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Georgia Pulse

141 Law Firms Honored For LGBTQ+ Equality

By Steven Lerner

The number of U.S. law firms receiving a perfect score for LGBTQ+ equality has increased since a report last year, indicating that the legal industry has further advanced workplace protections.
Ga. Atty Says Eleventh-Hour Call Backs Client-Stealing Claims

By Rosie Manins

A Georgia medical malpractice attorney urged a state judge on Thursday to keep alive his client-stealing case over the end of a multimillion-dollar co-counsel partnership, citing an overnight conversation with a former client who claimed to have been turned against him.
Winston & Strawn Antes Up With Associate Pay Bump

By Emily Lever

Winston & Strawn LLP has raised its associate pay, falling in line with a new salary scale set by Milbank LLP, the firm confirmed to Law360 Pulse Thursday.
Lateral Hires Mushroomed In 2021, More Expected In 2022

By Kevin Penton

Lateral hiring at top U.S. law firms in 2021 rose 83% compared with 2020 and 27.5% compared with 2019, as firms struggled to keep up with work as the legal system restarted following pandemic-related shutdowns, according to a report released Thursday.
Ga. Judge Wants Ethics Probe Into Pre-Judicial Conduct Axed

By Jack Rodgers

A suspended Georgia judge and former state lawmaker has urged the Georgia Supreme Court to find that a commission looking to discipline him over alleged misuse of client funds and violations of campaign finance rules lacked jurisdiction to examine conduct preceding his judicial appointment.
Mid-Law Mergers Could Pick Up Amid Interest On All Sides

By Emma Cueto

Amid a small wave of Mid-Law merger announcements in late December and early January, industry observers say 2022 could bring a long-awaited resurgence of merger activity, with Mid-Law firms particularly likely to be involved in tie-ups.
Judge Jackson Back In Spotlight As High Court Contender

By Andrew Kragie

The upcoming vacancy on the U.S. Supreme Court quickly threw the spotlight back on D.C. Circuit Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson, a former clerk for Justice Stephen Breyer whose stature as a likely successor to the retiring justice was suddenly raised Wednesday.
Biden At His Side, Justice Breyer Announces Retirement

By James Arkin

Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer joined President Joe Biden at the White House Thursday to formally announce his retirement, kicking off a rush among Democrats to confirm a new member of the court to replace the oldest serving justice.
Ex-Ga. Judge Says Double Jeopardy Blocks 2nd Hacking Trial

By Rosie Manins

A former Georgia state judge who's facing criminal computer hacking charges urged the Georgia Court of Appeals on Wednesday to void a looming retrial, arguing the bulk of the charges are barred by statutory double jeopardy.
Legal Tech Smashed Investment Records In 2021

By Steven Lerner

Legal technology had a record year of investments in 2021, with at least $9.1 billion through funding or through mergers and acquisitions involving companies in the industry, according to a Law360 Pulse analysis.
'Just Do Your Job': Justice Breyer's Legacy Of Pragmatism

By Jimmy Hoover

With the coming retirement of Justice Stephen Breyer, the U.S. Supreme Court loses not only a core member of its liberal bloc, but also a judicial thinker who cares deeply about making the law work on a practical level, those who worked with him said.
Ex-Breyer Clerks Praise Jurist As Consensus Builder

By Aebra Coe

U.S. Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer, whose impending retirement was revealed Wednesday, has gained a reputation among his former clerks as a consensus-builder, a "statesman" who has looked to build bridges with the overarching goal of preserving the integrity of both the courts and democracy.
2022 Associate Salary And Bonus Tracker

Large law firms ushered in associate pay raises for the second time in two years this January, the latest in a flurry of pay raises and bonuses aimed at keeping and attracting talent.
DLA Piper, Duval & Stachenfeld Bump Up Associate Pay

By Matt Perez

BigLaw firm DLA Piper and New York City real estate boutique Duval & Stachenfeld LLP both informed their attorneys this week they would adopt the associate salary pay scale recently set by Milbank LLP, Law360 Pulse confirmed Wednesday.
Federal Prosecutor Group Calls For Telework Flexibility

