Ben Thomson

Why Trump’s Attack on Elite Firms Is Particularly Savage for Paul Weiss

Big Law, UK Law /
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The Paul Weiss ‘Inflection Point’ Ben Thomson, LawFuel contributor Vivia Chen’s latest column at her blog ‘The Ex-Careerist’ on substack delivers a sharp critique of Donald Trump’s escalating attacks on major law firms, with Paul Weiss being his third target. This pattern of retaliation has reached what Chen calls “an inflection point,” as Trump’s executive […]

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Trump vs. Big Law And The Icy Fear He Has Given Big Law

Headlining, US Law /
Icy trump biglaw

Trump’s Icy Law Firm Crackdown Ben Thomson, Lawfuel contributing editor Any law firm representing someone Donald Trump doesn’t like might cost your firm its government contracts in the US, after the administration launched a ferocious, two-pronged assault on major law firms through executive orders that should make every attorney pay attention – regardless of political

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The Latest (almost) $3 Billion Law Firm

Big Law, Headlining /
Hogan lovells miguel lawfuel

Let’s cut through the corporate jargon: Hogan Lovells isn’t just “growing” – it’s latest results show the firm is scaling with surgical precision having just posted a $2.965B revenue haul for 2024, a near 9 percent jump that brings it within spitting distance of the elusive $3B mark.

The news was dropped by the firm in their March 6 release that we have here.

For context, that’s up 23 percent from 2023’s $2.7B. More telling? PEP hit $3.07M (up 12 percent while RPL nudged to $1.097M.

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Elon Musk’s Legal Ace Hits $3K/Hour in Landmark Legal Fee Benchmark

Headlining, US Law /
Alexspiro Burck Lawfuel

Alex Spiro, the go-to litigator for Elon Musk and New York City Mayor Eric Adams, now bills clients $3,000 per hour—a figure cementing his status among Manhattan’s most expensive lawyers. Or in fact any US lawyers.

At Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan, Spiro and global co-managing partner William Burck lead a pricing tier that reflects the fast-growing climb of premium legal services across the US, with firm partners charging between $1,860 and $3,000 hourly.

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Are BigLaw Fees Outpacing Reality?

Big Law, Headlining /
Legal fees1

Billing rates at Big Law continue to soar, leaving even the most jaded GCs with a touch of vertigo. But as we navigate the choppy waters of 2025 – complete with AI fever dreams, inflation headaches, and a freshly minted administration in D.C. the question remains as to how long this ever-rising move can continue?

It doesn’t seem that long ago when hitting $1,000 an hour felt audacious.

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Linklaters AI Assistants Move From Failing Grade to Passing Mark

Featured, Law Firms, UK Law /
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Linklaters Puts Robot Lawyers to the Legal Test Ben Thomson, Legal affairs writer Magic Circle firm Linklaters puts AI through rigorous legal exams – and the results might surprise you. In a bold experiment that reads like science fiction but is very much our present reality, Magic Circle firm Linklaters has been subjecting artificial intelligence

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Neal Katyal: The Star Litigator Who Moves Mountains (and Firms)

Featured, LawStars, US Law /
Neal Katyal Lawfuel

Neal Katyal’s office is likely the only place where a Sikh bracelet, a pair of well-worn socks, and a Supreme Court robe share shelf space. The 54-year-old lawyer, who recently stunned the legal world by jumping from Hogan Lovells to Milbank to lead its appellate practice, has built a career on defying expectations—one landmark case at a time.
Born in Chicago to Indian immigrant parents—a pediatrician mother and engineer father—Katyal initially seemed destined for medicine.

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The Surprising Career Shift Rocking London’s Legal Scene

Headlining, Law Firms, UK Law /
London Market

London’s Junior Lawyers Are Ditching Public Markets for Private Equity Ben Thomson, LawFuel contributing editor The London legal scene continues to change as younger lawyers are increasingly moving towards private equity roles, stimulated by big money and the impact of US law firms in London. The change for London lawyers also reflects broader economic trends

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Latham’s Leap Sees Profit Surge Propels Firm to New Heights

Big Law Salary Scale, Headlining, US Law /
Richard Trobman Lawfuel

Latham & Watkins Boosts Partner Profit-Shares Ben Thomson, LawFuel Big Law & Lists editor Latham & Watkins has long stood in the shadow of its more profitable peers, and is poised for a dramatic surge in partner compensation. The firm is set to catapult its profit-sharing units by a staggering 17 percent for 2024, a

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