California Pulse


  • Laura Huang, Amy Dufrane and Robert Rees

    BigLaw Gives HR More Power, And Women Hold The Reins

    A Law360 Pulse examination found that women hold the vast majority of top human resources jobs in BigLaw, giving them a pivotal role in how the U.S. legal industry manages attorneys and other firm employees.

  • Blank Rome Beats DQ Bid In Cannabis Dispensary Loan Fight

    A married couple who operate a New Jersey cannabis dispensary cannot escape claims that they misused roughly half of a $1.6 million business loan, a California federal court ruled on Wednesday while also rejecting the entrepreneurs' attempt to disqualify the lender's law firm.

  • 9th Circ. Suspends 2 Attys For 6 Months Over AI Hallucinations

    The Ninth Circuit on Wednesday temporarily suspended two California immigration attorneys from practicing before the appellate court for filing briefs in a deportation relief case containing artificial intelligence-generated hallucinations, finding no excuse for their "extraordinary confession" of not vetting citations used by unlicensed brief writers.

  • Court Reporter Shortage A 'Crisis,' Calif. Supreme Court Told

    Two legal nonprofits urged the California Supreme Court to issue an order entitling low-income civil litigants to electronic recording if a live court reporter is not available, saying at a hearing Wednesday that a court reporter shortage in the Golden State has created a "crisis."

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    Rocade Capital Buys LFG To Create Combined $2B Lit Funder

    Rocade Capital LLC has acquired fellow litigation funder Law Finance Group LLC, creating a combined platform that has deployed more than $2.3 billion and specializes in $10 million to $50 million deals, including post-judgment financing, portfolio deals and lending to plaintiff's firms.

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    Hueston Hennigan Follows Milbank's Lead In Associate Pay

    The race to match Milbank LLP's attorney pay hikes is officially on, with trial firm Hueston Hennigan the latest to announce it will increase associate pay by $10,000 to $20,000 annually.

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    OpenAI Hires Ironclad CEO To Lead Legal Vertical

    Jason Boehmig, co-founder and former chief executive of contract management software company Ironclad Inc., announced on Tuesday that he has joined OpenAI, the company behind the artificial intelligence bot ChatGPT, in a role leading products for its legal vertical.

  • Sidley Promotes 52 Attys After Adding Income Partner Tier

    Sidley Austin LLP has elevated 52 attorneys to partner from 11 offices in 23 practice areas.

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    DLA Piper Brings On A&O Shearman M&A Partner In SF

    DLA Piper has announced it is pushing forward with its "strategic expansion" in Northern California with the addition of "a market-leading dealmaker" from Allen Overy Shearman Sterling.

  • Ex-McDermott, Venable Attys Sued Over Estate's $40M Tax Bill

    The estate of a successful dentist who died in 2017 sued McDermott Will & Schulte LLP, Venable LLP and two attorneys in California state court Monday, alleging they gave negligent legal advice in planning the dentist's estate causing it to owe the IRS $40 million in taxes and penalties.

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    Fennemore Craig Builds Calif. Presence With Boutique Tie-Up

    Fennemore Craig PC has launched its 24th office with the addition of a 15-person team of attorneys and legal professionals from Northern California boutique Reynolds Law LLP.

  • Dem AGs Slam Climate Science Removal From Judicial Guide

    The federal judiciary's decision to strike a chapter on climate change from its guide to scientific evidence is misguided, partisan and "will impede the judiciary's ability to pursue truth," according to a Tuesday letter from nearly two dozen Democratic state attorneys general.

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    BigLaw Could Tap PE Money For Advantage In Talent Wars

    BigLaw firms may soon partner with private equity to gain an edge in the talent wars, potentially reshaping the U.S. legal industry despite fears that the shift could corrode firms' cultures.

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    Foley & Lardner Taps Firm Veteran As Litigation Dept. Chair

    Foley & Lardner LLP has appointed a partner who previously led its national construction practice group for 18 years to serve as chair of the firm's national litigation department.

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    Milbank Raises Associate Pay Scale, Topping Out At $455K

    Milbank LLP is increasing associate pay by $10,000 to $20,000 annually, with new salary floors of $235,000 and pay reaching as high as $455,000 for more experienced attorneys, according to the firm.

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    Paul Hastings Lands Winston & Strawn Capital Markets Duo

    Paul Hastings LLP announced Tuesday that it has brought on a pair of capital markets and public advisory partners in Dallas and Orange County, California, who came aboard from Winston & Strawn LLP just as that firm combined with U.K.-based Taylor Wessing to form Winston Taylor.

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    Disney Deputy GC Joins Starz As Legal, Strategy Chief

    A seasoned media and M&A lawyer who spent almost three decades in-house at The Walt Disney Co. is set to join Starz Entertainment LLC next week as chief legal and strategy officer, the TV network said Monday.

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    O'Melveny Adds M&A Pro From Paul Hastings In SF

    O'Melveny & Myers LLP announced Monday that it has welcomed back a mergers and acquisitions attorney who started his career at the firm before most recently working at Paul Hastings LLP.

  • R. James Slaughter and Steven Ragland

    Keker Promotes New Managing Partner, New GC

    San Francisco trial boutique Keker Van Nest & Peters LLP has promoted a longtime partner to managing partner, and named a new general counsel, the firm announced Monday.

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    Hueston Hennigan To Pay Summer Bonuses Up To $35K

    Trial firm Hueston Hennigan is the second boutique to announce it will dole out midyear bonuses to associates.

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    As Judicial AI Use Gains Steam, Training Lags

    Court systems around the country are emerging bullish on the use of generative artificial intelligence by judicial officers, but implementation, training, resources and overall regulations remain scattershot, giving rise to concerns that a learning gap could lead to missteps.

