Embattled Japanese camera and medical equipment maker Olympus has hired Shearman & Sterling and Blank Rome to represent it in securities litigation brought in the U.S.

Less than six months after Blank Rome re-elected Carl M. Buchholz to another three-year term as managing partner and CEO, the firm says he is stepping down to resume practicing law full time in the litigation department.

Although Blank Rome has not been disqualified from representing in a divorce the ex-wife of the chairman of a company that has been the firm’s client, a New York judge has ordered the firm to establish a “Chinese wall” around its attorneys handling the action between Thomas Axon, chairman of Franklin Credit Management, and his ex-wife.

Joseph F. Speelman, the former associate general counsel of litigation, security and compliance for Blank Rome client LyondellBasell, will join the law firm May 1 as a partner in the products liability, mass torts and insurance group. Though Blank Rome isn’t officially opening up shop in Texas, the firm said Speelman will be based in Houston initially and “Blank Rome will continue to explore a potential presence in this market.”

“You’re so lucky you work for yourself; you don’t have to work with people like [fill in the blank].” Solo practitioner Paul Schorn hears this often from friends in midsize and large firms, and in his heart, he knows they’re right: Part of what makes solo practice worthwhile is getting to avoid some of the people who can drain all the fun out of practicing law. Here are four types of people Schorn is happy not to face on a daily basis, along with the lessons he believes people can learn from them.