More Shaw Pittman losses add to woes

Corporate partners Charles Severs and Robert Bishop are abandoning the London office of Shaw Pittman in favour of DLA after just two years with the US outsourcing specialist.
The departures come hot on the heels of two partners and seven associates who left for Latham & Watkins and Pillsbury Winthrop just three months ago. The London office is now left with only two partners and nine associates. These include two corporate associates who are also considering their futures at the firm
London managing partner Alistair Maughan remains bullish. "It doesn't affect the core of what we do. The corporate practice was relatively small compared to our main market [of technology and outsourcing]," he said.
The Lawyer understands that the corporate department accounted for just £500,000 of the office's £6.5m turnover last year, but £3m of that may have gone with those who left in June. The office is also saddled with property costs of between £800,000 and £1m a year.
"The offices that they will vacate will be filled up over the course of the next two to three months," said Maughan. "We continue to be out there looking at the lateral market for technology and outsourcing partners." He added that management in the US remained supportive.