California Pulse


  • Judge Digs Into Counsel Over 'Astronomically High' Fee Bid

    Attorneys who represented classes of people who say they received harassing phone calls from real estate agents in violation of federal telemarketing laws are asking for way too much of the $20 million settlement, according to the California federal judge who tore into them Wednesday.

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    Former Calif. Chief Deputy AG Joins Jenner & Block In SF

    Jenner & Block LLP is bringing in the former second-highest-ranking member of the California Department of Justice, announcing Thursday that Venus D. Johnson is joining as special counsel in its San Francisco office.

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    Sitting Judges Take Stand Over Threats Growing 'Ordinary'

    On the heels of an ethics opinion giving them wider latitude to speak publicly, sitting federal judges brought attention Thursday to the increasing threats against them and their family members, warning about the dangers of such threats becoming "ordinary."

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    AI Errors Likely To Persist Despite Escalating Court Sanctions

    Judges have begun issuing sanctions to lawyers, escalating the consequences over artificial intelligence-generated errors, but attorneys say that penalties might not be enough to stop the problem.

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    Longtime Tucker Ellis Atty To Co-Chair Appellate Team

    Tucker Ellis LLP announced on Thursday that it has named one of its longtime Cleveland-based attorneys as co-chair of its appellate and legal issues practice.

  • Cozen O'Connor Promotes 36 Attorneys To Member

    Cozen O'Connor has elevated three dozen of its attorneys to its member level, the largest promotion class for the firm and an increase from the 30 attorneys promoted last year.

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    $4M Bonus Lifts Wells Fargo GC Pay To Over $12M In 2025

    The general counsel and senior executive vice president of Wells Fargo & Co. earned more than $12 million in 2025 with help from a $4 million bonus, the company has disclosed in a securities filing.

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    Ferguson Braswell, Ethikos Launch Cross-Border Partnership

    Ferguson Braswell Fraser & Kubasta LLP has entered into a partnership with Belgium-based law firm Ethikos to offer a cross-border anti-money laundering compliance and enforcement defense platform in response to intensified regulatory scrutiny that can gum up transactions when the parties are international.

  • Nomination For New DOJ Fraud Chief Heads To Senate Floor

    The nomination of Colin McDonald for the new position of assistant attorney general for fraud was sent to the full Senate on Thursday, after the Judiciary Committee voted 12-10 along party lines to advance his nomination.

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    Pillsbury Brings On Latham Insurance Recovery Pro In LA

    Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP is growing its insurance recovery team with a Latham & Watkins LLP attorney brought on as a partner in the firm's Los Angeles office, the city announced Wednesday.

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    DOJ Understaffing Takes Toll After 'Unprecedented' Exodus

    Federal criminal and civil cases, like a recently dismissed gun prosecution in Minnesota, are being plagued by delays, extension requests and missed deadlines as a result of the large number of attorneys who have departed the DOJ since President Donald Trump returned to office and the inexperienced lawyers replacing them.

  • Calif. Bills Would Reform Litigation Funding, Client Recruiting

    Two new bills introduced to the California Assembly this week seek to impose reforms on the state's legal industry, including adding mandatory disbarment for attorneys convicted of felony "capping" — or illegally paying for client recruitment — and blocking corporate litigation funders from influencing cases.

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    How This CLO Uses His Black Belt Mentality At Korn Ferry

    Jonathan Kuai has a black belt — both literally and figuratively. The executive search firm’s chief legal officer admitted that he has forgotten the skills he learned from the milestone that he achieved at a younger age. But the self-described "trusted business leader with a law degree" also said he has a black belt in the "get-it-done" mentality at work.

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    Deals Rebound As Lit Finance Finds Footing After Shakeout

    Litigation finance deal volume rebounded modestly in 2025 after two years of decline following an industrywide shakeout, while BigLaw pulled back from tapping into litigation financing opportunities, according to a new report.

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    King & Spalding Adds Winston & Strawn IP Litigator In SF

    The parade of Winston & Strawn LLP litigators moving to King & Spalding LLP continues with a patent litigator being the latest to make the move, becoming a partner in the San Francisco office.

  • K&L Gates Adds Ex-Protection Law, Littler Labor Atty In LA

    K&L Gates LLP has added a labor and employment partner with experience at Protection Law Group and Littler Mendelson to its Labor, Employment and Workplace Safety practice in Los Angeles, according to an announcement Tuesday.

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    Willkie Adds Ex-O'Melveny Atty As Energy Partner In LA

    Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP continues to beef up its Los Angeles presence, most recently with the addition of an attorney from O'Melveny & Myers LLP who brings a wealth of experience and knowledge in the infrastructure and energy sectors, the firm announced on Tuesday. 

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    Goodwin Launches OC Office With 3 Ex-Jones Day Partners

    Goodwin Procter LLP has launched its first Orange County office with a trio of powerhouse cybersecurity and privacy attorneys from Jones Day, marking yet another expansion of its West Coast footprint, with existing offices in Los Angeles, Santa Monica and the Bay Area, the firm announced Tuesday.

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    Weil Names Private Equity Pro As Next Executive Partner

    A current co-managing partner of Weil Gotshal & Manges LLP and co-head of the U.S. private equity practice will succeed Barry Wolf as executive partner in January 2027 before he has to retire at the end of next year, the firm announced Tuesday.

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    Manatt Adds 3 Entertainment Attys In LA From Nixon Peabody

    Manatt Phelps & Phillips LLP has expanded its entertainment group by adding a team of four entertainment attorneys to its Los Angeles office, three of them coming from Nixon Peabody LLP.

