Around the Firms

Holland & Knight's Washington office has added partner Aurene M. Martin to its Indian law practice group. Martin is no stranger to this area, previously holding positions such as Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Interior for Indian Affairs, acting Assistant Secretary for Indian affairs (which she held for more than a year), senior counsel to the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs and Director of Congressional and Public Affairs for the federal National Indian Gaming Commission. Also, the firm's Portland, OR, office gained Christopher P. Cline in its private wealth services section. Mr. Cline's previously served as a partner in the Seattle-based Lane Powell Spears Lubersky's Portland office.

A team of attorneys from Ashurst's Paris office ' Thomas Forschbach, Nathalie Alibert, Ga'tan Gianasso, Marie-Chrystel Dang Tran, Alexander Benedetti, Fr'd'ric Berthier and Denis Criton. Forschbach, Alibert and Gianasso have joined the Paris office of Latham & Watkins, the former three as partners. M&A's and private equity financings are the team's focus.

Greenberg Traurig's Washington, DC, offices continues to be plagued with problems ' the latest being a commotion regarding fees for Native American gaming clients. On Oct. 11, in the wake of information about payments made to him by one of the controversial players, it was reported by Greenberg Traurig that Kevin Ring, a lobbying partner, had left. Ring had accepted $135,0000 from Capital Campaign Strategies LLC, a firm owned by Michael Scanlon, in 2002. An anonymous source told Influence, LFP&B's sister publication on lobbying, that Ring's payments were actually referral fees for business provided to Scanlon. Richard Hibey, a partner with Miller & Chevalier, said that several months ago, Ring commenced the process of returning the money, though he did not say who the recipient would be ' only that it would not be Scanlon or anyone else with Capital Campaign Strategies LLC. Scanlon and former Greenberg lobbyist Jack Abramoff are facing Senate and federal law enforcement investigations in millions that Native American clients collected as fees, and also for alleged exploitation of tribal elections. Although it is unclear what type of business Abramoff's companies conduct, there are several indications that some of them collected checks from Scanlon. Evidence also shows that Scanlon owned some of Abramoff's assets ' including his home. Scanlon's firm also awarded $20,000 to Michael, another Greenberg Traurig lobbying partner, in 2002. However, Smith remained with the firm.