#biglaw-firms
#biglaw-firms

Ranking The Wealth Of The Elite: Is Your Biglaw Firm 'Super Rich'? (2024)

Biglaw firms with high revenue and profits per lawyer qualify to be among the Am Law 100's Super Rich. [ more ]

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Even Kavanaugh Isn't Buying That - See Also

Federal judge questions Trump-appointed lawyer's arguments

Call for meaningful action from Biglaw firms for diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives

Big firm makes significant impact on Apple [ more ]

legal-industry

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Artificial intelligence

Sorry, Trump, But That's Not How The First Amendment Works - See Also

Attacking a judge's family isn't protected speech

Biglaw firms expanding into new markets [ more ]

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Welcome To The 'Kirklandization' Of Biglaw, Partners!

Kirklandization of the legal industry involves expanding nonequity tiers in law firms.

Kirkland & Ellis has led this trend, with over half of its partners in the nonequity tier. [ more ]

Above the Law

Morning Docket: 03.25.24

Realization rates are decreasing in Biglaw firms.

Illinois judges remove diversity policies due to hurt feelings of conservative white males. [ more ]

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Good: Biglaw Firm Encourages Charitable Donations. Bad: Biglaw Firm Reminds Associates They Haven't Gotten Raises.

Associates at Biglaw firms that have not matched the new Milbank/Cravath compensation scale are anxiously awaiting news on raises.

Allen & Overy faced backlash for asking associates to donate a portion of their salaries to charity before announcing if they would receive bonuses. [ more ]

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Associates May Need To Brace Themselves For 4 Days Spent Working In The Office Each Week

More Biglaw firms may adopt a four-day in-office work week

Brad Hildebrandt predicts a shift towards wanting employees back in the office [ more ]

Above the Law

Leading Biglaw Firm Offers Market Raises On Top Of Eye-Popping Bonuses Up To $400K

Boies Schiller Flexner is matching the Cravath scale for compensation increases, offering competitive salaries to its associates.

Associates at the firm have the option to choose between the market bonus system or the formula compensation system. [ more ]

Above the Law

No Better Way To Start The Month Than With Bonuses!

Biglaw firms are matching harder than monochrome enthusiasts in terms of salary and bonuses.

Covington & Burling is one of the firms offering raises this bonus season. [ more ]

moreBiglaw firms

Above the Law

1 week ago

Elite Biglaw Firm Adopts Tougher Background Checks For New Hires Amid Campus Protests

Biglaw firms scrutinize incoming associates' views on Israel/Hamas conflict. Sullivan & Cromwell announces stringent vetting process post anti-war protests. [ more ]

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1 week ago

Biglaw's Footprint Is Shrinking

Biglaw firms are leasing less office space, showing a downward trend. [ more ]

Above the Law

1 week ago

Am Law 200 Tells The Story Of The Biglaw Haves And Have Nots

Second Hundred Biglaw firms saw revenue increase but lagged behind Am Law 100 in key metrics. [ more ]

Above the Law

2 weeks ago

Top Biglaw Firm Plans To Break Away From Its 170-Lawyer Offices In Greater China

Biglaw firms are reducing their presence in China due to market conditions, data security risks, and US-China relations. [ more ]

Above the Law

3 weeks ago

Work Perk Alert: Are Music Rooms The Next Big Thing For Biglaw Firms?

Biglaw firms are enhancing office culture by adding unique perks like music rooms to attract and retain attorneys. [ more ]

ABA Journal

4 weeks ago

2 BigLaw firms in merger talks that could produce 1,600-lawyer firm with top 50 revenue

Two BigLaw firms, Troutman Pepper Hamilton Sanders and Locke Lord, are in merger talks to create a potential top 50 revenue firm with over 1,600 lawyers. [ more ]

Above the Law

19 hours ago

Left-wing politics

Biglaw Partners Are Opening Their Wallets Wide For Biden, But What About Trump?

Lawyers are major political campaign donors, with Biglaw firms favoring Republicans in congressional races despite the legal profession overall supporting Democrats. [ more ]

Above the Law

2 weeks ago

Boston food

Trendspotting: Biglaw's Boston Office Bonanza

Biglaw firms are in a rush to open new offices in Boston, indicating a trend in the legal industry. [ more ]

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U.S. News Rankings Continue Slide Into Bonkerstown

Law school rankings can be erratic and unpredictable due to lack of cooperation from law schools.

Biglaw firms face irony in promoting healthy sleep while being a primary reason for associates' lack of sleep. [ more ]

ABA Journal

Which BigLaw firms are increasing lateral associate hiring the most? One made legal headlines last year

Lewis Brisbois Bisgaard & Smith leads in lateral associate hiring with 279 new associates in 2023.

Despite an overall decrease in lateral associate hiring, some BigLaw firms like Jackson Lewis and Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison are increasing their lateral hiring numbers. [ more ]

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Agile

Top International Biglaw Firm Increases Office Attendance Mandate

Lawyers upset about increased office time

Firm emphasizes benefits of in-office work for collaboration, skill-building, and culture. [ more ]

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Biglaw Firms Step Away From Lobbying Relationships With Chinese Companies

Biglaw firms exiting China due to increased government scrutiny.

