California Pulse


  • Laura Enderton-Speed Judicial Council of California.jpg

    Calif. Bar Taps Judicial Council Pro For Director Role

    The State Bar of California has announced the selection of a longtime statewide courts administrator as its new executive director, following the departure of its prior leader amid the fallout from the bungled administration of the February 2025 bar exam.

  • iStock-1213443664.jpg

    Threat Hunting And Training: Law Firms' New Cyber Strategy

    Some law firms are taking new steps to stop cyberattacks before they occur, including the use of threat hunting, increased automation and updated training to prepare staff for today's more sophisticated bad actors.

  • Calif. County Deputy DA Loses Free Speech Retaliation Suit

    A California federal judge has tossed a retaliation suit from a former Santa Clara County, California, deputy district attorney.

  • 2_up_Jackson Lewis.png

    Jackson Lewis Lands 2 Principals From Stokes Wagner

    Jackson Lewis PC announced Thursday that it has hired two former Stokes Wagner attorneys as principals in two of its California offices to bolster the employment law services it offers its clients.

  • Joshua Cook.png

    Goodwin Venture Capital Ace Joins Lowenstein Sandler

    Lowenstein Sandler LLP has added a Goodwin Procter LLP partner in Northern California, strengthening its emerging companies and venture capital group, the firm announced Thursday.

  • Industrial Laser Co. Coherent Embeds Eudia Legal AI

    Coherent Corp., a Pennsylvania-based tech company that specializes in manufacturing materials, networking components and lasers, announced Thursday a new partnership with California-based legal artificial intelligence startup Eudia.

  • Ropes and Gray Laterals 0925.jpg

    Sheppard Mullin Lands 21-Atty IP Team From Ropes & Gray

    Continuing on efforts to grow its intellectual property group and build a nationally acclaimed patent litigation practice, Sheppard Mullin Richter & Hampton LLP announced Thursday that it is bringing in a 21-attorney IP team from Ropes & Gray LLP.

  • iStock-1088968022.jpg

    Litigation Spending To Keep Growing As Biz Risks Run High

    Companies are likely to increase their spending on litigation next year, some by over 10%, as legal disputes become more complex, more contentious and more high-stakes, according to a new report out Thursday.

  • Feds Want 3 Years For Girardi Son-In-Law's Chicago Contempt

    Tom Girardi's son-in-law should receive a three-year prison sentence for his admitted role in helping the once-celebrated plaintiffs' lawyer steal millions from Lion Air crash victims, federal prosecutors in Chicago argued Wednesday.

  • Ex-Calif. Judge Gets 35 Years For Shooting Wife To Death

    Former California state court judge Jeffrey M. Ferguson lost his bid for a new trial Wednesday and was sentenced to 35 years to life in prison for shooting his wife to death at home in a drunken rage, with the presiding judge expressing sympathy for his "extraordinary" son who tried to save his mother's life.

  • Christopher "Smitty" Smith, Steven Werth and Katherine Meek

    Saul Ewing Lands Greenspoon Marder Enviro Atty Trio In LA

    Saul Ewing LLP is expanding its environmental team, bringing in a trio of Greenspoon Marder LLP litigators in the firm's Los Angeles office.

  • Leticia Espinoza.png

    People Skills Helped This GC Grow Role At Grocers Group

    Leticia Espinoza was the first person in her family to go to college and join a specialized profession — an achievement she continues to expand on by becoming a lawyer, then a general counsel, a chief legal and human resources officer, and most recently over the summer, the chief administration officer at Heritage Grocers Group, one of the largest Hispanic and ethnic food retailers in the country.

  • Jenn McCarron.jpg

    CLOC President Exits To Launch Tech Venture

    The president of the board of directors for the Corporate Legal Operations Consortium, or CLOC, a member-run organization for in-house legal operations professionals, stepped down on Wednesday.

  • iStock-2188923669.jpg

    Courts Told Head-In-The-Sand Approach To AI Can Backfire

    State courts might be inclined not to implement generative artificial intelligence tools or to ban staff from using them to avoid hallucinations and privacy breaches, but that strategy could backfire, a panelist told a court technology conference Tuesday.

  • UC Groups Sue Trump Admin Alleging Free Speech Violations

    A coalition of faculty, staff and unions affiliated with the University of California system sued the Trump administration in federal court Tuesday, arguing the suspension of $584 million in research projects along with threats to terminate billions more violates the law and is an attempt to violate their free speech.

