Practice Management

How law firms can maintain office culture in the age of remote working

With a little help from Zoom, noise-canceling headphones and ergonomic chairs, we’ve mastered working remotely. Still, with fewer people gathering around the watercooler, how are firms maintaining office culture?

Feb 1, 2024 2:20 AM CST

10 Questions: In crafting a new career, this Texas contracts attorney created a community

The brainchild of Laura Frederick, a former in-house lawyer for Tesla, ContractsCon debuted in 2022. Her path from law practice to entrepreneurship began during the pandemic, and she’s since built a global community of contract law professionals via LinkedIn and created How to Contract, a successful online legal education platform.

Feb 1, 2024 1:10 AM CST

Quinn Emanuel disclosure order highlights relatively new product: judgment preservation insurance

Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan must disclose terms of judgment preservation insurance that it allegedly bought before distributing a $185 million fee award to partners, according to a U.S. Court of Federal Claims judge.

Jan 31, 2024 3:39 PM CST

Ex-NRA CEO didn’t consult GCs office about key legal decisions, general counsel testifies

Updated: Former National Rifle Association CEO Wayne LaPierre didn’t consult his general counsel before the group sued its advertising agency and sought bankruptcy protection, two legal filings that didn’t end well for the NRA, according to testimony Tuesday.

Jan 31, 2024 12:31 PM CST

After sanctions threat, Trump lawyer in $83.3M defamation case drops conflict claim stemming from BigLaw overlap

A lawyer for former President Donald Trump is backing away from a claim that an opposing lawyer and the judge in a defamation case involving writer E. Jean Carroll had an undisclosed conflict of interest.

Jan 31, 2024 10:24 AM CST

3rd Circuit judicial nominee opposed for ties to a group critics say amplifies ‘antisemitic speech’ and ‘terrorist propaganda’

The nomination of a BigLaw partner to serve on the 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals at Philadelphia should be withdrawn because of his service as a board member for a group with “a deep history of amplifying antisemitic speech, terrorist propaganda and anti-American rhetoric,” according to a letter to President Joe Biden by a group of Republican members of the U.S. House of Representatives.

Jan 31, 2024 9:14 AM CST

Judge denies Alex Murdaugh request for new trial after jury tampering claims

A judge has denied a request for a new trial from convicted killer Alex Murdaugh, whose defense team had argued that a county clerk tampered with the jury.

Jan 30, 2024 9:55 AM CST

Jurors rule for Davis Polk in former associate’s retaliation suit; defense called his claims a ‘conspiracy theory’

Federal jurors ruled for Davis Polk & Wardwell in a suit by a fired Black associate who claimed the law firm retaliated against him after he complained about racial disparities. At trial, he said he was the target of a “secret scheme” to oust him.

Jan 29, 2024 2:50 PM CST

Former Fisher Phillips partner pleads guilty to lesser charge in fatal shooting of his wife

Former Fisher Phillips partner Claud Lee “Tex” McIver III pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter on Friday for fatally shooting his wife while riding in an SUV in September 2016.

Jan 29, 2024 11:15 AM CST

Clerks for Hire: The Supreme Court recruiting race

Last spring, as the Supreme Court wrapped up oral arguments for what was shaping up to be a blockbuster term, the law firm Jones Day invited a group of law clerks to dinner at Del Mar, an upscale restaurant on the D.C. waterfront.

Jan 26, 2024 9:15 AM CST

How will generative AI affect digital investigations and e-discovery?

Ari Kaplan recently spoke with Chantelle Jalland, a London-based managing director for digital investigations and discovery with J.S. Held, a global consulting company.

Jan 26, 2024 8:52 AM CST

Former FDIC lawyer who once worked in BigLaw pleads guilty in child-exploitation case

A lawyer who worked in the general counsel’s office at the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. pleaded guilty Tuesday in connection with his participation in two online groups that exploited prepubescent girls.

Jan 25, 2024 1:21 PM CST

What to do when friends or family members ask for legal advice

“It’s never going to go well,” Arizona attorney Lynda C. Shely says about the prospect of representing anyone you are close to, including family members and friends. Shely, the immediate past chair of the ABA Standing Committee on Ethics and Professional Responsibility, works in private practice and has advised more than 2,500 law firms around the country on legal ethics matters.

Jan 25, 2024 8:34 AM CST

Should law firms focus more on work-life balance? Survey finds ‘wide gaps’ in opinions of associates, partners

Lawyers would like to see a greater emphasis on training and mentoring at their law firms, according to a survey released this week by recruiting firm Major, Lindsey & Africa and Law360 Pulse.

Jan 24, 2024 2:26 PM CST

UK law firm’s ‘Switch On/Switch Off’ program allows ‘chunk of time off’ for reduced pay

U.K. law firm Slaughter and May's "Switch On/Switch Off” program for associates is different than reduced-hours programs offered by U.S. firms.

Jan 23, 2024 3:49 PM CST