Wake Up Call: Covington Scores $267 Million Win Against Russia

Welcome to Bloomberg Law’s Wake Up Call, a daily rundown of the top news for lawyers, law firms, and in-house counsel.

• Covington & Burling lawyers notched a $267 million win for DTEK Group in a dispute with Russia over the seizure of the energy company’s assets in Crimea. An international arbitration panel in the Hague ordered Russia to pay the damages award following a five-year legal battle, according to the company and the firm. (DTEK Group)
• The Supreme Court’s decision striking down affirmative action in college admissions will make diversity and inclusion efforts more difficult, 64% of law firms responding to a Leopard Solutions survey said. (Leopard Solutions)
• SMB Law, a boutique law firm focused on small businesses has landed some 270 clients “almost entirely” through social media platforms. The firm says it has advised on deals worth $857 million so far this year. (Business Insider)
• IP and technology law firms Maschoff Brennan and Mauriel Kapouytian Woods are merging. The combined firm, effective in January, will employ 45 attorneys in six US offices. (Maschoff Brennan and Mauriel Kapouytian Woods)

Laterals, Moves, In-house

• Gabriel Silva has joined Simpson Thacher as an energy and infrastructure partner in the New York office.
• Noah Carr and Gordon Palmquist have joined Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer as partners in Tokyo. Carr practiced at Latham & Watkins and Morrison & Foerster, and Palmquist practiced at Shearman & Sterling and as a partner in the M&A practice at Mayer Brown.
• Quarles & Brady plans to open an office in St. Louis, Mo., and it will be led by Travis Kearbey, a national employment law attorney and business advisor.
• Charles Goldberg Jr. has joined Baker Donelson as of counsel in the tax group in Nashville, Tenn.
• Mike Westbrook has joined UK law firm Ashfords as a partner with the trusts and estates team in Bristol.
• Dylan C. Harris has joined Whiteman Osterman & Hanna as a partner in Poughkeepsie, N.Y.