California Pulse


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    Ex-Wachtell Lipton Atty Tied To Stolen BigLaw Info Trades

    A former Wachtell Lipton Rosen & Katz attorney who later worked for investment bank LionTree LLC is an unindicted co-conspirator in a sweeping alleged insider trading scheme that involved stolen information from several prominent law firms, according to a review of publicly available information.

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    DLA Piper Accused Of 'Frivolous' Suit To Please Chipotle GC

    DLA Piper aggressively litigated a "frivolous" computer fraud lawsuit against a nonprofit volunteer in order to appease the then-general counsel of Chipotle, a client, who referred the case to the firm, according to a malicious-prosecution complaint filed Thursday in California state court. 

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    Law360's Legal Lions Of The Week

    The National Immigrant Justice Center and the American Civil Liberties Union lead this week's edition of Law360 Legal Lions, after a split Seventh Circuit panel rejected the Trump administration's argument that immigrants unlawfully in the United States have no due process rights.

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    Law360 Pulse Spotlight On Mid-Law Work

    Best Best & Krieger's work on a $466 million water infrastructure project leads this edition of Law360 Pulse's Spotlight On Mid-Law Work, recapping the top matters for Mid-Law firms from April 24 to May 8.

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    Legal Industry Bounces Back, Gaining 2,400 Jobs In April

    The legal sector is once again on a positive trajectory, gaining 2,400 jobs last month, according to seasonally adjusted data released Friday by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

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    How Today's Law Firm Leaders Define Success

    There are numerous rankings in today’s legal industry, and the ways law firms are measured against one another are countless, with diverse metrics ranging from profits to revenue to headcount. Here, 11 firm leaders share what success looks like to them.

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    Brownstein Hyatt Lands 3 Real Estate Pros From Ervin Cohen

    Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck LLP announced that it is adding a real estate trio from Ervin Cohen & Jessup LLP, including the co-leader of the firm's real estate department.

  • Voir Dire: Law360 Pulse's Weekly Quiz

    The first full week of May saw news of BigLaw firm group launches, lateral moves and partner promotions. Test your legal news savvy here with Law360 Pulse's weekly quiz.

  • Dispensary Owners Want Blank Rome DQed From Loan Suit

    The owners of a New Jersey dispensary are asking a California federal court to disqualify Blank Rome LLP and its attorneys from representing a lender in a $1.6 million loan dispute, because the firm represented them as well and used confidential information in the lender's suit.

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    AI Native Firms Gain Foothold In Changing Legal Industry

    "AI native" law firms are a growing phenomenon sitting at the intersection of artificial intelligence and rising tide of outside investment in the legal industry, aiming to use legal technology to automate work and overhaul the law firm business model — while doing away with the billable hour in the process.

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    Barnes & Thornburg Lands Nixon Peabody Entertainment Trio

    Three entertainment attorneys from Nixon Peabody LLP have moved their practice to Barnes & Thornburg LLP in Los Angeles and Nashville, Tennessee, the firm announced Thursday.

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    Williams-Sonoma GC Earned $4.2M In 2025 Compensation

    The executive vice president, general counsel and secretary of Williams-Sonoma Inc., earned nearly $4.2 million in total compensation last year, according to a securities filing.

  • 'Wasn't A Hard Call': Jeffer Mangels Can't Arbitrate Atty's Suit

    A Los Angeles judge ruled at a Wednesday hearing that Jeffer Mangels Butler & Mitchell LLP can't arbitrate an ex-associate's lawsuit alleging she was harassed and fired due to her pregnancy, saying it "wasn't a hard call" because her sexual harassment claims are statutorily prohibited from being arbitrated.

  • Google Users Say DOJ Win 'Leaves Only Damages For Trial'

    Consumers want a California federal judge to go straight to trial over the amount of damages Google owes them for illegally monopolizing online search, arguing the company's violation of antitrust law "is now an undisputed fact as a matter of law."

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    DLA Piper Names 62 New Partners, Including 24 In US

    DLA Piper announced Wednesday that 62 attorneys have joined its global partnership ranks, as of May 1, with the U.S. logging more promotions to partner than other regions, with 24 total.

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    Which GCs Sold Stock In April? Venture Global And More

    April showered some legal chiefs with stock sale profits, and Keith Larson at Venture Global soaked up $13.9 million last month. Meanwhile, Paul Mahon at United Therapeutics wiped up $9.5 million, and Chevron's R. Hewitt Pate reported earning $8.57 on his sales.

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    Jeffer Mangels Brings On Raines Feldman Atty As IP Chair

    California firm Jeffer Mangels & Mitchell LLP has announced an experienced Los Angeles-based attorney has joined the firm from Raines Feldman Littrell LLP as a partner and chair of its intellectual property and media practice.

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    Agilent Taps Danaher Deal Lawyer As Chief Legal Officer

    Life sciences company Agilent Technologies Inc. has found a new top in-house attorney to lead its legal department after the recent resignation of its former chief legal officer.

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    Workday Legal Chief Sees Pay Drop For 2nd Year In Row

    The compensation of Workday Inc.'s legal chief declined for the second consecutive year to $7.8 million, according to a securities filing late Tuesday.

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    Feds Say Stolen BigLaw Deal Info Aided Huge Trading Scheme

    Federal prosecutors on Wednesday unveiled indictments outlining a massive insider trading scheme that allegedly netted tens of millions of dollars using nonpublic information about mergers and acquisitions worked on by some of the nation's biggest law firms.

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    The Law School Legal Industry Job Tracker: Class Of 2025

    Want to know which schools are sending the highest percentage of graduates to BigLaw? How big a slice are landing those prized clerkships in federal or state courts? Explore the ins and outs of law school graduate placement in our interactive graphic.