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    Winston Taylor Deal 'Natural Outcome' Of Global Ambitions

    When Steve D'Amore was elected chairman of Winston & Strawn in 2023, he expressed a commitment to leading the firm's global expansion, a goal that took shape on Monday with the completion of its combination with U.K.-based Taylor Wessing.

  • Megan Thibert-Ind, Charles Weir, Andrew Beshai, Rebecca Finkel, Colin McGrath and Carolyn Sharzer

    Epstein Becker Adds 6 Manatt Phelps Litigators

    Epstein Becker Green has added six litigators experienced in commercial and healthcare matters who previously worked for Manatt Phelps & Phillips LLP in its Los Angeles, Chicago and Washington, D.C., offices, the firm announced Monday.

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    Freshfields Names M&A Pro As US Managing Partner

    Freshfields LLP announced Monday that a New York-based mergers and acquisitions partner has been named U.S. managing partner.

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    Winston Taylor Goes Live As New Transatlantic Giant

    Winston Taylor officially launched on Monday, bringing together Winston & Strawn LLP and the U.K. arm of Taylor Wessing to form a unified transatlantic law firm.

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Expert Analysis

  • Overcoming US Law Firms' Hesitancy To Enter Indian Market Author Photo

    Successful private equity exits with strong returns have solidified India's buyout market as an increasingly attractive destination for future investments, offering compelling reasons for the U.S. legal community to overcome its caution on the country's markets, says Vaishali Movva at Eimer Stahl.

  • Biz Development Tip Of The Month: Make A Plan For The Year Author Photo

    While firms are busy allocating resources and assessing client demand, individual attorneys should use the start of the year to slow down and create a personal business plan, which can be accomplished with a few steps, say Elizabeth Gooch, Teri Robshaw and Chris Newman at McDermott.

  • Series

    Talking Mental Health: Caring For Everyone As A Firm Leader Author Photo

    Reid Phillips at Brooks Pierce discusses how he manages the pressure of running a law firm, how sources of stress in the legal industry have changed over the past decade, and what firm leaders should do to help manage burnout and mental health issues among employees.

  • How Firms Can Use LinkedIn To Aid Marketing Efforts In 2025 Author Photo

    LinkedIn has several features law firms can use to showcase their capabilities and thought leadership to reach prospective and existing clients, including the Event and Live features, says Sofia Millar at Reputation Ink.

  • Talking Mental Health: Managing Emotions In Trauma Cases Author Photo

    Nikki Hurtado at The Ferraro Law Firm discusses what motivates her to represent victims of catastrophic injuries, how she copes with the emotional toll of such cases, and what other attorneys taking on similar cases can do to protect their mental well-being.

  • Strategies For Successful Law Firm Mergers In 2025 Author Photo

    Law firms are expected to continue consolidating in the year to come, and because these mergers require a different kind of playbook, firm leaders must carefully consider office culture nuances, professional services economics and talent retention strategy before any merger, say directors at FTI Consulting.

  • Making Legal Cents: Winning More Work In A Crowded Market Author Photo

    In a market where clients have more options, tighter budgets and higher expectations, firms must figure out how to differentiate themselves without discounting their rates, and several practical strategies for pitching, pricing and early-engagement communication can help, says Shireen Hilal at Maior Strategic Consulting.

  • Best Practices For Implementing Firm Revenue Cycle Roles Author Photo

    Law firm revenue cycles are becoming more complex and time-consuming, but hiring dedicated revenue cycle personnel can help streamline the process and reduce the burden on attorneys, says Christine Indiano at Harbor Global.

  • Tips For Constructing Your Small-Law Exit Strategy Author Photo

    By initiating planning and processes to evaluate personal retirement goals and firm value early, longtime solo practitioners and small-firm owners can unlock a range of possibilities and potential buyers, setting up for a profitable exit and a rewarding transition, says Brent Daub at Gilson Daub.

  • Tips For Persuasive Briefs Beyond The Argument Section Author Photo

    When crafting an appellate brief, the focus for most lawyers is the argument section, but other sections also offer strategic opportunities to shape the court's perception of the case and favorably frame the issues, say attorneys at Frost Brown.

  • Ask A Mentor: Is Secondment A Good Career Move? Author Photo

    Kate Driscoll at Morrison Foerster suggests six questions to help candidates evaluate whether a secondment will benefit their career.

  • 3 Trends Reshaping Chief Marketing Officer Appointments Author Photo

    Recent approaches to hiring chief marketing officers demonstrate how firms are reimagining their marketing and business development frameworks to stay competitive and responsive to evolving client needs, says Murray Coffey at M Coffey.

  • Talking Mental Health: Working As A Mom Of An Autistic Son Author Photo

    Sarah Kovit Hanna at Assurant discusses how she balances the demands of her in-house role and the support needs of her son, who was diagnosed with autism, as a single mom, and reflects on how the legal industry can better support caretakers of family members who have special needs.

  • Ask A Mentor: How Can I Maximize My Pro Bono Impact? Author Photo

    Debbie Berman at Jenner & Block offers advice on how attorneys can make a meaningful impact on their communities through pro bono work while enhancing their professional development through strengthened client-facing skills, hands-on experience and more.

  • Series

    My Nonpracticing Law Job: Law Firm Marketer Author Photo

    Liz Bard Lindley at Jaffe PR shares how she went from a family law associate who helped write industry articles to a savvy legal public relations and marketing professional, and offers takeaways for any attorney who might not feel at home in their law practice and is considering alternative career paths.

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