Mitchell, Williams, Selig, Gates & Woodyard, P.L.L.C., a full service law firm with offices in Little Rock and Rogers as well as in Austin, Texas, has been named a "Go-To Law Firm" for financial services companies by American Lawyer Media (ALM). The firm was chosen specifically for excellence in the areas of regulatory affairs and compliance, litigation and labor and employment.

ALM is a leading integrated media company focused on the legal and business communities. ALM currently owns and publishes 33 national and regional magazines and newspapers.

Honorees named to the 2007 list were chosen based on nominations from general counsel at leading national financial services companies on which outside law firms they turn to for assistance. Nominations were coupled with in-depth analysis and research of various sources including public records, such as court dockets and securities filings, as well as legal and business publications such as The Wall Street Journal to produce the finalists.

Mitchell Williams has provided legal counsel since 1954. It currently employs 65 attorneys at its three branch offices.

http://www.mitchellwilliamslaw.com

Richard Meyer, previously chair of the patent practice at McGuireWoods LLP, will join Townsend from McGuireWoods' Tysons Corner office, serving as head of East Coast litigation. Also joining Townsend from McGuireWoods is partner Jonathan Link, special counsel Andrew Pratt and associate Andrea Tiglio.

"For an IP firm, Washington, DC is a logical choice by virtue of its proximity to the Patent and Trademark Office, the International Trade Commission and the Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit - all venues where we have been extremely active for years," said Townsend Chairman James Gilliland in a statement.

Townsend also recently opened practices in Seattle and San Diego. In addition to its home office in San Francisco, it also has practices in Palo Alto and Walnut Creek, Calif., Denver and Tokyo.

http://www.townsend.com

Ice Miller LLP, Indianapolis' largest law firm, announced today the opening of an office in DuPage County, Illinois. The new office marks the Firm's expansion in the Chicago area and is the result of the attorneys from the Lisle, Illinois office of Chicago's Wildman Harrold joining Ice Miller. The attorneys, and staff, will broaden and strengthen Ice Miller's work in construction, general business, corporate transactions, intellectual property, higher education, labor and employment, litigation, private equity/venture services, estate planning, municipal finance and real estate.

"This strategic expansion will enable us to enhance our existing Illinois-based operations and expand our practices to serve a broader client base," stated Byron Myers, Managing Partner, Ice Miller LLP. "There is an enormous amount of synergy between the groups and we are fortunate to have found this talented group of individuals."

The DuPage County office includes fourteen attorneys, two paraprofessionals and seven support staff members. The group of attorneys joining Ice Miller have extensive experience in regulatory and legislative issues, complex business transactions, mergers and acquisitions, land development and development related litigation, trusts and estates, succession planning, public finance transactions, class actions, higher education and construction law. They have represented a diverse client base including Fortune 500 companies, private businesses, universities, hospitals, as well as municipalities and government entities.

Founded in 1910, Ice Miller is the largest law firm in Indianapolis. It is nationally recognized in many of its practice areas. With additional offices in Chicago and Washington, D.C., the Firm has over 250 lawyers, 40 paraprofessionals and 290 support staff members. The Firm represents a full portfolio of private and public companies, government entities and individuals. Ice Miller serves as legal counsel to many of the Midwest's leading businesses and to companies throughout the country and the world.

"DuPage County is home to some of the nation's most prestigious employers," stated Dean J. Leffelman, partner, Ice Miller. "We are delighted to join Ice Miller in bringing cost-effective, sophisticated legal services to the growing Chicago suburban area," concluded Leffelman. With a population approaching one million people and over 700,000 jobs, DuPage County is the second most populous county in the state of Illinois and one of the fastest growing.

"DuPage County is a business center of exceptional opportunity with a robust business mix of finance, retail, high tech, transportation and manufacturing," stated Bob Schillerstrom, partner, Ice Miller. "These world class companies offer Ice Miller a built-in client base that may be looking to expand their legal representation outside of the city of Chicago." Schillerstrom currently serves as the Board Chairman for DuPage County. He will be re-locating to the DuPage County office. In addition to Leffelman and Schillerstrom, the DuPage office will include partners Richard Johnson, Bart Murphy, David Hight, James Snyder and Michael Roth. They will be joined by James Durkin, Mark Baggio and Eric Singer as senior counsel, Laurie Miller and David Chroust as of counsel and Jenée Straub and Elizabeth McKillip as associates.