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    The Top Law Schools For Legal Industry Jobs: A Data Review

    A law degree can lead to careers across law firms, government, business and public interest, according to the latest ABA data. See which schools stand out for placing graduates in BigLaw, federal and state clerkships, public interest roles and more.

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    Aiming For BigLaw? These Schools Deliver

    Law school students continue to set their sights on law firm jobs post-graduation, with interest in BigLaw roles holding strong. Here's a look at how those preferences are playing out and which schools are sending the highest percentage of graduates directly to BigLaw.

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    Firm Leaders Report Rising Rates Fueling Client Churn

    While rate increases are the primary driver of law firm revenue, legal leaders also fear those price hikes are leading to client churn, according to a report released Wednesday by marketing technology platform Passle.

  • Womble Bond Picks Veteran Real Estate Atty As Partner In SF

    Womble Bond Dickinson has hired a real estate and land use attorney with more than 50 years of experience as a partner for its real estate team in San Francisco, the firm announced Tuesday.

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Expert Analysis

  • Roundup

    Legal Tech Talks Author Photo

    Company founders, attorneys and other professionals working in the legal tech space share their journeys into the industry, challenges they face when working with law firms and legal departments, and common misconceptions about technology.

  • 4 Tips For Attys To Turn An Interim Job Into A Long-Term Role Author Photo

    As some attorneys seek interim roles amid economic uncertainty, big-picture thinking and a few proactive steps can help to turn those short-term assignments into long-term positions, says Amy Vanderhoof at Major Lindsey.

  • The Augmented Lawyer: AI Exercises For Junior Attorneys Author Photo

    As artificial intelligence tools become increasingly adept at handling entry-level legal tasks, firms and organizations must consider new ways to train and mentor junior attorneys to prepare them for leadership in an AI-integrated profession, say attorneys at KXT Law.

  • Series

    Biz Development Tip Of The Month: Embrace LinkedIn Author Photo

    Attorneys who recognize LinkedIn as a powerful professional platform can gain significant competitive advantages in business development via strategic content creation, meaningful industry discussions and consistent visibility within target markets, says Agatha Mouillet at Horvitz & Levy.

  • Guidance For Attorneys As Tariffs Reshape Legal Hiring Author Photo

    As law firms and in-house legal departments grapple with the uncertainty of evolving tariff policies, attorneys at all career stages should consider how to lean into these shifts to best position themselves for long-term opportunities, says Rena Barnett-Matthews at Attorney Career Coach.

  • How Firms Can Plan For Succession Of Admin Professionals Author Photo

    Many law firms are familiar with the need for attorney succession plans, but it’s also essential to plan for the succession of administrative professionals — from human resources personnel to finance leaders — to ensure continuity of critical day-to-day operations, say Eryn Carter and Travis Armstrong at the Association of Legal Administrators.

  • Series

    Expanding The Reach Of A Legal Nonprofit Author Photo

    I co-founded the Legal Mentor Network with the goal of providing free legal mentoring to law students and early career attorneys, and the experience has highlighted how nonprofits can grow with the help of strong sponsorships and volunteers who all operate from a positive place, says Chrystal Mauro at the Legal Mentor Network.

  • How 1Ls Can Plan For Sped-Up Summer Associate Hiring Author Photo

    The ever-earlier recruiting of summer associates sets high stakes before new law students may even realize, but 1Ls can better land a good 2L summer fit if they hit their first semester focused on the hiring timeline and ready to ask important questions about their would-be firms, says Kate Reder Sheikh at Major Lindsey.

  • How GCs Can Help Build A Geopolitical Command Center Author Photo

    In the face of sustained regulatory and economic uncertainty, general counsel can help businesses move from reactive to proactive management by building a clear, cross-functional geopolitical command center that monitors and coordinates responses to a wide spectrum of issues, says Lars Faeste at FTI Consulting.

  • For Some Lawyers, Building A New Practice Makes Perfect Author Photo

    Leaving an established law firm to start a boutique business of your own requires not only vision and resilience but also a solid business plan to help mitigate risks and increase your chances of unparalleled personal and professional success, says Rebecca Palmer at the Rebecca L. Palmer Law Group.

  • Beyond Billable Hours: The Unseen Labor Of Women In Law Author Photo

    The legal profession has a critical role to play in reducing attrition of women lawyers by addressing the disproportionate burden of the mental load — the often-unseen work of managing tasks and anticipating needs in both personal and professional realms, says Michelle Browning-Coughlin at Northern Kentucky University’s Chase College of Law.

  • 10 Key Strategies For Successful Lateral Partner Integration Author Photo

    To help ensure new partners and practice groups are successfully integrated, firms should embrace specific structured practices that recognize each lateral's distinct value, personalize their integration plans and proactively address transition complexities long after onboarding ends, say Elizabeth Kennedy at NewEdge BD and Erika Steinberg at CMO2Go.

  • How Firms Can Manage DEI Commitments Amid Headwinds Author Photo

    By recalibrating how they structure and communicate their inclusion efforts, law firms can reduce legal exposure and preserve their values, says Angela Vallot at VallotKarp Consulting.

  • Key Ingredients For Effective Law Firm Strategic Planning Author Photo

    As the legal industry faces political turmoil and economic uncertainty, the time is ripe for firms to revisit their strategic plans, ensuring they contain a few essential elements — from accountability systems to broad-based input — to achieve sustainable growth and profitability, says Joe Calve at Calve Communications.

  • AI-Powered Biz Development Can Democratize Rainmaking Author Photo

    As fluency in artificial intelligence becomes a competitive imperative in the legal industry, the next generation of rainmakers likely won’t be defined by their Rolodexes or club memberships, but by their ability to leverage AI business development tools effectively, says Jessica Aries at By Aries.

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