Proskauer Opens Beijing Office

Proskauer expanded its global capabilities and Asia practice with the opening of an office in Beijing.

The new office, the firm's 13th, and second in Asia, will be located at Room 1569 on the 15th Floor of China World Tower 3, No. 1 Jianguomenwai Avenue, in the Chaoyang District of Beijing.

"This marks the next step in our global strategy of serving the needs of our clients in the major financial markets of the world where they are located and doing business," said Joseph M. Leccese, Chairman of Proskauer. "It will allow us to continue to expand the work we are doing as our clients build their businesses in Asia, enabling them—and us—to capitalize on the full range of available opportunities."

"We are excited to be able to support our fast-growing practice with an on-the-ground base in mainland China, where many of our clients are focusing their attention, time and money. With 20 fee earners in Asia, we can handle the most sophisticated inbound and outbound transactions," said Yuval Tal, who heads the firm's Asia Practice.

Proskauer opened its Hong Kong office in 2008, focusing on core practice areas that include private equity, mergers and acquisitions and capital markets. The firm expects to continue this growth in Hong Kong and Beijing in these and other strategic practice areas reflecting its global capabilities.

Proskauer's Beijing office is the latest opening for the firm, following its expansion into London (2007), São Paulo (2007), Chicago (2008) and Hong Kong.

 

Firm on the Run

They came from far-flung continents and nations around the world. And they also came from our New York, Boston, Washington, DC and Newark offices. Their common purpose? To run in the New York City Marathon.

For some, like New York Senior Counsel Russell Hirschhorn and Washington, DC Senior Counsel Eugene Holmes, both members of the Employee Benefits, Executive Compensation & ERISA Litigation Practice Center, and Frank White, a Corporate Associate in Boston—all "veteran" runners—the marathon and the grueling training leading up to it were a way to relieve stress and get in shape. For Eugene, it was his fifth consecutive New York City Marathon and his personal best—he has also run the Boston, Philadelphia, Chicago, Detroit and Marine Corps marathons; for Frank it was his third New York City Marathon, in addition to previous runs in the Boston and Marine Corps marathons; for Russell, it was also his third New York City Marathon. Jeffrey Escobar, a Real Estate Associate based in New York, had run portions of the marathon before, but this was his first "official" outing.

For Steve Lichtenfeld, a Partner in the Corporate Department, Lisa Cohen, Director of Business Development Information & Technology-both based in New York — and Cristina Godinez, a Labor & Employment Paralegal in Newark, it was their first marathon (although all are long-time fitness enthusiasts).

But for all who participated, it was a personal challenge fulfilled, and a unique, and even inspiring, journey. Russell called it "an incredibly fascinating way to see the city" and recommended it to anyone who enjoys running. Eugene is consistently struck by the diversity of the neighborhoods he runs through. Cristina said that she has "not seen or heard such diversity in concentrated form" as she did just before the marathon began. Steve said running it was like "becoming part of a fraternity—people who do it make the commitment to do what they have to do to get it done." Frank noted that he has "never been more dirty than after I've run through all five boroughs of New York City." And Lisa and Jeffrey both fed off the energy and support of the crowd as they were cheered and high fived coming into and through Manhattan.

So will Proskauer's New York City Marathon runners be returning next year? Eugene and Frank both definitely plan to run again next year. Jeffrey is looking ahead to running the marathon again in 2014 following a year spent qualifying, and Lisa and Cristina remain undecided. Russell will likely run again in the future (but he promised his wife he wouldn't do it four years in a row). And Steve is definitely out, echoing the immortal words of Apollo Creed at the end of Rocky: "There ain't gonna be a rematch."

Congratulations to all for going the distance.

 

Lawrence Elbaum Honored for Pro Bono Work for Brooklyn Family Defense Project

Lawrence Elbaum was honored by the Brooklyn Family Defense Project with a Family Defender award for his pro bono efforts on behalf of the organization, which provides Brooklyn families with the legal and social support they need to achieve positive change in their lives.

Lawrence was recognized for his work on and supervision of pro bono cases, including several research memos, a successful, complicated appeal before the Appellate Division Second Department and continued work on the case following remand to the Family Court for a new hearing. He is also co-chair of BFDP's newly created Associates' Advisory Board and has hosted BFDP's vision meetings, which focus on strengthening BFDP's mission.

 

Proskauer Recognized in Financial Times "U.S. Innovative Lawyers" Report

Proskauer was recognized by the Financial Times as one of the top law firms in the United States in its 2011 "U.S. Innovative Lawyers" report.

The firm was ranked among the FT 25, a list of the most innovative law firms in the U.S., which was compiled based on client feedback and included firms with the "ability to adapt and to work together in the best interests of business to unusual and important effect."

In addition to the FT 25 ranking, Proskauer was commended in the Corporate Law category for its representation of Grifols in its acquisition of Talecris, one of the largest leveraged buyouts since 2008. The firm was cited for its work on the deal, which included "complex, multi-jurisdictional issues" as well as persuading the U.S. Federal Trade Commission to forego antitrust litigation, making the acquisition possible through "a complex escrow structure to raise proceeds while antitrust approval was pending."

Proskauer was also commended in the Litigation category for its successful defense of a challenge to ATP Tour, Inc.'s "Brave New World" restructuring plan, which required the firm to present a "complex argument to establish what ATP's relevant market was, whether it had monopoly power and whether its actions were pro-competition."

 

Proskauer Represents American Express in Partnership with Facebook-Linked Gifting Site

Proskauer represented American Express and its subsidiary Serve Virtual Enterprises, Inc., a digital payments platform, in a partnership agreement with Giftiki, a recently launched "collaborative gifting" service linked with Facebook.

Giftiki enables Facebook users to deposit cash gift amounts into their Facebook friends' Giftiki accounts. This allows many people to gift small amounts to a person that, when added together with gifts from other Facebook friends, can accumulate into a significant amount. Funds accumulated in a recipient's Gifitiki account can then be redeemed for gift cards from retailers, restaurants and other businesses.

The exclusive cash-equivalent redemption option, once technical integration is completed, will allow Giftiki users to transfer funds from their Giftiki account to a Serve digital payments account in order to make digital payments online or use a Serve payment card for purchase of products or services anywhere that American Express is accepted. Proskauer's client's expectation is that this will drive Giftiki users to open Serve accounts and increase usage and exposure of American Express's Serve payments platform.

Partner Jeffrey D. Neuburger, and Associates Paresh Trivedi and Kimberly M. Thompson represented American Express.