Law Firms

On a Monday morning in early March, two associates sat in an East Coast office of Morgan, Lewis & Bockius discussing a firmwide e-mail from chairman Francis Milone. It warned that because of the recession, 55 lawyers and 161 staff members would be told that day that “their employment will end.” These two associates felt relatively confident that their jobs were safe. But as they chatted, the phone rang, and the number of the partner both of them worked for popped up in the caller ID box of one associate’s phone. They panicked.

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As one associate looked on, the other answered what turned out to be a routine work-related call. After a collective sigh, the associates discouraged the partner from calling anyone else until later that day, after a meeting that had been scheduled to discuss the layoffs — the unofficial all-clear for associates unaffected by the cuts. […]

On a Monday morning in early March, two associates sat in an East Coast office of Morgan, Lewis & Bockius discussing a firmwide e-mail from chairman Francis Milone. It warned that because of the recession, 55 lawyers and 161 staff members would be told that day that “their employment will end.” These two associates felt relatively confident that their jobs were safe. But as they chatted, the phone rang, and the number of the partner both of them worked for popped up in the caller ID box of one associate’s phone. They panicked. Read More »

This case is going to bring new meaning to the “Glue Stic” product. For a Wisconsin man, one evening started out like a happy dream. The AP reports:

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Glue stick

A married eastern Wisconsin man thought he was going to a motel for a little romance with one of his handful of lovers. She allegedly played along and suggested he be tied up and blindfolded for a massage, according to court documents.But it ended up so horribly wrong: But four women eventually showed up to

This case is going to bring new meaning to the “Glue Stic” product. For a Wisconsin man, one evening started out like a happy dream. The AP reports: Read More »

Will it be long before we see outside ownership of law firms in the U.K.? Perhaps just a couple of years, reports Bloomberg, in a story out today.

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Uk flag wavy

In 2007, the U.K. changed its rules on law-firm ownership. Starting in 2011, when the new rules go into effect, firms will be allowed to accept outside investments. According to Bloomberg, three private equity funds — Fleming Family & Partners Ltd., Phoenix Equity Partners Ltd. and Lyceum Capital Partners LLP — are considering investing in

Will it be long before we see outside ownership of law firms in the U.K.? Perhaps just a couple of years, reports Bloomberg, in a story out today. Read More »

Organization is pursuing a major marketing effort to appeal to a broader audience, including small-firm lawyers.

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Incoming American Bar Association President Carolyn Lamm was so concerned about shoring up the organization’s membership and appealing to a broader audience that she started pitching in this year before the beginning of her term. ABA membership isn’t growing at the same rate as the profession, said Lamm, a partner in the Washington office of

Organization is pursuing a major marketing effort to appeal to a broader audience, including small-firm lawyers. Read More »

The legal profession has been singled out as too socially exclusive by a U.K. government report on fair access to professions.

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Wealthylawyer

The legal profession has been singled out as too socially exclusive by a U.K. government report on fair access to professions. The report, compiled by a panel chaired by former cabinet minister Alan Milburn, calls on occupations such as lawyers and doctors to widen access to their professions after becoming increasingly more exclusive in recent

The legal profession has been singled out as too socially exclusive by a U.K. government report on fair access to professions. Read More »

Linklaters and Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer dominated European M&A activity during the first half of 2009.

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Linklaters and Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer dominated European M&A activity during the first half of 2009. Research from Mergermarket, exclusively provided to Legal Week, shows that Freshfields has moved to the top of the European rankings by value, working on 63 deals worth 94.29 billion euros ($132.25 billion). Linklaters sits in second place by value in

Linklaters and Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer dominated European M&A activity during the first half of 2009. Read More »

The legal world has been transformed in the last year, and so has the AmLaw seventh annual A-List.

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Biglaw

The legal world has been transformed in the last year, and so has the AmLaw seventh annual A-List. Only four firms held on to the same ranking that they had in 2008. Four firms fell off the list, which means another quartet joined this elite group. One constant, however, is the continuing reign of Munger,

The legal world has been transformed in the last year, and so has the AmLaw seventh annual A-List. Read More »

After joining the Atlanta office of Hunton & Williams in 1989, soon after it opened, L. Traywick Duffie was still practicing there 20 years later.

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Careerchange2

After joining the Atlanta office of Hunton & Williams in 1989, soon after it opened, L. Traywick Duffie was still practicing there 20 years later. But not any more. The labor and employment specialist, who until March was co-head of his former firm’s practice group, is now a partner at Littler Mendelson. He joined the

After joining the Atlanta office of Hunton & Williams in 1989, soon after it opened, L. Traywick Duffie was still practicing there 20 years later. Read More »

Michael Jackson’s death leaves a trail of litigation involving the entertainer and his various entities, including questions about his final hours, leading to the development of a Marilyn Monroe-type question about exactly how he died.

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Jacko

Michael Jackson’s death leaves a trail of litigation involving the entertainer and his various entities. And his death, as with the death of such celebrities as Marilyn Monroe, is now entering a phase of intense interest as to exactly what occurred as Jackson’s family order a second autopsy and the LA Police want to further

Michael Jackson’s death leaves a trail of litigation involving the entertainer and his various entities, including questions about his final hours, leading to the development of a Marilyn Monroe-type question about exactly how he died. Read More »

The nation’s largest firm, DLA Piper, is planning to continue scaling back the size of its associate classes and rethink its associate program.

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Dlapiperlogo

The nation’s largest firm, DLA Piper, is planning to continue scaling back the size of its associate classes and rethink its associate program. DLA has already cut associate salaries and delayed start dates for its ’09 first-year associate class, which is down to 85 lawyers, from 100 the year before. The next class will be

The nation’s largest firm, DLA Piper, is planning to continue scaling back the size of its associate classes and rethink its associate program. Read More »

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