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Connecticut Pulse
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Legal Rates Surge Moderates, But Pressure Remains High
As legal departments face mounting pressure to manage costs, increases in hourly billing rates from law firms appear to be moderating, with the first few months of 2025 presenting a snapshot of this reality, according to a recent report from Wolters Kluwer's ELM Solutions.
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The Top In-House Hires Of August
Legal department hires in the last month included high-profile appointments at the Association of Corporate Counsel, GE Vernova, and a California legal legend joining an AI startup named Anthropic. Here, Law360 Pulse looks at some of the top in-house announcements from the past few weeks.
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Connecticut Powerhouse: Wiggin And Dana
This year, Wiggin and Dana LLP attorneys successfully defended one of the highest judgments in Connecticut history and prevailed in an unusual win in a remote education suit from the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.
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Rocker Fights YouTuber's Atty Fees After Defamation Loss
The singer for the popular rock band Falling In Reverse is challenging a request that he pay $40,700 in defense attorney fees incurred by a YouTube personality he unsuccessfully sued for defamation, calling the amount unjustified and "grossly disproportionate" to the work that attorneys with Cohen and Wolf PC had to perform.
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The 2025 Regional Powerhouses
Law360's annual list of regional powerhouses reflects not only the work of exemplary firms, but also emerging legal trends in each state, from matters involving Colorado's growing life sciences industry, to an uptick in bankruptcies in Delaware, to the continued flurry of intellectual property litigation in California.
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Law360's Legal Lions Of The Week
Sullivan & Cromwell LLP leads this week's edition of Law360 Legal Lions, after the Fifth Circuit vacated a pair of Biden-era regulations aimed at bolstering transparency in the short-selling market.
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Scores On July Bar Exam Rise Amid Dip In Test Takers
The number of examinees passing the multistate bar exam in July continued to gain momentum, with near record highs seen this summer over the past 12 years, according to an announcement from the National Conference of Bar Examiners.
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Atty Wants To Pause Law School Loan Case Judgment For Ex
A Florida attorney has asked a Connecticut trial court judge to pause an unjust-enrichment judgment requiring him to repay his ex-girlfriend and mother of his child over $30,000 after the court said she "unwisely" cosigned his law school loans, saying the state judgment must be stayed pending the resolution of a separate federal lawsuit between the onetime couple.
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Law360 Names Attys Who Moved Up The Firm Ranks In Q2
A promotion to partner or election to practice group chair means a slew of new responsibilities and also lots of well-deserved recognition. Law360 reveals the list of attorneys whose commitment to legal excellence earned them highly coveted spots in the law firm leadership ranks. Find out if your old legal friends — or rivals — moved up in the second quarter of the year.
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Voir Dire: Law360 Pulse's Weekly Quiz
BigLaw firms announced a slew of new hires this week as the legal industry sees August recede in the rearview mirror. Test your legal news savvy here with Law360 Pulse's weekly quiz.
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Judge Rejects Reed Smith's Sanctions Bid In Doc Feud
A New York federal judge has ordered the new owner of international shipping company Eletson to turn over documents requested by competitor Levona as the latter company looks to vacate an allegedly fraudulent $102 million arbitral award, while also ruling that Reed Smith LLP's threat of sanctions is unfounded.
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In Their Words: Will AI Kill The Billable Hour?
The rising use of generative artificial intelligence tools that allow attorneys to get work done faster is creating tension with the traditional model of billable hours. Here, six legal leaders give their take on whether AI will eliminate the billable hour.
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FedArb Hires Ex-RTX Legal Chief As Commercial Mediator
California-based alternative dispute resolution service Federal Arbitration Inc., or FedArb, announced Wednesday the hiring of a former corporate vice president and chief litigation counsel at aerospace and defense conglomerate RTX Corp. as a Connecticut-based mediator and arbitrator focused on commercial matters.
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Recruitment Biz Hudson Global Names Post-Merger CLO
Following the completion of its merger with Star Equity Holdings Inc., recruitment company Hudson Global Inc. has named a new chief legal officer, a recent U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission filing shows.
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Harris Beach Office Leader Talks Post-Merger Growth
Alfred R. Casella, a veteran trusts and estates attorney at Harris Beach Murtha Cullina PLLC, was recently named the managing partner of the firm's Hartford, Connecticut, office. In an interview with Law360 Pulse, Casella discussed the office's growth, hiring trends, what practice areas are busy and the momentum the firm has seen since the January combination.
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Law Firm Real Estate Report
Several law firms in the Mid-Atlantic region experienced a busy month of office moves in August, with New Jersey in particular seeing a number of relocations.
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Halloran & Sage Opens 5th Conn. Office With Family Law Trio
Halloran & Sage LLP has added three attorneys from Farrell Geenty Sheeley & Boccalatte PC, establishing a family law practice group and new office on the Connecticut shoreline.
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IP Atty Challenges 'Pittance' Valuation Of Ex-Partners' Names
A longtime Connecticut intellectual property lawyer who left Ohlandt Greeley Ruggiero & Perle LLP to launch his own firm says the names of two deceased partners are worth more to a remaining attorney than an expert's proposed 2% licensing fee, arguing the names achieved "celebrity status" in the IP community.
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In-House Counsel Group Names GE Appliances GC As CEO
The Association of Corporate Counsel, the largest in-house counsel advocacy association, has named the vice president and general counsel of GE Appliances as its next president and CEO, effective in November, according to a Tuesday announcement.
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Why This Small-Firm Lawyer Charges $3,000 Per Hour
As a solo or small firm attorney, would you charge $3,000 per hour? Meet one attorney who does — and learn how his story of ultra-high prices could help you set your own rates.
