California Pulse


  • Law360's Legal Lions Of The Week

    Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP leads this week's edition of Law360 Legal Lions, after a California federal jury cleared Armistice Capital and two of its executives of class action claims that it pumped and dumped $250 million in Vaxart stock during the COVID-19 pandemic and violated federal securities law with insider trading.

  • Samantha Wellington.jpg

    EBay Legal Chief Gets $8.4M In Compensation In 2025

    The chief legal officer of eBay Inc. received roughly $8.4 million in compensation for 2025, her first full year in the post, according to a public filing.

  • Voir Dire: Law360 Pulse's Weekly Quiz

    Insights on 2026 law firm performance and BigLaw firm efforts to expand practice offerings made this another action-packed week for the legal industry. Test your legal news savvy here with Law360 Pulse's weekly quiz.

  • Cannabis Dispute Ends With Plaintiff Co. Facing $1.34M Default

    A California state court snuffed out a Los Angeles cannabis company's fraud lawsuit against its investors and landlords, which were accused of stealing $40 million and wrecking its cannabis license, opening the door for the ex-business partners to score a $1.34 million default judgment.

  • Matthew A. Schwartz.png

    Choice Of Trump's Attys For Bench Worries Some, Not Others

    President Donald Trump is drawing from a pool of his own personal lawyers to fill some seats on the federal bench — a change in strategy from his first term that some experts say is unremarkable, but that others worry will undermine the legitimacy of the courts.

  • Ali Hartley Headshot (1).jpg

    This CLO Shifts Mindsets About AI From 'Fear To Innovation'

    When Ali Hartley introduced AI to her team members at electronic health record platform SimplePractice, she asked them to create a cafe menu using AI in less than 30 minutes. She wanted the exercise to show her employees — who at the time ranged from former software coders to people who had never experimented with ChatGPT — that AI can serve as a creative and innovative partner.

  • suparna-datta.png

    Buchalter Adds Engineer Turned Patent Atty From Mintz

    Buchalter PC announced Wednesday that it has welcomed an engineer-turned-lawyer to its Los Angeles and San Francisco offices, touting her long-standing experience as a patent litigator and registered patent attorney.

  • iStock-803050634.jpg

    Law Firm Real Estate Report

    An active April saw several law firms around the country expand their footprints into new markets and move their teams into new spaces.

  • Sheppard IP partners.jpg

    Sheppard Adds 15 Perkins Trial Attys As It Targets IP Growth

    Sheppard announced another major addition to its intellectual property practice on Thursday, welcoming a 15-lawyer litigation team from Perkins Coie that includes five partners.

  • iStock-2171612854.jpg

    Why A Mid-Law Firm Went All In On One E-Discovery Platform

    Mound Cotton Wollan & Greengrass LLP selected CS Disco as its preferred provider for e-discovery technology, the mid-sized law firm confirmed exclusively to Law360 Pulse on Thursday.

  • iStock-2166399130.jpg

    Demand Rebound, Rising Rates Fuel BigLaw Revenue Jump

    BigLaw firms had a strong first quarter of 2026, driven by ever-increasing billing rates and higher-than-expected demand for legal services, according to survey results released Wednesday.

  • iStock-1216869584.jpg

    Life After BigLaw: These Attys Found Freedom At Boutiques

    Former BigLaw attorneys who are now practicing at boutiques are grateful for their experiences at those large law companies, but they are finding a small law arrangement gives them more control over their practices.

  • nelson_chris_ex.png

    Epport Richman Litigator Joins Fox Rothschild In LA

    Fox Rothschild LLP announced Wednesday it has added a Los Angeles-based partner from Epport Richman & Robbins LLP to its litigation department, touting his experience representing corporate clients in commercial disputes, corporate governance lawsuits and securities litigation.

  • istock.png

    Associates Are Facing Shifting, Unclear In-Office Policies

    Law firm policies on in-office work are in flux and often require reading between the lines of office culture and leader preferences in order to fully comply, a reality that's driving a high degree of frustration in the industry, according to recruiters who work with lateral associate candidates.

