Law Firm Structure

New York Law Journal |News

Miles & Stockbridge Vows Appeal After Verdict for Ex-Partner

Christine Simmons | June 22, 2018

Donald English won a $231,000 verdict against his Baltimore-based firm, in the latest case to raise issues of ownership vs. worker protections in a law firm employment dispute.

The American Lawyer |News

Mansfield Rule 2.0 Aims to Boost Law Firms' Diversity Efforts

Meghan Tribe | June 22, 2018

Launching next month with close to 50 law firms already on board, the updated Mansfield Rule will extend to LGTBQ+ attorneys and commit firms to do more to enhance diversity in leadership.

Daily Business Review |Commentary

Embracing Paternity Leave: A Father's Sabbatical Can be Part of a Successful Career

Steven J. Wernick | June 22, 2018

People thought I was joking when I told them that I was taking four weeks off after my wife and I welcomed our third boy earlier this year. My law career was in full swing. My billable hours were strong.

The Mid Market Report |Analysis

Mid-Market Recap: Big Law Flood Insurance

Zack Needles | June 22, 2018

Either sink, swim or climb aboard.

The American Lawyer |News

Blame the Black Box? Jones Day Bias Suit Puts Spotlight on Compensation

Meghan Tribe | June 21, 2018

A gender bias lawsuit against Jones Day puts its compensation model under scrutiny, but the black box approach has its defenders.

The Mid Market Report |Expert Opinion

Employment Law in General Practice Firms and the Rise of the National Boutiques

Dan Scott | June 20, 2018

I've spent a lot of time in the two decades recruiting employment lawyers. It's an interesting area of practice and seems to present some unique challenges for general practice law firms.

The Recorder |News

DLA Piper Adds Partners in Silicon Valley, Los Angeles

Xiumei Dong | June 19, 2018

The global legal giant has bolstered its Golden State operations with new hires in two cities.

The Legal Intelligencer |

2018 Law Firm Innovators

The Legal Intelligencer | June 19, 2018

The Legal introduces the 2018 Law Firm Innovators.

The Legal Intelligencer |News

Dilworth Paxson Shakes Up COO Role With Operations Co-Chiefs

Lizzy McLellan | June 18, 2018

Two longtime partners will split operational leadership as co-COOs and join the firm's senior leadership team.

The American Lawyer |News

White & Case Lands in Chicago with Small Office, Big Ambitions

Meghan Tribe | June 18, 2018

The international firm has high hopes for the Windy City, where it plans to grow to at least 100 lawyers "with all due speed."

The American Lawyer |News

The Associate Salary Race: A Survivor's Guide

Meghan Tribe | June 15, 2018

Unsupportable, unavoidable, or both? Check out the latest news and analysis on the associate pay raises spreading across top law firms.

National Law Journal |News

DC Law Firms Watch and Wait as Associate Raises Spread

Ryan Lovelace | June 15, 2018

In this week's Washington Wrap: It's about the money.

The American Lawyer |News

Weil, Skadden Match Cravath as Firms Aim for Moving Target on Associate Raises

Meghan Tribe | June 14, 2018

With Cleary Gottlieb; Kirkland; Skadden; Weil, Gotshal & Manges and several other law firms now announcing raises, it looks like the dam has broken for increases among the most profitable U.S. firms.

The American Lawyer |News

Will LeClairRyan's UnitedLex Deal Be the Accelerant Big Law Innovation Needs?

Roy Strom | June 13, 2018

A New Law initiative could face some of the same old obstacles to change in the high-end legal services industry.

Texas Lawyer |Commentary

Considerations for Cloud Computing Agreements

Jill A. McWhirter and Rajesh D. Patel | June 13, 2018

When negotiating agreements with cloud service providers, it is important to know how cloud computing works, the risks associated with cloud computing and how these risks should be addressed, and the type of support that the business will need on an ongoing basis.

The American Lawyer |News

UnitedLex and LeClairRyan Announce Innovative New Law Venture

Miriam Rozen | June 13, 2018

LeClairRyan has become the first law firm to sign on to what UnitedLex Corp. hopes will be a pioneering alliance between Big Law and New Law. The company's CEO expects that law firms could see their profits per partner rise up to 15 percent a year if they join the newly formed ULX Partners.

The Recorder |News

Manatt Taps Cybersecurity Chair Donna Wilson as Next Firm Leader

Dan Packel | June 12, 2018

Wilson will take the reins at the Los Angeles-based firm in July 2019.

