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California Pulse
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DEI Issues Creating 'Culture Of Fear' In Company Leaders
As the heart of the season for corporate annual meetings begins next month, many companies are facing investor questions and resolutions related to diversity in the workplace, primarily because of the federal government's threat of investigations and various groups' lawsuits on both sides of the issue.
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Ashurst Reelects Global Chair, Aims For £1B Revenue
Ashurst LLP has reelected its global chair for a second term, the firm announced Thursday, amid hopes of reaching its first year of £1 billion ($1.2 billion) revenue in 2025 after eight years of growth.
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State AGs To Play Larger Role With Trump Back In Office
Many state attorneys general will have growing influence on national issues under the new Trump administration, as they ramp up regulatory enforcement in areas where the federal government pulls back, while also fighting against or in support of the administration's policies, lawyers and observers say.
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Offit Kurman Names New Deputy Managing Principal
Offit Kurman Attorneys At Law announced Thursday that a Virginia-based attorney who previously served as one of the firm's department chairs has been elevated to the role of deputy managing principal.
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Rocket Lawyer Founder Retires, CFO Named Interim CEO
Rocket Lawyer founder and Chief Executive Officer Charley Moore has retired after nearly 20 years of leadership, the legal technology company said in an announcement Thursday.
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Calif. Panel Probes Disbarring Eastman Over 2020 Election
An appeals panel appeared unlikely Wednesday to reverse a California State Bar judge's finding that John Eastman, a former attorney for President Donald Trump, engaged in misconduct when he tried to overturn the results of the 2020 election, but questioned whether disbarment is the appropriate punishment.
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Plaintiffs Attys Fight Arbitration, While Imposing It On Clients
Plaintiffs attorney groups have for decades lobbied against forced arbitration, saying it strips injured consumers and aggrieved workers of their right to jury trial and hides corporate misconduct from public view. But many plaintiffs lawyers nationwide have subjected their own clients to forced arbitration in their retainer contracts — including leaders of some organizations that forbid the practice, Law360 has found.
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Ex-Lewis Brisbois Hospitality Ace Joins Signature Resolution
Alternative dispute resolution service Signature Resolution is bringing in a recently retired Lewis Brisbois Bisgaard & Smith LLP hospitality industry litigator to join its panel of neutrals.
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Alston & Bird Securities Litigator Joins Katten In Calif.
Katten Muchin Rosenman LLP added a former Alston & Bird LLP securities litigation partner whom one firm leader has hoped to hire after a stint working together decades ago.
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Robbins Geller Escapes Sanctions In Gas Price-Fixing Suit
A California federal judge on Wednesday rejected a bid to sanction Robbins Geller Rudman & Dowd LLP attorneys in a gas price-fixing suit, determining that the firm didn't act in bad faith or unreasonably multiply proceedings in a way that unnecessarily cost Alon USA Energy millions.
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EEOC Bid For Law Firm DEI Info On Shaky Ground, Attys Say
The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission's recent call for law firms to cough up a trove of information about their diversity, equity and inclusion programs lacks statutory authority and may contravene federal law, according to experts from both sides of the aisle.
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Law360 Announces The Members Of Its 2025 Editorial Boards
Law360 is pleased to announce the formation of its 2025 Editorial Advisory Boards.
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Six Takeaways From California's State Of The Judiciary
California Supreme Court Chief Justice Patricia Guerrero gave an annual State of the Judiciary address to Golden State legislators Tuesday that highlighted the judicial branch's independence and commitment to providing "fair and impartial justice," while putting less attention than in years past on policies that support diversity and inclusion.
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How BigLaw Is Tweaking Diversity Messaging Amid Pushback
As the Trump administration intensifies its scrutiny of diversity programs, some of the nation's leading law firms are quietly adjusting how they publicly present their diversity commitments, including softening language, scrubbing diversity reports, and, in some cases, erasing diversity pages altogether.
