News

T. Markus Funk was interviewed and quoted by the Denver Post in an article examining the global phenomenon of trafficking in human beings and the nexus between organized crime and this particular form of exploitation.

Perkins Coie announced today that Jean-Jacques “J” Cabou has joined the firm in Phoenix as Partner in the Investigations & White Collar Defense practice. He joins the firm from Osborn Maledon, P.A.

Perkins Coie is pleased to announce that Nick Milano has joined the firm in Washington, D.C. as Of Counsel in the Investment Management practice.

Advocates for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities filed a class action lawsuit against the Governor of Oregon and other state officials. The lawsuit, which was filed on January 25 in US District Court in Oregon, alleges these officials are violating the Americans with Disabilities Act and the federal Rehabilitation Act by failing to provide supported employment services to more than 2,300 state residents who are instead segregated in sheltered workshops where they perform mundane, rote tasks for sub-minimum wages.

Perkins Coie announced that Dana Krawczuk joined the firm’s Portland office as Of Counsel in the Real Estate and Land Use practice. She joins the firm from Ball Janik LLP.

University of Chicago; Northwestern University School of Law
Judge Posner, author of nearly 40 books and widely considered one of the world's most distinguished scholars, described Funk and Kendall's Child Exploitation and Trafficking: Examining the Global Challenges and U.S. Responses as “a milestone on the road to improved policy in this difficult and important area, this book will be an invaluable resource to judges, prosecutors, police, policymakers, criminologists, and the defense bar.”

For the 10th consecutive year, Perkins Coie is proud to announce that it has been named to FORTUNE magazine's list of "The 100 Best Places to Work For." This year the firm was ranked 58. The full list and any related stories appear in the February 6 issue of FORTUNE and at www.fortune.com/bestcompanies.

Partner T. Markus Funk was featured in an ABC-7 report on the guilty pleas of Jerry Scalise and Robert Pullia

Perkins Coie is pleased to announce that Judy Jennison, Michael Scoville and Karl Klassen have joined the firm in Seattle.

Perkins Coie is proud to announce the launch of a new blog, Groundbreaking Law. The blog provides insights on design and construction topics such as statutory and regulatory changes, recent court opinions, sustainable and green building, BIM, insurance and project delivery methods.

Perkins Coie announced today that Jose Lopez has joined the firm's Chicago office as Partner in the Securities Litigation practice. Previously, he served as Partner at Schopf & Weiss and prior to that was a Senior Attorney at the United States Securities and Exchange Commission’s (SEC) Division of Enforcement.

Perkins Coie is pleased to announce that Gary Eisenberg has joined the firm’s New York office as Partner in the firm’s Financial Transactions & Restructuring practice. He joins the firm from Herrick, Feinstein LLP.

Pravin Rao was quoted in Law360 on the SEC's new position on no longer settling cases with "neither admit nor deny" language where there's already been admissions to or convictions of parallel criminal offenses.

Funk and Trombino in their article break down the form, function, and flow of the  FCPA and the UK Bribery Act.

Perkins Coie announced that 12 attorneys have been named Partner and five have been named Of Counsel effective January 1, 2012.

Perkins Coie announced today that three new finance attorneys have joined the firm’s Chicago office. Dan Coyne and Jim Carroll join as Partners and Christine Biebel joins as Of Counsel. All three join from O’Keefe Lyons & Hynes, LLC. The new attorneys specialize in the representation of healthcare and other nonprofit organizations in their financial transactions. 

T. Markus Funk and M. Bridget Minder author "Bribery of Foreign Officials: The FCPA in 2011 and Beyond: Is Targeted FCPA Reform Really the “Wrong Thing at the Wrong Time”? in the Bloomberg Law Reports. The in-depth piece not only summarizes 2011 enforcement trends, but also addresses the arguments raised against the growing call for targeted FCPA reform.

Pravin Rao was quoted in Law360 on the future of Whistleblower and Hedge Fund Enforcement in 2012.

The White Collar Crime Prof Blog published Perkins Coie Partner and ABA Global Anti-Corruption Task Force Co-Chair T. Markus Funk's novel and practical UK Bribery Act decision tree/"cheat sheet" and chart comparing the anti-bribery laws of the US, UK, China, and India describing it as "extraordinary."

High-visibility outlets, including the FCPA Professor ("This is a very useful one-stop chart for anyone involved in FCPA issues or likely to encounter foreign bribery issues"), the FCPA Blog ("Travel Act bribery cases made simple . . . an excellent tool"), and the White Collar Crime Prof Blog ("[C]aptures the essence of the FCPA . . . It's terrific"), have posted Perkins Coie partner T. Markus Funk's FCPA/Travel Act Decision Tree.

Bob Miller and Stephanie Dunn, Denver Litigation Partners, were recently named to Law Week Colorado’s Lawyers of the Year in Big Verdict Cases list.

Chicago Hotels & Leisure industry Co-Chair David Neff was quoted in the December 22 HotelNewsNow, "Hotel credit bidding draws Supreme Court's eye," article that looks at the highly anticipated credit bidding decision in the case of Radlax Gateway Hotel LLC and Radlax Gateway Deck LLC v. Amalgamated Bank, which is expected to be heard by the Supreme Court in April.

Portland Partner Julia Markley was appointed by Oregon Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley to serve on their Judicial Selection Committee which will recommend candidates to President Obama for nomination as a district judge for the U.S. District Court for the District of Oregon. Julia is among a 13-member selection committee appointed to screen candidates for federal judicial vacancies in the state.

Perkins Coie is pleased to announce that Jacob Farber has joined the firm as Of Counsel in the firm’s Licensing & Technology practice. He joins the firm in Washington, D.C. where he previously served as Counsel at Dickstein Shapiro.

Perkins Coie is pleased to have been named as a recipient of the National Legal Aid & Defender Association's (NLADA) 2011 Beacon of Justice Award

"[Providing] a resource regarding not only victims, but various sex crimes, the court system, defense strategies and computer techniques perpetrators use to hide information, as well as how law enforcement can find it."

Fred Rivera, Perkins Coie Partner and Co-chair of the firm's Financial Services Litigation & Investigations practice, was featured on NPR's national radio show Marketplace. The story, which ran nationally on NPR stations, is on the Marketplace website as "Senate Republicans Block Cordray Nomination to CFPB." 

The Chicago Daily Law Bulletin, in an article titled "Blago Faces Nearly $22K in Court Penalties," quoted T. Markus Funk on how and when federal judges typically impose fines on convicted defendants such as former Illinois governor Rod R. Blagojevich.

Perkins Coie LLP is proud to announce that it has earned the top rating of 100 percent in the Corporate Equality Index (CEI) and Best Places to Work 2012, an annual survey administered by the Human Rights Campaign (HRC).

The Associated Press, in an article entitled, "Support, doubts greet stiff Blagojevich sentence" quoted Investigations & White Collar Defense partner, Joel Levin, on the 14-year prison sentence imposed on former Governor Rod Blagojevich for corruption.

Perkins Coie was ranked within the top 10 busiest firms overall in the 2011 Corporate Counsel Patent Litigation Survey. The firm ranked 7th in overall cases, up from 18 in 2010, with 54 district court cases. For the defense, the firm ranked 5th, up from 14 in 2010, with 47 cases.

InsideCounsel, in an article titled "Data shows that companies lose a week's earnings to fraud every year" quoted partner T. Markus Funk throughout the article addressing the quantifiable impact of fraud on companies' bottom line. The story ran in the December 2011 issue of InsideCounsel.

Perkins Coie’s Denver office has seen a 40 percent growth with the addition of 13 attorneys in 2011. In January 2011, to accommodate the expected growth, the Denver office relocated to a larger office space located at 1900 Sixteenth Street.

Perkins Coie is pleased to announce that Michael Dunning has joined the firm as Of Counsel in the Seattle office in the Environment, Energy & Resources practice.

Perkins Coie is pleased to announce that Christine A. Williams has joined the firm as Of Counsel in the Employee Benefits & Executive Compensation practice. She joins the firm in Los Angeles from Northrop Grumman Corporation, where she previously served as Senior Counsel.

New York Bankruptcy Partner Schuyler Carroll was quoted in the November 17 "Solyndra pushes off auction for lack of bids," The Deal Pipeline article. The story explores why bankrupt solar panel company Solyndra received no bids by their deadline leading it to push back auction. Schuyler offers insight as to why even though there was initial interest from several parties, in the end there were no bidders for Solyndra.

Information regarding our 2012 1L Diversity Fellowship program is now available on our website, located here. There, students can find information about the fellowship including application deadlines and requirements. A list of commonly asked questions about the fellowship can be found here.

The Chicago Tribune has named Perkins Coie's Chicago office as one the Top Workplaces of 2011. The Tribune survey of the best work places in Chicago placed Perkins Coie 19th among all area businesses with fewer than 250 employees. Perkins was one of only two law firms of any size on the Chicago Tribune list, which honored more than 100 Chicago area companies.

Perkins Coie announced today that Deborah Gutfeld has joined the firm’s Chicago office as Of Counsel in the Bankruptcy practice. She joins the firm from Neal, Gerber & Eisenberg LLP.

Law Week Colorado

Al Gidari was quoted in an article titled "Judges Weigh Phone Tracking."  The article discusses how state and federal authorities follow the movements of thousands of Americans each year by secretly monitoring the location of their cellphones, often with little judicial oversight, in a practice facing legal challenges.

Perkins Coie Foreign Legal Affairs Attorneys at Law announced today that it has opened a new office in Taipei, Taiwan, to expand Perkins Coie’s Asia practice and to better serve its Taiwan-based clients, particularly in patent litigation and other intellectual property matters.

Perkins Coie announced today that Matthew Shebuski has joined the firm as partner in the Real Estate practice. He joins the firm in Chicago where he previously served as counsel at Skadden Arps Slate Meagher & Flom LLP.

Perkins Coie is pleased to announce that Chicago Partner Vince Maloney received the Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) of Cook County's 2011 Spirit Award for his work as a CASA Volunteer Advocate for the last 15 years.

Daniel Marre, Hotels & Leisure partner in Perkins Coie's Chicago office, recently wrote a perspectives article for GlobalHotelNetwork.com. His article, "The Hotel: A New Paradigm," suggests that the economic model of a modern hotel is drifting to that of a shopping mall.

Perkins Coie is pleased to announce it has been listed in the 2011-2012 U.S. News – Best Lawyers "Best Law Firms" with first-tier rankings in 18 practice areas nationally and 106 practice areas in 10 different major metropolitan markets including Alaska, Chicago, Colorado, Idaho, Madison, Phoenix, Portland, San Francisco, Seattle and Washington, D.C.

New York Bankruptcy Partner Schuyler Carroll was quoted in the November 1 "Sports museums struggle to draw fans, turn profit," USA Today article where he discusses the process for returning memorabilia when a museum goes under, citing his experience with the Sports Museum of America in New York.

Perkins Coie is pleased to announce it has been named the 2011-2012 U.S. News – Best Lawyers “Law Firm of the Year” in Venture Capital Law.

The Sandra Day O'Connor College of Law at Arizona State University awarded Howard Cabot its 2011 Justice for All Award for Outstanding Commitment to Pro Bono Service.

T. Markus Funk, a white collar partner at Perkins Coie and former federal prosecutor, was tapped to draft and present a resolution at the ABA Criminal Justice Section Council meeting to clarify the FCPA.  Funk's resolution, among other things, sought to further define the FCPA scope and reach. Charles Duross, deputy chief of the U.S. Department of Justice's Criminal Division and FCPA Unit chief, appeared at the ABA's forum to debate the resolution with Funk. Funk's resolution, which will be voted on in April 2012, was supported by the current and in-coming chairs of the ABA Criminal Justice Section.

Perkins Coie is pleased to announce Marc Bruner has joined the firm as partner in the Environment, Energy & Resources practice. He joins in San Francisco where he previously served as partner at Bingham McCutchen.

The Seattle office of Perkins Coie celebrated Hispanic Heritage Month on October 11, with a reception that included a keynote address by King County Superior Court Judge Steven González. Judge González, who is seeking appointment to the Washington State Supreme Court, would be the second person of color to serve on the state's highest court.

Perkins Coie Partner Howard Cabot is being recognized for his pro bono representation of a Guantanamo detainee.  The Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law at Arizona State University recently published a press release regarding his accommodation titled, "Phoenix attorney Howard Cabot to receive top pro bono award from Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law."

The article, titled "Feds Must Get Tougher On Hackers, Attys Say," discusses how lawmakers are pushing for more stringent sentencing guidelines and stiffer penalties against companies for failing to adequately protect data as hackers get more sophisticated in orchestrating breaches that result in huge losses.  “People take computer crimes more seriously now, and people are getting longer sentences,” Sussmann said. “But there is a constant need to update the law as crimes and the types of damages being suffered change and evolve.”

Perkins Coie Partner Schuyler Carroll and Associate Shan Haider were recently mentioned in the Deal Pipeline for their work in connection with the representation of the official committee of unsecured creditors in the Xstream Systems Inc. bankruptcy case, pending in the District of Delaware Bankruptcy Court.

Corporate Counsel Magazine, in an article titled "The End of an Era for Stock Option Backdating Scandals," quotes partner T. Markus Funk: "T. Markus Funk, a partner in Perkins Coie's Investigations and White Collar Defense group, has been listening. Although the backdating scandals are now mostly history, Funk says the enduring lesson for in-house and outside counsel is that the SEC and federal prosecutors are likely to continue to heavily scrutinize the advice lawyers give their clients. Federal law enforcers get inspiration from their past successes, according to Funk. He says there's no reason to believe they 'will shy away from their consistent practice of seeking to leverage their enforcement programs by targeting those legal and accounting professionals they consider failed gatekeepers.'"

On October 12, in Chicago, Partner Patrick Collins presented at the 2011 Enterprise Risk Management Conference on the increasing criminalization of corporate conduct. Patrick provided insight into the prosecutorial presumptions about corporate America, and provided practical guidance for addressing the heightened regulatory regime corporate America faces.

Perkins Coie will be hosting an event titled "Muchos Orígenes, Muchas Historias…Un Espíritu Americano Many Backgrounds, Many Stories…One American Spirit Seminar" in celebration of National Hispanic Heritage Month. The event will be held on Tuesday, October 11th at 5:30 p.m. The multicultural Latino community has had a profound and positive influence on our American tapestry and Perkins Coie is planning a special evening to celebrate the contributions and accomplishments of our Latino colleagues, peers, families and friends. Keynote remarks by King County Superior Court Judge Steven González will begin at 6:00 p.m.

Perkins Coie has been recognized by Corporate Counsel magazine in the "2011 Who Represents America's Biggest Companies" list. The magazine researched Fortune 100 companies to determine which law firms they use in four primary practice areas: Contract Litigation, Labor Litigation, Torts Litigation and Intellectual Property Litigation. Perkins Coie tied four other firms for the second most overall total of representation with 13. Corporate Counsel magazine has published the list annually for the past 10 years.

Perkins Coie is pleased to announce that Best Lawyers, a peer-review publication in the legal profession, has named 21 attorneys as “Lawyers of the Year” in their respective practices for 2012.

Partner Selena Linde was selected as a 2012 Women Worth Watching by the Diversity Journal.

National Research Council released the third edition of the Reference Manual on Scientific Evidence on September 28, 2011. Perkins Coie Denver partner David L. Black is one of two practicing attorneys chosen as an author for this prestigious manual.

Vascular Access Systems and SMRT Therapeutics were the winners, among twenty-two teams of UCLA researchers at the UCLA Business of Science Center Venture Team Competition, competing for Perkins Coie's $20,000 Innovative Minds prize.

Partner Al Gidari was recently quoted in an article covering the ruling by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, which states that non-US citizens are also entitled to the protection of the Electronic Communications Privacy Act (ECPA). The article, "Federal Court of Appeals upholds that non-US citizens are protected by ECPA," reports on Suzlon Energy v Microsoft Corporation where a corporation sued for disclosure of an Indian national's emails from his Hotmail account. ''The ECPA prohibits the disclosure of the content of user communications in civil matters regardless of whether the user is a citizen of the US, located in the US or living abroad," Gidari was quoted as saying.

Perkins Coie announced today that a senior member of the Department of Justice’s National Security Division, which oversees DOJ’s nationwide counterterrorism, counterespionage, and export-control programs, has joined the firm. Todd Hinnen, who served in the National Security Division as both Deputy Assistant Attorney General for Law and Policy and Acting Assistant Attorney General, a role in which he managed all aspects of the 320-attorney division, begins as a partner in the firm’s Washington, DC office effective immediately.

Partner Patrick Collins and Associates Jade Lambert and Brandy McMillion co-wrote an op-ed which ran in the September 25th issue of the Chicago Sun-Times. The article "Quinn must act on clemency petitions," addresses the one-year anniversary of Illinois Governor Pat Quinn's 2010 promise to decide all 3,000 pending clemency petitions by year's end. Collins, Lambert and McMillion, who served as pro bono counsel for a number of clemency petitioners, emphasized that Quinn's promise remains unfulfilled, leaving the lives of numerous petitioners in limbo. The authors called on Quinn to accelerate the petition process because he owes it to thousands of petitioners waiting for answers "to make good on his promise and to decide their clemency petitions, one way or another, in a timely manner."

Perkins Coie is proud to announce that Seattle Litigation partners Joe McMillan, Harry Schneider and Charles Sipos have received the Washington State Bar Association's (WSBA) Award of Merit.

Perkins Coie announced today that it has added five new attorneys to its national Insurance Coverage practice in the Washington, D.C. office. Joining the firm from Dickstein Shapiro, Leon Kellner  and Vivek Chopra join as partners and Christina Buschmann, Aaron Coombs and Laura Dellatorre join as associates. This expansion comes less than two months after partners Selena Linde and Michael Sharkey joined the Washington, D. C. Office, also from Dickstein Shapiro.

Perkins Coie announced today that James F. (Jim) Jensen has joined the Firm in Palo Alto as a Partner in the Emerging Companies practice group. He joins the Firm from VantagePoint Capital Partners where he recently served as General Counsel, Emerging Markets & Assistant General Counsel.

Chicago Hotels & Leisure Co-Chair Phil Gordon recently sat down with Chicago Real Estate Bisnow to discuss the trend in increased transactions and financings in the hotel industry. Phil attributes much of the activity to recovering REIT stock prices and debt availability that has caused revenue to rise, and investors are taking notice. You can read the entire interview here.

Perkins Coie announced today that it has been named one of the "2011 Best Law Firms for Women" by the National Association for Female Executives (NAFE) and Flex-Time Lawyers LLC. This is the third time in four years that the firm was recognized for its commitment to the retention and advancement of women.

Esquire magazine recently profiled Perkins Coie's Guantanamo pro bono client Noor Uthman Muhammed in its September 11 issue.

Don Karl, Co-Chair of the Interactive Entertainment group, was featured in a Q&A in a recent Media & Entertainment Law360 article. Throughout the article Don discusses his most challenging case, important issues relating to interactive entertainment law and lessons learned. To read all of his responses, visit Law360.

Perkins Coie ranked 35 on the California Lawyer's "California 50," a survey of the largest firms in California. See the entire list here.

California Lawyer also listed firms with the largest percentage of part-time lawyers who are minorities and women. Perkins Coie had the second-highest percentage for part-time minority lawyers with 44.4% and tied for 12th for part-time women lawyers at 77.8%. Click here for the entire list.

The Perkins Coie Chicago office placed third in the 2011 American Lawyer Midlevel Associates Survey with a score of 4.069.

Perkins Coie is proud to announce that 163 of its attorneys throughout the country were selected by their peers for inclusion in the 2012 edition of The Best Lawyers in America® (Copyright 2011 by Woodward/White, Inc., of Aiken, S.C.).

Perkins Coie is pleased to have received a Certificate of Appreciation from the Legal Services Corporation (LSC) for the firm's work with Washington's only LSC grant organization, the Northwest Justice Project (NJP). The firm has been honored for our extraordinary commitment to providing equal access to justice.

Shanghai (August 18, 2011) – Perkins Coie has announced that its Shanghai office will be relocating in order to accommodate the continued growth of the China practice, effective August 19, 2011. Perkins Coie opened the Shanghai office in 2006 to serve multinational clients conducting business in China as well as clients from China doing business in the United States.

Perkins Coie is pleased to announce that Charles H. Samel will join the firm as partner in the firm's Litigation practice group. He joins in Los Angeles where he previously served as partner in the global antitrust and competition group for Latham & Watkins LLP.

The all-things political news outlet Politico recently named Washington, D.C. Political Law partner Marc Elias to its "50 Politicos to Watch" list. The annual special section focuses on "up and comers" in a variety of categories such as candidates, journalists, lawyers, fundraisers, consultants and others that will be taking center stage in the political arena in 2012.

Perkins Coie Partner Len MacPhee has been appointed as the new managing partner for the firm's Denver office. He is succeeding Bob Miller, who has held the position for the past four years.

Phoenix associate Fernanda Sayavedra was selected to participate in the State Bar of Arizona Diversity Department's 2011-2012 Bar Leadership Institute (BLI). The BLI provides participants with a nine-month leadership program that will foster their professional growth and enhance their leadership skills. More than 40 attorneys applied for the BLI this year and 17 were chosen based on their legal and non-legal community contributions as well as their statements of interest and qualifications.

Eric Barber, Insurance Coverage Litigation Associate in Madison, was quoted in the August 1, 2011 Agenda article titled "D&O Insurance: Mind the Gaps." He discusses the gaps directors and officers (D&O) need to look out for when obtaining insurance. Barber explains that most insurance carriers do not honor claims for investigations that take place before a lawsuit is filed. In order to be covered, directors and officers need to broaden the definition of “claim” in their policy when they renew it with their insurance provider to include informal investigations as triggers to the claim.

Perkins Coie Partner Will Rava was recently published in E-Commerce Law Report.  The article titled "Pepsi and .Soda: Are You Ready For The Coming Expansion Of Domain Name Space? Legal and Practical Issues For In-House Counsel and Brand Managers" was originally written as a client update and can be viewed here.

The article "Ninth Circuit: Limited Disclosure Of Online Anonymous Speakers' Identities Necessary To Determine Nature Of Underlying Speech" discusses the Ninth Circuit opinion to vacate an Idaho district court's denial of a motion to compel production of the identities of four anonymous online speakers.  This article first appeared on DigestibleLaw.com.

Partner T. Markus Funk, a former federal prosecutor, was featured in CNBC's "American Greed" series special "Mob Money: Murders and Acquisitions." Markus discussed, among other things, the "Operation Family Secrets" case, which stands as the most extensive mob-murder prosecution in the US and resulted in Markus and the team receiving the US Department of Justice's highest trial performance distinction.

Timothy Alger, former Deputy General Counsel at Google, will be joining the Palo Alto office of Perkins Coie as a partner in its Litigation practice.

Colorado Law Week previewed a panel on the new SEC whistleblower bounty rules that will be moderated by T. Markus Funk. The panel will include the SEC's Regional Director, the head of the Fraud Section of the Colorado US Attorney's Office and IHS General Counsel Sean Radcliffe.

