In The News

Announcements

We are pleased to be a sponsor of the 20th Anniversary of the Commercial and Federal Litigation Section of the New York State Bar Association at the Russian Tea Room in New York City on November 18, 2008.

Nine Tannenbaum Helpern Attorneys Named “New York SuperLawyers”

We are pleased that nine of our lawyers – nearly one-third of our partners – were selected for inclusion in New York Super Lawyers 2008 published by Law & Politics in September 2008, after a multi-step selection process that included a survey of lawyers in practice at least five years and a blue ribbon review panel of leading attorneys. The lawyers who were selected are: Kenneth M. Block, Construction Chair of our Real Estate, Environmental and Construction Law Group; Brian A. Haskel of our Corporate Group; Robert E. Helpern, Real Estate Chair of our Real Estate, Environmental and Construction Law Group; Joel Hirschtritt, our Managing Partner and Chair of our Personal Representation Group; Andre R. Jaglom, Co-Chair of our Franchising, Distribution and E-Commerce Group;  Joel A. Klarreich, Chair of our Corporate, Staffing Industry and Employment Law Groups and Co -Chair of the Franchising, Distribution and E-Commerce Group; Jamie B.W. Stecher of our Litigation and Dispute Resolution Group;  Vincent J. Syracuse, Chair of our Litigation and Dispute Resolution Group; and Michael Tannenbaum, Chair of our Financial Services, Private Funds and Capital Markets Group.

Andrew Berger was elected by the Cornell University Board of Trustees to a four-year term on the Cornell University Council. The Council facilitates the exchange of information between the University and its members, mobilizes alumni in efforts that benefit the University and provides the University with a source of expertise.

Vincent J. Syracuse has been elected Chair-Elect of the New York State Bar Association's 2500 lawyer Commercial and Federal Litigation Section for the 2008-2009 year. He will continue to serve as the Chair of the Commercial Division Committee of the Section.

Andre R. Jaglom was elected Secretary of the International Law and Practice Section of the New York State Bar Association for 2008. He remains the Chair of the Section’s Committee on International Distribution, Sales and Marketing.

Greenhaven Continuous Commodity Index Fund is listed on the AMEX
Tannenbaum Helpern Syracuse & Hirschtritt LLP (THSH) advised Greenhaven Commodity Services, LLC and Greenhaven Continuous Commodity Index Fund in the registration and listing of its shares on the American Stock Exchange, LLC (AMEX), under the symbol GCC, on January 24, 2008.

GCC is an exchange traded fund that is intended to track the performance of the Continuous Commodity Total Return Index, which is an equal weighted basked of 17 commodities (corn, wheat, soybeans, live cattle, lean hogs, gold, platinum, silver, copper, cocoa, coffee, sugar, cotton, orange juice, crude oil, heating oil and natural gas), that is owned and calculated by Reuters America, LLC.

The THSH team was led by Barry E. Breen and consisted of David Schulder, Michele Gibbs, James Rieger, Jonathan Golub and Christina Zervoudakis.

Michael Tannenbaum, head of the Financial Services Group, said in congratulating the team: "This again illustrates the law firm’s ability to meet the changing needs of our clients as they develop products that are more and more innovative.  We are proud of this achievement.''

Andre R. Jaglom has been appointed co-chair of the International Distribution, Sales and Marketing Law Committee of the International Law and Practice Section of the New York State Bar Association. Drew continues as a member of the Section's Executive Committee.

We are excited to announce that we recently opened a London office with the goal of helping European fund managers navigate the regulatory issues that arise from marketing their funds to US investors. Our London office will not aim to compete with London-based hedge fund practices, but will instead work with them to provide expertise on securities laws, tax issues and other regulatory matters that arise from having US investors.

The London office was launched on October 1, 2006. Barry Breen, who has expertise in structuring and representing US and non-US investment funds, has relocated from New York to spearhead the effort. We expect to add three more lawyers in the next 12-18 months, in addition to rotating five partners from our 55-strong US office into the London office every 10 to 12 weeks.


