Business of Law

  • January 02, 2025

    Retired Justice Breyer To Sit On 1st Circ. As Visiting Judge

    Retired U.S. Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer is returning to the bench this month as a visiting judge on the First Circuit, joining three-judge panels hearing oral arguments Jan. 8 and 10, including a financial adviser's appeal of its $93 million loss to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.

  • January 02, 2025

    Justices Urged To Review Copyright Attorney Fee Circuit Split

    A Florida real estate broker is asking the U.S. Supreme Court to decide if defendants hit with copyright infringement suits can collect attorney fees when those suits are dropped, calling the case "an obvious candidate" for high court review.

  • January 02, 2025

    DOJ Says Hur Tapes Are Protected From GOP Contempt Effort

    Two U.S. Department of Justice legal opinions made public on New Year's Eve further explain the Biden administration's positions opposing attempts by Republicans to obtain the audio recordings of President Joe Biden and his ghostwriter speaking with special counsel Robert Hur for his investigation into Biden's handling of classified documents.

  • January 02, 2025

    DC US Atty Matthew Graves Stepping Down Jan. 16

    Matthew Graves, the U.S. attorney for D.C. who led the federal investigation into the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol, said he'll be stepping down as the capital's top federal prosecutor four days before President-elect Donald Trump's inauguration.

  • January 02, 2025

    Biden Lauds Bipartisanship In Confirming Record No. Of Judges

    With less than three weeks left in office, President Joe Biden on Thursday celebrated putting 235 lifetime judges on the federal bench.

  • January 02, 2025

    Ga. Judge Dies By Apparent Suicide In Courtroom

    A Georgia state judge died in an apparent suicide in the courtroom earlier this week during his final days in office shortly after Gov. Brian Kemp rejected his resignation and said it would have nullified the results of a runoff election that the judge lost last year.

  • January 02, 2025

    The Top In-House Hires Of December

    Legal department hires in the past month included high-profile appointments at Eaton Corp., Conde Nast, Constellation Energy Corp. and Turing. Here, Law360 Pulse looks at some of the top in-house announcements from the past few weeks.

  • January 02, 2025

    Feds Ask High Court To Unpause Corporate Transparency Law

    The federal government is asking the U.S. Supreme Court to lift a Texas judge's injunction against the Corporate Transparency Act, telling the justices in a new application that the 2021 anti-money laundering law's compliance deadlines should take effect while the Fifth Circuit hears the full case.

  • January 02, 2025

    DLA Piper, More Boutiques Meet, Exceed Milbank Bonus Scale

    Bonus news continued over the holiday week, with several law firms announcing they'll follow or exceed Milbank LLP's lead on 2024 associate bonuses, and others reversing their stance on special bonuses, according to memos shared with Law360 Pulse and media reports.

  • January 02, 2025

    After Busy 2024, Law Firms Eye More Mergers In Year Ahead

    The popularity of U.S. law firm combinations surged in 2024, with announcements increasing by about a dozen year-over-year and approaching historic heights, according to data collected by Law360 Pulse, but law firm merger consultants say a robust pipeline of deal talks could mean a busier 2025.

  • January 02, 2025

    How Jimmy Carter Transformed The Federal Bench

    Former President Jimmy Carter, who died Sunday, presided over the country's largest judicial expansion, an opportunity he seized to fill seats on the federal bench with more women and people of color than ever before.

  • January 01, 2025

    5 Big Questions For White Collar Enforcement In 2025

    White-collar lawyers are bracing for potentially seismic shifts in government enforcement as President-elect Donald Trump returns to the White House with a sweeping new set of priorities and a squadron of tech gurus and political allies to carry them out.

  • January 01, 2025

    The Top 5 High Court Cases To Watch This Spring

    The U.S. Supreme Court justices will return from the winter holidays to tackle major First Amendment questions and several administrative law disputes — all arising from the Fifth Circuit — that could further change how federal agencies promulgate rules and defend them.

  • January 01, 2025

    Trump Begins 2nd Term With At Least 45 Judge Seats To Fill

    Incoming President Donald Trump will take office Jan. 20 with 45 seats on the federal bench to fill. Currently, there are 39 empty seats on U.S. district and circuit courts and 6 pending vacancies due to announced retirements and plans to take senior status, three of which opened on Dec. 31 and another that opened Jan. 2.

