Commentary

How This Fortune 500 GC Is Strengthening Her Law Firm Panel Relationships

A. Verona Dorch| July 17, 2018

Peabody Energy's chief legal officer gives behind-the-scenes insight into what she learned from creating a roster of panel firms and what she thinks of AdvanceLaw's findings on panels through its GC Thought Leaders Experiment.

News

O’Melveny Loses Antitrust Partner in DC, Adds Life Sciences Partner in San Francisco

Meghan Tribe | July 16, 2018

Edward "Ted" Hassi joined Debevoise & Plimpton in Washington, while Latham & Watkins' Geoffrey Kuziemko jumped to O'Melveny in California.

News

DLA Piper Poaches McDermott’s Trade Secrets Head

Xiumei Dong | July 16, 2018

The global legal giant, which has watched McDermott Will & Emery robustly recruit from its ranks this year, has returned the favor by bringing aboard the firm's former trade secrets head as a partner in Los Angeles.

News

Morris Manning & Martin Passes Leadership Baton to Malko

Meredith Hobbs | July 16, 2018

Simon Malko will succeed Louise Wells as managing partner, becoming Morris Manning's youngest leader to date and the first non-real estate lawyer to head the firm.

News

Drinker Biddle Class Action Defense Team Jumps to Akin Gump

Lizzy McLellan | July 16, 2018

The bicoastal group includes Drinker's Philadelphia-based litigation chair and a former managing partner of the firm.

News

Kirkland & Ellis Picks Up DLA Piper Partner in New York

Meghan Tribe | July 13, 2018

Dennis Williams joins Kirkland as the firm continues to build out its private equity offerings for health care clients.

News

Lawyers Love Beto O'Rourke, Not So Much Ted Cruz Anymore

Miriam Rozen | July 13, 2018

A name partner at a law firm that has backed a Democratic challenger to the former Republican presidential candidate called his firm’s employees’ contributions “an example of purely coincidental shared sympathies.”

News

Blasting Greenberg Traurig Request, Judge Says Fees 'Zooming Out of Control'

Christine Simmons | July 13, 2018

“By requesting astronomical fees, attorneys are in danger of killing the goose that laid the golden egg,” a Manhattan judge admonished.

News

Spam Fax Class Action Lawyer Reprimanded After Domestic Battery Incident

Scott Flaherty | July 13, 2018

A Chicago-area class action lawyer known for bringing junk fax, spam text and robocall cases was issued a public reprimand in his home state after his conviction on a battery charge that stemmed from a domestic violence incident with his wife.

Commentary

Law Librarians Ready to Dive Into Tech

Pablo Arredondo| July 13, 2018

This weekend's AALL conference will highlight a growing trend for law librarians—legal informatics and AI.

News

Q&A: Baker McKenzie's Newly Hired 'Godfather' of Legal Operations

Dan Packel | July 13, 2018

After pioneering legal operations at Aon Corp. and Archer Daniels Midland, David Cambria has taken his experience to a law firm for the first time.

News

PwC Launches New Local Law Practice in Singapore, Hiring Prominent Partner from a Top Singapore Firm

John Kang | July 13, 2018

Rachel Eng will leave WongPartnership after 23 years and launch a new local firm for the accounting giant. She had been the firm's deputy chair since 2016.

News

Clifford Chance Looks to Break Out to Break Through With 2 New 'Innovation Units'

Gabrielle Orum Hernández | July 13, 2018

The firm is launching two new innovation projects, Clifford Chance Create and Clifford Chance Applied Solutions, to help the firm design and scale technology for clients.

Commentary

Latham Partner Embroiled in Latest NDA Mess

Vivia Chen | July 13, 2018

The dog days of summer have come early this year. Alas, we can count on the alleged actions of a few men to heat things up a bit more.

News

UnitedLex Targets UK Law Firm Tie-up on Back of Major US Deals

Ben Wheway| July 13, 2018

The legal services provider is now setting its sights on the U.K. market.

News

Broadcom's CA Deal Good for Law Firms, Even if Investors Snub It

Miriam Rozen | July 12, 2018

After redomiciling itself in California, Broadcom and its lawyers from Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz do not plan to seek CFIUS approval for the company's proposed $18.9 billion purchase of CA Technologies.

