Wake Up Call: Fearing Trump, Firms Decline Immigration Cases

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

• Big Law firms that once challenged President Donald Trump’s executive orders targeting immigrants are retreating from immigration-related pro bono work due to fear of political retaliation. Firms like Gibson Dunn, Skadden, and Davis Polk initially helped public interest groups resist the order later declined involvement in further cases, reportedly to avoid provoking Trump. (The New York Times)
• Byron Brown, former deputy chief of staff for policy at the Environmental Protection Agency during the first Trump administration, was tapped to serve as the House Environment Subcommittee’s chief legal counsel. Brown, who previously sat on an EPA task force that looked to roll back agency rules, will now develop legislation and conduct EPA oversight. (E&E News)
• A former Ohio lawyer was charged in connection with the fatal stabbing of his divorce client in 2013, which prosecutors said was orchestrated because he wanted to delay the client’s trial. Gregory Joseph Moore lured Aliza Sherman to his office, where either either he or an accomplice fatally stabbed her. Moore was previously disbarred for unrelated criminal conduct. (ABA Journal)

Laterals, Moves, In-House

• Thibaut Partsch joined Kirkland & Ellis as a partner in its investment funds group in London.
• David Brenneman joined Latham & Watkins as a partner in its antitrust and competition practice in Washington. He joins from Morgan Lewis.
• Ella-Marie Smith joined Mayer Brown as a partner in its real estate markets practice in Charlotte, N.C. She joins from Dechert.
• Bill Katz joined Greenberg Traurig as global co-chair of its antitrust litigation and competition regulation practice in Dallas and Washington. He joins from Holland & Knight.
• James Boudreau, Adam Roseman, and Christiana Signs joined Reed Smith as partners in its global labor and employment group in Philadelphia. They join from Greenberg Traurig.
• Benjamin Mittman joined Troutman Pepper Locke as a partner in its private equity and investment funds practice group in Philadelphia. He joins from Dentons.
• Yang Chu joined Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati as a partner in its corporate practice in Hong Kong.
• Jason Osborn joined King & Spalding as a partner in its corporate practice group in New York. He joins from Winston & Strawn.
• Ibaad Hakim joined Paul Hastings as a partner in its energy and infrastructure practice in Abu Dhabi. He joins from White & Case.
• Samantha Silver and Nathalie Smyth joined Jones Day as partners in its global disputes practice in London.
• Karen Anzalone joined Katten Muchin Rosenman as a partner in its structured finance and securitization practice.
• Richard Kienzler rejoined Littler Mendelson as a shareholder in its unfair competition and trade secrets practice group in Chicago. He joins from RHM Staffing Solutions.
• Courtney Harris joined Eckert Seamans as a member in its corporate practice group in Boston. He joins from Partridge Snow & Hahn.
• Kimberley Lunetta joined Vedder Price as a shareholder in its labor and employment practice in Miami. She joins from Morgan Lewis.