought-provoking articles on a variety of issues, including estate planning strategies best used in a low interest rate environment (such as we are in now) and how to deal with frequently overlooked estate planning complications resulting from state estate and inheritance taxes.
08-14-2008	President Bush Signs Consumer Product Safety Act Reform Bill President Bush signed the Consumer Product Safety Act Reform Bill on August 14, 2008, compelling sweeping changes and increasing risks for manufacturers, importers, distributors and retailers. As a result, companies should be attentive to the evolving regulatory landscape and should take steps to ensure that their product safety compliance programs, as well as those of their suppliers, are appropriately designed and up-to-date. Click here to learn more about the Consumer Product Safety Act Reform Bill.
08-08-2008	Pro Bono Client Sit Stay Read Profiled on NBC Nightly News Sonnenschein pro bono client, Sit Stay Read, was the subject of the "What Works" segment on the August 4, 2008, edition of the NBC Nightly News with Brian Williams. Sit Stay Read is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization which promotes children's literacy through the use of volunteers and their canine companions. Associates Stephanie O'Neill Macro and Jacqueline Farinella assist Sit Stay Read with corporate and trademark issues.
08-08-2008	Bruce Merlin Fried Named Chairman of United Cerebral Palsy Board Bruce Merlin Fried was recently elected Chairman of the Board of Trustees of United Cerebral Palsy at their 2008 annual meeting. UCP is one of the nation's leading organizations serving and advocating for the more than 54 million Americans with disabilities. Mr. Fried has more than 30 years of experience in healthcare law, policy and business. Click here to read the news release from United Cerebral Palsy.
08-05-2008	Sonnenschein Announces Appellate Practice Sonnenschein Nath and Rosenthal LLP has announced the creation of the firm's Appellate Practice to complement Sonnenschein's litigation capabilities across various practice areas, including Insurance, Energy, Bankruptcy, Antitrust, Competition & Marketing Pricing and Internet, Communications & Data Protection. Our team of appellate litigators has briefed and argued more than 500 cases in the U.S. Supreme Court, federal appellate courts across the country, and state supreme courts and intermediate appellate courts.
07-29-2008	Court Victory for Tribal Client After Six-Year Fight The Shingle Springs Band of Miwok Indians, a Sonnenschein client, won two victories before the California Supreme Court, which issued orders declining to hear appeals filed by the group Voices for Rural Living. Voices for Rural Living had filed the appeals in a last-ditch attempt to block construction of a highway interchange leading to our client's Shingle Springs Rancheria. The group represents residents of El Dorado County who oppose construction of a casino on the tribe's land. Click here to read more about our client victory.
07-28-2008	Video: Victor Boyajian Moderates Panel at AlwaysOn's Stanford Summit Click here to watch and listen to Sonnenschein's Victor Boyajian, moderating the top-rated panel at AlwaysOn's Stanford Summit, July 24, 2008. Some of the nation's leading investment professionals discuss "The two-year outlook for tech M&A and IPO."
07-25-2008	Nightingale's Honors Holley Lutz as Outstanding Hospital Lawyer Holley Thames Lutz has been named to Nightingale's 2008 list of "Outstanding Hospital Lawyers." Nightingale's highlighted Ms. Lutz's notable clinical research, reimbursement and regulatory compliance expertise.
07-25-2008	Sonnenschein to Receive California State Bar Diversity Award Sonnenschein has been selected by the State Bar of California to receive the 2008 Diversity Award in the law firm category, which will be presented at a reception during the bar's annual meeting on September 27. The award recognizes outstanding efforts in promoting diversity in the legal profession, particularly those that strive to ensure equal opportunity for entry and advancement in California's legal community. Click here to view the news release.
07-16-2008	Sonnenschein Expands Outsourcing Practice A pair of outsourcing attorneys have joined Sonnenschein's Corporate Practice Group. Moving to Sonnenschein is partner Mark Petry in Washington, D.C. and associate Belinda Luu in San Francisco.
07-15-2008	LD-203 Webinar: Contributions Reporting System All registered lobbyists are required to file the new LD-203 Contribution Report by July 30, 2008. A Sonnenschein webinar presented on July 10, 2008, provided guidance for filing this report. View a copy of the presentation (454KB PDF) Listen to the presentation (7MB MP3)
07-15-2008	Sonnenschein Appellate Team Files Amicus Curiae Briefs in Support of the Insurance Industry Sonnenschein recently filed an amicus curiae brief in the California Supreme Court on behalf of the Association of California Insurance Companies (ACIC) in Delgado v. Interinsurance Exchange of the Automobile Club and on behalf of the Association of California Insurance Companies (ACIC), the Personal Insurance Federation of California (PFIC), and the Pacific Association of Domestic Insurance Companies (PADIC) in Harris v. Liberty Mutual Insurance Company and Golden Eagle Insurance Corporation. Click here to read about these cases.