News

Diversity Lab Kicks Off New Legal 'Hackathon' Round in Chicago

Meghan Tribe | July 12, 2018

Less than a month after law firm and in-house participants delivered a first batch of diversity-themed “hacks” for the legal industry, a new crop of ideas is already beginning to take shape.

News

DLA Piper-to-McDermott Pipeline Stays Open as IP Partner Makes Move

Roy Strom | July 12, 2018

Christina "Tina" Martini is the latest former DLA Piper partner to join McDermott Will & Emery in Chicago.

News

Some See Career Conundrum in Law Firms' Energy Work

Dan Packel | July 12, 2018

With growing awareness of the threat of climate change, law professors said environmentally minded students are paying close attention to the fossil-fuel matters being handled by potential Big Law employers.

News

Confidence Dips, but Firm Leaders Bullish on Demand Growth, Citi Report Says

Scott Flaherty | July 12, 2018

Concerns about the global and U.S. economy have contributed to a dip in law firm leaders' confidence looking ahead at the second half of the year.

How a Blogger Spurred a #MeToo Reckoning for New Zealand's Top Law Firms

Meghan Tribe | July 12, 2018

After allegations of sexual misconduct rocked the country's legal industry, Zoe Lawton made it her mission to collect as many victims' accounts as she could.

News

Squire Patton Boggs Launches Public Policy Practice in China

Anna Zhang | July 12, 2018

Former Nielsen Greater China president Yan Xuan joins to lead the practice as political and economic volatility grows in Sino-U.S. relations.

Commentary

How to Create a Culture of Profitability at Your Firm

Keith Lipman| July 12, 2018

The solution starts with changing behavior at the partner level.

News

Cleary's Lewis Liman, SDNY Nominee, Reports $37.7M Net Worth, $2.8M Partner Income

Christine Simmons | July 12, 2018

Liman’s partnership income and total assets dwarf those of some other law firm partners nominated by Trump for the federal bench in recent months.

News

Q&A: A Brexit Update for US Lawyers

Dan Packel | July 12, 2018

Dechert's Miriam Gonzalez offers an insider look at the latest uncertainties over Brexit and what it means for lawyers in the U.S.

Lawyers and Accountants: Collaborators and Competitors in the Multidisciplinary Age

Mark A. Cohen| July 12, 2018

Lawyers and accountants are professional allies, but who controls integration and delivery of their services is another story.

Commentary

The Business Development Dilemma: Do Firms Get What They Pay For?

Joe Calve| July 11, 2018

Are firms hiring the right talent and creating the right roles to really drive business development?

News

Pillsbury Adds New Leveraged Finance Leader From Schulte Roth

Meghan Tribe | July 11, 2018

Leveraged finance partners Michael Michetti and Joel Simon are joining Pillsbury's global finance team in New York.

News

ACC Study Says Outside the US, Gender Pay Gap for Women In-House Lawyers Widens

Sue Reisinger | July 11, 2018

The pay gap is especially severe for in-house lawyers in Latin America and the Middle East/Africa region.

News

Speculation Ends as Kirkland Officially Launches Dallas Office

Roy Strom | July 11, 2018

Kirkland & Ellis is expanding its operations in Texas after hiring a half-dozen lawyers from three rival Am Law 100 firms in Dallas. Kirkland also raided Latham & Watkins in Houston for the co-chair of its oil and gas team.

News

Chicago Judge Charged After Dropping Handgun in Courthouse

Scott Flaherty | July 11, 2018

A criminal court judge in Chicago will soon find himself on the other side of the bench after a surveillance video and sheriff's deputies witnessed him dropping a pistol in a court building.

News

Clyde & Co Posts Double-Digit Increase in Net Profit; Credits Major Growth in the US

Joseph Evans | July 11, 2018

The firm highlights the United States as a driver of revenue growth.

Fast-Growing LA Boutique Expands in New York

Xiumei Dong | July 10, 2018

Pierce Bainbridge Beck Price & Hecht has brought on 13 new lawyers in the Big Apple, eight of them as partners.

