Law.com - As Climate Changes, Large Firms Look at Global-Warming Practice Areas: "As Climate Changes, Large Firms Look at Global-Warming Practice Areas
Petra Pasternak
The Recorder
October 19, 2006
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Morrison & Foerster's Thomas Ciotti
Image: Jason Doiy / The RecorderWhile scientists ponder how quickly the polar ice cap will become a tropical resort -- and California turns the heat up on the auto industry -- law firms are starting to wave their green flags.
Soon after California Attorney General Bill Lockyer announced he was suing carmakers over vehicle pollution, and the state passed a new law to limit greenhouse gas emissions, Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman announced it was putting together a new climate change and sustainability practice group. And Morrison & Foerster announced an event to discuss the new Global Warming Solutions Act.
'We're going to try to start up a group initially within the confines of our IP practice,' said MoFo partner Thomas Ciotti. 'You've got to start marketing to the community in order to start attracting more business.'
Partners are going to discuss hiring needs for his firm's new global-warming practice, dubbed Greentech, at an end-of-month meeting, Ciotti said. "