Professor Hillman Comments on Lawyer Mobility for American Lawyer
American Lawyer turned to Professor Robert Hillman, whom the publication states "literally wrote the book on lawyer mobility, Hillman on Lawyer Mobility," for comment on lawsuits filed by administrators of the bankrupt estates of Coudert Brothers and Heller Ehrman against firms that employed partners fleeing the distressed organizations.
The suits don't necessarily signal a trend, said Hillman. "Most dissolving firms proceed to dissolve without going into a litigation phase," he said. Still, Professor Hillman said that there is a general interest in the legal community in clarifying what is proper procedure with regard to recruiting partners from distressed firms. "People are operating in a Wild West sort of environment-going after each other like a bunch of gunslingers with no guidance."
Professor Hillman holds the Fair Business Practices and Investor Advocacy Chair at UC Davis School of Law and is a scholar in the fields of international transactions, securities regulation, and corporate and partnership law.