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.
Freshfields’ Boston Legal Move Freshfields continues its US expansion with a new office in Boston. The launch comes with the firm recruiting former Lathams M&A partner Matthew Goulding as the firm’s managing partner in Boston and to build the Boston legal team. Boston is a key area of operation for law firms as a hub
Linklaters CMA Appointment Linklaters has strengthened the antitrust and litigation practice in the UK with the recruitment of the Deputy General Counsel and Litigation Director at the UK Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) in London. The move is a significant appointment for Linklaters in the competition arena given the role Jessica Radke has had in
Senior CMA Antitrust and Litigation Counsel Joins Linklaters Read More »
Latham & Watkins Partners Latham & Watkins has announced the promotion of 19 counsel to its global partnership, effective March 1, 2025. This follows the firm’s earlier promotion of 24 associates to partner, which took effect on January 1, 2025. The latest round of promotions includes five new partners in London, where the firm experienced
US Law News – 19 New Partners for Latham & Watkins Read More »
The Cravath model—characterized by selective hiring, intensive associate training, lockstep compensation, and extraordinary attention to detail—has created an elite club with membership requirements few can meet. The model thrives on focus. The firm maintains a relatively small footprint with offices only in New York, Washington DC, and London.
The Cravath Effect And Why Every Law Firm Wants to Be Them (But Few Can) Read More »
The Big Law China Departures Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton is shutting down its Beijing office by July 2025, marking another high-profile exit from mainland China by a top US law firm. Cleary’s departure from China follows a growing trend of Western legal giants scaling back their Chinese operations amid geopolitical tensions, economic cooling, and
Dentons US announces the appointment of John Holahan to the key leadership role of Managing Partner. Holahan joins Chief Executive Officer of Dentons US Sonia Martin and Dentons US Chair Keith Moskowitz in executing on a strategic plan that is laser focused on the United States. As Dentons US Managing Partner, Holahan, along with Martin, will continue to have responsibility for
Reed Smith is set to open a new office in the Georgia capital, bringing on board a whopping 37 lawyers from two prominent firms. Reed Smith’s expansion strategy is to include 33 lawyers from Morris, Manning & Martin and four from Greenberg Traurig. The professionals will include 15 partners, 20 associates, and two counsels, all bringing
Is a $2 Billion Megafirm at Stake? As Herbert Smith Freehills (HSF) and Kramer Levin Naftalis & Frankel prepare for a pivotal partner vote this month on their transatlantic merger, newly filed accounts reveal HSF’s U.S. operations posted a combined $11.2 million loss over 2023-2024. But with the creation of a $2B revenue legal titan
HSF-Kramer Levin Merger Vote Looms as U.S. Losses Hit $11M Over Two Years Read More »
Slaughter and May has appointed a new managing partner, David Johnson, to lead the law firm alongside senior partner Roland Turnill. The firm said in a statement (below) that Johnson will take up the new position on 1 August this year and the previous leader Deborah Finkler, who has been in the role since May
Slaughter & May Appoint M&A Lawyer As Managing Partner Read More »
