Billing rates from law firms varied widely in the first half of 2025, and corporate legal departments will need to anticipate tiered and regional shifts in fee dynamics to keep costs under control next year, according to a report released Monday by Wolters Kluwer's ELM Solutions.
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TUESDAY, DECEMBER 23, 2025 Law360 iOS App Law360 Android App Follow Law360 on Facebook Follow Law360 on LinkedIn Follow Law360 on Twitter

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Legal Departments Pushing Back Against Partner Rate Hikes

By Tracey Read

Billing rates from law firms varied widely in the first half of 2025, and corporate legal departments will need to anticipate tiered and regional shifts in fee dynamics to keep costs under control next year, according to a report released Monday by Wolters Kluwer's ELM Solutions.

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Oberlin College Names Interim GC As Permanent Top Atty

By Jack Rodgers

Oberlin College and Conservatory has named its interim general counsel, who has served in the position since July and was the interim general counsel there while the school emerged from the COVID-19 pandemic, to the role permanently, according to a recent announcement.

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Lawyers Don't Expect AI To Lower Billing Targets

By Xiumei Dong

Generative AI is raising questions about how time-based billing adapts when tasks become faster to complete, but most attorneys recently surveyed by Law360 Pulse are skeptical that AI will shift expectations anytime soon.

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EXPERT ANALYSIS

The Augmented Lawyer: Drafting As AI Alters Admin Of Law

As generative artificial intelligence tools become embedded in mainstream legal practice, they are reshaping the administration of law itself, from how experts document and validate their work to how joint defense teams operate, demanding a new level of contractual clarity and operational discipline, says Karineh Khachatourian at KXT Law.

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LAW FIRMS IN TODAY'S NEWS

Bricker Graydon

Buckingham Doolittle

KXT Law

Ropes & Gray

COMPANIES IN TODAY'S NEWS

Financial Times Group Ltd.

Hatch Henderson Fivel LLC

LinkedIn Corp.

National Association of College and University Attorneys

Wells Fargo & Co.

Wolters Kluwer

Wolters Kluwer ELM Solutions Inc.

Zeughauser Group LLC