Featured Legal News (Jan. 16 - Jan. 18, ‘06) Stimson Sorry for Dissing Firms Posted on Thursday, January 18, 2007 Proving he really did stick his foot in his mouth, Charles "Cully" Stimson, the assistant secretary of defense for detainee affairs, apologized for his criticism of law firms doing pro bono work for suspects held at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. Stimson made the remarks on air Thursday on the Federal News Radio, when he said that American businesses should think twice about hiring firms that are doing that type of pro bono work. The Pentagon already had distanced itself from Stimson's comments, and many other political and legal figures had expressed their anger about them. Stimson wrote a letter to the editor in yesterday's Washington Post, explaining himself. "Regrettably, my comments left the impression that I question the integrity of those engaged in the zealous defense of detainees in Guantanamo," Stimson wrote. "I do not." Tell us what you think by visiting our comments page. Send any news items to news@lawdragon.com. 'Dueling Egos' Lead to Big Split Posted on Tuesday, January 16, 2007 Law firm splits are a dime a dozen, but the Recorder legal paper takes an interesting look at the breakup of Santa Monica, Calif.-based Alschuler Grossman Stein & Kahan. The firm was born with the 1999 marriage of prominent litigator Marshall Grossman and equally prominent talent-side entertainment lawyer Stanton "Larry" Stein, both of whom led their own boutiques before the union. Apparently, the merger never quite worked, with the Grossman and Stein camps remaining largely separate from one another. Grossman eventually wanted to merge with a big firm while Stein wanted no part of that culture. Grossman's 40-lawyer crew, now called Alschuler Grossman, is still looking for a national firm to join, while Stein and longtime partner Bob Kahan have become a Los Angeles affiliate of New York’s Dreier. The story is a somewhat cautionary tale about the joining of partners who have big egos and control a disproportionate share of a firm's business. Both Grossman and Stein made our Fall guide to the nation's 500 leading lawyers. Tell us what you think by visiting our comments page. Send any news items to news@lawdragon.com. Page: 1 of 1 pages for this article
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