August 10, 2008

THE DAILY JOURNAL

By Devan McClaine

ORANGE COUNTY – After 12 years at Latham & Watkins’ Orange County office, corporate partner Jonn Beeson jumped to Jones Day’s Irvine office last Wednesday. Beeson is currently the only corporate attorney in the office, but he said he expects that to change.

“I am the first guy on the ground in the corporate department,” Beeson said. “It’s a big task ahead. I will be building a [corporate] team from scratch, but I look forward to the opportunity.”

Beeson said he is “actively recruiting” and said he wouldn’t be surprised if the office added six or more attorneys in the next six months.

Such growth in the Irvine outpost is not unheard of. The office has nearly doubled in size, to 42 attorneys, since January 2007. Beeson views himself as another addition to what is becoming a formidable presence for Jones Day in Orange County.

Richard Grabowski, the office’s partner-in-charge, was responsible for recruiting Beeson. In a statement he lauded Beeson’s M&A experience, adding that his decision to join the office is evidence of a “steady trend” of the office “attracting top legal talent in Orange County.”

Beeson cited the accumulation of experienced laterals, such as former Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman litigator Richard Ruben and former Morrison & Foerster labor and employment partner Robert Naeve, as examples of Jones Day’s efforts to strengthen the office.

Asked why he would leave a firm with over $2.2 million in profits per partner, Beeson replied, “good question.”

“Latham is a great place,” Beeson said, “but personally and professionally this is a great opportunity to build something in an area I am familiar with.”

Scott Shean, Latham’s Orange County managing partner described Beeson in a statement as a “good colleague,” adding, “we wish him well in his new endeavors.”

During his tenure at Latham, Beeson represented corporate heavyweights like health care company Allergan Inc. and biomedical specialist Beckman Coulter Inc.

In October, Beeson led Allergan through it’s $370 million purchase of Esprit Pharma Inc. In April 2007, he led the way for Beckman Coulter as it shelled out $1.55 billion to acquire Biosite Inc.
Beeson was uncertain if either client would make the jump with him to Jones Day.

“I certainly hope so,” Beeson said. “[They] are clients I’ve been close to personally and professionally for some time… I expect to hear from them again.”

Jones Day’s growth is not limited to Southern California. The firm added a pair of former DLA Piper IP partners Arthur Beeman and Pamela Fulmer to its San Francisco office last Tuesday. Both focus on IP litigation. Beeman practices in the communication and technology sectors. Fulmer concentrates on the entertainment and media industries.