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Despite the common narrative that lawyers can trade higher pay for better well-being and work-life balance by moving to smaller firms, experts say that Mid-Law firms are generally facing the same industry pressures that contribute to long hours, stress and poor attorney mental health.
Facing a disciplinary complaint can take a toll on any attorney’s mental health. But for solo practitioners and small firm lawyers, who typically juggle all aspects of their business from handling client matters to administrative tasks like managing trust accounts, it can threaten to upend their lives.
Venezuela has asked a Delaware federal judge to disqualify the special master overseeing the sale of Citgo Petroleum Corp.'s parent company to repay billions of dollars in Venezuelan debt, saying it now has proof he engaged in improper advocacy before the Biden administration.
COVID-19 put a spotlight on wellness issues as attorneys hunkered down at home and tried to balance the demands of work with personal and family needs during a pandemic. How far have we come since then? Ahead of Mental Health Awareness Month, Law360 Pulse decided to explore the current state of attorney mental health.
Attorneys-turned-therapists say no one understands the stresses of being a lawyer like another lawyer. They also say their clients sometimes struggle at first with treatment that prioritizes feelings, mindfulness and even body awareness over the intellectualizing and rationalizing that make them successful at their jobs.
When his 2-month-old daughter was hospitalized with a potentially fatal condition, Dechert partner Jonathan Stott leaned on firm mentors and colleagues for strength. Now, as managing partner of the firm's San Francisco office Stott is on a mission to pay it forward and continue fostering a supportive and resilient office community.
In the eight years since an ABA report revealed pervasive alcohol misuse among lawyers, the legal industry has sought to address the problem. Here is a look at what’s working, what isn’t, and how legal employers can effectively address law’s problem drinking crisis going forward.
Overwhelming caseloads, the secondary trauma from certain types of cases and a lack of peer support are the biggest stressors judges say they're facing, with many of them experiencing difficulty concentrating, remaining unbiased and treating litigants and lawyers with respect as a result.
Money is no longer the top factor in many Generation Z lawyers' list of priorities, with three-fourths naming culture as the No. 1 factor they used in choosing a law firm, according to a new report released Monday by recruiting firm Major Lindsey & Africa and legal intelligence provider Leopard Solutions.
In the past year, plaintiffs have won settlements and judgments for millions and billions of dollars from companies such as Wells Fargo, Goldman Sachs, Facebook and Fox News, with many high-profile cases finally wrapping up after years of fighting. Such cases — involving over-the-top compensation packages, chemical contamination, gender discrimination and data mining — were led by attorneys whose accomplishments earned them recognition as Law360's Titans of the Plaintiffs Bar for 2024.
Several members of the Senate Judiciary Committee wrote to the American Bar Association on Friday urging it to study how state bar applications require would-be attorneys to disclose sexual violence.
Richards Layton & Finger PA and Desmarais LLP handling a suit against Pfizer over mRNA vaccine technology and Warner Norcross + Judd LLP's handling of a Midwestern bank merger lead this edition of Law360 Pulse's Spotlight On Mid-Law Work, recapping the top matters for Mid-Law firms from April 12 to 26.
Aidala Bertuna & Kamins PC leads this week's edition of Law360 Legal Lions, after New York's highest state court overturned Harvey Weinstein's rape conviction in a contentious, split opinion that found the former movie mogul's first jury proceeding was unfair.
This was another action-packed week for the legal industry as BigLaw firms made new hires and expanded their practices. Test your legal news savvy here with Law360 Pulse's weekly quiz.
While Gibson Dunn & Crutcher LLP accepts nominations each year for some of its top pro bono work and selects several winners, the firm's pro bono chair wouldn't call this a competition.
DLA Piper said Thursday it has elevated 63 new lawyers to its partnership across the globe in a U.S.-led promotion round that marks a dip from its class of 72 new partners in 2023.
A recent flood of lawsuits against a host of businesses over their online databases has raised questions that a New Jersey law designed to shield the personal information of judges and other officials is being abused by a relatively new data privacy outfit to make money.
As more Delaware firms increase associate starting salaries to remain competitive, the leader of one of its largest firms likens the current process to recruit top talent as being a bit like the Wild West, saying competition to attract associates is fierce and starting sooner than ever.
Mobile technology developer InterDigital paid its chief legal officer more than $1.4 million in total compensation last year, according to the company's latest proxy filing, the first time the attorney's pay has been reported since he was promoted to the role in October 2021.
Familiar proved preferable for a handful of firms in April, as Lathrop GPM and Haynes and Boone went vertical with their office moves in Boston and San Antonio, respectively, while BakerHostetler and Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman renewed their leases in San Francisco.