07-15-2008	Sonnenschein Secures Major Victories for Insurance Industry in High Stakes Cases Sonnenschein’s appellate expertise in the insurance arena has been on display in a series of cases in the Fifth Circuit during the last year. We highlight three of those cases here: Chehardy v. Allstate, et al. / Vanderbrook v. Unitrin, et al., In re Katrina, and State of Louisiana v. Allstate, et al. Click here to read more about these appellate victories.
07-10-2008	Gadi Weinreich Speaks on Stark at AHLA Teleconference Gadi Weinreich will present at the first teleconference in a two-part series presented by the American Health Lawyers Association: A Stark Reality: New Rules We Need to Know. The series will take place on August 14 and August 21, and will review new and proposed 2008 Stark and other changes that significantly impact existing and proposed healthcare arrangements in all industry sectors.
07-03-2008	Sonnenschein's Pro Bono Commitment Recognized By American Lawyer Magazine In 2007, Sonnenschein moved up to the 15th spot on The American Lawyer's ranking of the 200 top-grossing firms for our commitment to pro bono. The magazine also singled out Sonnenschein as one of four firms that had sharply increased its service to pro bono clients in recent years.
07-01-2008	Analysis on Global Developments and Legislation Relating to Climate Change Issues The latest issue of Sonnenschein's Climate Change Practice Update discusses California's movement towards implementing controls for greenhouse gas emissions and commentary on the cap-and-trade and futures markets. Click here to read our July 2008 Climate Change Practice Update.
07-01-2008	Holley Lutz to Discuss Hot Issues in Clinical Trials Holley Lutz will speak at the American Health Lawyers Association's Annual Meeting in San Francisco. Ms. Lutz will address Hot Issues in Clinical Trials on July 1 and 2.
06-25-2008	Sonnenschein Continues Leadership in AHLA Sonnenschein continues its ever-strong participation in the American Health Lawyers Association, as the following attorneys were appointed to leadership roles for the 2008-2009 program year: Marci Rose Levine, Vice Chair, Hospitals and Health Systems Practice Group; and Holley Lutz, Vice Chair, Teaching Hospitals and Academic Medical Centers Practice Group.
06-24-2008	Internet, Communications & Data Protection Group and Four Partners Honored by Chambers Sonnenschein's Internet, Communications & Data Protection Group received a top ranking in Privacy & Data Security by Chambers USA: America's Leading Lawyers for Business 2008, in the publication's first ever ranking of national firms in this category. Marc Zwillinger, Randy Sabett, Doug Bonner, and Mark Johnson were all individually ranked in the guide. Marc Zwillinger and Randy Sabett were individually ranked in Privacy & Data Security (DC), while Doug Bonner was ranked in Telecom, Broadcast & Satellite: Regulatory (DC), and Mark Johnson was ranked in Labor & Employment (Kansas City).
06-23-2008	Venture Technology Group Nationally Ranked, Attorneys Honored by Chambers USA Sonnenschein’s Venture Technology Group has been ranked by Chambers USA as a nationwide venture capital practice, and described as “highly capable lawyers…with partners who demonstrate an impressive number of competencies.” National Chair Victor H. Boyajian and Partner John L. Cleary II were ranked individually in Corporate/M&A, while Partner Joel N. Bock was ranked in Intellectual Property. Partners Michael D. Rosenthal was ranked in Investment Funds/Venture Capital. Attorney rankings are based on recommendations of thousands of peer attorneys and clients nationwide.
06-23-2008	Rob Guenthner Presents at HFMA's Healthcare Finance Conference Rob Guenthner will speak at the Healthcare Financial Management Association's Healthcare Finance Conference, which takes place June 23-26, 2008, in Las Vegas, Nevada. Mr. Guenthner will discuss "Legal Issues Surrounding Outpatient Strategies."
06-20-2008	Antitrust and Competition Partner Honored by Chambers Sonnenschein’s Antitrust and Competition Group and partner Robert Joseph were honored in Chambers USA: America’s Leading Lawyers for Business 2008. Joseph was ranked in the Antitrust (Illinois) category of the guide. Attorney rankings are based on recommendations of thousands of peer attorneys and clients nationwide.
