The Californian arm of the supermarket chain Trader Joe’s Co. has been ordered to pay $120,000 in legal fees to a union representing some of its employees, following a trademark infringement lawsuit. The judgement, delivered by a California federal judge, highlighted a need to dissuade “meritless claims.” The legal dispute initially brought by Trader Joe’s…
Open AI-backed, generative AI legal tech startup Harvey is setting new benchmarks in the legal tech industry. After a year of rapid growth and impressive milestones, the startup is ready to shift gears and expand its user base. Harvey, bolstered by a $5 million seed round in November 2022, and a subsequent $21 million Series…
A British game developer is currently in a copyright dispute with a French competitor over shared features in their respective mobile applications. The British developer defended its position in a London court, arguing that perceived similarities between the two games are generic, nondistinctive elements that do not warrant copyright protection. Copyright spats like this in…
Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP, a prestigious law firm based in New York, is making strategic expansion moves with plans to open a new office in Boston. This comes as the third revelation of a Boston location announcement by an Am Law 100 law firm in the past eight days. In addition to this expansion,…
Carrie Collier-Brown, a seasoned energy regulation and administrative litigation professional, has recently joined Husch Blackwell as a partner. She will be stationed in the Austin, Texas office, as indicated by the firm’s announcement on Wednesday. Collier-Brown’s expertise lies in the realm of Texas energy market, with a robust practice centered on energy regulation and administrative…
Johnson Winter Slattery, an Australian law firm, has successfully recruited Sophie Dawson, a renowned privacy and technology partner, from the international firm, Bird & Bird. As the newest addition to its Sydney office, this move marks another in a string of technology partner hires this year. Dawson is known for her specialisation in IT, telecommunications…
Simpson, Thacher & Bartlett has announced it is expanding its geographical footprint with a new office in Boston, recruiting Kenneth Burdon, a registered funds partner from Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom, to join the endeavor. The firm has also decided to move Nathan Somogie, an existing partner from the firm’s New York office, to…
International law firm Clifford Chance announced on Wednesday that it has strengthened its US mergers and acquisitions practice with the addition of Chang-Do Gong as a partner. Mr. Gong brings valuable public and private M&A experience to the firm that spans across several sectors, including energy and infrastructure, healthcare and life sciences, and media and…
Clifford Chance announced this week that Todd Lowther has joined the firm as a partner in the tax practice of its Houston office, thereby expanding their tax practice team. This addition increases the capability and depth of the firm’s energy sector taxation specialization, mirroring the requirement of its expansive and diverse clientele. Tax operations, especially…
Kirkland & Ellis LLP, a prominent heavyweight in the international legal market, has moved to dismiss allegations arising from a lawsuit that presents the firm as concealing a romantic affair involving a distinguished Texas bankruptcy judge and a local attorney. In its Tuesday filing, the firm steadfastly distanced itself from the secrecy swirling around the…
Edward S. Sarnowski has assumed the role of executive partner at Holland & Knight’s Jacksonville, Florida, office. Holland & Knight confirmed his appointment on Wednesday. Sarnowski takes over from his predecessor, Josh Roberts. As the new executive partner, he will be responsible for managing the office while continuing to concentrate on his legal practice. His…
Speculation around the potential retirement of Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor has been gathering pace. With Democrats currently in control of the White House and holding a slim majority in the Senate, some are suggesting it would be wise for Sotomayor to step down while she has the reassurance her replacement will likely uphold similar…
Business Intelligence (BI), a technology-driven process that leverages data analysis to help corporate strategy and decision-making, is a critical contributor to a law firm’s operational success. How a firm manages BI – whether through a rudimentary system of individual tracking like, “Bob has a spreadsheet,” or an optimized solution offering instant access to well-steered KPIs…
Legal professionals often find that unusual extracurricular activities enhance their professional development, offering insights that translate to the office, courtroom and beyond. A case in point is made by Sarah Petrie of the Massachusetts Attorney General’s Office, who claims that her daily walks with her dog, Birdie, build crucial professional skills and enhance her career…
Extracurricular activities, far removed from law practice, can considerably contribute to professional success and development, expanding social networks, boosting creativity and improving mental agility. As part of an insights series on such unusual hobbies, attorney Sarah Petrie shares how her daily walks with her dog Birdie have enhanced her performance at work. Petrie, who is…
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit is currently considering the challenge Texas brought against federal restrictions on owning gun silencers. A three-judge panel, however, has expressed doubt regarding the standing of the three individuals seeking to produce silencers and the state itself in this case. In 2021, the Texas Legislature passed a…
In a drive to strengthen its corporate legal services, Crowell & Moring LLP has expanded its team with the inclusion of two seasoned attorneys from the esteemed Chicago-based firm, Neal Gerber & Eisenberg LLP. The news, announced last Wednesday, underscores the firm’s commitment to serving its corporate clients with deeper expertise and resources. One of…
Proskauer, a prestigious law firm known worldwide, has recently added a new partner to its team, Jennifer Dunn. She is set to join the private funds group in their New York office. This recent development was publicly announced by the firm on Wednesday. Jennifer Dunn is an experienced and well-respected professional within the sphere of…
The newly combined entity of A&O and Shearman has announced the formation of its Board and practice leads. This finalizes the firm’s significant leadership structure, compensation packages, and practice designations. The communication was sent out by the firm’s senior management, explicitly outlining the future plans of the firm and its decision-making structure. With a clear…
In a wild twist in a case already mired in controversy, attorney Jake Bissell-Linsk found himself in the midst of an incredible coincidence. Bissell-Linsk is an attorney from New York, involved in a class-action lawsuit against aerospace company Boeing. As mentioned by his firm, his litigation, In re The Boeing Company Securities Litigation, is seeking…
If you are a law student aiming to become an associate at a Biglaw firm, certain law schools may improve your chances to achieve this goal. New employment data for the Class of 2023 recently released by the American Bar Association, and analysed by Reuters, provides insight into which law schools sent the highest proportion…
Confronting business challenges, especially the ones presented by smaller law firms, is not an easy task. Limited to a lesser degree of resources in comparison to larger firms, they are nonetheless under the expectation of delivering an equivalent service efficiency. The spotlight shines bright when it comes smaller law firms’ issues, yet the torch seems…
Business owners and those working in law firms alike often find themselves needing to gauge how long it might take to litigate a case. This was the question at the heart of In re Strickland, a recent case considered by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit. In this case, the plaintiff requested…
The internet marketplace underwent a significant transformation during the COVID-19 pandemic, with platforms like TikTok and Instagram emerging as key conduits for transfiguring local businesses into national phenomena, as pointed out by Elliot Gee and Matthew Dowd in their recent Law360 article. Internet popularity can be volatile, and as businesses toe the line between local…
Ilene Farkas, the Practice Group Chair of Pryor Cashman, emphasises communication as a vital component of effective leadership. She highlights the significance of the human aspect of management, which includes identifying, employing, developing, and supporting capable attorneys, asserting that its importance cannot be understated. According to Farkas, leadership is more than just a title or…