Posts from ‘November, 2008’

For most of his colleagues in Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher’s downtown Los Angeles office, the daily commute consists of throwing the briefcase in the car and fighting gridlock on the 101. But for partner Jai Pathak — who joined the firm in February, after 24 years with Jones Day — the morning dash to work could involve packing for a day trip to Mumbai, an afternoon client meeting in Kuala Lumpur or another 17-hour flight between his desks in Singapore and L.A.

Insurers in New York must treat same-sex couples who have been legally married out of state as validly married for insurance purposes, including qualifying for coverage under health policies, the New York Insurance Department said in a directive issued last week. The state insurance superintendent said the directive applies to virtually all insurance products sold in New York, including life, disability, long-term care and health insurance.

Nixon Peabody has added 11 attorneys from Thelen to its energy and environmental practice across three offices, located in New York, Washington, D.C., and Silicon Valley. Meanwhile, Foley & Lardner has added former Thelen partners in New York, including Barry Felder, former name partner of Brown Raysman Millstein Felder & Steiner before its 2006 merger with Thelen. Foley has also added a Thelen IP partner in Silicon Valley.

The California Supreme Court ruled unanimously Monday that caregiving under the state’s medical marijuana statutes requires consistently providing the “daily life necessities” of patients well before marijuana is considered an option. The ruling is bad news for the average medical marijuana growers who want to sell to ailing friends, but good news for law enforcement officers who would like to rein in a growing number of outlaw caregivers around the state.

Bayer will pay $97.5 million to settle U.S. government allegations that the conglomerate paid kickbacks to medical suppliers to boost sales of its diabetes products. The Justice Department said Tuesday the settlement resolves an investigation into whether Bayer bribed 11 diabetic suppliers into switching patients to its products from competitors’ products. Under the settlement, Bayer also agreed to a corporate integrity agreement which requires it to review and update its employee training programs.

With General Motors reportedly having reviewed — and subsequently ruled out — the option of a traditional Chapter 11 filing, some observers believe there is another option to consider: a prepackaged bankruptcy. In a “prepack,” debtor’s counsel negotiate agreements with creditors prior to an actual filing for Chapter 11 protection. The Am Law Daily caught up with Ropes & Gray bankruptcy and restructuring co-head Mark Bane to hear about the possible alternative method of going bust.