Ballard Spahr snaps up litigation boutique

Leading Philadelphia law firm Ballard Spahr has acquired New York litigation boutique Stillman & Friedman, underlining how criminal defence work is becoming increasingly important to large law firms.

New York: Stillman & Friedman acquired by top firm

Stillman & Friedman is known for representing top Wall Street moneymen and government lawyers, reports the Chicago Tribune. It has represented former UBS global head of commodities Peter Ghavami and Clark Clifford, a former defence secretary later charged in the Bank of Credit and Commerce International scandal among others.

Financial gains

The firm’s founding partner Charles Stillman has confirmed that the entire firm – with nine partners, two counsel and three associates specialising in white collar criminal defence, commercial and civil litigation - will join Ballard Spahr today, retaining their titles and level of compensation.
The acquisition was approved in a vote by Ballard Spahr lawyers late last week, and shows the growing trend among large law firms looking to reap the financial gains of representing high-level corporate executives.

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