California Pulse


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    Law Firm Real Estate Report

    September saw several large firms, including Ballard Spahr LLP and Polsinelli PC, find new homes for their teams in Seattle and Philadelphia, as well as moves for smaller shops like Einhorn Barbarito Frost Botwinick Nunn & Musmanno PC, which relocated its New Jersey headquarters, and Hicks Johnson PLLC, which doubled its footprint in Houston.

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    Sony Pictures Elevates 'Trusted Adviser' To Legal EVP

    Sony Pictures Entertainment has promoted one of its longtime in-house attorneys, who recently helped with next-day streaming agreements for "Jeopardy!" and "Wheel of Fortune," to executive vice president of global distribution, business and legal affairs, the entertainment giant told Law360 Pulse Thursday.

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    To Grammarly's GC, 'AI' Means 'Augmentative Intelligence'

    Jennifer Miller, who has led the legal department at the writing assistance tool provider Grammarly Inc. for almost two years, told Law360 Pulse she never wants to be a general counsel who must stand up to say, "We delegated our responsibility to a tool to check this, and we never asked a person."

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    How Law Firms Focus Their Pro Bono Efforts

    When lawyers work pro bono, what services are they offering and what areas of the law are they focusing on? Here, Law360 Pulse looks at firms' 2024 pro bono priorities.

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    The Law360 Pulse Pro Bono Ranking: How Firms Stack Up

    Pro bono legal work is a major part of law firms' social responsibility portfolios, with firms leveraging their training and experience to help those who can't pay typical billing rates. See which firms took the lead in pro bono hours. 

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    These Firms Are The Law360 Pulse Social Impact Leaders

    One BigLaw firm reclaimed the top spot in the latest edition of the Law360 Pulse Social Impact Leaders ranking, which recognizes the 100 firms that made the greatest strides on social responsibility in 2024. Find out which firms set the pace.

  • Holland & Knight Launches Real Estate Dispute Team

    Holland & Knight LLP announced it has formed a new real estate disputes and advocacy team, noting the group will provide counsel to clients on lease litigation matters, complex contract claims and other commercial property disputes.

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    IP Boutique Gish PLLC Adds Farella Braun Litigator In SF

    The intellectual property litigation boutique Gish PLLC is expanding its West Coast team, bringing in a Farella Braun & Martel LLP trial attorney as a partner in its San Francisco office.

  • Boies Schiller Partner Admits AI Errors In Scientology Case

    A Boies Schiller Flexner LLP partner representing women who allege the Church of Scientology harassed them for reporting convicted actor Daniel Masterson's sexual assaults has asked a California appeals court to strike a brief containing artificial intelligence-generated citation errors, saying he "very much regrets" the errors, but they shouldn't impact his clients' case.

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    Fisher Philips Expands In Calif. With Employment Litigator

    Labor and employment firm Fisher Phillips is expanding its West Coast team, announcing Wednesday it is bringing in a Gibbs Giden Locher Turner Senet & Wittbrodt LLP litigator as a partner in its Woodland Hills, California, office.

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    Trusts & Estates Boom Leaves Small Firms Fighting For Talent

    As aging Baby Boomers fuel demand for estate planning work, a growing number of large law firms have recommitted to growing their private wealth practices. For the small boutiques and solo practitioners that have traditionally dominated the market, the new competition has made it difficult to recruit and retain talent, leaving many struggling to survive.

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    Amid Tensions With Trump, University GCs Feel The Burden

    As universities face frozen funds, federal probes, and demands for change to diversity programs and curriculum, their general counsel face heightened pressure as they navigate school presidents and boards through the storm.

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    Blank Rome Hires Bicoastal Pair Of Patent Attys

    Blank Rome LLP announced Tuesday that it has welcomed two new patent attorneys to its ranks: a Los Angeles-based firm alum and a New York-based former Leason Ellis LLP lawyer.

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    Quarles & Brady Names New San Diego Office Head

    Quarles & Brady LLP announced that an experienced labor and employment attorney who has been with the firm's San Diego location for over a decade will be appointed its new office managing partner.

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    Incoming Tucker Ellis Managing Partner Discusses Transition

    As James W. Mizgala prepares to take over as managing partner of Tucker Ellis LLP, he spoke to Law360 Pulse about succeeding a longtime managing partner and his perspective on the future of the firm. 

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    Boies Schiller Builds Arbitration Team With Hands-On Training

    In August, Boies Schiller Flexner LLP held a full-scale, hands-on training for its international arbitration associates — an investment that firm leaders say not only helped to build legal skills but also strengthened relationships within the team.

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    Office Snapshot: Gibson Dunn Gets 'Refresh' In Century City

    After more than 40 years in its Century City home, Gibson Dunn & Crutcher LLP knew it was time to change the channel on an office that one leader said seemed pulled from an episode of the 1980s TV show "L.A. Law." The firm found the station it was looking for just a half block away.

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    Ex-Orrick Litigator Tapped To Lead California Justice Center

    The California Policy Center, a conservative public policy think tank, has hired a former Orrick Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP litigator to head its public interest law firm arm, the California Justice Center.

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    'Great Wealth Transfer' Drives Trusts & Estates Boom

    As aging Baby Boomers prepare to hand down trillions of dollars in assets to their children and grandchildren, some of the country's largest law firms have been bulking up their trusts and estates practices, turning frequently to small boutiques and solo practices to add attorneys to their ranks.

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    Keller & Heckman Taps K&L Gates Leader As Exec Director

    Keller & Heckman LLP has hired K&L Gates LLP's head of administration to take over as its global executive director, a role in which she'll oversee all operational and administrative functions across the firm's five offices.