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Eisner Lands 2 Reed Smith Entertainment Pros In NY, Calif.
Business and entertainment firm Eisner LLP announced Tuesday that it has hired two attorneys from Reed Smith LLP to enhance its capacity to negotiate entertainment industry transactions.
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McDermott Launches San Diego Office Helmed By IP Veteran
McDermott Will & Emery LLP announced Tuesday it is opening an office in San Diego and has tapped a longtime intellectual property attorney to lead it, while also naming that attorney to be one of the co-heads of its global IP practice.
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Maynard Nexsen Adds 5 Constangy Employment Attys In LA
Maynard Nexsen PC has brought a 5-lawyer team from labor and employment firm Constangy Brooks Smith & Prophete LLP to its Los Angeles office, bringing on a team that is experienced in management-side employment law and can converse in six languages.
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Dem Ex-EEOC Officials Call Law Firm DEI Letters Overreach
A group of Democratic-appointed former U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission officials urged acting Chair Andrea Lucas on Tuesday to rescind letters seeking information from 20 law firms about their diversity, equity and inclusion practices, saying she had exceeded the agency's power.
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Semiconductor Co. AMD Paid GC Nearly $16.9M In '24
Semiconductor manufacturer Advanced Micro Devices Inc.'s legal chief made nearly $16.9 million in her first year with the company, including a $2 million sign-on bonus, according to a recent filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.
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Debevoise Atty Goes In-House As TPG's Legal Chief
Global asset manager TPG announced Monday that it has hired Debevoise & Plimpton LLP partner Jennifer Chu to take over as its chief legal officer and general counsel, saying her deep "experience, leadership expertise and judgment" are an ideal match for the rapidly expanding firm.
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Ex-Avenatti Clients Resolve Fight Over Seized Honda Jet
Two of Michael Avenatti's former clients have settled their dispute over ownership interest and an insurance policy covering a $4.4 million Honda jet that the disgraced attorney allegedly purchased with stolen client funds, according to a notice filed in California federal court.
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Wayne Gretzky Suing Co-Investor For Malicious Prosecution
NHL legend Wayne Gretzky and his wife filed a lawsuit in California state court against a co-investor in a failed weight-loss business, whom he alleges lodged a meritless suit against him in 2022 to "score a quick payday" after accusing him of contributing to the demise of the company.
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Judge Ikuta's Sr. Status Plans Give Trump 9th Circ. Opening
U.S. Circuit Judge Sandra Segal Ikuta of the Ninth Circuit will be taking semi-retired status upon appointment of her successor, a court representative confirmed to Law360 on Monday.
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X Corp. Says Dismissal, Sanctions Go Together In Bonus Suit
A former X Corp. senior director of compensation engaged in "vexatious conduct" that should not allow him to drop his suit claiming unpaid bonuses without sanctions, the social media platform told a California federal judge.
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20 Law Firms Face EEOC Demands For DEI Employment Info
The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission has written to 20 law firms seeking information about their diversity, equity and inclusion-related employment practices, the agency announced Monday.
Expert Analysis
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How Law Firms And Attys Can Combat Imposter Syndrome
Imposter syndrome is rampant in the legal profession, especially among lawyers from underrepresented backgrounds, leading to missed opportunities and mental health issues — but firms can provide support in numerous ways, and attorneys can use therapeutic strategies to quiet their inner critic, says Helen Pamely at Rosling King.
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The Law Firm Qualities Partners Seek In Lateral Moves
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In 2022, partners considering lateral moves have new priorities, and firms that hope to recruit top talent will need to communicate their strategy for growth, engage on hot issues like origination credit and diversity initiatives, and tailor their integration plans toward expanding partners’ client base, says Gloria Sandrino at Lateral Link.