  • imgi_4_poss_j_cropped_low_res-transprent.png

    Willkie Taps PE Head To Co-Lead The Firm In 2027

    Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP announced Tuesday that the nearly decade-long head of its private equity practice will step up to co-lead the firm as its joint chairman at the start of 2027.

  • Samuel Harbourt.png

    California AG Bonta Names New State Solicitor General

    California Attorney General Rob Bonta has promoted a veteran attorney in the state's Department of Justice to become the state's new solicitor general.

  • Eddie Han.jpg

    Orrick Hires Ex-Chair Of Paul Hastings' Palo Alto Office

    Orrick Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP announced on Tuesday that it has hired the former chair of Paul Hastings LLP's Palo Alto office.

  • Stanford Tech Lab Partners With Cleary, Davis Wright, Vorys

    Stanford Law School on Monday announced the official launch of its Legal Innovation through Frontier Technology Lab, whose advisory board founding members include law firms and an artificial intelligence company.

  • iStock-2207250357.jpg

    These Firms Were The Top For Their Summer Associates

    Working as a summer associate is a rite of passage for many law students, and these training programs can boost aspiring attorneys' confidence in their career paths. Find out what students valued most and how they rated those experiences in a new survey from Law360 Pulse.

  • iStock-2121380389.jpg

    Summer Associates Remain On The Fence About AI In Law

    Most summer associates used generative artificial intelligence tools at their firms this year, but views on adoption were mixed. Students told Law360 Pulse the tools were useful for research and drafting, but voiced concerns over reliability, job loss and diminished writing skills.

  • summer

    What Summer Associates Learned From Working At Firms

    We asked this year's cohort about the most valuable lessons they learned during their summer associateship. Here's the advice they shared for those ready to jump into law firm life.

  • 2_up_Potomac.png

    Potomac Law Group Adds Pair Of Litigators In San Francisco

    Two new litigators have joined a Potomac Law Group PLLC affiliate in San Francisco as partners — a business and civil litigator most recently with the Spaulding McCullough & Tansil LLP boutique, and a white collar defense and civil litigator with the Rogers Joseph O'Donnell LLP boutique.

  • 3 Law Firms Want Ford's 'Thermonuclear' RICO Suit Snuffed

    Knight Law Group LLP, the Altman Law Group and Wirtz Law APC have urged a California federal judge to dismantle Ford Motor Co.'s racketeering lawsuit accusing the firms of overzealous billing and conspiring to dupe unsuspecting clients in product liability and personal injury cases against automakers.

  • Calif. Court Issues AI Hallucinations 'Warning,' Sanctions Atty

    A California appeals court has issued a published opinion "as a warning" to Golden State attorneys to personally review case law quotations made by generative artificial intelligence, and imposed a $10,000 monetary sanction on plaintiff's counsel in an otherwise straightforward appeal in an employment case.

Can't find the article you're looking for? Click here to search the California Pulse archive.

Expert Analysis

  • 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.

  • The Case For Keeping The Gas On Deputy GC Compensation Author Photo

    In recent years, the deputy general counsel role has expanded and become increasingly vital in organizations across the globe, and companies should consider a few ways to retain this top talent, including by offering competitive compensation that reflects projected increases, says Heather Fine at Major Lindsey.

  • Talking Mental Health: The View From Life After BigLaw Author Photo

    Life coach and author Wendy Tamis Robbins discusses why she left a career in BigLaw to work in the professional well-being space after finding freedom from anxiety, obsessive-compulsive disorder and substance use disorders, and highlights two changes the legal industry should implement to address attorneys' mental health.

×

Law360

Law360 Law360 UK Law360 Tax Authority Law360 Employment Authority Law360 Insurance Authority Law360 Real Estate Authority Law360 Healthcare Authority Law360 Bankruptcy Authority

Rankings

NEWLeaderboard Analytics Social Impact Leaders Prestige Leaders Pulse Leaderboard Women in Law Report Law360 400 Diversity Snapshot Rising Stars Summer Associates

National Sections

Modern Lawyer Courts Daily Litigation In-House Mid-Law Legal Tech Small Law Insights

Regional Sections

California Pulse Connecticut Pulse DC Pulse Delaware Pulse Florida Pulse Georgia Pulse New Jersey Pulse New York Pulse Pennsylvania Pulse Texas Pulse

Site Menu

Subscribe Advanced Search About Contact