Ex-Brobecks chair goes it alone

The former chairman and head of the liquidation committee of the collapsed Brobeck Phleger & Harrison has left white knight Morgan Lewis & Bockius to set up his own law firm.

Stephen Snyder, alongside James Miller, also on the Brobeck liquidation committee, is setting up the mini partnership to concentrate on the winding up of the infamous West Coast giant that imploded earlier this year under a debt of millions of dollars.

It is understood that the move has been prompted by Snyder and Miller’s concerns that their ongoing dealings with legalities and financial matters related to Brobeck may cause conflicts with former firm members now practising at Morgan Lewis.

Although a number of firms took on former Brobeck partners following its demise, Morgan Lewis rescued the lion’s share, taking more than 150 fee-earners, including Snyder and Miller who joined the firm as counsel.

One source said that both Snyder and Miller had considered setting up on their own before joining Morgan Lewis.

Snyder, who was chairman at Brobeck from 1996 to 1998 when Tower Snow took over, has been involved in issuing a lawsuit accusing his successor and Clifford Chance of contributing to the fall of Brobeck.

Clifford Chance, which recruited a large group of Brobeck partners, including Snow, is vigorously denying the charges.