Perkins Coie announced today that Selena Linde and Michael Sharkey have joined the firm’s Washington, D.C. office as Partners in the Insurance Coverage Litigation practice group. They join from Dickstein Shapiro where Linde served as Deputy Practice Leader in the Insurance Coverage group and Sharkey served as Partner.

New York Bankruptcy Partner Schuyler Carroll was quoted in the July 18 Reuters story, "Borders, unable to find white knight, to liquidate," where he discusses not only the unfortunate loss of jobs that is associated with the Borders liquidation but also how competitor Barnes & Noble isn't in the clear just yet with one rival out of the way. The story was picked up by more than 30 outlets across the country including Chicago Tribune, Orlando Sentinel, Yahoo! News and Portfolio.com.

Eight partners in the San Francisco office, as well as two partners in the Silicon Valley office, have been named by their peers to the Northern California Super Lawyers list

Perkins Coie announced today that Joseph Reid has joined the firm as a Partner in the firm's Patent Litigation practice. He will be joining in the firm in San Diego, where he most recently served as a Principal at Fish & Richardson PC.

Perkins Coie received the first annual Volunteer Law Firm of the Year award from the Eastside Legal Assistance Program (ELAP), a non-profit organization providing free or low-cost, high quality civil legal services to low-income residents of East and Northeast King County, Washington and domestic violence legal aid throughout King County, Washington. The award was given in recognition of our firm's establishment of a pro bono program to represent ELAP clients, specifically domestic violence victims. In particular, after working on one case for more than a year, Seattle associates Ashley Locke and Nicole Sporer successfully represented a domestic violence victim in King County Superior Court through which the court granted the client full and sole custody over her children, limited the abusive ex-husband's contact with the children and required him to pay substantial child support. Joe Silvernale and Sue Bilger assisted Nicole and Ashley with trial preparations. Nicole and Ashley accepted the award on behalf of the firm on May 5, 2011, at the ELAP "Breakfast for Justice" at the Bellevue Hyatt Hotel.

Madison Partner David Harth received the 2010 State Bar of Wisconsin Pro Bono Award for a Private Practitioner at the Wisconsin Equal Justice Conference at Marquette Law School on March 4, 2011. He was also recognized at the State Bar's annual Meeting on June 9th. Having been nominated by Judge Barbara Crabb and the Delivery of Legal Services Committee of the Dane County Bar Association, David was recognized, in part, for the fact that he has spent hundreds of hours each year representing prisoners in section 1983 civil litigation, primarily in the Western District of Wisconsin. For the past 10 years he has represented a Georgia inmate on death row seeking to overturn his conviction on the grounds of inadequate legal representation. (See page 14 of Perkins' 2010 Pro Bono Report for more on this case.) Among all his other activities, David also chaired the Western District Bar Association’s Pro Bono Committee for 15 years from which position he promoted social justice and mentored associates interested in taking on cases.

Seattle Labor & Employment Partner Andrew Moriarty weighed in on the implications of three U.S. Supreme Court opinions.

In a New York Times article entitled "For Illinois, Blagojevich is Only the Latest to Fall," Patrick Collins, partner and former Chair of the Illinois Reform Commission, opined that the conviction of former Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich would not alone cure the ethical deficit in Illinois. "I don't think you can indict your way to reform," said Collins. "Ultimately, the long solution for Illinois is a more engaged public who steps up and demands better government before the next scandal develops."

Seattle Commercial Litigation Partner Dave Burman recently weighed in on a Law360 story on the recent U.S. Supreme Court case that rejected a California ban on selling violent video games to minors. The ruling states that the law violates the First Amendment because it restricts free expression without a valid justification. Dave notes that the majority opinion leaves no room for other states to pass similar bans on violent video games. For the full story, click here.

Bobbie J. Wilson, Intellectual Property Partner in the San Francisco office, was recently quoted in a Law360 story on the upcoming patent reform legislation. The biggest decision that needs to be made is  whether the United States Patent & Trademark Office (USPTO) should be able to keep all of the patent application fees it collects, where currently the fees go to Congress and get redirected to other government programs. Bobbie shared her thoughts on what would be the best solution for all parties, citing that many believe the USPTO should be able to fund itself in order to provide a more complex and bureaucratic patent process. The full story can be found here.

Bob Bauer has rejoined Perkins Coie as partner in the Washington, D.C. office in the firm's Political Law Practice. Bauer rejoins the firm after serving as White House Counsel since November 2009.

Seattle Licensing & Technology Partners, Dax Hansen and Kirk Soderquist were recently mentioned in the AllThingsD article, "A Sneak Peek at Zynga’s IPO: How to Turn Virtual Goods Into Real Money." The article delves into the pending IPO of Zynga, which will be the first major U.S. company supported primarily by the sale of virtual goods to do so. Because of its novelty, there are no current laws governing the method for taking into account the sale of virtual goods. For their part, Kirk and Dax look into the legal consequences of virtual goods. To read the full article, including comments from Dax, visit: http://allthingsd.com/20110624/what-zynga-will-look-like-as-a-public-company/.

Perkins Coie is hosting an evening with Major Margaret Witt, plaintiff in landmark "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" case, Thursday, June 23 at 5:30 p.m. at the Seattle office located at, 1201 Third Avenue, Suite 4800. The event is free and open to the public.

Perkins Coie's National Privacy & Security practice was again recognized by Chambers USA, this year climbing to Band 2.

Michael Simon, a Litigation Partner in the Portland office of Perkins Coie LLP, is leaving the firm to accept appointment as a U.S. District Judge for the United States District Court for the District of Oregon.

Palo Alto Associate Kirupa Pushparaj has received for the second time the State Bar of California Wiley W. Manuel Award for his work done in conjunction with Community Legal Services of East Palo Alto. The award was created in 1989 to recognize the contributions of the many lawyers, law students, paralegals and secretaries in California who volunteer their time and expertise on behalf of low-income clients. Kirupa was recognized for his efforts to assist abused immigration clients in obtaining U Visas. In addition to this work, Kirupa continues to represent low income entrepreneurs with patent related issues.

Chicago Real Estate Partner Alex Cole was recently elected to membership in the American College of Real Estate Lawyers (ACREL).

Patrick Collins offered legal analysis on the retrial of former Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich on federal corruption charges. Patrick was a featured guest during segments on local television networks and was frequently quoted in local and national publications.

Perkins Coie is pleased to announce that it has earned a Gold Standard Certification from The Women in Law Empowerment Forum (WILEF). The Gold Standard Certification seeks to certify, publicly recognize and broadly publicize law firms that have integrated women into the highest leadership positions in the firm. Out of more than 300 firms that were invited to apply, Perkins Coie was chosen as one of only 32 firms that met the criteria.

T. Markus Funk and Caryn L. Trombino's article "Is The Government Listening" was selected for publication in Richard L. Cassin's Be My Guest: Byline Posts From the FCPA Blog (2011)

Perkins Coie is pleased to announce that eight attorneys in its Phoenix office and three Arizona practices were recognized in the 2011 edition of Chambers USA: America’s Leading Lawyers for Business. Nationwide, the annual directory once again ranked Perkins Coie as a top law firm in the United States with 100 attorneys ranked as leaders in their field and the firm recognized in 34 practice areas.

Perkins Coie is pleased to announce that the firm’s Environment, Energy & Resources practice was recognized in the 2011 edition of Chambers USA: America’s Leading Lawyers for Business.

Perkins Coie proudly announces that six attorneys in its Denver office were ranked as top lawyers in their fields in the 2011 edition of Chambers USA: America’s Leading Lawyers for Business. The firm was also recognized in the annual directory as a leader in its Corporate/Mergers & Acquisitions practice area in Colorado.

Perkins Coie is pleased to announce that seven attorneys in its Boise office and four Idaho practices were recognized in the 2011 edition of Chambers USA: America’s Leading Lawyers for Business. Nationwide, the annual directory once again ranked Perkins Coie as a top law firm in the United States with 100 attorneys ranked as leaders in their field and the firm recognized in 34 practice areas.

Perkins Coie proudly announces that four attorneys in its California offices were ranked as top lawyers in their fields in the 2011 edition of Chambers USA: America’s Leading Lawyers for Business. The firm was recognized in the annual directory as a leader in its Life Sciences practice area in California.

Perkins Coie is pleased to announce that eight attorneys in its Chicago office were ranked as top lawyers in their fields in the 2011 edition of Chambers USA: America’s Leading Lawyers for Business. The firm was also recognized in the annual directory as a leader in its Real Estate practice area in Illinois.

Perkins Coie proudly announces that once again it has been ranked by Chambers & Partners, publishers of Chambers USA: America's Leading Lawyers for Business, as a top law firm in the United States

Perkins Coie is pleased to announce that 20 attorneys in its Portland office and six Oregon practices were recognized in the 2011 edition of Chambers USA: America’s Leading Lawyers for Business. Nationwide, the annual directory once again ranked Perkins Coie as a top law firm in the United States with 100 attorneys ranked as leaders in their field and the firm recognized in 34 practice areas.

Perkins Coie proudly announces that three attorneys in its Madison office were ranked as top lawyers in their fields in the 2011 edition of Chambers USA: America’s Leading Lawyers for Business. The firm was also recognized in the annual directory as a leader in its Intellectual Property practice area in Wisconsin.

Perkins Coie is pleased to announce that four attorneys in its Anchorage office and two Alaska practices were recognized in the 2011 edition of Chambers USA: America’s Leading Lawyers for Business. Nationwide, the annual directory once again ranked Perkins Coie as a top law firm in the United States with 100 attorneys ranked as leaders in their field and the firm recognized in 34 practice areas.

Perkins Coie announced today that three new attorneys have joined the Emerging Companies practice in the firm's San Diego office. Peter Townshend has joined as partner, and George Colindres and Monique Ho have joined as Of Counsel. The group joins from McDermott Will & Emery LLP.

Colorado Law Week features Judge's endorsement of Perkins' argument that lawyer who filed class action suits against client Westwood Colleges and made arguably defamatory statements about Westwood cannot rely on the litigation privilege: "[T]he [litigation] privilege does not extend to remarks lawyers make on the courthouse steps, or anywhere else outside the court proceeding, said Markus Funk, a Perkins Coie partner who has consulted on the case. “Simply because you are an attorney who filed a lawsuit does not convey to you carte blanche permission to exit the courthouse and utter defamatory statements about the defendant,” Funk said. “The lesson is that, although the law renders statements made in the context of litigation non-actionable, counsel who exceed the boundaries of what constitute  ‘litiga­tion’ do so at their own peril.”

Perkins Coie was ranked #4 on the Top Law Firms for Patent Quality in Information Technology and #6 on the Top 20 All Industries list put on by Intellectual Asset Management magazine in accordance with Ocean Tomo PatentRatings. Ocean Tomo is a patent ratings company that specializes in assigning value to intellectual patents.

In an Associated Press article entitled, "Blagojevich takes the stand at corruption trial" Joel Levin discussed the likely impact and strategy involved in having Blagojevich testify in his corruption trial.

In January 2011, Bloomberg Law Reports published T. Markus Funk's Another Landmark Year: 2010 FCPA Year-In-Review and Enforcement Trends for 2011.  In May, the Bloomberg editors selected this article for inclusion and re-publication in its Bloomberg Law Quarterly.

"T. Markus Funk, a white collar partner at Perkins Coie, said the new rules may also make companies more inclined to come forward to the SEC when confronted with internal wrongdoing. 'An increase in tips breeds an increase in self-reporting,' he said. 'If a problem is widely known within a company, that’s an additional reason to come forward rather than wait for the ax to drop.'"

Northwestern University student Christopher Wilmer is the first recipient of the Innovative Minds award, a process that started a few months ago and included dozens of submissions from Northwestern University students.

Perkins Coie proudly announces that it has been ranked as the top corporate law firm in the Seattle market and among the top 3 in the Portland market by Corporate Board Member magazine.

Perkins Coie is proud to announce the Madison office received the Seventh Circuit Bar Association's 2nd Annual Pro Bono and Public Service Award for outstanding pro bono work in the United States District Courts for the Western and Eastern Districts of Wisconsin.

The ABA Criminal Justice Section's "Leadership Connections"  highlighted the Global Anti-Corruption Task Force which Partner Markus Funk co-chairs, noted that the Task Force's website within two months of its launch has already been featured on over 5,000 other websites.

Bobbie Wilson, Patent Litigation Partner in San Francisco, has just been named one of the Top Women Lawyers by the Daily Journal. Bobbie was among 75 California lawyers chosen for this year's list. Bobbie's years of intellectual property and complex litigation expertise, especially with Communications Decency Act, has helped her reel in a variety of desirable clients, and tackled a myriad of disputes.

Paul B. Smyth authored the article "An Insider Perspective on Post-Gulf Oil Spill Changes at Interior" which appeared in the May 2011 ABA Environmental Impact Assessment Committee Newsletter.

Rick Oehler and Eric Aaserud co-authored an article in the ABA's The Procurement Lawyer (Spring 2011) titled "The Role of Intellectual Property in Stimulus: Lessons Learned From the Use of IP Provisions in Recovery Act Technical Assistance Agreements."

Congratulations to the Boise office on winning the 2011 Pro Bono 6.1 Challenge Award from the Fourth Judicial District of the Idaho State Bar. This award is given each year to firms for outstanding service in the area of providing legal services to the poor, performing charitable work, and making efforts to improve the legal profession. This marks the fourth year in a row that our Boise office received the award!

Perkins Coie has been named one of the 2011 Top Ten Family Friendly Firms by Yale Law Women. This is the third time in the past four years that Perkins Coie has been included on this list. The list was created to celebrate firms that are leaders in facilitating work-life balance for attorneys.

Perkins Coie proudly announces that once again it has been ranked by Chambers & Partners, publishers of Chambers USA: America's Leading Lawyers for Business, as a top law firm in the United States.

Perkins Coie partner, Martin E. Lybecker, was among three lawyers and the New York State Bar Association to be honored by the American Bar Association with its annual Grassroots Advocacy Award at a ceremony in the U.S. Supreme Court building on April 13.

Pravin Rao commented on the SEC's modest funding increase for fiscal year 2011 while funding for other federal agencies was cut by $38 billion. Pravin noted that even with the budget increase, the SEC's resources will still be stretched given their responsibilities and they will need to prioritize the cases they bring.

Perkins Coie has added three partners, one Of Counsel and one associate to its Environment, Energy & Resources practice.  Based in the San Francisco office, Julie Jones joins as partner, Marie Cooper joins as Of Counsel and Alan Murphy joins as associate. Robert Thibault joins Perkins Coie's Denver office as partner, and LeAnn Johnson Koch joins as partner in Washington, D.C.

James Pistorino, Palo Alto Patent Litigation partner, takes an investigative look at the number of patent cases filed in the Eastern District of Texas from 2009-2010 and analyzes the increase in filings over the years for ED Tex compared to other districts in the United States. His research article, "Concentration of Patent Cases in Eastern District of Texas Increases in 2010," recently ran in BNA's Patent, Trademark & Copyright Journal April 15, 2011 issue.

Chicago Hotels & Leisure partner Phil Gordon recently authored an article for Lodging Hospitality titled "An Owner’s Guide to the Chaotic World of Hotel Loan Restructuring." In this piece, he offers guidelines for hotel property owners trying to restructure debt that is too burdensome to pay or refinance. You can read his guide here.

This article discusses Steven Hedberg and the case that inspired his career, written by Wendy Culverwell.  The case Northern Pipeline Co. v. Marathon Pipe Line Co., "inspired countless debates and discussions in Hedberg's law school classrooms and ultimately altered his professional trajectory" according to the article.

Law360 recently ran a piece highlighting new hires partner Jason Day, Of Counsel Amanda Tessar and associate Zane Gilmer in the Denver office. The feature goes on to detail Perkins Coie's recent Denver office growth with the recent office move and addition of five attorneys in the last year. Day and Tessar attribute Perkins Coie's commitment to growth as to why they were drawn to the firm. This piece ran in the Competition Law360, Corporate Finance Law360, Intellectual Property Law360 and Securities Law360 newsletters and can be found here.

Perkins Coie announced today that David Herbert has joined the firm as a partner in its Real Estate practice. He joins the firm in Dallas where he has practiced real estate law for nearly 30 years.

John Schnurer, patent litigation partner in San Diego, was recently named to the Daily Journal's 4th Annual Top Intellectual Property Lawyers list.

Perkins Coie Partner Albert Gidari helped Google successfully negotiate a resolution of the FTC's investigation of the company's Buzz social networking service.  This is the first FTC Privacy and EU Safe Harbor settlement and includes a comprehensive privacy program to implement the decree.

Perkins Coie announced that three attorneys have joined the firm's Denver office.  Jason Day has joined the firm as a partner in its Business practice and Of Counsel Amanda Tessar and Associate Zane Gilmer joined the firm's Litigation practice.

Perkins Coie Partner Aaron Wininger was recently quoted in an article titled "Tort Law has an impact on IP matters" that appeared in the China Business Law Journal. The article discusses how the PRC Tort Law, which took effect on July 1st, 2010, has impacted intellectual property law, and how China's amended IP law will effect employers. Under the amended law, companies must pay employees compensation for inventions, either a default amount or one agreed upon by the employer and employee. "Besides the complexity in calculating what this royalty is, the default rule could lead to huge damages awards against employers," Wininger was noted as saying.

Perkins Coie is proud to announce that Denver partner, Karen Samuels Jones, is this year's recipient of the Joy S. Burns Women Of Enterprise Award.  This award, which is given by the Franklin L. Burns School of Real Estate and Construction Management Daniels College of Business at the University of Denver, is given to a professional woman in the real estate or construction industry who demonstrates the highest achievement in the industry, outstanding leadership, ethical standards and character in her industry and community, as well as giving her time and resources to promote the talents and accomplishments of other women within the industry.

Both Nightline and Fresh Air ran double segments examining the landmark 130-witness, 3-month racketeering trial for which the Attorney General presented Markus the US Department of Justice's highest trial distinction. The fourth book on the case is a Top 15 New York Times Best Seller.

Perkins Coie is pleased to announce that three partners in its Denver office have been named by their peers to the Colorado Super Lawyers list.

The ABA Global Anti-Corruption Task Force, co-chaired by Funk, is launching a new website "by practitioner and for practitioners."  Law Week Colorado profiled both the Task Force and the website.

The article describes Funk as a "high-profile former federal prosecutor now working in Denver [at Perkins Coie]," and extensively quotes him on the Department of Justice's novel application of "anticipatory obstruction of justice" (18 USC Section 1519) in the context of a recent Chicago "honey laundering" indictment.

Perkins Coie has added five land use attorneys to its Environment, Energy & Resources practice.  Partners Cecily Barclay, Matt Gray, Geoff Robinson and Barbara Schussman, along with Steve Kostka, joined the San Francisco office this week.

Arizona Republic details the role of Perkins Coie lawyer in the representation of Guantanamo detainee Noor Uthman Muhammed.

Perkins Coie is pleased to announce that Richard London has joined the firm’s Dallas office as of counsel in its Business practice.  He was formerly with Vinson & Elkins L.L.P.

Perkins Coie is pleased to announce that James F. Valentine, Daniel T. Shvodian, Christopher L. Kelley, and James C. Pistorino will be joining the firm as partners in the Patent Litigation Practice in the firm’s Palo Alto office.

Perkins Coie announced today that it has opened an office in New York City, New York. Former Arent Fox partner, Schuyler G. Carroll, has joined the firm and will be the partner in charge of the office. Carroll focuses his practice on complex restructuring, transactional, litigation and advisory work. His experience adds depth to the firm's national Bankruptcy & Restructuring practice.

Perkins Coie is proud to announce it has been ranked among the top 10 "Best Places to Work in Idaho" by the nationally recognized marketing research firm POPULUS, in conjunction with The Idaho Business Review, for the third year in a row!

On March 3, in San Diego, Patrick Collins participated on a panel at the ABA National Institute on White Collar Crime's annual conference, one of the most well-attended white collar conferences in the nation. Participating with other nationally recognized attorneys, including DOJ's head of the Public Integrity unit, Patrick focused on recent developments in corruption cases. Over 100 attorneys attended Patrick's panel discussion.

Perkins Coie is pleased to announce that Viola Kung, Ph.D. has joined the firm’s Palo Alto office as a partner in its patent procurement practice.

Perkins Coie is pleased to announce that Michael Garfinkel has joined the firm’s Los Angeles office as a partner in its litigation practice. He was formerly with Venable where he was the Head of California Litigation.

Perkins Coie will sponsor the Chicago Law Bulletin's Annual White Collar Crime + Corporate Governance Conference on April 12, 2011 at the Mid-America Club at 200 E. Randolph St., Chicago, IL.  Patrick Collins, a partner in the firm's Litigation practice and Executive Committee member, will moderate a panel on the Dodd-Frank Act.

The Guardian, a British national newspaper, comments on the plea bargain proceedings involving Perkins Coie's Gitmo client.

Esquire magazine reports on Noor's sentencing before military commission.

A cold case that has plagued Denver Managing Partner Bob Miller since he left his position as Greeley prosecutor was recently closed by none other than his own son, 33 years after the crime.  Miller's son, a prosecutor with the Weld County District Attorney's Office, was ultimately able to bring closure to the kidnapping and murder of Mary Pierce, who disappeared in 1977.  “It was pretty emotional,” Miller said of his son’s work on the case. “I teared up a little while watching his closing arguments. It was pretty exciting to have him close the loop.”  For full article, click here.

In what it hopes will be the first of many, Perkins Coie awarded a $10,000 "Innovative Minds" grant to Northwestern University student Christopher Wilmer.  Wilmer, a PhD candidate with the School of Chemical & Biological Engineering, proposed a plan for creating clean drinking water in developing countries using solar disinfection.  Wilmer, and two other finalists, presented "innovative ideas" aimed at solving a societal challenge to a panel of Perkins Coie and Northwestern judges on Tuesday, February 15th.

Esquire magazine reports on Noor's first day of trial.

The influential Main Justice website featured an in-depth article on the soon-to-be-launched ABA Global Anti-Corruption Task Force website.  Markus Funk is the Task Force's National Co-Chair, and was quoted extensively for the piece.

Markus Funk, a Perkins Coie Partner, was interviewed by the American Medical News concerning his take on the latest developments  and trends in the government's fight against health care fraud.   The American Medical News is the leading trade publication in the health care sector, as well as the official news source of the American Medical Association.

On February 1, Christine Williams, Rick Oehler, and Don Carney presented a panel on the topic of "Dealing with Increased Federal Scrutiny" at the National 8(a) Association's Winter Conference in Orlando, Florida.  Their panel was one of only two legal panels. The United States Hispanic Chamber of Commerce also co-sponsored the event. The term 8(a) refers to the Small Business Administration's Program to help minority and other small disadvantaged businesses to grow through a program of Federal contracting preferences and set-asides.  The conference included 300 participants including Alaska Native Corporations and Tribal, Native Hawaiian, and Minority organizations and businesses.

