James P. Flynn, Managing Director of the Firm and Member in the Litigation and Employment, Labor & Workforce Management practices, in the firm’s Newark office, was quoted in Law.com, in “After 40-Lawyer Team Jumps to Crowell, Reed Smith Eyes Fresh Opportunities,” by Jon Campisi. (Read the full version – subscription required.)
Following is an excerpt:
Some question whether the conflict between the managed care team and the health care group is simply par for the course, since law firms always have the potential for conflict, and yet still find ways to work around the issue.
“You’re always looking at conflict issues and wanting to be on the right side of things and stay true to the ethical requirements and there are times where the loss of a particular attorney or groups of attorneys … may make business generation for other attorneys easier,” said Jim Flynn, managing director of Epstein Becker Green.
His own firm experienced a large group departure in April, when a 26-attorney team left for Baker, Donelson, Bearman, Caldwell & Berkowitz’s health care and real estate groups. At the time, Flynn noted that their exit relieved certain conflict pressures at the firm.
Flynn said this week that his personal view is the ethical rules that already exist in the legal industry to help stave off possible conflicts should be enough to enable different practice areas at firms to take on work that might appear conflicting with other practice areas.
“A sign that you have to deal with some conflicts is actually an illustration that your people are there generating business,” Flynn said.
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- Managing Director / Member of the Firm