California Pulse


  • Law360 Names 2025's Top Attorneys Under 40

    Law360 is pleased to announce the Rising Stars of 2025, our list of more than 150 attorneys under 40 whose legal accomplishments belie their age.

  • Geragos Owes $100K For Role In Nike Extortion, Jury Says

    Celebrity attorney Mark Geragos was ordered to pay $100,000 to a youth basketball coach by a Los Angeles jury that found he aided and abetted disbarred lawyer Michael Avenatti in a failed attempt to extort Nike that landed Avenatti with a 2½ year prison sentence.

  • California Courts Set AI Rules Allowing Flexibility For Judges

    The Judicial Council of California approved a policy Friday for rules and standards on the use of generative artificial intelligence for judges and court staff, with the chair of the council's AI task force saying the policy provides flexibility by allowing courts to either adopt the technology or ban it.

  • Law360's Legal Lions Of The Week

    Shapiro Arato Bach LLP leads this week's edition of Law360 Legal Lions, after the Second Circuit overturned the conviction of a former HSBC executive accused of defrauding a Scottish oil and gas company in a $3.5 billion currency exchange deal.

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    Poaching Suit Shows Contentious Nature Of Lateral Market

    California firm Keesal Young & Logan's suit against Stradley Ronon Stevens & Young LLP for allegedly unfairly poaching a group of its attorneys is not on firm footing, recruiters and consultants say, but still speaks to the importance of trying to leave a firm on good terms when moving jobs.

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    Ex-Toys 'R' Us GC Joins Cousteau-Founded Climate Tech Co.

    The former general counsel for Toys 'R' Us is part of the recent additions to the leadership team at Voyacy Regen, a blue technology company co-founded by Philippe Cousteau, grandson of famed oceanographer and filmmaker Jacques Cousteau.

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    Buchalter Pops Open Wine, Beer And Spirits Group

    Buchalter PC has launched a wine, beer and spirits industry group to help suppliers and wholesalers in the alcoholic beverage space navigate rapidly changing state and federal regulations.

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    Brownstein Hyatt Managing Partner Reelected To A 3rd Term

    Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck LLP shareholders elected Rich Benenson as managing partner for a third time and named new members of the executive committee as the mid-law firm continues to expand across the country.

  • Voir Dire: Law360 Pulse's Weekly Quiz

    This was another action-packed week for the legal industry as attorneys took on new roles and law firms expanded their reach. Test your legal news savvy here with Law360 Pulse's weekly quiz.

  • LA Ex-Judge Admonished For 'Discourteous,' 'Demeaning' Talk

    California's Commission on Judicial Performance has publicly admonished a retired Los Angeles state judge for a pattern of "discourteous, undignified and impatient" behavior that also involved "demeaning" remarks toward women, findings that the judge said don't reflect "the full complexity of the circumstances."

  • Judge Won't Grant Fees In Temporary Protected Status Suit

    A California federal judge rejected a bid by immigrant rights advocates for $3.6 million in attorney fees, saying their preliminary injunction blocking temporary protected status terminations during Trump's first term did not make them the prevailing party because the case ended without a final judgment.

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    5 Things To Know As California Courts Decide On AI Rule

    Fourteen months after California Supreme Court Chief Justice Patricia Guerrero first convened a task force to study potential benefits and risks of using artificial intelligence in the court system, the Judicial Council of California is poised Friday to consider the proposed rules and standards the task force developed.

  • Ex-Burning Man, MAPS GC Joins Psychedelics Boutique

    The former general counsel to both the organization behind the annual Burning Man festival and to the Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies has joined the recently launched psychedelics firm Antithesis Law as of counsel, the firm announced Thursday.

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    Amazon Attys Jump To Crowell & Moring In San Francisco

    Crowell & Moring LLP has expanded its litigation resources in its San Francisco office with the addition of two former in-house attorneys for Amazon, who bring more than 30 years of combined experience to advise clients on product liability claims.

  • Synopsys Brings On Ansys GC As Tech Merger Takes Effect

    The general counsel for Ansys Inc. has been tapped to take over as the top attorney and corporate secretary for Synopsys Inc. after Synopsys' acquisition of Ansys took effect this week.

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    Former Microsoft GC Remembered As Rule Of Law Champion

    Former American Bar Association President William H. "Bill" Neukom, the first head lawyer for Microsoft and a longtime partner at a predecessor firm to K&L Gates LLP, has died at age 83, the bar said Wednesday.

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    Meet Fox Attys Fighting Newsom's Del. Suit Over Trump Call

    Fox News has retained attorneys from DLA Piper who have represented Tesla and President Donald Trump's social media company, and from former Attorney General William Barr's firm Torridon Law PLLC to defend it in a defamation suit brought in Delaware's Superior Court by California Gov. Gavin Newsom.

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    Why An Associate Move Is Most Likely In The 3rd Quarter

    The third quarter is the most likely time for associates to leave law firms, experts said at a recent webinar hosted by The Managing Partner Forum.

  • Watchdog Raises Concerns On 9th Circ. Nominee's Crypto Work

    President Donald Trump's nominee for the Ninth Circuit has a long record of representing cryptocurrency companies, which a watchdog group fears could aid what it calls the president's "self-enrichment" with digital currency.

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    Judges' Lack Of STEM Skills Scrutinized Post-Loper Bright

    The lack of scientific educational backgrounds among federal judges is raising concerns among some experts about the courts' ability to handle technically complex questions in the wake of the U.S. Supreme Court's Loper Bright ruling, though others argue that judges are meant to be and should remain generalists.