Commentary

Law Firm Panels, Part II: Are Clients Demotivating Their Law Firms?

Firoz Dattu and Aaron Kotok| July 10, 2018

Clients can expect more if they work to avoid complacency, according to the fourth major finding in AdvanceLaw’s GC Thought Leaders Experiment.

Commentary

About Those Law Firms That 'Nurture' Women

Vivia Chen | July 10, 2018

Sometimes, it seems like ladies working in Big Law are just children in need of nourishment.

News

Theft, Bias and Retaliation Claims Fly in Ex-Partner’s Fight With Wilson Elser

Christine Simmons | July 10, 2018

Former partner Kym Cushing said the stress of his position became too much, and he was in a "drunken stupor" when he deposited firm funds in his personal account.

News

Louisiana Judges Benched Amid Allegations of Sexual Assault, Groping

Scott Flaherty | July 10, 2018

Two Louisiana judges have both been temporarily booted from the bench as they face sexual misconduct allegations.

Law Librarians Claim Little Progress in Bundling Fight With LexisNexis

Dan Packel | July 10, 2018

A month after sending Lexis a cease and desist letter, a group representing law librarians said a meeting with company officials left them with few answers.

News

Reed Smith Group Leaves to Launch Phila. Office for Holland & Knight

Lizzy McLellan | July 10, 2018

Longtime partners Leonard Bernstein and John Martini are among a dozen Reed Smith lawyers departing for Holland & Knight.

Latham Adds Goodwin Private Equity, M&A Partner in New York

Meghan Tribe | July 10, 2018

Jane Greyf is returning to Latham & Watkins, where she began her career nearly two decades ago.

Er, no, the Am Law 200 is NOT stratifying

Hugh A. Simons and Nicholas Bruch| July 10, 2018

It’s a groundless notion pushed by consultants and others whose interests it serves; firms of any size or profitability level can—and do—outperform the market

Sen. Feinstein Hires Morrison & Foerster Partner to Vet Court Nominations

Cheryl Miller | July 10, 2018

Marc Hearron, a partner in Morrison & Foerster's appellate and Supreme Court practice in Washington, joined Feinstein's office Monday as chief counsel for nominations.

Stagnant Progress on Law Firm Diversity Can't Continue

The Young Lawyer Editorial Board| July 09, 2018

The American Lawyer's Young Lawyer Editorial Board calls for new ways of thinking to make meaningful change when it comes to diversity.

Troutman Sanders Adds Partner Quintet From Crowell & Moring

Ryan Lovelace | July 09, 2018

The group includes the former co-chairs of Crowell's insurance/reinsurance group and office leaders in London and Orange County, California.

News

Former Deutsche Bank Executive Joins White & Case

Meghan Tribe | July 09, 2018

Paul Saltzman left his position earlier this year as the head of Deutsche Bank’s Americas global transaction banking and payments group.

News

Ex-Judge in New Hampshire Disbarred After Faking Performance Reviews

Scott Flaherty | July 09, 2018

Former New Hampshire Judge Paul Moore was convicted on a fraud charge earlier this year after he was caught trying to game the state's judicial evaluation system. Now, he's also been disbarred.

News

Indiana AG Denies Groping Alleged in Taft Stettinius Probe

Roy Strom | July 09, 2018

Curtis Hill Jr. criticized an investigation handled by Taft Stettinius & Hollister into claims that he drunkenly groped a lawmaker and others at a party in March.

Robinson & Cole Partner Hopes to Return to Work After Domestic Violence Charges Dropped

Robert Storace | July 09, 2018

Prominent land use attorney Dwight Merriam is on leave from the firm where he's worked since the 1970s, but hopes to return to practice soon.

The Cost to Law Firms of Ignoring Harmful Workplace Behavior

Lauren Stiller Rikleen| July 09, 2018

A new survey shows negative workplace experiences are rampant, and firms suffer by not preventing them.

News

The Transfer Window: Latest Partner Hires for Ashurst, White & Case, DLA and Hogan Lovells

Legal Week Staff| July 09, 2018

All the latest partner moves and appointments in London and continental Europe.

