California Pulse


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    DLA Piper Accused Of 'Frivolous' Suit To Please Chipotle GC

    DLA Piper aggressively litigated a "frivolous" computer fraud lawsuit against a nonprofit volunteer in order to appease the then-general counsel of Chipotle, a client, who referred the case to the firm, according to a malicious-prosecution complaint filed Thursday in California state court. 

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    Law360's Legal Lions Of The Week

    The National Immigrant Justice Center and the American Civil Liberties Union lead this week's edition of Law360 Legal Lions, after a split Seventh Circuit panel rejected the Trump administration's argument that immigrants unlawfully in the United States have no due process rights.

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    Law360 Pulse Spotlight On Mid-Law Work

    Best Best & Krieger's work on a $466 million water infrastructure project leads this edition of Law360 Pulse's Spotlight On Mid-Law Work, recapping the top matters for Mid-Law firms from April 24 to May 8.

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    Legal Industry Bounces Back, Gaining 2,400 Jobs In April

    The legal sector is once again on a positive trajectory, gaining 2,400 jobs last month, according to seasonally adjusted data released Friday by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

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    How Today's Law Firm Leaders Define Success

    There are numerous rankings in today’s legal industry, and the ways law firms are measured against one another are countless, with diverse metrics ranging from profits to revenue to headcount. Here, 11 firm leaders share what success looks like to them.

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    Brownstein Hyatt Lands 3 Real Estate Pros From Ervin Cohen

    Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck LLP announced that it is adding a real estate trio from Ervin Cohen & Jessup LLP, including the co-leader of the firm's real estate department.

  • Voir Dire: Law360 Pulse's Weekly Quiz

    The first full week of May saw news of BigLaw firm group launches, lateral moves and partner promotions. Test your legal news savvy here with Law360 Pulse's weekly quiz.

  • Dispensary Owners Want Blank Rome DQed From Loan Suit

    The owners of a New Jersey dispensary are asking a California federal court to disqualify Blank Rome LLP and its attorneys from representing a lender in a $1.6 million loan dispute, because the firm represented them as well and used confidential information in the lender's suit.

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    AI Native Firms Gain Foothold In Changing Legal Industry

    "AI native" law firms are a growing phenomenon sitting at the intersection of artificial intelligence and rising tide of outside investment in the legal industry, aiming to use legal technology to automate work and overhaul the law firm business model — while doing away with the billable hour in the process.

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    Barnes & Thornburg Lands Nixon Peabody Entertainment Trio

    Three entertainment attorneys from Nixon Peabody LLP have moved their practice to Barnes & Thornburg LLP in Los Angeles and Nashville, Tennessee, the firm announced Thursday.

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    Williams-Sonoma GC Earned $4.2M In 2025 Compensation

    The executive vice president, general counsel and secretary of Williams-Sonoma Inc., earned nearly $4.2 million in total compensation last year, according to a securities filing.

  • 'Wasn't A Hard Call': Jeffer Mangels Can't Arbitrate Atty's Suit

    A Los Angeles judge ruled at a Wednesday hearing that Jeffer Mangels Butler & Mitchell LLP can't arbitrate an ex-associate's lawsuit alleging she was harassed and fired due to her pregnancy, saying it "wasn't a hard call" because her sexual harassment claims are statutorily prohibited from being arbitrated.

  • Google Users Say DOJ Win 'Leaves Only Damages For Trial'

    Consumers want a California federal judge to go straight to trial over the amount of damages Google owes them for illegally monopolizing online search, arguing the company's violation of antitrust law "is now an undisputed fact as a matter of law."

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    DLA Piper Names 62 New Partners, Including 24 In US

    DLA Piper announced Wednesday that 62 attorneys have joined its global partnership ranks, as of May 1, with the U.S. logging more promotions to partner than other regions, with 24 total.

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    Which GCs Sold Stock In April? Venture Global And More

    April showered some legal chiefs with stock sale profits, and Keith Larson at Venture Global soaked up $13.9 million last month. Meanwhile, Paul Mahon at United Therapeutics wiped up $9.5 million, and Chevron's R. Hewitt Pate reported earning $8.57 on his sales.

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    Jeffer Mangels Brings On Raines Feldman Atty As IP Chair

    California firm Jeffer Mangels & Mitchell LLP has announced an experienced Los Angeles-based attorney has joined the firm from Raines Feldman Littrell LLP as a partner and chair of its intellectual property and media practice.

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    Agilent Taps Danaher Deal Lawyer As Chief Legal Officer

    Life sciences company Agilent Technologies Inc. has found a new top in-house attorney to lead its legal department after the recent resignation of its former chief legal officer.

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    Workday Legal Chief Sees Pay Drop For 2nd Year In Row

    The compensation of Workday Inc.'s legal chief declined for the second consecutive year to $7.8 million, according to a securities filing late Tuesday.

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    Feds Say Stolen BigLaw Deal Info Aided Huge Trading Scheme

    Federal prosecutors on Wednesday unveiled indictments outlining a massive insider trading scheme that allegedly netted tens of millions of dollars using nonpublic information about mergers and acquisitions worked on by some of the nation's biggest law firms.

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    The Law School Legal Industry Job Tracker: Class Of 2025

    Want to know which schools are sending the highest percentage of graduates to BigLaw? How big a slice are landing those prized clerkships in federal or state courts? Explore the ins and outs of law school graduate placement in our interactive graphic.

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    The Top Law Schools For Legal Industry Jobs: A Data Review

    A law degree can lead to careers across law firms, government, business and public interest, according to the latest ABA data. See which schools stand out for placing graduates in BigLaw, federal and state clerkships, public interest roles and more.

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    Aiming For BigLaw? These Schools Deliver

    Law school students continue to set their sights on law firm jobs post-graduation, with interest in BigLaw roles holding strong. Here's a look at how those preferences are playing out and which schools are sending the highest percentage of graduates directly to BigLaw.

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    Firm Leaders Report Rising Rates Fueling Client Churn

    While rate increases are the primary driver of law firm revenue, legal leaders also fear those price hikes are leading to client churn, according to a report released Wednesday by marketing technology platform Passle.

  • Womble Bond Picks Veteran Real Estate Atty As Partner In SF

    Womble Bond Dickinson has hired a real estate and land use attorney with more than 50 years of experience as a partner for its real estate team in San Francisco, the firm announced Tuesday.

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    Court Rule Changes Uncertain After Few Deepfake Challenges

    Very few federal judges have handled challenges to audiovisual evidence that litigants claim has been faked by artificial intelligence, raising questions about whether changes to the rules of evidence are actually necessary.

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Expert Analysis

  • How Women In Law Can Advance Toward Leadership Roles Author Photo

    Female attorneys in leadership roles inspire other women to pursue similar opportunities in a male-dominated field, and for those who aspire to lead, prioritizing collaboration, inclusivity and integrity is key, says Kim Yelkin at Foley & Lardner.

  • 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
    Excerpt from Practical Guidance
    Author Photo

    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.

  • Roundup

    Ask A Mentor Author Photo

    As the legal profession undergoes a dramatic period of change, experts answer questions on career and workplace conundrums in this Law360 guest article series.

  • 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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