Crowell raids Arent Fox, Dorsey for NY launch

Washington DC-headquartered firm Crowell & Moring has expanded into New York, launching a Manhattan office following raids on Arent Fox and Dorsey & Whitney.

As first revealed on www.thelawyer.com (13 September), trial lawyer William McSherry, former head of Arent Fox's New York office and co-chair of its litigation practice, joins as a partner in Crowell's litigation group.

IP partner Janet MacLeod, a specialist in the pharma- ceutical, biotechnology and chemistry industries, moves across from Dorsey & Whitney, where she was a partner.

Crowell chairman Kent Gardiner said the new office would focus on the firm's core practice areas of antitrust, corporate, IP, litigation and white-collar and securities litigation to "ensure integration across our offices and preserve our fundamental partnership".

The 300-lawyer firm also has existing presences in Brussels, California and London. The New York office is located in the Citigroup Building at 153 East 53rd Street.

McSherry served as the head of Arent Fox's New York office for six years and is also the former executive director of the now defunct US Football League.

His representative clients have included Credit Suisse First Boston, Millicom International Cellular and ECI Telecom.

MacLeod focuses her practice on the acquisition and enforcement of patents and counselling on patent issues, including infringement, validity and freedom to operate.

The office opening comes after a period of growth and restructuring for Crowell. In March the firm elected both new chairman Gardiner and new managing partner David Siegel.

The firm also bolstered its DC headquarters last month by hiring the US Environmental Protection Agency's general counsel Ann Klee.

Crowell also strengthened its privacy and data protection offering in June through a joint venture with former General Electric lawyer James Jordan's law firm Jordan Legal Counsel in order to provide co-counsel on compliance matters.