News

Greenberg Financial Services Litigators Jump To Mintz Levin

Christine Simmons | July 09, 2018

Pete Michaels, who was a co-leader of Greenberg Traurig's financial regulatory practice, said law firms are like the porridge in the Goldilocks tale, and Mintz Levin was just right.

Law Librarians Focusing More on Competitive Intelligence, Survey Shows

Miriam Rozen | July 06, 2018

The focus is shifting toward more business intelligence research for partners and away from client-facing work, the survey results indicated.

News

Ex-Willkie Farr and Hunton & Williams Lawyer Disbarred After Admitting to $7.8M Fraud

Scott Flaherty | July 06, 2018

Keila Ravelo, whose life as a Big Law attorney ended in 2014 with her arrest on wire fraud and tax evasion charges, has been disbarred in New York after pleading guilty to a felony.

Watch Your Back, Counselor! It’s the Law Firm Threatdown

Vanessa Blum | Leigh Jones | July 06, 2018

From the Big 4 to rivals next door, our latest Legal Speak podcast investigates the biggest threats to law firms in the modern legal economy.

June Brings Uptick in Legal Employment

Scott Flaherty | July 06, 2018

The country's legal services industry added thousands of jobs in June, pushing the figure for legal jobs slightly above the range that has prevailed since December 2016, according to Labor Department data.

News

Former Duane Morris CMO Sues Insurer for Disability Benefits

Lizzy McLellan | July 06, 2018

Edward Schechter claims Standard Insurance refuses to pay benefits from a "disabling cognitive impairment" that he says forced him to leave his job in 2009.

News

M&A Leaders Not Sweating Fears of Rising Protectionism

Dan Packel | July 05, 2018

While some see a rising tide of protectionism swallowing up global deals, law firm M&A practice leaders say the effects will be limited.

News

What's in Geoffrey Berman's US Attorney Financial Disclosure? Now We Know.

Mike Scarcella | C. Ryan Barber | July 05, 2018

Geoffrey Berman's disclosure provides a peek into the compensation scheme at one of the country's largest law firms and a broad picture of the client relationships the former white-collar defender left behind when he took over one of the most visible U.S. attorney offices in the country.

News

Madoff Trustee Passes Milestone as Baker & Hostetler Fees Near $1B

Scott Flaherty | July 05, 2018

As Irving Picard approaches 10 years on the job as trustee of funds recovered for Bernie Madoff's victims, he and his firm are getting closer to securing $1 billion in fees from the work.

Commentary

Motherhood Isn't the Culprit for Big Law's Gender Equity Failures

Vivia Chen | July 05, 2018

Women lawyers shouldn’t be viewed as moms first when it comes to the workplace.

Is Singapore the Next Center for Legal Innovation?

Anna Zhang | July 05, 2018

The city-state's government has established programs to advance innovation in the legal profession. Can Hong Kong, Asia's other financial center, catch up?

News

In Texas, the Legal Market Isn't What it Used to Be

Brenda Sapino Jeffreys | July 05, 2018

Leaders of Texas firms are fighting to keep lawyers from defecting to the many firms opening or expanding in Texas. It isn't easy.

Analysis

Co-Leadership of Law Firms Is Tougher at Midsize Shops

Zack Needles| July 05, 2018

There are sound reasons for midsize law firms to split a single leadership role among multiple people, but as a number of firms have learned the hard way, an idea is only as good as its execution.

Profile

From Hot Dogs to High Court: Cravath's Evan Chesler

Jenna Greene| July 05, 2018

The law firm chairman led American Express to victory last week in his first Supreme Court argument. It's a long way from his job as a kid at Yankee Stadium.

Expert Opinion

Associates, Don’t Let Salary Hikes Become Your Faustian Bargain

Jay Harrington| July 05, 2018

Make no mistake, young lawyers. These raises are very much part of a calculated plan.

News

Baker McKenzie to Expand Belfast Hub With 150 New Hires

Rose Walker| July 05, 2018

The firm agrees to boost Belfast support base by 50 percent.

Analysis

How Blank Rome Went From Representing Insurers to Suing Them

Lizzy McLellan | July 04, 2018

Two years after making a big bet to switch sides, the firm's gamble appears to be paying off.

