The Law Firm Billing Myth Ben Thomson, LawFuel contributing editor The legal profession has always been fond of a long lunch, a late night, and a generous definition of billable. But every now and then, someone pushes the grift so far it becomes a morality tale, which is what just occurred with an associate at […]
The Lawyer Who Worked 23 Hours a Day And the Billing Scam Everyone Knows About Read More »
Bezos-Backed Perplexity AI Accused of Free-Riding on Journalism Journalists aren’t thrilled about being turned into free training fodder for Silicon Valley’s latest obsession. Now Japan’s Nikkei, owner of the Financial Times, and the Asahi Shimbun have filed a lawsuit accusing US-based Perplexity AI of industrial-scale plagiarism dressed up as “answer search.” Nikkei and Asahi Take
Japan’s Biggest Publishers Just Sued Perplexity AI for $44m Read More »
Generative AI is everywhere, but when lawyers used it, two ended up sanctioned for fake citations it’s time to cue the panic or – much better – privot to control and oversight of what your legal AI efforts are doing.
Here we look at some of the key steps law firms should take to avoid the risks increasingly associated with generative AI tools.
And Now Legal AI That Sees Into the Judge’s Mind . . Almost Tom Borman, LawFuel contributing editor Every litigator wants the edge. Some want it ethical. Others want it engineered and now a trio of brains — one BigLaw, two tech — have raised $5.3 million to deliver a crystal ball for courtrooms. It’s
Lawyers Built This AI to Read Judges’ Minds — And BigLaw Is Already Hooked Read More »
A Hedge Fund Lifeline – With Strings Attached Ben Thomson, LawFuel contributing editor Pogust Goodhead, the claimant firm spearheading the £36 billion Mariana dam class action against BHP, has drawn another £65 million from hedge-fund backer Gramercy, taking its overall debt north of $1.7 billion, once interest is factored in. The chief Executive and co-founder
£65m Lifeline or Financial Casket? Pogust Goodhead’s Hedge-Driven Drama Unfolds Read More »
Dhillon DOJ: A Purge or a Reset? Ben Thomson, LawFuel contributing editor The appointment of Harmeet Dhillon as the top government lawyer for civil rights law is the kind of reshuffle that resets enforcement priorities, unsettles BigLaw practice groups, and sets the stage for an increase in DEI litigation. Most DOJ appointments don’t trend outside
Burford Capital the litigation finance behemoth wants not just to bankroll lawsuits but to buy stakes in actual U.S. law firms. The move isn’t your garden-variety PE play; it’s a direct challenge to the profession’s no-capital-external-to-the-firm orthodoxy.
Burford, under the ever-quotable Jonathan Molot, (pictured above) told the Financial Times he is floating a structure ripped from healthcare and accounting playbooks: split a law firm into two entities, a lawyer-owned practice handling client work, and a Managed Service Organization (MSO) holding assets and providing back‑office muscle in exchange for a cut. It’s a classic “external capital without violating ethics rules.”
Burford Capital Isn’t Just Financing Suits Anymore; It’s Trying to Own the Firm Too Read More »
Five Straight Months of Job Growth in Legal — But AI Is Replacing Your Paralegal Norma Harris, LawFuel contributing editor The US legal sector just clocked five straight months of job growth, Reuters reports — the longest streak since the pandemic years. But before junior associates start high-fiving in the cafeteria, here’s the catch: many
AI Is Hiring and Firing – The Legal Jobs Recovery Nobody Asked For Read More »
A-List 2025: Munger reigns, Jenner rockets, and who actually moved the needle The American Lawyer’s A-List isn’t about who shouts the loudest about profits, blending money and meaning: revenue per lawyer, pro bono, associate satisfaction, racial inclusion, and women in the equity partnership. Get three or more of those humming and you move fast and
Following months of market uncertainty, the summer bonus season at BigLaw has exceeded expectations with Milbank’s announcing special bonuses ranging from $6,000 to $25,000 for associates, a cascade of firms has followed suit. But a new trend is also emerging in the way compensation is being handed to associates.
While partners enjoy increased PEP rates with premium work, the competitive world of associate recruitment is seeing some major changes in the way law firms handle the compensation for their top performers at associate level.
The summer bonus season is seeing that trend play out.
