Manatt Announces Year-End Management Transition; William T. Quicksilver to Become Chief...

LOS ANGELES -- Manatt, Phelps & Phillips, LLP, the national law and consulting firm, announced plans today to transition senior management roles and responsibilities, effective January 1, 2007. William T. Quicksilver, Manatt's Chief Operating Officer and Deputy Managing Partner, will become

Manatt's next Chief Executive and Managing Partner. Paul H. Irving, who initiated this management transition during his seventh year of service as Chief Executive and Managing Partner, will become a Chairman of the firm, joining his predecessor, Gordon M. Bava, and name partners Charles T. Manatt, Thomas D. Phelps and L. Lee Phillips in the role.

Mr. Quicksilver was selected through a Board of Directors-led process that included discussions and interviews with a wide range of Manatt constituencies. In addition to serving as Chief Operating Officer and Deputy Managing Partner since early 2003, Mr. Quicksilver has served as Chair of Manatt's Business & Transactions Division and of its Finance, Intake & Risk Management Committee, as a member of its Board of Directors, and as a key partner in Manatt's corporate, finance and securities practice.

Mr. Quicksilver, who has spent his entire legal career at Manatt, is a recognized authority on financial industry mergers and acquisitions and capital markets activities. A magna cum laude graduate of Princeton University and graduate of the University of Chicago Law School, where he served as Associate Editor of the University of Chicago Law Review, Mr. Quicksilver has long been recognized by his peers as one of The Best Lawyers in America. In addition to his practice and management activities, Mr. Quicksilver serves as a member of the Board of Directors of Public Counsel Law Center in Los Angeles.

"Bill Quicksilver is a lawyer of extraordinary integrity and intelligence," said Paul H. Irving. "He cares deeply about Manatt, and his business acumen and professional judgment are exceptional. We have ambitious plans, and Bill is the right leader to take us to the next level of excellence. I'm personally pleased and gratified that Bill will be stepping into this position. Like all of my colleagues, I trust him, believe in him and look forward to helping him in any way I can."

As Chairman, Mr. Irving will focus his energies on business services for a group of Manatt's key clients. Under Mr. Irving's leadership, the firm has grown through acquisitions and the enhancement of key industry practices, including healthcare, financial and consumer services, technology, and media and advertising, and assembled high-profile legal and other professional talent in litigation, business and government. Manatt now includes ManattJones Global Strategies, LLC, an international strategic consulting affiliate, and Manatt Health Solutions, a health information technology consulting affiliate, as well as investments in venture capital and private equity. During Mr. Irving's tenure, Manatt has strengthened client relationships, enhanced professional quality, achieved record financial results, and significantly expanded its commitment to diversity, pro bono services and community involvement.

"Paul and I have worked together as close friends and colleagues for many years," said William T. Quicksilver. "Our progress and performance reflect Paul's leadership, and I am honored that I have been chosen to serve as Paul's successor."

Mr. Irving is a leading corporate and financial services lawyer, and has long been recognized by his peers as one of The Best Lawyers In America. Mr. Irving graduated from New York University with highest honors, and from Loyola Law School - Los Angeles, where he served as Articles Editor of the Loyola of Los Angeles International and Comparative Law Annual, as Director of the Loyola Law Clinics and, later, as an Adjunct Professor. Mr. Irving is active in the community and serves on the Board of Trustees and Executive Committee of New Roads School in Santa Monica, California, on the National Board of Directors and Executive Committee of Operation Hope, as National Co-Chair of Hope Coalition America, and on the National Council of Human Rights First.

"It has been and continues to be my privilege to serve the firm," said Paul H. Irving. "Change is the lifeblood of any organization, and I believe it is the right time to transition our management. From a personal perspective, I look forward to spending more time working with our valued clients and helping the communities we serve."

"Paul is an outstanding role model and an exemplary custodian of our partnership," said Charles T. Manatt, founder of the firm. "As the 'torch' is passed to Bill, I would like to thank Paul for his dedication, and for the results achieved. I also want to congratulate Bill, and I look forward to supporting him as we enter the next chapter in our evolving story."

About Manatt, Phelps & Phillips, LLP

Manatt, Phelps & Phillips, LLP, provides legal and consulting services to a global client base from offices in Los Angeles, Orange County, Palo Alto and Sacramento, Calif.; New York City and Albany, N.Y.; and Washington, D.C. Its wholly owned subsidiary, ManattJones Global Strategies, LLC, develops and implements strategies to expand clients' businesses and facilitate their effective competition in global markets. For more information, visit www.manatt.com and www.manattjones.com.