Pennsylvania Pulse


  • Pennsylvania Powerhouse: Duane Morris LLP

    Though they sit on opposite sides of the state, the attorneys in Duane Morris LLP's Pittsburgh and Philadelphia offices have closely collaborated on significant litigation wins in Pennsylvania in the past year, involving matters such as medical malpractice, fracking and even Sesame Place.

  • hourly-rate.jpg

    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.

  • iStock-1307870955.jpg

    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.

  • 3rd Circ. Probes Jurisdiction In Dispute Over NJ US Atty

    The Third Circuit on Tuesday ordered defendants and the federal government to make a case for the appeals court's jurisdiction over a district court's ruling disqualifying acting U.S. Attorney Alina Habba from overseeing two cases, saying the court "ordinarily lacks jurisdiction" over pretrial orders in criminal cases.

  • Pennsylvania_Daily_Life_49940.jpg

    3rd Circ. Wants NJ Justices' Input On Judicial Privacy Law

    The Third Circuit on Tuesday asked the New Jersey Supreme Court to address whether the state's judicial privacy law requires a mental state for purported infractions, a question that could prove crucial for data brokers facing dozens of lawsuits over their alleged violations of the statute.

  • Pennsylvania Powerhouse: Buchanan Ingersoll

    As the United States prepares for its 250th anniversary celebration, Buchanan Ingersoll & Rooney PC marked its 175th year in 2025 by finding a new home for Philadelphia's SS United States, along with closing labor deals and mergers with a strong impact on the state's economy, setting precedent in environmental litigation and defending its hometown health network's employment contracts.

  • 2_up_Eckert.png

    Eckert Seamans Adds Obermayer Business Immigration Duo

    A pair of business immigration attorneys from Obermayer Rebmann Maxwell & Hippel LLP have made the jump to Eckert Seamans Cherin & Mellott LLC in Philadelphia, the firm said Tuesday.

  • iStock-2226887475.jpg

    Pierson Ferdinand Adds 8 Partners Across 6 Markets

    Fast-growing Pierson Ferdinand LLP announced Tuesday that it has added eight partners across five U.S. markets and in London, enhancing the firm's capabilities in litigation, employment and corporate law.

  • Watson, Brian.jpg

    Ex-Clerk For Philly Judge Joins Eckert Seamans Bench

    An attorney who clerked for more than 12 years for a Philadelphia federal judge plans to use his insight into judicial decision-making to advise clients on litigation matters, following his recent move back to private practice with Eckert Seamans Cherin & Mellott LLC.

  • iStock-1150990191.jpg

    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.

  • david g. rodriguez_blank rome llp.jpg

    NLRB Atty Joins Blank Rome's Labor Group In Philadelphia

    An attorney who spent the first 15 years of his legal career working with National Labor Relations Board has recently moved into private practice and joined Blank Rome LLP's growing labor team.

  • Charles C. Chuck Cohen.png

    Co-Founder Of Dentons' Pittsburgh Office Dies At 84

    The co-founder of Pittsburgh's Cohen & Grigsby, which became one of the city's largest law firms when it joined forces with Dentons, died this week.

  • UPenn Prof Suspended For Racist Remarks Loses Bias Claim

    University of Pennsylvania law professor Amy Wax lost her federal discrimination claims against the school for suspending her over disparaging comments she made about minorities, with a judge finding that she was disciplined for racist speech, not because of her own race.

  • LegalLions.png

    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.

  • iStock-683763602.jpg

    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.

  • Philly Wants Sanctions For 'Appalling Treatment' Of Counsel

    In the wake of a $3 million judgment imposed against the city of Philadelphia in the case of a man who claimed he was shot by police and framed for rape, the city has asked a federal judge to sanction one of the plaintiff's lawyers for allegedly making false accusations that defense counsel were racist and suborned perjury.

  • promotion.jpg

    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.

  • 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.

  • iStock-1454426928.jpg

    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.

  • marisa-de-feo.png

    Saul Ewing Atty Moves Education Practice To Husch Blackwell

    A Saul Ewing LLP attorney specializing in advising educational institutions on litigation and providing policy guidance has moved her practice to Husch Blackwell LLP, where she splits her time between the firm's virtual office and at its Wilmington, Delaware, location.

  • _DSC7557.jpg

    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.

  • Philly Man Found Guilty Of Plot To Kill Prosecutors, Judges

    A New Jersey state court has convicted a Pennsylvania resident of scheming to murder several prosecutors and two state court judges through a murder-for-hire plot while serving a 15-year prison sentence for a previous arson conviction, New Jersey Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin announced Wednesday.

  • DOJ Seeks To Expedite Appeal Over NJ US Atty Role Dispute

    The U.S. Department of Justice asked the Third Circuit to expedite its appeal of a Pennsylvania federal judge's ruling disqualifying acting U.S. Attorney Alina Habba from overseeing two criminal cases, emphasizing the critical questions about her authority under federal law and the fact that the dispute has delayed multiple pending trials.

  • Lauren Hutchins McCartney

    Ex-Law Dean Joins Tucker Arensberg's Litigation Team

    A former dean at West Virginia University College of Law has recently returned to litigation after spending more than five years in education, joining Tucker Arensberg PC's Pittsburgh office to advise clients on civil and toxic tort litigation.

