Law Firm Boies Schiller Raises Eyebrows With Departures and Firings

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The new leadership at B0ies Schiller Flexner will be either flexing their law management muscle or worried about the fact that fully one fifth of their partners have left since they took over.

Firm leadership changed in December when the new management – headed by Natasha Harrison and Nick Gravante (pictured) – took over after a somewhat tumultous three years for the high profile firm.

Among the issues facing the firm have been bad press received by founder David Boies with his controversial work for profile clients, as well as a slip in the AmLaw rankings.

Since the new leadership took over, 31 partners have left the firm with 15 going from the LA office in April. And the firm also fired a number of associates and staffers in LA.

Nick Gravante said in a statement that the departing partners “made the decision to suddenly thrust all of their former associates and staff on us” after leaving the firm “on short notice during a global pandemic.” Gravante said it wasn’t fair for Boies Schiller to bear the expense of people it doesn’t need. Gravante did not disclose how many people were fired.

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Latham & Watkins Continues Expanding M&A and Private Equity Practices

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NEW YORK, April 30, 2020 Powered by LawFuel — Latham & Watkins LLPis pleased to announce that Kate Withers has joined the firm’s New York office as a partner in the Corporate Department and as a member of the Mergers & Acquisitions Practice and Private Equity Practice. She advises clients of all sizes in connection with private equity and strategic corporate transactions, including mergers and acquisitions, technology-focused joint ventures, carve-outs, structured investments, and complex licensing transactions.

“We are thrilled to welcome Kate to our premier global Mergers & Acquisitions and Private Equity Practices,” said Marc Jaffe, Global Chair of Latham & Watkins’ Corporate Department. “Kate’s experience advising on sophisticated corporate transactions, combined with her highly technical background and deep understanding of data, software, and technology businesses, will be of tremendous benefit to our clients. Latham is deeply committed to growing in line with our clients’ needs and to serving them as a one-stop legal advisor on their most sophisticated matters. The addition of Kate to our continuously expanding Corporate Department underscores that priority.”  

Withers represents private equity sponsors and public and private companies in connection with M&A, joint venture, carve-out, and structured investment transactions involving the acquisition, licensing, and sale of innovative technologies and high value intellectual property assets, including artificial intelligence, biotechnology, blockchain technology, data, gaming and esports platforms, software, and media assets. Her industry experience spans financial services, life sciences, internet, social media, gaming, software, and media.

Paul Sheridan, Global Chair of the Private Equity Practice at Latham & Watkins, added: “Kate has an excellent reputation for her work on extremely sophisticated and complex deals, and she is a tremendous addition to our M&A and Private Equity Practices. She brings a strong commercial sense, deal savvy, and a collegial approach, which aligns perfectly with our approach to serving clients across the firm’s global platform.”

“Latham is known for its deep industry expertise, collaborative culture, and international reputation as a premier legal advisor on the world’s most sophisticated transactions. I am looking forward to joining the team and providing my clients with the many benefits of the firm’s integrated global platform,” said Withers.  

Withers joins Latham from Kirkland & Ellis. She is the latest addition to an extensive group of prominent partners who have joined Latham’s Mergers & Acquisitions and Private Equity Practices since 2019, including Neal Reenan and Ian Bushner, who joined the firm in March.

Withers received her LL.M. from New York University School of Law, her JD, cum laude, from Georgetown Law School, and her M.Sc. in Economics from the London School of Economics and Political Science, where she was a Fulbright Scholar. 

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