California Pulse

  • iStock-2080419096.jpg

    Calif. Bar's Stress Reduction Program Led To Better Scores

    Over 1,000 California bar exam applicants achieved a passing grade over the last six years due in part to their participation in the state's free online program Strategies and Stories, according to a study presented by Equity Accelerator.

  • Erin McClernon.jpg

    Ogletree Deakins' Well-Being Leader On Mental Health Effort

    Ogletree Deakins Nash Smoak & Stewart PC is no stranger to the needs of employers, focusing its legal efforts on representing management. But the law firm recently launched an effort to prioritize its own employees' mental health.

  • Ex-Gibson Dunn Partner Wins Over $557K In Retirement Fight

    Gibson Dunn & Crutcher must pay $557,371 plus retirement benefits to a former partner who left in 2022 and joined Weil Gotshal & Manges, a California state judge said Thursday, affirming an arbitrator's conclusion that the partner didn't resign but rather retired, which allows him to collect retirement benefits.

  • iStock-2156156849.jpg

    Law Firm Real Estate Report

    Leasing activity remained strong for several large firms throughout June as Lathrop GPM moved its Chicago office into a smaller space, and Polsinelli PC planted its second flag in Utah three years after launching its Salt Lake City office and three months after relocating its St. Louis team.

  • iStock-1818279099.jpg

    How Attorneys Are Celebrating Pride Month In 2024

    This June, LGBTQ+ attorneys around the country at law firms big and small shared with Law360 how they — and their firms — are celebrating Pride Month.

  • OKelly E McWilliams III.png

    New Holland & Knight Diversity Atty Hopes To 'Reimagine' DEI

    Holland & Knight LLP's new diversity partner, O'Kelly E. McWilliams III, never sought out opportunities to serve in the diversity, equity and inclusion space, but the chance to serve in those roles presented themselves throughout the years.

  • nickbegakis.jpg

    Faegre Drinker Adds Litigation Pro From Ellis George In LA

    Faegre Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP has strengthened its product liability and mass torts group with a litigator in Los Angeles who came aboard from Ellis George LLP.

  • Jason Throne.png

    Ideaya Biosciences Chief Legal Officer To Step Down In July

    The chief legal officer of Ideaya Biosciences Inc., a company that researches and develops cancer drugs, is set to depart on July 11, a Thursday public filing says.

  • iStock-1386464280.jpg

    Calif. Atty Won't Contest Claim He Stole Up To $282M

    A California lawyer has stopped defending himself against bar discipline charges that accuse him of stealing as much as $282 million from clients, and his posture has forced the cancelation of a trial that was scheduled for this week and makes his disbarment almost certain.

  • iStock-1153047360.jpg

    Most New Attys Don't See 'Flashy Lawyer Salary'

    While some new attorneys earn top dollar right out of their Juris Doctor program, that isn't actually the norm, according to a new study from Georgetown University, which found that when factoring in student loan debt, the median earnings for all law graduates land at just $72,000 four years after graduation.

  • Docusign Replaces Sales President And CTO

    Digital contract platform Docusign announced Tuesday the hiring of two executives to replace its outgoing president of worldwide field operations and chief technology officer.

  • iStock-1440141374.jpg

    The Case For BigLaw Being More Transparent About Suicides

    While BigLaw's suicide prevention efforts emphasize open communication around mental health, firms are largely less transparent about how they'd respond to the suicide of an employee.

  • iStock-1220662791.jpg

    Thompson Hine Adding LA Office With 11 Attys From Boutique

    Ohio-based Thompson Hine LLP announced Wednesday it is expanding to the West Coast, establishing a Los Angeles office by adding 11 lawyers from a Santa Monica litigation boutique, which will cease operations.

  • gm-guys.png

    GM Gears Up For Legal Dept. Changes With New Top Lawyer

    General Motors said late Tuesday it had recruited a former in-house counsel at Boeing to be its next top lawyer, who will begin the job when the company's longtime legal chief takes a job in GM's driverless car unit next month.

