California Pulse

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    Baker Botts Names IP Leader In Northern California Offices

    Baker Botts LLP has promoted a longtime partner to head of the intellectual property department in its San Francisco and Palo Alto, California, offices.

  • Dentons Accused Of Hacking Laptop, Aiding Vape Co. Usurper

    Dentons helped the founder of vape distributor Next Level sabotage and usurp manufacturer Avid Holdings' brand, including breaking into its founder's laptop to access confidential information, Avid alleged in a sprawling lawsuit filed Tuesday in California federal court.

  • Google Investors' Atty Defends Fees For $350M Privacy Deal

    Counsel for Google LLC shareholders who reached a $350 million settlement with Alphabet Inc. over claims they were deceived about a 2018 data breach urged a California federal judge Tuesday to approve the deal, including about $66.5 million for attorneys, calling the fees more than reasonable.

  • Judge Defends Atty Fees In Failed Law Firm Case

    A California bankruptcy judge on Tuesday pushed back against criticisms of big fees for professionals in the case of defunct debt relief law firm Litigation Practice Group and said he would approve interim professional fees and expenses of $8.1 million.

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    Ex-Google Privacy Chief Joins Gibson Dunn As Practice Head

    Gibson Dunn & Crutcher LLP has hired a former vice president and chief privacy officer at Google, who for more than 13½ years has helped lead a team of privacy specialists working to achieve Google's data protection and privacy goals.

  • California Powerhouse: Cooley

    With numerous high-profile litigation wins and transactions this past year — including a California Supreme Court victory for whistleblowers, Instacart's $660M IPO and Horizon Therapeutics' $27.8 billion sale — Cooley LLP has reinforced its reputation as a leading law firm in the Golden State and once again landed on Law360's Regional Powerhouses list.

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    Sheppard Mullin Adds Paul Hastings Employment Leader

    The co-leader of Paul Hastings LLP's wage and hour practice group has jumped to Sheppard Mullin Richter & Hampton LLP in California, the firm said Tuesday.

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    LA Olympics Committee Lifts Deputy To Chief Legal Officer

    The organizing committee for the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles has promoted its senior vice president and deputy general counsel to the post of chief legal officer, general counsel and secretary, following the abrupt departure of its administrative and legal chief.

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    Procopio Practice Leader Joins Snell & Wilmer In San Diego

    Snell & Wilmer LLP has added the former leader of the healthcare, education and government practice at California firm Procopio Cory Hargreaves & Savitch LLP as a partner in its San Diego office.

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    Ropes & Gray Chair To Serve 2nd Term; Firm Picks Vice Chair

    Ropes & Gray LLP announced Tuesday that leading corporate lawyer Julie Jones will begin a second term as the 1,500-attorney firm's first-ever female chair next year while managing committee member Neill Jakobe prepares to assume a vice chair role.

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    General Counsel Pay Has Spiked 25% Since 2019

    Total compensation for general counsel at a sample of the largest U.S. companies has increased by nearly 25%, or from $2.6 million in 2019 to $3.3 million in 2023, according to a report released Tuesday by data analyst Equilar Inc.

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    What Summer Associates Learned From Working At Firms

    We asked this year's cohort about the most valuable lessons they learned during their summer associateship. Here are some tips they have to pass on to the students who have yet to land a coveted spot or are ready to embark on a career in law.

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    What Law Firms Really Look For In Summer Associates

    More and more, law firms are bypassing the traditional schedule for on-campus interviews in their search for summer associates. Firm leaders who oversee recruiting for these programs spoke with Law360 Pulse about where they stand on timing and what law students can do to secure a summer placement that works best for their career.

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    These Firms Were The Top For Their Summer Associates

    BigLaw firms have again set the bar high with their summer associate programs this year, earning high praise from participants who cited the increased opportunities for courtroom experiences, pro bono work, and comprehensive mentorship and networking support.

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    Freshfields Launching New Name, Logo In October

    Magic Circle firm Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer LLP announced Tuesday that it is rebranding to shorten its name to Freshfields beginning next month.

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    Norton Rose Stresses Regional Chops In New Leadership

    A year after the sudden departure of Norton Rose Fulbright's worldwide CEO, the firm announced a permanent reshuffling of its global management structure, formally putting regional managing partners in charge of coordinating the firm's international business.

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    Law Firm Rates Rise In 2023, But Mixed Outlook Ahead

    Corporate legal departments continue to face rising hourly rates from law firms, but rate changes have varied across industries, and the first four months of 2024 present a snapshot of these varying average rate increases, according to a recent report from Wolters Kluwer's ELM Solutions.

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    EBay Finds New Top Attorney In Former TriNet CLO

    E-commerce giant eBay Inc. said Monday it has hired the former top attorney at human resources services company TriNet to take the reins of the legal department in October.

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    JAMS President Will Become New CEO

    Alternative dispute resolution service JAMS is making changes at the top, announcing Monday that its longtime president will move up to become CEO and its current chief financial officer's duties will expand to include chief operating officer.

  • California Powerhouse: Gibson Dunn

    Gibson Dunn & Crutcher LLP's California-based partners have helped clients lock in precedent-setting wins before the U.S. Supreme Court over the past year while guiding big-ticket real estate and life sciences transactions, earning the firm a spot on Law360's annual list of Regional Powerhouses.

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    4 Things To Know About Calif. Bar Exam Uncertainty

    The California State Bar planned to administer a new bar exam in February 2025 that would allow test takers to tackle the test either remotely or at test centers, but last week, the state's Supreme Court denied without prejudice a petition to go forward with the modifications. Here, Law360 Pulse looks at what led to the order, and next steps for the bar.

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    Dentons Launches Generative AI Contract Automation Tool

    International law firm Dentons has attorneys in Europe testing a generative artificial intelligence tool for contract automation, the firm said Monday.

