California Pulse


  • Feds Seek 13 Years In Avenatti's California Resentencing

    California federal prosecutors asked a judge Wednesday to sentence Michael Avenatti to 160 months in prison for tax fraud and stealing from clients, to be served atop the five-year term imposed in a pair of New York cases where Avenatti was convicted of trying to extort Nike Inc. and defrauding former client Stormy Daniels.

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    The Law School Legal Industry Job Tracker: Class Of 2024

    Want to know which schools are sending the highest percentage of graduates to BigLaw? How big a slice are landing those prized clerkships in federal or state courts? Explore the ins and outs of law school graduate placement in our interactive graphic.

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    BigLaw Dreams? These Schools Can Make Them Real

    More law school students are finding that a position at a law firm is their preferred landing place after graduation. Here's a look at the choices students are making and the schools that are sending the highest percentage of their students directly to BigLaw.

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    The Top Law Schools For Legal Industry Jobs: A Data Review

    A law degree opens up a range of job opportunities, in private law firms, government, business and beyond, the ABA's data shows. Find out which schools came out on top for job placements in BigLaw, federal and state court clerkships, public interest and more.

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    Nvidia GC's Pay Rises To $19.2M Through Stock Gains

    Silicon Valley-based tech company Nvidia's general counsel saw his compensation top $19.2 million last year, an increase of more than $8 million based largely on stock awards and increases to the company's share price.

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    Lathrop GPM Continues Calif. Focus With Sacramento Office

    Lathrop GPM LLP has launched an office in Sacramento, California, its fourth in the Golden State, to be helmed by three existing partners, the firm said in an announcement Tuesday.

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    Kaufman Dolowich Adds Litchfield Cavo Litigator In SoCal

    Kaufman Dolowich is expanding its West Coast team, bringing in a Litchfield Cavo LLP construction industry litigator as partner in its office in Torrance, California.

  • Temu Says IP Atty Lied To Bag Settlements For Clients

    Chinese e-commerce platform Temu accused a California intellectual property attorney of lying during critical negotiations to get the company to sign settlement deals for a street artist known for using the Mr. Monopoly character and a San Francisco apparel store.

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    Frost LLP Adds 4-Atty Litigation Team From Sklar Kirsh In LA

    Two-year-old litigation boutique Frost LLP is expanding its West Coast team, announcing Tuesday it is bringing in a group of four Sklar Kirsh LLP litigators to work in its Los Angeles office.

  • Calif. Bar Sues Administrator Over February Exam 'Chaos'

    The State Bar of California on Monday sued the vendor it used to administer the February bar exam after "chaos ensued" as a result of pervasive technical glitches, saying the vendor misrepresented its ability to proctor the exam, and it won't hand over data that could shed light on what went wrong.

  • Calif. Atty Gets 21 Months In Prison For $8.8M Investor Scam

    An Orange County lawyer who purported to provide short-term high-interest loans to the rich and famous but used the funds to gamble away about $8.8 million at Las Vegas casinos and live a lavish lifestyle was sentenced to 21 months in prison on Monday in California federal court.

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    Blue Cross Blue Shield Atty Joins VSP Vision Care As CLO

    Vision care health insurance company VSP Vision is bringing in the longtime general counsel of Blue Cross Blue Shield Association to be the head of its legal team, the company announced Monday.

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    Which GCs Sold Stock In April? Amphenol, Apple And More

    U.S. legal chiefs across the country continued to add to their incomes by selling off their stock awards, with Lance E. D'Amico, general counsel of Amphenol Corp. in Connecticut, having one of the largest sales in April, hauling in over $15.6 million.

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    Calif. Justices Adjust Bar Exam Passing Score Amid Turmoil

    In an en banc ruling, the California Supreme Court approved adjustments to the passing score for the state bar's embattled February bar exam in line with a formal request by the California Bar Association, resulting in the highest passing rates for the exam in close to five years.

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    12-Lawyer Pond North Toxic Tort Team Joins Lewis Brisbois

    Lewis Brisbois Brisgaard & Smith LLP has absorbed 12-lawyer product liability and toxic tort boutique Pond North LLP, the law firm announced Monday.

  • Cannabis Drink Co. Accuses Stoel Rives Attorneys Of Fraud

    A startup that develops nonalcoholic cannabis beers has claimed in a California state court action that attorneys from Stoel Rives LLP and others conspired on a scheme to defraud the company out of millions by allegedly trying to sell an unlicensed marijuana business.

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    Law360's Legal Lions Of The Week

    Arnold & Porter Kaye Scholer LLP and Pilot Law PC lead this week's edition of Law360 Legal Lions, after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that federally employed military reservists called to active duty during wartime or a national emergency are entitled to a top-up differential pay, regardless of their specific role.

  • Law360 Pulse Spotlight On Mid-Law Work

    Cohen Milstein and Lieff Cabraser locking in a lead counsel role in a suit against Block Inc. and Benesch steering acquisition of a permitting platform lead this edition of Law360 Pulse's Spotlight On Mid-Law Work, recapping the top matters for Mid-Law firms from April 18 to May 2.

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    Head Of Calif. State Bar To Step Down After Botched Exam

    The leader of the State Bar of California, who oversaw the problem-plagued rollout of this year's state bar exam, will be leaving the organization when her contract expires in July, the bar announced Friday.

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    Faegre Drinker Lands Patent Team From Wilson Sonsini

    Faegre Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP added a partner, an associate and two patent agents from Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati PC to bolster its intellectual property practice, the firm has announced.

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    Office Snapshot: Benesch's Growing San Francisco Home

    Benesch Friedlander Coplan & Aronoff LLP announced an expansion of its San Francisco office by adding another floor to its existing space, which the firm said marks a nearly 70% increase in overall footprint from what it originally had.

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    Legal Job Sector Stayed Strong In April Despite Economy

    The U.S. legal sector added 1,400 law-related jobs in April, marking the second straight month of improvement, according to preliminary data released Friday by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

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    Seyfarth Names New Leaders Of Corporate, Litigation Groups

    Seyfarth Shaw LLP has appointed a partner as chair of the firm's litigation department and named its mergers and acquisitions practice co-chair as the firm's next corporate department chair, the firm said Friday.

  • Voir Dire: Law360 Pulse's Weekly Quiz

    The legal industry began May with another action-packed week as BigLaw firms established new executive roles and added talent across the country. Test your legal news savvy here with Law360 Pulse's weekly quiz.

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    Attys Join Nationwide 'Day Of Action' Rallies For Rule Of Law

    Thousands of attorneys gathered at rallies across the country on Thursday to oppose what they called the Trump administration's "assault" on the rule of law — a rare public demonstration for the normally buttoned-down and risk-averse professionals that they said "sounds the alarm of a looming constitutional crisis."

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Expert Analysis

  • 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.

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    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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    My Nonpracticing Law Job: Law Firm Marketer Author Photo

    Liz Bard Lindley at Jaffe PR shares how she went from a family law associate who helped write industry articles to a savvy legal public relations and marketing professional, and offers takeaways for any attorney who might not feel at home in their law practice and is considering alternative career paths.

  • The Case For Keeping The Gas On Deputy GC Compensation Author Photo

    In recent years, the deputy general counsel role has expanded and become increasingly vital in organizations across the globe, and companies should consider a few ways to retain this top talent, including by offering competitive compensation that reflects projected increases, says Heather Fine at Major Lindsey.

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