After a three-year stint at U.S. firm Latham & Watkins, and over a decade at Omers, a Canadian pensions fund, John Guccione returned to Linklaters earlier this year. While at Omers, he held the top legal role as managing director of legal for more than five years. With a career spanning in-house and private practice,…
Conversations surrounding the bar exam have taken an interesting turn recently. Two California bar takers’ July tests have been flagged for issues, as detailed by Above the Law. The specific nature of these examination discrepancies remains unclear. In another report, Leonard Leo, often associated with the Federalist Society, seems to be grappling with legal issues…
The legal field is not immune to the overwhelming influence of technology. In particular, artificial intelligence (AI) is causing quite a stir. Indeed, legal organizations are seemingly eager to implement AI in their work, despite a lack of fundamental understanding of the technology’s capabilities. This phenomenon was noted during the International Legal Technology Association’s 2023…
In response to the recent departure of a number of significant partners to Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison, globally prominent law firm, Kirkland & Ellis, is swiftly strengthening its private credit practice. As part of its strategic initiative, the firm is welcoming Adam Shapiro, who previously had a longstanding tenure with Simpson Thacher &…
In an intriguing twist for their field, certain mid-level associates employed within Biglaw has confessed to finding themselves in enviable positions. The revelation arose from an anonymous Am Law 100 associate’s comments during the American Lawyer Midlevel Associates Survey. The central sentiment? “How easy it is to do very little and still make a great…
Atlantic City casino hotels have been met with an influx of guest-room price-fixing lawsuits after an initial suit led defendants to arm themselves with heavyweight law firms like Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom; King & Spalding and Jones Day. At the heart of these legal battles is ‘Rainmaker’, an algorithm used by the casinos…
The protracted dispute over the purchase of the ‘Chicago Chop House’ restaurant has finally found closure with the petitioners – Chicago real estate developers Sean Conlon and Steve Horvath, and their single-purpose LLC, Wexford – reaching a settlement with defendants Phil Martin, Matthew McCahill, and the related LLCs Chop Hospitality and 6058 Properties. This protracted…
As most professionals would agree, mentorship can infinitely enhance the professional development of young associates in any industry, including in legal practice. Regrettably, many law firm associates do not receive any formal support throughout the early phases of their careers. Rather unfortunately, at some law firms, junior lawyers are plunged into new challenges and expected…
Results from The American Lawyer’s 2023 midlevel survey indicated that midlevel associates at Biglaw firms are less than impressed with the state of technology within their respective companies. Key frustrations included slow computers, outdated software, and subpar document management systems, measures that appear incongruent with the record profits their firms boast. Significant decline in technology…
In today’s litigious news, the activist behind Supreme Court Affirmative Action cases is now setting his sights on law firms, according to Douglas Belkin & Erin Mulvaney, demonstrating yet again the ever-evolving legal landscape of our times. The details of this latest endeavor, however, are not yet fully available. As is routine, SCOTUSblog provides a…
With the ongoing shift in the global legal landscape, many of London’s top attorneys, commonly referred to as ‘rainmakers’, seem to be conspicuously absent. According to an analysis on Law.com, this shift could pose significant challenges for U.K. firms in the global competition. The report suggests that in order to compete effectively on a global…
About ten months into the technologically sophisticated era of generative artificial intelligence (AI), its transformative potential for the field of law is becoming increasingly clear to industry professionals. While there’s broad consensus around the revolutionary role of such technology, the exact functions it will majorly transform within a law firm remains an important question. The…
The contemporary legal market is seeing an increased emphasis on billing discipline as a result of prolonged payment periods from Big Law clients and a sustained downturn in demand. This trend is evident in renowned lawfirms such as Sidley Austin, which recently instated a new policy reducing year-end bonuses from 25% to 50% for associates…
Despite the uncertainties and challenges posed by the current economic climate, law firms have seen revenue growth in the first half of the year, owing to historically high billing rates and strong off-cycle practices. This is according to a midyear survey conducted by Wells Fargo Private Bank Legal Specialty Group. While demand and productivity have…
They say money can’t buy happiness, but according to some lawyers, perhaps it could buy a few functional laptops. Results from the 2023 Midlevel Associate Survey have highlighted significant technology hitches experienced in law firms. Many participants found it difficult to match their firms’ remarkable profits with their outdated tech infrastructure, including slow computers, dated…
The annual International Legal Technology Association Conference (ILTACON), currently underway, is the mere embodiment of progress within the legal technology space. As per the Above the Law coverage, the conference has attracted over 3,400 registrants, making it one of the largest gatherings of its kind. Notably, attendees utilised the Klik technology extensively at the event,…
In a recent development within the legal industry, firms are increasingly recognizing the value of remote flexibility in attracting highly skilled lateral talent. The trend, discussed at length in a recent post on Law.com, comes in response to ongoing changes in lawyer lifestyle preferences and the emerging challenges posed by the pandemic-era work environment. Despite…
The nominations for the British Legal Awards 2023 have been announced, with leading law firms Latham & Watkins and Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer among the nominees. The highly regarded awards event, which has spent the past 14 years acknowledging exceptional achievements in the UK legal industry, is set to be held at the historic Honourable Artillery…
Recent trends suggest that a shake-up may be impending in the UK’s legal sector, with heavyweight firms modifying their business strategies to better compete on the global stage. This shift has led to the question: where have all the London rainmakers gone? One of the moves that has drawn attention is the proposed tie-up between…
Amid a landscape of high-profile legal hearings, a seemingly improprietous trend appears to be emerging among conservative court justices, raising eyebrows within the legal fraternity. The issue at hand – Justices, not limited to those within the Supreme Court, receiving complimentary vacation packages. This alarming practice begs the question – what sacrifices to objectivity and…
The legal industry in the US is still grappling with economic uncertainty, according to a mid-year survey by the Wells Fargo Private Bank Legal Specialty Group. Many big law firms are finding themselves in a limbo, as various economic factors continue to disrupt large-scale transactions. Despite this, law firms have managed to grow their revenue…
Taking into account the shift of the associate market, law firms are increasingly stressing on the regular and timely recording of billable hours. This aggressive approach towards punctual timesheet entries, as noted by Jeffrey Lowe, founder and managing partner of advisory firm Jeffrey Lowe Partners, seems hardly surprising. As Lowe articulated recently in an interview…
Navigating and surviving midlevel positions in Biglaw have been more challenging than ever, with pandemic-related hurdles adding to the equation. Among a variety of outstanding issues, these midlevel associates seem to have become increasingly disgruntled with firm culture and office attendace mandates. Results from a recently conducted survey, released by the American Lawyer, point out…
Two significant Biglaw firms, Perkins Coie and Morrison Foerster, are facing separate lawsuits over their diversity programs, filed by The American Alliance for Equal Rights. The organization is led by Edward Blum, who is also the founder of Students for Fair Admissions. The latter institution was the plaintiff in a recent Supreme Court case that…
The developing story of former President Donald Trump and unresolved Georgia election issues raised eyebrows, with suggestions of Trump willingly turning himself in being taken as seriously as sales pitches for Brooklyn bridges. Experts remain skeptical about these claims. Trump prodonly treads risky political terrains, yet this move hints at something unprecedented. For more on…