California Pulse


  • Ex-IRL App CEO Says Prosecutors Ignored Ethics Breaches

    The co-founder of defunct social app IRL is fighting fraud charges by claiming that the U.S. attorney's office prosecuting him is conflicted because an attorney who formerly defended IRL in an SEC investigation and is now with the office pushed for him to be charged — and he is disputing prosecutors' denial of impropriety. 

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    Webcor's GC Used Business Fluency To Land The CLO Spot

    Over the past 12 years, Patrick Kirby has gone from outside counsel for Webcor to assistant general counsel, general counsel and chief legal officer at the commercial general contractor — and he says there's a factor to consider in landing a promotion that he says likely applies for many of his peers.

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    How A Partner-Only Law Firm Uses AI To Replace Associates

    Lawyers Michael Pierson and Joel M. Ferdinand asked a simple question when they decided to launch their own firm: What would the elite law firm of the future look like?

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    Akerman Hires Consumer Protection Law Ace From Steptoe

    Akerman LLP announced on Monday it has welcomed a former Steptoe LLP attorney who brings vast experience helping clients navigate a unique, complicated landscape involving Golden State consumer protection laws and regulations, including matters related to Proposition 65.

  • ABA Outlines Attys' Duties To Clients With Intellectual Limits

    Attorneys have the same obligations to clients with decision-making limitations, should abide by those clients' decisions regarding their representation and must work to maintain an ordinary client-lawyer relationship as much as possible, the American Bar Association said in an opinion released Wednesday.

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    Cohen Milstein Launches On West Coast With LA Office

    Cohen Milstein Sellers & Toll LLP announced that the firm has opened an office in Los Angeles led by an experienced consumer protection attorney who will be relocating from Washington, D.C., to lead its expansion into the West Coast market.

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    Ex-Munger Tolles Partner Launches Calif. Litigation Boutique

    Weeks after announcing her departure from Munger Tolles & Olson LLP, one of the firm's former partners announced Wednesday that she has launched a litigation boutique based out of the Los Angeles suburb of Altadena, California.

  • Calif. Bill Regulating Atty AI Use Heads To Newsom's Desk

    A bill regulating attorneys' and arbitrators' use of generative artificial intelligence has unanimously passed the California State Legislature and is headed to Gov. Gavin Newsom's desk.

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    Determined To Expand, Law Firms Face Tight Office Market

    Law firms are finding new ways to expand their office space, since finding sufficient space is proving to be a challenge in desirable areas such as Manhattan, where the top-tier office market has now fully recovered.

  • Ex-Warriors GC, DEI Exec Say Bias Complaints Led To Firings

    The Golden State Warriors' former associate general counsel and its former vice president of diversity, equity and inclusion allege they were unlawfully fired in retaliation for speaking up about enduring a workplace marked by gender and race-based discrimination.

  • Judges Say Social Media, Political Rhetoric Endanger Them

    Increased access to social media and personal data via the internet, a larger number of high-profile cases, and inflammatory comments made by politicians have led to a rise in violent threats against judges and concerns about their safety, according to a recently published report.

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    Massumi & Consoli Matches Milbank Associate Pay Scale

    Associates at Massumi & Consoli will see salary increases of $10,000 and $20,000 this year, the firm confirmed to Law360 Pulse on Tuesday, matching the pay scale set by Milbank LLP in June.

  • The Top In-House Hires Of August

    Legal department hires during the past month included high-profile appointments at Anthropic, Zillow and ConocoPhillips. Here, Law360 Pulse looks at some of the top in-house announcements from August.

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    Meta's In-House Legal Moves Blur Line Between Risk, Error

    Ahead of the company's $17 billion settlement over claims its content harmed children, Meta's in-house lawyers drew criticism from a federal judge last week over their handling of privilege claims and damaging internal research. But attorneys and academics differ over whether the moves reflect legal missteps or defensible efforts to manage litigation risk.