Ice Miller's lawyers and business professionals, through their understanding of businesses, industries, and government entities, help simplify the complexities faced by its clients. Ice Miller is committed to helping its clients achieve their legal and business goals. The Firm has offices in Indianapolis, Indiana; Chicago, Illinois; DuPage County, Illinois; and Washington, D.C. For additional information, visit www.icemiller.com.

Law firm Nelson Levine de Luca & Horst said Thursday it has acquired the eight-lawyer New York office of Chicago-based Querrey & Harrow. The group adds three partners to an existing small New York office for Nelson Levine, which represents insurance industry clients.

The Querrey group focuses on complex insurance and reinsurance litigation. Querrey partner George Vogrin will serve as managing partner of the New York office. He currently serves as coordinating counsel to underwriters at Lloyds of London, and represents other London-based insurers and reinsurers.

The 50-lawyer Nelson Levine opened its London office last year to serve the firm's international insurance and surplus lines insurer clients and said the latest addition will enable the firm to focus on the European insurance market.

"As a boutique firm focused solely on the insurance industry, the European insurance market is essential to our continued growth," Nelson Levine Chairman Michael Nelson said. "The addition of this practice is a perfect fit for us, as it expands our capabilities and provides additional depth and support as well as unique experience in exciting new practice areas."

Nelson said Nelson Levine is ahead of its five-year growth plan and has taken on new space at its Blue Bell headquarters that can accommodate 70 lawyers. The firm also has offices in Philadelphia; Cherry Hill and Newark, N.J.; and Columbus, Ohio.

Sedgwick Detert Moran & Arnold LLP bought a boutique law firm that specializes in representing landlords, expanding the San Francisco firm's real estate practice.

Led by Jeffery Woo, the boutique focuses on institutional and regional property holders and real estate professionals. Along with Woo, associates David Blumenfeld, Harrison Nam, Scott Okamoto, Stanley Riddell and Stephen Sherman join Sedgwick.

Sedgwick's real estate offerings already include litigation and transactional services for a wide range of commercial real estate owners, developers, managers, lessees and professionals.

The move by Woo and his associates to Sedgwick is part of a growing trend among small firms that move their practice to firms with a national or international presence. Larger firms offer a network of administrative support and can provide a platform to launch services into new geographic markets.

http://www.sdma.com

Ice Miller LLP is pleased to announce that State Representative Bob Kuzman has joined the Firm as a partner in its Public Affairs Group. Kuzman will focus on state, local and federal government issues and public affairs management including legislative monitoring and representation, administrative law and government procurement, campaign finance and election law compliance, grassroots programming and political strategy.

"Bob understands the concerns of Hoosiers, as well as Indiana businesses, and has served his constituents well," stated Byron Myers, Managing Partner, Ice Miller LLP. "His ability to navigate Indiana's legislative system and build consensus among his peers will be an asset to our clients," concluded Myers.

Kuzman is currently a State Representative for District 19 serving southern Lake, Porter and Newton counties. He is the Vice Chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee and was a key negotiator on the State Budget bill. He is also the former Chairman of the House Public Policy Committee and a member of the Rules Committee. Kuzman has been a state representative since 1996. He is expected to resign his office later this summer.

"I believe that every citizen should have an open door to government and those with interests before the Statehouse should be heard," stated Kuzman. "I look forward to helping the Firm's clients manage their legislative issues at the local, state and federal levels."

During the last legislative session, Kuzman introduced legislation aimed at upgrading tax assessment laws and creating greater uniformity in the Indiana tax code. He also sponsored legislation that improves retirement benefits for Indiana's Public Employees and sponsored legislation that modified Indiana's adoption laws.

Ice Miller's lawyers and business professionals, through their understanding of businesses, industries, and government entities, help simplify the complexities faced by its clients. Ice Miller is committed to helping its clients achieve their legal and business goals. The Firm has offices in Indianapolis, Indiana; Chicago, Illinois; Naperville, Illinois; and Washington, D.C. For additional information, visit www.icemiller.com.