April 18, 2002

THE DAILY JOURNAL

By Liz Valsamis

LOS ANGELES – As intellectual property boutique Lyon & Lyon plans to close its doors at the end of the week, the firm’s Los Angeles managing partner has confirmed he will move his practice to Fulbright & Jaworski. John McConaghy, who has worked at Lyon & Lyon his entire 30-year legal career, will remain at the 80-attorney boutique until its closure Saturday. He will join the Los Angeles office of Houston-based Fulbright & Jaworski on Tuesday.

“I really like the people, and everyone I’ve talked to talks about the cooperation and support the firm offers,” McConaghy said of Fulbright & Jaworski. “They have a full IP system set up in Los Angeles, which was important to me to know that they would be able to support me.”

Lyon & Lyon partner Conrad Solum and at least one associate are also expected to join Fulbright & Jaworski, according to McConaghy.

Legal recruiter Lawrence Watanabe of Watanabe Nason & Seltzer brokered the move.

The group, which brings a book of business in excess of $1 million, will join nine intellectual property practitioners in Los Angeles outpost, according to Fulbright & Jaworski’s local managing partner Harry Hathaway. The 750-attorney firm has 120 intellectual property lawyers worldwide.

“It’s a shame to see a wonderful firm that’s more than a 100 years old reach its demise,” Hathaway said of Lyon & Lyon. “But it brings to bear that the boutique IP firm’s days may be over.”

Since the Aug. 9 announcement that Lyon & Lyon was winding down operations, the firm’s lawyers have dispersed to a variety of firms, including Sidley, Austin, Brown & Wood; Perkins Coie; and Jones, Day & Reavis & Pogue.

Partner James Brook is one of the remaining partners in the firm’s Los Angeles headquarters who hasn’t chosen a firm. Brooks, according to a source close to Lyon & Lyon, is considering three firms: San Francisco’s Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe, which is in merger talks with 15 attorneys in Lyon & Lyon’s office; Washington, D.C.’s Arnold & Porter; and Chicago’s Sidley Austin Brown & Wood.

Brooks could not be reached for comment.