Perkins Coie's Government Contracts practice was named the "Government Contracts Group of The Year" by Law360 on Monday, February 01.  The group received the recognition based upon several client's successes.  The group consists of 13 attorneys, with 11 located in the Washington, D.C. office and two more in the Seattle office.

Perkins Coie has added attorneys John Iani and Paul Smyth to its Environment, Energy & Resources practice.  Iani joins the Seattle office as Partner.  Smyth joins the Washington, D.C. office as Of Counsel.  Iani and Smyth join more than 70 Perkins Coie attorneys focused on environmental, energy, and resource matters.

Perkins Coie announced today that Stephen F. English has joined its Portland office as a Partner in the firm's national Commercial Litigation Practice Group.  English will continue to focus his practice on complex business problems and high stakes "bet the company" litigation.  English was formerly with Bullivant Houser Bailey PC.

Perkins Coie Partner, Markus Funk was quoted throughout an article published in InsideCounsel on Tuesday February, 01.  The article, "U.S. FCPA Enforcement Receives International Praise," written by Steven Anderson, on the continuing effort to tackle foreign bribery by the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA).  The article discusses the incredible increase in cases over the last several years. "In ’05, which was considered the banner year at that time, the FCPA folks prosecuted five individuals and collected something like $16 million," stated Funk "And then you contrast that with 2010, where if you look at the top eight cases alone, they collected more than $1.5 billion—that’s with a B."  Such dramatic increases are often met with criticism, particularly when they cross international borders, but this is one area where the world seems to be squarely behind the hardline U.S. stance. In October 2010, the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) issued a glowing assessment on the state of U.S. anti-corruption enforcement. "The U.S. obviously is the world leader in this department," says Funk. "The U.S. historically has been responsible for 70 percent of the world’s foreign anti-bribery prosecution, second place being the U.K. with a little bit over 4 percent. So the U.S. is a world leader—it’s the poster child for robust foreign anti-corruption enforcement efforts."

The firm is pleased to announce that the Denver office has officially moved to a new space at 1900 Sixteenth Street, Suite 1400. The office has an entire floor of the 400,000 square foot building near Union Station in Lower Downtown.

Perkins Coie's Privacy & Security practice was ranked in the Best Privacy Advisers 2010 report prepared by Minnesota Privacy Consultants.  The firm was listed in the Best Privacy Adviser - Firm and Best Privacy Adviser Among Large Clients - Firm categories.  In addition, Perkins Coie received recognition as one of the best firms serving the Software & Hardware Technology industry, one of the best firms for giving practical advice and one of the best firms in the Western United States.  The group's work in breach responses and privacy program development was also noted.  Lawyers Albert Gidari and Susan Lyon also ranked among the best individual advisers in the privacy field.  The rankings were compiled through a survey sent for more than 4,000 professionals involved with data protection in their organizations.

For the ninth consecutive year, Perkins Coie is proud to announce that it has been named to FORTUNE magazine's "The 100 Best Places to Work For."  This year the firm was ranked 55th, an improvement over last year's ranking of 75.  The full list and any related stories appear in the February 7 issue of FORTUNE and at www.fortune.com/bestcompanies.

Ivan Gold (POR) and Nidhi Thakar (WDC) have published:  "A Survey of State Renewable Portfolio Standards: Square Pegs for Round Climate Change Holes?" in the William and Mary Law School Environmental Law and Policy Review (vol. 35, Issue 1, 2010).   The 90 page article discusses renewable portfolio standards (RPS) in thirty states, how they work, whether they're effective tools to combat climate change, and how they relate to federal and international  carbon control programs.  The article should be interesting to any of our clients and friends involved in the energy industry, including  utilities, independent power producers, and policy makers.  

 
This material was obtained from Westlaw and is posted with permission.

Perkins Coie Partner David Neff was quoted in an article in the New York Times on Wednesday, January 19th.  The article, "‘Bad Boy’ Guarantees Snarl Billions in Real Estate Debt," is about distressed debt in the commercial real estate market.  The "Bad Boy" guarantee refers to a provision in many loans that is said to be the cause of a large portion of the backlogged distressed debt plaguing the commercial real estate market.  In previous down cycles, when the market was readjusting after a boom, real estate companies would declare bankruptcy to extricate themselves from troubled deals. This time around, many commercial mortgages included provisions that held developers personally liable for the loan if their companies filed for bankruptcy. As a result, foreclosures, in which the competing interests of many parties often play out in lengthy court battles, are now typical. Neff is quoted commenting "because of the bad-boy guarantees, we have unquestionably had far fewer bankruptcies then we would have had, and then we saw in the 1990s."  The reduction in bankruptcies has been praised by some while many find the messy and often lengthy foreclosures to be an even greater burden.

Perkins Coie has announced that 18 attorneys have been named partner or of counsel effective January 1, 2011.

"SEC Enforces Reg FD on 'Winks and Nods'"

Pravin Rao commented on the SEC's investigation of California's Public Employees' Retirement System, known as CalPERS, and whether this signals a newfound intention to crack down on state and municipal bond offerings.

Perkins Coie has been ranked as the number one law firm for Interactive Entertainment in a national survey by Interactive Age, the global business journal of interactive entertainment.  According to the survey there are 530 attorneys practicing law in the area of video games, new media and interactive entertainment. Rapid development of a new field in law is the direct result of explosive growth from the business behind games, and the increasing number of transactions. The numbers indicate that while solo-practitioners have been considered experts in the field for years, the big firms are beginning to stake their claims in the field and operating significant video game practices. There were a total of 30 firms ranked with Perkins Coie topping the list.

Congratulations to Melanie Rubocki, Partner in the Boise office, who has been selected as one of 50 candidates for the Idaho Business Review Women of the Year award. Over 100 nominations were received this year. Since the inception of the WOY award in 2006, women throughout Idaho have been recognized for success not only in their professional life but also in personal achievements and community involvement. Melanie has undoubtedly demonstrated excellence in all of these areas, and, the recognition is well deserved.

Fred Rivera, Perkins Coie Partner and Co-chair of Financial Services Litigation & Investigations, was quoted on Marketplace Public Radio by David Gura on Tuesday. The story, which ran nationally on NPR stations, is titled on the Marketplace website as "SEC and Dodd-Frank face delays." It discusses the recent decision by congress to keep spending levels the same as in 2010 and the impact that decision has on the new whistleblower program the Securities Exchange Commission is required to implement under Dodd-Frank. The SEC is not getting the funding it needs to write new rules and hire new staff under the Dodd-Frank Act, delaying the process significantly. Fred Rivera was played on-air saying "I think it's probably the first announcement of delays related to Dodd-Frank that we're going to see over the coming months." The Dodd-Frank Act was very difficult to pass and is expected to be even more difficult to implement.

Perkins Coie announced today that Partner J. David Larsen has joined the firm's growing national Real Estate Workout practice in their Los Angeles office. 

Perkins Coie announced today that it has moved its Washington, D.C. office to 700 13th Street, N.W. in D.C.'s East End.  Perkins Coie opened its first Washington, D.C. location in 1979.  In the past two years, the number of attorneys has nearly doubled to more than 65.

"[I]mportant new book" . . . "fascinating overview" . . . "builds a fascinating case" . . . "well-reasoned criticism" . . . " For all of these reasons, T. Markus Funk‘s Victims’ Rights and Advocacy at the International Criminal Court is a valuable read and resource for those who care about international justice."
- Prof. Juliet Sorensen, Book Review, Northwestern University School of Law's Journal of Criminal Law & Criminology.

Perkins Coie announced today that Eric Wesenberg has joined the firm as a partner in its Patent Litigation practice.  He will be based in the firm's Palo Alto office.

Perkins Coie has announced that its Menlo Park office has moved to Palo Alto. Perkins Coie opened its Menlo Park office in 1998. Over the past decade, the office has grown to 40 attorneys supported by paralegals and other professional staff who serve a diverse mix of clients in the Silicon Valley, throughout the U.S. and internationally. Their clients range from start-ups to FORTUNE 100 companies. Working with the resources available firmwide, the office provides legal services in emerging companies, licensing and technology, patent prosecution, and intellectual property and commercial litigation.

Alameda County Superior Court Judge Steven A. Brick issued a final order on November 5, 2010 that denied the plaintiffs’ request for class certification in Sotelo v. MediaNews Group (Case No. HG06287184). In denying certification, the court held that: (1) the proposed class was not ascertainable; (2) common facts and issues did not predominate in the litigation; and (3) the plaintiffs failed to propose a workable case management plan for moving the case forward as a class action. Perkins Coie represents MediaNews Group and California Newspapers Partnership in this matter and successfully defeated the class certification request.

ABC 7 News "I-Team" investigative report features T. Markus Funk

The American Bar Association has invited Perkins Coie Partner T. Markus Funk to join its Litigation magazine editorial board. Funk will advise on the editorial direction of the magazine, which is considered to be the preeminent journal in the field. Published four times a year, Litigation offers practice information on common problems and interests for the lawyers who try cases and the judges who decide them. All members of the bar's Litigation Section received the publication.

T. Markus Funk was quoted in articles titled, "What's in a mob nickname?  What's it to you?"

The Ninth Circuit's affirmation of a lower court decision ordering the disclosure of the identities of three anonymous online speakers who made allegedly defamatory statements as part of a company's online “smear campaign” against a competitor is the focus of an article authored by Perkins Coie Associate Ryan Mrazik.  The article, which appeared first on Perkins Coie's DigestibleLaw.com, was published in the September 2010 edition of the E-Commerce Law Report. 

Markus Funk was interviewed on ABC7 news.

Perkins Coie Partner Albert Gidari was quoted this week in an article published in BNA's Privacy & Security Law Report titled "ISPs Allegedly Released Data Without Notice To Meet Flawed Law Enforcement Demands."  (Subscription required to view article.)  The article focuses on three recent class actions filed in Georgia, alleging internet service providers Windstream Corp., Yahoo! Inc., and Comcast Corp., violated federal privacy law when they released subscriber data in response to law enforcement requests without giving the subscribers a chance to object.  Gidari commented on the lack of the likelihood of success of the actions.

The Bureau of National Affairs (BNA), one of the World's leading publisher of print and electronic law-related news and information, has added T. Markus Funk, a partner in Perkins Coie’s Litigation practice and a member of the firm’s Investigations & White Collar Defense group, to its newly formed Criminal Law Reporter Advisory Board.  As a Board Member, Markus will, among other things, critique publication content, contribute analysis, and identify significant legal developments and trends.   

Perkins Coie is proud to announce that Lisa Schaures, an associate in the firm's Seattle office, has received the Washington State Bar Association's (WSBA) Thomas Neville Pro Bono Award.

Corporate Counsel released a 2010 Survey ranking the country's top performing patent litigation law firms. Rankings are based on the number of patent cases filed with qualifiers such as district cases had to be active for at least two months. Perkins Coie is listed 18th in the nation for the most Patent Litigation District court cases filed in 2010. More specifically, for Defense Patent Litigation, Perkins Coie was ranked as the 14th most hired firm with over 24 cases filed. We climbed seven spots from a year prior, having been ranked 25th in 2009.

PHOENIX (November 2, 2010)- Michael Liburdi, a senior associate at Perkins Coie Brown & Bain P.A., has been appointed to the governing commission for the Arizona Commission on the Arts.  Liburdi will serve a three-year term alongside 14 other board members, including one chairperson who is appointed by the Governor of Arizona.

WASHINGTON, D.C. (November 2, 2010) – Perkins Coie announced today that three attorneys have joined its Washington, D.C. office launching the firm's Investment Management group.  Partners Martin E. Lybecker, Mary C. (Molly) Moynihan, and Associate Gwendolyn A. Williamson will be part of the firm's Business practice.

BOISE (November 1, 2010) – Perkins Coie LLP was selected by the Leadership Committee to be honored at the 2010 Boise Young Professionals Annual Celebration as the Next-Generation Best Place to Work. "At Perkins Coie, we're proud of our efforts to create a culture where young professionals can build their careers while maintaining a healthy balance between their professional and personal lives," said Eric Bjorkman, Of Counsel in the firm's Boise office and a Boise Young Professionals member. Perkins Coie supports Boise Young Professionals and is the presenting sponsor for the "Lounging Series." Many Perkins Coie attorneys and staff are members of the organization and participate in events throughout the year. Boise Young Professionals began in 2006 and has more than 700 members from over 400 companies. Their goal is to "connect, empower and encourage" young professionals in the community. Other finalists for the award included CBH Homes and St. Luke's Regional Medical Center. 

The Seattle Post Intelligencer published an article by Joel Connelly, a long-time political reporter in Seattle, who described a recent book signing event in Perkins Coie's offices for the book "This is NOT Florida:  How Al Franken Won the Minnesota Senate Recount." The event, which featured Jay Weiner, the author of the book, underscored lessons for the current 2010 election cycle.  Perkins Coie partner Kevin Hamilton's and Weiner 's presentation is summarized by Connelly in the article.  Connelly frequently quotes both speakers, noting that Perkins Coie is a pioneering firm in election litigation.

"What's In A Name? Publicity rights lawyers are finding there's plenty of value in a growing practice."  By Eriq Gardner

SAN FRANCISCO (September 2010) –  Perkins Coie served as corporate counsel to TechCrunch in its recent acquisition by AOL. TechCrunch is a leading online technology media property. Founded in 2005, TechCrunch and its network of websites reach over 10 million unique visitors and draw more than 33 million page views per month.

A 2004 article written by Don Baur and Jena MacLean entitled, "The 'Degreening' of Wind Energy, Alternative Energy v. Ocean Governance," has been mentioned in the most recent issue of the ABA SEER section magazine.  It was one of several articles featured in a piece by Steve McKinney highlighting notable articles from the past 25 years. The article by Baur and MacLean evaluated the relationship between the development of offshore wind energy projects and the absence of a unifying set of principles for ocean governance.

The FCPA Professor Blog features a Q&A with T. Markus Funk on the global reach of the Dodd-Frank whistleblower bounty provisions.

Perkins Coie Partner Albert Gidari, a recognized authority on privacy and electronic surveillance issues, was quoted Monday on page one of The New York Times on efforts to revamp federal laws regarding wiretapping by law enforcement and terrorism authorities. Concerned that their ability to conduct wiretaps will be ineffective due to new services and upgrades and consequent technical problems caused by such changes, the officials are advocating increased legal inducements and penalties to ensure compliance. Mr. Gidari remarked that providers "were likely to object to increased government intervention in the design or launch of services," noting that such involvement "could have major repercussions for industry innovation, costs and competitiveness." He added that "Too many services develop too quickly, and that there are too many players in this now."

"Among the growing number of publications on the emerging legal status of victims in the international criminal justice system, this book is, to this reviewer’s best knowledge, the first to provide an in-depth analysis of the role and impact of victims and their advocates on the proceedings before the International Criminal Court (‘ICC’ or ‘the Court’). . . . [B]ecause of its clearness, pragmatism and facile structure, it is easy to imagine Funk’s book becoming very soon a ‘must-have’ on the desks of practitioners working on victims’ participation and victims’ rights at the international level."

Perkins Coie is pleased to announce that it has been selected as a recipient of the National Legal Aid and Defender Association's 2010 Beacon of Justice Award. The firm was recognized for outstanding pro bono work in the area of immigration law, making certain that all people, regardless of citizenship, receive equal treatment under the law.  Attorneys and legal staff at Perkins Coie have donated considerable time and effort representing pro bono clients seeking asylum, fleeing religious, political and other forms of persecution, applying for visas based on being victims of domestic violence and human trafficking, seeking special status as juveniles and advocating for systemic immigration changes.

Perkins Coie Gets 100% in Human Rights Campaign Foundation’s Seventh Annual Index For Third Year in a Row

SEATTLE (October 1, 2010) - Perkins Coie LLP is proud to announce that it has earned the top rating of 100 percent in the Corporate Equality Index (CEI) and Best Places to Work 2010, an annual survey administered by the Human Rights Campaign Foundation.

Markus Funk was interviewed by Fox News Chicago about evidence revealed during the landmark "Family Secrets" mob-murder trial concerning an alleged mob bookmaker and loan shark. View video.

PHOENIX (September 23, 2010)-  Joel W. Nomkin, office managing partner of Perkins Coie Brown & Bain, was elected into the American Academy of Appellate Lawyers at the Academy’s recent meeting.

SEATTLE (September 15, 2010) – Perkins Coie has been ranked by U.S. News & World Report as one of the law firms in the United States which is recognized nationally and in major metropolitan markets as "tier 1."  The firm's Biotechnology Law and Venture Capital Law practices were recognized nationally as tier 1. Thirty-six different areas of law were recognized as tier 1 practices in 8 different major metropolitan markets including Anchorage, Chicago, Denver, Madison, Phoenix, Portland, Seattle and Washington, D.C.

(SEATTLE) — The Washington State Bar Association (WSBA) announced that Seattle attorney J. David Andrews will be presented with the 2010 President's Award. The President's Award is given annually in recognition of special accomplishment or service to the WSBA during the term of the current president. WSBA President Salvador A. Mungia will present the award at the President’s Dinner, to be held on September 22, 2010, at the Lake Union Cafe in Seattle.

PORTLAND (September 16, 2010) – During a precedent-setting trip, the Advisory Board of the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center (SERC) will be visiting Portland from September 30–October 2, 2010.

Mobile donations are not new.  But the unprecedented success of recent mobile fundraising efforts, such as the Red Cross Haiti earthquake mobile fundraising campaign that raised over $32 million, has increased activity and interest in all aspects of mobile donations - including security.
Perkins Coie Partner Dax Hansen published an article this week in Security Magazine's electronic newsletter that addresses this topic.

Perkins Coie Partner Mike Warnecke was recently quoted in an article published by the Chicago Tribune. The article discusses the case, Riddell, Inc. v. Schutt Sports, Inc, a patent infringement case in which Warnecke represented Riddell in its suit against Schutt Sports for infringement on its patents on concussion-reduction technology in football helmets. The case was brought to the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Wisconsin where Warnecke obtained a nearly $30 million verdict for Riddell. Schutt Sports is now facing bankruptcy after the case put added strain on an already struggling business. Warnecke explains that they did not anticipate the damages would cause Schutt Sports to file for bankruptcy.

Perkins Coie is proud to announce the launch of a new blog, IP Litigation Update, located at www.iplitigationupdate.com.

Perkins Coie Partner Albert Gidari was quoted Thursday morning in a story on NPR's "Morning Edition" about this week's appeals court ruling regarding warrant requirements for cell phone records. The decision from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit stated judges have the right to require warrants before law enforcement officials can obtain records that may show a cell phone customer's location. A recognized authority on the Wiretap Act and the Electronic Communications Privacy Act, Mr. Gidari is a frequent commentator on electronic surveillance issues. He testified before the House of Representatives Committee on the Judiciary, Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights, and Civil Liberties, on May 5, 2010, regarding ECPA reform and digital due process.

Denver Partner Jeff Beuche competed in the Leadville 100 race placing 5th out of 647 registered runners. Jeff finished the 100 mile course in just under 19 hours. A recent article in Law Week Colorado features Jeff and four other Colorado lawyers who participated.

Perkins Coie Partner Dax Hansen was quoted this week in an article published by Internet Retailer, "Changing Their Stripes." The article discusses initiatives recently launched by Visa and MasterCard Worldwide in response to an increase in e-commerce and the rise of online competitors like PayPal and Facebook Credits. One example is MasterCard's Open APIs, which according to the article "is designed to make it easier for mobile and web developers to integrate MasterCard payments into their applications." The author quoted Hansen as saying this "appears aimed at developers looking for ways to sell games, music and other digital content to mobile consumers." "Developers are looking for flexible, easy solutions that don't require customers to input their card numbers," Hansen says.

Perkins Coie Partner Barry Reingold was quoted this week in an article published by BNA entitled, "'Cloud' Customers Facing Contracts With Huge Liability Risks, Attorneys Say."  The article focuses on the risks companies face when they agree to store their data with third party providers. Reingold said companies in regulated industries like health care and banking need to be especially careful. "You may lose physical control over your data, but you never lose legal responsibility," he told BNA.

Los Angeles (August 29, 2010) – Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Jane L. Johnson granted a motion filed by Perkins Coie to strike all class allegations in Romero v. Smart & Final (Superior Court, Case No. BC 393678). Judge Johnson also denied the plaintiffs' concurrent motion to certify a class of over 300 current and former California Smart & Final Store Managers.

Joel Levin offered legal commentary on the verdict in former Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich's corruption trial.  Joel was a featured guest during segments on Fox News, MSNBC, ABC, NBC and CBS national networks.

Since 1965 Washington State has granted a retail sales tax exemption for purchases of goods for use outside the state by residents of states and provinces with a retail sales tax of less than 3%.

Perkins Coie has announced that Irvin (Gene) Branch has joined the firm's Denver office as a partner.  Branch will be part of the firm's Intellectual Property practice.

Riddell Sports filed its three-count patent infringement complaint in the Western District of Wisconsin in December of 2008 against Schutt Sports, contending that Schutt had infringed Riddell's patented concussion reduction technologies featured on the Riddell Revolution family of football helmets and faceguards. Riddell is a leading manufacturer of football helmets and a division of Easton-Bell Sports. Schutt, Riddell's main competitor in the market, fiercely defended against the complaint and filed a counter- claim seeking $40M in damages for allegations of false advertising and unfair competition under the Lanham Act. Two weeks prior to trial, Riddell was granted summary judgment on the Lanham Act claims, and the trial team went on to win a verdict of patent infringement on all remaining claims, with the jury awarding $30M (over $24M in lost profits and $5M in reasonable royalties).

Perkins Coie is proud to announce that 143 of its attorneys throughout the country were selected by their peers for inclusion in the 2011 edition of The Best Lawyers in America (Copyright 2010 by Woodward/White, Inc., of Aiken, S.C.).

In last week's Wall Street Journal article, "Stalkers Exploit Cellphone GPS," Perkins Coie Partner Albert Gidari explained the challenges cellphone carriers face when police request location-tracking data.  "Police, [Gidari] says, often claim they need data immediately for an emergency like a kidnapping, and therefore don't have time to obtain a warrant, in which a judge must approve an information request."

Published in Risk & Insurance, written by Steve Tuckey

Perkins Coie is pleased to welcome Bing Zhou and Yanchen Shi. Both are consultants who will be based in the firm's Shanghai office.

Perkins Coie is pleased to announce that Julia Markley has received the annual firmwide Perkins Coie Pro Bono Leadership Award. The award is given to a lawyer who has demonstrated outstanding leadership and commitment in the provision of pro bono services to our clients during the year. Markley was selected as a recipient of this award because of her extraordinary commitment to pro bono work, including her work to bring back to the United States an El Salvadorian national after the Ninth Circuit ruled that he had been wrongfully deported.

In a July 29 front page story in the Washington Post, "White House proposal would ease FBI access to records of Internet activity," Perkins Coie Partner Michael Sussmann was quoted regarding a controversial proposal regarding National Security Letters that would make it easier for the FBI to compel communications providers to turn over records of user's Internet activity without a court order. "You're bringing a big category of data -- records reflecting who someone is communicating with in the digital world, Web browsing history and potentially location information -- outside of judicial review," Sussmann said.