  • Gordon Rees Elevates 73 Attorneys To Partners Nationwide

    Gordon Rees Scully Mansukhani LLP recently promoted more than 70 attorneys to the partnership level in 32 offices around the U.S., a record number of elevations for the firm.

  • Coblentz Patch Adds 4 Attys From Shuttered Carr McClellan

    San Francisco-based Coblentz Patch Duffy & Bass LLP has grown its corporate and litigation practices with the addition of four attorneys from Carr McClellan PC, which ceased operations in early August.

  • Eve Legal Says AI.Law Doc Drafting Patent Is Invalid

    California legal tech company Eve Legal wants out of a patent lawsuit brought by Ohio-based rival AI.Law, telling a San Francisco federal judge that the patent is insufficient, covering little more than using ordinary artificial intelligence tools to draft legal documents.

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    Skadden Adds Ex-Global Banking And Finance Head At Orrick

    Skadden Arps Slate Meagher & Flom LLP has expanded its finance team in Palo Alto, California, with the addition of the former global banking and finance group head at Orrick Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP.

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    4 Boutiques Launch Global Insurance Firm For Policyholders

    Four insurance law firms that exclusively represent policyholders have joined forces to create a global firm operating in eight countries, including the U.S., the U.K., France and Spain, saying in an announcement Tuesday that it is the largest policyholder-side law firm in the world.

  • Whistleblower Atty Award Cut To $5.4M After 9th Circ. Remand

    A California federal judge cut fees and expenses to $5.4 million for attorneys representing a whistleblower in her suit against Academy Mortgage Corp., after a Ninth Circuit remand deemed the previously awarded $8.6 million to be too high.

  • Calif. Bar Drops Disciplinary Action Against 4 DTLA Law Attys

    The California State Bar dismissed, without prejudice, disciplinary charges against four DTLA Law Group attorneys alleging they illegally practiced law outside the state as part of their work with the personal injury law firm, which is under investigation for its involvement in Los Angeles County's $4 billion sex abuse settlement.

  • House Passes Bill Adding Texas, California Court Sites

    The House voted 378-10 on Monday evening to expand access to federal courts in Texas and California, the two most populous states in the nation.

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    New Report Rings Alarm On Threats To Judicial Independence

    Verbal attacks on judges, disinformation about the courts and the defiance of court orders are undermining the independence of the federal judiciary and significantly affecting individual judges' ability to do their jobs, a report out Monday says.

  • Law Firm's Calif. Claims Stayed Over AI Comms Co.'s NY Suit

    A California federal judge ruled that AI communications company Connex One cannot escape claims brought by a personal injury law firm alleging it faced harassment and threats of litigation after it declined to renew their contract, saying the case will be stayed until a New York lawsuit brought by Connex against the firm runs its course.

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    Recruiters Cash In On BigLaw Talent Wars, But Stakes Rise

    As recruiting at top law firms has become increasingly lucrative amid rising compensation for lateral partners, new players have entered the field of legal recruiting expecting to find easy money, but the reality isn't so simple.

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Expert Analysis

  • How Firms Can Retain Rainmakers, Now And All Year Long Author Photo

    Though firm leaders feel the most urgency about retaining rainmakers now, during compensation season, effective retention strategies are preemptive and year-round efforts anchored in meaningful support, tactical execution and credible follow-through, says Tom Orewyler at TO Comms.

  • What GCs Value Most: 7 Ways To Earn Clients' Trust Author Photo

    Trust is the foundation of any great client relationship, but it isn’t built overnight or maintained passively — rather, counsel must consistently show up in small but important ways to become the trusted partner clients rely on when judgment matters most, says Andrew Dick at The L Suite.

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    Biz Development Tip Of The Month: Make An Onboarding Plan Author Photo

    The investment required for a personalized client onboarding plan is minimal, but the return on investment — measured in client satisfaction, relationship strength and longevity, client referrals, and other business development opportunities — can be extraordinary, says John Reed at Rain BDM.