  • Feds To Pay $893K Fee Award To Travel Ban Challengers

    A California federal judge has signed off on the Biden administration's agreement to cover $893,000 worth of legal fees that thousands of visa applicants racked up while contesting a Trump-era travel ban that prevented them from immigrating to the U.S.

  • Cozen O'Connor Elevates 8 New Shareholders In 7 Offices

    Cozen O'Connor announced Monday the promotions of eight new shareholders in seven different cities to the law firm and its public affairs and lobbying arm.

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    Labor Attorney Who Leveled MLB Playing Field Dies At 93

    Richard M. Moss, an attorney-turned-sports-agent who won free agency for baseball players and made star pitcher Nolan Ryan the first-ever professional athlete to score a $1 million contract for a single season, died over the weekend at age 93.

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Expert Analysis

  • How Firms Can Benefit From Creating Their Own ALSPs Author Photo

    As more law firms develop their own legal services centers to serve as both a source of flexible personnel and technological innovation, they can further enhance the effectiveness by fostering a consistent and cohesive team and allowing for experimentation with new technologies from an established baseline, say attorneys at Hogan Lovells.

  • Modernizing Legal Education Through Hybrid JD Programs Author Photo

    Amid pandemic-era shifts in education, law schools and other stakeholders should consider the wide geographic and demographic reach of Juris Doctor programs with both online and in-person learning options, and educators should think through the various ways hybrid programs can be structured, says Stephen Burnett at All Campus.

  • How BigLaw Can Mirror Small Firm Attorney Engagement Author Photo

    BigLaw has the unique opportunity to hit refresh post-pandemic and enhance attorney satisfaction by adopting practices that smaller firms naturally employ — including work assignment policies that can provide junior attorneys steady professional development, says Michelle Genet Bernstein at Mark Migdal.

  • Ditch The Annual Review To Boost Attorney Job Satisfaction Author Photo

    In order to attract and retain the rising millennial generation's star talent, law firms should break free of the annual review system and train lawyers of all seniority levels to solicit and share frequent and informal feedback, says Betsy Miller at Cohen Milstein.

  • How Attorneys Can Narrow LGBTQ Gap In The Judiciary Author Photo

    Lawyers can take several steps to redress the lack of adequate LGBTQ representation on the bench and its devastating impact on litigants and counsel in the community, says Janice Grubin, co-chair of the Judiciary Committee at the LGBT Bar Association of Greater New York.

  • Employers Must Heed Rising Attorney Stress And Alcohol Use Author Photo

    Krill Strategies’ Patrick Krill, who co-authored a new study that revealed alarming levels of stress, hazardous drinking and associated gender disparities among practicing attorneys, highlights how legal employers can confront the underlying risk factors as both warnings and opportunities in the post-COVID-19 era.

  • Lawyers Can Get Ready For Space Law To Take Flight Author Photo

    While international agreements for space law have remained relatively unchanged since their creation decades ago, the rapid pace of change in U.S. laws and policies is creating opportunities for both new and veteran lawyers looking to break into this exciting realm, in either the private sector or government, says Michael Dodge at the University of North Dakota.

  • Series

    Ask A Mentor: What Makes A Successful Summer Associate? Author Photo

    Navigating a few densely packed weeks at a law firm can be daunting for summer associates, but those who are prepared to seize opportunities and not afraid to ask questions will be set up for success, says Julie Crisp at Latham.

  • How To Successfully Market Your Summer Associate Program Author Photo

    Law firms can attract the right summer associate candidates and help students see what makes a program unique by using carefully crafted messaging and choosing the best ambassadors to deliver it, says Tamara McClatchey, director of career services at the University of Chicago Law School.

  • Opinion

    Judges Deserve Congress' Commitment To Their Safety Author Photo

    Following the tragic attack on U.S. District Judge Esther Salas' family last summer and amid rising threats against the judiciary, legislation protecting federal judges' personal information and enhancing security measures at courthouses is urgently needed, says U.S. District Judge Roslynn Mauskopf, director of the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts.

  • Series

    Ask A Mentor: How Can Recalcitrant Attys Use Social Media? Author Photo

    Social media can be intimidating for reluctant lawyers but it can also be richly rewarding, as long as attorneys remember that professional accounts will always reflect on their firms and colleagues, and follow some best practices to avoid embarrassment, says Sean Marotta at Hogan Lovells.

  • Keys To Digitizing Inefficient Contract Management Processes Author Photo

    Neville Eisenberg and Mark Grayson at BCLP explain how they sped up contract execution for one client by replacing email with a centralized, digital tool for negotiations and review, and how the principles they adhered to can be helpful for other law firms looking to improve poorly managed contract management processes.

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    Ask A Mentor: How Can Firms Coach Associates Remotely? Author Photo

    Practicing law through virtual platforms will likely persist even after the pandemic, so law firms and senior lawyers should consider refurbishing their associate mentoring programs to facilitate personal connections, professionalism and effective training in a remote environment, says Carol Goodman at Herrick Feinstein.

  • How Law Firms Can Welcome And Celebrate Autistic Lawyers Author Photo

    As the U.S. observes Autism Acceptance Month, autistic attorney Haley Moss describes the societal barriers and stereotypes that keep neurodivergent lawyers from disclosing their disabilities, and how law firms can better accommodate and level the playing field for attorneys whose minds work outside of the prescribed norm.

  • Law Firm Tips For Evaluating AI And Machine Learning Tools Author Photo

    Many legal technology vendors now sell artificial intelligence and machine learning tools at a premium price tag, but law firms must take the time to properly evaluate them as not all offerings generate process efficiencies or even use the technologies advertised, says Steven Magnuson at Ballard Spahr.

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