INBLF News

First INBLF European Summit to be Held in Dusseldorf, Germany

The INBLF is proud to announce that its European strategic partners will gather in Dusseldorf, Germany from Friday, July 10, until Sunday, July 12, for the first ever European INBLF summit meeting. The event will be hosted, and has been organized, by INBLF Member Andreas Seidel of SKW Schwarz Rechtsanwaite (Germany). In addition to INBLF President Steven Spielvogel, INBLF lawyers from all over Europe will be in attendance to discuss matters of mutual interest.

INBLF Strengthens Its Position in Europe

Two of Europe’s leading law firms have joined the INBLF as additional international strategic partners. The eminent Belgian law firm, LVP Law, located in Brussels, and the esteemed Polish firm, Wiercinski, Kwiecinski, Baehr Sp. k., of Warsaw, have been appointed as the newest INBLF international strategic partners. These appointments are further indications of the growing position of the INBLF in Europe.

INBLF Member Elected President of International Bar Association (IBA)

The INBLF is pleased to announce that Fernando Pelaez of Hoet Pelaez Castillo & Duque was recently elected President of the International Bar Association. To honor Fernandos ascendancy, INBLF President Steven Spielvogel hosted an event attended by INBLF members from all over the world at the Park Hyatt in Buenos Aires.

More Explosive Growth In California -- Five New Firms Join INBLF Chapter In San Diego

The INBLF continues to expand its significant presence in California with the addition of five new single-discipline firms to the INBLF San Diego Chapter.

San Diego chapter president Mike Kirby, of Kirby Noonan Lance & Hoge LLP, has announced the election to INBLF membership of the following five partners of preeminent boutique law firms in San Diego:

Janice P. Brown, Esq., Brown Law Group (Employment Law)
Douglas M Butz, Esq., Butz Dunn & Desantis (Professional Liability Defense)
Paul A. Hilding, Esq., Hilding Law Firm (Insurance Law)
Craig R. McClellan, Esq., The McClellan Faw Firm (Personal Injury, representing plaintiffs)

Choosing wrong lawyer can prove to be expensive nightmare

Choosing wrong lawyer can prove to be expensive nightmare
Houston Business Journal - Houston,TX,USA
... says Steven Spielvogel, a partner with Gallion & Spielvogel in New York City and co-founder of the National Business Litigation Group. ...

San Francisco INBLF Chapter Continues Explosive Growth

Charles Kagay, partner in the business litigation firm Spiegel Liao & Kagay, LLP, and president of the INBLFs chapter in San Francisco, has announced that the San Francisco chapter continues on its recent trajectory of explosive growth. Kagay and the San Francisco chapter have welcomed the following new members:

Kevin Urbatsch, Esq., principal of The Urbatsch Law Firm, focuses his practice on estate planning and probate and trusts litigation.
Kristen Schlenger, Esq., and Mary Jane Weaver, Esq., partners at Weaver, Schlenger & Mazel, an immigration law firm, also have joined the San Francisco chapter.
Andrew J. Wiegel, Esq., of The Wiegel Law Group is now a member of the INBLF San Francisco chapter. The Wiegel Law Group is a real estate law firm.

SAN FRANCISCO CHAPTER ANNOUNCES NEW MEMBERS

Charlie Kagay, President of the San Francisco Chapter, has announced the addition of two new law firms to the chapter membership rolls. In the field of criminal law, the name partners of the firm of Swanson, McNamara & Haller LLP, attorneys Edward W. Swanson, Mary McNamara and Alexis Haller, have joined the San Francisco Chapter. The chapter also has added as members Michele Ballard Miller, Janine S. Simerly and Tracy Thompson, principal lawyers of the Miller Law Group, a single-discipline law firm specializing in employment law, representing management.

Law Firms Wrestle With Health Care Costs

Broach the subject of health care costs with John Langan, and he will sum up the issue quite succinctly.

"It's brutal," said Langan, managing partner of Syracuse, N.Y.-based Hiscock & Barclay.

The firm has seen the cost of providing health care to nearly 400 employees rise by 20% each of the past five years. It has largely shouldered the mounting costs without asking employees to pick up the difference.

Read more about how law firms wrestle with health care costs or read it on the National Law Journal's web site.

Boutiques Network to Compete With Big Firms

Attorneys have always networked, but certain boutique law firms are now organizing in a way that allows them to offer one-stop shopping similar to what large, general practice firms can provide. The International Network of Boutique Law Firms, for example, sprang up in 2004 and already has nearly 300 member firms, along with about 20 international strategic partners. The organization has roughly 40 chapters spread throughout the United States. Each chapter is allowed only one firm from each specialty area, whether it's antitrust, intellectual property or tax, so that the members don't compete with each other.

Read more about how the boutiques network competes with big firms.

