America's Leading Lawyers for Business 2009: Outsourcing
Chambers & Partners has compiled its independent and objective list of America's Leading Lawyers for Business based on comments gathered from thousands of interviews with clients and lawyers from Maine to Hawaii. This guide — which is designed to reflect market opinion — contains a view of the firms and attorneys who are considered leaders in their field.
In Chambers' 2009 review of national legal talent in the area of "Outsourcing," our Firm and our lawyers are listed among the best in the country.
Chambers' comments:
Nationwide Ranking: Tier 2
This firm's outsourcing capabilities are largely based in Illinois, where it acts for clients such as Fortune Brands, Morgan Stanley, ProLogis, Sun Microsystems and USG. The team is praised for its cutting-edge advice on outsourcing matters, ranging from IT transactions to BPOs. At its key office in Chicago, Gregg Kirchhoefer has a tremendous depth of experience, while BPO and IP expert Neil Hirshman "is able to bring parties together instead of pushing them apart." In California, Stephen Johnson has strong IP expertise, which encompasses the outsourcing of major functions and advising on new transaction structures. The team can handle global deals with ease, drawing on its network of international offices.
Technology & IT Outsourcing
Illinois Ranking: Tier 2
This outsourcing-focused group is located in the firm's IP and technology transaction department. Much of the group's work is therefore IP-related; however, it also draws from the firms strong private equity practice, which leads to activity on a large number of M&A-related transactions. The team handles all forms of IT and related licensing work. Clients praise Gregg Kirchhoefer's "tremendous depth of experience." He heads the group, and handles outsourcing transactions of all types. Neil Hirshman is "incredibly intelligent, which means he gets more done in half an hour than many lawyers would in four days." A linchpin of the team, he is recognized by sources as an expert in BPO matters and has a broad IP and technology transactional practice.
IT & IT Outsourcing
California Ranking: Tier 3
An ample roster of private equity clients such as Platinum Equity feeds this firm with work on a steady stream of acquisition transactions involving software and technology companies and online retailers. Working with the New York, Chicago and Washington, DC offices, the team also undertakes life sciences and outsourcing projects, as well as alliance agreements surrounding open source and security and data breaches. One of its largest outsourcing deals of the past year involved Auto Parts Manufacturer Visteon. Stephen Johnson splits his time between technology and life sciences work, recently leading a transatlantic life sciences transaction that spanned Scandinavia, Japan and the USA.
Reprinted with permission from Chambers USA, America's Leading Lawyers for Business 2009 — www.chambersandpartners.com.
