???? Zelenskiy hires U.S. law firm, Greenberg Traurig will host Kyiv firm lawyers, and Cooley continues hires
Reuters Legal
From the courts to law firms, we bring you the latest legal news. Subscribe to our newsletters: https://bit.ly/3nhgllA
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy's office has hired U.S. law firm Morrison & Foerster to advise on Western sanctions, Greenberg Traurig said it will host lawyers from Ukrainian law firm Avellum in some of its European offices. ?? Good morning! Here's a look at the latest in the industry from?Reuters Legal??
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy's office has hired U.S. law firm Morrison & Foerster to advise on Western sanctions imposed after Russia's invasion and help engage with U.S. officials on policy matters, according to a filing with the U.S. Justice Department.
San Francisco-based Morrison & Foerster will counsel Zelenskiy's office on regulatory issues "including U.S., EU and UK sanctions regimes," John Smith, a partner in the firm, said in the filing.
The United States, European Union and Britain have imposed a series of sanctions targeting Russia, its financial institutions, oligarchs and parliament since Russia invaded Ukraine last month. The filing did not make clear whether there are specific sanctions about which the firm will provide advice.
Ukraine's government has hired at least two other U.S. law firms following the Russian invasion.
Covington & Burling, headquartered in Washington, is representing Ukraine before the International Court of Justice, obtaining a ruling this month instructing Russia to stop its military operations.
Attorneys at Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan, founded in Los Angeles, are representing Ukraine before the European Court of Human Rights in a case accusing Russia of human rights abuses.
Law firm Greenberg Traurig said it will host lawyers from Ukrainian law firm Avellum in some of its European offices and signaled plans to deepen its business in Ukraine as the country rebuilds.
Avellum, a full-service law firm with 90 employees, closed its physical office in Kyiv last month after Russia's invasion. Greenberg Traurig in a statement said it has "now aligned" with Avellum.
A group of Avellum associates will temporarily work out of Greenberg Traurig's offices in London, Amsterdam and Berlin, the U.S. firm said. It did not say how many associates were being placed, how they would be paid or how long the arrangement would last.
Avellum managing partner Mykola Stetsenko previously spoke with Reuters about living in Kyiv amid the Russian invasion. Anton Zaderyholova, a tax counsel at Avellum, has described his experience volunteering with a Ukrainian territorial defense unit.
领英推荐
The U.S. lobbying heavyweight Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck on March 29 withdrew from representing the Republican National Committee in its closely watched legal challenge against Salesforce and the congressional panel investigating the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol. Two partners at the firm had represented the RNC in Washington, D.C., federal court contesting a subpoena that the House Select Committee issued to Salesforce for RNC information.
It was unclear what prompted Brownstein to back out of the case about three weeks after it was filed.
Brownstein is one of Washington, D.C.'s, perennial leaders for federal lobbying revenue. The firm reported more than $55.6 million for federal influence work last year, according to the nonprofit Open Secrets.
In other news from the legal industry
Cooley continued a string of hires it's made this month, saying it has lured Washington, D.C.-based data privacy partner Michael Egan away from Baker McKenzie, where he has worked for the last 14 years.
Egan has joined Cooley as a partner in what the firm dubs its "cyber/data/privacy practice." He advises clients on how to prepare for and respond to data breaches and comply with data privacy regulations, the firm said.
Egan has also represented companies before government agencies like the U.S. Federal Trade Commission, the Securities and Exchange Commission and the Department of Justice, according to Cooley.
The firm has made several hires this month. Earlier this week, Cooley tapped the former head of Linklaters' global competition practice in Brussels. On March 14, the firm said it would open its second office in Los Angeles with a capital markets leader poached from O'Melveny & Myers.
?????????????????????????????????????????
?? That's all for today! Thank you for reading?The Legal File!
For more legal industry news, read and?subscribe?to?The Daily Docket.