Large Firm

BigLaw’s lockstep compensation is declining in order to keep and attract talent

Lateral transfers are nothing new. Like the big leagues, BigLaw seeks to gain powerhouse rainmakers via outsize salary offers. The deals have the added value of draining rivals’ rosters to kneecap the competition. “Understand that these are not ‘all or nothing’ changes,” said John C. Coffee, director of the Center on Corporate Governance at Columbia Law School. “But marginal ones to allow the firm to pay more to the highest-grossing partner. Other firms have decided not to change significantly.”

Apr 1, 2021 1:30 AM CDT

BigLaw partner added ‘fictional hours’ to client bills, meriting a 2-year suspension, court says

Clients were satisfied with the work of lawyer Doreen Zankowski, who worked “exceedingly hard” and produced excellent results, according to the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court. But substantial evidence shows that Zankowski added “fictional hours” to clients’ bills, amounting to hundreds of hours, according to the top Massachusetts court’s March 25…

Mar 31, 2021 10:00 AM CDT

Orrick hopes to battle burnout with ‘unplug time’ policy

Orrick Herrington & Sutcliffe wants its staff members and lawyers to take a week off work “to truly unplug.”

Mar 22, 2021 9:02 AM CDT

Willkie Farr announces a second round of special bonuses, only to be outdone by Davis Polk

Updated: Willkie Farr & Gallagher is paying a second round of special bonuses to associates that range from $7,500 to $40,000, the same amount the law firm paid in the fall.

Mar 22, 2021 9:00 AM CDT

Afternoon Briefs: These law schools are best for BigLaw placement; paralegal claims quarantine led to firing

Go-to law schools are named Columbia Law School is once again in the top spot on Law.com’s list of go-to law schools. The list ranks law schools that send the highest percentage of new grads to the largest 100 law firms. Nearly 65% of Columbia grads obtained those jobs. Rounding…

Mar 19, 2021 3:20 PM CDT

Afternoon Briefs: Multistate suit challenges coronavirus relief provision; Crowell combines with boutique

Lawsuit challenges tax provision in COVID-19 relief bill Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost has filed a lawsuit challenging a tax provision in the $1.9 trillion coronavirus relief package. The provision gives federal aid to states and local jurisdictions but says the money can’t be used to offset tax cuts. Yost…

Mar 18, 2021 4:33 PM CDT

Experienced cloud-based law firm thrives during COVID-19, co-founder says

“You make a lot more money when you come work for us than you do at a traditional firm,” says Kevin E. Broyles, a co-founder and managing partner of FisherBroyles.

Mar 17, 2021 8:57 AM CDT

Afternoon Briefs: Senator airs suspicions of ‘fake’ Kavanaugh probe; prosecutors sue senior living chain

Senator wants to know whether FBI probe of Kavanaugh was ‘fake’ U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland should help facilitate Senate oversight into whether the FBI conducted a “politically constrained and perhaps fake FBI investigation” of then-U.S. Supreme Court nominee Judge Brett M. Kavanaugh, according to a senator’s letter. Democratic U.S.…

Mar 16, 2021 4:21 PM CDT

Afternoon Briefs: Judge trims maternity claims against BigLaw firm; prison guards ordered to wear body cams

Judge trims claims by ex-Morrison & Foerster lawyers A magistrate judge is allowing two former lawyers at Morrison & Foerster to pursue punitive damages in their suit claiming that the firm discriminated against them for taking maternity leave. U.S. Magistrate Judge Jacqueline Scott Corley of the Northern District of California…

Mar 15, 2021 4:45 PM CDT

5th Circuit sanctions Marc Elias and other Perkins Coie lawyers for ‘redundant and misleading’ motion

A federal appeals court has sanctioned Perkins Coie attorneys who represent Democratic groups for a “redundant and misleading” motion in election litigation.

Mar 15, 2021 3:23 PM CDT

Prepared for the future? Here are tips to help avoid disaster

During his Friday panel at the ABA Techshow 2021 titled “Rebooting a Practice: Disaster & Continuity Planning,” attorney Richard Ferguson pointed out that lawyers always have to deal with and plan for disaster, such as data hacks and hurricanes.

Mar 12, 2021 5:06 PM CST

Afternoon Briefs: 5 Jones Day plaintiffs drop claims; no immunity for cop who shocked girl during seizure

Only 1 plaintiff remains in Jones Day pay-bias suit Five of six former associates suing Jones Day for gender bias have dropped their claims. The move follows a decision by all the plaintiffs in December to drop class action pay-bias claims in the suit. The five plaintiffs said in a…

Mar 12, 2021 2:56 PM CST

Afternoon Briefs: BigLaw firm offers gifts on top of bonuses; second state adopts consumer privacy law

Associates at this BigLaw firm get pricey gifts Associates at Davis Polk & Wardwell are getting a choice of gifts as a thanks for their hard work during the COVID-19 pandemic. Gift choices include an outdoor adventure excursion for two, a $1,000 Marriott gift card along with a Tumi suitcase,…

Mar 4, 2021 4:30 PM CST

At these top law firms, profit boosts followed layoffs of lawyers and staff members

Some of the nation’s top law firms posted substantial boosts in profits last year after laying off attorneys or staff members, according to an analysis by Law.com.

Mar 4, 2021 12:33 PM CST

The death of a lawyer: A journey from law school to retirement

On some mornings, fog shrouds the Ohio River, settling into the river valley like loosely applied caulk. Twenty-three years ago, while on my way to work, my car weaved through the thick, shape-shifting strands as I navigated Kellogg Avenue, which follows the contours of the river toward downtown Cincinnati.

Mar 2, 2021 2:50 PM CST