California Pulse

Expert Analysis

• How In-House Lawyers Can Help Fill The Legal Aid Gap

  Corporate legal departments can expand access to justice in legal deserts in ways that don't require court appearances, as many client needs can be met through advice, brief service or pro se support, say Todd Stillerman at Wells Fargo and Allison Constance at Legal Aid North Carolina.

• How Law Firms Can Advance Gender Parity Without Exclusion

  Law firms can work toward eliminating workplace disparities while reducing discrimination risk by opening events to all employees, expanding caregiver support, and using mentorship, coaching and pay equity data to guide durable inclusion efforts, says Lori Mihalich-Levin at Mindful Return.

• Closing The Gender Gap In AI Adoption: A Lawyer's Guide

  Amid a reported gender gap in artificial intelligence use, female lawyers should think about AI ownership as beginning with adoption, expanding into career agency and influence, and culminating in collective leadership directed toward the profession and the public good, says Tamara Kraljic at Hughes Hubbard.

• How Firms Adopting AI Can Learn From CRM Rollout Mistakes

  Law firms should learn from the challenges that have plagued client relationship management system adoption for over 30 years as they evaluate whether and how to implement artificial intelligence tools, says consultant Paul Manuele.

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  RFP Reset: Start With Client Service

  As clients increasingly expect the sophistication that artificial intelligence makes possible, law firms can use the proposal to adopt a client service mindset that delivers practical guidance the in-house legal team can use without translation, say attorneys at Stinson.

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  Legal Tech Talks: Notorio Co-Founder On Measuring Value

  Leonardo Lupiano, co-founder at Notorio, discusses the importance of establishing performance metrics, analyzing product usage and calculating the return on investment when considering whether to adopt a new technology.

• How BigLaw Can Build Infrastructure For Plaintiff-Side Work

  Traditionally defense-oriented Am Law 100 firms are increasingly expanding their plaintiff-side dockets through a mix of contingency arrangements and litigation finance, but firms must consider how on-risk work interacts with their existing capital structure and business practices, says Brendan Dyer at Rocade Capital.

• Teaching Associates To Write Well With Responsible AI Aid

  Firms can help their new associates become strong writers and responsible AI users by employing a framework that ensures that use of artificial intelligence tools strengthens, rather than replaces, associates' thinking processes, say Julie Schrager at Faegre Drinker and Dawn Anderson at the University of Iowa.

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  Biz Development Tip Of The Month: Play The Long Game

  Lawyers who consistently maintain early-career and personal relationships, track contacts, and make thoughtful outreach over time will be better positioned to generate future client work, referrals and leadership opportunities, says Deborah Farone at Farone Advisors.

• 5 Due Diligence Steps For A Successful Succession Plan

  Instead of relying on abstract policies, firm leadership should develop concrete succession plans before rainmakers announce retirement that track which tasks intended successors are assuming, how the outgoing member is transferring their knowledge and whether clients are yet relying on the replacement, says Ronald Levine at Herrick Feinstein.

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  The GC's 1st 90 Days: How To Build A Strong GC Network

  Taking time to build a network of general counsel thought partners is useful in the early days of the role because the value of relationships compounds over time, and approaching the process with a spirit of curiosity and generosity can be especially helpful, says Heather Stevenson, general counsel at Red Cell.

• 5 Ways Law Firms Can Build Lasting AI Visibility

  As generative artificial intelligence tools become embedded across the entire digital ecosystem, law firm leaders can build an enduring footprint with five factors that ensure their firms remain visible no matter how underlying models evolve, says Melanie Trudeau at Reputation Ink.

• Nonequity Partner Boom Forces Lawyers To Pick A Lane

  With firms increasingly offering the nonequity partnership tier, the position can become either a parking spot to help build a book of business or a permanent landing zone, and for those who want to become equity partners, business development matters more than ever, says Kate Reder Sheikh at Major Lindsey.

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  RFP Reset: Focus On Execution, Not Just Expertise

  Law firms that treat responses to requests for proposal as concrete evidence of staffing, budgeting, communication and project management discipline will be better positioned to win business from legal departments than firms that tout generic credentials alone, says LaResa Young at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital.

• 3 Ways Firm Leaders Can Nurture AI Fluency

  Lawyers can’t develop artificial intelligence fluency from continuing legal education courses, webinars or email updates, so firm leaders must foster conditions that are conducive to attorney learning if they want AI investments to deliver their promised return, says Adrienne Prentice at Keep Company.