Hoping to increase their intellectual property practice, Baker Botts has launched an office in Palo Alto. The office is to focus on the IP field, but when expanding, it will take on more attorneys and more areas of law. Mark Spolyar, previous private IP firm owner. and Baker Botts

Sheppard Mullin Richter & Hampton LLP has just announced its plan to launch a Silicon Valley office. This office will make the firm’s eleventh office and the eighth one in California. Partner Marc A. Sockol, who will manage this Palo Alto office, joins the firm’s Intellectual Property practice group. Sockol was prevoiusly a partner at Thelen Reid Brown Raysman & Steiner LLP.

Source: www.bizjournals.com

U.S. law firms are behind United Kingdom in terms of environmental policies. The nation’s firms are being confronted on their environmental impact and what steps they are taking to minimize their effects on this planet. For instance, are being asked to provide manufacturing recycling programs and business environmental programs. Firms are taking action by developing programs with the focus of energy saving, recycling, car-pooling, and recycled/reducing paper usage. There are a number of certifications/known programs sought such as: ABA-EPA Law Office Climate Challenge Waste Wise, Green Power Partnership, and Energy Star Programs, and LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design). It appears as if west coast firms are the leading firms to concentrate efforts on these major environmental issues. Wendel, Rosen, Black & Dean was the first law firm in the U.S. to obtain certification as a green business. Farella Braun & Martel was the first firm to be Green Certified by the city of San Francisco and the second to track air emissions with California’s Climate Action Registry. Nixon Peabody was the first law firm to appoint a chief sustainability officer. There are even more firms making grand changes to help reduce their ecological footprints.

Source: www.law.com

Palo Alto is in the midst of celebrating Earth Month, a program beginning March 23, which entails a new weekly focus on sustainable living and a speaker series beginning Thursday. The Earth Month organizers recently acknowledged the efforts of local businesses for their endeavors to make environmentally-friendly changes. One such business was the law firm of Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati. Assistant General Counsel Mark Parnes explained that the firm began its environmental efforts about 10 years ago. Wison Sonsini has recently beagn purchasing recycled materials, nad have launched a ride-sharing program.

Source: http://www.paloaltodailynews.com

Loeb & Loeb has announced their newly formed Emerging Media and Technology Practice Group. This national team will be served by 20 attorneys amongst the following three offices: New York, Chicago, and Los Angeles. Loeb & Loeb is already known for its counsel to the media and entertainment industry.

Source: www.lawfuel.com

Littler Mendelson plans to open an office in Birmingham. The San Francisco based law firm has decided to open an office in Birmingham to make a greater inpact in the Southeast. Including this new office, Littler Mendelson has more than 700 attorneys in 45 offices throughout the U.S.