International |News

Interest in Law Firm IPOs on the Rise in UK

Hannah Roberts | June 12, 2018

Twenty percent of the U.K.'s top 100 law firm financial directors would now consider an IPO, up from just 4 percent four years ago.

National Law Journal |News

Mississippi Judge Calls Out Judiciary's 'Well Documented' Lack of Diversity

Ellis Kim | June 11, 2018

U.S. District Judge Carlton Reeves' order said the federal judiciary's failure to reflect the public it serves is well documented.

The Legal Intelligencer |Commentary

How to Keep Your Mobile Workspace Secure: 12 Tips to Follow

Evan Kline | June 11, 2018

News of GrayKey, an iPhone unlocking device, has highlighted the importance of mobile security. With GrayKey, a user can connect a cable to an iPhone and unlock it, bypassing or brute forcing the user's passcode.

National Law Journal |Conversation

Government Lawyers Can't Agree on Limit of ITC Jurisdiction

Scott Graham | June 11, 2018

The DOJ told the Federal Circuit on Friday that the ITC must butt out of import disputes involving the Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act. An ITC lawyer tried to strike a compromise.

Daily Report Online |News

Nelson Mullins to Merge With Florida's Broad and Cassel, Creating 725-Lawyer Firm

Meredith Hobbs | June 11, 2018

Nelson Mullins, with its center of gravity in Atlanta and the Carolinas, adds Florida to its footprint and forecasts health care, real estate and litigation opportunities in its merger with Broad and Cassel.

The Mid Market Report |Analysis

Mid-Market Recap: For California Boutique, Expansion was a Slow Burn

Lizzy McLellan | June 07, 2018

"Appellate lawyers are very deliberative types and we give things a lot of time and a lot of analysis," Horvitz & Levy's David Axelrad said.

The Legal Intelligencer |Q&A

Leadership Planning Is Key at Expanding Mid-Atlantic Firm Offit Kurman

Lizzy McLellan | June 07, 2018

"We believe in letting our lawyers practice and our professional managers do the managing. That said, there will always need to be lawyers to participate in practice group management as well as high-level management of a law firm," managing partner Tim Lynch said.

The Mid Market Report |Analysis

To Vote or Not to Vote—Is That the Question?

Jeff Coburn | June 06, 2018

The issue of partnership voting is largely a function of two variables: the size of the law firm, and the nature of the issues under consideration. The trend in AmLaw's 100 largest firms—with the exception of some of the more tradition-bound New York City firms—is clearly in the direction of greater centralization of decision-making by the firm's management.

Delaware Business Court Insider |Commentary

Former Client Entitled to Attorney's Entire Litigation File Including Internal Work Product

Barry M. Klayman and Mark E. Felger | June 06, 2018

In TCV VI v. TradingScreen, Vice Chancellor J. Travis Laster addressed the scope of the materials that a lawyer must produce to a former client upon request.

The American Lawyer |News

Deloitte Will Acquire Part of US Law Firm in New Legal Venture

Dan Packel | June 06, 2018

The Big Four are continuing their march into the legal services realm. In addition to an alliance with Berry Appleman & Leiden's U.S. operations, Deloitte UK will acquire the firm's eight overseas offices.

The American Lawyer |Expert Opinion

Law Firms Are Increasing Leverage, and They Shouldn't Stop

Hugh A. Simons and Nicholas Bruch | June 05, 2018

Law firms have a lot of room to increase leverage, despite clients pushing back against the use of more junior lawyers.

The Legal Intelligencer |Commentary

How to Drive Motivation to Lead Attorneys to Greater Prosperity

Kimberly Rice | June 05, 2018

Why are some lawyers successful in generating a healthy client base and others struggle?

International |News

Mayer Brown Finalizes Cooperation Deal With Saudi Firm

Krishnan Nair | June 01, 2018

Al-Yaqoub Attorneys & Advisers, which ended an alliance deal with Hogan Lovells more than a year ago, has inked a new cooperation agreement with Mayer Brown.

The Mid Market Report |Analysis

Mid-Market Recap: California Dreaming Hard to Come By For Some Midsize Firms

Hank Grezlak | June 01, 2018

When it comes to U.S. legal markets, outside of New York City there's probably no market as competitive as California. The challenges can be amplified…

The Mid Market Report |News

New Information: Interpreting Data in Novel Ways in the Law Firm Environment

Jared D. Correia | May 31, 2018

While sports teams have been making better decisions using data for decades—to the point where an annual conference, the MIT Sloan Sports Analytics Conference, covers the subject—other industries, including the legal field, have been somewhat late to the party.

