Legal IndustryRSS

  • March 22, 2010

    Del., W.Va. Are Best, Worst Legal Climates: Survey

    West Virginia and Louisiana are the worse states for tort and contract litigation, while Delaware and North Dakota courts provide the warmest legal climate for businesses, according to a survey of corporate lawyers and executives the U.S. Chamber Institute for Legal Reform released Monday.

  • March 22, 2010

    Law360 Names Rising Legal Stars Under 40

    These days, keeping your job at a law firm feels like a victory in and of itself, especially for younger attorneys who have seen their ranks decimated by layoffs and cutbacks. That's what makes the myriad professional accomplishments of the 120 individuals chosen as Law360's Rising Legal Stars all the more impressive.

  • March 22, 2010

    In-House Counsel Snag Spotlight In Recession: Report

    A majority of law firms believe the economic recession has accelerated a permanent philosophical shift in the legal industry, giving corporate counsel the upper hand and forcing law firms to modernize or lose out, a new report has found.

  • March 22, 2010

    McElroy Deutsch, Pepe & Hazard Sign Off On Merger

    New Jersey-based McElroy Deutsch Mulvaney & Carpenter LLP and Connecticut-based Pepe & Hazard LLP are joining forces, the firms said Monday

  • March 22, 2010

    Jury Still Out On Impact Of Obama Judiciary

    President Barack Obama pick Magistrate Judge Kimberly J. Mueller, who if confirmed will be the first-ever female district judge in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of California, has joined a demographically diverse group, but the jury is still out on whether the president's nominees will transform the judiciary.

  • March 19, 2010

    DC Court Won't Rehear Sonnenschein Pay Spat

    An appeals court has rejected Sonnenschein Nath & Rosenthal LLP's bid for an en banc rehearing in a dispute with former Sonnenschein partner Douglas Rosenthal, who claimed the firm gave him short shrift on pay even though he helped bring in millions in fees.

  • March 19, 2010

    Shearman Moves Away From Lockstep For UK Attys

    Shearman & Sterling LLP has joined a growing number of firms in abandoning a lockstep model of associate compensation for its U.K.-track attorneys and moving to a merit-based system focused on career development.

  • March 19, 2010

    Covington Lifts Associate Salary Freeze In Calif.

    Covington & Burling LLP has reportedly lifted its salary freeze for associates in its California locations, but kept the lid in place for those working at its Washington, D.C. office.

  • March 19, 2010

    When It Pays To Say No To Legal Work

    In a market where the demand for legal work has taken a hit, it can be tempting for an attorney — or an entire law firm — to branch into new practices areas or accept undesirable work. But doing so purely to fill the office coffers could damage both the firm's reputation and its bottom line in the long run, according to industry insiders.

  • March 18, 2010

    Firms Must Wise Up To Digital Marketing

    Although a growing number of law firms are trying their hand at digital marketing techniques, many aren't adapting quickly enough to the new realities of the Web 2.0 world, legal industry experts say.

  • March 18, 2010

    All Rise: Ex-Judges Can Give Your Firm A Boost

    While the leap from sitting on the bench to appearing before it isn't as natural as it sounds, some firms and judges that have joined forces say the union can be a perfect match.

  • March 18, 2010

    Senate Panel To Probe Bribery Claims Against Porteous

    U.S. Senate leaders have appointed a bipartisan panel to probe ethics allegations against impeached U.S. District Judge G. Thomas Porteous of the Eastern District of Louisiana, including claims that he hid his financial ties to attorneys and accepted bribes.

  • March 17, 2010

    Senate Confirms RI Judge To Join 1st Circ.

    The U.S. Senate unanimously confirmed Rhode Island Superior Court Justice O. Rogeriee Thompson to fill a vacancy in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit on Wednesday, the same day that President Barack Obama issued two nominations for district court positions in Delaware and Georgia.

  • March 17, 2010

    Firm Pressures Drive More Partners In-House

    While the transition from law firm to in-house is not an easy one and often involves a major pay cut, a more stressful and less stable law firm environment may be driving more partners to seek out a spot in-house, according to legal experts.

  • March 17, 2010

    Cadwalader Lures Litigation Trio From Proskauer

    Cadwalader Wickersham & Taft LLP has snagged three litigation partners from Proskauer Rose LLP, one of whom will assume vice chairmanship of the litigation department, the firm announced Wednesday.

  • March 17, 2010

    Former Apple GC Joins Bingham Corporate Group

    Former Apple Inc. general counsel Daniel Cooperman has joined Bingham McCutchen LLP as of counsel in the firm's Silicon Valley corporate practice.

  • March 16, 2010

    K&L Gates Cuts Select Boston Associates' Pay

    In a move that could strain relations at K&L Gates LLP, the firm has reportedly slashed the salaries of associates in its Boston office while keeping intact the $160,000 starting salary for associates who began there in January.

  • March 16, 2010

    Firms Look To Cash In With Work-For-Free Strategy

    The recent recession saw many law firms increasing their pro bono workloads as a way to keep their client rosters full, but some are putting a new spin on working for free, legal industry experts say.

  • March 15, 2010

    NY Attorney Ad Rules Unconstitutional: 2nd Circ.

    New York state rules barring certain attention-getting tactics in attorney advertising are unconstitutional, a federal appeals court has ruled, largely backing a lower court's decision nixing many of the restrictions.

  • March 15, 2010

    Top White House Aide Joins Holland & Knight

    Moe Vela, formerly the director of management and administration for Vice President Joe Biden, has joined Holland & Knight LLP as a partner in the firm's public policy and regulation group in Washington.