Washington DC-headquartered firm Crowell & Moring has expanded into New York, launching a Manhattan office following raids on Arent Fox and Dorsey & Whitney.
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.
Intellectual property partner Janet MacLeod, a specialist in the pharmaceutical, biotechnology and chemistry industries, also moves across from Dorsey & Whitney, where she was also a partner.
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 US Football League. His representative clients have included Credit Suisse First Boston, Millicom and Woodford Forbes.
MacLeod focuses her practice on the acquisition and enforcement of patents and counselling on patent issues including infringement, validity and freedom to operate. For example, she recently provided patent portfolio counselling for Mount Sinai School of Medicine
The office opening comes after a period of growth and restructuring for the Washington DC-based firm. In March, the firm elected both new chairman Gardiner and new managing partner David Siegel.
The firm also bolstered its Washington DC headquarters last month (August) 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, to provide co-counsel on compliance matters.
