Wake Up Call: Reed Smith Denies Allegations in Dan Snyder Report

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

• A House committee report alleges that a Reed Smith partner tried to buy the silence of victims and critics of Washington Commanders owner Daniel Snyder as part of an effort to cover up sexual harassment and misconduct cases inside the organization for decades. The firm has denied the allegations. (American Lawyer)
• At least four law firms are advising in Keurig Dr Pepper Inc.’s $863 million investment in Nutrabolt, maker of C4 and Xtend energy drinks. The transaction is expected to close by year’s end. Skadden is advising Keurig Dr Pepper, while Nutrabolt is getting legal advice from Goodwin Procter, Kirkland & Ellis, and Giannuzzi Lewendon, according to a press release. (KeurigDrPepper.com) (Nutrabolt)
• Simpson Thacher, Sidley Austin, and Delaware litigation boutique Ross Aronstam & Moritz announced year-end associate bonuses that match the Baker McKenzie/Cravath scale. Sidley associates with “higher productivity and/or exceptional performance” can get more money. Mayer Brown also matched the market scale and is offering extra money for high billers outside of the New York market. (Above The Law)

Lawyers, Law Firms

• Bondholders for Party City Holdco Inc., a seller of party favors, have hired restructuring specialists at Davis Polk for advice as the struggling company confronts liquidity problems, according to a report. (WSJ.com) Party City, which recently named a new top lawyer, brought in Paul Weiss for talks with creditors as it aims to avoid debt default. (Bloomberg Law)
• Arnold & Porter was hit by more than $150,000 in sanctions by a New York court for “neglect and poor judgment” in discovery in opioid litigation. (ABA Journal)
• Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares named two Quinn Emanuel partners and former US attorney G. Zachary Terwilliger, now a Vinson & Elkins partner, to conduct an external review into the shooting that killed three University of Virginia students and wounded two others on campus last month. (Associated Press)
• A former US prosecutor facing ethics charges over allegations of workplace misconduct involving a law school intern fell short in his effort to get a deal that could have let him avoid suspension. (Reuters)

Laterals, Moves, In-house

• Baker McKenzie elected Sydney-based Anne-Marie Allgrove, global chair of the firm’s intellectual property, data and technology practice, to national managing partner for Australia, effective July 1, 2023. (BakerMcKenzie.com)
• Saul Ewing elected two partners, energy practice vice-chair Colleen A. Foley and insurance practice co-chair Amy S. Kline, to its nine-member executive committee. (Saul.com)
• Barnes & Thornburg hired patent and technology attorney Tina Dorr as an IP partner in Atlanta. She arrives from Cantor Colburn. (BTLaw.com)
• Greenberg Traurig hired a tax team in Mexico City. Eduardo Medina Zapata joins as shareholder from law firm Jáuregui y Del Valle. Erika Baez, an accountant and financial specialist attorney, joins as local partner and senior tax adviser from Chevez, Ruiz, Zamarripa y Cía, S.C. Two associates and a law clerk are also joining. (GTLaw.com)
• Denver-based hotel operator and developer Stonebridge Cos. hired veteran in-house leader C.J. Chapman, a former Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck corporate and real estate shareholder, as general counsel. He was recently general counsel at Elevation Capital, a Vancouver, Canada-based venture fund and previously top lawyer for BellRock Brands Inc., a Canadian cannabis brand company. (HotelBusiness.com)
• UK-founded fintech platform Hi Group hired Lee Cullinane, veteran London-based finance partner of several Big Law firms, as general counsel. Cullinane recently was at McGuireWoods as partner and head of its Europe,Middle East and Africa finance group. (IBIS intelligence)

Promotions

• King & Spalding promoted 24 attorneys, including 11 women, to partner. It promoted 17 attorneys to counsel; Faegre Drinker Biddle & Reath promoted 26 attorneys to partner and six to counsel. (FaegreDrinker.com)