Small Law


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    Law Firm Mergers Lag Amid Political, Economic Uncertainties

    U.S. law firms announced 20 combinations in the first three months of 2025, fewer than nearly every other year going back a decade, according to the Law360 Pulse Merger Tracker.

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    Frost LLP Brings On Ex-NBCUniversal Atty As IP Partner In LA

    Business litigation boutique Frost LLP is boosting its litigation team, bringing in an intellectual property expert who most recently was an in-house counsel with NBCUniversal as a partner in its Los Angeles office.

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    Trump Lawyer Brings 'Fierce' Style To New US Atty Post In NJ

    With a litigation style both praised as "assertive" and criticized as "over the top," Alina Habba's commitment to President Donald Trump — her client in some of his most high-profile trials in recent years — has taken her from managing partner of a small New Jersey law firm to the top federal prosecutor in the Garden State.

  • Fla. Atty Cites Law School Debt In Bid To Skip Conn. Oral Args

    A Florida employment attorney embroiled in state and federal proceedings over a judgment requiring him to repay his ex's $30,000 contribution toward his law school loans says he can't afford to travel to Connecticut to argue an appeal because his debts and lack of income while traveling make in-person attendance difficult.

  • Law Firm Says Insurer Shorted On Defense Of Blackmail Suit

    A law firm accused by a Florida state judge of causing her emotional distress via blackmail is suing its insurer, alleging the insurer underpaid the firm's defense counsel by nearly $600,000 in connection with the settled underlying lawsuit she filed.

  • Law Firm Fights Ex-Paralegal's Anonymity Bid In Bias Suit

    A former paralegal at a Pennsylvania law firm made speculative and illogical arguments to take her identity away from her overtime and retaliation suit, the firm said Thursday, urging a federal court to keep her name known.

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    Ex-Rimon Trio Launches Distributed Equity Model Firm

    Lucendo LLP officially launched under the leadership of three former Rimon PC partners on Thursday, breaking the mold as a distributed law firm at which attorneys can work remotely and set their own rates with an equity profit-sharing model.

  • Atty Suspended Over Billing Lapses In State Street Case

    The former managing partner of Thornton Law Firm LLP has received a 30-day license suspension for his decision to sign an inaccurate billing declaration to a federal judge in an investor action against State Street Bank.

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    Boutique IP Litigator Returns To Mintz In Miami

    Mintz Levin Cohn Ferris Glovsky and Popeo PC strengthened its Miami ranks with the addition of a new patent litigator from his own firm, Goma Law PLLC.

  • 'Beer Law' Firm Says Confusion Is Brewing Over Rival's Name

    A North Carolina law firm, one of whose managing partners focuses on advising businesses in the beer, wine and craft beverage industries under the name "Beer Law Center," on Wednesday accused a Colorado law firm of coasting off its reputation by offering services under the confusingly similar "Beer Law HQ."

  • Client Says Colo. Injury Attys Didn't Tell Him About Settlement

    A personal injury plaintiff is suing his former attorneys and their Colorado law firm for malpractice after they allegedly failed to notify him of a settlement offer in time, forcing the case to trial where jurors issued a verdict that was less than the settlement offer.

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    'Values-Led' Health Law Boutique Kicks Off In Atlanta

    A pair of founders of Health Law Strategists LLC announced Wednesday they have launched a national boutique in Atlanta called Aligned Health Law LLC.

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    Phelps Dunbar Grows In Florida With Panhandle Firm Tie-Up

    Phelps Dunbar LLP announced Wednesday that it will combine with Pensacola's Beggs & Lane on May 1, venturing into the Florida Panhandle for the first time.

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    When Can Attys Decide To Drop Clients? ABA Says It Depends

    Lawyers can drop clients at will as long as doing so won't harm the client's legal objectives or needlessly drive up costs, according to new guidance by the American Bar Association — but the guidance also notes that "getting out of a matter can be a lot harder than getting in."