Perkins Coie's Product Liability group was nationally ranked by Chambers and Partners in the 2010 edition of Chambers USA. "This group is widely recognized for its preeminent reputation in aviation litigation," noted the publication in its review of the practice. "Intelligent, efficient and responsive attorneys who provide excellent value for money," sources were quoted as saying.

Perkins Coie announced today that Caryn Trombino is joining the firm's Investigations and White Collar Defense practice as a senior associate. She will be based in the firm's Chicago office.

Perkins Coie Partner Albert Gidari was quoted in an Associated Press article this week on a proposed change to federal law that would allow the FBI to obtain electronic records from Internet service providers - without a court order. The article, "FBI access to e-mail and Web records raises fears," says one controversial aspect of the change is that it is buried within an intelligence reauthorization bill. "This is a huge expansion" of the FBI's authority "and burying it this way in the intelligence authorization bill is really intended to bury it from scrutiny," Gidari said.

Perkins Coie announced today that T. Markus Funk, a high-profile Assistant U.S. Attorney in Chicago, will join the firm on October 1 as a partner. After a decade as an accomplished federal prosecutor, Funk will focus on corporate investigations, complex commercial litigation, and Foreign Corrupt Practices Act ("FCPA") matters. He will be based in the firm's Denver office, but will also be assisting the white collar team in Chicago.

Joel Levin offered legal commentary on the federal corruption trial of  former Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich. Joel was a featured guest during a news segment on Chicago Tonight and was also quoted by the New York Times and the Chicago News Cooperative.

Pravin Rao provided legal commentary on the SEC's settlement with Goldman Sachs in various national news publications and outlets, including USA Today, Los Angeles Times, Fortune,  Reuters, Law360, and the Wall Street Journal.

In a New York Times article entitled, "Blagojevich Defense Team Scrambles After a Quick Prosecution" Joel Levin discussed the challenges facing the Blagojevich defense in the former Illinois Governor's federal corruption trial.

Markus Funk commented in an article titled, "A Special Report on Gambling." 

In its 2010 edition of Chambers USA, Chambers and Partners ranked Perkins Coie's Retail & Consumer Products industry group in the #1 band nationally. The group has received this distinction each year since Chambers began ranking practices in this area. Noting the group's broad reach, Chambers described the group as "well equipped to advise on the full range of retail and consumer-related matters." "The firm is making real progress in this arena. It is quite possibly the leader of the e-commerce market at the moment," sources were quoted as saying in the listing.

As a service to its partners, clients and friends, Perkins Coie client Live Gamer invited lawyers Dax Hansen, Kirk Soderquist and Ron Koo to present a webinar last month on the legal issues impacting electronic stored value systems and related IP-ownership matters.

Partner Michael Warnecke and Associate Brandy McMillon recently wrote an article published by Who's Who Legal: Patents 2010. The article concerned the use of "Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR)" when resolving litigation disputes, particularly those of patents.

Denver managing partner, Bob Miller,  is regularly called upon for his opinion of both state and federal judicial nominees.

Perkins Coie is pleased to highlight that it was recognized by Corporate Counsel magazine for being one of the top 10 law firms with the most International Trade Commission cases in 2009.

Lee Stein commented on the increasing enforcement of anti-bribery laws around the world.  Greater cooperation among U.S. and foreign governments means that “a single matter can generate issues all over the world,” said Stein.  Companies can no longer assume foreign governments won’t find out about an issue, he says. Ten years ago, sharing enforcement information was the exception; now it’s the rule.

Perkins Coie proudly announces that once again it has been ranked by Chambers & Partners, publishers of Chambers USA: America's Leading Lawyers for Business, as a top law firm in the United States. Perkins Coie was recognized in the annual directory as a leader, having obtained Band 1 placement in 17 practice areas with top rankings in ten key markets across the country, including Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, District of Columbia, Idaho, Illinois, Oregon, Washington and Wisconsin.

Pravin Rao commented on the Galleon Group insider trading case, which many defense attorneys claim highlights a potential growing collaboration between criminal prosecutors and civil agencies that could lead them to reconsider whether clients should cooperate with securities regulators.  "Lawyers may be less likely to tell clients to cooperate with regulators under the cooperation initiative – especially if it opens up the client to criminal liability because of the SEC's increased communication with prosecutors," said Rao.

Hartmann Young has been appointed 2010-2011 Co-Chair of the Aerospace and Defense Industries Committee of the ABA Section of International Law (effective August 1, 2010).

Ninety Perkins Coie attorneys have been honored by their peers as "Washington Super Lawyers" for 2010. Nine were named to the Top 100 list and four were named to the Top 50 Women list. The list of Super Lawyers is published in the June edition of Washington Law & Politics magazine.

Oregon's regional daily newspaper, The Oregonian, reported that Portland Partner Brent Bullock was selected by the Portland Development Commission to be part of a five-member team to help launch a seed fund for startups to help boost Portland's entrepreneurial community. The funding to be invested comes from the City of Portland's general fund which is earmarked for the PDC's economic development efforts.

Perkins Coie announced today that three more attorneys have joined the firm's Insurance Coverage practice.  Joining the group are partners Koorosh (KT) Talieh and Peter Tracey, as well as of counsel Linda Powell.  This move helps solidify this Perkins group's position as one of the premier national and international practices enforcing policyholders' rights to coverage under all types of commercial insurance policy products.

Joel Levin was quoted in a recent New York Times article entitled "Passion and Success in U.S. Attorney's Office." Alumni of the Northern District of Illinois U.S. Attorney's office -- many of whom now work as high-profile defense lawyers -- say that when big cases arise the office takes a communal approach. Alumni Joel Levin, who helped prosecute former IL Governor George Ryan, said, "Anytime somebody is handling a high-profile case, all hands are on deck."

Perkins Coie is pleased to announce it has been recommended in the 2010 edition of The Legal 500 United States for its product liability litigation, real estate and mergers and acquisitions practices.

Pravin Rao was quoted in a Law360 article entitled, "SEC Guidelines on Sanctions Unlikely to Ease Tension."  Pravin commented on the impact of the SEC creating uniform guidelines for its sanctions.  "Setting up a set of uniform sanctions and settlement guidelines could help establish thresholds for when bans from serving as an officer or director of a company and other nonmonetary penalties kick in," said Rao.

Perkins Coie announced today that it has opened an office in San Diego, California. Four new partners are joining the firm and will serve as the core of the new office. Partner Thane Bauz has joined the firm from Paul Hastings and partners John Schnurer, Brian Wacter and Bing Ai have joined from Fish & Richardson. Bauz and Schnurer will work in the patent litigation group and Ai and Wacter will join the patent prosecution group.

As a Presenting Sponsor of Pivotal Leaders 2010, Perkins Coie is proud to announce Pivotal Investments has revealed the top prospective clean technology business leaders with ties to the Northwest.  

The mobile commerce industry is rapidly expanding. New commerce business models are being developed and their number is increasing. In this article published by E-Finance & Payments Law & Policy, Perkins Coie attorneys Dax Hansen and Matthew Senechal offer one approach to organizing and classifying the many different mobile commerce business models, assess the legal issues applicable to particular business models and summarize some of the core and emerging US legal issues applicable to mobile commerce solutions.

While partnerships can facilitate deals that may otherwise be impossible, they also present an array of challenges for both the financial and strategic buyer. Perkins Coie Attorneys Ted Wern and Brett Miller co-authored an article, "Joining Forces: When To Consider Strategic Buyer Partnerships" in Buyouts discussing the pros and cons of a joint venture model for both strategic and financial buyers as well as what business strategies would likely best benefit from a partnership.

Perkins Coie Partner Gerry Alexis' reaction to the U.S. Supreme Court's denial of the National Football League's bid for expanded antitrust protection was used among other leading antitrust attorneys' comments in a recent Law360 article entitled "Antitrust Lawyers React to NFL's High Court Loss." "This appears to be the first of a long string of decisions over the last six years where the Supreme Court has not cut back substantially on existing antitrust precedent," said Alexis. "Visa and MasterCard must be quaking in their boots."

Portland Associate Lindsay Dickston was featured in Portland's daily newspaper the Oregonian for her work on the Perkins Coie/Lewis & Clark Small Business Legal Clinic pro bono project . The Small Business Legal Clinic offers pro bono legal advice from upper division law students, supervised by a clinical law professor; and the once-a-month pro bono program staffed by law firms and corporations. Perkins Coie works with volunteer attorneys from Intel on several of these projects.

Perkins Coie is proud to announce that Of Counsel Eric Bjorkman has been recognized by the Idaho Business Review as one of the 2010 recipients of the Idaho Accomplished Under 40 awards.

Perkins Coie is pleased to announce that Bobbie Wilson has joined the firm as a Partner in its IP Litigation Practice. She will be based in the firm's San Francisco and Menlo Park offices.

Perkins Coie is pleased to announce Perkins Coie Paralegal Jeanenne Rutherford has received the Washington State Paralegal Association's Paralegal Pro Bono Award.

Perkins Coie is pleased to announce that it has been named one of the top ten 2010 Top Trademark Firms by IP Today magazine.  Firms are ranked according to the number of trademark registrations issued in 2009 where the firm or individual is listed as the legal representative on the registration.

Pravin Rao was quoted in a National Law Journal article entitled, "After drought, SEC floods zone."  Pravin commented on the SEC's across-the-board rise in enforcement activity and fast-growing caseload.

Perkins Coie announced today that three attorneys are joining the firm's Denver office. Partners Nate Ford, Jeffrey Beuche, and Peter Kinsella will be part of the firm's Business Practice. The group joins Perkins Coie from Faegre & Benson.

Perkins Coie announced that it has presented its $20,000 "Award for Discovery" to Gregory J. Morton, Ph.D., research assistant professor of medicine at the University of Washington School of Medicine and an investigator with the UW Medicine Diabetes and Obesity Center of Excellence. The award will fund his research project "Normalization of Blood Glucose Levels in Uncontrolled Diabetes without Insulin."

Perkins Coie Partner Don Friedman has been chosen by The International Law Office (ILO) as a 2010 Client Choice Award recipient.

Two articles written by Perkins Coie attorneys  Dax Hansen, Kirk Soderquist and Andrew Grant were recently published in the Security Strategies Alert column in NetworkWorld. The articles, "Real legal issues with virtual currencies" and "Legal risks with virtual currencies in online games" provide a legal perspective on the increasing use of virtual currencies in online role-playing games and virtual worlds.

Perkins Coie is proud to announce that it has received the 2010 Pro Bono 6.1 Challenge Award from the Fourth Judicial District of the Idaho State Bar.

Perkins Coie announced today that Karen Samuels Jones was recognized as the Brian Vogt Community Leader of the Year, a distinguished award given by the South Metro Denver Chamber of Commerce.  The Community Leader of the Year award is given to an individual who has made an extraordinary contribution to the Chamber and the South Metro Community at large.

Congress should bring the Electronic Communications Privacy Act (ECPA) into the twenty-first century.  That was the message from several witnesses, including Perkins Coie Partner Albert Gidari, to the Committee on the House of Representatives' Judiciary Committee, Subcommittee on the Constittution, Civil Rights, and Civil Liberties at a hearing Wednesday and described in the PCWorld article, "Lawmakers Consider Changes to Wiretapping Law."

Perkins Coie Partner Albert Gidari testified today before the Committee on the House of Representatives' Judiciary Committee, Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights, and Civil Liberties, on the need for reform of the Electronic Communications Privacy Act (ECPA). Gidari noted that ECPA is 25 years old and its application to many new services like cloud computing, social networking and location-based services is unclear. He called for clear rules for service providers to disclose user content, communications and information and for more transparency about the amount of information collected by governmental agencies. Read written testimony.

Perkins Coie LLP is pleased to announce that it has been named one of the 2010 Top Ten Family Friendly Firms by Yale Law Women. This is the second time in the past three years that Perkins Coie has been included on this list. The list was created to celebrate firms that are leaders in facilitating work-life balance for attorneys.

Pravin Rao was featured in Legal Bisnow's monthly "Sound Bites" section.  This highly popular online newsletter for DC's legal industry includes a section where the publication gets a few experts to give their thoughts about a hot topic.  Pravin commented on the financial reform legislation, "Even if we agree financial reform is needed, does giving Wall Street cops more power, clamping down on debt, shifting responsibilities amongst regulators, and creating another agency to protect consumers become moot where 'too big to fail' mantra reigns supreme?" View "Sound Bites" section.

Pravin Rao provided commentary on developments in the SEC’s case against Goldman Sachs to CFOZone, an online publication that reports on news and developments affecting CFOs and other corporate finance leaders.

Pravin Rao appeared on First Business television new segments, which aired in over 150 TV markets, and provided legal analysis on the SEC's case against Goldman Sachs alleging fraud in the structuring and marketing of CDOs tied to subprime mortgages, subsequent criminal investigations and shareholder litigation, and the likelihood of the case being settled with the Government. 

Pravin Rao commented in multiple articles in Law360 on various aspects of the SEC's case against Goldman Sachs related to the marketing of CDOs, including the testimony of Goldman's officers before the Senate, the likelihood of settlement, and possible criminal exposure.

Perkins Coie announced that six attorneys and one paralegal have joined the firm's Insurance Coverage practice, solidifying Perkins position as having one of the premier national and international practices enforcing policyholders' rights to coverage under all types of commercial insurance policy products.

Perkins Coie is proud to announce that Perkins Coie Partner James Williams will be honored at the 11th Anniversary Burton Awards, which will be held at the Library of Congress on June 14, 2010.

Perkins Coie Partner Steve Hedberg was recently quoted in the Dow Jones Daily Bankruptcy Review article "Experts Warn of Bad Year for Commercial Real Estate Market." The article discusses different options that may help improve this year's real estate outlook. Thawing the market for Commercial Mortgage-Backed Securities ("CMBS"), where bonds backed by commercial property loans are sold to investors, may be a viable option, Hedberg suggests. According to the U.S. Treasury Department, CMBS financed about 20% of all outstanding commercial mortgages until the market completely froze in mid-2008. “CMBS was pumping billions of dollars into the market every year,” Hedberg said.

Perkins Coie announced today that it has opened an office in Dallas, Texas. Former Greenberg Traurig shareholder, Steven R. Smith, has joined the firm and will be partner in charge of the office. Smith will focus his practice on real estate workouts and lending. His experience adds depth to the firm's growing national Real Estate Workouts practice. 

Virtual currency can be  used to purchase anything from a sword or armor in a game to a ring tone on a phone, Perkins Coie Partner Dax Hansen told Forbes in a recent article on "Regulating Virtual Currency." The trouble begins when virtual currency can be redeemed for cash, especially if the currency involves more than one company or moves internationally, Hansen said.  "There are laws that apply with real implications for liability."

Huffington Post reports on Perkins Coie lawyer argument on right to counsel for detainee client Noor Uthman Muhammed.

Perkins Coie is proud to be sponsoring the Israel Cleantech Showcase brought to you by the California Israel Chamber of Commerce.

Perkins Coie is pleased to announce that Gavin Gray has started as Chief Information Officer. Gray has extensive law firm technology experience as well as practice office experience, and joins the firm from Baker & McKenzie.

Under the draft guidance released last month by the White House Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ), agencies will have to consider greenhouse gas emissions and climate effects when carrying out National Environmental Policy Act Reviews. Perkins Coie Partner Bill Malley was quoted in a recent Environmental Law Institute article on the matter.

Perkins Coie Partner Brian Jennings published an article entitled "New Value Defense Beginning to Look More Valuable" in Dow Jones' Daily Bankruptcy Review. The article discusses how the preference defenses, provided by Section 547(c), that are intended to encourage creditors to continue doing business with troubled companies is not always effective.

Pravin Rao recently appeared on Bloomberg television to provide legal analysis on the prevalence of insider trading in the hedge fund industry and the enforcement tools used by the Government in such cases.

Perkins Coie's Chicago office is proud to announce that it has been named by Crain's Chicago Business magazine as one of the top 20 "Best Places to Work" in Chicago for the third year in a row. The full list of featured companies and the related stories appear in the March 29th issue of Crain's Chicago Business or can be accessed online on Crain's website.

Partner Al Gidari was quoted in a post on CNET about how a coalition of companies, including Google and Microsoft, are partnering with advocacy groups in a push to reform federal privacy laws to protect mobile and cloud computing users.

The recent complaint and consent order against Transitions Optical suggest greater scrutiny of exclusive dealing arrangements by the Federal Trade Commission, a trend that may affect the degree to which federal courts also scrutinize them, say antitrust attorneys Barry J. Reingold and Michael A. Sink in an article they authored entitled "Transition Optical – A Lens On Exclusive Dealing" published by Law360.

The discovery of a secret compartment containing almost $730,000 in cash, 1,000 pieces of jewelry, loaded handguns and recording devices in mobster Frank Calabrese Sr.'s suburban home may help solve some mysteries about the Chicago Outfit. The newly found recording devices, "...could be important evidence for [the investigators], evidence against other people involved in some of the same activities" as Calabrese and others who were convicted last year in the massive Operation Family Secrets trial, commented former U.S. attorney and Perkins Coie Of Counsel Joel Levin in a recent article published by The Associated Press.

Perkins Coie attorneys Barry Reingold, Ryan Mrazik and Miriam D'Jaen have written "Cloud Computing: Whose Law Governs the Cloud?" as the last of a three-part series looking at cloud computing from market and legal perspectives. Part I, "Cloud Computing: The Intersection of Massive Scalability, Data Security and Privacy," and part II, "Cloud Computing: Industry and Government Develoments," examine the capabilities of cloud computing, the associated privacy and data security concerns, and industry and policy developments. Part III focuses on key legal issues that will shape cloud computing: Whose law governs the cloud, especially if there is a security breach? Who has possession, custody or control over data in the cloud? Finally, how will courts resolve conflicts of law between overlapping jurisdictional claims?

David Neff, Co-Chair of Perkins Coie's Hotels & Leisure practice, was quoted in a recent blog post entitled "No Quick Fix for ESA" appearing on HotelNewsNow.com.

Perkins Coie is proud to announce that, for the second consecutive year, it has been ranked among the top 10 "Best Places to Work in Idaho" by the nationally recognized marketing research firm POPULUS, in conjunction with the Idaho Business Review.

Last month, the Vietnamese American Bar Association, along with African American and Latino attorneys' groups, complained the Santa Clara County Bar Association's judicial vetting committee contained no Vietnamese Americans despite their large concentration in San Jose. No Asian American federal district judges preside in Chicago, Seattle, Washington, D.C. and Houston, areas where Asian Americans' demographic numbers are growing. "The lack of judges is pretty striking," said Perkins Coie Of Counsel Paul O. Hirose in a recent Daily Journal. "The fact you can name [Asian American judges] off the top of your head that's how small the numbers have been."

More and more businesses are launching mobile applications - and consumers can't seem to get enough of them. Even financial services firms that were initially hesitant to do anything with the technology are going mobile.

Chicago attorneys Patrick Collins and Joel Levin won a major victory for the State of Indiana in a civil Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organization (RICO) lawsuit. On March 11, federal district court Judge James Moody issued a lengthy opinion ordering former East Chicago Mayor Robert Pastrick  and his former aides to pay more than $108 million in damages for their role in a wide-ranging corruption scheme. The opinion follows a June 2009 damages hearing conducted by Collins and Levin in which they asked Judge Moody to impose the $108 million damages award based on Judge Moody's previous determination that Pastrick and others operated the city government as a corrupt enterprise under federal and state racketeering laws.  

Partners Judith Corley and Brian Svoboda published an article in Corporate Counsel Weekly on how the U.S. Supreme Court's decision in Citizen United will impact corporate spending in advertising for federal elections. "For the first time in more than a century, corporations—whether for profits, non-profits, trade associations, or membership organizations—may now pay for advertisements that tell the audience to vote for or against a federal candidate," they wrote in the article "'Citizens United' Will Affect Corporate Spending—But How?"

Perkins Coie is pleased to announce that three partners in its Denver office have been named by their peers to the Colorado Super Lawyers list.

On March 11, Karl Sandstrom, Of Counsel in the Washington, D.C. office of Perkins Coie, testified before the Subcommittee on Capital Markets, Insurance and Government Sponsored Enterprises. During his testimony, Sandstrom addressed the corporate governance implications of the Supreme Court's decision in Citizens United v Federal Election Commission, which permits corporations to spend treasury funds to support candidates. As a result of the decision, corporations will no longer be limited to using funds voluntarily contributed by employees and shareholders to their political action committees to promote or oppose candidates.

In an article in the March/April edition of Deal Lawyer, Evelyn Cruz Sroufe, Scott Joachim and Brad Owens discuss lessons on competitive bidding in M&A transactions gleaned from NACCO Industries, Inc. v. Applica Incorporated. In NACCO, the Delaware Chancery Court refused to dismiss claims by NACCO, the unsuccessful bidder for Applica: (a) against Applica for breach of a merger agreement and (b) against a hedge fund buyer for common law fraud based on misstatements in its Section 13(d) filings. NACCO alleged that Applica management improperly favored a financial bidder over a strategic bidder in a competitive bidding war for Applica, that Applica management leaked confidential information to the competing hedge fund bidder, and that the competing bidder knowingly misstated its intention, in Section 13(d) filings reporting its accumulation of Applica shares, to amass a substantial stake in Applica at the pre-merger announcement price in order to achieve an insurmountable leg up in a bidding contest with NACCO. The article provides practical guidance both for boards of directors and officers of target companies and for competing bidders.

Most hotel owners are uncertain how to deal with a hotel loan in distress, yet many neglect consulting anyone with real expertise in negotiating with lenders before attempting to work out their loan's problem with their lender. Perkins Coie Partner David Neff authored the article "10 Tips for Dealing with Distressed Hotel Debt" which provides 10 pointers hotel owners should consider before negotiating their troubled loan with their lender.

Perkins Coie is honored to be the only AmLaw 100 firm with a top 10 ranking in overall patent quality as listed by Intellectual Asset Management magazine.

Virtual currency has real value and companies that operate online games are rushing to cash-in on the virtual economy. Dax Hansen, a partner in Perkins Coie's Electronic Financial Services practice commented, in a recent Information Week article, that "points," "coins," "bucks," and other forms of virtual currency are becoming commonplace online. But new laws like the Credit Card Act of 2009 and existing state gift laws create hurdles for some virtual currency programs.  Under the new Act and proposed rules, federal laws will impose restrictions on expiring certain types of virtual currency in addition to traditional gift certificates.

As retailers deal with increasingly complex virtual currency systems and attempt to allocate responsibility between various players in the system, they should keep several key legal considerations in mind. Perkins Coie Electronic Financial Services Partner Dax Hansen authored an article discussing legal considerations and practical tips for retailers dealing with virtual currency. The article, entitled "Virtual Currencies: Real Legal Issues for Retailers," was published by RetailingToday.com.

Perkins Coie Partner Ted Wern and Associate Laurie Sakulich authored an article explaining the difference between pledge funds and committed funds, and highlighting each type's advantages as well as their drawbacks. The article, entitled "A Matter of Commitment," was published by The Deal magazine.