  • January 01, 2025

    Legal Ethics Matters To Watch In 2025

    After an eventful 2024, industry experts are looking ahead to what might be the big topics in legal ethics in the new year, including the ethics implications of artificial intelligence and ethics opinions that may be relevant to attorneys in the incoming second Trump administration.

  • January 01, 2025

    The Hottest Topics Appellate Attys Are Tracking In 2025

    Appellate lawyers in 2025 should probably stock up on coffee and expect some all-nighters — numerous high-profile appeals, a new presidential administration and a new framework for legal challenges to regulations suggest it'll be an uncommonly tumultuous trip around the sun.

  • January 01, 2025

    What's Keeping Law Firm Leaders Up At Night In 2025

    Law firms have experienced rapid change and growth in recent years, and 2025 will likely be no different. Firm leaders told Law360 Pulse they are bracing to respond quickly to a number of different opportunities likely to arise in the new year.

  • January 01, 2025

    NJ Cases To Watch In 2025: Power Broker, Pollution Cleanup

    This year, litigators in New Jersey and beyond will be watching the state's prosecution of power broker George Norcross and his close associates for the alleged wide-ranging RICO conspiracy to obtain Camden waterfront properties and the millions of tax credits that come with the lots.

  • January 01, 2025

    Connecticut Cases To Watch In 2025: Ethics, Mergers & Actors

    A suit over McCarter & English LLP's municipal loan advice and a Yale-owned heath network's legal battle over a beleaguered acquisition deal are just two multimillion-dollar cases that will keep Connecticut courts busy next year. 

  • December 28, 2024

    Trump Seeks High Court's Pause Of TikTok Sale-Or-Ban Law

    President-elect Donald Trump has urged the U.S. Supreme Court to freeze the impending deadline for TikTok to divest from its Chinese parent company or face a nationwide ban, suggesting his new administration could negotiate a deal that would end the need for the congressional mandate.

  • December 23, 2024

    Anti-Laundering Law Is Likely Constitutional, 5th Circ. Rules

    The Fifth Circuit on Monday lifted a lower court's nationwide block of a federal corporate transparency law, ruling in an unpublished order that the federal government made a "strong showing" that it could successfully defend the law's constitutionality.

  • December 23, 2024

    Biden Vetoes Bill To Add New Judgeships

    President Joe Biden vetoed a bill Monday that would have added more federal judgeships, despite the judiciary's plea that more seats on the bench are needed desperately.

  • December 23, 2024

    'Tragedy To Farce': Menendez Makes 3rd New Trial Bid

    Former U.S. Sen. Robert Menendez and two co-defendants, convicted of bribery in July, have made a third push for a new trial in Manhattan federal court, contending that the government's latest admission of an evidence gaffe bolstered their case.

  • December 23, 2024

    Trump Taps Ex-Homeland Security Atty As DOJ Chief Of Staff

    President-elect Donald Trump has tapped Chad Mizelle, who formerly held top legal roles at Trump's Department of Homeland Security and is married to Trump-appointed U.S. District Judge Kathryn K. Mizelle, as chief of staff at the Department of Justice.

  • December 23, 2024

    Alston & Bird, Arnold & Porter Unveil Associate Bonuses

    Arnold & Porter Kaye Scholer LLP and Alston & Bird LLP told associates Monday they'd be receiving year-end bonuses that meet the prevailing scale for large law firms set by Milbank LLP in November — as long as they meet certain billable hours requirements, according to media reports.

Expert Analysis

  • How Associates Can Build A Professional Image

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    As hybrid work arrangements become the norm in the legal industry, early-career attorneys must be proactive in building and maintaining a professional presence in both physical and digital settings, ensuring that their image aligns with their long-term career goals, say Lana Manganiello at Equinox Strategy Partners and Estelle Winsett at Estelle Winsett Professional Image Consulting.

  • Firms Must Rethink How They Train New Lawyers In AI Age

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    As law firms begin to use generative artificial intelligence to complete lower-level legal tasks, they’ll need to consider new ways to train summer associates and early-career attorneys, keeping in mind the five stages of skill acquisition, says Liisa Thomas at Sheppard Mullin.

  • Think Like A Lawyer: Always Be Closing

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    When a lawyer presents their case with the right propulsive structure throughout trial, there is little need for further argument after the close of evidence — and in fact, rehashing it all may test jurors’ patience — so attorneys should consider other strategies for closing arguments, says Luke Andrews at Poole Huffman.