  • New Disney CEO Taking Over With Annual Meeting

    The Walt Disney Co.'s annual shareholder meeting on Wednesday is the company's first day with Josh D'Amaro as CEO.

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    Simpson Thacher Adds Kirkland Finance Pros In Houston, LA

    Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP announced Tuesday that it has added partners in Houston and Los Angeles to its recently formed capital structure solutions practice, both of whom previously practiced with Kirkland & Ellis LLP.

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    Fenwick Healthcare Regulatory Atty Rejoins Latham In LA

    Latham & Watkins LLP is boosting its healthcare team, announcing Monday it is welcoming back a Fenwick & West LLP healthcare regulatory expert as a partner in its Los Angeles office.

  • Winston & Strawn Sanctioned For Trying To 'Make Up Facts'

    A California federal judge sanctioned Winston & Strawn LLP on Monday for making up facts and otherwise misrepresenting the record in contract litigation over its client's app being removed from Apple's platform, then separately dismissed the case on the merits.

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    Kelley Drye Opens 3rd California Office In San Francisco

    Kelley Drye & Warren LLP announced Monday that the firm has opened an office in San Francisco, marking its third West Coast location and first outside of Southern California.

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Expert Analysis

  • Talking Mental Health: Working As A Mom Of An Autistic Son Author Photo

    Sarah Kovit Hanna at Assurant discusses how she balances the demands of her in-house role and the support needs of her son, who was diagnosed with autism, as a single mom, and reflects on how the legal industry can better support caretakers of family members who have special needs.

  • Ask A Mentor: How Can I Maximize My Pro Bono Impact? Author Photo

    Debbie Berman at Jenner & Block offers advice on how attorneys can make a meaningful impact on their communities through pro bono work while enhancing their professional development through strengthened client-facing skills, hands-on experience and more.

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    My Nonpracticing Law Job: Law Firm Marketer Author Photo

    Liz Bard Lindley at Jaffe PR shares how she went from a family law associate who helped write industry articles to a savvy legal public relations and marketing professional, and offers takeaways for any attorney who might not feel at home in their law practice and is considering alternative career paths.

  • The Case For Keeping The Gas On Deputy GC Compensation Author Photo

    In recent years, the deputy general counsel role has expanded and become increasingly vital in organizations across the globe, and companies should consider a few ways to retain this top talent, including by offering competitive compensation that reflects projected increases, says Heather Fine at Major Lindsey.

  • Talking Mental Health: The View From Life After BigLaw Author Photo

    Life coach and author Wendy Tamis Robbins discusses why she left a career in BigLaw to work in the professional well-being space after finding freedom from anxiety, obsessive-compulsive disorder and substance use disorders, and highlights two changes the legal industry should implement to address attorneys' mental health.

  • 6 Essential Skills For Summer Associates To Land An Offer
    Excerpt from Practical Guidance
    Author Photo

    With full-time offer rates at the lowest point since 2012, summer associates must do all they can to distinguish themselves, starting with a few fundamentals — from the importance of asking clarifying questions to being honest about mistakes, says James Argionis at Cozen O'Connor.

  • Making Legal Cents: How Law Firms Can Innovate Faster Author Photo

    To meet the demands of an evolving legal market and changing client expectations, law firms must not only embrace innovation, but also find ways to accelerate adoption and mitigate risks in an industry historically resistant to change, says Shireen Hilal at Maior Strategic Consulting.

  • Ask A Mentor: How Should Departing Partners Approach Pay? Author Photo

    Sabina Lippman at CenterPeak discusses steps BigLaw partners can take when considering a move or announcing their departure to help navigate tricky compensation issues and remain on good terms with their current partners.

  • How 2 Litigators Decided Dad Would Stay Home With The Kids Author Photo

    Jennifer Hoekstra at Aylstock Witkin shares the tough conversations about timing, goals, logistics and values involved in her family's decision that she would build her career as a litigator and law firm partner while her husband stepped back from his own litigation role to stay home with their children.

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    My Nonpracticing Law Job: Legal Commentary Ghostwriter Author Photo

    Wayne Pollock at Copo Strategies shares how he went from overworked Am Law 50 associate to owner of a legal thought leadership ghostwriting service, and provides four lessons for anyone who might be considering launching a business within the legal industry.

  • Ask A Mentor: As Trials Grow Rarer, How Do I Hone My Skills? Author Photo

    Gary Parsons at Brooks Pierce offers advice for young lawyers seeking trial experience in an environment where fewer cases make it to trial, including how to build their reputations, set their expectations and pick the right firm.

  • Talking Mental Health: Managing Depression As A Co. Founder Author Photo

    New Era ADR co-founder Collin Williams discusses his journey navigating a clinical depression diagnosis, how this experience affected his leadership style, and what the legal industry can do to better support attorneys with mental health conditions.

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    My Nonpracticing Law Job: Career And Wellness Coach Author Photo

    Tara Rhoades at The Sanity Plea shares how she went from BigLaw partner to legal industry career and wellness coach, and explains how attorneys can use their capabilities, knowledge and professional networks to pursue coaching themselves, or bring refreshed meaning and purpose to their current roles.

  • Series

    Talking Mental Health: Tackling Stress As A Practice Leader Author Photo

    Constance Rhebergen at Bracewell discusses how she handles the stress of being a practice chair, how sources of stress have changed in the legal industry over the past decade and what law firms can do to protect attorney mental health.

  • Making Legal Cents: Engaging A Remote, Evolving Workforce Author Photo

    In the face of a dispersed and changing workforce with Generation Z entering the scene, law firms should consider some practical strategies to revitalize their cultures, provide meaningful mentorship and safeguard their knowledge bases, says Shireen Hilal at Maior Strategic Consulting.

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