"White & Case received this award because of its broad-based efforts to improve legal education in Russia," said Corporate Lawyer editor Margarita Gaskarova, who presented the award. "No other law firm came close in terms of its contribution."

White & Case's educational programs in Russia are varied, and include:

The annual Philip C. Jessup International Law Moot Court Competition, the second-largest national competition in the world;
A regular lecture series presented by White & Case partners and associates to students at more than eight Russian law schools;
Donations of legal publications and other resources to Russian law schools; and
A two-month summer internship program for law students that combines on-the-job practice and training courses taught by White & Case lawyers.

"It is important to us to be connected with the young generation of lawyers," said partner Igor Ostapets, who accepted the award on behalf of White & Case. "Working with Russia's future lawyers is very rewarding, as they are eager to learn and apply their knowledge."

The nominees were identified via surveys of students and university professors in Moscow. A special committee at Corporate Lawyer reviewed the nominees' programs and selected the winner. In determining the winner, Corporate Lawyer considered the extent to which the nominees provided students with practical knowledge and skills, interactive and innovative educational methods and long-term legal educational development plans. White & Case was the only global law firm to receive an award.

About Corporate Lawyer
Corporate Lawyer is a Russian-language legal magazine established in September 2005 and published by Wolters Kluwer, an international publishing house specializing in professional services periodicals. This is the first year the publication has given community service awards to law firms.

About White & Case
White & Case LLP is a leading global law firm with more than 2,000 lawyers in 35 offices in 23 countries. Our clients value the breadth and depth of our US, English and local law capabilities and rely on us for their complex cross-border commercial and financial transactions and for international arbitration and litigation. Whether in established or emerging markets, the hallmark of White & Case is our complete dedication to the business priorities and legal needs of our clients.

www.whitecase.com

The law firm of Schwartz, Simon, Edelstein, Celso & Kessler leased 43,150 square feet of office space in the Washington Office Center, a 215,037-square-foot office building at 44 Whippany Road in Morristown, NJ. The firm expects to take occupancy on a 15-year deal in August.

Washington Office Center is a three-story, Class A building completed in 1984. It has access to I-287 and Rt. 24 and is adjacent to the 160-acre Morris County Arboretum.

Douglas Gaffney and Mike Staskiewicz of The Schultz Organization represented the law firm. The landlord, RexCorp Realty, was represented in-house by Brian Fitzsimmons.

Lowell is one of the premier white-collar defense lawyers in the United States and has successfully represented clients in investigations and trials all across the country.  He is widely recognized as one of the top lawyers in America and has been named one of the "100 Most Influential Lawyers" in America by The National Law Journal, one of the top white-collar litigators by Best Lawyers in America, one of the "Top Ten White Collar Defense Attorneys" by Legal Times, as one of Washington's best attorneys numerous times by The Washingtonian magazine, one of the "most winning" trial attorneys by The National Law Journal, and "one of the people you have on your rolodex" by Roll Call, the newspaper covering Capitol Hill.

His clients have included dozens of high-profile public officials, CEOs and directors of publicly traded companies and financial institutions, Fortune 100 companies and government institutions.  His clients, both current and previous, include Nevada Governor Jim Gibbons; former CEO of ImClone Sam Waksal; former CEO of Healthsouth Richard Scrushy; former D.C. lobbyist Jack Abramoff; Mississippi mayor Henry Espy; former Congressmen Bill Boner, Harold Ford, Austin Murphy, Joe McDade and Gary Condit; the actor Steven Seagal and lobbyists of the American Israel Policy Affairs Committee (AIPAC).  In addition, Lowell served as Chief Counsel to the Minority in Congress for the Impeachment of President Clinton, previously served as Special Counsel to the House of Representatives Ethics Committee, and was appointed to be Special Counselor to the United Nations High Commissioner of Human Rights in Geneva.  Prior to entering private practice, Lowell served in numerous posts in the U.S. Department of Justice, including as a Trial Attorney in the Criminal Division, a Special Assistant U.S. Attorney and a Special Assistant to the Attorney General.

In announcing the addition of Lowell to the Firm, Harvey W. Freishtat, chairman of McDermott, said:  "We are very pleased that Abbe has joined McDermott.  He is a superb lawyer and has earned an international reputation for his white-collar defense and special litigation work.  He will play an important role in our ability to represent our clients in their most difficult matters."

Jeffrey E. Stone, head of the 275-lawyer Trial Department, stated:  "We are excited that Abbe has chosen to join us over the many firms who would have loved to count him among their ranks.  His decision to join us validates and contributes to our growing reputation as one of the world’s pre-eminent trial firms.  He will work closely with our existing team and will add to our already very deep pool of talent in our national white-collar defense practice."

Lowell, who will be leaving the New York-based law firm of Chadbourne & Parke, said:  "This was a very difficult decision to make because Chadbourne is a wonderful firm and place to work.  But the chance to be part of an international white-collar and special litigation practice with so many offices where I have cases and clients, with as many colleagues who have government and defense trial experience, and with as many clients for whom I can be part of the representation is truly an irreplaceable opportunity.  McDermott is a cutting-edge law firm, and I could not pass up the chance to be part of its future."

Bobby R. Burchfield, co-head of McDermott’s D.C. office added:  "We are delighted to have Abbe as a partner.  As one of the most respected and well-known lawyers in the country, he adds immediate profile and depth to our litigation, trial and congressional investigation practices."

In addition to his practice, Lowell will continue to teach criminal law and evidence as an adjunct professor at Georgetown Law Center and Columbia Law School, and he will continue to write on legal issues for national and legal periodicals.

Also joining McDermott will be Pamela Marple, who will be a partner in the Washington, D.C. office.  Before private practice, Marple served as a trial attorney in the U.S. Department of Justice, as Minority Chief Counsel to the Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations, and as Minority Deputy Chief Counsel during the Senate Governmental Affairs Committee's special investigation into campaign finance activities in 1996 and 1997.  She is an experienced attorney with deep knowledge of internal investigations, white-collar cases, federal regulatory actions, civil litigation and congressional inquiries.

The Shearman & Sterling attorneys advising Citigroup included partners Creighton Condon (New York – Mergers & Acquisitions), Eliza Swann (New York – Mergers & Acquisitions), Linda Rappaport (New York – Executive Compensation and Employee Benefits), Peter Blessing (New York – International Tax), Azam Aziz (New York – Asset Management) and Barney Reynolds (London- European Finance), counsel Ansgar Simon (New York – Tax), Ann Woo (San Francisco – Mergers & Acquisitions), associates Sara Haskamp (New York – Mergers & Acquisitions), Stephen Penner (New York – Asset Management), Adam Kaminsky (New York – Executive Compensation and Employee Benefits), Garrett Dowd (New York –Executive Compensation and Employee Benefits), Nicola Espie (New York - Asset Management), Gwen Gordon (New York-Asset Management) and Thomas Donegan (London-European Finance).

On April 12, the United States District Court in New Jersey granted the Merck & Co.'s motion to dismiss with prejudice a consolidated securities class action filed by investors against Merck in connection with disclosures by Merck regarding VIOXX. In his ruling, Judge Stanley R. Chesler found that the securities action should be dismissed because all of the plaintiffs' claims were time-barred under the applicable statutes of limitations. Cravath is lead counsel for Merck in the securities action. The Cravath team was led by partners Robert H. Baron, Evan R. Chesler and David Greenwald and associate Karen R. King.

www.cravath.com