06-20-2008	Sonnenschein's Hotels & Resorts Global Practice Group Receives Top Ranking Again in 2008 Sonnenschein has once again earned great recognition from peers and clients through Chambers USA 2008: America's Leading Lawyers for Business as only one of two firms in the United States to receive the prestigious "Band 1" ranking for its Hotels & Resorts practice. In addition, Global Practice Chair Richard F. ("Rick") Ross was awarded the "Band 1" ranking as a Hospitality & Leisure attorney, Meghan Cocci ranked as a top attorney in the Hospitality & Leisure Industry, and Richard F. ("Rick") Ross and the Phoenix office were among the top real estate practices in Arizona.
06-19-2008	Benjamin Weinberg Joins Sonnenschein as New Pro Bono Partner Sonnenschein has announced that Benjamin Weinberg has joined the firm as our new pro bono partner. Weinberg is responsible for the development, growth and administration of our nationally recognized pro bono practice. Our attorneys devoted more than 48,000 hours to providing pro bono legal counsel in 2007, and we placed 15th in the most recent annual pro bono rankings of the top 200 grossing firms published by American Lawyer magazine. Click here to read Benjamin Weinberg's press release.
06-19-2008	Sonnenschein Honored with 2008 Chambers Award for Excellence in Insurance Sonnenschein Nath & Rosenthal LLP has won the 2008 Chambers Award for Excellence in Insurance. The award recognizes our work in both the litigation and regulatory areas and further confirms our reputation as a world-class provider of legal services to insurance industry clients. The independent editorial board at Chambers & Partners selected Sonnenschein from among hundreds of insurance firms and a strong field of nominees.
06-19-2008	Bruce Fried Speaks at Annual United Cerebral Palsy Conference in Washington, DC Bruce Fried presents "Relating Life Without Limits and the Future to People’s Participation in Healthcare" at the annual United Cerebal Palsy conference on June 19. The conference takes place June 18 - 20 in Washington, DC.
06-16-2008	Four Health Care Group Attorneys Ranked By Chambers USA Congratulations to the individual attorneys in Sonnenschein's Health Care Group who were ranked by Chambers, including Bruce Merlin Fried ("extraordinarily knowledgeable"), "), Holley Thames Lutz ("a real star"), Mac Thornton ("lauded for his anti-kickback expertise" and "strategic board-level advice"), and Gadi Weinreich (who has assembled "one of the best health law teams in the country" and "is a leading expert on the Stark law").
06-16-2008	Jeff Fort Speaks at Carbon Trading Conference Sonnenschein partner Jeff Fort will speak at the 2nd annual IQPC Carbon Trading Conference on June 25 in New York. He will participate in a panel on the evaluation of carbon offset credits in the transition from voluntary to mandatory markets. This panel will review and discuss the status of carbon offset credits, allowances and other emission rights, discuss offset credits and allowances under California Climate Action Registry, RGGI, and CDM, and examine the value of credits under a mandatory federal program.
06-16-2008	Sonnenschein DC Health Team Receives Coveted No. 1 Ranking by Chambers USA Chambers USA 2008 recently bestowed its highly-coveted No. 1 ranking upon Sonnenschein's D.C.-based Health Care Group, applauding the Firm for "assembl[ing] one of the best health law teams in the country." According to Chambers, Sonnenschein's "'energetic and well-rounded' group has enormous capability...[and] great knowledge," combining "'substantive expertise with creative thinking'" and impressively "'prompt [client] support.'" Click here to read more.
06-16-2008	Sonnenschein Represents Det Norske Veritas Holding (U.S.A.), Inc. Sonnenschein represented Det Norske Veritas Holding (U.S.A.), Inc. (DNV), a global consulting firm, in its strategic acquisition of Global Energy Concepts International, Inc. and Global Energy Concepts LLC, affiliated providers of wind energy testing, consulting and project management services. The new company, DNV Global Energy Concepts, Inc., will become a part of the Cleaner Energy group of DNV. The acquisition brings together European and North American expertise in wind energy, and provides an infrastructure for growth in wind markets around the globe.
