Mainbrace | January 2017 (No. 1)
As we launch into a new year, uncertainty remains the word of the day. Whatever your political leanings, it would be hard to dispute that the inauguration of the Trump administration augurs change on many fronts, from shifting and testing political alliances to evolving trade and energy policies and infrastructure development and growth. Predicting just how and when change will come, however, seems more difficult than ever.
Mainbrace | January 2017 (No. 1)
Blank Rome LLP is pleased to announce that the Firm’s maritime practice was highly ranked in the national U.S. News & World Report – Best Lawyers® 2017 “Best Law Firms” survey, and received numerous regional top-tier rankings throughout the Firm’s offices. To view Blank Rome’s full 2017 rankings, please click here.
Blank Rome’s industries and services recognized in this year’s survey include:
The U.S. News & World Report – Best Lawyers® survey rankings are based on a rigorous evaluation process that includes the collection of client and lawyer evaluations, peer reviews from leading attorneys in their field, and a review of additional information provided by law firms as part of the formal submission process. For more information on the methodology, please visit bestlawfirms.usnews.com.
Mainbrace | January 2017 (No. 1)
Blank Rome LLP is pleased to announce that the following attorneys have been elected partner and elevated to of counsel, effective January 1, 2017. The newly elected partners are Mayling C. Blanco, Dayna C. Finkelstein, Andrew J. Haas, Alex E. Hassid, Nikhil A. Heble, Michael A. Iannucci, Rustin I. Paul, Christopher J. Petersen, James J. Quinlan, and Jonathan M. Robbin. The new of counsel are Marquel S. Jordan, Jason I. Miller, Kevin M. O’Malley, and Adrien C. Pickard.
“We congratulate this exceptional group of attorneys on their new roles at Blank Rome,” said Alan J. Hoffman, Chairman and Managing Partner. “We approach our elevation decisions as a long-term investment in the Firm and are confident that this group of talented attorneys will continue to provide exceptional service to our clients and further strengthen our business.”
Mainbrace | June 2017 (No. 1)
Dear Friends of Blank Rome:
Did you know that in 1946, Blank Rome started as a Philadelphia-based law firm of just two attorneys, then known as the law offices of Blank & Rudenko? We recently celebrated our 70th anniversary by reflecting upon the many milestones and successes we have achieved on behalf of our clients, for the communities in which we live and work, and as an innovative firm that continues to grow and evolve.
As a friend of Blank Rome, I invite you to join us in celebrating the hard work and dedication that has transformed us from a small, regional firm to the current-day Blank Rome with numerous offices throughout the U.S. and in Shanghai and more than 620 attorneys.
To commemorate each turning point in our history, we’ve created an animated timeline that will guide you through the years and highlight important occasions along the way. I hope you’ll spend a few moments navigating the facts, photos, interactive maps, and abbreviated history we’ve assembled here:
It has been a true honor to lead Blank Rome through what have been some of our most transformative and successful years. With your ongoing support and confidence in us, we have stayed true to our culture, expanded our reach by practice and geography to meet our clients’ needs, embraced technological advances, affected case law and legislation, and made a positive impact on our communities. Thank you for being a part of our history, and we look forward to what the future brings.
Sincerely,
Alan J. Hoffman, Chairman and Managing Partner
215.569.5505 | Hoffman@BlankRome.com
Mainbrace | September 2016 (No. 4)
It’s hard to believe another summer has come and gone. The kids are back in school, the commuter trains are a bit more crowded, and everyone is back from their holidays, hopefully refreshed and ready to get back down to business. We know we are. Continue reading “A Note from the Editor”
Mainbrace | June 2016 (No. 3)
Blank Rome was recognized as the winner of the Lloyd’s List 2016 North American Maritime Award for Maritime Services – Legal” at the Lloyd’s List awards ceremony held on May 19, 2016, at Pier Sixty, in New York, NY. The maritime services award, as stated by Lloyd’s List, is awarded “for exceptional achievement or contribution to any service sector of the North American maritime industry by a company, individual or organisation.”
“We are very proud that for the second year, Lloyd’s List has honored us for the legal services we provide to our clients. In selecting Blank Rome for this highly prestigious award, Lloyd’s List’s panel of judges recognized that we offer a range and breadth of shipping knowledge to clients that is unmatched among U.S.-based law firms,” said John D. Kimball, co-chair of the Firm’s maritime practice group.
“We continue to be most grateful to Lloyd’s List for this recognition two-years in a row. We are delighted that our efforts to build and maintain a team-oriented national practice to handle all of the needs of our clients has been high- lighted again,” added maritime co-chair Jonathan K. Waldron.
This year’s annual awards event attracted more than 300 maritime industry representatives and celebrated the success of the North American maritime industry. For a full list of winners, please visit http://ibiawards.com/north-america/.