The American Lawyer |News

Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner Divests Stake in New Law Pioneer

Joseph Evans | May 30, 2018

Baker McKenzie, Macfarlanes and Stephenson Harwood are advising on a deal that will see newly formed global legal giant BCLP sell off its controlling stake in Lawyers on Demand.

The American Lawyer |News

Fox Rothschild Doubles in Chicago, Grows in Delaware With Shaw Fishman Tie-Up

Dan Packel | May 30, 2018

Three years after arriving in the Windy City, Fox Rothschild wanted a bigger presence to help it succeed in the Chicago legal market.

National Law Journal |News

Finance Leader Rejoins MoFo, One Year After Leaving for Jenner

Ryan Lovelace | May 30, 2018

David Lynn, whose stint at Jenner & Block lasted barely more than a year, is rejoining Morrison & Foerster as co-chairman of the firm's global corporate finance group.

International |Analysis

Is Linklaters' China Alliance a Game Changer?

Anna Zhang | May 29, 2018

The Magic Circle firm's Shanghai Free Trade Zone joint operation wasn't the first, but it might just be the tipping point.

Slideshow

Litigation Daily |Q&A

Q&A: For Quinn Emanuel's New Leaders in New York, It's Full Steam Ahead

Jenna Greene | May 29, 2018

Michael Carlinsky and Rick Werder, who took on the job as co-managing partners of Quinn Emanuel's New York office two months ago, discuss their goals as leaders, the mix of work at the office, how they train their associates, and how they've moved on after the departures

The Recorder |News

San Francisco Litigation Shop Splits Into 3 Firms

Xiumei Dong | May 24, 2018

After more than 11 years in operation and facing the prospect of an expensive new lease, San Francisco-based Duckworth Peters Lebowitz Olivier has broken up into three separate firms.

The Mid Market Report |

Mid-Market Recap: The Case for Firm Leaders to Be Firmer Leaders

Zack Needles | May 24, 2018

Bruce Springsteen once said, "Democracy in rock bands, with very few exceptions, is often a ticking time bomb." There's cause to believe that quote would be just as accurate if "rock bands" were replaced with "midsize law firms."

The Legal Intelligencer |Commentary

Failure to Launch: Why Is Your Firm Failing to Be a 21st Century Employer?

Jessica L. Mazzeo | May 24, 2018

Back in November 2017, I wrote the article, “Why Law Firms Should Already Be Embracing the Mobile Workforce”. That piece mainly focused on firms having work-from-home policies for attorneys and only slightly touched on similar policies for staff. Six months later, it doesn't seem like much has changed.

Texas Lawyer |Commentary

Breaking Up a Partnership Doesn't Have to Be Hard

Rogge Dunn | May 23, 2018

When law partners decide to establish their own new practices, the breakup can be challenging, but it can also be amicable.

The Legal Intelligencer |Commentary

Five Types of Connections You Should Develop in Your Legal Network

Laura C. Bunting | May 23, 2018

The commencement speaker when you graduated from law school inevitably highlighted members of the audience who supported the graduates during school, and would provide continued support while the graduates studied for the bar exam and began their careers.

The American Lawyer |News

Greenspoon Marder Snaps Up Pro-Pot Lobbying Group in DC

Meghan Tribe | May 23, 2018

Deepening its bet on the fledgling cannabis industry, the firm has acquired The Liaison Group to help clients lobby lawmakers on Capitol Hill.

New York Law Journal |Commentary

New York Lawyers Currently Need a New York Office—An Unnecessary Licensing Restriction?

Thomas F. Gleason | May 22, 2018

In his New York Practice column, Thomas F. Gleason discusses Schoenfeld v. New York, which challenges the statute that a person admitted to practice law in New York must have a physical office there.

The Mid Market Report |

Patent Lawyers in General Practice Firms

Dan Scott | May 22, 2018

While many patent attorneys are in boutiques (firms that focus exclusively in this area of practice) many others benefit from being in a large commercial general practice firm. It's important for management of these firms to understand this practice and its fundamental differences from other areas of law in order to work with these practitioners successfully.