06-16-2008	Sonnenschein Represents Sonitrol and its Investors in its Sale to The Stanley Works Sonnenschein represented Sonitrol Corporation and an ownership group comprised of Carlyle Venture Partners, Wachovia Capital Partners and Spire Capital Partners in its sale to The Stanley Works for $275 million. Sonitrol, a leading provider of security monitoring services, access control and fire detection systems, is the 8th largest electronic security company in the United States.
06-16-2008	Sonnenschein Represents Spire Capital in Acquisition of Motorsports Marketing Company Sonnenschein recently represented private equity firm Spire Capital Partners in its acquisition of Just Marketing International (JMI), the world's largest independent motorsports marketing agency. JMI manages over $300 million in motorsports investments globally, and its client list includes DIRECTV, Johnnie Walker, BMW and Hilton International.
06-16-2008	Washington, D.C. Office Named "Best Place to Work" Our Washington Office topped the list of law firms among Washington Business Journal's "Best Places to Work" in the category of "Large Companies-National." The office ranked second in that category among all large employers in the D.C. region. This is the fourth consecutive year that Sonnenschein's D.C. office has held this honor.
06-13-2008	Congratulations to Our Lawyers Who are Ranked in Chambers USA Congratulations to our lawyers who are ranked in Chambers USA: America's Leading Lawyers for Business 2008. Since the USA client guide was introduced in 2003, the number of our practice areas and attorneys who are evaluated by the independent editorial board at Chambers & Partners has steadily increased. Read more about our honors by Chambers.
06-12-2008	Diversity Connections Summer 2008 Issue The Summer 2008 issue of Sonnenschein's Diversity Connections contains a great deal of thought-provoking material, beginning with two front-page reflections on topics of tremendous importance. In "An Echo from the Past and a Clarion Call for the Future," Paul Glad recalls the 1958 anti-miscegenation case of Loving v. Virginia in the context of last month's landmark gay marriage decision in California, In re Marriage Cases. Also, beginning on page one is Ed Marquette's "Personal Journey," in which he muses about his own diverse status and how others might learn from his experience. Click here to read the newsletter.
06-03-2008	Gary Hernandez Named One of the 50 Most Influential Minority Lawyers in America Gary Hernandez, chair of Sonnenschein's national Insurance Regulatory Practice, has been named as one of the 50 most influential minority lawyers in America by The National Law Journal. Honorees, noted "movers and shakers" all, are selected for their national impact on their legal fields and beyond during the past five years.
06-02-2008	Linda White to Join Board of Practical Real Estate Lawyer Sonnenschein partner Linda White will join the editorial board of The Practical Real Estate Lawyer, a magazine published by the American Law Institute-American Bar Association. During her three-year term, Linda will review the editorial calendar, provide guidance on article topics and review manuscripts in her area of specialization.
05-27-2008	Tom Jensen Named to ABA Publication Editorial Board Sonnenschein partner Tom Jensen has been named to the editorial board of the ABA Section of Environment, Energy, and Resources Newsletter. The section is a premier forum for lawyers working in areas related to environmental law, natural resources law, and energy law.
05-21-2008	Katherine Funk Featured in The Wall Street Journal's "Deal Journal" Blog Sonnenschein partner Katherine Funk recently discussed why food company mergers tend to run into antitrust concerns in The Wall Street Journal's "Deal Journal" blog. The article, entitled "No Free Lunch: Tuna, Food Mergers, and a Possible School-Milk Cartel," was published on May 21, 2008.
05-17-2008	Attorney Presents at Annual Meeting of the American Urological Association Gadi Weinreich will present at the American Urological Association's annual conference in Orlando, Florida, on May 17 and 18, 2008. Mr. Weinreich will address various regulatory challenges posed under recent and proposed changes to the Stark Law's referral and billing prohibitions and the anti-markup provisions of the purchased diagnostics and re-assignment of claims regulations.
05-08-2008	Holley Lutz Presents at Life Sciences Law Institute Holley Lutz will speak at the American Health Lawyers Association's Life Sciences Law Institute, which will be held in Bethesda, Maryland. Ms. Lutz will discuss scientific misconduct on May 8 and 9.
05-06-2008	IP Law & Business Names Randy Sabett Among Top 50 Under 45 Sonnenschein partner Randy Sabett has been named by IP Law & Business as one of the "Top 50 Under 45". Sabett is recognized for his work in information security, cryptography, authentification patent prosecution, technology transactions, licensing and for his focus on clients' legal obligations in such areas as privacy and digital signatures. Click here to read more about Sabett's inclusion in "Top 50 under 45".
