Small Law

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    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.

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    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.

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    'Righting The Wrongs': Ga. Attys Launch Personal Injury Firm

    A pair of former personal injury litigators at Schneider Hammers LLC have started their own personal injury law firm in the Atlanta area called Schneider Williamson, the firm announced Wednesday.

  • CSAA Seeks Exit From Conn. Atty's $1.4M Transfer Scam Case

    The insurance company covering a Connecticut attorney accused of helping steal $1.4 million from a development company via a fraudulent bank transfer is seeking to drop its coverage on the grounds that the attorney's alleged actions were intentional and criminal, and therefore not insured.

  • NYC Firm Settles Ex-Receptionist's Retaliatory Firing Suit

    Donaldson & Chilliest LLP has struck a tentative settlement with a former receptionist over claims that the firm retaliated and fired her after she reported that an associate had tried to rape her.

  • NC Bar Rips Immigration Atty's 'Absurd' Disbarment Appeal

    The North Carolina State Bar urged a state appellate court not to entertain an immigration attorney's appeal of his disbarment, stating that his appeal featured arguments that came too late and otherwise relied on a fallacious and "incoherent" reading of disciplinary regulations with "absurd results."

  • Pa. Justices Won't Hear Elliott Greenleaf Atty's $11M Fee Fight

    The Pennsylvania Supreme Court will not review decisions denying a former Elliott Greenleaf attorney a cut of an $11 million referral fee for a personal injury client, after lower courts found a letter from the client requesting that the lawyer be paid was not valid and otherwise presented too late.

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    Stone Hilton Brings On Litigation Pro From Austin Boutique

    The newest partner to join the roster of boutique litigation, appellate and government relations firm Stone Hilton PLLC came aboard from Austin boutique Ewell Brown Blanke & Knight LLP and also boasts experience at BigLaw outfits like Vinson & Elkins LLP and Covington & Burling LLP.

  • BigLaw Unlikely To Follow Suit On Midyear Bonuses

    Litigation-focused firms McKool Smith PC and Hueston Hennigan LLP have kicked off the summer by offering midyear bonuses to their hardworking attorneys. However, given the uneven demand across legal services, recruiters do not anticipate that major law firms will immediately follow suit.

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    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.

  • Firm Fights NC High Court Review Of Fight With Fla. Clients

    Wilson Ratledge PLLC urged the North Carolina Supreme Court to reject a petition by two Florida-based companies to duck a breach of contract suit by the Raleigh-based law firm, arguing that the trial court correctly found there are enough significant contacts with the state to haul the two companies into North Carolina court.

  • Law Firm Boss Admitted Breaking Ethics Rule, Regulator Says

    Connecticut attorney discipline authorities told a state court Monday that the managing partner of a Hartford-based personal injury and employment law firm cannot walk back an admission to a rule violation, reaffirming earlier calls to suspend Emanuele R. Cicchiello for threatening a criminal probe and downloading a departing junior attorney's personal emails.

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    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.

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    Ga. Panel OKs COVID Aid To Atty Who Cared For 2 Young Kids

    A Georgia attorney who left his legal job to be the primary caregiver for his young children during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic should have qualified for the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance program, a state appeals panel has ruled, overturning the state's decision to deny benefits.

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    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.

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    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.

  • Conn. Atty Agrees To 10-Day Suspension For Unexplained Fee

    A Connecticut attorney accused of charging an unreasonable fee and failing to communicate with a former client following an underlying vehicle buyback negotiation has agreed to a 10-day suspension and three hours of legal ethics-focused continuing education courses.

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    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.

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    Ex-Chicago Alderman Gets Two Years For Boosting Law Firm

    An Illinois federal judge on Monday sentenced former Chicago Alderman Ed Burke to two years in prison and fined him $2 million for using his official position to steer tax business to his personal law firm, closing what prosecutors called "another sordid chapter" in the city's history of public corruption.

  • Jurisdictional Discovery Ordered In NJ COVID Test Fraud Suit

    A New Jersey federal court has denied without prejudice a dismissal bid and ordered "tightly-targeted and prompt jurisdictional discovery" in a Garden State medical supply business' complaint accusing a Texas attorney and his solo practice of aiding in an alleged $2.45 million fraud scheme involving COVID-19 test kits that were never delivered.

  • NJ Atty Suspended 3 Years For Unauthorized Practice Of Law

    A New Jersey attorney has been suspended from practicing law for three years after she continued to represent clients and mishandle sensitive matters while she was suspended for similar conduct in 2019, according to a New Jersey Supreme Court order.

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    Ex-Trump Adviser Joins Bill Barr's Firm

    An attorney and lobbyist who played key roles in Donald Trump's presidential campaigns is joining a law firm co-founded last year by former Trump Attorney General Bill Barr, the firm announced Monday.

  • Chase, Florida Law Firm Settle $100K Wire Theft Suit

    JPMorganChase Bank NA and Florida-based law firm Frank A. Rubino Esq. PA have agreed to settle a suit accusing the financial services giant of negligence by failing to prevent a $100,000 payment that a client mistakenly sent a fraudster.

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    Lewis Brisbois Vets Among Thomas Thomas & Hafer Arrivals

    Thomas Thomas & Hafer LLP has added a Hampton, New Jesey partner and a Pittsburgh partner to the firm's ranks, both of whom had previously spent time at Lewis Brisbois Bisgaard & Smith LLP.

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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.

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