Vincent J. Syracuse, with the assistance of George F. DuPont and Gabrielle E. Farina, was the author of a Report by the Commercial and Federal Litigation Section on the Commercial Division Focus Groups. The report has been adopted by the Section's Executive Committee and is in the process of being presented to the Executive Committee of the NYSBA for approval as an official policy statement of the NYSBA. [ View Report ]


Andrew Berger was recently named to the Dean's Advisory Council at Cornell Law School.


Institutional Investor's Alpha Magazine for hedge fund investors and managers conducted an independent survey and ranks our law firm among the Top 10 Onshore Law Firms and among the Top 5 for Client Service in the hedge fund space. [Link - Subscription Required]


Andre R. Jaglom was recently elected as a member of the national Board of Directors and Secretary of the American Institute of Wine & Food. The AIWF was founded by Julia Child and Robert Mondavi in 1981 to enhance the quality of food and drink in the United States and is one of the leading food and beverage educational organizations in the country.


Hilary Semel joined the Board of Directors for Sustainable South Bronx in March 2006. Sustainable South Bronx (SSB), founded in 2001 by Majora Carter, is a community organization dedicated to the implementation of sustainable development projects for the South Bronx that are informed by the needs of the community and the values of Environmental Justice. SSB was conceived to serve as a dedicated mechanism that could thoroughly address and implement policy and planning issues in such areas as land use, energy, transportation, water, waste, and sustainable development in the South Bronx by working to implement the community's visions for sustainable community development. Its programs are designed to provide tangible projects and/or advocacy for policy decisions that advance the environmental, social and economic rebirth of the South Bronx. In 2005, Ms. Carter won the MacArthur Fellows Award for her efforts in making the South Bronx an environmentally sustainable community.


Andre R. Jaglom has been named to the American Law Institute-American Bar Association's Business and Corporate Law Advisory Panel. ALI-ABA Advisory Panels lend their expertise to developing new and enhanced ALI-ABA projects, courses, publications, and other ALI-ABA services and products. Drawn from throughout the country, members of the panels are known for their experience and in-depth knowledge of the law.

Upcoming Speaking Engagements

Vincent J. Syracuse will represent the Committee on the Commercial Division of the Commercial and Federal Litigation Section of the New York State Bar Association on a panel program entitled “Conversations on Commercial Litigation with Justices of the New York State Supreme Court Commercial Division, Westchester County on Tuesday, November 25, 2008 in White Plains, New York. [Program]

Susan P. Witkin will present a program on “Women and Money: A Practical Guide to Trust and Estate Planning” on Wednesday, November 19, 2008 at Citrin Cooperman & Company, LLP in New York.

Andre R. Jaglom will chair his annual program on Product Distribution and Marketing, in Charleston, South Carolina March 18-20, 2009. The program covers all aspects of distribution and marketing law, from antitrust and franchise law to intellectual property and international distribution, and addresses practical issues such as drafting distribution contracts and negotiating and litigating distribution disputes. This year's program will address developments following the Supreme Court's landmark 2007 decision in the Leegin case, which overturned the century-old per se rule against resale price maintenance. In addition to planning and chairing the entire program, Drew will speak on the subjects of e-commerce and Internet distribution, drafting distribution contracts, business franchise laws and legal compliance, and will participate on panels addressing acquisitions in the distribution context, distribution disputes, and ethical issues that arise in distribution practice. Last year’s program description is available at http://www.ali-aba.org/cn019.

If you would like additional information regarding any of the events listed above, please contact us by E-mail or by telephone at (212) 508-6700.