05-02-2008	Nationally Renowned Venture Technology Lawyers Maggie Kavalaris and Tami Howie Join Firm Capital markets and venture technology attorneys Maggie Kavalaris and Tami Howie have joined Sonnenschein in our Washington, D.C. office as partners in our Corporate Practice Group. At Sonnenschein, they will focus on emerging-growth technology companies on behalf of issuers, venture funds and underwriters. Click here to read the news release.
05-02-2008	Ranked Nationally as Underwriter's Counsel for Municipal Bonds Sonnenschein's Public Finance group was ranked 23rd by volume of municipal bond closings for 2007 by The American Lawyer, having served as underwriter's counsel on $3.6 billion of municipal bonds.
05-02-2008	Sonnenschein Hosts Fund Valuation Event in New York Sonnenschein's Fund Services Group will host an event titled "Hot Topics in Valuation," discussing current issues in the valuation of illiquid investments in our New York office on May 15. This event is presented in conjunction with Sterling Valuation Group, a leading provider of independent valuation services for the hedge fund industry. Sonnenschein partners Anthony L. Perricone, Edward S. Grenville and Carole Neville are speaking, along with Murray Grenville, CEO of Sterling.
04-30-2008	Health Care Attorneys Provide Expert Analysis of Stark Law Sonnenschein attorneys Ramy Fayed, Rebecca Fayed, Chris Janney, Marci Rose Levine and Gadi Weinreich have authored "An Overview of CMS's Latest Proposed Changes to the Stark Regulation," published in the May 7th issue of BNA's Health Care Fraud Report. The article provides a detailed overview of the latest set of proposed changes to the Stark regulations, issued by CMS on April, 30.
04-22-2008	Sonnenschein Adopts Environmental Sustainability Policy Sonnenschein Nath & Rosenthal LLP has announced the adoption of an environmental sustainability policy that will make the law firm a leader in energy and natural resource conservation and sustainable business practices. Our comprehensive environmental sustainability program focuses on a range of areas, including resource and energy conservation, waste and pollution prevention and management, reduction of supply chain impacts, and collaboration and integration with its diversity, pro bono and community service programs. Click here to view our Environmental Sustainability Policy
04-18-2008	Jeffrey Baumel Joins Sonnenschein Jeffrey A. Baumel, a nationally-recognized leader in the life sciences, biotech and technology company arenas, has joined the firm as Chair, Corporate Life Sciences practice. Mr. Baumel works extensively with venture capital firms and underwriters in growth stage ventures, and also represents established, later-stage public and private companies in mergers and acquisitions and corporate, commercial and capital transactions. Click here to read Baumel's news release.
04-16-2008	Four Insurance Attorneys Contribute to the 2007 New Appleman Insurance Law Practice Guide Partners Michael Barnes, Ron Kent, Paul Glad and Bill Barker have contributed to the New Appleman Insurance Law Practice Guide, published in December, 2007. Click here to read more about the Guide.
04-15-2008	Sonnenschein's Internet, Communcations & Data Protection Group Adds David R. Siddall David R. Siddall joins in the Washington, D.C. office and concentrates on regulatory policy and compliance issues before the Federal Communications Commission, Congress, and executive branch agencies. He focuses on spectrum-based services and equipment, such as digital television, digital radio, wireless LAN and medical devices. Click here to read the related news release.
04-09-2008	Sonnenschein Attorneys Speak at Institute on Medicare & Medicaid Payment Issues Janice Ziegler and Holley Lutz will speak at the American Health Lawyers Association's Institute on Medicare and Medicaid Payment Issues on April 9-11, 2008, in Baltimore, MD. Ms. Ziegler will discuss Medicare secondary payment issues on April 9 and Ms. Lutz will examine Medicare clinical research policy on April 11.
04-03-2008	Lobbying Disclosure Webinar - Real Tools for the Real World of LDA Reporting All registered lobbyists will be required to file their Lobbying Disclosure reports under the newly revised LD-2 and under the new requirements of Honest Leadership and Open Government Act. A Sonnenschein Webinar presented on April 3 provided guidance for complying with these new rules. View a copy of the presentation materials (495KB PDF) Listen to the Webinar (27MB MP3)
04-01-2008	Nationally Recognized Group Joins Sonnenschein A prominent group of energy lawyers and policy professionals led by attorneys Clinton A. Vince and James A. Costan have joined the firm's Public Law & Policy Strategies Practice. The group, which focuses on energy-related regulation, litigation, transactions and public policy, will be resident in Sonnenschein's Washington, D.C. office. Click here to read the related news release.
