Crain’s Chicago Business has named Chicago partners Mary Rose Alexander, Cathy Birkeland, Caroline Reckler, and Terra Reynolds to its 2020 Notable Women in Law list in recognition of their exceptional professional achievements and dedication to civic, philanthropic, and mentoring activities.
Mary Rose Alexander, Global Chair of both Latham’s Environmental Litigation Practice and Women Enriching Business Committee, helps Fortune 500 companies overcome high-stakes legal challenges. As highlighted in a profile published by Crain’s, Mary Rose in the last 18 months has secured major trial victories and resolved class actions for a number of clients. She is also leading the firm’s efforts on many initiatives designed to promote women in the profession and serves as an advisor to nonprofit Equal Justice Works, having served on its Board for more than a decade.
Cathy Birkeland, Chicago Office Managing Partner and former Global Co-Chair of the Capital Markets Practice, advises clients on sophisticated capital markets and spin-off transactions, corporate governance, and securities law matters. As highlighted in a profile published by Crain’s, this year Cathy has advised on a number of high-profile IPOs and other capital raising transactions. She is also leading Latham’s Chicago Taskforce for the Commitment to Racial Justice & Equality, which is dedicated to fighting racial injustice and promoting equality through pro bono efforts.
Caroline Reckler, Chair of Latham’s Chicago Finance Department, is a nationally recognized bankruptcy lawyer, advising debtors around the world on all aspects of restructuring and special situations. As highlighted in a profile published by Crain’s, Caroline has been at the helm of numerous recent high-profile Chapter 11 proceedings and other restructurings and special situations. She previously led the firm’s Women Enriching Business Committee in Chicago and remains involved in its programming. Additionally, Caroline serves as guardian ad litem with Chicago Volunteer Legal Services and as pro bono counsel for nonprofit A Better Chicago.
Terra Reynolds, Co-Chair of the Chicago Litigation & Trial Department and Vice Chair of Latham’s Healthcare and Life Sciences Industry Group, represents clients in white collar criminal defense, internal and government investigations, and complex litigation matters. As highlighted in a profile published by Crain’s, Terra, a former federal prosecutor, this year successfully resolved four years of litigation against her client and its subsidiaries, which had faced allegations of False Claims Act and Anti-Kickback Statute violations. Terra co-leads the Chicago chapter of the Women’s White Collar Defense Association.
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Australia’s legal market continues to attract heavyweight international players despite several high-profile exits, with industry insiders predicting a fresh wave of global firms eyeing the lucrative Asia-Pacific gateway. The latest arrival, US powerhouse King & Spalding, launched its Sydney office in October with ambitions to capture transactional, regulatory and litigation work from Australian and multinational clients operating across the region. The move signals renewed confidence in a market that has proven both profitable and challenging for offshore entrants. Market Dynamics Shift The Australian legal scene has seen sustained international interest over the past 15 years, driven by the country’s strategic position as a launchpad . . Login in to the read the article - Billing Beyond Reality – When Legal Aid Meets Fantasy Maths
Samina Ahmed, a Manchester-based solicitor, has been struck off after a Solicitors’ Disciplinary Tribunal found she flagrantly falsified her timesheets in a bid to secure the highest bonus tier at… Read more: Billing Beyond Reality – When Legal Aid Meets Fantasy Maths - Law Firm Marketing – How Legal Marketers Became the New Architects of the Modern Law Firm
Rachel Shields Williams, Product Management Director of Client Intelligence at Sidley Austin LLP* If you’ve attended any legal‑industry conference in 2025—whether the agenda focused on client intelligence, KM, pricing, or… Read more: Law Firm Marketing – How Legal Marketers Became the New Architects of the Modern Law Firm - Best Law Firm Marketing Companies in 2026: Proven Agencies and Smart Selection Tips
Best Law Firm Marketing Companies in 2025: How to Choose the Right Partner for Your Practice By LawFuel Editors | Published December 26, 2025 Choosing the Right Legal Marketing Partner… Read more: Best Law Firm Marketing Companies in 2026: Proven Agencies and Smart Selection Tips - Top European Firms Are Letting Gen AI Draft First – And Partners Aren’t Complaining
European law firms have finally found something that can draft faster than a sleep‑deprived mid‑level – and it doesn’t ask for a bonus or threaten to lateral. New research from The Global Legal Post and LexisNexis shows leading firms in Germany, Spain, Portugal and the Netherlands quietly handing first‑draft duty to generative AI tools, especially for contracts and complex commercial documents. The focus is not sci‑fi robot lawyers, but something far more radical for BigLaw, making use of the knowledge the firm already has. By plugging Gen AI into internal precedents, know‑how banks and document automation systems, these firms are generating “house style” drafts that reflect prior deals, client preferences and jurisdiction‑specific quirks rather than yet another generic template no one quite trusts. Senior partners say the attraction is simple providing better quality at lower cost, delivered with guardrails around confidentiality and auditability that won’t make the GC’s risk committee choke either. Log in to read more . . . - Law Firm SEO In The AI Era – LawFuel Tips on How To Win With Google, AI Overviews And ChatGPT In 2026
Google has just posted its first 100 billion dollar quarter and grew net income by more than 30 percent, driven largely by search and ads. Search volume is still rising, helped by AI Overviews and AI mode, which encourage people to ask more granular questions instead of fewer. For law firms, the key point is simple. Google still owns demand and still owns the ad rails, while AI chat tools like ChatGPT have huge usage but a much weaker monetization and ad ecosystem. Your marketing strategy should assume that Google search and Google Ads remain the primary pipeline for high intent legal leads over the next several years. For LawFuel, after almost a quarter century publishing law firm content, we have a few observations on what is happening law firm marketing right now with the AI tsunami. Log in to read more . . .
