Litigators Bryan Daly, Charles Kreindler and Peter Morris joined Sheppard Mullin Richter & Hampton LLP at the beginning of January, giving the L.A. firm a significant boost in its white collar criminal capabilities.

Daly, Kreindler and Morris previously practiced together in the L.A. office of Mayer Brown LLP, and the partners said they jumped to Sheppard Mullin in order to grow their books of business.

“We thought that the platform was much better to expand our business and to develop new business in areas that we have a special expertise,” Daly said.

The three partners represent individuals and companies being investigated by the federal government in white collar criminal matters.

Firm chairman Guy Halgren said because the firm and Daly have represented L.A. defense contractor Nothrop Grumman Corp., the group was a natural addition.

“This is a group of people we have had our eyes on for a long time,” Halgren said. “The fact that Northrop has been one of Bryan’s clients for many years is a benefit.”

Former Mayer Brown attorneys Barbara Taylor and Melissa Eaves also joined Sheppard Mullin as special counsel.

Although Sheppard Mullin boosted its numbers in Los Angeles with the addition of the five attorneys, firm rainmaker Joseph Coyne announced last month that he would be taking over as deputy general counsel for Northrop. Coyne will also continue to practice at Sheppard Mullin.

Beverly Battle

Residents of the exclusive South Beverly Park community won a battle in Los Angeles Superior Court last week when a judge ruled that their guests can enter through the gates of neighboring North Beverly.

“Fortunately, it looks like it will be resolved and the two communities can live together like two good neighbors,” said Mohammad Gharavi, a prominent cardiologist who has lived in South Beverly since the community was developed more than 20 years ago.

Residents of the gated Beverly Park community which is nestled between Beverly Hills and Mulholland Drive began fighting when the northerners started restricting access through their community.

When visitors, gardeners and nannies of those who live in the sprawling mansions of South Beverly Park tried to gain access from North Beverly Park’s gate at Mulholland Drive, they were forced to take a seven-mile detour east along Coldwater Canyon Drive or west along Benedict Canyon Drive.

The fight pitted North Beverly Park residents, including media barons Sumner Redstone and Haim Saban, against South Beverly Park residents, including basketball star Earvin “Magic” Johnson and producer Richard Zanuck.

Mike Medavoy, another high-profile North Beverly resident, said he is glad to see the litigation die down. But, the film producer said the ruling doesn’t resolve the issue of who can drive through North Beverly’s gates because the terms “guests and invitees” used by the judge are ambiguous.

“Does that mean everybody, their gardeners and painters?” Medavoy asked.

Residents of the north have argued that their southern neighbors refused to pay for maintenance of the private streets, and claimed that the service workers were using it as a shortcut for commuting.

However, the southern residents claimed that they were not required to pay for upkeep under longtime agreements that guaranteed access.

Steven Goldberg, an attorney representing the residents of South Beverly, will be asking for compensatory and punitive damages, both of which could separately hit seven-figure sums.

New Presence

Anderson Kill & Olick P.C. established a presence in Southern California when the New York firm merged with Wood & Bender LLP earlier this month.

Wood & Bender, a 13-attorney Ventura County law firm, has changed its name to Anderson Kill Wood & Bender LLP. Nationally, 79-attorney Anderson Kill will retain the name Anderson Kill & Olick.

David Bender said his fellow Wood & Bender partners couldn’t pass up the opportunity to expand their reach outside of Southern California, and therefore decided to merge with Anderson Kill after practicing as a boutique firm since 1999.

“We weren’t looking to merge,” Bender said. “But this made a lot of business sense because of our common practice areas and similar cultures.”

Both firms represent companies trying to get their insurance carriers to payout policy claims.

Staff reporter Alexa Hyland can be reached at [email protected] or at (323) 549-5225, ext. 235.