General Discussion - Boston

[Greedy,Greedy,Greedy]

Originally posted by Anne Elk
Just curious, how many firms have Monday off?

This place does. Not that it matters, since it's school vacation week a lot of folks will be gone anyways.

[Anne Elk]

OK, I know that the Big Dig uses Bechtel/Parsons/Brinkerhoff and Bechtel Offshore (or whatever) got the contract to rebuild the Iraqi infrastructure, but don't you find the timing interesting? All of a sudden (having won the Iraqi contract) there's a way to finish the Big Dig ahead of schedule? I guess Uncle Sam has deeper pockets than the Turnpike Authority.

http://www.boston.com/dailyglobe2/10..._finish+.shtml

[Mmmm, Burger (C.J.)]

Originally posted by Anne Elk
OK, I know that the Big Dig uses Bechtel/Parsons/Brinkerhoff and Bechtel Offshore (or whatever) got the contract to rebuild the Iraqi infrastructure, but don't you find the timing interesting? All of a sudden (having won the Iraqi contract) there's a way to finish the Big Dig ahead of schedule? I guess Uncle Sam has deeper pockets than the Turnpike Authority.

http://www.boston.com/dailyglobe2/10..._finish+.shtml

Although Romney will probably find a way to get it delayed until just after the convention. Maybe even tear down the (other) green monster during the convention.

[Anne Elk]

Ropes & Gray Welcomes Attorneys and Staff of Reboul, MacMurray, Hewitt & Maynard
Significant Growth in Private Equity, Litigation Platforms
May 1, 2003

NEW YORK, New York, May 1, 2003 – Ropes & Gray, a leading national law firm, announced today its combination with Reboul, MacMurray, Hewitt & Maynard, a highly regarded New York City-based firm focused on private equity. The combination, effective as of May 1, 2003, substantially increases Ropes & Gray’s New York office and adds significant depth to its private equity practice.


Full news release at: http://www.ropesgray.com/newsevents/...20&SectionID=7

[Anne Elk]

On the other baord, there was reference to recent layoffs at Testa. No one confirmed. Can anyone here confirm? Is there anyone here?

The "fiscal management" you're talking about was called "cost-cutting" in the article. The only way Choate kept its head above water in Fiscal 02 was by cutting costs, including layoffs of associates and partners. This year, it will be hard to find anything left to cut since Choate's been cost-cutting since at least 2000. And yes, Choate did lay off, a few months ago, a few senior associates.

[leagleaze]

I am posting this on behalf of a user who wants to remain anon.



This person will be going to Boston this summer and was wondering if you folks could provide recommendations for restaurants not to be missed.

Also, do you know any gathering spots for women? The person mentions places such as Club Cafe, Somewhere Else, Obsession and Campus (in Cambridge) that existed when last em was in the area.

Thanks all

L

[Cindy Adams]

Hello,

I have a question about the firm. I was interested in learning more about its corporate department, especially it business/tech group.

My company is looking for another firm in Boston to represent it, and I figured this board was worth a shot, although I am a little disturbed by the talk of Choate's demise.

Is the corp. dept./tech dept. in any trouble? Are the lawyers there a**holes, as someone posted on another board?

A little advice please!

Thanks,

Esq.

[Greedy,Greedy,Greedy]

The head of the IP group at Choate is a truly decent guy, though his group is somewhat cliquish (sp?); those outside the clique (or, even worse, those in the "other" IP clique, the IP litigators clique) can be somewhat isolated.

Many (if not all) of the true corporate/tech folks are also good folks and generally trustworthy. Associates turn over much more quickly than other places, though, which can affect continuity of services.

That having been said, watch out for the IP litigation folks, and beware the non-techie/ non-venture corporate types. The firm culture as a whole is decidedly Hobbesian. If the firm goes down, it will not go down for economic reasons, and these guys have been fighting with each other for so long along the way, I'd be surprised if they hadn't come to enough of an accomodatiion to keep the firm together.

(Editted to respond more precisely to client instead of associate concerns).

[Anne Elk]

Originally posted by leagleaze
I am posting this on behalf of a user who wants to remain anon.



This person will be going to Boston this summer and was wondering if you folks could provide recommendations for restaurants not to be missed.

Also, do you know any gathering spots for women? The person mentions places such as Club Cafe, Somewhere Else, Obsession and Campus (in Cambridge) that existed when last em was in the area.

Thanks all

L

Don't know much about the restaurant scene so I can't help you there. From friends I've heard that the Thursday Dyke Nights at the Midway Cafe are great. The Midway is on Washington St in Jamaica Plain, across from English High. www.midwaycafe.com

[topper]

their tech group is tiny but rumored to be healthy. the corporate group was never one of Boston's finest and has been in decline for some time. there are some good people, but overall its a very uneven crowd and is a roll of the dice. i have a friend who has used them and had very inconsistent experiences.

[Greedy,Greedy,Greedy]

The other board is reporting that John Hession is leaving Testa for McDermott. This would have to be the beginning of the end for Testa, since if Hession can bring half as much business with him as I suspect, Testa would need to make some deep partner level cuts that would, I'm sure, begin having an impact on client service. I hear morale over there is already pretty miserable. And I can't believe McDermott has an appetite for service partners (though I could see them absorbing some talented associates).

Hard to imagine McD's star player in the vc realm, Egan (a good lawyer with a great ego) putting up with Hession (a great lawyer with an only somewhat more modest ego), but maybe Hession's company side practice is sufficiently distinct so they won't come to blows.


(Edited only to add an "only" I forgot).

[pretermitted_child]

Novartis, based in Basel, Switzerland, signed a 45-year lease for the candy factory's 500,000 square feet as part of setting up its research headquarters in Cambridge, where it will house about 1,000 scientists.

So sad. The nuclear reactors nearby will no longer smell like candy factories . . .

[Sparklehorse]

Originally posted by pretermitted_child
Novartis, based in Basel, Switzerland, signed a 45-year lease for the candy factory's 500,000 square feet as part of setting up its research headquarters in Cambridge, where it will house about 1,000 scientists.

So sad. The nuclear reactors nearby will no longer smell like candy factories . . .

Don't worry, the Tootsie Roll factory is still there.

I hear rumours of an impending announcement from Testa. Does anyone know what is going on? Merger, dissolution or just more shrinkage?