Daily Business Review |Q&A

Miami's Bilzin Sumberg Practices Are Countercyclical by Design, Return Big Profits

Catherine Wilson | May 22, 2018

The 100-attorney, single-office law firm considers itself entrepreneurial, client-driven and forward-thinking.

The American Lawyer |Expert Opinion

The Second Hundred Are Stuck in the Middle

Marcie Borgal Shunk | May 22, 2018

The Second Hundred serve the same demanding clients as the Am Law 100 and are asked to deliver the same sophisticated legal advice, but with limited resources it's harder to get ahead.

The American Lawyer |Analysis

Debunking the Consolidation Myth

Hugh A. Simons and Nicholas Bruch | May 22, 2018

If you thought law firms have been consolidating through merger, think again.

The American Lawyer |Analysis

Will Law Firms Be Ready When the Next Recession Hits?

Dan Packel | May 22, 2018

The bottom is eventually going to drop on the U.S. economy, and many law firms won't be positioned to handle the fallout.

The American Lawyer |Editor's Letter

From the Editor-in-Chief: The Ties That Bind

Gina Passarella Cipriani | May 22, 2018

Law firm leaders are struggling to balance the demands of a partnership with the more businesslike demands of the current legal model.

Daily Business Review |News

Fla. Supreme Court Orders Broward Lawyer Jeremy Alters Indefinitely Suspended

Samantha Joseph | May 21, 2018

The Florida Supreme Court Monday issued a sua sponte suspension, disregarding the court-appointed referee's recommendation not to sanction Alters.

Slideshow

The Legal Intelligencer |Commentary

Should Law Firms Embrace Artificial Intelligence and R&D Labs?

Ioana Good and Kathryn B. Whitaker | May 18, 2018

There is a puzzle in the legal business. Our economic landscape is filling up with innovative organizations who have embraced the convergence of technology and business to meet new market demands, yet the legal market remains conservative.

Legaltech News |News

Survey Says Millennial Era Is Here, With Increased Speed and Tech Changes

Meghan Tribe | May 18, 2018

The Cushman & Wakefield report says as more and more millennials assume partnership positions, their preferences will start to reshape the legal industry.

The Mid Market Report |Analysis

Finger on the Pulse, Not the Ballot Box: Midsize Firms Rarely Use Partnership Votes

Gina Passarella Cipriani | May 18, 2018

Walking the halls to build consensus is the go-to choice over partnership votes at midsize law firms.

The Recorder |News

Arnold & Porter Brings Back Former International Arbitration Pro

Xiumei Dong | May 17, 2018

Maria Chedid, chair of the California arbitration practice at Baker McKenzie, has returned to her former home in San Francisco, where she had previously established and led a West Coast international arbitration practice.

National Law Journal |News

Hourly Rate Gap Widens as Top Billers Leave Others Behind

Ryan Lovelace | May 17, 2018

It's easy to be impressed by individual partner rates approaching $2,000 an hour, but the widening gap between whole categories of law firms may mean more for the industry's future.

Delaware Law Weekly |

Big Law Vets Open Blockchain Boutique, Add Del. DOJ Leader

Dan Packel | May 17, 2018

A pair of former partners at Reed Smith and Hogan Lovells launched DLx Law earlier this month. They've now named their first new attorney, a top securities enforcer for the state of Delaware.

Daily Business Review |Profile

'I Believed in Jeremy': Why a Small Firm Stood With a Disgraced South Florida Lawyer

Samantha Joseph | May 17, 2018

Jeremy Alters' Florida operations dwindled from 57 people in 2010 to about 18 one year later. Now, in 2018, he is down to five colleagues, including two other attorneys.

The Legal Intelligencer |Expert Opinion

Ethics Forum: Questions and Answers on Professional Responsibility

Samuel C. Stretton | May 17, 2018

What do I do with monies that have been held in my escrow account for a long time? I can't decide who has them and who to pay.

Daily Report Online |News

Midsize Firms' Geographic Expansions Span the Strategic Map

Jonathan Ringel | May 17, 2018

Firms open offices for many reasons—serving a client, personal needs of attorneys and the occasional "no-brainer" merger.

The Legal Intelligencer |Commentary

A Simple but Important Role in Diversity for Big Law

John S. Yi and Maria L.H. Lewis | May 16, 2018

Sitting in a diversity and inclusion orientation session when I joined my firm as a first-year associate in the fall of 2014, I quickly became reacquainted with the low numbers and low retention rates of diverse associates at big law firms generally, statistics I was only previously aware of in the abstract.