The Top Lateral Hires of 2017
The Legal Intelligencer recently published a special supplement on "The Top Lateral Hires of 2017." The following Blank Rome lateral moves were featured:
- James J. Barnes: Blank Rome Welcomes Corporate & Securities Partner James Barnes in Pittsburgh
- Brendan D. Delany: Blank Rome Welcomes Finance Partner in Washington, D.C.
- Jonathan A. Clark, Andrew J. Rudolph, and Michael A. Kadlec: Blank Rome Welcomes Three-Partner Employee Benefits Team in Philadelphia
Supplement Excerpt:
Blank Rome Takes Corporate, Finance and Benefits Group From Pepper
Back in February, Blank Rome announced two partner hires in two days, bolstering its corporate and securities practice in Pittsburgh and its energy and finance practices in Washington, D.C.
Partner James Barnes joined the firm’s Pittsburgh office, coming from fellow Pennsylvania-based firm Pepper Hamilton, Blank Rome announced Feb. 2. Barnes had also been appointed partner of strategic development for the Pittsburgh office, and co-chair of Blank Rome’s family office practice, which serves family-owned entities created for wealth management.
And Brendan Delany, formerly special counsel at Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft, joined Blank Rome’s finance, restructuring and bankruptcy group in Washington D.C., the firm announced Feb. 3. Delany had worked with several Blank Rome partners previously, and CEO Alan Hoffman said the firm had been pursuing Delany for several months.
Delany’s addition helped to continue Blank Rome’s recent growth in its energy practice, while Barnes was expected to help the firm continue its Pittsburgh expansion. Blank Rome expanded into a permanent office space in the city.
Before joining Pepper Hamilton, Barnes was the managing partner of Reed Smith’s Pittsburgh office. The opportunity to help grow and lead the Pittsburgh office drew him to Blank Rome, he said.
“They’re a recent entrant to the Pittsburgh market but they have grown rapidly,” Barnes said. “I think it’s a hot market and I think if we build it the right way … there are tremendous opportunities for future growth.”
In Washington, Delany was also a part of that energy practice growth, as about three-quarters of his work is energy-related.
Blank Rome also beefed up its tax, benefits and private client practice in Philadelphia in February, with three partners from Pepper Hamilton. The moves followed a spate of departures from Pepper Hamilton, and they extended a string of hires at Blank Rome.
The new team was expected to be helpful to the labor and employment, corporate securities, private equity and finance practices, Hoffman said.
“We need to bring this type of expertise to our corporate clients,” he said. “You’re going to see a lot of regulatory change that really is going to impact benefits work.”
"The Top Lateral Hires of 2017," by Kristie Rearick was published in The Legal Intelligencer on March 26, 2018. To read the full article, please click here.