By Andrew Strickler

Federal prosecutors "overwhelmingly" want a flexible, two-day-a-week telework policy, according to a survey released Tuesday.
5 Breyer Opinions You Need To Know

By Cara Bayles

Justice Stephen Breyer, who was confirmed Wednesday to be stepping down from the court after 27 years, was a pragmatist who thought about the real-world implications of the high court’s decisions. Here, Law360 looks at some of the cases that epitomize his career.
Justice Breyer To Retire From High Court

By Jacqueline Bell

Justice Stephen Breyer, one of the longest-serving liberal members of the U.S. Supreme Court, will resign his post after more than 27 years on the bench.
Omni CIOs On How Litigation Finance Will Mature in 2022

By Kevin Penton

With every year that passes, litigation funding increasingly becomes an accepted part of the legal industry, says Matthew Harrison, co-chief investment officer of Omni Bridgeway's U.S. operations.
Attys Say 11th Circ. FDCPA Ruling Could Harm Their Practices

By Nathan Hale

Nineteen state creditor bar associations urged the Eleventh Circuit Tuesday to reverse its decision reviving a debtor's claim that a debt collector violated federal privacy laws by transmitting his personal information to a third-party mail vendor, saying such an interpretation would "functionally grind collection litigation to a halt."
CLOs Expanding Legal Ops To Tackle Compliance, M&A

By Sue Reisinger

Chief legal officers will grow legal departments as cybersecurity, compliance and data privacy become the most critical areas for their companies this year, and they find themselves overseeing a greater number of areas in their businesses than in 2020, according to a new survey released Tuesday.
2 More BigLaw Firms Match Milbank Associate Pay Raises

By Sarah Martinson

Washington, D.C.-based WilmerHale and New York City-based Boies Schiller Flexner LLP are among the firms increasing their associates' salaries to match the pay scale recently set by Milbank LLP, Law360 Pulse confirmed Tuesday.
Record Spending On State Justice Seats Comes With Risks

By Jack Karp

An all-time record $97.9 million was spent on campaigns for state high court justices during the 2019-2020 election cycle, with outside interest groups beating their own previous spending marks and potentially undermining the judiciary's fairness, warned a report released Tuesday.
Eversheds Sutherland Offers Credit Hours For Diversity Work

By James Boyle

Eversheds Sutherland implemented a new policy this month to incentivize its U.S. attorneys to work on matters involving diversity, equity and inclusion by giving them billable hour credit.
Beyond Big: Smaller, Hyperfocused Firms Still Stand Out

By Justin Wise

Many of the biggest, most profitable law firms are continuing to get bigger. But that doesn't mean there's less room for smaller firms to occupy a leadership position in a set of practices or with a standout culture.
What Top Public M&A Firms Can Teach Us About Deal Making

By Benjamin Horney

What does it take to become a preeminent legal adviser to the companies that are shaping industries and creating millionaires? Here’s Law360 Pulse’s list of the top firms by total public company deal-making volume and value, and a look at what it takes to become a leader in the field.