Perkins Coie Privacy & Security Partner Albert Gidari was quoted in Michael Isikoff's recent Newsweek article entitled "The Snitch in Your Pocket." The article addressed the growing number of law enforcement requests for cell-phone data without warrants. Telecommunication companies are getting "thousands of these requests per month," Gidari told Newsweek, and the amount has grown "exponentially" over the past few years.

San Francisco Of Counsel Philip Leider recently published an article in the ABA's Class Actions & Derivative Suits Newsletter.  The article analyzes the California Supreme Court's recent decision in In re Tobacco II, an important case interpreting new standing requirements imposed on plaintiffs in cases under the state's Unfair Competition Law and False Advertising Act. 

Perkins Coie Partners Tom Lindley and Associate Stephen Higgs authored an article published in Law360 entitled "The Open Valve on Clean Water Act Enforcement." The article provides an overview of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's plan to renew and embolden state and federal enforcement actions to protect water quality across the nation, and gives recommendations, for those regulated under the Clean Water Act, on how to prepare for and properly respond to federal and state enforcement actions.

We are pleased to announce that David Neff, a partner in the firm's Bankruptcy & Workouts practice as well as the national co-chair of Perkins Coie's Hotels & Leisure practice, has been inducted as a Fellow of the American College of Bankruptcy.

On Friday, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit is to consider whether warrantless tracking of wireless devices is a violation of a citizen's Fourth Amendment right. Police have been using location tracking on a regular basis, yet the legal standards remain unclear. In a recent CNET News article, Perkins Coie Privacy & Security Partner Albert Gidari said such tracking is now "commonplace." "It's in every pen register order these days," he said. He went on to say the appeals court's decision could have far-reaching impact, even beyond the Third Circuit's jurisdiction.

The Chicago O'Hare Airport area may be the most distressed lodging markets in the U.S. according to Smith Travel Research. Perkins Coie David Neff represents one of the area's troubled properties, InterContinental Chicago O'Hare, who filed for bankruptcy last August. The lenders have allowed the property to continue operating, Neff commented on the bankruptcy in a recent article published by Lodging Hospitality, and while no deals are imminent, "a number of entities have signed confidentiality agreements and are conducting due diligence on the property." The property is doing relatively well, he added, it is gaining market share and getting high guest satisfaction ratings.

Perkins Coie Partner Bill Malley was recently interviewed on Progressive Railroading podcast entitled "Perkins Coie's Malley weighs in on HSR grant awards." During the podcast, Malley discusses the Obama administration's recent announcement to award $8 billion in high-speed stimulus funds, what the grant awards mean, next steps and how states can secure future high-speed funds.

Perkins Coie is pleased to announce it has been selected by the Greater Seattle Business Association (GSBA) to receive their first Special Recognition: Advocate for Social Justice Award for its work on the behalf of Washington Families Standing Together (WFST) and the Approve 71 campaign. 

Associate Brian Flock recently published an article in the American Bar Association's publication The Young Lawyer. Flock's article, entitled "How I Use Social Media to Enhance My Practice," discusses how attorneys can use social media to enhance their practices. "For me social media is a powerful tool with a dual purpose—it helps me stay connected in my personal life despite the demands of my profession, while also enhancing my legal practice," the article says.

Susan Lyon and John Roche co-authored an article, published by SmartGridNews.com, entitled "Smart Grid Privacy Part 1: How to Keep Your Customer Data Protected — and Keep Your Customers." Lyon and Roche cover proactive tips smart grid companies can use to stay ahead of coming data protection regulations by building privacy into development now and avoiding costly retrofitting later.

The Advanced Research Projects Agency for Energy (ARPA-E), which received $400 million in funding from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, aims to foster research and development of highly experimental long-term energy technology, but a budget freeze put on by the Obama administration could put a damper on Energy Department spending on certain programs, including the ARPA-E, in 2011.

Portland Associate Meredith Weisshaar received the Outstanding Pro Bono Service Award from Lewis & Clark Law School's Small Business Legal Clinic.

Chicago Partner Pravin Rao was recently quoted in an article on law360.com about the financial crises from the past decade.

First Wind, a wind developer in Massachusetts, is seeking approval of an initial public offering – for the second time – with the Securities and Exchange Commission. “If they get it done, it might suggest that large-scale alternative energy projects may have renewed funding sources in the market,” said Perkins Coie Partner and Cleantech Practice Co-Chair Buddy Arnheim in a recent Electric Power Daily article. “Other companies will be watching to see if there is demand.”

Perkins Coie is pleased to announce that the following lawyers have been elected to the partnership or of counsel, effective January 1, 2010.

Perkins Coie announced today that Christopher Kao has joined the firm as a partner in its Intellectual Property Litigation practice. He will be based in the firm's Menlo Park office.

For the eighth consecutive year, Perkins Coie is proud to announce that it has been named to FORTUNE magazine's "The 100 Best Places to Work For."  This year the firm was ranked 75, an improvement over last year's ranking of 82.  

Shaalu Mehra was named to the San Francisco Daily Journal's list of top 20 attorneys under the age of 40 in California. Every year, the Daily Journal highlights young attorneys who have made a significant impact in their practice area early in their careers. Shaalu was recognized for his transactional work in Outsourcing and Intellectual Property. The Journal noted specifically his work for Ingram Micro, one of the world's largest technology distributors, who has relied on Shaalu's legal expertise to guide the company through numerous technology and licensing transactions and legal issues related to outsourcing. Richard English, senior corporate counsel at Ingram Micro, commented that his company hires Mehra because of the quality of his work and his ability to leverage his technical background in his lawyering.

Perkins Coie Partner Bill Malley commented on the DOE's ARPA-E application process in a recent Environment & Energy Daily article. The first step in the application process is to submit a five-page concept paper, which requires applicants to generally outline their projects. During the first round of funding, DOE received more than 3,600 concept papers and whittled that number down to about 300 projects that were asked to submit more detailed proposals. From that pool, DOE chose the first 37 winners. The entire process occurred in just a few months. "We don't know how fast the next round will go, but we assume it's on a similar schedule," said Malley, who has represented clients that have applied for ARPA-E grants. "This stands out as a fast track."

With a 30-day “grace period” on enforcement by the Energy Department expiring Friday, appliance manufacturers are anxious to submit their forms in order to avoid a DOE probe into whether their products are as energy-efficient as claimed in their official certifications to the agency. Partner Bill Malley told The Energy Daily the takeaway message from DOE’s grace period for appliance manufacturers is that “DOE and EPA are now taking energy efficiency standards, both voluntary and mandatory, very seriously. “The deadline is a first step in a sustained push for more aggressive enforcement,” Malley was quoted in an article published by the daily. “DOE has not been vigorous in enforcing its requirements to date, which DOE itself has acknowledged. We’re looking at a sustained period of tougher enforcement.”

Jessica Berch, a new associate in the Phoenix office, recently published an article entitled "The Need for Enforcement of U.S. Punitive Damages Awards by the European Union" in the Minnesota Journal of International Law.  The article addresses the discrete problem of enforcing U.S. punitive damages awards in the courts of E.U. Member States.  After canvassing the state of the law regarding punitive damages in both the United States and Europe, the article suggests that the two powers do not have particularly divergent views about the propriety of punitive damages awards and urges the two sides to revise the Hague Convention on Choice of Court Agreements to allow for the more liberal enforcement of U.S. judgments containing punitive damages awards.

Washington, D.C. attorney Maggie Greenlee successfully obtained a U-visa for her pro bono client on January 6, 2010.

For the first time Perkins Coie earned an honorable mention in The American Lawyer's biannual "Litigation Department of the Year" competition. In its January issue the publication cited the firm's representation of "clients at both ends of the power spectrum.

Retailers and manufacturers are feeling the pressure to engage their customers through social media. But, many executives are concerned about legal risks and the conservative advice received from lawyers. Tom Bell addresses these risks and cautious counsel in "Social Savvy," an article authored by Bell and published by American Executive.

Perkins Coie Partner Pravin Rao was quoted extensively in an article entitled "Securities Cases to Watch in 2010." The coming year is expected to be full of high-profile cases brought by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. The article, published by Law360, lists five cases securities professionals are sure to have their eyes on in 2010. SEC v. Rorech, the first-ever insider trading case listed to the default swaps, is among the cases mentioned. "The SEC is expanding its reach into an area where it's never really gone before," said Rao in regard to the case. Rao was also quoted on other cases listed in the article, including SEC v. Cuban and SEC v. Bank of America Corp.

Perkins Coie Partner Bill Malley and Associate Joanna Thies recently co-authored a report, "Guidelines on the Use of Tiered Environmental Impact Statements for Transportation Projects," which was published by the Transportation Research Board of the National Academy of Sciences. Ann Koby and Jason Miles of Parsons Brinckerhoff, the engineering and consulting firm, also co-authored of the report. The report provides the first comprehensive study of tiered environmental impact statements prepared for highway, transit, and intercity passenger rail projects. It includes an in-depth discussion of the legal framework for preparing a tiered EIS; a summary of the state of the practice; key factors associated with successful tiered studies; potential strategies for anticipating and managing tiering-related risks; and an annotated checklist of issues to consider in deciding whether to undertake a tiered EIS for a transportation project. Perkins Coie lawyers have participated in preparing several high-profile tiered studies, including the tiered EIS for the I-69 highway project in Indiana.

On December 18, 2009, the United States Court of Federal Claims issued an opinion awarding more than $50 million to Perkins Coie's client, Wisconsin Electric Power Company, in its claim against the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) for partial breach of a contract to accept and dispose of spent nuclear fuel from the Point Beach Nuclear Power Plant. Wisconsin Electric's case was presented by the Perkins Coie trial team during a Washington D.C. trial lasting more than five weeks; during which 27 witnesses testified and hundreds of exhibits were entered into evidence. The Court awarded Wisconsin Electric more than 96% of its claimed "nominal," or non-finance-related damages to mitigate the DOE's partial breach. The Perkins Coie trial team included Partners Rick Oehler, Don Carney and Mary Rose Hughes, Associates Emily Poulin and Jay Griffiths, and Paralegals Beverly Kershaw and Mary Lou Maag.

Jobs legislation that passed the House of Representatives on December 16 would restore $2 billion to a Department of Energy clean energy loan guarantee program and expand the program to make loan guarantees available for energy efficiency projects that use commercial technology. The proposed legislation also would make other significant changes to the DOE's loan guarantee program. These changes would allow applicants to pay a portion of the "credit subsidy cost," said Perkins Coie Partner Bill Malley in an article published by BNA Daily Environment Report, which is the cost to the federal government of assuming the risk of default on a loan. Malley also was quoted in a separate article published by BNA Daily Environment Report on proposed legislation to extend the Section 48C manufacturing tax credit program, which is available for manufacturers of equipment for renewable energy projects and other energy saving equipment.

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) recently announced the availability of a second round of grant funding under the Advanced Research Projects-Energy (ARPA-E) grant program. The first round was highly competitive, with DOE awarding grants to approximately 1% of applicants. A recent article published by The New York Times and a sister publication Greenwire noted that, in the first round, DOE funded multiple projects in some sectors and only one project in others. The article quoted Perkins Coie Partner Bill Malley as saying he was not surprised by this result. He observed that "They're taking a portfolio approach that doesn't single out any particular technology or any sector but rather looks to the best ideas and promotes them.... Because this is a competitive process, there are not going to be multiple winners in every sector."

Perkins Coie is pleased to announce that partner Joseph Q. McCoy has been appointed to the Board of Directors for the Chicago Committee on Minorities in Large Law Firms.

Perkins Coie is pleased to announce that Partner Sarah Crooks has been chosen as a 2010 recipient of the Oregon Women Lawyers (OWLS) Justice Betty Roberts Award.

Representatives of landlords and tenants, as well as their counsel, should take care in negotiating the exclusive provisions in their leases in order to avoid litigation and other pitfalls. Mindy Sherman and Edward Wicks authored an article entitled "You May Not Be as Exclusive as You Think," published by the Retail Law Strategist. The article used the case RARE Hospitality Management, Inc. v. River Roads Restaurant Pad, LLC, to illustrate how important the exclusive right to operate provision is in achieving the intended result of a lease.

Fred Rivera and Javier Garcia authored an article published by ABA's Employment & Labor Relations Law Newsletter entitled "Increased Funding, Revamped SEC Procedures, and Disgruntled Workforce Create Perfect Storm," covering an anticipated increase in employee whistleblower matters, whistleblower incentives included in the Stimulus Package and recent SEC announcements about beefing up its whistleblower and tips review. In the article, Rivera and Garcia suggest that the economic downturn has resulted in increased vigilance over the financial system and on whistleblowers in the corporate and government compliance environment.

Perkins Coie proudly announces that it was named one of the best law firms in legal writing by the Burton Awards Foundation.

The Obama administration recently created the Financial Fraud Enforcement Task Force to investigate and prosecute crimes linked to the past year's financial crisis. This mission of this task force appears to be more broad than the task force created by President George W. Bush in 2002.  Time will tell what impact the new task force has on white-collar practices, Perkins Coie Partner Pravin B. Rao recently said in an article published by the Law Bulletin.

Perkins Coie Partner Lee Stein was recently quoted in a summary and analysis published by the Bureau of National Affairs on the findings of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit on the case United States v. Ruehle. The case revolves around the issue that attorney-client privilege did not shield communications between the former chief financial officer of Broadcom Corp. and outside counsel about the company's backdating of stock options. "…company counsel has to be able to disclose statements made in the course of an investigation in today's environment of cooperation," said Stein.

Historically, FCPA prosecutions targeted corporations; directors and officers have largely been protected from liability. However, this is changing. Prosecutors are increasingly turning their attention to the individuals behind the companies. Perkins Coie Partner Lee Stein was recently quoted on this sea change in a Cross Border article entitled "In the Line of Fire." "When executives see other executives being held personally responsible in a criminal context, it delivers a far more powerful message and can really modify behavior," said Stein.

Earlier this year Perkins Coie Associate Brian Flock was quoted in an Inside Counsel article focusing on the pitfalls of employer use of online resources and social media to research job applicants and check-up on employees. Brian’s commentary was highlighted in Inside Counsel’s December cover story: "Top 20 Stories of 2009 the In-House Bar Couldn't Afford to Miss."

Invest Idaho LLC, formerly known as I-Cubed, has won federal approval to channel money from qualified foreign investors into the local economy under the EB-5 visa program in an effort to help plug the gap in financing for startups. Perkins Coie Partner and counsel to Invest Idaho Melanie Rubocki was recently quoted in the Idaho Business Review on the company's federal approval. “The options out there now are you invest in a casino, hotel or ski resort,” said Rubocki. “The feedback we’re getting is that there is a whole population out there in the EB-5 program that will welcome this as refreshing compared to some of the other EB-5 options out there.”

Portland attorneys Scott Eads and Julia Markley authored an article entitled "The Sport of Kings: Promise and Perils of 21st Century Patent Litigation." The article was published in the Autumn 2009 edition of Insights, the quarterly journal of Willamette Management Associates, which has a circulation of approximately 20,000 business leaders. The article provides an overview of contemporary patent litigation and discusses important recent decisions by the U.S. Supreme Court and the Federal Circuit Court of Appeals.

Perkins Coie Partner Donald Baur recently co-edited a book entitled The Endangered Species Act: Law, Policy and Perspectives, published by the American Bar Association. The text describes ESA legal controversies and emerging case law, proposed agency reforms and the competing perspectives of interest groups. Erika Malmen and Patrick Ryan also contributed to the publication as chapter co-authors.

Perkins Coie Partner Gerry Alexis was recently quoted in an article published by Antitrust Litigation Reporter on the new Federal Trade Commission's rule on petroleum price manipulation. Companies will be more cautious in their dealings because the penalties are so stiff, said Alexis. She expects the FTC will enforce the rule through administrative proceedings, but it currently lacks guidelines meaning companies will have to operate without examples of what constitutes a violation.

Perkins Coie announced today Marc Elias will become the new chair of the firm's Political Law Group.  Elias succeeds Bob Bauer who was recently appointed White House Counsel.

Bob Bauer, a partner in the Washington, D.C. office of Perkins Coie LLP and head of the firms' Political Law Practice, is leaving the firm to accept appointment as White House Counsel.

Perkins Coie successfully represented weapons incinerator Washington Demilitarization Company in a dispute over incineration of 12 percent of the U.S. chemical weapons stockpile.

For the second year in a row, Perkins Coie is proud to co-sponsor the Fifth Annual Applied Materials "Silicon Valley Turkey Trot" in downtown San Jose. The "Trot" is a 5-K Run (or Walk) or a 10-K Run to benefit three great local charities: Second Harvest Food Bank, Children's Health Initiative and the Housing Trust.

Green policies offer organizations many benefits, including enhancement of public image, increase in marketability, reduction of operating costs, and improvement in employee morale. However, adopting green policies may impose risks on your organization if the policies are not properly followed or false or misleading statements are made about those policies. Bruce Dick, Barry Reingold and Eric DeJong authored an article published by Bloomberg Law Reports entitled "Green Policies: Understanding and Addressing Compliance Risks," addressing some of these risks and providing practical tips to manage and make an organization's green policies work for the company.

In a recent National Law Journal/Legal Times blog posting discussing the new Federal Trade Commission gas price rule, Partner Gerry Alexis was quoted as saying that the new rule will go beyond federal enforcement. The crackdown by the FTC is intended to bar "fraudulent or deceptive conduct that could harm wholesale petroleum markets," as noted in the posting. However, Alexis pointed out that the door is now open for lawsuits to arise under "little FTC Acts" – state consumer protection laws that authorize private causes of action. 

Brian Flock authored an article published by Law360 entitled "What Employers Need to Know About Social Media," covering employee and corporate use of social networking tools and how to avoid common pitfalls and mistakes. In the article, Flock suggests that the key to avoiding these issues is to work to develop policies and practices that will foster professional and proper use of social networking tools by both employees and the organization.

Perkins Coie Partner Gerry Alexis was quoted in a recent Reuters article on the new U.S. Federal Trade Commission rule that will fine companies up to $1 million a day if they manipulate the oil markets. The rule may force oil companies to think twice about revealing their cash oil transactions to price reporting companies like Platts, said Alexis. "That could of course be an unintended consequence of the rule. There will be less price transparency and somebody could have an even greater impact if they get in and report prices that are not correct."

In March 2009, Thomas Dart, Sheriff of Cook County, Illinois, filed a civil suit against craigslist, Perkins Coie's client, in federal court in Chicago, alleging that the "erotic" (now "adult") services category of craigslist's online classifieds was facilitating prostitution and constituted a public nuisance. Dart sought injunctive relief and damages based on costs purportedly incurred by his department.

Today, United States District Court Judge Jeremy Fogel awarded Facebook $711,237,650 in damages against Sanford Wallace, one of the world's most notorious spammers, commonly known as the "Spam King." Earlier this year, Wallace engaged in a sophisticated spamming and phishing campaign against Facebook users.

Perkins Coie Partner Jeffrey Hunter was quoted in an article published by Inside Counsel entitled "Powering Down." The article discussed the large amount of CO2 backup generators can emit from datacenters because of their need for uninterrupted power. But when building datacenter facilities, many companies overlook these potential outbursts of pollution and improperly site the crucial generators, said Hunter. "Emergency generators don't have pollution control equipment," he says. "It's not like your typical power plant that's running 24/7 and is a Title V source putting in all these controls."

Perkins Coie is pleased to announce that Grant Kinsel has joined its Los Angeles office as a partner.  Grant is the 12th IP attorney to join Perkins Coie in the past four months.

John Buck, a real estate mogul, was hired last spring as an adviser for a shopping mall with an uncertain future after the lending bank filed a foreclosure suit less than a month before the development's planned opening. If the existing developer is unwilling to put more money into the project, that could provide an opening for John Buck, Co., which has the experience, financial resources and now, the familiarity with the development to take it over if asked. Perkins Coie Partner David Neff was quoted on the matter in a recent Chicago Business article entitled "Block 37: The Buck Angle." What better way to figure out what you're buying than to actually get in there in an advisory role or as manager?" Neff commented on Buck's inside track to project.

Perkins Coie announced today that Chicago attorney Joseph Q. McCoy has been named one of the Law Bulletin Publishing Company's"40 under 40." This award program spotlights the top business leaders under the age of 40 who excel in their industry and show dynamic leadership. The 40 under 40 are considered to be among the most accomplished young executives in the Chicago area.

Associate Brian Flock was recently quoted in the Inside Counsel article "Private Practices." The article addressed employers' struggle to balance monitoring current and potential employees' email, Internet and computer stored data in order to protect their business, without crossing the line of privacy invasion. When using an online search to screen potential applicants, Flock suggests employers limit the information they pass on to the decision makers. And, when creating a privacy policy for existing employees, he suggests taking care to not create a zone of privacy by not consistently applying the policy.

On October 5, 2009, the Federal Trade Commission issued new Web guidelines pertaining to "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising." Among other things, the Guides requires bloggers to disclose free products or payments they have received from companies for reviewing their products. Perkins Coie Partner Barry Reingold was invited to be a guest on Lawyer 2 Lawyer, a talk show on the Legal Talk Network, to help clarify the FTC’s new guidelines, look at the ethics of blogging, blogger abuse and how these new guidelines will impact the blogosphere. Listen to Podcast.

Perkins Coie Partner Bill Malley and Of Counsel Albert Ferlo recently authored an article on an opinion issued by The U.S. District Court for the Western District of Virginia upholding the use of a tiered NEPA process for improvements to the I-81 corridor in Virginia. The article, published by Law360, suggests that this opinion should bolster the use of tiered studies under the National Environmental Policy Act for highway and high-speed rail projects.

Partner Brad Keithley recently drafted an op-ed piece on Alaska's oil industry that appeared in the Anchorage Daily News. In the article, "Alaska poorer for outdated oil attitude," Keithley warns that Alaskans must take responsibility for the oil industry in their state and that competition from new discoveries in other states pose significant competition. "Without maintaining oil revenues, state services will decline, income and sales taxes will become a reality, and current residents will leave the state in large numbers, resulting in the collapse of housing prices and the economic well-being of scores of Alaska's businesses," he noted.

Perkins Coie is pleased to announce that Terrence Wikberg has joined its Washington, D.C. office as a partner.  Terry is now the 10th IP attorney to join Perkins Coie in Washington, D.C. since July when nine former Proskauer attorneys also joined the firm.

Two American Recovery and Reinvestment Act programs that would pour billions of dollars into renewable energy development include time requirements for construction commencement. And, as the deadlines creep closer, developers, utilities and government agencies have a many of legal and regulatory issues they must address. Perkins Coie Energy Partner Karen McGaffey was quoted on the issue in a recent Industrial Wind Action Group article. Lawyers with other specialties, such as patent law, may increasingly find themselves working on renewable energy projects, said McGaffey, "Ten years ago it's the kind of thing they might be doing for dot-coms."

