Professional Development

Law firms should not rush lateral hiring, due diligence expert says

With the shift to virtual recruitment amid the COVID-19 crisis, the speed at which law firms vet and hire lateral partners has increased, according to Michael Ellenhorn, the founder and CEO of Decipher. But Ellenhorn, whose company helps legal industry clients evaluate potential hires, says law firms would be wise not to quicken the hiring process too much.

Jan 13, 2021 9:00 AM CST

Law firms may be at ‘tipping point’ for change because of COVID-19 pandemic, new report says

Law firms learned lessons during the COVID-19 pandemic that could translate to permanent changes in the way that they manage their operations, deliver legal services and treat their employees, according to a report released Tuesday.

Jan 12, 2021 3:06 PM CST

What it’s like to argue before the Supreme Court during COVID-19

Jeffrey L. Fisher has argued more than 40 U.S. Supreme Court cases, and he relies heavily on the justices’ body language during arguments. But that wasn’t possible for his last three, which were conducted by phone because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Dec 28, 2020 9:00 AM CST

Need some advice? Here’s a roundup of our tips and tricks to help launch your 2021

At the ABA Journal, part of our mission is to provide useful, relevant advice for members of the legal profession. The past year presented challenges that left all of us scrambling for guidance, and we did our best to serve readers' interests in five major areas: their practice, their well-being, their skill sets, their ethical duties and their career transitions.

Dec 23, 2020 9:42 AM CST

Top 5 Your Voice columns of 2020

From what law students can learn from the musical Hamilton to tips on marketing your practice during the pandemic, the ABA Journal’s Your Voice section hosted a number of fascinating columns in 2020.

Dec 22, 2020 12:24 PM CST

5 ways to do more pro bono in 2021

For attorneys who want to do more pro bono in 2021, here are five ways to get involved.

Dec 21, 2020 1:52 PM CST

CEO roundtable with Ari Kaplan: Lessons learned, silver linings and the road ahead

One of the initiatives that Ari Kaplan Advisors launched in 2020 was a periodic Zoom-based CEO roundtable to discuss trends, challenges and objectives with market leaders.

Dec 21, 2020 10:30 AM CST

How late-career litigators can reinvent themselves as law firm mentors

“Do you have a minute?” In my job, the answer to that question has to be “yes”—almost always. No one arrives in your office with a pained look on their face, unless it involves something that needs to get done now. Maybe it doesn’t rise to the level of a practice crisis or emotional emergency, but the lawyer across from you wants to complete this task right away.

Dec 14, 2020 10:04 AM CST

Black woman is appointed to lead BigLaw firm as other firms ramp up diversity goals

The new global CEO and U.S. chair of Norton Rose Fulbright is the first woman of color to be in those positions at the law firm and the only woman of color to lead a top 200 grossing law firm in the United States, according to the firm.

Dec 11, 2020 3:04 PM CST

TV-star-turned-lawyer offers 10 acting tips for trial lawyers

“Son, if you want to be a trial lawyer, you never give up acting.” Those were the words of advice given to me by legendary Alabama trial lawyer Frank Burge when I successfully interviewed for my first job right out of law school.

Dec 10, 2020 3:23 PM CST

Dentons continues Project Golden Spike expansion as it announces combination with Iowa firm

Dentons announced Tuesday that it will combine with Iowa law firm Davis Brown.

Dec 9, 2020 12:54 PM CST

Years of service: Mark Daniel Maloney reflects on journey with Rotary International

“It is an opportunity to connect while you are doing good in the world,” says Mark Daniel Maloney, a member of Blackburn, Maloney and Schuppert and now the immediate past president of Rotary International. “It is wonderful to be a volunteer, but you go in and you perform the service, and you leave.”

Nov 24, 2020 9:02 AM CST

Assistant GC and firm partner discuss the future of client collaboration

Ari Kaplan recently spoke with Megan O'Flynn, an assistant general counsel at the International Swaps and Derivatives Association, and Doug Donahue, a partner in the finance practice at Linklaters in New York City, about ISDA Create—a collaboration between the ISDA and Linklaters.

Nov 20, 2020 9:02 AM CST

The COVID-19 consequence: Emerging talent is at risk

For those students who did not land an entry-level job at a BigLaw firm, the circle is truly vicious as they attempt to launch their careers in an unwelcoming and unstructured environment, write Jonathan Greenblatt and Bryan Parker of Legal Innovators.

Nov 16, 2020 8:52 AM CST

New study suggests cutting bar exam multiple choice questions or making them open book

Bar exams should use multiple choice questions sparingly, if at all, replace essay questions with performance tests, and require supervised clinical work for licensure, according to a study focused on minimum competency to practice law by the Institute for the Advancement of the American Legal System.

Oct 29, 2020 10:48 AM CDT