Business of Law

Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer LLPrevenue fell by about 0.9 percent to 1.13 billion pounds for the 2011-12 financial year, dropping it to the rankof fourth-largest London-based law firm by revenue.

Linklaters LLP held onto the No. 2 slot among the so-calledmagic circle of London's largest law firms with revenue rising0.6 percent to 1.2 billion over the same period.

Of the four magic circle firms that disclose financialinformation, Freshfields and Linklaters did the worst comparedwith the previous year. Clifford Chance retained the top spotamong the group as revenue rose to 1.3 billion on a significantincrease in Asia work. Allen & Overy LLP posted a 6 percent risein revenue to 1.18 billion pounds, moving it ahead ofFreshfields to the three slot behind Linklaters.

At Freshfields, "our biggest immediate priority is how wereact to developments in the euro zone," Chief ExecutiveOfficer Ted Burke said. "A significant amount of our businessis in the euro zone and the depreciation of the euro hasimpacted us."

Linklaters signed an exclusivity agreement in April withSydney-based Allens Arthur Robinson that includes a jointventure in Asia, making the firm "very comfortable with thesize that we are now and the way we are building the business,"Simon Davies, managing partner at Linklaters, said in a phoneinterview.

Uncertainty over the euro continues to affect deal activityin the 17-nation group, both men acknowledged. Spain agreed inJune to take a rescue loan of as much as 100 billion euros tohelp recapitalize its banking sector. Merger and acquisitionwork makes up around 40 percent of business for Linklaters,Davies said.

IP litigator Julie A. Petruzzelli has joined Baker &McKenzie LLP as a partner in Washington. Petruzzelli has morethan 25 years of experience in all aspects of intellectualproperty litigation, counseling, and licensing. She waspreviously a partner at Venable LLP, where she had been the headof that firm's research division and its IP litigationpractice group, the firm said.

While at defense contractor Northrop Grumman, Cassidy wassenior counsel in the company's Information Systems Sector,supporting both the Intelligence and Defense markets, the firmsaid. Most recently, she served as the lead counsel for theDefense Technologies Division. In this role, she providedgovernment contracts legal advice in support of a variety ofprograms, including those involving missile defense integration,enterprise IT infrastructure solutions, cybersecurity, combatsystems integration, identity management and biometrics, andcloud computing, according to the firm.

Chalieco is a innovation, engineering service and equipmentprovider in the nonferrous metals industry in China. The companyprovides engineering solutions throughout various stages of thenonferrous metals industry chain, the firm said. Businessesincluded engineering design and consultancy, engineering andconstruction contracting and equipment manufacturing. Chinalcois the controlling shareholder of the company.

Weintraub Tobin will have more than 70 attorneys inSacramento, San Francisco and Los Angeles. The firm will focuson entertainment and its convergence with research andfinance. Key practice areas include: corporate, banking,securities, employment, litigation and dispute resolution,intellectual property, tax, trusts and estate planning, realestate and bankruptcy, the firm said in a statement.

"Afterwards our successful expansion in the San Franciscomarket with the merger of Tobin & Tobin late last year, weturned our eyes toward Los Angeles and found a firm that mirrorsour culture and complements our specialty practice areas," saidMichael Kvarme, Weintraub Tobin's managing shareholder. "Thecombination with Weissmann Wolff offers customers a fullyintegrated team of business attorneys that are held in highesteem by the entertainment industry."

The San Francisco office

Through the San Francisco office, entertainment clientswill have access to the legal expertise and relationshipsestablished with innovation groups, the firm said.

"The combined capabilities and expanded services of thefirm benefit our customers in that we now have a largergeographical reach and furthermore depth in meeting all of theirbusiness needs," Marvin Gelfand, managing partner for WeissmannWolff said.

The company's subsidiaries that own

The company's subsidiaries that own and operate its coal-fired and gas-fired businesses weren't included in the filingJuly 6 because they were financed last year, Dynegy said.