Headlining

Free Legal Fees from Big Law? Could This Really Happen with Legal AI?

Big Law, Headlining, Legal AI /
big legal fees in Big Law

AI disruption forces Big Law to rethink billing: “Firms will give more for free” Ben Thomson, LawFuel contributing editor A mounting chorus of industry voices—from Artificial Lawyer to Thomson Reuters and Business Insider—argue that AI is rapidly eroding the economics of the traditional billable hour. The irony is that as firms strive for efficiency, they […]

Free Legal Fees from Big Law? Could This Really Happen with Legal AI? Read More »

BigLaw’s Pay Party: UK Partners Laugh All the Way to Their Third Homes

Big Law, Headlining, UK Law /
Uk partner pay

Which UK Firm Takes The Top Partner Pay? Magic Circle firms post eye-watering PEP figures while associates wonder if they’ll ever afford London rent John Bowie, LawFuel publisher What a delightful time to be a BigLaw equity partner in London. While many mortals navigate inflation and mortgage rates that would make a loan shark blush,

BigLaw’s Pay Party: UK Partners Laugh All the Way to Their Third Homes Read More »

Kiss-Cam Calamity: How to Wreck a Career with One Coldplay Chorus (and a Very Bad Seat Location)

Headlining, US Law /
Kiss cam

Coldplay Kiss-Cam Scandal: What Happens When HR Meets PR… and It’s All on Jumbotron “Fix You” wasn’t supposed to be the HR theme song of the summer—but here we are. Two senior executives at the software company Astronomer—CEO Andy Byron (married, now memorably ducking) and Chief People Officer Kristin Cabot (reportedly single, now definitely in

Kiss-Cam Calamity: How to Wreck a Career with One Coldplay Chorus (and a Very Bad Seat Location) Read More »

BHP’s Massive Legal Battle Over Brazil Dam Disaster

Australia, Headlining, Law Firms /
Brazilian bhp litigation

BHP’s Staggering Legal Bills Updated 17 July 2025 Ben Thomson, LawFuel contibuting editor BHP is facing one of the largest environmental lawsuits in legal history following the 2015 Fundão dam collapse in Brazil, with legal costs projected to reach extraordinary levels across multiple jurisdictions. We have reported previously about entepreneurial London-based law firm Pogust Goodhead, co-founded

BHP’s Massive Legal Battle Over Brazil Dam Disaster Read More »

Vault’s Top 150 Under 150: Small Firms, Big Pay, No Regrets

Best Firms, Headlining, Law Firm Rankings, US Law /
Small firm list

Vault Boutique Law Firm Rankings Tom Borman, LawFuel contributing editor Forget the old rulebook — leaving Biglaw no longer means leaving big money behind as Vault’s Top 150 small firm list shows. There was a time when jumping from a megafirm to a smaller outfit meant kissing goodbye to a chunk of your paycheck. Maybe

Vault’s Top 150 Under 150: Small Firms, Big Pay, No Regrets Read More »

Scottish Legaltech’s Big Moment: Is AI Ready for the Big Leagues?

Headlining, LawPreneur, Legal AI /
Ross mcnairn ceo and co founder wordsmith ai lawfuel

The ‘Skyscanner’ Lawyer Looking To Build LegalTech Agents A Scottish legaltech startup just got a huge cash boost. Is this the sign that AI is ready to take over law firms? Can every in-house team soon have its own AI agent? Scottish legaltech Wordsmith, co-founded by former Skyscanner honcho Ross McNairn (pictured) is driving another

Scottish Legaltech’s Big Moment: Is AI Ready for the Big Leagues? Read More »

Why Elon Musk’s Favourite Lawyer Alex Spiro is Done Just Lawyering

Headlining, LawPreneur, LawStars /
Alex spiro vanityfair

What Next For The Star Lawyer? Tom Borman, LawFuel contributing editor Alex Spiro—the courtroom maestro who’s played legal defense for heavy hitters like Tom Brady, Elon Musk, Jay‑Z (yeah, that Jay‑Z), Alec Baldwin, and even WeWork’s Adam Neumann—is telling Emily Chang on The Circuit that he’s officially bored. He wants to jump into something bigger than law.

Why Elon Musk’s Favourite Lawyer Alex Spiro is Done Just Lawyering Read More »

Clio and vLex Join Forces In Billion-Dollar Push for Smarter Legal Tech

Headlining, Law Firm Technology, Legal AI /
Clio deal lawfuel

Clio made a major move that will reshape the emerging LegalAI marklet by buying vLex for $1 billion, a deal that brings together two big names in law tech. Clio is known for tools that help lawyers run their firms. vLex is famous for smart AI-powered legal research.

The deal is a game-changer for law firms, putting a world-class legal AI engine—Vincent—and a massive database of case law in the hands of a company that powers law firms, not just legal publishers.

The deal also marks a shift in how legal AI is used. Clio’s main job is to h

Clio and vLex Join Forces In Billion-Dollar Push for Smarter Legal Tech Read More »

How Nonequity Partners Are Reshaping Big Law – Thanks To Kirkland & Ellis

Big Law, Headlining, US Law /
rise of the non-equity partner model for big law

Kirkland & Ellis flipped the script on law firm partnerships by building a massive nonequity partner tier, now over 1,000 stron, which has let Kirkland promote more lawyers, faster, than most competitors, turning what some once called a “marketing trick” into a powerhouse business mode

Recruiters now have Kirkland’s nonequity partners on speed dial. “They’re hot property,” the partner says. “Even if they’re not equity, getting a Kirkland ‘partner’ is a win for any recruiter or client.”

Criticism of Kirkland’s two-tier, salaried partner model has faded. Now, other firms want in. The move is seen as smart business, not just a trick. Kirkland’s success, and the Wall Street money being paid to some partners in such firms, has pushed other big firms

How Nonequity Partners Are Reshaping Big Law – Thanks To Kirkland & Ellis Read More »

From Wachtell to Latham – Inside M&A Star Zach Podolsky’s Big Move

Headlining, Law Firms, Law Stars - LawFuel's Leading Lawyers Profiles /
Podolsky lawfuel

M&A star Zach Podolsky is now a star at Latham & Watkins after leaving Wachtell Lipton, where he led some of the biggest deals in the country. His switch is a major win for Latham but an equally big loss for Wachtell.

Known for his work on major energy deals, Podolsky led Wachtell’s team on APA’s $4.5 billion buy of Callon Petroleum, among other top deals, making him one of the most recognized names in mergers and acquisitions.

In 2024, he ranked second globally by MergerLinks for advising on nearly $70 billion in transactions, including the ConocoPhillips acquisition of Marathon Oil and Diamondback Energy’s purchase of Endeavor Energy Resources.

From Wachtell to Latham – Inside M&A Star Zach Podolsky’s Big Move Read More »

Scroll to Top