Altheimer & Gray’s San Francisco branch has splintered after four firms made a play for its remaining lawyers.
It was hoped that the office, which opened last September, would move as a whole, but Bingham McCutchen, Mayer Brown Rowe & Maw, Perkins Coie and Seyfarth Shaw have all recruited former partners and associates let go after the Chicago firm announced plans to dissolve in July.
Michael Molano, an intellectual property partner who co-founded Altheimer’s San Francisco office with Charles Campbell, said: “There were a number of opportunities to move together, but some of these options were not suited to individuals’ practice areas.”
Molano has now moved to Mayer Brown with associate John Griffith, while Charles Campbell has joined Perkins Coie. Tax partner Graham Taylor and patent litigation partner Jack Slobodin have both opted for Seyfarth Shaw.
Mark Slater, who originally joined Altheimer from Bingham McCutchen, has returned to his former firm with three lawyers.
Molano is moving to Mayer Brown at a time of expansion for the firm’s fledgling office, which has just 12 lawyers in San Francisco.
Former Gray Cary Ware & Freidenrich partner Ian Feinberg, an antitrust specialist, is leaving the firm for Mayer Brown after 18 years .
Recently Gray Cary lost litigation partner and white collar crime expert Walt Brown to Orrick Herrington & Sutcliffe and insurance partner Martin Myers to Heller Ehrman White & McAuliffe.