As my Securities Class Action research team finishes up the heavy lifting for our annual SCAS 50 report on the top plaintiffs' law firms, it struck me that many of the firms have changed names in the last twelve months.

I'm not referring to the low-hanging fruit here (e.g. Lerach Coughlin Stoia Geller Rudman & Robbins, n/k/a Coughlin Stoia Geller Rudman & Robbins or Milberg Weiss & Bershad n/k/a Milberg Weiss) that were discussed in the Wall Street Journal.

A number of other firms changed names during the last year, generally representing the departure or addition of partners, or the elevation of a current partner to "name partner" status.

The former Lowey Dannenberg Bemporad Selinger & Cohen, P.C. (which is generally known as Lowey Dannenberg) has changed names twice during that spell, first dropping former name partner Neil Selinger (who remains of counsel to the firm) and Richard Bemporad (who has disappeared) and then, very recently adding Barbara Hart as a name partner from the Labaton Sucharow firm. The new name, for those keeping score at home - Lowey, Dannenberg, Cohen & Hart, P.C.

The former Kirby McInerney & Squire is now known as Kirby McInerney, with the move of Jeffrey H. Squire to an of counsel position at Bragar Wexler & Eagel, P.C.

Abbey Spanier Rodd Abrams & Paradis (itself a former name game contestant) has shortened by one name to Abbey Spanier Rodd & Abrams with the departure of Paul O. Paradis. Paul is now a name partner at Horwitz, Horwitz & Paradis.

Labaton Sucharow & Rudoff LLP has dropped Sheldon Rudoff from the name plate, but he remains a partner with the firm. The name change to Labaton Sucharow was presaged back in 2005 when the firm changed names from Goodkind Labaton Rudoff & Sucharow and noted that the firm was "more commonly to be known as Labaton Sucharow."

The former Schatz & Nobel is now Schatz Nobel Izard (no ampersand, thank you very much) with the addition of ERISA specialist Robert Izard to the letterhead.

The trend, if you will call it that, is not one of simply shortening firm names, but instead appears to represent one of increased mobility and a desire to keep the almighty typesetters union happy.