California Pulse


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    Susman Godfrey Founder, 'Preeminent' Litigator, Dies

    H. Lee Godfrey, one of the founders of litigation boutique Susman Godfrey LLP, died on Monday, leaving behind a legacy as a thoughtful leader who performed exceptional work as a trial attorney, firm leaders said.

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    O'Melveny Adds Two CLO Experts From Orrick In NY And LA

    O'Melveny & Myers LLP announced Monday the hire of a pair of former Orrick Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP attorneys who have worked together across multiple firms for nearly 15 years to its corporate finance practice, which the firm says has grown from three to 16 partners over the last five years.

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    The Top In-House Hires Of May

    Legal department hires over the past month included high-profile appointments at Adobe, Takeda Pharmaceutical and Duke Energy. Here, Law360 Pulse looks at some of the top in-house announcements from May.

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    Quinn Emanuel Focuses On Building AI-Positive Culture

    While many in the legal industry may be apprehensive about generative artificial intelligence, leaders at Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan LLP are working to get the firm's attorneys excited about the technology and willing to experiment with it in their work.

  • Bird Marella's Sanctions Win Upheld In $2.25M Fraud Dispute

    A California appellate panel has affirmed Bird Marella's terminating sanctions win against Frontline Medical Associates, holding that a state judge did not abuse her discretion by finding Frontline committed fraud on the court in its suit alleging the firm tricked it into paying $2.25 million for legal services for one of the firm's clients.

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    More Californians Face Legal Issues, But Get Less Help

    The gap between the need for civil legal services for Californians and the help that is actually available has grown over the past five years, as has the income level of those affected by that gap, according to a new study from the State Bar of California.

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    Akin Adds Federal Export And Security Head As Adviser

    Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP is boosting its international trade practice, bringing in an expert in export enforcement with the U.S. Department of Commerce as a senior regulatory adviser.

  • Law360 Pulse Spotlight On Mid-Law Work

    Susman Godfrey's selection as the head of multidistrict litigation against Microsoft and OpenAI and Benesch's work on an $800 million public offering on behalf of a longtime client lead this edition of Law360 Pulse's Spotlight on Mid-Law Work, recapping the top matters for Mid-Law firms from May 16 to 30.

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    Law360's Legal Lions Of The Week

    Clement & Murphy PLLC leads this week's edition of Law360 Legal Lions, after a D.C. federal judge struck down President Donald Trump's executive order targeting WilmerHale.

  • ABA Leader Says Silence 'Not An Alternative' On Trump EOs

    While American Bar Association President Bill Bay says he's seen no shortage of criticism and even threats for publicly opposing the Trump administration's executive orders targeting law firms, he told attendees at an ABA ethics conference that being silent was not a viable alternative.

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    The Path To $2B Merger Of Herbert Smith, Kramer Levin

    Herbert Smith Freehills LLP and Kramer Levin Naftalis & Frankel LLP on Sunday will go live with their planned merger, which will combine 2,700 lawyers and more than $2 billion in revenue from both firms.

  • Fenwick & West Leases New San Francisco Office Space

    Fenwick & West LLP will move to a new San Francisco office after signing a 50,000-square foot lease for office space in a 38-story Class A office tower owned by real estate investment trust Paramount Group Inc., according to an announcement from JLL.

  • Thompson Hine Brings Ex-Troutman Real Estate Atty To LA

    Thompson Hine LLP hired a former Troutman Pepper Locke LLP real estate transactions partner as a new real estate partner in Los Angeles, the firm announced May 29.

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    Sidley Leaders On Firm's Active Lateral Hiring This Year

    As of the end of May, Sidley Austin LLP has made 45 lateral partner additions so far this year, outpacing the vast majority of large law firms in lateral hiring as its new executive committee chair Brian Fahrney took the reins this spring.

