New York and Washington D.C. Get Lawyer Boost

Sonnenschein Nath & Rosenthal LLP announced that in a major lateral move, effective January 1, 2009, the law firm will add approximately 100 lawyers -- including 40 partners -- from Thacher Proffitt & Wood LLP. New York and Washington D.C. jobs will be positively affected.

"With this move, we have dramatically enhanced our corporate and finance capabilities and doubled the size of our New York office,” said Sonnenschein Chairman Elliott Portnoy. “This core group of lawyers joining us from Thacher Proffitt accelerates our global growth strategy and reaffirms our continued commitment to client service.”

The partners and lawyers joining Sonnenschein from Thacher Proffitt have, for the most part, been with the firm for their entire careers and were determined to keep their groups together. The groups from Thacher Proffitt are comprised of prominent attorneys and counselors in structured finance, corporate, banking, real estate, and regulatory law, as well as a strong team of litigators, ERISA and employee benefits and tax lawyers.

"Most of all, this is an extraordinary move for our clients. With financial markets evolving and governments playing a greater role in the global economy, our move to Sonnenschein gives us the edge to excel with the industry leaders we serve,” said Robert McCarthy, Chairman of Thacher Proffitt’s Planning Committee. “Sonnenschein’s collegial, diverse and highly successful practice groups represent the best culture and platform for us and our clients.”

Those joining Sonnenschein from Thacher Proffitt have been on the cutting edge of the financial markets for their entire careers. Today, they are among the lawyers advising some of the world’s largest financial institutions, as well as the U.S. government, on how to navigate the new economy. Combining forces with these highly regarded lawyers achieves a long-time strategic goal for Sonnenschein. The majority of these lawyers are based in New York, with the balance resident in Washington, D.C.

"Having made a set of tough business decisions earlier in the year -- ahead of others,” stressed Portnoy, “we are now well positioned for exactly this type of growth. We continue to move quickly to capitalize on strategic opportunities, and attracting the very best talent to the firm remains one of our top priorities. This timely move allows us to expand our New York footprint and national corporate and finance practice with a talented new team.”