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Pennsylvania Pulse
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Approach The Bench: Justice Stewart Blasts Partisan Races
Ohio Supreme Court Justice Melody Stewart has some choice words for a colleague who chose to challenge her reelection bid rather than run for the seat he occupies now.
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3rd Circ. Won't Rethink AbbVie Privilege Ruling
The Third Circuit refused Monday to reconsider a ruling that found AbbVie was unable to show a lower court went against precedent or made errors when ordering the drugmaker to turn over attorney communications from a patent case allegedly meant to delay an AndroGel rival.
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Steelers Owner Says Partner's Silence Is Stalling TD Air Sale
The majority owner and president of the Pittsburgh Steelers — who is also a consultant at Buchanan Ingersoll & Rooney PC — wants a Pennsylvania state court to make a purportedly nonresponsive business partner sell his one-third share of a company that formerly owned and operated private jets.
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Plaintiffs' Attys Found Not Violating Soliciting Rules In OT Suit
Current and former employees of a Pennsylvania coal company earned conditional certification and did not violate soliciting rules for a collective action accusing management of violating overtime rules by not compensating time spent attending to gear before and after shifts, a federal judge ruled.
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As Gen AI Takes Hold, Law Firms Reassess E-Discovery Tools
In addition to cost and usability, law firms are adding generative artificial intelligence to the checklist of things to consider when evaluating current and new e-discovery platforms.
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DLA Piper Welcomes Energy Attorney To Philly Office
A transactional attorney specializing in advising clients on renewable energy and sustainability projects has moved her practice from Allen & Overy LLP to DLA Piper's Philadelphia office.
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Women Attys Navigate Shifting Expectations Over Makeup
Some women attorneys say makeup helps them feel more polished and confident at work, but they acknowledge that the desire to express themselves this way is often dictated by the legal industry's idea of what's appropriate, forcing them to navigate ever-shifting expectations in a field once shaped by men.
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Pa. Panel Says Tort Statute Can't Kill Contract Claims
A Pennsylvania appellate panel has revived a breach of contract suit brought by a pro se litigant against his former counsel for failing to provide adequate legal services, finding the trial court was wrong to reclassify the contract complaint as a tort claim for legal malpractice and then toss it on statutory grounds.
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Judges And Law Scholars Divided Over AI Standing Orders
Several federal judges have issued standing orders blocking or putting guidelines on the use of artificial intelligence over accuracy issues with the technology, but a few legal scholars have raised concerns that the orders might discourage attorneys and self-represented litigants from using AI.
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Law360's Legal Lions Of The Week
Weil Gotshal & Manges LLP leads this week's edition of Law360 Legal Lions, after a Second Circuit panel rejected what it characterized as a lower court's "new standard" for so-called patent monopolies.
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Voir Dire: Law360 Pulse's Weekly Quiz
The legal industry began spring with a busy week of BigLaw moves as firms expanded practices and shifted headcounts. Test your legal news savvy here with Law360 Pulse’s weekly quiz.
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Attys Laud Pa. Succession Rule, Urge Tweaks For Small Firms
A proposed rule that would require Pennsylvania attorneys to file written succession plans for their practices has been largely welcomed as necessary to protect clients, but experts acknowledge it may require changes to address the burden it would place on smaller firms and solo practitioners.
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Biden's Judicial Nominees Face New Barriers
President Joe Biden is encountering new hurdles to placing his judicial nominees on the bench, particularly one who would be the first Muslim federal appellate judge if confirmed.
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Reed Smith Ties Associate Raises To Billable Hours
Reed Smith LLP is reportedly raising associate salaries in a range similar to those first announced by Milbank LLP last November, with an associate's place on the scale depending on their billable hours.
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Hinshaw AI Policy Embraces New Tech, With 'Guardrails'
As generative AI platforms rapidly advance, law firms are hastening to develop policies that address ethical and legal concerns arising from the new technology — including the latest firm to jump into the fray, Hinshaw & Culbertson LLP. Here, Law360 Pulse talks with general counsel Steven Puiszis about Hinshaw's new policy and how it took shape.
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Montgomery McCracken Adds Litigation Pro In Philly
Montgomery McCracken Walker & Rhoads LLP has added a former Weitz & Luxenberg PC attorney and seasoned litigation specialist to its team in Philadelphia.
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Study Sees Promise For Gen AI Tools In Closing Justice Gap
Widespread access to generative artificial intelligence tools could help increase access to justice for low-income Americans, according to a new study that found these tools largely boosted productivity for legal aid lawyers.