04-01-2008	Newly Elected Partners to Help Us Meet Client Needs To help meet our clients' demands for legal services in Corporate, Litigation, Real Estate and other practice areas, the firm has announced the election of nine partners. All of these promotions are effective April 1, 2008. Click here to view the newly promoted attorneys.
03-18-2008	Mike Froy Speaks at Ray Garrett Jr. Corporate and Securities Law Institute Sonnenschein partner Mike Froy will participate in the panel "Doing Deals in Emerging Markets" at the 28th annual Ray Garrett Jr. Corporate and Securities Law Institute at Northwestern Law in Chicago on May 2. The panel will address key issues in M&A and joint ventures, overcoming barriers to getting deals done, and diligence, compliance and cultural issues.
03-17-2008	Legal Times Ranks Sonnenschein's Public Policy Team in Top Ten The Legal Times' "Influence 50 special report ranks Sonnenschein's Public Law & Policy Strategies Group 13th among lobbying shops and 9th among law firms. Click here to read the lobby shop and law firms list. Click here to read the law firm list.
03-13-2008	Washington D.C. Super Lawyers Recognizes Sonnenschein Health Care Attorney Gadi Weinreich has been named 2008 Super Lawyers for the Washington, D.C., area. Mr. Weinreich is ranked in the "Health Care" category respectively. Super Lawyers is a listing of attorneys who are recognized for their professional accomplishments.
03-10-2008	Carol Anne Been, Chair of Intellectual Property & Technology Practice, Sees Continued Growth in 2008 Already in 2008, we are proud of the substantial expansion of our IPT group with a national electrical, telecom and medical device patent practice based in Dallas. The addition of Jerry Welch and his colleagues complements our experience and existing clients' needs as we continue to expand the breadth and depth of our IPT practice. Click here to read more about our IPT Practice's Growth in 2008.
03-10-2008	Diversity Connections Winter 2008 Issue Find out what's new with Sonnenschein's firmwide diversity programs in the Winter 2008 issue of Diversity Connections. Click here to read the newsletter.
03-07-2008	Gadi Weinreich Speaks at Florida Bar's Advanced Health Law Topics and Certification Review 2008 Gadi Weinreich will present "Hospital-Physician Arrangements - The Stark II, Phase III Regulations and Other Challenges" during the Florida Bar Association's Advanced Health Law Topics and Certification Review 2008. The event takes place March 7, 2008 in Orlando, Fla.
03-06-2008	Sonnenschein Announces Pro Bono "Rothschild Award" Winners for 2007 Sonnenschein has named partner Roger Heidenreich and associate Meleana Leaverton as the recipients of the 2007 Rothschild Award. The Rothschild Award was instituted to honor Edwin Rothschild, a deceased Sonnenschein partner, who was broadly recognized for his support of and success in pro bono pursuits. The award is given annually to a partner and associate who embody Rothschild's dedication to pro bono service. Click here to read more about our 2007 Rothschild Award winners.
03-05-2008	Ambassador of Chile to the U.S. Hosts Reception Honoring Gabriel Guerra-Mondragón. On March 5, 2008, His Excellency Mariano Fernandez, the Ambassador of Chile to the U.S., hosted a reception honoring our new Senior Advisor, former U.S. Ambassador to Chile, Gabriel Guerra-Mondragón. Ambassador Guerra is the newest addition to Sonnenschein's growing Global Services practice, whose members focus on assisting clients navigate the political, economic and regulatory landscapes of countries around the world. Ambassador Guerra, who has extensive experience in diplomacy, business, politics and law, concentrates on providing counsel to clients on business issues related to Latin America. View photos from the reception.
03-04-2008	Sonnenschein Listed in Multicultural Law Magazine's 2008 "Top 100 Law Firms for Diversity" Survey Sonnenschein is listed in Multicultural Law Magazine's 2008 list of top 100 law firms for diversity. To determine law firm rankings, surveys were sent to more than 200 law firms on the American Bar Association's list of firms with more than 100 lawyers. Multicultural Law Magazine addresses diversity in the legal profession and focuses on information that is valuable to improving the careers of minority and women lawyers.
