California Pulse

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    Womble Bond Names New DEI, Women's Group Leadership

    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.

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    Hunton Hires Martin Marietta Assistant GC In San Francisco

    Hunton Andrews Kurth LLP said Tuesday it is growing its environmental team by bringing in a land use and mining expert as a partner in the firm's San Francisco office from building supply company Martin Marietta Materials Inc., where he was assistant general counsel.

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    Approach The Bench: Judge Rosenberg Fosters Young Talent

    Soon after U.S. District Judge Robin Rosenberg of the Southern District of Florida began presiding over her first multidistrict litigation — a case alleging the heartburn medication Zantac caused cancer — she took a novel approach to selecting leadership on the plaintiffs' side.

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    Veteran GC Joins Capstone Green Energy As It Rebuilds

    The longtime general counsel for Jafra Cosmetics International Inc. has moved to Capstone Green Energy Holdings Inc., as the generator manufacturer pushes forward after filing for Chapter 11 protection in 2023.

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    Where Lawyers Stand On Generative AI Tools

    Lawyers are approaching generative artificial intelligence with caution, despite its promised advantages, and the use of legal AI tools is only slowly catching on, according to a new survey.

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    How Law Firms Can Create Winning Generative AI Policies

    Relatively few firms are encouraging their lawyers to use generative AI, according to a new survey by Law360 Pulse, and many do not seem to have policies about AI use in place.

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    What Lawyers Really Think Of AI

    Most lawyers aren't worried about being replaced by robots, but they are broadly concerned about the accuracy and ethical implications of generative artificial intelligence, a new survey shows.

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    Miller Nash Taps Seattle Pair As Insurance Recovery Leaders

    Miller Nash LLP has tapped two attorneys in its Seattle office — each of whom joined the firm five years ago — to be co-chairs of its insurance recovery team.

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    Law Firm Billing Rates Rose At 'Record Setting Pace'

    Average law firm partner billing rates rose 5.4% in 2023, higher than any other year in the last decade, with the largest law firms hiking prices the most, according to a report released Tuesday by LexisNexis' CounselLink.

  • Exec In Insider Trading Case Says Feds Denied Him Counsel

    The former CEO at the center of a novel insider trading case is asking that the California jury deciding his fate not be allowed to hear evidence obtained during a pre-indictment interrogation, arguing he was denied access to an attorney despite insisting on speaking to counsel at least a dozen times.

  • Google Faces Sanctions Bid Over Alleged Data Destruction

    A putative class of Google account holders urged a California magistrate judge to sanction and hold Google in contempt for purportedly intentionally destroying key evidence in their suit, which claims Google's ad auction practices violate privacy rights, arguing Google has a pattern of the alleged misconduct in the district.

  • Senate OKs Permanent Status For 10 Fed. District Judgeships

    The U.S. Senate has unanimously passed a bill put forth by a bipartisan group of lawmakers that would transition 10 previously temporary district court judgeships in 10 states to permanent posts, including in Texas, California and Florida.

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    Davis Wright Unveils Its Latest Leadership Appointments

    After celebrating a lucrative 2023, Davis Wright Tremaine LLP announced several new additions to its executive committee and practice group leadership Monday.

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    Perkins Coie CFO Jumps To BCLP In Seattle

    Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner LLP has added a top financial executive to its leadership team from Perkins Coie LLP, where he served as chief financial officer for the past seven years, the firm said Monday.

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    Unemployment Rate For Recent Law Grads Improves, ABA Finds

    Fewer recent law school graduates were unemployed in March than in the previous year, as the negative effects of the COVID-19 pandemic further recede into memory, according to data released Monday by the American Bar Association.

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    Tyson & Mendes Adds Former Ericksen Arbuthnot Health Atty

    Insurance and civil litigation defense firm Tyson & Mendes LLP is expanding its California team, announcing Monday it is bringing in a veteran healthcare litigator most recently with Bradley Gmelich & Wellerstein LLP but previously with Ericksen Arbuthnot LLP as a partner in its Los Angeles office.