  • Confronting The Psychological Toll Of Personal Injury Law

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    Personal injury lawyers advocate for clients who have experienced trauma, loss and life-altering injuries, but these cases can have an emotional impact on attorneys themselves — so it is crucial to address these challenges proactively and openly, and normalize the conversation around mental health in the legal profession, says Lisa Lanier at Lanier Law Group.

  • Series

    Playing Chess Makes Me A Better Lawyer

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    There are many ways that chess skills translate directly into lawyer skills, but for me, the bigger career lessons go beyond the direct parallels — playing chess has shown me the value of seeing gradual improvement in and focusing deep concentration on a nonwork endeavor, says attorney Steven Fink.

  • Litigation Inspiration: Attys Can Be Heroic Like Olympians

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    Although litigation won’t earn anyone an Olympic medal in Paris this summer, it can be worthy of the same lasting honor if attorneys exercise focused restraint — seeking both their clients’ interests and those of the court — instead of merely pursuing every advantage short of sanctionable conduct, says Bennett Rawicki at Hilgers Graben.

  • Lean Into The 'Great Restoration' To Retain Legal Talent

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    As the “great resignation,” in which employees voluntarily left their jobs in droves, has largely dissipated, legal employers should now work toward the idea of a “great restoration,” adopting strategies to effectively hire, onboard and retain top legal talent, says Molly McGrath at Hiring & Empowering Solutions.

  • Series

    Fishing Makes Me A Better Lawyer

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    Atop the list of ways fishing makes me a better lawyer is the relief it offers from the chronic stress of a demanding caseload, but it has also improved my listening skills and patience, and has served as an exceptional setting for building earnest relationships, says Steven DeGeorge​​​​​​​ at Robinson Bradshaw.

  • A Healthier Legal Industry Starts With Emotional Intelligence

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    The legal profession has long been plagued by high rates of mental health issues, in part due to attorneys’ early training and broader societal stereotypes — but developing one’s emotional intelligence is one way to foster positive change, collectively and individually, says attorney Esperanza Franco.

  • To Make Your Legal Writing Clear, Emulate A Master Chef

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    To deliver clear and effective written advocacy, lawyers should follow the model of a fine dining chef — seasoning a foundation of pure facts with punchy descriptors, spicing it up with analogies, refining the recipe and trimming the fat — thus catering to a sophisticated audience of decision-makers, says Reuben Guttman at Guttman Buschner.

  • Circuit Judge Writes An Opinion, AI Helps: What Now?

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    Last week's Eleventh Circuit opinion in Snell v. United Specialty Insurance, notable for a concurrence outlining the use of artificial intelligence to evaluate a term's common meaning, is hopefully the first step toward developing a coherent basis for the judiciary's generative AI use, says David Zaslowsky at Baker McKenzie.

  • Perspectives

    Trauma-Informed Legal Approaches For Pro Bono Attorneys

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    As National Trauma Awareness Month ends, pro bono attorneys should nevertheless continue to acknowledge the mental and physical effects of trauma, allowing them to better represent clients, and protect themselves from compassion fatigue and burnout, say Katherine Cronin at Stinson and Katharine Manning at Blackbird.

  • Opinion

    NY Should Pass Litigation Funding Bill To Protect Plaintiffs

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    New York state should embrace the regulatory framework proposed in the Consumer Litigation Funding Act, which would suppress the unregulated predatory lenders that currently prey on vulnerable litigants but preserve a funding option that helps personal injury plaintiffs stand up to deep-pocketed corporate defendants, says Alan Ripka at Alan Ripka & Associates.

  • Series

    Playing Music Makes Me A Better Lawyer

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    My deep and passionate involvement in playing, writing and producing music equipped me with skills — like creativity, improvisation and problem-solving — that contribute to the success of my legal career, says attorney Kenneth Greene.

  • How Attys Can Avoid Pitfalls When Withdrawing From A Case

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    The Trump campaign's recent scuffle over its bid to replace its counsel in a pregnancy retaliation suit offers a chance to remind attorneys that many troubles inherent in withdrawing from a case can be mitigated or entirely avoided by communicating with clients openly and frequently, says Christopher Konneker at Orsinger Nelson.

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