Business Development

Legal tech CEO and GC discuss the expanding influence of legal ops and what’s on the horizon

Ari Kaplan recently spoke with Marc Zamsky and Marla Crawford, the CEO and general counsel, respectively, for Cimplifi, an integrated legal services provider that aligns e-discovery and contract analytics for corporate legal departments and law firms.

May 25, 2023 9:03 AM CDT

Thomson Reuters partners with Microsoft for generative AI push

Thomson Reuters said Tuesday it had partnered with Microsoft to create a contract drafting plug-in for Word powered by artificial intelligence and plans to roll out generative AI integration for its suite of legal products, including Westlaw Precision, later this year.

May 23, 2023 2:20 PM CDT

How lawyers can take advantage of ChatGPT and other large language models disrupting the legal industry

ChatGPT and other conversational artificial intelligence built with large language models could radically change how the legal industry operates, giving early adopters a major advantage.

May 11, 2023 3:26 PM CDT

55 lawyers among 5% of global workforce being laid off at this BigLaw firm

Dechert laid off 55 lawyers and 43 business professionals Tuesday, as the law firm began implementing cuts to “align our staffing levels with demand.”

May 10, 2023 9:33 AM CDT

LexisNexis announces new generative artificial intelligence platform

Legal research company LexisNexis became the latest adopter of generative artificial intelligence in the legal industry Thursday by rolling out a new platform for case research and document drafting.

May 5, 2023 9:54 AM CDT

How are BigLaw firms faring in first quarter? Billable hours are at 15-year low

Demand for legal services is down slightly, while lawyer head count is increasing—a combination that is resulting in a decline in average billable hours, according to a survey of BigLaw firms by Wells Fargo’s Legal Specialty Group.

May 4, 2023 12:02 PM CDT

More than 110 lawyers leave this BigLaw firm to join new shop

More than 110 lawyers are leaving Lewis Brisbois Bisgaard & Smith to join a new law firm founded by two of its longtime lawyers.

May 2, 2023 3:03 PM CDT

Software company CEO discusses the importance of being customer-centric

Ari Kaplan recently spoke with Eric Thurston, the president and CEO of SurePoint Technologies, a provider of client management, practice management and financial management software to law firms nationwide.

Apr 24, 2023 3:31 PM CDT

Optimizing Legal Workflows: Enhance firm efficiency with online process servers

In 2023, work is accomplished in very different ways than in years past. Because of pandemic-related technology adoption, familiarity with cloud computing and remote work tools has increased dramatically.

Apr 24, 2023 11:48 AM CDT

Which firms snagged top spots for gross revenue, profits per lawyer and equity partner?

Fifty law firms had gross revenue of $1 billion or more in 2022, including 18 firms with more than $2 billion in gross revenue, according to the latest rankings published by Law.com.

Apr 20, 2023 1:25 PM CDT

5 ways to scale in-house resources in the face of an economic downturn

After years of unbridled hiring, a growing number of tech companies recently have made headlines with layoffs and recruiting slowdowns. In-house counsel jobs, especially at tech companies, are not exempt.

Apr 20, 2023 8:51 AM CDT

Lawyers report high level of satisfaction with their jobs, but stress remains an issue, survey finds

Eighty-three percent of surveyed attorneys report they are stressed at least some of the time, but 71% of the lawyers would not switch careers if given a chance for a do-over, according to survey findings by Law360 Pulse.

Apr 12, 2023 8:43 AM CDT

Why you should unlearn certain valuable legal skills

Much has been written about the mental health crisis in the legal profession. Certainly, external factors like billable hours and client demands play a large role in creating anxiety and stress in the profession; but there are also internal factors created by “thinking like a lawyer” that deserve more focus.

Apr 11, 2023 1:46 PM CDT

BigLaw associate’s admonition to be available 24/7 with ‘no exceptions, no excuses’ goes viral

A Paul Hastings associate’s best-practices advice to junior colleagues in an internal presentation wasn’t that far off the mark, legal observers said. But its tone was lacking.

Apr 6, 2023 9:30 AM CDT

Work slowdown is just one reason for 2022 profit drop among Am Law 200 firms

Profits decreased by double-digit percentages for many law firms in the Am Law 200 in 2022, but the blame is not entirely with a work slowdown.

Mar 30, 2023 10:17 AM CDT