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Expert Analysis

The Law Firm Qualities Partners Seek In Lateral Moves
In 2022, partners considering lateral moves have new priorities, and firms that hope to recruit top talent will need to communicate their strategy for growth, engage on hot issues like origination credit and diversity initiatives, and tailor their integration plans toward expanding partners’ client base, says Gloria Sandrino at Lateral Link.
Small Steps Can Help Employers Beat Attorney Burnout
Lawyers are experiencing burnout on a massive, unprecedented scale due to the pandemic, but law firms and institutional players can and should make a difference by focusing on small, practical solutions that protect their attorneys’ most precious personal resource and professional commodity — time, says Chad Sarchio, president of the District of Columbia Bar.
The Evolving Role Of The Law Firm Legal Secretary
Technological shifts during the pandemic and beyond should force firms to rethink how legal secretaries can not only better support timekeepers but also participate in elevating client service, bifurcating the role into an administrative support position and a more elevated practice support role, says Lauren Chung at HBR Consulting.
Ask A Mentor: How Can I Ace My Upcoming Annual Review?
Jennifer Rakstad at White & Case highlights how associates can emphasize achievements and seek support before, during and after their annual review, despite the pandemic’s negative effects on face time with colleagues and business development opportunities.
How Your Law Firm's Brand Can Convey Prestige
In order to be perceived as prestigious by clients and potential recruits, law firms should take their branding efforts beyond designing visual identities and address six key imperatives to differentiate themselves — from identifying intangible core strengths to delivering on promises at every interaction, says Howard Breindel at DeSantis Breindel.
How Dynamic Project Management Can Help Law Firms
Law firms looking to streamline matter management should consider tools that offer both employees and clients real-time access to documents, action items, task assignee information and more, overcoming many of the limitations of project communications via email, says Stephen Weyer at Stites & Harbison.
Ask A Mentor: How Can I Successfully Switch Practices?
Associates who pivot into new practice areas may find that along with the excitement of a fresh start comes some apprehension, but certain proactive steps can help tame anxiety and ensure attorneys successfully adapt to unfamiliar subjects, novel internal processes and different client deliverables, say Susan Berson and Hassan Shaikh at Mintz.
A Road Map For Creating Law Firm Sustainability Programs
Amid demands from clients and prospective hires for greater sustainability efforts, law firms should think beyond reusable mugs and create programs that incorporate clear leadership structures, emission tracking and reduction goals, and frameworks for reporting results, says Gayatri Joshi at the Law Firm Sustainability Network.
Why Firms Should Help Associates Do More Pro Bono Work
Associates may hesitate to take on the added commitment of pro bono matters, but such work has tangible skill-building benefits, so firms should consider compensation and leadership strategies to encourage participation, says Rasmeet Chahil at Lowenstein Sandler.
Confronting The Stigma Of Alcohol Abuse In Legal Industry
The pandemic has likely exacerbated the prevalence of problem drinking in the legal profession, making it critical for lawyers and educators to address alcohol abuse and the associated stigma through issue-specific education, supportive assistance and alcohol-free professional events, says Erica Grigg at the Texas Lawyers' Assistance Program.
Opinion
Lawyers Have Duty To Push For Immigration Court Reform
Attorneys must use their collective voice to urge federal lawmakers to create an Article I immigration court outside executive branch control, helping address the conflicts of interest, political influence and lack of adjudication consistency that prevent migrants from achieving true justice, say Elia Diaz-Yaeger and Carlos Bollar at the Hispanic National Bar Association.
Ask A Mentor: How Can 1st-Year Attys Manage Remote Work?
First-year associates can have a hard time building relationships with colleagues, setting boundaries and prioritizing work-life balance in a remote work environment, so they must be sure to lean on their firms' support systems and practice good time management, say Jenny Lee and Christopher Fernandez at Kirkland.
5 Ways To Lead Lawyer Teams Toward Better Mental Health
Attorney team leaders have a duty to attend to the mental well-being of their subordinates with intention, thought and candor — starting with ensuring their own mental health is in order, says Liam Montgomery at Williams & Connolly.
How Your Summer Associate Events Can Convey Inclusivity
As law firms begin planning next year's summer associate events, they should carefully examine how choice of venue, activity, theme, attendees and formality can create feelings of exclusion for minority associates, and consider changing the status quo to create multiculturally inclusive events, says Sharon Jones at Jones Diversity.
Ask A Mentor: How Do I Negotiate Long-Term Flex Work?
Though the pandemic has shown the value of remote work, many firms are still reluctant to embrace flexible working arrangements when offices reopen, so attorneys should use several negotiating tactics to secure a long-term remote or hybrid work setup that also protects their potential for career advancement, says Elaine Spector at Harrity & Harrity.