All posts in Firm Announcements

Update on Jim King.  Mari sent me a text yesterday morning that Jim went into surgery at 6:30 am and they expect it to last 3-4 hours.  I had called Jim the day before.  He sounded good and very upbeat.  It was not a heartattack, he said, – just some pesky veins that were 100% blocked, some carryover from his heart attack 20 years ago.  Mari asked me to “put out the word.”  She said, “Live from Kaiser in Hollywood.”   Yesterday afternoon, I received word that the surgery went well and Jim was resting comfortably.

Get well Jim, we need you back.

My associate, and my personal attorney forever, Roksana Moradi, will soon assume the Chairpersonship of the Los Angeles County Bar Association — Commercial Law and Bankruptcy Section DAP (Debtor Assistance Project)/Pro Bono Bankruptcy Sub-Committee, known colloquially as the DAP Committee.  The DAP Committee is made up of several judges, the Clerk of the Court Cathy Campbell, reps of the US Trustee, and the powers to be of Public Counsel, Legal Neighborhood Services and various other programs around town than help indigent/needy people work their way through the bankruptcy thicket.  Congratulations (again) to Roksana.

I am spent!  My law firm successfully passed an all day audit by our largest client with “no findings.”  The auditors told us we were the first law firm to come away from their audit with no findings.  I am so proud of each of my employees, all 80 or so!  Awesome job!

Now, we need to be focused on what is coming, this year we will be creating opportunities for felons when opening job positions and will be evaluating their resumes and experiences.

Lee Raphael
Prober & Raphael

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

VAULT.COM UNVEILS LAW PRACTICE AREA RANKINGS

WEIL, GOTSHAL NAMED NO. 1 BANKRUPTCY LAW FIRM FOR 4^TH STRAIGHT YEAR

 New York, NY, (June 27, 2012) Today, Vault.com, the source of ratings, rankings and insight for law students and lawyers, released its Practice Area Rankings for 2013.  This year, as has been the case for the previous three years, Weil, Gotshal & Manges was the firm rated strongest in bankruptcy law by associates.

The firm once again beat out Kirkland & Ellis to claim its fourth straight title.  According to survey respondents, Weil is “one of the big guys” and a “powerhouse,” whose attorneys are “bankruptcy masters.”  Weil; Kirkland & Ellis; and Skadden Arps remained in the same positions as last year – No. 1, No. 2, and No. 3, respectively – but the rest of the Top 10 saw some significant movement this year.

Among the changes, Jones Day jumped one spot to No. 4, pushing Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld down one spot to No. 5. White & Case also moved up one notch to No. 9, while Latham & Watkins returned to the Top 10—after a two-year hiatus—at No. 8 in a tie with Wachtell Lipton. Pachulski Stang Ziehl & Jones debuted on the list at No. 7, making it the only bankruptcy boutique voted onto the Top 10.

In order to determine the Vault Practice Area Rankings, nearly 17,000 associates were asked to vote for up to three firms they consider strongest in their own practice area, but were not permitted to vote for their own firm.  Vault’s rankings indicate the top firms in each area, as well the total percentage of votes, offering law students and associates a tool to aid in their career search.

The Top 10 Bankruptcy Law Firms Are:

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My son Hunter Hayes began his summer associate term at Munger, Tolles & Olsen, LLP this morning.  I’m too excited.