Akin Gump has recruited longtime Pillsbury partner Patrick Marshall to join its San Francisco office as a partner in its American Indian law and policy practice.
Chambers and Partners ranks Akin Gump as one of four top firms in the country in American Indian law, a practice area Marshall says is growing in this state.
“With the explosion of Indian gaming in California and elsewhere, tribes are also moving toward a diversification of their business beyond gaming,” Marshall said. “And there’s been a great need of the tribes for top legal help.”
Gambling: It’s big … plus an upbeat new office MP for Pillsbury, after the jump …
Since the tribal compacts signed with the state of California in 1999, tribe revenue has grown, and many have branched into other businesses such as resorts or mining. Their businesses need all the same types of services that other small corporations require, from trademark and IP to general corporate work.
“Gaming is not the be all, end all to many tribes. They look ahead to the next generation,” he said. “Very early on, right after the compacts were negotiated, they were looking at business diversification.”
Marshall had previously been the co-leader of Pillsbury’s Indian Law practice. He had been at Pillsbury since 1985, and served in many management positions. In 2006 and 2007, he served on the firm’s executive team, which handles day-to-day management of the firm.
Marshall’s old firm had an announcement of its own today — the firm elected a new L.A. managing partner, real estate lawyer William Waller. He replaces of Sheryl Stein, who is taking on a national leadership role at Pillsbury.
Waller has been with Pillsbury for 26 years, his entire career. He most recently served as co-leader of the firm’s national real estate practice. He also specializes in environmental law. Judging from the firm’s press release, he does not specialize in sugar-coating:
“I am honored and excited to be named managing partner of Pillsbury’s Los Angeles office at this challenging time. In our 80-year history of serving Los Angeles, this is one of the most difficult economic environments our clients have faced. I am confident that with Pillsbury’s depth and breadth of practice in Los Angeles, as well as our firm’s national and global footprint, we are well-positioned to help our clients weather the current economic environment and emerge even stronger.”
Reading between the lines, he seems to imply that there’s some kind of problem with the economy. We’re looking into it …
— Amanda Royal
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