News
Large Firms
Feb. 14, 2002
Retirement Issue Prods Partner to Leave
LOS ANGELES - After 11 years at Morgan, Lewis & Bockius' Los Angeles office, veteran business attorney Barry Freeman has headed to the Westside to join Jeffer, Mangels, Butler & Marmaro.
The 63-year-old transactional attorney came aboard the 150-lawyer Century City firm's corporate department as a partner on Feb. 1.
Freeman described the 1,100-lawyer Morgan Lewis as a "fantastic firm with incredible capacity and incredible depth.' However, the issue of retirement prompted him to seek a partnership at Jeffer Mangels, he said.
"I wanted control over when I will retire,' he said, noting that some firms require a person to leave at age 65 or to at least give up an active practice. Other firms have no such requirements.
John Hartigan, managing partner of Morgan Lewis' Los Angeles office, would not comment on Freeman's departure or on whether Morgan Lewis has a set retirement age.
Freeman specializes in bank and asset-based lending. He has extensive experience in unsecured lending, loan restructuring, creditors' rights, business bankruptcies, corporate reorganization, lender liability, real estate and agricultural lending.
Jeffer Mangels managing partner Bruce Jeffer said it was a privilege to have Freeman join the firm. Because of the economic downturn, clients likely will need Freeman's loan restructuring expertise, he said.
According to Jeffer, many of Freeman's clients at Morgan Lewis also are clients of Jeffer Mangels, which created a good compatibility. He declined to name any clients.
Freeman brings no associates or staff with him to the Century City firm, which has offices in San Francisco and Las Vegas.
Before joining Morgan Lewis in 1991, the transactional lawyer practiced at Gendel, Raskoff, Shapiro & Quittner in Los Angeles. He was a name partner in his own firm, Cohen & Freeman, before that and began his legal career at Nossaman, Thompson, Waters & Moss, both in Los Angeles. Freeman left Morgan Lewis on Jan. 31.
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Donna Huffaker
Daily Journal Staff Writer
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