  • Accuser Can Stay Anonymous In Suit Over Ex-DA Sex Assault

    A woman suing Somerset County, Pennsylvania, and its former district attorney over his stalking, harassment and sexual assault can continue with her civil case under a "Jane Doe" pseudonym, a federal judge ruled Wednesday.

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

Expert Analysis

  • Law Firm Guardrails For Responsible Generative AI Use Author Photo

    ChatGPT and other generative artificial intelligence tools pose significant risks to the integrity of legal work, but the key for law firms is not to ban these tools, but to implement them responsibly and with appropriate safeguards, say Natalie Pierce and Stephanie Goutos at Gunderson Dettmer.

  • Opinion

    We Must Continue DEI Efforts Despite High Court Headwinds Author Photo

    Though the U.S. Supreme Court recently struck down affirmative action in higher education, law firms and their clients must keep up the legal industry’s recent momentum advancing diversity, equity and inclusion in the profession in order to help achieve a just and prosperous society for all, says Angela Winfield at the Law School Admission Council.

  • Law Firms Cannot Ignore Attorneys' Personal Cybersecurity Author Photo

    Law firms that fail to consider their attorneys' online habits away from work are not using their best efforts to protect client information and are simplifying the job of plaintiffs attorneys in the case of a breach, say Mark Hurley and Carmine Cicalese at Digital Privacy and Protection.

  • Why Writing CLE Should Be Mandatory For Lawyers Author Photo

    Though effective writing is foundational to law, no state requires attorneys to take continuing legal education in this skill — something that must change if today's attorneys are to have the communication abilities they need to fulfill their professional and ethical duties to their clients, colleagues and courts, says Diana Simon at the University of Arizona.

  • How To Find Your Inner Calm When Client Obligations Pile Up Author Photo

    In the most stressful times for attorneys, when several transactions for different partners and clients peak at the same time and the phone won’t stop buzzing, incremental lifestyle changes can truly make a difference, says Lindsey Hughes at Haynes Boone.

  • Series

    Ask A Mentor: How Can I Support Gen Z Attorneys? Author Photo

    Meredith Beuchaw at Lowenstein Sandler discusses how senior attorneys can assist the newest generation of attorneys by championing their pursuit of a healthy work-life balance and providing the hands-on mentorship opportunities they missed out on during the pandemic.

  • Law Firm Cybersecurity Should Not Get Lost In The Cloud Author Photo

    A recent data leak at Proskauer via a cloud data storage platform demonstrates key reasons why law firms must pay attention to data safeguarding, including the increasing frequency of cloud-based data breaches and the consequences of breaking client confidentiality, says Robert Kraczek at One Identity.

  • Advice For Summer Associates Uneasy About Offer Prospects Author Photo

    There are a few communication tips that law students in summer associate programs should consider to put themselves in the best possible position to receive an offer, and firms can also take steps to support those to whom they are unable to make an offer, says Amy Mattock at Georgetown University Law Center.

  • How Law Firms Can Cautiously Wield AI To Streamline Tasks Author Photo

    Many attorneys are going to use artificial intelligence tools whether law firms like it or not, so firms should educate them on AI's benefits, limits and practical uses, such as drafting legal documents, to remain competitive in a rapidly evolving legal market, say Thomas Schultz and Eden Bernstein at Kellogg Hansen.

  • Keys To Managing The Stresses Of Law School Author Photo

    Dealing with the pressures associated with law school can prove difficult for many future lawyers, but there are steps students can take to manage stress — and schools can help too, say Ryan Zajic and Dr. Janani Krishnaswami at UWorld.

  • Can Mandatory CLE Mitigate Implicit Bias's Negative Impacts? Author Photo

    Amid ongoing disagreements on whether states should mandate implicit bias training as part of attorneys' continuing legal education requirements, Stephanie Wilson at Reed Smith looks at how unconscious attitudes or stereotypes adversely affect legal practice, and whether mandatory training programs can help.

  • Ditch The Frills And Start Writing Legal Letters In Plain English Author Photo

    To become more effective advocates, lawyers need to rethink the ridiculous, convoluted language they use in correspondence and write letters in a clear, concise and direct manner, says legal writing instructor Stuart Teicher.

  • Series

    Ask A Mentor: How Can I Negotiate My Separation Agreement? Author Photo

    Kate Reder Sheikh at Major Lindsey discusses how a law firm associate can navigate being laid off, what to look for in a separation agreement and why to be upfront about it with prospective employers.

  • DoNotPay Cases Underscore Hurdles For AI-Fueled Legal Help Author Photo

    Recent legal challenges against DoNotPay’s "robot lawyer” application highlight pressing questions about the degree to which artificial intelligence can be used for legal tasks while remaining on the right side of both consumer protection laws and prohibitions against the unauthorized practice of law, says Kristen Niven at Frankfurt Kurnit.

  • For The Future Of Legal Practice, Let's Learn From The Past Author Photo

    At some level, every practicing lawyer is experiencing the ever-increasing speed of change — and while some practice management processes have gotten more efficient, other things about the legal profession were better before supposed improvements were made, says Jay Silberblatt, president of the Pennsylvania Bar Association.

×

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 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