News

Michael Cohen Prosecutor Leaves SDNY Office for Davis Polk

Christine Simmons | July 03, 2018

Tatiana Martins served as chief of the public corruption unit for the U.S. attorney’s office in Manhattan.

News

Orrick Keeps Up Lateral Hiring Spree With New Hires in NY, Germany

Xiumei Dong | July 03, 2018

New recruits from Proskauer Rose and Kirkland & Ellis add to a lateral hiring streak that's added more than 30 new partners this year.

News

After Four Years on the Lam, Former In-House Lawyer to Be Extradited to Fla.

Kristen Rasmussen | July 03, 2018

Michael R. Casey, former in-house lawyer and president of Commodities Online, as well as a former Greenberg Traurig lawyer, was charged in 2012 in Miami federal court in a $19 million investment scheme. A final default judgment was entered against him in 2016.

News

A&O Boosts Its M&A Practice in NY With Hire of Longtime Shearman Deal Partner

Scott Flaherty | July 03, 2018

The Magic Circle firm has bulked up its M&A offerings in New York, adding experienced partner Stephen Besen.

News

Clifford Chance Kicks Off Magic Circle Reporting Season With 5 Percent Revenue Rise, 16 Percent PEP Hike

Hannah Roberts| July 03, 2018

The firm's PEP climbed to £1.6 million ($2.11 million) as it continued its innovation push with two new business streams.

News

Flurry of CMO Moves Shakes Up Law Firm Marketing Departments

Christine Simmons | July 02, 2018

Chief marketing officers are on the move at big law firms, as some find "a disconnect between what firms believe they want in a CMO and what they really need," according to one former CMO.

Commentary

Forecast for Jones Day: Sun Could Shine on Its Black Box

Vivia Chen | July 02, 2018

The law firm's bid to seal the gender pay discrimination lawsuit it's defending is bodacious, but experts said the odds are against it.

Firm Mergers Near Record Pace at Midyear Point

Scott Flaherty | July 02, 2018

The first six months of 2018 has seen 51 law firm mergers, including 21 in the most recent quarter.

News

Michigan State University's Fight to Restore Its Honor

Sue Reisinger | July 02, 2018

A look into how the university's legal department has handled the Larry Nassar nightmare

News

Ex-Hunton Lawyer, Longtime Fugitive, Admits to $1.7M Real Estate Fraud

Scott Flaherty | June 29, 2018

Scott Wolas, a one-time Hunton & Williams lawyer kicked out of the firm's partnership in 1995, spent nearly 20 years on the run from the law, but has now admitted to a real estate fraud scheme in Massachusetts.

News

Boies Schiller Flexner Partner Jumps to In-House Role at Visa

Dan Packel | June 29, 2018

Rising partner Alanna Rutherford is now vice president of global litigation at Visa, a onetime litigation adversary of her former firm.

News

Six White & Case IP Partners Join Fenwick in New York

Christine Simmons | June 29, 2018

Fenwick & West managing partner Rodger Cole called the team "one of the most successful IP litigation groups in the country."

News

Report Railing Against Lawyers' Conduct in State Street Case 'Unmoored,' Says Labaton

Scott Flaherty | June 29, 2018

After a special master tapped to review overbilling in a $75 million legal fee award in a securities class action settlement faulted Labaton Sucharow and its co-counsel, the firm fired off criticisms of its own.

Commentary

Jones Day Is So Secretive About Why It's So Secretive

Vivia Chen | June 29, 2018

Is the law firm saying that its black box compensation scheme is so sacrosanct and special that if details spilled out, it would lose its secret sauce forever?

News

Trump's CFPB Bashing Brings Halt to Big Law Workflow

Miriam Rozen | June 29, 2018

What was once a revenue driver for several large firms has now slowed to a trickle, although some have managed to adjust in a new regulatory environment.

Texas Tie Ups Lead Busy 2nd Quarter for Law Firm Mergers

Dan Packel | June 29, 2018

Three of the four biggest mergers in the quarter involved Texas-based firms, as newcomers flock to the "under-branched" state.