Mainbrace | June 2016 (No. 3)
Blank Rome Government Relations LLC (“BRGR”) is pleased to announce that the Honorable Spencer Abraham, former U.S. Secretary of Energy and former U.S. Senator from Michigan, and Joseph P. McMonigle, former Vice-Chairman of the International Energy Agency and former Chief of Staff at the U.S. Department of Energy, have joined Blank Rome Government Relations as Principals in the Washington, D.C., office. Continue reading “Former U.S. Energy Secretary & DOE Chief of Staff Join Blank Rome Government Relations”
Mainbrace | June 2016 (No. 3)
Government contracting can be a maze. We’ll be your guide.
David M. Nadler and Brian S. Gocial
Regular readers of Mainbrace know that Blank Rome LLP has the largest and most comprehensive maritime legal practice in the United States, providing unparalleled knowl- edge and counsel to our maritime industry clients. With the recent addition of more than 100 attorneys from Dickstein Shapiro LLP’s New York and Washington, D.C., offices, Blank Rome now offers our maritime clients a nationally recog- nized, full-service government contracts practice with a deep bench of dedicated professionals who can assist our maritime clients in navigating the increasingly competitive world of contracting with the U.S. government. From bid protests, claims, dispute resolution, and litigation, to cyber- security, government audits and investigations, False Claims Act cases, mandatory disclosure issues, and suspension and debarment, Blank Rome’s attorneys can assist our maritime industry clients with the complex regulatory matters facing government contractors today in all aspects of government contracts, from contract formation through close-out.
Our Team and Multidisciplinary Capabilities
Led by Practice Chair Dave Nadler, a former Navy lawyer, Blank Rome’s government contracts practice features more than 20 attorneys focused on government contracts law and litigation who regularly deal with the U.S. Navy’s Military Sealift Command, U.S. Army’s Military Surface Deployment and Distribution Command, United States Coast Guard, Defense Logistics Agency Land and Maritime, United States Maritime Administration, Environmental Protection Agency, and other government agencies. Our government contracts team works closely with Blank Rome’s maritime and complementary national practices, including government relations, insurance coverage, labor and employment, white collar defense and investigations, and mergers and acquisitions, providing a broad base of knowledge and full range of experience to serve the maritime industry.
Our collective pool of talent encompasses a wide variety of backgrounds, including former U.S. Coast Guard and Navy officers, representatives and senior staff from congressional committees, and high-level officials of the U.S. Maritime Administration, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Our government contracts attorneys understand the interplay between law and politics, and coordinate strategies with Blank Rome Government Relations LLC to help clients anticipate and take advantage of the issues and opportunities that affect the maritime industry. Our team approach focuses on bringing the right resources and counsel to resolve our clients’ issues, whether it be advising on a new regulatory development or guiding a client through a bet- the-company government investigation.
Our Recent Noteworthy Representations
Most recently, our government contracts team represented a leading provider of ship repair and maintenance services on Guam, filing a bid protest at the Government Accountability Office after the U.S. Coast Guard awarded a multimillion dollar contract to a competitor for drydock repairs. As a result of our protest, the Coast Guard took corrective action, resulting in a contract award to our client.
Our government contracts attorneys also worked closely with our corporate lawyers to assist a leading middle-market private equity firm focused on the maritime sector in its acquisition of a leading provider of scaffolding systems and environmental containment solutions for the maintenance, repair, and overhaul of U.S. government vessels.
We also successfully resolved a False Claims Act case on behalf of the largest container shipping company in the world related to detention changes for cargo shipped to Iraq and Afghanistan. Currently, our government contracts team represents a shipowner in Federal District Court con- testing the default termination of a military charter.
Government Contracting Today
Government contracting in today’s marketplace presents both great opportunities and challenges. Government contractors face heightened risks presented by ever-changing regulations and aggressive enforcement. Blank Rome’s maritime and government contracts attorneys, combined with the Firm’s full-service commercial and corporate legal capabilities and significant litigation experience, allow us to offer our maritime clients a highly sophisticated set of legal solutions for maritime contractors both large and small, experienced government contractors, and those seeking to enter the government marketplace for the first time.
Mainbrace | June 2016 (No. 3)
Chambers Global 2016 recognized Blank Rome LLP as a global leader in Shipping: Litigation, as well as Partners Anthony B. Haller and John D. Kimball for their industry knowledge and leading practices. Continue reading “Chambers Global 2016 Ranks Blank Rome Attorneys and Shipping Litigation Practice”
Mainbrace | June 2016 (No. 3)
Thank you.
Everyone appreciates acknowledgement for hard work and a job well done. It’s human nature. An occasional pat on the back makes us feel good about what we are doing, and it makes us strive harder to earn the recognition we receive. Continue reading “A Note from the Editor”
