ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Wednesday, October 9, 1996 TAG: 9610090010
SECTION: BUSINESS PAGE: B8 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: JEFF STURGEON STAFF WRITER
WOODS, ROGERS & HAZLEGROVE and Flippin, Densmore, Morse, Rutherford & Jesse have planned similar seminars for executives a day apart.
For the executive who needs an update on worker laws, there'll be plenty to choose from next week. Two labor-law seminars by two law firms will bring together speakers on similar topics, including e-mail privacy, unions and workers compensation.
Both will take place at the Roanoke Airport Marriott hotel, with one on Tuesday, Oct 15, and the second just a day later.
The decision of which seminar to attend may involve more than calendar management, however. The decision could also go to the question of who in the legal community knows the subject matter better: Western Virginia's largest law firm or a smaller new firm run by maverick former partners of the big outfit?
The program on the 16th will be hosted by Woods, Rogers & Hazlegrove, 103 years old and ranked as the fifth-largest firm in the state with more than 70 lawyers.
The other will be sponsored by Flippin, Densmore, Morse, Rutherford & Jesse, a firm founded six months ago by seven former members of the Woods, Rogers professional staff and since grown to 16 lawyers.
Is continuing education the latest competitive battleground for the two firms?
Clint Morse said he set up the Flippin, Densmore event at the urging of some past participants of the Woods, Rogers event, which he also organized. Morse formerly was chief attorney for labor and employment law at Woods, Rogers.
Both seminars are open to members of the business community, include breakfast and last most of a day. The Woods, Rogers event costs $70; the Flippin, Densmore event is $20 cheaper.
John Monahan, executive director at Woods, Rogers, said his firm's event happens each October, by 15-year tradition, and enables the firm to share its expertise with the community. He said he did not know if the Flippin, Densmore event would diminish turnout. Nor did he know anything about how the particular date was chosen.
Morse bristled at questions about the scheduling of his firm's event, explaining he did not want it wrongly portrayed as an aggressive competitive move.
But he said he first invited Woods, Rogers to hold a joint seminar and was turned down. He said he scheduled his firm's event without knowing Woods, Rogers would hold its seminar the day after.
Morse was happy to point out that his firm has received "tremendous" interest in its seminar. He didn't have the actual number of registrations, however.
Over at the Roanoke Regional Chamber of Commerce, a co-sponsor of the Flippin, Densmore event and handling reservations for it, executives are rumored to have taken some heat for that role from Woods, Rogers. But spokesman Bud Oakey said he doesn't know of any hurt feelings at the larger firm.
"I want this printed if you do this story," Morse said. "The goal next year is to have a seminar in which all of the major firms in Roanoke will be able to participate for the benefit of all of the businesses in the Roanoke Valley."
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