Podcast

The NLJ 500 Deconstructed: Exploring the 2018 Law Firm Rankings

Vanessa Blum | Leigh Jones | June 29, 2018

The National Law Journal Editor-in-Chief Lisa Helem dives into the details of the annual ranking of the country's 500 largest law firms by headcount.

News

Latham Elects London Partner as Firm Chair

Roy Strom | June 29, 2018

Richard Trobman will take the reins of the second-largest, U.S.-based law firm following an unanticipated vacancy for the top spot at Latham & Watkins.

News

Dechert Lands Second Simpson Thacher IP Litigator in as Many Months

Roy Strom | June 28, 2018

The hire comes amid broader moves in Dechert’s life sciences and intellectual property practices, including a focus on building out its New York IP litigation practice.

News

Sedgwick Sued for $23M Over NYC Office Lease

Christine Simmons | June 28, 2018

Already facing litigation over its Chicago office, defunct firm Sedgwick is now being sued for $23 million by its Manhattan landlord for defaulting on payments.

News

Kirkland Tries Stealth Strategy for Dallas Base

Miriam Rozen | June 28, 2018

The high-powered firm, riding high from a gross revenue windfall and legions of new lateral hires, appears to be keen on expanding its operations in Texas with a new office in the Big D.

News

Disbarment for DC Attorney Who Once Claimed to Be LeBron's Dad

Scott Flaherty | June 28, 2018

Leicester Bryce Stovell had some time in the limelight while pursuing lawsuits that claimed he was NBA star LeBron James' father. Now, he's been disbarred.

Analysis

Litigation Funders Face Their Hardest Sell: Big Law

Roy Strom and Ben Hancock| June 28, 2018

There is more money than ever in the hands of litigation financiers. But can they convince law firms to use it?

News

Want to Reach In-House Counsel? Give Them Something Useful to Read

Dan Clark | June 28, 2018

A new survey from Greentarget says in-house lawyers just want to know "what happened, why they should care and what they need to do about it."

Analysis

Law Firms Make a Push to Improve the Associate Experience

Dan Packel | June 28, 2018

It may be long overdue, but firms are embracing a range of new ideas, up to and including a shorter path to partnership.

News

Boating Accident Triggers Troubles for V&E Practice Leader

Miriam Rozen | June 27, 2018

A late-night crash in early May near Austin, Texas, has the head of equity capital markets at Vinson & Elkins under scrutiny.

News

Jones Day Says Bias Suit Breached Partnership Pact; Ogletree Plaintiffs Reload Again

Scott Flaherty | June 27, 2018

Jones Day is looking to put a lid on a gender discrimination suit brought by former partner Wendy Moore, while women suing Ogletree Deakins are seeking to add new allegations.

News

Norton Rose Fulbright Faces $1.2M Asset Seizure in Venezuelan Dispute

Dan Packel | June 27, 2018

A Northern Virginia-based Venezuelan attorney has been battling the firm for two decades over benefits he says he was denied after being fired from predecessor Macleod Dixon.

Commentary

Ladies, Why Do You Put Up With the Black Box?

Vivia Chen | June 27, 2018

I know, some of you want me to buzz off. You say that you're fine and, indeed, happier at a law firm where no one talks about money.

News

Crosstown Hop for 5-Lawyer Team Joining Bradley Arant

Miriam Rozen | June 27, 2018

The Am Law 200 firm has hired a group of litigators led by the former managing partner of leading North Carolina firm Smith Moore Leatherwood's Charlotte office.

Japan’s Nishimura & Asahi to Launch in New York

John Kang | June 27, 2018

The New York office will launch this fall with nine lawyers relocating from the firm's existing global offices and will be headed by senior corporate partner Katsuyuki Yamaguchi.

Ranking

The 2018 Pro Bono Scorecard

Ben Seal | June 27, 2018

Our in-depth report on the year in pro bono, including our annual ranking of the best firms at giving back.

Analysis

Big Law Set Its Sights on Second Chances for Juvenile Inmates

Ben Seal | June 27, 2018

Lawyers around the country devoted their pro bono time to ensuring juveniles sentenced to mandatory life without parole were given a shot at freedom following two U.S. Supreme Court rulings.