02-27-2008	Sonnenschein Closes SPAC Deal in India Sonnenschein represented Millennium India Acquisition Co., a special purpose acquisition company, in its acquisition of a 14.75 percent equity interest in both SMC Global Securities Ltd. and SAM Global Securities Ltd. To consummate the deal under both Indian and U.S. law, Millennium was required to register as an investment company and seek an exemption, rarely granted by the S.E.C., to acquire greater than a 5 percent interest in a financial services firm.
02-27-2008	Sonnenschein Represents VCNA in its Acquisition of Prairie Sonnenschein represented Votorantim Cement North America Inc. and its affiliate St. Marys Cement Inc. in its acquisition of Prairie Material Sales, Inc., a leading supplier of ready mix concrete with 81 plants throughout the Midwest. VCNA is the North American subsidiary of Votorantim Cimentos, an international cement manufacturer and part of the Votorantim Group, one of Brazil's largest industrial conglomerates with over $44 billion in assets. In addition, Sonnenschein represented VCNA in the financing of the acquisition and in a complex internal corporate restructuring.
02-26-2008	Sonnenschein Adds Prominent Intellectual Property Group in Dallas A nationally-recognized group of 10 lawyers led by intellectual property attorney Gerald T. Welch has joined the firm in our Dallas office. Their practice focuses on patent prosecution, counseling, and patent litigation with significant experience in the Eastern District of Texas. Areas of expertise include the electrical, telecommunications and medical device fields, as well as life sciences. Click here to read the full news release.
02-26-2008	Sonnenschein Ranked as One of the Largest Healthcare Law Firms Sonnenschein is ranked nationally as one of the “Largest Healthcare Law Firms” by Modern Healthcare. The ranking is based on membership in the American Health Lawyers Association, the nation's largest organization devoted to legal issues in the healthcare field.
02-20-2008	Head of Sonnenschein's Asia Pacific Practice Relocates to Silicon Valley Yabo Lin, chair of Sonnenschein's rapidly expanding Asia Pacific Practice, relocates to our Silicon Valley office in Menlo Park, Calif. The move is spurred by the increased volume of cross-border legal work related to Asia that the firm is handling for clients in the technology, securities, manufacturing and other industries. Click here to read the news release.
02-20-2008	John L. Snyder Named Head of Kansas City Metropolitan Bar Association's Real Estate Committee John L. Snyder recently was appointed the Real Estate Law Chair of the Kansas City Metropolitan Bar Association (KCMBA). This committee considers the law and procedures pertaining to real property and promotes its fair and just administration; studies and reports to the KCMBA Board of Directors any proposed, necessary or desirable legislation; and promotes legal education of members of the Bar and public on real property law.
02-19-2008	New Media Trends from the World's Media Capital Sonnenschein's Victor Boyajian discusses new media VC trends with AlwaysOn's Noah Gellman at OnMedia 2008 in New York City.
02-15-2008	African Persecution Victim Wins Asylum Kesete Berhane's father was a prominent member of Eritrea's single-party government and worked in the country's Ministry of Information. That is, until he spoke out against government policies, including the country's war against Ethiopia and the arrests of various governmental officials. Click here to read about this story, and many others, in the Winter 2008 Pro Bono Pathways newsletter.
02-13-2008	Kathryn Ashton Initiates Corporate Governance Tutorial Program Kathryn Ashton was the first to offer a 30-minute pre-recorded tutorial program on the American Health Lawyers Association (AHLA) Corporate Governance Task Force Web site. Ms. Ashton’s inaugural tutorial is available to AHLA members and addresses the capital needs of hospitals and health systems, focusing on debt management and best practices in managing financial goals.
02-06-2008	Sonnenschein Webinar on "Super 'Duper' Tuesday" Sonnenschein's Public Law & Policy Strategies Group hosted a discussion of the state primaries and caucus results during a Webinar on Wednesday, Feb. 6, 2008. Sonnenschein professionals who have extensive experience in elections, campaigns, corporate affairs and government from both the Democratic and Republican side of the aisle discussed who won, who lost and what it meant for you. Click here to listen to the Webinar Click here to view the accompanying presentation (data reflects elections results as of Feb. 6, 2008)
02-04-2008	Select Representative 2007 Engagements With more than 700 attorneys and a robust global network of venture capital and investment banking firms from Silicon Valley to Boston to New York, Sonnenschein's Venture Technology group focuses on removing hurdles to your company's success. Click here to see representative 2007 Venture Deals.