The Federal Trade Commission published final guidelines laying out how companies can use consumer testimonials and endorsements to promote their products and services. Barry Reingold, a Perkins Coie Partner in the Marketing & Advertising practice, was quoted in a Law.com article on the new guidelines. He expressed a concern that advertisers may respond to the new rules by requesting that endorsers make fewer, measurable fact-specific claims. To avoid the costs of developing claim substantiation through expensive user surveys or clinical trials, Reingold said, advertisers may "abandon the specific detail-oriented ads for the softer stuff."

Perkins Coie is pleased to announce its Silver Corporate Membership in the International Association of Privacy Professionals (IAPP).  

Using the recent case Activision Publishing, Inc. v. Gibson Guitar Corp. as a prime example of a too narrowly created patent, Christopher Daley-Watson authored an article on the four essential best practices that corporate counsel can utilize for the broadest possible patents that result in the most protection for companies and their products. The article is entitled "So You Want to Be a Guitar Hero" and was published by Corporate Counsel.

Attorney General Eric Holder recently announced a Department of Justice policy that allows the executive branch — with a judge’s approval — to keep highly sensitive national security information from disclosure in a courtroom. Hartmann Young recently authored an article entitled "State secrets, Congress, and the DOJ's perilous policy," published by The Hill, expressing concerns that the new policy leaves too much room for interpretation and exploitation by the DOJ.

Perkins Coie's Appellate Practice Co-Chairs Dan Bagatell and Katie O'Sullivan were featured recently in separate Q&A articles posted on Law360's new Appellate section. They discussed their most challenging cases, expressed opinions about the biggest problems with the U.S. appeals process, and gave advice for young lawyers, among other discussion topics.

Companies building Texas' $5 billion renewable-energy transmission network have decided against seeking stimulus funding. Factored into this decision was the requirement that federally funded construction projects must undergo a major environmental review. Partner Bill Malley commented on this review, which can take two years or longer, in a recent Dallas Morning News article entitled, "Texas utilities' rejection of stimulus funds could lead to higher bills for customers." "I think what many applicants are finding is it's very difficult to come up with a project that does meet all of [the stimulus' required] parameters," said Malley.

The Legal Times has recognized Perkins Coie Partner Bob Bauer as one of the lawyers who had the greatest impact on the Washington, D.C. legal community over the last year. Bauer has been honored by the publication as a Visionary, which the Legal Times describes as an attorney who found ways to build up their law firms, pushed for wise solutions in complex legal clashes, and insisted on democratic and constitutional answers in governmental disputes. To celebrate the contributions of the lawyers recognized, a black tie gala celebration will be held on October 13, 2009 at The Ritz Carlton in Washington D.C.

The Federal Trade Commission is on the brink of updating guidelines that may require companies to provide proof to back up any claims about a product or a service. Partner Barry Reingold was recently interviewed on the topic in Law.com's LegalTech article, "FTC Ready to Cut 'Astroturfing'." In regard to the revisions, "I understand [the FTC's] concern, but I think they're imposing a potentially enormous cost on the industry," Reingold said. Watch the full interview.

In the October 2009 issue of the ACC Docket, the official journal of the Association of Corporate Counsel, Hughes and Schultz team with the GC of firm client Louisiana-Pacific to discuss new ways to limit the cost of document review while also protecting privileged information from disclosure and claims of waiver. "Hanging by a Thread: Save Your Litigation Budget and Privilege."

Under the new guidelines published by the Federal Trade Commission, bloggers and advertisers will be required to disclose compensation, such as payment or even that they received free samples. Barry Reingold, a Partner in the Perkins Coie Marketing & Advertising Practice, was quoted on the topic in a recent article published by Tampabay.com. Although the guidelines themsleves are only advisory, said Reingold, an advertiser that violates them could then face charges for false advertising, which is illegal and punishable.

A TwinCities.com article entitled "Overtime, the 2008 U.S. Senate Race, Chapter 3: How Franken's attorneys outmaneuvered Coleman's team to secure the Senate seat" chronicles the 6-month legal battle for the Minnesota U.S. Senate seat. The article describes how Franken attorneys and Perkins Coie partners Marc Elias and Kevin Hamilton "outfoxed, out-argued, and out-dataed" their opponents, resulting in a pronouncement by the Minnesota Supreme Court that Al Franken would be Minnesota's next Senator and reaffirming that "No Elias client had ever lost a recount or post-election court fight." 

Perkins Coie Partner Albert Gidari was featured yesterday in National Review Online's blog The Corner in a post titled "Re: Dishonorable Recrimination," providing legal analysis of the recent Maryland lawsuit filed by the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now (ACORN) against the filmmakers who secretly recorded footage of ACORN employees providing financial advice to a couple posing as a pimp and a prostitute.

Perkins Coie Partner Albert Gidari was quoted this week in an article in BNA's Electronic Commerce & Law Report (subscription required to view article), "Attorneys, Academics Sort Through Landmark Case on Computer Searches." An en banc panel of the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals announced new and enhanced guidelines applicable to all search warrants for electronically stored information in the Ninth Circuit. U.S. v. Comprehensive Drug Testing, Inc., __ F.3d __, 2009 WL 2605378 (9th Cir. Aug. 26, 2009). The decision sets clear ground rules that give teeth to the Fourth Amendment and help protect companies and management from government overreaching in this area.

Perkins Coie Real Estate Partner Karen Samuels Jones has been officially installed as the current President for the remainder of 2009 and the President for 2010 of CREW Denver.  Jones succeeds to the position in advance of the typical January 1st installation because current president Kathy Thurston was promoted and moved to Chicago, Illinois.

Partner Barry Reingold and Associate Ryan Mrazik published the second article in a three-part series on cloud computing in this month's edition of Cyberspace Lawyer.  The article focuses on industry and government developments related to cloud computing.

Perkins Coie LLP is proud to announce that it has earned the top rating of 100 percent in the Corporate Equality Index (CEI) and Best Places to Work 2010, an annual survey administered by the Human Rights Campaign Foundation. 

David Neff, co-chair of Perkins Coie's Hotel & Leisure group, authored an article published by HotelNewsNow.com entitled "Chapter 11 considerations for hotel owners." The article covered the critical considerations hotel owners should make before deciding whether or not to file for bankruptcy.

Marc Elias co-authored an article published in Roll Call entitled "Congress Can Better Voter Registration." The article addressed the problems with the current U.S. election voter registration system, and articulated a way to make the system work for all eligible American voters. "States should use an automated system to add voters to the registration rolls when they become eligible…," the article says. "If we do this, we can get rid of the paper, free up resources for state and local governments, provide strict protections against voter registration fraud and eliminate many of the frustrating problems that voters face on Election Day."

Perkins Coie Partner Fred Rivera was quoted in a recent Mortgage Banking Magazine article entitled "Foreclosure Gridlock." In the article, Rivera commented on the significant increase in the volume of cases being filed by individual mortgage borrowers seeking to stop foreclosure. The figure has at least doubled since 2008, and there are significantly more cases being filed today, said Rivera. However, borrowers should go through the loan-modification department first before going the litigation route, Rivera added, "Lenders and servicers desire to do a loan mod-when it's a good idea."

Hotels & Leisure Practice Co-Chair David Neff was recently interviewed by Lodging Hospitality on the Chapter 11 bankruptcy filings of two hotels operated by Perkins Coie's client, Harp Group, and whether the filings were an indication of what was to come for the hotels industry. The filings were the result of the downturn and the difficulty the owners had in communicating with the lenders over the issue, said Neff, and we will definitely see more bankruptcies.

Brian Flock was quoted in an article in the September 2009 Law Supplement to the Puget Sound Business Journal, stating: "For retailers [social media] is a huge issue. . . . Many retailers are using social media sites to deal with customers-service problems or to make business connections and promote their brands." The article, authored by Greg Lamm, surveyed the range of potential problems employers face with more and more employees now using social media not just personally, but professionally. Flock is a member of Perkins Coie's Social Media Industry Group, and a frequent commenter on the pitfalls that employers face when their employees use social media. He can be followed on Twitter @brianflock.

Perkins Coie is pleased to announce that Joan Ellis, Ph.D. and Todd Samelman, Ph.D. have joined the D.C. office.  These attorneys join the seven IP attorneys that joined the D.C. office last month.  Dr. Ellis joins as of counsel and Dr. Samelman joins as an associate.  Both attorneys focus their practices on patent interferences and appeals, litigation and procurement in the life sciences industry.

Perkins Coie announced that Charles Blumenfeld has rejoined the firm's Environment, Energy & Resources practice as of counsel  He will be based in the firm’s Seattle office.

Perkins Coie is pleased to announce Pamela J. Anderson has joined the firm’s Environment, Energy & Resources practice as a partner.  She will be based in the firm’s Bellevue office.

Just the Beginning Foundation (JTBF) and Perkins Coie hosted sixty-five Chicago high school students participating in JTBF’s Summer Legal Institute on August 5th, 2009 for a business etiquette exercise and reception attended by Judge Ann C. Williams and many other attorneys.

Perkins Coie announced today that it has been named one of the "2009 Best Law Firms for Women" by Working Mother magazine and national consulting firm Flex-Time Lawyers LLC. This is the second year in a row that the firm was recognized for its commitment to the retention and advancement of women.

Perkins Coie Partner Albert Gidari was quoted in "Snooping on Web Traffic Gains Favor Amid Fears," a Wall Street Journal article published on July 29.  The article focuses on the growth of the use of deep packet inspection, a technology that enables network operators to monitor packets of information being transmitted on the Internet.  The technology, which is being used for the management of network traffic, as well as marketing and law-enforcement surveillance, has raised privacy concerns.

Joel Levin was quoted extensively, in a recent article published by the Chi Town Daily News, about the possibility of a federal prosecution coming down on three public officials accused of inappropriately using tax payers money. "You'd need to put some value on it to prove a meaningful diversion of resources," Levin said, "It would only be interesting to federal prosecutors if it's a meaningful amount -- if it's part of a pattern and practice that went on for awhile, as opposed to just a few hours of someone doing something they weren't supposed to."

Perkins Coie is proud to announce that 141 of its attorneys across the country were selected for inclusion in the 2010 edition of Best Lawyers of America.

Perkins Coie lawyer and former federal prosecutor Patrick Collins moderated an ABA Presidential Showcase Program on issues arising in high-profile Illinois corruption cases involving George Ryan, Rod Blagojevich and Antoin "Tony" Rezko and in the corruption trial of former U.S. Senator Ted Stevens.

Shaalu Mehra, chair of Perkins Coie’s India practice, was quoted in a recent Inside Counsel article on the enforcement of intellectual property rights in India. Mehra said he would advise clients to avoid Indian courts whenever possible, "The results have been too unpredictable, and litigation can be tied up procedurally to the point where the commercial disputes at issue are no longer relevant."

Perkins Coie announced today that seven attorneys and one scientific advisor have joined the firm. The group, comprised of senior patent litigators and patent prosecutors with a focus in the life sciences industry, adds significant depth to the firm's nationally recognized intellectual property practice.

The San Francisco office was once again awarded the Silver Partner certification for their participation and contributions to the Food from The Bar Program.

Perkins Coie announced today that Seattle attorney Kirk Soderquist has been named one of the Puget Sound Business Journal's "40 under 40."

Perkins Coie Associate Miriam D'Jaen published an article this month in E-Commerce Law Reports on Raggi v. Las Vegas Metro Police Dept., a case that determined whether a law enforcement personnel union was liable for posting offensive content on its Web site.  D'Jaen explained in the article that the case highlights the need for companies "to take proactive, strategic steps to minimize legal exposure for the online activities of third parties."

In an article on the use of cell phones as an investigative tool for law enforcement, Perkins Coie Partner Albert Gidari told The New York Times that wireless carriers "receive hundreds of requests a month from law enforcement" for real-time tracking. The article focuses on the privacy issues that arise as a result of such tracking. In a case before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit, judges are deciding whether search warrants should be required for law enforcement to obtain cell phone tracking data.

Pravin Rao was extensively quoted in a recent Law360 article on the steps companies can take to prevent employees from unlawfully sharing insider information. As shown in a recent SEC case of insider trading tied to credit default swaps, regulators are now on the lookout for insider trading in such non traditional areas. Vigilance is critical, said Rao, to prevent this kind of illegal activity among employees, "You may have all the policies in the world, but that company has to monitor what that person in the lending department and the person in the credit department are doing."

Perkins Coie Partner and social media team lead, Tom Bell, recently authored an opinion piece published in Computerworld. The article highlighted what legal land mines companies should proactively seek to avoid when participating in social media, and the policies they should adopt for better protection.

Partners Marc Elias and Kevin Hamilton, along with co-counsel David Lillehaug, received a rare show of recognition after the swearing in of firm client Sen. Al Franken today.

Perkins Coie announced that it has presented its $20,000 "Award for Discovery" to Michael A. Laflamme, M.D., Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Pathology in the University of Washington School of Medicine.

Perkins Coie has announced that it moved its Los Angeles office to Century City.

Hartmann Young has been appointed 2009-2010 Vice-Chair of the Aerospace and Defense Industries Committee of the ABA Section of International Law. 

Washington, D.C. Partner Bob Bauer, who served as general counsel to the Obama campaign, recently co-authored an op-ed piece with his counterpart for the McCain campaign, Trevor Potter.

The National Association of Corporate Directors today announced that J. Shan Mullin, partner with Perkins Coie LLP in Seattle, is named as NACD's 2009 Nonprofit Director of the Year for his decades of dedicated leadership of major nonprofit organizations in the Pacific Northwest.

Perkins Coie today announced that the Holocaust Survivors Justice Network (HSJN), a legal assistance effort in which the organization’s staff volunteers locally, is a recipient of the 2009 American Bar Association Pro Bono Publico Award, the profession’s highest recognition for pro bono legal work.  Organized by Los Angeles-based nonprofit law firm Bet Tzedek Legal Services, the HSJN is an international initiative established to assist Holocaust survivors in obtaining reparation payments under a program established by the German government.

Perkins Coie is pleased to announce it has been recommended in the 2009 edition of The Legal 500 United States for its product liability litigation, media and technology, and mergers and acquisitions practices.

Perkins Coie Partner Sherilyn Peterson received the President’s Award recognizing her outstanding service to the criminal defense bar for her work in a pro bono case to stop the execution of Darold Stenson by challenging the constitutionality of how lethal injection is carried out in Washington. Peterson is the lead for the Perkins Coie team which has put in over 3000 pro bono hours and, as stated by a colleague, whose commitment has been “phenomenal” and spirit “admirable.”

Perkins Coie has announced that it has moved its Boise office to the Boise Plaza. With this move, the firm will now be located in central downtown Boise, bringing additional conveniences and services to its clients.

Perkins Coie Privacy & Security attorneys Tom Bell, Susan Lyon and Brian Flock recently gave a seminar on “Critical Legal Questions for Companies Participating in Social Media.” The program, which was covered in an article published by Olympia Business Watch, was designed to help make sense of the social media phenomenon from a business perspective, and included practical suggestions for making the most of the various social media while still protecting your business.

Perkins Coie proudly announces that once again it has been ranked by Chambers & Partners, publishers of Chambers USA: America's Leading Lawyers for Business, as a top law firm in the United States.  Perkins Coie was recognized in the annual directory as a leader, having obtained Band 1 placement in 14 practice areas with top rankings in eight key markets across the country, including Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Illinois, Oregon and Washington.

Perkins Coie is pleased to announce that it has been named a recipient of the "2008 CSC® Trademark Insider ® Award." The award, issued annually by Trademark Insider ® magazine, recognizes the outstanding achievements of law firms in the trademark industry. The top law firms are recognized on a national and regional basis. Perkins Coie ranked #12 nationally and #1 in the Seattle market.

Esquire magazine profiles Perkins Coie lawyer Howard Cabot relating to work in representing Guantanamo detainee Noor Uthman Muhammed.

Partner Barry Reingold and associate Ryan Mrazik, members of the Privacy and Security practice group, co-authored "Cloud Computing: The Intersection of Massive Scalability, Data Security and Privacy" published in this month's edition of Cyberspace Lawyer. The article is the first in a three-part series examining the market and legal perspectives on cloud computing and its technological and business capabilities, privacy and data security concerns, legal issues, and recent developments.

Perkins Coie Hotels & Leisure Partner David Neff weighed in on the acquisition of the Greenbrier hotel in a recent post by a HotelNewsNow.com blogger. The Greenbrier Hotel Corporation planned to sell their historical West Virginia property to Marriott when a local businessman, James Justice, swooped in and bought the asset. The deal left many wondering how a bidder, with no experience in the industry, was able to sidestep an established hotel giant and bypass normal bankruptcy proceedings. Justice skirted Marriott’s agreement and the usual bankruptcy proceedings by purchasing stock from the holding company that owns the Greenbrier Hotel Corporation. ”I thought Justice’s strategy to go straight to the owner of the equity was a very smart strategy—one that doesn’t occur frequently,” Neff was quoted as saying.

A recent triumph for Perkins Coie lawyers Leota Bates, Joseph Cutler, David Chiappetta and Jim McCullagh was highlighted in an article published by the Bureau of National Affairs in its Electronic Commerce & Law Report.

The FTC is working to update its "Guide Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising," which would encompass various forms of electronic and viral marketing, such as blogs and message boards, and impose new expectations for marketing in traditional media as well. Under the proposed revisions, the FTC prods advertisers to disclose material connections between themselves and their endorser.

Stewart Landefeld was recently interviewed on his experience serving as Interim Chief Legal Officer for Washington Mutual. Landefeld was recruited by WaMu, a long-time client of Perkins Coie, in December of 2007 to help with the search for a permanent CLO, manage a 200-person law department, and advise the Board and senior management on developing financial institution issues. “I was excited about the possibility of helping a leading U.S. retail financial institution at a critical time,” said Landefeld.

Perkins Coie Partner Harry Schneider has been selected to receive the American Inns of Court's 2009 Professionalism Award for the Ninth Circuit. The award is presented to honor a senior practicing judge or lawyer whose life and practice display sterling character and unquestioned integrity, coupled with ongoing dedication to the highest standards of the legal profession.

Tom Bell and Susan Lyon were panelists at the first ever Perkins Madrona Twitter Conference, The Role of Twitter in Your Business. The event gathered a group of lawyers, entrepreneurs and venture capitalists to discuss new ideas and the business issues facing companies in an age of instant communication and feedback. Susan covered privacy and data security issues and Tom spoke about other legal risks that arise when a company participates in social media.

Perkins Coie is pleased to announce Sue J. Stott has joined the firm’s Labor & Employment practice as a partner.  She will be based in the firm’s San Francisco office.

Perkins Coie Partner David Neff is featured on HotelNewsNow.com in a video interview conducted at the "Distressed Hotel Symposium." In the interview, Neff discusses what hotel owners need to know before approaching lenders, and what proactive steps they can take during these tough economic times.

Associate Ryan Mrazik, a member of the Privacy and Security practice group and current Internet Law Fellow, has written the Canadian Privacy Law Review article "Canadian Privacy Commissioner Invites Responses to Report Concluding That Privacy Law Covers Second Life." The article originally appeared on Digestible Law, the firm's Internet Law blog, and examines privacy concerns raised by Second Life and other online games.

Perkins Coie has launched its newest blog, www.patentlawinsights.com. The blog is dedicated to sharing the latest news and developments in patent law for the computer software and hardware industries.

In big and small screen thrillers law enforcement is able to track you via your cell phone signal in seconds flat. But how real is that capability and what privacy safeguards are in place when everyone’s got a cell phone? In an interview featured on the NPR program On The Media, Perkins Coie Privacy Partner Al Gidari explains how your cell phone signal may know you better then you know yourself.

Perkins Coie has launched its newest blog, www.financialserviceslitigationmonitor.com, which is dedicated to providing clients and other financial service companies with updates about the latest litigation and government enforcement developments impacting the industry. Contributors to the blog include attorneys from the firm's Financial Services Litigation & Investigations group.

Perkins Coie lawyers Carol Smoots, Glenn Benson, and Nidhi Thakar scored a major victory on May 6 in a complex and hard-fought case before the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) involving whether entities engaged solely in financial trading of electric energy should be made responsible for costs associated with ensuring there is an adequate supply of power on the electric grid in the Midwest at all times.

A bankruptcy-remote entity is a legal entity (usually a limited liability company) that only owns one property, has a board of directors that includes at least one member who’s entirely independent of the owners and has bylaws that require unanimous consent to file or consent to a bankruptcy petition, explains Chicago Partner David Neff in the HotelNewsNow.com article “Bankrupting the Bankruptcy-Remote Entity." Since the mid-1990s, many lenders have required hotel owners establish so-called bankruptcy-remote entities to hold legal title to their hotels as a condition of obtaining loans.

In a recent press release, Oregon Women Lawyers ("OWLS") announced its new officers and board members for 2009-2010. Perkins Coie Associate, Gwyn McAlpine, will be sharing the role of president with Heather Van Meter, attorney at Williams Kastner. McAlpine previously served as co-vice president and treasurer of OWLS. Van Meter previously served as co-vice president and secretary. With over 1300 members around the state, Oregon Women Lawyers' mission is to transform the practice of law and ensure justice and equality by advancing women and minorities in the legal profession. OWLS is the third largest bar organization in the state of Oregon.

As Founder and Chairman of The Council of Goodness, Perkins Coie Associate Brian Hennessy works tirelessly to provide a better life for underprivileged and at-risk youth throughout the Bay Area. It was during Hennessy’s fight with cancer that he decided to found two non-profit corporations; successfully raising hundreds of thousands of dollars both by fundraising and giving his own personal money. He also spends thousands of hours personally mentoring his at-risk and underprivileged mentees. Hennessy’s extraordinary efforts were recognized in a recent article entitled "Attorney fights the odd to fight for others." "They say that when a desire in a person reaches a certain point, their soul guides them to find out who they are," Hennessy was quoted saying in the The Daily Journal article. "I found that my life was going to be a life of sacrifice."

Recently the popular online advertising site, Craigslist was in the spotlight after a medical student was accused of killing a Boston masseuse who advertised on the site. Law.com bloggers and co-hosts Bob Ambrogi and J. Craig Williams interviewed Perkins Coie Partner Ed Wes, Outside Counsel for Craigslist, and David Ardia, fellow at the Berkman Center and director of the Citizen Media Law Project, to talk about regulations on online advertising sites and what is being done to monitor illegal activity on these sites.

Perkins Coie is proud to announce it has been named one of the Best Places to Work in the San Francisco Bay Area 2009 by the San Francisco Business Times.

As venture capital investment declines, California is trying to access some of the $83 billion for clean-tech businesses provided by the American Recovery Act. Clean-tech companies are anxious to find out how money from the stimulus package will impact their industries, but it is not clear yet how funds will be distributed, especially for early-stage companies said Partner Buddy Arnheim in a recent California Real Estate Journal article. "It's really exciting that the [Obama] administration has come out with a stronger focus on increasing our clean-tech investments," Arnheim said.

Jeff Miller, of counsel in Seattle, was interviewed for a recent Inside Counsel article, "Tough Calls: Drawing the line on ethical decisions can be tricky for in-house counsel."

