Power Circuit: Bracewell & Giuliani Adds 14 Lawyers; Patton Boggs Loses Six

Richard Andreano Jr. is one of four lawyers who joined Ballard Spahr from Patton Boggs. Photograph courtesy of Ballard Spahr

Bracewell & Giuliani yesterday announced a major hire of 14 lawyers who focus on public finance, tax, and municipal securities matters from Vinson & Elkins. All 14 will join Bracewell as partners in January. The firm expects that additional attorneys will also make the leap from Vinson & Elkins, and will join as associates and counsel. Most of the partners will practice in Bracewell’s Texas offices, but one of them, Paul Maco, will join in Washington. Maco focuses on federal securities and commodities law, corporate governance, and public finance.

The front door at Sidley Austin has seen a lot of traffic lately. James Bieke has joined the firm as a partner focusing on environmental and natural resources law and policy. He was previously a partner at Goodwin Procter. Sidley has also welcomed Ayaz Shaikh as a partner in its project finance practice from Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman.

Partner Stephen Payne has left Sidley to help lead Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher’s FDA and health care compliance and enforcement practice. Gibson, Dunn has also brought on intellectual property partner Brian Buroker from Hunton & Williams, where he headed the intellectual property practice.

Ballard Spahr is launching a new mortgage banking practice group, with the addition of partners Richard Andreano Jr., John Socknat, and Michael Waldron and associate Reid Herlihy. The four lawyers joined from Patton Boggs.

Dykema Gossett also brought over two Patton Boggs lawyers. Heather Hutchings and Haydn Richards Jr. have joined as senior counsel in the financial services regulatory and compliance practice

Steptoe & Johnson announced that Fred Geldon has joined the firm as a senior counsel in the government contracts and national and homeland security practices. Geldon was previously counsel for Electronic Data System’s US Government Solutions, now HP Enterprise Services.

And in revolving door news:

Venable has added John Farenish as a partner in its government contracts practice. Farenish was most recently general counsel of the Defense Department’s Defense Contract Audit Agency, which monitors regulatory and ethical compliance and cost control by defense contractors.

Joshua Odintz has joined Baker & McKenzie’s tax practice as a partner. He previously served as a senior advisor for tax reform to the assistant secretary at the Treasury Department.