  • Sheppard Mullin Adds Holland & Knight, Mayer Brown Attys

    Sheppard Mullin Richter & Hampton LLP announced Wednesday that it has bolstered its energy offerings with a partner in Los Angeles who joins from Holland & Knight LLP and a partner in Houston joining from Mayer Brown LLP.

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    Suspect Arrested In Hit-And-Run Death Of Morgan Lewis Atty

    A suspect has been arrested in connection with the fatal hit-and-run bicycle accident last week in West Hollywood, California, that caused the death of a Morgan Lewis & Bockius LLP first-year litigation associate.

  • Tech Co. Can't DQ MoFo In IP Suit After Perkins Coie Ouster

    A California federal judge denied on Wednesday a motion by the biometric security company FaceTec to disqualify Morrison & Foerster LLP from representing a competitor in its ongoing patent infringement lawsuit.

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    How Attorneys Are Using AI Tools In Their Law Practices

    In-house and law firm leaders are finding many different ways to use legal and nonlegal generative artificial intelligence tools in their law practices, according to a panel hosted by contract management platform Ironclad.

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    CLO-CFO Collaboration Key To Business Growth, ACC Says

    In-house legal teams need to develop deep financial literacy while helping chief financial officers better understand the potential cost of compliance risks, according to a new report that examined the collaboration between legal and finance.

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Expert Analysis

  • Series

    Biz Development Tip Of The Month: Prioritize Connections Author Photo

    One reason business development in the legal industry seems so mysterious is because human relationships are so complex, but lawyers can reorient their thinking in two important ways to drive the process of connecting with new colleagues and contacts, say Jamie Lawless and Angela Quinn at Husch Blackwell.

  • Overcoming US Law Firms' Hesitancy To Enter Indian Market Author Photo

    Successful private equity exits with strong returns have solidified India's buyout market as an increasingly attractive destination for future investments, offering compelling reasons for the U.S. legal community to overcome its caution on the country's markets, says Vaishali Movva at Eimer Stahl.

  • Biz Development Tip Of The Month: Make A Plan For The Year Author Photo

    While firms are busy allocating resources and assessing client demand, individual attorneys should use the start of the year to slow down and create a personal business plan, which can be accomplished with a few steps, say Elizabeth Gooch, Teri Robshaw and Chris Newman at McDermott.

  • Series

    Talking Mental Health: Caring For Everyone As A Firm Leader Author Photo

    Reid Phillips at Brooks Pierce discusses how he manages the pressure of running a law firm, how sources of stress in the legal industry have changed over the past decade, and what firm leaders should do to help manage burnout and mental health issues among employees.

  • How Firms Can Use LinkedIn To Aid Marketing Efforts In 2025 Author Photo

    LinkedIn has several features law firms can use to showcase their capabilities and thought leadership to reach prospective and existing clients, including the Event and Live features, says Sofia Millar at Reputation Ink.

  • Talking Mental Health: Managing Emotions In Trauma Cases Author Photo

    Nikki Hurtado at The Ferraro Law Firm discusses what motivates her to represent victims of catastrophic injuries, how she copes with the emotional toll of such cases, and what other attorneys taking on similar cases can do to protect their mental well-being.

  • Strategies For Successful Law Firm Mergers In 2025 Author Photo

    Law firms are expected to continue consolidating in the year to come, and because these mergers require a different kind of playbook, firm leaders must carefully consider office culture nuances, professional services economics and talent retention strategy before any merger, say directors at FTI Consulting.

  • Making Legal Cents: Winning More Work In A Crowded Market Author Photo

    In a market where clients have more options, tighter budgets and higher expectations, firms must figure out how to differentiate themselves without discounting their rates, and several practical strategies for pitching, pricing and early-engagement communication can help, says Shireen Hilal at Maior Strategic Consulting.

  • Best Practices For Implementing Firm Revenue Cycle Roles Author Photo

    Law firm revenue cycles are becoming more complex and time-consuming, but hiring dedicated revenue cycle personnel can help streamline the process and reduce the burden on attorneys, says Christine Indiano at Harbor Global.

  • Tips For Constructing Your Small-Law Exit Strategy Author Photo

    By initiating planning and processes to evaluate personal retirement goals and firm value early, longtime solo practitioners and small-firm owners can unlock a range of possibilities and potential buyers, setting up for a profitable exit and a rewarding transition, says Brent Daub at Gilson Daub.

  • Tips For Persuasive Briefs Beyond The Argument Section Author Photo

    When crafting an appellate brief, the focus for most lawyers is the argument section, but other sections also offer strategic opportunities to shape the court's perception of the case and favorably frame the issues, say attorneys at Frost Brown.

  • Ask A Mentor: Is Secondment A Good Career Move? Author Photo

    Kate Driscoll at Morrison Foerster suggests six questions to help candidates evaluate whether a secondment will benefit their career.

  • 3 Trends Reshaping Chief Marketing Officer Appointments Author Photo

    Recent approaches to hiring chief marketing officers demonstrate how firms are reimagining their marketing and business development frameworks to stay competitive and responsive to evolving client needs, says Murray Coffey at M Coffey.

  • Talking Mental Health: Working As A Mom Of An Autistic Son Author Photo

    Sarah Kovit Hanna at Assurant discusses how she balances the demands of her in-house role and the support needs of her son, who was diagnosed with autism, as a single mom, and reflects on how the legal industry can better support caretakers of family members who have special needs.

  • Ask A Mentor: How Can I Maximize My Pro Bono Impact? Author Photo

    Debbie Berman at Jenner & Block offers advice on how attorneys can make a meaningful impact on their communities through pro bono work while enhancing their professional development through strengthened client-facing skills, hands-on experience and more.

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