According to The New York Law Journal, seven of Manhattan's elite law firms took the rare step of signing on to a single letter to the Securities and Exchange Commission to voice their opinion on how the agency should implement a proposal to allow shareholders to nominate company directors.

Lawyers involved in drafting the letter, submitted Monday, acknowledge it was rare for one letter to come from all the firms, which included Cravath, Swaine & Moore, Sullivan & Cromwell and Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz.

At least four of the firms also sent separate letters addressing concerns with the policy direction the SEC is taking.

The American Lawyer reports US Attorney Thomas O'Brien has taken on international drug cartels, some of the West Coast's toughest street gangs, and human smuggling rings. But now he has to do something that may be even more challenging: build a book of business.

Paul, Hastings, Janofsky & Walker announced Tuesday that O'Brien, who has been US Attorney for the Central District of California since 2007, will become a partner in the firm's Los Angeles office, where he will focus on white-collar cases.

"The people I met at Paul Hastings are top notch attorneys and I look forward to working with the firm to help them develop a white-collar practice in Los Angeles," says O'Brien, who was appointed US Attorney by President George W. Bush after more than two years as the office's criminal division chief.

He joins the firm Oct. 1.

The American Lawyer reports that months away from arguing a landmark securities fraud case before the US Supreme Court, Merck has passed lead counsel duties from Cravath, Swaine & Moore's Evan Chesler to Williams & Connolly, court records show.

Williams & Connolly partner Kannon Shanmugam, who argued eight cases before the high court during his four years with the US Solicitor's Office, will present Merck's case to the justices this fall. Shanmugam -- W&C's first lateral hire in 22 years when he joined the firm last year -- won six of those eight cases.

In this case, Shanmugam will argue to overturn an appellate ruling that allowed a securities fraud class action brought by Merck's shareholders to proceed.

The National Law Journal reports that Patton Boggs has brought on a six-lawyer mortgage finance team from Weiner Brodsky Sidman Kider, the firm announced Tuesday.

Partners Richard Andreano and John Socknat started work in the firm's Washington, D.C., office Monday. They will be joined by associates Reid Herlihy, Heather Hutchings and Haydn Richards on Thursday.

Michael Waldron, also a partner, will work out of Patton Boggs' Dallas office.

Andreano advises settlement service providers through issues concerning the Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act, Truth in Lending Act, Equal Credit Opportunity Act, Fair Housing Act, Fair Credit Reporting Act, Home Mortgage Disclosure Act and the Gramm Leach Bliley Act.

As reported on their website, Weil, Gotshal & Manges is proud to announce that the firm has received the American Bar Association’s (ABA) 2009 Pro Bono Publico Award for outstanding public service. The award was presented during the ABA’s Annual Meeting at a special luncheon in Chicago on August 3, 2009. The Pro Bono Publico Awards honor individuals or organizations in the legal community that enhance the human dignity of others by improving or delivering volunteer legal services to the poor or disadvantaged.

One of five award winners, Weil was cited for its leadership in and commitment to pro bono work. ABA President H. Thomas Wells stated, “With more than 90 percent of its partners doing pro bono work, the firm is setting a standard for the profession. Through its goals for growth and sustainability of its pro bono program, the firm is putting into practice its belief that pro bono work is the right thing to do.”

The Legal Intelligencer has reported that Pittsburgh-based K&L Gates was hesitant to say much Wednesday about an employee who police said went on a shooting rampage Tuesday at a suburban-Pittsburgh L.A. Fitness, killing four people, including himself, and injuring nine others.

"K&L Gates is deeply saddened by last night's events, and offers its condolences to the families and friends of all who were involved in this terrible tragedy," the firm said in a statement.

K&L Gates is offering on-site counseling for employees through the firm's employee assistance program, a firm spokesman said.

The spokesman confirmed that the alleged shooter, George Sodini, 48, was a systems analyst in the finance department and had worked at K&L Gates since 1999. Prior to that, according to media reports and his profile on LinkedIn, Sodini worked at Development Dimensions International.