Pravin Rao was quoted extensively in a recent National Law Journal article on defending fraud allegations labeled a Ponzi scheme by prosecutors. The first thing the defense should question is whether it truly is a Ponzi scheme, Rao said. "I think the defense wants to work away from the stigma of Ponzi right now. The second step is to unravel the finances, because they can be so document-intensive. If you're talking about multiple accounts and foreign accounts, there may be no other way as a defense attorney but to hire a forensic accountant."

Proposed legislation that would mandate storage of IP address and other information by ISPs may aid law enforcement but would open up ISPs to more civil discovery demands by those seeking to enforce intellectual property rights like the music industry or even in divorce cases when a spouse seeks to show the viewing habits of the other spouse.  ISPs also have their own interest in using the data for advertising and network monitoring purposes.  Gidari discussed the history of the laws that give ISPs broad rights to use the data, and the privacy risks associated with those uses.

Perkins Coie is proud to announce it has been ranked among the top 10 "Best Places to Work in Idaho" by the nationally recognized marketing research firm POPULUS, in conjunction with The Idaho Business Review.

Perkins Coie is pleased to announce that David Black and Craig M.J. Allely have joined its Denver office as Partners in its national Product Liability practice.

Joel Levin recently appeared on CNN to provide legal analysis on the indictment of former Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich.

Joel Levin recently appeared on ABC World News to provide legal analysis on the indictment of former Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich.

Joel Levin was a featured guest during a segment on ABC 7 News on the indictment of former Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich.

Perkins Coie is proud to announce it was ranked #1 in diversity efforts among other law firms surveyed by the Minority Bar Association of Washington Joint Committee on Law Firm Diversity in their recent Law Firm Diversity Report.

Though it is not a complete divergence from its IT eminence, IBM is taking on a new focus in water management and the utilities consulting service industry. The consulting service will help government organizations analyze energy and water use, while several new technologies will give the company an advantage in water management. There are three fundamental drivers to IBM’s strategy, Cleantech Practice Co-Chair Tom Lindley contributed to a recent TechNewsWorld article. He went on to attribute climate change, population growth, and the cost of energy as the main motivators for the company’s new endeavors.

Prosecutors of Bernard Madoff submitted an intent to file a criminal information earlier this month which is usually an indication that settlement negotiations are in an advanced stage said Partner Pravin Rao in a recent Law360 article. The government usually does this when a grand jury indictment would be a waste of time and money. But, "Madoff could still go to trial," cautioned Rao, "People change their minds, and then you’re stuck in a trial two years from now."

Perkins Coie has elected local attorney Erick J. Haynie to its partnership. Haynie is now a partner in the firm's litigation group and concentrates his practice in the areas of general commercial litigation, real estate and contract litigation. Haynie is based out of the Portland office and has tried numerous commercial disputes for many Northwest businesses and individuals. Haynie focuses his practice in Hood River, Wasco, and Multnomah Counties.

Over the past 15 years, much of the growth in the number of hotel transactions and refinancings were from commercial mortgage-backed securities financings. But, the current economy has sent the hotel industry in to a tailspin and many are looking at what can be done to restructure these distressed financings, or how to purchase them. Perkins Coie Hotels & Leisure Co-Chair David Neff authored a HotelNewsNow.com article giving a general overview on the basics of distressed commercial mortgage-backed securities and what can and cannot be done.

Perkins Coie's Chicago office is proud to announce that it has been named by Crain's Chicago Business magazine as one of the top 20 "Best Places to Work" in Chicago for the second year in a row. The full list of featured companies and the related stories appear in the March 2nd issue of Crain's Chicago Business or can be accessed online on Crain's website.

The recent U.S. Supreme Court decision in the case Carcieri v. Salazar held that the 1934 Indian Reorganization Act applied only to tribes recognized by the federal government at the time the law was enacted, thus limiting the authority of the federal government to transfer land in trust for the benefit of Indian tribes. The case revolved around 31 acres of Rhode Island land which the Narragansett Indian Tribe wanted to put into a federal trust. Perkins Coie Partner Guy Martin contributed to a recent ABA Journal article on the decision saying that it could affect "dozens and dozens" of tribes that were not recognized in the 1934 act.

U.S. District Judge Milton Shadur has received backlash for sentencing former alderman Edward Vrdolyak, who pleaded guilty to scheming with a corrupt trustee of Rosalind Franklin University on a devious real estate transaction, to probation in lieu of jail time. Vrdolyak’s so called “slap on the wrist” surprised many and has had some questioning Shadur’s judgment. “He obviously showed here he doesn’t always agree with the government,” former prosecuting attorney and Perkins Coie Of Counsel Joel Levin was quoted saying in a recent Chicago Tribune article. “[Shadur] will do what he thinks is legally right and let the chips fall where they may.”

Partner Albert Gidari was quoted this week in a CNET article on lawmakers' efforts to require Internet service providers and operators of Wi-Fi access points to keep records about users for two years to aid police investigations.

Perkins Coie is pleased to announce that Bill Pedersen has joined its Washington, D.C. office as Of Counsel in the firm's Environment, Energy & Resources practice.

Perkins Coie is pleased to announce it has launched a new Financial Services Litigation & Investigations practice to help financial services companies respond to the severe business and legal challenges resulting from the economic crisis.

Rod Blagojevich’s close confidant Christopher Kelly was issued another federal indictment for money laundering and fraud charges as a result of an alleged bid-rigging scheme to overcharge American Airlines and United Airlines for roofing work at O’Hare International Airport. Despite the mounting charges, Kelly is refusing to cooperate with the investigation of Blagojevich. “It just stands to reason that the higher penalties you’re facing, it just increases the incentive [to cooperate]. Obviously, there are some people who dig their heels in,” said former prosecutor and current Perkins Coie Investigations & White Collar Defense lawyer Joel Levin in the recent Daily Herald article “Blago confidant gets another federal indictment.”

Perkins Coie announced that Naoki Kawada has joined the firm as a partner in its national Business practice. He will be based in the firm's Los Angeles office, though he will travel frequently to Japan and Orange County where many of his clients are located.

Chicago Partner Joel Levin was recently quoted in an article reviewing the likely legal strategy defense lawyers for baseball legend Barry Bonds will use in his perjury and obstruction of justice case. In the article, "Excluding drug test results key to Bonds legal strategy," Levin, noted that judges usually leave it up to jurors to assess the value of evidence like the lab results and doping calendars prosecutors would like to introduce at trial. Levin was once the chief of the Criminal Division for the Northern District of California, the same court prosecuting Bonds.

A group of corporate finance lawyers at Perkins Coie LLP are releasing The Initial Public Offering Handbook, a comprehensive guide to preparing for an IPO.  While the authors acknowledge that the timing of the book launch seems inopportune during the current IPO drought, they note that IPOs remain an important long-term strategy for many companies, and that the IPO market, when it rebounds, will favor the prepared.

Perkins Coie's Chicago office was featured in the Chicago Lawyer article "Setting up Shop: Out-of-town firms open shop in Chicago." The Chicago office, which opened its doors just six years ago, has grown to nearly 80 lawyers today. "The most important thing is to recruit lawyers who are committed to building the office and raising the profile of the firm," said Office Managing Partner Chris Wilson. "We did not merge with any firms. We wanted to create our own identity and our own firm culture and not adopt someone else’s."

Perkins Coie Partner Ted Chung commented, in two recent Business Insurance articles, on the trial of five former General Re Corp. executives for the fraud of a $500 million reinsurance deal. In the trial, prosecutors must present a single coherent theory in making their case, said Chung in the article “Testimony Begins in Gen Re Finite Trial,” but the defense may offer a variety of competing theories that may be plausible enough for reasonable doubt. The multiple defenses, Chang said in the subsequent article “Credibility of Witness Attacked by Defense,” “…[are] not necessarily a problem as long as the individual defenses are not completely incompatible with each other.”

Joel Levin was a featured guest during a segment on Canadian TV News on the impeachment of Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich.

Joel Levin was one of the featured guests during a segment on CBS 2 Chicago on whether Illinois Governor Blagojevich's PR blitz will have an impact on a federal trial.

In light of the potential risks and pitfalls associated with monitoring applicant or employee blogs and social networking sites, employers should initially consider whether the benefits of information derived from these sources are worth the potential liability, advises Perkins Coie labor and employment lawyers Vickie Wallen and Brian Flock in a recent Employment Law360 article, "Social Networking Sites Pose Risk For Employers."    

Anxious to pick up clients left behind by the Satyam scandal, many IT service vendors may be more open to the "build, operate, transfer" (BOT) model predicts Perkins Coie Partner Shaalu Mehra in a recent interview for the InformationWeek article "Satyam’s Crisis will Spawn New Outsourcing Models." Most Large vendors have had a long adversity to the model, "But there will be a re-emergence of [BOT] in the wake of Satyam," Mehra was quoted.

Unreliable audits resulting from Satyam’s internal control failures could make U.S. companies uneasy about their own internal financial reporting controls. Perkins Coie Partner and India practice Chair Shaalu Mehra commented on the flawed audits in a recent Compliance Week article titled “Satyam Scandal Raises Questions on Vendors.” "We know now the audits performed for Satyam can’t be relied on,” Mehra said. “Presumably what happened at Satyam was a failure of internal control. That raises a question about whether its SAS 70 reports can be relied on by customers.”

Two PricewaterhouseCooper auditors, accused by former Satyam executives for falsifying the company’s accounts, were recently arrested for their alleged involvement in the $1 billion scandal. "I don’t know what to make of the arrests," said Perkins Coie Licensing & Technology Partner Shaalu Mehra in the Financial Week article "Doubt Cast on Satyam Execs’ Accusations Against PWC." Former Satyam chairman Messrs Raju’s public statements have been less than credible to many observers, and his confession to falsifying bank statements have left some dubious as well. "He may have confessed to the lesser crime" in hopes of gaining leniency, said Mehra.

Gov. Blagojevich’s high-profile interviews may have a huge reprisal because any statement the governor makes about his case could be used against him by prosecutors. But it isn’t a two way street, says Perkins Coie Investigations & White Collar Defense Partner Joel Levin in the recent Chicago Sun-Times article “Blagojevich media blitz 'a horrible, horrible idea’.” Blagojevich’s lawyers can’t play the proclamations of innocence to jurors, said Levin.

Associate Miriam D'Jaen, member of the Privacy and Security practice group, has authored the E-Commerce Law & Policy article "Global Initiative to Protect Net Privacy and Freedoms Launched." The article discusses the impact of the Global Network Initiative, which was recently launched by Microsoft, Google, and Yahoo! and aims to promote online freedom of expression and privacy by setting forth standards for technology and communications companies operating in Internet-restricting countries.

Bob Bauer, Perkins Coie Political Law Partner and General Counsel to the Obama campaign, was featured in the New York Times’ Special Inauguration Issue in a segment titled “Obama’s People,” exhibiting 52 portraits of Barack Obama’s top advisers, aides and members of his incoming administration.

Given the current state of the economy, many in the hotel industry are wondering when the expected wave bankruptcy cases will hit, but the industry has not yet reached the stage where negotiations between the hotel owner and lender have failed says Chicago Partner David Neff in his HotelNewsNow.com article “Where Have all the Bankruptcies Gone?” The hotel industry has only recently seen a decline, consequently most hotel owners have not yet needed to engage in mortgage workout negotiations with their lenders.

For the seventh consecutive year, Perkins Coie is proud to announce that it has been named to FORTUNE Magazine's list of "The 100 Best Places to Work For."  Only five law firms appear on the 2009 list, and only Perkins Coie and two other law firms have been included for the past seven years.

Perkins Coie announced that Forrest Hunter has joined its Labor & Employment practice as Of Counsel. He practices in the firm's Boise office, focusing on the representation of management in labor and employment matters.

Ramalinga Raju, Founder and Chairman of Satyam Computer Services, recently admitted to inflating the company’s earnings and assets by 94%. Licensing & Technology Partner Shaalu Mehra was quoted a Corporate Leader Daily article entitled "Pernicious Effects," discussing the potential damages of the recent $1 billion scam. "There are all manner of implications," said Mehra, "Some good things may come out of this over the long-term, but discounting what might be a disproportionate reaction, expect some short-term upheaval."

In the last hearing of a Guantanamo detainee under the Bush administration, NIMJ reports on the arraignment of Perkins Coie detainee client Noor Uthman Muhammed.

Founder and Chairman of Satyam Computer Services Ramalinga Raju’s $1 Billion margin inflation scandal will likely affect customers of Satyam as well as those outsourcing to other companies, predicts Licensing & Technology Partner Shaalu Mehra in his article "Opinion: The Satyam fraud has ramifications for outsourcers." Mehra goes on to highlight 6 issues which could result from the scandal in his Computer World Management article.

Pravin Rao recently appeared on Bloomberg television to provide legal analysis on whether Madoff will remain free on $10 million bail.

Partner Tom Bell and Of Counsel Susan Lyon, both members of Perkins Coie's Privacy & Security and E-Commerce practices, authored the Digital Transactions article "Prior to Data Loss, Check That Contract" summarizing the risks and costs of a security breach involving a third party service provider.

Perkins Coie represented client Facebook, Inc., in suing Power Ventures Inc., a company that operates a website that allows users to aggregate and view information from multiple social network websites. According to the complaint and as reported in Law 360 and other media this week, Power.com asks visitors to provide their Facebook user names and passwords in order to "integrate" their Facebook account into defendant’s Web site.

Many oil and gas companies are looking to diversify their investments with renewable energy resources, but they should do so with careful consideration of potential opportunities and risks cautions Glenn Benson in his Oil & Gas Financial Journal article "Buying into Renewable Energy." The profitability of these investments rely on a number of factors and are currently under a body of many laws and regulations.

Perkins Coie has announced that 17 attorneys have been named partner or of counsel effective January 1, 2009.

Perkins Coie Partner Bob Bauer and his wife Anita Dunn were featured in the Newsweek segment “Know Your Power Couples” as one of the world’s top ten power couples. Both Bauer, as lead counsel, and Dunn, as one of the top political consultants, made a huge contribution in the success of the Obama campaign, earning them a spot among the nine other well-known, high-powered couples. Bauer and Dunn can be viewed on slide 6 of the Newsweek segment.

In September, the Department of Justice issued a report dealing with single-firm conduct under antitrust laws. Geraldine Alexis, Troy Sauro, and Mamta Ahluwalia, attorneys in the  Perkins Coie San Francisco office, authored an article published in Antitrust Magazine titled “The Department of Justice’s Report on Single Firm Conduct: What Influence Will It Have?” The article discussed possible effects the release of the report could have on the future antitrust jurisprudence. 

Though most fraud experts aren’t convinced, Bernard Madoff, a money manager recently charged with fraud, claims that he was alone in his complex $50 billion scheme. Among those under suspicion as accomplices are Madoff’s brother, two sons and niece, who all worked at his securities firm. However, Investigations & White Collar Partner Pravin Rao opinions that the suspected accomplices “may not necessarily have known,” as was quoted in the Reuters article “Claim Madoff Acted Alone Meets Skepticism.” “Sometimes family members are shielded from the fraud in a perverse way of protecting them,” said Rao.

The Department of Justice (DOJ) recently issued a Business Review Letter stating they presently have no intentions of challenging RFID Consortium in the proposed joint licensing of patents. Of Counsel Marta Miyar Palacios authored an article published in The Antitrust Counselor titled "Department of Justice says it will not Challenge Joint Patent Licensing Arrangement," breaking down the proposed patent arrangement and the DOJ’s analysis of the patent pool.

Joel Levin recently appeared on CNN to provide legal analysis on the government's public corruption case against Governor Blagojevich and discussed possible defense strategies.

Partner Albert Gidari was quoted in the January 2009 cover story in Popular Mechanics, "When Hackers Attack: Practicing Cybersecurity at Home." The article describes how the increasing use of digital tools is leaving consumers vulnerable to privacy and data security breaches.

Partner Evelyn Cruz Sroufe was quoted in the December 15 news article in Law360, "Buyout Troubles Capped by Huntsman-Hexion Failure." The article discusses the high profile failure of a $6.5 billion merger between Huntsman Corp and Hexion Specialty Chemicals and further examines how current economic conditions, especially the credit crisis, are adversely affecting the M&A market in general.

Joel Levin Provided Commentary to CNN on the Arrest of Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich on Federal Corruption Charges.

Chicago Of Counsel Joel Levin was quoted in the recent New York Times article "Fond Ties Have Grown Between Chicago and Its Corruption Fighter." The article commended Levin’s former colleague, Patrick J. Fitzgerald, for his unremitting efforts in the investigation and prosecution of corrupt government officials. "He’s a relentless investigator," said Levin, "He leaves no stone unturned."

Perkins Coie presented the seminar "Navigating Troubled Times in the Hotel Industry," at the Fairmont Chicago, to address the extreme downturn as it impacts the hotel industry and to provide practical advice and solutions. Partner Phil Gordon served as program chair and was accompanied by fellow Perkins Coie Partners Daniel Marre, David Neff and Alexandra Cole who presented on the topics "Managing Hotels in a Down Economy," "Dealing With Lenders," and "Profiting in a Downturn: Acquisition and Disposition Strategies," respectively. The event was covered by Hotel Magazine and HotelNewsNow.com.

Condos are likely to take a harder hit than traditional hotels in the economic downturn, Partner David Neff predicts in his most recent HotelNewsNow.com article "The Death of a Condo." Condos have hundreds of owners of individual hotel rooms in addition to the developers who own the public spacing making the default on mortgages more complicated and the consequences more detrimental.

An Associated Press article entitled "Veteran lawyers battle in Minn. Senate recount" offers a brief profile of the candidates' lawyers in the six-month battle for the Minnesota Senate seat.  Perkins Coie partner Marc Elias served as the lead lawyer for Al Franken.  Noting the ever increasing presence of lawyers in election contests since 2000, Elias stated "The two sides politically for the first time really saw the role of laywers as a way to engage in political combat."

Fifteen low-level officers of the Harvey Illinois Police Department were recently arrested and charged for assisting in a dozen south suburban drug deals. Joel Levin, Of Counsel in the Investigations & White Collar Defense Practice and former U.S. Attorney, commented on the arrests in the South Town Star article, “'Get some flippers': Corrupt cops could lead to kingpins.”

Despite the credit crisis, equity investors are still looking for partial ownership in renewable-energy projects because of the investments’ generous tax breaks. Firms with expertise on financing these projects are benefiting by matching interested investors to promising renewable-energy entrepreneurs. "The credit crisis has implications in that people are more cautious, but we are seeing continued investment in solar, wind and wave energy," The National Law Journal quoted Buddy Arnheim, Perkins Coie Emerging Company chair, in a recent article titled "Renewable Energy Fuels Finance Boom."

Perkins Coie was recently featured in a Petroleum News article entitled "AK-WA Connection 2008: Law firm excels for clients and employees." The article recognized Perkins Coie’s long-time contribution to Alaska through its superior legal services in energy, environmental, natural resources, project permitting, and development in various industries including mining, oil and gas, and timber.

Marc Elias was recently interviewed by The Wall Street Journal on the recount between his client Al Franken and opposing candidate Norm Coleman for the Minnesota senatorial race. Even though it has entailed only two legal suits, the recount is still a major project given that Minnesota ballots are counted by hand, “It’s a monumental undertaking,” said Elias, “There are 110 counting sites and multiple tables at each site.”

The Obama administration has promised more regulation and increased enforcement actions on many sectors, including environmental. Tom Lindley, Partner and Environment, Energy & Resources Chair, remarked on the increase in the Law360 article "Teamwork, Turf Wars for State AGs Under Obama."

Senior Counsel Karl Ege of Perkins Coie's Corporate Governance & Transactions practice led a meeting in Hanoi between the Russell 20-20 Association and Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung of Vietnam in an effort to strengthen trade and investment between Vietnam and the United States.

Perkins Coie Diversity Committee hosted "An Insightful Evening with Bob Bauer" at Busboys & Poets Restaurant in Washington D.C last Thursday evening. Special guest Bob Bauer, Perkins Coie Political Law Partner and General Counsel for Obama for America, recounted lessons learned on the campaign trail and how the Voter Protection Program fared on Election Day. The event was covered by Legal Bisnow.

Partner Don Friedman was quoted in the Law360 article "10th Circ. To Hear Case on Guns at Work," which discusses a controversial appellate case brought by a group of Oklahoma employers. The case is based on a claim that the state’s guns-in-workplace statutes run contrary to maintaining workplace safety.

Partner David Neff authored the Hotel & Motel Management article "Acquiring Loans Takes Careful Consideration." Though today’s economy might make a loan acquisition for a desired hotel appealing, the article discusses the potential pitfalls when conducting these transactions.

The California Israel Chamber of Commerce (CICC) coordinated its first annual cleantech tour, bringing 12 selected Israeli Clean Technology companies to the Silicon Valley to participate in a delegation to meet with industry leaders, investment firms and utility giants. The four-day tour wrapped up yesterday, November 13th.

In the aftermath of Wall Street, angry taxpayers and investors are looking for someone to blame. Consequently, federal and state investigators are eager to find the culprits. Chicago Partner Pravin Rao commented on this head hunt for the Wall Street wrongdoers in the BusinessWeek article “Who Crossed the Line on the Street?” CEOs, directors, and other highly paid managers are likely targets because, "People want the most visible faces of these companies to pay," said Rao.

In the recent Law360 article “Climate Change Could Shape Obama EPA Policies,” Perkins Coie Partner Guy Martin commented on what environmental issues will likely be the focus for policies in the new Obama administration.

In a growing number of states, an employer cannot bar its employees from bringing guns to work and leaving them in their cars. Compliance puts a company at risk of violating its obligation to protect its employees, while noncompliance subjects the company to civil or criminal penalties, or both. In this article published by Workforce Management, Perkins Coie attorneys Donald Friedman and John Roche examine the laws and steps employers can take to ensure safe workplaces.

Congress and the Defense Department recently took contradicting positions as to whether the conduct of military interrogations performed under the direction and control of the Defense Department is an inherently governmental function that cannot be performed by contractors. D.C. office partners Donald Carney and Hartmann Young, and associate Maggie Croteau authored a Legal Times article titled “Signaling No to Interrogation by Contractor,” that examined the opposing positions of Congress and the Defense Department and the need to resolve the resulting uncertainty.

Perkins Coie today announced that it has advised craigslist in the implementation of sweeping new measures to prevent its online communities and classified ads from being misused for the facilitation of human trafficking, child exploitation, and other illegal activities.

Partner Gerry Alexis and Of Counsel Marta Palacios authored the Law360 article "American Needle and Extended Antitrust Immunity." The article discussed the recent case American Needle, Inc. v. National Football League and the implications of the case's reasoning for antitrust liability of joint ventures among competitors.

Perkins Coie recently hosted a delegation of 12 Israeli telecommunications companies in an unprecedented meet-and-greet with leading U.S. communications giants to discuss how the companies may work together on future projects.

Chicago Partner Phil Gordon was quoted in a Hotel & Motel Management article discussing how the recent $700 billion bailout plan may affect the commercial real estate industry. Though the plan is more focused on freeing up lending for the residential market, Gordon feels "...it can only be helpful for the hotel business."

