Washington antitrust partner John Briggs, 65, has spent his entire law career at Howrey, which he joined as an associate in 1973. But starting Monday, he will be the new managing partner of Axinn, Veltrop & Harkrider’s three-lawyer D.C. office.
“The process of building something to me is just irresistible,” says Briggs, who was recruited by Axinn, Veltrop to help grow their Washington presence.
Briggs spent more than 20 of his 35 years with Howrey in management roles. He led the firm’s antitrust practice until 2005, and his firm bio still lists him as managing partner of strategy and planning. Like Howrey, Axinn, Veltrop also focuses exclusively on litigation, antitrust, and intellectual property work, but there’s no disputing that the two firms differ in other ways. Howrey has more than 600 lawyers spread across ten U.S. offices and seven overseas offices. Axinn, Veltrop, by comparison, has fewer than 60 lawyers firmwide, and has just three offices in D.C., New York, and Hartford, Conn.
But Briggs says there’s opportunity for smaller firms in tough economic times. “As is always the case in these downturns, there’s an awful lot of excellent legal talent that is available,” he says. “The large firms have a lot of very good lawyers they just can’t keep busy. They may have lawyers that are insecure.” Briggs did not supply a specific headcount goal, but says he hopes Axinn, Veltrop will outgrow its current D.C. offices on 1330 Connecticut Ave. N.W. by the end of 2010.
As for Howrey, Briggs says the firm is doing well, given the difficult economy. He says the firm was “slightly above budget” in 2008, and predicts Howrey will “do okay” in 2009. But like other big firms in this financial climate, Briggs says Howrey is struggling with clients who can’t pay their bill as rapidly. He stresses, though, that Howrey is “not in laying-off mode.” (Howrey let go ten associates in December, citing performance reasons.)
Briggs says he “enjoyed enormously” his time at Howrey. Robert Ruyak, Howrey’s managing partner, says he thinks the move will be “a nice second career” for Briggs, adding that Briggs “had done probably what he could at our firm, and he’s a very young guy still at heart.”
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