California Pulse


  • LA Judge Who Told Juror To 'Learn English' Gets Disciplined

    A judicial ethics panel has admonished a Los Angeles County Superior Court judge over her comments to two prospective jurors that they should "learn English" and that they're "not doing anything in our society," finding the remarks amounted to misconduct that undermined public confidence in the judicial system's integrity and impartiality.

  • iStock-2157813923.jpg

    Atty Withdrawals Not Limited To Fee Conflicts, ABA Says

    Lawyers whose clients fail to hold up their end of valid engagement agreements are clear to cease their representation, so long as certain criteria are met, according to the American Bar Association's ethics committee's latest guidance, published Wednesday.

  • Cheryl O'Connor.jpg

    Goodwin Adds Another Jones Day Atty To Newest Calif. Office

    Goodwin Procter LLP announced on Tuesday that it has brought a former Jones Day lawyer to its newest office on the West Coast.

  • imageye___-_.jpg

    Michael Best Taps Jones Lang LaSalle Exec For COO Role

    Michael Best & Friedrich LLP has welcomed a new chief operating officer from real estate brokerage firm Jones Lang LaSalle Inc., where he held senior chief operating officer and strategic leadership roles.

  • Mhare Mouradian Seyfarth.jpg

    Seyfarth Brings On Former Husch Blackwell Litigator In LA

    Seyfarth Shaw LLP has added a former Husch Blackwell partner in its downtown Los Angeles office.

  • 2045.jpg

    How AI Is Reshaping The Balance Between Firms And Clients

    As artificial intelligence tools speed up some legal work, a panel of experts on Wednesday demonstrated that there is some agreement between law firms and clients on new billing practices and whether AI will replace lawyers.

  • Quinn Emanuel Owes More Sanctions In Guardant Fight

    Quinn Emanuel and its team representing medical testing company Natera will shoulder further sanctions on top of the $3 million already imposed over the firm's misrepresentations concerning an expert witness in Guardant Health's false advertising case, a California federal judge ruled Tuesday.

  • Kieran Kieckhefer.png

    Gibson Dunn IP Litigator Jumps to Latham & Watkins In SF

    Latham & Watkins LLP announced Tuesday that it has landed a first-chair trial lawyer from Gibson Dunn who is skilled in high-stakes intellectual property litigation across the technology sector.

  • iStock-2268887397.jpg

    Big Tech Draws Investor Fire Over AI Climate, Data Risks

    Though business adversaries at times, some activist shareholders share at least one key concern with many general counsel: the growing risk that artificial intelligence poses for companies. 

  • Supreme_Court_Tariffs_45797.jpg

    Shhh, What AI? Katyal Talk Shows Tech Potential In Args Prep

    In pulling back the curtain on how he secured a high-stakes U.S. Supreme Court victory, renowned litigator Neal Katyal of Milbank LLP recently confessed to a strategy that many lawyers may be using but don't want to admit: adopting artificial intelligence to detect patterns in court cases and anticipate possible questions from the bench.

  • mccullough_matthew 50612.jpg

    Winston & Strawn IP Litigator Jumps To Faegre Drinker In SF

    Faegre Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP has announced it grew its intellectual property group in San Francisco with a new partner from Winston & Strawn LLP who has a computer engineering background.

  • iStock-2199340149.jpg

    How To Ace Your Summer Associate Gig

    More than 500 law students recently shared their concerns with Law360 about succeeding as summer associates. Here, legal experts offer suggestions on how students can ace their programs this summer.

  • iStock-2187596823.jpg

    When Firms Hire Before Grades, What Drives Decisions?

    For some law students, the race for summer associate jobs is ending before their grades are even posted. As firms continue to move hiring earlier, recruiters say decisions are increasingly being made with limited academic information, shifting the focus toward experience, connections and perceived fit.

  • iStock-2156265462.jpg

    What Students Want In A Summer Associate Job

    Office locations and available practice areas were the top considerations for prospective summer associates, with Kirkland & Ellis LLP retaining its position as the most coveted destination, according to Law360 Pulse's 2026 Summer Associates Survey.