Recent Speaking Engagements

Andrew Berger and L. Donald Prutzman spoke on “Copyright and Trademark Basics:
What Lawyers Need to Know to Protect Clients In An Internet Age” on Thursday, October 23, 2008 at a CLE Seminar in New York City sponsored by Hudson Valley Bank and CUNY Law School. [Flyer] [Berger Outline] and [Prutzman Outline]

Andre R. Jaglom and Donald Prutzman each chaired a panel at the Fall Meeting of the International Law and Practice Section of the New York State Bar Association at the Grand Hotel in Stockholm, Sweden, September 17-20, 2008. Donald’s panel covered “Advertising Standards: Global Harmony or Dissonance?” Drew’s panel addressed "International Distribution Arrangements: Different Channels, Different  Countries."

Andre R. Jaglom spoke on “Dealer Termination in International Markets” at the Center for International Legal Studies program on Lawyering in the international Market held in Pilanesberg, South Africa May 14-18, 2008.

Ralph Siciliano gave an audio conference presentation to accounting professionals, sponsored by Professional Business Publications on the topic of "Demystifying Hedge Funds: What To Do When Your Hedge Fund is in Trouble" on May 1, 2008.

Vincent J. Syracuse chaired the Ninth Edition of the New York State Bar Association's Continuing Legal Education program on ethics and civility entitled "Introductory Strategies on Ethics and Civility in Every Day Lawyering" on April 4, 2008. This is one of the NYSBA's most successful CLE programs and usually attracts a capacity audience. Vince is the state-wide planning chair. Jamie Stecher also participated in the New York City program. The program will also be presented in Albany, Long Island and Buffalo and Rochester. [Brochure]

Michael G. Tannenbaum moderated two workshops on "Hedge Funds: Current Terms" at the 9th Annual International Conference on Private Investment Funds, March 9-11, 2008 at the Renaissance Chancery Court in London. The conference is presented by the Private Investment Funds Subcommittee of the International Bar Association and by the Subcommittee on Private Investment Entities of the Committee on Federal Regulation of Securities of the American Bar Association Section on Business Law. [Brochure]

Andre R. Jaglom chaired his annual program on Product Distribution and Marketing, at the Scottsdale Plaza Resort in Scottsdale, Arizona March 6-8, 2008. The program covers all aspects of distribution and marketing law, from antitrust and franchise law to intellectual property and international distribution, and addresses practical issues such as drafting distribution contracts and negotiating and litigating distribution disputes. This year's program will address the implications of the Supreme Court's landmark decision in the Leegin case, which overturned the century-old per se rule against resale price maintenance. In addition to planning and chairing the entire program, Drew will speak on the subjects of e-commerce and Internet distribution, drafting distribution contracts, business franchise laws and legal compliance, and will participate on panels addressing acquisitions in the distribution context, distribution disputes, and ethical issues that arise in distribution practice. A full program description and online registration are available at http://www.ali-aba.org/cn019.


Andrew W. Singer conducted a two hour continuing legal education seminar sponsored by Hudson Valley Bank on Sexual Harassment Prevention in the Workplace on Wednesday, March 5, 2008 in New York City. [Flyer]

Kenneth M. Block spoke at the International Council of Shopping Centers Law Conference in San Diego on January 9, 2008 on the topic "The Greening of Retail".

Other News

Andre R. Jaglom was quoted as an "industry expert" in a November 25, 2007 Denver Post article on the implications for beer distributors of the proposed Miller Coors joint venture.


Andre R. Jaglom was quoted in the July 1, 2007 issue of Beer Business Daily and the July 3, 2007 issue of INSIGHTS Express (published by Beer Marketers Insights) on the implications for the beer industry of the U.S. Supreme Court's Leegin decision overturning the century-old per se rule against resale price maintenance.

Donald Prutzman was quoted in this June 21, 2007 article in the Atlanta Daily Journal regarding a copyright decision by the United States Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit addressing the rights of freelance photographers in connection with the National Geographic publication of a CD-ROM containing its entire magazine library.

Joel A. Klarreich was quoted in a January 18, 2007 article on smoking and employment in the Long Island Press, regarding the impermissibility of discriminating against those who smoke away from the job site unless the employer can show that smoking adversely affects job performance of the safety of other employees.