  • Law Firm Content Strategies To Stay Competitive In 2026 Author Photo

    A number of trends will continue to reshape how people search, consume and trust information next year, and law firms will need to adopt forward-thinking content strategies — from generative engine optimization to interactive legal tools — to stand out, says Elizabeth Lampert at Elizabeth Lampert PR and Nancy Myrland at Myrland Marketing and Social Media.

  • What Law Firm Liability Risks In 2025 Signal For Year To Come Author Photo

    Trends and statistics reveal that law firms of all sizes and practice areas remained attractive litigation targets this year, so firms must take concrete steps to avoid professional liability risks in the year to come, say Douglas Richmond and Andrew Ricke at Lockton Companies.

  • 5 New Archetypes Of Legal Talent For The Age Of AI Author Photo

    New job archetypes are rapidly replacing the traditional model of the lawyer as artificial intelligence proliferates, and to remain competitive, firms will need to embrace the diverse portfolio of talent required to navigate, design and critique algorithmic systems, says Dmitri Mehlhorn at Atoll Society.

  • A Closer Look At 5 Types Of Legal Management Services Orgs Author Photo

    Legal management services organizations, which outsource the administrative aspects of law firms to separate entities, are poised to disrupt the industry in the year to come, so firms and attorneys should consider the advantages and disadvantages of several MSO models, say Frederick Shelton and Ayven Dodd at Shelton & Steele.

  • Law And Disorder: How To Tackle A Key Burnout Syndrome Author Photo

    Impostor syndrome prevails as a main root cause of attorney burnout, but sufferers can equip themselves with a series of practice tips that build confidence through evidence, not emotion, to address the mindset behind this damaging condition, says Jonathan Cohen at PNY.

  • What GCs Value Most: 7 Ways To Build Client Relationships Author Photo

    Today's general counsel expect outside lawyers to show interest, relevance and value long before there is a live matter to address, including by engaging with attorneys at every level of the company and dispensing free advice thoughtfully, says Andrew Dick at The L Suite.

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    Biz Development Tip Of The Month: Start Early In Your Career Author Photo

    Having the courage to embark on your legal business development strategy early in your career allows you to sooner reap the rewards of a strong network, which in turn can increase the momentum of referrals over the course of your career, says Kristin Housh at Sheppard Mullin.

  • Enthusiasm Is Legal Leadership Differentiator In AI Era Author Photo

    As the legal profession navigates changes driven by artificial intelligence and broader pressures, leaders should consider behavioral research-backed strategies to translate enthusiasm into tangible results for team performance, say attorneys at King & Spalding.

  • Weighing Opportunities, Risks Of PE Investment In Law Firms Author Photo

    Though law firms and private equity firms appear to be strange bedfellows, such combinations may offer opportunities for ailing midsize firms — which must be weighed against risks to culture, brand and growth prospects, say directors at FTI Consulting.

  • 3 Forces Reshaping The Legal Buyer-Seller Relationship Author Photo

    This year's Buying Legal Council Conference highlighted three emerging forces in how buyers and sellers operate in the legal ecosystem — artificial intelligence, data and preferred panels — and organizations would be well advised to combine them into an integrated framework for transparency, performance and collaboration, says Matthew Prinn at RFP Advisory Group.

  • 5 Steps For GCs To Drive Generative AI Experimentation Author Photo

    As legal departments face mounting pressure to do more with less, general counsel should lead a structured process for adopting generative artificial intelligence tools to transform productivity, manage risk and align with enterprise priorities, says Maesea McCalpin at Gartner.

  • How Attys Can DIY Their Own System For Professional Growth Author Photo

    Amid law firm layoffs of business development staff, lawyers cannot depend solely on their firms to foster their professional growth, and must instead create their own initiatives for building community, says Lana Manganiello at Practice Growth Partner.

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