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ABA Gives Advice To Avoid Atty Conflict Hitting Whole Firm
An American Bar Association ethics opinion released Wednesday offers new guidance on when a lawyer's conflict of interest after meeting with a prospective client should be considered to impact the whole firm and how lawyers can try to avoid sparking that whole-firm conflict.
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Counterclaim Tossed In Attys' Fight Over Broken Biz Alliance
A federal judge has handed one victory in a larger battle to a lawyer and his Philadelphia-based law firm suing another attorney over a business relationship gone south, agreeing that a counterclaim from the defendant for breach of contract can't stand.
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US Chamber's Litigation Funding Concerns Spur 2 State Laws
Amid concerns from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce about third-party litigation funding, including from potentially hostile foreign entities, state legislatures in Indiana and West Virginia have recently passed bills imposing restrictions on the practice.
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Nevada Dem. Says She Can't Support 3rd Circ. Nom.
U.S. Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto, D-Nevada, on Tuesday became the first Democrat to publicly say she cannot support Adeel Mangi, nominee for the Third Circuit, who would be the first Muslim federal appellate judge, if confirmed.
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Philly Paralegals Get OK For OT Collective, But Not Class
A group of some 200 paralegals in the Philadelphia District Attorney's Office may pursue claims of unpaid overtime compensation as a collective but not a class, a Pennsylvania federal court held, finding a proposed class of representatives lacked evidence of a common injury.
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Future Of Judge-Shopping Reform Hazy After Rule Proposal
The policymaking body for U.S. courts provoked a stir last week when it proposed a rule designed to curb "judge shopping," with observers saying that the policy does address one type of the practice but that it remains to be seen if individual federal district courts will be willing to adopt even that limited reform.
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Leech Tishman Tells 6th Circ. Time Ran Out On Fraud Suit
A former Leech Tishman attorney was not party to a tolling agreement between his law firm and investors caught in a Ponzi scheme he allegedly should have warned them away from, so the firm should escape vicarious liability once the time limit expired for the investors to sue him, counsel for the firm told the Sixth Circuit Tuesday.
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Philly Atty Moves Toxic Tort Practice To Marshall Dennehey
A litigator who has specialized in representing clients in toxic tort matters has moved her practice to Marshall Dennehey's Philadelphia office after more than five years at Goldberg Segalla LLP.
Expert Analysis
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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Series
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.
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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.
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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.
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Series
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.
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What I Wish Law Schools Taught Women About Legal Careers
Instead of spending an entire semester on 19th century hunting rights, I wish law schools would facilitate honest discussions about what it’s like to navigate life as an attorney, woman and mother, and offer lessons on business marketing that transcend golf outings and social mixers, says Daphne Delvaux at Gruenberg Law.
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4 Ways To Break Down Barriers For Women Of Color In Law
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Female lawyers belonging to minority groups continue to be paid less and promoted less than their male counterparts, so law firms and corporate legal departments must stop treating women as a monolithic group and create initiatives that address the unique barriers women of color face, say Daphne Turpin Forbes at Microsoft and Linda Chanow at the Institute for Inclusion in the Legal Profession.
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Opinion
We Need More Professional Diversity In The Federal Judiciary
With the current overrepresentation of former corporate lawyers on the federal bench, the Biden administration must prioritize professional diversity in judicial nominations and consider lawyers who have represented workers, consumers and patients, says Navan Ward, president of the American Association for Justice.
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Series
Ask A Mentor: How Do I Retire Without Creating Chaos?
Retired attorney Vernon Winters explains how lawyers can thoughtfully transition into retirement while protecting their firms’ interests and allaying clients' fears, with varying approaches that turn on the nature of one's practice, client relationships and law firm management.
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Why I Went From Litigator To Law Firm Diversity Officer
Narges Kakalia at Mintz recounts her journey from litigation partner to director of diversity, equity and inclusion at the firm, explaining how the challenges she faced as a female lawyer of color shaped her transition and why attorneys’ unique skill sets make them well suited for diversity leadership roles.
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For Asian American Lawyers, Good Mentorship Is Crucial
Navigating the legal world as an Asian American lawyer comes with unique challenges — from cultural stereotypes to a perceived lack of leadership skills — but finding good mentors and treating mentorship as a two-way street can help junior lawyers overcome some of the hurdles and excel, say attorneys at Paul Weiss.
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Coping With Secondary Trauma From Pro Bono Work
As the need for pro bono services continues to grow in tandem with the pandemic, attorneys should assess their mental well-being and look for symptoms of secondary traumatic stress, while law firms must carefully manage their public service programs and provide robust mental health services to employees, says William Silverman at Proskauer.