  • Health Co. Wants Kirkland Off IP Case For 'Cardinal Sin'

    A healthcare company suing medical technology company Commure Inc. over alleged trade secret theft has said Kirkland & Ellis LLP should be disqualified from representing Commure because the healthcare company had tried to retain Kirkland prior to filing the suit and shared confidential information before anyone asked who the defendant was going to be.

  • DSCF4512.jpg

    AI Won't Totally Replace Outside Counsel, In-House Leaders Say

    Law360 Pulse asked attendees and speakers at the 2026 CLOC Global Institute in Chicago last week whether in-house legal departments will rely less on outside law firms when they use artificial intelligence tools. Here is what they had to say.

  • iStock-2219740417.jpg

    Is Social Media Harm The 'New Tobacco' For Mass Torts?

    After a series of early wins for plaintiffs who say they were harmed by social media companies’ addictive platforms, some are drawing similarities to the era of Big Tobacco litigation when the defendants’ pockets were deep and the products appeared ubiquitous, but the possible rewards from the mass tort bar’s foray into the digital realm come with unique challenges.

  • Olivar Harry 2018.jpeg

    Quinn Emanuel Remembers Harry Olivar After Fatal Crash

    Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan LLP is remembering longtime partner and national securities practice chair Harry A. Olivar Jr., after he and his stepson, David Jackson, died in an automobile accident in central Georgia. Olivar was 62.

  • Calif. Bar Is Latest To Approve 'NextGen' Bar Exam For 2028

    The State Bar of California's board of trustees announced last week that it voted unanimously to adopt the National Conference of Bar Examiners' NextGen Uniform Bar Exam, starting in July 2028, as recommended by the Committee of Bar Examiners, following the calamitous rollout of its own exam last year.

  • Artist's Atty Owes Disney $475K Sanctions In 'Moana' IP Case

    An attorney representing an animator who unsuccessfully alleged that The Walt Disney Co.'s "Moana" lifted his Polynesian adventure story must pay more than $475,000 in sanctions, a California federal judge ruled, saying he "acted recklessly" by pursuing trade secret misappropriation claims premised on a forged document.

  • American_Bar_Association_Garland_04555.jpg

    ABA Section Votes To Scrap Law School DEI Standards

    The American Bar Association's legal education section on Friday voted to eliminate its requirements that law schools show a commitment to diversity in their student body in order to remain accredited, a policy that has been under fire since a 2023 U.S. Supreme Court ruling striking down affirmative action in higher education.

  • Lender Vouches For Blank Rome In Cannabis Dispensary Suit

    A lender is urging a California federal court to deny an attempt to disqualify Blank Rome LLP from representing it in the company's fraud lawsuit over a $1.6 million loan for a cannabis dispensary, arguing the request is simply an attempt to delay litigation.

  • LegalLions.png

    Law360's Legal Lions Of The Week

    Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP and Haynes Boone lead this week's edition of Law360 Legal Lions, after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that federal courts that have sent disputes to arbitration have jurisdiction to confirm or vacate subsequent awards.

  • FBFK Kyle Ferguson.png

    Ferguson Braswell Founder Shares Firm's '2.0' Vision

    Texas-based Ferguson Braswell Fraser Kubasta PC, which now goes by FBFK Law Firm, recently announced it has completed a redesign of its website as part of its overall long term strategy dubbed "FBFK 2.0."

  • Federal_District_Judge_Josephine_L._Staton.jpg

    Girardi Trial Judge Josephine Staton To Take Senior Status

    The California federal judge who sentenced disgraced trial attorney Tom Girardi to prison for wire fraud last year has announced that she'll be taking senior status in the fall, allowing President Donald Trump to appoint her successor.

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

Expert Analysis

  • A Closer Look At 5 Types Of Legal Management Services Orgs Author Photo

    Legal management services organizations, which outsource the administrative aspects of law firms to separate entities, are poised to disrupt the industry in the year to come, so firms and attorneys should consider the advantages and disadvantages of several MSO models, say Frederick Shelton and Ayven Dodd at Shelton & Steele.

  • Law And Disorder: How To Tackle A Key Burnout Syndrome Author Photo

    Impostor syndrome prevails as a main root cause of attorney burnout, but sufferers can equip themselves with a series of practice tips that build confidence through evidence, not emotion, to address the mindset behind this damaging condition, says Jonathan Cohen at PNY.