This month, James T. "Jay" Moore, a 20-year veteran judge on the Patent Trial and Appeal Board, made the leap into private practice with Buchanan Ingersoll & Rooney PC, bulking up the firm's Delaware patent capabilities. Here, Moore speaks with Law360 about what he learned at the PTAB and how his childhood home inspired a lifelong love of invention.
Two of Delaware's largest firms have followed other firms by raising the starting salary for associates to $210,000 as a way of remaining competitive in the state's legal market.
Even as junior associates gain sophisticated legal skills, it’s important for them to also gain practical knowledge related to the inner workings of their law firm. Here, six longtime staff offer their tips to new associates for navigating life in a large law firm like a pro.
The leader of Honigman LLP's employee benefits and executive compensation practice has moved to Benesch Friedlander Coplan & Aronoff LLP as the new chair of its equivalent practice group, Benesch announced Monday.
Womble Bond Dickinson LLP has named new leaders for its diversity, equity and inclusion committee and a new chair for its Women of Womble group, a network of women who support the professional success of Womble Bond's female attorneys, according to a Monday announcement.
Though effective writing is foundational to law, no state requires attorneys to take continuing legal education in this skill — something that must change if today's attorneys are to have the communication abilities they need to fulfill their professional and ethical duties to their clients, colleagues and courts, says Diana Simon at the University of Arizona.
In the most stressful times for attorneys, when several transactions for different partners and clients peak at the same time and the phone won’t stop buzzing, incremental lifestyle changes can truly make a difference, says Lindsey Hughes at Haynes Boone.
Series
Ask A Mentor: How Can I Support Gen Z Attorneys?Meredith Beuchaw at Lowenstein Sandler discusses how senior attorneys can assist the newest generation of attorneys by championing their pursuit of a healthy work-life balance and providing the hands-on mentorship opportunities they missed out on during the pandemic.
A recent data leak at Proskauer via a cloud data storage platform demonstrates key reasons why law firms must pay attention to data safeguarding, including the increasing frequency of cloud-based data breaches and the consequences of breaking client confidentiality, says Robert Kraczek at One Identity.
There are a few communication tips that law students in summer associate programs should consider to put themselves in the best possible position to receive an offer, and firms can also take steps to support those to whom they are unable to make an offer, says Amy Mattock at Georgetown University Law Center.
Many attorneys are going to use artificial intelligence tools whether law firms like it or not, so firms should educate them on AI's benefits, limits and practical uses, such as drafting legal documents, to remain competitive in a rapidly evolving legal market, say Thomas Schultz and Eden Bernstein at Kellogg Hansen.
Dealing with the pressures associated with law school can prove difficult for many future lawyers, but there are steps students can take to manage stress — and schools can help too, say Ryan Zajic and Dr. Janani Krishnaswami at UWorld.
Amid ongoing disagreements on whether states should mandate implicit bias training as part of attorneys' continuing legal education requirements, Stephanie Wilson at Reed Smith looks at how unconscious attitudes or stereotypes adversely affect legal practice, and whether mandatory training programs can help.
To become more effective advocates, lawyers need to rethink the ridiculous, convoluted language they use in correspondence and write letters in a clear, concise and direct manner, says legal writing instructor Stuart Teicher.
Series
Ask A Mentor: How Can I Negotiate My Separation Agreement?Kate Reder Sheikh at Major Lindsey discusses how a law firm associate can navigate being laid off, what to look for in a separation agreement and why to be upfront about it with prospective employers.
Recent legal challenges against DoNotPay’s "robot lawyer” application highlight pressing questions about the degree to which artificial intelligence can be used for legal tasks while remaining on the right side of both consumer protection laws and prohibitions against the unauthorized practice of law, says Kristen Niven at Frankfurt Kurnit.
At some level, every practicing lawyer is experiencing the ever-increasing speed of change — and while some practice management processes have gotten more efficient, other things about the legal profession were better before supposed improvements were made, says Jay Silberblatt, president of the Pennsylvania Bar Association.
Law firms will be able to reap great long-term benefits if they adopt strategies to nurture four critical components of their employees' psychological wellness and performance — hope, efficacy, resilience and optimism, says Dennis Stolle at the American Psychological Association.
With caseloads and spending increasing, in-house counsel might find themselves called to opine on the risks and benefits of litigation more often, and they should look at five Sun Tzu maxims from the ancient Chinese classic "The Art of War" to inform their approach to any suit, says Jeff Golimowski at Womble Bond.
Not only can effective mentorship have a profound impact on women and people of color entering the legal field, but it also benefits mentors and the legal profession as a whole, creating a true win-win situation for all involved, says Natasha Cortes at Grossman Roth.