- Managing Partner: Robert W Trafford
- Number of partners: 139
- Number of other lawyers: 86
Firm Overview:
Porter Wright Morris & Arthur LLP traces its origins to 1846 in Ohio. The firm’s lawyers combine their knowledge, skills and experience to represent a worldwide base of clients in complex legal issues and business opportunities.
Main Areas of Practice:
Antitrust & Trade Regulation:
Counseling, litigation and ADR support on complex antitrust matters.
Banking & Finance:
Bank formation and regulation, lease/loan financing, project financing, public finance, asset securitization and commercial law.
Bankruptcy, Workout & Creditors’ Rights:
Bankruptcy and insolvency, including creditor rights, business workouts, claims and loan restructuring.
Bioscience:
Represents biotech and medical device clients in business formation, contracts, protection of IP, licensing and strategic alliance agreements.
Business Growth & Operation:
Counsels entrepreneurial businesses and fast-growing companies in business formation, corporate governance and securities, succession planning and transactions.
Construction:
Advises owners, contractors, architects, engineers, lenders and insurers in construction-related issues.
Employee Benefits:
Advises on employee benefits and executive compensation including qualified retirement plans, nonqualified deferred compensation, and health and welfare benefits.
Energy & Telecommunications:
Represents utilities before regulatory commissions and courts at the trial and appellate level.
Environmental Law:
Clean Air Act, water pollution and wetlands, EPCRA, Superfund, and environmental assessment and remediation.
Government & Regulatory Affairs:
Economic development initiatives; election, PAC and ethics laws; government contracting; and legislative and regulatory advocacy. Government contract negotiations, DCAA audits, debarment/ suspension proceedings and protests/claims.
Green:
Representation on sustainability inititatives, including alternative energy, development and waste recovery and reuse.
Health Law:
Serves physician practice groups, hospitals and other medical providers in formation, financing, fraud/abuse, Stark, HIPAA, antikickback and false claims.
Immigration:
Visas, work authorizations, naturalization and compliance with employment eligibility verification rules.
Insurance:
Corporate, regulatory, transactional and litigation services to insurance companies, mutual holding companies, insurance agencies, investment advisers, investment companies and regulators.
Intellectual Property:
Patent, trademark, copyright and trade secret arenas, as well as ancillary areas.
International Business & Trade:
Venture formation, agency and distribution relationships, licensing and franchise, customs, import/export controls, trade agreements/disputes, taxation, cross-border litigation and arbitration.
Labor & Employment:
Represents management clients in employment discrimination and wrongful discharge litigation, including class actions and ERISA, and employment law and regulation compliance. Works with union and nonunion clients to plan labor and employment aspects of business changes and manage labor relations issues.
Litigation:
Complex commercial, tort and regulatory matters before federal and state courts, administrative agencies, arbitration panels and ADR settings.
M&A:
Transaction structuring, tax planning, due diligence, mergers, stock/asset transactions, proxy statements, securities registration and Hart-Scott-Rodino Act compliance.
Privacy & Data Security:
Broad range of privacy and data security issue advice, including data breach situations.
Product Liability:
Represents product manufacturers and distributors in potential and actual claims of personal injuries and damages from use or exposure to industrial, motor vehicle, medical and various consumer products.
Real Estate:
Commercial matters including acquisition/development, financing, leasing, title insurance, mortgages, fair housing, architect/contractor agreements, zoning and land use.
Securities:
Private placements, public offerings, venture capital, private equity, joint ventures, licensing and franchising, SEC investigations, civil enforcement actions and criminal securities cases.
Tax & Personal Wealth:
Business/entity planning and tax disputes, tax credits and experience in federal, state, local and international taxation. Estate planning, wealth transfer, charitable giving, adoptions and guardianships, antenuptial agreements and probate litigation.
Technology:
Technology acquisition, transfer and licensing; software development; outsourcing; litigation; joint research and development and joint ventures; internet and e-commerce; and open source software.
Transportation & Logistics:
Counsels major modes of transportation and logisitics companies in litigation, environmental, regulatory, corporate and employment law.
White Collar Defense & Corporate Investigations:
Represents businesses and individuals whose operations and activities are placed under government scrutiny or are subject to governmental enforcement actions.