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Law Firms Saw Strong First Half Of 2025, Wells Fargo Says
The legal industry saw strong performance during the first six months of 2025, according to a report released Tuesday from the Wells Fargo Legal Specialty Group, with strong growth in revenue largely driven by rising billing rates.
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Beyond Pay: How To Retain Your Rainmakers
U.S. law firms are working overtime to keep their top-billing attorneys, as growing profits and higher compensation increase lateral movement.
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With More Rainmakers On The Go, Firms Pay Them Millions
Amid a growing gap between the most profitable BigLaw shops and everyone else, top law firms can afford to pay a lot more to lure rainmakers and their practices.
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Atty Can't Retool Law School Loan Battle With Ex, Court Told
A Florida lawyer fighting Wells Fargo, his former girlfriend, her attorney and others over a $30,000 bill for law school loans paid by his ex has failed to establish a good cause why he should be permitted to amend his complaint for the fourth time, according to a Monday filing in federal court.
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Connecticut Court Backs Ouster Of Tax Atty Over Rogue Email
Connecticut's former tax legal director was properly terminated after she used her work computer to send unauthorized draft legislation from her personal email account to a lobbyist who assumed that it was the state tax department's official position, a Connecticut appeals panel has ruled.
Expert Analysis
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Series
Generating Confidence In A Legal Nonprofit
I started LawWithoutWalls to change the way legal professionals see and think about their world, and it taught me the importance of giving people a reason to believe in your nonprofit mission, as well as how to achieve work-life integration, says Michele DeStefano at the University of Miami.
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Nonequity Partner Frustrations Reflect Erosion Of Opportunity
Nonequity partners report the lowest satisfaction, highest stress and poorest financial outlook of any group of lawyers, highlighting a growing structural disconnect that leaves attorneys at many firms feeling like the ladder has been pulled up behind those who already ascended, says Jake Carroll at Nelson Mullins.
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Series
Building Brand Awareness For A Legal Nonprofit
I co-founded the Bridging the Gap Scholarship as a way to increase minority representation in BigLaw, and my advice for other legal professionals starting a nonprofit is to focus on building brand awareness early on, and to get comfortable delegating work to a dedicated team, says Imani Maatuka at Sidley.
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Learn Your Colleagues To Cross-Sell Their Services Fearlessly
Understanding where colleagues in other practice areas shine can help attorneys confidently cross-sell each other's services and bring in business to keep the firm afloat in hard times, says Joe Calve at Calve Communications.
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Series
Biz Development Tip Of The Month: Advertise Ethically
Business development in the legal industry is about building authentic connections and showcasing expertise in a way that reflects reality, and, when done right, it can elevate a practice, establish credibility and bring in clients without risking an ethics violation, says Melody Jackson at Robinhood.
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Ask A Mentor: How Do I Help After Mental Health Leave?
Molly Ranns at the State Bar of Michigan suggests five ways to smooth a colleague's return to practice after short-term mental health leave, while creating a firm culture that protects employees’ emotional health.
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Tips For Attracting Stellar CLOs In A Competitive Landscape
Amid a rapidly changing regulatory environment and a fierce market for talent, companies hoping to attract the best chief legal officers must have a strong grasp of their roles’ biggest selling points, and any roadblocks that may prevent them from recruiting the strongest choice, says Heather Fine at Major Lindsey.
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'Golden Handcuffs' May Be A Double-Edge Sword For Firms
As law firms increasingly use certain financial incentives to retain partners in a fierce lateral market, managing partners should consider the pros and cons of various deferred compensation schemes, says Tom Hanlon at Buchanan Law.
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The 10-Min. Rule For Building A Business Development Habit
Many lawyers assume that becoming a rainmaker requires a significant investment of time and effort, but the truth is that building a consistent habit of business development can start with just 10 minutes of strategic outreach a day, says Paul Manuele at PR Manuele Consulting.
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5 Pointers For Firm Leaders Communicating Tough Decisions
Certain law firm decisions — such as whether to challenge an executive order — cannot be crowdsourced, but leadership can collaboratively communicate these choices using strategies that build trust, reinforce values and preserve cohesion, says John Hellerman at Hellerman Communications.
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Series
Biz Development Tip Of The Month: Create A Succession Plan.jpg)
Conversations around retirement and succession can be understandably difficult, but when attorneys make a plan for the transition early and effectively, they have the opportunity to not only keep work but also increase it, says Jillian McKenna at Verrill Dana.
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Looking Under The Hood Of The $3,000 Billable Hour
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In recent years, top-tier law firms have pushed hourly rates to unprecedented heights, with some partners commanding $3,000 per hour — but this eye-popping number doesn’t tell the full story, as there are numerous caveats and rigorous winnowing along the way, says Christopher Seck at Squire Patton.
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How Law Firms Can Keep Nonequity Partners Happy
Law firms that successfully manage two-tiered partnership do so by creating a culture that treats everyone with respect and by establishing financial incentives outside their base compensation to reward performance, says Carol Morganstern at Major Lindsey.
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Series
Biz Development Tip Of The Month: Leverage Your Atty Bio
If maintained properly, your firm bio can help attract potential clients and create authentic connections, so it's crucial to take steps to write an updated attorney profile that goes beyond a list of credentials, says Raychel Lean at Reputation Ink.
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Ask A Mentor: How Can I Promote Thoughtful Use Of AI?
Eran Kahana at Maslon discusses how partners can encourage responsible use of artificial intelligence tools within their firms by learning to spot pitfalls common to AI-generated work product and championing firmwide procedures and trainings that address the risks of uncritically relying on this powerful but imperfect technology.