California Pulse


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    HSF Kramer Appoints Belfast Lead As ALSP Managing Partner

    Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer LLP on Tuesday announced the appointment of a partner who has been with the firm for over two decades as its new managing partner of digital legal delivery, its alternative legal services practice.

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    AI-Powered Legal Ops Is Starting To Pay Off On Deals

    A new study supports what some legal industry experts have been saying for months — an AI-driven legal operating model is taking over the contract management industry and has begun giving companies a real return on their investment. 

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    Legal Ops Teams Grapple With Slew Of 'AI Native' Firms

    The growing number of law firms pitching themselves as "AI native" is generating feelings of artificial intelligence fatigue inside corporate legal departments, as legal operations experts say the term is becoming diluted amid the rush to cash in on the AI boom.

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    Axinn Hires Chief Innovation Officer From Proskauer

    Axinn Veltrop & Harkrider LLP announced Monday the hiring of Rachael Philbin, previously at Proskauer Rose LLP, as its chief innovation officer out of New York City.

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    Ferguson Braswell Hires COO To Support Texas, Calif. Growth

    Texas-based Ferguson Braswell Fraser Kubasta PC, which now goes by the name FBFK Law Firm, said Monday that the firm has hired its first chief operating officer to help support its growth efforts in its home state and California.

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    Alphabet CLO's Pay Drops $1M To $29M In 2025

    The president of global affairs and chief legal officer and secretary of Alphabet Inc. saw his pay drop by $1 million last year after the company discontinued a bonus program for senior executives, the tech giant disclosed in a filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.

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    DLA Piper Litigator Joins Atkinson Andelson In California

    Atkinson Andelson Loya Ruud & Romo PLC announced that the firm has added a former DLA Piper litigator as a partner based out of the Los Angeles suburb of Cerritos, California.

  • Justices Deny Ramey Appeal Of Sanctions In Google IP Case

    The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday refused to review $255,000 in sanctions on embattled attorney William Ramey and a client for bringing what a California judge said was a frivolous patent suit against Google, turning down his appeal arguing the decision used the wrong legal standard.

  • Akin Can't 'Recast' Appeal As Good-Faith Effort, 9th Circ. Told

    A European winemaker slammed attempts by a U.S. importer and its Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP attorneys to "recast a frivolous appeal as a good-faith effort," saying they should have to pay monetary sanctions for pursuing what the Ninth Circuit called a "self-indulgent" appeal of a valid arbitration award.

  • Calif.'s High Court Seeks Stronger Rules On False Statements

    California's Supreme Court has rejected the State Bar's proposed rule changes in response to threats and violence against the judiciary — asking for a redraft saying lawyers who make false and reckless statements against judges and judicial officers may be disciplined even if the lawyer "reasonably disagrees with a ruling."

  • After SEC's EDGAR Restrictions, Shareholders Launch POE

    Shareholder advocacy group As You Sow said Friday it has launched a new database that allows shareholders to publicly post exempt solicitations related to their shareholder proposals after a U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission policy reversal this year.

  • Law360 Pulse Spotlight On Mid-Law Work

    Shutts & Bowen's work on a data center company's stock offering and Robbins Geller's lead counsel spot in an investor class action lead this edition of Law360 Pulse's Spotlight On Mid-Law Work, recapping the top matters for Mid-Law firms from April 10 to 24.

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    Munger Tolles Gains Traction With Summer Associate Revamp

    Since Munger Tolles & Olson LLP announced plans to overhaul its summer associate program, the firm this week said applications have increased by more than a third and nearly all the selected law students have accepted the positions.

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    Law360's Legal Lions Of The Week

    Consovoy McCarthy PLLC, Butler Prather LLP, Bowen Painter LLC and Cannella Snyder LLC lead this week's edition of Law360 Legal Lions, after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that Fluor Corp. can be held liable for a veteran's state-based injury claims stemming from a 2016 suicide bombing in Afghanistan.

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    Kirkland Litigator To Lead Watstein Terepka's New LA Office

    A former Kirkland & Ellis LLP general litigation partner has moved his practice to boutique firm Watstein Terepka LLP to lead its new Los Angeles office.

  • Ex-Workday Atty Ends Bias Suit Following Settlement Talks

    A former in-house attorney for human resources giant Workday has agreed to drop what remains of an employment discrimination suit he launched against his former employer in 2023.

  • Voir Dire: Law360 Pulse's Weekly Quiz

    The legal industry had another action-packed week as BigLaw firms shifted leadership roles and new figures revealed lateral hiring trends. Test your legal news savvy here with Law360 Pulse's weekly quiz.

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    DLA Piper Clears Vote To End Verein, Unify Leadership

    DLA Piper announced Friday that firm partners on both sides of the Atlantic have "overwhelmingly approved" a plan to dissolve its Swiss verein structure effective May 1.

  • 'Cheap' Judge OKs $19.5M Snap Deal Fees But 'No Bentleys'

    After warning counsel who negotiated a $65 million securities settlement with Snap that he is "notoriously cheap," and in a tentative order gave a "haircut" to their $19.5 million fee request, a California federal judge talked himself out of the trim at a hearing Thursday but quipped, "No Bentleys."

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    Jones Day Adds Labor Attorney From McDermott In SF

    Jones Day has added a former McDermott Will & Schulte partner who advises leading companies on a wide range of labor and employment matters as a partner in its labor and employment practice in its San Francisco office, the firm has announced.

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    Private Equity MSO Deals Heating Up In Legal Industry

    Private equity is driving a surge in managed services organization deals with U.S. law firms, with the focus on consumer-facing practices like personal injury for now and the potential to one day reshape how even BigLaw firms do business.

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    LegalZoom CLO Saw Comp Plunge Nearly $14M In 2025

    The chief legal officer of LegalZoom.com Inc. earned about $887,000 in total compensation in 2025, a steep drop from the $14.8 million she earned the prior year, according to a U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission filing.

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    Orrick Hires Former Head Of Meta Youth Safety Policy

    Orrick announced Thursday that it hired the former global director of youth safety policy and leader of global youth litigation strategy at Meta Platforms Inc. amid growing U.S. focus on keeping minors safe online.

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    Robinhood CLO Earned $11M In Compensation Last Year

    The top in-house attorney at financial trading platform Robinhood Markets Inc. earned nearly $11 million in total compensation in 2025, increasing his total pay by more than $2.3 million from the previous year, according to new documents filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.

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    Morgan & Morgan Taps Seyfarth Atty For Employment Push

    Morgan & Morgan PA has added a Seyfarth Shaw LLP attorney to lead and build a California employment division for the injury law firm.

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Expert Analysis

  • Roundup

    Biz Development Tip Of The Month Author Photo

    This year, experts shared 12 actionable strategies on building business in today's competitive legal market, from prioritizing human connections to maximizing the impact of thought leadership.

  • Overcoming US Law Firms' Hesitancy To Enter Indian Market Author Photo

    Successful private equity exits with strong returns have solidified India's buyout market as an increasingly attractive destination for future investments, offering compelling reasons for the U.S. legal community to overcome its caution on the country's markets, says Vaishali Movva at Eimer Stahl.

  • 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.

  • Series

    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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