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Small Steps Can Help Employers Beat Attorney Burnout
Lawyers are experiencing burnout on a massive, unprecedented scale due to the pandemic, but law firms and institutional players can and should make a difference by focusing on small, practical solutions that protect their attorneys’ most precious personal resource and professional commodity — time, says Chad Sarchio, president of the District of Columbia Bar.
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The Evolving Role Of The Law Firm Legal Secretary
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Technological shifts during the pandemic and beyond should force firms to rethink how legal secretaries can not only better support timekeepers but also participate in elevating client service, bifurcating the role into an administrative support position and a more elevated practice support role, says Lauren Chung at HBR Consulting.
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Series
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Jennifer Rakstad at White & Case highlights how associates can emphasize achievements and seek support before, during and after their annual review, despite the pandemic’s negative effects on face time with colleagues and business development opportunities.
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How Your Law Firm's Brand Can Convey Prestige
In order to be perceived as prestigious by clients and potential recruits, law firms should take their branding efforts beyond designing visual identities and address six key imperatives to differentiate themselves — from identifying intangible core strengths to delivering on promises at every interaction, says Howard Breindel at DeSantis Breindel.
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How Dynamic Project Management Can Help Law Firms
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Law firms looking to streamline matter management should consider tools that offer both employees and clients real-time access to documents, action items, task assignee information and more, overcoming many of the limitations of project communications via email, says Stephen Weyer at Stites & Harbison.
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Series
Ask A Mentor: How Can I Successfully Switch Practices?
Associates who pivot into new practice areas may find that along with the excitement of a fresh start comes some apprehension, but certain proactive steps can help tame anxiety and ensure attorneys successfully adapt to unfamiliar subjects, novel internal processes and different client deliverables, say Susan Berson and Hassan Shaikh at Mintz.
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Why Firms Should Help Associates Do More Pro Bono Work
Associates may hesitate to take on the added commitment of pro bono matters, but such work has tangible skill-building benefits, so firms should consider compensation and leadership strategies to encourage participation, says Rasmeet Chahil at Lowenstein Sandler.
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A Road Map For Creating Law Firm Sustainability Programs
Amid demands from clients and prospective hires for greater sustainability efforts, law firms should think beyond reusable mugs and create programs that incorporate clear leadership structures, emission tracking and reduction goals, and frameworks for reporting results, says Gayatri Joshi at the Law Firm Sustainability Network.
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Confronting The Stigma Of Alcohol Abuse In Legal Industry
The pandemic has likely exacerbated the prevalence of problem drinking in the legal profession, making it critical for lawyers and educators to address alcohol abuse and the associated stigma through issue-specific education, supportive assistance and alcohol-free professional events, says Erica Grigg at the Texas Lawyers' Assistance Program.
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Opinion
Lawyers Have Duty To Push For Immigration Court Reform
Attorneys must use their collective voice to urge federal lawmakers to create an Article I immigration court outside executive branch control, helping address the conflicts of interest, political influence and lack of adjudication consistency that prevent migrants from achieving true justice, say Elia Diaz-Yaeger and Carlos Bollar at the Hispanic National Bar Association.
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Series
Ask A Mentor: How Can 1st-Year Attys Manage Remote Work?
First-year associates can have a hard time building relationships with colleagues, setting boundaries and prioritizing work-life balance in a remote work environment, so they must be sure to lean on their firms' support systems and practice good time management, say Jenny Lee and Christopher Fernandez at Kirkland.
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5 Ways To Lead Lawyer Teams Toward Better Mental Health
Attorney team leaders have a duty to attend to the mental well-being of their subordinates with intention, thought and candor — starting with ensuring their own mental health is in order, says Liam Montgomery at Williams & Connolly.
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How Your Summer Associate Events Can Convey Inclusivity
As law firms begin planning next year's summer associate events, they should carefully examine how choice of venue, activity, theme, attendees and formality can create feelings of exclusion for minority associates, and consider changing the status quo to create multiculturally inclusive events, says Sharon Jones at Jones Diversity.