Law Firms

Is US law firm leasing rebounding post-pandemic?

Law firm leasing in the United States for the first half of 2023 is the strongest on record since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic three years ago, according to a new report from commercial real estate brokerage firm Savills.

Aug 25, 2023 9:00 AM CDT

Kirkland & Ellis must face ex-associate’s sex bias claims, federal court says

A former associate in the intellectual property litigation group at Kirkland & Ellis in San Francisco can move forward with her sex discrimination lawsuit against the law firm, a federal judge in California ruled Wednesday.

Aug 24, 2023 10:31 AM CDT

Chicago law firm faces biometric privacy suit for allegedly storing legal secretary’s fingerprints

A former legal secretary at Mandell Menkes has filed a lawsuit against the Chicago law firm for allegedly scanning and storing her fingerprints in its time clock system.

Aug 23, 2023 10:28 AM CDT

Activist who succeeded in ending affirmative action targets law firms’ diversity efforts

A conservative activist who led the campaign against affirmative action in college admissions is suing two major law firms for fellowships that they offer to increase diversity in the legal profession.

Aug 23, 2023 9:07 AM CDT

Why differentiation is your firm’s responsibility

According to the Thomson Reuters 2022 State of U.S. Small Law Firms report, 22% of law firms admit that “differentiating your firm from your competition” is one of the top three goals or priorities for their practices. The report also indicates that 50% of firms find “challenges acquiring new client business” a moderate challenge, and 22% see it as a significant one. At the same time, almost three-quarters of the firms feel that the most competition comes from other law firms of similar size.

Aug 22, 2023 2:05 PM CDT

Private equity firm lawyer with Chicago ties will be new White House counsel

Ed Siskel, a former Obama administration lawyer who also worked as the corporation counsel under then-Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel, has been tapped to be the new White House counsel.

Aug 22, 2023 9:59 AM CDT

Law firms still struggling with economic challenges, new report shows

Law firms in the United States continue to face some financial challenges after drops in demand and productivity in the first six months of 2023, according to a new report from Wells Fargo’s Legal Specialty Group.

Aug 22, 2023 8:11 AM CDT

Alston & Bird resolves dispute over legal advice during pandemic

Law firm Alston & Bird has resolved a federal lawsuit over its regulatory advice on the imports of hand sanitizing wipes during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Aug 21, 2023 10:55 AM CDT

General counsel respond to BigLaw attorneys’ concern over extreme client demands

BigLaw attorneys cite unreasonable or excessive demands from clients as a primary reason for their stress and anxiety, according to a survey by the American Lawyer on mental health in the legal profession.

Aug 21, 2023 9:12 AM CDT

DeSantis gets more lawyer donations than Trump but not quite as much as Biden

Self-identified lawyers are favoring Republican Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis over former President Trump in campaign donations.

Aug 18, 2023 3:17 PM CDT

Weekly Briefs: Fired reporter drops Dechert suit; Hunter Biden’s lawyer resigns

Fired reporter drops suit against Dechert A reporter who said he was fired from the Wall Street Journal because of information released in a “hack-and-smear operation” has dropped his lawsuit accusing Dechert of participating in the scheme. Reporter Jonathan “Jay” Solomon did not indicate whether a settlement was reached. Suits…

Aug 18, 2023 2:39 PM CDT

Anderson Kill’s former CFO sues for alleged disability discrimination

The former chief financial officer of Anderson Kill has alleged in a lawsuit that the law firm offered to demote him to billing manager and then fired him after he sought accommodations for a head injury.

Aug 18, 2023 8:43 AM CDT

Changing the culture at law firms to promote wellness and mental well-being

Whether it was the idea that stress was just part of the job or that taking time out for your wellness was a sign of weakness, the legal industry has not always made mental well-being a priority. Some law firms are trying to change that.

Aug 16, 2023 10:14 AM CDT

Referee faults Florida Bar probe of lawyer accused of improperly soliciting hurricane clients

A Florida partner with a Louisiana law firm did not improperly solicit Florida clients after Hurricane Ian and did not attempt to mislead the public about the nature of a truck, a trailer and a tent set up in a parking lot for client meetings, according to a referee in an ethics case.

Aug 15, 2023 8:29 AM CDT

‘The Real Game-Changer’: Dentons is latest major firm to launch GPT-powered chatbot

Dentons has become the latest major law firm to utilize generative artificial intelligence, announcing that it will roll out a propriety GPT-based chatbot to lawyers to use on client work.

Aug 14, 2023 1:54 PM CDT