California Pulse


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    Clients Name Top Firms For Service Amid Shifting Needs

    The set of client service-related behaviors corporate clients demand from their law firms has dramatically shifted, creating a shakeup at the top of this year's BTI Client Service A-Team ranking released Thursday.

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    Nonequity Partners Unsure How They Can Make Equity Partner

    The ranks of nonequity partners may be growing, but a recent report found many partners stating confusion about how attorneys can advance to the next level and ambiguity about whether the tier should be expanded.

  • Bird Marella And Bioscience Client Accused Of $87M Fraud

    An investment group that includes a "Toy Story" screenwriter is suing a Culver City, California-headquartered bioscience company and its Bird Marella attorneys in California state court, accusing them of manipulating the valuation of a company whose acquisition they funded, in order to defraud investors of $87 million.

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    DLA Piper Employment Atty Jumps To Davis Wright In LA

    Davis Wright Tremaine LLP is expanding its employment law team, announcing this week that it has brought in a DLA Piper litigator as a partner in its Los Angeles office.

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    As AI Use Grows, Attys' Misgivings Remain, Survey Says

    While adoption of artificial intelligence tools by legal professionals have surged this year, users remain concerned about overreliance, reputational risk and challenges adapting to the technology, according to a report Wednesday commissioned by insurance company Embroker.

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    New Zum General Counsel Embraces Tech Law Innovation

    Loving to act dynamically, solve problems and think creatively, JoAnn Covington found herself drawn to the martial arts as well as technology law. They helped shape who she is.

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    Ex-Seyfarth Partner Joins Legal AI Developer

    An attorney with nearly 20 years of experience with technology law and cybersecurity matters announced Wednesday he has joined the leadership team at Eudia, an artificial intelligence platform for in-house legal teams.

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    Stubbs Alderton Corporate Atty Joins Pryor Cashman In LA

    Pryor Cashman LLP announced that a Los Angeles-based attorney has joined the firm's corporate group as a partner after nearly a decade with Stubbs Alderton & Markiles LLP.

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    Former US Atty Talks Working With 'Integrity' At Perkins Coie

    Tara McGrath, who recently joined Perkins Coie LLP after serving as U.S. attorney for the Southern District of California, spoke with Law360 Pulse about what drew her to the firm, her time as a federal prosecutor and Marine Corps officer and her thoughts about today's legal landscape.

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    Thompson Hine Adds Venable Product Liability Atty In LA

    Thompson Hine LLP is expanding its litigation team, announcing Wednesday it has brought in a Venable LLP product liability expert as a partner in its year-old Los Angeles office.

  • Fubo Streamers Get Own Attys In Disney Suit

    DiCello Levitt and Lite DePalma have won out over Bathaee Dunne in a battle to represent FuboTV subscribers suing Disney over ESPN streaming rates, with a judge saying he had "grave doubts" that Yavar Bathaee could adequately represent the plaintiffs after Bathaee undercut their case in a status conference.

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    Ex-Airbnb GC To Tackle Climate Change At Watershed

    The former general counsel at Airbnb and Chegg Inc. announced Monday that he has accepted a job as general counsel and global head of policy at Watershed, a six-year-old sustainability measurement platform.

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    Survey Finds AI May Reshape Billable Hour's Reign In Law

    The legal industry's billing practices may soon undergo a seismic shift, as a survey of nearly 300 professionals highlights the growing influence of generative artificial intelligence, with many predicting the end of the billable hour's dominance.

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    Eversheds Sutherland Launches Silicon Valley Office

    Eversheds Sutherland is expanding its West Coast operations, announcing Tuesday it is opening a Silicon Valley office with Bradford Newman, a litigator from Baker McKenzie specializing in trade secrets and artificial intelligence, as its head.

  • Revived Effort To Break Up 9th Circ. Makes Its Way To Senate

    Idaho Republicans have reintroduced a U.S. Senate bill that looks to split up the Ninth Circuit and create a new Twelfth Circuit, according to an announcement made Monday, roughly nearly seven months after a similar bill was introduced in the House.

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    Davis Wright Adds Ex-Charles Schwab Associate GC In SF

    Davis Wright Tremaine LLP is expanding its litigation team with the addition of a former associate general counsel from Charles Schwab who has also worked at Morgan Stanley and was general counsel at a cryptocurrency exchange, the firm announced Monday.

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    Pillsbury Lands WilmerHale Startup Duo In Silicon Valley

    Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP announced Monday that it has landed a pair of partners from WilmerHale to enhance its capacity to advise startups, emerging technology companies and other clients.

  • Uber Sues LA Law Firms Over Alleged Crash Fraud Scheme

    Uber Technologies Inc. filed a lawsuit Monday against two Los Angeles personal injury firms, two of their attorneys and others, alleging the ride-sharing company is being targeted by a scheme involving fraudulent personal injury claims arising from motor vehicle accidents.

  • Judge Won't Recuse Over Past Work With DraftKings Counsel

    A California federal judge presiding over a proposed class action against DraftKings regarding its fantasy sports games offerings rejected a request from the plaintiffs to recuse himself over concerns that an attorney for the defense has ties to the court.

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    Billables AI Hires Ex-Clio, Consolio Executives

    Professional services software company Billables AI, which has an AI platform for timekeeping, announced Monday the hiring of two former leaders at Clio and Consilio LLC to serve as its director of customer success and head of sales.

  • Pot Drink Co.'s Case Belongs In Arbitration, Stoel Rives Says

    Stoel Rives LLP and a group of its clients are urging a California federal court to send a fraud suit brought by a maker of nonalcoholic cannabis drinks back to arbitration, arguing all the claims are subject to a valid arbitration agreement.

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    Judges' AI Orders Keep Trickling In As Fake Citations Persist

    A handful of federal judges have issued orders or guidelines this year on the use of generative artificial intelligence in court filings as attorneys continue to get in trouble for submitting legal documents with fake case citations, according to a Law360 Pulse analysis.

  • 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.

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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.

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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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