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    Greenberg Traurig, Procopio Mourn 'Selfless' Litigator In Calif.

    Greenberg Traurig LLP shareholder S. Todd Neal, who died Saturday from a terminal illness a few months after joining the firm in San Diego from Procopio Cory Hargreaves & Savitch LLP, was a "selfless" team player who brought compassion and wisdom to the job, his former colleagues said.

  • Calif. County Defender To Pay $200K In Harassment Probe

    A California public defender's office has agreed to pay $200,000 to an employee to resolve the worker's claims that a superior sexually harassed them on the job through inappropriate comments and unwanted touching, the state's Civil Rights Department announced Monday.

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    Girardi Loses Bid To Avoid Prison During Appeal

    Disgraced attorney Tom Girardi will have to wait in prison while he appeals his wire fraud conviction for stealing from his own clients, a California federal judge has ruled.

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    2 Leave Lewis Brisbois C-Suite In Latest Leadership Changes

    Two members of Lewis Brisbois Bisgaard & Smith's C-suite will be leaving the firm this winter, a firm spokesperson told Law360 Pulse on Monday.

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    Trial Atty Named To Become Tucker Ellis Managing Partner

    The head of Tucker Ellis LLP's Chicago office will take over as its next managing partner at the start of 2026, replacing the managing partner who has led the firm since 2010, the firm announced Monday.

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Expert Analysis

  • Biz Development Tip Of The Month: Make A Plan For The Year Author Photo

    While firms are busy allocating resources and assessing client demand, individual attorneys should use the start of the year to slow down and create a personal business plan, which can be accomplished with a few steps, say Elizabeth Gooch, Teri Robshaw and Chris Newman at McDermott.

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    Talking Mental Health: Caring For Everyone As A Firm Leader Author Photo

    Reid Phillips at Brooks Pierce discusses how he manages the pressure of running a law firm, how sources of stress in the legal industry have changed over the past decade, and what firm leaders should do to help manage burnout and mental health issues among employees.

  • How Firms Can Use LinkedIn To Aid Marketing Efforts In 2025 Author Photo

    LinkedIn has several features law firms can use to showcase their capabilities and thought leadership to reach prospective and existing clients, including the Event and Live features, says Sofia Millar at Reputation Ink.

  • Talking Mental Health: Managing Emotions In Trauma Cases Author Photo

    Nikki Hurtado at The Ferraro Law Firm discusses what motivates her to represent victims of catastrophic injuries, how she copes with the emotional toll of such cases, and what other attorneys taking on similar cases can do to protect their mental well-being.

  • Strategies For Successful Law Firm Mergers In 2025 Author Photo

    Law firms are expected to continue consolidating in the year to come, and because these mergers require a different kind of playbook, firm leaders must carefully consider office culture nuances, professional services economics and talent retention strategy before any merger, say directors at FTI Consulting.

  • Making Legal Cents: Winning More Work In A Crowded Market Author Photo

    In a market where clients have more options, tighter budgets and higher expectations, firms must figure out how to differentiate themselves without discounting their rates, and several practical strategies for pitching, pricing and early-engagement communication can help, says Shireen Hilal at Maior Strategic Consulting.

  • Best Practices For Implementing Firm Revenue Cycle Roles Author Photo

    Law firm revenue cycles are becoming more complex and time-consuming, but hiring dedicated revenue cycle personnel can help streamline the process and reduce the burden on attorneys, says Christine Indiano at Harbor Global.

  • Tips For Constructing Your Small-Law Exit Strategy Author Photo

    By initiating planning and processes to evaluate personal retirement goals and firm value early, longtime solo practitioners and small-firm owners can unlock a range of possibilities and potential buyers, setting up for a profitable exit and a rewarding transition, says Brent Daub at Gilson Daub.

  • Tips For Persuasive Briefs Beyond The Argument Section Author Photo

    When crafting an appellate brief, the focus for most lawyers is the argument section, but other sections also offer strategic opportunities to shape the court's perception of the case and favorably frame the issues, say attorneys at Frost Brown.

  • Ask A Mentor: Is Secondment A Good Career Move? Author Photo

    Kate Driscoll at Morrison Foerster suggests six questions to help candidates evaluate whether a secondment will benefit their career.

  • 3 Trends Reshaping Chief Marketing Officer Appointments Author Photo

    Recent approaches to hiring chief marketing officers demonstrate how firms are reimagining their marketing and business development frameworks to stay competitive and responsive to evolving client needs, says Murray Coffey at M Coffey.

  • Talking Mental Health: Working As A Mom Of An Autistic Son Author Photo

    Sarah Kovit Hanna at Assurant discusses how she balances the demands of her in-house role and the support needs of her son, who was diagnosed with autism, as a single mom, and reflects on how the legal industry can better support caretakers of family members who have special needs.

  • Ask A Mentor: How Can I Maximize My Pro Bono Impact? Author Photo

    Debbie Berman at Jenner & Block offers advice on how attorneys can make a meaningful impact on their communities through pro bono work while enhancing their professional development through strengthened client-facing skills, hands-on experience and more.

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    My Nonpracticing Law Job: Law Firm Marketer Author Photo

    Liz Bard Lindley at Jaffe PR shares how she went from a family law associate who helped write industry articles to a savvy legal public relations and marketing professional, and offers takeaways for any attorney who might not feel at home in their law practice and is considering alternative career paths.

  • The Case For Keeping The Gas On Deputy GC Compensation Author Photo

    In recent years, the deputy general counsel role has expanded and become increasingly vital in organizations across the globe, and companies should consider a few ways to retain this top talent, including by offering competitive compensation that reflects projected increases, says Heather Fine at Major Lindsey.

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