  • Voir Dire: Law360 Pulse's Weekly Quiz

    The legal industry ended May with another action-packed week as BigLaw firms expanded practices and attorneys took on new roles. Test your legal news savvy here with Law360 Pulse’s weekly quiz.

  • Calif. Justices Propose Tweaking Rules For Bar Examiners

    The California Supreme Court has proposed changes to the administration of the state's troubled bar exam, circulating a slate of amendments designed to clarify the role of the Committee of Bar Examiners, including spelling out its duty to review and approve all questions used in the exam.

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    9th Circ. Judge Warns Of 'Rule Of Law Recession'

    On Thursday, Beverly Hills trial lawyer Paul Kiesel brought together a panel including a former U.S. Department of Justice senior trial counsel, a state attorney general, and former BigLaw associate Rachel Cohen, to discuss what Senior U.S. Circuit Judge M. Margaret McKeown called a "rule of law recession."

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    'Silent Majority' Of GCs Band Together To Protect Rule Of Law

    A few hundred general counsel have recently joined together in a private, bipartisan group, aiming to rally their collective power, from potentially gathering signatures for future amicus briefs to fielding questions about factors to consider when changing outside counsel, to preserve the rule of law in the wake of the Trump administration's executive orders against law firms.

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    Seyfarth Adds Greenspoon Marder Corporate Atty In LA

    Seyfarth Shaw LLP is expanding its West Coast team, bringing in a former Greenspoon Marder LLP transactional attorney as a partner in its Los Angeles office in Century City.

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    Crowell & Moring Hires Ex-EPA Deputy Assistant Admin In SF

    Crowell & Moring LLP announced on Thursday the hiring of a former deputy assistant administrator from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency as senior counsel in the firm's environmental and regulatory enforcement groups in its San Francisco office.

  • Law Firm Real Estate Report

    May was a month of new markets for several firms as they made their first entries into a handful of notable U.S. cities. They include Carlton Fields, which expanded into Minnesota with a new Minneapolis office staffed by attorneys formerly with Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough LLP. And a merger with a Seattle-based firm gave Dickinson Wright PLLC its first office in the Pacific Northwest.

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    Willkie Brings On Musician-Turned-Atty In LA From Manatt

    Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP has hired a former Manatt Phelps & Phillips LLP partner and professional musician for its corporate and financial services department and entertainment transactions practice.

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    Eversheds, William Fry Call Off Irish Merger Talks

    Eversheds Sutherland's Irish office will not go ahead with a discussed plan to merge with Dublin-based William Fry LLP, the two firms said Thursday.

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    ID Verification Platform Fights Bid To DQ MoFo In IP Dispute

    Identity verification platform Jumio urged a California federal court to reject a bid to disqualify Morrison & Foerster LLP as its counsel in patent litigation over facial recognition technology, saying the law firm had not been co-counsel with its previously disqualified firm, Perkins Coie LLP.

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    Freshfields Gains New Tech M&A Leadership From Debevoise

    Freshfields LLP announced Wednesday that it has hired a former Debevoise & Plimpton LLP attorney in San Francisco to co-lead its U.S. tech and life sciences mergers and acquisitions practice.

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Expert Analysis

  • Making Legal Cents: Firm Culture Is The New Game Plan Author Photo

    Law firm culture is often dismissed as a soft factor — merely platitudes on a website that seem disconnected from the bottom line — but by intentionally embedding a strong culture into day-to-day operations, law firms can achieve sustainable success, says Shireen Hilal at Maior Strategic Consulting.

  • 5 Questions Firms Must Ask For Successful Lateral Integration Author Photo

    To ensure that lateral partners effectively integrate their books of business, firms should design a structured transition plan based on a few fundamentals, from tracking the right data to implementing meaningful incentives, says Lana Manganiello at Practice Growth Partner.

  • Goldilocks Solution: Why The 4-Day Office Week Is Just Right Author Photo

    As law firms continue to wrestle with return-to-office policies, many are being pulled toward one or the other of two extremes: the rigidity of a five-day in-office schedule and the laissez-faire approach of a flexible three-day hybrid model — but a four-day in-office workweek may be the sweet spot, says Paul Manuele at PR Manuele Consulting.