Reputational considerations leading to termination of relationships with Chinese companies. [ more ]

Above the Law

Giddyup, Lawyers! Biglaw Firm Opens Another Texas Outpost

Nelson Mullins expands in Texas with Houston office

Focus on energy, private equity, and healthcare sectors [ more ]

Above the Law

Simpson Thacher's Gift To Associates Goes Over Like A Lead Balloon

Associates were irked by Simpson Thacher & Bartlett's sleep-themed gifts reflecting work-life struggles in Biglaw.

Recognition of importance of sleep in Biglaw must go beyond just symbolic gestures like sleep-themed gifts. [ more ]

Above the Law

Top Biglaw Firm Has Already Closed One Of Its China Offices, May Close Another Soon

Biglaw firm Weil Gotshal closed Beijing office and might close Shanghai office.

Weil Gotshal aims to consolidate Asia operations through Hong Kong office. [ more ]

Above the Law

Yet Another Biglaw Firm Is Closing Down Offices In China

Biglaw firms closing offices in Asia, particularly in China

Orrick closed Taipei and winding down Shanghai office, citing rebalancing and client demand [ more ]

Above the Law

Top Biglaw Firm Adopts 'One-Size-Fits-All' Office Policy, Where Partners No Longer Rule The Real Estate Roost

Biglaw firms are shifting towards more egalitarian office spaces for all attorneys, moving away from the traditional model of partners having larger offices than associates.

Freshfields has implemented a new office space design where both junior associates and senior partners have solo workspaces that are roughly 140 square feet, promoting a more equal environment. [ more ]

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Biglaw Firm's Bonuses Leave A Lot To Be Desired

Bonuses at Fox Rothschild below market

Fox Rothschild bonus structure favors higher billable hours [ more ]

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Artificial intelligence

Top Magic Circle Firm Takes A Chance On Artificial Intelligence

Biglaw firms are embracing AI in the legal sector with tools for tasks like document summarization and email drafting.

Clifford Chance partnered with Microsoft to introduce a range of AI solutions for its global workforce. [ more ]

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Marketing

Blink Twice If You're Being Force To TikTok - See Also

Biglaw Firms on TikTok

CROWN Act Ineffectiveness

Trump Legal Troubles Summary [ more ]

Above the Law

3 months ago

New York Governor Provokes Ire Of Biglaw

Biglaw leaders condemn funding plan diverting $100 million from legal aid for low-income New Yorkers.

Diversion of funds would harm low-income New Yorkers and violate the statute that created IOLA. [ more ]

Above the Law

3 months ago

Elite Biglaw Firms Now Offering $500K In Signing Bonuses To Supreme Court Clerks

Former Supreme Court clerks are receiving signing bonuses of up to $500,000 when joining Biglaw firms.

Jones Day has hired 22 Supreme Court clerks since October Term 2020. [ more ]

Above the Law

3 months ago

What's Behind The Bad Vibes At Biglaw Firms?

Almost 40% of lawyers surveyed identified 'profit-mindedness' as something that induced negative feelings toward their law firm.

Lack of transparency and poor partner/associate ratios were also cited as reasons for a negative culture in Biglaw firms. [ more ]

Above the Law

4 months ago

Whatever You're Doing, Leave MLK Out Of It - See Also

Biglaw firms using MLK quotes without action

Lawyer advocating for blow [ more ]

Above the Law

4 months ago

Social justice

Did The Firms That Shared MLK Quotes Actually Read The Guy?

Martin Luther King Jr. Day is often misused as a way for people to justify positions that King would not have supported.

Martin Luther King Jr. had non-violence and racial equity as core tenets of his philosophy, and it is jarring to see people who do not embody those values praising him. [ more ]

Above the Law

4 months ago

Another Major Law Firm Goes Full Big Brother To Enforce Office Attendance Policy

The Covid-19 pandemic has led to changes in the work-from-home policies of Biglaw firms.

Slaughter and May, a Magic Circle firm, requires attorneys to spend a minimum of three full days per week in the office or at a client. [ more ]

Above the Law

Biglaw Firms Planning To Expand Their Nonequity Partner Ranks In A Big Way

Biglaw firms are expanding their nonequity partner ranks

83% of Biglaw firms expect to increase the size of their income partner roles in the next two years [ more ]

ABA Journal

Associate pay hikes gather steam after Cravath announcement; which law firms have matched?

Several BigLaw firms are raising associate pay in response to Cravath's announcement on pay hikes.

Cravath's new pay scale ranges from $225,000 to $420,000 annually for associates. [ more ]

Above the Law

Biglaw Firms Are 'Waiting' To See What Other Compensation Leaders Do Before They Match Milbank

Other Biglaw firms are likely to match Milbank's salary raises and bonuses.

Once one or two firms match, a wave of matches is expected to quickly follow. [ more ]

Above the Law

6 months ago

'Hybrid' Partnerships: A New Way To Offer Partial Equity To Income Partners

Hybrid partnership status is becoming more popular among Biglaw firms.

Firms use hybrid partnerships to retain talented lawyers who may not qualify for equity partnership.

Hybrid partnerships offer a smaller stake in the firm, but still provide a sense of inclusion. [ more ]

Above the Law

6 months ago