Pravin Rao, Litigation partner in Chicago, was one of four attorneys featured in a Compliance Week article "Case Studies: When the SEC Comes Knocking" that examined five common mistakes companies make when they are the center of a Securities and Exchange Commission probe.

Chicago Partner Pravin Rao was quoted throughout an Inside Counsel article titled "Flagrant Fraud." The article discussed the convictions and sentences of Berkeley Pharmaceutical executives, Steven Warshak and Paul Kellogg, which stemmed from a long list of misdeeds including conspiracy, obstruction of justice, mail fraud, band fraud and money laundering.

Perkins Coie is proud to announce that 116 of its attorneys across the country were selected for inclusion in the 2009 edition of Best Lawyers of America.

Perkins Coie Partner Rob Aldisert has been appointed the new managing partner for the international law firm's Portland office. Aldisert is a partner in the firm's 300+ attorney litigation practice and has been practicing with the firm for 15 years. Aldisert's practice focuses on the trial and litigation of business and product liability cases in the federal and state courts of Oregon, California and Washington.

United States District Court Senior Judge James T. Moody set the State of Indiana's groundbreaking civil Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organization (RICO) lawsuit for trial on January 19, 2009. Indiana Attorney General Steve Carter brought the RICO lawsuit on behalf of the State of Indiana and the City of East Chicago.

Partner David Neff authored the HotelNewsNow.com article "David Neff: Downturn Creates Opportunities." The article discusses how different players in the hotel industry, including potential and current owners, management, brokers and consultants, may be able to benefit from the recent government bailout.

Perkins Coie announced today that 13 attorneys from the former Heller Ehrman Madison, Wisconsin, office have joined the firm. The group, mainly comprised of patent litigators, adds significant depth to the firm's growing national litigation practice.

Chicago Partner Pravin Rao was quoted in the National Law Journal Article "Subprime Mortgage Lenders not Popular with Potential Jurors." The article was based on a recent survey which found that nearly 90% of the jury eligible respondents believed subprime lenders abandoned sound lending practices.

Chicago Partner Pravin Rao was quoted in the Reuters article "Lifting the Lid: Wall Street Probes Target Complex Securities." The article discussed the recent financial industry meltdown and the string of executive investigations and prosecutions that have followed.

Perkins Coie Real Estate Partner Karen Samuels Jones has been named President-Elect 2009 of CREW Denver. She will take her post as president of the organization in 2010.

Environmental & Natural Resource Chair Tom Lindley was quoted in the recent Law360 article, "Exxon, Chevron Top Targets for Environmental Suits." The article named Exxon Mobil as the number one corporate defendant in environmental lawsuits for the past five years. And, in Lindley’s opinion, there will be a likely increase in this type of litigation for the next few years.

Jumeirah, the Dubai-based luxury international hospitality management group and a member of Dubai Holding, has been appointed to manage a luxury multi-use resort occupying the entire western tip of St. Thomas, one of the US Virgin Islands.

Chicago partner David Neff was quoted in the Bloomberg.com article "AIG’s $16 Billion in Real Estate May be Cash Source (Update2)." The article covers the real estate holdings AIG may be looking to sell for the repayment of an $85 billion federal loan.

Chicago Partner Pravin Rao was a featured guest during a segment on Canadian TV News on the crisis in the credit markets and related federal investigations of U.S. financial institutions.

On September 23, 2008, Fred Rivera presented a workshop entitled "Conducting Effective Internal Investigations" at the 2008 Annual Ethics & Compliance Officers Association in Orlando, FL.

Chicago Partner Phil Gordon was featured throughout a Lodging Hospitality article, “Bailout Plan Could Help Industry.” In the article, Gordon discourages hotel owners from refinancing now, but is optimistic about what the $700 billion bailout plan could do to make financing more available in a few months.

Partner Shaalu Mehra spoke at Linux World 2008 on the legal implications of adopting the GPL with an organization and legal matters that are important to all open source software developers.

As has been widely reported in the press, Perkins Coie has been representing Salim Ahmed Hamdan, Osama bin Laden's personal driver, on a pro bono basis since February of 2004.

Chicago Partner David Neff authored the HotelNewsNow.com article "David Neff: Diligence in Troubled Times."

In the Washington Times yesterday, the firm was featured in an article titled the "Mother of all Incentives." The piece featured the firm's commitment to provide incentives and a working environment designed to attract and retain the best female lawyers.

Chicago Partner Mindy Sherman was quoted in a Midwest Real Estate News article "Working Through a Cautious Market."

Perkins Coie LLP is pleased to announce that it has been named one of the 2008 Top Ten Family Friendly Firms by Yale Law Women.

Perkins Coie announced today that Joel R. Levin has joined its Chicago office as Of Counsel in the firm's national Investigations & White Collar Defense practice.

Perkins Coie announces that Bradford Keithley has joined the firm as a partner in its national Environment, Energy & Resources practice. He will focus on oil and gas issues, practicing in the firm's Anchorage and Washington, D.C. offices.

On September 5, Seattle Partner Fred Rivera spoke at the 33rd Annual Hispanic National Bar Association Convention on a panel dealing with the subprime lending crises.

Karl Ege, Senior Counsel in the Seattle office, became the Chair of the 60,000 member Business Law Section of the American Bar Association (ABA) during the recent ABA Annual Meeting in New York City.

Perkins Coie LLP is proud to announce that it has earned the top rating of 100 percent in the 2009 Corporate Equality Index (CEI), an annual survey administered by the Human Rights Campaign Foundation.

Under the Thompson Memo, an outline of more stringent guidelines for criminally charging corporations, the degree to which a company cooperated with an investigation was a deciding factor in whether to indict. Bar and civil liberties groups as well as corporations and defense lawyers objected to the memo, "You had years and years of corporate scandal. People in a position to affect policy reacted, and rightfully so,” said Perkins Coie Partner and former U.S. Attorney Ted Chung, in the recent Inside Counsel article “Push Back: Recent history of white-collar crime teaches corporate America a lesson." "It's just that in the implementation and enforcement of it, there was an overreaction."

Chicago Partner Debra Bernard and Washington D.C. Partner Mary Rose Hughes recently authored an article published in the National Law Journal  titled “Much Ado about Text Searching: Two Recent Cases Teach That Methodology Used Must be Well Defined.”

Portland associate Gwyneth McAlpine was the focus of a recent AM Law Daily article titled “Off the Clock: What Floats Her Boat.” The article highlighted her participation on the Oregon Women Lawyer’s dragon boat racing team The Dragonflies.

Gilbert P. Hyatt, a Nevada inventor, scientist and engineer with more than 70 patents from the United States Patent & Trademark Office to his credit, was awarded more than $388 million by a Nevada jury against the Franchise Tax Board of the State of California.

Bob Bauer is mentioned in a Wall Street Journal article titled "Voter Registration is the New Battleground."

Perkins Coie announced today that it has been named one of the "2008 Best Law Firms for Women" by Working Mother magazine and national consulting firm Flex-Time Lawyers LLC. The firm was recognized for its commitment to the retention and advancement of women.

Bob Bauer's role in galvanizing lawyers, law students and other legal professionals to volunteer for the Obama Voter Protection Program was the subject of a recent article in the Legal Times.

Chicago office attorneys Debra Bernard and Brandy McMillion successfully persuaded an Immigration Court Judge to grant their client, EK, political asylum.

Portland Of Counsel Chris Rich was featured in The Oregonian article “Coffee Break: Chris Rich.” The article focused on his forecast of environmental policies in the 2009 legislative session and the influence Oregon could have on national climate change policy.

Partner Dax Hansen recently spoke on behalf of the CTIA-The Wireless Association at the Federal Trade Commission's town hall meeting, Pay on the Go: Consumers and Contactless Payments.

Perkins Coie is pleased to announce that Joe Mais has been elected chair of the firm's national Commercial Litigation practice.

In the National Law Journal article “U.S. Law Firms Tap Foreign Business with Collaborative Practices,” Perkins Coie was recognized as one of the U.S. law firms teaming up with foreign law firms to better serve clients who are investing or doing business outside of the United States.

Karen Andersen has joined the firm as Chief Lateral Recruitment Officer.

Perkins Coie's Hotels & Leisure practice was chosen as one of the firms to provide counsel to international hotel chain Jumeirah Group.

Glenn Benson has joined the firm as of counsel in the Environment, Energy & Resources group.

Jordan Green was featured in the Arizona Business Gazette for being one of only two Arizona criminal defense lawyers listed in Who's Who Legal.

Chicago Lawyer magazine recently profiled Director of Diversity and Professional Development Theresa Cropper in an article titled, "A ‘Soldier’ Armed with Love."

The PCBs (formerly the Perkins Coie Band) are slated to play in the Battle of the Corporate Bands, which is sponsored by Fortune magazine, Gibson Guitars and Cleveland's Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, on Saturday, July 19.

Partner Allan Abravanel participated as a guest speaker "Blasting in the Dark," a segment of Oregon Public Broadcasting's Think Out Loud series about Iran's recent test firing of missiles.

Robert N. Miller, managing partner of the Denver office, has been selected as Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Colorado Judicial Institute.

A Perkins Coie Brown & Bain team of lawyers won a victory at the Arizona Supreme Court on Monday, July 7th in an elections case that sought to invalidate signatures of hundreds of registered voters who listed post office box numbers as their addresses on the candidate nomination petitions for state Senator Albert Hale.

Don Baur, a partner in the Washington, D.C. office, served as editor and chapter author of a new book published by the American Bar Association titled "Ocean and Coastal Law and Policy."

Washington D.C. Partner Marc Elias was quoted in a Washington Post article on the Supreme Court’s ruling that struck down a campaign financing law that helped launch the political careers of many candidates. The law helped to level the playing field against self-financed opponents. "If you run against a self-funder, the law's no longer going to help you out. . . . It will be potentially game-changing," Elias was quoted saying.

Chicago Patent Litigation Partner Debra Bernard authored an article in Intellectual Property Today  titled "Qualcomm v. Broadcom: How many red flags does it take?"

Washington D.C. Partner Marc Elias was quoted in a St. Louis Post Dispatch article discussing how political fundraising could be affected by the possible acquisition of Anheuser-Busch by the foreign beer giant InBev. During the past 20 years, Anheuser-Busch has been the 63rd-biggest corporate political donor, without party partiality. Foreign nationals are under strict regulation by the Federal Election Commission when making political contributions. “In the case of a foreign buyer, the company many be [hesitant to give] because of the law on foreign national contributions,” Elias contributed.

Portland Partner Danielle Benderly was quoted in a Compliance Week article about the increasing number of companies adopting clawback clauses.

Perkins Coie is pleased to welcome attorney Mark Watt to its Anchorage office.

Perkins Coie Partner Sarah Crooks was recently acknowledged in the Girls State Journal for her facilitation of a mock trail at the Oregon Girls State leadership and training program.

Perkins Coie proudly announces that once again it has been ranked by Chambers & Partners, publishers of Chambers USA: America’s Leading Lawyers for Business, as a top law firm in the United States. The firm was recognized in the annual directory as a leader in its Bankruptcy, Corporate,Corporate/Commercial Tax, Environment, Immigration, Intellectual Property, Labor &Employment, Litigation, Real Estate and Real Estate Zoning and Land Use practices in Seattle.

Perkins Coie proudly announces that once again it has been ranked by Chambers & Partners, publishers of Chambers USA: America's Leading Lawyers for Business, as a top law firm in the United States.

Washington D.C. Partner Marc Elias was quoted in a Congressional Quarterly Politics article on the controversial Federal Election Commission (FEC) appointee Donald F. McGahn, who withdrew from a previous FEC nomination due to Democratic objections to his association with former US House Representative Tom DeLay. DeLay was indicted on criminal charges that he had conspired to violate campaign finance laws. During this nomination process, McGahn has received support from top Democratic election law attorneys.

Perkins Coie announced that Partner Fred Rivera has rejoined its national Commercial Litigation practice after spending two years as the vice president for internal investigations at Fannie Mae.

Perkins Coie is pleased to announce that Joseph McCoy has joined the firm as a partner in the Real Estate group. He will practice in Perkins Coie's Chicago office.

Perkins Coie announced that Jeffrey Miller has joined the firm as of counsel in its national Business practice. He will be based in the firm's Seattle office.

Perkins Coie announced today that attorney Melanie Rubocki has been named one of the "Accomplished Under 40" by the Idaho Business Review.

Seattle Partner Joe McMillan was recently interviewed on a National Public Radio program that discussed the pending criminal trials for detainees held at a naval base in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, scheduled for July 2008.

Perkins Coie announced today that Menlo Park attorney Shaalu Mehra has been named one of the Silicon Valley/San Jose Business Journal's "40 under 40."

Washington, D.C. Partner Bob Bauer, chair of the firm's Political Law practice, was recently interviewed by the Washington Post about the Washington Redskins' recently announced policy of allowing congressional officials to accept a free "Suite Guest Pass" to a skybox, providing they have any ticket to a game.

A recent New York Times article noted comments made by Political Law group Chair Bob Bauer on the recent decision of the White House to suddenly announce nominees to fill positions on the Federal Election Commission that have been vacant for months.

Perkins Coie is pleased to announce that it has been named a recipient of the "2007 Trademark Insider Award."

Perkins Coie is proud to announce that it has received the Idaho State Bar's Pro Bono 6.1 Challenge Award for the second consecutive year.

Perkins Coie's Washington, D.C. office is pleased to announce that Bill Malley and Albert Ferlo have joined its national Environment, Energy & Resources practice. Both attorneys join the firm from Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP, where they were part of the firm's Environment and Land Use practice group.

Chicago Partner Michael Warnecke was recently quoted in two articles about a case before a U.S. appeals court that could determine whether an abstract process can be patented.

Perkins Coie Partner Al Gidari was quoted in a story focusing on NeuStar, a company that runs a digital directory for telephone companies. The story explains how the FBI sought access a few years ago to one of NeuStar's databases that "contained 310 million phone numbers in the United States and Canada." The request was denied, but NeuStar set up a site where law enforcement officials with court orders can obtain information on telephone numbers.

Washing D.C. Partner Marc Elias was quoted in a Legal Times article on the new lobbying rules stating coalitions and associations must reveal any backer with more than a $5,000 stake and an active role in the organization’s lobbying. The new legislation has forced organizations to carefully compile their filings, allowing compliance attorneys to focus on the next big challenge. That will be, in Elias’ opinion, certifying that none of the organization’s lobbyists have given congressional officials any gifts. “That’s going to be a huge sea change in the way Washington does business,” Elias was quoted.

Perkins Coie Partner Al Gidari was quoted this week in an article in the BNA's Electronic Commerce & Law Report on the New Jersey Supreme Court ruling that "customers of Internet service providers have a reasonable expectation of privacy in their subscriber information."

Perkins Coie Brown & Bain proudly announces that Phoenix-based Partner Paul Eckstein will be honored as a recipient of the prestigious Burton Award at a black-tie reception at the Library of Congress on June 16.

Perkins Coie Partner Al Gidari was quoted today in CNET's Iconoclast blog in a posting entitled, "FBI's Net Surveillance Proposal Raises Privacy, Legal Concerns."

Washington D.C. Partner Marc Elias was quoted in a Roll Call article on Sen. Ron Wyden’s new Internet ad campaign, which was questioned on its compliance with campaign finance laws and ethics rules due to the lack of a disclaimer.

Perkins Coie announced that Nancy Gallup has joined the firm as of counsel in its Employee Benefits & Executive Compensation practice. She will be based in the firm's Seattle office.

Perkins Coie's Chicago office is pleased to announce the hiring of two new associates to the firm's expanding Bankruptcy & Workouts practice.

Portland Partner Neil Nathanson was recently profiled in Of Counsel, a newsletter produced by Aspen Publishers.

Perkins Coie Partner Al Gidari was quoted Tuesday in a Washington Post article entitled, "FBI Data Transfers Via Telecoms Questioned."

On Friday, April 4, 2008, Perkins Coie's Political Law Group (PLG) scored a victory for the Democratic Leadership Council.

Seattle Partner Al Gidari was quoted in the cover story of the April 4, 2008, edition of the National Journal. The article, "Surveillance Standoff" reviewed how the evolution of telecommunications technology has impacted surveillance laws and created a push-pull tension between the federal government and technology companies and civil-liberties activists.

Perkins Coie was named among the top legal advisers in the United States by both value and volume in Deal Drivers, the 2007 year in review of North American mergers and acquisitions published by mergermarket.

Tom Lindley, chair of Perkins Coie's Environmental & Natural Resources practice, was featured in an article titled "Two Rulings Give Coal Plants Murky Future," which appeared in the National Law Journal  (subscription required) on March 24th.

Two Perkins Coie attorneys have been honored by their peers and named to the Washington, D.C. Super Lawyers list for 2008.  The list of Super Lawyers is published in the March edition of Super Lawyers magazine.

Perkins Coie announced that S. Lane Tucker has joined the firm as an attorney in its Anchorage office. Lane's practice will focus on government contracts, construction law, and governmental investigations.

The firm is proud to announce that Laura Whitaker has been elected chair of the firm's Executive Committee. Whitaker succeeds Robert Bauer, current chair of the firm's Political Law practice.

Gerry Alexis is featured in an article appearing on Competition Law360. The feature is a Question and Answer piece in which Gerry addresses questions about why she chose to do antitrust work; her most challenging antitrust case; her thoughts about which aspects of antitrust law are in need of reform; and why general counsel should hire her.

In an article in Friday's Wall Street Journal, Ed Wes was quoted in an article titled "Freeze in Auction-Rate Field Finds Its Way to Silicon Valley."

In a recent article, "Surf 'N Turf Wars: Microsoft's silver hammer comes down on cybersquatters," Partner Will Rava was quoted on the challenges faced by trademark owners in disputes with cybersquatters who might seek refuge in jurisdictions that do not "enforce the judgment of a U.S. court."

In a recent Washington Post article titled "Relief for Phone Firms Proposed" Perkins Coie Partner Michael Sussmann was quoted regarding a controversial proposal in the House of Representatives to move legal proceedings relating to the government's alleged warrantless surveillance program into secret court sessions, without plaintiff attorneys present.

In a recent Washington Post article titled "Relief for Phone Firms Proposed" Perkins Coie Partner Michael Sussmann was quoted regarding a controversial proposal in the House of Representatives to move legal proceedings relating to the government's alleged warrantless surveillance program into secret court sessions, without plaintiff attorneys present. House Democratic leaders suggested this proposal as a compromise for the complete retroactive immunity supported by the Bush administration and the Senate. Sussmann, of the firm's Washington, D.C. office, warns that the proposal "still exposes carriers to huge losses" and fails to address issues of protracted litigation.

D.C. Partner Michael Sussmann was also quoted about provider immunity and amendments to FISA in an article titled, "Democrats to Offer New Surveillance Rules--Bill Aims to Meet Privacy and Security Concerns; Fierce Debate Is Expected" that appeared in the Oct. 7 edition of the Washington Post (registration required to view article).

David Burman, a partner in the firm's commercial litigation practice, has been inducted as a Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers (ACTL). He is the 10th Perkins Coie attorney to be accepted into this prestigious organization, joining Fellows from the firm's Chicago, Phoenix, Portland and Seattle offices.

Washington D.C. Partner Marc Elias commented in a Roll Call article on the new ban of press gifts put in place by the Senate Ethics Committee just before annual Senate press secretaries meeting with news organizations in New York. The ban is complex since it includes lobbyists, as well as their employers.

In an article titled "The Inner Circle - 'Drama-Free' Team," which ran in the Chicago Sun-Times on March 9th, Perkins Coie Partner Bob Bauer was listed as one of the key players within Barack Obama's inner circle of senior campaign advisors.

Washington, D.C. Partner Karl Sandstrom recently co-authored an article titled "Boards Should Scrutinize Political Spending," which appeared in the March 6 edition of BusinessWeek.

Perkins Coie announced today that Karl Ege has joined the firm as Senior Counsel in the firm's national Business group. He will practice from Perkins Coie's Seattle office.

Perkins Coie's Chicago office is proud to announce that it has been named by Crain's Chicago Business magazine as one of the top 20 "Best Places to Work" in Chicago.

Perkins Coie sponsored the Washington Technology Industry Association's inaugural 2008 Venture Capital Outlook survey.

In a recent article from Bloomberg News, Partner Bruce Bonjour was quoted on the impact of regulators actions on investor confidence.

Washington D.C. Partner Marc Elias was quoted in a New York Sun article on a lawsuit SpeechNow.org filed against the Federal Election Commission in an attempt to block the enforcement of a $5,000 contribution limit. With a SpeechNow.org win, independent groups would be allowed use large gifts to run advertisements directly attacking and promoting candidates. The ruling could potentially make donors less wary of making contributions. "It would obviate some of the fear and risk that people have, but it might not completely solve the problem, political planning doesn't happen on a dime,” Elias said in reference to the slow contributions that the limit has caused.

Washington, D.C. Partner Michael Sussmann was quoted in a recent, front-page article in The New York Times concerning the impact of Senate agreement on broad amendments to the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA).

Of Counsel Brian Svoboda was quoted in a recent, opinion journal article in The Wall Street Journal concerning the impact of McCain-Feingold on the campaign public-financing system.

Washington D.C. Partner Marc Elias commented on a Senate Ethics Committee ruling to bar senators from attending certain lobbyist-funded bashes at national party conventions. Though the new ruling states that a senator may only attend a convention if the honorees represent a broader group, Senate Ethics Committee added an exemption that could make The House Committee’s ethics approaches a wash. “They differ less than would first meet the eye. [Both committees] are trying to balance the requirements of the new law against the practicality of the events that go on at the convention,” Elias said.

Four Perkins Coie attorneys have been honored by their peers as Southern California Super Lawyers for 2008. The list of Super Lawyers is published in the February edition of Super Lawyers magazine.

Washington D.C. Partner Marc Elias commented on the public funding of John McCain’s presidential campaign in a Politico article. The article reports McCain’s consideration of refusing public funding because of spending limitations. “At this point, [McCain] is in the matching fund system. Right now, there is no mechanism for the commission to turn off the spigot,” Elias said in reference to McCain’s potential withdrawal from the public funding system.

Perkins Coie announced today that David Neff has joined the firm as a partner in its Bankruptcy & Workouts practice. He will practice in Perkins Coie's Chicago office.

For the sixth consecutive year, Perkins Coie is proud to announce that it has been named to FORTUNE magazine's "The 100 Best Places to Work For." This year the firm was ranked 55th, an improvement over last year's ranking of 64. The full list and related stories appear in the February 4 issue of FORTUNE, available on newsstands January 28 and at www.fortune.com on January 22.

Washington, D.C. Partner Ben Sharp was quoted in a recent article in Reuters about where the presidential candidates sit on antitrust matters.

Thirteen Perkins Coie attorneys are honored in Illinois Super Lawyers & Rising Stars 2008 magazine. In addition, two of the firm's partners were given special recognition. Michael Warnecke was listed in the elite Top 10 and Susan Daley was honored in the Top 50 Women. Overall, 11 Perkins Coie partners are included in the Super Lawyers list and two Perkins Coie associates are on the Rising Stars list.