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    Ogletree Opens Kentucky Office With Boutique Attys

    Ogletree Deakins Nash Smoak & Stewart PC, a big law firm representing employers in labor and employment disputes, is opening a Lexington, Kentucky, office and has hired the two leaders of a Kentucky boutique law firm with experience in representing mining companies.

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    23 Firms Remain GCs' Top Picks Despite Referral Drop

    Even as corporate legal departments become more selective in recommending outside counsel to their peers, 23 law firms have managed to earn top marks for building trust and relationship management, according to a report released Wednesday by BTI Consulting Group.

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    Motley Rice Alum Grows Niche With New Whistleblower Firm

    Armed with decades of securities law experience, Rebecca M. Katz recently stepped down as chair of Motley Rice's whistleblower practice to launch her own firm focused on this niche specialty. She spoke with Law360 Pulse about what it means to be a whistleblower, why the cases are tougher than they might seem, and what's ahead for government enforcement during the second Trump administration.

  • Fla. Litigation Funder Must Face NJ Lawyer's Counterclaim

    A Florida-based litigation funder pursuing an $18 million breach of contract suit against a New Jersey lawyer must face the bulk of a countersuit alleging the business reneged on an agreement to secure funding for nationwide personal injury cases.

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    Gunster Expands Fla. Footprint With 14-Atty Boutique Merger

    Florida business law firm Gunster added 14 attorneys to its growing roster through a merger with boutique Katz Barron, the firm announced Tuesday.

  • Sanctioned Firm Ordered To Pay Fees In California Patent Row

    Days after attorneys from Texas patent firm Ramey LLP were ordered to pay over $60,000 for practicing in California without a license, a San Francisco federal magistrate judge has ordered them to pay attorney fees in a pair of suits deemed to have been litigated in bad faith. 

  • Ex-Manager Asks To Toss Remainder Of Singer's Contract Suit

    The former manager for the Season 18 "American Idol" contestant behind the 2022 hit "Fingers Crossed" is hoping to toss what remains of her New York federal lawsuit against him, accusing the artist of trying to stop him from collecting his firm's entitlements under their agreement.

  • Counterclaim Against Paralegal Must Proceed, Firm Says

    A counterclaim accusing a paralegal of bringing an unpaid overtime wages suit against an El Paso law firm in order to extort it for money should stay in play, the firm told a Texas federal court, saying its counterclaim is sufficiently linked to the former employee's litigation.

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    Approach The Bench: Judge Tymkovich On New Judgeships

    When Tenth Circuit Judge Timothy Tymkovich testified before Congress recently about the need for more federal judges, it had been about 10 years since he'd made a similar request of Congress, which hasn't expanded the federal bench since 2002.

  • Law Firm's Blog Post Unwinds $43M Ill. Injury Retrial Verdict

    An Illinois appellate court wiped out a couple's $43 million jury verdict and ordered a third trial in their injury case Monday, saying the trial judge should have done a better job probing their attorney's highly improper blog and social media posts.

  • Trump EOs And Skadden Face Pushback At Law Schools

    President Donald Trump's executive orders targeting law firms, and one firm's attempt to avoid a directive, have each received pushback at top law schools, with more than 90 Harvard faculty members objecting to the measures' effect on the rule of law and Georgetown students blasting Skadden's deal with Trump as a second firm associate publicly resigned.

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Expert Analysis

  • Ask A Mentor: How Should Departing Partners Approach Pay? Author Photo

    Sabina Lippman at CenterPeak discusses steps BigLaw partners can take when considering a move or announcing their departure to help navigate tricky compensation issues and remain on good terms with their current partners.

  • How 2 Litigators Decided Dad Would Stay Home With The Kids Author Photo

    Jennifer Hoekstra at Aylstock Witkin shares the tough conversations about timing, goals, logistics and values involved in her family's decision that she would build her career as a litigator and law firm partner while her husband stepped back from his own litigation role to stay home with their children.