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    Ex-Prosecutor, Venture Capital Pro To Leave Coinbase Board

    A former federal prosecutor and venture capitalist is leaving the board of directors of cryptocurrency exchange platform Coinbase Global Inc., according to recent securities filings.

  • Hyundai, Kia Drivers Want $13M Fees In Car Theft Defect Deal

    A consumer class of Hyundai and Kia drivers who claimed that the companies knowingly sold them cars with defects that made them easy to steal asked a California federal judge for final approval of their $145 million deal, with $13.4 million in fees, after an objector said the deal wasn't enough.

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    GRSM50 Adds Wilson Turner Litigation Vet In San Diego

    Gordon Rees Scully Mansukhani LLP, now known as GRSM50, is expanding its Southern California team, bringing in a Wilson Turner Kosmo LLP employment and class action pro as a partner in San Diego.

  • Edelson Pitches 'Better Way' To Pick Leads In Privacy Suits

    Plaintiffs in proposed privacy class actions should be given more say in who's picked as class counsel, in order to crack down on the "anemic settlements" that have resulted from the ineffective "old way of litigating" these matters, law firm Edelson PC argued in vying for lead counsel in a dispute over a data breach at genetics testing provider 23andMe.

  • Ex-Lewis Brisbois Atty Accuses Firm Of Bias, Unethical Billing

    A former attorney for Lewis Brisbois Bisgaard & Smith LLP has sued the firm in Los Angeles court, alleging gender discrimination in pay and retaliation for raising concerns over its "unethical billing practices," marking the second discrimination suit filed against the firm since March.

  • Judge Mulls Axing Biomedical Cos.' $25M Punitive Damages

    Not enough evidence supports Skye Orthobiologics' $25.5 million punitive damages award against an ex-employee found to have breached his fiduciary duties by leveraging Skye's proprietary information, a California federal judge has ruled, asking for briefing on whether the proper remedy is to cut the damages or grant a new trial.

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    Pillsbury Makes Longtime Commitment To 'Iconic' SF Building

    Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP has extended the lease on its San Francisco offices for 11 more years, the firm announced Friday.

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    Arnold & Porter Atty Returns To Greenberg Traurig In Calif.

    Greenberg Traurig LLP has rehired a former associate from Arnold & Porter Kaye Scholer LLP whose practice focuses on a range of environmental litigation dealing with cancer-causing chemicals, plastic pollutants and the laws surrounding their regulation.

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    Netflix CLO's Comp Slightly Rose To Nearly $13.7M In 2023

    The longtime legal chief at Netflix Inc. pulled in a yearly compensation package of almost $13.7 million in 2023, a slight uptick from the previous year due in large part to an increase in stock awards, according to a securities filing Thursday.

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Expert Analysis

  • The Case That Took Me From Prosecutor To Defense Attorney Author Photo

    Former Assistant U.S. Attorney Moira Penza, now at Wilkinson Stekloff, recalls the challenges of her first case as a civil defense attorney — a multibillion-dollar multidistrict class action against Allergan — and the lessons she learned about building rapport in the courtroom and with co-counsel.

  • The Importance Of Legal Macroeconomics Education For Attys Author Photo

    Most legal professionals lack understanding of the macroeconomic trends unique to the legal industry, like the rising cost of law school and legal services, which contributes to an unfair and inaccessible justice system, so law school courses and continuing legal education requirements in this area are essential, says Bob Glaves at the Chicago Bar Foundation.

  • What ABA Student Well-Being Standards Mean For Law Firms Author Photo

    While the American Bar Association's recent amendments to its law school accreditation standards around student well-being could have gone further, legal industry employers have much to learn from the ABA's move and the well-being movement that continues to gain traction in law schools, says David Jaffe at the American University Washington College of Law.

