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WHAT WE'RE WATCHING

SWAY - The American Bar Association is facing increased criticism—and disregard—for its role in evaluating judicial candidates, which it's been doing since 1953. As Tony Mauro reports, the organization's recent thumbs down to Ninth Circuit nominee Lawrence VanDyke, in which he was described as "arrogant, lazy, an ideologue, and lacking in knowledge of the day-to-day practice," puts a spotlight on its controversial role and what some observers contend is its dwindling credibility.

SERIOUSLY? High-profile attorney David Boies has filed a defamation suit in New York against retired Harvard Law prof Alan Dershowitz in connection with a separate defamation suit filed against Dershowitz by an accuser of Jeffrey Epstein, Jane Wester reports. The Epstein accuser, Virginia Giuffre, was previously represented by Boies Schiller Flexner, but Dershowitz got the firm ousted from the case. In the meantime, Dershowitz has filed defamation counterclaims in Giuffre's defamation suit against Dershowitz.

COMPETITION – Milbank's unusually early associate bonus announcement indicates competition for talent is heating up, Dylan Jackson reports. With firms struggling to distinguish themselves, the PR boost and the signal of health that the early announcement sends are ways to set oneself apart from the pack. Milbank announced last week that first-year associates would take home a $15,000 end-of-year bonus, while senior associates on the upper scale would receive a $100,000 bonus.

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EDITOR'S PICKS

Should I Stay or Should I Go Now? Life After Law Firm Leadership

5 Considerations to Make When Shopping for AI Legal Technology

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WHILE YOU WERE SLEEPING

EXPANSION – Sydney-based litigation funder IMF Bentham Ltd. has expanded in Singapore, hiring Ruth Stackpool-Moore as an investment manager from Harbour Litigation Funding. John Kang reports that Stackpool-Moore will source, assess and manage funded cases throughout Asia, including arbitration, litigation and insolvency claims. The addition of Stackpool-Moore is the latest in IMF Bentham's global growth effort. Last month, it merged with Dutch litigation funder Omni Bridgeway Holding B.V., creating a global litigation funder with more than $1.5 billion in capital and 18 offices across 10 countries.

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WHAT YOU SAID

"My useful life in the firm had a horizon."

—  Keith Wetmore, former chairman of Morrison & Foerster and now managing director at Major, Lindsey & Africa, on his decision to leave the law firm after serving as its leader for 12 years.

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