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    My Nonpracticing Law Job: Legal Commentary Ghostwriter Author Photo

    Wayne Pollock at Copo Strategies shares how he went from overworked Am Law 50 associate to owner of a legal thought leadership ghostwriting service, and provides four lessons for anyone who might be considering launching a business within the legal industry.

  • Ask A Mentor: As Trials Grow Rarer, How Do I Hone My Skills? Author Photo

    Gary Parsons at Brooks Pierce offers advice for young lawyers seeking trial experience in an environment where fewer cases make it to trial, including how to build their reputations, set their expectations and pick the right firm.

  • Talking Mental Health: Managing Depression As A Co. Founder Author Photo

    New Era ADR co-founder Collin Williams discusses his journey navigating a clinical depression diagnosis, how this experience affected his leadership style, and what the legal industry can do to better support attorneys with mental health conditions.

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    My Nonpracticing Law Job: Career And Wellness Coach Author Photo

    Tara Rhoades at The Sanity Plea shares how she went from BigLaw partner to legal industry career and wellness coach, and explains how attorneys can use their capabilities, knowledge and professional networks to pursue coaching themselves, or bring refreshed meaning and purpose to their current roles.

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    Talking Mental Health: Tackling Stress As A Practice Leader Author Photo

    Constance Rhebergen at Bracewell discusses how she handles the stress of being a practice chair, how sources of stress have changed in the legal industry over the past decade and what law firms can do to protect attorney mental health.

  • Making Legal Cents: Engaging A Remote, Evolving Workforce Author Photo

    In the face of a dispersed and changing workforce with Generation Z entering the scene, law firms should consider some practical strategies to revitalize their cultures, provide meaningful mentorship and safeguard their knowledge bases, says Shireen Hilal at Maior Strategic Consulting.

  • How Firms Can Effectively Evaluate Their Summer Associates Author Photo

    One of the most effective ways firms can ensure their summer associate programs are a success is by engaging in a timely and meaningful evaluation process and being intentional about when, how and by whom feedback should be provided, say Caroline Cimei and Erica Fine at Shutts & Bowen.

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    Talking Mental Health: Life As A Lawyer With OCD Author Photo

    Kelly Hughes at Ogletree discusses what she’s learned in the 14 years since she was diagnosed with obsessive-compulsive disorder, recounting how the experience shaped her law practice, what the legal industry and general public get wrong about the disorder, and how law firms can better support employees who have OCD.

  • 3 Innovative Ways AI May Be Used In Legal Practice
    Excerpt from Practical Guidance
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    Artificial intelligence tools will increasingly be used by outside counsel to better predict the outcomes of litigation — thus informing legal strategy with greater precision — and by clients to scrutinize invoices and evaluate counsel’s performance, says Ronald Levine at Herrick Feinstein.

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    My Nonpracticing Law Job: Librarian Author Photo

    Lisa A. Goodman at Texas A&M University shares how she went from a BigLaw associate who liked to hang out in the firm's law library to director of a law library herself in just over a decade, and provides considerations for anyone interested in pursuing a law librarian career.

  • Legal Briefs Can Benefit From Cleaned Up Case Citations Author Photo

    Federal courts have recently been changing the way they quote decisions to omit insignificant details and string cites, and lawyers should consider adopting this practice to enhance the readability of their briefs — as long as accuracy stays top of mind, says Diana Simon at the University of Arizona James E. Rogers College of Law.

  • 5 Best Practices For Firms Designing DEI Programs Author Photo

    Nikki Lewis Simon, chief diversity, equity and inclusion officer at Greenberg Traurig, discusses best practices — and some pitfalls to avoid — for law firms looking to build programs aimed at driving inclusion in the workplace.

  • Former Minn. Chief Justice Instructs On Writing Better Briefs Author Photo

    Former Minnesota Supreme Court Chief Justice Lorie Gildea, now at Greenberg Traurig, offers strategies on writing more effective appellate briefs from her time on the bench.

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