Associates

BigLaw firm earns top spot for number of female attorneys; what other firms made the cut?

A new firm is No. 1 on the National Law Journal’s 2019 Women in Law Scorecard, which ranks the largest law firms in the country by their representation of female attorneys. Berry Appleman & Leiden, an immigration firm based in San Francisco, reported to the National Law Journal that 59.2%…

Jul 1, 2019 2:43 PM CDT

What was your summer associate experience like?

Summertime is summer associates season. Recent law school grads around the country will be soaking up everything they can in three months with their more experienced counterparts in the legal industry. Summer associate gigs are becoming more straight-laced, Above the Law reported in 2017. Associates are on their best behavior,…

Jun 20, 2019 1:13 PM CDT

How bystanders can stand up to sexual harassment in the law office

Even though bystanders are not the intended target of sexual harassment in the workplace, they, too, can endure a personal toll that is often overlooked, writes author and lawyer Lauren Stiller Rikleen.

Jun 6, 2019 6:00 AM CDT

A curmudgeon’s tips for making it in BigLaw

For law grads and associates going into the world of BigLaw, the stakes have never been higher—and neither have the expectations. The Curmudgeon’s Guide to Practicing Law explains how to succeed with a bit of snark and a whole lot of laughs.

Jun 5, 2019 6:30 AM CDT

DLA Piper lawyers in the UK are targeted in email scam

Scammers posed as DLA Piper lawyers in the United Kingdom to trick an entity into making a payment to a fraudulent bank account. The Solicitors Regulation Authority said in a recent press release that the scammers sent emails purporting to be from Alan Cunningham, a partner who leads the law…

Jun 4, 2019 7:30 AM CDT

Median pay for new associates jumps nearly 15%, NALP survey says

The median salary for first-year associates was $155,000 at the beginning of the year, a jump of $20,000 from 2017, according to figures released Wednesday by the National Association for Law Placement. That’s an increase of 14.8% from 2017, the last time NALP collected the data. Law firms with more…

May 23, 2019 7:00 AM CDT

Associate pay raises push law firm expenses higher; demand softens while rates rise

Law firms are facing rising expenses that are partly fueled by associate pay raises, according to two reports on the economic outlook for law firms in the first quarter of 2019. Expenses are rising amid a period of stalling demand and productivity, the American Lawyer reports. On the bright side,…

May 16, 2019 3:28 PM CDT

Bullying and sexual harassment ‘are rife in the legal profession,’ global survey finds

One in three female lawyers have been sexually harassed in a work context, while one in two women have experienced bullying in the workplace, according to a recently released global survey of nearly 7,000 lawyers in 135 countries. The numbers were somewhat lower for male lawyers. One in 14 men…

May 16, 2019 7:00 AM CDT

For law firms, the ampersand is a character worth saving

For more than two centuries, the ampersand flourished in its preferred environment: BigLaw titles. No one can dispute that the ampersand served BigLaw well, adorning the titles of virtually all the most prestigious members, says lawyer Norm Tabler.

May 9, 2019 6:00 AM CDT

New program will pay some law school admittees to defer studies and work in public interest

Weil, Gotshal & Manges recently announced a program that funds yearlong public interest positions for individuals admitted to a handful of prestigious law schools who are willing to put off their studies for one year. The Weil Legal Innovators Program will fund the public interest work of 10 prelaw students,…

Apr 26, 2019 2:08 PM CDT

15 lawyers have left this law firm, whose head count is shrinking

Fifteen real estate lawyers have left Kasowitz Benson Torres to join the New York office of Vinson & Elkins.

Apr 11, 2019 7:30 AM CDT

Jones Day says gender bias lawsuit painted ‘distorted picture’

Jones Day is responding to a gender bias lawsuit with a statement that cites an “inclusive culture” and a partnership that includes 240 women. A $200 million lawsuit filed April 3 had alleged that the firm has a “fraternity culture” in which female lawyers have to participate if they hope…

Apr 10, 2019 9:01 AM CDT

Would millennial lawyers trade pay for better work-life balance? A significant percentage say yes

In a new survey of millennial lawyers, 47.1% say workloads have increased since compensation increases for associates rippled across BigLaw. And a significant portion of millennials would be willing to take a pay cut for more time out of the office. The survey asked younger lawyers working in U.S. law…

Apr 4, 2019 3:01 PM CDT

Female lawyers describe ‘fraternity culture’ at Jones Day in $200M sex-bias lawsuit

A $200 million lawsuit filed Wednesday against Jones Day alleges that female associates are discriminated against based on gender, pregnancy and maternity.

Apr 4, 2019 7:00 AM CDT

BigLaw firm criticized for lack of diversity is now No. 1 for black lawyers, new report says

Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison took a hit on social media in December when a partnership promotion photo appeared to show just one woman and 11 white men. Now, the firm is finding vindication in a recent report by the nonprofit Lawyers of Color.

Apr 2, 2019 1:14 PM CDT