02-01-2008	Commercial Real Estate Women's St. Louis Chapter Honors Jennifer Marler with Deal of the Year Award The St. Louis chapter of Commercial Real Estate Women (CREW) presented its Deal of the Year Award to five individuals, including Sonnenschein partner Jennifer Marler, at its Third Annual Networking Awards Luncheon in February 2008. The five CREW members worked together on a complicated construction loan and tax credits for a 256-unit multifamily property. Jennifer provided legal counsel to document the transaction.
02-01-2008	Larry Kocot Recognized as One of Nightingale's "Significant Healthcare Policy Analysts" Larry Kocot has been selected as a "Significant Healthcare Policy Analyst" in 2008 by Nightingale's Healthcare News. Mr. Kocot is senior counsel in Sonnenschein's Washington, D.C., office and is affiliated with the Brookings Institution. He is recognized for his work on financing challenges facing the U.S. health care system and is active in national health care policy issues, including health IT and drug safety.
01-18-2008	Lauren Mack Speaks on IRS Compliance and Enforcement Lauren Mack will discuss current IRS and legislative initiatives affecting hospitals at the Ninth Annual Emerging Issues in Healthcare Law Conference on February 21 in San Diego. The panel will address IRS compliance/enforcement efforts targeting tax-exempt bonds, executive compensation and political campaign activities, as well as the ongoing Congressional focus on hospital tax exemption.
01-17-2008	Bruce Fried Authors Report on the Future of Electronic Health Records Bruce Fried has authored the report "Gauging the Progress of the National Health Information Technology Initiative: Perspectives from the Field," which evaluates the progress that has been made toward meeting President Bush's plan to ensure that most Americans have interoperable electronic health records by 2014. Mr. Fried prepared the report on behalf of the California HealthCare Foundation, an independent philanthropy committed to improving the delivery and financing of health care in California.
01-17-2008	Sonnenschein Ranked Third as Underwriter's Counsel for Hospital Bonds Sonnenschein served as underwriter's counsel on approximately $2.4 billion of tax-exempt hospital bonds in 2007, ranking third nationally, according to Thompson Financial. Sonnenschein attorneys closed approximately $3.1 billion in tax-exempt health care financings in 2007, including all representations.
01-16-2008	Jana Cohen Barbe Honored by Midwest Real Estate News Sonnenschein partner and Global Real Estate Practice Chair Jana Cohen Barbe is honored as a top real estate professional in the December 2007 Midwest Real Estate News article, "Forty Over 40." The list contains 40 commercial real estate veterans from the fields of development, property management, architechture, brokerage and more.
01-16-2008	Sonnenschein Ranked Nationally as One of the Best 20 Law Firms for Diversity Sonnenschein is ranked nationally as one of the Best 20 Law Firms for Diversity by Vault, a prominent publication aimed at law school students. In the same report, our firm ranked 8th nationally for Diversity with Respect to Women. Vault surveyed more than 18,800 associates at 167 firms nationwide to obtain these results.
01-11-2008	Sonnenschein Announces New Legal Task Force to Respond to Credit Markets Crisis Sonnenschein has brought together a multi-disciplinary team of experts from across the Firm to form the National Credit Markets and Subprime Lending Task Force. The Task Force serves the needs of clients impacted by the contraction of the credit, subprime lending and mortgage markets--providing legal services on the broad range of issues presented by the current crisis, including investigating failed strategies, advising ERISA fiduciaries, trustees and loan servicers in connection with securitization matters, bankruptcy counseling, litigation, loss recoveries and dispute resolution. Click here to read more.
01-04-2008	Policy Scan 2008: From Washington to the States The 2008 political landscape will be dominated by election-year politics, with an early series of high stakes Presidential primaries setting the stage for the November elections. The results of the Iowa Caucuses and the New Hampshire primary will be early indicators of the emerging 2008 political environment, even as Congress seeks to chart an agenda for the coming year. Click here to read the Policy Scan 2008 report.
01-03-2008	Lauren Mack Serves On Panel Discussion Covering IRS Draft Form 990 On January 18, Lauren Mack will discuss and analyze implementation issues of the new IRS draft Form 990, highlighting changes from the June 14, 2007 draft. The panel will take place at the American Bar Association's Taxation Section mid-year meeting in Lake Las Vegas, Nevada.
06-01-2007	Sonnenschein's Antitrust Group Honored by Chambers USA Sonnenschein's Antitrust Group and two of its partners were honored in Chambers USA: America's Leading Lawyers for Business 2007. Robert Joseph and Alan Silberman were ranked in the guide, which is based on interviews with thousands of attorneys and clients nationwide.