  • What GCs Value Most: 7 Ways To Build Client Relationships Author Photo

    Today's general counsel expect outside lawyers to show interest, relevance and value long before there is a live matter to address, including by engaging with attorneys at every level of the company and dispensing free advice thoughtfully, says Andrew Dick at The L Suite.

  • Series

    Biz Development Tip Of The Month: Start Early In Your Career Author Photo

    Having the courage to embark on your legal business development strategy early in your career allows you to sooner reap the rewards of a strong network, which in turn can increase the momentum of referrals over the course of your career, says Kristin Housh at Sheppard Mullin.

  • Enthusiasm Is Legal Leadership Differentiator In AI Era Author Photo

    As the legal profession navigates changes driven by artificial intelligence and broader pressures, leaders should consider behavioral research-backed strategies to translate enthusiasm into tangible results for team performance, say attorneys at King & Spalding.

  • Weighing Opportunities, Risks Of PE Investment In Law Firms Author Photo

    Though law firms and private equity firms appear to be strange bedfellows, such combinations may offer opportunities for ailing midsize firms — which must be weighed against risks to culture, brand and growth prospects, say directors at FTI Consulting.

  • 3 Forces Reshaping The Legal Buyer-Seller Relationship Author Photo

    This year's Buying Legal Council Conference highlighted three emerging forces in how buyers and sellers operate in the legal ecosystem — artificial intelligence, data and preferred panels — and organizations would be well advised to combine them into an integrated framework for transparency, performance and collaboration, says Matthew Prinn at RFP Advisory Group.

  • 5 Steps For GCs To Drive Generative AI Experimentation Author Photo

    As legal departments face mounting pressure to do more with less, general counsel should lead a structured process for adopting generative artificial intelligence tools to transform productivity, manage risk and align with enterprise priorities, says Maesea McCalpin at Gartner.

  • How Attys Can DIY Their Own System For Professional Growth Author Photo

    Amid law firm layoffs of business development staff, lawyers cannot depend solely on their firms to foster their professional growth, and must instead create their own initiatives for building community, says Lana Manganiello at Practice Growth Partner.

  • The Augmented Lawyer: In-House, Outside Counsel AI Collabs Author Photo

    As artificial intelligence changes the dynamic between in-house and outside counsel, both internal and external legal teams must thoughtfully reimagine how to mutually leverage AI tools to collaborate and deliver successful outcomes, say Karineh Khachatourian at KXT Law and Diane Honda at Redis.

  • Ask A Mentor: How Do I Adjust To In-House After BigLaw? Author Photo

    Sirisha Gummaregula at QuisLex offers advice on navigating the challenges that come with taking on an in-house counsel role after leaving law firm life, including learning your company's business goals and leading with empathy and collaboration.

  • Adapting Legal Thought Leadership To An AI World Author Photo

    As potential clients with legal questions increasingly rely on summaries generated by artificial intelligence, attorneys must rethink their content strategy to make sure AI chatbots and search overviews cite their thought leadership, say Ioana Good and Adrien Maines at Promova and Nancy Myrland at Myrland Marketing.

  • 10 Practical Tips For Attorneys Navigating High-Profile Cases Author Photo

    Complex corporate litigation now often unfolds under the glare of a parallel trial in the court of public opinion, requiring attorneys to adopt a cohesive strategy for legal filings, leadership communications and narrative control, says Monica Smith at Integer PR.

  • Series

    Biz Development Tip Of The Month: Tailor Your Personal Style Author Photo

    In an industry where competition for clients is fierce, a thoughtful approach to personal style can give you the confidence to walk into any room and own it, the magnetism to make connections that matter, and the tools to highlight your deeper professional values, says Leslie Berkoff at Moritt Hock.

  • What GCs Value Most: 7 Tips For Landing The Client Pitch Author Photo

    In today’s competitive legal market, successful attorneys treat the pitch process with general counsel like the beginning of a relationship, not a one-off sale — showing up with curiosity, commercial awareness and the ability to engage in a meaningful way from the start, says Andrew Dick at The L Suite.

×

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 & AI 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