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    Ask A Mentor: How Do I Build Rapport In New In-House Role? Author Photo

    Tim Parilla at LinkSquares explains how new in-house lawyers can start developing relationships with colleagues both within and outside their legal departments in order to expand their networks, build their brands and carve their paths to leadership positions.

  • What Attys Should Consider Before Taking On Pro Bono Work
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    Piper Hoffman and Will Lowrey at Animal Outlook lay out suggestions for attorneys to maximize the value of their pro bono efforts, from crafting engagement letters to balancing workloads — and they explain how these principles can foster a more rewarding engagement for both lawyers and nonprofits.

  • 7 Ways Attys Can Improve Their LinkedIn Summaries Author Photo

    Lawyers can use LinkedIn to strengthen their thought leadership position, generate new business, explore career opportunities, and better position themselves and their firms in search results by writing a well-composed, optimized summary that demonstrates their knowledge and experience, says Guy Alvarez at Good2bSocial.

  • How Law Firms And Attys Can Combat Imposter Syndrome Author Photo

    Imposter syndrome is rampant in the legal profession, especially among lawyers from underrepresented backgrounds, leading to missed opportunities and mental health issues — but firms can provide support in numerous ways, and attorneys can use therapeutic strategies to quiet their inner critic, says Helen Pamely at Rosling King.

  • The Law Firm Qualities Partners Seek In Lateral Moves Author Photo

    In 2022, partners considering lateral moves have new priorities, and firms that hope to recruit top talent will need to communicate their strategy for growth, engage on hot issues like origination credit and diversity initiatives, and tailor their integration plans toward expanding partners’ client base, says Gloria Sandrino at Lateral Link.

  • Small Steps Can Help Employers Beat Attorney Burnout Author Photo

    Lawyers are experiencing burnout on a massive, unprecedented scale due to the pandemic, but law firms and institutional players can and should make a difference by focusing on small, practical solutions that protect their attorneys’ most precious personal resource and professional commodity — time, says Chad Sarchio, president of the District of Columbia Bar.

  • The Evolving Role Of The Law Firm Legal Secretary Author Photo

    Technological shifts during the pandemic and beyond should force firms to rethink how legal secretaries can not only better support timekeepers but also participate in elevating client service, bifurcating the role into an administrative support position and a more elevated practice support role, says Lauren Chung at HBR Consulting.

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    Ask A Mentor: How Can I Ace My Upcoming Annual Review? Author Photo

    Jennifer Rakstad at White & Case highlights how associates can emphasize achievements and seek support before, during and after their annual review, despite the pandemic’s negative effects on face time with colleagues and business development opportunities.

  • How Your Law Firm's Brand Can Convey Prestige Author Photo

    In order to be perceived as prestigious by clients and potential recruits, law firms should take their branding efforts beyond designing visual identities and address six key imperatives to differentiate themselves — from identifying intangible core strengths to delivering on promises at every interaction, says Howard Breindel at DeSantis Breindel.

  • How Dynamic Project Management Can Help Law Firms Author Photo

    Law firms looking to streamline matter management should consider tools that offer both employees and clients real-time access to documents, action items, task assignee information and more, overcoming many of the limitations of project communications via email, says Stephen Weyer at Stites & Harbison.

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    Ask A Mentor: How Can I Successfully Switch Practices? Author Photo

    Associates who pivot into new practice areas may find that along with the excitement of a fresh start comes some apprehension, but certain proactive steps can help tame anxiety and ensure attorneys successfully adapt to unfamiliar subjects, novel internal processes and different client deliverables, say Susan Berson and Hassan Shaikh at Mintz.

  • A Road Map For Creating Law Firm Sustainability Programs Author Photo

    Amid demands from clients and prospective hires for greater sustainability efforts, law firms should think beyond reusable mugs and create programs that incorporate clear leadership structures, emission tracking and reduction goals, and frameworks for reporting results, says Gayatri Joshi at the Law Firm Sustainability Network.

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