January 12, 2010
THE RECORDER
SAN FRANCISCO – Lateral season is officially in swing, after not showing up last year at the usual time.
Four moves were announced Monday, following a busy first week of the year. Morrison & Foerster picked up venture lawyer William Choe, Winston & Strawn recruited ERISA litigator James Baker, and K&L Gates drew IP litigators Karineh Khachatourian and Bryan Sinclair. Texas energy firm Vinson & Elkins also says it’s hiring after opening an office in Silicon Valley this week.
Recruiters expect to see more laterals moving in the first quarter, especially after firms finalize compensation.
The Chambers-rated Choe will join MoFo’s Silicon Valley office from Sonnenschein Nath & Rosenthal. Choe represents high-technology companies ranging from venture-backed startups to public companies to multinationals. He said he was attracted to the firm’s presence in Asia, particularly Korea, where he has a client base that will be “well-served by MoFo’s international and global footprint.”
“One of the considerations in choosing a place like MoFo is looking at opportunities abroad, both inbound and outbound,” Choe said.
Choe was at Gray Cary before he joined Sonnenschein in 2004.
A Sonnenschein spokeswoman did not return an e-mail seeking comment.
Corporate lawyer Jeffrey Washenko also joined MoFo as counsel last week from White & Case.
ERISA litigator Baker will join Winston & Strawn from Jones Day. Baker is also Chambers-rated.
Baker said he has known and enjoyed working with several Winston partners over the years, including Jeffrey Bosley, Gerald silver and Charles Birenbaum. Baker worked with Bosley at Littler Mendelson, where he spent 12 years; he was at Jones Day for five years.
“It was a way to reconnect with lawyers I greatly admire and who are just fun to work with,” Baker said. “It was time for a change.”
Jones Day’s San Francisco partner in charge Robert Mittelstaedt said, “We wish Jim the best in his new venture.”
Khachatourian and Sinclair jumped to K&L Gates’s 18-lawyer Valley office after a stint at Mintz Levin Cohn Ferris Glovsky and Popeo that lasted less than two years. Both specialize in technology companies. K&L Gates is in the top 20 of the Am Law 200. Mintz is in the second hundred.
Mintz did not respond to a request for comment.
Recruiter Lawrence Watanabe, who placed the two MoFo laterals, said Silicon Valley is the hottest area in California for lateral activity right now.
“A lot of people that are moving are involved with technology, and I think you will continue to see that for the first half of this year,” said. “A lot of chairmen at the end of last year said they are prepared to be far more aggressive in 2010 than they were in 2009.”
Recruiter Avis Caravello, who placed two laterals at Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman last week, said there’s definitely been an increase in activity, after “everything was in absolute stasis last year.”
“What you are seeing right now is lateral movement based on pent-up demand by both law firms and candidates, combined with a more optimistic outlook for 2010,” Caravello said.
Texas-based Vinson & Elkins is hiring in Silicon Valley. The energy-heavy firm said Monday it is moving three of its Texas lawyers and opening an office at 525 University Ave. in Palo Alto. A firm announcement mentioned more than once that it is actively recruiting associates and partners. Vinson’s clients include Shell Oil, BP and Pasadena-based eSolar Inc. A firm statement said it believes Silicon Valley is “rapidly emerging as one of the energy capitals of the world.”