  • As Attys Adopt Generative AI, 3 Elements Should Be Cardinal Author Photo

    As the legal world increasingly adopts generative artificial intelligence, lawyers and firms must develop and utilize strong prompting skills, keep a pulse on forthcoming tech evolutions, and remain steadfast to ethical obligations, say Michele Carney at Carney & Marchi and Marty Robles-Avila at BAL.

  • Rethinking 'No Comment' For Clients Facing Public Crises Author Photo

    “No comment” is no longer a cost-free or even a viable public communications strategy for companies in crisis, and counsel must tailor their guidance based on a variety of competing factors to help clients emerge successfully, says Robert Bowers at Moore & Van Allen.

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    Biz Development Tip Of The Month: Prioritize Connections Author Photo

    One reason business development in the legal industry seems so mysterious is because human relationships are so complex, but lawyers can reorient their thinking in two important ways to drive the process of connecting with new colleagues and contacts, say Jamie Lawless and Angela Quinn at Husch Blackwell.

  • Overcoming US Law Firms' Hesitancy To Enter Indian Market Author Photo

    Successful private equity exits with strong returns have solidified India's buyout market as an increasingly attractive destination for future investments, offering compelling reasons for the U.S. legal community to overcome its caution on the country's markets, says Vaishali Movva at Eimer Stahl.

  • Biz Development Tip Of The Month: Make A Plan For The Year Author Photo

    While firms are busy allocating resources and assessing client demand, individual attorneys should use the start of the year to slow down and create a personal business plan, which can be accomplished with a few steps, say Elizabeth Gooch, Teri Robshaw and Chris Newman at McDermott.

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    Talking Mental Health: Caring For Everyone As A Firm Leader Author Photo

    Reid Phillips at Brooks Pierce discusses how he manages the pressure of running a law firm, how sources of stress in the legal industry have changed over the past decade, and what firm leaders should do to help manage burnout and mental health issues among employees.

  • How Firms Can Use LinkedIn To Aid Marketing Efforts In 2025 Author Photo

    LinkedIn has several features law firms can use to showcase their capabilities and thought leadership to reach prospective and existing clients, including the Event and Live features, says Sofia Millar at Reputation Ink.

  • Talking Mental Health: Managing Emotions In Trauma Cases Author Photo

    Nikki Hurtado at The Ferraro Law Firm discusses what motivates her to represent victims of catastrophic injuries, how she copes with the emotional toll of such cases, and what other attorneys taking on similar cases can do to protect their mental well-being.

  • Strategies For Successful Law Firm Mergers In 2025 Author Photo

    Law firms are expected to continue consolidating in the year to come, and because these mergers require a different kind of playbook, firm leaders must carefully consider office culture nuances, professional services economics and talent retention strategy before any merger, say directors at FTI Consulting.

  • Making Legal Cents: Winning More Work In A Crowded Market Author Photo

    In a market where clients have more options, tighter budgets and higher expectations, firms must figure out how to differentiate themselves without discounting their rates, and several practical strategies for pitching, pricing and early-engagement communication can help, says Shireen Hilal at Maior Strategic Consulting.

  • Best Practices For Implementing Firm Revenue Cycle Roles Author Photo

    Law firm revenue cycles are becoming more complex and time-consuming, but hiring dedicated revenue cycle personnel can help streamline the process and reduce the burden on attorneys, says Christine Indiano at Harbor Global.

  • Tips For Constructing Your Small-Law Exit Strategy Author Photo

    By initiating planning and processes to evaluate personal retirement goals and firm value early, longtime solo practitioners and small-firm owners can unlock a range of possibilities and potential buyers, setting up for a profitable exit and a rewarding transition, says Brent Daub at Gilson Daub.

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