NEW YORK, February 24, 2006- LAWFUEL – The Law News Network -Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP announced today that Peter A. Bicks has been named Partner-in-Charge of the firm?s New York office. Bicks succeeds Peter Coll, who led the New York office since 2004, the year of Orrick?s 20th anniversary in New York.
“Orrick’s New York office is a key element of the firm’s success in terms of both the services we provide our clients and our strategic global expansion,” said Ralph Baxter, chairman and CEO of Orrick. “We are indebted to Peter Coll for his equanimity during this very active phase of our evolution, and we look forward to our continued growth and success under the leadership of Peter Bicks, whose grace under pressure in the courtroom is but one of the many qualities that recommend him for this position.”
“I am excited to be a part of Orrick’s New York team, which is unique among firms in New York,” said Bicks. “No other team is as talented and committed to both excellent client service and a collegial working environment. I look forward with great enthusiasm to our continued success together, with our clients and with Orrick’s other offices throughout the world.”
Bicks is a litigation partner in Orrick?s New York office, with extensive litigation and trial experience nationwide in the areas of mass tort, contracts, intellectual property, corporate governance, and bankruptcy. He is a member of the Orrick team acting as National Counsel to the Union Carbide Corporation in connection with asbestos-related personal injury lawsuits. He recently was lead trial counsel in the highly-publicized landmark trial in Texas State Court, Brazoria County, where Kelly-Moore Paint Company sued Union Carbide for more than $5 billion, alleging fraud when Union Carbide sold raw asbestos to Kelly-Moore for use in its asbestos-containing products. After a six-week trial, the jury deliberated for less than three hours and ruled 11 to 1 in Union Carbide?s favor, finding no fraud. The Kelly-Moore case was named one of the ?Top Defense Wins of 2004? by The National Law Journal.
Before joining Orrick, Bicks was a partner at Donovan Leisure Newton & Irvine LLP from 1995 to 1998. He has written and lectured on trial strategy and techniques in high-profile, high-stakes cases. His book, Defending a Company in a Punitive Damages Case, was published in 2005 by Aspatore Books.
In a separate statement, Orrick also announced today that Joseph M. Malkin will assume the newly-created role of Managing Partner for U.S. offices. In his new role, Malkin will oversee the management of more than 650 lawyers in eight offices and work closely with the firm’s executive committee to continue the success and growth of Orrick’s U.S. offices and their integration with the firm?s Asian and European offices. Replacing Malkin as Partner-in-Charge of the San Francisco office is Karen Johnson-McKewan.
About Orrick?s New York Office
Opened in 1984, Orrick’s New York office is now the firm’s largest, with approximately 200 lawyers who are highly respected as leaders in the global finance markets as well as in U.S. litigation and international dispute resolution throughout the world. The firm’s New York lawyers dominate the field of domestic and cross-border finance transactions, including structured finance and securitization, energy and product finance, private equity, banking and institutional finance, public finance, bankruptcy and debt restructuring, and leasing. The corporate team is a leader in representing new and emerging companies as well as established technology-oriented corporations. The New York litigation team is particularly well-known for its expertise in commercial litigation, employment law, product liability, and intellectual property, in venues ranging from state and federal trial courts to the U.S. Supreme Court and international arbitration.
About Orrick
Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP is an international law firm with more than 850 lawyers in North America, Europe, and Asia. The firm focuses on litigation, complex and novel finance, and innovative corporate transactions. Orrick clients include Fortune 100 companies, major industrial and financial corporations, commercial and investment banks, high-growth companies, governmental entities, start-ups, and individuals. The firm’s 16 offices are located in New York, Washington, D.C., San Francisco, Silicon Valley, Sacramento, Los Angeles, Orange County, Pacific Northwest, Hong Kong, London, Milan, Moscow, Paris, Rome, Taipei and Tokyo.