"Boutique firms are also uniting: the interview with Edward Gallion"

Actually it was my partner, Steven Spielvogel, who first had the idea to put together a network of boutique law firms. The idea first occurred shortly after we opened our own law firm Gallion & Spielvogel, which is a boutique single-discipline firm focusing on business litigation, white collar criminal defense work and independent internal corporate investigations

To read more about Boutique firms are also uniting.

Download the Law Times article in PDF format.

"Incoming White House Counsel to Address Annual INBLF Black-Tie Dinner"

Gregory B. Craig, President-elect Obama's choice to serve as White House Counsel in the new administration, has agreed to appear as the featured speaker at the sixth annual black-tie dinner of the INBLF, which will be held at Colorado's famed Broadmoor Resort on October 23-25, 2009.

Craig, who served as President Bill Clinton's lead attorney during the 1998 impeachment proceedings, became a close adviser to President-elect Obama during the recent presidential campaign, serving as a stand-in for Senator John McClain during the debate preparations. As White House counsel, Craig will be responsible for advising the new president and his administration on a wide array of upcoming difficult legal issues.

The National Law Journal "Boutique firms well-positioned to ride it out" - December 1, 2008

to view the article click here

INBLF profiled in The New York Times - 07/02/2007, 9:06 pm

Recently, the INBLF was profiled in a Business Day feature article written by New York Times' reporter Karen Donovan. Ms. Donovan, who interviewed several INBLF members for the article, paints a vivid picture of a young organization rapidly gaining credibility within the national and international legal communities and a young "Rick Ocasek" (formerly of the Cars) look-alike INBLF President (Steve Spielvogel), who is well known for his "persnickety" vetting of potential INBLF candidates.

Download the New York Times article in PDF format.

Practical Law Company reports: Boutiques - focusing on being different - 05/09/2007,12:26

One of the side effects of globalization for the legal services market has been the emergence of a group of highly focused law firms able to compete with full service firms in specialist areas. Derek Bedlow assesses how these boutique firms are faring, what benefits they offer clients, and the challenges they face.

Download the full article in PDF format.

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports "New law firm network out to prove smaller is better." - 12/28/2006, 1:24 pm

According to INBLF Pittsburgh Chapter President Alan Perer, "boutique legal practices such as his offer clients some advantages they can't always obtain at large, traditional firms including direct access to the best attorneys and specialized services." Founded in 2004 by the New York Law Firm of Gallion & Spielvogel, the INBLF "has 235 member firms in the United States, as well as 13 in Europe, Central and South America."

Download the full article in PDF format.

Small (INBLF) law firm sets big example with Habitat for Humanity - 11/01/2006, 5:33 pm

In regards to his work with Habitat for Humanity, "A house sponsorship like this is not an opportunity reserved for Fortune 500 companies, or in our line of business, for large law firms. We're a ten-lawyer law firm. If we can do this, anyone can do this. If you are committed to making a difference, anything is possible!" - J. Michael Dady

Download the full article in PDF format.

INBLF on front page of Chicago Daily Law Bulletin - 10/11/2006, 9:34 am

Recently, the INBLF Black Tie Dinner was front page news in the Chicago Daily Law Bulletin. Pictured are INBLF Chicago Chapter President Peter Baugher, INBLF President Steven Spielvogel and Chief Justice Randall Shepard of the Indiana Supreme Court. Shepard's keynote speech highlighted the evening festivities, which also included a speech by Sports Illustrated Legal Affairs Editor Lester Munson, and a satirical music revue by minstrels from the Chicago Bar Association. Held in the magnificent Cathedral Hall of Chicago's University Club, the INBLF's Black Tie Gala and Chicago Weekend was another milestone in the growth of our organization.

Download the full article in PDF format.

Houston Litigation Boutique Gibbs & Bruns Pays Big Bonuses - 05/01/2006, 9:24 am

Gibbs & Bruns, a 34-lawyer litigation boutique in Houston, recently set a high bar for associate bonuses by paying bonuses to its 10 associates that are at least as large as their yearly base salary. Those bonuses were paid to the associates over the past year, but the firm paid a big chunk of the money April 13, in the wake of two large litigation settlements finalized during the week of April 10.

Download the full article in PDF format.

Fellow in the American College of Employee Benefits Counsel - 04/15/2006, 9:54 am

We are very pleased to announced that our esteemed New York Chapter member (as well as our Treasurer), Gerald Wolf, Esq. has been named a Fellow in the American College of Employee Benefits Counsel. As the attached news release indicates, Gerry was only one of 20 attorneys nationwide selected to join this prestigious group of professionals, each of whom must have at least 20 years practicing employee benefits law.

Download the Press Release PDF.

"America's Best Lawyers" - 07/26/2005, 2:17 pm

Sky Radio interview for "America's Best Lawyers" Listen Now to the Sky Radio interview with INBLF member Charles M. Kagay of Spiegel Liao & Kagay, LLP, being broadcast this month on American Airline's

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