  • Berkshire_Hathaway_Investments_87676.jpg

    Kroger Using Annual Meeting To Stress Value Of Merger

    As grocery chain The Kroger Co. prepares to defend its proposed merger with Albertsons Cos. later this summer, it's using its virtual annual meeting on Thursday to trumpet its value to shareholders, to communities and to workers.

  • Brewer Rangers Game 1.jpg

    Small Firms Put Unique Spin On Summer Associate Programs

    As the competition for sought-after BigLaw summer associateships continues to ramp up, some small firms and boutiques are seeing an opportunity to develop their own programs to attract law students looking to gain valuable experience.

  • iStock-1484779739.jpg

    Legal Office Leasing Stayed Strong In Q1, Cushman Says

    Cushman & Wakefield said in a report Tuesday that the legal sector continued to take on real estate at a strong clip in the first quarter of 2024 after reaching records among office leases in both 2022 and 2023.

  • Judge Douglas Nazarian.png

    Approach The Bench: Judge Nazarian Touts Mentorship

    Judge Douglas Nazarian of the Appellate Court of Maryland has given a lot of thought to clerkships since he took the bench more than 11 years ago.

  • iStock-2047220331.jpg

    A Look At Husch Blackwell's $5M Bet On AI Technology

    Since artificial intelligence developer OpenAI debuted ChatGPT, several legal tech companies and law firms have launched their own tools leveraging generative AI. Here is a look at how Husch Blackwell LLP is using the technology.

  • iStock-1340196800.jpg

    Litigation Pro Rejoins GRSM50 In Calif. From DeHay & Elliston

    Gordon Rees Scully Mansukhani LLP has strengthened its litigation bench with a partner in Walnut Creek, California, who arrived from DeHay & Elliston LLP and who worked for six years earlier in his career as a senior counsel for GRSM50.

  • o'neil_william_.jpg

    Winston's Chicago Leader On 'New Era' And Firm's Roots

    Bill O’Neil recently took over as Winston & Strawn’s Chicago office managing partner. He talked to Law360 Pulse about his goals for the 171-year-old office, which include growth.

  • brian-kennedy.jpg

    Nixon Peabody Snags IP Litigator From Davis Wright In LA

    Nixon Peabody LLP continues to fortify its intellectual property practice with the addition of a former Davis Wright Tremaine LLP litigator, who joins as counsel in the firm's Los Angeles office.

  • iStock-1486721631.jpg

    More Law Schools Boosting AI In Curricula

    Law schools are increasingly incorporating artificial intelligence into their curricula, including dedicated AI courses and opportunities for students to use AI tools, signaling a trend that the technology is becoming essential for future lawyers, according to results from an American Bar Association survey released Monday.

  • 9th Circ. Upholds Fine For Fake News In $18B Chevron Case

    The Ninth Circuit has affirmed a $268,000 fine against a Seattle attorney for filing a fake newspaper article as a court exhibit in an attempt to bolster his clients' efforts to enforce a nearly $18 billion arbitral award against Chevron.

  • Kerry Jean Moore.png

    Michelman & Robinson Hires 1st Chief Growth Officer In NY

    Los Angeles-headquartered Michelman & Robinson LLP is focusing on its expansion goals with the addition of its first-ever chief growth officer, a seasoned law firm leader whose resume includes a stint serving as chief talent officer for Greenberg Traurig LLP, according to a Monday announcement.

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

Expert Analysis

  • Resume Gaps Are No Longer Kryptonite To Your Legal Career Author Photo

    Female attorneys and others who pause their careers for a few years will find that gaps in work history are increasingly acceptable among legal employers, meaning with some networking, retraining and a few other strategies, lawyers can successfully reenter the workforce, says Jill Backer at Ave Maria School of Law.

  • 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.

×

Law360

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

Rankings

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