In-house Counsel

Software company CEO discusses challenges, benefits and evolution of sourcing outside counsel

Ari Kaplan recently spoke with Jim Delkousis, the founder and CEO of Persuit, a software platform that facilitates a competitive process for sourcing outside counsel.

Jul 23, 2021 9:54 AM CDT

Lawyer finds two words that doom billion-dollar case

A lawyer with a BigLaw firm was able to thwart a billion-dollar qui tam case against the Lennar Corp. when she found a California real estate developer’s name on a change-of-counsel form.

Jul 20, 2021 12:28 PM CDT

Law firms ‘cannot long endure a remote work model,’ says Morgan Stanley chief legal officer

Morgan Stanley’s chief legal officer, Eric Grossman, has reportedly warned the investment bank's outside law firms that their lawyers should return to the office to avoid a decline in client service.

Jul 19, 2021 12:00 PM CDT

US lawyer in Hong Kong is convicted for trying to stop beating by man who turned out to be cop

An American corporate lawyer in Hong Kong is planning to appeal after his assault conviction last week for intervening when a man attacked a commuter.

Jun 28, 2021 9:22 AM CDT

New AI-powered legal writing tool aims to help lawyers craft winning briefs

A gratifying legal victory sparked Jacqueline Schafer’s desire to create a legal technology product that would help other lawyers efficiently craft case-winning briefs full of compelling evidence. Clearbrief is an AI-powered legal writing tool.

May 19, 2021 9:00 AM CDT

Afternoon briefs: Search of Giuliani’s home is ‘legal thuggery,’ says his lawyer; top legal officer earns $50.9M

Search of Giuliani’s home is ‘legal thuggery,’ his lawyer says Federal agents searched lawyer Rudy Giuliani’s New York City apartment and office early Wednesday. Giuliani’s lawyer, Robert Costello, told the New York Times the searches were “legal thuggery” and unnecessary. Costello said his client had offered to answer prosecutors’ questions,…

Apr 28, 2021 4:25 PM CDT

Afternoon Briefs: DOJ will probe Louisville, Kentucky, police; Coca-Cola reviews outside counsel diversity policy

DOJ will investigate Louisville, Kentucky, police practices U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland announced Monday that the Department of Justice is investigating whether the Louisville, Kentucky, Metro Police Department uses unreasonable force or engages in discriminatory policing as part of an unconstitutional pattern or practice. Department officers fatally shot Breonna Taylor…

Apr 26, 2021 4:36 PM CDT

Afternoon Briefs: Coca-Cola GC leaves after 8 months; wrongly jailed man challenges $4K bill for confinement

Coca-Cola GC who backed diversity initiative leaves job Bradley Gayton has resigned from his post as general counsel at Coca-Cola to become a “strategic consultant” to the company. Gayton had told outside law firms in January that at least 30% of their associate and partner time on new matters should…

Apr 22, 2021 2:50 PM CDT

How one firm is trying to convince technology clients to embrace subscription pricing

When two women discussed starting their own law firm two years ago, the experienced in-house lawyers agreed that they should take a subscription-pricing approach with clients.

Apr 14, 2021 9:03 AM CDT

Leaders of 62 BigLaw firms denounce voting restrictions; coalition is formed to challenge legislation

Law firms are getting involved in the controversy over voting restrictions, already passed in Georgia and under consideration in Texas.

Apr 13, 2021 12:06 PM CDT

Afternoon Briefs: Christian baker faces trial in new bias case; city approves housing reparations

Christian baker faces new bias case A Christian baker is facing a new bias claim after persuading the U.S. Supreme Court that a Colorado agency showed impermissible hostility to his religious reasons for refusing to bake a cake for a same-sex wedding. The baker, Jack Phillips of Masterpiece Cakeshop, is…

Mar 23, 2021 4:19 PM CDT

Most dissatisfied lawyers work longer hours and report more burnout

Burnout and long hours appear to be making life miserable for the most dissatisfied lawyers.

Mar 18, 2021 9:32 AM CDT

Tesla’s board failed to appoint general counsel who could keep Elon Musk in line, unsealed suit alleges

Tesla’s board of directors failed to secure a general counsel who could curtail “erratic” tweeting Tesla CEO Elon Musk, according to a shareholders’ derivative lawsuit unsealed Friday.

Mar 17, 2021 1:41 PM CDT

A conversation about food insecurity, pursuing charitable endeavors in the legal industry

Ari Kaplan recently spoke with Tyrone Thomas, a vice president and deputy general counsel at Invenergy and the founder of Conversation for Six, a nonprofit organization focused on expanding ongoing discussions about food insecurity.

Feb 19, 2021 9:02 AM CST

Afternoon Briefs: Giuliani, Powell sued by another voting machine company; Cooley ups its bonuses

Voting machine company sues Fox News, lawyers Voting machine company Smartmatic filed a $2.7 billion defamation lawsuit Thursday against Fox News, three of its TV personalities, and lawyers Rudy Giuliani and Sidney Powell. The suit claims that the defendants made Smartmatic the villain in a disinformation campaign claiming that the…

Feb 4, 2021 4:03 PM CST