  • Dems Say Calif. Redistricting Map Isn't Racial Gerrymandering

    The campaign arm of House Democrats has asked a California federal judge to toss a challenge to the state's new voter-backed congressional districts, saying state Republicans had failed to provide direct evidence that it benefits one race more.

  • iStock-1165760292.jpg

    Legalist Raises $415M Fund To Bring Total Assets To $2B

    Legalist has raised $415 million for a new fund that aims to continue the litigation funder's strategy of investing in a wide variety of relatively small cases with the help of technology.

  • kwok_andrew_akwok_pr.jpg

    Mayer Brown Adds Ex-PEG CLO To LA Funds Practice

    Mayer Brown LLP announced Tuesday that an experienced corporate attorney has joined the firm's Los Angeles office as a global funds and asset management partner following a stint working as chief legal officer with real estate investment firm PEG Cos. Inc.

  • soleil-t-boughton.png

    Hims & Hers' Legal Chief Earned $4.8M In 2025

    Soleil Boughton, chief legal officer of Hims & Hers Health Inc., earned total compensation of $4.8 million last year, according to a securities filing Tuesday.

  • lisa-mclaughlin_WEB.jpg

    HSF Kramer Appoints Belfast Lead As ALSP Managing Partner

    Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer LLP on Tuesday announced the appointment of a partner who has been with the firm for over two decades as its new managing partner of digital legal delivery, its alternative legal services practice.

  • iStock-1300893004.jpg

    AI-Powered Legal Ops Is Starting To Pay Off On Deals

    A new study supports what some legal industry experts have been saying for months — an AI-driven legal operating model is taking over the contract management industry and has begun giving companies a real return on their investment. 

  • iStock-2268068054.jpg

    Legal Ops Teams Grapple With Slew Of 'AI Native' Firms

    The growing number of law firms pitching themselves as "AI native" is generating feelings of artificial intelligence fatigue inside corporate legal departments, as legal operations experts say the term is becoming diluted amid the rush to cash in on the AI boom.

  • Philbin_Rachael_head_1200x1200.jpg

    Axinn Hires Chief Innovation Officer From Proskauer

    Axinn Veltrop & Harkrider LLP announced Monday the hiring of Rachael Philbin, previously at Proskauer Rose LLP, as its chief innovation officer out of New York City.

  • Chas Hipp FBFK Law.png

    Ferguson Braswell Hires COO To Support Texas, Calif. Growth

    Texas-based Ferguson Braswell Fraser Kubasta PC, which now goes by the name FBFK Law Firm, said Monday that the firm has hired its first chief operating officer to help support its growth efforts in its home state and California.

  • Google_Kent Walker.png

    Alphabet CLO's Pay Drops $1M To $29M In 2025

    The president of global affairs and chief legal officer and secretary of Alphabet Inc. saw his pay drop by $1 million last year after the company discontinued a bonus program for senior executives, the tech giant disclosed in a filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.

  • Ryan Estes.png

    DLA Piper Litigator Joins Atkinson Andelson In California

    Atkinson Andelson Loya Ruud & Romo PLC announced that the firm has added a former DLA Piper litigator as a partner based out of the Los Angeles suburb of Cerritos, California.

Can't find the article you're looking for? Click here to search the California Pulse archive.

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.

  • Series

    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.

  • Series

    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.

  • Series

    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.

×

Law360

Law360 Law360 UK Law360 Tax Authority Law360 Employment Authority Law360 Insurance Authority Law360 Real Estate Authority Law360 Healthcare Authority Law360 Bankruptcy Authority

Rankings

NEWLeaderboard Analytics Social Impact Leaders Prestige Leaders Pulse Leaderboard Women in Law Report Law360 400 Diversity Snapshot Rising Stars Summer Associates

National Sections

Modern Lawyer Courts Daily Litigation In-House Mid-Law Legal Tech & AI Small Law Insights

Regional Sections

California Pulse Connecticut Pulse DC Pulse Delaware Pulse Florida Pulse Georgia Pulse New Jersey Pulse New York Pulse Pennsylvania Pulse Texas Pulse

Site Menu

Subscribe Advanced Search About Contact