The BLT: The Blog of Legal Times

D.C. Federal Judge Oberdorfer Dies at 94

U.S. District Senior Judge Louis Oberdorfer died last night at age 94, according to an announcement from the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia.

Oberdorfer was appointed in 1977 by President Jimmy Carter and took senior status in 1992. He died of natural causes.

"Judge Oberdorfer's entire life was devoted to the highest principles of equality, fairness and the rule of law," said U.S. District Chief Judge Royce Lamberth in a statement. "He was an exemplary jurist, a gentleman to all, and dear friend and mentor to those of us who had the good fortune to work beside him. We will miss him greatly."

Venable Sees Net Income, Profits Per Partner Rise in 2012

Bolstered in part by a strong year for the firm's real estate and tax practices, Venable saw a nearly 6 percent increase in gross revenue, up to $376 million from $355 million in 2011, according to our reporting. The firm said profits per partner were up 3.7 percent to $845,000.

Revenue per lawyer was up 2.7 percent, from $730,000 to $750,000, and net income was up 3.1 percent to $134 million. The number of equity partners—159—remained unchanged at Venable. The overall number of partners increased to 265, up 3.5 percent. The total number of lawyers at the firm also went up, from 488 to 501.

"When I look at how we did in 2012, month to month, the second half of the year for us was quite strong," said Venable co-managing partner Robert Waldman, who leads the firm's representation of tax-exempt organizations. "We feel very good about where we are now," he said later. "The firm is very healthy."

McGuireWoods Posts Growth in Gross Revenue in 2012

McGuireWoods saw another year of steady growth, posting around a 5 percent increase in gross revenue and profits per partner in 2012, according to our reporting.

The firm's gross revenue grew 5.6 percent, from $567.5 million in 2011 to $599.5 million in 2012. Profits per partner increased by five percent, from $900,000 in 2011 to $945,000 last year. Managing partner Thomas Cabaniss said the growth was evenly distributed firm-wide.

"We've had a pretty good track record of increasing our revenue and we really do focus on that in all areas," Cabaniss said. "It's not one case, it's not one department, it's not one thing. It requires focus across the board."

Former Senate Staffer Joins Bryan Cave as Policy Adviser

Bryan Cave has expanded its public policy and government affairs practice group by adding Democratic lobbyist Joe Lapia to its D.C. office, the firm announced earlier this week. As a policy adviser, Lapia will represent clients in matters of regulatory affairs, public policy and legislation.

Lapia, who worked on the U.S. Senate floor for 10 years as a staffer for the U.S. Senate Democratic Cloakroom, started his career working for then-Senator Joseph Biden (D-Del.). Previously, he was with a Washington-based government relations firm, where he represented a wide range of client interests.

David Russell, leader of Bryan Cave's public policy and government affairs practice, said "Joe's broad and deep personal relationships with Senate Democrats are very unique in Washington, D.C. He understands what is achievable, how to get there and he knows how and when to make the ask. Our clients are thrilled to have him on board."

The Morning Wrap

Bail ruling: A judge in South Africa is soon expected to announce whether Olympic athlete Oscar Pistorius can be free pending trial on charges he fatally shot his girlfriend.

Shifting: The Washington Post reports today: "The head of the nation’s largest trade group for the specialty pharmacies known as compounders said he will support legislation requiring pharmacies that operate like drug manufacturers to register with the Food and Drug Administration and be subject to stricter standards enforced by the agency."

No recusal: A federal trial judge in New York won't recuse from hearing a high-profile hacking case, The New York Law Journal reports.

Charged: Four former executives at the shuttered Peanut Corporation of America are accused of deceiving FDA officials and consumers about the presence of salmonella in products.

In Damage-Control Effort, Senator Assembles Veteran D.C. Legal Team

Updated at 5:42 p.m.

Senator Robert Menendez (D-N.J.) is seeking help in Washington as he faces allegations about personal improprieties, assembling a damage-control team that includes at least two lawyers and a consultant who served as U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder Jr.'s top spokesman.

Menendez, chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, has enlisted McDermott Will & Emery partner Stephen Ryan, Perkins Coie partner Marc Elias and Vianovo partner Matthew Miller, the former Justice Department spokesman, according to news reports.

Ryan, a veteran lobbyist, leads the government strategies practice group at McDermott. Elias heads the political law practice at Perkins Coie.

Judge Denies New Trial in Armenian Genocide Museum Dispute

More than a decade after efforts began to build a museum memorializing the mass slaughter of Armenians during World War I, litigation over the failure of those efforts has consumed everyone involved. Yesterday, a Washington federal judge denied a motion for a new trial in the dispute and ordered the plaintiffs to pay the defendants $1.4 million in fees and costs.

Minnesota philanthropist and businessman Gerard Cafesjian tangled for years with museum trustees over who was to blame for the project's failure and what should happen to buildings Cafesjian donated to house the museum. Following a bench trial, U.S. District Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly found that the buildings should return to Cafesjian. Yesterday, she denied the trustees' motion for another trial.

Over the trustees' objections, she also ordered them to pay Cafesjian $1.4 million in fees and costs, a figure based on recommendations from U.S. District Magistrate Judge Alan Kay. Cafesjian's legal team was led by Jones Day attorneys.

Law Firm Leaders Q&A: Duane Morris' Douglas Woloshin

Douglas Woloshin has seen Washington change in the nearly 35 years he's been practicing law. His longevity in the D.C. legal market made him a logical fit as the managing partner of Duane Morris' Washington office, a post he has held since 2004. He is also a member of the firm's partner board and head of the project finance practice group.

Woloshin spends about 70 percent of his time focused on his practice and 30 percent fulfilling his obligations as managing partner. He's also an avid Washington baseball fan, dating back to the days of the Senators.

Legal Times sat down with Woloshin on earlier this month to talk about the firm's Washington practices, its growth strategy and baseball.

Supreme Court Ruling Jeopardizes Encyclopedia Group's Legal Malpractice Lawsuit

Several months after losing a motion for summary judgment, Encyclopaedia Britannica is facing another possible setback in its legal malpractice lawsuit against Dickstein Shapiro.

In an order yesterday, U.S. District Judge John Bates asked Britannica to explain why he should still be able to hear the case, in light of a ruling yesterday from the U.S. Supreme Court that narrowed the ability of plaintiffs to pursue legal malpractice claims involving patent matters in federal court.

The high court found in Gunn v. Minton that state legal malpractice claims over how lawyers managed patent matters couldn't be brought under federal patent law. The justices reasoned that regardless of how a legal malpractice claim resolved, it wouldn't affect the original federal patent litigation.

The Morning Wrap

Targeted Hit: Washington institutions, everything from law firms to news media outlets to Congressional offices have become the target of Chinese hackers. The Washington Post reports that it's not a question of if, but how much data has been stolen.

Confirmation Tactics: The White House is withholding full access to information about targeted drone killings from Congress, but granting Republicans The New York Times reports.

Furlough: Defense Secretary Leon Panetta told Congress Wednesday that if the March 1 spending cuts take effect, it could lead to 22 furlough days for its almost 800,000 employees. Reuters reports.

Murder: The lead investigator in the Oscar Pistorius case is facing attempted murder charges related to an October 2011 shooting. Detective Hilton Botha is accused of being drunnk in a government vehicle and opening fire on a mini-bus taxi. CBS reports.